Happy Friday everyone!

My back is complaining a bit today (although my usual 20-minute walk did help), so I am not feeling optimistic that getting back to the gym will be in my cards.

I still want to try it next week and see though.

Last night I took a break. I didn't "overeat", I simply planned to eat some un-healthier stuff than I have been, while watching a movie. I haven't rented a movie for myself in probably a year. It was heaven!

I watched "What Women Want" while snacking on some taco mix (no tortillas), popcorn, and this yummy gooey dessert of cake/pudding/cool whip/kaluha/heath bars.

It felt wonderful! I am considering making Thursday my "day off" - for relaxing, not just eating "bad" foods.

Monique - I knew those pesky pounds weren't going to stick around long. I snuck on the scale too! When I was at the gym, it was just calling to me. And it shouldn't count because it wasn't "my" scale.

(I weighed 152 - with clothes, shoes, etc. Not too bad since I last weighed 148 completed naked)

Lucky - I know it's frustrating. It seems we've all been stuck for a while. If you are exercising that much (3500 calories is A LOT!), perhaps you aren't eating enough? Could your body be holding on to each calorie for dear life in order to keep up the pace?

If only that was all of our problems!

welshbird - sounds like you've got a good plan. I can't wait to hear where you decide to go. DH and I want to go somewhere for our 2 year anniversary in Feb. He wants a cabin in the mountain (Carolinas) I want a cruise. We'll see.

JMUKatie - you are so right! I always try to congratulate myself when I turn down dessert, or stay away from the chip bowl at a party.

I like to think of it as concentration, not willpower. When I concentrate on what I eat, I put the things I want in my body. When I "mindlessly" eat, that's when the junk get's consumed.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! It's going to be rainy here (again!).

Monique - Hi. Sounds like you are doing awesome!!!! Keep up the great work!

Well.. I havent totally rebounded from my tiny bit of depression that I mentioned in my last post. I'm feeling a bit better.. but havent gotten 100% on track in regards to my goals. Exercise is going ok.. just the rest isnt falling into place. I might start journaling. I used to keep an exercise journal until I moved last month.. then I stopped and havent started again. I should start that up and also keep track of food. But I'm not good at counting calories. I guess I should start though. I'm thinking about going low-carb next week.

Anyways..... enough rambling. I have so much to do.. I am just feeling overwhelmed right now. I've avoided posting as of late.. because I do not want to bring anyone else down with my negative vibes.

However, I do enjoy reading everyones posts (and FM.. your posts are not too long!!!!). They help me to stay motivated... and not totally give up.

FM - Getting up at 4:30?? Oh my.. you must be insane

Lucky - Have you actually measured your legs? You might want to keep track of the measurements and give running a chance. You might get a slight increase in size as you gain muscle.. but its because of that muscle that you will lose the fat and eventually they will be smaller. Your muscle sizes depend upon your genetics and body chemistry I believe. And also you cant really target fat loss into a specific area.. so keep that in mind.

welshbird - I hope you meet your goals for your romantic weekend!

Jenn - I've been really tired too lately.. so I understand. And even when I go to sleep early.. I end up spending half the night awake. Have you tried any adidas brand of shoes? I find them to be really comfortable and light weight.


-Tanya

hello all

doing okay today - haven't made it to the gym just yet today - we'll see if my fiance wants to do anything tonight first. had to go to work today - i usually have fridays off, so it's not a lot of fun when i have to go in (plus, no overtime!!)

I really don't know if i have gained any muscle just yet - i should be getting my measurements taken again in about a week at my next personal training session - then i will know more

Tonic - don't worry - I don't plan on giving up running anytime soon - it is definitely the best work out for me right now

Jenn - I agree with Tonic - I have worn Adidas running shoes (Owego or something) for about 5 years now and i love them!! I have naturally wide feet, so they work well for me

Monique - that's really good you have been journaling - i bet if you get into the habit it's just like brushing your teeth!!

FM - that dessert sounds wonderful - making me hungry!

