Checkin
 

Daily check-in thread for a couple of people who are each others' diet buddies on the Beck plan. If you're looking for a diet buddy/coach, click here:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/beck-diet-solution-234/

to find the forum called

Beck Diet For Life/Solution – (current month) – Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach

report: didn't read my cards yesterday and forgot AGAIN to weigh this morning. I have got to figure that out -- it's really bothering me that I'm "forgetting" to weigh so often. Ate slowly and mindfully and sitting down, though I did eat fudge and cookies that the neighbors dropped off. The problem with making truffles and distributing them is that people reciprocate and I end up with too many goodies in the house. :) Ah, well. The holidays are almost over and my weight is still well under goal (or was yesterday) so I am actually feeling pretty good.

Originally Posted by :

In addition to not posting because I was so busy, I also wasn't posting because I found myself once again in a desperate daily struggle with my eating, and I was feeling too hopeless and ashamed to reach out for help.

We probably don't really need to talk about the fact this is counterproductive? :)

Originally Posted by :
Thinking about the possibility of dating (I have gotten some nibbles on eHarmony but have not yet had the courage to try reeling any of them in!!) brought out all of the old core issues that underlie my eating problems, issues I thought I had laid to rest long ago. There have been moments in the past few weeks when I have wanted to totally give up, but then I read my advantages deck and remind myself of all the very compelling reasons I want to be thin, which gets me back on track for a couple of days. But it doesn't last, and that scares the crap out of me. I don't want to go back to my old life. I CAN'T go back. The biggest lesson I have learned in the last few weeks is just how right Beck is when she says that the pain is in the struggle to DECIDE whether or not to eat something. I am arguing with myself for hours over what to eat or not eat, and man, is it painful. I need to remember the NO CHOICE lesson.

Maybe even repeat some of the exercises?

Originally Posted by :
There have been a couple of bright spots amid all of my recent angst. I sang my solo in church last Sunday, and it went extremely well, better than I could have hoped for. I am very proud that I really put myself out there. And I have made amazing progress with my personal trainer, who is pushing me really hard at this point. This week, for instance, he timed me while I repeatedly climbed a staircase THREE steps at a time!!! And I had my regular semi-annual visit to my GP. My diabetes is still in complete remission, and he told me that he has never had a patient so completely transform their health and lifestyle.

So that's actually a lot of bright spots. The muscles in your legs must be excellent! :) Glad the singing went well, and of course the diabetes. Put what your doctor said into your memory box.

Originally Posted by :
He also referred me to an oncologist for input on what to do about my high risk of breast cancer. I have an appointment scheduled for the middle of January.

Fingers crossed.

Originally Posted by :
With the exception of working hard in the gym, I have let a lot of my Beck skills slide recently, and it is really scary and demoralizing to see just how easy it is to backslide. I've had several binges, have eaten in the car and standing at the refrigerator, have weighed myself only sporadically, and have not always planned my food in advance, which has been particularly problematic given the holiday goodies that seem to be everywhere I go.

Thankfully they're over soon. It's only ten more days until the new year. When these binges happen, what is the process? Are you binging on NS desserts, or what?

Originally Posted by :
After every episode of unplanned eating, I have managed to get back on track for a couple of days before the next episode, so the damage to my weight is still manageable at this point (I weighed 131 this morning)--assuming I don't let things get out of hand any further.

So you know you can get back on track, even if it only lasts a few days each time at this point. And you've now proven to yourself that getting off track ISN'T a catastrophe and doesn't immediately signal the beginning of the end.

Originally Posted by :
I am taking my Nutrisystem food, my scale, and my computer with me to my brother's house so that I can get back on track. One good thing about going there is that my SIL has maintained a 30 pound weight loss for several years now. She is extremely careful about what she eats and goes to the gym almost every day. So I will go to the gym with her, and I do not have to worry about her pushing food on me. And hopefully I will be able to catch up on some sleep. Part of my problem is simply that I am exhausted, both physically and emotionally.

Is your SIL someone you can share with at all?

Report: didn't read my cards, weighed (2.4 under goal, ack! Need a low day today but I'm giving a party tonight so it'll be tough.) Ate slowly and mindfully, skipping the food at a party last night and having only one glass of wine there, but then I had more wine when I got back home and of course a wine-induced snackfest which is probably where the 2.6 gained since yesterday comes in.

Thanks for calling to check in last night while you were on the road! Hope the rest of the journey was uneventful.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
report: didn't read my cards yesterday and forgot AGAIN to weigh this morning. I have got to figure that out -- it's really bothering me that I'm "forgetting" to weigh so often. Ate slowly and mindfully and sitting down, though I did eat fudge and cookies that the neighbors dropped off. The problem with making truffles and distributing them is that people reciprocate and I end up with too many goodies in the house. :) Ah, well. The holidays are almost over and my weight is still well under goal (or was yesterday) so I am actually feeling pretty good.

Since I haven't been reading posts, I didn't know you had been forgetting to weigh. Can you move the scale to a more visible location, or put a reminder on your bathroom mirror? And YAY YOU for being so far under your goal at this time of year! That's an awesome accomplishment!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
We probably don't really need to talk about the fact this is counterproductive? :)

Ummmm........no. :)

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Maybe even repeat some of the exercises?

Definitely. When I get home, I am going to start all over again at the beginning.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
So that's actually a lot of bright spots. The muscles in your legs must be excellent! :) Glad the singing went well, and of course the diabetes. Put what your doctor said into your memory box.

Yep, I have some killer muscles in my legs! My calves are so ridged and sculpted that I keep cutting myself when I shave my legs--too many bumps! The singing was awesome. I was just beyond tickled. Pretty amazing for the girl who was afraid to make noise. I am going to put that in my memory box along with the comment that my doctor made.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Fingers crossed.

Yeah. I have pushed that issue way to the back of my mind. But it's not going to go away. :(

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Thankfully they're over soon. It's only ten more days until the new year. When these binges happen, what is the process? Are you binging on NS desserts, or what?

Yep, it's NS desserts every time--like 8-12 at a clip. The fact that it's "diet" food makes me feel like there is a line I have not crossed (at least I'm not eating my old binge foods), but of course the calories still add up, and I am still strengthening my giving-in muscle. :(

Originally Posted by va1erie:
So you know you can get back on track, even if it only lasts a few days each time at this point. And you've now proven to yourself that getting off track ISN'T a catastrophe and doesn't immediately signal the beginning of the end.

This could have been the beginning of the end. In fact it felt more like the middle of the end at times. But I feel much, much better now that I reached out. Just the fact that I am now committed to daily communication will go a long way--I'm much less likely to gobble 10 desserts if I have to tell you about it later!! :o

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Is your SIL someone you can share with at all?

She's not someone I could share deep emotional stuff with (although she and my niece did mention last night that they thought I should try online dating, so that would have been a natural opening!), but she is very supportive of healthy eating, is very knowledgeable about nutrition, and is an excellent cook, too. Just this morning she had me try Greek yogurt for breakfast, with fresh strawberries. I had never tried Greek yogurt before, and it was really good. It's so nice to open her refrigerator and see all kinds of fresh fruit and fresh vegetables all cut up and sorted into baggies (mostly for the party this afternoon, but still....).

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: didn't read my cards, weighed (2.4 under goal, ack! Need a low day today but I'm giving a party tonight so it'll be tough.) Ate slowly and mindfully, skipping the food at a party last night and having only one glass of wine there, but then I had more wine when I got back home and of course a wine-induced snackfest which is probably where the 2.6 gained since yesterday comes in.

Thanks for calling to check in last night while you were on the road! Hope the rest of the journey was uneventful.

I'm confused. When did the snackfest occur? After we talked on the phone? You could not possibly have eaten enough extra calories to gain 2.6 pounds, though. I know that much! It will quickly disappear. Make a plan for the party tonight.

My Exerspy said I burned up over 1800 calories yesterday, which surprised me considering that I was in the car most of the day. Since I only ate 1210, I was definitely in deficit. I weighed 130.2 this morning (down .6). I read my cards last night before bed.

OK, let's hope I can submit this. I am getting very frustrated with this. The last time the page crashed, a window popped up saying I was exceeding my memory capacity, which I don't get at all.

Have a wonderful day today!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
I'm confused. When did the snackfest occur? After we talked on the phone? You could not possibly have eaten enough extra calories to gain 2.6 pounds, though. I know that much! It will quickly disappear. Make a plan for the party tonight.

I'd actually had a mini snackfest before we spoke -- it wasn't too bad, though. Mostly it's just salt. BUT I again didn't weigh this morning -- grr! The problem is that I'm often rising before my husband and don't want to wake him, and I'm out of the bedroom before I weigh. Ate reasonably yesterday, even though the party was here. Went to my class in the morning, walked there and back even though it's been cold, yay me! No class next week as the instructor/trainer is on vacation, so I need to work out alone. Probably a combination of the treadmill, dumbbells, maybe pushups and planks here at home.

Originally Posted by :
My Exerspy said I burned up over 1800 calories yesterday, which surprised me considering that I was in the car most of the day. Since I only ate 1210, I was definitely in deficit. I weighed 130.2 this morning (down .6). I read my cards last night before bed.

So, yay for being down a bit! And for reading your cards.

Hope you had a good day!

Val

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I'd actually had a mini snackfest before we spoke -- it wasn't too bad, though. Mostly it's just salt. BUT I again didn't weigh this morning -- grr! The problem is that I'm often rising before my husband and don't want to wake him, and I'm out of the bedroom before I weigh. Ate reasonably yesterday, even though the party was here. Went to my class in the morning, walked there and back even though it's been cold, yay me! No class next week as the instructor/trainer is on vacation, so I need to work out alone. Probably a combination of the treadmill, dumbbells, maybe pushups and planks here at home.

So, yay for being down a bit! And for reading your cards.

Hope you had a good day!

Val

I have to type fast--this is the first time I've been able to load this page in at least 25 tries!!

As for your scale, can you move it out of the bedroom? Good for you for eating "reasonably well" at the party and for planning your workout for when your instructor is away. I kinda like walking in the cold; I find it refreshing. I took a really long walk in the cold one day about two weeks ago (one of the days when I was trying really hard to get back on track).

Today we all went to the gym in the morning. My brother hadn't been in a long time but was inspired to go because I was going, so that was nice! i couldn't believe how small, cramped, and crowded the gym was compared to the one I go to. I guess that's the difference in the price of real estate in OH vs. NJ!

This afternoon my SIL and spent the whole day shopping and had a great time. The only problem was that we stayed out much longer than we had anticipated and I hadn't planned for it or brought food, and neither had my SIL. We ended up so insanely hungry that we ended up going to the food court, where everything was already closed up for the day except for an Asian place. We ordered a portion of chicken and broccoli with green beans instead of rice and shared it, but everything was drowning in oil. It was actually kind of gross. I have no idea how many calories would have been in that, but counting it as 700 (seems like a worst case scenario, since I only ate half the portion), I ate no more than 1500 calories today and have already burned over 1600, so I should be OK. My weight was up .4 this morning (130.6).

On the long drive home from shopping, my SIL and I had a good talk about Bethy and my other friends' reactions to my weight loss. I was actually surprised at the extent to which she understood the issues. We talked about the possibility of me dating, too.

I am going to an 11PM church service tonight by myself, which will be a little sad for me, but it would just seem wrong to me not to go at all. My SIL and the one niece who is here tonight are Jewish, my brother couldn't care less about church, and my other niece is with her in-laws out of town tonight.

I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

OK, my fingers are crossed that this page won't crash when I hit submit!

Typing fast, too, as I've got a gazillion things to do before folks start showing up. Weighed this morning, although I almost forgot -- 2.4 below goal, which is scary up but it's unlikely I'll have a low day today. Oh, well, move on. Got no exercise, but ate slowly and mindfully yesterday even though Christmas Eve is our traditional "Bring in crap takeout food" night.

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:

As for your scale, can you move it out of the bedroom?

Unfortunately the only place to move it would be to the kids' bathroom, where I'd be even less likely to remember it in the morning. I just have to be more diligent. I almost forgot this morning but went back in as quietly as I could and did it, yay me!

Originally Posted by :
Good for you for eating "reasonably well" at the party and for planning your workout for when your instructor is away. I kinda like walking in the cold; I find it refreshing. I took a really long walk in the cold one day about two weeks ago (one of the days when I was trying really hard to get back on track).

I love walking in the cold! Maybe I can get the hubs to walk with me -- he likes walking a lot, and he's off all next week. And he'll keep me moving fast with his long legs. :)

Originally Posted by :
Today we all went to the gym in the morning. My brother hadn't been in a long time but was inspired to go because I was going, so that was nice! i couldn't believe how small, cramped, and crowded the gym was compared to the one I go to. I guess that's the difference in the price of real estate in OH vs. NJ!

