:wave:

Just a quick good morning, I had a half-hearted workout this morning so I will be back at it this evening. I just can not stay off that scale! :goodscale: ...I'm down another 1/2 lb. :carrot:

Cheryl, oh wow, that must have been scary... so glad you were not hurt! Congrats on the weight loss :dancer: Looks like you will easily make the V-day goal!

Emily, WTG on the weight loss. :cheer: Very inspiring! Keep up the great work and just take it one day at a time.

Lisa, hope you have a good day as well!

:grouphug:

Greetings & Salutations everyone!
 

Care to share what plan you are using?
 

Hi there,

I was just wondering if you all would care to share what diet plan is working for you? I know you probably have shared it before but with so many of us that are new.......it sure would help????:D

I'm doing several differnt plans in a combo...that seems to be working for me........since I've seem to have been dieting for most of my life.....:dizzy:

First of all I'm keeping track calories....I'm also cutting down on portion sizes....I've cut everything in half so far.....

I'm eating more fresh veggies.....some fruits....white meats such as fish, turkey and chicken.....choosing to add more whole grains in my diet......and watching the breads....I eat way too many breads!

I'm drinking much more water.......and especially before each meal......

I'm trying to cut out all caffeine...but haven't gotten all the way successful there yet......but am donig much better.

Exercise is a biggie for me............this is an area in which I will need encouragement in.........I am just plain lazy! LOL.....I have begun walking and using my gazelle.......this is just something I have to make myself do!:rollpin:

So how about you?.........What are your secrets! LOL

:grouphug:

Lori, sounds like you have a good plan in place, just stick to it and you should have great success! The exercise will get easier once you get into it and you will start to feel better and have added energy. :dancer:

For me, I am not following any particular plan. I decided when I began this journey that I would approach it differently than I had in the past. I don't look at it as being on a "diet". I am more or less doing portion control... that way I don't feel like I am restricting or depriving myself. I am using the "calories in vs calories out" mind set. So far it has been working for me. I also found a very useful tool that helps me monitor my calories, nutrients and exercise. The are a few tools available free online. Here are a couple:

FitDay.com

NutriDiary

I use FitDay (pc version), but I hear the the web version is good also. This program really brings your eating habits into perspective. Robsia uses NutriDiary and she can tell you more about that web site if you are interested.

The bottom line is that you find a program or something that works for you and that you can stick with as a lifestyle change, because if you can't, then what happens when you get the weight off... you can't go back to your old habits :hungry: or you'll gain the weight back, so IMO it should be something you can live with from now on.

I must admit, for me anyway, I have to tell myself that I AM on a diet, otherwise I will nibble at stuff that is not good for me and it doesn't work.

I have breakfast that I always have had and dinner that I always have had, which has never been much.

My biggest problem has always been lots of milky coffee = lots of milk and unhealthy snacking in the evenings (cream cakes, biscuits, chocolate, doorstep pb sandwiches for supper, etc etc). Plus too much imbibing.

So I measure out a pint and a quarter of milk each morning into a jug and have that on my cereal and in my coffee during the day. Then I know how much I'm having and can account for it calorie-wise.

The other big change is that I have made my lunches smaller. Instead of having two big cheese sandwiches with salad cream in them, which were about 600 calories, I have a bowl of soup which varies from 114 to 171 cals, depending on type.

Then after dinner I have about 200 calories left for my evening snacks, which are now healthy snacks like grapes or yoghurts or occasionally a pack of low-fat crisps (chips). Walkers do some which are all about 84 cals per pack, so they are great. And I feel like I'm getting a bit of a treat, which is good psychologically.

I also don't eat bread, which is pretty high in cals and not very filling. Added to which, bread comes with butter, which is far too easy to slather on, without realising how much you're putting on. I've stopped having mashed potatoes, for the same reason - I love them dripping with butter - big bad!

This is what I had yesterday (the numbers are fat/carb/protein %):

Bfast - 2 Weetabix 128kcal (7/80/13%)
Lunch - Chicken soup 142kcal (50/37/13%)
Dinner - Fish and 2 oz (dry weight) rice 413kcal (23/62/15%)

710 mls semi-skimmed milk 348kcal (31/41/28%)
4 oz Grapes 78kcal (1/95/4%)
WW toffee yoghurt 48kcal (2/58/40%)
Pack Walkers French Fries (s&v) 81kcal (36/60/4%)

Total cals 1238

Also I do my exercise video three times a week, which is half an hour aerobics and half an hour muscle toning.

I am hoping that when I hit my target, I can continue in a similar vein, but have a bigger lunch and a few more snacks, to reach maintenance calorie intake.

HTH

happy tuesday!
 

Hey ladies! Hope you are all doing well!

DragonTush, congrats on reaching your goal early! You must feel like superwoman beating your deadline. way to go!

Lois, you're doing great! Congrats on your 1/2lb. this morning!

Robsia, awesome losing 10lbs! Your really making a wave!

AndrewsMum, keep up the awesome treadmilling. You'll feel better more and more each day!

CBETA, congrats on your 3lb. loss! Nice to see you again!

Lori, 5lbs. is amazing! I can tell you're very excited, good for you! Keep it going girl!

As for my plan o' action: I also count calories (1500/day), fat grams(20/day), keep portions to a normal amount! I drink the recommended amount of water a day. I also walk about 3 miles day. So far I'm down 15lbs. since Jan 2, I'm guessing it's working for me. I started out following Dr.Phils plan but I couldn't handle the bland food. Now I get healthy recipes from KraftCanada.com I guess you have to change things sometimes to make it easier to maintain this new lifestyle!

garnetfairy, good for you doing your video. Its gotta be tough when you have to make a decision to limit your time with your friends. But you have a great mind-set, keep it going!

