Weight loss advice/encouragement?

[gailrmv]

Hello! There are so many knowledgeable people here. I''m hoping for some advice and encouragement. I''ve put on some weight in the past few years and am sooo frustrated about it. I''ve tried all kinds of things and nothing seems to work. I got married at age 22 which was 5 years ago. I dieted (weight watchers, but kind of to the extreme) and was actually a bit underweight for our wedding. I had never struggled with my weight before, but in the few years after the wedding, I put that weight back and then some, and now I am about 30-40 pounds too heavy. I am 27 now and all those years of working at a stressful desk job did not help. However, I have always had healthy eating habits and for several years I have exercised religiously about 5-6 times a week at the gym in addition to walking, taking the stairs, etc whenever I can. In fact, I recently completed my first 10K running race and will soon do my first triathlon. But being overweight is affecting my self esteem and it is just no fun to buy clothes in my current size. This fall I met with a nutritionist. She confirmed that I was eating about 1800 calories a day which she said was good for my height and activity level. (I am 5''9 and pretty active). Under her guidance I cut down to 1400 calories a day for 3 months but I did not lose any weight at all. I am back to my normal eating now and have not gained any either. I have had blood tests for thyroid and hormones and they were all normal. That was a few years ago. I just got blood drawn again and waiting for the results, but I bet they are normal. My doctor, nutritionist, friends and family are all stumped. I mean, if it was something I could change, i.e. start exercising, cut out fast food, etc, I would know what to do. But I feel like I am doing all the right things already. Can anyone offer any guidance? It seems like the less I eat, the more my body conserves, and doing athletic things, I shouldn''t have to starve myself. I have never tried diet pills, think they are a bad idea, but I do take green tea supplements when I remember. Your advice and success stories are much appreciated!
Thanks!!
Gail

 

[ladykemma]

polycystic ovary syndrome will keep you from losing weight. have you been checked?

 

[gailrmv]

Thanks for the reply, LadyKEmma!

Actually that is what I''m hoping they will evaluate from my blood test. My dr said it''s likely I have it but they can''t really tell b/c I''m on the pill and that regulates your hormones. She wasn''t too helpful actually. I''m thinking of seeing a dr that seems more knowledgeable about it.

It also doesn''t sound like there is a lot they do to treat PCOS at this time (although I could be wrong).

 

[jorman]

Gailrmv:

Are you still exercising the amount you mentioned (5-6 times per week, taking the stairs, etc.) currently? If so and you are only taking in 1400 calories per day, you may not be eating enough. Your body might be storing what you are eating as reserves and causing you to maintain your current weight.

You also might not be eating the right kinds of foods for your body type. For example- a lot of people find the atkins diet works for them in losing weight. I tried it in college and I gained weight because it was not the right system for my body. I need carbs and dairy and I find when I eat lots of fish veggies fruits and dairy that am at my healthiest and thinnest.

I wish you the best in your weight loss quest!

-Janna

 

[gailrmv]

Hi Janna,
Thanks for the reply! Yep, still exercising that much, but I''m not doing the 1400 cals anymore. I''m back to about 1800 although not tracking super closely anymore. My doctor (the one I''m not thrilled with) told me to go to 1200 calories, but I just know that I feel terrible on that little food and get cranky. She said to try it for 6 months and if I still didn;t lose weight, come back and see her. Blah! I tried Atkins once too, and while I did lose a few pounds, I was too cranky and food obsessed to continue it!
Gail

 

[dani13]

Gail-

There is treatment for PCOS- the med glucophage has been promising...it decrease the testosterone production that usually goes with this disease and affects the way insulin regulates glucose. I hope not for you, but just to let you know if it is this, dont lose hope...

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 3/28/2006 9:09:12 PM
Author: Dani
Gail-

There is treatment for PCOS- the med glucophage has been promising...it decrease the testosterone production that usually goes with this disease and affects the way insulin regulates glucose. I hope not for you, but just to let you know if it is this, dont lose hope...

Oh thanks Dani, I was hoping you would see my thread! At this point, while I''m certainly not hoping to have this condition, it would be helpful just to get some answers so I could try to move forward.

