Completely Depressed & Frustrated...HELP!

[Gathina]

The thing about looking good..I agree..BUT it is supposed to REINFORCE you to keep doing good, even when the scale doesn't move!

 

I third the sentiments that have been posted here. Actually a day or so ago I begin to post that I thought Brenda was not taking advantage of a group of gals that have really jumped in to help, then deleted it…. Thinking Brenda was not quite ready to hear this, but I am glad Chigirl went ahead and posted what now I see we all had been thinking.

 

No doubt, it is hard after you loose that initial weight and have a pause to come to terms with the fact that you have to increase calories. Some how at first it does not make sense to change something that has worked, I guess you just have to go on faith and the success of the people before you, just do it. So although I can appreciate the resistance, the complaining after ignoring good advice is irritating… Brenda, don’t push away and piss off the very group that has stuck with you.

 

Now, as to the weight loss "to look good" attitude. Myself on the onset I see nothing wrong with this and in fact at first this was also my sole motivation. You have to find that “thing” that keeps you on a diet, habits will then form and then it is no longer a diet but a way of life. After a period you start to feel good, research how you should design your eating habits, and it just grows from there…. So far, I have had no issue with diet to cruise but now this time has passed, time to move on….. I fear if some attitude and eating habits don’t change we will see a crash and burn.

 

So now Brenda, go back read some of these great posts, come back and tell us how we can help to get you from point A to B…. or go back to eating Red Robin and give it up.

[Chigirlcruzin]

Chigirl! Did you graduate from the University of Menina??! Dios mi! :)

 

 

Lol. As I was typing, I thought, "I think Menina will be in 100% agreement with me."

 

Brenda, I hope we haven't upset you too much, but this is reality. Come on, we all want to see you succeed.

[Brenda33]

You know its funny....as I was typing this morning I guess I knew I was going to get "yelled at" for sounding like a broken record and not seeming like I was willing to change. So here is what I will do....I am going to start posting everything I am eating......tell me exactly what you think.

 

Breakfast: One Mango Berry Bran Muffin (from health food section), 110 calories, 2.5 g fat, 5 g fiber. I had water to drink

 

Lunch: 1 slice whole grain bread made with whole wheat flour..., 90 calories, 0.5 g fat, 5 g fiber. 2 slices turkey breast, 1/2 slice fat free cheese 15 calories, 9 dried cranberries, a little frisee and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Water to drink.

 

Dinner I think I am going to make Creamy Quinoa Primavera. I got the recipe online. I will have a salad with that. I'll let you know the details later.

 

So yesterday I apparently pulled a shoulder muscle. I having a hell of a time moving today......but working through it. At the gym I decided to listen to the Curves lady.....but what she was really saying to me was not what I thought she was saying. What she was really saying was do the "routine" 3 times around (the recommended amount)....then do it a different way. She had me doing squats with pulsing and without on the boxes. Also knee lifts with arms, etc. later on. When I got to a machine she had me doing leg lifts without setting my leg on the ground. My heart rate was even higher than when I was doing the normal routine! The sweat was pouring off of me!!!! I thought this would be easier!! Boy was I wrong!! She literally kicked my butt. Go ahead say it....you are all thinking "good...u deserve it!" LOL Anyhow, maybe she is right, I just need to change up my workout a bit. In any case, she said she won't let me fail and be right there with me working through this and she will continue to kick my butt. She did insist that I take tomorrow off because of my shoulder and exhaustion to my muscles. I decided to listen....because obviously my way doesn't work......and I thought her way was going to be easy and pointless.....BOY WAS I WRONG!!!

 

I need Aleve......

[Brenda33]

Oh, forgot to answer a question. For me this is mostly about looking good. I need to look good. BUT, I can honestly tell you it is definitely about being healthy also. I realized it when I was walking around the campus with my daughter and there was a slight incline on the grounds and I couldn't catch my breath. SOmething was obviously wrong.

[Brenda33]

So I felt hungry. I added a snack to the following food total:

 

Breakfast: One Mango Berry Bran Muffin (from health food section), 110 calories, 2.5 g fat, 5 g fiber. I had water to drink

 

Lunch: 1 slice whole grain bread made with whole wheat flour..., 90 calories, 0.5 g fat, 5 g fiber. 2 slices turkey breast, 1/2 slice fat free cheese 15 calories, 9 dried cranberries, a little frisee and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Water to drink.

 

Snack: 1 Small Banana, 1 cup green tea with 2 Splendas.

Dinner I think I am going to make Creamy Quinoa Primavera. I got the recipe online. I will have a salad with that. I'll let you know the details later.

 

I'd also like to say. I feel better after having this. A banana....well other than in a smoothie....I haven't had one in I can't tell you how long. It was yummy and satisfying. I am also getting sick (ugghhh). I have a cold and a congested chest. I may be a bit run down.

[Gathina]

Brenda, to me this seems like hardly any food at all...especially with all the working out you are doing. For breakfast, I'd add a small piece of fruit. How much sugar did that muffin have? We are supposed to have LESS than 2 teaspoons a day,a nd less than 2 teaspooons of sodium a day (under 2000 g to be exact)

 

Lunch:I'd add another piece of bread or maybe a small salad.

 

I'd add a piece of fruit or yogurt mid morning and also mid afternoon, and at some point during the day maybe a tablespoon of nuts. I think you need more protein.

 

Did you check out www.stewsmith.com to get an idea of how many servings of each you should have? I thought for a balanced diet we were supposed to have 3 servings of protein, 5 fruits/vegetables and 2 starches.

 

It just seems like too little to me.

 

Here is the lebanese meatloaf recipe, I like this one alot..it has 265 calories per serving and it serves 4 but those would be rather giant servings.

 

Ingredients

1 cup bulgur wheat

2 cups coarsely chopped onions

1 lb extra lean ground beef (7% fat or less) or lamb

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup chopped parsley

black peppercorns

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

Directions

1Place bulgur in a fine strainer and rinse thoroughly with cool water.

2In a food processor, finely chop the onions. Add beef, 1/2 cup water, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt. Whirl until mixture is a smooth paste.

3Add bulgur and 1/4 cup parsley; whirl just to mix.

4Pat meat mixture evenly into a shallow 1- to 1 1/2-quart casserole. Cut through meat mixture to make diamonds 2 to 3 inches wide. Place a peppercorn in the center of each diamond.

5Bake, uncovered, in a 425° oven until meat is no longer pink in center (cut to test), about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and add salt to taste.

6To serve, cut diamonds apart and accompany with yogurt.

Yield: Makes 4 servings.

 

 

Let me know about the quinona....M

 

You know its funny....as I was typing this morning I guess I knew I was going to get "yelled at" for sounding like a broken record and not seeming like I was willing to change. So here is what I will do....I am going to start posting everything I am eating......tell me exactly what you think.

 

Breakfast: One Mango Berry Bran Muffin (from health food section), 110 calories, 2.5 g fat, 5 g fiber. I had water to drink

 

Lunch: 1 slice whole grain bread made with whole wheat flour..., 90 calories, 0.5 g fat, 5 g fiber. 2 slices turkey breast, 1/2 slice fat free cheese 15 calories, 9 dried cranberries, a little frisee and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Water to drink.

 

Dinner I think I am going to make Creamy Quinoa Primavera. I got the recipe online. I will have a salad with that. I'll let you know the details later.

 

So yesterday I apparently pulled a shoulder muscle. I having a hell of a time moving today......but working through it. At the gym I decided to listen to the Curves lady.....but what she was really saying to me was not what I thought she was saying. What she was really saying was do the "routine" 3 times around (the recommended amount)....then do it a different way. She had me doing squats with pulsing and without on the boxes. Also knee lifts with arms, etc. later on. When I got to a machine she had me doing leg lifts without setting my leg on the ground. My heart rate was even higher than when I was doing the normal routine! The sweat was pouring off of me!!!! I thought this would be easier!! Boy was I wrong!! She literally kicked my butt. Go ahead say it....you are all thinking "good...u deserve it!" LOL Anyhow, maybe she is right, I just need to change up my workout a bit. In any case, she said she won't let me fail and be right there with me working through this and she will continue to kick my butt. She did insist that I take tomorrow off because of my shoulder and exhaustion to my muscles. I decided to listen....because obviously my way doesn't work......and I thought her way was going to be easy and pointless.....BOY WAS I WRONG!!!

 

I need Aleve......

[Chigirlcruzin]

Ditto what Menina said. You are eating less than 1000 calories a day - closer to 700. This is why you aren't losing weight and why you are exhausted!!!! You need more dairy, fruits, veggies, protein, EVERYTHING! In general (obviously, everybody's different), you need 1200 calories a day just to function - breathe, nail growth, hair growth, etc. You aren't even getting that. PLEASE listen to us and eat more. When my dad stalled on his weight loss, he added more protein and another glass of milk, and he started losing again.

[Gathina]

Protein is VERY key to losing weight..not going hog wild on it, but adding bits of it...a small handful of nuts..have you ever tried raw cashews? YUM...they are NOT roasted or salted and so yummy..or maybe a tablespoon of peanut butter with some celery. Yogurt has a lot of protein and has dairy. Eggs are pretty low calorie and high in protein. Kidney beans have a lot of fiber and protein, you can eat those in a salad. Avacadoes are good too. You don't have to add much, just a little.

 

You can still eat pretty much anything you want if you just keep it to around 1500 calories a day. I read somewhere that if you eat too little you put your body into starvation mode and that can trigger something that keeps you from losing weight.

 

 

Ditto what Menina said. You are eating less than 1000 calories a day - closer to 700. This is why you aren't losing weight and why you are exhausted!!!! You need more dairy, fruits, veggies, protein, EVERYTHING! In general (obviously, everybody's different), you need 1200 calories a day just to function - breathe, nail growth, hair growth, etc. You aren't even getting that. PLEASE listen to us and eat more. When my dad stalled on his weight loss, he added more protein and another glass of milk, and he started losing again.

[Brenda33]

The quinoa was actually very very good. I thought I was eating vegetable risotto!!! I checked out the nutritional value and it is high in protein. That is basically what it is all about. So I did have protein with dinner and quite a bit actually. It has about 4g of fiber. Less than I thought actually. You boil the quinoa in lowfat or fat free chicken broth. On the side saute in a little olive oil zucchini, carrots,broccoli, garlic and scallions.....when quinoa has absorbed all the broth add 2 ounches of Neufatchel cheese (lowfat cream cheese) and 2 tablespoons romano cheese. Now mix everything together, add seasonings like salt, pepper, basil, etc. It was really good and I had salad on the side....and to the salad for more dairy I added fat free feta cheese. I had 2 diet ginger ales yesterday. I normally drink waters, but I am not feeling well and giner ale helps.

 

So far today i had the same muffin as yesterday, but because I don't feel well I am very full from it.......but if I feel at all hungry I will have a piece of fruit or yogurt.

 

Regarding nuts, I do (just not yesterday) snack on almonds, macadamias or cashews. I had read how good they are for you, but not to eat alot because they are high in calories.

 

I get from reading that it is OK for me to have a whole sandwich at lunch instead of a half....that's really good news......I feel cheated with half a sandwich, it takes longer to make it than eat it! LOL

 

If not today....because of being ill, I will try to add more foods into my day.....and not feel guilty about it. I will continue my food diary here.

 

By the way, the Curves lady kicked my butt so much yesterday that I can hardly walk! I definitely cringe going up and especially down the stairs....I hate to sit down.....it is extreme pain!!! Not just wimpy little pains either! I guess she wasn't kidding that she was really working me! I had to go to the dentist with my son early this morning...before 8!....and I had to take the elevator because the stairs were way too painful!!! LOl

 

Thanks for the recipe M....

 

Breakfast: 1 Mango Berry Muffin, 110 calories, 5 grams fiber, 2.5 grams fat, 8 grams sugar (which according to ingredients is in the form of concentrated white grape juice). This muffin is not even a little sweet.

[Chigirlcruzin]

So I felt hungry. I added a snack to the following food total:

 

Breakfast: One Mango Berry Bran Muffin (from health food section), 110 calories, 2.5 g fat, 5 g fiber. I had water to drink

 

 

Muffins are very deceiving. They seem healthy, especially when they're in the health food section and have things like bran in them, but they are often FULL of sugar! A better alternative would be a whole grain english muffin with some peanut butter.

[Brenda33]

Chi...8 grams of sugar is too much?.....like I said they were not even a little sweet....not at all. Anyhow, I only had a couple which is why I ate them right away. I plan on trying my steel cut oats over the weekend.

 

Just because I am trying to listen I ate a sickel pear. The ones I bought this time are larger than the last ones. They are HALF the size of a regular pear.

 

Updated Food Journal for Today:

Breakfast: 1 Mango Berry Muffin, 110 calories, 5 grams fiber, 2.5 grams fat, 8 grams sugar (which according to ingredients is in the form of concentrated white grape juice). This muffin is not even a little sweet.

Snack: Sickel Pear (half the size of regular Pear)

[Chigirlcruzin]

I posted before I saw that it had 8g sugar. That's not too bad. Does it taste good though?

