November Diet Thread - Christmas Challenge IT'S ON!

[angelique2]

Originally Posted by enigmahealth

Try to eat mostly low glycemic foods. They won't spike your glucose and insulin levels as much, which is part of what causes weight gain.

Vegetables and fiberous foods are usually low glycemic. I use some snack cookies that are 8 grams of fiber, 24g carbs, 5g protein, and they taste amazing! They keep you full for a long time too. Whatever you do, don't eat more than 3 in a day , or you'll be running to bathroom! LOL!

Here is a link to the glycemic index. Good info: The Glycemic Index

Thanks for the helpful info!

[bintbeled]

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Hey, my scale is FINALLY budging! I think I'm going to pull this off and really lose 10 pounds by Christmas. YAY!

Congrats, Lauren!!

I just put on the costume I plan to wear in our show tonight, a stretchy velvet dress I got from eBay a few weeks ago that fit like a glove... and it's actually a bit too loose! I'll have to tread carefully, since this also makes it a bit too long, but I'll be happy, dancing on my tippy-toes!

I've been working out with weights for the past couple of months, so the scale is being hateful, but it's nice to have some clothes with a little more breathing room in them.

[enigmahealth]

Originally Posted by bintbeled

Congrats, Lauren!!

I just put on the costume I plan to wear in our show tonight, a stretchy velvet dress I got from eBay a few weeks ago that fit like a glove... and it's actually a bit too loose! I'll have to tread carefully, since this also makes it a bit too long, but I'll be happy, dancing on my tippy-toes!

I've been working out with weights for the past couple of months, so the scale is being hateful, but it's nice to have some clothes with a little more breathing room in them.

Working out with weights is great. When you look at the scale though, remember that muscle weighs more than fat does, so gaining muscle by lifting weights might mean your scale doesn't move, even though you're turning fat into muscle. If you can afford a Tamita scale, they're useful for measuring you're progress. Here's a link to one of the less expensive ones. I use one that's similar. Bed Bath & Beyond Product

[bintbeled]

Originally Posted by enigmahealth

Working out with weights is great. When you look at the scale though, remember that muscle weighs more than fat does, so gaining muscle by lifting weights might mean your scale doesn't move, even though you're turning fat into muscle. If you can afford a Tamita scale, they're useful for measuring you're progress. Here's a link to one of the less expensive ones. I use one that's similar. Bed Bath & Beyond Product

Thanks for the recommendation -- I'll check it out.

[Lauren_]

Originally Posted by bintbeled

Congrats, Lauren!!

I just put on the costume I plan to wear in our show tonight, a stretchy velvet dress I got from eBay a few weeks ago that fit like a glove... and it's actually a bit too loose! I'll have to tread carefully, since this also makes it a bit too long, but I'll be happy, dancing on my tippy-toes!

I've been working out with weights for the past couple of months, so the scale is being hateful, but it's nice to have some clothes with a little more breathing room in them.

Excellent! When you're scale's being hateful, it's sometimes satisfying to track your body fat instead. Here's a simple calculator I use: Body Fat, BMI and Ideal Weight Calculator

[bintbeled]

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Excellent! When you're scale's being hateful, it's sometimes satisfying to track your body fat instead. Here's a simple calculator I use: Body Fat, BMI and Ideal Weight Calculator

Thanks, Lauren, I'll check it out.

[weese17]

One month today since I started taking pictures on Mondays for accountability. :)

10/18/07:



11/19/07:



Unfortunately, I haven't been tracking measurements all this time, but since 11/5, I have lost an inch around my waist and an inch around my butt.

The scale may STILL say I have lost not a single pound, but it lies. It LIES. :D

Lucy!

PS - why can't I get actual images to show up? I'm using the IMG button, but it's just posting links.

[danidance]

Fellow dieters - found a new item - this looks awesome. I haven't tried it out yet but it has rave reviews on Daily Candy. Fat free, callorie free, vegetarian "Bacon Salt!" If you need that flavor in your salads or food (and who doesn't?), here's a cheater way to do it.

Bacon Salt Shop

[ozma]

I'm not so much dieting as trying to make sure I maintain my current wieght.

I'm about a kilo (2.2lbs) above the weight I like to be right now, because an ankle injury and a wrist injury have been preventing me from doing some of the hot yoga I do and has also meant a reduced practice schedule. Not being able to excersize as much means that I have to be more careful about how I eat.

I don't count calories. I live in a place where caloric values are not always on food, the restaurants serve food not on most western food charts, and I primarily cook at home. I have to pack a lunch 5 days a week (or face the paltry amount of japanese convini food that I can eat). For me eating well means generally undertsanding what I eat, how I eat, not bringing danger foods home, and not worrying too much.

Maintaining good eating habits here means that I am trying to be more organized with my cooking. I'm trying to keep a good record of what I have in my tiny fridge/pantry so that I can best use what I have and I can cook with few extra trips for food. The more stuff I need to run aorund for, the more likely I'll eat something easy and elss healthy. A reduction in cooking always means more ready-made/ordered/meals out (the selection of what a veg can eat here is already limited) and less healthy habits for me.

