7 Day Motivational Thread beginning 10/29/12
 

Good morning everyone! Time for a fresh start!

This week's goals:
Green tea--3 to 5 cups per day
Choose most foods from those known to help boost metabolism
Several small meals instead of three big ones
Gong for averages on all food intake goals:
Calories 1500
Cholesterol 250mg or less
Sat fat 10% of total calories
Fiber 25g
Protein 120g
Net carbs after deducting fiber 25g
Exercise 5 days
Water (can count the green tea) 64 oz.

Planned menu changed from original post
Meal #1 : spinach and egg white omelet
Meal #2 homemade veggie soup and some other protein
Meal #3 llean pork, black soybeans, low carb veggies
Meal #4 veggie burger with fresh spinach on high fiber tortilla
Meral #5 Sardines with mustard sauce and walnuts stuffed into celery? I'll let you know how that tasted.
Snacks: protein shakes, celery, walnuts, another veggie burger

Goals:

1. Don't spend $$$ at the Quilt Festival this week!

• Work out 2 days > 40 min.s (Doesn't count walking or 'working.')
• Average < 1600 cals (trying to be realistic considering my plans!)
• Eat more vegetables & protein

I have big plans for this week.
1. Goal is less than 1600 calories/day.
2. Continue logging all food no matter how ugly it gets.
3. Take meds 2x day on time.
4. Weigh & measure everything.

I already slipped up for today because I was up until 4a.m. and was starving. I ate 1 bagel thin, 1 oz sliced ham and 1 Tbsp of mayo and (oops) 1 oz of chili cheese fritos. I adjusted the rest of my day a little bit, and if I stay on track the rest of the day I will be just over my goal at 1643 calories. Not too bad. Keeping fingers crossed.

Midnight snack:
Ham sandwich, fritos

Breakfast:
1/4 C oatmeal, 1/2 C milk, 2 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp Stevia, 1 Tbsp raisins

Lunch:
Salad with Ken's Lite Creamy Caesar dressing, 1/4 C sunflower seeds
1/2 C cooked broccoli

Dinner:
1 1/4 C Tex Mex Chicken & Rice

Snacks:
Pistachios, Popcorn, 1 C sliced strawberries, 6 Tbsp home made low cal fruit dip

Have a very good day everyone!:)
Lisa

I'm in for something this week, not sure what yet. Life has been handing it to me lately and I haven't been focused. Like, at all. I'll make some sort of goals when I get home from work. Talk to y'all later

Goals for the week
1. Keep carbs and protein in check 140/60
2. 4 servings of fruits and veggies
3. Drink water--at least 6 glasses!!!
4. Log everything
5. Clean bedroom and kitchen
6. Write

Tried to exercise yesterday but have been having back spasms so I had to quit after 5 mins. Not sure how much I will get in but I will try tomorrow.

Made taco soup for lunch--it's in the slow cooker. Going to rain all week :(

Jenn

Jenn, 140 carbs and 60g protein? or the other way around? Also, would you share your recipe for taco soup?

thanks,
Lisa

Goals:
1) Do not gain "hurricane weight" by overeating while hunkered down
2) stretch every day
3) remember to take my pills (blood pressure, fibro, vits)
4) under 1600 calories
5) what is up with me and water? I not only have to pour it but I actually have to drink some (and I even gave it to Mike as a goal)
6) gym 2x this week
7) meditate
8) write
9) plan meals
10) remain positive

Glad to see you all!!
Lisa, I fell off the wagon bigtime at the end of the week, just keep clawing my way back on and I know you can too.

Mern, I didn't answer some of your questions, so here goes: I do have farms and farmers markets around here but I also try to buy organic and local foods in the supermarket when I can (Applegate Farms, soy or almond milk, etc.) When I'm "good" I buy the local string beans from Shoprite rather than the asparagus from Peru. But hey when I want the asparagus, I buy it. And I do need my blueberries and they are only local here in spring and summer, same thing for strawberries. I have a couple of farms on my road and there is a guy who will deliver grass fed meat once a month locally (it is expensive tho but good. And he's a great guy.) And I love farrm fresh eggs, always have.

