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NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Hello!

I've lurked on these forums for quite some time, and I figured now that I was getting serious about weight loss, it was time for me to lay my accountability on the line for anyone to read. :smile:

A little about myself, I'm 26, married, a nurse (a very new nurse) and weigh currently 170.2 lbs, at 5'5".  I'm a new nurse, so I'm entering a very physically demanding job. The weight I didn't start nursing school with needs to go, and then some! About 3 years ago I was around 150, so I'm looking to get back down to that initially, then I will set new goals from there. My husband and I are big fans of Dr Furhman and have both read Eat to Live several times. Although we don't follow it 100%, I'm going to use it as my foundation for my weight loss. In fact, I "officially" started my diet last Tuesday and started out at a shocking (to me!) 175. I know most of what I have dropped is water weight, but it still makes a girl feel good! the hardest part will be not recieving that kind of success every week. (if only!). My husband does not need to lose weight, he's 5'10", and 140lbs soaking wet after a large meal with his shoes on! but he is very very supportive, wonderful, and has never made the slightest comment about my weight gain since I started school/marriage.

So here it goes. I plan to weigh in every Monday. So this is how I'm starting out. My goal is to keep my daily calorie count less than 1200, for the last couple of days I've been anywhere from 1000-1150. I think this is realistic because a) I've done it for a week, and b) I know as time goes on it will be harder to loose, so I need room to go down. I have managed to loose a few pounds here and there before, and tend to platuea easily. I'm hoping with a more physically demanding job, and more time to exercise, I can bust through these platueas with ease.

Starting weight: 170.2

current goal: 150

Tratra
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Joined: 1 April 2007
Location: Smalltown, Massachusetts USA
Posts: 292
NB... I think it's great that you're starting your journey to get healthy, and these boards are a great resource!  Not sure if you're looking for advice here, but I'm going to give it anyways! Have you used the calculators on this site? Your unadjusted RMR is 1500. That's what your body needs just to function day to day. If you go below this (1200), you're really setting yourself up for failure. Eating too little will cause you to lose lean body mass/muscle, so when you start eating more, you'll gain all the weight back and then some because we all know muscle burns more than fat. So you'll lose weight, but you'll have more fat, and will put weight on quicker. Eat to Live is a great plan...maybe if you add some nuts, you can boost your calories that way.

zenobia
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Joined: 19 April 2006
Location: College Town, Arizona USA
Posts: 2549
hiya Betty!  welcome to the forums and coming out of lurker status!!
i think it's great that you are into ETL and want to get healthy.  it's a great way to live! and a 5lb loss so far is great.  you seem very positive and ambitious! :grin:

Edit:  tratra just posted her post as i was writing...  but i am just going to leave what i wrote anyway..  i can get long-winded.... sorry.
but i do want to say that i think you are setting yourself up for disaster by eating so little.  according to the calculators, you really shouldn't be eating less than 1512 calories.  This is your Resting Metabolic rate.  this is what your body needs mearly to do basics functions like breathing and pumping blood.  since you are going to have a physically active job, you really don't want to eat less than about 1500.  i don't know if you know anything about starvation mode, but if you eat too little, your body will start eating away at lean muscle mass.  your body will become used to functioning with so little calories and conserve.  it will get even harder than normal to lose as you drop weight.  you really can't go less than 1200 cals, but you would have to- or increase your work out routine... that will prbably be difficult becasue your body won't have enough energy.  it's really not a good thing.

i just don't want you to get discouraged, or to feel deprived, or to run out of energy.  you will have a demanding job with a lot of people relying on you to function at your best, and it concerns me that you would do it on so little energy.  it may have been ok for a week, but it will eventually take it's toll on you.

have you considered zig-zaging?  it tends to keep platues to a minimum, and you can eat as little as 1200 cals for a few days, as long as you make up for it after about 3 or 4 days.  eat at maintenance (about 2000-2200 cals) and you will still lose.

ok... sorry i took up so much sapce.  i just wnated to give you my two cents.:grin:

again, welcome and i hope to see you around here!

Last edited on 28 July 2008 06:23 pm by zenobia

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Thanks for the quick responses and your comments.

I'll say this; I'm trying to stick as closely to Eat to Live as possible, and doing that, it's truely hard to eat 1500 calories a day! I'm constantly stuffed as it is! I understand both of your comments. I know that setting a goal of 1200 is good for me, because I'll reach it half the time.....does that make sense? Maybe I should have been more clear with that aspect. If I make that my goal, at least some days I'll reach it, but certainly not all! :wink:

I do use the "zig-zagging" method, although I have never heard it called that, to add calories every couple of days, as it worked out, I just didn't do much of that this past week because I need to figure out how to eat at more frequent intervals during work hours (which are looooooong).  I just don't care for nuts, but there are beans, like chickpeas and blackbeans that I add to salads to get extra calories, I prefer them to nuts.

Thanks for showing interest!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
So after looking more into what Zenobia and Tratra said, I realize that 1200 calories will be too low, thanks guys! Like I said, I felt like if I made that my goal, at least I'd come near it, but I've continued to take in less than 1200 a day(yesterday, and today I'm only at 600 right now, after lunch and breakfast) - which is easy to do with eat to live, but I've struggle with platues before, I don't want to hit one early on.

So the days I do not work, and just jog/exercise, my kcal intake goal will be 1500, and the days I do work, 1700-1900 since I'm on my feet for about 10 out of my 12 hour work days!

But back to the zig zagging -have others tried this with success? Before when I have lost weight, I would vary my caloric intake by a few hundred every couple of days, mostly because I would just eat different things each day, but I don't know that I could tell a difference between those times and when I didn't.  Is it more of a plateau-breaking strategy? I've done it before, I just didn't know it had a name.

I got some chickpeas and couscous, whole wheat pasta, things like that this morning to add to salads to tack on a few extra calories each day when I need to, I'm really enjoying all the fresh stuff though, it's truly the way to eat!  My next trip out I'll start looking at smoothie supplies and start tacking a smoothie on to the end of days when I need a couple hundred extra calories too!

NurseBetty
Distinguished Member


Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
One of my weight loss "faults" is my constant desire to weigh myself. I read somewhere on this forum someone posting that they were having a family member hide the scales for a month. I may have to try this strategy. Everytime I eat something I want to run upstairs and hop on. I know that's silly, and it doesn't work that way. But I guess I went without weighing myself for so long out of fear, that now it's liberating to jump on.

haha, no, that's just another excuse.

Yesterday was good, worked twelve hours, took in around 1600 calories. Off to another twelve hour day now. Packed plenty of good stuff to eat on the fly, that's usually how it works. I'm learning lots of good sanwhich fillings using things like chickpeas as a base instead of meet and cheese.

Here goes Thursday.

CrimsonAnimus
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Joined: 4 May 2008
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA
Posts: 1913
Betty, I totally relate with the scale thing. I am having my mother hide them today, and that's that! I've been using an XL bathrobe shirt to measure my progress also, and from that, I have been able to see how far I've come. Scales don't lie, but we can lie to ourselves as a result of them!

Keep it up! :grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Thanks! yours must have been the one I read! :smile:

I had a good couple of days. took in around 1300 on Thursday (it was a busy day) and about 1600 yesterday. Today will be higher I know, because we're doing things with friends and making home made pizza tonight with family, but I'll stay sensible and still not go over my calories burned.  I've never had a problem with bingeing or going crazy, it was mostly making the wrong choices. two slices of pizza when I could have had one slice and a side salad. I haven't had any real cravings yet either. Which is good, I've been doing this almost two weeks now! It's exciting, because everytime I've started this up in the past I've lasted about a week before life gets busy and things run amuck. I feel like I've broken through a barrier. small steps right?

So this morning I couldn't help myself and jumped on the scale. 170 even. So it's going down! I'm going to do my weigh in on Monday, then my husband is going to take the scale away during the week so I'm not tempted, eventually I know it will get me down weighing myself that much. (thanks for the idea Crimson!)

Here's to the weekend!!!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
So it's Monday, my "official" weigh in day. Although I don't know how official a weight can ever be. I've sneaked a look a few times this week and have seen anywhere from 171 to 167. I tend to be really good about drinking water when I'm at work, and terrible about drinking anything at all when I'm home!! (shouldn't it be opposite? :wink:)

So, I try not to take the scale too seriously, even though I'm obsessed with it.

Today's official: 169.4!

It's progress, in the right direction. It's good to see the 160's again. Although I admit I was hoping for my number to be in that 167.something range. I know enough to know it's water weight, and not fat, I've been recording my calories daily.
  1. Wednesday - 1210
  2. Thursday - 1345
  3. Friday - 1750
  4. Saturday - 1828
  5. Sunday - 1170
I'm gonna go for another low day today, and up it a little tomorrow and wednesday since they will be work days. I also have not incorporated any kind of an exercise plan yet, which I know I need to do. My husband and I walk around a lake near our house that is 3.5 miles, but it's usually walking and talking and not real focused-get-your-heart-rate-going exercise. I know I will not be able to exercise on days I work, but some simple weight lifting at home will be do-able, my husband has a nice set of weights of all sizes.

So this week, my new goal will be exercise x2, (this will be power walking and light intermittent jogging) and arm weights x2 (for now). When I see how this works for me, I'll up it of course. Getting used to a new job is both physically and mentally taxing, I'm sure many can relate.

Happy Monday!

NurseBetty
Distinguished Member


Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Yesterday: 1200.

Today my predicted intake is 1130 by the end of work. That's breakfast and what I've packed for the day. So dinner will be an addition to that, my goal for today is 1500.

My husband and I walked the 3 mile trail around the lake last night, he helped me keep up a pretty good pace, his quick strolling is my power walking.

