Shayne on You: Eat less, move more
Dear Maggie,
I’ve been overweight my entire life, even as a child. It’s only become worse in adulthood. I’ve tried every program, every diet, every pill, and while I’ve actually lost weight on a few of these, I always gain it back again, and when it returns, it brings company! I just can’t live this way any more.
Recently, I inherited $10,000 from my aunt. I want to use the money to pay for gastric bypass surgery. My husband wants to use it to pay off bills. My mom thinks it should go into the bank for the kids’ college fund. My skinny friends say if I wanted to lose weight I could do it without surgery – that I just don’t have any will power. I know the surgery is risky.
What do you think I should do?
Fat & Frightened
Dear Maggie,
Spring is right around the corner, and I’m dreading it! My husband is coming home from Iraq in two months, and while I miss him desperately, and know I should be eager and overjoyed, I’m sad and nervous instead. I’ve gained at least twenty-five pounds while he’s been gone. I don’t know what to do, which way to turn. I have enough extra income to pay for a weight loss program, if I’m careful, but I’m going to feel horrible if I spend the money on a program that doesn’t work. Please help!
Soldier’s Wife
Dear Maggie,
I’ve been on the Atkins Diet for eight months, and I’ve lost a pile of weight. I love being slender. But at my last checkup, my doctor said she could tell I’d been on it just by looking at my test results. My cholesterol is up, my kidney function is down, and my bloodwork shows something she seemed worried about, though I can’t spell or pronounce it.
He recommends I got off the diet immediately, but I’m so afraid of gaining back the weight! And yet, I have a feeling he might be right. I’m tired all the time, my feet hurt and sores seem to take forever to heal. I just don’t have any energy anymore. Do you really think it could be because of the diet?
Atkins Anonymous
Dear Readers,
I can tell it’s nearly Spring just by the main topic of the letters I received this week! And since the above notes were so similar, I thought I would answer them all together. First, to the woman asking about the surgery: Do some research, talk to your doctors, and base your decision on what you learn. I know the estimated death rate from GB surgery is about 1/2% to 2%. That’s pretty low. Now compare that with the risk of dying from chronic obesity, and you’ll have your answer as to which one is putting you more at risk. My bet is that the weight might be more dangerous to you than the surgery.
I’m up to my neck in women thinking they have to sacrifice what they want or need for the good of the family. Is your husband going to be happy as a widower with his bills all paid off? How about your kids? Your funeral will likely cost you more than the price of the surgery.
Seriously, this surgery is a last resort. If there’s any other way, take it. Look into other bariatric procedures, as well, GB isn’t the only one out there. There is the stomach stapling, there are the lap bands, and even one that involves the pancreas. So do your research. Then do what’s best for you. Trust your instincts. And get yourself into the best health of your life before the procedure.
And no guilt, whatever you decide. If you get fit, your family will look back on this and be overjoyed you made whatever decision you did. You’ll be so much happier, so much more involved in their lives, so much more active, and just an all around healthier person without that weight.
To the Soldier’s Wife,
I know everyone’s probably telling you (and expecting me to tell you) that it doesn’t matter how you look, that a man who loves you won’t care, that he’ll be so glad to see you that nothing else will matter, that he’ll love you no matter what size you are. All true, if you chose your mate well. However, this isn’t about how HE feels, this is about how YOU feel. You are perfectly justified in wanting to feel beautiful, so you can fully relish what should be one of the happiest moments of your life – that moment when you first see him again. (Keep reading, there’s more below!)
To my Atkins friend,
What your doctor saw in your blood was probably Ketoacidosis. It’s too much glucose, not enough insulin. You’re tired from that, and possibly from malnutrition. You might have signs of gout. Cholesterol is no good for your heart or bloodstream, and the rest of these problems are bad for your liver and kidneys. You could soon have stones to contend with before long.
These symptoms happen to chronic alcoholics, terribly ill people, and to diabetics with out of control blood sugar. These symptoms do not happen to normal, healthy people-- unless they’re on a strict low-carb diet. That should tell you something.
To all of you:
Let’s stop thinking about weight and start thinking about health. We don’t want to be skinny at any cost. We want to be healthy. We want to look, feel, and BE healthy.
I’ve tried most of the programs out there, and I’ve got excellent news for you. The best, most effective program is also the most affordable: Weight Watchers. I’ve been a member forever. Give or take. And it has been years and years and years since I’ve fluctuated by more than a few pounds, maybe as many as ten, at the max, but that’s it. And ten is easy. There’s a chapter right here in Norwich, it’s inexpensive ($12 a week maybe?) and you buy your own food at your own grocery store. No prepackaged nonsense that costs hundreds and that you’d have to buy for the rest of your life to maintain any benefit. WW is totally different. It teaches you lifestyle changes that last forever.
