Good Job, Christie!

I've fallen off the wagon the past two weekends. I do ok during the week, but then either I've been sick or DH and Donovan have been and I've been couped up in the house watching TV and finishing the x-mas candy

Volleyball is going good! It's Mon & Wed so I'm thinking I'll try to add in somekind of exercise Fri. (Maybe Steph's Yoga booty whatever that she sent me). The v-ball isn't exactly the "best" workout. But I'm off my butt, out of the house and by MYSELF! So it's like mental and physical.

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Chrystie-WTG!

Rhea-Glad you are enjoying volleyball. It must be nice to have some "you" time!

I recently stopped bf so now have to get used to getting by on fewer calories..not easy! I have been pretty good these past few days and worked out Fri-Sun and will again today.

I turn 35 next month and REALLy want to be feeling good about myself by then, so am going to try and step it up for the next month.

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Steph-I saw Almond milk at the grocery store the other day and totally thought of you! I'm assuming you drink the unsweetened kind, that had the least calories.

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Aw. I don't think I get the unsweetened kind, it is called 'original'. I don't get the vanilla one though, it's pretty sweet, and I have gotten the chocolate one before.

Yeah, it's great for calories, 60 per serving!

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Steph - is almond milk made from almonds? Sorry that seems like a dumb question, but we have a nut-free home.

I have been walking according to my program, but not great w/ the eating. I'm trying to reduce portion size. I need to drink more water. I'm a/b done pumping, so it's time to count calories.

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Kelly- "nut-free" home? Does someone have food allergies?

I got into the x-mas candy again last night. This morning I feel dirty.

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Yup, made from almonds. I tried oat milk once, didn't love it - possibly b/c it was the vanilla kind, and so it was sweeter than I wanted. I have some rice milk single in the fridge to try one fo these days. But I love my almond milk.

LOL@ Rhea the 'dirty girl'.

Get rid of it. The rule is, if you don't want to eat it, don't have it around you!

I'm sorta taking the week off from guilt and my program. I've been battling to maintain my good eating habits and trying to torture myself back into a fitness program, but realized I'm struggling b/c I'm not sleeping, and haven't been for a while. So my focus this entire week is to bring my sleeping habits bacck to where they need to be. That is priority #1, because it effects the ENTIRE rest of my program in a big way. I mean, in RIDICULOUS ways...like if I don't get a full 8 hrs, I don't feel like taking my vitamins. How dumb is that? I don't know why, and it is very subtle, and it took MONTHS for me to connect the two, but yeah. There are so many subtle attitude things that go along with lack of sleep...it makes things much harder.

SO, I'm working on sleep.

I'm excited for you to try the DVD Rhea! Don't worry about the ball if you don't have one, just roll up a towel and give it a shot.

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Rhea - Yes, Hannah is severely allergic to cashews and allergic to other tree nuts. I thought we had talked a/b this before?

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Kelly- you may have said that before. I swear becoming a mommy has made me SO flaky

Steph- I know I should throw it out. I didn't even buy it in the first place- it was from my Mom. A tradition, I guess. I just hate being wasteful when we are struggling so financially. GL with the sleep issues- sleep is VERY important. I'm so lazy I don't have a problem with sleep, but I know it's crucial to health, sanity and balance.

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I think I am FINALLY seeing progress, now that I've just been sticking with Jillian. The scale is only down a couple of pounds but I am starting to lose inches,m because I no longer have to suck my stomach in for fear of looking PG (well maybe only a slightly), lol.

Steph-you've been working so hard, you need a break to get yourself back on track.

Rhea-i'm the same way with throwing food/goodies away!

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Ack! Just typed a long post and my computer crashed.


Someone help me, please! I feel like this is a good eating plan, yet I'm STILL over 1550 calories.

B'fast: 337
Greek Yogurt w/ blueberries, agave nectar, flaxseed, and granola (just a sprinkle on top)
Coffee and FF creamer

Snack: 140
1 cup oatmeal w/ blueberries

Lunch: 492
1/2 turkey breast sandwich w/ 1 slice swiss, mustard, spinach, and tomato
1 cup Healthy Choice soup
1/2 salad (romaine lettuce, carrots, 1 TBS of Ranch dressing)

Snack: 51
1/2 sweet potato (plain)

Dinner: 534
Brown Rice, Red beans, 1 serving salmon, grilled veggies

Dessert: 120
1 serving FF pudding, 1 rice cake

Drinking water, not including cooking methods that would add calories (like oil to cook the salmon,for instance) totals up to 1675 calories for the day.

I look at this and say it looks healthy. Yogurt and coffee for breakfast (and some oatmeal a bit later); 1/2 salad, sandwich, and cup of soup for lunch; sweet potato snack, then beans and rice, veggies and a healthy fish for dinner. Sure, I don't need dessert, but I'll get hungry after dinner, so a pudding and rice cake sound like a healthy dessert choice.

