Need a buddy for weight loss

[Salsa Dancer]

Hey Mommy...

 

I'm going to ask my daughter to take a couple of good "before" shots, even though I'm not at my high point from day 1. I'll try to post them this week. Oh, the pain.....

 

Do you guys remember the big discussioin I was having at home about my height? I've always been 5'2" and told everyone that for my entire adult life? My hubby didn't believe the measurment that my daughter and I came up with...5'3"....so he said that he didn't believe it and was going to measure me himself using his carpenter's square. Well, he did that last night and started at the measurement and said, "Wait, I'm going to use my 'good' tape measure." The reason? I'm not 5'3"....I'm 5'3 1/4" tall!! Ha, ha. That was so funny. Then we measured him and he's always told people that he was six feet tall. He is now 6'1" tall! More later but I had to tell you all that.

 

Salsa

[Mommy4lyfe]

Hey Mommy...

 

I'm going to ask my daughter to take a couple of good "before" shots, even though I'm not at my high pointf from day 1. I'll try to post them this week. Oh, the pain.....

 

Do you guys remember the big discussioin I was having at home about my height? I've always been 5'2" and told everyone that for my entire adult life? My hubby didn't believe the measurment that my daughter and I came up with...5'3"....so he said that he didn't believe it and was going to measure me himself using his carpenter's square. Well, he did that last night and started at the measurement and said, "Wait, I'm going to use my 'good' tape measure." The reason? I'm not 5'3"....I'm 5'3 1/4" tall!! Ha, ha. That was so funny. Then we measured him and he's always told people that he was six feet tall. He is now 6'1" tall! More later but I had to tell you all that.

 

Salsa

 

Serves him right for not believing you. They say you can gain height from stretching your limbs. Did you do a lot of stretching in your dance classes?

[Salsa Dancer]

Serves him right for not believing you. They say you can gain height from stretching your limbs. Did you do a lot of stretching in your dance classes?

 

No stretching at all in class, but we have to really work on good posture and keeping a "frame" and always carrying our own weight, rather than resting our weight on our partner. I know that my arms have gotten larger over the years and I find that part a tough one.

 

I had a question for you from reading your earlier post. I like sweets, too, and don't eliminate them like some would do; but to lose weight I have to decrease the portions and frequency. Do you have a feel for how often you eat sweets during the day? I think I need to log in my daily intake of food for a day or two, just to get myself back on track here. I think a day or two of that will help me to make sure that I'm not slipping in extra calories unaware.

 

To All:

I was in Wal-mart today just to check out the new "super-store" in our area, and saw two very obese little boys. My heart kind of sank for this little guy who was about 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. I watched him waddle over to a wire rack that was filled with boxes of candy and ask for one. He had a big Gatorade bottle in one hand and was drinking it. I was curious about his mom and how she would react. I looked back and realized that she was quite heavy....very heavy. The boy asked for this good-sized box of something like "Goobers" and she gave it to him, opening it on the spot, then offered to put him in the cart. He might have been only 5 or 6 years old but looked like he weighed over 100 lbs. She said, "Now I need you to help me get you into the cart. I can only do this once so we need to make it good." I felt so sad for those little guys, realizing that their mom was literally handicapping them for life and maybe didn't have a clue. They will likely suffer health problems later on, but through their early years, will suffer so many hurtful things said to them, about them, etc. I think the psychological hurts are far worse. She could have offered to buy him some paper and crayons or a coloring book or a deck of cards and taught him to play an easy game like "Speed." But his fun was found in food and this was being taught to him by the person he loves the most. I realized too, that I find too much pleasure in food and am a lot like that little guy. I'd much rather buy a bag of Dove chocolates than a jump rope!

 

The whole thing that I brought up about perspective...well, I've brought up various forms of perspective regarding how foreigners see us and our portions served and eaten in restaurants, about how others see our size when we can't see it ourselves, etc. The most up-close form of perspective is when you spend time with people who eat more than you or less than you or eat healthier than your own family. We were close to a family of 4 who were pretty large people. The parents were very large and the kids were moderately large. What we realized at meals was that their portions were about double what we were used to and they put gravy on most everything, it seemed. I'm the only overweight member of my family. My husband is slim and my six kids are slim. I fed them healthy meals most of the time, threw in desserts on occasion and limited how much they could have at a sitting. I did a lot of baking back then but didn't let the kids eat a dozen cookies apiece in one sitting. What I'm wondering is how did I let myself get this way. I was good at helping my sons and 2 daughters to not get out-of-control, warning them that they did not want to deal with what I'm dealing with, but I still wonder how I managed to let 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60+ excess pounds sneak up on me. (4 1/2 STONES :D ).

 

Speaking of "stones," 4 1/2 stones sounds a lot better to me than 60+ pounds. ;)

 

Dinner: Tonight I made a favorite with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You combine chili powder with some cumin and salt, sprinkle on both sides of the chicken. Heat a skillet with some olive oil in the pan (just a tablespoon or two), heat to medium, cook on each side about 4-5 minutes per. Top with a "salsa" made with cranberry sauce (I used canned), chopped jalapenos from a jar, a fresh chopped apple, and some cilantro. The chicken is so good, if you like spicy food. As a side, I cooked Vigo Yellow Rice mix, then added a pint of cherry tomatoes (halved), and a can of black beans, drained, then a splash of Newman's Own Light Lime Vinagrette. With steamed broccolli and a blend of pineapple, mandarin oranges and a few cherries, this was a really good and colorful dinner. Really fast but looked like I had been cooking all afternoon.

