Cruising to Healthy

[BEARFACE]

Sat. 314.8

Sun. 312.6

 

I have to say i struggled this morning with the scale. I weigh when i first wake up......before i eat.........and after.................yea.

 

I weighed 313.....but then it went to 313.2 and back again. So it was being wishy washy which it doesnt normally. So i decided not to eat right away and to sit for a while. I went back and it was wishy washy between 312.8 and 313. So i took a shower and got out and it read 312.6. Im gonna decide what it will be when i weigh tomr.

 

WOW!!!!!:) that is wonderful, that scale is going down slowly but surely, good for you. I always wait at least an hour before I weigh in, to me the body needs some time to register what was let out;) of course not everybody has an hour to wait especially getting ready for work. It is good that you waited awhile, never jump on that scale right away because it will register a lower reading if you give it some time.

 

I think your doing great, keep it up!!!!:)

 

And a belated Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too.

[Hulalovestocruise]

:) Wow St Patrick's Day I did pretty good no green beer just light beer, I don't weigh in the morning after a party I figure why be depressed all day.:rolleyes: I didn't do to bad switched over to water about 11 so today will be more water weight than anything else and with a good work out I should be able to sweat most of that off.

Hope you all had a good St. Patricks Day!!!!!

:)Keep moving and enjoy the day :)

[Chigirlcruzin]

Sat. 314.8

Sun. 312.6

 

I have to say i struggled this morning with the scale. I weigh when i first wake up......before i eat.........and after.................yea.

 

I weighed 313.....but then it went to 313.2 and back again. So it was being wishy washy which it doesnt normally. So i decided not to eat right away and to sit for a while. I went back and it was wishy washy between 312.8 and 313. So i took a shower and got out and it read 312.6. Im gonna decide what it will be when i weigh tomr.

 

When my scale got wishy washy I replaced the battery and that fixed the indecisiveness.

 

You're doing great...I love how you keep persevering!

[brooklynfc]

WOW!!!!!:) that is wonderful, that scale is going down slowly but surely, good for you. I always wait at least an hour before I weigh in, to me the body needs some time to register what was let out;) of course not everybody has an hour to wait especially getting ready for work. It is good that you waited awhile, never jump on that scale right away because it will register a lower reading if you give it some time.

 

I think your doing great, keep it up!!!!:)

 

And a belated Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too.

 

Yea, it was weird the way it kept going down. I think I'll average it though, to 313.

[brooklynfc]

:) Wow St Patrick's Day I did pretty good no green beer just light beer, I don't weigh in the morning after a party I figure why be depressed all day.:rolleyes: I didn't do to bad switched over to water about 11 so today will be more water weight than anything else and with a good work out I should be able to sweat most of that off.

Hope you all had a good St. Patricks Day!!!!!

:)Keep moving and enjoy the day :)

 

Amazingly, didn't have any drinks this weekend, I saved all I could for cake and ice cream for my brother's bday. :p

[brooklynfc]

When my scale got wishy washy I replaced the battery and that fixed the indecisiveness.

 

You're doing great...I love how you keep persevering!

 

 

I need to get a battery back-up. It takes a 9volt and if that goes out I'm almost sure we don't have any extras on hand and then who knows when I would remember to get to the store........

[brooklynfc]

Sat. 314.8

Sun. 313

Mon. 314.2

 

I decided to use 313. It was the middle number. 313 is still 1lb down and I don't want to show a possible gain next week b/c I had a wishy washy scale and used the lowest number. Plus if it was that low, that just means it will be lower next week.

 

BK: Shake, with extra milk no banana (ran out) Low sodium pre-cooked bacon:p

 

S: Got some more mini turkey pepperoni

 

L: Okay well it will come down to if I can eat the chicken that has been cooked and it the frig. I started to cook stirfry last night and then decided I really didn't want it and went with eggs/bacon/lf ww waffle instead. So no I have grilled chicken to try and eat........If I absolutely can't eat it, I have some spam leftover.

 

S: Mom found some low carb yogurt.....just hoping it isn't nasty. I don't love yogurt in the first place, so........

 

D: I'm feeling fish and some broccoli tonight.

 

W: Zumba tonight. Should feel good after missing it last week.

