Welcome Sugar Plum! (such a cute screen name!)

I know exactly what you mean about " tired of being tired." I have been there. After I had my second child...and was overweight...with back pain...I was miserable. I was fat...nothing looked good on me...I had no energy...no self esteem...I would look at pictures of myself from family events and cringe. I remember my grandfather in law's funeral...and I had to scramble to find a dress to wear for the occasion...and the only thing I could find that looked okay on me was a cream and beige dress...and the cut and style of it...I looked like 60 year old school teacher. (I was 26 at the time!!) It was just awful. You must understand...that I am a costume designer and a bit on the wild side...tattoos and all...and for me to have to wear something that looked like I took it out of my grandmother's closet just about killed me...when my sister in laws were both wearing cute summery dresses and had nice figures. It was just a few days after that family event that I decided to get down to business and do something.

Advice....hmmm....well the first thing that comes to my mind is your height. You are 5'10"...and that is a little on the tall side for most women. (My dance partner is 6' and my stepmother is 5'11" and I am ENVIOUS of you!) You say your current weight is 190 and you would like to be 140. Going by the weights of the two women I am close to and just mentioned....I am first going to suggest that you make a goal weight of 160 rather than 140...and then once you get there...see how you feel about your size at that point. I think 140 may be a little on the thin side for you with your height. (My stepmother looks great at 5'11" and 165 pounds.)

Make a goal of around 160...and then when you reach that...just see how you feel. My best advice for you right now is to take things one day at a time. Don't expect instant results...you didn't gain the weight in two weeks...you aren't going to lose it in two weeks. My next piece of advice would be to EXERCISE. Don't just change your eating habits alone. You will lose weight quicker with exercise along with a change in diet...and your shape will improve greatly. You can be thin and be out of shape...I have seen many size 4 women with flabby inner thighs and jiggly upper arms because they don't work out. If you want the muscles to have a nice shape...then you must use them!

I count calories...try to stay in a certain range each day (between 1400-1600 usually) to lose weight. But-what I really stress is that I use the calories wisely. I remember my mom counting calories as a child...and she would stay within her calorie range...but she may have a salad, a Hershey bar, a handful of crackers, and a cookie. Yes, she stayed in her calories for the day...but was that food really fueling her body? I try to eat healthy within my calorie range...with lots of fruits and veggies...and lean protein like chicken or fish. I do have a treat occasionally....but I eat healthy the rest of the time...and I try to limit the treat to under 200 calories...not going all day eating nothing but carrot sticks because I had to have a slab of cake for breakfast. ha ha

I am glad that you came here...we all rely on this site to give us that "kick in the rear." *smile*

So...I have no idea how familir you are with exercise routines...healthy foods...and so on...we have some well seasoned and knowledgeable athletes here...as well as beginners to all of this...and lots of us have some great "getting through the day" secrets...low calorie recipes...just about anything you would want. If you feel that you want guidance on anything...just let me know!

If you are new to all of this...here are some beginning tips:

~spread your calories throughout the day. If you are eating say, 1500 calories a day...spread them out into meals and a snack...don't save them all up for dinner...or eat most of them at breakfast and starve the rest of the day. After a while it will become second nature to you to have around 300 for breakfast...400 for lunch...600 for dinner...and 200 for a snack. (Just an example to see how you can split it up)

~drink water. Ultimately you want to drink 8 80z. glasses or more a day. It isn't as much as you think...a glass out of your cabinet is probably a 16oz. glass or more...8oz. is 1 cup...or about what a smaller orange juice type of glass would be. a 16oz. bottle of spring water is equal to 2 glasses...I find that if you don't drink water at all...that it is easier to go in steps. Make a goal to drink 16oz a day the first week...then up it little by little each week until you are at the level you need. I think it helps to limit my coffee and diet soda consumption each day as well...and to drink water instead.

