Hi Charisma
I'm doing Fat smash but at first I was doing my own thing. I only recently switched to Fat smash.

I'm in Canada so for the time being outdoor workouts are a big no no!! I am doing a kickboxing video 5x a week and crunches after the video.

Maybe I will start a new thread in the challenge section and that might drum up so other people. i'll post the link once I do it.

Okay here is the passover challenge thread.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...23#post2108223

Hi, I just found 3FC two days ago, and it's already helped me tremendously. I had been somewhat down as I explained in another thread, and the ladies here just gave me so much hope.

It's interesting that you have a Jewish thread, I think it's great. I went to yeshiva, and sent my kids to yeshiva as well, so I guess I could label myself as religious.

I think I would find it interesting to see how you all feel religion fits into your weight loss. I one time, years ago (I've been struggling with weight my entire life and tried many ways to lose) joined a religious OA. The group leader said we should pray every day for Hashem to help us lose weight. And not just once a day. Every time we felt tempted we should ask for the strength to say no.

I have to say that approach didn't work for me! I only went to that group twice. How do you all think religion can fit into weight-loss for you?

Hello and welcome.

I think one aspect of Judaism that is certainly applicable to the dieter is determination. This is something that is clear in the people throughout the Torah, and this strength in determination is something we can take into ourselves.

Praying to G-d to help me every single time I am tempted doesn't seem very effective to me, but I am sure there are those who would disagree. I believe we have free will, which means I can make the choice between the cupcake and the carrots on my own, and I have to live with my decision. But if stopping and praying helps someone to say no, then that mechanism works for them and that is their choice.

My conversion to Judaism has made me very aware of what I am eating at all times as I try to follow the rules in the Torah. However, now as a dieter I think I am hyper-aware of everything. And this is definately a good thing, as I work to make decisions that are spirtually and physically healthy.

Fellow chubby MOT here! I'm going to check out the Passover Challenge!

Greetings all from LA...I just posted something the other day on a thread about how easy it is in Judaism to find reasons to overeat and overindulge...I am dreading Passover...as usual. I also work in a synagogue full time and am limited as to what I can bring for lunch.

Best...

Julee

Avi that is a very interesting question! I am also religious. I have on occassion asked H" to help me with the whole weight loss thing in general but overall I generally see the 2 as seperate. Not sure why though.

Charisma do you keep kosher?

Has anyone found any good kosher diet treats or snacks. I always reqad all the posts about various products only to find out they are not kosher. Also we keep chalav yisrael so that makes things harder.

Elmommy :welcome: come join the challenge!

Hi! I think that's interesting, that the quality of determination is in the Torah. I've never thought about that before, but certainly you are right, it is there. And I need it, in abundance! Today is Friday. Last night I prepped the Shabbat meal, and I have the works - chicken, soup, fish, cholent for Shabbat lunch, kugel. Challah! Yum! How will I not eat? I joined here on Monday, and I've been so good. How do I abstain from the yummy food?

I do pray every day, and I do ask for will power. While I'm in the midst of praying (davening), I do feel inspiration. But then I guess I flunk out when it comes to the free will part, when I am faced with the food.

So maybe I need to think of how determination is in the Torah, is in our forefathers, and is in our blood. And maybe my prayers led me here! Truly, since Monday, I've been great!

I'm glad you're here, too! :)

For me the trick is not to abstain from the yummy food but rather to abstain from eating too much yummy food. As a calorie counter I know I can eat whatever I want, but I have to watch the portions. I can have the challah and kugel - but I have to figure out how much is a reasonable portion for my daily caloric intake. I think this is the only sort of diet for me because I love food, and I don't want a book telling me I can't have something I love.

I keep Scripturally kosher, but not rabbinically kosher. I won't eat any of the unclean foods or cook mammals with dairy products, but I do eat chicken and turkey with dairy. I buy products that are either marked kosher or, when exploring the ingredient list, I do not see a reason other than lack of certification that they would not adhere to the dietary rules.

