Part II of Rainbow Men Like ‘Em Skinny: Share the Secrets of Your Weight Loss Success!!
Okay. So I’m determined NOT to let this blog be another navel-gazing site about how BW should be this, act like that, blah blah blah with no REAL solutions. I hate hand wringing and inertia. First and foremost, BB&W is a support group to exchange and benefit from ideas and sage advice from women who have “been there, done that.”
Normally on Wednesdays I reserve a “Question of the Week,” but due to the huge response of yesterday’s post, I thought it would be best to stop debating and start deliberating on how we can all get to our fittest and healthiest. Let’s use today to exchange ideas on what has worked to help drop the fat. Who’s going to start? OOOOooo, me! I’ll go first!
I’m 5’2. I weigh 131 pounds, but most of it is muscle. My biggest problem is my midsection, which is especially bad, because subcutaneous fat in this area can lead to diabetes, heart disease and cancer. It’s an ongoing battle for me because I have a genetic predisposition to what I like to call, “Biggin-ism.” I come from a family of Biggins, and I see what they go through–the medications, limitations, etc. and I’m determined to not let that be me. Because I am the mother of four children, going to the gym is the biggest pain in the ass imaginable. So I opt for Barry’s Bootcamp (fyi, Barry’s not paying me, but he sure the heck should be as much as I’m plugging him!). I like BBC because it is a 21 minute workout with an option to do additional 10-minute workout on isolated areas such as abs, lower body and upper body. WARNING: The first time you try it, you just might throw your guts up. It gets a little easier after a week or two.
One other thing you need to know about me…I hate (most) vegetables, unless it’s sweet potato pie. Fruits? Meh. But I do like a smoothie. So I invested $299 and bought a Vitamix blender, which can pulverize a whole apple, core and all, into smithereens. I make at least two smoothies a day, containing anything from kale, strawberries, peaches, bananas, spinach, carrots, celery, whatever, and drink it. I also add protein, vitamin powder and Green Vibrance, which I HIGHLY recommend. It gives me energy, stamina, helps with concentration (I am a self-diagnosed ADD) and makes your skin look gaw-geous. If you’re skeptical, just take a look at the reviews. It makes 80-year-olds get up out of their wheelchairs and do the Cabbage Patch.
Then I eat a regular dinner–fat, calories and all–with the family in the evening. I have four kids on the slim side, so feeding them any Cooking Light recipes might get me reported to Child Services.
So….I’ve been doing this regimen since January, and have gone from 143 (gasp!) to 131. I wear a size 4, and now look like I did the day I got married. Maybe better.
I'm not a skeleton, but you can call me "skinny" and I'll take it!
So now it’s your turn. Share your fitness regimens, along with a link to a picture if you like. If we work really hard, we can put all those skinny bitches to shame! *insert snicker here* (Janice, I see you; I’m looking at you and I know you’re mad at me for using that word!)
Beyond Black & White 
After four kids, YOU LOOK HAWT, Sis-n-law!!! Another thing, I never realized until now how much you look like my dear hubby, your brother :-)…Love ya!!!
BTW, where can I pick up BBC and how much is it??
Got to Amazon.com. It’s $24.99. Love you too!
Which BBC do you have? There are many.
Well….
I used to be a BIG BIG BIG girl who was tired of being fat and suffering from not being able to move fast, shortness of breath, heartburn, etc. Now, I’m a BIG Big girl. The first round of weight loss (2007-2009), I lost 95 lbs by:
1. Moving away from refined sugar/white bread/white pasta to natural sugars (honey is my favorite), wheat bread (12 grain), and rice noodles for my pasta fix.
2. Cutting out soda and fast food completely.
3. Basically cutting out all juices except OJ. I used to hate water now I need to drink at least 5+ bottles of water (approx 10 cups of water+)
4. I started out exercise by challenging myself to walk 1/2 mile each day and working up. Now, I can easily walk 5 miles a day. I also started out working out at home with The Biggest Loser Cardio Max and Power Sculpt DVDs. IN 2009, I moved to Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred and then to the Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism DVD.
I went from 18 jeans/20 pants in 2007 to a size 12 in 2009. I gained 40 lbs back beginning of this year because I fractured my elbow/change in work/eating the wrong foods. I’ve lost 14 of those lbs since mid-April by walking to and from work (roughly 3 miles each way), varying my walks each day. Some walks are hillier, some are longer, just to keep a variety and intensity. I’ve also gone back to no fast-food and brown bagging my lunch each day.
I went from 300 to 205 and back up to 245. I’m now 231 and my end goal is to be between 155-170. I have a large frame which allows me to look smaller than my weight and I know that I can’t be too small. But I want to be healthier. I can run and play with the kids I work with but I know that I’m not even near where I can and will be.
I have to add, even when I was at my healthiest, I attracted men, including white men, but out of all of the men, only one was really quality (a WM who was a gym teacher at the school where I worked. Nice guy but it was obvious that the weight was a turn off). Now that I’ve lost weight, even though I’m not at the optimal weight (I still have rolls, stretch marks, a stomach that refuses to get smaller, and arm fat), I have better choices than I did at 300. Yes, it kinda sucks but that’s how the life rolls. The percentage of men who like bigger women is smaller than the percentage of men who like fit women. It is what it is.
Sounds like you’re heading in the right direction. White sugar is the de-bil. Have you tried Stevia as a sugar substitute? I have also recently discovered coconut sugar, which apparently has a lower glycemic index.
Honey and raw sugar are great natural sweeteners.
I haven’t tried it. I loovvee honey though, it goes great in everything.
I use raw sugar when I bake now too. The coconut sugar sounds interesting.
