Ok Girls,,,i Have Had Several Girls Explain To Me How Important Healthy Eating Is. I Did Learn The Hard Way Yesterday When I Ate A Piece Of Sausage, Bean Burrito And 3 Slices Of Pizza. I Was Hungry Most Of The Day And After The Pizza, I Wanted To Keep Eating(exactly What My Fellow Weight Loss Buddies Told Me On Here)

So Today Is Week 2 Of Calorie Counting. I Have Thought About What I Could Do Different That Would Help Me Eat Healthier And Still Not Be To Strict On Myself Or I Won't Stick With It. This Is A Lifestyle Change. I Don't Want To Stop My Candy Bars,,lol.
I Already Quit Pop.
I Already Stay At 1200 Calories.
I Already Go To The Gym More.

Week 2 Changes Of My Lifestyle

No Red Meats(im Not Much On Them Anyways)
No Deep Fried Food Of Any Kind.
Only 1 Sweet A Day If Any.

Example:
Coffee And Snickers Breakfast
Turkey Sandwich, Baked Potato Chips Lunch
Grilled Chicken Rice Veggies Dinner
Apple Snack

Pray For Me,,,,i Had Never Made It Past Day 4,, Trying To Lose Weight Before,,,,today Is Day 8)

You can do it!!

Yes indeed this IS a lifestyle change. You want the best life possible, after all. And since it is, since you're trying to be all that you can be, your very best - are you certain that you want to start off your day eating a Snickers bar??? It's not exactly the breakfast of champions if you know what I mean . IF you feel that you must have a chocolate bar, can't it be LATER in the day? Maybe even every OTHER day? Or third day? Like if you've had an excellent day of eating and you have a few calories to spare and than you can add in a FUN SIZED bar of chocolate. Not like it's the whole meal.

I would love for you to rethink what a treat is, especially in terms of those candy bars for breakfast. Wouldn't the biggest treat be to shed the pounds? - to gain stamina and energy immediately and then the long term affects - gain confidence, clothing choices, smaller, trimmer, happier, healthier you. To be the optimal you. A candy bar just doesn't provide enough nutrients to do that. You're going to crash in no time. Too much sugar, not enough of ANYTHING substantial. You're going to be hungry. And crave-y. And most like you'll veer off track.

A great way to start out the day is with protein and or fiber and healthy nutrients and minerals. A bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon and blueberries with an egg white omlette. Sugar free/fat free yogurt with some crunchy high fiber cereal - or even 2 of them. Low fat cottage cheese with pineapple and a piece of whole wheat toast. These are DELICIOUS and will help you to start the day out on the right track.

You talk about candy bars. Well *I* believe that those things are once in a while splurges. Like a vacation. They're fantastic. Not overindulgent at all. When planned for and done occasionally. Imagine taking a vacation every week - no - but once in a while - it's fine. More than fine in fact.

You might want to consider upping your calories a bit - maybe to 1400 calories. But make them good calories. Add in a couple of more healthy Set yourself up for success. Let your cravings and desires for unhealthy foods diminish. FOCUS on good healthy, wholesome foods. Grapefruit, oranges, apples, huge salads, roasted veggies of all sorts. Let your food work for you, not against you. Because as you've discovered - the choice of your calories really, really MATTERS.

And yes, of course you CAN do this. I was the worlds worst eater. I probably had about 3 candy bars a day, most days of the week. Now, I can't remember the last time I had one - or even WANTED one. Your tastes will change. Allow it to happen.

Keep on plugging away. One day at a time. Heck one hour or 10 minutes at a time. This WILL become easier and more automatic to you as you go along. Work past this initial discomfort stage. When you get into it and you will, you'll see this is no hardship at all. It's a delight. Just hold on tight till those rewards start showing themselves. It's the best!

All the best. You're doing great!!!!

You're making some good changes and learning a lot as you go! That's great!

I'm going to follow on with some of the points Robin made.

Usually, at the beginning of a "diet" we have a lot of motivation. We feel we can do anything! Bring on those 1200 calories! But as time goes on, whether that's days or weeks, things change. Stresses arise. Temptations surface. We slip. It's harder to stay on track. Those 1200 calories suddenly aren't much food. We binge. We go off track. Sometimes way off. Then we figure since we're already off, we can't do this "diet" thing, and we give up.

Right now it may seem like that snickers for breakfast helps you. You aren't giving up your treats! But what happens when your motivation wanes and you're hungry one morning and eat a second breakfast? That donut looks really good. And you haven't given yourself a lot of nutrition, so it's likely to happen at some point. And one day isn't a problem, but if this is to be a lifestyle change then it does have to be sustainable.

I guess the question being raised is whether in the long run, a snickers bar for breakfast will be sustainable. If it is, then great! But many of us have moved to more "wholesome" breakfasts because we have learned the hard way that it is not for us.

