Are we done?

I'm wondering if we're supposed to be posting "after" pictures now, or if we're continuing, or...?

Anyone, anyone, anyone...

Last week I only got to the gym one day, and the rest of the week was incredibly busy and stressful. On the upside, I got a new job. The downside of that of course is that my time is much more limited now because I have to start my training. I'm still going to try to fit in going to the gym and cooking a good dinner, but that's always a struggle with working, kids' school, kids' soccer, etc.

I did lose some weight over the past few weeks and I've seen some minor changes in my stomach and my legs, but I haven't taken any measurements yet. Let me know when to post my stats! I'm anxious to see how everyone else did too!

Doing better

I've been getting back to the gym a little more regularly after my week off, and my eating has gotten back on track. I'm not being very restrictive, but I make sure that I cook healthy dinners and I'm not eating any fried food or fast food. I've been averaging burning about 330 calories per trip to the gym, so I know that's helping!

I hope you all are doing well! So far today I've eaten a bowl of corn flakes with some milk, a cup of coffee, some water, cream of potato soup and a small turkey sandwich with a Diet Coke for lunch. I even went to Costco yesterday and I didn't eat ANY of the free samples!!!

OK, where'd everyone go???

I know that i am guilty also but, where the heck did everyone run off to?? is there anyone out there anymore?? i need to run alex up to the bus stop but believe me when i say... I WILL BE BACK!!

A little psychology and a lot of excuses

Ok, so, it would seem that merely the knowledge that I CAN'T have something makes me want it all the more. I made it about three days before I full on rebelled. I started with a little cheating, then just went "forget it." I had some big time PMS this week which didn't help, and then yesterday I woke up feeling the beginnings of a bladder infection. I'm ok now, successfully fought off and all that, but I obviously wasn't going to the gym feeling like that. I've been eating better for the last few weeks and have been going to the gym. I had lost a couple of pounds by doing that, and I've been binging more since trying to diet than I did before I started. So, I'm out with the diet. However, I am still all about being more conscious of what I'm eating and the quantity I'm eating. I'm also all about getting back into the gym every day next week. I haven't given up on trying to lose weight or get healthier, just changing the way in which I'm trying to accomplish these goals. I cannot live without bread or soda, so there it is. Today I even had two slices of pizza and half of a doughnut, but we were also painting the church all day, so I cut myself some slack! I'll still keep you all updated as to what I'm eating, but it's probably going to be a lot worse than what all of you are eating :)

Day 5

Well, I did pretty good today except for the stupid kid cookies. I thought I bought the nasty generic kind, but walmarts generic kind are pretty darn good!

• oatmeal ~ 160
• chili ~ ?? can't remember, but it wasn't bad. I had it figured out before, but the papers are packed with my kitchen stuff.
  
• flat iron steak? don't know that either. Matt threw the wrapper away before I looked at the info.
• too many cookies!!

I am not doing so hot. I hope the rest of you are doing better than me!

Have a great weekend.

Day 5's food journal

Woke up in a total binge mood but managed to maintain some control over myself....

120 - kids cliff bar - cant seem to stay away from these :(
170 - 1 oz pistachios
60 - 1/2 oz beef jerky
70 - white chocolate lindt ball
0 - 32 oz diet coke
105 - 3 laughing cow cheese
130 - 14 rice crackers

I'll add the rest of my day later and total up those calories. Right now there is 180 calories in the form of a kilt lifter calling my name!

180 - kilt lifter
1/2 jerky
1/2 oz almonds
2 slices of pizza
120 - another of those cliff bars

7 mi walk through town and back (Garin checked his GPS, not 8 miles although my blisters say otherwise). Will total calories later but it aint gonna be pretty.

Wanting to snack.

It's 2:15 on day 5 and I want to snack! I haven't blown it yet. I have had some of my pre portioned trail mix which isn't great because of the M&M's but that is all. I will write out the calories later. No gym today due to ankle owie. Too much running. Won't be able to hit the gym again until Monday.

