Losing Weight Support Group

[angela515]

I have decided today that I am going to start eating healthy again. So what I can't do the treadmill right now, I can still watch what I put in my mouth... I stepped on the scale this morning and it said 142.6... VERY overweight for my height. Today I vow, no more candy, no more chips, no more junk food... I can do it... Right? I hope so.

[goofynina]

You Go Girl,  you can do this,  everytime you want to eat something bad come here and post something, anything (note to Sluff:  increase bandwidth)    lol, j/k,   But you know you have us all here behind you and besides you girl, you can do this,  eye of the tiger, EYE OF THE TIGER  theme from Rocky playing  

[Sluff]

{{{{{{ we may stretch the bandwidth for Angela}}}}}}} Ok Bandwith increased effective immeadiately.   

If you want a ride on my bike next week when I see ya, then you better be down to 140# No one over 140# next week rides on my bike. 

[kitkatz]

Anyone here tried nutrisystem or Jenny Craig for a diet?   I am so frustrated I am tempted to try one of these diets.

[MyssAnne]

I have thought of it, KitKatz.  I don't know how well they would synchronize with our diet though. I am trying, right now, to limit my carbs. Man, that's hard!!!

[jbeany]

I'd be worried that they would end up sending a bunch of stuff that was too high in potassium or phos, and it would just go to waste because you couldn't eat it, kit.

[Chicken Little]

Anyone here tried nutrisystem or Jenny Craig for a diet?   I am so frustrated I am tempted to try one of these diets.

I wouldn't think either of them would work for Dialysis patients.  That said, I've had friends that have done both and I've tasted them.  Nutrisystem food is horrifying.  It's all canned or room temperature vacuum packed.  They send it to you a month at a time in a big cardboard box.  I can't imagine what kind of preservatives you need to put in pizza, hot dogs & hamburgers to not have to refrigerate them. The food is just gross though.  Even the treats & muffins were so dry, they just sucked all the moisture out of your mouth.   

Jenny's food is at least frozen and very similar to the diet meals in grocery stores.  You're really paying for the privilege of having to be accountable to someone at weigh ins with Jenny. 

Most of my friends who have successfully lost weight a kept it off did Weight Watchers.  Kaiser offers WW at a discount to their members up here.  Their online program was really popular at my former office. Again though, it's based in whole grains and fiber and doesn't really work for a Dialysis diet.   

Won't your nutritionist do a food plan for you?

[thegrammalady]

i use a diet i used before my kidneys failed and adapt it to the foods i can eat. it works well for me and would work better it i got a bit more exercise. the basics of the diet are - -  breakfast: 1 protein, 1 starch and 1 fruit
                                                      lunch: 3 protein, 1 starch and 1 fruit
                                                      dinner: 6 protein, 1 starch

unlimited vegetables are to be eaten throughout the day and 1 additional fruit may be eaten if desired.
the original diet called for 8oz of milk or a carten of yogurt a day (i don't do dairy so i skip that now)

protine is one egg, or 1oz of reduced fat cheese, fish, chicken, beef or pork

starch is 2 slices reduced calorie bread, 2 rice cakes, 1/3 cup rice, cous cous, pasta, small potato.

you get the idea, i just eat the foods in each category that are acceptable on dialysis. i also juggle the protein throughout the day depending on how hungry i feel. i eat a lot of salad and use fat free or reduced fat dressing. i snack on celery or cucumber. on dialysis days i do hard boiled eggs, rice cakes and fruit for breakfast. other mornings i might have a cup of special k or rice checks. i use non dairy creamer instead of milk. as long as i stick to it it works quite well.

[angela515]

Ever since my transplant I been eating everything in site just "because I can" I may not even be hungry but come across something I know I like and eat it b/c I know I can now.... this however, has done me bad the last 7 months because I am up 14lbs since my transplant, and up 4 inches on my chest area, 3 on my hips and 2 on my waist.... I need to seriously start eating right and I'm struggling with that. Arghhhhh 

[jbeany]

We all struggle with that, ang.  I'm still exercising enough to keep from gaining any weight, but I don't seem to be losing it.  I need to get back to salad for at least one meal a day again, and cutting back on the fattening foods that seem to creep back in to the diet when I'm too busy to cook from scratch.

[MyssAnne]

Yeah. I keep gaining weight. Of course, I'm on PD, which adds calories, but still. I do try to limit what I eat, but they keep telling me...MORE protein! Just HOW the heck?  I get so frustrated at times.

[kitkatz]

I hate gaining this weight back!  Heeeellllp!

[jbeany]

Right, more protein, but the phos is too high and my doc seems to think I'm on enough binders.  I've cut out milk already, chocolate is a once a month treat, and I'm trying really hard to limit cheese and peanut butter to as little as possible, in spite of my cravings.  With all the stress I've had the past week, all I want is comfort food - which usually involves cheese, chocolate, or peanut butter for me.  My phos is just going to stay at 5 - something for now, whether the doc and dietitian approve or not!     At least my potassium is low, and I can eat all the baked potatoes I want for now.

[Zach]

With all the stress I've had the past week, all I want is comfort food - which usually involves cheese, chocolate, or peanut butter for me.

Keep the chocolate and the peanut butter.

