Posts by elizabeth2008

I'm back- I have not been checking in here for about the last week or so. I fell off the wagon somewhat too, got very lazy the past week, no exercise! Don't ask why because I am not sure.  So..I will catch up on all your journals. Seems like it is taking me forever to get to the ten pounds lost mark. Not sure I want to weigh in over the next few days.

Liz

Does anybody have any new prepared foods they have tried and liked?

 For example, my breakfast often includes the Weight Watchers Bagel (plain)- 150 calories or Quaker Simple Harvest Oatmeal, (multigrain ceral actually but its oatmeal if you ask me)- one package is 160 calories. Both are pretty good for a low cal breakfast.

During the week, I rely on quick things for breakfast or lunch, prepping for dinners is enough!

Liz 

I make up baggies of cereal like Fiber One or Total and pack up 50 or 100 calories worth. Eat that slowly with lots of water.

I am trying to find a mindset that helps me resist eating anything at all....its really difficult for me and no real success there yet. Are you an ex-smoker? Just curious. I am and I think that used to fill the need to eat. I hope I never go back to it because it is so self destructive but I wonder if we are all wired in a similar way.

Hey, thanks everybody for being so nice about my rant.

And congrats to Ro. Your success is very encouraging!!!

I have to say one thing though- since I started here I have not had any emotional eating binges! That alone is a breakthrough for me.

I am going to try to drop FIVE pounds by the end of month. Thats eighteen days away starting tomorrow. I will weigh and measure everything so I am absolutely sure about portion size. I will workout every night for at least 30 minutes. I am dropping to 1200 calories a day  (from 1300) and will try to stay under that.

If we have any mild days, I am going to try and get outside for a run. Running outside is definitely tougher than the treadmill. And somehow it makes me feel better. Of course, we are having wind driven snow here at the moment. Tomorrow is supposed to be ten degrees out. Stupid %*&% winter!

If anyone wants to join me in this quasi challenge I would love to have you along. It's important I push myself alittle and not become complacent. I am hoping for a summer at my ideal weight and would love to make that a reality.

I love the support you guys lend and it makes a big difference- THANK YOU.

Have a great week.

Liz

I'm here to complain. Why is losing weight so difficult at my age (47)? I was feeling all proud of myself because I was working at this so hard so I got on the scale. Nothing! The same!

Grrrr!!! Do I have to go on the Bobby Sands diet or what? (For those who don't remember...Bobby Sands went on a hunger strike, in prison , I think.... many years ago. Dead or alive I bet I outweigh him now (he's either dead or 90 years old by now!)

I am thinking of having just a protein shake for supper and going to  1000 cals a day till the end of February.

Seriously, I'm not going to quit or do anything crazy but this is ridiculous!!

Good morning all.

Cheryl- thank you for your response to my last post, it was very helpful. Your description of your efforts to lose weight as "fragile" made alot of sense to be. You are right!

Like everyone here, I am sincere about wanting to lose the weight and keep it off- and clearly that means a complete lifestyle change. I am committed to that and stopping is not an option for me either.

I have spent far too many days feeling bad about myself because I am overweight and my nice clothes don't fit anymore.

My weight loss is averaging a pound a week since I started here. (I checked it this AM as I was pretty sure I would not get bad news...and I didn't). 

But lets face it, a pound a week required ALOT of work. Gone are the days weight loss was easy! Strict diet, lots of exercise....I mean c'mon! No wonder much of middle aged America is overweight.

I shall find a way to cope with social occasions. Not sure what at this moment, but I need to find some ways!

It is so interesting...eating is a behavior that objectively is completely under our control...no one is literally putting food in our mouths. But social pressures, temption,and emotions get so tangled up in it.

Liz

Monday indeed. Hello to new members kkelli7 and Niky, you'll like it here.

I have been off track since Thursday last week. Had alot of social obligations and running around to do. Not good for the diet and exercise regime- although I am happy I ate reasonably.Reasonable does not mean 1200 calories. No exercise though. I decided it better to wait a week on the weigh-in; I would rather rather not know if I had a setback, too depressing.

Back to my food log and my exercise. Let's all have a great week. (Ironically- as I type this they are making an overhead announcement at work- some celebration of something and CAKE will be served. ) Geesh!

No cake for me, I'm going to spend 20 minutes going up and down the stairwells for break!!

Liz

I just happened accross this post on a weight loss forum. It addresses slow metabolism and weight loss. Very interesting!

Hi! I had nearly 100 lbs to lose, and have been losing very slowly, so I decided to see a Nutritionist for advice. I've averaged 1 lb. a week or less ever since the 2nd month here, doing all I'm supposed to do- including heavy weights and walking, etc.

