Laur's Gettin' it OFF For Good Journal!!

[Aurora borealis]

Well, well, well... Here I am at last. I joined Dis a couple of weeks ago, how I didn't discover it sooner is beyond me! Anyhoo, dh an I are going on our THIRD WDW vacation in May (2006) and that gives me 9 months and 3 weeks to get down to my ideal weight. Now, I've been on Atkins since Sept. '03 and have lost nearly 50 pounds! I started at 190 and am currently 144. I'm very proud of my progress, however, I've been stuck at 144 (give or take a few pounds) for over a year now and it's getting very depressing. Ideally I want to be 130-135 pounds and if I *think* I need to lose a few more at that point, I'll lower my goal (but for my frame and height, that should be perfect). I'm 5'8", have a medium to large frame and currently wear a size 8 pants and medium tops. I'm fairly comfortable with the overall size of my body, but I tend to store a lot of weight around my middle section, so that's the area I'm trying to overcome. I currently eat around 1400 calories a day, but plan to lower that number to 1200 to try and boost weight loss. I also workout 3-4 days a week (2 from cardio, 1-2 from weight lifting and 1 from pilates). I'm also trying to up the intensity of my workouts (started a new "routine" last week). Anyway, my goals:

1) Eat roughtly 1200 calories a day, being "lower" carb (I'm past the first phases of the diet - I still avoid white flour and sugar, but enjoy whatever fruits, vegetables and moderate amounts of whole grains now).
2) Workout 3-4 times a week for at the very least 50 minutes.
3) Not obsess too much about the weight loss - if I don't reach goal by May that's ok, no freaking out or resorting to drastic measures.
4) Be healthy! Avoid the junk, even low carb and/or fat junk... It's all junk in the end.
5) Take my vitamins daily! (I'm usually good about this, but tend to forget on weekends... Oops).
6) Continue tracking all my food in to My P.L.A.N. (I have an account at http://lowcarber.org where I have a journal similar to this one and a food diary) AND write everything I eat, drink, etc. here for feedback from all ya'll.

Thanks in advance for any support!!

 

[Aurora borealis]

July 25, 2005

B) 1 cup bite size shredded wheat cereal; 1/2 cup skim milk; 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
S) 1 nectarine; 1 babybel light cheese round
L) Asian salad (1 1/2 cups iceberg lettuce, 1 cup shredded cabbage, cherry tomatoes and Newmann's Own Sesame Ginger Viniagrette)
S) 2/3 cup ff refried black beans w/ 1T lite sour cream and 1T salsa; 10 flax/soy tortilla chips
D) 1/3 cup brown rice w/ chicken, black bean, and corn stew
S) *gulp* 1 sliver of leftover birthday cake (my b-day was last Friday); 1 slice low fat swiss cheese

Ok, I was good all day until the slice of cake. My calories were still low, though. Not 1200 low, but low.

 

[Cruise04]

Welcome!!!! This is the place for support. Hope to see your progress as you work toward your goal!!!

Keep on
Chris

 

[eeyore25]

Welcome!!! And congrats on the weight loss so far. That is awesome!

You've got great goals set for yourself and that is great.

This is a great place, you will find tons of support here.

Have a great day!

 

[TigerCheer2009]

Welcome to WISH! You're in the right place and seem to be doing very well. Congrats on the prior weight loss!!! That's awesome!

Read other people's journals; it always helps.

And a cheer!

You can do it!
Yes you can!
Drink your water
And stick to plan!

Good luck.

 

[Aurora borealis]

nevermind... double post.

