This looks great to me! Thanks for setting up the group. I am watching my calories by using a program that tracks my calories and nutrition - if interested you can download it at www.calorieking.com. Also, I track my miles using my iPod and the Nike + system online. What is everyone else doing?

Thanks for starting this group and the support it will bring. I am working out in the mornings before work. I am using exercise cds and using the basic South Beach Diet program. It has low sugar (great for pre-diabetic and diabetics) and great recipes. I want to get healthy! By using my xPAP and learning to eat and exercise I hope will add years and quality to my life.

I downloaded a free app for the iPhone called "Lose It!", but truth be told, I stopped using it.

Thanks for the invite and for creating this group. Originally diagnosed in January '09, I am now sleeping 7-8 hours a night, have adjusted to a full face mask and am counting down the days until I can get a new one.
Besides the obvious weight issue & sleep apnea, I have asthma and a hiatal hernia. Also, I take 1 Nexium daily for acid reflux, but plan on discussing this with my gastroenterologist this week as I don't seem to have many symptoms anymore. Could this be a result of sleeping with the CPAP?
My blood pressure runs around 110/70 to 118/78 and my latest fasting blood sugar was 76.
However, I do have arthritis in my joints, (knees, hips, spine) need a knee replacement, but the doctor wants to wait a few years and is hopeful I will shed the pounds.
Any sensible suggestions as far as diet & exercise will be very much appreciated. Again, thank you for this group!

Karen, I've had a few patients mention that acid reflux symptoms seemed to diminish after CPAP initiation, but I've seen nothing about that in the literature.

Thanks Sleepy, This group is a good idea. I've been on a CPAP for two yrs or more now. i still have a hard time wearing it more than 2-3 hrs /nite. My sleep Dr has commented that if I lose weight I may be able to forgo the machine. So I signed up for the biggest loser challenge at work and I'm trying to do th eright things. But like most of us having someplace to talk is a good thing! thanks again

At this time, I am about 90 lbs overweight. I have been heavy my entire life but have really gained in the past few months due to being on prednisone for sarcoidosis.

I've been on CPAP for two months. I am 45 lbs overweight. I would like to be a part of this group. My acid reflux has worsened since starting CPAP. I would like to get some friends walking on a regular basis.

Thanks for starting this group. I have a number of ailments along with sleep apnea that my doctors have told me will go away or be minimized if I lost between 50 to 100 lbs. Hopefully, it will in time limit the amount of medication I have to take on a daily basis. I have lost 10 lbs since the beginning of the year by limiting my portions. Looking forward to the support from the Group.

The timing of the formation of this group is perfect. I want to lose 25 lbs. or more. My problem is that I lack the energy now to exercise. I can't rely on calorie restriction alone to lose enough weight. Anyway, I know exercise is good for my health. Two times in my life I have lost 50 lbs. After the first time, I gradually gained it all back and then some. This time, I've gained at least half of it back. I don't want that to continue. Being menopausal and 57 years of age makes weight loss more difficult than when I was younger. I imagine that my battle with the bulge would be even more difficult if I had a sedentary job.

Hi Everyone: I have been on CPAP for almost 2 years. I just starting going to the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center Program in Boston, MA. I am hoping if I can lose a lot a weight, I can get rid of this thing. I hate it. Losing wt does not always help. My brother did have gastric bypass and got off of it after 20 years using it. I have made myself a spreadsheet and will be tracking every morsel I put in my mouth (calories, carbos, sodium, fat, etc.). I need to lose 150 lbs.

Well here's hoping this helps me! I promised to re-start exercising as soon as I turned in my final paper of the semester, and I did that today. I have a treadmill and the 30 Day Shred DVD and hope to try to do at least one or the other, maybe both eventually, every day starting tomorrow. I've also promised to start going to weightwatchers with my mother in law starting mother's day weekend.

I only have 100 pounds or so to lose. Easy right?

