Buying bigger pants is probably not the right answer...

[Dee*Jay]

OK, so I have achieved a new low (or actually a new *high* according to the scale this morning) and I need to do SOMETHING about it. While dieting sounds great in theory (and I know it actually works in reality, LOL) it is just beyond me. One glimpse of something yummy and I''m not only off the wagon, but the wagon has run me over. So I think my other alternative is to work out. Here''s the rub: I HATE TO WORK OUT. Really. I would rather poke my own eyeball out that exercise. BUT, if there was something in my own home that I couldn''t avoid maybe I would use it. (Keep in mind there is a gym in my complex literaly 70 steps--yes I''ve counted--and one short elevator ride from my own front door and I cannot bring myself to go there. Especially not now that it''s cold.)

So here''s my quest: I need some piece of excercise equipment that can be folded up and tucked away when not in use. My preferred means of aerobic exercise is the elliptical machine, but I''m open to other options. (Treadmills don''t really do it for me though.) I also like rowing machines (although I have no idea why).

Help me! I''m fat and I can''t take it any more! Give me some ideas before I just explode!!!

 

[dancingqueen]

I''d highly suggest an elliptical machine set up next to a TV with a DVD player. You can catch up on shows or movies. I love to order TV seasons from Netflix. However, I would suggest a "good" quality elliptical and not one that will fold up. Do you have a spare room or basement? I think if you sacrifice quality on a piece of home equipment, it will end up not being used (I bought a precor brand). In the long run, it will pay for itself compared to gym costs, etc.

 

[roppongi]

DeeJay: There are two pieces of equipment that I cannot live without. One is a treadmill and the other is a Pilates Reformer. I have trained with a Pilates instuctor twice a week for the past two years on equipment and I swear by it. I feel more toned and my muscles feel longer. Find a certified Pilates instructor and you will fall in love.

 

[KimberlyH]

I have an elliptical set up in my office, in front of the TV. There''s no excuse for me not to use it.

Sorry you''re frustrated, DeeJay!

 

[Mara]

sorry to hear you''re sad deejay...i definitely think working out is a smart thing, even if you are just flat out in better shape from working out, it''s more healthy!!! i am a food lover too but honestly i have done a fab job of imposing self-control on myself with food and working out like a fiend. as a result i am really fit and trim now. it was tough but i am SO much happier now. and it wasn''t THAT hard...i mean i still indulge sometimes but not all the time. and i work out a lot so i know i am in great shape, cardiovascular, physical etc.

i suggest a treadmill or elliptical...i do both of those at the gym, and some great tunes or some fave TV shows. but quite honestly, if you HATE to work out and you HATE to watch what you eat, forcing yourself to work out is not going to be a recipe for success long-term. you have to have a different outlook in my opinion. if you get a great treadmill or elliptical and become discouraged or bored then you might give it up because you will probably not see results right away. it took me a month or two to see any changes in my body, and that was with workout AND diet changes. in any case...i would think really long and hard about what might MOTIVATE you mentally and see if you can somehow incorporate that into a workout regime...something fun like kickboxing tapes or yoga? i don''t know...what really motivated me mentally was realizing i was tired of the way i looked (which wasn''t even bad! i just wanted to be BETTER) and that no one but me could change it. and that i knew i could do it. anyhow keep us posted and good luck!! kudos on wanting to change.

anyway, we have a weekly workout thread also where we share our diet and lifestyle changes, and workout regimes and things that worked/didn''t work for us, healthier recipes of favorite goodies etc. honestly i am a HUGE foodie and i have found ways to change my diet long-term where i don''t feel deprived and can still indulge but i am really healthy a lot of the time too. and i like it!!

 

[Cheekyprincess]

Dee I was exactly the same as you!!!! EXACTLY! I hate exercise, hate treadmills, have a gym a short elevator ride and a few steps away, If I jump out my loungeroom window I will land in a huge pool. I got engaged in Oct, and will marry at the end of Jan- so I had some motivation to lose weight. Trouble is, I am addicted to food, chocolate, softdrinks and bad stuff- especially crusty bread with butter slathered on. I have never lost weight in my life.

