50 Pound Weight Loss!!

Hi L.,

Shaklee has a GREAT weight loss plan. You eat like you are but for two meals you have protein shake. What is so good about this program is that you lose INCHES and pounds. It takes only the fat off not the muscles. It sounds like you are doing everything just right except for losing inches which it sound like you need. go to www.cinchplan.com and see the results and go to http://N..myshaklee.com to see the Cinch Plan starter kit. Awesome - it is fantastic!

N.
SAH mom, nana, wellness coach and advocate for "green"

Hey I just wanted to say GOOD FOR YOU! I have read a lot about diet and nutrition and stuff and it sounds like you are probably getting more vitamins from all that good food you're eating than most people! But I'm no expert... anyway, keep it up! :):)

Good Job!!

I have lost 80 lbs. Go Buy a few new clothes - now! You are not in the same size and you should loose your too big clothes ASAP. Better to have a few things that fit. It is the same mind set that is helping you lose the weight, the right things not the most things.

I lost it with the mental and emotional help that I am now offering others and the Eat Right for your Type plan.

I like the green vitamins at Health Force Nutritionals. I would incorporate the Green Powder this will help with the body's recovery and balance, that is my experience. Include these in your diet gradually, start out at a 1/4 of the suggestion and work up.

Also, I encourage meditation and learning to bring loving attention to all, including to yourself.

Keep up the good work!

Love,
N. Marie
www.naomimarie.com

When you take a vitamin, your body absorbs a very very low percentage of it. The best way to get lots of vitamins is to eat a good diet of all the foods you are eating now. It sounds like your body is getting more vitamins now than ever before... keep it up!

Great job on the weight loss. Changing your lifestyle is a HUGE accomplishment!!! Unfortunately, a lot of the new flab you are seeing is not easy to get rid of. Once your skin stretches with weight gain, losing the weight causes the skin to just hang. When I lost weight, that was the biggest disappointment for me. The more weight you lose, the more you will find your skin hanging off your body. No matter how much weight you lose, your body will never look like the bikini babes. Surgery to remove the skin is the only way to get rid of it. Massaging a good lotion into your skin every day will help some though. It will help your skin with elasticity.

Good luck with your continued weight loss.

I suggest weight training to help sculpt the arms. Just search around, online or in a magazine, and find a handful of arm sculpting exercise, do them every other day. For example, tricep dips. They are an excellent sculpting exercise that just takes a few minutes and you can do them almost anywhere. :)

If you go to a good health store they have vitamins for people on diets. That would be the best way to get the right one and get some knowledge alos. Hey great job on the weight loss- keep up the good work.

Congratulations on all the hard work you have done so far. Keep up the great work! I have lost 57 of the 90 lbs. I gained from three accidents. I suggest that you start some weight training. If you don't kow how, you can get videos to work out with. Make sure it is one you enjoy and you like the people in the video. If you have a Wii system, I suggest Wii Fit Plus. I did the Wii Fit and it helped with my injuries so that I could workout even more. Or you can do pushups and other strenghtening exercises without buying any equipment. I suggest you alternate strength training and aerobics days. M,W,F aerobics, T, TR, Sat. strength. After your workouts, take 5,000 mgs of L Glutamine. This helps your muscles to recover faster and helps build lean muscle. Make sure you are eating enough protein. If you need a snack have 5-10 almonds and a quarter size amt. or dried fruit with a glass of water. This is very satisfying. Make sure you put a good firming lotion on your body every day. If your clothes are getting baggy, treat yourself to a new outfit or two. This will inspire you when you see yourself in a smaller size. Great job, keep it up!

Congrats on the weight loss! I'll have to look up the suggestions you got for your question to help my husband who is trying to lose weight.

I don't have any advice about the exercising or the vitamins, but I do know that there are doctors who will see you without health insurance. You could just talk to one for a while about what he would recommend and what precautions you should take. I have had to visit a doctor in a state where my health insurance didn't work. The doctor charged me a fee for the visit and everything worked out fine.

