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  #61   ^
Old Wed, Apr-18-07, 13:31
Mousesmom's Avatar
Mousesmom Mousesmom is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,633
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 156/146.8/139 Female 69 inches
BF:
Progress: 54%
Location: Victoria, BC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charran

Julie- I think that's the thing that drives me crazy is weighing and measuring every single thing. Then when I try to plot it into Fitday, or My Plan, I end up searching for the right quantity and type and it drives me mad. Do you use either of those for calorie tracking? Perhaps you have some tips that would make things easier? Some people say they don't measure things like veggies. I was weighing every single thing I put into my mouth. It was very time-consuming!


I use an Excel spreadsheet to track. Fitday drove me nuts, haven't even tried My Plan. When I eat something new I look it up (ahead of time!!!) in my Atkins carb counter. I estimate quantities and just "know" approximately how many carbs and cals are on my plate.

I learned weighting and measuring made me too obsessive and too unhappy. When I spent too much time writing stuff down and obsessing, I got too emotionally attached to the number on the scale and it really controlled my mood.

I had to find the balance between monitoring myself and being happy.

HTH, Julie
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  #62   ^
Old Thu, Apr-19-07, 05:13
Kisal's Avatar
Kisal Kisal is offline
Never Give Up!
Posts: 14,482
 
Plan: It's anybody's guess!
Stats: 350/250/160 Female 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 53%
Location: Oregon
Default

Hello, fellow turtles! I'm just dropping by to let you all know I'm still sitting here in the same place I was when I last visited.

I still haven't begun doing anything to lose more weight. No more hunger or tummy pain, though, and I guess I'll be satisfied with that for awhile. I think I'll go back to listing my food on My P.L.A.N. next week. I've begun to kind of miss the routine, silly me!

It's so good to read all of your posts. I feel like the Turtle Club is a really special place. It can be very hard to watch so many others shedding pounds so quickly, when we have to wait months on end to lose one measly pound.

I finally got on the scale this morning. I was surprised to see that I've only gained 4 pounds -- I'm at 215. I know at least a couple of those pounds are water, because my rings are very tight. I've been lax about drinking enough water, though, so tomorrow I'll concentrate on correcting that.

I'm also constipated, again probably due to not drinking enough water. I'd love to have some flax muffins, but I need help to bake them because my hands tremble, causing me to spill stuff all over the place. My helper never seems to have time to help me bake, so maybe I'll just get up early Friday morning and make them all by myself. She'll be stuck having to clean up the awful mess! Maybe the next time I say I want to bake something, she'll try harder to find the time to help me with it!
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  #63   ^
Old Thu, Apr-19-07, 16:55
black57 black57 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 11,822
 
Plan: atkins/intermit. fasting
Stats: 166/136/135 Female 5'3''
BF:
Progress: 97%
Location: Orange, California
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MNLisa B
Hi Char and All:

For women, weight gain is hormonal in nature. I have read that if your body over produces estrogen, it causes increased insulin production, then the whole cycle of raised blood sugars rears its ugly head.



So true!!! I am going through peri-menopause plus I have fibroid cycsts and those puppies need their estrogen Diabetes runs in my family and one thing I noticed was that around 2 years after achieving menopause the women become diabetic. My younger sister had a hysterectomy and became diabetic 2 years later. My mom became diabetic 2 years after entering menopause. Oh, well.
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  #64   ^
Old Fri, Apr-20-07, 08:42
Charran's Avatar
Charran Charran is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 9,446
 
Plan: my own
Stats: 253/176.0/153 Female 5 feet 7 inches
BF:
Progress: 77%
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Gm Pond Pals...I have almost dropped all the water weight. I'm hoping to make it through the weekend as they tend to be hectic for me and I also tend to consume more calories during those 2 days.

TTC#2- Sorry about the gain you had. I know that is soooo frustrating, when we stay on plan, do everything right and then have those unexpected gains. Hopefully it will be gone soon!

Julie-I agree with you totally about finding that balance. I can make myself crazy with those numbers also. We won't even talk about what happens when I've weighed and measured everything out on my plate and someone comes along to "taste" something!

Kisal- Glad that the tummy pain is gone! Good luck with the baking! I make protein flax muffins, but I do a bowl version every morning! They are quite yummy!

Black- You're right to be very diligent then. If diabetes runs in your family and you're approaching that time, being on a low carb plan now may save you in the long run!

To all the rest of the Turtles! Hope you have a great weekend!
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  #65   ^
Old Fri, Apr-20-07, 10:29
Mousesmom's Avatar
Mousesmom Mousesmom is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,633
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 156/146.8/139 Female 69 inches
BF:
Progress: 54%
Location: Victoria, BC
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Today I am a whining Turtle - I have a pinched nerve in my back and am now on muscle relaxers which of course cause water retention. I spent yesterday at home on my recliner watching bad daytime TV but am back at work today.

The only advantage to being in pain yesterday was that I had no inclination to climb the stairs from the living room to the kitchen to eat. LOL.....

