(I couldn't think of a clever thread title like the rest of y'all!)

Over the last three months I have gained 20 lbs. Beer. Sweet beer...and all the food I ate when I was buzzed and laughing and not paying attention to (and not caring about) what I was eating. Hey, I was having fun! The way my pants would fit me the next day never crossed my mind. So, in three months I have managed to out-grow all of my clothes. Ugh. Lately, I look in the mirror and see a fat, disgusting person, and I feel like that's all I'll ever be. After THREE MONTHS!! I can't believe it took so short a time for me to write myself off! My avatar is me about 10 lbs into my weight gain. I'm waaaay too embarrassed to post any pics of me as I am now. Right now, all I want is to be back in my clothes. I can't believe I let this happen.

Well, this chick needs some accountability. It's easy enough to go day to day without anyone knowing I binged again because I was depressed about being overweight (because that makes all the sense in the world, right? :rolleyes:), but it's time that ends. So, now I'm going to write down everything that passes these lips if it kills me! I'll also write down what I do at the gym.

I feel so inept in this area, though. I am intimidated. I know where to start because of this forum, but I have so much to learn. Plus, I am embarrassed to go work out. I feel like I should lose the weight before I go to the gym because everyone there looks so fit. I feel like I stand out...the fat girl.

Well, not for long, baby!

Plus, I am embarrassed to go work out. I feel like I should lose the weight before I go to the gym because everyone there looks so fit. I feel like I stand out...the fat girl.
Everyone starts somewhere, I think that may be the point of this website after all (look at John). If he can go from where he was to where he is now, you can do the same.

You have another thing that most people at the gym don't know about, you have somewhere to go if you have questions. I hope it goes well for you, just make sure you stay committed. :gl:

[quote=LoneStarChick;634371
I feel so inept in this area, though. I am intimidated. I know where to start because of this forum, but I have so much to learn. Plus, I am embarrassed to go work out. I feel like I should lose the weight before I go to the gym because everyone there looks so fit. I feel like I stand out...the fat girl.

Well, not for long, baby![/quote]

I work at a gym and I hear a lot of people say this. Trust me, no one is watching each other work out, unless they are doing something goofy. :lol: Besides that, everyone goes to workout and then they go home. Don't worry about what everyone else is thinking. If anything, make them jealous of your commitment and intensity. Good luck!!!

You have another thing that most people at the gym don't know about, you have somewhere to go if you have questions. I hope it goes well for you, just make sure you stay committed. :gl:

Haha!! I love it. That's true. The members of this forum are so encouraging and helpful! It's an invaluable resource.

...everyone goes to workout and then they go home. Don't worry about what everyone else is thinking. If anything, make them jealous of your commitment and intensity.

Thank you! That is an awesome way to look at it. It's all in your perspective, isn't it? I just need to quit worrying about what other people think.


Well, Day One didn't go as planned. I had a planned meal for work, but I didn't eat it. Then I came home late, about 10:15 pm, and I was so hungry! My family had made teriyaki chicken, and I ate a whole bowl of it. Ugh. I had left my lighter meal at work. So, I ate very late, and it included a lot of rice, albeit brown rice. My calories were much higher than I wanted. ALL ON MY FIRST STINKIN' DAY!!

I have to say, though, that I realized just how much I have been eating. There were so many times throughout the day when I didn't eat something only because I didn't want to have to tell y'all about it. :o I can only imagine how many more calories it normally adds to my diet every day.

My biggest struggle is late at night. I usually get home from work after 11:00 pm, and this is the time I see my husband. He works days, and I work nights and weekends. So, he leaves before I am up for the day, and I see him when I get home after 11 pm. That is when we would stay up even later talking or watching movies and drinking beer and eating. We've been doing it for about three months, and I'm starting to realize that that's long enough to form some pretty serious habits! Before that, I wouldn't have thought of eating that late, let alone the kinds and amounts of foods I began consuming.

Anyway, here are my results for yesterday:

MEAL 1:
Kashi Go Lean Bar: Chewy; Peanut Butter and Chocolate

MEAL 2:
4 Large Egg Whites
1/3 c Shredded Cheese
2 oz Mushrooms
1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

MEAL 3:
1 c Low-Fat Cottage Cheese

MEAL 4:
Kashi Go Lean Bar: Chewy; Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

MEAL 5:
Package Peanuts

MEAL 6:
1 C Brown Rice, cooked
Teriyaki Chicken & Veggies w/ Soy Sauce:
1/3 c Carrots, chopped
1/4 c Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 oz Chicken Thigh
3 T Lawry's Teriyaki Sauce
2 T Soy Sauce

CALORIES: 1762
FATS: 68
SAT. FATS: 22
CARBS: 193
FIBER: 22
SUGARS: 94
PROTEIN: 103

EXERCISE: 25 mins Treadmill, 20 mins Elliptical, Fasted, AM

Good luck LoneStarChik! Go kick some....did you say beer?:drool: Oh, sorry I got a little distracted:drool:....butt in the gym you can do it!:D

....did you say beer?:drool: Oh, sorry I got a little distracted:drool:....

Ah...a man after my own heart. :lol: I have to say, I didn't have any alcohol yesterday!! Not that that is a big deal by itself, but my husband was drinking. AND I STILL DIDN'T!! (I was annoyed and irritable like hell, but I still didn't drink...one small victory!)

So, I just weighed in, and I lost a pound. How in the world???

Ah...a man after my own heart. :lol: I have to say, I didn't have any alcohol yesterday!! Not that that is a big deal by itself, but my husband was drinking. AND I STILL DIDN'T!! (I was annoyed and irritable like hell, but I still didn't drink...one small victory!)

So, I just weighed in, and I lost a pound. How in the world???

:claplow: That's a great victory! Keep it going!

:claplow: That's a great victory! Keep it going!

Why, thank you, thank you very much!!

Well, I just had another victory. I exercised this morning. I didn't want to SO BADLY that I was angry the whole time. I actually stopped the treadmill once, got off, and got right back on. Then ten minutes later I started lowering the incline so I could get off, and I raised it right back up and kept going. I WAS SO MAD, THOUGH!! :mad: I wanted off! I didn't want to be in the gym working out! I kept thinking, "This will be my day off this week. It's Sunday! Isn't this supposed to be a day of rest?!?" Plus, the treadmill is right in front of the pool, and there were people just lounging around sunbathing. AHHHH!!!! But I did it. 45 minutes at 3.5 mph w/ a 4 degree incline. Ugh. I'm just glad it's over. I don't even really feel a sense of accomplishment. I'm sure I will at some point, but for now I'm on to my next struggle: going to work and watching everyone eat fast food while I eat veggies, cottage cheese, etc. I know this will get easier, but for now I'm just moody.

Gosh, I just griped and complained, didn't I? Yeesh. Sorry.:o

Why, thank you, thank you very much!!

Well, I just had another victory. I exercised this morning. I didn't want to SO BADLY that I was angry the whole time. I actually stopped the treadmill once, got off, and got right back on. Then ten minutes later I started lowering the incline so I could get off, and I raised it right back up and kept going. I WAS SO MAD, THOUGH!! :mad: I wanted off! I didn't want to be in the gym working out! I kept thinking, "This will be my day off this week. It's Sunday! Isn't this supposed to be a day of rest?!?" Plus, the treadmill is right in front of the pool, and there were people just lounging around sunbathing. AHHHH!!!! But I did it. 45 minutes at 3.5 mph w/ a 4 degree incline. Ugh. I'm just glad it's over. I don't even really feel a sense of accomplishment. I'm sure I will at some point, but for now I'm on to my next struggle: going to work and watching everyone eat fast food while I eat veggies, cottage cheese, etc. I know this will get easier, but for now I'm just moody.

Gosh, I just griped and complained, didn't I? Yeesh. Sorry.:o

Hang in there! It will get easier! So far....you're doing great!!!:tucool:

Why, thank you, thank you very much!!

Well, I just had another victory. I exercised this morning. I didn't want to SO BADLY that I was angry the whole time. I actually stopped the treadmill once, got off, and got right back on. Then ten minutes later I started lowering the incline so I could get off, and I raised it right back up and kept going. I WAS SO MAD, THOUGH!! :mad: I wanted off! I didn't want to be in the gym working out! I kept thinking, "This will be my day off this week. It's Sunday! Isn't this supposed to be a day of rest?!?" Plus, the treadmill is right in front of the pool, and there were people just lounging around sunbathing. AHHHH!!!! But I did it. 45 minutes at 3.5 mph w/ a 4 degree incline. Ugh. I'm just glad it's over. I don't even really feel a sense of accomplishment. I'm sure I will at some point, but for now I'm on to my next struggle: going to work and watching everyone eat fast food while I eat veggies, cottage cheese, etc. I know this will get easier, but for now I'm just moody.

Gosh, I just griped and complained, didn't I? Yeesh. Sorry.:o

:lol: Not laughing at you...just laughing because I've had those days and in fact yesterday I was in a similar mood. Keep working hard and it will pay off for you. You're right...it will get better.:D

I couldn't think of a clever thread title like the rest of y'all!)

I love the name of your thread. That is what made me want to read it.

I feel so inept in this area, though. I am intimidated. I know where to start because of this forum, but I have so much to learn. Plus, I am embarrassed to go work out. I feel like I should lose the weight before I go to the gym because everyone there looks so fit. I feel like I stand out...the fat girl.

I made that mistake also. I worked out at a gym, but I only did cardio, I was intimidated by weights. I didn't really understand the process of gaining muscle. I thought once I lose weight, then I will start lifting. Had I started lifting instead of waiting, I could have made progress alot sooner.

Good luck, just keep at it.

:lol: Not laughing at you...just laughing because I've had those days and in fact yesterday I was in a similar mood. Keep working hard and it will pay off for you. You're right...it will get better.:D

Thanks. Nice to know I'm not the only one out there! :lol:

Had I started lifting instead of waiting, I could have made progress alot sooner.

Thanks for the words, Shamie. I hope to start lifting soon. I had been lifting for a couple of weeks when I hurt my back. It still hurts but not nearly as badly. I'm going to give it until Aug 1. Then I'm going back to lifting even if it's still sore. I'll just have to start out more slowly this time. By the way, AWESOME pictures!! :tucool: You made quite the transformation, man!



