Hi! I'm still here. I had a couple bad days followed by a couple of good and so I'm the same as when I started here..well almost...204.5.

Good Morning Ladies

Nothing new going, to Walmart for some things we need and than back home and house work for today. I had my w-i this morning and I stayed the same,no loss this week. I think that I going to up my calories,and see if that will do the trick.


MOM4LIFE-I know it can get so frustrating doing everything right and nothing to show for it.Did you ever think of upping your calories a little, some time the body thinks your going into a starvation mode. I tried to go on that very high and very low calorie count and now I thinking that the cycling isn't working so I'm going to bring my calories up from 500/1000 and now to 1200 / 1400 and see if that works better. Not saying it going to work,but we're here for the duration,if we don't find a the correct calorie count that works for us.


SAFFYTAFFY-Oh my goodness,did you ever thing about going to a dietitian and see what he/she can do for you. I never went up that high.My highest was 1800. I can see why you having problems with all that food your eating.I haven't had any of those food you posted in years. MY problem is with sodium yes I love anything salty,but now I controlling that to stay healthy.The calorie range that you pick is a good one 1400-1600, I'm thinking about going on that range again.


PRIMMY-Sorry you in such a mood. When than that happen right after you find out that the costume event was going sour,having your cat & DH now feeling well. I know you were really looking forward to it,with all the hard work you did on the costumes. Happy to hear that the scale is going down to 120's.


STARZMOM-Happy that your returned. We all have a bad days and its important to post anyway to get the support & motivation your need with these support boards.


Have to go, will be back later

Hi I am very new to counting calories and the whole dieting thing. I think counting calories will be a lot cheaper for me and make me a lot less dependant on buying pre made meals. I want to learn to do it myself and eat fresher & healthier, it may be baby steps but i want to start in the right direction!
So please educate me
What tools do you use that help you? like food scales, books, websites? is it good to keep everything written down? I need to learn serving sizes and where or what would be the best way to do that? I also need to learn how many calories are in everything.

Thanks!

Its not that those are the food choices I make on a day to day basis....I binged on those foods because anything that was "bad" I wanted. I got the same fullness out of my 600 calorie pizza than I would have on my 300 calorie breakfast of kashi, strawberries, and ff plain yogurt. I fully understand about "spending calories wisely" but I just binged, and have almost all of September...more than I have in like 6 months.

Today I finished up at 1200 which is good...planning for 1400 tommorow...but today I just wasnt that hungry. Hopefully tommorow I do as good as I did today and binging is a part of the past from now on.

Being at school 5 days a week now and only at work 3 days a week is DEFINATLY helping...work is SOOOO hard for me to get through on plan. I am a very weak person in that area!

JLM, I count calories but I confess that I rely a lot on pre-packaged foods, so I am not great for advice about making meals from scratch. However, I strongly believe in writing things down. From past experience I know that once I start slipping on writing things down, I also start slipping on what I put in my mouth.

I always write down what I eat and how many calories it is, even on bad days. That way if I don't lose I do know why. I'm working on my forth good day this week. I hope everyone has a good counting day.

Hi JLM,

I use fitday.com. I have kitchen scales, measuring cups and spoons. In the beginning, you may want to check your food before you eat it. Then you can decide if you'll have a half cup or a whole cup or whatever.
Hang in there. You've come to the right place for help.

Good Morning Ladies

Dh went to the doctor so I don't have the car,to get my shopping done,but there is always this afternoon.

Did any one see the Biggest Loser last night???????? While watching the show I a light bulb went off in my head.What if my low/high calorie cycling really doing a job on my metabolism.So this morning I went to a web site called Metabolism booster foods and I found a number of them that I used to eat and some how pushed them to the side for other convenient foods. Well starting today I going out and buy this wonderful foods and hopefully bring my metabolism back so I can finally burn some fat of of this body and get down to my goal.


JLM-By all means counting calories is much better than those diet plan out there also. I don't feel deprived just counting calories with portion control as once of my tools.We always hear you have whatever but only in moderation.I use a [[[[food journal]]]]] for my menus,and I do have 2 -3 days planned ahead so I can have the food in the house. I also use the[[[[ recipe thread]]]]] on this board.I also [[[[[Eat out of a frozen entree tray]]]] for my portion control. There lots of web sites that have calorie counting on foods.I use the Calorie King for one of them,and like Susan B suggested fit day is a great way to count your calories. I use spark people instead.



SAFFYTAFFY-Ok why do you binge???? I read on this web site that I went to this morning, that if you eat 5 small meals instead of 3 large ones you body will act differently. Eat more often Eating five smaller meals daily will trigger a thermic effect in your body. In other words, it turns your body into a high metabolism, fat burning machine. As a result, this will help your body to better digest and absorb the steady supply of food. Hope that helps. That's that great plan,hope you see it though, I'm having this week 1000/1400 this week.


