It's time to lose weight - help me brainstorm "rewards" along the way?
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Anonymous
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Ok. If you are vegan, what protein sources do you use? The paleo people hate soy but I kind of think you might up it a bit: the usual goal is .5-1 gram of protein per lb of lean body weight.
I lost bunches of weight, gained some back and then lost it and more: one of the most helpful things to me was some sort of exercise. At first I walked/ran/limped on a treadmill and then added a light weight routine. Then I joined a gym and added first machines like nautilus and then free weights when I had the muscle to do so. That really helped because I saw results a lot sooner: I'm thinner at my current weight of 128 than I was as a teen at 120 and I'm in my 50's! And yes, I do know this because I sew my own clothes and am still using some of the same patterns. Try roasting your veggies with olive oil and garlic, too. It's really yummy. And use olive or nut oils, not canola or corn of such. Good luck! I couldn't do vegan to save my soul, but lots of people feel that way about paleo too. |
Anonymous
| Oh, and something cool. Hit the clearance racks for really good bargains a size or two too small. I remember how nice it felt to try on the "tiny" jeans and have them button, then fit, and then give them to my oldest daughter because they were too big. Keep moving anything comfortably baggy out of your drawers and closet unless its workout gear. Everything you wear needs a waistband that does not stretch. |
Anonymous
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OP here, and I just entered all of this info online and it looks like I'm around 40 grams of protein a day, slightly under where "my pyramid" would have me, but seems like enough. The sources are: beans with lunch, peanut butter with breakfast, almonds with lunch, and the soup I eat with dinner is sometimes a chicken soup with rice (it's hard to find canned vegan soup where we're posted overseas. I don't feel the need to be exclusively vegan so I let it ride.)
I do fit the olive oil in at night with the salad, though it's not much I admit. I really admire you for fitting in exercise the way you do. Right now, I'm going to focus on the food. I'm working 6 hours a day, so between the work and the kids I really don't want to give up any more "me" time at night and use it to work out. That's my "sit on the recliner, watch West Wing, and pay bills online" time and I can't bring myself to devote it to exercise just yet. But it's something I'm thinking about. I'm just not there yet! Oh clearance, I miss you so! I am posted overseas (Foreign Service) and there are no sales, no clearance, and since there's no change of seasons here (Panama) I can't find anything they're trying to get rid of. But I'm happy to splurge a bit and buy a "motivation" sundress - I've never been able to wear them and I really, really want to. Thank you for the reminder! |
Anonymous
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Can you and the kids go for a walk? What about weekends? That might work somewhat, if its safe there for you to do.
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Anonymous
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OP I am not sure I could do your menu long term. Vegs are great but I wonder if you need a little more protein.
If you aren't really vegan (eating chicken), I might add a few more protein sources. Maybe an egg, more chicken, fish? Or start with the menu you have but add a little more protein if you are getting hungry. I have been doing a low carb, mininal white carb, low calorie diet for 6 months and it's working (I posted earlier that I've lost 28 lbs so far). I rarely cheat (only if I am out to eat) and am really not hungry. In a typical day I eat: breakfast - instant grits with a teaspoon or so of shredded cheese or oatmeal with 1/2 banana, sometimes a piece of whole wheat toast with a soft boiled egg lunch - apple and cheese with a couple of nuts, or piece of chicken with salad, or squash soup, or hummus with carrots and whole wheat pita. occasionally I wil have whole wheat pasta and peas. snack - a few cashews or pretzels or almonds dinner - varies - usually a protein and vegetables dessert - fruit - poached pear, berries, sauteed apples, etc. |
Anonymous
| Are you looking for no fat on your abs or muscle instead of flab? Can't do no fat in a month. Can do muscle in a month if you work HARD--crunches, planks, leg lifts, run---sprints, really, as hard and fast as you can until you can't, walk til you can breathe, repeat for 15 min 2-3 times a week. No white carbs and preferably no grains. |
Anonymous
Hey PP, OP here. We aren't strict vegan but I believe, for health and moral reasons, in eating vegan as much as I can stand. Yes, the menu is a lot of veggies. Snack almost killed me today.  But it's how I believe in eating, so other than the soup I'm sticking with it. I may give myself a nice bowl of spaghetti with homemade red sauce on Saturday evenings if I've been "good" all week - that's my ultimate treat. Unfortunately tofu is largely unavailable here so I'm stuck there.
For my mental health, I need to eat the same things over and over - when I have choices to make, I make bad ones. It's part of the routine I feel into when I was doing OA for a while. It was my form of "abstinence" since I can't exactly quit eating.
You all have been so kind to take the time to try to help and it's really appreciated. I was totally on plan today and it felt great. One day at a time, right? |
Anonymous
| Just wanted to add my support. I'm impressed and hope you do great! I do think you should try to add some exercise. I just started running and I'm amazed by how much better I feel. |
Anonymous
| Hi OP - have you tried myfitnesspal? I find it far more sustainable than anything else. It's really simple and adding "friends" will keep you accountable. And then if you veer from your planned regimen, you won't freak out, you'll just compensate for it and move on. Also, even if you're thin, you should be able to eat more than what you propose to eat, especially if you exercise. I lost 40 pounds and my maintenance is still around 2600 calories/day - if you work out a lot and treat your body nicely you won't have to s tarve yourself. |
Anonymous
| OP are you a member of the Beck forum on the 3 Fat Chicks site? The folks on there use each other as coaches. Very active group and the moderator is a Beck success story (as are a few of the other members). Good luck! |
Anonymous
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Hi OP. First off, good luck to you. I hope you are able to stick with the diet. You sound motivated and positive, so maybe bookmark this page for the inevitable day when you feel neither.
