[suzie76]

I'm not doing well with eating. I'm not out of control, but I've been fooling myself. I basically stick to 1600-1800 calories a day, but not in the healthiest way. Example, bringing a veggie burger, carrot sticks, and fruit for lunch with water and diet iced tea...fine, but then I eat the veggie burger without any bread so I have the calories to eat a chocolate chip cookie....or two. Eating junk instead of the nutrition that whole grain bread would provide.l I've not been eating enough vegetables and fruit either. It's odd, cause I love them but I've been too lazy to prepare anything. I know it's okay to have some treats sometimes, but I've been doing this every day for over a week, and it's showing on the scale. I'm mad at myself, cause I know better.

I feel deprived if I don't have a "treat". Like I haven't eaten enough chocolate in my life already! The substitutes don't work-eating fruit instead of chocolate-yeah, right that will work! At least I don't keep them in the house-I just buy them at the cafeteria at work, for portion control. That's something, I guess.

How can I get back on track? I don't want to spend the whole summer fluctuating between 217-220. I want to be AT 199 by Labor Day. At this rate, I won't reach there by Thanksgiving!

July is a minefield for me-we have July 4th, then my son's birthday, where we bring in Italian food, and of course cake, both my nieces birthdays, several of our friends kids birthday parties, and an engagement party. I'll be surrounded by tempting food and ice cream (oh, gave in to that yesterday, might as well confess).

Help,
Sherry

[Sandi]

Ok, what I have to say may be very unpopular. But it's how I feel.

When I am doing good, I stay under 1800 calories. That's it. I can have whatever I want. Bag of peanut butter M&M's? Write iut down and munch away. And I lose. I know this is all about being healthy and all, but right now at 292, IMO, for me, it's about portion control first. Saying change what you eat, change how much you eat, change how much you exercise, change how much water you drink. Too much change. I am focusing on quanity. I have a heck of a time with just that! (and water and exercise, of course). Maybe a cookie everyday isn't so bad if you are staying in your calorie range. Maybe try sticking under 1600 cals and not worry about the rest?

Just my thoughts!

[Inca's Momma]

Last week when I lost 11.4 pounds I had reeses peanut butter cups about 5 out of 7 days. I just counted them into my plan. Like Sandi said PORTION!!!

[Jen]

Weight loss is really about one very simple factor, you have to burn more calories than what you eat. It doesn't matter what form the calories take or how you burn the calories, as long as you take in less than what you burn you will lose weight. Now I admit it would be better for those calories to be in a healthy form but a cookie or 2 during the day isn't going to kill you if it stops you from eating a bag of cookies later on because you feel deprived.

[jiffypop]

first off: the 80/20 rule: eat what you should 80% of the time and what you want the other 20%. and eat only until you're 80% full...

so, these other ladies are right. it takes planning and some control, but it's all ok., even those of us who have had the surgery get treats occasionally!!!!!!

as for the chocolate: maybe use it in different forms so that you're getting your fruit AND the chocolate: dip a few strawberries in chocolate. make chocolate fondue and take out a portion [somewhere between 2-4 tablespoons] and dip whatever into it: pretzels, bananas, oranges, angel food cake, even a cookie!!!!

but sherry: you deserve a major big pat on the back for limiting your treats to very controlled portions outside of the house. that's such a major accomplishment and you really need to take some credit for such a fabulous decision instead of beating yourself up over the fact that you had the treat at all...

also.. with all those parties scheduled: those birthday cakes are NEVER worth it. so, with your PLANNING skills, decide which treat you will enjoy, and then take whatever portion you decide is appropriate and ENJOY EVERY MOUTHFUL. eat it slowly in small bites to last longer.

for me, i won't waste my time on a cannoli.. but a sfogliatelle!!!!!! i'll make room for one every chance i get. and i've accepted the fact that i prefer cookies to cake, so when there's a choice, i skip the cake. although if it's chocolate, i might change... depends on the cookies. if it's chocolate biscotti, and a chocolate cake, i'm really up a tree!!!!

LOL!!!!!! planning!!!!!!

don't give up, darlin... we're both nice italian girls in northern new jersey.. i know what it's like with all this great food around here.

[suzie76]

Hi,

Thanks for all your advice. I don't feel so badly now. I really appreciate it.

Jiffypop, I'm actually a nice Jewish girl in Central NJ-near Princeton, but there's good food down here too.

I do have dark hair and eyes, and am frequently thought to be Italian. Years ago I dated a guy whose father owned a pizza place. When I helped out there (god, I was stupid!) people thought I was one of their family. Ironically, the person I was dating then is the engagement party we're going to! But that's a whole other story!

Kim, so glad to hear you can eat Reese's and still lose-I love those. I had posted a while back about a recipe I have for peanut butter cookies with mini reeses cups in the center...but I don't want to tempt you any more!

I'll try the fruit and chocolate idea-great idea! I'm not big on cake either-brownies and cookies are my thing-the more chocolate the better.

Thanks again,
Sherry

[looosingit]

Hello Sherry -

I love chocolate too....Here are some of the little treats that I have been using:

Hershey's Kisses - pack a lot of chocolate punch

Chocolate Mini Fudgsicles - they are only 1 point on WW and low in fat (sorry - don't know the calories & fat gram info.)

Kit Kat - Chocolate bar made for sharing. I keep half of it, and my co-workers think that I am really generous sharing the rest. I would expect that this same principle applies to most dividable chocolate bars!

Fruit dipped in low-fat chocolate pudding.

Peppermint patties...you can usually get mini ones from the bulk section in my grocery store. 1 or 2 as a treat after lunch is great.

Sounds like you have really made an effort to include some treats in your daily plan! Makes sense to me....you've got to set up an eating plan that you are prepared to live in the long run!

Kris
261-186-155
75 pounds gone!