Well, I only posted calories for the first day. So, here is the second day:

MEAL 1:
Kashi Go Lean Bar: Chewy; Chocolate Almond Toffee

MEAL 2:
5 Large Egg Whites
1 Turkey Frank, Jennie-O
28 g Shredded Cheese
4 T Pace Salsa

MEAL 3:
1/2 c Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
6 oz Carrots, raw

MEAL 4:
Michelina's Lean Gourmet Chicken Alfredo Florentine
Can French Style Green Beans

MEAL 5:
2.5 oz Peanuts

CALORIES: 1510
FATS: 65
SAT. FATS: 21
CARBS: 123
FIBER: 24.8
SUGARS: 61.7
PROTEIN: 91.6

EXERCISE: 45 mins Treadmill, AM, Fasated

Okay, so now for yesterday, the day I did my cardio even though I ABSOLUTELY DIDN'T WANT TO AT ALL!!! You'd think that would have made my day, and I wouldn't want to mess it up after working so hard and winning that little battle. But, right at the end of my shift at work, I had two jalapeno poppers with ranch. And a donut. Then I ate 2 oz more peanuts than I was scheduled to eat. Then we had beer and pizza for dinner. Here's the kicker: I actually ate much less than I normally would. MUCH less. I only had 2 1/2 pizza slices and 2 1/2 beers. That's right. I cut myself off midway through a beer. (Somber moment of silence, please.) But then I topped the night off with some of my kids' Jelly Bellies. So, I ate like a complete pig. And it was still much better than it would have been two weeks ago! It really makes me realize just how much I used to eat! No wonder I gained almost 2 lbs a week!! Well, I said I would be honest about what I eat, so here goes nuthin'!

MEAL 1:
1/2 oz Peanuts

MEAL 2:
Michelina's Lean Gourmet Five Cheese Lasagna
Peas

MEAL 3:
Kashi Go Lean Bar: Chewy; Peanut Butter and Chocolate
1 c Low Fat Cottage Cheese

MEAL 4:
3 oz Peanuts
2 Jalapeno Poppers from Jack in the Box w/ Ranch
Jelly-Filled Donut

MEAL 5:
2 1/2 Slices Ham Pizza from Papa John's
Side of Cheese Dip from Papa John's
1/2 Side of Garlic Butter from Papa John's
2 1/2 Bud Selects
Jelly Bellies (lots)

CALORIES: 3885
FATS: 135
SAT. FATS: 37
CARBS: 491
FIBER: 43
SUGARS: 218
PROTEIN: 145.4

EXERCISE: 45 mins Treadmill, AM, Fasated

Whew! I'm so ashamed. :o I'm not even weighing in today. Don't think I could take it. :cry:

Tomorrow is a new day to get back on track and get the healthy ball rolling. All you gotta do is keep that ball rolling in the right direction...

LoneStarChick, nice going on making a commitment to get healthier. Have you read the stickies?. They're full of valuable information.

Just to second what others have said, do yourself a favor and start lifting and don't put a second's worth of thought into what anyone else is thinking or doing at the gym. Most likely they're not watching or thinking about you, but even if someone is that shouldn't be a deterrent for you. As someone else previously wrote, impress them with your effort. You're at the gym for a reason and you shouldn't let some stranger keep you from what you're trying to achieve.

And yes, this whole thing does become easier. As for yesterday, that was yesterday. Put it behind you and endeavor to make good decisions today.

Lastly, please tell me that you didn't pour out the second half of that beer. You did find someone (hubby?) to do the right thing and drink it, right? :)

Good luck.

Lastly, please tell me that you didn't pour out the second half of that beer. You did find someone (hubby?) to do the right thing and drink it, right? :)
Good luck.

:lol:

:lol:

Jason, I can get around the jalapeno poppers, pizza, and jelly beans, but to waste a perfectly good half a beer is a different story. :)

Jason, I can get around the jalapeno poppers, pizza, and jelly beans, but to waste a perfectly good half a beer is a different story. :)

I agree except, however, the pizza does go well with the beer!:lol:

Tomorrow is a new day to get back on track and get the healthy ball rolling. All you gotta do is keep that ball rolling in the right direction...

Thank you, Rise. BTW, you're looking great in your pics! Maybe I'll post some when I start to look better. Keep up the good work!

Have you read the stickies?. They're full of valuable information.

Yes, I have. They are an AMAZING resource! I've read a couple of them two and three times. I have been cutting calories and exercising for a couple of weeks, but I haven't been eating clean. Tonight I am going to the grocery store to shop for the good stuff. I can't wait! I've been making a grocery list based on what I've read here.

...please tell me that you didn't pour out the second half of that beer. You did find someone (hubby?) to do the right thing and drink it, right? :)

Please. Don't insult me. :lol: I don't think I would poor beer out for ANYTHING, even to put out a grass fire. Plus, my husband would have...well...:spank:. Oh, no, I donated it to a good cause: my husband! :lol:

And, yes, pizza goes GREAT with beer!! One of my faves. But here is what happened last time I drank the beer I should have donated to somebody else:

27226

(don't ask...but it was FUUUN!!!:nod:)

Good LORD, that picture's big!!

But here is what happened last time I drank the beer I should have donated to somebody else:


(don't ask...but it was FUUUN!!!:nod:)

HOT!!! :lol:

gotta love those nights!

Thank you, Rise. BTW, you're looking great in your pics! Maybe I'll post some when I start to look better. Keep up the good work!



Yes, I have. They are an AMAZING resource! I've read a couple of them two and three times. I have been cutting calories and exercising for a couple of weeks, but I haven't been eating clean. Tonight I am going to the grocery store to shop for the good stuff. I can't wait! I've been making a grocery list based on what I've read here.



Please. Don't insult me. :lol: I don't think I would poor beer out for ANYTHING, even to put out a grass fire. Plus, my husband would have...well...:spank:. Oh, no, I donated it to a good cause: my husband! :lol:

And, yes, pizza goes GREAT with beer!! One of my faves. But here is what happened last time I drank the beer I should have donated to somebody else:

27226

(don't ask...but it was FUUUN!!!:nod:)

:lol: I've had a few nights like that...wait no no not...nevermind!:o

:lol: I've had a few nights like that...wait no no not...nevermind!:o

:lol: So, you've had a drunk girlfriend put make-up all over your face, too??? Ah, good times...god, you should see the rest of the pictures. Insane. :nod:

:lol: So, you've had a drunk girlfriend put make-up all over your face, too??? Ah, good times...god, you should see the rest of the pictures. Insane. :nod:

:o

hi there,

good work with starting your health anew.

i noticed one thing though:

For breakfast you eat this:
Kashi Go Lean Bar: Chewy; Chocolate Almond Toffee

That is like this:
Nutrition Facts:
Calories 290
Total Fat 6g
Total Carbohydrate 45g
Fiber 6g
Sugars 31g
Protein 13g


Now that to me, is quite alot to eat for breakfast... you are starting your day out with 31g of sugars, and 290 calories. While that isnt a BAD thing, i would suggest you go with kashi weight control oatmeal... I eat this and a banana in the morning, and that turns out looking like this:

Nutrition Facts:
Calories 243 (150 oatmeal and 93 banana)
Total Fat 2g (2g oatmeal and 0g banana)
Total Carbohydrate 49g (25 oatmeal of which 7g fiber and 6g sugar, rest banana mainly fructose)
Fiber 9g (7g oatmeal 2g banana)
Sugars 28g (6g oatmeal and 22g banana)
Protein 10g

The point here is that you are eating less SUGAR with this meal.
Another thing you need to think about is that when eating something in bar form you arent really getting the illusion of eating real food. The kashi oatmeal is EASY to make, just add boiling water. I disregard the instructions and just add as much boiling water as i find i want it thick, and then go ahead and cut up the banana and put it in the oatmeal. that tastes good too...

someone here once told me:

bars are just bars. glorified candy bars, whether or not they are organic or full of protein.

--


as for the rest of the foods... i see some green beans. those are a little starchy if memory recalls. I would likely replace that with brocolli... which is low carb and very filling.
Carrots are also very carb filled. maybe you want to avoid those later on in the day? I personally stay away from simple starches after 4pm until bed, and that has worked for me but i am a newbie in terms of how this all works.

also, olive oil is good, but 60 calories if you use it. you can always just use a 0 calorie alternative spray that tastes the same as olive oil does. if you use a non stick pan that also cuts down on the oil you need.

1/3 cup cheese contains between 90-110 calories depending on what type you are using. i use low fat pizza cheese blend and it has 90 calories per 1/3 cup.

anyhow, just suggestions. good work so far. you are on the way to a great place.

Hey, LSC, glad to see you started a journal. I can only echo what others have said with regard to weight lifting. It's an essential part of a physical transformation. :nod:

Now that to me, is quite alot to eat for breakfast... you are starting your day out with 31g of sugars, and 290 calories.

A big breakfast is a good thing. Your body has been fasting all night and needs the nutrients. But I agree that having so much sugar is not ideal. Regular plain old rolled oats are always a good breakfast option (you can spice it up with fruit, calorie-free sweetener, cinnamon...). Add some scrambled eggs or egg whites and you're good to go.

as for the rest of the foods... i see some green beans. those are a little starchy if memory recalls. I would likely replace that with brocolli... which is low carb and very filling.

Green beans are perfectly fine. Broccoli is good too. So are carrots. They do contain sugar but nobody ever got fat eating a carrot :rolleyes:. Seriously, veggies are not the problem.

When it comes to diet, a good rule of thumb is to stick with foods that have not been overly processed. That means lots of lean meat and sea food, eggs, nuts, fibrous veggies (I always stick with what's in season), healthy oils and fats, and complex carbs like plain oats (no instant oatmeal), potatoes (sweet or white), brown rice, quinoa etc. Make sure you get enough healthy fats. That's really essential for successful fat loss.

Keep it up! :tu:

someone here once told me:

bars are just bars. glorified candy bars, whether or not they are organic or full of protein.



I don't know if I agree with this statement...not all the bars are good I agree with that but there are a few that are decent fast easy meals when you don't have the time to cook....

and I don't think the Kashi bar is a big deal especially since its the first meal but you are right there are better options.

30 to 40 minutes after your fasted cardio eat a Protein+fat meal (2 whole eggs, 3 egg whites, 4oz chicken breast) about 2 hours later eat your Carb+fat meal (Oatmeal with some natty PB as an example) I've also used the Clif Bars for this meal which is an all organic bar. Another example would be 2 slices of whole wheat toast, 2 tbsp natty pb, with sliced banana. Water, don't forget to hydrate....beer doesn't count!:D

For breakfast you eat this:
Kashi Go Lean Bar: Chewy; Chocolate Almond Toffee... you are starting your day out with 31g of sugars

Yeah, I actually mentioned the sugar in those bars to my husband a few days ago. I initially bought the bars because I could take them to work for a quick meal, and they were cheaper than others ($1/bar). I was not trying to eat "clean" or the healthiest I could. I was just trying to eat better than I had been. Now that I will be eating clean, I'm going to have to finish a few things off in the house. That's why I was eating them in the morning. Better than having it later in the day or at night. Thank you for the tips! I'm learning more every day!

