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</p>
<p>And I’m going to guess that you don’t sit in the kitchen and milk almonds to get Almond Milk…</p>
<p>Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but a long term Harvard medical study was in the news recently-- among some of the points mentioned: diet is more important than exercise (yes, you should exercise, but if you eat the wrong foods, you will still be overweight.) The top foods responsible for weight gain in America are: 1. potato chips 2. French fries and other potatoes 3. Soda/sugary drinks 4. unprocessed red meats 5. processed meats. (Surprised that desserts/sweets weren’t in the top 5).
Foods associated with weight loss: 1. yogurt 2. nuts 3. fruits 4. whole grains, and 5. vegetables.</p>
<p>I get restless leg syndrome if I don’t eat a banana every couple of days. It seems to work. I tried taking Potassium supplements but for some reason they made me feel weird, so I stick to bananas even though they aren’t a significant source of Potassium.</p>
<p>I’ve often wondered if there is something else in the bananas beside the potassium that helps with RLS but I’m willing to give the potassium credit.</p>
<p>Thanks, Momlive! I’ll try that.</p>
<p>A little research reveals other foods/fruits higher in potassium.
[Top</a> 10 Foods Highest in Potassium](<a href=“Food Lists from MyFoodData.com”>Top 10 Foods Highest in Potassium)
[Top</a> 10 Fruits Highest in Potassium](<a href=“Food Lists from MyFoodData.com”>22 Fruits High in Potassium - A Ranking from Highest to Lowest)</p>
<p>Interesting list! It’s amazing how many nutrients are in herbs and spices.</p>
<p>Bumping us up. One more pound down! </p>
<p>I’ve structured my day so that when I go to a ballgame tonight I have 547 calories to spend. What should I have???</p>
<p>^^ beer!!!</p>
<p>I don’t like beer, thankfully. I’m thinking Cracker Jacks.</p>
<p>Hot dogs and water. Just throw away the buns. That’s what I had when we went to watch the Sounders cream NY Bulls. :)</p>
<p>Ahot dog with no bun?! No! Not at a baseball game! I would have a big honkin’ icecream treat. Congratulations, Youdon’tsay!</p>
<p>I haven’t weighed in this week. I’ll wait until my Sat. morning scheduled weigh in BUT …all of my pants are getting loose and a couple are even falling down.</p>
<p>Great job!!^</p>
<p>Ok, people who have been at this for a couple weeks. Ask yourself - is this a routine you can keep yourself on (with occasional splurges - occasional meaning not once a day!)??? Are you satisfied after meals? Are you missing anything terribly? Have you learned to like something new? Which meal/time of day still gives you the most trouble?</p>
<p>Another tip.</p>
<p>Farmer’s markets are starting to get some really good stuff in stock here in the midwest. Visit your local farmer’s market - you can’t help but get drawn in to the beautiful colors of the produce, prices are generally good AND you can get a little exercise in walking from vendor to vendor! (don’t be afraid to ask a vendor for a suggested easy recipe with their specific produce!)</p>
<p>WOW!!! Reducing carbs makes such a difference in my waistline!!! It has only been about a week, so I know it is not <em>real</em> weight, esp. since I don’t think my calorie intake has gone down, but my waist is down nearly TWO (2) belt notches!!! I couldn’t find my measuring tape, so I decided to use a stiff belt. I may start to wear a thin belt under my clothes as a <em>reminder</em>. I had no idea that carbs could do this. . .</p>
<p>I just stopped eating my brown rice twice daily, carb snacks like osembe and pretzel chips, and Trader Joe’s frozen mango, raspberry, and mocha bars. AND, I TURNED DOWN OFFERS OF CRACKERS AND CHOCOLATES AT WORK YESTERDAY!!! This is really huge for me. My next step will be to reduce my nut and pumpkin seed intake, because I’m pretty sure my total calorie intake is too high to lose any <em>real</em> weight.</p>
<p>One step at a time, in the effort to stop looking like a stuffed sausage in today’s skirts. . .</p>
<p>abasket,
I can honestly answer that, yes, I can live like this. This is the first time I can say that at a time when I am trying to lose weight and get health. Every other time that I have done it, i have either felt deprived and hungry or I have been overwhelmed by the amount of measuring and record keeping that was involved. </p>
<p>The difference this time is that I am focusing on eliminating unhealthy carbs and sugar from my diet and increasing my protein, fruit, veggies and even fat. I have never approached it this way before. I always focused on calories and fat grams and it doesn’t work for me.</p>
<p>I don’t feel deprived because I am eating and enjoying the extra protein and fat. Dinners have consisted of meat and vegetables and fruit for dessert. On some nights i have a WW ice cream bar (12 carbs).</p>
<p>I’m so excited and feel so much better than I did even two weeks ago.</p>
<p>CCsiteObsessed! How wonderful! </p>
<p>Keep it up. :)</p>
<p>Well, Bunsen, you could sit with my DH, the vegetarian. He gets the bun, sauerkraut, mustard, onions. When Ds were still swimming, that was a meal for him at a swim meet.</p>
<p>wnp, that’s pretty sad that your H had to eat that. Our team’s concession stand always had something for vegetarians - salads, veggie burgers, bagels, fruit…</p>
<p>Great news, CCSiteObsessed! </p>
<p>To answer the question, I’ve found my current calorie allowance, and the changes I’ve made so far (greatly reducing empty carbs, increasing vegetables), very easy to live with. The weight is coming off now, but I expect that as time goes on and my weight declines (I hope!), I will have to reduce calories further and also reduce “good” carbs in order to continue losing. This might be difficult. But, according to Livestrong, the calorie allowance for maintaining the lowest weight I could ever imagine being is higher than what I am doing now (1800 vs 1500), so I imagine that if I ever get to the point that I am satisfied with my weight, I will have no trouble maintaining. In terms of the changes in kinds of things I eat, I see no problem in continuing this indefinitely. I feel much better eating this way.</p>
<p>Oh, don’t feel sorry for him. He also would eat salads, fruits, bagels - no veggie burgers in the middle of Amish country. Actually, at swim team picnics, he would bring his veggie dog or burger and ask to put it on the grill. He’s a little weird, but real cute. </p>
<p>NYMom - I was in a similar position, but I never had to reduce the good carbs. I think it took longer for me to get back to my target weight, and I had several long plateaus, but it eventually worked. In fact, I am actually less than the weight I had thought I would be happy with when I had my muffin top moment and knew I needed to lose weight. </p>
<p>I had a very, very special lunch today. It was a lunch with one of my closest friends who turned 60. She is the first friend to reach that milestone and she is not a happy camper. When I say she doesn’t LOOK 60, I think people would say she looks fabulous for 50. We went to one of our favorite spots, enjoyed lunch on a beautiful patio. I had a cucumber, avocado, and mango soup & a crab cake. I did not eat the fries and I splurged on a small coconut sorbet. Oh and a glass of wine. </p>
<p>One of the things I have learned is that if I am going to indulge, it is going to be with the finest ingredients. I am not going to waste calories on a sleeve of saltines. So, it was a delightful lunch and if I was over my allotment of anything - fats, carbs, calories, whatever, I don’t care it, it was well worth it!</p>