Manda's Epic Battle....Again!

Adnama

New member
I've actually copied and pasted my intro post from the newbie thread to begin my journal...

Every day for the past 5 years I look in the mirror and think, "how could you let this happen to you again...how??". I've felt like a failure since probably 2005 or 2006...

*cue the corny music one would play for flashbacks*

About 13 years ago, I moved out of my home state to NC...at that time, I promised myself to make a new start...and I did. I was able to lose over 125lbs in around 14 months...I was a winner...I won the impossible battle!!! Fit Magazine even did an article on me in August of 1999!

Here I was before that journey....
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After that journey....
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*record needle scratches record, record stops*...*Brakes and tires screech*

I maintained my ideal weight of 175 for nearly 6yrs, then....
Here I am today...
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I am back up to my old weight...the weight that I lived with nearly all my life...hell, I was probably 125lbs when I was 12 :eek:

I recorded my beginning weight at 300...I'd say it was more like 306-310 but I have no proof...I had been on my plan nearly a month before I actually got to some accurate scales that read 298.

Today, I am 288 and holding...think I hit my first plateau...UGH.

My old plan was simple...low fat...no more than 12-16gms of fat/day....period, end of thought....worked for me at 30-31yrs old when I had the metabolism of a shrew...I've tried that over and over the past year or 2 with nothing...let alone will power....at age 43, I have the metabolism of a slug, and the energy/desire to bust my ass in a gym of NIL :D

New plan is back to basics...
My BMR at 300lbs is 2077 (calorie needs for a 300lb, 5'8", age 43 female) this is a measurement if you'd stay in bed all day and do nothing....
I'm going to say I am mostly sedentary...I have a job where I either drive or sit at a desk.....so take the 2077 X 1.2= 2493 or say 2500 for sake of calculations.
If I eat 2500 cal/day I'll maintain my 300lb sedentary life
If I eat 1700 cal/day I'll create a daily deficit of 800 cal/day (lose 1 lb every 4.2ish days)
If I eat 1500 cal/day I'll create a daily deficit of 1000 cal/day (lose 1 lb every 3.5 days) or 2 lbs/week....8lb/month.
****3500 calories = ONE pound of body weight.
Those numbers dont sound very promising...OR very enticing....however, If I can manage to toss in a mile walk everyday...(Your weight x distance = energy used walking) then I can possibly manage to burn 300calories/day extra) which may give me an extra 1/2-3/4 pound/week...maybe if I'm lucky 10/month.

I am a horrible pen pal and even more of an epic fail at journaling! But with the help of my Droid Incredible calorie counting program, it will be easier to do tracking here online...it may not be daily, but I'll give it my best shot!
 
9/14 Ramblings and food list

I so wish my Droid had a way to interface it's calorie count program to my diary here on WLF ...that would rock! My program allows me to enter everything easily with a barcode scanner, so its not a lot of typing in...only making sure my serving size matches the nutrition label.

soooo for today broken down by calories...

late in the night/early in the morning hours:
2 servings Mini Babybel Light - 100

Late Breakfast:
5 large egg whites cooked in spray - 86
1/4c fat free shredded cheddar cheese - 45
smoked turkey breast slices (3-4 medium) - 90
2 slices Light Honey Wheat bread - 70
1/2 onion pita (pocket) - 75
....cooked eggs with garlic salt, and turkey breast & cheese, served half like a mini omelet on the bread and half inside the pita pocket.
total calories for bfst = 366

Late Lunch
2 slices turkey breast - 45
2 slices beef pastrami - 82
1 pepperidge farms white wheat deli flat - 100
1 serving garlic bagel chips - 130
total calories for lunch = 357

Late Dinner (plan)
1 grilled split chicken breast with rib no skin) - 170
1 1/4 serving (half the small bag) Mahatma saffron yellow rice (add 1/4 salsa for kick) - 270
3 cups zucchini fried in Pam with garlic and season salt - 60
total calories for dinner = 500

Snacks:
1/2c (1 serving) Yogi Granola Crisps - Baked cinnamon raison - 120
1 Mini Babybel Light cheese snacks - 50

Total calories for today: 1493
Deficit for the day - 1010
BMR w/sedentary lifestyle (2493)

No real exercise today...sluggish, off from work and trying to pack for our big move the end of the month, so no extra deficits to report.
 
