Well I've been on my diet for a few weeks now and I've lost about 13 lbs all
together.

One way I've been able to do it is that I eat a lot of fruit smoothies/fruit
soups that I make in the blender.

Here's one that's sugary but still doesn't have a ton of calories.

1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced then frozen (about 76 calories)
1 banana, sliced, then frozen (I've heard various calorie quotes for
bananas, so I go with the highest I've heard to be on the safe side: 144)

I used 1/2 cup skim milk (45 calories) but you guys could use soy milk. I
think it would turn out the same, and the vanilla version might even make it
taste better. When I last looked at a soy milk label, it had basically the
same # of calories as skim milk anyway (pretty close).

Anyway I put all those ingredients in a blender and whirred them together,
and came out with a soft ice cream like substance.

-Rubystars

"Rubystars" > wrote in message
. com...
> Well I've been on my diet for a few weeks now and I've lost about 13 lbs
all
> together.
>
> One way I've been able to do it is that I eat a lot of fruit
smoothies/fruit
> soups that I make in the blender.
>
> Here's one that's sugary but still doesn't have a ton of calories.
>
> 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced then frozen (about 76 calories)
> 1 banana, sliced, then frozen (I've heard various calorie quotes for
> bananas, so I go with the highest I've heard to be on the safe side: 144)
>
> I used 1/2 cup skim milk (45 calories) but you guys could use soy milk. I
> think it would turn out the same, and the vanilla version might even make
it
> taste better. When I last looked at a soy milk label, it had basically the
> same # of calories as skim milk anyway (pretty close).
>
> Anyway I put all those ingredients in a blender and whirred them together,
> and came out with a soft ice cream like substance.
>
> -Rubystars
>
mmmm...that sounds great! thanks for posting! ()

"katie" > wrote in message
e.rogers.com...
>
> "Rubystars" > wrote in message
> . com...
> > Well I've been on my diet for a few weeks now and I've lost about 13 lbs
> all
> > together.
> >
> > One way I've been able to do it is that I eat a lot of fruit
> smoothies/fruit
> > soups that I make in the blender.
> >
> > Here's one that's sugary but still doesn't have a ton of calories.
> >
> > 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced then frozen (about 76 calories)
> > 1 banana, sliced, then frozen (I've heard various calorie quotes for
> > bananas, so I go with the highest I've heard to be on the safe side:
144)
> >
> > I used 1/2 cup skim milk (45 calories) but you guys could use soy milk.
I
> > think it would turn out the same, and the vanilla version might even
make
> it
> > taste better. When I last looked at a soy milk label, it had basically
the
> > same # of calories as skim milk anyway (pretty close).
> >
> > Anyway I put all those ingredients in a blender and whirred them
together,
> > and came out with a soft ice cream like substance.
> >
> > -Rubystars
> >
> mmmm...that sounds great! thanks for posting! ()

Glad you liked the idea.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:

> Well I've been on my diet for a few weeks now and I've lost about 13 lbs all
> together.

Way to go! Stay strong and keep at it. I saw this the other day, and it may (or
may not) be inspirational:
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0404/140125.html

I like Governor Huckabee's approach which focuses entirely on his health rather
than his weight. He's lost 100 pounds and has now taken up running.

<...>

"usual suspect" > wrote in message
...
> Rubystars wrote:
>
> > Well I've been on my diet for a few weeks now and I've lost about 13 lbs
all
> > together.
>
> Way to go! Stay strong and keep at it. I saw this the other day, and it
may (or
> may not) be inspirational:
> http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0404/140125.html
>
> I like Governor Huckabee's approach which focuses entirely on his health
rather
> than his weight. He's lost 100 pounds and has now taken up running.

Cool, thanks for the story.

I don't know how much this contributed, but I was never able to be as
athletic as other kids without getting out of breath. I don't think I had
asthma (at least not bad enough to take medicine) because I never had any
trouble otherwise, but I could never run much at all, even when I was normal
size. They did this thing in 7th grade science class where were supposed to
jog in place for a few minutes and then breathe through a straw into this
liquid (it changed color with carbon dioxide) and about half way through, I
was gasping... I had to stop and do it then, and the liquid turned color
immediately. I wasn't heavy then.

Funny story, I was in first grade and saw a lot of other kids at recess
doing this thing where they climbed to the top of the monkey bars and
lowered themselves down between them with their arms. Looked like fun so I
got up on top, was going to do the same thing, but my arms weren't strong
enough, and I fell, fast, banging the back of my head against the bar behind
me. What a headache. :S

Thankfully there wasn't any damage (even with the teacher taking her sweet
time realizing I couldn't get up), but I sure did get a bump.

I don't know why I was weak like that in my arms and couldn't run...
hopefully there are ways to build up those muscles though and I'm thinking
about trying to get stronger once all this weight comes off and see if I
can't learn how to do chin ups / run because those are always things I
wanted to be able to do.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:
<...>
> I don't know how much this contributed, but I was never able to be as
> athletic as other kids without getting out of breath. I don't think I had
> asthma (at least not bad enough to take medicine) because I never had any
> trouble otherwise, but I could never run much at all, even when I was normal
> size. They did this thing in 7th grade science class where were supposed to
> jog in place for a few minutes and then breathe through a straw into this
> liquid (it changed color with carbon dioxide) and about half way through, I
> was gasping... I had to stop and do it then, and the liquid turned color
> immediately. I wasn't heavy then.

Weight doesn't really make a difference in cardiovascular conditioning. Let me
clarify that. One can be overweight but have excellent cardiovascular
conditioning; one can be of "ideal" or even underweight and have abysmal
cardiovascular conditioning. The way to improve it is to keep moving and engage
in regular aerobic activity. Casual walking can be aerobic, especially if you're
not in good shape. Eventually you'll improve your aerobic capacity enough that
you'll require longer, more intense activity to improve further.

> Funny story, I was in first grade and saw a lot of other kids at recess
> doing this thing where they climbed to the top of the monkey bars and
> lowered themselves down between them with their arms. Looked like fun so I
> got up on top, was going to do the same thing, but my arms weren't strong
> enough, and I fell, fast, banging the back of my head against the bar behind
> me. What a headache. :S

That's *funny*? Worst thing I ever did on the playground was get the merry-wheel
going so fast that it spun off. Thankfully, I was the only one on it when it
came off.

> Thankfully there wasn't any damage (even with the teacher taking her sweet
> time realizing I couldn't get up), but I sure did get a bump.
>
> I don't know why I was weak like that in my arms and couldn't run...

Probably.

> hopefully there are ways to build up those muscles though and I'm thinking
> about trying to get stronger once all this weight comes off

No, do it now. It'll help with the weight loss and with building aerobic
capacity. Increasing your lean tissue will raise your basal metabolic rate
(BMR), which will work synergistically with dieting and walking to help you lose
more weight faster.

You don't need to get a fancy gym membership, or even a weight set. You can get
some surgical rubber bands at Academy and use them for resistance training.
They're not too expensive. Otherwise, save up old milk bottles (plastic gallon
ones) or other containers and fill with water or gravel or your dad's fishing
weights. You can use those to do simple exercises like lunges, squats, and
presses (military and bench). You may want to skip weights at first and just do
a battery of calisthenics. Crunches, push-ups, and squats will be good to start
with. Don't give up even if you can only manage a few (or even one) to start.

