<p>mom60, I think it only worked because I drove-through and brought it back to my office to eat it.</p>
<p>Also, I read that the 8-pack nuggets was only 270 calories, so that will be my plan when I “need” something fried! :-).</p>
<p>Big salad for lunch…lots of romaine and spinach, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, grilled chicken chunks, a little edamame and blue cheese crumbles with balsamic dressing…it was delicious! I am going to try to cut most carbs/sweets to start and see if it makes a difference for me…I have lived on sugar,fat and carbs for a long time!</p>
<p>That sounds good, katie93mom. I sounds to me as if you might want to go for a true lower carb Way of Eating for a while to break your addiction.</p>
<p>Some things that I try to always have in the house:</p>
<p>Joseph’s Low Carb Omega-3 pitas
Grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts with a spice rub (I get a package of 6, trim them and pound them lightly between sheets of plastic wrap, sprinkle with a Penzey’s spice rub, and grill. Great for salads, snacks, pita sandwiches, etc. I save the trimmings in a bag in the freezer to make stock, but if you are not a cook you can either give them to the dog or throw them out! 
)
Ground turkey (I have a basic repertoire of low carb, very tasty dishes I make with this, because I like BIG flavor.)
Zucchini (I eat it several ways, none of which are the boiled, bland horror one is so often served.)
Kale, broccoli rabe, etc
Eggplant
Cauliflower
Red peppers
Humanely raised eggs
Scallions
SMALL apples
Cheddar, crumbled blue cheese, grated romano
Trader Joe’s Asian Style Spicy Vinaigrette (lots of flavor, only 70 calories for 2 tablespoons, a lot less than olive oil)
Trader Joe’s Champagne and Pear Dressing with gorgonzola (even lower cal)
A big box of baby romaine
Sliced roast turkey or something like that
Plain roast almonds
Flavored seltzer</p>
<p>I love salad, but I hate making it, so I get the pre-washed greens and those two bottled dressings, both of which have great flavor and low calories. (This is bizarre, because I am an avid cook, but it is what it is.)</p>
<p>I’ve changed things so that my default dinner is a reasonable portion of protein with a big pile of non-starchy vegetables. I use a lot of spices. When I cook Chinese food, I double the vegetables and don’t eat rice with it. I make an Italian meat sauce with the ground turkey, and then add an entire bag of chopped kale and cook until the kale is done. It’s like a stew, and very good. Or I have the same meat sauce over egglant “spaghetti” or grated zucchini sauteed with a little olive oil and plenty of garlic. (I love broccoli rabe sauteed with olive oil, crushed red pepper, and garlic also.) </p>
<p>If you want to eat pasta, Barilla Plus has more nutritional value and great texture/taste. But don’t eat more than 2 oz dry. It’s not much, but when you toss it with your delicious pile of garlicky broccoli rabe and one crumbled, cooked and drained hot Italian sausage, it is satisfying.</p>
<p>Consolation - My health and BMI are fine, always have been, but that’s because I eat only one click more frivolously than you. Stocking the fridge as you do is the key. Once you are OK with your weight, 50/50 dark/milk chocolate in 4-square portions are OK, as well as a glass of red wine, and a whole wheat tortilla or two, a slice of whole grain bread with 2 tbsp. chocolate almond butter, etc.</p>
<p>^Where can I get some chocolate almond butter? :)</p>
<p>Sometimes I like a drizzle of honey on my whole grain toast but I’d give it up for chocolate almond butter!</p>
<p>Justin’s Chocolate Almond Butter, via Whole Foods! Delicious!</p>
<p>Ah. I’ve actually had the maple almond butter. It was a small single-serving packet, if I recall correctly, and it was YUMMY. :)</p>
<p>Sweetened, but at least it had more actual nuts in it than Nutella.</p>
<p>Yesterday I made a Frittata with roasted broccoli, onion and tomato. I used three whole eggs and three egg whites. I cut it in quarters and have brought it for lunch yesterday and today. I also bring grapes and a mini cottage cheese. Tonight is white fish with fresh green beans and corn on the cob (have to indulge before it goes away).</p>
<p>uh oh…invited out to dinner…this will be a challenge…keeping my hands out of the bread and not ordering wine…I better go look at those skinny jeans I currently cannot wear one more time for inspiration before I leave the house!</p>
<p>mommusic, yes, sweetened but still better than chocolate old-fashioned doughnuts, which I no longer like since I met Justin’s.</p>
<p>How is everyone doing? I had a decent day food-wise, but an exceptional day in that I ran a section of trail that I haven’t attempted since my bout of vertigo. I walked the rockiest parts but all in all was really happy with what I did.</p>
<p>No high calorie events scheduled this weekend but will be out to breakfast tomorrow morning. I’ve already looked at the menu and made a plan.</p>
<p>Persevere everyone!</p>
<p>I am happy to say that I finally have started losing weight. It may be because I started doing some upper body weight stuff and abs work. In any case, I am taking a day off today. Apparently down about 2 lbs.</p>
<p>Yesterday and today, I weighed a tiny bit less than my original Sunday weight, and of course two and a half pounds less than the Tuesday weight. I’ve been cleared to exercise, though this week was so busy I really only did pushups, kettleball swings and goblet squats. Busy weekend, which will involve a fair amount of standing and shuffling past art work, and drinking cheap wine, and eating bad cheese and crackers. (Art fest weekend) Maybe I should carry around some carrot sticks and hummus!</p>
<p>Doing well. Researched hiking trails tonight and hope to walk a battlefield in our county this weekend. I do not like hills. Tonight we walked a trail in a city park, just 30 minutes. I remember being there when we were dating 30 years ago, on a bench at night by the lake.</p>
<p>Good progress people!! High five for efforts and success!!</p>
<p>Yes, high-five! Let’s have a great weekend!</p>
<p>I’ve been exercising more. Yay! But also eating more. Okay, will try to reign it in today. Too much company. So, both stress and social eating . . . Love company. But it is work, and makes me anxious.</p>
<p>Question for you MFP users: I’ve been carefully staying under my 1200 calorie allotment, but MFP puts up a warning that since I’m under 1200 my body may go into ‘starvation mode’.</p>
<p>Should I intentionally go over sometimes? That seems crazy. I’m always getting within 100-200 Limit everyday.</p>
<p>No change on weight but I’m getting around more. I made it out for breakfast and to the Art Institute for a special exhibit; rested whenever I saw a seat. Altogether I was on my feet for about two hours; no more than 20 minutes at a time, mainly “standing and shuffling” as mathmom says. My physical therapist said that was the max I should be doing right now.</p>
<p>I am glad you are all here for support. A stressful week. I think my calorie count is still around 1200 but for the last week I have eaten bread, granola and flour tortillas. My weight loss has stalled.
I need to get to the market and restock the house with low carb foods.</p>