hate diet plans.

[smilingcat]

I realize BMI index is so flawed but now I'm officially fat. I just checked several sites and woman my age, I may be only 36th percentile (64% of the women in my age weigh more than me) I'm still fat.

I hate diet plans. Never bought into fenn-fenn, as I hate pills. Never bought into forgoing some food groups, I think those are bad like Atkins diet. And in college days and in my twenties, I spent lot of times with the guys where it was see-it-eat-it diet was the norm. And my parents "Eat your peas, there are kids starving in Africa" so I learned to clean off my plate.

I really hate being this overweight. I want to be back down at 125 pound when I felt my strongest. I'm 5'4". Is 125 pound realistic for my height and my age?

I hate gaining weight every year. It's slow but after many years, it does add up. My mother was never this heavy. My father was never fat. And my sister still run marathon so now I'm the fattie in my family and I hate it.

So how do you manage to keep yourself motivated on a diet? I love food. Foodie of sort but I don't really have a sweet tooth except for chocolate. What are some of the sensible diet? Besides yes calories in calories out. Portion control just leaves me craving for more and I end up binging on a regular basis... How does one maintain self-control when you feel hungry. Carrot/celery sticks will NOT do.

Being fat makes me feel like I'm out of control without discipline. I think that's the part I hate the most. No self-discipline. HAND OVER THAT CHOCOLATE AND NOBODY GETS HURT!!!

hate even asking for comments on something so mundane but being fat really makes me gaawwwgggg.

[hebe]

I'm very slowly losing weight at the moment. If I fancy a snack I'll try to go for a miso soup (from a sachet), or about half a dozen almonds. If I'm really desperate for chocolate I'll either have a "fun-size" portion (tiny bars rather than proper "fun" size), or I'll have a pickled onion or a gherkin (nothing kills the craving for chocolate like a pickle). I always eat a healthy breakfast, if I can make it through the morning without uncontrolled snacking then I know I'm halfway there.And if it all goes to pieces I try to stay positive and make a fresh start. Good luck!

[Veronica]

Without knowing your body type no one can really say if 125 pounds is realistic for you. I'm 3/4 of an inch taller and my lean body mass is 117 pounds. I'd probably be dead at 125. :rolleyes: I weigh 148 now and I'm working at losing 8 - 10 more pounds. You really have to decide what's appropriate for you as an individual not compare yourself to women the same age and height.

I don't diet. I do eat a lot of protein - I try to get 117 grams a day. It's hard. I do limit my sugar intake and try to keep my carbs more complex. I don't eat any fake sweeteners and I do have a substantial sweet tooth. Although now I don't really crave any sweets. There's a bag of Ghiradelli chocolates in my frig. It's been there since Nov. 1. :D We picked up a couple of very interesting books a couple of weeks ago in the Eat This, Not That series. The super market guide is kind of eye opening and can help you make some better choices that cut down on fat and calories.

Veronica

[Crankin]

I am somewhat of a foodie, too, but self discipline is necessary when you want to lose weight. I have found that making your eating habits a new lifestyle, rather than a diet is what works. I lost 30 lbs. when I was 25 (57 now) and basically have kept it off, even after pregnancies. I've tweaked what I eat over the years, and the one constant thing has been exercise. What I do for exercise has changed, as I find my body needs me to "mix it up" a lot more as I age.
I eat a lot like Veronica. A lot of protein and mostly complex carbs, low on the glycemic index. I don't crave sweets, either. I cook a lot during the week, using recipes from Cooking Light. We go out quite a bit, too. Sometimes I really watch what I eat in a restaurant, sometimes I allow myself a treat. I don't have fast food, fried food, and I have to watch how much Asian food I eat, because the salt content really affects me.
I do have 2 squares of dark chocolate almost every day, 3-4 glasses of red wine a week, and I have a little weakness for chocolate dipped soft serve ice cream when summer comes around (thankfully when my cycling miles are at the peak).

[Catrin]

I am 5'3 in my stocking feet and weighed 131.2 Saturday morning - and I still have more body fat than I would like (most of it in my stomach area). I can't complain as I've lost over 50 pounds in the last year or so.

Like Veronica, I eat a lot of protein - around 115-120 grams a day unless I've done a lot of heavy weights then I eat more. Complex carbs, and am trying to cut out most processed foods outside of non-fat dairy. My doctor and nutritionist sent me this direction and it has worked well - I do have to struggle to get enough fat but I have gotten better at getting healthy fats.

