[Cathie]

Hey everyone, my name's Cathie (yeah...my sn is really original, eh?) I have 2 kids ages 2 and 4. In late 2005 I did a fasting lipids and my cholesterol was 213. So we started dieting, switching to better butter (Smart Balance Light), eating a LOT less red meat...etc. I hadn't lost any weight though I tried Slim Fast and salads. Now, I'm exercising, and we've decided to go vegetarian + seafood. Our kids we let eat meat and they can make their own decisions as they get older. So far, I've been doing vegetarian for a month and have lost 4 lbs. 36 more to go! Although I do tend to flux between 155 and 160...so I don't consider it much of a change. I've found we're eating a lot of carbs...is this such a bad thing? I could live off of carbs. I've always had a problem not eating them. And my youngest is the same way. Anyway, I'm getting ready for a 10 year high school reunion in August so that's the focal point of my determination, besides my health. My dad had a heart attack at age 47 and triple bi-pass as well. He has high BP and cholesterol, though my BP is great. Here's to shedding those pounds! I neeeeeeed a support group. Being a mom of 2 and getting less sleep, I have lack of motivation. :-(

[Thinfor5Minutes]

If it's white bread, white pasta, white rice etc., that's not good. Check labels, make sure that you are eating "WHOLE GRAIN," that should be the first ingredient in the list. Your rice should be brown; sweet potatoes are a good choice. I find I have to limit my starch servings to four or five a day, or I don't lose weight. I also restrict my fat intake and make sure that the fats I do eat are the "good" fats, as in olive oil and almonds.

[flitter]

Hi Cathie! I think the key is everything in moderation. You don't want to live off of carbs...though believe me, I could, too!!! Eat a balanced diet of fruits, veggies, grains, proteins (nuts, beans, tofu, etc.), and healthy fats. Try not to eat the white carbs...like white bread, white pasta, white rice. Get the whole grains. And just bc something says "wheat" doesn't mean it's whole grain or any better than white. If you have to eat a lot of something, best to choose fruits and veggies. I've been a vegetarian for 31 years (6 vegan), so if you have any questions just let me know.

[flitter]

thinfor5minutes, I just now saw your post! I pretty much just repeated what you said!

[Cathie]

Yeah, my whole life I've always eaten Whole Wheat bread and will often eat brown rice. When we do eat this one pasta salad, it has olive oil, basil, and mozzarella cheese. We use olive oil in a lot of things. I'd considered doing the Mediterranean diet at one point. My dad can't eat any saturated fats and uses olive oil for everything, eats a lot of soy and tofu as well. However, one of my favorite things is white jasmine rice with my stir fry. :-) And we just bought a big container of plain almonds...I love almonds (and I use almond extract when I bake sometimes). I love baked sweet potatoes...not the stuff at Thanksgiving with the marshmallows. Anyway, my eating style NEEDS work. But that's why I'm here. Hoping to get some ideas. (and hoping to find out if Hip Hop Abs actually work...which should be to me within the week.)