~You CAN eat fast food/restaurant food. You just have to know what to eat. You can go to just about any restaurant website and get nutritional info. I keep a small piece of paper in my purse with a few menu items and the calories written on it...to have as a guide when I go out. My favorites? Fazoli's minestrone soup...Wendy's chili...McDonalds fruit and yogurt parfait....Applebee's and Ruby Tuesday have MANY lower calorie items on their menus....Bob Evans has a wonderful fruit plate filled with all sorts of fresh fruit...with a side of low fat strawberry yogurt on the side. Subway has a great selection of low fat subs...you just gotta get out of the mindset that fast food=burgers and fries. I can go just about anywhere with my family and eat out with them and stay on plan if I make good choices.

~find an exercise that you enjoy. I hate team sports like volleyball and softball...and I hate to run-so it is not going to do me any good to try and do those as my exercise. My exercise routine consists of strength training, walking, yoga, Pilates, and I belly dance professionally. I had to try many things to find what it was that I enjoyed doing. It doesn't always have to be a gym workout...you can do something unconventional like joining a clogging group...take karate class...take a mommy/child swimming class at the YMCA...anything like that-you just have to find what YOU like to do. Heck, they even have striptease workout videos...hip hop dancing videos...all kinds of stuff out now. There is a kids yoga video out now that is geared towards 3-6 year olds...and I want to get it for my kids...and do it with them-quality time that we can spend together and teaching them good exercise habits at the same time.

~Set mini goals. Going from 190 to 160 is a long road...but going from 190 to 185 isn't so bad. Make mini goals to achieve...and reward yourself when you reach them. When you lose 5 pounds....or whatever your mini goal is...buy a new lipstick...or a new nail polish...or an exercise video. Some small treat for meeting that goal...then set the next small goal. (My current mini goal is getting into the 160's)

Come here often...and if there is anything you have questions about...or concerns about...let us know! We are all here to support one another and to help.

Aphil

Welcome Sugar Plum. I don't think I have anything to add to Aphil's novel Besides, I don't feel worthy of giving advice right now since I'm failing miserably at losing this weight!!

Since we're in a new month now, I think its time for a fresh start and a new mini goal. I am up 3 pounds as of this morning, according to my evil scale. I doubt that I've over eaten 10,500 calories so I'm guessing some of this is water weight. However, reguardless of why the weight is back, I need it to be gone again. I started tracking my food in diet power again and hopefully I can stick to it this time. Now I just have to dust off the treadmill and/or some videos.

I think my first mini goal will be to reach 170. I'm tempted to put a time limit on it and try for the end of the month but that's 7 pounds so i don't know if I can do it (although the water weight should fall off pretty easily). So, I guess I'll try for the end of the month but if that's not looking good, I'll just keep going til I get to 170, reguardless of when it is!!

Anyway, I think I'll go get stuff together for workinng out so when Kai goes down for her nap in a couple hours I'll have no excuse not to get off my lazy arse and just do it!

How's everyone else doing?


Christine
181/177/125-130
Mini goal: 170

Thought DH and I were the only ones who used "arse" in regular vocabulary! ha ha

Aphil

I picked it up after having kids... although its really no better than the alternative. LOL

Christine

Welcome, sugarplum!

I think we should highlight aphil's advice and make it a sticky!! Absolute gold in them words

Hello jacklyn!! isn't it funny, I'd rather do weights than cardio. Good to hear from you!

Christine, hi! good thinking on planning for your exercise time!! I commend you, I know how hard it is to try to fit the exercise in when you have a little one. Heck, it's even hard with dogs! I remember when our current dog was a puppy, she absolutely would NOT leave me alone when I was trying to do floor work - licking my face, biting my legs

I've been avoiding the scale for a few weeks - don't want to burst my bubble at maybe being over 145 - clothes still feel good, but I hate to delude myself for too long.

Just for fun, I added up all the times I've done my Gilad 45 Split Toning tape...140+ times!!! You'd think I'd look like a supermodel by now

well, gotta prepare for my FD Aux. meeting tonite. C ya!

Hi everyone!