This is a laboriously copied hand-out that was given to me by this professional Nutritionist/Dietitian/RN as an aid to help me lose better with my slow loss rate. She was very happy with my current loss-rate, as very healthy and likely to be more successful over time, as it caused me to learn new habits for a longer period of time vs. a fast loss that might not teach me how to maintain or sustain my losses. Her experience was that slow was more lasting, which is what I want! However, she understood my desire to try to lose a healthy 2 lbs. a week if I could, while I still have about 65 lbs. to go. I understand slowing down as I lose... but not so soon, lol!!!

This is copied word-for-word from her, not me, so please don't take offense at her strong feelings! I seriously wanted help, and paid for it as a sacrifice at this time for my resources, and I wanted to share the advice I received with anyone else who is frustrated like I was. I added a few thoughts, and marked them with (*...) so it is clear, I hope, that it is me at those points.

I may have a slow metabolism and/or a low-acting thyroid, she agreed, but understood that I couldn't afford testing at this time. As long as I am still losing, she said I'm fine. Also, as my metabolism is probably slow-as proven by over 6 months of low loss rates- I'm not burning as many calories as the burn rate tools here say for me, so my true deficit is guess-work. She wants me to get a heart rate monitor to help me with this. As long as I'm not losing over 2 lbs. a week and eating 1200 calories or more daily, I won't be in danger of starvation mode- which was a major reason for my visiting her. That really troubled me- and hindered me from increasing the cardio she has now said I should increase. As CC has taught me so much already, cardio was the only real change she could tell me to make! Now I can, without fearing a over-sized deficit or starvation mode, as long as I am sensible, of course!!!

CC got GOOD GRADES!!!!

I don't know if this will fit in the text allowance, yet, so I'll see what happens when I try to post it!!!

Here is the 4 pages, 3 hours of typing, labor-of-love!

Burn Fat Faster!

ONE or TWO meals a day is a disaster. If you haven't been eating at least three times a day, you are causing serious damage to your metabolism.

True, calories count. But the amazing thing about eating frequently is that IT MAKES YOU BURN MORE CALORIES! Five or six meals a day accelerates your body's natural rate of burning.

If skipping meals is the cardinal sin of fat burning and muscle building nutrition, then skipping breakfast is a capital crime suited for the death penalty! And yet "everybody" is doing it! When I analyze nutrition programs for my clients, one of the most common errors I see is skipping breakfast or eating it late, around 10:00 a.m. or even later. "I don't have time" is usually the excuse justifying this unforgivable blunder. ( She's REALLY TOUGH on this, isn't she!!!) Let's take a close look at the devastating impact this lack of planning and discipline has on your fat loss efforts:

If you're still not convinced yet that eating six times a day is worth the effort, then this ought to hammer the point home for you: Here are the seven reasons why frequent meals of the proper quantity and quality will turn your body into a turbo-charged fat burning machine!

1. Frequent eating speeds up your metabolism due to the thermic effect of food.
2. Frequent meals prevent binges and control cravings.
3. Frequent meals help maintain high energy levels by regulating blood sugar and insulin levels.
4. Frequent meals are ANABOLIC: They help promote muscle growth by regulating insulin levels and providing a steady flow of amino acids into muscle cells. (*This may be why she said I could grow muscle, and encouraged me to maintain my heavy weight lifting efforts!, though I'm in a calorie deficit- but, I do believe it can't be much muscle growth?)
5. Frequent meals are ANTI-CATABOLIC: they help promote muscle growth by preventing muscle breakdown (you stay in positive nitrogen balance).
6. Frequent eating promotes better utilization of nutrients.
7. Eating smaller meals more frequently reduces fat storage through portion control.

* whew! I'm NOT a typist, lol! *

The perfect meal size

Ok, so now you know all the reasons why you must never skip meals and why you must eat small meals every three hours. The next question is, "What is the definition of a small meal?" Well, if you've done your calorie calculations already then this is very easy to figure out.

On average, the optimal intake to lose fat is about 2400-2500 calories per day for men and 1500-1600 for women. (* I was recommended 1200 here at CC and by the Nutritionist, as I am 45 and small framed, usually sedentary, so she said adjust these figures to 1200 calories for me, and agreed with my 1350 +/- on my gym days. Adjust as you need to for your own calorie level.) Naturally if you are a serious athlete or bodybuilder with high activity levels, these calories will be higher. To get your ideal calorie intake per meal is easy; simply divide your total daily calories by the number of meals you are aiming for (preferably five or six).