How fun to have a family gym day! :)

Originally Posted by :
This afternoon my SIL and spent the whole day shopping and had a great time. The only problem was that we stayed out much longer than we had anticipated and I hadn't planned for it or brought food, and neither had my SIL. We ended up so insanely hungry that we ended up going to the food court, where everything was already closed up for the day except for an Asian place. We ordered a portion of chicken and broccoli with green beans instead of rice and shared it, but everything was drowning in oil. It was actually kind of gross. I have no idea how many calories would have been in that, but counting it as 700 (seems like a worst case scenario, since I only ate half the portion), I ate no more than 1500 calories today and have already burned over 1600, so I should be OK. My weight was up .4 this morning (130.6).

Actually sounds like a very reasonable decision to me, especially when it's not likely to happen often.

Originally Posted by :
On the long drive home from shopping, my SIL and I had a good talk about Bethy and my other friends' reactions to my weight loss. I was actually surprised at the extent to which she understood the issues. We talked about the possibility of me dating, too.

I suspect most women have had a similar experience of learning that a trusted friend wasn't trustworthy. I certainly have, and Jane already has. Not a happy thing to be able to share, but it's good to be able to find empathy.

Originally Posted by :
I am going to an 11PM church service tonight by myself, which will be a little sad for me, but it would just seem wrong to me not to go at all. My SIL and the one niece who is here tonight are Jewish, my brother couldn't care less about church, and my other niece is with her in-laws out of town tonight.

Hope the church service was good, even though no one went with you.

Hope you have a great day! Do any of your brother's family celebrate Christmas at all, or will this be a Jews-Go-To-The-Movies-And-Chinese kind of day?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Typing fast, too, as I've got a gazillion things to do before folks start showing up. Weighed this morning, although I almost forgot -- 2.4 below goal, which is scary up but it's unlikely I'll have a low day today. Oh, well, move on. Got no exercise, but ate slowly and mindfully yesterday even though Christmas Eve is our traditional "Bring in crap takeout food" night.

LOL on the "bring in crap takeout food" night--what a wonderful family tradition!!:D

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Unfortunately the only place to move it would be to the kids' bathroom, where I'd be even less likely to remember it in the morning. I just have to be more diligent. I almost forgot this morning but went back in as quietly as I could and did it, yay me!

Nope, that wouldn't work!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I love walking in the cold! Maybe I can get the hubs to walk with me -- he likes walking a lot, and he's off all next week. And he'll keep me moving fast with his long legs. :)

Good plan! I noticed this week that I can easily keep up with my brother, who is much taller than I am and walks fast. I used to struggle to walk anywhere with him.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
How fun to have a family gym day! :)

It really was fun! Made me wish I have someone to go to the gym with at home.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Actually sounds like a very reasonable decision to me, especially when it's not likely to happen often.

I guess it must not have been as bad a choice as I thought, since my weight was down .8 this morning!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I suspect most women have had a similar experience of learning that a trusted friend wasn't trustworthy. I certainly have, and Jane already has. Not a happy thing to be able to share, but it's good to be able to find empathy.

Sadly, I'm sure that is true. What I was amazed at was how readily she understood how I feel about my friends pushing me to eat. She even understood exactly what I had meant by the "trashbag full of popcorn" comment that set Bethy off; she instantly got that I found the food repulsive but not Bethy for eating it.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Hope the church service was good, even though no one went with you.

It turned out to be a very small church with only about 20 people in attendance, so I felt a little like an interloper breaking into a very established group. But it was an absolutely beautiful, perfect service, and everyone there was extremely friendly and welcoming to me. It was actually a very good experience.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Hope you have a great day! Do any of your brother's family celebrate Christmas at all, or will this be a Jews-Go-To-The-Movies-And-Chinese kind of day?

We were going to go to the movies but ended up just hanging out here instead. My brother's family does celebrate Christmas. When the kids were little, they celebrated both Hannukah and Christmas, but basically just the getting-presents parts! When my mother was alive, we always had Christmas at her house. Since my mother has been gone, my brother's family has put up a tree here, decorated with all of the ornaments from my family, going back to when we were little. We just finished opening gifts a little while ago, and everyone is on their way to bed now.

My SIL, my niece, and I spent a couple of hours this afternoon going through bags of their old clothes, which they'd put aside to donate. I ended up with a big bag of stuff to take home (all expensive designer stuff in great condition), including some adorable skirts that my niece wore in 9th grade!

I haven't read the data from my Exerspy yet today and am afraid to leave this page in order to do that, lest I can't get back to it. It's been a pretty sedentary day, but I doubt I took in more calories than I burned, since I ate around 1300. (What we all ate for dinner was baked salmon, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and sweet potatoes [of which I only ate about two tablespoons]--definitely the healthiest Christmas dinner I have ever had!)

I read my cards last night before I went to sleep and will do so again right now. Tomorrow I am leaving to meet Bev in PA. I will check in tomorrow night, though, either here or by email. It seems that this page is less likely to crash late at night, so maybe the issue has something to do with the number of people who are on the site at once?

Hope you had a magical Christmas!

Weighed (4 under goal, so somehow 1.6 dropped off overnight even though we had two holiday meals yesterday), no exercise except for that I got dealing with putting said meals together, ate reasonably though I did eat quite a few things standing up.

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
LOL on the "bring in crap takeout food" night--what a wonderful family tradition!!:D

Yes, we've been doing that for years. Our other embarrassing holiday tradition is "Frozen appetizer junk while decorating the Christmas Tree" night. :) Everyone gets to pick one appetizer from the frozen section and we set them out and put Christmas music on while we decorate the tree. I'm not sure how these got started, but I suspect there was pure laziness involved, as I do a LOT of heavy cooking days during the holidays.

Originally Posted by :
Good plan! I noticed this week that I can easily keep up with my brother, who is much taller than I am and walks fast. I used to struggle to walk anywhere with him.

Oh, very cool!

Originally Posted by :
It really was fun! Made me wish I have someone to go to the gym with at home.

Maybe you can find a gym buddy! Have you tried any classes after the disastrous Zoomba? You might like spinning. No coordination required.

Originally Posted by :
I guess it must not have been as bad a choice as I thought, since my weight was down .8 this morning!

Yay!

Originally Posted by :
Sadly, I'm sure that is true. What I was amazed at was how readily she understood how I feel about my friends pushing me to eat. She even understood exactly what I had meant by the "trashbag full of popcorn" comment that set Bethy off; she instantly got that I found the food repulsive but not Bethy for eating it.

Exactly. I am sure this is something many, many women who have lost weight and kept it off can understand.

Originally Posted by :
It turned out to be a very small church with only about 20 people in attendance, so I felt a little like an interloper breaking into a very established group. But it was an absolutely beautiful, perfect service, and everyone there was extremely friendly and welcoming to me. It was actually a very good experience.

So glad!

Originally Posted by :
We were going to go to the movies but ended up just hanging out here instead.

My SIL, my niece, and I spent a couple of hours this afternoon going through bags of their old clothes, which they'd put aside to donate. I ended up with a big bag of stuff to take home (all expensive designer stuff in great condition), including some adorable skirts that my niece wore in 9th grade!

Fun!

Originally Posted by :
I haven't read the data from my Exerspy yet today and am afraid to leave this page in order to do that, lest I can't get back to it. It's been a pretty sedentary day, but I doubt I took in more calories than I burned, since I ate around 1300. (What we all ate for dinner was baked salmon, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and sweet potatoes [of which I only ate about two tablespoons]--definitely the healthiest Christmas dinner I have ever had!)

Wow, sounds VERY healthy! Good for you guys! I got a new appliance for Christmas, a sous vide machine, which is basically a water oven. You put the food into a pouch and submerge it into water being held at the temperature the food cooks perfectly at -- for instance, for the turkey breast I was cooking, the water is set at 147 degrees, which is the temperature at which white meat turkey is perfectly cooked -- and then when you're ready to eat, you finish the food by quickly roasting or searing at a very high temp to get that nice browning. BEST TURKEY I'VE EVER MADE. And so simple and forgiving (you almost CAN'T overcook anything, because it takes the food to the correct temperature and holds it there so that even if you leave it in the machine for an extra HOUR it doesn't cook any further), literally anyone could do this and turn out perfect food every time.

Originally Posted by :
I read my cards last night before I went to sleep and will do so again right now. Tomorrow I am leaving to meet Bev in PA. I will check in tomorrow night, though, either here or by email. It seems that this page is less likely to crash late at night, so maybe the issue has something to do with the number of people who are on the site at once?

That could definitely be the problem, though I'd have thought I'd be having it too. Maybe it's also the time of year, too -- lots of folks thinking about starting diets soon. :) Most gyms and diet forums see a huge jump in traffic as the holidays wind down.

Have fun with Bev! I'll be interested to hear how it goes. I know she's pretty consistently expressed concern, to the point it's gotten tedious for you. Hope she feels reassured when she sees you're actually quite healthy. :)

Wednesday: report -- weighed, yay! 2.4 under goal, should have a low day but we're probably going out tonight to play trivia so I might not. The holidays will be over soon, and it looks like I'll stay under goal so I'm still pretty happy. Didn't exercise, grr. Maybe I'll haul the hubs out for a walk today.

Thursday: report -- weighed, yay! 2.4 under goal. Had a low day, so maybe tomorrow I'll be headed back down. Didn't exercise.

Monday Jan 2: weighed (3 under goal, yay!), went to my class, yay! It felt good to be back at class after a week off -- I missed it, and as I didn't get ANY exercise in the week the class was off, I know I really need the discipline the scheduled class offers me.

Tues: weighed (2.2 under goal, up .8 from yesterday, grr), ate slowly and mindfully and reasonably all day and then had a wine-induced snackfest. I hate that.

Obviously I got my computer back today. Other than just routine maintenance, the issues I was having were entirely due to a problem with this site. The technician said he actually contacted someone at this site who told him that lots of people are having problems with it and they are working to correct the problem. My fingers are crossed that they did in fact fix it, since I was able to get on here on the first try. :D

Weighed 128.8 this morning (up .8, probably due to the personal training session yesterday. Had a perfect NS day and am feeling in control. I read my cards, ate everything sitting down, ate slowly and mindfully, did not exercise, contacted my diet buddy--and hopefully will be able to do so via this site daily from now on!

Yay! You're back! And your front, and both sides! :D

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Obviously I got my computer back today. Other than just routine maintenance, the issues I was having were entirely due to a problem with this site. The technician said he actually contacted someone at this site who told him that lots of people are having problems with it and they are working to correct the problem. My fingers are crossed that they did in fact fix it, since I was able to get on here on the first try. :D

Well, I'm glad it wasn't a virus or something. How strange that so many people are having major issues while some of us aren't having any at all with the site.

Originally Posted by :
Weighed 128.8 this morning (up .8, probably due to the personal training session yesterday. Had a perfect NS day and am feeling in control. I read my cards, ate everything sitting down, ate slowly and mindfully, did not exercise, contacted my diet buddy--and hopefully will be able to do so via this site daily from now on!

Yay for feeling in control, and for recognizing that the .8 up was probably due to the training session instead of letting it make you anxious.

Report: weighed (yay, me) and ack, I'm at 1 under goal. I am noticing that at this weight, I my bra and jeans start to feel binding late in the day and I want to change into my jammies early. Amazing the difference just a few pounds can make in whether fitted clothing feels comfortable. It's not that these three or four pounds make me a size bigger -- the bra and jeans still fit, and the jeans aren't tight when I put them on -- but late in the day, I'm just feeling like I want them off. This isn't true just three or four pounds lighter. It's actually making me wonder if I ought to lower my hard stop weight another pound to 116.

This is the highest I've been, and uncomfortably close to goal, so I've decided I'm going to do a 5-day shakes-and-bars cleanse. It'll do multiple things for me -- I'll almost certainly lose weight while I do it, plus it's low-glycemic and will get me back to cravings-free, which after the past month and a half or so of eating bad carbs almost daily, I need. It's interesting that I don't feel huge anxiety over it, just a sense that okay, I need to do something about this. These five-day cleanses are a drag. Shakes three times a day at mealtimes, bars three times a day at snack times. But it really does work. I often find that within 2 days or so my cravings are gone and it starts to feel like too much food, and I end up skipping the third bar because by the time I'm ready for bed, I'm still feeling full from "dinner." Didn't exercise yesterday because I had a really rotten night's sleep and was finally dropping off around 3:30 so I unset my alarm. Probably won't exercise today as we have worker in our basement where my treadmill is. (Our dishwasher sprang a leak and leaked through the kitchen floor and into the basement before we'd realized it was happening. What a mess.)

This achiness is still with me -- it seems to be worse early in the day. I wake up feeling so achey it's hard to get out of bed, but now (three hours later) it's somewhat better, and it seems to me last night it was fine when I went to bed. I don't think it's exercise related. I'm going to keep track of how bad it is today, and I think I'm going to make an appointment to see the doc and find out what's going on.

Answering your email here: Jane's better most of the time, fingers crossed. She still has her ups and downs, but they seem more "normal." She missed a dose a few days ago and had a bad episode a day later, so we think the meds are definitely helping and that she's probably very sensitive to missing them if a single missed dose could make a difference.

