Marcher's 1st installment of slim strategies

# 1 Weigh yourself everyday, one study showed that daily weighers lost 12 pounds per year while weekly weighers only lost 6 pounds per year # 2 Spend no more than 2 hours per day watching TV or sitting in front of the computer, TV junkies miss out on calorie burning activities like walking, gardening or playing with kids. TV watchers are sitting ducks for food ads. Record your favorite shows so you can fast forward through the commercials. # 3 Contact a support person. Long term weight loss requires support. It is suggested we contact a support person at least 3 times a week for accountability, for encouragement and to give back what you have been given. # 4 Eat fiber at every meal. Eat 4 grams of fiber at every meal. A survey showed that woman who ate less than 13 grams of fiber per day were 5 times more likely to be overweight. We can get our fiber from raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains in bread, cereal or cracker. There are 5 grams of fiber is one small apple or one cup of broccoli. # 5 Add 5000 steps to every day. The average person takes about 5000 steps to do their daily activities. Adding 5000 steps for a total of 10,000 steps could result in a 50 pound weight loss in a year. Walking lowers blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and pounds. I will conclude this tomorrow. Which of these areas are you strong in and which are you continuing to struggle with? Life is great, Rick

WOW - Rick - great suggestions! #1 - I usually do this 4-5 times a week. Will definintely do this every day during October which has become my target month to try and lose at least 10 pounds! #2 - we DVR shows we want to watch and then FF through the commercials! #3 - what a great idea. I really rely on this board for my support, and have a great support person in my surgery buddy STYLZ and Stephanie Smiles - who I had the great pleasure of getting together with this past Saturday for lunch. Thanks girls for a nice time and reunion! #4 - have to eat more fiber - great reminder! #5 - I love that one. I am getting my 10,000 steps and if it results in a 50 pound weight loss in a year - then I will definintely make it to goal! Thanks for the great reminders! Have a great walking day! Barbara

Barbara, You are doing great. I think 10 pounds is a little ambitious, but I'll be rooting you on. In case you are interested, I added my own responses to this thread and explained about the 50 pound loss expectation. Have a great day, Rick

Hiya Rick! #1 - I have no problem with this one. I weigh myself at least once a day. I only record my weight weekly though. I think I would drive myself nuts if I recorded it daily! #2 - I seldom have time for television. Sitting in front of the computer however is another story. At work I'm in front of the computer and when I go home it's time for homework on the computer as well. #3 - This board is my best form of support! I do go to the support group once a month from my bariatric program. Unfortunately, it's not that great. Mostly, it's a bunch of people complaining about everything they can't eat anymore. Sigh. #4 - Fiber is something I'm working on. My great grains bagel every morning has 13 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein! I also try to consume between 25 and 30 grams of fiber a day. Sometimes it's a struggle! #5 - I'm interested to see how many steps I walk in a given day. Today is the first day of wearing the pedometer. Time will tell! Have a great day! Hugs, Stephanie

Stephanie, It sounds like you are doing great, keep up the good work. Have a great day, Rick

Hi all, I guess I should have given replies to my own suggestions, here goes: # 1 weigh every day. Yes I do and log it once a week # 2 watching TV or computer. I spend 10 hours a day in front of the computer at work and then maybe an hour or two in front of the TV or computer at home. Now that all of the new shows are out I am trying to limit my watching. # 3 support. I use this and the men's board for my primary support but I do attend a live men's support group meeting 100 miles away from home once a month. I easily get as much out of it as I give. # 4 - Fiber I confess, I don't monitor my nutrional intake as well as I should. I try to eat healty and consentrate on protein. # 5 walking. Here is my strong point. I walk 5 miles a day in addition to my regular walking. In case anyone is interested, the 50 pound loss figure is based on burning 100 calories for every mile walked and that works out to 50 pounds a year. If you are at goal you can consume that many additional calories and it wont hurt the progress you have made. I like that part, but try not to abuse it. Rick

