Weight Loss and CPAP - A Supportive Thread

j.a.taylor · Post by **j.a.taylor** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:51 pm

Thanks Babette for the resurrection.

There's a reason my avatar's a skinny monkey. He looks much better than a short, chubby, middle-aged man.

I'm 46, 5' 7", 220 lbs. I was feeling really good about losing 20 lbs since my last doctor visit, until the doc pointed out that I needed to get down to about 160-165 lbs.

I haven't been that weight for 20 years, but he's right.

I don't overeat, don't eat much junk food, just don't exercise, and don't eat regular meals.

So I'm looking forward to the posts, to motive me to get down in my basement, and begin using the exercise equipment down there.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 7:26 pm

Not being known for my inspirational nature, I can only threaten you, Taylor:

MOVE YOUR BUTT OR I'LL POST NAKED PIX OF MY GI-NORMOUS GUT!

You'd think mirrors would motivate me, in that case, since I tend to run around nekkid at home...

But no - I'm severely near-sighted, too...

BTW, yes, I am a Disciple of the Rev. Buck Nekkid, Church of the Sub-Genius.

http://www.subgenius.com/

Though I also flirt with Devotion to the Flying Spaghetti Monster:

http://www.venganza.org/

Not that this has anything to do with weight loss.... I just like being weird for no reason.. And the term "Nekkid" just sets me off...

LOL,
Babs - who is now going to eat the very festive Chile Verde she made last Sunday. Gets better each and every day...

Elle · Post by **Elle** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:05 pm

I agree with the psychological aspect thing. I don't react well to deprivation so I tricked myself (getting easier with age) into thinking I was treating myself to really tasty healthy food. I would only eat good things. I lost over 100lbs. I did no exercise but now that I am getting near normal size I will likely have to move a bit. For me it is all about the attitude. I have just got the Beck diet solution book and am hoping to learn more cognitive tricks to keep at this. I am also hooked on the message boards at weight watchers. The online WW is really easy to follow and to track what you are eating.

Thanks for posting this Babette.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:11 pm

What's the Beck diet book? I thought I owned them all...

Thanks for the tips, Elle!!

Cheers,
Babs

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:35 pm

Elle - I'm hanging with you and hope it rubs off (or should I say falls off?). Congratulations on your accomplishment - what period of time was that?

Kathy

ZZZzzz · Post by **ZZZzzz** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 11:32 pm

Here's what I've learned about dieting over the last 44 years:

I used to think it was only about the almighty calorie.
Now I know this:
There's only one way for your body to process and metabolize sugar and carbohydrates and that is to release insulin. (aka "the fat hormone")
The more sugar/carbohydrates you eat - the more insulin your body releases.
Insulin is the taxi cab that escorts the sugar into the cells.
Society is so fat phobic and your body requires Essential Fatty Acids.
You also need protein - Amino Acids.
There's no such thing as an Essential Carbohydrate.

I think Dr. Robert C. Atkins was a wise man.
I cheat terribly (I'm on Fatkins) and I still lost weight.

My husband went on Fatkins and his triglycerides went from 234 down to 99 in 7 weeks.
He never read any of my Atkins books.
He just set out to reduce the sugary stuff in his diet.

You'll never harness your appetite until you make the wild cravings go away.

And now, here's one of my corny poems until you make your dreams come true***

APPLE CORES
I wouldn’t dream of caring less
If you weighed a little more
Being a larger apple doesn’t change your core

Thank goodness when you overeat
You simply change your size
‘Cause everything I love you for
I don’t see with my eyes

-Beverly Steward

Elle · Post by **Elle** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:24 am

Hi Kathy, I decided to start eating healthy in Feb/06 and by july/07 I was down 115lbs. Since that time I have kind of hovered back and forth 3 or 4 lbs which is ok because I decided to take a break from losing (still want to lose another 20 or so) and tried to maintain.

It is working well after many years of yo-yo dieting (I'm 60). I really think the reason it was not a struggle this time was because I didn't feel deprived but gave my brain the "abundance" message. It was really many tricks (all mentioned here). I didn't have cravings and I agree it was because I wasn't eating a lot of carbs....still ate plenty but not as bad as before and I ate protein about every 3 hours or less in the form of a boiled egg or cottage cheese (standing in front of the fridge) or bites of chicken breast.

