Any new members out there 47ish?

Just looking for a diet partner that is around my age. Have 25 lbs to loose and hate it. Mid life junk I'm sure.

Great to have you Sandy!  I;m 43 and my kids are 5 & 9.  You might be a great resource for me as mine get older.   Let us know when we can help anytime!

Hi all, I know I don't have time for another website and thanks for posting that. I'm doing pretty darn good. I did the scale thing today and I finally lost! l'm down to 184, that 6 lbs total and I believe its the gym that helped. I tried interval training as suggest by the excercise portion of this website and golly I like it. I did forty minutes on the treadmill last night alternating 3 minutes at speed 3 and 2 minutes speed 3.5 all at a 4 % incline. I can see this is going to work for me although I have to remember to do other things too, I've been neglecting my morning work out, just can seem to get up early enogh. I can do better on my H2O intake, I'm almost reaching my goal, but haven't hit it in couple days. I'm also doing pretty good at leaving something on my plate. I'm really aware of doing that and Betty thank you for the suggestion.

I haven't forgot about posting that chicken stew recipe, I just haven't had time. I write here a lot from work, and lately I've been too busy to check. I'll shoot for this weekend.

Hi to all the newcomers, you will find this too be a great place although Gardensue who started this thread, hasn't posted anything here since the begining.

Take care all and let's all make conscience decisions next week to lose, lose, lose.

take care, Theresa

Good Morning everyone, welcome Sandy.  Skinnyoldme the challenge just started  and I agree with Hasta it is never to late to make a change.  So Challenge Away... Glad you like your stickers Hasta have many more to give out...I think your idea of a tread bday is a great idea I'm in.

Skinnyoldme it takes time to get the weight off, as it took time to gain it.  I do understand what you are saying though, today was my weigh in day didn't loose one lb!!!! it is a bit hard since I upped my exercise and watched what I ate, Had only two glasses of wine all week ughhhhhhh... BUT I didn't gain any either so I guess my hard work is paying off in that respect.   So for me it is a start of a new week (I start on Fridays) and I will keep on trying.  You can do this just be patient and remember we are all here for you.

Went out to lunch yesterday with my Mom and had chicken and cashews at a Chinese restaurant mmmmmmmm... only ate half and only had 1/3 of the rice, and didn't eat the egg roll (I love egg rolls).  Made cream of broccoli soup last night didn't leave a thing just too good.... Have a great day everyone.  Betty

Congratulations Theresa I am so happy for you on your LOSS...  I think it is funny that everyone says hi to Gardensue since she started the tread and she hasn't been here since the beginning.  Look forward to trying your recipe. Betty

Heres the chick stew recipe, from the Food Network, Giada DeLarentice, the only thing I did different was used boneless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces and used french cut green beans instead of the Kidney beans.  Hope you enjoy.

 

Chicken Stew

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 stalks celery, cut into bite-size pieces
1 carrot, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 chicken breast with ribs (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
1 (15-ounce) can organic kidney beans, drained (rinsed if not organic)

Serving suggestion: crusty bread

 

Heat the oil in a heavy 5 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion. Saute the vegetables until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, basil, tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme. Add the chicken breasts; press to submerge.

Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently uncovered until the chicken is almost cooked through, turning the chicken breasts over and stirring the mixture occasionally, about 25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken breasts to a work surface and cool for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Add the kidney beans to the pot and simmer until the liquid has reduced into a stew consistency, about 10 minutes.

Discard the skin and bones from the chicken breasts. Shred or cut the chicken into bite- size pieces. Return the chicken meat to the stew. Bring the stew just to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the stew into serving bowls and serve with the bread.

Theresa

Room for one more? I'm 47, have 2 youngish kids (6 yo and 9 yo), and work full-time out of the house. I did Weight Watchers after the "baby weight" from my second child stoppped coming off (why yes, I did use pregnancy as a license to eat, why do you ask?) and was able to get to about 10 lbs below pre-pregnancy weight, the trimmest I've ever been as an adult.

Since then, however, I've put it all back on and then some. Somehow, managing all the aspects of my life got in the way of my taking good care of myself. I need to lose about 30 lbs to get down to my GW of 145 lbs.

I started my healthier eating plan about 2 weeks ago and have lost 6 lbs, and am starting a Weight Watchers at Work program next week. We have a fitness center at work, as well as a fitness manager who will sit down with folks to help them come up with a total fitness plan (talk about a workplace perk!), so I took advantage of that yesterday and will be working with her to come up with a workout regimen. I know I can do this (I did it before!), and am really looking forward to a healthier, happier me.