12 hour shift today and tomorrow.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
1615 in yesterday, I might creep up even a little higher today and drop down lower for Thurs, Fri and Sat. But we'll see how it goes.

Another day another dollar. off to work.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Around 1460 in today, but I had to do a lot of guestimation since I bought my lunch at the cafeteria, something I'm usually so against doing, but I didn't plan ahead last night. I try to overestimate though. So I might have a little snack before bed.

It's been so hard not to hunt down the scale and jump on! And it's only been two days of not weighing myself! :dizzy:

CrimsonAnimus
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Joined: 4 May 2008
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA
Posts: 1913
Betty, I'll confess that I did step on it last Sunday, after some weekend festivities, because I wanted to see how much water I was holding (my socks had left indentations on my legs from it). It had went way up (10 pounds), but I'm sure at least half of that gain is gone now (or so I would hope). I haven't stepped on the scale to see, though. It is HARD!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Okay, I gave in and peeked! I couldn't help it, I was really noticing physical differences this week and I just gave in to the temptation this morning, especially since I had realized all my husband did was move the scale to the floor of the other bathroom! in his defense, I really only go in there to clean it.

167.4

ah well, that would have been a nice surprise for Monday, but alas, maybe I can get it down to a 167 even by then. I only managed to make it four days, maybe I'll just have to try and meet that for a while, every four days, then I'll move up to a week.

Okay, only 1185 in yesterday. I'm planning more for today and tomorrow, around the 1600 mark, and then I'll try to drop back down on Sunday.

I have finally been noticing a difference in the mirror, this is the true reward. When I ordered scrubs for work I decided to go with Mediums from the same brand I bought my school uniforms in since I knew they would fit. They didn't fit, everything was tight. The tops weren't bad, but all the pants were too tight, not the look and comfort I was going for at work. I wasn't about to send back 200$ worth and clothes, I just decided the weight had to go this time and I've been wearing old scrubs. This morning I slipped a few pairs on and I didn't have to pull and tug! They are still not as relaxed fitting as I want them to be for their debut, but I'll try again in two weeks.

Off to work! :cool:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
1660 in today. I had to do a little guesstimation again today because I attended a luncheon at work, but I was so good! They had deli sandwhiches and chips, and then a whole table of cake/cookies/brownies, I never even looked at them! It didn't even occur to me to be tempted. This is such a wonderful feeling. In the past I have been all about making bad food choices and I haven't had many cravings at all, I think because I've learned the right amount to "give in." And how often it's okay.

Still feeling great about the changes that are going on, it's a wonderful feeling, even more so than watching the scale change numbers, and boy am I a scale watcher!

Lovely weekend to all!

NurseBetty
Distinguished Member


Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
So far 1240 in today, we ate out at Lunch, so that has been the majority of my calories, I'll have a light dinner. I feel heavier today, I think my salt intake in the last couple of days has increased due to eating things I didn't prepare myself. But I feel the weight in my stomach, it doesn't feel good. Even though I planned on "cheating" (if you will) and going out for a lunch date, I feel terrible about it now. And just plain "blah."

Anyways, I plan on keeping it light tomorrow so my weigh in on Monday morning isn't too dissapointing. And drinking lots of water so get some of this sodium out of my system.

All in all a good day, I love Saturdays. :grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
My total for Saturday ended up being around 1600 again, I had to do some estimating, I forgot to ask the resturaunt about nutrition info, but after looking around the internet at comparable meals at other resturaunts, I have a pretty good idea.

So far this morning I've had my usually cup of morning tea, a banana and a cup of blueberries. I managed to get my 2 walks in last week. Yesterday around 7 we went and did a loop around the lake near our house. I only did free weights once though, I need to get better about that.

To detail what kinds of things I eat: Having read Eat to Live several times I try to include as many fruits and veggies in my day as possible. As far as beans go, I prefer garbonzo, or chickpeas (same thing), which I usually make into some sort of salad/sandwhich spread. by mashing chickpeas up and adding some horseradish, a little miracle whip, and then things like shreded carrots and chopped onion, it makes a nice little substitute instead of going with things like chicken salad. On whole wheat bread you've got a filling sandwhich for around 250-300 cal depending on what extras you use and the size of your bread. I also eat a minimum of one salad a day, a big ol' salad that is. On days when I'm home I make one huge one and usually have to partake of it in two different sittings. When I'm at work, I divide it up into two smaller tupperware containers and try to eat them a couple hours apart, if I think I'll have time. Fruit is usually a snack, or several snacks, and I also incorporate whole wheat pasta into mixed frozen veggies, or make some whole wheat couscous and use that in salads throughout the week.

Several things I refuse to give up at this point are: Real sugar in my coffee. I keep my calories where they should be, so I don't feel like giving this up right now. Besides, I am amoung the crowd that believes that artificial sweeteners have their own set of evils. This is also why I don't drink diet soda. I try to avoid soda altogether as it is, I don't really care for it, but when I do partake, it's the real deal. (and almost always in the form of rootbeer).  I will also include one meal a weekend that consists of whatever it is that I want. Last weekend it was pizza, this weekend we went out to lunch. And although this weekend left me feeling heavy and guilty, if I go and deprive myself for too long, I'm afraid it will backfire. Even when I do this however, I'm keeping within my calories burned. Guilty pleasures will not be a weekly occurrence for the rest of my life, but this is where I am at right now.

Official weigh in tomorrow, talk with you then.

OnceUpon-A-ThinGirl
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Joined: 7 April 2006
Location: Willits, California USA
Posts: 1300
Thought I'd stop by seeing as we're both coffee enthusiasts (or just flat out refuse to live without!).  I work in a hospital, if you want to keep up with hospital pace (which is about a million miles an hour) you have to have coffee! With cream and sugar of course!  Congratulations on your weight loss so far! 

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
You're right about the pace! I can see why people are seen in the media, news shows, and others tell friends about their terrible experiences and lack of care in hospitals (not my hospital of course :wink:) Because behind the scenes it's just insanity, every time you interact with a patient there are ten more steps waiting for you to complete to cover yourself, chart, double check. When you're taking care of six people, it's impossible to get to know anyone. Since I'm set off on this, I want to give anyone reading this the best medical advice I have learned so far, and I am so very serious about this.

Since working in a hospital, I have come across countless patients that were misdiagnosed, under diagnosed, over diagnosed, over looked, whatever you want to call it, but in the past didn't get the medical attention and care they needed, and that is one reason why they end up in a bed in my care for 4 days. Some of it was their own neglect and bad choices, and sometimes it was putting too much trust in a so-so doctor. I will be the first to tell you there are some wonderful docs out there, but there are also some others that are in it for the "business." So here's my advice, when you feel an ailment coming on, when your bones ache or your heart hurts, or you have persistent headaches, whatever it is, if you have time (if it's not an emergency) get on the internet and do as much research on your problem as you can! Read articles, look through internet sites, check forums with people asking about similar problems, find out what you think you might have, or track the source of your problem. If you have friends or family in the medical profession, ask their advice, more often than not people love to throw their knowledge around. THEN, go to a doctor, and YOU tell THEM what you want out of your treatment. You tell them what you think is wrong. A lot of them won't like this, but you know your body and yourself better than any doctor will, even one that has been treating you for years. Maybe you'll be wrong about your health and maybe they'll find out what's right, but at least you're arming yourself with knowledge.  I could now lay out stories supporting my advice, but I'll spare you, it's just so important that you don't lay back and take whatever they give you. I know they're professionals, and they're more familiar with the treatments, ect, but any good doctor will respect that you're trying to be pro-active in your recovery, and they should listen. People knock the pharm industry all the time for putting these ads on TV telling people what medicine to ask their doctor for, I say, good for them for putting the choice in your hands! Most doctors treat what they commonly see, and prescribe what they commonly use, this may not be the best thing, or the rigt treatment for you.

ps - I love doctors, I do, but like in any profession....there are bad apples.......

Sorry for the long-winded-ness, I love the hospital I work for and truly believe it's the best in my state, and again, there are lovely, well-meaning, caring doctors out there that always put their patients first, so dont go to one that you feel ignores you, find a good one, and work with them

Like any of that was called for.

Now to the reason I'm on here!

Official weigh in this morning: 167.0!! Just what I had hoped for.  1300 in yesterday, but no exercise or work. So we're going to the lake tonight, I need to up my game and get a little jogging in, I'll also do some free weights this morning.

Happy Monday!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
A total of 1263 in yesterday. I'm going to have another low day today, and then I'll do 3 days at work so I'll try to get in ~ 1600 each day. Then, we're doing a little traveling this weekend, so I'm sure my intake will increase, but still promising myself I won't go over calories burned. But I need to do these low days so my weigh in doesn't dissapoint on Monday. We went walking again last night, still no jogging, although I don't know how much longer my husband will let me get away with that.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Yesterday: 1513 in. The next three days (well, today and the next two days) are 12 hour shifts, so I have all my meals planned out and stacked in their tupperware in the fridge. Then it's out of town for two days, it's gonna be a long 5 days coming up, so probably no reporting, but I will post calories and official weigh in on Monday.

See you then!

OnceUpon-A-ThinGirl
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Joined: 7 April 2006
Location: Willits, California USA
Posts: 1300
The positive thing about working long shifts is that you can plan your food all out and that's all you have to eat!  I work a lot of late shifts and that works out well because I love to snack at night, and when I'm at work the cafeteria is closed so no snacking for me!

zenobia
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Joined: 19 April 2006
Location: College Town, Arizona USA
Posts: 2549
i think you have a good style of eating going on ( you are zigzagging).  up and down seems to work for a lot of people. 
ugh- have fun on those 12 hour shifts.  just don't look at the clock till you absolutely have to!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Alighty so............

