Connorcream Checkin

[connorcream]

Some may have been following my conversation with Bright Angel concerning Diet Power. I realized it was time to have my own check-in for myself to chronicle my second phase of Nos will confirming her cautions with my own experience. This is a copy from BA with additional observations.

Howdy,

What an eye opening past 5 days. I found an app for my iTouch that is independent of the internet, has numerous entries for calorie counting foods and started logging, while at the hotel and on the go seeing exhibits. When needed, later I would connect with a Wifi and find whatever foods not accounted for in the app. Much to my relief, and with the technology available, this was quick process.

I also dusted off my scale, and was shocked at how much I had gained over the past 1 1/2 yr on NoS. So weekly weighing of myself, and when needed food, is back.

I found the sites you suggested, they gave me a starting point for my resting calorie use and suggested deficit to lose 30 pounds over a 6-7 month time frame with a 1300 cal daily consumption. I expect to adjust this as loss occurs, but I do now expect a reasonable amount of loss over a realistic time frame as to the vague, it is a slow process.

I never had wild S days, and I quit keeping up with my calendar because it was green. I walked almost 6 days a week, minimally, and did shovel glove 5 days a week. However, it does matter what that something is on my plate and at my age and pre-menopause those small calorie shifts really do add up.

I now see why WW, SB, or NoS works, the positives to each and the pitfalls too.

Habits that I am keeping:
1. Realizing yet again maintenance is harder than weight loss. So within my calorie consumption, if I choose to eat Apple Fritters on the weekend with the kids as an S (which I will do), I need to account for that somewhere else.
2. Appreciate fruit as a dessert. Keeping no sweets. This was a big habit to break and very grateful to have done so.
3. Shovel Glove, 4-5 days per week.
4. Daily walking bumping up 14 min to 20 min over time. Might add horse back riding with the kids in as well. Have to see how the budget goes.
5. If I have a calorie loaded day, such as going to Oriental Buffet which was anticipated definitely an S day, I won't try carrying over a balance like WW does. A still like the special days exception but realize those indulgences need to be accounted for elsewhere. Hoping I can absorb them over a long enough time frame. This might need modifying over time.
6.I like no snacks. I would rather have larger nicer meals than smaller skimpier meals. I like the time savings of no snacks and the cost savings too. Thank you Reinhart for reminding me of my childhood in this regard:-)
7. I have never been one to get a second helping, except at buffet places, which I keep to a very minimum throughout the year. Keeping no seconds.
8. Even with these cal limits, a beer or wine is permitted which I enjoy. I just need to choose where I want to spend my cal- very much like where do I want to spend my money.

BA thank you for being willing to post honestly of your walk. It remains to be seen if daily journalling will be a habit, but with the internet and iTouch, it really is an easy process and more rewarding than checking off points with WW. I know I will need to adjust cal/exercise over time as loss occurs, but it is time that loss and not gain is the norm.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
After a week of recording calorie content of food, the first time, several ideas occcur to me.

1. It was easier than I thought it would be. Having the technology of the internet and and iTouch connected to Wifi at times made the learning curve easy. I now have to figure out how to get the data backed up from the iTouch.

2. There is more food to eat than I thought there would be. I am on 1500 cal, a deficit of 550 cal, for a very gradual loss process. Nos is good for training one to not expect quick results. Another very good thing.

3. The habits from no snacking, no sweets, and no seconds is really helpful. This behaviour helps, but does not insure, calorie restriction.

4. Foods I was eating had more calories than I realized, craisins and almond slivers on oatmeal or olive oil on veggies/bread, or mayo on a hamburger as an example. I am very focused on portion size.

5. I like eating real foods and am willing to sacrifice quantity for quality. Something else I learned with Nos. So it will be real Blue Bell vanilla ice cream but only 170 cal and not if I have a glass of wine too. I like half & half in coffee but only need a 1 tsp with Splenda to satisfy.

6. My weighing day is off from when I started, didn't have a scale on the trip. I will probably move weigh in day to Thurs, off of Sat. for progress recording.

7. I am very glad to be working on this now before the holidays hit next month.

8. I will need to increase exercise time. Habitcal will be good for this as it has been in the past.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
1. 2 pounds down. Encouraging.
2. More encouraging was when the brownies came out unexpectedly last night and I had already decided to spend my calories on a good beer instead. Using the no sweet habit and the realization that no one really cares what I eat is very nice I passed them by.
3. I also realize I do know what I will be eating the day before, as I have to prepare meals for a large family, and so can plan my calories out the night before. I thought I would be needing to figure out calorie content instantaneously which would be impossible to sustain for any length of time. For me this is analogous to cash in envelopes. DH&I predetermine what we will spend, put it in an envelope, then spend from that. When it is gone, it is gone. If something comes up unexpectedly, cuts need to be made elsewhere. This is the cross over of habits/virtues Reinhart is good at clarifying.
4. I had split pea soup last night. A cup, sprinkled with real cheddar cheese and a roll is satisfying. So was the dark beer. No midnight cravings.
5. I think I had a fear of calorie counting leading to eating nothing but celery and carrots. I am keeping in mind that I had better be able to eat normal foods with regular people, and not diet type foods. This is something from NoS- focusing on maintenance while losing.
6. Still need to transfer my data from the iTouch to something with backup capabilities.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Watching the calorie content has made me re-evaluate my oatmeal habit- 1 tbs of butter, 2 tbs of dried fruit, 2 tbs of brown sugar, 2 tbs of milk. Not much individually but together, in an overall day, it does add up. Question is, is it worth it? Do I need it to find satisfaction in the meal? The answer to the butter was no- I only used 1 tsp today. Next time I will try 0 butter. The dried fruit was sweet enough without the brown sugar, I unwittingly didn't add sugar, and was glad for it. And 1 tbs of craisins, with 1 tsp of slivered almonds was quite nice for me.

I have a lunch meeting today with lunch being served. I am glad to have shaved a few calories from breakfast, coupled with Chicken Adobo with brown rice for supper to weather this uncertainty.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Found a solution to backing up my iTouch until I get my iMac at Christmas. I will use the children's Mac book. Not an ideal solution, but one that will get me by for the next 1 1/2 months.

I am also thinking about the shifting calorie requirements as weight is lost. Another concept worth understanding, especially for my body.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Lunch was Subway sandwich (4" long), roasted chicken. No mayo, just mustard, jalapeños for kick. Choc chip cookies served but not an S day, didn't want to spend the calories, and no one cared even though the lunch meeting has close together. Not too hungry either.

Knowing the calories helped me make wiser food choices even though the sandwich easily fit on a plate with room to spare.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Down a total of 3 pounds, in one week, watching my calories for the first time. Is this weight loss sustainable? no. Could this be water fluctuation? Sure. But it certainly gives some credence to the fact that calories matter. And it leads to a conclusion, that cal are the essential component to weight loss.

Additionally, I am not starving, eating carrots/celery, or eating diet foods.

Sat. night is definitely an S day. SIL home from Iraq, second tour, this one for contractor BAE, with SIL/DD paying off over $90K in student loan debt, plus accumulating savings for a year, and socking 8 % aside of retirement at the age of 27yr. Much to be grateful for and celebrate.

So we want to take them to Paesanoes a rare treat. I usually order the Shrimp Paesanoes. It alone is 663 calories, plus spaghetti, plus their fantastic bread, olive oil dipping, a glass of wine (not 2 as I would like over the course of the evening), and not even counting a dessert I am easily looking at over 1600 cal of this one meal of basically shrimp and butter. This isn't really gluttonous, like eating a whole bag of cookies or a container of ice-cream type thing. Just eating maybe 8 shrimp, with sauce over their serving of spaghetti. So I am mulling this event over.

These type of behaviours over time which will definitely put the pounds on. In fact, when I was looking up cal for Asian coleslaw, I was shocked by how many cal restaurants have for Asian coleslaw as opposed to mine made at home from reduced fat Paul Newmans. If I am eating shredded cabbage, I certainly don't want to have 200 cal worth of dressing on it.

I could see how watching calories before computers would become daunting, leading to "celery as a meal" eating. But with the internet and for me an iTouch, the information is easy to come by and calculate.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Had my computer son trying to download the app journals to a Mac Book and running into technical problems. So this is something I need to fix before too long. However, having my portable iTouch so handy both with calories from the internet and stored on it is worth this glitch.

I have inadvertently saved up calories for tomorrow night by being diligent this past week. I am down 3 pounds now, which is quite encouraging and am not willing to just cash them all in. But knowing I could, is quite freeing.

BA is such a marvellous resource coupled with NoS habits and insights, I am very happy about this process.

SIL arrives home tonight. Praise be to God.

