Amber's Journal

[amhouse36]

Here I am....journaling about my fat! It's a little daunting...knowing the world has access to my weight and measurements. Hope nobody from high school sees this I graduated in '97 in a thin 125 pound body....ahh, those were the days. College came around- and so did the fat (partially from medication, the other part laziness). To make a long story short, I have been overweight since I was 19 years old....I have gone from overweight to obese to morbidly obese Right now I'm 26...my goal is to have at least one day in my 20's at a healthy weight....but 1,000 days would be better! So here I go!

My starting day is a little hazy since I have started and stopped since May 15th 2006. I have been on Atkins before and always had a tough time with cheating...with me, the one bite is literally the kiss of death! So I'm going to go with the day I can remember not cheating....May 30th. I also want to keep track of exercise...I have started walking on the track where I went to college. Started that on May 30th as well....so I gotta back track:

Exercise
May 30: 1.75 mi
May 31: 1.25 mi
June 1: 3.00 mi

I also have been doing middle-of-the-night aerobics to fitness informercials...goofy, I know- but hey, you follow along with them for 30 minutes, you don't need to buy the dvd- right? So I won't count that as exercise...but eventually I'll figure out some sort of toning workout I can do

Measurements
Bust: 47
Waist: 46.5
Hips: 54.5
Right Arm:14
Left Arm: 14
Right Thigh: 28
Left Thigh: 28

So there are the ugly numbers! I'm not sure how accurate they are, but I did them to the best of my ability. I currently wear a size 22...but I actually think I'm a 24 because my current jeans/shorts have elastic or stretch waist bands that have allowed me to grow from 225pd in March to 240pd in May quite easily.

Current Weight: 237

I'm at the end of TOM right now...so I'm hoping for a big loss soon!

[ddog27]

Your doing great Amber! Keep it up!

[amhouse36]

Originally Posted by ddog27

Your doing great Amber! Keep it up!

Thanks DDog27 for the encouragement!

Weight
237

Exercise
0 Mi Reason being is that it's raining and my legs are still tight from walking 3 mi yesterday, so today's a 'rest' day. I was kinda hoping for a loss today (who isn't!) since I went the extra mile (literally!) yesterday...oh well!

Today I bought new and weird vegetables (new and weird to me) Eggplant and asparagus...they don't look very yummy, but I'll try them out.

I had some Low Carb cheesecake at Famous Anthony's....3 carbs but had sugar...we'll see how that goes. I think I'll try making the homemade cheesecake-maybe tonight.

I'm doing pretty good on the water intake...I might actually be drinking close to a gallon a day now (which I think is 120 oz) I make sure I have a 8 cups (which equals out to 4 16.9 oz bottles of water for me) and then anything beyond that is a bonus- I should start to keep track of it.

See ya tomorrow!

[Potaty]

Hi Amber, wanted to stop by to show my support! You can do this! I am the same way with cheats, I cannot stop at one bite! My first few days on Atkins, I eat higher fat stuff so I don't feel deprived, then once ketosis kicks in and my appetite is gone, I lower cals/carbs/fats naturally because I'm not as hungry. Here's some "snacky" ideas for you:

stuffed mushrooms
jalepeno poppers
mock danish (kind of a single-serving cheesecakey snack)
cheese chips
jello fluff

Try as hard as you can to not eat LC cheesecakes at restaurants because you never know what is in them. I worked at a country club in high school and their "low fat" tuna salad was made with full fat mayo. Let me know if you need any recipes or help, I want to see you succeed!!!

[Potaty]

Oh yeah, I also wanted to invite you to the low carb challenges board. I am a member of the 50 in 4 Challenge (we are trying to lose 50 lbs. in 4 months). It's a great group and we'd love to have you!!!

Here is how I cook my asparagus:

1)Cut off the woody ends
2)Saute' in a skillet with a tablespoon of butter until it starts to get crisp-tender
3)Take off heat, add a couple "glugs" of soy sauce
4)Sprinkle with sesame seeds
YUM!

