1st 2008 WEIGH IN!

OK...so maybe the scale was unkind, but you obviously have learned valuable lessons along the way. You said it yourself...the old you would have given up and indulged more. What a truly marvelous badge you wear now...on that proclaims you love yourself enough to right the wrongs....before its too late. Great going!!  HUGS  Jeanine

Hi Marge, I was quite disappointed in my loss this week, only because as I've announced to this entire board, I love period week because its usually a 5 lb loss.. not this time.  Oh well, its mostly my fault - I did great avoiding holiday eating but I've done bad with New Year eating.  We've been going to a lot of restaurants, and even the low-cal things tend to sneak in bad ingredients and calories... and lets not even talk about the bread baskets.   I've also been bad about exercising - we bought Dance Dance Revolution for Wii yesterday and I got a good sweaty workout from that.  Its fun, except I don't score very well because I refuse to jump yet. I'm back to tracking my calories and they were creeping up along with carbs.  Time to get  down below 900 again and no more snacking.   I would like to see another few months of good loss before it starts slowing down... we shall see what happens.  Start 440 Surgery 405 Last week 324.6 This week 322.0 

Calorie-creep is evil and it happens so easily, so insidiously that we don't always see it happening!  It's part of why I continue to track my food every day at 2+ years out.  I've discovered that I can easily eat 3000 calories in a day by snacking and grazing, and I never want to go back to the place that type of eating led me to.   The good news is your still in your honeymoon phase, so I bet you'll continue to lose an average of 10 pounds every 4 weeks for another few months.  I averaged 10 pounds a month until I hit my year anniversary, then it slowed down to 5-7 pounds a month, and now I'm lucky to hit 1-4 pounds a month. 

Keep working on those snacking habits, and stick with that new exercise routine!  Those are changes that will help you keep off the pounds you've lost long term!!!

Kellie

Right now I'm averaging 16 lbs/month but its slowing and I knew that was going to happen.  At six months out my doc will raise my calories a little too and it might slow more- I'm supposed to be at 800 right now but I aim for 900 usually because when I raised it to 900 I seemed to lose better.  At 6 months he has you work up to 1200 and stay there until a year out (at least) unless you are super active.  I'll be very happy to continue with 10 lbs/month until a year out.  That sounds excellent With calorie-creep I was getting up to about 1300-1400 easily, which still isn't a lot of calories but it sure makes a BIG difference on the scale.  I wasn't tracking food every day, just a few times a week.  I'm back to every day now, its a pain but its worth it.  My goal is to be at 250 by my 30th birthday (May) - that isn't realistic at 10 lbs a month, but its about 14 lbs a month so it MIGHT be doable, or at least I'll get close if I behave myself.  I won't be disappointed if I'm not there but it would be really nice if I was.

In May, 30 years ago, Dunny was born.  Meanwhile, Kix was graduating from college!  Oy!    Chanting, "Age is just a number." Kix PS, I'm sure you'll make your goal.

Dunny...you're way to hard on yourself. You still had a 2 lb loss, so even though you had too much of the wrong things, you have taken immediate steps to change that.  Everyone should read the book "What to Say When you Talk to Yourself" by Shad Helmstetter. Its well worth the read!!  There's nothing I love more than to have a nice dinner out, but damn...I can't find a place where they don't give you tons of food (then they wonder why so many Americans are obese) or they cook everything fatty.  I miss dining out. The most I've done is a turkeyburger at TGI Fridays (no bun) and mashed potatoes instead of fries.  I was only able to eat about 1/3 of the burger and less than 1/2 of the potatoes.  But it was fun to get out and not have to cook.  Bread baskets are lethal!  Tell the waitress not to bring them!!  Each week will be different on the scale Dunny...hang in there!!  HUGS  Jeanine

I don't think I'm being hard on myself - I'm just being realistic.  Dining out is tough - the places we regularly go I can find good options - we eat at the same Thai place once a week and we probably will until we move from San Antonio.  Its healthy, good, and the owners are this wonderful old Thai couple who treat us like family and make anything I want how I want it in whatever portion size I want it in.  There is also a Greek place that we go to once or twice a month and I can get a skewer of grilled chicken and a green salad and be more than happy.  Finally there is a Chinese/Vietnamese place that I eat pho at regularly (without the noodles).  Its cheap, super healthy and delicious.  Those places I don't feel guilty about.  Its places like Carraba's and Friday's and Mimi's cafe where I can easily get in to trouble - even a half of quarter portion of food is large and calorie laden (although I do recommend the dagonfire chicken at Fridays - its a small portion and the whole plate is 500 cals - I eat half) We've always gone out for a meal fairly regularly (2-3 times/week for either lunch or dinner) but lately its been nearly once a day.  As for bread baskets, I don't tell the waitress not to bring them because my husband eats from them, but I do make him keep it on the other side of the table from me so I couldn't reach it if I wanted to. 

OMG...Carabas...I love that bread dipped in oil. I could make a meal of that!!  At least the OLD me would have. I don't care for Thai or Greek or Vietnamese. I'm a down home meat & taters gal.  Really hot foods bother me.  I just meant that you sounded like you were beating yourself up for not having a 5 lb loss.  I think you're doing great!  HUGS  Jeanine

Oh yeah their bread is sooo good - I was a little sad when we went there because I couldn't have it.  And garlic/spice oil thing you dip it in is even better.  Really hot foods are an absolute necessity for me.  Its the kind of stuff I was raised on and I am so glad having surgery didn't change my ability to eat flamingly spicy things. All the best! Jenn

My first Monday weigh in too.... first public weigh in ever. actually.... Let's see... Highest weight - 352 this week - 329