Clean Eating Challenge

Ok, there seems to be a mysterious condition going around that is causing sabotage to our eating. I know I'm not alone here when I admit that my eating this past little while leaves a lot to be desired, causing slight weight gain after such hard work to lose it.

I also know, that I am the same person who was practically flawless in my eating for like almost 90 days straight, so I know I can get ahold of this - who's with me?? 

There is no deadline for sign-ups, anyone can join at any time!!

All you have to do is check in once a week (at least) & let us know how you're doing. If/when you "cheat", simply let us know & I will restart your start date.

A cheat is defined as whatever a cheat would mean to you personally, whether it be going over your calories, bingeing, not eating enough, too many treats, etc. We all know when we've cheated, so just be honest with yourself

Let's be honest with each other & keep each other eating clean k? The PRIZE to the winner? Well that's easy - weight loss!!!!!!!!! (or maintenance for those at that stage!) Let's do this!

Dee

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Here's the list of all signed up & the new rules:
(let me know if I missed you)

If you lose your mind & cheat, just let me know. Then you can re-start from the next day. I'll simply unbold your name, along with updating your new start date.

After being clean for a week after a re-start, I'll re-bold your name. So you always have a chance to feel like you are succeeding. 

Also, if you just don't feel like you want to partake in the challenge anymore, can you let me know so I can remove your name from the list? Thanks!!

Anyone not checking in for one week (December 25 - December 31) will be removed from the challenge.

Good luck all! People's names in bold have been going the longest or have not restarted for at least a week - way to go!!!!!!!!

1. cerhiunnhn - hiatus Jan 30
2. chanb73 - Dec 10 - 3rd Place, Congrats!!!!! 
3. deejlb - Oct 27  - 1st Place, Congrats!!!!! 
4. emmylou - Dec 17
5. ewwxroflzz - Dec 9 - 2nd Place, Congrats!!!!!  
6. healthnut24 - Dec 15
7. jennlett - Dec 14 
8. madronam - Dec 15
9. nancy1967 - hiatus
10. s57chevy - Dec 17 
11. shadowmystika - Dec 20
12. skinnyogi - Dec 18

I think I'd like to be off the challenge list; I'm already in two other challenges.

Clean today. it's getting so much easier. I LOVE FRUIT

I cannot believe the weekend is almost over and I have done it.  This will be the first time in weeks, no months,  that I will not have to face a 3+ gain on Monday only to spend the rest of the week getting back down.   I went to the movies today (Spiderman 3) and ate an apple.  I even held the M & M's in my hand and did not indulge.  

I have a question,  if you exercise, do you eat additional calories to make up what you burn?  I run, like yesterday 4 mi and used about 500 calories and still ate same.  I do this about 6X a week.  I was so starving all day, really bad.  If so do you lose as well.  I am trying to eat 1200 cal a day.

Just got my 5K run in for the day & finished meal # 2 - yum! I love eating a high carb meal right after a run!!!

piecesofme - mmmm, I LOVE eating a 1/2 cup serving of ice cream! Most are only 110 cals for 1/2 cup, even the yummy kinds. Hey, maybe I"ll buy some today to ration out as a treat. I wonder if I will have self-restraint to control that? I usually just keep treats that I don't LOVE in the house, that way I know I'll jsut have one!! Hmmmm, what kind shoudl I get??? Oh and I'll put it in the big deep freeze in the garage that way I don't see it every time I open the fridge freezer. Way to budget for the pizza.

pompey- sure no problem. I know, there's a lot of challenges on here & it's hard to keep 'em all straight sometimes! Good luck on your weight loss!!!

rezaiasl - fruit is yummy. I'm so glad it's getting so much easier!! I agree!

Dee

lrschwarze - oh, you must've posted when I did!  I'm so proud of you for doing so well this weekend, even at the movies with M&Ms in your hands!!!


I personally do NOT eat additional calories to make up what I burn. To me it just does not make sense. I also eat 1200 a day, I do a workout dvd in the morning (ranging from 40-55 mins depending which one I do), I also run 5K 3 or 4 times a week, I ride my horse for at least an hr at a time everyday that it's nice & on days when I don't run, I walk my dogs at least half an hour.


