This was me...

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clobern
clobern Posts: 341 Member
in Motivation and Support
TL;DR version - I ate a lot. And by a lot, I mean it was pretty damn disgusting. I went back into the memory banks and estimated a typical week for me. This - of course - does not include a lot of snacking I can't remember, things that were brought into work, things I grabbed at home or possibly at the store while shopping. This is JUST what I remember being part of my normal weekly routine.

(Onto the long version)

I would always oatmeal for breakfast with dark chocolate chips. Healthy, right? Not when you eat 4 packets and about 1/5th of the bag of chocolate chips every single day. I would always feel hungry before lunch so I would hit up the vending machine and buy a Big Az Cheeseburger and chicken patty sandwich. These things together in my work were like $4. Not a bad deal. After that, it was lunch. Then dinner was NEVER a single serving. Finally, late at night I would decide I was hungry while watching TV.

On Saturday I had date night with my wife and we would often hit up an all you can eat pizza place, then Sunday we would have a "date afternoon" when the kids were gone and hit up Costco. It started out with just a hot dog and turned into "eat whatever I can eat" since it was so inexpensive. This was a real eye opener for me.

The motivation part of this... this was me. This was honestly my weekly routine. I ate different things here and there, sometimes I might try something healthy like a salad or quinoa but this was the crap I shoved into my face. Now... I've lost 37 pounds and am well on my way to my new healthy life.

Thanks for reading. Now for the numbers:

Monday:

4 packets of Western Family Instant Oatmeal - 400 calories
1/6 bag of Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Chips - 236 calories
Big Az Cheeseburger - 870 calories
Chicken Patty Sandwich - 401 calories
Doritos - 560 calories
Meatloaf with green beans - 1210 calories
Tostino's Pizza Bites - 420 calories

Tuesday:

4 packets of Western Family Instant Oatmeal - 400 calories
1/6 bag of Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Chips - 236 calories
Big Az Cheeseburger - 870 calories
Chicken Patty Sandwich - 401 calories
Meatloaf with green beans - 605 calories
Chicken Alfredo - 1200 calories
Tostino's Pizza Bites - 420 calories
2 Western Family Beef and Bean Burritos - 560 calories


Wednesday:

4 packets of Western Family Instant Oatmeal - 400 calories
1/6 bag of Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Chips - 236 calories
Big Az Cheeseburger - 870 calories
Chicken Patty Sandwich - 401 calories
Chicken Alfredo - 1200 calories
Garlic Chicken - 915 calories
2 Western Family Beef and Bean Burritos - 560 calories
6 Double Stuff Oreos - 840 calories

Thursday:

4 packets of Western Family Instant Oatmeal - 400 calories
1/6 bag of Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Chips - 236 calories
Big Az Cheeseburger - 870 calories
Chicken Patty Sandwich - 401 calories
Garlic Chicken - 915 calories
2 homemade cheeseburgers - 960 calories
Tostino's Pizza Bites - 420 calories
2 Western Family Beef and Bean Burritos - 560 calories

Friday:

4 packets of Western Family Instant Oatmeal - 400 calories
1/6 bag of Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Chips - 236 calories
Big Az Cheeseburger - 870 calories
Chicken Patty Sandwich - 401 calories
2 homemade cheeseburgers - 960 calories
Steak, potatoes and corn - 1250 calories
Tostino's Pizza Bites - 420 calories
2 Western Family Beef and Bean Burritos - 560 calories

Saturday:

Pancakes - 480 calories
Steak, potatoes and corn - 625 calories
Pizza Pie Cafe pizza, salad and noodles - 3920 calories
Village Inn Peanut Butter Pie - 896 calories

Sunday:

Costco Chicken Bake - 810 calories
2 slices Costco Pepperoni Pizza - 680 calories
Costco Polish Dog - 570 calories
Lasagna - 792 calories
Tostino's Pizza Bites - 420 calories

Total Weekly Calories - 33,263 calories
Daily average - 4751 calories

Replies

  • viragoeap
    viragoeap Posts: 107
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    Hey, well done you. Don't it just want to make you want to shout and tell the world that yes we can all do this! Keep up the great work!
  • 123tryingtobefree
    123tryingtobefree Posts: 328
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    Omg...now I admire you even more for changing all these...
  • kargesa
    kargesa Posts: 13 Member
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    I think it takes a lot of courage to look back and admit that we were headed in the wrong direction. I think it takes even more courage to rise to the challenge and change directions for the future. Great job!
  • runilious
    runilious Posts: 45 Member
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    Well done that is a mega change to what i see you logging now. Keep going the way you are :)
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
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    I really miss all you can eat pizza buffets.. haven't been to them in a long time.. And all you can eat places in general.. And I haven't had pizza bites in a long time.. I need to stop reading this stuff.. :)
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
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    Hi - thats a lot of food.. and i dont see a lot of fruits and veg - but a lot of prepared food and lots of junk food... i used to eat such like that but not as much, but those types of food choices - yeah... they taste good, easy to grab, and are pretty addicting really. especially when you are watching tv and salivate at the thought of something like a pizza. its challenging to give up all that tasty stuff. And I notice that you had what would be like 6 huge meals per day.. so thats a lot of food.

