Low Calorie Recipes

I got a Low Calorie Recipe CD at Wal-Mart last week. I was so excited about it, that is until I put it in the computer. It has some really good recipes (5,500 in total) but it doesn't give the nutritional info for them. Common sense tells you that if some one is purchasing a low calorie recipe CD that they are probably counting calories also. It seemed obvious to me that it would have had at least calories and fat. If you want to know the calorie count, you basically have to take each ingredient and figure it up for yourself. I was planning on posting some recipes each week, but now I'm not sure I want to mess with it. There are some great low calorie recipe sites out there that tell you the nutritional info, so maybe I will just start posting some from there as I try them. I also planning to buy this book this weekend.

Here are a few links:
http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/local/
http://www.recipezaar.com/r/278
http://www.edietshop.com/recipes/

I did it.....

I made it through one morning without weighing. I went straight to the scale when I got up...I guess it has become somewhat of a habit obsession! I resisted though...I did stand there and contemplate doing it just one more day and then stop my everyday weigh in as of tomorrow. But I stood my ground and said no. I wondered for a just a few minutes as to what it probably was, but then I soon forgot about it. It sucks not knowing where I'm at but I know I have to be extra good today, just in case it went up or something. I will make it until Wednesday...I swear. I may not keep my "new rule" after that, but this one time...I think I can do it!!

I think you are doing great. 1500 calories is not much considering what we normally would be consuming.

By the way, I weighed this morning and I'm back down to the 214, so it had to have just been water retention that I gained over the holidays. I am sure it has to be the same with you...I don't think you can gain 5 actual lbs of fat in just a few days. Anyway, I know we have discussed whether to weigh everyday or not... I think I have decided to try to go a week or so and only weigh on "weigh in day". I realized today when I was eating lunch that I had the thought "I'm back down today, so if I splurge a bit that's ok now" WRONG! It's not ok, and I caught myself in subconsicous thought and realized that weighing everyday is probably not a good idea for me at least not right now in the beginning. I do like knowing that I'm "OK" every morning, but I think I will be more strcit if I'm clueless to how I am doing. I will be extra careful knowing that I may or may not be losing. It will be very hard.... I'm even thinking of having Bobby hide it from me. That's crazy, but I don't think I can stop myself, if it's right there when I get in the shower each morning. When I wake up it's my first thought, well after the thought that my bladder is going to burst from all the dang water! What do you think???

The Low Down on Detox

Here are a few links I found on detox diets.

Is Detox safe? Good info...uh....I think. There is so much conflicting info our there, who knows whats right!!

Detox for quick weight loss! Well heck yeah, if you only eat fruit for a month you'll probably loose some major weight...but will you still be sane??

Quiz: Do you need to detox?
My Results :
You answered 12 items out of 16 matching the detox profile.
Your score is 75%. You're body is showing signs it needs a detox diet.

According to the Today show... experts say detox diets are hype: "First of all, your colon doesn’t need cleansing, it’s an efficient machine that rids the body of impurities on its own. The body expels harmful things naturally. Plus, without enough calories (which would be the case on either diet), your body turns to muscle for fuel, which in turn lowers your metabolism"

In conclusion I think a "detox diet" is a good way to lose some weight quickly and can benefit in other ways, but as far as the claims that out bodies need it to cleanse toxins.... not so sure I'm on board. I do think I may try a "solid diet fast" for 2 days and only drink or eat fruit and water. I would like to see for myself what the weight loss effects are. If I lose 2 or 3 lbs in those 2 days, I may try and do it twice a week for a month or so. What do you think?? Also most sites that support detox...want you to spend $$ with them in order to do so!

Weigh-In Wednesday: Traci

Girl, you're not alone!!! I gained 4.2 lbs in 3 days! That's horrible. The way I look at it is if I had not of lost the 7.8 lbs that I did since the beginning, than that would be 4.2 lbs on top of what I already weighed! Which would be 225 lbs...8 lbs more than I did this morning. That may be a warped way of looking at it...but it makes it easier to accept. Notice I didn't post my "stats" yesterday. It's because they weren't real good. I did ok until I got home. There was one lonely piece of cheesecake sitting in the fridge.....and well the rest I think you know. I then had two chocolate race cars and a mini bag of M&M's. That was all before dinner! Today is going better though. I'm on track, but need to get in some water. I haven't had any today. Just 2 big glasses of tea!!!

