Conference rocks::weight_control

    Andy,

    I don't have an electronic copy of a calorie chart, but I can
    recommend "Your Greatest Guide to Calories".  This is a booklet
    published regularly by Slimming Magazine.  You can find it with
    the magazines in nearly all newsagents.

    It costs about �1.10, and lists all kinds of foods by weight, and
    where appropriate by item.  It includes lots of calorie counts
    for brand items, and a guide to eating out.  I've found it
    invaluable.

    Slimming Magazine also do a calorie counter for filofax, which you
    may find useful if you use a personal organiser.  This one lists
    calorie counts by weight and item for many basic foods, and has a
    proportionately larger section on eating out and alcoholic drinks.

    Good luck!

    Ali

    Great, I'll meander down to W.H. Smiths this weekend.
    
    Thanks
    
    Andy

    269 today. 37 off, 73 to go - or 30% there.
    
    - Andy ��� Leslie

    42lbs off on 29th June. 264 today and 68bs to go by Christmas. It's
    difficult but I'm going to do it.
    
    Excercise and restricting calorific intake to around 10-12,000 per week
    seem to be working okay for the moment. 
    
    Thanks for the tip on the calorie-counter booklet, Alison. I picked up
    "your greatest guide to calories" a while back and it's very useful.
    
    However it really boils down to not eating too much.
    
    My next challenge is a business trip to the USA late July.
    
    Any reccomendations for restaurants serving small portions in the
    Nashua area welcomed.
    
    - ���

 
    There are a tremendous number of restaurants in the Nashua area, several
    of which offer 'diet' menu selections and salid bars.  The real danger 
    comes in with the alcoholic beverages.  It never ceases to amaze me as
    to how much one will eat after imbibing in copious quantities of
    spirituous fermentum......
    
    	When is your trip?
    
    						Paul S.

    July 16 for a week.
    
    - ���

    Andy, for a nice meal drive up to the Greenhouse Cafe on Rt. 101
    west (exit 8 off route 3).  It's a few miles west on 101, on the
    right hand side.  20 minutes + from ZKO.
    
    Anyway, they have a wonderful salad bar, and great chicken and fish
    diet plates consisting of plain but tasty chicken or fish, and
    delicious steamed vegetables, very beautifully served.  No one with
    you would think it a "diet meal".
    
    I will be in Reading for 10 days from July 19-28th!  Last time I
    went to England on business, I gained 10 pounds in a very short
    time.
    
    I usually eat yogurt and fruit for breakfast, a big salad for lunch
    with some cheese or tuna fish or hard boiled eggs thrown in, and
    some protein and a couple of vegetables for dinner.
    
    Last time I was in the UK, I thrived on pub lunches, pastry and
    'pints'.  I am definitely going to forego all alcohol this time,
    but can you help me out with some suggestions?  How hard is it to
    get lowfat yogurt (plain with no fruit or sugar) in grocery stores?
    How about in restaurants?
    
    Are there any "salad bars" now?  I found salads over there to
    definitely be a side dish.  If I have to, I will increase my intake
    of protein and eat less salad, but I cannot afford to get into sugar
    and flour at all.
    
    Thanks for any help you can offer.  Also, is "Slimline" what you
    ask for in a pub when you want diet soda?
                                             
    Holly

	If you like Thai food, there is a relatively new Thai restaurant,
	called Chiangmai, on Rte 101-A in Amherst (a bit past the 
	Greenhouse).  Lots of stir-fried veggies.

	Most nice restaurants around here have fresh fish, which you can 
	get broiled.  I've found that the mind set is the most important
	think -- there's usually something on the menu that will do, but
	the program needs to be more important than that tempting dessert
	(easier said than done sometimes, I know...).

	Good luck, Holly, avoiding wheat in the UK; they do seem to eat 
	a lot of it.  If there are Indian restaurants in the area (some 
	parts of the UK have quite a few), they'd be a good choice.

	Beverly

    Thanks, Bev.
    
    My problem with the Indian restaurants I tried last time in London
    was that all the yogurt based dishes that I love so much tasted
    so weird to me that I couldn't eat them.
    
    I guess "real" Indian yogurt dishes aren't as pasteurized or
    homogenized as the stuff we get in Indian restaurants over here.
    I felt like I was trying to eat a bowl of very sour milk, and my
    only response to it was a gag reflex, unfortunately.
    