 

Ordered some clothes from ON on Saturday. I had 15% off from them messing up an order and used the 17% for St. Patricks Day too. Four more dresses, 2 shirts, and a light sweater all for $160. I hope they all look good.

 

This could have been a reward for weightloss, but it was actually retail therapy for the stress I dealt with last week with the house. Don't know if I said, but I let it go. It wasn't worth all the trouble. Back to looking and I swear if I don't find something soon..........I'm just gonna spend my money on a modular that gives me all the choices.

 

Good Choices.

[brooklynfc]

Sat. 314.8

Sun. 313

Mon. 314.2

Tues. 314.2

 

Okay, that is strange, but still down a lb.

 

BK: Shake w/ no banana and ls bacon.

 

S: Turkey minis

 

L: Lite Spam and corn (wasn't in the mood)

 

D: I feel like I'm running out of meats. Just getting bored with chicken and beef, which are the easiest and less expensive (at least the way I buy them). Fish is okay, but I don't love it, so I use it sparingly. I think I might try some chilly without beans (I'm not a huge fan of their texture). I can use our canned tomatoes and some deer hamburger........hmmm.

 

W: Gym for 30.

 

Did Zumba yesterday and it was fun. Lot of new people which always makes me nervous. I still did it and I stood in front. Whatever, two of the skinniest girls there had to take two breaks and went straight through. Now, I may have messed up the moves, but I did it. I think I would get a much better workout from it if I wasn't so aware of other people.

 

Had a bit of a carb fest last night. I allowed myself some carb smart ice cream, cup of milk and one of these chocolate cake cookies mom had bought. I didn't finish the ice cream though. It was a bit of a sweet overload, but I think i just needed it and now I can move on. I have to start cutting back on that carb smart ice cream, its become too much of a crutch and I think it will eventually detour me from my goals.

 

Well, onward I go.......

 

Good choices.

[RachieLnnn]

Hey, lots of activity on this thread, I love it!

 

I've been doing pretty good lately. I have been working out more regularly, even if I just go downstairs and sit on a bike for a 1/2 hour while I read, I'm trying to do something everyday. On days that I don't get downstairs, I've been doing weights/crunches/etc. I'm loving my Nook for reading while I workout, since you don't have to hold the pages open like a book. :p

 

Food-wise, I think I had a revelation on Sunday. I just realized how much better I feel (energy, tummy-wise, etc.) when I eat lots of veggies and fruit instead of something like chips as a side. So I went crazy at the store and got grapes, pears, and bananas for fruit (DH and I share a banana every morning w/cereal). I also got asparagus, baby spinach, broccoli, beets, snap peas, bell peppers, cucumbers, and carrots from the store. The asparagus and beets were cooked and are ready to go in the fridge. Been having everything either tossed into a salad or with a dip (I like edamame hummus, ranch, or kale and greek yogurt dip - it's like spinach dip). The hummus and the kale dip are from Trader Joe's - love that store!!! I'm just making sure I'm having like at LEAST 2-3 servings of fruit or veg at lunch and dinner. So I'm just going to focus on eating good food, instead of fretting over bad food. And if I do eat something that is not as healthy (like a slice of pizza), I will still have veg to the side - it also helps me stay fuller longer. Since I have a variety of salad dressings and dips, I am not getting bored.

 

For example, yesterday for a side dish I took some of the cooked asparagus and had it cold with a drizzle of olive oil, some cracked pepper, and some parmesean on it. It was so good!!

 

Brooke, just wanted to say that you are doing AWESOME! It must have felt great to see the scale on 312! Since you mentioned being sick of beef and chicken, thought I would pipe up. What about cooking a pork tenderloin (maybe in a crock pot) to have shredded? You can then toss it in salads, stirfrys, pasta, tacos, BBQ pork sandwiches, etc.

 

Also what about some non-meat sources of protein? I'm not sure where these fall on your carb scale, but I love lentils. They are big on protein. You can get a big bag for CHEAP, too (like a dollar for a bag in a big city like mine) and add cooked ones to salads, soups, taco meat, etc. I'm not sure if you like beans, but I use them a lot. White beans are good in pasta, edamame in stir-fries, black beans in burritos, tacos or quesadillas, and lentils like I described earlier. Anyway, if you hate beans, lentils have a bit of a different texture (chewier & meatier, I think), and you might like them.