I can only echo what others have said with regard to weight lifting. It's an essential part of a physical transformation. :nod:

Hi, J_W. Thanks for the input! I am going to start lifting weights again on August 1st. I began a program a couple of weeks ago, but I hurt my back. I'm giving myself until the 1st, then I'll be back at it. My back is only a little sore now, and I have no idea how long to give it. So, I just decided on the 1st.



When it comes to diet, a good rule of thumb is to stick with foods that have not been overly processed...Make sure you get enough healthy fats. That's really essential for successful fat loss.

I'm actually nervous about trying to eat clean for every meal but one per week (my cheat meal). I've never done it. The cost is my biggest fear. I know people say, "Oats and egg whites are cheap, so that's no excuse." In reality, though, fruits, veggies, and meats are not cheap for me. My husband keeps telling me that we'll just have to eat as clean as we can on our budget. It frustrates me because I want to do it all the way! I don't know. I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow to buy "clean" foods for the first time in years (we ate clean for a couple of years a long time ago). So, I'll just try to shop smart and see what the tab is! :D (Even though I'm nervous, I'm still very excited about it!)

30 to 40 minutes after your fasted cardio eat a Protein+fat meal (2 whole eggs, 3 egg whites, 4oz chicken breast) about 2 hours later eat your Carb+fat meal (Oatmeal with some natty PB as an example) I've also used the Clif Bars for this meal which is an all organic bar. Another example would be 2 slices of whole wheat toast, 2 tbsp natty pb, with sliced banana. Water, don't forget to hydrate....beer doesn't count!:D

Wow. Thank you for the examples! I'm a visual learner, so sometimes I need a picture shoved in front of my face before my dumb stare :eek: turns into the same dumb stare with a light bulb starting to flicker over my head. Protein + Fat, huh? I've got the healthy fats covered. I LOVE nuts, oils, avocados, etc. And the protein I love, too. It's the stinkin' vegetables that make me want to jump out of a window. Ugh. Why do they have to be such an important part of all of this?? And what the...beer doesn't count??? God, I should have read the small print before I jumped into this. :lol:

I would agree it is not cheap to "eat clean". However, if you stick to say 10 "clean foods", then you don't have to worry about buying (and wasting money) all these misc "bad" foods. IF you spend all your grocery money on clean food instead of food/snacks you know you shouldn't have, then the total bill may be the same.

By the way, it is always good to shop around, use coupons and look at ads. Sometimes, you will find a good sale at another grocery store on chicken and you may be able to stock up on them and not have to buy them for a couple of weeks.

I think a lot of people are feeling the effects of the economy these days. These are some things that my wife and I do for meals that are still healthy:

-Don't eat fast food ever. It almost never costs more to cook for 2 people from the store than it does to eat fast food, unless you are buying some expensive ingredients.
-You can make a juicy steak dinner for 2 w/ red potatoes & broccoli for less than the cost of a meal at McDonalds (~$8-$9.00/ea) if you buy the steak when its on sale.
-Couscous (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couscous) is super healthy and pretty cheap to make for the amount of servings you get from 1 container. Bonus: if you make it with chicken broth it actually tastes good.
-Alcohol is expensive.
-Water is damn near free and the best liquid you can ingest if you are trying to watch your calories.
-Chicken is cheap when you don't buy the thin-sliced version and slice them yourselves. You can get a lot of cutlets for very little money and you can freeze what you don't use.
-Making your own food for lunch - sandwiches, leftovers, etc. is probably the most cost effective lunch possible.
-Like you said - Oats and eggs are pretty cheap for breakfast (I wish I made enough time to make that stuff myself in the morning).
-Whole wheat pasta & 1lb. lean beef & sauce = great/healthly dinner that always leaves leftovers that actually taste good.
-Milk is always cheapest at the gas station for some reason.

Like BigMex said, buying stuff on sale & shopping around makes a difference too.

IF you spend all your grocery money on clean food instead of food/snacks you know you shouldn't have, then the total bill may be the same.

Thanks for the reply, BigMex! I hope it's not too much of a difference on our budget, but I don't feel like it will be too bad. My daughter is so excited to get back to healthy food. When she was younger we ate clean without really thinking about it. When we had a financial set-back, we joined a co-op type thing, and we didn't get to choose what foods we received for the month. We were only able to add a few things in here and there on our own. It ROCKED financially! But you should have seen me trying to get that girl to eat Chef Boyardee and instant white rice! :nope: That girl didn't even know what McDonald's was for years and years. So we're all pumped about this!

-Don't eat fast food ever. It almost never costs more to cook for 2 people from the store than it does to eat fast food, unless you are buying some expensive ingredients.
-You can make a juicy steak dinner for 2 w/ red potatoes & broccoli for less than the cost of a meal at McDonalds (~$8-$9.00/ea) if you buy the steak when its on sale.
-Couscous (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couscous) is super healthy and pretty cheap to make for the amount of servings you get from 1 container. Bonus: if you make it with chicken broth it actually tastes good.
-Alcohol is expensive.
-Water is damn near free and the best liquid you can ingest if you are trying to watch your calories.
-Chicken is cheap when you don't buy the thin-sliced version and slice them yourselves. You can get a lot of cutlets for very little money and you can freeze what you don't use.
-Making your own food for lunch - sandwiches, leftovers, etc. is probably the most cost effective lunch possible.
-Like you said - Oats and eggs are pretty cheap for breakfast (I wish I made enough time to make that stuff myself in the morning).
-Whole wheat pasta & 1lb. lean beef & sauce = great/healthly dinner that always leaves leftovers that actually taste good.
-Milk is always cheapest at the gas station for some reason.


Wow! Awesome post! Everything you mentioned is so true. I'm just going to dive in. I'll only buy clean foods at the store, and I don't think it will be hard at all. I'll need to make more time to cook real food now, that's for sure. That steak dinner you mentioned really got my mouth watering! And I've never tried couscous before. I might have to buy some today. Thanks for the help! I'm browsing ads and coupons right now.

Oh, and, yes, alcohol is expensive, but so is gasoline. There are just some things we can't afford not to buy...you know, to get our motors running. :lol: Kidding. On that note, I joined the 100 Challenge for August, and one of my "rules" is that I may only consume alcohol with dinner on Mondays. That one's gonna be hard for me. :(

-Milk is always cheapest at the gas station for some reason.


really??? i had no idea. this blows my mind.



Oh, and, yes, alcohol is expensive, but so is gasoline. There are just some things we can't afford not to buy...you know, to get our motors running. :lol: Kidding. On that note, I joined the 100 Challenge for August, and one of my "rules" is that I may only consume alcohol with dinner on Mondays. That one's gonna be hard for me. :(

i LOOOOVE me some beer and totally feel ya on this. when i started my journal i cut out alcohol for awhile (at least cut back :lol:) .... and i think it was good for a couple reasons:
- everytime you don't have a beer in a situation you normally would you get a huge sense of accomplishment/success
- it will help with fat loss
- it is much more enjoyable when you do have it
- saves cash
I def. think beer can be a part of a fit lifestyle. I try to "earn" mine with heavy workouts. It'll do you good to cut back for awhile though.... that change alone can spark some fat loss.

eating clean and occasionally drinking beer is always going to be better than eating crap and occasionally drinking beer. good luck getting the clean eating down.... thats really the key.... to ingrain that lifestyle. :tu:

btw how old are your kids??

I def. think beer can be a part of a fit lifestyle. I try to "earn" mine with heavy workouts. It'll do you good to cut back for awhile though.... that change alone can spark some fat loss.

btw how old are your kids??

Thanks, girl! Oh, I don't plan on cutting it all the way out, but I know that's where my weight gain came from. I know that I would drop at least 10 of the 20 lbs I gained if I would just stop drinking beer. It just needs to become a treat, or something I earn, like you mentioned. That's a great way to look at it, by the way. I like that. God knows I don't want to get up in the mornings and exercise, but if I know I'm earning something for it, it won't be nearly as hard. I think in the beginning, though, I'll live for my cheat meal! :lol: Monday nights. And today begins my clean eating. I had only been finishing up what we had in the house and trying to eat it in moderation until today. But I'm about to go to the grocery store, and then I'll have no excuses! :tu:

Oh, and them kids-o-mine are 11 and 5. Here they are in all their glory:
27264

27265

The boy looks like a dork without his mohawk spiked. The finger in the nose is fine, but his hair?? He'll be embarrassed of that picture one day...because of his hair. :lol:

they're beautiful!!

his hair is sweet... i just saw the one with it spiked in jason's journal.... i love it!

You gotten a lot of great advice on how to stretch a food dollar and I want to amplify one of the points that Rise mentioned about buying the steak on sale.

Expand that beyone just steaks. Be it beef, chicken, pork, etc. each week something is on sale, so move into a pantry mentality when purchasing. Chicken breast are on sale this week? Fine, buy two packages and freeze one. Within a few weeks you'll have all sorts of frozen meat and chicken that you've purchased on sale and only have to defrost.

Oftentimes there is a discount for purchasing larger quantities than I can use for one meal. Again using CB's as an example I'm not going to use 3 1/2 pounds of it for a meal, more like half of that, so I take half the package, tag it and freeze it. It just takes a few minutes and I get the benefit of the reduced price.

Just make sure that you write a description of the contents as well as the weight and the date it was purchased on the freezer bag so that you don't have some science experiment because the frozen item got lost in the freezer for nine months.

Chicken breast are on sale this week? Fine, buy two packages and freeze one. Within a few weeks you'll have all sorts of frozen meat and chicken that you've purchased on sale and only have to defrost.

Excellent idea! We even have an extra freezer I could use to put things in when I buy in bulk. That would be awesome to have a bunch of meat on hand and only need to defrost it! Thanks!

Great journal so far! Sounds like you will be able to reach your goal in no time if you stick to and continue to build on the efforts you are already making!

Beer is great. I just went back to limiting myself to beer only on the weekends from here on out. Usually that is not a problem, but in the hot summer months having a beer in the evening with a buddy or my wife is more common than it would be otherwise.

Great journal so far! Sounds like you will be able to reach your goal in no time if you stick to and continue to build on the efforts you are already making!

Thank you, Ryanator! I'm a-gonna rock this joint!! :flex:

Haha...actually, I just want to lose this dadgum fat and get healthy. Maybe I'll get into lifting weights more later, but for now I just want to retain any (small) amount of muscle I have clingin' to these here bones. And, yes. Beer is good. It's proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

Well, I went grocery shopping! Man, everything looked so stinkin' good! I was just fantasizing about all the recipes I've seen on this forum and others I used to cook. I saw one for a pizza on the recipe forum, and man, did it look GOOD! I came home and made a Mexican one. Lean ground beef, fat free cheese, tomato, avocado. :drool: If I don't be careful, I'll make it all the time and end up getting sick of it! I kinda have a tendency to over-do things. :o

Thanks for all the tips y'all threw my way! They really helped me at the store!! So, now the frige and pantry are stocked. And here she goes...