    I ordered both raita and lassi and couldn't touch either one...sigh...I
    really do hate to have these kinds of reactions, too.
    
    I think my fallback for this trip may be chicken, fish, eggs, and at
    least cheese for lunch.  And I should be able to buy some apples
    somewhere.  I hope I can find some yogurt in a grocery store that's
    more like what I'm used to. 
    
    Holly

	When I was over there (5 years ago), I bought fruit and cottage 
	cheese at the local grocery store, and kept them in my hotel
	room.  You should be able to get some veggies there too.

	Good luck!
	(Maybe we should return Andy's note to him now!)

	So, Andy, are you going to be here for one or both of the
	weekends surrounding that week?!

	Beverly

    I got to see Andy on one of his last business trips here -- and
    when I was there 2 years ago, I stumbled into his cube while looking
    for someone else nearby and recognized his name from notes.
                
    This time, though, it looks like you'll be here while I am there!
         
    I think fruit and cottage cheese may be a staple of this trip, too!
                                                          
    Holly

    Yup, I know the Greenhouse Cafe in Amherst.
    
    I'll start a new note on slimming foods in the UK - no doubt Alison
    will be able to help too.
    
    - ���

    261 today. 45 off, 65 to go.
    
    - ���

   306 on 24th April. 255 today, FIFTY ONE POUNDS OFF, 59 to go.
    
    - ���

    Congratulations!  You are doing great.
    
    Holly

    Andy, I forwarded your message to a friend - here is her answer!
    
 
    Holly
    
        
By "wholemeal" does that mean wheat?  Natural Alternatives on Daniel Webster
has natural 7 grain type breads, and carries one non-wheat (rice).

The biggest natural foods grocery market is in Manchester (Exit 7 off Rte 3)
called The Nutrition House (668-8445) that I highly recommend.  It is the
same exit as The Mall of NH - about 15 minutes from Nashua off of Rte 3.

Does that help?

    Wholemeal means "whole wheat". Such bread is usually quite heavy (and
    brown). Wonderloaf it ain't,
    
    Thanks
    
    Andy

    I found some bread, but the worst part of the trip was seeing friends -
    who insisted on feeding me! 
    
    When I left the UK I was -52lbs at 354 (14 July). When I returned last
    Thursday I was -46lbs at 360 (27 July).
    
    Current weight is 352, -54lbs. Almost halfway from 306 to 296, my
    eventual goal.
    
    - ���

    See personal name....
    
    :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) 

    
    SIXTY POUNDS TODAY!
    
    Yup, on 24th April I was 306lbs and today I weighed in at 245, a
    cumulative loss of 61lbs.
    
    I've lost 8.5 inches around my waist, too!
    
    Target remains 196lbs by Christmas.
    
    - ���

    Hmmmph, so much for encouragement from others.
    
    Well, after 2 weeks of my three week vacation, going to Paris
    and all that stuff, I'm down to 236lbs from 306 on April 24. 
    
    Still on course for 196 by Christmas.
    
    - ���

    
>    Hmmmph, so much for encouragement from others.
    
    Hey, you can only expect so much support before jealousy and sour
    grapes set in!  :-) :-) :-) 
    
    We're all impressed.  Really.  Losing weight on vacation, especially in
    a place like Paris, shows that you really have the dedication to reach
    your goals.
    
    So are you going to post your monthly maintenance weigh-ins after you
    reach goal, so we can cheer you on for keeping it off?
    
    Beverly
    

    Thanks Beverley. I will be posting my weight regularly, whatever
    happens. I have yet to throw away any clothes, but when I achieve my
    goal, I'll have a grand throwaway day (probably to the local charity
    shop just before Christmas. I'm saving up to spend about $650 on new
    clothes, perhaps a suit (!) too at some point.
    
    Actually I'm kinda depressed right now. Strange, innit. I've ONLY lost
    70lbs! I STILL have 40 to go! I've been doing this for FOUR months!
    
    Ridiculous in fact. I should be really happy - but I'm just a tad
    pee'ed off. 
    
    Maybe three weeks vacation is too long at one stretch....
    
    Ah! My lunchtime! (An apple.)
    
