Gnatie how did the passover meal go? Did you stick to your diet or did you eat what was going? How did you do portion wise?

Also what the madcap says.. I'll do some advertising on my log to get more guys reading here...

RE: the Passover meals

Well, I went totally off book. While I had my high fiber matzah (100 cals, 1 gr. fat, 7 gr. fiber per piece) I was surrounded by various fried, fatty, and sugary foods that I only see two days a year.

The holiday was Friday night through Sunday night, so I was back on track as of yesterday. This should be it for a while in terms of days when I will really just not have control.

WEEK 11, DAY 7

Baseline 329.7
Week 1 Avg. 325 (-4.7)
Week 2 Avg. 321.4 (-8.3)
Week 3 Avg. 318.9 (-10.8)
Week 4 Avg. 316 (-13.7)
Week 5 Avg. 313.9 (-15.8)
Week 6 Avg. 312.4 (-17.3)
Week 7 Avg. 312.4 (-17.3)
Week 8 Avg. 309.6 (-20.1)
Week 9 Avg. 308.9 (-20.8)
Week 10 avg. 307.6 (-22.1)
Yesterday 311.2 (-18.5, that's what traditional passover food does)
Today 308.8 (-20.9)

New short term goal - sub-300 three weeks from today, sub-300 weekly average by 1 month from now.

Yesterday's food:
BREAKFAST - 1 board of high fiber matzah with a light coating of PB, 6 pecan halves, an orange
LUNCH - An apple, 3 oz. low fat cheddar, coffee flavored greek yogurt, 1/3 board of matzah
DINNER - 3 egg omelette, 2/3 board matzah with VERY light coating cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli
SNACKS - An apple w/4 pecan halves, 2 cheese sticks, a whole bell pepper
DRINKS - 2 coffees with sweetener and 2 oz milk, diet sodas, green tea w/sweetener

Other thoughts -
I don't think I am stress eating in the same way that I used to. Right now I am in the midst of searching for a job (current one ends June 30), possibly planning a move for said job, and cleaning up/organizing my 6 years of work in the current one. I have a spouse with a chronic illness and an awesome, medium maintenance, 9 year old.

There is no question that times like this would have had me eating (say) an entire package of cookies over the space of a couple of days. That has not been happening.

It seems that I am channeling the part of me that wants to stress eat into (a) maintaining this food plan and (b) playing poker. Could be better, could be worse!

yup back on the wagon!

Subbed. GL OP. Sub-300 in 3 weeks seems very doable.

I did a lot of running to help with weight loss (80lbs) - I experienced some game-changer-momentum when I started calibrating what I thought was "deserved" extra food intake with fewer calories than what the online calculators suggested. I think Evene's post is a good guideline:

Once I actually begin a fitness regimen (aiming for next week, finally) I will have to see how it affects everything.

WEEK 12, DAY 1

Baseline 329.7
Week 1 Avg. 325 (-4.7)
Week 2 Avg. 321.4 (-8.3)
Week 3 Avg. 318.9 (-10.8)
Week 4 Avg. 316 (-13.7)
Week 5 Avg. 313.9 (-15.8)
Week 6 Avg. 312.4 (-17.3)
Week 7 Avg. 312.4 (-17.3)
Week 8 Avg. 309.6 (-20.1)
Week 9 Avg. 308.9 (-20.8)
Week 10 avg. 307.6 (-22.1)
Week 11 avg. 308.6 (-21.1)
Today 308.2 (-21.5)

Yesterday's food:
BREAKFAST - 1 board of high fiber matzah with a light coating of PB, 6 pecan halves
LUNCH - 3 cups romaine lettuce, 4 oz. turkey, 1/3 cup chickpeas, 2 tb. fat free dressing, pecans
DINNER (eaten in two sittings a few hours apart) - Turkey sandwich on 1 board of high fiber matzah w/lite mayo and fat free dressing, a side salad with fat free dressing, 1 board high fiber matzah with a light coating of cream cheese
SNACKS - Two passover cookies (100 cals total), an apple
DRINKS - 1 1/2 cups sugar free chocolate milk, iced coffee with about 2 oz. milk

You seem to be logging your food and portion sizes. Any particular reason why not to take it a step further and total the calories? You're already doing most of the work as it is.

Knowing your calorie intake would help a lot with being accountable, but it would also give you a better feel for where your weaknesses are, i.e. the foods that you regularly eat that might be a lot more dense in calories than you realize.

Random example, a cup of pecans halves (or 99g) is 684 calories. Nothing wrong with eating pecans in a vacuum, but you might reconsider eating them as often in light of that information.

