Haha! Isn't it crazy what they say equals a serving for as many calories as there are?? When I go grocery shopping EVERYTHING I buy hasta have large servings with decent cals(to make myself feel like I'm getting more ) like wheat thins- its generally 15crackers for 150cals. I just found some bran crackers that are 21 crackers for about 150, sooo even tho they are a litttle bit smaller than a wheat thin, I feel like I have more, lol. LAME. I know it. But it works in my head
Great job on the outdoor workout! I hate workouts outside...I prefer the ac when I sweat, lol.

Jess I totally agree with you! Food that seems labeled "low in fat" or "low calorie" is often the smallest serving. I have been looking for food that is large and lower in calorie, but it is hard sticking to that. Sometimes the easier option is the worst option. I have improved tenfold but it is a work in progress.

I went home for the weekend to see my parents and get ready for my move into my new apartment! On Thursday, I had a tough workout (as I mentioned I would) and then Friday and today I didn't have a chance to really workout. HOWEVER, I have been watching my calories so much more. On Friday I had a banana for breakfast. YUM. Lunch was a turkey sandwich, carrots, grapes, some chips, and 2 cookies. For dinner I had a protein shake.

Today was protein shake in the AM, sandwich and fruit for lunch, and a boca burger + portabello mushroom burger and watermelon. I was just soooooo hungry and those two burgers were both healthy and filling. I feel great because normally if I ate two real burgers I would feel disgusting, but eating lighter and better has me feeling great. Plus, those portabello mushrooms are soooooo good!! I just made mine with salt, pepper, and not even a teaspon of olive oil. yum yum yum.

Besides all of the eating and working out, I have been feeling great. I went to a family birthday earlier today and everyone was complimenting me on how good I look. I haven't really lost the big pounds yet, but I have lost tons of inches and gained muscle. I would rather weigh this weight and look great than weigh this weight and look this weight. You all know what I mean.

Enough rambling. I'm anticipating a big loss on Monday so fingers crossed I can do it! I hope everyone had a fun weekend and I'll talk to you guys hopefully tomorrow!!!

It's great that you do not look your weight. I am the opposite, I am not huge but I look like I weigh more. I blame my bones, I think they are too light! My BMI is 22.9 so normal as can be, almost exactly middle and still I look fat, oh!

Because I like you I am going to do the cruel truth thing with you:
Are you going to be able to live for the rest of your life drinking a protein shake instead of one of your meals? This is an honest question.
I try to make my changes life changes. I do plan on eating only fruit for breakfast for the rest of my life, I plan on exercising 3 to 5 times a week for the rest of my life (while possible), I plan on eating the way I am right now for the rest of my life, and that is how I know this will work.
Eating or drinking something that you won't be able to keep up with is not a real solution, just a quick fix. It is as if instead of putting in a new window you just sello-tape the broken one. It will keep breaking and one day will completely fall out, but if you replace it, it will be a great window! Maybe for the rest of your life!

Just think about it, I mean maybe you do want to drink a protein shake every morning, and then I completely understand, but if it just is for now until the weight is gone and then back to pancakes, you would do better eating 1 or 1/2 a pancake now and finding a balance that will be sustainable.

Our habits are what brought us up into the overweight category, we need to change the habits, so that we do not fall into the same old traps. Eating cornflakes 3 times a day for 2 months will get you looking skinny for about a week until you eat normally again and put the weight back on.
I know you are NOT doing this, I know you are smart and using your head, and I know you really want to get some protein in which is fantastic, but you can lose weight just adjusting your normal diet (unless you ate McD 4 times a day) down to the calories you need.
Just thought i needed to say it, I know a lot of people get great results drinking slim fast or protein shakes, but I think it is smarter for a young person to change your habits ito healthy habits, sustainable habits.
Ok, I am off my soapbox now.

Have a great beginning of the week... mondays are always the hardest (even when it isn't our weigh in day!), Camy

Hey everyone! So this weekend was great I went home and got a lot done concerning the moving situation and everything. The only thing I need now is a sofa, which is possibly the hardest thing I have ever had to look for! I didn't know how picky I was!! I'm a solid color, good lines, asthetically pleasing person and to top it off, my parents are buying me one as a present!! I'm so happy that is the last step before moving in, and I can't wait until it is all over and I'm in my new place!

Camy it is fine fine fine that you are on your soapbox! hahaha I wouldn't be on here if I didn't want constructive criticism. I was actually talking about this to my mother a couple days ago. When I was in high school I drank that Carnation Instant Breakfast drink before school, and if I didn't drink that I didn't eat breakfast. I'm one of those people who is a creature of habit. If it is easy, it fits in to my day, then fine I'm keeping it until it becomes broken. However, when I went to college, I never ate breakfast. Ever. I couldn't wake up earlier enough in the dorms to squeeze it in, at the sorority house I never really wanted to have a bagel for breakfast, and on my own I never wanted to deal with the dirty dishes.

I have never been a pancake/waffle/poptart/etc. kind of person. If I were to have breakfast at my parents house when I went home to visit, I would have a two poached eggs and toast (healthy!!!) but on my own I just don't like cooking. I think where my weight gain has come from and through being serious with myself is that I slowly began making horrible choices. Not having anything in the morning led me to overeat at lunch and dinner. I would late night snack. I would eat out more than a person should. I wouldn't exercise.

Having a protein shake is something that is easy, quick and no hassle morning breakfast that I can live with for a long time. Will I be 50 and still doing this? Probably not. Hopefully when I settle down, can wake up on time, and have a dishwasher (something my present and future apt lacks) I will be able to make an egg breakfast, which is my preferable meal of choice in the morning (mom knows best). I have never been one to have fruit for breakfast, I prefer that as a snack or desert after dinner. Maybe when I can afford more fruit, I will eat it for a whole meal, but right now I can't. But you are completely right, this isn't something to be doing forever. Sometimes I do mix it up, especially on the weekends, but for during the week I love having them!

I have been examining my habits. I have a journal for myself where I write down EVERYTHING I eat, good and bad. I started doing this before I started "the diet." What I noticed was I am a nocturnal eater. I drink too much alcohol, and I have a major sweet tooth. This weekend was a big test with a little taste of Americana. Instead of a big burger, I had a portabello mushroom burger. Instead of potato chips, I had a huge salad. Instead of beer, I had water with lemon. Instead of cake...........well I had cake. haha The cake was awesome. But I had a portion I knew I could have and I made up for it today with more exercise. Two weeks ago, I couldn't do that. I feel that it is a slow eventual process with me.

Ok, ramble over. But what I just wanted to say is people like Camy and others on here I thank you for anything that you may say. I have so much room for improvement and everyone on here is helping me out in a big way.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The support on here is amazing and I really don't know what I would do if I were doing this alone!!





PS: cheated and weighed in today, let's just say I hit my weight loss target for this week............................................:w aving:

WOOO! So my weigh in was yesterday and I was 193.6!!! WOO!!! SO I made my goal which is so exciting.

I'm sort of exhausted from my day. In brief, I worked all day and then went to the gym then came home just to shower then went to happy hour/trivia and then just got home!!! So tired!

Today at the gym here was my workout:
Elliptical 35 mins
Step ups with 10 lbs, 15 ea leg 2 reps
Abs
Lunges
Sauna for 10 mins

Food:
1 serving egg beaters, scrambled with green pepper and two pieces 35 calorie toast with light butter 2 glasses water
Turkey sandwich, potato chips, carrots, 4 glasses water
Protein shake, leftover egg beaters with green pepper, 2 servings cheese

Yikes here was at the bar:
1 vodka water
split a hummus appetizer with a friend

The egg beaters and green pepper was a real saver on calories. I feel like I had a great day. I wish I could talk more but I feel like I'm going to fall asleep typing this. I'll talk to everyone tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!

Yay for loss! I hope to hell I get some loss this week to.. BUT, Friday's my birthday, and not gonna lie- I'm a little worried, lol. We usually go all out for everyones bdays, sooo its gonna be hard to wanna pick a salad and then go have *a* drink

I can't get the 35cal bread ANYWHERE here! I've had it before, its not to bad, but the 35makes it sooo worth it.. Just wish I could find it.
ALso- good job on the food journal- the journaling always works really well for me.

What an awesome day you had! Lookin' good! ~I am def. on the same page as you with the breakfast thing. I literally have to FORCE myself to eat in the morning. I think I may start drinking shakes/smoothies on mornings that I just can't eat. ~ My son is OFF the paci!!! I wrote more about it in my journal, replying to your comment. It wasn't hard at all. Thanks so much! Hopefully he won't get any more major ear infections. ~ I posted some pics from Florida in an album on my profile page. They are in the "Family-Recent pics" album if you want to see them!
~Kristi

yey for weightloss! Well done!

Too tired to write a very thoughtful or witty post, sorry, will try to do better next time, Camy

Hey everyone! So I have been gone awhile, and it was not voluntary. I got a tetanus shot for work since I have been undergoing a series of shots for everything under the sun since I work both with animals and humans. That was on Wednesday. Immediately following the shot, I had an allergic reaction to the shot. So serious that I got sent home from work and luckily was in a hospital and was treated for the rest of the day. On Thursday I could barely function and laid in my apartment staring at the ceiling. However, on Friday it was like it had never happened!!! hahaha so strange! I ended up going to the Kanye West/N.E.R.D/Lupe Fiasco concert down in Cincy. But it was scary having an allergic reaction and not knowing what to do or what can help. Seriously scary.

