2011 HEATHY EATING ~ WEIGHT LOSS SUPPORT THREAD

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

WELCOME TO THE 2011 HEALTHY EATING ~ WEIGHT LOSS SUPPORT THREAD!

The purpose of this thread is to provide ongoing encouragement, ideas, advice, support and accountability for those of us who wish to eat better in 2011 ... whether it's healthy eating for the sake of eating healthy ~ or for those of us who are doing so with a goal of weight loss.

For those of you who are looking for a great online calorie counting website, with all sorts of nifty tools and gadgets, I recommend About.com's CALORIE COUNT WEBSITE (absolutely free) .... caloriecount.about.com/community (Note: I'm a moderator over at Calorie Count, also posting there as Mollymouser. Feel free to add me as a friend over there!)

There are no rules here ... you are free to post (or not post) your goals, your weight loss, how you are doing, etc. But this thread (and its posters) are here to offer you support and encouragement in your quest to eat a more healthy diet!

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

As some of you know, 2010 was a big year for me, weight-loss wise. At my very lowest (mid-September 2010), I'd lost 125 pounds from my starting weight. Since then, I've slowly crept back up about 10-15 pounds (depending on the day, the time of the month, and .... oh ... gravity?). I attribute a lot of this to exercising a lot less than I had been, eating a lot less "clean" than I had been eating, and general "turning to food for comfort" while my wonderful DH has been deployed to Iraq.

Anyway, January 1 ... I start again. My first goal? To get back to my lowest weight ... which will be 125 pounds lost. Then I will reassess and see what I want to do, then.

I can do it. It will take time. But I'll do it.

[seamehyde]

New to boards and looking forward to getting to know you all. I also vow to start loosing weight and get in better health this year. I NEED to lose close to 100, but will be happy with any. I look forward to the encouragement,meal suggestions,accountability, etc that will go along with this. I have to do this without any form of "diet" pill or surgery. I suffer from an imbalance problem so running and quick movements are challenging to say the least.However, I must do something to start losing and getting back in shape. so.lets get this party started! Here's to a great New Year!

[bobosensei]

I'll join everyone here. I don't necessarily need to lose weight, but my BP is borderline and my doctor wants to put me on meds if I can't lower it through diet and exercise. I am on the high end of normal for my BMI so I will lose weight once I start exercising. I eat pretty well, no canned or processed foods. I cut back on meat and opt for beans and nuts instead.

DH is on a weight loss kick and so I can't have him looking better than me

[bobosensei]

Oh this spring I want to start running. My dogs would love it since we don't have a yard for them to play in. I got an app for my iPod for a run and walk thing, but I didn't get into it because it started to get too cold and I am too out of shape just to jump into running.

[daisylu]

I really need this. I am coming off of a back injury, and will be facing the gym again next week. I have about 50# to lose, but my magic # will be 5# - after the first 5#, then the next, and so on until I get where I want to be.

Last year was my first full year of marriage, and the fancy pants that I wore last New Year's are useless this year.

Yeah, I don't get out much.

[chiver78]

I will be here this coming year too. well, when I get back from vacation on the 10th, anyway

my goals for the year are:

-drop 2 sizes to fit back into 75% of the clothes in my closet (the size I was from college up to 2 years ago)
-tone up, stronger core
-run more, other than just the bootcamp sessions over the summer!

[breezy]

[drop 2 sizes to fit back into 75% of the clothes in my closet]

That is my goal also. I have so many clothes that I absolutely love, and I can't fit in them.

I started my New Years resolution this week! I am being more mindful about what I eat, reducing my caloric intake, and working out.

My first goal is 10 pounds - that should get me into some of my clothes. My ultimate goal is 20 pounds - that will get me into my swimsuit!

[sidney]

I would like to participate. I need to lose about 40 pounds. My goal will not be weight loss though. I have hypo thyroid-ism and weight loss is very hard for me. My goals are to get in the best shape of my life and hopefully weight loss will result from that goal.

