Posts by ainla

I really agree: this is not tragic. get a grip. step away from the scale!!

With all your activity you could have gained muscle and pms and a flight can pack a mean punch but it's not real. so calm down. take a deep breath. you probably look great, well rested. healthy from taking in such a rich vacation. Enjoy how you look and feel and the trip you just finished!

Drink water, get back on schedule with sleep. take a brisk walk. take a bath with salts. watch tele. Wear only flattering cloths for the next week. When you feel you are starting to bash yourself. STOP. Think of 3 kind things to say to yourself. And try helping someone else or listen/learn about someone else (as a way to get out of your particular emotion). Don't beat yourself up for being so sad and overwhelmed, just don't let that part run the show. It's not smart -- like getting on the scale so soon...

Good luck and feel better!!!

It was good you reached out to people to get support.

ok I'm going to sound like the anti cc person but I was experiencing your pain but after 6 months. I was exercising a lot, walking every day and elip. 3 x plus weight lifting. no results. ugh. I went to a nutritionist finally. I was so glad I did b/c I thought I was crazy + people must have thought I was eating in my sleep. With her instructions I had one week of eating whatever 2400+ and maintaining my exercise load. After that week of eating dangerously I was up .5 lb! Then she reduced my calories to 1600. She called it restting my metabolism. I need that again!! But I was able to lose slowly with her help and using cc as a guide, 7 lbs in 4 months.

So I don't know...I guess I would consider you could be eating too little. There are many pros now who tweak your intake up to yield better results. And as far as walking is concerned, I think it's great. My friend lost 20 lbs by watching her calories but mostly by walking. I love it bc I do it every day, rain or shine. I like a habit I can maintain and incorporate into my lifestyle not something I'll do just to get results and then drop. Good luck!

I can really relate. When I consider how slow it's been for me to lose weight I could cry.  But I think you should really feel proud of your efforts recently and over the years. It sounds like you have really changed your habits and made some really good ones. So bravo.

regarding the resetting, I just had a week of eating 2600 (and only gained less than 1lb). Then I went on a reduced intake 1800 b/c I'm breast feeding. I had to bring it down to 1600 to get any results and they were very sluggish but in the right direction.

Is your water consumption based on thirst or something you do b/c you know it's good for you? Just curious.

If you really feel you are stuck, I would recommend going to a nutritionist if you can afford it. They can check your thyroid and do metabolic testing in case you think something is off. But it sounds like you are on the right track. Keep it up!

Hi It sounds like you are in really good shape to lose the weight for your mexican trip. You seem to be doing everything right,  so congratulations!

Just when looking at your example meal, I thought I would add that I also agree the rice amount was too high and I would think you would need at least a whole chicken breast yourself. I would personally use brown rice (and not the instant or quick cook kind), omit the mushroom soup, add a fresh vegetable like broccoli or something green. 

Good luck!

I'm totally sick today so my goal is to get through today with my baby. I have to watch her and I'm really in bad shape. I'm going to stay in my caloric zone and depending on how I feel, I may go for a quick walk but I may coddle myself and nap when she does and try to watch movies.

I eat sweets every day. Yogurt with honey and berries. But if I've been active and am on a losing path, I can't say no to some extra chocolate and/or a real dessert. I could eat sweets all the time now and I used to hate them. Have you guys heard about the MUFA diet? You incorporate dark chocolate and other good fats to help jump start the metabolism and lose belly fat?  I find it's hard to have some chocolate though. I do better just avoiding it.

excellent job! you should be so proud! keep up the good work. what do you do now to maintain all your hard efforts? what is your plan?

Wow- I can so relate to this thread, sadly. It's really great to be able to hear someone else though. I agree, keep reading CC and keep asking for help. I think you need time to yourself too. Do you like to go walking? That would be great if you could do that as soon as you get home? You sound pretty busy but I think clearing your head would be good and grounding. I wish you the best of luck. It will work for you if you take things slowly and nurture yourself. Try to think about what you are taking in and why. I try to slow down and when I get a little out of control, try to take a time out and reevaluate. And really just take a walk, even if you don't feel like it. And maybe try writing a gratitude journal? I know it's natural to beat yourself up but maybe try to have the slant be different and more positive. Also, regarding 3000 calories, I would suggest going down to 2200 and adding a walk in and seeing how you feel there. Just a thought.

I love oatmeal too, make steel cut oats every morning. I think it's delicious.

I also love a roasted sweet potato plain. Greek yogurt 0% with berries and honey. good luck!

My baby is now 5.5 months old. It seemed I never had enough receiving blankets during the first few weeks and then they were all outgrown.

she would have loved the MIRACLE BLANKET. we got it too late for her. I also like these baths they have which are upright tubs so the baby just sits in it. very cool.

We got a mustela set of shampoos and ointments - they were great. She really likes the wipe warmers too. She hated getting her diaper changed. Now we are on cloth and she doesn't cry any more?

a large boppy would have been good (from the pump station) Breast pump. I was spoiled. she got an organic mattress. classic baby books.

are you going to log your exercise separately? I think in terms of exercise you are doing a very EXCELLENT job. Congratulations! I would list you as moderate if you were not going to list exercise separately. Even if you did add the exercise as you do it, I would still think you are moderately active with cleaning, the gentle bike ride and preparing food.

wow I feel like a big loser and not in the good way. I gained 60 lbs. and had lost 35 by the time I got home. After 4 mo, I have only lost 10. I feel a bit upset when I hear you talking about it being so slow when you have lost 25 lbs in 4 mo. that's pretty fantastic! I would be so happy, over the moon...

I am walking 5 x per week and also doing cardio and weights 3 x per week. I feel good but I am still in preg cloths and it's a tiny bit disheartening. I didn't eat a ton when I was pregnant either. I ate healthy but I did eat more and I kept exercising every day. I felt great but I was big.

Is there anyone else who is in the same boat? I feel I would be lucky to lose the weight by one year. And I would have to sweat it and be on this site and working out a lot to even get there.

Does anyone think something is wrong with me? I mean my results are not the norm for this group. I'm almost 40 and I'm breastfeeding...

I think you sounds ideal for your height and weight -- just right. I agree though that it might be a good practice to start exercising. It feels good and it's healthy. I hope you don't start dieting. If you can avoid it and avoid getting too focused on it, you'll have a sane life!

I am eating 0% yogurt with coconut flakes, raspberries and a teaspoon of honey. so great!

This is better than reading epicurious. that was dangerous!

you're a really good friend! Maybe she is so new to this that she has the best of intentions but isn't imagining this as a sustainable lifestyle yet. It could take a while. I know it's natural for some people to pick up exercising and do it every day sometimes more than once a day only to drop it for months. Bummer. But what can you do? I'm glad my relationship to exercise if more steady. do you think she likes moving? Has she been able to see any improvement? again, you're a really nice friend.