(POST 2) BATTLE OF THE BULGE Summer Slimdown Challenge!!!

I'm really impressed by everyone's hard work and effort - you all inspire me!

Kristy, thanks so much for being our fearless and dedicated leader - you are making a HUGE difference in all of our lives!

I'm not so much going to post a new thing I'll try (since I tried a veggie dog the other day already), but have a question. Tomorrow I'm going to a co-worker's going-away party at a bar. I want to participate/partake, but not sure if there are any low-cal alcoholic beverages someone can recommend other than lite beer? (Thankfully the place we're going to has good salads and things like that.)

Also, I'm worried I'll end up noshing on nachos and pretzels (big buttery ones, not the low-fat ones) - I have not yet been tested like this before. I can use some support, ideas, etc to help me make it through tomorrow night!

Thanks,
summer

Tomorrow I'm going to a co-worker's going-away party at a bar. I want to participate/partake, but not sure if there are any low-cal alcoholic beverages someone can recommend other than lite beer? (Thankfully the place we're going to has good salads and things like that.)

Also, I'm worried I'll end up noshing on nachos and pretzels (big buttery ones, not the low-fat ones) - I have not yet been tested like this before. I can use some support, ideas, etc to help me make it through tomorrow night!

Thanks,
summer

Hey Summer! To deal with that type of thing, I have really made the effort lately to plan ahead. I'll think of which thing I want to snack on, and look up the calories ahead of time and budget for it. Really, I still eat junk if I want to, I just control the portion sizes if I do that. To drink, a wine spritzer might be good, or just a glass of wine. Last time I had wine, I looked up the info for white zinfandel - my wine of choice - and 4 oz. is between 80 and 100 calories depending on the brand. Last,if you do slip up, remember it's a fresh start tomorrow - one day at a time (remember that show?)
Have fun!
Nancy
Good luck

Hey Summer,

You can have a selzer water with a splash of cranberry juice and slice of lime. Looks like a real drink with minimal calories. Also you can have a healthy snack before you go so it will make it easier to avoid the chips & bad stuff.

Thanks for all the tips. I will plan ahead and figure out what I will/won't consume. I will eat beforehand, allow myself one Amstel Light and then drink spritzer, and if I do desire something, I'll get an order of hummus w/ veggies tray. Will let you know how it goes!

Last night I put two bags of stir fry veggies and pineapple into the Hawaiian teriyaki sauce I made last night. My family was forced to eat veggies if they wanted to flavor their brown rice. I love eating veggies and fruit. Last year I tried to lose weight on juicing and it worked a little. I love juicing pears and other fruit in with my veggies. There was a smoothie on Kathie Lee and Hoda's morning TV show. They were trying a smoothie that is supposed to reduce bloating and improve how your skin looks. It is supposed to make your skin glow. You have to drink this first thing in the morning, before you eat anything else. The premise is that eating fruit after a more complex food, the fruits and veggies will ferment in your stomach; which causes bloating. If you eat/ drink your fruits/ veggies first, they digest first and then there isn't any fermentation to cause bloat. Supposedly it also gives your all of your daily fruits and veggies in the morning and helps improve your skin. Here is the recipe that I got from the tv show. You will need a REALLY good blender to get this stuff smooth.

Glowing Green Smoothie
Makes 2 servings, 16 ounces each

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups water
1 head organic Romaine lettuce, chopped
3-4 stalks organic celery
1/2 head organic spinach
1 organic apple, cored and chopped
1 organic pear, cored and chopped
1/3 bunch organic cilantro (stems OK)
1/3 bunch organic parsley (stems OK)
1 organic banana
Juice of 1/2 fresh organic lemon

Directions
Add water, chopped head of romaine lettuce to the blender. Starting the blender on a low speed, mix until smooth. Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery, apple, pear, cilantro and parsley. Add the banana and lemon juice last.

It takes about 10 minutes to make and you can prepare in advance. It will last up to 2 days in the fridge. You can also make it once a week and freeze in portion-size glass containers. Thaw them out the night before.

Why should I drink this: It's a daily detox. Sixteen ounces is 100 percent of the USDA-recommended total daily amount of veggies for women. It is 20 ounces for men. Since the vegetables and fruits are chopped and blended, you body doesn't have to do the breaking down to get the nutrients. The fiber in it also helps you to feel full so you don't overeat.

I used the recipe maker on MFP and it says that the calories are way higher than what it is advertized as. Supposedly its only 87 calories a serving but I that it was much higher than that. The nutritional information for half the recipe:

Calories 239
Total Fat 1 g
Saturated 0 g
Polyunsaturated 0 g
Monounsaturated 0 g
Trans 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 265 mg
Potassium 698 mg
Total Carbs 56 g
Dietary Fiber 14 g
Protein 6 g
Sugars 28 g
Vitamin A 149%
Vitamin C 184%
Calcium 25%
Iron 36%

i have to say that ivenever had a problem eating veggies and fruits.....i eat salads alot but i have found an organic mix that i like...it is called 50/50 baby green mix.....it is made by organic girl....it is great...crisp and fresh all the time, and triple washed....i also love fruit, grapes raisins apples, etc....i try to have fruit and veggies with every meal.....but i have started to put my greens into wraps with sandwich meat and incorporate veggies that way too

Although it's only 8 in the morning, I can definitely say that I'll be able to to that, since we're only buying organic (if there is) and whole wheat stuff, except for risotto rice, since we haven't found a fullkorn rice to make risotto, but normal rice is fullcorn.
luckily we don't have risotto planned today (I love it and can't resist it)

about the fruit juice, do you mean the bought and processed ones or the homemade from your own fruit. I only drink water, because I know otherwise I am stealing calories I could eat otherwise
the problem I've noticed while eating some fruit (in veggies it's not that problem) I'm always over on sugar, which is because of the fruit sugar, which is supposed to be the good one!
I don't care about what the tracking says, and eat my fruit.

To get the full amount of fruit I usually have a plain yoghurt with an apple for breakfast, at lunchtime we are eating almost always having a side or main salad or loads of veggies and in the evening I try to add something like tomatoes, cucumbers to whatever I eat.
Limit the following to less than 2 servings daily (we will do just for today and see how you do):

And the good carb - bad carb thing: I try to eat a little from everything and not to forbid anything, since I know otherwise I will crave for it someday. Usually I don't have the urge to eat carbs.
The problem sometimes is chocolate, where I haven't found a way to get around yet. I the last 2 weeks or so I luckily didn't even have the desire to eat some deliberately, but it'll come back, I know. but if there was a pile of chocolate in front of me, i would eat it! my theory is that if I don't eat it for long enough, there won't be a desire for it so often.

Have a great weekend!

ps: It works all perfectly in theory, but I do have (too many) bad days as well!

I like homemade smoothies and juice. That way I know exactly what is in it. I try to cut out non organic fruits and veggies whenever possible. The few exceptions are think skined fruits like oranges and watermellon.

i do this everyday due to being diabetic....i eat some carbs, but i dont eat potatoes or rice unless its brown, i drink only water and an occasional diet soda.....

I just want to share this with people since everybody is doing such a good job losing weight. I created this lotion mixture that does a really good job on my skin.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/272381-worried-about-sagging-skin-here-s-a-way-to-fix-it