Welcome Cybele! We're always glad to have someone here to share their life with us. Yes, we share more than just weight loss efforts here. We share whatever we feel is helpful. If i'm having a crappy day with the kids or at school or with the hubby...or I just can't make good food choices...I share it. It helps! Hope to see you here again soon!

Cyan....don't buy anymore pie!!!

Today, I'm on ATkins again. Here is what I ate today:

breakfast: Carnation instant breakfast for the Carb Conscious (12 carbs)
scrambled eggs with cheese (3 carbs)
Lunch: 2 chicken drumsticks (0 carbs)
Dinner: Teryaki chicken YUMMY (3 carbs)
snacks: low carb chocolate bar (3 carbs)
pecans (3 carbs)
Carb Smart Neopolitan Ice Cream (0 carbs)
Total: (24 carbs)

I would have liked to stay under 20 carbs, but I'm happy with this.
What I'll do better tomorrow:
Plan my meals better
drink more water
exercise

Okay, good night!

Lisa

Glad you have chosen us to restart your weight loss journey. Like Lisa said...we share whatever that is bothering us, making us happy...you name it.
So I hope you will be welcomed here cause you most certainly are welcomed.

Hey Lisa...I gave away the pie...no more pie in the house...my friend carted it off tonight...and pie went kicking and screaming it wasn't gonna be the last I have seen of key lime pie..I am afraid it is right ...but for now...its not in my freezer anymore

I did ok food wise tonight...I had a portuguese style custard tart...oh so good..but at least they arent 438 calories. I exercised but for only 30 minutes on the bike and about 10 of floor exercises.


Oh and before I forget...good going on gettin back on plan Lisa...one day at a time. YOu can do it.

Have a great weekend all

Cyan

Good job getting rid of the pie!

Here's my meal plan for today:

Breakfast: Deluxe Ham and Cheese Omelet (4 carbs)
Lunch: 2 chicken drumsticks and 2 boiled eggs (2 carbs)
Dinner: We're going out for dinner...so I will try to have vegetabes and meat of some kind. No bread, no potatoes, no dessert Water to drink I'll try to stay within 10 carbs for dinner.
Snacks: low carb candy bar (3 carbs)

Tomorrow is Sunday so my mother-in-law always makes a big dinner. It's always high in carbs. The menu for tomorrow's dinner is Sub Sandwiches, Cole Slaw, Fresh Fruit with fruit dip and dessert. So, here's my solution: I will have deli meat roll ups with lettuce, cheese and mayo. I am going to make an ATkins version of Cole Slaw and I'm going to add deviled eggs to the menu. For dessert, I will make myself some sugar free Jello with some whipped topping. I should be able to stay within 6 or 7 carbs for dinner. Planning ahead...it's what I have to do!

My goals are as follows: By Thanksgiving Lose 10 pounds
By Christmas Lose 20

Current weight: 203.5 pounds

I've got to exercise today....hmmmm......

See you all soon!

Lisa

Thanks for the welcome, Lisa and Cyan. Already, your good vibes are effecting me. Today I attended a group breakfast where our lovely host had made scones with cream and berries, quiche, and all manner of other foods. I did have one scone and one piece of quiche, but then tried to stick to the pineapple and grapes off to the side. I also went to the gym right afterwards, and worked out on the bike for 50 minutes. 18 miles and 320 calories later, I felt a bit lighter in body and spirit. I'm really not the type who will ever be able to stop eating a variety of foods (the Italian in me protests if I try) but I think I can engage in moderation.

As modeled after you, my food plan for the rest of the day is:

- 1 apple and 1 ounce cheese snack
- pecan encrusted chicken over salad for dinner
- 1 slice french bread

Plus, lots of water. I'm going ot try to up my intake, and have done about 30 ounces so far today.

Cyan, great work getting the pie out of the house, despite its protestations. I tell you, baked goods have a very strong mind of their own! They force me to cook them up at all hours, but I'm going to do battle with them. Lisa, I hope that the Atkins goes well for you - I can abstain from talk about bread here, if it helps! I have a strong facination and admiration for the stuff, but think the food pyramid must be way off in the estimation of how much of it we need!

Check in with you all tomorrow or Monday-
Cybele

Well my friend got back from Morroco on Saturday and we spent the day on Sunday getting caught up on his adventures. It was fun. I also went to my Hot Yoga class...it was a tough one...I think I was off a bit...I had to rest for a couple of the poses...first time doing that...I think I drank too much water too quickly so when we had to do the child pose...my stomach was too full and it made me nauceous...so I couldnt do those..or else like a child, I would of vomitted Not good. Other than that, it was good...the next time I will drink smaller sips and I wont bring my watch in there...I kept looking at the watch so that was very bad because it kept me from focussing.

