Hey there! I'd love to get this thread going again. If anyone wants to join in, feel free! It's just a daily check in and conversation about life, how weight loss fits into our lives and how we manage it as 30 somethings. We have a lot of newbies, so I'll re-introduce myself. I'm 33 years old, live in Ohio, am a divorced mom of 2 girls age 11 and 12. I live with the best DB anyone could ask for and work out of the home. I have spent most of my 20s overweight, joined 3FC in 2009, but finally experienced significant, lasting weight loss upon my divorce in 2011. I'm still trying to finish this thing but have lost 67lbs so far. I am a calorie counter that is mostly vegan and avoids processed foods as much as I reasonably can. I exercise about 3 to 5 times per week - running, elliptical, lifting, zumba, anything that makes me sweat!
How was your day? What foods make you successful? How do you manage to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with your busy 30 something schedule?
I look forward to "meeting" all of you and cheering each other on!
I could certainly use a daily chat/check-in thread - thanks for starting it again!
A little about me: I'm 30, recently married, no kids yet, husband in law school, and I work full time in a lab. I've been at this weight loss thing for about a year - learning, listening to podcasts, prepping my meals. It's been a process figuring out what works for me. I found it starts with my stress level in check, prepping my meals and calorie counting, then exercise. I lost about 4 pounds just before the holidays, but then a string of holidays, wedding, honeymoon, and a NYE party severely set me back.
Now, I'm trying so hard to get back on track, and i'm realizing how hard it is. I've been prepping my meals (and got the husband on board with meal prepping) but i've still been snacking later at night. It's usually around 9pm that want to snack, and I've been a bit down because of it. I think I need to move my after dinner snack (a grapefruit or tuna fish spread on triscuits) to 8pm so that I'm not tempted to eat an unplanned snack around 9.
How did your holidays go? Did you stay on track with your calories? If so - congrats and HOW did you manage, lol? If not - what helps you get back on track?
Oh I am so excited about the chat. I just want somewhere to check in without it being a specific topic. I am new here. I am 32. I am married. I have two kids three and 18 months. I have never really calorie counted before but I think that is going to be the key to my success this time. I have some serious issues in regards to food that I have discovered after really trying to lose weight. I am struggling with consistency. I think if I could commit and stick to it for a long period if time the. I would be okay. Okay. I will stop my rant (for now) lol.
On Sunday I will make a crock pot of something - chili, pot roast w veggies, ham bean soup, chicken soup - and when it's done I will portion out 3-4 helpings for me and the rest goes to the family for lunches, quick dinners, etc. Then, I make 4-5 sandwiches for me (I've also done this for the husband and his brother/our roommate). Finally, I'll chop up a bunch of carrots, cucs, and zucchini into veggie sticks and place them into either containers or plastic baggies. I take oatmeal to work with me for breakfast. It take a while at first, but now I can do it in an hour and I'm prepped for the week. I have veggie snacks (I've also portioned out cottage cheese or greek yogurt for snacks), two different lunch options (choose one for the day), and a possible quick dinner if I'm busy in the evening.
Good luck and let me know if I can help with the calories counting/food prep!
Hey girls! I'm not 30 but getting close. I've been married for 5 years now, the same weight (within a few lbs of water weight) for all of them. I'm ready to say I no longer fit into my wedding dress!
I dabble with calorie counting, some weeks are better than others. Breakfast and lunches are usually pretty on target but I struggle with eating too large dinners and boredom snacking in the evenings. Over the holidays I got used to having a cookie with my tea at night and have been working to break the habit. It got so if I had tea I craved cookies.
I try to get in 5 workouts a week to varied degrees of success, but 2013 is feeling like a great year to make some changes!
Vmo- you are better than me. I am tempted to lurk around the 20 something board because I tell everybody I'm 27. I think I'm going to be 27 until I'm 40. Then I can be 30! On here though I can fess up to my true age. But you are more than welcome be with us!!!
Coffee shop- you are on it girl. If only I could get so organized. So here is the thing. At work I am ok. I am running around so much that I have to make an appointment to eat. I give myself a little wiggle room for my calories for dinner. Now the two issues are mindlessly snacking at night. And completely getting off track on the weekend. I will graze myself into oblivion. And then when I know u have gotten off course for the day I am like f&@$ it! Mind as well keep going. Ughh. If I could commit to not eatin anything but dinner and truly calorie counting on te weekend I think I would see some progress.