I am trying to put together a chapbook of memoir pieces but the deadline is close and my class, which helps me edit, keeps getting cancelled (excuse, excuses cause I could send work to the teacher, just haven't liked what I had enough to send. ) Anyway there are two later, less ambitious, deadlines I could make.

Jenn, if you don't mind sharing, what are you writing?

Tori, good to see you here.

Lisa, I'm on low protein diet so it's 140 grams of carbs and 60 for protein. I tried to do 120 but it's a little too low since protein is lower.
The taco soup recipe is in the low carb recipe thread but I can re-post here if you would like--really easy!!

Hope, I'm writing a memoir. A little rough right now but I'll share a poem.
Jenn

ALONE
Sitting here looking in
Chin up, pasting on a grin
feeling that I don’t belong
different drummer, different song
I was once a twin, part of a pair
Didn’t feel this when she was there
One more thing I can’t replace
Seeing her familiar face
I’m a square peg in a round holed world
That doesn’t fit for this lost girl

Jenn, thanks so much for sharing. Your poem is so moving. The tone of the poem really touched me. So much emotion in so few lines. I love the line: different drummer, different song. You could probably write a memoir in verse.

I keep reading it; it really speaks to me.

Breakfast:
oatmeal or cereal and soy milk (just can't face an egg)
apple

Lunch
ham sammie with lettuce
fruit

Dinner
salmon
veg

Snacks:
nuts
non dairy sugar free yogurt
sardines or oysters
sugar free cookie

Dmartz. Sorry, I forgot. Are you Donna? Have moderately spending fun at the quilt festival. :) I like the simplicity of your goals.

Lisa, I got a chuckle out of your logging "no matter how ugly it gets." But major kudos on that goal. Weighing and measuring is key to success. Kudos on that, too. Way to go on adjusting your goals. If I had your goals I'd count 1643 as a success. I'm going for averages on my all my food intake goals this week--have never done that before.

Tori, wishing you a great day.

Jenn, best wishes on your goals this week. So sorry to learn of your back spasms! Wishing you relief! I'm making soup today, too. :) OMG, is that poem you? I am not a twin, but feel the pain of having lost my older sister back in 2005. My world is not the same since she passed.

Hope, please keep us posted on how you are faring in the hurricane conditions! Thanks for explaining your local/farm fresh availability--that's wonderful. Fresh beef tastes so much yummier than grocery store stuff! I had the pleasure just once of getting 1/4 side of beef when my former neighbor who had a big freezer split a side with me. Best wishes on your writing--thanks for explaining that, too. Sounds very interesting. Hey, we both made room for sardines today. A lot of people will gag when they read that. :p Some time within the next few years I'd like to write for my kids and grandkids my memoirs of growing up in a small town--kinda like a Mayberry RFD town but sans Barney Fife. LOL I have pics from our county auditor's website of the properties that used to be local stores where the owners knew everyone in the town by name--including the kids. So many stories to tell. :)

Frenchhen, welcome back. What are your goals this week?

Ama, thanks for sharing that article from the Mayo Clinic on a healthy breakfast. (Mayo Clinic and Web MD websites are my "go-to's" for reliable info when surfing the Internet for nutrition advice.) Like you, I suspect that dietitian I saw last week may be a vegetarian. She kinda poo-pooed the meat protein on her plastic prop of what a healthy dinner should be, but she is also pro low protein for everyone, even those who have no signs of kidney damage or diabetes. That goes against all the medical advice I've heard for a person with no medical conditions requiring low protein. She goes for calories, carbs, and fiber rather than healthful fats and protein for helping stave off hunger pangs.

Goals for the Week
 

Goals:
Calories < 1700:
3 Workouts:
Progress toward my next mini-goal:
Not Beat Mike up about his dreadful New Orleans Saints loss to the Broncos more than a couple times.

Mike:
Sorry I confused you about the buy/bye week. Where did the Saints go last night? I understand their defense is the worst in the league but they are supposed to be this offensive powerhouse? The receivers didn't help Brees out, dropped lots of balls that were catchable.

Thank you everyone for the congratulations on making my mini-goal last week. Hope it motivates and encourages you all to have a great week this week.

