New Maintainers - Week of August 9

[JuliaL]

Good morning everyone, happy Monday!

Diane and other new maintainers who have just joined us. I agree with Karen (as usual) that you just have to take maintenance one step at a time and figure out what works best for you.

One thing I try not to do is to fall into the trap of thinking that its o.k. to eat foods that are off plan and not good for me "because I'm still eating better than I did before this woe." I think that's one of the reasons people get in trouble and gain back their weight. Now, I'm not talking about a piece of cake on your birthday or your grandma's famous fruit cake at Christmas. I'm talking about grabbing a bag of potato chips with your salad at lunch and rationalizing that's its ok to eat it because its still fewer carbs than you used to eat.

I think of it this way - I value myself and my new lifestyle too much to put crap like that into my body. I'm "treating" myself by eating fresh, whole foods and not processed cheap junk food.

OK, that's my big maintenance thought for the day - how is everyone else?

Julia

[sugarless4life]

I think of it this way - I value myself and my new lifestyle too much to put crap like that into my body. I'm "treating" myself by eating fresh, whole foods and not processed cheap junk food.

AMEN, GIRLFRIEND!

My sentiments EXACTLY!

Happy Monday everyone! Good weekend here. Getting excited about vacation next week .. our first cruise. We are really looking forward to it. It will be our first FUN vacation in many years. We take lots of little day trips here and there, but haven't done a full week in what seems like forever. Lots to get done this week before we go!!

Up and attem early this morning 5:15 ..I hit the streets running. Logged 4.3 miles in 1 hour. Not too bad considering the humidity was horrendous and I was sweating like a pig! Felt great to finish strong though. I burned 438 calories according to my HRM, 15% of which was fat.

Have a great week everyone!

Betty

[ginabw]

Hi Everyone,
Just got through a hectic weekend, my daughter's 2nd birthday. Had a party for her on Sunday (actual bday was Sat.) with 10 of her little toddler friends over. Had a moon bounce in the back garden. Several of the mom's commented that they appreciated that I wasn't serving loads of junk food. I had grapes, apples, carrots, cucumbers, two different cheeses, and little sausages. Of course I served cake (a Winnie the Pooh cake that I made and decorated myself, woohoo!) and cupcakes too, but since there was cake I saw no need to put out cookies or chips etc. and the kids were gobbling everything up. On Sat., for the actual day, I tested out a recipe for a LC cake, have to say it didn't turn out too well and I threw the rest out. Can't remember where I got it from, but it was called "Decadent Chocolate Cake," and it was just a tad too bitter. Of course the problem could have been with me, not the recipe!
Anyway, glad Monday is here so can go to gym. This not being able to get to the gym on the weekends is really bugging me!!

I have found a Tanita scale online to buy, only $30. Just getting basic one, don't need anything too fancy.

Betty, is HRM a heart rate monitor?

[sugarless4life]

Yes HRM is heart rate monitor....I have the Polar M61 and I love it.

So glad the birthday party went well!! Wonderful snacks!!



Betty

[JuliaL]

Gina - I know which recipe you mean, I think its the one from the Atkins website. I tried it and thought the same thing, very bitter. The recipe did not list the correct amount of Splenda, IMO. I made it again and doubled the Splenda and it was much better. My favorite low carb cake recipe that I've tried so far is the one in Dana Carpender's book for carrot cake. It has hazelnuts and zucchini in it and is delicious! Kind of expensive to make but I made it for Thanksgiving and we really loved it.

Julia

[jvryden]

Sugarless, have fun on your cruise! You'll have a GREAT time, I'm sure. Where are you cruising to?

Gina, brave of you to have so many toddlers over. I've made a few lc cakes...haven't tried that one. The ones I made were ok, but I'm not really a "cake" person. (although I love, love the 3 min chocolate cake from the recipe board!)

You're absolutely right, Julia. I try to stick with whole foods for the most part...for me AND my family. My DH thinks I'm a little bit crazy with all my label reading...but really don't want my kids eating transfats (my 5 yo now asks me about transfats all the time...) or High fructose corn syrup, etc. I really want to teach them good habits while they're still young. Also my DS has noticed himself he doesn't feel very good after having too much sugar. Yea for him! Now if only I could get his grandparents on board. Quit buying him fruit loops! Yuck!

Valerie

[ginabw]

Julia, I'll try the cake again then for the next birthday with the doubled splenda (when I told my husband that he said "why don't you just use real chocolate? !). You have to have cake for birthdays around here, even for the adults, or the kids don't think it's really a birthday. And Valerie, I do have that 3 minute cake recipe too, will have to try it as well.

Betty, I checked out your HRM, wow, that is a nice one! I think it will be awhile before I think about getting one though, since hitting goal I have been spending way too much on myself and have to draw the line somewhere. Who knows, if I drop enough hints maybe Santa will bring me one for Xmas this year.

During my run (slow trot?) at the gym today I think I did something to calf muscle, even now, hours later, it is still very sore. I already have a babysitter so I can get to gym tomorrow, so I hope it feels better in the a.m.

Cheers!

[ginabw]

There was a thread over in the main lobby today (and I have seen many others) laughing about some article that again was saying LCing made people grumpy. Well, I think that is true for me. I am a fairly grumpy person anyway, but since starting this WOE, really since making goal, I have noticed a huge change in my disposition. It does not take much to set me off anymore, I have to make a real effort to rein in my temper when dealing with the kids, or anyone really, so I don't yell at them too much (most of the time it is just so they can hear me over their own noise!).
Has anyone else felt like this?

[JuliaL]

Gina - I've wondered about that myself. I have some very grumpy moods too, but I'm going through menopause so I have to attribute most of it to my hormones. I don't personally believe this woe makes people more grumpy in general, but maybe it effects some people differently than others. Maybe you have a good reason to be grumpy?

