Hi Cowgirl -- I'm new too. You're right -- counting calories is just easy. I've been CC since 10-17-05, and I get uncomfortable if I'm not able to get to my calrie counting. I mostly use FitDay, but if away from home I use a calorie counter and a piece of paper. Good luck to you, it looks like a very good forum.

this is a really nice forum with nice women...

good luck to you guys!

i myself am on a low fat diet due to i had gallstones and i figured if i stayed away from fat it would help my gall bladder which it did as well as losing weight for the first time in my life! i recently, about 2 1/2 wks ago, had my gall bladder removed and i continue to stay on the low fat. i guess essentially i do watch my calories but mainly today i stay away from high fat intake and it works for me. don't get me wrong i had to test the waters and i had 2 chili dogs, boiled and it was sooooooooooooo good but i paid for it a little but not as bad as it was previous.

i plan on having a 'treat' at least once a week; like a small triangle of pizza or a piece of cake. i am a firm believer that everything in moderation. i was never a big eater which is good for me so i get satisfied very easily so a little piece of something won't hurt that bad, that's me though. but by far calorie counting and watching your fat will work miracles, trust me, i am living proof!

hope to hear from you guys soon...

ciao & God Bless,
Lucille

Hi Luc, Jilly, Aphil, and all,
Wow, aren't we great? Seriously - someone reaches out and look at all the responses. It definately is harder to make the good choices on a low $ budget. I watch labels for sodium and can tell you there is low sodium chicken broth out there. Your homemade is the best and I love the saving up idea. You appear to be quite ambitious - please take care of yourSELF, so you have good health and energy.
I'm happy to lower my weight bar by 2 lbs again , the wedding ring is loosening up again.
Back to apt hunting.
E

me too...my original wedding ring from 29 years ago fits me again and is a tad loose!!

i think it was a size 7, hopefully someday soon i will be a size 7 pants!!!

have a great day you all!!1


God Bless, Ciao...
Lucille

Hey Everyone!

This is my first post on here. I was so glad to find a site where people still count their calories . I'm in that "whhheww I can't hardly button my pants" stage and avoiding having to look sideways in the mirror hehe. Time for me to get serious again and lose some weight. I had lost a total of 30 lbs 6mths ago but only to gain it all back and some . Today is day one on my low calorie diet.

Hello All!

This is also my first post in this forum. Last week I started reading (and following) the ChangeOne plan put out by Reader's Digest. The premise is to change one week at a time. Week 1 was all about eating breakfast. Approximately 300 calories (or 1 fruit, 1 bread, 1 dairy). Week 2 (this week) is about eating lunch (and breakfast). Lunch should be approximately 350 calories. Week 3's change is snacking, Week 4 is about healthy dinners. I believer there are actually 12 weeks worth of changes. Eating out, holidays, exercise, etc. I'm using BalanceLog on my computer and PDA to track what I'm eating for breakfast and lunch.

I'll post my bio in the appropriate spot for this group.

Kimberly

Mine is falling off; I was 45# heavier when I got married. I am trying to decide whether or not I should cut it open and resize it or wear a smaller ring.

Either choice will distress my wife, so it is a bit of a dilemma.

Im so glad to find this forum, I was beginning to think I was the only person who wanted to lose the weight the old fashioned way without using pills or fad diets.

My mama always said that you could eat anything you want as long as its in moderation and I agree! It just makes more sense to me to count calories and just keep in mind your magic daily calorie number and not go over it.

Hiya guys,

It will be great getting to know all of you. I see Kimberly, Kittie & Lisa your all new too. Well....this is like day three for me. It hasn't been too bad as far as food wise goes for me so far.... Last night was hard, I was out most of the evening shopping for the kids and when I came home....there was a big Red Velvet cake on the counter that my husband bought to help this lady out.....ACCCCKKK. Its like one of my favorites too!! I took like 2 bites of it and thats it. Normally I would have dug in big time...hehe.

