Thanks, Wes - good suggestions.

Cyndi, Those Special K bars are really good. Well, all things considered.
I'm eating fish for lunch today, so I really am trying. I'm working towards eating it several times a week, but don't know how that will go over as I'm not a huge seafood fan.

Great suggestions Kathy and Wes. Kathy, I didn't want to post the pathetic way I get my chocolate fix, when I have cleaned out the pantry of all things sweet....I stumbled upon Viactiv, too!! Embarassed to say, I have OD'ed on calcium many a day!!! I don't know if that's unsafe or not, but they are my savior sometimes. I've seen the Costco (or here, BJ's) brand, didn't buy it. Good to know it's tasty ;) I think I am better off moving my rear end a little more, than trying to cut out certain foods. I really just want to firm up, maybe loose a little weight. So, I AM going to try to incorporate a walk into my evenings....instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer for four hours :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Wendy~ I buy and cook both sides of the turkey breast, skin on. I cook it at 325 for 25 minutes per half pound. Cook it (and the veggies) covered in foil. Take the foil off for the last half hour. I buy the turkey breast with the little blue thingie in it that pops up when it's cooked. Plainview Farms Turkey Breast.

Wes~ Love your snack suggestions!!!

I have read that the RDA for calcium is at least 800 mg. I know that a high level of calcium in the blood is not good.

"High blood calcium levels can be caused by eating a diet with excessive amounts of vitamin D, vitamin A, or calcium. Eating large amounts of milk products or taking too many calcium-containing medications (such as antacids or vitamin supplements) can cause high blood calcium levels."
Although excessive calcium intake has not been shown to be toxic, an extremely high intake of calcium in conjunction with a high intake of vitamin D can induce hypercalcemia. This condition can result in excessive calcification of bone and soft tissue (e.g., the kidney), or in the formation of kidney stones. "

For you women who are not yet menopausal, keep in mind that calcium slows the absorbtion of iron.
Its a balancing act, trying to get enough iron and calcium.

Thank you, Vickie. I suppose I will have to resort back to real chocolate. Oh well, I tried (for a whole two days). :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Kimmi, I know how you feel, Sheri sent me a huge basket of Ghirardelli chocolates and I do mean huge! There isn't much left but I continue to believe that I will swear off chocolate once it is all gone.

Kimmi,
notice, it said "extremely" high levels of calcium. But you'd have to have a blood test to determine if you are in that range. I don't know how much calcium those chews have, isn't the recommended amount like 2 a day? Just guessing here, but I'd think you'd have to eat an awful lot of them on a regular basis to elevate your blood calcium to the harmful levels. In normal circumstances, excess calcium is absorbed by the bones.
As someone pointed out before - dark chocolate is good for you! :D

Just bought some MINT Viactiv's yesterday. They are even better than the regular chocolate ones. They have 500 mg per chew. I'm menopausal and my Dr. recommends 1500 mgs of calcium per day.

Cyndi

Wes - Wow!!! What a list. So many things I'd forgotten about and many new ones. Thanks a bunch!!!! For the popcorn/sweet lovers I think the Cracker Jacks is a great one!!! That's one I'd forgotten about.

Karen, was your chocolate basket the dark chocolate? How in the world could anyone resist all that chocolate. You were doomed from the start :D :D

Loon - I had my Special K bar as my treat after dinner. It WAS good - Yeah!!!

I forgot about the Pria bars. They are just like candy bars but have protein etc. Try those for a snack. Also good snacks: Prepackaged Rice Crispy Treats

Cyndi - I was about to chime in on the same issue - we recommend 1000 mg of calcium daily for pre-menopausal women and 1500 mg of calcium daily for post-menopausal women. Remember, it needs to be split up - you can't take the entire 1500 mg at once - your body won't absorb the whole thing. The best way is to take 500 mg three times a day.

Masaki

Wes, do you have any references to the research on gorging and high cholesterol? I have a friend who is going to extreme lengths to not have to take statins. But so far he's having little success, but I happen to know that he eats huge quantities of foods at times, so it might be quite interesting to him.

Masaki, what form of calcium do you recommend?

Masaki - That is exactly what my doctor said to do so I have 500 at breakfast, 500 lunch & 500 dinner. Thanks for confirming this for me. Great to have a doctor on board :)

Cyndi

Wendy,

I just read soemthing about cholesterol that said many small meals were better than three big ones because of the quantity of food at the larger meals can raise the cholestrol levels.

Diet tip for the day. Shread a head of cabbage. Add rice vinegar and a little olive oil, chopped cilantro, and cubed tofu. I buy White Wave Baked tofu, Italian style. Found it at Whole Foods. Makes a great, really low calorie lunch! And it's nice and crunchy!