[Brenda33]

Chi...I am not one for sweets at all, so to me it does taste good. More like a bread I guess.

[Gathina]

Well, sugar is sugar..you still have to be careful even if it is "natural" sugar. Even with the low fat stuff they load it with other garbage to improve the taste because of less sugar.

 

Remember, knowledge is power! I made beef soup yesterday..pressure cooked beef bones, carrot, white sweet potato, onion, garlic..the meat fell off the bones then I skimmed off all the fat from the brothe. It's 60 here today, feels like 30 to me and I am wearing a mohair cardigan!

 

I feel like PIZZA today!

 

Chi...I am not one for sweets at all, so to me it does taste good. More like a bread I guess.

[Chigirlcruzin]

I feel like PIZZA today!

 

I hear ya! My (7 months pregnant) sister and her husband went to this awesome place a few weeks ago. I've been craving it ever since. I'm caving in tomorrow night - my sister and I are going to head there. She's feeling a little bad - hubby went out of town for the weekend, she feels like a whale, so we're going to go shopping and out for pizza.

[Gathina]

A whale? that's pretty bad! A colleague treated me to the Cheescake Factory last night (we call it the "Cheescake Trough")..we didn't go out until 10 pm and it was so late so I had coffee and split some Mahi fish tacos with her. Passing up the cheesecake was easy..the price of a piece is like the price of an entire meal! Are you eating Chicago style pizza? Oh my gosh that is to die for.

 

Do you listen to music, a friend of mine is a musician and plays throughout Chicago..I can email you his website..he plays mostly in coffee houses and juke joint kinds of places

 

 

I hear ya! My (7 months pregnant) sister and her husband went to this awesome place a few weeks ago. I've been craving it ever since. I'm caving in tomorrow night - my sister and I are going to head there. She's feeling a little bad - hubby went out of town for the weekend, she feels like a whale, so we're going to go shopping and out for pizza.

[happysinglemom]

Protein is VERY key to losing weight.

 

I agree with this. When the body loses weight, some of that weight is from lost muscle, in addition to fat. To retain and/or build muscle, you must do 2 things: 1) do resistance exercises, and 2) ensure you are eat enough protein. Otherwise, you will lose a greater % of muslce tissue, and the end result will be a higher body fat composition - and that is what you do NOT want! (This is why "yo-yo dieting" is so unhealthy - the body fat % just keeps getting higher and higher.)

 

You can still eat pretty much anything you want if you just keep it to around 1500 calories a day. I read somewhere that if you eat too little you put your body into starvation mode and that can trigger something that keeps you from losing weight.

 

I have read this elsewhere as well, but it is NOT the case for me, (and a few other people that I know). My body knows no "starvation mode". My maintenance calories - for MY ideal weight (and that is the difference) is 1200 - 1300 calories a day. I eat more than that, I gain weight (fat!). Period. No way around it - been that way for as long as I can remember. Unless I am running a half-marathon that day, or do an extremely heavy day at the gym, I need fewer calories than most published guidelines, so it is even more critical for me to concentrate on good nutrition and protien. I've said it before, each body works differently, and you have to try different things and find what works best for you. By the way, I have discussed this with my doc, and she said she thinks it has to do with how much fat each person is comfortable with having on their body. Looking at me, no one would ever think I need or want to lose weight. I don't have a body image problem, (I know I look good in clothes!:D )...but I know that I FEEL better without the excess fat (which I DO have) and those little deposits of jiggly fat that I have right now, don't go well with my bikini! I slipped up the last few months, and I am determined to confidently wear my bikini this summer.;)

[Brenda33]

hi again.....

Updated Food Journal for Today:

 

Breakfast: 1 Mango Berry Muffin, 110 calories, 5 grams fiber, 2.5 grams fat, 8 grams sugar (which according to ingredients is in the form of concentrated white grape juice). This muffin is not even a little sweet.

 

Snack: Sickel Pear (half the size of regular Pear)

Lunch: 2 slices whole grain bread, 180 calories 10 grams fiber, 2 slices turkey, 10 dried cranberries, sprinkling of salad greens (frisee), 1 slice fat free cheese (30 calories), and a splash of balsamic.

Honestly, I am a bit full after lunch today. I don't know if its that I ate too much or that I don't feel well. I am making homemade chicken soup for dinner.

