Conference rocks::weight_control

    
    First, decide your target weight.
    
    Second, get a calorie guide.
    
    Third, restrict yourself to 10,000 Calories a week.
    
    Fourth, read up on what foods cause obesity and modify your lifestyle
    PERMANENTLY to avoid them - and by the way if your family follow suit
    it can only be good for them.
    
    Fifth, increase your exercise, walk, run if you can. If you get
    interested in Running, take a look in the NAC::RUNNING_CLUB notesfile
    for "tips for beginners".
    
    Sixth, get a good set of scales and weigh yourself 3 or more days a
    week.
    
    Seventh, lose weight.
    
    It all sounds easy, right? Well, it can be - and it can be fun too.
    
    I've now lost 100+lbs since Apr 24, become vegetarian and given up 99%
    of my beer intake. I feel better for it and so does my family, who I
    have continued to feed without feeling I have to either impose my
    regime upon them or indeed to eat the same food as them.
    
    Good luck,
    
    - Andy ��� Leslie
    

    I would suggest Weight Watchers for you because it is very flexible,
    and will allow you to eventually eat almost everything you would
    feed your family, but in controlled portions.  If you're like the rest
    of the world and busy, the last thing you probably want to do is
    start cooking two sets of meals.
    
    The first week is pretty limited, but on weeks 2 - 5, they keep
    adding new food choices so that eventually you feel like you can
    eat almost anything - but like I said, in controlled portions.
    
    What ever you decide,
    
    Good Luck!
    
    Gail

     
       I would also suggest WW it has helped me alot. I have 100+ to
    lose. I started WW 8 weeks ago and have already lost 33 lbs.not
    saying it is easy but it is something you can live with. We all
    need a program that can fit around our lives and this for me was
    it.
      as for your family I have three grown boys at home and they have
    reaped from my foods. Fruit and yogurt and veggies are good for
    everyone not just the dieter. I had a big problem with veggies as
    I hate them, but I have learned to like them.
       No one can tell you what will work best for you but try something
    you can do on a daily basis and not feel it is work to keep on it.
      You will find after the first two weeks more and more food groups
    are added until you can finally have anything your heart desires
    but in moderation. WW helps teach you how to eat properly. I have
    not felt hungry once since I started this program.For me that is
    a plus. I also find at night I keep a fruit or bread to fill me
    in case I need it but until now I still haven't used it. 
       Frozen yogurt is a plus also as you can buy the fat free ones
    in many excellent flavors. My current one is honey dew melon fromShaw's
    it is great.
        Well whatever program you decide on keep in touch you can do
    it.
        Good Luck!!!!!
             Judy
    

I would also suggest Weight Watchers mainly because it is not a diet, it
is a food program that will teach you sensible eating patterns.  Your
family doesn't need to know that anything is different other than that
you are eating better.  You can have meat and potatoes if you like, you
can have chocolate and peanutbutter.  Pick up the WW "Favorites" cookbook,
it's excellent.  

Usually around the holidays WW offers some kind of special like no membership
fee or half price, etc..  You don't sign any contract, you eat real food, etc..
Check out their magazine, it's wonderful.

Keep in touch and let us know how you're doing.  Do it for YOU!

Liz

	Not to sound like a broken record, but here's another vote for WW.
	If you're at a site with WW@W (Weight Watchers' at Work), find out
	when the next enrollment is -- I find the lunchtime classes very 
	convenient.  WW isn't for everyone, but since you don't have a 
	lifetime problem and you sound highly motivated, I'd give it a 
	try before looking at other, more expensive alternatives.

	Doing it on your own, as Andy suggests, is a lot of work.  WW
	teaches you not only to control your caloric intake, but also to
	get the right balance of nutrients, fiber, fat, cholesterol, etc.
	If you decide to set up your own program, I'd suggest consulting
	a doctor or nutritionist to help you set it up; 10,000 calories
	per day isn't the right amount for everyone.

	How often to weigh yourself has its own topic, so I won't say too 
	much about it here; I'm in the "every day" camp, but many people
	(including official WW) say once a week.

	As for gawkers, you will hopefully find that people will be 
	supportive when they find out that you're working on losing weight.
	You certainly shouldn't get hassled here!  Anyone who gives you a
	hard time about your weight at work is harrassing you...

	Good luck, and keep us posted!
	Beverly

	As has been pointed out to be (thanks, Andy!), .1 advocates 10,000
	per *week*, not per day!  That works out to over 1400/day average,
	which is probably high for a lot of women -- I certainly wouldn't
	lose anything on it, but I'm pretty short (5'3").

	Beverly

	Weight Watchers.

	Also, I'd STRONGLY suggest a physical examination before you
    start on any diet plan.  It's always a good idea, if you can, to
    tell your doctor about your plans to lose the weight, and get a
    check-up.

-mike z

    I DO understand about gawkers. It sounds unbelievable, but at one
    facility where I worked there were three of us trying to seriously
    diet. There was a farewell function where pastries were served,
    and we all were fighting temptation and doing well at it. One of
    our coworkers took a pastry and repeatedly held it to the lips of
    one of the other dieters. The person sitting next to me thought
    this looked like fun, so did it to me, too. I told her if she did
    it one more time she'd be wearing the pastry. I was reprimanded
    by my boss and told I was a poor sport. 
    
    Why do people have to make it more difficult than it is to diet?
    Why do we have to put up with the harassment?
    
    Linda

    I'll tell you the answer I give people when they try to force sweets
    on me.   I tell them I am allergic to sugar and they leave me alone. 
    It's true, I am.  The more I'd eat the more I want. Since giving up
    refined sugars (and processed flour) I have lost the desire for that
    sweet stuff and have a whole new attitude about life. (not to mention
    getting rid of 57 lbs.)  My sister is quite obese and she constantly
    feeds her face with candy, danish, pies, etc.  She is so hyper because
    of the sugar and the sad thing is she doesn't believe the sugar is
    driving her to eat more!  Hopefully, she will come to that realization
    some day before she has a major health problem.
    
    
    bd
    

    There are many reasons why people eat sweets it may be hey body
    craves something and the only way her knows to satisfy that she
    eats sweets.Some people's bodies use sugar in different ways to
    them it is all part of eating the best way is to consult a doctor
    about how much sugar is too much and try to remove a little from
    her at a time.This  will hopefuly cut down on the cosumption and
    may be enought to help bring the weight down.Or try one of the 
    Programs that when sugar is taken into the system it will not be
    obsorbed either into the digestion track or in the mouth but you
    can still eat sugar with no effect to the system,all other food
    will taste the same,only sugar no matter what type wil not be adsorbed
    into the body.If I can be of any help don't hesitate to drop a line.
    Best of health  D. Allen

    RE: .10
    
    Hi! I've realized that I really have to reduce my sugar intake,
    however, what you mentioned about sugar seems new to me. Normally, how
    much should an average person (not overweight) take in sugar. In other
    words, how much is too much? What's the metric used? 
    
    This info would be really important to me because I'm really concerned
    of my sugar intake, the problem is I don't know what is enough and what
    isn't. How does one get a health problem by taking in too much sugar?
    
    Thanks in advance!