> and see if I
> can't learn how to do chin ups / run because those are always things I
> wanted to be able to do.

You can do it. As for running, it's easiest to start with a good base of
walking. Once you can walk briskly for 30-45 minutes, you can start mixing in
some running. Maybe try to walk for 20 secs and then jog for 10-15, and repeat.
Do that for a while and change the ratio so that eventually you're jogging more
than walking. Here's a link to get you started. Hal Higdon is one of the best
running coaches in the country.
http://www.halhigdon.com/walking/Fitnesswalking.htm
http://www.halhigdon.com/beginrunner/intro.htm
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=1169

You may want to check out the following site, too, to see if you can find a
beginners program or group near you. I looked (second link) but didn't find
anything explicitly for beginners.
http://www.harra.org/
http://www.harra.org/train.htm

"usual suspect" > wrote in message
...
> Rubystars wrote:
> <...>
> > I don't know how much this contributed, but I was never able to be as
> > athletic as other kids without getting out of breath. I don't think I
had
> > asthma (at least not bad enough to take medicine) because I never had
any
> > trouble otherwise, but I could never run much at all, even when I was
normal
> > size. They did this thing in 7th grade science class where were supposed
to
> > jog in place for a few minutes and then breathe through a straw into
this
> > liquid (it changed color with carbon dioxide) and about half way
through, I
> > was gasping... I had to stop and do it then, and the liquid turned color
> > immediately. I wasn't heavy then.
>
> Weight doesn't really make a difference in cardiovascular conditioning.
Let me
> clarify that. One can be overweight but have excellent cardiovascular
> conditioning; one can be of "ideal" or even underweight and have abysmal
> cardiovascular conditioning. The way to improve it is to keep moving and
engage
> in regular aerobic activity. Casual walking can be aerobic, especially if
you're
> not in good shape. Eventually you'll improve your aerobic capacity enough
that
> you'll require longer, more intense activity to improve further.

I didn't know that. I thought if you were at normal weight you were
automatically more healthy than someone who was larger in all "physical
fitness" realms.

My dad found a treadmill at a garage sale a few days ago and my family's
been using it so it's giving me a chance to get a better workout than I was
before.

> > Funny story, I was in first grade and saw a lot of other kids at recess
> > doing this thing where they climbed to the top of the monkey bars and
> > lowered themselves down between them with their arms. Looked like fun so
I
> > got up on top, was going to do the same thing, but my arms weren't
strong
> > enough, and I fell, fast, banging the back of my head against the bar
behind
> > me. What a headache. :S
>
> That's *funny*?

Not at the time, and not now, really, but I do think it's weird that all the
other kids of the same age group seemed to be able to lift themselves down
gently through the bars with the strength of their arms alone and I just
fell and banged my head. There was another incident where I didn't get hurt
as badly that was also in elementary. A lot of other kids, and myself, had
our hands on a merry go round to make it spin, and so everyone started
running. I did ok at first but then I found out I was running more slowly
because I got knocked off my feet and was being dragged as I held on
screaming for them to stop running, as the force was somehow pulling me
underneath the merry go round and my feet were almost touching the point
where it was spinning around from. They just kept running! I finally let go,
and got trampled on by a bunch of brats before I could roll out of the way.
I don't know why this happened to me, I don't know why I wasn't as strong
physically or why I couldn't run as fast. One day I'd like to have an answer
on that.

It would be interesting to know if that was one of the precursors to my
becoming obese.

>Worst thing I ever did on the playground was get the merry-wheel
> going so fast that it spun off. Thankfully, I was the only one on it when
it
> came off.

Still scary though.

<snip>
> > hopefully there are ways to build up those muscles though and I'm
thinking
> > about trying to get stronger once all this weight comes off
>
> No, do it now. It'll help with the weight loss and with building aerobic
> capacity. Increasing your lean tissue will raise your basal metabolic rate
> (BMR), which will work synergistically with dieting and walking to help
you lose
> more weight faster.

I have some weights I use for my arms sometimes.

> You don't need to get a fancy gym membership, or even a weight set. You
can get
> some surgical rubber bands at Academy and use them for resistance
training.
> They're not too expensive. Otherwise, save up old milk bottles (plastic
gallon
> ones) or other containers and fill with water or gravel or your dad's
fishing
> weights. You can use those to do simple exercises like lunges, squats, and
> presses (military and bench). You may want to skip weights at first and
just do
> a battery of calisthenics. Crunches, push-ups, and squats will be good to
start
> with. Don't give up even if you can only manage a few (or even one) to
start.

Ok.

> > and see if I
> > can't learn how to do chin ups / run because those are always things I
> > wanted to be able to do.
>
> You can do it. As for running, it's easiest to start with a good base of
> walking. Once you can walk briskly for 30-45 minutes, you can start mixing
in
> some running. Maybe try to walk for 20 secs and then jog for 10-15, and
repeat.
> Do that for a while and change the ratio so that eventually you're jogging
more
> than walking. Here's a link to get you started. Hal Higdon is one of the
best
> running coaches in the country.

Thanks for the info. I do have to go slow on it until I lose more weight
though because I don't want to tear up my knees. They're stronger than they
were, but they're still prone to injury, especially if I throw all my weight
onto one knee like in what happens while running. Last summer I actually had
been exercising but had to stop because I injured my knee doing an exercise
tape with side-to-side movements in it. It didn't feel right when I was
walking after that for a while, like my knee was out of alignment, like it
didn't fit into place correctly. I think I pulled a tendon, but that's all
healed up now.

> http://www.halhigdon.com/walking/Fitnesswalking.htm
> http://www.halhigdon.com/beginrunner/intro.htm
> http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=1169
>
> You may want to check out the following site, too, to see if you can find
a
> beginners program or group near you. I looked (second link) but didn't
find
> anything explicitly for beginners.
> http://www.harra.org/
> http://www.harra.org/train.htm

Ok thanks.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:
<...>
> I didn't know that. I thought if you were at normal weight you were
> automatically more healthy than someone who was larger in all "physical
> fitness" realms.

Nope, not at all. That's especially true with cardiovascular conditioning.

> My dad found a treadmill at a garage sale a few days ago and my family's
> been using it so it's giving me a chance to get a better workout than I was
> before.

Cool. That takes away all the excuses about the heat and humidity and rain this
summer.

<...>
> There was another incident where I didn't get hurt
> as badly that was also in elementary. A lot of other kids, and myself, had
> our hands on a merry go round to make it spin, and so everyone started
> running. I did ok at first but then I found out I was running more slowly
> because I got knocked off my feet and was being dragged as I held on
> screaming for them to stop running, as the force was somehow pulling me
> underneath the merry go round and my feet were almost touching the point
> where it was spinning around from. They just kept running! I finally let go,
> and got trampled on by a bunch of brats before I could roll out of the way.
> I don't know why this happened to me, I don't know why I wasn't as strong
> physically or why I couldn't run as fast. One day I'd like to have an answer
> on that.

Typically, girls aren't as strong or fast as boys. How many girls trampled you?

> It would be interesting to know if that was one of the precursors to my
> becoming obese.

