Ok, Mel...

kcook323

I invited a few people, sent messages to some of my buddies that haven't logged in in awhile, for now, I guess it will just be me and you.

What's YOUR plan?

Right now, I'm doing good, on track and all. My problem today, is I want real bread (for taste), and I feel like if I have the double fiber wheat bread, I'm going to choke on it. lol I'm trying to be really good for breakfast and lunch because I planned for pizza tonight.

AND.....have I congratulated you on your marriage? I meant to when I was catching back up and saw that you had gotten married. A big CONGRATS!!!!

melmi20

Thanks Kendra!! I'm in marital bliss!

My plan fell apart the moment I didn't get a chance to eat a real breakfast today. Come lunch time I was over at the deli in my building, buying a philly cheese steak sub. I had that along with parmesan-garlic fries. Boo...However! I've still got a chance to redeem myself! I'm still crazy full from lunch and that was 3 hours ago. So, when I get home, it is double time on the salad with some fish.

Yesterday didn't finish off great either, I was way over my calorie goal. When I finally entered everything and kept myself honest, I couldn't believe the amount it came out to be. If I didn't enter it, I would have seen it as a minor mishap, but what I did was huge. Especially when the "if every day was like today" scenario came up. I was not happy about a 4lb weight gain in 5 weeks, when really, if I stuck to it, I could lose 4lbs each week and in 5 weeks come up 20lbs lighter. It's just interesting to see that...weight really does come on slowly, it is just sneaks and sneaks until you can't fit into your favorite pair of jeans! Weight loss can happen so quickly if we stick to it and do what we know we need to do. Anyway, thanks for coming up with this idea. If we didn't have that chat yesterday about being accountable, I would've never entered I ate yesterday and not understand what it could have done differently.

kcook323

Good for you! I might have already told you this, but I started about 2 weeks before last week, half watching what I was eating. It was so frustrating because I kind of felt like I deserved to lose weight, but I knew if I didn't do it 100% most of the time, then those were the results that I was going to get. I started not sharing what I was eating, nor was I keeping up with it because I didn't want to let my friend down, or get her discouraged with her own plan. Then my friend was like, "FYI: I don't care if you bomb a day by consuming too many calories...But you do have to keep track of what you eat, otherwise you can't be held accountable, nor change it. That's why you started this group, right?!Just some "food" for thought. ". This hit home with me, I figured, I could half-bleep (what is a nicer way to say that? lol) do this, or get with it.

So, that is where I came up with the accountability challenge. I needed it. I thought, how hard can it be to give myself one week, or five days even. My key was to plan, plan, plan. I made sure I had on hand what I needed to be on track. I had to dig up my oldie but goody recipes that I loved, but never seemed to cook because I wasn't "dieting". I found, after 5 days, being completely on track, POP, I wanted to keep going. The switch turned in my head.

I can't remember, but do you count calories, or are you low carb?

Make me this promise, I will even give you the weekend, to not go crazy, but you know, just keep yourself accountable with whatever you eat, but come Monday through Friday, or Monday through Monday, I want to see your diary (you can password protect it if you don't want everyone to see it).

The first day you begin this, I want a weigh in picture. I want to see your toes (or socks if you are uncomfortable), on the scale with your starting number (I will give you my email privately for this). I will send you my weigh in picture too (I actually just use my phone and send it to my email from my phone to post on FB to my other friend, we can email ours, or post here, if you are comfortable enough. lol). By Friday, or if you want to go through Monday (that is what I ended up doing). You weigh again, take another picture and send it to me for your weigh in. It's just being accountable to someone besides yourself, because a lot of times we will let ourselves slide because, you know, it's just us, but when you are sharing it with someone else, you don't want to let them down because you fear it will hinder their journey, kwim?

Anyways, what do you think?

melmi20

That's a great idea Kendra! I wish I read this before the weekend, because I would've been proud to send you a pic of my weigh-in from this morning!! PM me your email address so I can do the same next Mon morning. I think it's a great way to stay accountable. You're so right...it really does help if someone can see what you're doing. It works for me because I don't like to disappoint people, so I will do all that I can to not be a disappointment.

I thought my diary was already open...I'm going to check if it's not. I need to finish my logging for the weekend. The weekend is the worst for me. I'm all over the place and it's hard to get a chance to sit and check what I need to do. But I have to start logging as consumption occurs.

And on a side note, I've been looking for a nice way to say "half-beep" for a long time! LOL!! I've been saying a cheek is missing from that effort....crazy, I know.

kcook323

So, how is your week starting? I feel kind of sluggish from the weekend, but I have been pretty busy today, so staying in my calorie range has been easy.

I did eat some cake at church yesterday, but it was just three sample bites of things I really wanted. I may be wrong, but I think the sugar (it could have been a combination of all the food I ate at lunch) made my stomach hurt. I took 3 Tums and it was better. I guess that is a good thing, but I sure wish it would make me not want to eat it in the first place.

Anyways, I'm having a hard time focusing now. Hubby is watching Hatfields and McCoys and wants me to watch it. I don't want to, but I keep getting sidetracked by it. lol

melmi20

The week is starting off ok. Not fantastic, but ok. I got totally distracted by Downton Abbey, I'm obssessed with that show. So, I can totaly understand. I mean clothes were left unfolded. I didn't even cook. I just heated up freezer food just so I can stick to the tv...awful, I know! I even forgot to make lunch for today and the morning was so busy, I didn't get a chance to make breakfast either. But, I went ot the deli in my building and got some oatmeal that they make from scratch by the order. It was soooo filling! I'm not worried at all about lunch. I may go back to the deli and get a soup or a salad and try not to get tempted by their awesome cheesesteaks...agh!

I forgot to put out pork chops to defrost, so I'm not sure what I'm doing for dinner tonight. I might go for tilapia, since that defrosts quickly. I'm going to convince hubby to walk with me while it defrosts. Tomorrow, my stepson comes over for the rest of the week and the weekend. I love when he comes over because it's good practice! He always keeps me on my toes.

Anyway, I hope the rest of your day goes well. Chat wtih you soon!!

kcook323

This morning I have been so lazy. It is so windy here and storms are moving in. It was after 10 before I got to my breakfast. I have been wanting to do an oj smoothie, so I went ahead and got it made. My oldest son wanted biscuits and gravy. I wasn't tempted at all....until they came out of the oven. hahaha I worked it in for breakfast. I struggle to get my calories in so I went ahead and said what the heck. I added a biscuit and 1/4 cup peppered gravy to my meal, and still under 500 calories for one meal!

Lunch usually isn't an issue for me. I will figure something out.

Supper will probably be Sauerkraut and smoked turkey sausage. I had planned that for yesterday, but one of the drivers where hubby works brought him some soup mix and he wanted to try that, so we had cheddar broccoli soup. I loved that meal. It didn't take long to make and he liked it too!

Have you seen the In Place of a Road Map topic? I am not using MFP's numbers of how many calories I should get. I doing the TDEE and BMR numbers. I mean, I still struggle to eat that many calories, but I don't feel so confined to the 1600 I was allowed. Does that make sense? Basically, you put the information in on the website and it tells you how many calories it takes for your body to work. You subtract 20-30% from that number and that is your goal for the week. If you are not familiar with this, and interested, let me know and I will help you out with it.

Have a great day!

melmi20

I'll take a 500 calorie meal that includes a biscuit and gravy! Lol, way to go. Enjoy the things you love, but with moderation.

Yes, I'm interested, let me know. I manually entered the max calories for my day. I'm know that my body needs way more because when I entered food and was way above goal, the "5 weeks scenario" still showed me at a loss. I'm interested to know what I can really eat and still lose weight.

kcook323

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912914-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

This is the link on how to figure your numbers. Read this and if you need anymore help, or want me to double check, just let me know.

melmi20

Thanks! I just read it and I'm very interested in changin my settings to this. I've got to this at home tonight so that I'm not distracted. I'll let you know if I encounter any issues. Thanks again!

kcook323

How ya doing Mel?

melmi20

Hey! Sorry I always seem to disappear on the weekends. I'm going at it hard today. Last night I broke down and cried in my husband's arms because I was afraid for both of us. I was afraid that we wouldn't be able to live a life rather than just exist. I cried so hard my head hurt. I awoke this morning with such focus and determination. I officially start nursing school online in May, but I start on campus in Sept. I want to be able to walk on that campus down at least 75lbs. I don't want them to have a hard time finding a uniform for me. I want to fit an at least a 1x rather than a 3x. After my crying fit, my husband said he wants to lose 100lbs by this time next year. I haven't set goals for myself much and I guess it's because I'm afraid to lose...and I do, I hate to lose. But, I HAVE to lose this....this weight that drags me down.

Did you get my email this morning? I'm down 1.8lbs from last week and that's just from logging in everything I ate...the good, the bad, the ugly and not much activity. Seeing that made me think, what if I just put in a little more effort this week. Add a walk every night...what will it be then. Amyway, my thoughts are running wild...I'm envisioning myself smaller. I keep thinking how my face will look. I'm going to take "starting" pics tonight and start a photo journal on my blog....which I haven't written in FOREVER! Ok, I gotta get back to work. Chat with you later!

kcook323

Hey Mel, I didn't get your email. I checked and double checked, even looked in Spam and didn't find it.

I love your goals! When I was in high school, I didn't want to have fat senior portraits, so I counted calories, starting the Summer before going into 10th grade. I reached goal in 11th grade, and kept my weight off, until I got married, the year after high school.

I'm so glad your husband can join you on your journey. I'm sure that can be a big help to you both. Does he like to cook? Is he picky? My husband has been very helpful on my journey. I mean, I start and stop diets all the time, so I guess until I actually reach goal, he won't ever believe me. He has never really had a weight problem, except there at the end of his truck driving days, he started pudging out a bit. He actually had to get 35" waist in his pants. Of course, since he has come out of the truck, he has taking off some and his 35's are too big. He doesn't understand that I have to have a certain number calories a day. He thinks the less calories I take in, (or meals I miss), the more I will lose. I told him that it can work against me, the same way overeating can.

I am trying to get my middle son involved, interested, but he just isn't, and he loves food and loves to eat. Last night we had pizza at my mom's. I had one slice and ate a salad with mine. My middle son ate 4 slices of pizza, covered them in ranch and garlic butter, along with apple juice, and topped it all off with a honey bun, then, when we got home last night (I was way under calories), I made me some grits, with a Pam fried egg, and turkey bacon, and he was like, I'm hungry. I told him there was no way he was hungry. I know how he feels though. I sympathize with him, but right now, I come across as being mean if I don't let him eat what he wants (in his opinion), but if I was eating the same way, I wouldn't say anything, because I have no right, does that make sense?

You are doing awesome Mel! I'm so proud of you!

melmi20

I'm so late in reading your post! I'm so sorry. I understand how you feel about your middle son. You want to do right by him and it hurts to say no, but it is a must. I've been watching Biggest Loser and now they have "kid ambassadors." My heart ached for each of them because I was in the same situation. I've never known what it was like to be a normal size. I was always taller and bigger than everyone in my class. It's a slippery slope from childhood, so I know how you feel in trying to manage that.

Thanks for your encouragement, Kendra. You really are a blessing to me. I'll try sending the picture again from different emails. Check your junk folder too.