Welshbird - good job - you sound very motivated

JMUKatie - I am not sure what my problem is - the last time i was really into running, i lost about 8 pounds that month - but, that was also before birth control - it may/may not have an effect - the research shows it doesn't, but i am not so sure...

i have a pair of adidas shoes, but i think they are worn out. plus, they give me blisters on the insides of my feet-i think it is the way the inside is stiched-rubs against my feet. the other shoes usually give me toe blisters.

well i had a pretty good weekend. a friend came to visit & we had a lot of fun. did really eat that much this weekend-but we did drink a lot. saturday we went shopping-i finally bought some new jeans (size 10's, thank god, didn't have to buy 12's!) at american eagle. then on saturday night she & i & my bf went out a restaurant/bar type place, had some drinks & some appetizers, then went next door to a dance club. tortured my bf for about 2 hours while we danced & he just sat there (he is not a dancer unless he's really drunk! she left on sunday morning. i spent way too much $$ this weekend but it is kind of hard not too when you have people visiting, you have to buy food, drinks, go places, do things, etc. oh well, it was fun.
monique-sounds like you are on the right track again-good for you!
i haven't weighed myself or even exercised since thursday. i might go to the gym tonight-my bf said something about going out for dinner so i am not sure. we'll see.
i found out yesterday that i have somehow lost/misplaced a really nice gold bracelet my bf gave me. i am so mad about it! one possible place it could be is at his parents house-i am hoping that for some reason they have just forgotten to mention it. i went to my gym but no one turned it in. i am afraid i may have left it there & someone has just walked off with it. i am going to make a little sign & put it in the locker room-hopefully if someone did pick it up they will be honest enough to return it. my other thought is that it may have fallen into the garbage can beside our dresser in the bedroom (i pray to god that it didn't ) but i doubt that because if i would put it on the dresser, i'd put it more to the middle of the dresser, not on the end of the dresser.
i just don't think it would have fallen off because it wasn't that loose & it had one of those safety clasp things.

it is cooling off this week, so i might be doing more running outside. the last time i went i had a good time-did all kinds of hills & felt really proud of myself.

well i better go do some work!

Remember that dessert I made on Thursday?

It fell into my mouth first thing when I got home on Friday! Complete mindless snacking commenced, and I felt sick almost immediately afterwards.

My eating habits were not the best over the weekend, but looking back I guess (besides the dessert) it wasn't too bad. It could have been considered a diet compared to how I USED to splurge.

So, I am back at 148 lbs. But, I'm looking at it like this: If I could lose 2 lbs this next week, I would still be at my lowest weigh-in!

And I was up at 4:40 this morning for BodyPump! My back is feeling OK right now, and what's more exciting is that I think I could sleep another 5 minutes and still make it on time!

Any little bit helps...while I'd consider myself a "morning" person - 4:30 is not morning, it's night.

Cat update: Rita is still with us. Right now it is up to her. We will be leaving the bedroom door open and slowly moving the cat litter to it's usual spot (other side of the house). If she will venture out and get accostumed to the house and other animals, she will probably stay.

Monique - sounds like you had a great weekend! I'm still planning to "treat" myself with dessert this Thursday, but it will a single serving from the store!

Jenn - your weekend sounds wonderful as well. I am sorry about your bracelet. I am a klutzy person and have a ton of jewelry I never wear for fear of losing/breaking. I don't even wear my engagement ring because it is old (5th generation) and I don't want to damage it. But then it's kinda silly to even have it.

Oh! I'm also on target with eating and think I may have figured out the reason I went overboard this weekend. I don't seem to be eating all the "fat" portions I'm supposed to. Perhaps that is causing me to crave? So, It's peanut butter for dinner tonight!