I doubt it. I don't know how sedentary or active you were as a child. If you
were more likely to watch tv than to run around with the kids and peddle your
bike all day, that probably led to some physical weakness and diminished aerobic
capacity. I think it's more important, regardless, to focus on conditioning now
than over-analyzing stuff from the past. You can't change the past, but you can
do things to make your future what you want it to be.

<...>
> I have some weights I use for my arms sometimes.

Try to use them for other exercises as well. Your leg and back muscles are your
largest. They'll respond fastest to resistance training. If your knees can't
handle resistance training, try doing some weightless squats (deep knee bends).
For your back, try doing some bent rows with your weights: with your knees bent
slightly, lean your body forward as close as possible to parallel with the
ground; let the weights down and raise to your chest. You can vary the angles of
motion from wide out to more like hands together. Start yourself out easy and
figure out how much weight you need to do 15-20 repetitions. Skip it, though, if
you have lower back problems.

<...>
> Thanks for the info. I do have to go slow on it until I lose more weight
> though because I don't want to tear up my knees.

I realize that, and you're the one who knows when you're ready to run.

> They're stronger than they
> were, but they're still prone to injury, especially if I throw all my weight
> onto one knee like in what happens while running. Last summer I actually had
> been exercising but had to stop because I injured my knee doing an exercise
> tape with side-to-side movements in it.

Do NOT do lateral movements like that. That's a peeve of mine when I see
aerobics classes with everyone moving left and right. Many, if not most, knee
injuries occur from lateral motion injuries. Lateral strains on the ligaments
affect even well-conditioned athletes. The knee is designed to hinge in one
direction while maintaning support laterally (such as when we veer right or left
when walking). Make sure you always point yourself in the direction you want to
go to minimize the stress on your medial and lateral knee ligaments.

> It didn't feel right when I was
> walking after that for a while, like my knee was out of alignment, like it
> didn't fit into place correctly. I think I pulled a tendon, but that's all
> healed up now.

More likely a strained ligament, either LCL or MCL. Neither is one you want to
injure. If the pain was on the inside of the knee, it was probably MCL. It the
pain was on the outside, it was probably LCL. Tendonitis of the knee can occur
from lateral movement, but it's usually from strain on the hamstrings and/or
quadriceps (thighs); those are the two tendon groups of the knee. It's also
possible you did some damage to cartilage or bone. Be careful, okay?

<...>

"usual suspect" > wrote in message
...
> Rubystars wrote:
> <...>
> > I didn't know that. I thought if you were at normal weight you were
> > automatically more healthy than someone who was larger in all "physical
> > fitness" realms.
>
> Nope, not at all. That's especially true with cardiovascular conditioning.
>
> > My dad found a treadmill at a garage sale a few days ago and my family's
> > been using it so it's giving me a chance to get a better workout than I
was
> > before.
>
> Cool. That takes away all the excuses about the heat and humidity and rain
this
> summer.

Yeah I don't have to worry about the cold in the winter either.

> Typically, girls aren't as strong or fast as boys. How many girls trampled
you?

Several kids ran over me, I don't know exactly how many, but there were a
bunch of boys and girls doing the running and no one else seemed to have
trouble keeping up.

> > It would be interesting to know if that was one of the precursors to my
> > becoming obese.
>
> I doubt it.

I think it may have been because it caused me not to want to do too much, I
mean, who wants to get out of breath (or bang your head, or get trampled)?

>I don't know how sedentary or active you were as a child.

I was pretty sedentary. The most activity I had was when I was in the back
yard playing with the dogs and catching lizards and that didn't really
require a lot.

>If you
> were more likely to watch tv than to run around with the kids and peddle
your
> bike all day, that probably led to some physical weakness and diminished
aerobic
> capacity.

Yeah, but I couldn't miss watching Mysterious Cities of Gold. *L*

>I think it's more important, regardless, to focus on conditioning now
> than over-analyzing stuff from the past. You can't change the past, but
you can
> do things to make your future what you want it to be.

Yeah that's what I'm hoping. I don't need to be an athlete or anything but
I'd at least like to be "normal" whatever that means.

> <...>
> > I have some weights I use for my arms sometimes.
>
> Try to use them for other exercises as well. Your leg and back muscles are
your
> largest. They'll respond fastest to resistance training. If your knees
can't
> handle resistance training, try doing some weightless squats (deep knee
bends).
> For your back, try doing some bent rows with your weights: with your knees
bent
> slightly, lean your body forward as close as possible to parallel with the
> ground; let the weights down and raise to your chest. You can vary the
angles of
> motion from wide out to more like hands together. Start yourself out easy
and
> figure out how much weight you need to do 15-20 repetitions. Skip it,
though, if
> you have lower back problems.

Thankfully no back problems yet. Thanks for the ideas.

<snip>
> Do NOT do lateral movements like that. That's a peeve of mine when I see
> aerobics classes with everyone moving left and right. Many, if not most,
knee
> injuries occur from lateral motion injuries. Lateral strains on the
ligaments
> affect even well-conditioned athletes. The knee is designed to hinge in
one
> direction while maintaning support laterally (such as when we veer right
or left
> when walking). Make sure you always point yourself in the direction you
want to
> go to minimize the stress on your medial and lateral knee ligaments.

Ok, I don't do the side to side motions anymore since I got hurt doing it
that once.

> > It didn't feel right when I was
> > walking after that for a while, like my knee was out of alignment, like
it
> > didn't fit into place correctly. I think I pulled a tendon, but that's
all
> > healed up now.
>
> More likely a strained ligament, either LCL or MCL. Neither is one you
want to
> injure. If the pain was on the inside of the knee, it was probably MCL. It
the
> pain was on the outside, it was probably LCL. Tendonitis of the knee can
occur
> from lateral movement, but it's usually from strain on the hamstrings
and/or
> quadriceps (thighs); those are the two tendon groups of the knee. It's
also
> possible you did some damage to cartilage or bone. Be careful, okay?

Ok, I will. I'm not sure what it was, but for some reason it just felt like
it didn't fit right for a while, vertically. It was really awkward. I could
walk, but I felt like things didn't fit together right, almost like a puzzle
piece that doesn't fit even though it's kind of been forced in through
banging a hammer on it.

Everything's ok now though, as far as I know. Everything seems to fall into
place correctly in my knee.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:
<...>
>>>It would be interesting to know if that was one of the precursors to my
>>>becoming obese.
>>
>>I doubt it.
>
> I think it may have been because it caused me not to want to do too much, I
> mean, who wants to get out of breath (or bang your head, or get trampled)?

Vicious cycle. But it's not the egg to the chicken. It may have been a secondary
contributing factor, but I don't think it's an "organic" cause of obesity. It
would affect how you viewed yourself in comparison to others, and perhaps how
you might enter despair or depression rather than consciously trying to get into
shape. I realize nobody *wants* to be out of breath or physically weak, but
those things by themselves aren't precursors to obesity unless one resigns
oneself to sedentary existence.

>>I don't know how sedentary or active you were as a child.
>
> I was pretty sedentary. The most activity I had was when I was in the back
> yard playing with the dogs and catching lizards and that didn't really
> require a lot.

That's more likely a causal factor.

>>If you
>>were more likely to watch tv than to run around with the kids and peddle
> your
>>bike all day, that probably led to some physical weakness and diminished
> aerobic
>>capacity.
>
> Yeah, but I couldn't miss watching Mysterious Cities of Gold. *L*

Do you still feel the same way about it now?