 

Also, do you like hard-cooked eggs? Another good snack - you can have them ready in the fridge, or to throw into a salad for lunch. What about peanut butter and an apple or celery as a snack? I buy all-natural peanut butter, so the only ingredient is literally peanuts. It's probably better for your situation then other peanut butter with added sugars since you are shooting for low-carb. Also another good snack would be a handful of almonds or a cheese stick. Or if you like cottage cheese or greek yogurt, I like those too.

[pcrum]

I love this thread. I haven't read all 117 pages, but I like what I have read!! To the OP, good luck with your weight loss. It sounds like you are doing great. I just found your blog last week and I really love all the fashion pieces you post. It's nice for you to show that we can still be fashionable even though we are heavy.

 

Although I just found this thread, I have been on a weight loss journey too. I started at 247 in Aug., 2011 and am down to 203. My goal is to make it to the 140s, which is where I was in 2004. For me, the only way to successfully lose weight is Atkins. I have an Atkins shake (the mocha latte, which has coffee in it) in the morning (about half a shake) along with 2 hard boiled eggs chopped up with real bacon bits and mayo. Lunch is usually a hamburger patty with cheese and mustard (no bun). Dinner is usually some form of protein and perhaps a small salad or spinach (my fav veggie). I might have a Fage Total greek yogurt for a snack (although at 8 grams of carbs per container, it's not everyday) with splenda and flax seeds (I LOVE Greek yogurt!). Another snack are the Blue Diamond bold flavor almonds (I love the salt and vinegar flavor). That along with lots of crystal light and water is my diet.

 

I struggle with getting enough exercise. I love the idea of Zumba, but haven't found a class. DH and I try to walk, but do not do it nearly enough. We live in FL, so it's sooo hot most of the time. I literally have to wait until it's dark to walk!!

 

It's nice to know others are on the same journey. It's not easy, but necessary for good health. Since my weight loss, I have already seen my blood pressure go down considerably. Unfortunately with Atkins my cholesterol is up.

 

Thanks again for this thread. And good luck to everyone else on the same journey!

[pcrum]

Brooke, just wanted to say that you are doing AWESOME! It must have felt great to see the scale on 312! Since you mentioned being sick of beef and chicken, thought I would pipe up. What about cooking a pork tenderloin (maybe in a crock pot) to have shredded? You can then toss it in salads, stirfrys, pasta, tacos, BBQ pork sandwiches, etc.

 

Also what about some non-meat sources of protein? I'm not sure where these fall on your carb scale, but I love lentils. They are big on protein. You can get a big bag for CHEAP, too (like a dollar for a bag in a big city like mine) and add cooked ones to salads, soups, taco meat, etc. I'm not sure if you like beans, but I use them a lot. White beans are good in pasta, edamame in stir-fries, black beans in burritos, tacos or quesadillas, and lentils like I described earlier. Anyway, if you hate beans, lentils have a bit of a different texture (chewier & meatier, I think), and you might like them.

 

Also, do you like hard-cooked eggs? Another good snack - you can have them ready in the fridge, or to throw into a salad for lunch. What about peanut butter and an apple or celery as a snack? I buy all-natural peanut butter, so the only ingredient is literally peanuts. It's probably better for your situation then other peanut butter with added sugars since you are shooting for low-carb. Also another good snack would be a handful of almonds or a cheese stick. Or if you like cottage cheese or greek yogurt, I like those too.

 

Regarding protein sources, I second the pork tenderloin in the crockpot...so easy and really good. I marinate the meat in either Grace mild jerk sauce or a low carb marinade from Publix (I think it's called Hilton Head...it's sold in the meat section). I also do chili without beans...ground beef just with the chili spices and a can of Hunts tomato sauce and diced tomatoes with green chilis (I read the labels to get the lowest carb brand...usually Rotel, I think). Another protein I like is the Publix rotisserie chicken or to buy the raw chicken tenderloins and use Lawry's lemon pepper seasoning and grill them on a George Foreman grill. Shrimp scamp is another favorite..shrimp sauteed in butter and garlic basically.

 

The best part for me has been losing the carb cravings. I find I feel so much better when I just stick to protein!

[vivavegas]

I just found this thread and I'm loving it! I too struggle with my weight. I see so many good ideas and I need all the help I can get. I'll try to stop by as often as I can to share ideas and get some motivation.