So, I guess I'm agreeing with a lot of what Robin is saying. More calories, and wholesome calories more often, might keep this sustainable for more than a week or so!!

Something to think about as you consider the changes you want to make in the long term...

ok girls,,,i have thought about it. i absolutely love granola bars of all sorts. How about a choco chip granola bar and yogurt. would that be better? i could move to that pretty easy. thank you all sooooo much for your inspirations.

also i wanted to explain alot of food choices are limited because i spend 50 dollars a week for groceris for a family of 3 and my hubby will not change his habits,,,lol. my list usually is a big pack of hamburger meat and i divide it up,,,bag of potatoes,,,box of oatmeal, the cheap bread and stuff like that to make it last. any suggestions with what is said above. again thanks for your alls time and consideration

I would have some protein for breakfast.. maybe an egg or some toast with peanut butter on it.. Protein is what keeps you going.

Also, 1200 calories will be hard to maintain for very long. I would raise it to 1400 minimum for a while and then raise or lower it depending on my body's response after a month or so.

We have a super tight grocery budget too and I buy for 6 of us.. 3 of which are growing boys plus my husband who is a big eater too.

I still think you need a protein for breakfast.. Eggs are inexpensive! Unless you don't like them? Cheese? Nuts?

Maybe you could post your grocery list and we could help you tweek it?

Okay, I know this is not what you want to hear, BUT, I've said this dozens of times, it has nothing to do with your candy bar thing, - granola bars are glorified candy bars. They're a little less calories (maybe), some have a bit of protein - but they are NOT satiating. They're over with in two seconds, they won't stay with you AND they bring on this terrible urge to eat ANOTHER one.

You have to rethink what it is that you LOVE. What you'd LOVE right now is to be healthy and slim and vital. Not these "foods". FIND OTHER foods (and things) to "love". Ones that taste good AND are good for you. Stop settling for food that simply tastes good. I now require that my foods tastes good while I eat it and is good for me - long after I'm done chewing. Experiment, be creative. Take the time to FIND new and healthy things to love. It won't happen overnight. It takes time for your food choices to evolve.

Those granola bars are expensive!

Eggs are inexpensive. Chicken is less money than beef. When it's on sale - stock up and freeze it. Canned beans, tuna, salmon, frozen veggies.- also stock up when on sale. See which dairy products are on sale for any particular week. Same goes with produce. If cauliflower is through the roof - buy broccoli. Make a large pot of soup, enough for the week. Right there is a third of your dinner. Add a protein and some more veggies. Your DH will LEARN to love these foods and this lifestyle as well.

Why not google - "healthy chicken recipes" or "healthy low calorie side dishes", "healthy vegetable dishes", "healthy soups", etc... Educate yourself on good nutrition. You will be AMAZED at just how delicious healthy cooking can be. Become a calorie snob. Look at this as a time of major growth and discovery. Expand your knowledge. Master something new. Keep on looking for ways to make this better and better.

ok rockin robin,, i think you have called my bluff,,,lol.. i didn't even think about that. i am making excuses and really their are no excuses,,,lol. thank you

Hi, I used to eat candy bars and ice cream for breakfast. Your not alone... but what many people are saying is true. The problem isn't calories alone. The sugar in the candy bar could affect your hunger levels throughout the day and be very difficult to control. You should have some grains like oatmeal (I can get a giant, cheap bag at costco) and since your body is still craving sugars have a little on top with some fruit on the side. Milk on top acts as a natural sugar as well. Maybe this kind of breakfast can curb your cravings.

The rest of your day looks pretty good!! I know the cravings (esp for chocolate) for me are tough. What I've been doing is each day I eat less and less of it. Maybe at the end of the day I have 1/4 of a chocolate bar. I let someone else gobble up the rest before I can say I want it back. However, I heard what you start your day off with can leave you with cravings for the rest of the day.

I was the queen of excuses. But after suffering for many years (decades in fact), enough was enough. We've said it often around here - if you want it badly enough, you'll find a way, if not you'll find an excuse. Then there's - make an effort, not an excuse.

Anyway, in order for this to work, you've got to be BRUTALLY honest, and look for solutions not stumbling blocks. Don't think problem - think challenge, think opportunity! To each and every one of our excuses there's a darn good solution. For each and every obstacle out there, there is a way out. You've just got to look for it, work for it. MAKE this work. Do whatever is necessary. Make this a tippy top priority, the utmost of importance and then it'll get done.

Mikan, Swiss Miss makes a 25 calorie sugar free hot chocolate mix. Great for those chocolate fixes.

my initial thought too was is 1200 too low for you? We definitely can work treats into this lifestyle change but i would up the calories...maybe increase to 1400 and see if you lose...you dont want to restrict yourself too much. Also look for low fat recipes of foods you like to help as well

kazz =]