I live on Reese's Cups & Espresso...
Ok, and maybe a glass of wine in the evenings with another package of Peanut Butter Lover's Reese's Cups. You know, the big fat kind? Oh, and a steak maybe once or twice a week. Really, that's the extent of my dietary staples. And unsweetened iced tea, too.
So I realize it's not terribly active around here anymore, but I thought I'd give this forum a shot. :)
I have decided that 800 calories of Reese's cups a day isn't going to keep this passable, 57 year old body in any kind of shape.
In my life I've probably lost over a million pounds. I'd like to stop doing that.
I've returned and think I've committed to a combination of diets or dietary plans I really, actually enjoy. Don't choke or spit your coffee when I say this:
The Cabbage Soup Diet, (love the veggies) and
The Rice Diet Solution (balanced structure without salt).
Yeah, elements of both. I've always, absolutely love the cabbage soup. I love and can easily live on different grains. It's the cooking part I have trouble with. Gotta make myself do it.
That said, for the first time in about 3 years I actually went to the grocery store and shopped. $150 later, I have veggies coming out my ears. Kamut, Quinoa, Brown rice, Millet, Amaranth, Barley, Wheatberries. Fruit. Apples and pineapple. Whole grain pastas. Soy milk for my espresso. Now just to cook them, rather than having them rot in my fridge.
I'm into my 4th day of no Reese's cups. So far, no sugar withdrawl, believe it or not. I am absolutely recognizing the moments of habit when I'd head for the fridge and get my morning/evening Reese's cups.
I've cooked some grain combinations I love, but without the salt (Rice diet) they're pretty bland. I'm going to cook some dishes and freeze them for default meals. I work in a restaurant, so I've not had to. I'm also entering everything into Mastercook for easier tracking. (Love that program!)
So... anyone out there making any radical dietary changes? Not-so radical? Successful? When you live alone, it's easier to make changes. But encouragement is slim. The cats don't give a darn what I eat as long as they get some. One of mine even eats Kamut.
So, if there are lurkers out there, what are your stories?
Hello CEFReeman, I came. Here looking for inspiration. I am pushing 50 and am having a terrible time losing a few pounds. It used to be that I could simply cut the junk and drop weight (about 15 pounds), but it's not that easy anymore. So, I'm trying to cut the sugar, and unlike you, I'm trying to be grain free. But I also don't love to eat meat, so I'm finding relatively little I can eat besides veggies. You're right that it's easier when one lives alone. I live with my husband who definitely needs to lose weight, but we have different ideas about how that should be done. Good luck!
Thank you, Bluebell66!
Since I wrote, which was WOW, almost a month ago, I still haven't had any of my Reese's cups. I gave up my espresso because calorie-wise, 100 calories of skim milk for coffee are calories I'd rather enjoy elsewhere. Gone to straight tea. When I'm out, sometimes I'll Starbuck's, but try to remember to get decaf, small, not THE LARGEST YOU HAVE, PLEASE!
No withdrawal yet. I'm down 5 pounds and seem to be hanging out there. That in itself is a big deal, give those 800 fewer calories a day.
I'm still choosing brown rice for my starch and loving my cabbage soup and apples. I did make a lentil soup. I hate beans, but tried the Carrabba's spicy sausage and lentil soup and was hooked. So a little protein there. A friend says to throw lentils in anything you'd make as soup, or into even the rice, since the cooking time is the same. Ideas.
Just gotta keep at it and not forget 1) that I'm trying to do this, and 2) that I'd like to weigh less!
Best of luck to you, Bluebell66!
So... Are you still off the Reese cups? I remember your posting about your obsession once in the kitchen forum. I spent one semester in college living on nothing but Reese Cups, the small ones. Those things are like crack to me. I try to never ever buy them except at Easter.
I came to this forum hoping to find a new accurate bathroom scale. Not very active here. I posted in Bathrooms too.
Bathrooms is probably a better bet. I bought one recently and had to take it back. I didn't think about the fact I couldn't see the tiny writing way down there at my feet. had to go with something that lit up.
I think I'm off the Reese's. I was afraid to even have one, in case the flood gates would open again. I've had maybe 2 packs (2 in a pack) in the months since Thanksgiving. Initially I was eating better, but that's kinda back to normal/crappy.
I haven't replaced them with anything, which should have resulted in a little weight loss, but again, back to my starting point somehow.
I'm not drinking my espressos unless I'm out and a Starbucks or Pannera is nearby. I haven't bought any to make at home, which is 100 skim milk calories I've reduced. (That's a total of 900 a day. You'd think...)
Interestingly enough, I've also pretty much replaced my 1ce or 2ce a week steaks with a steak salad every couple weeks. Again, you'd think...
Ah well.
With a 900 calorie reduction you would think you'd lose some weight.
How about adding more cardio and/or weights?
I find cutting carbs out completely helps stubborn pounds really budge. If I can't manage cutting the carbs out then I count calories. I hate it but it works. I have always struggled with keeping weight off. I weigh myself everyday to avoid gaining weight because getting it off is so hard for me. Slow metabolism I guess because I am very active.