Oodles of questions.....

AmesLee78

I just started my diet on Sunday....I have a couple of questions.

1. Do you weigh yourself everyday? My doctor told me not to, but I can't help it..LOL

2. Can someone recommend some low calorie side dishes. There are very few veggies I like and I also have 3 kids who are picky eaters. It's hard finding side dishes my husband and I can eat without blowing our day and also making sure the kids like it too.

3. Do you have a "free" day? Like a day where you kind of let yourself go and have fun a little? With 3 kids, weekends are hard to keep on track. I was going to let Saturdays be a free day for me where I won't beat myself up or worry too much about it.

I have 100+ pounds to lose, but I'm taking it 10 at a time. I suffer from depression and anxiety and I tend to get overwhelmed easily so i have to take it little by little. If I look at it as the full 100, I get too overwhelmed and give up.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any answers/advice/suggestions!

michelle_mareshfuehrer

1. I weight myself once per week; on Sunday mornings right after I wake up and go to the restroom, but before I eat or drink anything.

2. As for side dishes--what about fruit? or granola? or yogurt?

3. I have to be honest and say that I eat what I like every day, but I watch my calories and sugars closely and work out to make sure that I burn it off. So, I guess you could say that every day is a free day for me. I still keep track of what I'm eating, though...

Don't stress yourself out over this....try to find some workouts that are FUN for you to do (for me, that's bellydance, zumba, hip hop, sh'bam, etc.). If you have a bad day, just remember that there's always tomorrow. MFP has been instrumental in helping me lose weight--you ALWAYS have support, any time of the day. GOOD LUCK!

MegJo

Welcome!!!!

1. I use to weigh myself MUTILPLE times a day but eventually found it to be emotionally draining. With the support of some MFP friends we all gave up the scale together for almost 2 months! It was the best thing I could've done. I'd do what feels comfortable now, some people benifit from daily weighing. Just remember your weight will go up and down A LOT - water weight and your period will effect it heavily... pun intended. :P

2. I LOVE the website Skinnytaste.com - they have great main entrees and side dishes. Stick with veggies if you can - or if you choose to do something higher cal/fat go easy on the portion.

3. I personally don't believe in "free" or "cheat" days. But everyone is different. If it was me one free day would turn into a free weekend and then a free week and before you know it I'd be off the wagon as fast as I got on. Try to ease into this website and the "diet" make small changes that you can commit too for the long haul.

You'll do great - believe in yourself and I LOVE that you've set small goals for yourself. You can do it!!!!

golferd

I weigh multiple times a day. I have about 4 pound range.

With kids remember this: if it is in the middle of the store processed, bad. Outside good

Watch high fructose corn syrup, bad

HFCS is in almost everything including ketchup and jelly. lots of "diet" food has it. Makes food sweeter, but body treats it very poor within.

This is what I was told: stay away from waffles, oj, chocolate, frozen yogurts, diet soda is a joke. Diet soda has been around for years, and I don't see people getting any smaller.

I eat almost all chicken and turkey. Sometimes low sodium roast beef.

Greek yogurt with unsalted almonds.

Weigh your foods, almost 6 months and I weigh everything. Log everything. The more you log the faster it gets, they are stored in your own database.

You can enter days in advance to help you prepare. If your leaving the house for awhile take food with you on your diet. This prevents allowing junk (eating out) in. Cook food days in advance, if you eat yogurt and buy 32oz tubs and measure your serving you gain great Tupperware for transporting meals.

Read labels and pay attention to serving size.

Look at my food diary if you want, but most guys can eat what I do. If your vegetarian don't you will be offended ):

Cheat day no, reminder occasionally of the old days, yes.

hbrekkaas

I don't weigh myself every day, beause it can be very upsetting to see the scale going up and down so much. One a week at the same time as the week before (before breakfast etc) will give you a great idea of how you are doing.

Side dishes....I'm not a big help there, We always have a veggie, and then we usually have either a small portion of pasta, or potatoes, buns etc to go with it.

As for cheat days....sure do. Some days its just un-avoidalbe, espeially with 3 kids, but I do try and make sure I work some of whatever it is I over-ate on that day so that I end up maintaining, not gaining.

