Losin' It in October 2009! Stillman's way

[aleriaaa]

Originally Posted by princessdaisy

Aleriaaaa -- How 'bout I present a Thin Commandment a day? I mean, I'll try to give you all the reader's digest version; my book is so heavily marked-up that it's easy to just post the highlights of each one.

Yes Daisy!! That would be great! Thanks so much! I already know to eat with a fork. Thanks sillyerin - now I'm not allowed to stand in front of the open fridge shoving chicken bits in my mouth with my fingers. Utensils only. this is a good thing.

[princessdaisy]

Aleriaaa -- Does that mean you lost over 40 pounds in 4 months???? You are a ROCKSTAR, girl!!! Not to mention poster girl for Stillman's. That is awesome.

[aleriaaa]

THANKS Daisy!! It sounds so great when you put it that way!

[princessdaisy]

Okay,everyone, here is the "First Thin Commandment" (courtesy of Stephen Gullo, PhD):

Strategy is Stronger Than Willpower: 1) Use strategy to stay in control 2) Stop self-defeating food talk 3) Weight yourself on the New Scale for Dieting 4) Keep a food diary
5) Listen to a power tape

1) No diet will work unless you implement a strategy specifically designed to your own personal sensitivities regarding food. He goes into further detail later in the book (I mean, everthing he's writing about is "strategy"), but basically his point is that white-knuckling your way through temptation will ultimately fail; on the other hand, if you equip yourself with techniques (also coming soon) you can face tempting foods and situations that much better and actually make you WANT to continue on course.

2) This one is SO true for me: "The Lure of Food 'Baby Talk'". I have to quote him here: "Where food is concerned, even the most mature adults often act like children -- like children who want their way no matter what, blocking out the negative consequences of their eating. They focus instead on a few minutes' worth of taste that fill the mouth and lingers for a short while, while completely denying the obvious and discomforting cost. For these foods are not free -- you have to wear them for years to come. You can't eat it all and still be thin. This is a fact. But you can be a selective gourmet and never have to give up the pleasure of fine dining" (p. 8). He's no softy, is he?

3) The new scale for dieting is a quiz you take every week to make sure you're staying on track. The 10 questions are 1: Am I going more than 3 or 4 hours w/o a healthy snack or meal? 2: Am I failing to plan (more to come on this) 3: Am I avoiding foods I have a long history of abusing? 4: Am I keeping my moods out of my foods? Am i not eating out of boredom or anger, and am I reminding myself in stressful situations that "this is not about food"? 5: Am I keeping problem foods out of the house or out of sight? 6: Am I avoiding high-risk situations (i.e. reading dessert menus, looking at dessert carts, dining in restaurants with buffet-style and/or family-style service)? 7: Am I maintaining finger control? (see Sillyerin's post) 8: Am I eating too much of the "right foods" on my plan? 9: Am I watching for the hidden calories that stop weight loss (salad dressings, sauces, etc.) and failing to ask in restaurants "how's it prepared"? 10: Am I reminding myself that this is not about deprivation but doing what works for a happier, healthier life? (p. 11)

4) Keep a food diary (need I say more?)

5) Okay, Oprah is about to start, so I'm not writing out this whole thing, but basically he says to make motivational tapes or CDs for yourself with stuff like (these are the things I highlighted) "If I don't buy it, I don't eat it." "I've seen it all, I've tasted it all, and it hasn't made me happy; it has only made me heavy." "A food temptation is simply a feeling, it's not a command. It lasts about 4 to 12 minutes. If I break eye contact and say 'No way!' it will pass. Isn't thin worth 4 to 12 minutes of standing up to a feeling?" (That's my favorite one). (pp. 14-15)

Think not so much in terms of dieting alone, "think instead of looking 10 years younger without a face-lift (okay, that's my favorite one), think in terms of quality of life, self-mastery and growth, fashionable clothes, saving guilt hours at the gym, struggling to make up for yesterday's food excesses. Most of all...think about life enhancement..." (pp. 19 -20).

Commandment #2 tomorrow!

p.s. No time for spellcheck, Oprah's already started!

