Amber, at least you made the best choices possible It's very hard to not indulge while on vacation!
justwant2bhealthy, any extra exercise helps, glad you've been on plan
I've lost about 10 and a half lbs so far this month since restarting Atkins in early February, even with one slip up and weekly dinners with the in laws that are not on plan (I either make my own food to eat or make the best choices I can). Still waiting on my first TOM after having my daughter, I can feel it coming for about 2 or more weeks. I'm getting more broken out, cranky, and bloated by the day. I'll be happy to see the weight drop once it is over with
Hello Ladies, My name is Tammy. I live in Ontario Canada.
I have been really depressed about my weight over the last month. I am at my heaviest ever, 270+ pounds and I'm so ashamed. I don't even know where to start. I have really bad eating habits and I do overeat and drink alcohol each weekend with my DH. I work at a grocery store so food is always around me and I do buy items on my breaks. Not necessarily bad foods all the time but I do overeat. Can anyone give advise to how many calories I should be eating? I'm about 5foot7inches tall. I walk everyday to work 35 min and my hubby picks me up after work. I need to watch what I eat and drink and cut down on the amount of food.
I'm happy to be here and have read some of your stories and I would love to see some weight loss on myself I just don't know what to do. I can't really afford any of those plans out there like WW so I'm hoping to do this on my own. I have tried the Atkins diet many time with success but I would like to try something new.
My suggestion would be to not try to change everything at once, but to slowly change things until you are living a healthy and active lifestyle. Maybe change one or two things a week. What do you drink when you go out? I drink diet coke with hard liquor because it has the least calories and sugar. That way I can still have a drink and it's not so bad.
When you do eat, try making smarter choices, eating smaller portions. I weigh and write down all of my food and tally up the calories and carbs each day because I'm doing Atkins. It makes me understand what I'm eating and how it affects my weight.
If you just want to calorie count, maybe shoot for 1800 calories for your weight and height and start weighing yourself. Try to get the calories from good things like fruits and veggies. If your weight isn't dropping and you are eating reasonably well at 1800 calories then try 1600.
Try adding in some extra activity. I like weight lifting because I feel it does more for me then cardio. It actually shrunk my body quite a bit and made me look a lot better.
Keep checking in here for accountability and tell us how you are doing we're all here to help!
TAMMY ~ glad you found us over here. Stephanie has given you some great advice. Yes, you could start at 1800 calories, if you go that route. First thing I would do is small changes like ...
1) cut out the pop ~ or switch to diet, and drink more low fat milk & water.
2) nix the junkies ~ and find healthier replacements like fresh fruit, cheezes, UNsalted nuts (count them), yogurt, etc.
3) cut out the fast-fried foods ~ try to choose healthier options like baked, roasted, spit bbq, dry-fry, stir-fry, grilled, etc to save on fat calories.
4) add in at least 2 veggies + one salad each day. Having some soup, milk, or fruit before lunch & dinner will help fill you up.
Just making those few changes, you should lose weight. Write down everything you eat each day so you can see any patterns, and see where you need to make improvements. Come back often; that really helps.
STEPHANIE ~ oh, that's a cute picture of your baby; she's a doll! Congrats on losing those 10 lbs forever. Yes, you will see some changes as your body morfs back to normal hormonal mode.
I was finding that I get hungry every day at 11 am and 5 pm; apparently, this is quite common, so today I had some fruit then (.5 orange & small apple respectively) -- and it worked well. Also, been ignoring some of the hunger pangs, telling myself that a little hunger is OK! Then I just delayed my snacks to those times. I am under on my calories (1175) at this point of the day, so have lots of leeway for an evening snack. Think it will be cereal with low fat milk tonight.
We had pork chop (lean center cut) with brown rice/barley mix & veggies last night. Tonight, we had leftover roasted chicken (I had breast) with leftover rice & veggies as well. Skipped on the salad as I was quite full.
Have a great day tomorrow ...
Last edited by Justwant2Bhealthy; 02-28-2012 at 08:26 PM.