[kccc]

Hi Connercream,

I've been following your conversation with BA with interest. May I ask how much you gained on No-S, over how long? (Don't have to reply - I know that's a bit impertinent, but I'm very curious.)

I have mixed feelings about counting calories - in fact, BA and I had an extended conversation about it. (Maybe a year ago? If you search for it, you'll find it.) Basically, I felt that in the early stages of No-S, a focus on calories derails habit-building. More importantly to me at the time, calorie-counting was linked to a negative relationship with food that I was reveling in leaving behind.

Since then, I've realized that the two don't have to be mutually exclusive... I actually think I count almost unconsciously, because I dieted so long I just know the impact of a lot of choices. And I've always made an exception to calorie-counting for restaurant food, because it can be so incredibly deceiving.

So, I'm interested in your experience of adding counting on top of a previously-established, solid No-S habit, and how that works for you. Good luck!

KCCC

[connorcream]

Howdy,-
Give me a few days, SIL is due in any minute. I did gain following NoS, just need to pull out my data. In fact I need to see what my past data is, organize it, and publish it.

I think counting calories without the use of computers and internet would be daunting and leave one with bad memories. I do remember your polite conversation with her awhile back. And my experience validates her concerns which I finally had to acknowledge.

NoS and calories counting are not mutually exclusive but given the success of only 1 week of minding them I think to discourage people from taking them into account makes the process unnecessarily long which in and of itself would cause people to give up. That would have happened to me without BA advice.

Denial is also something BA mentions, and without wanting to misrepresent her meaning and please correct me should I be wrong, weighing and measuring accurately again has shown me where portion creep can occur. I was very successful with WW twice. I know measuring from this experience but over time and with only a plate as a guide, calories become blurred. And as I age, these calorie differences can add up to large gains over time.

I love doing away with snacks, a SB staple. I love reigning in my sweet tooth. I never hadr seconds or ate at night. But NoS it wasn't working and getting older another year without the success I came to expect from previous diets led me to to try something different.

This post went on longer than I planned and please feel free to post.

[la_loser]

Hi CC,
First, so happy that your son-in-law is home safely. We live in a military community and I see every day the toll that these deployments (military and civilian) takes on the individual as well as the families. I know it must have been a tough long haul.

I too have an iTouch and have added a few apps for nutrition tracking but there are so many out there. What app are you using that doesn't rely on a WiFi connection? I'd like to try it too.

Because of some medical issues, I'm needing to track but not necessarily limit or count calories/carbs and fat so I'd love to find something that I can use wherever I am since I invariably find myself somewhere where there's no WiFi.

Hope your celebration was wonderful. And although you are working toward limiting yourself more than just simple No S, I hope you determined that this was truly a RARE opportunity to celebrate something great and rates a "special" designation!

[connorcream]

Howdy,
In April 2008, weight was 184, 5'8" female 46 yrs started NoS.
October 2009 weight was 192, gain of 8#. It is a wonder it isn't even more.

In the week that I have started, I have lost 3 pounds. I want to get the data in graph form, and codify my journey like BA has done. As I will soon be getting a Mac, I have not decided how to record it. So for now, as it has been, pencil and paper.

The app is called Nutrition Menu version1.91.1. $1.99 (well worth it for me) especially considering Diet Power is not available. Fit Day might be a solution for these tech issues. I am not sure how far back the journal entries are being saved. I am only showing 6 days though it has been a few days longer. Also, saving the entries in a back up form is another concern. It shows an email feature, but when I did that the data did not come in spreadsheet form but csv. This is a concern long term in terms of analysis but not short term as much. If I am hitting my goals or are under, then the progress will be positive. The issue of saving calories for a big event, for me tonight, becomes an accounting. I like NoS approach so I don't get into the trap of calorie debt.

I also can enter custom foods, and save them as favorites. So if I record my meals ahead of time, and can't find them stored, I search the internet and record them. Additionally, if there are changes to menu while out, I can record them and research when connected. The time required for this has been surprising quick.

But this business of recording cal has been a behaviour changing exercise.

There should be Wifi everywhere:-)

Glad these musings helps other. I am so glad for your posts.

[la_loser]

Thanks for the quick info. I too am looking for something that will not eat up my time. I've been doing No S for over a year and love the simplicity and structure of it but I know I've spent way too much time even on this site for my own good (productivity wise for the other part of my life!) but I really enjoy reading everyone's journeys.

Since the beginning of this semester, I have been way more swamped than usual with some additional responsibilities thrown in so today is only the second time I've logged on since July I think! I'm beginning to come up for air though so I'm hoping to make my visits more regular and consistent!

I did lose fifteen or so pounds on No S over a period of several months but have added a new medication with a side effect of weight gain. Just what I needed! So yes, those 15 have returned.

If you can get the info in csv form, you should be able to open it in Excel as a csv file, then "save as" an excel spreadsheet. Then you can fiddle with it and get it into the format you want.

Good luck--I'm jealous-you're deep in the heart of Texas--I'm a native Texan transplanted in the middle of the country.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
I had a lovely evening, a salad with dressing that I had no idea of how to count. I couldn't finish the 7 shrimp so gave DH in exchange for one of his scallop. Half a roll, a small bit of EVOO, no need for dessert. Calories, with exception of unknown salad worked out fine.

Afterwards we went walking along our beautiful river.

I like this attention to detail.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
I had a wonderful Sunday. A waffle sans butter and I still enjoyed it:-), maple syrup, popcorn for a snack 2/3 cp at felt satisfied (Nos type thing) and pork carnitas with ice cream (1/2 cp) with 250 calories left for the day. Might have a glass of white wine when DD gets home from teaching CCD.

One question, I am pondering is the accuracy of the calories posted for the foods. Are some sources, sites better than others? For now as I study this, I will let the scale be the arbiter. If there seems to be some confusion, I take an average of values. If there is a package I use their data. I shall also post on BA check in to see what she thinks.

One thing for sure, it doesn't hurt having 1 tsp as opposed to 1 tbs of sour cream on my carnitas while still enjoying it. It was the regular stuff. I found from NoS, most of the time I would prefer the real thing. Notable exceptions being Splenda (esp in cappuccino) and diet coke.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Oatmeal breakfast with 1 tsp of butter. Wed I will try it without. All these things are adding up to weight loss. I know 1/2 # is not within the scale's tolerance but it is nice to see the flickering light between 2 numbers.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
I will start horse back riding next week. Signed up today with the 3 youngest. Last time I was in the saddle is when I found out I was pregnant with the twins, who are now 13 yrs old:-)

Shovel Glove is slacking, other than that, all is going very well.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Shovel Glove is back. I like doing it, especially since I watch Hulu at the same time.

Counting calories continues to be easy with app. Very easy, unobtrusive fit into my routine. And for some reason, doing this has taken the apprehension out of the scale for now.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Oatmeal and no butter, didn't miss it.

Down a firm 4# since I started recording calories. This awareness makes me ask do I really want x? It takes more time posting on Nos than it does tracking my calories.

Still would like to use Diet Power but that will take 1 1/2 months to convert to while I research emulators for the Mac. So I will continue to use my app on the iTouch. I will need to adjust my calories at some point, something DP does, but I think the exercise of doing it myself has merit.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
I am still new to the calorie counting exercise but I am getting better at judging meal counts. I have learned to be very wary of eating out. I went out to et with SIL, ordered a small gyro sans fries and sans salad (that has calories with dressing) and enjoyed just the sandwich. I was completely satisfied and yes when I researched the calories it was 593. Knowing this and not just by going with plate size, I scaled back my dinner of baked chicken and sautéed potatoes with broccoli. A very small piece of watermelon for dessert.

I have made better choices knowing these values and that is a very good thing.

[connorcream]

Have over 300 calories left- just right for a drink with DH, DD & SIL. Also an ready for horse back riding. Another exercise with the children.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
A very moderate S day due to knowing my calorie count. One lemon poppy side muffin at breakfast. I chose to fix SIL chilaquiles with a1 slice of bacon, found the calorie count (erring on the high side until I gain more confidence in the numbers). 2 small apples from the apple orchard, 100 calories, then a small hamburger, 6 tots, and asian coleslaw. 1197 (1300 is my limit) is where I am at and I want a drink with our movie later.

Calories have modified my eating significantly. No mayo or cheese on the hamburger so that I could have a drink later. No sweet pastry though it is an S day and there was apple strudel at the orchard. These trade offs do require me to think about food more than vanilla nos, but then my results are better as a result. I wonder if I want to never (in maintenance) have mayo on my hamburger again but then I think, is the taste really worth the extra calories. I keep finding I don't want to spend these calories on these foods. I really want to enjoy the calories when I spend them.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Oatmeal without butter tastes a whole like oatmeal with butter. 3 Habit calendars going- one for recording calories and observing Nos, one for walking, one for shovel glove. With my app, it is very easy to record daily counts.