Cheryl, hitting that dear must of been a real heart stopper! Glad you weren't hurt and your vehicle wasn't too badly damaged. Hope you have a better day today.

Emily, good job staying on project this weekend. And what an awesome loss! congratulations!


Well I gotta jet and get my little one from preschool! Take care!
~Tina

Wow!
 

Gone for a few days and I am so happy to hear about all our losses!

Robsia - 10 lbs! You are doing an awesome job. Keep up the good work.

Lois - 12 lbs! You are incredible. Just keep doing what your doing.

Lori - Welcome and congrats on the 5 big ones!

AndrewsMum - Excellent progress on the exercise! and 18 lbs is fabulous! I love that dance game - it is fun to watch or play!

Emily - 6 down! Doesn't it feel good?

Cheryl - Sounds like you've really hung in there despite a wild week. I am so sorry about your foster daughter's cousin. It must be doubly hard to lose a relative when you are in her position. Thank goodness you are safe - the car can be fixed. On the bright side 12 big pounds - GONE!

GarnetFairy - WTG on the exercise. You are getting the job done!

CBeta - 3 lbs you won't have to haul around anymore is a great accomplishment! Where is that quote from at the bottom of your post?

DragonTush - Pizza and chocolate should be outlawed! 10 lbs outta here!

Tina - You are definitely on a roll! Keep up the good work!

Jillybean - You will be way to thin for thr Next Biggest Loser!

Hope I remembered everyone! I miss Shelia and hope she is back online soon.

I made it through the weekend in good order - eating OP and exercising. My weight in was Monday and down 2 more lbs. I wish it was coming off faster ( I would probably think that 10 lbs a week wasn't enough!) but slow and steady wins the race. I am approaching the 50 lb mark and will hopefully get there by Valentine's Day. I will be a third of the way there.

Time goes by so fast and I keep telling myself that all these pounds add up quickly. It is already almost the end of January and we can all be proud of the fact that we are leaving January lighter than we started it.

Keep up the good work and make today a great day!

PS - I tried a Pilates class - and it was much more difficult than I imagined. I have zero abdominal strength and I struggled to do the most basic moves. I did laugh alot and I will probably go back because I obviously need to. I need remedial Pilates!

Lori and Lois - Where in Michigan are you from?

Jill

I'm in Holly, about 60 miles N. of Detroit "Go Pistons" :carrot:

Congratulations everyone on your magnificent weight losses. There were some really big ones this week!! That is great! Obviously we are each doing something that works for us.

In answer to what plan we are on: I am on South Beach Diet, finished phase 1 but am only doing a little bit o phase 2, mostly staying in phase 1. I also count calories with Nutridiary. I am happy to say that a lovely person online is sending me her extra WW information so I can check that out as well. I am thinking the point system make work out better for when eating out. Plus, I just love to read about dieting and especially success stories! My mom got the People magazine with the success stories but lost it before I got to see it and now it is off the shelves...boo hoo

Good news is: I weighed in today - 291 down from 293.75 so a loss of 2.75 pounds last week. Even with the peanut butter and eating out with Carolyn. Hurray!! I was really worried because the doctor's digital scale said 296 and the psych scale said 294 but the brand new gym scale which I have been using for all my official weigh ins says 291 and I am taking that as the real number. After all the scale is brand new and freshly calibrated. Who knows when the doctors' office scales are calibrated? And it is the scale I have used for all my other weigh ins!

So a total of 13.8 pounds gone away since 01-01-06...slow and steady...I hope I meet my Valentines goal of 25 pounds...

I hope all of us reach all of our goals!!!!!

1 Year / 100 lb. Buddy
 

Michigan
 

Hi there Michiganders!!!

I'm from Essexville MI......a very little town....by Bay City!
Been in this area all my life!:)

Originally Posted by Wannabeskinnymama:
I was thinking about a short term goal......I notice that some of you do that......I think that is wonderful because the overwhelming goal of losing 100 pounds or more can be a bit much. And I have read and heard that 2 pounds a week weight loss is a very healthy way to go.......even though I'd like 10 pounds a week like Robsia mentioned!:) but then wouldn't we all.

I think you have misunderstood. I didn't have a 10 lb loss in one week - I was excited about a 10 lb loss in total over three weeks!!

Short term goals are great, especially if you set them so you're likely to exceed the goal - great psycholgical boost!

:wave:

garnetfairy, congrats on your weight loss :cheer: that's so cool... and you did not deprive yourself of the peanut butter. :) When I go to the doctor's office their scales are always different from my own, I know that's not unusual but sometimes it's more and sometimes it's less. :lol: I have one of those waist high physician scales that has a bubble indicator balance, so I rely on it for my official weigh ins.

Lori, We are all special and I am glad you feel welcomed here. I think it is important to give encouragement and support, just as well as it is to receive it.

Cheryl, glad you had a good day and good luck with the weigh in :goodscale:

Hope everyone is having a good day. My day is going good. I got that additional workout in last night and got a good one in today too! :dancer: I did good yesterday with my eating, making sure I have a good caloric deficit each day. Last week my deficits were over 11k for the week...whoa :dizzy: but I'll take it! My goal is to have my deficits around 7k for the week, so far so good :carrot:

:grouphug: