Bellaryna's Journey

Awe. ((Hugs))

I know just what you're feeling and where you're coming from. The only good thing about today was that the sun did finally peek out and say hello. I know it's only a few more weeks of this before spring will start to come around the corner.

Hang in there....
 
Hi Dawn

I dont blame you for getting down with the severe weather - you do seem to have such bad winters there. I can understand how it is difficult to persuade yourself to do things like get into the water - I cannot do it here and we are having a much better time than you are.

I do know that you are a determined lady. You have your weight loss goal in your sights - it may be a little way off still - but like me - it is closer than it has been in years. I know that you can stay focused and make it until the springtime - and beyond to goal. Determination can get us across obstacles.

I have just been through the entries in your diary since I last visited. You havent mentioned as much about the heart rate monitor as I expected. Are you still wearing it? Can it cope with extreme temperatures so that you can analyse your time at work?

I am sorry that you had a binge the other day. These things happen. If you did make a note of what you ate - it may be worth calculating the calories. I noticed that the range that you mentioned in your diary only went up by 100 calories. The range for the challenge is 1,000 calories so you may have 900 extra calories available if you do the sums. 900 calories is not a lot compared to the size of binge that I have had (even during this weight loss project - my last one was in September not long before I found the forum) - but you never know - it may accommodate your binge.

Good luck at the scales today and tomorrow.

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
Hello Margaret,
Thank You for stopping by with your encouraging words. they sure can make all the difference when one is feeling all blah.
Omega said:
Hi Dawn

I dont blame you for getting down with the severe weather - you do seem to have such bad winters there. I can understand how it is difficult to persuade yourself to do things like get into the water - I cannot do it here and we are having a much better time than you are.
I really can't wait for Spring to get here. And your right we have had some really bad weather this year. It is not usually this awful.
I do know that you are a determined lady. Thanks that means alot to me that you think so.
You have your weight loss goal in your sights - it may be a little way off still - but like me - it is closer than it has been in years. I know that you can stay focused and make it until the springtime - and beyond to goal. Determination can get us across obstacles.
If I can just make it thru to spring I think that I will certainly win this battle. I do believe that Kimberly's challenge's have kept me going much longer thru this season than I otherwise would have done on my own.
I have just been through the entries in your diary since I last visited. You havent mentioned as much about the heart rate monitor as I expected. Are you still wearing it? Can it cope with extreme temperatures so that you can analyse your time at work?
The heart monitor works wonderfully!!! And I love, love, love it. It is a bit confusing to figure out at times. As it has a TON of functions. Unfortunately the little book that came with it hasn't been very helpful in the setting up process.
I was also waiting for my hubby to set up the online portion for me. As I am so not a computer techno whiz. And of course it had to wait until he had the time to do it. And of course again it is also a bit confusing to figure out.
I was going to use it last night when I went to my PowerCore class but forgot to grab it on the way out of the house so was unable to.
But I do plan to take it tonight and see if I can't get it figured it. I will certainly be letting you guys know how it goes.........that is as soon as I can figure the darn thing out! LOL
You know I never thought of taking it to work but that would be a great idea. And as it would be under all my clothes I wouldn't have to worry about it getting to cold.
Thanks for mentioning it I will try it this weekend!
I am sorry that you had a binge the other day. So am I. :angelsad2: These things happen. If you did make a note of what you ate - it may be worth calculating the calories.
Well as it would happen I did write everything down. That I had that is. I haven't figured up the calories yet but maybe I should. I just assumed it would be to much. I noticed that the range that you mentioned in your diary only went up by 100 calories. The range for the challenge is 1,000 calories so you may have 900 extra calories available if you do the sums. 900 calories is not a lot compared to the size of binge that I have had (even during this weight loss project - my last one was in September not long before I found the forum) - but you never know - it may accommodate your binge.

Good luck at the scales today and tomorrow.

Take care
Love
Margaret
Click to expand...
Maybe I didn't read things right "again" with Kimberly's challenge. Heaven knows I have misread them wrong a few times! LOL
I will go right now and see how many cals I have consumed and see where that leaves me for the week.
I have a feeling it means that I may not have many more calories to play with.
Thanks again Margaret for being encouraging to me. I really needed that.
 
Since Margaret pointed out that I had miscalculated my numbers I decided to go back to see what my calorie intake was for the past week and here are the stats:
Friday-1678
Saturday-1633
Sunday-1597
Monday- (Ate out @ Applebee's)-2253
Tuesday- (binge day :banghead:)- 3160
Wednesday- 867 (low I know but it wasn't on purpose)
Thursday- yet to be seen but so far only 650 (ended the day with 1711)
For a total of 11,838. (Total of 12,899 for the week!)
And Margaret was right I did put my cals down wrong in the beginning.
I had it down as I believe 11,900-12000 cal range. When in fact I should have had it at 11,900-12,900. That's a huge difference!!!
That actually leaves me with *AMAZINGLY!!!* 1062 cals for the rest of my day.
Margaret I think that I could just cry! I really thought that I had blown it completely and if it wasn't for you setting me straight I would never have known that I actually am still in the game.
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!
Of course it did help that I didn't eat so much yesterday. LOL
Probably a side effect to eating too much the day before.
Okay I am still in the game!
 
Last edited:
Hi Dawn

I am pleased to hear that those points are still there for the taking for you.

If I have to count my calories - everyone else can too! You werent going to get off without counting for a few days.

It's always worth doing the sums. Sometimes a binge isnt as bad as you think. If you know what you are dealing with - things can look a whole lot brighter. I am so pleased that I could help.

Good luck at the scales.

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
hey dropping in to say hope you have a good day - glad to hear you are still in the challenge-big day tomorrow!! lol.

have a good day

x
 
Hi Bella!

I can totally relate on the seasonal depression matter. It happens to me too. Just think it's only for a while, when the weather starts turning springy you'll be your old active self again! Don't give up :D

Have a great day
India
 
Hi Bella,

I'm sorry you've had the winter blues lately. I think all of us Northerners have just about had it with winter. I try to remind myself that it could be worse..lol. Have you ever read any of the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder? One of them is called the "Long Winter," and it was in 1880-81 they had 7 months of blizzards in her new S. Dakota town. Starting in October, they would have blizzards for 3 days straight, then 1-2 days of sunshine, then another 2-3 days of blizzards. The temperatures often hit colder than 30-40F below. The supply trains couldn't get through, so the town nearly starved to death. Her family ran out of coal and there weren't many trees on the prairie to cut for firewood, so they had to twist hay to burn. It was terrible, and went on through April. The supply train came into town on the very day that they finished off the last of their food--which amounted to a potato for each person--for the whole day! Not a good way to lose weight, eh? Anyway, when I get down about the weather, I try to think about that book, and how at least it's not as bad as that. :willy_nilly: We are relatively warm and snug in our homes, and have plenty to eat. And we aren't trapped in our homes-- most days. ;)

I'm so glad Margaret got you sorted out with your calories. :) I haven't checked to see how everyone's done, but I know a few people have dropped their bonus pts this week, so you are very unlikely to finish in last place. Regardless, you have done very well to make it to the last week--9th out of 39 isn't bad at all--and I'm sure your higher than 9th. :)

:hug2:
 
Thanks to India, Angel and Kimberly for stopping by with words of encouragement.
~~~
Kimberly
I love to read and can't believe that I have never read the Little House books!
I think that if I had to endure living back in the time that Laura did and then having to deal with blizzard after blizzard I would just shrivel up and die.
You know I often wonder if I didn't work in a freezer if I wouldn't suffer so badly from the seasonal thing. There is no natural light in that place. It just feels like a big cold cave. Which in winter obviously feels much worse than in the summer.
Thankfully there is only a little bit more of this nastiness to go.

India
Thanks so much for always taking the time to stop by and give me some encouraging words. I hope that you aren't suffering from the Seasonal thing as well! It just stinks doesn't it?
~~~

