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52by52
New Member
| Joined: | 19 January 2006 |
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| Posts: | 5 |
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Posted: 19 January 2006 10:06 pm |
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I really like the way this website is set up, with a place to keep public diaries as well as having regular message boards. It reminds me of a financial website I've been on for awhile. I figure if keeping a money journal, and reading other people's journals, has helped me get in better financial shape, maybe journaling here could help me lose weight.
Right now I'm motivated because it's almost time to check in with my doctor about my blood pressure. I've been on medication for a year now, and I need to see him to get the prescription renewed. The problem is, I've gained back the weight I lost last spring and haven't been exercising much at all. I'm really not looking forward to getting a lecture or having him up the dosage!
All right, here are my starting facts and figures. 49 years old, about 5 foot 7, 227 pounds. I know I'd feel and look a lot better at around 175, which is how I came up with my username. I'd like to lose 52 pounds by my 52nd birthday.
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Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
| Joined: | 24 May 2005 |
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| Posts: | 4179 |
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Posted: 19 January 2006 10:21 pm |
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Congrats on having a realistic goal. Quick weight loss rarely lasts.
If you've just found the forum, be sure to check out the other website features from the homepage. I think knowledge is the answer, and the FAQ and newsletters are a good place to start.
Best wishes,
Peter
http://www.eatwellandexercise.com/
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52by52
New Member
| Joined: | 19 January 2006 |
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| Posts: | 5 |
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Posted: 20 January 2006 04:27 pm |
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Thanks for the welcome, Peter.
I spent most of yesterday thinking about how to approach the weight loss thing.
As I mentioned before, we have some financial issues going on, and that makes a difference. With $3800 in debt still hanging over our heads, I'm not going to be joining a gym anytime soon, or buying a treadmill, or signing up with Jenny Craig. Also, I've finally gotten our grocery bill down to an amount that fits well into our overall budget (about $72 a week) and I really don't want to increase it.
I also don't want to get involved with a lot of counting. Right now I'm already doing a fair amount of number-crunching because of our budget, and my brain can only take so much of it. And last spring I tried the DASH diet, which was supposed to lower your blood pressure naturally. It had you track servings of specific foods. I was also trying to count sodium grams. However, I wasn't losing weight. So I started counting calories on top of that. I also got a blood pressure monitor and was tracking my bp and heart rate. It all got to be too much, and after I had to go on medication anyway, I just gave it all up. I really can't face living like that again.
What did seem to work in the past for me was portion control and advance prep.
Years ago at Jenny Craig they taught us to cut up all our raw veggies for the week, and keep them in a plastic container in the fridge. And it works, if I do it. I don't mind eating them if they are sitting there, ready to go.
As far as portion control, I have several ideas. I can't always afford to buy Lean Cuisine or whatever, but I can cook things ahead myself and freeze them in serving-size containers. I could eat my cereal and milk in a 1-1/2 cup Gladware bowl, and not have to measure them out. I can put pretzels into ziploc snack bags, refreeze ice cream in 1/2 cup Gladware containers, etc.
I also read about dividing your dinner plate into 3 sections, basically 3/4 for plant-based foods and 1/4 for meat. (One article said 1/2 for starch, and 1/4 each for veggies and meat. Another article said 1/2 for fruits and veggies, 1/4 for starch and 1/4 for meat.) There are even plates you can buy that are labeled with what's supposed to go where--but the cheapest one is about $20 and got a bad review on Amazon. (It cracked the first time someone put it in the microwave.)
I've opted to go the cheapest route for now, and send for some free brochures from the American Institute for Cancer Research. They have a plan called The New American Plate.
So I guess along with exercising, that's where I'll start--remembering to cut up raw veggies, doing some cooking ahead, and pre-packing things. Plus being conscious of the proportions on my dinner plate, and not refilling it.
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Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
| Joined: | 24 May 2005 |
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| Posts: | 4179 |
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Posted: 20 January 2006 09:20 pm |
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It's all about finding out what works for you... at this time.
I don't count calories because I don't need to on the highly nutritious, low calorie diet I eat now. But I never really did count them except to learn about the diet I was eating at the time. Whatever works for you.
Maybe you can contribute what you learn here, too:
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/forums/forum3/915.html
Peter
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KICKIN_IT_IN_MI
Member
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Posted: 21 January 2006 03:06 am |
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Always remember that most malls open early, and your local schools stay open later so you can get some free walking in when the weather does not permit the fresh air outdoors. Good Luck. 
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NevD
New Member
| Joined: | 26 October 2005 |
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| Posts: | 1536 |
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Posted: 21 January 2006 04:28 pm |
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Hi fivetwo(squared):
Reading what you wrote about balancing the budget while trying to lose made me think about what I do - as a routine - nowadays.
