More than 50 pounds to lose! Group

by Cheese1980 on Feb 12, 2012 at 12:52 pm

 well done - I used to have a travelling job and the eating/exercise combo was a nightmare!

by kearneyweb on Feb 12, 2012 at 6:28 pm

 So you are blaming your sisters???  Yeah, that sounds about right.  Good job on your road trip.

by bcarman94 on Feb 12, 2012 at 8:21 am

 great job.  keep at it

by srs27 on Feb 12, 2012 at 8:28 am

thats a good loss!  good job :)!

by APRILMCKNIGHT1 on Feb 12, 2012 at 9:22 am

 Thank you! :-)
 

by kearneyweb on Feb 12, 2012 at 11:05 am

 Congrats, awesome news!

by jwthoma64 on Feb 12, 2012 at 12:21 pm

Good job

by acgenther on Feb 12, 2012 at 5:50 pm

 Woo hoo. That is great! So happy for you.

by APRILMCKNIGHT1 on Feb 12, 2012 at 7:03 am

 YEAH!!! Congrats!!

by bcarman94 on Feb 12, 2012 at 8:20 am

 right on bryan

by srs27 on Feb 12, 2012 at 8:30 am

yayy!! you must be working so hard! good job!!! im almost at my 40lb loss, i bet 50 feels amazingggg!

by jwthoma64 on Feb 12, 2012 at 12:22 pm

That is incredible.  You should be very proud

by acgenther on Feb 12, 2012 at 5:52 pm

 That must feel great. Enjoy it you have earned it.  :)

by kearneyweb on Feb 12, 2012 at 6:42 am

 I also commute.  I have 1/2 slice of ham cubed, 3egg whites  and a shake of pepper nuked in a cereal bowl sprayed with cooking spray every morning.  I toast 2 slices of wheat bread for an egg sandwich I eat on my drive to work.  I usually wrap it in paper towels to get it to the car.  This meal is 223 cals and tons of natural protein and no cholesterol.
I usually grill up a chicken breast I cube up to nuke at work for lunch.  I also have a thing of yogurt and a veggie from home.
I have been doing mostly normal foods at home, but I measure or weigh the portions.  I have been cutting out carbs as much as I can, such as a hamburger without the bun. I actually make a 1/3 lb patty and end up with fewer cals versus a 1/4 lb patty on a bun.
 

by APRILMCKNIGHT1 on Feb 12, 2012 at 7:10 am

 smoothies are always awesome, and you can take them with you. I like frozen raspberries, strawberries, vanilla yogurt and milk (1%) blend them together in a blender and off you go! They have some amazing recipes on line:
http://www.smoothieweb.com/
 
I also take the packages of oatmeal with me to work when I don't have time to eat breakfast before heading to work. Easy and filling!
Hope it helps!

by acgenther on Feb 12, 2012 at 6:05 pm

 I have made a batch of bran muffins with raisins and nutson sunday to eat in the car thru the week with skim milk. Delicious and full of protein and fiber to make it till lunch.

by steph11wish on Feb 10, 2012 at 4:33 pm

 I usually weigh in weekly. Everyone does it on different days though. Keep going. If you have any questions..jusr ask. This group is awesome and I will help if i can.

by BritXP on Feb 10, 2012 at 5:58 pm

Hi April - yes - you need to eat back all of your exercise burned calories to hit your NET target every day, best to eat them back on the same day if possible and measure with a heart rate monitor for the most accuracy.  Most people seem to like to 'Polar' brand.   Make sure the NET number is AT LEAST 1200 per day.   That's the absolute minimum for any woman.  for men the minimum NET number is 1800 per day.    So if you burn 500 in exercise, you need to actually eat  a minimum of 1700 on that day.  Only on rest days would you eat 1200.   Eat them all even if you are not hungry.  It is possible for the body to be starving without you feeling hungry.
If you set your food journal to public it makes it easier for others to help you.  Lots of members here have their food journals open and you can view the food journals on their profile.  The settings for your food journal can be changed in "MyPlate Settings" / Sharing. 
Good luck in your journey !

by APRILMCKNIGHT1 on Feb 11, 2012 at 5:48 am

 Thank  you you guys!!! I didn't think you needed to be eating back the calories you were burning!I didn't know you could have them on other days either!  WOW. I have been doing this so wrong! I am going to start weighing in every sunday! I will change my plate to sharing!! 
I love this group! Lots of  support which I need to get started! My weight is 240  and my goal weight is 150! I have a long journey. I have been doing the yo-yo diets so many years. Lose some weight and then plateau and give up.  I want to finally take control!
Any advise or tips are greatly appreciated! I will be here to support anyone who needs it as well! '
 

by BritXP on Feb 11, 2012 at 7:34 am

 Your calorie target 1540 looks reasonable (it's well above 1200NET) 
So you should have eaten 1890 yesterday ( Feb 10th ) to bring your net up to 1540.  Best to eat them on the same day if possible to help support your body repairing and then you won't forget and end up under-consuming.
Also you should pay attention to the total grams of fat, carbs and protein you eat on a given day.    Read this article ( thanks again to bcarman94 for his research on this ) :
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-body-type-eating 
Eating more protein ( and less carbs ) can really get things moving.  150g of protein  and 50g of fat are good ball-park minimum numbers for a 1500NET calorie level.   There is no minimum number for carbs, just eat less of them ! , but no need to eliminate them completely or demonize them, you need them for energy.  
This is a good list of foods for your shopping list
http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php
If you eat to your calorie goal and you are eating a good blend of protein, carbs and fat  you should see steady weight loss without long plateaus and it should feel effortless - in fact if you are eating clean foods from that list -   lots of vegetables and fruit and getting enough protein and fat it can become a struggle to eat enough to meet that 1540 NET target especially on exercise days when you are consuming 2000+ because you will feel full !  Trust the numbers, not your stomach to guide you!
When you feel full - at that point energy dense foods such as protein shakes, nuts, honey etc can become very useful to make sure you hit your NET target and macro minimums every day.    
Above all have fun doing this, leave some calorie space for your favorite foods in moderation so that you can stick with your plan long term -  and give us regular feedback on how you are doing -   losing fat and getting healthy does not have to be all about torturing yourself with ridiculously low calorie levels week after week.  Do it a different way this time and you will see success.   Enjoy !  

by bcarman94 on Feb 11, 2012 at 8:12 am

 hey april-  sounds like youve made the commitment which is half the battle.  this site and group have been immensely helpful to me and the others here who take full advantage of it, which would be my advice to you.  Britxp and others here give great nutritional advice and counsel.  all here have been extremely supportive to me,  and im grateful to have the group for accountability and motivation.  concepts like undereating are foreign and counterintuitive  to everything we think about "dieting," but i guarantee if you make a good plan and stick to it you will succeed.  for the first time in my life im on a program that makes me feel good,  contented, and sure i can follow it ad infinitum.  i havent given up anything i miss,  just learned when and how much i can indulge.  good luck.  you CAN do this

by bcarman94 on Feb 10, 2012 at 6:54 am

pretty sure it has to go up, but there are some very qualified mothers here.  theyll let you know

by Genarip on Feb 10, 2012 at 11:38 am

I don't know how much it would go up but you should get more calories.  With WW i believe they even got up to 5 extra points a day.