I love chocolate as well, and have found several no-fat or low-fat yogurts with chocolate that is pretty yummy :) I will allow myself an occasional real hot chocolate (Trader Joe's Sipping Chocolate). It has less fat and even fewer carbs than pretty much all other hot chocolate mixes and is quite yummy! It is also good in coffee :o I just won't add whipped cream or anything else.

[azfiddle]

You know, Weight Watchers has worked for me really well (36-38 lbs), along with the cycling. It is a plan, but you can pretty much eat what you want as long as you are making mostly good choices, following portion control and tracking. I do the online program.

Like Catrin I still have a little around my middle, but I went from 150 to 112 (currently 114) in about 15 months.

Feel free to PM me for more info.

[Susan]

Hey smilingcat, I hate diet plans too. I don't want to count calories. And I also don't like to stop eating certain food groups completely. I hate carrot sticks ;)
I am not doubting that those things may work for a lot of people, but they don't work for me.

As you realized, you can't maintain self control if you are hungry. My personal weight loss "plan" is to eat enough to never be hungry, but eat the right things. I try to keep eating the right things before I even start to crave the wrong ones.
Eat 3-4 meals a day, always eat breakfast. (Don't eat more, but also, never eat less!)

Portion control without counting calories: Always try to eat 1 "piece" of protein-rich food about as big as the palm of your hand, at least 2 handful of vegetables and at most 1 handful of carbohydrates. For example eat a steak about as big as the palm of your hand, as much Brokkoli/other vegetables/salad as you like, and 1 handful of Quinoa. (This doesn't always work this perfect - but it gives an idea of how much you can eat.)
Always try to eat enough protein for every meal. And try to eat "real" food, whole grains, I think you get the idea.

This has worked for me and my husband for the last 1 1/2 years and we lost weight slowly but steadily without counting and weighting everything. There's wiggle room if you have a sweet tooth, you don't need to be "perfect" all the time. We both have gone from fat to quite fit.
I try to keep this short, but if you think this could be the right thing for you I can try to explain it in detail, just let me know.

[Pedal Wench]

Same height, and probably close to same age, and I have to work hard to get to 125. Lots of muscle mass makes that harder, but if I add pudge, I know it's harder to get it off too at my age.
I try to avoid white flour, sugar, potatoes and rice - whole wheat, brown rice, sweet potatoes only. For some reason, bread in general seems to puff me up, so I don't really do that. I eat massive amounts of food --- lean protein (chicken and fish only) and tons of veggies. Seriously, what's a portion for a family of four is my usual dinner. Those bags of precut broccoli - one meal for me. Same thing with a bag of lettuce.
And, obviously, if I'm not riding, it all goes out the window. :)

[tangentgirl]

SC, I've added weight training to my regimine, and I've noticed a considerable improvement. Since the fall, even with Thanksgiving and Christmas and a NY vacation full of bagels and delis and diners, I'm still down weight and noticing I fit into old clothes I'd almost given up on. Eating well, and, I'm sad to say, biking, without the weight stuff, never worked this well for me. Seems like I need to put them all together. That's just me.

[maillotpois]

My skeleton weighs 125! :p. (actually my lean body mass does weigh right around 125).

Anyway, no comment on the weight itself, because I have no idea if it is a realistic goal for you, but I did want to second the weight Watchers suggestion. I did WW 20 plus years ago and lost over 50 lbs (and kept it off for years til I got pregnant).

The recent WW plans have felt too diet-y for me, but this new plan they rolled out at the end of November has been amazing. Real emphasis on healthy food and I am not feeling deprived at all. I am down about 18 lbs from last year. Like azfiddle, I am happy to share more if you want to PM me.

[beccaB]

I've had success with the Curves weight management plan, 25 pounds gone and stayed off for the last year and a half. I need to be told what to eat, not what not to eat. And it has a phase 3 that's do-able for life. I have to admit though, phase 1 was nearly impossible, and in the week before a big ride, the diet goes out the window and I eat whatever i want.

[smilingcat]

Thank you ladies.

I was feeling bit down over my weight. Part of my problem is I grew up on rice and still eat it just about everyday. White polished rice. I know its not good for me. My doctor even told me that my cholestrol level was good but my triglyceride was getting to be high. Warned me to cut down on simple carb.

