First, let me preface this thread by saying I do not buy in to the so-called "fad diets" that always seem to come into vogue for a few years and then disappear. Nor is this thread meant to be a discussion of them. I'm quite sure they work for some. Too much work for me I guess...

I have never had to lose weight in my life... until last year. I am a chocolate chip cookie freak and as a result of that and my increasing age, last summer I found myself a bit overweight and decided to do something about it. My strategy was to figure out how many calories I was taking in (about 4500 per day ) and limit them to around 2000 per day . Wasn't sure how this would work as I am a runner and need energy.

I dropped about 20 pounds . During the few months it took to do that, I discovered a trick I could employ to help keep my nasty "snack gene" in check. Rather than eat high calorie snacks I would just eat sugar free jello! Add a couple small dallops (I love that word) of Cool Whip Lite and "viola!" a great snack for under 100 calories.

Once I dropped the weight, I stopped being vigilant over the winter and spring and recently realized I should drop a few pounds again (not as much as before though). This time, I allowed myself a few more "treats." I have a chocolate monster inside me. So.... instead of eating 6-800 calories of chocolate chip cookies, I would allow myself 5-6 Hershey's Kisses (worth about 100 calories). Bam! Works like a charm.

So now I'm wondering if any of my fellow Apples have any helpful hints or tricks when it comes to dropping a few pounds. How about it?

What kinda crap, er, chemicals are you now taking in? Does it concern you?

erm..... I'm quite sure that Jello is not the most healthy food in the world, but I do eat a pretty healthy diet otherwise. Not exactly sure where you were going with that "response" but, there it is... Guess I was thinking this thread would be something a bit different, but do with it what you will!

I'm not sure how helpful this will be, but I thought I would share my recent weight loss experience.

Since August 2004, I dropped about 45 pounds. What got it started was stress. On top of work issues, I needed to go back to school to get my Professional Clear teaching credentials. I truly feel for college students today as the systems are so much more complicated and harder to navigate than the last time I was in school. I lost about 10 pounds from the stress alone, and that motivated me to get started.

One of the classes I needed to take was Health Education, and nutrition and fitness were components. I learned a lot more about training the body to burn more fat and also some of the crap that's in many processed foods.

I made two purchases last year - a weightlifting system and a treadmill. The treadmill gave me the most results. It didn't take too long to build up endurance to be on there for 30 minutes a day, every evening, at full incline. I burned at least 700 calories each time, and that boosted my metabolism.

I try to watch more of what I eat, but I don't do those calorie-counter diets. Cutting back on alcohol consumption while increasing water intake also helped. I still eat every food I like, but I'm less sedentary now.

That's more like it.... good stuff Pico. I have been a runner almost all my life, but have never really "lost weight" as a result of running. The only way I've dropped any weight is when I reduced the amount of calories coming in.

Also, like you, I drink a lot of water every day and eat pretty much whatever I want, but in reasonable portions...

'k, about those "chemicals"... lessee... in sugar free jello:

gelatin, adipic acid (for tartness), disodium phosphate (controls acidity), malodextrin (from corn), fumaric acid (for tartness), contains less than 2% of natural and artificial flavor, aspartame** and acesulfame potassium (sweeteners), salt, blue 1, yellow 5, BHA (preservative).

**phenylketonurics: contains phenylalanine

'k... how long do I have to live doc?

as far as the Hershey's Kisses, I'm guessing "whatever is in chocolate"....

I think the aspertame is what Fred was referring to. It's truly not healthy and dangerous. Just do a google search and see what you find.

Thanks for the info DV. I guess if that's what Fred meant, that's what Fred coulda said. Instead, I was left kinda wondering.....

Thanks again, and I knew there was a reason I have always felt diet soft drinks are from the devil.

*Edit: here are a couple of sites I found...

Website #1

Website #2

Seems to be some pretty unsettling information out there about this substance... Going to do a bit more reading.

I'm sticking with the Hershey's Kisses though...

almost have a heart attack. it works wonders on your motivation to drop a few pounds, improve your diet and take better care of your self in general.

still can't do the jello thing tho...

I'll bet Bill! Wow...

Also, I have been reading about and pondering this Aspartame thingie... I'm wondering why (what I would think is) a reliable health site like the Mayo Clinic mentions it in a number of articles and yet has no negative information about it posted and actually seems to (in a passive way at least) endorse it....

vewy intewesting...