by acgenther on Feb 11, 2012 at 4:50 pm

 I have been nursing my son for 11 months now. The info I have gathered from my Dr and online says that you need from 200 - 500 extra calories just for nursing.  The extra calories you need would depend on how much milk you are making for your baby.  If he is only eating mommy milk then you would eat about 500 more for yourself above your target calories just to maintain your weight and make milk.  So the less milk baby needs the less extra calories you would need to maintain your weight.  The one caution I found about dieting while nursing said to aim to loose  only 1.5 lbs per week.            With all that I would say if you have had enough water and you are truly hungry then eat.  Have a supper healthy snack with lots of protein and some vegis.  Your body is telling you you need a little extra that day wether baby is in a growth spurt or you are building muscle.  Just make sure to eat something that will take care of your hunger and provide you and baby with lots of nutrition.        Good luck and keep up the hard work.   :)

by sillyscorp on Feb 10, 2012 at 6:13 am

It used to be that they were only available for a very limited time so it was a big treat because they had flavors that "normal" cookies didn't come in... now its pretty easy to get them year round online or even from girls who stock-pile them and then sell in the off season
Plus they don't use the same recipes as they did in the past so they aren't as good any more!

by Genarip on Feb 10, 2012 at 11:39 am

and now Keebler makes knock offs too.

by kearneyweb on Feb 9, 2012 at 4:04 pm

 After this last week, I am very happy for you.  I did not see that soup there, thank the maker :)  I am very proud of you.

by bkw2012 on Feb 10, 2012 at 6:05 am

Well you didn't gain, so that's a HUGE plus (especially on Super Bowl weekend & Girl Scout cookie season).
I use an elliptical a couple days a week and I love it. I've had lower back surgery, and I find the elliptical is much gentler on my back (and my knees) than a treadmill. I hope you get a turn on yours and that you enjoy it. I DVR the Biggest Loser so that I can watch it while I use the elliptical....it inspires me to really push myself. :)
Good luck this week, I'm sure you're gonna do great!

by bcarman94 on Feb 10, 2012 at 6:55 am

 great purchase with the eliptical. its the one thing i really miss from the gym.  no impact cardio. enjoy

by coopscoopc on Feb 10, 2012 at 10:25 am

The eliptical is my favorite too!  I did find a Gazelle crammed way back in the garage... close, but not the same.  Enjoy!

by srs27 on Feb 10, 2012 at 11:28 am

oh man id kill for an eliptical! just put it infront of the tv and i could workout all day lol.. luckyyy!!!

by Genarip on Feb 9, 2012 at 2:20 pm

I hear you,  My daughter is a Girl Scout!! good thing we are about done selling cookies.  This was the first year we had cookies on hand.  So I have had access all the time to some.  grrrr

by kearneyweb on Feb 9, 2012 at 4:04 pm

 I am soooooooo with you on this one.  I have a special box in the freezer for when I reach my goal.

by acgenther on Feb 11, 2012 at 8:04 pm

 Those 6 cookies are just a little speed bump on your journey to a healthy body.  Good job stopping yourself.  Great attitude!  Thanks for sharing.

by Cheese1980 on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:39 am

How much did he pay you?!

by BritXP on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:46 am

 You're welcome Steph - for anyone interested - look at her food diary
the two ( very simple ) changes that were made to get things moving again were :
1)  Increase NET Calorie target and making sure that Steph ate back every calorie burned in exercise to keep that NET number in the 1300-1500 range  ( her maintenance calorie level without exercise ( sedentary ) is approx 2000 calories per day because is tall & quite muscular ).  She was eating too little hence the stall in weight loss.  
2)  Change the macronutrients by setting a minimum daily target for protein and fats.    She was eating quite a low amount of protein and probably not quite enough fat either.   Increasing the protein and fat also drags the carbs down, but what she is eating now would be considered a 'moderate' carb diet, not a low carb diet.
Protein = LEAN MASS * 1 - 1.5g per day
Fat = 0.35 - 1g per LB of LEAN MASS
see here for the science and discussion on setting these numbers for your own body :

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981&page=1
we use the sedentary setting ( BMR x 1.2= TEE ) because we measure and eat back all the exercise calories in Livestrong, we are not 'guessing' a TEE above sedentary.
to calculate your lean mass take tape measurements of your body and plug them into this calculator :
www.linear-software.com/online.html
Once you have measured your body fat percentage this website is also useful to give you some ideas about goal weights and setting a reasonable and sane NET calorie intake target  ( hint : gentle calorie deficit = better but you need more patience ) 
http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

by adelalla2002 on Feb 10, 2012 at 5:50 am

Congratulatons, Steph!  You are an inspiration.  Thank you for this post, Brit.  My weight loss has stalled too:
Starting weight: 224.8
Weigh in #1: 218
Weigh in #2: 215.6
Weigh in #3: 215.0
Goal weight: 170
I started exercising everyday since Saturday and have not been eating back calories burned. I also have not been paying attention to carbs, protein, and fats at all.  I will start following the regimen above.  After your previous post, I decided to go by measurements.  I'm 5'10" tall and my waist measures 39 inches.  My goal is to get it down to 35 inches at least.  Thank you again!

by steph11wish on Feb 10, 2012 at 9:48 am

Adella
That is the exact weight I was stuck at since January 22nd! Weird. 
I suggest taking your body measurement as Brit suggested to me and plugging them into the website.
Plus the measuring tape was my saving grace when I was stuck in the pound area. Also I think I felt a great accomplishment seeing my waist go down an inch than down a few pounds. 
I also use a heart rate monitor so I know exactly what I am burning. Right now I am eating NET 1300 calories but actually eating arounfd1800+ because of my work outs and I have uped my protien to 150 g,  It has really helped. (feel free to look at my plate, if you like)
I think you really need to eat back your calories you burn it sounds like your metabolism is stalled out. I know it sounds crazy, since we have been hard wired to think "EAT LESS" but I can trulllllly say eating back the calories works! I showed results in seriously 2 days! My platue was over

by BritXP on Feb 9, 2012 at 7:41 am

 Hey Lydell - is your food diary 100% correct ? Is that really what you are eating ?

by Cheese1980 on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:10 am

Hey buddy, you're not eating enough. If you eat less then the target calorie allowance, your body thinks you are trying to starve it and holds on to all the fat and stuff.

by lydell66 on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:34 am

 Really? Well When I work out it adds calories back, so that is probably why the calorie intake looks so high. I didn't finish putting in my stuff from yesterday but it is pretty accurate. 