The best advice I can give you is to take it easy. If you have a bad day brush yourself off and start over the next day, go day by day. Its very hard to go from eating whatever you wanted to suddenly being very restricted. Remember this is a lifestyle change, and it won't happen overnight.

dls06

There are so many recipe sites for healthy recipes for kids on the web just start surfing and find the things the kids will like.
Good luck on your journey. You are doing a good thing for you and your children. Keep it up!

Peanutmanda

1. Yes, i weigh myself everyday. I wish i wouldn't but it helps me stay on track. But only in the mornings. Multiple times a day would drive me crazy. lol

2. If I am low on calories and I want a side dish i toast 2 slices of whole grain bread and a little bit of hummus or leave it plain. It will really fill you up. and the crunch texture triggers a hormone to tell your body your full.

3. I don't have a free "day". I have 1 meal, once a week, that i go a little over board with.

I hope I helped.

Good luck! You can do it!

FearAnLoathing

1.I weigh myself daily but I also do not let the scale going up and down get to me
2. I found many low calorie cookbooks with recipes my kids love at the library
3.I guess I have a free day every sunday we go out to breakfast and I just dont worry about it

Xav8tor

Remember this..............you can't lose 100 lbs. Never, won't happen........................BUT..........you CAN lose ONE lb. That is doeable for anybody, jusy lose one. (Then, what you did to lose that pound?........do it again)....................and then again. We can't lose a hundred lbs, but we can lose one. Then repeat that same accomplishment a hundred times.

helenmelon29

Hi

I weigh myself once a week at the most. It would get me mad/disappointed if it went up.

Do you mean side dishes to go with your main meal? like chicken or beef etc? I tend to have peas and sweetcorn, brocolli, aspargus, cabbage, salad with sunblush toms, salsa,

I dont have a free day, but I do eat whatever I want as long as within my calories for the day.

You are right to set your goals small, you will achieve much more. Good Luck.x

mpfand

1. I do weigh every morning, but only log my "official" weigh-in that I do Sunday morning.

2. I cook for a family of 4, which includes 2 teen-agers, so I do need side dishes, etc. Along with whatever protein I fix, I try to have one veggie and one fruit with dinner or 2 veggies. I often prepare a side of whole wheat pasta, brown rice, or mashed potatoes. Sometimes I don't eat the side, depending on my how many calories I have left. I have found that I get plenty full and satisfied with just eating protein and veggies. If I have enough calories left to eat the side dish, but I want to enjoy a treat later on in the evening (like a Skinny Cow) then I'll skp the side. Which leads me to the next quesion:

3. I don't have "cheat" days per say, I just plan accordingly to fit in treats and meals out. If I have a craving for ice-cream or chocolate then I plan for it by either excersising or just eating less so I can still fit it into my alloted calories without going over. I know that I will just set myself up for failure if I tell myself certain foods are "off limits". This has worked very well for me. I've been doing mfp for over 100 days and have found that as more time passes, I have less and less cravings for junk food. It's an excellent idea to take baby steps! Good luck on your journey. It's well worth it!

PrairieRoseNE

I weigh once a week in the mornings, after a trip to the bathroom. I don't like the pressure & stress of weighing every day. Too much zigging & zagging due to fluid retention.

I have a cheat meal on Friday night's - that's the night we eat out at a buffet place. But I don't go "hog wild" - I just allow myself to have samples of foods I normally pass on, every other day. For example, I might have a white dinner roll with butter & jelly, when normally at home it's only whole wheat bread sans the butter & jelly. I might eat macaroni salad, which I quit making at home because it's too much temptation when I know it's in the refrig. Or I might choose a small piece of cheesecake or other dessert that I avoid during the week. White Carbs are my worst temptation, so I have to ramp up the willpower whenever I'm faced with those type foods. White carbs to me, are like cigarettes for an ex-smoker - once you start up again, it's even harder to quit.

Good luck on your health journey - take it one pound at a time and those 100 lbs will be history!!

smbland

I too have just started my journey, it's been a week. And I am also on the 100+ band wagon. It is stressful and overwhelming, and being a full-time anything can make it much harder. I've found that dieting is a cinch. The greatest thing about this website is most foods from the grocery store to a restaurant is listed and will really open your eyes to what you really eat! My calorie goal is set at 1550 a day, and I thought that number impossible... but believe it or not I'm having a hard time REACHING that number rather than going over! If you eat too less your body will go into starvation mode and store the fat calories, so for one reach your calorie go as much as possible. Snacks I eat are fruits, and healthy granola bars and such -- I especially like the Special K brand, and also cheese... Cheese sticks are my savior haha. Also peanuts, don't go over the serving size, though. If you get prepacked peanuts, that helps the serving size issue... and it's a good snack throughout the day. Once you really start you will see your weight drop on the scale, this is water weight... It will go fast, and then the hard part comes in when real fat is trying to be lost. I'm the worst at exercising, I'm a full time employee, full time student and full time wife, and finding the time to exercise is the hardest part for me. As long as you dedicate at least 30 minutes a day... You will be great.

