Anyone using their e-reader for WEIGHT LOSS?

[graycyn]

Oddly, that's another way I'm using my Nook these days!

I need to lose about 90 pounds, I'd previously lost 20 and kept that off the past four years, but simply couldn't motivate myself to endure the hunger pangs and rigors of losing any more. Yet, for the health of my feet, ankles and bad right knee, I need to do it.

One night, I started thinking about how much I loved having my Nook and worrying because as reading is a sedentary sort of pastime, I was afraid I might read even more and uh, possibly gain weight.

And then it occurred to me that motivation to lose weight and exercise was sitting right under my nose, so to speak!



I'm using the Nook and buying ebooks as a REWARD INCENTIVE for my weight loss efforts. Normally, I don't buy books that often, but read borrowed library books instead. But this is working so far. With the idea of being able to buy an ebook or two if I stick to my calorie deficit and exercise, suddenly I can withstand the hunger, do the exercise and make real progress. Hubby is trying it too and he's making progress, where before, he never really even tried to diet. It makes me wonder if I've hit on something that could be useful for others?

At any rate, I put a page on my blog for how I'm working it, but I can clearly see that a reward motivation could work for just exercising or eating healthier or many other things, like uncluttering your house. (I'm kind of killing two birds with one stone on that... my first two weeks of ebook purchases have been to replace hardcovers on my bookshelves.)

Someone told me I was being creative, but I think it was sheer desperation. Still, dieting is fun again. I bought three ebooks this morning with my reward credits earned! Barnes & Noble ought to pay me for this idea! I think someone on the BN.com forums actually asked for a calorie counting app for Nook, so my plan would fit right in.

Nook Diet

Anyway, since my nook inspired it, that's what I call it. But anyone with a reader can try it, maybe it can become the MobileRead diet for the owners of other readers. Or just the Reader Diet. For me, having ebooks besides freebies and classics was a BIG motivation. Two weeks, four pounds lost. (Naturally, the first week was mostly water, but this week was a very respectable 1.2 pounds. Better than normal for me!)

The thing is, weight loss isn't always linear, so you don't always get to see a result. But as you can get exercise credit with my idea, you can always get *some* kind of reward just for plain old persistence and not giving up.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I suppose lugging my reader around in my purse could count as excercise, especially since I carry my purse more because of the reader.

[Debi]

I'm not doing it with my reader, but I'm doing something similar.

I'd really like to replace the 20 inch antique TV in my bedroom so I've set myself the challenge of 1 inch of TV for each 1 pound lost and then kept off for 6 months.

I'd really like to have either a 37 or 42 inch TV that can connect to the internet.

I'm working on it. So far I'm looking at one of those little hand held personal TVs.

Maybe I should consider dieting with the reader. I'm starting to accumulate a list of books I want that I can't get from the library.

Good luck with your Nook diet.

[bill_mchale]

Ebook readers are lots more convenient on the exercise bike or elliptical machine that a paper back .

--
Bill

[ardeegee]

I'm using my ebook reader to spend even more time sitting around doing nothing but staring at something and occasionally moving a thumb.

So, exactly the opposite.

[kindlekitten]

I'm STILL re-habbing a knee replacement. the kindle keeps me on the stationary bike and/or ellipitcal than not having it does

[Georgiegirl2012]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

I'm using my ebook reader to spend even more time sitting around doing nothing but staring at something and occasionally moving a thumb.

So, exactly the opposite.

That counts as exercise in my (e)book

[desertgrandma]

My K3 (and before that the k1) makes it too easy to eat and read at the same time......no help there.

[JerseyBiker]

I use to watch TV while on my treadmill. Now I read my Nook. I find that time goes by much faster and I usually workout quite a bit longer than before. I have lost about 20lbs since I bought the Nook in February. I'm sure the longer workouts while reading has contributed to that.

~eddie

[kiwipippa]

I haven't figured out a way to jog and eread yet, but no doubt someone will think of something.

Good luck with your programme graycyn - let us know how you get on

[ficbot]

Originally Posted by kiwipippa

I haven't figured out a way to jog and eread yet, but no doubt someone will think of something.

Kindle, text to speech. I use it all the time.

[carld]

Strangely enough, yes I am.

I'm following the Engine 2 Diet (low-fat vegan), and have the book on my Kindle for easy reference. I track everything I eat at FitDay.com. I can review and enter data on my Kindle, though it's a little cumbersome. Finally, with the lighted case I can walk indoors while I'm reading.

All-around it works well.

[James_Wilde]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I suppose lugging my reader around in my purse could count as excercise, especially since I carry my purse more because of the reader.

You beat me to it, Jeannie. I've developed stronger wrists since I started using an e-reader.

[pendragginp]

I have two low-carb cookbooks on my Kindle, so yes!

[wayrad]

When I saw the thread title I thought this was going to be about diet apps that ran on reading devices. Back when I was reading on a Zodiac (PalmOS), I lost almost 30 lbs with the free CalorieKing app. Unfortunately I can't find an Android program that works as well, and the weight is creeping back...