>>I think it's more important, regardless, to focus on conditioning now
>>than over-analyzing stuff from the past. You can't change the past, but
> you can
>>do things to make your future what you want it to be.
>
> Yeah that's what I'm hoping. I don't need to be an athlete or anything but
> I'd at least like to be "normal" whatever that means.

I'd hope you'd set your goals a little higher than "average." Athleticism has
various degrees, ranging from being fit to being an elite competitor. Not
everyone has the time, desire, drive, or abilities to be competitive in sports,
but everyone does have the ability and time to be fit. Unfortunately, most
people are unfit; mediocrity has its penalties.

<...>
> Ok, I will. I'm not sure what it was, but for some reason it just felt like
> it didn't fit right for a while, vertically. It was really awkward. I could
> walk, but I felt like things didn't fit together right, almost like a puzzle
> piece that doesn't fit even though it's kind of been forced in through
> banging a hammer on it.

Was it painful and for how long?

> Everything's ok now though, as far as I know. Everything seems to fall into
> place correctly in my knee.

Good.

"usual suspect" > wrote in message
<snip>
> Vicious cycle. But it's not the egg to the chicken. It may have been a
secondary
> contributing factor, but I don't think it's an "organic" cause of obesity.
It
> would affect how you viewed yourself in comparison to others, and perhaps
how
> you might enter despair or depression rather than consciously trying to
get into
> shape.

Every time I ever tried to do anything related to sports, I ended up feeling
bad all over, inside and out. When I watched tv, ate good tasting food, and
played outside in the back yard, I felt good and happy.

>I realize nobody *wants* to be out of breath or physically weak, but
> those things by themselves aren't precursors to obesity unless one resigns
> oneself to sedentary existence.

Yeah, well I'm starting to change that now.

> >>I don't know how sedentary or active you were as a child.
> >
> > I was pretty sedentary. The most activity I had was when I was in the
back
> > yard playing with the dogs and catching lizards and that didn't really
> > require a lot.
>
> That's more likely a causal factor.

Yup.

> >>If you
> >>were more likely to watch tv than to run around with the kids and peddle
> > your
> >>bike all day, that probably led to some physical weakness and diminished
> > aerobic
> >>capacity.
> >
> > Yeah, but I couldn't miss watching Mysterious Cities of Gold. *L*
>
> Do you still feel the same way about it now?

I don't really like exercising very much but I do it because I have to or
I'm going to get sick eventually. It's been fun sometimes to go around the
neighborhood on foot or on my bike and see people's gardens, etc. though.
One day was really fun because it was sunny and in every cycad I passed, I
saw an anole peering out. *L* I really don't like getting tired or sweaty
though, but I don't really have any choice at this point. It's do or die,
basically.

> >>I think it's more important, regardless, to focus on conditioning now
> >>than over-analyzing stuff from the past. You can't change the past, but
> > you can
> >>do things to make your future what you want it to be.
> >
> > Yeah that's what I'm hoping. I don't need to be an athlete or anything
but
> > I'd at least like to be "normal" whatever that means.
>
> I'd hope you'd set your goals a little higher than "average."
> Athleticism has
> various degrees, ranging from being fit to being an elite competitor. Not
> everyone has the time, desire, drive, or abilities to be competitive in
sports,
> but everyone does have the ability and time to be fit. Unfortunately, most
> people are unfit; mediocrity has its penalties.

I would like to be fit. I don't want to get tired so easily or get out of
breath going up stairs.

> <...>
> > Ok, I will. I'm not sure what it was, but for some reason it just felt
like
> > it didn't fit right for a while, vertically. It was really awkward. I
could
> > walk, but I felt like things didn't fit together right, almost like a
puzzle
> > piece that doesn't fit even though it's kind of been forced in through
> > banging a hammer on it.
>
> Was it painful and for how long?

It wasn't really painful. Sometimes it ached just a little bit, but not much
at all, and most of the time it didn't hurt at all, but that doesn't mean it
felt comfortable. A different kind of pain was in the fact that it didn't
feel like it fit together right. It lasted for about 3 or 4 weeks, before it
finally went back to normal. I haven't had any other trouble with it.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:
<...>
> Every time I ever tried to do anything related to sports, I ended up feeling
> bad all over, inside and out.

Because you weren't in shape. As you get in shape, those crappy feelings start
to disappear even when you play harder.

> When I watched tv, ate good tasting food, and
> played outside in the back yard, I felt good and happy.

By "good tasting food" do you mean raw veggies and dip or chips and sodas?

>>I realize nobody *wants* to be out of breath or physically weak, but
>>those things by themselves aren't precursors to obesity unless one resigns
>>oneself to sedentary existence.
>
> Yeah, well I'm starting to change that now.

Excellent. :-)

<...>
>>>Yeah, but I couldn't miss watching Mysterious Cities of Gold. *L*
>>
>>Do you still feel the same way about it now?
>
> I don't really like exercising very much

Find some aerobic activities you really enjoy. Maybe it's swimming, maybe it's
walking to your favorite music. Don't turn it into labor.

> but I do it because I have to or
> I'm going to get sick eventually. It's been fun sometimes to go around the
> neighborhood on foot or on my bike and see people's gardens, etc. though.

It should be enjoyable. I do most of my running very early in the morning to
avoid traffic, but I enjoy my later morning or afternoon runs more because I get
to see things around me (other than shadows).

> One day was really fun because it was sunny and in every cycad I passed, I
> saw an anole peering out. *L* I really don't like getting tired or sweaty
> though, but I don't really have any choice at this point.

The "tired" factor will diminish as your capacity increases. Sweating is a part
of life in southeast Texas, especially from this time of year. If you like the
treadmill, do it with a fan blowing right on you and plenty of water nearby.

> It's do or die, basically.

No argument that you'll be healthier in the long run if you shed the pounds.
Stay focused and positive; both are easier when you're engaging in activities
you enjoy rather than treating it as a necessary evil. It shouldn't feel drastic.

<...>
> It wasn't really painful. Sometimes it ached just a little bit, but not much
> at all, and most of the time it didn't hurt at all, but that doesn't mean it
> felt comfortable. A different kind of pain was in the fact that it didn't
> feel like it fit together right. It lasted for about 3 or 4 weeks, before it
> finally went back to normal. I haven't had any other trouble with it.

Was it more like a dull pain or just discomfort?

"usual suspect" > wrote in message
...
> Rubystars wrote:
> <...>
> > Every time I ever tried to do anything related to sports, I ended up
feeling
> > bad all over, inside and out.
>
> Because you weren't in shape. As you get in shape, those crappy feelings
start
> to disappear even when you play harder.
>
> > When I watched tv, ate good tasting food, and
> > played outside in the back yard, I felt good and happy.
>
> By "good tasting food" do you mean raw veggies and dip or chips and sodas?