           ****************************************************
           *                                                  *
           *      10000 cals a week WILL make me sleek!       *
           *                                                  *
           ****************************************************
    
    - ���

    Minus 80lbs today folks.  My running is now up to 2 miles in the
    morning 5 days a week, with a mile or two in the evenings about 3 times
    a week. I'm also playing squash quite a bit. 
    
    My waist has shrunk to 38" (I know this is still big but that's 10 or
    so inches down, believe it or not. Last night my shorts were in the
    wash and in searching around I came to some shorts that last fitten me
    in 1982 - and wow! They fitted!
    
    I'm now finding that even with exercise my skin is getting baggy around
    me tum. Any suggestions?
    
    - ���
    

    
    -85lbs today. Some wobbling around going on with plateaux occurring
    regularly now. Still on target for 196 by Christmas.
                     
    My running has been temporarily curtailed due to a footinjury, but that
    should be cleared up in a week or so,
    
    - Andy ��� Leslie

    Well the foot injury has cleared up, I'm back at 2-3 miles a day
    and....
    
    I'm now at MINUS 91 POUNDS! Yay! 215 with 19 to go by Christmas!
    
    - Andy ��� Leslie

    BTW: Waist has shrunk to 36 (from 46 at hips, 54 at waist), Chest to 42
    (from 46).
    
    Brain is still teh smae size tho'.... :-)
    
    - Andy ��� Leslie
    
    

    Someone asked what my progress looked like over the whole period. These
    are the dates and weights I noted down so far.
    
    - Andy ��� Leslie
    
    
18-Oct	-91lbs
17-Oct	-89lbs
15-Oct	-86lbs
13-Oct	-85lbs
12-Oct	-85lbs
11-Oct	-84lbs
10-Oct	-83lbs
9-Oct	-82lbs
8-Oct	-80lbs
6-Oct	-80lbs
3-Oct	-83lbs
1-oct	-80lbs
22-Sep	-81lbs
20-Sep	-81lbs
19-Sep	-77lbs
14-Sep	-78lbs
13-Sep	-76lbs
12-Sep	-73lbs
11-Sep	-72lbs
08-Sep	-76lbs
07-Sep	-74lbs
06-Sep	-72lbs
05-Sep	-72lbs
04-Sep	-74lbs
03-Sep	-73lbs
02-Sep	-73lbs
01-Sep	-74lbs
31-Aug	-72lbs
30-Aug	-69lbs
29-Aug	-70lbs
28-Aug	-68lbs
27-Aug	-66lbs
26-Aug	-62lbs
25-Aug	-64lbs
21-Aug	-65lbs
20-Aug	-65lbs
19-Aug	-65lbs
18-Aug	-64lbs
17-Aug	-63lbs
16-Aug	-63lbs
15-Aug	-58lbs
10-Aug	-62lbs
9-Aug	-59lbs
8-Aug	-57lbs
7-Aug	-54lbs
4-Aug	-57lbs
3-Aug	-57lbs
2-Aug	-56lbs, 
1-Aug	-54lbs
31-Jul	-50lbs
30-Jul	-49lbs
28-Jul	-47lbs
27-Jul	-46lbs
14-jul	-52lbs
13-jul	-50lbs
12-July	-51lbs
11-Jul	-49lbs
10-Jul	-45lbs
8-Jul	-46lbs
6-Jul	-45lbs
3-Jul	-43lbs
2-Jul	-43lbs
30-Jun	-43lbs
29-June	-42lbs
28 June -39lbs
27-June	-39lbs
23-June	-38lbs
22-June	-38lbs
21-June	-37lbs
20-june	-34lbs
19-June	-32lbs
15 June	-33lbs
14 june	-32lbs
7 june	-31lbs
6 june	-31lbs
5 june	-27lbs
2 june	-29lbs
1 june	-28lbs
31 May	-24lbs
22 May	-22lbs
18 May  -21lbs
Apr 24, 306 lbs, 110 to go

    
    
    
    Hello Andy,
    
    I am curious as to the amounts of weight you lost, according to your
    note .28.   
    
    	o did you actually weigh yourself almost every day ?
    	o how did you drop 1lb to 4 lbs in one day ? (some days
          even more than 4 lbs ?)
    