Whether you choose to follow a program or go it on your own, though, the secret to losing weight is complex, mystical, and difficult to explain, but I’ll try. Here goes.
Eat less.
Move more.
That’s it, and that’s all. Some lose slower than others, some lose faster, some have big bones and some have slow metabolism, but you cannot eat less than you burn and NOT lose weight. It’s physically impossible.
You can start slow, or you can dive right in. But if you put fewer calories into you than burn off of you, you lose weight. It’s a law. So exercise at least 20 minutes a day, even if it’s only brisk walking, and then keep raising both the intensity and the duration until you’re up to a solid hour of something challenging by the end of a year or so. Change your diet gradually, making one major change a day or so, and giving yourself time to adjust before moving on. Old habits die hard.
To give yourself a jumpstart try these:
Instead of ... Try ...
Butter/Margerine – I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter, Light
White Bread – Whole Grain Bread
Regular Bread of any kind –Wonder Light
Regular Ice Cream – Slim-A-Bear or Weight Watchers Ice Cream
Whole or 2% Milk – Skim or Soy Milk
A “bowl” of cereal – 1 Cup of Cereal with ? cup of milk
Ground Beef – Veggie Burgers
Regular Cheese – Reduced Fat or Fat Free Cheese
Regular Yogurt – Dannon Light & Fit
Chips – Baked Lays, Baked Doritos, Pretzels
Dip – Salsa
Soft drinks – Water, Green Tea, V-8 Juice
Mayo – Light Mayo
Creamy Dressings – Light or fat free dressings
And instead of ... Try ...
Frying – Baking
Breading – Seasoning
Estimating – Measuring
Remembering what you ate – Writing down every bite
Parking in the closest empty spot – Parking in the furthest spot away
Taking the elevator/escalator – Taking the stairs
Driving – Walking/biking
Watching TV on the couch – Watching TV on the treadmill
My friends and I have lots more tips to share. You can join with other people just like you on my e-mail discussion list, “Maggie’s Health and Fitness.” Just send a blank email to: maggies-health-and-fitness-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
It’s completely free, no strings.
Don’t forget, when you write me a usable letter, your e-mail address gets thrown in the hat for our autographed book giveaway, in April!
Good luck!
Maggie
I’ve been overweight my entire life, even as a child. It’s only become worse in adulthood. I’ve tried every program, every diet, every pill, and while I’ve actually lost weight on a few of these, I always gain it back again, and when it returns, it brings company! I just can’t live this way any more.
Recently, I inherited $10,000 from my aunt. I want to use the money to pay for gastric bypass surgery. My husband wants to use it to pay off bills. My mom thinks it should go into the bank for the kids’ college fund. My skinny friends say if I wanted to lose weight I could do it without surgery – that I just don’t have any will power. I know the surgery is risky.
What do you think I should do?
Fat & Frightened
Dear Maggie,
Spring is right around the corner, and I’m dreading it! My husband is coming home from Iraq in two months, and while I miss him desperately, and know I should be eager and overjoyed, I’m sad and nervous instead. I’ve gained at least twenty-five pounds while he’s been gone. I don’t know what to do, which way to turn. I have enough extra income to pay for a weight loss program, if I’m careful, but I’m going to feel horrible if I spend the money on a program that doesn’t work. Please help!
Soldier’s Wife
Dear Maggie,
I’ve been on the Atkins Diet for eight months, and I’ve lost a pile of weight. I love being slender. But at my last checkup, my doctor said she could tell I’d been on it just by looking at my test results. My cholesterol is up, my kidney function is down, and my bloodwork shows something she seemed worried about, though I can’t spell or pronounce it.
He recommends I got off the diet immediately, but I’m so afraid of gaining back the weight! And yet, I have a feeling he might be right. I’m tired all the time, my feet hurt and sores seem to take forever to heal. I just don’t have any energy anymore. Do you really think it could be because of the diet?
Atkins Anonymous
Dear Readers,
I can tell it’s nearly Spring just by the main topic of the letters I received this week! And since the above notes were so similar, I thought I would answer them all together. First, to the woman asking about the surgery: Do some research, talk to your doctors, and base your decision on what you learn. I know the estimated death rate from GB surgery is about 1/2% to 2%. That’s pretty low. Now compare that with the risk of dying from chronic obesity, and you’ll have your answer as to which one is putting you more at risk. My bet is that the weight might be more dangerous to you than the surgery.
I’m up to my neck in women thinking they have to sacrifice what they want or need for the good of the family. Is your husband going to be happy as a widower with his bills all paid off? How about your kids? Your funeral will likely cost you more than the price of the surgery.