 

[Aurora borealis]

Here's my stats from yesterday, imported from My P.L.A.N. (http://lowcarber.org):

My P.L.A.N. logs for LC-Laur

Date: Mon 25th Jul 2005

Breakfast

Carbs: 57.1 - Protein: 13.7 - Fat: 1.4 - Fiber: 6.1 - Calories: 290

• 1 x 1 cup (8 fl oz) Shredded Wheat, bite size, Hy-Vee
  
• 1 x 1 cup Milk, nonfat, fluid, with added vitamin A (fat free or skim)
  
• 0.33 x 1 cup Blueberries, raw
  
• 0.5 x 2 softgels Essential Oils
  
• 1 x 1 pill Postassium
  
• 32 x 1 fl oz Water, municipal
  

Snack 1

Carbs: 14.3 - Protein: 9.4 - Fat: 4.4 - Fiber: 2.3 - Calories: 127

• 1 x 1 fruit (2-1/2" dia) Nectarines, raw
  
• 1 x 1 Ounce (oz) Babybel Cheese, Mini, Light
  

Lunch

Carbs: 12 - Protein: 2.4 - Fat: 1.3 - Fiber: 3.5 - Calories: 60

• 3 x 1 cherry Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, June thru October average
  
• 1 x 1 tablespoon (tbsp) Newman's Own Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing, Low Fat
  
• 1 x 1 cup, shredded Cabbage, raw
  
• 1.5 x 1 cup shredded Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw
  

Snack 2

Carbs: 30.2 - Protein: 11.6 - Fat: 8.4 - Fiber: 10.2 - Calories: 236

• 1 x 1 Ounce (oz) Sour cream, light
  
• 1 x 1 tablespoon (tbsp) Pace Picante Salsa
  
• 0.66 x 1 cup (8 fl oz) Refried Black Beans, Roasted Red Jalapeño, HyVee Health Market
  
• 10 x Chip Soy/Flax Tortilla Chips, Trader Joe's
  

Dinner

Carbs: 44.1 - Protein: 26.3 - Fat: 8.9 - Fiber: 5.8 - Calories: 360

• 1 x 1 Ounce (oz) Sour cream, light
  
• 1 x Serving Chicken, black beans and corn stew
  
• 0.33 x 1 cup (8 fl oz) Rice, brown, dry, quick cooking, Kraft
  

Snack 3

Carbs: 21.1 - Protein: 12.9 - Fat: 12.7 - Fiber: 0 - Calories: 249

• 0.66 x Slice (1/9 of cake) Strawberries and Cream Ice Cream Cake
  
• 32 x 1 fl oz Water, municipal
  
• 0.66 x 1 slice (1 oz) Cheese, swiss, low fat
  
• 1 x 1 serving LOUIS RICH, Chicken Breast (oven roasted deluxe)
  
• 1 x 1 teaspoon (tsp) Mayonnaise, Hellmann's, Regular
  

Day totals

Carbs: 178.8 - Protein: 76.4 - Fat: 36.9 - Fiber: 28.0 - Calories: 1323



I also worked out pretty hard:
- 60 minutes Denise Austin Personal Trainer dvd - 2 cardio sections (35 mins) and 2 upper body toning sections (25 mins)

 

[Cruise04]

WOW - that's a lot of tracking but very good. I have found I need to write everything down so I know where I'm at and where I'm going. You are doing great!!!!!

Keep on
Chris

 

[Aurora borealis]

Ok, today I must be much better about my eating! While I was still low cal, I shouldn't have eaten that cake and I probably had a few too many carbs. Although I'm certainly done with the first few phases of Atkins, I may be overdoing it a bit with the grains... Maybe not. This is new to me - up until last week I was still staying under 30-35 net carbs and then I just decided "screw it!" and added back more fruit and things like brown rice and shredded wheat. I guess I'll give this a couple weeks to see how it goes. If I can just avoid the sweet stuff, I should be ok. I do, however, go on vacation this Friday for a week, so it's going to be hard to be good. I'll give it my best shot, though! (gee, wish I was going to Disney for this trip... But no money for a trip right now).

Anyway, here's my menu so far for today:
B) 1 cup shredded wheat, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1/3 cup blueberries
S) 1 small plum
Planned L) Leftover chicken, black bean and corn stew over brown rice; small side salad of head lettuce, cabbage and sesame ginger viniagrette
S) celery sticks with low fat Hidden Valley ranch dressing mixed w/ 1/2 oz blue cheese
D) Salmon with herb sauce; steamed broccoli w/ 1t butter
S) Um... a Pop Tart I'm afraid...