[ShrinkyDink]

Hey guys! I'm sill here. I am also still at my goal weight. I knew I would lose slower when I started adding carbs. But is 1 measly little lb too much to ask for?

[ginabw]

The whoosh could come any time! But I know what you mean, you want to keep seeing the scale going down. That is something else we have talked about here, getting out of the mentality of losing (although you still want to lose a few so that's different). Even though I still weigh daily, I have to remind myself that it is not to see the scale go down, but to make sure it doesn't go up!

My right calf is still in severe pain, exercising on it yesterday was a big mistake, even though I didn't run, I did the elliptical machine instead and just felt a little ache while actually doing it. Then I got off it and couldn't walk without limping, and still limping today. Don't think I will be able to do any exercise for days, maybe a week! Even walking around the house on it can make it feel worse.

[JuliaL]

Gina - so sorry to hear about your sore calf. What are you doing for it, other than staying off of it? Have thought of wrapping it in an Ace bandage (don't know what you call them over there, but you know what I mean, one of those elastic things). Also, ibuprophen might help.

Hope you feel better soon!

Julia

[ginabw]

Thank you Julia! It is still very painful, had to go food shopping today and I think that was not a great idea, but had to do it. They do have ace bandages over here, and ibuprofen too (although they call it nurofen), I'll probably start the iburprofen tomorrow, as well as give in and go see the doc if it's not feeling better. I hate to go to the dr. though, what if he tells me to stay off it for weeks?? The stress of worrying about weight gain while not exercising would drive me crazy. What gets me is that I don't remember anything that could have caused this, it just "happened" during a regular run, and on a treadmill too.

I will be sad when summer is over, I love grilling out. Made 2 racks of ribs yesterday, had one for dinner last night and one fun lunch today. Tonight will probably have some chicken wings and salad.

[akmd65]

hi everyone...
Gina, I'm so sorry to hear about your pain. Hopefully after a few days of rest you will be back to normal!

I'm still trying to figure out how to maintain. I'm down to 140.5 pounds (this morning). I am bouncing between 139.5 - 140.5. I am still trying to master the firm videos, I'd like to get firmer!! lol. I am rereading atkins for life. im getting frustrated with myself. i know its ok for me to eat more, but it honestly makes me a little nervous. im NOT trying to lose any more, but like gina said it is hard to get on the scale and not expect to see the numbers get lower. i know i want to stay under 145 and i like the size clothes im now wearing. i feel so healthy...until im naked. grrr, i do crunches until im ready to puke (just an expression) and im not seeing much of a change. i asked a personal trainer who said i can do crunches forever it wont help...i need to lose the weight. what the heck???? im 5'8 tall and 140.5 pounds. i am big boned, and NO ONE believes how much i weigh. (i hold my weight well)

ok, my rant is over....im just confused and wondering if i should try for a few more pounds to lose my belly flab, or will these videos and crunches eventually work??? any suggestions????

[CartBabe]

Hi everybody. Glad to see everyone is doing so well
Back from vacation (actually back almost a week )
Still maintaining at 124 No weight gain during vacation...it was a breeze staying on plan....of course, I had to do more stuff like subway wraps which I usually NEVER do. BUT all is well that ends well.

[jvryden]

Gina, I hope you leg is feeling better!

I'm sad about summer coming to a close too. My 5 yo starts school on Wednesday. Kindergarten! He's my first to go to school, so I'm getting a little bit nervous. My poor 2 yo will be lost w/o big brother!

Jeannie, I know what you mean about the belly flab. I was wondering if I would need to lose more weight too to get rid of it. It won't budge with crunches, but it must be muscular underneath it all, right? LOL. I was kinda hoping that with all the exercise, I would still lose the fat, while gaining muscle and not have to go back to weight loss.

Great job, Cartbabe, not gaining on vacation! I still have yet to try a wrap at Subway. I am glad they exist though for when I go on a trip! (and all the other fast food lc!) I don't eat at fast food at all if I don't have to normally. Yuck.

[ginabw]

Jeannie,
Don't know what to recommend, if the belly is the only area, probably exercise is best because you can target that area. With weight loss, you lose it all over. I still have a little belly flab too, along with just loose skin. I have heard about Pilates and thought I might give it a try. I really hate doing situps, in fact I don't do them because I hate them so much, don't know why. Hopefully Julia will check in later, I know she does the Firm and there is probably a specific video/DVD for stomach exercises.

Welcome back Mary! Glad you found it easy to stay on plan. Where did you go?

Valerie,
It will be a sad a.m. when you send him off! I don't think I cried when I sent my first off, in fact I think I felt guiltily happy that he was off for the whole day! But he is a very energetic kid and keeping up with him was, and still is, draining sometimes (now he is going into 4th grade). Now I have my second in preschool every day, and eagerly awaiting to when I can send the 2 yr old off as well for just two short a.m.s per week (6 months to go!). School here though doesn't start til Sept. 7, so we have a ways to go yet.

[JuliaL]

Hi everyone - sorry to check in so late in the conversation, but I've been pretty busy lately. My oldest son came to visit last week and work has been hectic. The boss is on vacation this week so it should be quiet here.

As far as the belly fat question is concerned, I'm certainly no expert since I still have plenty of it , but from what I've read you really can't spot reduce. Situps, crunches and the like will tone the muscles, but those toned muscles won't show until you lose body fat. Having said that I have noticed improvement in the appearance of my belly since I stared doing Firm workouts. I think its the combination of loss of all over body fat and the exercises that I do. Belly fat seems to be the last to go for everyone.

Julia

[CartBabe]

Went to New Mexico.....

[JuliaL]

C'mon over to this week's thread!

New Maintainers - Week of Aug. 16