Well, I thought I better get my name into this "Forties" club before my time runs out (almost 49!).   I have about 25lbs to go before I reach my goal, and I think I need a little company and motivation to help get me there.  

Sorry, but no pictures of me will be posted until I reach my goal.  In the meantime, you'll notice a very handsome dog on my picture post.  He is my buddy and really my savior.  Without him I would have never started walking twice a day for 45 minutes to an hour each time.   This simple exercise called walking has helped me in other aspects of weight loss, such as maintaining a good diet and positive healthy outlook.   

Good luck to everyone who visits this post (including the mysterious Gardensue who started it all).

 

 

 

 

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!

Edited Dec 30 2007 02:04 by nycgirl
Reason: 12/30/07: Stickied

Hi and welcome to all newcomers.  Just joined on Jan 12 and this site has already helped me alot.  I am learning so much from reading your comments.  I have been on the weight loss merry-go-round since I was 12 yrs old (I'll be 50 in May) and this is the first time I have approached this challenge with a positive attitude.  Tomorrow is "weigh-day", so the next time you hear from me, I'll either be dancing a jig or singing the blues, but I'm not giving up.

Wow Liz I drank a whole cup of coffee while reading this hahahaha...  Thank you for posting it. 

I will say that I went over what I had been doing for the last month, thanks to logging in everything I could do that and one of the things I noticed is I was slacking in the breakfast department, exercise was okay.  I have NEVER been a breakfast eater EVER, so it is hard for me, did really good the first & second month on cc and this month not so good, soooooo maybe that is one reason why I haven't lost anything in two weeks.  I have always eaten a couple good snacks during the day so I would agree with what you wrote that you NEED to eat to keep your metabolism going.  I will say since I went to the 1200 calories a day I am less hungry so don't always grab for a snack.  I have tried to keep my meals within 300-400 each, half of breakfast (when I eat it) is coffee...

My goal from this day forward is to make sure I eat a good breakfast EVERY day and continue with the snacks.  Also, to follow Theresa and do more intense workouts on the treadmill.  thanks for the post it was very helpful. 

Left 4 bites of my chicken last night ate everything else, half a portion of rice, veggies, and a salad.   Have a good day all...Betty

Thank you elizabeth2008 for the long post. It had lots of very helpful information. I'm off to the airport tomorrow and you reminded me to pack my healthy snacks.

That long post was easy as it was just cut and paste. To think someone went to the trouble of typing all that in to share info...wow!

I made up little baggies of 100 calorie snacks....like 3/4 cup multi grain Total cereal today. My kid thinks I'm crazy.

I read somewhere on here a conversation about coffee. Now I am a big coffee lover and have two big mugs in the morning. I add a measured tablespoon to each (the container says its 35 calories a  tbsp. )

 My food log tells me black coffee is only 5 calories a cup. Is that correct? Please don't tell me that its alot more....

Liz

OK... drum roll please... LOL!!!!!!

I'm DOWN another 2.8 POUNDS this week!!!!!  And another inch in my waist!!!!!  OMgosh.... I think I'm going to faint!  LOL!!!  I've now LOST 25.6 POUNDS total!!!  This is soooooooo cool!!!!!  I kept doing all my same things I've been doing and just wouldn't give in to the temptation of "not exercising today", watched my calories, did my B12Lipo, drank my Protein Shake within an hour after I ate, drank my 64 ounces of water, and watched my sodium intake closer.

 I'm so excited!!!!!!  OK... breathe..... LOL!

The long post was very enlightening.  I knew that we are supposed to eat 5 or 6 meals a day but I didn't know that it mattered what the calorie content per each was so long and we stayed within the correct daily allowance.

I did weigh in this morning and was down 4.5 lbs.  Now doesn't that bring up a unique problem...too much weight lost.  Never happened to me before and doubt if it ever will again.  This probabl only occured because of the stomach virus I had last Sunday.  When I set up my account, I listed myself as sedentary because I have an office job.  Cc told me I needed 1200 calories a day to loose weight.  I am going to continue with 1200 next week and if I loose more than 2 lbs, I will adjust, but don't expect that to be necessary.  I did allow myself to have Chinese for supper.  I swear, it would suit me just fine if they brought the sweet and sour sauce to me in a bucket with a straw!

