Cruising to Healthy

[brooklynfc]

Sat. 315.4

Sun. 315.6

Mon. 314.4

Tues. 314.4

Wed. 314.6

 

Seeeeee.........if you look back, my numbers have never been so in sync in a one week period and never two weeks in a row. Curious.

 

BK: Today is oatmeal day. I figure two days before my official weigh in day is good to do. I don't like the almond milk in my oatmeal, it gives it a strange taste. I think I will go back to normal milk. I mean, it really has no nutrition value, like extra protein or anything. Just low in calorie and fat really.

 

L: 1/2 c re-fried beans, sprinkle of shredded cheese, spread of light sour cream (our lettuce was rotten when I went to get it this morning, might grab some tomatoes from the little store up the road though), low carb, high fiber wrap (1 folded).

 

S: About 4 pepperonis and maybe a M&M.

 

D: So, this is where it will be hard. I have to work tonight and the job is a protocol dinner for students that teach them to eat at a professional dinner. Lucky, b/c they are teaching you things inbetween meals, it all goes kinda slow. But, I have no clue what will be served and since I was just asked yesterday to do it, there was no time to request. I really have no clue about what the food will contain either. It will be a guesstimate job. Plus.........

 

W: I won't probably get to work out b/c it went until almost 9pm last year.

 

D: They will probably have one, I'm going to say this for my benefit, I'M NOT GOING TO EAT IT!. And I really really hope its something I don't like at all so I don't have to use too much will power. And getting home that late..........I WON'T EAT ANYTHING AT HOME EITHER.

 

Maybe I should just make my carbs 100 today. why not just start now. I'm probably already over actually..........I'll have to check.

 

Thanks for all the comments on the pictures. I wasn't looking for compliments, but I certainly appreciate them. I think it was beneficial to me just to see.......all at once the small, but good changes that I've been through. That first picture was really hard for me to see when I got back. I think that was even before I started doing my blog, so I hadn't yet instilled some extra self worth yet or come to terms with my situation. I guess everyone's trigger is different. Mine started with that picture.

 

Good Choices.

[brooklynfc]

Sat. 315.4

Sun. 315.6

Mon. 314.4

Tues. 314.4

Wed. 314.6

Thurs. 314.6

 

I would have liked to see 314.2 b/c that would have been exactly a 1lb loss from last week, but as it stands, I will still go back to 15lbs with 314.4. So I guess I should be happy about that.

 

BK: Flax seed meal 1 min. muffin. Found this online, but it came out really dry when I did it, then a friend sent me a message telling me how to switch it up. First of all........needed a bit more oil in it, second.........only 50 in the microwave, not 1.00. Came out wonderful this morning and tasted just fine with a bit of smart balance. I did have to used real sugar vs. fake, but that's all I had. I'm wondering if this alone will hold me over until lunch?

 

L: Well, I got home so late from the dinner that its all I could do to take a shower, dry the hair and get into bed. So, I had no plans for lunch. I might have to go in search.

 

D: Idk either. Its just one of those days.

 

W: Chasing my nephew around..........

 

I just want this day to end. We get tomr. off and my family will be in tomr. evening for the weekend. Of course, it had to be a dreary day and b/c we have tomr. off it will drag on forever.

 

On that cheerful note:

 

Good choices.

[Hulalovestocruise]

:) I felt the same way all day since I too have tomorrow off, I manage a warehouse so we were super busy today, I have 14,489 steps and I haven't even been to the gym yet. 5 days of shipping in 4 days it is almost not worth taking a day off. :o I will feel better after the gym. In the Wall Street Diet book they strongly recommend planning your meals ahead everyday, my DH is the cook at our house so I don't have to worry about dinner he is careful what he eats, so I just have to plan my breakfast and lunch ahead, dinner I'm sure is a lot tougher. Good luck on the Hoilday weekend. Good Choices always a plus.:)

[brucelegs]

So glad I found this thread it will help me get re-motivated. I lost 30+ pounds going low carb high fat (yes I ate all the bacon I wanted!), and limited my carbs to less than 50 grams a day - the weight slid off fast. My A1C went from 7.2 to 5.8 in a matter of months which was great for my type 2 diabetes. In addition the cholesterol numbers were just great by doing low carb/high fat. I was using almond flour to make some low carb cookies - but I really missed the bread and was miserable. I spoke to my doctor she said don't be so tough enjoy a slice of bread. We all know what happened next - I went on my cruise, numbers were good, I was active and I inched my carb intake up to what it what it used to be.

