Weight Loss Support - On a no carb diet and I have popcorn popped...

I'm dying for it....I am constantly hungry...I'm not a veggie person AT ALL...

this is a 2 wk carb free diet..and I'm going to be entering day 3 in the a/m...

I am seriously missing my carbs...I have some popcorn popped microwave...is it REALLY gonna mess me up if I have 1 cup of it???

help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my willpower is fading...

I'm not sure how I feel about "no carb" diets.... I personally couldn't do it, and I wouldn't want to.
However, if you have made a commitment to yourself that your not going to eat carbs for 2 weeks, yeah, it will mess you up.... mentally.
You will feel guilty afterwards probably.

I'm not sure how I feel about the either..

I know I'll feel guilty; but you know how your mind messes w/you to eat what you are craving..I'm in the basement now typign away...instead of upstairs eating it...so I'm trying..its just hard...

I have no clue how to lose weight the "right" way..

I know most likely; portion control, don't eat the fat foods etc..but with 4 kids and always on the road; its REALLYYY hard...

Honestly I couldn't do a no-carb diet. I can't do any diet that restricts me from eating something. But then I'm a natural rebel - you tell me I can't have something or can't do something and my knee-jerk reaction is to want to do it just out of contrariness. :)

That's why I like calorie counting. There is nothing that is "forbidden" on the diet. If I want popcorn, I can have it - I just have to make sure I account for the calories.

Of course the longer I've counted calories the more I've realized that I want to save my calories for special treats, rather than waste them ... but at that point *I* am the one making the decision not to eat something, not some book or plan.

That's just me. And I know myself well enough at this point to know what works. :)

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I know, it's hard. I also live a hectic lifestyle most of the time. My main goal was to quit eating fast foods, haven't touched the stuff in about 2 months. The odd time I go to Subway and get a sub, but thats it.
You should never begin a diet you can't live with for the rest of your life, thats why these fad diets never work. They are unrealistic.
Eating healthy, and exercising is key. Really, thats it. :)

Weight watchers really is a great program. You can eat what you want, you just have to stick within your points. It really works. It's $17 a week here in Canada, I'm sure it's cheaper in the USA though. Maybe it would work for you. ?

I don't have a WW program close enough to me.. I live in the boonies lol at least 40 min one way away...

I'm not good with counting my points etc cause I don't have any clue how to count points and calories etc...

I know I'd blow it in one meal because I do not like veggies and fruits mostly..
I've tried; but I just havent been able t like them yet...

I do exercise; but not nearly as often as I should

I don't have a WW program close enough to me.. I live in the boonies lol at least 40 min one way away...

I'm not good with counting my points etc cause I don't have any clue how to count points and calories etc...

I know I'd blow it in one meal because I do not like veggies and fruits mostly..
I've tried; but I just havent been able t like them yet...

I do exercise; but not nearly as often as I should


I was the same way when it came to veggies - hated them. But, I've learned to like them. It's how you cook them, I always add grated parmasean cheese to steamed brocolli, cauliflower, and carrots, or sometimes I buy them with cheese already on them, and you just pop them in the microwave... Maybe not the healthiest, but sometimes I need the change.
The cheese kind of masks the veggie taste.
You can join WW online. Once you joined you would be told how to do the whole point system and stuff. Basically, 50 cals = 1 point. As for how many points your allowed, it's the first 2 #'s of your weight. For example, I'm allowed 30 points at the moment.
Very easy, it's not rocket science. :)

So, you would be allowed 17 points per day.
If WW seen this they would probably want to kill me... :lol:
You don't even need to join. I just think this way would work a lot better for you then these fad diets.
Hope I helped a little.

oh thank you! I'll do some research and see how to calculate etc my points ..

17 points..thats not a lot right??

I do WW at home and have never paid for a meeting, but 17 points seems really low. I am at 142 pounds, 5'6", and at 20 points. I exercise five times a week, just walking, and always go over on my points. I am basically maintaining right now and don't have much of a desire to lose more than about seven or eight more pounds. If I feel like doing that, then I will just start keeping a food journal and stay within my points.

I as well tried low carb and it seemed like I was always losing and regaining the same eight pounds. I have never in my life lost weight like I have on WW. I am now the lowest I have been in ten years. I am in better shape now than I was then too. Back then I was a size 8/10 at 140 pounds, and now I am a 6/8 at 142 pounds. Good luck to you. If you need any help with anything check out my blog or private message me.

I guess it;s the will power sort of thing. You could say if you start eating this, then what else are you gonna do when the time comes. You see, I had that same problem.

She gets 24 pts, plus 35 flex pts. a week. The flex to be used anyway she wishes. Meaning to split em up say adding 5 points to her 24 giving her 30 points a day OR she can save them for a splurge/treat.

Sorry on my out right now or I would of written more. Send her down to the Weight Watcher area of the boards here. :)

Since you seem to be struggling with "no-carb"...have you ever considered giving "low-carb" a try? I can speak from personal experience, it works!:) The key is doing it correctly. You commented you have no clue how to lose weight the right way...if you are interested in the low carb lifestyle, I would strongly recommend reading Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution and Protein Power Lifeplan by Dr's Michael & Mary Dan Eades. Both are excellent books that will provide you with optimal information regarding low carb eating.