STARZMOM-I do the same thing,my dh thinks I crazy to write in my journal but like you i need to know what I did wrong to make the scale go up.

Thanks for the advice. I use a lot of prepackaged foods as well, but i'm trying to cut back and go fresher. (we'll see how that goes )
should i be counting carbs too? how much is too much?

Hello all, I've been gone for a bit because I was traveling a lot and have been really busy.

I just lowered my calories to 1500 a couple days ago and the scale is starting to move again finally!!

JLM, I have food scale, measuring cups/spoons and I love love love my bodybugg! I also recently joined a gym because it was getting really hard to make myself work out at home alone for more than 30 mins a day. I love to cook and rarely use prepackaged stuff except for ore ida FROZEN mashed potatoes (I hate peeling potatoes), and Tyson chicken breast tenders. If you message me and tell me what type of things you like to eat I can send you recipes if I have any for that food that is made (mostly) from fresh ingredients rather than prepackaged.

Beach, glad to see things are going well (at least from what I've read so far) I will hopefully be on more now that things are slowing down a bit.

I discovered that thin crust veggie pizza is just as yummy as the pepperoni regular crust I was used to eating before. In fact, I like it better. I'm not missing that meat at all. I'm still struggling with night time snacking but trying to keep some calories aside for that and making better choices...yogurt or 2 lifestyle cookies or sometimes popcorn. No chips (unless they're baked). The weight is coming off slowly which is ok I guess b/c its more about finding a balance with the food that I am happy with it and its doable forever more.

With this cooler weather I am starting to crave comfort foods so will be trying out some lower cal/fat macaroni & cheese and am going to make my own Hamburger Helper mix which I can put in whole wheat pasta and lots of veggies.

Hi Guys! Well I managed to fight my dirty work demon today and stayed on plan. I planned and ate 1400 but was hungry when I got off work so I ate a few strawberries and oficially ended at 1450, but I figure that is okay since I put in an 11 hour work day today! Tommorow I want to be at no more than 1250 (I figure I plan for 1200 but if im starving in between dinner and bed...I will give myself a 50 cal snack like I did today). Yay...im glad I am back on track....and already my cravings are wayyyyy less!!

I had my weekly weigh in. I am now officially out of the 180s. Now I hope i never see them again.

This weekend will be a family reunion. There will be lots of food, especially desserts. Maybe I will overeat a little, but since it is a special occasion I will include a high calorie day in my plan.

What really concerns me is what I will prepare. Usually I take a big bowl of macaroni salad and a pie. Both of these have proven to be popular dishes.

Unfortunately, I am a person who does a lot of sampling when I cook, and that is what I find somewhat treacherous. Since I prepare the food the day before, one day of eating could become two, and that is scary, if anyone knows what I mean.

I am thinking of making a three-bean salad. I have never made one before but maybe I can pull it off. I personally don't care for it but maybe other people do.

Now I am really stuck on what to take as a second dish. I don't want to seem chintzy but I may take just the one dish this time and try not to feel guilty. After all, it's not as if there won't be wa-a-ay too much food anyway.

emileigh, You could take a lower fat strawberry shortcake.

1 Pillsbury White or yellow Reduced Sugar cake mix
1 Diet Coke or pepsi or whatever
1 jar smuckers sugar free strawberry preserves
1 frozen Dole sliced strawberries no sugar added.
1 Cool Whip Free or Lite

Mix the diet soda with the cake mix and bake as usual. that's it no oil, eggs or water just the diet soda.

while it bakes mix the strawberries with the preserves in a bowl and set aside.

After the cake is cool spread the strawberry mixture on top, spread the cool whip over that and it's done.

It is delicious, nobody will even know it's lower calorie and fat unless you tell them.

Hi Ladies

Had a lot to do this morning so, that the reason I'm late posting.Nothing new,going back to my normal calorie range instead of the one of was on [high/low].I lost the first 2 weeks and than I maintained .5 up & down for the last two months.

Now it time for a change.I'm on the 1000-1400 range or 20-28 pts on WW.

MELWOLFE-Welcome back,I can imagine how busy you are with all that traveling. The great that you found a 1500 count that works for you.

BCGAL-I have some bad nights when I start snacking for no apparent reason other than being on a low calorie day.So I decided to up my calories a little as see what happens. You're correct, they're several good snacks out there its just a matter of finding them.


SAFFYTAFFY-You're doing great deciding to use 50 extra calories for night time snacking.Big congrats on staying on track.I like your idea and might use it myself,as I only have a 3 meal plan and its not working so I'm back to reg calorie counting.

EMILEIGH-BIG CONGRATS on saying good bye to the 180's. A 3 bean salad is great idea,I love that salad butter than the mayo loaded ones.You could make a German potato salad using vinegar & oil instead of the mayo.

Have to go start making my dinner, will be back later