New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

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Westy78
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by Westy78 » Wed Dec 12, 2012 3:38 pm

May I suggest having your testosterone levels checked? I had all the same things you're talking about and then some. Had my levels checked and I was almost 100 points below minimum for my age. Been on replacement therapy for about a year and feel so much better. Lost almost 20lbs and 10% body fat, with no change in my diet or exercise and have back the energy and muscle tone I'd lost. Don't mean to sound like an infomercial but what they say is mostly accurate. I don't know why doctors don't suggest this test as a standard when you reach a certain age.
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Amskeptic
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Dec 12, 2012 4:22 pm

IFBwax wrote:Right now I hardly ever want to get out of bed. I think the red wine is the worst for making me sleepy the next morning. Anyone else have that problem?
I discovered out in the desert, that my usual ready access to sugary or carbohydrate-laden food made me logey and prone to hunger. After a day of self-imposed hunger pangs, I would catch a second wind of energy and suffer less hunger. Fatal mistake for me is . . . Starbucks iced lemon pound cake . . . deadly!

I am trying a regime of protein and leafy dark greens and a full work day distraction away from food.
Colin
[I got a tip, try it. If you find a ragingly bored polymorphous desire to eat, or drink beer, , gargle with eucalyptus mouthwash (the golden stuff not the mint) and brush your teeth. It is an effective reset. Try it.]
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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jimbear
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by jimbear » Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:49 pm

Timely thread. Two days ago I started YET ANOTHER attempt to lose weight.

Back story--I have struggled all my life and hit 245lbs by Christmas during my senior year of HS. I was a three sport jock I might add, so a somewhat healthy 245. Long story short I joined the Navy and the threat of "fat boy pre-boot camp" spooked me into losing 48lbs by graduation! I was psyched. However, I got out of my military commitment; discovered the Grateful Dead, VW's, the road, good beer, and assorted other things and the weight slid right back on. It has been a battle ever since. I am 42. I have had very moderate success losing weight over the years, but beer, a general hedonistic lifestyle, a penchant for rich foods in extra portions, and a lot of transient living always pushed back on me. I am now the heaviest I have ever been, not 300 yet, but not too far away.

Today--The war wages on. I am trying to focus on what I have and how quickly it could no longer be (VW included) if I do not straighten up. I am very active, so that is a plus. I walk regularly, have been making it to the Y every few weeks, and eat relatively healthy, albeit too often, in too big of portions, and too late at night. And then there is beer...mmmm...beer...

To cut to the chase--Two days ago I started in on what I believe will be my most serious effort since high school. I have been to the Y three days in a row, I have had one cider in these three days. I have used (on and off) a smartphone/web app called [url]LoseIt![https://www.loseit.com//url] for several years in other efforts. I am using that religiously-daily-as I have identified structure and awareness as keys to my success. This program is user friendly and actually really cool. It does require you to be obsessive about everything that you ingest, entering it in relatively exact proportions. It takes some getting used to using and set-up (your personal fav's, etc) but once it is up and running it actually rocks. It has an accompanying website for added use and/or for 'non-smartphone havers'.

I bought a food scale. :dink: And it helps.

State of mind--for me this is all a state of mind. It is not a diet, it is a lifestyle. It's about what I want and how I am going to get it. Too much of my life has been ruled by compulsive behaviors and those that are related to eating and drinking...I am done with letting these two especially get the better of me.

>insert positive attitude here< :thumbleft:

The damn between meal snacking is a bitch for me, but a lot of self-talk and keeping busy helps this a lot.

Digging on the fit member of the opposite sex hefting the weights as I cruise along on the stationary bike doesn't hurt either...and my wife adds, "Whatever works for ya."

Thanks for reading, I needed to talk this out--therapeutic. I am not a support group type of guy, but I feel for the first time ever that I might could use one right about now. That's that...
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Amskeptic
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:09 pm

HI JIM!
jimbear wrote:I am not a support group type of guy, but I feel for the first time ever that I might could use one right about now. That's that...
THANK-YOU FOR SHARING, JIM!

