Pharinet's Journal

wishes said:
awww i want it!!! :O

How good is the mat? does it move at all? do you need much space?
Click to expand...

I was worried that the mat wouldn't be very durable, but it seems to respond well to both taps and jumps/stomps. It doesn't really take up a whole lot of room. I just wish the cord was a little longer so I could back away from the TV a bit more. The mat doesn't really move when I use it (and I do so on a carpeted floor). What happens ocassionally is that my foot will stick to it and it'll lift up a bit, but it falls right back into place. I'm afraid to try it with socks for fear of slipping (I'm not exactly graceful!)

_____________________________________________________________
Lunch/Dinner
Vegetable Soup (cup)
Large Chicken Caesar Wrap
Cole Slaw
Coffee w/ Splenda and Half & Half

Total = 776

Comments
J wanted to go to our fave diner for a bite to eat...so did I. It's really hard to find healthy food at this diner, barring a salad. Quite frankly, I've eaten so much salad this week I couldn't stand the thought of another one. So...I got the chicken caesar wrap. The nutritional info I found for it had the calories at about 420, but I think it was probably more, so I added about 150 calories to the total. I think I ate a lot in that one meal, but I was hungry! I'm still not at my total for the day. I can have about 100-150 more calories today. This is a good thing because I know I'm going to want a snack of some sort later. I bought fresh peaches this afternoon, so I'll probably have one of those with some cinnamon.

Random:
I weigh in tomorrow and I'm a little nervous. I get the feeling I'm not going to have lost anything this week. I'm really trying for anywhere between 1 and 2 lbs per week. I am promising myself right now that if I haven't lost anything this week, I won't freak out. I knew this might not be a good week bc of my birthday. If I've gained weight, I will probably be upset, but I won't let it discourage me.

Regardless of my possible weight tomorrow, I noticed that the jeans I'm wearing today seem to be fitting a little looser in the waist and thighs. Is that even possible after only 2 weeks of my new lifestyle?
 
Sounding good! Stretching is good and repetition will help with the DDR soreness, as you say.

Other issues that might be relevant would be:
- Can you make your feet more comfy somehow? Do you wear anything on them when you use DDR?
- As well as stretches, do you do some moving exercises during warm-up? Like ankle rolls, shoulder rolls, slow start - maybe that's all part of the program? Sorry if this is too obvious, I haven't seen DDR - just wish I had it!!
- Do you have a few carbs before you start, or maybe a banana - they're supposed to help stop cramps because they're high in potassium.
 
Cinnamon on your peach! Mmmm. I love that idea.

Of course you can have looser jeans already! (They're freshly washed right?) This is a good way to know if things are working for you - scales are less reliable than clothes.
 
felici said:
Sounding good!
Other issues that might be relevant would be:
- Can you make your feet more comfy somehow? Do you wear anything on them when you use DDR?
- As well as stretches, do you do some moving exercises during warm-up? Like ankle rolls, shoulder rolls, slow start - maybe that's all part of the program? Sorry if this is too obvious, I haven't seen DDR - just wish I had it!!
- Do you have a few carbs before you start, or maybe a banana - they're supposed to help stop cramps because they're high in potassium.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions, felici!
The directions say to use barefeet on the mat I bought to prevent slipping (from socks) or damaging the mat (from sneakers). I might be able to buy a foam mat to place under it for more padding, though. I'll check into it!

No, the game doesn't have a warm up, but I generally stretch a lot anyway. I have some muscular-skeletal issues from a recent car accident, so stretching is always a must! :) I could try just running in place a bit to warm up, though.

I tend to feel like I want to puke when I eat before exercise. I do like bananas, and try to eat them often, but I can't seem to eat then jump around a lot. Sensitive stomach...hehehehe.

felici said:
Of course you can have looser jeans already! (They're freshly washed right?) This is a good way to know if things are working for you - scales are less reliable than clothes.
Click to expand...

Yeah I don't measure myself (though I probably should), so clothes are my only indication of whether or not I'm slimming down a bit. That might actually help motivate me on those weeks when I dont' lose, or don't lose as much as I'd like. Perhaps I'll buy a measure this week.
_____________________________________________________
Snack
1 Peach with 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp honey, warmed

Total = 138

Comments:
The peach wasn't completely ripe, and I really wanted something sweet, hence the honey. Turns out it was good, but almost too sweet!

I'm starting to 'experiment' with combining different foods and trying new things. I've always been willing to try new foods, but it was usually at a restaurant or something. I like doing it at home better because I have more control over what I'm eating...and how much.

