OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

[mitzimarie]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Breakfast - Atkins Chocolate Royale Shake

Lunch - MUP with almonds

Snack - 1 serving of sugar snap peas

Dinner - 3 spinach-stuffed oysters; sensation salad (mixed lettuces and slice of tomato with oil, vinegar, fresh grated parmesan and romano cheese); grilled shrimp; grilled mahi mahi; steamed veggies containing zuchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, broccoli

Today was our 16th wedding anniversary, so Barry and I went out to eat at one of our favorite seafood restaurants. It was very delish. I don't feel like trying to enter in into Fitday, so my totals are incomplete for today. Totals before dinner were 656 calories, 22 net carbs, and 21 grams of fiber.

[Sweet Strudel]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Well I posted breakfast but I too went out to dinner to a place called the B.D. Mongolian Grill...anyone ever ate there? Its very Atkins friendly..just meat and veggies. I'm not going to attempt to enter it into Fitday but I know I stayed legal.

Happy Anniversary Mitzi & Barry!

[Mickkey]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Yes Mitzi, I'm using the figure AFTER the Harris Benedict calculations. I'm saying I'm moderately active with at least 4 days of exercise per week.

Today I walked 6 miles, and I feel that's intense, but I usually walk 3-4 miles 4 to 5 days a week with no weight loss while eating BELOW my BMR..(after Benedict calculations). I believe I was going into starvation mode. Too much exercise, not enough fuel. I wrongly assumed we had to stay WAY under our BMR.

I had to FORCE myself to eat more today, and I could hardly get it all down. I also upped my calories some too. All the while I'm thinking: surely I can't lose eating this amount! I'm hoping I start losing faster now. I hope this is the key for me or I guess I'll start Gaining. Again thanks Mitzi for the info! And, Happy Anniversary to you and Barry!

[gonnabskinny]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Happy Anniversary Mitzi!

Here is what I had yesterday.

Breakfast
Atkins shake for pre-workout
1 cup Kashi go lean cereal
1/2 cup soy milk
2 xl eggs
3 slices of Hormel bacon

Lunch
chicken salad: 5 oz dark meat with skin on, 1 small celery stalk, 2 slices onion, 1.5 tbsp mayo, 6 red grapes
1/2 large apple
1 oz of almonds

Dinner
8 oz steak
2 cups of asparagus
7 oz of red wine

Snack
1 sourdough Wasa crispbread
1/2 oz of cream cheese

2049 calories, 106 grams of fat 47%, 158 grams of protein 31%, and 70 net carbs 22%

[mitzimarie]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Yes Mitzi, I'm using the figure AFTER the Harris Benedict calculations. I'm saying I'm moderately active with at least 4 days of exercise per week.

Today I walked 6 miles, and I feel that's intense, but I usually walk 3-4 miles 4 to 5 days a week with no weight loss while eating BELOW my BMR..(after Benedict calculations). I believe I was going into starvation mode. Too much exercise, not enough fuel. I wrongly assumed we had to stay WAY under our BMR.

I had to FORCE myself to eat more today, and I could hardly get it all down. I also upped my calories some too. All the while I'm thinking: surely I can't lose eating this amount! I'm hoping I start losing faster now. I hope this is the key for me or I guess I'll start Gaining. Again thanks Mitzi for the info! And, Happy Anniversary to you and Barry!

Mickkey, I guess I am still not clear whether the 1705 figure you gave is for BMR or for your maintenance number. BMR is the first number you get when you plug in the gender, height, weight, and age. The maintenance number is what you get after you multiply the BMR figure times the number that corresponds to you frequency of exercise (that is the Harris Benedict Equation). That first figure (the BMR) is the number that I try not to go under. The maintenance number (the Harris Benedict number), theoretically, is what you eat to maintain without gaining... so trying to eat between those numbers should enable a person to lose weight. So, is the 1705 figure your BMR (the first number you come up with), or is it the Maintenance figure (the number you get after multiplying)? And about how many calories were you averaging?

Thanks for the Anniversary greetings, Kathy, Don, and Mickkey! I was 31 years old before I got married (he's my first and only), and it was well worth the wait. He's my best friend.

