Bobbi... nope, I haven't been stalled, I've been slowly going up since... oh... about 1973...

I'm kidding. I just started trying to lose weight again after several months of having my head in the sand and my hand in the cookie jar.

I had a BAD day today. I'm PMSing badly, and I couldn't seem to get motivated to do a lick of exercise. I did okay for most of the day, but then I had cookies for dinner. At least they were home made cookies. And then half a bowl of tortellinis. *sigh*

But at least I didn't do any worse than that. I didn't eat a WHOLE bowl of tortellinis after the cookies, right? And I did drink all my water. I think mostly I was a bit blue because my husband left for a five day business trip this morning and I miss him when he's not around. And not just because he is a better cook than I am.

Oh well. Tomorrow's another day, right?

OnePerDecade - I've noticed that I lose weight if I eat "dinner for breakfast" and then a very small/light dinner, with all my meals still totalling the same calories I'd normally total. I have never tried it long-term though, but my body just seems to like reverse eating.

Unfortunately my fiance pouts if I won't eat dinner with him - and it has to be the SAME dinner he has, or he is upset. I have no idea why. I'm slowly breaking him of the habit, but if I even say "Baby you have to figure out your own dinners this week unless you want to eat small in the evening like I am going to" he'll just frown and look at the floor and go "oh. ok." as if I've just told him I'm cheating on him, lol... it's the most bizarre thing. And it isn't like he doesn't cook - he usually cooks more often than I do.

Maybe I'll take him on Dr. Phil.

I am exercising consistently for 1-2 hours a day at least.

My problem is with the food. At least I didn't gain during Christmas but I also have not lost any weight either. I need to kick it up and get the scale moving again.

Good TGIF Morning
Thursday's Journal:
Calories...975
Fat: 29%
My calories would have been closer to 1200 but I couldn't eat all my mac n' cheese. DH wanted it for supper after watching someone make it on the food channel. I used an uncomplicated recipe from the 3FC food section. I cooked the pasta, then separated one serving for myself. I made the balance of the pasta using regular ingredients for DH.
For my portion I used a cube of Laughing Cow's BabyBel cheese and guar gum instead of corn starch, plus the rest of the recipe. It was delicious, had worcestershire, spinach, hot pepper sauce, etc. in it. Corn starch has way too many calories in it. The recipe called for 2 Tablespoons @ 70 calories, my guar gum has 8 times the thickening power and a fraction of the calories. I used 1 teaspoon @ 10 calories in my individual casserole, put regular cornstarch in DH's. My portion made a huge casserole @332 calories. I was stuffed after eating only half of it, that's why my calories are so low for Thursday. I'll eat the balance for lunch today.
Yesterday's Lunch:
Black Forest Ham...50 cal.
Light wheat hamburger bun...80 cal.
Dijon mustard...5
Chocolate Raspberry pudding...39 cal.
Total...174
Paula...I often reverse eating lunch and breakfast too! It takes the boredom out of breakfast plus some mornings I'm really hungry. It has back-fired on me before, I'm not always hungry for lunch when I do that.
Tami...I was looking at your stats, 3 pounds down since joining in October? What plan are you on? WW, counting calories, SBD, etc. ? We all could help you with suggestions on losing for our Valentine's challenge. One thing I'd do is get rid of the cookies in your house. Do you have children that you keep them around for? I think you can use your DH's absence to your advantage. Go through your home and dump everything in the garbage that belongs there. Cookies, sweets, white bread, etc. and replace them with healthier alternatives. If you're cooking for just yourself, set up a 5 day menu. I don't know if you count calories, but it might be a good thing to do for the next 5 days. Then report to this thread everyday on what you ate and the calories. That way you'll see why the scale isn't going down. These threads are to support each other and we'll all be there for you.
SmartButt...I laughed when I read about your guy pouting, my DH did that yesterday when I was making the Mac n' cheese. He said, you don't have to make a separate casserole, there's not that much cheese in it. He doesn't understand that I can eat more of it with low or fat free cheese.
Kokomo...What do you do in 1-2 hours of daily exercise. You must really have a lot of stamina! Do you go to a gym or fitness club? I would have to have a gun put to my head to endure that much exercising, but you're hearing this from the queen of the "I hate to exercise Club".
Well, I'm off to the calories counting thread. Let's keep those scales going down. 39 days left, lets do it!

Bobbi

Bah! 39 days left and 13 lbs to go!

Never mind! My scales are up after leg day, but they'll go down again I'm sure! I'm not doing anything wrong.