Chili Recipe: ( Makes 5 quarts.)
•5 lbs Beef Round Steak, Cubed
•1) 15oz Can Pinto Bean Type Chili Beans
•2) 15oz Can Kidney Bean Type Chili Beans
•31 oz Tomato Sauce
•1) Medium Onion Chopped
•¼ cup Granulated Garlic
•3/4 cup Chili Powder
•1 Tbl Onion Powder
•3 Tbl Worcestershire Sauce
•1 Tbl Ground Cumin
•1 Tsp Salt
•¼ Tsp Ground Cayenne Pepper
•6 Grinds Fresh Black Pepper
•Quart Water
Directions
Brown the Round Steak in a large stew pot. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for several hours to meld the flavors.

Mern, I think this is a pretty good idea. At the end of the week I'll see what my average was and what my overall deficit was for the week.

Lisa

Speaking of Bye weeks - I think I am going to take one this time around and for-go serious meal planning and goal posting. We have lots of good food in the house, so as long as we don't eat out too much I can't go too wrong... Wednesday night being the exception, which involves a potluck party at a friends house, followed by taking about 20 kids out trick-or-treating. But SERIOUSLY, I plan to be a good girl for the remainder :p

Ron - I just went through my cupboards and pulled out the chili ingredients I have on hand. I'll need to substitute and use black beans, and make my own chili seasoning from the spices in the cupboard, but I'll try get as close as I can to your award winning recipe! It all goes in the crock pot tomorrow morning!!!

Have a great Monday everyone! :D Ama

Hi guys. Will come back and post goals later and start tomorrow. My eating hasn't been the greatest today :o. Needed a day off of vigilance, I guess. I'm still stuffy, I have a very sick kid, a moderately sick cat, and a bunch of work crises to handle. I'm this close to throwing in the towel, getting back in the bed, and pulling the covers over my head till spring. But since that won't pay the bills, I'll make another cup of tea and do another load of laundry.

Mern, thanks for getting us going. You look like you've developed a good plan. If anyone can figure this out, it's you. I also appreciate the reminder that averages are important; I will therefore have a stellar day tomorrow and rest of the week and will be back on track.

Ron, thanks for your recipe! Sounds like just the thing for when the weather turns colder. I'm sure it was a neat process developing just the right recipe.

Hope, stay safe! I am watching closely...most of my family is in MD, VA, PA, and NY, with some on the eastern shore to boot. I also admire you eating clean and local. We try to do the same but it's been a learning process. I think we're going to buy an eighth of a grass-fed cow sometime soon; just had a chest freezer delivered Friday.

ama, enjoy your Halloween festivities :). Healthy eating will still be there on Nov. 1!

Jenn, thanks for sharing your poetry. Wishing both you and Hope good luck and inspiration for your writing this week.

dmatz, hope you have a wonderful time at the quilt festival. My sister is a quilter. It seems like a great hobby; there is no end to the creativity.

Lisa, I've already slipped up for the day, too, so you and I will get back on track and have good averages for the week.

Tori, girl, no more drama! Things need to start going RIGHT for you! Hang in there ;).

Goals for the week
1. Keep carbs and protein in check 140/60145/65--a little over because I had a large apple
2. 4 servings of fruits and veggiesBIG YES-5
3. Drink water--at least 6 glasses!!!YES
4. Log everythingyes
5. Clean bedroom and kitchen
6. Write

Had homemade pizza on small pita for dinner and salad since I had to offset protein from lunch.
Jenn

Ron, thanks for that yummy looking chili recipe. :) I was reared near Cincinnati where we made chili from ground beef. I'm looking forward to trying your recipe, just subbing lower carb black soybeans for the pinto and kidney beans. Will be watching for a nice sale on round steak.

