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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 October 2007 05:49 am |
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Bonjour!
I discovered this forum a few days ago. I randomly fell on Suenos' diary. I thought it was a real success-story, very-well written. The girl was intelligent and motivated, and made me realize that it was not that difficult to loose weight. You just need to really want it.
This forum is exactly what I was looking for: a smart place to receive and give support. I had already been on this kind of forum in France, but sport and exercise (going to the gym everyday) is not in the French mindset. So basicly, the girls were starving. The posts were like "how much calories should I eat if I want to loose 6kg (13lbs) in 2 weeks?" or "Anyone has tips to eat less than 500kc per day?". I cannot deny that the girls were very supportive, but most of them were severely anorexic and the philosophy of the forum was not healthy.
But now I feel like I've found a forum I can be proud to belong to!
So let me introduce myself.
My name is Cassandre, I am 23. I am French -that is why my English may sound approximative sometimes- and I arrived in the United-States exactly 2 months ago in order to complete my studies as a graduate student in Finance and Economics. This is a quite stressful field and I tend to eat when I feel anxious. This added to the fact that American food is very different from French food, and I am a curious person! I always want to try! I especially love corn bread, burritos, carrot-cake and cottage cheese.
Cottage cheese is not really a problem since I like it light, but I fear to be allergic to dairies... including soy milk. So I try to avoid them.
When I arrived in San Francisco 2 months ago, I weighted 116 pounds. I gained 2.
That is not much, but if I gain one pound every month, I'll be 36 pounds heavier at the end of my studies. So I want to change my habits now.
Here is what I want to achieve :
1. Try to maintain a well-balanced diet (eating fruits and vegetables, avoiding rich foods)
2. Stop snacking, especially to comfort myself when I face a difficulty (stress due to school, disappointment, anxiety...). In other words, be more aware of emotional triggers.
3. Make the gym part of my life! As I said, it is not in my culture to go to the gym, but since I have a YMCA next block, I should seize the opportunity.
4. My last goal is obviously to loose the weight I gained since I arrived, and even a little bit more. I'd love to be 114 lbs. I think I am beautiful when I am 114 lbs. I feel it is a reasonable goal since I am 5 feet and 4 inches.
The reason I decided, today, to join the forum, is that I had this delicious but fat fat fat cheesecake pumpkin muffin at 5. That was not necessary at all and it made me feel nauseus and guilty. This happens quite frequently actually. I want to be strong enough to stop that.
I'll post what I eat everyday. It will help me being more aware of my food-related-behavior. I will share my feelings, my moods, maybe my stories  I will also write about sport : how long I exercized, how I felt afterwards...
And I will read the other diaries. Because all this is about mutual support!
Wow!! this is my first post and I already feel the motivation growing!!Last edited on 16 October 2007 08:36 pm by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 October 2007 07:46 am |
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First report
Gym -180kc
I went to the gym but I could only stay 25 minutes because I started feeling dizzy. I guess it's because I've been studying for the exams all day and never took the time to go out for a walk.
Anyway, I did some cardio on the elliptical bike. They say I burnt 300kc but I don't really trust this. I think it's more like 60% of what the machine says, i.e. -180kc.
Dinner +320kc
After that, I came back home, took a long and warm shower and had dinner. I am alone tonight, my boyfriend's away for a workshop.
I had half a low-fat burrito +150kc with some salad and a tomato +30kc. And a yoghurt light for the desert +50kc , with 3 rice cakes 90kc.
I think I had about 1600kc earlier in the day. With my usual almost-zero-level of activity, I estimate my "break-even" number of calories to be 1450 per day.
I really don't understand when I read that the normal intake of calories, for a young woman, should be 2000kc daily. This is obviously not a woman who goes to school or works in an office! Or do I have a low metabolism?
Do you have an idea of how many calories your body consumes each day?
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 13 October 2007 10:49 am |
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Cassandre wrote: I really don't understand when I read that the normal intake of calories, for a young woman, should be 2000kc daily. This is obviously not a woman who goes to school or works in an office! Or do I have a low metabolism?
Do you have an idea of how many calories your body consumes each day?
1) that "average woman" is taller and heavier than you, that's all
2) use the BMR & RMR Calculator to find the answer that is applicable to your body
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Ohm
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 October 2007 12:10 pm |
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Welcome to CPH, Cassandre. If you read the tutorials you will understand a little more about how what we eat iand what activities we do each day influences our body weight.
In short, the taller you are and the more muscle you carry the more calories your body will need just to sit and exist. You can get calculate a basal metabolic rate (BMR) using the calculators, which figure will indicate a rough idea of how many calories your body will use in a 24 hour period without any extraneous activity - this is the amount of energy your body will burn just by being you and fcillitating all the chemical reactions inside your won body, beating your heart,breathing, etc. Obviously, this figure is only a rough estmate, becasue two people of the same weight may have wildly differing proportionsof body fat and muscle. The one with the higher muscle content would actually burn more calories in his or her BMR because muscle is calorie active even at rest, wheras fat is not - so don't get too hung up on the BMR figures.
The important thing is to eat less calories than you burn so that the body will be forced to draw upon its stored fat reserves for energy. The best way to do this is, obviously, to exercise (to increase the number of calories you burn) and to ensure that you limit your calorie intake to a sensible level, where you are getting all the macro and micro nutrients your body needs. After all, there is no benefit to becoming incredibly slim and elegant if your nails, skin and hair are in a terrible state due to poor nutrition, is there? It is worth remembering that below 1000 calories a day you virtually cannot ensure that your body receives even the basic requirements of protein, vitamins and minerals - so it is sensible to stay above that level. A lot of people choose not to go below 75% of RMR (see tutorials)- but that figure is contentious, for various reasons.
