Here we go! Logging my food intake and exercise daily to keep myself in check.

A little background: I'm a 40 year old 5'6" mother of one who has seen her scale creep up, up, up in the past year. While happy to report that I quit smoking in July, I'm not happy that it came with a 10 lb. weight gain. That, on top of the weight I had already put on, leaves Andrea at her current weight of 172.5 lbs. Ack! I've been an overweight chronic dieter all my life, well, if you consider starting dieting at 8 years of age "all my life." I've lost and gained the same 30 lbs. a countless number of times. If I'm feeling especially optimistic, I'd call that maintenance. But I know that it's not. It's just yo-yo'ing. And now that I'm 40, let's just say that the yo-yo is losing it's bounce.

I've been eating very healthy and exercising 6 days a week since August, but the scale hasn't budged. Not one single ounce. In fact, it's crept up a bit (3 lbs.). I'm pretty sure I know why. I eat too much. Even though it's all healthy, low glycemic, complex this, low-fat that, no-sugar, non-processed, high fiber, all-natural yada-yada-yada, two-fist anything long enough and it's going to show on the scale. Even though you tried to compensate by exercising like a demon (a.k.a. overtraining) until you got an injury (calf strain last Friday) that now has you sidelined. (Actually, I did resume some exercise yesterday for the first time since I got hurt. Did the 2-mile Walk Away the Lbs. tape with 3 lb. weights. Still slight limp but getting better. Step Aerobics is still out though. At least for another week or so.)

So here we are, time to be accountable.

Wednesday's Food:

Bkfst: 2 slices Carb Counting bread each topped with 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese and Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee with 1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Bowl of Italian Wedding soup, 1 part-skim mozarella cheese stick, 1 apple.

Dinner: 8 oz. herbed grilled chicken breast :o, 1 cup brown rice, 3 cups broccoli flowerets with onions.

3 cups of tea throughout the day with 1% milk & Equal.

Exercise: None, still sidelined from injury.

Calorie Total for day: 1814 (a bit higher than I'd like. Hungry though.)

Thursday's Food:

Bkfst: 1 slice 12-grain bread with Smart Balance Lite spread and 1 piece of Jarlsberg Lite cheese. 1 cup of Turkish Green Beans. Coffee with 1% milk & Equal.

Lunch: 3 1/2 ounces herbed grilled chicken breast, 1 cup broccoli flowerets with onions and 1 slice 12-grain bread with Smart Balance Lite spread.

Snack: Raw zucchini slices with 1/4 cup hummus.

Dinner: 1 slice low-fat Turkey Meatloaf, 1 small baked sweet potato, 2 1/2 cups broccoli flowerets with onions.

Snack: 1 apple with 1 part-skim mozarella cheese stick.

Exercise: 2-mile WATP tape.

Calorie Total: 1662 (Better)

:welcome: Wow...sounds like you have got quite the plan going there. I don't have any suggestions as it sounds like you already are on track to figuring out what is going on. Keeping a food journal and counting calories is great. Are you maybe lossing inches but not weight? You know that gaining muscle... :mus:

Keep up the good work!

Hey Mikey :) ! Thanks for the warm welcome and thanks for stopping by! Congratulations on your weight loss!!! You're doing fabulously!!

If i really think about it, keeping track of my food intake has been the only thing that has ever really worked for me. If I don't do it, over time, I start to overeat and the pounds pack on. I have to work at owning the amount of food that I eat. And, while I have gained muscle from all my exercising and see evidence of toning, the reality is that I have not noticed ANY real body shrinkage. My measurements are the SAME. I have to own that too. And keep telling myself that they're not gonna change unless I stop stuffing my face.

Anyway, here goes, food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice 12-grain bread w/Smart Balance Lite spread, 1 piece of Jarlsberg Lite cheese, 1 cup broccoli flowerets w/onions. 8 oz. Tropicana Lite orange juice. Coffee w/1% milk & Equal.

Lunch: Sushi - 1 salmon/avocado roll and 1 spicy salmon roll. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Glass of red wine before dinner, then 1 roasted chicken leg (and I ate the skin cuz I love it :tomato: ), 1 cup asparagus w/sauteed shallots. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calorie Total: 1619 (on track, this is where I want to be, I think :-/ )

Exercise: 2 mile WATP tape w/3 lb. weights

Food for Saturday:

Bkfst: 1 serving McCann's steel cut oatmeal with fresh strawberries and raspberries. Coffee with 1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Bowl of Italian Wedding soup, 1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese, Smart Balance Lite spread. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Chinese restaurant: Small glass of red wine, steamed chicken with broccoli (no sauce) over brown rice, 1 bowl wonton soup, 2 steamed dumplings.

Snack: 1 pear, 1 part-skim mozarella stick, 2 oz. smoked salmon

Calorie total: 1809 (higher than I'd like. Should really keep closer to 1600 to lose weight.)

Exercise: 2 Mile WATP tape with 5 lb. weights (ouch!!!)

Hi Madriver! I like what you said about "owning the amount of food" you eat. That really spoke to my heart. I'm like you, if I don't control what I eat (by tracking my numbers), the food will ultimately control me. It really looks like you eat healthy and are exercising right. I know it sure doesn't take much to exceed 1600 calories. I like the Village Hearth 12-grain bread, but I eat the light stuff, which is fabulous. Do you eat that as well? That can save a lot of calories. I'm curious what that Italian wedding soup is. Is it canned? If not, how do you make it? Good luck to you today and keep posting. It helps! Sue

Hi Sue :wave: ! Wow, you are doing so great!! What a success you are!! You deserve so much credit!