Bobbi:

That macaroni and cheese recipe sounds yummy! I might have to see if I can find some guar gum around here. Is that a specialty foods kind of thing? I don't remember ever seeing it in the supermarket.

And I did join in October, but it was October 2002! I've been drifting on and off the boards since then... on when I was feeling positive and losing weight, and then off again when my motivation lagged. But now I'm committed!

I lost about 40 pounds in 2002, and then I gained it all back over the next couple of years, which I could just KICK myself for doing, because I worked so hard the first time to get it all off. But I am using that to tell myself that I can do this, because I've done it before! I do a combo of low-carb (not very strictly, I just try to make the majority of my calories come from produce and lean meats and dairy, and keep the carb-laden things to a minimum) and I track my food with WW points.

I've lost 3 pounds since December 30. And I did just what you said - I tossed the cookies (um, so to speak) and told my husband that if he wanted them, he should have taken them with him on his trip! We don't have any kidlets, those were mostly just around for him. I think I will also take your suggestion and write out an eating plan for the next few days. I really do like having a schedule where I know what's coming.

And the best news is that when I tallied up my calories for the end of yesterday, they weren't as all-out bad as I thought (which made me feel a little bit better) and the scale didn't budge this morning from where it was three days ago, which made me feel a LOT better. That made me remember that when I lost weight before, I did have some very bad days, (especially around TOM) I just didn't let them turn into really bad weeks/months. So this is good. It means my head is in the right place. For a change!

Thank you for the suggestions, and to everybody else - keep up the great work!!!

Yesterday's calories: 1378 in, 3442 out. I was originally planning on keeping my count to 1280 but after my workout, I could tell that if I didn't get something nutritious into me that I was going to feel sick all night.
Today's plan is pretty basic -- about 1280 cal in (unless I do a serious workout), dinner for breakfast (I've got the sweet potato fries baking right now!), lunch out with my daughters (Subway here I come!) and a lighter dinner. I am turning into the Seinfeld of 3FC -- cereal has become one of my FAVORITE meals!

I ate poorly again today... I need to regroup. I usually get inspired by healthy recipes so I'm going to flip through some tonight and get some ideas.

I changed my Fitday from "seated work" to "bedridden" or whatever, so I have more of a challenge to keep up my burned calories number. Even with "bedridden" it says I'm eating, on average this week, about 300 calories a day less than what I need to maintain. But, I need that number at the end of the week to be 3500 or higher to lose that 1 lb per week.

I have to say, I still have no idea how some of you can handle less than 1200 calories a day. I LOVE food and I'm hungry constantly. If I eat a small portion I never feel full. I force myself to deal with just feeling hungry. I envy your shrunken stomachs!

Hey y'all--

Oh, man. I ate tons of food and have yet to work out. I was sick for the past few days, and i feel like my eating today was to make up for it. Plus, I am right in the middle of exam period, so I'm eating out of stress It's a bad scene. I don't even want to count my calories for the day! Oh, and SmartButt--I eat between 1700 and 1900 calories a day with a goal of losing half a pound per week. It seems to be working out well so far. I agree--I couldn't handle less than 1200! It's funny how eating is such an individual thing.

Calories in 1508, calories out 2862...no work out other a short walk & some weights but still an okay deficit

I just popped in quick to see what's happening before going nighty-night. Electron and SmartButt, please post your daily menu's. We'll critique what you eat and give you some pointers. I don't think my stomach is shrunk, I just eat lots of bulky foods. I always eat Fat Free stuff too. Skim milk, FF sour cream, FF cool whip, FF mayo, FF cottage cheese, etc. I usually have a salad with my evening meal, that helps curb my appetite. I don't get hungry between meals so I don't usually snack, but I have opened up a can of green beans before. I pop in microwave, spray with I.C.B.I.N.B. and garlic seasonings. Snacks don't have to be something sweet. I make big batches of vegetable soup, freeze in individual container with the calorie count on top of each. These are easy to defrost/heat and you can eat a ton of it. Plus posting your menu will make you more aware of what you're eating. Please try it! Tomorrow I'll post what I had today and show you just how much food you can eat. I'm an early riser, 4:00am today and I'm too tired to do it now.
P.S. I made some air popped popcorn tonight just to get my calories over 1,000. I wasn't even hungry. I have my calorie intake up to 1,085 and I can't eat no more, Good Night!
Bobbi

I actually don't need a critique of what I eat, but thank you for the offer (and I don't mean that sarcastically, I am sincere.) I'm aware of what I need to eat and don't - that doesn't mean i abide by those rules, though.