 

I am recommitting myself to the low carb lifestyle change again and do not plan on having my next cruise allow me to slip. I lived it before and will do it again. I am convinced that a low carb/high fat almost paleo-based lifestyle is the best one for me. I do not count calories and yes enjoy a piece of dark chocolate every night before bed again - just not 2 slices of toast at breakfast anymore. Your body does get used to it if you are creative - my next experiment will be using jicama as a french fry substitute

[brooklynfc]

Omg i hate carbs and how i let myself do stupid stuff................arghhhhhhhh!

[pcrum]

Omg i hate carbs and how i let myself do stupid stuff................arghhhhhhhh!

 

You cannot be too hard on yourself. If you slip up, it's important to just get right back on track and not dwell on the slip up. I find it's kind of like the alcoholic's mantra..."one day at a time" or even "one minute at a time". If I can resist that carb temptation now, that's all I need to think of...not tomorrow or the next day or the next month. Just one minute at a time. Tomorrow is a new day and you can start fresh!! The reward is that when you really decrease the carbs, the carb cravings go away!

[Gathina]

You are so right..like I said earlier it's how you "view" food..

 

I wonder if it's better for Brooke to find 2 "carbs" that she really likes and just plan to have those 2 things every day, to feel less deprived. You cant look at it like your never going to have them again because that's just not true.

 

For example: If fries are your weakness, then you count out a "correct portion size" for the day and that counts as one. If it's oreos, then you count out the correct portion of 3. Then you have your carb treats for the day, then the rest of your foods you eat as you should. Then you act grateful that you could enjoy them and tell yourself that you can eat seinsibly, enjoy a treat, and still lose weight. It's all in how you view food. Thin people think of food as way of eating to live, rather than a "live to eat" approach. Not saying she is doing this, just offering another persepctive.

 

Just a thought. I'm thinking that maybe she feels "punished" by not having any carbs, creating anxiety by thinking "OMG I have to have carbs or I'll die if I don't" and then subconciously sabotages by going overboard. Its like looking at the carb situation and saying "I can have a couple of carbs that I like,enjoy them,not go overboard and still lose weight"

 

Thats my behavior medicine approach LOL

 

You cannot be too hard on yourself. If you slip up, it's important to just get right back on track and not dwell on the slip up. I find it's kind of like the alcoholic's mantra..."one day at a time" or even "one minute at a time". If I can resist that carb temptation now, that's all I need to think of...not tomorrow or the next day or the next month. Just one minute at a time. Tomorrow is a new day and you can start fresh!! The reward is that when you really decrease the carbs, the carb cravings go away!

Edited April 6, 2012 by Gathina

[brooklynfc]

Family is in so i dont have time for a long post. Thanks for the insight, its all helpful. Im doing better ...yesterday was better than thurs and i will make today better too......even though the house is full of donuts, cookies, biscuits, chocolate, etc..........

Sat. 315.4

Sun. 316.6

[pcrum]

Family is in so i dont have time for a long post. Thanks for the insight, its all helpful. Im doing better ...yesterday was better than thurs and i will make today better too......even though the house is full of donuts, cookies, biscuits, chocolate, etc..........

Sat. 315.4

Sun. 316.6

 

You can do it, Brooke! One taste of sweetness is not worth the extra weight! Try some sugar free jello with homemade whipped cream made with splenda for a low carb treat. The Emerald cinnamon roast almonds are also a nice treat! Or, if you have dessert, just take one bite! You can do this!!