WEEK 12, DAY 2

Baseline 329.7
Week 1 Avg. 325 (-4.7)
Week 2 Avg. 321.4 (-8.3)
Week 3 Avg. 318.9 (-10.8)
Week 4 Avg. 316 (-13.7)
Week 5 Avg. 313.9 (-15.8)
Week 6 Avg. 312.4 (-17.3)
Week 7 Avg. 312.4 (-17.3)
Week 8 Avg. 309.6 (-20.1)
Week 9 Avg. 308.9 (-20.8)
Week 10 avg. 307.6 (-22.1)
Week 11 avg. 308.6 (-21.1)
Today 308.2 (-21.5)

Yesterday's food:
BREAKFAST - 1 board of high fiber matzah with a light coating of PB, 3 pecan halves, an orange
LUNCH - an apple, 3 oz. extra lite cheddar, 1 coffee greek yogurt, 1/4 board high fiber matzah
DINNER (eaten in two sittings a few hours apart) - 6 oz. pan fried salmon, 1 bell pepper, 1 cup side salad with 2 tsp fat free dressing
SNACKS - 1/4 board high fiber matzah, 1 square 75% dark chocolate, 4 pecan halves , 2 part skim cheese sticks
DRINKS - Coffee with 2% milk and sweetener, water
JUNK - 2 passover cookies (~100 cals total)

Thanks for the feedback and support!

The simple answer is stress and focus. I have tried calorie counting in the past and it just has not been a system I was able to stick to for more than a couple of weeks.

The diet plan I am following (the I Diet) pre-counts all the calories. I am consuming about 2100 calories per day at the moment when I stick to the plan. Once I begin my cardio routine I will perhaps add another 100 calorie snack per day if the working out is making me extra hungry.

The pecans are a good example of this - while I do not always report exact amounts the pecans I include are either (a) an amount pre-determined by the plan or (b) 100 calories worth when being used as an add on.

This is one of those YMMV situations; I know from past attempts that counting each calorie has not helped me so I found a solution that takes that out of my hands while still helping me to sustain my weight loss.

Update on today since I will not post again until Sunday (more holiday!)

BREAKFAST - 1 board of hf matzah with a light coating of PB, another board with a light coating of cream cheese, coffee with some 2% milk.
Since I ate more at breakfast than usual I skipped the morning snack with no feelings of emptiness.
LUNCH - BIG salad with spring mix, 2 oz. salmon, 1/3 cup chickpeas, about 100 cals. of tortilla chips for crunch

The rest of the day will be spent on the road and tonight through Saturday night at my in-laws. Food choices will be easy while I am there; my mother in law's cooking is heavily influenced by weight watchers and has the right balance of protein, high fiber carbs, veggies, etc.

In the car I will likely eat two part skim cheese sticks, a whole bell pepper, and an apple. Three and 1/2 hours on the road should not be a problem.

WEEK 12, DAY 6

Baseline 329.7
Week 1 Avg. 325 (-4.7)
Week 2 Avg. 321.4 (-8.3)
Week 3 Avg. 318.9 (-10.8)
Week 4 Avg. 316 (-13.7)
Week 5 Avg. 313.9 (-15.8)
Week 6 Avg. 312.4 (-17.3)
Week 7 Avg. 312.4 (-17.3)
Week 8 Avg. 309.6 (-20.1)
Week 9 Avg. 308.9 (-20.8)
Week 10 avg. 307.6 (-22.1)
Week 11 avg. 308.6 (-21.1)
Today 306.6 (-23.1)

Yesterdays's food:
BREAKFAST - Fiber one, granola, 2% milk, an apple
LUNCH - 1 cup vegetable soup, cheese sandwich on high fiber bread w/lite mayo
DINNER - 2 black bean veggie burgers on 2 low-cal buns with some thai chili sauce and lite mayo
SNACK - 1/4 cup fiber one, 4 pecan halves, 1 sq. 85% dark chocolate

I had planned on some veggies after dinner but ended up falling asleep for the night putting my 9 year old to bed

WEEK 12, DAY 7

Baseline 329.7
Month 1 Avg. 320.3 (-9.4)
Month 2 Avg. 312 (-17.7)
Week 9 Avg. 308.9 (-20.8)
Week 10 avg. 307.6 (-22.1)
Week 11 avg. 308.6 (-21.1)

Today 307.8 (-21.9)

So, at the completion of each 4 week period I will convert all the weigh ins into a monthly average. This should make reading easier.

Here is what yesterday's food looked like:

BREAKFAST - 3 slices HF bread with light coating of PB, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee with 2 oz. 2% milk
LUNCH - 4 1 oz. meatballs w/sauce, 1/3 cup chickpeas, 4 whole roasted carrots
DINNER - Roast turkey wrap - 1 c. salad, 6 oz. turkey, 1 HF wrap, lite mayo and lite dressing. Also, 1 whole bell pepper
SNACK - 1/4 C Fiber One with 1 Tb. peanuts and 1 sq. 85% dark chocolate
DESSERT - 1/3 C sugar free ice cream with 1/4 C Fiber One

Hey man, at what point in this diet will you progress to a diet that you create for yourself and is not prescribed by the book?

