To find an accurate 2 oz of pasta, you would have to weigh it.
We can't get signatures until we have been active members for 20 days, and I think you have to make 20 posts as well.
I've been using this tracker that I found. It's an excel document that tracks and adds everything up for you! I love it! Here's the link to download. ww.meandjorge.com/2010/02/sc-tracker-download.html
In regards to weighing food to get the ounces, how do you estimate when you're dining out how many grams of s/c there is? I could always ask the waiter to put it on the scale and see how crazy he looks at me hahah
So happy to hear everyone is doing so well... Today was weigh in day for me... sadly only .5 lbs down.. I know I should be happy it wasn't a gain--but this is 3 weeks later and I am only down 1.5lbs.. I added lemon to the water last week.. Cut back on bread carbs and still can't seem to get this thing started... I really beleive its too early for a plateu
I averages 3 carbs a day and 8 sugars-- so I know I am staying on plan. The only thing I can think of is portion size. I will work on that this week.
I know there might have been one day last week that I went over due to mushrooms--hubby made scrambled eggs for dinner and didn't measure them out (ughh thanks for helping) but I guess if you are going to go over a veggie is the best way right?
As far as the pasta-- yes you have to measure. If you are having elbows its generally about 1/2 cup uncooked that gets you 2 oz... in my opinion not worth the carbs (but then I love pasta!) Estimating gets you in trouble especially if you are estimating when you are hungry!
Hahaha thanks because I'm always estimating and that's not good!
I've only been out to eat a few times, since I have only been on plan a short while. I just eat things that I know are low in points. Like last week we went out for dinner, and I got chicken fajitas. It came with tortillas, chicken, peppers, onions, sour cream, and salsa. I only ate 2 small tortillas, because I know they have both carbs and sugar. I ate all my chicken, 0/0, a bite of the pepper, onions, and salsa. I also added a bit of sour cream, which I know the full fat brand I have at home is a 1/0. Unless the place you go has nutritional information, you just have to guesstimate.
deetermined, I have been grain free for a week now and haven't gone up or down. I get almost all my carbs from lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and celery. I don't think I am anywhere near getting 50 a day, like you mentioned they say to get in the paleo diet. Maybe that's my problem. I know I am not getting even close to my carb or sugar limits and I know that I am well under 1000 calories a day...not trying to do that, but I do feel a little desperate, as I am not seeing results and I really couldn't eat any less than I do. I exercise, I drink tons of water, and nothing seems to be helping. I did read about the fast track on the meandjorge blog, and I think she mentioned that on that program, you just eat green vegetables, no grains, and you don't count carbs or sugars. It helped her when she reached a plateau to go this route.
Side note....just want to vent....My sister and law asked me to be in her December wedding. Yeehaaa. I'm 41 and going to be a bridesmaid (my husband is 10 yrs younger than me, and his sister even younger). I'm so not thrilled. Just found out the dress is strapless...even better I know I have plenty of time to lose, but right now my waist measures 35" and I looked on the sizing chart for the dress and it states that for that size waist, I would need a size 20. I am completely baffled by this as I am sitting here typing this in my size 10 jeans (they run big), but I am a 12 at most. Anybody know what's up with the discrepancy???
Sorry to be a bummer today....I have not given up, and have no intention of doing so...I just wish I could find my 'zone', as I know many of you do too. Thanks for all the support and posts...it definitely helps me thru the tougher days!
Shetide1--IGNORE the dress size until you have to try it on! My daughter got married 2 years ago-- I was slimmer than I am now--about size 8-10 and when I was looking at formal long dresses (Nordstrom, Macy's etc) when I looked at the sizing charts to figure out which sizes to buy I too came up to sizes 16-20-- totally strange!! Ususally higher end clothes cheat the other way but apparently formal wear they want to scare you!
GOOD NEWS FOR THE DAY!! I put on a pair of jeans this morning (by accident) that I got for xmas-- they were about a size too small at the time but instead of returning them I kept them knowing I needed to diet! Well today they slide right on no problems!! WAHOO-- so despite the fact that I still look pregnant and the scale is only moving in .5 incriments there is something happening.
As far as grains or no grains-- I am not sure what the answer is. The one issue I have with this diet is the lack of information. I really wish Jorge had his own message board-- where there were some "trained" people who could assist in getting accurate information out.