I'm also trying to lose weight though closer to 30 lbs. I have lost about 10 lbs in about 6 weeks. I highly recommend using an app to log in your food. I use loseit.com, but myfitnesspal is great too. I will echo a few previous posters that your diet seems very limiting. You know yourself better than us, but I wonder if you are going to last on this diet about 2 weeks and then get fed up with your soup/veggies diet and give up (right around the holidays). I am like you in that I need a plan of action, but I think you may be better served by sticking to a calorie tracker and eating what you like (as long as it is within your calorie limits) than sticking to a particular diet. Also, as a working mother of 3 young kids, I totally get you re: exercise. But listen - that is an excuse (one that I have used for way too long). I splurged and hired a personal trainer who now comes to my house 3 (early) mornings/week. Diet is still the most important part of losing weight, but trust me - you need to find the time to exercise if you want long term results. Gool luck to you. |
Anonymous
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OP here, checking in. Thank you all so much for your help and concern. I will definitely check out the Beck forum - I had no idea it existed! Today I'm working on "Sit Down When You Eat."
I am using the lose it app and will also check out my fitness pal. Exercise: Yes, well, I will definitely reconsider. Today I got to leave work early and hit the mall for gifts for Toys for Tots - before I bought them I made sure to walk an extra trip down and back (and if you google the Albrook Mall in Panama City you will see how long that is! ) I know it's not "real" exercise but it's better than I would have done last week! I will see if I can commit to working out twice a week (don't tell anyone but there's actually a small gym next door to my house. Literally next door.)
Yes, the diet is limiting and restrictive but right now that's what I need. If I start to chafe, I will make some swaps and see how that goes, but for me food is absolutely an addition. Since there's no way to "abstain" from eating in the true sense, this diet is what I use to try to keep food from being a constant obsession in my life. PP, the problem is that "what I like" is, not exaggerating, to eat until I feel like bursting. What I like is any food in enormous quantities. I can binge on carrots, no problem. And then I still feel bummed I couldn't eat more. It's sick, honestly, and I'm trying to change my way of thinking this time instead of just losing pounds. I am bookmarking this thread for sure and feeling thankful that strangers took the time to reach out to me. I am grateful. I really appreciate the kind words and the support. |
Anonymous
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I get the whole "eat the same thing" meals....but you should change them up to include more protein somehow. Can you manage a couple more egg whites or such during the day?
Or add some extra chicken to your non-vegan soup? I'm the person who eats a spinach omelette every breakfast no matter what shift I'm working, and a greek yogurt whether lunch is at 1 pm or 1 am..... Good deal on the exercise. Keep trying, just baby steps but it will make a big difference. Go walk with the kid.....that's fun for both of you! |
Anonymous
A suggestion for a way to fit in exercise without giving up too much "me" time. When you are watching West Wing, do some aerobic activity. Increasing your heart rate is what's important. One way I've done that is during a regular TV show (like West Wing). You start out with marching in place during the commercials. Remember to make sure to life your thigh up to at least perpendicular to your torso (e.g. knee at least waist height). After a day or two, march from the beginning of one commercial break to the end of the next one. Then downtime for the next "act" and start again on the third commercial break and march through the end of the fourth commercial break. Slowly work your way up to marching in place through the show. This way you'll ease into constant exercise which is the goal. You want to have an elevated heart rate for at least 20 minutes at a time. After you have marched your way through a show, then start again with jogging in place for commercial breaks and march between. You can again slowly ease you way though your West Wing show steadily increasing your aerobic activity and exercise...while watching TV. I've had my best weight loss when I was doing Tae-Bo. And sometimes I would do the 10-minute workout before a show, march/jog through a show and then do the workout again after the show. When I didn't have a show, then I'd do the long workout. But I found that even the marching and jogging during a TV show really helped. For me, the aerobic activity actually helps me decrease my appetite and made dieting easier. Good luck. |
Anonymous
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Guys, I know I'm a little light-headed from hunger but your posts are making me tear up.
I tell my boys almost every day: there are truly so many nice people in the world! Yeah, there are assholes if you want to look for them, but for the most part people really want a chance to be good to each other. Thank you so much! You know, marching in place during WW isn't a bad idea. I also downloaded a push-up app and a sit-up app to see if I can increase how many I can do (starting from zero on the push ups. ) I'm going to give it a try tonight! Thanks PP!
I'm going to take a look at the diet and see if I can re-jigger it a little. I'm agreeing with you PP that it's just too veggie. Had a little slip-up this afternoon with some delicious bean salad but I'm compensating by making dinner smaller. It was a wake-up call that I do need to do something to keep myself fuller longer. I used to have tuna salad (made by mashing the tuna with laughing cow cheese) for lunch and that kept me full FOREVER. I may look back to something like that. |