 

[Mara]

gail there was a post in here last week asking for weight loss tips etc...take a read there, you may find some tips.

it's tough when you feel like you are doing the right things but your body is not responding. unfortunately our bodies are made for famine, not feast times as we are in now, so we still conserve and save fat for the famine times, damn bodies!!

anyway, maybe you find something that could be a reason for what is not changing BUT nothing serious at all (aka maybe a hormonal imbalance or something)...also i was on the pill previously but i felt like it was making me retain a bit of weight (looking just a little bloated seemingly all the time) so i recently went off it and have seen instant positive changes, nothing huge but it makes me feel better.

in the meantime, stick with it and i would not starve yourself at all, but eat an abundance of healthy foods (aka fruits and veggies and high fiber items) so that you always have energy but you are not eating unhealthily. sometimes our bodies respond MUCH slower than we prefer...good luck!

 

[monarch64]

Hi Gail! I just read your post, and a thought came to me: you say you''re 5''9 and about 30-40 pounds over what you want your weight to be...is your goal weight realistic? One thing that led me to wonder is that you mentioned when you got married you were a little "underweight." I''m not asking you to tell how much you weigh. I just thought maybe you might be thinking you''re supposed to weigh what 5''9" models weigh (usually around 110-115 lbs, I''m remembering Cindy Crawford back in her heyday.) I''m 5''10" and used to think I was "overweight" at 140 lbs because I had read in fashion magazines how much the supermodels (back when I was in high school) weighed and how tall they were.

I could quite possibly be way off base here in wondering this. Barring any health issues causing you to not be able to lose weight, is it possible at all you are at a pretty healthy weight and really only "need" to lose less than 30-40 lbs? If you''re training for 10k''s and triathlons, and only eating 1400-1800 calories, it may well be that your body is in "famine" mode, and protecting itself by maintaining its current weight.

I''m also about your age (2, and believe me, I would love to look the way I did when I was 22! After I got married a couple years ago, I slowly put on 20 pounds. I''m working out more now than I have in quite some time, though, and the weight is coming off, but veerrrrrryyyy slowly. I remember 8 years ago or so, I could go on a diet and lose 10 pounds in about 2 weeks! Getting older sucks!

Anyway, take care. I hope you find the root of your weight loss issue, and that you don''t have any health problems.

 

[gailrmv]

hello!
Mara, thanks as always for your excellent comments.
Monarch, oh, I wish very much that I was off base with my weight situation, but I'm pretty sure I'm on target. Last time I saw 115 I was probably in middle school. I'd tell you the number but I'm too embarrassed! I know I should be at least 20 pounds lighter than I am. The BMI charts confirm And I wear 12/14 now (not to criticize, lots of people look great at that size) but in college I was always an 8, and got down to a 6 for my wedding! As tall as I am, that's about as skinny as I get. But now I'm a lot bigger than I used to be and like to be, and I'm terrified of getting even bigger. Thanks for sharing your experience. It's nice to know that I am not alone! Good luck with losing those 20 pounds. I know (believe me!) that it is not easy but I'm glad exercise is working for you!
I definitely notice, from observing people around me, that everyone's metabolism is different! I had lunch with my tiny petite friend today, who never works out and weighs too little to give blood. We ordered the same thing and she ate her entire entree while I only ate half. Fair? Nope! Reality? Yep!

 

[monarch64]

Gail, I''m glad to hear you are being realistic!

I was just thinking sometimes we tall gals want to shrink way down when we see all our petite friends (I have several like yours who can also eat half their weight in food and never gain a pound, lol!)

I''m about a 10/12 right now and most of the clothes in my closet are 8/10, even some size 6''s, and in one horrible case of vanity sizing, a size 4 dress!!!! I never believed that tag for a minute!

I hope everything works out for you, and don''t get discouraged. BTW, I''m doing a 26.2 mile "walking" marathon in June (for breast cancer)--I''ll think of you when I''m training...Virtual training buddy, lol!

 

[gailrmv]

Monarch, that''s awesome!! Good luck with the walking marathon! It is a real feat to be able to move that far whether it be walking or running. I hope to someday be able to work up to that! And great cause too.
I once bought a size 4 vanity sized skirt too (I was definitely not a 4). How funny! I have gotten rid of most of my "skinny" clothes but kept some suits and better pants (and my ultimate skinny jeans). But I haven''t given up hope yet, maybe someday my stuff will fit again! Let me know how your training and weight loss go. I found that training for the 10K was more fun than running to lose weight and getting frustrated. It was a goal I could and did accomplish, and it was fun to be out there with a bunch of other people doing the same thing - some much faster, a few slower, but all of us together. I think I will tackle a half marathon next!

 

[AmantdeChat]

I am a addict of Discovery Health channel and was watching Mystery Diagnosis the other night. This woman, who had never had any weight problems before, started gaining weight. No matter what she did, diet, exercise, etc., the weight kept creeping up. Come to find out she had Cushing''s Syndrome: http://www.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/stc123828.asp?navbar=

Although this is probably not the case, it is good to be well armed/informed when talking to your doctor. Good luck!

 

[f0rbidden]

i saw the mention of PCOS here, which I''m sorry to say I have.
it makes trying to lose weight more than just the normal pain in the tush weight loss presents usually.

as does something like and underactive thyroid
a below average metabolism
and plain old fashioned family history.

i''ve decided recently (like in the last week!) that i need to work harder at losing some weight. even though my husband loves me the way i am, i don''t. i have a LOT of weight to lose!

so, if you want a diet buddy, i''m your girl.

either way - good luck!

 

[dani13]

Date: 3/28/2006 9:31:10 PM
Author: gailrmv

Date: 3/28/2006 9:09:12 PM
Author: Dani
Gail-

There is treatment for PCOS- the med glucophage has been promising...it decrease the testosterone production that usually goes with this disease and affects the way insulin regulates glucose. I hope not for you, but just to let you know if it is this, dont lose hope...

Oh thanks Dani, I was hoping you would see my thread! At this point, while I''m certainly not hoping to have this condition, it would be helpful just to get some answers so I could try to move forward.

No problem, Gail.

I hope it is not PCOS, or as others mentioned, a metabolic disorder/ thyroid issue, etc. It will feel good to have all of those possibilities ruled out though, you will feel like a huge weight is lifted off your shoulders!

As a person who has struggled with weight my whole life, I totally understand what you are going through. I have always been an athlete (I was a runner when I was younger and thin) and when I stopped and went through puberty I started to pack on the pounds. The last time I was under 130 lbs was in high school. And I am only 5''4"!!! As I got older, I realized that the only way I was going to feel good and keep my weight down was by eating well and exercising frequently (3-5 days per week). The minute I fall off the wagon, I immediately start to gain, and I am noticing it more as I get a little older. I know that sounds funny because I am only 27 and havent even had kids yet, but it is true...I have never been a lightweight- I have a lot of muscle mass too- thanks to my genes- both my mom and dad have good musculature, which in the end, means we weigh a lot! I have not been under 145 lbs in my adult life at all!! Once I began to focus less on my weight and more on how I felt and how my clothes fit, the better I was. I just needed to accept that I was never going to weigh 115 lbs and have a body like Kate Moss. Aint gonna happen.

I think we all have to try our best to accept ourselves and our bodies at a certain point...we dont have control over some issues, especially genetic factors, which dictates a lot of how you look, but not all of it. If you work with what you have and just realize that you have to eat a certain way forever (no diets) and maintain a regular exercise regime, then you should be ok. Just be healthy- it sounds like you were underweight at your wedding and had to go to extremes to get that way- but think about it- was that really worth it, and was it realistic? Could you have maintained that without driving yourself nuts? Only one time in my life (high school) I got down to 128 lbs, and my friends pulled me aside one day and were concerned because they thought I had an eating disorder. But, in reality, I ate a very low fat diet, but exercised for 2 HOURS a day, 5 days a week to get that way...CRAZY!!! I was OBSESSED with being thin. But, I could only keep that up for a few months-it just wasnt do-able on a permanent basis, plus, it was a borderline obsession with exercise that was unhealthy.

