Okay, so I ended up eating a little more yesterday than anticipated. I had my usual instant oatmeal for breakfast, then for lunch I had a wrap of grilled chicken, swiss cheese, lettuce, and honey mustard in a spinach wrap and a cup of tomato-vegetable soup (the sign said cream of tomato, but it wasn't very "creamy", and there were pieces of carrot,onion, and other unidentifiable veggie chunks) and a bottle of Nesquik reduced-fat chocolate milk (another new addiction, but a bad one!). Because I knew I was SO over in calories from lunch, I didn't eat any dinner (I fell asleep when I got home anyway, so dinner wasn't really an option). I was still at almost 1700 calories for the day--it's amazing how much you can pack into one meal without even realizing it

So I learned yesterday that I am very bad at going to the cafeteria for lunch. I had planned on just having my other oatmeal for lunch, but once I got down there and saw all the good stuff and smelled all the good smells...today will be different. I won't bring any money or deit cards with me, so I will only be going for the walk and the company of my coworkers. I also brought some turkey sausage to have for lunch, and I'm eating a packet of oatmeal right now. I also have another oatmeal for later on.

In good news, I went for my "training" for my part-time editing job yesterday. The woman who was training me is clearly NOT an editor--I corrected some mistakes she was making and cringed as she left some mistakes in the report (I didn't want to seem too much like a know-it-all, ya know?). From what I understood, they were going to start me with these smaller shops first, then bring me into the hospitality (hotel) group later because those reports are much longer. However, I went to the head of the hospitality department yesterday while I was there to make sure she received my Contractor Agreement form that I had faxed over, and we made an appointment for me to go back this afternoon to do the hospitality training with her so I can get started on those reports as well. Yay, more reports = more $$

Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes. I think it hit me more today than it did yesterday. Yesterday I felt like I had to keep it together for everyone else's sake, today everyone has gone off on their own. Rob and I spent a couple of hours at the botanic garden, which helped so much. Rob has a big family, so he was close off and on with this brother.

Your food disasters I don't think would qualify under my definition of food disasters, Jill 1700 doesn't sound so bad. I know everybody has their own goals.

Aimee, just remember the phrase, "just ignore me, I'm cranky today." heh heh.

Well, I'm going to go watch Dr. Phil and possibly Oprah save the world! Take it easy, chicas muy bonitas.

Marge - great to hear from you today! If you ever feel like talking, venting, anything, go at 'er! I might use that piece of advice about what to say... today was HARD! Her cat died (she was 18, so it was soon to come), and she was crying, so I told her to go home whenever she felt she needed to, and sent her to the back to get some work done. I thought I handled it pretty well! I work with her tomorrow night, and I dunno how that will go, we could cancel her shift completely and be fine, we have break coverage. It's supposed to POUR rain here tomorrow.. which always means it'll be quiet. What happened on Oprah and Dr Phil?

Jill - 1700 calories isn't too bad in the scheme of things! As long as you get right back on track, thats whats important!

I have this nasty cough, it's very unpleasant! I was coughing today to the point where I thought I was going to cough up blood... nasty! I know I'm lucky with this cold, because my friend had it for 6 weeks. But I'm inpatient for it to go away so I can be back up to par again. Alrighty, I gotta get some sleep! Have a good one!

-Aimee

ok i a new to this and i really need some support in this very hard time in my life. lets see where to start. well i had a baby about 7 months ago and i have gained 50 pounds in my pregnancy. i am considered obese but i am worried about my health not my looks. i cant play with my daughter alll that much cuz i get out of breath. i need to know what are some diets that are easy and i dont have to go out and buy the whole health section at walmart.

