Project Rox

Is French your first language then? You speak English so beautifully :) My skin was the first thing to get better! Haven't had a spot since I started and I feel much healthier :D

Although, EAT MORE. Nuts are the perfect snack :) Lovely for right before bed when you can't be bothered to make anything. Seems silly, doesn't it. You come here to help you shift pounds and we all tell you to eat more! It does make sense though and you will see improved results eating 1200 at least a day.

Have a beautiful evening :)
 
Sunflower- I have to admit that I'm a bit scared to start eating more, even though everyone has been saying I should. I know you're probably right, but I started out this diet on very low calories (mainly beacuse my cat was so very ill and I felt dreadful) and now I'm used to eating very little.

But I'm here to get help, so I guess I'd better follow the good advice I'm given, right? so, i'll try to pick up some nuts tomorrow.

But do you really think I should eat 1200, even though I'm not really working out yet? Maybe just 1000?

As for my English-it's a bit of a long story... The short version is that I grew up in the USA, so it's my first language! But I have been a French citizen for a long time, so I'm very at ease in that language, as well. And then there's the nine years I spent in Burkina Faso, speaking Mooré...
 
If you look back over my diary (it's epically massive so please don't!!) then the first few weeks I was eating between 600-1000 and feeling the EXACT same way as you. But everyone was right, eating more IS better. Even without exercise.

Follow this link:

This will tell you how many calories you burn a day just by BREATHING! I did no exercise for the first 3-4 weeks of my diet (hated the gym!) and I was still dropping pounds. It's the diet that will be your constant. It's your diet that really matters. Exercise is awesome and you should always get your 30 mins of walking or exercise in a day if you can but you STILL must eat 1200 calories to maintain your health and your progress.

Eating few calories will make you drop pounds in the first few weeks and then that feeling gets addictive (I know it did for me) and you eat less and less wanting better and bigger results but it is a slippery slope and it is very harmful for your body. This is a lifestyle, not a diet. And in reality, you can't live on under 1000 calories a day forever. Try out 1200 a week and see where it gets you. You can always have a look at changing it up later on into your journey :D

P.S. Yes, get nuts! You don't have to have another meal to make up those calories. If I'm low for the day I'll add a bit of low-fat cheese onto my pasta or I'll have a slice of brown bread with peanut butter. (or PB on it's own! Very fatty but good for you in small doses!) I'm still figuring out my calories and what works for me and at the end of the day YOU KNOW YOUR BODY. Listen to it, and act accordingly, but don't be scared to hit that 1200 mark. Us women are allowed 2000 a day! You are cutting yourself way too short at under 1000.

Hugs xxx
 
Another busy day! Sadly, I just couldn't make time to exercise. I want to make it a priority, but it's going to be hard. Taking care of four kids (and an absent-minded professor type husband) really fills up my days!

I still don't have much of an appetite, but that will no doubt be coming back one of these days...

Breakfast: Vanilla protein shake with skim milk 200
morning snack: chocolate protein bar 120
Lunch: Two hard boiled eggs 140
Two whole wheat melba toasts 100
eight cherry tomatoes 30
Snack: chocolate protein shake: 100

I'm at 690 calories now and haven't had dinner yet.
I'm pleased I got two snacks in!
It's already 8pm, though, and now I need to go pick up my husband at work. That means I won't get home until 9pm and I usually don't feel like eating dinner when it gets that late... I'll have to see what I can manage. I'm planning on a veggie burger and sauted cauliflower, green beans and peas.
 
Vegie Burger sound good!!!! It's nice to see that there are other French speaking people on here, i have to admit when it comes down to writting I prefer English cause the gramar and spelling a much simpler even if it's my second language!!! You are starting to up the calories a little but a way you could do that switch from skim milk to regular or 3% milk that would up your intake without eating more.....I never drink milk ( my stomach doesn't agree with it too much) so I don't know if there is an actual difference in the taste.

I know what you mean about having a hard time to fit in the exercise..I only got the 2 kids lol I couldn't handle 4 and twins too.....I was terrfied of having twins lol they kind of run in my familly so it was a possiblity but didn't happen. My dad is a twin and my grand ma told me horror stories lol!!!
 
Hey there, thanks for commenting on my journal. I've looked through your posts here and I see that you've been through a lot of stress.

As for trying to fit in exercise into your daily schedule, I am finding modifying daily tasks helps. I started doing this after an article in Webmd.com explaining why some people never gain weight. Apparently they are always moving, even when they think they are still. like fiddling fingers and swinging feet while watching tv. Stuff like that

You've already lost a good chunk of your excess weight, only a couple more to go! I wish you the best!
 