The cheese is most likely the culprit.  Just 2 oz. of a nice cheddar is about 290 mg of Phosphorus, basically an entire meal's worth of Phosphorus!  It would take probably four Renagels to handle that amount of PO₄
 

[donnia]

Please bear with me, as I am new to the whole dialysis diet... how much meat can you eat for the protein, and which meat is best?

[goofynina]

Please bear with me, as I am new to the whole dialysis diet... how much meat can you eat for the protein, and which meat is best?

Chicken, Turkey (without the skin) or fish is what i believe to be the best meats for proteins and as for how much,  i think your dietician should tell you that, i think each patient is different depending on how low (or high) your albumin is already,

Zach? where are you? we need you buddy 

[Zach]

Here you'll find some additional discussion on protein:

http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=4820.msg69176#msg69176

http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=1248.msg15624#msg15624

http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=1526.msg19453#msg19453

Enjoy and eat!
 

[jbeany]

With all the stress I've had the past week, all I want is comfort food - which usually involves cheese, chocolate, or peanut butter for me.

Keep the chocolate and the peanut butter.

The cheese is most likely the culprit.  Just 2 oz. of a nice cheddar is about 290 mg of Phosphorus, basically an entire meal's worth of Phosphorus!  It would take probably four Renagels to handle that amount of PO₄
 

"I do love a bit of Wensleydale" Wallace of Wallace and Gromit.

"Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeze!"  Hutch from Revenge of the Were-Rabbit

Oh, just shoot me now - I'm too addicted to give it up!  I'm gonna have to stop buying it - then it won't be in the house when I want some. . .

[kitkatz]

Okay folks.  I have to lose some weight.,  Not for transplant, we know that ain't happening,but for me, to feel better and maybe manage the fluid build up better.  I am tired of looking in the mirror at me.  I feel ugly and fat beyond compare right now.  I am thinking weightwatchers might be good.  But this renal diet thing has me tied in knots.  Any ideas would be helpful.  How about if we put together a list of healthy renal friendly easy to prep meals?  I get lost in the sides so often in a meal.

[Russ]

I recently started a weight loss management program at a local hospital in preparation for gastric bypass surgery next summer.  One of the things I have to do is keep a log of everything I eat.  Just keeping the log really makes me more aware of everything I'm eating.  I just try to watch the carb input, about 35 to 55 mg per meal for me and everything else such as calories, fat, protein, etc.  seems to fall in line.  I don't worry so much about counting calories as I do about tracking carbs.  I use a web site, foodsdatabase.com to keep the log and it's free.  The web site also has nutrient information for each food you eat, such as sodium, phosphorous and potassium among other things.




EDITED: Fixed Link - Sluff/Admin

[Sluff]

Thanks for the link Russ and that is an outstanding idea. 

[goofynina]

I recently started a weight loss management program at a local hospital in preparation for gastric bypass surgery next summer.  One of the things I have to do is keep a log of everything I eat.  Just keeping the log really makes me more aware of everything I'm eating.  I just try to watch the carb input, about 35 to 55 mg per meal for me and everything else such as calories, fat, protein, etc.  seems to fall in line.  I don't worry so much about counting calories as I do about tracking carbs.  I use a web site, foodsdatabase.com to keep the log and it's free.  The web site also has nutrient information for each food you eat, such as sodium, phosphorous and potassium among other things.

Good luck Russ, i hope everything goes smoothly for you  

[okarol]

Thanks Russ, for the http://foodsdatabase.com website. It's great. I entered all my food for today. Tomorrow I will do the same, also track my activity, water intake and if I am feeling adventurous I might even do the part where I take my measurements -  - well, maybe. Anyway, it's easy to look up the food and I think it will help me a great deal.
 

[kellyt]

Okay folks.  I have to lose some weight.,  Not for transplant, we know that ain't happening,but for me, to feel better and maybe manage the fluid build up better.  I am tired of looking in the mirror at me.  I feel ugly and fat beyond compare right now.  I am thinking weightwatchers might be good.  But this renal diet thing has me tied in knots.  Any ideas would be helpful.  How about if we put together a list of healthy renal friendly easy to prep meals?  I get lost in the sides so often in a meal.

Kitkatz - Weight Watchers is good.  I did it in 2003 and I lost 27 lbs., putting me about 2 lbs away from my goal.  It seemed to just fall off.  However, I stopped and now have gained it all back and I'm having a hard time getting back on the wagon.  My neph was extremely pleased when I was doing WW, and he said he would be fine with me doing it again.  With WW no food is off limits - you make your menu and you incorporate what you want/can have.  If you want some more info go to www. weightwatchers.com and check out their message boards.  I recommend the boards like "100 lbs to lose" and such.  Those people know what they're doing!  The other boards have a lot of mean ladies.

Let me know if you want a buddy!  I have to lose about 20 lbs for transplant!  NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kelly ~*

[Ang]

all  you  really  need  is  the  motivation  to lose  the  weight,  my  motivation  is  a  transplant  1  day.
i get  up  at  6.00am  3/4  days a  week,  put  the  ipod  on  and  walk  for  an  hour  to  an  hour  and  a  half.
usually  pretty  good  with  the  diet,  if  they  tell  me  not  to  eat,  95%  of  the  time  i  stay  away  from  it.
fluid  is  the  one  that'll  do  me  in,  anywhere  from  2/3  litres  each  run.
oh  yeah  for  dinner  tonight  i'll  be  having  grass, not  much  left  i'm  allowed  to  eat.