Let the Reboot Begin

DynamicRange

DynamicRange

New member
Hello ... You can call me Abby. I'm new here and wanting to start a diary to keep track of my reboot/weight loss/journey. I also really need a community that encourages health and gives me support. I can't do this alone. It's just too hard!

I've gained 45 lbs in the past 4 years and I'm wanting to get back down to a weight that is reasonable. I have a few health issues: bad knees and back. The knees started to give when I hit 180. Then I gained 10 more pounds and it became painful to walk up and down stairs. My exercise is very limited because of these issues. I am hoping the weight loss will at least relieve the knee pain.

I started my reboot on 2/19/16. so, I'm on Day 5. Currently on a low-cal diet but also pretty sedentary, so not burning off much. However, my starting weight was 192.6 and today I am 186.4. So I have lost 6 lbs and my knees are feeling a little better already!

My Starting Point ( 2/19/16)
Age: 40
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 192.6

Weight today: 186.4

My goal for the next 2 weeks: stay on the diet.
My goal for the next 2 months: start adding exercise as I am able to do so.
Ultimate goal: 130- 140 lbs.

I look forward to getting to know people here and becoming a member of this community!
 
Hi ya Abby and Welcome! :seeya:

Hope you can find a fitness routine that helps and keeps you from pain or an injury. They have a vast amount of chair exercises and videos and all kinds of stuff on-line! I have had to use those plenty due to severe plantar fasciitis and Achilles Heel/Tendon injury - flare-ups..

Have you tried any of Leslie Sansone's work outs or Chris Freytag? I can handle those when feeling good "body-wise."

We have a lot in common as well! ;) I'm Stacy...42....5'8" and my starting weight was 190.6

My first goal is to get to the 160's and see how I look everywhere and then go from there on how much more to lose...LOL... I haven't seen the 160's in over 12 years, so making it to that point will be a dream come true!!

Then, we have the aches n pains of our bodies not wanting us to be active!

I understand and I'm rooting for ya!! :hurray:
 
Hi Stacy, thanks for your encouragement and suggestions! I have not tried the chair workouts, but that is something I will definitely look into--appreciate it. I was around 140-145 before the weight gain and pretty happy at that point. I could indulge once in awhile, but still feel confident and attractive. Right now, for me, it's more about the health stuff than looking good. I mean, that's nice too, but I would really like to just go down a flight of stairs without my knees hurting!

I'm rooting for you as well and will look for your diary! Thanks again! :)
 
You're more than welcome! :)
Exactly! I feel the same way... I know as the weight comes off my feet will feel better as well as my left achilles heel/tendon..
I feel better re: my OCD and Anxiety disorders as well. I just have more peace when I feel better..The good health/energy and bein' in a good mood does wonders, lol. :seeya:
 
Hi Abby & welcome to the forum. Congrats on the 6lb loss already. That's a great start & I'm sure your knees will be thanking you. How do you go just with walking? I love walking. This is a very supportive forum, but is also very busy at the moment. I wish you all the best with your reboot. Welcome to the team WLF. Cheers, Cate
 
StacyH said:
You're more than welcome! :)
Exactly! I feel the same way... I know as the weight comes off my feet will feel better as well as my left achilles heel/tendon..
I feel better re: my OCD and Anxiety disorders as well. I just have more peace when I feel better..The good health/energy and bein' in a good mood does wonders, lol. :seeya:
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Agree 100% I also have an anxiety disorder and depression. Overeating (especially carbs) is common with an anxiety disorder because carbs boost serotonin. Exercise is good for it too, though! I just have to make the right choice.

cate said:
Hi Abby & welcome to the forum. Congrats on the 6lb loss already. That's a great start & I'm sure your knees will be thanking you. How do you go just with walking? I love walking. This is a very supportive forum, but is also very busy at the moment. I wish you all the best with your reboot. Welcome to the team WLF. Cheers, Cate
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Thanks cate! Walking is usually my exercise of choice. Long walks with my dog. I have been wanting to walk for the past few days but it has been raining outside. I have a treadmill at home, and I did get on it today for 15 minutes, but I just find it so boring. I'm going to do another 15 minutes tonight during my fav TV show! That makes it a lot easier. :)

jen_renee said:
Welcome to the forum, Abby! :)
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Hi, thank you!