Raining heavily so horse riding might start next week. If I ride, that will count towards walking and shovel glove.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
A firm 188, twittering at times with 187. We are going to Mexican Restaurant this Friday after ballet. What an eye opening experience with calories. I definitely need to sock some extra calories away to cover that. I will not order the taco salad in San Antonio. And with a bit of fore sight, I don't need to.

[connorcream]

Howdy,

187 A firm 5 # pounds down since I started calorie counting on my iTouch app. Jeans are loser.

I had a meeting at the house last night and going out to eat on Friday after the ballet with family. It was good to be able to make the choice of calories now or calories later. I easily pulled up the data and good make a rational choice.

For my primary green day, I must record my meals. Secondarily, I will weigh. It will be harder to weigh everyday due to traveling, but not so enetering my numbers with my iTouch. For that, most foods are stored, those that aren't I need Wifi, which I can get at selected spots.

Doing these two things, encourages me to exercise- walking, shovel glove, horse back riding. I do not count these activities in my calorie burn because I just don't know how much I actually use.

I do anticipate trouble spots- holidays at home, with others cooking, over the holidays. So I will need to save up some extra calories for then. But I will not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. NoS will be my fall back position.

Adopting BA's philosophy of calories for weight loss. Exercise for health.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Weigh in was nice, another flickering weight downwards. No more denial.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Today was up a flickering amount but it didn't depress me as I knew my calorie count was much lower than my target. I did get my walk in but not shovel glove. Enjoyed my lunch, feeling very full with much less food.

Went to the Halloween carnival, didn't want any candy. I could have a beer, might settle for gin which has fewer calories.

I plan on weighing every day so that I get used to the ebb and flow of the numbers. Avoidance didn't work so well. Accountability is working much better.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Numbers holding steady, saw flickering downward again. Checked alternatives to maple syrup and decided for now I will spend the calories on the real stuff. Just like budgeting. Once, I started seeing what things truly cost, I can make accurate decisions. True cal, counts are vague, but I factor in a 50 less calories for consumption to account for this discrepancy.

If that doesn't work, then it will be 75 less than calculated for calorie burn. I tend to be a saver by nature. Never spending all that I budget for something. A week is my time frame to tell if calorie goals are working or not. If not, then I will tweak. Weighing every day that is possible, including after Halloween.

Thank you Bright Angel.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
I had chicken fried steak last night. Counted calories and decided exactly which of the meal was most important, and which was not (sans potatoes and rolls). I was 150 cal under suggested limit. The idea from NoS is important, do I want to eat this way for the rest of my life? Real maple syrup, mexican food, chicken fried steaks are foods I enjoy. The process of counting calories helps me to see how to budget for them without going into debt (gain weight, and in my case, to continue to still lose). Last night I passed of the beer, I would have had last year, because it would have but me over the limit.

Horse riding today with children; beautiful fall weather to enjoy.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Weight was up one #, but I know I didn't eat 3500 extra calories either over a 24 hr time frame or over the week. So I am learning how my body fluctuates.

Knowing what I am eating takes the mood swings out of weighing each morning. I am already down 5# from October 7 when I started tracking my calories on my iTouch. 3# to go and I will be back where I started when I began NoS in April 2008 officially.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Down 1 #, 186. Started a month ago, October 7, at 192, tracking calories on my new iTouch, with my new app, on a home schooling trip with the 3 youngest using the hotel Wifi, and kids Mac Books when needed to get educated. This included a meal at a wonderful Asian buffet, dinner with family, amusement park excursion, etc.... There were enough land mines to deter me, but enough was enough with gaining and time spent.

4 weeks, 6 # down. Satisfied with the pace. Target goal of 158 for 5'8" woman by April 2010. WW standard for my goal weight.

Exercising daily but I don't enter that into my calorie counter. I like Habit Cal better.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Since there are those following my experience with NoS. I must say that my weight gain was a gradual process over a year. After the first 2 weeks of no snacking, it was easy after that.

I did not eat hamburgers every day, or have wild S days on the weekends. It was the gradual accumulation of 3500 extra calories my body did not need to function over the year. The extra drink at night for example or a slice of pie on S days that had 550 calories in it without realizing it.

It was frustrating hearing siren voices saying, you initially gain weight, when each of the previous experiences with dieting had been exactly opposite. It was also baffling when I heard other voices say this is a slow process. I feel very foolish to have given a year of my life waiting for weight loss which would never have come because I was eating too many calories for my body.

I also very, very foolishly put the scale away again listening to other tempting cousel and relied on clothing fit. What a very subjective measure.

So on my check in, for those who are interested, I say get the scale out. Get an online/computer based calorie counting program. It is very easy to use these helps. Find out your calorie burn and then implement it with the calorie reduction strategies you find in NoS.

I will post at another time the correlation to success with money. But as we counsel people in that area, the most important thing to win with money is being aware. Same holds true with weight.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Calories are king in weight loss. My loss of almost 7 # in a month verifies to me what WW, SB, NoS, etc. do without actually saying so.

Today, I had DD soccer party at local pizza parlour with buffet lunch. If I would have been my usual self not aware of calorie counts, and thinking this was an S day, I would have ordered very differently.

I was shocked to find out 1 slice of pizza was 300 cal, some varieties a little more, some a little less. The all veggie ones were only 10-20 calories less than the meat ones. Not wanting to blow all 1300 calories at one meal, at lunch, I opted for 1 slice of pizza and spinach stomboli. Since this looked healthy, no cheese, and I didn't have cal count ahead of time, I thought it surely would be less than 300. Nope, 105 grams is 300 cal. Then I thought, 100 grams must be something that weighs a lot. So I knew about what the stomboli slice would weigh- about the size of my iTouch, and sure enough, 1 slice is 105 grams. I didn't have any of the brownies I brought and passed on the cupcake with chocolate frosting knowing what those values are.

So for today, and in anticipation on supper, which must be 1/2 cp of pasta & 1/2 meat sauce I am looking at 1166 for the day. My goal is 1300. So there is still room for a beer after dinner. Tomorrow is another matter. I picked up a chocolate walnut pies from a local baker (delish) for Sunday dinner. Checked those calories after the fact, 550 cal per slice.

So what does this mean in a fundamental way.
1. Ignorance is not my friend. Not worrying about calories does not equate with me losing weight which is my stated goal. 185 # for a 5'8" woman is not healthy. It isn't where I want to be 6 months from now.
2. Food ordered out has calories stuffed into them that I would never think of if prepared at home. DH fixes poached eggs (2) over steamed spinach one morning a week 178 calories. No where close to 300.
3. I thought the plate would be a enough of a limiter but that is clearly not true for me. What goes on the plate and in the glass is equally important. I think there is a sense among some that this is true because of the discussion of plate size.
4. I could see counting calories as a chore without computers. Probably why I put it off so long. But with technology, it is easy. The hard part is coming to grips with the truth of the counts.
5. I for one am very glad, that there was another voice on this forum, who spoke from both a scientifically grounded position and personally vindicated experience. My experience is mirroring the truth that
3500 excess calories=1 pound gained, and the converse is true too.

[Kevin]

A-men. It's unbelievable how much more caloric restaurant food is than home-cooked food. And it's usually not better. At least, in my estimation.

What do they put in it? It can only be sugar and fat.

Howdy,
<snip>
2. Food ordered out has calories stuffed into them that I would never think of if prepared at home. <snip>

[connorcream]

Howdy,
184 # this morning. Down 1.5# from yesterday. I am seeing the fluctuations in my weight loss and getting used to it. 8 # total since I started tracking caloires.

I figured out the servings size for pancakes, maple syrup, and choc walnut pie. Small and smaller if I want to eat these things and still eat normal foods the rest of the day.

After this weekend, I will need to store up some calorie reserves to cover the Thanksgiving Holiday. We will be going out to eat and eating things with high caloric content.

I look forward to when the weight loss portion is over (by April) and the true work begins- maintenance.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
I happy circumstance, 8 soup spoonfuls =1/4 cp

For the maple syrup, I only needed 4 spoonfuls or 1/8 cup and was completely satisfied. I am being aware of how my common measuring utensils are standardized. A beautiful soup spoon, with the rest of my setting, next to my plate for measurements is much nicer than a regular measuring cup. This now brings my calorie count down with some to spare. I need to eat 1/16 to bring that count to 216.

And if it is nicer and less obtrusive, I am more likely to continue to do it over the long haul, i.e. maintenance.

Maybe counting calories is new, and so I don't mind it. If I had to do it without technology, it would be very difficult. As it is, for now, after a month doing it, I am quite happy about it. Easier to do than writing these updates.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
184 firm. I like weighing in on Monday and having the same feeling as if I were weighing in during the week. No guilt from over eating but more fundamentally, not really knowing what I had done.