Anywa, welcome to the forums. I am sure you will receive the help and support you need to stay on track.
Becci
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suenos
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 13 October 2007 05:02 pm |
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Bonjour!
And that's exactly 1/3 of my entire French vocabulary.
I have a friend who spent a year studying in Paris (I"m still jealous)...she too described it as an "anti-gym" culture. Personally I am a self-confessed gym rat but I'd happily go without for year to live in Paris....oh well.
Thanks for the kind comment about me in your opening post (even though I felt a bit like I was reading my own eulogy )...in my case I had a massive amount to lose.... so I respect your "early intervention" approach to not letting your weight get out of control in the first place...soooo much easier to deal with a few extra pounds now rather than 70 pounds later.
And, you said something I loooove:. "I think I am beautiful when I am 114 lbs." The one thing I really like about this forum is the emphasis on "healthy" rather than "fast" or "fad"....but you know, sometimes when you're eyeing that "delicious but fat fat fat cheesecake pumpkin muffin" being "healthy" is just not sufficient motivation to walk away. In those cases I totally rely on pure feminine vanity - nothing more or less than I simply like the way I look at this weight far, far more than I'm gonna like the taste of that random bit of fattening yumminess.
Welcome & good luck.
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 13 October 2007 06:54 pm |
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ok, I'm going to mention my Paris/gym experience. I am a fan of exercise classes. In September 2005 (about 4 months before I arrived at the  forum) I was on an 8-day stay in Paris where my brother was living at the time. I was a member of Fitness First and they had a branch. My brother was a late riser so in the mornings I entertained myself by going to the gym. There was always a class at 9am or 9.30am and these classes were very well attended (given the time of the day, I imagined these were mostly housewives) - you certainly had to fight for your space. Unlike over here were choreographed step is rare, they had a step class almost every day, it was very complicated (credit to the instructors) and everybody kept up without a problem. The only directions I was able to take from the instructors were "Le Step Touche, agosh, adroit" I was lost with anything else 
So I got a rather different impression of the Paris gym culture - dedicated, fanatical, co-ordinated
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Ohm
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 October 2007 07:02 pm |
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Totally off topic, but I had to do this:
I can say: Un chasseur, sachant bien chasser, doit savoir chasser sans son chien.
I can actually say it! Go me!
Becci
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 October 2007 07:33 pm |
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Thank you Nir, Ohm and Suenos for your early support! Haha, yes! French classes of step are not really accessible. Too much choreographed so the beginners don't feel they are the welcome. But it's the consequence (and the cause) of what I said : most of French never go to the gym, so you only find gym freaks in the clubs! I am happy it's different here. It makes me feel more comfortable.
I think keeping an online diary will be really positive for two reasons at least:
- The first is obvious : the support and the knowledge & experience of the other members.
- The second... well, using the nutrition calculator and writing in a language that is not mine takes time! It is not time I lose: it's time I don't spend in the kitchen. So I win :)
I will probably leave several posts each day for discussion on my diary, but I will put all the food & exercise info in the same one so that it's easier to over-view. I will update it after each significant event!
Suenos, you're my role model!
And Nir, it was : "à gauche, à droite"! (to the left, to the righ)Last edited on 14 October 2007 02:14 am by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 October 2007 07:43 pm |
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Premier jour (First day)
It seems you enjoy some French :)
 Breakfast +244 kc
There is something I like to eat in the morning: half a small grilled pita bread stuffed with black bean & banana puree. I usually use half of a banana or less, and 2 tablespoons of black bean and crush them with a fork. With the information on the package, I estimate it to represent 50+50+30 = 130kc
I also had 100g of cottage cheese (I can't resist) +70kc, and half of an apple +40kc
I entered the foods in the Nutrition calculator, and here's what came out:
Calories - 244.1
Protein - 17.9
Fat - 1.3
Carb - 42.4
Fiber - 5.6
Sodium - 625.3
I don't know what is the right intake for each of these categories. I don't even know what's the unit of measure (the 625.3 kind of frightens me). I'll have to check that.
Lunch +320 kc
lunch at 11:30am.
1 garden salad from Trader Joe's +100kc with a very small slice of forest ham +30kc, and 4 crackers +40kc. Then a fat-free yoghurt +50kc, 2 rice cakes +60kc, and half an apple 40kc. I used the information on the packages. And I consider an apple to be 80kc.
Snack +310 kc
For snack I stuffed half a pita bread with salad, a sliced tomato and some black beans. I also spread one serving of this "laughing cow" cheese in its light version. I was so surprised to find it in the States! we have the same in France, called La vache qui rit. Too funny. This adds up to 90kc + 10kc + 30kc +30kc + 35kc = 190kc. I also had a Yoplait yoghurt called Apple Turnover (100kc), which is delicious! You should try.
I almost forgot, my boyfriend will be back tonight. On the phone he asked me to prepare some chocolate Jell-o (gelatin pudding, another of my American discoveries) for our movie-night. So I did it. And of course I licked the bowl ;) +20kc.
It is 4:15 pm and I ate 874kc. Next step : the gym club.
Hum... later. I want to study one hour before! I have an exam next week.
 Workout -210 kc
I finally decided to go to the YMCA at 5:30 pm. The elliptical bike I like was already taken so I tried another one. I pedaled for 30 minutes, level 11 to burn more calories, but I was too difficult and after 30 minutes I had to stop. Next time I'll stick to level 9! The bike has a calorie monitor that displayed "300kc". It doesnt seem realistic. I cannot believe I would burn 600kc if I runned for one hour. Would I? Anyway I decided to only count 70% of the calories, which make -210kc, and that's not so bad!
