<p>So, have any of you out there had success with losing weight without restricting your diet ALL the time? I don’t mean eating calories to be nice. I mean relaxing and enjoying a meal out once in a while without worrying about calories. Or indulging and having a piece of cake at a celebration without feeling like you’ve blown it. Seems to me that I have some thin friends who do this with no problem. They eat well most of the time, exercise and seem to have it together. Seems to me that this is a more reasonable long term approach…at least for me. Then again, I’m not part of the group posting big weight loss totals!</p>
<p>toneranger – Yes, yes, yes. I am a serious cook and a serious eater, and life is short! I’m pretty thin to begin with – my goal is to lose under 10 pounds, but it’s sure not easy and I am losing it very slowly. I’m using Daily Plate and exercising six days a week, and trying to really think about what I put into my mouth. But we are huge foodies, and I’m just not giving that up! So yeah, for me, this whole business is best done in moderation. This thread really lit a fire under me.</p>
<p>Another plug for getting a heart rate monitor/calorie counter (watch + chest strap thingy). Part of my problem was that the machines at the gym were telling me I was burning about 30% more calories than I really was.</p>
<p>toneranger -</p>
<p>I’ve always had a pretty good routine - healthy eating and vigorous exercise, but lately I’ve gained a couple of pounds. Some of it is due to this terrible weather and the “hibernation” mode I’m in. Nothing to do on these snow days except make pasta and bake cakes! </p>
<p>My plan is to watch my diet closely during the week. My breakfast is usually a banana and whole grain toast with peanut butter - I rarely deviate from that. Lunch is usually a salad with grilled fish or chicken - I sometimes add nuts and chickpeas. I snack on fruit and Greek yogurt. Dinner is my problem. I’m going to give up carbs at dinner and no wine at all - wine is really the culprit for me - even one glass seems to reduce my willpower. I’ll ease up on the weekends and enjoy dinner out. I should be able to lose five pounds in three weeks.</p>
<p>toneranger, I am building in one day where I don’t restrict calories so much. Saturday is my enjoyment day- also a day I can get more exercise in. This past weekend we visited D- ate at a favorite place for lunch where I admit it, I ordered a macaroni and cheese “special” – but, I only ate about 1/3 of it. D and H picked at it; took about 1/3 home and had it for dinner. Sunday I prepared low-fat chili and chicken tortilla soup, weekday staples. </p>
<p>I couldn’t do it if I didn’t have a day to relax. But before I would have eaten all the macaroni and ordered dessert and had a high calorie Starbucks drink during the day. I know I’m not going to continue to lose weight at such a rapid pace- but I want to make changes I can stick with/live with so am building in that day of indulgence.</p>
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<p>I also see it as being about portion control. We went out last night and I had a burger because the burgers are fantastic at that restaurant. BUT, I immediately cut it in half and ate only that half.</p>
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<p>I stay in the best shape when I follow the 98% plan (don’t take this too literally) - when 98% of the time I eat fresh, natural foods in reasonable portions and I savor, slowly and consciously, something wonderful occasionally. </p>
<p>I always tell my daughter, if we stick to good eating most of the time we should really enjoy ourselves when we indulge. For example, while we were in NYC I had dessert both nights we went out to eat (An orange creme parfait that was sooooo good). Or for her, when she visited us one nite, went to a great Italian place and she had pizza with fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes. </p>
<p>I am not going to do those things that frequently. My downfall is the stress eating, nibbling, that is so easy to do when I am rushed or in my panic mode.</p>
<p>As I’ve mentioned before, food splurges need to be worth the calories. A McDonald’s Big Mac - doesn’t even taste good, so definitely not worth the calories. A burger from the place we went last night? Heavenly, so eating half was worth the splurge.</p>
<p>Valentine’s chocolate - cheap drugstore chocolates - not worth the calories. Godiva? Okay, maybe a piece. Grocery store cake with icing that tastes like plastic? Not worth it. Homemade triple chocolate - okay, I’ll have a small slice.</p>
<p>I find that most of the “treats” that are offered and most of the easy food “splurges” are poor quality food that don’t even taste good, so they aren’t worth the calories.</p>
<p>Went out for Valentine’s dinner last night. I have been looking forward to the cheesecake for days. So I ate the entire piece, slowly, and had a cup of coffee with it. Savored it. Dinner before the cheesecake - I brought half of it home for tonight. But I must admit that I still felt guilty and also way too full. I should have just had dessert, maybe. Or salad, bread and dessert. I don’t know.</p>
<p>I believe I am starting to see some cheekbones in my face. And am in smaller jeans.</p>
<p>That’s great, eddie! My pants are now hanging off my behind so I may be brave and try on some smaller pants tonight.</p>
<p>Sabaray - We must not have our “PANTS ON THE GROUND”.</p>
<p>HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA—Eddie, you have made me LAUGH for the first time in many, many days!</p>
<p>Actually, I sort of like the idea of renaming this thread. “PANTS ON THE GROUND.”</p>
<p>That would be a terrific thing to hear from our critical teenaged daughters: “Mom, your pants are so baggy!”</p>
<p>Good thoughts here. I like the 98% plan…I think my plan is closer to 90%, which is probably why my weight isn’t budging. </p>
<p>I leafed through my Mindless Eating book last night. Some good ideas. They remind us that eating is a habit…and habits take 28 days to break. The advice was to identify just three small habits to change…habits that will reduce calorie intake… and work on those over a year. I have already removed so many bad habits (drinking soda, keeping cookies in the house, white flour foods etc) but I will need to find a few more. So here they are…if I put them out, I’ll be more likely to keep them
- Stop using a squirt of sweetener (agave) in my tea…don’t need it really
- Drink a LOT more water (has helped me lose weight before but I lost the habit)
- Keep dark choc in the freezer and buy the kind that doesn’t taste so darn good ( I was keeping a can of REALLY GOOD dark choc chips in a canister in the kitchen and reaching in ALL too often…) I picked up the frozen choc tip from someone on this thread… thanks for the idea! </p>
<p>That’s it. Doesn’t seem hard at all…and I’m not expecting quick results.</p>
<p>toneranger - yes I lost 35 pounds years ago by dieting pretty strictly five days a week and eating pretty much what I wanted to on weekends. I really should have been able to stick with it, but had trouble with things like garlic bread that I’d make for my kids and also eat, or getting cookies and eating them during the week, not just on weekends.</p>
<p>I’m trying again, pretty much the same plan. About 1500 calories during the week. Wine only on Friday and Saturday nights or Sunday parties. Waffles every Saturday. Poached eggs with English muffins on Sunday. Deserts are fine on weekends. I’m also adding walks to my regular 3x a week gym time. I also allow myself to eat one piece of chocolate every night. I don’t eat gobs and gobs on the weekends, but it’s nice to have a time when I can eat pasta or whatever without feeling guilty. It’s budgeted into the plan.</p>
<p>If we reduce it to three new habits here are mine:
- Fruit instead of bread at breakfast.
- No cookies I like in the house.
- Go for a 2 mile (more or less) walk three times a week in addition to the gym time I was already doing.</p>
<p>I totally agree to try to use your indulgences for things that are worth indulging on. I find I’m actually happy to have small amounts of a really good indulgence. Half a piece of cheesecake is usually plenty for me. (Luckily dh is usually willing to spit a piece, because leaving half to take home isn’t always so easy!)</p>
<p>In the past I have used the no carb on weekday and eat what I want on the weekend. I lost a good amount of weight that way. Slowly over the last 10 yrs I have put all that weight back on and more.
This time I am more aware of what I am eating. I am not denying myself carbs. I have oatmeal for breakfast. I find it helps me eat better during the day to have a carb type of breakfast. I would still love the sourdough toast but I pass. I know if I eat the toast the rest of the day is lost. I can not relax on bread products. It is my weakness. Last night my D wanted ribs for Valentine’s Day. I also cooked some chicken breast. I had chicken with a tiny bit of BBQ sauce. I made potatoes but I only had 1 wedge. I am finding it easier this time to have a small amount of rice or potato versus trying to avoid it all together. It makes it easier for me to stay on track. I have not done the eat what I want on the weekend yet. I have lost about 10 lbs but need to lose more. I am letting myself have a few relapse days. In and Out Burger with my D. Pizza from a local place. I ate 2 small slices when in the past I would have eaten more. Yesterday french toast for the Valentine’s breakfast with D and H.
I also don’t want my H and D to know I am trying to lose weight. I don’t want their advice or feedback. Both of them could use to gain some weight.</p>
<p>I’ve been following Weight Watchers to the letter–no going over on points, writing everything down, trying to get the 5 fruits/veggies in whenever possible, and also making sure I get in 28 points worth of exercise each week. (Which means I’ve really got to move fast for at least an hour 5 or 6 times per week.) I figured it would be a long, slow game, but I’m pleased to report that in 4 weeks, I’ve lost 13 pounds. That’s motivated me to try and get better and eat healthier. I’ve also realized that eating out is a killer for me. As an empty nester, I’ve become lazy about making meals at home and will often go meet my H for dinner during the week. My goal for next week is to make dinner for us every night.</p>
<p>Bromfield - I just read your last comment and realized that I should make something tonight instead of asking DH if he feels like going out!!!</p>
<p>The empty nest thing is kinda fun.</p>
<p>Sabaray - I am so glad that I could bring a bit of laughter to your day! </p>
<p>Mom60 (10 lbs) and Bromfield (13 lbs) - Congrats on the weight loss! Pretty soon you will also have PANTS ON THE GROUND!</p>
<p>I wonder how much we have lost altogether in these past weeks? Would be fun to find out. Might be 100 lbs.</p>
<p>I need to get back to the YMCA. Was going to go yesterday, but DH wanted to nap instead. I should have just gone without him. If he doesn’t want to go tonight, I will just go myself (depending on the roads - it has been snowing here again). And now since I’ve told you all that I am going, I have to go, right? Somebody please keep me accountable…because I would just rather stay home and put on my jammies and watch The Bachelor.</p>
<p>Eddie, I will be looking for a full report of what tonights YMCA activities were. Now pack your gym bag and get going!</p>