New Maintainers - Week of May 10

[JuliaL]

Thought I'd start a new thread since the old one was up to 3 pages.

Jeannie - how are you? Have you heard from the doctor?

I'm back down to 143 today - thank goodness! I cut out the Atkins bars and I'm kind of back to induction eating (with yogurt) for a week or so, trying to get three more pounds off.

How is everyone else doing?

Julia

[JONAH'S GRANNY]

Thanks for starting the new thread Julia. I kept thinking I would but I thought I would give someone else a chance.

Congratulations on dropping them couple of pounds. Every little bit helps. I'm still convinced some of it is muscle based on the way you are so dedicated to your exercise program. I'm still very jealous of your dedication.

Yes, I would like to hear from Jeannie too. It kind of worries me as she said she would let us know something right away. She has been through so much and has done so well at losing the weight.

I've had a pretty good week. I'm trying a new eating pattern eating more at lunch. I just get so hungry in the afternoons and by the time I get home I can't get something in my mouth quick enough. Most of the time it is TOO MANY pork cracklins. That just adds a lot of calories and then I don't enjoy my dinner. I've tried to stay away from them this week.

Hope everyone else is doing well. Our little thread has been kinda quite this week. Not heard much from Sugarless either.

Have a good evening everyone.

[Godiva]

Hi you two. I'm doing great with both exercise and food. I'm going to again choose Wednesday as my weigh-in day. I weighed 106 today and I'm NOT, I repeat, I'm NOT going to get on the scale until next Wednesday. Give me strength. I made it one month, I certainly can make it one week, right? As long as I keep eating right, there's no reason why it should move up, or that my clothes should fit differently.

[ginabw]

I have been pretty successful about cutting back on my snacking too. I have been inspired by Karen's garden to get out in my own to keep myself busy and out of the kitchen. I started scraping moss off the patio and weeding and laying grass seed. Tomorrow will try to get started in cleaning off the brick wall in garden with bleach and the patio with hydrochloric acid. Plus I have arranged some play dates for the kids, and still walking to and from school, all of this just to keep me from snacking in the kitchen!

[JuliaL]

I hope you're right about some of this weight being muscle, Ann. Maybe so, since I do see some shape in my arms. I know what you mean about being hungry in the afternoon. I always have a snack around 3:00 and a cup of coffee around 4:00. That keeps me from being totally ravenous by the time I get home. Do you eat snacks in the afternoon?

Hi Godiva - good for you for breaking your scale addiction. I can't break mine - the best I can hope for is to not let it affect my mood so much.

Julia

[Godiva]

Don't give me kudos just yet, I have to make it through the week.

[jvryden]

I jumped on the scale first thing this morning. However, I was down a pound! 111. Believe me, I haven't been trying and have been snacking like crazy (nuts and cheese mostly). I did weed my garden a little bit (and my kids "helped" too) the other day. Only a dent in the weeds there, but its a start. Its going to rain for a few days here, so I can't do anything for a while.

[kbgardengirl]

Originally posted by ginabw
I have been pretty successful about cutting back on my snacking too. I have been inspired by Karen's garden to get out in my own to keep myself busy and out of the kitchen. I started scraping moss off the patio and weeding and laying grass seed. Tomorrow will try to get started in cleaning off the brick wall in garden with bleach and the patio with hydrochloric acid. Plus I have arranged some play dates for the kids, and still walking to and from school, all of this just to keep me from snacking in the kitchen!

Gina - Gardening is beneficial in so many ways. And, yes, it is an ideal way to get your mind out of the kitchen and snacking. It is also a great way to get in your exercise while at the same time creating your own little sanctuary. It is so peaceful and relaxing to sit among the flowers with a cup of coffee or tea and a good book or to sit and reflect. When you finish your creation post a picture for us please.

[JuliaL]

Good morning everyone! You ladies who garden have got a really good hobby to not only give you some exercise but to keep your mind off food. Its hard to eat when you're up to your elbows in dirt! I've never been a big gardener, that's more DH's department. I should think about taking it up - my only other hobbies are cooking and shopping, both dangerous!

I'm down another .5 lb. today and TOM arrived - late but still very unexpected. These days I'm glad when I do have TOM because I suffer from such bad PMS. I haven't had the tension and irritability so much this time, but maybe that explains that little jump in weight earlier in the week.

How is everyone doing today?

I would be curious to see what everyone's daily totals on calories are carbs are, if you know. Would just like to compare among the new maintainers.

I average about 1650 calories per day (though sometimes much more) and 35 net grams of carbs.