[IM2fat]

Daisy: I'll be tuning in tomorrow. . Thank you for taking the time to post for us sorry, you had such a difficult day yesterday but I just read an article that says people who view it as one meal at a time have a better success rate than those who say "well, I blew it now.. I might as well eat for the rest of the day. ." So, I think that was a great victory for you and a wonderful learning experience!!!

Alerriaaa. .you are now my hero. . Keep it up, girlfriend! I need strong people around me. . Now. . what is going to happen when you do start running around your house? Mmmmm. . . You'll probably float, you'll be so light.

So far. .so good today. .just contemplating what to make for supper. .

Mmmmm. .Shall it be good ole chicken ala' plain or plate of turkey? Decisions, decisions.. I just can't decide. I know. a little of each!

[Getting there!!!]

Hi Everyone! And welcome to all the "newbies". Our group is getting bigger! (Maybe that was a badly chosen sentance-surely we want to be getting smaller!) I was on hols and at home for over a week and I seem to have forgotten my password-its saved on the laptop. So I couldn't reply but I was still checking in. Didn't really stick to Stillmans-in fact didn't at all-had chocie and everything(God it tasted good! Anyway as of Sunday back to it! -2 small eggs breakkie, and then 3 turkey breast throughout the day-no sauce or mustard. And doing 2.5 hours on bike. Back to 154 so that's good.Would like to do more but so hard getting up so early and it's so dark since the hour change that after work I just want to go to bed-well nearly!
I'm2fat: I actually laughed out loud when I read your "tuna cereal" for breakfast-without the milk or cereal-hilarious!!
Daisy: thanks for posting the thin comm.s., It really does make you think.
xx

[Getting there!!!]

I am just reading the "commandments" again-god they are good-I have to get myself the book1 O.K. some maybe common sense or at least ones I think everyone has tried-don't buy, don't look at desert menu or watch a buffet etc.. But the one " I've seen it all, tasted it all,hasn't made me happy just heavy--that is so true!! It's def. in the same vain as "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" which I think is just brill-and for me becoming so true(ok not exactly thin yet-but getting there-slowly-but still I look at the size I wear now and what I took a year ago and boy does that keep me motivated!!
Can't wait til the next installment! xx

[princessdaisy]

Getting there -- I just had to say that the minute I read "brill" in your post I looked where you were from (I thought England, but Ireland must have similar expressions). So cute! I love being able to hear your accent even though I can only read what your saying.

BTW: We honeymooned in Dublin (15 years ago) and met THE nicest people. I mean every Irish person was friendly and fun. Oh yeah, and I almost died there when I car just missed me by an inch (just outside Powers gardens). Oh yeah, and I developed a severe addiction to Irish Coffee; one night I was so wired that I was up at 3 am plucking my eyebrows ala Pamela Anderson. My (new) husband woke up and, after locking my tweezers in the hotel safe, cut me off from my new best friend. I think I lost about 5 pounds too...


IM2fat -- Thanks for the kind words!!!

[Getting there!!!]

Daisy: That is the second time someone has said that to me about "brill"-obviously yee don't use it at all!(That 'yee' probably sounds really Irish too!) We use "brilly" too!Yeah we have the same expressions as the brits! Glad you liked Ireland-I'm from Galway-west coast- but I went to college and worked for 3 years in Dublin. Yeah we do like to have fun and def. drink way too much-can't believe you actually lost weight. Though the good old traditional Irish breakkie-fried egg,bacon and sausage is a good Atkins meal!
xx

[~*tina150*~]

Ok, I pushed through the day! I even went to the gym with hubby worked my butt off!! I had him hide the scale so I would not be tempted to get on it in the mornings. I have had no diet soda for 2 days and have a killer headach! I am ready for bed!

Starzmom- I wish I could keep all the non plan food out of the house, but with 3 kids, its kinda hard. Hubby has been great. He's been making their dinner the last couple nights so it don't bug me to see what I can't have.

Everyone have a great night!

Tina

[Beth Sch]

ARGH! CAN MUSTARD BE SLOWING ME DOWN OR WHAT? I'M FRUSTRATED!