[Hulalovestocruise]

The worst part of Holiday's all the extra food.:( At big dinners my relatives are so afraid I am going to bring something that is actually healthy they tell me I don't need to bring anything, I don't cook so I'm not really offended but my DH who does cook always brings us something healthy for dessert so we can enjoy without a hugh over load.Have a great Easter everyone.:)Relax and enjoy!!!!!

[Chigirlcruzin]

I think when you find your own home and you're living on your own that you will have more success in the weight loss arena. Your family doesn't have the same goals that you do, so you're often tempted by the stuff they buy, prepare, and have sitting around the house. I'm lucky...I spent the weekend at my sister's. She has a ten month old (and an almost 4 year old, so our nephews are close to the same age :)), and she's still trying to get rid of the baby weight. It's coming off a lot slower with the second lol. Anyhow, because we are both trying to lose weight (I have 4 more lbs to go), we don't tempt the other with bad foods. Of course, the baby has been sick since Thur, and he was especially cranky last night, so my sister cracked open a bottle of wine lol. My brother in law was drinking beer, so I couldn't let her drink alone! I'm going to my parent's next weekend. Both parents are Lifetime on WW (Dad lost 40 lbs in 2007 and has kept it off; my mom lost 60 in 2007, but she gained some back and is about 10 lbs from goal), so they always serve healthy, low cal (and low point) meals. My mom has been LT on WW since before I was born. This is the longest she's kept this much weight off, and I truly feel it's because my dad did it with her. My dad had always been thin, and once he retired in 2004, the weight crept on.

 

Have you checked out the WW Facebook page? There's a ton of supportive people there...you might want to give it a look.

 

I'm not saying your family isn't supportive. They just don't have the same goals.

[brooklynfc]

Sat. 315.4

Sun. 316.6

Mon. 317.2

 

Saw the family off. Loved having them around, but I def. didn't stay strong. No whining about it, just no being in denial about. I'm discouraged that eating just lower carbs (150) caused me to gain that much weight back when going off of it for a couple of days. Now I went way off plan, but still. I can forsee my cruise in Nov. I WILL eat what I want on that cruise. Hopefully, I will have a smaller appt. and that will save me a bit. But thats the worst thing about diets that cut things out more dramatically.......if you go off it, you gain twice the amount you would normally. So my 3lb gain on the last cruise will probably be like 10lbs. Not saying I'm giving up on the carb deal, but its just something I realized and didn't really like.

 

Staying home today b/c I pulled something in my shoulder blades this weekend and so after seeing the family off, I made an apt. with the chiropractor. One shoulder slumps down and the other stays up, can't be good for my back either.

 

I did sit down and write out some menu plans for the week and hopefully, I can get out today and buy what I need for the week. I've tried planning before and you know I failed at it, but just b/c I failed before doesn't meant I will again. So, I'll try one week and see how it goes. I found a blog of someone who does low carb and list her foods everyday, so that should be helpful too.

 

BK: Flax muffin, seared ham, scrambled egg, one biscuit (it doesn't happen often, so I had one)

 

L: We have a lot of leftover ham, so I will probably make something with the ham, have some deviled eggs too, so that will be good. Green beans, and corn.....leftovers.

 

D: Since we will be out later this afternoon for my apt. I will probably do a bunless something from fast food.

 

Dsrt: I'm gonna try my darndest to not need this this week.

 

W: My bike for the day.

 

I'm really gonna try hard this week to eat well. I'm not going to count the carbs. I'm gonna to eat low carb, but not pay attention to the carb intake for now. I just want to see how I do.

 

I simply have to remember that life happens sometimes and I just have to roll with the punches and all the other cliches'.

 

Good Choices.

[pcrum]

Do you have Chick-Fil-A near you? Their grilled chicken nuggets are pretty good and are a great option when you need fast food. The nuggets are a bit peppery, but that gives them more flavor!

 

Also, if you have a Publix near you, they have a chicken tarragon salad in the deli section (pre-made and pre-packaged) that is only 2 grams of carbs per 1/2 cup. I also make my own chicken salad...boiled chicken breast mixed with mayo, celery and a touch of splenda. You can add almonds for crunch, if you like.