Bye!

where has everyone been??

good afternoon ladies! where is my support?? where has everyone gone?? i posted pic's w/ not getting even one comment!! sniff sniff.... maybe everyone left already for the long weekend?? going slow today (even with the sun shinning bright!) had my smoothie for breakfast and getting ready to figure out what to have for lunch... check in ltr!

before pics of Erica - blech! come on after pics!!

Oops...

OK, I totally blew it tonight. I have been so frustrated and bloated, that tonight I figured, "what the heck" and went and had breadsticks at target. I was full after two of the three, but did I stop? NO! Bad Jennie!! I even had a couple of kid cookies. I was doing so well today!! I even got Nate a happy meal and didn't even steal a fry!

Here's the run down:

• 1/2 packet of oatmeal (couldn't finish the whole bowl) ~ 80
  
• balance bar after gym ~ 210
• 1 sugar free hard candy ~ 10
• turkey sandwich ~ 200 (had a whole. should have just had a half)
• 2 kid cookies ~ 120 (WOW!!!! the little generic brand oreo type)
• breadsticks ~ 140...each!!! AURGH!!! total ~ 480!!! Oh my...
• 2 or 3 more cookies as I walked by the table...oops. let's just say ~ 200

Grand total about 13oo calories. At least a burned a couple hundred off at the gym.

It's frustrating to feel like you are working so hard and not feel any results. Looking back to my food journal from February 23rd, I was 12 pounds lighter. Two days after starting, I was down two pounds and even wrote down that I felt skinnier already because the bloated feeling was gone from drinking pop. I think that is why I'm so discouraged this time. I feel just as huge and bloated.

Well, as Scarlett used to say...tomorrow is another day.

I hope you all had a better day than I did. Where are all the posts? It's so quiet!

Day four!!!

Good evening ladies!

So i started the day off on another good note with a smoothie, hard boiled egg and coffee...

Jennie, thanks for coming over and taking pic's of me (even though i wasn't that happy with the way they turned out!!) I will get those posted as soon as i am done typing this! after jennie left for home, i ran up to grocery outlet and picked up some frozen fruit and craisins

I don't remember what i had for lunch but i am sure it consisted of a salad and other greens... :P

We had Alex's open house at school so I had another salad....

I don't think i have eaten enough because my head is pounding right now... i need sugar!!!

have a good evening!
Erica

Ugh! Day 4

Guilty of late night snacking again last night. So, just for the record, add a childrens cliff bar and 1/2 oz of pistachios.

Today
0 - 64 oz DC - (I had an anxious day between job interview & dr's appt and DC is my vice)
120 - Lara Bar
70 - 1 oz original jerky
330 - 1 fajita pita
180 - kilt lifter

It's 5:00 now so the rest of my calories are yet to be determined
************************************************************
170 - 1 oz pistachios (I wish we'd hurry up and run out of those)
240 - protein bar
0 - 32 oz water

a 4.2 mile walk through Ferndale.

If I can get myself to stop eating tonight that puts me at 1110 for the day!

One more good note:
The doctors scale says Ive lost 4lbs since last week! That's not 4 lbs in 4 days, just 4 lbs since I was at the doctors last.

9 days until my three hour intro to vinyasa yoga class.

Time Magazine Article

An article from Time Magazine: Why Exercise Wont Make you Thin

So day 3 was ok

Still have a killer headache and am starting to think it's not the lack of caffeine. Maybe reducing my soda intake has left me needing more water? Duh, ya think? Will try to remedy it tomorrow though.