I had today's calories already planned from last night. Only out to eat is lunch on Friday- and that will be a salad with dressing on the side. I am pre-empting the possible influx of calories in 2 weeks. Rather focus on talking with my friend than the food. That is a Nos principal. People for the most part, really don't care what we are eating.

Horse riding today with 3 of my children. I am so grateful for the many blessings I have.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
I think I need to contrast counting calories with counting points (WW) or avoiding class of foods (SB) which I am finding different. I was attracted to NoS because of the lack of doing it, so why the change?

1. I got tired of of first the slow weight loss, then the eventual 8# gain over the course of a year where I had but the scale away of most though not all of it.
2. A friend (not over weight) casually mentioned the caloric content of some food, and I realized I didn't have a basis of discussion. What was my calorie burn? Didn't know.
3. I didn't know the caloric counts of food. I knew cheesecake had more calories than celery, but I didn't know Cheesecake Factory Dulce de Leche had 1010 in ONE slice. Even eating half, which is my custom, that is 550 calories.
4. I didn't know by eating 500 calories less each day, I could over time lose a pound of weight
5. I got an iTouch which made totalling and research quite easy. It plots my weight loss, independent of the web for a lot of foods, and has a journal to record for later entry should it now have that food list. $1.99 for the app. What a deal.
6. Mostly, I liked the honesty of knowing what my choices are. I see the deceptive recording of nutrition labels, and realize what a problem this is for knowing what one is consuming. Points and food class avoidance are a poor substitute for me to know these things.
7. I like the (common) sense of it- eating less calories than one burns results in weight loss.
8. I thought the one plate and no sweets would be an easy fix. It isn't because calories come in so many forms. Olive oil (extra virgin of course) 199 cal per tbs not sweet, quite delicious dipped in bread. Without, breaking any NoS guidelines I could have eaten 500 calories.

I didn't want to post this on the general forum so as not to discourage others.

[kccc]

Connercream, that's genuinely considerate of you.

I think there are people for whom plain No-S works fine - all they need. Either they have a naturally high metabolism or they tend to choose lower-calorie food instinctively. Once they cut out the sweets, snacks, and seconds, they're golden.

Others have to pay a little more attention at various levels. I don't calorie count (except at restaurants, because they just cheat!), but I do watch my choices... and after years of calorie-counting, I "just know" a lot about what foods are low/high calorie. (Took me a while to realize what a difference that made, too.) Most of the time, just being "strict" on No-S is good enough for me. When my weight starts drifting up, looking for where I'm getting sloppy is generally enough to correct. Like, when I realized I was taking "bites, licks, and tastes" and not counting them, etc.

Though I don't want to go back to calorie counting, I can now see it as a next step, thanks to your story. And I think that No-S would make it MUCH easier... I used to HATE keeping a food journal on WW, but I do track my food on No-S, because with ONLY three meals, I can just remember. I would think that calories would be similar...

But... going back to the "considerate" part... If I'd tried calorie-counting at the beginning, it would have sunk me. I have trouble describing why that would be so, but I know it, and I've seen that same dynamic in other people. I had to leave diet-panic behind before I could even stand to hear that as an option.

So, I am impressed that you have found a direction that is working for you, but have managed to do so in a way that leaves others to follow different paths that work for them.

Good luck!

[connorcream]

Howdy,
KCCC thank you for your thoughtful remarks.

SIL, army fit, got a medium soda at Whataburger- 30 oz on the way home. He said, no wonder people are fat at supper tonight

Ranch dressing, 2 tbs 148 cal (this is Kraft's lower than restaurants count).get a salad, then they toss it with who knows how much. Could be looking at 500 cal for lettuce. I checked for coleslaw, some were 250+ cal. For shredded cabbage?!

And I am glad I am 5"8", 47 yrs woman. What if I were shorter or older? What if I couldn't move around due to infirmity? Then these calories really add up in no time. And I think, some of the despair posted about slow weight loss or weight gain comes from this fact. How many never show up again because this basic fact was not shared? It is a wonder I am still here.

I truly like having broken the snack habit. It makes my 3 meals nicer and you are right easier to record. However, I don't want my calories in a beverage (I prefer the technique from SB) so if on Sunday I get hungry, I eat 5 peanuts to tie me over to supper. As DH makes a syrupy breakfast glad 1/8 cp of maple syrup does the trick, and I still like a Sunday dessert (small), this is how I have chosen to have both while still hitting my weight loss goals. I didn't have this thought earlier because I was not counting. Weighing this morning (Monday) wasn't a cause for concern.

But see, I could choose these foods based on facts. And I can verify that this is true by how my body is getting smaller, i.e. pants fitting much looser. As I get closer to maintenance, I expect more resistance. But that will be a better problem than not losing, or worse, gaining.

In a future posting I will compare budgeting calories and budgeting money. Very similar and something DH&I are very good at.

[connorcream]

184 #
IPL treatment for Rosacea so I will be out for the afternoon. Only thing I have found which will stop the progression of this condition. I have had excellent results but it does require time to recuperate afterwards.

I need to have the kids help me work our TV. We don't have cable, and what I watch is usually a movie on the weekend. So with the many remotes we have, I don't know how to change the channels.

[connorcream]

At the dermatologist, my tech mentioned she was using Nutrisysytems. I brought out my app, soon several nurses were looking. One said, diabetics could use this. I pointed out the cholesterol & sodium
tracking abilities. They were buzzed or extremely polite.

[connorcream]

Thinking of Pei Wei hot & sour soup for dinner, a favorite 500 calories.
I shouldn't be stunned anymore, but I am.

[connorcream]

185
Up a pound. Does this mean a sad day, no, because I know I didn't eat 3500 excess calories from yesterday. In fact, I know I ate 1186 with my calorie limit of 1300 to lose a pound a week over time. I am starting to track my bodies changes over a long time span in a methodical way. With calorie values, I generally check a couple of sources including those in my app.

In fact, I find it very freeing to know what I am doing. One plate is great but it doesn't really answer the what for me. Like an envelope of cash, the envelope/plate is a clear visual boundary but the budget/calorie burn determines what goes in it. Both work together for great success.

I also checked my calorie burn calculator to see if any adjustments are need for my calorie limits and there aren't. So I am continuing to be mindful of my choices.

And happily, I am not eating diet pre packaged tasteless food. I do have the WW digital scale back out, found AA batteries, and getting used to what gram measurements look like.

SIL, was interested in my app. He asked if I put my exercise burn in and I said I don't. I use the habitcal for that. I think the calorie burn shown is imprecise. But exercise is extremely important. And as I become knowledgeable about what I am eating, I am naturally continuing with my exercising. I will take a walk later on this glorious fall day. And shovel glove too. I am mindful of the 14 minutes. That is something very worthwhile for me. It keeps the on going habit without becoming burdensome.

Journaling my food is an unobtrusive habit I can do forever. Thank you Bright Angel.

Have a blessed day, one and all.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
I thought I would post a positive find- fried chicken livers, 1 cup, which I eat on occasion (4x per year) is only 385 calories. Plus cream gravy 120 for a ladle which I will use half , and 2 veggies (the green beans were a shock at 100 cal) fits within my calorie limit today. These calories would not fit others.

I do like them with hot pepper vinegar and so the question is, can I afford it? Like with money, just because I want something doesn't mean I can buy it. I am not a toddler on aisle 3.

However, this time, it is very nice to eat something that fits.

[Kevin]

Straight up green beans are 100 calories? That's hard to imagine...

Howdy,
I thought I would post a positive find- fried chicken livers, 1 cup, which I eat on occasion (4x per year) is only 385 calories. Plus cream gravy 120 for a ladle which I will use half , and 2 veggies (the green beans were a shock at 100 cal) fits within my calorie limit today. These calories would not fit others.

I do like them with hot pepper vinegar and so the question is, can I afford it? Like with money, just because I want something doesn't mean I can buy it. I am not a toddler on aisle 3.

However, this time, it is very nice to eat something that fits.

[connorcream]

Picadilly cafeteria 136cal actually. I couldn't remember how the green beans were cooked so I erred on the high side. As it turned out, they were steamed no observable additions like fat. I asked the server and she said just steamed. Yeah.

[connorcream]

184
Off to La Madeleine's for lunch. At our location, they don't serve salmon anymore, so I went with chicken on wild field greens. They do have shrimp, which seem to be a nice alternative. If moist cooked, they are very low calorie, but in a restaraunt, who knows what they have done.

As it is Friday, I will try the shrimp and ask. Being aware of the actual cost of food is a wonderful feeling. There was a time this past week when brownies were out at dinner. Very happy with my strawberries sprinkled with a bit of Splenda. I do like the NoS sweet habit firmly engrained.