Holly-I am with you...I would much rather do weights and toning work than cardio any day! Actually, my dancing is the only cardio activity that I truly look forward to doing...I enjoy walking...if I am walking with dh, a friend, or my kids so I have someone to talk to...but dancing is my favorite cardio activity for sure. I do love doing my weights and toning exercises. It is "my time" and I like being alone and concentrating on the muscles being worked. Even when my legs/abs/shoulders burn like fire the last few reps...I enjoy it because I work through the burn and know what it is doing for my body.
Sick, huh?

I have lots of business on the horizon! I have performances coming up in July...I am traveling a couple hours away next weekend to attend a Middle Eastern Festival, and recieve a private lesson from a dancer over there beforehand...and I have lots of costume jobs in the works as well...dance and movie replica. *excited!*

Holly-I wanted to ask you about your avatar picture...did you just have someone take it and then save it...and size it down on the computer? I need to have dh take a picture of me and get it on here.

Everything is going well here...I have stayed on plan WONDERFULLY the past few days...my workouts have been intense...and in my little "self challenge" that I have going...I have 8 goals that I have been aiming to meet every day:staying within my calorie guideline, meeting or exceeding my protein goal each day, getting in all my water, getting 100% RDA of calcium, getting in at least 5 servings of fruits/veggies a day, getting in 20 or more grams of fiber each day, getting my exercise in, and limiting myself to 3 or less servings of coffee/diet soda per day. So far the past few days...I have been getting 7 out of 8 of those goals met each day. I have been really cracking down, and getting tough with myself. With all of the nutritional requirements I am trying to meet each day...it leaves very little room for "junk." I have been feeling a lot better...more energetic, and I don't get that early afternoon "slump" where I want to take a nap.

We had a nice surprise yesterday in the mail. We have escrow with our mortgage...and every year they evaluate it...and we had a slight surplus this year, and they sent us an unexpected check! Gotta love that...especially when it was totally unexpected. Things had been a little tight the past few weeks...and even though it was only $200...it was a great thing! We went to Wal-Mart last night and picked up the kids this kiddie pool that they have been wanting for a few weeks. It was $20...doesn't seem like a big deal...but things have been tight lately because we got hit with a couple "annual bills" all this month...motorcycle insurance, property taxes, etc. and we just didn't have the money to buy them one. The kids of course, are now thrilled. They are 3 and 5...the one they picked was a very shallow blow up type pool...but it was the "extras" it had that made them want it so much. Like a weighted blow up giraffe on one end with rings to play "ring toss" onto its ears...and a blow up palm tree at the other end that you attach to the hose so it "sprinkles." Yeah...they scoped that one out RIGHT AWAY.

Last night the kids and I played with their Crayola Crayon Maker. They got it for Christmas from my mom...and we had it in the closet and sort of forgot about it. It was actually fun! *Aphil is a big kid* It took a few tries to get it down, and to get them to turn out right...but after we figured it out it was great. If any of you have kids...it is the coolest toy. You dig out all of their old broken crayons and take the paper off...put the crayon "nubs" in it...and it melts them down and molds them into new crayons. After they cool there is even little new paper wrappers to put on them. We made some solid colored ones with broken pieces of the same color...but we made a few "swirled" ones too...like periwinkle/purple. Kids nowadays have the coolest toys.

Have any of you tried the new premium salads at McDonalds? I have...and they are really good. Check the nutrition info at the McDonald's website...and if you get one..get the low fat balsamic vinagrette dressing and the grilled chicken instead of the crispy chicken. What impressed me with them, is that they no longer contain just "iceburg" lettuce. They ae filled now with a much healtheir blend with arugala, romaine, baby spinach, and other darker leafier lettuces as well. If you get their "adult happy meal" with the bottle of water...the box has the calories on the package...I saved mine for future reference. I definitely recommend them. YUM.

Well...I need to be off. Lots to do today...and I must get in my cardio!
Aphil

Thanks Aphil, Silence, and VermontMom. I like to walk so I think I'll start out with that. We just got a pool so maybe that will help some too. I don't normally eat breakfast, mostly because I don't have time. I get out of bed with just enough time to make it to work and then about 10:00 the snack machine in the break room starts calling my name....LOL. I'm addicted to Mello Yello...LOL but I've only had one today. There isn't alot of time in the day with work and household cores and the kids playing ball almost every night. But I'm determined to do this so maybe I'll have to get up just a little earlier ...ughhhhh. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!! And thanks again for the pep talk.
BTW Aphil, I have a tatoo also. Just one though, that was enough for me...LOL.