[Salsa Dancer]

Does anyone mind if I make myself accountable by posting my food intake tomorrow? I really need to be sure that I am on track and didn't have the best start this morning. Not terrible but could have been better. I don't want to hog up the board with it but really have to log it in somewhere for at least a day. I found myself nibbling too much and not drinking enough water again.

[Salsa Dancer]

Hey, I haven't seen Kanitster this week....just wondering. We should take a roll call one of these days to see how many of us are on this thread. The more people here the better.

[ebandive]

Salsa-- That is so crazy about you gaining height! I've already lost an inch, but I have terrible posture. OMG posting what you ate all day? That would be very brave!! :) Boy, if we did that, I'd REALLY stay on track!! I sometimes think that I eat alot more than everyone around me. I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but my dad actually died when I was in highschool because he was morbidly obese. I sometimes wonder when I have days that I eat all day if I will end up like him. I know I am nowhere close, but it really makes me take my weight gain seriously. I have very little self-control when it comes to food.

 

I worked out yesterday for the first time in I don't know how long. I walked for 45 minutes at a 4.0 incline. I read while walking, but still, it seemed like it took FOREVER for those 45 minutes to go past, though it wasn't a hard workout. Then I went home and had DH take "before" pictures of me in just my sports bra and shorts. He did a front view, side view, and back. I didn't suck in, and purposely pulled my shorts down on my hips below my belly to make sure I got the full view. OMG. I almost died looking at them. I don't think I can post them, sorry!! I definately look pregnant!! What a motivation to lose weight! Ick!!

[Mommy4lyfe]

Salsa - I do love snacks. What I do now is buy the 100 cal snackers (2 pts WW) and the hostess 100 cal cup cakes (1pt WW). I love atomic fireballs which is 1pt for 2. I struggle everyday to avoid junk food, sometimes I win the battle and sometimes I don't; so instead of battling I surrender to the 100 cal snackers.

 

As for your children not gaining weight and you did, I can only say that when I cook and clean the kitchen I ate nibbled and did not realizing just how much food I was actually eating. My DD(16) is thin, she can still wear some of her clothes from 4 years ago. DD is also a junk food eater:( but what can I say to her when I eat a lot of junk food. I was very small up to my mid 20s, I wore a size 0 to 3. After I quit smoking I went up to a size 7/9 and stayed that way until after I had DD. I believe I got comfortable in my marriage and just was not careful. DH and I started eating late at night and eating in bed and I got bigger and bigger and bigger. My Pastor once said ladies make sure when you get married that your man loves you because you may marry him with a coca cola bottle shape figure and later end up with a clorox bottle figure:). Salsa just remember that as we get older, our metabolism slows down, we become less active and we put on some weight. With time comes change, our bodies change. I don't want to go back down to my college year weight, I just want to look good and be healthier. I do want to share something that makes me feel good about myself. I went into one of these urban clothes store for young teens, my DD worked was working there and I looked around the store and was amazed at the prices of the designer tee shirts($80.00) and jeans ($150.00). I headed for the door and this young teen (17) said to me "bring sexy back". I walked out the door blushing and later my DD said, he justed wanted to make a sale and you looked rich. Just recently I was asked out to lunch by a 17 year old student who works at my office this summer. I told him I don't buy men lunch and he said I did not ask you to pay for my lunch.

 

Wal-Mart - It is sad when we see obese children and we have a pretty good idea what heart ache they will endure in the years ahead. However it is nothing we can really do, except for say a prayer for them that their eyes will be open to the truth and the truth shall set them free. Sometimes we become a victim of our environment.

 

You can post your food log here if you wish:eek:. I am not that brave. However I did have a healthy dinner last night. Baked chicken breast, corn and toss salad.

 

Is that you in your avatar, or your daughter? If that is you, you are pretty.

 

ebandive - I don't think I could take that kind of picture of myself because I would become very depressed. When I accidentally see myself in the mirror when I am getting out of the shower, I go into a depressed mode, complaining and whining that I am fat and that DH does not care about me because he should have told me how horrible and fat I look.

[Salsa Dancer]

Salsa-- That is so crazy about you gaining height! I've already lost an inch, but I have terrible posture. OMG posting what you ate all day? That would be very brave!! :) Boy, if we did that, I'd REALLY stay on track!! I sometimes think that I eat alot more than everyone around me. I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but my dad actually died when I was in highschool because he was morbidly obese. I sometimes wonder when I have days that I eat all day if I will end up like him. I know I am nowhere close, but it really makes me take my weight gain seriously. I have very little self-control when it comes to food.

 

I worked out yesterday for the first time in I don't know how long. I walked for 45 minutes at a 4.0 incline. I read while walking, but still, it seemed like it took FOREVER for those 45 minutes to go past, though it wasn't a hard workout. Then I went home and had DH take "before" pictures of me in just my sports bra and shorts. He did a front view, side view, and back. I didn't suck in, and purposely pulled my shorts down on my hips below my belly to make sure I got the full view. OMG. I almost died looking at them. I don't think I can post them, sorry!! I definately look pregnant!! What a motivation to lose weight! Ick!!

