[ChicksAhoy]

Changed - If you have trouble counting the calories in your homemade food you can try using a nutritional scale. I just got one and it's amazing! It tells you the exact number of calories, protein, fats, carbs, salt, cholesterol and fiber in what you've got on the scale. If you're into calorie counting, I'd highly recommend one. The one I have is called StarFrit. I like it a lot but I haven't tried out any other brands. It actually got me motivated to better monitor my cal intake.

irishlassie Hi! Yes, what are those monkey nuts?

[krampus]

Today felt like a failure. I probably ate almost 2000 calories (much of it rice...and ice cream...) and I didn't run, just tae bo and pushups and the usual walking. Oh well, tomorrow's a new day. Last week I overate on Wednesday and wound up 1 kg lighter on Saturday than at the beginning of the week, so here's to hoping that pattern continues...

In more optimistic news, I realized today that if I keep up this exercising business and really work at it for a while, I could look like a AA-cup version of Halle Berry from the neck down. We have similar body types - smallish torso and a fairly defined waist, with curvy legs and small ankles.

As for end-of-year goals...it's hard to say now, but if I make my Halloween goal of 128 (I'm 132-133ish now...ergh) who knows? I might even PUSH for 120. Which won't last long, as I'm taking a purely hedonistic trip to Germany to ring in the New Year which is guaranteed to involve keeping strange hours, lots of beer, and midnight sausages.

[ainsleymom]

Originally Posted by Dianne042425

What a miracle drink. Now I know why America is depenent on it. Two glasses a day wont hurt though right?

I heart coffee! It really gets me going and it's just so delicious. There's something so nice about holding a warm coffee mug while I'm still in my jammies and hanging out in my jammies. When I was pregnant I still drank it, but I switched to decaf. I don't think two cups a day is bad, (although some cups out there are HUGE!) it's all natural right? As long as you are limiting the cream and sugar and counting them in your calories your good.

I've been counting calories on Sparkpeople again. It does keep you honest, but I'm not convinced it's totally accurate. I mean was my apple in my oatmeal this morning medium or large? Was there a teaspoon of olive oil in my serving of swiss chard last night or was it a tablespoon? I guess it evens out in the end, and if the scale isn't moving then you need to be more stringent.

[Dianne042425]

Originally Posted by ainsleymom

I heart coffee! It really gets me going and it's just so delicious. There's something so nice about holding a warm coffee mug while I'm still in my jammies and hanging out in my jammies. When I was pregnant I still drank it, but I switched to decaf. I don't think two cups a day is bad, (although some cups out there are HUGE!) it's all natural right? As long as you are limiting the cream and sugar and counting them in your calories your good.

I've been counting calories on Sparkpeople again. It does keep you honest, but I'm not convinced it's totally accurate. I mean was my apple in my oatmeal this morning medium or large? Was there a teaspoon of olive oil in my serving of swiss chard last night or was it a tablespoon? I guess it evens out in the end, and if the scale isn't moving then you need to be more stringent.

I dont put anything in my coffee. I drink it straight - black. Thats the way I like it - thank God!

I too speculate as to how accurate it is. So I always over estimate my calories by 20 or 50 a day so that in the end, if I am ending up going over it makes up for it. For example, my calories the other day said I was at 1232, so I over estimated it to 1250. A nice even number that helps to even it all out. Just a thought..

[kat999]

Good morning! I'm a super newbie, left some info in the intro thread yesterday. I'm kind of feeling down today due to hitting a plateau. I know all the good advice about breaking through one, and I'm upping my cardio for sure, but any little emotional mantras that might help? This happens to me a lot, and I get soooo frustrated and impatient, even though I know that's the thing that works the LEAST well in these circumstances!

[Dianne042425]

Originally Posted by kat999

Good morning! I'm a super newbie, left some info in the intro thread yesterday. I'm kind of feeling down today due to hitting a plateau. I know all the good advice about breaking through one, and I'm upping my cardio for sure, but any little emotional mantras that might help? This happens to me a lot, and I get soooo frustrated and impatient, even though I know that's the thing that works the LEAST well in these circumstances!

Honestly, you HAVE to keep reminding yourself that you are still losing weight. The scale might not be showing it but I promise your body is working at it. If you are doing everything right it will work. It is pure science! What I have seen many times with friends is that they will "stall" a week or two and then the next week lost 3 pds out of nowhere! Its your body being stubborn but it will let it go if you stick with it! Good luck hun!