    	What is *your* secret !?  Or am I not reading your status
    correctly.
    
    ...
    val
    
        

    Hi Val,
    
    		yes, I weigh myself every morning before breakfast, unless
    I'm away on a business trip or whatever. Mostly I note down my weight.
    Sometimes I forget.
    
    Some days I do lose over the day some extraordinary amounts - other
    days I gain!
    
    - Andy ��� Leslie
    

    
    
    wow Andy !  I wish I could lose that quickly.  I can only make myself
    not be jealous...by saying "men lose easier".  Except...what if Andy
    is the nickname for Andrea !
    
    ...
    val (valerie) whose_goal_is_79_pounds_away
                  but_in_January_was_110_pounds_away
    
    ps.  Can you drop me a vaxmail on how you are doing it ?  and staying 
         motivated.  I did notice you said 10,000 calories a week, but what 
         would a typical day's menu/excersize schedule be for you ?  
         I am going thru an extremely painful trial separation at the moment...
         and I am having a hard time staying focused...when all I want to do 
         is crumble !  At times like this I cannot eat...I need to force
         myself.  But stress, I believe keeps the weight on...plus the fact
         my poor body thinks it's being starved to death.  Please send kind
         words.

    Breakfast: A bowl of cereal with skimmed milk - usually cornflakes or
    		special k or porage.
           OR
               A couple of slices of bread with low fat spread.
    
    Lunch:     An apple and a banana. SOmetimes two apples. Sometimes two
               bananas...
    
    Dinner:    A lean cuisine meal or something similar of less than 350
               calories. Sometimes I'll also have a slice of bread,
               especially with a 180 Cal meal.
    
    I take multivitamins and minerals too. But that's it. 
    
    Apart from unlimited diet coke and coffee by the gallon!
    
    As to exercise: I run at least two miles every day, mostly 4. I also
    play squash regularly and go for walks at the weekend with my family.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Andy
    
    PS Occasionally I pig out on a pizza. I average it out at 10,000 cals
    per week tho'.

Andy, didn't your mom ever tell you to eat your vegetables?!

    I get plenty in the lean cuisine stuff.
    
    

     
     Just to show that it ain't all easy.....

30-Oct -93lbs
29-Oct -93lbs
28-Oct -93lbs
27-Oct -90lbs
26-Oct -93lbs
25-Oct -93lbs
24-Oct -92lbs
23-Oct -88lbs
22-Oct -91lbs
20-Oct -91lbs

    7-Nov -100lbs.....

    
    	Andy, 
    
    	CONGRATULATIONS!  That's wonderful.... you must be walking on
    	air (and feeling as light!)
    
    	Karen
    

    Thanks! I'm very happy!

Andy,

Congratulations on your 100 lb. (!) weight loss!  It sounds like you're 
almost to your goal!  Thanks for the inspirations as well,

Rachel

    Had my blood pressure taken today - 120/75 - which my Doctor describes
    as spot on fit for my age - 34 less 6 weeks.
    
    This compares very favourably to my previously extremely high bp.

    Oh and my waking pulse has dropped 40 to 38!

             <<< LESLIE::DISK$SPEX:[NOTES$LIBRARY]FRIENDS.NOTE;1 >>>
                                -< FRIENDS IV >-
================================================================================
Note 16.607                    Favo(u)rite Things                     607 of 607
LESLIE::LESLIE "Posessed by Daemons"                  4 lines  12-NOV-1989 14:45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Throwing away 22 shirts, 6 pairs of trousers and jeans, 5 sweaters....
    
    because they're waaay too big now!

    202lbs and still a big loser....
    
    
    Last night I ran 2 miles in 16:14, 36 seconds faster than my previous
    p.b.
    
    6 months ago I couldn't run 200 yards.
    
    S'amazing!

  Andy,
    You're such an inspiration!

    I was 50 pounds over what I would like to be and used the excuse that
  "my knees and back" couldn't handle running as an exercise.  Then after
  reading your notes about "getting out, and get moving", I started --
  walking at first, then trotting (we won't call it "running" yet!)

    But I made a mistake, and wanted to share this with you and others
  who might be novices prone to the same mistake:

    I thought I was going slow, but would run out of breath and have to
  walk for a block every now and then -- still my time was 11 min/mile,
  walking about 3 times during the "run".

