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Old 01-12-2008, 12:13 PM   #1  
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Thankfully I overhead someone mention this site on closing day of the Center I was attending. I really thought while I was making lifestyle changes as a result of what I was learning, I wouldn't be able to continue as I had been. After monitoring this site for a couple of weeks, I think I've actually learned more here and am better motivated than when I had a Center. I had the too common problem of having frequent changes in personnel and one would tell me one thing and another something contradictory. Because the site volumn is overwhelming to me (and I'm computer challenged, too), I've seen some traffic on these questions, but maybe not exact. I am 5'4", originally 196 in June, and am down to around 156 now. I'd been interested in some thoughts on the following:

-What is your recommendation on frequency of TO? I'd been told every two weeks, only when had reached a plateau, and hardly ever or your body will get use to it. I've seen frequent TO "conversations" on here, but don't know if New Year's resolutions were the flurry cause, or most do it quite frequent.

-My COD had given me the official TO printed sheet (FF,2 gr vegs, 6oz p, 2lites, water, lite salt), but the second time I did it with a different counselor recommending, an additional hand typed sheet labeled "3 Day Menu after 2 Day Take Off" which said p use only chicken, tuna; S Light Bread; V anything green; f grapefruit or pineapple; everything else same as regular plan. Do any of you do this or have an opinion if you should do both things together?

-I had heard some foods "in moderation or infrquently", but only have very few with astericks in my book. In one thread I believe I saw bananas listed? I use 1/2 as a fruit five days a week with bran cereal. Is that too much with both fruit and bran cereal in a weeks time? I have it down to a "no think, just eat" in the early morning pre-work routine but I've seen a lot of traffic to make sure there is variety. I'm trying, but I really do eat a lot of repetitive things. My favorite is roasted chickens from various places but I think I read that may not bee good because of non-home preparations.

-I get confused with the color plans (had never heard of numbered until this site) as when you need to switch. If you are currently continuing to lose without being stalled (even if it's just a teeny bit up or down one week), is there a need to switch when weight reaches certain intervals? That's another one where I was on the blue plan my whole time and the very last day, the counselor told me she didn't know why they'd marked my chart with something about no plan changes, but she personally thought I should try switching to yellow. There's not much different other than I lost a starch and 1/2 protein, which hasn't caused me angst.

-I have never been an exercise person, but DH (I'll learn the lingo, newbie thread was great!) gave me an exercise bike for birthday. I really do like the lites (was my panic part as they closed owing me 31 boxes and I didn't have much of a supply but have read about the great alternatives) and have used them as my "incentives" throughout the day. I usually have one mid afternoon and like the last one late in the evening. If I ride the bike late in the evening, do you think this timing is okay? Should I eat the lite right before or after? I've been reading that I really should be getting the fruits and starches in earlier in the day, so I've tried to readjust those instead of using as my snack late in evening.

-I read great tips on warm lemon water. Is everyday doing this too much?

-There are some of those events that we all must attend at one time or another where we know we can't be totally on plan. When that happens, I've usually just been cutting out or back on anything else for that particular day, and then "assuming" that it helps with the intake of the additional "off plan" stuff I may have to eat. Because this is truly a lifestyle change and not a diet, I'm still aware of exchanges as I'm going through what's available, but sometimes there are no good choices at all. Also, if you know you've had one of these "off plan things", should you do TO following if it wasn't catostrophic?

My husband commenting as he was having to help me carry in more bags than usual from shopping trip and commented that I must have kit a Christmas clearance sale on things like Food Saver and supplies, electronic scale, etc. Great thread on gadgets!

Way too long as I don't see how everyone has the chance to respond as much as they do. All of you that have been around (and seem like tight knit across the country and world friends) should pat yourselves on the back for being an inspiration to so many. It will probably take me a few more months to figure out screen names vs response names, but I'm getting there. Cindy everything else had been take up when I registered, so Grandma Cindy it is ... a very young 50 yo grandmother, that is! Thanks!
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Old 01-12-2008, 12:51 PM   #2  
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Hi Cindy Welcome!!!. You've done great so far, keep it up.

I'm no expert and i'm sure i dont have all the answers to your questions but i'll answer what i can.

-I personally dont think anyone should do TO every 2 weeks. I think your body could get used to that and then it wont work. If you really want to do TO i would suggest no more than once a month. Thats just me tho.

-My COD closed also and i was on hold for a while so i missed alot of new info. I dont know anything about the 2nd sheet you got regarding TO.