 

Hey Erin....Just to empathize with you, I got that pregancy question early this spring....UGH. From a stranger in front of her skinny friends and a couple of male friends where my husband and I dance. OUCH!! She meant no harm and I was more upset that I allowed myself to LOOK pregnant. I carry most of it in the belly and lower body...not that my arms and face haven't puffed up, but usually that's the last part of me to gain. At my highest, I told my friend that I look 6 mos. Now I think I'm about 5 mos. :( Better but I've got a while to get to a flat stomach. Can't imagine it yet because it's been so long. On the upside, I'm age 50 so if she thought I COULD be pregnant at my age, I guess I could take it as a compliment!:) Not.

[Salsa Dancer]

Salsa - I do love snacks. What I do now is buy the 100 cal snackers (2 pts WW) and the hostess 100 cal cup cakes (1pt WW). I love atomic fireballs which is 1pt for 2. I struggle everyday to avoid junk food, sometimes I win the battle and sometimes I don't; so instead of battling I surrender to the 100 cal snackers.

 

As for your children not gaining weight and you did, I can only say that when I cook and clean the kitchen I ate nibbled and did not realizing just how much food I was actually eating. My DD(16) is thin, she can still wear some of her clothes from 4 years ago. DD is also a junk food eater:( but what can I say to her when I eat a lot of junk food. I was very small up to my mid 20s, I wore a size 0 to 3. After I quit smoking I went up to a size 7/9 and stayed that way until after I had DD. I believe I got comfortable in my marriage and just was not careful. DH and I started eating late at night and eating in bed and I got bigger and bigger and bigger. My Pastor once said ladies make sure when you get married that your man loves you because you may marry him with a coca cola bottle shape figure and later end up with a clorox bottle figure:). Salsa just remember that as we get older, our metabolism slows down, we become less active and we put on some weight. With time comes change, our bodies change. I don't want to go back down to my college year weight, I just want to look good and be healthier. I do want to share something that makes me feel good about myself. I went into one of these urban clothes store for young teens, my DD worked was working there and I looked around the store and was amazed at the prices of the designer tee shirts($80.00) and jeans ($150.00). I headed for the door and this young teen (17) said to me "bring sexy back". I walked out the door blushing and later my DD said, he justed wanted to make a sale and you looked rich. Just recently I was asked out to lunch by a 17 year old student who works at my office this summer. I told him I don't buy men lunch and he said I did not ask you to pay for my lunch.

 

Wal-Mart - It is sad when we see obese children and we have a pretty good idea what heart ache they will endure in the years ahead. However it is nothing we can really do, except for say a prayer for them that their eyes will be open to the truth and the truth shall set them free. Sometimes we become a victim of our environment.

 

You can post your food log here if you wish:eek:. I am not that brave. However I did have a healthy dinner last night. Baked chicken breast, corn and toss salad.

 

Is that you in your avatar, or your daughter? If that is you, you are pretty.

 

ebandive - I don't think I could take that kind of picture of myself because I would become very depressed. When I accidentally see myself in the mirror when I am getting out of the shower, I go into a depressed mode, complaining and whining that I am fat and that DH does not care about me because he should have told me how horrible and fat I look.

 

Mommy...this was a fun post to read. Size 0-3....I don't even know what that is. You made me laugh out loud a couple of times.

 

Those 100 cal. snacks are a good idea, because we don't have to think much. Maybe one or two a day would take care of the urge for sweets. I have to be honest and admit that my hand dipped into the bag of Ghiradelli chocolate chips too many times yesterday and I realized that I could have eaten a whole cup without realizing it. I'm afraid to look that one up in my calorie counter! Atomic fireballs? That is so funny. I have had a big jar of them in my garage entry room and love them. Funny story: Do you know of the music group named 4Him? They were at a book signing in our area...Family Bookstore...when my daughter was young (about 7 years old). She came with a handful of wrapped Atomic Fireballs, slipped through the crowd and passed them out to the 4 singers. You should have seen their faces when they realized that they didn't just put gumballs in their mouths. :eek: I didn't know whether to crack up or die of embarrassment. She later had to send them a note of apology.

 

Yes, that's me in the photo. Thanks for the compliment! I have a baby face--good genes. My kids are always thanking me for that as they inherited the baby face genes. My daughter is 20 but looks more like 15 or 16. I keep telling her that she will love it later on. When I go places with my adult sons, people always think that I'm their wife! I get even TALLER when that happens. ;) Cool. I know that I should feel years younger when I lose 50 lbs. because the weight is slowing me down, big-time ever since this past year. I've been hobbling like an old lady.

 

Loved your Clorox bottle story. My hubby has been so good about my weight. He never makes me feel bad about it. Consider yourself blessed. I know that a lot of women are put down by their mates about weight gain...even slight weight gain...and from what I can tell, it doesn't motivate them to lose the weight, necessarily. I think that good, faithful husbands should be rewarded with wives who are slim and trim and pretty, don't you? My hubby is one of those rare men who never looks around. Women know when they do and that's how I know. I know it might be hard to believe these days but he's really incredible that way. I think he deserves my best and I haven't given it. I've gotten really sloppy with my weight and fitness. I dress nice, do my hair and make-up and jewelry to look nice every day, wear perfume every day, but this weight thing is where I really fall short.

 

Those random compliments from strangers are great, aren't they? Woo-hoo. That made me think, if any of you get a nice unsolicited compliment on your way down in weight, post it. They are really uplifting and can motivate you to keep going. We'll all get a boost from reading them. Being overweight is depressing. I'll admit it. I have a lot to be thankful for and feel guilty to admit that I get really depressed--especially since I'm in that menopausal phase. Being overweight is a contributing factor for sure. I hated how I have felt--very restricted in what I can do, where I can go, how I can dress, etc. I have not been happy with feeling out-of-control with eating. Even now, I feel quite often like I would just stay in bed, if I didn't have responsibilities. I make myself move. I've always been upbeat and only occasionally felt low due to something major going on in our lives. This has been different. This is a daily thing. I believe it will eventually pass. I also have a feeling that exercise is going to help me out by boosting those endorphins. Just putting on some fun music and doing a little dance practice in the kitchen this morning was making me smile and feel better.

