usvi-on-line
Diet poll:
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California Girl
Lindsey, welcome to the forum! I totally appreciate your post and I don't think you sound "soap box-like" at all! 
Boy, did I feel dumb when you said a pound is a pound, no matter what its made of! It was me who said muscle weighs more than fat. Duhh! LOL! I know better than that!
My doctor told me that same thing about waist-size and that it can indicate pre-diabetes. That's when I started eating by the Glycemic Index. It really works, and it works fast. I just need to follow my own advice!
Thanks for coming out of "lurkdom"!
Boy, did I feel dumb when you said a pound is a pound, no matter what its made of! It was me who said muscle weighs more than fat. Duhh! LOL! I know better than that!
My doctor told me that same thing about waist-size and that it can indicate pre-diabetes. That's when I started eating by the Glycemic Index. It really works, and it works fast. I just need to follow my own advice!
Thanks for coming out of "lurkdom"!
Lindsey'
Hey I am a RD too. Welcome to the forum. I usually stay out of these threads and you can imagine why. We know what works but most people don't want to hear it and want a quick fix. Hence my comment, Eat less, exercise more. Easier said than done...
Yes dietitians are regular people too and like to eat and have a few cocktails at times. You have to live a little! 
Terese
Hey I am a RD too. Welcome to the forum. I usually stay out of these threads and you can imagine why. We know what works but most people don't want to hear it and want a quick fix. Hence my comment, Eat less, exercise more.
Easier said than done...Yes dietitians are regular people too and like to eat and have a few cocktails at times. You have to live a little!
Terese
Thank you!
I was a little embarrassed to ask for help on this. I feel so much better by your responses and appreciate the support.
I really like the weight watchers program. I have had two successful diet days but haven’t exercised. I am going to set the alarm a little earlier tomorrow and get it done before my schedule gets in the way.
What really impressed me and got me to sign up is the success of our forumites with weight watchers. That is a great endorsement. If anyone has any questions about weight watchers please ask.
About the scale . . . I just started reading a book called The Beck Diet by Judith Beck. It isn't’ a diet actually. It is cognitive behavior techniques that can be applied to any diet. This is what she says in the book about the scale:
[
Low carb/ Low glycemic diets: are they similar?? I have paged through some books at B&N and, aside from the extreme low carb diets (protein power), they look pretty much the same. They both seem to limit “bad” carbs and encourage good carbs in moderation. I have heard that we will lose our cravings after two weeks--I hope that is true also with moderate carb/lower glycemic diets. I would love to lose the cravings and have more energy!
Teresa Rae: I have so many questions. I have a really good doctor. But she doesn’t test for T3 and T4. But she doesn’t really use the levels as a tell all--she listens to me about how I am feeling. I asked my Doctor to switch me from synthroid to armour. I did quite a bit of research and felt it was safer and loved the T3 advantages. I don’t know what Nature-Thyroid is. I am going to do some research. If my levels are still bad next month I will ask her how she feels about it. I haven’t been on armour long--and we both knew that it takes a little time to get the levels right. I didn’t like synthroid at all. My levels were right but I felt horrible, depressed, and cold. Is glandular thyroid over the counter? I am asking bioidenticals because of both perimenopause and my thyroid. My Doctor has prescribed progesterone for me. She tested my estrogen levels and said that they were very high. I just wondered if I should ask for a full panel. It sounds like you have a great Doctor and that you have a lot of knowledge--I will run this by me Doctor after I do a little research.
Oh, there was something the book said that has resonated in my head over and over the last two days.
Terese: I hear eat less and exercise more . . . it is easier said than done . . . there seem to be necessary tools to change habits and make the change stick that I haven't learned . . . and I really think there is more to the picture. You are the expert; but it seems to me that there is a whole lot more to it than eating less and exercising more.
Congratulations to our forum members who have lost the weight and are keeping it off, or who are losing and close to goal!! It really give me hope.