Great lookin' kids they really are beautiful.:nod:

Well, I forgot to put what I ate one day! And I erased it from my computer already. Oh, well. It wasn't bad at all. I had eaten around 1400 cals. I bought a food scale at Wal-Mart with a tare button. So, I can put a plate on it and add an ingredient, tare it, add another ingdredient, and so on. That is why most of my food is in terms of grams or ounces. It's kind of nice. I also ABUSE CalorieKing.com! :) Good thing it's free! Here is yesterday's info:

MEAL 1:
10 g Honey
16 g Natural PB
28 g Pretzels
110 g Cottage Cheese

MEAL 2:
*Mexican Pizza*
Whole Wheat Tortilla
60 g Old el Paso Refried Beans
2 oz Extra Lean Hamburger Meat (raw weight)
40 g Fat Free Shredded Cheddar
52 g Tomato
23 g Avocado
17 g Pace Picante Sauce

MEAL 3:
Banana
Light String Cheese

MEAL 4:
11.5 oz Can V8
Can Tuna

MEAL 5:
Light String Cheese
170 g Strawberries

1205 Calories
28 g Fat (21%)
9 g Sat. Fat
128 g Carbs (44%)
19 g Fiber
57 g Sugar
105 g Protein (35%)

No Exercise (for the second day in a row) :o

Well, I forgot to put what I ate one day! And I erased it from my computer already. Oh, well.
No Exercise (for the second day in a row) :o

See...this is what too much beer can do!:lol:

I'm on day 3 without workouts but heading to the gym this afternoon! Go workout!:D

I'm on day 3 without workouts but heading to the gym this afternoon! Go workout!:D

OMG!!! The clouds parted, and a beam of light shone down on me when I saw this!!! I went to the work-out room to go at it, and I came right back home. Then I put in a step workout (I LOVE step) and took it right back out. Then the kids asked me why I wasn't working out but I'm dressed to. Stinkin' guilt trips. Ugh! So, I put in ANOTHER video, did about 3 minutes, and turned it off. And then got on the computer and saw your words.

Ok, I'm gone. Back to the *damn* workout room. I'll do the treadmill, but one day, when it doesn't suspect it, I'm coming after that thing with a sledgehammer!!!

And thank you. I'll have y'all to thank when I win Miss America (rather, Mrs. Housewife;)).

OMG!!! The clouds parted, and a beam of light shone down on me when I saw this!!! I went to the work-out room to go at it, and I came right back home. Then I put in a step workout (I LOVE step) and took it right back out. Then the kids asked me why I wasn't working out but I'm dressed to. Stinkin' guilt trips. Ugh! So, I put in ANOTHER video, did about 3 minutes, and turned it off. And then got on the computer and saw your words.

Ok, I'm gone. Back to the *damn* workout room. I'll do the treadmill, but one day, when it doesn't suspect it, I'm coming after that thing with a sledgehammer!!!

And thank you. I'll have y'all to thank when I win Miss America (rather, Mrs. Housewife;)).

:lol: You'll be glad you did! I guess I need to now practice what I preach!:cool:

:lol: You'll be glad you did! I guess I need to now practice what I preach!:cool:

Yay!! I did it! And, you're right. I'm glad i did. 45 minutes at 3.5 mph on a 4 degree incline. I had been jogging and lifting weights until I hurt my back a couple of weeks ago. I'm going to start jogging and lifting again on August 1st. I like jogging because it feels so much more physical and athletic compared to walking. Plus, I cover ground faster and can therefore have shorter workouts (because, when all is said and done, this babe is LA-ZY!). So, I can't wait for the first of the month! I just hope my back is up to it because I'm not waiting around any longer.

Yay!! I did it! And, you're right. I'm glad i did. 45 minutes at 3.5 mph on a 4 degree incline. I had been jogging and lifting weights until I hurt my back a couple of weeks ago. I'm going to start jogging and lifting again on August 1st. I like jogging because it feels so much more physical and athletic compared to walking. Plus, I cover ground faster and can therefore have shorter workouts (because, when all is said and done, this babe is LA-ZY!). So, I can't wait for the first of the month! I just hope my back is up to it because I'm not waiting around any longer.

:claplow::claplow::bow::claplow:

Aight, here goes August!!

I joined the 100 challenge on the Challenges Forum. My diet goals are 5 meals per day with one cheat meal per week. I get that on Mondays, and that is the only day per week that I may consume alcohol. Only four times may I drink alcohol in the next 31! :cry: But I know I'll be better off for it. My exercise goals are by day of the week and include 4 cardio sessions and 3 weight training sessions. They are as follows:

Monday: Weight Training
Tuesday: 2 miles on the Treamill, Fasted
Wednesday: Weight Training and 2 miles on Treadmill, Fasted
Thursday: 2 miles on the Treadmill, Fasted
Friday: Weight Training
Saturday: 2 miles on the Treadmill, Fasted
Sunday: Rest

I want to get back in to running, so this month I'm just going for 2 miles per session. It'll start out with me jogging/shuffling/crawling/pulling myself along with one hand while panting and clutching my chest with the other hand, but I know by the end of the month I'll be able to go the distance. I'm going to do all treadmill running on a 2 degree incline since treadmills make running so much easier than running outside. That's what I've always done before. So, I'll be recording my time for the 2 miles. That's what I want to get looking good...well, that and my ass! :lol:

Aight, here goes August!!

I joined the 100 challenge on the Challenges Forum. My diet goals are 5 meals per day with one cheat meal per week. I get that on Mondays, and that is the only day per week that I may consume alcohol. Only four times may I drink alcohol in the next 31! :cry: But I know I'll be better off for it. My exercise goals are by day of the week and include 4 cardio sessions and 3 weight training sessions. They are as follows:

Monday: Weight Training
Tuesday: 2 miles on the Treamill, Fasted
Wednesday: Weight Training and 2 miles on Treadmill, Fasted
Thursday: 2 miles on the Treadmill, Fasted
Friday: Weight Training
Saturday: 2 miles on the Treadmill, Fasted
Sunday: Rest

I want to get back in to running, so this month I'm just going for 2 miles per session. It'll start out with me jogging/shuffling/crawling/pulling myself along with one hand while panting and clutching my chest with the other hand, but I know by the end of the month I'll be able to go the distance. I'm going to do all treadmill running on a 2 degree incline since treadmills make running so much easier than running outside. That's what I've always done before. So, I'll be recording my time for the 2 miles. That's what I want to get looking good...well, that and my ass! :lol: :gl:

You guys have been talking about beer so much in your diary, I am dying for one now. :drool: I might have to stop reading your diary.

:gl:

You guys have been talking about beer so much in your diary, I am dying for one now. :drool: I might have to stop reading your diary.

Thanks for the luck!! God knows I could use it! And I'll probably quit talking about beer so much now that I can't drink it often...unless it's an ode to the cool, crisp, deliciousness that I miss like an old friend...:lol:

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/jchantelau/beer.jpg

Sorry I had to! :drool: Oh man this may have back fired on me!:drool:

LSC, good luck with your goals for August. I know you and Jason have some type of challenge going on; he's a formidable opponent. When that Chatelau Express gets rolling...look out!

All this talk of beer, as well as the picture, is verging on evilness. :evil: But hey, I'm stating vacation so those calories, etc. don't count, right? Do I have to wait until 5 to officially start vacation (it's 4:50) or can I close my office early?

Seriously, LSC, keep at it and you'll be surprised how much progress you'll be able to make in a short amount of time.

LSC, good luck with your goals for August. I know you and Jason have some type of challenge going on; he's a formidable opponent. When that Chatelau Express gets rolling...look out!


I swear I didn't pay him to write that!:nope:

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/jchantelau/beer.jpg

Sorry I had to! :drool: Oh man this may have back fired on me!:drool:

That was a low blow. You, sir, disgust me.:lol:

LSC, good luck with your goals for August. I know you and Jason have some type of challenge going on; he's a formidable opponent. When that Chatelau Express gets rolling...look out!

All this talk of beer, as well as the picture, is verging on evilness. :evil: But hey, I'm stating vacation so those calories, etc. don't count, right? Do I have to wait until 5 to officially start vacation (it's 4:50) or can I close my office early?

Seriously, LSC, keep at it and you'll be surprised how much progress you'll be able to make in a short amount of time.

Thank you for the encouragement, Seltzer. And, yes, Jason may very well be a formidable opponent, but he ain't met the likes o' this Texan! (instert hillbilly smilie throwing cowboy hat in the air) After a day like mine, I'm still gonna workout even though it'll be at 11:00 tonight. Ugh. I dread it. I'm going to be beat. But I'm game!

And, don't ever forget: it's 5:00 somewhere! Cheers, and have an excellent vacation! Drink one (or three) for me!!

That was a low blow. You, sir, disgust me.:lol:

:lol: :neener:

Thank you for the encouragement, Seltzer. And, yes, Jason may very well be a formidable opponent, but he ain't met the likes o' this Texan! (instert hillbilly smilie throwing cowboy hat in the air) After a day like mine, I'm still gonna workout even though it'll be at 11:00 tonight. Ugh. I dread it. I'm going to be beat. But I'm game!

And, don't ever forget: it's 5:00 somewhere! Cheers, and have an excellent vacation! Drink one (or three) for me!!

:lol: Go get it girl! Don't let that ice cold frothy glass of golden goodness slow you down. Maybe you should have 7 or 8 before you workout!:evil::moon::lol:;)

I've never understood the appeal of beer :lol:. And I live in Austria where beer is considered sacred.

Looks like you're doing great, LSC, and you really seem very motivated. Like Paul said, it's amazing what you can do in a short period of time when you stick with it. Just make sure to take pictures along the way because you won't notice the changes so much just by looking in the mirror. :)

I've never understood the appeal of beer :lol:. And I live in Austria where beer is considered sacred.

Looks like you're doing great, LSC, and you really seem very motivated. Like Paul said, it's amazing what you can do in a short period of time when you stick with it. Just make sure to take pictures along the way because you won't notice the changes so much just by looking in the mirror. :)

Hey, J_W! Thanks for the encouragement! I did take pics, and I was totally disgusted. It was very hard to look at. I guess I end up fooling myself about how bad things have gotten because I choose to wear things that hide my body well. But when it's just my undies and the camera...whew!!!:o Not a pretty picture. But soon enough.