Kimberly - I've never heard of that Readers Digest diet. Is the different times of eating (breakfast, lunch, dinner) plans just to teach what sort of foods you need? or are you following foods on a list?

Kittie- I was glad to find this site too. I've already learned a few things from reading some of the posts. I think it is really helpful when you read about other peoples experiences, especially on the same diet your doing.

Lisa- Yeah, I think counting calories is a good diet for me. Mannn, I have tried so many diets & pills etc. I was going to try this other diet before this one called the CAD diet...cause it sounded just like me. But then I started thinking....there is really nothing I can do on that diet that I can't do when I count my calories. And I have lost before when I counted my calories...all of the other diets I ended up cheating on....

outwitheoldnwithenew: The book describes a 12-week eating plan. The "main" plan is to consume approximately 1300-1600 calories a day. Each meal is broken down into a calorie goal and what sort of food to eat. For example, to achieve 1300 calories a day, they suggest to eat approximately 300 calories with a suggestion of 1 starch or grain, 1 fruit, 1 dairy or high calcium item, and 1 optional item. To up this to accomodate the 1600 calorie range, you can eat an extra starch. Examples are given of what to eat as well as an idea of what a serving size is. I bought this book on eBay for $5. I guess there's a newer version coming out in Jan. 2006. What I really like about this book is that you can use it as a good guide. They do have suggestions for meals as well as easy recipes, but you don't have to follow it exactly. On the inside cover, they have pictures of what to compare your portions to (deck of cards, diner coffee cup, tennis ball), etc. It's just a nice no-nonsense book. I've only been reading the appropriate week's chapter at a time. Although I was thinking I should skim the Holiday chapter since that IS coming up. (Thankfully my in-laws prefer to eat healthy food!! I am guaranteed to be able to have fruit and vegetables at every meal.)

Week 1: Breakfast
Week 2: Lunch
Week 3: Snacks
Week 4: Dinner
Week 5: Dining Out
Week 6: Weekends & Holidays
Week 7: Fixing Your Kitchen
Week 8: How Am I Doing?
Week 9: Stress Relief
Week 10: Staying Active For Success
Week 11: Keeping On Track
Week 12: ChangeOne for Life!

I've only been journaling the meals for the weeks that I have completed. So far, just breakfast and lunch. My snacks and dinner are still what I normally eat, so I am not going to journal them yet.

Kimberly

Kimberly,

Just incase you didn't receive my response back I sent ya...(still new to this site and have alot to learn ). I appreciate you telling me the information on the plan. It sounds like a good plan and when 2006 comes around I will see if I can find it on ebay. I love ebay although my husband probably wishes that hated it lol.

Good morning everyone. I am not new. In fact I'm an old repeater. All I need to figure out is how to stick with healthy habits. It really wasn't that hard to lose almost 40 lbs the first time but I'm having trouble keeping going. Whenever some kind of life change happens (either big or small) I switch interests and healthy eating and exercise go by the way side. It's as if the obsession du jour is not dieting
In true freudian fashion, I then do not come to 3fc either.
The most recent is that my husband and I have started an ebay business. I spend waaaayy too much time sitting at the computer obsessing over it. But since I'm at the computer anyway .... I should just come here, right?
I think I'm going to go hunting for an exercise accountability thread and I should just read lots for motivation.
See you all around the boards!

Hey Susan,

Although I'm new to this site.. It does help.... To read posts with people that are having the same expeiences that you are having... Yeah....come on....pop on in to place a post or to read some that you have missed....It doesn't take long... I have had the same experience as you... I lost 30 lbs but then with I had a verrry stressful life change.... I dropped it....gained my 30 lbs back and some... Maybe if we can live and learn more on this site....we can be sucessful and keep those darn lbs off! . Just letting ya know I am checking in daily, even if to read a post or make one of my own..... we can do this right...?