 

Smooth....maybe I am like you and I need less calories? I guess I will learn by trial and error. :(

[Chigirlcruzin]

Never mind

[smoothdancer]

Well Brenda, maybe it is our turn to toughen M up. 30 degrees would be great! Today with the wind chill we are at about 10 below zero here. We have 6 inches of snow predicted for tonight, so it should warm up some….. But in New England, we just go with the flow and deal with it.

 

Brenda, you make me laugh. You do complain and not take full advantage of all the great advice you are getting, but you keep trying and that is great… We are going to have to rename this thread Brenda’s food journal. If it works, then great!

 

I am in the same situation that Happy is in, 1200-1300 calories is a maintain mode for me and why it takes me so long at this point to loose any weight With only 4 pounds to go I am resolved that this will happen by burning calories at the gym and I am fine with that. For myself to drop down to a1000 calorie day just makes me feel horrible and no way can I maintain that for any length of time. I am surprised that Brenda has done it for this long.

 

Let’s see…. Some of my tips and tricks

I use Arnold’s bread which is 100 calories for 2 slices. I have tried all the lo- cal breads and this one is pretty good. I have a turkey or tuna sandwich

for lunch with this bread and do not feel full, just right.

 

Mid morning my snack is a sliced up apple which I dunk in a tablespoon of peanut butter…. Get in both a fruit and protein for about 200 calories and tastes good, but I am a peanut butter junkie. Have you tried the General Mills lo cal chocolate European coffees? Great pick me up if you want something sweet.

 

On the home front, I got some great news yesterday. When I had to have surgery in Mexico they did not accept US insurance and we had to pay for the whole thing by credit card which meant we could not afford a vacation this year. My husband got his annual bonus yesterday and it was quite unusual as to the amount…. It was enough to pay off the entire credit card bill so now maybe we will be going on a cruise this year… Yippee, bathing suit here I come.

[Chigirlcruzin]

On the home front, I got some great news yesterday. When I had to have surgery in Mexico they did not accept US insurance and we had to pay for the whole thing by credit card which meant we could not afford a vacation this year. My husband got his annual bonus yesterday and it was quite unusual as to the amount…. It was enough to pay off the entire credit card bill so now maybe we will be going on a cruise this year… Yippee, bathing suit here I come.

 

That is excellent!! So you weren't able to file a claim with your insurance once you got back?

[happysinglemom]

You know, I should add that my job is a sit-down one, I am sitting on my @ss 8 hours a day, other that going to get coffee and that sort of thing. (That is one reason I insist on spending my lunch hour at the gym. ) So this makes a big difference in what I need to eat, and someone else who is on their feet all day, or someone who is actually walking all day.

 

I do always take the stairs (we are on the 2nd floor) in fact I usually make people laugh because I literally run up them every morning. :p

 

I am home sick today with the same crud my son has had for the last 3 weeks. My nose is chapped from blowing it so much. Ugh.

[Brenda33]

But I am listening! I ate a whole sandwich at lunch time today. I am trying very hard. I don't think anyone realizes that I am not just saying I want to lose weight.....I am determined to lose weight....and I am starting to try different things....like a small change in diet and even the change in exercise at Curves.

 

Congrats Smooth!....I hope you book a fabulous cruise!!

[smoothdancer]

Yes Chi, I did file a claim once home. But I was told that since it is a foreign claim it could take up to a year for reimbursement and meanwhile the interest charges are/were growing. And then the whole claim is out of network so only 60% is covered.... Still I will be gald with what I finally get back.

 

Brenda I know you are tryng and that is why you make me laugh! No offense intended.

 

Right now I have my eyes set on a Crystal Cruise that sails from Portugal to Miami.... Looks very interesting and it is a Big Band Cruise, lots of dancing. We'll see.

[Chigirlcruzin]

Yes Chi, I did file a claim once home. But I was told that since it is a foreign claim it could take up to a year for reimbursement and meanwhile the interest charges are/were growing. And then the whole claim is out of network so only 60% is covered.... Still I will be gald with what I finally get back.

 

Brenda I know you are tryng and that is why you make me laugh! No offense intended.

 

Right now I have my eyes set on a Crystal Cruise that sails from Portugal to Miami.... Looks very interesting and it is a Big Band Cruise, lots of dancing. We'll see.

 

 

I thought it might be something like that. Still, good news about the bonus! And anything you get back will be great. Plus, whatever the amount, it saved you, so you really can't put a price tag on that :)

 

That cruise sounds AWESOME!