-Cory- said:
Welcome!
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Thank you!
 
Okay so I'm done eating for the day. Stayed on track and no slips. I had a few oranges, protein shake, and this ...

22316_zpsduhcz0wl.jpg


Anyone else notice my tuna is shaped like a heart? It was made with love. :)

Okay, so tonight is my fav TV show, which is also a super guilty indulgence: Married at First Sight. They are reaching the end of the 6 weeks and deciding if they are going to stay married or get divorced.

Exercise: 15 min on the treadmill and I plan on doing another 15-20 during my show. Also, did 10 reps of presses with 5 lb dumbbells.

It's not much, but it's a start.
 
DynamicRange said:
Okay so I'm done eating for the day. Stayed on track and no slips. I had a few oranges, protein shake, and this ...

22316_zpsduhcz0wl.jpg


Anyone else notice my tuna is shaped like a heart? It was made with love. :)

Okay, so tonight is my fav TV show, which is also a super guilty indulgence: Married at First Sight. They are reaching the end of the 6 weeks and deciding if they are going to stay married or get divorced.

Exercise: 15 min on the treadmill and I plan on doing another 15-20 during my show. Also, did 10 reps of presses with 5 lb dumbbells.

It's not much, but it's a start.
Click to expand...

Mmm, tuna is delicious. It's even better when it's not from a can. :drool5:

Anyway, welcome to the forum. Seems like you're off to a good start. Good job!!!
 
Okay ya'll I almost just binged. I was watching my Junk TV show and really wanted some junk food to go with it. Whoa, it was super intense there for a moment. I have been avoiding the TV because it's a trigger for me. And I totally forgot to walk on the treadmill! It was like the lizard part of my brain just took over. Crappy TV + junk food = emotional sedation. I'm just not sure what I'm trying to avoid feeling. Is it just general anxiety, escape, or something more specific? I wish I knew so I could pull it out by the root instead of trying to eat it.
 
Oh....I sooo love fresh tuna steaks! I am very envious. You are not alone in trying to work out what you are trying to avoid feeling & why the hell any of us would think eating would take that away. I don't know any perfect people.
DynamicRange said:
I almost just binged.
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Well done on not doing so :D
 
cate said:
Oh....I sooo love fresh tuna steaks! I am very envious. You are not alone in trying to work out what you are trying to avoid feeling & why the hell any of us would think eating would take that away. I don't know any perfect people.

Well done on not doing so :D
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I don't know any perfect people, either! ;)
I'm just glad I "caught" it. I will probably be having tuna steaks again tonight! Yumm!!
 
It can take a while to figure out what you're trying to avoid or cope with. When I first started here, I didn't even think I WAS an emotional eater. It was only after re-reading some of my diary that I noticed a pattern for das when I binged. It can really help to put down what you're feeling in the diary when you binge. It might not help at the time, but it really helped me recognize that I did have a problem with emotional eating and helped me recognize the precursor so I could try to do something to prevent the binge in the first place. Great job resisting! Also, your food looks delicious.
 
-Cory- said:
It can take a while to figure out what you're trying to avoid or cope with. When I first started here, I didn't even think I WAS an emotional eater. It was only after re-reading some of my diary that I noticed a pattern for das when I binged. It can really help to put down what you're feeling in the diary when you binge. It might not help at the time, but it really helped me recognize that I did have a problem with emotional eating and helped me recognize the precursor so I could try to do something to prevent the binge in the first place. Great job resisting! Also, your food looks delicious.
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Good to hear the diary has helped you develop more self-awareness. I am hoping for much of the same from this diary. I will be posting a lot of healthy food pics -- I am a very visual person and seeing the images helps me to stay on track, strange as it sounds! :) Hope you have a great day.
 
I've been doing some research/reading this morning about the hormone serotonin. Serotonin plays such a huge role in our behavior. It influences our mood, appetite, sexual desire and function, memory and learning, and social behavior.

