Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 40

Calories for Day 40 (December 30th 2008):

M - 2 Double Cheeseburgers (convenience store type, plain, with 4tsp of Mustard) = 956
S - 3 pieces (45g) of red Licorice = 150
M - 170g Barbeque Chicken Panini = 400
S - 3 pieces (45g) of red Licorice = 150
Total calories: 1656

Exercise for Day 40:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: I did great on calories today! I'm really on a licorice kick for my snacks, but at 50 calories and about 1/3 of a gram of fat per stick (1 serving is 3 sticks) it's a better choice than most, even though it has no real nutrition value. But, that's why it's a snack, snacks can be fun and don't have to be carrots and celery. My opinion anyways. ^^ So, I'm doing good, and staying postive!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 39

Calories for Day 39 (December 29th 2008):

M - 255g Lasagne Frozen Dinner = 300
S - 2 pieces of Licorice = 100
S - 56g bag of Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies = 280
M - 90g of Pork, 90g (dry) of Rice, 1 can of Mushroom Soup, 30g of Cheese = 817
S - 50g of Potato Chips = 270
Total calories: 1767

Exercise for Day 39:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Better with calories today.

~M

Weekly Weigh-In #6

Previous Weight: 369.4
Current Weight: 367.6
Pounds Lost This Week: 1.8
Total Pounds Lost: 15.4 (in 38 days)

Next Weigh-In (#7): Monday, January 5th 2009

Last Word: Another week with a less than 2 pound loss..ugh! I'm trying to think of it in a positive light though, anything lost is lighter/healthier/smaller than I was the week before! I mean, being .2-.6 of a pound under goal each week won't ruin my chances at weight loss, right? I'm staying under 2000 calories a day, it's all I can do right now is to stay consistant. Change will happen in time, or should I say bigger change. So, 15.4 pounds lost in 1 month and 1 week! (But about 10 pounds was in the first 3 weeks and now just about 5 pounds in the second 3 weeks, but I'll stop complaining now, lol.) Moving on, keeping to my calorie plan, with the hopes of getting outside for some exercise more often once all this snow is gone...I can do this!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 38

Calories for Day 38 (December 28th 2008):

M - 227g Cheese Tortellini Frozen Dinner = 330
S - 3 pieces (45g) of red Licorice = 150
S - 48g of Ranch Corn Nuts = 220
S - 2 pieces of red Licorice = 100
M - 2 BBQ Chicken Crustinis = 640
S - 13g Ferrero Rocher Chocolate = 74
S - 2 pieces of Licorice = 100
S - 50g of Potato Chips = 270
S - 17g Chocolate Turtle = 90
Total calories: 1974

Exercise for Day 38:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Kind of high on calories again, but still under my limit. My caloried when I first started averaged more around 1600 or so, now they are 1900 or so...I hope I don't have to drop my calories more just to lose an average amount of weight each week.

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 37

Calories for Day 37 (December 27th 2008):

M - Tuna Melt (1 Bagel, 120g of water-packed Tuna, 60g of Cheese, 1tbsp of low-cal Mayo, 1tbsp of Ranch Dressing) = 765
MM - 1 DoubleCheeseburger (convenience store type, plain, with 2tsp of Mustard) = 478
MM - 1 DoubleCheeseburger (convenience store type, plain, with 2tsp of Mustard) = 478
S - 5 pieces of Licorice = 250
Total calories: 1971

Exercise for Day 37:
20-25 minutes of mall walking.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: I was very close to my limit for the day, but still under 2000, and doing good! Also, I got some exercise in, walked around the mall for about 20 minutes, but then there was some slow strolling, aka browsing, lol, for quite a while after that, too. Was a good day. :-D

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 36

Calories for Day 36 (December 26th 2008):

M - 170g Steak Panini = 380
S - 50g of Potato Chips = 270
M - Christmas Dinner Leftovers! (132g of roasted, no fat, no skin, white meat Turkey, 186g of stove-top Stuffing, 168g of Mashed Potatoes, 1/2cup of baby Peas) = 656
S - 17g Chocolate "Turtle" = 90
S - 17g Chocolate "Turtle" = 90
S - 373ml of Chocolate Milk = 234
Total calories: 1720

Exercise for Day 36:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Was a good day! I'm happy with my calories, and my food was yummy, so all is well. :-D

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 35 (Christmas!)