Worked three days in a row on Wed, Thurs, and Fri. Wednedays Cal - 1505, Thursday - 1800, and Friday - 1450.  Saturday and today I'm not sure about. We had to go out of town for an engagement party, and although I actually ended up not eating anything at the party, I also did have some heavier meals than usual at my parents house. Although I did get some fruit in with each meal. Also today I had a big ol' chocolate muffin for breakfast, and a hamburger for lunch, but I also had green beans and cherries. That's how it went most of the weekend, I would indulge during meals, but include healthy sides. I didn't even try to keep track of calories though, and I dont think I will go back and try to figure it out. But needless to say, my sodium intake is up so I'm not expecting a very big change in the scale for this Monday because  I can feel the water weight on me.

Weigh in occurs in the morning. I haven't peeked this week!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Just as I suspected!

Weigh in this morning is 166.4

That's only a .6 lb lost from last week, but it's a loss! I expect to lose some water weight over the next week along with more weight loss, so I'm crossing my fingers for a good number next Monday. I also did very little in the way of exercise, I think maybe we went walking one day? I'd have to go back and check my diary to see, that may have been last weekend even. I restocked on all kinds of freshness yesterday at the grocery store, blueberries and a banana for breakfast. And of course, my coffee!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
1355 in yesterday. We walked last night, my husband and I. He gave another mention to trying a little jogging soon. I know I know.  I'll get there. :smile: Happy Tuesday!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
1580 in today and I'm done eating. I just spent an hour planning and preparing meals for the next three days at work, and putting things together for my husbands dinners. I always have a better work week when I'm fully prepared food wise.

Have a good week everyone, I'll update this weekend!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
I had 1480 in on Tuesday and 1580 in on Wednesday. Two more days of work. I've been hitting about where I want to as far as work calories. I could stand to take in a little more some days (always, in the back of my mind, is the idea of platueaing) but it's just not always possible.  Of course I continue to peek at the scale all the time, last week I behaved, this week, not so much, the last two mornings I've jumped on. Yesterday it read like 168 and today is was 166.4 which is where I was on Monday. UUrrggghhhh. Why do I expect a 2lb drop everytime I get on?? :grin:

I've also upped our grocery bill in a major way since buying fresher more often, but it's totally worth it, I feel great! And then I remind myself, isn't that the goal and not a number on a scale? Yes, of course it is.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
oops, I got those numbers reversed and I didn't realize I had already reported Tuesday :grin:

cportwine
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Joined: 24 March 2008
Location: Muscoda, Wisconsin USA
Posts: 4432
I just wanted to stop in and say Hi!

I totally agree with what you said about the medical profession. I really think people in general need to take control of their health and health issues.

For me, if I hadn't of took over my health and did the research then I would be on medication for my cholesterol. But, I took the time to learn how to eat and exercise to get it under control. And non of that came from my doctor. All that was learned from searches on the Internet.

Also, I think the zig zag is great. I do that without even thinking or trying. It just comes natural. I eat allot one day, not so much the next. I think it keeps my body from knowing that I am dieting. So, keeps me from the plateaus or my body from going into starvation mood.

Anyway, good luck with your goals and great job staying on track.. :grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
1475 in for today. I was gonna make it a lower day but I had these three cookies at lunch......yeah. But, I can honestly say it's the first time I gave in to sweet temptation.

I took at peek at the scale, it said 166, but I hardly drank today at all, so I think I'm dehydrated, I've been good, and staying faithful to my calorie counting and good eating, but I'm just not totally sure I'm gonna lose this week. We'll see on Monday I guess. For now I'm gonna drink a couple cups of ice water and take it easy. Three 12 hour days in a row has really caught up to me!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
1895 in today! My biggest day in a while, we had a heavy dinner. I don't feel like I totally went nuts, but it was a heavy sodium day. So, I'm gonna move my official weigh in to Tuesday so I'll have an extra day to get rid of the water weight that will surely follow. Plus I work Monday, and not Tuesday so it works a little better, and next week we'll be out of town for Labor day, so I'll do 2 Tuesday weigh-ins here in a row, then move it back to Monday. I'm gonna try really really hard to not peek until Tuesday morning, we'll just see how that goes.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
I knew this day would come, but why did it have to come so soon??:dizzy:

166.8 this morning. No loss to report. But we'll count that extra .2 lbs as water weight. I will acknowledge several things with this no loss week I had.

1) I know I plateau easily, I've known it from the start. Maybe it has be to a longer period of time to be officially considered a plateau, but that aside, a week is long enough for me.

2) I've pretty much gone stagnant on the calorie zigzagging. 1520 in yesterday. So, I think my variations aren't wide enough. Looking back I see numbers like 1260, and 1480, which really aren't that far apart, and most days I hit pretty close to 1500. I've gotten comfortable with what I know I can eat throughout the day to not have too many calories and to keep myself feeling satisfied, I think it's time to shake things up a bit.

3) Maybe I'm taking in more than I think. I've considered this, and mostly point it out because if I don't, maybe someone else will. :grin: But, I'm actually really careful about counting calories. If croutons go on my salad and they say half a cup = 150, then I get out a measuring cup. But, I also do have to guess sometimes if I have a meal at work or we go out, and that could be enough to throw off a count or two a week I suppose. Altough we have only eaten out twice. I will also acknowledge, that while I count the calories in fruit, I don't count them in vegetables. So if I have a salad, I'm only counting what I put on top of it, so generally I would say my totals are probably 150-200kcal higher than I report. Which still isn't too much, but most days I do eat at least maintainence, even if my numbers suggest otherwise.

4) I'm not exercising enough. I'm not really exercising at all. Being new at my job, I always have learning materials to go over, read, quizzes to take on my days off. Clean house, read books (oh how I missed reading for actual enjoyment during school). So other than my job, I don't get a lot of movement in. I'm not couch ridden by any means, but we maybe get a walk or two in a week, and it's not strenuous, it's hilly, but I don't push myself. You'd think with all the movement I do at work it would count as exercise, but it really doesn't. It's a lot of stop and go, a lot of standing, and walking a hallway, about 5,000 times a day. It's not the kind of work that gets your heart rate up. Plus, after a couple of months, I think my body has adjusted to it. I don't have that worn out, "just plain to tired to stand" feeling at the end of the day anymore. Going into the profession, I always wondered why so many nurses were fat, they move all day long! But like I said, it's not exercise. And nurses love to eat!! Someone's always getting a baby shower in the break room, or someone made cookies, or a patients wife brought in doughnuts, I turn down an amazing amount of treats. I gave in once and had 3 cookies, which I think I confessed to already. And I actually went down and bought those myself. Something about being in a hospital around all those germs, I just can't partake in communial food. So, that makes it easy to say "no thanks."

Sorry to make this so long. But here's my plan. I'm going to maintain this week, meaning, I'll stick to my guns, but we're going out of town this weekend I don't don't want to have to agonize over ordering a veggie burger or the real deal. I don't want to go up either, so I do plan to be careful. Starting next Tuesday, which will be my next weigh in, I'm going to do several thing. 1) Make time for exercise, with my schedule, this means actually creating a time slot for it at the begining of the week and sticking to it, and utilizing my days off to exercise.  2)Finding new foods. I have next Tuesday off, and we hit the grocery store at the beginging of the month, so I'm going to research more recipes and shake things up. 3) try more variation in zigzagging. we're talking 800 one day and 1800 the next.

Happy Week to all!

hoofprints
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Sounds like you really looked at what was going on and I love your plan. At least if there is a goal in mind we have something to guide us. I really enjoy your diary and am looking forward to reading about your week.

CrimsonAnimus
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Joined: 4 May 2008
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA
Posts: 1913
Hey, Betty!

Veggies, as a general rule of thumb, are very low in calories. Unless you eat more than the standard 4-6 servings, I wouldn't worry about it. I do count mine for posterity, but not counting my V-8, it turns out to be really low - about 60 calories per day.

Other veggies, though, like potatoes and beans, are more calorie dense, so it's probably worthwhile to count those.

I can't eat potatoes without turning into a sheep - A.K.A. a baaaaaad boy. :tongue:

It is so easy to underestimate the calories in restaurant food, even items on the menu that they claim are more "nutritious".

I can make a 4 ounce cheeseburger at home that is far healthier than any burger you will get in a restaurant. I usually eat 96/4 meat, or 93/7 or 92/8 if the other is not available. I used bread made with 100% whole grain, and my cheese is at least part-skim.

Even foods on "wheat" bread are practically never 100% whole wheat in restaurants - they are usually a mix between white or wheat. Also, I doubt that most meat is made with leaner cuts, and to keep down costs, they are probably greatly processed.

Eating out is great for a occasional treat, and just fine for such, but I really try to limit my eating out. I usually know what ingredients are in the food I eat, and I like that reassurance. Even if they provide you with the nutrition info at a restaurant, you still don't entirely know what you're putting in.

The way I see it - I don't count the calories from eating out. It is a treat - a time for me to put it all aside for a short while and enjoy myself. If I get too involved, I don't enjoy the experience as much. Life is too short to be too perfect. :wink:

Good job, Betty! Keep it up. :smile:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
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Posts: 126
Thanks for all the support!

We have only eaten out twice since I started working on this, not twice this past week! haha. That whole myth about nurses making the killer bucks is just that, a myth, eating out is a major treat for us.

But you're absolutely right, and I agree about preparing your own food. I like to know exactly what is in the food I'm eating, even if it's not the best choice I could be making.

