Whoa responses.

M2M- No, I'm generally a pretty regular eater. So fear not! I had actually eaten dinner at like...7ish and weighed myself somewhere around midnight. So my stomach was all "I'm empty!" so I drank some water and went to bed. I've done the whole "I'm just not going to eat" thing, and no. Not anymore. Back in February I started trying to eat well and go to the gym and whatnot. I used FitDay religiously and tried to eat well, but got so frustrated with my lack of progress when I was "trying" to eat well that I'd find myself being not good. And the whole time all I wanted was for someone to give me ratios and portion sizes. I'm just one of those people. I don't really want to think too hard about what I'm eating. So if it's just "3 servings of veggies and 3 servings of carbs and 1 serving of fruit" and I know the portion sizes, I'm good and happy. I just hate getting all crazy about calories, and I'm one of those people who'll go insane about them and that's bad. So yeah. Yay to not thinking too hard. As for being super strict...yeah not me. Done that before, with the self berating after eating out with friends even when getting something healthy. So I figure that if most days I follow some plan and that occasionally I go out with friends and eat some like extra protein or something, I'm good. I only felt mildly guilty because it was like, hamburger. If it'd been chicken, there would have been no remorse at all. But hamburger is not as healthy...and cows are cute. So there we go. Anyways. Also, I'd like to let you know that I some of your diary and your posts and you're an amazing inspiration.

Dharma- Yeah I've considered the vegan thing. But I really like honey and yogurt and chicken. I've really considered being vegetarian, but the chicken always lures me back. Maybe I could be like one of those "vegetarians" who eat seafood (because fish are totally plants), only with chicken. Mmm chicken.

wishes- Ha. Too true. I'm just...cautiously optimistic this time around. I've been dieting since I was 9. So I'm used to failure. And it doesn't help that my mom hassles me about my weight (which is lame because she's not one to talk about skinny). Anyways. I am hoping that there will be weight loss. Not really pleading. Mainly just really really really really really hoping.

My mom used to have an expression about wanting (hoping) in one hand and...well, maybe I won't mention it

I totally hear ya about going crazy about the calorie thing - that's the one reason I never wanted to do it. I get, ummm...overly nit picky with stuff sometimes, and I was affraid I'd go right off the deep end with counting.

It's good you know what you need and what works for you and I'm glad to hear you hadn't starved yourself for an empty tummy at night

(NOT that I'm nit picky or anything)

It sounds like you've got a good plan and it really isn't about HOPING it will happen - it's about MAKING it happen!

We can do this!

Ha. Mothers can be insane. It's hilarious sometimes.

Anyways. I've been feeling lazy and a little guilty about not going to the gym recently. These past three weeks I haven't gone 'cause I didn't know my schedule regarding classes and and work and whatnot...but this week was mostly me just being lazy. Except for that whole "oh god a math exam!!!" thing that kept me secluded from the world. The main point is that I NEED to MAKE time in my life to be active, even if it's just walking. I feel kinda confident that I can seriously start as of tomorrow, as I feel less overwhelmed right now. Anyways. It's all about priorities and scheduling...two things that I've always needed to work on. And now, foodage:

Breakfast: I got about 2 spoonfuls into my yogurt before realizing that there was something weird about it. It tasted a little chemically and instead of hacing a yogurt texture, it was slimyish like Yoplait or something. So I was totally put off from my yogurt. So as I had planned on breaking up my eating, I had nothing else for 2.5 hours until I got home and ate a nice apple. Didn't feel like eating any bread.
Lunch: 1.5 cups of whole wheat penne, 1 cup sauteed veggies, .5 cups carrot sticks.
Dinner: 2 chicken tacos (grilled chicken+lettuce+salsa+guacamole+yogurt sauce+a 5" corn tortilla) (600 calories total, 300 each)

Drank about 1 liter of water today. Maybe a little more (1.5ish?) I guess that I should be drinking more...but I think I'm still doing ok in the water department. I think that if I get a new water bottle I'll be good.

Exercise...didn't really happen today. Unless you count shopping. I ended up sleeping my mid morning away after my math test...so yeah. After that I went to class and then met up with my friend and went shopping. Which reminded me of my real motivation. Pretty clothes. Mmm pretty clothes. Anyways. All I have going tomorrow is a dance class, so if I don't go to the gym then I'm amazingly lazy. Which is really only an accurate depiction of me this instant. Anyways. To tomorrow and the gym and my dance class! And if I feel ambitious, to washing my car! Yayyyyy!

I have it in reverse...my dad is the one always making comments about my weight when he can't really say anything about it.

~ Sara Maria ~

Ahhhh today. Slept straight through breakfast. That was a nice change. So.