Hello all!

I actually had a good day yesterday and my weight is already showing a drop of 1.5 pounds (told ya the water would fall off pretty easily). I'm already feeling motivated by this! Maybe I can get to 170 by the end of the month after all.

As far as the exercise goes... the best laid plans... Kairi and I both have colds so yesterday I laid down with her rather than working out. I needed the rest. Hopefully today I can get myself moving though!! My cold is still here but its improving and I don't feel nearly as tired today.

Aphil, I had considered getting that crayon maker for Alexa this past Christmas but I believe it said ages 8 and up so we put it off. I think I may need to keep an eye out for it now though. I know *I* would have fun with it and we have NO shortage of broken crayons around here!

On the topic of strength training, what do you all do for that? Do you use free weights and a bench? A video and some hand weights? Bands? I too prefer this to cardio. I know, I need to do both but motivating myself to get just one in for now would be great.


Christine
181/175.5/125-130
mini-goal #1: 170

Hi Sugar Plum!

I thought of a few strategies that may help you...the more we know about your weaknesses...the better we can give helpful hints that are more "tailored" to you.

Since you don't eat breakfast...but get the munchies at around 10 while you are at work...maybe it would be beneficial for you to get a "snack" ready the night before for you to grab when you leave for work...to eat at mid-morning when you would normally visit the snack machine. A ziploc bag full of bab carrots (only 35 calories for 14 of them) or a banana...apple...or some other small, healthy snack.

I had to break away from the regular soda addiction as well when I first started...I consumed a lot of calories that way. If you like Mello Yello...have you tried Diet Mountain Dew? Kroger (if you have them) even has a Diet "generic" Mountain Dew type soda. They are pretty good for diet sodas...I have found that in general, the diet flavored sodas like root beer, citrus/Mountain Dew-Sprite types tend to taste a lot better than the colas for some reason. The way I see it...is it is a pretty easy sacrifice after a while..if you are drinking two 150 calorie sodas in a can each day and you cut those out by switching to diet...then you have 300 calories you can eat in food...and when you are limiting your calories...that is a good amount of food! My favorite diet sodas are Diet Mountain Dew, Diet A&W root beer, Diet Sunkist, Diet Sierra Mist, and Diet Big Red (red pop).

Off to do my cardio!
Aphil

Welcome to Sugar Plum. Glad to have you here. I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me.

Just wanted to say hi and let everyone know that I am still alive and sticking to the program. I haven't been posting for awhile. Don't know why. I am doing great though. I am still counting calories on fitday.com every day and going to the gym 3 days per week. If it's nice outside I have been walking for a half hr some days too.

I have been stressed out recently because my daughter and her boyfriend moved in together recently and are having a hard time financially. I am the type of person that must restrain myself from overdoing it when someone I love need help. I automatically want to give them everything I have, which would make things hard on me. So I am restraining myself.

Hi debbiejarrell. Thanks aphil. I've always hated the diet colas but I'll try the diet dews. Had one of the McDonald's active meals today (fiesta salad). It was pretty good. I don't like sour cream so that cut out some calories. I came with a step counter thingy (technical term)..*hehehe*. So I'm on my way.

Newbie here - and frustrated!!
Hi ladies. Recently I've found this website/forum and been lurking and trying to figure it all out. I keep ending up with this thread, so I would like to post here and hopefully get some advice.

I've been counting calories for a month now and lost 5 pounds, but I'm frustrated because I feel like I should have lost twice that amount. If anyone has any input I would appreciate it.

