Weight Loss Motivation From 6 Women Who Together Lost 500 Pounds

Today, Melina Jampolis, M.D., a health expert for CNN.com and a San Francisco-based physician, who hosts Fit TV’s Diet Doctor, shares the inspirational weight loss advice from the winners of Weight Watchers Inspiring Stories of Change Contest–6 women who as a group lost nearly 500 pounds. Here are three things that Melina wanted to share …

1. Treat each day like a blank page and don’t get wrapped up in what might have happened before. “Theresa, a nurse who made the decision to lose weight to set an example for her teenage daughter who also struggled with weight, found that keeping a food journal was the key. Research shows that keeping a food journal can double your weight loss and I love the positive approach she has taken towards tracking her food, viewing each day as a clean slate rather than letting a few indulgent meals completely derail her.”

2. Stay motivated by focusing on goals outside of weight loss. “JoAnn, who lost 111.5 pounds using Weight Watchers Online, stayed motivated by focusing on clothing size, measurements, and fitness goals like pushups, situps, and wall sits that were checked every 6 weeks at her gym. She also made sure to share goals with friends who helped her stay on track. There are so many reasons why the scale may not cooperate from week to week including hormone levels, travel, eating a salty meal, or gaining muscle, so it is critical to have non weight loss goals to help keep you motivated.”

3. Only start what you believe you can finish. “Tamara, a teacher who lost over 122 pounds and had failed at weight loss more times than she cared to remember, promised herself that she would not start anything in terms of diet and exercise that she was not willing to continue.” She also made sure that her exercise program was very doable and was not something that she dreaded on a daily basis.

Weight Haters–Enough! If Beyonce is “Fat,” Then The Rest of Us Are In Big Trouble

When I ran across an article claiming that Beyonce had packed on pounds, I rolled my eyes. Seriously, if she’s “fat” then this baby weight makes me fat too–and then some. Beyonce looks fabulous, but maybe her dress wasn’t the most flattering (haven’t we all been there?). See the photo for yourself and tell me what you think…

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First it was Jessica Simpson, and now Beyonce’s making headlines for gaining weight, when they–in my opinion–look normal! It’s like we’ve become so accustom to seeing sickly skinny celebs that when someone actually looks, um, healthy, we think they’re fighting the battle of the bulge.

Sigh.

OK, here’s a link to the photo that everyone’s talking about. The dress does accentuate her hips, but does it make her look like she’s gained weight? I don’t think so.

P.S. Do you think “fat” is a bad word?

Weight Haters: Leave Jessica Simpson Alone!

Over the weekend, Jessica Simpson performed at a concert and her appearance sent tongues wagging. This morning, The New York Post published this cartoon about her weight that made me gasp in horror. You have to see it to believe it!

Wow. Wow. I’m (almost) at a loss for words. Besides being mean-spirited, this cartoon is pointless, too. What does her weight have to do with her new CD, or her performance at a concert, anyway? It’s obvious Simpson is plenty comfortable in her own skin. I think that’s a lesson we could all learn. Besides, she looks fantastic–and well below the 36.5″ waist of the average American woman.

While some bloggers have been harsh and have called Simpson fat, the ladies over at Slaves to Fashion think the unflattering photos were due to an unfortunate wardrobe choice. Jessica’s sister Ashlee recently defended her in a post on her MySpace blog. Ashlee wrote that she was “completely disgusted by the headlines concerning my sister’s weight…I find it completely embarrassing and belittling to all women to read about a woman’s weight or figure as a headline.” Amen!

Simpson’s former trainer, Harley Pasternak also stuck up for the singer. “She has curves where a woman needs to have curves,” he told Extra. ” I think Jessica has a really healthy perspective on her healthy body image and looks like a woman. I would take her body any day over somebody who’s emaciated and looks unhealthy.”

Simpson is no stranger to being called names. She told Glamour back in May about how she deals with nasty tabloid rumors.

Watch Me Diet: I (Gulp) Weighed Myself Yesterday

Unless I’m at the doctor’s office, I usually avoid stepping on a scale. I have a general idea of my weight and use the way my clothes fit as a guide to whether I need to cut back on the cheese puffs. But in the spirit of accountability, I decided to hop on the scale at the gym to help me keep track of how much weight I’m losing. Drumroll please…

Sorry, I’m not going to share how much I weigh! But I can say the number is lower than I expected, but still higher than my comfort zone. I wrote the number down and will check again after two weeks to see if I’ve made any progress.

Tell me, do you weigh yourself regularly? Does it help keep you on track? Or do you usually just figure out how much you’ve lost or gained by how your clothes fit?

Sex Question: I’m Trying to Get Pregnant but My Periods Have Become Irregular. What’s Going on?

Dear Dr. Kate,

My husband and I have been married for six months and now we’re trying to have a baby. I’ve always had regular periods, but the past few months they’ve been irregular. I have a brownish discharge for three or four days before my regular period, I’ve been one to two weeks early each cycle, and I sometimes I have spotting after sex (which has never happened before). What’s going on?

There are several possibilities for your suddenly irregular periods. One explanation could be a hormonal imbalance; your ob-gyn can check you for thyroid and pituitary dysfunction. Polycystic ovaries are another common cause of irregularity, but if you had regular periods even without birth control (which many women use to regulate their periods), this is unlikely. It could also be a result of a significant weight change-I’ve seen this occur in patients many times, whether it’s from pre-wedding boot-camp weight loss or happy-newlywed weight gain. Or it could simply be a result of stress-from work, family, or even the stress of trying to conceive. You should see your gynecologist for an exam and blood tests. If everything checks out normal, try using ovulation predictor kits to give you some guidance as to when ovulation is actually happening during these sporadic cycles.