by BritXP on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:13 am

Mate - you need a complete reboot on your nutrition program.  You are doing everything right on the exercise side and you've got the determination to make a lifestyle change, we can see that ,   but you're sabotaging things big time right now on the nutrition front...and that's reflected in the lack of results.
there's a 0% chance that this pattern of eating is going to support your goals  which I understand to be - fat loss PLUS some strength gain  i.e. POOL BOY BODY.      Cheese is right, you are way undereating and this causes your metabolism to effectively shut down, even to the point where you GAIN weight on such a low calorie intake.    You need to be eating more like a warrior to meet your goals.   Proper nutrition delivers 80% of your results.
1) NET calorie number should never go below 1800 for a man ( American College of sports medicine ) - that means if you burn 600 calories in the gym that day you need to eat  2400 on that day.  Your NET number is pathetically low, some days it is even way below 1000.   Make sure that net number is AT LEAST 1800 EVERY DAY
2) Your protein intake is not anywhere even close enough to support muscle building while in a calorie deficit. It needs to be at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight per day.   Think about constantly eating chicken breast, fish, lean steaks, non fat cottage cheese etc. 
Check out my food diary ( it's open ) for some ideas on what to eat and how much per day -  or send me a message if you want some more info. I'd be happy to point you to some real scientific and nutritional research that supports these numbers.   Put the scale aside for now and just focus on getting the nutrition right and you will begin to see results, but you'll need to give your body a few weeks to adjust back from the shock that it's in now.
Finally, here is an article that may inspire you to make these changes to your nutrition.  It shows that real results can be acheived at ANY age - take note of his 'tips' for success.
http://www.burnthefatblog.com/archives/2011/11/fat-loss-tips-for-men-age-50.php

by lydell66 on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:18 am

 I never thought of it that way! I am going to check out your food diary. That message was a total shock to the system! And yes, Project pool boy body is still on!

by kearneyweb on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:32 am

Love the phrase - Pool Boy Body.  
Something that helped with me is to cut out as many carbs as I can.  Instead of a Cheseburger - I now have it without a bun and create a hamburger steak.  I eat protien at every meal, and even some snacks.  
I cannot tell when you are eating your food.  You may want to think about eating 5 meals a day - 3 normal timed meals and 2 snack times that total approx 300-400 at each one. 

by lydell66 on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:42 am

 i typically keep it at 8, 11:30, 12:30, 3:30, 6, every day. But sometimes my calorie intake is low, definitely. I guess i have to figure out how to put more calories into my body on days that I hit the gym. i am already so full from eating the meals i do eat, but I hear you guys.  

by Cheese1980 on Feb 9, 2012 at 10:04 am

If in doubt, eat steak. (I'm craving steak at the moment - am meat-free this month, still eating fish, after losing a bet with my husband)

by bcarman94 on Feb 9, 2012 at 10:08 am

 try the protein shakes man.  high cals and protein and most are great tasting too.  workout days i have at least one, sometimes two that consist of two scoops of chocolate whey protein powder (EAS Sports) and a cup of skim milk.  put in a blender with 4-5 ice cubes and youve got a great tasting milkshake with 330 cals- 44 grams of protein.  you can pick up 5 star or body fortress brands at wal mart for like 15 bucks.  its cheap- fast- and will give you some of the cals youre missing`.  good luck bro

by lydell66 on Feb 9, 2012 at 10:17 am

 All great advice. i ay have to check it all out. I need to lose more. Shake may be the way to go. What if i use like chobani yogurt? those are very high in protein.

by BritXP on Feb 9, 2012 at 11:07 am

 All of the above, eating protein at every meal preferably - you need to become a protein eating machine for project pool boy  ;)
You should probably be getting at the very minimum 200g per day but the more protein you eat, the better your results will be.   

by kearneyweb on Feb 9, 2012 at 6:02 pm

 @ Cheese1980 - I had chuck roast steak tonight slow grilled over charcoal.  It was GREAT.  I did not have the idea until you mentioned it so thank you.

by acgenther on Feb 9, 2012 at 6:03 am

 Welcome to the group.

by kearneyweb on Feb 9, 2012 at 7:36 am

 Welcome, it is nice to see another couple working on becoming healthier.

by applshmpoo on Feb 9, 2012 at 4:45 am

Yay! You're making great progress! Keep going :)

by APRILMCKNIGHT1 on Feb 9, 2012 at 5:21 am

Can I ask a question? How do you post your weight progress? Does it automatically when you change your weight in the system? This is all new to me so I am learning! Any help with be grateful!
Thank you!
 

by BritXP on Feb 9, 2012 at 6:36 am

 Great work.  You can see the big differences in your food diary ( yes im nosey ) from January where you were underfuelling yourself and not losing any weight to February where you are eating more and even adding in cheat days and losing weight.  The net calorie level is much higher in February.  Proof that starving yourself doesn't work.   My guess is that you are much happier and saner with eating more, right ? 

by Cheese1980 on Feb 9, 2012 at 7:56 am

Absolutely - but as I said before, I didn't know I was starving myself, I hadn't researched BMR

by bcarman94 on Feb 9, 2012 at 7:58 am

 way to go

by BritXP on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:04 am

  didn't mean to imply it was an intentional choice... happened to me too - I was eating too little and also had to reset things to eat more
 

by kearneyweb on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:21 am

 @  APRILMCKNIGHT1 - I sent you a message, check your inbox at the top of the screen
 
@  Cheese1980 - Great loss during the super bowl weekend !

by Cheese1980 on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:21 am

I live in the UK and so no super bowl for me. We did have the first weekend of the 6 Nations (rugby union) and my team won its first game despite best attempts to lose it, so I celebrated with chocolate and beer. However, 6 miles run in the snow beforehand meant I had the calorie space to do it!!

by applshmpoo on Feb 9, 2012 at 4:46 am

 Welcome to the group!!! You'll love it here :) 

by kearneyweb on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:04 am

 As far as wiegh in day - it is what ever works for you.  A few of us do Monday mornings, but people post weights all week long.
Normally we us the following format
SW - This is your starting weight
LW - Last Weight
CW - Current Weight
GW - Goal Weight - some will post two numbers here for a mini goal and their final goal
I find that when I reach a milestone - I can't wait to post here so I can share with my online friends.  This is a great group of people - with a common goal of becoming healthier.

by dlm284 on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:36 pm

Thanks much for the warm welcome.
@Kearney - Thank you for the clarification on the abbreviations.  Hopefully I have the courage to post my stats as well.

by kearneyweb on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:10 am

 couple of tips - 
Measure food for exact portion sizes, you would be suprised what their definition of portions are
Record everything, even little things in your salad or toppings on a burger.  These add up very quickly.
If you have to eat out for your job or for whatever reason - try to use national chain restaraunts and download their nutirtion guides.  These help you make better choices while eating out.
Give up beer.  I do enjoy the 'brewski' however they have so many calories and carbs it is scary.  If you must get something like Bud Select 55 - 55 cals and 1.9 carbs.
 