So this weekend after Cincy, I came home, went to my work's cookout and then slept for 14 hours. It was luxurious. Today was fun since my roommate and a couple of my friends went to the Zoombezi Bay, a local water park. We were there for 8 hours!!! I am red as a tomato! hahaha But it was so fun, and it felt so good to have lost some weight and walked around in a swimsuit. A couple of the guys we went with even asked me if I had lost weight, which felt good coming from drunk ex-frat guys who are usually not observant. hahaha They are good guys, but when they said that to me I decided they are GREAT guys!

However, let's just say since the immunization gone wrong, I have not eaten well. One of the side effects of the shot is usually loss of appetite, however, not everyone is created equal and what do you think happened to me? My appetite grew tenfold. Seriously, I ate so much in two days it was disturbing. Add on two beers and 4 vodka tonics on Friday and an Arby's sandwich and fries today (8 hours at the water park is exhausting...) then I didn't have a great weekend.

I did make good choices. Instead of pizza with the friends before the concert, I had ordered whole wheat pizza with no cheese and lots of veggies. Instead of ice cream the day after, we had Yagoot (tastes like Pinkberry). At the company cookout, I had no deserts and big portions of the antipasta and fruit. Today at Zoombezi Bay (I keep saying it because there is a hilarious commercial here with a song to it) instead of bad lunch food, I had a chef salad and side of onion rings (a child size!!!).

Right now it is that time of the month, so I'm going to postpone weigh in until that is over. Usually I puff up 3-5 lbs (as per last month) so right now the scale isn't looking pretty.

I hope to talk to all of you tomorrow! Tah tah for now!

Thank you so much!!!! I saw when I was down in Cincy that they have it in Giant Eagle now, maybe check there!! Yeah "a" drink...me too.............

I hope you had a great birthday and I hope it went well!!!!!

Thanks so much! I'm going to head right over to your pics after I get done replying to everyone!!!! I'm so happy you had a great vaycay, you deserved it! I'm also glad you took your son off of the pacifier, it will definitely make a difference no matter what. Hope to hear from you soon and thanks again!

Thanks alot hun!!!! Yeah I know that tired feeling but it sounds like you are doing great now that I've caught up in your journal! I'm going to head over there to post!!

Not to brag, but I'm a junior member now...yeah, big deal...hahahahahahaha

So here is the lowdown on today...

Food:
breakfast: protein shake
lunch: subway turkey sandwich, half bag of baked dorito's, and half a cookie
dinner: a bowl of cereal, 2 servings of cheese (strange...) and some potato chips

My period is making me crave the craziest things lol

I didn't workout today, I am still worn out from my Zoombezi Bay adventure yesterday. Hopefully I can get a great workout in before GAY TRIVIA night with my two best gays. YAY!

Talk to you all tomorrow!!

Have you ever noticed that when you are on a diet it seems like everyone is trying to get you OFF the diet? It isn't like I'm "dieting" per se, it is just that I am making healthier choices and limiting myself to indulgences. When I put it like that I feel better than using the harsh word "diet."

Today at work there was a pizza party. Yay, we won some HR thing woohoo. However, I didn't EAT the pizza, I just sat down there with my lunch and ate with everyone. That really irked some people, and others were so confused! People were saying to me, "why aren't you eating the pizza??"

"Are you allergic to pizza?"

"The pizza is really good, you should have a piece."

"It's free! Just eat it!"

"That is so weird you aren't eating the pizza."

"This pizza is so good, you are missing out."

Seriously. WTF is up with people???? I feel like if I weren't eating my sandwich, no one would have been claiming it was "the best pizza ever," in fact I have had that brand of pizza, and it tastes like cardboard. So why was everyone is such a fuss that I wasn't eating? I really didn't want it, it didn't bother me that everyone was eating pizza.

It was all very unnerving because when I said that I wanted to be healthy, their immediate response was, "well there is a salad." The salad was made with ranch (a lot) and coated in cheese. Yeah right.

I just find it very strange that in a group setting when there is food for free, people take it as a personal offense that someone is watching what they eat.

I'm not making sense. OK, moral of the story is: I didn't eat the pizza and when everyone was complaining about feeling "gross" I just whistled and got my work done. HA.

So here was my food:
Breakfast: protein shake
Lunch: lots of carrots, 1 serving ginger snaps, turkey sandwich
Dinner: big mango, ramen noodles with terriyaki sauce

Workout:
Workout A
Ran 5K

Hope everyone had a good day! Sorry for the rant!

Good job for you for restisting the pizza! People do those kinds of things probably b/c they might be thinking that you are thinking badly of them, when in reality you aren't. People are silly sometimes! haha! You made some very healthy choices today and you should be proud of that. A friend once told me a great saying when I was worried about what others were thinking of something I did. She said to say to myself: "It isn't any of my business what other people think of me." haha. It's a great saying to live by, b/c someone isn't always going to be happy with me and what I do and so I might as well just block it out. Sometimes that's easier said than done, though! Don't listen to those peeps, you are doing great....as well as with your exercise too! woohoo
~Kristi