~~SHAPE SHIFTER'S**AUG. 10% CHALLENGE

[SJN02]

Here is our thread for Aug. ladies.

Let's make this month be a good one.

Here is the challenge for us to work on until the 15th:

Mini-Challenge for August 1-15:

Write down / journal everything you consume for at least 5 CONSECUTIVE days.

This shall include: meals, snacks, taste tests, chewing gum, breath mints, and beverages (including water). We've been working to drink more water - please don't let that slide!

You may choose any 5 consecutive days within the time frame. You may journal any way you wish, but to get credit for the task you must post your menu either on your team thread or on this main thread. Use as much detail as you think reasonable. You may post your menu daily or you may post once with all 5 days listed but you won't get credit until all 5 CONSECUTIVE days have been done.

Plese use what you learn as a talking point with your team members. Please look at the menus of those people who seem to be losing consistently.

Possible topic ideas:
Who seems to be consistently losing?
What are they doing?
Do you notice any patterns in your own eating?
Are your portion sizes as they should be?
Did you tweak something and notice a difference in your weight loss efforts (change salad dressing, eliminate a specific food, eliminate soda, etc.)?
Did keeping a journal change anything about your food choices?

Leaders, please forward results to me with the updated Aug. 15 weigh-ins. (5 points for doing it all 5 days - 0 points for anything else).

Dvanbeus ... please complete 10 days to earn your weight loss credit.

[SJN02]

I feel like I let you ladies down this month. I went on vacation adn took a break from my woe too I should of never done that. I will make this month count. My goal is to make my 10% goal this month.

I love the challenge to write down everything we consume for 5 days. I think that will make us more accountable to each other too

Deb - I hope you are having fun on your trip

Rchelle - Great job on your weight loss for July You are off to a great start!!
Are your kids in school? If so are you getting them ready to go back? My kids go on the 14th...way too early if you ask me.

[rchelle]

I, too, felt like I let our team down on this challenge. I will work hard to lose as much as I can this month.


The school supplies are out. I told my girls when we will buy them tomorrow. My youngest starts grade K this year. This is the most depressing time of year for me. It means that it's time for me to go back to work. I go back next week (Tuesday). The kids will start the following Monday. In a way, it's a good thing. When school is in session, I'm in more of a routine. I'm not sitting around snacking all day or spending money that I don't have. This will help with my discipline with this woe.

[rchelle]

Our thread is moving pretty slow lately. I plan to start journaling my food diary this week and work towards losing some weight. I don't want to be in last last place any more.

[dvanbeus]

Stopping by with a quick message to my fellow team mates!

Had a blast camping... had thunderstorms on two of the nights... one dropped about 20mm of rain in just under 30 minutes with 90km/hr wind gusts. The second resulted in a lightening strike about 50-100m from our camp site. Very exciting! The days were all beautiful and warm... spent all the days hiking around... a total of 45km over the last 5 days. I'm pretty proud of myself! Just hope to keep it up!

On a side note to both of you... STOP BEATING YOURSELVES UP! Sure we're not in first place, but that doesn't mean we can't change that, right? And even if we don't, it's more important that we are here and TRYING and not hiding in a corner stuffing our faces full of chips and cookies! Half the battle is being here and staying in contact with each other... talking things over... sharing experiences... right?

As for the challenge for this and next week, I've been doing it while camping... but need to write down my menu as catch-up (especially since I need to do 10 days as opposed to your 5!)... luckily I have to do this daily for my dietitian anyways through my entire pregnancy, so it won't be too much of a hassle. My next few posts will be my meals during my camping trip (warning... not all are great 'on-plan' meals... but what is a campfire without a few marshmallows? LOL)

Deb

P.S. I've also discovered that baby doesn't appreciate sleeping on an air mattress. LOL!

