I also am a "food journal" person...it really helps to keep track of what you are putting into your mouth. I count calories averaging 1400-1600 a day, depending on my hunger level, and I am an avid exerciser. I strength train 3 days a week, and do my cardio three days a week-usually belly dancing-which I am being trained professionally in.
I think keeping track of what you are eating and figuring out what your downfalls are in your diet are important. My downfall is refined carbs like donuts, white dinner rolls, and white pasta. If I eat them, I always end up overeating later in the day...so I avoid them-and if I do have a small bit of refined carbs-then I ty to do so at bedtime so I don't get the "binging" effect a couple of hours later, because I am asleep. I try to get my carbs from whole grain sources like whole wheat pasta, whole grain breads, brown rice, oatmeal, and fruits and veggies instead. It has really helped.
I also think it is very important to eat regularly throughout the day-and not SAVE all of your calories for one big meal. I space mine out eating 200-300 calories every 2-4 hours, and it really helps with not being starving...you are never hungry, but you are never stuffed either.
Well...hope all of our advice helps you out some...I need to get going-lots to sew, and I need to get my exercise in for the day.
Aphil
I also food journal. I just have to. When I do not write it down I tend to go way overboard, but just the awareness that comes from writing it all down helps me keep in control. I eat between 1200 and 1500 a day. My biggest downfall is sweets, particularly chocolate, so the only sweets I get are my Viactive calcium. I eat lots of fruit and veggies. I totally agree with aphil about not saving all of your calories till nightime. I generally do consistent eating throughout the day and maybe have a slightly larger dinner, but usually not more than about 400 calories.
I walk and bike for exercise. I am not very organized about it, but I find that I do best when I can exercise outside. I am hoping to move back up to running again next year and maybe doing some swimming over the winter just to mix things up. I think the key is just finding something, anything, that you like to do enough to make it into a habit.
Talk about sweets....it always seems to be all or nothing for me when it comes to sweets. Most of the time I try to abstain from eating them but sometimes.....one bite becomes two, one piece becomes three...about the best thing I've discovered is eating "carb-o-lite" chocolate because it uses Splenda and I can stop at one. It doesn't really taste like a rich candy bar...my son thinks they taste terrible but they're helpful to me.
I also try not to buy "trigger" foods. I buy cookies for my son and husband that I won't touch and there's a huge jar of peanut M & M's on the counter that my husband eats from every day that I'm not tempted to get into because I don't like them. Now if it was plain M & M's, I'd be in big trouble...don't even talk about Dove milk chocolate Promises.....I had to tell my husband to NEVER buy those for me again...they are just too good.
On another note, you all know how I've been super stressing over our pool project....I've been up since around 5 this morning...they poured the deck!! I'm so happy about it that it's silly....It just looks so good...even with the wet cement all around...sure does beat looking and tramping through all that dirt.
I had so much nervous energy this morning that I basically took apart the kitchen and cleaned everything...I had envisioned the cement truck breaking through the septic tank lines....I'm feeling much better now...may even get to use that pool before the summer is over...you all must think I'm nuts!!
Hello,
Got a new scale. The scale is very good. Which actually sucks becuase I weight 6 pounds more than I thought I did. Oh well. At least it does not change my weight every time I shift balance a bit. My old scale I could varry my weight by 6 pounds depending on how I stood, and I always just too the heighest number.
Well, another very hot dry and generally icky midwest day awaits. Please send us rain if you have any extra
Zadie, I'm sure you will knock those numbers off your new scale in no time. I had the same scale for years (which had been taken apart by my then toddler) ...it had a broken arm on it which I had taped back as good as possible. It was always giving different readings. I bought a new electronic scale about 4 months ago and it reads a few lbs. higher than the old one. I finally just got rid of the old scale and now I know I'm getting an acurate reading.
Some of you were talking about problems with family members...what's happened to me recently has really knocked me back a few steps....
My brother, with whom I had been fairly close, got married about 3 years ago to a "self-proclaimed" religious girl from a very religious family. She made quite an effort to befriend me while they were dating. After they got married and had their first child, my brother wanted me to be the guardian of their child should something happen to the two of them. She, on the other hand, is an only child and wanted her 70 + year-old parents to be the guardain. Well, to make a long story short, she has basically shut the door on me and any contact I had with their child. No pictures, no responses to cards, gifts, e-mail, etc. The only thing I ever hear is from him and you all know men aren't the best on keeping the pictures coming.
Now, they're having another baby. I sent a package up to Greensboro, N.C. a couple of weeks ago with a very nice baby blanket which was embroidered and a separate gift for my nephew so he wouldn't be left out. I also send a very nice card with pictures.
I finally hear back from my brother a few days ago and he says the package got there and his wife and son were disappointed (his exact words) that they didn't get anything!!! I wrote back that, since this was for a baby shower, I had sent a baby gift AND a nice gift for his son....all which were CLEARLY marked. I figure she opened the box as soon as it got there and just said whatever she wanted when he got home...forget even taking the packages to the shower.
I was so surprised by my brother's reaction....whatever happened to "thank you for the gift"? Anyway, I sent an e-mail to clarify who got what and all he had to say was, "Ha, ha...oh....okay"....that was it!!!
