It's Friday....anybody lose weight???

Flower51 · Post by **Flower51** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:35 pm

Check out the "is anybody interested" thread for those of you not already there.... Terry

ps. re fasting: I've fasted through the years and found that it has sabatoged my metabolism, or perhaps perfected my famine response depending on if you are a "glass is half empty" or "glass is half full" person!!!! BUT I also believe that if God drops it inside of you to fast, you better fast! Prior to being a christian, I fasted for the sake of vanity to lose weight and did some major damage to my metabolism. HOWEVER since being a believer, I've been on fasts of varying lengths from 1 meal to 30 days and it is a whole different experience. I fast for spiritual reasons, not for weight loss and I know how to safely begin and safely stop a long fast w/out damaging my digestive system. Has it slowed my metab? Possibly but the benefits of being more alert and having my spiritual hearing "tweaked" when not eating, are worth it to me. Also I am a serious couch potato if I let myself be, so my lack of consistent exercise may be one reason for the slowed metabolism.

Also Jesus, who fasted for 40 days, said, "when you fast" not "if you fast"....it was a given that it was a normal part of life. To me, fasting is a way of expressing my dependence on God for every need in my life. And just like God rested on the 7th day after creating the world, and we are called to a sabbath rest, it follows for me that one day of resting my body from digesting food can be a healthy thing too. Am I saying we should all go on 40 day fasts? NO not unless God gives you the strength and grace for it....it could hurt your heart, etc... to just plunge in and do that. I think it was R&R who said something to the effect of moderation or balance being a good thing. Straight from the bible.."be temperate in all things"...that's one goal I've had this year, to avoid extremes in eating, etc...

Flower51 · Post by **Flower51** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:44 pm

btw R&R, I have a healthy distrust for religion and religious tradition as I agree much of it was constructed by man as a tool to control other men. Sadly we've all experienced that. IMHO God loves relationship and isn't about religion.....Terry

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:47 pm

Flower, we are basically in agreement, but please remember the fasting that was a part of life was the norm for then, not now. IF and I say IF, Jesus said it, it was because he came from the religion of the time, a mix of Judism and other old religions that recognized self punishment and denial. I still say, fasting is not healthy nor normal. IMHO and most doctors. By the way, my degree is in Comparative Religions. Most of us don't even know the controls that are placed on us and the bible....as it is now...is full of them.

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 10:29 pm

Terry
Thanks for your wise words. Like you, I renew my spiritual focus when I only have liquids for one day a week. The truth lies in our relationship to God and the love He gives us for others.

Cat-a-tonic
It's wonderful to have you onboard. The members on this forum make wonderful contributions providing insight from their own experience or research.

I think we should all forgive ourselves for years of struggle and failure because research has proven that, no matter how the problem started, just missing out on 8 hours of sleep each night was enough to get us in serious long-term trouble.

Pity the parents of infants, or shift workers, or carers of any kind who may be commencing the same cycle that got most of us finally and fortunately to a sleep clinic.

EVERYONE
PLEASE DO NOT FAST!!!!!!! But forgive me if I continue and be compassionate (as usual) if I fail miserably at "healthy eating" (never use the word "diet" as it has come to be used).

Anecdote: I lived on a farm and we monitored the nutrition / feed of all the animals ( basically "organic" farming). But when I took my children to the doctor, for measles etc., he never asked what I was feeding them. When I started putting on weight during a stressful period I panicked and virtually starved myself for 6 months (I quickly reached a plateau which I couldn't break through) until finally my organs started to disfunction and my metabolism dropped so much I couldn't sit up in bed one morning and had to slide out of bed. I went to the doctor and asked him to order tests. He very reluctantly agreed even though I knew what my symptoms meant. I asked him "Aren't you going to ask me what I have been eating?" and he answered "Well you have obviously been eating enough!!!". [ The tests came back at the lower range of "normal" therefore we Aussie's must be a pretty sick bunch (and that was over 20 years ago, before the junk food revolution)].

Margaret

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 10:36 pm

R & R
Just saw your last note, must have been interesting studies, have you read the work of Ivan Panin. Well beyond my intellect but you would get your head around it.

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:52 am

But forgive me if I continue and be compassionate (as usual) if I fail miserably at "healthy eating" (never use the word "diet" as it has come to be used).

Hi, Margaret. Would you do me, AND YOURSELF, a favor? Tell yourself, from this moment on, that you are not going to fail miserably at healthy eating and this is the start of a successful and wonderful new chapter in your life where you will succeed beyond your expectations in doing so? Like with CPAP, and just about everything, if not everything, in life, I find that a positive attitude is far more likely to bring results.

This is the first time you've had an entire forum of people behind you for support, and I believe being on this therapy makes you a stronger person. You know what they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger ? Keep a positive outlook that this is going to be the time you do it right and get your health, and your figure, back.

You seem like such a sweetheart and I don't like to hear you start off thinking you're going to fail and already asking for forgiveness. NOT that you would need it, but of course you would always have it and never be judged by anybody here. So relax, think positively and you wil succeed!!!

Now that my sermon is over, have a great day!