0 - 32 oz DC
210 -Lara Bar
30 - Carrot
190 - Chilli
120 - Cliff bar
500 - whole grain spaghetti noodles 5 oz
80 - sauce 1/2 cup
160 - meatballs-6
0 - 32 oz water


Total 1290...if I added right

Bad News
Somehow had a total brain fart on the spaghetti noodles. Had it in my head that I needed to measure out 5 oz? What was I thinking? No wonder it felt like such a gut bomb by time I was finished.
Good News
The pasta was whole grain and I got some water in today

....and that's all she wrote

No More Dairy

I think I need to knock off the dairy, also. I have been using milk with my cereal and I feel so fat and bloated. I don't feel any better at all and I usually notice improvement by now when I am heating healthy. I usually don't have any milk, so I am hoping that is what is going on. It would be nice to feel better after so much exercise and healthy eating!

Finally Home...

Busy day. Feels like they are all like that.

Got the kids to the bus by 7:30 and got back home to get ready for the gym and get Nathaniel ready. Loaded up the groceries and headed out after a bowl of cereal...again. :(- Ran for 30 minutes and did some weights, got a berry smoothie and headed to my parents. Oh, I also turned into McDonalds on accident. It was total auto pilot. I pulled in to the Fred Meyer lot to get gas and the next thing I new I was pulling into the drive through lane. I had to do some quick maneuvering to get my truck out of there and went to get the gas. Too funny!

Made chili, boiled eggs, did dishes that I brought from my bathtub, made little 160 calorie snack bags of trail mix (to avoid over eating) and watched 17 again while the baby napped. Had a bowl of chili and some trail mix (I know, not good, but not McDonalds!!) and loaded back up to get the kids from the bus. Now I need to get some things put away and get my kids to work on handwriting.

Hope you are all having a good day! I am going to have tuna for dinner...I think. My planning ahead never really works. :)

1st 1/2 of Day 3

Last night ended horrible. Garin & I watched TV with an entire bag of pistachios and I'm sure I ate more than an ounce. So, add another 170 to yesterday. I hate late night snacking!

Today, so far so good. Lara Bar(210) & wendy's chilli (190) and of course my daily DC!

Bought a new bottle of essential oils for my smoothies and a book from Costco called The end of Over Eating. I find if I read health related articles while dieting I do better. Keeps me focused I guess. I'll let you know if it's any good :)

day three... the hardest so far!

Good morning ladies! i think today is going to be the hardest day so far... my tummy is extra growly today wanting more bad than good - i need some extra encouragement from you ladies~ i can do this, it will be worth it in the end...i will look better in my clothes... i am beautiful...

thanks! it's just going to be hard today, i can already tell!

No oatmeal :(

I went to go make oatmeal and I can' t even do that! I don't have any bowls that I can use for the microwave! Bake to cereal again. I really wanted oatmeal. So frustrating. It's hard to eat healthy with no kitchen.

End of day two....

Good evening ladies, I survived day two of seriously cutting back and watching what i am stuffing in my face! I SURVIVED!!! WHOOO HOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!

Alex went for a walk with me (he rode his bike) and believe it or not, it felt great! I was supposed to walk w/ a neighbor this evening but she had a migraine. We plan to meet tomorrow afternoon to make up for today. For dinner i split a chicken breast with Alex and paired it w/ asparagus. it was really yummy! drank milk w/ dinner.

For a little treat to pass the time while watching the tube, I had raw almonds w/ craisins again while Rick popped popcorn-i hate him for doing that to me! he told me he was doing it for me! yeah right! he gave me the old maids to make up for it ( my fav ) so he is forgiven!

I came up here early to get some extra sleep so i better get to bed!
Thanks again everyone!
Erica

Day 2 totals

Just so I'm keeping track there was 590 from this morning plus 175 (beer) + 100 (veggies) + 130 (Honey Mustard) + 35 (rice cake) + (100) Tuna w/ miracle whip

So that's 1130 for day 2

I think on PRISM women needed at least 1000 calories and no more than 1200 calories

Day two for Chris

I did ok today, not quite as well as yesterday, but I was losing some motivation. I didn't make it to the gym today and I ate a little more "off-limits" stuff than I should have, but I had cramps and general ickiness feeling. You figure out why.