Re: the 20 guy pushups. I want to get to that point, then make one of my daily habits doing those pushups. I read somewhere that one test of "fitness" is whether you can do 20 pushups, and that it's something everyone should be able to do no matter your age or gender because your ability to do it is keyed to your body weight, endurance and recovery rates, & your proportion of muscle to fat, but it's something that even very lean marathoners can't always do because their training often ignores their upper body. It's sort of a sign of overall fitness. One of the other tests of fitness is to be able to run a mile and then recover your breath/have your heart rate normalize within a certain time after finishing, but that's one's harder for me because of my knees. When I get my knees replaced, that'll be on my list.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yay! You're back! And your front, and both sides! :D

LOL!!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Well, I'm glad it wasn't a virus or something. How strange that so many people are having major issues while some of us aren't having any at all with the site.

I think the problem was specific to certain browsers.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yay for feeling in control, and for recognizing that the .8 up was probably due to the training session instead of letting it make you anxious.

My weight was unchanged today, but I'm fine with it. I suspect that I also might have been a little dehydrated, after losing 2.6 pounds in one day--a record for me!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (yay, me) and ack, I'm at 1 under goal. I am noticing that at this weight, I my bra and jeans start to feel binding late in the day and I want to change into my jammies early. Amazing the difference just a few pounds can make in whether fitted clothing feels comfortable. It's not that these three or four pounds make me a size bigger -- the bra and jeans still fit, and the jeans aren't tight when I put them on -- but late in the day, I'm just feeling like I want them off. This isn't true just three or four pounds lighter. It's actually making me wonder if I ought to lower my hard stop weight another pound to 116.

Yep, definitely time to do something. I know exactly what you mean about a few pounds making such a noticeable difference. In the old days, I could easily gain 10 pounds and not notice, but now I can feel every pound. I find it interesting that you are having the same experience, given that you were never even close to as heavy as I was. What do you see as being the function of your hard-stop weight? And what would lowering it by one pound mean for you? Based on my recent experience, I think I would recommend that you don't lower your hard-stop until you are a few pounds lighter so that you don't find yourself suddenly over that weight (which could easily happen, given daily fluctuations). Are you still graphing your weight so that you can see the overall trend? (I stopped doing that a long time ago but am thinking it might be a good idea to start again, at least for a while.) I think it is very significant that you are not anxious about being so close to your hard-stop. Recognizing that you need to do something about it, without panicking or beating yourself up about it, is something to celebrate! YAY YOU!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
This is the highest I've been, and uncomfortably close to goal, so I've decided I'm going to do a 5-day shakes-and-bars cleanse. It'll do multiple things for me -- I'll almost certainly lose weight while I do it, plus it's low-glycemic and will get me back to cravings-free, which after the past month and a half or so of eating bad carbs almost daily, I need. It's interesting that I don't feel huge anxiety over it, just a sense that okay, I need to do something about this. These five-day cleanses are a drag. Shakes three times a day at mealtimes, bars three times a day at snack times. But it really does work. I often find that within 2 days or so my cravings are gone and it starts to feel like too much food, and I end up skipping the third bar because by the time I'm ready for bed, I'm still feeling full from "dinner." Didn't exercise yesterday because I had a really rotten night's sleep and was finally dropping off around 3:30 so I unset my alarm. Probably won't exercise today as we have worker in our basement where my treadmill is. (Our dishwasher sprang a leak and leaked through the kitchen floor and into the basement before we'd realized it was happening. What a mess.)

What kind of bars and shakes do you use, and what is their nutritional composition (just curious!)? (By the way, have you seen the brouhaha over on the NS site about the addition of mandatory protein shakes? I'm not sure how I feel about that change.) So was today your first day on this cleanse? How did it go? Bummer on the dishwasher AND for its effect on your exercising!

For the very first time, I missed a personal training session today, for the same reason you missed your class. I just couldn't sleep last night (even though I didn't feel particularly anxious) and didn't drop off until around 7AM. I didn't think I'd make it through a session on 90 minutes of sleep, so when my alarm rang at 8:30, I got up and canceled my appointment and then went back to sleep.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
This achiness is still with me -- it seems to be worse early in the day. I wake up feeling so achey it's hard to get out of bed, but now (three hours later) it's somewhat better, and it seems to me last night it was fine when I went to bed. I don't think it's exercise related. I'm going to keep track of how bad it is today, and I think I'm going to make an appointment to see the doc and find out what's going on.

Your increased achiness obviously isn't due to an increase in exercise, but I wonder if it could have anything to do with having exercised less lately? Good idea to monitor it and check in with your doc.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Answering your email here: Jane's better most of the time, fingers crossed. She still has her ups and downs, but they seem more "normal." She missed a dose a few days ago and had a bad episode a day later, so we think the meds are definitely helping and that she's probably very sensitive to missing them if a single missed dose could make a difference.

I'm glad to hear that Jane is doing better. That has to make life a little easier for you, too. What's going on with the college situation?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Re: the 20 guy pushups. I want to get to that point, then make one of my daily habits doing those pushups. I read somewhere that one test of "fitness" is whether you can do 20 pushups, and that it's something everyone should be able to do no matter your age or gender because your ability to do it is keyed to your body weight, endurance and recovery rates, & your proportion of muscle to fat, but it's something that even very lean marathoners can't always do because their training often ignores their upper body. It's sort of a sign of overall fitness. One of the other tests of fitness is to be able to run a mile and then recover your breath/have your heart rate normalize within a certain time after finishing, but that's one's harder for me because of my knees. When I get my knees replaced, that'll be on my list.

My trainer has never had me try push-ups (the closest is those evil planks), but I feel quite certain that I could not "pass" either of the fitness tests you mentioned. But I will! I have made so much progress.

I had my first deep-tissue massage yesterday, and it did an amazingly good job at alleviating my exercise-induced soreness. In my conversation with the masseuse (while she was working on me), it turned out that she was a former student of mine (I didn't remember her, and she didn't recognize me due to the weight loss). ACK!! Nothing like lying there practically naked in a dark room and being massaged by a student!!

Tomorrow I have an appointment for a make-up consultation. I've never used make-up beyond mascara and lip gloss, and thought it would be interesting and fun to venture into the world of make-up. I'm looking forward to it. In other news, I got an email from one of my eHarmony matches a couple of days ago. Last night I responded to it (first time I have contacted any of the several hundred matches I have received). Amazingly, I was not terribly anxious about it. YAY ME!

my report: weighed once (no change), did not exercise (like I said, canceled my session :(), ate everything sitting down, saved a few bites for Callie, was OP all day (although my timing was a bit off due to sleeping until noon), read my cards, contacted my diet buddy.

Hope you had a good day with those shakes and bars, and that the scale rewards you for it tomorrow!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
My weight was unchanged today, but I'm fine with it. I suspect that I also might have been a little dehydrated, after losing 2.6 pounds in one day--a record for me!

Amazing that you dropped 2.6 in one day! Those exercise sessions really do inflame the muscles!

Originally Posted by :
Yep, definitely time to do something. I know exactly what you mean about a few pounds making such a noticeable difference. In the old days, I could easily gain 10 pounds and not notice, but now I can feel every pound. I find it interesting that you are having the same experience, given that you were never even close to as heavy as I was. What do you see as being the function of your hard-stop weight?

For me, approaching it just makes me put on the brakes. Unlike you, I'm not trying to track my calories in/calories out on a daily basis, so weighing daily and responding to a gain is how I'm tracking. I'm not sure this is actually the BEST way to manage my weight, but for now it's working for me. I'm back into a more comfortable spot today (2.6 under goal) but I'm going to continue the shakes and bars for at least today.

Originally Posted by :
And what would lowering it by one pound mean for you? Based on my recent experience, I think I would recommend that you don't lower your hard-stop until you are a few pounds lighter so that you don't find yourself suddenly over that weight (which could easily happen, given daily fluctuations).

I'm under now -- I'm at 114.4, and dropping a pound would put my hard stop at 116 -- but I think I'll probably wait until after I've done this cleanse and gotten a little safer. No need to put more pressure on myself -- that'll just make me anxious.

Originally Posted by :
Are you still graphing your weight so that you can see the overall trend? (I stopped doing that a long time ago but am thinking it might be a good idea to start again, at least for a while.)

I haven't graphed in quite a while. Occasionally I enter it on LiveStrong.

Originally Posted by :
I think it is very significant that you are not anxious about being so close to your hard-stop. Recognizing that you need to do something about it, without panicking or beating yourself up about it, is something to celebrate! YAY YOU!

yep!

Originally Posted by :
What kind of bars and shakes do you use, and what is their nutritional composition (just curious!)?

They're from Usana. (LINK) Chocolate shakes, chocolate bar and peanut butter bars. The shakes are 330 calories, 7g fat, 32g carbs, 15g protein. The bars are 160 calories, 5g fat, 19g carbs, 10g protein. So a whole day would be 1470, which is almost exactly what I'm aiming for. I seldom get all six meals/snacks in, though -- yesterday I did three shakes and two bars.

Originally Posted by :
(By the way, have you seen the brouhaha over on the NS site about the addition of mandatory protein shakes? I'm not sure how I feel about that change.)

No, I didn't see that! What's the rationale behind it? So was today your first day on this cleanse? How did it go? [/quote] Went well -- happy to be down into comfortable territory again!

Originally Posted by :
For the very first time, I missed a personal training session today, for the same reason you missed your class. I just couldn't sleep last night (even though I didn't feel particularly anxious) and didn't drop off until around 7AM. I didn't think I'd make it through a session on 90 minutes of sleep, so when my alarm rang at 8:30, I got up and canceled my appointment and then went back to sleep.

Did it make you feel anxious?

Originally Posted by :
I'm glad to hear that Jane is doing better. That has to make life a little easier for you, too. What's going on with the college situation?

She's accepted three places (Colorado College and Allegheny, both with very nice merit scholarships, and U of Mich, which isn't high on her list but would be a great choice if she decides she wants a big school after all. She has two more apps to get in, and then it's just financial aid stuff and waiting for responses.

Originally Posted by :
My trainer has never had me try push-ups (the closest is those evil planks), but I feel quite certain that I could not "pass" either of the fitness tests you mentioned. But I will! I have made so much progress.

Yep, I'm sure you will! Pushups are hard -- I had to start with "girl" pushups (knees on the floor) and I can do about ten of those. I can only do about five real pushups.

Originally Posted by :
I had my first deep-tissue massage yesterday, and it did an amazingly good job at alleviating my exercise-induced soreness. In my conversation with the masseuse (while she was working on me), it turned out that she was a former student of mine (I didn't remember her, and she didn't recognize me due to the weight loss). ACK!! Nothing like lying there practically naked in a dark room and being massaged by a student!!

LOL! I bet it did make your muscles less sore! I don't like massages myself -- I have very tender skin, and I don't really enjoy being touched by people I don't know -- but a lot of folks LOVE them.

Originally Posted by :
Tomorrow I have an appointment for a make-up consultation. I've never used make-up beyond mascara and lip gloss, and thought it would be interesting and fun to venture into the world of make-up. I'm looking forward to it. In other news, I got an email from one of my eHarmony matches a couple of days ago. Last night I responded to it (first time I have contacted any of the several hundred matches I have received). Amazingly, I was not terribly anxious about it. YAY ME!

Yay, you! I'll be interested to hear what response you get!

Originally Posted by :
my report: weighed once (no change), did not exercise (like I said, canceled my session :(), ate everything sitting down, saved a few bites for Callie, was OP all day (although my timing was a bit off due to sleeping until noon), read my cards, contacted my diet buddy.

Good day! I exercised this morning, ate (or drank shakes) sitting down, didn't leave a bite, though.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Amazing that you dropped 2.6 in one day! Those exercise sessions really do inflame the muscles!

And today I was up a pound, back to 129.8, for no reason that I can discern. It continues to amaze me how much my weight can fluctuate in 24 hours even when my calorie intake is pretty constant.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
For me, approaching it just makes me put on the brakes. Unlike you, I'm not trying to track my calories in/calories out on a daily basis, so weighing daily and responding to a gain is how I'm tracking. I'm not sure this is actually the BEST way to manage my weight, but for now it's working for me. I'm back into a more comfortable spot today (2.6 under goal) but I'm going to continue the shakes and bars for at least today. I'm under now -- I'm at 114.4, and dropping a pound would put my hard stop at 116 -- but I think I'll probably wait until after I've done this cleanse and gotten a little safer. No need to put more pressure on myself -- that'll just make me anxious.

Good for you for not putting that kind of pressure on yourself! And YAY for getting well under your goal again so quickly! I do think that the daily weighing is probably the single best way to manage your weight. (Sometimes the big daily fluctuations take me by surprise, but I'm not sure that trying to track calories in and out is all that useful given that my Exerspy tells me that I am in a calorie deficit just about every day, and yet I do not lose weight.) And obviously you have been very successful for an extended period of time now by relying on the daily weigh-ins. It sounds like you are doing better at not forgetting to weigh in.