[amhouse36]

Thanks Kate for the welcome and the tips

Weight
235

YES! I hit my first 5 pound goal- woohoo!

Exercise
2.00 mi

Thats pretty good for me, I'd like to get to a regular 3 mile walk a day. I'm going pretty late in the evening to the track because it's cooler, but I don't like to stay when it gets completely dark (which is at about 9 pm right now) I'll have to get there at 7:30 I guess. I think I'm doing 20-25 minute miles: I wonder what a 'good' time is for a walking mile? 10-15 minutes? Probably need to ask that on the exercise board.

Well I tried the asparagus and eggplant last night in a stirfry with the other veggies I like....and I gotta tell ya, not a fan of those two vegetables! I also tried to make a radish 'pototo' salad, an idea I got from the recipe board, and I really don't like radishes either! I know there are recipes for l.c. lasagna that uses eggplant, maybe I'll be ambitious one day and try that...but I don't think I'll be adding those veggies to my regular eats!

Also tried to make my own cheesecake treat last night...I didn't have all the ingredients for regular cheesecake...so I thought I'd be brilliant and make something new and fabulous- the batter was good, when baked- it was like weird tasting foam!

See ya Later!

[amhouse36]

Weight
235

Exercise
2.00 miles

I feel wiped out right now...felt like this all day! I didn't sleep well last night...probably go to bed earlier than usual tonight. I didn't want to walk the full 2 miles...I got frustrated at 1 mile because I lost track of the laps and forgot if I was a 1 mi or 1.25 mi...grrr, I hate that! So I may have actually walked 2.25 mi- we'll never know. Ooh, and I jogged a little tonight too

I maintained weight today...I'm tettering on 234, maybe I'll get there tomorrow. Not much of an appetite today- maybe I'm getting sick, I dunno. Need to get groceries, I'm out of meat *GASP!* was going to go to Walmart tonight, but just too darn tired...my feet are blistered and I have a limp...I remember getting this way when I use to run track...I limped all Spring! I overexerted myself back then though...now, I don't think 2mi is unreasonable but my body isn't use to movement of any kind!

I think I'll browse for recipe ideas tonight, go grocery shopping tomorrow.

Happy thoughts to get to 234!

[chakwaina37]

Wanted to stop in and say your doing a gr8 job, Congrats on the lose

[amhouse36]

Originally Posted by chakwaina37

Wanted to stop in and say your doing a gr8 job, Congrats on the lose

Thanks for the support! I've been browsing through your journal too

Weight
234

I tetter no more....officially at 234 I was worried that I'd gain because I ate a lot of cream cheese late last night- but it's all good! Woohoo!

Exercise
0.5 mi

Reason being it started to rain during my second lap. I was kinda thankful actually because I have a monster blister and my calves are tight...so today is somewhat a day of rest.

I'm trying to get some new recipes. I tried the 'mock danish' last night...I mixed it into kind of a soup (probably not suppose to do that) It was okay... not great. I was absolutely craving chocolate last night...so much so that I thought about going out at 3am to get some...ate some cream cheese instead. Gotta go to Walmart tonight...maybe get some sort of carb friend chocolate thing there.

4 pounds away from Goal #2!

[chakwaina37]

Hey Amber
Try the shake royal chocolate one freeze it for about 30 to an hr kinda makes it slushy helps with the chocolate craving a bit, or try the baskin robbins suger free mint chocolate chip hard candies. Im proud of you for not going out at 3am to get you something you won. good job . Now for me the hardest part is the exercising. I do go down stairs to walk on treadmill every few days which I guess is better then nothing huh? Sorry to hear about the blister that sure dont help either but Im so proud of you for trying to accomplish your exercise for the day And a big congrats on making your goal of 234 awesome job . chow for now

[amhouse36]

Thanks Chak for the encouragement- always appreciated!

Weight
234.5

Okay, sometimes the scale said 234, sometimes 235...I'll just call it 234.5!

