Anyone trying to lose weight?

[LoriDavenport]

Well...I know what I said previously but now...

I HAVE to lose weight. There's no ifs ands or buts about it...I was told to lose it, so, yeah. I could give advice but it'd be like PT from the Army LOL.

[Garrett Duke]

Good luck Lori at losing weight. Let me know if something works...PT from the Army - maybe that is what I need to find the motivation to lose weight. I would think my clothes and the mirror would be motiviational enough to lose weight - guess not. Anyway, good luck, Lori.

[MinDuke]

Hey Gang! Good luck to you all fighting the battle of the bulge...unfortunately as for me...Im going to have a waist expanding condition for a total of 4 more months, after April 7th when my child is born, then Ill be able to post here about battling the bulge! My kudos to all of you dieters, remember exercise is the key and youll do fine!

Jax

[Elly May Duke]

Agreeing to that Min. . .last weekend I rode my bike for 40 minutes saturday and sunday and somehow I lost two pounds. . .like where did that happen?

[RogerDuke]

Congratulations Min!!!

If your little one is a boy and is born a day late you should name him Bo or John since April 8, 2010 is the day John Schneider turns the big 50.

By the way, April is more than 4 months away. I wonder if you made a mistake on that last post and meant 6 months.

[MinDuke]

Congratulations Min!!!

If your little one is a boy and is born a day late you should name him Bo or John since April 8, 2010 is the day John Schneider turns the big 50.

By the way, April is more than 4 months away. I wonder if you made a mistake on that last post and meant 6 months.

Thanks Roger! I find out tomorrow if its a little boy or girl. And yes I do know that April is more than 4 months, but this is my 5th month. Though the doctor told me April 7th which is 40 weeks... course shes not sure Ill make it that long!

Jax

[RogerDuke]

Hey, here's an idea.

After you find out tomorrow you can start a contest here on the HazzardNet to name the little tyke.

Just kidding.

Seriousely though. I'm happy for you. That's exciting news. Congratulations!!

[texasdaisy09]

Congratulations Min! I have three kids and I can hardly wait to have my fourth. Sounds a 'lil crazy I know but hopefully I'll be having our fourth one no less than three or four years from now. Lol but then my plans don't usually mesh with God's. He's probably laughing at me at the moment with my talking about my plans. I guess it's like they say-"If you wanna hear God laugh, tell Him your plans!" Lol but really congrats hon.

[General Grant]

Drat! Someone beat me to this thread! I was contemplating starting a thread for supporting people with weight loss/training. But first, before I go any further, I want to say, "CONGRATULATIONS, MINDUKE!" That must be so exciting for you. Please, let us know if it is a boy or a girl.

Okay, back to the thread... I'm not sure if anyone wants my input, but I actually was hoping to study for being a personal trainer, so I do a lot of reading about that. I personally do not have a weight problem, but I find thourough enjoyment in training, and it has helped me, not only physically, but also psychologically and even emotionally. I'm not saying I know it all, because I don't, but I'm more than willing to help, so if anyone has any questions, I have tons of reference books I can look it up, or just give you my opinion (Roger will probably testify that I'm pretty good at giving my opnion!) Anyway, Lori, you are abslolutely right! You are what you are, and you can never have too big a heart! I love that! It is so true, and many people lose sight of that. Though, you do have the power to change, a HUGE part of this journey is confidence in yourself.

A lot of people want to lose weight because they are influenced by outside forces (trashy magazines, television, "friends", etc...) and they lose sight of the fact that you need to be happy with yourself. There is no "miracle cure all" and weight loss isn't the answer for raising your confidence, because you will just find something else beat yourself up about. A huge part of this is wanting this for the right reasons. What ever the reason- you want to be healthy, you want to feel great, you want to bench press 100 lb, you want to run in a marathon- what ever your goal, realize it, and stick to it. You Have the power to change, no one else owns that.

Sorry for rambling, but I thought of something else. Cravings... we all get them! I'm not at all opposed to fulfillng them- to a point. You can fulfill a craving using healthier alternatives. For instance- dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate- now that's not to say you can eat twice as much of it, but you'd be amazed how a little goes a long way. When I'm training, I eat healthy six days a week, (with a SMALL dessert after lunch and dinner) and then on day seven (Sunday for me) I give myself a day off- "Dirt Day" where I can eat, or not eat, whatever I want from the time I get up until bed time. Boy, it is worth eating right all week to do that. HOWEVER, if you are trying to lose weight, I would probably give yourself more of a "Dirt Half-Day" and don't go crazy with it. Once you have the weight off, enjoy a full dirt day every week. It is my opinion that if you restrict everything that is good and force everything that is unenjoyable, you are literally setting yourself up for failure. You should be enjoying it! (I know, it may sound crazy now...) but really, training can be a whole lot of fun! Change your routines around so you don't get bored, and your body has a funny tendency to adapt to the workouts, and make it a lot harder for you to lose the weight. Most of all, lull your body into losing that weight. Aim for healthy, realistic goals, two to four pounds a week. And Stick with it. You can do it, and you will do it if only you realize your true potential.

That being said, I will stop (finally!) But I have to ask this. I have a passion for this topic, and although I don't know all there is to know, it is just something that gives me great joy. It is amazing to see the transformations, not necessarily physically, but how your outlook on life and belief in yourself changes. Would you possibly do me the honor of being "team trainer/consultant"? Let me know your thoughts. Good Luck to everyone in their endeavors, and I know that you all will be able to do well- afterall, you have the support of Hazzard behind you!

General Grant

[texasdaisy09]

To General Grant- Buddy you just asked for trouble! I want any and all tips you could give me. Lol seriously, I need all the help I can get. As far as working out goes, I have a huge problem. I have three little kids and rarely if ever do I have a sitter for more than an hour unless it's for doctors appointments. I would really appreciate any workout tips that you would be able to give me. I need something that doesn't involve any huge machines any weights, or anything like that. Reason being we have NO room for any of that. I have literally about 5 feet of space to work with. So any tips General?

[RogerDuke]

Here I am to officially testify that I agree with General Grant that she isn't shy about giving her opinion. LOL

Whenever her opinion is opposite of mine, that's a sure sign that she's 100% wrong (LOL) but this time she makes sense. A lot of sense. That was a very thoughtful and informative post General. I'm impressed. Nice job.

I've been lucky enough to not have to worry about my weight so please feel free to ignore this advice since I'm NOT speaking from experience.

Even though all of General Grant's last post was awesome. one word stuck out with me...cravings.

People sure have made a lot of money writing books about how to lose weight but if I wrote one it would only have two words..DON'T EAT. Of course I realize it's not that easy but if you could follow those two words of instruction it would be impossible for you to not succeed....unless of course you have some other severe medical condition that factors in.

Again, I'm unqualified to give advice but I would focus on making your cravings your enemy and finding out how to muster the strength to defeat that enemy. If it were me, I would simply focus on one thing, cravings. Why are you getting them and how can you stop them. If the problem is in your head, you can find the strength to fix it.

Of course exercise is great because it improves your cardio-vascular system and that's important but if you didn't exercise at all and stopped eating as much, you'll lose weight. It's very simple. It's not easy but it is simple.

You need to turn your enemy (the cravings) into your friend. When you're eating, you're gaining weight. When you're having cravings, you're losing weight. Losing weight is good so cravings are your friend.

Of course, you have to be careful. If you become too friendly with those cravings you could get obsessed and that's not good either. It is possible to be overweight and malnourished. General Grant had good advice by saying you should have realistic goals and not try to lose too much at once. I also liked what she said about fullfilling cravings using healthier alternatives.

Well, that's about all I know about it. I'll just sit back and watch and be the cheerleader here. Hey, maybe you should picture Uncle Jesse in a cheerleader outfit. That should make you lose your appetite....unless your name is Emma Tisdale.

[texasdaisy09]

Roger you are a true sweetheart. You make me smile just about every time. Cravings aren't really my problem, my problem is being hungry constantly. I mean all out stomach growling hungry. I have no idea why I never had this problem before. After I had my first child, I noticed it. Any thoughts anyone?

[RogerDuke]

I guess the obvious question here is, have you talked to a doctor about that? I'm sure child bearing takes a lot of nutrients from a woman's body. Maybe there's some reason your body hasn't recovered from those losses....especially if there wasn't a lot of time between having your second and third child. If your body is short on certain nutrients, it's natural reaction is to give you cravings. But since you said you're hungry and not necessarily craving certain things, my idea must be wrong. If your family doctor doesn't have an answer maybe you should request to see a specialist and/or nutritionist.

[General Grant]

Hey Y'all!

Okay, texasdaisy, I'll start with you first, then I have a few words for Roger!

First off, there are a ton of alternatives for losing weight, and you have to do what works for you. Personally, I think that walking is really the Ultimate weight loss exercise. Take your kids with you, if you want and make it a family activity. Also, you don't have to spend hours in the gym with tons of equipment. I strength train and I only have one bench, a bar, and some weights. Other than that, I don't use any machines, sometimes I dont' even use the weights. I guess if I was you, I would start off with stretching, then walk slowly for a couple minutes, then gradually speed up your walk until you are walking as fast as you can for as long as you can, then slow it back down gradually, and finish up with stretches. TIP: ALWAYS STRETCH BEFORE WORKING OUT. If you dont' stretch you are more prone to injuries and tearing a muscle. That is going to set you back so much farther. Also, don't exercise if you are sick. Another great thing for you to do would be to use your own body weight as resistance, example: exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, crunches, etc... Okay, my personal philosophy (and this doesn't necesarily have any scientific backing) I think that when you are losing weight you should use less weight and move faster, and when you are trying to build muscle, use more weight and slow it way down. But, by "faster" I don't mean you should be going so fast that you let the momentum do all the work. You still want your muscles to do the work. Hey, texasdaisy, get your kids involved. They will probably love it, and it will motivate you. When you get stronger, they can even provide weight for you- have them sit on your shoulders as you do squats, or even push ups! When losing weight, you are basically trying to lose as many calories as possible in your session, where as in building muscle you are trying to fatigue the muscles, because they get stronger during the rest periods. Your muscles "break down" when you work out, and during the rest periods is when your muscles become stronger because they repair themselves to be stronger. Does that make sense?

Another tip is not to focus on only calories. A lot of people get so wraped up in how many calories are in every bit of food they eat, that they lose sight of what is healthy and what is not. Be sure to keep an eye on all of the nutritional information. How many grams of fat, sodum, sugar, carbs, vitamins, minerals, etc... You need to pay attention to everything because just calorie counting doesn't cut it (in my opinion) You could have two foods with the same amount of calories, but one has four times the fat (we're talking the "bad" fats, but I'll get into that in a later post) and six times the sodium and sugar, while the other has more fiber. Which will be better? I think you get the drift.

Also, one of the keys to success is WANTING this. You have to want it bad enough, and follow through. Just talking about it isn't going to get anything done.

I completely understand what you mean about a loack of room, texasdaisy, I find that I have the same problem! Fear not, there are a lot of exercises you can do! A couple of exercises that require minimal room are crunches, sit ups, chinups (providing you have a bar), squats, lunges, wall squats, and even exercises where (for now at least) you can use cans of food or milk jugs filled with water as weights. I'm just going to name exercises off, and if you don't know what they are, I can go back and explain.

You could start off with stretches, then do a cardio warm up. If you have staris in your home, you could "walk" up and down a single stair, or the whole set, or go for a brisk walk, do jumping jacks, etc... anything to get your heart rate up a little bit. Then move on to strenght training. You can do muscle pairs, or opposites. Pairs would be like shoulders, shoulders, back, back, abs, abs, etc... And opposites would be like abs, back, calves, shins, biceps, triceps, abs, back, etc... Get how that works? For pairs you could do (after your stretches and cardio warm-up, of course!) you could do 10 squats, 10 lunges per leg, 10 calf raises (on BOTTOM step) 10 seated calf raises, 10 shoulder presses, 10push-ups, 10 crunches, 10 reverse curls, 10 tricep kickbacks, etc... And when you start getting bored with a routine (I usually get bored after about two weeks) switch it up, it is your body, you are in control, and you have the power to change. You are accountable for this journey, but I, and it appears Roger and all of Hazzardnet, I'm sure, are behind you. Oh, and as for always being hungry, if you are nursing, I'm sure that is pretty normal. Though you may want to get a professional opinion. Though you may not be eating the right stuff. What do you eat usually? You want to eat "power foods" that are going to give you the most nutrients and will fill you up. My philosophy is to eat more of the foods that aren't packaged or labeled. Typically the more packaged it is, the more processed it is. Thats not to say processed foods don't have their place, I know I certainly indulge on them sometimes!

Okay Roger, at the risk of being wrong (and being a bit disagreeable,) I have to disagree with you here. I think that you shouldn't not eat. While not eating will cause you to lose weight, I don't think that it is the healthy alternative. You didn't just sit there to gain weight, and I don't think you should just sit there to lose it either. You made a concious decision to eat that box of Ho-Ho's, or eat that extra pizza, or not work out, and I think it has to be a consious decision to reverse that by working hard to reverse that. That means making a consious decision to have an ounce of dark chocolate instead of a ho-ho, or having a salad instead of pizza, or working out instead of just sitting there wishing the weight away. Do you get what I'm driving at?

