<p>I agree with idad. I am a cardio queen 
and exercise a lot! Don’t go by charts or the machines in the gym as to how many calories you think you are burning. You really have to have a heart rate monitor to get an accurate assessment. I was shocked at the difference I thought I was burning based on the machines when I compared what I was really burning once I got my HRM. Like I said before…it is VERY hard to out exercise a bad diet!</p>
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<p>It’s a lot easier if you’re a male in your early 20s.</p>
<p>^^^ Haha! Exactly!!! 
Doesn’t work for 50+ menapusal women! ;)</p>
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<p>As I discovered, a woman in her 40s can get rid of the flab naturally by doing planks, pushups and light weightlifting (2 15-lb dumbbells) just a few times a week. Hopefully, someone a few years older can do that, too. And whatever is not fixed by the exercise can be taken care of with Spanx and Miraclesuits. :)</p>
<p>True words, MN!</p>
<p>Cpt - I could have written your post about four years ago. I never considered going that low on calorie intake, but I was so frustrated by weight gain. I had always been slim (downright skinny in HS) and so when I had a day of reckoning and realized at age 55 I had gradually put on 15 pounds I really didn’t know where to start. My diet was actually pretty good and I exercised pretty regularly. I would hear people talk about dropping 5 pounds in a month and I knew I couldn’t do that - I didn’t have that many calories to drop from what I was eating and I couldn’t exercise that much more. </p>
<p>Patience, never my strong suit, was the only answer. Now, for those of you who wish they only had 15 pounds to lose, I realize I sound like I am whining and I apologize. Those last ten pounds are hard to budge - there is very little glory. And when you do finally lose them - it is hard to stay on track and not slip back into old habits whereby you are eating just a hundred or so extra calories per day and gaining a pound or two a year. </p>
<p>It took me about 3-4 months to lose the first five pounds. And then I stayed there for a long time. Then I gradually went to a new set point, and then to another, and finally to where I am now, 17 pounds less than what I was at my highest point. I am actually below where I targeted (the braces seemed to take care of the last three pounds). </p>
<p>So, Cpt, this will take awhile. If you had really horrible eating habits you probably would weigh more than you do right now. For me a couple of things worked, albeit slowly. First, just being more aware of portion size. I could no longer eat like a horse and not gain weight. Second, being aware of white sugar and flour. Third, increasing the frequency and the duration of my workouts. I added a day of walking and added a long day of walking to the mix. </p>
<p>It wasn’t a straight path - but I got there gradually. Checking in here helps A LOT and I appreciate that those who are still losing allow me to post.</p>
<p>I argue with my husband all the time about the number of calories those machines count. (Ours pretty much agree with the heart rate monitor.) He thinks if the elliptical says 0 calories burned if you stand there, and 700 if you workout for half an hour he’s burned 700 extra calories. I can’t get him to believe that just standing burns calories too, and more than you’d think.</p>
<p>Well, I was doing pretty good until the power failure last night (power still out with no estimate of restoration; luckily the library has power and Wifi!). Anyway, it was before dinner and I didn’t want to keep opening the fridge so snacked on a banana, puffed rice, a few crackers, and a granola bar. And half a Three Musketeers that I got when we went out for ice. But we went out for breakfast this morning and surely will eat continuing meals out; much harder for me than eating at home.</p>
<p>Anyway, I was down 2 1/2 pounds in a week according to my Wii Fit. I haven’t been gaining weight for a while which was somewhat of a relief, so to actually drop a little is very encouraging. I’ve set my goal for a modest 1/2 pound every two weeks so get lots of warm fuzzies from the Wii Fit scale for meeting the goal early.</p>
<p>I am not doing AP Weight Loss with all those percentages and numbers and stuff. I do know quite a bit about carbs and glycemic rates but think common sense will be my best friend. Here’s my plan:</p>
<p>-Drink a lot more water, and only drink water until dinner, at which time I can have my Diet Coke or Lite Lemonade.</p>
<p>-Eat protein and dairy first at lunch; then some sunflower seeds; then carbs. I’m not really doing low carb but I am trying for correct carbs per the nutritionist I saw many years ago when first diagnosed with diabetes 2.</p>
