Day 3
 

WI: 177.6

This morning we went out to breakfast with my hubby's aunt and uncle and we went to a little chain restaurant, Cracker Barrel...one of those restaurants that could provide you with nutritional info if they really wanted to, but instead state:

"Here at Cracker Barrel, we pride ourselves on using recipes and ingredients that are authentic, genuine, and of the highest quality available. Cracker Barrel certainly understands the health-conscious concerns that some of our guests have. While we are unable to give you any exact calorie or fat content information..." yadda, yadda yadda....at least they offer substitutions. So, I did the best that I could for breakfast and I overestimated where I could.

Breakfast: One pancake (200), sugar-free syrup (10) (it actually had the calorie count on the little bottle!!), Scrambled Eggbeater (120), 1 tbsp ketchup (20), one turkey sausage patty (60) (410 total)
Snacks: FiberOne Oats & Choc bar (140), Gum (5), one piece Ghiardelli dark chocolate (53)
Lunch: Lean pockets (whole grain meatballs and mozzarella) (480)
Dinner: Salsa chicken (280), Broccoli (60), Potatoes (50), White Russian (212)

Calories: 1690

:congrat: On your loss Emme! You are on a roll now. Looks like our weekend challenge did us both good. Everytime I thought about pigging out yesterday, I remembered the challenge. This is the first weekend I've stayed OP in a long long time. Thanks for the motivation.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Same here!!!! This is the first weekend in a loooong time that I stayed on OP and I know it's because of our challenge -- there were quite a few times I wanted to shove handfuls of the Ghiardelli chocolates down my throat, but I had to stop myself, remind myself of our challenge, and then work through whatever feelings I was having that wanted me to eat instead of feel. Thank you for the motivation -- I couldn't have done it this weekend without you! :)

Day 4
 

WI: 178.2

Breakfast: 1/2 c cinnamon cheerios plus 1/2 c kashi go lean (fiber twig) cereal, skim milk, whole grain english muffin, all-natural pb, all-natural fruit spread (361)
Snack: Yogurt and 1/8 cup kashi cereal (97)
Lunch: Lean cuisine and baked cheetos (400)
Snacks: Gum (5), FiberOne Oats & Chocolate bar (140), Cheese stick (60), Kashi All-Natural Honey/Cinnamon oatmeal (150)
Dinner: Lean pockets (whole grain meatball w/mozzarella -- I did not feel like cooking tonight) (480), Skinnycow truffle bar (100)

Zumba meets for the last time (for a while, anyway) tonight after work, but I'm just not 100% motivated to go. It feels like one of those days when I just want to go home, walk my dog, and maybe hop on the treadmill. And my stupid knee swelled up again after mowing the grass on Saturday (really?!?!), so I'm kinda p!$$ed about that. Monday...........

Update: forcing myself to go to Zumba tonight. I love it too much to not go...maybe I was just really tired earlier today.

Exercise: 50 minute Zumba class
Calories: 1793 Whoops...so much for eating oatmeal. That threw me way over my 1600-1650 and I didn't even realize it! Hopefully Zumba burned off some of those extras.

hey there enjoying reading your blog, seems we have had similar journeys at times. i started at 240ish and lost most of my weight but im in the 170s and want to be down to 165 ish.... also calorie counting. sounds like your exercise is working well hope your knee is better soon so you can walk and run and ZUMBA again :)

We do have similar journeys, and you have done really well! Good for you! :cheer: You are soooo close to your goal weight. You'll be there before you know it.

Yes, the knee has been swollen and tight for weeks now, but I'm being stubborn and not doing anything about it...I ice/heat my knee in the evenings and it gets better, but the second I do any kind of exercise it goes back up and gets tighter. Oh well. I let it rest for two weeks (of no exercise) and I just couldn't take it anymore, so I started exercising again.

Oh man! Are we worse than conjoined twins? You too with the knee? Well...good news is I already went to the doctor for both of us...sprain & mild ACL (that's like a ligament pull)!;) Doc recommended knee brace and to build muscle around knee (hammies & quads). Make sure you stretch well after run (but go easy until it heals...don't pull your stretches tooo tight, go easyyyyy...). That's been working for me. As much as I hate it...I've gotta hit them weights now. Will start with 2 days/week (tues/thurs) on my off running days.