Try this link:http://www.amazon.com/Barrys-Bootcamp-Complete-Workout-System/dp/B001DD2D2Q
Well, here’s how I lost it. I didn’t think about losing it. I’m 5’8″ and 180 lbs which is about 10 or 15 lbs off me being ‘perfect’. The sweetie is okay with like I am and I’m not going on diet to lose. But at my heaviest I was 200 lbs, which no one seemed to notice but me. ‘You don’t look 200 lbs’ I never thought that was a good comment, I wanted to look it that way I could lose the weight. But the way I lost the weight was I was trying to get my heart healthy, I’m 38 years and 31 yr. type 1 diabetic and I need to stay healthy and maintain a healthy weight because of my disease. I just started working out and the surprise part was it didn’t take much. Only 2 to 3 times a week about thirty minutes every session. It may be different for everyone, you have to figure it out. So I worked hard, did weights, and before I knew it my clothes started not the fit. I wasn’t trying to lose weight it just happened. I was glad it did, I felt better. I still got some tummy but that’s probably not going to go away because all type 1 diabetes for some reason have a tummy that don’t go away 😦 But everything is better. I also say do things you like, figure out what works for you. I did water aerobics, didn’t lose a pound didn’t work me, my sister in law did it and lost all kinds of weight. I had to do the full workout, the weight training and cardio. I love roller skating so I do that alot and it’s not exercise it’s just like fun. I live in beautiful Seattle so I hike and bike and get to see the beauty here. And do it in balance don’t go to extremes, when you do healthy weight loss you should only lose about 2 to 3 lbs a week, it may take a while so stay away from the scale. It only frustrates people, because we are a microwave society and healthy weight loss don’t happen instantly. Keep your life in balance, if you really want a piece of chocolate (ugh I hate chocolate) but if you don’t deny yourself, have a small piece, denial only leads to overeating later. Don’t diet, they don’t work, your body has no idea what a diet is it knows that certain times of the day it eat certain amounts, so eat those same amounts just change to healthier foods, eat at home that way you can control what goes into your mouth LOL. This has been said before this is a lifestyle change, you’ll have to do this for the remainder of your life. So now, we can support each other in our healthier lifestyles and not for dudes but for us. I got a dude, I got an ex-husband too. Because I love my now fiancee I want to stay healthy for him as well as me. It’s way to show I love him and definitely a way to show I adore me and I certainly do.
Alright! It’s time to party. I kinda told most of my story in the other blog: 5’3”, 157 lbs, 27.8 BMI (was 175 at my heaviest). My goal late 120s (approx BMI: 22.5). I got down to 144 lbs after my left my stay in Madrid (lost 16 lbs there), but gained it right back when I stayed with my sister in Mississippi for a month, who ate out everyday. Bad idea!!
Anyway, what I learned from my weight loss in Spain and pre-Spain, was what works for me is to simply eat smaller meals per day w/ veggies & fruit each meal, little sweets, and drink only walk or 1% or 2% organic milk. For exercise, I did at least 30 minutes of some type of fitness everyday. In Spain, for instance, I walked my butt off. I walked literally 2-3 miles per day. The weight seemed to just slide off even when I was eating doner kebabs, cuban blacks beans and rice, and Burger King lol. I’ve been so busy before, but I finally getting back into my walking groove. I also love to dance! I don’t have the best moves ever, but I try. I listen to hip hop, reggaeton, merengue, bachata, and salsa mostly. I love latin music for exercising because it makes me feel sexy! It’s even better when you go to a latin club, because then guys there can really show you how to move . . . and they make you feel sexy w/ how you move with them and some say sweet things in your ear. Ok I must stop now lol. I will return with more tips . . .
OOOooo, Elaine! I know what you mean about those Latin guys dancing with you and whispering in your ear! I went out with a Mexican friend of mine to a salsa club and the BAND LEADER made the moves on me–the other Latin girls in the club were hating all over me and I LOVED it! Had to beat dude off with a stick…but…I struck gently. hahahaha
As for walking: I’m convinced that’s why Europeans in general are so thin. They walk everywhere! They smoke, drink, eat 1,000-calorie sauces, and stay rail-thin. It’s the walking. Definitely.
Haha, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself there. It seems in latin clubs you can always find someone to dance with you, even when you don’t want to lol.
Yes, we’re huge walking fans. On Sundays, just go to any forests, along any lake shores and you’ll see whole families, doing their Sunday walks, AND, chocolates are a daily food staple here in the land of Chocolates, BUT, you also see the majority of people eating fruits, drinking water……..
I’ve never had to watch my weight, but after hitting a certain age and loving to drink, the pounds started to pack on, not excessively, but I nipped that in the bud by jogging 4kms threetimes a week. I’ve joined a hiking group that I participate in monthly on trips to see this beautiful Country of my exhusband. I stretch (butt squats, situps,pushups,triceps training)for 10mins every morning before leaving for work. My meals of choice are vegetables, salads, fruits and fish. No meat or even chicken. I’ve read somewhere that if your body retains water easily, to avoid eating salads or any other watery greens/fruits after 1900hr.
I’m 168cm and weigh, at 46yrs, one child of 15yrs, 50kgs. When I met my exhusband at 18yrs, I weighed 47kgs!.
Christelyn has 4 kids?????
WHAT??
Way to go hon you look bloody good!
Thanks Sharon!
I have a simple routine that I have been doing for 8+ years(but keep in mind I don’t need to lose weight but to maintain being in good shape.). I picked up the habit of exercise when I was in the military, so I have carried that over to my civilian world. On my lazy week I will do 1x weekly 1hr cardio with some strength training (I can’t get rid of my push ups and sit ups). On a energy filled week I will increase my exercise to 3x weekly.
Food: I love food and will never give that up; however, I do watch my portion size. I usually do 3 full meals a day (this works better for me than 5-6 small meals)
At work I carry a bottle of water with me daily (this avoids me buying juices to have with lunch)
I naturally don’t like certain things like sweets, soda, rarely do junk food and hardly eat at fast food places which cuts caloric intake significantly. When I cook, I will limit oils as much as possible.
My philosophy: Enjoy food then go work out harder just to burn it.
~The myth is skinny b’s don’t need to work at keeping healthy but I am here to tell you that it is not true. We can get blubber pockets in different places on the body~
*Great post on weight C. It gives me a topic idea for my blog*
Send us a link when you have it up!
“I love food and will never give that up; however, I do watch my portion size.”
i believe this is one of the key issues with being overweight. i noticed i used to eat smaller portions. once i started getting stressed out and dealing with other issues I started eating bigger portions. THAT I will say has been the biggest reason for my weight gain. Portion sizes. trying to retrain myself to get back to eating the smaller portions. i don’t believe that all things need to be cut out of the diet. i believe moderation for most is key 80-90% healthy eating most of the time with guilty pleasures every now and then shouldn’t hurt.