I also saw The Incredibles...that was cool. I like pixar movies. Food was high in calories for both saturday and sunday...I ate like 1800 to 1900 calories for both days. Argh!! I really gotta control this or else I will not loose any weight no matter how hard I exercise..it just wont matter.

So this week I will focus on not eating more than 1500 calories...and then once I do that,I will see what happens. I just have to slowly bring it down to that level. When I was losing a pound a week I was eating between 1200 to 1500 calories. So I know that is what I need to do to lose weight.

Meal Plan for today
breakfast: carnation breakfast with skim milk
snack: fruit smoothie..all natural...8 oz
lunch: cheese and ham and hummus sandwich on a portuguese bun
snack: yogurt
dinner: oven roasted pork ribs, lean only eaten with side salad
beverages: water, tea and diet cola

exercise:cycle for 30 minutes and pilates

Have a great day

Cyan

Well, my plans didn't exactly go as I'd hoped this weekend, but I don't think they veered as far off course as they could have. Dear husband suggested Fuddrucker's hamburger for dinner while we were out shopping on Saturday, and it sounded too good and too fun. So we did that, complete with Coke (which I had previously pretty much omitted from my repetoire). But, on Sunday things went much better. I did a ton of yardwork outside, which must have burned off something by the way I was sweating. A banana and water for breakfast, a quesadilla loaded with tomato and pepper for lunch, plenty of water during the day, and salad with grilled chicken for dinner. Um, well, there were also the three cookies, but I did battle not to eat more of them, and they are TINY, I mean, really really tiny - the smallest cookies I've ever eaten. Hmm...just a bit of justifying, huh? No more of those for me, that's that. There are several in the cookie jar and I think I'm just going to have to visualize something disgusting if I head for them - perhaps instead of seeing the dreamy dark chocolate I will visualize instead the fat/lard/grossness that it will transform to once I've eaten it!

Today, so far so good. Vegetable laden, low cheese quiche slice for breakfast, 2 cups carrots and 1 cup grapes with half a PB&J for lunch, and plenty of water. I had hoped to get to the gym today, but I'm leaving on a business trip on Wednesday and I have TOO much to get done. I'll take the dogs for a walk when I get home, and do interval runs on that - it will multitask and at least I'll get -something- done.

Lisa - how did Sunday dinner go? It's tough to be a social eater, especially when people have lovingly created food for you. Are you also from a family that equates food with love? Any suggestions, anyone, on how to change this family culture?

I woke up to a very cold morning and snow flakes...I didnt have my boots ready and since it was just a sprinkle I braved it with my shoes and fall rain coat. I have to dig out my winter coat and boots tonight…

I have been suffering from lack of energy for the last few days...I even struggled with hot yoga...and last night I only did 20 minutes on the bike...not sure what is going on yet but something is up with my energy...must investigate further.

Maybe its the cold weather rolling in and I am turning into a bear...and wanting to hybernate. I have to get my snow tires on my car this weekend...ack..I hope its not to cold cause my snow tires are stored outside and I have to fish them out and then store my four seasons in properly for the long winter.

Hi Cybele...I gotta give that visulalizing technique of yours a try...maybe it will help me from eating that chocolate cake my father brought home on sunday...It was my Mom's bday so we had some to celebrate. And lets not forget the remaining halloween candy... And tortilla chips, chocolate pudding, coconut cakes, peanut butter cookies and the Lord only knows what else my Dad brings home...I try not to look at the shelves in the pantry too often. Way to much temptation but its hard to tell my elderly Dad that I cant eat that...he still thinks I am a kid...little do they know that they are now my kids and that I take care of them...oh well...such is life.

Meal Plan for today
breakfast: carnation breakfast with skim milk
snack: fruit juice smoothie 8.45 oz
lunch: oven roasted chicken leg with green salad
dinner: one pork chop and one chicken leg with snow peas
beverages: water, tea and diet cola

exercise: cycling and pilates

Have a great day

Cyan

Cybele, Sunday dinner went fine. We ended up eating earlier than planned so the cole slaw and devilled eggs did not get made, but I enjoyed some meat roll-ups. I did make some cole-slaw later in the day as I was craving something sweet and that was the only thing I could think of.

Cyan, I am experiencing low energy levels as well. It is almost noon right now and I just got out of bed. I did get up to get my daughter to school earlier but than I just crawled back in. Luckily baby was cooperative.

Well, I'm now down to 199.5. Yippee! That's 4 pounds since Saturday. That's very motivating to me. I haven't cheated once and I'm starting to get into the groove of Atkins again. It's getting easier. I ate at the hospital yesterday and had two hamburgers with cheese, mushrroms, lettuce and mayo and mustard with no buns. YUMMY!