Happy Tuesday!

 

[keenercam]

Hey, Laur! Welcome to WISH!

Great job on keeping track of your food and all that awesome exercise! I know what you mean about that birthday cake. My birthday is next week and I know DH will buy a cake! The leftovers are going to disappear very quickly to avoid my tummy. So, I think you are doing wonderfully.

 

[Jane E.]

You've done an amazing job of losing weight already! Great job! I love using trips to Disney to motivate me too.

 

[Aurora borealis]

July 26, 2005

My P.L.A.N. logs for LC-Laur

Date: Tue 26th Jul 2005

Breakfast

Carbs: 51 - Protein: 9.5 - Fat: 1.3 - Fiber: 6.1 - Calories: 249

• 1 x 1 cup (8 fl oz) Shredded Wheat, bite size, Hy-Vee
  
• 0.33 x 1 cup Blueberries, raw
  
• 0.5 x 1 cup Milk, nonfat, fluid, with added vitamin A (fat free or skim)
  
• 0.5 x 2 softgels Essential Oils
  
• 1 x 1 pill Postassium
  
• 32 x 1 fl oz Water, municipal
  

Lunch

Carbs: 40.6 - Protein: 20.3 - Fat: 7.1 - Fiber: 6.1 - Calories: 308

• 1 x 1 Ounce (oz) Sour cream, light
  
• 32 x 1 fl oz Water, municipal
  
• 3 x 1 tablespoon (tbsp) Refried Black Beans, Roasted Red Jalapeño, HyVee Health Market
  
• 1 x 1 pill Calcium
  
• 1 x pill One-A-Day Women's Multivitamin
  
• 0.3 x 1 cup (8 fl oz) Rice, brown, dry, quick cooking, Kraft
  
• 0.66 x Serving Chicken, black beans and corn stew
  

Snack 2

Carbs: 11.9 - Protein: 4.8 - Fat: 11.2 - Fiber: 1.5 - Calories: 164

• 1 x 1 fruit (2-1/8" dia) Plums, raw
  
• 6 x 1 small Radishes, raw
  
• 1 x 1 pill Postassium
  
• 0.5 x 2 softgels Essential Oils
  
• 2 x 1 tablespoon (tbsp) Ranch Dressing, Light, Hidden Valley
  
• 0.5 x 1 Ounce (oz) Cheese, blue
  
• 6 x 1 strip (4" long) Celery, raw
  

Dinner

Carbs: 11.8 - Protein: 23.9 - Fat: 15.4 - Fiber: 2.4 - Calories: 280

• 0.5 x 1 tbsp Butter, without salt
  
• 0.5 x 0.5 cup Arugula, raw
  
• 1 x 3 oz Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, raw
  
• 1 x 1 cup, chopped Broccoli, raw
  
• 0.33 x 1 container (8 oz) Yogurt, plain, skim milk, 13 grams protein per 8 ounce
  

Snack 3

Carbs: 56.5 - Protein: 3.4 - Fat: 7.5 - Fiber: 0.8 - Calories: 304

• 1.5 x 1 pastry Toaster Pastries, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S POP TARTS, Frosted strawberry
  

Day totals

Carbs: 171.9 - Protein: 61.8 - Fat: 42.6 - Fiber: 16.8 - Calories: 1306

No exercise today, too busy getting ready for vacation!! (Still wishing it was a WDW vacation ).

 

[Aurora borealis]

Yes, I ate a pop tart yesterday, I'm evil... I just get this sweet tooth at night that I've been having a hard time controling lately.. At least despite that my calories were still pretty low. Let's just hope I can escape the call of sugar tonight...

