[EricaB]

Time for my first question, this one concerning weight loss.

As I mentioned earlier, I am very, very, very, very (put in as many very's as you want) overweight. I'd love to lose about 110 to 120 pounds. This would lower me from 280 to 160. Believe it or not, some medical sites think that at 5' 9" I should be even lighter. Unfortunately, every time I say I'm going to lose weight, or even think it, I tend to gain 5 to 10 pounds. Totally unfair.

Anyway, from stuff I've read before on the web, that reservoir of complete truthfullness, it's better to lose weight first and then start on NBE. The theory being that men lose weight easier due to more muscle mass. (Ok, they were actually talking about pharmaceuticals, but the principle should be the same.)

Postings here seem to indicate many achieved significant weight loss while on NBE.

So now I'm really confused.

Any opinions, anybody?

[bryony]

Time for my first question, this one concerning weight loss.

As I mentioned earlier, I am very, very, very, very (put in as many very's as you want) overweight. I'd love to lose about 110 to 120 pounds. This would lower me from 280 to 160. Believe it or not, some medical sites think that at 5' 9" I should be even lighter. Unfortunately, every time I say I'm going to lose weight, or even think it, I tend to gain 5 to 10 pounds. Totally unfair.

Anyway, from stuff I've read before on the web, that reservoir of complete truthfullness, it's better to lose weight first and then start on NBE. The theory being that men lose weight easier due to more muscle mass. (Ok, they were actually talking about pharmaceuticals, but the principle should be the same.)

Postings here seem to indicate many achieved significant weight loss while on NBE.

So now I'm really confused.

Any opinions, anybody?

Hi Erica,

I replied to your earlier introductory (q.v.) before I saw this .

I started my weight loss regime in Nov 2009, and NBE in Sep 2011, and weight loss has remained steady (apart from Christmas!) so it has no effect on a low-carb diet. I started at 182 lbs and am currently at around 155. (I could have got there faster with more determination, which became easier when I started taking PM and cured my low-level depression!)

All the best,

B.

[sfem]

Second level effects like improved state of mind cascading to a more positive outlook and reinforcement of will are probably the biggest effect of NBE with respect to weight loss. Weight gain on the other hand is a different animal. My personal experience which others have reported as well is that some herbs seem to cause weight gain. I suppose the theory is that the growth process is what we are trying to invoke and the normal growth process includes significant food intake and processing (ever tried to feed or keep up physically with a teenager?). Since the rest of our system isn't as able to process the intake (lower physical activity levels), if we increase our intake we just store it as fat. I have seen it posted that breast and hip growth due to this is considered good, although I'm not as sure about that idea. Anyway, my point is that I do believe that some herbs (FG and SP were bad ones for me) do increase the likelihood of gaining weight if you don't have some awareness of and reaction to this subtle effect. I got into the habit several months ago of weighing myself every day, even if I knew what the scale would likely say. Seeing it on the scale really does help me avoid the self-deceit that is so easy. Having said that, I still am higher in weight than I should be, but I am not disturbed by it. I'll slowly reduce it.

[Pansy-Mae]

I'd love to lose about 110 to 120 pounds. This would lower me from 280 to 160. Believe it or not, some medical sites think that at 5' 9" I should be even lighter. Unfortunately, every time I say I'm going to lose weight, or even think it, I tend to gain 5 to 10 pounds. Totally unfair.


Postings here seem to indicate many achieved significant weight loss while on NBE.

So now I'm really confused.

Any opinions, anybody?

I know this may sound a bit 'holier than thou' but I don't mean it that way, honestly. I'm about 5'10" and currently 158lbs and I consider myself to be at least 6-8lb heavier than I'd like to be ( when I started NBE in September 2010 I was about 148lbs ). I'm actively working to lose that as well, having got rid of about 6lbs since Christmas.

