Weight Loss/Maintenance Support - August

[IfIOnly]

How's it going? 

 

 

My weigh in was today, and the scale showed that I only lost .2 pounds last week. I started my cycle today though, so some of that's probably water weight and bloating, especially since I weighed my self yesterday, which showed a little over a pound loss. I also haven't been tracking calories for a couple days. Things have been so busy with getting my curriculum picked and ordered through our charter, and my son's 13th birthday is tomorrow. We're throwing him a special party and get together of friends and have been getting ready for that too. I've been good about food choices and amounts and felt I did okay, but without tracking, it's hard to really know!

 

I'm still encouraged. The scale is moving in the right direction, and I can see a difference in the mirror. I'm probably not going to lose my excess weight by the end of the summer though, which was my original thought. Lol. That's funny to me now, but I really thought it was possible a month ago. Guess it had been to long since I'd tried rather than just thought about losing.  :lol:

 

 

[kiana]

To my mind, not moving in the undesired direction is still a victory. 

[Alexigail]

I always plateau right before my period and I don't worry about it too much.  Last week's weigh-in I reached a big goal.  I know this week I had no change, but I'm sure it's water weight due to my cycle.  The first time it happened I was so bummed and thought I'd done something wrong.  Now I just kind of expect it.  Interestingly, even with the plateau this is the first week people have really noticed a difference in my weight so I'll take that as a compliment!

[shawthorne44]

Hi, there, can I join in?   I am going to wait a little while before I weigh.  But, I'd like to read what you guys say.  

 

I deliberately went off diet for a week or so, so I want to wait a couple of weeks before I weigh again.  I'd made cupcakes for DD's birthday party while dieting, and I'd had DH taste-test them.   He gave me that "They are fine, dear" response, even though they were under-cooked.  A day later he said they were undercooked, and I about lost it.  So, when a couple of weeks later I had to make 350 cupcakes for the VBS, I went off diet so I could do my own tasting.   

[Alexigail]

That sounds like my husband!!

I modify a little to allow treats.  I made a deal with myself that losing weight slowly is still losing.  So I do have treats sometimes, especially birthdays etc.  I just stick with it the rest of the time.  Cupcakes sound amazing right now!

[shawthorne44]

I used this recipe for the VBS cupcakes, and they were excellent, if I do say so myself!  

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/04/08/triple-chocolate-layer-cake/

 

The batter was runny, which worked really well for cupcakes.  When I thought of it, I threw in chocolate chips in the cupcakes before baking.  But I often forgot.  bake time was 14-17 minutes depending on how full they were 

 

 

Oops.  Back to the dieting discussion.  Sorry.  

Edited August 2, 2016 by shawthorne44

[HeWillSoar]

Last week was my first week of low carb.  I did great but went to the movies one day and had popcorn and a coke and another day I went out to PFChangs and had fried rice as part of the meal.  Today I'm back at it.  I still want to go out and enjoy the things in life.  I'm trying to not be all or nothing but really make it a lifestyle.  So I'm down a couple pounds from last week still and hopefully another couple this week.  Feeling good about it!

[shawthorne44]

I just got a Kindle and I noticed on Amazon that there are several free e-books that are low-carb cookbooks.  

I don't know of they are any good.  My account is having trouble with e-books at the moment.  

[IfIOnly]

I made 6 lime cheesecakes last night for DS's bday bash today, but I'm allergic to dairy, so it was easier to not sample. I did allow myself 5 sour patch kids candies earlier for my dessert though. :)

[IfIOnly]

After four days of no entries, I'm back to logging my meals!  My menu is still really simple just because it's easy right now. Today I basically had 4 tacos, a can of olives, and coffee with a bunch of cream (coconut). My fish oil is a whole 60 calories a day too.  I've added some coconut water here and there to my diet but am still keeping to my carb goal and calories. 

 

I'm out and need to make some more meatloaves, which I could still eat everyday. I had that can of olives for breakfast instead, since it was just easy!  I still have plenty of taco meat individually bagged in the freezer though. Because of multiple food allergies, tacos are a safe and easy meal to come up with.