Here is the background. On 5-5-04 I started counting calories every day and writing it all down. (by the way SW was 170; CW is 165) I have been eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at regularly scheduled times, with occasional snacks. The eating plan consists of the well balanced amounts of protein, veg and carb. Everything is freshly made (no frozen, pre-fab meals), so I can accurately measure and count the portions and calories. The snacks are a cup of low-fat yogurt or fruit, but not every day. (I use some of my several weight loss books for guidelines, reference and recipes including Dr. Phil, Weight Watchers and the Healthy Gourmet)

I've been staying between 1200 - 1400 calories each day, but on six days it was under 1000, and on five days it was over 2000. The first couple of weeks I walked 30 - 60 minutes three times a week and am now walking 45 min. (with hills!) every day.

Am I dong something wrong or am I just one of those in the "pound-a-week" category. I plan to add pilates to my exercises as soon as I get a mat. The big 4-0 will be here in six weeks and I'd like to be able to look in the mirror and see less of myself. Thanks y'all.

"A broad, abraod" Like that name! Don't get furstrated and a lot depends on what you currently weight. Also, do you track what you eat? I use a great program, "Weight by date Pro" bought it off the internet and it was an instant download plus they sent me the software easy to understand. If I am away from home for more than a half day I have a little notebook I carry.

Suggestions on how to watch your calories. A couple of things I found out, it is easy to overeat sometime and no know it so I measured a lot at first. Drink water, because you will hold water if you are not drinking 6 to 8 minimum a day and that can make you weight more, watch protein, that is normally the highest calorie per once, other than fat. It is easy to slip up there and eat a couple of onces more. If you don't already have one get a good book on calories. I use it and the weight program. I also eat between 1000-1300, some times I have had problems eating up to a 1000 maybe just the way it was those weeks and I only lost a 1 lb a week, then I started making sure I got two dairy products a day, a low fat yougart and a Weight watcher fudgecicle bar and that got me close to the 1300 and boom, I was losing 2.5 a week plus, I eat breakfast, snack (fruit or yougart), lunch then another snack, then dinner and another snack so I'm eating 6 times a day and sometimes 7, so that also bumps up my metholism or helps it maintain. I also really watch fats, protein has a lot, but my snacks I try and keep to no sugar products, that way I get off the sugar addition cycle, but I do subsitute at lunch or breakfast with a slim-fast bar, when my trigger foods are snapping at me, like a brownie fudge or peanut butter meal bar. They are high in calories and I could eat less by doing something else, but it helps me break that craving got to have it cycle that could make me throw the whole thing out the window. So far I've lost about 31 or so pounds and want to lose aboaut 25 to 26 more. I come up with a lot of cheap calories tricks to allow me to keep some higher calories good things, so don't hesitate to ask me or anyone else.

debbiejarrell: I knew just what you were talking about when I read your post on your daughter, I am so guilty of that too, and spend a lot of time working on that within myself.

all of you on the crayon maker, I don't have any small kids and ya'll made me want to go out and get one, I still love to color if I am stuck in bed sick or with my knee, maybe I'll go get one and break some crayons just for fun!

Aphil, glad you asked holly that question, can't wait to have her tell us how she did it, I'm thinking of finding one of my pictures of how I use to look and another of how I looked at the start of this, I think that would be good motivation for me, Of course holly is a lot of motivation she really looks good because of all of her strength training, course the bike looks good to me too!

Morning Ladies,
I have just discovered the perfect appetite surpressant! All you have to do is have a good ole fashioned knock down drag out, ba**s to the walls, redneck yelling match with your sorry excuse for a man, not worthy of breathing the same air, wouldn't waste a bullet on, exhusband. That'll kill the old appetite AND get the blood pumping.

Maybe I should put his picture on a punching bag. I would be fit and trim in no time.

Ok, I finished venting. How is everyone today. I did pretty good yesturday. I watched what I ate and drank my water *yum*. I tried the diet dews and I'm not sure i can get my taste buds around them but I'm going to try.

Hi a broad abroad. I'm new here too. You seem to have a better handle on things than I do already LOL.

Well I guess it's time to get to work. Cya later.

Hi!
a broad abroad-losing 5 pounds in a month is GREAT. You are doing just fine...don't fret at thinking you should have "lost twice that much." You are averaging about a pound and a quarter per week...which is a healthy rate of loss. (a healthy rate of weight loss is 1/2 to 2 pounds per week!) You are doing JUST fine-don't worry.