NurseBetty
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Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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Ate somewhere around 2000 yesterday, a little more than I meant to for maintaining this week.  We had some friends over for dinner and everone contributed a dish and I wasn't about to go around asking everyone how many calories they thought each serving of what they brought had in it. I'm going to try to stick with 1700-1800 a day for manitanence, because I don't want to step on and see a higher number on Monday. There's (almost) nothing more depressing than having to work back down to a number you've already been at before! :wink: 

Work today. I can feel a busy one coming on.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Alright so I have a confession to make. So Tuesday I have my weigh in and I try to stay all positive and tell myself, it's cool that you didn't lose weight, no rush, it's not a race, it's just time for changes and I go and make a plan and think all these good thoughts, right?

Ugh, yeah right, after about an hour I was getting so down on myself. I know all the info about losing weight slowly is the best way, how to break plateaus, but we all know it doesn't matter what you tell yourself, it's hard when you try so much to behave and be good to your body and the numbers don't show. Even if you're feeling slimmer, lighter, I don't know about ya'll but I love it when that scale moves! (in the downward direction of course.)

So later that day I'm at the grocery store waiting to check out with my spinach, carrots and bananas and I see this Snickers bar. And I thought, why do all this if it doesn't make a difference. So I bought it, and it was long devoured before I even started the car! I don't even care for Snickers, I probably haven't had one in ten years, but somehow I guess I thought....well you all know what I thought, we've all been there. And of course, not five minutes down the road, guilt set it, and I re-pep talked myself. Redecided I was gonna give it a break and maintain this week, and rededicated myself to my previously mentioned plan. I guess I'm sharing this because we've all been there, the battle in your mind can almost be as hard to handle as the battle with weight loss.

Of course go figure I'm upping my cals this week and the scale read 166.2 this morning. I know these little flucuations are water weight, but I love those lower-than-before numbers :grin:.

So maybe next time you're being just downright hard on yourself and can't get that scale to move, I think the doctor would order. 'take a piece of chocolate, and weigh yourself in the morning.'

CrimsonAnimus
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Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA
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Whee! Betty, is that your new philosophy? Will you be my doctor? Just replace "chocolate" with "steak and baked potato" and we are in business! :grin:

Seriously, life is too short not to have our occasional indulgences. Our health is very important. Why is that? It's because it is an important part of our WELL-BEING. What else is an important part of our well-being? Enjoying life. Trying to find a balance between the two is what we all need to strive for.

Good job!

OnceUpon-A-ThinGirl
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Joined: 7 April 2006
Location: Willits, California USA
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...and remember it was just one candy bar.  It's not like you went on a wild binge and I think you should be commended for that because lets face it, when you feel like your diet isn't working it's really easy to start that downward spiral.  I think the real key to success is exactly what you're doing, giving yourself treats occasionally and letting go of the small stuff.  Keep up the good work.  And be kind to yourself, I know it's hard when the numbers don't show but you're doing great! 

NurseBetty
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Thanks Guys!

Now if I can just get over the fact that I wasted it on a Snickers!

Happy Labor Day Weekend to All! :grin: :cool:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Alright, time to play catch-up!

Weight: 165.8

Such a relief, I really could have blown it big time this weekend, and the last thing I wanted was to have to work my way back down through numbers I had already seen. We went out of town this weekend. But before we left, Thursday I decided I was packing a cooler so I could make sandwiches and we wouldn't have to rely on fast food. We ended up eating out once over our three day vacation! We stayed at a bed and breakfast, so that was taken care of, and I ended up packing enough sandwiches for about three separate meals. We're not big on eating out, and the focus of this vacation was certainly not food. We went to 2 theme parks and a historic city, and we walked EVERYWHERE! This is my only explanation for losing this week. We had treats usually once a day, but looking back, we ate about two meals a day was all, one always breakfast, and we walked pretty much from 10am to 9pm each day everywhere we went and for everything we did. I'm having to give myself the "day off" so I can handle the next three days at work on my feet! It was a great weekend, but it's always nice to be home again.

So this is where I jump start things again. I'm going to try more fluctuations in calorie zigzaging and more exercise, as mentioned before. I would like to be 150 by the end of October, but considering the rate that I have been losing, this number might be a little ambitious. I'll re-evaluate in a few weeks after I can see how things are going. I'm going to take a little look at this Sept/Oct challenge now and see what others are reaching for, if I join I may have to go with a higher number.

Back to the Grind! :grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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So after a weekend of not counting calories, I completely forgot to keep myself in check yesterday! Oh well, instead of going back and trying to figure out the numbers, I'll just start back again today. I can't throw it all into the wind just yet, it really works for me. (If I remember to do it! :grin:)

Work today, 12 hours, completely back in reality now. droopy eyes and all. I set my challenge goal at 155. I've been losing slowly, so I think that's more realistic, and everything else (if any) will just be a bonus.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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1230 in yesterday. Had such a crazy day at work I ate the banana and nutrigrain bar I had packed for snacks at the end of my shift, and fell asleep at home before I could get in any dinner. But it's okay, I wanted to try some more zigzagging so we'll call that a semi-low day and I'll try to kick it up a knotch today with the calories. Another work day today.

Happy Thursday!:apple:

Last edited on 4 September 2008 10:42 am by NurseBetty

NurseBetty
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Last two days (well, yesterday and today) have been 1200-1300. I'll try to up it this weekend because I'm defintely not sticking to my guns with the zigzaging. It's work days that throw me off. I can only find so much time to eat, and I don't like coming home and eating a lot because it's not long before I'm off to bed. I may have to consider more than just fruit and coffee for breakfast on work days or something.

I'm going to try to read up on diaries I like to frequent :grin: but I'm sure soon I'll be off to sleep.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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Weigh in tomorrow morning - so why was I so bad this weekend?? :dizzy:

Since going on vacation over Labor Day I haven't been very good about counting calories. Mostly because I lost my faithful notebook that I write everything down in. I did some recall for the three days I worked last week and those were all good numbers, but Saturday and Sunday I was all over the place with my eating. In fact today I have not eaten a real meal all day, just snacked here and there which is really unlike me and I can't even begin to figure out what my numbers would be. Anyways, so tomorrow I weigh in, and I have the day off so I may have to purchase a new notebook. Silly how something like a book of paper can help me so much to stay on track. I guess it really is true what they say, that writing things down is very much to the key to success when losing weight.

Hopefully I won't be dissapointed in my number, but then if I am, well, I could use a little motivation right now! :grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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So official weight this morning is 165!

Not bad I guess. Althought I peeked on Friday and saw a lower number, I didn't do a very good job with my eating yesterday and consumed a lot of bread. I'm totally back on track now. All those goals I set for myself a few weeks ago, I'm totally with it now. I've got to get on serious track if I want to buy a nice new winter wardrobe in a couple months! (yes in a couple months, we have a pretty short winter season where I'm at).

Alright, I'm going to go report my numbers in the weight loss challenge thread and then get on with my day off. Happy Monday! :grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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Ugh, I've been so bad today! I don't know what's with me! Everytime I decide to misbehave I tell myself I'm going to feel awful afterwards, and I always do.

But the good news is I found my trusty notebook. :grin: Hopefully getting back into writing things down will help set me straight. I really want to reach my fall challenge goals, and what's more, I really want to see the 150's again, and soon!

yesterday's calories, about 1700, today, like a million! I'm not eating anymore though, I'm so full right now I'm sure it'll carry me through until bed time. The good news is I'll be working the next 3 days so I simply won't have time to misbehave.

Have a good week everyone!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
1200 in yesterday. Which normally I'd like to eat more, but I had so much extra on Monday and Tuesday, plus it helps with zigizaging to occasioanlly have a low day. :wink:

I'm glad I got a low day in, I feel lighter, less weighed down, that'll make for a more pleasant day at work.

I found a new low cal meal. When I eat, especially at work, I like to prepare two smaller dishes as opposed to one large one. I always bring a salad, sometimes I large one of I have nothing else. But on Tuesday I made some whole wheat couscous and mixed in a jar of salsa and a can of black beans. It's pretty good. I just heat it up at lunch. I eat chick peas sometimes, which are garbonzo beans, but this gives me a little more bean variety. Many grocery stores are coming out with all kinds of new salsas, pineapple, peach, so I'll have to branch out next time and get something a little different. Having black beans at lunch has also proved to be more filling than my usual salad, which only stays with me a couple hours. At home I just have tea to fill in the afternoon gap, but at work, there's no telling where satisfaction could come from and in what form! Usually I simply don't have time to snack, but I'm sure if the opporunity presented itself, I'd totally give in. So I'm hoping black beans and the couscous will help hold off afternoon hunger.

Happy Thursday :cool:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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Alright so, Thursday and Friday were pretty similar as far as intake of calories. 1230 on Thursday, 1435 yesterday. So, I'm gonna have a little more today, trying to avoid that plateau. I'll probably have a larger than normal lunch and a nice big salad for dinner. We'll see, but I've been so incredibly good the last three days I can let go a little bit. :grin: A very little bit.

I'm starting to feel like my challenge goal is certainly attainable, I had my doubts at the begining of the week. You know how that goes: Why am I doing this to myself? Does it really matter? I don't look that bad right now like I am. Oh yeah, there's that little better for my health issue.

Happy weekend to all!

CrimsonAnimus
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Joined: 4 May 2008
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA
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You can do it, Betty! :cool:

I'm getting to a point, too, where I think, "Hey, I don't look too bad." Then I remember, though, that I'm still overweight, and that diabetes runs in my immediate family and I don't want to get it, and that I have people depending on me, etc.

So...kudos for recognizing the importance to your health. We'll get there! :smile:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Thanks Nick!

I decided to move my weigh in day to Sunday, but didn't report yesterday, so here I am reporting yesterdays number.

163!

