Hey gals, happy September! I'm still in Michigan for my mini-vacation - will catch up with you later!
Cindy

New month .... new goals......yipee!!!!

Well, I managed to lose some over the weekend in spite of 3 days of no exercise and my husband's birthday party. Sort of felt guilty for doing well when cheating, can only hope I've got more lean muscle mass and am burning fat more easily.

Had a big trauma with the kitten I've adopted, had to rush her to the vet but she made it.

Good to start a new month.

Major YOU:turn and back on the wagon after a 5-day trip to Michigan in which I was not on plan much at all!

I knew there would have been meals that were not great, but I didn't know it would be most of them. I have only myself to blame - hopefully I didn't do too much damage!

The trip was great though - I've not seen my friends since my wedding nearly a year ago, and hadn't seen family since Christmas. These occasions don't happen very often, so I didn't worry about about the food part too much.

Back to work today, and back to the gym today, so all is well. I'm hungry because of carb cravings, but it should only be a day or so, I think.
Cindy

no exercise for me today. I have to find a way to deal when I go through the month end at the office..too many hours and I don't find time for myself.

Hi ladies!

I haven't been around much because I've been doing more calorie counting than YOADing. So I haven't felt like a true YOADer.

In fact I just had a reminder as to why YOAD makes so much sense. I had a sugary peanut bar earlier and now I'm reaping the results ... a craving for more food. I really need to watch it. I thought I could slip off of YOAD but am finding that my body rebels and craves junk when I do. I will keep trying to do both but save the food that causes cravings for the evening so I sleep thru the cravings. (I know I said that before.) When will I learn?

Anyhow, I'm still here. Originally I had posted that I was shifting over to calorie counting and wouldn't be around the YOAD forum much, but I see I need to keep motivated to do both.

OK, I'm back ... and I'll bet you never even knew I left. LOL!

Have a great day ladies!

Hey Serenity - welcome back! Actually, don't worry about not matching up with us on our programs - I don't think everyone here is strictly YOAD, and actually, by doing both - count calories, and sticking to YOAD foods, you will feel better, and have less cravings. Like you said, sugary stuff can really throw you for a loop.

The main focus of this group is to eat less processed foods, eat more whole grains, minimize sugar intake and move! A lot of plans are incorporating these things because they work! I personally think that Dr.Oz and company make it fun and easy to do those things.

Changing the subject, have I mentioned how much I *love* the soda Vernor's? In case you don't know it, it's a Michigan invention, a "ginger soda" that is a bit different than ginger ale. I'm not a huge soda drinker, but I can't get enough of this stuff, especially since it's not available near me here in Albany. We brought back 4 cases of it from MI with us this weekend! I am happy now, I can have it whenever I like, but will be so sad when it's gone! So, I have to make this stash last until Christmas.
Cindy

BfL Cat, thanks for the pep talk. And that ginger soda sounds interesting. I don't think I've ever heard of it but I do like ginger ale on occasion.

I had such a horrible binge yesterday. That's what I get for eating something so sweet so early in the day. It was just a downward spiral from there!

It never ceases to amaze me that when I get off of YOAD that I have such uncontrollable cravings to eat and eat and eat. I don't know how much of it is physiological and how much of it is psychological, but I know the trigger is definitely physiological in nature. It is almost like some mad woman possessed my body and was driving me to eat. (Perhaps it is the physiological urge driving the psychological urge? I dunno!) I do know this: Food (the wrong kinds of it) is a powerful drug! Is it any wonder obesity is a growing epidemic?

I can see this is a lesson that is hard for me to learn. Someone who's allergic to peanutbutter wouldn't gorge themselves on peanutbutter sandwiches everyday ... if the wrong kind of food has such an adverse effect on me I ought to treat it as such. But I think that's where one of the pyschological aspects comes into the picture ... I *thought* since I was counting calories to help keep me in control that I could eat something super sweet and stay on plan. Now I know better.

Does anybody else experience such Jeckyl and Hyde behaviour when it comes to eating things not recommended on YOAD?

Hey everyone!

Serenity - yes, that's exactly the type of reaction they say that HFCS causes in all of us, cravings for more sweets, and that has caused Americans to become obese. I have actually used the "allergic" analogy before to get myself not to eat stuff - it worked.

I'm struggling a bit myself - not because of cravings, but because there is junk in my house, and I got into the habit of eating it last weekend. So, I need to clean out everything and get back on track. I'm good during the day, it's just nighttime that's a killer.

We will be up at camp this weekend, so I'll be donating all my goodies to the neighbors to get them out of my face!

Happy Friday everyone!
Cindy

Hey everyone, I think one of the things that can help us with the cravings is to try new recipes that incorporate YOAD. Found a new website yesterday with a lot of healthy, mostly vegetarian recipes, per site policy I won't post link but just google 101 Cookbooks. I'm making a recipe from there tonight with whole wheat spaghetti, kale, garlic among other things.