Kathy, I've never been to a Mongolian Grill. It sounds fantastic...

See ya!

[julirama723]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Happy Anniversary, Mitzi!

B: smoothie (silken tofu, heavy cream, strawberries), 1 cup celery with 2 tbsp peanut butter
L: ?
D: ?

[Mickkey]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

QUOTE: Mickkey, I guess I am still not clear whether the 1705 figure you gave is for BMR or for your maintenance number. BMR is the first number you get when you plug in the gender, height, weight, and age. The maintenance number is what you get after you multiply the BMR figure times the number that corresponds to you frequency of exercise (that is the Harris Benedict Equation). That first figure (the BMR) is the number that I try not to go under. The maintenance number (the Harris Benedict number), theoretically, is what you eat to maintain without gaining... so trying to eat between those numbers should enable a person to lose weight. So, is the 1705 figure your BMR (the first number you come up with), or is it the Maintenance figure (the number you get after multiplying)? And about how many calories were you averaging? END QUOTE

Mitzi, no 2205 is my maintenance figure. My actual First number (BMR 1422) worked out to be 2205 after the Benedict Harris. I'm subtracting 500 from it according to it's actual calorie intake needed to lose score to get 1705. In other words, my BMR x Benedict Harris - 500 = 1705.

I hope I haven't confused you more. I was telling you my number after all calculations, and subtractions and calling it BMR. I can see how I confused you.

What I'm hoping is that I need to at least hit 1705 to lose.

My calories were low, like 900 or below. Then when I'd get frustrated I'd think; what the heck, I'm so hungry, I'm not losing despite NOT eating, I may as well EAT. Then my calorie intake would be way up. So I wasn't maintaining a steady balance. However, I have lost regardless of my eratic diet.

[mitzimarie]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Mitzi, the 1705 is my maintenance figure. My actual First number 1422 worked out to be 2205 after the Benedict Harris. I'm subtracting 500 from it according to it's actual calorie intake needed to lose score to get 1705. In other words, it's the number I got after multiplying on BH (2205), and then subtracting 500 calories.

I hope I haven't confused you more. What I'm hoping is that I need to at least hit 1705 to lose.

My calories were low, like 900 or below. Then when I'd get frustrated I'd think; what the heck, I'm so hungry, I'm not losing despite NOT eating, I may as well EAT. Then my calorie intake would be way up. I think the see-sawing was stressing my body out, not to mention when I'd exercise I didn't have enough fuel, or just maintaining.

Ok, I'm clear now! It's actually that first figure of 1422 that I would try to never go under. Shaving off 500 calories a day from your maintenance number for a daily target total of 1705 is a good place to start. You may need to shave off more, and you might end up being able to shave off less... time will tell. Everyone is different. Eating 900 or less calories a day would make anyone miserable! I'm so glad that you won't be doing that anymore - that's torture!

I think that we need not get too hung up on calories... I am still way more concerned with my number of net carbs, trying to get in enough fiber, keeping more than half of my carbs coming from veggies, and keeping my protein between 25 and 30%. Calories take a back seat to those things... I do still watch them, though, to make sure that I don't go under that first BMR figure. I never try to figure out how many calories I am burning with exercise... I just try to stay at about 200 to 300 calories above BMR (the first number). And it's only any average.

OWL can be tedious and complicated. I find it hard to change only one thing at a time. For example, when I cut back on a specific factor like dairy, it tends to change other things at the same time... like calories. It's hard to keep it all straight. Keep plugging along, though. Practice makes perfect! (or close, anyway)

[Mickkey]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Thank you Mitzi. Owl does get confusing and it is a balancing act. I never paid a lot of attention to calories either, but I do see where they do count. Gosh, I hope practice does make perfect on this. I just want to lose this weight!

[mitzimarie]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Just hang in there, Mickkey... you are more than half way there! I am sure that you can do it.

Well, there was no danger of my going under my minimum calories today... my calories are high.