Calories for Day 35 (December 25th 2008):
~*CHRISTMAS DAY!*~

S - 13g of Honey Roasted Peanuts = 78
M - 2 (128g each) Barbeque Chicken Crustinis = 640
S - 500ml of Chocolate Milk = 320
M - Christmas Dinner!! (105g of roasted, no fat, no skin, white meat Turkey, 1/2cup of low sodium Stove-Top Stuffing, 1/2cup of Garlic Mashed Potatoes, 1/2cup of Corn, 85g of Green Beans, 50g of Cranberry Jelly) = 640(!!)
Total calories: 1678

Exercise for Day 35:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: I had a great day at home with my guys and our pets. My calories were awesome for today, I'm so glad I kept things under control, and my dinner was filling for so few calories! Everything was cooked without any extra fat or calories. It was so yummy, too! If I can stay within my calorie range on Christmas, then anything is possible! So, I'm off now, getting tired after a long day. Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good night! (LOL!)

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 34

Calories for Day 34 (December 24th 2008):

M - 170g Turkey Bacon Club Panini = 390
S - 50g of Potato Chips = 270
S - 17g Chocolate "Turtle" = 90
M - 2 Burritos (2 Whole Wheat Tortilla Shells, 148g of Extra-Lean Ground Beef, 60g of Cheese, 60g of low-fat Sour Cream, 11g of Taco Sauce) = 951
Total calories: 1701

Exercise for Day 34:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Happy with the calories for Day 34! Happy Holidays everyone!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 33

Calories for Day 33 (December 23rd 2008):

M - 170g Barbeque Chicken Panini = 400
S - 50g Potato Chips = 270
S - 17g Chocolate "Turtle" = 90
M - 2 Burritos (2 Whole Wheat Burrito Shells, 133g of Extra-Lean Ground Beef, 60g of Cheese, 60g of low-fat Sour Cream, 30g of Taco Sauce) = 930
Total calories: 1690

Exercise for Day 33:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: On plan again, whee! There is SOOOOO much snow here, LOL. 14" or so now and a forecast for 8-9" just today! Yikes...! Happy Holidays!

~M

Candycane Nails!

I love my nails so much that I decided I would post a pic of them, hehe! Cute, aren't they? :-D

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 32

Calories for Day 32 (December 22nd 2008):

S - 250ml of Chocolate Milk = 160
MM - 128g Cheeseburger Hot Pocket = 300
M - 2 Burritos (2 Whole Wheat Burrito Shells, 200g of Extra-Lean Ground Beef, 60g of FF Sour Cream, 60g of Cheese, 30g of Taco Sauce) = 1030
S - 116ml of Homemade Chocolate Milk (Skim Milk/Chocolate Ice Cream) = 60
S - 25g of Potato Chips = 135
S - 1 (17g) Chocolate "Turtle" = 90
Total calories: 1775

Exercise for Day 32:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Did good with calories today! I ran out of chocolate milk (my "snack" of the week, lol) and tried to make some at home with skim milk and a 100 calorie ice cream cup...it was so nasty, lol, it made about 2 cups and I only drank 60ml (1/4 cup) of it...never again, lol. Oh, and instead of having a full serving of chips for a snack, I only had a 1/2 serving! Whoot, go me, lol! It wasn't even 1oz, so I'm very proud of my portion control for that. :-D Feeling good, and still on track! \m/

~M

NSVs

So I have some NSV's (Non-Scale Victories) to share! I was so bummed out with my last 2 weigh-ins (especially this weeks), not to mention my measurements....so, I decided to make a post listing anything positive my weigh loss has brought me, thus far.

NSVs
- I can now walk around stores without having back pain badly enough that I'd need to sit down.
(I visited 3 different stores, over 2 hours of standing/walking, and didn't have any noticeable back pain!)
- I feel more confident.
(Even though I may not look any different, just knowing I will is giving me confidence to feel good (or at least better, lol) about my body while in public.)
- I have been happier since starting my new life.
(It can get frustrating and stressful trying to improve your health/appearance/lifestyle, but I'm still happier, in general, than I was months ago.)
- I am starting to take more pride in my looks, and compliment my appearance.*
(My weight may be an issue with me, but I've recently started taking even more pride in my outer appearance, such as doing my hair instead of just putting on maekup. After I've taken that time for myself, and I see my final product, I feel good enough to say "Hey, Lookin' good!" most every time.)
- I am learning self-control with food.
(I don't just mindlessly eat now, I make informed and controlled decisions on what I eat.)

*Speaking of taking pride - and time! - with my looks; a couple days ago I put alot of time and effort into making my nails candycane striped for the season! They are beyond cute! They look perfect (to me at least, heh), I'm so excited about them, lol, maybe I will post a pic someday. :-D

Well, I had one more and I lost the thought, lol, 10 minutes later and I still can't remember it, so...lol, I'll save it for my next NSV post I guess. Until next time...!

