Welcome to the Group
1. History with weight loss:
2. History with Calorie Count:
3. Reason for joining this group:
4. Some interesting details about yourself, such as your job, your family, your pets and your interests:
And now just go ahead and make that first post!
I guess I should go first,
I started April 1 2008 and have lost about 45 lbs so far. I was about 245 and now just under 200. I only have about 10 to go. I have lost more fat, I am sure as I have gained some muscle mass
I joined because I am an old fart with very young kids, 2 and 4 years and I need to start leading a healthy life so I can be around to see them in college.
I grew up in chicago moved to LA and then on to Miami, Key west, New York and S.F. Moved over seas to UK, Germany, Spain, Ireland and on to africa, kenya, rawanda, South africa and now living..for good in Italy.
Hello My name is Kristi and I am a rugby playing Detroiter who now lives in the Paris area ( almost 3 years now).
I started the CC thing last october. i successfully lost 30lbs but had some difficulties keeping it all off ( stress amongst other things). after a nice indulging summer break I decided to get back on the wagon again and finish right. So here I am. I've gotten pretty good at finding good french products that correspond to their american counterparts in the database. So if you live in France and have questions I can help!
Hi! My name is Randee and I joined CC when I decided to quit smoking as a way to help me keep track of where I was going with food when I was not smoking - wanted to make sure I didn't substitute one for the other. I am actually good weight wise/health wise at the moment...was not for a while - too many stressors and a life way out of balance. I made major life changes to get that balance back and things are back on track. I still use CC to help me maintain a healthy life and travel quite a bit to France. It is next to impossible to know how many calories you are consuming when over there and I have noticed over the three years I have been traveling there that the portions are increasing to US sizes - not good when you don't know what is in them, but by the taste - you know it is high calorie! There are usually lots of vegetables as well, but there is not a French dessert I've met that I don't like. And the crepe guy on the street...my favorite week-end snack - how many calories??? Glad to see the group...only bad thing is I didn't manage to quit smoking. Still need to do that.
Hi all,
Let me introduce myself. My name is Jolanda and I live in the north of Holland (born and raised). I started in CC on October 15th 2007, so I'm having my birthday in a month and half. I've been dieting almost all my life, but only now I'm starting to understand that only the "not so fun" way works the best (which is eating less and working out) ;-)
Lost something like 17 kg right now but I decided to stop weighing until that birthday because I was taking that bit too far.
Jo
Hello all,
I'm Jenny. I'm British, but for almost two years now I've been living in sunny Milan. I've always been pretty overweight but for the last couple of years in the UK I was doing triathlons and loving it. I lost weight without even trying - I found the motivation to keep getting faster was much stronger than that simply lose weight... (lose weight and those hills get much easier!)
Eating became about fuel. I needed to have enough to survive the training.
Then I moved to Milan. The Italian food and lack of places to run, swim and cycle (and people to do it with) mean that I have put on 15kg. Considering that I've lost all my muscle that's a lot of fat.
So, I'm here trying something different. I joined a gym (one of those posh ones that I used to mock). Swim four times a week and am having a go at pilates and some other classes. Now I'm Calorie Counting and trying to take control again.
This is difficult for me so I'll need motivation! But maybe this is the solution. As they say - when in Italy... join a posh gym and count calories.
Hello everybody
- History with weight loss:
I started lifting weights about 2 years ago and im still at it. Since i started i have gained about 5 kilos of muscle but i have also gotten slightly overweight. I also do cardio but the main problem is eating too much of the bad stuff
. - History with Calorie Count:
None - Reason for joining this group:
US of A is a long way away. - Some interesting details about yourself,
such as
your job, your family, your pets and your interests:
I study computer science at aalborg university in Denmark. Currently single. Interests include music, programming, weight training and movies.
Hope that can maybe aid some of you in reaching your goals as well as you may also help me.
My goal: Loose 6kilo before my 25th birthday (8 december).
regards
Jesper Kjeldgaard
Hi there!
I am a New Zealander living in Austria. I have been with my husband for one year and basically have been putting on weight since then. He isn't very health concious because he is tall and thin and he has smoke for many years so I am only just getting him to change and am starting to get myself back on track aswell.
I have never really seriously dieted before. I have had times where I ate more salads and did more sport but only because my mum told me to! 
This is the first time that I have been really dissatisfied wit my weight and have chosen to do something about it.
I gained 10 kilos this year and that is the first time I have actually gained weight since puberty. I now weigh 68 kilos and want to get to 56 kilos. The goal date is April 2009 but if I get there by February (my 20th birthday) I would be really thrilled.
My reason for joining this group is to maybe share info on european recipes/brands etc. because I know they are very different from USA or NZ
I was studying film but didn't get a student visa here because I was at a private university....so know I am a housewife and have a lot of time on my hands (the perfect time to lose weight). My husband is Austrian and we are planning to move back to New Zealand at the end of February so that I can study economics.
Look forward to losing weight and getting to know you!
Good Luck
Isla
Hi,
Im Niamh, Im from Ireland, I just started in college. I used to be happy with my figure but about 2 years ago started putting on weight...