As for veggies, making veggies low carb can be truly delicious! This site is one of the best on the internet for low carb recipes: http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/recipes.html

Of course, this is just my personal opinion but...I don't think I could stick with no-carb very long. Its a great way to break a "stall" but...its not a very sustainable lifestyle.

All the best to you!!:hug:

I have a few questions and comments....

~Why are you doing a 2 week NO carb diet? Even Atkins, which from what I know is about the lowest of the low carb diets, has you on a LOW carb 2 week induction period. The induction period has you eating 20 carbs a day...NOT zero. I am not understanding why you are eating ZERO carbs.

~Secondly, 17 WW Points a day is incorrect. The WW plan's LOWEST Points allowance per day stops at 18...and then you would have your weekly 35 as well.

As far as "not knowing how" to count Points, that is what the meetings are for. If you decided to go to Weight Watchers, they have an informational session for first timers after your first meeting. They SHOW YOU how. :)

I agree with Aphil. You shouldn't be doing NO carb. In fact, no carb would be very hard to do - you'd have no fruits, veggies or...well...nothing but meat, actually. :dizzy:

Yeah thats right, I'm sorry, I forgot they stop at 18! I'm so far away from that I don't have to worry about it haha. Listen to aphil.

ok; I stand corrected; I'm low carb then...

see..I'm new to this...

like for b 'fast I get a grapefruit (which I don't like so I sub oranges) and 2 eggs and tea..

same thing for lunch except today where I'm supposed to eat spinach instead of orangs..ick..

If your depriving your body of the things it "needs". ie. carbs, then your body is definitely going to crave them. carbs are brain food, we need them for energy and to help keep our brains fed so we can focus and think.
I have done the no carb and low carbs diet and i lost the weight each time, but each time it came back and brought a few friends with it. I have never done WW but know a few who have and swear by it. WW would probably work for me too but I chose to spend my money on a gym membership. Since I just moved and am not working yet I could only afford one or the other. So right now i'm on no plan and just watching what I put in my mouth. At the suggestion of others here I started writing down what I eat and drink. then I will find out how to figure up how many calories I had and see where I need to make my changes.
I refuse to deprive myself anymore because I always end up falling off the wagon. but I have learned that I can have 3 bites of pie and be satisfied. I really dont have to eat it all.
just hang in there and you will find what works best for you and like always we'll all be here to cheer you on...good luck!

ok; I stand corrected; I'm low carb then...

see..I'm new to this...

like for b 'fast I get a grapefruit (which I don't like so I sub oranges) and 2 eggs and tea..

same thing for lunch except today where I'm supposed to eat spinach instead of orangs..ick..

Grapefruit??? Oranges??? :shrug::shrug::shrug: Just curious, is this an actual low-carb plan or is this something you came up with on your own?

As far as gaining the weight back & then some...that happens when you go off any weight loss plan. I've been on Atkins 4+ years, it took me a little over a year to lose the weight & I've maintained the loss 3+ years. If you want to be successful with any plan...it must be a lifestyle.

I didn't think no carb was even possible, just about everything has some degree of carbs in it. A grapefruit, like you mentioned has 18g of carbs and a orange has 15. Spinach even has 1g. (According to Daily Plate).

I tried a no carb diet once. Lasted 8 days and I felt AWFUL the entire time. Really, really awful. Even my head felt weird.

I think the 'no carb' is wrong. Your body needs carbs. The type of carbs you give it is what matters. Pasta, rice, white flours, hmmm pretty much anything out of a box -- these are the 'carbs' you want to avoid. But veggies and fruits and whole grains? You needs these carbs for fuel and to fill you and heck, they just taste good! :)

I think popcorn is fantastic! I just love the stuff. Granted, I'd prefer it w/kosher salt and lots of butter but . . . no can do. ;) Hot air popped corn w/seasons sprinkled on or butter buds (sprinkle on) usually hits the spot. But if you're really hungry and eat this -- well, I'd still be hungry! Add some protein in w/the popcorn -- cheesesticks, lf yogurt, lf cottage cheese, turkey, tuna -- and this snack will stick with you alot longer.

I do a lower carb eating plan and I calorie count. I had some popcorn this past weekend :)

I would suggest finding a good book on nutrition and learning about how your body works to use the nutrients you provide it.

It sounds to me like you really don't understand nutrition ... and the truth is you can't understand how to diet successfully until you understand what your body needs to be healthy.

Learning that your body NEEDS veggies, fruit, complex carbs, and lean proteins is the first step. Learning to eat them in proportion and in reasonable amounts is the next. :)

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A 2 week no carb diet will stop the cravings for sweets and junk food. Its not a lifetime, it's 2 weeks. If you can't go to a WW meeting, look into doing it online or with an at-home kit. Exercise is important when losing weight because if you don't you lose muscle as well as fat. Counting calories is easy - sign up for My Daily Plate or Fit Day - both are free - enter in what you eat and they will do the counting. Vegetables have carbs so I doubt she is 0 carbs.