 

I already started my journal in a new notebook so I'll be posting my food intake tonight. I know that it will help because I ate less at breakfast, knowing that I was writing it all down today. I almost feel like I'm starting out at Day One again and that is a good thing. I haven't regained weight, so starting out fresh is just what I need.

 

P.S. You guys are the best!

[ebandive]

ebandive - I don't think I could take that kind of picture of myself because I would become very depressed. When I accidentally see myself in the mirror when I am getting out of the shower, I go into a depressed mode, complaining and whining that I am fat and that DH does not care about me because he should have told me how horrible and fat I look.

 

Yeah, me too. That's exactly why I did it. I had to be brutally honest with myself with how the world sees me every day, or at least what my DH sees every day!! I was pretty disgusted. Salsa, I completely identified with you with having a wonderful DH. I swear, I don't know how I scored him. He has more integrity than any person I know. When I get down on myself for my weight, he just smiles, hugs me tight, strokes my hair, kisses my cheek and tells me that I am his vuluptious vixen!! LOL!! When I ask him to seriously tell me though that he would prefer me thinner he always replies, "I don't care, I just want you to be happy with yourself." And he looks me in the eyes and actually means it. I seriously thank God for him everyday.

 

I also agree with the obese children. I used to be very angry about things like that after watching my dad basically eat himself to death, but now I also just think it is very tragic.

 

I can't believe it took me this long to find this forum! This is so encouraging to vent to someone about this!! And to hear from you who re going through the same thing! Thanks!!

[Salsa Dancer]

Yeah, me too. That's exactly why I did it. I had to be brutally honest with myself with how the world sees me every day, or at least what my DH sees every day!! I was pretty disgusted. Salsa, I completely identified with you with having a wonderful DH. I swear, I don't know how I scored him. He has more integrity than any person I know. When I get down on myself for my weight, he just smiles, hugs me tight, strokes my hair, kisses my cheek and tells me that I am his vuluptious vixen!! LOL!! When I ask him to seriously tell me though that he would prefer me thinner he always replies, "I don't care, I just want you to be happy with yourself." And he looks me in the eyes and actually means it. I seriously thank God for him everyday.

 

I also agree with the obese children. I used to be very angry about things like that after watching my dad basically eat himself to death, but now I also just think it is very tragic.

 

I can't believe it took me this long to find this forum! This is so encouraging to vent to someone about this!! And to hear from you who re going through the same thing! Thanks!!

 

Just reading that your hubby is like that too, downright restores my faith in humanity! There are still some people with integrity left in this world. Sigh.

 

I'm not ready to post my daily eats until after dinner, but I sure notice the difference today. My stomach was growling and whining at me while I was grocery shopping. I definitely have eaten a lot more, gradually, and can feel the difference by cutting back today. Wow. I really want to get dinner over, wrap up the eating for the day and get it posted.

[Mommy4lyfe]

 

 

 

 

[Salsa Dancer]

Okay, so I'm not that big and you did help to put things in perspective. I'm fat & phat, maybe. But I know what my little joints are telling me. They are squawking, creaking, and hurting. My BP was high until I started this plan. I took it yesterday and it was actually low for me. Before I started the weight reduction plan, I was at the beginning stage of hypertension. Yesterday I was 108/73. I want to re-check that on a different machine another time. I'm not kidding when I say that I could be stuck on crutches if I don't get this weight off. We all have our goals; some with more to lose; some with less; some with very little.

 

Today was an eye-opener regarding what I have been eating. I think I was inching my way upward in calories without realizing it. I felt hungry today, for the first day in a while. Not horrible and no headache or shakiness, which is good, but I realized, after counting up my calories, that if I "cut back" today and am still over 1400 calories, then I must have been eating too many before today. Here was my day:

 

Breakfast: 205 calories

1 large egg fried in Pam: 75 cal.

6 oz. orange juice: 90 cal.

1 piece Wonder Light Bread toasted: 40 cal.

a vitamin, a calcium/magnesium tablet, 12 oz. water

 

Snack: 30 calories

1 piece of red licorice: 30 cal.

12 oz. water

 

Lunch: (had my granddaughter with me) 410 calories

McDonald's iced tea + Equal: zero cal.

Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap, honey mustard: 260 calories

Vanilla Cone (reduced fat): 150 calories

5 fries: ?

 

Snack: 110 calories

coffee with 2 T. half & half and Splenda: 40 cal.

Cheddar cheese Rice Cakes (9): 70 cal.

12 oz. water

 

Dinner: 645 calories

6 oz. lean pork loin (thin-sliced and fat removed from edge): 330 calories

1 ear of corn: 80 cal.

1 Roma tomato with balsamic vinegar: 35 cal.

1/2 cucumber, sliced: 20 cal.

5 large strawberries: 30 cal.

12 oz. Low-fat milk: 150 cal.

2 T. cranberry/jalapeno salsa: ?

 

Dessert: 55 calories

1 square Lindt Chocolate (70%?): 55 cal.

 

Exercise: none other than household chores, errands, grocery shopping, caring for a 7-year-old.