I'll have to look for that bread the next time I'm shopping. Right now I'm eating the 100% stone ground whole wheat bread that Costco sells. It has 90 calories and 3 grams of fiber per slice. What I've done is gotten myself used to only eating 1 slice at a time. Going on the South Beach Diet last year accomplished that. There was a time when, for me, toast always meant 2 slices, a sandwich always meant 2 slices, etc. Now, when I have toast or a sandwich it's one slice and I'm ok with it.

Italian Wedding soup is a chicken-broth based soup that has chopped spinach, some little pearl pasta and some tiny grape-sized meatballs in it. It's a great way to get in your dark green leafy vegetables. And I think it's delicious. I make my own homemade but if you're not into cooking, Campbell's soup just came out with their version of it and it ain't half bad. Campbell's Italian-Style Wedding Soup (http://www.campbellsoup.com/select_product.asp?brand=trad&product=bf_italian_wedding&prd_product_id=11175)

Yesterday's Food:

Bkfst: 1 egg/2 eggwhite omelet with fresh spinach & 1 oz. feta cheese. 1 slice whole wheat bread w/Smart Balance lite spread. 5 oz. Tropicana Lite orange juice. Coffee with 1 % milk & Equal.

Lunch: 1/2 cup vegetable light chicken salad on 1 slice of whole wheat bread with 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Bowl of chicken soup. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1/4 cup hummus with raw zucchini slices.

Dinner: 1 piece of stuffed salmon, 2 cups broccoli flowerets with onions. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 pear, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calorie total: 1668

Exercise: 2-mile WATP tape with 3 lb. weights.
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Yesterday was feeling hungry but kept my appetite in check. Calf injury is healing well. Will probably attempt step aerobics in another week.

Yesterday's Food:

Bkfst: McCann's steel cut oatmeal with raspberries and strawberries. Coffee with 1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Italian Wedding soup, 2 1/2 oz. herbed chicken breast, 2/3 cup broccoli with onions, 1 slice whole wheat bread. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Dinner: Turkey meatloaf, 2 cups turkish green beans.

Snack: 1 Pear, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calorie total: 1694

Exercise: Buns of Steel 2 step workout (30 mins)

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First step workout post-injury went ok. It's a really basic easy tape though. Short too. Won't be up to doing advanced tapes for at least another week. Felt hungry yesterday. Hard not to grab for seconds.

Hi Madriver. I can't get over how delicious and healthy your meals sound. That Italian wedding soup sounds great too--I'll have to try that out. Hope your injury heals quickly. Keep going strong, Sue

Hey Sue :) How's it going? If you ever want a recipe, let me know :).

Yesterday's food:

Bkfst: Shredded Wheat & Bran cereal with raspberries, strawberries and 1% milk. Coffee with 1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Italian wedding soup, slice of turkey meatloaf, turkish green beans. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: 6 1/2 oz. broiled dijon garlic skirt steak, turkish green beans.

Snack: Apple, part-skim mozarella cheese stick.

Calorie Total: 1772 (too high)

Exercise: None, took a rest day.

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Lunch and dinner portions were bigger than I should have had. Especially lunch. It's like my stomach wanted to be FULL. I wanted to be full. Steak portion at dinner was bigger than I should have had as well, but a 3 1/2 or 4 oz. portion just wasn't going to do it for me last night. TOM is coming and it always makes me feel very tired. Being tired is a huge trigger for me. Before I had my son, when I was tired I would just take a nap, no big deal. So I never had an urge to eat when tired, just an urge to sleep. Normal. Since becoming a mother, naps are a thing of the past. I have to be up to take care of him. And, although he just turned 4, he still doesn't sleep through the night. Last night, he got up twice. Plus, poor husband has been getting creamed at work so he can't spot me in the child care dept.

I will have to keep portions in check. The funny thing is that eating more when I'm tired DOESN'T wake me up. I don't feel any less fatigued just because I ate more. So, answering that urge to eat accomplishes nothing. If it worked it would be one thing, not exactly worth it, but at least I wouldn't feel so drained. BUT IT DOES NOT WORK.

So, goal for today: Keep this in mind: You're tired, not hungry - You're tired, not hungry. Exercise in the morning to keep energy up. Realize that fatigue is TOM-related and will pass. Measure portions and keep reasonable.

Madriver, I really, really like how you think. You realize what's going on in your body and have a plan to change whatever needs to be changed. Do you like tea? They have some out there for energy, tension, etc., and they actually do work, at least a little.

The other thing that strikes me with all that healthful eating of yours, is you are teaching your son how to eat healthy as well. It's part of what we do as mothers and the earlier you start the better it is.

Have a strong healthy day tomorrow, Sue

Thanks, Sue! I'm pretty much in touch with my various triggers, my problem mostly lies with not giving in to them. Sometimes those triggers feel very compelling and it's a whole lot easier to just give in to them than it is to stand strong against them. Having this journal keeps me stronger. Before it, I gave into the urges. Sometimes so easily that it became a habit to grab seconds, a habit to graze all night long after dinner. The journal and Fitday.com help to keep me in check. Getting real about the calories I ingest will always be the key for me. That, and making sure that I continue to exercise regularly. St Paul said, "The good that I would do, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do." Sums it up perfectly. The reality is that I was indulging myself and I felt a little bit entitled to do so because the food was healthy and I was hard-core exercising. That mentality had to go.

Anyway, I'm so glad that you stopped by :). You're so cheerful and motivating and bubbly! You have a strong and healthy day, too!

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Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat bread with 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Coffee with 1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: 1/2 cup vegetable lite chicken salade on 1 slice of whole wheat toast with 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat fusilli pasta with baby spinach, onions and garlic with 2 Chicken w/Spinach & Feta sausages sliced on top with a bit of grated Romano cheese sprinkled over. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Midnite Snack: 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calorie Total: 1611 (Yeah!)

