Beginner's Rotation Clean Eating/Weights Check-in

RE: Clean eating is hard!!!

Thanks FFD!
I think I eat pretty clean - at least better than at any other point in my life. On WW now and try to plan snacking in since it is hard to go from breakfast to lunchtime. Plus bringing healthy snacks keeps me from unhealthy unplanned ones. One thing I found that is great is Snapple a Day Lo Carb Fruit Beverage - only 90 calories but lots of vitamins, calcium, fiber, and protein. I haven't tried the meal replacement one cause it has too many calories but for 90 calories I can have one of these for a snack.
 
RE: Clean eating is hard!!!

Hi,

I’ve been working out with video’s for about a year now and switched to working more or less exclusively with Cathe vids about 6 months ago. I’m 30 and want to lose 25 pounds plus get some hard needed definition. I haven’t had much luck losing weight with the exercise routine I followed the past 12 months (working out approx. 4 times per week and not paying any attention to what I eat ). Last week, after reading a lot of old posts on this forum, I decided to takes things a bit more serious. I’ve started with the zig-zag diet (see posts Francine) and I’m following that strictly. I’ve also committed myself to 3 cardio workouts and three strength workouts a week. I’ll keep you guys informed of (any) progress I make, especially weight-wise.

Kind regards,
Del
 
RE: Clean eating is hard!!!

Marie:

Wow, up at 4:00 AM! My hat's off to you.

I did Cathe's new beginner step workout and stability ball abs. LOVE 'EM BOTH!

I did great with my eating all day yesterday, but last night was a total loss :-( Baby Angelina was sick (hubby, Geo, stayed home with her yesterday) and she cried for four hours straight! We took her on three car rides to soothe her. One plate of nachos, vanilla ice cream, and a pecan tartlet I was finally able to calm down.

Del, I think I'll check out your suggestion on the Francine Zig Zag diet...
 
RE: Clean eating is hard!!!

Hi Everyone,
Made it out of bed 2 mornings in a row!!! Yahoo!!!!! This morning I did the new DVD #1 Upper and Lower body. Didn't feel very challenged mostly with the upper body, so may need to modify or find something else that fits into my 45 minutes. Just getting up and doing some exercise in the morning makes me happy right now - at least a step in the right direction. I think belonging to this check in is really helping me. Thanks everyone.
 
No workout :-(

No workout for me last night (unless you count hauling Baby around the house). Geo had class and I was recovering from a chiropractic adjustment. I did keep my eating much more clean yesterday and lost a pound.

Tonight I'll take Katie Beagle on a long walk and do the lower body portion of Cathe's new beginner DVD.

Have a good day everyone.
 
No workout here either

I couldn't workout because I did the leg section of MIS for the first time and MY INNER THIGHS ARE KILLING ME! I CAN BARELY WALK! Guess those old Firm videos weren't doing that much for me after all! And I made it till 11:15 with clean eating, and should have gone to bed, but for some reason, I felt hungry and started snacking. FRUSTRATING!!! I had abandoned my eating 5 small meals plan, which never works out well. Why do I need to make mistakes before I trust my plan?

ON a brighter note, I checked out the Francine plan, and I had heard of this before, but the one I heard about recommended much fewer calories and no exercise (like, 1000-1300 on the low days, one day of 1800). For those of you who are trying this, what calorie levels are you aiming for and what is your week like in terms of working out? I don't want to become obsessed with calorie counting or anything, but I tend to shoot unrealistically low with calories and end up snacking...

Thanks! I hope to have better clean eating news to report today...
 
RE: No workout here either

Now I am not feeling so bad for staying in bed this morning rather than exercising. But 2 out of 4 mornings is better than I had been doing and a start to build on.

What killed your inner thighs on MIS? Standing or floor? I hate floor work but may need to learn to tolerate it.

Weather is looking good for the weekend for a change. Hoping to get in lots of walks w/ DH and the dog. He needs the walk too. Vet said he needs to lose some pounds too. Sundays we also go to the gym but hoping to quit someday and just workout at home.
 
RE: No workout here either

Yes, the standing legs did it - holding a barbell in front is something I've never tried but which seems to work. I'll try the rest of it tomorrow!!!
 
