WATCH-ME'S Goal Seeking Journal

[mrsislandqt]

WTG, Twyla! You know, I just looked at your stats. I've looked at your pics and I would have never imagined that you were overweight at all! You look beautiful!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Originally Posted by mrsislandqt

WTG, Twyla! You know, I just looked at your stats. I've looked at your pics and I would have never imagined that you were overweight at all! You look beautiful!

Thank you! Someone (earth angels ) always seems to come along at the right time when we need a bit of air beneath our wings....! Feeling defeated from having overeaten this weekend....Your comment was a pick-me-up!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Tuesday. Day 26. Not weighing till Friday.

Yesterday's Ratios:

Cals: 1609
43% P, 165 gr
23% C, 103 gr
34% F, 57 gr

Did much better controlling my eats. No alcohol. Play time is over. A bit hungry when I went to bed.

Gonna start concentrating more on controlling calories, adequate protein, and worrying less on fat %.

Eating mini meals affords sufficient "fuel," if I can remember to plan those meals w/o overdoing the calories for each. Adds up before I know it.

Learning from my mistakes.

How I missed Callanetics....Had been 3 days, and it seemed like a week. The muscle fatigue after the workout was very cathartic! Nothing like Callanetics for toning. NOTHING.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Tuesday. Day 27.

Verdict is still out on this new WOE. There are some things about it I really like. But it can be time consuming, and the counting drives me crazy at times.

Although I tried to watch calorie intake yesterday, I just couldn't seem to get a lid on my appetite. That's where the balancing thing is tricky. Didn't seem as "satisfied" yesterday, even though fat ratios were a wee bit higher. Not sure what's going on.

Ratios yesterday:

Cals: 1767

46%P, 198 grams
13%C, 67 grams
41%F, 79 grams

I seem to eat tons more food than other people who are on BFFM. What's up with THAT?



Bottom line: This week hasn't been as good as the first two weeks. Don't know if it's because I screwed up this weekend and ate too many calories, or if I've eaten too many carbs and I'm not ready for that many, or both.....OR?

We'll see. Weigh in Friday.

[Alcestis]

Hi Twyla

Just found your journal....I'm far too simple to figure out your new eating plan but, being that it's so much easier to make suggestions than to take them....I am just going to come out and say:

You look so beautiful, toned, lean, brimming with energy and vitality....don't self-sabotage by being too hard on yourself, honey. I know we all have our own goals and criticisms but...just remember to love yourself!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Thursday. No weigh today.

Yesterday's ratios:

Cals: 1938 (way too high - not typical for me)

45% P, 209 gr
20% C, 108 gr
34% F

Even though I tried not to pay AS MUCH attention to fat intake and just "let it happen," I still ended up on the low side for fat. As a consequence, I was hungry all morning and afternoon.

It wasn't until I got home from work and decided to eat WHAT I WANTED, FORGETTING BALANCE, that I suddenly felt full and satisifed.

1/3 c pumpkin w/ 2 T of l/f cream cheese
1/2 c full fat yocheese w/ 1 Tbs flax
12 peanuts
1/2 cup of cole slaw with 1/2 T mayo
decaf coffee with fat free creamer

I ate what I was craving. Plain and simple. This was around 5 p.m.

At 9:30 I was a tad bit hungry, so I ate 2 slices of thin roasted turkey, 2 Tbs of cole slaw, and about 6 almonds.

I don't know if I've lost more weight or not, but I kind of doubt it. Tomorrow will tell.

I'm wanting to overcome this hunger. I just can't figure out why it's different. Gonna look back to last week's menus, when I was feeling "good" and satisfied, and see what I've done differently.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Originally Posted by Alcestis

Hi Twyla

Just found your journal....I'm far too simple to figure out your new eating plan but, being that it's so much easier to make suggestions than to take them....I am just going to come out and say:

You look so beautiful, toned, lean, brimming with energy and vitality....don't self-sabotage by being too hard on yourself, honey. I know we all have our own goals and criticisms but...just remember to love yourself!

Alcestis, sweetie, thank you for that uplifting! I needed that reminder. Don't we all?

The irony in all of this is that I am completely mathematically challenged.... ....., and here I am trying to adopt an eating plan that's ALL ABOUT MATH.





Maybe it's because I like a challenge??????

I'm not throwing in the towel yet. A few more days to go until the "vote" is in.