It is now 6:42 pm, my calorie-balance is 874-210 = 664... which leaves me a beautiful margin to finish the day!
Dinner +360 kc
Dinner at 7:39 pm. Salad Trader Joe's (I took off all the nuts and blue cheese) +180kc (instead of +400kc). A cup of cottage cheese with a tablespoon of marmelade +130kc. A peach +50kc. One hour after, my boyfriend comes back and we eat this Jell-o thing: +100kc.
Calorie-balance : 1124kc.Last edited on 14 October 2007 06:46 am by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 October 2007 07:43 pm |
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Feel free to correct me when I make English mistakes. I really want to improve!
Wow, it's already ten here!
Everybody have a great day!
Last edited on 13 October 2007 07:45 pm by Cassandre
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zenobia
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 14 October 2007 01:55 pm |
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cassandre
Hello and welcome! i hope you are enjoying yourself here! especially in san francisco (my soul belongs to san francisco). anyway, i just wanted to give my salutations, let you know your engilish is quite proper, and you are very wise to nip any potential weight problems before they become "problems".
enjoy yourself here! i am thrilled you dicovered Trader Joe's (it's a great place).
Take care
~Zenobia
p.s.- i love french... to a year of it in college, but i really don't remember much (this was only about a year ago, too!)- it's a beautiful language!
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voodoodoll
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 14 October 2007 03:46 pm |
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| Hi Cassandra! welcome to the forum i am in awe of your english, it is excellent! good luck with your weight loss goals. like zenobia says, you are very wise to tackle the problem whilst it is still small i wish i could have been that disciplined!
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 14 October 2007 08:04 pm |
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Deuxième jour (Second day)
Breakfast +300 kc
I woke up at 9 today. I had half a small grilled pita bread (90kc) stuffed with black beans (30kc) and crushed banana (60kc). + Cottage cheese (65kc) + one maki (55kc). I know it's weird to eat maki in the morning, but I usually don't. Except that, I think I ate quite the same as yesterday morning.
I am a little worried because my boyfriend, his friend and I are having lunch outside today, and my boyfriend feels like going to Burger Meister. It's going to be "1 kid burger and 1 diet coke please... no fries".
To tell the truth, the worse is not really eating at the restaurant. It's this state of mind I get when I leave. I have very blurred thoughts in my mind: "I ate a more than I should have so my diet is totally ruined for today. Let's have an Ice cream at Ben & Jerry's! Or let's make cornbread!" So I have to stay vigilant. I don't want this to happen again!
Lunch +550 kc
12:30 pm. So I had this small hamburger with no cheese, nothing, and some salad. I'm sure it's worth 400kc. Plus a cone at McDonalds. I know it's a shame to go there but those ice-creams are only 150kc. I asked the girl to show me the calories table! We walked aroung in Haight street for two hours so I think I'll be ok. Now I'm back, I'm going to do my homework! I got an exam on tuesday.
Snack +330 kc
Apple 80kc, 3 rice cakes 130kc, the 2 maki left 120kc. That's a lot of calories for a snack, especially on a day where I don't go to the gym...
Dinner +415 kc
My stomach was a little bit upset tonight, for no reason. It's just something that happens to me from time to time. I have IBS, I'll explain more in another post. Anyway, I didn't feel like eating too much raw vegetables tonight so I had Italian pastas (220kc) with some salad and one serving of my friend: the Laughing Cow!!! (35kc). One Apple turnover yoghurt (100kc) and some crackers (60kc).
Snack +60 kc
Snack before sleep: a peach +60kc
Bad score today : 1655kc. It doesn't help losing weight but I dont think it can make me gain some either. And I want to do better tomorrow!
This online diary helps so much! All along the day I feel like the forum members stay with me and support me! And I'm sure this feeling will get stronger with time. I love this forum!!
Now I want a huuuuuge glass of water!Last edited on 15 October 2007 07:49 am by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 14 October 2007 08:09 pm |
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 Weight curve
I will update this post everytime I go to the YMCA (they have a weight-scale).
October 13 .............. 117.8 lbs
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Javan
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 15 October 2007 02:50 am |
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Hello Cassandre,
I just read your first few posts and already can see your determination. Good Thing. Once of the main reasons that people fail is due to lack of proper motivation. I look forward to reading more. On the positive note, you are already ahead of the gain in that your goal is not far away, you merely have to set up a good routine and stick to it!
My girlfriend grew up in Quebec and spent half of her childhood in French schools, the other in English schools, yet the culture is all french and her choices of foods are quite similar. I find it so refreshing!
Good Luck.
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 15 October 2007 06:58 pm |
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Troisième jour (Third day)
Breakfast +235 kc
I woke up at 8:30 today. I had half a small grilled pita bread (60kc) stuffed with salad and a sliced tomato (20kc), half a serving of light cheese (20kc) and a small piece of turkey ham (30kc) . I also ate a blueberry yoghurt (45kc) with 2 rice-cakes (60kc).
Program for today: studying, gym, studying!
Workout -240 kc
35 minutes at the gym -400kc x 60%
Calorie-balance -5 !!
Lunch +260 kc
Garden salad from Trader Joe's (salad, corn, carrots, sunflower seeds) +100kc. Yolait yoghurt +100kc. Half of a banana +60kc.