You have never once gone over your hard-stop weight since you first got under it, right? What do you think would happen if you did go over it at some point? What would you say to yourself, and how would you respond behaviorally?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
They're from Usana. (LINK) Chocolate shakes, chocolate bar and peanut butter bars. The shakes are 330 calories, 7g fat, 32g carbs, 15g protein. The bars are 160 calories, 5g fat, 19g carbs, 10g protein. So a whole day would be 1470, which is almost exactly what I'm aiming for.

That surprises me--1470 calories actually sounds like a lot to me! Do you do this primarily to cut your cravings as opposed to losing weight?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I seldom get all six meals/snacks in, though -- yesterday I did three shakes and two bars.

Given the high protein content, I'm not surprised that you wouldn't be hungry enough to eat the last shake. I still remember how easy it was for me to do that liquid protein fast years ago. That was the easiest diet I ever did--no hunger, no cravings.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
No, I didn't see that! What's the rationale behind it?

They say it's to increase the daily protein content and to decrease hunger. Some people are up in arms about it because it seems too much like a "diet" instead of a true lifestyle change, others are disturbed because the nutritional breakdown of the NS shakes doesn't seem as appropriate as some of the protein shakes people are already buying on their own, and others are opposed to the idea of drinking calories instead of eating them. PamSB was so upset about the shakes that she stopped posting on the boards, pulled down her page, and vowed never to recommend NS to anyone again!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Did it make you feel anxious?

Amazingly, no! I can't figure that out, though!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
She's accepted three places (Colorado College and Allegheny, both with very nice merit scholarships, and U of Mich, which isn't high on her list but would be a great choice if she decides she wants a big school after all. She has two more apps to get in, and then it's just financial aid stuff and waiting for responses.

And she was on a waiting list for Bowdoin, right? Has she completely given up on that?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yep, I'm sure you will! Pushups are hard -- I had to start with "girl" pushups (knees on the floor) and I can do about ten of those. I can only do about five real pushups.

Next time I go to the gym on my own, I will try some push-ups. For that matter, I guess I could try them on my living room carpet!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
LOL! I bet it did make your muscles less sore! I don't like massages myself -- I have very tender skin, and I don't really enjoy being touched by people I don't know -- but a lot of folks LOVE them.

I'm not bothered by being touched in a controlled situation like that, but I'm very self-conscious about my loose skin.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yay, you! I'll be interested to hear what response you get!

So far, none! But if I don't get one, that's OK, too. I've finally come to a feeling of equanimity about the whole thing and am willing to just take the leap of faith and see what happens.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Good day! I exercised this morning, ate (or drank shakes) sitting down, didn't leave a bite, though.

Kinda hard to leave a bite of a shake!! I bet that exercise felt good.

I had a good day today, too. Stayed OP, read my cards, ate slowly and mindfully, contacted my diet buddy. Got only minimal exercise, though.

I had my make-up consultation, which was kind of fun. I do really like the way my eyes look. I bought a bunch of the products that were used, including some brushes to apply them, without asking the prices. My jaw practically hit the floor when I heard the total: $238. Holy moly. Who knew that it is so expensive to be beautiful? :o

Report: weighed (no change, still 2.6 under goal), went to class but didn't walk there although I'd originally intended to but time got away from me, ate slowly and mindfully but called an audible at lunch time, as I went to a meeting at a vegan restaurant and wanted to try the tofu wrap. So I didn't do the cleanse yesterday. Left a bite, though. :)

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
It sounds like you are doing better at not forgetting to weigh in.

Trying to -- almost forgot today but remembered before I started drinking coffee and went back in and weighed.

Originally Posted by :
You have never once gone over your hard-stop weight since you first got under it, right? What do you think would happen if you did go over it at some point? What would you say to yourself, and how would you respond behaviorally?

So far, I've been under goal continuously. Yay, me! :) If I did...well, I hope I won't because it definitely would make me very anxious. I'm trying to avoid that by keeping my hard-stop doable, even if I go on vacation. We're planning on a trip over Jane's spring break, and we're flying so I won't be able to take my scale. I'd like to leave at around 111 so I can feel confident that as long as I don't go hog-wild, I'll come back under the hard stop. We're going to Puerta Vallarta -- John's college & law school roomie and his partner retired there to a condo on the ocean, and the condo complex has two guest suites that can be rented cheap by members' friends and family -- and I'm hoping to be able to cook, plus I'll likely have seafood for nearly every meal, and there should be ample opportunity for spontaneous exercise. But if I DID discover I was above goal, I guess I should try to control my anxiety, maybe do a 5-day cleanse, and try to do a lot of checking in, reading cards, practicing skills, etc. Maybe listen to the CD of the book again -- that was a great purchase, definitely amps up the motivation to listen to it. That might help with the anxiety. But it's definitely a worry. I'm not ready to intentionally go over my hard stop and get myself back under it to prove to myself I can, but I guess if I came back over it, it would be an opportunity to prove to myself that I COULD do it. :)

Originally Posted by :
That surprises me--1470 calories actually sounds like a lot to me! Do you do this primarily to cut your cravings as opposed to losing weight?

Both, really. Since I seldom eat the entire plan for the entire five days, I probably average more like 1200, and it definitely cuts the cravings.

Originally Posted by :
They say it's to increase the daily protein content and to decrease hunger. Some people are up in arms about it because it seems too much like a "diet" instead of a true lifestyle change, others are disturbed because the nutritional breakdown of the NS shakes doesn't seem as appropriate as some of the protein shakes people are already buying on their own, and others are opposed to the idea of drinking calories instead of eating them. PamSB was so upset about the shakes that she stopped posting on the boards, pulled down her page, and vowed never to recommend NS to anyone again!

Wow! I may have to go over there and read some of the reactions.

Originally Posted by :
And she was on a waiting list for Bowdoin, right? Has she completely given up on that?

She's deferred to the regular decision pool, which means her chances of getting are the same as for those who didn't go ED. She hasn't given up on it, but she's definitely looking at her choices with an open mind. She's also (yay!) considering taking deferred admission and doing a gap year, which I think would be a GREAT idea.

Originally Posted by :
Next time I go to the gym on my own, I will try some push-ups. For that matter, I guess I could try them on my living room carpet!

I'm going to go see how many I can do right now...okay, back. I can do nine, though I don't dip as low as is ideal. But that can come later. Tomorrow, I'll try to do ten. I'll add that to my report! Yay, me!

Originally Posted by :
So far, none! But if I don't get one, that's OK, too. I've finally come to a feeling of equanimity about the whole thing and am willing to just take the leap of faith and see what happens.

Yay, you! What do you think got you over that hump?

Originally Posted by :
I had a good day today, too. Stayed OP, read my cards, ate slowly and mindfully, contacted my diet buddy. Got only minimal exercise, though.

I had my make-up consultation, which was kind of fun. I do really like the way my eyes look. I bought a bunch of the products that were used, including some brushes to apply them, without asking the prices. My jaw practically hit the floor when I heard the total: $238. Holy moly. Who knew that it is so expensive to be beautiful? :o

Yow! Yeah, good makeup's really expensive. I've never learned to do it well. I've never worn much makeup -- used to wear it for work, but it always was part of my work outfit. I should at least learn how, though. Did they teach you how to apply it? The whole eyeshadow thing I've never really mastered.

Hope you have a great on-plan day! I haven't had breakfast yet and am still trying to decide whether to do the cleanse today since I didn't do it yesterday. I'd like to get down another couple pounds soon, but weekends are harder, and since Michael goes back to school tomorrow it's likely he'll want to either go out tonight or have me make his favorite spaghetti.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (no change, still 2.6 under goal), went to class but didn't walk there although I'd originally intended to but time got away from me, ate slowly and mindfully but called an audible at lunch time, as I went to a meeting at a vegan restaurant and wanted to try the tofu wrap. So I didn't do the cleanse yesterday. Left a bite, though. :)

"Called an audible"??? Not sure what you mean. YAY YOU for getting to another exercise class. As for the cleanse, it sounds like maybe you don't need it, or at least that the sense of urgency has passed.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Trying to -- almost forgot today but remembered before I started drinking coffee and went back in and weighed.

Good for you!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
So far, I've been under goal continuously. Yay, me! :) If I did...well, I hope I won't because it definitely would make me very anxious. I'm trying to avoid that by keeping my hard-stop doable, even if I go on vacation. We're planning on a trip over Jane's spring break, and we're flying so I won't be able to take my scale. I'd like to leave at around 111 so I can feel confident that as long as I don't go hog-wild, I'll come back under the hard stop. We're going to Puerta Vallarta -- John's college & law school roomie and his partner retired there to a condo on the ocean, and the condo complex has two guest suites that can be rented cheap by members' friends and family -- and I'm hoping to be able to cook, plus I'll likely have seafood for nearly every meal, and there should be ample opportunity for spontaneous exercise. But if I DID discover I was above goal, I guess I should try to control my anxiety, maybe do a 5-day cleanse, and try to do a lot of checking in, reading cards, practicing skills, etc. Maybe listen to the CD of the book again -- that was a great purchase, definitely amps up the motivation to listen to it. That might help with the anxiety. But it's definitely a worry. I'm not ready to intentionally go over my hard stop and get myself back under it to prove to myself I can, but I guess if I came back over it, it would be an opportunity to prove to myself that I COULD do it. :)

Based on my own struggles, I most definitely would not recommend going over your hard-stop just to prove to yourself that it's not the beginning of the end!! I'm just trying to get a sense of what that number means to you, and what function it is serving for you psychologically. You've done such an awesome job of staying under that weight, so I'm trying to pick your brain so I can emulate you! Do you ever find that, when you are well under your goal, you use it as an excuse to eat more because you think you have some leeway? I would be concerned about doing that, I think. But doing that while on vacation sounds like a very reasonable and rational strategy. Your trip sounds like great fun, something to really look forward to, and if you can cook on your own, eat a lot of seafood, and have the opportunity for spontaneous exercise (on the BEACH--I'm jealous!), you shouldn't have any trouble. But I am sure you will be a little anxious about not being able to weigh yourself.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Both, really. Since I seldom eat the entire plan for the entire five days, I probably average more like 1200, and it definitely cuts the cravings.

A few weeks ago when I was really struggling, I toyed with the idea of living solely on my protein shakes (the ones I use to recover from my training sessions) for a few days as a means of cutting my cravings, but I never did try it. I think it would work, though.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Wow! I may have to go over there and read some of the reactions.

I haven't been over there for a couple of weeks, so I don't know if it has died down. I haven't really taken the time to read up on all of the changes in the new NS program. I need to do that so I can decide if I want to continue to rely so heavily on their food. I guess I could continue to buy the food and just follow the plan I am accustomed to instead of switching over to the new structure.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
She's deferred to the regular decision pool, which means her chances of getting are the same as for those who didn't go ED. She hasn't given up on it, but she's definitely looking at her choices with an open mind. She's also (yay!) considering taking deferred admission and doing a gap year, which I think would be a GREAT idea.

I never heard the term "gap year" before. Does that have some specific meaning beyond just taking a year off? What would she do during that year?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I'm going to go see how many I can do right now...okay, back. I can do nine, though I don't dip as low as is ideal. But that can come later. Tomorrow, I'll try to do ten. I'll add that to my report! Yay, me!

I tried it last night and discovered that I can also do nine--although I suspect that I am not going nearly as low as I should. My shoulders are still the most vulnerable part of my body, although they are infinitely stronger than they were.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yay, you! What do you think got you over that hump?

I decided that I was falling prey to my old all-or-nothing thought patterns and therefore getting completely overwhelmed. So now I am thinking of dating in terms of small, manageable steps--kinda like losing weight five pounds at a time. I also keep reminding myself that I have some control over the situation and can set limits and determine a comfortable pace to any relationship that might develop. Initially, I was thinking (and worrying) about whether or not I was worthy to be chosen. But then it occurred to me that I get to make choices, too!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yow! Yeah, good makeup's really expensive. I've never learned to do it well. I've never worn much makeup -- used to wear it for work, but it always was part of my work outfit. I should at least learn how, though. Did they teach you how to apply it? The whole eyeshadow thing I've never really mastered.

I did get a quick lesson in how to apply it all, but I am sure I will have to practice numerous times in order to really get the hang of it. I'll try it Monday morning before school (first day of class).

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Hope you have a great on-plan day! I haven't had breakfast yet and am still trying to decide whether to do the cleanse today since I didn't do it yesterday. I'd like to get down another couple pounds soon, but weekends are harder, and since Michael goes back to school tomorrow it's likely he'll want to either go out tonight or have me make his favorite spaghetti.

Yep, had another good day. The crisis has passed and I am feeling in control again. PHEW. Did you decide to start the cleanse today? Sounds like it wouldn't have been the ideal timing for it.

my report: weight was unchanged (still 129.8), stayed OP all day, ate everything sitting down, took a walk, read my cards, contacted my diet buddy.