I've only been out to eat a few times, since I have only been on plan a short while. I just eat things that I know are low in points. Like last week we went out for dinner, and I got chicken fajitas. It came with tortillas, chicken, peppers, onions, sour cream, and salsa. I only ate 2 small tortillas, because I know they have both carbs and sugar. I ate all my chicken, 0/0, a bite of the pepper, onions, and salsa. I also added a bit of sour cream, which I know the full fat brand I have at home is a 1/0. Unless the place you go has nutritional information, you just have to guesstimate.
Thats smart. I'm going to take on to that advice. Any one doing exercises with this diet? And if so, which ones? What's your progress been thus far?
So I just got an additional boost to my support system. My husband decided he needs to lose a few pounds, he's 6' and weighs 235. He wants to lose 35 lbs. The only place he carries his weight, in his belly. So he now wants to follow the BFC plan with me. Yaaaay!!! The bad part is, now we'll both be in bad moods lol.
No, I still can not eat wheat and it's been over 10 years.
shetide1,
Up your calories. Some people's bodies hold on to weight if they fall below 1200(?) calories per day to prevent starvation. Definitely eat over 1000 calories. Also, up your veggie carbs and fruit carbs to get above 50. (Below 50 carbs some people go into ketosis, for others the number is much lower.) See if that helps. Do weigh yourself to see how you are doing.
Eat carbs with protein and/or fat to control insulin spikes.
I've been working out with this, granted I've only been doing it for a couple weeks. I work out with my aunt once a week and just picked up the P90X to try out. When this weather breaks I plan on starting the Couch to 5K program back up. I really liked that last year. I'm just highly arthritic (@25) and can't imagine what running in this weather would do to me.
misslady..THANK YOU for the tracker! I never would have found that! I've got it all on my phone now!
Why are we not counting calories or looking at fat intake? How do you all take in to account water weight as right now I am 4 pounds heavier after 2 weeks.
I know that I am retaining a lot of water of for some reason can't shake it. I drink more than a gallon of water a day, and yet my ankles are swollen and so are my hands...I can feel it all over. Hopefully one day it will just magically disappear just like it appeared.
deetermined...thank you for the tips and the insight...I am going to up my calories and see if it helps.
As far as exercise, I started doing 3 mi a day about 4 days a week at the beginning of the year. It left me bored to tears. This week I started the couch to 5K program..which makes me feel great and on the off days, I started doing a kettlebell routine to firm up. Time will tell....
Kitty...congrats on your hubby joining you in your journey. If he's anything like my husband, he'll be able to eat twice as much as you AND cheat AND still lose more than any of us.....oh to have the metabolism of a man!
@Hopeful1983: Personally, I do track nutrition data far more than is necessary on the BFC, including calories and grams of fat and protein and carbohydrates (not just "servings"). Right now I'm not doing much with the data other than trying to hit my calorie ranges. I like the BFC because fat and protein for me tend to fall near where I want them to anyway when I am limiting only carbohydrates. So there's not harm in tracking that as well but I don't think it's necessary. (As for limiting fat, which I think is where your query was going, I think the research over the past couple decades points to carbohydrates far more than fat as the main disease-causing element of our diet.)
One of the other sites said inadequate B vitamins or inadequate protein can cause someone to retain water. (Along with too much sugar and salt.) Upping foods that contain protein and taking a B supplement may help.
Green tea is a natural and healthy diuretic. Lemon with green tea helps your body to absorb whatever the healthy ingredient is that it contains better.
Try tweaking your food first. Measure yourself. Muscle is heavier than fat. If you are losing inches, don't worry about your weight. Weight is only a number that we let control us too much.
Depending on the results consider tweaking the exercise.
Believe it or not some people lose more weight when they exercise lighter. Their bodies are less stressed, thus less cortisol, etc.
I know I have plenty of time to lose, but right now my waist measures 35" and I looked on the sizing chart for the dress and it states that for that size waist, I would need a size 20. I am completely baffled by this as I am sitting here typing this in my size 10 jeans (they run big), but I am a 12 at most. Anybody know what's up with the discrepancy??? 
but no way to monitor how much water retention i have