DAILY TOTAL = 1243

Exercise
About 40 minutes of DDR. I wanted to do more, but am very tired today. I'm debating about doing that or Tae Bo abs tomorrow. I think it'll depend on how much time I have and how I feel. Hell, maybe I'll end up doing both (though that's a pretty ambitious thing for me to say, hehe).

Health Related:
I'm having a surgical procedure in a week that has me kind of nervous. I don't really talk about it because it's very personal to me, but it's really having an effect on me right now.

I have to fast a few days before for some bloodwork. Then, I have to fast again for the actual procedure. I don't like the idea of fasting because when I get hungry, I just eat, eat, eat. I'm just hoping I can remember my goals once I'm allowed to eat.

As for exercise, I should be able to get back to dancing around within a few days, so that's a bonus! :)



Wow...my entries just get longer and longer!
 
Start Weight: 185
Last Weigh In: 175 (3/3/08)
Current Weight: 174

Lost 1lb this week. Could be better, could be worse. I'm relieved that I didn't gain, though it's hard to be happy about 1lb when there is so much more to go.

The scale just serves as a reminder of how much I dislike my body right now. :(

Breakfast
Instant Cream of Wheat (Apples and Cinnamon)
Coffee w/ splenda and 1% Milk

Total = 187

Snack
1 Orange

Total = 80

Lunch
Tuna Noodle Casserole (I had 1.5 cups, instead of 1)

Total = 571

Comments: It kills me how many calories are tuna noodle casserole. It's one of my favorite foods.
 
Last edited:
wishes said:
yaaaayy! 1lb is alll good! :D
Click to expand...

Aww, thanks hun! I guess I should celebrate the small victories! :)

________________________________________________________
Snack
Coffee w/ Splenda and 1% Milk(was dying for the caffeine today!)

Total = 28

Dinner
Salad w/ chicken (chicken was cooked in an olive oil, white wine and herb marinade)

Total = 220

Comments: I used some of the cooked marinade as salad dressing because it was tasty. Thus, some of my numbers for dinner might be off. If anything, they are high, as I tend to overestimate.

Exercise
Still none yet, but I plan on hitting up the DDR once my dinner settles a bit. I'll probably only do 30-45 minutes, as I have plans to meet a friend for coffee later.
 
Exercise
Didn't do it. Lost track of time. I'm not very good at making time for exercise. I like the DDR though, so this shouldn't be a regular thing for me.

Snack
Seasoned Fries

Total = 460

Comments: I did a really bad thing. I went to Denny's with a friend for coffee. We've been going once a week for a while now just to sit and talk. Tonight, I couldn't resist. I get really hungry when I menstruate (sorry if that's too blunt), and I usually crave really salty, greasy, crunchy foods. The seasoned fries were too much for me to resist. I knew they were bad for me. I told myself not to do it. I did it anyway. I feel awful about it now, but I really enjoyed those damn fries. Ugh. On top of that, I never exercised. I really didn't do so well today.

DAILY TOTAL = 1545 :'(
 
omg thats soo not just you!
We all get cravings right before and after etc, its terrible at times - i fighting it myself!
 
wishes said:
omg thats soo not just you!
We all get cravings right before and after etc, its terrible at times - i fighting it myself!
Click to expand...

Thanks, wishes. It's comforting to know I'm not the only one.

A few other folks responded to a post of mine asking about this concern. They had a lot of helpful things to say. I'm really glad to be part of this community.

__________________________________________________________
11am
Coffee w/ Splenda and 1% Milk
Banana

Total = 164

Comments: Trying a new format. Instead of "breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack," I'm using times of day. I don't really eat traditional meals at traditional times (with the exception of dinner), so this might give me a better idea of when I'm eating and when I feel hungry.

Random: I don't really feel much like doing this today. lol. Then again, I don't feel much like doing anything today. I've got wicked cramps and I'm sooooooooooooooo tired. Yuck!

I just realized I sound like such a whiny brat. :reddevil: C'est la vie!

1pm
Turkey, Broccoli and Cheese Lean Pocket
Unsweetened Iced Tea (w/ Splenda and Lemon Juice)

Total = 273
 
Last edited:
5pm
Salad w/ balsamic vinagrette dressing
1 cup spaghetti w/ sauce and grated parmesan
Unsweetened Iced Tea w/ splenda

Total = 388

6:15pm
Coffee w/ splenda and 1% Milk

Total = 31

Comments: I am extremely stressed out right now. It was building all day. When I picked up my car to find it was vibrating in a way it hadn't done before I paid for $300 worth of work, I lost it. I would love to just lie down and die for the rest of the day. Alas, I have work yet to do.