Hello L.,

If you look under Mom owned business, you will see that I sell vitamins so of course my answer is going to be yes! Here are a few things you need to know:
Vitamin supplmentation helps fill in any nutritional gaps, whether it is due to us not eating the right food (which you appear to be) but also due to the depletion of the nutritent content of of food as a result of modern food processing and transportation etc.
When our bodies are getting the appropriate nutrition, they work better, recover better and we feel an increase in energy.
Along with excellent dietary and nurtitional supplementation, it is important to exercise as well. But here's what is important: Exercise shapes your body - nutrition allows you to see that shape! Basically, it is what goes into your mouth that is the most important part of your result. And you can see many people putting in hours at the gym but not getting results.
Along with eating well, you need to understand how your metabolism works. With my programs that were designed by nutritional coaches, dietitians and athletic trainers, you learn how to get your metabolism working for you. This requires and understanding of how protein, fats and carbohydrates imapct your body. Consistent with medical and science research, it is important what you eat - where your calories are coming from.
Additionally, you need to also pay attention to timing: your metabolism will work best if it has fuel - that is food - so eating frequently, with portion and proportion in check, you will feel great, have more energy and start seeing some great results.
Muscle weighs heavier than fat, but it is also more dense - takes up less space. Plus, it uses energy (burns calories)to maintain, unlike fat which sits there. So doing some strength training is important to prevent lean muscle loss. The cardio is great for fat burning but not muscle development.
If you would like to know more about my range of supplements, feel free to contact me. You are udner no obligation. I can tell you that my product range, AdvoCare, meets the most stringent level of testing for impurities, banned and toxic substances worldwide, that there is an impressive and prestigious Scientific and Medical Advisory Board behind the products (you can google the Dr's and see the institutions they are professors at, like Yale, Harvard, UC DAvis, Creighton etc) and because of the quality and safety of our products, we have over one hundred unpaid professional and champion athletes who endorse the products and have to ensure that any supplement is safe and free of banned susbtances.
Good luck! You will get there, it is just understanding a few key things and those small changes will make all the difference and take your results to the next level! Personally, I have lost over 20 pounds, and have more definition and lean muscle than I have had since my twenties, and recently, as a lifelong "non-athlete" just completed my first triathlon! That was so exciting for me!

I have just started on my weight loss goals, and it is wonderful that you have made such a wonderful step in the right direction. I will give you the advice my trainer gave me. She highly recommends a multi-vitamin, but she said that most vitamins are not monitored for quality and potency by the FDA so you want to be careful in the ones you choose. She suggested that you choose one that is checked by some group. For example my prenatal vitamins are Tested by the USP. She said another abbreviation, but I haven't seen anything yet with the abbreviation she gave.

She also highly suggested that I have something with a good amount of protein right after my workout. It helps your body recover better. Carbs before, and protein after. She said even a peanut butter sandwich is better than nothing. I am using a whey protein powder that I can mix with water since it is pretty convenient and doesn't have a lot of extra sugar or fat, but I think you can probably find something that will work for you.

Lastly I am using Sparkpeople as well, and am absolutely amazed at how great this free website is. One thing that I just noticed today is that under your fitness you can set Strength Training Goals as well as Cardio. You can have them select strength training exercises based on what you have available, how much time you want to spend, and the days of the week you want to do these workouts. These will show up in your fitness area for the day of the weeks that you select. You can then print out demos of exercises so you can do them properly. If you want to have a little more control you can also select your strength training exercises. It separates the exercises into different categories like core, upper body, and lower body that you can select the ones you think you would enjoy. Once you select the ones you would like to do it will put them in your day and you can once again print out demos of the entire workout. When you have completed the exercises you then put a check mark by those exercises. Hopefully this will work for you. I would be interested to hear what your favorite part of Sparkspeople is. I have been searching the recipes, but the only one I tried out so far didn't turn out quite how I was expecting.

Good Job and keep it up!!!

If you want to avoid the flabbyness you will need to slow down your weight loss and work on definition (strenght training) at the same time.
The elasticity of your skin will largely depend on the condition of your skin and your age. If you are lucky and genetically inclined you may have satisfying results with just the weight loss and some body sculpting/toning.
It takes longer for skin to shrink, and while it will shrink to some extend, if you are seriously obese and going to loose much more weight (100 lbs +), the only way to get rid of that excess is is surgery.
Congrats on the weight loss and yay! to your for getting healthier!

my husband's trainer has him on a high protein, low carb diet (with one cheat day). he alternates weight and cardio days. it's worked really well for him. good luck and congratulations!

You've already gotten the advice i would give (general multi vitamin with food, add some strength training, moisturize your skin & give it time) but i still just wanted to say congrats on making such a healthy change in your life. i have so much admiration for people who can make a big change to improve themselves and their quality of life and stick with it- you rock!

Great job. A multi-vitamin can't hurt. I didn't really see anthing with Omega-3's in it in the foods you listed so you might want to take that.
As for the flab, you are losing a lot of weight very quickly and the skin can't keep up. It will tighten back up if it hasn't been overstretched for years and years. Look at the people on Biggest Loser, they go through a flabby stage and then tone back up after a few months. Make sure you are working your whole body so the muscle underneath can develop/strengthen. You cannot target toning really. I was just looking on WebMD and it mentioned using a topical cream with copper for elasticity. Good luck and I hope you reach your goal.

Congratulations on the weight loss!
No matter how healthy one is eating, vitamin and mineral supplementation is a must. Even if you're eating organic, the food that is being produced doesn't have the nutrient value that the same food did 100 years ago. Basically, our bodies have not evolved to keep up with the changes in the way foods are processed.
When you look at vitamins, you want ones that are water soluble and standardized (this means what you are purchasing from month-to-month, and even the pills within the same bottles, will be the same). Also, a once-a-day vitamins will not provide nutrients to your cells for a full 24 hours. What is not used initially will be excreted, leaving you feel tired for the second half of the day.
I am a consultant with Arbonne International and we have nutrtional hybrids (vitamin/mineral packs) for both men and women. We also have protein shakes to assist you in your weight loss goals. You can get more information from my website at www.nursekerry.myarbonne.com.
Good luck with your continues weight loss goals. That's so exciting!