I wanted to save a margin: this afternoon I'm going to study with a friend in a lovely café... The one where I bought the evil pumpkin cupcake! I won't do the same mistake this time, but I'll surely have a healthier biscuit to go with my tea~
Snack +300 kc
1 Aussie bite (huuuum, delicious) +70kc with some tea 0kc. My friend had a part of cheesecake and a weird bread stuffed with meet. The whole thing probably totaled 900kc. But he's a guy. For some reasons, men can do things that comen can't.
I then had a real snack when I got back home : cottage cheese (60kc) with crushed banana (120kc) and clack beans (50kc).
Dinner +370 kc
Half a burrito (100kc) + beans (50kc) and salad (15kc). Yoghurt (45kc) + 2 rice-cakes (60kc) + a thin slice of carrot cake (100kc). It's all about small pieces and half-things!
colorie -balance: 925.
Last edited on 16 October 2007 04:59 am by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 15 October 2007 09:43 pm |
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Weight curve
I will update this post everytime I go to the YMCA (they have a weight-scale).
October 13 .............. 117.8 lbs
October 15 .............. 117.4 lbs
Weight
118 |
118 |.*
117 |..........*
117 |
117 |
117 |
116 |
116 |
117 |
115 |____________________________________
........13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 .. Days of October
Last edited on 15 October 2007 10:01 pm by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 16 October 2007 08:32 pm |
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About my relationship
(and how it affects my nutrition)
The day didn't start very well. I had an argument with my boyfriend because I tend to feel alone these days. I know he's very busy with school and other projects he has, but when he has free time, usually for breakfast or dinner, he goes on YouTube and watches soccer videos. And I'm not supposed to talk to him when he watches soccer videos. So I asked him to try to make some time and he replied something totally stupid: "ok, if you want to wake up at five in the morning". So I said "Then it seems we will never be able to talk anymore!". And I left because I needed to buy some fruits for breakfast. I tried not to have a nice word.
I knew he would be gone when I would come back. I just wanted him to feel bad for being so distant (I know he loves me, that's just the way he is). But when I came back, and saw he was gone, I was the one to feel really sad...
I love him, he's the greatest guy I've ever met: attractive, smart, determined, hard-working and well-organized. I know I can trust him and I do. When I met him, I called him Mr Perfect. But living with Mr Perfect has a counterpart, it makes you feel like sh*t.
My boyfriend is type one diabetic so very early in his life, he learnt how to eat well and control his blood sugar. He eats accordingly to what his body needs. And also, he exercises almost every day. I think his condition built-up his mind. When his sugar level is to high, he has to take a shot, and when his sugar level is too low, he needs to eat. Unless he'll die. A life threat is a good incentive to do things. But people without diabetee do not experience this kind of ultimatum, for sure not on a daily basis. So we tend to evade our responsibilities from time to time... dream away.
He doesn't.
The consequence is that my perfect boyfriend cannot understand human weaknesses, for instance impulse behaviors and eating disorders. When I tell him that I tend to be compulsive with food, he just answers coldly "don't eat that cake then". Life seems so easy seen through is eyes. Black or white! Something is wrong? Change it!.
But I guess this forum (and many others) wouldn't exist if it was so easy.
I guess it's human nature, sometimes, we need support.
To come back to what happened this morning, here's the carrot-cake story. Carrot-cakes are my favourite cakes in the world :)
So my boyfriend doesn't want to share the carrot cake he buys from time to time... because he's afraid that I will eat it all in one day.
When I came back home this morning after our argument, I opened the fridge to put the fruits in. And guess what I found, hidden behind all his yoghurts?
A carrot cake.
This clearly means "don't touch my cake (you bulimic girl!)'. Or at least, that's what it means to me. I felt very hurt. And though I had no intention to eat, I felt the sudden urge to. I kind of controlled it in the end. I told myself "it's time to stop, go on the forum and make your report!" That's what helped me. Otherwise, I would still be eating. Even maybe his #%@& cake.
PS: I love my boyfriend, I really do. But it's damaging my self-esteem.Last edited on 16 October 2007 08:49 pm by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 16 October 2007 08:35 pm |
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Quatrième jour (Fourth day)
Breakfast +570 kc
The day didn't start very well. I explained this in the previous post. So here's what I ate: A blueberry yoghurt (100kc) with 3 rice-cakes (90kc). An apple (80kc) plus a banana (120kc) plus some grapes (40kc). A peanut-butter Z-bar (140kc).
Lunch +270 kc
Salad + one egg (100kc). Fruit salad: mango, apple, plum (170kc)
Snack +460 kc
Cereal bar (140), Yoghurt (130kc), plum (50kc), crackers (140kc)
Dinner +350 kc
Miso soup (50k) Japanese noodle soup (200kc), Japanese beans (100kc)
Hum... 1650 kcLast edited on 17 October 2007 05:56 pm by Cassandre
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Ohm
Senior Member
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Posted: 16 October 2007 08:46 pm |
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Ah, Cassandre, cherie, the path of love never runs smooth. You are right, these problems, or ones like them, surface in every relationship. There are always little niggles even between the most perfect and compatible partners.
I have friends who swear that they and their partner have never had a harsh word - I don't believe them. Personally, I love my husband, but there are things about him that drive me mad - I know that there are things about me that drive him mad - so every now and again we have a complete blow out - we threaten to divorce eachother and blame everything on each other (from the new scratch on the car's paintwork to the new traffic restrictions in Newcastle). It is very cathartic. Although it is an upheaval, everything runs more smoothly afterwards. At first it frightened us both, but now we know that this is part of our relationship, and to get everything out in the open is healthy (for us) and gives a safe release of tension.
I'm not necessarily suggesting the same for you - but don't be afraid of conflict. Surviving conflict can make you stronger.