Meal plan for the day:

Breakfast: Deluxe Ham and Cheese Omelet
Luch: Broccoli and Cheese stuffed Chicken and Cole Slaw
Dinner: hmmm I'm not sure since there is a women's dinner at church tonight. I might bring some devilled eggs to be on the safe side...I don't know
Snacks: Nuts, Low carb candy bar, cheese
Drinks: Water, diet soda

Going to the grocery store today. I'm going to get some of the carb smart vanilla ice cream and some diet root beer. YUMMY!! I love me a root beer float!

Lisa

wooooooooohooooooooooo LISAAAAAAAAAA CONGRATS...HAD TO POST HERE AFTER READING YOUR ENTRY...WAY TO GO

Dont know if the week is going by slow or fast...not sure how I feel about that

I didnt have much energy to exercise yesterday...just managed some floor exercises and about 15 minutes on the bike...oh well...I know there are gonna be days like that. I really need to make a push this month...I need to show a loss on the scale...this weight has to come off..I tell you..these last 20 pounds are glued to me...I swear..I have lost my groove...I need to shock my body into weight loss again but I cant handle the hunger...I do not do well being hungry. I will have to try south beach phase one again...oh I am afraid...but I think as of today...I am back on phase 1...so here goes

Meal Plan for today
breakfast: not very southbeach but here it is....one egg, one slice of havarti cheese, chili sauce 1tsp on whole wheat bread.
snack: fruit smoothie...no sugar added...ok that is not very south beach either
lunch: mashed potato and one pork chop....the mashed potato is not very south beach either
dinner: chicken leg (oven roasted with no skin) with green salad...now that is south beach
snack: mixed berries..that is south beach ..not sure if its phase one though

Oh boy...not doing to well with this phase one of south beach...its hard giving up fruits...I feel sick otherwise...I need fruits as part of my diet....the fruit smoothie is made with strawberries and mango and banana...its only one cup and its soooooooooo good for you...no added sugar...no added anything...its made with organic fruit...now could that be wrong for you.

ok I admit..the mashed potato..totally could do with out that..so I will eat it this time cause I made it but no more mashed potato for a awhile. I guess pork chops will be replaced with pork loin in the future because it is a leaner cut of meat...so no more pork chops either and chicken legs will be replaced with chicken breast for the same reasons...much leaner. Also I will have bread once per day...if I have it at breakfast then that’s it for the rest of the day. And I wont give up my fruits but I can live with choosing lower glycemic fruits like berries. I wont give up my skim milk...nor my carnation breakfast...I love that in the morning but maybe I will have that 3 times per week and the other mornings I will have egg dish of some kind.

Ok I know I can do this...I just have to try a little harder...so here goes...wish me luck

and have a great day

Cyan

Oh, I woke up today to rain and thunder. I got my biggest little one off to school and then I did some laundry. I had an Atkins shake for breakfast. It wasn't bad and I'm not feeling hungry now, so good on me. I had a little bit of gastrointestinal upset this morning as well, so I spent a good deal of time in the bathroom. I really think I've had a bug lately. Hopefully it's going away. Last night there for our Ladies Enrichment meeting at church, they had served soup in bread bowls and then had the most yummy looking cheese cakes for dessert. There was white chocolate pumkin, chocolate, and chocolate chip cheese cakes there. Luckily for me, I called ahead of time to ask one of the ladies what was being served. I brought my own plate of devilled eggs and 2 low carb candy bars. I had a small serving of vegetabe beef and cheddar soup in a regular bowl and felt fine. I am so proud of myself. It definitely paid off because this morning I showed another 2 pound loss on the scale. That's 6 pounds since Saturday! WOW!!!

Cyan, good luck to you on Phase one of South Beach. A long time ago I did the L.A. Weightloss program and to jump start the diet they had me eat a special diet for the first 3 days. It was all the lean meat I wanted. All the green, fresh vegetables I wanted and 2 oranges a day. Also 10 glasses of water (no soda). They would also have me do that when I started to plateau. I lost 31 pounds on that diet, so it works. I know how frustrated you must be with these last few pounds. You can do it. You are a smart, vivacious woman with a great positive attitude! YOU CAN DO IT!

Hope everyone else is doing well. HOpe to hear from you all soon!

Lisa

Lisa, what success! I am amazed - it sounds like you're doing the weight loss in a very healthy way, but your results are so rapid. You have so much to be proud of - among these the one that ranks most awe-inspiring to me is turning down those cheesecakes! I was salivating all the way over here!

I learn so much from Cyan - I am a fruit junkie, but haven't bothered to figure out which are better for you than others. I'm mostly an apple and banana person, and I have a suspicion that thier glycemic index is high. Still, seeing how you plan to adapt your eating is inspiring and very helpful. Thanks for sharing, and good luck with this new phase.

