Hi Y'all

I guess I am maintaining, but would like to drop another 20# to get to 160. As I say, when I am more careful about how much I eat on weekends and suppers, I will lose. I would say I eat about 1500 calories or so daily. On Saturday-Sundays, eating upwards of 2400 daily.  When I am doing better, the weekend days are more like 1800 cal, weekdays more like 1400 cal.  My body is pretty ready to put on wieght immediately. Before this plan, I ate more overall, especially during the work day. I've eaten good quality foods in balance for many years, apparently too much for me. I was steadily gaining 5-8 pounds a year.  In my case, more like the vacation 5# would come and not leave. Before this plan: I am not hungry in the morning, so for years I typically have a protein drink, a bowl of high fiber cereal at the most.  Fresh fruit at break time, or picking at break room foods:  cakes, muffins, bagels, etc. Lunch was leftovers of suppers:  soups, casseroles, meatloaf, etc.  Afternoon:  if anything at all, soda and string cheese, or worse, more breakroom food.  Worst thing:  have nothing, then be starving when I got home by 5 p.m.  I would dive into chips/salsa, cheese, crackers, etc.  Whatever was not nailed down. Suppers:  Casseroles, sandwiches, meatloaf, pizzas, down-home stuff.  Back to you, please don't cut out grains.  Insoluble as well as soluble fiber is very important. DO watch them, but you should be able to eat 3 servings daily no problem and lose.   (if you read my post below to Circus, I go into the portion sizes thing more.  PORTIONS are where it's at, dear. of course, as I say, we all kow the foods to avoid.  If you are eating out lots, stop, entirely for at least a month and see how you do.) You should experiment with more veggies, eat them like medicine, which they are. Have you read anythign about the 2003 Human Genome Project? Check that out.  In your position as a young woman who will raise a family someday, it is fascinating about the nutrition, especially phytochemical discoveries.

Another thing I will have to deal with along the way is that ....even though I never considered myself a picky eater.....compared to what some of you all are eating, I guess I am.  I don't eat squash, yams, zuccini, eggplant, and a few others.....and as far as the soy goes -- maybe different products taste differently but the soymilk I've had was NOT something I could see me substituting....and tofu.....ICK! Am I doomed? I do want to try some of the whey protein or something like that to add to things I am already going to eat.  I do think the added protein helps to bulk it up and stay with you longer.

there is absolutely no reason you have to cut out crystal lite if it works for you. it also is not necessary to cut out ALL carbs/starches. just limit yourself. that is one thing i've tried to be very careful about myself. because on some things, i know if i try cutting it totally out of my diet, i'll end up binging on it one day. so, i've allowed myself starches here and there in controlled portions. i've allowed myself some pie at thanksgiving etc, but don't make it an every day habit. i also like some of the bariatric stuff like neecee does. i keep some protein bars and atkins protein shakes around so if i'm ever in a hurry and don't have time to fix myself a meal, i'll grab one of those. i've also gotten into the habit of looking for healthier snack things and i'll go ahead and divide whatever it is up into the right portion size for me into ziploc snack bags.  they are quick and easy to grab and already in the right portion for me so i don't have to worry about it.

Dolphin - yes I have done the baggies in the past too!  I think the hardest thing for me is eating lunch at work when I haven't planned ahead of time.  Especially working in a downtown environment, it's hard to go somewhere out of the office and know what you're really getting -- and god knows I have to stay away from the vending machines! I am like you, I think, in that I really do need to cut MOST of the starches, sweets, etc... out of my diet but I will have to allow myself to have a very small amount of it every so often.  I really do want this to be a life change and not just something I do to lose it temporarily.  Yes, I am getting married in June and that does help my motivation, no doubt, but I really want to be able to do this permanently.  I feel so much better all around when I am eating better foods, and not only that, I am proud of myself when I am able to follow some better guidelines in my life. Neecee, thank you for all of the info.  I think I will probably approach this very much like you have.  I will start the exercise a little on the gentle end though and work my way into it.  I don't say this as an excuse but I do have some other problems that I do not want to exacerbate by over doing it.  I do want to get back to where I was once before though.  I looked good, felt good, felt strong and confident, and was able to walk everywhere, around anyone with my head held high.  I miss that.  It's depressing!    Thanks to everyone!