Gina
I really like the weight watchers program. I have had two successful diet days but haven’t exercised. I am going to set the alarm a little earlier tomorrow and get it done before my schedule gets in the way.
What really impressed me and got me to sign up is the success of our forumites with weight watchers. That is a great endorsement. If anyone has any questions about weight watchers please ask.
About the scale . . . I just started reading a book called The Beck Diet by Judith Beck. It isn't’ a diet actually. It is cognitive behavior techniques that can be applied to any diet. This is what she says in the book about the scale:
[
I don’t know--I think different approaches are better for some people. I am going to take her advice but I am nervous about it. Especially with my hormone issues.b]Research shows that daily weigh-ins are important. A University of Minnesota study of more than 3000 dieters determined that only the dieters who weighed themselves daily were able to lose weight and keep it off over a years time. Dieters who weighed less frequently or not at all tended to gain weight.[/b]
Low carb/ Low glycemic diets: are they similar?? I have paged through some books at B&N and, aside from the extreme low carb diets (protein power), they look pretty much the same. They both seem to limit “bad” carbs and encourage good carbs in moderation. I have heard that we will lose our cravings after two weeks--I hope that is true also with moderate carb/lower glycemic diets. I would love to lose the cravings and have more energy!
Teresa Rae: I have so many questions. I have a really good doctor. But she doesn’t test for T3 and T4. But she doesn’t really use the levels as a tell all--she listens to me about how I am feeling. I asked my Doctor to switch me from synthroid to armour. I did quite a bit of research and felt it was safer and loved the T3 advantages. I don’t know what Nature-Thyroid is. I am going to do some research. If my levels are still bad next month I will ask her how she feels about it. I haven’t been on armour long--and we both knew that it takes a little time to get the levels right. I didn’t like synthroid at all. My levels were right but I felt horrible, depressed, and cold. Is glandular thyroid over the counter? I am asking bioidenticals because of both perimenopause and my thyroid. My Doctor has prescribed progesterone for me. She tested my estrogen levels and said that they were very high. I just wondered if I should ask for a full panel. It sounds like you have a great Doctor and that you have a lot of knowledge--I will run this by me Doctor after I do a little research.
Oh, there was something the book said that has resonated in my head over and over the last two days.
MostlyALurker: I would love to see you get on the soapbox again. I really appreciate your input.Every time you eat something you hadn’t planned to eat, you weaken your resistance muscle and strengthen your giving-in muscle. That is why every single bite of unplanned food matters. It is not just the calories but the habit.
Terese: I hear eat less and exercise more . . . it is easier said than done . . . there seem to be necessary tools to change habits and make the change stick that I haven't learned . . . and I really think there is more to the picture. You are the expert; but it seems to me that there is a whole lot more to it than eating less and exercising more.
Congratulations to our forum members who have lost the weight and are keeping it off, or who are losing and close to goal!! It really give me hope.
Gina
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California Girl
Gina - Go here for more information on the Glycemic Index: http://www.glycemicindex.com/
I bought and read a couple of their books and often refer back to them for what's what on the index. It's a little like counting points, in a way. You are right in the fact that glycemic eating is very similar to low carb eating, but there are some very yummy things that are considered low on the GI. You can have vanilla ice cream with fresh raspberries, or pound cake or Angel Food cake with crushed strawberries!
When I'm being very good I get up an hour early in the morning and do 2 miles on my treadmill, walking. It gets my metabolism going and I feel better all day, and I continue to burn calories all day, too. If I eat right and hit the treadmill 5 days a week (weekends off) I can lose 10 lbs. in about 4 weeks, and those pounds stay off for a long time.
I just fell off the wagon and I've been very bad. Now it's time to get back on track! Bathing suit soon come!
P.S. Thanks Terry!
