well I'm here...

[jersey-jen]

starting Weight Watcher with my SIL tomorrow night. Headed out to the grocery store this morning and stocked up on fruits, veggies, some Lean Cuisines for dinners.

This is going to be a little tough as our schedule at home/work is wonky - 3 nights per week DS has some sort of activity which necessitates early, quick dinners. So I plan on salads w/ some sort of protein on/in it for me, or a lean cuisine supplemented w/ salad and fruit.

Here's to sticking with the plan for the long haul.

[ahava]

Yah .. I'm here too. Hang in there.

I've been struggling over the last 6 mos adjust to many many changes. The worst one of all - I gained 15lbs over the last 2 years.

The good news. For the last 3 weeks - I'm back to working out 4-5x week, 60min cardio. I feel like it is *almost* a habit again. The bad news, I don't LOVE it like I used to. I'm hoping that changes.

The bad news. While I finally am getting back to working out ... I'm eating like an elephant. You know how it goes, you think you can add it up in your head, and at the end of the day - you say WOW - that was a lot, tomorrow will be better. And tomorrow is worse. THEN you write it all down and realize you eat like 2 elephants.

So I've of course lost no weight due to working out. But I guess I could be 5 lbs heavier.


So there you have it. Back at it again.

I went and looked at myPlate - it says 892cal/day for 2lb/wk weight loss. Since I work out about 500 cal/day, I guess I can handle it - but boy I'm getting old.

[Kerlin]

PLANNING is the key word. I recommend for you and Jersey Jen to make some large portions of good for you stews and soups and freeze them. Try to find a few hours on the weekend to whip up some vegetable-laden (but good) meals and freeze them. On busy days, in the a.m. pull the frozen meals out and they will be ready to heat up when you get home. Have some precooked brown rice or whole grain pasta available to go with it.

Think about crock-potting more. Assemble ingredients night before, turn on crock in the a.m. Dinner is ready.

Plan for strategic snacks or little things that help make it easier. Clementines, dry roasted nuts, a hard boiled egg, a banana: anything that gives you longer term energy and does not send your blood sugar spiraling. On the other hand, a big frothy skim milk cappuccino with a teaspoon of sugar is the trick for me in the later afternoon.

Give yourself a cut-off time in the evening and then brush and floss your teeth. If you are empty-feeling before bed, pour yourself a big glass of sparkling water. I often add a multivitamin/mineral effervescent tab to this and I get a little "fake" sugar satisfaction, plus the bubbles fill me up. These are more common in Europe than in the US, but you can find them. On Amazon I found this: http://www.amazon.com/Naturally-Vita.../dp/B003Y3D390

Hard candies are good if you just need a bit of sweet. I like hard caramels or things like Sweetarts. You just limit the number you eat and take them into account. 100 calories this way will not bankrupt you! And plan for a break on weekends or whichever day works for you. Then give yourself at least some of what you miss during the week, but try not to overdue.

Just some thoughts....plan for the long haul.