I just can't imagine eating tiny little portions a few times a day totalling like 800 or 900 calories and feeling ok. Like Electron said, we all have to do what we can live with. I attempted 1200 calories before and I was completely miserable and wound up basically bingeing for 3 months afterward. I'm taking a much different approach to calorie counting this time. I'm being HONEST with myself, and forcing myself to put stuff in my food log on fitday, even if it's a big mac. I need to face what it is I put in my mouth. I don't want to be a "closet eater" like my mom was.

Unfortunately, I love love love food. My first husband was a gourmet chef from europe and we ate sooo decadently. My current fiance is a foodie like me, and HATES to sacrifice fatty, high-calorie foods. He's currently being very supportive, though.

Anyway, as I said, I envy those of you that can eat 3 green beans and a half cup of soup for breakfast and be full. That's just not me. I'm a firm believer that I can eat the calories I need/want (1500 or so) as long as I'm dedicated to exercising. And that's the part I am getting back on the wagon about.

Just thought I'd clarify myself. I come here and have you all to b*tch to when things don't go right or celebrate with when things go well, and I don't want anyone thinking I'm asking them to fix my life. I just love that you all are here to "talk" to. Thank you.

Good Morning, My sweet dog got lonely for us again this morning and woke us up at 3:30am. DH went back to sleep and I couldn't so here I am banging away on the keyboard after tossing for an hour in bed. I hate when that happens!
2frustrated...You made me laugh when you mentioned LEG DAY. My nephew is married to an English gal and her accent is so much fun to listen to. She tells us all about England and events they (you) have that we don't. Leg day is a new one on me, what is it. My imagination is running away with me!
Tami...I missed the 2002 under your name, all I saw was the October My joining date is deceiving too, I used the 3FC for awhile. Then went on a hiatus for many months, joined the On-line WW's. I'm a calorie counter at heart and eventually wandered back to the 3FC. I like it best here. A 3 pound drop is wonderful in the short span of time it took you.
I purchased Guar Gum at our local Food Coop. They normally don't stock it so I ordered it. I've had it for about 5 years, it's a large bag and it has a long shelf life. You can use it in place of cornstarch or flour. I haven't tried pudding yet, it would probably be lower in calorie than the sugar free boxed.
Paula...I love sweet tator fries! This past summer I made them with over grown zucchini, I scooped out all the seeds and cut the rest into fries. I have a cajun seasoning mix I make from scratch that makes anything taste just like french fries.
P.S. Have you checked out the list of Blue team members, there are only 5 of us in the 150's. It kind of scares me because it's harder to lose when we get closer to goal weight. I hope I can hold up my end of the bargain. Do they do a percentage every week for the biggest loser? I'm not a fan of the show so I don't know.
Electron...you amaze me, a senior in college and still taking the time to count calories and exercise. How do you do it? Will you graduate in the spring? You're right about "Eating is an individual thing"!
SmartButt...

Quote:
I actually don't need a critique of what I eat, but thank you for the offer (and I don't mean that sarcastically, I am sincere.) I'm aware of what I need to eat and don't - that doesn't mean i abide by those rules, though.

I guess you're just like the rest of us, we all know what we should eat or drink. The demon on my back is not food, it's Cabernet wine. I can't have it in the house. I have no will power when it comes to good wine, therefore I don't buy it . Do I miss it, you betcha ya. (Can you tell I'm from the Minnesota?) We'll never live down our midwest accent after the movie, "Fargo".
Catch ya all later.........Bobbi

I am English and I have no idea what leg day is either!!

Smartbutt - no one should be eating fewer than 1200 calories a day anyway! I run a slimming group for people going it alone and one of my members is a very overweight lady who insists she eats about 500-600 calories a day. I explinaed how this does her metabolism no good at all and told her to try for one week to eat between 1200-1400 a day.

Well, she protested and complained and when she came back the next week she said she HAD done it but she had had to force it down and was convinced she had put on weight.

When she got on the scales, she was down 2 lbs! She was gobsmacked!

So I was vindicated.

Anyway, I've been good - down 3.2 so far since last Sunday. Looking good for V-day!

I cant eat that little either, I seriously cant imagine ever going below 17-1800 on a regular basis. A perfectly "clean" day (all my meals perfecly portioned with regards to protein/healthy fat /good carbs - no extras or treats and stopping every meal when satisfied) for me would still be around 1650