Well this was one long, long, long weekend.
I ended up not going to work on Friday as I needed to get the basketball picture packages all together to hand out for Saturday's games. That's about 100 packages!!!!
It took me nearly all night. I did take some breaks in between as all the kids started to look the same after awhile. LOL
The parents were all so happy to get the photos. And I had so many lovely compliments on them.
Work on Saturday stunk big time. I ended up working 13 1/2 hours! With the last 4 hours all in the ice cream room. Remember -18*F? I really thought my fingers were going to have frost bite before the night was out. That is how badly they were hurting.
I still can't figure out how we ended up having to be there that late. Must be the managers didn't set the shift up very well.
I ended up not rolling into my house until 5:10am in the morning. Funny thing happened. I get home and "sneak" down the hall. Get into my room and DH jumps, LITERALLY!, outta bed and says "Where have you been?" LOL Which is comical in and of itself 'cuz he was still 3/4 of the way asleep when he asked. I looked at him and said "At work. What did you think I was doing? Galavanting around the town?!" So I ended up not getting into bed until 5:30 and the kids kept waking me up from 8am until 9:45am. Which is when I had my alarm set so that I could get up to go to church. I did get about 20-30 minutes of a nap before I had to head back off to work on Sunday. But again I didn't get home until after midnight.
Hubby was very generous in that he let me sleep in this morning while he got the kids around for school. I did eventually get up so that I could drop them off at school. I really enjoy being the last face they see from home.
I am currently trying to set up some kind of meal plan that would incorporate me eating the same things all thru-out the day with my main meals changing daily. Just like Margaret/Omega does.
I just don't seem to do well with all the choices everyday. Especially 'cuz i am just too busy here lately with the swim classes at the YMCA. I am always coming or going somewhere and tend to just grab and go w/o ever writing down anything. Just trying to remember everything. And that just doesn't work so well for me.
The sun was shining so beautifully here this weekend. Hubby, kids and pup made it out to the local park for a walk around the lake. Of course lots of mud was involved! LOL But they had fun. Wish that I could have been there with them. But alas work was calling. BAH!
And of course now the sun is all done shining and there is another snowstorm on the way. Hmmph. I am planning on going for a walk this afternoon before the weather gets all gross again. I really can't stand being all cooped up for much longer.
No offense Kimberly but I would be soooo happy if the storm would just track north of here but I am sure that it won't do that.
Well if I going to get that food plan done than I better get off of the forum and get crackin' at it.
I hope that everyone else has a wonderful day.
Ciao!
 
Okay after much labor I think that I have come up with a suitable list that I can stick with for a while.
The numbers @ the end of each entry represent Calories, Carbs, Fats and Proteins. I am using Sparkspeople to come up with all this stuff. Unfortunately they don't have a section for sodium or fiber so I will have to check that out all on my own. But as it is I have run out of time for today. It will have to wait for tomorrow.
So starting tomorrow this will be my daily menu with dinner being the only thing that changes. And as you can see dinner is currently not listed but will be added as it is eaten.
I am shooting to remain below 1650 cals for the day and with this menu that will leave with at least 700 calories for dinner. Not that I think that I would ever need that many for dinner but it is nice to see that if the opportunity arose to have something, say spaghetti or another high calorie meal, I could enjoy it without guilt. Of course it also leaves room for more snacks. And as the days progress I will see if I need to add some snacks in here and there.

Breakfast
Egg substitute, liquid (Egg Beaters), 0.25 cup 53 2 0 8
Bread, reduced-calorie, wheat, 2 slice 91 1 20 4
Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread with Flax Oil, 1 tbsp 45 5 0 0
Totals = Calories 189, Carbs 8, Fats 20, Protein 12

Lunch
Green Peppers (bell peppers), 0.5 cup, strips 19 0 5 1
Fresh Express Fancy field greens salad, 1.5 cup 10 0 2 1
Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average, 4 wedge (1/4 of medium tomato) 26 0 6 1
Cucumber (with peel), 0.33 cucumber (8-1/4") 13 0 3 1
Chicken Breast, no skin, 3 ounces 94 1 0 20
Flavorite Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese, 0.25 cup 110 9 0 7
Totals = Calories 271 Carbs 11 Fats 15 Protein 29