Exercise
0 Mi

Yes, yes- I know, it's bad... but my feet are sore and I've been limping. I probably need to get new sneakers...the ones I have are pretty old- the shoe lace on one shoe is about to break anyways.

Went to Walmart last night, got some good stuff...low carb ketchup I thought about getting low carb yogurt again, but I know me...I'll eat it all...so I got sugar free, carb free jello and real whipped cream- yummy! I also got a ton of green beans to try to make mock french fries, the peeps in the recipe room swear they taste like french fries...uh, still tasted like green beans to me! I also got sugar free bakers chocolate (all other chocolates had too many carbs for my taste) it tastes pretty blah...added splenda to it, it's better. I have 'chocolate bites' in the fridge for a quick fix- but they don't taste that great. Tonight I'm kinda proud of myself cuz I made meatloaf with eggplant to substitute bread...and it was actually pretty good! I was about to throw out the eggplant (since it tastes BLAH!) But I noticed that when I stir fried it, it soak up a lot of butter...so I thought, hey I could use that for bread in meatloaf- woohoo! Also made loaded brocolli- also good. I might try to make a cheesecake tonight....tomorrow I'm making a 5lb turkey for dinner- cheesecake would be a good dessert! Oh, I also ordered Carbquik and Low carb BBQ sauce online...should get here before the end of the week.

Well, I hope to get walking again soon...depends upon my feet and the rain.

[Laprettygurl]

Congrats on hitting your first goal! We graduated highschool the same year (Has it really been almost 10 years? )

eta: we have the same goal weight too, lol. If you want to chat I am usually around. Send me a pm

[amhouse36]

Originally Posted by Laprettygurl

Congrats on hitting your first goal! We graduated highschool the same year (Has it really been almost 10 years? )

eta: we have the same goal weight too, lol. If you want to chat I am usually around. Send me a pm

Hi Pauline The system won't let me send you a personal message...guess they don't trust me yet? But you can chat with me here or I can find your journal So your class of '97 too, huh? Were you one of those people that loved high school or hated it? I hated it- couldn't wait to leave- I liked college much better! I do miss being that age though...and the '90's When I think of 1997, the first song that comes to my head is 'Don't Speak' by No Doubt...they played that song into the ground! But I still like it

So we're both losing 100pds to 140...good lord that seems far away, doesn't it...not as far for you right now...but dang far! Honestly I'd love to see the 120's again, but I'll try for 140 right now and we'll see! Talk to you later!

[amhouse36]

Weight
234.5

I honestly think I'm at 234, but it was so close that for the benefit of the doubt I'll still post 234.5

Exercise
0.25 Mi

Okay, theres a REASON I only walked one lap around the track...my feet were killing me! I don't know what is going on with them, especially my right foot and ankle- but it was very uncomfortable walking today so I quit early...its a shame cuz I got my Jamiroquai CD today in the mail and I was looking forward to listening to it while walking (has the song 'Canned Heat' on it, which was in 'Napolian Dynomite') I also bought new sneakers today, but I'm taking em back tomorrow...I'm not thrilled with them...I think they actually contributed to the pain! They're sketchers, but they're mostly white which is a 'no no' around here cuz we have red dirt that stains. I've been wearing New Balance for the last few years and have been happy with them, but haven't found a pair yet that feel right...I'm going to try Lady Foot Locker tomorrow.

Made turkey today...I gotta admit, I missed the mashed potatoes and gravy that usually go along with the turkey meal...I had salad and veggie stir fry which was fine, family said it tasted good- I felt 'eh' about it. I think it's because its not sugar and I'm just craving it! I also made the cheesecake last night...I made low carb cheesecake once before with the same result, it tasted weird...not like real cheesecake. It was very foamy- it was okay. Might ask recipe board how to make it better.

