Comments on: What I Ate Wednesday #52 & My Struggle with Maintaining my Weight

By: Barbara Rowe

Barbara Rowe — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 22:27:27 +0000

I was always the skinny one UNTIL I quit smoking at age 35 and gained 40+ pounds. I too try to eat healthy and my problem is not eating cakes and pies but portion control as well. I am just so thankful I ran across this support group on Facebook that talked about this amazing product that helped you feel full and eat less. Of course I was skeptic as I have tried many different ways of losing weight. There were so many success stories with weight and health issues disappearing they were really genuine caring people that I thought I would try this one more product…boy was I amazed!! You take this all natural product that has (not the bad for your stomach) fiber and 7 digestive enzymes that help with digestion problems and cleaning toxins from your colon wall…2 capsules 30 minutes before 2 largest meals with a large glass of water and you feel full before you start eating so you eat less….I couldn’t believe how well it works and my junk food cravings were gone! I was a soda addict (all I drank) the day I started this product I quite my Diet Mt Dew and was sooo dreading the caffeine withdrawals….didn’t happen! A month later I went to my doctor for my 4 month check up and she was amazed and asked what I was doing. Not only had I lost weight but Cholesterol had dropped from avg 250-300 down to 129 and my blood pressure had began getting lower and lower to the point that she took me completely off my BP meds WOOHOO!! I was so excited and she was as well….she is all for natural supplements and herbs that help you instead of expensive prescription meds. She is an Internal Medicine Specializing in Nephrology (kidneys) and she said “I’m going to recommend this to the many patients that need this type help also”. I was so glad she was on board with it because I hadn’t felt this good in years….so much more energy and just overall well-being. Now to tell you a little about me. I am a Breast Cancer Survivor, 5 blocked arteries to my heart that required 3 stents, many digestive issues, have had 2 strokes and a multitude of other issues that at one time I was on 20 meds a day. I have been able to come off 4 of my meds so far and hope to be able to come off more when I go back in February. I am just so excited about this product I want to shout it to the world….so sorry for rambling on. I feel if I can help just a few people that this post will be so worth it. I do love your recipes and your blog (didn’t want to leave that out)!!

By: Bethany

Bethany — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 21:06:44 +0000

In reply to Margaret. Margaret, I find myself in the same situation. My workouts are not the problem, buy my relationship with food is an issue that I have struggled with since my 20s. At one point I lost 40 lbs. using WW online and kept it off for years. Then I had two babies and have never lost the last 10 lbs. even though my youngest just turned 3. I need an accountability partner, too! If you'd like to team up let me know maybe we can exchange emails via Brenda. Brenda, thank you for your honesty. I often feel like I'm the only one who can't figure this out! I love your blog and your recipes. You inspire me!

By: Christina

Christina — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 14:55:57 +0000

Your honesty is refreshing. I’ve been following you for quite a while now and I have so enjoyed your recipes. Thank you.

I think you will be just fine losing those pounds. You can do this! Portion control is so tough, but I’m sure you’ll figure out tricks that work for you. This spring, I read Mindless Eating and it rocked my world. It might change your outlook on portions, and why and how we eat.

I’ve recently started a blog myself and I would love to return the favor of encouraging you as much as you have encouraged me. I focus on helping women stay motivated to create and maintain lifestyle changes to help them feel and look healthy and fit. If you want to check it out, I’m over at http://www.disciplineandgrace.com.

By: ann anderson

ann anderson — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 03:17:13 +0000

In reply to Brenda. That does help. Thanks again Brenda !

By: Margaret

Margaret — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 14:11:17 +0000

Wow – This is me too: I work out. I like it, find it easy to do yet I still gain weight. My diet is not perfect but I certainly eat better than most people. I’ve logged, not logged food / calories. I find, like some of us, the more I log and track the more I want to eat. I’ve tried the 5-6 mini meals and I eat too much. I hate this strugggle…so for now, I am trying to just eat less. I know you are not supposed to be hungry but I allow myself to be hungry so I know what it really feels like.

Good luck to all of us. I need an accountability partner.

“YOU CAN GAIN WEIGHT ON HEALTHY FOOD! I’m proof of it. My biggest downfall is the portions. I simply eat too much. I’ve never steered from my discipline of not eating white sugar or refined white flours and I can say I do not crave like a crazy women as I once did over 9 years ago of leading this sugar free life. “

By: Brenda

Brenda — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:49:02 +0000

In reply to Michelle Hand. Thanks for sharing Michelle. I homeschool so yes access to food all day long is difficult. The way I have overcome the snacking at night is only allowing a night time treat like popcorn on the weekends watching tv with the family, but during the week it's tea of decaf coffee after the kids go to bed and hubby and I stay up. Also try the water test. Guzzle a full glass of water, wait 15 minutes. If you have no sense of hunger it's habit hunger. If you're still hungry eat some protein like a hard boiled egg. Or just simply go to bed early, that helps too.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:45:45 +0000

In reply to William. Wow, what an inspiring story yourself! Thank you for sharing it! I agree, it could be 100 pounds for some of a 'skinny" cyclist the issues of food obsession and addiction can happen to anyone. I felt if I didn't share my struggles I'm not being an honest person/blogger to myself or to my readers. I appreciate your sharing today thank you!

By: Brenda

Brenda — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:40:48 +0000

In reply to ann anderson. Thanks for sharing your story Ann. Congrats on your daughter soon to be married. Exercise is so important and without that as a habit of mine for so long I would probably have gained a lot more back and then some. You can purchase many of the items I mention online through iherb.com and my coupon code is YAJ035. Hope that helps!

