<p>That’s great! Get to 7.5 and then the additional 1.5 will seem like nothing! Remember not to lose too fast so you have a better chance of keeping it off! </p>
<p>^That is my problem, I lost like 5lbs in the last two weeks which is a LOT considering how low my weight is to begin with, I probably should not be losing more than a quarter pound a week at this stage. I was almost to goal but then I inexplicably gained 2lbs, absolutely no justification. I ate normal, worked out normal, and my weight never fluctuates by more than a fraction of a pound at a time without a good reason-- except apparently once a month or so just to mess with my head. I think I was just losing too fast and my body wants to hold on. That’s okay. This morning I am back to 0.8 over goal, 0.4 over my lowest but still moving in the right direction. </p>
<p>I am thinking I am going to have to shoot for at least a couple pounds under goal. Turns out I picked a goal weight that equates to a size 8 and 3/4ths, or something, because my 10s are giant but my 8s aren’t really fitting comfortably yet either. I have nothing to wear.</p>
<p>I have read every post on this thread and you all are inspiring. My challenge is my awful tummy. There’s no pear in my fruit vocab…only apple. I also need to be much more toned. </p>
<p>I had resolved to start going to a gym April 1st and get a personal trainer for awhile so I knew what to do. I’ve never been to a gym and don’t want to look like a moron. I have a wedding in 12 weeks and it’s still tax season and I feel my resolve slipping. I’d have to go to town to a gym and the wedding to–do list is sort of overwhelming…however, I am determined to exercise more at home. I finally signed up for My Fitness Pal today. That was depressing. I told it I wanted to lost 6 lbs, 1 lb a week. I can have 1200 calories/day. We will see how do-able that is!</p>
<p>Something to watch is that most weight loss sites, if you set a goal that is unrealistic, it sets your calories at 1200 whether that will help you accomplish your goal or not or whether that’s sustainable or not, because maybe mathematically in order to lose that much weight in that time period you’d have to only eat 800 or something and the minimum number of calories for a (SEDENTARY) woman is 1200. 1lb a week seems reasonable unless you are already in the normal range, but it’s odd that it recommended so few if you aren’t sedentary. Sparkpeople.com will do that but it’s because of the math issue I’ve described. It sets you at 1200 to give you your best chance even though that’s probably not what someone who works out should be eating, IMO. </p>
<p>I eat 1200 calories a day now, but I had to stop working out more than once or twice a week or so to do it so I am at risk of losing my muscle tone. I was eating 1300-1600 and working out 5 days a week (netting an average of 1200 a day after exercise) but I’d stalled out terribly and wasn’t getting anywhere anymore, and I didn’t have the time to work out that much anymore at least for the time being, so I had to change my routine. For me, the trick to eating 1200, is to eat small meals every 3-4 hours. If you try to split that into three bigger meals you will be hungry all day. You might be hungry all day anyway if you are used to eating significantly more. I eat some eggs or some fruit at 8am, a chicken sandwich around 10 or 11, some soup around 2, and dinner at 5 or 6. Dinner is usually still my biggest meal because if it’s not I don’t feel satisfied with it. This is natural to me anyway now as exercise always changes my appetite… hungry all the time but only for a few bites, so something small every few hours is perfect. </p>
<p>I hear you on the wedding to do list, which is a large part of why I am eating and exercising the way I am now. I have absolutely zero time for anything. When I do have a spare minute, I just want to sleep.</p>
<p>Thanks for the explanation. I’m only 5’2" and I entered I wanted to lose 6 lbs. I did also put sedentary since I’m at a desk about 13 hours/day right now. I will be outside working a lot more after tax season and b) if it ever stays above 50 degrees! I do tend to graze rather than eat large meals. I get full very fast.</p>
<p>Sryrstress, before you go to that trainer April 1st, start NOW doing something at home. Climb the stairs 10 extra times a day. Go for a 15 minute walk each day. 20 jumping jacks and 20 toe touches each day. Do something NOW so that when you arrive at that first gym day you will already feel some confidence. It’s important! You can find 15 mins each day - find it. Starting the process is a good portion a MENTAL challenge. If you start it with the mentality that its depressing or not fun or too hard or a chore - it will be! </p>
