Starting weight 212 AHHHH. I would like to work out an hour every day-but I know that is not realisic right now. Can I say three days a week? Anyone up @ 5:00am. Yes, I did say 5:00AM. I think that's the only time I have-from 5-6am. I'll log on afterwards is someone is up & on. let me know. Also will increase the amount of water I drink. Is there anything else I need to let everyone know? J

Good monday Morning everyone! I hope everyone had a great weekend, mine was ...eh. Not too bad nothing major going on. We did go out to eat though and I overdid but on mongolian bbq, so really not too too bad. But today is crunch time. We've got about 11 more days before Thanksgiving, for me that is 2 weighins (I'm gonna move my official weigh in to Thursday rather than contend with the scale the day after turkey day! LOL) I was supposed to get up this morning and hit the elliptical for 30 minutes but i just couldnt do it, I was so so so tired. I even went back to bed after my daughter left for another 30 minute snooze. That just means I've gotta do an hour tonight rather than 30 minutes. I suppose I'll survive. I'm just not a morning exerciser I guess.

My goal today is to make great food choices here is my tentative menu.

breakfast - oatmeal, skim milk and huckleberries
snack - SF shake
lunch - vegetable soup with cucumber salad
snack - yogurt w/ mandarin oranges
dinner - teryaki chicken stir fry w/ brown rice
snack - smartpop

**I'm looking at this thinking I need more protein, we'll see how it goes I may add some peanutbutter and appleslices if I get hungry**

thats the plan stan! I'm sorry I didnt do personals this morning, I'll be back later to see how everyone is doing. Welcome to a couple of newbies we have!! Have a wonderful day everyone!! Be strong!! We can do this!

~melissa

Melissa: Maybe it's something in the air? I was really tired this morning, and I even forgot to make DF's lunch for work last night!!

Today's Plan
B: 1 srv Oatmeal w/ 1 md Banana
S: 100g FF Yogurt w/ 1 Kiwi, and 1 cup FF Orange/Strawberry/Banana Juice
L: 1 cup Cheddar & Broccoli Soup w/ 1oz Mozza Cheese melted in
S: 1 md Boiled Egg and 1 md Pear w/ 1 cup FF Orange/Strawberry/Banana Juice
D: Chicken Salad (1.5 cup stewed bonless/skinless chicken breast, 2 cups chopped Romaine, 1 cup whole Mushrooms, 3 tbsp Calorie-Wise Caesar Dressing)
S: 1 cup Strawberry & Banana JELL-O (FF as always!)

W: 1500mL

E: 30 min Walking, 25 min KickBoxing, 30 min Calisthenics

Cals: 1730
Fat: 20%
Carb: 56%
Prot: 25%

%'s a little skewed, but after reworking my diet over and over, I am not going to stress it out. It will be made up on other days, and I'm not about to eat the same thing over and over just for the %'s LOL. Lower cals as usual, if I'm still hungry after my salad at dinner, there's room to add something I can never know how hungry I'll be, but I'm sure I'll add something.

How is everyone doing? I'm sad today because the gym is closed (holiday on the weekend), so I have to work out tomorrow, Wed, and Fri. Does it not suck that my gym is only open M-F? Hahaha. Hip is feeling better today. Had a really well rested weekend, NO BINGEING! Hoorah! Got a little exercise through housecleaning and grociery shopping, but I needed the rest for mon hip!

Have a good day everyone!

~Mande

P.S. I couldn't stay away from the scale, LOL! Down some more! I'm rounding my weight because my tracker won't put in fractions. It goes in .2, so if it's .4 or .6, I will go the corresponding way when reporting.

Cheers!

martiniforme:

Awww thanx hun! Okay, just trying to look out for ya! Be careful with the carbs though. I am getting so depressed trying to figure all this crap out! It seems like the more I think I know, the more I search and the more I realize I don't know anything! All these "experts" disagree with each other and it is irritating the heck out of me! Now I am hearing that "grain carbs" aren't good for me! When I look at my fitday I am trying to get my carbs lower and it is hard to do. I can't even eat all this food! Like today,
this is what I have planned:

1 apple
1 a grapefruit
1 orange
2 big cups of coffee
5 tbs creamer
1 slimfast low carb shake
2 pieces of whole wheat bread
1 tbs of all natural peanut butter
1 tbs of vinegar
1tbs of olive oil
1 srving of salad
.50 a tomato
.50 a cup of carrots
4 lil chicken tenderloins

That is plenty for me to eat!! But the cals only come to 1338!!
fat 33%/ carbs 40%/ protein 28% . I like the percentages but the cals are too low! I would normally add a serving of brown rice with dinner and that would add 200 cals but I am trying to do "lower carb"

I could add in another shake I guess. That would bring it up to 1528 and fat 35%/carbs 35% and protein 30%

And then I get to where I feel like I do NOT want to be depending on 2 shakes a day! This whole grains are bad thing is really making me mad. I easily could throw a serving of total in there to up the cals 100 I can't do that.

