Here's the week so far - please critique the menu if necessary!

Monday
Breakfast: Vitamuffin (only 100 cals!)
Snack: Dannon Nonfat Yogurt
Apple, 1/2 glass skim mulk
Lunch: Salad Bar - Lettuce, spinach, tomato, onion, 1/2 tsp. olive oil & lots of vinegar, 4 oz. Dietz & Watson sliced deli turkey breast
Dinner: Fat Free Turkey Hot Dogs - 2, 6 tater tots, spinach
Snack: Designer Whey Protein Shake with 4 oz. skim milk, water, banana in blender with ice
Total Cals - around 1350

Tuesday
Kashi mixed with low carb "Hi-Lo" Cereal w/ skim milk
Snack: 1 bag Atkins Crunchers chips (100 cals)
Lunch: 2 Grilled chicken breasts, steamed broccoli
Snack: Handful of roasted peanuts
Dinner: WW Pasta (1 cup) with meat sauce, small salad
Total cals - around 1250

Wednesday
Bkfast - Kashi mix with Hi-Lo cereal and skim milk
Snack - 1 protein shake
Lunch: Greek Salad from ATlanta Bread Co. with lowfat vinegar dressing and grilled chicken
Snack - Atkins Cruncher Chips - 1 bag (100 cal)
Dannon Fat Free Yogurt
Dinner: Tyson fat free baked chicken patty (2 @ 90 cals/ea), fresh steamed veggies
Total Calories: 1350 (approx)
Worked out on home gym for 1/2 hr., crunches, floor exercises

Thursday
Breakfast: 1/2 cup Quaker Instant Oatmeal w/ 1/2 scoop protein powder
Snack: 1 sm. serving fat free cottage cheese (90 cals)
1 bag Atkins Cruncher Chips
Lunch: Salad from Salad Bar, fat free dressing, 4 oz. deli turkey breast
Dinner: Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes w/ scoop protein powder, sugar free syrup
Snack: Handful of peanuts

Friday (Today)
Breakfast: 1 vitamuffin (100 cals), 1/2 glass skim milk
Snack: 1 small indiv. portion of fat free cottage cheese
Lunch: 6 oz. grilled chicken breast, grilled veggies at diner, put balsamic vinegar only on them
Dinner: 2 (well maybe 3, we'll see) slices plain pizza (Fri. is always pizza nite)
No snack after that - I just couldn't!
Approx. calories today - 1300
Workout on home gym - 20 mins., floor exercises, stretching, etc.

As far as Saturday and Sunday, I do really well on Sat. (all the exercise - grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, ....no time for much food during the day!), Sunday we have the "sunday dinner" around 1-2:00, so I only have the one meal and a lite snack at night...I always workout on home gym on Sunday and do all the floor exercises, stretching, etc. as well!

Good Morning Jersey Girl - it's so nice to see you hear!

Can I ask about your home gym? what do you have? do you have a room set up in your house for exercise? wow that would be great! someday, whenever I have a free bedroom, I plan to set it up for exercise.....somebday

And are you doing Atkins? or just low carb? and/or counting calories?

hugs,
cathy

Friday, 2/6

Breakfast:
1 cup 2% milk
1 wheat toast w/butter
2 cups coffee w/splenda & cream

Snack:
yogurt w/chopped apple & cinnamon

Lunch:
1 fried chicken leg
caff free diet coke

Supper:
8 nacho chips, ground meat, refried beans,
melted cheese & dalup of sour cream

Water: 48 oz

Exercise: none again today (but tomorrow watch out)

Cathy,

We bought a Weider Home Gym (about $499 from Sears) and we keep it in the basement. It's pretty nice - it has about 10 different stations - leg extension, pull down bar, leg press, cables, etc. It was definately worth the investment....now if I could afford a nice treadmill or elliptical, i'd be in business! haha

You can check out my post in the "success" message board, I just posted it! It explains the type of diet i've been on....to sum it up...I incorporate some Atkins principles (just eat the "good" carbs such as oatmeal, whole wheat, etc), not too much sugar, lots of salads with grilled chicken, smaller dinners, sensible snacks...basically lower, healthier carb, low fat, low sugar....it's been tough, but after awhile, you get used to it!

Good luck with your dieting, as well! If you need any tips, just ask and I'll try and help!

Corinne

Cathy,

I just noticed your from Louisianna! I went to school at LSU in Baton Rouge! Graduated in '85....moved back up north here...I loved New Orleans and Mardi Gras! Wild times!

Corinne

Hey Corinne,

My sis has the same home gym you're talking about. They are great! I just read your success story and it is awesome! You have done great! Very inspiring! I don't guess you have any before and after pics to post? I would love to see them if you do. You have lost a lot of weight! I know you must be really proud and feel great!

Yep, I'm from Louisiana. I've lived here all my life and love it. Did you watch the Sugarbowl Game since you use to go to LSU? It was a really big deal down here. I have several friends that went to LSU, and now a lot of the youth we have worked with have gone on to school at LSU. My oldest son goes right here to McNeese State University.

I never do the Mardi Gras stuff. :-) Like you said - it is a really wild time and we usually stay close to home! But a lot of people travel down here just to get a look at Mardi Gras. It's a crazy time, and just around the corner too. Now I sure wouldn't mind a great big piece of some King Cake! Did you like those? yum! but they don't really fit on any diet!

hugs,
cathy

Friday

early morning snack- potato salad

B-cheese grits

L-chips
tortilla vegetable wrap
diet coke

D-will have
egg roll
stir fry

Saturday, 2/7

Breakfast:
2 cups coffee w/splenda & cream
1 donut
1 cup milk

Lunch:
oven baked fresh veggies
(brocolli, bell pepper, onions & cauliflower w/olive oil & butter)

Supper:
1 spoon rice
1 spoon potatoes & sausage
1 cornbread

Water: 40 oz

Exercise: 45 minutes aerobics (3 mile walk aerobics tape w/3 lb handweights)
15 minutes strength training (10 lb weights on exercise ball)

Sunday, 2/8

Well today was a bad day and it's ain't over yet, but I'll fess up and post it anyway. *sigh*

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee w/splenda & cream
2 wheat toast with all fruit

Lunch:
shrimp and angel hair pasta

Snack:
1 piece of shower cake
1 regular size fries from McDonald's
3 pieces of Russell Stover's Candy
1 donut
caff free diet coke
(does the diet coke cancel out the other junk)

Supper:
uhmmmm I think I'm full now

Water: 16 oz

Exercise: none today