It'll be so worth it though. I need to be able to get up and down to play with my 3 year old son. Oh, and a new wardrobe would be pretty cool too. :)

HI. I am new to my CPAP and am still adjusting. I was diagnosed about the time my new doctor informed me that the depression meds I was taking caused weight gain. My increased weight has me on 4 blood pressure meds. AND to top all of that off, I have just recently been diagnosed with diabetes. My goal is 75 pounds. I need to lose 100 to be at my perfect weight. I have a new diet, I am between jobs - so I have the time, I have a commercial treadmill and NO excuses. I will be using Sparkle People to track my weight.

Good luck to use all!

Hi, I've been on the CPAP since last September. I was a long-distance walker until a year and a half ago. With my 2 daughters I trained and walked in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Charlotte, NC, in October 2007. Since then I've been afflicted with severe pain in one hip so that walking and most any kind of exercise is very painful. The orthopedist I went to one year ago said my arthritis was not quite bad enough for a hip replacement. I have another appointment with him next week. In the meantime I have found some relief from working out in a therapy pool. I have done yoga for 35 years, but that too causes a lot of pain now. As a result of this sedentary year and a half I've gained 35 pounds. This seems like just the group I need to get me going with weight loss. Thanks for starting it.

As many of you know I started dieting on April18, 2009. I have been on the diet for 10 days now and have lost 12 pounds so far. It has been easier than I thought it would be. My "diet" is under the discussion of taking control of my health.

How many are actually doing anything about losing weight?

If so would you share some of your thoughts, struggles, and suggestions.

I am now tracking my food intake on the site sparkpeople.com. So far (3 days) it's been really helpful. I've realized that the breakfast we have every day is 573 Calories. Good stuff, but still doesn't leave me a lot to work with the rest of the day. So far I've been able to keep my day's total to around 1500 Calories. Hopefully that will result in weight loss. We're such creatures of habit it's nice on sparkpeople to be able to copy whole meals from one day to another.

Hey thanks for the Spark people tip, it's a great site!
Sleepy- I for one am making the attempt and hav edroped 8 pounds in the last 3 weeks. I decided that I cant stick to a diet and I hate working out. So I decided to just start with spending 2-3 weeks journaling what I eat. In doing that I had to start thinking about it and asking myself if I really needed that extra serving. Just keeping it in the front of your mind really does help! I usually pack my lunch so it's easier to watch portion size. And thanks to spring yard, garden work my activity level has greatly increased. I know its not much but its feels like a great start.

I looked at the site grat tip lori

Progress so far is holding steady. I am still following the diet and have dropped 15 pounds so far. Today I wore a pair of jeans that I had been unable to wear as they were too tight and today they feel okay.

I plan on taking it one day at a time and one step at a time. At some point I know the weight loss will level off as I don't want to lose too fast and then gain it right back.

I have a daughter-in-law that did the sparks people and I joined it, but never followed their diet tips.

I am doing the slim-fast and joined that site. It allows you to track your weight and has helpful tips and hints.

What a great idea for a support group! Two thumbs up! I personally have been eating much more organic foods and have gotten away from refined sugars as well. So far I'm down 5lbs after 2wks. Now I need to add some more physical activity! Being a sleep tech is pretty sedentary for the most part, so it's time to dust off the bike!

I have been exercising with 2 new videos I bought from Collage Video. If you want to exercise I recommend their website. You can see how all the videos are rated before you buy. You can also see a segment of the video on line. I got Jillian's 30 day shred and spot workouts. I LOVE them. I have been using them in the morning before work and using my treadmill. Plus keeping track of my calories. Weekends are the hardest...I sort of undo all the good work I do during the week.

I have dropped 6 pounds I have taken all white refined out of my diet and the first day terrible headache and cravings for sugar but now that has passed .Any ideas for sweetner splenda and artificial in gum gives me a severe headache? Mainly for my iced tea. Nurse lori

Can someone explain the connection between sleep apnea and weight gain for me? Thanks.