by acgenther on Feb 8, 2012 at 2:46 pm

 Can you do a rowing machine? That may work with a cast?  I would also call your Dr to see what they recomend. I'm bet they get that question all the time.  Good luck.  It has got to be FRUSRATING to be in a cast.  Keep  working at it.

by suzyj32 on Feb 8, 2012 at 3:55 pm

If you belong to a gym, do they have one of those crank machines? Like the bike for your arms (for lack of a better description)? The injured people on Biggest Loser use that a lot, along with heavy ropes. One of the cardio sections on Jillian Michaels' 30-day shred video has us stand in a squat position, squat down a little bit and just shadow box, with or without dumbbells in hand. If you can't squat at all, then I bet you could just box standing up and get your heart rate up a bit. Might be a bit boring to do for a long time, but it does get out frustration easliy!  :)

by coopscoopc on Feb 9, 2012 at 10:01 am

Richard Simmons has a work out designed for folks that are bound to wheel chairs/chairs.  It does get your heart rate up and is designed to do total body workout.  I love Richard.... and he is fun.  Worth a try.  It is called "Sit Tight" DVD by Richard Simmons... it only costs $14.95 on his web, but I bet you could get it cheaper on Amazon or something like that.
 

by bkw2012 on Feb 8, 2012 at 8:42 am

Keep checking in here....the people are great and VERY supportive. We all share a common struggle and a common goal and it's always easier to surround yourself (even "virtually") with people who can relate to your journey. Soooo, that said, welcome and good luck to you.

by steph11wish on Feb 8, 2012 at 9:15 am

 This group rocks! Definately helps get your through tough days! Welcome!

by adelalla2002 on Feb 8, 2012 at 11:11 am

Welcome, beinert167 and congratulations on the life changes!  I just joined a few days ago and the group is very encouraging and informative.  Not only do they help with weight loss tips, but the focus is on nutrition and overall health. Good luck!  You can do it!

by acgenther on Feb 8, 2012 at 12:24 pm

 This will be your year, you will make it so.  Welcome to the group.

by jwthoma64 on Feb 8, 2012 at 7:16 am

Congrats!  Keep it up! 

by APRILMCKNIGHT1 on Feb 8, 2012 at 7:19 am

Congrats! Thst is my goal right now to get under 200!
 

by coopscoopc on Feb 8, 2012 at 7:49 am

Good Job!

by bkw2012 on Feb 8, 2012 at 8:38 am

Woo-hoo!!! That is a huge milestone....I can't wait to hit that "under 200" goal myself.

by bcarman94 on Feb 8, 2012 at 8:52 am

 congrats!

by steph11wish on Feb 8, 2012 at 9:16 am

 Way to go! Happy Dance for you!

by acgenther on Feb 8, 2012 at 2:48 pm

 YEAH. Woo ho.  Good bye 200s. Keep up the hard work, it is paying off.

by applshmpoo on Feb 9, 2012 at 4:47 am

 Yay! Onederland!!!! Congrats and keep going!

by Joiseygrl09 on Feb 8, 2012 at 6:32 am

welcome! :)

by Genarip on Feb 8, 2012 at 7:22 am

Welcome and good luck

by APRILMCKNIGHT1 on Feb 8, 2012 at 7:24 am

Thank you! :-)
 

by bkw2012 on Feb 8, 2012 at 8:39 am

It's always good to have support for the journey...welcome!

by acgenther on Feb 8, 2012 at 2:55 pm

 Hello April.  Welcome to livestrong.  It may not be easy to make a life change but the rewards far outweigh the challenges. We make that change together.

by APRILMCKNIGHT1 on Feb 8, 2012 at 7:09 pm

 Thank you!
 

by applshmpoo on Feb 9, 2012 at 4:48 am

Welcome to the group! Glad to have you here :)

by kearneyweb on Feb 8, 2012 at 5:51 am

 WAY TO GO, congrats!!

by sillyscorp on Feb 8, 2012 at 5:57 am

congrats!!!! thats awesome.....I can't wait to join you

by bkw2012 on Feb 8, 2012 at 6:15 am

Wooo-hooooo! Happy dance for you.  :)

by Joiseygrl09 on Feb 8, 2012 at 6:31 am

yay! congrats!

by Genarip on Feb 8, 2012 at 7:23 am

Awesome Job!

by Cheese1980 on Feb 8, 2012 at 8:09 am

whoop whoop whoop!!!

by bcarman94 on Feb 8, 2012 at 8:52 am

 Great Job 

by steph11wish on Feb 8, 2012 at 9:17 am

 Wow! Impressssssive! 

by applshmpoo on Feb 9, 2012 at 4:48 am

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats and keep going :)

by kearneyweb on Feb 8, 2012 at 5:53 am

 Welcome

by bkw2012 on Feb 8, 2012 at 6:19 am

Yes, welcome. This is a very helpful & supportive group. Enjoy the journey! :)

by Genarip on Feb 8, 2012 at 7:32 am

Welcome, Glad you joined us

by SullyGirl2678 on Feb 8, 2012 at 11:31 am

 Thanks, ya'll  

by bkw2012 on Feb 8, 2012 at 6:20 am

That's a LOT of road time. Sounds like you got a handle on the car eating, and you're not missing out on your exercise, which is always easy to do when your routine is out of whack. Kudos to you. Keep it up!

by Cheese1980 on Feb 8, 2012 at 8:14 am

One binge day does not a diet break!!

by bcarman94 on Feb 8, 2012 at 8:56 am

 sounds like youre doing great jerry.  tough to keep at it away from home, but youve got the right plan  

by cincy1 on Feb 8, 2012 at 6:57 pm

keep up the good work, sounds like you're doing pretty good. b safe...

by kearneyweb on Feb 8, 2012 at 7:24 pm

 keep us in the loop, daily if you can.  i want to hear how you are coping on the road and you learn about snacks and food on the road.

by adelalla2002 on Feb 7, 2012 at 5:39 pm

Wow!  Congratulations, evie2310!  Keep up the good work!  I just started my journey 2 weeks ago and I've got a ways to go.

by kearneyweb on Feb 8, 2012 at 5:55 am

 53 lbs lost is AWESOME.

by sillyscorp on Feb 8, 2012 at 6:00 am

amazing progress.... that is almost my exact start/goal - it is really helping me to see so many of you are so close to your goals

by bkw2012 on Feb 8, 2012 at 6:18 am

Thanks for sharing. It's so nice to hear success stories and you are definitely a success story!! Congrats.

by justlynel on Feb 11, 2012 at 11:49 pm

 Congrats to you - youa re inspirational - you numbers are my numbers - I cannot believe it - I can do it too!
 

