Sparkpeople.com - anyone tried it? It's FREE!

[EmilyBronte]

My cousin referred me to this free site: www.sparkpeople.com and I've been using it for the last 2 weeks. So far, it seems awesome. You set up your own plans for diet and fitness and then they offer free tools for tracking. They have a lot of resources.

They also have message boards, but I don't like them nearly as much as ours here. I was hoping maybe some people are interested in using the site and maybe we can chat about it here for motivation.

[riley]

i've been using it for just over a week and LOVE IT!
i like how easy it is to enter the items and actually SEE what i'm eating.

as for right now, i'm just using it to track meals, water and exercise in an attempt to shed some lbs and tone up before vacations at the end of the year but i can see myself sticking with this even longer.

[sarahh]

THANK YOU! I have been looking for something similar to all those online weight loss programs that didn't cost any money! I just joined and it looks like a GREAT site! :D

[EmilyBronte]

You're welcome!

I've been using it for about a month now and I love it. I like collecting points - for some reason it's a motivation for me, even though I don't get anything "real" for it.

[Adaya]

Thanks for the resource. I think I'm gonna go and take a look.

[sarahh]

Ok...so I've been checking it out and I'm really loving it! Thanks again!

[Reenie]

Yes, yes, yes! I have been using sparkpeople for about a year, and it's fantastic! I agree that the message boards stink, IMO, but I love the calorie counter and the exercise counter. It has completely helped me to reach my previous goals, and I am now using it for my final goal! :) It's the only thing that has really worked for me. I tried using their meal plans for a while, but that just wasn't my thing, so I started entering my food for the next day the night before and POOF, weight going down immediately. It's awesome.

[lightview]

I joined almost two weeks ago after seeing something here about it. I like it because it helps me track calories. I don't use the meal plans but I put in what I expect to eat to better plan my meals. So far so good

[PG-rated]

I just signed up yesterday. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Mystikal]

I was just referred to the site from a local friend over the weekend. I signed up last night and so far I LOVE IT! :D

[missemily]

My husband has been trying to loose 10-15 lbs so I told him about this site. He signed up today and really likes it. Just keeping track of what he's eating should help him.

[MLA]

Have any of you used FitDay.com? If so, do you think SparklePeople is better, worse, or about the same? I'm on fitday, and I like it, but I'd be open to trying something else.

[EmilyBronte]

I've used Fitday for years and love it, too. I think what I like better about Sparkpeople is that they do the health assessment and help you determine how much you should exercise and how many calories you should consume, etc. I am also strange in that I like seeing myself earn the points for completing the various activities on Sparkpeople - it helps keep me motivated.

[PG-rated]

I'm still finding my way around SparkPeople, but one thing I really like about it is that they'll give you a suggested meal plan, which you can alter to your liking, plus you can add other "non-plan" foods if you don't follow the plan that day. I like having the meal plan laid out for me without feeling like I'm a failure if I don't follow it. Plus it seems to have a better selection of pre-entered foods than FitDay. I felt like I was always entering new Custom Foods constantly there, which could be a pain.

[Reenie]

I've used fit day a little (I have to admit that I didn't give it as much of a shot as I could have) and I just like spark people more. I am superficial... it's pretty! :p

[cherry]

i agree - very pretty, user-friendly site! i love sparkspeople.com, thanks emilybronte for mentioning it. i've been on a weight loss kick for, oooh, 11 days ;) now and it's great to have somewhere to log what food i eat, write myself notes, see what exercising i should be doing but am not, etc. being a little on the OCD side, it's quite addictive for me!

[Mommy2Gabi]

Thank you sooo much for referring this site!! I LOVE it!! I just signed up & have been inputting all my info from today in there...It's great! I DEFINATELY needed a site like this!! I love how you can put in exactly what you've eaten & see it there on the screen..that's what I need!!

I have alot to loose so here's hoping this site really works & helps me out!!

Thanks Ladies!!

~Heather~

[skyblu]

I found this today and signed up. Anyone still on it? Have you had any success? I love the exercises they give you that you can do at home without any equipment!

[cherry]

i'm still using sparkpeople.com and still like it. i mainly use it for the tracking function, though (i have my own workout routine and am such a creature of habit with it!) i like being able to see how my calorie intake is and especially what my protein intake is vs fat and carbs. i also like logging my exercise so that i can see how both correlate with weight loss.

i am not trying to lose weight anymore now that i am pregnant, but in 7 weeks i lost 5 lbs just through cutting out snacking, tracking my food, and exercising regularly (my goal was to lose 15 lbs).

