Mern

Cassie and Quinn, thanks so much for your help. I'm gonna print out your ideas and put them on my bulletin board.


Cassie, I do eat an ounce of almonds daily and after your mentioning that, I think I'll bump it up to an ounce and a half. Same with the olive oil--I've been eating one tablespoon and can bump that up to two. I have had net carbs to spare, so adding even more dark green veggies is a good option as well. A whole cup of broccoli has only two net carbs. Frozen green beans make a great snack, too, believe it or not. And I also love avocadoes--just rarely think of them. I'll add those as a staple to my regular shopping list from now on--so many ways to enjoy those. I'll bet next week will be a lot easier and my tummy will feel more satisfied. I appreciate your help!


Quinn, thanks so much for the vegetarian dishes ideas!

--I have made Faux Spanish Rice using cauliflower instead of rice. Forgot about that--it was good, too.
--So I'm sure I could also do fried rice using cauliflower
--I've got low carb tortillas I could use for veggie subs
--and Dreamfields low net effective carb pasta in various ways--tosses or Alfredo.
--sure! I've made pizza using low carb tortillas. Forgot about that, too. That'll work!
--Grilled portabella with swiss and onion on a low carb tortilla sounds yummy!
--That ricotta gnocchi, zucchini and tomatoes sounds delish. I'm sure I could find a recipe for the ricotta gnocchi.
--In lieu of Italian Tortellini Soup I could make a low carb Italian veggie soup and toss in some low carb penne pasta.

That should be plenty vegetarian ideas. I don't think I need to look any further. Now my mouth is watering. Thanks again!

cjohnson728

If you can afford the calories and can do portion control, nuts have a ton of benefits for health, especially your almonds, walnuts, and pistachios. And don't forget the Naturally More Peanut Butter, lol! I finally worked my way through the buy-one-get-one-free huge jars of Smart Balance PB and bought some NM yesterday. Looking forward to trying it. I do wish they'd do the breakdown of the mono and polyunsaturated fats on the label, though.

Sounds like a great plan, Mern. I feel like I want to yelll, "CHARGE!"

Well, I'm pretty tired, pretty hot, and pretty sticky. In between the sweat and the sunscreen, I can't wait to hit the shower, but we needed get unpacked and refueled first. We go back in the morning so he can play for third place. I can't imagine playing in this weather; I have to give him credit. It was hard enough to watch. We passed a bank on the way home and its thermometer said 106, and another's said 101. Perhaps almeeker has the right idea and swimming is the way to go.

I did okay on food, although why does my appetite go up even when I don't do a darn thing except sit outside? It was even too hot to pace (which I usually do ). We had enough time for lunch to go to an actual restaurant, where I had a salad with chicken, and I kept out of the crack mix (which I stupidly threw a handful of big chocolate chips in...of course they melted...so now I have chocolate crack bark...oh my). I had an apple on the way home and had time to prepare what they call "a sensible dinner," so I'm hoping to finish the day close to goal.

Unfortunately, I may be too tired to exercise. Well, tomorrow is another day, right?

Hope you all are enjoying the weekend, and, Mern, that you enjoyed the cookout and spending time with family.

quinnesec

Just checking in to be accountable...

Went over a bit in calories on Friday and Saturday, but had "extras" to use from earlier in the week. Nice long walk tonight.


*Saturday*

Back To Discipline:
Food and Fitness

1. 1200 calories/day with the exception of Tuesday. (Son's birthday) 1150 plus a piece of cake. 777 (Long story.) 1065 (Not intentional...just not hungry) 1460 (date night), 1512 (VERY carb heavy.)
2. Walk two miles per day minimum, weather permitting. Two 2 mile walks. At least 3 miles. 2 miles. 2 miles. 3 miles.
3. LOG EVERYTHING! Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
4. Take multivitamin, flax and vitamin E daily. Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes

cjohnson728

Long day, long week!