I know I have to cut down on simple carb.
Eat Mexican food, there's rice and beans
Eat Thai food, yummo, there is coconut milk in the curry and there's rice
Eat Italian food and yup there's risotto.
Eat Indian food, oh geez there's basmati rice yummo.
Chinese, Vitnamese, Korean, Japanese, Mongolian all have rice.
And there is rice pudding My partner likes it cause its sweet.

When we dine out, we always take three tupper-ware containers with lids. We only eat half and pack the rest. Saves the restaurant the container cost, being environmental... Sure other diners look at us funny but who cares. and we don't overeat. And to top it off we get second supper pre-made :D

What I really need to do is graze several times a day so I don't feel hungry. I've been diligent with my lunch. I only eat half of my Chipotle buritto (chicken with roasted bell peppers, black beans, RICE, lettuce, and salsa. No sour cream, no avocado, no cheese). But I'm still "polishing" off the plate at Thai place.

At home, we only eat about 8oz of meat per person per week if that. Just too much carb. My partner has a terrible case of sweet tooth. I think my problem is I'm craving for meat all the time so I try to make up by eating too much carb. Chips and Salsa, Cheese and stone ground wheat crackers, crisp bread (in finnish its näkkileipä, hapankorppu). I like mine baked with poppy seed on top.

Sometimes, I think my arm is hooked up to Chai latte machine. I drink way too much. Gallon of the stuff in four days or less. I know because 1/2 gallon of fat free milk will disappear in 4 days flat or less. Strange neither my sister or I are lactose intolerant.

And oh rarely do we eat red meat. And when we do its free range bison meat very expensive so its a very special supper for us.

I also realize I need to do my exercise first thing in the morning. I understand that this will allow my body to keep the metabolism in high gear for the rest of the day. Whereas if I were do my exercise in the evening, it may affect my ability to go to sleep and I don't get the same benefit as if I were to work out in the morning. But this is tad hard to do logistically.

My partner was at Curves, she lasted maybe three month. Weight Watchers, I'm not keen on their food. Sorry, but I'm picky about my food.

Reading everyone's response, I have to approach this diet thing differently. Not think of it as a diet but minor changes in my behavior. Thinking of diet just back fires. And it does. I hate the yo-yo thing with eat not eat, starve, eat a lot, sometimes eat so much I end up doing the unthinkable. just on blue moon.

Anyway, thank you for all your suggestions.
It's not a diet
graze a bit
not to over indulge
make minor tweaks in lifestyle.

I think I was looking at it all wrong.

Thank you,

[GLC1968]

Another 5'4" woman here with a lean body mass of about 120 lbs! I could never be 125 without sacrificing a lot of precious muscle. I also know other woman my height for which 125 would be heavy. It really, really varies by individual.

I'm currently at about 151 and heading down to the 130's (from a start at 175). I was doing my own 'healthy eating' diet and it worked for awhile. Then I got kind of uninspired and I lost interest in being diligent enough to lose weight. I joined WW 3 weeks ago and it's been really good for me. I've tried their other 'points' plans with no success, but this newest version is great. It's easy, it's a great way to keep track, and it's working. I'm down 5.2 lbs, I've got all the energy I need for my workouts and I'm not suffering at all.

[GLC1968]

I just saw your response and wanted to add that WW doesn't have their own food. There is a WW marketing group that does make the processed food you see in stores, but that's not included in the diet unless you want it.
They certainly don't encourage it - it's mostly about real food.

[tulip]

It sounds lie your current eating is unbalanced--too many carbs and not enough protein. You could start by switching to brown rice, which is a complex carb and a whole lot better for you than white rice. White rice is a bit like WonderBread.

Also, you mention that your partner has a sweet tooth. That doesn't mean that you have to eat what she eats. It's easier to lose weight with a friend sometimes, something to think about.

I have never done WW. But it seems like alot of people have much success with it. It seems like a very good way to plan and track and learn about a balanced way of eating for life.

Granted I am one of those people who is 5'6" and my winter weight is 130. Summer I'm at 125. But I wasn't always. My adult weight until I was 38 was 145, but then I got serious because I knew that I was the only person who could make the change I wanted in my body. So I did. The first thing I dud was to drop the daily latte habit. I also ate fruit every day. I upped my protein and cut down the carbs. The carbs I do eat are whole grain: brown rice, whole wheat bread ( make it myself,so I know what is in it), whole wheat pasta. Lots of veggies. Common sense, but doing it makes it real.

