A Journal to bust a plateau!

[mabenoab]

I've been working on weight loss for about a month and a half now. Lost 10 lbs right away, then slowllllly lost one more. Then nothing. Ok, my diet is not perfect, but my gosh! have I cut down on my eating! My focus is good, I've got great motivation and I just need to rev myself up. I've been reading the other journals, and I really admire the support people are giving/getting.

Who am I? Beth, 45 & mom to ds 17 and dd12. I have a wonderful hubby who keeps saying I look better than ever before, but his eyesight is failing, and I'm purposely not making his optometrist appt. (kidding!).

Have my own business but most of my time is spent lately supporting both Mom & MIL as they battle breast cancer. Looking forward to my family's trip to WDW in July, the Avon 3 Day walk in Boston, and then Vegas in August with my mom & 2 younger, beautiful sisters (who achieved their fabulous breasts and tiny waistlines through surgery...not that it matters how they keep their figures, just that I feel the need to keep up without the knife).

I want to lost another 16 lbs at least, but then I want to keep it there! I did this two years ago, and I slowly crept up. I don't want to do this again.

Okie Dokie, then...thats me, and I guess I'll journal at night (it'll keep my hands busy and out of the potato chip bowl!). Comments, suggestions welcome, and if no one does, thats ok too.

 

[mabenoab]

hello, me. How was your day? Ok. Not the best, but tomorrow's another one.

Today:
2 cups coffee w/ fat free creamer

WW Fiesta Chicken meal 5 pts.
3 WW carrotcakes 3 pts.

WW Mandarin Chicken dinner 6 pts.

2 glasses of chardonnay with my sister while we compared pants sizes & planned to go shopping for Vegas.

a Nestle crunch chocolate egg I stole from dd's Easter basket...

water, water, water.

There's always tomorrow.

 

[jjk]

Just wanted to say hello and welcome, hope you have a fabulous week

 

[mabenoab]

Thanks for the Disney welcome! I think this is going to be great...first thing I thought this morning when I woke up was: remember to be careful what you eat because you have to write it down. I've never done journaling before, so maybe that'll be my key to weight loss!

I see you've got the 5lbs lost banner on your sig, so Congratulations!! to you! and Good luck with your week, too!!

 

[eeyore25]

Hi there Beth,

Welcome to WISH...you will find tons of support here. Congrats on the loss that you have had so far....don't get discouraged, the rest will come off. Just keep doing what you are doing and it will work!!!

You are right, journaling really helps. Each time I want to pick up a piece of candy or something oh so yummy but yet so sinful, I have to remember that I have to post it for everyone to see. Am I prepared to do that??? Nope!!!

Keep it up!!! You are doing a great job!

Have a good day

Jamie

 

[mabenoab]

Hi!

Thanks for the welcome, Jamie! I think you are so right, if we just stick to it, the results will come. Just having to write down what I eat, and putting it out there to the world (at least the DisBoards world) makes me think twice about everything I put in my mouth.

Today wasn't too bad:

one cup of coffee with fat free creamer
2 eggs, scrambled with salsa

snack: 2 WW carrot cake (2 points and oh so yummy!)

Lunch: Lean Cuisine Glazed Chicken (5 WW pts), coffee w/ fat free creamer

Dinner: a large salad (w/ roasted peppers, marinated mushrooms and artichokes, grilled chicken...ranch dressing on the side, one small piece of bread w/ butter) & water & lemon

water water everywhere!

Thats it. I did my arms workout with weights and some abdominals..but didn't walk today...busy, busy.


Ok...this is interesting. I can see I need to bump up the cardio, and could have skipped the bread & butter (but what a far cry from two months ago, when I would have written..."I ate a small loaf of bread w/ a 1/4 lb. of butter").

I'm a work in progress, right? Thanks for reading, and all your support!

 

[mabenoab]

Ok, so I weigh in every day, and the number isn't budging! So I need to shake things up a bit...I found a really terrific thread on this forum...its the Low Carb thread. If you haven't seen it, you gotta check it out, the people there are really inspiring! So, WW got me down 11, now I'm going to try some low carb plan.

Within 6 hours of starting, I had a nutritional breakdown, and actually ate a...pop tart. Just one, and it was strawberry, so there was fruit in it. (I know, I know)...other than that I was really pretty good today:

one low carb yogurt for breakfast
coffee with fat free creamer

lunch yummy lettuce rollups with oven roast turkey slices & light mayo & bacon

dinner : a WW grilled chicken & veggies (only 8 carbs)

water

 

[eeyore25]

Hi Beth,

Don't get too discouraged with the scale...you are doing a great job. It will move in time.
You're food looks good, not to worry about the pop tart, you are still okay!

Keep up the great work!

Have a great day

 

[mabenoab]

Today was a good day. Of course it s only about 9pm, so I still have temptation-resisting today, but I'm in pretty good shape!