I'm not happy with my shape now so I need to change it... the only problem is im very impatient and want fast results which I know is silly but...
I joined CC about a year ago but rarely used it... i think now is the perfect time to start again.
I have joined this group as I'm a European and would like to share thoughts ideas and receipes with everyone.
Niamh xxx
Hello everyone :)
I'm Amanda, I was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela... and when I was around 17 I moved to Milan, Italy (which isn't really sunny hehe but I guess it all depends on where you come from!) and I've been living here for over 3 years, studying Biotechnology.
I'm always been a bit curvy, specially on my lower body... but it never was a particulary big deal. Unfortunatly, since I moved to Italy:Man! The food here is just fantastic! So I started eating more... specially at dinner which I generally skipped or ate a piece of fruit... that and my lack of excersice because I didn't have any time due to the large ammount of time I need to study for exams, and well... because I'm veeeery lazy haha I gained around 10Kg in three years.
I didn't really pay that much attention it, I was still proud of the person I am, I had a bf that loved me, lead a life I liked, I was happy, I still felt good about myself... and yet, when I went shopping I realized that it was always becoming harder to find pants that actually fit well, I realized that I looked horrible in pictures, and I've always been pretty photogenic, and then this December I was diagnosed with Insulin resistance, so that's where I drew the line...
I needed to get back a healthier weight and lead a better lifestyle... and so here I am. I'm pretty new to CC, been here for about 10 days, but I've lost around 2Kg already... still about 8 to go!
I'm eating a lot better and hopefully I will be able to fit more excersice into my day!:)
Hey all,
I'm a Detroiter living in Ireland for a few years now and I've come to admit that I love Guinness and fry ups way, way too much. Plus I quit smoking a few months ago after 9 years, which is great but hasn't helped with the weight.
I've got about a stone I want to drop.
It's tricky losing weight outside the States I think, because as fat a culture as we are, we also really cater to calorie counters, carb counters, low-fats, low-sat-fats, Atkins folks, South Beach folks, Zone folks, road runners, trail runners, people who lurve the mega-gym....you get my point. Over here it's a bit tougher. Did you know there's no nutritional information on the side of a pint (hehe)? But a lot of Tesco/Sainsbury/M&S stuff is on CalorieCount, as is Guinness/Smithwicks etc., so hopefully I can be my own health advocate and get back on track!
Anyway I'm eager to swap advice with some fellow Euros. Thanks for starting up the group Michael!
-Kate
Hello :)
I'm from Portugal and I'm 27!
When I got my degree in Business Management, I started working and I spend my entire day in front of a computer... In few months I reached 83kgs, for 1,72meters....
That moment, I decided to lose weight! In only six months I dropped to 65kgs!!! This was 4 years ago...
After reaching a comfortable weight, I started relaxing and eating everything I wanted to!
Currently, I'm 73kgs and I want to be comfortable with my body again!
I'm joining this group with an expectation of exchanging advices about foods, brand marks that are only available in Europe!
For example, I love Cereals Activia Yogurt (Danone in Portuguese... may be Dannon in English???) and 0% version in Portugal is 63kcal/100grs. In Spain, the same yogurt has only 42 kcal and about 5grs of fiber for every 100grams!!!
Whenever I can, I go to Spain get it ;)
Kiss
hello and welcome to the group. I travel around europe for business and love to shop for good food when ever I can. I just came back from berlin with a suitcase full of cereal and other healthy food that I cannot find in Italy. There is not alot in the way of good food to be found here. There is the occasional health food store, but they are very expensive and have a small selection and does not seem to be very fresh. At least we do have danon so I eat their 1% fat yougarts. I also work at the computer all day, so I head out every day at lunch to the gym, I only get in 40 min, but I dont play around, get right to it, hard weight lifting and then 20 min run using the hill setting. I have burned off about 50 kg since april, and I would guess I have lost more and traded fat for muscle. Port. is a great place, where do you live? I used to live in the south of spain and spent alot of my time in the summer driving around port. take care.
Hello,
I am an American living in Holland for 6 years now(has it really been that long!). I am married to a dutchman and live just outside of Amsterdam.
I gained about ten kilos when I first moved here(no job, no friends, very depressed) and that was ten kilos on top of an already overweight frame. I did weight watchers and lost those ten kilos. I have been heavy my whole adult life and really really want to get out of the "overweight" column.
I noticed here in Holland they are starting to sell 100 calorie packs of candy. Might be handy for some people. For me, though, it just doesn't work. I ended up having 3 bags-so its better for me to just keep that stuff out of the house!!
I also have been heavy most of my life. I find it is better not to have it in the house as you have said. I have to empty the change out of my pockets every morning or I will buy some garbage food from the vending machine. I know it is bad, but I sit at my desk and think about the damn candy bar. The worse thing is if I am not dieting, I never eat candy. It is only when I am trying to loose that I get cravings, weird. I have been in italy since 2000, it seams like only a few years, I cannot believe it has been almost 9 years and I still speak italian poorly!
