LA Weight Loss - LAWL Losers and Friends _ Week of May 21- 27, 2007

Kim - I am happy to hear your surgery went well! Take it easy, we are all thinking of you.

Debbie

Wow, its quiet around here today! I told myself this week after my surgery I was going to just kind of eat what I wanted, since I havent had much of an appetite anyway it hasnt been too bad. I'm just afraid I'm going to need a good kick in the butt to get back on track tomorrow. I'm determined to stick as close to plan as I can while I'm recovering. Sitting on your tushie and eating horrible isnt a good comination. And like Dan said, healthy eating promotes healing. So tomorrow is back to it. I'd like to have a nice loss when I go back after my 4 week break.
Hope everybody has a great week!! I for one am glad we dont have big plans for memorial day, I've had enough junk! LOL

Thank you Deb! I'm feeling better everyday! Just still get tired really easy!

Popping in before the thread closes in the morning. Hope you all had a great weekend. Very quiet at home--I think everyone is vegging since school is out! DH left this morning on a mini-mission trip to build a small church outside of El Paso so it's just us chicks for a few days.

I am going to suck it up and remake a ticker. I will hear the gasps of horror all the way in Texas I am sure but I MUST own it or will forever be in denial. I am hoping since I gained this last 10 in the past 4 months that it's not as permanently attached as it was the first time--wishful thinking huh?

Top Ten Guilt-Free Fast Food Finds! HungryGirl—no order

10. Burger King TENDERGRILL Chicken Garden Salad
(Salad without dressing: 230 calories/ 8g fat/ 11g carbs/ 3g fiber/ 3g sugars/ 720mg sodium/ 32g protein)
This tasty salad combines juicy chicken, tomatoes, crispy carrots, fresh lettuce, and THREE types of cheeses. All that for under 8 grams of fat. Top with half a packet (they're huge) of the Light Italian dressing (1/2 packet = 60 calories/ 5.5g fat) or Fat Free Ranch dressing (1/2 packet = 30 calories/ 0g fat)

9. Taco Bell Fresco Style Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco
(170 calories/ 4g fat/ 20g carbs/ 2g fiber/ 2g sugars/ 560g sodium/12g protein)
Just say the magic words, "Fresco Style!", and your Taco Bell order is instantly transformed into a better-for-you food choice! They swap out their usual cheese and sauce combo for a kicky blend of chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro (aka Fresco Salsa). That'll save you 10 grams of fat and 100 calories on this terrific taco!

8. McDonald's Apple Dippers with Low Fat Caramel
(100 calories/ 0.5g fat/ 24g carbs/ 0g fiber/15g sugars/40mg sodium/ 0g protein)
Mickey D's gets an "A" for creativity by managing to put a really fun spin on what could be a reeaaallly boring dessert option (c'mon...apple slices?!). Let's face it; their yummy low-fat caramel would taste good with anything dipped in it

7. Subway Soups - Chicken & Dumpling, Cream of Broccoli, Minestrone, Roasted Chicken Noodle, Spanish Style Chicken with Rice, Tomato Garden Vegetable with Rotini, and Vegetable Beef
(90-140 calories/ 0.5-5g fat/ 12-20g carbs/ 1-4g fiber/ 1-8g sugars/ 910-1,230mg sodium/ 3-7g protein)
While not all of Subway's soups are great choices (avoid the chili, cream of potato, chicken with brown and wild rice, broccoli cheese, and New England clam chowder), we were thrilled to put rich "Cream of Broccoli" and hearty "Vegetable Beef" on the list.

6. McDonald's Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken
(Salad without dressing: 290 calories/ 10g fat/23g carbs/6g fiber/12g sugars/ 890mg sodium/ 31g protein)
This is definitely our favorite fast food salad of all time. It's got orange-glazed chicken, mandarin oranges, crisp veggies, toasted almonds, and even edamame!?! AWESOME! Top it off with half a packet of one of their low-fat dressings (1/2 packet = 20-45 calories/ 1-1.5g fat).

5. McDonald's Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone
(150 calories/ 3.5g fat/ 24g carbs/ 0g fiber/ 18g sugars/ 60mg sodium/ 4g protein)
That Ronald really knows his way around a soft-serve machine. He's managed to conjure up insanely creamy ice cream that's actually delicious AND low in fat. Pssst...we think this frozen treat is one of the country's best-kept guilt-free secrets. Pass it on.

4. Taco Bell Fresco Style Grilled Steak Soft Taco
(170 calories/ 5g fat/ 21g carbs/ 2g fiber/ 3g sugars/ 560mg sodium/ 11g protein)
Yet another "Fresco" option from our amigos at the Taco Bell. This one's soft and tasty with real hunks of juicy steak. It's a must-chew for beef-lovers.

3. Wendy's Mandarin Chicken Salad
(Salad without dressing, almonds and noodles: 170 calories/ 2g fat/ 18g carbs/ 3g fiber/ 13g sugars/ 480mg sodium/ 23g protein)
By skipping the crispy noodles and almonds, this fast food salad achieves record-breaking low calorie and fat counts! And if you've really gotta have that added crunch, those noodles'll only cost you 60 calories and 2 grams of fat. We also recommend swapping the fatty, calorie-packed Oriental Sesame dressing for their Fat Free French (1 packet = 80 calories).