Have a good day everyone!

im not very motivated ata all. my total loss for last week was 1 pound!! and to top it off i think iput it back on!!

hubby and i have decided on a fun weekend instead now.1 like they say, all fun and no play! weve decided to go to a place called alton towers which is basically a humungous theme park> should be fun.

well all you guys sound very motivated to me! keep it goin. the running thing and class thing at that early in the morning ismotivation if ever i saw it. weldone to you, you will definatly see the results!!

want to write more butneed to go to bed otherwise ill fall asleep at the computer. ill come back tomoro. spk to you then

welshbird

hi everyone,
after thinking about it over the weekend, and reading on the internet, my books, etc, i've decided to temporarily, if not permanently, take a break from "dieting"-counting points, calories, fat, whatever-i'm done. it is making me crazy. i am tired of my whole day's happiness depending on whether or not i stayed within my points range. my biggest problem is eating when i am not hungry-and i am going to work on that. i realized this over the weekend, with my friend here, we only ate when we were hungry. it was a wonderful feeling for me. i think i have more emotional issue behind eating-self esteem, body image, etc. health wise-i don't really need to lose any weight. i am in a healthy weight range for my height, my bmi is okay. my cholestorol (sp?) is good. maybe my body fat percentage is high, i've never had it tested. i just need to accept myself as i am and work on loving myself, and realizing that i don't have to live up to the unattainable look that is projected in today's media. i need to stop comparing myself with others. everyone is different, and that is what makes us so special! i will continue to exercise because i enjoy it, not because i want to lose weight. i will still post here because i like you guys! i know i change my mind often, about dieting, what plan to choose, but i think this is best for me right now. i am still going to journal but it's more about my thoughts/feelings than just about what i ate.
anyway, not to push my thoughts on to anyone else, but i visited a very helpful (to me) website if anyone is interested:
www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

okay-enough about me!

fm-it definitely sounds like you are on track. good luck on the two pounds. my lowest weigh in (back in like march) was 145, that lasted for about a day! i hope your back holds up for you so you can do the activities you want to do!

Welshbird-congrats on the 1# loss! hey, a pound is a pound is a pound! don't look down on it because it's only one. the longest journey starts with just one step!

monique-the brownie pudding cake sounds really good-i'll have to see if you put the recipe on our recipe thread.

well i better go do some work!

jenn

It was almost (gasp) EASY??? to get up this morning for step class.

And today I get to reap an extra benefit of doing this early classes - I am going home early and I get to do whatever I want because I already worked out! Yay me.

OK, so "doing what I want" means laundry, computer work, and rolling pennies. But I really like to roll pennies, and I will get to take a relaxing bath later knowing I got my todo list accomplished.

Food is right on target as well. For lunch I had some of that taco soup I posted in the taco soup thread - very filling and delicious.

Cat update: Rita actually walked around the kitchen some last night. DH has said nothing more of taking her back.

other animal news: our snake is pretty sick. She's blocked up for some reason. If she doesn't get things moving soon, it is surgury for her.

Ever tried to give mineral oil to a snake? Don't ask....

welshbird - never get sad that it's "just a pound". Those pounds add up. Someone posted on another site a great article about how no one ever wants to lose "just a pound", so it gets to hang around forever.

But, I do understand the frustration if you thought you had worked harder than that.

BTW - DH and I honeymooned at Disney World, so I can relate to wanting a "fun" weekend. Sometimes those are more romantic than "romantic" ones.

Jenn - I am glad you have made a decision that you feel good about. And addressing the underlying issues will make you such a stronger person all around. It is a difficult thing and I admire you for that.

And I'm glad you're still going to check in here!

How's everyone else doing out there? Take care!

Hi all- I'm a little late, but better late than never, right?

OK, I have several intros in the forums (one in this group, one in buddy-up and one in Alternachicks) if you'd like to read some personal info about me, but here are my goals:

1: replace all dairy and meat products in my house with soy or other vegan friendly foods.

2: Work on being able to walk better so I can start exercising (I have a sprained ankle that's trying to heal)

3: Complete 25 sit-ups daily (at least- hey it's a start)

4: Try to find a way to make tofu taste good (cause that is some nasty stuff!)

ok, that's for the remainder of this month. Next month I will come up with some actual goals related to weight loss....

Tankgirl

Just had to pop on again while I'm waiting for the compiler to finish...

Monique - The way the foodmover works, I have 3 fat "portions" every day. To give you an idea, a "portion" can be 2 tbsp. low-cal dressing, 6 almonds, or 1 bacon strip (he encourages healthy choices but gives portion ideas for everything).