[dvanbeus]

Meal Plan
Thursday August 2

Breakfast: 1/2 cup all bran cereal, 3/4 cup 1% milk
Snack: 1 med. apple
Lunch: 1 slice h.made thin crust pizza w. works
Snack: 1 cup cherries, 1 cup carrots
Supper: grilled pork, 2 cups green beans, sm. sweet potato
Snack: 1 multi-grain hop 'n' go bar

Total water consumption: 4.5L

[dvanbeus]

Meal Plan
Friday August 3

Breakfast: 1 multi-grain bagel, 2T Cream Cheese, tea
Snack: 1 med. apple and 1/2 a sugar-reduced cookie bar
Lunch: 2 slices multi-grain bread, 2 slice turkey, 2 oz. cheese
Snack: 1 granola bar
Supper: 1 slice thin crust pizza w. works, 1 cup carrots
Snack: 3 toasted marshmallows

Total water consumption: 4L

[dvanbeus]

Meal Plan
Saturday August 4

Breakfast: 1 multi-grain bagel, 2t butter, 2oz. cheese, egg
Snack: 1 med. apple
Lunch: 2 slices multi-grain bread, 2 slice turkey, 2 oz. cheese
Snack: 1/2 a sugar-reduced cookie bar
Supper: steak w. mushroom/onion, 1 sm potato, 1 cup cauliflower
Snack: 1/2 a sugar-reduced cookie bar, 1 cup carrots

Total water consumption: 6.5L

[dvanbeus]

Meal Plan
Sunday August 5

Breakfast: 1 multi-grain bagel, 2T cream cheese, egg
Snack: 1 slice multi-grain bread w. 1/2oz cheese
Lunch: 2 slices multi-grain bread, 2 slice ham, med. apple
Snack: 1/2 a sugar-reduced cookie bar
Supper: 4 hot dogs, 3 cup cucumber/tomato/carrots
Snack: 5 toasted marshmallows

Total water consumption: 3.0L

[dvanbeus]

Meal Plan
Monday August 6

Breakfast: 1 multi-grain bagel, 2T cream cheese, egg
Snack: 1 slice multi-grain bread w. 1/2oz cheese
Lunch: 2 slices multi-grain bread, 2 slice ham, med. apple
Snack: 1/4 cup salted peanuts, Lg. Diet Coke
Supper: 3 ears sweet corn, 1T butter
Snack: Ate supper late, so no bedtime snack

Total water consumption: 4.5L

[SJN02]

Deb - It sounds like you had a wonderful time on your trip Your menus look great!!! You are doing awesome!!! Keep it up

Rchelle - I remember when my youngest started K. I cried like a baby. It is so hard, but he had so much fun, I don't think he even missed me that day...now the following months he started in with I just want to be with you mommy...LOL I agree it is slow in here, it is hard for me to post daily with work, kids, house to take care of...I will try harder to get in here though. Maybe all of us should post at least once a day.

Well I am on plan, but the scales are not moving. I may do a few days of fasting if it don't move soon. I am really frustrated right now.

Here is my meal plan for yesterday:

B: nothing...slept in
L: taco meat with lettuce
D: 2 sl. bacon with 1 sl. cheese on 1/2 muffin....it was my ds's night too cook for us...he is 9...he did great, but not lc.

water was 98 oz.

[rchelle]

Monday, Aug. 6
Breakfast - 2 sausage links, 1 scrambled egg, 1 slice low carb toast
Lunch - Grilled chicken salad
Dinner - Grilled chicken salad
Snack - protein shake

[dvanbeus]

Meal Plan
Tuesday August 7

Breakfast: 2 slices multi-grain bread, 2oz cheese
Snack: 1 banana with 1T peanut butter
Lunch: 2 cups zucchini soup
Snack: 1 cup carrots, 1 cup cucumber
Supper: 1.5 cup green beans, 1 cup garlic shrimp
Snack: 1 sugar reduced cookie bar

Total water consumption: 2.5 L

[dvanbeus]

Originally Posted by SJN02

Maybe all of us should post at least once a day.

I'm up for it... anyone want to tackle one of the topic suggestions made in the mini-challenge?

