Healthy Habits for week 1~ 14 June '10

Hi all and welcome to our newest adventure in the fibro forum. So many of us have problems with weight and/or healthy eating so a few of us thought it would be a great idea to help each other with support and encouragement to eat better and hopefully lose extra pounds if needed. I know there are people on the forum who also have problems gaining weight...and yes, it's hard for those who have too much to fathom those who can't gain...but the problem is equally difficult no matter what side of the dilemma you are on.

For the most part though, this thread will be where we can post daily about what is keeping us from eating the right foods and why we possibly make bad choices at times. By learning and sharing hopefully we can all be more healthy in spite of fibro. So what does this have to do with fibro anyway? Imagine carrying around a 20# sack of potatoes for a few hours. We would all be in so much pain we'd be going crazy. Once you put the sack down it's much easier to move and often there's less pain involved. Now imagine that 20# is excess weight and it's there 24/7/365! I'm not saying that fibro pain is from being over weight. What I am saying is that it most likely makes the pain worse and over all makes us feel worse.

This is NOT a diet! This is healthy eating and living. This is a change in habits and life style. Let's face it...those of us who are professional dieters know that diets only work for a short time, then the weight eventually comes back and often more. Study the research out there...it tells us the same thing, what we already know from experience. No one has to tell their weight, loss or what they are eating unless you want to. Everything is on the honor system. We are here to hold each other up and offer ideas, suggestions, articles and whatever else we can find that will aid our quest for a more healthful life. There is no competition, no prize for losing the most the fastest or running a marathon...lol...ya, right!... The only challenge is with yourself and that's often the hardest of all.

I know from talking to some other members that discouragement can be overwhelming. The thoughts of "I've done this before and wasn't successful, why should now be any different?" Well, maybe it won't be but how will we know unless we try. The worst case is we hang out with some awesome people and share common ideas, thoughts and recipes!

Each week someone can suggest a general topic that we can focus on, if you like. I'll offer one for the first week and then others are welcome to either post one on a Monday or email to me and I'll be happy to post it. Since this is new we'll try this style and see how it goes. I'm sure this part of the fibro forum will take on it's own life and style over time but let's get it off the ground and moving!

This week let's talk about when our worst time of day is for not eating healthy. That's a polite way of saying...when is it you pig out on high calorie or junk food, or many just too much of anything. For me it's night time, just before bed. It's that soothing time of day when hubby is often asleep ahead of me and I'm quite alone. But food is great company and makes my tummy feel good when I go to bed. I know food is not company but I've used it that way for more years than I care to admit. Does anyone else have this problem? Eating late evening or late at night? Any suggestions on how to stop those extra calories from piling on? I don't want to totally give up a small snack at bedtime. I take a lot of medicine then and it does help my tummy tolerate them. But it's no excuse for pigging out. I'm thinking of a glass of milk at bed time...nothing else! It's hard but I know I can do it since there are others out there who I'm sure have that problem too. This is very hard for me to actually put all of this in writing and admit where I'm messing up. It has me in tears but I want and need so badly to get some pounds off that I've put on over the past year or so that I'll bare my soul if need be. And in doing so I hope it helps others who struggle also.

Welcome to anyone and everyone who wants to join us!
Chutz

Late afternoon, between lunch and dinner. I get sooooo hungry waiting for hubby to get home for dinner that I eat a large snack and then dinner too (essentially two dinners).

Today, I'm going to try to make my afternoon snack healthier, and I'm going to try to listen to my body and stop before I'm full, giving my tummy time to signal my brain. Small snack + small dinner is definitely healthier than large snack + large dinner.

My suggestion, Chutz, (and this is definitely the blind advising the blind) is not to give up your snack, but maybe to change how much/ what you eat. I think if you give it up you will definitely feel deprived, but if you change it to a healthier snack, you may still feel satisfied.

As an aside, have any of you read the Geneen Roth articles in "Good Housekeeping?" She also has several books out. Her way of looking at food (and those of us who eat it) is really eye-opening.

Hugs - Austen

I have the same problem of snacks at night.  Popcorn just seems to call my name.  I know it's a habit but I really do seem to crave it.  Occasionally I change over to a couple of cookies and a glass of milk. 

 

I have decided since garden is beginning to come in, to  perhaps start having a small cucumber sliced and dipped in fat free ranch dressing.  Also we have cherry tomatoes getting ripe and I love them dipped the same way.

 

It sounds easy this morning but sticking with the plan is my hardest thing.

 

God Bless!

Shannon

I tend to crave something sweet mid-afternoon. Lately I have been trying to make
healthier choices by having a small bowl of rice krispies and slicing strawberries on top.
It seems to be doing the trick. I always use skim milk.

hugs, Robin

Hey all! I tend to find late afternoon til bedtime I want sweets or carbs. The later in the day it gets the more tired I feel. So, I started laying down in the afternoon for 45 minutes or so. The extra rest helps me not want to rip into a bag of chips or eat chocolate until I'm sick. I know everyone can't get a rest in during the day, but try to find a few minutes of me time without guilt. Plus with all the fresh fruits and veggies I find myself grabbing pre-made bags I fix in the fridge. I still have to get moving though. That's the hardest for me right now.