Verobc said:
Vegie Burger sound good!!!! It's nice to see that there are other French speaking people on here, I have to admit when it comes down to writing I prefer English cause the grammar and spelling a much simpler even if it's my second language!!! You are starting to up the calories a little but a way you could do that switch from skim milk to regular or 3% milk that would up your intake without eating more.....I never drink milk ( my stomach doesn't agree with it too much) so I don't know if there is an actual difference in the taste.

I know what you mean about having a hard time to fit in the exercise..I only got the 2 kids lol I couldn't handle 4 and twins too.....I was terrfied of having twins lol they kind of run in my familly so it was a possiblity but didn't happen. My dad is a twin and my grand ma told me horror stories lol!!!
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I SO agree that English is easier to write!
And it's SO interesting that this site has people from so many different places! I, too, am happy to find other French speakers here.

I also have to admit that I have a few twin horror stories myself...but I don't want to scare you, in case you end up having some yourself one day! ;-)
 
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Penguinita said:
Hey there, thanks for commenting on my journal. I've looked through your posts here and I see that you've been through a lot of stress.

As for trying to fit in exercise into your daily schedule, I am finding modifying daily tasks helps. I started doing this after an article in Webmd.com explaining why some people never gain weight. Apparently they are always moving, even when they think they are still. like fiddling fingers and swinging feet while watching tv. Stuff like that

You've already lost a good chunk of your excess weight, only a couple more to go! I wish you the best!
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Thanks for the visit and the info. Now that i think about it, I tend to be very still, unless I'm actively doing something. I am SO not a fidgeter or twiddler! I guess that explains a lot!

And thanks for the encouragement. Sometimes I do get a bit down, as I'm SO anxious to get down into the 100's and out of the 200's. And even then, I'll be far from my real long-term goal of 140....
But I guess I just have to be a bit more patient....


Now- on to general business: I am definitely slightly up on calories, so that's good. One of my goals this week was to eat 1000 calories of healthy foods each day. And today is a great day so far. i've got lots of protein and fiber. yay!
Breakfast: Vanilla protein shake with skim milk
AM snack: chocolate protein bar
Lunch: Soy/Veggie burger
Stir-fried veggies
Two whole grain crackers

Total so far: 636 calories
With an afternoon snack and a nice dinner, I should do fine!

------------------------------------------------------------
It's 8pm now.
I've had shrimp and a mango soy dessert for dinner
I'm at about 850 calories....maybe I'll manage a snack later?
 
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Hey Rox! Just dropping in and letting you know you're doing great! Keep it up! I promise you when you say that 1 again, instead of a two, you will obtain TEN times the motivation to stick to it.
 
I'm sorry about your cat. We had ours put down last month, too. I miss him every day. It's awful without a cat around the house. I have been looking at other cats at animal shelters, but I don't feel a connection with any of them.

About the fiber, lentils or any dried bean has a lot. So does air-popped popcorn.
 
Want2Lose said:
I'm sorry about your cat. We had ours put down last month, too. I miss him every day. It's awful without a cat around the house. I have been looking at other cats at animal shelters, but I don't feel a connection with any of them.

About the fiber, lentils or any dried bean has a lot. So does air-popped popcorn.
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I am SO sorry!!! I know just exactly how you feel. This is still pretty painful and I cry every day about losing him. We still have one cat, though, which is a huge comfort. I think she senses how miserable we are and really tries to cheer us up.

A shelter cat is a cool idea. You just have to wait for the right one. When you find the right cat, you'll know!

Airpopped popcorn sounds good. I don't have a popping machine though and they are hard to find in France.. They are not big popcorn eaters.

What I've done is buy some Grapenuts cereal. I was SO surprised to find it in a supermarket yesterday. It's the first time I've ever seen it in France!
I put a third of a cup into my morning protein shake. It may sound icky, but it was actually very good. And I needed the extra boost, as I had a long day ahead of me.

My calories are at 553 so far, but we are invited to some friends' home for an "apero". In other words, weve been invited over for a before-dinner drink. Finger foods will be involved- little quiches, cubes of cheese, potato chips, etc. I don't think it will be hard to resist, though I don't want to offend our hosts. I hope there will be something I can eat, just to be polite....
 
I managed really well at the dinner party on Saturday night. There were plenty of veggies for me! I just had a tiny bit of rice...not even a quarter of a cup. The others at the table made fun of me, but I explained that I'd had too many cucumbers already and was full :)

Yesterday we were at the Ren Faire again. The kids had grilled chicken and ice cream...but I wasn't really hungry. I ended up pretty low that day.

