Ter and Marie - I would love to take a trip across the US! We have done it a few times from here to NC when our sons were stationed out there. Once we did it in a small pickup (our youngest son's) to take it to him and then we flew home, once we flew both ways, once (or maybe twice?) we did it in our RV. I wish we'd taken our time more though. We did slow down a little more on the way home. We were gone six weeks that time.
As to my eating..I haven't done well today. Only good thing is that my going over was mostly done on MF meals which is low calories/low carb. But we went to Costco and I got about ten samples so that really messed me up early. First time I've done that since I've been on MF. After my L&G I didn't eat any more but my bs was low at bedtime (a few minutes ago) so I ate a little bit of a banana. On MF I'm not supposed to eat fruit but it was the quickest thing I could think of and sure tasted good.
As I mentioned on FB, I am probably not going to be ordering any more MF meals due to our tighter budget. I have a lot on hand and will continue to eat them and if possible I might be able to buy some from Craiglist or local ebay where it is cheaper. I don't know or I may just gradually work myself back to regular foods and just keep a few MF meals I really like for evening snacks.
Will just see how it goes. It's bedtime for me...good nite!
WOW Chicks, all of you are doing amazing with your weight-loss adventure Are there other motivating sites that you all enjoy?
I have problems like I love peanut butter cup candy, etc. . If I was not a KOP in my TOPS club I know I would be wearing a size 14 again instead of my size 10, but it is hard to maintain my goal. Being at goal 'KOP' is hard with a 3# gain leeway to maintain. At TOPS I gave a program on how I stay at my current goal, maybe it can also Help somebody else here, daily I: walk outdoors with my doggies or on my treadmill 5 minutes for every meal & snack that I eat; I eat at least 16 grams of Fiber; I eat Protein with every meal; I use Kosher salt instead of table salt after reading health studies; I eat desserts with a baby spoon to make small servings last longer. At TOPS we keep daily food journals - If You Bite It...You Have To Write It to keep us accountable for Gains or Losses It's easy to 'gain & become unhealthy' . I need some buddies here at '3 Fat Chicks' to keep me healthy & lose more, another 10#. My 1st goal weight I set was to get back into my size 10's & I did it, but my legs are still not tight/muscle. I don't know how to do a 'buddy list here'. Does anyone need a 'support buddy? Time to go eat a pudding cup & walk away from the Halloween candy
Welcome miniDoodles. We're definitely support buddies here. The monthly golden girls thread is fabulous support too. We're friends over there. I needed a self challenge to not gain weight over the holidays. I also log everything. I'm a calorie counter. I have a great iPhone app I use and even got my DH to use and he's lost a little over twenty pounds. He's basically done... Not fair. Anyway, welcome aboard. I'm also very active and that's my saving grace. Also what is KOP?
Tera, please don't not post if you're off plan. Post that youre struggling. This isn't a challenge between us. It's a self challenge and we're here to cheer each other back on track. I vote for increasing your exercise as lessening food isn't as fun.
Mary, I have the utmost confidence you'll stay your course even without the MF foods. You know what to do and you're doing it. You are determined Even in the hard times.
I'm still on track. I think I'm going to go over by a 156 cal mocha maybe this afternoon. I've exercised three times so I know I'll be in deficit. But I don't know if I want to. On Friday I was so tired, I couldn't fathom lifting my arm to eat my already logged ice cream cone. So I was under by 170 on Friday. I can tell I'm getting anal about this but I want to be back at goal. To reach it and leave it is hard to swallow. So I'm in the diet mode in the strictest sense. Btw if there are typos I missed, I'm writing this from my iPad and autocorrect changes things to some odd choices that occasionally I don't notice.
Marie
@Maryea, I too have been undone by Costco samples. I figured out with a complicated math equation -- and info at the pizza website -- what that 1.5 in square pizza sample cost me. 120 cals! Ack!
[COLOR="LightBlue"]Hi Marie Thanks for the nice note. At TOPS club/ tops.org when you reach your weight goal you are a KOPS, K=keeping, O=off, P=pounds, S=sensibly. We have nutritional support & do health programs, play games, have medical guests, say a pledge weekly & support our chapter TOPS members. TOPS, T=taking, O=off, P=pounds, S=sensibly is a huge family all over the USA & many provinces in Canada also for men, women & children; every state has a yearly rally & there is also a International rally yearly, it's base headquarters is in Milwaukee,WI. We meet once a week, dues $1 & TOPS national yearly dues are about $26 with a magazine. I am our chapters charm awards (pins, charms, charm bracelets) coordinator for the 2 best weekly/monthly best losers, etc. Getting on the weight scale is private, only our 2 weight recorders know our gains & losses. Our chapter had the state champion loser last year over -100 + # loss, in just 2 years & this year our states 3rd biggest loser with a 91# loss taking her just over 2 years doing it naturally...If You Bite It...You Must Write It...in a daily food diary.
