March/April weight loss challenge

[azfiddle]

Roxy,

just a thought- are you tracking everything you eat? I think it often makes a huge difference.

I started back on weightwatchers in January 2009 and tracked faithfully. I lost 13 pounds, then hit a plateau until I started cycling. Some things I changed were switching to whole wheat pasta, cutting out most (but not all!) sweets and replacing with more fruit, nuts etc.

I hope that you find something that works for you.

[channlluv]

Thanks, AZ. Yes, I do track most days in LoseIt.

And thanks, Veronica, for the message. You're right. I do need to make some significant changes. I think cutting out bread may be part of it. At least in the short term. I saw significant pounds lost the week I cut out bread, and three days into reintroducing it, I was back up to my average weight.

I did five miles on the treadmill this morning. I will try to get in at least two miles (30 minutes for me) each day. That's what all the plans recommend. Thirty minutes a day. My metabolism should rev up a bit from that, yes?

I'm already doing almost all whole grain, organic veggies, lean proteins, and no scary sugars. (The sweets I eat are like Tofuti minis or the coconut Fruitstix.) I do need to drink more water, but since I started doing so many treadmill miles I'm just eating too much, I guess. I need to track it more closely. Measure out the meat servings and so on.

Thanks, all.

Roxy

[Catrin]

Lose it is awesome!

135 today... could this still be from my cookie weakness Thursday? Trainer is also building the amount of weight I am lifting as we focus on building strength until mid-May when I will drop to maintenance. I suppose part of it is fluid...

[Veronica]

At least in the short term.

I'm already doing almost all whole grain, organic veggies, lean proteins, and no scary sugars. (The sweets I eat are like Tofuti minis or the coconut Fruitstix.) I do need to drink more water, but since I started doing so many treadmill miles I'm just eating too much, I guess. I need to track it more closely. Measure out the meat servings and so on.

There is no short term. The changes you make need to be forever changes, otherwise, as you have discovered , the weight will come right back.

It's not just about what you're eating, it's also about quantity. Whole grain still has calories. Whole grain and organic veggies have nothing to do with weight reduction. It's all about calories in, calories out. How often are you eating your sweets? And how much?

Like I said, I know it's hard. Two years ago I used to eat a homemade chocolate chip cookie every day for dessert at lunch. Just one, but that was 310 calories that I really got nothing out of. I switched to a Trader Joe's yogurt, 140 calories, as my dessert. Back in November I cut that out as well. I still make the cookies for events (every couple of months) and I'll eat a few then. But not every day anymore.

Change is going to take time. It's not going to happen overnight, or over a week or a month. Stick with what you change and it will happen. Don't keep changing your changes.

Veronica

[azfiddle]

I agree- measuring is as essential as tracking.

Veronica- of course you're right about the calories in-out. Weightwatchers does seem to give lower point values to high-fiber foods, so that a cup of whole wheat spaghetti is less than a cup of regular spaghetti.

Typical day's menu for me when I was on WW and not doing more than an hour of cycling.

bowl of oatmeal with raisins & about a teaspoon of brown sugar and a splash of milk, or 1/2 bagel with light cream cheese and lox cup or 1 slice of toast with an ounce of melted cheese of hot tea with milk and honey

snack around 9:45 something like: handful or almonds, 1/2 luna bar, handful of pretzels, small banana, or trader joe's fruit cereal bar

lunch: salad with chicken, no dressing but something like a few artichoke hearts, olives or parmesan cheese to give it extra flavor, slice of bread or about 100 cal worth of crackers, piece of fruit Or- leftovers to equal about 250 calories, or on really hurried days- a frozen meal (WW, lean cuisine, etc)

snack around 4 pm about 100 calories-

dinner: 1 cup pasta with chicken and veggies, salad, OR stir fry and rice OR corn tortilla quesadillas with veggies- basically less about 300-350 calories total calories- not a big dinner.

snack: 100 calories

So there is room there for bread, or the occasional small cookie or bowl of light ice cream or whatever. Just not a lot of any of those things.

I lost 38 pounds and am in my maintenance range but just barely....

[Tri Girl]

make changes you can live with forever. I have decided that I'm not going to give up sweets forever. I did that before and lost 35 lbs, but it didn't stay off because giving up sweets is not something I'm willing to do. I'll work out more if I need to, but that's one of the things I'm not willing to live without. I am willing to live with smaller portions, eating more veggies and fruit, cutting out many grains and drinking more water.
You have to find what works for you and be able to live with your changes/choices. Everyone is different. I won't pass up a homemade chocolate chip cookie. I won't eat 10, but if someone makes some I'll eat one.
Just figure out what you can live with forever.

[Veronica]

I agree- measuring is as essential as tracking.

Veronica- of course you're right about the calories in-out. Weightwatchers does seem to give lower point values to high-fiber foods, so that a cup of whole wheat spaghetti is less than a cup of regular spaghetti.

My Trader Joe's Organic Whole Wheat Penne is 210 calories per 3/4 cup. My Barilla regular penne is 200 calories for the same amount. 3/4 cup of pasta does not look like much on a plate and unless you're measuring, I think it's one of those things that it's really easy to eat more of than you think you are.

Veronica

[azfiddle]

Sorry- to clarify- I meant- Weightwatchers counts it as fewer points....its not lower in calories

[ultraviolet]

I've been out of town for a professional conference. Home now, and I'll be joining back in this week.