Michelle, one step at a time at least your working out. For me I tried the South Beach diet it worked but then I started to add some more things in.I did manage to learn to eat less carbs. Also that boy do they make you want to eat more and crave more. I did feel satisfied with my intake of food and was never hungry. I maintained my loss pretty much.
Now I want to lose more and eat healthier so I am making my own plan. I am working out 3 -4 times a week and eating good carbs, good fats and counting my calories. I am working on keeping a variety of foods available as well as this works for me.
I have lost 3lbs. this week and that gets me back to my last loss. So I am pleased with that. My goal is 5.5 more by 11/30th we'll see. We all need to find what works for us thats the tricky thing. There was an article in Prevention Mag. recently with different plans, needs etc... See if you can get it on the internet.
Julie thanks for the thoughts. I will be fine its my family I worry about the most. I just need to find the right info...... I will never give up!
Breakfast 2 poached eggs, dry rye toast 1 1/2, potatoes with hot sauce
Lunch: field greens, cottage ch. 1% 1 cup, red pepper, soy nuts, walnuts, almonds and melba toast w/ jalopeno hummus/ 4 greek olives
snack: apple coffee

Hi all. It's good to read all your messages. Everyone's trying - it's a process. When I started I limited myself to about 2,000 cals a day, then I knocked it down to 1500 and now sometimes I even go a bit lower. I've read on these threads though if you go too low it is not good as your body doesn't burn as much fat. Counting calories has worked for me because I can eat anything I want but I just have to read the calories on the box. I hardly eat any fat, unhealthy foods because I simply get too hungry and crabby. I'm finding the foods that fill me up and make me feel good.

My smoothies are made with nonfat yogurt, 1% milk, a banana and frozen fruit (no sugar or sweeteners). Sometimes I even make a fruit drink with frozen strawberries and water and seltzer - very, very good and hardly any calories.

Michelle, don't be too hard on yourself. Do a cabinet check - throw out all the fat foods and go shopping and buy a lot of good healthy foods to snack on. That really helps. Even my children now eat more veggies, yogurt and nuts rather than ice cream, cookies and brownies. No one complains.

I commend all of you who are exercising. That's my weak point right now. I know it would make a big difference. Soon I'll be joining you.

Thanks again everyone for staying with this site. We can do it. We will do it.

breakfast - skipped - rushing
lunch - salad with turkey and a little shredded cheese, no dressing (400)
snack - 1/2 cup nuts (400)
dinner - smoothie (500)
dessert - a nice hot cup of herbal tea (0)

sw210 cw186 (that was a month ago, I'm due for another weigh in), gw 150

S , how are all of you doing, are we all sticking to our healthy eating plans OOH I can see you all now saying of course we are TIRED you,ve got me hooked on smoothies I was,nt into them much before but now I love them and at the moment thier the only thing I can stomache I,ve tried your strawberry fruit drink its quite refreshing and light on the tummy it doesn,t make me miss my so much but lately I can,t even stand the smell of , don,t worry you,ll get to exercise sooner or later and even without it your doing so well Hey MICHELLE don,t be so hard on yourself one bad day does not a failure make just pick yourself up dust yourself off and get back on track, I,ve been on WW but I,m like TIRED I,m counting my cals now instead of points it works for me I,m more aware of what I eat, I was on a seafood diet for awhile see food and eat it but these days I,m pretty good most of the time, like you my DH isn,t very supportive either he loses weight really easy to, with not much effort , but if he can do it, then if I put my mind to it so can I, here I find support and encouragement from all you lovely ladies when I need it the most, which is great , but at the end of the day when I look in the miror if I,ve cheated that person than the only one I,VE CHEATED IS ME anyway I,ve gassed bagged enough I,m off for a nice glass of iced water and some medication OOOOH life doesn,t get any better than this who could want for more keep up the good work your all doing so well you should be proud of yourselves bye for now, ROLL I KNOW YOUR OUT THERE hope you have,nt become to attached to the washer BLESSED BE JULIE

Julie - you're so funny. I hope Roll checks in and reads your entry. What a sense of humor and spirit for life you have.

Roll - you can do it. How are you? What's happening? Even if you've had a few bad days, sign back in. We all have our highs and lows on this journey.

Carol and Michelle, I hope you have a good day today.

Good news! I MADE IT TO THE GYM! I did a 30 minute workout on the eliptical - great machine and listened to some great rock and roll which I love to do while I exercise.

I also weighed myself. I'm down 6 more lbs - it's been about a month, so I'm pleased. I'm at 180 ahead of schedule. I'm halfway there so now I have to regroup. I feel like I'm on a journey through a mountain range. I've now reached one peak but the highest peak is yet to conquer. I'm finding that this journey is awakening me to many other aspects of life and challenges. Very interesting. It's worth it and I couldn't do it without all of YOU! I have never been apart of a more accepting, kind, supportive community. What a blessing. Thank you!!!!!

sw 210 (8/04) cw 180 (10/6/04) gw 150

Hi,
Tired, you so have me pegged. I had a few less than perfect days. My calorie counts weren't above my limit, but my food choices weren't healthy ones- unplanned late night stress snacking.