Masaki

I have been taking it wrong for 3 years then. My doctor's nurse told me to take it all at once. I will go with Dr Masaki's advise.
Thanks
PS: I have a copy of an article that lists the 10 best foods for calcium. It is 2 pages long, so will not post it here. Email me if you would like me to email you a copy.

I take between 1000-1500mg per day, have for years. I had some bad fractures years ago and started back then, whether it helped or not I just kept taking it. Hopefully, by the time I reach menopause I will be ahead of the game.
I officially fell off the wagon today, I'm not even on the trail anymore. I had appts. all morning and was starving, and went through the McD's drive-thru. OHHHHH, soooo good when you are famished. Last night went out to dinner, didn't do too good then, either. I need someone to live with me and cook all my meals, exercise with me, and be my personal cheerleader :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Kimmi, don't feel so bad. We've all been there! I had a doctor's appointment on Wed at 12:30. He was running late and didn't get to me until 2:30. By the time I got out - having had only fruit for breakfast - I was starving. I drove like crazy to get to the nearest restaurant, ignoring the Arby's across the street and ordered the salad bar so I could eat right away. I did eat the good stuff, but I also ate the other mayonnaise filled types of salads.
You just wake up the next morning and start again. I really wouldn't want to be a celebrity, but I envy them for having their own cooks and private trainers.

Bonnie - I love your "tip for the day". Keep them coming!!!

Kimmi - Hang in there. I can be your cheerleader from here, but I won't (CAN'T) cook for you. Then again, if I was your cook you would lose weight really fast <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" />

Loon - You were so good to stop and get your salad!!!

I've stuck to my calorie plan of about 1000 cal per day and did my Denise Austin workouts everyday. I've now discovered rice cakes. They are taking the place of chips for me. Something salty, tasty and low in calories. Of course we'll forget that they also aren't considered a healthy food. Oh well, can't have everything. :D

Cyndi

Today's savior was the piece of string cheese that I put in my purse. I was running around to client offices today and got hung up at one of them. I blocked off time to eat lunch and then spent it at a client's working. It rained so hard that to keep on schedule, I had to miss. Rather than eat WRONG that cheese came in handy. I was ravenous at dinner, but, I did eat Monkfish with Japanese egglplant and a puree of Cauliflour soup (out at a restaurant). I should have told them to take the bread off the table, and I was still hungry after dinner and ate a roll. All in all, not bad.

I'm running out of 'diet tips'...but here's a 'diet thought'. Back during my fat days I practically inhaled mayonaise. Loved the stuff on everything. Then I learned how many calories are in mayo. Even the light mayo is, for me, too caloric. Anyway, I've now learned to love lemon juice and fresh herbs. We eat fish probably 6 nights a week. Instead of mayo rich sauces, I coat the fish (love salmon!) with a lot of fresh dill. Add lemon juice and it's wonderfull. Best part is, it's a totally calorie free flavor! :app:

I think that part of the reason that diets fail is that people decide to eat healthy foods but they eat them with things like mayo. And, you're right Bonnie. Miracle Whip Light may have 50% less fat and 30% fewer calories than the regular Miracle Whip, but it still has 1.5 g of fat. Not bad, but if you're "inhaling it" it is making the differnce between losing weight and staying at your same weight. So, unless you've decided to take an aerobics class three times a week, you're better off without it. Within six weeks dropping some of those extra's can make a real difference.

Well it's been almost two weeks with out a puff. I fear the weight gain is about to hit. Had about a $150 worth of sushi last night. Just couldn't stop.

Chip, "almost two weeks without a puff", great job. $150 worth of sushi? At least it isn't fattening! Hey, today's a beautiful day in Tucson maybe you could walk off all that sushi? Just joking here. You should be proud of yourself.

Chip, Good for you!!!!!

Betty

Loon, I'm happy to say that I've never tried the Moose Munch. With my sweet tooth, that would be a dangerous thing.

Wendy, any calcium with vitamin D is good. The vitamin D helps your body absorb the calcium better. And Vickie, take your iron with OJ or anything with vitamin C as that helps your gut absorb iron better.

Chip, congratulations on the second week! You're my kind of man...$150 on sushi! Please eat on my behalf since I have to be careful of my fish consumption now. Sigh.

Keep up the good work everyone! Your motivation is very inspiring!

Chip - Almost 2 weeks is FANTASTIC :app: :app: You're doing great!!!!

Amanda - thanks for the additional info on the Vit D with the Calcium.

Bonnie & Loon - I like your ideas so much.