madisonsmommy--for starters, Welcome! 3FC is an awesome place for informetion, support, suggestions, and the occasional kick in the rear when you need it As for "diets," the best "diet" you can do is a lifestyle change. Purge your home of junk food, and just make gradual changes to make your normal meals and snacks healthier. Replace regular meats with lean meats (ground turkey tastes almost exactly the same as ground beef!), replace whole-fat dairy with lighter or skim versions, replace plain white or wheat bread for a whole-grain bread, replace white rice with brown, replace white pasta with wheat (are we seeing a trend here in the carbs? ), and add in some fruits and veggies. Grill and bake meals instead of frying. I don't know what your current diet is like, but have protein-filled snacks throughout the day to help keep you feeling fuller till meal times. There are SO many things you can do without having to buy (health) foods! OH, and get movin'! You don't need fancy equipment or expensive gym emberships--just go for a walk or try borrowing exercise videos from your local library for a rainy day. Let us know how it all starts out for you!

LOL, I know 1700 calories isn't really a disaster--I had just wanted it to be a lot lower to compensate for the ridiculous amount I had had the day before (3200+). Yesterday I stuck to right about 1200, so that went a little better. Today is my TOPS night, so I'll not have much during the day and then have my Subway treat tonight after the meeting (YUM!). We'll see how the weekend goes--we are driving down to my sister's in Va Beach tomorrow afternoon and returning on Sunday evening. I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunity to eat junk food, but I will still stay away from french fries (I have only had them once in about 4 weeks now, whereas it used to be at least 3 times a week!). My parents are down in Va Beach from CT visiting my sister, so hopefully my mom, my sister, and I will get to go dress shopping for my sister's wedding. My sister likes to have me along for clothes shopping cuz she knows I'll be brutally honest

Goodmorning!! How are we all feeling today? I'm phlemy! i don't even know if thats how you spell it..

Jill - good luck with your weigh in today.. my skinny fingers are crossed for yah! Cuz remember when we were all on a roll when we were doing that?? Heck, I'm desperate enough for myself that I'll try anything now I weigh tomorrow... I'd say yay, but I just FEEL bigger.

Well juts a short one from me today, I gotta go make breakfast and head out into the very wet world that is Vancouver!

-Aimee

Hi, everyone! Welcome, Madisonsmommy. Jill gave some great advice there. Whatever way you choose to tackle the unhealthy eating, do it in a way you can live with forever -- because it really is a permanent change. And it's so worth it: Madison's worth it, and so are YOU. She'll learn her eating habits from you, so what better time to make a change for the better than when she's really little and is only just starting to taste the foods she'll be around for the rest of her life?

Today I tried Juan-Carlos Cruz's turkey meatloaf recipe. Talk about a way to sneak in veggies! It's pretty darned good. I might have sprinkled in just a little more salt, but other than that I really like it. I made 12 individual meatloaves using muffin tins, for automatic portion control.

I used Eggbeaters kind of stuff instead of the egg it called for - saved me 50 calories, but still bound everything together. The remainder of the egg stuff I measured out in 1/4c servings and froze individually; when they're solid, I'll put all my "egg cubes" into a bag to pull out as needed for recipes.

well my eating habbits normally consist of whatever is easy and quick. which is McDonald's. very very bad i know. i have a bad habbit of just eating to feed my emotions. in which if i dont quit my daughter will learn that and have to grow up the way i did. i dont want that. i have looked into some really bad diets. i dont eat eggs what so ever. cutting meats out could be do-able. is it still bad to drink diet drinks???? i heard someone say that they dont help with weight loss.? i got the excerise stuff to start lossing, it's just i have no energy what so ever.

Diet drinks are okay, but water's better yet.

The energy will come when you give your body good fuel and get moving. Just start out by walking - your endurance will increase. Take Madison for walks.

Eating diets high in simple carbohydrates (processed sugars, white breads, white potatoes, etc.) sets you up for lethargy. Those foods give you a quick spike in your blood sugar, a flash of energy. But...They don't stick around and they ultimately cause you to crash. You feel lethargic, cranky and muddle-headed. Sound familiar?