Snacks
Fiber One Cereal, 0.5 cup (1 serving) 59 1 24 2
Raisins, 0.25 cup (not packed) 109 0 29 1
Almonds, dry roasted, 0.5 oz (22 whole kernels) 85 7 3 3
Strawberries, fresh, 0.5 cup, whole 22 0 5 0
Banana, fresh, 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long) 109 1 28 1
Pop-Secret 100 calorie Pop Butter popcorn, 1 serving 100 4 20 3
Totals = Calories 483 Carbs 13 Fats 108 Protein 11

Daily Totals = Calories 943 Carbs 32 Fats 143 Protein 53
 
Last edited:
Wow! I'm sorry you had to work so long over the weekend. You must have been exhausted on Sunday! :ack2: Is there any way you could get transferred to a dept that didn't involve working in a freezer? No wonder you're so sick of the cold weather.

I think we're getting some of the storm here anyway..lol. H said there was black ice in spots this morning, and that they closed down both north and southbound lanes of 131 for awhile due to black ice and a small pile up.

Your eating plan sounds good to me, just maybe needs a bit more protein. :)
 
bikinibound said:
Wow! I'm sorry you had to work so long over the weekend. You must have been exhausted on Sunday! :ack2: Is there any way you could get transferred to a dept that didn't involve working in a freezer? No wonder you're so sick of the cold weather.
I am hoping to eventually get into something different. But for now I am currently "stuck" as I just accepted the postion that I am currently doing 2 months ago. We are not allowed to transfer for 6 months after a transfer.
And at this point I need to stay on the shift that I am on because I plan to go to school this fall for nursing. Also up until now I really had no choice since I really didn't have any senoirity. But now that I have just passed my 4 year anniversary I may have a chance at a job that is off of the floor and in the offices.

I think we're getting some of the storm here anyway..lol. H said there was black ice in spots this morning, and that they closed down both north and southbound lanes of 131 for awhile due to black ice and a small pile up.
Glad your H was safe this morning. I remember the winters well from when I lived up in the K-zoo area. I can also recall quite a few bad wrecks out on 131as I was on the Fire Dept and would always get called out to them.
They are calling for us to get like 3" of snow with a mix of slush/freezing rain thrown in tonight. Then tomorrow is suppose to bring us another 5" with gusty winds. I am sooooo sick of this weather.
Your eating plan sounds good to me, just maybe needs a bit more protein. :)
Click to expand...
Thanks for looking out for me on the eating plan. I am going by the Sparkspeoples daily nutrition diary thingy. At the bottom of the page it lets you see everything in a graphed out way so that you can see just how much of this and that you are getting. It was saying the things that I had in earlier was putting me way to high on the protein and not enough on the carbs. Like 12% to much on the protein and 14%-15% not enough on the carb side. So I figured I would try to do it their way. We'll see what happens. If I feel that it is not working I will change things around.
Also you have to remember that dinner is not on the food log that you saw so there was no big portion of meat to push that number up.

Are you by chance suffering any problems with the site?
None of my images, except the Avi's, will come up. All I have is a bunch of shodow box squares with little red X's in them. And the screen is like 2 1/2 times wider than normal. I have logged out and even turned off the computer but it doesn't change.
It wasn't doing this earlier today just started about 2 hours ago.
Catch ya later!
 
You can make it so you track sodium at sparkpeople and fiber as well. I do. I think you do it from the start page, go down to the bottom where your goals are. Where it tracks your cals, you can change nutrients to track. HTH, if you don't get it, give me a call sometime (when I'm home) and I will talk you thru it.
 
Hey Bell, just a little advice, but with all the workouts you are doing - 943 cals per day is not enough! It's not enough for anyone - not even if you're just sitting on the couch doing nothing. Ok, I did just read where you said you didn't include dinner. Whew! So I'm guessing your totals will be going up, but still there are good things to think about below. :D

Your body will hold onto fat because it will think it's "starving". Plus you have to think of cals as fuel for your body.