Yes,I've been attempting to catch up on my laundry, Julie, but I'm just getting to know my new machine so I'm taking things slowly.
Carol, I am on the same page you are regarding diet. I've tried so many of them- done the field work- and I now know what works for my body, Calorie limits, fat limits, carb limits and even protein limits. No sugar. The limits aren't drastic but they are in place so I am not vague or out of control with my eating.

Michelle, I use fitday.com to track my food. It's a pretty fun site. It charts your weight, goals, food and much more. It's pretty handy and I find it satisfying to use. They have a fancy pc version for sale. I use the free version and it works just fine for me. I don't use their journal. I'm happy here.

Does anyone have any suggestions about how I can get myself motivated to go to the gym? I know one of the reasons I don't go, (you're going to love this) is that I feel too fat. Most of my weight gain is in my stomach and I feel embarrassed. I also feel embarrassed to admit to these feelings. I know they're goofy, I'm not the only overweight person in the gym and nobody really cares what I look like. People are pretty much wrapped up in their own routines, right?

Congratulations on your loss AND your trip to the gym, Tired. I know I'm not your mother, but, I am so proud of you! I hope you know how much you are doing for me in letting me be included in your journey. Thank you.

When I logged on this morning, I had a big bottle of water (now half empty) and after reading your posts, I feel energized, capable and willing to get back on track. Thank you all, so much.

My plan

breakfast--chicken vegetable soup

lunch--salad with mushrooms, cheese and nuts

snack--strawberry smoothie (thank you Tired)

dinner--shrimp salad

I did manage to lose 1 lb. this week. Yahooooo!

Thanks for being here.
sw/172
cw/161
gw/120 :

grouphug:

Hi all. I'm just checking in to stay on track. Thanks for the support and congrats. I appreciate it.

Roll - a couple ideas to motivate you to get to the gym. How about getting some music and headphones to listen to - something motivating. Another idea is to buy some flattering gym clothes - my sister bought me a nice pair of black ankle length gym pants. They are really comfy. I also wear a tight exercise bra top with a loose sleeveless shirt over it. That shirt covers my tummy. You might also want to start going at a time when it is less intimidating meaning less crowded.

I need to try to think this out too. One idea I have is to couple the gym with some other necessary activity - that's your idea. I'll have to think about that. I was also thinking that for holiday presents I should think healthy gifts such as signing my husband and I up for tennis lessons, or outdoor activities ideas, etc.

Since this is a lifestyle change I have to think about what I want for life. This isn't going to end when I hit my goal (hopefully in late winter).

breakfast/lunch: nuts (400), power bar pieces (100), half of a pear (75)

p.s. I treated myself to the hot drink blender so I'll soon be writing about my low cal comforting hot drinks.

HI S glad to see your all doing so well WAY TO GO TIRED 6LBS, I told you , you would get a nice surprise the next time you got on the scales half way there and you made it to the gym too Hey ROLL I new you were out there you can,t leave us yet you just got here permission not granted yes I agree its best to take things slowly with a new appliance you don,t want to rush things and whats this rubbish about your tummy, my weight centres around my middle and my butt, love handles I don,t have them I have Harley handle bars, don,t be so hard on yourself I agree with Tired, wear something comfy, and you know no,one is looking at you, your right thier all caught up in thier own stuff I always tell my kids THE ONLY LIMITATIONS IN LIFE ARE THE ONE,S WE PUT ON OURSELVES, so get in there and do it girl also a big pat on the back for you on your lb lost I,m sure it will lead to many more, I,m not doing to bad not exercising feel so washed out, hey its a good excuse for being lazy thanks for your strawberry drink recipe TIRED I seem to be going through about 3 punnets aday anyway today as follows ,

BREKKI / CUPPA CAMOMILE TEA, SMALL STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE250CALS

LUNCH / PLAN ON ANOTHER SMOOTHIE MAYBE BANANA 400CALS
DINNER / NOT SURE SOMETHING LITE MAYBE HAM SALAD SANDWICHE
250CALS SMOOTHIES ARE LOW IN CALS AT THE MOMENT CAN,T HANDLE YOGHURT.
Well thats it for me take care be good stay focused G,day CAROL AND MICHELLE I DIDN,T FORGET YOU CATCH UP WITH YOU LATER bye for now BLESSED BE JULIE

Maybe I should call lit a check out. Nyuck Nyuck. I did okay with my food today.
Breakfast chicken soup
lunch salad with mushrooms, cheese and nuts
dinner chicken soup again

I'm really tired so I'll keep this short. I just wanted to check in to let you all know how much I appreciate your support.

Good night

Good Morning. Good evening yesterday. I went to dinner at my mom's house. She has started supporting me. She told me what she was having and I made a plan about my eating before I went. I treated myself to one glass of wine but kept the day in the 1500 cals.