What I have been doing: I did one week of the cabbage soup diet (lost 3kg). I bought a gym ball and mat and went to the library and borrowed ''pilates on the ball'' every day I have been doing abs, crunches, stretches and push-ups on my ball, I also walk or swim most days. I do not pack the ball away- my mat and ball are in the middle of the loungeroom, so I see it all the time- I can watch TV while working out. I am now the lightest I have been in more than 6 years, my clothes are starting to fall off, The soup diet took all my cravings away and I am now not eating any choc, baked goods, bread, potatoes, limited pasta and rice, and I eat as much fruit and veg as I like.

I don''t know if the diet would work for you, I don''t work most days so I have time to concentrate on what and when I eat. But if you are prone to cravings it really might help- my blood sugar has stabilised and I don''t get energy swings or cravings anymore!! I have just started a 2nd round of the diet, so far all together I have lost 5 or 6 kgs, and inches off my body everywhere!! this is in a total of 4 weeks! If I can do it, believe me- anyone can!!!! think the key for me was to do something NOW! before I decided there was no time before my wedding, why bother? I hope to buy a bikini for my Borneo honeymoon!

 

[bookworm21]

DeeJay, I understand where you''re coming from. I hate working out myself too, but guilt and the desire to eat more of what I want was the motivating factor. I have found that I hate going to the gym and I hate the cardio machines. For the past 3 weeks, I''ve been doing yoga dvds at home. I absolutely LOVE Crunch''s Pilates Yoga Blend by Ellen Barrett. I use that DVD everyday, and it wasn''t hard; the instructor, Ellen, is easy to follow and not annoying. I''ve used it almost everyday for the past week and a half, and I''m much more toned and have also lost a bit of fat around my belly. I think it''s worth a try if you don''t really like cardio machines in general.

Also, I think that if you start working out on a regular basis, you''lll find that you''ll automatically not want to eat most junk foods any longer. I used to love junk food, craved it, etc. Now, whenever I eat it, my body seems to reject the bad stuff and I feel really crappy afterwards. In fact, I have a major case of indigestion right now after eating at Mel''s, which is why I''m still up at 3 in the morning.

I would really recommend just getting into a workout schedule on a regular basis, then slowly start cutting out the bad food and see how it goes. Good luck!

 

[galeteia]

I vote for the elliptical. I watched half a cheesy dance movie while working out on mine today; it''s an ideal combination! It made the 60 min fly by, the scores to the frequent dance numbers were inspiring (as were the toned bodies of the dancers) with a good beat for intensified periods, and the noise if the machine drowned out the horrible in-between-dance-scenes stuff!

It makes movie-watching less guilty, and distracts you from the tedium of working out.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Thanks for all the responses! I have to confess that I do lurk on the workout thread quite a bit (but then I always feel slightly guilty afterwards because I'm not actually working out too -- go figure).

I love the idea of the cabbage soup diet so kick things off. Well, let me say that differently; I don't love the idea of eating cabbage soup for a week (who would, LOL?!) but I am the type of person who needs a "kick start" to motivate me and that is the type of thing that would certainly do it.

As for equipment... you guys make a valid point. I will need to visit some of the stores near me that carry this sort of thing and see what they have. Plus, I'm sure come January there will be big sales.

Speaking of January, I really need to decide about timing. I really don't want to set myself up for failure so I need to start this when I can really stick to it. At first I thought, great, I'll start tomorrow. But I have a baby shower tomorrow afternoon and three holiday parties this week alone. I hate to put it off but starting a healthier eating plan when I have four killer events in a six day span just sounds, well, stupid to me.

What do you all do about parties and the holidays BTW? Give me some tips so I can be at least a little better before I head out the door to all these cocktail parties.