My name is Colin and I am a Panera Cinamon Roll Addict.

HI COLIN!

It started only three years ago when I could not find a Starbucks in Horsehead NY. It was cold and grey. I had seen Panera Bread outlets before and all, but I am an autistic who likes routine and familiarity. Finally lugged my Compaq Presario in from the rain and whoa! this place smells like baking. The music was not obnoxious nightclub sax like Starbucks. Nice expansive place.
I spied a cinnamon roll behind the counter.
Superego - "No! Just get a cup of coffee and log into the forum!"
Id - "F*@k you, I'll do what I WANT!"
Superego - "I do not want you to get blimpy soft and mushy tubby!"
Id - F*@k you, I WANT a cinnamon roll."

Ego - "Hi, I'd like a cup of your coffee, small is small here, right?"
Counterperson - "Yes, why wouldn't it be?"
Ego - "At Starbucks, small is tall and medium is venti or something."
Counterperson - "Hahahahahaha, yeah, small is small. Do you want anything else with your order?"
Id - "I will throw this coffee at the back wall if you don't order a cinnamon roll."
Superego - "Answer her! You're just standing here like an idiot."
Id - "Life is not worth living if you don't satisfy my every WANT."

Ego - "I'd like to try that cinnamon roll, are they baked fresh every day?"
Counterperson, "Sure, they are baked right here every morning."
Ego - "You fat pig, can't you just get a stupid coffee?"
Counterperson - "Excuse me?"
Ego- "I'm sorry?"
Superego - "You did NOT just say that."
Id- "Told you."

Ego - "Yes, um a coffee and a cinnamon roll, thank YOU SO MUCH."

. . . and that is my why I am here at Compulsive Eaters Anonymous.

THANK-YOU FOR SHARING, COLIN!
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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IFBwax
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by IFBwax » Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:02 pm

Westy78 wrote:May I suggest having your testosterone levels checked? I had all the same things you're talking about and then some. Had my levels checked and I was almost 100 points below minimum for my age. Been on replacement therapy for about a year and feel so much better. Lost almost 20lbs and 10% body fat, with no change in my diet or exercise and have back the energy and muscle tone I'd lost. Don't mean to sound like an infomercial but what they say is mostly accurate. I don't know why doctors don't suggest this test as a standard when you reach a certain age.
Never thought of that W78 and yea.. I never had mine tested. MIss seeing you.
The best navigators aren't sure where they're going until they get there. And then they're still not sure.

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IFBwax
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by IFBwax » Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:04 pm

Amskeptic wrote:
IFBwax wrote:Right now I hardly ever want to get out of bed. I think the red wine is the worst for making me sleepy the next morning. Anyone else have that problem?
I discovered out in the desert, that my usual ready access to sugary or carbohydrate-laden food made me logey and prone to hunger. After a day of self-imposed hunger pangs, I would catch a second wind of energy and suffer less hunger. Fatal mistake for me is . . . Starbucks iced lemon pound cake . . . deadly!

I am trying a regime of protein and leafy dark greens and a full work day distraction away from food.
Colin
[I got a tip, try it. If you find a ragingly bored polymorphous desire to eat, or drink beer, , gargle with eucalyptus mouthwash (the golden stuff not the mint) and brush your teeth. It is an effective reset. Try it.]
I will try that. Never seen that kind of mouthwash. I'll do a search.
The best navigators aren't sure where they're going until they get there. And then they're still not sure.

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http://www.partypickle.blogspot.com

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IFBwax
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by IFBwax » Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:10 pm

jimbear wrote:Timely thread. Two days ago I started YET ANOTHER attempt to lose weight.

Back story--I have struggled all my life and hit 245lbs by Christmas during my senior year of HS. I was a three sport jock I might add, so a somewhat healthy 245. Long story short I joined the Navy and the threat of "fat boy pre-boot camp" spooked me into losing 48lbs by graduation! I was psyched. However, I got out of my military commitment; discovered the Grateful Dead, VW's, the road, good beer, and assorted other things and the weight slid right back on. It has been a battle ever since. I am 42. I have had very moderate success losing weight over the years, but beer, a general hedonistic lifestyle, a penchant for rich foods in extra portions, and a lot of transient living always pushed back on me. I am now the heaviest I have ever been, not 300 yet, but not too far away.

