Carrie ~ That is exactly how I weigh. Who needs anything extra. My family thinks I am nuts but I don't want anything to be a factor. I was also at 188.0 this morning so I was very pleased to see what I am doing is working. I doubt I would continue to do what I am if it didn't work.

Lara - Wow! A 188.0 buddy! Great job. My husband thinks I'm being a little obsessive (can't help it) but he's very supportive. I don't discuss any numbers with him because I'm embarassed (he doesn't care, though) - he weighed in yesterday at 167.5. The guy eats half a tray of lasagna and drinks several beers, and loses weight. I catch a glance of some candy in the grocery store and gain 5 pounds. Go go go! I'm glad that you're doing something that is working for you!

girls,
Don't all men loose weight like that?! MY hubby eats like a horse. and is thin too.

I think all I have to do is think sweet. and gain weight.

Yeah! Lara! 188.0 keep it up!

Hey Carrie, why don't you make size shopping your ten pound prize? Lose that one more and then just spend a few hours in a mall trying things on. You'll soon figure out your size range.
But don't get too hooked on it because before you know it, you'll need smaller still.

I was the hand-me-down-sweat-suit person. I had no idea what size I wore either.

Carrie and Theresa ~ My DH would be envious because he eats like a bird most of the time. He eats breakfast like a king, no lunch or snacks during the day and dinner usually is very light. He would like to eat more during the day but his job just doesn't allow for it. I told him he needs to make it allow time for food. He is the boss and he can just shut the rig down and say we need to eat but he won't. Weekends he does tend to eat like a king almost every meal.

Yes, it does seem nice to see the scale moving again but I feel like it has to. I took Robins advise and cute my calories by 300 and its not easy but who said this was going to be. I think even harder than the calorie cut is the fact that I stopped eating after 7:00 pm. It will take a while to get used to that. It almost feels like trying to quit smoking again. HAHAHAH! Sad but true.

Well better get going for now.

Lara,
Can anything be that hard?
Quiting smoking, hurt! I am so glad thats over. Been about 5 yrs. I still crave one sometimes. Glad I don't have to spend all that $$$ now. Can use that for other nice things now

I cut my calories back too. I have been trying to eat a late dinner.
Part of one of my snacks in the afternoon about 3:30 or so. Carrots and a cheese stick seems to be a good one for me.
I am Still working this out too.

Hi everyone! I did well staying within range the past two days. Thanks for your input about DH sabotaging me. I talked to him about it and he said that he was trying to get me stuff I liked. I told him that I would like getting nonfood items instead, like a magazine or something cheap. He listened and then asked if I wanted to go out for ice cream. AHHHHHH!

I will bring it up again tomorrow.

It was pouring rain out today but I still went out for my walk and even managed to jog 1/4 mile. That is huge for me.

You are all doing so well and are such a good inspiration. I like checking in here each day.

Hello all, I'm new.

When I started calorie counting a few weeks ago, I was just astounded at how much I was consuming each day. No wonder I put on weight so fast.

Now I'm counting calories and measuring portions really religiously, and after
the first few shocking and miserable weeks, I'm getting adjusted to it.
And yet another surprise, this time finally a good one, was that I discovered
I'm not really very hungry in the late afternoon and evening and I can cut
way back at that time of day if I boost my breakfast, my brunch-snack
and my lunch. For dinner I'm having skim milk and vegetables and it feels
fine. I never would have guessed!

I've done calorie counting many times and I can remember a lot of the
calorie levels well enough, but what I really have trouble with is
judging portions without physically measuring. I know a fist is a cup
and 3oz chicken is a deck of cards, etc etc. but when I look at the
food, I honestly think 6oz is 3oz or vice versa. The size of the container
and the utensils sometimes causes the optical illusion, and sometimes
it's probably just in my head.

So my question to folks in the group is - how has your "eye" for portions
and measurement changed over the course of your weight loss efforts?
Does it take a few months to stabilize, or do you still have trouble
keeping grounded in realistic measures when you're not in your own
kitchen?