1. Limit calories to 1200* (average). 1184, 1208, 1196, 1220-forgot to log a piece of fruit early in the day, 1198, 1288-I tried
2. Exercise in some form or fashion 7 times. Weights, Cardio tennis, Cardio tennis, weights, stationary bike, weights (3/4 of usual routine)
3. Drink 64 oz. water daily. Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Good grief, yes!
4. Sleep 7 hours daily. 6.5, 6.5 (planned on more, but hubby was NOT packing quietly this morning!), No-no excuse, Yes!!! Nooo, 5-this is pitiful
5. Take all vitamins & supplements. Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Vitamins, yes, calcium no
6. 5 fruits & veggies per day. Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
7. Journal; I've got to figure out why I keep slipping! Yes, Yes, No-out all day; too tired now, No-completely forgot, No-no time; too busy, No-ditto
8. Log everything. Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes

9. Work on the Mom Cave. Yes, Not today, Not on the agenda today, Nothing more I can do right now
10. Catch up billing. Not today, Worked on it, Not today, Not today, No and I need to do this, No
11. Begin organizing photos. Not today
12. Smile more, bitch less . I wish; bad mood all day Yes, Pretty much, Yes! Pretty much, Yes

01gt4.6

Good morning ladies. Yesterday didn't go so well for me. I was doing well until the evening then all hell broke loose again. I ate about 1000 calories in fresh baked cookies... again. I need to find that balance with a healthy diet... that I can stick with without going over the deep edge.

Before that I got in to it with my GF. I don't think my eating frenzy was a result of that, I just gave in to my cravings. (This isn't directed to anyone here and I'm not going to generalize and say it's all women, but this is true for most that I know. I also know that bitching about women, in the Women's Only Corner will get me nowhere But I have to vent and if anyone would like to chime in to help clarify things... or tell me that I'm wrong, feel free.) I realized, once again, that I don't understand women. Sometimes, they make absolutely no sense, say what they don't mean, mean what they don't say, then try to twist your words and actions. Here are just a few examples...
We all know that good communication is important in any relationship, right? I feel like I say what on my mind, especially if I'm asked. My GF on the other hand, doesn't, she'll say the opposite. This has been going on since day one and it use to really bother me, I try not to let it bother me as much. For example when she'd get pissed over something, I ask what's wrong (who knows... it could be me, the kids, work, herself, a friend pissed her off, anything) and I always get the same answer... "nothing". So the answer for something being wrong is that nothing is wrong?? This used to really bother me b/c I wanted to know, hell if it's something I did I'd like to know. Now that I look back, at times when it was something that I did or said, it's b/c she didn't take what I did or said at face value. Other times, I was genuinely wrong, sometimes I knew right then and other times not. But it's not until months later that it comes out. Often times it wasn't me, but when you always get the same response, you always wonder if it's you or not. Sooner or later you get tired of asking what's wrong b/c you know you aren't going to get a truthful answer and you don't want to badger someone b/c maybe they just want to be left alone. Every now and then I get the talk about "how we don't communicate" Now I'm always like.... "no... you don't communicate". So if she's mad (or acting mad, b/c you never no... b/c nothing is ever wrong) and I ask what's going on, etc and she says "nothing" well guess what, nothing it is.

I've noticed lately that now she tries to twist my words and actions to mean the opposite. I'm sorry but for the most part I say what I mean and mean what I say, maybe it's the "guy" in me, I don't know. I called her out on it a few weeks ago. She had asked me if I wanted to go do something (I don't remember what it was b/c it happens so often know) and my response was "okay" (or "yeah", "that's fine", something like that, like I said I don't remember) Her response??? "well, we don't have to if you don't want to!" Then cops an attitude. Wait, WTF? You ask me a question I say yes and you turn it to a no? Yesterday was a perfect example. We were going to Walmart, I was driving and the radio was on (listening to the news, wasn't loud at all but I could hear it.) She wasn't listening to it. We all know that I have ADD, it's no secret, I was listening to it, the diesel truck behind me and the million thoughts going through my head but not really paying attention to anything in particular. She starts talking, so I can give her my undivided attention, I reach up and turn off my radio. It was just on no one gave a crap about what was being discussed, it was just noise at that point. She starts talking and stopped and said "were you listening to that?" I say "yeah (not really, like I said I have ADD, I was listening to everything and nothing at the same time) it's no big deal, I turned it off so I could hear what you are saying." Her response?? "never mind, I just won't talk then!" I'm like WTF? "I turned it off so you COULD talk, so you wouldn't have to talk over the radio (even though it wasn't loud, it was about as loud as a low conversation), so I could hear and pay attention to what you are saying, and since I did that you AREN'T going to talk?" (BTW when I say the radio wasn't loud and she wasn't listening to it, I'm not trying to justify anything, that wasn't the issue, I'm just setting the scene for y'all.)

cjohnson728

Hey, Mike. I totally hear what you're saying. I'm glad you put it out there and got it out of your brain. And I hope you enjoyed the cookies .

FWIW, my thoughts on your issue are these, and as always, you're free to take or leave them, whatever works.