Exercise: Buns of Steel 2 step workout
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Successfully resisted urge to grab seconds on the pasta last night and I'm really glad I did. Boy oh boy did I want another bowl! Just went right into the kitchen and started cleaning up. After about 15 minutes, I realized that I was full and no longer had the urge to eat more. Yahoo! Last time I made these sausages (which I love!) I had 2 at dinner, but ate another 4 during the course of the evening. At 120 calories each, well, never mind! I'm glad that history did not repeat itself.

OK, it's time for me to get real about the exercise. Since my calf injury, I've been slowly easing back into my exercise, doing very light workouts like Walk Away the Pounds and this Buns of Steel step workout (which is so ridiculously easy and short that it's not to be believed - I actually timed it yesterday. Video says 30 mins, but the exercise portion is only 21 minutes including warmup, cooldown and stretch). To call a spade a spade, I've been coasting. I think it's time to step it up a notch. There's no reason for me to have given up doing my upper body weights while my calf heals. Also, it's time to lengthen my workouts. I should do the 3-mile WATP tape instead of the 2 mile. The reality is that my calf is healed enough to allow me to do more than I have been doing. So, time to get moving!!

Congratulations on getting more control in your life. DT really does help, makes us accountable, gives us the support we need. Yesterday's dinner sounded absolutely wonderful, and good for you for resisting the urge to overeat. Sometimes it just tastes so good we don't want to stop, but once we take our mind off it, we realize we are satisfied and full. The key is to get our mind off it and the mind is a VERY powerful thing that can work either to our benefit or against it. It's up to us to choose. Hard, but it can be done. So many different things factor into our ability to choose the right thing. That's why I'm always talking about "going strong." Unfortunately, sometimes I talk more about it than I live it, but I think we get stronger the more we act stronger and experience more success. We all have times when we're not feeling so strong, but it's what we learn when we're weak that makes us even stronger. Sue

You said it, Sue!!

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: Bowl of Shredded Wheat & Bran cereal with fresh strawberries and 1% milk. Coffee with 1% milk & Equal.

Lunch: Bowl of Italian Wedding Soup, 1 slice whole wheat bread with Smart Balance Lite spread and a piece of Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1/4 cup hummus with raw zucchini slices.

Dinner: Sushi Restaurant: Bowl of miso soup, 1 spicy tuna roll, 1 alaska roll.

Calorie total: 1603

Exercise: Step Reebok video (45 mins - yeah!)

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: Skipped, wasn't feeling too well in the morning.

Lunch: 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pasta w/spinach. 2 Chicken w/Spinach & Feta sausages. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: 3 boneless/skinless roasted chicken thighs, 1 small sweet potato, broccoli w/onions. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella cheese stick.

Calorie Total: 1427

Exercise: Step Reebok video (45 mins)

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: McCann's steel-cut oatmeal with fresh strawberries. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Bowl of chicken soup, 1 slice whole wheat whole wheat bread with Smart Balance Lite spread and 1 piece Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: 6 oz. broiled salmon filet, 2 cups whole wheat pasta w/spinach & onions with 1 chicken/spinach/feta sausage. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: Fresh strawberries, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calorie Total: 1567

Exercise: None
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Have been feeling crappy since Friday. Like I'm getting a cold, but the congestion hasn't started yet. Weird. Headache, sore throat, chest soreness, body aches, tired. Don't know if it's going to turn into anything or go away. So, skipped exercise yesterday, but today I really should try to get some in.

Well Hello!

I was reading through your journal and I feel that my diettalk journal helps me out a lot too. I am way more accountable when I keep one and whenever I lax off, so does my discipline. I just think during the day, "if I do that, I'll have to go tell my diettalk journal!" haha!

Anyway, congrats to you for stepping up your exercise with the new, longer video!

And I hope you aren't getting sick!

-Lindsey

Hey Lindsey! Thanks for stopping by. It amazes me how much this little journal keeps me in line. It's a great tool.

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Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: Shredded Wheat & Bran cereal with fresh strawberries and 1% milk. Coffee with 1% milk & Equal.

Lunch: Cup of chicken soup, 1 piece of stuffed salmon. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Apple, piece of string cheese, 2 boneless skinless baked chicken thighs.

Calorie total: 1461

Exercise: Kari Anderson Body Tech video (40 mins)
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Ack, sore throat is worse today. Something is definitely cookin' inside my body, I wonder why it's taking so long to come to a head. I feel like crap but the good thing is that it's really cutting my appetite so staying within calorie range is not a struggle. Will do easy exercise today.

Weigh in: 169.0 (Down 3.5 lbs.) Wow! This is the first time the scale has headed in the downward direction since I started exercising in August! It's all about the calories for me. Diet content HAS NOT changed since August, only QUANTITY.

3.5 lbs Down! That is Great! :dn

-Lindsey

Thanks, Lindsey! Finally, after 16 weeks the scale moves south. It feels really good. I hope it continues going down. Night-time grazing was really doing me in. Stopping that was tough for the first few days, but then it got a lot easier. Now I look forward to my apple and cheese snack at around 9pm and that's that.
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Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: Slice of whole wheat toast topped w/Smart Balance lite spread and 1 piece of Jarlsberg Lite cheese. 6 oz. Tropicana Lite orange juice. Coffee w/1% milk & Equal.

Lunch: Cup of chicken soup, 1 chicken w/spinach & feta sausage, 1 slice of whole wheat bread w/Smart Balance Lite spread and 1 piece of Jarlsberg lite cheese. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: 1 roasted chicken leg (skin eaten ( I know, I know)), 1 cup asparagus sauteed in olive oil w/shallots, 1 cup mashed cauliflower (made w/1% milk & smart balance lite). Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick

Calories: 1529

Exercise: Step Reebok video (45 mins)

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat toast w/smart balance lite spread and 3.5 oz. smoked salmon. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: 1 slice whole wheat bread w/smart balance lite spread, 1 chicken w/spinach & feta sausage, 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese, 1 cup mashed cauliflower (made w/1% milk & smart balance lite). Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Bowl of Italian Wedding soup, 4 oz. roasted chicken breast (skin not eaten), 1 1/2 slices whole wheat bread w/smart balance lite spread. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: Apple, part-skim mozarella stick.