 

[Blenheim]

I have a slightly different suggestion, which may not go so well with the colder weather but I''ll through it out there. From what I remember, you live close enough to work that you could walk, although it might be a fairly long walk. I walk close to four miles each day just commuting, which keeps me in shape without me feeling like I''m really working out. I''ve lost a couple of pounds since I''ve started walking more, and I''ve been pretty amazed at how well I can run or do the elliptical when I choose to -- I''m used to that kind of cardio taking a lot of working up to. Walking might be worth a shot. A swiss ball and some handweights would also be good to supplement the walking and help tone your muscles.

I don''t have much good advice about holiday parties -- I just WAY overindulged, myself.

 

[Tybee]

Hi DeeJay!
Sorry about your frustrations. I agree that what you really need is a change of perspective, you might learn to love exersise once you finally all into a rhythm. I am at the point where I feel really cranky if I can''t get a workout in.

On the other hand, I would avoid any ''cabbage diet'' or any diet that really restricts you from eating other foods. I am a firm believer that if you deny yourself what you love... once you get a chance to eat what you love you might go OVERBOARD! Which leads to the yo yo dieting that so many people fall into! I know that sometimes I just NEED chocolate, if I denied myself chocolate for a time period, I would eventually go out and buy myself a huge bag of m&m''s and go to town on it. Then I would suffer all the guilt afterwards about messing everything up and letting myself down. Ergo, allow myself chocolate every now and again.

I do think that you can be SMART about food choices without going crazy and without over doing it.

Don''t beat yourself up. Take it easy, but get started as soon as possible. Maybe start by planning your meals for the week (yummy snacks included--- within reason.) Start to exercise slowly too, if you go into it without it being a hated event, you might grow to love it! I usually spend my time on the elliptical trainer reading a terribly cheesy US Weekly magazine that I would never allow myself to spend the time reading. It''s my reward... a guilty pleasure, so to speak.

As far as the seasonal parties are concerned, you might want to make sure that you eat a healthy meal before hand. Then allow yourself to snack responsibly at the party. You might find that if you don''t go to the party hungry, you wont snack as much, or be drawn to the foods that are really really bad. You should allow yourself treats, though, seriously, I know from experience! I used to go on such seriously restrictive diets, then I would fall off the wagon HARD! and wallow in self loathing. No one deserves that!

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

Tybee

 

[Cheekyprincess]

Tybee you are totally right about needing a diet to be a way of eating that can be maintained. I only mentioned the cabbage soup diet as even though it is restrictive it is meant only for a week for a cleanse, and in that sense it really works. I will stress right now that it is very low cal diet and you cannot do it often- some people continue it for 2 weeks- but NO WAY for me!! I am not out for starvation. It would be dangerous to restrict yourself of protein, carbs, some fat, minerals vitamins etc for an extended period. It is just a kickstart, definitely not a miracle cure but if you are someone like me who needs some results quickly to help put you in the right frame of mind then it might be good for you.

I did that diet then I have been continuing on a low GI diet (eating as if I am diabetic). I will avoid bread, butter, chocolate, cakes, biscuits etc but I will eat unlimited fruit and veg, some protein, some low GI rice and pasta, sweet potato instead of normal potato and no fries or burgers etc. So far I feel fine, I really don''t want chocolate- it was my birthday not long ago and I ate a full 3 course meal but then the very next day I went back to healthy eating. I couldn''t deny myself everyday but now a treat for me is a punnet of blueberries, or a home made lasagne with a large salad (instead of phoning for a pizza).

So far it is working. I cannot get around the logic of diets such as atkins where carrots and fruit are ''banned'' I believe any food in a natural unprocessed state is healthy for you.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Date: 12/10/2006 12:21:09 AM
Author: Blenheim
I have a slightly different suggestion, which may not go so well with the colder weather but I'll through it out there. From what I remember, you live close enough to work that you could walk, although it might be a fairly long walk. I walk close to four miles each day just commuting, which keeps me in shape without me feeling like I'm really working out. I've lost a couple of pounds since I've started walking more, and I've been pretty amazed at how well I can run or do the elliptical when I choose to -- I'm used to that kind of cardio taking a lot of working up to. Walking might be worth a shot. A swiss ball and some handweights would also be good to supplement the walking and help tone your muscles.