I think this is the biggest loss for me in a week yet. It did go up a little this morning, but we're not going to talk about that. :wink: No seriously, this is the reason I switched my weigh in day, if I'm going to fudge a little, its going to be on the weekend, particuarly Sunday. I don't go over in Calories, but the sodium content is usually way up, so it was always a bummer seeing lower numbers throughout the week and reporting a slightly higher one on Monday. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I admire the people that do averages for the week, but I'm trying to get better about not weighing myself everyday. (which I still do anyways.) The challenge ends on a Friday, which would actually be a good day for me also, so who knows, maybe I'll shake things up by weeks end. The important thing is, it's going down.

Have a Great Week! :grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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Pretty good day so far. I'm sitting at 725 here before dinner. Good place to be. Tomorrow I start another run of 3 work days in a row. I probably make this sound like a huge undertaking. It is. :grin: Mostly just because they're 12 hour shifts, half an hour on each side for report makes it more like 13, and the commute, you're living work for 3 days straight. But enough about that.

I really feel like this next week is huge for me. The last couple of times I have attempted weight loss I have struggled to get below 160, and in the next couple of weeks I hope to be doing that. I know I've gotta step up my game, and quit letting go on the weekends, oh, and try once again to stick to that whole exercise thing that I never seem to get around to. :grin:  I really really want an elliptical trainer. In my college days when I was able to use the university gym I could go an hour on those things and not break a sweat! Maybe I'll be asking Santa........

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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1380 in yesterday. not a bad day. Most of my calories used to come from fruits and veggies, now that I'm looking at what I've been eating I'm going to smaller portions of "other things." I want to get back on the fruit and veggie train and pledge my allegience to Dr Furhman. Maybe reading his book again would help motivate me. I don't know if it's because I have less time to shop, or because I'm just getting lazy. But my salads have been reduced to iceberg with some salad greens and chopped carrots. Which isn't bad, but I love a good salad with all that plus the tomatoes and the onions and the peppers, I'll need to take my grocery shopping more seriously the next time around.

For anyone who hasn't Read Eat to Live (or I think there is a newer one, Eat for Life.) It's not a magic book that will automatically make you lose pounds by purchasing it. It's just full of a wealth of information about just how good the things that come from the earth are, and just how bad some of that "other" stuff is, and what it can do to your health over time. Or immediately for that matter. Anyways, I would encourage anyone who doesn't know anything about Dr FUrhman to look him up and get an idea for his philosophies.

Alright, work calls. Happy Thursday.:cool:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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So I haven't posted in a few days, I thought I'd do a little catch-up here. Had to make a quick unexpected trip out of town for a few days so I haven't weighed myself in a while. but for the purpose of the challenge and lack of accessible scales, I'm going to say I'm still 163. if anything I'm up a little as I'm not really able to eat the same as when I'm home. not going over calories, just not the same kinds of food, so I'll weigh in next week and give my body time to readjust.
Have a great week everyone!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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So with some recent trips out of town and such. I've gotten better about hopping on the scales all the time. On the other hand, I've gotten much worse about writing things down. So my notebook is back and situated snuggly by the computer, and as for the scales.....we'll see. I'm back home, and of course that is the first thing I did this morning, weigh myself (I knew better than to last night when I got back.) It hasn't changed much, did go up a little, as I predicted, but not an upsetting amount and I'm going to attribute it to water weight. :grin:

Need to make a fresh fruit and veggie run today, and get lunches prepared for the work week ahead. I went to one of those members stores over the weekend and I can't believe the holiday items they are already starting to stock. I felt like yelling "Help! I thought I had more time!!" I really want to get to a comfortable place before the holidays kick into high gear, visual progress motivates me to behave.

Happy Tuesday! :grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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Thought I owed a quick update before a week passes. Just busy lately. :grin:

I've been hovering around the 163-164 mark. More 164. About 1600 in cal daily. If I can get past this weekend, I'll have the opportunity to restock with fresh produce and get back on the straight and narrow when it comes to daily calorie logging. Another trip out of town starting tonight. I'll check back in on Tuesday with an official weight!

Happy weekend! :smile:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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First off, my weight is still 163 (or some slight variation of that number).

I'm actually soooooo relieved. It's not that I've been bad, it's that life kicked it up a notch there for a few weeks where I was spending half my week in town, half out, working when I was here, running around like crazy when I wasn't. We've visited sick grand parents, well parents, siblings, cats, dogs, you name it. But we're here, for a while anyways, and no more weekend traveling until the holidays. :grin:

It was fun, but I need to get myself back on track. I've behaved, for the most part, but it's hard to have a routine and eat what's best (instead of what's available) when more often than not you're relying on someone else's cubbard. I attribute my non-gain to the good habbits I've developed over the last couple of months. Before, if I was going to eat half a bag of *whatever* then I might as well eat the whole bag, what did it matter if I was already eating an extraordinary amount of calories? But now I'm so conscious of whatever I put in my mouth, even if it's a treat, it's now half a treat, not two pieces of treat with ice cream on top. We all know what I'm walking about. I've mentioned before, I hate working back down through numbers I've already seen, luckily I don't have to go there this week.

I'm still keeping my challenge goal of 155 by the end of Oct. But I'm really going to have to buckle down to meet it, I think that's a little less than 2 lbs a week to lose, I've never lost like that before. But I've sat at this number for a good while, I think my body could handle a little jump start.

Have a Wonderful Tuesday! :cool:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Calories in yesterday 1290. I can afford to have a few light days here. :grin: Which is easy to do when I'm working.  Exercise has still been less than nil, if that's possible. So my husband and I already made plans to hit the great outdoors for a while Saturday morning. My work schedule will switch up here soon, which will actually make it easier. Right now I go three days in a row, which being new to the profession, it takes me the next two days to recover from it! It's not a good enough excuse I know. But I know when next Spring hits and I debate yet again as to whether or not to purchase any tank tops, I'll wish I had spent the winter getting more toned. So toned I will get.

Happy Thursday to all, with the weekend in sight!

MidgeH
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Location: St. Louis, Missouri USA
Posts: 1251
Betty I'm impressed with your planning. We all need to be thinking about where we want to be next time clothes with less coverage come 'round and now is the time to do it - for some of us (me!) those "get ready for summer in 6 weeks" plans just don't work!)

NurseBetty
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Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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So I picked a new weigh in day, it's Saturday. Mostly because today is saturday and I finally get to share a new number!

161.8

It's not much, I know, but it's something. Just goes to show myself I have to try and put thought into losing weight, it doesn't just happen passively for me. (unfortunately) Luckily I didn't gain on my "time off."  But I think I will stick with Saturdays as a weigh in day. I tend to eat more on the weekends, so that way I get my weight in before those days. :grin:

So we're off to the lake to have some nice outdoors time. Then the farmers market so I have plenty of freshness around and won't falter this weekend.

Happy Saturday! :cool:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
So Saturday I really behaved, I was coming off of that high of that incredible new number. But Sunday...eh...not so much. I'm confident I didn't go over in calories though. I've just gotten so bad about writing things down, I really need to get with it. But Sunday lunch probably contained more sodium than I ate all week.  So it takes me a few days to get rid of the bloat. However I am STILL maintaining I'm going to reach 155 by the end of Oct. Will I? probably not, I just don't lose weight that fast, but the idea of being in the mid 150's by the end of the month is very motivating. To think, I was originally going to go for 150!!! Maybe by the end of the year. Anyways, three and a half weeks to loose 6.8 lbs. When I put it that way it doesn't really sound possible, but we shall see.

I'm going to get busy cleaning house, my days off without my husband around are my worst enemy. :smile:  (one thing I've figured out abouy myself. boredem = cravings)

Happy Monday! :cool:

NurseBetty
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Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
So Monday didn't turn out so grand, I just plain over ate. But it made me feel so bad there's no way I'm falling into that trap today. Last two days have been work, I always behave on work days. Nurses generally love to eat, and considering it's mostly women around someone is always bringing in something or bags of chocalate, yesterday the Halloween candy already started making it's way into the break room. But for some reason at work it's easy to resist. I think when I see other people making bad choices I get up on my high horse (in my head of course) and it deters me from the stuff. But home alone...I can be so reckless. We don't keep junk in the house, so it's not like when I'm here alone I eat stuff that's real bad for me, just too much of 'regular' food.

Anyways, enough about that.  I've been holding steady, but I'm getting to the point where I can't have these *bad* days two or three times a week and still lose weight. On a positive note I've moved my hand weights to a spot where I won't forget them and have actually used them once already this week. Today will be number two. I'm going to make check off sheets and post them on the fridge.  My goal is to use them three times a week for the duration of the year.

I'm so close to the 150's I can smell them. I did some major closet cleaning the other day, it felt so liberating. So far I have not gone done a size in clothing, but it's coming soon.

Happy Thursday! :grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
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Still 161.8 this morning. Not much else to say about that :grin:

we're heading out for a walk here in a bit, maybe a little jogging should occur.

Happy Weekend! :smile:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
The weekend wasn't too terrible considering it was a weekend, defintely no gain going on. The scale read the exact same number this morning. I'm going to try to not weigh myself this week (too much:wink:). I've gotten to the point where I actually don't some mornings, sometimes a few days in a row, I guess because right now I have a good idea of what it's going to be, plus it hasn't been changing much lately.

Work today, they're always good days (in the respect of behaving myself).

Happy Monday!:grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Well, things have been at a standstill for a while now. I still don't think it's a plateau so much as my lack of effort. At least I know what I can eat and stay at the same weight! I keep saying this, but I really need to pick up the slack. I have an idea about where I want to be come the holidays, and it's certainly a few pounds lighter than I am right now.

All in all I haven't been eating terribly bad, just not terribly good either. I have been slightly more active though, so that's a plus. I'm going to head over to the farmers market and stock up on some freshness.