Snack: 1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 oz. smoked salmon, 1 cup raw zucchini slices.

Calorie total: 1509

Exercise: Kari Anderson Bench Works (60 mins)

Hi Madriver. Didn't mean to be gone so long, but I'm glad to see you are still so focused and making progress. Congrats on your longer exercising, lower calories, and 3.5 pounds gone. Wonderful! Keep up the good work, Sue

Hey Sue! Good to see you :)! I'm hanging in there. You keep up the good work too!

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat toast w/smart balance lite spread and 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Coffee w/1% milk & Equal.

Lunch: Italian Wedding soup, 1 slice whole wheat bread with 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite and Smart Balance lite spread. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Low-fat turkey meatloaf, small sweet potato w/smart balance lite, 2 cups broccoli w/onions and some olive oil. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 pear, 1 part-skim mozarella cheese stick.

Calories: 1384

Exercise: 3 mile WATP tape w/3 lb. weights (45 min.)

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Thought for today: Little pickers wear bigger knickers!

Hey Madriver!

Your food looks great and way to go on that exercise! :D

-Lindsey

Hey Madriver. I was reading one of the threads last night where you had posted earlier about night-time snacking and wanted to congratulate you for keeping a control on that. Healthy or not, it all boils down to how many calories we consume, doesn't it. You've been doing great. Keep up the good work, Sue

Thanks Lindsey & Sue!

Sue, I used to eat like a little oinker after 8 or 9pm. It was bad. A typical night saw me eating 2 or 3 handfuls of almonds (300-500 cals), a piece of fruit (100 cals), and 2-4 mozarella sticks (160-320 cals). Sometimes on top of that I'd grab a piece of grilled chicken breast (100-200 cals). Well, added all together, that's about 650-1100 cals! I'd say on average, I ate about 600-800 cals in snacks at night. Which, added to my daily meals intake, brought me to around 2200-2400 daily.

Granted, some nights I didn't eat all of that, some nights it was just the nuts and the fruit, others it was just the fruit and the cheese. Some nights it was all of it. I didn't eat the food all at once. It went something like this: an hour after dinner grab a handful of nuts. 30 mins later, urge to eat so grab an apple. Hour later, urge to eat, grab 1 cheese stick, not satisfied so grab another. Half hour later, urge to eat, grab handful of nuts. That's how it went. Combined with my exercise routine (which was quite intense), that led to not only ZERO weight loss, but an actual inching up of the scale between August and December.

I never felt like I was gorging myself. It didn't feel like a binge and I don't think it was. But it was indulgent, had gotten mindless and was somewhat of a habit. I think a lot of it was a substitution for the cigarettes I had given up. But it really did feel like an urge to eat. It wasn't boredom or anything like that. Plus, I think I felt since I did so much exercise, a little entitled. I really did think I was creating enough of a calorie deficit by exercising so much and by my choice of foods throughout the day.

At first it was really hard to give up the night time grazing. But each night got easier. Now it's not too hard at all. I hope it stays that way. For me, it's always been all about the calories. I think it might be that way for everyone, whether they want to admit it or not. The whole "I'm low carbing so it's not about the calories it's about the carbs" is a bunch of hooey if you ask me. Ditto for the low-fat, ditto for the "low" anything. If a particular way of eating allows a person to decrease calorie-intake enough to sustain weight loss, then great. But it isn't magic. It's calories.

Enough of my rant :).

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat bread with 1 slice Jarslberg Lite cheese and Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Bowl of Italian Wedding soup with 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese and Smart Balance Lite spread. 2 cups of broccoli w/onions & olive oil. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Didn't feel like cooking so I had another bowl of Italian Wedding soup with 2 slices whole wheat toast and 2 slices Jarlsberg Lite. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: Pear, part-skim mozarella cheese stick.

Calories: 1500

Exercise: None, rest day.

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat toast w/Jarlsberg Lite cheese and Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee w/1% milk & Equal.

Lunch: Turkey meatloaf sandwich, Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1/4 cup hummus with raw baby carrots.

Dinner: Sushi restaurant: Cup of Miso soup, 1 salmon/avocado roll, 1 california roll. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: Apple, part-skim mozarella stick.

Calories: 1720

Exercise: Kari Anderson's Body Tech (step aerobics and free weights workout) - 60 mins.
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Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: Whole wheat English muffin w/Smart Balance lite spread and 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Coffee w/1% milk & Equal.

Lunch: Turnkey meatloaf sandwich. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1/4 cup hummus with raw baby carrots.

Dinner: 2 Spinach & Feta turkey burgers (no bun), cauliflower/broccoli/carrot mix with a bit of olive oil. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 6 oz. red wine, 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calories: 1721

Exercise: None, major housecleaning day.

Yesterday we had a wedding to go to at 11 am. I thought I would have enough time to squeeze a workout in before we went but I didn't :(. So, that's two days in a row without exercise. :tomato: Haven't done that since August, except for the 5 days I took off for the calf muscle injury. Will make sure to get right back on track today.

I was pretty good at the reception. I only had fresh fruit at the cocktail hour, chose the salmon for my entree and only had about 1/3 of the dessert (couldn't resist, it was molten chocolate cake!), but I did have 2 glass of red wine, which is 255 calories. So, between the cake and the wine, 500-ish calories right there. :c(

Bkfst: Whole wheat english muffin w/smart balance lite spread and a slice of Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Coffee with 1% milk and Equal.