Best wishes for success and happiness.

[shootingstar]

Part of my problem is I grew up on rice and still eat it just about everyday. White polished rice. I know its not good for me. My doctor even told me that my cholestrol level was good but my triglyceride was getting to be high. Warned me to cut down on simple carb.



Like you, I was raised on eating white rice nearly daily for supper. I had to reduce intake because of nearing diabetes 2 reading. That was 4 yrs. ago.

So I haven't had rice for past ... 5 months. I seem to eat rice once every few months.

Yes, hardest is sushi..which I do have....but eating a decent amount means I just physically don't feel well. It was this latter effect that kept on being a warning signal to me which had me naturally withdraw from white rice.

In lieu of it, I eat very light Asian pastas. Soba noodles, light durum noodles, etc.

I don't have much rice stored at home. Not even brown rice.

[malkin]

Fruits & vegetables?

[Pedal Wench]

Fruits & vegetables?

LOTS of fruits and vegs. The fruit will hit the cravings for sweets, and the veggies will fill you up and just make you feel better.

I agree with someone else who suggested rebalancing your carb/protein balance. I don't think i have a simple carb in the house - no pasta, rice or potatoes. Every dinner is a massive stirfry of lean protein and veggies. I'll mention again - a whole bag of broccoli, a whole bag of shredded cabbage. Last night I did a half bag. Of each. :)

[gnat23]

Another "no plan" Plan which works well for some people:

http://www.nosdiet.com/

* No Snacks
* No Sweets
* No Seconds

Except (sometimes) on days that start with "S"

-- gnat! (needs more regimen, personally)

[Becky]

* No Snacks
* No Sweets
* No Seconds

Except (sometimes) on days that start with "S"



*cries* I would starve!

[Catrin]

LOTS of fruits and vegs. The fruit will hit the cravings for sweets, and the veggies will fill you up and just make you feel better.

I agree with someone else who suggested rebalancing your carb/protein balance. I don't think i have a simple carb in the house - no pasta, rice or potatoes. Every dinner is a massive stirfry of lean protein and veggies. I'll mention again - a whole bag of broccoli, a whole bag of shredded cabbage. Last night I did a half bag. Of each. :)

hmmmm, a good way to get the veggies! I've no problem getting enough lean protien (and I get a LOT), but I do veggies. Since I am home from work during an ice storm I decided to try your approach for lunch as it will be my main meal of the day.

I had a bag of stir-fry veggies and realized that they are only 30 calories a serving! Had entire bag of stir-fry veggies, chicken, and a small amount of brown rice. <400 calories, little fat and few carbs outside of the rice, 5 servings of veggies...thanks for the idea! I tend to get the munchies when the weather keeps me home so this should help prevent that. I do like brown rice, but I don't eat large amounts of it. No pasta or potatoes are in my apartment.

For me it is easy to forget how low in calories veggies are, and I just don't eat enough of them. I wind up in a rut of just broccoli and the occasional lettuce...

[tulip]

Another "no plan" Plan which works well for some people:

http://www.nosdiet.com/

* No Snacks
* No Sweets
* No Seconds

Except (sometimes) on days that start with "S"

-- gnat! (needs more regimen, personally)

That wouldn't work for me. I rebel against absolutes. Moderation is key.

[tulip]

As for veggies and fruits, I have a daily goal of eating 5 of each. "One" is a carrot, for example, or an apple. Or a handful of something that is not self-contained (like chopped broccoli). Eating 5 of each per day is a challenge, but I like having a goal that I can reach and feel good about. Plus, my snacks become carrots or apples or dried apricots because I'm trying to make my daily goal. It helps me to keep track of them, too, so I keep a tally.

[Crankin]

I couldn't do no snacks. They keep me going and from over eating at meal time.
Seconds? Well, most of the time I can say no, but not always.
Sweets? I eat 2 squares of dark chocolate almost every day. That pretty much controls any sweet cravings. I've never been much of a sweets person, though.
It's harder for me to stay away from carbs, so I try not to have any white bread products in the house, but I do eat regular pasta sometimes. Sushi is death for me; it's hard because the entire bottom floor of my university building is Japanese restaurants. Sometimes I do the udon or soba noodles, or I can find brown rice sushi, but I do give in. Then I feel awful and can go without for awhile.