Becci
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 16 October 2007 09:32 pm |
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Thank you so much for your support Ohm. I totally agree that conflict (and some shouting) helps clearing most of little issues. I even believe it's an American political scientist who wrote about conflict and its soothing effects. This is very wise.
In my family, in France, we were always shouting the ones on the others. It's surely a strange way of life, but the fact is that we never kept resentment toward each others. I can even say that the brother I was fighting with the more... is the one I get along the best with. (I'm not sure the grammar is right).
My boyfriend doesn't really agree with that. He was an only child. For him, conflict means failure. When I start speaking louder (which I noticed, prevents me from crying) he just refuses talks and leave. This blocks my catharsis!
Instead, when he has a reproach to make, he speaks very quietly and it frightens me! It sounds so serious and cold to me that I can't help but imagining all the anger such a voice may contain.
But writing about that helps me seing clearer. He's not trying to make me feel bad. It's just that we have different codes and interpreations for social behaviors. After all, we have different cultures... even different languages!
Oh... 
He just called me on the phone to make sure I was ok.
Thank God I didn't eat the carrot-cake!!
...Thanks Ohm!
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Ohm
Senior Member
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Posted: 16 October 2007 10:05 pm |
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Now this I understand. I am a woman of mixed race (my mother's family is maori - New Zealand, my father was white, British anglo-saxon descent) and my husband (God bless him and keep him) is a Nepali Brahmin!
We are separated by gender (he's male, I am female), by culture/nationality (he's Nepali , I'm just a British woman), by colour (he's South Asian, I'm mixed race), by educational discipline (he's in disaster management, I'm a psychologist), by age (he's 5 years younger than I am), by language (he speaks Hindi, I speak English) and by social class (he's a Brahmin - the highest of the castes, I'm a woman of no particular class - I'm the first generation to go to university and the only person of my generation to have done so).
So I do understand. We shout - it works for us! If you are meant to be together you will find a way through it - if you weren't meant to be together, just enjoy yourself while you can.
Becci
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 17 October 2007 06:41 pm |
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Cinquième jour (Fifth day)
Breakfast +260 kc
This morning I had for breakfast... a few Japanese noodles that were left from yesterday (and that were much better yesterday) (80kc) plus some Edamame beans (Japanese bean, I love them!) (60kc). A small piece of carrot-cake that my boyfriend gently offered me (70kc) and a plum (50kc).
Now it's time to study! I have a difficult exam this afternoon... Managerial accounting! I hope my stomach will stay quiet, life with irritable bowel syndrome is not always easy...
Lunch +430 kc
I decided to start a non-dairy wheat-free gluten-free diet! After all, it is very likely that my IBS is the consequence of some food intolerance. If I feel better in less than one week, I'll draw my conclusions.
Salad (90kc) and a slice of gluten-free bread (90kc). A gluten-free non-dairy plain yoghurt (not so exciting but if it can make me feel better, I'm ready to accept its friendship) (110kc) and a gluten-free non-dairy delicious almond and strawberry bar (that contains, alas, 1.5g of saturated fat) 140kc.
Snack +360 kc
2 slices of wheat-free gluten-free bread (180kc) + a small glass of red wine (180kc) with a friend, to celebrate the end of the managerial accounting exam. I think I did good :)
Dinner +320 kc
1 slice of bread (90kc), Edamame beans (50kc), salad, tomato (30kc) and turkey (30kc), grapes and a piece of banana (120kc)
Total: 1270Last edited on 18 October 2007 10:38 pm by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 18 October 2007 10:38 pm |
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Sixième jour (Sixth day)
Breakfast +450 kc
3 slices of bread (270kc) + one yoghurt (140kc) + a piece of banana (40kc)
Lunch +390 kc
A tomato corn salad (80kc) with 2 slices of bread (180kc). A Yoghurt (130kc).
I am kind of addicted to this new non-gluten bread. I think I should limit myself to 5 slices a day. That's already 450kc and a 95g of carbohydrates. This means no more bread until tomorrow!
Snack +250 kc
At 5pm I had half a mango (80kc) and a banana (120kc) + a real dairy yoghurt (50kc). Yes! Milk! I explain in the next post why I gave up my non-dairy diet so early.
Dinner +425 kc
Tomato (20kc) salad + black beans(40kc) + laughing cow (35kc) sandwich (180kc). A bowl of corn 100kc. A yoghurt (50kc)
calorie balance : 1515
I am not proud of this. That could be good for a day with exercise, but I haven't been able to go to the YMCA today because of my bowel irritation. That's not glam at all and I really hope taking soy products out of my diet will help. Tomorrow I have a blood test to make. Initially, it was to search for a gluten or wheat allergy but I'm going to ask them for soy as well.Last edited on 19 October 2007 05:17 am by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 19 October 2007 03:04 am |
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| Oh it's already the bottom of the page! Last edited on 19 October 2007 03:20 am by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 19 October 2007 03:04 am |
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Why I gave up my non-dairy diet so early 
and why it is so difficult to determine one's food intolerances
My non-dairy, wheat-free, gluten-free diet is not showing good results.
After one day, I have a really upset stomach and I feel bloated. Maybe replacing dairies by non-dairy, gluten-free soy yoghurts was not a good idea?
I may have mistaken a soy allergy for a dairy allergy.
The cottage cheese I used to buy at Trader Joe's, indeed, seems to contain soy. This time I carefully read the ingredient list. It says "mono and diglycerides [soy]...". What does that mean?
It's the bad reaction I had to this cottage cheese that let me think I was allergic to dairies. But now that I re-think about it, I never had any problems with the (milk) yoghurts I used to eat at home... neither with the Dannon "light fit" I buy here... they contain no soy!