I liked some healthy stuff, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, apples,
and grapes, but I *really* liked cheese whiz, ham & cheese omelettes,
sandwiches with chips, chicken fried steak with gravy, macaroni & cheese,
chicken & dumplings, Mc Donalds Happy Meals (when I got older, Texas
Homestyle burgers with cheese), Pizza, Chef Boyardee ravioli, lasagna,
tamales, and enchiladas. When I got to be around 15 or 16 I started trying
to eat healthier. It was hit and miss sometimes (I actually had some pretty
big gaps in there where I gained a lot of weight by eating those "Patio"
dinners from the store and ramen noodles to help save my family some money)
but I've been working on it since then and learning more stuff as I go.

One thing that's helping me now is to find stuff I really enjoy that are
also healthy, so I've been trying new stuff, some of which I've heard about
in this group. It really helps to be on a diet where I can have a chocolate
ice cream tasting substance made with low calorie chocolate soy milk and a
frozen banana. I've tried a lot of new fruits and vegetables I never had
before either, like Winter Squash (kabocha and butternut are like manna from
heaven!), jicama, yucca, starfruit, golden kiwi, papaya, and a few other
things. When cucumbers are on sale I like to eat those too. I'm starting to
be one of those "flexitarians." I tried the veg thing twice and ended up
going off of it for convenience' sake, but I'm eating about 1/3-1/2
vegetarian meals most of the time now just because they happen to be lower
calorie most of the time.

Another thing that helps is the "Healthy Choice" and "Lean Cuisine" stuff in
the freezer section. I mean, they're still pretty high in sodium, but
they're helping me lose weight, so even though they're not perfect, they're
helping in that respect.

> <...>
> >>>Yeah, but I couldn't miss watching Mysterious Cities of Gold. *L*
> >>
> >>Do you still feel the same way about it now?
> >
> > I don't really like exercising very much
>
> Find some aerobic activities you really enjoy. Maybe it's swimming, maybe
it's
> walking to your favorite music. Don't turn it into labor.

It's getting easier, I just wish I didn't have to do it to be healthy.
Sometimes I have fun doing it, and sometimes I don't. I have more fun when I
can get out and walk rather than being inside on the treadmill, because I
kind of enjoy exploring the area, seeing where streets go, etc. A couple of
weeks ago I walked over to my old Jr. High which is about 2 1/2 miles away
then I walked back. I enjoyed tracing this creek (looks like a drainage
ditch, but it has a name posted on a sign) to see where it went, starting
behind the Jr. High and ending up behind my neighborhood. I'm thinking of
tracing it in the other direction when I feel like I can walk that far. I'm
doing stuff on foot I used to do on my bike a long time ago. There's been so
much new construction that there's more to explore now.

> > but I do it because I have to or
> > I'm going to get sick eventually. It's been fun sometimes to go around
the
> > neighborhood on foot or on my bike and see people's gardens, etc.
though.
>
> It should be enjoyable. I do most of my running very early in the morning
to
> avoid traffic, but I enjoy my later morning or afternoon runs more because
I get
> to see things around me (other than shadows).

Yeah, I liked walking along the creek because I got to see a lot of birds
and wildflowers.

> > One day was really fun because it was sunny and in every cycad I passed,
I
> > saw an anole peering out. *L* I really don't like getting tired or
sweaty
> > though, but I don't really have any choice at this point.
>
> The "tired" factor will diminish as your capacity increases. Sweating is a
part
> of life in southeast Texas, especially from this time of year. If you like
the
> treadmill, do it with a fan blowing right on you and plenty of water
nearby.

I enjoy how I feel after I exercise now (because I'm not being forced, I'm
doing it because I want to, and to the degree that I feel I can), I have
more energy, feel more "awake" when I'm awake, etc. It feels a lot like I
did when I first tried that vegetarian thing a few years ago. I had a
temporary feeling then almost like I'm having now, of being more aware, etc.
It evened out after a while on it though. (I must've gone 6 months without
meat that time). I feel pretty good right now and I hope it's going to get
better, not go away like that.

> > It's do or die, basically.
>
> No argument that you'll be healthier in the long run if you shed the
pounds.
> Stay focused and positive; both are easier when you're engaging in
activities
> you enjoy rather than treating it as a necessary evil. It shouldn't feel
drastic.

Sometimes I enjoy it and sometimes it feels like "Oh damn, I need to get
this done today, don't I." It kind of changes from day to day. I'm hoping
that I'll enjoy it more when I get more used to it as a daily thing.

> > It wasn't really painful. Sometimes it ached just a little bit, but not
much
> > at all, and most of the time it didn't hurt at all, but that doesn't
mean it
> > felt comfortable. A different kind of pain was in the fact that it
didn't
> > feel like it fit together right. It lasted for about 3 or 4 weeks,
before it
> > finally went back to normal. I haven't had any other trouble with it.
>
> Was it more like a dull pain or just discomfort?

Most of the time it was just discomfort.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:
<...>
>>By "good tasting food" do you mean raw veggies and dip or chips and sodas?
>
> I liked some healthy stuff, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, apples,
> and grapes, but I *really* liked cheese whiz, ham & cheese omelettes,
> sandwiches with chips, chicken fried steak with gravy, macaroni & cheese,
> chicken & dumplings, Mc Donalds Happy Meals (when I got older, Texas
> Homestyle burgers with cheese), Pizza, Chef Boyardee ravioli, lasagna,
> tamales, and enchiladas.

You can make healthier variations of almost all those things. Try egg white
omlettes with reduced fat cheese and fatfree ham, macaroni and cheese from
scratch using the fat-free half-and-half and reduced fat cheese, chicken breast
and herbed dumplings (use less fat for those), low- or fat-free lasagna (HEB has
fat-free ricotta), etc.

> When I got to be around 15 or 16 I started trying
> to eat healthier. It was hit and miss sometimes (I actually had some pretty
> big gaps in there where I gained a lot of weight by eating those "Patio"
> dinners from the store and ramen noodles to help save my family some money)
> but I've been working on it since then and learning more stuff as I go.

I've always hated frozen dinners, but I know they can be a lot more convenient
than cooking from scratch.

> One thing that's helping me now is to find stuff I really enjoy that are
> also healthy, so I've been trying new stuff, some of which I've heard about
> in this group. It really helps to be on a diet where I can have a chocolate
> ice cream tasting substance made with low calorie chocolate soy milk and a
> frozen banana. I've tried a lot of new fruits and vegetables I never had
> before either, like Winter Squash (kabocha and butternut are like manna from
> heaven!), jicama, yucca, starfruit, golden kiwi, papaya, and a few other
> things. When cucumbers are on sale I like to eat those too. I'm starting to
> be one of those "flexitarians." I tried the veg thing twice and ended up
> going off of it for convenience' sake, but I'm eating about 1/3-1/2
> vegetarian meals most of the time now just because they happen to be lower
> calorie most of the time.

There's nothing wrong with flexitarianism. I appreciate the focus on health
rather than saving the animals and all that (especially since I disagree that a
veg-n diet saves animal lives). Find healthful foods you like and enjoy yourself.

> Another thing that helps is the "Healthy Choice" and "Lean Cuisine" stuff in
> the freezer section. I mean, they're still pretty high in sodium, but
> they're helping me lose weight, so even though they're not perfect, they're
> helping in that respect.

Frozen foods. :-X

<...>
>>Find some aerobic activities you really enjoy. Maybe it's swimming, maybe
> it's
>>walking to your favorite music. Don't turn it into labor.
>
> It's getting easier, I just wish I didn't have to do it to be healthy.

