TOPIC: Over 200 New Year New Me Part 30

bluenote

What devastating news about Jesyka's baby. She and her family are in my prayers. Please someone let me and Momma know how to get in touch with her, OK?

I am losing control FAST, ladies. No time for working out, no time for lunch; back in the old bad habits of school. Exhausted after the teaching day is over and wanting to just crawl in bed. Even contemplating taking a break from MFP. I've been moving such heavy furniture for days now. (Remember, the new room? Well, come to find out it is more full of mold than the last room!) My back is killing me. I sat down on the toilet and when I got up I couldn't straighten my back. :sad: I am walking crooked!

louddownunder

Hi folks, I'm hoping you won't mind a newcomer to your group. I'm Juliette, originally from Toronto Canada but now live in Melbourne, Australia (currently middle of a wet, rainy and miserable winter down under). I've been the weight loss yo yo over the past few years and I've now decided to take it seriously. I have a big prop bet with my husband - if I'm at 75 kilos (165 lbs) on or before Christmas day, he has to buy me into a $5k poker tournament in the Aussie Millions (poker is my hobby/passion).

Weight loss is a huge challenge for me as I'm an event manager full time and I write about food and wine along with reviewing restaurants in my part time life. Needless to say, I'm surrounded by gorgeous, but hugely fattening foods on a regular basis. Making healthy choices in that lot is sometimes impossible! Of course, that doesn't even include the fact that cooking those sorts of meals is my stress relief. Of course my DH has the metabolism of a super athlete and doesn't gain an ounce. (Grumble!).

I've been reading your thread and love the motivation I'm seeing and would love to be part of your group. I've got some big stresses at work the next month and I know without motivation it will be oh so tempting to go back to gourmet meals filled with butter and cream, and several glasses of vino a night.

Cheers
Jules

LittleSpy

Welcome Jules!
I'm also Jules (except I think only my dad and my best girl friend call me that)!
I wanted to tell you I loved to cook delicious horrible meals before finding MFP. I've learned to adapt. Over the last 11 months my tastes have MAJORLY changed and I don't even enjoy loads of cheese/cream, butter, salt, and sugar anymore (I know you think I'm lying but I promise you I'm not!) the majority of the time (key phrase!). You can definitely still feed your passion for cooking with healthier adaptations of your favorite meals. I'd even say that my cooking skills have drastically impoved since I stopped drowning everything in cheese and butter because when I find a recipe I want to try I usually can't follow it. I have to use it to make my own healthier recipe. Most of the time I don't even use a recipe anymore -- I'm so much more familiar with different flavors and cooking techniques, I make up my own meals way more often now than I ever have before.

Momma & Nancy -- All I know is Jesyka is on facebook. And I can't access facebook at work. You could always message her or post on her profile here and MFP will send her a notification email. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/jesyka I'm sure logging into MFP to check messages or wall posts is pretty much on the bottom of her priority list at the moment though.

RedneckWmn

Momma and Nancy-If either one of you want to type up a message for Jesyka I would be more then happy to pass the message to her on facebook from y'all. You can mail it to me here and I will just copy and paste it into a message on facebook. Just let me know.

Welcome Jules! You will love it here! We are a pretty motivated group!

Got on the scale this morning and down a pound! AHH! So excited! FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY see something besides a 212!!! 211! Maybe I can see a 209.9...I kicked my own *kitten* at the gym this morning. I might fall over if I saw somethinb besides a 21?...just wanted to share my excitement with everybody. Happy Hump day! :flowerforyou:

Positively_Me

good morning!

Today is the first day of my fasting (Ramadan) It's 10am and I have 10 hours before my first meal....I am not hungry but I do miss my coffee.

I plan to take it easy. I plan on doing 30 minutes on the elliptical; that should be easy enough for me.

Have a great day girls!!!

HeatherMN

Jess: Here's to hoping you see a 20? on the scale this week! :flowerforyou:

Jules: Welcome to this fantastic group. As you may have noticed, we try to check in with calories, water, exercise and something we're proud of each day. Some of us track sodium as well. Also, we love to chat a lot so feel free to share, vent, etc!

Nancy: Hang in there! You can and WILL get things back under control because you're you and you're determined! Please don't take a break from MFP because we would miss you too much AND because you need to stick with it for you. At the very least, keep logging your food and exercise here!

Checking in for yesterday:
Calories: Under by 68
Sodium: Over by 1058
Water: 67.6 oz.
Exercise: None, unless I can count cooking, cleaning and laundry.
Proud: That I made pasta for the company potluck when I could have gone the easy way and bought it at the deli! I also made dinner for my sister and I, so I felt like a Susie Homemaker last night. (Don't tell the boyfriend, though, or he'll expect it of me!)

RedneckWmn

POS Me-Are you allowed to have protein shakes or just water? Or milk?