~M

Weekly Weigh-In #5

Previous Weight: 370.8
Current Weight: 369.4
Pounds Lost This Week: 1.4
Total Pounds Lost: 13.6 (in 31 days)

Next Weigh-In (#6): Monday, December 29th 2008

Last Word: Not so happy with this weeks weigh-in...2 low weeks in a row now, ugh. But I am glad it's something, and hopefully I have a nice big loss next week!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 31

Calories for Day 31 (December 21st 2008):

S - 250ml of Chocolate Milk = 170
MM - 128g Meatball Hot Pocket = 320
MM - 176g Chicken Nuggets and Fries Frozen Lunch w/ 19g of Ketchup = 336
S - 3 Chocolate "Turtles" = 270
S - 250ml of Chocolate Milk = 160 (different brand, 10 fewer calories, lol)
S - 30 Grapes = 102
M - 170g Barbeque Chicken Panini = 400
Total calories: 1758

Exercise for Day 31:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: On track, had a great day!

~M

Not Seeing Progress Off The Scale

So...I have offically...scrapped the 1 month measurements, lol. I got soooo annoyed trying to do them. Some places where I measured said I was the same, some had a small (0.5") difference, and some came out bigger...like, wtf, lol. And I usually measure a couple times per spot so I can make sure I get an accurate number, and this time I got a different number each time, ughhh! Annoying! And I don't mean different by a quater inch either, I mean like...1-2 inches! So there could be a few different thing going on. A) I haven't lost any size yet B) I couldn't measure the exact spot as last month C) Who knows?? LOL. So...I'm going to try again on January 21st 2009, and I hope hope HOPE I can see a distinct drop in numbers at that point. Cause after 2 months...the numbers better be going down by then! Or else, lmao. Yeah, so I hate to cancel the plan I made for myself, but I was just way to frustrated trying to hit the same area to measure to even want to bother writing down the results. Okay, so, hopefully I have something to say next month, ha! If not, I'll admit it, I'd be crushed. One month...I can kinda understand if my overall size hasn't started to shrink yet, but after 2 months...cmon, there's gotta be something happening by then, right? Okay, well I'm just blabbering and stressing right now...thinking I'm never gonna get smaller, sigh. Enough for now...I need to post yesterdays (it's 3am, so...) calorie recap, so I'm off.

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 30

Calories for Day 30 (December 20th 2008):

S - 30 Grapes = 102
S - 1 can of Potato Soup = 273
M - (Subway) 12" Turkey/Ham Sub (with Cheese, low-cal Mayo, Dijon Mustard, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Red Onion, and Green Peppers on Herb and Cheese Bread) = 846
M - Turkey Bacon Club Panini = 390
S - 1 (17g) "Turtle" (chocolate) = 90
Total calories: 1701

Exercise for Day 30:
25+ minutes of walking while shopping, etc.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Got some nice groceries while out shopping today. I made sure to get things that would fit nicely into my daily calories. I even got in some exercise by hoofing it around several stores, everything counts, right? I could use a little snack right now, but instead I'm going to go to bed. Oh, and tomorrow is my (1 month on track!) measurements check-in...eek!

~M

Blabber About Inches

So I found it useless to do my measurements after 3.5 weeks as planned, because I didn't see any change when I checked. But, I was thinking I would go by months for my measurements, not by weigh-ins. I started this on November 21st 2008, so then my first measurements would be taken tomorrow, on December 21st 2008, and again on January 21st 2008, etc. I don't know really, I'm just trying to find something that will work. I don't want to be bothered to do them if there is no progress to report on. I was going to do them on the 15th but I forgot to, then I snuck a peek the next day or so and saw no change. So..who knows. If 4 weeks/1 month is too small of a timeframe to see inches lost (in my case, I guess) then I can always wait until the 2 month mark, or even 3 month mark to do them. Then do them every 2 or 3 months after that. Leaves a bigger gap. Once a month would be nice, but I don't think anything will show in that amount of time. Yeah, I'm rambling as usual, lol. Tomorrow, the 21st, I will see if there's anything to report in that area, and if there is I will stick to 1 month at a time, if not, I will wait a month and check again, heh. I better be losing inches, and if I'm not then I better start soon, lol, I want to be smaller! I'm so tired of not being able to fit into chairs, not being able to breathe out when I put on a super tight seatbelt, and sooooo much more. I'm doing what I can at the moment, I just hope it starts paying off in more ways than just pounds. So, send me some good vibes! :-D I'll keep doing this, it's not a matter of if I lose inches, it's WHEN!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 29

Calories for Day 29 (December 19th 2008):

M - 1 Tuna Melt = 725
M - (McDonalds) Big Extra w/ Cheese, Large Fries, Large Diet Coke = 1217
Total calories: 1942

Exercise for Day 29:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Only had 2 meals again, but this time I treated myself to a restaurant meal. Calories were still on track; doing good!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 28

Calories for Day 28 (December 18th 2008):

M - 1 Tuna Melt = 725
M - Pasta Dish w/ 255g (dry) Penne Pasta and Homemade Sauce = 1081
Total calories: 1806

Exercise for Day 28:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Only had 2 meals for Day 28. Overall a good day still.