Julia

[JONAH'S GRANNY]

Good Morning everyone. Sounds like everyone is having a pretty good lowcarb week. All you garden people sound busy. My DH does ours and like Julia, I have never done much of it. Just curious; do you that work so much in the garden have a job outside the home? Quite frankly, even if I liked gardening I'm not so sure I would be able to find the time to do it. Seems like by the time I get home from work, pick up and straighten the house, cook dinner, clean up, it is time for bed. Then the weekend calls for the heavy house cleaning, laundry, etc. - but then I never was too good at managing my time. I know there must be good exercise in it. Every summer my DH loses a few pounds just working around in his many gardens. I was out of town Mother's Day weekend and DH was home. When I walked in he had fresh roses waiting for me in several places cut from his garden. As always they were beautiful.

Good to hear everyone is stepping on the scale and seeing good results. Its always nice to drop a little or even maintain - just as long as we don't see it going to far in the other direction. I continue to pretty much maintain. The highest I have seen since October has been 97. The lowest 91. I try to hover around 94-95. That is when I feel the best. Congratulations to all of us!

Julia, I probably snack too much. I do usually have some lowcarb yogurt/fruit (a lot of strawberries lately) sometime after dinner, and like I said sometimes I'll grab some pork rinds before I prepare dinner. That is the one I would like to cut out. My infamous Z-carb bar is usually a part of my lunch (I'm controlling them pretty good these days). It depends on what else I have had for lunch but most of the time it is very light. I'm thinking about having a heavier lunch so I want be so ravenous prior to dinner. By the way, I do drink my 120+ oz. water, about 6 cups of Lite coffee, usually one cup of green tea, and one Diet Rite. I keep something liquid in front of my face at all times. I have this thing that I will not go home from work until I have had 120 oz. of water.

I don't really keep a tally on my carbs and calories any more. I do kinda keep track in the back of my mind. My guess is my net carbs runs around 60 most days and calories between 1600-1800. I've been thinking about using Fitday again for awhile to see what it does actually run. As a matter of fact, I think I will start that today. I'd like to hear from others too.

I'm still getting a pretty good routine on my exercise. I do wear my pedometer and according to it I walked about 7.5 miles yesterday and also did my "weights routine" twice. The problem with the pedometer is that it picks up all movement.


LONG WINDED TODAY!

Have a good one, Ann

[akmd65]

ok, here's my scoop....(as brief as possible)
they sent me for MORE testing...had it done....it is something they want to "watch", but nothing to worry about right now!!!

whew!!!! and i'm down a 1/2 pound!

[kbgardengirl]

Julia - I have never used fitday (it takes too much time) and don't count calories. All during my weight loss I just counted carbs and ate according to the book. I was losing so I didn't care about how many calories I was eating, percentages, etc. I did count carbs religiously though. I think I eat between 40 and 50 carbs a day.

Jonah's Granny - I don't work outside the home now but when I did I still gardened. It has been my salvation in so many ways over the years that I would op for a little dust and some clutter in the house to be able to continue to garden. While my 4 children were growing up I was lucky to be able to be a stay at home mom. The garden and putting up what we produced was my contribution to stretching the money. How lovely that your husband can give you such beauty in providing you with his fresh cut roses.

Wish we would hear from Jeannie. I am worried about her news from the doc.

[JuliaL]

Great news Jeannie - thanks for letting us know, we were worried about you. Congrats on losing 1/2 a pound too, and sorry you had to go through so much stress!

Julia

[JONAH'S GRANNY]

Wonderful Jeannie. Just be sure you do check back with the doc. when you need to.

[akmd65]

thank you, thank you!!!
i go back in 3 months, more testing to be sure. i do feel better, but i am going to be diligent about getting checked!

[jvryden]

That's great news Jeannie! What a relief!

I have never counted calories...I'm with you, kbgardengirl, I thought fitday was too time consuming so I only use it when I'm curious as to the carbs in certain foods. I'm pretty sure my daily net carbs are in the 40-50 range. I think I had about 40 yesterday and then was down a pound today. I would like to know what my calories average. I'll bet they are pretty high.

[Godiva]

Good news, Jeannie.

Julia! Before I forget, I think it was you who posted a link to a site that has reviews of exercise videos. If so, do you happen to have that addy handy? I can't find it. If not, then please disregard.

Weekly calorie and carb average as shown on Fitday (as of 5/12, haven't entered much in today):

1368 calories
78 net carb

[akmd65]

i have no idea what my calories are. my carbs are around 30, im still wary of adding things back in. im starting with fruit next week.

[JuliaL]

Godiva - that site is http://www.videofitness.com/

Another good one is http://www.collagevideo.com/

I don't think their prices are all that great, but there is good info about the videos on that site.

Julia

[Godiva]

Thank you!