 

 

Okay, I even feel a little bit hungry right after dinner and like I need some munchies! I feel like I've eaten more fruit and veggies than I've eaten in a while, drank more water, etc. and yet, not counting the salsa and the 5 fries, I'm up to 1455 calories for the day!!! I should be closer to 1200, if I want to lose weight steadily. The two things that I could have changed would be the fast-food lunch and to eat maybe 4 oz. of fish or chicken rather than the pork. I still feel like I should take in another glass of milk for the extra calcium as I'm trying to get enough to help out my bones.

 

Does anyone else see any other problem area that I'm not seeing? I hate to give up the little bit of sweets that I am indulging in today.

[Salsa Dancer]

I forgot to note that I drank 3 or 4 more glasses of water than I noted.

 

While I was posting my menu for the day, my tricksy 7-year-old granddaughter pulled a fast one on me. I told her that she should finish her cukes and corn-on-the-cob before she would get her donut (foods she selected). She came to me and said, "Grandma, I want to go home tonight. I forgot my Bible and want to read it." I thought that was odd since she's been BEGGING to stay over and this was her one chance for the week. So she called her mom and is now gone. Well, guess what? I went upstairs and saw her full plate of food but the donut is gone. :eek: Granny's gonna get her tomorrow. :D Bible my arse.

[Mommy4lyfe]

Okay, so I'm not that big and you did help to put things in perspective. I'm fat & phat, maybe. But I know what my little joints are telling me. They are squawking, creaking, and hurting. My BP was high until I started this plan. I took it yesterday and it was actually low for me. Before I started the weight reduction plan, I was at the beginning stage of hypertension. Yesterday I was 108/73. I want to re-check that on a different machine another time. I'm not kidding when I say that I could be stuck on crutches if I don't get this weight off. We all have our goals; some with more to lose; some with less; some with very little.

 

Today was an eye-opener regarding what I have been eating. I think I was inching my way upward in calories without realizing it. I felt hungry today, for the first day in a while. Not horrible and no headache or shakiness, which is good, but I realized, after counting up my calories, that if I "cut back" today and am still over 1400 calories, then I must have been eating too many before today. Here was my day:

 

Breakfast: 205 calories

1 large egg fried in Pam: 75 cal.

6 oz. orange juice: 90 cal.

1 piece Wonder Light Bread toasted: 40 cal.

a vitamin, a calcium/magnesium tablet, 12 oz. water

 

Snack: 30 calories

1 piece of red licorice: 30 cal.

12 oz. water

 

Lunch: (had my granddaughter with me) 410 calories

McDonald's iced tea + Equal: zero cal.

Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap, honey mustard: 260 calories

Vanilla Cone (reduced fat): 150 calories

5 fries: ?

 

Snack: 110 calories

coffee with 2 T. half & half and Splenda: 40 cal.

Cheddar cheese Rice Cakes (9): 70 cal.

12 oz. water

 

Dinner: 645 calories

6 oz. lean pork loin (thin-sliced and fat removed from edge): 330 calories

1 ear of corn: 80 cal.

1 Roma tomato with balsamic vinegar: 35 cal.

1/2 cucumber, sliced: 20 cal.

5 large strawberries: 30 cal.

12 oz. Low-fat milk: 150 cal.

2 T. cranberry/jalapeno salsa: ?

 

Dessert: 55 calories

1 square Lindt Chocolate (70%?): 55 cal.

 

Exercise: none other than household chores, errands, grocery shopping, caring for a 7-year-old.

 

 

Okay, I even feel a little bit hungry right after dinner and like I need some munchies! I feel like I've eaten more fruit and veggies than I've eaten in a while, drank more water, etc. and yet, not counting the salsa and the 5 fries, I'm up to 1455 calories for the day!!! I should be closer to 1200, if I want to lose weight steadily. The two things that I could have changed would be the fast-food lunch and to eat maybe 4 oz. of fish or chicken rather than the pork. I still feel like I should take in another glass of milk for the extra calcium as I'm trying to get enough to help out my bones.

 

Does anyone else see any other problem area that I'm not seeing? I hate to give up the little bit of sweets that I am indulging in today.

 

Woow, you did it. You are eating healthy. You are not a big junk food eater. As far as the extra milk, I rarely drink milk and if I do it is skim milk. I get my calcium with Yo plait Fiber One yogurt, which is 80 cal and 1 WW point and I also take calcium tablets 2 a day. I don't drink juices because they are high in calories. I drink ice tea w/equal and I take Vit. C everyday. If you had milk 2 times a day, that is 300 cal vs 0 cal taking calcium supplements. 90 cal in oj vs 0 cal for vit c supplements. Because I am a junk food eater I could have taken your 390 in milk and oj and had me 4 packs of 100 cal snack cake, but that is just me. Also OJ is high in sugar and the snack cakes have sugar, however they have more fiber to take out the fat.

 

I have the WW core foods list that a lot of people say they are loosing weight on. I printed it out because I am going to start the core program on Monday for a week to see if it is better than counting points. On the core plan you eat only when you are hungry and you eat until you are full and you can only eat certain foods., however you get 35 pts a week to eat things that are not on the core list. The core list is very long and includes meats, fruits, veggies and some snacks. If you want to see a copy of it email me at ggbvacations@comcast.net

[Salsa Dancer]

If I were at home today, I would likely have had low-fat cottage cheese for lunch or a low-fat yogurt with some wheat germ added. I seem to lose weight better when I do that and you're right, I get double-duty out of those foods with the extra protein plus the calcium. I took my second calcium tablet a while ago; so maybe I don't need to worry about more calcium if I am doing that.