I failed! I failed miserably. As soon as I was in that fun food & family atmosphere ....I crumbled. Once I had given in I figured what the heck go for it. I had rotel and meatballs, cheesecake and pie, ham and deviled eggs, and a bunch of other crap that I really should have not even put near my mouth. But I will be honest and say it was SOOOO good. After not eating much for the last 3 weeks, it was some of the best food I had ever eaten. Of course after doing that for 2 days straight I feel horrible. I feel bloated and nauseous. I'm kicking myself now. I could've, should've, would've but....I didn't. All I can do is accept it and move on. So I'm back on the program today. Weigh-In tomorrow will be very interesting. How did you do????

Who needs a measuring tape or scales when you have jeans?? Jeans are one of the best indicators of loss or gain. At least for me anyway. If I gain a few, I immediately know when I put on my favorite jeans. For instance this morning, I decided to try some jeans that have been really snug. They will button, but I can hardly breathe with them on. Well, this morning they went on perfectly! They could probably stand to be a bit looser, but I didn't have to lay down to button them. I didn't even have to suck it in. I love that feeling!!

Traci

Only down 1 lb since last weigh in - I knew it would slow down, but I was hoping for at least a 2 lb loss. Oh well 1 is better than none.

Down 7.8 lbs since my begin date 12/06/05

Oh the joys of Christmas......food

One of the things I have always loved about Christmas is the food! This time around it's a little different. I wish we could just leave the food part out. This is a perfect time however to test my self control. We are having a huge food day Christmas celebration at work today. Saturday we are having all of Bobby's family over and doing finger foods (our weakness!) and then mom has decided to skip Christmas "dinner" and we are just having a huge array of ......yes again FINGER FOOD! The thing with this type of food is that you really don't realize how much you are eating. You get 1 or 2 little things here and there, not realizing that by now you have consumed a whole cup of Rotel, the equivalent to a small pig in little smokies, a couple of sandwiches (those tiny triangles seem so harmless by themselves), and about 2000 calories worth of sinful desserts. I have pledged to allow myself to eat, but only one trip. It is going to be so hard....but I'm not going to throw away the progress that I have already made. I will probably get close to 2000 calories on those 2 days, but that's still better than the 4-5000 that I probably was consuming in the past.
As for today's shindig, I have eaten a bagel and one sugar cookie. They are bringing in pizza for lunch and I will have one piece of cheese pizza (around 200) and I have to have a small slice of my cheescake. I HAVE to know if it is any good, I have to see if it's worthy cooking again...right?
For dinner tonight, I will be having my weight in water and maybe an apple. Happy Eating!

Just relax!

I really haven't felt like eating today. Nothing sounds good. I ate cereal for lunch. I couldn't even eat all of it and it was one tiny serving. I did realize that I used to eat about 4 -5 servings when I would eat cereal. Crazy!! I'm feeling pretty tired today. That may be because I went to bed at 2 and got up at 7 (thanks to Mom's dog -we are dogsitting while they are in MS) Anyway, I am very ansy today. I'm tired, yet I can't sit still. I'm sure that has a little to do with the Adipex. I feel like I need to be doing something and there is plenty to be done, but I'm having trouble getting started on anything, so I came in here and finished yesterday's post and caught up on some emails. I'm done now and trying to decide what to do next...clean out dishwasher, fold clothes, or crash on the couch while Brayden is watching the grinch. That's what my body wants to do, but my mind won't let me. It's says I need to be getting things done. Like these things can't wait until tomorrow or even the next day??? Why can't I allow myself to be lazy. I've become that way over the last few years. I used to have no problem with laying around all day, but now I feel incredibly guilty. Bobby doesn't make me feel that way, he is always telling me just to sit down and relax. I wonder where the guilt comes from. I know that I deserve to be lazy every now then, but I just can't do it without feeling bad. I think part of it is the weight. Overweight people are stereotyped as being lazy people and maybe I just don't want anyone thinking I am. It's not like anyone is watching me though... hmm it will be interesting to see if I find it easier to allow myself to relax once I lose the weight. Well I'm gonna go and see what I can find to do. I'll update you later tonight...

Cutting Calories

I agree that it's not enough calories, but I also don't want to eat for the sake of eating. I know I wasn't going to talk about the Adipex , but if I'm gonna speak honestly about this journey, I can't leave that part out. I think once I am done with the Adipex, it will not be as easy to keep the calories that low. I have been doing a lot of internet reading on cutting calories and I think we are going in the right direction, but I think we need to watch our fat intake also. Most sites tell you to cut calories, not food intake. We are cutting food intake. I think that is due to the pill though. Most of the information suggests that cutting food intake will make you hungry and make it harder to control cravings. We just aren't seeing that now because we have our little friend. I was reading also, that you shouldn't take it for more than a few weeks. I'm on week 4 and going back to get refills next week!?!