One thing you might consider doing is OAMC (once a month cooking). You make up large batches of healthy meals and freeze them. Then, all you have to do is pop them in the microwave. It's a big cooking day, but then there's little you have to do the rest of the month.

Like Jill said, purge your cupboards of the junk. I'd add to that, stay away from Micky D's because that's a trigger food for you. It's also addictive - they add sugar to just about everything they sell, and it makes people keep craving more and more.

The majority of what fast food places sell is empty calories, not good fuel.

Don't want to cut your meats out, just eat lean meats (not Micky D meat, LOL! ). Chicken and turkey are both excellent, as is pork loin; pork used to be very fatty, but the pigs being butchered nowdays are very lean.

Portion control's the key with any of it. At first your mind rebels and says, "you've GOT to be kidding!" when you see a piece of chicken the size of your palm. But when you don't rely on that meat alone to fill you -- when you have lots of veggies and good carbs like brown rice as side dishes -- you end up being more satisfied in the long run.

And the amazing thing is, your mind truly does change. You'll reach a point where you look at what you used to eat and you'll think, "how did I do that? Why did I ever do that?". It's amazing how our minds will come into line with new habits. Change on the inside really is possible.

I second everything Kimberley suggested! I used to go to McDonald's and have a value meal that isn't even on their menu anymore--2 cheeseburgers, fries, and a drink (SuperSized, of course, which they don't even offer anymore). AND after all that, sometimes I could still have a milkshake! If I tried to eat all that now, I'd be pushing myself, and even if I managed to choke it all down, I'd be paying for it later or the next day, as my system is no longer used to all that grease

Up until just last week, I was working 2 jobs, so I knew I needed quick and easy foods, too! However, I vowed to myself that fast food was NOT an option (not to mention, hey, I'm working 2 jobs--I work way too hard for my money to spend it on that junk!). So, I would do sort of like Kimberley said, but I would cook and sort my food once a week (usually Sunday). I buy frozen fruits and vegetables because anything fresh would go bad before I have a chance to use it all, and there was certainly no time to go grocery shopping more than once a week (sometimes only once every other week). I would make big batches of things like pasta and stir-fry, then separate into individual little Gladware containers and toss in the fridge or frezer so I could grab one for lunch and/or dinner each day. I would also cook up some plain chicken breasts and keep in the fridge, then grab one and grab a different kind of sauce to use with it each day so it didn't get boring.

I didn't cut fast food out of my life cold turkey. I used to eat it multiple times a week, so I cut back a little each week until I was down to only once or twice a week. Then I changed what I ordered--instead of the meal I described above, I would only get 1 cheeseburger. Then I would get medium fries. Now, if I really have a craving (and they do hit me once in a while), I can get a cheeseburger Happy Meal and be just as satisfied (and that only happens once every few weeks, maybe even just once a month or so). Last week, my boyfriend wanted Wendy's, so I agreed to go. I got a baked potato with sour cream and a large chili--and I didn't feel deprived! It was actually really good, and I didn't at all miss the burger and fries. It was still a little high in calories for a single meal, but at least it wasn't also high in trans fats and grease and cholesterol...I guess all of this babbling just leads to the point of: don't feel that you have to change everything at once! You don't have to give anything up completely if you think it may lead to a binge, but portion control and moderation are key
I lost a pound at my TOPS weigh-in last night--which makes up for the pound I gained last week So now I'm at 279.25 again. Virginia Beach this weekend will be a challenge, as I'm sure we'll be eating out for most of our meals (one good thing about seeing the parents is that they tend to buy us food and stuff ). I need to be as good as possible, though, because I haven't really lost any weight since the beginning of August My weights in my TOPS book from 8/11 till now have been 280.75, 282, 279, 279, 279.25, 280.25, 279.25 My body seems to be happy here, but my brain (and my mirror) says no, so I will bust through this! Hey, at least I know I can at least maintain

Thankx i really appreciate all the help. is there a recipe book that u would recommend that i get. on the bad side hehe i cant cook so i am gonna need a book that helps me. i think my mother has a weight watchers book. they go by points or something but i am thinkin that would be a start. i am tryin to lose the weight for my health and now for my daughter.but something else has come up and i would like to lose something b4 i get married. so lets see if i can use the head the good Lord gave me. later...