It's better today but I think I will leave the scale alone for a few days.

Have a great weekend Turtles!

Julie
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  #66   ^
Old Fri, Apr-20-07, 16:03
Charran's Avatar
Charran Charran is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 9,446
 
Plan: my own
Stats: 253/176.0/153 Female 5 feet 7 inches
BF:
Progress: 77%
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Ouch Julie...hope that feels better fast!
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  #67   ^
Old Fri, Apr-20-07, 18:20
MNLisa B's Avatar
MNLisa B MNLisa B is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 500
 
Plan: low carb, portion control
Stats: 222/155/140 Female 5'6"
BF:100%//33
Progress: 82%
Location: MN
Default Stay strong this weekend

Good Friday evening

I'm going to have to be very good over the next few weeks- going on a beach vacation, and I want to buy a few new things. INeed a new bathing suit, I have a few hand me downs, but they have seen way better days.

I was in Sam's Club just a bit ago, was very tempted to pick up some summer things there, but no fitting rooms, not sure about their return policy.

Have a fun weekend, hang in there everyone, best of health and well being to all.
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  #68   ^
Old Sat, Apr-21-07, 20:31
exotic's Avatar
exotic exotic is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 235
 
Plan: Low Carb
Stats: 235/217.5/180 Female 65
BF:I/can't/say
Progress: 32%
Location: Plano, Texas
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I'm having a hard time with this. I have walked all week approx. 3 miles and guess what; I've gained 1 pound. What's up with that? I have cut back; increased my water intake and then I still gained a pound. This is what makes you just give up to the battle of trying to lose weight. I am a turtle, I am a turtle, I am a turtle, and I'm shouting it from the mountain top. Next week I will be strick, strick, strick, not 1 carb and I know I will have a headache like a hammer hit me on my head.
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  #69   ^
Old Sat, Apr-21-07, 22:42
Mousesmom's Avatar
Mousesmom Mousesmom is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,633
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 156/146.8/139 Female 69 inches
BF:
Progress: 54%
Location: Victoria, BC
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Charran
Ouch Julie...hope that feels better fast!


Thanks Char.... feeling somewhat better today - but am still on drugs

I haven't been near a scale in several days but also haven't felt much like eating - too much other stuff going on (family crap).... maybe I will approach the evil scale tomorrow and see what it says.

I'm supposed to be in a 10 km road race next Sunday but I'm not sure I will be able to go.... <slinking off to feel sorry for myself for a bit>

Julie
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  #70   ^
Old Sun, Apr-22-07, 09:19
MNLisa B's Avatar
MNLisa B MNLisa B is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 500
 
Plan: low carb, portion control
Stats: 222/155/140 Female 5'6"
BF:100%//33
Progress: 82%
Location: MN
Default Welcome Exotic-the scales do lie!!!

I am no expert, but if you are building muscle, you surely will gain on the scale; 3 miles everyday, that's serious muscle building!!

Here is an article that is on several other forums: WHY the Scales Lie- She is a bodybuilder and doesn't necessarily support low carb, but as Char said, muscles need water to repair themselves- and by building muscles, you actually tear them. When the repair is done, water is released, and you will likely see a loss. Don't give up- I went for months working my azz off, it is finally paying off!!


Why the Scales Lie by Renee Cloe

http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspar...eight/scale.htm

We’ve been told over an over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can’t resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can’t bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence it’s readings. From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale.

Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body’s water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don’t understand what’s happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto it’s water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water.

Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it’s easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn’t have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That’s why, when it comes to eating, it’s wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.

Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum.

Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it’s packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it’s stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it’s associated water. It’s normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you’re prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.

Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it’s wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you’ve had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It’s the actual weight of everything you’ve had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you’ve finished digesting it.

Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it’s not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, it’s likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. Generally, it’s only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it’s physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you’re really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle.

This brings us to the scale’s sneakiest attribute. It doesn’t just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose "weight," that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you’ve lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you’re just sitting around. That’s one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.

Robin Landis, author of "Body Fueling," compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn’t differentiate between the two. It can’t tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat. There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current.

If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry. The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don’t be discouraged by a small gain on the scale. Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride. It’s a matter of mind over scale.
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  #71   ^
Old Sun, Apr-22-07, 09:40
Charran's Avatar
Charran Charran is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 9,446
 
Plan: my own
Stats: 253/176.0/153 Female 5 feet 7 inches
BF:
Progress: 77%
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Gm Pond Pals!

I'm starting today with entering in my daily foods into My Plan. I'm going to try and stick to 1450 calories day as that is what the calorie site calculated my intake should be to lose 1.5 pounds a week. I'm committing to one week of doing this ( as it's not one of my favourite things to do) and then we'll see what happens after that.

MNLisa- Thanks so much for the article. I found it very informative and helpful! We really need to remind ourselves of these kinds of things alot! I'm cheering you onto your beach wear! GO GO GO!