Men:

Average optimal caloric intake for fat loss=2400

Desired number of meals=5 or 6

Target calorie intake per meal=400 to 800 calories per meal

Women:

Average optimal caloric intake for fat loss=1500

Desired number of meals=5

Target caloric intake per meal=300 calories per meal

(* She loved my mid-morning Fiber One cereal mixed with 7 raw 'chunked' almonds and a Tbsp. of dried fruit for about the ideal 150 calories snack. With my 1200 calorie level, 150 for a snack is what she recommended for me.)

As you can see, these are fairly small meals. Now let's take a look at the calorie contents of some sample meals you might encounter while eating out:

• Big Mac and large fries=980 calories
• Denny's Grand Slam Breakfast=1100 calories
• Porterhouse steak, steak-house size portion (one pound)=1150 calories
• Spaghetti with tomato sauce, restaurant serving a93 1/2 cups)=850 calories
• Medium movie theater popcorn with butter=1100 (*Wow!)
• Chinese/Kung Pau chicken with rice (1 order)=1620 calories (*Wow!!!)

The problem is obvious: Most people are over-eating, big-time! (And these examples aren't even including drinks or desserts.) An average restaurant meal, whether we're talking steak, breakfast, Italian, Chinese, or fast food, can easily top 1000 calories. An average sized meal for fat loss is 300 calories for women and 400 calories for men, based on five or six meals per day, respectively. Even if you have a large frame and you're highly active, the upper end of the calorie range for fat loss is usually around 400 for women and 550 for men. Your objective is to never, ever eat huge meals- not even on a "cheat day." It's permissible to enjoy cheat foods occasionally in small amounts, but NEVER binge or stuff yourself-EVER! Always spread out those calories! (* Wanna eat the whole cake??? I guess you need to freeze it and take at least a week/month/year? One small piece at a time...lol!!! She's SERIOUS!!!)

>>> Taper your calories: Make breakfast your largest meal and dinner your smallest.

Although these "average" caloric amounts were divided evenly in each meal, there's one small adjustment that can increase your fat loss even further; it's called "calorie tapering." There's an old saying, "Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince and dinner like a pauper." This arrangement of meals from largest to smallest is wise advice. The typical eating pattern of the average American is; no breakfast or skimpy breakfast like a bagel or doughnut, then a big lunch, usually fast food or cafeteria food, concluding with a huge dinner and a late night snack. (* ouch!)

>>> Start eating early in the day and eat your last meal at least two or three hours before bedtime.

Ideally, you should begin eating early (6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. or earlier), so you can fit in five or six meals and your last meal falls two to three hours prior to going to sleep. If you sleep in and miss your first meal, or wait until late morning or early afternoon to start eating, you're leaving a gaping hole between meals. This gap can be 16-20 hours long if you haven't eaten since six or seven the night before. This sends you into starvation mode and causes an incredibly catabolic (muscle-wasting) state. Yes, this means you must become a morning person if you're not one already. (* pitiful wail!!! I'm a 'Night-owl!!!') Brian Tracy, one of the world's leading experts on personal achievement said, "In my studies of successful people over the years, I have never found any highly successful person who was a late riser." Get up early and start eating early! (* snif! )

So, with our slight adjustment for a smaller evening meal and a larger first meal, our sample day might look like this:

Men/2400 calories/six meals:

• Meal 1: 500
• Meal 2: 400
• Meal 3: 400
• Meal 4: 400
• Meal 5: 400
• Meal 6: 300

Women/1500 calories/5 meals:

• Meal 1: 375
• Meal 2: 300
• Meal 3: 300
• Meal 4: 300
• Meal 5: 225

* Me/1200 calories/5-6 meals:

• Meal 1: 300
• Meal 2: 150
• Meal 3: 300
• Meal 4: 150
• Meal 5: 300 or split into a meal and a snack=300
• Meal 6: 150 for gym days, protein shake

>>>Maintain a consistent eating pattern seven days a week

Consistency is the hallmark of all people who successfully lose body fat and keep it off. Because most people work on a regular schedule Monday through ?Friday, it's often easier to follow the meal frequency guidelines on the weekdays. On weekends, it's tempting to sleep in, miss meals or fall off your regular schedule.

>>> How snacking fits into the fat loss-eating plan

Most people's snacks of choice are refined carbohydrates and fatty foods such as crackers, cookies, candy, muffins, potato chips and pretzels. This is largely because "carbo snacks" are so readily available (it's not like you can grab a chicken breast or Salmon steak at the checkout counter of a convenience store!) Eating "carb snacks" by themselves is not a good idea. On the fat loss-eating plan, usually you won't want snacks because you'll be eating meals so often that hunger and cravings between meals will be a thing of the past. If you make healthy choices and stay within your calorie limits, snacks are perfectly acceptable if you want them. Some of the best snacks include fruit, raw vegetables (carrots, celery, cauliflower, etc.), nuts and seeds (in small quantities) non-fat or low-fat cottage cheese and non-fat or low-fat sugar free yogurt.