Still, this eliminates a lot of snack and treat foods. Earlier this week I discovered these wonderful kosher marshmallows in the Passover section of the grocery store. They are rolled in toasted coconut and are a wonderful treat at 32 calories. I tend to eat fruit and/or crackers as a snack, so finding kosher ones isn't a difficult thing for me. I can always do a square of dark chocolate and finding kosher chocolate isn't difficult. Of course, keeping chalav yisrael would make it a bit harder, I am sure.

Right now I am really struggling with finding low-calorie dessert recipes for family dinners. I won't use products with artificial sweeteners (Mom's allergic and I think it's unnatural) and it seems like every recipe I find either uses Splenda or Jell-o, which of course isn't kosher. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Abstaining does not make you stronger...it makes you angrier...especially if you wen to all of the trouble to cook it and then you can't eat it. The key is portion control and moderation...and being visually familiar with what 1 serving actually is. One trick that I was taught with buffet style meals is that you only get one trip to the line. Another thing that my husband and I do is that we eat dinner on our salad plates.

One of the hardest things to find that is kosher would be light cheeses. I am personally on WW and almost all if not all of their cakes, snack bars, etc. are heckshered but they are all dairy.

I don't think that the key to my weight loss success lies in the Torah or with HaShem....it has to be within me or it is nowhere. Both Torah and Hashem provide sources of strength and inspiration...but they won't lose the weight for me, exercise for me or cook my meals. If we are creatures of free will then we must exercise it and strive to be our best selves.

julee why are you restricted with what you can bring for lunch?

Avi i have the same problem as you in regards to shabbos. I generally limit myself to 1 slice of challah and remove it from the table. I split a small piece of gefilte with one of my kids. If I am having salmon then I eat that as my main and only have a bite of chicken. I try to make healthy kugels too.

charisma have you tried stevia or agave nectar as a sweetener?

julee I also eat on my salad plate!

Good shabbos everyone!!

2Beautiful: the building policy is that you can only bring in dairy/pareve from home. They do serve the kids in the Day School hot lunch and they do 3 meat days a week..but the stuff they serve is junk and it's usually high in fat and carbs. So I can't bring in turkey or chicken...and I don't eat red meat anyways. I could bring in meat from one of the kosher restaurants up the street but I don't want to buy lunch every day....so it's a lot of vegetarian stuff for me for lunches.

Good Shabbas!

We are mainly veg here - I have some good recipes that are relatively healthy (for a Passover recipe). A great veggie sheperds pie and a matza "kugel". YUM! LMK if you'd like them. :)

Oh, looky! This thread is active.

To the question about how religion plays into this, I'm agreeing with the idea about drawing from the determination of our ancestors. Think of all they have been through. Surely we can resist eating a whole chicken or challah in one sitting! A reasonable portion of each is enough.

We need to keep ourselves healthy because we need to be ready for any challenges that come our way. And, we have a right to enjoy our lives as much as possible.

The praying to H for strength at each turn has never been effective for me. Drawing on my own strength and resources, which I have been blessed to have been given in life, even though I sometimes forget them, has been more effective. The praying for strength at each temptation seems more of a Christian concept to me....not that there's anything inherently wrong with the idea if it works, but it just doesn't help me access my own G-d given resources.

I'm not religious, and I don't keep Kosher. But having grown up Jewish and being a very spiritual person, I identify.

I haven't tried stevia or agave nectar. My mother is understandabley nervous about anything that isn't sugar, but for my own purposes those might work. Thanks for the tip!