But thanks for the encouragement. Comes at a time I need it the most!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Friday. Was supposed to have weighed today. Decided against, using my better judgment.

It's only a number. The scale will be there.

I looked back through Fitday's #'s to try to find the culprit for my increased hunger this week vs. last week.

Last week I felt great, satisfied, lean, energetic.

This week, hungry all the time, craving, bloated, somewhat more tired.

I'm so not good with numbers. But I gave it my best shot.

Here's what I've discovered re: my ratios for the last 18 days:

Fat gram daily avg's for the first 9 days: 79.6 grams
Fat gram daily avg's for the next 9 days: 65.3 grams

Carb gram daily avg's for the first 9 days: 73 grams
Carb gram daily avg's for the next 9 days: 98.8

Averaged 14.3 more daily fat grams the first 9 days
Averaged 26 less daily carb grams the first 9 days

Conclusion:

When I was eating a bit more fat and a bit LESS carbs, I was eating less calories for the day and feeling better energy wise ...

For the last seven days particularly, I've been hungrier (no TOM) and less satisfied, and my carbs have been higher, my fat lower, and my calories way higher.

I'm going to try to keep my carbs below 90 grams for the next week, my fat between 38-42%, and see how that affects my appetite and thus overall calorie intake and energy.

I'm obviously FAR MORE sensitive to carbs than the average Joe.

On the other hand, there is something about eating a more balanced WOE that keeps me "hanging in there."

Objective: I want to feel good, feel lean, have energy, and feel balanced food-wise, no constant cravings/hunger.

I'm definitely not ready to go running back to higher fat, and very low carbs. Not yet.

Something tells me to give it more time.

I'm going with my instinct.

[ctdiver]

Originally Posted by WATCH-ME-SHRINK

Friday. Was supposed to have weighed today. Decided against, using my better judgment.

It's only a number. The scale will be there.

I looked back through Fitday's #'s to try to find the culprit for my increased hunger this week vs. last week.

Last week I felt great, satisfied, lean, energetic.

This week, hungry all the time, craving, bloated, somewhat more tired.

I'm so not good with numbers. But I gave it my best shot.

Here's what I've discovered re: my ratios for the last 18 days:

Fat gram daily avg's for the first 9 days: 79.6 grams
Fat gram daily avg's for the next 9 days: 65.3 grams

Carb gram daily avg's for the first 9 days: 73 grams
Carb gram daily avg's for the next 9 days: 98.8

Averaged 14.3 more daily fat grams the first 9 days
Averaged 26 less daily carb grams the first 9 days

Conclusion:

When I was eating a bit more fat and a bit LESS carbs, I was eating less calories for the day and feeling better energy wise ...

For the last seven days particularly, I've been hungrier (no TOM) and less satisfied, and my carbs have been higher, my fat lower, and my calories way higher.

I'm going to try to keep my carbs below 90 grams for the next week, my fat between 38-42%, and see how that affects my appetite and thus overall calorie intake and energy.

I'm obviously FAR MORE sensitive to carbs than the average Joe.

On the other hand, there is something about eating a more balanced WOE that keeps me "hanging in there."

Objective: I want to feel good, feel lean, have energy, and feel balanced food-wise, no constant cravings/hunger.

I'm definitely not ready to go running back to higher fat, and very low carbs. Not yet.

Something tells me to give it more time.

I'm going with my instinct.

I think you're using some excellent logic, Twyla!

BFFM is supposed to be all about feedback, so I think you're going about this exactly the right way. I have also cut my carbs a little, eating starchy carbs only before and after my weightlifting, and added back a little fat, and seem to be doing better. I wasn't really hungry either way, but I think I'm losing fat better this way... However, I know that I'm losing better now, eating 1700 calories a day and 70 carbs, than I was eating 700 calories a day and 8 carbs...so I think that we're both finding the "right" plan somewhere in the middle.

Keep it up!

[Alcestis]

It's interesting that we go through this weight loss / better health journey the way we do....first the euphoria of loving LC, then the inevitable slow-downs and frustrations...then we reach goal weight and realise that the desire to exercise and tone and just be as good as we can is another huge motivator. We learn so much along the way...and we achieve things, phsyically, emotionally, spiritually, that we never dreamed a "diet" would give us!

I love that you always work through the challenges and obstacles. I think "maintenance" is such a different challenge to basic weight loss and I love seeing how you figure out the right way for Twyla without pushing your ideas on anyone else, ever!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Originally Posted by ctdiver

I think you're using some excellent logic, Twyla!

