Hi Friends,
I've been reading (a lot) of the threads and was interested in what people were saying about planning a day ahead. I've been just keeping a record in fitday about what I already have eaten. So this morning I got up a little early and planned my breakfast and lunch in fitday. It gives me a sense of purpose, like I can do this just for today! I'm starting off with a bowl of cheerios (carbs in the a.m.-yes!) and a large, homemade spinach/veggie salad with ham for lunch. Dinner will be out with the boss at Cheeseburgers in Paradise for a meeting, but I know they have good veggies and chicken there so I think I can do this! I need a successful day for myself after a week of doing well in the morning then ending up at ice cream shop in the afternoon!
Wish me luck! Lisa

Lisa I wish you TONS of good luck.

Okay, just a suggestion. Sorry I can't help myself. I found for me, and this is just me, of course we all have to find and do what works for ourselves. Cheerios to me is air food. It's just not filling enough. It leaves me hungry in no time at all and not able to stay on plan. I eat 1/2 cup of Fiber One Cereal mixed with 1/2 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal with 1/2 cup skim milk for breakfast. Carbs, protein and fiber. It really, really stays with you and keeps you full. It's a great way to start the day.

GOOD LUCK, LISA!!

Let us know how your day goes.

Jay

My day is going well, so far. Thank you for asking! I like the preplanning. It helps keep the temptation at bay. Robin, I will look into that cereal. Your success speaks for itself. You have made an awesome life change! Another suggestion from the forum was the snacks and now I couldn't do without them. I bring a low-fat chewy string cheese, an apple and a small banana and parcel them out over the day. It really helps me to drive on past McDonalds after school if I'm chawing on an apple!
I decided to be completely honest with my fitday counter. Yesterday I ate lunch at Taco Bell with my son then went for ice cream with a friend. (Maybe I just need to broaden my social activities! ) Rather than denying myself the treat and feeling 'poor me', I found the food contents through calorie-count.com and put the info into fitday. Wow! Reading the info and seeing what it did to my day's total is more of an incentive not to indulge too often than anything else.
My weight loss is slow, about 1 pound per week. But I feel like I'm learning a whole new way to live!
Lisa

i always plan ahead. On sunday prior to grocery shopping, i plan out that week's meals. I also psuedo plan for lunch...maybe not to the tee but at least have an idea. Every night i put the next days foods into fitday. Then i make adjustments if needed...ie if i ate something different i add it...or delet it if i didn't and i ALWAYS try to get my lunch ready the night before. If i don't then i usually stray off corse and get something "bad" for me. good luck and hang in there...we all have bad times...just try to avoid the urges but every now and then we all have to give in.

I come from a big family, I'm the oldest of 9 children. The only way I know how to cook is big big BIG! Cooking for one is extremely difficult. I make huge meals and would have huge portions to eat, and it would mess my calories up for the day and I know really contributed to the weight gain a whole bunch.

I've now modified my behavior a little bit though and it seems to be working. I still cook the big meals but as soon as it's done cooking I immediately make a to go plate for the next day's lunch and portion out the next night's dinner as well. That way I don't have to cook the next day other than to heat up the leftovers. I also try to package snacks & breakfast (usually cream of wheat with almonds and raisins) while dinner is cooking.. that way the morning is a grab and go situation for me.

Robin,
You are so right about the Cheerios! Yesterday after a Cheerios breakfast, I was starved by 9:30. This morning I had 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal with sweetner and was not hungry until around 11. I didn't have time for my snack this morning but it didn't even matter! Thanks for the advice! Lisa

That oatmeal really works, huh? I don't like oatmeal, but I eat it anyway. (Mostly because my trainer cracks the whip and makes me.) The one day I didn't have time to make it, I was starving by 10am and ended up eating way too much for the day.

I do steel cut. Don't like rolled oats. Blech!

She also has me eating a half cup after dinner to get me through the evening without snacking. That's just for the first couple of weeks - until the cravings subside.