Here’s why I chose not to weigh in:

• I haven’t been eating great. That doesn’t mean I’ve been eating bad on purpose…just that with the hectic holiday season, I haven’t made the time to think about the healthiness of what I’ve been buying, making, and eating.

• I needed the emotional break from worrying about my weight. Obsessing over the scale can only lead to further eating disorders…and yes, overeating IS an eating disorder. More about that some other time.

• I was sick. I found out that it’s not a good idea to go through a bottle of Rolaids each week while waiting for the appointment with the tummy doc to roll around. You’ll end up paying for it with a nasty kidney stone. It was my first, and it was not enjoyable. Not one bit.

What reasons have you used in the past to avoid the scale? Bloated? Cheated on your diet?

Let me know in the comments!

Post from: Blisstree

I Skipped My Weekly Weigh In

If your pain or illness is chronic, you may have a very chaotic schedule of eating properly and exercising. After all, it’s hard to plan in advance because you never know if your day is going to be good or bad. If you’re dealing with acute pain, it’s usually easier to know that you should take a few days off and rest until you feel better. Sometimes though, it’s hard to know when to keep with it and when to take a break.

Here are some general guidelines I follow when I’m not feeling quite myself:

Illness and Exercise

Most experts agree upon an “above-the-neck” rule. If you have a headache, head cold, or sinus pain, you’re usually safe to continue with your exercise. Now, obviously if you have a migraine you aren’t going to feel like exercising, and that’s understandable. But if you are up to it, you should be okay. On the other hand, if you are having trouble with back pain, gastrointestinal issues, or joint pain in your extremities, you’ll want to take it easy. Ask your doctor’s advice if this is a chronic issue with you, otherwise it would be wise to just skip the workout for now. In my case, I find that walking actually eases my back pain, but it exacerbates my gastric symptoms.

Illness and Eating Healthy

Our bodies are pretty wonderful machines. When you’re ill, your body will usually tell you whether you should eat or not, and which foods would be good for your situation. If you have a cold or the flu, you’ll find that you may need to skip a meal or two — or substitute one with a cup of hot chicken broth. When my inflammatory bowel disease flares up, I have to avoid fresh vegetables, dairy of any kind, and caffeine. In these cases, non-dairy meal replacement drinks are helpful, because otherwise my energy would dip quite quickly.

Illness and Weight Loss Supplements

Depending on what body system is acting up (cardio, gastro, etc.) you will want to pay attention to the supplements you take. The only supplement I use is caffeine, in the form of sugar-free energy drinks, tea, and the occasional latte. When ill, I recommend skipping all but the tea — the excess vitamins in energy drinks, and the coffee and milk in lattes will only further any gastric distress. If you’re having cardiac issues, you will also want to cut out the extra caffeine and most stimulant-type supplements, for the safety of your heart.

Pay Attention to Your Personal Needs

Above all, when you’re not feeling well, listen to your body and your intuition. Don’t let anyone force you to push yourself when you shouldn’t. If you have to “ruin” your diet or exercise plan for a day or two — or even a week — it’s worth taking the time to heal as opposed to making yourself feel worse. When you’re feeling like yourself again, even if it’s a rare day, commit to eating well and getting in some extra movement. It just may give you the “oomph” you need to get through the next few days of not feeling so well…

Do you have any other tips for those trying to lose weight while dealing with illness?

Please share with us in the comments below.

photo courtesy of stock.xchng

Post from: Blisstree

Trying to Lose Weight While Sick

Today I get a little more controversial as I explain why this weight gain shouldn’t be 100% blamed on the disorder that caused the imbalance.

Continued from last week…

The doctor explained that the hormones were at least partially at fault for my weight gain, even if just by making me so hungry that my self-control could not function. There was a catch though…hormones alone were not going to take the weight off. I would need to use what self-control I did have and shed the fat before my body would respond properly to treatment.

Confused? I was too, but I’ll try to explain what I’ve come to learn.