Breakfast: I was sleeping!
Lunch: 1 cup of asparagus, 1/2 cup of carrots (cooked), 3 slices of 9-grain whole wheat toast with garlic and that "I can't believe it's not butter!" spray stuff, and one otter pop. Because I love otter pops (15 cal, 4 grams of sugar...mmm) And I had 1/2 cup of strawberries.
Dinner: 1/2 cup of asparagus, 1/2 cup of carrots, 1/2 cup of broccolli, 1 1/3 cups of rice (to be exact, Trader Joe's Brown Rice Medley, which has brown rice, black barley, a radish seeds) which was awesome. And then I had two otter pops. Which is way better than the pint of ice cream I was really craving. Anyways. Was supposed to eat some fruit too...but no. I don't want any fruit right now.

Exercise: 2 hours of a dance class.
Water: I guess that I should be drinking like 88 oz. per day (like 3 liters!). Which is insane but kinda makes sense. Well, I've had about 40 oz. so far...and yeah. I think that I'm going to have to build up to 3 L a day. 1.5 I can do...but building building building.

Suzi, your first post was just what I needed. I think tomorrow I'll use the same format to set my goals. I totally feel you on the sliding shopping by as exercize thing. I did it a couple of days ago, and counted my extra laps around the mall as my walk for the day. Yikes! Suppose I'll have to cut that out now that I've started "for real". That's so awesome that you have a unique motivation/date to lose weight for when your friend comes home. Hope it works out for you. Looks like you're on the right track.

Yeah. I really want to get a pedometer to make sure that I'm walking a reasonable amount. And shopping is like half exercise...ish. I figure that I had a pretty good week considering that school is still thwarting my attempts/desire to gym it, and that it was the first week of a "diet" and that I actually REALLY enjoyed it.

Anyways. On to todays diary. Today was my "cheat day" and I tried to stay reasonable...ish.

Breakfast: 1 cup of peach fat free organic yogurt, 1 cup of green grapes.
Lunch: A tuna sandwich on whole wheat (450 cal)
Dinner: (this is where it gets ugly) A $6 low carb burger from Carl's Jr., a small Hawai'ian Blizzard from the DQ, 1 bar of cadbury chocolate, 2 cups of butter free popcorn from the theater.

Exercise: So little that it's pathetic. I even walked around less than usual. Which is lame.
Water: 60 oz. today, which is awesome considering that I didn't have any water until like 4. So if I can add more in the morning, I'll be a water star!

So yeah. Saw "Little Miss Sunshine" tonight with a friend (it was both of our cheat days! We both had chocolate and popcorn!). The movie was AMAZING. Hilarious and sad and poignant at the same time. I think that just about everyone should see it! Anyways. I'm going to go to bed. I work this weekend (retail) and am hoping that the near constant walking for 8 hours will offset today. I'm one of those store workers who can't stand still unless they're doing something. So when I have nothing to do I just walk laps around the store. So yeah. Catch you tomorrow. Starting Monday, I expect next week to lack the dinner "cheating" I did this week to end, as my friend who I've cheated with is going away to college on Sunday. Which is why I've cheated with her so often. I've been trying to glean as much time from her as possible. She is my best friend, after all, and we're both talented at eating and shopping (though she's also talented in not gaining weight, until recently in her butt ha, so I use her as a constant visual reminder of what a 6/8 looks like). But as she's leaving, so will my excuse to eat out. Quelle tragedie. Aaaanyways. See y'all tomorrow!

Quick update today.

Breakfast: 1 cup grapes, 1 cup weight watchers raspberry yogurt (which I do not recommend, as it is crazy sweet and I don't really like it)
Lunch: 1 1/3 cups brown rice mix, 1 cup broccolli, 1/2 cup carrots
Dinner: 2 chicken soft tacos from Rubios. 1 serving of Dibs ice cream.

Exercise: Nothing aside from my constant walking at work.
Water: 8 glasses.

Today I went to Old Navy (they are having a crazy sale on clearance, and I needed jeans). A shirt I tried on when it first came out that was too small in an XXL fit really well as an XL today. My ego has been boosted. Got a size 16 jean tonight, as opposed to my last pair from Old Navy that were an 18. They're a little tight, but they have stretch and I'm pretty sure that I'm losing. I've noticed that I've gotten a little smaller like around my ribs. Which is pretty darn exciting. I'll probably officially weigh in on Monday, but from what I saw on Thursday I'm cautiously optimistic.

Anyways. I'm tired and my legs are sore after an 8 hour retail shift. I'll check in again tomorrow.

Lesse.

Yesterday:

Breakfast: 1 cup grapes, 1 cup yogurt
Lunch: 1 cup brown rice medley thing, 1 1/2 cups green beans
Dinner: 1 medium potato w/1 tsp sour cream and chives, 1 cup carrots, 4 oz. roast beef, 1 scoop ice cream w/peanuts 3 tbsp chocolate syrup and lots of whipped cream.