I make sure I have suitable food with me during the day by cooking up some rice ahead of time (enough for 3 days). I take that with me along with some mixed beans (either canned, drained - or lentils and split peas boiled up and cooled) with another source of protein (tofu for me, perhaps lean poultry breast for you?) This can be eaten cold, or heated in a microwave oven if available. I also have with me one of the high protein chocolate oats bars (see recipe in Vegetarian Recipe forum). These are much better than what you can buy, and you can make about 8 for less than a couple of dollars.
Water is always best for drinking (and pretty cheap unless you buy bottled).
Avoiding booze is great both for budgeting and for the waistline - since the body uses alcohol calories by preference, with the result that calories from your solid food goes straight round the hips (or wherever).
Worst for cost is the large evening meal. But I always eat six times a day, and my last evening meal is only 10% of my day's intake, so the big, expensive extravaganza is out!
I'd like to say there's an easy way to avoid 'counting' - but, unless you can immediately adopt a low cal., healthy regime like Peter, it's probably going to be better if you do. At least for the first couple of months.
Once you're 'portion-savvy', you'll find things easier.
Best of luck with your efforts - and keep us posted!
NevD 
Last edited on 21 January 2006 04:32 pm by NevD
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52by52
New Member
| Joined: | 19 January 2006 |
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| Posts: | 5 |
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Posted: 22 January 2006 02:44 am |
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Thanks for the replies! There are so many good ideas floating around all over the site, I'm overwhelmed. Will be exploring your suggestions tomorrow, when I'll be home all day.
We've been finishing foods up before grocery shopping day, so I haven't exactly been eating that well. It's been more like, 1 piece of white toast instead of two, two slices of bacon instead of 3. But I did a big grocery shopping today and now there's more to choose from.
I made a special trip to Aldi's, because their produce, dairy and meat prices are so good. For example, $1.99 for a package of 3 Romaine lettuce hearts when it's often $3.99 at other markets. Or celery for 79 cents when it's 1.49 elsewhere. So I'll keep going there every couple of weeks, even though there aren't as many healthy alternatives there as I'd like.
For example, they have low-fat cottage cheese and yogurt, but no 2% sliced or cheddar cheese. They have Fit and Healthy snack foods that are only a little lower in fat than the regular items. There's hardly any difference when it comes to calories or sodium. Doesn't seem worth paying extra. So, for example, I got their regular version of Triscuits instead of their F&H version of wheat thins.
I've been trying to do some kind of advance food prep every day. If I leave it all to one marathon session on the weekend, often I don't do it at all. Thursday I cooked up a rice and lentil mix and froze it in 1-cup containers. Friday I mixed up a box of instant hummus. (It's edible, but you can tell it's instant.) Tonight I'll be cutting up some of the raw veggies I got today. Good to dip in the hummus.
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52by52
New Member
| Joined: | 19 January 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 5 |
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Posted: 23 January 2006 03:55 am |
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Dug out some info from last year's efforts.
My highest weight in 2005 was 223 1/2, and my lowest weight was 211. So right now I'm at my worst weight in over a year. More motivation.
I found the steno notebook I'd kept my food diary in last spring, and got some reminders about what kind of foods help me have a successful day. And, which ones throw the whole day off! Have started a new shopping list, with things like diet fudgsicles.
Today's consumption:
Started off the day with a double serving of liquid antioxidents (i.e., black coffee.) ;)
Then,
Wheat toast with peanut butter
An orange
Leftover 1/2 package of Brussels sprounts
Leftover 1/2 cup of rice/lentil mix
1 slice Swiss cheese (Kraft square, not a big rectangular slice)
1 slice white bread
3 water crackers
Granny Smith apple
Leftover Healthy Choice vegetable soup, less than 3/4 c
Leftover 1/6 Red Baron pizza
16 pretzel nuggets
Pork chop with bbq sauce
1/2 potato, 1/2 apple, 1/2 onion
Green beans
1 slice wheat bread with a little butter
1/2 cup pears
8 oz 2% milk
Water, coffee and tea throughout the day
Planning on a before-bed snack of 8 oz milk with Ovaltine, and 1 cookie.
DH came home with a Tastykake coconut cream pie, and offered me 1/2. (They are single-serving, but still nearly 500 calories a piece.) I turned it down.
I was really full before finishing the pork chop, but I didn't want to throw away good meat and wasn't sure what I'd do with the little scrib scrabs as leftovers. I gave a few tidbits to the dog, but she is overweight too! Maybe I should have thrown some away.
This may sound like a lot, but believe me it's better than I've been eating.
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NevD
New Member
| Joined: | 26 October 2005 |
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| Posts: | 1536 |
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Posted: 23 January 2006 01:24 pm |
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This may sound like a lot, but believe me it's better than I've been eating.
It looks pretty good, actually, but it would still be a good idea (at this early juncture) to know how many calories it represented.
At a guess, I'd have thought it was a bit 'light' for your present weight.
Just a thought,
NevD
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