OH, Arg! Lost a post, can't recreate now, am on the road. Be back tomorrow, respond then, sorry!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
OH, Arg! Lost a post, can't recreate now, am on the road. Be back tomorrow, respond then, sorry!

Believe me, I understand! Have a safe trip!

I forgot to weigh this morning. Or, more accurately, I didn't remember until after I'd already eaten breakfast, and at that point it seemed pointless (I overslept and was rushing to get to church on time). I hope I don't oversleep tomorrow for the first morning of class! Read my cards, got no exercise, ate sitting down, ate slowly and mindfully, saved several bites for Callie, contacted my diet buddy.

I think I told you that I am an elder at my church. Today I served communion, along with four other elders, and then we had a meeting after church to discuss a candidate for a new pastor (a woman we interviewed Friday night). Anyway, there are two male elders who are morbidly obese. One probably weighs over 400 pounds and the other is probably closer to 500 pounds (and smokes, too--ACK). I was sitting next to one of them in church, and it was just painful for me to watch how he struggled to get up from a sitting position and how obviously uncomfortable he was. Then when we all (8 or 9 of us) filed into the meeting room, a ridiculous game of "musical chairs" ensued as everyone changed seats or moved over in order to leave the two sturdiest and most comfortable seats for the two obese men, all the while trying not to make it obvious why we were shifting around. That could so easily be me. Experiences like that really cement for me my motivation to stay thin!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
"Called an audible"??? Not sure what you mean. YAY YOU for getting to another exercise class. As for the cleanse, it sounds like maybe you don't need it, or at least that the sense of urgency has passed.

Calling an audible is a football term -- when the team has left the huddle and the quarterback sees the opposing team line up in a way he hadn't expected, a way that tells him some new information, he adjusts to the new situation by calling a new play aloud before the ball is snapped. It means you're changing your plan on the fly because you have a different situation to deal with than you'd been expecting. :)

Originally Posted by :
Based on my own struggles, I most definitely would not recommend going over your hard-stop just to prove to yourself that it's not the beginning of the end!! I'm just trying to get a sense of what that number means to you, and what function it is serving for you psychologically.

To me it's just a way of making sure I react to a gain BEFORE it gets to the point I'm also dealing with the anxiety that OMG this is the beginning of the end.

Originally Posted by :
Do you ever find that, when you are well under your goal, you use it as an excuse to eat more because you think you have some leeway? I would be concerned about doing that, I think.

Yes, I'm definitely more likely to, say, eat the whole burger instead of half if I weighed 111 that day. I don't think it's a particularly "in control" way of eating -- that is, eating more because that morning I weighed less -- but so far it's more or less working. Ideally I'd like to be eating more consistently and getting used to a certain number of calories in.

Originally Posted by :
But I am sure you will be a little anxious about not being able to weigh yourself.

Totally. It'll be the longest I've gone without weighing, and after the experience at camp where I gained three pounds in only five days not weighing after I'd thought I was eating reasonably, it makes me really nervous. Almost to the point I'm wishing I could figure out how to get a scale in my luggage. Which I probably could, actually -- we can take three bags. I might try to take it if it'll fit.

Originally Posted by :
I haven't been over there for a couple of weeks, so I don't know if it has died down. I haven't really taken the time to read up on all of the changes in the new NS program. I need to do that so I can decide if I want to continue to rely so heavily on their food. I guess I could continue to buy the food and just follow the plan I am accustomed to instead of switching over to the new structure.

You mean just by ordering everything ala carte? I think that could work. You could also start looking in the grocery for good substitutes. There are even some people on NS board who have done the research for you to find out what grocery store items work as subs for various NS items.

Originally Posted by :
I never heard the term "gap year" before. Does that have some specific meaning beyond just taking a year off?

It generally means taking a break to do something to explore your interests and often to travel while doing it. Apparently there's been lots of research that gap year students outperform their non-gap-year peers all four years of college, even when age and SES and other factors in the colleges' "success in college predictor" algorithms are taken into account. Many LAC strongly recommend that students consider a gap year and routinely grant deferred enrollment as long as the student is planning something productive for their gap year. [/quote] What would she do during that year? [/quote] Something like this: link

Or this: link

Some kids do stuff that costs their families as much as a year of college would -- they join a backpack-around-the-world program or something -- but others go on missions, volunteer, work as au pairs. In a lot of countries, a gap year is the norm. Here in the US, and especially here in flyover country, it's less common.

Originally Posted by :
I tried it last night and discovered that I can also do nine--although I suspect that I am not going nearly as low as I should. My shoulders are still the most vulnerable part of my body, although they are infinitely stronger than they were.

Yay for nine pushups! I did ten this morning!

Originally Posted by :
I decided that I was falling prey to my old all-or-nothing thought patterns and therefore getting completely overwhelmed. So now I am thinking of dating in terms of small, manageable steps--kinda like losing weight five pounds at a time. I also keep reminding myself that I have some control over the situation and can set limits and determine a comfortable pace to any relationship that might develop. Initially, I was thinking (and worrying) about whether or not I was worthy to be chosen. But then it occurred to me that I get to make choices, too!

Yay for realizing you were letting your anxiety take you to that all-or-nothing place! And for realizing it's a two-way street and you have the ability to retain as much control as you need.

Originally Posted by :
I think I told you that I am an elder at my church. Today I served communion, along with four other elders, and then we had a meeting after church to discuss a candidate for a new pastor (a woman we interviewed Friday night). Anyway, there are two male elders who are morbidly obese. One probably weighs over 400 pounds and the other is probably closer to 500 pounds (and smokes, too--ACK). I was sitting next to one of them in church, and it was just painful for me to watch how he struggled to get up from a sitting position and how obviously uncomfortable he was. Then when we all (8 or 9 of us) filed into the meeting room, a ridiculous game of "musical chairs" ensued as everyone changed seats or moved over in order to leave the two sturdiest and most comfortable seats for the two obese men, all the while trying not to make it obvious why we were shifting around. That could so easily be me. Experiences like that really cement for me my motivation to stay thin!

Ack, indeed, and how awkward for everyone. :( I feel sad when I have this kind of experience, but it does help me remind myself what I -really- want.

Report: weighed (no change, still 2.6 under hard stop), didn't do my cleanse and am not going to do it today either. Had a rough night and didn't go to my exercise class today, but oh well. I'll go Wednesday.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Calling an audible is a football term -- when the team has left the huddle and the quarterback sees the opposing team line up in a way he hadn't expected, a way that tells him some new information, he adjusts to the new situation by calling a new play aloud before the ball is snapped. It means you're changing your plan on the fly because you have a different situation to deal with than you'd been expecting. :)

Oh, FOOTBALL!!! No WONDER I had no idea what you were talking about!! I'll remember that now. LOL!!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
To me it's just a way of making sure I react to a gain BEFORE it gets to the point I'm also dealing with the anxiety that OMG this is the beginning of the end. Yes, I'm definitely more likely to, say, eat the whole burger instead of half if I weighed 111 that day. I don't think it's a particularly "in control" way of eating -- that is, eating more because that morning I weighed less -- but so far it's more or less working. Ideally I'd like to be eating more consistently and getting used to a certain number of calories in. Totally. It'll be the longest I've gone without weighing, and after the experience at camp where I gained three pounds in only five days not weighing after I'd thought I was eating reasonably, it makes me really nervous. Almost to the point I'm wishing I could figure out how to get a scale in my luggage. Which I probably could, actually -- we can take three bags. I might try to take it if it'll fit.

My scale is small enough and light enough to easily fit in my suitcase, so I bet you could bring yours if it would make you feel less anxious. I do think it's healthier, psychologically (because it involves more internal control than external control) and probably physically as well, to have a consistent calorie intake. But you have found a great rhythm that is working for you. As long as it is working, and you are comfortable with it, keep it up! If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!

BTW, on the topic of consistent intake, I read a study somewhere recently that I found intriguing. It found that maintainers who eat the same few meals over and over are more successful in the long run than people who vary their meals a lot. I was happy to see that, since I have always been one to rely on my few favorite meals, and so far that strategy has worked pretty well for me in maintenance.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
You mean just by ordering everything ala carte? I think that could work. You could also start looking in the grocery for good substitutes. There are even some people on NS board who have done the research for you to find out what grocery store items work as subs for various NS items.

Yeah, I guess I would have to order the food ala carte, since there will no longer be a way to get a BBB without the shakes, and I'm not sure how I feel about those yet. But ordering that way is so expensive. It would make sense for me to start trying to find some good substitutes.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
It generally means taking a break to do something to explore your interests and often to travel while doing it. Apparently there's been lots of research that gap year students outperform their non-gap-year peers all four years of college, even when age and SES and other factors in the colleges' "success in college predictor" algorithms are taken into account. Many LAC strongly recommend that students consider a gap year and routinely grant deferred enrollment as long as the student is planning something productive for their gap year.

What would she do during that year? [/quote]

Originally Posted by va1erie:

Something like this: link

Or this: link

Some kids do stuff that costs their families as much as a year of college would -- they join a backpack-around-the-world program or something -- but others go on missions, volunteer, work as au pairs. In a lot of countries, a gap year is the norm. Here in the US, and especially here in flyover country, it's less common.

Yeah, I'm familiar with some of that research and think a year to do something different is a great idea. Neither of my nieces took a year off (and the younger one is still at Hamilton), but both were/are very involved with volunteer/mission programs overseas during their breaks from school. Does Jane speak Spanish? I think it would be awesome to learn an unusual language, especially Chinese, which would be incredibly challenging but a really marketable skill.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yay for nine pushups! I did ten this morning!

OK, you win!! :D

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yay for realizing you were letting your anxiety take you to that all-or-nothing place! And for realizing it's a two-way street and you have the ability to retain as much control as you need.

So far I haven't gotten any response to the email I sent to one of my matches (after he had written me first) and am surprised by that, but totally OK with it. He is also a psych prof, so maybe he is just really caught up in the new semester beginning.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Ack, indeed, and how awkward for everyone. :( I feel sad when I have this kind of experience, but it does help me remind myself what I -really- want.

And what we really DON'T want!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (no change, still 2.6 under hard stop), didn't do my cleanse and am not going to do it today either. Had a rough night and didn't go to my exercise class today, but oh well. I'll go Wednesday.

Sorry to hear you had a rough night. Wednesday is another day.

I remembered to weigh myself today (129.2, down .6 from two days ago), had a perfect OP day, ate everything sitting down and slowly and mindfully, did not read my cards, did remember to save a bite of dinner for Callie, contacted my diet buddy. Had a good first day of class. Have a 7:55AM class tomorrow so have to get up earlier than I've gone to bed some of the nights over break!! Reality rears its ugly head!

Hope you had a good day today!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Oh, FOOTBALL!!! No WONDER I had no idea what you were talking about!! I'll remember that now. LOL!!

Believe me, I'm no sports fan. But I love sports terminology. It's right in my wheelhouse. :D (That's a baseball term: a pitch "into his wheelhouse" crosses a batter's body in the area he finds it easiest to reliably make a good hit. It means comfortably in your area of expertise and/or greatest interest. It actually probably goes back earlier than baseball, though, perhaps to nautical terminology -- the wheelhouse was where the captain turned the boat from, so the source of power, and a baseball player stands in a position a little like that of a captain turning a wheel.)

Originally Posted by :
My scale is small enough and light enough to easily fit in my suitcase, so I bet you could bring yours if it would make you feel less anxious. I do think it's healthier, psychologically (because it involves more internal control than external control) and probably physically as well, to have a consistent calorie intake. But you have found a great rhythm that is working for you. As long as it is working, and you are comfortable with it, keep it up! If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!

Yeah, I'm not sure. It feels less in control. I'd like to get to the point I'm making decisions based on habit instead of that morning's weight. But I can work on that.

Originally Posted by :
BTW, on the topic of consistent intake, I read a study somewhere recently that I found intriguing. It found that maintainers who eat the same few meals over and over are more successful in the long run than people who vary their meals a lot. I was happy to see that, since I have always been one to rely on my few favorite meals, and so far that strategy has worked pretty well for me in maintenance.

I've heard that, too. Not great for me, the queen of food variety. :) But I'm actually pretty happy with the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day as long as I can have variety for dinner, at least occasionally. That's what I need to work toward -- a large number of low cal dinners that both give me the variety I want but also keep me on the lowish side of my calorie goals consistently so that when I DO decide to eat something different, I've got a little wiggle room.

Originally Posted by :
Yeah, I guess I would have to order the food ala carte, since there will no longer be a way to get a BBB without the shakes, and I'm not sure how I feel about those yet. But ordering that way is so expensive. It would make sense for me to start trying to find some good substitutes.

I think a lot of the Lean Cuisine and Smart Choice entrees probably would work.

Originally Posted by :
Yeah, I'm familiar with some of that research and think a year to do something different is a great idea. Neither of my nieces took a year off (and the younger one is still at Hamilton), but both were/are very involved with volunteer/mission programs overseas during their breaks from school. Does Jane speak Spanish? I think it would be awesome to learn an unusual language, especially Chinese, which would be incredibly challenging but a really marketable skill.