The fat low-fat foods (your crackers or yogurt) is already accounted for, while fattier foods get multiple "portions". Peanutbutter is one protein and one fat.

It's my understanding that this basically follows the diabetic diet plan, and I enjoy it. If I don't eat some of my fat servings, I tend to get hungry and want to just binge.

If you are feeling satsified at the end of the day, you probably are getting enough fat from your regular foods.

Tankgirl - welcome! Sounds like you have some good goals for September. May I ask why you've decided to become a vegan?

I don't eat mammals, so I love trying out tofu products. You mentioned wanting to learn how to make tofu taste good. Have you tried tofu crumbles? They are usually kept with the tofu in the grocery store. They can be used directly in place of browned ground meat. I like them in spaghetti sauces, tacos, and chili.

I also like several other commerically made tofu products, but I'm not sure if you are looking for that kind of thing - if you are trying to be more organic and natural, they are not the way to go! But I will share more if you're interested.

Ooh! Except Amy's Organics are great vegetarian/vegan frozen foods.

I hope everyone else is on track and enjoying their day!

Frisco's Mom- I decided to go Vegan after reading some pamphlets with pictures in them. I had originally just planned to cut the meat out of my diet because meat just makes me feel awful (and gives me horrendus gas- not that you really wanted to hear about that). After seeing some of these pictures, though, i decided that it's probably a good idea to just find substitutes for anything animal related. I read all sorts of horrible things about what they do to all these animals- not to mention that they lace their grain with antibiotics and hormones which are passed on to humans when we consume those products. It just really struck a cord with me (not sure why now, but never before though). After alot of thorough research, i decided that this is the best choice for me- there are alternative ways to get the vitamins, minerals, and protein I need without eating animals or their products.

As far as tofu goes, I've only tried it once and it was the silken style that I had marinated. It was the texture that got me...it was like eating snails- yuk. I am not necessarily going entirely organic and I did see some other soy based foods in the grocery store that I would like to try. I have my own garden so most of my veggies will come from that (once it starts growing), but the meat substitutes, egg substitues, and things like that are hard to find where I live. There's a quote on a vegetarian website that says something along the lines of "I don't understand what is so absurd about asking people to cut meat out of their diet and eat well balanced meals when it is completely normal to cut people open to unclog their arteries and put them on powerful cholesterol lowering drugs for the rest of their lives". I am starting to see the bigger picture now- and I am also seeing how resistent to the idea of Vegetarians our local grocery stores are

Anyhow, that's my story lol

Tankgirl

Hi everyone. It's good to be back on program. Sunday and Monday were hard days. But Saturday I managed to do all 4 things without even thinking about it! It's getting easier as I keep with it, I think. Although I do have nights like last night, when I just want to scream!! I was talking to a friend (who was my roomate in college) and she is losing and losing and losing weight and not even trying. She isn't working out...but yet she's getting smaller and she's eating whatever she feels like! UGH so not fair! Here I am trying so hard to be good to stick with a decent calorie range and to get some exercise most days and it's like pulling teeth to lose weight. I weighed tonight, and no loss yet this month! But it is my TOM so that may be making a difference, I definitely hope so!!

Wow there are a lot of vegetarians on here. That is really cool! Especially since, it's so rare to see any down here in the South.Plus, it helps because there are so few things that are out there for vegetarians to do to lose weight. Anyone else ever notice how most diets aren't made for those of us who don't eat meat?

Welshbird--One pound loss is still loss and that's what is important! Hang in there more loss will come! Sometimes it just takes a while to get it going and slow loss is more likely to stay off anyway...so CONGRATS on the 1 lb loss.

FM- It sounds like you have things going great! Wonderful! I can't imagine getting up at 4:30 for exercise! But I admire you for sticking with it! I'm thinking about trying to go to a gym around here in the AM. We will see....I know that's what manage to help me lose the most last time that I got down into the 120's so I am probably going to push for it! I would love to be back in the 120's by Christmas.
Also what you said about the fat portions makes sense. I've discovered that for me, that I am most likely to binge in the afternoon about 4 or 5. So if I eat a fruit around then I'm okay...but I know the binges hit everyone at different times.

