Had the meeting with the nutritionalist

[KSH]

Well, it looks like www.sparkepeople.com is the winner!

The database for the food selection was extensive... I love the way it tracks exercise... and it's FREE!

Thanks Lawyergirl.

In the end though... it's all about what works you... right BikingMom?

[Bikingmomof3]

Yay, I am so happy you found one you like and that will work for you!

[KSH]

Yay, I am so happy you found one you like and that will work for you!

Here's an update!

It's been about... uuummm... 2 weeks of healthy eating. I have been logging my food and eating ONE bad meal a week. Just ONE!

My scale logged me at 125 this morning!

So, I'm down a few pounds... and clothes are fitting better already!

Yea, I don't need to pay someone $80 a pop to help me lose weight. I just need to stop eating out and keep to my calorie count.

PS- Sparkpeople.com is a good site...although, just about all the food I log... they have the calorie count off by 10-20 calories. NOT a HUGE deal... as I just try to average between 1600-1800 calories... but if you use the site and you are trying to get down to the exact calorie... look at the packaging to see how off the calories are.

[Bikingmomof3]

Congrats KSH!

[spokewench]

You're 125 pounds and your worried about your weight?

I bet you look great! The only thing you need to worry about now is staying fit, muscular and healthy (i.e. eating right)!

As gals in this culture, we can all get too caught up on the scale!

[han-grrl]

Here are some things that worked for me.

1) I cut out sugar. i use either only honey or maple syrup, or try to use fruit to sweeten things for baking. i have found that i don't even need to add sugar to my coffee any more.
2) I cut out all commercially made "snacks" ie no granola bars, cookies etc etc even low fat ones, unless i have made them myself. most companies will use sugar, corn syrup, un-natural stuff. not to mention other "oddities" that are just not cool in the body. i ONLY use bars and cookies for rides (convenience i admit it). but that is it. if i am in the mood for those things i bake myself.
3) I make sure that i only eat one serving of one type of grain per day - meaning, i eat one serving of wheat, one serving of spelt, one serving of buckwheat etc etc. we eat waaay too much wheat which makes our immune systems not happy.
4) i measure out pretty much everything. i don't just dump a pile of rice on my plate, i actually measure out half a cup. that way 3) is "obeyed"
5) I make sure that every time i eat, there is some protein, fat and carbohydrate. i have found that by doing this, my eating (and my moods) are much more stabilized. i found that i was eating CONSTANTLY, if i would just snack on an apple, then an hour later, i would snack on crackers, then an hour later on something else. I was eating constantly. I found that if i had an apple, some cheese and some nuts, i was actually ok for 3 hours.

anyway those are the things that worked for me.

Some good resources: Nancy Clarks nutrition guide
and i just finished reading The Metabolic Typing Diet by Wolcott and Fahey. Its a little revolutionary, but does have some interesting tips. It brings up the fact that our bodies are all so different that nutrition needs cannot be summed up with a food pyramid. Some things I definitely wouldn't do at all, so definitely read with caution.

[KSH]

You're 125 pounds and your worried about your weight?

I bet you look great! The only thing you need to worry about now is staying fit, muscular and healthy (i.e. eating right)!

As gals in this culture, we can all get too caught up on the scale!

Well, I honestly care more about my body fat... but I haven't been able to measure that again... so I have to watch the weight.


If I were 140 pounds and 18% body fat, I wouldn't give a damn. But, I was 130 at 26% body fat... up from 20% body fat just back in Feb. of this year.

I also care about how my clothes fit... cause I can't afford to replace my wardrode... luckily... I'm able to fit back into some pants that were getting tight!

[Dogmama]

Couldn't agree more with that post.

One other thing - are you weight training? Muscle is more metabolically active and increases RMR. Also, I don't get as hungry after a weight training session as I do after riding, running, etc.

Weight training isn't about bicep curls and tricep kickbacks. It's squats, lunges, push ups & overhead presses. I recommend a book called The New Rules of Lifting by Schuler & Cosgrove.

My downfall is sweets - especially chocolate. Once I start during the day, I find myself going back for "just one more." So addictive!