Hopefully you'll get to the point where the latter part isn't an issue and you
just enjoy it for its own sake.

> Sometimes I have fun doing it, and sometimes I don't. I have more fun when I
> can get out and walk rather than being inside on the treadmill, because I
> kind of enjoy exploring the area, seeing where streets go, etc.

Treadmills and stationary bikes can be laborious. I have a LifeCycle and trainer
for my bicycles so I can ride indoors. I have to put on the headphones and crank
up something with a good (fast) beat to stay focused and intense. My other
advice is to record interesting shows and watch them when you walk on the
treadmill. It's a lot more enjoyable to have more stimulation from seeing stuff
on the road, but loud music and interesting tv shows can make it easier.

> A couple of
> weeks ago I walked over to my old Jr. High which is about 2 1/2 miles away
> then I walked back. I enjoyed tracing this creek (looks like a drainage
> ditch, but it has a name posted on a sign) to see where it went, starting
> behind the Jr. High and ending up behind my neighborhood. I'm thinking of
> tracing it in the other direction when I feel like I can walk that far. I'm
> doing stuff on foot I used to do on my bike a long time ago. There's been so
> much new construction that there's more to explore now.

It's good that it can keep you interested and moving around.

<...>
> Yeah, I liked walking along the creek because I got to see a lot of birds
> and wildflowers.

We have lots of hike and bike trails here, including the one around Town Lake.
You have some in and around Houston, but not quite as connected or long as ours
are. I like running at Memorial Park even though the trail there is short. The
trail at Terry Hershey Park is longer (and closer to you).

<...>
> I enjoy how I feel after I exercise now (because I'm not being forced, I'm
> doing it because I want to, and to the degree that I feel I can),

That's the attitude you WANT to have. If it seems like a chore, you're more
likely to give up.

> I have
> more energy, feel more "awake" when I'm awake, etc.

It's amazing how good your body feels when it's functioning properly. Easier to
breathe, easier to move around, more alert.

> It feels a lot like I
> did when I first tried that vegetarian thing a few years ago. I had a
> temporary feeling then almost like I'm having now, of being more aware, etc.
> It evened out after a while on it though. (I must've gone 6 months without
> meat that time). I feel pretty good right now and I hope it's going to get
> better, not go away like that.

When you start adding run-walks and running to your exercise, you'll experience
a rise in endorphins and other brain chemicals. The runner's high is for real.

>>>It's do or die, basically.
>>
>>No argument that you'll be healthier in the long run if you shed the
> pounds.
>>Stay focused and positive; both are easier when you're engaging in
> activities
>>you enjoy rather than treating it as a necessary evil. It shouldn't feel
> drastic.
>
> Sometimes I enjoy it and sometimes it feels like "Oh damn, I need to get
> this done today, don't I."

That's normal. At some point you reach the reverse -- not enough time to get in
a work out and you really lament it.

> It kind of changes from day to day. I'm hoping
> that I'll enjoy it more when I get more used to it as a daily thing.

You will eventually.

<...>
>>Was it more like a dull pain or just discomfort?
>
> Most of the time it was just discomfort.

Okay. See a doctor if you get a dull knee pain. That's not good at all.

"usual suspect" > wrote in message
<snip>
> You can make healthier variations of almost all those things. Try egg
white
> omlettes with reduced fat cheese and fatfree ham, macaroni and cheese from
> scratch using the fat-free half-and-half and reduced fat cheese, chicken
breast
> and herbed dumplings (use less fat for those), low- or fat-free lasagna
(HEB has
> fat-free ricotta), etc.

Yeah but the fat free versions never do taste the same or have the same
mouth feel, but I'm glad there are options like that nevertheless.

> > When I got to be around 15 or 16 I started trying
> > to eat healthier. It was hit and miss sometimes (I actually had some
pretty
> > big gaps in there where I gained a lot of weight by eating those "Patio"
> > dinners from the store and ramen noodles to help save my family some
money)
> > but I've been working on it since then and learning more stuff as I go.
>
> I've always hated frozen dinners, but I know they can be a lot more
convenient
> than cooking from scratch.

I like to cook but if I did it for every meal I'd spend all my time in the
kitchen.

<snip>
> > Another thing that helps is the "Healthy Choice" and "Lean Cuisine"
stuff in
> > the freezer section. I mean, they're still pretty high in sodium, but
> > they're helping me lose weight, so even though they're not perfect,
they're
> > helping in that respect.
>
> Frozen foods. :-X

They're good to me. How else could I have stuff like "Deluxe french bread
pizza" without gaining weight? *L*

<Snip>
> Treadmills and stationary bikes can be laborious. I have a LifeCycle and
trainer
> for my bicycles so I can ride indoors. I have to put on the headphones and
crank
> up something with a good (fast) beat to stay focused and intense. My other
> advice is to record interesting shows and watch them when you walk on the
> treadmill. It's a lot more enjoyable to have more stimulation from seeing
stuff
> on the road, but loud music and interesting tv shows can make it easier.

Yeah I've been watching tv while I'm on it.

<snip>
> It's good that it can keep you interested and moving around.

Yeah, and pretty soon I'm going to go pick some dewberries so that will be
some exercise in itself. Last year my back got really sore doing that. I
hope it'll be better this year since I've lost some weight.

<snip>
> We have lots of hike and bike trails here, including the one around Town
Lake.
> You have some in and around Houston, but not quite as connected or long as
ours
> are. I like running at Memorial Park even though the trail there is short.
The
> trail at Terry Hershey Park is longer (and closer to you).

There's a neighborhood close to mine that has these ponds with ducks and
turtles in them. I've gone over there a lot, because there are some paths
there to walk in and it's fun to watch the animals. The fish there are so
bread trained that if you stick your finger in the water they all come up
and nibble at it. *L*

> > I enjoy how I feel after I exercise now (because I'm not being forced,
I'm
> > doing it because I want to, and to the degree that I feel I can),
>
> That's the attitude you WANT to have. If it seems like a chore, you're
more
> likely to give up.

I didn't used to get along very well with some of my gym teachers because
they would force me to go beyond my limits (the level of activity which was
no big deal to most of the kids but would leave me out of breath, etc.) and
I'd feel physically sick afteward. They thought I was goofing off on purpose
when I really wasn't and some of those gym teachers only have two or three
brain cells to rub together anyway. They never actually thought of teaching
someone how to get stronger to be able to do that, because they weren't real
teachers, just yellers.

One example of this would be when they made us go outside to do softball
when it was really hot in the spring time, right after lunch for me. I told
the teachers I didn't know the rules for softball because I'd never played
it before (a lot of the other girls said they'd been in little league
before), and they said they'd tell us the rules, but they never did. Anyway
I got out there and couldn't play very well (obviously) because I didn't
know the rules. On top of that, it was so hot outside that I got fatigued
very early and even though I told them I was cooking they wouldn't let me go
into the air conditioning, so every day after we played that, I'd come in
and have to throw up part of my lunch. They probably thought I was doing it
on purpose, but I wasn't. It was so ironic to be labeled the "troublemaker"
when I really was doing the best that I could.

Thankfully they eventually stopped playing softball and went back inside.

There was one nice one in elementary school who was much better and helpful
to me, but the other ones really didn't give a crap about anything but
putting their time in. It's much better when I can do this at my own pace
but sometimes those negative feelings about it come back and I have to try
to work through them.