I bought and read a couple of their books and often refer back to them for what's what on the index. It's a little like counting points, in a way. You are right in the fact that glycemic eating is very similar to low carb eating, but there are some very yummy things that are considered low on the GI. You can have vanilla ice cream with fresh raspberries, or pound cake or Angel Food cake with crushed strawberries!
When I'm being very good I get up an hour early in the morning and do 2 miles on my treadmill, walking. It gets my metabolism going and I feel better all day, and I continue to burn calories all day, too. If I eat right and hit the treadmill 5 days a week (weekends off) I can lose 10 lbs. in about 4 weeks, and those pounds stay off for a long time.
I just fell off the wagon and I've been very bad. Now it's time to get back on track! Bathing suit soon come!
P.S. Thanks Terry!
Thank you CA girl! I will take a look. I never got to the point . . . it looks to me like lower carb/lower GI and the new weight watchers plan all are trying to teach us to focus on good carbs. Because there are so many different diet experts telling us to get away from processed foods and increase the good carbs it seems pretty clear that it what works. And there are a lot on the forum with success.
Gina
Gina
Gina,
I didn't mean to come across as a smart a$$ and yes each person has to do what is right for them but don't be afraid to see a Dietitian. We work with people on an individual basis because what works for one does not work for another. I guess that I get frustrated when people ask for my help and if I give them some tips they look at me like I don't know what I am talking about and tell me about their latest quack diet that I know will fail. It is all about changing your lifestyle and being the best you can be and then being happy with that even if it is not perfect. You have to be realistic.
Sorry if I offended anyone. I was just trying to be funny.
I didn't mean to come across as a smart a$$ and yes each person has to do what is right for them but don't be afraid to see a Dietitian. We work with people on an individual basis because what works for one does not work for another. I guess that I get frustrated when people ask for my help and if I give them some tips they look at me like I don't know what I am talking about and tell me about their latest quack diet that I know will fail. It is all about changing your lifestyle and being the best you can be and then being happy with that even if it is not perfect. You have to be realistic.
Sorry if I offended anyone. I was just trying to be funny.
Check this article in the NYT about "fat bets". They note how it may be more of a guy thing, good for guys who wouldnt want to do something like WW. You sure do see the competitor switch get turned on big time for some of the folks on Biggest Loser.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/healt ... nted=print
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/healt ... nted=print
When we come to place where the sea and the sky collide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
CAGirl, before you feel silly, it should be noted that while "a pound is a pound" is absolutely correct, when one makes the reference "muscle weighs more than fat" what that person is usually referring to is the fact that the same VOLUME of muscle actually does weigh slightly more than the same VOLUME of fat. It is not as extreme as many think it is, but there is a weight difference for the same volume of tissue. The density of the tissue is different, giving the same volume of tissue a different weight.MostlyALurker wrote:Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound, and a pound of feathers weighs the same as a pound of bricks.
Technically speaking, you were right.
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MostlyALurker
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 7:36 pm
California Girl- Do not feel dumb at all. The muscle weighing more than fat thing is a really common source of confusion. In a way, we are both right. As VickiH said, it's about volume and density. What I see people get hung up on more often than not, though, is when they tell me they've been working out for 5-7 hours per week, staying within their calorie limits and yet have gained a significant amount of weight over a period of time that tells me otherwise, and then insist it's muscle gain.
While every body is different, aside from clinically diagnosed medical issues, none of us is an exception to the science of weight loss.
I still maintain, however, that weighing yourself multiple times per day is not a good strategy. Of course you weigh more after you eat. And of course you will weigh more after eating something high in salt or alcohol. And of course you will weigh more at the end of the day than you did in the morning (unless you spend a couple hours sweating off your day without rehydrating before you step on the scale, which is not an accurate picture of your true weight either).
I've worked with many people with eating disorders and scale obsessions and it always frightens me to see the advice given to weigh daily or multiple times per day. It's not realistic or, in my opinion and as evidenced in research, mentally healthy.
Thanks for the welcome, everyone.