Wedding: ~ 1 1/2 cups fresh mixed fruit. 1 cup vegetable soup. 1/2 mixed green salad w/balsamic vinegrette. ~6oz. salmon fillet w/dijon mustard sauce. 1/2 cup wild rice pilaf. 1/2 cup mixed vegetables. 1/3 serving of molten chocolate cake. 2 glasses of red wine.

Snack/Dinner: 1 slice whole wheat bread w/3 oz. broiled skirt steak.

Calories: 1685

Exercise: None

Congrats on keeping it together at the wedding reception! I know you'll be back to exercising today because you're so dedicated to health and healthy eating. You've really overcome a lot from the days of your evening indulgences. Here's to hoping you never go back to those days (as long as wine is in the picture, figured we might as well have a toast!). Have a good day, Sue

Hey Sue! Thanks for visiting. I hope so too, but you never know. And wine, oh I love red wine! I used to have a about a 6 oz. glass every night but I've really cut back because I didn't want to spend those calories on wine anymore. If I had the wine, that meant I would have to give up some type of food. And I love food, too! Calories add up so fast, don't they? Sometimes I'm absolutely amazed by it. Like, some days I'll feel that I ate so lightly and yet the totals are 1700+. I wish I was one of those people who had a small appetite. I always had a huge one! It takes a lot of thought, psyching and planning for me to stay in these food amounts.

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat toast w/Smart Balance Lite spread and 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Sushi restaurant: 1 spicy salmon roll, 1 salmon/avocado roll, 1 cup miso soup. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: 2 boneless, skinless roasted chicken thighs, 2 cups broccoli w/olive oil. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 pear, 1 part skim mozarella stick.

Snack: 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calories: 1556

Exercise: Step Reebok (45 mins)

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat toast w/Smart Balance Lite spread and a slice of Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Coffee w/1% milk & Equal.

Lunch: Turkey Meatloaf sandwich on whole wheat. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Italian Wedding soup, 1 boneless skinless roasted chicken thigh, 1 cup Turkish green beans. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Snack: 1 part-skim mozarella stick, 1/2 cup Turkish green beans.

Calories: 1402

Exercise: Step Reebok (45 mins)

Found the most amazing turkey bacon at the store. Normally, I hate turkey bacon. The popular supermarket brands I always found to be the most processed-tasting vile crap out there. But I tried this one brand, Wellshire Farms (http://www.wellshirefarms.com/), and it was fantastic. All natural, no preservatives, no nitrites and super low-fat. Made with skinless chicken thighs, it only has 20 calories and 0.5g fat per slice. And the slices are big and meaty!! Yippee!! I love finding tasty low-cal, healthy alternatives to foods I love but that are bad for me.

Yesterday was a lazy, hungry day for me. Didn't want to exercise, wanted to eat. :pass: Felt a little burnt out. Ugh. So, I ordered 3 new videotapes from Collage Video hoping to rev up my exercise routines. I got Gin Miller's Simply Endurance (60 min toning video w/weights), Gilad's Step Aerobics video (60 mins step class w/a bit of toning at the end) and Charlene Prickett's With Every Step (2 workout tape - a 33 min. step class and a 37 min. step class). In the meantime, until they arrive I have to get myself re-enthused and plug along with the tapes that I do have.

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat toast w/smart balance lite spread, 2 slices of turkey bacon, and 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Bowl of Italian Wedding soup, 1/2 slice turkey meatloaf, 1 boneless skinless roasted chicken thigh. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: 2 cups whole wheat pasta w/spinach, onions and olive oil. 2 chicken w/spinach and feta sausages. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: Apple, part-skim mozarella stick.

Snack: 1 cup Turkish green beans, part-skim mozarella stick.

Calories: 1732 (and I could've easily eaten twice this! Didn't have cravings, per se, just wanted double the amounts of everything I ate. Struggle to stay where I did.)

Exercise: None :c(

I wonder why that is, that we sometimes want more food than we need. Do you think it's something more complex than "just" emotional, something physical going on? Hmmm. If you figure it out, let me know! Good luck on getting re-motivated! Sue

Hi Sue :wave: ,

Sure, there are physical triggers to eat. I think when I feel this way, it's probably hormonal (cycle-related). Or, I'm tired and my body's looking for a way to perk up (this is a big one for me). I rarely eat for emotional reasons. If I'm stressed or depressed then I have no appetite at all. But, I have a really big appetite otherwise. When I look at my daily intake, it looks really light to me. But, to another person, they may say to themselves "Wow, she eats SOOO much food, I could never eat that much."

One of the things I have always struggled with is the old "Eat until you're satisfied" rule. For me, there's a big range of "satisfied." What I mean is that I can eat another helping of food at a meal and still leave the table feeling "satisfied" instead of stuffed. Literally twice the food, but I would feel pretty much the same. This is what was going on with me from August til December (when I started calorie counting). I never felt as if I was stuffing myself, yet I was either maintaining or slowly gaining. And I was eating a heck of a lot more than I'm eating now. Intellectually, I knew that I was overeating, but my body didn't feel that way. So, I guess I'm a person who CAN'T listen to their body's cues because my cues are messed up. If I just "listened" to my body, I'd be obese forever. For me, I have to use my brain (reason and planning) if I want to be successful.

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat toast w/Smart Balance Lite spread & a slice of Jarlsberg Lite cheese. 1 cup Turkish green beans. 2 slices turkey bacon. 5 oz. Tropicana Lite orange juice. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Bowl of Italian Wedding soup, 1 slice whole wheat w/1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: 3 oz. spinach/feta turkey burger, 1 small sweet potato, 1 1/2 cups Turkish green beans. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella cheese stick.

Snack: 1 part-skim mozarella cheese stick.

