HEY CHALLENGETTES -- IT'S WEEK #3 OF THE CHALLENGE

Hoooo Boy... what great feedback about nutrition... but after all that verbal committment to watching my nutrition... I found myself up to my neck in Carbo loading this past week - and it was not pretty. How about the Challenge this week be about

CARBO UNLOADING!!!

What tips do you have for resisting that tempting hot... crusty... bread at the restaurant? How do you fight the urge for pizza, pasta... potatos... pillows of rice... scrumpscious muffins... scones... cakes ... cookies... brownies...yikes somebody stop me !!!

I was actually good at the water intake... but boy the carbs just kept "pulling me back".

So what's going to help you stick to the lower end of carbs... what tricks do you use to stave offf the carbo monster?

Patch

Carb unloading is exactly what I need. I've been better. Have to be with my hypoglycemia. But sometimes I just find myself carb loading with good carbs vs. bad carbs and that plus protein loading has made my weight go up. I just can't seem to find the right balance.

Carb unloading - what a concept. I'm keen to hear any ideas cause I certainly have none of my own.

I was better on water last week too Patch. I hit a rough spot last nite (leftover chocolate - straight from the freezer) but I'm back with more resolve today. I'll report points and weight loss or gain on Friday.

Carb unloading... that's what I've been doing the last few weeks to make up for the holidays! My motivation... I still have to lose 3 more lbs. to be where I was before the holdidays. Plus lots of guilt.

Carbs are definitely my biggest enemy! I need some suggestions too...right now they are a huge part of my diet! I am not crazy about meat, so protein is sometimes diffiicult! I love my veggies, but don't know if it is physically possible to eat anymore than I do! And you have to get pts from somewhere...
My goals for this week are to consume less carbs and to use more pts in the morning and less after supper. Also, I need to eat at home more- the past 3 days have been quesitonable since I ate away from home and couldn't be certain of all ingredients in my food. (I am fairly certain I was OP...WI tonight will tell!)

I actually don't do too badly when it comes to sweet carbs (muffins, doughnuts, etc.)--what does me in is pasta, potatoes, comfort type foods. I can generally bypass the breads. I do find though that once I start overdoing on the carbs that my hunger/feeling satisfied is out of whack. What I try to do is to make sure I get enough protein and have it with carbs so it counteracts things. I had a period where I was eating oreos, pastas, lots of toast, etc. and didn't feel satisfied. Once I got things under control I felt a lot better.

My goals for this week is to make sure I eat balanced meals, watch the night time snacking and get my exercise. I went to our rec center today at noon and walked briskly for 50 minutes--even broke a nice sweat! I feel good

The "white," refined carbs are definitely worse. I've been avoiding potatoes and pasta (unless it is whole grain) and even white rice and going for slower digested carbs including brown rice, barley, buckwheat, bulghur, etc. and trying to even have those only with protein. It has helped me.

When it comes to carbs, cookies is my problem. Otherwise, I don't have much of a problem.

Here are my high-protein low-carb suggestions:

Breakfast: eggs (with yolk or not), cottage cheese, maybe a slice of ham. Add spices to the cottage cheese to make it more interesting. I put curry powder. Some like it sweet, I don't.

Lunch: Julienne Salad or Cobb Salad. Your usual greens and veggies with a cut up hard boiled egg in it and/or cold cut meat (1 or 2 slices). Or a tuna salad. this one I took from the Weight Watchers book somewhere.

Supper: I have problems staying away from carbs, but 3FCs have a Basil Chicken Salad which is really good. I've had that for supper often. Most of the time, my carbs consist of rice. If you find this less addictive than other carbs, give it a try.

Snacks: Cheese doesn't have to be accompanied by crackers. When I'm counting points, I weigh the cheese, then cut it in very thin slices and take my sweet *ss time eating it and letting it melt in my mouth. Instead of a granola bar, reach for a fruit bar. I buy bars called Fruit-To-Go. They are 1 point each and are really yummy. Yogurt and fruit are always a good snack or "dessert" for me.

Anyhow, that's my input. Hope it helps!

Muffin Mich
141/121.5/124
Lifetime since June 2001

carb unloading is a good thing this week for lala.

i just have them not bring the bread at the restaurant if possible and usually not eat the rice, potatoes etc.

However, this past trip was a high carb trip and I must get it down and off my thighs.

My goal this week is to also examine my diet and decide if I'm really doing a good job of balancing my pyramid or food groups. Looking at today's menu I would definitely say no way jose.
However, there is always dinner to make up some of my indiscretions of the day.

Had a bad WI today. I was within my pts range and exercised and drank tons of water all week, and gained .4lb. This has never happened to me before, (I lost 65lbs 2 yrs ago on the program) so I am quite disappointed. I am wondering if it might be related to nursing my baby? Does anyone have any experience in this department?
I am trying hard not to let it get to me, I still plan to meet my 12 week challenge goals! This carb unloading could not have come at a more convenient time for me!

Great topic!
When I'm trying to "unload" I pick carbs that give me the most satisfaction--brown rice over white, baked potato over pasta, kashi cereal over cheerios, you get the idea! I also agree that a little bit of protein goes a long way to ward off the 'carbo monster'!
I have also been doubling my exercise the week before TOM. That way, if I do eat a little more carbs (which is what I crave!) I'm not doing too much damage!
Hope you're all having a good day!

Here are my stats for week 2. Not pretty. I didn't WI because I couldn't afford the meeting this week. Couldn't face my home scale either. I'm so depressed. Everything is going wrong. Couldn't face the numbers.

Please note that these numbers don't necessarily reflect middle of the night eating, so they are worse than they sound, believe it or not.

Range 20-25

Wed 26
Thur 26
Fri 30
Sat 26
Sun 27
Mon 33
Tue 28

Myra: Try and keep your chin up. Do what you can and try not to stress about the things you have no control over.

Here are my stats for this past week:

Wed: 19
Thur: 21 + walked 40 min.
Fri: 20.5
Sat: ???
Sun: 25
Mon: 22
Tue: 19 + walked 45 min.

WI: Down 1.2 (139.0)

I'm working on getting my walking in and I feel better because I'm getting the exercise. I'm also finding I'm not as tired at night and have more energy.

good for you melissa!

Getting the exercise in every day really helps!

off to attempt to balance my diet a bit after a run in with chocolate covered sour cherries - they are fruit aren't they?

Hello, Ladies!

I've been gone for a long time, but am back now and ready to touch base again will the fun, supportive folks I remember from the old days (Hi, Lala! - still globetrotting I see!) as well as the newer folks.

I had a rough patch - laid off, new job, lots of training/travel with new job, but have decided that it is time to get my priorities straight and focus on healthy eating and exercise again.

I have not been focused on such things, and am therefore nowhere near my goal weight. However, I'd like to join the Challenge and start getting that situation corrected!

For those of you who don't know me, I am an attorney in Austin, Texas, with two kiddos (9-girl and 11-boy) and an awesome hubby that has been sadly neglected lately as I tried to deal with layoff/new job issues. This post represents a renewed committment to myself and him that I will take better care of myself, focus more on our relationship, and start having more fun!!

Tootles! Off to post my on-line journal.

AustinGal