If you have an imbalance, you can supplement your body with hormones, but you still need to lose the fat. Why? Getting your body back into balance will help your overall health, and having excess weight means you are out of balance. Losing extra weight is crucial to your health, especially if you suffer from disorders such as diabetes, hyper- or hypothyroidism, or even infertility. It makes sense to treat any disorders once you’ve done all you can to eliminate any imbalances you created on your own, including weight gain, though that’s just a personal opinion.

Although hormones can lead to excessive hunger, overeating, and therefore weight gain — I would caution you against blaming the hormones, and only the hormones. You don’t want to trick yourself into thinking that diet and exercise won’t work. While there are some conditions that may make it impossible to lose weight regardless of eating well and moving more, I still suggest that you try. Sitting around and waiting until a doctor can prescribe you something means one thing — more weight gain as the time passes.

While I was busy gaining 75+ pounds, I made the mistake of doing nothing. I waited for science to tell me what was wrong with me, instead of taking back control. When I was finally diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, a form of hypothyroidism, I asked the doctor how to lose the extra weight. He point-blank said I needed to diet and exercise, and I was disappointed to say the least. I expected him to give me a pill that would shed the pounds effortlessly, but that’s not how our bodies work.

An imbalance of hormones caused my cravings and hunger, but it didn’t physically put the food in my mouth, turn that food into calories, and turn those extra calories into fat. I did that. Me. Now I was the only person who could fix the mess I found myself in.

Join me next Thursday for the last installment Weight Gain and Hormones. I’ll talk about how I lost the weight, and how hormones are affected by weight loss.

Post from: Blisstree

Weight Gain and Hormones, Part Two

You have likely read that weight gain and loss is as simple as calories in versus calories out. You have also probably read that your weight gain was purely a consequence of your lack of self-control, and that you have access to as much self-control as everyone else. I’ve had doctors say there’s no way medications can cause weight gain, though studies have shown they have. I’ve also heard people say that whether you’re fat or not is determined from the day you’re born — you have either the fat gene or the skinny gene.No wonder overweight people get frustrated and confused, because how do you fix a problem if you don’t know what caused it?

I’ve already shared that my problem with weight gain began when I was in 5^th grade and finally allowed to spend hours alone after school. One could say that lack of supervision and the fact that I came home to read books instead of going bike riding led to my extreme and sudden weight gain. While those things did have a lot to do with it, I believe something else played a part — hormones.

I’m not a medical professional and I haven’t done all the research there is on the relationship between weight gain and hormones. I do know one thing though — for me, hormones has been a very real part of my weight gain and loss cycles. You too may have noticed a correlation between your weight and the medicines you were taking, any physical conditions you were going through, or life changes you were making. I have, and I truly believe it is not a coincidence.

When I began having trouble with weight, I was in the midst of huge hormonal changes happening within my body. Puberty hit me like a ton of bricks, having gone from nothing to everything (including menstruation) in a year’s time — with my 5^th grade year smack in the middle of it. Coincidence? Maybe.

Ten years and a lot of up-and-down of the scale later, I was 19 and relatively healthy and fit. Away at college, I started gaining weight at an alarming rate, once again. Sure, many girls put on the famous “freshman fifteen,” but how many of them gain that 15 pounds every month for almost six months? Yikes!

In short time I was the fattest I had ever been, so far, and it was hard. Everyone thought I had totally lost all self-control, and I did too. I couldn’t figure out why my hunger was never-ending and insatiable. Then something weird happened. I completely stopped menstruating. I was young and really didn’t think much of it, until almost a year without a period had passed. Not long after that, an Endocrine Specialist diagnosed me with a form of Hypothyroidism. Coincidence this time? Not likely.

To be continued…

Join me next Thursday for Weight Gain and Hormones, Part Two, when I’ll further explain why excessive hunger can be more than a lack of self-control.

Post from: Blisstree

Weight Gain and Hormones, Part One

If you’re struggling right now because you can’t see any changes in yourself, I have another simple, but effective tip that just might help you…

Picture a slimmer, sexier you

Visualization has been used for many years, for many different purposes. I have found that it helps me, especially when I’m feeling frumpy again and not seeing much progress on the scales.

Do this…

Get a picture of yourself from years ago, before you gained all that weight. I have one particular picture of myself that has always helped me re-frame my thoughts about what I want to look like. If you don’t have a photo of a thinner you, don’t worry, you will do some true visualization.