[kat999]

Originally Posted by Dianne042425

Honestly, you HAVE to keep reminding yourself that you are still losing weight. The scale might not be showing it but I promise your body is working at it. If you are doing everything right it will work. It is pure science! What I have seen many times with friends is that they will "stall" a week or two and then the next week lost 3 pds out of nowhere! Its your body being stubborn but it will let it go if you stick with it! Good luck hun!

Thanks, Dianne! I'm also using a regular old dial scale instead of a digital one. I'm trying to remind myself that I may be between numbers and simply not be able to tell as easily as someone with a more specific scale. Which, I know I shouldn't be that beholden to the scale in the first place, but it's the most objective measure I have.

[thesame7lbs]

Originally Posted by Changed

I was 130 yesterday and 128 today. I'm always amazed how much um... "digested food" weighs sitting in your colon.

LOL! Right there with you... "water weight" is such a euphamism.

Chelsey, you are drinking my caffeine! I have gone decaf. Can't believe it. I weaned myself little by little, mixing decaf in with my regular beans, and today put the last of the 25% caff in the hopper. Next time I fill the machine it will be 100% decaf. I still drink a diet soda in the afternoon, sometimes regular, sometimes decaf.

Ainsleymom, I agree, there's something wonderful about holding that warm mug. Re: accuracy of calorie counting, for a while I weighed almost everything, and will go back to that if necessary (like if I start gaining), but for now I call every apple 100 calories. Sometimes they're more, sometimes they're less, but really it balances out over time. Mostly calorie counting helps me control my snacks and reminds me to balance out more indulgent meals (french toast on Sundays) with lighter meals (made a fabulous broiled shrimp salad for lunch today!).

Krampus, don't beat yourself up over an off day. Yes, too many of them will slow you down, but for me, an occasional one helps me stay [relatively] sane. And thank you for the pics of the vending machines! I will never forget coming upon a row of them in the middle of sugar cane fields in Okinawa. Literally acres and acres of sugar cane all around, and in the middle a bunch of Pocari Sweat machines (yep, that's a soda).

Kat999, I totally agree with what Dianne (hey Chelsey, where did that screen name come from anyway?) said. Keep at it. A very wise 3FC member often says, you can't control the scale, but you can control your behavior. Give your body good, nutritious food, give it the exercise it needs, and you are doing everything within your power! Are you taking measurements? Sometimes that shows your progress even when the scale does not.

I had a good easy run this morning and am trying not to eat too much of this yummy zucchini bread my friend made. My DD has two little friends over for a playdate and they are playing so nicely. I have six different outfits for my HS reunion sitting in my room -- decided that while I love the original dress, I don't love it on me, and it was too much of a splurge to be so-so. Sooooo... I need to make a decision soon (so I can return the rejects!).

[kat999]

Originally Posted by thesame7lbs

Are you taking measurements? Sometimes that shows your progress even when the scale does not.

No, but I pay really close attention to how my clothes are fitting, and I have a few pairs of pants at sizes ranging from 4 to 10. I know when I'm feeling good in the next size down that things are moving in the right direction. I'm in the 8s now, the 10s are baggy, but I can tell I'm not quite ready for the 6s yet.

The pair of 4s is just going to sit there mocking me, though. I can feel it.

[Dianne042425]

Amy - Is coffee really that addicting?? Does your body get used to it eventually and not give you the wonderful high I am feeling now in the beginning just starting to drink it? Ahh I hope not. I love this stuff! It makes my runs so much easier.

Dianne is my middle name. I decided to use that for safety reasons when I first signed up but now you all are more like my close virtual friends so using my first name, Chelsey, is just fine hehe

Post pics of your reunion choices!! I love clothes!!

[Changed]

Good afternoon feathers! We spent the morning at the zoo on this most beautiful fall day. Still on plan and working on birthday party plans for my baby who is turning 2 tomorrow.

[krampus]

GOOD LORD up 1 kg this morning from yesterday...I know weight fluctuates and all that, but this is alarming.

[Petite Powerhouse]

Chelsey, I have never experienced the caffeine boost, I'm sorry to say, but that also means I didn't miss it at all when I switched to decaf. It turns out I'm hugely allergic to caffeine, so I had to switch, but I only really ever drank it for the taste, anyway. And decaf tastes just like caffeinated coffee to me.

It sounds like so many of you are on track these days. That's inspirational. I've been working long hours, but I've really changed up my workout routine, and that is keeping me motivated even when I feel like it is just too late to work out after a long day at work. I love wandering the Internet looking for new exercises to do, and feeling the burn they bring on.