[tangentgirl]

mmm. white rice.

good (or at least decent) white rice substitutes:

- brown rice
- couscous
- quinoa
- whole grain pasta
- fat free refried beans (good in burritos!)
- trader joes makes an interesting couscous/random hippie grain mix
- lentils

[Blueberry]

Hmmm....I have a question. I know I need to increase my protein. For those who don't eat red meat, and try to not eat much meat at all (I do occasionally eat poultry and have fish 2 times per week probably) - what are good protein sources?

[Veronica]

Fage yogurt.

The 2% version from Trader Joe's has 150 calories per cup, 4.5 grams fat, 9 grams of sugar and 19 grams of protein.

Veronica

[Veronica]

- quinoa



Yuck! Tastes like broccoli. If you like broccoli that's okay.


Veronica

[Triskeliongirl]

Why do you not want to eat more fish and poultry? It is much easier biochemically to burn fat as fuel on a high protein/low carb diet. The staples of my diet are lean protein and veggies.

[malkin]

Another "no plan" Plan which works well for some people:

http://www.nosdiet.com/

* No Snacks
* No Sweets
* No Seconds

Except (sometimes) on days that start with "S"

-- gnat! (needs more regimen, personally)


This would make me go all Gershwin:

S'wonderful, s'marvelous...
S'Monday, S'Tuesday, S'Wednesday...

S'mores!

[OakLeaf]

Vegetables are actually high in protein, it's just they're so high in water and fiber that most people don't eat enough vegetables to get a significant amount of protein.

I'm guilty too, but I know what I need to do. :rolleyes:

[Susan]

Hmmm....I have a question. I know I need to increase my protein. For those who don't eat red meat, and try to not eat much meat at all (I do occasionally eat poultry and have fish 2 times per week probably) - what are good protein sources?

Good other sources of protein are Legumes, Tofu, Eggs, curd...
To get a protein of higher value it's best to combine 2 kinds of protein. A lot of traditional foods show the right combinations of food to achieve this: very often it's a form of very protein-rich food combined with whole grain (beans + rice, egg + bread...).

[shootingstar]

Believe me you might feel abit better just weaning off the rice.

I actually get mini glucose crashes if I eat too much rice now. One of my sisters did lose 50 lbs because of this high glycemic tendency. It was good she controlled it because she would have tipped into gestational diabetes, with her 2nd child.


I still have awhile to go to wean. But I'm certain this rice weaning has helped me more than I realize, weight-wise. But then on the other hand, I still eat abit of dessert. :o

[nscrbug]

Hmmm....I have a question. I know I need to increase my protein. For those who don't eat red meat, and try to not eat much meat at all (I do occasionally eat poultry and have fish 2 times per week probably) - what are good protein sources?

Quinoa is actually a "complete" protein (and very high in it)...and it's gluten-free too! It can be used in place of rice/pasta in any dish.

[Veronica]

Quinoa is actually a "complete" protein (and very high in it)...and it's gluten-free too! It can be used in place of rice/pasta in any dish.

It's only got 8 grams of protein in a serving. That's not high in my mind. Especially when paired with 39 carbs!

And it still tastes like broccoli. :D

Veronica

[Susan]

It's high in protein for a grain (well it's not a real grain anyway but you use it alike). If you combine it with another protein source, you get enough high-quality protein. If you don't like quinoa, there are so many alternatives you can use. ;)

[tangentgirl]

Yuck! Tastes like broccoli. If you like broccoli that's okay.


Veronica

So, you don't want my quinoa broccoli casserole recipe?

[Veronica]

So, you don't want my quinoa broccoli casserole recipe?

Thanks, but I think I'll pass. Unless it's loaded with cheese and bacon? Those usually work to cover up unpleasant tastes. :p

Veronica

[nscrbug]

So, you don't want my quinoa broccoli casserole recipe?

Mmmmm...I'll take it, please!

[Catrin]

So, you don't want my quinoa broccoli casserole recipe?

Ooooh, I will take this as well :)

[redrhodie]

I really hate being this overweight. I want to be back down at 125 pound when I felt my strongest. I'm 5'4". Is 125 pound realistic for my height and my age?

