Joining in the Fit for Life discussions - I often do the fruit until noon part and do not find it difficult at all but refreshing. And I have completely stopped EVER having fruit with most proteins because of reading the books and because I've witnessed the tummy bloat and upset it can cause (had grapes absentmindlely with a deli meat at the same buffet recently for instance - not good). I seldom go further into the plan than that as Carolyn does, with all-fruit days. Even used to make the almond milk they recommend but it does take some time and I haven't done that in a while. I would recommend the Fit for Life cookbooks to anyone, btw - really great, sensible meals. I would consider Fit for Life to have been the first, the pioneer, of the be-healthy-in-your-diet books.
Wish I could comment on posts, but my family is clammoring. Later.
Fit For Life...what is that?! I fell so far off the FFL wagon today, I'm going to have to run for days to catch up! Man, I sure do ride the emotional rollercoaster sometimes! It makes me a true artist, I guess, but enough already!
Even when I am in a crappy frame of mind like today, I have NO PROBLEM eating only fruit up until noon. Yes, I can have as much as I want. The only rule is DO NOT OVEREAT! There is a whole page in the FFL book which is only filled with those three words, in caps...DO NOT OVEREAT! Over and over again. Basically, overeating is as hard on the body as eating unhealthy. It puts the body in distress mode. Makes sense to me.
As to the Main Course Salad days when you have fruit till dinner, you have the option of a cucumber, tomato and avocado platter and or raw vegetables, such as celery and carrot. You should wait 1 to 2 hours before eating any fruit though after the vegetables, to allow time for the vegetables to pass through the stomach.
As to the All Fruit days. Those days are a tad touch and go for me. I have to be in the right frame of mind to make it through those days.
Some of you may recall me feeling SOOOO happy 2 weeks ago because of a meeting that I went to and didn't eat ANY of the tons of junk food that was in front of me for 1.5 hours! Well, I headed off to another of those meetings today knowing full well what was waiting for me. I sat down and they asked me how I was and I said STRESSED! They proceeded to position the bowl of dark chocolate in front of me and I thanked them and began to eat without reserve. I must have eaten about 2 or more chocolate bars worth of chocolate.
And that kind of stressful eating has been the theme for the full day and night, so there you have it. I had my w/i this morning and remained at 154 lbs. I'm okay with that. I understand why. I am so glad I did not go up. Now, off to bed and here's to hoping I have a better start and finish tomorrow!
Hmmm, this FFL info is very interesting. You can't have fruit and protein together? I do that all the time. Fish with berries, chicken with mango, pork with apples, turkey with nectarines (it's a salad recipe). Also, having fruit and veggies together is bad?
This has nothing to do with FFL, but I have to say that I'm feeling so much more in control now that I've completely given up the chocolate covered espresso beans. Maybe there is something to the idea of giving up refined sugar (although I'm not quite ready to completely give it up yet).
Mudpie--I must have missed something. What is going on with your DH and why is he going to be miserable for a year? Good luck with the diet pepsi headaches--maybe some Ibuprofen would help.
Gold--You've done so well and made so much progress. I know you'll get back on track soon. And once you do, that pound and a half will be gone so fast it will be like it never existed.
Clykk--Those meetings sound pretty tough to get through. I'd have a pretty tough time resisting a bowl of chocolate positioned right in front of me.
alinnell--How many calories are you eating? I seem to recall that you are pretty low; with the running, which burns a lot of calories, maybe you need to increase your calories. Last summer I increased my exercise quite a bit and my weightloss promptly stalled and stayed stalled until I added 100 calories per day to my diet.
I, too, had never heard about the fruit without protein part; maybe I should try that and see how it goes.
Planning this week will prove quite difficult for me. Tomorrow's my birthday, and I'm meant to have a small party twice this week because of it (can't have certain groups together, heh). Not to mention that it was b-day party at my parents this past Sunday as well, which at least taught me that ice-cream really isn't my thing, and that my body doesn't want it any more. But I'm not sure how I'll cope with the upcoming parties, since I'm not the one to cook for them, except for a cake. At least I won't drink anything else than water or black coffee/tea without sugar nor milk, this I'm sure of. I guess I'll just have to practice moderation, and not eat three slices of each cake that'll be on the table.