RE: No workout here either

FFD,

My scheme for the coming months is:

Monday: 1300 kcal, rest
Tuesday: 1300 kcal, 60 minutes step aerobics
Wednesday: 2000 kcal, 45 minutes strength training + 45 minutes step aerobics
Thursday: 1300 kcal, 60 minutes step aerobics
Friday: 1300 kcal, 30 minutes abs (and if I feel really good maybe some step aerobics)
Saturday: 2500 kcal, 60 minutes strength training
Sunday: 2500 kcal, 60 minutes strength training

I want to drop at least 2 pounds per month. If I don’t succeed in doing that with this scheme I’ll make some adjustments.

Kind regards,
Del
 
RE: No workout here either

Del:

That looks like a really great plan. Do you use FitDay or do you just track calories on your own?

As for me this weekend, I didn't do Cathe lower body (new DVD) on Friday. I did it yesterday along with stability ball abs. Geo (DH) actually went to Meijer to purchase me a new stability ball because he put mine in a "safe place" when we got married two years ago (and I moved in with him). Now he can't find it :-( Oh well. It was $31.00 dollars off our budget but on the bright side, it came with a stability ball/Pilates work out.

Today I took Katie beagle on an hour walk and hope to get in Cathe's Upper Body (beginner DVD).
 
RE: No workout here either

Just a walk w/ DH yesterday. Today we went to the gym and I did weights and 20 min on the treadmill. Later DH and I will take the dog for a nice walk. My goal for the upcoming week is to get up and exercise every morning. Weigh in at WW is Wednesday morning so hope to see some changes in the right direction - down or at least clothes feeling less tight.
 
RE: No workout here either

Cferrante,

I’m counting the calories myself. At http://calorielab.com you can look-up the caloric content of just about anything. I really plan ahead – the evening before I plan and write up what I’m going to eat the next day. That way I don’t run into any surprises and I think it helps me keep up the discipline. I haven’t been doing it very long though, just over a week now. It has, however, already helped me acquire a great deal of insight into how many calories I used to take in. No wonder I wasn’t losing any weight – I was pretty much consuming over 2000 calories every day and on the weekends often more than 3000!!!!!! x(

Del
 
RE: Monday

No formal workout this morning but did take the dog for a one mile walk before work. Will also walk him again tonight but a bit longer. Wish I could get my pedometer to work so I knew how many steps per day. It was a good one but maybe the cheaper ones work better.
 
RE: No workout here either

Thanks for the link, Del. BTW, you can call me "Cat". It's family nickname and easier to type than my user id :)

My workouts are going great, but not the clean eating. I think I'll check out the site you linked.

I did Cathe's Upper Body workout on her beginner DVD. I really love this workout, especially the back exercises with the tubing. I have difficulty, tho, using the tubing for the shoulder exercises. My shoulders are so weak!
 
RE: No workout here either

Del,

This seems like a good plan. I'm going to try it too; in fact, today was my first 1300 calorie day and it went pretty well! What are you going to do to make up the calorie differential on low and high days? More complex carbs/protein shakes/ice cream (I Wish!)

Did the full Maximum Intensity Strength today, and I have a feeling I am going to pay BIG TIME tomorrow. Cathe is living proof that lifting weights does not make you bulky - she lifts such heavy weights with her upper body!!!

Let me know how your zigzag is going!

Hope
 
RE: No workout here either

FFD,

In one of her posts, Francine said that on the low calorie days you should cut back on your fat intake so that’s the first thing I do – no more margarine on my bread and I try and limit as much as possible the oil/butter that I use for cooking. I’ve also devised a couple of high protein snacks that I can have on my high calorie days:

- cottage cheese on Wasa
- tuna sandwich
- humus on melba toast
- nuts
- toasted sunflower seeds (in a salad for instance)
- toasted sesame bars (the sweet variety)

I’m considering trying out protein bars – apparently they taste pretty good. That way I can kill two flies in one strike; get in the extra calories that I need (in the right proportions as well!) plus feel like I’ve indulged myself.

Another thing that I found out this last week and that I think will have a big impact on the amount of calories I consume is the huge amount of calories contained in ground beef (roughly 400 cal for 150 grams, depending on the % fat). I really had no idea it was that fattening!! A chicken breast is, for example only 130 cal and a 230 gram cod filet only 190. I always knew chicken and fish was lean, but that the difference was THAT big ……

Del
 
RE: No workout here either

Del,

That's good advice. I had forgotten about fat. I've been part of the "dieting culture" so long, its been ingrained in my head to never consider fat a good part of the diet. I know now that was not accurate, but old habits die hard! I could use more olive oil in my cooking, or not use light salad dressing - there would probably be lots of ways to do it without stuffing myself! I'm vegetarian, so the beef thing won't work for me, but I can definitely try some of the other things you mentioned. Thanks!
 
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