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Don't forget to exercise... it would really make a difference between success and half-baked success =)

Keep up the good work though! Keep your diary going! Let us know of your daily food intake =)
 
A pound down =)

OK...I had to come on here quickly and post my findings this morning...the scales finally showed a little movement =) one more pound...gone. :hurray:

Breakfast:
4 egg whites cooked with with garlic salt
Smoked turkey
shredded fat free cheddar
2 slices Nature's Own Honey Wheat
Coffee with Fat free Coffee Mate
Total Calories: 314

Lunch kinda blew up in my face...had plans on 800 cals of sushi but running late, there wasnt any time in our day :cry: So we had 2 reg small hamburgers from McDonalds with pickle and mustard...guess I saved 300 cals anyway haha.
Total Calories: 500

Dinner
Making Pita Pizzas
2 pitas
pizza quick sauce
portabella shrooms
turkey pepperoni 17 slices
canadian bacon 1/2 serving
yellow bell peppers
zucchini
black olives
low fat feta cheese
fat free cheddar

Total Calories: 700 close to 650-750 in estimation...I've made them before, but they're with smoked turkey breast instead of the turkey pepperoni and canadian bacon...they are usually around 600 that way.

Snacks:
none...too busy to eat today :auto:

Total Calories: 1514
calorie deficit = 986 for the day! :hurray:
 
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tough day

Every morning I pack my soft sided cooler with all the healthy goods and at least 4 bottles of water...once empty I'm done until dinnertime at home.
Well, today I'm in crave mode. Ugh. So I have 250 or so flex calories. I stopped at a convenience store and tbought steak nuggets from the beef jerky section. Problem solved.


Breakfast
No sugar added Carnation instant bfst
Kellogs fiber with antioxidants
Total calories: 280

Lunch
Pepperidge Farms deli flat
Smoked turkey
Mustard
100 cal ritz snack mix
Total calories: 290

Snacks
Jack Link's steak nuggets
100 cal snack pack choc covered pretzels
Total calories: 340

Dinner plan
2 96% lean 4oz burgers
2 lite wheat buns
Mustard pickles
Mushrooms
Total calories: 500


1410 total for day

1090 deficit for day
 
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Busy weekend!

Friday the 17th I stayed on target with about 1600 calorie intake but had NO time to come and journal it...

Yesterday....Saturday the 18th, I we watched our intake closely to go out to dinner...
Breakfast -
egg whites with portabella mushrooms in a pita pocket with fat free shredded cheddar.
Lunch -
Pepperidge farms deli flat
smoked turkey
100 calorie Ritz snack pack
Dinner -
6-7oz grilled tuna sesame seed encrusted with wasabi cream sauce
1-2cups steamed squash
ceasar side salad
Snacks:
kellogs fiber plus antioxidants bar
deli roast beef with mini babybel cheese rollup
Total calories : 1816 (a little high but still in good range) :coolgleamA:

Today
Got up late..ugh
late breakfast
5 egg whites with portabella mushrooms, diced tomatoes and shredded cheddar cheese
1 serving Simply Potatoes slices cooked with onion and garlic
Breakfast calories: 291

Missed lunch completely while on the beach with my DH, sister and niece :ack2:

Dinner:
Jenni-o ground turkey breast cooked in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, V8, onions, garlic...
black beans
Cannellini beans
pinto beans
Chile powder
Cumin
total for chili if I eat 2 servings and 1 & 1/2 pita bread that should be 811 calories, however, it doesnt seem like I'm going to be eating as much as I actually tracked considering I've tracked 1 1/2cups of just beans HAHAHA

Snacks
2 mini babybel light
100 calories snack pack chocolate covered pretzels

total for today Sunday 9/19/10
1302 for a deficit of 1198 for the day PLUS walking to, from and on the beach! :hurray:
 
Mini Goal....

15 more pounds by my anniversary which is November 3rd! :beating:

Once at this mini-goal, will be a total of 30 pounds of me gone!:party:
 
Phew

Mondays kick my ass! It's all I can do to keep my calorie count below 1800 on Mondays....I cant claim a sedentary life on Mondays and my body feels it...so I dont feel so guilty going up to 1800...it's all about lifestyle and survivability within it!

This morning....
4 eggwhite seasoned with garlic salt and 17 slices turkey pepperoni...a touch of fat free shredded cheddar on lite bread
About 250

Lunch....
Taking a friend out to lunch...hopefully we'll go to a sushi bar instead of Olive Garden cuz I'm hooked on their salad and breadsticks...that can build up to nearly 1500 calories just in those 2 items with the bottomless salad =) The dressing, croutons and parm cheese on the salad and the butter and shortening in the breadsticks will kill any diet!
Lunch alotment : 800

Dinner....
If we do sushi for lunch, it will be a lite dinner for me...prolly just a sandwich and a Ritz Mix snack pack
300 calories

Snacks? I dunno...on the run, I dont even think about them ususally...so we'll call the calorie count on that TBD

OH...and the scales DO actually show another pound, or at least a half pound...up in the upper 200 range its hard to distinguish a pound vs half a pound on the scales even WITH my glasses. :rotflmao:
 
I so hate plateaus!

I understand a plateau from when I lost all the weight before...and they sucked then too!!! Its a short plateau so far....just a week....but, it still is difficult not seeing the progress like I was...It could be nearing TOM and if so, that makes it all better cuz a couple days after its gone, I'll drop like 4-5 pounds like WHAM :rolleyes:

OK...so I've been crazy busy for the past several days...so here goes....