I am just wondering what the heck to eat! Ya know? Maybe I should find what some healthy nuts are and start adding those to my diet! They are high in cals and healthy fats! I wouldn't recommend something extreme like atkins either.

Apples are great for you though and low on the glycemic index(I believe) I just throw mine in a blender!

That would drive me crazy!!

Neelam:

Hi and welcome! Your plan sounds good!

stopeating:

Welcome to you too!! I think they sound reasonable and you can do it!!

Pastryprincess:

Your stats are similiar to mine are now!! I don't get up that early but I am around off and on

Welcome!

Hun.e.B:

Good morning to you too!!

Yes we don't have much time left! Crunch time everyone!!

Martini:

Sounds like you are doing good sweetie!

That is great news hun!!!! WTG!

You just made me think maybe I should add some eggs in!!



I'll give my update later I am just a bit depressed about this whole food thing with so many conflicting views! I was reading something last nite about an evolutionary diet and that actually sounded the best way to go!
I am going to look into everything more. I think for short term a big thing is listening to my body. Something kind of bad happened over the weekend with food!

Now let me just say that normally I do have alot of energy and am able to walk 60 -120 minutes a day, cook dinner, do chores, take care of ids etc and not feel tired till I settle in at nite. But saturday I was trying to do the more meat less carb thing and I was trying to plan it all in fitday with cals and percentages etc. It worked on paper but after lunch I was just so stuffed I could not eat any more!!! This is what I wound up having and the worst thing is I think it sent my blood sugar up! I was tired and had no energy all day! I even cut my fruit out that day cause I was telling myself "lower carbs" and hasd wanted to splurge with chile beans and tostito chips. Man was I wrong! Oh and my carbs wound up at 50% anyways cause i could NOT eat any dinner I was so stuffed!!! Actually I did have the fruit, I remember now, I had picked up a mixed berry medley and stuck that in my smoothie and after I had drinken a bit and tasted how very sweet it was I gave it to the kids! I looked at the pack and it said 10 sugar grams per cup!! That is rediculous! I will have to stick to my unsweeetened frozen berries!



.40% of a grapefruit
.75% of an apple
.75% of an orange
.25 of a cup Berry extreme medley
coffee 32 oz
creamer 5 tbs

4 hebrew national beef franks, 97% fat free(they were only 50 cals each and I was trying to get my protein up!!! they were really good though!)

1 Fransisco whole wheat french sandwich roll(big like for a hoagie, it was good and had like 7 grams of fiber in it!)

1 serving of tostitos scoops, 1/2 the fat
1 serving of dennisons 98% fat freee turkey with chile beans(it was awesome!!!)

popcorn 98% fat free

1 slimfast low carb shake (I forced myself to have for dinner so my cals wouldnt be too low, I could of done without it though!!)

Anyhow that was saturday and my cals still ended up at only 1418!!!!
fat was 22%/carbs were 49% / protein was 29%

I was so stuffed though!!!!! I normally have smaller meals thruout the day and a bigger dinner and that was just too much too early on! I had originally planned for a salad for dinner and some chicken to balance out and make the protein go up but I was completely stuffed!!!!! I was also extremely tired and barely even went on a walk that nite forcing myself for 30 minutes! Man i don't ever want to do that agin! Maybe it was all the sugar in the berrys they added? Maybe it was too many damn carbs at lunch? Good lord!!! I know when I have my two slices of bread with 1 tbs of p.b. or ham and cheese I feel satisfied and don't feel tired etc along with the slimfast for a snack later so I am going to stick with that.

Maybe I should add the brown rice in for nite time tonite idk. I just wish I knew all the answers and that all the so called experts could agree on stuff!!

Tisha that is great at least you maintained!

Well I just redid my fitday

1 apple
1 a grapefruit
1 orange
2 big cups of coffee
5 tbs creamer
1 slimfast low carb shake
2 pieces of whole wheat bread
1 tbs of all natural peanut butter
1 tbs of vinegar
1tbs of olive oil
1 srving of salad
.50 a tomato
.50 a cup of carrots
4 lil chicken tenderloins
.50 cup of brown rice
1 egg

I will just do one slimfast and will do one hard boiled egg and .50 a cup of brown rice. Then my cals will be at

1516 fat% 32/ carbs% 41 / protein% 27

That doesn't seem to bad to me.

It's crunch time and I've gotta burn some big bodacious buns!!!

Today I went walking and I'm going to try and hit the gym tonight. I didn't exercise this weekend and I'm behind in my Nov. exercise challenge.