[Sharon]

Count me in. I had been doing pretty good and had lost 35lbs. Due to the weight loss they lowered my Thyroid medicine. Everytime they tweak around with the Thyroid medicine I get all out of whack. I went from working out everyday to having to take a nap in my car at lunch to get through the work day. Needless to say the 35lbs came back and brought a couple of friends with them. The doctor insists that my Thyroid levels are fine and will not raise the amount of medication. My naturopath has added a couple of supplements and I feel much better so now I can think of tackling the extra weight.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Random Healthy Eating Tip of the Day

Breakfast.

Yes, breakfast. Eat one. Every day. And choose something healthy.

Why eat breakfast? Because there are two things that jump-start your metabolism in the morning: exercise and eating. And, let's face it, eating is a lot easier to plan for, day-in and day-out, right? Breakfast, unlike lunch and dinner, isn't really designed to be fascinatingly tasty and wonderful, and it's not usually a social "do it with other people" sort of event. So ... why not start out with a commitment to eat a healthy breakfast at least 5 days a week?

For me, I prefer a high fiber breakfast, so here's mine:

1 cup of original Fiber One (120 calories)
1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond breeze (40 calories)
2 slices or organic sprouted flax seed toast (100 calories)
2.6 ounces of salmon ~ eaten on the toast (90 calories)

That's 350 calories of fiber, protein, nutrition ... and I eat the exact same thing every single day. (OK, sometimes I switch to low fat cottage cheese instead of the salmon.) By the way, that's more than 30 grams of fiber in just breakfast ... which means if I eat no more fiber for the day, I've hit my daily minimums.

I also spend a lot of time vigilantly looking for Fiber One to be on sale, lol! When I can find it for $2.50 a box or less, I tend to stock up on like a mad woman.... I currently have about 10 boxes left from my last stockpiling. (I go through a box a week, so it's easy to plan!) As for Almond Breeze, sometimes I write the manufacturer and request coupons, and I've done the same thing for the bread that I like. And Walmart has the lowest prices on the pouched salmon I like ... 97 cents. (Yes, cottage cheese would be considerably cheaper.)

[Malarky]

I'm back in. The holidays really start for me at the bakery in October. I had lost about 15 and was halfway to my goal when I got really busy and stopped focusing on what was going into my mouth. I've been eating healthy all along, as well as snacking on cookies and other delicious, but unhealthy treats. I managed to put 9 of it back on.
I'll be actively job hunting in January (my decision is made, I have a meeting with my boss next week.) I am definitely leaving the food business. It has to help if I'm not surrounded by food all day.
This is really my first experience with dieting. I weighed pretty much the same my entire adult life. I put on about 10 pounds between college and age 45. Then I quit smoking and put on 30 pounds in a matter of months!! I never really understood how hard this is.
DD is running around in my old body. I can clearly see what my goals are. Time to meet them.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

patstab .... nice to see you here. Would she ride an exercise bike placed in front of the TV or computer?

[suzwantstobefree]

I like to run because it makes me feel good and it burns a lot of calories fairly quickly. If you are interested in learning to run check out this website. It is a guide to take you from couch to a 5K (3.1 miles).
www.beginnertriathlete.com/Programs/couch_to_5k_overview.htm

I am going to join the party and try to lose weight this year.

Attachments:

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I like those happy smiley faces

[suzwantstobefree]

I like those happy smiley faces

Maybe we should set up a "reward" system with the smiley party......

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

My goals for 2011 ...

It looks like I'm ending 2010 with a weight loss of 110 pounds for the year, give or take a pound or two. Even though I've slacked off and fallen off the wagon for November and December, I need to remind myself that I did, in fact, lose 110 pounds over the course of 2010 -- which is indeed a victory even if I currently feel like a failure for backsliding some and gaining back 10-15 pounds that I'd managed to lose (albeit temporarily).

Here are some of my thoughts and plans for 2011.

First, I'm only going to log my weights on the 1st and 15th of the month on my Calorie Count Weight Log Chart. (My plan is to still weigh every day, but only log on those two days.) This should help minimize my freaking over water weight fluctuations, menstrual cycles, vacation days, etc.

Second, per my wonderful DH's instructions, I am not setting weight loss goals in terms of pounds lost or dates to aim for. He thinks that these are destructive and distracting to me, and he wants me to focus on eating healthier and getting exercise regularly. So, I've removed references to goals and dates from my profile, and won't be participating in any contests or challenges that are set up with date goals or weight loss goals.