I don't have much good advice about holiday parties -- I just WAY overindulged, myself.

Blen - I actually do walk to and from work every day, but it's only a mile each way for me, so two miles total. I cringe to think how big I might actaully be if I wasn't already walking ten miles a week, LOL!

And I do agree that any diet where you're depriving yourself of something you really want is not the answer. I was just thinking in terms of a short term "kick start" to the whole process. But long term, no, I can not/will not give up certain things forever. Life is short!!!

 

[KimberlyH]

Regarding holiday parties, I would eat something healthy, either a meal or some fruit salad and a big glass of water before leaving. That way you arrive with a somewhat full tummy.

I went to a holiday party yesterday and didn''t eat simply because the food was made by a bunch of people I didn''t know (it was a party at my MIL''s care facility) and I talked myself into being grossed out by the germ potential because I didn''t know where the food came from. It seems silly, but it worked. I ate 1/3 of a turkey sandwhich and skipped dessert all together. So if you''re going to a potluck that''s another way of avoiding eating.

 

[poptart]

I think the elliptical machine next to the TV is a great idea! And I''ve said it before, so I will say it again, YOGA (yes, I am the resident yoga freak). I HATE working out. I mean despise it. But I love yoga because it stretches and strengthens you but it doesn''t make me out of breath and uncomfortable (well, minus the slight aches from bending my body in various directions). I think both exercises will trim you down for sure, along with a healthy lifestyle. Yoga just makes you feel better about yourself, too, because it inspires you to eat healthier (I went from never eating organic to ONLY buying organic and cutting out most dairy from my diet). If you want to get a yoga tape try yogajournal.com, and mats as well as more videos I believe, are available and Barnes and Noble believe it or not! And yoga is great for all ages. Our teacher has taught little children as well as men and women up to the age of 75!

*M*

 

[Mara]

if you want to 'jump start' your diet, don't use the cabbage soup thing. YAK, not only is it gross but you are not getting all the nutrients your body needs by doing that.

if you really want to do something extreme to start out and get yourself going (which i don't really recommend as i have found that extreme swings back and forth just lead to bingeing...slow and steady with consistent changes is the way i went)...then do something like a lean protein diet with fresh veggies, fresh fruits, lean meats like chicken, turkey, and fish, and granola/wheat/fiber kind of carbs. cut out all sugars and salts for a week or two. this is a great way to get your body all the nutrients it needs, not have to eat the same thing for a week or two weeks straight...and it will start retraining your body to think that it does not need all that sugar, fat, and useless carb-laden stuff. it'll be tough but not as tough as eating cabbage soup for a week.

also cookinglight.com has fabulous recipes that i use all the time...trial and error, not all are wonderful but we found some favorites that we adore now. eating healthier does NOT have to be tasteless, bland or icky.

oh and give yourself room for error!! you cannot expect yourself to totally change habits and be 'perfect'..there is no failure unless you just don't try.

 

[mrssalvo]

we''ll I think your taking the first step in wanting to do something even if you don''t know exactly what that is. I agree that jump starting is good but I personally would probably wait until after Christmas. There is just food everywhere and if you''re not already disciplined seeing it would just be torture. i''d wait until the new year for the full jump start but you can start making some of the changes like the lean meats and veggies and maybe only eating the cookies and rich food at parties or whatever. I really miss Chicago b/c at least downtown everyone is walking. I wish I lived in a city where walking 2 miles a day was part of my lifestyle. I think it''s really great that you do that. I would love and elliptcal and would use it. I think you should try one somewhere and see if you''d have room in your house. my sister in law has one and does it while watching her favorite shows and she says the time fly''s by so you might be more inclined to do it in the comfort of your home. good luck girl, I know you can do it!!!

