Will you help me find my willpower, I have lost it....

Brenda_1965

A week ago I got a bargain on some (aobut 500 protein bars)! They cost me about $50 and they are all kinds of varieties and flavors. (I have already checked the fda website for salmonella product codes) Well, I feel so rich having these at my fingertips, and having my children eat them for snacks. That is just awesome!

The problem I am having is that they are each 200 calories and I'm finding myself grabbing a protein bar to go with breakfast, and then lunch, and I have some at work so I've been snacking on them too!

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I do just fine with staying within my calorie consumption limits (1200), because I eat my exercise calories. BUT on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sundays I've been going over my limit and the pounds are not coming off anymore!

I've thought about putting them in the freezer (will this ruin them?), putting them in furthest away room in the basement, and only taking one to work each day - the days I know I will be exercising... but I want my kids to have access to them, as they are so much healthier for them than the oreos etc. (can you believe the Oreos don't even tempt me anymore?)

WELL, what do you suggest?

My mom is coming to visit in 3-4 weeks and I'm down only 15 lbs... I really want to be down 30 by March 21st, because she has made such a big deal out of how good my same sized sister looks. My sister had been up to nearly 300 pounds and has lost 90 in two years. She is 2 inches shorter than me and weighed 10 lbs more than me last time I saw her. My mom told me how much skinnier she was than me and got my fire started....

I want so bad to be in a different size and shock my mom! I was in an 18W and now fit in a 16W. I'd love to be in a 14 soon- I'm 5'7 and weigh 196. I remember wieghing 150 years ago and being a size 12 or 14... I just can't remember. What weight would that be?

Brenda_1965

A week ago I got a bargain on some (aobut 500 protein bars)! They cost me about $50 and they are all kinds of varieties and flavors. (I have already checked the fda website for salmonella product codes) Well, I feel so rich having these at my fingertips, and having my children eat them for snacks. That is just awesome!

The problem I am having is that they are each 200 calories and I'm finding myself grabbing a protein bar to go with breakfast, and then lunch, and I have some at work so I've been snacking on them too!

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I do just fine with staying within my calorie consumption limits (1200), because I eat my exercise calories. BUT on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sundays I've been going over my limit and the pounds are not coming off anymore!

I've thought about putting them in the freezer (will this ruin them?), putting them in furthest away room in the basement, and only taking one to work each day - the days I know I will be exercising... but I want my kids to have access to them, as they are so much healthier for them than the oreos etc. (can you believe the Oreos don't even tempt me anymore?)

WELL, what do you suggest?

My mom is coming to visit in 3-4 weeks and I'm down only 15 lbs... I really want to be down 30 by March 21st, because she has made such a big deal out of how good my same sized sister looks. My sister had been up to nearly 300 pounds and has lost 90 in two years. She is 2 inches shorter than me and weighed 10 lbs more than me last time I saw her. My mom told me how much skinnier she was than me and got my fire started....

I want so bad to be in a different size and shock my mom! I was in an 18W and now fit in a 16W. I'd love to be in a 14 soon- I'm 5'7 and weigh 196. I remember wieghing 150 years ago and being a size 12 or 14... I just can't remember. What weight would that be?

MyaPapaya75

Hey at least your still here plugging along even if you do slide from time to time....I think 150 is about right although I was able to squeeze into a 14-15 at 190lbs years ago.. I think everybody is different..I dont have much advice on the bars..I dont eat them lol but maybe u could just limit yourself to so many per week and when your done your done.....making a plan of attack always helps rather than winging it...good luck and congrats on what u have lost thus far!!:drinker:

Zara11

I would say bringing just one to work on the days where you are going to burn calories, and otherwise, have a bowl of fruit next to your bowl of bars... and just grab a bit to the left!

Good luck!

TudorRose

Okay, first off, 15lbs in 4 weeks is a hell of a lot to be losing. Don't worry about surprising your mum- you've lost over a stone and that will show and besides, are you really doing this for her? Probably not. She loves you whatever size you are, no doubt.

Quite simply, you have a certain calorie allowance and that gives you three options: eat the bars and go over; eat them and use up your allowance soley on these bars; or quit eating them.

What I do is to plan out my calories for the day and that way, I know how many I need for meals, and how many I have left over for snacks. Try planning proper meals in place of the bars and maybe having half a bar for a snack, instead of a full one.

I know it's tough but you can do it :flowerforyou:

stillkristi

I am kind of with Tudor Rose, You've lost a lot of weight in a short time. Kudos:happy: It seems like your daily allotment of calories is a little low. There is a good thread on THE Team about eating the recommended calories per day. You might want to check it out. One person said they were eating less every day, which worked for about three months, and then suddenly, he started to gain weight. So, he started eating the recommended calories and the next week lost 3 or 4 lbs. Are you craving the protein bars, or just eating them because they are there? One thing I do when I feel an urge to eat something is I drink a glass of water first. It helps me feel a little fuller, and if it is just a craving, when I redirect myself, the craving subsides after a while.

GOOD LUCK! If you don't think you will shock your mom enough having lost 15 lbs, you could get a tattoo.......:laugh:

Take care:flowerforyou:

running4myhealth

When I see high calorie foods that I really want to have, I always look it up online to see what I have to do to burn it off.

For example, if I want Baskin Robins ice cream... I think to myself "do I really want to run an EXTRA 3 or 4 miles to burn that off?" The answer is usually a big fat HELL NO!

1Corinthians13

I am kind of with Tudor Rose, You've lost a lot of weight in a short time. Kudos:happy: It seems like your daily allotment of calories is a little low. There is a good thread on THE Team about eating the recommended calories per day. You might want to check it out. One person said they were eating less every day, which worked for about three months, and then suddenly, he started to gain weight. So, he started eating the recommended calories and the next week lost 3 or 4 lbs. Are you craving the protein bars, or just eating them because they are there? One thing I do when I feel an urge to eat something is I drink a glass of water first. It helps me feel a little fuller, and if it is just a craving, when I redirect myself, the craving subsides after a while.

GOOD LUCK! If you don't think you will shock your mom enough having lost 15 lbs, you could get a tattoo.......:laugh:

Take care:flowerforyou:

I agree...I think that 1200 is a little low. That doesn't mean you should go grab a protein bar with every meal But i do think that you should try upping your calories. now, I am absolutely NO expert, but it's just a thought. Good luck! I'm sure that your mother will be proud of what you've lost and notice a difference even if you don't lose anything more between now and then. But it sounds like you're on the right track and will keep losing!

lulubar

I like stillkristi's idea of shocking your mom with a tatoo!!:laugh: That cracked me up!

How do you divide your food into the day? I am on about 1340 cal. per day and I divide mine between 5 small meals - breakfast, 250 cal., snack a.m. 200 cal., lunch 300 cal., snack p.m. 200 cal., then dinner 300 and then I have around 100 cals left for a little fruit for dessert. Of course on exercise days, I have a lot more calories to eat and add those to my main meals.

Anyway, the point is if you are dividing your day up in such a way, your protien bars could be your snacks. BUT, how much protien do they actually have? Are they putting you way over on protien? Do they have some good fiber? Are they high in sugar? Look at the overall picture and then decide if it's okay to keep them in your daily diet. Maybe you don't need to employ your willpower:bigsmile:

As much as you want to show up your sister - and since I have two gorgeous sisters I certainly understand this:blushing: - it may have to wait til next time so you can do this the healthy way and keep the weight off

Be strong!!:flowerforyou:

Dave198lbs

The answer is usually a big fat HELL NO!

ya...drop the teaching the brats....a million trainers out there...you should be a comedian!:laugh:

Brenda_1965

Stillkristi! You made me laugh! :laugh: At first I was amazed at how much I took off in a very short time! I had been down 17 lbs until I had gallbladder surgery and got off the exercise wagon.

I'm the middle child, and I've always been the 'ugly duckling' of the family. I got prettier when I went away to college and put on a bit of weight. (I was too skinny as a kid)

My 'favored' sister has already done the tatto thing.... she calls it her tramp stamp! She has about 5 of them now - AND a nose ring!

I have been thinking that I need to go back to my goals and see if maybe I labeled myself more sedentary than I really am... I was losing 3-4 lbs a week until my surgery! Thanks! All of you made me smile!:laugh:

LuckyLeprechaun

so I don't know about any part of what you asked except this: freezing the bars will not harm them, and will slow you down from gobbling them up- I pack my breakfast/lunch the night before, and my special k bar is always a little hard from being in the fridge all night- this prevents me from eating it too early in the day- I love those things and if I eat it along with my breakfast stuff, I have less to eat during lunch. so I always stick it in the fridge along with everything else, and it is nice and chewy by lunchtime.

Brenda_1965

I just changed myself from sedentary to lightly active, and it still only gives me 1200 calories a day!

stillkristi

Glad you got to laugh, happy endorphins are good for us. :bigsmile:

Seriously, your sister already has a tattoo, AND a nose ring? Guess you'll have to shave your head. OR, better still, you could just imagine what your sister will look like at 80 with her tattoos and nose ring. :laugh:

BUT SERIOUSLY, and this time, I mean it - think of all the good things about you, you seem like a caring mom, you've decided to make some changes and you are! Great!! It sounds like you have made a great life for yoursel, and you are right now engaged in making it even better. Wonderful! Try some positive affirmations and have a great day!:bigsmile: :flowerforyou:

stillkristi

I just changed myself from sedentary to lightly active, and it still only gives me 1200 calories a day!
[/quote

Well, thats a little puzzling. :huh: I hear a lot of people talk about making sure you eat your exercise calories, so on those days, you can eat more....

DId you set your weight loss goal at 2 lbs a week ? Also, how many days a week are you exercising? Maybe you were sedentary, but now, if you are working out three or more times a week, I bet you are more than lightly active.

stillkristi

Hmmm... I don't know how I got my reply inside your quote, ???

TudorRose

Like stillkristi says, maybe try changing your weightloss target to 1lb a week and see how you go. You should certainly be eating no less than 1200 or you put yourself into starvation mode. Plus, are you eating the calories you burn off through exercise? I don't have much experince with this personally, being the lazy wench I am and pretty new to this "healthy weightloss" thing but most people here seem to swear by eating the exercise calories

Brenda_1965

Holy smokes! If I move to 1 lb a week, it gives me 1650 a day! At 1.5 lbs a week it gives me 1350 a day. Now that I know that, I'll make my goal 1200 a day, but not feel so bad if I go over some each day! I'll just be sure to keep it below 1650, and I can still count on losing a pound a week!

Thanks so much! I'm ready for a super week!

Brenda

(My sister's name is Dianna, and the other one is Kristi! That's not a very common spelling!)