Stacy's Journal: The Year of the Weddings

[LovesDoomBuggies]

Well, here is my first journal post. I am not sure what I weigh because I get frustrated and avoid the scale, but 140 is a good bet. This is the highest I have been since high school! Unlike most girls who go off to college and gain the freshman 15, I lost 20 pounds. I was 150ish in high school and spent most of college at 130. Well, in the past 6-7 months, I have slowly gained about 10 pounds.
I did South Beach from December-January and got down to 127 at one point (the lowest I have EVER been). My first goal is to get back down to 130. My long-term goal is 120. Sounds low, but I am a short girl with practically no torso

The funny thing is, for Lent I decided to start working out 4-5 days a week. That's when I gained weight. I know, muscle is a possibility, but that's an awful lot of muscle in a short period of time. Plus, I don't weight train. I just do the elliptical. I do abs a little bit.

Anyway! I look forward to seeing that first weight loss again. I am not weighing myself until this weekend, but I am hoping to be back down in the 130s. 138 would be fantastic.

For breakfast, I had the egg-sausage muffins that were in the SB cookbook... they were yummy! I really love the turkey sausage.
I had a string cheese for a snack already and a Lime Diet Coke.

My problem is that I am having lunch with my coworkers and boss to celebrate a birthday (not mine), so I hope I can choose something appropriate. Their menu is posted online, so I will check it out now. Okay, I found a salad with grilled chicken breast, cucumber, tomato and red onion with a garlic vinaigrette. Hopefully the dressing doesn't have sugar... grr. I will use it sparingly, I suppose.

I tend to babble when I type, so my journal entries could end up being quite lengthy! I think I will go browse other people's entries for inspiration.

Stacy

 

[LovesDoomBuggies]

Well, here we are on day two!
Breakfast: two egg and sausage muffin cup thingies, can of black cherry diet rite (yummmm)
Snack: string cheese
Lunch: 4 turkey/lettuce/cucumber/cottage cheese rollups (they were smallish, so four seemed reasonable) and 2 celery sticks with cottage cheese and a can of diet coke with lime
Snack: 5 sugar-free creme savers

I've also had two sticks of sugar-free gum. And (so far) a liter of water.

And how is this for being challenged? DBF begged me to make him the french toast loaf from the Main Street Bakery last night so he could have for breakfast this morning!! AAGGGHHH!! It looked awfully good. But I resisted and had my egg cups instead. I think tomorrow I will make the fake-pancakes/french toast. I used to have them almost daily when I was on SB before and man, were they good. Perhaps I will even have them for dinner tonight.

Oh, another challenge: DBF also wants Monster cookies tonight. He sounds demanding, but I loooove cooking (which is a problem), which he knows. Sometimes I make stuff that he never gets around to eating. I think cooking and baking is my creative outlet!

What else... day two hasn't been too difficult. I seem to remember the monster sugar headache coming on day three last time... so... if I can make it through tomorrow, I should be good to go.

I bought some really yummy-looking salmon skewers at SuperTarget the other day! Salmon and veggies. Maybe I will make those tonight instead of the faux-pancakes. Decisions, decisions. South Beach is actually kind of fun for me because I like to cook so much.

Although I must admit, I desperately wanted some of the M&Ms I bought for the Monster cookies this afternoon. But once I had a couple of creme savers and got over my afternoon sugar hump, I was fine.

Hope everyone is having a good, on-track day!! I am really looking forward to weighing myself on Saturday... I just hope I'm not disappointed! It will only have been 5 days, so I suppose even just a pound or two will be an improvement.

Think happy thoughts. Think happy thoughts.

Stacy

 

[Princess Michelle]

Good luck to you Stacy! Your doggie is adorable!!!!

 

[LovesDoomBuggies]

Thank you! He was not so adorable last night when I came home from work to find three hardback books completely shredded!

But I forgave him within the hour because he is so cute And he knows it, too!



Stacy

 

[LovesDoomBuggies]

Well, day 2 went well until I made those monster cookies. And I thought I could tough it out! I never actually had a cookie, but between licking the spoon and eating a couple of stray M&Ms, I probably had the equivalent of a cookie.

