New here 42, hypothyroid, surgical post menapausal woman also on Belviq

[aliche]

Hi All,

I started Belviq about 2 months ago and lost 15 lbs. I find that weekends and especially eating out is terrible for me and tends to put that weight right back on. I work out about 3 times a week as well. Belviq has really been the kick I needed to stop the horrible cravings but when I smell the food, I crave badly. I also started to use a protein shake instead of lunch when I am at work. I need to lose about another 80 lbs and still feel so blah. I want to have people in similar situations that can add me to their user profile. I definitely need support of non judgemental people and hoping I can get it here.

[LMMRR]

Hi!

Many health issues (FMS/AFib/diabetes/CFS/and post meno)--Heart surgery and a change in my diabetes meds helped me (Victoza), so I understand your joy with Belviq.  I have lost 31.2 lbs so far with 35 or so to go.

Be ready for the "crave attacks" with something already on your food plan!  Someone has an order of fat laden fries?  Be ready with potato crisps which could be part of your lunch plan, but don't forget the spice to avoid boredom.  I make my own with a microwave accessory from Pampered Chef and add popcorn seasoning or a no salt blend for flavor.  Need a cruncy munchy (one of my worst cravings)?  I eat dry roasted endamae for the protein, fiber and especially the CRUNCH!  Of course, the soy helps with the effects of post meno as well.  This is usually part of my evening snack.  Someone made micro pop at the office?  Put 2 Tablespoons of popcorn kernels in a lunch sized brown bag.  Fold the top over twice and seal the bag with a piece of tape.  Make up a bunch and store them in your desk in a zipper bag.  Microwave as usual--I use pan spray (or butter spray) and some kind of pourable seasoning such as molly mcButter to make it like the Movie Theater kind of popcorn.  Need a "sweet" after meals? Try frozen fruit.  Great flavor when you allow it to defrost in your mouth then eat it slowly.  The ultimate craving--Chocolate!  Find a sugar free version you enjoy (Russel Stovers Dark Chocolate Miniatures is mine) and allow yourself one if you meet your fitness goal for the day.  Remember, cocoa powder is low in fat.  Its's the part of the cocoa seed that's left after most of the oils/butter is pressed out.  I use PB2, sweetener and cocoa in my oatmeal.  Tastes like those no bake chocolate oatmeal drop cookies we all loved as kids, and it makes a great evening snack.  You know, I've never eaten it cold!  I wonder if it would taste more like the cookies. . . .but it would make a great dessert.

Eating out is always a challenge.  My best advice is go to restaurants that will cook to order (which eliminates fatty fast food).  First and foremost, drink an entire 8 oz of water before your meal arrives.  Don't let them put the bread basket on the table, ask for your to go box when your meal is delivered and halve your meal right then.  This helps with portion control.  Fill up on salads/fresh or plain steamed veggies and then the lean meats.  Carbs last--if you have room.  Dressings--seasoned vinegars, salsa, or lemon/lime juice.  I find it easy to eat at steak houses.  Salad w/vinegar, steamed veggies, meat, and potato w/salsa.

There are a ton more tips on here.  I hope you keep up the great work.  Remember, you only have (the next) 5 pounds to loose.  Take it in little steps and in no time you'll have climbed the mountain!

[Trish_G]

Hi Aliche 

I'm 42  and HypoThyroid as well and on Synthroid every monring (have Hashimoto's disease) and have been doing healthy eating now for abount a year (10 months with my wonderful fitbit)  and I'm down 60 lbs (whoo hooo) it's been hard but with effort 🙂 Please feel free to send me a friend request. I do alot of walking/exersize and just started (which seems to be working for me) more food in the morning/lunch and less at dinner/night (try for low carb dinner). I get out for a walk in the morning before work and gym 3x per week and walking in the evenings for the other 3. I still ahve about 30 lbs to go to get to my goal. I get the blah I go through some days like that as well but trying to get past it and get on to healthier living.

Trish

[aliche]

I added you as a friend. I wan to hear all about your eating as I seem to be eating the right amount at the wrong times.

[Trish_G]

I think I accepted 🙂 still getting the hang of this forum/friends etc... Very nice meet someone I have so much in common with.

For food I’ve been doing a bit of a lower carb but after reading about Hashimotos’ I’m trying more carbs in the morning and it’s really helped for my energy level.

Sunday to Friday

Breakfast – Coffee, Cereal (Edge protein) and protein shake.

Lunch – Usually a sandwich or leftover dinner (med carb intake) – use a low carb bread/wrap or the weightwatchers Whole grain. Fruit, Veggie and Yogurt.

Afternoon Snack – low fat cheese or apple or other fruit.