Ok - this is where I am going to jump in with my 2 cents worth. I am a picky eater too!  I like what I like - and asparagus is NOT on my list of foods...LOL overview of what I do when I am losing.... about 1800 calories a day.  lots of lean meats and cheeses, complex carbs fruit and veg.. but only foods I like. I am in the modify your current life camp... do you eat breakfast now?  If not start.  If you do what modification can you make to make that meal healthier?  Do you eat fruitloops with 2% milk every day?  Could you switch to wheaties with nonfat?  Not a huge change - but it will make a difference! once you have your breakfast fixed add a morning snack...  (maybe a V-8 juice?) then work on lunch! water water water!  and ditch the soda :)  personally I dont do any sweetners but that is because they seem to keep me from losing weight and I am allergic to splenda (my issue...lol) welcome to the group :) 

I checked your link.  You're not considering bagels complex carbs, are you?  I also don't see any fruit or vegetables in you food diary.  I'm assuming the posts are incomplete. Not trying to rag on you, just noticed it.  Eating bagels with cream cheese is not going to get you where you desire (a bagel is like 6 slices of regular bread!)

nope - I am not under the assumption that bagels are complex carbs - but they are yummy! In my post I said "when I am losing"  I am not losing right now.  As I have stated before, I am hovering between 300 and 305..  My original plan was to stay there until the new year and then begin again, but I have been feeling more like starting again sooner.  I am not quite ready to leave the 300's behind.  it is a head thing.  just not ready yet.  I will know when I am ready (like I said, I am getting close) and then I will be back on my eating plan full force. For the moment I am enjoying eating and maintaining my weight.

Okay.  Didn't want confusion to counter your anticipated goals.  No one can push you but you, so I won't, but why do you believe in "readiness"?

because I do.  I have been a 300 + pound woman for many many years.  I am quite happy with myself and my body image.  I only want to lose weight for health issues.  Honestly it is hard to let go of a piece of my identity.  I like who I am. and so, I am pausing to take a deep breath and say good bye to a part of me, a part of my identity.  I know that as I get under 300 people will begin noticing that I am losing.  that will require a response from me.  I need to be ready for that too.   I have already lost nearly 40 lbs most of that in 2 months.  Despite my efforts in October to plan my foods I found myself cheating, going off plan...  eating too much.  I couldnt figure out why I wasnt able to stick to my own plan - truth was I didnt want to.  I wasnt ready too.  Every time I got close to 300 I would have a little binge...  I even dipped just below 300 a couple of times... but never for long. So I gave myself a break.  A planned platuau if you will.  I am eating as I please (including but not limited to bagels with cream cheese!) and am maintaining my weight ....  like I said, I will be back with the loss portion of my program in a week or two ....  first of the year at the latest.

Hi Viola,  I definitely believe that you have to be ready to do it.  If you are not motivated and on board with it COMPLETELY it's easy to fall off the wagon.  For me, I have been afraid of going in full force BECAUSE I have lost and re-gained so many times before.  The only thing worse to me than being fat, has been re-gaining the weight back.  I don't want to have that disappointment again.  And I think that unless I am completely ready and on board with it, I should not move forward -- I think I would be setting myself up for failure AGAIN! I am impressed that you are indeed happy with your body image.  That's awesome for you.  I cannot say that even in the least about myself.  I hate the way I look and I know that I don't take as good a care of my appearance (I don't try as hard) when I am larger.  I am so glad that some out there can, but I always feel different.  I feel like I can't be all feminine and pretty when I am larger -- when I am not happy.  It doesn't mean I shouldn't be -- I just know I never am.  I wear baggier clothes and try to cover up -- don't worry as much about make-up or dressing up a little to go out.  It just doesn't interest me when I don't look good (to myself) in my clothing. Good luck to you whether you start today or at the first of the year.  I figured my only choices were to be o.k. with being heavy or lose the weight -- I am choosing the latter. Thank you for your response.  I look forward to seeing your progress!