Flower51 · Post by **Flower51** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:27 am

BTW just an interesting sidenote here re my own exp w/fasting:

several years ago, when I weighed the most, I was a member of a website (which is no longer in existence) that was all about fasting...not for anorexics, but for health reasons. And at the time I would sometimes water fast but also my dh seeing my desire to "be healthy" got me a juicer (a knock off of the famous but expensive Juice man juicer). Anybody see those ads where the man selling his juicer is up there in age but also full of energy and talks animatedly about the benefits of juicing?

When I juice fasted, I sometimes used raw veggies (like cabbage and carrot) and sometimes used raw fruits (like cantaloupe or apple or pineapple). I was so eager to see my health improve, the blood pressure normalize and my weight fall off....What happened during prolonged juice fasting, in my case, was that after the initial drop in bp, my bp shot up even higher (probably due to my problems metabolizing sugar...insulin resistance? and also because I was getting concentrated sugar and other nutrients but perhaps out of balance than I would have eating the veggies and fruits in their natural state) and although I lost some weight during the time I fasted, when I returned to eating mainly pan seared fish and raw veggies I gained much of it back. It was a frustrating time because I was convinced that I was giving my body what it needed and that this would work...look at the juiceman's testimonys! A personal friend at that time was a doctor, a gastroenteroligist, and he said he wished his patients would juice fast as it was so healthy for their system.
The first doctor I ever knew who had that opinion. Anyway....when I use my juicer now, its mainly for veggies and an occassional small glass of fruit juice. In my exp water fasting has been the healthiest way to go, if you are abstaining from food. Terry

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:00 am

Marg., Nope have not read him. My studies were a long time ago and I have moved on to other interests. I never used my degree and got into marketing which I what I do today. After studying for several years, I got disillusioned with religion and got more into phylosophy and phycology.

yawn · Post by **yawn** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:19 am

I got on my scale today hoping that I lost something that I could post about. Somebody pointed out that nobody has posted a loss for this week and I didn't want people to get discouraged about that. The goal here is to change our eating habits and start exercising....the reward will hopefully be some weight loss. There may be weeks, however, where nobody loses any weight and that's ok.

I do not find my scale to be accurate at all but it says I lost another 4lbs. Please don't hoot and holler yet....my official weigh-in is 3 weeks away.

Has anybody done their exercising for today? I plan to in just a little while.

Amy

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:21 am

WTG, AMY!!!! 3 or 4 lbs is incredible in one week. I'm so happy to hear your great news!

Yes, I did my recumbent bike this morning. It was a little hard because I did it right after my morning tea and all of a sudden the urge to go hit and I spent the last 10 minutes wondering if I could make it. But I did, ran the the bathroom and said, "AH!!!" That tea decides to leave when it's ready and usually at inopportune moments, like when you can't stop exercising.

Keep up whatever you're doing. See, even with the office warming party, YOU DONE GOOD!!!

yawn · Post by **yawn** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:14 pm

HI Lori,
Thanks for the praise but it may be premature. My scale isn't accurate at all and never seems to match with my Doctor's scale. I just use mine to make sure I'm going in the right direction.
I did some house cleaning today followed by 30 mins. on my eliptical and then various weights for arms and legs. It always feels so good to be done. I also managed to drink a very large glass of water....2 more and I've done my "water" quota for the day. Your description of the tea "attack" was hilarious....I can relate!!! You're lucky you finished the work-out. After having 2 kids, I'm not sure I could have finished without an accident (if you know what I mean ).
Amy

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:20 pm

After having 2 kids, I'm not sure I could have finished without an accident (if you know what I mean ).

All too well!!!

By the way, it doesn't matter if your scale and your doctor's don't say the same thing. YOU LOST WEIGHT!!! That's the key...don't belittle it. It's great.

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:05 pm

R & R
It's awhile since I read about other religions as well. But I like to talk to people of other faiths. Sharing is always good and I like nothing better then to discuss different points of view.

Lori
Thanks for your advice. You will have to bear with me as I am just learning that Aussie's are less serious than Americans as a whole. I spent six weeks in the states in '91 but as we were on the road most of the time didn't get to talk personally to many people. I don't believe that I am going to fail, but I know that if I did you would be there to pick me up. Thanks guys.

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:11 pm

but I know that if I did you would be there to pick me up

Count on it .

Also, I never have and never want to consider myself a serious sort. I love to laugh and think it is the only thing that gets us through this life we live, short of having the love and support of people around us whom we care about and who care about us. Lots of serious topics going on, though, on this site lately. But I believe in the old adage about laughter being the best medicine. That and a good 5 mg. valium (only kidding)!!!

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:26 pm

I know that you guys have a good sense of humour. Most of our television is from the US (love Desperate Housewives by the way).

But Australians (and the English) poke fun at themselves more and are perhaps more ironic in their humour. That's not to say it's better' probably quite the opposite. There is a similarity or familiarity (to Oz) I find in Canadian productions but I haven't analyzzzed what it is. Besides that, you guys use an awful lot of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's in your spelling (keeps the spellcheck buzy).