Posts by leslieannroberts

I love the Hungry Girl cookbook too.  The recipes are quick, easy and a great way to make yourself a healthier "indulgence".  I also agree with clairelaine that I couldn't eat that way all the time.  That's why my other favorite book is Ellie Krieger's "The Food You Crave".  It is the polar opposite with an emphasis on all fresh ingredients.  Her recipes are also easy to make.   Between the two books, I'm very happy with my CC plan.  The link to Ellie's book is below:

http://www.amazon.com/Food-You-Crave-Luscious -Recipes/dp/1600850219/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&a mp;s=books&qid=1235701612&sr=8-1

gi-jane's advice is very good.  To use an alternate example, several years ago my mother (who was in her late 50s/early 60s at the time) started doing strength training in her home using simple hand weights and doing stretching exercies using a chair.  She also included a daily walk of 30 - 45 minutes.  She did no more than that.  Over time her body began to really tone up and her clothes started getting loser and fitting better.  She turned 70 last September and continues that same routine today.  If you saw her you wouldn't even come close to guessing her age.  She looks fantastic and is in great shape and her clothes are all cute and look wonderful on her.  She is a testament to how some simple in-home weight resistance can truly reshape your body.  I'd guess the weight routine takes her around 20 minutes tops.

I had a very unexpected benefit just this week.  The office I work in has a lot of security and you have to badge yourself in through a "circle lock" which is basically a booth you stand in and if you pass, the other door opens.   It measures your weight and gives you a % of your weight leeway either way in case you are carrying things in.

This past week I had finally lost enough that the circle lock told me the weight was invalid for my I.D. and I had to go to security and have it reset.  Excellent!

sammy, I've found that frozen food loses about one ounce when cooked.  So 4 ounces of frozen chicken turns into 3 ounces when it comes off the grill.  The other posters here are right, you should count the calories at their frozen state and not weigh out the same # of ounces after it cooks.   I've experimented with other foods as well - 14 ounces of frozen veg turned into 13 ounces after cooking.  Results may vary so weigh before and after to get a feel for it.

I'm eating similar to the rest of you.  I have a daily calorie range of 1250 - 1600.  This builds in a sort of natural zig zag and allows me flexibility.

For breakfast I have either Kashi Go Lean with Soy Milk and a piece of fruit; Thomas Lite English Muffin with 1 TBSP of PB and 1 tsp of sugar-free jelly and a piece of fruit; or the same muffin with light olive oil spread and a smoothy of 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup soy milk and a cup of frozen fruit.  They all work out to around 300 calories.

Mid-morning snack of one of the following: low-fat yogurt; 5 saltines with a wedge of laughing cow cheese; 1 oz mixed nuts; energy bar, etc.

I usually pack a mix of raw veggies for lunch such as snow peas, carrots, celery, sliced bell pepper - whatever I have and 1 Tbsp of low-fat ranch for dipping.  I keep a week's worth of Lean Cuisines or Amy's frozen meals and pick one of those.  They range from 260 - 400 calories plus veg and dip.  If I don't have a frozen meal, I bring a sandwich or chopped salad for lunch.

Afternoon snack is same is mid-morning choices.

In the evening I grill chicken, turkey, pork chop, or salmon and add a chopped salad and a starch like bread, couscous, rice, crackers, etc.

This is probably way more info than anyone wanted and there are a ton of variations but I stick mainly to this regemine.  If I have calories left in the evening I have a glass of red wine or a 100 calorie pack snack or a cup of sugar free pudding with a blob of sugar free Cool Whip.

After being back on CC for a couple of months I find I get hungry if I don't eat a little something every 3 - 4 hours, but I never feel hungry or deprived.

Shandy, it's not the surprise of the food itself, it's the realization of how many calories it represents.  Until I started really learning about the content of sauces, dressings, etc. I had no idea such a small amount could harbor so much fat, sodium and calories.  People who are new to calorie counting or never had to be concerned about it before would also be surprised.  Poll the average Joe/Jane on the street and ask them how many calories they think is in a tablespoon of ranch dressing or a 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar and I'd be willing to wager that they'd be off as well. 

We're all students of a healthier eating lifestyle and some of us are further along in our studies than others.   I would ask that you be more tolerant of the new kids in class and be a mentor rather than a mocker.

jojo, thank you so much for sharing your pictures.   I am always looking for the before/after pictures for inspiration and yours are truly inspiring.  You look beautiful and should be so proud!

Kata, I have to echo bigmommah's words - once in awhile, you'll find yourself tossed into a restaurant "situation".  It is only one meal and won't foul up your whole diet path. 

I've found that eating out is just too high-cal no matter where you're at.  If I am going out with friends, I do try - as you do, to find out nutrition info in advance.  If I can't do that, I assume the worst (calorie wise) and only eat half of whatever meal I order.  Eating half of your wrap meal would have been 600 cals instead of 1200 - more manageable, right?  I actually assume 1200 cals for a restaurant meal just to be safe.  The rest of the day I stick to fruits and veggies.

I love to have a glass of red wine or two with dinner or after some evenings.  Two 6-ounce glasses (6 ounces is the size of one of those mini-bottles from a wine 4-pack) is around 380 - 390 calories.   I find this is more than enough and it still allows me to eat 1200 calories of good things during the day. 

Most alcohol is around 60 - 80 calories an ounce.   Most drinks in a bar are 1 1/2 ounces.  The key is the mixer.  That's where a lot of your calories come from.   I either go for a martini or something with club soda.   Suprisingly, tonic is also high in calories - 80 cals for 8 ounces so a gin and tonic can end up costing you 200 calories.

Light beer is always a good choice too.  I have found this website very useful.  It lists calories for most popular alcoholic beverages.

http://www.drinksmixer.com/desca.html

Laura, I love that site too.  As a matter of fact, she has a brand new book out that I JUST received in the mail yesterday.  It is absolutely the best.  Not only does it have a ton of recipes, but lots of healthy tips sprinkled throughout.  I stayed up too late just reading it.  Highly recommended. Two sites like hers that I like are:

http://www.iateapie.net/    and  http://www.nutritiousjunk.com/