Third, I want to get back on my bike as soon as my health and the weather are conducive to that. One of the biggest changes for me in the months of November and December (other than having a wonderful time eating pistachios and peanuts and good cheese and prime rib like they were going out of style) is that my biking has really lessened. For good reason, of course: 2 weeks in Florida, torrential rainstorms, freezing temperatures, several respiratory bugs ~ but I've learned that the time to eat extra food is NOT when I'm not biking 4 hours a day.

Fourth, there are just some foods that I can't eat in moderation. Clearly, pistachios + peanuts, really good cheese, and high calorie meats (prime rib, rib eye, salami, bacon, etc.) may well be reasonably low-carb, but they are incredibly high in fat + calories and I have insufficient willpower to purchase these things and have them in the house (at least unsupervised.) So ... as I've often advised others: WIN THE BATTLE AT THE GROCERY STORE ... and I will stop purchasing these trigger/binge foods.

Fifth, I will continue to commit to trying new foods, especially veggies. I've learned to really like and appreciate things like jicama and red peppers and snow pea pods and bean sprouts and shredded carrots and straw mushrooms ... and I know that there are other great and healthy veggies out there.

[suzwantstobefree]

Molly, I can totally relate to the "unsupervised" eating and not being able to control trigger foods.

I am going to summarize a few of my goals:

Exercise Why is it so easy to find an hour to post on the computer but I am too busy to exercise? My first goal is going to be to walk at least 30 minutes each and every single day. It doesn't sound like much, but it is all about making the committment to do it. I sometimes run for 3 or 4 hours on a Saturday but then I don't do anything else during the week. There is some correlation between exercise and eating better for me. It is hard to eat poorly if I spent any time exercising.

Portion control This is probably my biggest diet killer! I really am going to make a committment to measuring the foods for the new Year. Grazing without measuring my foods allows me to fool myself into thinking I am not eating as much as I really am.

Fruits and vegetables I am going to make sure that with every single meal I eat at least one serving of fruits and vegetables. Whenever I want "seconds" it can only be a vegetable or fruit - no more meat, pasta, bread, etc.

Water At least 8 servings per day before I drink anything else! I love diet soda but water is so much better, so no soda until the water requirement has been met!

In order to make this work, I have to invest some more time in grocery shopping and prepping the foods that I purchase. I am going to try to cook and prepare most of my meals once a week. I am more likely to eat better if I make it convenient for myself.

[sidney]

Summarizing my goals.

1 Exercise for 20 minutes at least 5 days a week, for the first month. I know I will do more but I want to commit to smaller amounts so I don't overwhelm myself. I will gradually increase the minutes I workout.

2 Smaller portions.

3 Limit sugar. Certain times of the month I can't stay away. I am hoping if I limit it all month it will be less of a craving when that time of the month hits.

[rumples]

DH and I went on Sugar Busters last year and I lost about 20lbs. He lost much more than that, but I'm not sure exactly how much. Over the holidays, we slacked off some and allowed ourselves to eat whatever when we were at friends' open houses and such as well as to have a treat every now and again. Thankfully, I think that I only gained back 2-3lbs. Now that the holidays are about over, though, it's time to get back on the bandwagon (tomorrow! ;D). I'd really like to lose 30 lbs this year.

My plans so far are:

Exercise: I plan to start walking at least 30 minutes per day. On the days that I am off or work from home, that should be easy - plus it will make the dog very happy. The challenge will be in maintaining the habit after skipping days that I work outside the home. Why would I skip those? Because most of those are 11 to 13-hour days and I'm almost constantly on the go during that time. Who knows, though, perhaps over the course of the year, I'll try to get up earlier and get a walk in before I head out.

Food: Hop back on the Sugar Busters bandwagon.

[Tiny]

I've lost 30 pounds thru the weightwatchers at work program... but I seem to have gotten stuck. I don't really 'excercise' as that souds like work and I'm lazy.
I'm on the borderline weight for my height between normal/overweight and I'd really like to loose another 10 or 15 pounds. I've never been "skinny" so I have no idea of what actual size and/or weight I'd like to be - maybe I'll want to loose more.