My nutritionist once gave a wonderful visual for portion size. She told me to make fist that was one portion size. We were having this training about eating carbs because it effects my blood sugar and the amount of insulin I take. Because like a lot of people I like carbs not particularly bread or rice but I love potatoes so I was told to eat only one portion when it came to potatoes, mashed, french fries and I love pizza which I can eat up to two slices if I want more I have only eat the toppings.
hmmm I like that. I also tried just taking maybe a couple of bites of something I had to have and then pushing it away. Like a piece of cake or something. Sometimes all you really need is to taste it and not eat the entire thing.
Neecy, that works for me too. I’m a big sweets person, not good for health especially for a diabetic LOL. Now, since I’m type 1 I can eat anything I just have to adjust my insulin but I cannot drink regular soda. Someone above said something about soda and they’re right it’s sugar bomb. Most food that contain sucrose or carbs affect my blood sugar slowly but a half a can of regular soda can take my blood sugar from a normal 80 to 120 to 400 in 15 minutes, that’s how much sugar is in soda. I also say watch out for diet soda and diet stuff in general, when manufacturers replace sugar, they replace it with salt so you have to be careful especially if you suffer from hypertension.
Hello everyone.
I have been running twice a day at my local YMCA and have continued to eat what ever I want. I have been doing this since Sept2009 and have to-date lost 10 pounds. According to the experts at the YMCA who are nutritionist interns at UCLA, because I am exercising without dieting, I am slowly building muscle to replace the fat. Thus, my weight loss is slow. Muscle weighs more than fat. I have gone from 162 pounds to 152. My next goal is 145. I have currently completed a 10k run in which I walk-ran. My legs are strong which enhances my enjoyment on the treadmill when I am running. I have lengthened my runs to 45 minutes, maintaining a HR of 175-190. I didn’t not think it was possible for that HR to be comfortable, but I have been working really hard to not just develop weight loss, but a healthy habit. I am reaching that runner’s high and I giggle on the second 20 minutes of my workout, because I am high. I like experiencing runner’s high, because now I crave running. I must watch my knees, though. I am 5’4″, 39 going on 40. I feel young and energized. I want to invest in a Vitamix as well.
(novel sized reply following, lol)
hey everyone 🙂 I recently started hardcore with my goals again because I want to live better and attract a quality boo whom I FEEL sexy for, so it’s ON this time! I started documenting my journey here and have some follow up posts as well on the blog:
My main vices have always been desserts because I am a MAJOR sweet freak, and just a foodie in general. I know that I will never be a salad for every meal type of girl because 1. I really don’t care for salads, no matter how many cool toppings I pile on I am never just thrilled with them and 2. there are so many amazing foods out there I would rather off myself than just have lettuce with a light vinaigrette everyday 😛 But what I have started doing is cutting down pop consumption, only having dessert once or twice a week in a smaller portion, and watching the bad foods while upping the good ones. My phentermine consumption helps with that because it cuts down my appetite and makes salty things more salty and sweet things way too sweet so I can leave those alone. A great resource for getting in shape is http://www.sparkpeople.com because it helps plan meals if you want, gives workout tips/regimens, and you can record everything you do to keep accountable and track measurements/weight.
For working out, there are some good things out there to do if we just get up and DO them. I LOVE to dance, so even just going to the club and getting low for a couple of hours helps burn calories as long as I don’t go getting wasted lol. So with no alcohol and lots of dancing, can easily burn lots of calories! May even get a couple numbers for prospective dates 😉 Win-win! I also advocate jump roping plenty which I talked about in my latest post: http://tinyurl.com/2epmamd It’s such a good workout because it targets the legs, butt, arms, and heart. Swimming is also an amazing total body workout that many black women especially (myself included) don’t get to do because lots of us can’t swim (recently saw statistics that 70% of black folks can’t swim) or don’t want to mess up our hair with the water. The hair thing seems to be a hindrance for not wanting to workout in general and sweat out the perm, but seriously do you want to be fat and unhealthy but have a great head of hair, dying of diabetes or heart disease? Because really, it’s killing us off everyday! I’m really happy that I went natural and don’t have to even worry about that issue anymore.
Right now I am 5’1 and a size 14 weighing in at 178 lbs, smallest that I can remember being was a size 8 and I had PLENTY of fat to still lose on my super small frame, so this time my goal is about a size 4 simply because I’m small enough to carry it well. I know that different body frames look better with other sizes, but that one would be good on me because I see similar shaped women in my family work it at that size and look GREAT.
That previous post was great to me, it was really something to read all of the comments. Nothing gets us more riled up than saying that we should lose some weight it seems. “I don’t wanna change, you take me for me” but if you see that no one is taking you for you and you’re not so happy with that outcome, wouldn’t it be a time for a change? Just like you’d go to school, get a degree, work at entry level jobs, and network to get a good job that leads to promotions and a nice salary, why is it SOOOO astounding that you may have to prepare to be attractive to the opposite sex? A little makeup, some nice perfume, staying in shape pretty much is like getting your resume polished up. Sure, that kid up the block may get lucky and score a sweet job that turns them into a ceo without going through the hoops, but do you HONESTLY want to put your eggs in THAT basket, hoping you are that one out of a million to something excellent fall into your lap? I’d rather PREPARE myself to be at the height of my game and EXPECT the things to happen, not hope to be an exception. Yes, I have men who approach me now, but they certainly aren’t often the cream of the crop or amazing husband quality whereas my svelte size 6 best friend has a great pick of guys. We act similar so trying to whine about how someone should love my glowing personality only would be shooting myself in the foot because she has the same type of personality AND looks fit/sexy so while I’m trying to soothe myself with platitudes, she’d be on the way to being engaged and leading a fun coupled off life. Those who say the personality should only matter, do they consider that the skinnier/healthier/sexier girls can have a personality too? It’s not mutually exclusive, although you’d think it was the way people always say “well but what about my personality?” If I could choose a schlumpy out of shape dude with an amazing personality versus a toned six pack having Brad Pitt in Troy looking gorgeous adonis with an amazing personality as well, guess who I’d pick? If I would jump on the sexy one like my life depended on it, why would I expect something else from a guy? Surely they as the super visual sex would be expected to pick the sexier one too. If you want to argue that point with some exceptions, please as I always say, show me the proof, like a whole slew of cream of the crop guys wanting/desiring huge women. It just feels so disingenuous to shout about exceptions when they are just that, exceptions! Why is it that we cling so tightly to wishful thinking exceptions when everyday blatant observations are readily available? Get up, get in shape, get it right!