Nice to meet you all, I will pop in here, but not every day if that's ok?
Well I'm single, and trying to get fit and lose weight and then horror of all horrors dating too! (Sober dating since I am not drinking at the moment because of health kick - so that is even more stressful lol). Oh and I am trying to start a clothing line with my friend. So at the moment I am trying to work out manufacturing in china. And obviously I have a day job.
I am good at the exercise, I train 1-2 times a day most days, but terrible with the food! I am also not great at checking in to this every day.
If anyone else has advice for how to date while losing weight that would really help. My experience is dating makes you fat, all those romantic nights drinking wine/cocktails in fabulous places, sharing deserts and trying out all the restaurants you always wanted to but never got around to. It's all eating, eating and more eating!
Last night I went on a 3 hour coffee date with a very promising guy. He is a hard core rock climber and his body is rediculous... I am like hum.... I want you to be naked, all the time , I just don't want to have to get naked too until I have the female equivalent of your body... and it's safe to say that's gonna take a while. He's away for work for two weeks though, how is that for incentive!!
(By the way, just to clarify, neither of us was naked on the date... it was just something that crossed my mind once or twice during the course of it)
I may have enjoyed the emoticons a bit much in that message! Sorry!
That might be a strange introduction message, I'm not really a hussy! Promise!
Hey Everyone! I'm a 33 yo married SAHM to a 10yo boy. =) I'm calorie counting and I really enjoy it!
I'm calorie restricting (I love it!) I'm using the lose it app. I find a lot of my inspiration on Instagram of all places!
Lately, I'm finding myself to be hungry (need more protein to my diet?). I'm falling in a rut of mundane eating and not enough protein.
Wow! Such a great turnout! YAY! So glad to "meet" all of you!
Coffeeshop - You are so organized! It does help. When I have it together like that, I do so much better. I take prepackaged oatmeal to work and keep a big tub of protein powder in my desk drawer for post-workout. We have a free onsite gym so I try to go several days a week. Usually remembering my gym clothes helps me remember my food, too. On days when I don't plan ahead as well, I end up at the salad bar at work which is a danger zone of processed meats and cheese - and $$, too! I gorged myself silly during the holidays. No restraint whatsoever. I managed to get up to 173lbs and once Christmas came, I couldn't wait to get the holidays behind me and lose weight. I've been pretty aggressive with my exercise and eating these past few weeks and am down 10lbs a month later. I'm sure that a lot of that was water from eating salty foods. 5lbs next month would be great. The holidays are still hard for me as I struggle to adjust to sharing my kids.
Ross - You have little ones! That always makes it hard. You aren't just planning for yourself, but everything they eat also. When you figure out the consistency thing, let me know! I have come to accept that I will never be consistent - just hope that I have it together more often than not. Midnight and weekend eating...hmmm....I would suggest instead of stopping the snacking at first, just switch to something that's low calorie but high volume. Maybe carrot sticks if you want crunch or cucumber slices and salsa (one of my favorites) or make a veggie-only salad, then pair it with some healthy protein and fiber - maybe mix in some black beans to your salsa or dip the carrots in hummus? And look at the first part of your day and make sure you're not going to lean and then having your body backfire on you later. Or, try some hot tea and distraction! Take up knitting or crocheting in the evenings? Get on the computer or play a game with the kiddos.
vmo - Maybe "allow" the cookie based on your day's calorie planning? Sometimes I think it's about balance. If you really want the cookie/tea experiencing to wind down, portion control and savor the cookie and budget for it. That might work out better than cutting it out, leaving you anxious and wanting a whole sleeve of cookies.
kiz - I feel your pain!! Dating is so hard anyway and doing it while trying to lose weight is especially awkward. I was going through a big weight loss at the time that I met my boyfriend and he must have thought I was crazy in the beginning. My pants were always loose, so I was either pulling them up all the time or going shopping constantly. He's a "foodie" and loves to cook and eat and I stared at him blankly when he asked me what I liked. Ummm....I don't eat?? And then, there's the loose skin that made me very insecure. I finally leveled with him after a couple months and he seemed relieved at the information like he thought it was worse. Now, he cooks healthy foods for me and has so many great meal ideas that I feel like I have my own private chef. When we first started dating, we didn't center our activities on food. We went out for drinks and talked (I could budget a couple light beers or diet coke and rum), went for walks at the park, went bowling, went to movies, then later went to friends' houses and hung out, went to BW3s for football (again, I could control what I ate/drank), etc. I actually am glad that we stepped out of the traditional food box because we had a lot of fun. It was cheaper, too!
betba - Welcome to 3FC and this thread!! I'd say the same thing as for Ross - try to increase your food volume on low calorie foods and add in lean protein/dense fiber to keep you full. I use my fitness pal on the computer and my phone. I love it!
