Weight Loss, energy levels

[nobody]

I'm curious, how many of you have lost weight since starting CPAP and getting good numbers? I'm also curious how many of you have had a noticable increase in physical energy? I've noticed a huge improvement in my overall alertness but I have not noticed much increase in my physical energy. Should that even be expected from CPAP therapy? I've also gained weight since getting on the CPAP. I'm really desperate to lose the fat on my belly, but I just can't seem to do it. Cutting calories doesn't work because I get migraines and then get so hungry that I end up over-eating. I think I need more exercise but I just don't feel like doing it. I don't feel fatigued but I also don't feel like moving either. I thought I would have more energy with CPAP therapy and I've been on it for a year and a half now.

[Muse-Inc]

I lost negliable wt during the first few months tho I had slow steady improvements in all but my energy levels...that didn't improve much until I had in 9 months, then I was able to start exercising more than a few mins. By 12 months, Ihad lost 18#s and was up to 45-75 mins on my exercise bike 7 days/wk and a 20 min walk 3-4 times a wk. Since then another year has passed and I've lost 53#s and my pressure has been reduced.

EDIT: Oh yeah, at 12 months I started a very low carb eating plan. When I added 125 mgs of grape seed extract a few months ago, my ginormous appetite finally disappeared and made sticking to my chosen eating plan a whole easier.

[rosiefrosie]

I have more energy since I have been getting proper therapy, much more energy. The only way I lost weight was to work at it. I needed to reduce my calorie intake and increase my exercise program. Sometimes you have to make yourself do it. I had to force myself and am glad I did.

Rosie

[NeedSomeAir]

EDIT: Oh yeah, at 12 months I started a very low carb eating plan. When I added 125 mgs of grape seed extract a few months ago, my ginormous appetite finally disappeared and made sticking to my chosen eating plan a whole easier.

Well you sold me! I was just looking at GNC's site and they have 300mg. How to know how much to use?

EDIT: I was just reading more about this and it can do so much more than suppressing someone's appetite. I can benefit from it because of my diabetes and high lipids. Here's a good article on this. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/grapeseed/

[nobody]

I'm very skeptical of diet fads. The "low fat" diet that was all the rage in the earl y 90s proved to be a disaster for most people. We know now that "low carb" diets tend to slow metabolism which is not what you want. I don't know about the grape seed extract except that it's probably mostly vitamin C. I actually have some around here, not sure why I bought it, but I don't recall it ever curbing my appetite.

I lost negliable wt during the first few months tho I had slow steady improvements in all but my energy levels...that didn't improve much until I had in 9 months, then I was able to start exercising more than a few mins. By 12 months, Ihad lost 18#s and was up to 45-75 mins on my exercise bike 7 days/wk and a 20 min walk 3-4 times a wk. Since then another year has passed and I've lost 53#s and my pressure has been reduced.

EDIT: Oh yeah, at 12 months I started a very low carb eating plan. When I added 125 mgs of grape seed extract a few months ago, my ginormous appetite finally disappeared and made sticking to my chosen eating plan a whole easier.

[My_Dream]

After starting CPAP just over a year ago I found I was more alert, rested and indeed had more energy. On the down side I also put on about 20 pounds and are still unable to loose the weight. I also find that if I don't eat enough I get headaches but I still think I need to stop eating junk food. I keep trying to diet but haven't kept at it.

[nobody]

I don't eat junk food but I love to cook, especially pies. I think that is part of my problem Plus even though it's good to make my own food it's hard to know the calorie content of things.

After starting CPAP just over a year ago I found I was more alert, rested and indeed had more energy. On the down side I also put on about 20 pounds and are still unable to loose the weight. I also find that if I don't eat enough I get headaches but I still think I need to stop eating junk food. I keep trying to diet but haven't kept at it.

[Muse-Inc]

...We know now that "low carb" diets tend to slow metabolism which is not what you want...