Happy Friday - the weekend is (almost) here! :smile:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
The weekend wasn't terrible, I probably broke even Friday and Saturday, and then did really well yesterday. Probably = I have completely lost track of calorie counting. My efforts have dropped off in so many areas, I still care, I'm just not the same ball of fire about details as I was starting out.

I have improved in the activity department. I've been walking more, a few times a week. But it is often balanced by more calories more often. Now that I know I'm not going to reach my challange goal, it's like I've decided to not move forward at all. I really don't deal well with short term goals I guess, can't take the pressure. And yes, 2 months is  short term goal. :grin:

Overall, I've still made progress, and I don't ever increase in scale numbers which is nice, I've learned to practice control. Now if I could just learn to care about actually losing again! :smile:

I didn't report a weight this week because it's the same. Not the exact same, but it continually hovers around the same couple of numbers. However, at least it's not discouraging, because well.....I'm just not trying all that hard right now.

Work today. Have a Great Week!:cool:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
I can't believe it's been a week since I've updated! I guess with less progress comes less excitement? Although I've been reluctant to share because I've been at a virtual stand still, I realize most of those on this forum are going through the same thing.  This morning I was 161.6. I think the lowest I've seen is 161, and that was after a long walk and little hydration. I realize I won't hit my goal of 155 by the end of October (duh) but I'm going to set a year end goal for myself.  9 and half weeks until the end of the year, I would like to be 152 by December 31st. I realize this is a tall order considering my recent standstill, and the fact that before this standstill I was barely making a pound a week some weeks. But I think having a number in my head will help me get through the holidays working hard. (Or at least maintaining right?) One thing I can say for myself. in many last attempts to lose weight I'd lose poundage, maybe as much as 10 or 15, but then the weight started to creep back up. I started this journey when one day I realized I was up to 175 (and it didn't feel good) and every week since, I've yet to see a number larger than the week before. Of course with the exception of some water weight, but I'm aware of when that is going on with my body. These lifestyle changes are coming slow, but at least they are sticking. :grin:

I hope everyone is seeing sucesses in their own journeys, maybe I'll be updating less, but you can be sure I'll be updating. (Especially when I actually lose!!:smile:)

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
160.6 this morning! That's a pound down from the last time I posted. I might actually come close to that year end number!

The middle of last week I made a crockpot full of veggies on my day off. Took all day as I am a crock-pot novice and didn't realize since it's a slow cooker you're not suppose to take the top off all the time and check them. But anyways, in the end I had so much stew I froze half. I started taking a bowl full for lunch at work (as well as eating it on my days off) and I think I can contribute my success to that. It really filled me up and for less than about 200 calories per bowl. I now only have one frozen baggy left. I still had pretty solid dinners each night and we even had a rare breakfast out the other morning.

8 weeks left, roughly 8 lbs to go. Have a Great Week!:grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Not much change since last posting. If anything I might have gone up a little but I'm at a stage where I'm not really interested in finding out. :grin: A few days ago I was 160 so that's what I'm posting in the challenge. I did go grocery shopping and stocked up on lots of fresh (and frozen) goodness. My fault lately has been time, no time to plan ahead = desperate bad decisions when I get hungry, especially at work when the cafeteria becomes my only option. I never knew nursing would get this overwhelmingly stressful!! But I'm trying to take it in stride. I think too early on I decided to start taking on some over time and I need to cut that out, it's not worth my health.

Have a great week! :smile:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
I can't believe it has been a month since I've updated! Well then, here I go.

Like most people, the holiday season has been SUCH a challenge. I LOVE baking, I love having good yummy food in house to enjoy with friends, I was determined to give that up this year, with absolutely no ability to stick to my guns. I have gained, a few pounds since last post, I hover around the 163 mark, so luckily I'm not packing them back on at an alarming rate. Needless to say I'm not extremely happy with myself either. Like half the nation, I plan to rededicate myself to this fight in the form of a New Years resolution. I figured this late into the hoidays it's best for me to keep hanging on to maintainence. I've started reading Dr Furhmans book again, Eat to Live, he gives such inspiration. Plus, most of the population I take care of at work are overweight and/or obese and have the health history because of it. (Diabetes, heart disease, heart attacks, achy joints). I just don't want this to be me in my 70s, 60s, or even 50s!

So, I'm hanging in there. For now I'll take it.

Happy Wednesday! :smile:

CrimsonAnimus
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Joined: 4 May 2008
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA
Posts: 1913
Hey, Betty!

I've seen you posting in the Challenge. Just wondering how everything is going for you.

Your bit about seeing overweight/obese people all the time must really be a motivator. My mother has diabetes, and I see every day how hard it is on her - the daily insulin injections, the finger pricks, the deteriorated vision...I'm so thankful that every time I've had my blood sugar tested, it has been great. I want to keep it that way.

Glad to see you survived the holidays. Quite the doozies, aren't they? :smile:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Alright so I haven't updated in forever because I wasn't feeling like it was helping me all that much - no, correct that - I didn't feel like helping ME all that much.

I hover around the same number mostly 163-164. I put on a few pounds during the holidays, took a few pounds off. Put on a few pounds during a weekend to gatlinburg with my husband, then took a few pounds off. Like many of us, I'm an expert at those first few pounds (probably because so much of it is water flucuation with all the bad foodies).

A few years ago before serious boyfriends, the hazards of being a nurse, when all I had to worry about was my job as a check out girl I managed to take quite a bit of weight off, I went from about 190 to 155, I was persistent, and dedicated.  I haven't forgotten how to eat right, I can do it, I just....don't, at least not for an extended amount of time. I've maintained my weight because I'll have a 'good' week, and then a 'bad' one and they've kind of balanced each other out. Anyways, the other day I was trying to figure out what was different about this time, and the time when I previously lost weight, I mean why couldn't I get my motivation going.

If you think it was because of catching a man, you're wrong. I have every reason to want to be and look healthy for my husband. I want to be well and alive at 90 with him, I want every ounce I can get out of this life to spend with him.  So that's not where the lack of motivation lies, if anything you'd think that would add to my motivation now. Then it hit me, before, I was so unholy dedicated to working out, I would actually arise at 5am just to be sure I've get my 1hr 15minutes of exercise in. I belonged to a gym, I ran at the park, if I could do absolutely nothing else, I would jump rope and use free weights on the breezeway outside my apartment door.

This time around I told myself I would 'save' the exercise portion for when I hit my first platuea, that way by adding exercise to my regimen I could bust through the first plataeu with little to no discouragement. Well, little did I know, that time is now.

So I decided I'd start out by walking at the lake, 3.5 miles, beautiful setting, easy to commit to. Ohhhh so wrong. Turns out this would also involve getting dressed and actually driving there. My promises to myself to defintely go walking tomorrow just plain weren't happening. So, I thought back to the days when I was a work out machine, what did I love? and how could I recreate that now, without havin to leave home? This may sound incredibly lazy....but after a few 12 hour shifts in a row at the hospital, I have every reason to want to stay home. To make this long story short, I bit the frickin bullet and bought an elliptical, yes, a high priced piece of work out machinery. Neccessary, no, unless you're me, I found it completely neccessary.

All this to say, after a few goes on this lovely contraption, I know now what I was missing. It's nothing to have a 'bad' day, or two or three, until you can physically measure those calories in how much work it takes to burn them the heck off. The first time on my new toy after 15 minutes I felt like I was going to be sick. I couldn't believe I was one of 'those' people.....physically ill because I broke a sweat? How embarressing. Exercise is my new key....it makes me so much more aware of what I'm putting into my mouth. Not to mention, it some how increases my over all energy level.....who-da-thought?

I'll give you a weight in about a week. Thanks for bearing with me.:smile:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Rome wasn't built in a day. That's what I have to tell myself everytime I see the same ol' hips in the mirror. Working out on the ellipical has been great! On my days off I'm usually home most of the day minus maybe one or two errands in the morning, so I've been splitting my work outs up. I'll do two fifteen minute session in the AM, and two in the PM. I feel this keeps me moving during the day as well because after my morning session I don't feel like physically I'm done for the day. I read somewhere that people who work out tend to be less active during the rest of the day than those that don't. While I think this is kind of bogus, I'm still trying to remain aware of it, so I don't get a good work out in and then sit around the rest of the afternoon.

By the way, I've always tried to reach goals in time for weddings and vacations and this and that. It never worked well for me. I'd get a couple weeks from the event and look at mysef and think, well screw it I'm not going to lose the weight so what difference does the next two weeks make? So I gave that mentality up and while I have goals in mind, I try not to restrict them to a time frame. That's why I kind of gave up on joining the challenges. I'm not knocking them, for me personally it was more defeating than encouraging. (Even though I could have resolved this by setting lower goal weights, I know) Well....now I'm going back on my word. We're planning a 9 day vacation to Florida in August. And I really really really want to be 150 by then. I mean really.

So that's my goal and time frame. I'll report my current weight on Tuesday.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Alright, so being realistic here, when I weighed myself last week I was NOT 163, but I don't think I ever confessed to that. However, I never wrote the number down so I don't remember it, but I think it was 167. It was certainly higher than I had anticipated.

anyways, this morning I was 164.4. I think I could have had a better number, but I'm maintaining honesty so that's going to be my official number. All week I had kept my calories around 1300 a day, which I think is too low. But at the end of the day I'm not willing to eat more just to add up calories. I realize if I keep that up I'm going to plateau quickly and have no room to decrease, so last night when my husband asked if I wanted to go out to eat I consented. I decided having an up day every week or so would have to be one of my strategies if most days were going to continue to be that low. Hence the higher number than I anticipated. However if my weight really was 167 last week that I'm completely fine with that, I just wish I could remember.

oh well. today I'm off work, I'm about to start my first round on the elliptical. Yesterday when my husband asked about going out to eat I said yes, but as long as we take a walk first, so we did the 3 mile path at the local park. So I wasn't all bad right?