 

I know the lady who wrote the Why French Women Don't Get Fat book said that they avoid juices, too. I don't drink much juice and that's one of those things that I'd have a hard time giving up....especially if it were fresh-squeezed, which it usually isn't.

 

Probably, though, doing a couple of those things that you suggested, could help to shave off 300 calories. That would mean a pound of fat every 11-12 days...that could add up over the course of several months. Hmmm. I might be tracking myself for a second day to see if I can get that total down. Of course, we're invited to an anniversary dinner tomorrow and the food is mostly being provided by the couple celebrating. It's really hard to calculate when I'm not doing the cooking myself. I know they are having steaks and I'm bringing cheezy potato casserole, of which I am not going to eat ANY tomorrow. I'm feeling a bit disgusted at the moment. One good thing....we're going to try to dance a little tomorrow night. Maybe I'll burn off some calories.

 

Thanks for your input, friend. I'm thinking. My progress has been too slow. If I need to make changes, that's that. I'll note your email address. I'd like to see your list. My mom did WW in the old days and I think I still have a copy of their old "Quick Start" food list. I'd like to see how things have changed.

 

I have to use up 3 packages of baby portobella mushrooms....anyone out there with ideas? I can just sautee them or broil them with garlic and balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil, I suppose.

[ebandive]

MOMMY! I was trying to eat my breakfast bar and catch up on the posts when I nearly choked getting to your pictures!! And to think that I won't wear a two-piece!! :eek: I agree that a lot of it is perspective. However, when I got that picture back of myself in a group, I was defiantely the chubbiest of the group. And it was, in my opinoin, too chubby. I've always been a little chubby, but this is too much for me. Part of it too is pride. I'm in nursing school, and sterotypically, nurses are big. I don't want to be the brunt of jokes.

 

Salsa, you eat a lot better than I do, so I don't know. I don't really count calories, but I'm sure I have more than 2000/day. I've been trying to be better this week though. Yesterday I had 2 granola bars, 1 Oatmeal square bar, a ham and cheese lean pocket, and then for dinner I got a rotesserie chicken from publix from which I had a pretty good size of the breast, then green beans, 5 (FIVE) of those hawaiian sweet rolls (those puppies are 100 calories each!) a luigi's lemon italian ice, and a single hershey's chocolate. Oh, and I drink loads of water. I don't know how much, I don't keep track, but I drink bucket fulls of it and nothing else. And I walked on the treadmill on an incline again for 45 minutes. I did pretty good yesterday until it came to those darn sweet rolls. YUM! But I got on the scale this morning to see the damage, and I am still down those two pounds I mentioned earlier this week, plus an additional pound. It's got to be water weight still, but I did burn 300 calories exercising!

 

The bad news is that today after work I leave for Wisconsin to see family. I'll be staying with my mom. And you know how mom's are. She is going to be feeding me all my favorites all week non-stop!! I know I won't be able to resist since I see her so rarely. At least we are going camping for 3 days where I can do lots of hiking. :) I'll try to get on here when I can, but you probably won't hear much from me in the next week.

 

Is there a good FREE online resource that you guys know of to type in what you ate to get the total calorie count?

[ebandive]

I forgot to say that I have the WW core list at home already, but don't see myself sticking to that even for a day!! LOL. I've never done WW myself, but my mom used to so she gave me some of her old materials. I try to do that type of diet. I actually did it a year or so ago following my points strictly and lost 10-15 pounds fairly easy. Well, not easy, but it was easier than I thought it would be. The problem was as soon as I stopped (after the first cruise) it ALL came back on plus some. So I'm trying to incorperate that diet into something I can actually manage long term, because just like Salsa said, it is just basically watching what you eat, especially portion sizes. It didn't help that on the cruise my favorite breakfast was a plate full of bacon!

 

And I have no idea what to do with portabella mushrooms. BLEH!! :rolleyes: Sorry!

[Salsa Dancer]

Hi Erin....You had to go and mention those Hawaiian rolls....I love them. Of course, what food DON'T I love? Bacon is a favorite but I don't have it very often. I ate it a lot on the cruise, though, because there it was just calling my name every morning. ;)

 

I do believe that SOME of what you lost is water, but that means that you did something right. You'll lose some fat and more water at first but if you behave, it will stay off. If I were in your shoes, I'd indulge in the stuff that your mom is cooking, but try to shrink your portions. I have to do that in certain social situations because that was my only option. So I fix my plate but try to fix it the way I might for a child or a skinny teenager. Or the other option would be to eat two larger meals and just a snack mid-day. Like on the cruise, that worked for my hubby and myself. With the camping activity, you won't gain a thing.

 

My husband just sent me a couple of links like what you asked about. His friend at work has lost 30 lbs. since Easter (about 1.5 per week) and my hubby just asked him how he did it, so the guy sent a couple of links. He said that there were calorie counters and all sorts of aids that were easy to use. One is at about.com; so you have to sign up, which I'm going to do so that I can really check it out.

 

http://caloriecount.about.com/

http://www.calorieking.com/

 

My weight hadn't budged in quite a while, so this morning I didn't expect anything, but it was down a pound to 178--FINALLY!! I've been up and down a little all week, so was pretty happy to meet Mr. 178 again!