While every body is different, aside from clinically diagnosed medical issues, none of us is an exception to the science of weight loss.
I still maintain, however, that weighing yourself multiple times per day is not a good strategy. Of course you weigh more after you eat. And of course you will weigh more after eating something high in salt or alcohol. And of course you will weigh more at the end of the day than you did in the morning (unless you spend a couple hours sweating off your day without rehydrating before you step on the scale, which is not an accurate picture of your true weight either).
I've worked with many people with eating disorders and scale obsessions and it always frightens me to see the advice given to weigh daily or multiple times per day. It's not realistic or, in my opinion and as evidenced in research, mentally healthy.
Thanks for the welcome, everyone.
As I said earlier, my doctor told me (not that I listened) that no one who has an eating disorder or has demonstrated disordered eating (the traits that develop into an eating disorder) should have a scale in their house. They should only weigh-in in very controlled settings. It seems harsh, but truly people can be ruled by a number on a scale.
I can tell you right now, if I didn't have a trainer who is pushing me harder than I have ever been pushed and I didn't know that I am doing things correctly (except missing breakfast this morning), I'd be very discouraged that I have been working out like crazy and haven't really lost weight.
Having dieted my entire life, it really is as simple as eat less and exercise more for most people. If someone has a thyroid issue, that's a whole different ball game. A girl here at work finally got her thyroid medicine regulated, and she has lost 90 pounds in a little over a year.
I know that I just need to watch my intake and get serious about my output. But I'm human, and it's hard not to eat chocolate when I have PMS or get out of bed to go running when it's cold outside.
Really, I'm just a wimp. So for whoever said they wanted to join me for 8 Tuff Miles, please come along. You can scoop me up with the Jeep when it's over!
I can tell you right now, if I didn't have a trainer who is pushing me harder than I have ever been pushed and I didn't know that I am doing things correctly (except missing breakfast this morning), I'd be very discouraged that I have been working out like crazy and haven't really lost weight.
Having dieted my entire life, it really is as simple as eat less and exercise more for most people. If someone has a thyroid issue, that's a whole different ball game. A girl here at work finally got her thyroid medicine regulated, and she has lost 90 pounds in a little over a year.
I know that I just need to watch my intake and get serious about my output. But I'm human, and it's hard not to eat chocolate when I have PMS or get out of bed to go running when it's cold outside.
Really, I'm just a wimp. So for whoever said they wanted to join me for 8 Tuff Miles, please come along. You can scoop me up with the Jeep when it's over!
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Teresa_Rae
- Posts: 2053
- Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:44 pm
- Location: Downstate IL
Re: Thank you!
Well I could go on and on for quite some timeGinaXOXO wrote:Teresa Rae: I have so many questions. I have a really good doctor. But she doesn’t test for T3 and T4. But she doesn’t really use the levels as a tell all--she listens to me about how I am feeling. I asked my Doctor to switch me from synthroid to armour. I did quite a bit of research and felt it was safer and loved the T3 advantages. I don’t know what Nature-Thyroid is. I am going to do some research. If my levels are still bad next month I will ask her how she feels about it. I haven’t been on armour long--and we both knew that it takes a little time to get the levels right. I didn’t like synthroid at all. My levels were right but I felt horrible, depressed, and cold. Is glandular thyroid over the counter? I am asking bioidenticals because of both perimenopause and my thyroid. My Doctor has prescribed progesterone for me. She tested my estrogen levels and said that they were very high. I just wondered if I should ask for a full panel. It sounds like you have a great Doctor and that you have a lot of knowledge--I will run this by me Doctor after I do a little research.
Gina
I suffered greatly with hypothyroidism and I had to do a lot of research to get where I am today….meaning finally feeling mostly normal. You also have to be your own advocate because you are the one in control of your health.