Yes, she's got five years of Spanish and always got top grades, and when she travelled in Italy with her AP European History class in sophomore year, she found she could understand a lot of Italian if people spoke slowly. I think she probably has a facility for language.

Originally Posted by :
So far I haven't gotten any response to the email I sent to one of my matches (after he had written me first) and am surprised by that, but totally OK with it. He is also a psych prof, so maybe he is just really caught up in the new semester beginning.

Interesting. I don't know much about how these things tend to work.

Originally Posted by :
I remembered to weigh myself today (129.2, down .6 from two days ago), had a perfect OP day, ate everything sitting down and slowly and mindfully, did not read my cards, did remember to save a bite of dinner for Callie, contacted my diet buddy. Had a good first day of class. Have a 7:55AM class tomorrow so have to get up earlier than I've gone to bed some of the nights over break!! Reality rears its ugly head!

I weighed, too, no change (2.6 under goal), ate reasonably, slowly, sitting down, left a bite. No exercise. Glad you had a good first day of class, and ack on the 7:55 am classes! Why so early? Demand from students for classes that early, or space limitations, or what?

Have a great day!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Believe me, I'm no sports fan. But I love sports terminology. It's right in my wheelhouse. :D (That's a baseball term: a pitch "into his wheelhouse" crosses a batter's body in the area he finds it easiest to reliably make a good hit. It means comfortably in your area of expertise and/or greatest interest. It actually probably goes back earlier than baseball, though, perhaps to nautical terminology -- the wheelhouse was where the captain turned the boat from, so the source of power, and a baseball player stands in a position a little like that of a captain turning a wheel.)

Oh, I like this one. I could use this in class and amaze all of my male students with my baseball acumen! I suspect you are right about the nautical origins of this phrase. If I had been asked to guess what the phrase meant, I would have come up with that interpretation--but never the baseball application of it! I obviously don't spend enough time around men! ;)

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yeah, I'm not sure. It feels less in control. I'd like to get to the point I'm making decisions based on habit instead of that morning's weight. But I can work on that.

If your way starts to feel uncomfortable for you, you know you can work to change it. We are, after all, works in progress!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I've heard that, too. Not great for me, the queen of food variety. :) But I'm actually pretty happy with the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day as long as I can have variety for dinner, at least occasionally. That's what I need to work toward -- a large number of low cal dinners that both give me the variety I want but also keep me on the lowish side of my calorie goals consistently so that when I DO decide to eat something different, I've got a little wiggle room.

Actually, the study showed that consistency for breakfast and lunch was most important, so you are in luck! Variety is better from a nutritional standpoint, so there's a trade-off no matter what we do. We just have to find strategies that work for us, and I think we've both done a pretty good job of it.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I think a lot of the Lean Cuisine and Smart Choice entrees probably would work.

I haven't bought either of those in a long time but noticed the last time I was in the grocery store that there seem to be a lot of new options in both brands, and some of them looked pretty appealing!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yes, she's got five years of Spanish and always got top grades, and when she travelled in Italy with her AP European History class in sophomore year, she found she could understand a lot of Italian if people spoke slowly. I think she probably has a facility for language.

That's wonderful. Fluency in Spanish is definitely a marketable skill. My older niece is also fluent in Spanish. She studied Spanish in the hopes that she could use it as an occupational therapist. She recently got a great job in Texas (her husband is stationed at Fort Hood now), and I bet she'll be able to use her Spanish there.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Interesting. I don't know much about how these things tend to work.

Me, neither, obviously!! I hardly know how dating works, no less online. I checked my inbox right before I came here and noticed that he just wrote back to me, but I haven't read it yet! :dizzy:

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I weighed, too, no change (2.6 under goal), ate reasonably, slowly, sitting down, left a bite. No exercise. Glad you had a good first day of class, and ack on the 7:55 am classes! Why so early? Demand from students for classes that early, or space limitations, or what?

Sounds like you had a good day! Me, too. My weight was up .6, for no reason that I can see, but that's fine. As for those early morning classes, I have no control over my schedule at all. I have to have my afternoons free because of meetings at the main campus in the afternoon, so my classes need to be in the morning or evening. And the very early morning hour is mostly because a large number of high school students take intro psych as part of the early enrollment option, and having the class so early allows them to go to their regular high school classes afterward. It's a real challenge for me to function at that hour, though, no less being scintillating and enthusiastic!

Have a wonderful day tomorrrow!

Later: Just read my email from my match, and he hadn't realized I'd written to him because he is having trouble figuring out how the site works and didn't know I had (a man after my own heart, LOL!)!!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Oh, I like this one. I could use this in class and amaze all of my male students with my baseball acumen! I suspect you are right about the nautical origins of this phrase. If I had been asked to guess what the phrase meant, I would have come up with that interpretation--but never the baseball application of it! I obviously don't spend enough time around men! ;)

One of the things I like about sports terminology is that it impresses my guy friends. :)

Originally Posted by :
Actually, the study showed that consistency for breakfast and lunch was most important, so you are in luck!

Yay! I've taken a lot of breakfast ideas from NS -- a common breakfast for me is a piece of lowfat french toast or a lowfat waffle used as the 'bread' for a sandwich with a couple of slices of turkey or veggie sausage. I also like one of Beck's breakfasts -- a low carb wheat tortilla, several pieces of romaine, four slices of turkey or veggie bacon, and a T of reduced fat mayo.

Originally Posted by :
I haven't bought either of those in a long time but noticed the last time I was in the grocery store that there seem to be a lot of new options in both brands, and some of them looked pretty appealing!

I've tried a few recently, adding extra veggies like I always did with my NS entrees, and they're pretty good.

Originally Posted by :
Sounds like you had a good day! Me, too. My weight was up .6, for no reason that I can see, but that's fine. As for those early morning classes, I have no control over my schedule at all. I have to have my afternoons free because of meetings at the main campus in the afternoon, so my classes need to be in the morning or evening. And the very early morning hour is mostly because a large number of high school students take intro psych as part of the early enrollment option, and having the class so early allows them to go to their regular high school classes afterward. It's a real challenge for me to function at that hour, though, no less being scintillating and enthusiastic!

Ah! And how interesting on the HS students -- Jane's taking AP Psych right now and really loving it, is considering starting out as a Psych major if she doesn't start out as an English major.

Originally Posted by :
Later: Just read my email from my match, and he hadn't realized I'd written to him because he is having trouble figuring out how the site works and didn't know I had (a man after my own heart, LOL!)!!

So, what did he say?

Report: weighed (no change -- 2.6 under goal), ate slowly and mindfully and sitting down and left a bite, walked to class this morning and managed to miss the rain that started just a few minutes after I got home.

Have a great day!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
One of the things I like about sports terminology is that it impresses my guy friends. :)

And that's always a good thing!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yay! I've taken a lot of breakfast ideas from NS -- a common breakfast for me is a piece of lowfat french toast or a lowfat waffle used as the 'bread' for a sandwich with a couple of slices of turkey or veggie sausage. I also like one of Beck's breakfasts -- a low carb wheat tortilla, several pieces of romaine, four slices of turkey or veggie bacon, and a T of reduced fat mayo.

Is your lowfat French toast homemade or frozen? I haven't eaten French toast in many years, but that used to be one of my favorite foods. I never would have thought of making a sandwich out of it.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I've tried a few recently, adding extra veggies like I always did with my NS entrees, and they're pretty good.

Are they pretty comparable to NS dinners in terms of nutrition and calories?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Ah! And how interesting on the HS students -- Jane's taking AP Psych right now and really loving it, is considering starting out as a Psych major if she doesn't start out as an English major.

I would definitely recommend the psych major, naturally!! :D

Originally Posted by va1erie:
So, what did he say?

So far we are just comparing notes about our career paths and our feelings about teaching. And he's funny, too. I had mentioned in my profile that one of the things I can't live without is Diet Coke, so there is some kind of tease about Diet Coke in each of his emails.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (no change -- 2.6 under goal), ate slowly and mindfully and sitting down and left a bite, walked to class this morning and managed to miss the rain that started just a few minutes after I got home.

That's the first time you've walked to your class in awhile, isn't it? YAY YOU! And your weight's been steady lately, too. YAY YOU!

My weight was unchanged today, had a personal training session (not my best one; felt like I lost some ground by missing one of my sessions last week), read my cards, ate sitting down, ate slowly and mindfully, saved a bit for Callie, contacted my diet buddy, gave myself lots of credit not only for getting back in control but also for the eHarmony thing and for getting up early enough every morning to put on make-up, get dressed up, and still make it to school with time to spare!

Tomorrow is one of my early days (ugh), so I need to head to bed. Hope you had a great day!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Is your lowfat French toast homemade or frozen? I haven't eaten French toast in many years, but that used to be one of my favorite foods. I never would have thought of making a sandwich out of it.

It's frozen. I buy a couple boxes and keep them in my freezer so I can have an easy breakfast when I need it. Kroger and Trader Joe's both have lowfat waffles and french toast as well as turkey sausage and veggie sausage. NS offers frozen french toast in their frozen menu, which is where I got the idea of making a sandwich -- you're supposed to add a protein, and a slice (or two, depending on the brand) of turkey or veggie sausage has the right numbers. What I do is slice the french toast into fourths and make two sandwiches with slices of sausage. It's a very satisfying breakfast for me.

Originally Posted by :
Are they pretty comparable to NS dinners in terms of nutrition and calories?

There's a woman on NS who did a comparison of grocery items that could sub for NS entrees and made charts she posted here: link They're a little out of date -- some of the NS items have been replaced -- but it would give you a place to start. Also a woman name Michelle (m2marsh) has a chart you can pm her for that shows the min/max calories, fat, carbs and protein for NS breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack entrees so you can take it to the grocery with you. She also has a set of charts showing the stats for every NS item individually so you can compare specific possible subs.

Originally Posted by :
So far we are just comparing notes about our career paths and our feelings about teaching. And he's funny, too. I had mentioned in my profile that one of the things I can't live without is Diet Coke, so there is some kind of tease about Diet Coke in each of his emails.

Sounds like a good way to start. When my dad was doing it, he was mostly corresponding, but partly that was because most of his matches were pretty far away. By the time he'd been matched with someone who was both interesting and nearby, he'd already started dating this woman he's seeing now, so it never came to anything.

Originally Posted by :
My weight was unchanged today, had a personal training session (not my best one; felt like I lost some ground by missing one of my sessions last week),

I wonder how fast trainers say you lose ground? Maybe it depends on your age?

Originally Posted by :
read my cards, ate sitting down, ate slowly and mindfully, saved a bit for Callie, contacted my diet buddy, gave myself lots of credit not only for getting back in control but also for the eHarmony thing and for getting up early enough every morning to put on make-up, get dressed up, and still make it to school with time to spare!

Yay, you! I didn't weigh this morning -- got up in a mad rush because I'd forgotten I had a carpenter coming, and by the time he left to go get supplies I'd already had coffee. Oh, well. I didn't overeat yesterday because I had dental work (had a crown removed and a temporary one put on) and I was in a fair amount of pain from that, so I probably am okay. I'm somewhat better this morning, though it's still a lot more painful that I was expecting so I may call and see if what I'm feeling is normal.

Hope you have a great day, even though it was an early one!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
It's frozen. I buy a couple boxes and keep them in my freezer so I can have an easy breakfast when I need it. Kroger and Trader Joe's both have lowfat waffles and french toast as well as turkey sausage and veggie sausage. NS offers frozen french toast in their frozen menu, which is where I got the idea of making a sandwich -- you're supposed to add a protein, and a slice (or two, depending on the brand) of turkey or veggie sausage has the right numbers. What I do is slice the french toast into fourths and make two sandwiches with slices of sausage. It's a very satisfying breakfast for me.

That sounds easy and delicious--or at least the turkey sausage version does! I think the main ingredient in veggie sausage is mushrooms, right? Mushrooms are one of the foods I wouldn't eat if my life depended on it!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
There's a woman on NS who did a comparison of grocery items that could sub for NS entrees and made charts she posted here: link They're a little out of date -- some of the NS items have been replaced -- but it would give you a place to start. Also a woman name Michelle (m2marsh) has a chart you can pm her for that shows the min/max calories, fat, carbs and protein for NS breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack entrees so you can take it to the grocery with you. She also has a set of charts showing the stats for every NS item individually so you can compare specific possible subs.

I will check that out. I did notice that some of my favorite NS meals, including the meal I eat for lunch several times every week, have retired. So I either need to find some substitute NS meals or some other brand that will work as well.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Sounds like a good way to start. When my dad was doing it, he was mostly corresponding, but partly that was because most of his matches were pretty far away. By the time he'd been matched with someone who was both interesting and nearby, he'd already started dating this woman he's seeing now, so it never came to anything.