I have to stay in shape, if for no other reason than that I need to be able to fit into my latex catsuit for Halloween. LOL! I'm finding that monthly goals motivate me to stay on track. Right now it is the costume. Then it will be looking forward to patting myself on the back for making it through the holidays without putting on weight. And then it will be looking good for my cruise. And so on and so forth. Wearing very little at the gym helps, too. If I know I have to bare my stomach after work, I watch what I eat while I'm there. If only I'd figured out this kind of thing works for me years ago....

Seriously, though, I'm feeling like I really finally have the hang of this. I'm maintaining. I'm actually doing it. It's one less stress in my life; and, in fact, it's a motivator for me to accomplish everything else I want to in my life.

thesame7lbs, enjoy your reunion! I'm skipping that one myself (it's coming up in 2011)—I've skipped them all and will continue to do so; attending four high schools means you never really think of any of them as "home," and the one from which I graduated is clear at the other end of the country—but I always love to hear about those who return looking their very best and have a great time. That too has to be a serious motivator.

[ainsleymom]

I finally saw 125 on the scale. Whew! Let's keep this momentum going. I'd like to be a solid 123 or so (meaning 121 at my lightest) by Thanksgiving. I think that's doable as long as I stay on plan for the next several weeks. Could I reach goal by New Years? Eeeek.

I got the Beck book from the library. Wow, that is really powerful. I can't believe I've never heard of it before. It's like she was talking about me through parts of the book. Especially the "It doesn't matter" response to snacking or the all or nothing mentality.

I see how planning your meals can help, and that the actual specific calories don't matter, but the not deviating is what matters. That's a relief. I have a mental block with calorie counting, because I feel like if it's not accurate what's the point. But it's the writing down that helps. A revelation! It's especially helpful if you have a planned meal out you can plan to have lighter meals around it to balance it out.

Workouts have been flagling lately. We're so busy right now it's hard to squeeze them in and the weather has not been conducive to walks. I really need to work on doing videos while she naps.

[EmmaD]

Wow, I typed out a big long post yesterday and then my computer crashed and I lost it... but oddly, when I went to reply today it pulled up the posts that I was quoting, so somehow it remembered. But it didn't save what I wrote, too bad...

Originally Posted by ChicksAhoy

Changed - If you have trouble counting the calories in your homemade food you can try using a nutritional scale. I just got one and it's amazing! It tells you the exact number of calories, protein, fats, carbs, salt, cholesterol and fiber in what you've got on the scale. If you're into calorie counting, I'd highly recommend one. The one I have is called StarFrit. I like it a lot but I haven't tried out any other brands. It actually got me motivated to better monitor my cal intake.

Wow - at first when I read this, I thought the scale magically knew what the stats were for the substance you put on the scale... but then I looked it up and found out that there are codes for various common foods, right? I use a cheapy digital scale I bought at Target and I enter everything in FitDay - I have used FitDay so long that it has all my "weird" foods stored.

Originally Posted by kat999

Good morning! I'm a super newbie, left some info in the intro thread yesterday. I'm kind of feeling down today due to hitting a plateau. I know all the good advice about breaking through one, and I'm upping my cardio for sure, but any little emotional mantras that might help? This happens to me a lot, and I get soooo frustrated and impatient, even though I know that's the thing that works the LEAST well in these circumstances!

I find that it helps to have non-weight goals as well. Hours exercised, days eating "on plan", anything that you can control. It helps me to keep my sanity. Somewhat.

Amy - yes, post dress choices! Fun.

I am back on the wagon! I went off for a while (Yes, it IS that addicting, at least for me, it takes me weeks of massive headaches to wean off) and then I was drinking only tea for a while... but only coffee really revs things up for me. BTW, supposedly filtering it through paper (unbleached) is the healthiest way, it filters it out a compound called cafestol that raises LDL cholesterol levels (see Question 9 here).

krampus - do you weigh yourself every day? I started doing that in August (per The Beck Diet Solution recommendation) and I have found it takes the sting out of the fluctuations - because it is constantly up and down. My pattern is typically up to 3 lbs UP in one day, especially after a carb-heavy day, then sloooooowly down over a few days to a point lower than it was before the bump up. It's annoying for sure, but I keep reminding myself that *real* weight gains and losses don't happen in a couple of days... I record my weight and then try to ignore it (note I said "try", haha).

AinsleyMom - congrats on the new low! I saw a new low today as well, 136.4! Woo hoo! I gave myself a chick avatar as well

Last night, I went "shopping" in my old too-small clothes and about 25% of them fit again and look good! So exciting. But the down side is that I already have a pile of too-big clothes that are too baggy on me. Oh well.