[JayJay]

Wow! Thanks!

[jellybeany]

I love the recipes that they send in email every day and their weekly news email. :)

[LIZNKEITH]

Thanks for the tip! I just signed up and so far I really like what I see. I love how they give you a weekly grocery list. It tackles another one of my goals which is sticking to a weekly grocery list.

[skyblu]

Thanks for the tip! I just signed up and so far I really like what I see. I love how they give you a weekly grocery list. It tackles another one of my goals which is sticking to a weekly grocery list.

Whoa! Where's the grocery list? I haven't seen it, and I'd LOVE one! Thanks!

[Chylynn]

I just signed up! I love it--thanks for the tip. :)

[LIZNKEITH]

Whoa! Where's the grocery list? I haven't seen it, and I'd LOVE one! Thanks!

After you log in, click on Meal Planner (where you enter in your daily intakes). Scroll down to the very bottom of your daily page. In the lower right hand corner you'll see a button that says "Grocery List For This Week". :)



Day 2 and I'm already experiencing a little frustration. :p Are the portions really weird to anyone else? For instance, I made the Granola last night. The serving size on the recipe says “Approximately 5/8 c.” But on my daily meal plan, it says I’m allotted .6 of a serving. Now, math was never my strong point, but .6 of 5/8’s is a little difficult to calculate. I don’t think I have that measuring cup. :p

Then, I also made the Spicy Eggplant Dip for lunch. Spent a good amount of money for a lunch that I’m literally only able to have about 1/3 c. Now I’ve got a whole container of Eggplant dip and nothing to do with it. Unless I plan on eating Eggplant Dip for the next week (seriously, at what I’m allotted it would work out to be 16 servings).

Despite all of this, I am still enjoying the program. I just think I’ll be a little more cautious about preparing their meals. Either cut the recipes in half or avoid them altogether and custom-enter my foods.

[JayJay]

I'm kinda finding this too. My DH rolled his eyes at me when I told him that I could only have a cup of milk on my cereal this morning, and half a bagel.

Of course I thanked him for his support. :rolleyes: Poopyhead.

I think part of his hate of me dieting is the fact that it makes him look like a little piggy. :)

I'm a little frustrated because I went to bed STARVING last night. I hate that.

[LIZNKEITH]

Well, lost 1.8 pounds after my first week. Not bad considering that I really didn't stick to the program as much as I could have. With NY's, etc. I didn't really stick to the meal plans. But, I do find the calorie counters very helpful and have pretty much stayed on course regardless.

[Reenie]

I love Spark People and have used it for about a year (off and on). I will say that I quickly grew tired of their food plans because they weren't what I (or DH and I) would eat. I have slowly entered my own dinners into my "favorites" section, and by doing that and choosing my own foods, I find that works best for me.

Also, I find that it is much easier for me if I enter all of my stuff for the next day the night before. That way, I know what I'm going to eat and when (so I don't get crazy hungry and end up pigging out on the first thing I see :o ), and I also know that I'm meeting their recommend 30% fat, 55% carb, 15% protein.

LOVE IT! :)

[JayJay]

I lost four pounds this week! I'm loving the motivation that this site gives me! :)

[LIZNKEITH]

Reenie,
Thanks for the tips! Yeah, DH hasn't been too crazy about the meals so I've been pretty much doing our own thing in the evenings/ I figure as long as I'm doing 2 meals and 2 snacks, I should do pretty well so long as I'm careful with dinner. And as far as breakfast or lunch goes, I usually end up eating the same thing for a few days to eliminate the waste problem I discovered last week. So far, I actually like everything I've tried. I like it because I'm discovering new, healthier things that I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise.

MrsJackson,
WOW! Congratulations!! You're inspiring me to stay more "on plan" this week. So far, I'm off to a good start. Lets just see if I can maintain the momentum.


Has anyone found that they need to increase their caloric intake?
They have me pegged to eat between 1200-1550 calories per day. However, when I'm within that range I find that I tend to get headaches & tire easily. I also tend to lose too quickly, I believe and not stay within the 1.5-2 pounds a week they recommend. Over the past couple of days I've added another 100-200 calories and it seems to help. Plus, I seem to be losing at a better pace.

[PG-rated]

One thing I found is that their plans tend to lowball the calories a little - when I added up everything they told me to eat that day, it only came out to about 1240 calories, which I know isn't enough for me. I do best at about 1400-1600 calories. And I agree that the portion sizes are really weird sometimes - who eats half a container of yogurt? I'll just eat the whole thing and add in the extra separately.

A tip for the nutrion tracker: You can add other nutrients to track, besides the basic fat/protein/carbs. I've added sodium, calcium, and fiber.

[LIZNKEITH]

One thing I found is that their plans tend to lowball the calories a little - when I added up everything they told me to eat that day, it only came out to about 1240 calories, which I know isn't enough for me. I do best at about 1400-1600 calories.

I agree. My meal plans end up being in the 1200 range as well. So I've been evening out my portions a bit (.2 C. to .25 C., eat a whole banana vs. half, etc) and usually add string cheese or something else too. I actually met with a nutritionist in August of last year who calculated my metabolism (she said it was around 2200 calories per days) and if I wanted to lose, to reduce my caloric intake to 1700-1800 calories per day. Aside from that, everything on the site concurs with what she taught. The meals are very balanced, the exercise is not excessive. I really like the site.

Thanks for the tip, PG! I didn't realize you could do that.

[Candy]

I joined Spark People a week ago & I LOVE it! I've already lost 4.5 lbs. YAY!

I'm finding everything to be so easy. Also, I'm taking each day one at a time & gradually making the life style changes.

[LIZNKEITH]

WTG, Candy!! Maybe I should try to stay within the 1200-1550 range. I see to be at a standstill already. Last week I lost 2 pounds, but this week I seem to be up a pound. Could be AF, could be all the exercise I've been doing, I don't know. I'm a bit discouraged though as I've been sticking to the plan pretty well. Maybe I should take new measurements and compare to my initial measurements.

[Candy]

Yes, measurements are very important. Much more so than pounds.
I PM'd ya back Liz.

As of today, 5 lbs lost! :D

[JayJay]

I've been getting a little discouraged too. I've been eating under the limit, and exercising every day, and I'm weighing the same. I did break out the measuring tape last night though, we'll see where that gets me.

[Candy]

JayJay, maybe eating under your limit is the problem. If you aren't eating enough, your body will store fat.
What range are you supposed to eat in & what range are you actually eating in?

[JayJay]

Well, I'm supposed to consume about 1400-1800 calories per day.

Sunday:1564 Calories
Monday:1703 Calories
Tuesday:....was a bad day....:o 1912
Today: 1382

Think that's what my problem is?!

[Candy]

Try to maintain at least 1400 calories each day for the next week and see if that makes a difference.

Also, what are you doing for exercize?

Keep up the good work! :D

[Maggie8202]

I just joined too and have already lost 2.5 pounds. I love how easy it is.

[TriSigmaNC]

I joined, but am having a hard time motivating myself to use it. I don't like the food thing, can those of you regular to it give me thoughts on that?
Any ideas? Do you really think it's a great things for someone who has regularly exercised and is already motivated to do so? Just curious.
Thanks.

[Candy]

Tracie what don't you like about the food thing?

Personally, I think it's a great, balanced diet.

[JayJay]

Candy, I'm either walking about 1 3/4 miles, or getting on the elliptical. I just went back and counted, and it's officially been 16 days of consecutive exercise! Yay for me! :)

[Candy]

That's awesome JayJay! Keep it up!

I was a bit of a slacker yesterday and counted cleaning my floors as exercise. The floors were filthy and HAD to be done. SP considers heavy cleaning to be cardio & it definitely was. I cleaned 4 large rooms with tile, 2 bathrooms and a hallway. I built up a sweat and made sure to work hard! ;)

[LIZNKEITH]

Tracie,
I agree with Candy that the meals are yummy, nutritious, and balanced. But, I've often complained about the portion sizes they give you. They are just weird numbers, noy 1/2 c., etc. Also, I don't like the fact that one recipe yeilds like 12 servings. Either I'll be eating the same thing for a week or a lot will be wasted. I'm started picking and choosing my meals. Some stuff I eat off their plan, some stuff I manually enter. I try to keep breakfast & lunch to plan though.

JayJay,
Wow!! Way to go! I wish I could go 16 days straight.

Candy,
Want to come down and do some cardio on my floors?


Weighed in this morning and I'm down .4 pound. Not quite within my goal of 1.5-2 pounds a week, but it's a loss so I'm happy. Between AF and working out, the scale hasn't budged all week.