But, I am still proud of myself because I would normally have had at least two. And I still passed up the deadly bagels at yesterday morning's meeting.
I'm not going to beat myself up over it, even though it was only day 2, but I am definitely going to try to be really strict for the rest of the week. I want to see a loss on Saturday morning, even just a little one!!

The problem is, I have a sit-down lunch meeting today. I'm hoping it's something I will be able to eat. If it's pasta, I'm in trouble. I feel obliged to eat it, because I hate telling people I'm on a diet. Certain people always look at you disparagingly, like oh, those people on the low-carb diets. Grr.

The leftover bagels are still staring at me today, but they're not nearly as tempting as they were yesterday! That seems like an accomplishment in itself.

So far today I have had a two-egg omelet with a slice of mozzerella on top. And mustard. I am a freak; I like mustard on my eggs.

I had my faux-pancakes for dinner last night... fake-cakes as I will refer to them from now on. I had them plain with a little spray butter and some brown-sugar substitute... I really need to get some sugar-free syrup or jam. It was good, though.
I always feel bad using 4 egg whites though, it seems like such a waste! Ah, well.

Even with the cookie mishap last night, my stomach still felt flatter this morning then it has in awhile. I wish I was on day 13 instead of day 3... I am ready to see results!! I will just keep asking myself if I would rather taste a bit of cookie or have that nice, flat-stomach feeling. That should keep things in perspective for me.

Stacy

 

[Strings]

Hi Stacy,

Welcome to the WISH journals. You are doing well. I think you should channel your baking talents into low carb products. You can make some deliscious cheesecakes and miffins on lc. Checkout beachgirl's cheesecake in the recipe forum. Keep up the good work.
Beth

 

[LovesDoomBuggies]

Hi Strings!
Thanks for the response! I like journal feedback.
I've been trying to channel to low-carb. I blame the BF for last night's slipup (he gets blamed for most things, actually). I found a recipe on a board somewhere for these delicious-sounding brownies-

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup gruond pecans
2 sticks butter substitute
20-25 packets splenda (I have to figure out how much that is cup-wise)
4 eggs, lightly beaten.

I think I will make these tonight... then when I am tempted for a sweet treat, I will go to those instead of the Monster cookies.

Stacy

 

[Princess Michelle]

Hey Stacy, I know what you mean about not being able to stay mad at your dog. I don't care what mine did I'd be over it in about 5 seconds.

If you feel guilty for wasting eggs by only using the whites, you can buy cartons of egg whites at the grocery store. They are usually by the egg substitutes like Egg Beaters.

 

[LovesDoomBuggies]

Day three is over and day four is well underway.
I didn't do too bad last night...
Went for dinner with my mom and had the "protein platter"- two chicken breasts (Saved one for lunch today) with cheese and bacon and side salad with bleu cheese.

I'm quite sure the cheese was NOT low-fat and the bacon was NOT turkey. I probably should have scraped them off of the chicken, but... yeah. And although the bleu cheese was there, I dipped into it sparingly and didn't dump it over the whole salad. I didn't even use half of the little container.
Then I came home and had ricotta creme for dessert...
I tried to make those yummy brownies, but I learned a lesson. I bought the cheapie-generic brand Splenda and it was GROSS. Made my attempted brownies really bitter. I dumped the batter before I even baked because it tasted so gross.
So, ricotta it was. I need to buy REAL Splenda tonight.
I also had a slice of pepper-jack cheese.

All in all, yesterday was a good day.

Today I had fake-cakes and a stick of string cheese for breakfast and 2 celery sticks filled with cottage cheese for a snack. Lunch will be that leftover chicken breast.
I haven't really thought ahead to dinner yet, but it will probably be turkey, cheese and lettuce roll-ups. I don't really feel like cooking anything.

Today is deadly-dull at work today... am considering skipping out early.

 

[Strings]

Hi Stacy,

So did you skip out early, or are you still at the grindstone? You did a great job last night. WTG! Just a fyi, Costco is now selling the bags of splenda. It is a little cheaper than the grocery store. Keep up the great work.