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 27

Calories for Day 27 (December 17th 2008):

M - 170g Steak Panini = 380
M - Pasta w/ Homemade Sauce (255g (dry) of Penne Pasta, 2 cloves of Garlic, 1/4 of a medium Onion, 1tbsp of low-fat Cream Cheese, 2tbsp of low-fat Sour Cream, 1/4cup of Skim Milk, 1/2tsp of Chicken Oxo, 1/2tsp of Black Pepper, 15g of Cheese) = 1071
S - 65g of Potato Chips = 350
S - 1/2 of a Chocolate Bar = 128
Total calories: 1929

Exercise for Day 27:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Well, I wish I would've tried harder to get in some exercise, but I did get to enjoy a nice bowl of pasta with John's suuuuper yummy homemade sauce and still stay under my calorie limit. Overall a decent day! :-D

~M

Change Of Plans?

The whole measurements thing is annoying me. I took a quick peek at my waist and hips and I don't think they've changed at all yet!! Ugh!! So, I'm going to stick to doing them alot less, maybe I will see results if I only check every 2-3 months. Hopefully I will start to see some size difference soon, after all that's what I really care about. If in the future I've lost 100 pounds but only 2" off my waist I'm going to be seriously ticked off, lol, so inches are what I really want. Maybe some strength training will help? I'm going to try to remember to fit in some time with my exercise band, do some arm curls, some squats, just the basics. It could help with the inches, and it couldn't hurt, for sure! Send me some good vibes, lol, I need them. Gotta stay motivated until the inches start coming off!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 26

Calories for Day 26 (December 16th 2008):

S - 1 Chocolate Cookie = 90
S - 30 Grapes = 102
S - 53g Bran Muffin = 140
S - 65g Bran Muffin = 171
S - 30 Grapes = 102
S - 136g of Yam Fries (baked with 0 calorie cooking spray and 0 calorie seasoning!) = 158
S - 100g of Yam Fries = 117
S - 172g of Yam Fries = 200
Total calories: 1080

Exercise for Day 26:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Umm, lol...I wasn't too hungry, but I was craving yams, can you tell? LOL! Well, after last weeks higher average of calories I'm kind of glad to have a low-cal day. All is good!

~M

Forgot

Yup, I forgot to do my 4 week measurements yesterday, but that's okay, I might do them tonight. I was thinking of just doing my waist, bellybutton, and hips (maybe calves, too) monthly, and save the whole production for once every 3 months or so. I don't think I'll see a big difference in things like my wrists, forearms, etc, every month anyways, but I did write them down because I wanted to have everything as a starting point. So, I think that's what I will do. Hopefully tonight I will remember, lol.

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 25

Calories for Day 25 (December 15th 2008):

S - 1 wedge of Grapefruit = 5
S - 30 Grapes = 102
M - 1 Frozen Dinner (Lasagne Alfredo) =350
M - Toasted Ham Bagel ( 1 Bagel, 1 serving of Ham, 1tbsp of low-cal Mayo, 2tsp of Mustard, 60g of Cheese) = 615
S - 175g French Vanilla Yogurt = 200
M - Toasted Ham Bagel ( 1 Bagel, 1 serving of Ham, 1tbsp of low-cal Mayo, 2tsp of Mustard, 60g of Cheese) = 615
Total calories: 1887

Exercise for Day 25:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Nothing much to say...on track!

~M

Weekly Weigh-In #4

Previous Weight: 372.6
Current Weight: 370.8
Pounds Lost This Week: 1.8
Total Pounds Lost: 12.2 (in 24 days)

Next Weigh-In (#5): Monday, December 22nd 2008

Last Word: I can't say I'm pleased with this weeks weigh-in, but at least it's something. Hopefully it just the after effects of TOM, or something else, who knows. But I will keep on working at it! 12.2 down, (1)87.8 to go, LOL!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 24

Calories for Day 24 (December 14th 2008):

S - 1 Chocolate Ice Cream Cup = 100
M - 1 Barbeque Chicken Panini = 400
S - 30 Grapes = 102
M - Toasted Ham Bagel ( 1 Bagel, 1 serving of Ham, 1tbsp of low-cal Mayo, 2tsp of Mustard, 60g of Cheese) = 615
MM - 2 bites of a Pasta Dish = 100?
S - 65g of Potato Chips = 350
S - 1/2 of a Chocolate Bar = 121
Total calories: 1788

Exercise for Day 24:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Good day for calories, had myself some yummy snacks and still under 1800!