I have added berries back into the meal plan today- happy for the sweetness and the variety! Strawberries, blueberries, rasberries and blackberries- yum yum. Atkins says those are the first fruits to add back in- I just need to remember to eat in small doses- I just love fruit so much in comparison to vegetables. I have canned whipped cream which is probably a mistake cuz it's so easy to squirt a mouthful here and there (yes, I actually do that!) I'll try not to. Also got some diet coke...the kind with aspertame...I wanted to try cherry flavored. we'll see if I can keep drinking that to a minimum.

Hopefully I'll be solidly at 234 tomorrow- or less!

[Laprettygurl]

Hi again...well I guess I'll have to stalk you here, lol. I haven't written in my journal here in FOREVER. Oh well.

Ah yes, No Doubt! Remember a few years before that to Gangsta's Paradise? I really miss being a teenager. I only went to highschool half of the time. The rest was spent at the mall. :P I still graduated with honours though, lol.

The closer to under 200 you get the more it seems real that it'll happen. 140 is just a number I am shooting for because I've never been under 150/160 in forever!

You're doing awesome with the exercise. I am so lazy!! Keep it up!

[amhouse36]

Hey Pauline! Yep, I remember Gangsta Paradise- Coolio, right? Yeah, I miss my teen years too, especially now since I'm closing in on 30 *sigh* Are you going to go to your 10 year reunion? I graduated from high school in Florida, but I'd actually like to go to the reunion at my first school in upstate NY, I was k thru 9th grade there....mostly I just want to spy on people-lol. You gotta have a fantastic success story when you go to a reunion "Yes, I'm an astronaut now...I'm awesome"....I have no success story, AND I've gained 100 pounds....crappy!
I like you before and after pics! You can definitely see a difference- keep it up!

[amhouse36]

Weight
235

I tetter no more...I am officially at 235...again *sigh* It's discouraging, but I think I can pinpoint the cause....Ready Whip...I dumped the can in the sink and threw it away- I just have no self control when sugar is involved. I also had an Atkins Endulgence bar pretty late last night- it was good for chocolate cravings, not good for weight loss.

Exercise
0 mi

Yep, my diet and exercise plan has gone to hades and I know it I can't do anything with walking until my foot heals, I think I minorly injured my right foot so I can't walk until I let it heal. I'm going to be more strict with myself and cut off my eating after 7pm...maybe 8 (depending upon when I go to bed) I have a problem with late night snacking- probably screwing me up.

I got my carbquik and BBQ sauce today (yay) That was quick! And I did figure out how to make mock french fries with green beans- deep fry 'em!

Thats all for now!

[Laprettygurl]

My best advice to keep the weight going down steadily is to eat as naturally as possible.

See where you would have reddi whip (geez I can't believe I didn't see you mention that, sorry!) you could have some heavy cream whipped with sweetener. I'd also skip the carbquick for now and use minimal condiments. I stay far away from Atkin's products. They knock me right out of ketosis and I don't lose and I start to crave things!

What "version" of Atkins are you doing? There's so many, lol.

As for the highschool reunion. I don't know if we'd even have one! The school closed it's doors forever three years ago. If they did one I really have mixed emotions about going. Thanks about the avi! My bf requested pics and I thought it would make a good during pic.

[amhouse36]

Get ready for a late night ranting! I'm just mad at myself is all. I haven't strayed terribly far from Atkins Woe, but enough to stall my progress. Therefore, I'm reinducting myself tomorrow...going back to phase 1. That means getting rid of the berries ( I'll miss you berries) and staying away from the carbquik and diet soda. I agree with you, Pauline- yeah, I need to go back to natural foods. I have also found that Atkin's products stall me...I did buy Atkins shakes but I haven't had any yet....save them for a craving day in the future.