That's what I meant ... I meant no slight. Often diets are a trade-off ... well, all the time they're trade offs. I was trying to get a feel for what you were replacing from your previous diet, and what you were replacing it with.

I too have lost about 30 lbs recently, due almost entirely to stress.

Wheee!

Thanks for the clarification Fred. All good.

Two more articles... these from the New England Journal of Medicine:

Effects of Diets High in Sucrose or Aspartame on The Behavior and Cognitive Performance of Children

Aspartame and susceptibility to headache

Both of these articles seem to give no indication of adverse effects from this substance.

Oh, and BTW, the NEJoM says NOTHING regarding the negative effects of Hershey's Kisses.... Boo yah!

Still researching...

IMHO it's because it's one of the most lucrative products on the market. Both Coke and Pepsi individually are billion dollar industries--that's only two of thousands of products that contain aspertame. You just don't mess with some things in this country--and big business' money is at the top of the list.

That thought obviously crossed my mind DV, but I wonder why a very reliable journal like the NEJoM would risk their reputations like that... I know that no organization is immune to being swayed by money, but this one would be very surprising to me...

*ponders*

Well, I am not a diet expert, but my personal eating philosophy is the less processed the food is the better it is for you. Of course everything is a trade off as Fred stated. As a general rule though, I personally think that the American population would be a lot healthier if they worked to eliminate the injestion of high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, and msg.

As far as diet tips for losing weight go. In addition to excercising, I have been given the following advice at various points and time (of course putting them into practice is another matter):

-write down the foods you eat and when you eat them...you might be surprised.

-eat six small meals rather than three large ones(make breakfast the biggest one and dinner the smallest)

-always eat breakfast

-vary the types of exercise you do and make sure some of them are weight bearing.

-eat lots of whole grains and vegetables

-food variety is important.

haha...uhh...just yesterday I was thinking that maybe I should cut out the coke (and jim beam).

My roommate and I both seem to be 'addicted' to coke (you don't wanna know how much we go through). And when he stopped drinking it for 3 weeks last year (this being the ONLY difference in his diet and exercise), he lost 30 pounds (in that time period).

Coke is my nemesis. Booting it would probably take care of most of what I want to get rid of....that and running. ::shrugs::, but I'm actually pretty fine with 'me' just now...not obsessing about this kind of stuff keeps those scary girly not-skinny-enough thoughts and their associated disorders at bay. I could probably be in better shape though...my basic training energy is loooooong gone, and I'd like it back, please. (see? they didn't let us drink coke there!!!)

(HIJACK)
Road trippin' on your mind, Christina?
(end hijack!)

Ok ok. Now fixed.

aww... I thought "diet trips" sounded kinda fun.

Most don't consider my way of living as helpful, but 6-1/2 years ago I gave up all forms of simple sugars (processed, artificial and natural sweetners) and whites (flour products, white rice, spuds without skins) and began eating complex carbs, fish, chicken and turkey and veggies. I even limit the fruits I eat or don't eat. I have lost over 100 pounds and kept it off. I still have weight to lose, and it keeps coming off slowly. The best part is that I haven't yo-yo'ed in all these years. Also, losing the simple carbs helped me regain my sanity. No more mush-brain, acid reflux or IBS. I only drink water and herbal tea and the occassional decaf coffee.

Cher

i never knew that, cher. that's really cool.

i agree with christina on the smaller portions more often. i just think that's a good idea.

Hey thanks. Yup, it was so bad that I could hardly walk and standing was next to impossible. It's great to sit and NOT have a huge lap. It's great to be able to do many things that I despaired of never doing again. It's great to not have ended up in a motorized chair due to excessive weight. It's great to have a life once again.

Cher

To throw in my $0.02 about aspartame...the reason that there aren't any strong warnings about aspartame by the FDA, surgeon general, AMA or any other major medical organization is that there have been no large scale, prospective, peer-reviewed studies (like all things, some research is better and more convincing than others) that show aspartame to be a significant risk to humans. This isn't to say that there are no potential consequences to ingesting it, at this point have no evidence that would recommend against its use. Keeping this in perspective, there is overwhelming proof of the health risks of obesity--heart disease, diabetes, cancer, GI issues, etc. Life involves weighing risks and benefits, I think most physicians see more of a danger in obesity than aspartame.

PS...don't get me started on tobacco