~M

Worried

I'm kind of worried about my weigh-in on Monday morning. Not to mention my first measurements, after 3.5 weeks! I have a bad feeling that I'm only going to be down about 1 pounds or something, and have no inches lost in nearly a month. Maybe I'm just paranoid/nervous, or maybe I'll be right, who knows. I know I have had higher calories lately, around 1800-1950 or so, instead of my starting average of around 1600, but I should still be dropping pounds easily at anything under 2000, even 1999! TOM could be to blame I guess. We shall see. I have been having sweets as well, but in moderation, and not that many calories a day either. I'm hoping I'm just stressing out for no reason, could just be TOM making me feel heavier and bloated, TMI, I know, lol. Well, we shall see how it goes on Monday. Wish me luck!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 23

Calories for Day 23 (December 13th 2008):

M - 2 Sandwiches (4 slices of Bread, 1 serving of Turkey, 1tbsp of low-cal Mayo, 2tsp of Mustard, 28g of Green Pepper) = 459
M - 1 Tuna Melt (1 Bagel, 120g of Tuna, 1tbsp of low-cal Mayo, 1tbsp of Ranch Dressing, 60g of Cheese) = 695
S - 1/2 of a Chocolate Bar = 140
S - 1/2 of a Chocolate Bar = 116
MM - 170g Turkey Bacon Club Panini = 390
Total calories: 1800

Exercise for Day 23:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Not much to say about today...I had 3 meals and 2 snacks, and I stayed on track, all is good!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 22

Calories for Day 22 (December 12th 2008):

S - 1 Chocolate Fudge Pudding = 130
M - 1 Tuna Melt (1 Bagel, 1 can of Tuna, 1tbsp of low-fat Mayo, 1tbsp of Ranch Dressing, 60g of Cheese) = 695
S - 1/2 of a Chocolate Bar = 155
M - 2 Barbeque Chicken Crustini's = 640
S - 1 Peach Popsicle = 60
S - 1 bag of Popcorn = 300
Total calories: 1980

Exercise for Day 22:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: Under my calorie limit, but barely, lol. Still on track!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 21

Calories for Day 21 (December 11th 2008):

M - 1 McDonalds Big Extra Burger with Cheese, 1 McDonalds Large Fries, 1/2 of a McDonalds Barbeque Sauce, 1/2 of a McDonalds Large Diet Coke = 1194
S - 175g Strawberry Yogurt = 180
M - 170g (6oz) Barbeque Chicken Panini = 400
S - 1/2 of a Chocolate Bar = 105
Total calories: 1879

Exercise for Day 21:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: I treated my TOM cravings to a fast food meal today, but I still stayed on track, yay! Overall a fine day for calories. \m/

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 20

Calories for Day 20 (December 10th 2008):

M - 170g (6oz) Steak Panini - 380
S - 118ml Chocolate Ice Cream Cup - 100
MM - 61g of Pork, 45g (dry) of Rice, 1/2 can of Mushroom Soup, 15g of Cheese - 429
D - 695ml Arizona Fruit Punch - 278
MM - 62g of Pork, 45g (dry) of Rice, 1/2 can of Mushroom Soup, 15g of Cheese - 432
S - 1/2 of a Chocolate Bar - 123
S - 1/2 of a Chocolate Bar - 145
Total calories: 1887

Exercise for Day 20:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: I can't remember if my dinner was 61 and 61 grams of meat or 61 then 62 grams, so I'm just rounding up a few calories to cover either, lol. I'm happy that I stayed under 1900 calories even with TOM cravings, and I even got to enjoy some chocolate, too! (The 100 calorie ice cream cups from Breyers are amazing!! I have the chocolate brownie fudge one and it is insane! I need to buy more, lol, so few calories it's not even a "treat", hehe!)

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 19

Calories for Day 19 (December 9th 2008):

M - 170g (6oz) Turkey Bacon Club Panini - 390
S - 30 Grapes - 102
M - 256g (9oz, for 2) Barbeque Chicken Crustini's - 640
S - 118ml of Chocolate Ice Cream - 100
M - 170g (6oz) Barbeque Chicken Panini - 400
S - 1/2 (approx. 30g) of a Chocolate Bar - 149
S - 175g of Boysenberry Yogurt - 170
Total calories: 1951

Exercise for Day 19:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5

Notes: I was getting a little too close for comfort to that 2000 calorie maximum, but still didn't go over! TOM is giving me mega hunger so I really have to stay strong this next little while to keep on plan and stop myself from overeating. I want to have a good weigh-in next week! I didn't check my weight today but I will tomorrow morning I think. If I'm up then I want to watch my choices this week, I don't want TOM to give me a gain, or even no loss. I could be having better foods, but I'm still within my calorie range, which is my main goal. Overall an okay day, probably my worst so far, though. But TOM will leave and I will lose weight next week! I plan on it. (And, yes, I plan to write some "notes" about my daily food intake each day, if there is something to say about it, lol. Easier than making a whole new post for a few sentences.) \m/

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 18

Calories for Day 18 (December 8th 2008):

M - 170g (6oz) Turkey Bacon Club Panini - 390
S - 118ml of Chocolate Ice Cream - 100
M - 170g (6oz) Barbeque Chicken Panini - 400
S - 118ml of Chocolate Ice Cream - 100
M - 170g (6oz) Turkey Bacon Club Panini - 390
S - 30g of Cheese - 90
S - 50g of Cheetoes - 290
S - 2 pieces of Gum - 5
Total calories: 1765

Exercise for Day 18:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5!

~M

Weekly Weigh-In #3

Previous Weight: 375
Current Weight: 372.6
Pounds Lost This Week: 2.4
Total Pounds Lost: 10.4 (in 17 days!)

Next Weigh-In (#4): Monday, December 15th 2008

Last Word: I'm okay with my loss this week. It seems small in comparison to other weeks, but as long as I lose 2lbs a week consistantly I should be okay. Plus, when you look at the total in 17 days it looks pretty darn good. :)

~M

My Little Restaurant NSV

At lunch today with my guy I treated myself to a cheeseburger that I've been craving for a few days now. I was going to get the burger, a small order of fries, and a zero calorie drink. But I decided to only choose one high calorie part to my lunch, so I chose a garden salad with light dressing to go with my burger, instead of the fries! My whole lunch was only 582 calories! My guy got fries and I didn't even have one, I'm quite proud that I could show portion control out at a restaurant. Realistic Moderation! I enjoyed my lunch and stayed on plan all day. I got in some treats, something that I was craving, and stayed within my calorie limit again, yay! \m/

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 17

Calories for Day 17 (December 7th 2008):

S - 175g of Strawberry Yogurt = 180
S - 51g (about 1/3) of a Chicken Fajita Crustini = 96
M - (A&W) 1 Teen Burger, 1 Garden Salad, 1 Light Ranch Dressing Packet = 582
S - 1 Strawberry Yogurt Popsicle = 50
M - 170g Turkey Bacon Club Panini = 390
S - 1 stick of Gum = 3
S - 4 "wedges" of Grapefruit = 18
S - 50g of Cheetoes = 290
Total calories: 1609

Exercise for Day 17:
30 minutes of walking.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5!

~M

New Format, Etc

I was thinking of making a new format to my Calorie Recaps. Instead of listing "Meal 1", "Snack 1", etc, I will just write S for snack, M for meal, and MM for mini-meal. Also, I picked up more Stouffer's Turkey Bacon Club Paninis for my meals, as well as some of their Barbeque Chicken Crustinis! YUM! On top of all that I also picked up some low-cal snacks, such as, frozen peach and strawberry yogurt popsicles, and 100 calorie chocolate ice cream cups. The yogurt popsicles are a good size and only 50-60 calories each!
Tomorrow is weigh-in #3 already! 2.5 weeks on plan and it has just flown by! Wish me luck for tomorrow. I'm getting a little hungry so I might go grab a little snack. Until next time..!

~M

Panini Review!

Today I had the 2 paninis that I bought on Friday, one was disgusting, and one was the best thing I have ever tasted!! So I thought I'd do a little review. Here's what they were:

Lean Cuisine Steak and Mushroom Panini
170 grams.
340 calories per 170 grams.
9 grams of fat per 170 grams.
Appearance - 2.5/5
Price - 2/5 ($4.49 per serving)
Taste - 0/5
Will I Purchase Again? - NO!
Notes: The look of it frozen told me I probably wouldn't like it already, lol, and the cooked appearance only looked slightly more tasty. The smell was very nasty as well. The spices on it were terrible and it was all I could taste. I knew as soon as I saw it it was going to be gross. I just wish I never tried it, lol, and never wasted the calories on it! Never again.

Stouffer's Bistro Smoked Turkey Club Panini
170 grams.
390 calories per 170 grams.
15 grams of fat per 170 grams.
Appearance - 5/5
Price - 2/5 ($4.49 per serving)
Taste - 5/5 (I really mean 10/5, lol!)
Will I Purchase Again? - YESSSS! MANY TIMES, LOL!
Notes: Looks appealing straight away. Smells yummy. Generous cheese and meat, great spread on the tasty bread. Well worth the calories. I wish I has this lunch everyday of the week!

