Total calories today are 1163 with 30% coming from fat.

Imenonelse: It is GREAT for you to start losing weight now! I am 19, I started this when I was 18. In the first half of my 18-year-old-days I tipped the scales at 194.5 lbs, had high blood pressure and a resting heart rate of 121! It was not very good at all.

Rockinrobin: Yep, I make my homemade protein bars easy... I have only tried no-bake ones so far because I am lazy (sometimes - I also don't have the right pans yet) but so far my favorite has been:

1 cup kashi go lean cereal
1 cup rolled oats
.25 c natural peanut butter
28g soynuts
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (12 tbsp in my powder)
Water to reach correct consistancy.

You just mix all the ingredients together, adding water to get the consistancy for everything to mix and stick, but not be runny. Press them into a pan and put them in the fridge to cool for a few hours and then cut them into as many bars as you'd like! I usually do about 12 but usually have 2 for a serving (2 bars is 233 cals with my powder).

Since I don't have a pan either, I just press them onto wax paper. Of course this way all the serving sizes aren't even because the edges are a little wonky, but I figure in the end it all averages out.

Saturday's Menu:
(3:45am, darn dog!) Fiber One...56 cal
Vitamins/Salmon oil...13cal
Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake...44

7:30am Breakfast:
Bacon Mushroom Omelet...126 (turkey bacon/peppers/onions/mushrooms & egg whites)
2 slices toast...80
Total Calories (319 )

Lunch: Fresh Orange/Chicken Salad w/dressing
(2oz chicken,FF Ital. dressing/orange/lettuce & onions)
Large bowl...192 cal
Milk...80cal
Total Calories (272)
Supper:
Chicken Stir-Fry...321cal (2 oz chicken, 1 T. Olive Oil, fresh broccoli, carrots & onions)
Snack: Fresh BlueBerry Cheesecake w/ FF Cool Whip...59 cal
Bedtime: 1/2 cup FF Cottage Cheese...80 cal
8oz. FF Milk...80
Total calories for Saturday: 1,131
Bobbi

Good Sunday Morning!
I've been up for three hours already and it's still dark out. DH is gone on a hunting trip but I never get lonely. I have "Charlie"( English Setter), Hungry Jack( Fighting Beta Fish), & 6 sweet chicken to think about. And of course all of you to keep me company!
Julie...Congrats on the 1 lb. loss and your new challenge. That averages out to 40+ minutes a day, that's what I have to accomplish for the Biggest Losers challenge. Mon-Fri won't be a problem for me but I tend to get lazy on week-ends. Are you going to exercise 7 days a week or cut out some days?
Sakuya...71 pounds down is a great accomplishment, you really know how to work the system! What fun you must have had buying new clothes! DH and I used to walk in the mornings, just as the sun was coming up. It was beautiful plus gave us extra energy for the whole day. (My feet gave out on me and we had to stop) I hope you can stay strong as far as getting up at 4a.m. I love your menu, sounds like something DH and I eat. I cook everything from scratch, it takes extra time and might be hard for anyone working outside their homes. I think that's why we see so many gals eating fast foods once in awhile. I had the same problem when I worked full time, it wasn't easy trying to put healthy food on the table when you get home at 5:30 p.m.
Mary aka Petra...You don't eat much on week-ends? That's probably your "Time Out". right? Good for you and good luck tomorrow for your official weigh in.:
Robin...Great calories for Fri. & Sat. Dairy is a great choice of snack in the evenings, it sure helps me sleep!
Imenonelse... Interesting Bio, thanks for sharing. We have an interesting bunch of gals on this thread. We're calorie counters but use different approaches to losing weight. Some of us lose weight on the minimum of calories and others can drop the weight on much more calories. You just have to find what works best for you.
Ebb & Flow...A great philosophy you're teaching your kids! Your mom must be pleased with your 21 lb. weight drop, and thanks for the update on your mom. Keep us posted!
Charlene...I just love your dog, I'm going to see if I'm smart enough to post my "Charlie's"Picture.
Diva... Great calories, you were one of the gals I was talking to Imenonelse about. Calories @ 1163 and 30% fat, awesome!
Bobbi

Hey Bobbi,

Still working on those fat grams. Last night, I threw in zucchini and squash just to up the numbers of calories and drop the percentage of fat. You believe that?