Unless all a person is eating is meat...you would not be doing a no-carb diet. Even a severe ketogenic diet such as Stillman's has carbs...very minimal carbs but, carbs just the same. These types of diets are not recommended for long term use. They are typically used to break a plateau or for those who are extremely insulin resistant. For those of you unfamiliar with Stillman's, its basically lean meats (all visible fat trimmed off), chicken & turkey (skin removed), fish, eggs and skim milk cottage cheese...no butter, margarine, oil, mayonnaise.

I can personally vouge for Atkins, the 2 week long Induction phase is low carb, 20 carbs per day. Only foods on the acceptable food list are to be eaten. There are 36 acceptable veggies on that list, as well as, 24 salad veggies. In addition, the list consists of most meats, poultry & fish...certain varieties of cheese, eggs, acceptable oils & fats etc. Additional veggies, nuts, fruit, legumes & whole grains are added gradually during phase 2 & 3 of the Atkins plan. When done correctly, this is a healthy, lifelong, sustainable lifestyle.

i did low carb for about a 1 and a half, and i was always hungry and miserable. I lost weight but winded up gaining it all back. the littlest amount of carbs you eat makes you gain weight and sends you into a binge. the more you deprive yourself of something the more you crave it.

i learned as long you are eating the right carbs (whole grains) you can still lost weight and eat carbs at the same time.

the thing about carbs is that your body needs them for energy. when i was on a low carb diet i would get fatigued during exercise in like 20 mins. But now that im eating crabs again (whole grain) i can do double that time now.


I know low carb diets make the weight come off faster and that it seems all the celebs are doing, but really don't do it. you'll lose the weight but it's not long term.

It's not very realistic to stay away from carbohydrates for the rest of your life.

But if you insist on doing a low carb diet, i suggest the south beach diet. the south beach diet allows you some carbs. but at the beginning you can't eat any carbs for 2 weeks. then after these 2 weeks you can slowly bring carbs back into your diet

I would suggest finding a good book on nutrition and learning about how your body works to use the nutrients you provide it.

It sounds to me like you really don't understand nutrition ... and the truth is you can't understand how to diet successfully until you understand what your body needs to be healthy.

Learning that your body NEEDS veggies, fruit, complex carbs, and lean proteins is the first step. Learning to eat them in proportion and in reasonable amounts is the next. :)

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Well said PhotoChick!!!

But if you insist on doing a low carb diet, i suggest the south beach diet. the south beach diet allows you some carbs. but at the beginning you can't eat any carbs for 2 weeks. then after these 2 weeks you can slowly bring carbs back into your diet

I'm sorry but...I've got to set the record straight here...South Beach is not considered a low carb diet, it is considered a "good carb/bad carb" diet. It also does not tell you that you can not eat any carbs for 2 weeks. This is why it is so very important to read & research a plan before you attempt doing it. There is just too much mis-information out there.

I am using the US Ski team diet for 2 wks..

and we are clearing out the junk in the house in the meantime...

I do understand nutrition to an extent; I'm not a dummy about it at all; I just don't know if I can or WANT to to count calories..to be honest..

I know portion control and better eating choices are going to be the best bet for me..

I just am using this diet to jump start it...maybe I shouldnt have said anything?? it seems like I'm upsetting people and for being new here..I really don't want to do that..

I just am using this diet to jump start it...maybe I shouldnt have said anything?? it seems like I'm upsetting people and for being new here..I really don't want to do that..

:hug: Your not upsetting anyone! Your very welcome to post any thoughts or concerns and you'll get back honest opinions.
People around here just want to help and maybe get too... um, excited when they see something that might not be the most nutritious way of doing something. Please dont let it scare you off or take it personal, we're just trying to help

Are you talking about the fad diet from the 70's? The diet you are describing is a very restrictive, low calorie diet that has very little nutritional value. According to what I've read about it it was used by the Ski Team in the 70's to drop weight in order to gain speed. There really is no good reason to use this diet and I think it will only be detrimental to you in the long run. You need nutrition and there really is no point to using this plan even for 2 weeks. What are you going to do after the 2 weeks are up? This is grapefruit, eggs, and dry toast. I'm with photochick- please pick up a book on nutrition so you can be aware of what you are putting into your body. Also, you mentioned Weight Watchers- why don't you check out the sub-forum on this site? You can even find sample menus :)

...maybe I shouldnt have said anything?? it seems like I'm upsetting people and for being new here..I really don't want to do that..

Mar,

Please don't think you are upsetting me or anyone else here, we all have our own opinions...if we didn't, the world would be a very boring place:)

No one is upset and please don't go running off.

What you need to know about this place is that we're all committed to being HEALTHY no matter what plan we use, whether it's calorie counting, Atkins, a generic low-carb plan, whatever. And when we see someone not being healthy, it's hard to not say anything.

We WANT people to be successful and healthy here. If we weren't passionate about it, then we wouldn't be as emphatic in our responses. :)

.