<p>As far as 1200 calories - well, if you break that down into portions of french bread with butter or pastries or Taco Bell - it won’t seem managable. But I found this link to “examples” of 7 days of 1200 calorie eating. Not so much as a suggestion of following these meals/days but to visually see that 1200 calories doesn’t have to be carrots and celery sticks three times a day and that you can eat 3 meals + snacks and still manage your quota. </p>
<p><a href=“Diet Meal Plan to Lose Weight: 1,200 Calories”>http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/weight_loss_diet_plans/diet_meal_plans/7_day_diet_meal_plan_to_lose_weight_1200_calories</a></p>
<p><a href=“How Many Calories Should I Eat a Day?”>http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/weight-loss/calorie-meal-plans-love</a></p>
<p>Good luck! </p>
<p>P.S. Also remember that once you start exercising you can increase your calories by whatever amount you exercise off. So if you take a walk and burn off 150 calories, you can up your calorie intake to 1350. :)</p>
<p>
ema,
Monthly water retention?? Some of us older broads on this site don’t have that issue any more… :-S </p>
<p>Oddly enough, I don’t think so. At the time of month that you would expect that to be a problem, I normally am losing more than at any other time. It seems pretty random, I think it just creeps up a little a week after I lose too much at once. It happened this week and I lost 4lbs last week and 2lbs already this week, I’m not overweight anymore so that is just too big of a loss. My body, rightly, does not want to move that fast!</p>
<p>Have any of you heard of the website “Beyond Dieting”? A coworker is using it and raves about it. It is desinged by a nutritionist who seems to take a a very “naturalistic” approach to weight loss (if that is the right word). I looked at it briefly today and am interested in trying it. It seems to based on the premise that all calories are not created equal and it helps you to plan meals that are more satisfying yet closer to the earth. My friend has lost seven pounds in 3 (?) weeks and loves it. It is 40 dollars for the access to the site, I think.</p>
<p>Eptr- I haven’t heard of the site but I will look into it. I need more accountability. I
Srytress- welcome! I am a fellow apple.
I don’t find it difficult to stick to 1200 calories if I eat wisely. I don’t feel weak or even hungry. If you leave out the bread from a sandwich or toast in the morning you save a lot of calories right there. Skip the rice or potato with dinner and you can cut another chunk. I find my apple middle reacts well to a low carb diet.
I braved the scale and came home from SF the same weight I left at. Down 1 lb this week.
I haven’t been exercising this week so that is an area I can improve on. Small goal this week of just getting out for a walk even if it is just 15 minutes.
What are some of your goals?</p>
<p>I would like to get back to 120 pounds. 118 even better. I had a colonoscopy this week and used that as a starting point. Clean sweep, if you know what I mean. I would also like to get the flapping upper arms under control before I hurt someone!!</p>
<p>OOh, ouch. What an image!! LOL</p>
<p>I took a bit of a break for a day or so- celebrated some good news with dining out, bubbly and vino. Will get back on track.</p>
<p>Congrats on your good news! If you can’t celebrate the happy times, what good does being skinny do?</p>
<p>I think one of the goals of this thread is to approach weight loss as a lifestyle change not a diet. If we allow our diet to not allow us to celebrate the good things in our lives that would be sad. We can celebrate and know that we can and will eat healthy and keep taking care of ourselves the next day.
Would some of you share some tips you have found for dining out? I do pretty well when I eat at home but not as well when we go out. </p>
<p>The long weekend of celebrating was not kind to me. Starting anew…</p>
<p>I agree, eptr, but having clothes that fit is enjoyable too. I want both!</p>
<p>Bingo Mom60. Lifestyle change is the only thing that will have you not having to revisit this problem over and over again!<br>
Tips for eating out:
- Automatically punt the fries with your sandwich or burger. Order a side salad or vinegar based coleslaw instead. Steal 3 fries off your dining partners plate if you must to get the taste. You will find that you can live without the fries!
- Drink water only. Maybe a cup of tea if others are indulging in other “special” drinks. I don’t drink alcohol so I can’t offer suggestions on getting around wine/cocktail/beer desires!!