>>> Transition gradually into five or six meals a day if you find frequent eating difficult.

If you find it too difficult to eat five or six meals a day right from the start, you may need to use a transitional period. If you've only been eating two or three times a day, there's a simple way to get started on the habit of frequent eating: Continue to eat your three full meals per day, properly combined with a lean protein and a complex carbohydrate. Then simply add two or three snacks; one in between each full meal.

Transitional menu plans

Men/2400 calories/six meals

• Meal 1: 575 (breakfast)
• Meal 2: 225 (snack)
• Meal 3: 500 (lunch)
• Meal 4: 450 (mid aftern. meal)
• Meal 5: 425 (dinner)
• Meal 6: 225 (evening snack)

Women/1500 calories/5 meals

• Meal 1: 400 (breakfast)
• Meal 2: 175 (mid morning snack)
• Meal 3: 400 (lunch)
• Meal 4: 175 (mid aftern. snack)
• Meal 5: 350 (dinner)

(* adjust to your own calorie level!)

A "snack" such as a piece of fruit, is only 60-110 calories, and does not by itself constitute a full meal by the standards of this program(it's not a full "meal" without protein). However, it does get you into the habit of eating frequently, and that would be a start. (Snacks such as non-fat cottage cheese or non-fat yourt with a scoop of protein powder would provide more calories and a solid serving of protein). As you get accustomed to eating more often, you can progress to four full meals and finally to the more effective habit of eating five or six meals, each containing a lean protein and a complex carbohydrate.

FAT BURNING AND FITNESS TIPS

• Increase aerobic activity (cardio) for at least 30-45 minutes, 5-7 days a week! Increase your intensity in spurts during your work-out for even more fat burning powder.
• Watch less T.V. and do less of other hobbies that require you to sit on your behind, especially if you have a desk job. (* Lol!!! Typing this has taken me over 2 hours now!)
• Use metabolism-stimulating exercise such as weight training exercises that utilize large muscle groups like the back and legs. High rep compound leg exercises (squats, lunges, leg presses, etc.) are particularly effective for this purpose.
• Restrict refined carbohydrates (i.e. white bread, white rice, sugar, chips, cookies, cake, etc.), and eat more whole grain products. (i.e. whole grain bread, brown rice, oatmeal, barley, whole wheat pasta, and other whole grain products. Kashi makes good whole grain cereals, granola bars, and other whole grain products).
• Be consistent and persistent. You must be very consistent and diligent in eating and exercise habits 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Going on and off diet and exercise programs will never work for you to achieve your goals. Make it become a part of your lifestyle. Even if it takes you longer to lose weight than others, stick with it. Remember, patience is a virtue that you must cultivate!

I hope this helps!!! I'm working for a Happy, Healthy New Year!!! Wooo Hooo!!! Love CC!!!!

Sincerely, 2beittybitty

Edited: Tried to fix goofs and spelling, lol!

My current favorite are Get Ripped with Jari Love. Nice intro to weights and still challenging. I just did Brand New Butt with Janis Saffell (don't laugh, a new butt would be great!) and enjoyed that too.

I own alot of Cathe but am really not ready for her yet.

I also have a few Beachbody DVD's; Kempo X (from the Power X program is great for a cardio day. (BTW-I did the Power 90X workouts for four months and I hated them. Very difficult and I started to dread working out. KempoX is the only I recommend, look for it on Ebay). Regular Power 90 is good too, I love Tony Horton and it goes by quickly.

Slim in 6 is good too but tough on the knees over time.

If you want to read customer reviews of just about any exercise DVD's go to

www.collagevideo.com.  Great website, they sell DVD

I am SO glad I found this Forum! After reading the posts here, I do not feel so alone with my struggle to control my stress eating...and my weight! 

Being here gives me so much motivation!

Liz

Hi All-

I'll be 47 next month and have 20-25 pounds to lose.

I have been struggling to lose weight for two years now but with no lasting success. If I even start to overeat, I go right into all or nothing thinking...."oh well, you blew it so might as well keep going!" Its usually (negative) emotions that trigger my eating.

The food log has been a BIG help and forces me to think about what I am eating and to remember portions. No more binging!

I just started here and would love to find some friends for support. I need to do this right!