Okay, three more things, and then I'll stop... I have heard that lemon can help you lose weight. I don't see any harm with putting a couple squirts of lemon in your water (plus it will help you to drink more because you're more apt to drink water if it has a little flavor to it) I've also heard that a teaspoon of honey before and after a workout will help you to perform better and recover quicker, whether that is true or not, I'm not sure. Though I have tried it, I didn't really notice a difference. Another thing is that if you are taking multi-vitamins, here is a cheap and really effective mineral/vitamin supplement. I have tried this one and can tell you that I felt great after doing this awhile (though I stopped, I would not do it every single day, I think I did it for about a month, and stopped for several, and I'll be taking it back up again) But if you go get a better quality apple cider vinegar, you can drink a teaspoon per day (in 8 oz water with some honey or in fruit juice) It supposedly has all the vitamins and minerals in their right proportions.

Okay, I think I babbled enough... I hope that helps!

General Grant

[Garrett Duke]

*Attempts to picture Uncle Jesse in a cheerleader outfit* Now that is quite the image you just described, Roger - one that I doubt Jesse would take too kindly everyone trying to think about. LOL.

Thanks for all of your advice! General Grant you do sound very knowledgeable about working out and weight loss. Now if only I could follow through and to actually do it - that is a whole different story. My cravings would never be satisfied by putting something "healthy" in it's spot...it'd just leave me wanting the cookie or chocolate even more. LOL. Though I wish that would work...I need something to help me going for that cookie after work or during my break or to limit my pop intake. Also need to stop being so lazy and take my dog for more walks - she would love it and it is something that I need. If only I wasn't so lazy! LOL

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for all the advice and help. You both came up with good points!

[daisydukeXenosstrait]

My dad trys to keep it healthy in this house and he does a pretty good job..me and my cousin and him are pretty healthy..I also have played softball since I was 10 or 11..somewhere in there.. and now I'm 14, but softball/baseball season is just about over and I really don't like any other sports (not closed minded to them I'm just a softball type girl). So I'm just going to try to eat as healthy as I can and keep practicing softball in the backyard when I can (with this bad winter coming...might hault that a bit).

[RogerDuke]

I guess it's time for me to get out of General Grant's way. She's obviously done her homework and I know when I've been beat. I'm very impressed with your work General Grant.

Besides, I did say I was just going to be a cheerleader. Since I (thankfully) don't know how to post pictures, you'll just have to imagine me with the orange pom poms (the same shade as the General Lee).

Give me a t

Give me an e

Give me an x

Give me an a

Give me an s

Give me a d

Give me an a

Give me an i

Give me an s

Gives me a y

Give me an 0

Give me a 9

GOOOOOO texasdaisy09!!!! You can do it!!!!

[daisydukeXenosstrait]

I guess it's time for me to get out of General Grant's way. She's obviously done her homework and I know when I've been beat. I'm very impressed with your work General Grant.

Besides, I did say I was just going to be a cheerleader. Since I (thankfully) don't know how to post pictures, you'll just have to imagine me with the orange pom poms (the same shade as the General Lee).

Give me a t

Give me an e

Give me an x

Give me an a

Give me an s

Give me a d

Give me an a

Give me an i

Give me an s

Gives me a y

Give me an 0

Give me a 9

GOOOOOO texasdaisy09!!!! You can do it!!!!

LOL I agree with Roger....you can do it Tx!....LOL Uncle Jesse as a cheerleader!

[texasdaisy09]

Thanks everyone I think I'll finally have the motivation to do this. I think I'll go see the doc about some of the things ya'll mentioned. Maybe there is something about my health that needs to be cleared up in order for me to lose this weight once and for all. Thanks to my Cheerleaders-Ya'll are the best! I'll update asap. Thanks again everyone!

[General Grant]

Hey Everyone!

First off, thank you Roger for that wonderful compliment! I was honored (and just to clear it up, no, you weren't in my way!)

Garrett- you have the power to beat this, the question now is just: how bad do you want it? You have to want this. It doesn't matter how bad we want this for you, ultimeately at the end of the day, it is your choice. I know you can do this. You can do it! You have the power, and you own this- you have it within you. I do understand how bad cravings can be, now this might sound crazy, but talk to it if you have to. You can say (mentally if you want) "I know you are there, and you aren't going to control me. I'm walking away from you" You have the power to decide and to chose whether they (the cravings) are going to run you, or if you are going to run them out! you can do this, no problem!!

daisydukeXenosstraight- That is so great that your dad provides a great environment for you. That is so terrific! I really commend him for that! And it is wonderful that you take so much joy from playing baseball. How did your team do this season? And, good luck in the upcoming season!