 

[Mara]

well this is kind of a moot point since DJ is already over in the WWT posting but i disagree mrs salvo about waiting til the new year.

why is waiting til the new year somehow better than starting right away? because there are lots of parties and stuff now? so what. make the changes and eat better where you can control it, at home. at work. go to the parties and sure, whoop it up. but changing how you live and work with food is more than 70% of what is going on right now. do parties take up more than 30% of your time during the holidays? they don't with us!! i can control what we are eating like 95% of our time, even in dec. we are hosting a party this wkd and im sure i will eat like a sow. but who cares, it's like 3 hours out of my week when every other hour i am eating normally.

this is totally not directed at YOU mrs salvo, but just in general it just drives me nuts when i see people going 'wait til a better time' or wait til this or that or making a new years resolution or whatever, because you could always make EXCUSES on how to keep waiting. life happens while people are waiting for a better time to do XYZ. that is why much of america is overweight. no time to focus on themselves and not the 'right time' to start.

there is no right time, the time is RIGHT NOW.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Mrs. S., I totally understand where you''re coming from! I''ve taken kind of a middle road though; instead of waiting ''till January, or alternatively, being 100% good from this moment forward, I''m going to try to make good choices between now and the end of the holidays (although I''ve decided that most--not all--of the choices need to be good ones) and THEN I will be more strict about eating better. I don''t think it''s realistic for me (A.K.A., She of the Zero Willpower) to go to a party and not have anything "bad" but if I can at least say, OK, I will have three "bad" bites and everthing else has to be "good" then I can make it through.

As for working out... I need to explore this a little further. I''m thinking of maybe getting a few DVDs of different types of work outs and see what appeals to me. For the sake of the neighbors I''m thinking low impact is the way to go, so maybe yoga or pilates to start? There is also a woman in my office who has been doing a certain strength training DVD and I am also going to ask her what it is. I would LOVE to find a way to do aerobics in the house but I don''t know. Honestly, the gym is 70 steps from my front door (but damn it''s a COLD 70 steps at this time of year!) so maybe once I start to see results and get more motivated I will be willing to take the chilly trek over there and climb on some sort of machine, LOL.

 

[mrssalvo]

mara, I totally agree with you that right now is a good time and if someone is motivated then go for it. My hubby has been trying to loose some wait and finds high protein no sugar/carbs work great for him. he started doing it again right before thanksgiving. It''s very hard not to eat all the goodies at the table around the holidays because food we normally don''t eat is there. My true strict jumpstart definition would eliminate all of the goodies for a couple of weeks to get your body detoxified and then slowly adding them back in. That''s what I meant by saying maybe wait on something like that (if dee jay even wanted to do it) and do something like you''re suggesting by eating healthy when she can but enjoy herself a bit at parties. In January there just aren''t as many temptations which is why so many people use it as new year thing. Anyway, dee jay, i''m still glad you''re wanting to make some changes..

 

[bookworm21]

DeeJay, I personally don''t like any of the cardio DVDs that are out there. I am more partial to yoga, or a pilates yoga combo DVD workout. I mentioned it in a earlier post, but just in case, here it is again: I like the Crunch Pilates Yoga Burn by Ellen Barret. It''s great, I do it practically everyday and I don''t get sick of it. After about two weeks, I''m already much more toned than before, especially in my waist area, so the next step would be the fat burn. I also like Rodney Yee''s Power Yoga, the poses aren''t that difficult for a beginner until about 35 minutes into the dvd, but that''s the idea, you start slow and progress the the more difficult levels.

I''ve only recently started doing mainly yoga, and I love it! Depending on which workout you decide to do, you can work up a pretty good sweat. With Rodney Yee''s or Shiva Rea''s Yoga Shakti, I find that I''m sometimes short of breath (which is not good, since you''re supposed to concentrate on your breathing), but overall, I enjoy it much more than any other previous workouts I''ve tried, including your standard cardio at the gym.