Tuesday 1743 Had a veggie roll, cali roll and a super duper (tuna, whitefish, salmon rolled with veggies with avocado on the top....all for lunch which i credited myself with 800 cals :eek2:

Wednesday 1520 we skipped lunch to go to our fave Habachi place...yes, I had more sushi...but I only had habachi chicken....NO rice, NO noodles...EXTRA veggies and mushrooms...so I was good....1520 may not be enough...but my phone app is pretty close!

Thursday 1493

Friday 1471

So...the 2 days we ate out were both probably so salt laden that I have a ton of fluid on board.

tata...I'll write about today later.
 
Bleh

Somethimg hit my system on Sunday night and hung around all day yesterday...nearly half the night... :puke:
I am still a bit bleh today...still have the trots really bad, but yesterday had vertigo and nausea too...everything in my lunchbag stayed there all day...i have had no appetite.

Last night late before bed, I made an egg fried in spray on bread with reduced fat provolone cheese slice...that was it besides a fiber bar around 1130am.

Anyway....being sick caused the scales to move by two pounds...I'm going to claim it but I bet it comes partially back once I feel better and get fluids back in me...I do feel a bit dehydrated.

Our big move is day after tomorrow!!! OMG i cant believe I'm moving off my beloved beach paradise....but, although I love this island, our cottage is small like a shoebox and its a 45min drive to work. Wont have internet past tomorrow evening for a couple-few days :cry: but at least that will give me a reason to set up my new house !!

more later...
 
On a plateau?? I've got the cure for that!!

MOVE!! :rotflmao:

I've broken out of the 280s as of today.
I really cant document all I'm eating...but I'm lucky to get 1200 calories in a day...so I'm still on the good road!

Cya when things calm down!
 
Update on our move

OMG its been 8 days...I really thought I would be done moving by now. Everything is functional, but still have to unpack a few more boxes and hang pictures....boxing stuff up for a spring garage sale while I'm at it. As it appears, by spring I'll have a few more clothes to add to the box :jump:

The scales are at 278.5, BUT I've nearly lost an entire shirt size...some of my clothes from last fall fit again :hurray:

We've been sticking to the plan...except for last weekend when we were too tired to go to the grocery store...we ordered out...my weekend cheats: Hardees Breakfast Burrito, veggie pizza, grilled chicken smothered in cheese and portabella mushrooms with a side of stuffed mushrooms...:reddevil:
After that little moving fiasco, we went to the store and got our healthy foods.
 
Well done! Can I ask how you lost the weight last time? Was it just a change in diet or did you do certain types of exercise as well?
 
To Shinsplint

Hiya Shin,

The last time I lost the weight, I went on a very restricted fat free diet without eating the hyped up "fat free" processed stuff they have on the market. I only ate 15gm average a day of fat all the while watching my nails and hair for dullness as the body needs essential fatty acids for the heart to work. Since a fat gram is = to 9kcal and a carb or protein is = to 4kcal, it was an obvious choice to me so I could cut out calories...but I didnt actually count calories, would just keep an eyeball on them so I didnt let the sugar content run rampant.

At around 300lbs it hurt to workout, so I didnt even add exercise until I had dropped 50-60lbs, then I got hooked on going to the gym. I didnt stray from the path I had set and the weight just kept falling off.

Now, at age 43yrs, the low restricted fat isnt quite cutting it...so I had to start counting actual calories...same basic idea, but I do eat fat grams now just less foods and it seems to be working...slower though, as my metabolism is squat, but it's working.

Hope this answered your question and good luck in your personal goals. :waving:
 
Utilizing the shortcuts

Well, as much as I hate to admit it...since we're still settling in and its not easy to make a nice meal, we've been utilizing the shortcuts...ie DeGiorno's 200cal pizzas =) 400 calories in the box and walah...dinner. Tossed a few sweet potatoes on the cookie sheet with them too.

Total calories yesterday: around 1000ish. I dont mean for it to be so low, but once I'm back to work and in my regular routine, it will go back to 1500.
 
Saturday...progress!

I've finally turned the corner on getting my new house all set up! Finishing touches and a day of REST and RELAXATION tomorrow :hurray:

Breakfast today
2 egg whites fried in Pam
reduced fat Provolone slice
2 slices Nature's Own lite honey wheat

Snack
String Cheese

Lunch??
IF we have time ... a smoked turkey on honey wheat sandwich

Dinner
Tuna steaks on the grill
Zuchinni
Some sort of starch...probably saffron yellow rice

22lbs gone =) :party:
 
Change of dinner plans...

Worked so long the tuna idea went right out the window...so we made No Yolk noodles with leftover grilled chicken breasts cut up...portabella mushrooms and a couple cans of reduced fat cream of chicken soup...nice and filling and lunches for Monday =)
 
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