My hatred of speaking Japanese on the phone keeps me from pizza, even thought I can order it with minimal hassle.

I currently take stock of my fridge in the morning, pack a cookbook to look over during slow tiems at work if I'm not sure what I'll cook later, and I keep a list of what stock itemks and spices I have at home in the same booklet I keep track of reciepts and finances.

I'm also trying to keep tracks of what treats I eat.

I don't have the same obsacles of holidays that most fo you have. I am safe from Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years treats. Japan has New Years treats, but they also involve healthy items like mandarine oranges and nuts (if I stay away from the mochi-cakes)

My biggest enemy right now is the slowdown in my regular work-outs, the hibernating urges of winter, and Season Affective Disorder, which ameks me crave more starches and charbs than usual.

My friends are Black rice salads with maranated beans, bits of feta, artichokes hearts and tomatos. THey are my go-to main components of lunches ( not low fat, but enough fat and protien that I don't crash) and homemade soups.

[danidance]

Ozma,

sounds like quite a challenge, and I'm not quite sure how you do it at all!

I think I should move to Japan in order to become thin - I detest Japanese food of most kinds and I feel similarly about fast food - never got into that, thanks god! I like the country Japanese cuisine we can find here but if I even see a picture of sushi, I want to vomit. There was a funny sushi motif fabric at the fabric store, and I swear I had to leave the aisle so as not to look at it.

[acmcgraw]

Lauren- great link, thanks!

Lucy- hate to say it the scale isn't lying, you've lost fat and replaced the lost fat weight with muscle, which is much more dense, hence your awesome progress pic-ies!

My possibly spurious weight drop is now official 178 (177-179) for a week now! Wheeee!

I'll be making carrot-zucchini bread to take with me to thanksgiving with all the healthy substitutions I can make and still have it be bread to try to stave off the need to stuff my uncle's confections in my face. he's making Caramel-pecan pie and some Paula Dean (the butter queen) thingie.

I will think of you all as I pass on anything but a sliver.

[ozma]

Originally Posted by danidance

Ozma,

sounds like quite a challenge, and I'm not quite sure how you do it at all!

I think I should move to Japan in order to become thin - I detest Japanese food of most kinds and I feel similarly about fast food - never got into that, thanks god! I like the country Japanese cuisine we can find here but if I even see a picture of sushi, I want to vomit. There was a funny sushi motif fabric at the fabric store, and I swear I had to leave the aisle so as not to look at it.

I don't eat meat, or fish, or seafood. Really that cuts down on a loooooot of options. But no one ever thinks to warn you that Japan is insane about pastries and desserts.

The primary question asked of me at my art opening was not if items were for sale, or what they meant, it was simply;
When do you sleep?

[ssipes]

Well, here is a new problem for me.

Its 8:30 pm and I have only eaten 907 Cals of healthy food today, and I am not hungry. I have also done two workouts (am and pm) totaling (according to fitday) over 400 Cals. To put this in perspective, I have been on a healthy, slow weight loss plan eating 1500 Cals per day and its generally challenging for me to stop at that; I'd much rather eat 2000 Cals.

Should I just go with it or should I make myself drink a protein shake or eat a sandwich to at least get up to 1200?

Sedonia

[Lauren_]

I think it's OK to have an occasional really low day, you'll probably have to allow yourself a higher day to make up for it.

I had my root canal this morning. I have literally not eaten a bite of food today -- unless you count the milk in my coffee. This was only part one, I have to go back for a second round of root canalling. The pounds are gonna drop off me.

[Souzan]

Sedonia,

Probably not a good idea to do that low too often. Protein shakes are my saviors on those days when I am not consuming many calories. Especially when working out. I've found an unsweetened protein powder that I use with plain, fat free or low fat yogurt, a banana, and some splenda for sweetness. Makes a great low fat protein booster.

Souzan

[ssipes]

I ended up getting a little hungry and had a muscle milk protein shake, but still came in under 1200 Cals for yesterday. Wierd!

Sedonia

[mihri]

I've dropped 10 pounds since I last checked in! Wheee!!!!! A costume that didn't fit 2 months ago fits again now (and just in time for our studio's big show too!).

Just chiming in to celebrate!

[gwyncara]

WTG Mihri!!

[straightleftknee]

well, I went to the gym twice this week in my lunch hour. Split the work between lower & upper body. They've got a good toy called The Grappler, you sit down and pull a rope as if you're climbing it. Harder than it seems. I forgot how much I love using weights, however I have to be careful as I'm lucky (or not) to be able to build muscle. I love having kick ass arms but know it makes clothing difficult to fit right and it isn't really the esthetic for the dance so I'll have to watch that.
My down side is low level cardio as I find it so boring, sprints yes just don't ask me to jog.

Any how. It's a 30 min walk and yoga tonight since I had to miss my regular class last yesterday and I resisted cakes in the office today so feeling very proud of that.

Well done to everyone for sticking with your programmes.