 

Someday I should work on some variety, but I'm happy and not stressed about what to eat, so it's all good. I'm sure I'll eventually feel the need though. Ha!

Edited August 4, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[HeWillSoar]

Dinner was cajun chicken sausage sauteed with kale and cheesy broccoli on the side. 

Lunch, a McDonalds salad with grilled chicken

Breakfast was just coffee

 

Now I'm having dessert which is ricotta cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, stevia and to make it taste better, I added some sugar free vanilla pudding mix.  It's actually pretty good. Oh, I also had a slice of swiss cheese. 

 

And I'm making good progress on school planning now.  I was kind of overwhelmed at first which  makes dieting that much harder. 

Edited August 4, 2016 by HeWillSoar

[shawthorne44]

For those on a diet that is low carb and/or high protein, have you tried the Atkins protein water?   It has 20 g protein, 1-2 g Total carbs (depending on flavor) and 90 calories.  I like it when I am with other people, like watching DD play soccer, and I want to blend in, instead of eating something odd or obviously brought from home.   It looks like just another Gatorade type drink.    It shuts my tummy up.   Normally I don't like Atkins stuff because the carbs that they don't count, my body counts.   

 

[HeWillSoar]

For those on a diet that is low carb and/or high protein, have you tried the Atkins protein water?   It has 20 g protein, 1-2 g Total carbs (depending on flavor) and 90 calories.  I like it when I am with other people, like watching DD play soccer, and I want to blend in, instead of eating something odd or obviously brought from home.   It looks like just another Gatorade type drink.    It shuts my tummy up.   Normally I don't like Atkins stuff because the carbs that they don't count, my body counts.   

 

I have never heard of that.  I'll keep that in mind if I need something quick and easy. 

 

[IfIOnly]

Hewillsoar, yummy menu. Mmm.

 

Shawthorne44, where do you find those?

[shawthorne44]

Hewillsoar, yummy menu. Mmm.

 

Shawthorne44, where do you find those?

 

I first saw them at Sam's, they had the Berry flavor.  It was pretty good, and knowing Sam's usually has limited favor selection, I checked online.   I order the Orange from Amazon.  Walmart says it has it in some locations, but no where near me.  

 

It is funny, I am normally pretty price conscious but when I saw those nutrition numbers a case flew into the cart.  It could have cost $50 and I wouldn't have cared.  

[BooksandBoys]

I first saw them at Sam's, they had the Berry flavor. It was pretty good, and knowing Sam's usually has limited favor selection, I checked online. I order the Orange from Amazon. Walmart says it has it in some locations, but no where near me.

 

It is funny, I am normally pretty price conscious but when I saw those nutrition numbers a case flew into the cart. It could have cost $50 and I wouldn't have cared.

Could you share a link? I'm googling but not finding anything like you describe.

[IfIOnly]

Could you share a link? I'm googling but not finding anything like you describe.

I think these are them: https://www.amazon.com/Lift-Protein-Drink-Berry-Gram/dp/B01CJUG8M2

 

They are whey based and wouldn't work for someone with dairy allergies.

Edited August 4, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[shawthorne44]

I checked out the link to see if it worked, and it didn't for me.  But, I could tell from the words in there that you were looking at the same thing.   But, going to Amazon and searching for, "atkins lift berry"  will get you to it.  

The rest of the lift product line has too many carbs for my taste.  

[IfIOnly]

I checked out the link to see if it worked, and it didn't for me.  But, I could tell from the words in there that you were looking at the same thing.   But, going to Amazon and searching for, "atkins lift berry"  will get you to it.  

The rest of the lift product line has too many carbs for my taste.  

 

Oops. Fixed the link.

[IfIOnly]

I couldn't track on MFP yesterday because I didn't eat 1000 calories at least. When I went to submit my food journal, it gave me a lecture about needing at least 1000 calories if I'm a woman and eating some more and then submitting. :huh:  :glare: :laugh:   I ate a full breakfast and lunch but then only wanted some baked beans for dinner. Oh well. I don't plan on doing that often but didn't feel like forcing myself to eat and usually do want to and and get 1200 calories in. 