<p>-Snack on something besides carbs first, such as celery and peanut butter (although that can get old fast), then wait, then proper carbs if still hungry. I agree with whoever was getting tired of eggs - I do like hard boiled egg whites (not yolks) which is good but not really filling.</p>
<p>-Don’t kid myself that I’m going to radically change with new foods - just isn’t going to happen.</p>
<p>-Try for a little exercise most days - at a minimum 20 minutes of aerobic on the Wii Fit. This is not for losing weight but for increasing stamina and heart rate.</p>
<p>-Got out a temperature (or was that thermometer) dress and hung it where I can see it every day. Forget jeans; I want to wear this dress again! I think it last fit about 12 years ago. :(</p>
<p>Anyway, it will be a challenge to behave at restaurants but I will do my best as a loyal member of Weight Loss for Dummies. :)</p>
<p>Just finished my favorite salad for lunch and did the WW points - 12 points, 12!!! That’s the biggest meal I’ve had since being on WW. It’s lettuce, walnuts (I know), crasins (I know) and goat cheese. Guess I can say goodbye to that meal for a few months, oh well.</p>
<p>I’m going out to dinner with a friend tonight, now what am I supposed to have?</p>
<p>Marilyn and amtc,
Salad with grilled protein on top, dressing on the side. Do not eat any croutons or potatos in the salad.</p>
<p>Also remember not to get too tied into the numbers (on the scale, on the charts) etc. Even if you are getting where you want to get fast (which is better IMO) - notice after a bit how much better you FEEL by eating a little better, exercising a little more!</p>
<p>I definitely lose that sluggish feeling and actually have a pep in my step when I’m eating better.</p>
<p>Well, I decided to take my reward meal for lunch again today, as I had those Panera gift cards and our Panera has these great Lobster sandwiches on ciabatta bread. I had a little bit of salad first, then the chicken orzo soup and then half a lobster sandwich which I really savored I then enjoyed 3 little bags of rice crackers as my dessert. You have to eat your reward mean within an hour and then it’s no food till the next meal. I could not fit the other half of the lobster sandwich though I intended to eat the whole thing. </p>
<p>For dinner, I’ll have some slices of pork roast, salad and green beans since broccoli is not on the favored veggie list and I’m making this one of the low carb meals. </p>
<p>Tomorrow I’ll do the same in terms of eating my reward meal for lunch. </p>
<p>The hard thing for me is not snacking during the day. I could snack all day on those rice crackers. They are 114 calories a pac, 12 g of carbs, 13 grams of sugar. That is the one thing I miss so much. I’d also love to snack on the french bread or ciabatta. Though i am going to eat today without regard to calories, and will do this for a while, I want to track how many calories I am actually eating.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice Worknprogress. I have not told anyone about my diet except DH and my mother (she has nothing but scorn for this). Because I “look” the right size, it makes it look like I’m being…I don’t know… a lot of my friends really have some weight issues, and it just would not be tactful to say I am dieting because my waist is now thick. But I don’t think that at my height, getting into size 6 capris is a big stretch and for me to up my size now is not what I want to do. I am truly making this a lifetime effort to pick my size and stay there. </p>
<p>I’ve already consumed 1275 calories today–because I ordered lunch for Panera, I can get a pretty good calorie count on stuff. Plus the two eggs, and the 3 packages of rice crackers. My dinner, will be another 400. Again, it’s just the way it’s working out and I am noting it for my own record, since this is not a calorie counting diet I am on. </p>
<p>I am absolutely stuffed and have no desire to snack, nor did I yesterday. I am hoping that by next Monday, I’ll have lost some millimeters and bulk from my waist. Don’t know if I’ll have lost any weight either. So far, I am holding steady still.</p>
<p>I checked what I ate last month on this Wednesday. Starbucks Misto and banana nut bread for breakfast for 550 calories. Snacks and lunch came to 684 calories. Dinner came to 500 calories, maybe. Typical of how I like to eat and that is what is gradually putting weight on me. Mostly carbs there, and mostly white flour carbs. It’s pretty clear that the banana nut bread and rice crackers are going to have to go out the window except as a treat maybe once . I am eating them like they are staples when I eat as I please.</p>