[Gathina]

I shared this on another thread but I'll share it here seeing you introduced it. My new brother in law is a doctor of nautropath from Central America and of course my husband has been trained some in it to, though he is an engineer.

 

I am almost totally off meat and use only plant proteins now.beans, some grains, veggies/fruit...I learned that the animal protein and fat was causing a whole lot of inflammation..which equals a gain in the scale and my weight. Once I stopped the meat, my stomach basically shrunk and I am only 10 pounds away from my goal weight I've been working toward the last year. What a difference. The key is knowing how to use the plant proteins and it is NOT a license to go out an eat all kinds of carbs,etc.

 

People think they "have" to have meat to survive. They don't. A lot of poorer countries don't have the luxury of meat so they eat a lot of beans and legumes for protein.

 

Google Dr. Weil for information on how to eat in this manner. Other things you can eat that are good for you: black bean or burgers made with lentils, quinona (a half a cup has a ton of fiber and 5 g of protein), etc.

 

You mentioned kale..did you ever make Kale chips? WOW! You basiclly put them on a cookie sheet, spray a little olive oil spray and sprinkle with seasoning of choice..somehow the baking of the "chip" brings out the sweetness in the kale..they are amazing and so easy to make!

 

The other thing I learned from my new family is the importance of eating "real" things..not margerine, but a smaller amount of butter..not artificial sweetner, but a teaspoon of real sugar in my coffee. Anything that says "hydrogenated" in it is dangerous in terms of fat.

 

I dont miss the meat at all..I like it but havent had it in months..maybe 1-2x since November..we do eat fish maybe once a week and occasional eggs, but thats it.

 

We also found it was a whole lot cheaper to eat "fresh" if you planned it right. I know it's hard to give up fast food and I dont think on any diet if you like it you should forgoe it. Most information on the web discourages giving it up totally, they say eat it maybe 1x per week and not more than that.

 

Hey, lots of activity on this thread, I love it!

 

I've been doing pretty good lately. I have been working out more regularly, even if I just go downstairs and sit on a bike for a 1/2 hour while I read, I'm trying to do something everyday. On days that I don't get downstairs, I've been doing weights/crunches/etc. I'm loving my Nook for reading while I workout, since you don't have to hold the pages open like a book. :p

 

Food-wise, I think I had a revelation on Sunday. I just realized how much better I feel (energy, tummy-wise, etc.) when I eat lots of veggies and fruit instead of something like chips as a side. So I went crazy at the store and got grapes, pears, and bananas for fruit (DH and I share a banana every morning w/cereal). I also got asparagus, baby spinach, broccoli, beets, snap peas, bell peppers, cucumbers, and carrots from the store. The asparagus and beets were cooked and are ready to go in the fridge. Been having everything either tossed into a salad or with a dip (I like edamame hummus, ranch, or kale and greek yogurt dip - it's like spinach dip). The hummus and the kale dip are from Trader Joe's - love that store!!! I'm just making sure I'm having like at LEAST 2-3 servings of fruit or veg at lunch and dinner. So I'm just going to focus on eating good food, instead of fretting over bad food. And if I do eat something that is not as healthy (like a slice of pizza), I will still have veg to the side - it also helps me stay fuller longer. Since I have a variety of salad dressings and dips, I am not getting bored.

 

For example, yesterday for a side dish I took some of the cooked asparagus and had it cold with a drizzle of olive oil, some cracked pepper, and some parmesean on it. It was so good!!

 

Brooke, just wanted to say that you are doing AWESOME! It must have felt great to see the scale on 312! Since you mentioned being sick of beef and chicken, thought I would pipe up. What about cooking a pork tenderloin (maybe in a crock pot) to have shredded? You can then toss it in salads, stirfrys, pasta, tacos, BBQ pork sandwiches, etc.

 

Also what about some non-meat sources of protein? I'm not sure where these fall on your carb scale, but I love lentils. They are big on protein. You can get a big bag for CHEAP, too (like a dollar for a bag in a big city like mine) and add cooked ones to salads, soups, taco meat, etc. I'm not sure if you like beans, but I use them a lot. White beans are good in pasta, edamame in stir-fries, black beans in burritos, tacos or quesadillas, and lentils like I described earlier. Anyway, if you hate beans, lentils have a bit of a different texture (chewier & meatier, I think), and you might like them.