By: Charlotte Moore

Charlotte Moore — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:39:13 +0000

Weight gain is the worse battle I have ever fought. I have lost on WW and I do so good as long as I lose. When I stop losing I get so discouraged. I want to lose 20 pounds and seem to not be motivated enough to do it. If I had a choice to be rich or eat what I wanted and never have to worry about weight gain I would chose to not have weight problem.

Good Luck with your 10 pounds.

By: Emily Martinez

Emily Martinez — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 06:27:22 +0000

I love your blog and can relate. I struggle with overeating and still on the path to eliminating refined sugar and white flour. Your site is my favorite place to look for healthy meals.

By: ann anderson

ann anderson — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 05:46:11 +0000

Brenda,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share a healthy way to eat and live. I have my own significant health and weight issues. I really didn’t have major weight issues until I had a total hysterectomy at age 37. It absolutely destroyed my metabolism. And the increasing number of medications I needed for bipolar disorder, chronic migraines, fibromyalgia, as well as heart and kidney problems only made things worse. I had a great nursing career that I loved but my health problems brought it to an end. Luckily I had no trouble getting disability. During the last 7 years of my career, I was a certified diabetes education nurse and did some nutrition counseling as a part of that. So I have a good nutritional knowledge base but am so happy to learn more and you have taught me such useful information. My beautiful daughter is getting married this coming summer and I am trying so hard to lose weight. I have always hated to exercise but am trying to walk or go on the treadmill everyday. I am seriously thinking about taking a water exercise class as well. I am going to try some of your recipes which sound and look so good. I wish that we had a Whole Foods store in our area because it would definitely make it easier to find some of the items especially sweeteners. We do have an excellent natural foods store that is always looking to add ingredients so I am going to talk to the owners and see what they can do to help. Thanks again for your help and inspiration.

By: William

William — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 04:41:43 +0000

I really enjoy your blog and creativity expressed in your recipes. I race bikes professionally and maintaining a lean body mass is the difference between 1st and 10th or 60th place. By the world’s standards, I’m a skinny dude, But 5 to 10 pounds makes a huge difference! I have always enjoyed sweets and treats. Growing up my mom was a big baker and we always had sweets in the house . As a Male at 25 years old, 5’10, and 167lbs, I’m a bigger guy for cycling (essentially the less weight you carry up hill, the faster you are). In my quest to be more professional (a.k.a. lose weight), I cut back on the sweets to the point where a treat really was a treat. I remember not having ice cream or frozen yogurt for almost 2 months at one point. I ate a lot more soups/salads/ and vegetables. I cut out the calorically dense foods. I went from 167lbs to 154lbs in about 4 months.(Jan to April) I was happy. Losing 10+lbs was a big deal. I thought, “Surely I will race better, surely i will now be a top notch pro.” I had some early season success and I figured i would only get stronger as the season went on. WRONG. As time went on, i raced worse than previous years. My girlfriend at the time, a Registered Dietitian, immediately defaulted to, “you probably aren’t eating enough.” “You aren’t getting enough carbs” I immediately denied it. But after continued lackluster racing, it wore on me. The mental game got to me. “I really need to eat more, I am deficient in carbs, I’m not getting enough protein” I put a reasoning behind everything. I began to eat the sweets I once eliminated. I though “Maybe they have something in them I have been missing out on.” The poor race results continued. I was lost, confused, frustrated. Come July. My season was over, I was a mental mess. I binge ate heavily, I ate everything from entire boxes of cereal , half tubs of peanut butter, to spoonful after spponful of sugar. I was trying to find comfort, an answer. Something to silence the questions. Before long I was over the 160 mark. A tough feat when burn anywhere from 1,500 kCals to 4,500 kCals on a given day . I was gaining weight fast and specially FAT…not muscle. I was not too worried, for my next season of bike racing (cyclocross) did not involve climbing hills and weight wasn’t so crucial. It started in September. From the start I raced horribly and to this point have yet to put up a satisfying result. Long story short. It wasn’t about the weight the entire time, It was more about my body being tired from racing 2 years non-stop with no breaks. But I wanted my lack of race results to be about weight. I wanted my weight to be the answer and food the villain.

Today, I still obsess over food and the extreme health that must accompany all that i eat. It’s a constant struggle. Something that is always on my mind. The more I obsess, the more I want to eat. I have loosed the reigns a bit and it has helped me. As you know you aren’t alone in the battle of overeating and food obsession. I wanted to share my story to let you and everyone else know that people from all walks of life struggle day in and day out. Some people want to lose 100 lbs and other 5 lbs. Some do it for serious health reasons, others because they want to look a little more toned. You are doing a great thing with this blog. You are a major inspiration to all walks of life. Even “skinny” cyclists like myself are listening, can relate, and are struggling with similar issues. It’s great that you are so open. Keep up the good work and keep fighting! Food is cool, being fit and healthy is better!

By: Michelle Hand

Michelle Hand — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:14:22 +0000

I can totally relate! I love making healthy recipes, and your blog has been amazing in helping me to discover how to cook and bake with clean eating. But I also struggle greatly with portion control! I love food, and I am a stay at home mom so I have access to food all day! Also, my husband eats a lot and I feel that I have picked up on his snacking habits. I tend to do well throughout the day, but when evening hits for some reason I feel the need to eat until bed time!

By: Brenda

Brenda — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 21:47:21 +0000

In reply to Angela. Thank you Angela!

By: Brenda

Brenda — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 21:46:59 +0000

In reply to kim. Thanks Kim!