Lisa, I hope I can do well on the averages. Nice to have someone experimenting with me on this approach. Good luck to you, too. :)

Ama, have fun at the party Wednesday. I love Halloween because we live on a street where there are no sidewalks or street lights and we have half acre lots, so don't get many trick-or-treaters. Most prefer streets where the houses are way closer together and closer to the street so they can collect more treats in their 2 hour limit. But since we have so few kids (between 7 and 14, usually) we can afford to give out full size candy bars and the kids are so polite and tickled when they get their treat. One teenage boy said last year, "I was told this is a cool house to come to." :)

Cassie, I forgot your family is also from the eastern states. Will keep them in my prayers along with Hope and our other members from that area. Oh, yeah, isn't Bojibridge Joanna in PA? So sorry for the illness in your household. Has DS got a bad cold, virus or flu? Wishing you all a speedy recovery! Hoping you do achieve stellar results this week. The averages approach was advice you gave ME a while back, I think when I was working on getting my sat fat percentage down. I've just never done it for calories or net carbs before. LOL

Jenn, being over by a large apple is a healthful overage, at least. Beats being over by a candy bar! :) Well done! Hmm, I haven't done that for a while--may enjoy a homemade pizza on a lowcarb, high fiber tortilla tomorrow. Thanks for the idea.

!
 

I'm here for some modified goals.

1--don't go stupid with food
2--drink more water
3--don't kill anyone at work

That's it!

Life is going amazing right now. Things are going awesome with WHN. I haven't cried once since he's been home. Work, on the other hand, has been HECTIC!!! One thing after another. There's also been some slight family drama. Nothing major, that can't be handled, but drama none the less. It'll all work itself out in the end.

K, gonna go chill wif my <3

CIAO!!!!

Hi Cassie - So sorry to hear you are feeling so bad, and DS... and the cat! Geez, when it rains it pours! Good luck with work this week!

I definately plan to enjoy Halloween this year, and yes, November 1st will be redemption day... :o

Tori, I like your simple, direct and to the point goals! :)

Lisa

I'm in!

Log everything. M
10000 steps a day M
No snack nuts M
No excuses M

Today I really made the decision to kick it in gear and push to the end of 2012. No excuses, just get honest. Praying for you who are battling the storm.

frenchhen, how active would you say you are to reach 10000 steps a day? Being honest with yourself is half the battle, I think. Great goals and attitude!

Lisa

Well, I went over my goal yesterday. I did make progress though and it was only 300 calories instead of 1000! I was still in a deficit for the day, small as it may be, but I kind of consider that a mini-win.

It seems that I am starving so much of the time, and I decided to do things a little differently today. I am going to increase my breakfast and make the rest of the day a little lighter. I'm hoping that if I start off the day feeling full that it will carry me through a greater part of the day. My other problem is middle of the night eating, and I'm not so sure what to do about that. Maybe I just need to limit myself to fruits or something. That's not a bad idea now that I think about it. As long as I keep things cut up and ready I'll have no excuse.

1. Goal is less than 1600 calories/day.
No...closer (1913)
2. Continue logging all food no matter how ugly it gets.
did it!
3. Take meds 2x day on time.
yes!
4. Weigh & measure everything.
yes!

Here's my plan for today:

Breakfast:
1/2 C oatmeal, 1 C milk, 3 tsp brown sugar, 2 tsp Stevia, 2 Tbsp raisins

Lunch:
Salad with lite dressing and sunflower seeds

Dinner:
Egg salad (2 eggs, 1 Tbsp mayo, a little mustard, green onion), lettuce, 1 bagel thin

Snacks:
pistachios, strawberries & home made fruit dip, orange, popcorn

Planned calories: 1585

I hope anyone out there who was in the path of the storm has made it through it without too much damage.

Have a great day everyone!
Lisa

Monday Report:

Green=on target Blue=off daily target but weekly goal attainable Red=missed target

Green tea--3 to 5 cups per day YES
Choose most foods from those known to help boost metabolism YES
Several small meals instead of three big ones YES
Going for averages on all food intake goals:
Calories 1500 1241
Cholesterol 250mg or less 190mg
Sat fat 10% of total calories 7%
Fiber 25g 29g
Net carbs after deducting fiber 25g 26g
Protein 120g 121g
Exercise 5 days YES
Water (can count the green tea) 64 oz. YES


Today's small meals planned menu:
Meal #1 Flaxmeal pancake, protein shake
Meal #2 Veggie Soup
Meal #3 Mushroom/black olive pizza using high fiber tortilla for crust
Meal #4 Turkey breast and spinach egg white omelet
Meal #5 Lean pork, black soybeans in low carb BBQ sauce, ranch dressing cole slaw
Snacks: choose from cold baked cod, canteloupe, celery with low fat cheese spread, protein shake

How are our members, your family and loved ones on the USA east coast? Keeping everyone in my heart and prayers.

