<p>I use MyFitnessPal the most (except this weekend) and it also picks up my weight from my scale and my FitBit steps for exercise. </p>
<p>July hiking day in the middle of Florida. Hot, humid, soggy and sandy, but never dull. This was 6.5 miles through a partially flooded lyonia scrub prairie (and behind a small group of horse riders), a bit of a dip into a wetland, and then up a few feet and through a drier pine forest dotted with sinkholes. Rain threatened at the end, but we finished before it poured buckets. We did not want to be stuck in the woods during a lightning storm–very dangerous in central Florida–so finished the last two miles quickly, except for the photo stops with two gopher tortoises. We sprayed ahead of time with DEET, although the mosquitoes weren’t bad. </p>
<p><a href=“Wekiwa Springs, Florida; July 2014 - YouTube”>Wekiwa Springs, Florida; July 2014 - YouTube;
<p>Wow, when you are away from this thread for a few days you are even MORE impressed by all that everyone is doing - the commitment, the variety, the good eating (and the not so good!). </p>
<p>Three picture perfect days at the beach - nicely warm but not HOT. Exercise ranged from slow beach walks to kayaking to shoveling some sand on the beach to cover up a rocky area (no kidding, I hauled about 100 shovel fulls!) and some running. Did make the mistake of not bringing my running shoes and so I ran in my flatish all weather beach Salomon shoes - my right calf was a little sore last night and this morning - I tried to make a point to slow things down but goes to show how impact can be effected pretty quickly. </p>
<p>Canadian ice cream flavor of choice this weekend : Butter Pecan. (nuts are good for you, right?!) :)</p>
<p>Bunsen- to what do you attribute Mr. B’s non-weight gain? Activity? Choice of foods?</p>
<p>I didn’t get up this morning to swim. I was tired and a little sore from yoga, and I couldn’t face lowering myself into the cool pool in the cool morning air. I may try after work if enough of the kiddies are gone from the pool by dinner time.</p>
<p>plantmom:</p>
<p>Awesome photographs. Your plant photography is amazing. Definitely have to be done early in Florida before the afternoon thunder boomers roll across the state!</p>
<p>bromfield:</p>
<p>I have always used MyPlate at LiveStrong. It’s memorized all my frequent selections and I’ve entered many of of regular recipes so it’s easy. It tracks carbs.</p>
<p>MOfWC, hot yoga at 105 degrees would do me in! I’m such a pansy when it comes to heat. Kudos for sticking with it. </p>
<p>Re: weight gain. I think it was both food and activities. I insisted on cutting down on fruit (e.g., only 2 big tubs of pineapple vs the usual 5 
), snacks, and empty carbs, like taro chips and breads, and made sure that we went to the gym pretty much every day. I also made most of our meals, but when we ate out, we both tried to cut down on junk and shared stuff. Our rate included breakfast at the restaurant, so we sort of got 2 meals in one there and just ate a really light lunch (salad or some grilled fish). We did not buy any booze so we would not be tempted to make tropical drinks, only light beer and champaigne, but still enough to engage in “moderate drinking” by the official CDC definition. </p>
<p>Sounds like you did really well with the food planning, Bunsen. I need to do better in Kona this year. The athletes eat SO much, and at least last year I was in marathon training (although I actually bailed on the marathon the week after Kona). This year I just can’t eat the way my son does. I’m sure his girlfriend’s parents don’t eat like that either, though.</p>
<p>I actually got out of bed at 5:15 this morning and made it to my gym class at 6:00! There were only four of us, all women. At 6, I was thinking, “What am I doing here??” but by 7, I changed to, “Why don’t I do this every day?” To be finished with exercise for the day that early is wonderful! I think I will try to make the early class at least one day a week.</p>
<p>My family from Texas is here. We just went out for ice cream. I restrained myself and got the “baby” size, which was still a pretty good portion. Splurging a little is so delightful while on a diet! </p>
<p>In the office kitchen today:</p>