I have gone off plan a few times in the last couple of weeks but the U-turn philosophy is great and helps spare me the guilt. I intend to basically eat this way forever , not just until I reach my goal. But I intend to enjoy occasional indulgences along the way, consider them treats, then get back on track. I know I don't feel well if I go off plan for more than a day or two.

Wow.....I got an email today and I am going to give it a try. I found by keeping a food journal held me accountable for what I put in my mouth...so now I am going to incorporate an exercise or activity journal. I am going to record my measurements and my activities to help me to determine what works for me and what doesn't. I have been finding it very difficult to walk 30 mins a day and to do the strength training when we have month end close at work because I just don't have the opportunity to find the time to workout. Maybe a journal will hold me accountable enough to make the time to move.

The HFCS stuff is in almost everything and it is true it causes cravings. I found a new snack that helps me get in my good for you oil (olive oil). I take a whole wheat pita pocket and cut into strips like chips. Put on a cooking sheet and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. I brush the pita chips with olive oil and sprinkle on some sea salt and bake in the oven for 2 to 4 mins at 400 degrees. Viola! good for you chips! I also like to dip these chips in hummus. so wonderful and addictive.

Hi!

Yesterday was so much better for me! Only things I ate that were "off plan" were some KFC chicken and some clam chowder, but they didn't give me any bad cravings or anything and were totally within my calorie count. So no standing in front of the pantry drooling for me! lol Today is going well so far too. I think I have learned my lesson about eating that sweet stuff early in the day!

Iwanawurkit, I've never had hummus. May have to try it. Sounds like a good alternative to traditional dips. And the chips sound good too!

karen0117, speaking of kale, was it you that posted the kale recipe? I was looking for it and never did find it.

BfL Cat, I wish I could clean out my pantry of all the junk, but hubby has to have it. (Well, I did buy myself those darn peanut bars that triggered my binge the other day.) Dinner gets interesting around here trying to please everyone's tastes! lol (And I'm not someone who enjoys cooking, so that makes things hard and convenient food, well, convenient!)

Have a great day!

Hey -

I have just spent the morning cooking for the week. I used to do this weekly and have gotten out of the habit.

I made a BFL Turkey Meatloaf, a pan of grilled vegetables and I just put together 4 salads. I'll add protein each morning to one salad for my lunch. I also steamed some spinach and beet greens and after I workout I am going to make a batch of protein powder/banana muffins. Oh and I boiled a dozen eggs. Some of which I will make into deviled eggs. This food should take care of meals and snacks for the week w/ the exception of breakfast. Hopefully this cooking ahead will help me be a better dieter this week.

I still haven't read YOAD! From what I can glean from all your posts, however, I think the BFL diet and the Whole Foods diet must be very similar. When I get some time and need another good diet read I do plan to read it though.

Iwanawurkit, I have just been thinking of the journal thing too. I thought I might post my daily food intake on this thread for a while and also post on the workout thread.

I am ready to feel better and to feel better about myself.

Ledom - check out this "99 second" version of YOU: On a Diet - it will help you to better understand, and yes, you're right, a lot of these plans are very similar. The main complaint people have had about YOAD is that it's hard to find foods w/o HFCS, that it's too rigid (as in you should only be eating whole grains), and that there's not enough direction - it's quite flexible in that you can eat what you want, within certain nutritional guidelines. A lot of people like diets that give you meals to follow. Actually, there is a 2-week "jump start" menu on the RealAge website, if you're interested.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=134720

Good for you for cooking all that ahead of time! I only have one more week of camp, and then my weekends will be my own again! Which means I'll have no excuse not to plan and prep as you have.

We used to have a food diary thread here - feel free to start one, and I'll join in as well.

I have "supper club" tonight -the theme is Asian Fusion, so I don't think the food will be too bad. I'm making Asian chicken noodle soup, with lemongrass and chilies in it, with angel hair pasta as the noodles. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Cindy

Hello everyone!

OK, so who else retains water after eating white bread? I put on 3 pounds after eating an Arbys turkey/bacon club sandwich. I thought I would be fine eating it (because it was within my calories) but then WHAMMO the evil scale fairy visited me overnite! At first I panicked because I've been doing well for several days now with exercising and eating and couldn't figure out the gain, but then I remembered I opted for a white bread (ciabatta roll) sandwich instead of just making dinner at home. No white bread or pasta for me for the rest of the week! I gotta weigh in Friday for two challenges!

Ha! This time the adverse effect wasn't cravings but bloating! Now that I'm really starting to pay attention to how foods affect me, I'm REALLY learning why I need to just avoid certain stuff (or pay the consequences)! Will be drinking lots of water today to offset the damages!

So how's everyone else doing?