Well, I flopped this Shabbos. I had such a great week, I am so happy I found this site. I had been drawing such inspiration. I had begun walking with a friend during lunch, and I flopped! I came home Friday and immediately "sampled" my food: I had a full bowl of chicken soup, with matzah balls which I had decided to make this week. I had a full piece of chicken and kugel. Then after candle lighting, I ate a full meal. Then today I had a full lunch (challah, chicken, cholent, kugel, cake for desert). Why did I do that?! In truth, I didn't nosh all day like I would have normally done. (Isn't that sick? After all that food, why would I then nosh?).
I need help. Partly, I know I emotionally eat. My marriage broke up this year (husband had affair, stopped keeping shabbos, very messy, custody still not settled). It's been an unhappy last 3 years at least (been married 26) and I packed it on. Whenever I think about him, the marriage, his betrayal I EAT!. I need to stop.
I'm going to Israel for Pesach, and had promised myself I'd lose beforehand. Now I feel like I have 2 weeks to keep the promise to myself. I know that's nuts, but that's how I think.
I do think it's a religious issue to be healthy. My son tells me the Rambam (Maimonides) says it is forbidden to eat when not hungry. If only it were that easy! Then, when I can't abstain from eating, I feel guilty. Not just because I failed, then I begin to think I failed my children as well, because if I'm not healthy enough to be here for them, my ex-husband will get them, and he's an incapable hypocrite. Then, on top of that, I feel I'm actually sinning.
Boy, I need help!

I can see it as a religious issue in as much as we are expected to constantly keep ourselves in check and strive to be our best versions of ourself. I agree with battle that turning to a page of scripture or praying to an external source for support does seem very Christian. I know that in the Al Het and in the Ashamnu prayers that gluttony and indulgence come up on the lists...but those are also public confessionals...we beat our chests with the rest of the congregation..but that doesn't mean that every time we are tempted by cake or that we over do it at dinner we should start davening.

Not once in my 35 years has G-d put food directly into my mouth...and by the same token not once has G-d convinced me to not eat when I was not hungry (and neither did Rambam for that matter). That was me, all me, every time. Restraining myself, maintaining control and not making excuses for overdoing it are all on me.

Avi: You Can eat the Shabbat foods you want to...but you have to be mindful of portion sizes and what else you eat that day. If you know what one "serving" of Challah is, and then you don't go back for more (my weakness), and you know what one serving of chicken is...etc etc and then you up your veggie intake...you can still walk away from the table feeling satisfied and not stuffed and still feel that you participated in the meal. I go to a number of Shabbat dinners that are all potluck with my youth group kids...and I just have to really think about what I am doing. Often I will bring my own entree since they usually serve pasta and things like that. I also make sure that earlier in the day I ate a little bit less so I have enough points for dinner (I do WW).

Clearly your ex cannot be your source of support here...but I also know that trying to do this solo can be daunting and border on impossible.

Good Luck!!!

Hi Julee, I just looked at your blog - you had a nice wedding! Thank you for the tips on portion control. I just need to be able to do it!

Tonight my married daughter and her husband came over just to hang out, and then it was dinner time so we went out. I was sort of proud of myself, because instead of getting a steak sub and fries, I got a schwarma platter, lots of salad, one small pita, no fries. I know it wasn't the healthiest choice, but it also wasn't the worst. I made a step in the right direction. Yay!

Congratulations! After all, a successful diet is just a series of steps in the right direction :)

Avi:

I don't eat red meat...so when hubby and I go to the falafel place that we love...he gets the grilled chicken and I get the chicken gyrops or turkey shwarma..and tons of salads and pickles.

Just opting out of the fries was a great choice..and I'm sure it was a tough one.

Thanks for the nice comment on the wedding. It really was everything I had hoped for.

Thank you. It is good to be reminded that it is all about healthy choices, one step at a time. Thanks!

Shalom to All...
 

...my name is Tammy (Tamara). I'm 28, in Orange County, CA. I consider myself conservative / Traditional, even though I eat out (some things I shouldn't), I don't keep Shabbat (although I won't wash or cook on Shabbat). I do keep Pesach, and I fast & repent on Ypm Kippur.

I was raised in a Traditional Persian/Iraqi home...my mom came to the states from Iran at 16, and my dad is 2nd generation American (Ashke****). So I get the yummy foods from both sides!