[dvanbeus]

Do you notice any patterns in your own eating?
Are your portion sizes as they should be?

These two topics seemed to ring home for me. First off, I do know that there is a definite pattern in my eating... especially my 'trouble times' when I am prone to snacking... which is between 4-6pm. I get bored at this time and typically start watching TV. I know I need to eat a small snack at this time for proper sugar control (for my diabetes), but the small snack always seems to trigger me to want to eat more and more. I'm still trying to control this on a daily basis... any suggestions?

As for portion sizes, I am getting pretty good with these as of late... ever since I started having to rigorously watch my sugar levels. If my sugars are high an hour after I've eaten, I know that I had to much and regulate for it the next time. I have recently started using my food scale again though, and discovered that 2 oz of cheese is much more than I thought! Yum! I love cheese... this might end up being dangerous for me. LOL!

On the topic of food... anyone have any good snacking recipes to share that are virtually calorie free? Or just a favorite recipe in general? I'm always on the look-out for something new to try!

Deb

[rchelle]

Tuesday, Aug. 7
Breakfast - sausage, egg, toast (low carb)
Lunch - grilled chicken salad
Dinner grilled chicken salad
Snack - protein shake

[rchelle]

It's good to see this thread coming alive again. I went back to work today and spent yesterday making sure the kids had all their supplies and last minute clean up. The kids don't start school until next week. Well last night, right before bedtime, my babysitter cancelled on me. So we ran around in a tizzy trying to find someone to keep them for the day.

Anyhow, I found myself mindlessly munching on cookies as my dh and I tried to figure out what to do with the girls. I guess that makes me a bit of a stress eater.

[dvanbeus]

I'm actually a stress eater too... a full blown emotional eater actually. Part of controlling it for me was discovering why I was doing it. When I was experiencing an emotional overload, I would eat sweet/starchy foods. These foods would make my blood sugars sky rocket through the roof, which in turn caused a drowsy feeling, which in turn calmed me down and quite often put me to sleep. For me sugar/starch acted as a sedative. I remember the day when I realized what I was doing too... it was about a month before I went full fledge Atkins. Anyway, I am not saying that this is why everyone does the emotional eating thing, I just felt like sharing what I discovered about my own personal battle with it. Someone reading this might get something from it.

[SJN02]

WOW, Rchelle, I hope you were able to find someone to watch your girls. How was your frist day back to work?

Deb - I am glad you found out why you were eating starch/sugar.

I am a big time emotional eater too I need to learn to grab the healthy stuff to munch on instead of the sweets. Why don't we make that a challenge for this week? All of us can work on our emotional eating.

My menu yesterday was:

B: nothing
L: pepperoni with cheese
D: steak salad
water was about 94 oz.

I still need to get back to exercise. Not enough time in the day now. Maybe when school starts up I can make a plan to start back too on exercise.
I think tomorrow I am going to fast through the day and just eat dinner and see if that will get the scales moving for me.

Well I need to get busy working now.

[dvanbeus]

Meal Plan
Wednesday August 8

Breakfast: 1 thin slice homemade multigrain bread, 1tsp butter
Snack: 1 med apple
Lunch: Med Salad with 2T blue cheese dressing, hamburger patty
Snack: 1 cup carrots
Supper: 2 slices pumpernickel bread, 1T peanut butter, 1t butter
Snack: 1 banana, 2T Peanut Butter

Total water consumption: 4.5 L

*note* I HAVE to get off this peanut butter kick! Every time I start eating the stuff, I can't seem to stop... at least I have avoided eating it out of the jar with a spoon so far... Sigh...

[dvanbeus]

Originally Posted by SJN02

Why don't we make that a challenge for this week? All of us can work on our emotional eating.