Today, I had oatmeal for breakfast! That was not a tasty breakfast. But it was fat free. I rather have my two eggs with canadian bacon and two ounces of mozzarella though!

Anyway, I'm heading out to the gym soon to burn my 700 calories or so.

;-)

PS - As for looking slim at my height, I suppose I might (I'm a Size 6 to 8). But I've got these inner thighs and outer hips that feel like jello when I walk AND my body fat is at 25% or so. So at 142 pounds, I'm carrying around 35 pounds of fat. Doctor says I don't need more than 15. That's how I determined my weight loss goal.

The weight may actually "stick" at 125 to 130, but if the body fat can get back to 15% or less, then I'll know I'm at peak, and the extra weight is muscle. Make sense?

Hello Ladies!

Julie- The calories on my weight loss plan are very low, but I eat 5 times daily. I measure everything and I am definetly never hungry. In fact sometimes it is hard to eat it all. It's just a lot of very low calorie food ..

Sakuya- Thanks for the warm welcome! I wish I had been more adamant about losing weight when I was 18, but I was really stressed back then and I am guilty of emotional eating. One really important thing that I have come to terms with this time around is that it is not good to medicate with food, which is definetly what I had been doing. Now when I get down I write or go for a walk instead of shoving everything down my throat...

Ebb: I am so sorry to hear about all of the hardships your mother is going through. Glad to read there are no blockages... you will be in my prayers

Bobbi: Hello! Calorie intake is very low, lower than what I should be eating to lose weight, but I eat so much on this diet I have no idea how I would be able to increase the calories since I am not a big eater usually... I am getting my nutrients so it is all good...

And hello to everyone else! .....

Today I am going to a scrapbooking party with my sister. I absolutely love to scrapbook, it is so soothing to me. I am not planning to over-indulge at this party, and will make sure to bring a baggie with veggies and my water crackers/skim cheese to munch on...!
Here's to a great day for us all!

Calories are much better today, although I still can't believe I only had 1167 total. I *never* go under 1200, but today I slept a lot (wasn't feeling well) so I didn't need as much food. Was supposed to go for a walk/jog but because of the whole not-feeling-well, I did not.

We got our groceries for the week and it looks like I should be able to stick to 1300-1500 all week if I eat what I've planned. Hopefully that darn scale will move by next Sunday!

Today was good until I binged in the evening...

Breakfast: cottage cheese, strawberries, banana (308)
Snack1: protein bar (224)
Lunch: wrap with romaine, chicken, feta, strawberries, tiny bit of dressing; sweet potato (294)
Snack2: 28g dry roasted almonds, string cheese (200)
Dinner: kashi golean, soy milk; frozen yogurt (372)
Bad bad late night binge: 8 cordial cherries (600)

TOTALS:
Calories: 2133
Carbs: 313g
Protein: 132g
Fat: 62g

BLAH. After the cherries I did extra cardio. I burned 264 cals in 32 minutes (according to my heart rate monitor) so at least I burned off about 3.5 of those darn cherries. *shakes fist*

Tomorrow will be a much better day.

Total calories came to 1243 with 28% coming from fat.

Ran 3.9 miles today, worked back/chest/abs.

Deficit to date for January - 3157 calories.

Hi everyone!

Those homeade protein bars sound yummy!

Saturday: 2349 calories, 378 deficit, Walk away the Pounds
Sunday: 1225, 1226 deficit

Bobbi - how the heck does one get 44 calorie cheesecake??? If you haven't posted the recipe before, please do!