Breakfast consisted of oatmeal and coffee, then I had a turkey sandwich on wheat bread (I'm sorry, I had to do some bread. VERY limited food in the pantry and a very hungry Chris) and some leftover rice from last night, and a Diet Coke. Later for a snack I had a couple of crackers (low calorie and fat) and some carrots, as well as another Diet Coke. I had some water during Dono's soccer practice, then came home and made teriyaki stir fry with beef, green pepper, green onion, garlic, and some rice. I then two more Diet Cokes, sorry, followed by two chocolate chip cookies. All in all, not as good as yesterday, but I still feel pretty good about how I'm doing. I didn't drink as much water as usual, and had more soda, so I'll try to cut out that fourth Diet Coke again tomorrow and do more water. The soda and the bread are the hardest things for me to cut out.

On the upside, I got some money I was waiting for today so that I can actually buy a full amount of groceries for the house instead of the absolute bare minimum! Tomorrow I'm going to make a list and pick up some healthier options for snacking and desserts, since those are my biggest vices. Sounds like we're all off to a pretty good start!

Day Two Update

Here is what I had today:

• cereal ~ 230
• 1/2 turkey sandwhich (I know, I had bread, but I had to eat and I have no kitchen! I buy the Sara Lee 45 calories per slice) ~ 75
• carrots ~ 30
• baked potato ~ 270
• balance bar ~ 210
• water

I think that is all. I can't remember anything else. I'm trying to keep a journal, but it is downstairs and I'm not getting up. :)

Tomorrow I am hitting the gym and then going to my parents house to make chili and boil eggs. I love to snack on hard boiled eggs, but I don't like the yolk. I save it for Matt to have on salads.

Good luck everyone!

Calories

I just read some of your posts....is there a calorie limit?

I need some more suggestions for breakfast foods! The original flavored instant oatmeal is approaching its limit...two days in a row is plenty! I know that some of you are making smoothies out of fruit....so is it okay to have fruit even with the natural sugar?

missing kidney

Ok, didnt have the beer & carrots last night.

So today I went for the jerky again with my DC around 11:00 (250). Bag of baked lays with another 16oz of DC around 4:00 (120). Lara Bar around 6:00 (220) and most likely tuna on a rice cake for dinner with broccoli & carrots and maybe some more pistachios just cause I have them around and need more calories. Would like to get better at drinking water, having a healthier variety, exercise and vitamins but all in all not bad for day 2. Haven't been that hungry but the caffeine headaches are kill'n me! Pretty sad when going down to 32oz's a day is cutting back :)

On a better note I purchased a lindt white chocolate ball out of habit and managed to not only NOT eat it but I gave it away so I wouldn't be tempted later. Just so those of you who don't know me as well as Jennie understand, this is equivalent to giving away a kidney.

End of day one and doing good on day two so far!!

For lunch yesterday I had a small tuna salad with balsamic vinegar. (YUMMO) For snack i had craisins and almonds. I ended yesterday on a great note with ONE chicken/black bean burrito with salsa and cheese. The hardest part of this is saying no to "treats" in the evening!!

So I started the day well again (very proud of myself!) with a fruit smoothie and coffee... woke up VERY hungry so I ate it willingly!

I was low on fruits and other things so I made a run to Fred Meyer to stock up a little bit - came home with banana's, plouts, strawberries and protein powder for my smoothies. picked up some chicken breasts and salad/spinach/carrots and broccoli

For lunch today i had another tuna salad minus the balsamic vinegar. the vinegar was a little overwhelming!!

Dinner is the hardest to plan for me! I can only do so much chicken!!

Jennie, if you want to come measure me Thursday that would be great!! morning works best for me!

Thank you for all of your positive posts! It is very helpful to know that there are others out there struggling like I am, that there are others kicking themselves for letting themselves get to this place yet again!!!

HUNGRY!!!

I want to snack on something so badly!!! Maybe I'll break out the olives.