Good morning. Of course today is my weigh in day. And it appears I have done something wrong. I know the pizza was not a good idea last week! I learned that after I ate it. But I do think I have figured something out here and I wanted to know what all other calorie counters thought about it. I think I remember everyone saying to play around with the calorie intake and see what is a good number of calories to eat each day to lose weight. So here I am.

I went through my fitday journals to get all of my daily calories so I could see where I went wrong. I think I found it!!! I can't figure out the averages each week though... I never was good at math.

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Here is a legend to the diagram I am sharing...
___ = New week (weigh in day)
+ = Above 1600 calories (my doc said 1600 calories a day)
- = Below 1600 calories

Start Weight.... 192.4
8/26............... - 1199
8/27............... + 1709
8/28............... + 1632
8/29............... + 1759
8/30............... + 1731
8/31............... - 1192
Total Calories... 9222 (1 day short of a full week)
Weigh In......... 193.8
_____________________________________

9/01............... - 1441
9/02............... + 1626
9/03............... - 1253
9/04............... + 1845
9/05............... - 1220
9/06............... - 1493
9/07............... - 1477
Total Calories... 10355
Weigh In......... 193.2 (showed weight loss on scale)
_____________________________________

9/08............... - 1310
9/09............... + 2278 (pizza)
9/10............... - 1210
9/11............... - 1439
9/12............... - 1481
9/13............... - 1260
9/14............... - 1530
Total Calories... 10508 (highest calorie week)
Weigh In......... 194.8 (weight gain on scale)

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I am thinking if my calorie intake was lower everyday I might see a loss on the scale each week. I mean for example if you look at week 1 and add in the 7th day.. an average daily calorie (about 1550) it equals around about what my 3rd week ended up at... which I gained. But the 2cd (middle) week I had less calories and saw a loss on the scale.

So instead of eating 1400 to 1800 calories a day I thought I should go to 1400 to 1600 a day. However, now that I look at it... maybe I should go lower???? If I could figure out the average daily calories for each individual week that might help me see what would be better.

Anyway, I would like to know what you all think. I have been exercising everyday... a minimum of 2 miles I beleive is the least I have done. Thanks in advance for your input.

Tracy ... in your fitday in the left hand column. there is a selection called reports. In reports there is a choice called Calories Eaten. In the pull down menu choose Past Week ... that'll give you averages.
Play with that reports page. There's lots of wonderful info there.
If you want to choose a different week ... you'll need to go back in time and I'll have to think about that a minute ... it has to do with picking a calender.

Cool! Thanks Susan. I think I figured it out to tally up the averages for each week! That wasn't as hard as I thought lol. Once you said calendar it was easy to figure out. Thanks.

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8/25 - 8/31 = 1537 Gained weight.
9/01 - 9/07 = 1479 Lost weight.
9/08 - 9/14 = 1501 Gained weight.

It looks like I should stay between 1200 and 1400 maybe. But, this past week it averaged out to be 1501 a day. So that is not far off... but it was a big gain.

I think I should have payed more attention in math (maybe spelling too lol) because I stink when it comes to numbers. Lol.

I'm gonna have a closer look at your menus, if that's OK with you.
Did you have any thoughts as you reviewed or were you just fiddling with the numbers?

Thanks Susan! Please do. I am looking at everthing and anything to figure this out. I don't think it is just what I eat though. I have been eating 99% better then ever lol. I think it has to do with the numbers/calories in. But do check it out and let me know what you think to. I appreciate it.

It's never just what we're eating
I'll have a look.

Let me see .... Tracy I apologise in advance if some of this sounds stern or brusque. However, you seem very determined to do this effectively and efficiently so here goes ... shooting straight from the hip ... forgive me ...

The coffee mate has got to go. If you want to be slimmer and still drink light coffee start using low fat milk.

Less noodles, more beans.

Peel the breading off your proteins and throw it out or better still buy fish and chicken without breading. Natural is much better.

I got tuna for 50 cents a can yesterday. I mix it with ultra low fat miracle whip. Delicious and protein rich.

Do a little surf around the internet and look up "Volumetrics". I hear people on these boards talk about big food. I can have a chocolate (say one cubic inch) for about 80 calories or I can have cups of strawberries and a salad. Study for food that fills your eyes as well as your stomach with the least calories. Did that make sense?

And Tracy, dear, you do worry alot! Something else you should keep in mind is that weight loss, while scientific is not linear. There are natural ups and downs. Don't worry if one week is up some. When was your period? That can easily account for quite a few pounds.

Be blunt!! That is what is needed so I can make changes. And yes, I am very determined.

I was thinking the same thing with the coffee mate. I did cut it back... but it does not seem to be helping much. It is worse then I thought. I used to use 2% milk. I am beginning to think that, that would be better. I am thinking however of just having black coffee with 1 splenda instead. I have to taste that and see how it tastes. It has been a long time since I have done that.

I was afraid of the noodles last night! They have been in my cabinet for over 5 months. So I decided to use them. I had to get up and leave from the table because they were so good... but cost a lot in calories.

Not being rude... but I don't remember breading on anything recently? I know I used to eat a lot of fried chicken. But I have not had that recently. My chicken has been boneless, skinless, breasts cooked according to a recipe in the american heart associations cookbook.... cornflake crust. Is that what your talking about?