This guy lives 3 hours away from me, so he's not exactly nearby. If we get to the point of wanting to actually get together, I guess we'll have to figure out a meeting place halfway between us.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I wonder how fast trainers say you lose ground? Maybe it depends on your age? Yay, you! I didn't weigh this morning -- got up in a mad rush because I'd forgotten I had a carpenter coming, and by the time he left to go get supplies I'd already had coffee. Oh, well. I didn't overeat yesterday because I had dental work (had a crown removed and a temporary one put on) and I was in a fair amount of pain from that, so I probably am okay. I'm somewhat better this morning, though it's still a lot more painful that I was expecting so I may call and see if what I'm feeling is normal.

I don't know if age affects the rate at which muscle tone is lost, but it would make sense that it would. Sorry to hear about your tooth. In my experience, just having a crown replaced doesn't hurt much, so I hope you did investigate the reason for the pain if you were not feeling better today.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Hope you have a great day, even though it was an early one!

It was a LONG day, starting out with the early class and ending with a 3 hour meeting at church. I didn't get home until 10PM. I had a good day today except that I ended up eating an unplanned late evening snack (a plain grilled chicken snack wrap from McDonald's), because after the meeting I was beyond hungry and my blood sugar was really low. I was more hungry than usual all day long, maybe because I got up so early and ate breakfast so early. My weight was unchanged.

It is snowing like crazy here. I'm supposed to have a personal training session at 9AM tomorrow but am wondering if it will have to be rescheduled. My trainer is a school bus driver. If the start of school is delayed due to the weather, he will be driving the bus at the time my session is supposed to be. The last time that happened, he called me at 6AM (and woke me up, of course) to tell me!

Hope you had a good day today and that your tooth is feeling better!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
That sounds easy and delicious--or at least the turkey sausage version does! I think the main ingredient in veggie sausage is mushrooms, right? Mushrooms are one of the foods I wouldn't eat if my life depended on it!

Probably no mushrooms -- too many people are allergic. Let me see...the TJ brand has no mushrooms, neither does the Morningstar Farms brand. Mostly wheat and soy.

Originally Posted by :
I will check that out. I did notice that some of my favorite NS meals, including the meal I eat for lunch several times every week, have retired. So I either need to find some substitute NS meals or some other brand that will work as well.

What are your favorites?

Originally Posted by :
This guy lives 3 hours away from me, so he's not exactly nearby. If we get to the point of wanting to actually get together, I guess we'll have to figure out a meeting place halfway between us.

Yow, that's a hike! Especially at this time of year!

Originally Posted by :
I don't know if age affects the rate at which muscle tone is lost, but it would make sense that it would. Sorry to hear about your tooth. In my experience, just having a crown replaced doesn't hurt much, so I hope you did investigate the reason for the pain if you were not feeling better today.

I called them, and they said between the grinding and drilling and etc., the pain I was having wasn't unusual. It's still throbbing. :( I got up this morning and got dressed for my class, but I just couldn't face exercising when my jaw was already throbbing.

Originally Posted by :
It was a LONG day, starting out with the early class and ending with a 3 hour meeting at church. I didn't get home until 10PM. I had a good day today except that I ended up eating an unplanned late evening snack (a plain grilled chicken snack wrap from McDonald's), because after the meeting I was beyond hungry and my blood sugar was really low. I was more hungry than usual all day long, maybe because I got up so early and ate breakfast so early. My weight was unchanged.

A plain grilled chicken wrap sounds like a good choice!

Originally Posted by :
It is snowing like crazy here. I'm supposed to have a personal training session at 9AM tomorrow but am wondering if it will have to be rescheduled. My trainer is a school bus driver. If the start of school is delayed due to the weather, he will be driving the bus at the time my session is supposed to be. The last time that happened, he called me at 6AM (and woke me up, of course) to tell me!

We had snow here, too, but not much. Probably an inch or so, but it did stick.

Report: weighed, and I'm back up to .4 under my hard stop, ack! Cleanse! When I saw the weight, I really wanted to go to class, but as I said after I'd gotten up and dressed I just couldn't face it. :( Oh, well. I'll start the 5-day shakes-and-bars and this time I'll stick with it for the entire process. Bumming. A little anxious, but not too bad. Mostly just irked with myself for not sticking with it the first time instead of going off it when I saw the weight drop. :( So Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday-Tuesday, bleah.

Stay warm!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Probably no mushrooms -- too many people are allergic. Let me see...the TJ brand has no mushrooms, neither does the Morningstar Farms brand. Mostly wheat and soy.

Hmmm, that's interesting. I was basing my statement about the mushrooms on the fact that veggie burgers usually have mushrooms as one of the first ingredients.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
What are your favorites?

My go-to lunch is Pasta Parmesan with Broccoli, and it has retired. I have about 15 more of those on hand. They replaced it with something I like just as much if not more, though--Three Cheese Pasta with Chicken, which I can also supplement with additional chicken and broccoli like I always do with my previous favorite. My favorite dinners are the Penne Pasta with Chicken in Alfredo Sauce, Italian Flatbread Pizza, and Cajun Chicken and Shrimp.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yow, that's a hike! Especially at this time of year!

Yeah, neither the distance nor the weather are conducive to getting together. For that reason I probably would not have contacted him on my own, but I'm glad he contacted me, because I really like him.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I called them, and they said between the grinding and drilling and etc., the pain I was having wasn't unusual. It's still throbbing. :( I got up this morning and got dressed for my class, but I just couldn't face exercising when my jaw was already throbbing.

Ah, I didn't realize there was drilling involved. That would explain the pain. Hope you a re feeling better today. I certainly don't blame you for not wanting to exercise with a throbbing jaw.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
We had snow here, too, but not much. Probably an inch or so, but it did stick.

We had a couple of inches here, but the timing was such that school was not cancelled or delayed, so I was able to have my training session as scheduled.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed, and I'm back up to .4 under my hard stop, ack! Cleanse! When I saw the weight, I really wanted to go to class, but as I said after I'd gotten up and dressed I just couldn't face it. :( Oh, well. I'll start the 5-day shakes-and-bars and this time I'll stick with it for the entire process. Bumming. A little anxious, but not too bad. Mostly just irked with myself for not sticking with it the first time instead of going off it when I saw the weight drop. :( So Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday-Tuesday, bleah.

Any thoughts on why your weight was up again? I know sometimes it just happens for no apparent reason. I was up .6 this morning myself--back to 130.2, which definitely ramps up my anxiety at least a little. So I understand where you are coming from. I did a perfect NS day today and am at 1340 calories. My Exerspy says I have burned 1742 calories so far today (259 of which were burned during my training session--much better than Wednesday's). I ate everything sitting down, slowly and mindfully. Saved a few bites for Callie. Did not read my cards. Contacted my diet buddy.

How did the first day of your cleanse go? Sticking to shakes should help your toothache, too.

I'm actually going to bed shortly. I'm very tired. And my eyes are really bothering me--dry and burning. I'm not sure if it's because of the dry air in here, if I need new glasses, or if it has something to do with the eye make-up, but all I want to do is close my eyes.

Hope you had a better day today!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Hmmm, that's interesting. I was basing my statement about the mushrooms on the fact that veggie burgers usually have mushrooms as one of the first ingredients.

Maybe those are veggie burgers in restaurants, where they're making them onsite from vegetables?

Originally Posted by :
My go-to lunch is Pasta Parmesan with Broccoli, and it has retired. I have about 15 more of those on hand. They replaced it with something I like just as much if not more, though--Three Cheese Pasta with Chicken, which I can also supplement with additional chicken and broccoli like I always do with my previous favorite. My favorite dinners are the Penne Pasta with Chicken in Alfredo Sauce, Italian Flatbread Pizza, and Cajun Chicken and Shrimp.

I think Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones have some subs that would probably work. Here's a pasta with chicken and broccoli: link

Originally Posted by :
Ah, I didn't realize there was drilling involved. That would explain the pain. Hope you a re feeling better today. I certainly don't blame you for not wanting to exercise with a throbbing jaw.

Somewhat better. We have tickets to a play tonight, and I think I'm going to try to take a vicodin early afternoon, then take a nap, and hope I make it through. :) At least being at the play will make it impossible for me to eat!

Originally Posted by :
Any thoughts on why your weight was up again? I know sometimes it just happens for no apparent reason. I was up .6 this morning myself--back to 130.2, which definitely ramps up my anxiety at least a little. So I understand where you are coming from. I did a perfect NS day today and am at 1340 calories. My Exerspy says I have burned 1742 calories so far today (259 of which were burned during my training session--much better than Wednesday's). I ate everything sitting down, slowly and mindfully. Saved a few bites for Callie. Did not read my cards. Contacted my diet buddy.

It was up because I went to happy hour, had a glass of wine on top of a vicodin, then blew off the cleanse. :( Gar. I didn't even ENJOY the happy hour. The three women I like best weren't able to make it and neither was the one I put up with because while she's a bore, she's very kind. That left me with the one I only tolerate, and I only went because she knows she's sort of on the fringes of the group and I don't want her to feel no one would attend if it was only going to be her. In fact, thinking back on why I went off the cleanse, it was probably because I was feeling sorry for myself and "deserved" to have real food. What I deserve is to be thin. :D Oh, well. Move on. Weight: no change, started the cleanse AGAIN this morning. No exercise. Bleah. Not a happy camper. Not freaking out yet, but not happy.

Originally Posted by :
I'm actually going to bed shortly. I'm very tired. And my eyes are really bothering me--dry and burning. I'm not sure if it's because of the dry air in here, if I need new glasses, or if it has something to do with the eye make-up, but all I want to do is close my eyes.

I know old makeup can cause eye issues -- after six months, it starts to have bacterial growth, so mascara, liner, and eyeshadow should be discarded after six months -- but this is your new stuff, so that shouldn't be it. Maybe it's the dryness...have you been adding more fats to your diet?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Maybe those are veggie burgers in restaurants, where they're making them onsite from vegetables?

I'm not sure about how they're made at restaurants. I just remember reading the ingredients on several packages of veggie burgers (can't remember the brands) in the grocery store (long ago) and discovering that mushrooms were a prime ingredient. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly. I should check them out again.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I think Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones have some subs that would probably work. Here's a pasta with chicken and broccoli: link

That looks really delicious and appropriate nutritionally. The calorie count is considerably higher than the NS version. Maybe the portion size is bigger. And it looks like it contains more chicken and broccoli, which is fine since I normally add those anyway.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Somewhat better. We have tickets to a play tonight, and I think I'm going to try to take a vicodin early afternoon, then take a nap, and hope I make it through. :) At least being at the play will make it impossible for me to eat!

What play did you go see? Sounds like a good distraction from food cravings (although I'm sure some people do sneak food in, just like at the movies!).

Originally Posted by va1erie:
It was up because I went to happy hour, had a glass of wine on top of a vicodin, then blew off the cleanse. :( Gar. I didn't even ENJOY the happy hour. The three women I like best weren't able to make it and neither was the one I put up with because while she's a bore, she's very kind. That left me with the one I only tolerate, and I only went because she knows she's sort of on the fringes of the group and I don't want her to feel no one would attend if it was only going to be her. In fact, thinking back on why I went off the cleanse, it was probably because I was feeling sorry for myself and "deserved" to have real food. What I deserve is to be thin. :D Oh, well. Move on. Weight: no change, started the cleanse AGAIN this morning. No exercise. Bleah. Not a happy camper. Not freaking out yet, but not happy.

Well, that sucks! There you were trying to be nice and protect someone from hurt feelings, and it totally backfired so you ended up hurting yourself instead. I would imagine you are right--you thought you "deserved" to really enjoy the food since you weren't enjoying yourself otherwise. Maybe you could make a card for that situation. How did the cleanse go today? When is your next exercise class supposed to be?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I know old makeup can cause eye issues -- after six months, it starts to have bacterial growth, so mascara, liner, and eyeshadow should be discarded after six months -- but this is your new stuff, so that shouldn't be it. Maybe it's the dryness...have you been adding more fats to your diet?

I definitely eat enough fat now; I can see the difference in my hair and skin, so it's not that. In terms of the make-up, I was just wondering if maybe I'm allergic to something, or at least sensitive to it, since I've never really worn any of that stuff before. But after sleeping for 10 hours last night, my eyes feel much better. Or it just may be that I didn't wear any make-up today. I'll have to see what happens next time I wear the make-up.

my report: weight was down .2 (130 even), had a perfect NS day, can't read my calorie burn from my Exerspy because their site is down at the moment, did not do any exercise, read my cards, saved a bite of dinner for Callie, ate slowly and mindfully. Feeling pretty in control these days but still haven't completely regained my confidence. I do want to thank you for suggesting that we start our own thread here, though. That has helped me a great deal. I haven't told you lately how much I appreciate your input and support--so thank you!

Looking forward to hear how your day went today. Hope it was a much better one!

[QUOTE=4EverLearning;4172598]I'm not sure about how they're made at restaurants. I just remember reading the ingredients on several packages of veggie burgers (can't remember the brands) in the grocery store (long ago) and discovering that mushrooms were a prime ingredient. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly. I should check them out again. [quote] I looked at the ingredients of a veggie burger I like a lot at a local restaurant, and it also doesn't contain any mushrooms.