From someone who nearly doubled their weight when pregnant (6'1" 175 and a size 11 -size 9 is the smallest my bones go, even when modeling with no muscle tone whatsoever at 123-127, I'm a size 9. But...from someone who got up to 323 and then refused to look at the scale)...what you're dealing with right now is skin.

It takes a LOT longer for the skin to shrink, than for the weight to go. Typically *up to* about 2 years.

Not very encouraging, is it? It DOES shrink...but it just takes a little while. The people on TV, actually have plastic surgeons that who remove the excess skin, which is how they're in bikini's & ballgowns so quickly. That and the fact that the TV people aren't shot live.

Skin tricks for elasticity:

Lotion with : Collagen & Cocoa Butter & Vit E...just like when we're pregnant.

As far as vitamins go, you really can't go wrong with a children's chewable & vit. C (it's water based, so any that your body can't absorb just goes into the toilett...you'll notice too...turns your pee BRIGHT yellow).

Most vitamins are water soluable, but some (along with some minerals) are fat soluable...so you need to actually go low-dose (like children's) when you're losing a lot of weight. Because, you guessed it, as we lose the fat all of the fat soluable vitamins get poured back into our bloodstream. It's quite difficult to OD on vitamins, but it can happen. So as with all things; moderation.

& CONGRATULATIONS!!!! :)

You don't need to use any special shakes or weird meds. You are doing a great job already! Good work!

Your arms are going to be flabby with the kind of weight loss that you're doing. It will take a bit of time for the skin to shrink down a bit, and it will probably be looser than you're used to because you're losing so much fat. I don't know how much weight you're hoping to lose, but it sounds like you're on your way to a big goal. Keep going!

You should start some weight lifting as you are comfortable. Weight bearing excercise is important for bone strength too. Most gyms have a free program where a trainer will show you around the weight room and how to use the machines. (I attended the YMCA, and they actually have three free sessions with a personal trainer.) There are also great books that you can pick up at the library. One that I used was "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women", although I ignored all of the dietary suggestions. They have great pictures and descriptions of each of the exercises, as well as a routine for you to follow. It's a great way to learn new exercises.

If you have not ever used weights before, it's a very good idea to save up and spend money on a couple of sessions with a trainer. They can show you the correct form for all of your exercises. This is important for two reasons: 1, to prevent injury, and 2, for maximum results from your effort.

As for vitamins, my doctors (I've just been through a few) always suggest that I take a daily supplement -- just something like OneADay or whatever generic there is. You can ask your pharmacist for suggestions too.

Congratulations on your great choices, L.! It sounds like you're doing a terrific job.

~E..

PS -- I think that the best strength exercises to start with is pushups. Start from your knees and work up from there. The library probably also has workout videos, although I haven't checked.

When I saw a nutritionalist about vitamins, she said that prenatal vitamins are actually the best vitamins for women who are menstrating. They have the extra iron that is usually lacking (even with the red meat and leafy greens) and that they tend to have a good balance of all other vitamins. Generally, if you're eating a balanced diet (protein, carbs, veggies, fruit, heart healthy fat) you're getting what you need.

I'd also really recommend adding some sort of strength training to your workouts. It doesn't have to be hardcore weight lifting, but having more muscle mass makes workouts more effective so by adding a little strength training, you'll get more out of the rest of your workout. Good luck and congrats on the great progress so far!

Congratulations! You must be so proud, and rightly so.

some thoughts:

1) are you doing some weight training? Weight training is a good way to augment your other exercise - muscle burns more calories than fat, so it will help with the weight loss. Additionally, weight training builds strong bone and muscle systems so that you can prevent injury into old age. One place to start, for you, may be with some simple free weight and arm exercises. I bet water aerobics includes some of this, but, someone at the gym should be able to show you a set of 4-5 exercises to work on your arms. It may help you feel more toned and less flabby there. While you're at it, see if you can figure out a core exercise that works for you - keeping your core strong is also really important for preventing injury, and it should help you feel more toned around your middle.

2) Are you up for looking in a vegetarian cookbook for some meals? I think that you can probably do one or two meals a week without meat, getting protein still, and it should be cheaper.

3) I always take a multi-vitamin. I think the research shows mixed results as to how useful they ultimately are - our bodies do better if we get the necessary nutrients from food - but i also figure it can't hurt. I tend to take a women's formula multi-vitamin, and i also sometimes buy fortified juices (like Odwallas) when i feel like i need a pick-me-up. LIke i say, i don't know that it is necessary, but i also don't think it can hurt.

Again, congratulations. I'm excited for you!