Not sure is starting cpap 6 months after starting to eat well helped but I am sure it must have since I was feeling well rested and not napping any more.

This is a good thread to check in with. I am always interested in what others do.

Good luck everyone.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 9:45 am

Speaking of protein bites, I figured something out. This is the easy version. You can make your own for the truly BEST version.

Go to Costo. Buy big bag of frozen grilled chicken. The bag I buy is not the "tenders" or "fingers", it's cut up like Fajita strips. Thaw out just a little tupperware container full at a time. I always have a quick protein snack handy to rush in and nibble on. You could easily make this with your own chicken, and it probably wouldn't have any additives. I read the bag and was happy with what I read.

I used to be very good about boiling a dozen or more eggs every Sunday to have on hand, but my laziness got the better of me. Maybe I'll try to start doing that again.

I did Atkins. Lost 14 pounds. Got heartily sick of MEAT all the time. Went off, gained 35 pounds. YMMV.

Cheers,
Barbara

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:09 am

Has anybody had experience with being on steroids long term yet still being successful in losing weight? Trying to keep myself from becoming fatalistic in resigning myself to weight gain. Last week was horrid - ate like I was starved around the clock. Then got sick and now I don't want to eat much, but that's probably not gonna last long. I'd like to hear from someone who has "been there" that steroids are not a weight loss death sentence.

Kathy

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:25 am

APPLE CORES
I wouldn’t dream of caring less
If you weighed a little more
Being a larger apple doesn’t change your core

Thank goodness when you overeat
You simply change your size
‘Cause everything I love you for
I don’t see with my eyes

i LOVE this! it's what my loved ones have been telling me for the last 3 years since my 40 lb weight gain...just wish i could say it to myself

not having a history of overweight and suddenly having my weight spiral out of control was traumatic for me physically and emotionally...i've become very fatalistic about the whole thing, especially since i had foolishly pinned some hopes on cpap helping me get back to normal

thanks for the inspirational thread, babs

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:15 am

I'm on Flonase and Advair. My weight has slowly crept up. I THINK the tendency can be counteracted with diet and exercise. I've proven that I CAN lose weight while on them. But if I don't MOVE, nothing happens.

And being sleep deprived didn't help.

So.... Kathy... I can't resist - you're working out your major muscle groups all night long. I really can't imagine you can gain weight.

But that MIGHT explain being hungry!!!!

Okay, enough Stupid Babs Humour. I'm not doing oral steroids, so I can't comment there. But I am trying to get off Birth Control and Lexapro, in order to try to jumpstart weight loss. I'm still unsure about getting off the Anti-Anxiety meds. And a recent proposition is making me re-think BC too.... NO NOT JULES! That's just a joke. Someone REAL, not cyber-lust.

Anyway, don't know if that helps or not. I don't think steroids HAVE to be a death sentence for weight gain. Of course, there is also Fentermine (NOT Fen-Phen, just FEN) for appetite - which I've got a bottle of. And Alli. Has anyone tried Alli?

I'm not taking the Fentermine. I've taken it once or twice, but I just don't want to add another med to my overloaded schedule. My appetite is not the problem - my lack of exercise is MY problem.

Cheers,
B.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 4:13 pm

Thanks for the warm fuzzy, Sharon.
I wrote Apple Cores for and to myself during a bout of Anorexia 24 years ago.
I was in therapy and putting weight back on.

I can intimately relate to everyones beat up self esteem from weight gain.

Here I was last winter already suffering from severe muscle aches & pains; insomnia; depression; "what on earth is happening to my health?" and now I have to gain weight??? Most of my clothes didn't fit....couldn't even wear my wedding ring.
I was so sore all of time that my activity level plummeted.

My sleep doctor told me that untreated OSA gives you high cortisol levels all night long and that contributes greatly to weight gain - especially belly weight gain.

