Yesterday at both Masses I celebrated I asked the people present to pray for me as I begin the LONG SLOW process of losing weight.
When I was a college freshman in 1982, I weighed 200lbs and wore 36in pair of jeans. Now, at 47, I weigh 336lbs. and wear a 52in.
When I was a college freshman in 1982, I weighed 200lbs and wore 36in pair of jeans. Now, at 47, I weigh 336lbs. and wear a 52in.
That's not only extremely embarrassing but incredibly life-threatening.
There will be no diets, no pills, no gimmicks, no nothing that has failed miserably in the past.
My plan: portion control and no fast food.
I will weigh myself every Monday and report the results in the right side bar.
Invoke angels, saints, the Blessed Mother, and the Holy Trinity to keep the Devil's wiles away from me, please! Add me to your fav nuns' prayer list--their effectiveness is truly scary. Throw up an occasional rosary or novena. Whatever you can do will be rewarded.
God bless, Fr. Philip Neri, OP
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I have a similar problem. I will pray for you.
ReplyDeleteCut back on carbs, drink lots of water, and take a walk every day.
ReplyDeleteDropping the fast food is the best thing! Reduce calories and increase metabolism through activity is great. If you're a smart phone user there are two apps that are useful: "myfitnesspal" [records your food intake and calories] and "runkeeper" [can be used while walking. My son used these apps to lose 55 pounds in about eleven months [202 to 147].
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that helped me shave off a good number is no more sodas, diet or otherwise.
ReplyDeleteLook at eating as an addiction. Think like you're in AA. We'll be the support group. You stay alert and keep trying. You will probably do well in the beginning, but it's normal to slack off. Give yourself absolution and move on.
ReplyDeleteA good web site is http://www.loseit.com/ I also have the app on my iphone. It breaks down the food into fat, protein, carbs, etc.
A hint for the holidays. Eat before you go out to eat. Eat something good--a couple of apples. This is so you won't devour the wrong kinds of food at the buffet table.
Make yourself walk every day. Push yourself.
There's a hilarious but serious book for you. I'll see if there's a Kindle version, if not, I'll buy it for you for Christmas--Our Lady of Weight Loss. I follow the Kick in the Tush Club, it's http://www.kickinthetushclub.com/
God's speed.
I use my walking time as my rosary time. That way I feel compelled to walk because my soul needs it. I can blow off my body without second thought but my soul is a different story.
ReplyDeleteAlso, just like our sanctification, loosing weight is a process, sometimes difficult. Slow and steady wins the race here. So, "Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one." 1 Cor 24-25
Second on what Baron Korf said. Diet sodas have other impacts that exacerbate the problem for people with metabolic syndrome. More fresh foods, fewer processed foods, and no simple carbs!
ReplyDeleteIIRC I'm a few weeks older than you. I had heart bypass surgery last year and have lost some weight since then. I second the call to ditch drinking any type of soda if you do that now. If you can fit some regular walking into your schedule, that would likely be helpful too. I already pray for you, Fr. Philip, but am glad to add this intention. I'd rather pray for your earthly needs than for the repose of your soul.
ReplyDeletePrayers! It is a tough journey- but doable. My father just finished losing 100 lbs to get back to a semi-healthy body weight. And he did it by changing diet and walking, walking, walking.
ReplyDeleteMy fiance is a personal trainer- no pills, supplements, diets or gimmicks- just hard work. He put together a manual on how to focus on nutrition and exercise and stay motivated- if you think it could be of use, let me know an address I can e-mail it to you at.
Sarah, thanks!
ReplyDeleteMy email is: neripowell(at)yahoo(dot)com
Dear Father,
ReplyDeleteI will pray for you. Your prayers help me become healthy in soul, I pray that my prayers might also help you.
One thing, and please note this, is that it is not a good idea to only weigh yourself once a week. Your true weight can only be determined by evening out the fluctuations in order to get a trend line. In order to get your true data point, you need more, not fewer data points.
I want to suggest a few tools. A software engineer invented The Hackers Diet in the 1990s. One of the things he did for the Hackers Diet was produce an algorithm that removed water weight from your weight and showed you your true weight via a trend-line.
You can access these online tools (along with his book "The Hackers Diet") online. The Hackers Diet is also available in epub: http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/e4/
In that case, put down your weight as often as you can. The program will do the rest. It will remove fluctuations up and down and show you your true weight.
If you have an android, you can also search for Hackers Diet in android market. You will find some useful apps that remove water weight.
My caution is only this: if you weigh yourself once a week, you will think you actually weigh that. But that weight can be up to 8 lbs off. You could have lost weight in the last week but still end up "weighing" more.
I advise you to weigh yourself more than once a week, and to use a program that removes water weight and gives you a trend line.
I'm praying for you.
All of the above are good suggestions. I could only add a recommendation to take fiber supplements before meals, to help your stomach feel fuller (and prevent bowel problems that smaller intake will cause). They make fiber in capsules, if you find the powder kind too icky.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I would urge you to also seek Anointing of the Sick. As you noted, this is a serious health problem, and you should use all the tools available, so to speak. Unfortunately, you need to expect your fallen body to fight against the good you are trying to do for it-- and Anointing is the specific means given us for this.
Best of luck. The most important part is motivation and dedication.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest two moderate changes to diet, beyond the no fast food: avoiding high-fructose corn syrup and omega-6 fatty acids (pretty much anything not olive or canola oil). If you want to make a radical change, many overweight individuals have had tremendous success on the paleo diet (lots of info all over the internet).
I too am on a diet, to reduce my blood pressure. I am eating lots of raw vegetables with lots of water to puff them up. Also, lots of protein at the right times to stabilize blood sugar which help keep hunger reasonable.
ReplyDeleteDon't reduce fat too much or you will be hungry all the time. Also, don't be a slave to the scale. Sometimes something happens and there is a brief period of fluid gain.
Enlist your friends' help in keeping the ever-present parishioner baked goods away. I have been given plates of cookies our priests couldn't possibly eat along with everything else they are given. Too much of a bad thing!
I too will pray for you as you embark on this journey of self-discovery and shrinkage.
And I forgot, don't eat to complete satiety, leave room for imaginary dessert. And don't eat unless your stomach is hungry, not your feelings of sense of dinner time is now.
ReplyDeleteWalk. When you feel hungry, go a few laps around the block or whatever. When you first get up in the morning, as soon as possible put in some walking. Before going to bed do the same thing. You're in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteI will keep you on my prayers. Also, I have been procrastinating in starting a diet regime myself so, how about we do it together? You are not alone.
ReplyDeleteThree words Father, Weight Watchers online. No meetings, no nonsense, teaches you how to eat correctly. 70 pounds in five months and I was never hungry. Whichever you choose, prayers heading out! I wonder how many points a muffaletta has?
ReplyDeleteGod bless you, Father. I'm spending a couple hours a day on a treadmill to lose weight I picked up in very stressful circumstances over a couple years. I have discovered that it's a lot harder now than it was in my twenties. I'll offer up my frustrations for you.
ReplyDeleteI have no advice, but I will pray for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading your blog for the first time today. When I saw a post about weighing in I went backwards to see where it began. I've just begun, for seemingly the millionth time, this same long slow process. I wanted to see your approach. Thanks for being willing to share your struggle. It's nice not to be alone.
ReplyDeleteYou're definitely not alone! I started at my highest ever: 338. Down to 326. Not great, no bad. Just is.
DeleteHang in there. . .secret: portion control, drop sugars/starches.
and exercise. Walk...walk...walk
ReplyDelete