Hey everyone!
Okay, so I'm going back to school on August 28th, which doesn't give me much time to shape up. I'm not going for anything dramatic, I just wanna look and feel a little better and improve my eating habits. I started slim-fast yesterday and I love it so far. Last night for dinner I made the recipe for pasta primavera and it was delicious, I never eat anything healthy so I'm glad I'm so far finding good things that I actually like! I would have probably eaten pizza or macaroni and cheese on a normal night. I think this diet is fairly easy for me to follow because I get to pick what I want to eat and also I keep telling myself its only for a short time. I don't plan on continuing the diet at school because I was forced to pay almost $3000 for a meal plan and won't have the extra cash. But hopefully I'll at least learn portion control and better food choices. I'm telling ya, I have the worst eating habits. I'm 19, 5'6", 133 lbs. I know it doesnt sound like I have much to lose and I don't, but I do have a stomach and I think for my frame I'd look better around 125 or so. I'm hoping to be around 129-130 by the start of school. But I have a tendency to give in to pizza and mexican food, so hopefully I'll actually stick with this!

So last night I tried the slim-fast recipe for broccoli and cheese baked potato, but I didn't like it. After this 10 days, I'll hopefully have enough healthy recipes that I actually like so I can somewhat keep it up at school. I still haven't exercized at all...oops! I think I will today though. And last night I skipped my 3rd healthy snack and shared a small butter popcorn with my sister at the movies. A minor setback, I hope.

I totally messed up the diet yesterday. Started out with a meal bar for breakfast, then a snack bar for my first snack. Then I went to the post office and got a phone call about a cpr class I was supposed to be at. I had forgotten! So I went straight there and didn't eat anything for like 5 hours. My mom and I went straight to a redskins game after that and I was so hungry that we just got taco bell on the way (cheese quesadillas). Then, in the spirit of the game, I got nachos when we got there.
Oh, and I didn't work out at all. This is going well...

Hiya shout4!

So yesterday was a minor setback, don't let it get you down!

Just think of today as a fresh start :)

Thanks blueroses!

I finally worked out! I just finished 33 minutes on the tredmill and I feel great!

Well, I'm back at school!
I need to find a place around here that sells slimfast cause I'm out :(
When I left home I was 129 but I'm keeping it at 130 because I think I mightve gone back up a bit. I had pizza and a garlic knot for dinner last night and a bagel with butter and cream of broccoli soup for lunch today and I feel like I mustve gained something. And I'm planning on pizza for dinner tonight lol. I bought a book called the Dorm Room Diet, I'm waiting for it to come in the mail. Hopefully it'll help me make better food choices in the school dining hall.

Okay. I don't have a scale here but I'd bet anything I've gained it all back already. I've been ordering in a lot. Lots of pizza, lots of chinese, lots of taco bell...So today I'm going to get back on track!
I will be going home on September 22nd and I will weigh in on the 23rd. By then I hope to be 129.
I'll keep ya posted!
By the way, I still havent been to the gym but I live on the 5th floor and I've been taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I figure a little convenience exercise might help..

Okay so far today I've eaten:

half a sesame bagel with butter
12oz. cup of cream of broccoli soup
1 slim fast snack bar

much better than the entire pizza I ate yesterday.

Just thought I would drop in on your journal and say hi. It seems like things are looking up for you today. Keep your focus and you will reach your goals in no time and with ease. I know what it is like being away at school and in the dorms. I was there myself a couple years back. It is hard work and sometimes the food options are not great, but you are on the right site for the help and encouragement you may need. Best of luck to you...take care.

Thanks stickn2it!

I just want to start off clarifying, if anyone was interested, that I never intend to weight 114.5. I put that as my goal weight because for my height it is the lowest healthy BMI. But I can't imagine weighing that little. I'm not sure what my goal weight is but it is at least that. Right now I'm shooting for 129 by Sept 22nd.
I've been using calorie-count.com to track my food intake. It suggested eating 1200 cals a day, so yesterday I did that and today I ate 1300 and when I mentioned it my my mother she freaked out. (Shes a nutritionist) and she told me to take in 1600-1800. Stupid website! I probably shouldve gotten the last 300 calories from something healthy but instead I gave into a craving and ate a small bag of doritos. So I ate 1544 calories today. I don't feel bad about that lol I trust my mother. I'm very ignorant when it comes to this stuff so I wasn't sure whats high and whats low. Well...now I know!

Calorie intake all depends on the body. I figured out what mine should be from Prevention.com. It told me what amount of calories I should take in everyday to lose about 1-1.5 pds a week. I was comfortable with that because I didn't want too lose to much at one, too fast. I usually try and get around 1200-1500...never less than 1200 and that is for anyone. No one should ever get less thnan 1200 calories a day. It is not healthy and it tends to send your body into starvation mode. These are just some things I've learned from others on this site and other sites. I am by no means an expert, but it has worked for me. Definitely get more 1200 calories a day.

Hi Shout4! Just wanted to pop by and cheer you on. I'm at school as well, although I'm not in dorms so I do my own cooking and that can be helpful. It sounds like you are being sensible about this and setting reasonable goals. Every day is a fresh, clean slate and you can make the most of it.

I agree with stickn2it--anytime I've gone under 1200 cals it has ended up setting me back and then I don't lose anything at all and I get discouraged. I think your mom is probably right, and that 1500 is probably a great calorie goal for you.

Best of luck to you! I think climbing all those stairs every time will make a real difference, even if you don't think of it as exercise.

Thanks to both for the advice!!

Heres my stats for the past 3 days:

Day1: 1,151 cals, 55g fat, 141g carbs, 24g protein
Day2: 1,544 cals, 70g fat, 168g carbs, 64g protein
Day3: 1,326 cals, 74g fat, 119g carbs, 49g protein

Protein is the toughest for me because I'm vegetarian (including eggs) but I get most of my protein and omega-3 from 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds daily.

More tomorrow, goodnight!

Looks like with Days 2 and 3 you got your calories up there. Way to go for you!! Whatever your goal, just make sure you try and stay above 1200 calories, especially if you are going to exercise a lot. You don't want to burn more than you eat, but things are looking good, keep it up.

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement! This is the longest I've ever stuck with anything. I'm still counting calories, and for the most part I've been eating 1500-1800. My weigh in is this Saturday, the 23rd. I'm hoping for 129. And my Ireland boyfriend is coming to visit me October 21st (which I'm really really excited about!), so I'm hoping for 127.5 for that. Then I'm gonna start focusing on toning and getting some muscle. Calorie counting alone isn't going to make the softness go away!

You are well on your way. Good for you and the focus that you have. With time, you should have no problems getting to where you wanna be. Best wishes to ya!!