Hi all,

Just a tip I learned when recovering from an eating disorder.  When you eat something like carrots or fruit for a snack, you will not get hungry as soon after if you eat a healthy fat and protein with it.  I eat a few raw nuts.  It has something to do with blood sugar rising and dropping quickly. 

My two hardest times are while driving home from work and around 3:00.  This helps:  fage with fruit (very high in protein) or a small nut and craisin snack at 3:00.  For the drive home, I keep chopped veggies in the fridge at work and munch on them while driving home.  I used to stop and get cheetos (spending money and adding calories).  The veggies are great.

Good luck everyone. 

Sue

I hope you don't mind my jumping in. I wanted to mention a few things I've noticed w/ me, don't know if others have this happen.

I have a lot of foods I can not eat, due to a few conditions I have or just the thought of a certain food makes me nauseous. I try very hard not to eat junk, but I do allow myself a treat. I had gone to a pm dr a couple of yrs ago, he had me go on a hi protein/ low carb diet. I was religious about it for many months, did not cheat. I got really sick, into the hosp sick. Many of the foods on that diet I can't even bear to look at or smell anymore.

I can't eat nuts, popcorn or seeds. I love rye bread, got so sick a couple of months ago - never again. I don't like white bread, so I make a sandwich of swiss w/ a thin slice of ham w/ a little mustard. Very good - except I noticed awhile back that mustard makes me crave something sweet. If I have one of these sandwiches, I make sure I have a pc of gum as my 'dessert'. It keeps me away from sugary treats. I was just wondering if anyone else noticed that one food made you 'crave' another type of food, especially a sweet.

My DH is a T1 Diabetic, and I have tried for yrs to keep him on the straight and narrow. He is finally getting 'it' he has to be aware of everything he eats. I measure his snacks, like a bag of peanuts, I will set up snack bags and that is all he can have of the item. He used to sit w/ an open bag and down the whole bag. I set it up, so he doesn't have to think about it later. He likes this idea a lot and it is working.

I had my gallbladder out 18 yrs ago, since then I have decided not to eat after 6 PM. It has helped me to not get sick overnight. My DH works nights, so we eat early so he is set before he goes to work. These past few months I have been really stressed w/ health issues for several family members. I have let myself have something to eat after 6 PM and I don't like it. I feel like I am letting a monster out. No one else has a problem w/ this, I just feel guilty. As Sherrine said, maybe others don't know or care what we are doing, but we 'know' and we can't run away from ourselves.

Very interesting topic, Chutz, glad you started it. It seems like we are all Sisters under the skin. Each person brought an interesting point to ponder. I thank you all.

I wish us all the best.

God bless.  Alice.

I tend to stay up late at night, after the rest of my family has gone to bed. This is my time to myself. I usually spend it unwinding, and catching up on whatever chores I have not gotten completed earlier in the evening. This is the time when I am usually the most likely to overeat. I guess that this is because I have no witnesses, or possibly I think more about food when I don't have other things to occupy my mind with. The promlem is not usually my making poor food choices. I am usually eating healthy food. I am just not controlling the amount that I am eating. I have tried prepackaged, premeasured portions, but this does not seem to make much difference. I just talk myself into eating more.

One thing that I have found that does seem to help me to lose weight is drinking plenty of water.

I did ok yesterday. I did eat late but it was about 2 cups of popcorn, no butter, and a cucumber. I am gonna try and drink more water today and stay away from the cookie jar, naughty girl.

Yep, I am an emotional eater, too. When angry I want CHOCOLATE!!!! PMS week is very fun, and the chocolate runs for the hills. Lol!  I then try to walk it off.

I have been following the weight watcher's points plan and have lost 5 lbs fairly slowly (3 weeks), but easily.  I still need to lose 15 more...well, 16 now cuz I am up almost a lb from my low weight on Friday, but I'm ignoring that for the moment.  I find that writing down every single thing I put into my mouth really makes me more aware.

I have always been active, I walk 5 evenings out of the week, but my hip pain is starting to interfere. I'm not sure what to do about that. I'm hoping losing the weight will help with everything all around.

There is also a website that I use to track  my calories and weight loss. You can even input a goal and see a graph showing how you should reduce to meet that goal. I'm not sure if it's considered advertising, I use the free site. It's fitday.com. I found it a few years ago, and whenever I need some motivation I go there.

I'm down to my goal weight and I know how easy it is to go back up. Maintaining a weight
loss can be as hard as losing it. Each pound that I lost, I visualized 4 sticks of butter and that
picture in my mind made me feel like I really lost something.

Drinking skim milk during the day helps. Protein builds muscle and muscle burns fat.

Taking one day at a time...just like with everything else.

Hugs, Robin

I love to snack and I love my sweets. Have you ever tried frozen grapes? They are
wonderful. I happen to love salt too, so I will eat a handful of pretzels instead of potato
chips. Sometimes I will make a half a dozen hard boiled eggs for the week for snack time.

Most of the foods I'm grabbing are healthier than my old choices. I don't want to feel like
I'm on a strict diet but more aware of what I'm eating. No doubt, I'm an emotional eater
so I definately have to be careful what I bring into the house.

hugs, Robin

Frozen blueberries,

I have some in my freezer right now. Now I want some. Ant it is hot enough. They are like a blueberry popsicle. Yum!!!

The grapes sound really good too!!!

Hugs, Karen