 

Also, do you like hard-cooked eggs? Another good snack - you can have them ready in the fridge, or to throw into a salad for lunch. What about peanut butter and an apple or celery as a snack? I buy all-natural peanut butter, so the only ingredient is literally peanuts. It's probably better for your situation then other peanut butter with added sugars since you are shooting for low-carb. Also another good snack would be a handful of almonds or a cheese stick. Or if you like cottage cheese or greek yogurt, I like those too.

Edited March 21, 2012 by Gathina

[brooklynfc]

Thanks for the support and advice..........I'm having a really tough morning at work and I don't feel like reporting right at the moment.........I'll try and come back later.

[Hulalovestocruise]

Hope your day went better.

[brooklynfc]

Okay, lets see if life get normal out a bit now. Sorry about yesterday, I usually will try to answer everyone who post, but boy-o-boy what a day. So thanks to everyone for the advice and support and information. I try my best to heed good advice, though it may take me a while to get around to it.

 

Sat. 314.8

Sun. 313

Mon. 314.2

Tues. 314.2

Wed. 315.2

Thurs. 316.8

 

I kinda expected that, I did indulge in some carbs last week and I got into my weekly points more than I should have. So I'm not disappointed, but I'm hoping this next weeks numbers will show improvement b/c I have not used many of my weekly points and got in some more exercise this week.

 

I won't go back to do yesterdays food, but it was shake, ls bacon, spam lite, corn, 2 91% hamburgers w/ cheese slices/pickles/mustard/ketcup/baked fries, 1.5 bottles of seagrams sangria. I actually showed 8 points left, but after having a long day (I'll explain below) I just didn't feel like it. Had to cut my work out short too...........

 

BK: Shake and ls bacon

 

L: I'm going out to lunch with an alumni and good friend, so it will be hard. Its an Italian place too, so carbs will be abound. Hopefully, I can find some meat and veggies to keep in check.

 

D: Maybe I can finally stand some stir fry tonight.

 

W: I have a chiropractor apt. and I knew this so I was hoping to get in three days of full workouts on MTW.......but of course sometimes life doesn't go that way.

 

Okay, so...........

 

Our president decided she wanted a proposal done in like two days. Now granted I had been pulling pieces of the application together since Jan. so a lot was done. I was depending on others information to fill in the blanks and I should have called them out on things that didn't look right, but its kinda like the vibe of "Don't question my numbers" deal. My fault, my not completely. Plus, this hadn't been looked at since the end of Janurary and in no form had I thought it was FINAL, it was still a draft of information in my eyes. So, we I was asked to print for someone else, I assumed it was so it could be proofed. And of course a few things were caught. Not an issue, easy to change, but instead, they send down a message to my boss saying that they were disappointed in the carelessness and I needed to be more thorough. Okay, i can take criticism, but it seems these same people or I should say person, who gets involved in some of the proposals I do ALWAYS seems to find nitpicky things to blame on me. If it had just happened once before, I would have blown it off, but its been everytime and I don't like my competency being called out like that. There is a point of being annoying and then a point where I think it might influence others about how I'm doing my job and I think that isn't right. Needless to say, I was in tears by 8:30. I finally pulled myself together b/c work had to be done and I wasn't getting blamed for more stuff. We finally got most of it all fixed (including something that this "person" wrote-had to be completely re-written) and after a evening phone conversation with my boss on more fixes (where she also reassured me that I shouldn't worry about....."things" it wasn't worth it, she was happy with my work), I came in early this morning to do final fixes and print everything. One minor change after that and I HOPE that its finally fixed and after I get permission to hit the submit button..........it will washed off my hands until we find out if we get the funding or not.

 

The end all being, that I feel picked on and I think I know the root cause and its completely unfair, trust me. But unfortunatley, I will just have to deal with it and move on, at this point, nothing can be done about. I will just have to continue to do the best job I can and keep my boss happy and forget about her peers and their problems.

 

So, between all that, I didn't didn't get as much food in as I could or water. So, I had not actually eaten even half of my ww points for the day yet. So the ellpt. was cut short due to some dizziness. But I forced it from 13 mins. to at least 15mins. Of course, it might have been fate, b/c I literally got a call from my boss right after I got off to schedule a call for later that night to get some more work done on the above situation. So, get home, fix dinner, eat kinda fast, try and pull up what I need, finally get on the phone with my boss and fix stuff, get off the phone and my SIL calls wanting to know why I was feeling so hated, so finally a shower and clothes ironed, hair fixed and off to bed..............................