[connorcream]

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

[connorcream]

183
Down 9 # since I started tracking Oct 7, 2009
I can say, that 3500 calories=1pound
I have attained a 500 calories deficit (or more at times in view of the upcoming holidays) each day knowing the calorie values. And even with the acknowledged limitations of this, I am still making excellent progress at an appropriate rate of loss.

I found several free recipe analyser. I posted the one I used yesterday. I enter the nutrition facts into my app. Last night I entered Clara's Past & Peas recipe.

Computers and iTouch have taken the drag out of counting calories.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
183
I think there is a comparison between dollars and calories. Knowing what something costs plus knowing what one can afford, is a mark of wise purchasing. If I went into Best Buy and not knowing what I could afford and not knowing the cost of TVs were, I just started to buy them. It wouldn't be long before the collectors would be calling.

The analogy holds for calories. I didn't know what my calorie burn (budget) was and what the calorie count (cost) for what I was eating. I kept hoping it would all work out. The scale, which is an impartial measuring tool, was put way which can be compared to the bank statement. And instead of collectors calling (for default), it was pounds of fat accumulating on my body.

I had a little time today and wanted to record these musings.

[connorcream]

183
Horse back riding today with 3 children. Posted for the first time in 14 yes
used muscles I had forgotten about. Jeans are getting quite loose.

[connorcream]

Up 1 #
Thank goodness I have a handle on the calories. Tomorrow is a fundraising dinner- caesar salad, breaded chicken parmesan, margaritas afterwards, wedding cake, spaghetti.

A mine field of high calorie foods.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Navigated the gala, including the after party. Still mulling over bath room scale choices. Scale flickering downwards. It would be nice to see 1/10# increments.

A friend asked if I had lost a bit of weight. Nice.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
182.5 I guess at the .5 as the scale was more 182 than 183. 958 calories for today. I think I will start adding these numbers.

Asked physicist husband, former researcher at NIST, to research Tanita scales. I will post his findings.

I like all my days being 1300 calories or less. I think the 500 calorie deficit is accurate for slow weight loss at this time. I am aware of plateauing but haven't hit that yet. Probably too soon for it.

I really like making informed decisions about my eating. I passed up a cupcake at a party this afternoon for a beer tonight with Frito Pies. I usually record my calories the night before and so I know what I can afford the next day. If I make changes, I know I need to adjust for it. Or on the gala day, I got a salad at McDonald (with a very small amount of dressing and half of the grilled chicken) during break time because I knew the calorie count for the meal. I knew MD values but I had to guess about the Gala. And I have adopted the policy of estimating high rather than low.

I am eating somewhere between 1250 and 1000 calories per day in anticipation of Thanksgiving. As I take a long term view, it is the deficit of 500 calories per day, which will yield a pound lost. Which has certainly been my case.

And I have come to a new appreciation of how very difficult it must be for the average size (or smaller like DD at 5'2" or my Mom 5'1") to lose weight. DD doesn't need to lose but she eats very small meals. My mom was thin as a child and into most of her young adulthood, but then pounds started to creep on.

Something I am very grateful for this Thankgiving is my iTouch with Nutrition app and BA's sage advice.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
1160 cal
Finalized Thanksgiving dinner ( and most of the week) with family, entered calories into data base, glad I ate only 1160. The 1300 is actually on the low side, most calculators give me around 1350-1400 but those are averages, calorie counts are estimates, and so I have a padding to accommodate the variations. It will take some time for me to know what my numbers are but so far, the deficit I am running is rendering the weight loss in a suitable manner, 1 pound per week.

Just like sinking funds. Some things I can plan on purchasing but other things I can't exactly, so I estimate expenses a little higher. I would rather have more money in the bank (or calorie deficient) than wind up owing in either category.

My goal is to be at my healthy weight in a reasonable amount of time 6-9 months. The older I get, the harder this task becomes.

[connorcream]

183 up .5# did I eat an extra 1750 calories yesterday? Of course not, in fact quite the opposite. So I am fine with this pound swing. DH doesn't think the body fat measurement on the Tanita scales are very accurate. With the increased exercise I am doing (and feeling like doing) it was a feature I wondered about.

[connorcream]

Downloaded another app Lose It free. Asked a very accomplished computer scientist if there will be a way for me to transfer my data from my iTouch with the 2 apps I am using to my iMac. He has both an iMac and an iTouch, so if it can be done, he will know how.

In fact, it was his casual statement when staying with us that got me to start thinking about calorie count- he mentioned how some food would take up 1/3 of his calories for the day. I had to ask myself quietly- what is my calorie needs for each day and what are the calories of what I eat in total. That plus him showing me his iTouch and its many features, caused me to get one for my birthday. The ease of tracking makes doing this for life a given. It is the same as brushing my teeth or making my bed.

And honestly, if I had to choose between recording my calorie content and making informed decisions or having to make every bit of food I eat or sew all of the clothes for my family or either ride or walk anywhere I had to go, as they had to 2 generations ago in some place, I choose the calorie counting. Any day of the week:-)

[connorcream]

182 down 1#, 10# since Oct 7. What a nice feeling weighing in on Monday after a long holiday of eating. Hitting my goals of 1 pound per week. Hadn't weighed in since last Tuesday, almost a week.

I knew what foods cost me, I made decisions based on what I wanted to eat while still able to lose weight. My mother doesn't have computer access but I had loaded custom foods into my app before leaving, plus extensive data base on 3 apps, never was a problem not knowing how many calories was in something.

The choices were difficult at times. Pecan Pie has 500 cal, I hit 1320 cal, and this was tough but not spartan. Of course the food fit comfortably(not piled high) on one plate, but it showed me how many calories can do that.

I only had one meal that day, as I knew that would be where I chose to spend my calories. No breakfast, and no grazing at dinner. I had learned from NoS the power of deferring the conversation. It helped saying i was still full from dinner, which was true in a way.

Same on Sat with my mother's 80 th birthday with family. 1227 cal. DS made a delightful gumbo, cake, appetizers, etc... About 300 cal at breakfast, the rest at the party. No supper, as I wanted to have a piece of cake and ice cream and no wine or alcohol.

Lessons learned:
1. Possible to lose weight during the holidays. Not interested in waiting to Jan 2010 to start.
2. Glad I have these habits down before the holidays, logging food, weighing in, measuring quantities
3. Calories count
4. Listened to family talk about PX 90. Glad I wasn't following that. It sounded complicated, grueling, expensive.
5. I wanted to eat at those other times, though I wasn't hungry really, but knowing my calorie limits helped me to just say no thank you.
6. I am hopeful about handling Christmas holidays. Success breeds unto itself.

[connorcream]

Enjoyed horse riding today. Instructor asked if I was losing weight as my pants were too lose. Had to say yes:-)

I felt so good, I trotted quite a bit and legs are wobbly as a result.

[connorcream]

182
1111 cal (yesterday)
5'8.5"
legs a bit wobbly

I think I need a graphing app for this data. Have one for weight, need another for calories overlayed.

[connorcream]

Howdy,
1411 today 111 over my target
1316 16 over today

DH called to invite me to a business dinner with some out of town colleagues. Called ahead to restaurant, one of the nicest in the country, looking for lower calorie options. Knowing now that just because something says grilled, it does not mean low calorie, google grilled salmon. Settled on the grilled sea bass with side of spinach, supposedly not drenched in oil.

Dinner delicious, no delightful bread, no pasta, and took half of the fish and spinach home just in case I it was drenched in calories. Caesar salad was served as well, had to eyeball that.

On closer inspection today at lunch, yep plenty of lemon butter sauce with both fish and spinach. I recorded the 1/4 cp of butter for 401 calories (sauce only). Recorded, took the hit, and really distrust eating out.

Morale of the story is obvious.

[connorcream]

180 down 12# in 2 months tracking calories and weighing daily
Easy, accountable, sustainable, successful

[Starla]

Congratulations, connorcream! We're approaching things differently, but your approach is obviously working for you. I'm thrilled for anyone who has found a path they can follow.

[connorcream]

Thank you for the nice words. 5# more and I will be in a smaller size.

[connorcream]

Howdy,

Reviewing old data, I wondered when was the last time I weighed 180- it was over 2 years ago, October 2007. Two very stressful but good things occured that year- building our new home after 2 years of planning, rent house, and moving, and the marriage of our first daughter with future SIL in Iraq. I regained my SB loss during this time. I was at 185# when I first found SB in April 2008. I didn't register then. That was later.

In two months, I have lost the weight I have been struggling with for two years. Thank goodness I still have my good health to help me in my loss. I also have a steely confidence in my plan.

158 is my goal from WW for my height. This will be reconsidered based on my caloric burn. At present, I consider that a maximum limit.