Thanks for chiming in Socialite! Hey, if any of you have not yet check out her blog…what the heck are you waiting for? 🙂
To reply about the “personality should matter more” idea, I don’t know how others use it, but I do agree that you can have a great personality and by skinnier/thinner/etc. The problem is not everybody wants to or feels that they should be skinnier/thinner etc. I myself want to because after I gained weight I realized that while I have more on the top and the bottom (always nice!), I gained weight in my face! And I hate it!! So, in order to lose the face fat, I do have to lose a significant amount a weight, most likely losing the curves. If that deters a man for wanting to be with me, well so be it. Hopefully, I will find someone who doesn’t care too much about all that. If not, I’ll be happy to have my skinny face again lol.
However, I never want to enforce my belief on others. So, if someone is a size 16, healthy and feel they are sexy/beautiful hot, then I’m going to be happy for them. If they are NOT, then I hope they know there are millions of resources to help them lose the weight to help gain confidence. The same goes for thinner women who want to gain weight. It’s all about doing you, gaining confidence in yourself, and if other stuff come along, then it’s that much sweeter. Does that make sense?
lol, I hear you on the face fat thing. I miss my face from pounds ago! I’m also not for enforcing my beliefs on others, just tired of seeing the magical thinking and mental hoops women go through to do nothing then complain that the results don’t change for the better when they’ve done nothing to help those results out.
There’s lots of good resources out there for whatever ails these days pretty much, hope we all can utilize them and get out of this cycle of complacency and wishful thinking 🙂
I have never understood diet anything. it has and will always taste NASTY to me. It has such a repulsive aftertaste to me! lol.
Luckily I have yet to cross into any of the health issues that plague quick weight gain as I did. But i am tying to avoid it. So I truly have to CONSCIOUSLY tell myself to stop eating when it comes to portion control. i also did find it true (based on studies) that if you eat slower you will get fuller faster. Most times we are eating faster than our brains can tell us that we’re full. I tried this and its true. if i just slooooow down and enjoy the food, i get fuller a lot quicker and don’t need to always finish the entire thing or have seconds. This has worked at helping me lose 15 pounds.
Eugenia that last post was to you. i am still trying to figure out this reply/quote thing. LOL often times I want it to go under the person I am responding to, but it doesn’t. Oh well *shrugs*
Oh I know it was, we can’t all be computer geniuses LOL. I have to drink diet soda and to tell the truth after drinking diet so long, I can’t stomach regular soda. There are lots of things about eating, like eating almonds before meals helps so you get full faster. Also our biggest meal of the day should be lunch, also don’t skip breakfast it makes you hungry, skipping meals doesn’t help it just makes you eat more and it’s usually alot of carbs, which are really filling when you’re hungry but it’s justt sugar in a different form. I know all this stuff because as a diabetic I have to see a nutritionist.
Hello everyone.
I have been running twice a day at my local YMCA and have continued to eat what ever I want. I have been doing this since Sept2009 and have to-date lost 10 pounds. My initial goal was to be active in my way and reach weight loss by the time I was 40. I was 38 in 2009. The second goal was to lose the “I don’t have a job stress” weight. According to the experts at the YMCA, who are nutritionist interns at UCLA, since I am exercising without dieting, I am slowly building muscle to replace the fat. Thus, my weight loss is slow. Muscle weighs more than fat. I have gone from 162 pounds to 152. My next goal is 145. I have currently completed a 10k run in which I walk-ran. My legs are strong which enhances my enjoyment on the treadmill when I am running. I have lengthened my runs to 45 minutes, maintaining a HR of 175-190. I did not think it was possible for that HR to be comfortable, but I have been working really hard to not just develop weight loss, but a healthy habit. I am reaching that runner’s high and I giggle on the second 20 minutes of my workout, because I am high. I like experiencing runner’s high, because now I crave running. I must watch my knees, though. I am 5’4″, 39 going on 40. I feel young and energized. I want to invest in a Vitamix as well.
I am 5’5″ and currently 139 lbs. I have been as low as 128, but I think that looks sickly on me. I recently got back onto my fitness thang, and it’s really easy. It’s how I went from a size 12/13 to a size 4/6 without feeling deprived.
-Cut out most meats. I’m semi-vegetarian (I eat seafood, rarely chicken, but no beef or pork.) I eat lots of veggies and grilled or lightly fried seafood.
-Just like Christelyn, I do smoothies. Frozen fruit, some juice, and yogurt, and you got an instant meal. Throw some veggies in there for extra credit 🙂
-Lots of water. When I’m hungry, I drink some water instead-sometimes dehydration disguises itself as hunger pains.
-Walk lots. Take the stairs at work and walk for at least 10-15 minutes during your lunch break. It all adds up.
-Go on a salad for lunch kick. I will eat different salads every day while I’m at work, opting to eliminate some of the more fattening elements (cheese, croutons, etc.) I aim to have dark, leafy greens in each salad.
Tia, these seem like really great ideas for me. I am not really a big fan of red meat especially if I have to wash and cook it, for some reason it makes me queasy, but I will eat a ton of fish, salmon & tuna especially. I tried vegatarianism last summer, but failed miserably because I did not properly plan. I think that I will give it another shot though. I will begin keeping lots of snacking vegatables and some precooked veggies that I can just heat up when “hungry” comes tapping me on the shoulder (I am getting sooo tired of him bothering me 😀 ). Also, I heard the same thing about the water. It will definitely become the first thing that I do to satiate my hunger, instead of jumping right to food. Thanks for the info.
Also want to jump in lafem regarding vegetarianism–be sure that you choose organic foods as much as possible, especially anything that you eat that are leaves, like salads, various greens, etc. The worst culprits for pesticides are grapes, strawberries, peaches and apples. You can get away with non-organic foods in which you don’t eat the skin, like oranges, bananas, stuff like that.
Good point about the water. I’m going to start taking in a full glass before each meal like I used to. It’s also great to flush out toxins, and if you’re trying to loose weight, water is essential to help the body flush out the fat. Great tips!
I will definitely be shopping at whole foods for my fruits and veggies. Thanks for the heads-up on that Christelyn, I would have never known otherwise.