Today is better. i'm at 550 for the day and haven't had dinner yet. I had grapenuts and skim milk for breakfast again. I'm really enjoying it! I have a half cup of cereal with a half a cup of skim milk. it's my new favorite breakfast!

Now the excellent news: I did 45 minutes of step aerobics today with my friend! We did a Kathy Smith DVD and then added on some abdominal crunches on our own: 220 total crunches!! Woot!

So, I'm really pleased.

On the other hand, my weight hasn't moved in a few days. So, I didn't make my goal this week on the May Challenge. I'm kind of disappointed, but I guess I set my goals too high. It's just that I feel like this is a real emergency! This mini-high school reunion I'm going to is on July 17! I feel like I need to lose a maximum by then. After that, i will be more relaxed and ready to lose at a slower rate. But right now I am STRESSEd that I might still be too fat and awful-looking in mid-July. Blah.
 
Hi Rox, thought I'd read your diary as you were nice enough to comment on mine. :)
You are doing really well but like others have said really need to up your calories a bit. I would guess that I eat about 1200 to 1400 calories a day and am consistently losing weight week after week and learning better habits so it really does work without starving your body. It's such a great feeling to gradually get nearer and nearer to having the body that you want. I also get impatient sometimes and want it all to happen a lot quicker but in the long run it is much better to take it slowly.
val
 
Hey rox, so glad to see your doing good.
Don't worry about weight/inches for your mini high school reunion thing. Confidence is key when it comes to those types of shindigs. I'm not like, experienced in reunions, but so far that's what I've seen in regards to parties.:waving:
 
eyckmans said:
Hi Rox, thought I'd read your diary as you were nice enough to comment on mine. :)
You are doing really well but like others have said really need to up your calories a bit. I would guess that I eat about 1200 to 1400 calories a day and am consistently losing weight week after week and learning better habits so it really does work without starving your body. It's such a great feeling to gradually get nearer and nearer to having the body that you want. I also get impatient sometimes and want it all to happen a lot quicker but in the long run it is much better to take it slowly.
val
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Thanks for the return visit!
And thanks for the words of wisdom! I know you are so right in what you write. I plan to slow down and be more reasonable...on July 17! After that, I plan on going the slow and sensible route. i know it's the best way to keep the weight off.
 
Penguinita said:
Hey rox, so glad to see your doing good.
Don't worry about weight/inches for your mini high school reunion thing. Confidence is key when it comes to those types of shindigs. I'm not like, experienced in reunions, but so far that's what I've seen in regards to parties.:waving:
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Thank you, pretty girl!
For someone so young, you give very good advice! ITA that confidence is the key. But I know I won't have any confidence unless I feel that I'm looking as well as I can. Even if I'm not slim when I go, at least I'll know in my own head that I look miles better than I did back in April. That knowledge(plus a new and flattering outfit in maybe a size 14!) will give me the confidence I need.
I hope.
Thanks for the visit!
 
Today has been pretty stressful.
I only managed to eat 600 calories. I know I should eat more but it's already 11:30pm and I just want to go to bed and forget this day.
 
I am constantly amazed (and concerned) at how you can eat so little. How are you able to keep functioning.

I target 500-600 calorie PER MEAL! I mean a bowl of cereal with a glass of skim milk is over 400calories, how do you possibly only eat 600 cal/day consistantly.

Are you tracking closely everything that you eat, I have always wondered if people with such low calorie counts are actually accounting for everything they eat.

I don't mean to sound like and A$$hole but I am mystefied... You are having so many problems even getting 1000 calories a day, and it's not because you are denying yourself food, or torturing yourself, it's because you don't have time or don't feel like eating. How did you get to be overweight in the first place?

I mean I know how it happened to me, I didn't care about myself and I ate out of boredom and because it felt good. I estimate I would eat between 3700-4000 calories/day, but if you had asked me then I would have estimated it a lot lower.

Now I limit to 2100-2300cal/day and I have to keep close track so I don't go over, because it's easy, even when you are eating healthy. I can't imagine eating only 600cal/day,
 
I am constantly amazed (and concerned) at how you can eat so little. How are
you able to keep functioning.
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That is a good question, because I weigh 175 pounds, and consume
4,000 calories per day, with a TDEE of 300. I exercise 6 times per week
and do HIIT for three of those days, with the other days doing weight
training. Every one of my meals is around 800 calories, so i just can't
imagine your organism being able to function very well on such a low calorie
intake. Imo, you should take this very seriously, and talk to a proffesional,
like a dietician that can help you to structure you daily meals.
 
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