Only happens if carbs are below 40 gms/day and only for some people. There is a typical 14-day period where some will feel horrible as the body switches the production of enzymes from those that burn sugar to mostly those that burn fat (& ketones). I have not experience either effect but can attest that some of my friends and family have experienced this effect. I ordered the Drs Eades latest book The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle that is targeted to reducing visceral fat (fat in liver, fat surrounding internal organs compromising room for lung expanion); book arrived last night when I was out digging trenches so the water pooling around the foundation of my house in the back would flow around to the side and then down to the storm drain. This morning, I did request the one blood test they suggested (apolipoprotein-B or Apo-B); doc read the paragraphs about it and added it as it appears to be a good way to indicate LDL particle size (small & dense=scary, large & fluffy=safe) without doing the horribly expensive gel electrophoresis test. In case ya didn't know, your LDL and Apo-A are calculated not actually measured; if ya eat low carb, it doesn't calculate right because the mathematical formula assumes you are eating 150-300 grams of carb eat day which is way too high to be considered low carb.

...I don't know about the grape seed extract...

Some GSEs have resveratrol, all are powerful anti-inflammatories. Not sure why it works as an appetite suppressant. I first read of that effect about a year ago in studies done at University of Georgia on weight loss supplements, then in other studies. Never pursued it until I switched to taking a combo product of Proline-Lysine (Pauling-Rath theory of arteriosclerosis) that contains 25 mgs of it. Mom, who I nagged into taking it, found her appetite disappeared. She stopped it, 2 days later her appetite re-appeared; we repeated, sure enough it cuts her appetite. She's a LOT smaller, so I bought 100 mgs and take both in the morning. Might not work for anyone else, works for us...passed along for those battling appetite. If it does contain resveratrol, it does have very good effects on glucose control which might affect insulin levels thus be the key to less appetite...the latter is a guess on my part.

[tattooyu]

My first week I lost 7 lbs. with no other changes other than CPAP therapy. I have slowly but steadily been losing weight. These days, I find that I don't get nearly as hungry as I used to before CPAP. When I do get hungry, it's a "real" hunger, whereas before it may have been a psychological hunger, or my body craving something to stay awake! My energy levels are steadily increasing. It takes time to undo the damage from OSA... be patient.

Some people have posted that they gained weight. Every person is really different.

My wife and I eat a relatively low simple-carb diet, but I still believe in eating an overall balanced diet: veggies/fruits, protein, complex carbs, and fats (yes even some saturated, but no trans fats). Most likely in that order of decreasing amounts (for me). After all, we are omnivores. Something about the simplicity of calories in vs. calories out rings true for me as well. Occam's Razor folks!

You have to find what works for you and stick with it.

[DJ_Boxer]

August 10th: got machine and HC407 mask.
During first month: woke up once at 1 in the morning caught "The Mighty Boosh" went back to sleep woke up at 530am(once); About twice atleast woke up like at 4/430am.
September 10th: One month on therapy and getting to bed around 11pm waking at 530am with more energy.
September 21st: received my Opus 360 for some reason couldn't sleep for a couple of hours.
September 22nd: Woke up at 530am felt "normal" and had no nasal congestion.(I take Claritin once a day for allergies)and I use both the gray filter and the white microfilter.
My pressure is 11cm and last week when I weighed in at Weight Watchers I lost about 2.2lbs. and on my scale at home 236.4 from when I started weight watchers: 245lbs.
I attribute my weight loss to the support and tracking with Weight Watchers and the no-longer needing of eating to gain the energy I need.
DJ

[taberge]

Well since I had to change my diet due to basically a co-diagnosis of diabetes and sleep apnea, I had more of an incentive to get the weight off. If I had known it was that easy to take off weight with a diabetic diet, I woud have changed my diet long ago.

I simply cut out sugar and went to a low-carb/low glycemic index/high fiber diet.

No sugar if at all possible. Get rid of the sugary sodas! Diet sodas are ok. I use splenda mostly and som equal products.
Choose foods that don't dump glucose into your system. Eat at least five meals a day and for sure DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST. I use to never eat breakfast other than a quick snack and doing so makes you stay hungry all day long. I eat oatmeal mostly. Choose carbs that are complex like whole wheat or multigrain which contain fiber. Eat more fruits and vegatable because they have fiber too. Fiber makes you feel full.