Realizing this helps me seing clearer, for the first time, in my bowel problems. Things now seem so obvious that I kind of feel silly not to have made the link earlier! My bowel became irritable two years ago. That's approximatively when I discovered soy yoghurts! We had the most delicious soy yoghurt in the world in France, they were called Sojasun (I especially loved the apricot & guava one, yummm). Anyway, two years ago, I started replacing regular yoghurts by those soy yoghurts. I thought it was only a minor change in my diet. Especially since the associated problems didn't show up immediatly.
I guess it takes time for the body to produce the antibodies responsible for an allergy...
It's clear as day now. I am alllergic to soy!
But I wonder how the minimal quantity of soy in cottage cheese can trigger such bowel response! Also, why do they put soy in cottage cheese?
I guess I just have to find a soy-free cottage cheese now. But my whole world would crumble if I had a reaction to soy-free cottage cheese too!
Hum.... no.
Only my diagnosis.
Next step : A soy-free, wheat-free, gluten-free diet.
I kind of feel confined in all this free-dom...
But maybe my IBS is living its last days!!Last edited on 19 October 2007 03:21 am by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 20 October 2007 12:18 am |
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Septième jour (Seventh day)
Breakfast + 0kc
I had to be fasting this morning for the blood test. Unfortunately, the nurse refused to add a test for soy allergy. She said I had to ask my doctor first. The test went good, except for the fact that they only took me at 10:30 and that I felt a little weak in the end. Also they drew a lot of blood... I'll know the results on thursday. It was mainly to determine if I lack iron, if I am allergic to wheat and what is my cholesterol level.
Lunch +530 kc
After the test, I bought a Turkey Aram at the university restaurant, which is a sort of wrap with turkey, salad, tomato and a white sauce. I love it though I am not really able to determine how many calories it represents. I would say 250kc max for the bread, 100kc for the turkey and the vegetables and 100kc for the dressing? I also the rest of a mango when I got back home (80kc).
Snack +200 kc
Already 4 pm and still my stomach is ok. I amm now 92% sure that I am allergic to soy, not in a life-threatening way though (I read it could be).
It tried this apparently soy-free Lucerne cottage-cheese (100kc). It was delicious! I also ate a fruit salad (100kc).
Exercise -200 kc
I havent been to the gym today since I was drawn quite a lot of blood this morning. But I did do some exercise. For instance, I walked for one 80 minutes today. 30 minutes when I went to the university this morning, and 50 minutes to go to safeway. Plus I came back carrying 3 heavy bags. I am sure it increased my metabolism, I was so warm in the end! And now I am going to clean the house! I am no idea how many calories I burnt today, but it's surely worth 40 minutes at the gym! I promise I will go to the gym tomorrow so I can update my weight curve.
dinner +505 kc
One pita bread (100kc) with slices of tomato (30kc), salad, laughing cow (35kc) and some black beens (40kc). 2 cereal bars (almond-rasberry and peanut-butter, 140kc + 160kc)
total : 1235kc - 200kc
Last edited on 20 October 2007 09:47 pm by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 20 October 2007 04:18 am |
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Huitième jour (Eigth day)
Breakfast + 330kc
Once cereal bar (140kc) + one yoghurt (50kc) banana and black beans (140kc)
workout -200 kc
30 minutes at the gym on the elliptical bike.
Lunch + 440kc
a pita bread (90kc) filled with black beans, black forest ham, salad and tomato slices (110kc). One yoghurt (100kc) with some crackers (90kc). 3 pieces of mango (50kc)
Snack + 140kc
One cereal bar.
Shopping - 200kc
Yes! shopping is exercise! I've been walking around for 3 hours today. I guess I burn at least 200 more kc than if I had stayed home.
Dinner + 360kc
Brown rice bread (160kc) + one tomato (30kc) + black beans (30kc) + hummus (40kc). One yoghurt (100kc)
Snack + 310kc
2 slices of bread (200kc), an apple (60kc) and a Yoghurt (50kc)
Total : 1580kc - 400kc = 1180kcLast edited on 21 October 2007 07:45 am by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 20 October 2007 09:55 pm |
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Weight curve
I will update this post everytime I go to the YMCA (they have a weight-scale).
October 13 .............. 117.8 lbs
October 15 .............. 117.4 lbs
October 20 ...............116.9 lbs
Weight
118 |
118 |.*
117 |..........*
117 |
117 |.................................*
117 |
116 |
116 |
117 |
115 |________________________________________________
........13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 .. Days of October
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zenobia
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 28 October 2007 04:02 am |
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hey there!
i was just checking up on our resident Francophone (or Francofone- whichever you prefer), wondering if you are still around. i really enjoyed reading your diary! hope all is well with you!
best wishes
~zenobia 
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 29 October 2007 03:58 pm |
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Hey thank you Zenobia. I finally decided to post my diary on the website I just created >> onmyplanet.squarespace.com/weight/
Lately I've found the best way for me to lose weight : sewing. I bought some fabric two days ago, and now I'm sewing all day long and comppletely forget about snacking. The problem is that I tend to forget to do my homework too!!
I am building a new bag for school. I will post the pictures on my site!
I hope you're doing fine. Sorry for the gap, I will come more often on the forum in the future!!