To say that you put on weight as soon as you think about losing it, is rubbish, as I'm sure you know really. You only put on weight by eating too much. Now according to The Bra Makers Handbook for 34DD, each breast weighs about 3 - 3.5lbs, so even if you had a pair of DD's you'd only hang about 7lbs onto your bodyweight and that is a very small percentage of your total bodyweight. Soooo... even if you lost no weight and gained no weight from where you are now, a pair of DD's would hardly notice, and the chances of any of us getting beyond a C-D is very small and you have to go through the A, B & C first anyway.

Where I'm going with this is... lose weight first, otherwise you'll just end up disillusioned that nothing is happening when in fact it is simply hidden by bodyfat.

If you want boobs badly enough, let that inspire you to actually achieve the weight loss!

[Pansy-Mae]

...likelihood of gaining weight if you don't have some awareness of and reaction to this subtle effect. I got into the habit several months ago of weighing myself every day, even if I knew what the scale would likely say. Seeing it on the scale really does help me avoid the self-deceit that is so easy.

Totally agree.

This may sound a bit juvenile, but I use the WiiFit to keep that habit. I've built it into my morning routine...

Have a cup of coffee... spray and feed our parrots... put the WiiFit on...
do the 'Body Test' which does a BMI and weight and puts the results on a graph... then do a ten minute step exercise ( which burns about 40Cal) and which I also use to count the 360 rotations of a Chi massage and saves me losing count which I always do otherwise

That takes a total of about 15 minutes and means that ever morning I see what has happened. It drives me nuts but if the weight goes up by more than 1lb in 24 hours the stupid machine asks why...did I eat to much? etc!

Concentrates the mind wonderfully, I do anything to avoid those stupid questions!!

[JanetCD]

I am not currently on any NBE like PM or those types. I am waiting for a Noogleberry to arrive in the mail. Last fall I decided to try to reduce my 'beer belly'. I am 5 foot ten inches I weighed 158 pounds. I had been walking almost every morning for about one mile. Increased the walk to two miles, drank skim milk instead of two per cent milk at meal times. Used non fat Half & Half on my cereal every morning instead of regular Half & Half. Tried to eat less greasy foods and eat more vegetables in my lunch and dinner menu. After two months I weighed 145 pounds. I went back to 1 mile walk and still maintain my weight around 145 pounds. I still drink skim milk and non fat Half & Half on my cereal and watching the fatty foods. One nice thing was I went to try on women's jeans for the first time. I took a pair of size 12 and a pair of size 10 into the dressing room. The size 10 fit, however the waist had some stretch room .

[Ronaldas]

You must do the running daily at least 4 miles. Running burn the 110 calories in 45 minutes. It also give the strength to over all body muscles and increase the stamina of the body.

[EricaB]

My normal food intake is very healthy, it's the snacks that are killing me.

Here's a disturbing thought. I read that diets and calorie counting never work over the long term. That it is impossible to balance calories consumed and calories expended over extended periods of time. That the best we can do is to eat lots of fruits and veggies and stay away from calorie-dense snacks such as cake and candy. I just did the math and it works out. Eating 3 almonds too many each day will cause you to gain 24 pounds in a decade. Does anyone think they can balance their food intake with calories expended to that level day after day after day? I don't think I can. So if you're 150 at the age of 40. and nothing changes in your life, then at 50 you'll weigh 175 and at 60, 200. How discouraging. And that does not even take into account a slowing metabolism as you age.

I just this second thought of something while typing. Stepping on a scale once a week and cutting back when it starts to show weight gain seems logical.

Think I post this anyway and see how many find errors in my math.

[bryony]

Erica,

calorie counting is pointless, in my opinion. If you feel hungry, sooner or later you will give in. If you are as overweight as you say, that testifies to a smidgin of lack of willpower. I have none, where hunger is concerned. The only way that I know of which involves losing weight while not feeling hungry is to maintain a low carb intake. If you must snack, then Macademia nuts and Brazils are low carb too. Beef Jerky, or smoked sausage, or cheese also.

B.

[EricaB]

The problem is not the nutritional value of the snack nor even the caloric density, it's the volume. Continuous munching while watching TV all evening is my main nemesis. If only self discipline were something one could buy in a store. Hey, there's a business idea for some enterprising entrepreneur - invent a self discipline supplement or device.