[TriSigmaNC]

Ok....thanks for the push ladies and the PM from Kelly. This really has helped out. I figured out how to manually enter things and just look at the meal planner for some fun inpiration.

When you're sick, like I am right now, do you just ignore your workout stuff and not enter anything?

[Candy]

Yes, just skip the work outs. The article about do's & don't actually says not to push yourself too hard & do things gradually. This is all about making a life style change. It's takes time to breazk old habits & create new ones.
I'm just starting my second week. At first I was mad at myself when I skipped a day of exercising yesteday, but than reminded myself that I don't need to transform over night.

I also use the meal planner to get ideas. I follow it for breakfast & ocassionally lunch. The last few nights I made recipes from SP. We enjoyed all but one.

[LIZNKEITH]

QOTD- What recipes Have you prepared from SP & which ones have you liked?

So far I have made:
-The Granola (very yummy, I have it every morning in my yogurt)
-The Spicy Eggplant Dip (it was okay, but again the portion size was pretty weird & the recipe yielded a ton so a lot was wasted)
-Savory Spinach & Tomatoes (again, very good. I just bought the fixin's to make more)
-Portabello Mushroom Burgers (I loved these...so easy!)
-Sticky Chicken (tasty...I actually had tried it before from a recipe I found here on CC)

I think that's about it. I'm making an enchilada casserole from their site tonight, but I don't think that's one of their meal plan recipes.

[TriSigmaNC]

So glad I sparked that QOTD :) I'd love to hear more. Liz n Keith so you home made the granola? I'd love to do that. Can you search for tons of recipes on the site?

[LIZNKEITH]

Yes, the granola is a recipe that pops up on the breakfast meal plan from time to time. It makes so much & a like it a lot that I've started editing my meal plans each morning to include it.

Here's the recipe:

Low-fat Maple Granola RECIPE

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup whole almonds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup flaked coconut (unprocessed)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried fruit

Fat: 8.4g
Carbohydrates: 60.0g
Calories:352.6
Protein: 11.9g

1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the dried fruit and toss well. Spread on large cookie sheet and bake 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Stir in dried fruit.

Makes 6 servings (approx 5/8 cups each.)


For a complete list of recipes, click on the tab that says "Resource Center" and scroll down until you see "Recipe Library & Calculator". That's also where you can input the things you make at home to have them included in your calorie count.

[Candy]

I've made & like the following:

Ground turkey & potato casserole
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/recipes.asp?category=1&recipe=18985

Baked Pasta
I can't find it on the site right now, but I copy all recipes I make on a word doc so that I always have it, so this is the recipe

1 lb. ground beef
½ c. bell pepper, chopped
½ c. onion, chopped
26 oz. spaghetti. Sauce
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
8 oz. pasta
1 c. water
6 oz. mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 13 x 9” casserole dish with cooking spray, set aside.

In large pot cook turkey, pepper & onion over med.-high.

Add spaghetti sauce, salt, pepper, pasta & water. Cook until pasta is done.

Place in prepared dish. Bake covered 25 minutes. Remove from oven & top with chese.

Return to oven & bake uncovered 15 minutes.

Serves 12

Fat: 4.3 g
Carb: 19.4 g
Calories 177.7 g.
Protein: 16.8 g.

[LIZNKEITH]

Damn! I was all excited about the turkey & potato casserole until I saw there were eggs in it. No eggs with DD's allergy. :(

[TriSigmaNC]

LizNKeith
One more question (sorry, I just LOVE granola and can never find one I like).
Have you adjusted the recipe for your own liking? Such as, I would take out the coconut, and I'm a little weary of the pumpkin seeds.
Also, the Apple Juice concentrate 1/4 cup, how do you do that? Do you buy the little frozen cans at the grocery store? HOw do you only use 1/4 cup? I'd love any advice there.

[LIZNKEITH]

I do adjust it. I'm not keen on pumpkin seeds either but figured I'd stick to the plan. However, I could not find pumpkin seeds at my grocery store. So, I just doubled the almonds. If it helps, you don't even notice the coconut once it cooks. I don't know where it goes. :confused:

The apple juice concentrate is a bit of a PITA. You're right, it is the cans in the frozen foods section. I take what I need than miz the rest in to juice for DH.

[TriSigmaNC]

Thanks, that was VERY helpful.

[TriSigmaNC]

Ok, I'm learning how to input food, but how do you all enter recipes that you just have around the house? Such as: tonight I'm making this Black Bean Enchilada Casserole that is wonderful and light, but how do I enter that? What I did was just selected something similar (Amy's Black Bean and Rice Enchilada dinner).

