Is there a nurse on here?

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I'm not feeling very good today, kinda weak (on a very strict diet) and I took my blood pressure but I don't really know what it means.  It was 111/85 with a pulse of 101.  Kinda low right but not the bottom number I don't think.  Anyway should I be concerned?

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I really think that it is not a "food" issue for me.  I eat fairly healthy - I love fruit, fish a little bit of beef now and then.  I do love my pasta, cheese and seafood but I'm not a big bread eater.  I love my home baked desserts but have all but given that up the last few years.  Wine can be a problem - too much time home without dh here but I'm very proud of myself that I have totally given up any drinking 3 weeks ago.  And I do like to ride my bike.  I walk Rooney at least 3 miles a day but I haven't been playing golf as I had hurt my back - need to get back at it.  I don't eat a lot of junk food - once in a while though and I do love my popcorn.  I just have gotten so sick of being good - eating LESS than anyone else and getting no or very little results.  But I do not want to make myself sick.  And I did eat my lunch and feel much better now.  I have NO metabolism already and most people don't understand how tired you get struggling and going no place.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I want to make if CLEAR that I am not advocating this diet to anyone at all!!!!!  I'm very interested in what our experts here have to say and I appreciate the advise and feedback.  This discussion is for informational purposes only.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

No wonder you are weak, 500 calories is  insane, sorry to be so blunt but Jane it is not healthy and even if you do lose a ton of weight  over a short period of time your body will think you are starving and when you start to eat again you will put it all back on and more.  I know all this because i was four stone overweight for 15 years and did lots and lots of these diets.  You need a healthy Low GL diet with high complex carbs, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks too.l. Losing two pounds a week over a long period of time will result in weight that will stay off.  You can do it, just think the time will pass anyway and you will have lots more energy as you go along which Rooney will love.  I do hope you feel better very soon.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Nicky you are so darn cute!  I have no clue what "four stone" equates to in lbs - lol.

[sandy b]

Jane, have you had your thyroid checked? That might account for no metabolism.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Yes because my doctor has been suspect about my weight problems for some time but every time we test it - it comes back on the very low end of normal so they don't do anything.  I've tried to say that "what is normal - might not be normal for me" but they never pursue it. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

For those of you who mentioned Weight Watchers~ what a wonderful and healthy way to diet.  It has worked for me and I just began it again a few days ago once again.

Maybe..... now don't laugh, maybe a Weight Watcher group here on DK?

I could use some support. 

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

How about just a weight loss group?  We might have people that could benefit that are doing Nutrisystem, Jenny, Atkins or WW?  I'd just love that - tips, recipes, etc. 

[Lauria Orr]

I was going to comment about possible thyroid issues, but see that it has been addressed.

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here's the thing about losing weight. (Although I hate that term and prefer to think in terms of losing body fat.)

To lose one pound, you have to consume 3500 calories less than you burn. You do burn calories just living...breathing, heart beating, skin cells turning over, etc. The number of calories each person requires to just sustain life is differ for each person, and that number is your basic metabolic rate. (This is what Adina means when you says you DO have a metabolism, or your wouldn't be alive).

There are two ways to take in less calories than you burn- by eating fewer calories, and/or by burning more calories. Doing both is optimal, i.e. both diet and exercise.

But it takes one solid hour of walking at a brisk (4 mph) pace to burn the calories in a 6 oz. serving of salmon. (That's if you weigh 155 lbs. If you weigh 130 lbs, it takes 75 minutes or more.) To lose just one lb a week, you have to have a negative calorie balance of 500 calories per day. You can see why it's so hard for people to lose weigh, especially rapidly.

Now, what if you could raise your metabolic rate so that you burned more calories every day, even while you were sleeping? No, this isn't a plug for some new diet supplement. That's what adding muscle mass does...it increases your basal metabolism. It takes a lot of energy (calories) to maintain muscle tissue.

So while walking, biking, dancing, etc., are wonderful healthy activiites that will not only help you stay fit and burn some calorie but also improve your cardiovascular health, if you really want to lose some pounds, adding muscle mass really helps. And the thing about increasing muscle mass is that you can't do it at the same time as you do cardiovascular exercise. Effective strength training involves dead stops and starts at the beginning and end of every contraction. If you are in continuous motion, you are not effectively increasing muscle mass.

Too many women neglect to add a separate strength training program, which will not only help you maintain a good weight, but also helps your bones stay strong and helps you stay physically independent as you age.

[Joan, Louie and Mila]

Jane...you need to eat more calories!!! I am a nurse and have been on many many diets...

One to check out is The 17day Diet...this one is easy to follow and changes every 17 days which helps with the metabolism

.I feel your pain at 56 and post menapausel it's harder that ever.

On last thing...you would never put Rooney on a diet so restrictive right??? or your children?/? You need to take care of yourself and treat yourself better...Hugs..

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Thank you to everyone for your good advice, and I am feeling much better after eating lunch!  I'm now going to close this discussion as I feel that I have taken over the front page of DK with these posts and feel that getting back to doodle things will be much more fun!!!!  Again - thanks - it is wonderful that we have experts here on DK for just about anything!