I have to say, it seems to me like I've tried every diet out there, some of them really ridiculous (I still have nightmares about boiled eggs and beets). And the one thing I discovered, is that like other people have said here, if it's too restrictive, I can't do it. Having all this restrictions just makes me hungrier and resentful and puts me in a bad mood.
My opinion on diet plans is, you have to find the one that works for you and your lifestyle and then stick to it. Sure, it may take some trial and error, but also listen to your common sense.
As for counting points/calories, if WW is not your thing, you can try one of the online sites that let you keep track of your calories (FitDay, Daily Plate), there really is no science to them, you just tell them what you are eating and how much, and it will do all the calculations for you. The advantage of this is that you can eat the things you like and minimize the ones you don't (you will still need fruits and veggies, but at least you get to choose the ones you like the most).

I'm sorry but...I've got to set the record straight here...South Beach is not considered a low carb diet, it is considered a "good carb/bad carb" diet. It also does not tell you that you can not eat any carbs for 2 weeks. This is why it is so very important to read & research a plan before you attempt doing it. There is just too much mis-information out there.

I know the book claims is not a low carb diet. but in reality it is low carb. in the first 2 weeks you cannot eat bread,rice,pasta and fruit. this is phase 1. then in phase 2 you can slowly put carbs back in you diet but you still have to eat limited amount of carbs.

Now south beach isn't as strict as atkins is but it's still low carb

I know low carb diets make the weight come off faster and that it seems all the celebs are doing, but really don't do it. you'll lose the weight but it's not long term.

It's not very realistic to stay away from carbohydrates for the rest of your life.

But if you insist on doing a low carb diet, i suggest the south beach diet. the south beach diet allows you some carbs. but at the beginning you can't eat any carbs for 2 weeks. then after these 2 weeks you can slowly bring carbs back into your diet

Helwa,

You are correct that it is not very realistic to stay away from carbs for the rest of your life...which is why neither South Beach (which claims to not be a low carb eating plan) nor Atkins are not no-carb eating plans.

Both plans restrict particular foods during the first 2 weeks of the program. South Beach advises against foods containing sugar, as well as, fruit juices, potatoes, refined grains (bread, pasta, white rice), regular dairy (low fat is encouraged), fattier cuts of beef, poultry & pork, as well as, butter, fruit, cereal, beets, carrots, and corn. The first 2 weeks of the Atkins plan you avoid foods with added sugars & trans fats as well as, Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, yams, squash
Bread, pasta, grains,Whole, reduced fat or skim milk, fruit, nuts or seeds,
foods that combine protein and carbs – lentils, chickpeas (garbanzo beans) kidney beans and other legumes. Although both plans are restrictive in this 1st phase, as you can see...neither are 0 carb.

Both South Beach & Atkins have additional phases adding foods back into your diet...most definitely not only making weight loss ongoing but...when done correctly...maintaining weight loss long term!

Successful & permanant weight loss requires changing your eating habits for the rest of your life. It must be a lifestyle change!

Thanks to the Atkins lifestyle, I have successfully maintained my weight loss for 3+ years now:) So yes, it can be done long term! :)

I am using the US Ski team diet for 2 wks..

and we are clearing out the junk in the house in the meantime...

I do understand nutrition to an extent; I'm not a dummy about it at all; I just don't know if I can or WANT to to count calories..to be honest..

I know portion control and better eating choices are going to be the best bet for me..

I just am using this diet to jump start it...maybe I shouldnt have said anything?? it seems like I'm upsetting people and for being new here..I really don't want to do that..

Please don't feel like anyone is getting upset at you.

Why don't you want to count calories? I'm not trying to push you towards doing something that you don't want to do... but sometimes, especially when first starting out, portion control and better eating choices isn't going to be the best idea. For example, are you sure that you know what a proper serving size is? When I started losing weight I had no CLUE. I had gone from eating very little, to eating way too much and purging, it's taken me a long time to find a balance, and I honestly believe calorie counting has helped me with that.

I don't like the term "jump starting" a diet. When you get onto a regular diet plan, the first week you generally lose a bunch of weight anyways because of water retention. If you're eating a very low calorie diet (which it seems like you are), you're basically losing water weight and lean muscle mass, not fat. When you decide to start eating normally again, or when you're done with this "jump start" and you move onto a different diet plan, you will gain the weight you lost back. It's inevitable, because the jump start is not sustainable.

I know how hard it is to want to lose weight RIGHT NOW, but you didn't put the weight on over night and it's not going to come off over night. It's taken me two years to get to where I am now. I can remember at least 3 times where my weight loss stopped and I maintained for a while. Had I been working consistently I probably would have been at my goal by now, but that's not the point. The point is that I've been doing this healthy. I've been counting calories and sweating my tush off and there has never been a point in this journey where I have gained back more than 5 lbs before I lost it again.

You CAN do this. You just need to educate yourself on what your body needs. It's easy to ignore what your body is saying because you want to lose weight, but if you're hungry... there's a reason you're hungry. If your head hurts, there's a reason your head is hurting. You don't have to be hungry on a diet, you don't have to be miserable either. I enjoy eating the way that I do, I'm never hungry, and most importantly... I can do this for life. I can eat this way and be satisfied for the rest of my life because I'm not depriving myself of anything.