Cass.Last edited on 29 October 2007 09:03 pm by
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fatgirlslim
New Member
| Joined: | 31 October 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: 31 October 2007 05:02 pm |
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Cassandra, I moved over to America from the UK and gained weight upon arrival. Well done for doing something about it early on. I note earlier on you said you think you have an allergy to milk or soy. I have huge problems with the regular milk here in the US. I have no idea why I can't drink the regualar stuff but I do. What is odd is that I have found the organic milk to be fine (as long as I don't drink a gallon of the stuff!). Also you should be checking the labels for trans fats. I had never heard of the stuff before moving over here. When I went through my diet in Feb this year I noticed the high level of hidden saturated fats. Ohh and a third thing. My mother has a saying,' If you can't say it, don't eat it.'
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 1 November 2007 01:24 am |
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Weight curve
I will update this post everytime I go to the YMCA (they have a weight-scale).
October 13 .............. 117.8 lbs
October 15 .............. 117.4 lbs
October 20 ...............116.9 lbs
October 31 ...............115.8 lbs
Weight
118 |
118 |.*
117 |..........*
117 |
117 |.................................*
117 |
116 |
116 |..........................................................................................*
117 |
115 |________________________________________________
........13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 .. Days of October
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aussiegirl
Senior Member
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Posted: 1 November 2007 02:32 am |
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Hi Cassandre,
Just wanted to say good work with the weight loss! You must be pretty happy that you have lost 2lb already! Not far until you are at your goal weight.
Keep up the great work!
Diana
Last edited on 1 November 2007 02:34 am by aussiegirl
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 2 November 2007 02:00 am |
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Thank you Aussie.
But I've eaten a lot more today and yesterday since I fainted on wednesday morning. I am not sure it was hypoglycemia, doctors said deshydration, but still, I prefer not to take risks...
I wrote about my "accident" on my website. That was so weird...
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 2 November 2007 02:09 am |
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Hi FatGirlSlim
Thank you for your message. It's true there is something different about food here. I will try organic milk, that seems a good idea.
Do you have a diary here? I'd love to read it.
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 10 March 2008 06:06 pm |
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I'm back
with a few extra pounds
Breakfast + 650kc
Cookies and muesli. A well-balanced breakfast... shame!
Lunch + 600kc
Gyoza and salad (250kc), brown-rice bread (260kc), greek yogurt and honey (90kc)
Sport - 400kc
30 minutes of elliptical bike, 5 minutes of sit-ups, 5 minutes of rest, 18 minutes of aerobics. 500 calories x 80% = 400 calories
Snack + 310kc
An egg (90kc), a cereal bar Nature Valley (140kc), a spoon of peanut butter (80kc)
Dinner + 290kc
Trader Joe's salad (120kc) + string cheese and some turkey (90kc), half a grapefruit (40kc), a tea spoon of peanut butter (40kc)
Snack + 80kc
Second half of my grapefruit (30kc), 2 pieces of mango (50kc)
calorie balance at 4PM : 1930 - 400 = 1530 calories
It's time to resume my healthy diet. And apparently I can't do it without writing about it so here I am, back on this great forum. And I can't weight to read your diaries!!!
I am currently 120.5 pounds and I'd like to weight 115 lbs before April. My boyfriend and I are going to Napa Valley for spring break and I want to be beautiful for him!
I estimate that if I maintain what I call my calorie balance below 1400kc, I can lose two pounds in 12 days, 8 days if I stay below 1200kc. I will draw a weight curve with | and -- and * to make my progress nore visual. And I'm going to need your support :)
I joined a boxing club where I go twice a week and I really enjoy the workout there. I also go to the YMCA once or twice a week. Unfortunately, I tend to eat a lot of bad food when I feel depressed. And I've had a lot of ups and downs lately.
So excited to be back!!!Last edited on 11 March 2008 04:53 am by Cassandre
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zenobia
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 11 March 2008 12:35 am |
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Cassandre wrote: I am currently 120.5 pounds and I'd like to weight 115 lbs before April. My boyfriend and I are going to Napa Valley for spring break and I want to be beautiful for him!
glad to see that you are back! funny about these sentances of yours. that was my weight this morning (and still trying to get 116), and my husband and i are going to san francisco and nappa in april as well! have you ever been there? it is beautiful!
i wish you the best on your efforts! i'll be checking up on your diary!
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 11 March 2008 01:12 am |
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Hi Zenobia!
Thanks for your message. It's great the we are the same weight and have the same goal. That will surely motivate me and I'll do my best to motivate you too! So you're coming to San Francisco! Cool, is it your first time? Feel free to ask me if you want to know more about the city!! I've never been to Napa but I can't wait! I'll read your diary!
Have a great week!Last edited on 11 March 2008 01:17 am by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 11 March 2008 04:56 am |
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My first day is almost over. I think I did pretty good in the second half of the day. I really enjoyed the grapefruit and the mango I had for desert tonight. I want to eat more fruits!! They are nature's candies.
I just created a ticker. I hope it will help me :) Have a good night!
Last edited on 11 March 2008 07:16 pm by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 11 March 2008 03:44 pm |
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Weight curve
March 9 .............. 120.7 lbs
March 11 ............. 120.0 lbs
Weight
121 |
118 |.*
117 |
120 |..........*
117 |
117 |
119 |
116 |
117 |
118 |__________________________________
........ 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 .. Days of MarchLast edited on 14 March 2008 02:44 pm by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 11 March 2008 04:18 pm |
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March 11
Breakfast +260 kc
A waffle (70), strawberries and blackberries (40), a tea-spoon of peanut-butter (60) and an egg (90).