Today--The war wages on. I am trying to focus on what I have and how quickly it could no longer be (VW included) if I do not straighten up. I am very active, so that is a plus. I walk regularly, have been making it to the Y every few weeks, and eat relatively healthy, albeit too often, in too big of portions, and too late at night. And then there is beer...mmmm...beer...

To cut to the chase--Two days ago I started in on what I believe will be my most serious effort since high school. I have been to the Y three days in a row, I have had one cider in these three days. I have used (on and off) a smartphone/web app called [url]LoseIt![https://www.loseit.com//url] for several years in other efforts. I am using that religiously-daily-as I have identified structure and awareness as keys to my success. This program is user friendly and actually really cool. It does require you to be obsessive about everything that you ingest, entering it in relatively exact proportions. It takes some getting used to using and set-up (your personal fav's, etc) but once it is up and running it actually rocks. It has an accompanying website for added use and/or for 'non-smartphone havers'.

I bought a food scale. :dink: And it helps.

State of mind--for me this is all a state of mind. It is not a diet, it is a lifestyle. It's about what I want and how I am going to get it. Too much of my life has been ruled by compulsive behaviors and those that are related to eating and drinking...I am done with letting these two especially get the better of me.

>insert positive attitude here< :thumbleft:

The damn between meal snacking is a bitch for me, but a lot of self-talk and keeping busy helps this a lot.

Digging on the fit member of the opposite sex hefting the weights as I cruise along on the stationary bike doesn't hurt either...and my wife adds, "Whatever works for ya."

Thanks for reading, I needed to talk this out--therapeutic. I am not a support group type of guy, but I feel for the first time ever that I might could use one right about now. That's that...
Thanks for your post. I've been able to drop about 15 pounds so far. I think the main thing that has helped me is to try to eat mostly whole foods. Fruits, veggies, not too much dairy or meat. I find I lose a lot of weight when I eat a huge pile of veggies with a little bit of salmon and it's sooo good. But I'm losing ground on the weekends when I have a few extra beers and a few extra glasses of wine, then a few more things I shouldn't eat. We'll see if it makes a big difference in the new year and I'll let you know. I think you could lose a lot of weight in a short time if you just changed a few things.
The best navigators aren't sure where they're going until they get there. And then they're still not sure.

Frank Bama

http://www.partypickle.blogspot.com

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yondermtn
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by yondermtn » Thu Dec 13, 2012 8:12 am

I like Colin's mouthwash idea. Who wants to eat anything with that taste in your mouth? Strong gum can work too.

Those Panera cinnamon rolls are great, as are their cinnamon crunch bagels.
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RussellK
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by RussellK » Thu Dec 13, 2012 8:18 am

Refined sugars seem to trigger a crave response that escalates with each episode of weakness. So one Snickers is so good I think I'll have another A glass of cold water seems to help lessen the crave but staying away entirely seems to be the best strategy. I've tried the weekends or special occasions strategy only to find on Monday I'm having a serious argument with myself why I can't extend the weekend or festivities.

I'm an advocate of morning yoga. It doesn't have to be strenuous or even a lengthy session but it does a fantastic job of readying the body and mind for the day and on days when I practice I seem to be more resolute about staying away from other bad habits. Most likely there are other physical activities that would have the same effect.

Have any of the runners here pulled your earbuds and listened to your yourself run? A couple of weeks ago I was running and thought my wind was pretty good. Then I pulled my earbuds. You could hear me from 200 yards. When my feet weren't doing a shuffle, they were slapping with a solid thud and my puffing and wheezing sounded like a freight train. I thought those cute young gals were smiling because I was a handsome middle age guy. Turns out they were visualizing my death.

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drober23
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by drober23 » Fri Dec 14, 2012 2:08 am

This is a timely thread. I seem to fit squarely within the demographic described. Pushing 50, and aware of my weight slowly creeping up a bit. I let my clothes tell me when I'm in trouble :-). I refuse to go up to the next size of pants, so I gotta do something pretty soon!