by suzyj32 on Feb 7, 2012 at 1:12 pm

I bought a Polar FT60 and have loved it so far.  It had really good reviews on Amazon, though some people said the battery stopped working after a few months and/or was hard to replace.  I've only been using it for 2 months, so I haven't experienced that yet. But as far as function, I love it! Shows what "zone" I've been working in (breaks it up into 3 zones based on your heart rate), then logs all of my workouts so I can review past. It tells me when I need to work out more, when to set my current weight, etc. I recommend checking it out.
 
www.amazon.com/Polar-Womens-Heart-Monitor-Purple/dp/B001F0PVNA

by steph11wish on Feb 7, 2012 at 1:44 pm

 I have the MIO it is a wrist watch type one and it has a timer where you start it when you start your workout, and there are 2 finger pulse thingys where intermittenly you take your pulse and then when you stop the timer it tells you how many calories your burned.  Pretty simple to work.  I got mine o n amazon.

by bkw2012 on Feb 8, 2012 at 6:22 am

Thanks, ladies. I actually looked at that very same Polar on Amazon when I was researching and it sounds really nice. Good buy on Amazon too. A bit of a splurge for me, but I figure when I get out of the 200s (for the first time in YEARS) I will have earned a splurge!!   :)  More motivation for the goal.

by Genarip on Feb 8, 2012 at 7:34 am

Curious to see others opinions.
I have a timex and I think the calorie count is high.  It has the chest strap and they say that is the most accurate but when LS said 737 the other day, my HRM had 1100.  SO not sure what is correct.  Anyone have suggestions?

by Cheese1980 on Feb 8, 2012 at 8:13 am

Assuming you have plugged into the HRM how much you weigh, always believe a HRM chest strap over Livestrong. All sorts of things can affect whether you burn calories - e.g. if you are feeling a bit under the weather/slightly high temperature you will burn more calories than if not because your heart rate will be higher. Similarly, you might be feeling really good and work harder at one spin class than a spin class on a different day. Once your body gets used to a certain workout, it adapts and you burn less calories. Your HRM will pick all this up.
 
Livestrong works on averages. Hence, you could argue that if you only used Livestrong calorie burned data for 6 months, it would work out the same as being more precise. The problem is if you burn more calories than Livestrong tells you, you might not eat enough and end up being underfuelled.
 
In practice, my HRM sometimes says I have burned more calories than Livestrong, sometimes less.

by BritXP on Feb 8, 2012 at 9:23 am

My heart rate monitor overestimates too I think. It's a Garmin.
I use this website, enter the average heart rate and the duration of the exercise and for VO2 max number I set it at 30.  Seems pretty reasonable and the numbers are holding up so far.
http://www.triathlontrainingblog.com/calculators/calories-burned-calculator-based-on-average-heart-rate/

by BritXP on Feb 8, 2012 at 9:37 am

 PS : I chose that V02 number by doing a sanity check by riding a stationary bike in the gym for an hour and comparing the "calories burned" readout from the bike  ( I didn't have to enter my weight the bike just measured whatever I delivered to the pedals )

by bkw2012 on Feb 7, 2012 at 1:08 pm

I think it's awesome what you've accomplished! Thanks for sharing. All encouragement is welcome in my book!

by adelalla2002 on Feb 7, 2012 at 5:47 pm

Ditto! Congratulations on all you've done. I also have a history of significant weight gain and weight loss: I lost 80 pounds in 1 year but piled it back on over the course of 10 years because I stopped exercising and didn't change my eating habits.  I'm just now getting back in the game.  I love LS and the groups!  Thank you for sharing!

by acgenther on Feb 8, 2012 at 3:02 pm

 Good job of keeping going even though it's tough. 

by mjahumada on Feb 7, 2012 at 2:03 pm

I'm impressed!  Great work! 

by BritXP on Feb 7, 2012 at 9:22 am

 Welcome back, hope you had fun 

by coopscoopc on Feb 7, 2012 at 10:09 am

I love looking at your stats!  Way to go!  I started at 189 and currently 174.. I am so jealous of your 165.8   keep going strong!  140 is right around the corner.. I hope I can catch up to you soon!

by applshmpoo on Feb 7, 2012 at 10:33 am

 Coop--- 
you'll get here soon!!! Keep going! It's taken me a while to get here with lots of ups and downs. I'm soooo happy for you that you're back on track after those couple difficult months... It's always hard to get back into "diet mode". See you in the 160s soon!!!

by bcarman94 on Feb 7, 2012 at 11:35 am

good to see you.  not bad at all for vacation

by mjahumada on Feb 7, 2012 at 12:36 pm

wow...good job!  I'm hoping I can be as successful as you.  Keep going!
 

by cincy1 on Feb 7, 2012 at 6:01 pm

hey there, welcome back...!!! pretty good for vacation, hope you  had fun.

by bkw2012 on Feb 7, 2012 at 8:24 am

Past the 25 lbs down mark already! So cool. Keep at it.

by BritXP on Feb 7, 2012 at 8:27 am

 That is awesome 

by applshmpoo on Feb 7, 2012 at 8:57 am

 amazing!

by steph11wish on Feb 7, 2012 at 9:41 am

Awesome job!

by coopscoopc on Feb 7, 2012 at 10:10 am

Whoo Hooo!

by Genarip on Feb 7, 2012 at 12:16 pm

Great Job!

by mjahumada on Feb 7, 2012 at 2:04 pm

way to go!!!
 

by cincy1 on Feb 7, 2012 at 6:02 pm

'Happy Dance-Happy Dance..!!!!!

by jwthoma64 on Feb 7, 2012 at 7:27 pm

Great Job!

by srs27 on Feb 8, 2012 at 2:37 am

wow if i remember right you lost 4 pounds last week to! your doing so well! keep it up!

by acgenther on Feb 8, 2012 at 3:06 pm

 You are doing great.  Keep up with your "diet". ;)

by bcarman94 on Feb 7, 2012 at 7:56 am

 welcome.  remember the mantra...track,track,track....  every bite, and be honest with yourself.  you can do it

by bkw2012 on Feb 7, 2012 at 8:23 am

You've found a great group for support. Welcome. Glad to have you on this journey with us.

by BritXP on Feb 7, 2012 at 9:19 am

 welcome :)  tracking takes out the mystery behind not getting the results we want.   I agree with you on the Weight watchers thing - converting foods to points is a clever marketing way of squeezing $30+ out of people every month and you can get all the support and accountability you want right here for free.

by cincy1 on Feb 7, 2012 at 6:05 pm

welcome to the group...you joined a great one.....

by bcarman94 on Feb 7, 2012 at 7:57 am

 congrats!

by bkw2012 on Feb 7, 2012 at 8:22 am

Yeah! Good work.

by BritXP on Feb 7, 2012 at 8:27 am

 great job !

by bcarman94 on Feb 7, 2012 at 7:58 am

right on ed.  down 7 percent body fat is huge.  