So there you have it. Both were expensive for an everyday lunch, but the Stouffer's was well worth it, lol, plus I've seen them on sale here for $3.49 sometimes. The Lean Cusine should be discontinued, lol! If I could afford to through away brand new food then I would have after the first bite. So if anyone who comes across this is looking for a low calorie lunch and/or is interested in the microwaveable paninis then I highly (Can you tell? LOL!) recommend checking out the Stouffer's lunch line. I am also a big fan of the Barbeque Chicken...umm I don't know what they are called but they look like yummy flakey Hot Pockets, in Stouffer's Bistro line as well. Sadly, they are rarely in stock. But, I stock up when I can, heh. Enjoy!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 16

Calories for Day 16 (December 6th 2008):

Snack 1 - 175g of Boysenberry Yogurt = 170
Meal 1 - 170g of Turkey Club Panini = 390
Meal 2 - 170g of Steak and Mushroom Panini = 340
Snack 2 - 30 Grapes = 102
Snack 3 - 12g (1 ball) of Lindor Chocolate = 74
Snack 4 - 1 Vanilla Cookie = 90
Meal 3 - 255g Frozen Dinner (Lasagne) = 300
Total calories: 1466

Exercise for Day 16:
None.

Caloric Outcome: 5/5!

~M

I Went Grocery Shopping

So, yes, I went grocery shopping. My guy and I picked up some of my staples, such as bread, soup, lean pork chops, a couple frozen dinners, zero calorie drinks, etc. Also, we bought some Cheetos and a few chococlate bars. Now before you spit your drinks out, lol, let me explain. When we got home I portioned all of it into ziploc baggies, perfectly weighed portions! So I can have them if I really feel like them, but just one serving. I even did this with the chocolate, I opened them, and cut them in half. Even though a full one is a serving I decided to make half portions for the chocolate! Each one is about 22-35g, or averaging about 1 ounce, and around 150 calories on average, or so. The Cheetos are in 50g servings, each being 290 calories. So those will be saved for days where I'm not nearing 2000, lol. I am standing firm in my slogan: REALISTIC MODERATION! Yes I can have chips, chocolate, ice cream, fast food, but it no longer defines my meals, it is no longer my staple, or my crutch, or my emotional support! I enjoy these foods now because I want the taste, not because I need them to make me feel better. As long as I know the difference, all is good. I have made such a fast turnaround in the past 2 weeks, it's amazing. It was like I woke up one day and said to myself "No, you don't need to overeat anymore, just eat when you are truely hungry." And then that's what happened. Not once have I been hungry and not been able to measure, calculate, and then enjoy my meals. I'm not going to lose weight eating dry salmon and celery because as soon as I want one cookie, one cheeseburger, one bowl of pasta, one hotdog, I'd be screwed. So "Realistic Moderation" is all about eating your "forever foods" just in smaller portions, and taking in fewer calories so that weight loss is possible. This is maintainable, and I really hope that I can do this.

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 15

Calories for Day 15 (December 5th 2008):

Snack 1 - 175g of Strawberry Yogurt = 180
Meal 1 - 1 "Blue Menu" (aka healthy/lower fat/lower calories) Chicken and Red Pepper Frozen Pizza = 920
Snack 2 - 30 Grapes = 102
Snack 3 = 1/2 (approx. 35g) of a Chocolate Bar = 168
Total calories: 1370

Exercise for Day 15:
Walking for Grocery Shopping - 20+ minutes

Caloric Outcome: 5/5!

~M

Catching Up

I thought I would drop by and catch up before I get doing other things. Yesterday my food may not have been too great (I had 4 chicken strips and 6 onions rings for dinner - with salad, though, lol!) but the overall calories were good, and it's not an everyday thing to have fried foods. I think I've have "splurdge" dinners only 2 times in 14 days, so, I don't see it as a problem. At the moment my opinion is, a calorie is a calorie, some are better choices and healthier, but eating 300 calories of onion rings won't have you lose weight less than 300 calories of carrots, because a calorie is a calorie. Like I said though, it's not something I think is "good", and it won't happen very often, but I'm on track with calories, doing really good every single day, so I'm feeling good for now. :)
Oh, a couple days ago I walked 40 minutes!! I went up to the mall with my guy and I bought some cream eye liners (soooo nice by the way, lol) and we walked back together, took us about 52 minutes but I stopped half way to rest my back for 10 minutes and we had a nice talk, so it was good. :) Anyways, I think that's all for now. I will be back later with my calorie counts, as always! \m/

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 14

Calories for Day 14 (December 4th 2008):

Meal 1 - 1 can of Potato Soup, 2 Ham Sandwiches (4 slices of Bread, 65g of Ham, 30g of Cheese, 1tbsp of low-cal Mayo, 2tsp of Mustard) = 726
Snack 1 - 30g of Cheese = 90
Snack 2 - 1 Vanilla Cookie = 90
Meal 2 - 199g (4) of breaded Chicken Strips, 88g (8) of breaded Onion Rings, 3 cups of Salad (3cups of mixed Lettuce, 1/4cup of Cucumber, 2tbsp of Ranch Dressing) = 902
Total calories: 1808

Exercise for Day 14:
None.