Oh, and I come from Texas, where beer and BBQ are KING, baby! Nothin' like a Texas night grilling with friends!

Yesterday was a crazy day for me. I feel great that I still ate well and exercised.

Something happened in the morning that I'd rather not go in to. Because of this, I was very uneasy going to our apartment complex's workout room, and my husband asked me to to go yesterday. I struggled with it all morning, but I decided that I wouldn't change my habits or plans regardless. So, about noon I got ready to go work out.

As I was walking toward the door, I saw my son and daughter looking rather guilty and rubbing a towel on the carpet. Ink. A bottle of ink spilled all over the new carpet in our new apartment. Black. Rubbed in and smeared around by little fingers. I worked on the stain for 2 hours, but it was too late. :doh:

I was running out of time. I had to go to work and wouldn't be home until around 11:00 pm. Then my daughter makes this crazy girlie noise like she found a bug crawling on her leg. Weird noise to make when one steps on a sharp piece of wood that goes all the way through the foot! An old broken toothpick was going in the bottom of her foot and poking out the top. It was in the ball of her foot where it's nice and meaty. It hadn't popped the skin on the top of her foot, but we could see the wood poking up just about to pop through. It had pushed the skin up about 1/4 of an inch, and the smallest layer of skin was still covering like a little tent. I'll bet if we rubbed the skin to feel it, it would have punctured. I have never seen anything like that. She had wood trying to poke out the top of her foot and splintered wood sticking out of the bottom. I didn't want to pull it out with pliers because I didn't want it to splinter inside. I called an urgent care clinic close-by and they said they were unsure if they could take care of it on sight. If not, they would just send her to the emergency room. So we skipped them and went straight for the big guns. In my work-out clothes. I still ended up at work, but I was late. Got home at 11:20. Then I worked out. I was out of the house from 2:00 pm until 11:20 pm with no clean food to eat, but I managed. It feels good to say that I still accomplished my goals!

mercy! what a day!! ur a trooper woman that's for sure. so can your daughter walk now?? i can't believe she made a "girlie noise" for that!! wow!

mercy! what a day!! ur a trooper woman that's for sure. so can your daughter walk now?? i can't believe she made a "girlie noise" for that!! wow!

No, she can't walk on it yet. Before she realized what had happened she was reacting to it like she would a stubbed toe, but when she saw the end poking up almost through her skin I could see the horror sinking into her eyes. It's like a kid who's fine until they see the blood, you know? So I grabbed her face and told her that although the pain was real, but the panic was in her head, and she could control it. Then I took a flat foam heart that was laying on the floor beside her and put in between two of the toes on her other foot and told her concentrate on holding it there and not letting it fall. She was looking at me like I was CRAZY, but it completely stopped that panic dead. I just covered it with a sheet and told her not to look at it. After that she was fine. Like it never happened! She even told them not to give her pain killer to pull it out. They did afterward, though, and that seemed to hurt more than anything else. She's a tough kid, though. Always has been. :tu:

August 1

It was my first day back after two weeks off. Before that, I had lifted weights all of 5 times, maybe. So, I'm a total beginner. I'm so weak. It's so discouraging. It doesn't make me want to stop or anything. It just makes me embarrassed to post my numbers and stats. Oh, well. Any sort of lifting is healthier than nothing, I guess.

Diet

94 g Banana
52 g Kashi Go Lean Cereal
1/2 Cup Skim Milk

Frigo Light String Cheese

Mexican Pizza
Whole Wheat Tortilla
60 g Old el Paso Refried Beans
2 oz Extra Lean Hamburger Meat (raw weight)
40 g Fat Free Shredded Cheddar
80 g Tomato
38 g Avocado
56 g Pace Picante Sauce
8 g Chives
13 g Jalapenos

150 g Strawberries
Frigo Light String Cheese

2 oz Teriyaki Beef Jerky

220 g Low-Fat Cottage Cheese

Calories: 1202
Fat: 25 g (21%)
Carbs: 130 g (44%)
Prot: 121 g (35%)

Exercise

Leg Press: Sets 1 & 2 - 10 reps @ 80 lbs
Set 3 - 10 reps @ 90 lbs
Set 4 - 10 reps @ 100 lbs

Leg Extensions: Set 1 - 10 @ 50 lbs
Set 2 - 10 @ 60 lbs
Set 3 - 7 @ 60 lbs

Stiff Leg Deadlifts: Set 1 - 10 w/ 30 lb dumbbell
Set 2 - 10 w/ 35 lb dumbbell
Set 3 - 10 w/ 45 lb dumbbell

Calf Raises: Set 1 - 15 w/ 35 lb dumbbell
Set 2 - 15 w/ 40 lb dumbbell
Set 3 - 15 w/ 45 lb dumbbell

Hanging Knee Raise: 3 Sets of 10

WOW....you are one tough texan chick!:nod: With all of that and still on plan....:bow::claplow::claplow: Nice going and I hope your daughter is doing better.

WOW....you are one tough texan chick!:nod: With all of that and still on plan....:bow::claplow::claplow: Nice going and I hope your daughter is doing better.

Why, thank you, my good man!:)

Why, thank you, my good man!:)

Your very welcome. Now I know I have to be on my game!:D

Got home at 11:20. Then I worked out.

that's just good 'ol commitment right there. good job LoneStarChick. also, very descriptive account of the toothpick incident :lol:

Now I know I have to be on my game!:D

Damn straight! :cool:

...very descriptive account of the toothpick incident :lol:

Sorry. :o I do tend to babble on and on. But, I'm allowed, right? 'Cause I'm a girl! It's to be expected! :lol:

August 2

Today was good for me. I did my fasted cardio then cooked my meals for the day. Everything went according to plan. I need to eat more veggies, though.

Diet

10 g Honey
16 g Natty PB
28 g Pretzels
Light String Cheese

110 g Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
69 g Broccoli


150 g Chicken Breast, raw weight
Bell Pepper
Onion
3 T Lemon Juice
2 Whole Wheat Tortillas
57 g Fat-Free Shredded Cheddar
110 g Low-Fat Cottage Cheese

Can Tuna w/ Mustard
69 g Carrot

Calories: 1312
Fat: 30 g (20%)
Carbs: 106 g (32%)
Prot: 146 g (44%)

Exercise

Fasted Cardio: It took me 26:47 mins to go 2 miles on the treadmill on a 2 degree incline.:(

That's 13min miles not bad..you will see your pace quicken as you move along...and remember SPEED is not important!:) Recording your times is important to see how you progress though.

August 3

Today was an unbelievably hard day at work. It had nothing to do with my diet or exercise, just work crap. The thing is, I didn't eat as a result of it. You know, emotional eating. It was hard as hell, and it actually made me mad not to be able to just relax after a long day at work. I know I'll be proud later. Just not right now. I'm still frustrated and wanting to eat (or DRUNK...I mean drink). :(

Diet

1/2 Cup Skim Milk
Kashi Go Lean, 1 c
146 g Banana

1 oz Peanuts
110 g Cottage Cheese
Frigo Light String Cheese

140 g Tilapia
100 g Frozen Broccoli, frozen weight
Mushrooms
3 oz Red Cooking Wine

Frigo Light String Cheese
56 g Fresh Broccoli

110 g Cottage Cheese
108 g Fresh Carrots

6 oz Light Yogurt
246 g Sugar-Free Applesauce
17 g Peanuts

Calories: 1409
Fat: 37 g (23%)
Carbs: 150 g (43%)
Prot: 114 g (33%)

Exercise

Rest (but I felt really lazy and non-productive)

Congrats on resisting the temptation to stress-eat! That's a big hurdle to overcome, I know. :claphigh:

August 3

Today was an unbelievably hard day at work. It had nothing to do with my diet or exercise, just work crap. The thing is, I didn't eat as a result of it. You know, emotional eating. It was hard as hell, and it actually made me mad not to be able to just relax after a long day at work. I know I'll be proud later. Just not right now. I'm still frustrated and wanting to eat (or DRUNK...I mean drink). :(

Diet

1/2 Cup Skim Milk
Kashi Go Lean, 1 c
146 g Banana

1 oz Peanuts
110 g Cottage Cheese
Frigo Light String Cheese

140 g Tilapia
100 g Frozen Broccoli, frozen weight
Mushrooms
3 oz Red Cooking Wine

Frigo Light String Cheese
56 g Fresh Broccoli

110 g Cottage Cheese
108 g Fresh Carrots

6 oz Light Yogurt
246 g Sugar-Free Applesauce
17 g Peanuts

Calories: 1409
Fat: 37 g (23%)
Carbs: 150 g (43%)
Prot: 114 g (33%)

Exercise

Rest (but I felt really lazy and non-productive)

Congrats on not emotionally eating! You're dialed in! Keep it up!

Good work! You have resisted giving in despite a challenging past couple of days!

I was cringing the whole time I read the account of the toothpick...I hope you daughter is feeling better today. :gl:

Thanks, y'all!!! Dang, I've never had as much support as I do around here. To be honest, that's all that has kept me going the past few days. So, I owe it all to y'all! :nod: Thank you, thank you!

My daughter was able to walk on her foot without any problems yesterday. She's one tough babe, so I wasn't worried.

Thanks, y'all!!! Dang, I've never had as much support as I do around here. To be honest, that's all that has kept me going the past few days. So, I owe it all to y'all! :nod: Thank you, thank you!

My daughter was able to walk on her foot without any problems yesterday. She's one tough babe, so I wasn't worried.

Glad to read your daughter is doing well. So, you're running 2 miles today right!:) I'm feeling a little thirsty...:drool:

Glad to read your daughter is doing well. So, you're running 2 miles today right!:) I'm feeling a little thirsty...:drool:

Nah, I decided to scrap the running idea. I'm just kicked back with a six-pack. Nothing like a good morning buzz!!;)

Yeah, right. I'm going to do my 2 miles right now, then weights later in the day. I'm glad you told me only to stretch warm muscles. I wouldn't have know that otherwise. But thanks for the subliminal message, Jason. TODAY IS MY CHEAT MEAL DAY!!!!:drool:

Nah, I decided to scrap the running idea. I'm just kicked back with a six-pack. Nothing like a good morning buzz!!;)


:spank::spank::lol:


Yeah, right. I'm going to do my 2 miles right now, then weights later in the day. I'm glad you told me only to stretch warm muscles. I wouldn't have know that otherwise. But thanks for the subliminal message, Jason. TODAY IS MY CHEAT MEAL DAY!!!!:drool:


Cheat Meal:drool:....what ya gonna have? Great job with the running! Your cheat meal is a 12 pack isn't it?:lol::neener:

:spank::spank::lol:



Cheat Meal:drool:....what ya gonna have? Great job with the running! Your cheat meal is a 12 pack isn't it?:lol::neener:

:lol: I'm actually going to have wine instead of beer. I think that will ensure that I don't over-do it. It's only my first week, and I don't want to wreck all I've worked so hard to accomplish. My thing is that when I drink one, I drink 10. Then I wake up feeling like a failure and just keep going. I don't want that! So, I'm actually tracking calories and everything even though it's a cheat meal. Maybe when I gain more control over my habits I'll drink some beer...who am I kidding?? I'll have a sixer next Monday!!:nod: (when I feel like I've earned it!)