Good luck with everything, Gail, and let us know how everything goes!!

 

[dani13]

Ohhh, and I just re-read your original post...if you are that active, there is absolutely NO WAY IN HELL that you should only be eating 1200 cals per day...that is way too little...if you do that you will not lose, your body will want to hold on to that weight...
Why dont you try weight watchers again? I think WW is a healthy diet- teaches you to make better choices and eat in moderation...the thing is, you need to eat that way FOREVER, or the weight will come back on...that is why I personally dont believe in short-term diets. They dont work. You need to permanently change your way of eating. This is not to say you cant cheat here and there, but most days you need to have a system that you follow...

 

[Mara]

it's very true that we have to learn to accept our bodies the way they are. i look longingly at the size 6 skirt in my close, from when i was 22 years old, but in reality now i probably will never look like that again, even my skin is different than when i was 22 so why should my body be the same?

so as long as i eat healthily, and am active and have muscle tone and all that, i can feel good about it. i also know inside that while i would like to be about 10 lbs thinner or whatever, that i look just fine the way i am and that people think i look fine. we often are harder on ourselves than anyone else would be on us.

i have a friend who keeps saying she needs to lose 30 lbs, well she lost about 15 already and she's like i still have another 15 to go. honestly she looks fine, very good in fact and maybe she could lose another 5 but 15? she has a kind of a pear shaped body and i think she wants her butt to just disappear but i feel like that is unrealistic and maybe she is setting herself up to be disappointed. i didn't say anything other than 'girl you don't need to lose another 15!' but i think that realistic goals and also yes accepting how your body may be different is important.

sizing of clothes never helps either! i mean how can i be a SMALL in banana republic tops (and i am a 36C) and then wear a size 10 in their pants? oh and i am not remotely pear shaped!! i hate their pants by the way. then i go to jcrew and i'm a medium in their tops but i can easily wear a size 6 in a sundress. it's just all over the map...no wonder women get confused and depressed when thinking about 'size' or clothes.

anyway long ramble, but gail there is a workout thread over in the LIW section...i'm not a LIW but many of us still join in on the thread daily, we talk about eating and workouts and also there are lots of tips and suggestions for when people need a healthy snack or a new exercise etc. come join!! if for nothing else, it's motivational.

 

[laney]

Hi, you have lots of good advice already but I''d thought I''d throw in my .02

I like you have been very active 5-6 days a week at the gym. Also watching calories - and also always have kind of battled gaining. I was very athletic in highschool - and afterward I started competitive iceskating 5 days a week (2 hrs a day) - and I WASN''T skinny - in fact at that point I was 35lbs overweight. Occasionally I would test on "borderline" for low thyroid - but never enough to render any type of diagnosis for thyroid problems.

I was able to get to 4/6 (i''m 5'' my smallest for my wedding by what I thought was ridiculous calorie intake and working out 6-7 days a week for 1 hr or more. I could never ever keep up that pace normally.

But back to before that. I did end up loosing the 30lbs. But it wasn''t the calories for me - it was the diet. I was put on a low carb (not adkins) diet by my dr. basically almost a no carb diet. And, for me it worked. Eating 1500 calories of carb rich stuff - healthy - just didn''t work for me My body would keep it on - no matter what. Switching over made a complete different. I shed the weight in 6 weeks. No kidding.

I''ve maintained for over 11 years now. And occasionally I get stuck on what I consider the "high" side of my range. Working out doesn''t make a difference for me. It is truely what I eat that does.

So I totally understand the working out - eating - and not being able to have an effect on weight. 2 hours a day of cardio 5 days a week for 4 years did NOTHING.. but a change in eating did it in 6 weeks. Who would have thought.

So - I would pass along this advice. Maybe, just maybe, changing what your 1400-1800 calories a day make up is might give you an edge to shed the lbs you want. Eating a lot of protien for me was REALLY hard. I try to do a BFL type mix right now.. (body for life) - which is about 40% of the calories through protein. It''s hard. But when I do - I can affect some results.