Lunch +550 kc
Lobster ravioli (260), salad (40), cereal bar (140), half a pina colada yogurt (90)
Snack* +800 kc
Lobster ravioli (260), cereal bar (140) peanut-butter (90) half a yogurt (80) cereal bar (140), grapefruit (40)
Sport - 280 kc
35 minutes of elliptical bike, 350 kc burnt. 350 x 80% = 280 calories
Dinner +370 kc
Soup (160), string cheese (60), yogurt with brewer's yiest (150)
calorie balance at 8PM : 1980 - 280 = 1700 calories
* I felt sugar-low in the afternoon, like if I was going to faint, and since this has already happened to me in the past I became anxious and started to eat and eat. I don't understand though, I believe I ate a sufficient lunch. Could my metabolism have raised that much since I started boxing? Anyway, 1610 calories is way to high if I want to lose some weight so I'll maybe hit the gym for a short session if I feel more energetic later in the evening.
Oh and yeah, no more peanut butter today and tomorrow.Last edited on 12 March 2008 04:42 am by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 11 March 2008 04:25 pm |
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Attached Image (viewed 325 times):
 Last edited on 11 March 2008 04:26 pm by Cassandre
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zenobia
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 11 March 2008 06:01 pm |
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hey canssandre!
actually, i have been to san francisco once before and i loved it! if my soul had to stay in the U.S., it would belong in san francisco. but, the first time i went, we didn't get to spend much time there, so we (my husband and i) are taking a week. we are staying right on the outskirts of china town. I already have a pretty good idea of stuff i wnat to do there, but would love suggestions! especially for stuff that isn't all "tourist". places where the locals go (don't worry, i'll keep it a secret!), and that sort of thing.
i have actually been to sonoma valley before. i've seen napa via pictures. they are pretty close together though. i am so excited to hit up wine country again... go to wineries and just see a bunch of different places.
yes, and i am so all about motivation!!!
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Looseal2
New Member
| Joined: | 28 February 2008 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 23 |
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Posted: 12 March 2008 03:34 am |
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Hello I'm pretty new to this site and was just checking in on your diary. I love the way you put out everything you eat throughout the day - it really helps me to see where I went wrong and figure out why I maybe did.
Anyways, I'll check back in again later; best of luck! You're pretty close to your goal!
 Looseal
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 12 March 2008 05:00 am |
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Thanks Looseal. I wish I had been a better example these past two days. I keep doing mistakes and try to make up for them by going to the gym. But if I'm not losing weight, at least I know that I'm not gaining weight either.
I promise I'll do better tomorrow. My plan is to not eat more than 1400 calories, wheter I exercise or not. My only class is at 6:30PM so i'll have to find some interesting activities to keep me busy, like...
- watching the end of my movie
- going grocery shopping
- studying in that cute little cafe
- going to the gym :)
My boyfriend and I just booked a night in a lovely hotel-spa in Napa Valley. We initially planned to stay longer but it is so expensive! Some hotels had rooms at $700/night that weren't even suites. Crazy. We'll make the most of those two days though and I really can't wait!!
Have a good night!
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 12 March 2008 03:41 pm |
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March 12
Breakfast +260 kc
The last ravioli -someone had to finish them- (110) strawberries (50), the white and an egg (50), a small piece of cereal bar (50)
Lunch +360 kc
Sandwich: tomato, cucumber, laughing cow, turkey and bread (290), half a mango (70)
Snack +560 kc
Half a mango (70), grapefruit (70), 4 squares of chocolate (120), yogurt and other things that I forgot but I remember it amounted 300 calories.
Dinner +270 kc
Soup (220), fruit (50)
Total calories : 1350 Last edited on 14 March 2008 03:18 pm by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 March 2008 02:26 pm |
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March 14
Oooops...
I accidently deleted this post :(
Well, approximately it was:
Breakfast +410 kc
I woke up a 5AM, really hungry. I had a banana (180) but I'll surely eat something else later. 9AM : a waffle (70) with peanut-butter (70), some yogurt (50) with yiests (40)
Sport -240 kc
30 minutes of cardio and 10 minutes of sit-ups and stretching: -300 calories. 300 x 80% = 280 calories
Lunch +260 kc
Proteins and greens: quinoa (160) with guacamole (40), artichokes (40) tomato and salad (20)
Snack +290 kc
A waffle (70), an apple (80), some peanut-butter (90) and something else that I can't remember
Dinner +380 kc
Chicken soup (220), cereal bar (160)
Snack +350 kc
Grapefruit (70), toast with peanut-butter (120), more peanut butter (60), yogurt (100)
Calorie balance: 1690 - 240 = 1450
Last edited on 14 March 2008 03:12 pm by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 March 2008 09:48 pm |
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 Program for the day
- Finish to read The Marketing Game chapters.
+ Do the dishes
+ Have a carbs snack no earlier than 3PM : waffle, fruits and yogurt (250 kc max)
- Develop a strategy for the Marketing Game.
- Quickly review the powerpoints and pack up
- Go to school at 5PM, have a chicken soup at 5:45, just before my group appointment (200 kc)
- Marketing class
- Go back home and have a small snack (200kc max)
I don't know if that is sustainable... I should probably allow a cereal bar (150 kc) during the break around 8PM.
That would add up to 800 + 700 = 1500 calories IN. Which is not so bad if I stick to it. But I am already so hungry...Last edited on 13 March 2008 10:17 pm by Cassandre
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Cassandre
Senior Member
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Posted: 14 March 2008 02:43 pm |
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Weight curve
Good news this morning! after being stuck for 3 days at 120 lbs, my weight finally changed
March 9 .............. 120.7 lbs
March 11 ............. 120.0 lbs
March 14 ............. 119.5 lbs
Weight
121 |
118 |.*
117 |
120 |..........*
117 |
117 |.........................*
119 |
116 |
117 |
118 |__________________________________
........ 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 .. Days of March
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