Trouble for me is that I am travelling a lot (in China for work this week and next for example). I have real trouble staying disciplined while on the road. I find if I can cut calories I take in from drinks (mostly Coke), and replace them with water I will slowly lose a bit of weight instead of the other way around. I also have to keep portion sizes in mind, but when I start to drink a lot of Coke, (Big Gulp?) I get in trouble.

Russel, you mentioned you do some yoga. I have thought about starting some, but have not done so yet. Do you have any resources or tips for someone thinking to start?

No "New Year's Resolutions" for me. Just a continuation of trying to be mindful of what I eat, and how much activity I do.
DJ

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(plus more busses than sense)

In a time of chimpanzees I was a monkey

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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by RussellK » Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:50 am

drober23 wrote: Russel, you mentioned you do some yoga. I have thought about starting some, but have not done so yet. Do you have any resources or tips for someone thinking to start?
The subject of Yoga is so vast it could have its own thread. If you are interested in just getting your feet wet there are some nice videos on YouTube for beginners. Search Hatha Beginner Yoga. There is a 39 minute flow by YogaYak that is good. Start slow. Warm yourself up before doing anything deep. Discomfort is good - pain is bad. You can find videos and books at most libraries and bookstores. Lots of gyms and YMCAs have yoga classes. My experience with these has been the quality of instruction is varied but they will run you through a flow; lacking good instruction you may be assimilating the pose rather than learning it correctly. The best is to find a studio and take classes there. Also the most pricey. There are different styles and philosphies and opinions run pretty strong between them as to whose is best. For me the best is whatever you are on the mat doing. My wife got me into Yoga. I had chronic back pain from a degenerative disk. Yoga gave me pain free movement.

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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Dec 14, 2012 2:04 pm

RussellK wrote: Yoga gave me pain free movement.
On it.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by hambone » Fri Dec 14, 2012 2:25 pm

Don't forget the other 4:

Jnana Yoga
The path of wisdom and knowledge. The jnani uses his will and power of discrimination to cut through the veil of ignorance and attain the truth.
For the jnani, the goal is absolute Truth.

Jnana Yoga appeals to the philosophical and intellectual temperament.

Bhakti Yoga
The path of love and devotion. The bhakta uses the combined energies of all emotions and transmutes them, sublimates them into the highest of all emotions: prem.
Prem is pure, conditionless, divine love. For the bhakta, or devotee, the goal is pure love.

Bhakti Yoga appeals to the emotional temperament.

Raja Yoga
The path of self control and self mastery. The raja yogi controls his mind until it becomes perfectly still at which time there is no more wall between himself and his own divine nature.
The main practice in Raja Yoga is meditation. For the raja yogi, the goal is perfect mind control.
Raja Yoga appeals to the mystical and scientific temperament.

Karma Yoga
The path of selfless service. For the karma yogi, the main problem is our inherent selfishness which is based on spiritual ignorance, avidya. The key is to practice selfless actions without any selfish expectations, and thereby opening one's heart and seeing God in all beings.
For the karma yogi, the goal is complete selflessness.
Karma Yoga appeals to the active temperament.
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by Sylvester » Sun Dec 23, 2012 11:50 pm

Since I am WOD (Way Out Dere) I have started doing the treadmill at 0500 for 30 minutes. I did a 5K Saturday. I am starting to do weights, something I have not done in 10 years I bet, in the afternoons. I am going to cut out all bread and milk for awhile. I am not overweight but want to be in better shape for sure. I forgot to cut out the milk, but out here they have 1%, and soy milk, which sure is good. I need to do more time on the treadmill, am working to go to 40 minutes, just have to be better at time management in the mornings.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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Amskeptic
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Re: New year resolutions.. Drinking too much.. nuts.

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Dec 24, 2012 9:55 am

Sylvester wrote: I am starting to do weights, something I have not done in 10 years I bet,
I need to do more time on the treadmill,
Me too.
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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