No change in weight today, which I figured... Maybe tomorrow. I doubt I'll get anymore exercise in this week because we leave right after work for our little trip tomorrow and tonight is all about a) packing, and b) cleaning. When all that's said and done I doubt there'll be any time left! Anyhoo, here's today's menu/prospective menu:

B) 1/2 cup shredded wheat cereal w/ 1/2 cup skim milk; 1/2 cup cherries
L) 1 cup leftover steamed broccoli w/ 1 t butter; 1 iceberg lettuce leaf wrapped around 1 1/2 oz salmon and 2 t lite mayo
S) celery sticks w/ Hidden Valley lite ranch dressing mixed w/ 1/2 oz blue cheese
Planned D) Looed chicken drumsticks; mushrooms and snow peas
Planned S) Nectarine; 1oz cheddar cheese

I did get a 15 minute brisk walk in today during my break.

 

[Cruise04]

You are really doing good on keeping track of what you are eating - that is awesome - BRAVO!!!!

Hope you have a good trip!
Keep on
Chris

 

[Aurora borealis]

Yeah, it's been a little over a week since I checked in, but that's ok. I was on vacation and there wasn't a computer in sight - so it's not like I had a choice. I did gain 2 lbs (probably water). I didn't eat bad, maybe a few things I shouldn't have, but it was all within moderation so I'm not stressing over it. Today I started low-carb WW. Basically what I was doing before, but it helps me track my calories better. My tummy's a bit upset from all the lettuce from lunch, but that's life I suppose. Ok, today's menu:

B) 1 c shredded wheat cereal w/ 6 oz skim milk and 3.2 oz strawberries
S) 1 antipasto skewer (1 small chunk ham, 1 small chunk colby, 1 black olive, 1/3 girkin pickle)
L) 2 c green leaf lettuce, 1 c iceberg lettuce, 4 currant tomatoes from my garden, 1 scallion, 1 serving homemade chicken salad with curry, 1/2 T olive oil and 2 t balsamic vinegar; 1/3 cup tropical trail mix (basically a lot of dried tropical fruit and a few almonds and cashews thrown in for good measure)
S) 1 lite string cheese
D) 1 small chicken breast stuffed w/ 1/2 yellow tomato, 1/2 oz parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves; 5 oz fresh spinach sauteed with garlic and lemon juice
S) 1/2 oz low fat swiss cheese, 1 slice lean deli ham

Daily range = up to 18 points
Total points = 19
Earned points = .5 points
- Over .5 points today...

Workout = 15-minute brisk walk

No formal workout at home tonight. I have no excuse, I was just being lazy...

 

[Aurora borealis]

Ok, I'm back to what I know works. I was in denial for awhile because I've been so tired of the same routine. I did that WW points thing w/ low carb-ish and it just didn't work... My points would run out and I'd only be at like 700 calories, so I'd go to bed starving! After a week of that I didn't lose one single pound... NOT ONE! So that little slap in the face reminded me of how I lost almost 50 pounds in the first place... Atkins. So, I'm back on Induction for a week or two or three to get back down to my pre-vacation weight of 142 (I'm at 148 today, WAS at 152 because of that WW fiasco!). Then I'll reevaluate where I stand and make the next move from there. Sorry I haven't check in in awhile. Work was SO busy last week and I hardly got anything done online... But I started Atkins again on Sunday and I'm down 4 lbs since then (ah, water weight). Here's my menu for yesterday and today - Sunday was too long ago for me to remember anymore... hee hee.