Readers, have you experienced anything like this while trying to get pregnant? What was the cause for your change in menstruation cycle?

Have a sex health question of your own? Ask Dr. Kate here, and keep checking back to see if she’s answered it.

Psyllium Heart Claim OK’d

Breakfast cereal manufacturers now can claim that products containing soluble fiber from psyllium seed husk may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says.

The agency’s regulatory ruling came in response to a petition from Kellogg Co. The soluble fiber of psyllium comes from the dried husk of the psyllium seed and is used in Kellogg’s Bran Buds and in a variety of dietary supplement products promoted for increased fiber intake and as aids for weight loss.

But the FDA says that because some foods containing PSH can be difficult to swallow, foods carrying the health claim must also have a label statement advising of the need to consume the food with adequate amounts of liquid. The label should also note to avoid eating the food if one has difficulty swallowing. But certain foods not posing such risks are exempt.

The rule amends to a 1997 ruling allowing manufacturers of products containing soluble fiber from whole oats, including Quaker Oats, to issue similar claims. The FDA ruling says foods carrying the health claim must provide at least 1.7 grams of soluble fiber from psyllium.

Potatoes, Eggs Are Back!

Breakfast

Yes, the playing field keeps changing when it comes to what’s good for you. Nutritionist Amanda Ursell recognizes that eggs, or butter, or potatoes can be “in” one day and “out” the next — so what to believe?

Butter was once the symbol of all that is rich and good in foods and margarine a poor substitute — but when it became synonymous with heart disease because of the cholesterol-raising properties of its saturated fats, margarine was the gainer. Now, says Ursell, research indicates margarine is just as bad for us and “the argument appears to have come full circle.”

Eggs got on the “bad food” list when doctors banned them from the diets of those with high levels of blood cholesterol, and virtually everyone else climbed on the bandwagon. But, says Ursell, eggs are back on the table because research has found that for most people, eating three to seven a week makes little difference to blood cholesterol.

Potatoes were blacklisted when low-carbohydrate dieting became the rage in the 1960s. But now scientists have decided that potatoes are a low-fat, high-carbohydrate food and, says Ursell, “current advice decrees that this is the best kind of diet to follow to shed weight and keep it off — so the potato earns an honorary reprieve.”

Permanent Weight Loss Requires an Attitude Change

Losing weight is about calorie deficit, and one pound of fat is equal to a 3,500-calorie deficit, said Junelle H. Lupiani, a nutritionist and registered dietitian at Miraval Life in Balance wellness resort north of Tucson, Ariz.

But Lupiani encourages “mindful” eating and says that people losing weight need to be careful about being too extreme. The idea is developing good long-term habits, she said.

Similarly, Dr. Nicole Gullick, a family practice physician by training who for the past three years has operated Transformations by M.D. in Tucson, warns her weight loss clients away from diet programs.

“Diets are the worst thing for you,” Gullick said. “The goal of a lot of these diet programs is to get your money. It’s a revolving door because it’s fine if you gain the weight back. It’s about quick loss.”

The key to losing weight is a changing one behavior at a time and getting rid of the concept of losing a certain amount of weight, Gullick said.

“My goal is teaching people to make permanent changes in their attitude towards food and nutrition in general,” she said.

Among other things, Gullick advises cutting down on refined sugar — she’s eliminated it entirely from her own diet. And as for the low-carb craze, it’s not one she supports. She noted that whole grains have many benefits, and she doesn’t support any program that advocates staying away from certain vegetables.

She does advocate enrolling in a healthy program or having some kind of other support. “Most people don’t have the self-discipline to make these changes themselves,” she said.

Oprah on Falling Off the Weight Loss Wagon: “How Did This Happen–Again?” (And, a Poll: What Derails You?)

Have you ever lost weight, only to watch–in horror–as you gained it back? Oprah is speaking out about her weight loss struggles–very honestly and in a way that I think a lot of us can relate to. Read what she said, and let’s hear what derails your weight loss efforts…

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After whittling her figure down to a healthy 160 pounds, Oprah is now back up around 200 pounds, she admits. “I’m mad at myself,” she says. “I can’t believe that after all these years, all the things I know how to do, I’m still talking about my weight. I look at my thinner self and think, ‘How did I let this happen again?'”

What derails your weight loss efforts?

Oh No–My Clothes Are Getting Tight! How Do You Deal With A Weight-Loss Slip?

Those of you who’ve kept up with my weight-loss journey (I was the Body By Glamour blogger for over a year, starting in January 2008) followed my ups and downs as I worked to deal with the weight I was simply desperate to lose.

In the end, I had more ups than downs and lost about 75 pounds. Once I did, I was able to maintain that weight loss for about a year. Lately, however, I’ve noticed a return to some of the bad habits that brought me to my top weight: My priorities have shifted again, and somehow, I seem to have put myself near the bottom of a list I of things I need to take care of. I’m working too late, not sleeping enough, half-assing my workouts, eating frozen yogurt all the time (even though I know that eating sugar only triggers me to want more sugar)–and worst of all, because I don’t feel good about my body lately, I see myself starting to isolate from people again too. I’m just plain embarrassed. And so uncomfortable in my clothes. (Seriously, if I could sit at my desk with my skirt unzipped today, I would!)

Of course, I’m not surprised that all of these aspects of self-care have started to fall apart together: I totally believe in string theory–pull on one thread and it all unravels. Which means I also believe that taking one right action can have a domino effect. In the article I wrote for Glamour, I talked a lot about how, in the beginning, before I decided to change what I was eating, the only thing I changed about my lifestyle was that I started to exercise. This had huge ripple effects on the rest of my life: I started to feel better about my body, so I wanted to make better food choices, and eventually got to bed earlier so I could get up–and really push myself–at the gym the next morning.