So far I haven't found myself to be really hungry feeling. But I also do take in a good amount of carbs, especially after a run, I make sure that that's my high carb meal. It seems to fuel me really well.
Some people just can't do 1200, they're just too hungry, so maybe try 1300. But the greatest thing I love about the 1200 range is the rate at which I lose. I've lost 41lbs since Jan 25/07, That's just over 3 months.


Hope you can figure out the # of cals that can still give you fuel and let you lose too!!

Dee

'm in my problem is I eat something thinking it is say 100 calories then I find out it is 200 with 8g of FAT

I'm going to keep working at it though. AND I promise not to eat anything wrong (On purpose)

Ahh well I fell off the wagon.  Actually I kinda jumped... it started with a sip of beer from hubbys can... then another sip, then I wanted my own can of beer....  And I thought about this challenge and I didn't care that I was ruining it. Sometimes I just want potato chips damnit!

I think the reason I fail is because I'm trying to restrict myself too much.

Dee:  Thanks!!  I will be sticking with your plan for sure!!!  I am not so hungry today, but it is my rest day.  I was also pms yesterday-so that could have also accounted for the hunger.  I am going to stick with between 1200-1300 and see how that works.  Scale is moving nicely so that sounds like a plan!!

sharkbev- Welcome, I'll add you.

annah - the idea here is not to restrict yourself, but to just control getting outta control. If it's normal for you to have a beer & a handful of chips, then that's acceptable for you. But stop at say, one beer & one handful of chips, not a six pack & a whole bag.

Cuz you're absolutely right, if we restrict ourselves too much we will fail. But the most important thing is what we do after we have too much of something or get off track. So start over girl.

This challenge is just to help us all think about what we eat before we eat it. And ask ourselves: a) do I really need this? and b) do I really want this, and hopefully make the best decision for you.

I'll reset your date if you still want to be a part of this. Let me know.

lrschwarze - you're welcome girl. I was pms-ing the day b4 I started this challenge, so I was in that "gotta eat everything in sight" mode too. I'm gonna try to watch the calendar & attempt to prepare myself for next month & see if I can fight the hormonal-outta-control-want-to-eat-everthing urges! Hey if we can say no then, we can say  no anytime!!

Good luck sticking with 12-1300. I hope it works for you! Happy the scale is moving nicely

Dee

But who can stop at one handful of chips?? That just leavings me hanging out for more.  I get stuck in that mindset that I've now ruined the day so theres no point in being good for the rest of the day I may as well eat whatever I want.  How do I overcome that?

Like I said, I DID think about this challenge before I ate those chips.. and I didn't care. Why not? I don't know..

I'm currently on a 200-300 cals every 3 hours diet, and I was appalled when I learned my mother planned on cooking buttery, empty-calorie coated, sauce-covered fish (220 cals/piece), and bread, and vegetables SWIMMING in butter (my mother has a love affair with butter), and dessert.

So I offered to cook dinner, and ended up giving them 400 calories of grilled shrimp, a small portion of enriched pasta with a little olive oil, and a heaping load of grilled veggies of all sorts.  Gave myself a smaller portion, problem solved!

My dad's eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he saw the mountain of food before him, I could tell he was thinking "I thought she wanted us to eat less, not more!" so I told him how much he was eating...

Healthy foods is the way to go!  He  felt comfortably full and not hungry for extra food (like dessert) after, and he's obese.

Crisis averted!  With any luck I can get my parents (or at least my dad) to start eating healthier!

Well almost made it through the weekend.  Not as clean as other days today, but still clean.  I just couldn't bring myself to be a hard-a** on a Sunday.  Did light yoga, and still came out w/ a couple hundred cal deficit, so good to go.  Day 8 tomorrow, and ready to be a hard-a** again ^_^.

annah - you know, if we knew the answer to that question, no one would be fat.! lol! I think it just comes down to a matter of choice, it's that simple. I think mentally, we are more motivated by instant gratification, and the satisfaction of tasting it and it making us feel good, that we eat it. Rather than the reward that we will "eventually" get down the road (weight loss) by saying no to it.

I mean the good thing is that you thought about the challenge. This time, you didn't care, but next time maybe you will.

Next time, just budget some chips into your day. Or go out of your way to find a lower cal, baked chip that you can eat more of & feel more satisfied. I just love the baked tortilla chips you can get, they're high in sodium but they taste just like normal ones to me, esp. when you dunk 'em in salsa!! Yum!