Cyndi

Way to go Chip!!!!!

Bonnie, that is a great tip. I love to make salmon with just lemon juice on it. Mayo is a diet killer.

I have a Cathy magnet on the refrigerator that says "You, AGAIN!?!" The exercise for today is open, close. open, close and take nothing out that isn't good for you!

Way to go Chip!!!!!

Chip, Where is your militant chipmunk, "Chippy"?
I miss him ;)

Suzie, if Chip has quit smoking, this is about as militant as it gets! I am very proud of him, because I have never even tried. I applaud anyone who quits this stinkin' habit/addiction! Just hope he isn't too fat to want to jitterbug in June! Just kidding, chip!

Congratulations chip on the smoking cessation so far! And you're my kind of guy ... $150 of sushi. :)

Masaki

Chip,

When I quit, I started putting aside my cigarette money in a jar. At the time a pack was about $1.50 and at the end of 3 months I bought myself a little treat - a gold band ring they called a cigar band because of the shape. Prices have changed in the last 14 years, but, find something to reward yourself at a significant date in the quit process. A cruise, maybe?

Yes Chip, REWARD yourself and I know just the perfect machine!! :D

I have figured it out, if I don't smoke until 2009 I will be able to afford a weeks cruise on the luxury ship of my choice. Oh would someone please the call police dept and tell them I was only kidding about what would happen if they didn't bring me a pack of smokes.

Chip -

You definitely have to reward yourself well before 2009. :)

Actually, at the cost of cigarettes today, quitting and putting the money saved away might get you a world cruise eventually. Or at least one of the ones around South America. I'm dating myself here, but I can't tell you how many of my friends swore they'd quit if cigarettes ever hit $1 a pack. Back then, we all thought that was outrageous.

I've been on the program for almost a week so far. Tomorrow is my first weigh-in. A funny one, though. Todd is following the program with me. I've been cooking up a storm making all sorts of South Beach friendly foods. Last night I walk in on him while he's watching the football game and what is he eating? POTATO CHIPS! And, what do you want to bet that he STILL loses more weight this week than I do?

Hang in there everyone,

Kathy

Kathy-

Isn't that unfair? If I eat just a few potato chips I gain weight!

Well, now I have to confess. I have been doing well. I have passed up fast food and begun eating fiber rich foods, like cereal and brown rice, and protein rich foods, like chicken. This morning 5 of us went to breakfast. We didn't realize that they were doing a special buffet with some of the preceeds going to the 9/11 quilt programs. We had made a special trip and no one wanted to go elsewhere. And I was SO bad. French toast, scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, ham and yes - the chocolate fountain. It was beautiful! All kinds of bananas, strawberries and pineapple to be dipped under the fountain. It was an adventure! The only good sacrifice I made was that because of the Vicodin, I was the only one that passed on the bloody mary bar! The greed and the guilt!

Kathy - I agree about the unfair advantage the men seem to have (sorry guys!). Tom can drop twice as many lbs as me in the same amount of time.

Loon - As Scarlett says "tomorrow is another day". Don't beat yourself up. Get RIGHT back on track and you'll do fine.

Chip - You are too funny. Congratulations again. You'll deserve the World Cruise when all is said & done.

I've got a tip for today - I just had a dinner of shrimp. I'd forgotten how low cal it is. We get the jumbo shrimps at Costco. We keep them frozen and just defrost as needed. Add a salad and you're set!!

Good luck on our second week everyone!!!!!!!!

Cyndi

Yes, Cyndi, those shrimp are really good. I put them in my Marinara sauce and serve over pasta. Mix some veggies in.

Speaking of Marinara, one of my favorite low low calorie dinners is to take an eggplant, cut it in half or in slices and pour marinara (there is some at Trader Joes that is 50 cal for 4 oz - it's the organic kind) on top. Bake it in the oven for an hour or until tender at 350 degrees. Put a some shredded or slice of low fat Mozzarella cheese or a few spoons of the low fat Ricotta on top or sprinkle some Parmesean/Romano instead and you have a tasty dish. If you are doing pasta, a cup goes well with it. Eggplant turns dark if you don't put the sauce right on it.

The off track thing can set me off to no-diet land too. I have to remember to get right back into it or it's all over. I went to a restaurant on Sat and planned to eat fish. All the preparations were not very diet friendly. I called ahead the day before and asked them to poach fish for me in parchment, one of their signature dishes, but, they had not done that. They made some excuse. Anyway, I had pasta with a vegetable/lamb ragu and cappucino for dessert. It was very good, but probably a little over. Today I did a perfect day.

We'll see what the scale tells me tomorrow.