by bkw2012 on Feb 7, 2012 at 8:21 am

Now that's the way to keep the scale in perspective! Great job. Thanks for sharing.

by steph11wish on Feb 7, 2012 at 9:44 am

Wow impressive!

by coopscoopc on Feb 7, 2012 at 10:11 am

I just love watching the little green line keep going down... mine goes up, down, up, down,  lol  I want my green line to look like yours!  Good Job! 

by bcarman94 on Feb 7, 2012 at 11:40 am

 i think the divergence of the two lines is the most telling.  more net cals and continued steady weight loss.  get your net cals up people.  eddie b. is living proof of eating more and losing. 

by BritXP on Feb 7, 2012 at 7:00 pm

 yeah- thanks all. Most people including me want to see the quickest possible results and so when I joined like most other people I set it up for a 2lb per week loss and that gave me a 1550 target.  I ate back what I burned from day 1 and everything seemed OK at first but when I got to week 8 I noticed that my workouts in the gym started to suffer.
 At that point I decided to eat at maintenance (2550) for a couple of days because I thought I might be getting sick.  I actually felt like I recovered quickly and I enjoyed eating that all that extra food so I decided to increase my intake to 2100.  It feels much easier and more enjoyable than 1550 and I'm getting good strength gains and have more energy in general.   Of course the trade off is slower weight loss but I can live with that, other people may not be able to stay motivated or may have a lot more fat to lose so it may not work for them.   For me, the key thing is the strength training which I do 3 times per week.  I like to see progression at any pace but if I start going backwards in that department, it just totally crushes my motivation to actually go to the gym and that's when I get derailed.    
I think the key thing is you have to do whatever you have to do to stay committed to your program.  The best diet is one that you can stick with, for life.   If you are unsure about how eating at a higher calorie level will 'feel' try adding 500 calories for a couple of days.  So you'll only have a 5000 calorie deficit now instead of 7000 for the week.  No big deal, you'll still lose weight. It's good to cut yourself some slack and try different things. 

by BritXP on Feb 7, 2012 at 7:15 pm

 my math is out. I meant 6000 for adding 500 calories for 2 days.   If you eat 1000 more calories for 2 days then it's 5000.

by sillyscorp on Feb 7, 2012 at 7:55 am

I would be so proud of losing almost 10 lbs in 2 weeks congrats! my first goal is about the same 170s and I also started at 224/225... I am at 219.4 and feeling pretty good (I was 218.4 before the weekend but thats pretty normal for me to go up a little after the weekend since I don't track as consistently) - just hoping that I don't slide back up again since I have a bad habit of getting to like 202 and then heading back for the 2teens
I find that planning my snacks in advance and having some protein before and after my workout usually helps (like an apple w cheese pre-work out then my normal dinner of chicken/fish etc after) 
also I know not everyone agrees but becareful w your calories and calories earned back because I find that if you actually eat back what LS calculates you won't see as much of a weight loss.
Personally I like to enter as much of my food as possible in the morning and that way I have an idea of how many calories I have left to play with / can spread snacks around as necessary if I need more food

by BritXP on Feb 7, 2012 at 8:19 am

You might be under-eating which is causing the huge appetite ( I can see eyes rolling now because I rant about this on here ALL the time but it's true ).  
If your nutritional program is correct ( clean healthy foods and an appropriate and sane calorie deficit, an appropriate blend of protein, carbs and fats ) you will never be hungry , you will actually find it difficult to ingest the number of calories you are supposed to every day, but you must do it if you want to see long term success.
By clean healthy foods I mean from this list http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php
By sane calorie deficit I mean women should always be NETTING at LEAST 1200+ calories daily meaning if you burnt 500 calories on the elliptical that day you should eat AT LEAST 1700 calories, and that is often a very aggressive deficit in itself if you are taller than average and/or a more muscular woman, for example.      More aggressive the caloric deficit, the more likely it is you lost weight from fat AND muscle.   True story proven many times by SCIENCE and MEDICINE, I'm not spouting mumbo-jumbo b.s. here....
By appropriate blend of macros, please refer to the article that bcarmen posted the other day
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-body-type-eating 
Finally, take measurements and don't worry so much about what the scale is doing.  You're doing great so far that's actually a lot of weight to lose in the first 2 weeks.   

by steph11wish on Feb 7, 2012 at 9:45 am

I advise listening to Brit! He has much knowledge!

by adelalla2002 on Feb 7, 2012 at 9:59 am

Thank you for the advice.  You are all correct.  Planning in advance really helps and I also need to make sure my caloric deficit is not too aggressive.  I'm about to enjoy some chili from Wendy's and use up the rest of my calories, but I know that I'm going to work out tonight so that's okay.  I didn't realize that I need to eat more after working out.  I thought that I had to stay within my limit (after entering my fitness activity in Livestrong).

by adelalla2002 on Feb 7, 2012 at 10:12 am

BritXP, the article is very informative!  I am going to focus on overall nutrition and not the pounds.  I am sending it to my coworkers.  We're doing the Biggest Loser challenge at work. Thank you.

by BritXP on Feb 7, 2012 at 10:30 am

 The thanks should go to bcarman94,  I am just reposting the link - he researched and posted it to this group last week.   I hope your biggest loser competition at work rewards the best body composition changes rather than just focusing on pure scale weight drops like on the TV show  -  jwthoma64 is currently in the middle of such a competition that focuses on body composition rather than scale weight - he gets penalized in his competition for losing muscle during his body transformation so he might be able to give some tips. 
 

by sillyscorp on Feb 7, 2012 at 10:44 am

I definitely agree with eating enough (in fact I only set my weight goals to -1 lb /week bc I know that under 1600 cals just doesn't work for me)... my only word of caution is that LS (in particular but also some machines/ other sites) tends to WAY over estimate calories burned (ie 500+ cal in an hr of yoga) and if you ate back all the calories you "burn" then you aren't going to see many results
if you are confident in what you burned then eat away.... I just recomend getting more reasonable estimates bc there is a lot of entries here that aren't perfect

by BritXP on Feb 7, 2012 at 12:58 pm

 Agreed.  For maximum accuracy.....measure, don't guess or use generic estimates based on your weight.
Calories in - use kitchen scales, measuring cups, measuring spoons
Calories out - use heart rate monitor for all exercise.

by adelalla2002 on Feb 7, 2012 at 5:44 pm

The competition is based on percentage of body fat lost.  So far, I have lost 4% of my body fat.  I have 21% more to go to reach my ideal weight.  I just finished working out.  I'm going to measure myself right now.  You're right about how LS estimates.  I've gotta watch out for undereating/overeating.  More than anything else, I'm really excited about the lifestyle changes.  Thank you for all of the advice and encouragement!

by bkw2012 on Feb 6, 2012 at 2:22 pm

Sounds like a great plan! The scale can wreak havoc on our motivation when it doesn't say what we want it to.

