Weight loss support group

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Dorothy and I have been talking about starting a support group for those of us who want to shed some weight. I've tried some groups online and they've not been much help. They don't understand us or our special needs. At one when I admitted my age, I was told politely that the group was for younger people. At another when I foolishly revealed myself to a woman who I thought had become a friend, she outed me to everyone and I was asked to leave.

Here's part of my last message to Dorothy:

Sometimes just having someone to talk to and get encouragement from is a big help. If we could get 5 to 10 people we could have a nice group and it seems to me that it would be what a support site like this should be. We could do it as a PM group or an email group or even as a Social Network group. I have doctor's access to some medical sites, so I can bring that to the table, and I have some healthy recipes to share.

Here we all have the advantage of knowing each other and our special issues like hormones, and accepting and caring for each other.

If you think the idea has merit, leave a comment or PM Dorothy or me,

Your friend always,

Ole

Comments

Count me in

I'm one of those who could definitely use the support to take off a few pounds (and then a few more, and a few more after that, and I'd still be too heavy ;)

So yeah, if you start this up, please count me in.

titania.jpg

Titania

Lord, what fools these mortals be!

Hi, Titania, Fools we be indeed!

Ole Ulfson's picture

But I'm one of the biggest and I'm looking forward to learning new this from everyone, and having some new friends to encourage me to stay focused!

I'll try to get things started next week, work load and personal life allowing. But anyone with good ideas, feel free to tell us as others have.

I'm really looking forward to this.

OLe

We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!

Gender rights are the new civil rights!

add me please

am currently working to get the old waistline down slimfast diet atm but it's the support side thats lacking for me sometimes just need a shoulder for a OMG this diets really getting me down days

to hug is to be and to be is to be hugged

view the world through the eyes of a child and relearn the wonder and love

Allie elle loved and cared for and resident of the kids camp full time

Hi, Allie, consider yourself added...

Ole Ulfson's picture

The support and encouragement is what I need most as well.

Ole

We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!

Gender rights are the new civil rights!

Sorry I can't join in,

my plate's 'way to full these days (no pun). I'd love to, but between work and family life, this is a bad time for me to take on anything else.

But I can offer one totally great, and extremely overlooked tip! I was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic several years ago, and my doctor suggested that if I lost 30 lbs I would be under that threshold. My company had a great wellness program at the time, so I was sent to diabetic education, where I received a huge amount of information.

One of the the things I was turned on to was the fantastic collection of recipes at the American Diabets Association website. The info is free, and the recipes not only are healthy, they are very tasty, even for the whole family. Regardless of the diet you are on, we all have to eat a meal sometime. This collection is awesome!

Hugs
Carla Ann

I'm sorry too, Carla Ann...

Ole Ulfson's picture

You're obviously well informed. This is a site I recommend highly. I think everyone here should have access to the recipes. So, here's the link: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/recipes/?loc=D... , It's a marvelous resource for all of us.

I work with people with diabetes on an almost daily basis in my Jobs. About 5 years ago I attended a seminar given by the AADE American Association of Diabetes Educators The speaker discussed Type 1: Used to be called Juvenal Diabetes. Type 2: Adult Onset Diabetes, the most common type. And finally Type 3: Imagine a room full of people staring at each other and saying, "What the heck is she talking about?". It was explained that at the rate of increase we were seeing in new diabetes patients, Type 3 was all the rest of us who hadn't been diagnosed yet.

Carla, any time you have something to add, we want to hear from you.

Ole

We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!

Gender rights are the new civil rights!

Based on a cursory look...

They are healthiER, but not reaally healthy. Wheat still seems to be a common theme. Wheat is extremely starchy and sugary for a grain. Need to switch that out to gluten-free oats and other such less starchy and sugary grains.

I mean. Switching to whole wheat from bleached and enriched white breads that are derived from wheat is better... And would help CONTROL symptoms, but it won't cure it. And despite what they claim, it is curable. Insofar as you can eat a diet in which you'll never have to worry about monitoring levels.