It's a bigggg family style club where everyone is put at ease for 2 hours a week. Gotta go take my doggies potty now Bye, Dee COLOR]
OOPS...I gotta Keep the doggies off my lap & laptop, sorry they hit SEND before I could edit this.... My post had said: Hi Marie Thanks for the nice note. At TOPS club, tops.org when you reach your weight goal you become a KOPS, K=keeping, O=off, P=pounds, S=sensibly. We have nutritional support & do health programs, play games, have medical guests, & support our chapter TOPS members. TOPS, T=taking, O=off, P=pounds, S=sensibly is a huge family all over the USA & in Canada for men, women & children; each state has a yearly rally & also a International rally yearly, it's base headquarters is in Milwaukee,WI. We meet once a week, dues $1 & TOPS national annual dues about $26 with a magazine. I'm our chapters coordinator, charm awards (pins, charms, charm bracelets) for the 2 best weekly/monthly best losers, etc. The weight scale is private, only our 2 weight recorders know our gains & losses. Our chapter had the state champion loser last year over -100 # loss, in 2 years & this year our states 3rd biggest loser with a 91# loss taking her just over 2 years doing it boyh did it naturally...If You Bite It...You Must Write It... is our daily food diary motto in our club. Gotta go take my doggies potty now. Bye, Dee
Dee, I definitely know what TOPS was but KOPS was not known. I guess the idea is you're your own cop to keep the pounds away. I totally agree with the logging food. If I go over a day or two without logging my foods, I start increasing portions and choosing less healthy. I log food =
Crimson, without a doubt the Costco samples can hurt. I have, on occasion, had them help. If I'm ravenous, a sample will tide me over till I leave the store and skip their snack bar. As they have NO decent healthy choices there, it is better to have just the sample.
I'm on track today and didn't go over by 170 yesterday. I did go over by 85 cals so I felt good about that considering how much exercise I got. Today I had a Halloween snack size mint candy at 80 cals. Not something I'd do normally but one treat isn't bad on my favorite holiday.
Marie
Yesterday was not so good, today was way better. Just a little candy and everything else was good and I got in my step class at the Y before the trick or treating began.I have a lot of job related stress right now and have to really fight the urge to overeat (and drink) and am I am not always winning the battle. However, I don't want to deal with extra weight along with very real possibility of losing my job soon so I guess I better get cracking on both fronts!
I had an on plan day and got in 60 minutes at the Y for a weight training class. The scale was actually down today but I will have to wait and see if it sticks. I hope you are all doing well.
Tera, great news the weight was down today. You'll get it to stick. It is quiet lately. We misplaced Rie when she got sick. We'll just keep plugging away.
Food wise I had a good day. Vehicle wise not so good. I hit a deer this morning and it damaged my Jeep. I had a packet of m&ms this morning but made up for the calories this evening. After the doggie hike this morning, came back to power out at the house so there was no elliptical or treadmill. I did exercise after work so I guess I'm on track. I feel like I w run over by the day but I guess it didn't get the best of me.
Marie
We drove home yesterday. I didn't count calories but know I was high the other two days and am sure I was high yesterday. I only went off plan for lunch and ate fine in the evening at least. But my lunches were very high cal/carb and my bs was in the diabetic normal rather than normal normal. This am it was high again but it was normal normal after breakfast, so will try to keep it that way. Last night I was so full I didn't realize I forgot to eat my last MF meal. It was too late anyway I wouldn't have wanted to eat that late. We didn't go to the gym today but we did a lot of walking while we were at the beach and I walked extra whenever I could just be sure I was active. I gained .2# this past week but don't think that is too bad considering. I really didn't expect to lose. But now I hope I start losing again. My meals so far today:
breakfast - 1/2 bottle slim-fast with added fiber
am snack/lunch - veg beef soup with added fiber
Hi Crimson, glad to see new people here! Wow that's a lot for a sample! I'm going to have to watch them closer. When Costco first opened up and i saw what they were doing with the samples, I just estimated about 35 (over all samples) cal a piece and 4 carbs but sounds like that may be way too low! I think I'd better go back to being very choosy which ones I take again.
