25 lb challenge

How is everyone doing? Haven't seen any new posts!? Christmas season is HARD! We all need all the encouragement we can get. I've been falling off the wagon these past few days. I'll start out great, track everything, by dinner.....thud. I'm going to keep going though. I feel that once I get through New Year's Eve, then I'll be doing well again. My husband is taking me to Cuba in April and I want to feel comfortable in a bathing suit!!!!! Anyone in the group, feel free to add me!

add me! 25Ibs would put me pretty much where I want to be but I'm struggling after losing my first 14. Any extra support/encouragement would be very welcome

Aiming at smaller goals is definitely less daunting. I've yoyoed for the last 20 years, at my heaviest, I was almost 300 lbs.!! I'm at 197, currently and would love to get down to 160-170, it's where I would be comfortable. I'm not looking to be bone skinny, but just comfortable and healthy. I try and work out 4-5 times a week for an hour each time. I don't know what a "keto diet" is, but if you would like to chat, by all means, add me!

I have been studying my eating habits, setting goals and making sure that they are trackable or measureable goals. I listed the following strategies for reaching those goals.

1. plan meals
2. plan a shopping list
3. schedule preparation time
4. pack work lunches the night before
5. keep healthy low cal. snacks on hand

The first thing I did was REMOVE all unhealthy foods from the house. I had done this when I first started my weight loss, but things had trickled in during the holidays as gifts or left overs from guests attending a bring a dish event.

I then looked at the Dinner meals that I had tried, and enjoyed since starting my weight loss adventure. I chose those that my husband and I BOTH most enjoyed. Will share those at the end.

Inventoried the pantry/freezer for ingredients needed for those chosen meals, and made a shopping list for any missing or low items. Also made sure I had plastic bags of various sizes, and lids for my carryout containers for packing those lunches/snacks. Using the list, went shopping and purchased those food and packaging items, and they are in place.

The meals, hubby and I both love are:

Meal (1) Spaghetti made with Schar spaghetti noodles (gluten free), ground turkey, marinara sauce, I used some Italian spices in the meat and low sodium salt and pepper. (a side salad or some broccoli slaw may be served with this) We find that with that particular spaghetti noodle we do not need bread. The noodles are a mixture of corn and rice flours and are a bit chewy compared to the usual wheat noodles.

Meal (2) Thalapia fish broiled with mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, thyme and sometimes a bit of grated orange zest poured over. I serve the fish on a bed of wild rice, with a helping of Green Giant carrots, broccoli, cauliflower w/cheese...easy microwave in bag directions. yummy too!

Meal (3) Broiled chicken, okra baked, stewed tomatoes, and hubby likes baked beans with his. Trick is to buy a small can and I won't be tempted to eat over a tablespoon of those, as they do have some sugar in them.

Meal (4) Portabella mushroom pizzas. Use the large portabella mushroom caps for crust, fill with marinara sauce, browned ground turkey, with Italian spices and garlic, and chopped squash, peppers red, green, yellow, diced tomatoes. This can be done with or without the meat for vegetarian diet. I top with grated cheese or parmesan cheese. Daughter puts reduced fat sour cream on hers.

Meal (5) A Chipotle chili recipe made with Happy Kajun chili spice bag. Happy Kajun has a site where you can order his spices. Chef E, better known as Peanut
Fungay had a heart attack and wanted to continue to enjoy his spicy foods, so he has developed a low sodium line of spices and they are delicious. They are out of La. of course! You simply add water to his bag of spice and boil, add 3 cans of beans, and browned ground meat of your choice (or not) 3 cans of diced tomatoes. The recipe is on the bag.

Meal (6) A baked sweet potato cut in half and brushed with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and add a tossed salad with low fat dressing of your choice. I use ranch.

Meal (7) We love grilled or broiled salmon. I pour a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic over it and broil. Serve with asparagus, pear salad.

For breakfast, we choose from the following: we do eggs many ways, fruits many ways, oatmeal, protein shakes, protein puddings, yogurt, unsweetened cereals topped with a banana or raisins.

For lunch, I pack 1.a tossed veggie salad, 2.a couple meat roll ups with cranberry mustard to dip in, 3. hard boiled eggs and nut thin crackers, 4. small bowl left over chili, or spaghetti, or piece of broiled chicken 5. fruit salad. I add a pack of sugar free Jello, a couple gluten free ginger snaps, or some fruit to go with my packed lunch in case I am very hungry.
If I decide to drink something other than water or unsweet, I opt for a diet Canada Dry ginger ale.

Snacks are usually nuts, protein bar from Herbalife, or gluten free ginger snaps. Only have time for afternoon snack. If I eat one it is on way to library from school. I teach then go to library to tutor until 5 so not much time to snack.

If you folks see a problem with this type eating, please let me hear it, or feel free to question. I need to learn all I can here. We do not cook dinner every evening, some evenings we do a protein meal shake from Herbalife. we love them!

Curse you original poster, having a 2 month head start on me. Although this is my first post, I think that the first 10 pounds is the hardest. Then the rest you have is easier to commit to IMO. I'll take you on Missy...even though I lost at T-Ball...to an 8 year old....last week.

I feel like pizza.

Thanks for the feedback, chitsngiggles! I have learned that it is 80% what we eat, 20% how we move, that gets us to our goal. In the past, I just never felt I had the time to exercise and do my full time job. I am retired now but go back to work Jan through May at my old school as a paid tutor.

Now, I realize you schedule in the time, or you won't do it. I was doing great before Thanksgiving. I rode stationary bike at gym for 60 min a day ( 12 to 14 miles). Yes! a five min mile was easy. I was also doing some 60 min cardio classes and some 60 min strength classes. THEN, WHAM, a virus hit me, was sick for a week, then when went back to gym, I aggravated a spot in my left foot, ended up plantar fasciitis. Had to stay away from gym for a while, and of course of all times during Thanksgiving, and Christmas Holidays! Depression began to return, self kicking put downs were a daily happening, and I struggled getting the junk foods back out of the house. These were gifts and shared dishes during events and gatherings of the holidays...

Anyway, I turned here...thank goodness for MFP. I also found a sock designed for plantar fasciitis to be worn at night, and it has relieved me of the pain. I am now riding bike 3 days a week for 12 miles (have not built back up to 14 yet). I am trying to schedule in the strength classes around my job. I think I have a workable schedule in place, will see how this coming week goes.

Meantime, I am reading Health Is Wealth, a very good nutritional guide. I am following some new strategies for reaching my new measurable goals of healthy eating. I am using this place for motivation, and questions. I want to get back to logging in my foods here, but for some reason that is more time consuming for me than it should be. Husband always ends up coming in and telling me I have been on the dang computer long enough! I will try to do the logging in more, but need to find a time when it is quiet enough here to do it in peace. I find myself running back and forth to the kitchen to look at labels and names so that I can locate them on the data food base. It just drives me crazy for some reason!
I can do this, I can, I can, I will. Let's Go!

I hear you BIG time! I love to nibble in the evenings, no matter what I've had for dinner. I find sucking on a few sugar free candies, or having some of the Special K Chips, I think it's 20 of them for 80 or 90 calories and I'll add 2 Tablespoons of Nacho Cheese Dip or one of my favorites is a Feta, Dill and Cucumber dip made with greek yogurt, really helps to satisfy the urge. Special K now has a new Chip, they're Popcorn Chips Sweet and Salty, omg, they're soooooo good. Stick to your guns and you'll get to where you want to be!!

I'm in!