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Easy weight loss - need advice

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jkvz2011
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Post by jkvz2011 » Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:57 am

Hi tinkerbelle: Do you mind sharing with me your slimming process also? I also want to shed some weights... :)

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Post by Lee88 » Wed, 29 Jun 2011 5:49 pm

nomicake wrote:I bought a treadmill for my place a couple of years back, but I ended up not using it... ever. Too many distractions at home. Ended up giving it away. Wouldn't really recommend it for people with a short attention span, like me. What works for me though, is heading somewhere (e.g. gym, pool, park) with a set objective in mind!
I feel that for treadmill at least you'll have an objective to hit , like how much calories you wana burn or you can set a time for yourself. Take it slow, don't rush. Before that, warm up is very important. Control your diet too!

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Post by tinkerbell88 » Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:38 pm

Dear jkvz2011,
I went to my doc and got some professional advice on weight loss, from a diet sheet to an exercise programme. She put me on a high fibre, low GI diet, and made me keep a food diary. I took 2 types of tablets, one an appetite suppressant and another a high fibre supplement. I was brisk walking 4 times a week, for 45 minutes on average and sticking quite strictly to my programme. The meds gave me a boost in my energy levels, and also helped suppress my appetite, lost 5 kg in 2 months, which was reasonable, and that included eating my favourite dessert (ice-cream) at the weekends. I could cheat a bit, so it didn't feel like I was some on some healthfreak, crazed starvation diet, and didn't get the mood swings as one does on the Atkin's diet. I was gradually taken off the meds and now try to eat 4 small meals a day, with no carbs after 7pm. It feels a lot more natural, and it's easier now, especially with a food diary. I also got Thermage for my tummy, which helped melt about 2.5 inches off my love-handles. It's a non-surgical body contouring procedure that is FDA approved, and it's a one time thing, and over the last 6 months, I saw a nice result.
I stilll see my personal trainer once a week, between my brisk walks and the occasional swim, just to keep myself in check. Got 1-2 more kgs to lose, but I am now within a healthy BMI range.
The ultimate long term solution is still exercise and a healthy diet.. get a personal trainer if you need a bit of a nudge for the motivation. It helps. :D
tinkerbell88

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Post by tinkerbell88 » Fri, 01 Jul 2011 2:06 am

Dear jkvz2011,
I have already P M'd you.
tinkerbell88

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Fri, 01 Jul 2011 6:55 am

tinkerbell88, are you still on the weight loss programme? How much have you lost? How long did it take you to lose it? Were you obese? Or where you just slightly overweight. From your messages it appears you only had to lose around 7 kg. Can you confirm that? What was your BMI when you started.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by SleepDeprived » Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:10 am

hi tinkerbell,

You already are on a personal diet plan from your doctor and you are also doing your own exercises so what does the personal trainer help to do? Is he focusing on specific exercises or work-outs?

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:56 pm

The problem I have with her programme, hence my questions, is that almost all docs in Singapore are NOT dieticians or have any concept about safe weight loss. In fact, Singapore docs are notorious for prescribing speed for weight loss (diet pills are nothing but speed) to anybody who asks for them. A lot of docs here have gotten into big trouble over it. Look up Slim 10 for a memorable case of slimming pills here and what it did for Andrea de Cruz. I'd never prescribe ANY type of appetite suppressant. That's purely a prescription for problems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slim_10
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by tinkerbell88 » Fri, 01 Jul 2011 6:07 pm

Hi SleepDeprived,
yes he is focusing on a general body toning programme with weights, so it helps define my sinews better.

SMS,
I understand your concerns on SPEED. Slim 10's been banned anyway, there is no danger of that happening here with me. What I got was like a bulking fibre tablet, to help fill me up before my meals, so I wouldn't eat everything within arm's length.
You seem very well-informed on health and diet.. You must be a nutritionist?? Can I ask you for some advice on weight maintenance? Should I continue my low GI diet on weekdays and splurge a bit on treats at weekends? What proportion of proteins/fibre/complex carbs should one on a weight maintenance programme be doing? Is there a formula that works?
Ice-cream is my weakness, alongside savoury Indian/Thai food. Wasn't obese to start with, only slightly overweight, and had to lose 5 kg to attain a BMI of 22.5. Now I just eat a balanced diet and exercise 4 times a week.
Seems to be ok so far.
tinkerbell88