[kiana]

I couldn't track on MFP yesterday because I didn't eat 1000 calories at least. When I went to submit my food journal, it gave me a lecture about needing at least 1000 calories if I'm a woman and eating some more and then submitting. :huh:  :glare: :laugh:   I ate a full breakfast and lunch but then only wanted some baked beans for dinner. Oh well. I don't plan on doing that often but didn't feel like forcing myself to eat and usually do want to and and get 1200 calories in. 

 

It still tracks as far as I know, it just doesn't let you complete the entry and give you the weight loss projection. 

 

But honestly there is nothing wrong with a just-not-hungry day here or there as long as you're not making a habit of it. Imo, though, give yourself the slack if you're hungrier tomorrow and eat a bit extra. 

[IfIOnly]

It still tracks as far as I know, it just doesn't let you complete the entry and give you the weight loss projection.

 

But honestly there is nothing wrong with a just-not-hungry day here or there as long as you're not making a habit of it. Imo, though, give yourself the slack if you're hungrier tomorrow and eat a bit extra.

Your right, it did track but wouldn't let me "complete" it!

 

Thank you for sharing that wisdom, and I agree with you. I think it's great MFP encourages healthy, safe weight loss. Sometimes though, I'm just not as hungry, and that's okay too.

[IfIOnly]

This Monday's weigh-in was better than the last week's. I lost 1.1 pounds for a total of 6.5 pounds lost. I've only been doing this a month, so that's good, I think. Weight lost has slowed down a bit though. I kind of hold my breath when getting on the scale, especially after last week, but the this counting calories approach seems to be working for me. It will sink in better though, I think, when I see the tens place move on the scale! That will be exciting.

 

Do you have a day you officially weigh-in?

 

How's it going eating according to plan?

 

 

[mellifera33]

Still doing weight watchers, kind of. Still bouncing around losing and gaining the same 7 pounds. I need to get serious and stick to it. I think that starting up again on our schedule will help me. 

[IfIOnly]

Still doing weight watchers, kind of. Still bouncing around losing and gaining the same 7 pounds. I need to get serious and stick to it. I think that starting up again on our schedule will help me.

I totally get that! School schedule is coming up here soon too, and I'm so ready for it.

[frugalmamatx]

I've been sticking to the MyFitnessPal app's calorie guidelines and it's working - down about 15lbs in a couple of weeks. Most of that was water though but still good. 

 

I'm having an issue though - every time I lose weight, no matter the diet, I lose about 15-20lbs pretty quickly. And then my gallbladder starts acting up, I have to go off the diet to deal with the gallbladder, and it turns into a circus. For the last couple of days I've managed some fruit, chicken soup and dry bread - those are the foods that bother my gallbladder the least. Taking it out isn't an option for several reasons, and my doc says there is nothing I can do other than eat very lightly and only tolerated foods for a while until it lets up again. But it never really lets up until I gain a couple of pounds back, and for a long time if I try again to diet it's right back. 

[IfIOnly]

I've been sticking to the MyFitnessPal app's calorie guidelines and it's working - down about 15lbs in a couple of weeks. Most of that was water though but still good.

 

I'm having an issue though - every time I lose weight, no matter the diet, I lose about 15-20lbs pretty quickly. And then my gallbladder starts acting up, I have to go off the diet to deal with the gallbladder, and it turns into a circus. For the last couple of days I've managed some fruit, chicken soup and dry bread - those are the foods that bother my gallbladder the least. Taking it out isn't an option for several reasons, and my doc says there is nothing I can do other than eat very lightly and only tolerated foods for a while until it lets up again. But it never really lets up until I gain a couple of pounds back, and for a long time if I try again to diet it's right back.

15 pounds in a few weeks?! I'm jealous. Haha! Are you doing keto or super low carb? I decided to add more carbs in and started losing more slowly.

 

I don't know much about the galbladder and am sorry that happens. :( How disappointing about having to stop when you're really making progress losing.

[HeWillSoar]

I'm still at it. Scale showed two pounds up this morning but I want perfect either this weekend. I just need to try to be really good with the low carb this week. Bacon wrapped chicken for dinner tonight and scallops for dinner tomorrow.