I hate gaining weight every year. It's slow but after many years, it does add up. My mother was never this heavy. My father was never fat. And my sister still run marathon so now I'm the fattie in my family and I hate it.

So how do you manage to keep yourself motivated on a diet? I love food. Foodie of sort but I don't really have a sweet tooth except for chocolate. What are some of the sensible diet? Besides yes calories in calories out. Portion control just leaves me craving for more and I end up binging on a regular basis... How does one maintain self-control when you feel hungry. Carrot/celery sticks will NOT do.


I think 125 might be realistic, but I don't think that number should be your driving force. Go by how you feel. You might feel great at 135 now. Get too low, and you'll feel weak and tired on your bike.

I think you should never feel starving. That portion control does this to you, makes me think your "diet" portions are too little too late. Eat a good breakfast, then eat a snack 2 hours later, even if you don't feel hungry. If you're not hungry, make the snack fruit, if you are hungry, go for bread with peanut butter or cheese. By lunch, you should be ready to eat, but not starving. Try eating 6 times a day, and see how that feels. Drink 8 glasses of water a day.

Since you love food, try some new recipes. That might help you stay motivated. You don't need to eat carrots and celery. Eat what you love. Ride you bike, too. That's important.

[WindingRoad]

SmilingCat - I think those that are saying that determining your target weight is very subjective are VERY correct. I have been battling with this too trying to figure out what a realistic goal is. After OCDing about it for about 3 weeks now I come full circle back to my original approach of 'what the hell' I feel good. I mean I think I'm in pretty good shape, I can run 5 miles any given day, bike up to 50 - 60 miles, do spin classes back to back and shovel out 3 cars with 5 foot snowdrifts. I have to think of these things when I start comparing myself to what is 'normal'. According to those charts I'm a horse, oh well whatever, i feel good and I look pretty darn good too. I have about 10 lbs I'd like to see go but I'm over freaking out about it. BTW, I use quinoa quite a bit. It's pretty tasty if you cook it with some seasonings, much like rice. Stuffed peppers are awesome made with it. Great with chicken and is feel it is much more satiating than rice. Another thing to keep in mind, drink drink drink. For me that makes such a huge difference. I'm a hardcore coffee drinkers too so I make myself drink extra water on days I drink tons of coffee. I hope this helps. Please don't get down over your weight, you will get there. It's not always a simple recipe to find the right combo for weight loss.

[tangentgirl]

oh dang. now i have to make up a quiona broccoli (with optional cheese and bacon) casserole recipe. i was afraid of that.

[nscrbug]

oh dang. now i have to make up a quiona broccoli (with optional cheese and bacon) casserole recipe. i was afraid of that.

Ha ha...too funny! I'm guessing one could make it just like any other broccoli & rice casserole, only replacing the rice with quinoa.

[emily_in_nc]

For meatless protein, we eat a lot of beans. Black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, any bean will do. With brown rice or quinoa and plenty of veggies, they make a great meal.

Also tempeh or tofu, eggs, and cheese. I like organic yogurt and nuts for snacks. I add a scoop of unsweetened whey protein powder to my cereal.

We do eat poultry and fish but also try to have several meatless meals a week. Better for the planet and for our health, we think.

Oh, and that quinoa/broccoli casserole recipe sounds good. :D I don't find that quinoa tastes like broccoli at all. To me it tastes like whatever it's cooked with (seasonings, broth, etc.) It's important to give it a GOOD rinsing prior to cooking to get rid of the coating of the individual grains, which can be bitter.

[malkin]

How 'bout Michael Pollan's rules:


Eat food
Not too much
Mostly plants


Pretty much covers it for me.

[Blueberry]

Thanks for all of the protein suggestions - the one I always forget (and really like!) is yogurt. I do love the greek yogurt.

To answer the question of why not more poultry and fish - I feel better about my environmental impact not eating more. Plus - if I eat fish much more than I do now, I really have a tendency to get very tired of it. Luckily, I do not have a cholesterol problem at all. So - we do lots of dinners with eggs as a protein (e.g., scrambled eggs with shrimp and green onions + salad). Lots of beans at our house too - and quinoa (but it's a grain in my book too).

[Dogmama]

Back the the OP - I caught that you said you binged. Along with some other things you said, I'm going to suggest a different tact along with all of the great suggestions.