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Fri, 01 Jul 2011 8:08 pm

No I'm not a nutritionist. I just did a lot of research before I started my programme to lose 25 kg 3.5 years ago. I've done a lot of research during the programme as well maintaining. As far as you were concerned, if you were only 5 kg overweight, you shouldn't have gone on a "diet" at all. I am assuming you are Singaporean so your staple diet was lots of Rice, Noodles, and if you are young, french fried from fast food outlets. Maybe considerable amount of breadstuffs as well if you like Bakery products. All of these processed White Killer Starches are all you would have had to cut back on to lose most of the weight, If you just cut that in half (what ever the amount you were eating) and cut back on salt & direct sugar (like softdrinks) and continued on your exercise program, you would have lost the same amount of weight and probably just as fast as well, and a heck of a lot cheaper.

Your maintenance regime is a recipe for disaster, truth be known. It's better to eat healthy all the time but obviously that's not possible. Where possible don't blow more than one meal every two or three days. Don't make a "weekend" of enjoying foods you shouldn't be eating or eating too much of. All you do when you do that is throw your HGH out of whack, and causes your serotonin levels to create insulin spikes, which cause cravings, which as we all know, causes an circular effect. That, of course, make exercising even more necessary and the trying to slow down the cravings (popping pills to bloat you up?). It causes what is known as the Yo-Yo syndrome. That is not doing your body any good as your body is not at equilibrium with itself but in a constant mode of feast/famine. It's not healthy. This is why Weight Watchers, Sure Slim and other like them don't work over the long term. Free days only succeeds in throwing your body's system out of whack, only to have to start over again. There is a lot more to life than just eating.

Big hint. If you have cravings at 9:30~10:00am in the morning it's probably because you had heavy carbs for breakfast. A heavy carb breakfast sets the tone for the whole day. It's okay to have "some" carbs for Breakfast but not until you have had protein. Have Yoghurt for breakfast or a vegetable omelet for breakfast. Pass on the toast/buns/rolls. If you want fruit or fruit juice, fine, but have it as a dessert after your meal, not before. Having the fruit/juice with the fructose in it will cause a insulin spike, but having protein first will let the insulin rise gradually so when you do have the fruit, not a real problem.

You are right though as far as not eating after 10 pm. Actually it doesn't matter what time it actually is as long as it's 2 hours before you go to sleep. Oh, the HGH is responsible for your fat burn. It does most of it's work while you sleep and requires around 8 hours of sleep for maximum burn. I could never do that while I was on my programme as I wouldn't get to sleep before 1 or 1:30 am and up again at 6:00. But come the weekend I would sometimes lose as much as 800g~1kg over night as my body's HGH went into overtime! ;-).

You last post is at odds with your earlier post where you indicated you were taking both the fibre bulking tablet AS WELL AS a diet suppressant (speed). That's why I made mention of it and Slim 10. I've been in Singapore for 30 years. I know Andrea. In fact I know most of the last generations of actors/actresses on Caldecott Hill as I worked as a part time actor from 1988 to around 2006. So I am very aware of the Slim 10 saga as well as the local doctors freely prescribing diet pills. In fact, if you were only 5 kg overweight, your doctor wasn't too smart either, giving you suppressants. (No offense meant, but facts are facts) At only 5kg overweight, he should have just told you to get off your butt and walk up the stairs instead of using the escalators.

But, if, at the end of the day, you are happy with all you have to go through to "maintain" then it's okay for you. It's your health. ;-) Mine, it's something I can LIVE with. I live a healthy lifestyle now. I never went back to eating normally. Instead I eat correctly. It something we have to relearn and if this old coot can do it, anybody can! :cool:

One more thing. Don't eat anything that comes in a bag, box or can if you can help it. Processed foods are not good for you. Read the labels if you don't believe me.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by taxico » Fri, 01 Jul 2011 9:50 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Don't make a "weekend" of enjoying foods you shouldn't be eating or eating too much of.

Have Yoghurt for breakfast or a vegetable omelet for breakfast. Pass on the toast/buns/rolls. If you want fruit or fruit juice, fine, but have it as a dessert after your meal, not before.

Having the fruit/juice with the fructose in it will cause a insulin spike, but having protein first will let the insulin rise gradually so when you do have the fruit, not a real problem.