[HeWillSoar]

Duplicate

Edited August 8, 2016 by HeWillSoar

[kiana]

I've been sticking to the MyFitnessPal app's calorie guidelines and it's working - down about 15lbs in a couple of weeks. Most of that was water though but still good. 

 

I'm having an issue though - every time I lose weight, no matter the diet, I lose about 15-20lbs pretty quickly. And then my gallbladder starts acting up, I have to go off the diet to deal with the gallbladder, and it turns into a circus. For the last couple of days I've managed some fruit, chicken soup and dry bread - those are the foods that bother my gallbladder the least. Taking it out isn't an option for several reasons, and my doc says there is nothing I can do other than eat very lightly and only tolerated foods for a while until it lets up again. But it never really lets up until I gain a couple of pounds back, and for a long time if I try again to diet it's right back. 

 

That sounds terrible, I'm sorry!

 

Out of curiosity, what happens if you lose more slowly? Does it still come on at 15 lbs lost? Rapid weight loss can really mess with gallbladders (sometimes they just take it out when they do weight loss surgery because they know it's going to be troublesome soon). 

[MeghansMom]

Not well.

 

I had lost thirty pounds and since my second stroke in December, I have gained 16 lbs back.

 

I have a tendency to be a stress eater and hedonistic.

 

I can't really exercise either because I have posterior tibial tendinitis. I am also going through menopause. Yay me!

 

*heavy sigh*

 

So, I go to my weightwatchers meeting tomorrow and we shall see. I am not hopeful.

 

I am drinking my water and taking my meds.

My sleep was pretty golden, now it is not. Need to get back to track on that.

 

My orthopedist did say I could swim and bike but I don't have a pool or a bike.

I am joining the gym in September, no joining fee and I am getting a bike for Christmas.

I see my doctor later this month and my orthopedist and start back with PT.

I have some issues since my stroke and I need to work on my organization of these things.

 

Working on getting my eating under control. I have been starving all the time-stress.

[IfIOnly]

I'm still at it. Scale showed two pounds up this morning but I want perfect either this weekend. I just need to try to be really good with the low carb this week. Bacon wrapped chicken for dinner tonight and scallops for dinner tomorrow.

 

I like hearing your menus! :P Yum.

 

The scale is just weird. I don't understand all the sometimes daily fluctuations! For some reason weighing in on Monday helps me stick with the plan on the weekends, which is good! I do allow myself some dessert, usually some higher carb fruit, but do try to stick with my calorie goal.

 

Speaking of scales, on Mondays when I wake up, I go straight to the bathroom, pee, strip, and weigh. I do this each time to try to get a consistent reading. Is there something I'm missing?

[IfIOnly]

Not well.

 

I had lost thirty pounds and since my second stroke in December, I have gained 16 lbs back.

 

I have a tendency to be a stress eater and hedonistic.

 

I can't really exercise either because I have posterior tibial tendinitis. I am also going through menopause. Yay me!

 

*heavy sigh*

 

So, I go to my weightwatchers meeting tomorrow and we shall see. I am not hopeful.

 

I am drinking my water and taking my meds.

My sleep was pretty golden, now it is not. Need to get back to track on that.

 

My orthopedist did say I could swim and bike but I don't have a pool or a bike.

I am joining the gym in September, no joining fee and I am getting a bike for Christmas.

I see my doctor later this month and my orthopedist and start back with PT.

I have some issues since my stroke and I need to work on my organization of these things.

 

Working on getting my eating under control. I have been starving all the time-stress.

 

:grouphug:  That is so much going on and coming at you all at one!  :grouphug:

 

Have you done WW before? I hope your meeting is encouraging a little bit.  

 

You have kept half that original weight loss off, and that's really great. It sounds like you're doing something right!  :hurray:

[MeghansMom]

I lost thirty pounds with WW. :)

I had my second stroke during a meeting.

They do encourage me, I just feel so bummed about gaining a size back.

I had gotten rid of my fatter clothes, lol.