Blue-I forgot to put my comments to you! Sorry! I agree with Heather, please don't leave us. I don't know who said it before but when someone was talking about leaving for awhile they suggested maybe just linger and check in but not necessairly comment and post all the time. This is a busy time for you. Try to maintain and don't worry about trying to get in additional exercise. My best friend is a teacher so I know how overwhelming the begining of the school year can be. Were here for you! :flowerforyou:

elmox

Way to go Jess on that 211!! I know you have been working hard and waiting patiently for that. Hooray!
Jules, welcome to the bestest group ever.

Thank you all for your kind words! I my weight loss sisters.

Last night my team took our manager out to dinner at the restaurant where my brother-in-law works. We definitely got the VIP treatment as they sent out an extra app, a small pasta for everyone, and an extra side dish. I assumed that we would be getting some extra stuff, so I planned for that in my ordering. Our appetizers were actually pretty healthy - beet salad, tomato mozzarella salad, cantaloupe soup, grilled calamari. The extra pasta course was unnecessary, but DELICIOUS (rabbit papperdelle with rosemary and olives). Then instead of a main course, I got another appetizer - grilled quail with farro and a poached quail egg. When it came time for dinner, we ordered just two things and I probably had a total of 4 bites. We each got a cocktail and the five of us split a bottle of wine. It was a fantastic dinner and I'm really proud of myself for making smart choices (ordering healthy apps, getting an app instead of a main, five people splitting two desserts).

Cals - Over, my guess is I had about 2300 cals yesterday, but it's all estimates.
Water - 96 oz
Exercise - None (would have been smart to wake up early like supergirl Jess, but I tossed and turned for an hour and a half on Monday night and didn't have the get up and go to exercise)
Proud - Even though I was over, it could have been much worse with a dinner like that! I made good choices and didn't go overboard on anything.

tlrue

Hi ladies!

What a terrible tragedy for Jessyka... I will certainly be keeping her and her family in my prayers. I can't possibly fathom what that is like.

Julie and Lauren - you both look WONDERFUL! Very inspiring

And now I totally forget everything else I was going to type....

Oh well Checking in for yesterday!

Calories - over by 65 woops... I couldn't defeat the ice cream craving.... but I did get a small as opposed to the giant brownie sundae I was originally thinking about.
Sodium - under!
Water - under
Exercise - we walked to get the ice cream (a little over a mile round trip)
Proud - More like made me feel good... as we were going to sleep, the boyfriend said "wow... you really are getting skinner" It makes me feel good that he notices above everyone else, he sees me every day so if he notices then I really feel like I'm doing well!

cris20056

Jess- Yay! your morning gym runs are paying off! I can not wait for you to get away from that dreaded 212!

Lauren- great job! I would not have been so well behaved!

Laila- good luck today!

Blue- I know its tough because now you have to re-adjust your schedule and get into a whole new routine. Just ease back into it and it will become second nature again! Those 90+ lbs didnt lose themselves you know? AND you did most of it during the school year so quit yer whining and stick with us! If not I will have to come find you. Seriously though I love you and would miss you lots if you left

Positively_Me

POS Me-Are you allowed to have protein shakes or just water? Or milk?

I can't have any liquids or food while fasting..when I break my fast ( today it will be 8:03 pm - when the sun sets) I can have what ever I would like.. I can only brush my teeth but can't swallow the water when I rinse my mouth out. It's going to be one tough first day...

cris20056

OMG! I could not do without water!

Are you seriously planning on doing the elliptical? I would be so thirsty!!!

I would lay in my bed til 830 and count down the minutes...lol is that bad?

RedneckWmn

I'm with Cris! Wow Laila, kudos to you! I'd sleep all day and eat all night. :happy: can you do that!?

HeatherMN

Laila: I didn't realize you can't even have water! Wow, my thoughts are with you today!

Nancy: Cris couldn't have said it better! You did lose most of the weight during the school year, so buck up! (Was that too tough for our tough love?)

Yikes, I should get some work today...ugh, it's already been a long week.

elmox

Lauren -- I love your before picture. You have accomplished so much and although you looked awesome before, you're a freaking fox now! And, so that I feel a little less gay -- your hubby is freaking adorable! :laugh: Love the beard & glasses (and beer brewing. My dh is all talk no action on that front.)!

edit: I apologize for my excessive use of the word "freaking."

Julie, THANKS! You are too sweet and I think the hubby is pretty cute too! He's been sporting the beard since November 2009. I like it. It took awhile for it to get all soft and not hurt when kissing/snuggling, but now it's all soft and is only awkward if an errant whisker goes up my nose!

It's pretty amazing to me how different he looks without the beard and glasses. I dig him both ways. This picture is from two years ago when we chaperoned prom at the school I taught. He looks so much younger!


Sorry for all the crazy picture posts this week. I'm on a roll...

Positively_Me

thanks girls for hte encouragement

The first couple of days is the worst part. I tried eating something before going to bed ( at 12 am) I also tried to encourge my older kids to eat something befoe bed..but they were not hungry.

I am trying to finished everything early that way later on I can take a nap, however, with a 4 y/o that is really hard.