I've been thinking a lot about attitude as I go into phase two of this journey. In life there are always going to be ups and downs. It's your attitude that counts. I want to think more about this. I have been witness to all the great attitudes and sense of humor you all have. You've inspired me. Thanks.

I bought a hot drink maker - it doesn't make things frothy enough but it does add a punch to the coffee because now I can make a latte or cappucino. I can also use it with my sugarless cocoa for a nice hot drink.

In the mail today we got a Kashi oatmeal package - very good. Only 160 cals with lots of healthy ingredients. I haven't been including many whole grains in my diet so I'm going to buy some of this.

For my mom's I brought a nice big pineapple. She cut it up and I ate some of it while others had pie. Many had the pineapple too. Buying special fruits and vegetables can be a treat.

I have to research and write a paper today. This course is an anchor on my life right now. Is it worth it. I still think it's the right decision as it will pay off both in knowledge and money in the future. Take care.

Check-in

breakfast - two cups of milk (220), oatmeal (160), coffee
lunch plan?
dinner plan?

exercise plan?

Thanks for the work out tips, Tired. I used to listen to music with head sets when I went to the gym. It was why I loved working out. The tip about going when it's not so busy is a great one, too. I'm thinking that SCHEDULING a late night visit might work. My daughter can swim while I work out.

I have lots of catching up to do today. I think that's my story every day .
I bought a new computer yesterday. This one is old and giving me lots of trouble. I need to get ready to hook it up. I feel like a new parent. I'm a little intimidated because I'm not so experienced with the workings of computers. Most of the time I feel like a monkey at the keyboard Once again, one of those situations where I would overeat or use food to soothe me when I felt overwhelmed or fearful.

Thanks for listening.

Yesterday I kept to 1500 calories. I'm sorry that I haven't been more specific in reporting my meals and including the calorie counts.
Here's a funny fact. I state my intentions in the morning and most of the time, I stick with the breakfast plan. After that, I usually stray from my lunch and dinner plan but stay within my dietary boundaries. Go figure. It makes me feel secure having that plan in place. Whatever works, right?

Today's plan
breakfast--chicken soup

lunch--oatmeal-- why not? made with milk, dried fruit, splenda, vanilla, nutmeg and toasted walnuts.
snack--orange

dinner--chicken and lots of vegetables

lots of water

Julie, thanks for the pep talk. I know my perceptions and self talk are not so accurate at times. I'd label them goofy I'm glad I can share them with you. I think a shift in consciousness happens when I stop hiding how I feel.

Well, I'll check in later to let you know how it's going.
Love to you all
Oh, and Julie, I'm so sorry about your loss (COFFEE).You're probably past the physical withdrawl by now, right? I really do feel for you. I've tried to give it up in the past and I know that it's no picnic. Keep up the good work

Tired, that's so great about your mother showing respect for what you are doing. So many mothers equate showing love with stuffing their children. My mother used to hold food ("treats") up to my mouth without saying a word--even after I'd become an adult. Gee, I wonder why I have an issue with my weight. She doesn't do it anymore because I confronted her about it. As an adult, I realized that I had to say something if I wanted her to respect me. Old habits (usually) die hard.
Kudos to you both for the healthy support.

Hi all. Checking in because I'm having a hard time staying on track today. There have been a million plan changes in this house in the past hour. I won't go on and on about it as it's nothing that you don't experience too. I need to center myself and rethink this household and the priorities. My life is currently like a traffic jam and I have to find an alternative route. I don't want to change the things that are going well, just the things that are not that I have control over. Lots to think about.

today's eating
breakfast (again) cafe au lait, oatmeal (500)
lunch smoothie/nuts (1000)
so you see it's only 1pm and I've met my limit and I have hours of work ahead. I think I'll allow myself an extra 500 for a healthy dinner since I have to stay up late, late, late to work on my paper and then try very hard to stay on track the rest of the week. This is what I'll call damage control. This has happened to me before during the weekend. Some of this eating was stress eating though since there have been many twists and turns to the day. Time for some heavy life balance rethinking. Any advice or wisdom is welcome. Take care.

Hi Tired,
I'm with you today. Too many burners going and I'm feeling like a multiple personality. So, here's what works for me. I'm not preaching here, I'm not religious but have a personal spiritual practice. I set a timer for 5 minutes, read something inspiring and pray. I have a small daily meditation book that I use. Five minutes is a long time. When I know that I don't have to keep track of time, myself, I can just let go. Short and simple but it works for me when I've run low on serenity. My two cents.

You aren't bingeing and this is one day out of so many.
It will pass.

I'll be thinking of you today


Roll

Thanks for the good idea Roll. It was an off-center day, my eating wasn't on track but I still avoided all the desserts and unhealthy food so it's not awful. I'm done eating for the day and will be back on track tomorrow. I need to go to Trader Joes to replenish my supply of healthy foods and snacks. I'm seeing so many patterns that make me off-center with food including exhaustion, when the cupboards are bare, and when I'm too busy. The family needed me today in many ways and I was there for them. My husband was supportive today too which helped. I'm ready to say goodnight and start fresh tomorrow. Thanks for being there.