That's one week in the year, though, so I don't doubt I can get back on track after it, and I can also be careful in the days in between.
A good plan overall but, for my body, I find the fruit and protein don't conflict. My DH wanted us to go on this diet together so I tried it for a month. I can only eat at mealtimes during the day (in a car with dogs all day) and, after the fruit for breakfast at 7:30 I was absolutely starving by 10:30 a.m. Didn't work well for me.
I can do fruit all day if I'm not working and it's summer. It's a lot harder in the winter as I crave starchy carbs and something hot. Overall the FFL plan is a really good one for low cal eating, but there are all sorts of plans for low cal eating.
Has anyone tried Bob Greene's book/diet? He helped Oprah with her weight loss and I've read excerpts from the book in "O" magazine. Would like a "field test" opinion if anyone has one.
That's funny, I've read that a person should always have some protein when eating fruit...to balance the sugars in the fruit or something. Not that I ever do that mind you. I could live on fruit, but after reading Atkins, I fear it's bad.
And thanks. Today will better. It has to be, I was up again this am.
There are so many ways to get through this thing called life, isn't there!! Different ways to eat, different ways to exercise, different ways to worship God, different ways to make a living, different ways to decorate your home. It's a wonder we don't go mad with all the choices that are presented to us on a daily basis!!!
I feel so bogged down with all the crap I ate yesterday and all the emotions that were coursing through my body! Unfortunately, I don't foresee an end to the stress anytime soon as I was woken up at 5:30 this morning with the news that my MIL passed away around 4 AM this morning. She was in a nursing home with my FIL and hasn't been eating for over a month. We were expecting the call one day. My DH is doing some writing this morning about it. Haven't had any tears flow yet, but I imagine we will have our share of grief soon. Thankfully, we live 20 minutes away, so no expensive flights to incur.
I didn't get to swimming this morning. Normally I'm just exiting the pool right now. Hey, I think I'll substitute the pool for a bubble bath. I could use that right now.
It is supposed to be an all-fruit day today according to my Fit For Life schedule, and that sure would feel good to flush out all the back log, but I don't know if I am mentally up to it. I'm going to give it my best shot.
Well, I'm back from a 4-day conference in NYC. Eating was OK: I pretty much stuck with grilled salmon at the fancy-pants dinners, fruit at the breakfasts, and managed to eat healthy-ish picnic foods for the lunches. I also skipped a lot of meals, not on purpose. My downfall definitely involved the trips to the Irish pub around the corner from the conference hotel.
Exercise was OK. I lifted two of the three mornings I was in NYC, and also walked, walked, walked, and then walked some more. Most of the walking was with The Boy, so I didn't get the old heart rate up, but at least it burned off some of the excess calories.
Got a lot of NSV's from friends and colleagues, including one who I hadn't seen in a year who came up to me out of the blue and asked to see my biceps. Yeah, like I'm going to strike a pose in the middle of the hotel lobby...
I'm eager and excited to get back to normal eating and exercising after the combined disruptions of the move and conference. Near the top of my lengthy list of errands for the day is buying a gym membership. Oh, and food. Our fridge contains exactly four items: a decadent chocolate torte our renters bought for us as a welcome home present, an abandoned and mostly empty bottle of ketchup, and two containers of baking soda!
Have been NOP for the past few days. Just not feeling motivated right now for some reason. Have decided to join a gym today. Hoping it will help me to get focused again. Eating has been horrible, especially late at night. Gotta stop doing that.
Last edited by thinnythighs; 08-15-2007 at 06:51 AM.
Reason: add
Not much new going on around here. Yesterday was such a wierd eating day for me. I was craving sweets/sugar BIG time. I managed to stay in my calorie range but it was a struggle. I also found myself in the grocery store for a few items that I needed and then just roaming the aisles. I wanted something but I didn't know what.
