trying to lose the pounds before the big 50 !

Hello everyone

I found cc by accident and am now using it daily. I live in Scotland so am sometimes finding it a bit of a challenge to track down some of the food brands that are used here but have been improvising a bit!!  not lost much to speak of yet but will keep trying. Are there any other Scots out there?? I am finding the site very interesting but would like to know if anyone else is having the same problem as me with brands etc. Look forward to hearing from anyone  

Hello to you!

I just joined CC today after reading about it in Woman's Day magazine.  I do not live in Scotland but I am also finding it a challenge to find the right food brands and descriptions just for the foods that I ate today.

I live in California, United States and am also finding this website very interesting.  I really need to lose quite a bit of weight so I am really motivated to try this. 

I have a suggestion to you and to anyone else who is interested -- if there is any food in particular that you cannot find on here maybe you can create a new post on here and tell us what it is (and we'll do the same) and maybe we can help each other get the proper nutrional info.  Just a thought.

Good luck to you!

Tammy

hello there and thanks for your suggestions, I think that is an excellent idea and would be interested in giving it a try. I am still finding my way around the site at the moment but it would maybe be an idea to set up a "new topic"with in this group at first and see how it works.  I have about 30 pounds to lose to make me more comfortable with my weight but it would be good if I could make it 35! the evenings is my biggest downfall or if I am sitting on my own, the first thing I think about is what to snack on so will need to fix the willpower out too!!

Welcome to CC!! I think there are so many different foods in the many countries that CC is available to that it is pretty much impossible for the site to have all of them. Like you I find lots of thing don't come up in the food search. I have a very big calorie count book I've used for years that predates the internet. I take it with me when we travel too. It covers lots of basics here in the US and a few other countries. When I can't find it here or in my book I Google it and so far have been able to find the calorie count or similar foods that are close enough to be useful in logging my food intake. 

It is working well for me. I wish I only had 30 pounds to lose like you. I've lost 27 since mid April and have 43 more to go. Keeping track of every calorie that passes my lips and logging my daily exercise is the only way I've found to lose this fat. I wish I was one of those people who could just cut back and lose it but my fat cells hold on for dear life. 

As your title to this thread says, I too am trying to get the weight off before the big 50. I just turned 48 last week. My strategy is to learn a new way to eat, lose the fat, tone up and maintain it so when I get to age 50 I'm a fit and healthy grandma. 

As for evening snacking there are two things I've found that are working well for me. I eat a 1/2 cup of shelled Edamame which is great protein and fiber. I feel full and it satisfies me for the rest of the evening. If I want something sweet I go for an apple because it too fills me up and satisfies. I also drink a lot of Rooibos tea. I think the key is getting the protein consumed with the fiber and a liquid so you feel fuller longer.

Hopefully you are better at maintaining your willpower than I am. I go ahead and indulge but I do make it a healthy indulgence so I don't feel deprived or guilty. My husband now enjoys these healthy snacks with me in bed while we watch TV or read a book. You will find a snack that satisfies you too and the nice thing about the process is you get to eat a variety of good stuff in the process.

GOOD LUCK with your goal...YOU CAN DO IT!!! 

Karen, The Beaded Belle 

Hi there Karen, thank you so much for your helpful and encouraging words, I will certainly give the protein in the evening a try instead of all the rubbish I have been consuming lately.I have only really just begun in earnest and so have yet to see any results so will let you know how it goes. you certainly have a brilliant achievement in losing 27 pounds in such a short space of time, although I know the loss will slow as you get nearer your goal, you are well on track to be  a slim and trim grandma long before you are 50! Keep up the good work and well done to you!

PS my best tip for anyone so far is to keep some home made vegetable soup or sugar free jelly close at hand and then they are there to grab whether you crave sweet or savoury and they won't sabotage the calorie count !  good luck!

Another really good bedtime snack it to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich using PB2. If you haven't heard of PB2 it is powdered peanuts. I get them online from Bell Plantations website. They roast the nuts them press all the oil out then grind the nut to a powder. Regular peanut butter has almost 200 calories per 2 tablespoons, PB2 has 54...YEA!! You can mix the PB2 with a bit of water or any other moist ingredient. I mix mine with 1 tablespoon of my favorite fig jam. 

A typical PBJ sandwich's calorie count breaks down like this,

2 slices whole wheat bread 140 calories

2 tablespoons peanut butter 200 calories

1 tablespoon jelly or jan 40 calories

Total 380 calories.

My PBJ sandwich calorie count using better ingredients is,

Joseph's whole wheat pita 70 calories (toast the pita)

2 tablespoons PB2 54 calories

1 tablespoon fig jam 40 calories

Total 164 calories

I get the protein that satisfies me, the benefits of the whole wheat pita with flax seeds and the sweetness of the jam so I don't want anything else for quite a while. I bought PB2 and carried it to my TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) group and they all loved it so we bought several cases to split among us. They also make a PB2 with chocolate so you think you are eating a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup...YUM

There are nutritious snacks out there that make you think you are eating taboo or forbidden foods so you feel like you are cheating on your diet and` in fact you are doing your body and mind a favor.  

I am turning 50 on October 2 this year and I am determined to get out of the 150's (weight wise).   I need to lose 15-20 pounds to achieve this goal.  Since starting CC 11 days ago I have lost 4 pounds and I am so excited!  I can't wait to weigh myself each morning!  Next week I am going on vacation to the beach and I'm worried that I will gain back what I've already lost.  I want to be able to drink wine and gin&tonics each night and eat seafood slathered with butter.  So, my plan is to take it easy portion wise and really ratchet up my exercise while I'm there so I can enjoy myself. I'm going to walk, bike or kayak three times a day and hope it's enough to counteract the extra calories until I return.

I know a lot of 50+ year olds who look fantastic - the main reason is not hairstyles, make-up, nails, tans, fashionable clothes, it's because they are slim and fit.  So, that's what I'm aiming for!

CONGRATULATIONS on those 4 pounds. Have fun while keeping up the hard work.

By sticking to a healthy eating plan while on vacation imagine how good you will feel when you get home not to mention the boost to your moral when you step on the scales to find you either maintained or actually lost a pound or two. Plus it will give you a boost of confidence to know you can lose and stay on track while in a different situation such as vacations or gatherings where food is the star attaction.

Learning to use vacation or gatherings as a reason to eat healthy rather than a reason to indulge are hard for me to do but I'm finding I feel so much better about myself when I do not give into the temptation. Giving up my favorite German beer or scotch has been tough but now I don't miss them much and only indulge on rare occasions. When I do I only have one and it satisfies my mind as much as my thirst knowing I didn't have to give it up entirely. I think it's a mind game for most of us.

Just cutting out the butter will make a big difference...it did for me. If you figure that 1t has 120 calories...all of them fat calories that's a weight loss killer for sure when it's a ramekin of the luscious melted fat that taste so good. Factor into your maximum daily caloric intake the wine and gin so you'll know that you have to say no to some other snack during the day. I know it is hard to do at the beach where you'll be very active. If you are like me you eat when happy and gathered with family and friends. 

I log everything so I know how many calories I've consumed as the day progresses. There have been more than a couple of times when I could only have a couple hundred calories at supper or I was done for the day and had to pass on whatever everyone else was eating. Now that I can see the positive results after a couple of months doing without was SOOOOO worth it. 

You can indulge and have a wonderful vacation at the same time. 

YOU CAN DO IT! Have a wonderful time at the beach