[ginabw]

Hi Everyone!
Jeannie, so glad to hear your news! Now you can relax and enjoy the weekend!
No, I am not a calorie counter either, I do keep my carbs low, probably 20-30 range, including all me tea (which I am still mad has .8 carbs per cup). I used fitday for a little while during my first mini stall back in December, but since then haven't bothered.

I have never been one for work out videos, but I am going to try and find a reasonably priced treadmill so I don't have to trek out to the gym anymore. Time is getting very precious these days and if I had one at home I could work out while toddler is napping or even playing nearby (did this with first two kids) and not have to wait till my husband gets home. Then we can have our evenings together. I did have a treadmill for years, but it burned out about a year ago and that's when I started back to the gym. Cannot run outside here, way too hilly, exhaust fumes on even secondary roads are bad, plus it rains too much.

Karen, our garden will never look as wonderful as yours! You obviously have a great talent and green thumb, I am just starting out. Also, since we are only in London temporarily we are renting, so DH does not want me spending big bucks (or pounds!) on someone else's property. Luckily though we do have a large rear garden and I am definitely going to do more mulching and put out some more potted plants, and in a few places put some periannuals and bulbs in the fall. We are going to be here for at least 2 more years, why shouldn't we enjoy the property as much as possible? It IS great excercise, today my back is a little sore and I have blisters on one hand from the scrubbing broom, the side patio does look much better though. The moss here is a real problem, things are damp all year round and it grows everywhere. Am going to get some thick gloves to protect my hands. I do love sitting out there with the kids, I drink my tea and read and they run around screaming and we are all happy!

I don't work outside the home anymore, I have been a freelance editor and desktop publisher for the last 8 years and before we moved here I worked pretty regularly, but haven't had a project in 3 months now, and with 3 small kids I really don't mind not working.

I hope you all have a great weekend! We are supposed to have great weather here so hoping to be outside enjoying it all weekend!
Cheers, Gina

[kbgardengirl]

Jeannie - I had one of those keep a watch on it moments and when they finally decided to actually do a biopsy it turned out to be a benign fatty tumor. In short, a hunk of fat that looked like chicken fat.

Gina - England is suppose to have some beautiful gardens. The weather is condusive to great growing. Have you been to the Chelsea garden show?

Jonah's Granny - How lucky are you that you can have so many carbs and calories. There's no way I could eat that many unless it's in the form of all veggies.


jvryden - I have a big carb counting book that I use when I want to know how many carbs are in something. I can look it up in there much faster then I can at fitday with my dial up connection.

[jvryden]

I have a small little carb counter that is ridiculously incomplete. I would love to get one that has *everything* in it. What one do you have?

[akmd65]

karen, thanks for the words of assurance!! what book do you have? mine seems fairly incomplete, but mostly helpful. ive been looking for a new one.

[ginabw]

jvryden, I use the carb counter I got from my DANDR book, so far everything I have looked up has been there. There is a condensed one that you can rip out and carry around, and a much more indepth counter in the back of the book.

Karen, yes, they take their gardening very seriously over here! In our neighborhood everyone has beautiful, colorful, landscaping, it is really gorgeous. We have some landscaping, but not as much as others because our house has been a rental property for years. What is really odd though is you see these beautiful gardens but then their grass is full of weeds! To me that is like an unmade bed, makes everything else look messy even if it's clean. But on the other hand, it is really hard to get rid of the weeds when you are surrounded by them on all sides, as I am finding out, so maybe that is what's happened to others as well. Oh well, just means more exercise for me!

[JONAH'S GRANNY]

Speaking of carb counter books, has anyone purchased the Atkins Shopping Guide. I purchased one at Sams the other day. Looked like something I might carry in my big purse.

[JuliaL]

Good morning new maintainers! I'm happy today that my weight continues to decline thanks to cutting out Atkins bars and probably thanks in part to TOM. Hopefully I'll be back to 140 in a couple of days and I can get back to the business of maintaining.

We're having a luncheon today for one of the ladies in my department who is retiring. I planned the menu and got them to offer seasonal berries sweetened with Splenda for dessert! Needless to say I'm looking forward to it. The last couple of luncheons like this I went to with this group offered only sugary desserts, so I just passed and had to listen to all the comments about how I'm too strict, and that I don't need to lose any more weight and "I couldn't live like that!", yadayadayada. I notice at times like this the overweight people don't say anything. Its the ones who are thin and who never had a weight problem who are the most vocal about what I eat.

Anyway, I'll let you know how it goes. Hope everyone is having a great Friday!

Julia

[kbgardengirl]

Jeannie -

I have the Complete Food Counter by Annette Natow and Jo-Ann Heslin. It's 750 pages and cost 6.99 at Books and Company. It has brand name counts and restaurant food counts.