It sounds like your relationship with food is complicated and may be covering up other aspects of your life. Food gives us a quick high, we can "stuff" our feelings, forget about life for awhile. I would enlist the help of two professionals: a therapist who is competent in eating disorders and a nutritionist to devise a diet plan that you can follow. Exercise is part of the equation, as you know, but you cannot out-exercise a lousy diet. Think about how many calories you burn on a treadmill & compare it to a twinkie. That's the idea.

It's known that some overweight women have experienced physical and/or sexual trauma in their developing years. Unconsciously, they overeat to make themselves unattractive. I'm not suggesting that happened to you, but "they" are discovering that many of us have that history & we deal with it in different ways.

Shoe shopping, anybody? ;)

[Miranda]

Without knowing your body type no one can really say if 125 pounds is realistic for you. I'm 3/4 of an inch taller and my lean body mass is 117 pounds. I'd probably be dead at 125. :rolleyes: I weigh 148 now and I'm working at losing 8 - 10 more pounds. You really have to decide what's appropriate for you as an individual not compare yourself to women the same age and height.

I don't diet. I do eat a lot of protein - I try to get 117 grams a day. It's hard. I do limit my sugar intake and try to keep my carbs more complex. I don't eat any fake sweeteners and I do have a substantial sweet tooth. Although now I don't really crave any sweets. There's a bag of Ghiradelli chocolates in my frig. It's been there since Nov. 1. :D We picked up a couple of very interesting books a couple of weeks ago in the Eat This, Not That series. The super market guide is kind of eye opening and can help you make some better choices that cut down on fat and calories.

Veronica

:)Hey V...

how do you figure this # out?
Is it your low number on what's recommended on a chart? Or what you are measured at now? I know you have/used-to work with a personal trainer for a lot of your stuff.

How do you figure this much protein?
I know as fitness peeps we need more protein overall due to our activity. I googled and found an equation, and that's still bit higher. Which, actually I'm asking because I feel like I could use more protein. I eat, and I'm still starving in a sense, desperately seeking for something my body is craving. I'm not even hungry. I just ate. But, it's a really weird craving. And yes, like others, I do have a sweet tooth... but I don't want it when I feel this way... it's almost like a call for a New York strip lol.

OK... or if V doesn't see this... someone who knows in general how to calculate protein needs chime in. Here is one google thing I found in this link. http://exercise.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/protein_2.htm

[Veronica]

It's based on how much lean mass I have and it's really the minimum I should be getting in a day.

It's funny to think about how my eating has changed since I started working out with a trainer. When I started with her I was still doing a 200k a month and so I was doing a good bit of riding. And I ate a lot of crap. :D 2- 4 Red Bulls a day was not uncommon, a homemade chocolate chip cookie every day, pizza multiple times a week... My weight then fluctuated between 155 - 158 and I was 26% body fat. In spite of riding 300 - 400 miles monthly on my bike.

Today I had:
B: a protein shake after my morning workout with my trainer, 3/4 cup non fat Greek yogurt, mixed with some sweetened yogurt and 1/2 cup of cereal
S: a Fuji apple with 2 tbs peanut butter, about 2/3 in the AM and the rest after work
L: 6 oz of chicken and some unknown amount of green beans
D: Thom's away, so I had a whole wheat EM with 1/2 tbs of butter and jam and another protein shake.

I weigh 146 and have 19.8% body fat. Dinner is usually a plate of fish, steak or chicken and little else, but I didn't feel like doing that just for me. :rolleyes:

What I eat has been an evolving process. I just recently took out the yogurt I had been having with my lunch. It was 140 calories and I really don't miss it.

I do drink coffee in the morning and I use whole milk in my coffee, my protein shakes and oatmeal. We have tried going to the lighter milk and the calorie and fat savings just aren't worth the loss of taste for us. I also drink a container of oj over about 10 days. I like it when I first wake up. Mostly I just drink water.

It's working and I feel good. I don't feel unduly hungry and my energy level is good. I had gotten into some bad habits over the late summer and fall (pizza is so evil!) and had started gaining fat and losing muscle. It's nice to see that trend reversing.

Weekends are much less structured for me and I don't eat so cleanly then. My latest thing is guacamole with Trader Joe's pita bites. Yeah... I know not the worst thing in the world. And a bottle of champagne. :D

Veronica