Thanks ladies; I guess my other issue would be that I love the "crud" so to speak; nachos, chips/salsa, pb&J sandwiches, hot wings..pizza...

I like grilled chicken too, I like grilled pork chops too, I love italian chicken poorboys (low fat! yummy!)..but I do love my chicago style hotdogs and a good ribeye steak...my veggies I like are mostly starch veggies; potatoes, sometimes peas, sometimes green beans (ONLY when put in a crockpot w/onions all day and a small bit of bacon bits to flavor), corn..

and I'm sure counting calories I won't be able to eat any of that..because the calorie count will be way too high and i'll end up blowing it all on one or two meals.....and I have tried in the past (not too long if I'm honest)..to watch what I eat..and I end up binging really bad cause I have kept myself away from a chicago style hotdog..or my nachos I want...

does that make sense to anyone here??

My mom is MORBIDLY obese and has yoyo-ed on every diet out there...her dad died from MORBID OBESITY (400+ lbs if not even more..)..

Mom had her 2nd gastric about 1 1/2 yrs ago and has lost about 100 lbs on it this time...but she never changed her eating habits and everything with her revolves around food..she calls me to tell me what she ate at this restaurant, or what she made for an appetizer etc..I was brought up that food solved it all..

I'm not "HUGE" or even close to being morbidly obese and I am active (could be more) I do taekwondo and that works me out great..but sometimes the want/desire to eat junk overwhelms my "SMART MIND" part of me...I hate that..

If anything good comes out of this ski diet; its at LEAST ITS MAKING ME EAT BREAKFAST!!! I never ever ever ate b'fast before...

and its making me eat lunch...I rarely ate lunch before unless DH/I were out with our business and had to stop at a restaurant cause the kids were with us..

It is also making me not eat snacks at night...going on 4 days with NO snacks at night is a HUGE thing for me...

usually after the kids would go to bed I'd eat some of microwave popcorn (NEVER the whole bag..i can't eat that much anyhoo)..or some nachos..or some ice cream; but the ice cream is schwans frozen yogurt..
oh; its also getting me off of the McD's sweet tea...I'm drinkign UNSWEETENED TEA NOW..
I'm more of a "salt" tooth; instead of the sweet tooth..I don't like cake, I don't eat many pies etc..I used to adore cheesecake; but not so much anymore..

I talked to DH about counting calories, he said he absolutely did not want to count calories as he was doing fine w/portion control and he is! he has lost 26.5 lbs since June and he looks great! First time he's been at 200lbs in 9 yrs! he's 5"9 with a stocky build...

he'll support me; but I don't think he'd help me count calories etc.. who knows..

I am so sick of myself and so sick of food in general; because in order to lose weight; I'm going to be plagued by wanting the stuff I know I cannot resist..and if I have to count those calories; I'll be done eating for the day when I eat that one thing..

make sense? Thanks for letting me ramble; time to get my 4 yr old to Pre-K..and get my 2 yr old to Nap...

I like grilled chicken too, I like grilled pork chops too, I love italian chicken poorboys (low fat! yummy!)..but I do love my chicago style hotdogs and a good ribeye steak...my veggies I like are mostly starch veggies; potatoes, sometimes peas, sometimes green beans (ONLY when put in a crockpot w/onions all day and a small bit of bacon bits to flavor), corn..

and I'm sure counting calories I won't be able to eat any of that..because the calorie count will be way too high and i'll end up blowing it all on one or two meals.....and I have tried in the past (not too long if I'm honest)..to watch what I eat..and I end up binging really bad cause I have kept myself away from a chicago style hotdog..or my nachos I want....

Boy do I know where you're coming from! Those foods are so yummy! Isn't it frustrating how quickly men can loose weight?!? :mad:

But I gotta tell you, no matter what diet (counting calories or anything else) or healthy lifestyle your on, none of those foods are going to help you loose weight.

I have to ask... Are you truly commited? :(

Mar-

I have been watching my calorie intake for years, and it works. Weight Watchers is also calorie counting, but you just count in a different way-with their Points system.

Over the past 10 years, going up and down the weight ladder (I have had 3 babies in that time, and have had to lose the weight from each) I have had foods such as pizza, nachos, and the things that you have mentioned...and STILL lost weight.

Just because you like a food that can be very fattening, doesn't mean that you won't ever be able to have that food again. You can, you just make better choices and use moderation. For instance, can I have pancakes for breakfast, a Nacho Bell Grande for lunch, and 4 slices of Meat Lovers pizza for dinner? No. But...If I eat a healthy breakfast such as eggs and some fruit or yogurt on the side, and have a nice grilled chicken salad for lunch, then I DO have calories leftover at dinner if I would like a slice or two of pizza. It's all about balance.