And fyi: After doing this for 2 days my trip to the store was so different and I bought banana chips and dried cranberries for snacks. :)

[LIZNKEITH]

Go to resources as well. Click on Recipe Library & Calculator. When the recipe folder pops up, look to the right. You'll see a blue image that reads "Create, Share, & Save Your Own Recipes". Click on that. Then click on Calculate/Share Recipe. From there, you'll just input each ingredient. You can just save it to your favorites or submit ir to their database. Once you've saved it, look just beneath where it displays the nutritional info. You'll see a button that says "Add to Food Tracker". Click on that. From there, you'll be able to add it to your calorie counter. HTH!

[TriSigmaNC]

Perfect!
Thanks LizNKeith!

Ok, any other favorite recipes? I'm going to work really hard to start a grocery list from h ere.

[Linz]

Thanks for the tip! I just signed up and I love it.

[nekopie76]

I have been on this site for just over 6 months and I have lost 58 lbs. It is a great site with tons of support.

[JayJay]

nekopie, wowza! 58 lbs?! That's incredible! :)

[LIZNKEITH]

Wow, nekopie!! That's is incredible! I can only hope to have the same results. Way to go!

[nekopie76]

Thanks guys!! I am serious when I say that SP is the reason. I can't say enough things about that site.

[cynder]

nekopie76 That's amazing. I still can't get over how useful that site is and that it is free!

I just figured out the calculator feature. I am on a cooking storm and was frustrated at trying to figure out how to enter my foods that way. Now I see how I can do it. This site almost has too many features.

[LIZNKEITH]

Cynder,
I know...and to think you have to join WW online to use their Recipe Calculator...I love that I can get all the nutritional information on all my recipes now. I really can't believe they offer all of this for free.

[Candy]

Hey everyone! How's your SP lifestyle change going?
Mine, not so good. I was a bad, bad girl last week. (Liz, I need to email you.) I'm back on track again for the past 2 days. I am not going to beat myself up. So I had an oops. Life goes on!

Any interest in starting a Constant Chatter Spark Team? It ca be a private group with only us members from CC.

[JayJay]

Ohhh...yea! Count me in! :)

[Candy]

I named the team "The gals of CC"
Here is the link to our team: http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=7982&gcode=AKNPJ1B6VI

[KK812]

I just figured out the calculator feature. I am on a cooking storm and was frustrated at trying to figure out how to enter my foods that way. Now I see how I can do it. This site almost has too many features.

I just found this, too! I was super psyched because it was getting frustrated sitting with all the food containers adding it up. :p

[LIZNKEITH]

I'm happy to see some action here again. I've been doing pretty well...lost about 2 pounds last week and think I'm down again this week (probably just a tad though, as I haven't been as disciplined as I should).

I'm all up for a group!

[mmeblue]

I'm over on SP as well and really enjoying it...I'd love to join the group!

[jki]

I just joined SP - I'm jenfang over there! Still trying to figure it all out....

[Maggie8202]

I love it! I am down 7.5 pounds and in my third week!

[BumbleB]

I just started 2 weeks ago and I think it is going to make a great difference for me. I'd love to join the CC team, I'll have to check it out tomorrow.

Here is my favorite recipe I've tried from the site so far, SO GOOD:

Chicken Oregano with Sweet Peppers

1.5 lbs. chicken pieces, skin removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
cooking spray
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 lemon, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or one teaspoon dried)
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 medium, sweet green pepper, cut into strips
1 medium, sweet red pepper, cut into strips

Fat: 1.4g
Carbohydrates: 14.7g
Calories:109.0
Protein: 10.5g

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Lightly coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray.
3. Cook chicken over medium heat until light brown (about 15 minutes), turning once. Reduce heat.
4. Sprinkle garlic, lemon, half of tomato, onion, parsley and oregano over chicken pieces in skillet.
5. Add wine and broth.
6. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Add remaining tomato and sweet peppers, cover and continue to simmer for 7-10 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
Serves 4.

[Candy]

Sounds delish BB I can't wait to try it.

I'm down 6 lbs so far. I lost 5 the 1st week, but lile I previously mentioned; I totally screwed up my second week & gained 3 lbs.

I'm at the hardest part now; the last 10 lbs! UGH! Wish me luck!

[ruledbymercury]

I joined SP a long time ago, but haven't really fiddled around with it until now. I'd love to join the CC group over there!