 

The thing about those pictures that Mommy posted....those are photos of morbidly obese people. Those morbidly obese people were just like me at some point in their life, a little heavy, a little pudgy, then chunky, then fat, then fatter, etc. I know that there are many on the forum that have over 100 lbs. to lose and are determined to do so. I've seen great success stories, just by watching the Joy Fit Club on Monday mornings (Today show). I don't have 100 lbs. to lose, but as my daughter said, "Mom, be careful that you don't reach the point of no return." We talked about this a lot. You can wonder how some people end up that huge but I think it is a combination of things. It would be possible to gain enough weight, like my 60 lbs. for example, and then you begin to feel physical pain and physical changes that begin to really slow you down. That is what I've been through since January. Lower back, knee-cap, sciatic nerve, some tendon inflamation and swelling in my right big toe (heels kill me), and ankle pain. I had gotten to my all-time-high weight (188 on my scale) and that was my breaking point, physically. So I had to sit and sit to allow my joints to get better. (I was getting all of the warning signs before the holidays and before I was seriously affected, but I kept going on my merry way and ignored them. After January, I began to read my medical books and Mayo clinic book and learned that you can get arthritis from obesity...I think it was called "osteo-arthritis". With all that sitting to baby my joints, guess what happened? No calorie reduction + less activity = even fatter (or is it "phatter" ;)! With those conditions, being unable to do my favorite things and sitting too much during a dreary Michigan winter, I felt blue and could have decided, "Who cares?" But I kept thinking about my talk with our daughter and about the "point of no return" discussion. I had to do something and began cruise planning to boost my mood. That's how I found cruisecritic and then, later in May, this forum. I began to read the posts and thought about how great it would be to have others who were in this boat and get off the one that I was on. I honestly believe that I was headed for disaster.

 

I don't know if I will reach my goal weight in time. All I know is that I will be far below 188. I will wave at it from far, far away!

 

I'm calorie counting once again today, then plotting and scheming about how to make it through dinner at our friend's house tonight. There seems to be a "conspiracy" with my body and the scale. I see signs of loss on Fridays, pretty consistently, then we end up with friends, eating salty food and I go up in weight and stay up for the next weigh-in. I'm sick of that; so I'm going to really be good and not indulge much this weekend. I'm going to really watch the salt and hope to see 178 stick by Monday...maybe even 177??? I can dream, can't I?

[ebandive]

You know why I hate this thread? Every time I'm on it I'm eating. Right now it's a piece of dove chocolate. OK, 3 pieces. But they were the last 3 pieces in the bag. :o So no more!

 

Salsa, thanks for the links, and CONGRATS for getting to 178!! Why do you have medical books? Just for curiosity's sake or are you in the medical field?

 

I know that the morbidly obese are just like me, or at least the way I could get if I let it. All I have to do is glance at my family tree to understand that. At some point though, we all have to put a stop to it. I, hopefully, am putting a stop on it early. You knwo what really bugs me? Skinny moms. I figure, how can these women have popped out children and still be thinner than I am? And I realize, yes, some of it may come to metabolism, but most of it is sheer determination and perseverence. So, determined and persevered I shall be! RAHR!! :D

 

Ok, it appears my mom's computer is down so I won't have internet access for a week. What will I do without cruise critic? So here are my stats as of today, a few days early, but I won't be able to post Monday.

 

SW: 184 (8/12/08)

CW: 181

GW: 154

 

Wish me luck in Wisconsin! I'll catch up with you when I get back! :D

[Mommy4lyfe]

Salsa - thanks for the web site on calorie counting. I used it today and I was shocked at the calories I ate today 1,553. This is why I am not loosing any weight. I went 6 pts over on WW and therefore I took it from my additional points. I am shocked. Maybe I will be counting calories for a while to help me cut back on my eating. I also realize that I eat all day. Working at home I believe is hindering my weight loss.

 

[Salsa Dancer]

Salsa - thanks for the web site on calorie counting. I used it today and I was shocked at the calories I ate today 1,553. This is why I am not loosing any weight. I went 6 pts over on WW and therefore I took it from my additional points. I am shocked. Maybe I will be counting calories for a while to help me cut back on my eating. I also realize that I eat all day. Working at home I believe is hindering my weight loss.

 

 

I know how you feel. This morning I tallied up my calories for yesterday. I had to do a lot of guessing for the anniversary dinner/cookout but did my best. My friend uses olive oil, which I love, but could only guess on quantities. Yesterday was Day Two of my calorie counting and it was a really good day to do it because quite often, we have a once-a-week dinner with others and I know that I eat more on that day. Well, I held WAY back yesterday and really do believe that I was EXTREMELY conservative in my portions, relative to my customary eating. The food was delicious and very healthy. In spite of that, I was totally SHOCKED:eek: at my calorie total for just that ONE MEAL. No wonder I would do great up until Friday, even drop a pound by then, then go right back up and stay up on the weekend. There was a lot of extra salt used too. By my Monday weigh-in, I would feel discouraged because I had gained water weight from the salt, and my weight loss stalled because of the extra calories.

 

Last night I didn't touch the salt shaker once, which is so unlike me. I can't believe how much better I felt this morning. My feet didn't swell. On top of that, it looks like I dropped another 1/2 lb.

 

Here was my menu (last day to post this for a while). You'll get an idea of how much I ate for dinner...plenty...but it really felt like not much. I am a real social eater. Everyone else ate 1 lb. ribeye steaks (grilled) topped with slathering of cheeses (roquefort, blue, etc.). I had 1-2 tsp. of the cheese blend and cut my steak into about a 6 oz. piece and left the rest on a meat platter.

