Contest--Day 5

I think I did all right today. Still high on the carbs, but I just don't know how I would get by without them. Maybe when I go grocery shopping this weekend, I can find alternatives. B-english muffin, ff cream cheese L-chicken wrap, cottage cheese, grapes D-meatloaf (xtra lean meat), sweet potato, peas S-string cheese, 1/2 granola bar (at school), cucumbers with salsa Exercise-walked to library this afternoon Pamela

Pamela, Are you logging your food into FitDay.com? Try logging your food to get the nutritional value and this will give you a better perspective on the carbs. Your food appears to be getting better, try allowing yourself one carb per meal...wean yourself off. For lunch if you are eating the wrap, skip the grapes try an apple much more fiber. For dinner both the sweet potato and the peas are real starchy. Try substituting either the potato or the peas for a non-starch veggie such as cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, or what ever you like. Trade the granola bar for an ounce of nuts. Weigh to Go on walking to the library. Mary

I used to use fitday, but once I started working, I found that I really didn't have the time to keep track of everything throughout the day, and it was really a pain in the neck to log it all later on. I DO keep a food journal. I'm SOO divided over this carb issue! Some of it is mental...I want to eat foods like any normal healthy adult. You know, sticking the basic food groups, eating a healthy calorie range without obsessing over it. I never counted carbs before, and lost 132 lbs. Calories in, calories out...it's SUPPOSED to work. At this point in my journey, my biggest issues are portion control, making the wrong choices (junk foods as opposed to healthy foods), binge eating, and grazing. Those are the things that I hope to get back under control with this contest. Yes, I know that there is some research out there stating that carbs can affect your weight loss. And I know that I should probably cut back on them further, but it's hard to explain to my family why they are being served foods they won't eat, and I'm not making separate meals...I don't have the time or energy for that! Plus, I can eat a can of tuna fish and be hungry an hour later, but an english muffin lasts me four hours. Figure THAT one out! So anyway...it's all probably just a lot of excuses, and I appreciate your suggestions. I was wrong about the granola bars...there were a few left that I shared with the kids (and of course ate half of one)...but THOSE are out of my life, at any rate! Pamela