Dinner – Meat and Veggies only. So Chicken and a salad or Chicken and Broccoli etc... (large portion of Veggie)

After dinner snack – Microwave popcorn (100 cal bag)

Saturday

Calorie loading day – this is what I sort of have a free day lets my system know I’m not starving it with the low cal the other parts of the week. So I try to eat extra calories and have a treat that I denied myself at some point during the last week (so if I want a cookie on Tuesday I can control it knowing maybe I’ll have that as my treat on Saturday) and have extra carbs on this day so I’ll have bread etc… So this would be the day I would treat myself to Pasta to (my Fav food) 

And I use Chocolite Sugar free chocolate snacks, Sugar free Jello or Pudding or Fiber one bars when I really need a treat during the week.

Exercise

Walking morning before breakfast (can’t have any food till 30 min after thyroid meds)  – 20 to 30 min

Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday – Weight training (heavy weights) and 20 min of cardio

Evenings not gym days walk with the dogs (slower pace) 30-60 min

Sat extra walk to shop for some type of treat (1 hour faster pace)

[LMMRR]

Hello,



I use an exchange system because both the ADA and the AHA recommend this
type of diet.



That being said, check out just what constitutes a carbohydrate when
choosing your veggies! Peas, carrots, corn, almost all squashes, beans &
lentils, zucchini, eggplant, and root "vegetables" (including the onion
family) are all carbohydrates, thus a can of mixed vegetables is really a
can of mixed carbs! Another zinger is that tomato products count as fruits
not vegetables! This means that spaghetti and meatballs is really a plate
full of simple and complex carbohydrates with a bit of meat and fat thrown
in. I combat this by adding pureed frozen spinach, dehydrated kale, and
canned asparagus to my sauce which cuts down the fruit and adds vegetables.
Whole wheat pasta makes things a bit better, but flavor your water before
trying the whole wheat pasta. Believe me, it will taste loads better.



The other thing I do is load my carbs earlier in the day when I will be more
active. I have FMS so my better times are in the morning and early
afternoon. Evening is a more sedentary time for me so I don't eat as many
carbs then. Remember, all fruits are carbs but are counted differently
because of the nutrition they provide.



Typical day for me breakfast: 1 dairy, 1 pro, 2 carb

Lunch: 2 oz pro, 2 serv carbs, 2 serv
veggies,

Snack: whole fruit smoothie w/veggies
(spinach & kale) & sf yogurt or skim milk
Dinner: 3 oz meat, 2 cups veggies (check
w/ADA for best list) 1 serving carbs

Snack: frozen grapes or sf jello, or sf/ff
pudding, or sf 3-2-1 cake



This provides 6 oz protein, 2 servings dairy, 5-6 servings carbs, 4-6
servings veggies, 2-3 servings fruit and approximately 1500 calories. I
don't usually count vegetable calories because they are so low, but do
consider what you may dress them with. Limit fat intake to 5 TEAspoons a
day. Limit salt to 2,300 mg per day.



My exercise is usually a minimum of 2 miles a day plus 2-4 hours of exercise
a week.



3-2-1 Cake: 1 box angel food cake mix and 1 box sugar free cake mix
combined. Place 3 Tablespoons mix and 2 Tablespoons water in a coffee mug
and mix together. Microwave 1 minute then dump the "cupcake" onto a saucer.
Enjoy. You can add berries, sf choc morsels, nuts, etc to the batter and
give yourself a little extra flavor.

[LMMRR]

Hello,

Sounds like what you're doing is working for you! Congrats of the loss.
I'm about halfway to my goal and have another 35 to go. I can't seem to
break the 200 lb barrier to get to ONEderland though. It seems life is
conspiring against me. This weekend I got roped into a Dirty Girl Mud Run
and messed up my hand. Pain meds are keeping me sleeping so no exercise for
me. Every time I do something good and physical for myself I end up hurt
somehow. The last time I tried something really physical (except bowling) I
ended up with a broken tailbone and compression fracture. Six weeks in bed
on meds-ugh. Before that it was biking and I fell and twisted my ankle-6
weeks in a cast, 12 in an air cast. I am signing up for the AMF summer
bowling program so perhaps that will help.



Typing this one handed is a challenge! I too, load my carbs in the a.m.
when I am more active. By evening I just don't have the energy to exercise
or do more than a good walk.



I understand the blahs! Think good thoughts, positive self talk works to
beat the blahs. Consider what you have accomplished not how much longer
your journey may be. A good visual for this is to take two jars, label one
lost and the other "to lose" and count out the total number of pounds you
had to loose, one marble (or whatever) for each pound. Now, take 60 of them
and put them in your jar labeled lost. You can figure out the rest. When
you feel down, study the lost jar and remember you only have 5 pounds to
lose. Small, steady steps win the race.



When my weight loss stalls I consider the fact that my clothes are getting
too big. Even though the scale shows no movement (or even a gain) I
consider the fact that the last size I wore doesn't fit anymore. I can wear
my new size in a non-elastic pant! Whoo Hoo! Another visual for this is to
keep a pair of pants/dress/blouse of the size you started out. Think of how
you ate and behaved when you wore that item. Congratulate yourself on a job
well done-so far. You can and will persevere.



One visual that works for me is a picture of me at my heaviest. I look at
it and know I have moved on from that place and won't be there again.



Lisa