Originally Posted by :
That looks really delicious and appropriate nutritionally. The calorie count is considerably higher than the NS version. Maybe the portion size is bigger. And it looks like it contains more chicken and broccoli, which is fine since I normally add those anyway.

Oh, you know what? Those Lean Cuisines are probably comparable to NS dinners rather than lunches.

Originally Posted by :
What play did you go see? Sounds like a good distraction from food cravings (although I'm sure some people do sneak food in, just like at the movies!).

Play was terrible. We left at intermission. It was a debut from a playwright whose work we've enjoyed before, but it turns out this was a commissioned piece. I suspect she had trouble with it but didn't want to give back the money.

Originally Posted by :
How did the cleanse go today? When is your next exercise class supposed to be?

Cleanse went well, and I'm supposed to go to class tomorrow morning I think...I should check to make sure she's having class, but I assume she is. If I wake up without a throbbing tooth, I'll go.

Originally Posted by :
my report: weight was down .2 (130 even), had a perfect NS day, can't read my calorie burn from my Exerspy because their site is down at the moment, did not do any exercise, read my cards, saved a bite of dinner for Callie, ate slowly and mindfully.

So a good day, all around.

Originally Posted by :
Feeling pretty in control these days but still haven't completely regained my confidence. I do want to thank you for suggesting that we start our own thread here, though. That has helped me a great deal. I haven't told you lately how much I appreciate your input and support--so thank you!

It's helping me, too, so thank you in return. :) I'm glad you're feeling more in control. Report: weighed (down, yay, to 2.2 under goal), didn't exercise, ate exactly as planned, contacted my diet buddy!

Have a great day!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I looked at the ingredients of a veggie burger I like a lot at a local restaurant, and it also doesn't contain any mushrooms.

OK, you've convinced me that I need to check them out--I must be mistaken!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Oh, you know what? Those Lean Cuisines are probably comparable to NS dinners rather than lunches.

That Lean Cuisine has 300 calories, compared to 220 for the NS version (which is also a dinner). But by the time I add an ounce of chicken and a bunch of veggies to it, the NS version is close to 300 calories, too.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Play was terrible. We left at intermission. It was a debut from a playwright whose work we've enjoyed before, but it turns out this was a commissioned piece. I suspect she had trouble with it but didn't want to give back the money.

And I don't suppose YOU were able to get your money back, either. :( Sorry it was so disappointing.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Cleanse went well, and I'm supposed to go to class tomorrow morning I think...I should check to make sure she's having class, but I assume she is. If I wake up without a throbbing tooth, I'll go.

I hope your class is in session and that going will make you feel more in control. I continue to be amazed at how good exercise can make a body and mind feel. I sometimes regret not exercising, but never once have I regretted an exercise session!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (down, yay, to 2.2 under goal), didn't exercise, ate exactly as planned, contacted my diet buddy!

A big change in weight for 24 hours! YAY!! I'm sure that's a big relief. Do you plan to continue with the cleanse for the full five days, even if your weight drops substantially?

my report: weighed 129.4 this morning (down .6), stuck to my plan except for adding about 2 ounces of grilled chicken due to really extreme hunger, ate everything slowly and mindfully, read my cards, contacted my diet buddy, took a walk in the mall (too cold and snowy to walk outside). When I couldn't upload the data from my Exerspy last night, I decided to try the watch that goes with it instead. I had never even opened the package, I'm embarrassed to say. But I wore it all day today, and I love it! I can see at any time exactly how many calories I have burned so far (or at least the number of calories the Exerspy says I have burned). Assuming that the data is accurate, I can get a really good sense of how well my intake correlates with my calorie burn, both quantitatively and time-wise.

Hope you had another good day today--and a pain-free one!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
And I don't suppose YOU were able to get your money back, either. :( Sorry it was so disappointing.

Oh, I don't care to get my money back. We're season ticket holders, and we know there'll always be a few stinkers in the mix. We like that they take risks with new plays/playwrights, and we're happy to support their experimenting even when it disappoints.

Originally Posted by :
I hope your class is in session and that going will make you feel more in control. I continue to be amazed at how good exercise can make a body and mind feel. I sometimes regret not exercising, but never once have I regretted an exercise session!

Same here! It was in session today, but when my alarm went off at 4:30 my jaw was already starting to give me pain even though I took a vicodin before bed last night. Fingers crossed for Wednesday.

Originally Posted by :
A big change in weight for 24 hours! YAY!! I'm sure that's a big relief. Do you plan to continue with the cleanse for the full five days, even if your weight drops substantially?

Yes, although I may do shakes-and-bars until dinner, then a reasonable low-glycemic dinner. It's just less of a drag when you know you have some real food to look forward to for the day.

Originally Posted by :
my report: weighed 129.4 this morning (down .6), stuck to my plan except for adding about 2 ounces of grilled chicken due to really extreme hunger, ate everything slowly and mindfully, read my cards, contacted my diet buddy, took a walk in the mall (too cold and snowy to walk outside). When I couldn't upload the data from my Exerspy last night, I decided to try the watch that goes with it instead. I had never even opened the package, I'm embarrassed to say. But I wore it all day today, and I love it! I can see at any time exactly how many calories I have burned so far (or at least the number of calories the Exerspy says I have burned). Assuming that the data is accurate, I can get a really good sense of how well my intake correlates with my calorie burn, both quantitatively and time-wise.

Oh, cool on the exerspy watch!

Report: weighed (down again, to 113.2 or 3.8 below goal.) I'd like to be solidly at 6ish below goal (that is, in the 111s for several weeks) by the time we leave for our trip, which is just over two months from now and seems like a very reasonable goal. I doubt I'll lose much more from this cleanse, even if I were to do it religiously, but it still helps with eliminating the carb cravings. But once it's over I'm going to work very hard on eating very, very reasonably: low-glycemic and 1400 calories or less per day.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Oh, I don't care to get my money back. We're season ticket holders, and we know there'll always be a few stinkers in the mix. We like that they take risks with new plays/playwrights, and we're happy to support their experimenting even when it disappoints.

So you're a patron of the arts! Cool! I would definitely get season tickets for the performing arts center at my campus if I had someone to go with.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Same here! It was in session today, but when my alarm went off at 4:30 my jaw was already starting to give me pain even though I took a vicodin before bed last night. Fingers crossed for Wednesday.

ACK on the pain and ACK ACK ACK on the 4:30AM alarm!! I'd rather go to bed at 4:30 than get up at 4:30! Hopefully you will be up for your class on Wednesday.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yes, although I may do shakes-and-bars until dinner, then a reasonable low-glycemic dinner. It's just less of a drag when you know you have some real food to look forward to for the day.

Have you ever actually stuck to just the shakes and bars for the full five days?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Oh, cool on the exerspy watch!

It is! I feel like I have a new toy! I won't wear it tomorrow, though, or at least not during work hours. I may wear the Exerspy at work a couple of times (when I am wearing something that covers it up) so that I can see how many calories I burn when I teach. Teaching leaves me feeling completely wrung out sometimes, and often very hungry, so I'm curious to see how many calories it burns. I always feel like I put a tremendous amount of energy into it, so I often wonder if reality matches my perception.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (down again, to 113.2 or 3.8 below goal.) I'd like to be solidly at 6ish below goal (that is, in the 111s for several weeks) by the time we leave for our trip, which is just over two months from now and seems like a very reasonable goal. I doubt I'll lose much more from this cleanse, even if I were to do it religiously, but it still helps with eliminating the carb cravings. But once it's over I'm going to work very hard on eating very, very reasonably: low-glycemic and 1400 calories or less per day.

YAY on getting so far below goal so quickly! Your plan sounds very doable and reasonable. While you are working hard on what you are eating, remember to work on your thoughts and habits, too. Maybe some of your habits have slid a little, and that contributed to your gain?

my report: my weight was up .4 (no clue why), did not read my cards, did eat slowly and mindfully, had a perfect OP day, got no exercise, contacted my diet buddy.

OK, I need to get to bed and at least pretend to try to go to sleep, since tomorrow is one of my early class days. UGH. Hope you had a good day today!

Damn, just typed in a complete response, then had to reboot and even though I'd saved it to cut-and-paste it must have lost the save when I rebooted. Report: weighed (up, 2.4 below goal, but that's okay), ate slowly and mindfully and sitting down, left a bite (left a half a burger, in fact), contacted my diet buddy. Have to run off to an appointment, but if I get a chance to I'll come back in and recreate my earlier reply!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Damn, just typed in a complete response, then had to reboot and even though I'd saved it to cut-and-paste it must have lost the save when I rebooted. Report: weighed (up, 2.4 below goal, but that's okay), ate slowly and mindfully and sitting down, left a bite (left a half a burger, in fact), contacted my diet buddy. Have to run off to an appointment, but if I get a chance to I'll come back in and recreate my earlier reply!

I HATE when that happens!!

Hope you had a good day today. I had a fine day eating-wise but am not feeling well--either have a cold or a sinus infection. I didn't sleep well last night, either, and then had to get up way too early, so hopefully I'll sleep better tonight. My weight was down .2 this morning.

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
I HATE when that happens!!

Hope you had a good day today. I had a fine day eating-wise but am not feeling well--either have a cold or a sinus infection. I didn't sleep well last night, either, and then had to get up way too early, so hopefully I'll sleep better tonight. My weight was down .2 this morning.

I hate it, too. Weighed (down again, 3.8 under goal), ate reasonably, slowly, mindfully, sitting down, left a bite.

Originally Posted by :
Have you ever actually stuck to just the shakes and bars for the full five days?

Yes, I've done the entire thing twice, and it is a total drag. But it works. Sometimes I've done Atkins induction for three days. That's actually a lot more fun and definitely kills the cravings too, but it's so high calorie that I've never tried doing it except as a way to jump start when I'm already heavy.

Originally Posted by :
It is! I feel like I have a new toy! I won't wear it tomorrow, though, or at least not during work hours. I may wear the Exerspy at work a couple of times (when I am wearing something that covers it up) so that I can see how many calories I burn when I teach. Teaching leaves me feeling completely wrung out sometimes, and often very hungry, so I'm curious to see how many calories it burns. I always feel like I put a tremendous amount of energy into it, so I often wonder if reality matches my perception.

I'd love to hear how teaching compares to other periods during your work day!

Have a great day!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I hate it, too. Weighed (down again, 3.8 under goal), ate reasonably, slowly, mindfully, sitting down, left a bite.

YAY on the weight drop! Are you feeling more in control again?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yes, I've done the entire thing twice, and it is a total drag. But it works. Sometimes I've done Atkins induction for three days. That's actually a lot more fun and definitely kills the cravings too, but it's so high calorie that I've never tried doing it except as a way to jump start when I'm already heavy.

I've never tried Atkins. It just never made any sense to me to consume so much fat; it just seems so counter-intuitive. But I know several people who swear by it.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I'd love to hear how teaching compares to other periods during your work day!

I'm going to try it tomorrow, when I teach two classes back-to-back. I'm very curious.

I forgot to weigh this morning (overslept and was rushing like mad to get to school on time). I had a great training session, despite not feeling very well. I ate a little less than planned, because I fell asleep after the training session and missed a snack as a result. Oddly, or maybe not so oddly since I don't feel well, I wasn't particularly hungry despite undereating.

I have an appointment with an oncologist tomorrow (my GP referred me), and I'm very nervous about it. I'm hoping he won't want me to go through yet another screening any time soon. I'm curious what he will say about taking Tamoxifen and about the possibility of prophylactic mastectomies.

Hope you had another good day!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
YAY on the weight drop! Are you feeling more in control again?

Mmmm...well, since I had a wine-induced snackfest last night and a one-pound gain today, maybe not so much! :) Yeah, I feel okay. Not perfect, but okay.

Originally Posted by :
I'm going to try it tomorrow, when I teach two classes back-to-back. I'm very curious.

What did it show?

Originally Posted by :
I forgot to weigh this morning (overslept and was rushing like mad to get to school on time). I had a great training session, despite not feeling very well. I ate a little less than planned, because I fell asleep after the training session and missed a snack as a result. Oddly, or maybe not so oddly since I don't feel well, I wasn't particularly hungry despite undereating.

Pretty good day, though not so much the not feeling well part.

Originally Posted by :
I have an appointment with an oncologist tomorrow (my GP referred me), and I'm very nervous about it. I'm hoping he won't want me to go through yet another screening any time soon. I'm curious what he will say about taking Tamoxifen and about the possibility of prophylactic mastectomies.

What did he say?

Report: weighed (up to 2.4 under goal), ate slowly and mindfully until after dinner. Didn't exercise. Tomorrow, I'm going to class no matter what! I'm headed out of town (college visit to Davidson in NC), leaving very early tomorrow and will be back late Saturday night, so if I don't get on here until Sunday that's why! I'll try to, though.

Hope you had a great day!