Take a look at the materials for BFL if you have a chance.. may give you some other insight..
On the other hand - if higher protein doesn'' t work for you - maybe a different balance would..

 

[gailrmv]

Oh ladies, thank you so much for the advice and the encouragement. This is why I love pricescope! People are so knowledgeable and supportive. And, although I would never wish this trouble on anyone, it is really encouraging to know that others are having the same trouble losing weight that I am. Sometimes I feel like the people around me (a lot of thin people who can eat whatever they want) just do NOT understand. I went to buy triathlon clothes earlier this week and even size L was too small. It''s been discouraging.

AmantedeChat, Love the avatar. That is a great suggestion about Cushings. I phoned my dr''s office today to try to get the results of my bloodwork and inquire about it. Of course, could not get anyone there, but I *did* already get a bill for over $200 for the blood tests. Gotta love it. This is an endocrinologist department of a major research university hospital. I get the distinct impression that they only really care about really sick people and diabetic patients. Even their answering service says it is the diabetes clinic. But that is who my primary care doc referred me to.

Mara, I must say your new avatar is not helping

Laney, thank you so much for the suggestion about changing to a low carb diet. Your results were truly amazing. If I understand, you are now able to eat carbs, just in limited amounts, right? I tried atkins once and it was really really hard for me. But maybe it is worth trying again, and modifying to eat less fat than you are allowed on that diet. I have trouble "eliminating" any one food group. I am sort of a control freak and I do much better when I know in my head I can eat whatever I want, just in extreme moderation. Also, it bothered me that on Atkins you had to nearly eliminate fruit and be careful with vegetables, when in general fruit and vegetables are so healthy. But if you got those great results, I should give it another try myself. I own the BFL book. The before and after photos are very inspiring.

Dani, thanks for saying that about the calories. I *thought* that sounded too low!

F0rbidden, we can definitely encourage eachother in our weight loss efforts!! If you don''t mind me asking, how did your doctors make the diagnosis of PCOS, and do they have you on any medicine? My endocrinologist said, and I am almost exactly quoting here, "well, you probably have it, but we can''t make a definitive diagnosis here since you take the pill and it regulates your hormones. But it doesn''t really matter because all we would do to treat it is put you on the pill which you''re already on. Oh, and try to lose some weight."

I felt like they weren''t listening to me or taking my concerns very seriously, because I know there is more that some doctors do to diagnose and treat PCOS!

Thanks again ladies, and keep posting!

 

[gailrmv]

Oh, and by the way Dani, I remember your photos from your engagement thread (and your avatar) and you look amazing! It is hard to believe that you struggle with your weight!! We are always our own harshest critics. Thanks for sharing your experience. In my opinion having muscle and being strong is a good thing.

 

[Mara]

gail i wanted to chime in here re: carbs, i actually hold alot of weight as well when i eat carbs...it's hard to shed weight in general but for me personally, i carry carbs heavily in my belly and midsection area. carbs bloat you out regardless but for my body type i just have to watch them. i love carbs, but i have to temper them.

i personally am not a fan of atkins, all that protein and fat suggestion is gross. if you wanted to do a lower carb diet, i'd cut out all refined sugars, starches etc...if you eat bread or similar, make sure it's wheat or dark bread, lots of fiber in the items, and if you eat pastas do something like a wheat or spinach, just anything but white! same with sugar if you have to have to have it.

cut out any and all sodas or similar that would carry carbs, drink lots of water. eat lots of fish and chicken and turkey (aka i am hooked right now on roasted turkey breast, just plain..for lunch!!). i can't NOT have carbs, nor would i want to totally cut them out, but i try to just be 'smarter' about them. i also eat fruits and veggies, because i don't think it's healthy to cut them out and you can also get natural sugars from some of the fruits that make you feel more 'satisfied' than without.

my kickboxing trainer told me that on a lower carb menu kind of thing, that if you eat carbs, make them as unrefined and natural as possible...aka veggies, fruits and dark breads/rices/pastas etc. i also read that basmati is lower on the carb count than many other rices.

so there's my two cents on carbs...personally i couldn't do the high high protein and fats of atkins, i have to have all the food groups but just try to keep the carbs smarter and more 'useful' to my body. good luck gal!!