By the way, I got my DVDs on Amazon.com. Free shipping when you buy over $25, and so far, I''ve spent about $150 on a collection of different ones. Worth it, in my opinion, especially in the winter, when I really don''t feel like leaving my nice warm house for the gym.

 

[Mara]

oh yeah mrs s...i agree that if dj wants to do a more strict detox thing then waiting til there aren''t a ton of events going on makes sense...i think it''s great that DJ is starting at least!! that''s the hardest part sometimes!

 

[Cheekyprincess]

I agree with Mara in regards to starting right now, when I would tell myself I''ll wait till after such and such party etc I would use the time as an excuse to eat what I pleased as I was going to start a diet afterward- you just end up having even more weight to lose that way.

If you do the detox thing, I would only do it during a quiet time as well.

Mara, The cabbage soup thing (actually the version I did is the Australian ''kick start diet'' has no cabbage in it at all) Allows you to eat vegies, fruits pretty much any day and proteins on a couple of days so it really isn''t all that bad. The idea of the soup is that you only have to make it once then the huge vat of the stuff sits in the fridge and you have no excuse to reach for unhealthy foods. There is no reason you couldn''t just eat whatever low carb vegies you wanted all day for a week, plus fruit on fruit days and proteins on other days. I got pretty sick of the soup so I did do veges in a no added sugar tomato pasta sauce, and vegies stirfried with chicken stock not oil, and heaps of salads etc instead of soup (i kept the soup in the fridge for when I was hungry though).

Whatever you do Dee, just remember that fruits and vegies wont make a person fat, exercise will help you to get thinner- even better it will tone your muscles. There is no need to be hungry or feel deprived either (but also remember cravings will pass so don''t give into them if you can help it).

 

[goldenstar]

Stationary bicycles are good for people who hate working out and want to do it at home. It doesn''t burn as much calories as other things, but since its less bouncy its a lot easier to read or watch TV at the same time. That way you can stay on it for longer and also distract yourself by multitasking. If you have favorite TV shows you can make it a routine to ride the bike while you''re watching.

I think a good way to start a workout habit is to hire a personal trainer if you can. When you''ve spent money it compels you to drag yourself to the gym. Then when you start seeing results you want to keep it up.

Or you could find something to do that would treat yourself while you were working out. For example, during my cardio workouts (treadmill or eliptical) I read my favorite trashy celebrity gossip magazines. I don''t allow myself to read them at any other time. Its a reward for working out.

Also, music makes the time fly by and gives me more energy while I''m working out. A good mp3 player is a must. Listen to something that makes you want to dance.

 

[gail013]

There is no time like the present. Putting it off till after the first of the year gives you permission to easily gain another 5 lbs, when you could have already lost 5! I joined J.C. about 3 years ago, when one day I just couldn''t take it any more-not one more day of not liking how I felt or looked. It took me 7 or 8 months to loose 59 lbs. I have kept about 45 of it off, realizing that I can''t realistically maintain a weight too low, and still be able to live life, and have fun with food. Food is not supposed to be your enemy. I still have to work at it though. I will never be able to eat everything I want.

I have learned a few things-

-portion size is key-you can eat what you want, but not alot of it. The taste is the same wether you have one bite or ten. There are some things you may be better not eating, if you can''t just have one or two. Find something else you love. I found Meringue Cookies for only 25 cal. per piece.
-drink tons of water, keep it with you, and that way it is easy to drink 10 + cups a day. It will keep you hydrated and full. Slightly cool water is easier to drink than very cold, altho cold burns more calories.
-eat every 4-5 hours, smaller snacks if you must, it keeps your metab. going more than if you go for 8-10 between meals.
-eat lots of lettuce and vegies, and experiment with spices. Eating healthy is more difficult, but it is delicious.
-lift weights, even if only moderately in your home. Resistance training along with cardio is key to maintaining your weight.
-do something physical every day, even if only for 30 minutes, it improves your mood

and sometimes when I really want something, I look at the calorie count and think ''is that worth an hour on the treadmill'' the answer is always NO