Thanks for all the suggestions ladies. I need to do this for my DH and DD...
I packed a lunch today for work and I will promise myself not to buy anything at work unless it is healthy foods.
Stepm - I will drink diet coke with jack d other than that I'm not a pop drinker. I do know where I have gone wrong and that is too many snacks of bad choice at work. I need to slow down.....
so I weighed myself today 280, I was a few pounds heavier yesterday ..... I would love to loose 100 pounds but would love to weigh around 160. So that would be 120lbs to loose.
Anyway off to work soon. I just made myself breakfast with p28 bread ( I love this bread as it keeps me fuller longer)
Last edited by ZombieChick; 02-29-2012 at 09:33 AM.
Set your goals in small increments, 5 lbs at a time. That way this journey won't feel so long and tedious. Every time you lose another 5 lbs you can celebrate a little and then set a new 5 lb loss goal. Before you know it you'll have lost a lot of weight!
justwant2bhealthy, not sure if my body will ever be the same. My mom is tiny and has this protruding stomach that won't go down whatever she does. After having this baby I notice my stomach protrudes in the same way. I'll just keep working at it and get as healthy as possible
Stepm- That is a great idea! Thanks so much. I watched what I ate yesterday and bought some healthy snacks. I just need to take it slow and have to remember that this is going to take time..
How long before I can add a signature to my profile?
TAMMY ~ you can put in a signature any time you want -- go to "User CP" (above left, in the purple menu bar). The first option is EDIT SIGNATURE; just put in whatever you want. If you want a ticker, I think you have to wait either 20 days as a member or 20 posts, so get typing ...
BTW, I also counted my WL in 5 lbs increments; after alwhile, I had so many dragonflies in my signature that it took up too many lines, so I just broke it down to 10 lbs for spacial reasons.
Snacking has always been my nemesis too; my meals are A-OK, so I have been working on what nutrient-rich low-cal snacks are the best to help me feel full & satiated at the same time.
STEPHANIE ~ I here ya on the heredity issues regarding our physical attributes; runs in my family on both sides too. I do lots of tummy crunches every day; morning and night, and with success. I have lost a few inches this year already; that's a NSV that I love ...
Eating is real good lately; and my exercise plan is helping me feel stronger as well. I am planning on having a good March too ...
Last edited by Justwant2Bhealthy; 03-05-2012 at 12:35 PM.
WOW ~ It felt like spring here today; got up to 55 F with the out, but now some clouds have rolled in, it's about 53 F -- and everything is melting out there. We have huge puddles in the roads and the birdies are all taking baths.
Eating is going well, but yesterday I felt like I was starving, so I have upped my meals for today. Had soup with my lunch (veggie pita pizza); and we are having pasta for dinner tonight -- that always makes me feel fuller.
Have a wonderful Wednesday ...
Last edited by Justwant2Bhealthy; 03-07-2012 at 03:20 PM.
Ladies!
Okay -- here I am again!! Jeez-lou-eeze! I seem to check in at least once a year. Now that I'm done my Ed.Leave and am back at work I can safely say that I have gained AT LEAST 30 pounds. So back to the drawing board -so to speak. I've come skulking back here in hopes of a little support. And like a cheating spouse I hope you will take me back.
Everything has become um....unmanageable. There seems to be just SO much more of me, and I am so cheap, I've been teaching in big jeans all year b/c I refuse to spend money on new clothes. I know. It's brutal.
I have started by eliminating bread completely. Just bread to start - It's amazing how much bread I've become accustomed to eating in a day. Weird. And having some green tea in place of sugary delicious coffee.
Anyways. There it is. I hope everyone is happy and looking forward to spring!!
Tam
TAM ~ glad to see you back here again; trust me, we know how you feel -- been there, done that ... and more than once. BUT, not this time, if I have any say in it -- I have finally learned; must be ever aware and keep track all the time. This is a life-time journey for me.