I had a great run yesterday. I've been running for a song, walking for a song, etc and yesterday I felt so good that I just ran through for 20 minutes, but then my knee started hurting. I guess that's a reminder that I am a 30 something and can't just dive into a fitness routine. I'll take it slower and am probably on the elliptical most of this week because of it. Yuck! We got a kinect for our family Christmas present and this past weekend, I bought Just Dance 4 and my girls loved it. They come home to me tonight and I am looking forward to family exercise time. I get a little frustrated because they eat junk at dad's house and aren't active, but at least I can model healthy foods and activities for them. It's hard, though. He doesn't understand what it's like to be an overweight teenage girl and wants to please them by letting them have all of these things. Oh well....staying positive...neither one of them has a weight problem now.
Wow, Beachbreeze! You are brimming with good ideas. Cucumber and salsa sounds so delicious. Sidebar-Are you near a Trader Joe's? I love guac and usually end up mixing it with sour cream or greek yogurt when I put it on fajitas, etc. They have a reduced guilt guac that is already mixed with greek yogurt and it is incredibly delicious. The funny thing with me and the cookie-I don't have a sweet tooth. I never actually enjoyed it! My body just got conditioned to having it so I ate it out of habit.
Kiz-what if you had some more physical dates? (That might have sounded bad...) Maybe you could ask the rockclimber to give you some pointers or something. You get bonding time and a good workout in before you have dinner.
Ross-Weekend eater here too! Forgot about that one. One of these days I will figure out how to balance the relaxation mode of nights and weekends with keeping the stricter eating schedule of the days. And when I will do I'll write a tell all book that makes millions. :-P
Kiz! You cracked me up! I was literally laughing out loud! Then your emoticon for him being naked was phallic! I don't know if you did that on purpose or if my mind is in the gutter! I totally hear what you are saying about dating and eating. I am married and even though my husband and I like to do the active things its always accompanied by dinner. Dinner and bowling. Dinner and gokarting etc. and I don't know about you guys but if I am Eating at a resteraunt I am not dieticially mature enough to order a salad or some skimpy meal! Maybe I will get there but.... If I'm eating out I am EATING FOR REAL! That's horrible I know. But oh so true.
Beach breeze- the comorehensiveness of your email is great! Wow. I think I am going to try some of the snacks. I think my mind needs to be reset because thinking about some carrots for a snack makes me mad. I don't want no stinkin carrots I want a snack! Lol!! I think the cucumbers and salsa does sound pretty good though.
You know I was thinking this morning after going last night without snacking last night. "I don't have to be miserable because I'm not eating." Like seriously. When I think about the fact that I can't snack at night I get sad like I am missing out on something. Or dreading after dinner because I know I can't eat. But why? Because I am completely consumed by food. I think about it all the time. Oh I could go on and on about how this losing weight for me is truly a mind game that I am playing with myself. I talk to myself all the time about why I feel it's okay to disappoint myself because of food.
I also had an epiphany. This whole weight loss thing is really treatment for an addiction. Many of us may not think of ourselves as addicted to food but when you can't be consistent with it then it has to be some form of addiction right? Then I went on to think about how it's not like any other addiction because you can't "detox" or go "cold turkey" because we have to eat! How torturous is that!? Ok I'm done for now with my rant lol!!
My poor beautiful new car!!! I got T-Boned leaving the gym. :'( We had some really bad weather and the roads were slick. He couldn't stop in time. Thank goodness I was stopped and he was only going 10-15 mph so neither of us were hurt. But still! It's not even 5 months old.
I know it's not weight loss related, but had to post and vent a bit. I'm just sick over it. Taking it to get an appraisal tomorrow. Hopefully it won't be too bad...
vmo - Argh that is awful about the car! Happy to hear no one was hurt though!
Believe me I am hoping that future dates with Mr Rock Climber are more physical (yes my mind is still in the gutter too ha). I have a bit of an old leg injury (slight understatement - I have an ankle replacement ha) which I haven't yet in our long, one date relationship brought up yet hehe I am not 100% sure if it will be a bit crap for rock climbing or really rubbish as I haven't been rock climbing before. Mr Rock Climber is also a hard core out doors on actual rocks, rock climber, and I'm not even sure if there is a climbing wall anywhere near here that might be more forgiving than an actual rock. I am sure there are other things we could do (?) we are both rather adventure sport people, I am sure there must be something we overlap in - except for cycling because he didn't bring his bike over here with him, which is a shame because I cycle 4 times a week. Doh.
Ross: Good to hear you had a giggle. Yes the carrot, was intentional, and appropriate I felt haha.I am totally with you on if I'm eating out I am EATING! That may be something I should be working on... hum...
BeachBreeze: sounds like your boyfriend is fantastic! Own private Chef!?! Does he have a brother? Fortunately I don't have any loose skin so far - oh man that would be even more stressful! That is awesome that you just got out there and wowed him anyway
Ok so with Mr Rock Climber, or whoever else if that doesn't work out, I will look for activity dates and try to not eat the whole time! It must be possible to date and not get fat!
On a side note, the mum's out there are super impressive, I only have me to look after and I still can't sort it out, you have a whole family to sort as well!
And because this is an anonymous internet forum, and I started on such a classy note anyway, you are gonna get my best question. Is it only me or since losing weight and improving your diet has everyone else become MASSIVELY hornier?!? I mean Mr Rock Climber is really going to be onto a good thing if we get to bed... because it's rediculous, it's like I am what I imagine being a 14 year old boy is like! I mean are all your husbands/boyfriends the happiest men around town? Or am I the only one who is facing this problem?!? and I only say problem because I am currently single!!! Otherwise this is quite frankly a bonus, sex burns calories and it's certainly fun... I am not complaining! But you have to laugh at being single at this exact moment right... life is not fair sometimes (yes I am playing the worlds smallest violin!)
Sorry for taking this thread down into the gutter!
kiz - lololol!!! You might be on to something there! I think with weight loss comes more body confidence. When you feel sexier, you want it more. I bet Mr. Rock Climber (funny how we are giving him a nickname when I do the same things with my girlfriends when we talk about guys we are dating) would appreciate more physical (both kind ) dates, too. At least don't go somewhere and just sit. Even when I go to a bar, I want to play pool, throw darts, dance, whatever. I get bored really quickly just sitting especially if the music is loud. Sigh...yeah...DB is great. He doesn't cook every meal for me, but a lot of them. He plans them and looks up healthy recipes and goes grocery shopping with me. Maybe this is the (pre) honeymoon phase, but I'll take it! (He's hot, too! lol) He has two brothers...lol
vmo1 - aww man!!! That stinks!!! I'm sorry. It always seems to happen with new cars. When I have an old beater that I'm dying for someone to wreck for me - nope.
Ross - I am so there with you!! I've said that before. It's totally an addiction. Like you said, people that smoke or are alcoholics (not to take away from those addictions) can completely stop, but we still have to eat. I think for that reason, I do best when I completely eliminate certain foods (processed foods, diet soda, junk foods, etc.) rather than try to budget them in my calorie log. That just never seems to work for me. It keeps me thinking about the junk like I'm in a trance waiting for another 100 calories to spend.
Did the elliptical today - it didn't hurt my knee at all. I want to run tomorrow but should probably give it another day. <pouting>
There's a concert I want to go to Saturday night (no kid weekend) but it's going to be weird to go and not drink. Alcohol is a major food trigger for me. It's not just the calories in what I drink, but suddenly I turn into a human vacuum cleaner and eat everything in sight. Sigh...not sure what to do. Allow a splurge night or go and not drink? For a regular night out (even to a bar), I can go and have 2 beers and I'm fine, but a concert?? I want to rock out!! Hmph! Thoughts?
30 Somethings Daily Chat
, I just don't want to have to get naked too until I have the female equivalent of your body
... and it's safe to say that's gonna take a while
. He's away for work for two weeks though, how is that for incentive!! 
)
<pouting> 