    This morning, a friend decided to go with me and "pace" me.  
  It was great -- we trotted the first mile (14 mins), and walked/jogged 
  the 2nd mile (total = 28 min).  My new "trainer" says that since she had 
  me talking the whole time, we'll pick up the pace next time, but she 
  insists that we "go for distance" and "build speed up as the stamina grows". 
  Even with her running with me, she had to keep reminding me to slow down...
  I can't judge my pace; guess it's a sensitivity that you build up over time.

    Thanks for your encouragement.  Just wanted to let you know how helpful
  your notes have been.

  -Geri

    Well done! As you'll see if you look in NAC::Running_Club you'll see
    that its best you run at a speed that you can chat to a companion
    runner (trotter) without discomfort.
    
    Keep going and we'll make it, together!
    
    - Andy ��� Leslie
    

    Well done, Andy!

    It is a delight to read your notes.  You sound very happy with your
    achievements, and so you should be!

    Ali

.44>    I thought I was going slow, but would run out of breath and have to
.44>  walk for a block every now and then -- still my time was 11 min/mile,

	If you run out of breath, you're exercising anaerobically.

	Anaerobic exercise uses little fat.

	Keep the pace easy, keep your pulse within your target range,
    and you will be exercising aerobically, and using fat as the primary
    energy source, not blood sugar.

-mike z

    Hit 200lbs today, thats -106 since April 24.
    
    Yes, Alison, I'm very happy! Did you recognise me in DEC Park t'other
    day?
    
    - Andy ��� Leslie
    

    -110lbs today!
    
    This has taken me 7 calendar months, but I'm 196 a month ahead of
    schedule.
    
    I've now decided to try for another 10lbs by Christmas. We'll see....

    Yes, I thought it was you!  You're doing very well, Andy

    Ali

>   I've now decided to try for another 10lbs by Christmas. We'll see....

	I initially read this as 101 lbs!  Not a good idea, methinks...

	Beverly
	:-)

    I also read it 101 lbs.  I thought that was rather ambitious.  Good
    luck on that next 10.
    
    Denise

    After a couple of pounds back on or so, I'm down to 194lbs and on track
    for 186 by Xmas.
    
    Of course I have this 10 day US trip starting today, so we'll just have
    to see what happens as a result of THAT...

    <<< Note 461.53 by LESLIE::LESLIE "Andy ��� Leslie VMS/CSSE Newbury" >>>

    
>>    Of course I have this 10 day US trip starting today, so we'll just have
>>    to see what happens as a result of THAT...

Andy, any chance you'll be in Colorado Springs??  If so, look me up!

Liz

    Liz
    	I'm in Colorado in Feb. See you then...
    Andy

    Hmmph. Looks like I'll have to stick at 195 for Christmas - s'amazing
    what 10 days in the US can do to a diet.
    
    Still reached my target and maintained for a month so far...

    As of yesterday I was still 195. I've a 2 week US trip at the end of
    January, so this may be 'it' for the meantime.
    
    Only 111lbs lost overall! Hmmph!
    
    :-)
    
    Andy
    
    PS Running is now about 30 miles/week and I'll be doing a half-marathon
    later this year.

    
    Well, 2 months after hitting my target weight, despite my very best
    endeavours to lose more, I'm stuck at 195. Bleah.
    
    STill, not all that unhappy really, I'm just a moaner really.
    
    Running about 30-35 miles a week right now and having a ball!
    
    I'll be in ZK 1/2 Feb and 12/13/14 Feb, with 3rd to 11th in Colorado.
    
    A
    
    

    Me too - I've been stuck on a plateau for about 6 weeks now after an 80
    pound weight loss.  It's nice to have clothes fit for longer than
    usual, but I am ready for the next steps! 
    
    I have looked at every area of my eating, and can't see any 'leaks'.  I
    am trying to cut down on quantities and take just a little less than
    feels comfortable to get my body 'jump started' again.
    
    Frustrating, isn't it Andy?  And yet, I can feel so good about the way
    I look today after 80 pounds.  I haven't gone back to sugar or any of
    my old eating habits, and I know that eventually my body will catch on!
    