Be proud of yourself that you caught it at 30 lbs; you can get that back off this year (about 3 lbs a month). I eat a nice, hearty whole grain fiber bread, but I do limit it too, becuz it's so easy to slip into eating more than we need. I was telling my DH one day, that I was recalling how I went from 1 to 4 slices of toast (years ago); no wonder I gained so much weight. Ack, what was I thinking? Not thinking, I think ...
Plus, baking for DH and his friends; no more of that either!!! All that sugar wasn't good for them or me. Healthy eating for both of us now. DH still has a few snacks but he hides them downstairs out of sight. My strategy is to keep the junkies (my trigger foods) out of the house. If I want one, I will buy a single size away from home, so I can't overeat them; a one portion snack serving only (and even that's very rare now).
Last year on my holidays, we splurged a bit; but as soon as that was over, I went right back on plan. We skipped Halloween completely. I made or bought healthier snacks for Christmas; back on plan on Boxing day. Easter, we each had one small peanut butter egg as a snack; and that's all. Thanksgiving was healthy food mostly; had pie for dessert, but guests & DH polished off the leftovers (and I made sure my dessert was within my daily cals too). I'm getting better and better at this, each year ...
YES, we are looking forward to spring; we've had some really warm temps here lately -- up into the mid-50's yesterday and it's still melting out there today. We had mock "fried" chicken (baked in the oven) with veggies for dinner last night; had leftover chicken breast sandwich for lunch today. Tonight, we'll have lean pork chops (one each) with brown & wild rice & barley mix and veggies; sounds like a plan ...
Have a wonderful week everyone ...
Last edited by Justwant2Bhealthy; 03-13-2012 at 02:14 PM.
BTW, did everyone put their clocks ahead this past weekend? Since the change in dates, we forget sometimes. It used to be on the calendars, but not anymore. I noticed my PC had put it ahead automatically; so DH and I just put all our clocks ahead too. Now we match the U.S. as they put theirs ahead last weekend too ...
Last edited by Justwant2Bhealthy; 03-12-2012 at 07:30 PM.
Hey everyone I'm back.... for those that don't know me, Hi... I'm in Alberta. I've read everyones updates but there is just too much for personal replies. Weather up here has been unseasonably nice too but we always get a late season snow storm so I know we're not done with the white stuff yet.
Not much is new with me... I lead a very boring life I guess.
Rosebud - Thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement!! Yess!! You feel my bread pain!! It is so darn easy for me to eat five slices a day. But I think you're right---be vigilant.
Aunty Jam -Nice to see you!--Glad things are good AB--
I don't care what anybody says, I'm reporting the weather. I feel it is a lovelable, if slightly neurotic trait of Canadians. Which I fully support so --SK is lovely today. I am going for walk out there because --- my classroom has no windows and....a little walking can only help my efforts! So have a wonderful day!
Tam
It's very hard to not indulge while on vacation!
TAMMY ~ glad you found us over here. Stephanie has given you some great advice. Yes, you could start at 1800 calories, if you go that route. First thing I would do is small changes like ...
..... I would love to loose 100 pounds but would love to weigh around 160. So that would be 120lbs to loose. 
out, but now some clouds have rolled in, it's about 53 F -- and everything is melting out there. We have huge puddles in the roads and the birdies are all taking baths. 
TAM ~ glad to see you back here again; trust me, we know how you feel -- been there, done that ... and more than once. BUT, not this time, if I have any say in it -- I have finally learned; must be ever aware and keep track all the time. This is a life-time journey for me.
Ack, what was I thinking? Not thinking, I think ... 
Healthy eating for both of us now. DH still has a few snacks but he hides them downstairs out of sight. My strategy is to keep the junkies (my trigger foods) out of the house. If I want one, I will buy a single size away from home, so I can't overeat them; a one portion snack serving only (and even that's very rare now). 
I'm back.... for those that don't know me, Hi... I'm in Alberta. I've read everyones updates but there is just too much for personal replies. Weather up here has been unseasonably nice too but we always get a late season snow storm so I know we're not done with the white stuff yet.