 

Where I was promptly woke up around 11:50pm by the fact that when I moved my arm to change positions while sleeping I got stung by a wasp who was crawling on my pillow. So, silently I cussed up a storm, smacked the crap out of a wasp, put meat tenderizer on the sting, cussed some more b/c it still stung (still stings a bit and is hot around the area), took one tyenol pm (they say they have antihystimines in them) and went back to sleep by 11:58pm. I guess it was the perfect end to a perfect day.

 

So.............new day, new attitude and 225 days until my next cruise.

 

Good Choices.

[pcrum]

Sorry you had a bad day! In my previous life (before having children), I worked at a large university and was responsible for doing the budget part of grant proposals as well as editing the other parts of the proposal. I know the stress involved in getting those applications out. Sounds like you handled it well though!!

[brooklynfc]

Sorry you had a bad day! In my previous life (before having children), I worked at a large university and was responsible for doing the budget part of grant proposals as well as editing the other parts of the proposal. I know the stress involved in getting those applications out. Sounds like you handled it well though!!

 

OMG! You are like 1 day away from your cruise! Bon Voyage!!!!

 

Thanks, my job is high stress in waves, lol. I can go a month with just normal stuff, then a whole week of stress.

[brooklynfc]

Sat. 314.8

Sun. 313

Mon. 314.2

Tues. 314.2

Wed. 315.2

Thurs. 316.8

Fri. 316.2

 

Well, at least it went down a little. I increased my water some more b/c I know if you are taking fiber and don't have enough water to flush it through it can back fire.

 

On a good note, I still lost another lb. WW puts me at 5% of my body weight lost (from 330), so that might be I've met 10% body weight loss from my original starting weight. It also warned me I was losing at a high rate........???? I lost 5.4lbs in a 4 week period, so that is a high rate to them. But my Dr. said it was okay, so I won't worry about it.

 

BK: Well, what I did not spill of my shake in MY CAR SEAT! I drank and then some ls bacon.

 

L: I'm having leftover redneck fajitas....I made them for dinner instead of stir fry last night. I made it with deer hamburger, so that is what makes them redneck, lol. It was just the hamburger and onions and ls fajita mix b/c I didn't have any peppers and I don't like them. I used my LC wraps and a sprinkle of cheese, lettuce and I had two with 3 ounces of meat in each. I'll have one today, with some shredded carrots to crunch on.

 

D: Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........yea.

 

W: no, I'm not in the mood I just want the week to END, so I can start over. But I did help get beer and wine and stuff for an even we have on Saturday, so I did some lifting, lol. That has got to count for something b/c its outside of my usual for a work day, lol.

 

Yep, sure spilled my drink in my seat and its going to be 80 something today. I spend 20 mins of my morning blotting and drying with water water when I got to work this morning. I just hope I got enough of it up. I used a white paper towel to dry the spots and I didn't stop putting water on it and drying until I wasn't seeing anymore chocolate like stuff coming up on the paper towel. I left paper towels wedges in there to hopefully soak up more stuff. Oh well, had the car for 6 years and this is the first spill I've had.........I feel okay about that, lol. Good excuse to get the car detailed, maybe.

 

My day went better yesterday, less pressure and got to get out of the office for a while, so that helped. My boss and our president seemed happy with what the final was and grateful, so I will ignore others at this point. My supervisor was sympathetic to me and seemed to know that I was getting picked on by this person and expressed that in some terms. I just wanted to make sure they knew I wasn't a whiner, so I just said that it was a learning and growing experience and now I was moving on. She liked that, so I hope they get the point that it may have got to me for a min. but that I'm quick to recover and get back on track.

 

So, here's to see 17lbs become 20lbs in the near future. And at 7lbs additional lbs lost I am now 18lbs away from my 25 cruise goal. :D I know some might say it might be time to up that goal, but I think I will stick with it for now. It will get me in the 200s and if I lose more, the so be it. But I can't account for when and if I might hit a plateau, so I'm gonna stick with this goal until I hit it.

