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Conference rocks::weight_control

Title: Weight Loss and Maintenance
Notice:**PLEASE** enter notes in mixed case (CAPS ARE SHOUTING)!
Moderator:ASICS::LESLIE
Created:Mon Jul 09 1990
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:933
Total number of notes:9931

683.0. "The Computer - Dietmate" by HSOMAI::IRVING () Mon Jul 22 1991 23:56

    
    Has anyone tried or heard of the hand-held computer - "Dietmate" ?
    
    You enter your statistics such as weight, gender, birthdate, etc..
    
    Dietmate sets exercise, caloric, weight-loss goals for you.
    
    You keep it on all day - it prompts you to drink water, eat meals,
    and exercise.   It totals your exercise calories and food calories
    for the day.  It also totals the fat percentage.   You can enter
    your meals by using exchanges, or by entering simply calories, or
    you can use the pre-planned meals that Dietmate has set for you.
    It also does a shopping list for you, if you allow it to plan
    your meals.  The meals are planned based upon the amount of weight
    you need to lose, keeping nutrition in mind.
    
    It's an excellent little gadget.   You are always conscious of
    exactly what you're eating.   
    
    At the end of the day - it gives you input (encouragement and
    warnings) regarding your eating and exercising habits.
    
    It's a wonderful tool.    It not only helps you lose weight - it
    will also help you maintain a weight loss. 
    
    It keeps a progress chart for a three month period (graph) and a 
    two week numerical chart.
    
    
    I love it.
    
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
683.1DIETMATE COMPUTERDECXPS::BSMITHTue Jul 23 1991 17:021
    COULD YOU TELL ME WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT AND HOW MUCH IT COST?
683.2Where to Buy DietMateHSOMAI::IRVINGFri Jul 26 1991 22:5388
    
    I purchased DietMate from the manufacturer - Health Innovations
    at 1-800-343-8628.    I read about it in the magazine, "Health".
    
    It can also be ordered through the catalog "Hammacher Schlemmer".
    I don't have their 800#.   It's probably listed with the 800-555-1212
    directory assistance.
    
    
    Cost was 290.00 through the manufacturer.  I was told that I'd gotten
    a special.  You can put on a credit card in three installments if
    you'd like.    The cost through Hammacher Schlemmer is about 330. -
    350.00.
    
    It really works in changing your bad eating, exercising, and water-
    drinking habits.
    
    My sister has lost more than 10 pounds since she started in May (
    (I got her one for her birthday).   The best part of that is she is
    keeping it off.   She is also eating vegetables, something she has
    never done!
    
    As for me, I can no longer deny my bad habits.   DietMate has pointed
    them out to me in clear, graphical (charts) terms.
    
    I was initially using it to track my calories and exercise habits.
    
    I did not follow the 1200 calories per day menu that it plans for you.
    DietMate will plan your meals for two weeks in advance, create a
    shopping list for those meals, and recipes for most of them are in
    the cookbook that comes with it.   It also come with a videotape that
    explains the program and the computer.   
    
    I ignored these meals.    I was not successful in trying to follow my
    own plan, as I tended to yo-yo diet.    I would exercise like a maniac
    to make up for the extra calories that I was eating, however, I was
    not losing weight.  It takes more than exercise.   I would eat about
    1900 calories (40-60% fat), or more.....I would then exercise and
    burn up about 800-1000 calories in exercise (DietMate lists exercises
    and calories expended determined by your weight and age), and I would
    not loose weight!   My theory was that if I could bring my calorie
    intake back down to 1200 by exercising for everything that I'd eaten
    over that, then surely I would lose weight....WRONG!!!
    
    I didn't gain any more than 2-3 pounds, but I never lost any more than
    2-3 and kept it off!!!
    
    I began to realize that DietMate was obviously correct.   At the end
    of the day, Dietmate gives you encouragement or scolding depending
    upon what you've done that day.   It would invariably tell me that
    I would not be successful if I did not reduce the fat and caloric
    intake.   That I should call a friend, or go for a walk instead of
    eating a snack.  That I did not drink water it is was prompting me.
    
    I realize that this sounds kind of crazy, talking about a computer
    like this.   But it has become my friend and confidante.    I would
    not tell anyone else that I'd eaten over 2200 calories in one day!
    Out of sight, out of mind....not with DietMate.
    
    My roomate would occassionly check my progress chart to see how I was
    doing, much to my distress and embarrassment.   I decided to use
    the private pin number and turn it off when I wasn't around....The
    things we do for Ben&Jerry Heath Crunch....my secrets were safe!
    
    That behavior made me realize that something was wrong.  That and the
    fact that inputting even a half of a carton of BJ icecream in DietMate
    would really blow your numbers, and definitely elicit some smart remark
    about snacking and overeating and it's relationship to success.
    Besides, I would usually eat an entire carton in one serving..imagine
    that in DietMate!  It equaled more than my total caloric allotment
    for one day!
    
    Needless to say, I haven't had BJ for two months, just a serving
    (their serving size suggestion!) of the new BJ frozen yogurt.
    
    As I've stated earlier, a video accompanies DietMate.  If you'd like
    more information on it, I'd be happy to lend you the tape (VHS), or
    make a copy for you.    Send a mail message.
    
    Regards,
    
    
    
    P.S.  I a not at all affiliated with Health Innovations, own no
    stock, nor have any relatives/friends that work for them - I just
    think it's a great product that's definitely saved my life!