Hi Sandi,
I increased my fiber using psyllium and flax seeds. I pretty much stopped eating breads, so it's working for me. Everything I read says high fiber is good for you. I wouldn't say I'm on a "high fiber diet" but this is one thing I've been doing to lose weight.

I wake up and drink a big glass of water, first thing. Then when I get hungry I drink a glass of water with psyllium in it before eating. If you let the psyllium sit for a minute it gets thick and although doesn't taste wonderful or have a great texture, it does fill me up. Then I eat, but I'm not as hungry so I eat less. I've been eating "dinner" for "breakfast" lately too. Bigger in the morning, less in the evening. I drink the psyllium before at least two meals.

Other than that, I've just upped my intake of vegis, brown rice and beans and lowered my meat and bread intake. I try to walk as often as I can. I don't eat sweets, cut out my ice cream habit entirely and eat frozen Acai instead(it comes in little cups and tastes a bit like a raspberry/blackberry smoothie, although not as creamy).

~Silver

Hi Silver,
Thanks for the info.I think I'm going to try it as my appetite is way out of control.At 65 I'm no youngster either so it's harder to get it moving...I did start going to the YMCA again after being absent all summer.
Sandi

Hi Sandi,
I know what you mean about your appetite being out of control. I just basically gave in to my self. Nachos at 9pm? Sure, you deserve it. Ice cream every night? Ok! I ate cheese with everything. Of course being depressed helped, but I was just so unmotivated to do anything and eating felt so good! Didn't want to go walking, didn't do more than a few situps once in a while. Finally when none of my clothes fit I took a good hard look at myself.

I'm feeling a lot better after going off of breads and getting my fiber in other ways. I did have some homemade wheat bread with two chunks of cheddar cheese yesterday, and it was soooo good!!!

Hi Silver,
Well, I'm glad I'm not the only feeling this way!!Ha-Ha
Just kidding,I sure wouldn't wish being this heavy & these depressed feelings on anyone.Tomorrow I'm going to go to health food store and see what I can find in fiber to use.Psyllium @ health food stores? Acai I haven't heard of..Where can you get that? I'd like to check it out.Thanks again for the info as I kind of reached the end of my rope.
Sandi

Hi Sandi,
Psyllium is at health food stores. It's in a canister and looks kind of like bread flakes. Weird texture, not much taste. I just went on my evening walk and came home and DH was making a beautiful chicken sandwich. I was drooling!!! But I just drank a teaspoon of my psyllium in a glass of water, followed by another glass of water. I'm not satisfied, but I am full.

Put on a pair of jeans today and actually have room in the thighs. Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!! Felt so good.

Acai was talked about by Oprah. You can find it online. There is a lot of hype about it right now. I heard about it through my daughter's martial arts instructor because it's from Brazil and is very high in vitamins. They sell it at the academy in little cups, just the crushed berry. Kind of like a sorbet or smoothie. It's $2 for a little cup, but it's healthy and kills my ice cream craving!!! Frozen fruit (bananas make it creamy) in a blender with fruit juice would accomplish the same "dessert-y" feeling.

I know what you mean about heavy feelings. I feel like I'm lugging around a big albatross around my soul. Oh wait, it's my bum!!! LOL!!

Good luck at the health food store.
Take care,
Silver

Hi Again,
Thanks for the Acai info.I will try it.Went to food store and got the Psyllium.you're right about the taste but it's worth a try!
Can I ask you how much weight you've lost?
Don't you just love it when you put on something and it's almost to big on you?? Oh Yeah, that feels sooooo good!
Sandi

Hi Sandi, you're welcome. I like the Acai a lot (I've only had the frozen fruit cups of it but it comes in a lot of forms).

I was 160 at the beginning of summer, and I'm now 135. I love trying clothes on and having them be too big!!! But I really drastically altered my diet and got moving a lot. I eat a lot of beans and brown rice and vegis!!! It's really difficult, and boring! but I follow the 6 days on, 1 day off diet too (eat only healthy for 6, on the 7th eat what ever you want. It throws the system into shock and revs up the metabolism).

So I got Pizza on Sunday!!!!!!! Wahoo! With pepperoni, but i picked a lot of it off.

No sauces, no butter, very little salt on my food. I use Braggs liquid aminos for my salt (can get it at health food store, it's like a very light soy sauce, but very very good for you and with no added salt).

Also, this is gross, but I've been drinking salt water in the mornings. Gag! I get a glass of hot water and pour a little bit over a teaspoon of salt. then I drink the salty nastiness, followed by the whole cup of hot water, and then 1 liter of water. It's really awful.

I drink hot water or cold water throughout the day. Hot is really good for digestion and the lungs, and cold shocks the system and takes more calories to take it in.

There's an ad for Acai berry diet pills on the garden web sponsored links below the "post a follow up" box. I don't know anything about this pill, but I know that it's all the rave right now and the berry is very good for the body.

It says it was "...featured on Oprah and the Rachel Ray show and with good reason. Acai Berry Power 500 had the best results of any of the products we tested. In our trials women that took Pure Acai Berry showed a dramatic loss in weight and reported that they had never felt better in their life. The powerful affect of antioxidants had increased their engery and for some ever their sex drive. Pure Acai Berry is with out a doubt the best Acai Berry porduct on the market."

Hi Silver,
Thanks for all the info and congradulations on the weight loss!!I haven't started anything yet but I'm going to get on it as soon as Thanksgiving is over as all the kids will be home for the first time in years.......I'm so excited!
I should be able to get everything going good before Christmas gets here.Will let you know how it goes.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Sandi

Hi Sandi,
Thank you!! It feels so good. I still have toning and my "trouble spots" to try to get rid of... Why is it that the fat sticks to my thighs???? I don't understand!!

This time of year is especially hard. I bought a Hershey's Special Dark bar the other day and have been "treating" myself with that. It cuts the cravings for worse things like nachos and ice cream! You have great willpower to be starting now. Just don't be too hard on yourself.

Happy Thanksgiving to you too :)
Silver

I, too, have purchased Acai supplements. But take a look at this attached article recently published in the New York Times. Personally, I haven't noticed a bit of difference after taking Acai for several months, so I'm just going to save my money until I see some scientific studies that support all the claims. It may be good, but does it measure up to the claims and is it worth the cost??

Here is a link that might be useful: NY Times Acai Article

There are two kinds of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Both kind will help but the soluble is supposed to be a little better for you because it reduces cholesterol and helps regulate blood sugar. Soluble fiber is found in psyllium and oats among other things. The fiber supplement Metamucil has psyllium.

I like Fiber-Sure fiber supplement because it is very easy to use. It mixes easily in your drink without affecting the taste or consistency at all. Unfortunately, it's the insoluble kind, so not quite as beneficial.

Hi Seattlemike,
I didn't purchase the supplements, I just eat the little frozen dessert Acai. It's more satisfying than ice cream and has less calories.

They haven't proven anything with the Acai, so I'd stick with exercise and diet rather than a miracle food to bring down weight...