Calories: 1641

Exercise: Reebok AeroStep (51 mins)

Geez, I'd love to lose my appetite when I'm feeling emotional. You're a lucky girl indeed! What strikes me about you is that you are very in tune with your body (and your brain) and how it relates to food. That's a big hurdle for many of us. You know, when I look at your daily meals, the amounts always look very reasonable to me--not too much, not to little. I read some people's and it's like, holy cow, can you eat that little for the rest of your life? The people who eat too much don't usually list everything (or anything) they've eaten. I know I've been guilty of that. You won't usually see me writing down everything I've eaten during a binge, mostly because I have lost track!

I wish you and your family a very happy Christmas. Sue (by the way, what's your name?)

Merry Christmas :)

Beth :peace:

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Hoping your Holiday is filled with lots of merriment, joy and love for all!!

Sue, you're such a gem! Always a pleasure to have you visit my journal :). My name is Andrea.

Thanks for stopping by, Beth! And a very merry to you too!

Although it may be Christmas, I'm still stickin' to the plan. Nothing major planned for today, will be low-key. We are in the midst of having a house built and it should be ready to move in sometime in March/April. Until then, we are living in small, cramped quarters, so a big Christmas to-do is out. We had hoped to be in the new house by now, but it was not to be. Construction is never on time. Next year, though, am planning a big festive holiday, with stockings on the fireplace, a big ol' tree and all the trimmings!

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat toast w/Smart Balance lite spread and a slice of Jarlsberg lite cheese. 2 slices turkey bacon, 1 cup Turkish green beans. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: 2 oz. deli turkey and 1 slice Jarlsberg lite on 2 slices of whole wheat bread with 1/2 tbsp. lite mayo. 1 cup Turkish green beans. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Bowl of Italian Wedding soup, 3 oz. spinach/feta turkey burger, 1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Diet Pepsi.

1 bite of a sausage tasted. I cooked a huge tray of Italian sausage and peppers for my husband to take into work last night.

Snack: Glass of red wine, 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calories: 1587

Exercise: None, running around all day on last minute errands. Thought I'd have time but didn't. :( Not thrilled with that. That means I only worked out 4 times this past week (counting today). My goal is 5-6 days a week. I haven't hit 6 once this month. Been doing five days a week since beginning of December. Must remain focused on goal.

See, there IS an upside to not having your house finished! This Christmas can be low-key and you can stick to plan easier! (Congratulations on building a house, though. That's exciting to have the house you always dreamed of.) Tomorrow is officially AFTER the holiday so you can start up wholeheartedly on your exercise program again. I'm feeling a little guilty over my lack of exercise this past week too. Felt great when I was "refusing" to exercise, now I wish I would have! Thankfully, we don't have to live in the past and our future is what we make it. So, I'm with you. Tomorrow we exercise!

I'm right there with ya, Sue :) ! I have such a love/hate relationship with exercise. On the one hand, I love the way I feel (both mentally and physically) when I do it. It does make me feel more energized and improves my mood and ability to handle stress. On top of that, I love the way I feel about myself when I'm exercising regularly. I don't feel guilty for being a slug, instead I can tell myself things like "You are getting strong and healthy" and "You lead an active life", etc. But, it is hard work. And sometimes we wanna blow off hard work. It's human nature.

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 whole wheat English muffin with 1 1/2 ounces of turkey and 1 slice of Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: 3 oz. spinach & feta turkey burger, 1/2 cup Turkish green beans, 1 small baked sweet potato w/Smart Balance Lite spread. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Ricotta/Spinach stuffed chicken breast (~6 oz. chicken and 1/4 cup ricotta), 1 medium baked sweet potato, Turkish green beans. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part skim mozarella stick.

Calories: 1702

Exercise: Kari Anderson's Body Tech (60 mins - step aerobics and weight training)

Hi Andrea. I'm glad to see that you exercised. Good for you. I really appreciate your wisdom. I learn a lot from you. I noticed that you were a nurse before you had your baby. What field were you in? I'll bet you just haven't lost your "baby weight" yet, but you're well on your way to getting back down to goal. Let's try not to let human nature get in our way. Sue

Thank you so much, Sue! That was so sweet! I was a cardiac nurse in the critical care unit before my son was born. Although it would be great to think it's baby weight, my baby is now 4 years old. By the time he turned 2, I had dieted myself down to 140 lbs. So, the extra 30 lbs. was all due to me :pass: .

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 whole wheat English muffin w/1 1/2 oz. turkey, 1 slice Jarslberg Lite cheese and Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee with 1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Bowl of Italian Wedding soup, 1 slice whole wheat bread topped with 2 oz. turkey, 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite and a bit of Hellman's Lite mayo. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Chinese Restaurant: 1 Alaska Roll, 1 steamed dumpling, steamed chicken with broccoli (no sauce), 1/2 cup brown rice. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 pear, 1 part-skim mozarella cheese stick.

Snack: 1 cup raw baby carrots, 1/8 cup hummus.

Calories: 1671

Exercise: Reebok Aerostep (48 mins)

--------------------------------------------

Yesterday, again, hungry! Took a lot of willpower to stay where I did. At this point, I'm sure that it's cycle related as TOM is due in a week. Great. So the only time I'm not hungry is for one week after my period :tongue: Oh joy. Arggghhhhh. The baby carrots/hummus snack, though, is filling, pretty low-cal, and seems to satisfy the hunger pangs well, so I'll stick with that as a filler snack during the coming week and hope for the best. Doubtful that any food intake this week will be in the 1400s. Probably won't be able to do that. But I should (WILL!) keep them under 1750.

All in all, can't complain though. Am down 4.5 lbs. since Dec. 1. So I have to keep focused on that and keep telling myself that what I'm doing is working.