Marjorie, here's a quick overview on the connection between sleep apnea and weight gain.

Thanks Mike. Yet another reason to try and get use to my mask and machine. My cardiologist recommended a Mediterranean diet today.

watched an episode of The Biggest Loser on tv tonight. the guy was about to eat a cheeseburger and fries, and the trainer came over, cut the portions in half, then said he could have 2 subway sandwiches that would be equivalent to the calories in the 1/2 of a burger and fries. so i guess if you have more nutritious foods, you can get more bang for your caloric buck, huh?

Biggest Loser has so many good overall dieting and exercise tips. I know it is a reality TV show, but it is inspiring to watch the huge weight lose and the gain in self-esteem as the show progresses. They have a website for the Biggest Loser. The trainer Jillian Michaels has her own website, on-line diet program, books, DVDs etc. I like looking over the website to get free tips.

I have worked out every day this week, alternating between walking and cardio+weights. I like knowing that at least I did ONE good thing for myself every morning, even if I don't do anything else. It makes me have a better attitude throughout the day.

A good alternative to some of the artificial sweetners is Stevia. It can be found in health food stores and Amish / Mennonite stores. I have switched to it and it goes along way. Do not add a whole packet at once, a little will do.

thanks i will try lori

i was really impressed by the Biggest Loser tv show. i don't usually like reality tv shows, but like fungus, they kind of grow on ya. but this one actually has tons of helpful tips and they seem to have a very balanced, sensible approach to weight loss. i'll watch next week's episode. what got me interested was that they were screening the contestants for OSA. apparently something like 16 of the 22 contestants have apnea!

I like that show also. I asked some of the trainers at my gym about the amount of weight lost and the time frame in which weight was lost. They all agreed that that type of rapid loss with such a high level of caloric burn could only be done/ should only be done in a 24/7 supervised environment (meaning doctors glued to your hip night and day).
Can you imagine how it would feel to drop 100 pounds, to physically become a new person, in less than 60 days. Overwhelming, fun, frightening, and spectacular! Not that I'd know personally lol.

Barbara -- actually, i take back what i said about Biggest Loser having a sensible approach to weight loss. 100 lbs in less than 60 days?! That's nuts. And then having them run a marathon to boot!

Biggest Loser is a Reality TV show....not really reality. :>D Nothing sensible about that kind of weight loss, but they do have a team of doctors working with the contestants to keep them safe. It is all about TV ratings..as usual. I just take the tips from the show, enjoy the success, and let the rest go. :>D

Mike, I only see the show periodically but from what I saw they actually do give great sensible tips - they just apparently are not being all that sensible themselves. Maybe they are learning the sensible stuff to be used once the show is complete and they go home. As BeAsleep says - it's just TV. I agree with her in that just because their rate of loss is whacko doesn't mean we can't take away from it anything that helps us. Hey, some of us need all the help we can get :o).

The basic tips are good, we all know we need to increase our activity and reduce our caloric intake. I just done think the boot camp style of weight loss is for me!

The last few days have been stressful for me. I have three grandbabies due in a few weeks. All three mommies have hit snags in their pregnancies. One has gestational diabetes, one went into premature labor that was stopped with drugs, and the last one has had a significant increase in blood pressure and baby's heart rate is way too high.

I have gained a couple of pounds back that I had lost. To help ease the stress for me I have taken a couple of days off from work to help out. School is winding down (we only have 7 more days) and that will help when I can devote more time to the new mommies.

I know the weight gain has been due to my overeating and not watching my diet as closely. But I figure it will be easier to lose those couple of pounds and get back on track since I am aware of it.

I think for many of us, we need to change our eating habits and life style to have long term effects. It is a new way of thinking, at least for me. Previously, I was used to eating what I wanted and portion size didn't matter. Now I am looking at the portion size and questioning if I really need that "extra" bit of food.