ETA...sorry about the avatar...imagine it's nonfat yogurt!

 

[monarch64]

Adding on to Mara''s post: expanding on cutting out refined sugars, flours, "whites", it may also benefit you to try not to eat anything "packaged" for a few days to a week.

I also just read this book "The 7 day Detox" (it''s upstairs, sorry I don''t have the author, but if you google it you''ll find it). It''s something you can do 3-4 times a year for 7 days that consists of a two day water-fast, then nothing but brown rice, fruits, and veggies for the next 4 days. It also goes very in-depth about the chemicals humans put in their bodies via processed foods, etc. It was about a 3-night read for me, and I haven''t done it yet, but am thinking seriously about it. Not only for weight loss, but because I''m concerned about the fact that I''ve been consuming way too many packaged frozen entrees for years. I try to avoid sodium as much as possible, but really there''s no way around it when you''re eating processed or packaged (preserved) foods. Just something you might be interested in.

 

[iceprincess]

Hi Gail,
I hear your pain, girl. It sounds like you are already doing a lot to manage your weight.

On the note about PCOS, you can get bloodwork done to confirm this. Your doctor can draw two specific hormones, luteinizing hormone or LH and folliculuar stimulating hormone. These two hormones have an inverse relationship to each other. What is characteristic of PCOS is not only the elevated testesterone, but the high LH and low FSH. This is why women with PCOS have difficult or irregular ovulation. And just because you get your menses doesn''t necessarily mean that you''re ovulating.

Also, your doctor can perform an ultrasound to check out your ovaries. Women with PCOS have distinctive looking ovaries somewhat resembling a pearl necklace. Cystic skin acne and excessive hair growth or hirsutism are other clinical features you might notice.

PCOS and it''s attendant symptoms can be a challenge. Insulin resistence often accompanies PCOS and there is the potential concern about infertility is one choses to have children later on...

Dani is right on about metformin or glucophage to help treat the PCOS. I''ve known a number of women who have been able to lose weight on this med accompanied by changes to their diet and lifestyle in general.

I hope you don''t have this condition, but there certainly is hope and good treatment available.
Good luck!

 

[iceprincess]

Gail,
On the other thread about weight loss tips, some PSers here recommend eating more regularly to keep your metabolism more stable.
While I was pregnant, I developed gestational diabetes and was put on a really strict diet. My nutritionist stressed that I had to eat 6 times a day, 3 meals and 3 snacks not only for the demands of my growing baby, but to keep my blood sugar stable and weight gain in control. I was not to gain more than 25 lbs. (which I was able to do) because it was unhealthy for the both of us.
I have also heard about taking green tea or the capsules in the morning to rev up your metabolism. This was a recommendation from instructors of those Boot Camp exercise programs.

 

[dani13]

Date: 3/29/2006 11:00:32 PM
Author: gailrmv
Oh, and by the way Dani, I remember your photos from your engagement thread (and your avatar) and you look amazing! It is hard to believe that you struggle with your weight!! We are always our own harshest critics. Thanks for sharing your experience. In my opinion having muscle and being strong is a good thing.

Thanks, Gail. I do definitely struggle with my weight on an everyday basis. Right now I am quite a bit heavier than I was at the time of my engagement (when my avatat pics was taken) because I am finishing up grad school and my habits suck right now. I am so busy and working full time and grad school full time and my life is just work work work, and no time for me. It is worrying me because last time I was heavy was when I was in school too a few years back. I have like no time to go to the gym, I am lucky if I get there 1 day a week, and my eating habits suck. So I have definitely gained at least 10-12 lbs since November, and I feel like sh**. So I totally understand what you are going through....

 

[gailrmv]

Thanks for everyone's great suggestions about the whole wheat and ways to cut out the "white stuff" from my diet. I do try to do that, but I know there is room for more improvement (I type while sipping a skim mocha probably loaded with sugar...)