Thank you for your positive thoughts. It helps. 

[Alexigail]

Tuesday is my "self improvement" day - Weight watchers meeting and a haircut.  WW is going pretty well for me this time, though I've crashed and burned on it in the past.  I'm definitely doing a more "slow and steady" loss, about 1/2 lb a week.  It's adding up pretty quickly though.  I think that those initial big losses have to do with how our body keeps water weight on.  I used to have lots of inflammation and would lose a LOT in the first week or so.  Now that my inflammation is gone, I'm losing a lot more slowly, but the upside is I feel really great when I'm not carrying around all that water weight.  

This week I hit the weight I was when I joined WW the first time, which was a sort of silent goal for me.  After that I had gained another 20lbs but now I'm determined to keep it up.  For me the only way to do it is go all in with tracking.  I used to find it cumbersome but I'm really used to it now, and I rely on the app to make decisions about what to eat.  

 

I do miss butter though!  It's one of the few things I've cut out of my diet, save for a tsp once in awhile.  Most things I can just cut back but butter uses up so many points.  I still eat Ice cream and half and half, so my life is pretty ok.  :)

[IfIOnly]

Tuesday is my "self improvement" day - Weight watchers meeting and a haircut. WW is going pretty well for me this time, though I've crashed and burned on it in the past. I'm definitely doing a more "slow and steady" loss, about 1/2 lb a week. It's adding up pretty quickly though. I think that those initial big losses have to do with how our body keeps water weight on. I used to have lots of inflammation and would lose a LOT in the first week or so. Now that my inflammation is gone, I'm losing a lot more slowly, but the upside is I feel really great when I'm not carrying around all that water weight.

This week I hit the weight I was when I joined WW the first time, which was a sort of silent goal for me. After that I had gained another 20lbs but now I'm determined to keep it up. For me the only way to do it is go all in with tracking. I used to find it cumbersome but I'm really used to it now, and I rely on the app to make decisions about what to eat.

 

I do miss butter though! It's one of the few things I've cut out of my diet, save for a tsp once in awhile. Most things I can just cut back but butter uses up so many points. I still eat Ice cream and half and half, so my life is pretty ok. :)

Self improvement day sounds fun. Hope you have a great meeting and get a great haircut!

 

Yes, I do feel better being lighter too, even if it's just mostly water weight at this point. ;) I still am closer to my starting weight than my goal weight and don't feel a dramatic difference, but I'm encouraged by some results. Slow and steady.

 

Congrats on accomplishing your weight loss goal this week! That's wonderful!

 

I think I could live with half and half, ice cream, and butter occasionally too. :) I'm with you on tracking. I think it's so good to weigh my options and make choices, rather than just eat whatever amounts I feel like and usually too much!

Edited August 9, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[frugalmamatx]

15 pounds in a few weeks?! I'm jealous. Haha! Are you doing keto or super low carb? I decided to add more carbs in and started losing more slowly.

 

I don't know much about the galbladder and am sorry that happens. :( How disappointing about having to stop when you're really making progress losing.

 

Nope just is the way I lose. I always lose a bunch fast, then taper off to just a little each week. Part of it was water weight too thanks to Aunt Flo. 

 

That sounds terrible, I'm sorry!

 

Out of curiosity, what happens if you lose more slowly? Does it still come on at 15 lbs lost? Rapid weight loss can really mess with gallbladders (sometimes they just take it out when they do weight loss surgery because they know it's going to be troublesome soon). 

 

Not so much a weight lost amount, but it tends to come on within 5lbs of a certain weight. I've had trouble with it for years thanks to rapid weight loss when I was pregnant and then when I was sick afterwards. 

[kiana]

Interesting and long read: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/metabolic-damage

 

Fair warning: They are selling their coaching services, but the info is also useful to DIY'ers. One of the most balanced summaries (between "it's no use why try" and "of course anyone can do it, it's easy") of issues with weight loss I've run into. 

[IfIOnly]

Down 8.3 pounds! I'm close to being 10 pounds lighter. Feeling accomplished and a sense of renewed hope. A week or two ago I was down and wondering if I would be able to lose after a plateau.