Lisa

grammyL - I took biochem in college (majored in bio, minored in chem) and it was a fun class. It was pretty amazing to learn how the metabolism works! I consider knowing how to use the bathroom out of doors an essential skill, even if you aren't an outdoorsy person.

susan - I like that idea, I think I'll do that. I hadn't set any rewards for myself. I'll weigh in at Curves on Tuesday and if I'm at 190 or below, I'll treat myself to some new clothes. A few, like you said, because I don't plan to stay in them long!

lovemyboy - Sorry your husband doesn't seem to be getting the picture. Repeating the message is your only option - if you hear something enough you eventually believe it. I have many positive mantras that I use to keep my self esteem high.

TODAY, decent food wise, no exercise.

Total: 1693
Fat: 52 31%
Carbs: 218 48%
Fiber: 35
Protein: 83 22%

BREAKFAST - oatmeal with wheat germ, milk and brown sugar
SNACK - large salad with chickpeas, et al
LUNCH - egg, ham and cheese in a whole wheat tortilla
SNACK - nothing
DINNER - Country Goulash - whole wheat penne, lean ground beef, pepper, corn, onion, butterbeans, pretty darn healthy
DESSERT - 1/2 c. light (Splenda) ice cream, 1/2 Kashi cookie, 1/4 c. light cool whip (185 calories, 9 g. fat, 29 g. carbs - not too bad, as far as desserts go)

I really enjoy sweets, and it has been hard to deny them. But I've done it for the past 2-3 weeks, and I now have a handle on my cravings. I feel comfortable having them in the house now and know that I can portion them just like I would anything else. I have gotten used to doing the portions and being accountable, and now desserts are just like lettuce - it gets measured and entered into FitDay. And it's not something that I'm going to have everyday, just on occasion. It's funny, because I'm honestly not tempted to have another bowl.

Went to the grocery store today, and got restocked with lots of healthy foods! Plenty of stuff for salads, and I made a menu plan for the next week and a half. Missed Curves today because we went to the store. Will go tomorrow.

Have a great night everyone!

Lisa - I think I'm pretty good at judging what is what now. But every now and then, I will put what I think to be say, a tablespoon, of raisins on my salad. Then I pick them up and measure them - I'm always going over. I really like using measuring cups and spoons for everything - I love being methodic and anal. I keep my measuring spoons handy on the counter for everything.

For going out, we are almost always at a restaurant that has a nutritional guide (family-friendly places like Applebees are a must for a toddler and infant twins). I will order something that I know the calorie content of - the things that they list the calorie contents on are usually the only things I could eat on my plan, anyway.

Unless you're eating out a lot at unknown places, or having dinner at other people's houses a lot, I think that a couple times of not knowing exactly what you are eating won't hurt. If I find myself in this situation, I estimate, then add about 10% for my misjudgement. I figure that if I err, let it be on the higher side.

And it sounds like you're doing great with your plan. It's best for our bodies to eat progressively smaller meals throughout the day. Big breakfast (you're "breaking" the "fast"), good size morning snack, big lunch, smaller afternoon snack, and a small dinner. We don't need to stuff ourselves right before we go to sleep.

Glad that you're here! I'm relatively new myself but all these ladies have made me feel so welcome, and I've learned a lot along the way.

Calories for today~1561
Fiber~44g

DeterminedLisa~

Lovemyboy~ Perhaps your DH is a creature of habit? I'm sure he means well; just keep reminding him and he'll get the hint eventually.

Honestly, I think a lot of men don't understand what women have to go through to lose since it's so much easier for them (not all men, but a lot of them.) I work with mostly men and even the ones who know that I'm trying to lose don't get it. I get food pushed on me and I just have to keep saying no. Of course, half of them haven't even noticed that I've lost anything. Men are silly sometimes!