<ul>
<li>a chocolate mousse cake</li>
<li>cupcakes</li>
<li>brownies</li>
<li>a crumb cake</li>
<li>and a birthday cake for a coworker.</li>
</ul>
<p>Must be post-holiday weekend leftovers, except for the birthday cake.</p>
<p>I can hear it calling my name from across the building.</p>
<p>I’ve managed to stay out of the kitchen so far today… 2 more hours to go. So hard…</p>
<p>Hang in there, nre! :)</p>
<p>Having that kind of temptation calling your name is cruel and unusual punishment! I have no willpower. If it’s in the kitchen, I’m going to eat it, sooner or later!</p>
<p>BB:</p>
<p>Good job on the Hawaii food restraint. It amazing, but most of the damage on the scale can be avoided by just laying off the junk carbs It’s when you start piling on the bread baskets and desserts and chips on top of eating well that things fall apart quickly.</p>
<hr>
<p>I’m wrestling with how to get some pounds out of the backpack for overnight backpacking camping. One of the things I’ve got to do is cut the weight of food. Alas, nearly every available option for lightweight meals are pure carbs – things like the Asian noodle bowls being a prime option. Instant miso soup packets aren’t too bad, but they also don’t have anything else in them either! I carried a can of Progresso soup the other day, to which I added a 6 ounce foil packet of salmon. Excellent dinner, but I can save over a pound of weight by switching the Progresso can for a freeze dried soup . I think I’m just going to have to bite the bullet on carbs.</p>
<p>Breakfast is literally impossible.</p>
<p>Idad, take a look at the selection of freeze-dried foods in here, maybe you can find something that is not so bad:</p>
<p><a href=“http://m.rei.com/c/freeze-dried-food”>http://m.rei.com/c/freeze-dried-food</a></p>
<p>This “stove” weighs almost nothing, but can boil a liter of water rather quickly:</p>
<p><a href=“http://m.rei.com/product/660163/msr-pocket-rocket-backpacking-stove”>http://m.rei.com/product/660163/msr-pocket-rocket-backpacking-stove</a></p>
<p>And there is a large selection of lightweight cookware to choose from. </p>
<p>For some reason my horoscope showed up on the yahoo front page, and it says in part
How did they know I’d be facing the temptation of 5 different baked goodies today? Spooky!</p>
<p>Idad - it is very difficult to do solo backpacking and get the weight down, because you have to have a certain amount of stuff.</p>
<p>So your best bet is to find a camping buddy so you can split up the tent, cooking gear, etc.</p>
<p>The next best option is to throw money at it - ultralight tent, ultralight sleeping bag, ultralight backpack, etc. It’s sort of like women’s bathing suits - the less there is, the more it costs. ;)</p>
<p>One thing we used to do in the Scouts was forgo tents altogether. Take a small tarp instead - use it to shelter your cooking, and then reconfigure it on the ground into a tent-like or a lean-to type of setup. It works well even in the rain, as long as the bugs aren’t outrageous. Even then some bug netting might solve that, at a very light weight.</p>
<p>Reduce your cooking gear to the bare minimum - one small pot, one utensil.</p>
<p>The way you pack the backpack is critical. If the center of gravity is low or to the rear, it will kill your legs. I couldn’t see exactly what your pack looked like, but the hip strap is the most important part IMO, because most of the weight should be on your hips.</p>
<p>Not sure why you are so against the carbs. I know you are extreme low carb, but backpacking burns prodigious amounts of calories, carbs have probably the best energy/weight ratio. Most freeze-dried food tastes like cr** and costs a fortune, but it’s an option.</p>
<p>I hear you on the carbs for trail food. I was looking through REI’s freeze dried offerings. It never bothered me in my teens, but just about everything seems to have a carb included. Maybe you could do something with this stuff? <a href=“http://www.rei.com/product/756809/harmony-house-backpacking-kit”>http://www.rei.com/product/756809/harmony-house-backpacking-kit</a> The beef stew and the chili might not be too carby: <a href=“http://www.rei.com/c/food?ir=category%3Afood&r=category%3Acamping-and-hiking|camp-kitchen|food%3BMeat%3ABeef&rx=true”>http://www.rei.com/c/food?ir=category%3Afood&r=category%3Acamping-and-hiking|camp-kitchen|food%3BMeat%3ABeef&rx=true</a> They do have freeze dried eggs - and I suppose you could sprinkle baco-bits or jerky on them! I suspect an excess of salt in all this stuff might annoy me as well.</p>
<p>Here’s breakfast - freeze-dried eggs and bacon! Yum!</p>
<p><a href=“http://m.rei.com/product/832870/mountain-house-scrambled-eggs-with-bacon-20-oz-can”>http://m.rei.com/product/832870/mountain-house-scrambled-eggs-with-bacon-20-oz-can</a></p>
<p>Yin yoga in the morning. Took a walk after lunch–4 miles on a bike path with a detour to a dog friendly park area. Dog didn’t want to continue on the bike path. D2 took him back while I continued on the bike path. Plant mom–loved the You Tube video of your hike.</p>
<p>Today’s exercise was minimal - one mile walk around the local pound.</p>
<p>THAT was a test of my commitment to do some sort of exercise every day. I got home after work, had to change and go over to the pool to swim. There were kids in the pool and the water was rougher than in the am lap swimming time. I was NOT into it and didn’t enjoy it. Managed 1100 meters or so with only having to swat away a kid a few times. Done.</p>
<p>Good for you, MoWC! I give you loads of credit for even getting into the water to swim laps. I’d have a really difficult time forcing myself to to that–I just don’t enjoy swimming for exercise. Cooling off in the pool, yes; but chlorine, goggles and the contact lens or swimming while feeling blind debate, hair under swimcap(!), breathing, etc., I like not. I give all of you swimmers credit!</p>
<p>Thanks for the video comments. I do enjoy having my camera along when I’m out in the woods–it makes it easier to look around, if that make sense. My husband has developed superhuman patience for my photo stops.</p>
<p>I walked 3 miles outside today, ran 3.25 on the treadmill, and did a circuit through the upper body weight machines. Instead of coming home and making the protein smoothie after working out this afternoon, today’s reward was watermelon margaritas to go along with the guacamole and other savory dinner bits. H bought a huge seedless watermelon for the two of us; so good, but so much fruit. Margaritas were light and cold, and I used up 1/8 of the melon. </p>
<p>Wow. That freeze dried bacon and eggs looks disgusting. I think I’d rather starve than eat that!</p>
<p>notrichenough:</p>
<p>I actually don’t eat super low-carb – about 100 grams a day on average. But, I try to get my carbs from fresh veggies, fruit, etc, and avoid the simple starches (pasta, breads, etc.). It is clear that I cannot do that while backpacking. I was quite pleased with the foil pack salmon (or foil pack tuna) as a protein source. I’m just going to have to find the best noodle/rice/soup carb thing to add it too. If I have to carb load for breakfast, I may just go with a Dunkin Donut muffin and at least carb load on something that tastes really good.</p>
<p>I’m OK on the backpack. An Osprey Atmos 50. It’s an internal frame pack. Insanely comfortable hip belt. I was actually surprised the other day that, while everything was sore, my shoulders/upper back were actually OK. I’m going to try a few different ways of packing it. I had the tent and the sleeping pad strapped to the bottom of the pack and I don’t think I really have to do that. Sleeping pad can go inside. Tent poles in one of the side pockets and just the tent/fly strapped to the “bedroll” straps. I think I can get 12 pounds out of the load pretty easily. There’s a big difference between 38 pounds and 50 pounds. Carrying extra water was my biggest mistake.</p>
<p>BB:</p>
<p>Yeah. The other day was my maiden voyage with an MSR stove using the gas cannisters. Actually, I tried to use it car camping last fall the day I bought it, but the cooking pot had a defective seam and all the water poured right out. So I exchanged it and (other than a test run on the deck), this was the first time out. It worked great. All I took was the stove (it has it’s own 1 liter pot, a cannister, and a spoon, knife, fork set. I may leave the knife and fork at home, since I carry a pocket knife.</p>