 

Oh, I also measured the other day and it looks like I have lost about an inch in all the main areas (well hips excluded b/c the tape measure still won't touch and that is how I'm "measuring" that, lol).

 

Good choices.

[pcrum]

OMG! You are like 1 day away from your cruise! Bon Voyage!!!!

 

 

Thanks. I have to pack today. I was hoping to be below 200 for the cruise, but I'm stuck at 205! Oh well. The trick is not to gain during the cruise, because I have a doctor's appt. the week I return and I want to show a significant weight loss (I was 224 lbs during my last visit in Nov.). We will be doing a lot of walking in Key West and swimming in Grand Cayman, so that combined with a low carb eating plan will hopefully keep the lbs. at bay!

 

I was actually thinking of taking the Crystal Light margarita mix with me to Nachi Cocum and asking for a bottle of water, a shot of tequila and a glass of ice with a salted rim. Does that sound weird? I just don't want to drink their sugary margarita mix and I really don't like things like diet coke and rum. I also like the crystal light appletini mix, so I could take that and just ask for a shot of vodka. I have completely given up alcohol on this diet, so the cruise will be a chance to have a few drinks, but I just don't want to go overboard on the calories/carbs! I'd hate to undo all the hard work I've done since August on a one week cruise!

 

Hoping the bathing suit I ordered last Fri. night makes it before the cruise! Brooke, it was one featured on your other thread on swimsuits. The hostess, Faith had bought it from JCP and I liked it so much, I ordered it. I ordered two sizes, so hopefully one will fit, if it makes it in time! I never order clothes online, because I feel I need to try them on, so this will be a first if one actually fits!!

 

Well, have a great day!

[CateW]

I shared this on another thread but I'll share it here seeing you introduced it. My new brother in law is a doctor of nautropath from Central America and of course my husband has been trained some in it to, though he is an engineer.

 

I am almost totally off meat and use only plant proteins now.beans, some grains, veggies/fruit...I learned that the animal protein and fat was causing a whole lot of inflammation..which equals a gain in the scale and my weight. Once I stopped the meat, my stomach basically shrunk and I am only 10 pounds away from my goal weight I've been working toward the last year. What a difference. The key is knowing how to use the plant proteins and it is NOT a license to go out an eat all kinds of carbs,etc.

 

People think they "have" to have meat to survive. They don't. A lot of poorer countries don't have the luxury of meat so they eat a lot of beans and legumes for protein.

 

Google Dr. Weil for information on how to eat in this manner. Other things you can eat that are good for you: black bean or burgers made with lentils, quinona (a half a cup has a ton of fiber and 5 g of protein), etc.

 

You mentioned kale..did you ever make Kale chips? WOW! You basiclly put them on a cookie sheet, spray a little olive oil spray and sprinkle with seasoning of choice..somehow the baking of the "chip" brings out the sweetness in the kale..they are amazing and so easy to make!

 

The other thing I learned from my new family is the importance of eating "real" things..not margerine, but a smaller amount of butter..not artificial sweetner, but a teaspoon of real sugar in my coffee. Anything that says "hydrogenated" in it is dangerous in terms of fat.

 

I dont miss the meat at all..I like it but havent had it in months..maybe 1-2x since November..we do eat fish maybe once a week and occasional eggs, but thats it.

 

We also found it was a whole lot cheaper to eat "fresh" if you planned it right. I know it's hard to give up fast food and I dont think on any diet if you like it you should forgoe it. Most information on the web discourages giving it up totally, they say eat it maybe 1x per week and not more than that.

 

 

I couldn't agree more; I haven't eaten meat in almost 3 years and I am 6 pounds from my goal; according to the charts I am at goal.

[Gathina]

Was it hard for you to "not" do it?

 

It wasn't too hard for me because I was raised for the most part on whole foods, etc. but for me the hard part was thinking I "had" to eat meat..what a pardigm shift.

 

Now if I do splurge for a piece of meat, I will buy only organic chicken or grass fed beef..what a difference when you cook it! My office mate has chickens and gave me some orangic eggs..one organic egg was like the size of two "non oganic" eggs..it was huge when I cooked it up!

 

Protein has it's benefits, but if you plan it right you can get the right amounts of proteins in for the day with plant based foods and leguemes, beans. What I like about beans is that you only need like a half a cup to get around 7-8 grams of protein and around 4 grams of fiber..for about 130 calories, thats a lot of nutrients!