Julie- I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you will still be able to enter your race, but keep up the spirits...there's always another one if this one doesn't work out for you!

Exotic- I feel the pain. This has happened to me on more than one occassion, so I know where you're coming from. Perhaps the article from Lisa will be of comfort to you and know that you are doing something good for your body, no matter of the immediate result. Hang in there. You can do it!
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  #72   ^
Old Tue, Apr-24-07, 03:25
Kisal's Avatar
Kisal Kisal is offline
Never Give Up!
Posts: 14,482
 
Plan: It's anybody's guess!
Stats: 350/250/160 Female 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 53%
Location: Oregon
Default

Hi, friends! I began counting calories again today, along with carbs. I seem to alternate days -- one day I seem to eat about 1300 to 1450, and the next day I'm not very hungry, so I end up eating around 900 to 1000. D'ya suppose everything will average out, so I end up around 1165/day or so?

I'm not trying to limit the amount I eat, but just trying to stay aware of my food, so I don't pig out on anything. We'll see how it goes, I guess.

I made the flax muffins all by myself today, and I didn't spill a thing! I'm so proud of myself! The thing is, you see, that my hands became very shaky about 15 years ago. That's why I had to stop my wildlife rehab, my sewing, and my pottery. It eventually got so bad that I could barely write my own name! But my doctors have been trying to get me off the meds that have tremors as a side effect. I decided today that I would never know if I could bake again without someone helping me, unless I plucked up my courage and tried. And I did it! The muffins are yummy, too -- banana walnut flax muffins.
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  #73   ^
Old Tue, Apr-24-07, 06:47
ttc#2's Avatar
ttc#2 ttc#2 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,087
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 164/146.0/135 Female 64 in
BF:38.5/31/20
Progress: 62%
Location: Texas
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Hi ladies-

I have been trying out the Meat and Egg fast for 4 days now.
I have finally seen some movement on the scale.
I am going to stay with it through Friday, then add some very carefully controlled green veggies.

After doing reading about stalls, and thinking back to when I first found success on Atkins I have decided to give up Diet Coke. When I loss the initial 20 pounds on Atkins I did not use any artificially sweeteners or frakenfoods.

I know that the Diet Coke thing is completely mental. I have never had too many vices.. and I count Diet Coke as one of them. With the LC lifestyle when I am on track I need to completely give up the others (red wine, champagne, chocolate) as a bit of one can bring on cravings that result in a full weekend of bad bad carbs.

The Meat and Egg fast has helped me to think about indulgences and rewards and to realize that there are so many self-indulgent things I can do that do not include eating or drinking.

I don't need Diet Coke.... I can indulge in 30 minutes of alone time reading a good book.... that sounds better than Diet Coke any day... why didn't I think of that 2 years ago?

Happy LCing to all.
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  #74   ^
Old Tue, Apr-24-07, 08:16
Mousesmom's Avatar
Mousesmom Mousesmom is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,633
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 156/146.8/139 Female 69 inches
BF:
Progress: 54%
Location: Victoria, BC
Default

GM Pond Pals!

After a few days of muscle relaxers and rest I am feeling almost back to normal. Still not back at the gym yet but not on meds any more. I have a couple of #s of water weight thanks to the meds that I have to flush out now.

WTG Kisal! A great accomplishment - bet those muffins tasted GREAT!!!

So far I'm 28 days in of recording cals/carbs. Averaging 27 carbs a day and way-to-many calories.... like almost 2000 (yesterday was really high....sigh), so it's pretty obvious to me that I have to cut back a little - maybe to 1750 and see what happens.

Time to head off to work so will ttys. Have a great day, Julie
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  #75   ^
Old Tue, Apr-24-07, 08:40
Charran's Avatar
Charran Charran is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 9,446
 
Plan: my own
Stats: 253/176.0/153 Female 5 feet 7 inches
BF:
Progress: 77%
Default

HI Pond Pals!

Day 2 of tracking calories is completed and day 3 looms ahead. I had planned for about 1450 calories a day, but the last 2 days have actually been around 1550 instead. I have lost 3.6 pounds, but I'm pretty sure it's water weight. I'm not complaining though. I don't want to go too low on the calories as I'd like to have some room for movement later if need be, so if 1550 seems to continue working, then I'm sticking to it. I like food too much to be too strict!

Kisal- I think it's a good thing to try and listen to your bodies signals, eat more when hungry, eat less when not. Our bodies are pretty smart if we'd just listen to them instead of trying to over-ride all their decisions! WTG on making those muffins. They sound yummy! Did you get the recipe from this site?

TTC- Finding rewards other than food is what we all strive for I think. It's just so hard when you've used food as everything for so long. It's hard to replace that old friend! Good for you findinig other things you can reward yourself with! Good luck with the M&E fast. I hope you get the results you're looking for!

Julie- Great to hear that you're feeling better. I'm sure those pounds of water weight will disappear fast! Looks like there are a few of us now counting those calories. I sure hope this works!

Hope everyone else is doing good!
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