-You do need to change things up. I was told by COD that you should only have bananas a few times a week if that much. You should change things up for breakfast instead of having the same things. I know its hard, it just to easy to eat the same thing so you dont have to think about it. You should pay attention to what you are eating and how it affects you. With me if i eat peanut butter, frozen meals, have orange juice, pineapple & v8 i dont lose or lose very little. Everyone is different and foods affect us differently so you have to see what works for you. The roasted chickens are probably not great because of all the sodium, when you make it at home you control all the ingredients. Having it out once in a while is fine but not too much.

-Are you on the Gold plan now? The one under gold is green. I did gold before and was told that i couldnt go down to green until i reached 128lbs. So changing plans has more to do with your weight than if you plateaued. Did you have any medical problems or anything that you can think of that made them say that you should not go below blue? Maybe someone else would be able to help with that one but i can go below Red1 now because i'm breastfeeding so even if i reach 135lbs or whatever i cannot switch until i stop breastfeeding. This is why i'm thinking that there was probably a reason why they said no plan changes for you.

-When i did lites i would always have them as my mid morning and mid afternoon snack. i cant really remember if they say you shouldnt have them late. I dont do lites or any substitutes now. When i did the gold plan i stalled at one point and thats when i started to exercise and the weight started coming off again. A little exercise a day helps. i was only doing the elliptical for about 30mins a day. I dont think you should be having the lite really late. If you are exercising before you go to bed its probably not a good idea to eat and then go to bed.

- as far as lemon water everyday. i dont think you need to do it everyday. I only did it when i needed to lose some water weight but didnt want to do TO. If you have a meal thats high sodium or you eat out then you can do the lemon water to get rid of some of the water.

-When i know i'm going out to a place where i'll be eating i save some exchanges for that. I'd probably save a protein, starch, 2 veggies, 1 fruit & fat. just try to do the best you can to stick to the plan. In this case you dont have to do TO unless you havent done it in a few weeks and feel like doing it or you can do the lemon water and just watch what you are eating for the next few days so you dont have a gain.

Hope this helps. We have a great group and theres lots of info so we dont need the stupid COD!. LOL.
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Old 01-12-2008, 02:13 PM   #3  
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Old 01-12-2008, 03:25 PM   #4  
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Welcome Cindy

I am not going to take a lot of time to answer each of your questions specifically, as I am getting ready to watch the fabulous Green Bay Packers........but I did want to mention that whatever you are doing.........keep doing it. You have had great success so far!!! I would recommend reporting your WI on Monday's with us on the January WI thread, just to give you the accountability you had with your COD. Many of the questions are really quite subjective. What works for some, does not work well for others. I think, as with anything, we must incorporate common sense into this plan.

One thing I will say is that I only do a TO or FF when I either have been off plan for more than a couple of days, or when I have stayed POP and the sclae won't budge for more than 2 weeks. Other than that........I try to stay away from them. Many people (me included at times) use a TO to bail out after being naughty. This is not really condusive to a healthy lifestyle change......you know

I eat a lot of repettitive things also....and when I am POP, I lose. Dr. Oz, in his book, You On A Diet, actually recommends this practice. The goal is to get all of your nutrients in so your body works efficiently. Sometimes, I think conselors would just say, "you need to mix up your food choices," cuz they couldn't think of anything else. Most often, I think people stall for long periods of time because they aren't accurately measuring their foods, or not getting them all in. BLT's, or bites, licks, and tastes can add a lot of calories at the end of the day. Many people forget about BLT's (me included) and then wonder why they aren't losing.

As far as when to eat.........I try to get my foods in early.....but mostly I try to listen to my body. If we want this lifestyle change to stick, we need to listen to our bodies. If I have eaten breakfast, and I am really not hungry when it is my snack time........then I wait. And I take the time to eat when I am actually hungry.......I try really hard not to ignore that. Also.......I really enjoy a small bowl of air popped popcorn at night with morton's lite salt......and that is a a starch.......and it makes me happy. I want to be happy in this lifestyle change.........so I try not to sacrifice EVERYTHING that is enjoyable. And really........I have made a sacrifice by having air popped popcorn ( the real kind) with lite salt. There is my lifestyle change. But I am still having it when I want it

Anyway......I will try to take more time later......I have to straighten up my family room for the game.......

Stick with us........I know it seems weird at first.......but before you know it......you will fit right in
XOXO
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Old 01-12-2008, 04:06 PM   #5  
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I am no expert, let me tell you… I do know what works for me tho. And I think that is what most people have to take into account. What works for one might not work well for someone else. I do love all the advice I get on here and have taken what works for me and run with it and something’s I’ve tried and well, maybe someday! So, the following is only my opinion.

TO - I’ve only done a TO once, and that was when I wasn’t eating much anyway, but it didn’t do a thing for me. For some reason, I bought some TO juice here a while back and now I don’t know if I want to put myself through that. On our TO, we get unlimited green veggies. But the rest is the same. I know I didn’t get heavy because of green veggies, so, I don’t think that that would make a difference. So, I guess I don’t recommend a TO unless you aren’t getting anywhere with any other plateau busters or dietary changes and maybe want to kick start the weight loss again?