Hello,
I am originally from Southern California, but I married a Dutchman this past spring and have recently re-located to the Netherlands (just outside Amsterdam). I started using CC about 1 1/2 years ago, as a good friend of mine was trying to lose weight. So, we decided we would do it together, as a motivation for her...
As far as weight goes, I have never been overweight. But I was a gymnast and had friendships, where my weight was always under scrutiny and an issue. I went through therapy and can safely say that I am not obsessive about my weight. However, I was taking a concoction of medication as a result of a thyroid found (last year) and have since gone from 120 lbs to 152 lbs (as of June 2008).
Since moving to the Netherlands, I have gone down to about 140 and am trying to get myself down to something reasonable- 125-130. I find a HUGE lack of motivation to get out of the house sometimes, especially on rainy days and when it is too cold for my liking. So, I'm trying to find a good support group (like this), who will help motivate me and encourage me, especially since I lack the support group and friends I left behind at home...
Hello kascella
Where in ca? I lived around LA for long time. Sold real estate like everyone else in LA. My family is from chicago, but most live in LA now. I get up the NL every now and then. I think they have more bikes per person than anywhere else I have seen in the world. That is a great excercise and it is nice to get out of the house and just bike around. Even in the rain, if you have the right clothes,it is not a bad way to spend a few hours. I go to the gym every day at lunch time. I have gotten into the habit and it serves two purposes. one for the workout and the second is to not sit around and eat for an hour. I work out for forty min, quick shower and back to the office, quick salad and I am done and the day goes alot faster that way. Did not say if you are working or not, if not, it would be great to get out for a nice walk a few days a week or weekends in germany or somewhere hiking if your into that.welcome to the group.
Hola!
I have been trying to loose weight for the past 3 years. I had made some progress, but then I stopped trying this past Christmas Holidays (I went back to the states for a visit) and I gained everything back.
I have been with calorie-count since April 07. It helped me loose some weight, and I need to get back on the wagon.
I am joining this group because its hard to find low calorie things in Spain and I was wondering if anyone else had some tips.
My name is Roz, and I live in Barcelona, Spain since January 2009. Before I lived in the south of Spain in 2007. I am originally from San Francisco, CA. I work in the study abroad field, and I am always in contact with my american "roots". I have two cats that I adore, but I must give them away since I had to move.
I hope to find other people in Spain!
Welcome cookieroz I also lived in the south of spain for awhile. There is alot of food you can eat that is good for you and taste great. Fish, as long as you dont fry it or put sauce on it is a great way to get protein and low in cal and has good fat. Spain is the largest grower of fresh fruit and vegs in Europe, so it is fresh and you can just about eat all you want if you steam it or boil it. If your working out at all, you can eat a lot of egg whites in different way. I started to follow the burn the fat feed the muscle ebook and changed the way I eat, combining proteins and carbs at every meal, I am eating a lot more food and loosing weight. I started in April also and I am pretty close to my goal now and pretty much just maintaining and gradually trying to lose the last 5 or 10 lbs. I know when I quit counting, I go up a few kilos in a week or so, I have to be pretty strict about it. I hope you can find someone else around there to buddy up with, I heard it helps. I only get greif from people who tell me to stop losing weight it is better to have padding and so on. I guess that is why I come here. anyway welcome
Thank you so much Michael! Where in the south did you live before, If you don't mind me asking? I will try to stock up on fish, but I usually buy frozen veggies, because I never know when I am going to eat veggies and its hard for me to buy them on a daily basis :P I eat fruit everyday, but I think might eat too much! My biggest vice are COOKIES ... I can't help myself. I have started only eating the 100 calorie packs here (its new it came about 2 months ago), that really helps me. Going cold feet on cookies just makes me binge later, so I rather keep it moderate.
As for working out ... its a bit expensive here and my job keeps telling me that they will get me a free gym membership, but I have lost hope on that. Since the weather is warming up, I think I will bike to and from work, that helped me out in the states, and I think it will help me here too.
I just want to say thank you for welcoming me!
I lived way south, near Cadiz. It was nice down there, but I got restless. it really helps to plan your meals. Fresh vegs are always better than frozen. I should know, I sell salads for a living. I find if you plan meals in advance, you are prone to eat better and consume everything you buy instead of just doing stuff at last minute. I boil a half dozen eggs at a time and eat two each day, the whites only, very low in cal and very high in protein. I eat every 3 or 4 hours. It is a pain, but I find I lose a lot of weight this way. I was stuck in starvation mode for a long time and I found if I eat every 3 hours, it is like a furnace that never gets shut down. I love cookies also, but just stop them and have something else sweet instead. Last night I had a craving for sweets, I blended a banana with strawberries, awesome taste, sweeter than ice cream and good for you. no empty calories and natural. I think we are programed as kids that cookies are a reward, so nothing else fills that void when you want a cookie, but.. remember that ice cream was a reward also and fake some ice cream by making a fruit smoothie. Yogurt also works to fill that sweet tooth and if you get the 1% which I am sure you have there, it is lower in fat and calories.
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