The tuna is funny because I made that this morning and had that for lunch! Lol. All I had was regular Miracle Whip though. The worst part of this though was the wheat bread.. it cost me more then the 2 oz. of tuna mix! I will have to find something else to eat this on I think.

I have seen stuff on this site about that book! 3FC recommends it I think. I will read what they said about it again. I kept thinking about that.

And yes, I think some of my problems is my worrying! I have to kick that out of my lifestyle and just keep moving!

Thanks for looking at my menu. I sure appreciate it. It helps when others can peek and see what your doing because they most of the time can find more problems they we can ourselves for some reason.

Sorry Tracy ... I was looking at this *Fish stick, patty, or fillet, NS as to type, breaded or battered, baked* I guess I misunderstood.
I love pasta too. A half cup is just a taste. I want the whole pan!
I use tuna like veggie dip or dump the whole thing on salad instead of dressing.
I know about worrying because I do it. ya know they say "I takes one to know one"?
What are your protein percentages like?

What became of Oprah? I can watch her at two.

Lol... I forgot I had a couple fish sticks!! The fillets were not breaded though.. those were fresh and sprayed with oil spray and baked. But I forgot about the fish sticks.

I hear ya with the pasta! That is the worst. I love it. I grew up on it. A plate full is the italian way!! Not anymore. I normally don't have anymore then 1 cup though now. But those noodles we had.. egg noodles.. they were 2 oz. servings.

I never thought of tuna being used that way! That is a thought. I might have to try that! I can't see it as being bad... everyone has lettuce and cheese on sandwiches with tuna.. it has to be yummy!

Lol... it takes one to know one lol. To funny... but so true at the same time lol.

Protein %'s: are between 16% (only once a bit ago) to 31%. Average I would guess at maybe 23%.

I missed the rest of the show. I exercised and ran down the street to a neighbors house because the school called and said her child was sick and her phone wasn't working so they called me to get the mom. By the time I got done with everything... Oprah was long over.

Hi Tracy

I took a quick look at your fitday too, hope you don't mind. I can't believe you walk so much - I'm jealous!

Anyway, the weight issue - it could be normal weight fluctuation - maybe you ate more salt or carbs the day before weigh-in? They tend to bind water and thus putting on an extra pound or two that will hide an actual loss. Lots of other things affect you weight I just don't remember right now

By the way did you notice any change like the way your clothes fit? Maybe it would be a good idea to measure your waist every week too? I know lots of people who some times don't see any change in pounds but discover that they're ½ inch smaller!

Remembering that you have a pretty high daily calorie expenditure I personally think that the 1500-1600 your doctor suggested is fine. Just keep up the exercise and you'll see the results and please don't worry so much!

Tracy-I think that right now the 1500-1600 is just fine. What you have to realize, is that one slip per week can stall your weight loss-like the pizza night this week.

The key is to try as hard as you can not to have that large slip every single week. We all slip now and then, buta slip once a month, or every 6 weeks is a lot better (an more conductive to weight loss) than every week.

I am NOT saying that you do this-I am just saying that you are only 3 weeks into the game, and you are really stressing yourself out. You don't need to worry so much about all of these little things like adding up the calories of every single week and averaging them out. As long as you are pretty close to 1500-1600 a day, and are actively exercising-it will happen. It is fine to have 1400 calories one day...and 1500-1600 the rest of the week. It is fine. Don't stress about the exact numbers though.

Rather, change the focus to making healthier food and drink choices, and kicking your exercise into high gear.

Aphil

Snow White,

Thanks for your message. I don't mind you looking. I like that people look because it helps to hold me accountable and it helps me see if I mess up some where.

My clothes fit the same... a little tight. I always forget to measure. But it doesn't help that I can't never seem to measure correctly either. My husband and I were just talking about this too. I might have him measure me. It would be intesting to see the changes there.

I didn't even think about what I ate the day before. I had egg noodles for the first time in a long time! Glad we don't have anymore of them!! They are to easy to eat just one more... and so on lol.

Thanks for your reply. Gives me some ideas.

I was thinking this too! I kept thinking back to my pizza night!! I was worried that might hurt me! My family has been wanting pizza! I keep saying NO! Lol. I think I am going to have to find something good for me so they can have there pizza. That shouldn't be to hard.

I have been eating Healthy Choice meals for lunch. How do you feel about these? I didn't have one today. I used to think they were very bad for you. But I have been buying them because they have had a great sale on them at the store for awhile now. But I am wondering what others felt about those?

You know me way to well already! And your right! I jump right into counting everything up this morning to find the error and make a change! I should have skipped the numbers and just looked at the food = PIZZA! That was probably my biggest issue for this weigh in! Well, my coffee ad-ins were not great either. But I did cut back on the coffee and splenda. And as of lunch today I have not been using the creamer! Hopefully I will be able to just have the creamer here for hubby and company and not use it for myself.

Your such a doll! Sometimes I wonder if you know me better then I do lol. Thanks Aphil! I sure appreciate your help again. If you ever get tired just tell me to shut up and chill or something lol.

There's really no need to mix tuna with anything if you're going to eat it on bread or crackers. I often have, as a snack or part of lunch, one of those little 3 oz cans of tuna with one or two WASA Light Rye Crispbreads (only 25 calories each!). Just scoop a little out with a fork (so the water drains off) and plop it on the bread or cracker.