When I use to teach nutrition a few years ago, I would tell the class that one of the trick of the mind is to put your food on smaller plates. This gives the illusion that you are eating a full meal versus a big plate that pushes people to fill every square inch. I do not cut things out of my diet unless I don’t like them. I am just mindful of what I put on my plate and in my mouth. I also do doggie bag (when it comes to eating out)all the time which cuts down on how much you eat in one setting.
Here is my intended to be funny take on weight related issues: enjoy! or click my name which will take you to my blog 🙂
http://singlechristanwomen.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/do-i-look-fat-yes-so-stop-asking/
If everyone would go on a gluten-free/no dairy diet, you wouldn’t have any weight problem at all. You’d hardly have to exercise to stay fit. I also don’t eat anything that contains sugar and eat good quantity of food and I’m still thin.
David, I’ve heard a lot of about a gluten free/dairy diet. The problem is, those foods are just so tempting and, while the choices are getting better, it’s hard to find gluten and diary free foods. I guess it depends on what area you live in too.
Have you tried Whole Foods or somethig like that in CA? I see this all the time while I shop.
We don’t have WF near us, but Henry’s is owned by WF and we go there at least once a week.
Yeah, some foods just need that gluten. Without it, bread tastes like cardboard. But for those who prefer gluten-free foods, Whole Foods does indeed carry a lot of products without it, as do some Trader Joe’s as well as Sprouts Farmers Market, a chain that recently cropped up here in the Southland. Not sure about Bristol Farms, but I’d be willing to be they have some gluten-free products next to their gourmet food fare.
True, Random. As Elaine below suggested, Whole Foods sells a lot of gluten-free stuff, if there’s one near you. Also, I saw several sites on the Net offering gluten-free products. Unfortunately for me, for medical reasons I can’t eat the gluten-free substitutes that are made from corn and rice, so my diet is even more restrictive. Btw, stores like Walmart continue to add to their gluten-free product line. Keep your eyes open! Shanti
Okay, I still have to go back and read the comments, but I want to drop this before I jet – FOUR KIDS!! Girl . . . . .
5’4 here. When I eat bad food and don’t work out, I’m about 122 or 123. At least I went through a period where I couldn’t run (busted my knee) and that’s what happened. I used to have a coach and regular practices, but obviously these days that’s hardly practical – or desirable, considering my knee and my time. Doing long distance runs 2 a week is all I’m willing to risk – usually it’s 7 – 10 miles – in the very early morning or early evening (cooler times of the day). Other than that, a 10 mintue streatch every day.
As far as food, I try to keep it organic, as much as budget allows. You can’t convince me it doesn’t make a diffrence – in exercise performance and in looks.
I want to try green vibrance – I wonder how it would go with my morning shake. I do two handfuls of mixed frozen berries, three to four heaping tablespoons of low fat cottage cheese, a bit of wheat germ, some soy milk, two tablespoons raw honey.
Other than that, don’t like to snack – just prefer to sit down and eat. During the week it’s whole grains, grilled fish and chicken (I have a little mini george foreman-esq grill), veggies. If I’m ordering out – sushi and sashimi please!
During the weekend – forget about it. Sunday Brunch, Sat dinner out, Fri drinks with the girls, etc. But I get back on track Monday morning.
Currently maintain at 5’4 and 108 – 110. Doesn’t look bad/too small, but I think I have a small frame – once saw Jada Pinkett in person, she’s about my size. Wouldn’t mind having her muscle though.
Also can recommend a great book on emotional eating – it sounds very silly but it’s called “Fat is a Feminist Issue” by Susie Orbach.
Whew – that’s all I got!
“I want to try green vibrance – I wonder how it would go with my morning shake. I do two handfuls of mixed frozen berries, three to four heaping tablespoons of low fat cottage cheese, a bit of wheat germ, some soy milk, two tablespoons raw honey.”
I put Green Vibrance in my shakes sometimes, but honestly, it seems to work faster when I just down it with some juice in one of those smoothie shakers with the wire ball in it. If you going to use juice, stay away from anything citrus–apparently it can diffuse the affect of the supplement.
About your bum knee: have you tried yoga or pilaties?
I suggest cutting out all foods that have High Fructose Corn Syrup as an ingredient. You’d be surprised how many foods (breads, etc.) contain this mess.
Also, nothing that contains “partially hydrogenated” oils or anything like that. Reading labels is your friend, definitely!
Just by cutting out a lot of the artificial stuff and eating “whole foods,” you should drop a lot of weight. I eat lots of fruits and veggies, but I also like meats, pasta, etc. I just try to make sure that they’re as minimally processed as possible and I eat them fresh (so no packaged dinners, etc.)
Also, I’m an avid long-distance runner. If you want to drop pounds, running will definitely do it for you!
I agree with Bunny77 after all I’ve read about High Fructose Corn Syrup and Partially Hydrodenated Oils (aka Trans Fat), I’ve been really good at looking at all ingredients lists to make sure I avoid them! Oh, don’t be fooled by the 0% Trans Fat labels . . . a product could have a 0.4% or lower level of Trans fat and still carry the 0% Trans fat label. So please read your labels for “Partially Hydrogenated” xyz oil. However products with a Trans Fat free label supposedly do not contain any partially hydrogenated oil. Still check the label though . . .
Actually now I’m super paranoid, and sometimes I feel that even when the labels don’t have “partially hydrogenated”, I still think the makers are trying to slip that in their foods (because it is “cheaper”), so the only way we can truly protect ourselves, is to start making the foods from scratch as home.
While talking about oils, I think not oils are created equally. I myself use EVOO for almost any foods, and when I can’t use EVOO, I cook with canola oil. I never deep fry anything, I just lightly coat the pan with oil so the food don’t stick. Another thing to add, if you are a baker like me, I use a reduced fat butter instead of margarine in my cakes, pies, and cookies. Margarine is like trans-fat city. So any processed product that says “margarine” in the label, avoid that too.
This is why I rarely eat out, and if I do, I make sure it’s a restaurant that uses natural ingredients and is trans fat free. You will be disgusted if you read the nutritional facts of the foods from your favorite restaurant. I’m so glad places like NYC are making restaurants report things of this nature; hopefully more cities will fall in line!
About meats, I already have a very limited list because I follow the diet restrictions *similar* to that of Jewish people (no pork, only certain type of seafood). This is my meat rotation as of right now: boneless/skinless chicken breast, turkey breast, tuna, and tilapia. This are pretty darn low in fat and high in protein. Plus, I can get these cheap, since I’m poor right now lol. I love some cuts of beef and lamb, but since they are so fatty, I had to cut that out of my diet.