Really they're finding that carb count itself doesn't necessarily matter, but when you do change to low starch and sugar, high fiber, high folate, moderate fat, and very high protein, all other carbs do naturally almost disappear. As long as you don't sweeten with sugar. But don't use artificial sweeteners either. Use stevia.

Though when I say "very high protein" I don't mean go out and eat a whole cow. Nuts and legumes and protein-rich grains and other protein-rich veggies really should be your primary proteins.

Abigail Drew.

I agree completely, Abigail...

Ole Ulfson's picture

These menus while being healthier than many are geared mainly to people with diabetes who have special needs and are highly recommended for them.

The rest of us may have other, different considerations and might want to modify them or use others. I've been successful with low carb, hi protein till last fall when I had an Illness that seemingly changed my metabolism. Now I'm fighting to get back on track. I think all of us brainstorming and encouraging will be a big help.

Ole

We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!

Gender rights are the new civil rights!

Well...

I can try to be a compassionate ear... but I've got my own weight loss well in hand. On last check I only have 10 pounds left.

I'd had a stall period, but I changed a few things up and pushed through it and went right back to losing.

Of course no one would ever have considered me someone to need to lose any weight, even when I was a good 80 or more pounds overweight you could hardly tell and only by squinting.

Abigail Drew.

A compassionate ear is a wonderful thing...

Ole Ulfson's picture

The encouragement from someone who was successful in her quest is even better, and maybe even a tip or two.

Thanks, Abigail,

Ole

We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!

Gender rights are the new civil rights!

I am in also

Teresa L.'s picture

I have been trying, but am working harder at it now, and any help would be appreciated, and reciprocated

Terri

Teresa L.

Terri,

Ole Ulfson's picture

Welcome aboard, I look forward to your help and advice.

Ole

We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!

Gender rights are the new civil rights!

Being somewhat Reubenesque....

Andrea Lena's picture

...I could use all the help I can get! Count me in!

  

To be alive is to be vulnerable. Madeleine L'Engle
Love, Andrea Lena

You're older ?

I spent until I was around 50 at <150lbs. Then, when I had my big fat mental health crash, and they put me on psych meds, my weight shot up to over 200lbs. I doubt that I will get in a group, but if someone wants a sympathetic ear, I am here. I had worked my way down to 169 and now it is almost 190, so I want to get back down again.

In the last several days, I stopped taking Trazidone, and am riding out the withdrawal symptoms. I'm doing OK. I wonder what will happen with that.

Additionally, I am viewing two cases of De-transitioning with interest and evaluating my own path.

Gwen

I'm game!

D. Eden's picture

I have only been trying to lose weight now for about six months, and have done so solely by cutting back on what I eat - portions as well as between meal snacks - as well as eating better. As I travel three to four days per week due to my job, and entertain employees and customers on a regular basis, eating crappy foods or way too rich has been a problem for me over the past ten years.

I am 5'11" tall, and graduated from high school at 165 pounds. By the end of college, that was up to about 170 due to a conditioning program with the University's soccer program. About a year after graduating from college, I was up to about 185 due to the conditioning that the Navy and Marine Corps ran me through. I stayed between 175 to 185 for years, but over the past decade that slowly ballooned up to about 205 to 210.

I am now down to about 185 again just by watching what I eat and my regular daily exercise program.

I would like to drop down to at least the 165 I was at when I was eighteen.

I know that may not seem like a problem for many of you, but trust me - after seeing some quick results when I started, it has become a challenge to just stay where I am, let alone continue going down. I am not into the starvation diet thing, but there are days when depression hits where I just don't even want to eat. The obvious results from that are pretty tempting some times - but that's not healthy, nor is it sustainable.

Count me in if you get this off the ground.

Dallas

D. Eden

Dum Vivimus, Vivamus

Thanks, Dallas,

Ole Ulfson's picture

Consider yourself counted.

Ole

We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!

Gender rights are the new civil rights!