 

Truth be told, I've been eating just a couple days a week of 800-1000 calories a day because I wasn't losing sooo slowly (after the initial loss) and sometimes gaining a bit with 1200 every day.

 

I'm am *completely* sedentary though (washing my hair is painful and exhausting) because of chronic illneses.

 

This losing weigh stuff takes TIME. It's been about a pound a week though, so that's decent progress.

 

Not feeling hungy overall and I eat when I am. Olives are my to to snack.

 

How are you doing?

[HeWillSoar]

I was down about five pounds and didn't lose any that next week even though I did try.  But at least it's holding steady, I guess.   I'm having company this week so I'm taking this week off but I'll be back at it next week.  Also school starts for us next week.

 

Good job, Ifonly!  That's steady progress. 

[IfIOnly]

I was down about five pounds and didn't lose any that next week even though I did try. But at least it's holding steady, I guess. I'm having company this week so I'm taking this week off but I'll be back at it next week. Also school starts for us next week.

 

Good job, Ifonly! That's steady progress.

Aw, thank you!

 

Holding steady is good and better than gaining! Holding, regaining, losing fast, losing slow, I'm learning it's all part of the WL journey.

 

I hope you enjoy your company.

[IfIOnly]

Oh, forgot another thing I figured out! Sometimes the scale showed a gain or no loss because, um, I hadn't been regular for a few days. That was another good thing to figure out in getting a consistent scale reading. Sorry for the TMI!

[IfIOnly]

Interesting and long read: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/metabolic-damage

 

Fair warning: They are selling their coaching services, but the info is also useful to DIY'ers. One of the most balanced summaries (between "it's no use why try" and "of course anyone can do it, it's easy") of issues with weight loss I've run into.

That is a wealth of info. So good. I learned another benefit of getting adequate protein each meal.

 

Thanks for sharing, Kiana!

[kiana]

Oh, forgot another thing I figured out! Sometimes the scale showed a gain or no loss because, um, I hadn't been regular for a few days. That was another good thing to figure out in getting a consistent scale reading. Sorry for the TMI!

 

It is useful for me to consider a weekly average of weights rather than a single day's weigh-in. There are apps (I think one is called happyscale) if you have a smartphone, that will show a trend line. 

[Sarah CB]

I'm down 6.1 pounds so far since July 28th. I was on vacation from July 28th to August 17th so didn't weigh myself during that time, but when I got back I was down 3.2 pounds.

 

I'm 42 pounds down from what I was in April.

 

 

 

 

[IfIOnly]

I'm down 6.1 pounds so far since July 28th. I was on vacation from July 28th to August 17th so didn't weigh myself during that time, but when I got back I was down 3.2 pounds.

 

I'm 42 pounds down from what I was in April.

Wow! That's an 8 pound loss monthly average. Amazing.

[shawthorne44]

Oh, forgot another thing I figured out! Sometimes the scale showed a gain or no loss because, um, I hadn't been regular for a few days. That was another good thing to figure out in getting a consistent scale reading. Sorry for the TMI!

 

Yeah, me too.  And I become less regular when I'm dieting.  I guess less in, less out.  But, I'd be steady for days and then a one pound loss.  Also depends on how hydrated I am.  I wish there were a scale that could subtract out the water.  That measurement would be more steady.  

[frugalmamatx]

Checking in. Switched to a paleo-ish diet a week ago, and I'm liking it so far. I still haven't cut out all artificial sweeteners but I'm working towards it. The first few days were bad but now I'm ok on it. 

 

Down another 5lbs from last time. 

[IfIOnly]

I had a low calorie, high protein and fat breakfast (meatloaf plus creamy coffee), so a large McDonald's French fry for lunch as a special treat is okay, right? I'm still at my calorie goal. For a treat. Just this once?:P

Edited August 24, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[IfIOnly]

Checking in. Switched to a paleo-ish diet a week ago, and I'm liking it so far. I still haven't cut out all artificial sweeteners but I'm working towards it. The first few days were bad but now I'm ok on it.

 

Down another 5lbs from last time.

Have you tried stevia?