This is one of those days that I'm glad to see I have another 300 calories to go because I have a feeling I'm going to want them.
 
davelarkin said:
I know I'm asking alot of questions, but if you answered any yes, you may be an emotional eater. Although menstruation can affect your hunger, if you're an emotional eater it's more likely your hunger is caused by some emotion. In that case, willpower alone will not be enough to resist. I see so many people demoralized because they feel they're not disciplined enough to resist, when in actuality they're not aware that the only way to stop it is by getting to the emotion causing the hunger.
Click to expand...
Heya, thanks for the response.

I grew up in a house where, if you were happy, you ate! If you were sad, you ate! If you were stressed, you ate! I'm very aware that I'm an emotional eater. I've actually gotten pretty good at controlling it over the years. It's something I learned to beware of years ago. I usually find other ways to comfort myself nowadays, whether it's calling a friend to chat or diving into a good book.

However, the quote to which you referred is a very different scenario. While I like salt, the only time I actually crave it is during menstruation...and usually only the first day.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
9pm
Popcorn
1 Plum

Total = 124

DAILY TOTAL = 982

Comments: Well, I'm under 1200 today. That's not great, but it's not awful either. I'll think of it as making up for last night. Maybe I'll have a small glass of milk before bed. What is with me being right on some days, over other days, and under sometimes? It's like there is no rhyme or reason to my apetite. I know some of it has to do with my unusual (and sometimes unpredictable) work schedule.
 
10am
Banana
Total = 109

11am
Coffee w/ Splenda and 1% Milk
Peach
Total = 73

Comments: Woke up very very sore this morning, but as I move about, I feel my muscles starting to loosen up a bit. Having a strange morning. Not bad strange, just strange.

2pm
1 cup spaghetti w/ sauce & grated parmesan cheese
Total = 252

3pm
Played DDR for about an hour.

4pm
Orange
Total = 96

7:30pm
100 Calorie Snack Pack (cookies)
Total = 100

9pm
Whole wheat wrap w/ salad and balsamic vinagrette
Total = 169

DAILY TOTAL = 1064
 
Last edited:
6:30pm
Beef Stew
Unsweetened Iced Tea w/ Splenda
Total = 264

Comments: It seems impossible to me that I can only be at 794 so far. I feel like I've eaten all day. I know I'll want a snack or something later, but I don't know how I can cram in at least another 400 calories today. I've been measuring and being careful about how I track my calories. I use fitday, and whenever possible, I create a "custom food" if I have the nutritional info myself. I know my counts won't ever be exact, even using fitday, but damn, this just doesn't seem possible...

The only reason I care about getting the right amount of calories is because I keep hearing about this "starvation mode." I don't know if I'm understanding it completely, but I think it means your body starts to store food as fat, instead of burning it. So instead of losing weight, you just keep it...

Is it possible that you can have less than 1200 a day and not go into 'starvation mode?' Does it happen immediately, or are we talking about prolonged periods of time without the minimum amount of calories?
 
I've known many people to have their calories dip down temporarily without any real problem. I often find that mine automatically drop the next day if they were up for the previous one - I'm just not as hungry. I see the only real downside to a single day of low calories, as being that it might make it harder to eat properly the next day. Like for me, I might think I have a little calorie room to play with and then start moving away from the small disciplines that keep me going, or I might end up super hungry the next day and that can be a bit of a trigger to bad eating as well, for me.

If you genuinely want something to add on fast calories, nuts will do it but beware of them for the other days when you need to really limit the amount!!

Also, maybe you're not hungry and don't really need to worry about this at all.

Of the references to "starvation mode" on this forum, this thread seems to really delve into the issues with some depth. I think it's pretty clear from this thread that someone who is overweight need not get too antsy about one day under 1200 calories. And equally, that you are right to pay attention to the need to get enough calories on a regular basis.
 
oh stew .. how irish! :D

I have to make irish stew for st pats day here on monday ... office voted me in as the bitch
 
felici said:
Also, maybe you're not hungry and don't really need to worry about this at all.

I think it's pretty clear from this thread that someone who is overweight need not get too antsy about one day under 1200 calories. And equally, that you are right to pay attention to the need to get enough calories on a regular basis.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at with it. I did end up having a snack last night (that I have yet to update, lol), but beyond that, I just wasn't hungry, and didn't see any good in 'forcing' myself. Thanks so much for the link. Very helpful.

wishes said:
oh stew .. how irish! :D
I have to make irish stew for st pats day here on monday ... office voted me in as the bitch
Click to expand...

I do love stew! What kind are you making? Lamb?

I can't wait for Monday because there is corned beef and cabbage for all! Hehehehe.
 
Last edited:
9:30am
Coffee w/ Splenda and 1% Milk
Cream of Wheat (instant)
Total = 188

12:30pm
1 cup leftover beef stew
unsweetened iced tea w/ splenda
Total = 177
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top