Water: about 6 glasses
Exercise: Only walking at work.

Today:

Breakfast: Nothing. There is no food in my house.
Lunch: Turkey and cheese and tomato on a roll, carrot sticks, and a green apple. And that was the healthiest thing at the school cafeteria. Woo.
Dinner: 1 cup rice, 1 cup orange chicken, 1 1/2 cups cashew chicken. And a skinny cow ice cream sandwich thing.

Water: About 1.5 L ish so far.
Exercise: Went to the gym and did my cardio circut (about 20-25 min) and then did the elliptical for 30 minutes (+5 minute cool down) and burned 332.3 calories on that machine alone. Woo!

So. Tomorrow morning I'm going to the grocery store and getting more fruit and veggies and yogurt. So. Now I feel positive about the gym...and like if I stop being bad at dinner time and stop going on crazy ice cream laden weekends, I should be good. I weighed myself this morning, and was at 215 still. Last Thursday I was at 213, so I think that that's the impact ice cream apparently has (hey, that explains why I haven't been losing before...). That and like, it's that time of the month so who knows if the scale is lying or not. Anyways. I'm still optimistic regarding the eating plan and me getting off my lazy butt and into the gym daily.

So tomorrow I'm going to the grocery store, then the gym. It'll be a party, I'm sure. Now in the meantime I'm going to sleep because sleep is good. G'night and good luck everyone!

Sounds like you're making a great effort. Hang in there!

Hey Suzi (I refuse to write "Fatsuzi" )

You're off to a great start; yay you for getting into the 16 jeans!!!! I love your sense of humor; it is really shining through as I read your journal.

Ha. Maybe I should explain my username. The Suzi part is a little self evident. And the fat part is as well on a simplistic level. But there's more to it.

In highschool (down here in Orange County CA, where being fat means being a severe minority) there was essentially me and another fat kid running in the same social circle of advanced classes and blah blah blah. His name was Albert. Now, we became friends and he has a very self depreciating sense of humor, and often referred to himself as Fat Albert. And as we became closer friends, he started calling me Fat Suzi. So basically our friendship degenerated into calling eachother fat (in a friendly "hey we're both the only fat kids ha ha" rather than in a malicious way). So he'll always be Fat Albert, and I'll probably always be Fat Suzi. He's the only person who gets away with calling me fat, as he's equal to nearly 2 of me. So yeah. That's basically where the name came from. And when I came here, I didn't feel like using the same username I always use. And when it comes to weightloss, I think of the only other person I really talk about it with. Fat Albert. And I'm just Fat Suzi. So there we go. Username decided on.

Anyways. Gym, grocery store, shower, cooking. There's my afternoon. Woo!

I'm just going to update now, before le diner. I woke up crazy late today. I'd planned to get up around 9:30 AM (I don't have class today until the evening, so Tuesday and Thursday are my sleep-in days), but no. Apparently not. I ended up waking up at around 12:30, and only because a friend called and roused me out of bed. So I obviously didn't eat breakfast today. And because there wasn't food, I couldn't eat a full meal before the gym. And though I had planned on eating some delicious granola, apparently not. It has disappeared from the kitchen! What is up with that?! Anyways. So I just went to the gym. Then I went grocery shopping, which is always fun. At the store they had my favorite water (Smart Water, due to the bottle design which is 1 L and easy to hold and carry and fits in my backpack well, as well as their fun label), so I was stoked. They also had my yogurt, so yay! I've decided that I only like the peach and raspberry, especially after the strawberry incident last week. Anyways. So I did errands, essentially. And I'm totally not hungry. And after the gym, I'm totally not going to cook. Not going to happen today. But tomorrow it probably will, considering that I have a break in classes from 9:15-2 PM, so that gives me plenty of time to make things that are delicious. So.

Breakfast: None.
Lunch: None.
Snack: 180 calories worth of Ghiradeli chocolate (I'm so glad I read the nutrition facts, or else it would be more like "660 calories of Cadbury chocolate" which would suck)
Dinner: I'm totally going to go to Rubios and have chicken tacos. 600 calories there. Maybe I'll even have an otter pop or something. I'll amend this later if I do.

Exercise: I burned 336.9 calories on the eliptical thing! Yay me!
Water: I've had about 3/4 of a liter so far today, so I'm guessing I'll double it at least for a grand total of 1.5 L today, which is ok.

Anyways. I'll catch y'all later!

Hey Suzi,
Where in Orange County are you?

Lesse. For dinner I had a Low Carb $6 burger instead (490 cal) a chocolate milk (180 cal) and I'm about to consume some Candy Corn soda, from Jones soda, which has 130 calories.

Anyways. I live in Newport! Where do you live, M2M?