Just want to welcome all you newbies... I'm a bit new too but I sure love this spot! Lot's of wonderful people here.

I am so confused about my weight. I gained a couple pounds this past week due to TOM and now thankfully it's finally coming off. I did crash my diet quite a bit but I have no idea what's going on because now I'm losing. I need to try the calorie thing. I'm not sure how it works on fitday but I guess I'll go and research it out more.

I've got to jam but I'll be right back in a few hours and post more.

Jasmine:
I live by the motto "Tried, Tested, And True." I know this is how my body is losing weight, and I know this is making my body feel good, and my body is telling me that I am treating it right, so this is what I keep doing. Majority of these nutrition experts go with the tried, tested, and true, 30/50/20. The fact that the majority goes by this makes me feel externally alright with these choices. You are losing weight in a really good way, and it's steady, and you have more energy, and feel good, sleep better, your mental health appears to be doing well, as well. I think in times like this when the experts are confusing us, we just have to listen to our bodies (not our minds so much, or else I'd always go for the chocolate LOL). It's always good to try something new, and give it time to work, but if it just keeps making you feel like crap, it might not be the right thing for you, ya know? But then, what do I know! I'm new to this, and the only thing I came in here with was some common sense and the desire to renew my relationship with my body . Just trust your gut!

And no worries about my carbs If they are a little low today, they'll be a little high tomorrow (or the next day, or the next, etc etc). I tried the whole low carb/no carb diets, and I felt like crap ALL the time. I think without the carbs to properly balance everything out, you just feel really high or really low. I always thought of carbs as an anchor to all my food decisions. I have a nutritionist/gym trainer buddy who went to UofC (Uni of Calgary, where I'm originally from), and he was trying to help me balance my diet, and he told me something really interesting, and you might consider this. He is a certified nutritionist, and I know him well, so I personally feel comfortable taking his advice:
"The body is like a furnace. The first thing you put in will get 'burned up' or used the most, then the second, and so on. So when you have dinner, if you eat your meat first, you will benefit from the protein and iron more. Then eat your veggies, and last, eat your carbs (like potatoes). Your body will use the carbs for what they need, and discard the rest."
That's not quoted exactly, I would be RICH if I had a photographic memory haha, but you get the gist. And when we talked further about it, it made a lot more sense to me. And that is what I've been trying lately, and it feels good. You'll notice I put my veggies in the afternoon/evening, and that's because of the complex carbs. Carbs make me sleepy and full, so I eat them later on in the day.
I hope I'm of some help. If you have any questions you specifically want me to ask him, let me know! I'll also see if I can get his e-mail address and PM it to you. Sometimes it helps if instead of reading information from an impartial party that does not know you can be really confusing. Answered questions geared towards you and how you are might help more? Planning your meals shouldn't be such a fight. People have lived thousands of years before the obesity epidemic that seems to have swept north america, and I honestly believe it should be a little more easy than it seems it is for you with reduced carbs

Tisha___:
It's a new week, good luck! You can overcome the drama

Hi again ladies or chicks..
Jasmine I was thinking along the lines with Mande about the diet confusion. I would think that eating whole foods whether they be carbs or not are probably the best things out there for their calories too. At least they aren't empty calories filled with unnatural ingredients that are foreign to our bodies. Sometimes I wonder if it's all the processing to foods that make gaining weight so easy.
Melissa, your diet for the day looks great! Can I come over for lunch? I love cucumber salad...
Tisha, hope your drama stops soon. I guess last week was the week for dramas LOL.

Hope you all are doing well. We've had some ugly rainy weather here. I think the rain makes it more difficult to be motivated to get outside and exercise. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get to the gym for a great workout. It's been a few days since I went.

Only 9 more days until ThanksGiving....

Good Morning everyone!! another rushed morning for me, my oldest didnt have her usual advanced math class so it throws off our whole schedule, ah well, we got to sleep in! LOL!

So you wont believe what I did!!!! I made a committment to myself yesterday and I kept it!!!! I didnt do the elliptical in the morning but thats okay because after my classes (instead of going over to volunteer at my daughters school) I went to the gym and worked out for 2 hours!! I walked for an hour and then did weights and stretching for an hour!!! And THEN after dinner I did the elliptical for 30 minutes. I'm just a tiny sore today, mostly my feet I think I need new shoes, and my lats but other than that I slept like a baby and i really feel great this morning.