 

I try to stay under 20 g of carbs a day. When you give up the carbs, the cravings really go away. I love the idea of not being hungry while eating so much less. Drinking water is important too. I love the margarita flavored crystal light so drink a lot of that during the day. It's almost as good as having the real thing!!

 

I came back from my cruise neither losing or gaining, but I was very careful. The only dessert I ate in it's entirety was key lime pie in Key West. Two other nights I took a taste and that was it. The cheese plate was a great option for dessert and let me have a course while the others ate dessert! I think my downfall was having several glasses of wine and champagne...the sugars were a shock to my system after having pretty much no sugar since Aug. 1, 2011. But, we also did a lot of walking in the ports (especially Key West), so that may have helped to off-set some of the extra calories.

 

Everyone slips now and then, but it's great that you are now back on track!!

[RachieLnnn]

I have not been doing so well lately, either... this weekend included a lot of sugar (desserts) and alcohol. Although my weight hasn't changed significantly. We'll see if it shows up later.

 

I am going shopping for groceries tonight or tomorrow, so I need to make a list of healthy, good dinners. Breakfasts and lunches are always pretty similar so no worries there. Have you looked at eatingwell.com? Lots of good recipes. For dinners, I'm going to try to stick with protein + vegetables, and skip the carbs for a bit. I don't usually do low carb, but I'm just going to try to cut back for a week at dinners and see how it goes. For example, if I make a stirfry I'll just make an extra portion of veggies and skip the rice.

 

I did make a nice eggplant parmesean dish last weekend, so I'm going to have leftovers tonight. Eggplant is baked, not fried. It's a Mario Batali recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/eggplant-parmigiana-recipe/index.html

 

I need to get back into reading my book on the bike/elliptical, but now that I've finished the Hunger Games, I need a new book!

[Hulalovestocruise]

I can say the scale was up 2 pounds this morning when I decieded to see what the damage of yesterdays meal was. I ate ham which I don't usually eat and I drank a ton of water because I was so thristy from the ham and the extra sweets of dessert. Hopefully it was water weight Friday's weigh in will tell the story. Brooklynfc don't beat yourself up look at the bright side no more big holidays for awhile. I think I am going to try to stick to the lower carb diet for a couple more weeks to see what my weight is going to do. Had my DH get that egg plant reciepe for us to try, sounds good. Off to the gym, have a great healthy week everyone :)

[brooklynfc]

Sat. 315.4

Sun. 316.6

Mon. 317.2

Tues. 316.8

 

Well, I'm fairly back on track now. My body got a taste of all those extras and now is a little tiffed at not having the volume, but it will get over it. I'll be glad to get back to a normal routine and back to the gym on a normal basis. Although tonight I have to go look at a house, so I will have to bike at home.

 

BK: Flax muffin and 2 turkey sausage patties.

 

L: Bought a chef salad (extra meat-ham/turkey), boiled egg added, bacon bits, but NO crackers and NO croutons (though I was tempted). Ranch dressing from home that I will water down to stretch it a bit more.

 

D: SW chicken that I will make with salsa instead of green peppers b/c I ran out of the canned peppers, but it should have the same affect. Refried beans and corn.

 

W: 30 on the bike

 

Dsrt: I have five points to play with, but I also bought a slim jim and some peanuts for snacks if I need them today and so that 5 points may be for snacks and not a low carb ice cream bar (the last one I have left)

 

I did try and make a list for eating this week. I need to buy a few things, but I haven't had time to sit down and make a list yet, so I choose things today I could eat without going to the store.

 

I have three BK meals to interchange.

 

Higher Carb BK 1:

Oatmeal

fresh fruit

 

Medium carb BK 2:

Flax seed muffin and bk meat (low fat or low sodium)

 

Low carb BK 3

Eggs, bk meat, tomato slices

 

Then I planned my lunches and dinners too. Most of those are a veggie and a meat, but I think one dinner has some low carb pasta.