:lol: I'm actually going to have wine instead of beer. I think that will ensure that I don't over-do it. It's only my first week, and I don't want to wreck all I've worked so hard to accomplish. My thing is that when I drink one, I drink 10. Then I wake up feeling like a failure and just keep going. I don't want that! So, I'm actually tracking calories and everything even though it's a cheat meal. Maybe when I gain more control over my habits I'll drink some beer...who am I kidding?? I'll have a sixer next Monday!!:nod: (when I feel like I've earned it!)

There ya go!

August 4

Cheat meal day!!! I didn't have a run scheduled, but as it was my cheat meal day (and I planned to make the most of it!), I went ahead and did a 2 mile fasted run/walk. I'm horribly embarrassed to say that after lifting such small amounts (see below), my upper body was as limp as a wet noodle. My son and I did puppets afterward, and mine kept having to lay down for "naps". :lol:

Diet

10 g Honey
16 g Natty PB
28 g Pretzels

1/4 Serving Chips from On the Border
1/2 Big Borderito (Chicken) from On the Border
1 1/2 c Salsa from On the Border
2 1/2 c Riunite Lambrusco

4 Large Egg Whites

Frigo Light String Cheese

1/2 Kashi Bar (Chocolate Almond Toffee)

Ghirardelli Peanut Butter Square, small

Calories: 1968
Fat: 75 g (34%)
Carbs: 171 g (35%)
Prot: 58 g (12%)

Exercise

Fasted Cardio: 2 miles. I ran the first one straight through!!! :claphigh: During the second one I had a guy keep starting conversations with me, so I had to walk when I answered him. So, my total time was 26:05 for 2 miles (on a 2 degree incline on the treadmill). Then I went back a few hours later for weights:

Bench Press: 4 sets of 10 w/ 40 lbs

Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 10 w/ 15 lbs each hand

Military Press: 3 sets of 10 w/ 15 lbs each hand

Lateral Raise: 3 Sets of 10 w/ 10 lbs each hand

Close-Grip Bench Press: Set 1 - 10 reps; 40 lbs
Sets 2 & 3 - 10 reps; 30 lbs

Rope Pressdown: Set 1 - 12 reps; 40 lbs
Set 2 - 12 reps; 50 lbs

August 4

Cheat meal day!!! I didn't have a run scheduled, but as it was my cheat meal day (and I planned to make the most of it!), I went ahead and did a 2 mile fasted run/walk. I'm horribly embarrassed to say that after lifting such small amounts (see below), my upper body was as limp as a wet noodle. My son and I did puppets afterward, and mine kept having to lay down for "naps". :lol:

Diet

10 g Honey
16 g Natty PB
28 g Pretzels

1/4 Serving Chips from On the Border
1/2 Big Borderito (Chicken) from On the Border
1 1/2 c Salsa from On the Border
2 1/2 c Riunite Lambrusco

4 Large Egg Whites

Frigo Light String Cheese

1/2 Kashi Bar (Chocolate Almond Toffee)

Ghirardelli Peanut Butter Square, small

Calories: 1968
Fat: 75 g (34%)
Carbs: 171 g (35%)
Prot: 58 g (12%)

Exercise

Fasted Cardio: 2 miles. I ran the first one straight through!!! :claphigh: During the second one I had a guy keep starting conversations with me, so I had to walk when I answered him. So, my total time was 26:05 for 2 miles (on a 2 degree incline on the treadmill). Then I went back a few hours later for weights:

Bench Press: 4 sets of 10 w/ 40 lbs

Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 10 w/ 15 lbs each hand

Military Press: 3 sets of 10 w/ 15 lbs each hand

Lateral Raise: 3 Sets of 10 w/ 10 lbs each hand

Close-Grip Bench Press: Set 1 - 10 reps; 40 lbs
Sets 2 & 3 - 10 reps; 30 lbs

Rope Pressdown: Set 1 - 12 reps; 40 lbs
Set 2 - 12 reps; 50 lbs

Awesome job today LSC!:claplow: Keep up the solid work girl!:nod:

Thank you, Jason!!

God, I'm so full. :rolleyes:

God, I'm so full. :rolleyes:

I don't blame you! On The Border is one of my favorite restaurants, and those chips they give you before a meal are totally addictive. :drool:

Um...add four beers and three oreos to the cheat meal...:o

Um...add four beers and three oreos to the cheat meal...:o

Should I say good cheat!:nod::D Did you dip the oreos in the beer!:lol:

Um...add four beers and three oreos to the cheat meal...:o

:lol: that's more like it. i was somewhat dissapointed if your cheat was under 2000 cals and the only dirty thing was some mexican food.

did you make the puppets?? if so how??

I don't blame you! On The Border is one of my favorite restaurants, and those chips they give you before a meal are totally addictive. :drool:

Lord, tell me about it!! I'm usually not even hungry by the time the food gets to the table (but I manage to eat it anyway). :lol:

Should I say good cheat!:nod::D Did you dip the oreos in the beer!:lol:

And if I did? :whistle:

:lol: that's more like it. i was somewhat dissapointed if your cheat was under 2000 cals and the only dirty thing was some mexican food.

did you make the puppets?? if so how??

Haha! That's what I needed to hear. I was feeling pretty rotten about eating so much. But this morning I don't look bloated! Yay!

No, we didn't make the puppets, but we have made some in the past with socks and buttons and such. Did you have fun with your nephews?

August 5

I was pretty sore from my upper-body workout yesterday, so I walked instead of ran. I don't feel like I'm eating enough, but I haven't been feeling very hungry. That's not normal for me, though, so I'm sure it will pass. I'm just listening to my body and eating when I'm hungry, but calories sure are low when I add them up at the end of the day! Oh, well.

But on a good note, I think, I think I can see that the "spare tire" is getting smaller! :claphigh:

Diet

Kashi Bar (Chocolate Almond Toffee)

Light String Cheese
Banana

Pizza:
50 g Ragu Pizza Sauce
Whole Wheat Tortilla
2 oz Extra Lean Hamburger Meat (raw weight)
20 g Mushrooms
17 g Bell Pepper
7 g Onion
60 g Fat-Free Mozzerella Cheese

Light String Cheese
300 g Grapes

77 g Banana
300 g Strawberries

Exercise

Walked on the treadmill (fasted in the morning) for 2 miles.

August 5

I was pretty sore from my upper-body workout yesterday, so I walked instead of ran. I don't feel like I'm eating enough, but I haven't been feeling very hungry. That's not normal for me, though, so I'm sure it will pass. I'm just listening to my body and eating when I'm hungry, but calories sure are low when I add them up at the end of the day! Oh, well.

But on a good note, I think, I think I can see that the "spare tire" is getting smaller! :claphigh:

Diet

Kashi Bar (Chocolate Almond Toffee)

Light String Cheese
Banana

Pizza:
50 g Ragu Pizza Sauce
Whole Wheat Tortilla
2 oz Extra Lean Hamburger Meat (raw weight)
20 g Mushrooms
17 g Bell Pepper
7 g Onion
60 g Fat-Free Mozzerella Cheese

Light String Cheese
300 g Grapes

77 g Banana
300 g Strawberries

Exercise

Walked on the treadmill (fasted in the morning) for 2 miles.

Keep it up you're doing great.:D

Kashi Bar (Chocolate Almond Toffee)

That one is my favorite!! :drool: I freeze them and eat them from time to time as a "healthy" dessert.

Looks like you are doing great with everything, keep it up!
:tucool:

But on a good note, I think, I think I can see that the "spare tire" is getting smaller! :claphigh:
:tucool:

seeing progress is one of the coolest parts of living the healthy lifestyle. so now that you know it works, if you keep up the good work & stay committed, that spare tire will be gone in no time :bb:

Thanks, guys!!! I really don't think I could do it without running back to these forums all the time!!

Well, I'm too embarrassed to show "before" pics where I'm only in undies or something similar, so I took these at the gym today. They aren't good quality. I had to use my phone. Well, at least I'll have something to compare my progress pics with. Obviously I don't know how to pose or anything, and I have so much fat covering my muscle that it probably wouldn't matter if I did! :lol: The last one is very humbling. There it is. My spare tire and flabby ass. :cry: Well, here are my starting pics:

you look nice and fit to me. keep up the good work.

You look great LSC! Nice biceps...your going to rip up very nice! There's alot of muscle there.;)

dude your hella fit looking. sucks how beer goes straight to the middle huh?? anyways ya look great. keep working hard and u'll be posting undies pics like mad. :lol:

Thanks for the encouragement, guys!!! I took my body fat, and it says that I'm over 30%. :o:o:o

And, I think I have a disfunctional relationship with beer. I love it so much, but it doesn't love me back. :( Yes, Deja, it all ends up right in the middle!! In all the wrong places.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a367/ErKaThEGrEaT/beer.jpg

haha that's a great cartoon. we have so many great microbrews up here in the northwest. i bet you don't get to enjoy beers like Pike's IPA or Stone IPA down there in texas :p. i've cut down on total consumption, but i still kick back a few beers on the weekends. still gotta remember how to have fun once in a while.

Looking good chica!

Keep up the good work....:)

Looking good! Keep up the good work :bb:

haha that's a great cartoon. we have so many great microbrews up here in the northwest. i bet you don't get to enjoy beers like Pike's IPA or Stone IPA down there in texas :p. i've cut down on total consumption, but i still kick back a few beers on the weekends. still gotta remember how to have fun once in a while.

Never heard of Pike's or Stone IPA, but we've got some goodies of our own! :D And you're right...still gotta have some fun!! :nod:

Looking good chica!

Keep up the good work....:)

Looking good! Keep up the good work :bb:

Thank y'all so much!! Can't wait to see what I look like in a few months! :D (hopefully much less body fat!)

You're going to do great, keep working hard and don't ever give up!:D

we've got some goodies of our own! :D


:nod: ShinerBock :drool:

You ARE from Texas right?

Keep that diet clean! ;)

You are looking great and stay at it as if there is no other choice. :tu:

:nod: ShinerBock :drool:

You ARE from Texas right?