As far as another fitness tip, I think women should give pilates and yoga a try; it gets you fit and shapely. When I had cable, I would love to watch programs with pilates and yoga on FitTV. Now, I make up my own routines. I had to create my own resistance training routine while talking a Dance Aerobics class, and the class loved it. It contain the following moves: Pilates – The Hundred, Straight Leg Stretch, Single & Double Leg Stretch, Criss Cross Abs, The Bridge, Perpendicular Leg Raise, Inner Thigh Lifts. Yoga – Supine Bridge, Goddess Pose, Child’s Pose, Downward Facing Dog, Quad Stretch, Seated Twist, and Cat Stretch. I found this exercises by googling and youtubing. Like I said I’m poor, so I love exercises that don’t require weights & other equipment. I do suggest getting a stability ball for more intense ab work, you can get this cheap at Wal-Mart or Marshalls/TJ Maxx.
Elaine, I’m with you on FitTV! I love it for those June gloomy days we’ve been having here in So Cal lately. Stability balls are terrific — you can also find them cheap at Tuesday Morning (I’m not sure if those exist outside of Cal), Homegoods or Target.
Yoga and pilates are also good. I’m considering a membership to YogaWorks which offers both, so I can make sure I establish good form (plus, I’m planning to do the L.A. Marathon again for 2011, so I think the stretching and strengthening will do this 43-year-old gal some good.)
After learning to swim a couple of years ago, I love getting in the water to do a half hour of laps. It’s so relaxing…and I sleep SO much better after a swim.
Walking, hula hooping, bicycling and rollerskating are also fun ways to work out — and you can do that with your kids in tow…and it’s cheap, too!
As for food, I try to eat pretty healthy throughout the week and allow myself “splurge” foods on Saturdays and Sundays — so no desserts, fried foods, burgers or other “junk” food except on the weekends. I do eat beef, chicken and fish, an I make sure my meals are balanced and varied. Clipping recipes from the millions of magazines to which I subscribe help keep me from getting bored with food choices and opens me up to a lot of new ways to cook things I like in healthy ways.
Although I’ve always been thin, I can eat some men under the table (I come from a family where good cooking and good eatin’ go hand in hand). But I try not to gorge — I believe in the “everything in moderation,” event the good for you stuff. (There IS a such thing as too many strawberries.) Eating too fast is bad for the digestion and can create all kinds of issues, including weight gain.
I haven’t had a soda or carbonated beverage since I was in fifth grade. I usually drink filtered water (gave up the plastic to be kinder to the planet) and iced tea and lemonade are my sweet drink substitutes and are very refreshing, especially in the summertime.
Hula hooping!! I keep forgetting about this! I really want to add this to my routines. Can you still get these in stores like Wal-Mart or Target?
yep! i just bought one at WM for $3
@ Random Why do you look so different from your facebook badge pic? I just wanted to let everyone know that Zoe Saldana is engaged to her beau.
Not aware that I did look different…running to the mirror…yep! That’s still me.
You just look different to me for some reason. Idk you look darker or something……idk. The two pictures just don’t look the same to me.
Also ladies please read up on Pure Unrefined Virgin Coconut oil. It really is heart healthy and burns fat very efficiently. I cook with it (except for my eggs). if you take 2-3 tblspns per day, it will help you energy wise and also help to burn fat. Please do research on it. its too long for me to go into details, but many have sworn by Unrefined virgin coconut oil to replace cooking oils and well as taking daily. I do it and this as well has helped me with my weight loss goals and mission.
Neecy, do you always cook with the coconut oil, or can you maybe put it into a smoothie?
it can be put in a smoothie. I use it for everything, put it in my hair for pretty shine, use it as moisturizer right after I shower for my skin in lieu of lotion sometimes. Lol, one stop shop!
here’s a smoothie recipe w/coconut oil: http://www.smoothieweb.com/coconut-oil-low-carb-smoothie-recipe/
as well ladies, FLAXSEED oil is supposed to be super fab for weightloss. It has a nutty taste so can be nice in oatmeal, but I usually prefer it mixed into a smoothie as well so that I don’t taste it. Amazing what flavors you can hide in a mixed fruit smoothie, lol! I learned about that and many really good tips in The Abs Diet book for women. That book gives a great list of “power foods” such as almonds and salmon that help with looking and feeling better. Check it out on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Abs-Diet-Women-Six-Week-Flatten/dp/1594866244
@ Random,
You can most definitely use it in a smoothie! It will add great flavor and benefits to your energy and fat burn. Yes I always cook with it. I don’t even use regular cooking oil anymore. I still use butter for some things and I also still use olive oil. The three oils I use are Grapeseed oil, coconut oil and olive oil – and some butter. I find I don’t like the way my eggs taste when I cook them in coconut oil. Not only do I cook with it, I also use it as a butter replacement on things like my toast etc. Many people also bake with it. If you want a breakdown of why PUVCO is so beneficial in so many ways just type in benefits of coconut oil in Google search and you’ll have plenty of things to read on it.
Also b/c it has a high temp point you can fry, sauté and lightly cook with coconut oil. It is not recommended to cook oils like olive oil at high temps b/c they lose many of their nutrients. NOT coconut oil.
I also have an extra bottle that I use strictly for skin. My hair doesn’t love it too much when its natural b/c I have very thick kinky hair and I find coconut oil is too light of a moisturizer for my hair. Does nothing for it except for when I wear it straight. I have been using it as a daily facial moisturizer (no I don’t wear sunscreen for many reasons which revolve around the ingredients). my skin has never looked and felt so radiant. And its very light and non greasy.
I love and swear by this stuff!
Hi ladies! I love this blog but have been lurking. I just want to chime in and say that I have lost massive quantities of weight this year in one simple way. I just cut the carbs. I went to a nutritionist and she broke it down for me how many carbs I should be eating to keep my blood sugar low (I had gestational diabetes). I actually ate fewer carbs than she recommended and was able to take less medication that way. A side bonus is that body fat started melting and just did not stop. I’m down to a size I haven’t been in almost a decade, I feel fabulous and the fat continues to just melt.