You guys can do this. I promise to be as much help to everyone as I can, I wish you all the best of luck. From what I've heard everyone say so far (and with a cheerleader like Roger!) I know you can all do this. This is one of those things that you need to do for you, and you are the only one who can do this. You have it in you.

Okay, everyday this week, look in the mirror honestly at yourself, and say outloud for the whole world to hear "I can do this, and I am worth it." I'm going to take a risk here and say something that might sound a bit rude or radical, but I really believe this, and I am not trying to sound rude, or arrogant, or self-righteous or anything, but when you think about it, if you don't even try, you are not only cheating yourself, but everyone who loves you, also. You are taking away something from them. You are cheating yourself out of health and confidence, and you are robbing those you love from being able to spend time with you, and they have to watch you suffer through this. I know overweight people and it hurts me to watch them struggle with that and know that ultimeatly THEY are the only one who can change it. I can sit there and preach at them, or give them the tools, or even do the work, but it won't help them if they don't want it.

Okay, I'm sorry for going off there. I'm just really passionate about this, and I know y'all have it in you. You CAN do it and you will if you put your mind to it. You are all worth it, and this journey isn't just about losing weight, it is about discovering (or rediscovering) yourself and coming to realize your true inner strength. It is about being confident with yourself, and having the power to change lives. When you change your life, you affect everyone who comes in contact with you. You'll be an inspiration to your kids, parents, siblings, neighbors, co-workers, friends, etc...

I wish you the best in this incredible journey!

General Grant

[daisydukeXenosstrait]

Hey Everyone!

First off, thank you Roger for that wonderful compliment! I was honored (and just to clear it up, no, you weren't in my way!)

Garrett- you have the power to beat this, the question now is just: how bad do you want it? You have to want this. It doesn't matter how bad we want this for you, ultimeately at the end of the day, it is your choice. I know you can do this. You can do it! You have the power, and you own this- you have it within you. I do understand how bad cravings can be, now this might sound crazy, but talk to it if you have to. You can say (mentally if you want) "I know you are there, and you aren't going to control me. I'm walking away from you" You have the power to decide and to chose whether they (the cravings) are going to run you, or if you are going to run them out! you can do this, no problem!!

daisydukeXenosstraight- That is so great that your dad provides a great environment for you. That is so terrific! I really commend him for that! And it is wonderful that you take so much joy from playing baseball. How did your team do this season? And, good luck in the upcoming season!

You guys can do this. I promise to be as much help to everyone as I can, I wish you all the best of luck. From what I've heard everyone say so far (and with a cheerleader like Roger!) I know you can all do this. This is one of those things that you need to do for you, and you are the only one who can do this. You have it in you.

Okay, everyday this week, look in the mirror honestly at yourself, and say outloud for the whole world to hear "I can do this, and I am worth it." I'm going to take a risk here and say something that might sound a bit rude or radical, but I really believe this, and I am not trying to sound rude, or arrogant, or self-righteous or anything, but when you think about it, if you don't even try, you are not only cheating yourself, but everyone who loves you, also. You are taking away something from them. You are cheating yourself out of health and confidence, and you are robbing those you love from being able to spend time with you, and they have to watch you suffer through this. I know overweight people and it hurts me to watch them struggle with that and know that ultimeatly THEY are the only one who can change it. I can sit there and preach at them, or give them the tools, or even do the work, but it won't help them if they don't want it.

Okay, I'm sorry for going off there. I'm just really passionate about this, and I know y'all have it in you. You CAN do it and you will if you put your mind to it. You are all worth it, and this journey isn't just about losing weight, it is about discovering (or rediscovering) yourself and coming to realize your true inner strength. It is about being confident with yourself, and having the power to change lives. When you change your life, you affect everyone who comes in contact with you. You'll be an inspiration to your kids, parents, siblings, neighbors, co-workers, friends, etc...

I wish you the best in this incredible journey!

General Grant

Thanks Grant..after every game me and my other teammates were rewarded with a Gatorade to help us refresh weather we won or lost..and we did really good this season, we won some games and lost some...we had a short losing streak..which we were all proud of.