If you have a photo, take a few minutes every day (preferably in the morning before the house gets noisy and your day gets started) to sit alone, in the quiet, and look at that picture of yourself. First, remember how you felt then. Then imagine how you would feel now if you looked that good again. Hold these positive thoughts with you all day. When you feel a moment of weakness, stop and mentally visualize yourself being that thin again, with all the positive feelings.

If you don’t have a photo, you’ll follow the same suit, except you will visualize in your mind what you will look like when you have finally lost all your weight. Think about how much healthier you will be, how fit you’ll be, how much lighter you’ll feel and how active you’ll be able to be. As you experience these positive feelings, remember to carry them with you throughout the day.

If you’ve never practiced visualization before, this might all seem a little weird to you. But it only takes a few minutes every day (10-15 at the most) and it really can help you remember what you’re working towards and help control your emotions and actions.

Try it and let me know how it works for you!

Post from: Blisstree

Imagine Yourself Thin

Are you having a difficult time hanging on? Here’s a quick weight loss tip for the day…

Make a new lifestyle change today

Name one thing you know you are doing right now that is hurting your weight loss progress. For me, one thing I’m doing is eating out too much. Since my kids started back to school, I’ve been much more active, but I’ve been eating out more, too. I’ve been feeling bloated again, so it has to stop.

Sometimes all it takes is one small change to help you get back on track.

Post from: Blisstree

Make It A Lifestyle Change

What is the first word that comes to mind when you think about yourself? That initial response usually sums up how you truly feel about yourself. Is it good? Bad? Ugly?

Much like the old saying, you are what you eat, you also are what you think. Let’s think about this for few minutes…

Bad thoughts = negative & unhealthy reactions

If you immediately think negatively of yourself, then it goes without saying that you have an inner negative dialogue playing in your mind pretty often. Otherwise, you wouldn’t see yourself in such a bad light.

I was subjected to endless physical, mental, verbal, and emotional abuse as a child. For almost 18 years I was constantly told and treated like I was nothing and nobody. This negative input continued to play on and on in my mind even after I left home. (It still does today, and if I’m not careful, I start listening to it again.)

Input = Output

What goes in, will come out. If you constantly berate yourself and tell yourself you’re fat and ugly and worthless, then your reaction will fall into line with those thoughts. To prove yourself right, you’ll probably overeat and make poor choices in life.

Positive thoughts = happier, healthier living

You can change this. That’s the good news. But it will require diligence and great effort on your part. It won’t happen with the snap of a finger.

Feed yourself positive affirmations on a daily basis. As soon as you wake up in the morning, train yourself to repeat a mantra at least five times, something like…

• I am worthy of care and love.
• I am worthy of happiness.
• I am beautiful and lovely.
• Beauty surrounds me every day. I soak it in and then release it back to the world.

By creating your own powerful mantra, you can put the power back into your hands to be free from all that ugly, negative inner self-talk.

What do you think of yourself this very moment?

Post from: Blisstree

You Are What You Think

For a few months now I have given you lots of weight loss tips and shared some disturbing and interesting videos and tidbits with you. It has occurred to me that I haven’t yet asked what is on your mind. So I’m opening the floor to you this weekend.

• What questions do you have about losing weight?
• What kinds of articles would you like to read here at Weighting Line?
• What do you find most challenging about losing weight and living healthy?
• How can I help encourage you on your weight loss journey?

Post from: Blisstree

What’s On Your Mind?

The weekends are often the most stressful part of the week for those of us trying to lose weight. Worrying about overeating can make for a miserable weekend.

Sometimes the key to remaining successful on your diet is just to plan ahead. If you have been struggling to make it through every weekend and stay on your diet, here are some quick tips for you to remember and use this weekend:

• Order from the low-fat or low-cal menu.
• Pack a light picnic lunch and head out to the park.
• Invite a group of friends to go bowling. (Avoid the snack bar!)
• Ask for water with lemon, instead of a soda, when eating out.
• Split a dish with someone else.
• Order an appetizer, rather than a main dish.

Post from: Blisstree

Start Your Weekend Off Right