OMG!! You know Shiner? :drool: Oh, yeah, I'm from Texas, baby!:cool:

Keep that diet clean! ;)

You are looking great and stay at it as if there is no other choice. :tu:

Thank you, CA$ON!! You are very kind. I like your advise. I was just looking at your progress photos earlier today, and you're not doing to shabby yourself! Looking good. Keep it up, man! :tucool:

Thank you, CA$ON!! You are very kind. I like your advise. I was just looking at your progress photos earlier today, and you're not doing to shabby yourself! Looking good. Keep it up, man! :tucool:
Checking me out eh??? :lol: (Joking)

Thanks and I will be watching your thread to see your progress. You should post up before pictures to show us how far you have come.:tu:

Checking me out eh??? :lol: (Joking)

Thanks and I will be watching your thread to see your progress. You should post up before pictures to show us how far you have come.:tu:

I just posted some before pics yesterday. :o I almost didn't, but I figured it might help with the whole accountability thing. Hopefully my "after" pics will show as much of a transformation as yours have!!

I just posted some before pics yesterday. :o I almost didn't, but I figured it might help with the whole accountability thing. Hopefully my "after" pics will show as much of a transformation as yours have!!
It would help if I would read everything. I thought those were your "now" pictures....WOW do you have any updated pictures?

Also on that book when I get it I can go through it and tell you how it is.

OMG!! You know Shiner? :drool: Oh, yeah, I'm from Texas, baby!:cool:

I LOVE Shiner...they have it on tap at a restaurant down the road from here. I have a hard time finding it on tap or for sale anywhere else though!

It would help if I would read everything. I thought those were your "now" pictures....WOW do you have any updated pictures?

I think those ARE her Before/now pictures. Not a bad place to start huh! I think she'll be ripped up in no time at the rate she is going. :tu:

I LOVE Shiner...they have it on tap at a restaurant down the road from here. I have a hard time finding it on tap or for sale anywhere else though!



I think those ARE her Before/now pictures. Not a bad place to start huh! I think she'll be ripped up in no time at the rate she is going. :tu:
I agree....:tu: :bb:

Thanks, guys. :o I seem to take decent pics somehow, but I don't see that in the mirror when I look. I have a "before" pic from last year when I was going to start a healthy lifestyle and it never happened. I was about 8 lbs lighter than I am now. No weights or cardio at the time. Here it is (kinda blurry):


I look at those pictures and think, "I want arms like that!!" Actually this one looks almost manish. How in the world did I take those? I don't see it at all when I'm staring in the mirror. Maybe I'll notice it more as I lose the fat.

Thanks for all the encouragement, y'all!!

Oh, and I got under 30% on my body fat this last week! I'm now at 29.45%. Yeesh. That's awful. I'd love to be at 18%. :doh:

keep working hard sista!:)

dang ur arm looks ripped in that shot!! great cuts!

dang ur arm looks ripped in that shot!! great cuts!
She is holding back and doesn't want to embarrass us too much. :tucool:

You'll be ripped up before you know it!;)

LoneStarChick,
Great photo's. You don't look 29.45% body fat. I don't think those body fat scales are that accurate, they are only good for seeing trends. I like to bicep shot, you put me to shame.

How those workouts coming along?;) How's the nutrition coming!;)

:whistle:

it's been said numerous times but you look to have quite a substantial amount of muscle on you. you will start to look really cut if you keep it up... good luck!

Thank you, everyone. I will keep it up!!! No stoppin' me now!

I kind of fell down on the job as far as recording my diet and exercise. So much for accountability, right? Thanks for calling me on it, Chantelau! :) I have to say, I was embarrassed of the amount of weight I'm lifting. Oh, well. Guess that'll grow in time.

Here is a quick run-down:

August 6

Diet:

Calories: 1270
Fat: 59 g (42%)
Carbs: 102 g (32%)
Prot: 85 g (27%)

Exercise:

Fasted Cardio: Treadmill for 2 miles on a 2 degree incline

Lat Pulldown: 10x70 lbs; 10x70; 8x70
Row: 10x40 lbs; 10 x 40; 10 x 50
Barbell Curl: 10x50 lbs; 10x50; 10x50
Concentration Curl: 10x10 lbs; 10x10
Dumbbell Shrug: 25x10 lbs ea hand; 25x10; 25x10


August 7

Diet:

Calories: 1921
Fat: 92 g (43%)
Carbs: 171 g (46%)
Prot: 113 g (24%)

Exercise:

Rest Day

August 8

Diet:

Calories: 1474
Fat: 46 g (28%)
Carbs: 201 g (55%)
Prot: 84 g (23%)

Exercise:

Fasted Cardio on Treadmill; 3.1 m; 1 deg incline; 37:00 min

August 9

Diet:

Calories: 1366
Fat: 28 g (18%)
Carbs: 213 g (62%)
Prot: 85 g (25 %)

I kind of fell down on the job as far as recording my diet and exercise. So much for accountability, right? Thanks for calling me on it, Chantelau! :) I have to say, I was embarrassed of the amount of weight I'm lifting. Oh, well. Guess that'll grow in time.

hey chica! don't stress on how much ur lifting. nothing to be embarrased about. the fact that u ARE lifting puts u ahead of most females on this planet!! :flex:

Thank you, everyone. I will keep it up!!! No stoppin' me now!

I kind of fell down on the job as far as recording my diet and exercise. So much for accountability, right? Thanks for calling me on it, Chantelau! :) I have to say, I was embarrassed of the amount of weight I'm lifting. Oh, well. Guess that'll grow in time.

Here is a quick run-down:

August 6

Diet:

Calories: 1270
Fat: 59 g (42%)
Carbs: 102 g (32%)
Prot: 85 g (27%)

Exercise:

Fasted Cardio: Treadmill for 2 miles on a 2 degree incline

Lat Pulldown: 10x70 lbs; 10x70; 8x70
Row: 10x40 lbs; 10 x 40; 10 x 50
Barbell Curl: 10x50 lbs; 10x50; 10x50
Concentration Curl: 10x10 lbs; 10x10
Dumbbell Shrug: 25x10 lbs ea hand; 25x10; 25x10


August 7

Diet:

Calories: 1921
Fat: 92 g (43%)
Carbs: 171 g (46%)
Prot: 113 g (24%)

Exercise:

Rest Day

August 8

Diet:

Calories: 1474
Fat: 46 g (28%)
Carbs: 201 g (55%)
Prot: 84 g (23%)

Exercise:

Fasted Cardio on Treadmill; 3.1 m; 1 deg incline; 37:00 min

August 9

Diet:

Calories: 1366
Fat: 28 g (18%)
Carbs: 213 g (62%)
Prot: 85 g (25 %)

Keep up the good work girl!:bb: Don't worry about the weight just keep moving it!:flex:

I have to say, I was embarrassed of the amount of weight I'm lifting. Oh, well. Guess that'll grow in time.

The weights you've posted are nothing to be embarassed about! I find myself getting caught up in what I "should" be able to lift and what I can actually lift, and that kind of thinking does no good.

Keep up the good work!! :tucool:

On your diet why do you eat more carbs than protein>? Just curious if I am missing something.

Also I will take less weight on the bar ANY DAY if it is going to jeopardize my form.


Your doing good. :tucool:

On your diet why do you eat more carbs than protein>? Just curious if I am missing something.

Also I will take less weight on the bar ANY DAY if it is going to jeopardize my form.


Your doing good. :tucool:

To be honest, I've just been eating what I want as long as it's clean. Then I add everything up at the end of the day. Horrible way to accomplish any goals, I know. I need to start really concentrating on my diet.

:lol::lol:I was online looking at some healthy recipes on another website. My husband just walked by and wanted to know what looked so good. He asked me what I was looking at. I said, "T-Nation.com". He stopped and said, "Teen Asian.com???":lol: Awful...

:lol::lol:I was online looking at some healthy recipes on another website. My husband just walked by and wanted to know what looked so good. He asked me what I was looking at. I said, "T-Nation.com". He stopped and said, "Teen Asian.com???":lol: Awful...
:lol: lol

Have you tried www.fitday.com (http://www.fitday.com) to count your food for the day>?

I think diet has helped me the most. Still tweaking it. :read:

My husband just walked by and wanted to know what looked so good. He asked me what I was looking at. I said, "T-Nation.com". He stopped and said, "Teen Asian.com???":lol: Awful...

dude that's epic!! :lol: my gf gives me shit for going to a site with the word testosterone in it..... but asian teens is way worse! i'll have to use that next time.

i don't think ur macro breakdown is too bad. just try to get a little more protein in if you can. i think u should probably aiming for 120 grams at least.

:lol::lol:I was online looking at some healthy recipes on another website. My husband just walked by and wanted to know what looked so good. He asked me what I was looking at. I said, "T-Nation.com". He stopped and said, "Teen Asian.com???":lol: Awful...

:lol::lol::lol: Tell the truth.....:lol:;)

Loving the new avatar. That hat is awesome.

:lol::lol:I was online looking at some healthy recipes on another website. My husband just walked by and wanted to know what looked so good. He asked me what I was looking at. I said, "T-Nation.com". He stopped and said, "Teen Asian.com???":lol: Awful...

Hey, we all have our secret fetishes. :whistle:

Like the avatar;)....love the hat!:nod:

:lol::lol:I was online looking at some healthy recipes on another website. My husband just walked by and wanted to know what looked so good. He asked me what I was looking at. I said, "T-Nation.com". He stopped and said, "Teen Asian.com???":lol: Awful...


Maybe he was worried he hadn't cleared his cache from the last time he was online! :whistle:

Maybe he was worried he hadn't cleared his cache from the last time he was online! :whistle:

:lol: :lol:

How was your workout today??:D;)

How was your workout today??:D;)

Alright, Chantelau! You got me. I haven't checked in for a couple of days, I think.

A couple of days ago was my cheat meal. I was going to run just so that I didn't feel totally lousy. But, I had a beer. Then I had three. I never exercised. And I totally blew it. Cheat "meal" turned into cheat day. The next morning (yesterday) I woke up feeling like CRAP. I was so depressed that I just laid around and did absolutely nothing. Nothing. No exercise, no eating. Stupid, huh? I finally had a sandwich at about 7 pm. So, yesterday I had a total of 600 calories. Today I got on the scale, and I shouldn't have. It almost ruined my whole day. I gained two pounds. But, I have a good friend who told me not to let the numbers get to me. So I got on the treadmill and ran 2 miles fasted. Did it in 22 mins.

On a good note, I overcame a few challenges last week. We had a catered brunch that was AMAZING!! I had some fruit only. The next day, we had an Ice Cream Social...the works. Good Lord! But I didn't have even one taste. Then my husband had a 24-pack of beer in the frige this last week, and I didn't have ANY for days (until my cheat day). And tonight, my husband and kids sit and eat ice cream and candy and drinking beer AND OFFERING IT TO ME OVER AND OVER!! Good god, don't they see what I'm trying to do??? But I haven't had anything.