Something that has helped me come to this reinducting conclusion is a pic I put on my fridge recently....it is the most horridous picture I have of myself, it actually spurred me to do Atkins in 2004 because it is so bad...and it's just a head shot! Since I graduated from college in Jan 2002, my weight has pretty much stayed between 210-225....in 2004 it jumped briefly to 240- I saw that ugly pic of myself, went on Atkins, lost 30 pounds in 3 months...got to 210, ate a Papa Johns pizza, quit Atkins. Stayed in the 210-225 region again till April/May of this year when I got into the 230's...and finally 240. So I haven't been in the 230's more than a month, so I kinda figured I'd go back to 220's quickly...well, not as quickly as I'd like. I took a good long look at that ugly picture of myself- show's my double chin in all it's glory...I've taken some bad pictures over the years....I've been fat since 1998, but I'd say 'yeah, I'm heavy- oh well...whats for dinner'....I'd be sad but not upset enough to have a real commitment to lose weight. Well that picture forced me to see the real me, and I was disgusted with myself...so that picture now is a constant reminder of where I don't want to be if I keep eating poorly.

I guess tonight what caused me to decide to go back on induction is that I have realized that I didn't really give induction a fair shot...I'd cheat one day, go back the next day- sometimes not knowing I'm cheating. I recently learned that buttermilk is a 'no, no' and I used it to make homemade ranch dressing....now I use heavy cream, water and mayo. I think I've been eating too much cheese and sour cream...just too much dairy in general. I haven't been measuring anything- just guesstimating...I'm going to have to be more carb conscious. I also ate out a lot during this last induction and I had salad dressing that probably had sugar in it, and lc cheese cake...stuff that is probably questionable....I'm going to eat at home more this time. I have been pretty good about drinking my water, but I did buy diet coke and have crystal light in the fridge which will have to go for 2 weeks. Since I can't walk the track for a while I really need to be more strict with myself...I want to be normal sized again- Really! I'M GOING TO DO THIS!!!!
Okay, late night rant over- back to your regularly scheduled programming....

[chakwaina37]

I so understand what your feeling and saying, I have relized that i need to cut back on sausage, polish sausage,salami stuff like that. So Girl im right there with ya. Its gonna be a matter of learning our bodies and figuring out what we can and cant do. I know inductions feels so long and we want to be able to add some more carbs in but we both need to stick to induction for awhile longer I think. This is hard and one day we will get this down pat and it wont feel like such a major challenge it will come natrual to us to do it and not think twice. You CAN do it and Im right here behind ya cheering you on. One day we will look back on this and say hey look what we made it thru. Give yourself a big pat on the back cause you are still here and trying so very hard to get it right. Im proud of you for trying so hard to do this, your going to make it just keep strong and fight.

[amhouse36]

Well aren't you great Alene I appreciate the positive reinforcment- thanks I was just so frustrated last night- but I'm still here in the battle of the bulge....and I'm happy to have a friend out there so we can cheer each other onwards

[amhouse36]

Weight
235

Exercise
1 Mi

yep, got back on the track today although my ankle is aching right now- have an ace bandage around it. I went to Lady Foot Locker- got new sneakers, Asics- never got this brand before, but they work- also got socks that are suppose to keep sweat away from my feet and prevent blisters- definitely need that since it was a stupid blister that caused all this crap in the first place!

Took all of my 'phase 2' food to my Mom's house to get it away from me- already craving berries and diet coke. Went to the grocery store today and just wanted fruit so badly- it weird that I'm craving fruit instead of Dorito's- but there it is!

I did measure out my food today-although I hate doing that. I could start listing everything I eat- I really don't want to be that detailed but I'll try it for now...

B-none
L-Pork Chop, fried green beans w/ lc Ketchup
D-Chicken, salad with 3 tbsp of ranch dressing (actually measured the dressing...ugh) brocolli, fried green beans w/ lc ketchup
S- veggies, s/f jello

Baby Steps to goal 2......

[chakwaina37]

awesome job on the getting out walking agian, Hope your foot gets better fast for you. My big thing is giving up my soda but I dont mind the diet rite and i try to stick with one per day. I got me some more crystal light today thought Id try the orange flavor this time.

Well you kutgw and Im gonna go downstairs and get on treadmill, hey you walked with hurt foot so now i got to step it up and get to my walk.

hagd