BFFM is supposed to be all about feedback, so I think you're going about this exactly the right way. I have also cut my carbs a little, eating starchy carbs only before and after my weightlifting, and added back a little fat, and seem to be doing better. I wasn't really hungry either way, but I think I'm losing fat better this way... However, I know that I'm losing better now, eating 1700 calories a day and 70 carbs, than I was eating 700 calories a day and 8 carbs...so I think that we're both finding the "right" plan somewhere in the middle.

Keep it up!

Crystal, if it weren't for you and Donna showing me the "ropes" of BFFM, I would be up a creek w/o a paddle!

Thanks for being there for me.

I'm so proud of your accomplishments with this.....You da expert!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Originally Posted by Alcestis

".............. we learn so much along the way...and we achieve things, phsyically, emotionally, spiritually, that we never dreamed a "diet" would give us!

I love that you always work through the challenges and obstacles. I think "maintenance" is such a different challenge to basic weight loss and I love seeing how you figure out the right way for Twyla without pushing your ideas on anyone else, ever!"

Alcestis, this is a very humble thing to say. What a compliment! Wow.

Thank you.

You speak straight from the heart, and therein is the beauty of your words.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Saturday

8:30 A.M. Super Callanetics
8:45 P.M. 20 mins of HIIT cardio on elliptical; 20 mins of UB weights

Ratios:

1675 calories

45%P, 185 gr
20%C, 86 gr (much better!)
34%F

Made a new recipe using EVO coconut oil, oats, nat PB, Protein Powder, Davinci's, toasted coconut & cocoa. One recipe makes 6 "CoProtein Bites"

Awesome with a cup of coffee....hits the spot....very filling/nutritious!

Great day. Baseball game, allstar tryouts, grilled out for dinner, kick back on porch later. Got sleepy around 8:00. Had promised myself I'd do cardio. Got up and HIT IT! Ready to go now!

No use weighing. It doesn't mean anything right now. I'm going by my mirror and my clothes.

Wore a Size 9 Jr's khaki shorts and tank top to game today. The shorts, to my surprise, were actually too big! (Hmmmmmmmm ) Several comments today from people about how "toned I look," "Do I work out a lot," Etc.

Scales?????

Nah.

Irrelevant for now!

[Alcestis]

The shorts, to my surprise, were actually too big!

The shorts were too big, she says...I'm sure they were practically falling off you!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

(Sunday, June 4, Bad Day. No further comment)

Monday, June 5. New Day.

I am making another change to my new WOE....cutting back on the protein powder to no more than one scoop per day.

Soy!

(need to check the label when I get home....is it soy-based?)

Could it be that the soy protein was causing my stalled/slow weight loss?

And eating Zone Perfect bars when in a hurry and no time to prepare a meal. Maybe not such a good choice afterall.

Soy!

Afterall, I am hypothyroid.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Yesterday went much better. More in control.

Exercise: 1 Hour Super Callanetics, 20 mins of interval elliptical

Today is Tuesday.

So far today (including lunch):

Calories: 952

55%P, 16%C, 29%F
43 carbs, 126 protein

Exercise this morning: TJ cardio party (40 mins), 25 mins upper body weights

Hunger in control; cravings in control.

Zone Perfect bars MAY have been a trigger for me

Too bad; they were so convenient. And I wasn't abusing them. Not even one a day. Maybe 3 a week? One-half at a time with yogurt. But they do have soy, and that's not great.

Gonna nix them for a week and see how things go.

Discovered a great mini dessert: 1 TBS Protein Powder (whey! yeah!), 1 tsp nat PB, 1 TBS hot water, 1 tsp Van Davincis. Stir and enjoy with tea. Yum.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Yesterday was a good day. Got in 40 mins of Turbo Jam and 25 mins of UB weights first thing in a.m.

Then did a 20-minute jog in neighborhood last night around 8:30.

Ratios for yesterday:

1672 Calories

54%P, 219 grams
14%C, 63 grams
32%F, 58 grams

Much better. Much, much better.

Two more days till TOM.

No cravings. I guess I got those out of the way this past Sunday.... The waters are calm today!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Thursday. Finally had the nerve to weigh today. One look in the mirror a week ago, and I knew I had gained. Sometimes you just know. No apparent reason, of course.

It's not like I don't/haven't tried.