The last time (Nov.) that I drove all the way up there to visit them, I cooked dinner the last night I was there. She sat in the living room the entire time, said nothing throughout dinner and then went to bed at 9 p.m. I left the next morning and wrote her several times after getting back home and she never would reply to my e-mails....evidently, it bothered her so much having me there, cooking in her kitchen and cleaning up. She didn't consider it a nice gesture....it pissed her off. Well, I haven't been invited back up since....nice girl, huh?
Thing is, it is now affecting my relationship with my brother...so sad.
Guess we've all got someone to deal with...I'm thankful for those family members who don't wear their feelings on their sleeves and just seem happy to see you...no strings attached.
We're having a barbeque this afternoon. Between 20 and 30 people depending on who shows up. Yes this family has issues too . I have the house pretty much caught up so I think I'll go for a walk before the fun begins. Wish me luck with the platters and platters of fattening food?
God Bless Families...we all have them and they come with issues. Just do the right thing and keep your head held high. If they don't respond, well, you made the effort and you know in your heart it was for the right reasons.
I weighed in last night and was down .4#! Not bad after two weddings and a family reunion...and many margaritas!
I am now in my third week of maintenance!
We took our boat out this weekend and had a great time! Still haven't found a camper, but I will not give up the search...my father left me $12,000 and I want to use it for a camper. We always spent fathers day weekend camping with him. He died last year (July 3) of luekemia. My search continues, I know the right one is out there...
Enjoy what's left of these beautiful summer days! Drink your water-it's hot!
Hello,
I am still here, although it has been rather hectic. I am not doing so well with the eating right now. Work stress (might not have a job soon) is having a negative effect on my eating habits. Well...I am back on track today and all is going okish.
I am pretty much alone at work today which is making me very sleepy. No human contact = hibernation mode.
On the home front...I have been a busy bee...working on stormtrooper armor, finishing the nursery stuff for my instructor, repairing some hand beading on her vintage baby shower gift...I went out and got the gift wrap for her present last night-can you believe I centered the whole wrap around a card/tag? I found a gift tag that was a big yellow felt rubber duck and you write on the back...it was SO cute...so I got a hot pink gift bag, one of those curling ribbon globs in yellow, hot pink, and orange...and tissue in yellow, pink, and orange-it looks SO cute together.
I have been getting supplies together for Jasmine's 5th birthday party which is in 2 1/2 weeks...practicing our number for the show in 3 weeks...getting items ready to vend at the workshop in 2 1/2 weeks-I just ordered new silk veils (I have a fellow dancer/artist hand dye veils for me in gorgeous color combinations-much more dramatic than plain solid colors) and have been sewing some stuff to sell-I have the workshop on Saturday September 13, and then my daughter's party is on the day after that...the show is the next weekend so we have rehearsals all that week for that!
I am also getting some costuming done for our annual anniversary trip to the Ohio Renaissance Festival coming up in October...plus all the Halloween stuff I need to finish up...my sewing machines are SMOKIN!
My life has been pretty much sleep, eat, dance, sew-repeat.
My class reunion is also this weekend...When November comes I am going to probably fall over! ha ha ha
I am still holding at 175...but I am feeling good, and exercising plenty. I have one of my friends that I am confiding in because she has always had weight issues, and she has recently lost 30 some pounds-bringing her down to 217-so we are helping each other. I am staying with her and we are going to the reunion together, and I plan on working out with her while I am down there for the weekend...and I plan on getting her in here at 3FC as well.
Everyone have an awesome day!
Aphil
I'm back... everyone seems so busy and full of energy!
Tooround- Congrats on the big loss! What a feeling, eh?
Aphil- You sound like you are very busy and loving every minute of it! I hope you have a great time at your reunion.
As for me...no camper yet, still on maitenance (4th week) with WW. Family is fine, we are hoping to go to Mount Rushmore over the Labor Day weekend. Long trip, four children in the Yukon= one crazy mother! I will survive! School starts here the day after Labor Day !!! My work is going well, I have a new assistant-a young man -he's 23 and so cute! A very good and educated worker, too!
GeorgiaLady - how sad and rude of that princess to treat you that way. Especially with your brother as the in-between person. Wise words from the person who said, you just do the right thing, and you know in your heart that you did the right thing. What goes around comes around, either here or in some other life.
Aphil - holy smokin' sewing machine, girl! You are busy. And talented, but we all know that!
Days are just flying by...stop, summer! We did do a spur-of-the-moment motorcycle trip to Rochester, NH for a biker weekend. Left here after work Sat. morning; came back just 25 hours later; had ridden over 340 miles, attented the rally, pitched a TEENY tent, did some wild things (biker girlz get invited to lift their tops alot , maybe got 3 or 4 hours of sleep (difficult with all the fun noise and burnouts) and made it back safely. WHEW!
And witnessed pudding wrestling, for the first time! And I thought I was kewl for knowing about coleslaw wrestling!
. I have the house pretty much caught up so I think I'll go for a walk before the fun begins. Wish me luck with the platters and platters of fattening food?
-he's 23 and so cute! A very good and educated worker, too!
You are busy. And talented, but we all know that!
, maybe got 3 or 4 hours of sleep (difficult with all the fun noise and burnouts) and made it back safely. WHEW!