<snip>
> That's normal. At some point you reach the reverse -- not enough time to
get in
> a work out and you really lament it.

That would be good.

<snip>
> Okay. See a doctor if you get a dull knee pain. That's not good at all.

Ok. Hopefully I won't do something dumb to hurt myself again. I trusted the
people who made exercise tapes though to research them and see that the
movements didn't do damage to the joints, etc. I know better now.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:
<...>
> Yeah but the fat free versions never do taste the same or have the same
> mouth feel, but I'm glad there are options like that nevertheless.

Mouthfeel and texture can be changed if you have access to stuff like lecithin,
or even by adding a drizzle of decent olive oil.

<...>
> I like to cook but if I did it for every meal I'd spend all my time in the
> kitchen.

So? That's where a woman belongs anyway. *ducking*

Seriously, see this article:
http://www.citizenonline.net/citizen...ED94F303FB.asp

<...>
>>Frozen foods. :-X
>
> They're good to me. How else could I have stuff like "Deluxe french bread
> pizza" without gaining weight? *L*

By making it yourself with fresh-baked whole wheat bread.

<...>
> I didn't used to get along very well with some of my gym teachers because
> they would force me to go beyond my limits (the level of activity which was
> no big deal to most of the kids but would leave me out of breath, etc.)

They may have seemed mean, but they were doing the right thing. One doesn't
improve one's conditioning by operating within one's comfort zone. One has to
push oneself, or be pushed (though I prefer words like motivated and inspired).
It would be serious if they were trying to get you to run marathons, but
acceptable if they were pushing you within reasonable limits.

> and I'd feel physically sick afteward.

That's what happens when you're out of shape. The cure for it isn't to give up,
but to try to push yourself to a point short of getting sick but beyond your
comfort zone.

> They thought I was goofing off on purpose
> when I really wasn't and some of those gym teachers only have two or three
> brain cells to rub together anyway. They never actually thought of teaching
> someone how to get stronger to be able to do that, because they weren't real
> teachers, just yellers.

One's yelling is another's motivation. There's not that much to *teach* about
getting stronger. Actually, there is. But *teaching* doesn't make one stronger.
Doing does.

> One example of this would be when they made us go outside to do softball
> when it was really hot in the spring time,

I was forced outdoors for basketball and football in the winter, during the
rain. I was also forced outdoors for basketball, baseball, track, and tennis in
the heat of summer. That's life. :-)

> right after lunch for me. I told
> the teachers I didn't know the rules for softball because I'd never played
> it before (a lot of the other girls said they'd been in little league
> before), and they said they'd tell us the rules, but they never did. Anyway
> I got out there and couldn't play very well (obviously) because I didn't
> know the rules. On top of that, it was so hot outside that I got fatigued
> very early and even though I told them I was cooking they wouldn't let me go
> into the air conditioning, so every day after we played that, I'd come in
> and have to throw up part of my lunch. They probably thought I was doing it
> on purpose, but I wasn't. It was so ironic to be labeled the "troublemaker"
> when I really was doing the best that I could.

Teachers have a lot to deal with when it comes to the kids they teach. Not
everyone is on the same learning curve -- sports, reading, math, whatever -- or
has the same attention span. PE was one of the things regular teachers
appreciated because it helped kids get rid of their excess energy mid-day so
they'd be open to instruction in the afternoon.

I doubt you were singled out as a troublemaker, but maybe as a complainer.

> Thankfully they eventually stopped playing softball and went back inside.

You enjoyed that, but my guess is the other kids didn't.

> There was one nice one in elementary school who was much better and helpful
> to me, but the other ones really didn't give a crap about anything but
> putting their time in. It's much better when I can do this at my own pace
> but sometimes those negative feelings about it come back and I have to try
> to work through them.

You can't keep focusing on the past; that won't help you. You're not competing
against the other kids, you're not playing their games, and the teachers aren't
yelling at (or trying to motivate) you. Nobody's putting a stop-watch on you and
forcing you to exercise or eat right or lose x-pound by y-date. There's no
reason for negative feelings anymore. You're in the present and the future lies
ahead of you.

>>That's normal. At some point you reach the reverse -- not enough time to
> get in
>>a work out and you really lament it.
>
> That would be good.

Not really. Such lamentations of missing work outs can be far worse than the
initial drudgery when starting them.

<...>

usual suspect wrote:
<...>
> You can't keep focusing on the past; that won't help you. You're not
> competing against the other kids, you're not playing their games, and
> the teachers aren't yelling at (or trying to motivate) you. Nobody's
> putting a stop-watch on you and forcing you to exercise or eat right or
> lose x-pound by y-date. There's no reason for negative feelings anymore.
> You're in the present and the future lies ahead of you.

Try one of my mottos:
Never look back unless it makes you smile.

"usual suspect" > wrote in message
...
> usual suspect wrote:
> <...>
> > You can't keep focusing on the past; that won't help you. You're not
> > competing against the other kids, you're not playing their games, and
> > the teachers aren't yelling at (or trying to motivate) you. Nobody's
> > putting a stop-watch on you and forcing you to exercise or eat right or
> > lose x-pound by y-date. There's no reason for negative feelings anymore.
> > You're in the present and the future lies ahead of you.
>
> Try one of my mottos:
> Never look back unless it makes you smile.

Ok thanks.

-Rubystars

> 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced then frozen (about 76 calories)
> 1 banana, sliced, then frozen (I've heard various calorie quotes for
> bananas, so I go with the highest I've heard to be on the safe side: 144)

I do smoothies most mornings, no dairy or soya.

a typical recipe is:

bananas small, 1 bunch
1 large passion fruit
1 ripe mango
punnet strawberries or raspberries

blend, serve, eat and hit the clouds! mmm...

I add homemade organkic almond milk for a creamy flavour. You can also pre
freeze the bananas, thore them out before the prep and then make an ice
"cream". Simply blend the thoring bananas up and then freeze again. Add
carrob powder and avocados to pre frozen bananas to create a "chocolate" ice
"cream".

John C

> I don't know why I was weak like that in my arms and couldn't run...
> hopefully there are ways to build up those muscles though and I'm thinking
> about trying to get stronger once all this weight comes off and see if I
> can't learn how to do chin ups / run because those are always things I
> wanted to be able to do.

If you were born very prem, you may have smaller lungs/chest - do you know?

Either way you can exercise to increase efficiency. I have food triggered
asthma, and could not breath properly at all until I went all raw. It was
awesome to breath that first clean and full breath without mucus.

Doug Graham has a lung exercise machine that he sells - maybe try on his
site http://www.doctorgraham.cc.

John C

"John Coleman" > wrote in message
...
>
> > I don't know why I was weak like that in my arms and couldn't run...
> > hopefully there are ways to build up those muscles though and I'm
thinking
> > about trying to get stronger once all this weight comes off and see if I
> > can't learn how to do chin ups / run because those are always things I
> > wanted to be able to do.
>
> If you were born very prem, you may have smaller lungs/chest - do you
know?