 

I couldn't agree more; I haven't eaten meat in almost 3 years and I am 6 pounds from my goal; according to the charts I am at goal.

[CateW]

Was it hard for you to "not" do it?

 

It wasn't too hard for me because I was raised for the most part on whole foods, etc. but for me the hard part was thinking I "had" to eat meat..what a pardigm shift.

 

Now if I do splurge for a piece of meat, I will buy only organic chicken or grass fed beef..what a difference when you cook it! My office mate has chickens and gave me some orangic eggs..one organic egg was like the size of two "non oganic" eggs..it was huge when I cooked it up!

 

Protein has it's benefits, but if you plan it right you can get the right amounts of proteins in for the day with plant based foods and leguemes, beans. What I like about beans is that you only need like a half a cup to get around 7-8 grams of protein and around 4 grams of fiber..for about 130 calories, thats a lot of nutrients!

 

It really wasn't hard at all. I really like grilled vegetables, salads, portabello's, some types of beans and I do eat fish and/or shell fish about twice a week; I also eat pasta and make sauce every other week. I like to experiment with different kinds of spices. For me it is about the taste and you can make any non-meat item taste very good with experimenting. For breakfast, generally I will have oatmeal and fruit or yogurt and fruit and granola and eggs once a week; a fiber one bar and fruit for snacks. Plus, I feel so much better and I seldom go to bead feeling full or wake up boated. It was a really good change for me, I'll never go back. Once a year, right around the 4th of July, I will treat myself to a baby back rib or two but never a burger or steak and I don't miss it.

 

It's not hard when we go out either, we're going to the Mohegan Sun Casino today with my sister and her husband; they have a great Mexican restaurant there with non-meat choices and the best guacamole ever.

 

My husband was a meat eater but since I changed he doesn't eat nearly as much meant because I don't cook it and he has dropped a few pounds, although I don't push him but he does eat more chicken and fish then before; I will make him meat 2-3 times a week. Even though it is more work is is better for both of us.

[Gathina]

I love Portobellos..I had a recipe from cooking light on how to make a "burger" with a portobello.with a wheat bun , lettuce, tomato and a light mayonaisse I was stuffed and satsified for under 200 calories and it even looked like a burger.

 

Another thing I liked that was semi-meatless (did use ground white turkey) was a Lebanese meatloaf..but a lot of it was quinona (another grain with a lot of fiber). A slice of that was around 150 calories and a lot of fiber..taste was excellent from the garlic, parsely, etc.

 

A good trick I also learned was to eat my bigger meal of the day at noon..so I wasn't famished at night. Even if we don't eat together we still pack our lunches and at night we eat simple..soup,fruit,salad.

 

Little tricks can make a big difference sometime!

 

It really wasn't hard at all. I really like grilled vegetables, salads, portabello's, some types of beans and I do eat fish and/or shell fish about twice a week; I also eat pasta and make sauce every other week. I like to experiment with different kinds of spices. For me it is about the taste and you can make any non-meat item taste very good with experimenting. For breakfast, generally I will have oatmeal and fruit or yogurt and fruit and granola and eggs once a week; a fiber one bar and fruit for snacks. Plus, I feel so much better and I seldom go to bead feeling full or wake up boated. It was a really good change for me, I'll never go back. Once a year, right around the 4th of July, I will treat myself to a baby back rib or two but never a burger or steak and I don't miss it.

 

It's not hard when we go out either, we're going to the Mohegan Sun Casino today with my sister and her husband; they have a great Mexican restaurant there with non-meat choices and the best guacamole ever.

 

My husband was a meat eater but since I changed he doesn't eat nearly as much meant because I don't cook it and he has dropped a few pounds, although I don't push him but he does eat more chicken and fish then before; I will make him meat 2-3 times a week. Even though it is more work is is better for both of us.

[Hulalovestocruise]

:) Love the portabella burgers, the meatloaf sounds good I will have to looks for a recipe for it.I agree little things do make a big difference sometimes.:) Brooklynfc hope things are going good with you. I listened to a good book that gave me some good ideas its called The Wallstreet Diet you might want to check it out. I don't live by diet books but I listen to them on my commute to and from work and try to pick out pointers that will help me be successful with trying to lose weight.:)