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
This morning I weighed myself at 163.2. I had a couple really low days, came out at a little over 1000 calories each day, so I'm shooting for at least 1500 today. And then my husband and I are going to my parents this weekend so I know it'll be a little higher due to just not having the same fruits and veggies at my finger tips. So I'm not too concerned about dipping too low those days, I just don't want to make a habit out of it.

Today is a home day, so I'll be on the elliptical. I'm considering a walk too if I can get myself moving before it becomes uncomfortably hot. I must confess I was glad to see that number on the scale, but I don't want to give in to the pitfall of losing the weight too quickly.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
163.4 this morning. I don't think I gained this weekend so much as my sodium intake was higher. I was very careful to enjoy myself while not going over in calories. I'm trying to stick to Tuesday as my weigh in day, but I work tomorrow so I'm afraid I'll forget. We are making another trip out of town this weekend to the other set of in-laws so again, I'll just have to be careful. Although these are my husbands parents, and it's harder to say no to them, on account of general expectation of southern politeness.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Weight was 162.8 this morning. Today is one of my days off, I walked at the lake this morning and I'm planning at least 30 minutes on the elliptical this afternoon. The exercise has been great. I'm sleeping better and feeling stronger. I look better in the mirror than I have previous times at this weight I think. I'm going to try really hard to quit weighing myself every morning. It's not as frustrating as it used to be because I'm accumstomed to the general fluctuations. But I'd just like to see if I can do it, hold off for a week or so. I'm going to try.  It would be nice to see a bigger jump in the scale.

We'll be off again this weekend. My father-in-law wants to take us to this new Mexican resturaunt he's discovered. I couldn't find a worse kind of food if I tried! (not worse as in tastes bad) So, I'm going to have to be careful, even small portions can be astronomical in fat and calories. If I was planning to cheat because I wanted to it would be one thing, but I don't WANT to eat there. (I know, I sound like a 2 year old). I'm just not about to insult my inlaws by not going. So, I guess I'll have to work out extra hard on Sunday to make up for it!

Hisgal
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Joined: 27 March 2006
Location: Smalltown, Minnesota USA
Posts: 3106
Hey Betty, when I go to our local mexican restaurant, I order the veggie burrito.   It's a flour tortilla, wrapped around broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, black beans, and rice.   It's topped with a red sauce (looks like really thin tomato soup) and served with shredded lettuce and fresh tomato/cilantro mix.   Not a bit of high fat meat or cheese in site.   I found one on a website for another mexican chain and figure there's about 750 calories in the whole thing........I eat half and take the other half home!   I then usually treat myself to about 3-6 tortilla chips with lots of low-fat, low-cal salsa.

If that doesn't appeal, you can always order a taco salad w/chicken and don't eat the shell or all the chicken.   Or our local one has a very delicious chicken soup.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Thanks for the words of advice! I was crossing my fingers and hoping they would have something descent, but planning for the worst. As it turns out, we didn't end up going, which I thought kind of odd considering how much he'd been talking about it during the week. So, I didn't have to face that demon, but I still had a higher intake this weekend than I've been doing on my own, although I really felt like I at least broke even both days. Today's weight was 163 however, so I don't know what's up with that number. But, I'm going to have a really good couple of weeks here I know it. No trips planned in the near future, and today is fresh veggie and fruit stock up day, so I'm getting plenty of good stuff to eat. I'm going to try to not weigh myself for two weeks. I don't want to focus on numbers I want to focus on good nutrition and exercise. But if I peek, I promise to report it.

At 163 we have exactly 2 months til vacation time. 13 pounds in about 8.5 weeks should be doable, but I don't have that fast of a weight loss track record, so we'll see. I'm actually really excited about having an open slate right now. No obligatory dinners, no weekends away from my routine.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
I did not weigh myself this morning!!

I consider that a personal victory.  Also, yesterday was a good day. I worked out on the ellipitical and really pushed myself, then I did some various reps with 5lb weights. I'm trying to me more consistent with the weights. I have to do cardio and weights on the same days so, too often I forget to do them. And eating went well too, I'm defintely at a place where I can eat my fruits and salads and I just don't desire much else. in fact yesterday I couldn't believe how sweet my fresh pineapple and banana tasted.

My husband is trying to coach me in the art of a full military style push up. I can do 'girl' push-ups just fine. But my current goal is to be able to do ten full press push-ups. I can tell this is going to take a while. It's my middle that I can't control. I get half way down and my belly either drops to the ground or my toosh goes up in the air.  So I guess I need to find something to help work on my core muscles, I should be able to get something off the internet....I do not like crunches.....I WILL find an alternative.

Hisgal
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Joined: 27 March 2006
Location: Smalltown, Minnesota USA
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I saw an infomercial over the weekend for a core workout, called "Core Rhythms"....Latin dancing to tighten the core............looked fun.    All standing up, no crunches! :wink:

I went to a website to read reviews on this DVD..........seems most people love it!   Try going to http://www.infomercials.com/product/core_rhythms_reviews      I might have to order this after all!

I also found a website, with lots of complaints.........but they all seemed to be with telephone orders, and the salespeople trying to sell them "extras".    I've ordered infomercial workout DVD's before (Yoga Booty Ballet, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs) and I've always gone to Amazon.com and gotten them cheaper, shipping's cheaper, and I've had no problems.

Last edited on 10 June 2009 07:48 pm by Hisgal

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
So I defintely peeked this morning, and I even tried to be sneaky about it. I waited until my husband went out to start his car for work and I ran upstairs to jump on the scale - as if he even cared! But I had put the scale in his bathroom so I wouldn't be so tempted, didn't do a lot of good. however, I made it 48 hours, that's an improvement.

Anyways, 161.4! Not bad right? I knew that 163 was a fluke. The good news is I think that gave me just the motivation I need to now really try harder to stay away from the scale. And anyways, whenever I see a brand new number like that the next few days to weeks are just followed by slight fluctuations around it, so if I can manage to stay away I won't be missing much.

I had a pretty good morning on the elliptical, I probably should have pushed myself harder. Yesterday I was fine, but today I'm feeling Tuesdays push-up attempts. ugh. It's been a long time since my body has really been sore from something, it's a good thing I didn't work today. I had planned to stick with the weights again today, because I'm starting to see some ever-so-slight definition in my arms, but they're just so achey. Forget about it.

Last edited on 11 June 2009 07:52 pm by NurseBetty

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
I had a pretty good day yesterday. To be more specific about what I eat, mornings are usually just coffee, even on my days off.  I know I should eat breakfast, but I usually have no desire to, if I do get the desire, then I have some fruit. Otherwise I usually have a serving of fruit around 10, which for some people I guess would be a normal breakfast. je ne sais pas. Anyways, I usually then eat two large salads during the day, on days I work my meals fall on the later side of normal, like 1pm and 8pm. I don't really snack, it's never been an issue, fortunately. If I do need something I'll have more fruit, hot tea with sugar to sweeten it, or sometimes Akmak crackers and pineapple salsa (the BEST!!)

I'm pretty disciplined with my salads although sometimes I'll indulge in a little extra cheese. But mostly I use a few croutons, sometimes plain broiled chicken that I prepare in advance, and I dip my fork in salad dressing, I don't pour it on. Not only is pouring just not neccessary, I've noticed my bottles last me a whole lot longer and I get the same tasty enjoyment. But I have days when I'll have heavier meals. Last night I finished up some pasta we had, overall I ate about 800 calories at dinner, but my day totals before that had been around 700 so I figured I needed a heavier meal. I try hard to not hit multiple days in a row with low calorie intake. It'll work for a while on that scale, but then the thing comes to a screeching halt and theres no where to go. My salads fall anywhere from 300-500 caloried depending on how many extras I add. So even with 2 large salads and some fruit I can easily eat as few as 1200 calories if everything centers around fresh foods, but I don't like aiming that low, it does happen a few days a week.

No more peeking. But sooner or later the mighty will fall, and I will tell you what I find.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
I got on the scale again this mornng, almost abscent mindedly, as I stepped on I remembered I was trying to stay away (this due to my half conscious state when I first wake up) and I could have gotten off right away and just accepted the error message that would have popped up. But I didn't. 159.8 I moved the scale back into the main bathroom because having it in the other one clearly wasn't helping me stay away. But I guess in it's own small way maybe it kind of was.

I'm in the 150's!!!!!

Barely, but I'm there, I'm sure this is due to dehydration and only eating one meal yesterday. ( worked a night shift on Saturday night, so, I slept about 6 hours during the day and a full night last night) However, the one meal was at a restuarant and it was a burger and fries. This is only the second time my husband and I have eaten out since mid May and since it happens infrequently I don't beat myself up over it, because when the mighty maintainence portion of my life arrives one day, I know we'll still go out on occassion.

So I'm happy with that. And once again will vow to really stay away from the scale, or at least try. First I'm going to move it back into the other bathroom.

NurseBetty
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Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Yesterday and today have gone well. I've been home so I've been on the ellipitcal both days, although not for as long as I should, I've cranked out at least 30 minutes both days. I've ket the calories around 1500-1600 (or will by the end of the day) which I think is a good place to be on my days off. Work days tend to run a little lower and I'm about to go for three of those in a row.

We're having guests this weekend. But I've got plenty of salad stuff to keep me on track. I'll probably need to run out and stock up on some fruit this Saturday morning so I can have cherries or blueberries when everyone else is noshing on chips and burgers. It's mostly a couple of my husbands friends that are in town for the weekend, so I'm sure plenty of man food will be around.