I got to the gym again yesterday and logged in 40 minutes and 10 miles on the bike. I saw a challenge on one of the other threads to move 100 miles by Thanksgiving, and am trying to do that via my workouts. So far, I'm up to 28 miles, with not much time to go - but I think I can make it. Of course, Thanksgiving morning might see me pedaling away to make up whatever I have left, but one way or the other I'm going to do it!

Eating has been going fine, but I leave in an hour for a trip, and eating usually does NOT go fine at that point for me. All of these conferences seem to involve a lot of nibbling and a LOT of drinking. ALthough I know it sounds like a meager goal, I'm trying for no more than two drinks a day, and limiting drinking days to Thursday and Friday. ALso, I packed a almonds, dried pineapple, dried cranberries, and dried apples along, so I'm going to try to snack on those instead of the salty/fatty things that are out everywhere. It may be easier if I bring them with me everywhere to resist temptation.

So, I'm off to the Windy City - see you all when I return!

Welcome Cybele and Hello again to Cyan and Lisa!! Spent a bit of time getting caught up on posts. Kind of busy lately as I had a big party planned for a good friend where I had organized a sit down dinner at my home for 30+ people. The challenge has been that a lot of treats were left over and I ended up munching on them all week and gaining 2 pounds!! Today I got fed-up with myself and took the rest of the treats to work and left them there so now I only have healthy stuff in my fridge!

Cyan--keep up on the great path you were on. I know you can reach your goal--just think of your hottie!! Maybe you should post a picture of him on your fridge or cupboard (although I personally think you are very great inside and out and he would like you no matter what!!).

Lisa--congratulations for your weight loss!! Did you get over that bug that you were fighting??

Cybele, my mother tried very hard to lose weight for health purposes. Our family totally equated love with food. Now we get together not for food gatherings but for outings where food is secondary. For example we would go for a hike and then a picnic or we would go for a bike ride and then snack etc. So food followed a physical activity as a family and slowly we moved from food gatherings to social gatherings where food was a smaller part. We even went to a local swimming area to swim and play games but also had a picnic as it fell over dinnertime but the primary activity was the swimming etc.
I hope that helps!!

Well, my ears are much better. Work has been tough and very busy as I have been at home after 8 or 9pm each evening so very long days.

Trying to get off the weight I put on. Need to go back to normal eating and then hike up the exercise. Talk to you all soon!!

Cjunk

P.S. Where is everyone else???

I am looking forward to some chill time..I need to clean my house...get the dusting and vacuum and put away my clothes… a woman’s work is never done.

I struggled a bit last night with food...I wound up having smoked salmon on crusty bread with cream cheese with a side salad and then a piece of cake for dessert....I am just plain old hungry these days...I just cant get the full feeling. I wake up and I am starving...as if I havent eaten in days...I am in serious trouble here...I am making an effort to clear the house of all my temptations...so my Mom’s bday cake is almost gone..I’ll bring it in tomorrow for work and pawn it off on my pet office...he’s eats anything...he’s human

Anyway, food plan for today
breakfast: ham and havarti cheese sandwich
snack: 8.45oz fruit smoothie..all natural...strawberry, banana, mango
lunch: homemade lasagna
snack: berries one cup
dinner: oven baked trout with snow peas and carrots
snack: lord help me here

exercise: cycle and pilates and morning arm work out

Have a great day ladies

Cyan

I am sitting here in front of my computer and wishing I was sleeping in a vat of cream...snuggled into cream folds of top of line body cream...as winter approaches my skin get very dry...its so itchy and feeling tight...I really really am not enjoying this at all...I feel like scratching myself all over.

This week has been one of hunger...I have been hungry for food and suffering from lack of energy...just tired and hungry. My average calorie intake for the week has been about 1800 calories..no where near the 1200-1400 calories range I am supposed to eat inorder to lose one measly pound a week. I have been exercising everyday...burning off about 300-400 calories per session.

I think I am pms’ing ...that would explain my tiredness and hunger...I also feel a wee bit bloated and irregular...even with the fiber I drink...and I have been lifting weights these past mornings...arm exercises..mind you its like a 5 minute workout but I do all the arm exercises and I feel it...I am hoping that once I get my period, things will regulate itself and I wont feel like eating a house and then sleeping all day.

Meal Plan for today
breakfast: carnation breakfast with skim milk
snack: fruit smoothie...8.45oz all natural
lunch: deboned and skinless chicken meat with hummus, carrot salad and bost lettuce with olive oil vingagrette 1tbs
snack: berries and apple
dinner: oven baked trout with snow peas and carrots
beverages: water, tea and diet cola

exercise: cycle for as long as I can

Have a great weekend

Cyan