I'm up a few lbs, but TOM is tomorrow. Maybe I'll be back to siggy when it's over.

Siggy.

Biggy!

I DON'T WANT TO BE AT SIGGY, D--N IT!

Big breath. Okay. I'm done.

Yesterday was a good day.

Cals 1633
41%P (160 grams), 18%C (86 grams), 41%F (71 grams).

Felt lean and controlled all day long yesterday. Great mood. Yadda, yadda. Life was good.

Life is good.

It really is.

Today is a new day.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Friday. Up another 1/2 lb.

TOM was supposed to have arrived today.

Ate a bit more calories yesterday, just out of curiosity more than anything.

Ratios yesterday:

1999 cals.

43%F (91 gr)
16%C (83 gr)
42%P (200 gr)

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Sunday. FINALLY......F I N A L L Y......THE ARRIVAL OF THE EVIL ONE.

So it's about D--- time!

Now I can get on with a normal life!

To counter my mood swings, cravings, insatiable hunger, and defeated ego.....I kicked butt this weekend with workouts, mostly cardio, some weights.

45 mins of elliptical on Saturday, 40 mins of weights with Kathy Smith.

45 mins of Turbo Jam today.

Back to Callanetics first thing tomorrow morning, 5:00 a.m.

I'm feeling soreness in my muscles from the change in my weight routine, even though I used lighter weights for that particular workout than I usually use. Interesting....guess it was just using different muscles or parts of those muscles in different ways.....

Appetite last night was like a frikkin' bottomless black hole.....

Thank goodness, it's over.

Men have it so easy.

I want to punch Eve out.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Had a great day today.

It's good to be back in control. This past week ranks in the top 5 most horrible PMS experiences in my life!

Whew!

Felt good as new today, even though I should be feeling bloated and yucky.

Appetite way in control.

Workouts over the weekend were awesome....and the soreness today is the reminder! How I love it!

Yesterdays ratios:

Cals 1828
40P (179 grams)
18C (94 grams - a little high!)
42F (84 grams)

Not as balanced as it should be, but I'm thinking that maybe if I allow the fat % to exceed the protein a bit on the week leading up to the first day of TOM, I may not wrestle so much with the hunger cravings thing.

So what if I don't lose during that week?

It's not like I'm losing by leaps and bounds anyway.....although I'm pretty convinced I'm losing inches/gaining muscle.....my clothes are falling off me. So something IS happening.

Wish my calipers would come.....Shouldn't they be here by now?

Anxious to see how I feel one week from now.



I am so thankful for my special friend RVCook, wherever she is....who has helped me tremendously in learning to eat balanced, healthy, meals again....and releasing my fear of carbs, once and for all. RVC, I love ya!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Tuesday.

Today has been a good day. I'm beginning to think of this week as the countdown to weigh in on Friday.

My food/ratios for the day:

Cals 1798

41P (178 gr)
20C (98 - 13 fiber, 85 net gr)
39F (74 gr)

Fat was a bit lower today, and carbs a bit higher. Don't mind the carbs being higher on my cardio/weights days, which today was. Just don't want to go over 100 regardless.

I noticed I was just a tad bit hungrier around dinner today. I will try not to eat anything else for the rest of the evening. If I get hungry, I'll drink decaf Chai tea with Davinci's.

I may have time for a power walk with DH tonight after All Star's practice with DS.

Reading The Glycemic Load Diet book....very interesting.

Surprised to learn that All Bran has the most insoluable fiber of the most popular breakfast cereals, including oatmeal. Apparently oats have a much higher glycemic load than All Bran.

Quote: "In one study, subjects fed instant oatmeal for breakfast consumed 80 percent more calories later in the day than did subjects fed omelets."

".....Because insoluable fiber provides bulk for the digestive tract to work on, many experts think the lack of it promotes overeating."

The key is to eat the cereal/grain highest in fiber.

Hmmmm.

I eat steel cut oats on cardio/weight days.

I really love steel cut oats. But I don't eat them every day, and I only eat 1/2 cup (cooked) when I eat them, and always with protein.

Every day I learn something new.

One thing I've tried to do recently is after I've finished eating, if I still feel a bit hungry, to just wait it out. Usually within 10-15 minutes I'm no longer hungry. Listening to my body is key.

[mrsislandqt]

Twyla, I really enjoy reading your posts because it's like watching someone attempting to solve a very complicated equation! I think you're doing a