 

My shoulder is doing better, still sore. Like someone beat my shoulder blades. The Chiropractor said it could have been just sleeping on it, but that I didn't need to do it again :rolleyes:. It puts pressure on my lower back b/c it causes me to slump my shoulders even more. Right now Ibprofen helps a lot and I have to try and remember to pull my shoulders back. It hurts the most early morning and late evening. Lucky it won't get in the way of exercise, so no big deal.

 

Anyway,

 

Good Choices.

[brooklynfc]

So glad I found this thread it will help me get re-motivated. I lost 30+ pounds going low carb high fat (yes I ate all the bacon I wanted!), and limited my carbs to less than 50 grams a day - the weight slid off fast. My A1C went from 7.2 to 5.8 in a matter of months which was great for my type 2 diabetes. In addition the cholesterol numbers were just great by doing low carb/high fat. I was using almond flour to make some low carb cookies - but I really missed the bread and was miserable. I spoke to my doctor she said don't be so tough enjoy a slice of bread. We all know what happened next - I went on my cruise, numbers were good, I was active and I inched my carb intake up to what it what it used to be.

 

I am recommitting myself to the low carb lifestyle change again and do not plan on having my next cruise allow me to slip. I lived it before and will do it again. I am convinced that a low carb/high fat almost paleo-based lifestyle is the best one for me. I do not count calories and yes enjoy a piece of dark chocolate every night before bed again - just not 2 slices of toast at breakfast anymore. Your body does get used to it if you are creative - my next experiment will be using jicama as a french fry substitute

 

 

Forgot to say Hey Brucelegs and welcome.

[brooklynfc]

Sat. 315.4

Sun. 316.6

Mon. 317.2

Tues. 316.8

Wed. 316

 

Well, may have gained weight, but at least its going back down now. I won't complain about that.

 

BK: Today was protein packed breakfast, 1 scrambled egg and 2 turkey sausages. The tomato I'm saving for lunch.

 

S: Peanuts/part of slim jim

 

L: PB Sandwich on Sugar free/low carb/high fiber/low calorie bread (wow-wonder what is left, lol), low sugar PB with slices of tomato. 1 pack of 230 calorie M&Ms. Diet drink.

 

D: I gotta stop by the store (again, did this morning but forgot my list). I gotta get some ricotta cheese to help make a low carb lasagna I found online. Maybe some of this spaghetti squash stuff........mmm.

 

W: Finally gonna get back to the gym.....hope I don't jinx myself.

 

Dsrt: Last night I was happy with just a few dark chocolate M&Ms and a cup of milk. Tonight.............my affinity for sweet stuff is difficult to control, especially after the gorging I did this past weekend.

 

I'm hoping my body can just get right back into exercising the way it did before. It seems if I take any kind of break I have to build back up, but I really wanna put forth the effort.

 

Bought some Crystal Light. I kinda forgot how sweet it is. I bought the energy boost with the B vitas and a splash of caff. in it. Our store just doesn't carry many flavors in it. A lot of the flavored tea packets and I REALLY hate those. I'm southern...........tea DOES NOT come in a powder pack and the only thing you flavor it with is sugar or not at all. I hate Nest Tea for the same reason. Fake stuff, bleh. So I had the choice of wild strawberry energy or raspberry lemonade.............that was it. The rest were tea flavors. Pitiful.

 

The whole menu thing is helping a bit. Although it probably would have worked out better had I been able to get to the store to pick up what I didn't have at home, instead of having to make trips to the store. But with the family around and then my dr. apt. and house hunting..........there wasn't time. But at least I know it has helped and next week, maybe I can have supplies ready. I like the fact that I just planned 5 lunches and 5 dinners. Mainly for the weekday. On the weekends, I never know what will happen, so I figure if I can just plan for 5 days a week when I know what my days will mainly be like, then I'm doing good. I also didn't "assign" a meal to a day. This way, If I'm tired of chicken I can just pick the beef meal I had planned.

 

And, I didn't get to respond to some of your comments from Easter, so I'm gonna try and do that.

 

Good Choices.