 

Breakfast: 280 total

12 oz. water

calcium/mag. tablet with a multivitamin

coffee with Splenda (note that I dropped the 1/2 & 1/2 this morning)--zero

2 egg omelette with Pam spray, topped with some Tabasco--150

2 pieces Wonder Light Wheat Toast--80

1 T. strawberry preserves--50

 

Lunch: 340 total

1 cup green grapes--100

another calcium tablet

12 oz. water

1/2 c. lowfat cottage cheese--80

1/2 cup yellow rice salad (with black beans and cherry tomatoes)--150 (estimate)

4-5 cucumber slices (in vinegar)--10

 

Here comes trouble...I mean dinner.

Heirloom tomato & fresh basil (1)--45

topped with goat cheese (1 oz.)--75

drizzled with balsamic vinegar & oil (approx. 1 T.)--40

8-10 crackers (various)--100

(I skipped the cheeze potatoes in favor of the crackers)

Hummus and another dip?(4 T.)--100

 

3 fingers of white wine (20 cal. per oz.)--60

2 glasses of water during dinner

about 6 oz. grilled ribeye--470

topped with a blue cheese blend--100

tossed salad (about a cup)--50

drizzle of balsamic vinegar and oil--40

roasted asparagus (about six spears)--45

1/2 cup sauteed mushrooms (garlic, onion)--25

1 finger of my hubby's red wine (he makes wine)--25

2 bites of ice cream cake (have no calorie clue)--60

 

I didn't even count the extra oil that was used in the mushrooms and the roasted asparagus! READY FOR THIS? Dinner added up to 1,090!!! Yeah, my friends know how to eat well. Considering that this meal was very healthy in content, can you believe the calorie total????

 

 

My day's total was 1710 calories.

 

After dinner, we went to a 2 hour dance and I danced for about an hour altogether. You burn 10 calories per minute with STRENUOUS dancing. That would be 600 calories but some of the dancing was slower (rumba, waltz) so I would guess that I burned maybe 450. That was good for a day with such a high calorie content.

 

If that was a conservative meal, can you imagine the days that I left feeling too full?

 

The good part is that I got up and not only kept off the 1 lb. loss for the week, but may have lost another 1/2 lb. I'll know by Monday if that is going to stick, but I was pretty excited this morning.

 

The calorie counting has been a real eye-opener for me. Like you said, Mommy, NO WONDER! I'm at home all day long and have too easy access to snacks. I'm finding though, that as I go along, instead of giving up and back-tracking, I will give up a little more, here-and-there. It does get easier. I feel more aware after the two-day count and knowing that if I can give up a little coffee creamer or an extra snack or a glass of oj, each day, I might be more likely to reach my goal by next spring.

[Salsa Dancer]

You know why I hate this thread? Every time I'm on it I'm eating. Right now it's a piece of dove chocolate. OK, 3 pieces. But they were the last 3 pieces in the bag. :o So no more!

 

Salsa, thanks for the links, and CONGRATS for getting to 178!! Why do you have medical books? Just for curiosity's sake or are you in the medical field?

 

I know that the morbidly obese are just like me, or at least the way I could get if I let it. All I have to do is glance at my family tree to understand that. At some point though, we all have to put a stop to it. I, hopefully, am putting a stop on it early. You knwo what really bugs me? Skinny moms. I figure, how can these women have popped out children and still be thinner than I am? And I realize, yes, some of it may come to metabolism, but most of it is sheer determination and perseverence. So, determined and persevered I shall be! RAHR!! :D

 

Ok, it appears my mom's computer is down so I won't have internet access for a week. What will I do without cruise critic? So here are my stats as of today, a few days early, but I won't be able to post Monday.

 

SW: 184 (8/12/08)

CW: 181

GW: 154

 

Wish me luck in Wisconsin! I'll catch up with you when I get back! :D

 

Doves!!! Awe, the favorite around here. I love the dark ones. I started out "treating" myself to one a day, at the end of the day, but found the bag getting empty way faster than that. I'd end up having 4 or 5 in a day. I just asked my hubby where the bag went and he said that we finished them up and passed some out. I'm glad we are out of them, for now. It's a good thing.

 

I'm not in the medical field. I'm a homemaker, but my husband's family is in that industry...nurses (3), my father-in-law was a doctor (gp), one BIL, just retired, but was head of a surgical unit, etc. My hubby was in pre-med, then changed his course. I'm a curious person and feel that I have to be knowledgable about my own health; so I buy medical encyclopedias and dictionaries to help me to know how to do preventative things.

 

I know 3 skinny moms who skip meals, pork out on junk food, and that's that. I'm sure there are many who eat healthy, though, and exercise.

 

Hope you have fun! I like Wisconsin. They sky is much bluer than here in Michigan and it is so GREEN.

[Mommy4lyfe]

I will be in the office on Monday and will not get a chance to weigh in until Tuesday. However I know my weight went up:(:(. I am finding it hard to get back into the swing of things. Those freakin digital scales stink. Monday I weighed 165.4 lbs:( and through out the week I was seeing 166 and 167 lbs. I ate lots of pretzels this week. Maybe this is water weight, but I doubt it. Oh well I will just keep trying. The old saying '"nothing beats a failure but a try". I will not give up, my cruise 4 months away.

 

Salsa - Your dinner sounds yummy. That was a healthy meal, I think you did well.

 

Ebandive - Enjoy your trip.

[Salsa Dancer]

Hi Mommy....I've been craving those tomatoes all day long!