Seriously, this surgery is a last resort. If there’s any other way, take it. Look into other bariatric procedures, as well, GB isn’t the only one out there. There is the stomach stapling, there are the lap bands, and even one that involves the pancreas. So do your research. Then do what’s best for you. Trust your instincts. And get yourself into the best health of your life before the procedure.
And no guilt, whatever you decide. If you get fit, your family will look back on this and be overjoyed you made whatever decision you did. You’ll be so much happier, so much more involved in their lives, so much more active, and just an all around healthier person without that weight.
To the Soldier’s Wife,
I know everyone’s probably telling you (and expecting me to tell you) that it doesn’t matter how you look, that a man who loves you won’t care, that he’ll be so glad to see you that nothing else will matter, that he’ll love you no matter what size you are. All true, if you chose your mate well. However, this isn’t about how HE feels, this is about how YOU feel. You are perfectly justified in wanting to feel beautiful, so you can fully relish what should be one of the happiest moments of your life – that moment when you first see him again. (Keep reading, there’s more below!)
To my Atkins friend,
What your doctor saw in your blood was probably Ketoacidosis. It’s too much glucose, not enough insulin. You’re tired from that, and possibly from malnutrition. You might have signs of gout. Cholesterol is no good for your heart or bloodstream, and the rest of these problems are bad for your liver and kidneys. You could soon have stones to contend with before long.
These symptoms happen to chronic alcoholics, terribly ill people, and to diabetics with out of control blood sugar. These symptoms do not happen to normal, healthy people-- unless they’re on a strict low-carb diet. That should tell you something.
To all of you:
Let’s stop thinking about weight and start thinking about health. We don’t want to be skinny at any cost. We want to be healthy. We want to look, feel, and BE healthy.
I’ve tried most of the programs out there, and I’ve got excellent news for you. The best, most effective program is also the most affordable: Weight Watchers. I’ve been a member forever. Give or take. And it has been years and years and years since I’ve fluctuated by more than a few pounds, maybe as many as ten, at the max, but that’s it. And ten is easy. There’s a chapter right here in Norwich, it’s inexpensive ($12 a week maybe?) and you buy your own food at your own grocery store. No prepackaged nonsense that costs hundreds and that you’d have to buy for the rest of your life to maintain any benefit. WW is totally different. It teaches you lifestyle changes that last forever.
Whether you choose to follow a program or go it on your own, though, the secret to losing weight is complex, mystical, and difficult to explain, but I’ll try. Here goes.
Eat less.
Move more.
That’s it, and that’s all. Some lose slower than others, some lose faster, some have big bones and some have slow metabolism, but you cannot eat less than you burn and NOT lose weight. It’s physically impossible.
You can start slow, or you can dive right in. But if you put fewer calories into you than burn off of you, you lose weight. It’s a law. So exercise at least 20 minutes a day, even if it’s only brisk walking, and then keep raising both the intensity and the duration until you’re up to a solid hour of something challenging by the end of a year or so. Change your diet gradually, making one major change a day or so, and giving yourself time to adjust before moving on. Old habits die hard.
To give yourself a jumpstart try these:
Instead of ... Try ...
Butter/Margerine – I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter, Light
White Bread – Whole Grain Bread
Regular Bread of any kind –Wonder Light
Regular Ice Cream – Slim-A-Bear or Weight Watchers Ice Cream
Whole or 2% Milk – Skim or Soy Milk
A “bowl” of cereal – 1 Cup of Cereal with ? cup of milk
Ground Beef – Veggie Burgers
Regular Cheese – Reduced Fat or Fat Free Cheese
Regular Yogurt – Dannon Light & Fit
Chips – Baked Lays, Baked Doritos, Pretzels
Dip – Salsa
Soft drinks – Water, Green Tea, V-8 Juice
Mayo – Light Mayo
Creamy Dressings – Light or fat free dressings
And instead of ... Try ...
Frying – Baking
Breading – Seasoning
Estimating – Measuring
Remembering what you ate – Writing down every bite
Parking in the closest empty spot – Parking in the furthest spot away
Taking the elevator/escalator – Taking the stairs
Driving – Walking/biking
Watching TV on the couch – Watching TV on the treadmill
My friends and I have lots more tips to share. You can join with other people just like you on my e-mail discussion list, “Maggie’s Health and Fitness.” Just send a blank email to: maggies-health-and-fitness-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
It’s completely free, no strings.
Don’t forget, when you write me a usable letter, your e-mail address gets thrown in the hat for our autographed book giveaway, in April!
Good luck!
Maggie
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