Last night I was getting really down about my size and everything, but then I started thinking about how I am really not alone. While I was swimming laps there was lifeguard training going on and many of the people getting trained were much, much heavier than me. I'm glad that their weight is not holding them back from doing this activity, but I was surprised, since usually lifeguards look more fit. They say that there is an obesity epidemic in our country and I really do see it around me all the time. How will our health care system function as we all start to get older on top of being fatter as a nation? Blah.

Iceprincess, thanks for the info about those hormones and the ultrasound. I did FINALLY get info from the nurse at my endocrinologist's office and they said theywould mail me the results but my hormone tests came back normal. I might still have PCOS and it not be showing up on the tests because I am on the pill, but for now, all hormone levels are functioning OK. They didn't really have any more suggestions for me. I have been dissatisfied with this practice and think I might try to switch doctors, but it doesn't sound like there is a lot to do at this point anyway. The real test will be whenever (ifever) I try to get pregnant.

Wow, Dani I don't know how you are able to work full time and go to school full time! My hat is off to you and I completely understand how hard it must be to get to the gym and how you must be so frustrated about the weight gain. I hope your life gets less stressful soon. Do I remember correctly that you are a nurse practitioner already? You do probably get more exercise on the job than a lot of us, if you are on your feet a lot. One thing I have been trying to do is make my fun activities more exercise-oriented, like meet up to walk the dogs, hiking, swimming, etc, that can be done with other people in lieu of meeting for a meal. Of course, if you have no leisure time, that's a moot point. How long til you're done with school? Good luck with everything!

 

[dani13]

Date: 3/31/2006 4:22:51 PM
Author: gailrmv

Thanks for everyone''s great suggestions about the whole wheat and ways to cut out the ''white stuff'' from my diet. I do try to do that, but I know there is room for more improvement (I type while sipping a skim mocha probably loaded with sugar...)


Last night I was getting really down about my size and everything, but then I started thinking about how I am really not alone. While I was swimming laps there was lifeguard training going on and many of the people getting trained were much, much heavier than me. I''m glad that their weight is not holding them back from doing this activity, but I was surprised, since usually lifeguards look more fit. They say that there is an obesity epidemic in our country and I really do see it around me all the time. How will our health care system function as we all start to get older on top of being fatter as a nation? Blah.

Iceprincess, thanks for the info about those hormones and the ultrasound. I did FINALLY get info from the nurse at my endocrinologist''s office and they said theywould mail me the results but my hormone tests came back normal. I might still have PCOS and it not be showing up on the tests because I am on the pill, but for now, all hormone levels are functioning OK. They didn''t really have any more suggestions for me. I have been dissatisfied with this practice and think I might try to switch doctors, but it doesn''t sound like there is a lot to do at this point anyway. The real test will be whenever (ifever) I try to get pregnant.

Wow, Dani I don''t know how you are able to work full time and go to school full time! My hat is off to you and I completely understand how hard it must be to get to the gym and how you must be so frustrated about the weight gain. I hope your life gets less stressful soon. Do I remember correctly that you are a nurse practitioner already? You do probably get more exercise on the job than a lot of us, if you are on your feet a lot. One thing I have been trying to do is make my fun activities more exercise-oriented, like meet up to walk the dogs, hiking, swimming, etc, that can be done with other people in lieu of meeting for a meal. Of course, if you have no leisure time, that''s a moot point. How long til you''re done with school? Good luck with everything!

Yes, Gail, I did graduate as an NP in Dec., but they let me graduate before I actually finished up all of my clinical hrs that I needed to log in, since I didnt have much more to go...so I just finished them up a few weeks ago...now I have to take my Boards(yuck). The program took me so long to finish with working full time and all- I am a labor and delivery nurse ( in my spare time!) and I love my job!! So yes it has been stressful, I am sure you understand, your husband is an MD, right???

 

[gailrmv]

He is, he is still in residency. It''s such a great field to be in but the work hours are unrelenting. Congratulations on getting your NP degree, that''s really impressive!!