I have long thought that my binge behavior is serotonin related. I have an anxiety disorder and depression, which are both serotonin related. I am a bit of a science/medicine geek, so I have often pondered this question:

What happens physiologically during a binge?

Well, if you are anything like me, you don't binge on veggies or grilled chicken breast. You grab pizza, chips, cookies, french fries, pasta, cake, etc. Essentially, you grab high carbs. What do high carbs do in the body? First, they release insulin. Insulin causes a very specific amino acid, called tryptophan, to be absorbed in the brain. Tryptophan causes your serotonin levels to rise. So, during a high carb binge, you have a higher serotonin level. This serotonin makes you feel less anxious, happier, and more peaceful.

I was binge eating as a child. Did low serotonin levels trigger this childhood binging or did I simply discover at a very young age that binges make me feel good and give me pleasure, thus creating a very strong tendency to regulate my own levels to my liking? It's a chicken/ egg question. Since I have other serotonin-based disorders, like anxiety and depression, it seems plausible that I was born with some kind of chemical imbalance.

So, for me, the solution to my weight issues is also a mental health issue. I have to address that part otherwise it will be a superhuman effort to reach my goal and maintain it.

There are things that help to naturally boost serotonin levels. These are things I will be experimenting with and trying along the way. There is scientific evidence that the following help to increase serotonin in the brain:

1. Alterations in Thought. Think happy! Remember the good stuff! Start a gratitude list. Meditate. Pray. Look on the bright side even in the dark. All of these things will help naturally boost your serotonin levels.

2. Exposure to Sunlight. Get outside and get some fresh air! The more the better. People feel more down in the winter because they go outside less often. Sunlight is immensely good for your brain and your emotional health.

3. Exercise. Move that body! It releases endorphins and gives you a sense of accomplishment, which increases your positive thoughts, which increases your serotonin.

4. Diet. This one is tricky because there really are NO supplements that give you serotonin you can actually absorb. There's a lot of stuff out there that claims to be a Tryptophan supplement, but there's not really any hard scientific evidence that it actually does its job. The body is pretty picky about how it absorbs it. However, there are a few foods that have some evidence supporting they increase serotonin activity:
  • eggs
  • cheese
  • pineapples
  • spinach
  • cauliflower
  • Tuna, Salmon, Halibut
  • Chicken breast
  • cacao nibs
  • walnuts
Perhaps by integrating a combination of these things, one can naturally boost their levels. That is what I plan to try. So every day, I will hit all 4: Alterations in thought, sunlight, exercise, and diet. I doubt it's a quick fix and it will probably take some weeks to notice a difference.

Here is the Serotonin Challenge I am outlining for myself. Anyone is welcome to join me!

Every Day:
1. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Make a daily gratitude list and put it in my diary. Replace a self-criticism with an accomplishment.
Example: I start to think about something sad in the past (rumination). Immediately replace that thought with one of my life's accomplishments.

2. Get outside for at least 10 minutes even if the weather is crappy. This is a lot easier in the warmer months, I know. It's been raining here for days. Get outside anyway. Take my dog for a quick walk around the yard. Pick up the backyard. Go for a long walk at the park. Take pictures.

3. Exercise. This one is hard for me right now because of injuries, but even getting on the treadmill for 15 minutes is better than nothing.

4. Eat at least one of the foods on my list. Today, I am going to visit the health food store and see if they have cacao nibs, which are basically what chocolate is made from, but less processed. Mmmm chocolate.

Hope everyone has a great day! :)
 
That is a great post Abby! I agree with your perspective totally.
DynamicRange said:
So every day, I will hit all 4: Alterations in thought, sunlight, exercise, and diet.
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Taking a holistic view & implementing a sound positive plan is the way to go! Well done. I love your research btw xo Cate
 
cate said:
That is a great post Abby! I agree with your perspective totally.

Taking a holistic view & implementing a sound positive plan is the way to go! Well done. I love your research btw xo Cate
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Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! :) Yes, for me I want this to be a positive change on the inside and the out! Hope you have had a super day so far!
 
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