Monday:
B) 1/4 cup egg beaters scrambled with .5 oz cheddar cheese, zucchini, spinach, tomatoes and a little garlic
S) 1 lite string cheese (still got load leftover, otherwise I wouldn't normally eat "lite")
L) 2 cups romaine lettuce, 1 cup iceberg lettuce, 2 oz leftover chicken breast, tomatoes, scallion, olive oil and balsamic vinegar
S) Celery and radishes dipped in Hidden Valley ranch dressing
D) Tilapia cooked in brown butter on top of an Oriental vegetable blend (frozen)
S) Coconut Peanut Butter chunk (combine coconut oil, sugar free peanut butter, cocoa powder and Splenda - spread out and freeze for at least an hour... Yum-o)
Exercise: 48 minutes on the treadmill at 4.5 mph and +1 incline

Today (Tuesday)
B) 1/2 cup egg beaters scrambled w/ .5 oz cheddar cheese, zucchini, spinach, tomatoes and a little garlic
L) Big romaine and iceberg salad w/ solid white tuna (canned), tomato, scallion, flax seeds and olive oil/vinegar
S) celery sticks and radishes with ranch dressing
D) Hot and Sour Soup; stir-fried bok choy
S) Coconut Peanut Butter chunk
Planned exercise: Kickboxing dvd; maybe some ab work

 

[Cruise04]

Good job on keeping sticking with something and that you found something that appears to work for you. 4 pounds loss is great!!! BRAVO!

Keep on
Chris

 

[Aurora borealis]

Ok, apparantly the disboards don't want me to post here anymore because I just wrote the longest post and there was some error and it was completely lost! Grrr... Oh well. Anyway, here's yesterdays eats - if I have time I'll come back and repost what I did before. Unfortunately, I just don't have the time now...

B) Low Carb Blue Bunny strawberry banana yogurt
S) Babybel light cheese round (1oz)
Planned L) Leftover turkey chili with red beans; small romaine salad w/ light balsamic vinaigrette
Planned D) Apple glazed pork chop (3-4oz); 1/2-3/4 cup mashed cauliflower w/ garlic
Planned S) Either 1oz light cream cheese w/ sf syrup or a handful of pepperoni

 

[Aurora borealis]

Ok, I'll try and retype the condensed version of what I slaved over before...

Anyway, so while I haven't been here in awhile I still have been watching what I eat, etc. at another weight loss forum, a low-carb one specifically... I've decided I've gotten too friendly with some of the other people and instead of focusing on the food and weight part of things we have started using it as more of a social forum, so my plan is to focus my eating and exercising energies here so I can get back on track and get a flat tummy before my WDW trip in May! (ok, I'll settle for a slightly less dimply tummy). So being that I'm all "dazed and confused" and kinda inbetween plans because I can't seem to make anything work, I've decided I'm just going to eat as well as I can and not stick specifically low-carb or low-fat or whatever. I'm not going to obsess over counting every last calorie or gram of this or that. I'm not going to let food own me anymore, I'm going to list the foods I eat here, but not speculate on what they accumulated to. I've adapted some bad food related behaviors recently and I really need to get over those. I'm hoping a fresh start here is just what I'll need.

Also, my next goal is to workout more. Since going back to school full-time I've been a little short on time.

 

[Aurora borealis]

Alrighty roo, here I am two days in a row! DH and I are getting really psyched for Disney! I know it's still a ways away, but it's hard not to always talk about it.

Yesterday went really well and I even got a great 45 minute kickboxing workout in! The plan is to get either pilates or a jog/run in tonight... I'd also like to lift some weights if my arms don't hurt like hell from all the punching last night.

Food-wise everything went well too. Yesterdays menu is a few posts up... As for today, here's what I have eaten thus far and plan to eat later on:

B) Blue Bunny vanilla low-carb yogurt
S) 1/2 rye bran crisp with 1 T sour cream and chive dip; 1/4 cup leftover garlic rosemary smashed cauliflower
Planned L) 1 bowl leftover turkey chili; small romaine salad with light balsamic vinaigrette
Planned D) 1 quarter lb burger (90% lean grnd beef) topped with 1 oz Swiss cheese, sauteed mushrooms and romaine lettuce; Wilted spinach with lemon and garlic
Planned S) 1/2 dark chocolate sugar free candy bar (with no sugar alcohols - boy do I love these things)

My water goal is at least 4 16-oz bottles

I am also avoiding the scale until Friday. No more psychotic daily weighings - once a week only!!