by sillyscorp on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:56 pm

I actually broke my scale! I accidentally hit it a strange way and it shattered....figured it was a sign from somewhere that I shouldn't have it! haha
sounds like you are working hard and on the right path -- keep going! 

by bcarman94 on Feb 7, 2012 at 8:02 am

right on.  weight is not the indicator of fitness we make it.  sounds like youre doing great 

by jwthoma64 on Feb 6, 2012 at 4:49 pm

Good Lucj and Welcome.... its a great group

by sillyscorp on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:58 pm

can you maybe get a Physical Therapy prescription from your MD ? they would be able to show you how to stretch and stay safe and your insurance would cover some of it

by charlasek on Feb 6, 2012 at 12:29 pm

That's a bummer. :(   Take care of yourself. Hope you feel better for the 5k!

by AngelMeag on Feb 6, 2012 at 10:48 am

don't get discouraged. look on the bright side. The numbers haven't gone back up. I've heard people say to maybe change up how much you eat. Up your calorie intake for a few days and then lower it back down. I would also recommend investing in a heart rate monitor. they are MUCH more accurate that the calorie counter her on Livestrong. I've noticed it have a tendancy to over-estimate how many calories you burn, and then you think you need to consume more to make up for it.

by AngelMeag on Feb 6, 2012 at 10:48 am

don't get discouraged. look on the bright side. The numbers haven't gone back up. I've heard people say to maybe change up how much you eat. Up your calorie intake for a few days and then lower it back down. I would also recommend investing in a heart rate monitor. they are MUCH more accurate that the calorie counter her on Livestrong. I've noticed it have a tendancy to over-estimate how many calories you burn, and then you think you need to consume more to make up for it.

by steph11wish on Feb 6, 2012 at 11:02 am

I have been using my heart rate monitor and it gives me a higher calorie burn than what livestrong gives. It is so frustrating when you think you are doing everything right and......

by charlasek on Feb 6, 2012 at 12:25 pm

I second what AngelMeag said: Don't get discouraged! There have been a number people here who hit plateaus... maybe they'll chime in on how they got past em. I think sometimes it just happens. It doesn't mean what you're doing isn't working; your progress doesn't always show up on the scale. And 2 weeks isn't too bad... I have yet to do this myself, but take your measurements! I bet even if the scale isn't moving, you're probably still shedding inches. Even though you may feel discouraged, stick with it, stay strong and you'll make it through!

by bkw2012 on Feb 6, 2012 at 2:21 pm

Don't throw in the towel. Maybe try gauging your progress by how your clothes are fitting, or how you're feeling after a workout, or definitely try the measurements. Don't let the scale win! You're doing this for you and for your kids and it's worth it. You and your family are worth it!

by cincy1 on Feb 6, 2012 at 5:23 pm

PUT THAT DANG SCALE AWAY---at least for a little while. I was at a plateau for several weeks and was very frustrated the best thing to do is keeping eating healthy working out, drinking your water and not use the scale as your main gauge. I think the best gauge is your clothes. This is NOT a race, CONSISTENCY re: being healthy and fit wins every time......!!!!

by kearneyweb on Feb 6, 2012 at 10:31 am

 sounds like a great plan :)

by charlasek on Feb 6, 2012 at 5:52 am

Can't ask for anything more. Keep at it! Weights is a great idea!!

by kearneyweb on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:33 am

 getting closer to your goal every week, what more can you ask for.  Doing GREAT!

by BritXP on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:43 am

Great results, great attitude keep at it ! ! 

by cincy1 on Feb 6, 2012 at 5:13 pm

great job.....!!!!

by bkw2012 on Feb 6, 2012 at 5:52 am

Wow! 4 lb losses are incredible. Congrats. You're doing great. Way to go on the BMI breakthrough too.  :)

by charlasek on Feb 6, 2012 at 5:53 am

You are doing SO WELL! I'm so proud of your accomplishment!

by BritXP on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:20 am

 Wow. That goal is getting so much closer every week :)

by bcarman94 on Feb 6, 2012 at 3:11 pm

awesome

by cincy1 on Feb 6, 2012 at 5:12 pm

great job...!!!!!

by charlasek on Feb 6, 2012 at 5:55 am

Great progressm you're doing awesome! I have that trouble, too sometimes. I bet BritXP has some advice ;)

by BritXP on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:13 am

Hey Mogb - congrats on the effort so far - good job. 
Charlotte's right...I do have some something to say...
The answer to your last question is "yes", missing your daily NET calorie target ( undershooting it with the metality that 'less food is better'  and I'll lose weight quicker )     is a bad thing.  It's much much worse than overshooting by a few hundred calories.
You should eat back what you burn in exercise so that you hit your NET calorie target every day otherwise you are probably putting yourself into an overly aggressive calorie deficit situation.  This gives the body the nutrients it needs to repair on the hard workout days.    
Also - According to the American College of sports medicine 
http://www.livestrong.com/article/320192-how-many-calories-should-an-adult-consume-daily/
Women should never NET less than 1200 and men should never NET below 1800 per day.     So that means an active man who runs for 45 minutes daily and burns 500 calories doing it should be eating AT LEAST 2300 calories per day every day.

So if your goal is to look somewhat 'Athletic' once you reach goal weight it would be wise to follow those guidelines.
Consequence of overly restricting calories -  either - 
1) weight loss progresses - you think you're doing great but you're burning through fat AND muscle and end up looking 'skinny fat' at goal weight   - i.e. low scale weight with poor body composition.  This is why monitoring body composition is important.
2) You effectively shut down your metabolism and weight loss stalls.

I'm sure there are people in this group that have experienced both. I know from past diets that I'm a muscle burner ( type 1 )  which is why I'm so careful now with eating a ton of protein ( 40% of my calories ) and not being overly-agressive with my calorie deficit.   
Good luck 

by charlasek on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:18 am

Ed, what are some good foods to add in that would easily make up that 300-400 defecit without feeling like we're stuffing ourselves? I could easily make it up with Doritos, but that's obviously a bad choice! What do you add?

by BritXP on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:25 am

 Whey Protein shakes or a handful of nuts are usually good choices because most people have a tendency to eat too many carbs anyway.  Be careful to measure out the nuts use a measuring cup or a digital scale though.  They pack a lot of calories into a small space.    Don't be afraid of eating these kind of things just before bedtime either in order to make your quota for the day.

by Cheese1980 on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:34 am

I sometimes struggle with making my calorie quota on big workout days (where I'm knocking out 900 - 100 calories worth of exercise)
 
Yesterday I couldn't be bothered to think of a healthy solution so I had some chocolate and beer :-)

by BritXP on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:39 am

Nice one Cheese !   Yep, big workout days are perfectly suited to be paired up with cheat meals :)  you earned that chocolate and beer :)

by Cheese1980 on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:44 am

PS My more sensible way of adding calories is putting an egg on top of whatever I'm having for dinner.

