Hi! I've read this forum for a little while but never started my own diary. I keep cheating myself by eating junky foods, so I'm going to keep track of them on here and hope that public embarrassment is a better deterrent. I have a pretty active lifestyle but I've been trying to lose 10 lbs for a couple months, and I'm sick of it. I'm down about 2, but there's 8 to go. So, without further ado, here's my answers to these beginning questions:

-- How much weight do you want to lose?
About 8 lbs to start - we'll see from there.

-- What is the timeframe for reaching your target weight?
By May 3rd (3 weeks) I want to have lost at least 3, preferably at least 5.

-- How do you want to accomplish your goal (what methods do you want to use)?
Diet & exercise - no snacking, just what I get at meals (I'm bad about snacking) and no desserts (max of 1/day); 1600 calories/day (I think I need about 2000-2200). Cardio (running or elliptical, depending on weather/time of day/day of week) for 30-35 minutes at least, 3 times/week. And stretching every day!

-- Who or what can support you in reaching your goal?
My legs, and how much better about them I'll feel if I weigh 8 lbs less. Especially if they're toned from running.

-- How realistic is your goal?
Very doable, as long as I keep to my plan.

-- When will you start?
First decided to lose this weight about two months ago, but restarting efforts as of dinner today.


Other than that, I'm a college student and a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I drink lots of milk and I eat way too much bread.

Here's what I ate yesterday:

BREAKFAST
-cereal (kellogs) w/ milk (1 percent, about 6 fl oz)

LUNCH
-two wheat rolls w/ 2 butter spreads & honey
-large piece of veggie lasagna
-milk (1 percent, about 10 fl oz)

DINNER
-1 bottle milk (1 percent, 130 cals)
-giant sweet potato w/ 2 butter spreads and 2 packets of salt
-white roll w/ butter spread
-oatmeal & raisin cookie
-bowl of frozen yogurt

SNACK
-half a bag of popcorn


Not a good day. I ate way too much bread. And butter spread. And too many desserts. AND snack. Not many healthy food choices on there at all.

Here's what I've eaten today:

BREAKFAST
-2 eggs (hard-boiled)
-milk (1 percent, about 10 fl oz)

SNACK
-bag of nut snack (about 300 cals)

LUNCH
-1.5 cheese calzones (small) w/ lots of marinara sauce
-chocolate milk (1 percent with chocolate syrup; about 10 fl oz)

DINNER
-1 milk (1 percent, 130 cals)
-piece of cheese quiche
-peaches

SNACK
-2 small pieces of cake


Not so good with the snacks/desserts. We were celebrating birthdays in my dorm, and I did not resist the cake very well. Or at all.

Edit: Looks like this comes out to about 2300 cals. Shoot.

BREAKFAST
-cereal (kellogs) w/ milk (prob about 6 fl oz)
-orange juice - about 5 fl oz

SNACK
-sunflower seeds

LUNCH
-noodles & tofu dish
-milk, 10 fl oz
-white roll w/ peanut butter and honey

DINNER
-1 milk (130 cals)
-frozen yogurt (small bowl)
-about 8 strawberries
-soup (140 cals)

SNACK
-pear

About 1600 cals, so hit my target today.

BREAKFAST
-oatmeal (200 cals)
-milk, 10 fl oz (130 cals)

LUNCH
-fake chicken sandwich on whole grain bread w/ tomatoes and catsup (maybe about 250 cals)
-milk, 10 fl oz (130 cals)

DINNER
-fake chicken nuggets w/ catsup and bbq sauce
-mandarin orange pieces
-spinach salad w/ tomatoes and dressing
-bowl of frozen yogurt (yum!)

I'm surprised to see so few vegetables in your food lists. They can really help to fill you up, without adding many calories, plus you get a lot of added fiber, vitamins and minerals from them. Leaving both meat AND green vegetables out of your diet is a prescription for anemia.

Thanks, that's a good point. I do need to get more vegetables. I have been getting at least a couple servings a day; I'm probably just not being specific enough in my food lists - yesterday's dinner was vegetable soup, and the noodle dish at lunch had veggies, too. I'm low on fresh veggies, though, so I'll try to add more in.