I have ALL my laundry done. I don't remember the last time that happened!
I have to pick my husband up from the airport at 9pm tonight then I have to go to work at midnight. Oh well, I've had extra nights off while DH has been out of town so I should be well rested.
Hope everyone has a great day. Talk to you later. Jane
Kim - sounds like an awesome trip! I have a hard time eating healthy when I go to NYC ... just so much yummy food everywhere. Good job!
Yes, Dagmar, what is going on with DH? Does he hate his boss? My husband makes himself miserable over work regularly... it's not good for either of us. He has finally recognized it though and vowed not to do it this year (we both teach in the same school). Hope last night wasn't too terrible in your house.
Bob Greene - I think, from what I remember, his approach is pretty balanced - isn't it 6 small meals throughout the day with a little protein at each? If so, ironically, it's opposite the FFL (Yes, there are many roads to arrive at the same destination). The only thing I think I disagreed with Greene on was that he is adamant that you can't eat past a certain time (7:30 or so??). I often eat dinner at 9pm, and if I'm within my calorie range, I'm fine. I just don't agree with that. FFL would be hard for me. Fruit alone doesn't give me a feeling of satiety, whereas fruit and yogurt, etc. does. I am a big believer in doing what works for you, so more power to those doing FFL.
Today I'm heading out to get my hair cut and colored - I have so much gray now! I only pay for this about 3x a year (it's so pricey) and touch roots up myself in between. I am looking forward to getting it cut - may go to just the top of my shoulder - it's long now... we'll see. I hope DH will do some painting while I'm gone :-)
Carolyn~prayers for you and your family at this difficult time.
Hmmm. Protein with fruit. I must do that since I had cantaloupe and a hard boiled egg for breakfast both yesterday and today! I thought it was good to have protein at every meal as that helps keep you feeling full for longer. As for the fruit until lunch, I was doing that (somewhat) a few weeks back, and somehow I think it made me gain rather than lose. I was having protein only for breakfast (scrambled egg whites) and berries for a snack at 10 AM. Lunch was a lot of vegetables. Dinner was a normal meal, yet low cal and low fat. But perhaps it was the wine! LOL
Barbara~I kind of zigzag my calories and it seems that the days that I eat higher (1600 calories) I do gain, so that's why I stick to 1200. I was a little low yesterday at 1104 and I lost half a pound. I'm going to try for 1200 today and see if I lose some more. I don't know if it is the extra calories on the weekends or WHERE those extra calories are coming from (higher fat--you know, the fast food curse). I'm going to try this weekend to stay away from fast food to see what happens. I've thought about increasing my calories to see if that helps me lose, but based on my weekends, I just don't think it will work for me.
Dagmar, I know how hard it is for you to stay away from Pepsi. I love pop. I love the carbonation and the sweet taste.
I borrowed Bob Greene's book from the library, but I haven't started reading it yet.
Gold, you will reach your goal! It’s happening slowly, but it’s happening!
As for eating protein with fruit, I do that a lot. I often have chicken, tuna, or boiled egg whites with fruit.
I did well with my calories yesterday, but I did not do well with sugar. At work I had a candy bar. On the way home from work I went to Tim Hortons and got a donut, then I stopped at Dairy Queen and got a small cone. My calories for the day came to 1561, though. Today I'll do better with the quality of my calories.
But I'm not sure how I'll cope with the upcoming parties, since I'm not the one to cook for them, except for a cake. At least I won't drink anything else than water or black coffee/tea without sugar nor milk, this I'm sure of. I guess I'll just have to practice moderation, and not eat three slices of each cake that'll be on the table. 
Fit for Life/Bob Greene/etc.
Have decided to join a gym today. Hoping it will help me to get focused again. Eating has been horrible, especially late at night. Gotta stop doing that.
then I have to go to work at midnight. 
Oh well, I've had extra nights off while DH has been out of town so I should be well rested. 