I'm up for the challenge! It might be an idea to post any successes and failures to the group with regards to emotional eating... to get encouragement or to deservedly pat ourselves on our backs when we make good choices. One of my healthy alternative snacking foods for when I am upset are those little baby carrots. I also try doing the no-food route and jump in the bath with a book. Usually this keeps me occupied until the urge to eat passes... though I have been known on a few occasions to get out of the bath, run dripping wet to the kitchen, and sneak a snack back with me to the tub. I know, pretty bad... Do either of you have anything you do when you are stressed and want to eat?

[rchelle]

Wednesday, Aug. 8
Breakfast - protein shake
Lunch - chicken
Dinner - green salad and pork chop

[rchelle]

I need to find other alternatives. The bath sounds very nice, but it's hard for me because my children tend to pop in and out. I don't usually have any alone time.
I've stocked up on low carb milk to make my protein shakes with. They usually tame the craving for something sweet. Whenever I feel stressed, I want something warm and sweet (like fresh baked cookies). Sometimes just by logging on to lowcarb friends helps too. I really want to be a success story.

[1Life2Live]

~Other Team Popping In~
I love that you gals are trying to find ways of fighting your emotional eatting. Keep it up gals!!!

[SJN02]

Thanks for stopping by Tammy

I am like you Rchelle, don't get much private time with kids...Deb will learn about this soon enough I ALWAYS go for sweets when I am stressed. I get stressed out easy, and with the kids home arguing and fighting all day, I am really stressed out by the end of the day. So far I have just been keeping myself busy. Deb, I like what you do when you are stressed out.

My menu is:

B: nothing
L: nothing
D: cheese toastie on lc bread and a sm. salad
water 120 oz.

Today is going to be a partial fasting day. We will see how it goes.

[rchelle]

Very busy again today. It takes a little while for me to get used to being back at work. Next week when my kids start I'll set up some sort of schedule. That's the only way to keep things flowing in my house.
Tonight was open house for the elementary school. My kids got the chance to meet their teacher and drop off their school supplies. My little one is so excited about starting grade K. I have bittersweet feelings about it all. I'm glad she's going to school (no more day care fee), but I'm sad at the same time. I know it sounds a bit stupid. I'm glad they have their open house early so that it doesn't clash with my school's open house.
I'm feeling good despite TOM and I really think the scale will be down by the time of our next weigh in.

[rchelle]

Thursday, Aug 9
Breakfast - protein shake
lunch - chicken and green salad
dinner - chicken and green salad


I've been exercising this past week, but not as much as usual because I'm so tired. My body will get in sync with going back to work in about two weeks.

[dvanbeus]

Meal Plan
Thursday August 9

Breakfast: can of tuna, 1T mayo, 1 cup cucumber
Snack: 1 cup cucumber
Lunch: 2 slices pumpernickel bread, 2t butter
Snack: 1 banana, 2T Peanut Butter
Supper: 2 cups zuchinni, 1 cup shrimp, 1T soya sauce
Snack: skipped

Total water consumption: 3.0 L

[dvanbeus]

Meal Plan
Friday August 10

Breakfast: 3 Scrambled Eggs
Snack: 1 oz. Cheese
Lunch: Large Salad, 3T Blue Cheese Dressing, 1 cup Shrimp
Snack: 1 Thin Slice of Homemade 12-Grain Bread, 1t Butter
Supper: 2 cup Green Beans, Chicken Breast, Sm. potato
Snack: 1 cup cucumber

Total water consumption: 2.5 L

[dvanbeus]

Yay! Only one more day for reporting my meal plan and I will have my 10 in!

How are things going with you ladies? With how busy you've both been lately, I bet you're both looking forward to the weekend! Any plans? My dh and I are thinking about going out on Sunday night to watch the meteor showers, but first we need to track down a place dark enough to see the sky. There are also the plans to go high bush blueberry picking, but I told him I wanted to wait until after the upcoming weigh-in... especially since baby seems to be putting on weight now no matter what I do to try and slow it down. Sigh, I suppose it -is- healthy to gain a little bit of weight... just don't like it. LOL!

Well, that's all for now...

Deb