    Holly

    Well, I've put on a few pounds, mostly in the form of muscle from
    running, but I'm still weighing in at 197.
    
    A

    
    One year ago, today, I returned from a business trip to the USA, stepped
    on the scales and discovered I weighed in at 306lbs. Subsequent testing
    revealed that the scales were in fact underestimating my weight by
    about 10lbs. (I since got some accurate electronic scales.)
    
    I was incredibly unfit, couldn't climb the stairs in ZK without puffing
    and couldn't fit into Zayres Lx2 sizes.
    
    Following a self imposed regime, 1 year ago today, I took up a
    restricted diet and exercise program, aiming to lose 100lbs and be the
    weight that I'd last seen in 1970, when 14.
    
    By November 24 I had reached my target weight, of 196lbs. I have, since
    then, varied by as much as 8lbs over that, but today still weighed in
    at 196lbs. (You may think that's still fat, even though I'm 6 foot 2, I
    agree that I'm still not at my ideal weight, but...I have time now.)
    
    I now fit in 34" waist jeans, take a MEDIUM in most sweaters. That's a
    reduction of some 20"+.
    
    I took up running last July 26, for which I have Martin Minow to thank
    for nagging me into discovering this fun passtime.
    
    I can now run miles in less than 7 minutes on a consistent basis and
    plan to run a half-marathon on May 13, with a full marathon on my
    agenda in September.
    
    Tomorrow morning, I'll be running the 13 miles into my Reading office.
    
    My thanks to Martin, Mike Zarlenga and quite a few others, you helped
    *me* become what *I* like, today.
    
    I almost forgot: the support of my wife, Wendy, and our kids, was most
    important too.
    
    
    
    						- andy

re .61

Well, I'd say we've got some minor similarities: same height, same age (give or
take a year), same current weight (I'm at 197). One big difference, I only had
to start at 220 back in Februrary!

I'm going for 180-185 (actually, 180), a weight I last saw in 1977 (at 22).

Your success proves that with patience everything is possible!

/Peters

    I ran into work today, 13 miles, 1:51:15.
    
    
    						- andy

    Congratulations, Andy!  It's been great fun comparing notes with you
    throughout the year...
    
    And you look terrific.
    
    Holly

    Again congrats Andy.  I agree without the help of people like Andy and
    Mike Z and others in this file I wouldn't have got to the point I have
    today.  Of course the odd comment from co-workers hasn't hurt either.
    
    ...dale

    Well, last night Wendy and I ran in a 10k race in Yateley, Hampshire.
    There were 760 runners, I came 395th in 50:55, Wendy was 375 in 49:55.
    That puts us both around 8-minute miles for a fairly hilly course, so
    we weren't too discouraged.
    
    This was one of a series of three, run throught the summer, so we're
    determined to put in some hard training and try and beat 48:00 by the
    third one.
    
    So, all this dieting and exercise seems to have paid great dividends in
    terms of fitness and indeed happiness.
    
    Great stuff indeed!
    
    
    						- andy

    Happy anniversay to me
    Happy anniversay to me
    It was one year yesterday
    I became the thin meeeeee
    
    
    :-)

    Congratulations, Andy!  That's soooo cool!  And thanks for proving that
    it can be done!  Kay

	Yes, ditto .68 - congratulations.

-mike z

    Thanks, I know .67 reads like self congratulation - but that's only
    'cause it is...:-)

    RE: .66 By the third Yateley 10k, I ran 45:00 dead!
    
    I really can't over-emphasise how great I feel these days - please,
    those who need encouragement, take it from me, lose weight, get fit, be
    happy!
    
    	- andy

    2 years later, I'm still THIN!
    
    
    Keep it up folks, it can be done...
    
    	- andy

    Congratulations.  How did you loose this weight and more importantly
    how have you succeeded in keeping it off?  I'm sure it was a sensible
    eating plan but through any particular organization?  
    

    I ate less, exercised more and have continued in this vein. I found no
    organisations that I wanted to join - so did it on my own...
    
    	- andy

Time to 'fess up.  Since November, I've been rollercoasting somewhat.
I'm now at 210lbs and heading downwards again.

The main problem was that I eased up (slightly) on exercise and had a
few too many large meals.

Anyhow, back to running 6 miles a day or so, and it's leaving me again.

/Andy