If you type "cutting calories Here is one article I found that I likto lose weight" into a google search you will find all kinds of stuff. Most articles suggest that we should be getting between 1000-1200 calories a day. I'm going to shoot for atleast 1100 a day. I need to make sure those aren't empty calories though.

Here is one fo the articles I found and liked:

"When people cut food intake right down they often experience an increased appetite and a general craving for food. Some believe this is because they are eating less however, it may actually be driven by a deficiency or lack in the correct amount of certain nutrients. In other words, the appetite is trying to force the individual to eat more food in the hope that eventually these nutrients will be consumed. Most convenient foods are low in nutrients so if only fast, processed products form the basis of the diet then the appetite may crave the consumption of more food in order to gain essential nutrition.
If the dieter is exercising to lose weight the body requires more essential nutrients to aid recovery and growth of muscles. A diet devoid of nutrient dense foods may only cause further cravings and a larger boost in appetite. Cutting calories by reducing the amount of high-energy, fast foods is an effective way to lose weight permanently but only if other processed foods are replaced with healthy, nutritionally dense foods that are low in calories.
Cutting calories will be more effective if we learn to eat healthy meals regularly. This requires the introduction of healthier choices into the diet by gradually replacing each meal with low calorie, highly nutritious food or varieties. The dieter must veer away from the idea that they are "on a diet" by changing eating habits for the long term. Calories will automatically reduce when nutritiously dense foods replace high-energy package foods for most meals. An occasional treat should be left for when one has earned it by achieving a small goal or weight loss target"

Weigh in Wednesday - Traci

I decided to go ahead and have weigh-in on Wednesday also. That way we are on the same page and can look forward to it together. As of this morning, I weighed 214.4 lbs. That's down 6.8 lbs since I started last Tuesday! That's 15 lbs since August (I lost about 11 on NS and kept 8 of it off)

Weighing in

Woohoo!

As of this morning I weigh..... 217.1 lbs!!! That's the lowest I have weighed in almost 2 years. It feels great!

Just an OK day

In life there is hardly anything that is black and white, there is always a little gray in between. So that is what this little guy is going to represent for me. I didn't do "bad" yesterday, but I wouldn't exactly say it was a "good" day either. I went about 90 calories over the 1400 per day that I had set for myself. Jen and I had our annual Christmas baking day. I started out with gum in my mouth so I wouldn't be tasting along the way, but the gum got old and I got rid of it about mid way through the baking. So I did taste a little bite here and there. I think I had 10 chocolate chips, 3 bites of the uncooked dough (= 1 cookie maybe?), 1 whole fresh, hot, out of the oven cookie and 1/2 of a tiny pecan tart. My estimate is probaby a little high, but I want to make sure I didn't blow it the rest of the day thinking I hadn't eaten too much, so I am estimating 500 calories. I think that is pretty close though after looking up the nutritional info for chocolate chips and a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie! That's crazy. It really showed me how much I really used to eat. I would have normally eaten 3 or 4 cookies, a couple of pecan pie tarts, 1 or 2 pieces of fudge and a closer to 1/2 cup of chocoate and peanut butter chips along the way. Which really doesn't sound like that is TOO much. I decided to see what the calories would have been in that instance. It would have been 1965 calories!! That is crazy. I have looked back at a typical day for me and I estimate that on a normal day I was eating atleast 2500-3000 calories a day and those were the days I felt like I had "behaved". On the other days, probably once a twice a week when I felt like I had blown it I was probably consuming close to 4500 calories. And then I would look in the mirror and ask myself "How did this happen"? Hello... you eat TOO much and you don't exercise! So now that I have finally woken up and I really see it on paper (or screen I guess), I really feel like it is going to change. Why it has taken this long? I think I have been in denial about how I eat. I would always say, I really don't eat that unhealthy, but I was thinking unhealthy in the sense that I don't have chocolate cake 3 times a day. I DID eat unhealthy everyday, not just a couple of times on "special occasions. You first have to acknowledge that you really do have a problem. So here it goes.... Hi, my name is Traci and I'm an unhealthy overeater!