Getting educated on better food choices is also key here. You can have someone eating a slice of thin crust veggie pizza, and someone eating thick/pan crust meat lovers style pizza, and the person eating the thicker crust and all of the pepperoni, etc. is eating double the calories and fat! :o
You simply do not have to waste all of your day's calories (or Points if you did WW) on a single meal, if you make better choices.

I don't know..honestly...

so I expect people to say until you are at your last straw..then we can't help etc..or you won't do it..

but here is reality for me; I have four children, a very busy lifestyle w/LOTS of travel in the car...

and the other aspect of reality; is that I KNOW I cannot stay away from those foods..now honestly; Its not like I eat those foods all of the time...but I know I cannot stay away from those foods ...and the more I stay away from them; the more I want them...

so I have allowed myself nachos once a month for the last several months..before that I would have had them a couple times a wk...

the frozen yogurt is usually once a wk...instead of every night...

the chicago style hotdog; usually one, once a month IF THAT..I had one 2 wks ago..and before that was about 3 months before that..

with steaks etc..we honestly can't afford steaks in our area too often; so when we get one its a rare treat...

so its not like I eat them ALL of the time or every week...honestly..I just know that those are my foods I cannot resist...

There you go... moderation! Eat the foods you love in moderation, but load up on veggies too.

I know a lot of people dont have much time, but your health is of top importance and if you dont make the time for it... well, you may not have any more time. And you gotta be around for those kiddos!

and I'm sure counting calories I won't be able to eat any of that..because the calorie count will be way too high and i'll end up blowing it all on one or two meals.....and I have tried in the past (not too long if I'm honest)..to watch what I eat..and I end up binging really bad cause I have kept myself away from a chicago style hotdog..or my nachos I want...
Honestly the reason I count calories is BECAUSE I won't deprive myself of any of those things.

Any other diet is too restrictive for me. I've said it before - tell me I can't have something and I immediately want it.

But calorie counting? If I want a chicago style dog (mmmm!), then I can have one ... I just have to budget my calories. And ... I allow myself one "no counting" meal a week. So if I *really* want a meal that is hot wings and french fries and cobbler for dessert - I allow myself that one meal.

I never have to tell myself "I can't have that" - although I might have to say "i can't have that right NOW'.

That's why for me, calorie counting is the ONLY thing that works.

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so I expect people to say until you are at your last straw..then we can't help etc..or you won't do it..

but here is reality for me; I have four children, a very busy lifestyle w/LOTS of travel in the car...

and the other aspect of reality; is that I KNOW I cannot stay away from those foods..now honestly; Its not like I eat those foods all of the time...but I know I cannot stay away from those foods ...and the more I stay away from them; the more I want them...
A little bit of tough love here ... :) (And please note that this is said with complete sympathy and understanding because we've all been there.)

Do you think you're the only person who has a busy life? There are women here who have kids AND go to school full time. There are women here who have kids and work full time. There are women here who go to school full time and work 2 jobs. There are women here who go to school, work, and run businesses. There are women here who are dealing with health issues for themselves or loved ones and work.

In fact I'll bet you that 95% of the women here ... their REALITY ... is that they are busy women.

We are all busy.

And the other reality is that we ALL have a hard time staying away from those foods that made us fat. If we found it easy, none of us would be here supporting each other and losing lots of weight. :)

So ... said with all possible support and affection - you ain't that different. :D

Believe me all of us are willing to help you and offer suggestions and give you our advice on what has worked for us. But until you are willing to stop making excuses (and again, that's not meant harshly - because we ALL have been there) and are willing to commit, then nothing we say is going to make that much difference.

I promise I've made all the same excuses in the past. I can't. I don't have time. I travel a lot. I am so tired. I ... I ... I ... !

But the *reality* is that no one can do this but you. :) No one could do it for me either, except me. No one could do it for kaplods, except kaplods. No one could do it for Mandalinn or Meg or Mel or Suzanne or any of the regulars of this board ... except each of them for themselves.

And for me, the first step was removing the word "can't" from my vocabulary. Because I had myself firmly convinced that I couldn't. That those other women somehow had it easier than I did ... had some magic lifestyle that made it better for them. I was sure that if they lived MY life, they wouldn't find it so easy.

Truth is .. it's not easy for any of us. Today one of the women across the hall baked peach cobbler. Homemade. Peach. Cobbler. And brought me some. It was still warm. And I fought with myself over it. And I finally said "no thanks". But DAMN. I wanted that peach cobbler. I still want it. But I'm a big girl and I'm in charge of what I put in my mouth and the idea that I can't stop myself from eating it doesn't sit well with me. So I did. And I will.

This isn't an easy journey. For many of us it will never be easy. But it's not *that* hard either, once you commit to it. :)

You'll get there. You're taking some good steps and you'll take more of them. But I'd encourage you to work on one big step right now ... remove the word "can't" from your vocabulary. You'll be amazed at what a difference that makes. :)

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:cp:
Well said!

Thanks ladies; I guess my other issue would be that I love the "crud" so to speak; nachos, chips/salsa, pb&J sandwiches, hot wings..pizza...