Amost missed a meal today. I'm gonna have to eat my salad a bit late, cuz now I'm full from eating my 4:30 meal at 7! yikeS!!!

Might pick up some ice cream in town today to have as one of my treats in a day. 1/2 cup is usually 110 cals, that's lower than my granola bars I like to have each day at 140-150 cals.

cerhiunnhn - wow! sounds like you're making some positive changes in your family! Good for you for showing them you can eat better & have more!!

k8ly - phew, close call! Congrats on day 8!!

Dee

Well I am thinking I need to be taken off. I was having an EXCELLENT 8th day! I drove to Detroit to pick up my Grandma to visit my uncle in the hospital. I took a protein shake and a Luna bar for the road, and TONS of water! But then I went to long between the snacks and dinner. Grandma took me out! I ordered salmon, a baked potato, and broccoli! Sounds good so far....but then I lost my mind and was starving and ordered a side salad with.....BLUE CHEESE AND FRENCH DRESSING!!! EWWWWW!!!! I ate about 1/3 of each on the salad and did not finish it! But that dressing is definatly not a part of any clean eating! I drove home and ended my day with a Fat Free yogurt and a little low fat cottage cheese! I also ended up drinking 124 oz's of water! So what do you think DEEJB? Did I blow it? I ended up around 1600 calories for the day! You decide, am I in or out?

Clean weekend for me.. Right now I am working on trying to figure out if starch is something I should be eating at dinner time..  I normally eat it at every meal except dinner.  But once a month my husband works the day shift so is home for dinner.. Thus i've been eating a starch for like a week and noticed a 1.6pound gain!  So this will be an interesting experiment.

Clean today but it was close - I threw everything off a little bit with a little vodka & limeade this afternoon.  Just one, and it was small, but that's still a lot of calories that are good for nothing at all!  Made tofu pad thai for dinner with loads of veggies and it worked out ... plus I have plenty for leftovers tomorrow.

Day 7, done!!  I'm going to finish my tea, and head off to bed.  Although I'm doing well, I caught myself thinking bad thoughts, a couple times today. 

If it weren't for this challenge, and the support of others, I'm sure I would have cheated. 

Must be pms setting in - cravings, craving, cravings - any suggestions on how to beat them?!?

you guys are great!! this is a lot of fun. i love reading your posts out loud to my fiance while he's reading the news paper. startches are very important if your exercising and it depends on your philosophy of diet etc, pro cyclists are very lean and eat nothing but pasta and potatoes. so, never cut things out... add things like exercising. choose something that you enjoy. don't do it to lose weight... do it to maintain a healthy life. moderation is the key in everything we do. my  favorite activities are yoga, biking, swimming, running, hiking, water sports, walking, and working out in the gym. the best part is since i do so much my calorie intake is about 1900. but, i don't obsess over it. the hardest thing for me is to rest. that's a very important part of your routine. we all need to stick together and be happy about our smart choices. i like the story about your mom loving the butter, my mom is exactly the same way. she's from the midwest.. i guess that's what they do in dairy land. have a good day everyone.                      

lesli 

i ate a slice of pizza while out! thin crust, itty bitty piece of so NOT WORTH IT calories.  I'm approximating the pizza against pizza huts thin crust, so it was about 210 calories.  LAME day, frusterating.  I got an A on my nutrition and did not go over my calories.  So I'm still clean.  Yay me!

But must I mention I HATE it when people point out how much food I am eating as though it is not enough.  And when I denyed the ice cream cake, please do not shout 'shes on a diet, hehehe' ever again!  stupid soon to be mother in law.

you guys are great!! this is a lot of fun. i love reading your posts out loud to my fiance while he's reading the news paper. startches are very important if your exercising and it depends on your philosophy of diet etc, pro cyclists are very lean and eat nothing but pasta and potatoes. so, never cut things out... add things like exercising. choose something that you enjoy. don't do it to lose weight... do it to maintain a healthy life. moderation is the key in everything we do. my  favorite activities are yoga, biking, swimming, running, hiking, water sports, walking, and working out in the gym. the best part is since i do so much my calorie intake is about 1900. but, i don't obsess over it. the hardest thing for me is to rest. that's a very important part of your routine. we all need to stick together and be happy about our smart choices. i like the story about your mom loving the butter, my mom is exactly the same way. she's from the midwest.. i guess that's what they do in dairy land. have a good day everyone.                      

lesli