I have never kept track of calories on any other "diet. I've always counted carbs, proteins, and fat - but NEVER kept track of calories. Regardless of all that other stuff, it's mostly about your body and how many calories it burns. As long as you burn more than you eat, you WILL lose weight. Even if your whole day only consists of 1 huge piece of chocolate cake that had 1100 calories and 80 grams of fat. As long as you burn more than that on that day, you will get rid of those calories. Is it healthy? No, but that IS how it works. It can still clog arteries, give you high blood pressure, etc...but it won't make you gain weight. Weight Watchers is the closest thing that I have done to counting calories, but honestly with those points, I think it's decieving. Those numbers are so low (around 20-30) so if you have 2 points to many it doesn't seem like much, however those 2 tiny points could contain 2 to 3 hundred calories. Now I understand why WW didn't work for me. I always allowed myself an extra point or 2 and never felt guilty about it. So I guess I say all that to say that I really like keeping track of the calories. I feel in control of it for once. I'm not watching carbs or proteins, but I am making low fat choices when the option is there (i.e. low fat cheese, skim milk, lowfat yogurt, etc). It has become a numbers game for me. I guess that's the finance analyst in me. It's like a budget. As long as I spend (eat) less than in my budget and I put a little back in everyday (exercise) I will profit. (lose weight) !!

B - 500 calories from baking day
L - Low fat Pepperoni Hot Pocket - 300
D - Grilled Chicken Breast - 231
Side Salad with cheese, bacon, and creamy herb dressing - 360
S - 1 Pkg of Right Bites Chocolate Chip Cookies - 100

Total Calories - 1491

Exercise - does shopping at the mall while pushing a 40 lb stroller for 2 hours and then doing an hour of grocery shopping with a kid in the cart count as exercise?? I would say YES! According the the site, I burned approximately 800 calories. It would take me 2 hours to burn that on the treadmill

Water - only 30 little ounces - the rest of the day consisted of about 60 ounces of unsweet tea

Weigh in is tomorrow... I can't weight (ha)

Good and Bad days

I thought it would be cute to use the images below on the post that we talk about how our day or week went as far as what we ate and how much we exercised. One would represent a good day and the other a bad. I will be doing mine daily. If you like the idea I will email you the images.

We Can Do It!

I still don't have the book and DVD!!!! What's up with that? Do you have yours?? I went to the site to see if I could check the status and it doesn't recognize any of my 4 email addressess. I know I would of had to have used one of them??



Here is my calorie intake for the day:
B - Whole Grain Fig Newton Bar - 130
L - went to a banquet for lunch, so this is all estimated using the foods as listed on www.calorieking.com
1/2 Chicken Breast - 230
Snap Peas - 50
1/2 c Scalloped potatoes - 100
S - 1 and 1/2 Hershey's Treasure Miniatures - 94
S -1 Miniature Candy Cane - 15
D - Low Fat Pepperoni Hot Pocket - 310
S - 1/2 of 1 Little Debbie Nutty Bar - 78
Total Calories - 1007

Water - 55 oz

Exercise - 20 minutes of resistance training using the fitness ball

It's been a good day and I even got to eat chocolate. I am amazed at how many calories are in 1 little piece of chocolate!! I need to work on my water tomorrow though!!

I have another Banquet tomorrow night and there is supposed to be a ton of food. I'm gonna down some water before I go and I'll have Bobby there with me, if I need a little nudge!

We can do this!!

So far...

Well although we don't have our books or tapes yet, I started eating healthy and doing my treadmill for now. I'm going to start posting what I eat and total calories for each day.
I don't remember all the way to Monday (I swear my memory is slipping ....fast) , but I'm going to list Tuesday and Wednesday and then I'll post each day going forward.

Tuesday - South Beach Bar 140, no lunch - I was too busy at work for lunch (not good...I know), a whole grain Fig Newton Bar 130, Baja Chicken from On the Border 830 (good thing I skipped lunch) & 90 ounces of water = 1100 Calories

Wednesday - Whole Grain Fig Newton Bar 130, Nutrisystem Entree (left from my NS days) 270, South Beach Bar 140, 10 mini marshmallows 22, 8 oz serving of Shrimp Alfredo 300, 1 small dinner roll w/o butter 110 & 80 ounces of water = 972 Calories

I walked on the treadmill for 25 minutes both nights - 157 calories burned each time (estimated) I used the following website to determine the calories burned, because the one on my treadmill doesn't take my weight into consideration. The website has some other really great things (other calculators, forums, and food lists) .. and it's free!