[JayJay]

ruledbymercury, we'd love to have you! Come on over!

Candy, hope you're doing well with your last 10 lbs!

I am proud to say that I've officially lost 21.4 pounds! I love sparkpeople! :)

[BumbleB]

Congrats JayJay! Great loss.

I'm loving Sparkpeople - only been on for about a month - but it is helping me understand food SO much.

[JayJay]

Thanks, Bumble! :)

I agree on the food perspective. There is so much to learn!

[nekopie76]

JayJay that is great news!!!


As of last Thursday, I have lost 65 lbs but then this morning I was 4 lbs heavier. I am not sure what it is (probably AF) but I went back to the beginning and started over with 3 new fast break goals. That is what I love about this program. Once you find yourself slipping, you can always go back to the basics.

[citylove]

Hey Ladies, can I join you? I just signed up at spark people and need some serious check-ins and a sense of responsibility!

Off to see if I can find you all over there ... :)

[JayJay]

Citylove, come on over! We'd be glad to have you! :)

[ruledbymercury]

Welcome citylove!

I'm still going strong. I'm one week into the program, but I'm waiting until Thursday to weigh in, as I would like that to be my regular weight-recording day. I still need to get a tape measure so I can keep track of measurements. Hopefully I can pick one up today or tomorrow.

I've gone over my target calories once and I seem to always go at least a tiny bit over my goal for sodium, so those are things I really need to watch. I also need to get more active! It's nice that the program eases you into those things, so you don't have to beat yourself up for not getting everything perfect from the get-go. :)

[Linz]

Spark people is awesome. I have lost 22 pounds so far.

[ruledbymercury]

Just wanted to come and post that I have officially canceled my subscription to Weight Watchers Online. Yay! Why pay $17/month for that when I can use SparkPeople for free?! :D

[JayJay]

My DH told me that my neck was starting to look like a 'giraffe's neck' this morning. I think I'll take that as a compliment! :)

The other day, he told me that my pants were waaayyy to baggy, and that I needed to go buy some that fit. Yay! A shopping trip!

I just thought DH's comment about the neck was funny, and wanted to share it with you! :)

[Franni]

Can I join here too? I joined Spark 2 weeks ago and would love to find other CCers there. How do I do that?

[May27JnJ]

I just joined Spark today! I'm excited!

[Linz]

you'll love it!

[May27JnJ]

My DH told me that my neck was starting to look like a 'giraffe's neck' this morning. I think I'll take that as a compliment! :)

The other day, he told me that my pants were waaayyy to baggy, and that I needed to go buy some that fit. Yay! A shopping trip!

I just thought DH's comment about the neck was funny, and wanted to share it with you! :)

That is funny! And such a good thing! I can't wait to have a "giraffe's neck!" ;)

[allyray231]

I am gonna give it a try!

[JayJay]

Franni,there is a link to our CC page on sparkpeople on a couple of pages back...not sure which one...

[Candy]

"The Gals of CC" Sparkpeple link:

http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=7982&gcode=AKNPJ1B6VI

[Candy]

Welcome everyone! I'm so excited to have more CC people join us over at SP. YAY!!!

I've still been a bad girl. I haven't exercised in over 3 weeks. During the day I eat great, but I've been a bad, bad girl at night. ;) The scale hasn't moved up or down, so I'm fine with that. Chylynn (another CCer) and I gave each other a swift kick in the tush last night and decided that we HAVE to start walking together again. I was really getting into my DVD's, so I hope I'll get the motivation to resume them again.

JayJay very cute what DH said about your giraffe neck. LMAO!

[angel17]

Hi all!

I haven't been able to post on here for months and then today my password worked! I signed up for sparkpeople yesterday so I will join the group you have set up also. Just cancelled my WW today - why pay to do the same thing for free?

[citylove]

Hi everyone! Thanks for welcoming me over at sparkpeople - I totally love it. I think it is just the push I need.

My question for you:

I'm (mostly) not being whiny, and to justify my naievete, this is the first time in my life I've actually counted calories. I've monitored fat intake and protein intake, and generally "watched what I ate" and tried to "be healthier" but, clearly, that didn't have my desired effects.
So, my sparkpeople say I should consume 1200 - 1550 calories per day. This is only day three, and I've been realllly close each day (I think today I went over by 50 or something, which is bad yes but pretty good for day three of dieting ever).
Okay, to the actual question: Is it normal to be hungry most of the time? Almost stomach growling hungry. Today, when my stomach made it to growling halfway between lunch (1 pm) and dinner (8 pm) I had a second snack of a very small bowl of oatmeal (1/4 cup dry). I don't really have guilt about it, I'm just curious if I'm going to be hungry until I'm down to my goal weight?

[Sare79]

Awww... I just went to sign up for it and because I am breastfeeding, it refers me to a baby site but their plans really seem to be geared for pregnant women, not nursing moms.
Maybe I'll try back in a few months.

[Reenie]

Awww... I just went to sign up for it and because I am breastfeeding, it refers me to a baby site but their plans really seem to be geared for pregnant women, not nursing moms.
Maybe I'll try back in a few months.
FYI: BabyFit is also a division of Spark People, if that's the one you were referred to.

[Candy]

Sare I'm sure you could do SP as long as you consume an extra 500 calories per day.

[maplekitty]

i just joined yesterday, so far im liking the site, but the dinner meals are not really what DH and I eat, so I'm making some Weight Watcher-esque changes. Otherwise their meals for brekkie and lunch are easy enough to follow.

[Linz]

I don't do any of the meal plans. I am a really picky eater though. I don't think not choosing those meals is any big deal. I think I would be less succesful if I HAD to follow them. I like that I don't feel like I am on a diet. YKWIM?

[angel17]

I think it depends on how much you are trying to lose and how much of a change your new caloric intake is from what you were eating. I think you are waiting too long to eat - if you ate lunch at 1 pm then you were on time to have a small snack at 4 and then dinner at 7. If you are feeling really hungry drink a glass of water first then wait 20 minutes - if you are still hungry then eat something else - maybe some string cheese or some fruit. Eating 1200-1500 calories sounds low to me - I don't worry so much about how much but more about what I eat. You can't eat too much spinach you know!

Hi everyone! Thanks for welcoming me over at sparkpeople - I totally love it. I think it is just the push I need.

My question for you:

I'm (mostly) not being whiny, and to justify my naievete, this is the first time in my life I've actually counted calories. I've monitored fat intake and protein intake, and generally "watched what I ate" and tried to "be healthier" but, clearly, that didn't have my desired effects.
So, my sparkpeople say I should consume 1200 - 1550 calories per day. This is only day three, and I've been realllly close each day (I think today I went over by 50 or something, which is bad yes but pretty good for day three of dieting ever).
Okay, to the actual question: Is it normal to be hungry most of the time? Almost stomach growling hungry. Today, when my stomach made it to growling halfway between lunch (1 pm) and dinner (8 pm) I had a second snack of a very small bowl of oatmeal (1/4 cup dry). I don't really have guilt about it, I'm just curious if I'm going to be hungry until I'm down to my goal weight?

[KatieKate]

I just sign up! It looks like a great site. Good Luck to everyone.

[BumbleB]

Hey Ladies - just wanted to let you all know I finally joined the spark team, but my username over there is Poppyjosephine (my dog's name). I may try to change that later so it matches this one.

See you there! :)

[citylove]

I think it depends on how much you are trying to lose and how much of a change your new caloric intake is from what you were eating. I think you are waiting too long to eat - if you ate lunch at 1 pm then you were on time to have a small snack at 4 and then dinner at 7. If you are feeling really hungry drink a glass of water first then wait 20 minutes - if you are still hungry then eat something else - maybe some string cheese or some fruit. Eating 1200-1500 calories sounds low to me - I don't worry so much about how much but more about what I eat. You can't eat too much spinach you know!

Thanks, Angel17! I appreciate your thoughts. I'm working on eating smaller portions throughout the day. I'm learning that it is impossible to eat right when I haven't been properly grocery shopping in almost two weeks :o So I'm trying! I'm certianly learning why so many people eat salad and veggies all day long - I do get more full, but I'm not really intaking much.

[EmilyBronte]

Is it sad that the thread starter fell off the Sparkpeople truck, joined WW.com, still didn't succeed so cancelled her subscription to WW online to come back here??? I am TERRIBLE at keeping track of all of this and could really use weight loss buddies. Do ya'll just track on here or do you meet over there, too?

I am 'jfksmom' on Sparkpeople.

[numberlady]

I just joined! I need to do something and was considering joining ww. Since this is free, it looks like a good alternative.