I belive that everyone has a responsibility to be honest about what they need and to not play games. That means that if someone's annoyed with you, it's incumbent upon them to let you know that in a direct manner, rather than being manipulative or passive aggressive. That being said, that happens in a perfect world but doesn't always happen everyday in relationships. It can be irritating as all get out when you're on the other end, because you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

One suggestion I have, if you're looking for any, is to take a minute to talk to your GF when this is not an issue. You could maybe approach her during some down time when you're both in a good mood and let her know what you've noticed . You may want to say to her that what she says and feels is important to you and you don't want to be the cause of any distress unintentionally, but when you don't have all the information, you can't give her what she's looking for. You might ask for her help and emphasize that you can't read her mind, so you're depending on her to be honest with you. When you ask, you really want to know; you aren't just asking to be "nice." If she's not upset with you but taking it out of you because of other stress, she could at least let you know that so you don't stew in it. If she says she's stressed, you can always say, "Is there anything you can think of that I can do for you?" If she says no, you will assume that she's being honest and let the matter go. She needs to know that this is your plan to handle this.

Basically, what you're looking for is an agreement from her to take you at your word and to be honest so that you can take her at hers.

The most important thing to remember is that you have control over what you do, feel, and say; you don't have any control over what she does, feels, and says. Be cooperative, but when it's time to let it go, just let it go. There are many times it will just be her issue; eventually, she may see that the way she's handling it isn't working so well.

mhibdon

Mike, Cassie is 100% spot on. Listen to Cassie, lather your brain with estrogen, then rinse and repeat.

I would also recommend that you both drive separately to a park and have a nice walk before/during the conversation so that you're not discussing touchy issues inside the living space and are therefore less likely to 1.) eat from stress and/or 2.) sit around inside and stew in your emotions.

01gt4.6

Thanks Cassie and mhibdon for the advice. It sure did feel good to vent.

Mern

Saturday and Sunday report including Sunday evening snacks not yet eaten:

Calorie limit 1600 1359, 1307, 1300, 1318, 1186, 1466, 1259
Calorie deficit 800 per day: down 1/2 lb. so far this week, so not doing the math
Carbs less fiber 25g 24.3, 24.8, 22.8, 25.5, 19.5, 25 26, but it was a cookout day, so I'm really proud to just be one carb over.
Track grams & % of calories from protein 110.6 or 35%, 92.5 or 31%, 91.1 or 30%, 101.8 or 35%, 110.4 or 40%, 107.5 or 31%, 89.3 or 35%
Track % of calories from saturated fat (12% target) 11% , 8%, 11%, 15% no certain food- just added up, 11%, 12% 13%--not bad at all for cookout day
Track mg. cholesterol (300mg. target) 340.6, again no certain food-just added up, 294.5, 190.5, 213.9, 153.8, 183, 240

Artificial sweetener limit 1 packet per day I think all green except one day
Sugar free candy limit 2 pieces per day YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES

Water 64 oz. YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES
Exercise 30 minutes, 5 days--no lame excuses (Don't look, MAIN80, LOL) NO, NO, YES, N0 due to misery from sinus allergy, DITTO, YES, YES[/COLOR]
Be sure the day's custom foods in FitDay have sat fat & cholesterol listed. YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES
__________________

RunbikeSki

Hi Mike,
I had already logged off, but in thinking about your question decided to log right back in. One thing you might consider is changing the question. When we were dating, my husband used to ask me that question when I seemed down or quieter than normal, and to tell you the truth I never really knew how to answer it - still don't - because as your GF says, nothing is "wrong". I might be: 1. tired, 2. angry at a coworking, 3. worried about a family member, 4. planning a fabulous dinner, 5. editing a poem in my head, 6. writing the next top 40 hit in my head (well that wasn't really true for me, but maybe some one else), 6. sore from working out, 7. just feeling crabby for no particular reason, 8. worried about a health issue, 9. stewing over a credit card charge. or 10. I might, indeed, be furious with you. But nothing is exactly "wrong".

So one thing you might do is ask a more direct question like, "How was work?" "Is that bi**h Brenda still around?" "How's your momma". Or if you really do have reason to believe that she's angry or just annoyed with you... ask. "Hey what bone-headed thing did I do?"

Just a thought. Guys often tend to ask more open ended questions like "what's wrong?" and gals will often pry a little more like "hey, did you finally tell your co-worker where to go next time she dump her work on you?" Sometimes we just need to figure out how to meet in the middle