I did not change any exercise habits only that I do stay moderately active during work which helps.

All this and 50lbs lighter, I do feel more energetic.

[nobody]

All great advice! I pretty much do all of this already, though... I do not drink soda or eat much of anything that is processed or comes in a package.
I make my own whole wheat bread which has no sugar in it at all. I do not eat cows or pigs and stick to ground turkey and salmon for meats. I do not eat splenda or equal though. I don't trust them. Equal has nutarsweet which gives me migraines. Splenda...seems unsafe. When I eat it if I have any cuts on me they become badly inflamed and it seems dehydrating. I stick to SweetLeaf, which is stevia extract and fiber (it's safe for diabetics btw). I put that in my green tea. Still, I have not lost a single pound and in fact have gained weight since starting CPAP. I think even though I eat well, I must eat too much...calories are calories whether you get it from crap or good food, right?

To be honest, I'm really not concerned with actual weight because I know that my muscles in my legs have really been built up because I do go on long walks, so maybe it's possible I've lost some fat and gained some muscle making my weight just a bit more than what it was before. I don't want to lose my muscle tone which I think is basically what these fad diets people rave about do. I want to lose fat off my belly, that's it. I just don't know how to do it! I guess maybe I need to increase exercise by forcing myself to do it. At least I'm not terribly fatigued anymore so maybe it's just a matter of having some discipline to go do it. That and controlling portion sizes more. I think another problem I have is I eat when I'm bored or feeling depressed.

Well since I had to change my diet due to basically a co-diagnosis of diabetes and sleep apnea, I had more of an incentive to get the weight off. If I had known it was that easy to take off weight with a diabetic diet, I woud have changed my diet long ago.

I simply cut out sugar and went to a low-carb/low glycemic index/high fiber diet.

No sugar if at all possible. Get rid of the sugary sodas! Diet sodas are ok. I use splenda mostly and som equal products.
Choose foods that don't dump glucose into your system. Eat at least five meals a day and for sure DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST. I use to never eat breakfast other than a quick snack and doing so makes you stay hungry all day long. I eat oatmeal mostly. Choose carbs that are complex like whole wheat or multigrain which contain fiber. Eat more fruits and vegatable because they have fiber too. Fiber makes you feel full.

I did not change any exercise habits only that I do stay moderately active during work which helps.

All this and 50lbs lighter, I do feel more energetic.

[millich]

... I guess maybe I need to increase exercise by forcing myself to do it. At least I'm not terribly fatigued anymore so maybe it's just a matter of having some discipline to go do it. That and controlling portion sizes more. I think another problem I have is I eat when I'm bored or feeling depressed.

Bingo.

[tattooyu]

Double bingo!

Bored and emotional eating is a killer. It doesn't take many extra calories to gain weight. In vs. Out!

I used to emotionally eat like crazy. After school, eating a HUGE meat sandwich before dinner, Carl's Jr. (Super Star or DBL Western Bacon Cheeseburger) and a host of other bad habits. It took me 5-10 years to break those habits recently. Persistence!

[spacetoast]

I've gained a little bit of weight since starting xpap almost 2 months ago. However, I don't think it has anything to do with my machine. Lately I've been eating poorly and since my wife is pregnant, she can't stand cooking smells and our diet has changed dramatically. We usually do the low carb thing and cook our own meals, but lately the only thing she can stand to eat is pasta and rice.
That means I've been eating a bit more junk food than normal too.

I exercise quite a bit riding bike and at least in my experience, weight and exercise have a lot less correlation than weight and diet. I did the South Beach thing a couple of years ago and lost 40 lbs in 3 months doing ZERO exercise. That's not to say exercise isn't important, I think it is. It's good for your body. BUT, I think the exercise to lose weight idea is not really a good one. Lose weight with diet, and then you can start exercising MORE! Yeah!