Yes, I did my good old elliptical (30 minutes) plus I am cleaning up my home and washing laundry and cooking early so I just have to somewhat reheat when the it's time to eat.

I will get through this day...hopefully

8 hours until we eat:laugh:

Edit: to say I'm not sure if I mentioned it but my older kids are also fasting with me...I give them props for having the motivation to do something so spiritural...I am so proud of them both

Positively_Me

Lauren -- I love your before picture. You have accomplished so much and although you looked awesome before, you're a freaking fox now! And, so that I feel a little less gay -- your hubby is freaking adorable! :laugh: Love the beard & glasses (and beer brewing. My dh is all talk no action on that front.)!

edit: I apologize for my excessive use of the word "freaking."

Julie, THANKS! You are too sweet and I think the hubby is pretty cute too! He's been sporting the beard since November 2009. I like it. It took awhile for it to get all soft and not hurt when kissing/snuggling, but now it's all soft and is only awkward if an errant whisker goes up my nose!

It's pretty amazing to me how different he looks without the beard and glasses. I dig him both ways. This picture is from two years ago when we chaperoned prom at the school I taught. He looks so much younger!


Sorry for all the crazy picture posts this week. I'm on a roll...

Such a cute couple:bigsmile: w/ or without hte beard and glasses

elmox

Thinking of you Laila! When I have fasted before, I have to focus very hard on the WHY of it. It shows great strength that you do this for a month!

Evasher

Thanks for the inspiration. Though mine is a slower weight loss, further commitment with your inspiration helps me envision success and encourage others.

LittleSpy

Laila -- You're very strong indeed! I can't even fathom a 90 minute car trip without water.
You may want to stop reading now because I'm going to share a recipe. :laugh:

I've made this a couple times & I made it last night from memory and it was so easy and so yummy I had to share.
It's raspberry chicken & coconut rice
Raspberry chicken:
16 oz boneless skinless chicken breast cut up in bite sized pieces
About 1/3 cup flour (sorry I'm bad about not measuring when I cook)
About 1 tbs lemon pepper (I use Mrs. Dash b/c it doesn't have any salt added)
About 1-1.5tsp dried rosemary
About 1/4 tsp salt
2-3 tbs rice wine vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar the first time and it was just as good)***
About 6tbs raspberry vinegrette***
1.5tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

((*** These 2 ingredients are a substitution for a recipe I came across that calls for reducing raspberry vinegar to make the sauce. I can't find raspberry vinegar and I really dig the sweetness of the vinegrette anyway, so whatever))

Place flour, lemon pepper, salt, and rosemary in a gallon sized zip top bag. Add chicken & shake to coat. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken, cook until golden brown (& no longer pink of course). Remove chicken from pan and place on a paper towel to drain. Add vinegar to same pan & allow to reduce for a couple minutes, then add vinegrette to pan & reduce for another minute or so. Return chicken to pan & completely coat with sauce and reheat thoroughly. Done. Serves 4.

Nutrition per serving (sorry these are all the values MFP gives me).
Calories: 194
Fat: 9g
Carbs: 7g
Protein: 23g
Sodium: 492mg (if you omit the salt or use chicken that hasn't been enhanced, sodium could be much lower)

Coconut rice (so easy & freaking amazing!)
1 cup basmati or jasmine rice
1 CUP (not can!) of full fat coconut milk
3/4 cup water
1tsp freshly grated ginger (last night I used about 1/8 tsp ground ginger & it was good -- could've used a little more; 1st time I had fresh ginger & it was better)
2-3tbs grated coconut (fresh, frozen, or even dried sweetened flaked will be good)

Get a pot. Put all the ingredients in the pot. Turn your burner on high & bring everything to just boiling. Reduce heat (I reduce mine to as low as my burner flame will go). Cover and simmer for however long your rice package says to simmer (my basmati says 20 minutes. I'm thinking my jasmine says longer...). Also, I don't think you're supposed to stir rice. But I can usually only hold out for 15 minutes or so before I have to stir it to ease my mind. :laugh: It comes out fine for me even though I do stir it once or twice (I'm so convinced it would burn on the bottom if I didn't stir it though!).

Nutrition:
I make this = 6 servings because I don't like the 4 servings numbers :laugh: It's plenty of rice split 6 ways, IMO. Last night my serving size was 87g (weigh the rice when it was ready & divide by 6)
Calories: 181
Fat: 7g
Carbs: 26g
Protein: 3g
Sodium: 13mg (yep, 13, coming from the coconut & coconut milk I used so ymmv)

Then I serve these with some kind of steamed green veggie. Last night it was broccoli (my fav). Green beans would be good, too.

It seems like a fatty meal with 16g fat but the fats are pretty much all from olive oil and coconut milk which are very healthy fat sources from what I understand. Surprisingly enough, I've been trying to eat more fat because I'm trying to get to the 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat balance (instead of the 45% carbs, 30% protein, 25% fat I've been eating for about 6 months).