I told you I was switching to low carb thanks to the low carb thread on these boards...very good people over there! If you haven't checked it out, I highly recommend it.

DD had a friend sleep over last night, so they (and I) were up pretty late, or early this am, so I slept in. Breakfast was coffee only...I don't wake up hungry, do you? Then about 11:30 I made these turkey rollups using red leaf lettuce, a little piece of Swiss cheese, then a layer of Oven Roasted Turkey breast cut thickly, then a little mayo, and a slice of bacon, crumbled. Roll it up and there you are.

A little later I had some deviled eggs...just took out the yolk, mashed it up with a little bit of mayo (just enough to hold it together) added some chives & dill and stuffed the egg whites. 2 eggs was all I used, plus a cup of coffee, and a water. Later I had a couple of tastes of whipped cream, just to take the sweet tooth edge off.

I know I didn't eat enough today, but I'm not hungry at all. Did the workout with weights, some abs, and just spent the day talking & watching movies with my dd after her friend went home.

Off to bed early tonight, and tomorrow is the weekly official weigh in. Wish me luck! And thank you, thank you, for your kind support. I'm looking for you on the boards!!

 

[mabenoab]

Hi Beth,

Don't get too discouraged with the scale...you are doing a great job. It will move in time.
You're food looks good, not to worry about the pop tart, you are still okay!

Keep up the great work!

Have a great day

Thanks! Eeyore 25...those dastardly pop tarts will get me every time!! Congratulations to you on your 25 lb weight loss, that is quite an achievement! Good luck as you keep on losing.

 

[mabenoab]

Dancing Bananas all Around!!

I bust the plateau! 2 lbs lost this week, and I couldn not be happier! I'm hoping that going carb free is just the ticket I need! Maybe journaling, and just knowing I'm writing things down is what will make a difference. I don't know but I'll take this 2 and keep on going!

 

[mabenoab]

Saturday was fuuuun. Mom, Sister & dd12 & I went up to the Kittery Outlet stores in Maine. Great sales! DD found lots of cute outfits and I found some shorts (in one store I went down a size, in another I did not). The trouble with shopping with a group of people is that no matter how many times you say, before you leave, "eat something, we're not stopping for quite some time", somebody ignores you. Then, we're in the 2nd store...we've just started...and Mom begins with, "I'm hungry...when's lunch?" To be honest eating out for lunch was all she really wanted to do.

So, out to lunch is what we did. Mom loves the Weathervane Restaurant for seafood, so we went there. I was feeling pretty darned proud of myself, down two lbs. so I ordered a martini. Way to celebrate breaking a 3 week plateau!! Then I had broiled salmon, with broccoli & zucchini. Yes, I also ate some fried mushrooms, and for this journal to really be effective I must admit that I picked some fried clams off dd's plate. Later we continued shopping, and I walked a lot, but the damage was done.

I will not feel badly, but I will learn from my mistake. I call myself committed, but then I go ahead and fall of the wagon almost daily. Maybe I'm not as committed as I think. But...today's another day. I'm not going to freak, I'm just going to start again. And dh is going to start with me, so that'll be helpful.

See you tomorrow!

 

[tbstein]

Hello Beth!

I have to say, that for me, carbs can be killers! I have given up the bread and pasta stuff, lost 25 pounds quickly, and lost about 19 more over about 10 months. Now, in the last 6 months, I have gained 4 of those pounds back. Yuk!

Another WISHer has a day of rest for her diet, and she says it keeps her from wanting to 'fall off the wagon' the other 6 days. I have used this advice a few times, and I think it works to do this a few times a month, not so much weekly. At our age, slow and steady keeps the pounds off better, and the 'muscle tone' easier to gain.

I also wanted to comment that I never wake up hungry either. The rest of the family does. The only time I really eat breakfast while vacationing. And of course that is usually not as healthy as if I did do breakfast at home all the time. I have finally gotten to take my suppliments (green tea and calcium) with a banana in the morning. I think it helps. Sometimes I will do an apple. Dieting can be very hard, with 40 years of bad eating habits. DH sure does help. Right now he is cooking a very healthy dinner. Love a man who cooks, and does it well!

Enough babbling.

Welcome, and great chatting with you! See you on the journal page!

Wendy

 

[mabenoab]

Hi Wendy! Thanks for stopping by! I know what you mean about those carbs...they're tough ones to cut down on. But, I find that with the low carb diet, eating out is pretty easy. I can always get a caeser's salad with grilled chicken, for instance, or just a slice of meat & veggies.

Today, Dh said he'd like to join me in the diet. He's been watching his Dad age, and get larger, and he'd like to avoid that. I'd like him to avoid it, too, as I kind of like him and would like to see him stick around with me for a loong time. So this am, he made us 2 scrambled eggs and a side of bacon. Then we went for a 45 minute walk, uphill 1/2 way. He did a great job, and it was so nice to have his company. We're going to try to do this every night after supper.