I may not post a whole lot but I'll lurk. Reading about other peoples travails and successes is motivating to me.

[Tiny]

I'm doing really well with the weight watchers points/portion sizes and planning out my weekly meals. What I really stuggle with are my food Inner Demons... I don't eat when I get emotionally upset... but do eat for a number of other reasons:
I can recognize and stop the "I'm hungry, because I'm Bored Demon". I stuggle with 'boredom' and loosing focus so I've had to find some other less destructive ways of 'entertaining myself' than eating. I'm doing this pretty well.
I squelched the "I'm hungry because I'm Tired Demon" early on, but it shows up any time I start burning the candle at both ends. In the evening after dinner if I'm suddenly "hungry" again I just start getting ready for bed and then go to sleep - even if it's 8:00pm. Getting sleep has done wonders for me.
I'm currently struggling with the "I'm hungry because I'm Cold Demon". It's freezing at work and I find myself munching thru my lunch and snacks for the day sometimes before Lunch! Then it's a long awful 'cold and hungry' afternoon. I've started making sure I'm wearing more clothing (layers) to work, and I bought a faux snuggie to wear and some fingerless gloves. Not too many people see me at my desk. I felt really silly wearing my coat and hat at my desk... the snuggie and fingerless gloves are a better "silly"
I'm also stuggling with the "I'm hungry because I Don't Want to Do What I'm Suppose To Be Doing Demon". Which is the cousin to the "I'm Bored Demon". I'm trying to find ways to make what I'm doing more interesting or to stay motivated to complete the task/chore. I've been repeating my new mantra of "Chop Wood, Carry Water" and trying to be more mindful of what it is I am doing.
Another plus of the whole adventure - I can recognize actual hunger!

I haven't even started excercising... all my weightloss has been due to taming/squelching demons (eating less) and going for atleast a 20 minute Walk at Lunch time and taking the long way when I visit the floor above mine at work (a couple of times a week I walk up and down extra flights of stairs to get from the 11th to the 12th floor. I'm currently up to 3 flights in one shot...)
I'd like to start running again - I use to run 2-3 miles 3 times a week and really enjoyed it. I'm not sure my knees will take it though. So I'm thinking I'll start doing timed walks instead.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Lurkers are welcome.

[suzwantstobefree]

Happy New Year - I hope it will be a Happy New Me Year.

Well - day number one of the New Year! I started it off with a one hour walk. Soon I will start running again but wanted to make sure I take it easy since I have a bone spur and I have to be careful about doing too much at once.

I have already had breakfast - banana and oatmeal and drank 32 oz of water today so far. I went to the grocery store with a list of things to complete some easy and lower calorie recipes. My plan is to cook up 3 main dishes this weekend and then spread them out over the week for quick to make/warm up lunches and dinners. I am making ww chicken pot pie, cooking light sheppards pie, and a chicken/rice/cheese mexican dish. I will also make a tuna salad and that will be one of my choices for work lunches.

Tonight I am going to dinner and the movies with my boyfriend. I am going to have a steak but pair it up with a salad and veggies. Hopefully preplanning will lead to my weight loss sucess.

I also decided I am going to bring my vitamins to work with me and put them out on my desk. This way I will actually take them (at least five days anyway). My doctor recommended fish oil supplements and I also take a multivitamin. I am also going to buy viactive on Sunday when I can pair it up with a sale at CVS and some coupons.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Count calories. It's the only way to lose weight. Yes, learn the tips and tricks like building muscle mass so that you burn more calories idle, and all that fun stuff-- but when you get right down to it, count calories. Very few people will not lose weight by maintaining a calorie count between 1,500 and 2,000 calories a day; and very few people will not maintain their weight by keeping calorie counts between 2,000 and 2,500 calories a day.

DO NOT eat between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. or just pick a 12 hour period where food of any kind is OFF LIMITS.

And you can eat WHATEVER you want, but when you're done with the calories for the day-- you're done. If you FORCE yourself to do this-- then you will find that after the first few days of hitting 2,000 calories before noon; and going hungry until your next day's eating can begin and you will discover healthy eating automatically and will become highly self-regulating.