Dang! Bummer when we have to take responsibility for our own actions and can't blame it on others. I always blame my son for making a mess in the kitchen, only to find out I'm just as bad! For some odd reason, I was thinking your son was just over a year old. And cardiac nurse in critical care! No wonder you're into being healthy. I bet your life is less stressful now (never mind, I forgot you were building a house too!). Make your extra time work for you.

Are you really hungry or just not satisfied with what you're eating? Have you eaten the same thing before and NOT been hungry? What's different? I know it's probably TOM related (for me too probably), but we should be able to find out how to overcome these more difficult times. Yeah, right, but we can try.

I found myself walking into the kitchen tonight, almost mindlessly out of habit. I sat down and figured out, that probably was all it was as I had eaten just over an hour ago (not really filling nor satisfying), but still there's no reason to eat so soon after eating. I ended up getting interested in something else and it's an hour later and I'm still not interested in eating anything. I think once we think about it, we can figure most things out. The key is remembering what you've learned and sticking to it!

On to victory...

Hi Sue!

You're absolutely right! I do notice that on the days I exercise, I am usually hungrier. My appetite isn't the same day in and day out. I figure as long as I keep within the calorie range I set for myself, I should be fine.

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: skipped, slept in while husband watched son. It was so nice. Slept until 11 am. Wow!

Lunch: Sushi: 1 spicy salmon roll, 1 salmon/avocado roll, 1 cup miso soup. Green tea.

Dinner: 1 piece stuffed salmon, 2 cups broccoli w/sauteed onions & walnuts. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella cheese stick, 1 diet hot cocoa.

Calories: 1476

Exercise: None, slept in then did big shopping at Costco.

So, yesterday I decide to workout to an interval step/weights video that has some pretty complex high-intensity choreography. Well, don't you know it, about 1/2 hour into it my calf (the one I had injured last month) started twinging really bad and felt like it was going to pop again any second. I stopped immediately and had a slight limp afterwards for a couple of hours. Calf muscle felt really tight too. Damn. It feels ok now but I can still feel that something's not right there, like a very mild discomfort/tightness. I think I can no longer do anything too complex or high-impact without reinjury occurring. This bites. It makes me feel old. Basic step low-impact choreography I can handle, though. But, I'm sick of my basic tapes. I hope those videos I ordered arrive soon. With any luck, they'll come today. Thank God the choreography in those is supposed to be basic. Either way, I'm committed to doing exercise within my abilities and will NOT use this as an excuse not to exercise. Will NOT, will NOT, will NOT!

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: Whole wheat English muffin w/2 oz. smoked salmon, 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese and Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Large bowl of Italian Wedding soup. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1/8 cup hummus with raw baby carrots.

Dinner: 3 boneless/skinless roasted chicken thighs, 1 cup broccoli flowerets w/sauteed onions and walnuts. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calories: 1561

Exercise: Cathe Friedrich's Cardio & Weights (30 mins completed)

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: Whole wheat English muffin w/smoked salmon, Jarslberg Lite cheese and Smart Balance lite spread. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Seafood Restaurant: Seafood on a bed of mixed greens (shrimp, clams, mussels, grilled calamari), 2 dinner rolls, glass of red wine.

Dinner: Sushi Restaurant: 2 salmon/avocado rolls, 1 large bowl of seafood soup in miso broth.

Calories: 1813 (estimate, hard to be exact about restaurant portion sizes, I did my best)

Exercise: None, out ALL day

"I'm committed to doing exercise within my abilities and will NOT use this as an excuse not to exercise." Good for you, Andrea! I'm so sorry your calf is giving you problems.

Hey There!

Sounds like you are really doing great! I am sorry too that your calf muscle is acting up, but glad that you are going to work around it. :D Keep up the good work!

-Lindsey

Thanks Sue & Lindsey! :wave:

Totally psyched! Got my new exercise video tapes and can't wait to try them out! I'm starting to really feel my progress now. My jeans (which had been fitting me like a sausage casing) are loose and comfortable now! Wow!! TOM is starting today, (early :tongue:) so won't weigh in until it's over.

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: Whole wheat English muffin, 1 oz. smoked salmon, 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese and Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee w/1% milk & Equal.

Late Lunch/Early Dinner: Diner: Cup of chicken noodle soup, turkey burger on a pita, cup of steamed broccoli, 1/4 serving greek side salad (no dressing).

Snack: 1 apple, 2 part-skim mozarella sticks.

Calories: 1372

Exercise: Step Reebok (45 mins)

Hey Andrea! I got a kick out of your jeans description "fitting me like a sausage casing." Of course, the first thing I think about are those delicious sounding spinich and feta sausages you were eating a while back. Cool, though, on seeing such wonderful progress. You should, you are really dedicated. I can't wait to see you get closer to or reach your goal this next year! Enjoy those new tapes of yours, Sue

Happy New Year, Everyone!! I slept through the festivities (if you can believe it) since my husband had to work last night. What a life!

Thanks, Sue! I do have jeans in a range of sizes. I tried on a pair yesterday that I've kept in the back of the closet (God only knows why) because they have hair dye all over them. I used to wear these all the time about a year and a half ago. Well, they were too tight and couldn't be buttoned. Bummer. I didn't realize I had gotten that big. I mean I knew it on the scale, but wow! With any luck, that'll change.

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: Whole wheat English muffin with 1 1/2 oz. smoked salmon, 1 slice of Jarlsberg Lite cheese and Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee w/1% milk & Equal.

Lunch: 1 egg/4 egg white omelet made with 1 cup fresh spinach leaves and 1 tbsp feta cheese. 1 slice whole wheat toast w/Smart Balance Lite spread. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Piece of stuffed salmon, 1 cup baby carrots, 2 tbsp hummus. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 part-skim mozarella cheese stick, Swiss Miss no sugar added hot cocoa.

