Hello.....HELP!!

Honestly, I pull out my pocket mirror and take a good look. Giving into all those temptations is what got me here today. Everytime I look in that mirror, it reminds me why I am doing this. Good luck!

fat guitarist hehe. neways... im with you on the party at the bar. alcohol is so many calories but i LOVE to drink. And not to get tipsy...to get drunk! So, 10 shots of black velvet is way too much unless that's all the calories I consume that day. What a bummer! I can't get wasted anymore?? Maybe just a once-a-month party won't be so bad >:-)

Oh and have you tried Bud Select 55?? It really isn't bad... and if you do want to get tipsy eat a light meal like a salad with no croutons!

Select 55 is 3.2% alcohol by volume and most other beers are 5-5.5% alcohol by volume.

amen kingking!!!! *high five*

It's really tough I know. I try to keep snacks on hand that will satisfy my cravings in a healthy way - like 100 calorie bags of microwave popcorn, or those 100 calorie Oreo snack crisps to satisfy that chocolate craving. Fresh fruit with whipped cream can also be really good and not have too many calories - particularly berries.

At a restaurant, I try to order things that are on the healthy side - fish, chicken, salads. And I ask for the dressing on the side.

When out with friends - this is more difficult - but I try to have a glass of water in between beers! takes up some room and keeps me from having as many.

One thing I do that has been helpful to me is PLAN AHEAD! If you are going out to a restaurant, go online and try to find the nutritional value information and then plan what you will have. I try to do this daily - even when I eat at home - because dinner is usually the most difficult meal for me (eating with the family). I also have some 'light' cookbooks and recipes on hand that recently my husband, who does the cooking, has been using (because I left it out for him!). Substituting low cal items in recipes and measuring food makes a big difference.

Finally, I found a walking buddy (my neighbor) and we have been walking 4x per week. that allows me to have extra calories on those days.

It takes a lot of work but you can do it! I know you can. Really it's planning ahead and changing habits and asking for support when you need it.

Good Luck!

You just have to tell yourself it's not worth it. You can do it you just need self control & will power. I will grab or feel my belly & know that anything bad will only add to it not take away from.

What has helped me is to try and limit my nights out to once or twice a week. Also, when you're just starting to clean up your nutrition, focus on one thing at a time. One week your focus may be too cut out sweets or drink more water or add a couple servings of fruits and veggies. Before you know it, you'll be strong and in control. The most important thing is to keep your focus and start right back up again if you slip. You're never going to be 100%, but you will see results when you continually focus on improving and doing better than you did yesterday.

Hope that helps, and good luck!

Danielle

Wow I was looking at how much weight you've lost and wondering what words of advice you might have...I say this cause my docter's want me to lose 150 ibs or more and that goal just felt impossible....so I started makeing small goals just looking forward to seeing the tenth place go down from 320 to 310 to 300 til finally I can see a 5 in the tens place but its just not getting easier. So when I saw your goal to lose 280 lbs it just blew me away ....cause your so close and you look great!!!

I was 220, when my Navy Career was at stake, for a while I gave up all of those things, going out to eat etc etc. It was really difficult i mean REALLY difficult. The key for me was accountability, knowing someone I trusted was going to check up on me, and hold me accountable to my own goals. I would suggest finding a friend who isn't afraid of hurting your feelings or being blunt, and stick to the calories based on what the website says for you. Only put food in your body that you know it is, and is healthy. Also important...if you are good for 6 days in a row reward your self, and splurge, a little go out to eat or have some ice cream whatever you weakness is. That's what's worked for me anyway.

I am not ready to give up drinking. My doc wanted me to (he generally frowns at any alcohol consumption) and suggested that all my weight problems would be solved by cutting alcohol out.

And that's what led me to MFP because I knew deep down that the 2000 calorie burritos I ate for lunch every day were worse for me than 2-4 glasses of wine a night. So I logged my calories and discovered that 1) Yes, 2000 calorie burritos were a major source of my calorie intake and 2) So were 1000 calorie breakfasts and 2000 calorie dinners. 400 calories of red wine was almost noise in that mix.

My strategy is to track my calories and make smart choices - I drink when I feel like it and have calories to spare. Yes, I'm drinking less than I used to - but that's OK...A quick look at my diary (it's open to everyone) will show that I still have my party nights. I balance them with workouts and other (hopefully) sane choices.

I loooooooove burritos. I, too, used to eat a burrito a day. I have never counted the calories or fat grams that I used to inhale at my favorite taco shop - I would probably cry. But I do miss them!

As for drinking, I stick to vodka/soda with a lemon and a lime and what the heck, sometimes an orange and a cherry, a whole fruit salad! I absolutely hate it. And because of that, I drink a lot less of it. I also alternate that with a bottled water (or a glass of water, whatever). And I limit myself to drinking every other week. A trick I used for awhile was to always offer to be the DD so that way no one would even suggest that I get a drink. Then I would drink diet soda all night, it's a lot cheaper too!

I had to break up with beer. :brokenheart: Our love for each other was too strong. It took awhile, but I've moved on.