Where am I going so wrong? This does not sound like fat person eating to me. Am I just totally lost and overeating a huge amount in this?? I want to be realistic,so I put snacks in there, knowing that if I don't have them, I'll feel famished and raid the cabinet for whatever I can find instead (like the kids animal crackers and stuff.)

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I guess my question is, what would all you people who are succeeding do?

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Sarah-You are right that all does look really healthy! I too am finding it really hard to stay in my calorie range so am just hoping the working out is helping. The only thing I can see is that your lunch looks like it could be less calories-I know the soup and salad aren't that many, so is it the bread? And cutting out cheese can really help with lowering calories too (I can never do this since I am a cheese-lover) I've found some whole grain breads that are only 50cals a slice which I use. You could also cut down/out on the beans and rice, or find lower calories snacks that are protein-based so will keep you feeling full longer. Having said all that, I bet you would still lose weight by eating 1675 calories a day so maybe just stick with that and see how it goes? It is better than falling off the wagon. If/when you are able to work out you will need the extra calories too. Not sure if this helped at all but just some thoughts off the top of my head.

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Sarah, that does look nice. I'd loose the cheese and switch to balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and that would save about 150 calories. And switch out the rice or the beans at dinner for a fruit (you'd have two fruit/veggie servings instead of two starches), that would probably save you another 100, depending on amounts and whether you chose a high cal or low cal fruit.

I would also play around with your morning calories - try putting more in at breakfast and fewer at lunch, and see how you feel. Breakfast sets the stage for the day; you might not even want that morning snack with a bigger breakfast (more volume and more calories).

Brainstorm of the day: there are two basic ways to do this; 1) Stay at the low end with calories every day, and allow a few controlled splurges during a week, or 2) Allow a little more calories per day, and never splurge. If you combine the two and are just a little off, you can end up seeing NO loss, yet you are eating well most of the time. That is why people get discouraged and stop trying.

Play a game with yourself: Add up your total WEEKLY calories, and play around with no daily limit, but you can't go over the total for the week. It is quite interesting...

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By the way, I LOOOOVE cheese too, but I have adapted my mind-set to having cheese as a snack by itself, or with a little bread and wine so I can really enjoy it. It gets somewhat lost on sandwiches, so I save the calories for when I can really enjoy it, and make it count.

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I did it! I made a few changes and got my calorie count just right. Here's what I've done to get it down:
Changed granola on my yogurt to muesli;
Cut all servings of blueberries to a bit smaller;
Subbed 1/2 pita instead of slice of bread; cut cheese from sandwich;
Subbed carrot sticks instead of salad (to drop dressing altogether.);
Cut beans from dinner and instead added small (whole wheat) pita and olive oil (suggested at dinners for fiber content and OO health benefits.)


B'fast is rushed every day, and basically happens in stages, which is why I figure the oatmeal as snack (basically, an extended breakfast.)
Lunch is my only meal that is by myself, and I savor it! I eat lunch while all kids are down napping, so soup and sandwich is a total luxury to me.




BTW, Steph, I LOVE your way of looking at it as cals per week instead of per day. Especially since weekends tend to be a disaster for me, I think that gives a possibility for recovery when needed.

So basically, my goal is 10745 for the week. If I can meet that, number-wise, I think I should lose 1.5lbs/week.
If I add the following workouts:
Swimming, 1 hour, 4x/wk
Jillian Michaels 30 day shred 5x/wk,
I think I should burn enough calories for another 1-2lbs/wk.

Honestly, though, it has been so long since I've been swimming that an hour may be pretty unrealistic. But if I can just see it in writing, see that there is something possible, well, maybe that'll get me going.



Great job, everyone else. One of these days I'll be able to comment more positively toward your success. Right now, it takes me over an hour just to finish one post about myself, so I just don't have the time to do more! Keep it up, though. You are all doing fantastic!

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Sarah and Steph-I completely agree with looking at it over a week rather than each day! I think WW gives 35extra points to either spread out over the week or splurge.

Sarah-I'm the same way with lunch. When I amhome, I don't eat until the girls are napping. I've also started substituing the laughing cow cheese wedges on sandwiches, the light ones are only 35 calories. They are pricey though

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Hi everyone! First, fabulous jobs on the weight loss or energy to get a plan! I am too lazy right now to think about a real "plan". Anyway I wanted to comment on the cheese too....I LOVE cheese but never have cheese on a sandwich and I even skip it on tacos...you really don't taste it anyway. Skip the extra calories! Good luck to you all!! I may be joining you here soon...it is time to get motivated!!

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Dana
[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]

Down another 2.4 lbs
I LOVE my Wii Fit Plus....It's awesome!!!

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Lookit you, almost to your half-way mark!

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