Calories: 1416

Exercise: Charlene Prickett's With Every Step (37 mins)

Stats for the Month of December:

Average calories per day: 1585

Exercise: 21 out of 31 days

Total minutes: 865 (752 minutes cardio, 113 minutes weight training

Weight loss for the month: 4.5 lbs.

Your stats look right on target. Good for you! Keep up the good work all year long. Sue

Thanks Sue! You too!

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 1 slice whole wheat toast w/1 slice Jarlsberg Lite and Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: 2 boneless skinless roasted chicken thighs, 1 slice whole wheat bread w/1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: ~7 oz. grilled chicken breast, 2 cups broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mix with olive oil. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Snack: 1 part-skim mozarella stick, 2 oz. grilled chicken breast.

Calories: 1586

Exercise: Gilad's Step Aerobics (57 mins)

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 2 slices whole wheat toast with 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese and 1 3/4 oz. grilled chicken and Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: 4 1/2 oz. grilled chicken, 1 1/2 cups broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mix with olive oil. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: 2 cups whole wheat pasta w/sauteed spinach and onions. 2 chicken w/spinach & feta sausages. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calories: 1593

Exercise: Gin Miller's Simply Endurance (low weights, high reps, no rest - 57 mins)

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: Skipped (slept in late while my husband watched my son, yipee!)

Lunch: Sushi restaurant: 1 spicy salmon roll, 1 salmon/avocado roll, 1 cup miso soup, 1/2 small salad w/ginger dressing.

Dinner: 1 piece stuffed salmon from Costco, 1 cup asparagus w/sauteed onions, Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 glass red wine, 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Snack: 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calories: 1555

Exercise: None

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: skipped, no appetite.

Lunch: Bowl of Italian Wedding soup, 1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite cheese, 1 chicken w/spinach & feta sausage. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: 6 oz. Merlot-marinated flank steak, 1 slice whole wheat bread w/Smart Balance Lite spread, 1 cup Turkish green beans. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: Glass of red wine, 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Snack: 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Calories: 1527

Exercise: Charlene Prickett's With Every Step (37 mins)

-----------------------------------------

Am really coming to the conclusion that my appetite is greatly controlled by hormones. Looking back on the past weeks, I can see how my appetite nosedives during my TOM, stays low up until ovulation, then increases and gets high before TOM comes again.

Stepped on the scale this morning and still 168 lbs. Still on TOM though, so hoping that that has something to do with it. Will weigh in again in a couple of days and hope to see a decrease. I haven't cheated and my eating's been pretty OK so I would be greatly discouraged not to see a weight loss.

Hi Andrea. It's good you can see that cycle. At least now you know when NOT to weigh yourself. Keep up the good work! Sue

Hmmm, thought I posted yesterday but it's not here. Well, anyway ....

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: 2 slices whole wheat toast w/3 oz. smoked salmon and Smart Balance Lite spread. Coffee w/1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: 2 boneless skinless roasted chicken thighs, 1 cup Turkish green beans. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 cup raw baby carrots, 2 tbsp. hummus.

Dinner: 1 piece of stuffed salmon, 2 cups Turkish green beans.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick, 1 glass red wine.

Calories: 1671

Exercise: none.

---------------------------------------

Am feeling in a funk. Stepped on scale this a.m. and still 168. So, no weight loss for two weeks. Bummer. I think I need to step up the exercise but haven't felt into it at all. Even the new videos haven't charged me up as much as I had hoped. Don't know what the problem is. I've still been managing 5 workouts a week so I'm pissed that that isn't enough. I did used to workout more prior to December, but that was because I was eating way more than I am now. So I was overexercising to compensate for that. Now that I'm eating more moderately, I should be able to scale that back somewhat.

I need to go to the store and buy me some motivation.

Sometimes the scale is not our friend Andrea. Try measuring yourself. Try mixing up your exercise regimen. I know you have new tapes, but are you essentially doing the same thing at the same intensity? Maybe your body's simply gotten used it. Are you getting enough fluids? How's your salt intake? Don't forget TOM. And...try not to get discouraged. I know this has been tough on you. Feeling your pain, Sue

Thanks so much for your support, Sue! It really helps :). Exercise has been basically same, could definitely drink more water and I love salt! I'm going to try not to get too discouraged. I'm going to just ignore the scale for awhile.

Food for yesterday:

Bkfst: McCann's steel cut oatmeal, 1/2 cup blueberries, splash 1% milk. Coffee with 1% milk and Equal.

Lunch: Italian wedding soup, 1 slice whole wheat w/1 slice Jarlsberg Lite. Diet Pepsi.

Dinner: Italian wedding soup, turkey sandwich w/2 slices ww, lite mayo, 2 oz. turkey, 1 slice jarlsberg lite. Diet Pepsi.

Snack: 1 apple, 1 part-skim mozarella stick.

Exercise: Gilad's step aerobics (only completed 30 mins of 60 min video. What is up with me????)

Hi Andrea. And I HATE salt. Salt is my enemy! If I eat anything with too much sodium or the day's count is over 3000, I will gain at least one pound, or at least not see a loss. I can't imagine you're getting in too awful much salt w/how healthy you're eating, but even "healthy stuff" has too much of it. I bet if you cut down on your salt, you'd see some weight loss. Even if it was water, it might help to cheer you. Plus, TOM is making you retain water. I'm hoping you'll see a drop after TOM leaves. Good luck, Sue

Hey Andrea! Where you been, girl? Everything alright? Come check in when you can and know you're in my thoughts. Miss you! Sue

Hi Andrea. I just wanted to let you know that I think about you almost every day and hope you'll be back. In the meantime, I'm sending happy thoughts your way and wish you the best of everything, Sue