Have a great afternnon,
Beth

 

[LovesDoomBuggies]

Beth,
Unfortunately I am still here. Only for another hour and 20 minutes, though
Some days there is just nothing going on. Actually, I am waiting on hurricane information. Although my company has its HQ in Des Moines, we are communications for the whole country, so I'm waiting for the east coast to call me with hurricane info to post on our website.

But you know, I think they're busy doing other things

You know, we don't have any CostCos in our area yet. There is one going up, but they haven't even started the building construction. But, I will be stopping at SuperTarget on my way home tonight for cream cheese, eggs, ricotta and Splenda. I will never try to skimp on the sugar substitute again!

Stacy

 

[LovesDoomBuggies]

Happy Friday!! two more hours til a three day weekend, yay. I am so zoned out right now it isn't funny.

So, last night for dinner I had these chicken shish-ka-bobs... chunks of chicken breast, onion (Sweet onions, whatever kind those are) red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and mushrooms. Very good! I tried to make the brownie things again with real Splenda. It turns out the recipe is just gross. I give up. Maybe I just like my things sweeter than normal people. It was just really bitter and nasty. Ugh.

Also, my dad's birthday is on Tuesday and he will be in my town this weekend, so I made him Oreo Cheesecake with a recipe from copykat.com that is supposedly the recipe from cheesecake factory. I don't know if it's true, but it sure looks like a professional cheesecake! The best part was, since it's a present, I knew I couldn't cut myself a little sliver. It really is the prettiest cheesecake I've ever made- I was quite proud of myself!

I had ricotta creme for dessert since the nasty brownies didn't work. I need to find a new dessert!

Today I had fake-cakes for breakfast and about half a slice of pepper-jack cheese.

Lunch was a string cheese and some turkey-mozzerella roll-ups (in Boston Lettuce).
I've also had a liter of water, 1 bottle of diet coke, 1 black cherry diet rite, and 6 or 7 sugar-free cream savers. I really need to find something else sweet! My sweet tooth has not diminished since getting on the diet like a lot of people have said. I always crave something after lunch and after dinner. I was having 3 icepops for 50 calories (50 calories for 3, not each) before SB.

Since I'm completely zoned out here, perhaps I will search the web for new phase 1 dessert recipes.

Also, Friday is jean day here at work. I have a pair of Paper Denims that I wear on Fridays more often than not... Although I can't say they are falling off or anything (it is only my 5th day), they definitely feel a wee bit looser in the thighs. Maybe in the waist. I was saying that I was going to wait until tomorrow to weigh myself, but maybe I will wait until Monday and give myself a full week.

I am anxious to weigh in and also not-so anxious. What if I haven't lost anything? It really could ruin my entire day =P I tend to get in funks about things like that.

Anyway! Hope everyone is having a good Friday and looking forward to the long weekend!

Stacy

 

[Princess Michelle]

Hi Stacy! It looks like you are doing really well. That stinks that your brownies weren't good. Sometimes there just isn't any substitute for the real thing.

Please don't be too hard on yourself if you weigh in and haven't lost anything. Scales are notorious liars and it's only been a week. We all get too caught up on what the scales say. Get yourself a tape measurer and use it in conjunction with your weigh ins. I promise you that even when you don't lose anything on those scales you will usually see a loss in inches. Scales don't know what they are weighing (fat or muscle) but a tape measurer doesn't lie. Stay encouraged and determined no matter what happens. You can do this!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

 

[Strings]

Hi Stacy,

I really have to 2nd the tape measure idea. People on lc are notorious of losing pounds OR inches. Rarely both at the same time. A loss in inches can really go a long way in keeping one motivated. Have a great weekend.
Beth

 

[LovesDoomBuggies]

Thanks for the tape measure advice- I think when I weigh in this weekend, I will do just that.

So the past couple of days have not been so great. Meals are good-
I have been having eggs for breakfast without getting sick of them. I loooove eggs overeasy! I never knew how to make them properly until I started the SB last winter. Yay, SB!
Anyway. Lunch is usually some sort of salad, and then dinner varies. I have had chicken breast and various veggies a night or two, I had salmon skewers one night, I made the Thai veggie stuff from the SB cookbook last night- except I added shrimp and it was YUMMY! I plan on having the rest of that for dinner tonight.