I was born 3 weeks early, but they said everything was normal and I was
ready to come out and was fully formed. They might've missed it if it was
just a little different though. That could explain some of it, come to think
of it, but since they said everything was normal then I don't think I can
ever be sure. I think I'm going to take U.S.'s advice and look to the future
and not try to over-analyze things too much from the past. I know I've
posted a lot of stuff here in this thread but I was more or less just
posting it as the memories came up for my own benefit to kind of acknowledge
what went on and then move on.

> Either way you can exercise to increase efficiency. I have food triggered
> asthma, and could not breath properly at all until I went all raw.

That must've really sucked.

>It was
> awesome to breath that first clean and full breath without mucus.
> Doug Graham has a lung exercise machine that he sells - maybe try on his
> site http://www.doctorgraham.cc.

I don't have any money right now but I may look into more equipment later.

-Rubystars

"John Coleman" > wrote in message
...
> > 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced then frozen (about 76 calories)
> > 1 banana, sliced, then frozen (I've heard various calorie quotes for
> > bananas, so I go with the highest I've heard to be on the safe side:
144)
>
> I do smoothies most mornings, no dairy or soya.
>
> a typical recipe is:
>
> bananas small, 1 bunch
> 1 large passion fruit
> 1 ripe mango
> punnet strawberries or raspberries
>
> blend, serve, eat and hit the clouds! mmm...
>
> I add homemade organkic almond milk for a creamy flavour. You can also pre
> freeze the bananas, thore them out before the prep and then make an ice
> "cream". Simply blend the thoring bananas up and then freeze again. Add
> carrob powder and avocados to pre frozen bananas to create a "chocolate"
ice
> "cream".
>
> John C

Neat ideas, thanks.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:
<...>
> I was born 3 weeks early, but they said everything was normal and I was
> ready to come out and was fully formed. They might've missed it if it was
> just a little different though. That could explain some of it, come to think
> of it, but since they said everything was normal then I don't think I can
> ever be sure. I think I'm going to take U.S.'s advice and look to the future
> and not try to over-analyze things too much from the past. I know I've
> posted a lot of stuff here in this thread but I was more or less just
> posting it as the memories came up for my own benefit to kind of acknowledge
> what went on and then move on.

It can be cathartic if you get it off your chest and then don't dwell on it.

>>Either way you can exercise to increase efficiency. I have food triggered
>>asthma, and could not breath properly at all until I went all raw.

Coleman is a mess. Lactose intolerant, food-triggered asthma, out of shape,
vitamin deficiencies. And yet here he is peddling the raw fad.

> That must've really sucked.

Don't fret, he's exaggerating to push his agenda. He's "testifying" about what a
depraved sinner he was before he was saved by the Almighty Juicer.

>>It was
>>awesome to breath that first clean and full breath without mucus.
>>Doug Graham has a lung exercise machine that he sells - maybe try on his
>>site http://www.doctorgraham.cc.
>
> I don't have any money right now but I may look into more equipment later.

Your dad already bought a lung exercise machine; speed it up and adjust the
incline as your cardiovascular conditioning improves. ;-)

"usual suspect" > wrote in message
<snip>
> Coleman is a mess. Lactose intolerant, food-triggered asthma, out of
shape,
> vitamin deficiencies. And yet here he is peddling the raw fad.

I've heard about people on raw vegan diets rapidly losing weight. If I
wasn't scared of the health side effects of rapid weight loss then it'd be
awfully tempting. I'm going to go slow though.

> > That must've really sucked.
>
> Don't fret, he's exaggerating to push his agenda. He's "testifying" about
what a
> depraved sinner he was before he was saved by the Almighty Juicer.

lol.

> >>It was
> >>awesome to breath that first clean and full breath without mucus.
> >>Doug Graham has a lung exercise machine that he sells - maybe try on his
> >>site http://www.doctorgraham.cc.
> >
> > I don't have any money right now but I may look into more equipment
later.
>
> Your dad already bought a lung exercise machine; speed it up and adjust
the
> incline as your cardiovascular conditioning improves. ;-)

Yeah, the treadmill is pretty good.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:
>>Coleman is a mess. Lactose intolerant, food-triggered asthma, out of
> shape,
>>vitamin deficiencies. And yet here he is peddling the raw fad.
>
> I've heard about people on raw vegan diets rapidly losing weight. If I
> wasn't scared of the health side effects of rapid weight loss then it'd be
> awfully tempting. I'm going to go slow though.

I can give you plenty of reasons why you should take your time. I can also give
you plenty of reasons to avoid raw vegan fad diets. The lists would be quite
similar and center on putting your long-term health first.

>>>That must've really sucked.
>>
>>Don't fret, he's exaggerating to push his agenda. He's "testifying" about
> what a
>>depraved sinner he was before he was saved by the Almighty Juicer.
>
> lol.

It's funny, but it's also sad. People get so wrapped up with themselves that
they forget reality and then start exaggerating the "benefits." The formerly
lactose intolerant asthmatic without any excess mucus quickly forgets that he's
now anemic and has B12 and D deficiencies and claims his shit doesn't stink. One
load of problems (questionable how serious they ever were) for another.

>>>>It was
>>>>awesome to breath that first clean and full breath without mucus.
>>>>Doug Graham has a lung exercise machine that he sells - maybe try on his
>>>>site http://www.doctorgraham.cc.
>>>
>>>I don't have any money right now but I may look into more equipment
> later.
>
>>Your dad already bought a lung exercise machine; speed it up and adjust
> the
>>incline as your cardiovascular conditioning improves. ;-)
>
> Yeah, the treadmill is pretty good.

I just looked at that chiropractor's site. You don't need his machine. Ever.

"usual suspect" > wrote in message
news
> Rubystars wrote:
> >>Coleman is a mess. Lactose intolerant, food-triggered asthma, out of
> > shape,
> >>vitamin deficiencies. And yet here he is peddling the raw fad.
> >
> > I've heard about people on raw vegan diets rapidly losing weight. If I
> > wasn't scared of the health side effects of rapid weight loss then it'd
be
> > awfully tempting. I'm going to go slow though.
>
> I can give you plenty of reasons why you should take your time. I can also
give
> you plenty of reasons to avoid raw vegan fad diets. The lists would be
quite
> similar and center on putting your long-term health first.

Yeah I've read about how un-sustainable such diets are, how dangerous rapid
weight loss can be (besides the really serious stuff, the thing that is the
most scary is the idea of loose flabby skin that didn't have time to
"stretch back". Eww.)

> >>>That must've really sucked.
> >>
> >>Don't fret, he's exaggerating to push his agenda. He's "testifying"
about
> > what a
> >>depraved sinner he was before he was saved by the Almighty Juicer.
> >
> > lol.
>
> It's funny, but it's also sad. People get so wrapped up with themselves
that
> they forget reality and then start exaggerating the "benefits." The
formerly
> lactose intolerant asthmatic without any excess mucus quickly forgets that
he's
> now anemic and has B12 and D deficiencies and claims his shit doesn't
stink. One
> load of problems (questionable how serious they ever were) for another.

Yeah this newsgroup seems to be full of a lot of obssessed, dogmatic people.
I can see why people say veganism is a religion. (It even has its
terrorists, as we all know).

<snip>
> I just looked at that chiropractor's site. You don't need his machine.
Ever.

I didn't look at it before I posted, but now that I know it's a
chiropractor's site, I'm just not interested at all.

-Rubystars