<p>My problem with exercise is I am starving when I am done, I mean STARVING. I have to eat. I did one of those 60 mile breast cancer walks a few years ago and would have to carry a little back pack full of food to eat while I was training and walking 3-5 hours a day. One of my routes would include a stop at Sonic for cherry limeade and some goldfish crackers then Panera for a bagel and cream cheese. I definitely got more muscular but the fat didn’t go anywhere. In January, I decided to hit the treadmill hard and I did and gained 5 pounds in 3 weeks and it wasn’t because I was putting on muscle. I am just physically not able to not eat when I am working out hard. I think that’s why low-carbing is working for me because I can eat all day if I want and I am very affected by blood sugar issues and get weak and shaky if I get too hungry.</p>
<p>I don’t understand the concept of this diet. I figure your lunch was 315 calories for the half sandwich (that’s what it would be with tuna), plus 130 calories for the soup, plus 330 calories of rice crackers, plus 80 for the salad. Unless my math is wrong, that’s 855 calories for lunch alone, including a massive carb-load with the rice crackers and the bread.</p>
<p>I can’t eat 855 calorie lunches and expect to lose weight and my target is currently 1820 calories a day. I had two eggs and three strips of thick sliced bacon. 305 calories, 22 g protein, 2 g carbs. For an afternoon snack, I had a half ounce of Planters dry roasted peanuts (80 calories).</p>
<p>^^I bet the half sandwhich was more calories- prob had mayo and lots of butter baked in the bread.</p>
<p>"> I wonder how those who are wheelchair bound can get enough activity so that they</p>
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<p>My MIL has not walked well for many years, but about a year ago she became essentially wheelchair bound. She has lost 20#, but she is the same size or possibly a little bigger as her pants are tight.</p>
<p>She has lost serious muscle mass and we all hear muscle weighs more than fat! I had no idea it would be 20# on a 150-200# person</p>
<p>Panera is one of those places that, once I began more healthy eating, pretty much had to be off limits. You CAN eat wisely there, but it takes some real work. Portions are very big and most of the popular items are very high calorie. It is deceptive, since salads, sandwhiches etc seem healthy, but the Panera stuff really isn’t. I get dragged there occasionally by friends or business associates, but, actually, McDonald’s is a better choice if you order carefully. They have smaller things.</p>
<p>I used to trade Panera stock quite a bit many years ago. There was one thing that had a big impact on their expenses and it was butter. When dairy prices went up, profits were affected. That tells me that they use a lot of butter in their foods and I suspect that it’s bound together with a lot of carbs. If you go to the pasty section, you’ll see a lot of their high-calories stuff.</p>
<p>How about a Panera Asiago Bagel? I used to buy a few and munch on them on long walks. They’re 370 calories each with 61 grams of carbs. Which do you think was more? Calories burned on the walk or calories from a couple of bagels?</p>
<p>I find their salads to be pretty good in nutrients and calories.</p>
<p>I wish that you could get all-flaxseed baked goods with no sugar in them. It seems that you have to make your own to get something like this.</p>
<p>The sandwich was huge and the ciabatta bread pieces were ever so generous. I took the calorie counts from folks at Panera, so they are likely accurate. It would be great if the sandwich is only 300 calories. I’ll take that gladly, but I am going by their charts since I bought their food. </p>
<p>You are probably right, MOWC If I like it, it has to be problematic. I’m going to stick with this diet because it does satisfy me. It is a great compromise to what I want to eat and what I should be eating. I’ll give it several weeks and see if it works. If it doesn’t, then back for more ideas. </p>
<p>But for the next month, I’ll be able to have one meal out for the most part–unusual for me, and this allows me free rein of what to eat in that situation. </p>
<p>I can’t stand McD’s. All their food has a taste that I can’t define or describe that bothers me. I can’t even get water there because I taste it even on their cups. I like BK for that type of food. </p>
<p>I love the Panera breads as a carb freak and I have no doubt they are bad for me. My friend who just called me tells me that eating white flour is tantamount to eating pure white sugar and butter. Sigh. I know she is right. I’m eating paste, no wonder It’s packed so tightly.</p>