Tori, so glad to learn you're in a happy place. :)

Cassie, how are you, DS and your cat? Wishing you comfort and wellness.

Frenchhen, good to see you here. You can do it. I'm looking to having just two more months in this year being a point of motivation as well.

Lisa, on the hunger: is it possible for you to eat more small meals instead of three main ones and snacks? We're all different and no one has all the answers, but I want to say that for many of us carbs before bed are a source of midnight snack cravings because soon after eating carbs alone we are hungry again. Sorry I forgot whether it's you or Jenn who does low protein. Your menu appears to be nicely low fat. Is it possible you could replace at least part of that evening fruit with just a moderate amount of fat and protein to help you stay feeling full longer? --like maybe half an apple and a slice of cheese or some yogurt? I know you will find something that works for you--may just take a little time and experimenting.

Lisa, thanks for that Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin recipe. I haven't found any other way that I like spaghetti squash, either, but your recipe certainly entices me to try it again.

Thanks for all the encouragement! Today's scale reading was a big motivator too, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Lisa- how active I am to achieve 10,000 steps? I don't sit for my work. I'm a housewife, so I sit still for maybe 4 hours during my awake hours. If I walk for exercise of 1.5 miles, that equals 3500 steps, give or take. I put my pedometer on the moment I get out of bed. Just padding around the house, getting breakfast made, the dogs up, fed, etc. I've logged over 1000 steps. By bedtime, if I just do "the regular" activities around here I'm at about 8000-9000 steps. So 10,000 is just a little more!

I'm not in a race to lose. I found that deadlines are my downfall when it comes to losing weight. I just take the pounds as they come and focus on keeping the ones off that come off. As with your hunger... double your oatmeal portion. Cook Steel Cut oats (Bob's red Mill brand is the best) and mix it half and half with quick cooking Barley(they both cook for the same amount of time)So 1/4 cup of each in a cup of water. These are both slow burn carbohydrates. (plus they help lower cholesterol) Throw those cranberries on the oatmeal. Add a little honey & cinnamon (helps regulate blood sugar)and about 1/2 cup 2% milk. That is my regular breakfast. I eat it around 7:30, keeps me full till about 1 pm.

Mern: your meal planning is so diverse! I admire your fortitude. I tend to eat just about the same thing every day, mainly because it makes logging so much easier and when I stray I can see it! You are so inspiring to me because you are changing not just the pounds on the scale but your whole beautiful, miraculous, healthful being!

Your welcome Mern! I encourage you to try it. It really is delicious, and since I posted the recipe here I've had it on my brain too. I'll be putting it on next week's menu one night for sure, probably with the pork chops instead of mashed potatoes. If you make it, let me know what you think of it.

Lisa

Frenchhen, I'm not in a race to lose, either. I just figure working extra hard these last two months of the year may be a good jumpstart for the new year and get me off this plateau. Thanks so much for YOUR encouragement. There's more than one right way to do things, so as long as you're getting good nutrition, if you prefer to enjoy a more limited menu than I to make logging less of a chore, no one can fault you for that. :) Thanks for your kind words. I am definitely more healthy due to my eating lifestyle, having reduced my high blood sugar and high cholesterol through diet, but my scale is not cooperating right now. I'm stubborn enough to keep trying and adapting until I find how to make it ALL work. But, HEY--LOOK AT YOU--only 2 lbs. to goal. Talk about INSPIRING!

Lisa, I'll get a spaghetti squash for sure and will try your recipe next week. I'll certainly let you know what I thought of it. I think the times I tried spaghetti spaghetti squash before, I overcooked it and used only salt substitute to season it, so it didn't have enough flavor to begin with. In addition, my sauce (tomato) was simply poured atop the squash without further cooking to enable it to absorb any flavor from the sauce. I love practically anything au gratin, so I expect I'll love your recipe as well. :)

thanks for your suggestions, mern. before i fell off track i was eating every 2-3 hours and i was able to stay at around 1400 calories and not feel hungry. the trick is to figure out what i was eating at what time during the day. for some reason, it's been hard for me to figure out again. but last night i did figure out that a little protein is a good idea, like you suggested. i was up in the middle of the night and decided to hard boil some eggs to prepare for tonight's dinner and a lunch or two later in the week. i ended up eating just one egg and it's now 8:45 a.m., I'm just sitting down to eat my breakfast, and I did not feel starved at all up until this point.