Caloric Outcome: * * * * *

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 13

Calories for Day 13 (December 3rd 2008):

Snack 1 - 2/3 of a 6" Subway Sandwich (2/3 of a 6" Wheat Bun, 2/3 of a serving of Roast Beef, 1 serving of Monteray Jack Cheese, 1tbsp of low-cal Mayo, Lettuce) = 270 (12.6)
Meal 1 - 255g Frozen Dinner (Mac N Cheese) = 300 (9)
Drink 1 - 1/2 (348ml) of a Arizona Fruit Punch = 139 (0)
Snack 2 - 10g of shredded Mozza Cheese = 30 (2)
Meal 2 - 4oz (approx.) of Boneless Skinless Boiled Chicken, 90g (dry) of Rice, 1 can of Mushroom Soup, 50g of shredded Mozza Cheese = 820 (30)
Snack 3 - 1 Vanilla Cookie = 90 (4)
Total calories: 1649 (57.6g of fat)

Exercise for Day 13:
40 minutes of walking!

Caloric Outcome: * * * * *

~M

Yummy Dinner!

Yesterday was good, got really close to 2000, but didn't go over or anything. I've been feeling really good about counting calories, no problems so far. It can get annoying to have to pretty much plan your whole day in advance so you don't go over your limit though, but it's not a big deal. If anyone is reading this, here's a little dinner tip for you. Take your choice of lean meat, about 100-200 calories worth, you don't need alot for this, cook it up and cut it into little cubes. Cook up a serving or 2 of rice as well. Then take a can of mushroom soup, make it up as if you were having soup, but keep it creamier by adding only 1/2 a can of water, not a whole one. Then measure out 1/2-1 serving of shredded cheese. Here's what you do. Make a bed of rice on your plate, sprinkle it with your cut up meat, pour your mushroom "gravy" over that, then sprinkle some cheese on top and heat it up just enough so the cheese melts. It is the BEST dinner ever, lol. I have about 75 grams of meat, 2 servings of minute rice, and 1 serving of cheese, with the can of soup, but I serve myself 1/2 at a time. It makes me eat slower when I serve it in 2 parts for some reason. The way I make mine it is usually 800something calories, but for those on lower calorie budgets then do this: cook up your one serving of lean meat, around 3 ounces, 1 serving of minute rice, about 1/2 a cup or 45 grams dry, 1 can of mushroom soup, and a 1/2 serving of shredded cheese, about 15 grams. All these things can be cooked with NO added fat or calories!! Start your dinner with a hearty salad with low-cal dressing, like low-fat Italian (which is only around 5-10 calories per tablespoon!!), and you've got a dinner of around 515 calories total! And it's so creamy and yummy you'll feel very satisfied. I need a bit more food to feel satisfied so I go for my full servings, but it still within my calorie limit, it's about 850-875 for me, and I still have more than enough room for the rest of my food that day. So if anyone reads this, lol, then try it out! It's sooo good, it's been my dinner staple, lol. I should work out my average fat grams one day. I think I will later, heh. Well that's all for now folks. \m/

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 12

Calories for Day 12 (December 2nd 2008):

Snack 1 - 1 can of Vegetable Soup = 182
Snack 2 - 30 Grapes = 102
Snack 3 - 1 Vanilla Cookie = 90
Meal 1 - 2 Ham Sandwiches (4 slices of Bread, 1 serving of Ham, 30g of Green Pepper, 30g of Cheese, 1tbsp of low-cal Mayo, 2tsp of Mustard) = 579
Meal 2 - 75g of Pork, 90g of Rice, 1 can of Mushroom Soup, 30g of Cheese = 873
Snack 4 - 1/5 of a Salad = 35
Snack 5 - 30 Grapes = 102
Total calories: 1963

Exercise for Day 12:
None.

Caloric Outcome: * * * * *

~M

13 Days Away

My first check-in for my measurements is in 13 days! I don't know if I will lose any size by then, but I sure hope so. Lazy morning today, so not much to say, lol. Wish me luck for the day!

~M

Calorie/Exercise Recap: Day 11

Calories for Day 11 (December 1st 2008):

Meal 1 - 1 can of Potato Soup, 2 Ham Sandwiches (1 serving of Ham, 4 slices of Bread, 1tbsp of low-cal Mayo, 2tsp of Mustard) = 726
Snack 1 - 2 servings (170g) of raw Baby Carrots, 2tbsp of Ranch Dressing = 210
Meal 2 - 1 McDonalds Double Cheeseburger, 1 McDonalds Medium Fries = 790
Total calories: 1726

Exercise for Day 11:
None.

Caloric Outcome: * * * * * /5

~M

Weekly Weigh-In #2

Previous Weight: 380
Current Weight: 375
Pounds Lost This Week: 5!
Total Pounds Lost: 8

Next Weigh-In (#3): Monday, December 8th 2008

Last Word: I'm very happy with my 5 pounds this week! Yay!! 8 pounds total in 10 days! Now I just need to keep it up, heh. \m/

~M