Congrats on the pound Jill... I'm gonna take some credit for crossing my skinny fingers teehee...

I wanna add that diet drinks are evil... for some people they are better than their sugar filled counterparts, but aspartame can make you feel bloated. And if you continue to drink it every day, it will hinder weight loss! Plus that whole Alzheimer's thing... Drink water, apple juice is becoming my fav, watered down because they make things so darn strong! Lately I've been buying kid sized juice boxes, satisfies that craving for something besides water!

Today is my day off And then I have to work 6 days in a row With retail you really do need those days off, however that being said.. it's been SO dead at work lately that I've barely been dealing with customers. I had a chat with my manager yesterday about the girl I have been having issues with, told her about all of our "run-ins", told her what I have said.. and she is actually with me! She gets a weird vibe off her as well, can't put her finger on it either. Woohoo, it's nice because I really felt as though it was just me, but it's not I cancelled her shift yesterday (as an assistant manager I am authorized to do this), and she called to ask the manager if I was able to cancel her shift... but my manager said, yes, I asked Aimee to call you and cancel it because I was busy. I'm feeling better about the situation now!

I don't really know what I'm going to do with my day off, we definitely have to return some of these bottles, there is 3 bags of them to go back. I'm such a good recycler
Alrighty, I am off, have a great one!!

-Aimee

Jill, that's great about that pound! I lost 1 pound too. I'll take it, especially after my gain and subsequent standstill. Back to my 209 and happy to be back in that decade.

MM, the neat thing about cooking is, it's all about following instructions. Once you get in there, it's not that hard to make some really good stuff. This is coming from someone who used to *hate* cooking, who bought frozen dinners and convenience foods. Now I really enjoy cooking, largely because I control what goes into the foods we eat. Check out these links about cooking for some good info:

The Food Network's Cooking Basics -- even has video demonstrations!

Cooking lessons for newbies, hints, etc. -- looks like good tips in this thread

Cook once; eat for a month - if you know someone else who is interested in this, maybe you could make a fun day of it, shopping and preparing the meals. Bonding.

Aimee, sounds like things are going well for you at work. That's so good to hear! I received my first paycheck for doing work for my webhost - that's nice to see pop into the old PayPal account, I must say. Yippee!

Hi, madisonmom, congratulations on your new baby. Welcome to this thread too. I've never had a baby, but my sister has three, and from what I've heard from her and other friends who have kids, you're in good company.

You've already gotten great tips. I agree that thinking of it as a lifestyle change rather than a diet has worked for me to lose weight over time and to keep it off. You might want to consider tracking your eating for the first couple of weeks on fitday, to help you get an idea for what you're eating, the nutritional value, and the number of calories you're consuming. That's what I did. Dr. Phil's weight loss books I think are helpful to a lot of people because they take a comprehensive approach. And he has a food supplement book that gives calories and nutritional information for lots of foods, as well as eating plans.

The people on this forum are like having a tremendous encyclopedia of experience and knowledge, so ask away about anything.

"I wanna add that diet drinks are evil... Aimee"

I never or rarely drink diet drinks, on top of all that you said, Aimee, I think artificial sugars desensitize your palate to sweets, since they are sweeter than sugar is.

"I had a chat with my manager yesterday about the girl I have been having issues with, told her about all of our "run-ins", told her what I have said.. and she is actually with me! Aimee"

I'm not surprised to hear that. If you're having such a problem with her, it's easy to imagine that other people would too.

Cool about the webhost pay, Kimberley. Congrats.

I've finally left the 60s for the 50s, YEAH!!!!!!!! heh heh.

Take it easy, chicas.

Good for you, Marge! Update that ticker, lady!