Tera - Glad you are back on track...remember we can do this! One day, one month at a time, just keep plugging away. There will be slipups but we just have to get back on track again.
Minidoodles - welcome! I do everything you do (right down to the Kosher salt!) except the mini spoon. Others have mentioned that on the GG thread...maybe I should try that too.
Evening all. Today was a good day but not quite as on track as the other days. I wanted a morning snack so much so I made the fat free micro popcorn. It kept my mouth busy so the 200 calls were worth it. I was really tired on the elliptical this morning and actually thought of giving up for the day. I'm glad I didn't or I'd have felt guilty. Tomorrow is my exercise day of rest except the doggie hike in the morning. Tomorrow morning I might actually need my snow boots for the trek instead of my hikers.
Mary, good job getting right back on track. Just please be careful going in and out of ketosis.
Hi to our other challengers. I hope all is going well.
Marie
breakfast - 1/2 bottle slim-fast
am snack/lunch - veg beef soup with added fiber
Lunch/snack - MF Cheese Pizza Bites - these need a diet Pepsi which I didn't have!
pm snack/dinner - Chicken Stir-fry - I picked out my chicken and 1 1/2 cups broccoli and red pepper. Only had 3 1/2 oz chicken so I also scrambled a couple egg whites...still not really enough protein for MF but all I could eat.
pm snack#1
Dinner/snack - MF Chocolate Pudding and 6 cashews, 1 T. PB
Eve Snack - My mocha with added protein and fiber
A little more fiber with water later.
Ended up with 1036 calories and 97.3 carb grams. I call that OP. No exercise today though.
Just a quick post for now to say I lost 1.6# overnight! But will it still be there next Wed (my weekly weigh-in), who knows...stay tuned...
My current goal is 150 so it made me really happy to see 151.2 this am!! I'll probably be back later.
breakfast - MF oatmeal (I sneaked on 1 T milk)
am snack - my mocha
lunch - veg beef soup with added fiber
pm snack/dinner - 1 T pb and 6 cashews, tuna salad (little mayo) with carrot, onions and red pepper in it on salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber). Realized didn't have enough protein so I had a 1/2 fat-free vanilla yogurt (against MF rules but I'm on my own adapted plan now!)
eve snack#1 MF Cinnamon Sticks
eve snack#2 MF Banana Pudding with 1 teaspoon sugar free caramel syrup, 3 cashews.
eve snack #3 !! 9 frosted shredded wheat bite-size biscuits with 2 Tablespoons 2% milk. I usually drink NF but since I've been on MF I haven't drank milk so all I had was Joe's. Hadn't had cereal in over 11 weeks and just wanted a little bit, but it really didn't taste that good.
Ended up with 989 calories and about 130 carb servings.
Mary, awesome on the weight loss. I think I've mentioned that I always have water weight gain after traveling so maybe that's true for you and the weight will stay gone. You're doing great.
I gave into the munchies this morning. Ai literally couldn't think about work I was so in the mood for snack food. I settled on a NF Starbucks peppermint mocha. My calories are over by just about that. Oh well. At least I didn't buy the scone or crackers or cookies that I saw.
Marie
Are there other motivating sites that you all enjoy? 
are still not tight/muscle. I don't know how to do a 'buddy list here'. Does anyone need a 'support buddy? Time to go eat a pudding cup & walk away from the Halloween candy 
Thanks for the nice note. At TOPS club/ tops.org when you reach your weight goal you are a KOPS, K=keeping, O=off, P=pounds, S=sensibly. We have nutritional support & do health programs, play games, have medical guests, say a pledge weekly & support our chapter TOPS members. TOPS, T=taking, O=off, P=pounds, S=sensibly is a huge family all over the USA & many provinces in Canada also for men, women & children; every state has a yearly rally & there is also a International rally yearly, it's base headquarters is in Milwaukee,WI. We meet once a week, dues $1 & TOPS national yearly dues are about $26 with a magazine. I am our chapters charm awards (pins, charms, charm bracelets) coordinator for the 2 best weekly/monthly best losers, etc. 
club where everyone is put at ease for 2 hours a week. Gotta go take my doggies potty now 
Bye, Dee COLOR]