Eating wise I stuck to my plan almost all the way, Lunch I had a lean cuisine french bread pizza and cucumber salad, I changed dinner and had goulash with the family and instead of popcorn I had 2 dark chocolate squares (about 90 calories) for a late night snack. I'm pretty proud of my day! and i'm looking to have another just like it. So here's the plan for today

exercise - walk 1 hour, elliptical, stretching
breakfast - oatmeal, skim milk, huckleberries
snack - SF shake
lunch - WW meal, cucumber salad
snack - PB toast, yogurt
dinner - Italian chicken n peppers
snack - smartpop

Okay it snowed last night so I need to go do snow patrol and get the car warmed up so we can leave. Have a fantastic day everyone!! Remember...only 9 more days!! We can do it!!

~melissa

sugarbaby269:

You better get on it!!!

You can go and take a peek at my fitday! You can even make custom foods in there. It is a bit tedious to do but worth iot later to just click on it if it is something you use repeatedly. Until you keep track of the cals it is hard to know what exactly is going on.

martiniforme:

You are so right sweetie! When I went and met my hubby for lunch yesterday I told him the same thing. Over the long haul I am going to be worried about some of these concerns I mentioned. I am going to try to switch to organic as much as possible. Which is hard cause I also have 5 kids! I did do the 30 fats/ carbs/ 50 / protein 20 and I don't remember where I even stumbled across it cause I have read so much crap since! Anyhow I was telling my dh that I , for short term, just need to listen to my body. Since counting cals and mostly eating the good stuff I have alot more energy! Heck I am even walking almost two hours a day sometimes! I am not getting sleepy or anything and I am losing and looking better so I know I am doing something right! It is just so hard sometimes when you hear so much conflicting info!

I was thinking yesterday too, I don't even like eggs!!! Why the heck would I want to eat one! hahaha Once every month or two I feel like having a scrambled one but that is the extent!

I did do something really good yesterday though. I went and got some nuts!!! Cashews!!! With low salt. Nuts are something I would have maybe once a year around a holiday cause I knew they were so high in cals and fats and now realize they are the good fats and so good for you! I recommend everyone to have some!!

Healthy Nuts!

That is very interesting!

I agree I just get so frazzled with all this stuff sometimes and since this is my health I can't afford to be wrong. All I can really do is what I have been doing and that is walking like crazy. I heard that is a great way to beat off diabetes, plus losing weight which I am doing. I also know how I feel with energy levels and what not so I know my blood sugar is not going high.

Thanx so much for putting up with me sweetie!!! I am just the type of person who flips back and forth between thinking she knows it all and thinking every thing I know is wrong! Thanx for all your advice and insight! You are helping to keep me grounded and reinforcing what I KNOW.

sugarbaby269:

I know you are right! It is just so easy to get mixed up with all the conflicting info out there! I am feeling much better today and like I am actually on top of it again so that is a good thing! (Great, here comes miss know it all again!) Thanx for the care and concern hun!

I love the rain!!! Send it my way!! I am getting excited about turkey day! Is anyone else?

Hun.e.B:

Well that is good!!!

That is awesome!!! You can do it!!

Sounds good hun! I have never tried lean cuisine and I am a pizza fiend! Are they good? I know I tried the digiorno whole wheat pizza and it had only 8 grams of fat per slice and 240 cals! It was really yummy!!!!

Have fun! Yes we can!!!

I'll be right back!

Running terribly behind, will post personals later

Today's Plan
B: 1 srv Oatmeal w/ 1 lg Banana
S: 1 srv Yogurt w/ 1 Kiwi
L: 1 cup Chddr & Broccoli Soup w/ 8 Baby Carrots
S: 2 md Boiled Eggs
D: Smart Goulash (1/2 cup Rice, 1/2 cup stewed Chkn Brst, 1/4 cup Green Peas, 1/4 cup whole kernal Corn)
S: 1 cup Cranberry JELL-O

W: 1500mL

E: 30 min Gym/Circuit, 30 min Walking, 30 min of... something else, not sure yet.

Ladies I just posted a link in the foods section on how wonderful spices are for you. Check it out!!!
Spice Thread

Hi Martini! Busy day eh babe?

Okay I am back from vacation. It was long and I was glad to be back. Washington D.C. was beautiful and the weather was great. I had never seen all the fall colors in the leaves and they were spectacular. I did really well eating wise while I was gone, except for the last three days. It start with my free meal on Saturday night and then I just went on a binge Sunday and Monday. I know it was because I was so tired and could not plan my meals. It didn't help that when I got home the last thing I wanted to do was grocery shop so no fruits or veggies at all yesterday. My stomach is revolting and I haven't slept well the past two nights. When in D.C. I took my pedometer to track my miles...let's just say that over seven days I walked over 40 miles and my calf muscles felt every minute of it. The good news is I am back on track today and had my morning workout. I have decided not to weigh in until my normal day on Monday, that will give me time to get back to my normal routine the next few days. The bad news is that I have two Thanksgiving dinners planned this weekend, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. I can get through it know. I am planning on walking after those meals to keep from snacking on desserts.