Good Morning Everyone, CONGRATULATIONS RO.  Cheryl, they say not to loose more than 2lbs a week but I would think you were right your virus may be the culprit this past week, congrats though.  Liz black coffee is very LOW in calories I have see 5 and I have seen 9 calories, I too measured my creamer to see what I use, my cup of coffee (big cups too) is 115 calories a cup ughhhh, my weakness I will not give up in the morning.  I am following you Liz and cut and paste this great article I found for all of you to read if you wish.  Also, Ro what protien drink do you use, I also read that it is a great tool to use to help with loosing and muscle building (not that I want muscles miind you but I don't want the chicken wings anymore either).  Have a great day everyone.  Betty

10 Diet Rules Meant to be BrokenSome food 'dos and don'ts are best ignored, experts say.By Colette Bouchez
WebMD FeatureReviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Do these diet truisms ring any bells in your mind?:

• Don't eat before bedtime or you'll gain weight.
• Skipping meals will help you take off the pounds.
• If you want to stay on a diet, eat at the same time every day.

Experts say these are among dozens of silly food 'rules' we often try to follow to the letter.

"Some are half-truths, some are complete myths, and some are clearly more harmful than others, but most of them won't help you lose weight or make dieting any easier," says Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet.

Yet many of us persist in believing our weight loss programs won't be successful if we don't "follow the rules."

"In some instances, rules can offer hope, almost like a superstition," says Abby Aronowitz, PhD, author of Your Final Diet. "In other instances, they can offer the promise of control -- certain familiar food rules offer a sense of comfort."

In the end, nutrition experts say, many of the food and dieting rules we hold dear are meant to be broken - without guilt! Three experts gave WebMD the low-down on what they say are some of the silliest food rules around.

10 food rules to ignore

1. Eating at night will pile on the pounds.

"It's the total calories you consume over a 24-hour period -- and more often, over a week -- that is what causes you to gain weight, and when you eat those calories doesn't matter," says New York University senior clinical nutritionist Samantha Heller, RD.

That said, because you may be more tired at night, your resolve may be lower, Heller says. So you may tend to eat larger portions, or more high-calorie foods, than you would during the day. But as long as you keep an eye on calories and portion size, feel free to set your hunger alarm to the time that suits your lifestyle.

2. It's best to eat at the same times every day.

"Eat when you're hungry, not when the clock says it's time to eat," says Somer. While it can help to keep some consistency to mealtimes, Somers says that forcing yourself to eat when you're not hungry -- or forcing yourself to wait when you are -- only makes it harder to stick to your diet. If you must eat at a certain time - say, during a designated lunch hour at your workplace -- cut yourself some slack the rest of the day and eat only when your stomach says it's time.

3. Dieting with a buddy always makes weight loss easier.

No one doubts that companionship and common goals can pay off for dieters. But Aronowitz notes that there are some instances in which the buddy system may work against you and your buddy. "If one buddy fails and the other doesn't, it clearly upsets the balance, and could cause tension and embarrassment," she says. Ultimately, Aronowitz says, weight loss is a personal journey. If you find it's easier with a friend, remember to compete only against yourself -- not each other.

4. Dietary fat keeps you feeling full longer, so you'll eat less.

This was a well-accepted food rule for many years. But Somers says new research has challenged this logic. It has shown that while fat does take longer to digest, "it's actually the least satiating of any food group -- so no, it will not help you control you appetite," Somers says. The foods likely to stave off hunger the longest are protein foods, followed by carbohydrates, then fats, she says.

5. When you blow your diet, you might as well wait until the next day to get back on track.

Nothing could be farther from the truth, Heller tells WebMD.

"Every meal matters, so if you ate that big old piece of birthday cake at lunch, get right back on track with your next meal," she says. "You don't have to have a full day of healthy eating in order for it to count."

6. Refusing food at a party or when visiting is rude.

"If you had diabetes, or a severe food allergy to something, you wouldn't think twice about turning down a food you weren't sure of -- and you should feel that same sense of priority in turning down a food that you know will blow your diet," says Heller.

7. Skipping a meal every now and then will help you lose.

"Skipping a meal means you will be so hungry at the next meal that you are likely to overeat," says Somer. Not only that, skipping meals can actually help lead to a slowdown of your metabolism, meaning you'll burn fewer calories, says Aronowitz.

8. Bread is fattening, nuts are fattening, pasta is fattening.

"It's not what you eat that contributes to weight gain," says Heller. "It's how much you eat that matters most."

Whole-wheat bread, for example, is a great source of nutrients, and it won't make you gain weight more than any other food with the same number of calories.