[brooklynfc]

You are so right..like I said earlier it's how you "view" food..

 

I wonder if it's better for Brooke to find 2 "carbs" that she really likes and just plan to have those 2 things every day, to feel less deprived. You cant look at it like your never going to have them again because that's just not true.

 

For example: If fries are your weakness, then you count out a "correct portion size" for the day and that counts as one. If it's oreos, then you count out the correct portion of 3. Then you have your carb treats for the day, then the rest of your foods you eat as you should. Then you act grateful that you could enjoy them and tell yourself that you can eat seinsibly, enjoy a treat, and still lose weight. It's all in how you view food. Thin people think of food as way of eating to live, rather than a "live to eat" approach. Not saying she is doing this, just offering another persepctive.

 

Just a thought. I'm thinking that maybe she feels "punished" by not having any carbs, creating anxiety by thinking "OMG I have to have carbs or I'll die if I don't" and then subconciously sabotages by going overboard. Its like looking at the carb situation and saying "I can have a couple of carbs that I like,enjoy them,not go overboard and still lose weight"

 

Thats my behavior medicine approach LOL

 

You have a point. I don't want to take things away, it is a matter of control and mindset.

 

When I did that no carb diet, I did feel "punished." I felt like I was the naughty kid who got put in the corner for recess, but for something that I wasn't completely responsible for. Now that is a psychological dream statement right there. I'm pretty much saying, that I don't feel completely responsible for my weight problems. I do feel partially responsible, but that part that says: "I got a bum deal b/c weight issues run on both sides of my family." Is the side that feels annoyed when I have to be so careful with what I eat, when there are people out there who can eat all day long and not have a problem. Its that 5 year old in me saying, "Not Fair!" I know its irrational, but it doesn't mean that I don't feel that way. But I'm happy that I know this and I'm not in denial about it.

 

And I think having treats is good. I think by now you guys see that I get fixated on certain foods for periods of time. It was oreos for a while, M&Ms right now, low carb ice cream.........etc. Those are my sweet tooth items. I also have not found a way to part with Pizza or Fries. Although, I have to say that I feel like I haven't given potatoes or fries that much attention since I've been low carb.........but sometimes an outside view is better and not cloudy, lol.

 

Point being............I see your point.

[brooklynfc]

You cannot be too hard on yourself. If you slip up, it's important to just get right back on track and not dwell on the slip up. I find it's kind of like the alcoholic's mantra..."one day at a time" or even "one minute at a time". If I can resist that carb temptation now, that's all I need to think of...not tomorrow or the next day or the next month. Just one minute at a time. Tomorrow is a new day and you can start fresh!! The reward is that when you really decrease the carbs, the carb cravings go away!

 

I feel like an chocaholic (seriously, my spell check just changed alcoholic to that.......ironic) sometimes.

 

I did pay for it though and I hope I remember that. I had a nasty stomach all weekend among other unpleasant things that will remain nameless.

[brooklynfc]

I think when you find your own home and you're living on your own that you will have more success in the weight loss arena. Your family doesn't have the same goals that you do, so you're often tempted by the stuff they buy, prepare, and have sitting around the house. I'm lucky...I spent the weekend at my sister's. She has a ten month old (and an almost 4 year old, so our nephews are close to the same age :)), and she's still trying to get rid of the baby weight. It's coming off a lot slower with the second lol. Anyhow, because we are both trying to lose weight (I have 4 more lbs to go), we don't tempt the other with bad foods. Of course, the baby has been sick since Thur, and he was especially cranky last night, so my sister cracked open a bottle of wine lol. My brother in law was drinking beer, so I couldn't let her drink alone! I'm going to my parent's next weekend. Both parents are Lifetime on WW (Dad lost 40 lbs in 2007 and has kept it off; my mom lost 60 in 2007, but she gained some back and is about 10 lbs from goal), so they always serve healthy, low cal (and low point) meals. My mom has been LT on WW since before I was born. This is the longest she's kept this much weight off, and I truly feel it's because my dad did it with her. My dad had always been thin, and once he retired in 2004, the weight crept on.