When I eat bread I buy the weight watchers kind, it’s smaller and thinner than regular bread with only 40 calories per serving and each slice is half a carb serving.
I use splenda instead of sugar, and eat sugar free foods. I know some people have concerns about artificial sweeteners, but my health was taking a beating due to all this excess weight. Perhaps once I am down to my goal weight I will slowly introduce real sugar slowly back in, but I will NEVER mess with HFCS again.
It feels good to be at a healthier size.
As far as artificial sweeteners, have you heard of Stevia? It’s completely natural without the risks associated with Splenda, Equal and Sweet & Low.
Thanks for stepping out of Lurkdome to share your secrets with all of us!
Oh meee too! My skin loves it. its my actual daily moisturizer. i don’t use anything else on my face anymore for moisturizing.
I use it in my hair too–have been for a while, but felt funny about consuming it. I’ll have to give it a try.
I have nothing to add at this point. I used weight watchers (basically learned how to control my portions), reduced my sugar intake (I’m a sugarholic), and did a lot of walking in addition to my dance classes. The weight fell off. I was happy. Then I started going on a couple of dates and met my husband online. The rest is history. Now I’m gestating our second little guy and looking forward to being a new mom again. I am taking notes though on the eating. I’ll be using shakes and I also take Amazing Grass greens powder every day to help me get all my veggies.
I don’t know if you all have addressed this, but I was wondering if anyone has talked about how to leave the haters alone? I find with some of my friends that I was their only cheerleader as far as losing weight is concerned and there was always someone who had to hate on them when they tried to do better for themselves. It’s the kind of thing that happens in all aspects of life. Dating, trying to get in shape, trying to get an education, trying to move to a better neighborhood, etc…The list goes on. Is there a hater repellent or something that some of these ladies can use to keep them out of your head? I don’t have that problem, but I’ve heard that some of the things that derail success in anything is people who are trying to keep you where you are. I hope that made sense. Anyways, hubby is home. Going to give him a kiss.
Browncow, there will ALWAYS be haters. It’s that whole “crabs in a barrel” metaphor. When people show their butts, I think it gives you an opportunity to realize who is FOR you and who is AGAINST you. Consider it a gift.
Well I hear ya on that one. I used it in my life as a nerdy teenager. I give that advice, but I guess some ladies may not know what to do with it because they’ve been so conditioned to try and please everyone and fit in. I figured that fitting in would get me in some bad places so I decided to be a different as possible.
This has already been answered very well, but I just wanted to add that I’ve been where you are. It seem no matter what I did, I was “hated on”, questioned, nagged, and criticized for my decisions. This really happened when I did the following: went natural (hair), left the accounting world for teaching, and went abroad. I was literally losing my hair worrying about what others thought about me. That’s when I was like screw that and either started cutting people off or not talking to certain friends about the issues I know they are going to “hate” on. I know it’s not that easy to do, but it is just best to do this and find people who are in your position (ex: losing weight) and will support you, than to change your friends or make them understand. You don’t need the heartache. I believe we all thrive in positive environments, so if your friends aren’t contributing to your growth by being negative, you know what to do.
I eat an 80% vegetarian diet and I don’t own a car. Weight training is obtained from lugging my groceries around. Walking is my friend. I keep away from processed foods. Use healthier oils for cooking: olive, and coconut or sunflower. I go to a water spa regularly for steam treatments and use an infra-red sauna, this helps to remove toxins and aid in weight loss. I also take a vitamin D3 supplement, studies have shown that most black ppl who live in the north are Vitamin D deficient. Lack of adequate vitamin D have been implicated in a host of health issues.. The best thing is to find out what works for you and stick with it.
If you want to buy a piece of exercise equipment make sure you have used it for exercising before so you can determine if you like it. If it seems hard to stick with a program, get a girlfriend or two involved, having someone to do something with helps you to stay motivated. Buy a bikini that you like at your goal size, and hang it in a very visible place, let fitting into it and looking gorgeous motivate you to reach your goal. I can vouch for everything I stated, because they have all worked to help me lose over 20lbs.
Obesity rates broken down by state:
http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2010/
I agree! A lot of people complain about their situation, but never do anything about it for whatever reason. I myself kept thinking, okay, maybe I can still keep on the added weight and just shrink the midsection and my face somehow lol. After years of complaining, I just had to face the fact that I might just have to lose the weight. Really, I think it takes a breaking point for someone to reason that they need to change. Mine was seeing photos of current me versus old me. That’s when I was like ok, I want my face and flat stomach back lol!
Random – About my bum knee – yes, you’re right – I should try pilates or some sort of gentle streatching program. The thing is, I LOVE cardio, but I need to do some sort of strength training/pilates/yogalites to take care of my muscles – I have a feeling that my body is taking a cnstant pounding from the running, but not getting stronger. The real issue is that I love, love, love to run, hike, and swim and HATE to take fitness classes or lift weights. But not everything in life is going to be fun right? It’s def. a personal goal – even if it’s just once a week
Mabel -Yes!! Vitamin D! Black women in particular are said to be missing this, I take it every day
Browncow – About the haters. . . . this used to really tear me up (it wasn’t a body thing, it was a problem on a sista on my job thing) But what happens, unfortunalty, is that you go through the pain and then you sort of get used to it. You have to accept that it’s their problem, after awhile – you stop caring. If you look good, have a good guy/job/car whatever – THERE WILL ALWAYS BE HATERS. It’s so sad but true.
I know a black girl who is a swimsuit model, she was the roomate of a college friend until she moved on. She ia also very sweet and smart. People look at her and think ‘ wow, she has no problems’. But she deals with problems – women always trying to tear her down or stab her in the back just because. Just because! It’s amazing – she has a really hard time having female friends, because of all the hating. Unfortunaly, even some black women who are ‘wise’ to black men, are surprised when black women not only are NOT supportive, but are trying to sabatoge them. And those are the ones they never suspect. I wonder is there’s a book about this – hating? Toxic friendships?
I’m coming late to the conversation, but here is my own little version. As I said on the previous discussion, I’m 5’9, tall for a chick I guess. I was size 8 for years until my senior uni yrs I went up to size 12 and hated myself even though I still looked good. For my height, the ideal weight is 159, which can fluctuate b/w size 6-8, anything smaller I look sickly and anything over it, I look like I’m planning to join the world wrestling champion, ugly both ways.