2. Taco Bell Cinnamon Twists
(160 calories/ 5g fat/ 27g carbs/ 1g fiber/ 10g sugars/ 780mg sodium/ 1g protein)
Dessert at the drive-thru doesn't have to mean sundaes and hand-held pies exploding with fat and calories. Our friends at Taco Bell are offering up a sweet option with these twisty, cinnamonlicious little critters.

1. Subway 6 Grams of Fat or Less Subs, 6" Turkey Breast w/ Honey Mustard and Cucumbers
(310 calories/ 4.5g fat/ 54g carbs/ 5g fiber/ 13g sugars/ 1,130mg sodium/ 19g protein)
We love Subway's 6 Grams of Fat or Less Subs. Their Turkey Breast with Honey Mustard and Cucumbers Sub is particularly yummy and sweet. Feel like being extra careful? Skip the honey mustard and you'll save about 30 calories!

Oops--this was on the Yahoo front page--good info in a pinch.

Hi Lea Ann! It has been a quiet weekend, thank goodness! What are you chick-a-dees up to??? I've had a family picnic at the park, then came home and took a 3 hour nap! I will be up all night.

Thanks for posting the Hungry Girl Top Ten...I love that site. Don't worry about the ticker, I'm in the same boat and have been working hard on rededicating myself to the plan. WE can do it :)

Have a good night and Happy Memorial Day.

Hugs-
Deb

Hi Debbie! I am crawling out from under my rock now....
Picnic sounds fun. We have been terrible. I just made up my 5 week spreadsheet so I have absolutely no excuse not to follow through. I took a snooze this afternoon too so it will be a while before I can go to bed. i LOVE naps but the older I get the less I seem to need sleep.

Oh, Boo's back! Yipee.....I was wondering where you were.
LeaAnn - I have to update my ticker and it's not going to be pretty. I was trying to come up with a new 3FC name and was going to update my ticker at the same time, but my naming creative juices are not flowing....so....I'm in limbo for right now. I have a big BBQ tomorrow to attend and then I leave for Savannah on Tuesday morning - 4 days of conference food and eating out and I'm a tad worried. I dug out a book I bought, but never read, The Ultimate Weight Solution (by Dr. Phil). I hope if I read this it will change the way I behave and think about food and get off my weight loss roller coaster. My goal when I return next weekend will be to have a summary for my fellow LAWL readers. Hopefully reading the book will also help me make better eating decisions next week.
Deb - good to see you too! Jillian - hope your pool time is relaxing. Great job on the weight loss. Kim - take advantage of being able to relax guilt free!
Reading Julie's post on the Julie and Josie thread totally exhausted me. I do hope it gets better for her and soon!
Night all.........

Joni--it killed me to update but it's out there now so I can't take it back. I NEED the daily visual to keep me honest. I hung out at 160 for soooo long that I got too complacent. Oh well--just remember--we KNOW exactly what we have to do to get back on track. I am hoping this summer meltdown/July 4th challenge is the accountability I need. I read a while ago about you impending name change but you'll always be Lottame to me!

Off to bed--DH should be calling soon then I can call it a night. For years he travelled all the time and since moving he hasn't (reason #1 for moving!) so now it's weird to have him gone. I am afraid I will have too many bedmates tonight--ugh. My 7yo is NOT a good sleeping partner.

Lea Ann -What's the 5 week spreadsheet?

Joni - Maybe our fellow LAWL'ers can pitch in on the new name? I love Savannah - it's so pretty. I know how it is with conference food and eating out. I just try to make the best choice possible and drink LOTS of water.

JM's post is exhausting...poor thing. I hope Josie settles in soon so mom and baby can both get on a more sensible schedule.

Debbie--I just made up my own Excel sheet for the Summer Meltdown. Nothing special--just a layout of the 5 weeks. I am a visual person and having it posted will help me eat what I am supposed to. The TO every other week may kill me! If you want a copy--just to see what the heck I am talking about--PM me your e-mail and I'll send it.

I'd love to see it and will PM. I am currently on the 8 week makeover however the TO keeps throwing me off, meaning, every time I do TO I lose a couple of pounds and then gain it right back SO my COD advised that I do "results" which is a restrictive menu. I will post it on the site, as I think it will really help those who may wonder what types of foods are best to eat for quicker weight loss.

If you notice TO is not working well every other week...try the "results" menu every other week.

ooh--I am anxious to see the "results" menu--I have backed myself into a corner so I HAVE to lose a few or break down and buy clothes--NO WAY!!

Evening all... Been a busy day.. We had family over and cooked out.. Liz and I ate a couple Hebrew National hot dogs.. They're 50 calories and 97% fat free.. They were very good!!! I over did it cheating with chips...

A friend of ours from down the street came over and talked to Liz about the diet.. She really wanted to do LAWL, but with the COD's closing, that went out the window.. So she and her hubby are going to diet together and Liz talked to her about some things we learned with LAWL that will go a long way to help them out.

We're hitting the pool tomorrow with our 5 year old niece who's visiting from Little Rock.. She's quite a handful, and NEVER stops talking, but she's a cutie and very affectionate...

Hope you all have a POP day tomorrow.. I don't see any roadblocks for Liz and I.. I'm going to smoke some salmon, and we're prepping for TO on Tuesday and Wednesday...

Talk to you all soon!