-walk or do something with a friend. We walk 4 miles 4-5 days a week and that can keep you going.
-reward yourself with small things when you are on track.
-try on clothes you really want to wear, it is amazing how motivating that can be

Just a few things I have learned. I have certainly fallen off the track sometimes , but always manage to get back on. JC is very expensive, but I always thought, if someone walked up and offered to let me lose 50 lbs-I would be willing to pay alot for that, so why not? You can do the same thing yourself with low cal pre packaged meals. -Hope this helps!

I feel your pain, but starting is the hard part.

 

[gail013]

Dee Jay-

I just wanted to say that I lost 4 lbs my first week, with doing what I mentioned, and walking maybe 30 min a day. You do not have to give up anything for good, but giving up some things for good, except on rare occasions worked for me. It may not be only what you''re eating, but how often etc.

The other thing that happened was, during this time, my hubbie had a heart attack at the early age of 42! So we really needed a change in food as well as lifestyles. As soon as I started losing weight, he also had the idea that he felt kinda stupid carrying around 15 extra lbs, so he got into it as well. The heart attack made it all the more unavoidable. He went from smoking 3+ packs a day, to quitting and he now runs about 4-5 mi. 5 days a week, and he says he has never felt better. It is definitely easier when you have support.

I wish you luck!

 

[Dee*Jay]

You are all so supportive -- thank you! I have been eating very well so far this week (didn''t even cave AT ALL at the cocktail party I went to last night) and the scale is being kind to me, so I''m motivated. I do want to get some sort of work out videos but I can''t get over to Borders until this weekend. I''ve joined the Weekly Workout Thread (although I''m really an interloper there since I''m not yet working out, LOL) and I plan to stick with this. And I''ve decided that my reward for becoming thing will be a NEW WARDROBE!!! I took a good look around at the party last night and I thought, dammit, I can be stylish too. It will take a little time, effort and money, but I CAN DO IT!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/12/2006 6:23:36 AM
Author: Cheekyprincess
I agree with Mara in regards to starting right now, when I would tell myself I'll wait till after such and such party etc I would use the time as an excuse to eat what I pleased as I was going to start a diet afterward- you just end up having even more weight to lose that way.

If you do the detox thing, I would only do it during a quiet time as well.

Mara, The cabbage soup thing (actually the version I did is the Australian 'kick start diet' has no cabbage in it at all) Allows you to eat vegies, fruits pretty much any day and proteins on a couple of days so it really isn't all that bad. The idea of the soup is that you only have to make it once then the huge vat of the stuff sits in the fridge and you have no excuse to reach for unhealthy foods. There is no reason you couldn't just eat whatever low carb vegies you wanted all day for a week, plus fruit on fruit days and proteins on other days. I got pretty sick of the soup so I did do veges in a no added sugar tomato pasta sauce, and vegies stirfried with chicken stock not oil, and heaps of salads etc instead of soup (i kept the soup in the fridge for when I was hungry though).

Whatever you do Dee, just remember that fruits and vegies wont make a person fat, exercise will help you to get thinner- even better it will tone your muscles. There is no need to be hungry or feel deprived either (but also remember cravings will pass so don't give into them if you can help it).

I take my hat off to anyone who is brave enough to stick to any version of that Cabbage Soup diet

I tried it back in '98 when it was first popular, I lasted for 2 days as the soup was making me gag

It was a truly revolting experience..

In case anyone is interested, here is a sample menu...

Day one - as much cabbage soup as you can drink

Day 2 - as much cabbage soup as you can drink and poultry I think

Day 3 - as much cabbage soup as you can drink and as much fruit as you can eat

Day 4 - as much cabbage soup as you can drink and about 8 bananas

Day 4 as much cabbage soup as you can drink and as much beef as you can eat.