 

Have you checked out the WW Facebook page? There's a ton of supportive people there...you might want to give it a look.

 

I'm not saying your family isn't supportive. They just don't have the same goals.

 

I really hope it does help. The house was FULL to the brim of carbs........donuts (glazed and powdered), oreos, pound cakes, snack cakes, rolls, mac n cheese..............you name it.

 

I had a pinch of one of the glazed donuts one night (12 pack) and there was already 2 missing, so I took a pinch of the third. The next afternoon, the one I pinches and the other 2 were gone (6 gone in a 24 hour period). I had one that night b/c I was just staring at them and decided that if I just ate one maybe I would stop lamenting after it. The next day (the rest of the of the 5 were gone). I don't know who ate them, I wasn't keeping tabs on people, but in two days a 12 pack of Large sized donuts were gone in my house and they started on the powdered ones (which were gone by Sunday night).

 

My aunt shared with me that she was about 260lbs last Easter when she visited and my scale now has her at 308. About 48lbs in a year. Of course, her life is way more stressful than mine and she has problems out the.....:eek:, not trying to make excuses for her, but I'm not in her shoes either. Sadly, I'm still bigger than she is. But, I'm actually much healthier on paper than she is, but I do have age going for me 28 vs 40. But it gives me a picture of where I could be...........:(

[brooklynfc]

Do you have Chick-Fil-A near you? Their grilled chicken nuggets are pretty good and are a great option when you need fast food. The nuggets are a bit peppery, but that gives them more flavor!

 

Also, if you have a Publix near you, they have a chicken tarragon salad in the deli section (pre-made and pre-packaged) that is only 2 grams of carbs per 1/2 cup. I also make my own chicken salad...boiled chicken breast mixed with mayo, celery and a touch of splenda. You can add almonds for crunch, if you like.

 

I try to stay under 20 g of carbs a day. When you give up the carbs, the cravings really go away. I love the idea of not being hungry while eating so much less. Drinking water is important too. I love the margarita flavored crystal light so drink a lot of that during the day. It's almost as good as having the real thing!!

 

I came back from my cruise neither losing or gaining, but I was very careful. The only dessert I ate in it's entirety was key lime pie in Key West. Two other nights I took a taste and that was it. The cheese plate was a great option for dessert and let me have a course while the others ate dessert! I think my downfall was having several glasses of wine and champagne...the sugars were a shock to my system after having pretty much no sugar since Aug. 1, 2011. But, we also did a lot of walking in the ports (especially Key West), so that may have helped to off-set some of the extra calories.

 

Everyone slips now and then, but it's great that you are now back on track!!

 

Chick-fil-a is about 45 mins. from me. I've tried their grilled nuggets and I wasn't impressed. They microwave them, bleh. I don't know if you read, but I have this thing about microwaved chicken..........it taste awful to me. They were drenched in the water that came off them from being defrosted in the microwave too. Maybe its just the one I went to. I do like that they have alternative sides besides fries.

 

You have will power. I'm just hoping that I can cut back on intake on my next cruise. The carbs will not be avoided for me, too many good things to eat. But I'm glad that a lot of the dishes in the MDR on Carnival are mainly veggies and a protein. Last year, I never finished a whole dish for each setting (aptz, entree, dessert-actually forwent dessert some nights). So, I already noticed that my appti. had went down. I'm hoping for that this time too.

[brooklynfc]

I have not been doing so well lately, either... this weekend included a lot of sugar (desserts) and alcohol. Although my weight hasn't changed significantly. We'll see if it shows up later.

 

I am going shopping for groceries tonight or tomorrow, so I need to make a list of healthy, good dinners. Breakfasts and lunches are always pretty similar so no worries there. Have you looked at eatingwell.com? Lots of good recipes. For dinners, I'm going to try to stick with protein + vegetables, and skip the carbs for a bit. I don't usually do low carb, but I'm just going to try to cut back for a week at dinners and see how it goes. For example, if I make a stirfry I'll just make an extra portion of veggies and skip the rice.