Bodies are most satisfied with combinations of fat and protein.
I also eat a ton of veggies and salads.
Atkins always said he ate more vegetables than any Vegetarian he ever knew.
Every body draws sugar energy first from blood; then muscle stores; then it dives into your fat stores. The more sugar you eat, the more sugar you keep stored. Simple as that.

I try to humble myself by reading some of my old poetry. (below)
One of my biggest regrets in life is how I equate lbs = self worth.
Do I want my daughter to do this? Heavens no.
Do I want my son expecting that all girls should be slender with big hooters?
Heck no!
I've weighed from 99 lbs to 168 lbs and I've never truly been happy with myself.

I reckon most of us have harder work to do beyond our diet of choice.

Good luck to everyone and thanks for sharing your tips!

WORTH MY WEIGHT

Something I don’t understand
Has stole my smile
And made my life quite miserable
I pray...... for just awhile

I only know
I’m out of touch
My mind possessed
And I hurt so much

I try to quell my thoughts
And get a little sleep
But failures hard to swallow
And the pain burns much too deep

Others live for families
And children they have raised
While I let pounds and calories
Control my numbered days

Happiness has left me
Love is not around
I listen for my laughter
But never hear a sound

Where have I been hiding?
My life is up for sale
And you can find it cheap and still
Inside my bathroom scale

-Beverly Steward

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 4:40 pm

Beverly,
Thanks for sharing your personal thoughts. One never knows what is going on in the lives of those behind the cutesy names and avatars. Your poetry gives us a glimpse. I enjoyed it a lot - it made me look at myself and re-evaluate my self perspective.
Kathy

Babs,
Yeah, it hardly seems fair that my legs are so active during sleep yet I don't have washboard abs. Unfortunately my movements aren't muscle generated but are more like electrical impulses. Seems there should be some benefit to this PLMD malady.

Kathy

j.a.taylor · Post by **j.a.taylor** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 6:42 pm

Anonymous wrote:I reckon most of us have harder work to do beyond our diet of choice.

Beverly,

Thanks for sharing, and I think you're right.

Most of us only deal with the symptoms that are pressing in on our lives, but we fail to recognize that there is often deeper issues beyond the symptoms.

When we get to the place where we deal with the issues, the symptoms are much easier to get under control.

There's a quote a like, that I give out at on bookmarks at many of the trainings I do for work: "Hard work is heart work."

It's when we do the hard work (the heart work) that's necessary to get our lives in order that we begin to achieve our goals.

Captain_Midnight · Post by **Captain_Midnight** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 9:19 pm

Dieting is an excellent topic, as approximately 2/3 of apneics are overweight.

I was overweight (at 230 #) and I'm at about 195 now (within normal limits). I'll tell you my plan, but first, we need to acknowledge that some folks support their diet programs with near religious fervor. Not me. Regarding food, I'm "pro-choice). So, take what I say with a grain of...

I'll mention that as a scientist, I was looking for dietary information that was supported that was scientifically defensible. So, I ended up choosing and trying the Zone diet. Worked great, I've been on it for about 9 years, and when ever I find myself "pudging-up" a bit, I just re-read the Zone books, and get back into the 40-30-30 regimin (and always feel better.)

I never "preach" my diet, but if someone asks, I'll tell them how I lost wt, and keep it off. For example, a co-worker (who was horribly obese, and dxd with type II diabetes), asked me how I lost wt and keep trim. I gave her a few of Barry Sears' Zone Diet books (there are several titles).

She has lost over 65 pounds. Excessive carbohydrates were killing her (and making her constantly hungry), and now, after following the Zone, her blood sugar is within the normal range, although she tests daily. Interestingly, she determined with blood monitoring that she actually does better with LESS than 40 percent carbohydrates per meal (but not zero).

I have a few other success stories, and some other folks who just read the books I gave them and, sadly, gave up.

I also believe that exercise is important. I'm a weight trainer and distance runner, but any (any) exercise is important. Most docs will try to get patients to walk (briskly) on a daily basis. It all helps.

Good luck, what ever your diet.

Regards all - - Capt Midnight

Weight Loss and CPAP - A Supportive Thread

Motivation

Two bits more

Steroids and weight

Poetry

What works for me