‘Infrequent’ - I was eating applesauce every day for several weeks – with cottage cheese. I was addicted to the stuff! Now it’s oatmeal. Almost every day I’m eating that stuff – along with either a banana or frozen strawberries. I would say, if you are still losing, although may have slowed down, you could try a different fruit…but continue with your bananas - maybe only 2-3x a week instead of 5. Some people really need that extra potassium(?) that bananas provide.

Which plan - I did not like the numbered plans. I gained weight. But, I do ‘combine’ the two in a way. I make it work for me. I take some of the food selections from each and I am still losing. On Gold, I was losing but slowly, put myself on Green and whoosh – started losing pretty good again! I am 4” taller than you and only 5 pounds less. You might try cutting a fruit out? But then again, if Gold is going well for you, stick with it. People at work were worried I would starve on Green. I will not let myself be hungry – trust me!!

Exercise - I was exercising pretty good in the summer. I walked at least once first thing in the morning and then sometimes in the evening as well. I only do about 15 minutes in the morning at work (recumbent bike) and want to start 15 minutes on the elliptical next week to try to get my metabolism going good and try to get rid of some of this stomach and thigh fat… UGH. That’s where the last 10-15 pounds would come from!!!

I eat my lites (or alternatives) the same way you do – afternoon and evening. I need that sweet in the evening. I eat 1-1 ½ hours before bed. Otherwise, I am STARVING when I get up. Although, I do try NOT to eat anything chocolate in the evening. I either have a shake or a Honey Nougat. I don’t know why, maybe just psychological, but it seems to be working!

HLW – only when I have eaten something off plan and need to purge the sodium. Like yesterday, had Chinese. Only up .6 on my scale, so Go ME! Still drank the HLW this morning and probably tomorrow morning as well. I don’t like the stuff! LOL

Hope that helps. Like I said, I am in no way an expert at this. I’m still learning as I go and trying to what’s best for me in the long run.

now I'm going to watch Nicole's Packers too...
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Old 01-12-2008, 04:11 PM   #6  
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Welcome Cindy!! Wow, you have really been taking time to educate yourself. Good job to you!
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Old 01-12-2008, 09:51 PM   #7  
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Oh, also......I do HLW when ever I feel like it. I sweeten it just a bit with slenda....and I actually like it. Lemon oil has a lot of health benefits (or so I hear)........so I don't think it will hurt you to have it every day......but I don't really think it is a necessary thing.

GO PACKERS!!!!
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Old 01-12-2008, 11:14 PM   #8  
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Hi Cindy,
You are getting a tremendous amount of valuable information in the responses previously posted in this thread. As a suggestion on how to possibly vary your choices, there is a menu thread(January Menu thread)where people have listed what they consume throughout the day, and I think you can pick up some great ideas there. Also, Deb has a cookbook which is over 400 pages which she can email you directly for further ideas. PM her, or go through one of the administrators and they can get that to you.
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Old 01-13-2008, 09:49 PM   #9  
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Glad your Packer's won. My husband's favorite teams are the Redskins and who ever is playing Dallas so he's having a good day, too! I don't have Popcorn in my book, but it is one of most missed favorite "treats". When COD was open, I purchased snack popcorn, but it was coated and only made me want more. How much unpopped or popped counts as a starch. I'm learning a lot and thank you for your responses. Cindy
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Old 01-14-2008, 02:25 PM   #10  
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unnofficially, I eat 2 T of unpopped popcorn, popped in the microwave in a lunch bag for 80 calories. 3T is 120 calories. I just pop it for about 1 min to 1 min 15 seconds, and then add a bit of morton's lite salt. It makes me very happy. This is not COD approved......but common sense says it's ok. Anyone have any input?
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Old 01-14-2008, 02:35 PM   #11  
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Nicole I have a question about the HLW. How many oz's do you do and do you squeeze a whole lemon or just half and what is this about putting the rind in? I just bought a lemon and I want to try it tonight......
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Old 01-14-2008, 03:42 PM   #12  
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I just mix it till it tastes right I have this little mini orange juicer, and I use the whole lemon, and then add say.....24 oz of water with a splash of splenda......then I heat it as I use it in a coffee mug.

I know many people here first nuke their lemon for a few seconds and then squeeze it into hot water. It has something to do with the lemon oil, and something to do with it being easier to get the juice out. I don't think there is any hard fast rule.......just whatever is convenient.
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Old 01-14-2008, 04:02 PM   #13  
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Thanks for the info I appreciate it! I hope it does me good! Ha ha!
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