Breakfast - Atkins Chocolate Royale Shake

Lunch - MUP with almonds

Snack - 1 cup jicama and 1 serving of sugar snap peas with 1 ounce of cheddar cheese

Dinner - hamburger patty topped with provolone cheese; 12 ounces of fresh green beans and 1 cup of mushrooms sauteed/fried together in butter and oil

Fitday Totals:
1875 calories
44 net carbs, 33 of those veggie (86g carbs - 42g fiber = 44 net carbs)
66% Fat
10% Carbs
24% Protein

My calories got pushed higher from the butter and oil I used for the green beans... also made my protein look a little low. I usually save the green beans for the nights that I have tilapia... I need the extra fat from the butter and oil then because the fish is protein "heavy"... the hamburger patty already has fat, so I usually have something like cucumbers and tomatoes on hamburger patty nights. I had ground meat and green beans that needed to be used today, so I went for it. I'm nice and full now, that's for sure!

[gonnabskinny]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Here is yesterdays menu and totals.

Breakfast
Atkins shake
1 oz canadian bacon
2 xl eggs
1/2 cup of strawberries
1/2 cup of cottage cheese

Lunch
ham and swiss cheese sandwich: 2 slices of low carb bread, 1.5 tbsp mayo, 1 roma tomato, 4 oz of ham, 1 oz swiss cheese, and 1 leaf of romaine

Dinner
left over spaghetti made with Dreamfields pasta

Snacks
1 sourdough crispbread with 1/2 oz cream cheese
1 oz of almonds

1940 calories, 89 grams of fat (way to low) 41%, 142 grams of protein (about right) 29%, and 130 carbs minus 33 fiber, but really only 69 net because of the pasta 30% but really should be more like 22% again because of the pasta.

Here are todays totals.

Breakfast
1/2 cup mixed berries
1/2 cup of greek yogurt
1 cup of Kashi go lean cereal
1/2 cup of soy milk
2 xl eggs

Lunch
chicken salad sandwich: 5 oz chicken breast, 1.5 tbsp mayo, 1 small celery stalk, 1/4 cup of onion, and 2 slices of low carb bread
1/2 large apple

Dinner tonight is already planned
Shrimp scampi: 8 oz of shrimp, 2 tbsp of butter, 1 garlic clove
2 cups of aparagus

1722 calories, 92 grams of fat 48%, 134 grams of protein 31%, and 99 carbs minus 29 fiber 21%

[mitzimarie]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Breakfast - Waffle House Fiesta Omelette (3 eggs, cheese, ham, onion, tomatoes, jalapenos) and 2 slices of bacon

Lunch - MUP with almonds

Snack - 1 serving of sugar snap peas

Dinner - 3 chicken drumsticks, 140g of red bell pepper strips, 1 tablespoon of Bacon Ranch dressing

Fitday Totals:
1498 calories
35 net carbs, 24 of those veggie (56g carbs - 21g fiber = 35 net carbs)
61% Fat
10% Carbs
29% Protein

[hopejoy]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Hi everyone!
Just want to say, even though I haven't posted everyday, I am being really good...
My co-workers said to eachother... 'liz never cheats...' re. sweets sitting around the break room... and that made me feel good cuz they didn't say it in a mean way...
anyways,
Today:
Brunch: 2 eggs, turkey ham and 3 turkey bacons...
lunch: cheese, jello salad
dinner: Italian casserole, bag of veggies with 1 tbsp ranch, (jicama, bell pepper, cucumber) Celery and spinach dip
coffee and splenda and cream
liz

[Mickkey]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

I lost a pound...yippee

[mitzimarie]

Re: OWLERS "Stepping Back" thread

Breakfast - Atkins Chocolate Royale Shake

Lunch - MUP with almonds

Snack - 1 cup jicama and 1 serving of sugar snap peas with an ounce of cheddar cheese

Dinner - Hamburger patty topped with provolone cheese/cup of mushrooms; a whole large cucumber; a whole medium tomato

Fitday Totals:
1512 calories
43 net carbs, 30 of those veggies (76g carbs - 33g fiber = 43 net carbs)
59% Fat
12% Carbs
29% Protein