Hi all, I have been lurking between this thread and the 30's thread and it seems this is more my style since I am a calorie counter and that is more of a social thread - anyway let me tell you a little about myself - I am 35 married and have 2 children, 4 year old little girl and a 8 year old son. I started really calorie counting last January in order to lose some weight for a cruise we went on in May, it worked wonderfully and I met my goal!!! Unfortunately I am a teacher so when the summer came around and the kids were off we hit pizza at the pool once a week, Chik fil-a and all the other easy places to go when there wasn't a normal busy day to deal with.... At Christmas I stepped on the scale (KNOWING how much I gained and was shocked!!) and realized I need to stop doing this to my body!! Anyway I am back on track ready to exercise and eat right for good!!! I am aiming for 1200 cals until I loose at least 15lbs and add a little back until I get 1400-1500 to maintain.... I am looking for support and chats and hope this thread is what I am looking for!!
Tomorrow starts everyone back to school and back to gymnastics and baseball so not as much time to eat bad!!!
Thanks for listening and will be back daily to chat and give calories/exercise totals!!

Hi all! Hope it was a good weekend. It's harder for me on the weekends to keep my calories on the lower side as I like to keep between 1300-1400. I was down 1.5 lbs. this week and can tell the difference in how my pants fit. I must get more exercise in this week and with all the snow here in Colorado looks like I need to hit the gym which I haven't been to since July! I need some of Sakuya's going to the gym vibes.

Yesterday's calories: 1512
Today's calories: 1462
Saturday's menu:
B: Smoothie: 1/2c superfood green juice, 1 scoop soy protein powder, 1tsp flaxseed oil, 1/2c lf yogurt, 1/2c blueberries, 1/2c mango. 1 slice lean bacon (hubby was making and smelled so good!)
L: Leftovers: 1/2c whole wheat pasta, 1/2c tomato basil sauce w/little bit of turkey italian sausage, 1/4 of an orange pepper, 1square dark chocolate
S: 1 bottle of HonesT Tea brand vanilla mint white tea slightly sweetened
D: Out to dinner & concert (I wanted sushi but was outvoted and we went to BBQ restaurant): Chicken breast no skin, about 1/2c baked beans, little BBQ sauce, 4 of my son's french fries, diet coke mixed w/a bit of real coke (was going to have a salad too but all they had was ice berg w/plastic looking not very ripe tomatoes so I passed)
S: At the concert: chai black tea w/bit of honey, split choc chip w/walnuts cookie w/my son.

Sunday's menu:
Running around all day, felt like I never sat down to eat a real meal. I did go grocery shopping at Wholefoods and stocked up on produce and healthy food for the week.
B: Smoothie: 1/2c yogurt, soy protein powder, 1tsp flaxseed oil, 1/2c superfoods green juice, 1cup mango & raspberries
S: 3 bites of my husband's leftover pastrami sandwich, 6 potato chips
L: 6 pieces of sushi: spicy tuna roll made with brown rice & avocado wrapped in seaweed
S: 4 almonds, 4 oz. cottage cheese, 1/4cup blueberries
D: Ezekiel whole grain oat& nut english muffin w/2 tblsp almond butter, 1.5 cups milk, 2 squares dark chocolate

Let's make it a great week
Charlene

Good morning everyone. Looking forward to a new week.

Well Saturday night, I wound up having both the pudding and the yogurt and a couple of pretzels. Yikes. So that upped my calories.

Sunday's calories - about 1250.

Sakuya, those bars do sound yummy - thanks!

Anabsolutediva, why not add some splenda, cinnamon and/or raisins to your oatmeal? That's how I like it.

Have a good day everyone!!!

Hi Robin,

I'm going to do raisins, cinnamon, blueberries, different stuff until I can find oatmeal to be palatable. As for the Splenda, I won't do it. I overcame cancer many years ago, but still go for those checkups, and Splenda remains on our list to avoid, along with saccharin and aspertame.

But I'm sure I'll find the right fruit and/or spice combination to get the cardboard taste in oatmeal to a minimum!