Monique--Good job on sticking with just one helping of the Blue berry cobbler! And thank you for continuing to check on me!! That means a lot and makes me that much more determined to stick with this!

Jenn--I'm so glad that you've made a decision and it sounds like a healthy one and I'm glad you will be checking in with us every once a while. I would miss you, if you didn't.

Tank- I usually get most of my soy through other products such as vegeburgers etc....and let them worry about the flavoring! And I completely agree with FM about the Amy's Stuff. It's GREAT! Expensive but I've never had anything of hers that wasn't good. I also prefer the Morning Star frozen stuff. I LOVE the buffalo wings that are vegetarian. They are spicy...but good! Haven't found any fake chicken I care for though! But they have good veggie burgers, wings, etc....I've heard their breakfast links are bad so I haven't tried those....but I know they came out with a great chili and a great pot pie. I tried those last week. It's just trial and error on finding what you like, or at least that's what I've discovered down here...but good luck and let me know if I can be of any more help with the veggie stuff. I'm not vegan, but I'm vegetarian as is Monique I think. Am I wrong, Monique?

Anyway...I hope all is going well for everyone! I am off to do my exercise video so I can say I have my exercise for the day!!

Talk to you all tomorrow,
Betty

well, thankyou every1.

i know a pound is a pound n all that but its just that i thought id worked so hard at it that week that i was a little dissapointed, thats all. nevermind tho. this week is a different week and 1 lb loss will meanive lost 2 lbs.

fm, how do you manage with a 4.30 start?!! great determination. i love it!!!!!

is every1 a vegetarian on this 1? im not, im afraid, love my sausages too much.

take care and keep strong

welshbird

Welshbird,

No not everyone is vegetarian. But there are a lot of people on here to eat vegetarian foods. Supplemented with others. I am vegetarian, so it is kind of neat to hear talk about the foods I enjoy.

Betty

145. 1-4-5. That's what the scale said this morning and I am estatic!! (And yes, it is one of my weigh-in days so I wasn't cheating)

I thought I was going to bounce around 146.5 forever!

OK, not that 145 is that much lower, but it's a start. While I'm sure going to the gym is helping, you can't lose 3 lbs in 2 days, so I surmise that the popcorn I ate last Thursday and Sunday simply had a lot of salt and I was retaining.

Tankgirl - if you have access to silken tofu, the best thing is to make smoothies or desserts out of it. You want a firmer tofu for marinades. I have a good tofu chocolate mousse recipe I can post if you want...

I understand the compassion for animals. I basically have a part-time job through volunteering at a sanctuary for unwanted exotic animals. I have some video of canned hunts which make me ashamed to be a human.

Betty - glad to hear from you! I can relate to the friend thing. I just had a friend (5'5" skinny runner who I've witnessed eat pizza, chips, etc.) tell me she's getting fat. I probably outweigh her by 20 lbs.

I am sadistically loving the early morning thing. It is such piece of mind to know that I started out the day on a good note.

welshbird - Congrats on sticking with it, those pounds will add up to 10 soon!

I am not a vegetarian. I eat fish and poultry, but I've always enjoyed looking for soy products. If they are prepared items (boca burgers), it is an easy quick meal. And often a tofu product is less fattening than the real deal. (Not always though - so check the packages!)

I honestly don't know how I get up so early. Except that I was getting soo frustrated with my exercise (or lack of) that I was willing to do anything.

I prepare EVERYTHING the night before. Gym bag with work clothes is packed, lunch is completely packed and awaiting cold packs, and my gym clothes are sitting by the toilet. Once I get up to have use the restroom, the rest is easy.

Oh yeah, and I program my coffee maker. I LOVE my programmable coffee maker!

Well, I made to the class again today, and I'm on track to have a great day eating-wise as well. Packed some tacos, and will make turkey sloppy joes for dinner (it's a higher calorie day).

Have a great day everyone!