I attend Weight Watchers, but some weeks I just can't seem to follow program, even though I still go to weigh-in.

This year, my goal is to NOT overspend ($$$ & Calories) on processed Pesach food...may as well get back to basics. However, being Sephardic, I do eat rice...which is probably my top weakness.

So yeah, that's me!

Shalom Out!

hi Tammy :welcome:

you gave such a nice introduction!!

I'm the same age and orthodox. I'm sephardi and my husband is also half and half like you. We don't eat kitnyiot on pesach which I am fine with because other than chummus I don't like that food group much!!

It seems like you are doing well on your weight loss? I'm havinmg some troubles. my weight seems to be fluctuating. I think it may be because of TOM.

Come join us in the passover challenge!

I'm here! I'm not religious, but I definitely share the food struggles every holiday, and god knows my family loves the Jewish food, holiday or no. Maybe we should start a new thread, I hadn't even seen this one before.

Hi Tammy:

I'm Julee, 35 and I'm in LA. I envy you being sephardic because you actually have a ton more options during the chag than I feel I do as an Ashke**** Jew. You can eat brown rice, lentils, corn and lots of other great low-far, high fiber filling foods without wasting the points on stupid matza and other empty foods. I also do WW and always have issues around this time. I basically go as carb-free as I can and eat a lot of chicken, fish and salad. Just going that route and sticking more to fresh foods can help keep down costs and calories...besides...it doesn't matter what flavor the can claims they are...all maccaroons taste the same!!

Good luck and welcome!!!

~Julee

So, so true! :)

Welcome, Tammy! It's nice to e-meet you. I think you'll find a lot of support here. And it's not too late to join the Pesach challenge thread. :)

Thanks for all the warm welcomes!

Where is this Pesach Challenge thread you speak of?!?!?!

Perhaps I'll find it on my own.

This drop has been since 2/2006. I just look at it as 13 pounds less than my highest, that I haven't put back on...puh puh puh!

My cousin is getting married in July, and I would like to lose 10 pounds before then (I'm a bridesmaid), even though my dress has been ordered.

I think...no, I KNOW I can do it, in a healthy way.

Well, now I found support that will keep me on track for both weight loss, and be better at keeping more kosher laws :)

Hi everyone,

Thought I'd say hi. I've lurked a bit, but Passover has been the end of a number of past diets, and I'm determined not to have it happen this time. I'm 52 years old, the veteran of many diets, currently 7 1/2 weeks into my third round on South Beach and doing the Beck Diet Solution (posting some on the Beck thread here).

Religiously, I'm pretty traditional, actively involved in a Conservative synagogue, not shomer Shabbat, but I won't work or spend money on buying "things" on Shabbat (I will spend money on recreational activities). I keep Kosher at home, and eat only vegetarian or fish in restaurants.

I observe Passover pretty strictly. There's something about not being able to eat out at all and losing some of my standard foods that I find really confining (this would be far easier if I were Sephardic...I have soy products or beans virtually every day...and rice would be a nice addition too:)) In the past I've blown diets and lost total control on Passover and beyond, a number of times.

For this year, my thought is to give up any idea of losing weight during Passover. It just won't happen. I'm going to make a list of what I will eat, including some recipe ideas, so that I can refer to it if I feel deprived. I'm going to "budget" some treats during the holiday, so I feel less deprived....my deal is I'm that supposed to stay close to south beach but I can have a bit of off-plan food if I plan it in advance when I do my menu in the morning. I'll buy a little bit of dried fruit...who needs candy? I'm going to the kosher market Monday afternoon, and I'll buy whatever low fat dairy products I can find. Last year they had yogurt, Israeli hard cheese and white cheese, and Israeli cultured diary (Gil or eshel...I don't remember). For starches (I only have about 2 a day, but they matter to me), I'll have matza, winter squash, quinoa, and sweet potatoes, and probably a matza-vegetable kugel somewhere along the way. I may make a batch of passover muffins.