- Instead of a full meal, consider “splitting”. If I’m with another person we often order one salad, one entree meal and then split them both. Lets you have more than one “taste” but at smaller portions.<br>
- Visually split your meal when it comes. Mentally tell yourself that you will eat a certain portion and take a certain portion home.<br>
- Decide what part of the meal you will “indulge” on. I personally don’t want to go out to eat and have to get the “diet plate” - why bother going out?! But also if I have an appetizer, fries with my meal and think about dessert - then I’m going to be rolling out of the restaurant uncomfortably.<br>
- Stop eating before you are stuffed. Plain and simple.
- Most of all, plan ahead. If you know you are going out for dinner, REALLY plan your intake the rest of day. Eat breakfast and lunch, but choose your food wisely. Avoid carbs at breakfast/lunch if you know you’re probably going to have them at dinner. </p>
<p>I’m reluctant to post on this thread now, because it seems like everytime I do, I gain weight. Nevertheless, I’m trying again. Going to Paris in a few weeks, and walking around with even a few less pounds would be helpful.</p>
<p>When I eat out, I just have to get used to the idea that I am going to waste food. I won’t take half home to eat another day because I can only afford to eat restaurant food once a month if I want to avoid unmanageable weight gain, I can’t take the rest of it home and eat it or I will gain more than I can lose within a week or two which is way too much, it starts to build up before I can lose it if I do that. I just have to throw it out. I still set half aside because if it’s on my plate, I will eat it. I don’t ever eat appetizers or dessert. If I really wanted a dessert, we would make dinner at home and go out for dessert, but with the dairy allergy it’s not possible anyway.</p>
<p>To be honest, we usually just don’t bother. We love to eat out but we try not to go more than once a month or less. We just cook tastier food at home so we don’t miss it so much and find other things to go out and do to spend time together. I have a hard time when friends and family want to get together and go out all the time, I just have to tell them no and not see them unless they make other plans. It’s that or gain weight, those are my choices. I was supposed to go out for my sister’s birthday today, but I had to skip it because my mom and I spent the weekend together and I ate way too much. I have to draw the line. Had I known they wanted to go to dinner I would have eaten better over the weekend. But I find if I ever say, “well, just this one time,” every time is"just this once," everybody always wants me to go out to eat to celebrate something or other, and I can’t, so I am not going. Too bad.</p>
<p>We struggle with dates. Every Saturday used to be “date night” and we would go out to eat, it’s the only night a week we leave the house besides for work. We used to eat out for lunch or dinner, or go out for vegan ice cream, or go to the cupcake bakery, it’s all centered around food. This used to be okay because our eating is perfect every other day of the week, but now I have to cut that to more like once or twice every 4-6 weeks tops in order to maintain my weight. The only other thing we occasionally did was a movie, but I won’t pay for movie tickets anymore, we can’t really afford any of it right now. So what to do? When the weather is nice we like to go to the park and walk but the weather isn’t nice probably more than 75% of the time here. We like to go to the beach, but there’s the weather and it’s a 2 hour drive-- and we usually end up eating out at least one meal because of the drive. We spend a lot of time together at home, but it’s not the same. We have to come up with clever, dirt cheap or free non-food things to do together AWAY from the house. </p>
<p>Why do social lives always want to revolve around food? I can’t live that way anymore!</p>
<p>Eating out really we do the obvious things: Eat two appetizers instead of an appetizer and main course. Or eat only half the main course. Only order pasta in an appetizer size. Ask to substitute another vegetable for potatoes or pasta. Try not to eat the bread. (I always do!) Don’t order fried food. Order fish if you like it. Have wine or cocktail, not both. Split desserts.</p>
<p>My main problem currently is that lately we’ve been going to wine tasting dinners at a local restaurant where asking for doggie bags really isn’t practical, and there are just too many courses and too much wine. </p>
<p>Ema, I sympathize. When we were in our 20s, we did a lot of hiking or going to museums. We often just went out for coffee or tea. My brother and his wife found a co-ed recreational soccer league that was a lot of fun.</p>
<p>I finally got started on My Fitness Pal and think tracking calories will be helpful. At a minimum, it has been interesting and enlightening. A rice krispie treat has half the sugar of an orange? I thought my fruit addiction was a good thing, but maybe not…I also had no idea how much hidden sodium there is. I always have very low blood pressure so I’m not sure if this matters or not.</p>
<p>I have been pretty proud of myself thus far, but today received a box in the mail. A box of Godiva chocolates from a client…I normally feel ok about throwing out food that is bad for me, but this might be more difficult :)</p>