I like grilled chicken too, I like grilled pork chops too, I love italian chicken poorboys (low fat! yummy!)..but I do love my chicago style hotdogs and a good ribeye steak...my veggies I like are mostly starch veggies; potatoes, sometimes peas, sometimes green beans (ONLY when put in a crockpot w/onions all day and a small bit of bacon bits to flavor), corn..

and I'm sure counting calories I won't be able to eat any of that..because the calorie count will be way too high and i'll end up blowing it all on one or two meals.....and I have tried in the past (not too long if I'm honest)..to watch what I eat..and I end up binging really bad cause I have kept myself away from a chicago style hotdog..or my nachos I want...

does that make sense to anyone here??

More than you know! Feeling like had to restrict myself of the things I loved is what kept me yo-yo dieting, and eventually failing for the past, oh, 2.5 years. I tried a lot of diets - 6 week body makeover, atkins, south beach, etc. Whenever a diet told me "no," I felt like my body and mind screamed "yes!" Many diets seem to have an all or nothing mentality... so it's no wonder we also have that mentality when it comes to food!

When I finally settled on calorie counting, it still took me a few tries to get it. I couldn't eat chicken and brown rice every night for dinner and feel like I wasn't depriving myself or get grumpy that I couldn't eat certain foods. If I didn't have freedom to make lots of choices when it came to food, I would eventually fail.

Calorie counting does take time, but not as time consuming as you may think. I use The Daily Plate and when I get to work in the morning, I take five minutes to log in and record all my food for the day: breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. At the end of the day, I take five minutes to log back in and record exercise and any deviations in eating - such as, I only ate half of my sandwich, or I had an extra snack in the evening.

In the end, to me, it is all about making choices. The other day I was craving some plain M&Ms from the vending machine. I know they are 240 calories (it says so on the package, can't get much easier with calorie counting than that! :D) So, I ate them. But because I made good food choices during the rest of the day, I didn't blow my diet or gain any weight from it. You want a ribeye? Plan for it! If I know I'm going to have pizza later in the day, I make sure I eat very well for breakfast and lunch. And I'm like you, I have a tough time with bfast and lunch! But I make it happen. I don't like eggs or oatmeal or most other traditional bfast items, so I found some low cal waffles and turkey bacon to eat.

One last thing, take your favorite recipes and make them work for you. One of the simplest ways to lower cals in dinners is to swap full fat items for low-fat or no-fat items. So you like chicago style hot dogs... make your own using a turkey hot dog and a whole wheat bun. Same thing with hot wings... instead of deep fried wings, I sautee a chicken breast, add some Franks Red Hot Sauce and a sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles and it's like I'm eating the real thing. The flavor is there without the calories like regular wings.

And if I do stumble and blow it (I had a 700-cal butterfinger blast from Sonic last week!) I pick myself up, dust myself, and start again the next day. Make food work for you... not the other way around.

but here is reality for me; I have four children, a very busy lifestyle w/LOTS of travel in the car...
I'm quoting this part because it kind of struck a cord with me.

I have three children (fourth on the way), I go to school, hubby goes to school, hubby works full time, I run a business out of my home (so I can't even get the "I'm working without being a mom" time). I made the same excuses to myself for a long time. It's easier to just eat this or I don't have time to make anything else or If I start to seriously diet, the rest of my life will fall off the spinning plate.

What I'm trying to say is, you'll get to a point where you want it bad enough. And the self-enabling excuses will stop making sense. I used to think having to spend half an hour to an hour on dinner every night would cause stress in my marriage, that my husband would ask why I didn't get that business work done, or spend that time teaching one of the kids something, or get the living room cleaned. Turns out, taking that time to prepare a meal actually reduced the stress - hubby would have dinner waiting when he got home, and we wouldn't argue over ordering in (and spending the money).

Your situation is probably different, obviously, but the idea is the same.

I don't know..honestly...

so I expect people to say until you are at your last straw..then we can't help etc..or you won't do it..

but here is reality for me; I have four children, a very busy lifestyle w/LOTS of travel in the car...

and the other aspect of reality; is that I KNOW I cannot stay away from those foods..now honestly; Its not like I eat those foods all of the time...but I know I cannot stay away from those foods ...and the more I stay away from them; the more I want them...

so I have allowed myself nachos once a month for the last several months..before that I would have had them a couple times a wk...

the frozen yogurt is usually once a wk...instead of every night...

the chicago style hotdog; usually one, once a month IF THAT..I had one 2 wks ago..and before that was about 3 months before that..

with steaks etc..we honestly can't afford steaks in our area too often; so when we get one its a rare treat...

so its not like I eat them ALL of the time or every week...honestly..I just know that those are my foods I cannot resist...


Do you think that if you eat all of those foods in moderation, that the calories are just going to magically not exist? The key to weight loss, in VERY simple terms, is calories in vs. calories out. Whether you count the calories or not, they are what's causing you to lose/gain/maintain your weight. Obviously it gets a little bit more complicated than that when dealing with health and nutrients, but whether you count them or not... they're still going to affect you, KWIM?

I promise I've made all the same excuses in the past. I can't. I don't have time. I travel a lot. I am so tired. I ... I ... I ... !