[connorcream]

179 (1 pound down)
1118 calories used (yesterday)

I have 4 major events this week where delightful morsels will be served. I will need to ask myself, what is more important, the satisfaction of the moment, or feeling great from not carrying around excess pounds.

I am feeling better. Today, we go riding and I can't wait, even though I am trotting for about 15 minutes now.

[connorcream]

Reposting for my perusal in coming months.

However, there will come a time when eating 7 meals daily only 2 days a week -- which is about 1/3 of the year! -- is going to stall weight loss or create weight gain. I think I'm an example of the fact that it doesn't even need to be that much extra snacking or food intake. It was more than I was eating previously! Doing that maybe 6-10 days a year isn't a problem. 104 is a problem.

Ditto, wosnes, ditto. Exactly what happened to me.

I have never binged, never got up in the middle of the night for a bite, never did the obvious things to gain weight, didn't snack on chips, ate whole foods (SB), etc.... I eat very little process foods. I gained because I did not learn the fundamental truth that 3500 calories equals 1 pound, regardless of the plan. I have learned this lesson, and I have positive results to show for it. Results I haven't seen in nearly 2 years!

[connorcream]

Howdy,
It helps me to plan my menu a few days out, particularly with upcoming challenges, ahead of time. Gala menu, with healthy sounding pumpkin crusted chicken which is low calorie, however when all of the courses are added up, totalled over my 1300 cal limit. Therefore, I parsed the calories while still at home, a way from the hub bub, to be successful. 1/2 the choc mouse, 1/2 the pecans on salad, etc... No rolls. The chicken will be 4 oz, and I will be happy with less than that. No wine.1/2 cp whipped sweet potatoes, etc.. salad for lunch.

I did this at the last Gala a few weeks ago with great success. I find by pre-planning, I actually enjoy the food better and with no guilt.

Again, all the time to plan added up is less time than entering this missive.

[connorcream]

1171 calories used
179 (up 1/2 pound)

Did I eat 1750 extra calories, obviously not, so I expect the weight loss to continue to go down.

Yesterday, included a delicious Mexican breakfast, eaten later in the morning with no lunch, and Pork Lo Mein with lots of swiss chard for supper from my garden, and little pork. Satsuma for dessert. I love cooking healthy at home and it makes me angry as to why restaurants load up naturally occuring low calorie meals with ....

I do like NoS breaking me of the sweet and snack habits. No snacks (except sometimes on the weekend I have 5 peanuts to tie me over to supper). I do not like liquid calories, so if I need something, peanuts, and only a small number of them are my food of choice. Without the snacks, my meals are bigger. I really don't like to be eating differently than others with special foods. It also helps I have more calories to work with.

I also like eating fruit instead of a baked sweet most of the time. But I do like a sweet finish after a meal.

[connorcream]

179 #
995 cal

I have two threads intertwined running through my mind which I would like to consider. Managing money and managing calories, which boils down to being prudent.

DH gets paid every 2 weeks. A night or two before pay day (depending on if there is a function the day before), we sit down with calendar in hand (not some vague ideal month) and budget the money coming in (not what our neighbor's are making) with the responsibilities we have for the next 2 weeks. This planning is super imposed over bills that come annually (various insurances, property taxes, Christmas, etc..) And then annually, usually in Jan, we sit down and look over our entire portfolio together, macroscopically, and see if our net worth is tending in the correct direction, and at the correct rate. If we see problems, we can make modifications as needed. This process coupled with using cash has been very successful for us. It has brought us closer together as a couple, and truly it is a night we look forward to. The leading area of divorce in North America (money & money fights) has become for us a true path of peace, communication, and success.

I see counting calories in much the same way. By knowing what my caloric budget is (as opposed to someone else's), with calendar in hand for upcoming events, I can plan my calorie expenditures intelligently. Tonight, I have another Gala which I am helping with. Menu can push 1100 calories depending on if I take a roll, butter, 1/2 the dessert, etc... Isn't it more pleasurable, to have planned for this ahead of time, then enjoy the evening without being in debt (weighing more) afterwards. Doesn't the scale serve the same function as the bank ledger, giving a reality check?

We use cash envelopes in 5 categories, which accounts for most of our hand to hand spending. We also don't have a credit card (and yes we travel a lot both here and abroad). The envelopes allow me to see instantly what our status for a certain category is. I saw the plate as an envelope. Very easy to see what the food is. What I didn't take into account with the single plate idea, is what can I eat, with my metabolism, age, weight, etc.. and still lose weight and then maintain it.

I also put the scale away which took my reality check and has made my process of losing weight longer than it needed to be. Part of our money success has been, regular, constant, no matter what is going on, budget nights.

More thoughts to come later.

[connorcream]

1272
179

3 Events down, 1 more to go. DH business party which we are hosting. This will be easier than a sit down Gala at a table.

I have enough data to start analysing it. I have chosen to group data by a 7 day period to see what my calorie consumption is and and correlate that with my weight loss to see if there is a pattern.

I also have a graphing feature with my app so that I can see my weight fluctuations. At the 6 month mark, I think it should be revealing.

Keeping up with my budgeting musings, when DH & I determine our budget amounts for each category of spending, we need to look at our history of spending, so as to make an educated guess, combined with our current salary. Likewise, as I review my calorie data, it allows me to make more accurate choices. I expect this process to become quick as the Habit becomes more refined.

Budget night, is an extremely time efficient affair, because we are so accustomed to it.

All in all, glad to be losing during the holiday season. It makes my social eating more satisfying.

[connorcream]

1164
179

Considering eating calories closer to 1300 which is my goal derived from calculators and then rounded down for ease of use. It was a stab in trying to determine my burn number. I have 2 more social functions this week- tonight in my home and tomorrow night in a friends home. Plus my estimation of calories for random items is still a bit fuzzy, so I will stay in a holding pattern until Monday. My weekly range is from 1118-1285 over 9 week span which surprised me.

I do not want to stall my weight loss, while at the same time there is some discussion of a few more calories causing a faster weight loss. I have time to figure this out. And daily weighing and calorie counting is a huge help.

[connorcream]

180
1248 cal

I had a great ride today. The instructor thought I was the energizer bunny:-) For the increased posting I did, I would expect to be more sore but actually I am not. I will be off for the next 2 weeks with travelling and I will miss it. Children are riding well too.

Trying to up my calorie limit a bit (1300) to see what happens. Believe it or not, it is hard to do it well.

[connorcream]

Found this information interesting

Brand name diets work because most of them are based on 1200 to 1500 calories no matter what food combinations they tell you to eat. Just look at these examples:

South Beach Diet – 1200-1500 calories
* Atkins Diet – 1500 calories
* Sugar Busters – 1300 calories
* Low-Carb Diet – 1400 calories
* Jenny Craig – 1200-1500 calories
* Weight Watchers – 1500 calories
* Cabbage Soup Diet – 1000-1500 calories
* The Zone – 1000 – 1500 calories

The average American eats nearly 3790 calories a day. Now, that doesn’t mean the person actually eats 4,000 calories a day - it could mean they eat 2,000 calories a day during the week, and on the weekends they consume enough restaurant meals and drinks to increase the overall average. This is also why American feels like they are living on a diet - most Americans diet during the week and screw it all up on the weekend….creating what I call “the never-ending diet planâ€.

Most people’s mistake is they are not consistent. They key to success is dieting 7 days a week so your daily caloric intake for the week averages to be 1200-1500 calories. Just think of it like checks in balances with your bank account. You can save everyday, but all it takes is one bad shopping day to wipe out all your hard work.

[connorcream]

I will now post weekly averages of calorie count and weight loss

1194 cal
1# down
179

I toyed with increasing my calorie goal after reading some posts on starvation mode and losing lean muscle mass. Weight loss stalled, then gained. This admittedly good be from other reasons- sodium intake, ovulation, or the the easiest to adjust, calories.

I also am able to easily plan my calorie allotment which allows for guilt free, enjoyable eating. I just need to stay on plan while holiday baking commences in full force this week.

[connorcream]

177# down 2#

I wanted to see that number in print.

There were 2 challenges this holiday season- those outside my control and this within my control.

Outside my control would be parties, which we have had close to a dozen so far. I would be in situations were estimating would be needed and as I have come to find out, estimations are usually much lower than actuality, even for professionals. as far as I was able, I got menus ahead of time to plan, and ate for low calorie meals in case I would be in situations of high calorie food or strong temptation.

Inside my control would be the holiday baking with the children. NoS habits were very helpful in this regard. Absolutely no nibbling, I immediately called the kids to give them the spoon and bowl. I also recorded what the calorie counts are for my favorite treats and that was both sobering and effective in not tasting while cooking. Today I weighed 177# down 15# overall, and this is after a lot of baking and parties.

There was a comment I read which went something like, I have yet to wake up in the morning and wish I would have eaten something last night. I have found this to be true.