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index.html

It calculates the same BMR as what I have listed in my first post, but then the site goes on to explain that the BMR calculates resting energy (basically when you are asleep) It then shows you based on your activity level what your BMR actually is. The calcualted sedentary (because I sit at a desk most of the day) RMR (more accurate than BMR - the site explains) for me is 2226 calories. It also allows you through a huge list of daily activities so that you can get an even better idea. It's got everything from getting dressed to butchering animals!! It's a huge list! You can pretty much go through your whole day each day and choose everything you did that day. I'll post mine. They are out of order from when they occur each day, but you'll get the idea. I didn't quite hit a 24 hr day either, I'm a half hour short. Using that I see that my RMR is actually more like 3,491. It then allows you to figure your calorie deficit. To reach my mini goal on 1/15/06, my deficit is 737 calories. So if I go with the latest RMR, then I need to eat 2,754 calores a day! That seems high, so for now I'm going with the calculated RMR and my calories I should consume is 1489. I'm going with a 1400 calorie diet. So hopefully I will lose a little more than what I want by my mini goal date.

PS: What day do you thing we should use as our weigh in day?? Monday morning maybe? I think they will help me stay on track better on the weekends.


Totals: 3,491 calories in 23 hr 27 min

Kissing - light
8 calories in 5 min
Hugging - light
8 calories in 5 min
Food - preparing, at home
124 calories in 30 min
Eating - sitting
161 calories in 1 hr 5 min
Child Care - bathing, sitting
21 calories in 5 min
Hairstyling - self care
41 calories in 10 min
Applying Makeup (self care)
33 calories in 10 min
Walking - 3.5 mph
157 calories in 25 min
Grooming - personal care
33 calories in 10 min
Watching - TV or movie
199 calories in 2 hr
Child Care - play, sitting, light
124 calories in 30 min
Child Care - grooming, standing
10 calories in 2 min
Cleaning - multiple household tasks, light
83 calories in 20 min
Driving - light vehicle (e.g., car, pick-up)
66 calories in 20 min
Office Work - desk work
1,609 calories in 9 hr
Driving - light vehicle (e.g., car, pick-up)
33 calories in 10 min
Showering (self care)
33 calories in 10 min
Dressing and Undressing
33 calories in 10 min
Sleeping
715 calories in 8 hr

Getting Started

So here is the short of my story. I have pretty much always been "chubby". I was a cute tiny baby, so I know that cute and tiny is in here somewhere. I just have to find it. My first memory of me considering myself as fat is as a teenager. Before that I just don't ever think I thought about it. I don't even remember weighing myself until I was at least 16 or 17. I maintained at 180 for several years, but then I got married and had a baby and now here I am only 5 years after the days of 180 at 221! That's 41 lbs in 5 years, almost 9 lbs a year. At this rate I'll weigh 300 lbs by the time I'm 38 yrs old. The thought of that has my head spinning. I cannot, WILL NOT let that happen. I actually gave Nutri System a try back in August. I lost 11 lbs after 4 weeks and have managed to keep all but 2 of that off. I just got so bored of eating their food.

Tiffany and I have talked about our longing to lose weight for so long, I think we have both realized that we aren't getting any younger and there is no better time than the present. So here we are, supporting each other through this journey. We WILL do this, we HAVE to.

I am posting my goal virtual model below. Notice that my second goal is to weigh 180 lbs.....before I get pregnant. My husband and I have been wanting to have a baby for the last 6 months or so, but with my weight like it is, I just can't allow it right now. So even though 180 is not ultimately where I want to end up, it's the weight I which I am comfortable getting pregnant. This is not a diet, it's a lifestyle change, so even once I am pregnant, I will continue to eat healthy and may even continue to lose fat, just not wieght due to the baby and fluid. After the pregnancy I will lose what I have gained and continue to my final goal of 160. I don't want to be a supermodel, I don't even have to be considered skinny, but I do want to be healthy and 160 is much healthier than where I am today. Last time I was pregnant I gained 25 lbs and lost all of it within 4 weeks (17 the day he was born). So hopefully after birth, I will be right around 180 where I started. Then I would like to lose another 20 over the next few months. So in summary, (if all goes as planned, babywise) I would like to lose a total of 61 lbs by April 1st 2007. Now that's some long range planning!! It seems a little far fetched even to me right now as I write, but the goals I have written above are attainable...now it's just up to me to follow them through.


Current Stats as of 12/06/05

Weight: 221.2
BMI: 35.7
BMR: 1779.20
Hips: 51 inches
Waist: 46 inches