I'm mostly going to focus on really enjoying fish, poultry, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and not being overly food focused. How hard can that be for eight days?

Quinoa is such a life-saver. My take on Pesach is this...if you're Ashke**** and keeping Sephardic is going to help your health in terms of not feeling deprived and being able to eat that foods that are a part of your routine..then I would be of the opinion that Sephardic is the way to go. Your health is not supposed to be sacrificed for a CHAG...a festival. It's not about deprivation...save that for Yom Kippur.

Titan: 10 lbs. by July is a very healthy and realisic goal....they can also alter your dress should they need to. I know that wedding dresses can be taken down by 2 sizes without the need for an entirely new dress.

Good luck all....

Tammy you can definitely lose 10 lbs by July!! I'm hoping to lose 10 by shavuous! I have already made my Pesach challenge so I am quite happy. In fact I have passed it by 2 pounds.

Hi Barb:
It souns like you have a good healthy attitude towars Pesach!! Good luck.

I hope to be able to coninue losing during Pesach but i stay away fromt he matzah and processed food so i will probably subsist on sweet potatoes, salads egg and meat.

all this talk abotu quinoa is getting me jeaoulous. We don't eat it on Pesach but we are going to ask our rav about it again this year. Where do you all buy it? does it have a kasher l'pesach hechsher?

Does anyone have any good pesach cookie recipes?

What I've been told about quinoa is that it needs to be in a sealed package, no added ingredients, bought before the Chag, but that it doesn't need to have a Pesach hechsher. I haven't found any with a KP hechsher, but I haven't looked.

I know that not everyone would consider this acceptable. (to use it at all, or to consider it as a food that does not need a hechsher before the chag).

Thanks for the info!

I had a big discussion today with my MIL about our upcoming "seder" with the family. I was going to bring a Pesadik dessert from a wonderful bakery near work...because everyone was complaining about the desserts tasting so bad. But the truth is...I'm not going to eat it and I'd rather have fruit. So in the end...I'm not bringing dessert and someone else is now in charge of it...and they can bring what they want. So the question is...if you normally wouldn't eat cookies when it's not Pesach and you're worried about how to get along on Pesadik foods without ODing on carbs and junk..why bake cookies now?

Just a thought :)

Personally I bake cookies every shabbos I just don;t eat them. But my family and guests do so I plan to do the same thing for Pesach. Today I did all my Pesach grocery shopping and I found dark chocolate covered pistachios so I am going to have those as a treat over Pesach. And I bought 2 different types of macaroons and plan to do a taste test! I'll keep you all posted.

How did everyone do this week-end. I found that the sedars were fine and that I did not overeat. But I was craving food all the other times. ;)
could be that I wasn't able to have coffee (decaf is not kosher for pesah) or enough exercise.
OK to Salsa class and the garden today.
have a great day.
tz:carrot:

I bravely did quite well, though I must admit there were almost tears in my eyes when I was brave enough to turn down the amazing-looking (and calorie loaded) flourless chocolate cake with strawberry sauce. But they would have been happy tears, since I was proud of myself for being able to do that. Besides, the fruit cup I had instead was quite good. :)

I did okay. I definitely didn't overeat at the seders but the day meals I did! Also I usualy drink crystal light and since it isn't KP I'm not drinking enough and am retaining at least 2 lbs of water.

Charisma I'm impressed with you!!

I am having real problems with my low carb low fat diet this week because of Passover. I really miss my comfort foods especially decaf coffee and gum. Its only a few more days I will be lucky to maintain this month instead of losing. On the positive side I have been very good about preparing and eating low carb/low fat foods and I was very conscientious during the evening Sedar meals.
Its funny how some weeks are just incredibly easy and others are a terrible slog.
This is definitely a slop week.
tz :carrot:

well passover is finally finished and now I can have decaf coffee!!
I am also going to try and make low carb low fat ice cream if I can find a recipe. ( I do have an ice-cream maker)
tz:carrot: