I know there is a daily thread, but that isn't really where anyone chats about how SB is going for them, it's more of a coffee clutch thread about daily lives. And I don't feel right just posting my frets and such there, no one else hardly mentions how they are doing on SB.
Is this something that I could just tag onto my menus and hope someone comments if they can relate.
It's going great for me! Since I started SBD in May 09, I have checked in here almost every day. That, I find has been the key to my continued success. By checking in daily, I've found I've kept consistently focused and I've kept my backslides to a minimum.
Although I am losing very slowly, I am very pleased, since at age 55, many gals my age are gaining.
Energywise, I've never felt better! I notice at work that I have more consistent energy than any of my coworkers AND I find I don't crave all the off plan foods that my coworkers seem to devour daily (I work in a restaurant).
As to my health, I got off blood pressure meds within months of starting SBD and my triglycerides dropped an incredible number at my first comprehensive blood work after starting. My cholesterol numbers have continued to improve over the years, too.
My DH slowly but surely incorporated many of the dietary changes. Now he's elated at with his energy and health, although losing weight was never his issue.
I like the structure of SBD. I still don't count calories, but try to be aware of what foods/quantities work for me and have it ingrained in my brain what foods are definitely off plan for me.
From time to time I have off plan foods but certainly notice that they don't work to my favor but I find it pretty easy to just jump back on plan and I rarely binge eat any more....I think, primarily because I am pretty healthy all around these days.
So that's my story....
Chickadee, feel free to start a thread any time- like you just did!
I am into my 3rd year of SB. DH and I made the commitment together for health and weight reasons. As Debbie said, I am far from perfect but SB principles have gotten me back on track whenever I need such as after traveling or whatever.
Please, post your frets and such! You will find tons of support here.
I've plateaued the last couple of weeks, losing and gaining the same two lbs over and over again. That being said, I feel great! I've been staying on plan for the most part and have lost 37 lbs on SB since I started at the end of May. I feel so great on SB, like it's a life style change that I can really maintain. I'm excited to continue down this path and improving my overall health. Thanks so much to all of you lovely ladies. Such a wonderful support and inspiration!
And Debbie, I loved your story! Thanks for sharing!
I like the idea of a 'How's it Going?' thread that stays on the subject of SB. I'm another one who doesn't want to chat about my daily life. What I really need is talk and support each day from those on SB to keep me on track.
On that note, I started out with a bang last month and lost 5 lbs. Then I gained 3 back (not straying from the program I might add). But even with the gain, I was wearing a pair of pants I couldn't wear when I started so that's really good progress.
I have a habit of falling into eating the same foods every day and sometimes I tend not to eat enough. My body then adjusts to those same foods which slows the burn. I need to throw a wrench in it every now and then to keep it guessing. I made a few tweaks and I'm starting to lose again, slowly, but at least it's going in the right direction.
I'm usually an avid exerciser and haven't done much this time 'round, that could also be why I'm not losing as steadily.
Chickadee, I hope you'll continue this thread, great idea!
I am entering my 3rd week of SB. I need to weigh and measure tomorrow to see where I am at number wise. But, like you seachick, I notice my pants are fitting better and I feel real good about my self. So, with the excess sugar and bad carbs out of my eating it is making me feel better. I will not let the number on the scale mark my progress completely, because at my age of 57, soon to be 58 this weight thing is hard.
I do find that my daily regularity is way off, and making me feel very uncomfortable, I am sure it is the dairy (yogurt), dairy always has slowed me down. But I need that yogurt to fill my lunch time so I need to think what I can do. Adding beans is good, except that on top of the dairy really makes it worse. (sorry, but this issue makes me think SB can't work for me sometimes becasue of this) Nothing like feeling plugged up all day long!
But, other wise I really feel good about myself because I am doing this and about my health.
Support is a big thing for me, just knowing that someone else may have an answer or has experienced something too. I know SB can work, and it makes sense - it might just need a few little adjustments along the way.
So, here is me hoping for some good numbers tomorrow to go along with my good feeling!
Chickadee, am I understanding you eat yogurt at lunch to stay full? I was someone who could NEVER understand how you could eat a salad and be satisfied, but now I've changed my mind. The key is greens that aren't just iceberg- romaine and spinach for example are much denser. I use tons of veggies-cukes, onion, pepper,mushrooms, tomatoes, snap peas, etc and always some type of bean, along with a little deli meat and/or cheese. Our favorite is black beans, but others are good too. Remember you are aiming for 2 cups of veggies at lunch and dinner.
Also, you didn't mention water intake, but water, water and more water can help with the regularity issue.
Two other thoughts: I do think it is helpful to take your measurements and not just go by the scale. I also have noticed that the longer I go without the bad carbs, the less enjoyable they are when I do cheat. Funny how some of the things I thought I couldn't live without just don't taste as good now.
Chickadee, I add a little psyillium fiber to my morning smoothies when I am off to "kick start" my day. I have always "struggled" with regularity. This is the most normal I have ever been. I agree with Beth, salads are my lunch staple usually paired with a cup of soup.
Seachick, I too am like you and get in "food ruts." Now I do food rotation. If I make something in bulk (I am a big fan of the crock pot) Half automatically goes to the freezer. Sometimes my friend Joe and I swap meals. I bring a big bowl of chili and go home with a pot of soup. I eat the same breakfast every morning at work and a different same on my days off. Lunch is pretty much the same thing every day. I'll have the same dinner 2-3 times in a week ( need to stretch the grocery dollar). I save my fruit for night time as I consider it dessert, but always pair it with a fat, helps keep cravings at bay.
I need to mention that I can not eat a lunch, so to speak. It has to be something that I can eat at my desk (like yogurt or celery and PB), but when I get home, I could eat the salad (so that would be late afternoon and then eat supper 3 hours later). It is a weird situation for me, and I am sure it adds to eating issues, yogurt seems to fill me as a snack to hold me over.
The smoothies interest me Jennifer. do you have that instead of breakfast? Because that may work for me to have for lunch at work - a liquid lunch so to speak.
I made SB Swiss Chard with pork chops today for my meals for during the week and I am having a big salad with scrappings off a chicken pizza tonight for supper
I think this thread is a wonderful idea, I was looking for something like it about a month ago when I had a hard time and I gained like 7 lbs back.
I will be about a year in February, and it will be a year since my surgery next month. I am a bundle of fun medical things, some of you know I have lupus and fibromyalgia, two autoimmune diseases one attacks my body and the other causes me pain which makes it hard to exercise, I also have PCOS and hypothyroidism, which makes it hard to lose weight naturally.
I had a tumor in my pancreas so that was removed thankfully benign but I ended up without a spleen and 1/3 of my pancreas, so that makes me susceptible to infections and diabetes (runs in the family too).
I discovered recently that I have a kind of eating disorder/emotional binge eating and I am finding help for that, as well as therapy help since I moved from the midwest to the pacific northwest and left my entire support network there.
Even with all of those obstacles, I have managed to lose some significant weight, I had to repeat phase 1 when I first got here because I just let myself go, it was bad but not horrible, I went back on phase 2 just recently, about two weeks ago because another round of phase 1 seemed too far fetched and I just couldn't do it, it messes with my cycle (hormones are fun ) and makes me incredibly sad and depressed.
I wasn't able to exercise for the longest time so I controlled my weight with only diet, it was just too painful to exercise as Lupus and fibro make me have Rheumatoid Arthritis. I'm in my late 20's and everyone that I ever tell my story to always says that I am too young to deal with everything I have gone through, but I just know that I am lucky to still be here, and I do get more than a little impatient at seeing the weight come off so slowly; but I am trying my hardest, with basically no support from my family and my SO being the only one that supports me, which sometimes sadly is not enough as much as I wish it was.
So, here I am! I have been trying to be more active on the forums but it's honestly hard to know where to post, there is an autoimmune disease thread/forum thing but no one is really active so I am posting here.
As for smoothies chickadeee55, I have them as a snack because for me fruit is too much in the morning, too many carbs and it makes my blood sugar spike. They work great as a snack for me and fill me up for a while (I use frozen berries/banana/ or peaches as a thickener and half a cup of milk and 2/3 cup yogurt or 6 oz sometimes) or they are great as an after workout snack for me.
I do sometimes add some chia seeds to add more fiber and protein but I have to be careful because if I get too full then I tend to skip a meal which is not good.
I think this thread is a wonderful idea, I was looking for something like it about a month ago when I had a hard time and I gained like 7 lbs back.
I started this week's On Plan Thread with the intro that was originally written by our Moderator, CottageByTheSea. Perhaps we could get back to our OnPlan chatting and questions there, too, since that thread has been being started reliably every week for many years now.
Chickadee, I have a smoothie as a meal. I use (all eyeball measurements) 7 ice cubes (normal size), 2 cups unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup NF Greek Yogurt (either Chiobani or Shoprite brand as they are the lowest in sugar I can find), 1-2 TBS no sugar PB (again I use Shoprite as it only needs mixing when you open it), 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 heaping tsp Psyillium husk fiber and a little stevia (granulated but sometimes I skip it) Let the Nija do its thin and viola breakfast is served. Occasionally I make these ahead of time and thin with a little almond milk. Hope you find this helpful
Chickadee, I am also 57 going on 58 (next month) and losing weight sure isn't what it used to be! lol My regularity has always been off. No matter what I eat, add, omit, etc. my body just doesn't function like others. I'm never uncomfortable, just on a different schedule and over the years I've learned to accept it.
I am approaching 6 wks back on the beach and I was hoping for better results by now but the fact that I'm still eating right is a miracle in itself.
OK, so the scale did not move much, but I am taking advantage of the inches I lost. So I feel good.
Smoothies sound like something I will need to try and have for lunch while I am at work, I can drink it at my desk and it's quiet. Do you guys use protein powder or just the yogurt for protein?
Lupus, you sure have your share of things going on. Good for you to just keep working at things. Even if things get alittle better that is better than nothing.
It is nice to hear from everyone, makes me know others are going through the same things and tips are so helpful. (They had dollar doughnut day at work today, and I did not have one, even though they sent like 5 reminders throughout the day that there were still doughnuts left! I actually found it anoying after awhile! )
And yep, I think in this age bracket, any loss it worth a jump in the air.
Another smoothie drinker here and I do take them to work, very convenient. I just use fat-free milk, protein powder, and frozen fruit. I prefer frozen fruit to ice both for flavor and thickening. The few protein powders I like thicken pretty well so even by themselves they are a filling protein shake and can also be chilled as pudding.
My favorite brand of protein shake at the moment is Nature's Plus Spiru-tein. I like the huge variety of flavors they have. I purchase mine from Super Supplements and even though I live near a store I order on line because the price and the choice of flavors is better. I absolutely LOVE their berry flavors and there are several.
How is it going thread
) and makes me incredibly sad and depressed.
I have been trying to be more active on the forums but it's honestly hard to know where to post, there is an autoimmune disease thread/forum thing but no one is really active so I am posting here.