I can't remember exactly how accurate this is, but it is near enough and you get the picture...

 

[Dee*Jay]

Date: 12/13/2006 9:39:40 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 12/12/2006 6:23:36 AM

Author: Cheekyprincess

I agree with Mara in regards to starting right now, when I would tell myself I''ll wait till after such and such party etc I would use the time as an excuse to eat what I pleased as I was going to start a diet afterward- you just end up having even more weight to lose that way.


If you do the detox thing, I would only do it during a quiet time as well.


Mara, The cabbage soup thing (actually the version I did is the Australian ''kick start diet'' has no cabbage in it at all) Allows you to eat vegies, fruits pretty much any day and proteins on a couple of days so it really isn''t all that bad. The idea of the soup is that you only have to make it once then the huge vat of the stuff sits in the fridge and you have no excuse to reach for unhealthy foods. There is no reason you couldn''t just eat whatever low carb vegies you wanted all day for a week, plus fruit on fruit days and proteins on other days. I got pretty sick of the soup so I did do veges in a no added sugar tomato pasta sauce, and vegies stirfried with chicken stock not oil, and heaps of salads etc instead of soup (i kept the soup in the fridge for when I was hungry though).


Whatever you do Dee, just remember that fruits and vegies wont make a person fat, exercise will help you to get thinner- even better it will tone your muscles. There is no need to be hungry or feel deprived either (but also remember cravings will pass so don''t give into them if you can help it).

I take my hat off to anyone who is brave enough to stick to any version of that Cabbage Soup diet

I tried it back in ''98 when it was first popular, I lasted for 2 days as the soup was making me gag

It was a truly revolting experience..


In case anyone is interested, here is a sample menu...

Day one - as much cabbage soup as you can drink


Day 2 - as much cabbage soup as you can drink and poultry I think


Day 3 - as much cabbage soup as you can drink and as much fruit as you can eat


Day 4 - as much cabbage soup as you can drink and about 8 bananas


Day 4 as much cabbage soup as you can drink and as much beef as you can eat.

I can''t remember exactly how accurate this is, but it is near enough and you get the picture...

8 bananas?

 

[Dee*Jay]

OK, I looked it up and here is the diet. HOW CAN THIS POSSIBLY WORK??? Day 5 10-20 oz of beef? Day 6 2-3 steaks? Day 7 "stuff, stuff stuff yourself"???


CHEEKYPRINCES - Did you stick to this plan? And it worked for you? (ETA: I just went back and read how you modified the diet. Your way sounds a lot more palatable!)



Day One:
Fruit: Eat all of the fruit you want (except bananas). Eat only your soup and the fruit for the first day. For drinks- unsweetened teas, cranberry juice and water.

Day Two:
Vegetables: Eat until you are stuffed will all fresh, raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. Try to eat leafy green vegetables and stay away from dry beans, peas and corn. Eat all the vegetables you want along with your soup. At dinner, reward yourself with a big baked potato with butter. Do not eat fruit today.

Day Three:
Mix Days One and Two: Eat all the soup, fruits and vegetables you want. No Baked Potato.

Day Four:
Bananas and Skim Milk: Eat as many as eight bananas and drink as many glasses of skim milk as you would like on this day, along with your soup. This day is supposed to lessen your desire for sweets.

Day Five:
Beef And Tomatos: Ten to twenty ounces of beef and up to six fresh tomtoes. Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water this day to wash the uric acid from your body. Eat your soup at least once this day. You may eat broiled or baked chicken instead of beef (but absolutely no skin-on chicken). If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for the beef one one of the beef days (but not both).

Day Six:
Beef and Vegetables: Eat to your heart's content of beef and vegetables this day. You can even have 2 or 3 steaks if you like, with leafy green vegetables. No Baked Potato. Eat your soup at least once.

Day Seven:
Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juices and vegetables: Again stuff, stuff, stuff yourself. Be sure to eat your soup at least once this day.