Don't eat anything that comes in a bag, box or can if you can help it. Processed foods are not good for you. Read the labels if you don't believe me.
i wanted to start another thread about what sort of food would make a good meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) or snack but i think this thread would be as good as any other.

i'm not a nutritionist and i really want to start eating right as i'm stuck in a chair many more hours now than i've ever been in my life.

i need my coffee, and i don't like yogurt. would a vegetable + fruit (blended) drink be suitable? i'm thinking tomato and orange... maybe carrot? i don't like v8.

anyone else with SENSIBLE eating and exercising tips should definitely contribute here because i think that will help more than any pill or diet fad would.
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:05 pm

I hate yogurt as well. That why I eat an omelet for Breakfast every morning. Egg is protein. Ham & cheese omelets are great (although I don't use ham, but usually use pepper beef slices diced up. If you are "watching" your weight, a single egg (70-80 gram AAA egg - can get 'em from the wetmarkets) with Ham/Beef & cheese is a good protein breakfast. If you want a single slice of toast with that, no real harm done, If you want juice or fruit, have it at the end of the meal. A smoothie made from Veg & Fruit won't do it as you still aren't getting the protein source you need to cause a gradual rise in insulin levels.

This is good for any meal always have your protein/veg source first during the meal and then have your fruit/desserts/etc. If you are having carbs, have them in small portions. The food pyramid has been turned upside down recently and has really pissed off the grain growers of the US as it now proven that carbs SHOULD be the least consumed of the food pyramid and not the largest base as was pushed by the Grain Farmers. Maximum intake of While Killer Starches should be no more than 50g / meal which is about half the size of your palm.

Snacks? Stay away from Breads & UFO's (hard to do in Singers) A piece of fruit between meals or crackers (low carb ones if possible - I like vitaweets or Ryvita with a few slices of cheese which is a protein to help offset the carbs in the crackers) The fruit is okay there as you still have protein in your system because of breakfast or lunch or dinner. And fructose is much easier utilized by the body than the sugars gains from converted white carbs. (white carbs? Bread, Potatoes, Rice & Pasta).

That's a start anyway. Also nuts are a good snack as long as you don't eat the whole bloody bottle/can (get roasted or non-salted ones) while working at the computer! :oops: They're high in fats but generally it good fats and not Trans-Fats.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by tinkerbell88 » Sat, 02 Jul 2011 1:50 am

Dear SMS,
Thanks for the dietary advice. My weekend treat was a mere scoop of my fave ice-cream, and I have never really had a high carb diet, last time I did, I was still in ar college. I have a yogurt and a fruit for breakfast with my coffee, folowed by dried fruit at 1030 am, and a fibre-enriched with protein lunch (eg. a tuna wrap from subway minus the dressing), followed by a healthy-ish dinner made of grains and protein. I dowander off the straight and narrow at times, as I do eat out at least twice a week, and my diet does get derailed a bit, but I do try.
Will take your pointers about the dips and yo-yos. Thanks so much for the advice!
:)
tinkerbell88

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Sat, 02 Jul 2011 6:55 am

tinkerbell88, if you are no longer on the weight loss program and are 'maintaining' then you are doing fine is sound like. Especially if you are eating that way naturally, e.g., habit, now. You sound like you are level headed since losing the weight. But I still had to question your usage of diet suppressants, as the dangers were well known. However, if you are off of them now and not having any problems, power to you. Eating healthy, which you are doing, is the main thing. Contratulations! :)
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by tinkerbell88 » Sat, 02 Jul 2011 7:20 pm

Dear SMS,
YES! I'm off all fibre tablets and am just on a regular exercise programme now. Most discerning docs here as far as I know only prescribe meds in small quantities, as they have to adhere to strict guidelines given by the Ministry of Health according to my cousin who is a doc himself. It would be great if you could share (only if you have time to spare) some meal plans. I know the food pyramid has been turned topsy turvy, but should I eat the least carbs at night? Since a high carb diet decreases HGH? Problems with that is I wake up hungry during the wee hours... And what about booze? It's hard to cut out wine at a nice meal altogether, and that too would affect the hormones and sleep right?
Thanks.
tinkerbell88

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Post by kitkats » Sun, 03 Jul 2011 6:45 am

Things I do when I want to lose weight quickly.

- skipping really helps and its fun
- drink aloe vera juice, u can get it from health shops. It gives u clears complexion and helps if u have sluggish digestion.
-fruit, veg and yogurt.
-I still eat carbs but not as much. I try to stay away from meat.
-lots of chinese tea
-no sugar.
Hope this helps!

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