Im totally eating the same thing every day! Ckn breast and turkey and lean lean lean gr beef. like 8-900 cals a day that's it. If I go lower than that I really don't lose! I'm not losing fast at all. I've been the same wt. since 4 days ago, yes TOM left and I don't even workout as this stalls me too.

What should I do! I'm losing the mustard!

HELP! I want to get to 140 ASAP! Why am I not losing wt.?

[princessdaisy]

Hi Beth! I haven't been doing Stillman's long, but I have been low carbing for years so I'll give you my 2 cents. Personally, I lose on low, low calories (like yours) if I'm NOT low carbing, but lose MUCH better eating MORE while low carbing. Don't ask me why.

Yesterday I dropped 1.5 lbs. and ate 1860 calories (granted, I cut out ALL salt so it's mostly water loss but WHO CARES, right?!!!).

I've read on some other Stillman's threads that people were losing better eating more. I think if you keep the carbs to virtually nothing and up your calories, things will get moving again.

Good luck!!!!

p.s. My post-TOM weight loss doesn't start up again until day #6, for whatever that's worth.

[Lynnehermena]

I have been lurking. I was on Adkins (again) with no real weight loss. Maybe I am just impatient. All of you helped me decide to go with Stillmans and it is great!!

Right now I am following some of Erin's advice and eating only simple meat. I told my DH that it is the "meat diet". But I do see the scale moving, so I am happy and comitted. I intend to have a "cheat day" on Friday. But not really eating too bad, just one meal out with some drinks. I think that having the off day helps you stick to the plan.

Previously, I reached a plateau at about 182 and was staying there forever!!!(You know what I mean). Basically I am only 5'3" and I need to be about 140 (or less). When I switched to Stillmans, the scale started moving. That is all I needed for motivation. I make sure that I drink at least 4 bottles of the 1.9 pint bottles of water and I drink my coffee black.

Thanks for all of your words that helped me along. Here is to all of the lurkers that are getting motivated by your weight loss.

-Lynne

[~*tina150*~]

Good Morning!
Well, I managed to stay off the scale! I am sooo sore from my workout yesterday, but I really want to at least go do the treadmill later.

Beth, I am right there with you. I eat about as much as you do, and haven't had a loss and have been very frustrated. I'm just gonna keep with it, and I'm staying off the scale but once a week!

Tina

[IM2fat]

Tina, Beth, Lynne! Hang in there You guys can do it! I am the absolute worst at losing weight. .I've told my story before but I'll give you a quick repost. . I've tried everything (probally like everyone else) and was a lifetime member of Weight Watchers for years and it worked beautifully. After my last child - six years ago - I could not budge. nothing worked and I was sick of starving myself. I started with Atkins in July and was Ok with my losses although they weren't great.. Hubby and I were both doing it and he was dropping weight left and right. .I found this website and lurked on a bunch of different chats and found that Stillman's sounded manageable considering I had been eating the Atkins way but deep down knew that all the fat it allows was just not good. I've lost slowly but consistantly since! I want more (I think we all do) but remind myself every day that the longer it takes, the longer I'll be this way and change my habits! There are powerhouse losers on this site and they keep me motivated. The best thing you can do is continue to work at it, log into this site and chart your progress. I swear. .that is one of my biggest motivators. Log into ****** and log your weight. .Run yourself a chart and post it on your refrigerator.. I was weighing myself every day because it kept me in check and I logged it everyday. .the real encouragement there was the fact that each gain was only a little and did not negate all I had lost. . (OK. i'm done with my speech for the day but I needed it tooo. .)

I finally got my Stillman's books in the mail yesterday. What a hoot. ..they sure do show their ages. I thought I was getting the Quick Weight Loss book but I actually got the Quick Weight Loss Cook Book! I read the entire thing this morning in the bath tub! (Another of my guilty pleasures. .with a housefull of men, it is the only place I can hide from them. Even if I have to get up at 5:00 in the morning to do so!!) At any rate, I really didn't find anything new along the lines of recipes but he did offer one bit of advise.. If you are getting in a rut with the Quick Weight Loss. .he suggests alternating every other week with the inches off. . I'm thinking about trying it to trick myself into losing again. . . I also got the Thin Commandments book from the library yesterday. .can't wait to read it again.. Twas a toss up this morning. .

Getting there: I find humor is the only way to make it in this world. .way too many serious people out there! We all need a smile once in while just as well all need a hug!

Random thought for the day: My aeorbic instructor told me to touch my toes. I said, "I don't have that kind of relationship with my feet. Can I just wave?"

[aleriaaa]

Hi Everyone!!! I don't know what I did to deserve this but I am down 2 for a grand total of 145!

daisy - thanks for taking the time to shed some commandments on us. really interesting stuff!

Welcome Lynnehermena! You seem to already have a good grip on the plan. Simple meats and lots of water- Nice job! I see great poundage loss in your future!

Getting there- nice job sticking to plan and exercising. WTG!

IM2 - are we gonna do some hula-hoopin today? As soon as you're ready I'll start my wall-pushups and squats!

Hey Beth - Its so discouraging when the scale doesnt move. I dont know enough about how this diet really works but I tend to eat a lot. Not sure if thats helping me or hurting me but yesterday I ate a pound of ground beef and 6 cups of chicken soup filled to the top with chicken, and then like a cup of ground turkey.(spread through the day of course) That has to be a lot of calories. I also wanted to add that everytime I get discouraged, 2 days later there is a sudden drop in weight! Yours is coming very soon!!!

[aleriaaa]

Originally Posted by IM2fat

The best thing you can do is continue to work at it, log into this site and chart your progress. I swear. .that is one of my biggest motivators. Log into ****** and log your weight. .Run yourself a chart and post it on your refrigerator.. I was weighing myself every day because it kept me in check and I logged it everyday. .the real encouragement there was the fact that each gain was only a little and did not negate all I had lost. .

The very best advice!!! I keep track of the scale and my menus everyday and log in here every chance I get!!! now i need to make an exercise chart....

[aleriaaa]

Erin, tina and all the other exercisers on here...I am so impressed. Don't know how you do it. Well, you probably just get up and do it. I'm not there yet, but Im gonna give it an honest shot!

[Starzmom]

Tina..I know how it is as I have a big kid (DH) who eats off plan all the time. I've been cooking his off plan meals all along my weight loss journey. I do at least cover up his carby treats so I don't have to see them every time I enter the kitchen! Also all breads stay in the freezer. Really with only him eating them they'd go bad way before finishing if left out.
Lynne...Welcome, welcome welcome!
My my we are a large happy group!
Greetings and mounds of encouragement fairy dust to everyone!
We can do this.

[~*tina150*~]

Hey everyone! I was reading back to one of the excerps I believe it was Starzmom posted from the book about vitamins, it said, "If you’re very much determined to lose weight rapidly, you can cut down your eating to a minimum on the Quick Weight Loss Diet, take 2 of the once-daily vitamins tablets each day. Has anyone tried this? I was curious the first couple days I only took one, I was kinda nauseaus for a bit, how would two be? But does it help work better?

Thanks!
Tina

[SillyErin]

Daisy - Irish Coffee? Dont temp me with the high energy and weight loss - knowing me I'll be addicted to the stuff by the days end.

Beth- Ok - either:

A: Stick it out - if you are like me, It normally takes a couple days them I get a big woosh. After that, it seems to come off day after day - then stop - then woosh. Normally by the end of day 5 - I can feel it. Quit weighing yourself.

B: Cut out the beef. Stick to white meats.

C: What are you eating? Are you eating cheese? Are you eating too much protein? The first couple days I eat more protein - but by day 3 and 4 it tapers off. I know people wont like this - but measure your meat JUST to see how much you are consuming. Sometimes people are surprised what they thought was only 8 oz is 16oz. Do you know how many calories are in 4oz of lean beef? Like 200. If you have a pound for dinner - thats a 800 calorie dinner.

D: I agree with Daisy: Maybe try upping your calories, but keep carbs at absolute zero. This has worked for me before.

E: Ditch anything you dip meat in. I tried mustard last night (thought maybe I could handle it). I ate a TON of turkey burger because the mustard made it taste so good. I ate a ton more than I did the past couple days. Dry plain meat works wonders.

F: (My favorite) Never go more than 10 days on Stillmans without a free meal. I never go longer than 5 days. That is a dinner (only - not full day) of a meal of whatever you want. Not a binge, a dinner with salad, main course, dessert. Some people wont agree with this. I do. Stillman was against it - but it works. As long as you can hop on Stillmans the very next day, and not let it turn into 4 days or 2 weeks or whatever. This works in 2 different ways: creates a "light at the end of the tunnel" and makes your clean days REALLY clean, cause you want them to count. So thats the psychological benefits. The physichological (spelling is horrid - sorry) is that it fills your glycogen back up, restores leptin (somewhat, not as good as a 4 hour refeed would) and sorta starts you back over on a clean slate and switches the body up.

If you stay on this diet for a long period of time - you tend to get sloppy with your choices. Carb creep, calorie creep, too much food, etc. I feel like everytime I have my "free meal" Im starting over new with a new diet that very next day - so I always stay perfectly in the game.

And I been eating this way since Oct of 2005 (right before my wedding), so 4 years. Atkins stopped working and I was at 155. I got on the "low carb/low cal" bandwagon but NEVER without my freemeals and its what got me down this low. I alternated between Kimkins, 1972 Atkins, Stillmans - but always stick to very low carb and my refeeds. I couldnt imagine doing Stillmans for 4 months straight - I dont know how aleriaaa does it, but more power to her!

Just my little "refeed" spiel....ask Daisy, Im all about the refeeds when low carbing (specially with calories this low).

[aleriaaa]

sillyerin: you always make so much sense. thank you.

Originally Posted by SillyErin

F: (My favorite) Never go more than 10 days on Stillmans without a free meal. I never go longer than 5 days. That is a dinner (only - not full day) of a meal of whatever you want. Not a binge, a dinner with salad, main course, dessert. Some people wont agree with this. I do. Stillman was against it - but it works. As long as you can hop on Stillmans the very next day, and not let it turn into 4 days or 2 weeks or whatever. This works in 2 different ways: creates a "light at the end of the tunnel" and makes your clean days REALLY clean, cause you want them to count. So thats the psychological benefits. The physichological (spelling is horrid - sorry) is that it fills your glycogen back up, restores leptin (somewhat, not as good as a 4 hour refeed would) and sorta starts you back over on a clean slate and switches the body up.

I hope some of you follow this plan. I am so curious to see the results from those that are farther from their goal weight. I promised myself I would stick to my plan until goal, but I really feel that erins way is a healthier way. I upped my "goal weight" to my wedding day weight. 127 is a healthy weight for a mama and at that point I will start my maintain journey with some free meals.

The reason I can't have a free meal now is because I can't trust that I will hop back on plan. I know I shouldn't fill my mind with negative thoughts anymore, but I feel like Im so close to being thin again that I dont want anything to mess that up.

Please let me know how everyone else does with it!

[Kikilynk]

Well I have silently been following along the last month. Mainly bc y'all inspire me so much! I have lost 10lbs since the 3rd of October but feel I should be doing better especially since i have read his book. Thanks for posting all your sucesses! I appreciate it. Have a wonderful day and keep up the great work!

[Starzmom]

Kiki...Welcome to the group! I hope you'll feel free to post every day or from time to time. We love lurkers. Hello lurkers out there!

Aleriaaa...I can't do a free meal or a free day either. I just tend to get off plan or eat too much and not lose if I do that. I was doing 3-5 days QWL and then eating veggies on the weekends. Didn't work for me. I'd have to go through a little carb withdrawl each Monday when I went back on QWL...and I didn't lose either. I'd spend the whole week on QWL trying to get back to where I was the week before. I just maintained so I'm leery of trying a free meal myself. Anyway I don't do QWL all the time anymore, just for a few weeks and then I do the 14 day shape up plan for awhile until I feel like doing QWL again. Anyway what I'm getting at is I need to follow QWL continuously to see loss, no breaks while I'm on it. We are all different and doing QWL by the book seems to work best for me.

[princessdaisy]

Tina: I'd be VERY careful about taking 2 multivitamins a day b/c of the overload of vitamin A in your system (very dangerous; can really damage your liver). Here's a good, short article that can explain it better than I can and also shows the importance of getting in ONE a day:

Multivitamins: Your Insurance Policy for an Imperfect Diet | Cleveland Clinic Health

[SillyErin]

Aleriaaa - are you aware that you have lost 10 pounds since Oct 5th? Thats awesome!

Sometimes making this diet work is all mental as well - when you think negative and think it isnt working, it wont - when you trust it, and know your body works 100% perfect - it will.

Just a thought!

Keep up the fight girls!

[Beth Sch]

Thanks for all your help ladies!

I'm really frustrated! I should be 140 by now and im 148! Okay I upped the cals yesterday to 1100 and I'm down .4 today! I do think it's not eating enough. I weigh everything and I don't think it's too much protein?

So, I think I need to eat round 1200 or so at least! Erin, I have noticed that when I eat only ckn and turkey breasts, I either gain or stall! How weird is that? Also, my lean gr. beef is only 150 cals per 4 oz. It's super lean! I even had 1.5 oz of cheese yesterday! I was dying for some fat!

So, here the plan, gotta eat more, diching the mustard! Gonna have one day where I eat likke 1800 in fat and protein just to shake it up a bit, like you say Erin! Don't think I'll get out of ketosis though! Don't want to do that! I have been doing this for almost 4 weeks now so I need to change it up a bit! I miss working out too. If I wo I gain and stall!

Okay, I'm happy that I at least lost something! You are doing such a great job Al! I want to stay with you! We are neck and neck!

WELCOME NEWBIES! SO HAPPY TO HAVE NEW FACES WITH US!

Do you think 1200 cals is enough, Princess? Man, what are you eating, I want to do what you're doing. How tall are you, and does the working out stop your losses, probably not! I'm not eating enough!

It looks like you guys are having a ton of protein so eating too much isn't the problem. I'm only eating 900 cals a day too! Well, was, now I'm upping it to 1200!

BBL

[SillyErin]

Working out (depending on what I do) makes me retain water. When you first start working out your muscles hold on to water, or if you over do it - then they retain BIG time. If I walk, I dont have that problem. If I run too hard or too far - I do.

Chicken makes me retain water - the additives do. Youre not gaining weight, but water - yes. Both with the chicken and exercise. You have to experiment to figure out what works and what doesnt.

Alternating between jogging and walking works insanely good for me. Just walking isnt enough and too much running leaves me sore and bloated/retaining water. (Thats why I dont weigh myself, I will quit if I see the water retention and I have to keep training)

Sometimes I have to switch it up with some beef too - but I will only do it for a day or so, not make it a staple.

I stick to ground turkey, tilapia, tuna - and lean eye of round steak.

Also - be careful of how much time you spend on these boards or thinking about diet/weight, etc. If I hear of people stalling while eating perfectly clean - I will too. Kinda like hearing about side effects and suddenly getting them out of the blue. The mind/body connection is amazing.

Its amazing. Week before last I was doing beautifully - I could tell I was dropping pretty quickly (I had been absent from the boards 5 days). But - (even though I love you guys) the more I get wrapped up in diet talk and thinking about it, the less it seems to work.

Just saying - be careful how sucked in you get. I could spend all day on here talking about diet and all the fun stuff - but I know too much is bad. So I have to keep my mind off dieting (and just DO IT) and step one is watching my time here.

[IM2fat]

[QUOTE=aleriaaa;12668260]Hi Everyone!!! I don't know what I did to deserve this but I am down 2 for a grand total of 145!

Congrats to you. . I knew you could do it!

Kikilynk: Glad we are on the right track!

My two cents: You need to eat to lose. . if you let your calorie count get too low.. .your body thinks it is starving and will struggle to maintain your fat. .make sure you are getting enough to give you energy and only take one multi-vitamin. - any more than that does bad things!!!

[Beth Sch]

Thanks for your wisdom, Erin! I know what you mean about obsessing! I try and keep my posting down to a minimum. Have too much life to do!

IM, what do you eat to lose? Just curious. I am learning the HARD way that I have to eat to lose for sure! I'm excited as I'm really hungry at only 900 cals a day! Sucks!