Anyways...take care of that knee...a nice hot bath and some ibruprofen works well!:hug:

Oh and congrats on making it down to 177!:carrot: It's downhill from here...let's keep rockin that scale!:D

I'm so glad your meniscus isn't torn!! A knee brace is much better than surgery. :) The weird thing with my knee is that it got tight and swollen after a spinning class a month ago when my seat wasn't in the right position, and now the smallest thing makes it get tight and swell up. Even just walking around the block. It really aggravates me. But, of course, I refuse to go to the doctor because...because that's just me. :) Good luck with the weights...that's something I have yet to get to!

Day 5
 

WI: 178.2 ~ Hmmm. I usually have numbers during my weight loss that really like to stick around and I've seen 178.2 for three out of four days now. I'm changing the batteries in my scale tonight! LOL! They actually haven't been changed in a long time, and I weigh every day, so I'm sure it could use a fresh set anyway. I'm sure changing the batteries will have absolutely no effect on my weight loss readings, but psychologically it makes me feel better. :)

Made it to Zumba yesterday, but not sure what I am doing today. I teach a grad MBA class and tonight is the last class meeting...they are just presenting, so I can kick back and relax...but that means I don't have time to work out after work. Might try to do Pilates over lunch at the rec center.

Breakfast: 1/2 c cinnamon cheerios plus 1/2 c kashi go lean (fiber twig) cereal, skim milk, whole grain english muffin, all-natural pb, all-natural fruit spread (361)
Snack: Yogurt with 1/8 c. Kashi cereal (97)
Lunch: Lean Cuisine Meatloaf & Mashed potatoes and baked cheetos (380)
Snacks: Gum (10), FiberOne Oats/Choc bar (140), Cheese stick (60), Skinnycow bar (100)
Dinner: Lean Pockets (whole grain meatball/mozzarella) (480) -- no time to make dinner tonight b/c of class :(

Exercise: 45 minutes of Pilates
Calories: 1628

Day 6
 

WI: 177.4

Breakfast: 1/2 c cinnamon cheerios plus 1/2 c kashi go lean (fiber twig) cereal, skim milk, whole grain english muffin, all-natural pb, all-natural fruit spread (361)
Snack: Yogurt with 1/8 c kashi cereal (97)
Lunch: Lean Cuisine 3-cheese rigatoni & baked cheetos (360)
Snacks: Gum (5), FiberOne bar (140), Cheese stick (60)
Dinner: Lean Pockets whole grain meatball & mozzarella (these are getting addicting -- too easy! LOL!) (480), one piece Ghiardelli chocolate (53), Skinnycow truffle bar (100)

Spin class is now over until August, so I will need to find something else to keep me active on Wednesdays. Might just go home and dance around like an idiot for about 30 minutes. I could jump on the treadmill, but that gets boring really quickly for me sometimes.

Exercise: 45 minutes on the treadmill at 4.0 walk while watching my recorded episode of Addicted To Food. Love this show. I have gone through spells of binge eating and it is very scary when it happens. It's like I'm a zombie and my mind is blank while I'm shoving whatever kind of food I possibly can into my mouth. I used to go to McDonald's and get two #3s (two cheeseburger meals), a small coke and a large coke (to make it look like I was picking up for two), and then I'd go home and eat it all as fast as I possibly could. I used to get a dozen donuts, hide them in my oven so my boyfriend wouldn't see them, and eat them as quickly as I could without him seeing. I used to get those small little cakes that are for four people and eat the whole thing in like 20 minutes. Then, the cycle of shame and depression kicks in, and again starts the eating to deal with that pain. It hasn't happened since around Christmas, and calorie counting has really been what has helped me not binge. I am trying hard to work through my feelings instead of eating them.

Calories: 1653

Hi Emme - I copied you and joyfull. Hope you don't mind! Good luck this week!

Of course I don't mind!! You should do whatever it is you think will make your weight loss journey the most effective ~ that's why I decided to put my stuff out in the open. It forces me to be 100% accountable! :dizzy:

Emme - You're doing an awesome job! Keep up the great work.

Thanks, my dear! :hug:

Day 7
 

WI: 177.0

Breakfast: 1/2 c cinnamon cheerios plus 1/2 c kashi go lean (fiber twig) cereal, skim milk, whole grain english muffin, all-natural pb, all-natural fruit spread (361)
Snack: Yogurt w/kashi cereal (97), Gum (5)
Lunch: Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli and baked cheetos (400)
Snacks: FiberOne bar (140), Cheese stick (60), Applesauce cup (50)
Dinner: Tortilla w/chicken, cheese, a little guac and a little salsa (396), broccoli (60), Skinnycow bar (100)

Exercise: 45 minutes of yoga

Calories: 1669

WI is officially tomorrow, so we'll see what happens! :)