# 1 Weigh yourself everyday, one study showed that daily weighers lost 12 pounds per year while weekly weighers only lost 6 pounds per year. I weigh myself every morning and log it in once a week I tried logging daily but then almost became bald with the revolving numbers..so I only log once a week # 2 Spend no more than 2 hours per day watching TV or sitting in front of the computer, TV junkies miss out on calorie burning activities like walking, gardening or playing with kids. TV watchers are sitting ducks for food ads. Record your favorite shows so you can fast forward through the commercials. This one is hard for me...when I am not at the Gym or being the MOM Taxi I work my photography business out of my home so I am on the puter for that.... # 3 Contact a support person. Long term weight loss requires support. It is suggested we contact a support person at least 3 times a week for accountability, for encouragement and to give back what you have been given. OMG...this is where I get most of my support....I do get support from my family but it is not the same...and the once a month support meeting with my surgeon mainly is for Pre-Op sometimes it is concentrated on Post-Op but not enough for my liking....so I feel that my family here is who I come to to be accountable....and to get the kick in the pants I may need..lol what is funny is when I go to the monthly meetings I talk up my OH family and tell how we are a well rounded group who genuinly cares for eachother and is always there for each other... # 4 Eat fiber at every meal. Eat 4 grams of fiber at every meal. A survey showed that woman who ate less than 13 grams of fiber per day were 5 times more likely to be overweight. We can get our fiber from raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains in bread, cereal or cracker. There are 5 grams of fiber is one small apple or one cup of broccoli. I do get all my fiber in...I have been using FiberSure everyother day for a couple of months now so I know that I get enough of t hat..... # 5 Add 5000 steps to every day. The average person takes about 5000 steps to do their daily activities. Adding 5000 steps for a total of 10,000 steps could result in a 50 pound weight loss in a year. Walking lowers blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and pounds. Ok here is where I have just stepped it up....I have been averaging between 2.5 and 4.5 miles per day for 5 days a week so I have stepped it up abit as of today due to the Walking Across America...so you will see my results at the end of the week.....OT...I just purchased the Omron HJ-112 Pedometer from amazon and it s hould be here by the end of the week so I can defiantely kick it up a notch...I am afraid to use the pedometer I have it adds 5-10 steps when I shimmy my pants down in the ladies room...(sorry guys...lol) so I cannot wait for that....I will be in New Hampshire this weekend...my church group is going to our Annual Womens District Retreat and I will be in the woods all weekend...I plan on having lots of miles accumulated this weekend.... Ok...I know this was long but I was feeling chatty...love you all.... Jannine 357/162/157

Jannine, wave to me from the granite state woods this weekend! Hugs, Stephanie

Jannine, You are doing great, I'm not sure about the shimming down the pants thing though. (even though it was funny). Have a great day, Rick

# 1 - I use to every few days after surgery then bought this digital scale that tells me all kinds of info, that turned me into a neurotic fool! I'd weigh in every morning for my weight and every night for my body water %. Now I weigh in Sundays and sometimes Thursday if I want to see how my week is going. I completly agree about weighing in, it keeps me on track! # 2 this is something I have to work on, I spend way too much time online or infront of the computer! If I converted half of it to exercise I'd still be way ahead in the game. # 3 I agree with Janine, this is the best support group ever! We have such an incredible family and are all here to help eachother! who can ask for more # 4 No matter how much fiber I get daily it doesn't help with the old bathroom breaks... I've recently gotten on this refried beans kick (making my own to save on all the fat normally added). I eat a cup of beans with an oz of cheese for lunch, thats lots of fiber and it still doesnt help, I've added apples, eat oatmeal in my muffins or weight control oatmeal for breakfast and still nothing... I guess its just something I have to deal with. It was a problem before surgery and continues to be a problem after... The nutritionist and doctor are puzzled by it and don't seem to know what to say about it, oh well... I'll continue to eat as much fiber as I can and go when I can go # 5 Lets get walking Marchers! Since surgery, I've vowed to use the stairs more at work instead of the elevator. We've also started going to the dunkin donuts further away (at the top of a hill) to get a few more steps in every morning. That has helped! I also walk at lunch and if I get home and feel like walking again, its an added bonus for exercise I will conclude this tomorrow. Which of these areas are you strong in and which are you continuing to struggle with? My problem is still vitamins! I'm lazy when it comes to them. I know I have to take them, I know they're in front of me (I've got bottles of them everywhere) I just dont... This is something I'll continue to work on and get back on track with.