Other than that not much else to report. I managed to stay away from the scale this morning for fear of seeing a number in the 160's, hopefully that fear will keep me away from it for a few more days.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
160.4 this morning.

this is completely my own fault, duh. I had a really good week last week. Then came the weekend. And to be honest, I wasn't really even trying to behave, I knew I would eat bad stuff, so my main goal was just to keep it under control, and I think I did. Only, I've not lost as a result. It might be one of those sodium things again, I could see my number drop off over the next couple of days, but I'm trying not to count on it. I just need to buckle back down and refocus.

I have 6 and a half weeks to get to 150. Should be able to reach that if I can just knock off these distracting weekends. The weekends that I blast through with my during-the-week routine is when I actually see results.

I'm also sick, which stinks. Not so sick that I'm in bed, but sick enough to feel like my energy has been zapped. I'm off work today and tomorrow, so normally these would be my heaviest work out days. We'll just have to see how that goes. I've got some things to tend to this morning, then I might see if I can sneak in a nap and THEN see if I can hop on the elliptical. Even if it was only 15minutes, I'd feel like I've done something.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
I never worked out yesterday. And it's defintely not happening today. I'm just too stuffy headed and tired feeling. I slept in a little today, until about 8:30, I think that may have helped some, I'm just worried about the work week. I'm working three 12 hour shifts in a row and then 8 on Saturday. I don't think that's going to help me feel better faster.

anyways, back down to 159 this morning. And the scale said 159.0 - which is the lowest number I have seen yet! Wonderful. Although I ate very little yesterday, just no appetite. I did have my usual morning coffee today and a salad around 11.  But I could hardly taste it, and I wasn't hungry, I just felt I should eat something, so I did.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Alright, so despite the heavy work week, I'm feeling much better, still unloading some of thie cold, but it's not preventing me from sleeping at night. Which is wonderful.

And today's weight is 158! I was shocked at the number, I don't know why, it's been at least a week since I saw my first number in the 159ish area. I didn't work out at all last week due to work and being sick, so maybe that's why I thought I wouldn't get anywhere. But here I am!

I was thinking I wouldn't be able to get to 150 by vacation time, I thought maybe I should aim to more like 153. But who's to say, I'm just going to push hard and hope I can get to that number by then....if not, I'll be there eventually. That's 8 pounds in 7 weeks, which I should be able to handle, even as slow as I've been going about this.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
158.2 this morning. I can't believe we're into July already. I'm home today so I'll have a good workout on the elliptical this afternoon probably. I contemplated a walk at the lake but it gets so hot here so early. I'm up at 7 at the latest on my days off and I can already practically see the humidity in the air!

I ordered some new clothes, mostly because vacation is coming up in a month and the mediums I bought are kind of baggy! Not incredibly huge, but not as fitted as I would like. I'll wait a few weeks and then do a little altering. It's not too surprising, I don't think it's so much that I'm getting that much smaller, I think clothes are getting bigger.

I've been behaving the last couple of days. I think I'm pretty much behaving most of the time now. I'm looking forward to this month, I want to make some serious progress and I can't wait to see where I am at the end of July.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
159.2 this morning. I haven't been as diligent the last few days because I ran out of fresh greens and produce, and well, had no time to fit in a shopping trip. So I ate out of the cafeteria a few times and have also been eating what I fix for my husband. It isn't bad food, but it isn't what my body has been used to lately either. So hence, no loss. A little over a month until vacation though so it's time to buckle down. I got plenty of produce today and it will be a busy work week, which will keep me occupied and moving. It may be too late to make it to 150, but I'm still going to try, in hopes I'll make it close.

OnceUpon-A-ThinGirl
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Joined: 7 April 2006
Location: Willits, California USA
Posts: 1300
Congratulations on the 150's Betty!  You'll make your goal in no time! 

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Thanks!

158.8 this morning. I seem to be hovering around the same number consistently. I think I need to step up the exercise. I've been working a lot of overtime, which sometimes only leaves 2 days a week for exercise and that's not enough. This current week is the last time I've signed up for extra hours so I think I'll lay off that for a while and focus on getting more active more days a week. I do work out on my days off, I'm good for it, my days off are limited right now, however.

Eating is going well though. As long as I keep fresh stuff in the house I haven't been struggling too much with that aspect.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Weight this morning was 158 even. I had dinner last night after work, THEN I had a bowl of cereal, so I think maybe I could have seen the 157's if I hadn't done that, but oh well. This past weekend I decided I needed a boost. I ate more calories, about 2200 a day, but also worked out everyday with a 3 mile walk and then 20 minutes on the ellipitcal. I did that Thurs, Fri, and Sat. Then Sunday I rested but took in about 1700 calories, then dropped back down yesterday (monday) to around 1500. I feel like my body needed a little bit of a calorie break, or something to confuse it, whatever it may be. I'm going to be hardcore until vacation. Then on vacation I'm just going to be sensible. :smile:

This coming weekend we'll be heading to the beach. My strategy is going to be bring lots of fruit. We're staying at my parents house and my mom eats lots of salads so no worry there.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
157.2 this morning! Then later on in the day I weighed myself and it actually said 156.6! weird cause I usually am up about 2 lbs by night from my morning weight but whatever. That number was enough to keep me away from the scale the rest of the day, I didn't want to know if it was a fluke.

Feels good, because I feel like it's been a while since the scale has made any progress. I think now I can consider myself 157 instead of 158. Feels good. But I'm not stopping here!

We're headed to the beach tonight, first time this summer.....so excited!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
Alright so I guess it's time to confess.

159 even this morning. *sigh*  At least it doesn't get me as discouraged as it used to. The deal is, we went to the beach this weekend and I wasn't making very good choices. I have noticed that when i eat "bad" food I don't eat a lot of it (ie stuff-my-self) but still. I also know I didn't gain 2 lbs, but it's going to take a few days to get the weekend bloat off.

So, we have 3 weeks until we leave for vacation in Florida. (a little less actually) and I am commited. I told my husband we weren't going out to eat until then. I was going to be a good girl and stick with my fruits and veggies. And, I'll just see where I am then. When we get back I plan on setting new goals and working hard. I'm not going to fly off the handle during our trip. but well, it's going to be my vacation so I'm also not packing a weeks worth of salads and apples.

OnceUpon-A-ThinGirl
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Joined: 7 April 2006
Location: Willits, California USA
Posts: 1300
Good luck Betty, no worries, in three weeks you'll look awesome!  And it's your vacation, I think you're right, make it a real vacation and enjoy yourself!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
157.4 this morning :grin:

I knew it would work it's way back down. We're planning on walking tonight. I'll also get some time in on the elliptical today since I'm home. Not much else to report, just that I'm back to where I was pre-weekend. I'll keep working on it!

OnceUpon-A-ThinGirl
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Joined: 7 April 2006
Location: Willits, California USA
Posts: 1300
I think cardio is the best way to get quick fat loss, and it sounds like you're getting plenty, keep up the good work Betty!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
156.4 this afternoon

We made a quick trip to the inlaws this weekend, so that's the reason for the afternoon weight. I'll weigh myself in the morning and update more then! :grin:

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
155.4 this morning!

That makes me sooooo happy! :grin:  I think I just have to continue working at this at a steady pace, and the scale will just change whenever it feels like it. Which is fine with me, as long as it goes down and not up. I'm noticing a change in the mirror again too. The first couple of pounds in the 150's weren't much different looking than the last couple of pounds in the 160's, but now the change is starting to show. In fact my husband even mentioned so last night. Maybe it's because I put going out to eat off limits? haha.  There's no telling what those meals are packed with. When we go out we go to a small non-chain burger place, so their nutrition information is not plastered all over the place or on a web site, and I'm not to the point yet of asking for it. Which is probably better, as if I knew I may never go again. Anyways, we haven't been going so I guess this is a mute point.

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
I've been bouncing around between 154 and 155. I think this is a good place to be right before our trip. even if my weight goes up a few pounds I'm safely well below the 160 mark. I just don't want to see those numbers again. Of course when I get home I want to still see 154!

I'm going to behave, but like I've said. I'm going to enjoy myself and not worry about every morsel. I'm going to do lots of salads and working out this week before we leave. Maybe I'll be able to see 153 something? we'll see. I'll let you know. I have noticed over and over that when I do get to have a meal where I've decided to enjoy myself, I can't take in nearly the quantities or the qualities of food I used to! So, this may help me make good decisions on vacation. Every time I go a little too overboard with a food I haven't had in a while, my tummy just hurts like crazy!

I'll update again before leaving town. :grin:

OnceUpon-A-ThinGirl
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Joined: 7 April 2006
Location: Willits, California USA
Posts: 1300
My tummy hurts whenever I go over-board too betty!  We adjust to eating healthy and then our bodies expect it.  I think your trip will go very well, don't worry, just enjoy!  I can't wait to be in the 150's, I bet you feel amazing!

NurseBetty
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Joined: 28 July 2008
Location: Smalltown, North Carolina USA
Posts: 126
I didn't weigh myself this morning! I NEVER forget to weigh myself. I think it must be because we're leaving town tomorrow and I had so much to get together as soon as the alarm rang at 6:30 I was up and packing and cleaning. I'm STILL packing and cleaning 7 hours later.

Anyways, so I don't know if I was in the 153 range or not. My guess is no, I didn't feel lighter than usual this morning, and I was pretty lazy yesterday by way of working out. I could weigh myself now, but I've drank a lot of water already today and I don't want to get myself down by seeing that water weight. Yesterdays weight however was 155.2 so I'll take it.

Here's to a week free of work and the alarm clock! :cool:



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