Today:
Calories: 1587
Fat: 49 g (28%)
Carbs: 138 g (35 %)
Prot: 142 g (36 %)

:lol: lol

dude that's epic!! :lol: my gf gives me shit for going to a site with the word testosterone in it..... but asian teens is way worse! i'll have to use that next time.

:lol::lol::lol: Tell the truth.....:lol:;)

Hey, we all have our secret fetishes. :whistle:

Maybe he was worried he hadn't cleared his cache from the last time he was online! :whistle:

:lol::lol::lol: Y'all are insane! Yeah, that was pretty funny. I never thought about uncleared caches though...hmmm...:confused:

Loving the new avatar. That hat is awesome.

Like the avatar;)....love the hat!:nod:

Thanks, guys! (insert hillbilly smilie tipping hat politely) :p

well, you obviously have the will power to be successful with the change in your lifestyle if you can resist all that sh!t when it's right in front of you. Keep it up! :tu:

you should go for 3 miles... that's the first magic running number to hit (5k race). :gl:

A couple of days ago was my cheat meal. I was going to run just so that I didn't feel totally lousy. But, I had a beer. Then I had three. I never exercised. And I totally blew it. Cheat "meal" turned into cheat day. The next morning (yesterday) I woke up feeling like CRAP. I was so depressed that I just laid around and did absolutely nothing. Nothing. No exercise, no eating. Stupid, huh? I finally had a sandwich at about 7 pm. So, yesterday I had a total of 600 calories. Today I got on the scale, and I shouldn't have. It almost ruined my whole day. I gained two pounds. But, I have a good friend who told me not to let the numbers get to me. So I got on the treadmill and ran 2 miles fasted. Did it in 22 mins.



Yay, treadmill! Yeah, the worst thing you can do when you've indulged is decide that that's it and you're going to skip a workout or just eat whatever the hell you want the next day because you "blew it." Day to day, or even hour to hour, you can make a choice to either worry about what you did in the past or just look forward.

I used to beat myself up for giving in or being "bad" with diet, but as I get further and further into the lifestyle of eating well and exercising all the time, I've begun to realize that one day, one meal, one missed workout isn't the end of my healthy habits, it's just another blip on the graph, and I do much more good by just continuing as if I hadn't done something counterintuitive, and it all evens out pretty quickly.

Damn, I'm wordy this morning. You have more willpower than me when it comes to the ice cream social. :drool:

A couple of days ago was my cheat meal. I was going to run just so that I didn't feel totally lousy. But, I had a beer. Then I had three. I never exercised. And I totally blew it. Cheat "meal" turned into cheat day. The next morning (yesterday) I woke up feeling like CRAP. I was so depressed that I just laid around and did absolutely nothing. Nothing. No exercise, no eating. Stupid, huh? I finally had a sandwich at about 7 pm. So, yesterday I had a total of 600 calories. Today I got on the scale, and I shouldn't have. It almost ruined my whole day. I gained two pounds. But, I have a good friend who told me not to let the numbers get to me. So I got on the treadmill and ran 2 miles fasted. Did it in 22 mins.

LoneStarChick,
I've done that many times, except the part about not eating the next day. But atleast you did eventually get on the treadmill. Don't worry about the scale. If you gain muscle, the scale goes up, but that is a good thing. If you gain muscle, and lose fat, so they even each other out, so you see no change on the scale, that is a good thing, but the scale doesn't budge. Don't be a slave to the scale. I weigh myself only once a week, and that probably is too much.

So I got on the treadmill and ran 2 miles fasted. Did it in 22 mins.

Wow!!! Great progress from where you were just a couple of weeks ago! :tu: I went overboard last night snacking while watching the Olympics (go figure). But this morning I worked my back and biceps like there's no tomorrow. So long as there's at least one step forward for any step backward, we're heading in the right direction. :)

:Cough, Cough: Update? We are watching you. ;):nope:

well, you obviously have the will power to be successful with the change in your lifestyle if you can resist all that sh!t when it's right in front of you. Keep it up! :tu:

you should go for 3 miles... that's the first magic running number to hit (5k race). :gl:

Thanks, man! I went 3.1 once. I jogged the first two miles straight through, so that made me happy. But I killed my over-all time by pulling myself along with my arms on my belly for the last mile. :lol:

I've begun to realize that one day, one meal, one missed workout isn't the end of my healthy habits, it's just another blip on the graph, and I do much more good by just continuing as if I hadn't done something counterintuitive, and it all evens out pretty quickly.

I love it. Words of wisdom, to be sure. :nod:

Don't be a slave to the scale. I weigh myself only once a week, and that probably is too much.

I know, I know...I've been shackled to the scale all my life. I used to weigh in about 10 times a day! Crazy, I know. I'm down to weighing in once per week (except for this last weigh-in :o). It's hard to break away from that number.

Wow!!! Great progress from where you were just a couple of weeks ago! :tu: I went overboard last night snacking while watching the Olympics (go figure). But this morning I worked my back and biceps like there's no tomorrow. So long as there's at least one step forward for any step backward, we're heading in the right direction. :)

Thanks, modmaven! You're always so logical. I get all wrapped up in the emotion of it...mess up once and cry over it for days (and continue the eating that started the whole dadgum thing to begin with), but you're right. Just make sure that over-all, I'm going in the right direction! :tu:

:Cough, Cough: Update? We are watching you. ;):nope:

:lol: Alright, alright...here goes!

Yesterday:

Fasted Cardio: 45 mins Elliptical; Level 5; kept it at 4.5-5.0 mph

Bench Press: 10x40; 10x50; 10x 50; 8x50

Incline DB Press: 10x20; 10x20; 10x20

Military Press: 12x15; 10x15; 10x15

Lateral Raise: 12x10; 10x10; 10x10

Close-Grip Bench Press: 12x15; 10x20; 10x20

Tricep Push-Down: 12x50; 6x60; 10x50

Calories: 1180
Fat: 49 g (37 %)
Carbs: 101 g (34%)
Prot: 105 g (36 %)

Today is the second week since I took starting measurements. I've lost exactly 5 lbs in those two weeks. According to the body fat measurements I've taken, I have kept my lean body mass the same but lost fat. And my body fat is down from 31% to 28%. That just doesn't sound right, though. It seems like a pretty fast loss, but what do I know? After all, I did start out pretty high on that body fat, so maybe the first part will drop off quickly.

My son just came in and told me he wants me to go to the doctor so he can put a baby in my belly. He wants a boy to play with. And, of course, he ended up wanting to know exactly how babies are made and how they get in a momma's belly. Oh, for the love of god. My daughter made a swift exit. She ended up coming back and dropping her anatomy book in my lap and saying, "Here. You can use this." Then she ran again. :lol:

August 15

Exercise:

20 mins Elliptical
15 mins Bike

Diet:

Calories: 1201
Fat: 32 g (24%)
Carbs: 130 g (43%)
Prot: 99 g (33%)

August 15

Exercise:

20 mins Elliptical
15 mins Bike

Diet:

Calories: 1201
Fat: 32 g (24%)
Carbs: 130 g (43%)
Prot: 99 g (33%)
Keep it going.... :tucool: Have you ever thought about tweaking your diet? (I know I have no room to talk lol)

I try to keep mine 40 protien, 40 Carbs, 20 fat (good fats). Thanks for the update.

Keep it going.... :tucool: Have you ever thought about tweaking your diet? (I know I have no room to talk lol)

I try to keep mine 40 protien, 40 Carbs, 20 fat (good fats). Thanks for the update.

I haven't been doing too well with my diet, but I'll be working on that. I calculated my BMR and factored in the level of exercise that I'm doing along with my goal to lose two pounds per week. Looks like my calorie intake should be at around 1275/day. Since I want to run a marathon in a few months and will be running a lot, I'm going to try to keep my macros at 50% carb, 30% prot, 20% fat. That's something I'll be concentrating on this week. I have not been consistent on my diet at all.

Just got home from my run. 3 miles in 33 minutes. It was my first run outside, and I thought I was going to DIE!!! :rolleyes: I'm such a weenie. I had to walk the whole last mile. I thought I was going to throw up. Yeesh. Anyway, I realize that I need to get off that treadmill. If I want to run a marathon, I need to get out of the house and prepare for it!

WOOHOO!!!!:jumping::claphigh: Great job on the three miles girl...you are doing great!:nod:

Thank you, Jason!!

August 16

Diet

Calories: 1226
Fat: 37 g (27%)
Carbs: 146 g (48%)
Prot: 84 g (27%)

Congrats on the 3 miles! The dying feeling doesn't last as you get used to the distances, and running outside is always much more fun than the treadmill. :tucool:

Since I have started working out serious this year I have always wanted to do a 5K. You are doing good chica! I bet you would smoke me in a 5K lol. Today I will run 1/2 mile to see how fast I can go and keep moving up until I reach 3 miles in the months to come.


Keep it up! Eat clean, Stay motivated, Work out until you are dying. Do you have a picture of what you want to look like? Curious to see what females think is ideal. :tucool:



Oh and I am watching you.....:neener:

My son just came in and told me he wants me to go to the doctor so he can put a baby in my belly. He wants a boy to play with. And, of course, he ended up wanting to know exactly how babies are made and how they get in a momma's belly. Oh, for the love of god. My daughter made a swift exit. She ended up coming back and dropping her anatomy book in my lap and saying, "Here. You can use this." Then she ran again. :lol:

Wow. That's the first time I laughed so hard, I almost made cottage cheese shoot out my nose! That's HYSTERICAL!!!

He better be careful what he wishes for! My oldest was a little more than 6 when he REALLY wanted a little brother. Well he got one. Now they fight like cats and dogs, constantly!

My youngest wants us to have another baby so he can have a big sister. Still having some trouble explaining that the logistics on that don't work out too well!

BTW: I have family in Austin and Corpus. Where 'bout in Texas do you live?

I hope your night is going well! Keep working hard!

:sleepy::moon:

Nice going on hitting the 3 mile mark. Slow and steady progress is the key to getting to the higher mileage runs with minimal chances of injury.

If you don't think you're making any progress, go back in your journal and read some of your earlier posts about your runs. You're doing fine.

Anyway, I realize that I need to get off that treadmill. If I want to run a marathon, I need to get out of the house and prepare for it!

LoneStarChick,
That is not really true. I do most of my marathon training on the "dreadmill" (as some people call it). The weekly long run is the only running I basically do outside. On a treadmill, you can set the incline, which is good if you live in a flat area. You can set the speed, so it forces you to run at a certain speed.

Today is the second week since I took starting measurements. I've lost exact