I don't want Jan to come around and I have a bunch of weight debt I have to work through. The reason we went to cash and budgeted Christmas was to avoid seeing bills from the holidays. Same is true for the pounds.

[connorcream]

177.6 very good for the holidays:-)

Enjoying the Tanita scale very much, no body fat measurements or sending data to computer. Just a quick, reliable, display. Also using Lose It app. Of all the apps, it seems to be the best and so am transferring data to it as it comes up. I also synced my iPod with the Mac and didn't lose my data on the Nutrition Menu. So I will continue to use both apps as I transition to the one. It is nice seeing the calorie counts compare between the two of them. Neither requires the internet which is nice.

I am looking forward to the New Year and finishing this phase of my health plan. I read an article recently how the stomach shrinks with low calorie meals over a 4 week time frame. True in my case.

[connorcream]

175.8
Down almost 2# over the holidays:-)

So glad to not have the holiday foods carrying over into the New Year. I had advice that stayed with me throughout the feasting, which was there is never anything I don't eat the night before that I wake up wishing I had eaten it. But there are plenty of times, I wish I hadn't eaten something the night before. I found this to be very true, even with the home made goodies. I did have those but only within the context of my body's needs.

[connorcream]

173.4#
I weighed this amount almost to the day 3 years ago. 19# lighter than when I started calorie counting on my iPod on Oct 6, 2009. I will never stop journaling. Goal weight of 160 is within sight.

I have made many discoveries while doing this- one is that when DH wanted to go to IHOP this morning for breakfast, I passed. The high calorie load just wasn't appealing (and this is with getting the "healthy choices"). My scrambled eggs with mushrooms and 3/4 poppy side muffin and satsuma more delicious. Same thought process I go through when spending $$. Is what I am getting worth the cost.

Some things really are worth it for me. Past week, went to local ice cream shoppe with my daughters, grand daughter and DH after supper. Had the calories to spend, spent them, and enjoyed every delicious bite. Yum. Not one shred of angst.

Got an iMac, worth the $$ for that too.

[connorcream]

172.4#
Down another pound and on target for making goal before Mother's Day. Some graphs predict end of March, but I know the last 5-10 #s could be slow. So somewhere between March-May, then it will be maintanence. I have already started thinking through this permanent state. Never again do I want to see my weight spike up as it has the past 3-4 years.

Going out to tonight with DH and another couple. As is my HABIT I call ahead to plan for the evening. Preplanning has been a wonderful new tool I have in managing my health which is a result of my calorie counting. Whether it is ice cream or a main meal, I like to know.

Much better to think through the selections in the comfort of my home, with access to nutrition information, then go blindly into a situatuion. I am glad I did this because the menu is limited. Sea bass is the choice. Sans mashed potatoes, who knows what the kitchen does to them. Roasted aspargus sounds good. Decaf coffee.

Also have another evening out this week with president of a small college, and will need to plan for that as well. I will eat lower calories to be able to splurge more freely.

DH and I set money aside each pay period for going out to eat. We don't use all of it so we can have some available for unexpected guests or nicer evenings every so often. Case in point is tonight and this upcoming week. I find many similarities to money and calories.

I will update my ticker when there is a larger loss to report.

Finally, I love my Tanita scale. Another nice tool in my deisre for good health.

Bright Angel, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your very wise posts.

[BrightAngel]

Bright Angel, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your very wise posts.

And Thank You for your kind statement.
I've enjoyed your PMs, and hope that they continue.

[connorcream]

171.4 #
109 days of counting calories, every morsel that passed my lips. Easily and sobering Habit.

Down another pound. It is so nice to think in these numbers. I love the energy I have and the way clothes are fitting. Tomorrow the family will be Marching in Proife so that will be a good bit of exercise as well as the requiste Hohos. So my Saturday musing is pushed to Friday.

The thought that has been in my mind is that "food has always been a task". DD is reading Little House in the Big Woods, and the pioneer family's life is completely occupied with food every day of the year. Not in losing weight but in sustaining life.

I feel a bit like a whiner if I complained about counting calories when my great grandmother had to exert a lot more effort in just living. Counting calories, measuring portions vs growing own food, no stores with produce year round, canning, salting, etc... To me there is no contest which is easier, and the life I prefer. I greatly admire the Amish, I have several pieces of custom furniture from them, but I have no desire to live their way of life. If I did, gaining weight would not be a problem.

[connorcream]

3-3.5 mile walk today.
Much nicer than last year when I was carrying 22# more.

[connorcream]

170.2# down again for the week

Tonight we are hosting a pastor's dinner, with in home caterering and service, 5 course meal. I sampled the menu earlier in the week, and it was delightful. Cocktails, superb wine, dessert, wonderful people, linens, silver and calories.

In fact, over 1200 calories according to my 2 apps for this one meal. And my daily calorie goal is 1300. The total for the day will be 1628/1572. However, I knew this was coming and planned accordingly throughout the week, so I will enjoy each and every delicious bite. Tomorrow I will weigh in as usual. I am at the point that nothing tastes as good as looking good.

The discrepancy in calorie count is to be expected. I have found my calorie range within a 100 calories to be accurate enough. This will shift as I lose more weight, so careful monitoring of what I am eating, which using 1 plate helps with, will see me through these downward changes.

[connorcream]

169.2#

Today, I went to see our son who was admitted into the hospital. He was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, age 20yrs. Many thoughts are going through our minds but the one that pertains to this forum is one of gratitude for learning how to use a food journal.

BA, again I must credit you for this tremendous help. I am so glad I have found this Habit to be easy and self sustaining. I need only to monitor my caloric intake for weight loss. Our son will need to monitor everything- calories, fiber, protein, moods, triggers, water, exercise, etc... The nurses where very interested in online journaling as a tool in manging this chronic disease.

Fitday is where I am sending him first. The apps I use have nutrition detail but not as precise as Fitday. I am also thinking about Diet Power as it tracks nutrients. He has a PC so he wouldn't have a Mac problem.

BA, thank you, thank you, thank you.

[connorcream]

169.6#
I had a muffalata yesterday so bump could be from salt. Calorie count for the day 1100, 200 under allowance of 1300. Knowing I have been as honest in my calorie measurements and weighing as possible, this bump doesn't bother me. I expect it to go down in time. As this is a life style habit, I am willing to take a long view. It also helps to be within 10# of goal. How much this week has been without the excess poundage.

Tomorrow we are going to an ordination, so I have been eating under my calorie allowance this week so as to enjoy the reception. I will still weigh in on Sunday and Monday and it gets tiresome cringing from excess eating. Daily weighing and calorie recording keeps me honest.

With the health issues of my son, I am so glad I have a basis of experience in being intelligent in my food choices and recording. The many hours of driving, rain all week, forestalled my exercising. With and my son stabilizing, I look forward to resuming my daily walks and shovel glove. But as I told DH, nothing will push my health to the back burner again. Logging my food kept me eating very healthy and successfully.

My goal weight of 160 is something I am mulling over. It is certainly in the healthy range but depending on how things go, I might lower it to 150.

Have a great week one and all.

[connorcream]

168.6#
4# from the healthy weight mark
8# from initial goal

I am loving this habit of calorie counting and have been wondering what took me so long to understand the basic concept of a calorie deficit leads to weight loss with the corresponding questions, of how much of a deficit and how to create one.

It is even more puzzling since I have an advance degree in engineering and the formula of 3500 cal=1# isn't particularly difficult and rather accurate given the wide population sampled. I was talking this over with physicist husband and it is a puzzling thing.

I think 2 things occured plus a friend's wise counsel that has gotten me to this point of sucess. 1. My summer capris ( 3 of them) would not fit and that was frankly my goal for NoS. I didn't want to buy any bigger clothes and when I culdn't fit into my pants I had a "enough is enough" moment. Second, I got an iTouch for my BD (9/25) and started learning how to use my apps.

Most importantly, Bright Angel's experience came to me very clearly and I tried unsuccessfully to get Diet Power (Mac user) her suggestion of just tracking calories would do a lot. So on Oct 6, while on a vacation/home schooling trip to Nasa with 3 kids and 3 family members, at the Hampton Inns breakfast buffet, connected to Wifi, I started this calorie counting odessey. That night we went to a Chinese buffet, delicious and numerous items. Who knows what was in some of the dishes.

A difficult start if ever there was one but it turned out to be a very easy process. The fears and angst over counting calories never materialized. The onerous burden, the eating of celery, the complicated calculations are figments of fevered imaginations ,mine and others.

This journey of discovery has turned out to be deeply satisfying and successful. And with the recent diagnosis of my son with Crohn's, providential.