And for me, the first step was removing the word "can't" from my vocabulary. Because I had myself firmly convinced that I couldn't. That those other women somehow had it easier than I did ... had some magic lifestyle that made it better for them. I was sure that if they lived MY life, they wouldn't find it so easy.
This isn't an easy journey. For many of us it will never be easy. But it's not *that* hard either, once you commit to it. :)

Once again, everything I was thinking is right here in your post PhotoChick. Thanks for saving me the typing :D

Thanks ladies for your knowledge/advice.

Mar

Mar, it is hard to start but boy it feels so good to be in a healthy groove. Best wishes. You can do it. You really can. Stay around here. These chicks are cool.
Kitty (4 little children, working 2/3 week, 3 hour round trip commute, outside of the home)

Another busy mom here...I have three children (10, 7, and 2) and I am self employed (dance teacher/performer). I work weekends at a Greek restaurant, and teach at a local athletic club through the week, and do private lessons on the side. I actually met with the local Parks Department here in town yesterday, about teaching on another night.

I am busy, busy, busy...all of the time. I have a wedding tomorrow (my brother's) and I am so busy, that I have not yet met the BRIDE. I am going to assume she will be the one walking towards my brother in the white dress.... :^:

I have to work tonight...and I dance through the dinnertime hours, so I have to plan ahead. I have to eat a snack before my shift, and a second one after my shift...and that counts as DINNER on the nights that I work at the restaurant. I also have to be there surrounded by the sights and smells of cheese, gyros, baklava, custard, and red wine...

I have to deal with the schedule, the change in my mealtimes on restaurant nights, and the sight/smell of the Greek food that I adore. But, it is a choice.

have you all found places where healthier food choices are cheaper?

we have a family of six (including a teen ack) and a bag of apples will be gone in 2 days and they cost $5.78 at the least amt i've seen them lately..

same goes with chicken breasts etc..for my family, we have a $200ish now limit on grocery funds a month..so we eat lots of dry beans and rice..whole chickens in the crock pot etc..

so..has anyone found a way to be able to afford the healthier foods?
especially fresh fruits etc?

We planted a huge garden this yr; but the deer got into it before we could! as well as the rabbits!

Here's a recent thread on the issue:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153881

Hope it helps!

thank yoU! I hadnt seen that thread!!

Feeding a teen is kinda like throwing food down a bottomless pit, isn't it? :)

If you have a Costco or Sam's club you can go to, the membership is worth it for the savings. I buy things like ground beef, whole chickens, and whole pork loins (which I then slice into roasts and pork chops), and save a ton of money. It means spending about $150 or so on meat at one trip, but then that's meat for 2 months or more.

Also rice, beans, etc. *can* be cheaper there (best if you check sales - cause sometimes grocery store sales are actually the better deal).

Our Costco has much better produce than our Sam's Club and I often get bags of apples, oranges, bananas, and even things like broccoli and tomatoes at really good prices.

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I must confess, I admire people who are able to stick to systems such as calorie counting and other strict diets. I guess we all find ways to get to that goal which we set for ourselves.

My love for food has turned out to be a blessing and totally transformed the way I eat and it has helped he lose weight and keep it off as well. Maybe that is why I lack the will power and patience required to keep track of calories.

Through all this, has anyone found that their eating habits are changing gradually for the better? I don't mean forcing yourself to eat something that is healthy for you, just a natural inclination to eat better.

I love your quote! It hits home!

see..and I thought we'd have to give up the ground beef (which we use ina lot of soups or casseroles etc for "filling food"), pork roasts etc (which are generally fatty...

we used to eat a ton of b/s chicken breasts til we got tiredof eating them..now we hardly fix them at all..it seems that I have a picky teen (not toooo bad though) and a picky 10 yr old boy and boy nellie if I put something "not familiar" on their plate... (NO, I am not one of those parents who cook seperate meals for each person in the family etc..that only applies if one is sick and needs soup or broth or just had tonsils out etc..)


No costco here..but we do have a sams..

see..and I thought we'd have to give up the ground beef (which we use ina lot of soups or casseroles etc for "filling food"), pork roasts etc (which are generally fatty...

Not at all. :) At least, not the way I do it.

I use lean ground beef a lot, and often 1/2 lean beef and 1/2 ground turkey. But you don't have to do the half-and-half thing. I make chili and stews and casseroles and even just plain burgers all the time. Meatloaf is a staple around here as well. :)

For the pork roasts, I trim the fat and put them in the crockpot with whatever seasonings I feel like (and sometimes with a jar of apricot preserves). Add veggies and it's good stuff. And good for sandwiches for lunch as well.

I don't do well with plans where I have to "give up" food or where I'm restricted in what I can eat. I need variety in my meals, so it's important to me that I'm able to eat what I want.

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see, thank you! I can do that! My kids would freak if we didnt have pot roast w/veggies once ina while or homemade chili two or three times a month..or hamburgers...but DH always cooks on those nights; so he has always bought those premade patties; so I'll start buying the ground beef for them and pressing them for him..he'll just have to deal with it!!