6 months ago I gained a lot of weight mostly because I was going through personal issues and would rarely leave home. Hence, my body suffered since I’m a very active person, despite the fact I avoid the gym, I walk and run a lot, do yoga and balance what I eat.
So to drop these extra weight, I decided to follow a great system that seems to work for me and a lot of people I know:
– Never skip breakfast, even if all you can do early morning is drink a cup of orange choice or healthy shake or eat yogurt.
-instead of 3 large or small meals, I eat 5 times a day with much smaller portion.
– Breakfast I usually have healthy shake or yogurt. Around 11am-12pm, I have my tea with a muffin or nutritional bar. At lunch, I usually have either salmon or Chicken with salads. In the afternoon I munch on raisin with different nuts (love them better than donuts or chips). Dinner time is around 8pm for me, so I eat seasoned/boiled vegetables with rise or spaghetti. I have to say though I eat healthy mostly because my mom cooks healthy fresh food on a daily basis….she’s the family chef and we are lucky that way.
– My guilty pleasure is endless coffee and flavored drinks from Starbuck and Second Cup. So I minimize it by having only 1 cup of coffee a day and treat myself to my favorite summer or winter drink ones a week.
– I don’t like to eat sweet things, but if I’m craving something I don’t deny it. I enjoy it and make sure to work out afterward.
– I’ve joined a marshal art class, as well as Astanga Yoga (athletic form of yoga) and plan to join my bff boxing class. I like aggressive or body straining sports/workout, hence why I know the gym or simple things never works for me. I’ve been losing weight and went down to size 10….my ideal size is 8.
ps. walking is the best cure for being out of shape or overweight. Its simple and we should incorporate it into our life. Instead of taking the elevator, try to walk up the stair in your work or home. Instead of driving everywhere, try to walk for it. Its been proven, walking 10 minutes a day will keep you healthy, strengthen your heart and drop the weight in 6 months.
Lastly, I hate dieting and it never works for me.
“For my height, the ideal weight is 159, which can fluctuate b/w size 6-8, anything smaller I look sickly and anything over it, I look like I’m planning to join the world wrestling champion, ugly both ways.”
LOL! I hear ya. I am 5’5 and the ideal weight is 120 which for some may range between a size 4-6. It really depends on your body make. Some people are less solid and have smaller frames/bones. Those are the 5’5 ones who look really good and healthy at 120 and less. Not moi! I look really sickly even feel a little waifey at 130 believe it or not. But my weight is very evenly distributed and I am very solid. i tend not to get too flabby b/c I am more muscular as well. In College at one point i managed to get down to like 128-130 and I didn’t feel or look right. But at 140-150 I look and feel amazing. So its one of those weird things. body types do make the ultimate difference.
I agree with you, luckily my weight is distributed all over and I’m tight where it matters. I can also develop muscles easily that I try not to lift weight too much, or I end up developing arms that make Madonna look feminine.
Ideal weight v. height isn’t universal to every woman since we all have different shapes and body fat density.
Just wanted to put this out there. Just as love comes in all colors, it comes in all shapes. 🙂
I am a curvier type and my boyfriend of more than 3 years loves it. There are plenty of “rainbow” men that also love this body type.
However, for my self I’d love to lose a couple of pounds. I’ve recently lost 10 pounds and hopefully I’ll continue.
Good luck with your weight loss goals everyone!
Watch the documentary Food Inc, you may never look at food the same way again. Since watching it I’ve cut out most meats(down to turkey and seafood), exercise more(cardio) and drink my fruits and veggies(smoothies; add wheat germ). I don’t eat out much anymore; I’m 5’6″ and weigh 149 lbs.
I forgot about wheat germ! I have some in the fridge and will have to sprinkle some in. Thanks for the reminder.
My God you are hot! I am so freakin’ turned on..please post more pictures for us old horny white men.
Your husband must tear you up every night.
Hi,
I’m new to the website just noticed your post on clutch. Yeah, I’m 5’4” 135lbs and I am trying to lose 10lbs. I recently separated from the military where I worked out 3x weekly. I had foot surgery in March and was up to 141lbs. I lost 10lbs for my May wedding using sparkpeople.com, drinking 8+ glasses of water per day, and doing core exercises. But since then I’ve put on a few pounds back on. I’m reevaluating how I eat and considering new forms of exercise since cardio isn’t really option except for walking. It just hit me that 29 I need to make some changes if I want to be as fit as possible and prepare for kids one day. My husband is a big fan of smoothies so maybe I will give them another try after hearing how good for you they are.
A few questions, I’m considering the stability ball and some pilates DVDs, is this the optimal way to learn pilates? We’re on a fixed budget but we may spring for a family gym plan but time constraints could prevent us from visiting regularly. We’re starting a new business and working on our degrees so we don’t have much time to spare for recreation. We ride our bikes around the neighborhood roughly 2-3 miles infrequently. The Barry’s bootcamp sounds promising as well. I would like something that I could do in a short period of time and that doesn’t require much excess equipment.
Thank you for the insightful blog. My husband is Black and I always said that if I married it would be a Black man but I have mostly dated White men. There are so many things about interracial dating that could be seen as negative or harmful but ultimately we love the person not the race. I’m going to tell my sister about this blog as well since she is married to a White man with 16 years of love between them.
Thanks for joining the conversation! I forgot to change over web address for Beyond Black & White’s new home, http://www.beyondblackwhite.com. Come join the conversation over there! Lots of new posts!
I had ballooned up to 182 lbs. after my foot surgeries. When I was diagnosed with a chronic disease at 165 lbs., my doctor said that I would gain another 20 lbs. with Prednisone. That was a wake-up call for me. My husband loved me at any weight. But, I worried that I would become ill if I didn’t get rid of the excess weight. So, I took my doctor’s suggestion, low-carb diet. He told me not to eat anything white. That meant no bread, no white rice, no sugar, and of course, no salt. I went cold turkey for three months. I dropped 10 pounds. I eventually got down to 142 lbs. I hover around 142-145 lbs. I feel much better. I’m off of Prednisone. And, I’m still on a low carb diet. But, now I call it a low-carb lifestyle. I’d enclose a photo if I could. Check me out at http://bwoutofthebox.wordpress.com and I’ll have a picture up.
Thanks for visiting, but the party moved to http://www.beyondblackwhite.com! Join us over there!