DH is tremendously pleased with my results, and beautiful party dresses hanging in the closet are close to reimerging. How cool is that. Coupled with many delightful trips and reunions in the future, I couldn't be more pleased.

[BrightAngel]

I am loving this habit of calorie counting
and have been wondering what took me so long
to understand the basic concept of a calorie deficit leads to weight loss
with the corresponding questions, of how much of a deficit and how to create one.

Most importantly, Bright Angel's experience came to me very clearly...
....I started this calorie counting odessey.
it turned out to be a very easy process.
The fears and angst over counting calories never materialized.
The onerous burden...
... the complicated calculations...
are figments of fevered imaginations, mine and others.

This journey of discovery has turned out to be deeply satisfying and successful.

I am so pleased that you have had a pleasant experience,
similiar to mine.
The Personal Computer,
and the many excellent computer software packages available online,
have given us tools that make calorie counting easily accessable.

I feel fortunate to have discovered how easy it now is,
to make calorie counting into a pleasurable Habit,
and I'm happy you have made this discovery as well.

[connorcream]

BA-
I haven't said this to you but you have the nicest emoticons!

Thank you seems like a trite word compared to what you have brought to my life. I will remember you and yours at Mass today.

[connorcream]

Ash Wednesday
Gluttony is not a focus this lenten season. DH thought this strange is I have never appeared gluttonous to him. Carrying around 25# extra, regardless of moderate eating, made me look and feel gluttonous.

Not so this year, thanks be to God.

[connorcream]

168.0# down .6#
I will be traveling this weekend to see my mother with son & daughter in tow. Going to Black Eyed Pea for supper, have my meals planned for the day. They will like seeing him.

I don't like bills following me after a trip and a don't like pounds doing it either. So I will continue to log every morsel I eat. I will not be weighing Sat & Sun and will resume then.

I also have started doing Walk Away the Pounds. I love the low impact workout, coupled with Shovel Glove for weight training, I can always get my exercise in and I am not dependent on the weather or schedule. I walked 2 # today before my duties begun.

I am so grateful for the internet and the many good friends who have helped me to get to this point.

[bizzybee]

Wow! I just read through this whole thread. What encouraging losses and a positive attitude you have.

I've been playing with the idea of keeping to no-s and adding up WW points at the end of the day M-F. Points are so second nature to me and faster to figure than calories. It would just give me a handle on what I'm eating.

Seeing your progress though is really making me consider using my Daily Plate account, I even have an App on my phone for it, no excuses. Do you give yourself more calories on the weekends?

[connorcream]

Howdy,
Thank you for you kind and encouraging remarks:-)

My limit for weight loss that I have found to be successful for me right now is 1300. I just returned from visiting my mom, brother, sister and their families with my son who has Crohn's and DD. Went to Black Eyed Pea Friday night, Italian restaurant Saturday night, breakfast at mom's and small lunch at brother's on Sunday, then pot roast at home that SIL fixed with rice and icecream dessert.

My calorie totals are Fri 1241, Sat 1354, Sun 1309.

I think averages over a week, as opposed to day to day counts are most important. But those three counts are to show you that I don't take off on the weekends.

Reading the results of those who have successfully maintained a large weight loss (over 30#) shows these people eat the same on weekdays/weekends. This avoids the binge syndrome. I hve never binged but I didn't like these feelings of needing to eat something special just because it was an S day. Calorie counting allows me to intelligently plan for higher calorie meals/treats while still losing in a reasonable amount of time.

One of the greatest things I am thankful, is that I lost the weight while I still had excellent health. How much harder it would be if I couldn't walk well or some other distressful event occured. The weight loss process can take so long that Murphy moves in making losing much more strenuous. Calorie counting as brought me a reasonable time to lose.

For me, I weigh every day that I am home. I hate seeing spikes in weight that are self induced from poor behavior. Spikes from my cycle or extra NaCl in food doesn't stress me out now. I know my body and that is what I mainly wanted this time around.

I have been successful on WW twice, life time member, key in the drawer. People are certainly successful with this program. For me, I didn't learn the fundemental truth of 3,500 cal=1 pound with WW. I didn't have the great tools of apps and internet, and I didn't learn my own bodies caloric needs as well. So WW does not appeal to me.

Best wishes on the path you choose to take.

[connorcream]

166.8
Not bad after visiting my family for a weekend. Two more pounds until I am in the healthy weight range. Family noticed I looked smaller. Hard not to for 25#.

Best part of the weekend is when Mom hard fried eggs and sausage for breakfast. I had thought we were heading to Ihop and I was in serious sticker shock with the menu. Over 1500 cal for a spinach/mushroom omelet. So the fried eggs looked very reasonable and were quite tasty. I knew we were heading to Italian for dinner and I really had no desire to go over my calorie limit. So all was really nice.

Horse back riding today so I will not do walking. My habitcal shows walk but it does cover many other forms of exercise. Shovel Glove shows weights, and I will count lugging tack around as weight lifting on days that I ride. I do like the concept of habit and think a WATP video, one segment long, fits perfectly into this structure.

[connorcream]

Today I realized that I had a luncheon meeting Friday at a gorgeous hotel downtown where DH & I are planning an event as well as a quick get away to the hill country Friday night with me bringing a delightful dinner from Central Market. Next day, breakfast buffet and watching another DS play varisty LAX, he is team captain. We chose a place that had a gym, swimming, and hot tub. Fun and healthy.

I am so glad I realized this today so that I can budget my calories accordingly for the next 3 days to cover these splurge. I like neither debt nor calories following me after a trip. I will be back on the scale Sunday morning checking and we will be using cash as usual.

Thought I have been having past few days: It literally takes less than 3 minutes a day to enter my food into my 2 apps out of the 1,440 minutes in a day, the time expended is miniscule. It takes much, much more time to post and research about health. Or to walk, or to do shovel glove. Yet this small investment in me has proved to be invaluable and highly profitable.

I got a new WATP video from Netflix. Can't wait to try it this afternoon. This morning going to bible study with family. I feel so grateful for the many blessings in my life, starting with this weight loss, which makes everything else so much easier.

Have a great day.

[connorcream]

166.2 down .6#

Just finished 2 mile WATP video (love it), 14 min of shovel glove with cool down, trying almond milk (60cal) in my Kashi Go Lean cereal with blueberries, yum. Less than 30 sec to record this important essential information. I never will stop this pleasant Habit.

Lunch meeting. Called ahead for menu, needed to be faxed, one thing I will bring up with management is that this info should be on the web. Paesano's & Boudro's have it as does McDonalds.

Then off to Austin, where I will bring our dinner in a beautiful picnic basket with china dishes. Swimming, exercise room, hot tub, with healthy delicious meal from Central Market. Gave up alcohol and desserts for lent so this is good too. Also ate under calorie limit to allow for a splurge at breakfast which will not be Ihop. What a ,loser placer.

DS plays lax tomorrow in a tournament, double header game. He is team captain. Such a great feeling to be 2# from a healthy weight, 6# from my initial goal (I am thinking this through), and DH pleased as punch.

See you next week.

[connorcream]

Another great feeling was ordering the portobello mushroom wrap happily. Not begrudlingly. Not until I am off of this calorie counting craze attitude. No, really being at a true peace that is bringing my body the results I need. I keep thinking of how grateful I am to still be in a position to lose weight somewaht easily as I still have my health and supportive environment.

It is like debt, it is best to not be trying to pay it off in the midst of a bad economy.

Smoked salmon cakes tonight, fresh berries, mineral water with lime:-) I will check in next week.

[connorcream]

I have been enjoying Leslie Sansone's WATP videos. As an engineer, I began wondering how one culd substantiate the assertion of walking a mile in 12-14 minutes in home as she does. This led me into the pedometer world, # steps for good health and its corresponding relation to measurement in distance.

After further research, I realized that a ped is relying on strides as a measure of distance whereas WATP is relying on steps (side, tap, kicks, knee lifts) which aren't the same. This information in and of itself is good to know.

So the next question is whether there is a bench mark to see if the claims are reasonable. It typically takes 20 min to walk at a leisurely pace, 15 min at a brisk pace. So the ranges of Leslie's brisk walks (between 12-14 min) is reasonable for a mile. Doing an Urban Ranger of 14 min (at a brisk pace) also fits.

So I am satisfied that when I say I have done 2 miles, I in fact have done 2 miles. Yesterday, as I was making these observations, I ended up doing 3 miles, 2 in the morning and one at night.

And as DH, who is a physicist pointed out, do I like the exercises, do not I want to go longer in time, and am I seeing good results?

He is a smart man:-)

[connorcream]

165.4 down 0.8# One pound away from the healthy weight point

Enjoyed the luncheon yesterday and look forward to our tour of San Antonio followed which will include a TexMex breakfast.

It was so nice putting on my silk dress yesterday and wearing the belt nicely.