Are you on a low carb diet? It doesn't seem like you are getting enough nutrients in the "carb" dept. Whole grains, fruits, etc. are all carbs you should be eating.

You can always change the data in sparkpeople too. I have it keep my carbs between 177 & 255 and protein is 60 - 137 grams/day.

This here is directly from the sparkpeople website:
Function: Protein is an essential part of your body and diet. Found in almost every living cell and tissue, its main function is to maintain and replace tissue in your body. Protein is also used to produce hemoglobin, which are the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Protein is also essential in manufacturing antibodies and the body's ability to clot bleeding. Protein is found in meat, eggs, and dairy products, along with vegetables, beans, and other plant products.

Recommended Daily Amount: SparkPeople recommends that people get 15% of calories from Protein, which is typically 2-3 protein servings a day. Like carbohydrates, each gram of protein contributes four calories. Therefore, at least 75 grams (300 calories) of protein should be consumed on a 2,000-calorie a day diet. Your protein recommendation is based on your calorie goals.

A Note About High Protein Diets
It is important to note that high protein diets can be hazardous to your health. Any excess protein that isn't used directly by the body as energy will be stored as fat, as will any other non-expended calories. As well, high protein diets such as the Atkins Diet have been linked to kidney problems because of the amount of effort the body must go through in order to process all the extra amounts or protein. Too much protein can also lead to high cholesterol and gout, and they may be high in fat, leading to an increased risk of heart disease.

And on carbs:

Function and Overview: Carbohydrate rich foods are the main source of energy for all body functions, so it is important that everyone consumes at least a moderate amount of carbohydrates on a daily basis. Carbohydrates can be broken down into two different types - sugars and starches. Sugars are easily digested and come from sources like fruit, candy and cake. Starches are more complex forms of carbohydrates and take longer to digest. They come from sources such as pastas, breads, grains and tortillas. Generally, complex carbohydrates will be better for your body. It is important to note that carbs not used by the body will be stored as fat - that is why it is important to limit the number of sugars consumed.

Recommended Daily Amount: SparkPeople recommends that people get 55% of calories from carbohydrates. Like protein, each gram of carbohydrate contributes four calories. Therefore, at least 275 grams (1,100 calories) of carbohydrate should be consumed on a 2,000-calorie a day diet. Your carbohydrate recommendation is based on your calorie goals.

Focus on Fiber
Another important type of carbohydrate is fiber. While on average Americans consume between 12 and 17 grams of fiber daily, adults need between 20 and 35 grams. Fiber is only found in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables and grains and can be broken down into soluble and non-soluble forms. Soluble fiber appears to help lower cholesterol and does help to control blood sugar. Non-soluble fiber does not serve the same functions as the soluble form, but it does appear to help reduce the risk of colon cancer. Good sources of soluble fiber include beans and nuts, oatmeal, carrots, rice bran, citrus fruits, bananas and peas, whereas non-soluble fiber can be found in whole-wheat breads, cabbage, barley, wheat cereal, and fruits and vegetables with skin.

A Note About Low Carb Diets
Many diets now aim to eliminate carbohydrates completely in order to quickly lose weight. Though substantial weight may be lost very quickly, the diet can have many negative long-term effects. Many carbohydrates are significant sources of nutrients and vitamins that are essential to the body's health and well-being. It is important to note how the body loses weight when little or no carbs are being eaten. By limiting the amount of calories being eaten, the body is forced to find its energy from other sources. The first place it turns is not the body's fat stores, but rather muscle tissue. Even though muscle weighs more than fat, it burns a considerably greater amount of calories than do fat stores. Once the diet is ended, weight will be gained back at a considerable rate until you way just as much or more than before.

Rather than extreme diets like this, the best way to lose weight and keep it off is by combining a well-balanced diet with a consistent workout routine. While limiting carbohydrates is not the answer, eating the right kind of carbs can greatly help. Limiting the amount of foods with added sugars can help keep unnecessary calories out of your diet. By eating whole-grain foods, you can get the most nutritional benefit out of your calories, and your carbohydrates can work for you.