For lunch I had a couple of my turkey roll ups...I just love these.

In the afternoon, dh decided he needed some new walking shoes...he's so serious and commited We shopped with dd after dropping our son at work, then out for dinner. (I don't usually shop this much, but somehow this weekend ended up being a retail one!) I find dining out on a low carb plan pretty easy, but dh found it really hard. He just likes potatoes so much! But he was good and I had a caeser's salad with grilled chicken & dressing on the side. Yum. I didn't cheat, and when I got home I had 4 Russell Stover Toffees at .2grams each (so a grand total of only .8 grams of carbs). It was a good day, and I'm going to bed early tonight to save me from myself.

somehow, some way, I can hear the pop tart box calling my name from the fridge...but there's only 2 left, and the kids will eat those tomorrow for breakfast, then, as God is my witness...I'll never buy Pop tarts again.

 

[eeyore25]

Hi Beth,

Congrats on the loss....that is great. Don't worry too much about lunch the other day....we all fall off the wagon. Today is a new day and you can start over!!!!

Now, are the poptarts gone....if not step away from the fridge....do not go near it!!! You can do it, I know you can!!!

Keep up the great work!!

Have a great day

 

[mabenoab]

Jamie:

You're funny! Yes, the pop tarts are gone..thank goodness for teenagers who can eat anything and everything! But somehow, snacking on marinated chicken breast isn't quite as satisfying...

I see you're doing the April & May fitness challenges...you must be very fit! Good luck to you, too.

 

[tbstein]

Hi Beth!

I think I have one of those teenagers that eat anything here. DS is a consuming fiend. He tries anything, and wil not shy away from new foods. I do bake cookies to fulfill the urges. DH and DD made a cake last night that is flourless and mostly just chocolate. I did enjoy a small piece. Yummy! So, I need to 'run' with the dog tonight rather than walk!

I was wondering, I do eat rice noodles occassionally, since I have to keep gluten free as I can. They are a bit lower in carbs. Thought you might want to look into them. They are in the asian section, as rice noodles to stir fry. I do like spagetti squash too since I don't have pasta anymore. It is easier to eat out without carbs, as long as there are veggies and grilled meats!

Off to finish up!

Have a great week!

Wendy

 

[mabenoab]

Hi Beth!

I think I have one of those teenagers that eat anything here. DS is a consuming fiend. He tries anything, and wil not shy away from new foods. I do bake cookies to fulfill the urges. DH and DD made a cake last night that is flourless and mostly just chocolate. I did enjoy a small piece. Yummy! So, I need to 'run' with the dog tonight rather than walk!

I was wondering, I do eat rice noodles occassionally, since I have to keep gluten free as I can. They are a bit lower in carbs. Thought you might want to look into them. They are in the asian section, as rice noodles to stir fry. I do like spagetti squash too since I don't have pasta anymore. It is easier to eat out without carbs, as long as there are veggies and grilled meats!Wendy

Hi Wendy: omigosh, cake made almost entirely of chocolate?! Well I would call that a slice of heaven! Do NOT post the recipe! Thanks for the tip on the rice noodles...what a great idea. We're in induction phase right now, but when these 2 weeks are up, I'll definitely try those. Yum, and I hadn't thought of the spaghetti squash, either. Great suggestion! A friend also suggested today that we try using Portabello mushrooms instead of bread for burgers, or sandwiches. Have you ever tried that?
I hope you have a great week, too! Enjoy your run with the pooch.

 

[mabenoab]

Ever have a day when you get beat up everywhere you turn? I did, but instead of turning to food, I turned to a bathing suit catalog. Oh boy, did that help. I can't even think of cheating with carbs now. Perhaps this is growth, I don't know...


I bought some Atkins protein drinks in a Caramel Vanilla flavor...they're a bit sweet, but perfect for breakfast because I hate to stop to eat in the mornings. I'll try a different flavor next week. I also had two cups of coffee with sugar free cream in them. Thats a given, and I'm not giving it up. No.

For lunch I had a sliced avocado with lemon juice, and a broiled chicken breast diced with mayo and chives. It was pretty good, but the mayo didn't sit too well...maybe too much.

I did have one Werther's candy (about the size of a quarter) which took care of my sweet craving, and two flavored waters, plus two more coffees. Also, 2 handfuls of peanuts.

I haven't had dinner, but I'm really not hungry. I may snack on a low carb yogurt later, but that'll be about it. There's nothing low carb to eat in this house!! (that doesn't take time to prepare, and I'm feeling so lazy!)

No exercise to speak of today, but I'm going to lift weights now.

I hope everyone else had a great day, and keeping to the goals!

Beth

 

[eeyore25]

Way to go on not turning to food!!! That is great! Great idea to look at bathing suits! I need to try that. I do have a picture on my fride of a suit that I want to wear some day!!! That does not help at work though.

Keep up the good work!!!

Have a great day