Are you sure the problem was the calorie counting? What were you eating when you tried that? Eating the same stuff and just less of it? The constant struggle of that is just never going to be sustainable.

Any diet really has to center around nutritionally dense foods in order to be sustainable. Either way as long as this keeps your cals in the range they should be and you like it/stick with it, I guess it won't hurt you to not count them yourself.

I have thought about this. Either (a) when I reach my goal or (b) when I get tired of the menu, whichever comes first.

Given my life's stresses it is nice not to have to think too hard about what I am going to put in my mouth on a given day.

WEEK 13, DAY 1

Baseline 329.7
Month 1 Avg. 320.3 (-9.4)
Month 2 Avg. 312 (-17.7)
Month 3 Avg. 308.3 (-21.4)

Today 306 (-23.7)

Yesterdays's food:
BREAKFAST - Fiber one, granola, 2% milk, an orange
LUNCH - An apple, 2 oz. extra light cheddar, coffee greek yogurt, 1/4 cup fiber one
DINNER - Eaten while driving to an interview, so a bit basic. 3 hard cooked eggs and 2 whole bell peppers.
SNACK - 1/4 cup fiber one & 1 Tb peanuts, 2 part skim mozzarella cheese sticks
AT 2 AM - 1/4 cup Fiber one, 4 pecan halves, 1 sq. 85% dark chocolate

WEEK 13, DAY 3

Baseline 329.7
Month 1 Avg. 320.3 (-9.4)
Month 2 Avg. 312 (-17.7)
Month 3 Avg. 308.3 (-21.4)

Today 305.2 (-24.5)

Yesterday's food:
BREAKFAST - Fiber One, low fat granola, and crushed pecans with 2% milk
LUNCH - 2 fish tacos (Baja Fresh) with black beans on the side
DINNER - Pan fried salmon, a whole bell pepper, and a can of string beans
SNACKS - 1 cup of grapes & 4 pecan halves, 1/4 c. fiber one with 1 Tb peanuts and a square of 85% cocoa

Today so far (since I will not post tomorrow)
BREAKFAST - Two bagels with low fat cream cheese from Einstein Bros. (I did NOT have a good morning today)
LUNCH - 3 slices HF bread with a light coating of peanut butter
SNACK - an apple
DINNER - Chicken with veggies (Sabbath dinner), not eaten yet

FITNESS: I biked about 3 miles (recreational) with my son yesterday afternoon. I REALLY felt the lower weight when going up hills. Even though I have not been on the bike in months the uphills were less tiring than in the past.

WEEK 13, DAY 7

Baseline 329.7
Month 1 Avg. 320.3 (-9.4)
Month 2 Avg. 312 (-17.7)
Month 3 Avg. 308.3 (-21.4)

Today 304.2 (-25.5)

Yesterday's food:
BREAKFAST - Fiber One, low fat granola, and crushed pecans with 2% milk, an apple
LUNCH - salad with greens, peppers, chickpeas, 2 hard cooked eggs, tortilla chips, crispy onions, fat free dressing
DINNER - Pan fried salmon & a whole bell pepper
SNACKS - 1/4 c. fiber one with 2 Tb peanuts, 2 cheese sticks
DESSERT - Sugar free ice cream with 1/4 cup Fiber One and fat free whipped cream

WEEK 14, DAY 1

Baseline 329.7
Month 1 Avg. 320.3 (-9.4)
Month 2 Avg. 312 (-17.7)
Month 3 Avg. 308.3 (-21.4)
Week 13 Avg. 305 (-24.7)

Today 303.8 (-25.9)

Yesterday's food:
BREAKFAST - 3 slices HF bread with pb, a grapefruit, coffee
LUNCH - Salad with greens, 3 oz. salmon, 1/3 c chickpeas, crushed tortilla chips, lite dressing
DINNER - 3 egg omelette, slice hf bread with margarine, a bel pepper, 1 C canned peas/carrots
SNACKS - fiber one w/peanuts and 85% chocolate (twice), 2 cheese sticks

I will be traveling for an interview beginning early tomorrow morning. We will see how well/badly I can stick to the diet. Next weigh-in will be Friday.

Related - I bought pants! They are smaller! They fit well!

I can not remember the last time I put on a piece of clothing that felt like it fit perfectly. Of course, this will only last a week (until they begin bunching) but, still, pretty exciting.

Doubly exciting that they only cost me 5 bucks (thrift shop)

good job, keep it up!

Well done mate!

Thanks for the well wishing!

So, I was on the road for about 36 hours and then exhausted. However, it looks like I was able to at least stall and not go backwards.

WEEK 14, DAY 5

Baseline 329.7
Month 1 Avg. 320.3 (-9.4)
Month 2 Avg. 312 (-17.7)
Month 3 Avg. 308.3 (-21.4)
Week 13 Avg. 305 (-24.7)

Today 303.4 (-26.3)

Food diary will resume tomorrow...