Hello everyone. Glad to see everyone is doing good. My calories have been great the past couple of days. And I am back down to what I have on my ticker!!! YAH!!!! I think it had to do with TOM (the 4 lb fluctuation). I am think thing that I probably won't meet my goal of 150 by Monday but I will be really close. Heck maybe I will since Hubby is going to be gone until Saturday night. He is on his way down to Florida with a load. I always seem to eat worse on the weekends and it's even worse when he is home. He like everyone elses husbands can't eat anything and everything and never gain weight. Heck I just now weigh less than him. He thinks that he is getting fat because he has gained a total of 5 lbs in the past 2 years. I think that it is all muscle thought.

Well I didn't get any exercise in last night. It was a long night, had to take DS to get testing done for Kindergarten next year. Then to the video store to return games. Then of course we had to get more. Then we get home and of course we had to plan them a little. And of course it was Thursday so Grey's Anantomy didn't get on the gazelle last night. I will for sure tonight since qualifying is on. (I am a NASCAR freak)

Well school is delayed here for 2 hours, so I have to call work and tell them I will be late. Since now the bus will be here 15 mins before I have to be to work. UGH!! I hate delays!! But it is really foggy out. I am hoping that all this rain and fog will go away today so we can have a nice weekend here again. Last weekend was awesome.

Mary

Hi all,

Seems like most of you are doing great with lots of losses. I'll get on here tomorrow and do some catch up reading and write a proper post. I want to put up my lentil burger recipe too. I've been very overwhelmed (i.e. BUSY!!) this week, but I wanted to post a good loss (for me).

This morning I was 136.3. That is the lowest I've been since I started in December! I hit a bit of a wall after my spring break gain, but I have begun to drop again...

Hope everything has a healthy and happy Friday and weekend. More later,

Good morning everyone. I've had a REAL busy week. But I just wanted to pop in and say hello - Hello!!!.

Everyone is doing so great. What a bunch of losers!!! - But around here that's a good thing. It's so nice to see.

Welcome DeterminedLisa. At home I have full control of everything I cook, which I like the best. I've always been a control freak. Eating outside of my home was somethng in the very beginning I really avoided for this very reason. But I started out at 287 lbs. I wasn't taking any chances. Of course that can't remain forever. Now when I go out I pick the healthiest choices available and always overestimate my calories. I still try to keep eating outside of my home to a minimum. But when I do, I just do the best that I can and am always aware and conscious of what's going into my mouth. Less is more in this case.

cjc, that country goulash sounds yummy.

I've been doing really, really well this week. I am determined to keep on losing weight. Keeping the calories at bay and have been walking and stuff - a lot. Of course the weekend is approaching - why are they so much harder then the weekdays? Oh yeah, the kids are home, the hubby is home and my nice weekday scheduele is all messed up. Neverthless I will try to continue on with a good week. Monday is just around the corner and that means another official weigh-in day.

Keep up the good work everyone. Have a great, fantastic, healthy and safe and oh - on plan weekend everyone!!!

Okay, I think I need to be one of these weekly weigh-in chicks. I have been weighing in daily for 4 days.....188.0, 189.5, 188.0, 188.5 today......I'm afraid because I'm just seeing normal daily fluctuations, that I'll get discouraged. My mind says that this is to be expected, but my hearts says that I want to see something on the scale each day. I don't want to use it as an excuse to go off my plan.

So I'll just wait until Tuesday morning to weigh again. Wish me luck!

Robin - The goulash is pretty yummy. The only bad thing that it has in it is cream of mushroom (I used the 97% FF and low sodium cream of onion last night) soup, to thicken it a little. But I could probably use some light sour cream to the same effect.

In last night's incarnation: 223 Calories, 3.9 g. fat, 12.9 g protein, 8.2 g. carbohydrates, and 4.9 g fiber. It's very filling and just creamy enough. Making it sans butterbeans would bring it down to right at 200 calories per 1 c. serving, but I love butterbeans. Two cups make a very hearty meal.