 

I did make a nice eggplant parmesean dish last weekend, so I'm going to have leftovers tonight. Eggplant is baked, not fried. It's a Mario Batali recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/eggplant-parmigiana-recipe/index.html

 

I need to get back into reading my book on the bike/elliptical, but now that I've finished the Hunger Games, I need a new book!

 

A friend brought me egglplant parm one time and I loved it, didn't notice the difference. Maybe I will try this.

[Cruisin9947]

Hello! I am going on my first cruise this July. I have been reading the board on this website for sometime now and this morning it hit me that there might be something to offer support in trying to lose weight for your cruise. I was so happy to find this discussion going. I turned 30 last November. I was thin my whole life until I had my first daughter (9 years ago!). Althought I was thin, I was not in very good shape. I could not run if my life depended on it. During my pregnancy I gained over 50 pounds, lost a little and then gained it again when my second daughter was born (now 5). A week or two before we found out we were going on a cruise I decided I had to do something. I want to be a good role model for my girls, be healthy enough to see them grow up and have families, and just feel comfortable with myself. My fiance and I were surprised with a cruise and decided to just get married right before we left. So, now here I am 3 months away from my wedding AND my first cruise!!

 

I kicked everything into high gear. I have lost 9 pounds. This coming Monday will be my 4 week mark. I am hoping to make it to 10 pounds by then. I have been cutting calories and fat and only eat the good carbs. Also, eat 5 meals a day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks (fruit). I read somewhere that walking within an hour after your meals helps with metabolism. I don't know if that is true, but I am doing it and it seems to be working for me. I just walk 20-30 mins after breakfast and after dinner. I also go to the gym as much as I can fit into my schedule. (about 3-4 times a week).

 

I am not going to set a weight goal for my cruise. I ate badly for sooo many years and I know that I can not expect to correct that in 3 short months. My goal is to do everything I can to make myself as healthy as I can from today until forever... not just until the cruise.

 

So, that is my story. I am really glad I came across this thread and hope you don't mind me joining in!

 

My fav quote right now: "Don't give up what you want most for what you want right now" :)

[brooklynfc]

Hello! I am going on my first cruise this July. I have been reading the board on this website for sometime now and this morning it hit me that there might be something to offer support in trying to lose weight for your cruise. I was so happy to find this discussion going. I turned 30 last November. I was thin my whole life until I had my first daughter (9 years ago!). Althought I was thin, I was not in very good shape. I could not run if my life depended on it. During my pregnancy I gained over 50 pounds, lost a little and then gained it again when my second daughter was born (now 5). A week or two before we found out we were going on a cruise I decided I had to do something. I want to be a good role model for my girls, be healthy enough to see them grow up and have families, and just feel comfortable with myself. My fiance and I were surprised with a cruise and decided to just get married right before we left. So, now here I am 3 months away from my wedding AND my first cruise!!

 

I kicked everything into high gear. I have lost 9 pounds. This coming Monday will be my 4 week mark. I am hoping to make it to 10 pounds by then. I have been cutting calories and fat and only eat the good carbs. Also, eat 5 meals a day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks (fruit). I read somewhere that walking within an hour after your meals helps with metabolism. I don't know if that is true, but I am doing it and it seems to be working for me. I just walk 20-30 mins after breakfast and after dinner. I also go to the gym as much as I can fit into my schedule. (about 3-4 times a week).

 

I am not going to set a weight goal for my cruise. I ate badly for sooo many years and I know that I can not expect to correct that in 3 short months. My goal is to do everything I can to make myself as healthy as I can from today until forever... not just until the cruise.

 

So, that is my story. I am really glad I came across this thread and hope you don't mind me joining in!

 

My fav quote right now: "Don't give up what you want most for what you want right now" :)

 

Sure, jump on in. Congrats on your wedding and on the weightloss already! It took me three months last year to lose the 10lbs I had gained back (6 months technically, but I wasn't doing my diet correctly for about 3 months-so I don't count it, lol). So, you will probably go above and beyond that. Good Luck!