by Mogb on Feb 6, 2012 at 7:34 am

Great replies, I appreciate the input.  You confirmed my concern of under allocating my intake.  Some days I'm under the 1800 calories threshold.  I have to admit, craft beer and whiskey I love so when I indulge, I make sure my workout for the day takes that consumption into account.  I'll have to work on hitting my intake but have to say, it's hard sometimes.  I do eat cachews and/or almonds in lieu of unhealthy snack foods so I'm already doing that.  I'm eating way more fish than I've eaten in the last 15 years and junk food has been cut out completely.  So my goal is to manage my intake, up workouts to include more tonal activities and have fun.

by BritXP on Feb 6, 2012 at 9:09 am

 Great.  Sounds like you are doing everything correctly.  Keep us posted on your progress against your goals here week by week and join in the discussions. Enjoy yourself and welcome 

by BritXP on Feb 5, 2012 at 3:13 pm

These are my favs
Breakfast 1: 
Cooked Oatmeal ( steel cut or rolled oats ) -   150 calories
Mixed in 1 scoop vanilla protein powder  - 120 calories
Optional ( if exercise day ) - mix in 1 cup of blueberries (+80 cal ) or 1 tbsp honey (+60 cal ) 
Breakfast 2 :
1-2 slice whole wheat bread, toasted - 110 - 220 calories
1 cup of liquid egg whites + 1 whole egg, scrambled  -  200 calories
The combination of protein and carb works for me for a breakfast and has much more staying power - much better than just carb alone - if I skimp on the protein and the more sugary the cereal the more I would tend to get hungry mid-morning.  
The oatmeal breakfast would keep me going for longer than the scrambled egg breakfast for the same number of calories it takes me more time to digest oatmeal than bread.  And there's just something that feels good about a hot breakfast....
 
 

by SpinnerGal on Feb 5, 2012 at 4:26 pm

 I agree, I like to mix protein and carbs (plus come fruit so I can start working towards my daily 5).  Most mornings I eat:
One piece of high fiber/protien toast (I like brownberry nut-rition - 70 calories)
+ Once slice of reduced fat cheese and 1/4 apple sliced up (around 120 calories) broiled
or
+ 1 tbs peanut butter (90 calories) and 1/2 banana sliced (50 calories)

by kearneyweb on Feb 5, 2012 at 7:44 pm

.5 ham slice - nuke for 45 sec
2 slice wheat bread - toasted
spray butter on toast when done
3 egg whites nuked for 1 min then 30 sec (or until solid-ish)
 
220 cals-ish

by bkw2012 on Feb 6, 2012 at 5:54 am

I do a cup of original almond milk (60 calories) + 1 scoop chocolate whey protein (100 calories) + 1/2 banana or 1/2 cup frozen cherries (around 55 calories) and blend. Soo yummy. That and my decaf coffee hold me over quite a bit (much better than my old sugary cereal habit).

by charlasek on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:10 am

Wow, I need a lot more food than that for breakfast! After my workout this morning I had:
 
1 Packet of Nature's Path Apple Cinnamon organic instant oatmeal (210 cal) AND Plain Chobani 0% Greek yogurt (100 cal), Mashed banana (110 cal), 1 tsp peanut butter (32 cal), Dash of cinnamon for flavor
TOTAL = 447 calories
 
I also had a protein shake this morning before I left the house (to get me through my workout) for 140 calories. (I might not need a morning snack today! lol)
 
Another favorite is: Fried egg, no oil (80 cal) + Coffe with 1% milk and 1 tbsp sugar (100 cal) + Instant Oatmeal (130-210 depending on brand) + apple (75 cal) = TOTAL 385-465 calories

by acgenther on Feb 5, 2012 at 8:38 pm

 I have definatly exsperienced the junk food hangover.

by charlasek on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:14 am

Can't say that I've felt that bad afterwards, but maybe I did and just didn't make the connection. I'll have to pay closer attention to how I feel. I'm impressed that you recognized it, fasted, AND feel better! Wow!

by laurenchelle on Feb 4, 2012 at 8:14 pm

 oh yeah...week 1

by kearneyweb on Feb 5, 2012 at 4:56 am

 Welcome.  The hardest part you have done already, deciding to make a change.  As long as you are truely honest with yourself, you can do this.  Record everything, even the smallest thing to your MyPlate.  Be ready to put down some foods you love for a while, until you are healthier.  Ask for advice in this group often.  Most important, set mini goals and share accomplishments with the group.  

by steph11wish on Feb 5, 2012 at 9:06 am

This group is amazing. Good choice and good luck! We will be here for you!

by cincy1 on Feb 5, 2012 at 12:02 pm

Welcome......ditto to what Steph said--this group is a really neat one, we post often and help eachother. You picked a great group.

by BritXP on Feb 5, 2012 at 3:19 pm

 Welcome... we're here to help and share information and motivate each other.   Good luck :)

by laurenchelle on Feb 5, 2012 at 3:46 pm

 Too Cool. 

by sarahfalk on Feb 4, 2012 at 8:01 am

So proud of you!  You are really working hard to achieve your goals and getting healthier.

by BritXP on Feb 4, 2012 at 8:29 am

 Great week for the Falks.  Congratulations to you both ! 
 

by cincy1 on Feb 4, 2012 at 8:58 am

'Happy Dances'--'Happy Dances' for the both of U........

by acgenther on Feb 4, 2012 at 10:07 am

 Woo hoo.

by jwthoma64 on Feb 4, 2012 at 10:20 am

 Great job.  The both of you

by laurenchelle on Feb 4, 2012 at 8:03 pm

 Inspirational. 

by bcarman94 on Feb 5, 2012 at 5:39 am

 thats incredible bryan.  congrats

by steph11wish on Feb 5, 2012 at 9:07 am

So HAPPPPPPY for you! What a wonderful achievment!

by bkw2012 on Feb 6, 2012 at 5:48 am

Yeah!! That's awesome. Talk about a power duo...Go Team Falks!!

by BritXP on Feb 4, 2012 at 7:08 am

 Good job, have a good road trip this week. 

by cincy1 on Feb 4, 2012 at 7:21 am

Congrats---still coming down..!

by kearneyweb on Feb 4, 2012 at 8:01 am

 great job.  i would be interested to hear how the trip goes and what you did for healthy eating.

by sarahfalk on Feb 4, 2012 at 8:01 am

Great job!!

by bcarman94 on Feb 5, 2012 at 5:38 am

 right on jerry.

by bkw2012 on Feb 6, 2012 at 5:49 am

Nice work. Over the 20 lb. hurdle and still going!

by charlasek on Feb 6, 2012 at 6:20 am

You're kicking @$$!!

by maclynne on Feb 4, 2012 at 8:31 am

I enter foods as a recipe and that way I don't have to wait for them to verify it.  you can enter the protein gram, fat gram and carb gram based on the label of the food.