What I would recommend though, is that you don't let your calories go UNDER 1200 per day. That is for anyone. 1200 is the lowest you really want to go in any given day...going below that can actually SLOW your metabolism and you will shed the pounds SLOWER. Your body's natural defense mechanisms will kick in...and think that you are going through some "famine" or hardship...and will conserve energy to try and "keep you alive." Your body doesn't understand that we ere eating less on purpose.
I know it sounds silly...you eat less calories to lose weight...but you can't go TOO LOW or your body will try to "keep it on." So, you have to stay at that level right in between the two. For most women...daily calorie eating for weight loss is in between 1200-1800 calories per day. Women who start out at a higher weight...at 200 pounds or more can lose quite easily at 1800 calories for a while...my first 10 pounds dropped off eating that amount each day. (Look at my starting weight) Right now I stay between 1200-1600 per day...usually at 1400 a day. You should have no trouble losing at a decent pace if you stay between 1200-1500 per day.

Something that Holly and I know very well since we are avid exercisers...is that sometimes the scale can get frustrating...and you can't always rely on that if you exercise frequently. Periodically throughout this thread...we have mentioned it now and then-how to do it, etc-so go back and take a look around.

It is very simple...fat weighs less then muscle of the same "size." In other words...a pound of fat is larger than a pound of muscle. There have been times where I was frustrated with the scale...being that it stayed the same for 2-3 weeks at a time...but when it was time for me to take my monthly body measurements...I would find that beause of the muscle gain/fat reduction in my body...that I had actually lost an inch here and there, even though the scale did not budge at all.

Sugar Plum-I know exacty what you mean about an argument being the best appetite suppressant! lol The diet sodas will take a week or two of getting "used to" but don't worry! I am so used to drinking diet soda or iced tea UNSWEETENED...that now sugary tea or soda feels all "thick" and syrupy in my mouth...and I can't even drink it anymore. My dh hates diet soda...and if we are out and have a fountain pop and get them mixed up by accident...we end up both taking a drink and doing the "aaaarrrgh!" face at the same time. ha ha You will get used to it over time! As a matter of fact...I am so used to eating healthier foods...that eating donuts or fried chicken actually make my stomach upset now...like my body rejects them or something now.

Dh and I are going to see the new Harry Potter film tonight. *for all you newbies...we are sci/fi fantasy nerds...HP, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and all that-and I am a costume maker by profession* and I am already planning ahead. I know you aren't "supposed to" do this...but I am putting a healthy low cal snack in my purse for the movie...to keep myself away from the buttered popcorn. I like to plan ahead to avoid temptation. We get the "special" with the popcorn and 2 drinks...I get a diet soda...and dh gets his regular one and eats all the popcorn. Works for me! I usually bring a little baggie of dried fruit...or a single serving of "baked" chips...or something that is a little bit of a treat for me...but in a controlled portion so I stay on plan. It takes a little getting used to...but I find that if I plan ahead a bit...make a fresh fruit or veggie tray to bring to a party...pack my own snack for the movies...stuff like that...that I make it easier for myself to stay on plan...and not have to be tempted. On Thanksgiving I know I can always count on my family serving roasted turkey...and the white meat is low fat and healthy...but to ensure that there is something else for me to eat...I bring a low cal dish or dessert as well. For our Memorial Day picnic last weekend...we brought the salad and the watermelon for instance. I know I can eat a pretty good sized wedge of it for 50 calories...so I can walk around and eat just like everyone else...and have a good time. It just takes a little planning on my part.

Well...I am off to exercise. It is strength training day...and I have a big workout ahead of me!!

I hope you all are doing well!! I have a little added motivation lateley to tell you the truth...I have plans for a big costume for a major contest a year from now...and I am performing at a "professional" belly dance show in October....rather than the smaller shows and festivals that we perform at around here....this fall I will be amongst my "professional peers" from all over the Midwest. *repeats mantra to self...MUST LOOK GOOD....MUST LOOK GOOD...*

Aphil


Well...to