Another thing that has really stressed me out in the past is the quickness of the weight loss, or lack there of. I am one of those types of people that wants results NOW. Well it's not going to happen now... I've accepted the fact that it will take me a year or more to lose 130 lbs.. that's a lot of weight. Remember -- it didn't take 6 months to gain all the weight, so why will it take that little time to lose it?

It's a life style change, forever, so make a plan you can live with the rest of your life. Good Luck!!! Our Life Starts NOW!

-Sarah

alifer

If you have bouts of depression I definitely would not weigh in everyday. Once a week would be fine. Weighing in everyday can deter many people because of the natural fluctuations in the numbers. I also wouldn't get too caught up on the number on the scale. Be sure to take measurements, and compare those numbers about once a month.

I do take a cheat day about once a week or so, but do I still dont go way overboard on the calories. I don't have any 'forbidden foods' because I know I would just crave those more if I didn't allow them at all. I focus more on my serving sizes and overall calories for the day.

Good luck on your fitness journey!

ladybg81

1. Do you weigh yourself everyday? My doctor told me not to, but I can't help it..LOL

Once per week on the same day, same time of day

2. Can someone recommend some low calorie side dishes. There are very few veggies I like and I also have 3 kids who are picky eaters. It's hard finding side dishes my husband and I can eat without blowing our day and also making sure the kids like it too.

hungrygirl.com
skinnytaste.com
Cooking low cal is surprisigly easy and tastey

3. Do you have a "free" day? Like a day where you kind of let yourself go and have fun a little? With 3 kids, weekends are hard to keep on track. I was going to let Saturdays be a free day for me where I won't beat myself up or worry too much about it.

Did it once, was miserable, hated myself, did not do it again. If you feel it is necessary, have a "cheat" meal instead of a day.

This is really very simple. Start only with keeping yurself within your calorie range. Don't worry about all the other stuff you can track until you feel you've got that under your belt.

You also need to consider this as being a lifestyle change; not a diet. Diets can be easily stopped and then you pile all the weight back on. View this as changing your life (and your family's) for the better. Good luck! Aewsome site!

jakemg

I'd recommend once a week, no more than that. Otherwise you will get discouraged throughout the day/week and maybe slip from tracking things.

For side dishes, I like yogurt, celery, certain nuts. I actually just eat whatever I want as long as I'm under my calories. I tend to just use portion control. After a while of eating smaller meals, your body will catch up and you won't feel hungry all the time.

I give myself a few cheat days, but not a weekly one. For example, on my birthday (coming up on Sat), I will not track at all, but still be mindful of what I eat. Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc same thing.

elliecolorado

I just started my diet on Sunday....I have a couple of questions.

1. Do you weigh yourself everyday? My doctor told me not to, but I can't help it..LOL

2. Can someone recommend some low calorie side dishes. There are very few veggies I like and I also have 3 kids who are picky eaters. It's hard finding side dishes my husband and I can eat without blowing our day and also making sure the kids like it too.

3. Do you have a "free" day? Like a day where you kind of let yourself go and have fun a little? With 3 kids, weekends are hard to keep on track. I was going to let Saturdays be a free day for me where I won't beat myself up or worry too much about it.

I have 100+ pounds to lose, but I'm taking it 10 at a time. I suffer from depression and anxiety and I tend to get overwhelmed easily so i have to take it little by little. If I look at it as the full 100, I get too overwhelmed and give up.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any answers/advice/suggestions!

1. If you obsess over the numbers on the scale probably not good to weigh daily. I do weigh every day or almost every day, but I don't obsess if I'm up a little bit or it stays the same for a while.

2. Most of my side dishes are veggies, usually sauteed mushrooms & spinnach, but sometimes I do baked fries. Just cut a potato up like you would for fries and spray with a little cooking spray and sprinkle with seasoning (I like Mrs. Dash sodium free) and bake.

