I am focusing mainly in CICO. I am using MFP every day and it has been really helpful keeping me honest with myself about what I'm eating. My diet has been very simple: english muffin with a little pb, some yogurt for breakfast, protein shake for lunch and salad with a grilled protein for dinner. If I get hungry between meals, I have carrot sticks. I don't drink coffee and I quit diet soda back in June, so I only drink water. It's a boring meal plan, but I'm a creature if habit so I don't mind the repetition.

I'm all about those calories in and calories out too! I'm trying to keep an everything in moderation mindset because I feel like that's more sustainable in the long run than being overly strict and completely removing certain things from my diet, but at the same time I'm also trying to be more cognizant of what I actually put into my body. If I let myself, I won't touch a vegetable for days on end and live completely off of carbs! haha So, I'm trying to make sure I get more nutritious foods too, especially since my main motivation for losing weight is to have a baby in the next few years. I've got to form healthy habits now for that little person we want to make because what I eat will be what they eat!

I've been calorie counting and haven't added in a dedicated exercise component yet, though working on gutting and remodeling an house the last 4 months packing up my old house for the last 7 months and now unpacking definitely counts as activity!

CICO technically isn't a diet plan; its the mathematical reality behind weight loss period, no matter what diet you try. Keto, Adkins, Paleo, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, calorie counting, mindful eating - they all are based on the mathematical principle that eating less than what your body burns in a day will result in weight loss; eating more will result in weight gain.

sorry, I'm an engineer. We're anal like that

Anyway, I've learned to compromise with myself. Nothing is technically off limits. If I want Mcdonald's, I get McDonald's. As long as I count it, its okay. However, in practice, I've learned to choose the healthier items. Yes, I could eat that donut and fit it into my calorie goal. But 350 calories is an entire meal. I will be hungry again in an hour. So I'm better off reaching for the low fat cheese, yogurt, or something less calorie dense and more filling. Yes, I can get a Big Mac into my calorie count. But the grease and the fat are going to leave me feeling bloated. And that means I'm going to have to make dinner very lean. so I either order the healthier grilled chicken sandwich or buy a kids hamburger happy meal.

I don't mind cooking, but found myself going out way too often, so I've put that back in check and am back to cooking at home mostly. I try to keep my calorie expenditure light during the day time, so I have a very light breakfast or none at all, a snack or two to keep me going in the day, and a lighter lunch. This is because I am weakest in willpower and my cravings are strongest in the evening, so I've learned to work with myself and my strengths and weaknesses.

I'm gearing more toward a Mediterranean diet, so I stay out of the processed foods aisles and go for more fresh or frozen products. The funny part is that my grocery bill hasn't changed or has gone up because while I'm eating less, I'm going for the fresher items. I try to eat leaner meats, fish at least once a week, and limit my pasta intake and switched to whole grain. While I'm not pre-diabetic and don't have problems with sugar, I've switched to mostly stevia or splenda just because I don't want those empty calories in my coffee. I'm experimenting with baking with them too, so I can have low-calorie sweet treats. I've introduced myself to a lot more variety of vegetables than before, and have switched to unsweetened almond milk instead of milk mostly. Not that milk is bad; its just me trying to lower the calorie load. I'll still have milk once in a while, especially for the protein.

One victory that I sustained from my previous weight loss attempt was I broke myself of pop. I can't take diet pops usually (though I did find a splenda version of diet pepsi yesterday that doesn't upset my stomach like aspertame containing products do). When I want the fizz of a carbonated drink, I either go for a can of bai bubbles or a bottle of ICE (or the walmart knock-off). I like hte Bai drinks as well, or I go for unsweet tea - or half and half when I can't resist (cause I'll drink it unsweet but that don't mean I like it!)

Sweet tea is my real weakness, and I can drink a gallon without even thinking about it, so I have to be vigilant there. I have to eliminate things like chips and snack crackers in my house because I just can't limit myself to a serving. So while I don't consider anything truly off limits, I know what my triggers and weaknesses are and have to regulate them or eliminate them.

I have been swimming at least three times a week for several months, but though I was seeing a loss of inches, the scale wasn't moving much. So on January 1, I made some enormous changes. I now work out five times a week and try to vary the activities (Although the pool is my favorite!!). I also gave up pop, bread, pasta, all sugar. I also increased my water intake and am very cognizant of what I consume. I have also added intermittent fasting. I only allow myself to ear between 10am and 6pm daily. So I am hoping that I am creating the perfect storm of weight loss!!!!!

I've cut out pop. Difficult as I LOVE Coke. Also skip the fast food. Maybe once every couple of weeks I will eat an Egg White Delight at McDonald's. I go there often before morning before work for coffee and fill my Yeti cup wit water. I enjoy the quiet time to myself and I check email and surf the web.

I quit diet pepsi back in June. I opened up a 12 pack one day in the morning (I don’t drink coffee so it was my caffeine), and at 11pm that night, I realized I was drinking the last one. The next day I didn't immediately go out and buy more and suffered a horrible migraine and realized what it was doing to me. I quit cold turkey that day, had a horrible week of headaches and exhaustion and I have only drank water since. While I won’t lie and say I don’t miss it, I know it was the best choice for me.

rabidhamster87 wrote: »

@CheezWhiz88 You sound like me with Diet Coke!

Then you understand the struggle!

Well, I have a tough week ahead. My husband is gone for the week and I have to be good in his absence! And out of nowhere, his cousin and girlfriend decided to drop by and gave me an hour notice, and trying to be a good hostess I threw a batch of brownies in the oven so that I have them here for them when they come. I have already washed my takeout containers so they can take everything with them when they go and I just have to make sure I don’t eat any while they’re here. Wish me luck!

My lifestlye change is "everything in moderation." I also have lots of hobbies that involve sitting on my butt - writing, reading, gaming - so my best friend and I are making a more conscious decision to try more active things. So far, I've picked up bowling again pretty regularly and I'm going to start hiking again (which I used to do quite often when I was a kid and lived in Montana) once it gets warmer.

@UnicornSmoothie I can feel you on having the butt-sitting hobbies. My two favorites are reading and video games myself! But on an unrelated note... I want to say I love your profile pic.