It is the sweets that kill me!! I know all sweet cravings are supposed to disappear, but mine haven't. I did get the sugar-free hershey's miniatures and I keep them in the freezer- those are pretty good.
The problem is this candy here at work! My boss keeps bringing in bags of mixed tootsie roll products- tootsie rolls, flavored tootsie rolls, tootsie roll pops, Dots...

So needless to say, that has been a huge downfall the past couple of days. But starting tomorrow, I am going to pretend they don't exist. I will think, mmmm, string cheese. Who needs a tootsie pop when you have string cheese?

>=P
Aside from that, it's going very well. I do miss my cold cereal for breakfast, though. That's about it. I just need to conquer this problem with the candy. I might start drinking a diet root beer when I get the sweet urge- it tastes awfully good when it's ice cold and you have a craving for sugar. Does anyone have any suggestions for sweet treats besides the ricotta?

Despite the Tootsie roll cheating, my skirt is feeling a little looser than normal today.

 

[Strings]

Stacy,

You are not alone. After a year on lc, I still have sweet cravings. Things that work for me include berries with whipped cream. I also like the Russell stover mint patties. There is also swiss miss diet hot chocolate and coffee with cream and sugar free flavored syrups.

Congratulations on the skirt being loose. That is awesome.

Thank you for your post on my journal. Your support really helped me today. I am a very lucky woman. Thanks again.
Have a good evening.
Beth

 

[Princess Michelle]

Looks like you are doing really well, Stacy! That's so wonderful that your skirt is feeling loose, it's nice when you can see some progress.

Your rootbeer idea sounds like a good one! At least your boss is only bringing in tootsie products instead of chocolate! I don't know how they compare in carbs but tootsie rolls are some of the lowest fat/calorie candy out there!

You are really doing great!

 

[LovesDoomBuggies]

Well, if she was bringing in chocolate, I'd probably be able to resist it! It's the gummy-chewy stuff I can't resist, unfortunately. And once I bake cookies, I can stay out of them, but the cookie dough gets me every time.

I am really just posting to say I had a great dinner, and it was really easy. A bag of birds-eye broccoli stir fry with some soy sauce, a chicken breast, and a little Splenda. It was sooo good. I think I could have it for dinner every night. And it took maybe 15 minutes- cut up the chicken and cooked it in the skillet, then just dumped the bag of veggies and let them cook.

Very yummy!! And I am drinking a diet root beer as we speak.

 

[LovesDoomBuggies]

So far I am on track for the day!

For breakfast, I had an overeasy egg with cheese and two strips of turkey bacon.

I went to grab my string cheese for a snack a little while ago and realized it is missing- either I left it on the counter at home, or it's in my car! Gross. That could be bad.

So my lack of snack is making me rather hungry right now. I have YET to touch the tootsie rolls/pops, so I am feeling pretty good about myself. Took the dog on a 45 minute walk last night... although I haven't been exercising, I have been trying to get this dog walk in most nights. I belong to a gym, but it is really inconveniently located for me... I am going to quit them this week and join a Curves that is just around the corner from me. I like the idea of a quick in-and-out workout.

Today's pants don't feel loose like yesterday's skirt =P But, these are always tighter pants... and I just washed them, and DBF put them in the dryer! Augh... he tries to help.

I am already looking forward to going home tonight to make my delicious stir-fry stuff!

I've been reading other journals this morning- everyone is such an inspiration! I don't think there is one person on this board who hasn't lost some... and even gained some, but kept a positive attitude and jumped back on that horse to keep at it. That's really the most important part for me- not getting discouraged at only 1 pound a week and giving up and immediately returning to my normal eating habits.

 

[Princess Michelle]

Stacy, way to go staying away from the Tootsie Rolls! See, I'm not much of a candy eater but if there were chocolate in front of me I'd have a hard time not eating a few pieces or ten, every day!

Your stir-fry sounds so yummy!