3. I never do a 'free' day, I tend to just eat everything in moderation, if I want something I have it (as long as I can fit it into my calorie goals for the day) I just have smaller portions and don't eat the 'bad' things as often.

I started out with 100lbs to lose and have lost 36 in 70 days since I started logging in regularly! Good luck on your journey and feel free to add me as a friend if you would like

Angela_MA

1. once a week and I measure myself twice a month.

2. vegetables and fruit are low calorie side dishes. If you are used to higher calorie versiona of side dishes look on healthyrecipes.com and they have lower calories versions or somthing you may want to try. It can be difficult at first but trial and error is the name of the game! I too have picky kids and I tend to make my side dishes seperate from theirs. For example, I will eat peas and they will have corn on the cob or some type of vegetable or fruit they will like.

3. Honestly, I keep everything (even on cheat days) within a certain limit. I try not to term it as a cheat day. I let myself have certain things without feeling guilty. For example, I have a fat free fudge pop just about everyday. It is added into my calorie count for the day and i do not feel guilty for it. It also keeps me in check because that way I do not feel like i am depriving myself (although a fudge pop is not depriving ones self, but i think you get the idea ) . Sometimes on the weekend I will incorporate a glass of wine (or 2) into my calorie count. For me this works. However, I do not have cheat days where I do not record what I have eaten. I always record because it makes me accountable for the things I put in my body. It also helps me know where I went wrong and what I need to adjust!

rundgrenfan

I weigh myself every day, but it has to be at the same time each morning. If I forget, I don't do it after the shower or getting dressed. I feel that the more often I do it, the less effect it has on me. I only record the weight on MFP once a week.

My kids and husband are picky and not hugely into veggies, so I make a starch for them and usually eat everything else I've cooked except the starch. The veggie-liking thing may come to you over time. In my experience, I have been hungry and resentful that I'm the only one that has to worry about what she eats, but that feeling is lessening as I feel better physically.

I tried a cheat day but I'm just too big of a cheater to make it work. On Thursdays I eat with friends and it's always a feast. I log it as best I can and try not to eat anything else for the day, maybe just an orange and ice water while everyone else eats dinner.

Good luck!

RhonndaJ

I tend to weigh myself when the mood hits me but I don't take the numbers I see seriously. Once a week is what I record. If I paid attention to the fluctuations that happen during a week, heck, even during a day, I'd stress myself a great deal.

I'm afraid I'm not much help on the side dish question. It's just my husband and I and he's a huge vegetable lover, so that's not an issue for us.

I don't have a free day. For me this has to be a life change, that means I need to be on my plan every single day for the rest of my life, so a free day would be counterproductive. That said, I also don't limit myself on what I eat. No food is off limits so long as I stay within my set goals, calories, fat, carbs etc. but I am working towards healthier choices. If I desperately want a chocolate and have the numbers to allow it. I have it.

Also, like you, I have to be very careful about overwhelming myself. I've a long history of setting myself unrealistic, for me, goals. Failing, and then beating myself up about it. This time around it's smaller, realistic goals and less beating myself up. Some of my goals are going to seem tiny in comparison to what other people are doing, but I'm at the beginning of a long haul and I need to build a solid base, emotionally, to grow from.

Good luck and feel free to friend me.

AmesLee78

Thanks everyone for the great advice and suggestions!

tpwhite2000

1. Some people like to weigh themselves every day, others once a week. It is a matter of choice. I find that if I weigh myself everyday I get too caught up in the numbers, but other people are fine with it. Just remember if you do weigh yourself everyday to be objective about it, and not worry about it being too high or too low. I weigh myself on the first and fifteenth of every month.

2. As far as side dishes go: One of my favorites is grilled bell peppers and summer squash. If you like egg plant you can add some. Just add some olive oil, and toss on the grill/broiler for a few minutes. But the trick is to add variety to your foods. You will find stuff you and your kids will like and stuff you wont like through trial and error.

3. I don't have a free day, but I also have a strict rule to never feel guilty about what I eat. A lot of diet plans use a free day, because it prevents the metabolism from slowing down. But those diets are pretty calorie restrictive. If you eat a diet which is moderately low in calories, (like I eat), then there really isn't a need for a "free day." But a lot of people like them, and there really isn't anything wrong with them, but if not careful they can cause you to binge.