    Do you feel better admitting all you ate? did that help you to face the reality of what you were eating by listing it? Anyhoo congraduations about being able to give that up and choose another way of eating.
  • big_cowboy74
    big_cowboy74 Posts: 27 Member
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    Wow! Sounds very familiar. I have put in what I used to eat before and it was a real wake up call. I literally would eat near as many calories in 1 day as I do now in a weeks time. I was what you call a big eater. When we ate out it was always at the all you can eat place. I now cook all our meals except 1 night a week I let the kids have whatever they want. Amazingly they usually just ask me to grill shrimp or salmon on the nights I tell them they can have pizza. My 8 year old daughter would eat grilled salmon every night if I let her. I love the fact that they have taken to eating healthy as well as they have. I hope and pray that it will lead to a healthy lifestyle that they will continue for the rest of their lives. I am nearly halfway to my goal and there is no stopping me now with the support of my family and MFP friends.
    Until next time, stay dedicated.
  • clobern
    clobern Posts: 341 Member
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    Thanks everyone!
    Hi - thats a lot of food.. and i dont see a lot of fruits and veg - but a lot of prepared food and lots of junk food... i used to eat such like that but not as much, but those types of food choices - yeah... they taste good, easy to grab, and are pretty addicting really. especially when you are watching tv and salivate at the thought of something like a pizza. its challenging to give up all that tasty stuff. And I notice that you had what would be like 6 huge meals per day.. so thats a lot of food.

    Do you feel better admitting all you ate? did that help you to face the reality of what you were eating by listing it? Anyhoo congraduations about being able to give that up and choose another way of eating.

    Yeah, I think it did help. I mean, has anyone really ever sat down and looked at what they ate when they weren't dieting or trying to lose weight or changing their life? I had no clue how many calories I was eating when I went to Costco. Didn't cross my mind even once. I didn't think twice about how much I ate at Pizza Pie Cafe. Once I made my lifestyle change, I decided to take a look back at what I had done before and it was a real eye opener. No wonder I nearly got up to 350 pounds, I was eating enough for 2 people or more.
  • bccashleyiverson
    bccashleyiverson Posts: 44
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    Thanks for sharing this! I needed to see it. I admire all you've done to change your lifestyle!
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
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    It does take courage to look at your past meals. I would be freaking out to see the actual numbers of mine. So, kudos to you for doing that! Congrats to you on your 37 pounds so far! Keep up the great work!

    What's this date night you talk of? Lol! I haven't had one of those in FOREVER!
  • statickey
    statickey Posts: 309 Member
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    that is crazy!

    And made me hungry.
  • ThePrimalSpartan
    ThePrimalSpartan Posts: 59 Member
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    I know for me, I was raised eating similar food items. And a lot of times, my family and I would have snacks in the afternoon/before bed just because. None of us were hungry, but just because it was in the house and we were bored meant we ate it. I never really thought about WHAT I was eating until after college when I was my heaviest. It's hard to change something you've lived your entire life doing. It took me 21 years to learn all my bad habits; it's going to take a while to change it all. It's absolutely wonderful the changes you've made. You're an inspiration to many. Keep it up!
  • mandasalem
    mandasalem Posts: 346 Member
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    The look back at meals of the past is a HUGE eye-opener. I applaud you for having the courage to log all this and share it. I logged what I thought of as a typical day when I was working at a casino (lots of time on my feet, at least) and was stunned-- fast food breakfast, Max & Erma's lunch (on property at the casino-- DISASTER), whatever for dinner, tons of snacks. I wasn't gaining weight at that time, but I formed bad habits that packed on the pounds when I took a desk job and when my metabolism slowed down.
  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
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    Once I made my lifestyle change, I decided to take a look back at what I had done before and it was a real eye opener. No wonder I nearly got up to 350 pounds, I was eating enough for 2 people or more.
    I know, i had a few lightbulb moments myself - i finally said to myself "I don't care if you think that what you're doing is healthy. if it was healthy, you wouldn't be 80-100 lbs overweight."

    and wow- what a transformation. good for you for moving on!
  • clobern
    clobern Posts: 341 Member
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    What's this date night you talk of? Lol! I haven't had one of those in FOREVER!

    My wife and I go on date night every single Saturday (barring something coming up) because it is healthy for a relationship. We do eat out, we do eat what we want, but we still keep track of it and I have yet to go over my calories since I started here :)

    Get your husband/boyfriend/SO or whatever to start taking you out!
  • dru8376
    dru8376 Posts: 98 Member
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    This was me as well! Thanks for sharing your story. You've done a tremendous job transforming yourself into a new and better person. Keep up the great work my friend!
  • SkinnyMsFitness
    SkinnyMsFitness Posts: 389 Member
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    Thanks for sharing clobern!! Know that you're not alone and you should be very proud of your new and (here to stay) lifestyle!! Bet you're feeling awesome! I am!! :-)
  • allifantastical
    allifantastical Posts: 946 Member
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    Wow...that is so amazing. Great job on changing your eating habits. Thanks for sharing.
  • debjunebug
    debjunebug Posts: 12
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    Great story. MFP is helping me to stop and think before I pop that mini chocolate candy bar in my mouth and so on. I never felt like I was overeating because I was not aware of how much. Anyway I am getting a slow start without much support at home. But I am the one who cares about ME. So it is my problem and if I want to look and feel better, I need to get on track. Thanks for your posts!

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