Again you can adjust these levels in your "goals".

HTH!
 
Last edited:
First let me say a big thank you to SweetiePea. I really appreciate all the info. When you and I both have some time (LOL I know like that will never happen) we can get together and look over my numbers. 'Cuz I'll be honest I want to make sure that I get this just right. I don't want to set myself up for failure.
With that said.......
I started with the food plan this morning the 27th. I had hoped to start yesterday but did not have all the food on the list since I had not been to the store in a while.
So today is the day.
I meant to get on here yesterday to check up with everyone but there is something wrong with my 'puter and this site. I keep getting lots and lots of "shadow boxes" with little red x's in them. Also for whatever reason the page is like 2 1/2 times wider than normal which makes it very difficult to read since you constantly have to be sliding the bottom curser back and forth. Makes me a bit dizzy to read that way.
So my hubby is going to see if he can fix the problem tonight. Hopefully he can. If anyone else has an idea as to what is happening PLEASE pass the info on.
'Cuz this is driving me NUTS!!!! LOL :smilielol5:
Well I am off to swim so catch ya all later.
Ciao
 
First let me say a big thank you to SweetiePea. I really appreciate all the info. When you and I both have some time (LOL I know like that will ever happen) we can get together and look over my numbers. 'Cuz I'll be honest I want to make sure that I get this just right. I don't want to set myself up for failure.
With that said.......
I started with the food plan this morning the 27th. I had hoped to start yesterday but did not have all the food on the list since I had not been to the store in a while.
So today is the day.
I meant to get on here yesterday to check up with everyone but there is something wrong with my 'puter and this site. I keep getting lots and lots of "shadow boxes" with little red x's in them. Also for whatever reason the page is like 2 1/2 times wider than normal which makes it very difficult to read since you constantly have to be sliding the bottom curser back and forth. Makes me a bit dizzy to read that way.
So my hubby is going to see if he can fix the problem tonight. Hopefully he can. If anyone else has an idea as to what is happening PLEASE pass the info on.
'Cuz this is driving me NUTS!!!! LOL :smilielol5:
Well I am off to swim so catch ya all later.
Ciao
 
hey the comp thing happened to me. i downloaded 'firefox' - googled it and its free aswell and now it seems to be ok.

have a good day

x
 
The computer thing was happening to me too for a while. It seemed to fix itself. I think it must have been happening for most of us.

I am sure that the repetitive meal concept will work well for you. It removes a whole load of indecision - and makes the grocery shopping easier too.

I love my fruit snacks - so if you do decide to add some extra snacks they are really brilliant.

It is always hard to comment on how balanced something is (either by a computer system or a person) if you are only looking at part of a picture. You will be able to hone it by typing it into one of these websites together with a few main meals and seeing how balanced the day then becomes. If anyone looked at my food in a timeframe they would see that before about 3pm I eat tons of cereal. After 8pm I eat nothing but fruit. Whole segments of the day are dramatically unbalanced - but it ends up producing a pretty well balanced diet.

I am sorry that you had to do such a long shift at the weekend. It sounds so rotten for you. Things will be so much better if you could get out of that freezer. It certainly sounds like the shifts are poorly managed there.

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
Most people do not get enough protein. You should eat 1g of it for every half pound of your weight--as a minimum. Protein helps you maintain your muscle and makes you feel full. You are not going to get all of those heart diseases etc that Sweatpea mentioned from eating lean proteins. Things like beans, nuts, lean meats and non-fat dairy are good for you. I try to make sure I get at least 100-110g of protein every day. Sparkpeople and fitday should not be taken at absolute word, b/c they only recommend bare minimums. If you are trying to lose weight, you should eat more protein than what they recommend. I do, and I am healthy as a horse. :D

I also don't agree with their carb recommendation of at least 275g per day. That is pretty high, imo. I am by no means on a low carb diet, and my carbs are almost always under 250g. Low-carb diets are under 60g per day, so eating at my level is certainly not low-carb. Also, carbs tend to be empy calories, and not as filling as protein, making you feel hungry still.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top