It's just like sticking to a budget-- the first few times you finally discipline yourself to stick to it are painful, but the rest of your life is less so. Discipline is measured in ounces, regret is measured in tons. Live accordingly.

START TODAY:
Visit www.caloriecount.com

[Tiny]

Dec 30, 2010 14:06:02 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

Random Healthy Eating Tip of the Day Yes, breakfast. Eat one. Every day. And choose something healthy.

[/i][/quote]

I'm gonna second Molly's advice. I use to think it was a bunch of whoooie but I've changed my opinion. I've NEVER been able to eat right after waking up - it makes me queasy and feeling weird. My poor mom use to try to get me to eat before sending me to grade school and I just couldn't do it. I'd choke down some toast or cereal and it would usually come right back up a few minutes later. Needless to say I spent most of my life not eating breakfast.
I started eating a protein/carb/fruit type breakfast at my desk at work each and every work day morning and after a week I noticed that I was better able to handle a smaller lunch AND I didn't get the crazy ravenous hunger/feeling tired and draggy at 3:00/4:00pm. Even if I'm eating "breakfast" 2 hours before a scheduled Lunch I do it... I just try to go with more of a "snack" breakfast rather than I need to "power up" for 4 or 5 hours breakfast.
I'm alittle more lax on the weekends and usually just combine 'breakfast and lunch" because I tend to sleep late and usually have some big dinner outing planned for the day. Keeps my calories in a reasonable zone and keeps me from being ravaneous by dinner time.

I can't believe I "suffered" all those years of "ravenous crazy mid afternoon" hunger and the ups and downs in energy (even after having a HUGE lunch). Eat something for breakfast and try to follow Molly's suggestions.

[Deleted]

Dec 29, 2010 21:40:19 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

; while my wonderful DH has been deployed to Iraq.

My husband is also deployed to Iraq. I have gained 15 pounds since he left in February.

I really need to get back to eating healthier and shed these 15 pounds. Thank you for starting this thread.

[seamehyde]

I may have sabatoged(sp) myself already or made a great move. I purchased another restaurant yesterday. We lost our business of 19 yrs to a fire in June. Now I have to be up and at work by 9 each day and won't close til 9 p.m. I'm hoping this is a good move. Forces me to get up and out.....downside I will be surrounded by food. I'm hoping I will make good choices.My downside has always been eating my big,main meal after work(10 p.m.) I started my day with an orange.lunch will be the traditional peas,ham and veggies.........new work scchedule starts Monday at 7 a.m. Here's to the future!!!!!!! Good luck and great successes to us all! I will be reading and following along as best I can. Healthy choices is my main goal,weight loss and all its benefits are the extrsa Ihope to achieve.

[chiver78]

so, I wasn't planning to really get in gear until after I get back from vacation on the 10th. I'm going on a cruise. while I can minimize the damage by thinking about what I opt to eat, it's really not going to be completely healthy and conducive to weight-loss. I'd be delusional if I thought otherwise.

today though, is going to be "fix the hangover" day. small meals of carbs and/or grease, and advil. didn't realize there were only 2 of us drinking the wine I brought last night, and we finished both bottles.

hope everyone's enjoying their new year so far!

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Happy January 1, Healthy Eaters!!!

I got up this morning, got on the scale, and officially logged my January 1 starting weight on my Calorie Count Weight Log. It shows that I lost 112.8 pounds in 2010 ~ which I've decided is pretty gosh-darn respectable. But that was last year, and now we're on THIS year, right?

I had my standard breakfast, and plan to have my standard lunch today. Then all bets are off for dinner as I head to a girlfriend's house for bubble + squeak and bangers. Oh well... what can you do?

I dusted off my bike and went for a 45-minute, 5-mile bike ride in the RAIN this morning. I wore a tank top, a sweatshirt, a rain jacket, an a fur-lined fluorescent orange funny-looking winter hat thingy, plus my biking gloves and some casual black leggings. Not only did I get thoroughly wet (well, at least parts of me), but I also froze my butt off, lol! But I really did want to get back into the exercise mode, so that's what I did.

I am sure my neighbors think I am completely nuts.