Once you start looking into this more I’m sure you will find that the good standard blood tests are Free T3, Free T4 and TSH. Just testing for TSH is considered the old/outdated way of thinking. Those three tests coupled with your symptoms are how your doctor should determine your dosage. Testing for Free T3 and Free T4 is essential because those are the hormones available for your body to use; Total T3 and Total T4 levels are much less important. When you start reading more you’ll probably see people say things like “does your doctor test for the frees?”…so that is what they’re talking about.
Also, most doctors go by the old TSH ranges. The old ranges were established by taking blood from a bunch of people and finding “normal”…problem was that just like the American public a lot of those people had undiagnosed thyroid disease so the numbers were skewed. The TSH ranges were changed by the National Association of Clinical Endocrinologists in 2003 but I’ve yet to see a lab range that has been updated and 99% of doctors don’t know about the change either (not even endocrinologists, including two former endocrinologists of mine).
My doctor wants my TSH to be down between 0.1 and 1.0…he believes that is the optimal level for most humans. No two people are the same, but I’m falling asleep at work if my TSH isn’t at the bottom of that range. Some people might function ok with their TSH at 1.0, but I am not one of them. Now most doctors would look at a TSH of 1.0 and tell you that you’re fine, so that’s why it’s important to have a doctor who treats you based on your symptoms, not just your lab values. It’s like wearing the right size pair of shoes: just because someone else wears a size 10 doesn’t mean that’s what I need…I need a size 6.5 to function properly and I wouldn’t do very well in a size 10. My doctor also wants my Free T3 and Free T4 to be in the upper end of their ranges.
The glandular thyroid support supplements are over the counter but I would talk to an experienced doctor about it before taking something. I buy mine through my doctor.
A good place to start is here:
http://www.thyroid-info.com/
And if worse comes to worst and you don't get anywhere with your doctor I know my doctor does have at least a few patients who live in Iowa
Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.
- Mark Twain
- Mark Twain
Thank you Teresa Rae! I haven't started to do any research yet but you have given me a lot to think about. I really like my Doctor but if she has a negative reaction to what you have told me I think I will have to get a reference to your Doctor. It is so important to feel good--and not something to take for granted. Teresa Rae, I can tell from what you have written that you know what it is like to feel like something the cat drug in--day in and day out. It was awful!
The lowest my TSH number has ever been was 1.4--but that was with synthroid. I remember telling my Doctor that the number had to be really high because I didn't feel very good. Then the results were pretty optimal. Teresa Rae, I thought--this is it? This is all the better I am going to feel??
Now I am on armour and last month I thought my numbers would be good but there weren't. I do feel better now. I am not sure what to make of it. My Doctor increased my dosage and I feel better this week--I think I am on the mend. My Doctor did tell me that it take a lot of patience to find the right dosage of armour.
Your Doctor sounds really progressive. How long did it take you to get it right?? Like I said; my numbers were better before with Synthroid; I feel better on armour; and I have been at this for over 4 years.
Thank you so much--hopefully you will keep in touch with me--I have spent a lot of time starting this diet and haven't had time to research yet. I hope that you will be around when I start researching. I wonder what my Doctor will say when I ask her for the free tests.
Gina
The lowest my TSH number has ever been was 1.4--but that was with synthroid. I remember telling my Doctor that the number had to be really high because I didn't feel very good. Then the results were pretty optimal. Teresa Rae, I thought--this is it? This is all the better I am going to feel??
Now I am on armour and last month I thought my numbers would be good but there weren't. I do feel better now. I am not sure what to make of it. My Doctor increased my dosage and I feel better this week--I think I am on the mend. My Doctor did tell me that it take a lot of patience to find the right dosage of armour.
Your Doctor sounds really progressive. How long did it take you to get it right?? Like I said; my numbers were better before with Synthroid; I feel better on armour; and I have been at this for over 4 years.
Thank you so much--hopefully you will keep in touch with me--I have spent a lot of time starting this diet and haven't had time to research yet. I hope that you will be around when I start researching. I wonder what my Doctor will say when I ask her for the free tests.
Gina