9. All calories are equal.

While it's true that 1,400 calories is 1,400 calories no matter how you slice the cheesecake, experts say certain foods have a greater ability to fill you up before they fill you out. These tend to be fiber-rich, water-rich foods, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Further, Heller says, you'll get more nutrients from, say, a 100-calorie apple than from a 100-calorie portion of white bread.

"All calories are equal if all you're doing is counting calories to lose weight," Heller says. "But if you care about how you are losing weight, or controlling your hunger, or the health of your body, then no, all calories are not of equal value."

10. If you don't clean your plate, you're wasting food (don't forget those starving children Mom told you about).

Tying emotions to eating (like when you feel guilty about leaving food on your plate) sets the stage for emotional overeating, Aronowitz says. If you've been taught that cleaning your plate is the best way to show appreciation for a meal, she says, instead show your gratitude with verbal praise, by asking for the recipe, or by sending a thank-you gift or note the next day.

"Food is simply a source of fuel for the body -- not an emotional payoff or payment," says Aronowitz. If you just don't feel right leaving the table until you've cleaned your plate, she says, underestimate your hunger and put less food on your plate to begin with.

Hello to all and welcome newcomers! I have been really bad this week. I'm afraid of the scale on Tuesday. This is the kind of week that inspired me to change my eating habits. My mother still tells me that I have to learn the word "NO" I work 6:30 am until 1 pm. Then a second job from 2-4:30 pm. I had meetings on Mon, Tues and Thurs nights for 4-H and other committees. I volunteer on Weds nites. Went to look at a horse on Fri nite and 2 more on Saturday. Party last night, worked today and I get to start all over again tomorrow! When am I supposed to plan my meals, cook and eat properly and exercise?? I fall in bed exhausted by 10 pm! I'm frustrated! I haven't had time to post any of my calories for 3 days nor log in here. So you probably thought I quit -but I didn't. And I will do better this week. No meetings - just volunteering and Poker Party with my mom on Thurs. Thanks for listening to me vent! Carla

Hi everyone,

I just joined yesterday after finally making a commitment to lose 20-25 pounds once and for all. I have done it many times, but I never keep it off (because I'm basically lazy.)

I'm 48, married, no kids, self employed and busy (like everyone.) I am 5'6" and weigh 155, more than I have ever weighed. I even bough a new scale because I didn't believe it could be true. 

I am setting my goal of at least 20 pounds by May 1, and committing to eating healthier and getting more exercise (actually, any exercise is more than what I have been doing.)

This website looks promising. It can keep me honest about what I eat, and do all the math for me. I love the idea of being graded for my food choices.

It will be my pleasure to listen to all of you and learn from your experiences. I hope that I can bring something to the forum as well. I look forward to achieving our goals together!

 

Koala Red 

Well, day three of the long weekend and essentially I have been good! Yesterday I had some kind of  stomach bug Sunday and despite the suffering it helped not overeat. Feel much better today. And like any woman, I got half the house cleaned, did laundry and worked out.

What DID help me more though was for the first time in a very long time, I planned meals. Usually I dont cook on weekends but I realized this was a disaster for me. So, a roast chicken, some  broiled marinated steak tips (cant eat alot of that but I love em) and salad and veggies were my choices.

I definitely HAVE to plan my meals; once I start "grazing"  on whatever's around,I'm done!

New topic: Anyone else here do exercise DVD's at home? If so- which ones?

Right now I'm doing Jari Love's "Get Ripped", a great weight work out. I am mixing that with some of the Beachbody "Slim in Six", Kempo X and Janis Saffell's "Brand New Butt" (my daughter laughed at that title, but I need a new one!)

Liz

Betty...  I usually get the "Very High Protein Shake" from MyDietSolutions and make it into a pudding (tastes exactly like Jello Pudding LOL) for a high protein snack.  I can't do soy a lot though (my stomach is pretty sensitive from the Hashimoto's Thyroiditis), so I get Jay Robb's Whey Protein to drink after workouts... I get it at the Uniteds here in TX or a local Nutrition Store (you can also order it straight from his website, too).  They both are awesome tasting!

Liz, right now workout DVDs are all I'm using.  I have quite an assortment.  I really like the 10 Minute series.  Each has 5 different workouts, in 10 minute increments.  You can do as many as you like.  That fits into my schedule better.  I use some dance videos ( that's a hoot for me because I'm as ackward as a cow on crutches).  My favorites are my kickboxing videos.  I have beginner ones because I am definately a beginner, not taebo material...yet.  For the times I know I need to work out but I really just want to chill, I enjoy my balance ball video.  I think it is good to mix it up.  Half.com is a really good place to shop for workout videos.