i know before i was eating tuna sandwiches a lot, which is good protein too. i always seem to struggle getting enough protein, because i just don't like eating that much of it. but i am putting some beans on my menu next week to try to replace some of the meat. and i think the hard boiled eggs made into egg salad is a good idea, too. having that egg last night saved me from binging on crap. what a good thing!!! also, i remembered this week that i used to like pistachios, so i bought them again. you get quite a lot of nuts for 1 serving with pistachios, and they taste great with some good fats. and it takes time to shell each one, so they take longer to eat.

i just want to thank everyone here for making me feel welcome and for the encouragement and motivation you offer through sharing your efforts too. this has been great for me to get myself back into gear...just what i needed!

Lisa

Mon...
 

MONDAYS Results;
 

Goals:
Calories < 1700:1515
3 Workouts:MON
Progress toward my next mini-goal: Pending
Not Beat Mike up about his dreadful New Orleans Saints loss to the Broncos more than a couple times.

Mike;
Did you go into hiding after the dreadful Saints game?

Tori;
Sounds like time with your WHN has been good for you.

Be safe all of you in the wake of Hurricane Sandy! And be careful, these type of storms have been known to produce a baby boom in 9 months! :eek:

Hurt my knee, not sure how I tweaked it. But didn't go to the gym. My Workout goal is in real trouble as I have a Gun Show this weekend that I need to get things done for in the evenings. Just another obstacle to overcome.

:D:D:rolleyes:

Tues.
 

• Work out 2 days > 40 min.s: 0, 20
• Average < 1600 cals: 1084, 1242
• Vegetables: Y, Y (Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots)
• Protein (g): 43, 44

+ Just got through to Mom in New Jersey and all are fine, no damages at her place.

Goals for the week
1. Keep carbs and protein in check 140/60 Mon,145/65--a little over because I had a large apple Tues 130/40 :D

2. 4 servings of fruits and veggiesMon BIG YES-5 Tues 4
3. Drink water--at least 6 glasses!!! Mon YES
Tues-No maybe 5
4. Log everythingMon and Tues yes
5. Clean bedroom and kitchenhaving work done in dining room so glasses are counter but it is clean
6. Write

Mern, yes the poem is me. Thanks everyone for the kind words.
Jenn

Glad to hear that!

Also, I'm not sure if you've posted your daily menu before and I'm not remembering...wondering what types of things you eat to stay so low in calories?

Lisa

Log everything. M, T
10000 steps a day M, T
No snack nuts M,T
No excuses M,T

Yesterday was a really good day! I'm eager to see what awaits me today! I am so ready to take on the day today I am chomping at the bit!

1. Goal is less than 1600 calories/day.
No...closer (1913), very close 1677!:) (does that count as a success? i hope so because i felt really good about it!)
2. Continue logging all food no matter how ugly it gets.
did it! yep.
3. Take meds 2x day on time.
yes! yes!
4. Weigh & measure everything.
yes! did good.

Plan for today:
Breakfast:
oatmeal w/ raisins, 1% milk, stevia, brown sugar

Lunch:
bagel thin, 1 1/2 Tbsp mayo, 2 eggs, salad with lite dressing & sunflower seeds

Dinner:
bagel thin, 1/4C tuna, 1 Tbsp mayo, relish, 1/2 large orange

Snacks:
Popcorn, strawberries, fruit dip

Yesterday was a really good day for me. I really resisted the junk food and nibbling here and there. Major success...I was up this morning at 12:30 and did not eat anything all night until breakfast at 6:30!!! At one point I even had big marshmallows in my hand, I looked at the calories and then put them back.

One thing I did while I was awake was make my grocery list for the weekend. I should NOT make my grocery list while I'm hungry. When I was done I added everything up and estimated going over my budget by $50! I will definitely be doing some revising. lol

Hope everyone has a great day!

Lisa