[citylove]

I've been doing sparkpeople for 2 weeks now. I'm very happy with it, but I actively refuse to purchase a scale so I can't give the numbers. I am doing my measurements tomorrow (AM!) for the first time since day 1. I haven't noticed any difference in my body, but I sure eat a heck of a lot less, so I presume I should see some differences soon. I check in on our team message board every now and then, so I think if folks are looking for real weight loss buddies that might be a good way to track daily progress. I do try to keep my "journal" updated, and I know others do, so maybe that is also a way to find/keep up with buddies.

I just want to say that I feel FABULOUS. Frankly, I've gone over my calories the majority of days, but I'm eating better, making better choices, eating less, and am actively aware of what I'm putting in my mouth. Oh yeah, and I'm drinking a crazy amount of water. Which is generally a good thing, except I'm in charge of young adolescents 6 hours per day and it is hard to take a potty break sometimes :rolleyes:

Two Questions:
Does anyone else have scale-aversion? I'm 26 and have never in my life owned a scale. About three weeks ago I had my yearly checkup and they weighed me, and I was a bit disappointed but not at all surprised. If anyone had asked what I expected to weigh, I would have given a number one less than what came up on the scale. I didn't start to care until a few days later when I tried on my wedding dress :D and I looked lumpy, soft, and a little pregnant. I'm less concerned with pounds than with measurements. Although I'm sure the loss of pounds will be quicker for me than loss of inches. Anyway. Just wondering.

Do you love Firm? Tell me about it! They are videos, right? Do you get bored? What "materials" do you need (mat, weights, ball?)? Do you do with with SO around? (I'm not sure I'd want to :p ) Are you sure you're doing the exercises right? Finally, do you feel it works? I've noticed the "Firm Belivers" thread but never looked, I'm just curious in the very short version!

[angel17]

Thanks, Angel17! I appreciate your thoughts. I'm working on eating smaller portions throughout the day. I'm learning that it is impossible to eat right when I haven't been properly grocery shopping in almost two weeks :o So I'm trying! I'm certianly learning why so many people eat salad and veggies all day long - I do get more full, but I'm not really intaking much.

Don't follow the salad only group! The thing is if you are not eating enough eating only salad will still result in zero loss and may actually cause you to gain weight. Your body will hoard anything you eat if you're not meeting your daily requirements - even salad.

That said get to the grocery store - its much easier to track your eating and set a schedule when you have the right food on hand.

What's helpful to me is water and if you can't take it then drink some hot green tea. The warm drink will cut the gas and the green tea helps your metabolism.

[angel17]

Is it sad that the thread starter fell off the Sparkpeople truck, joined WW.com, still didn't succeed so cancelled her subscription to WW online to come back here??? I am TERRIBLE at keeping track of all of this and could really use weight loss buddies. Do ya'll just track on here or do you meet over there, too?

I am 'jfksmom' on Sparkpeople.


Why does it matter what the thread starter did/does? Everyone has to find what exercise/diet program/system works for them. I also did wwonline and cancelled it. That's in the past and I'm refocused & working on a different plan today. The thread will only be as active as WE make it. Start threads in the forum there don't wait for someone else to do it.

[Reenie]

Why does it matter what the thread starter did/does?
I think EmilyBronte was poking fun at herself because she is the thread starter. ;)

citylove
Do you love Firm? Tell me about it! They are videos, right? Do you get bored? What "materials" do you need (mat, weights, ball?)? Do you do with with SO around? (I'm not sure I'd want to ) Are you sure you're doing the exercises right? Finally, do you feel it works? I've noticed the "Firm Belivers" thread but never looked, I'm just curious in the very short version!
I answered you over at SP, but I LOVE THE FIRM! They are videos (there are so many!). I don't get bored, but I have a ton of them and do four-week rotations, so that helps. When I just had the first system, I did start to get bored after a few months (there are three videos in their first "system"). It depends on the system that you buy, but their newest system (#4, the TransFIRMer) requires their special step, three sets of weights (3, 5, 8 lb), and a mat. You get the step and four videos (you'd have to get the weights and mat) if you buy it as a package (available at Target). I do it in the basement of our home, but before we had a "private" space, I did it locked in our bedroom so DH couldn't come in. He knows that I'd be supremely pissed if he came in uninvited when I'm working out (I don't know why; I feel really embarrassed for some reason). Yes, I am sure I'm doing the exercises right because they constantly remind you about proper form, and you can feel it when you're doing it right (it doesn't hurt if you have a mirror to check your form in, either). It is the fastest pay-off workout-wise I've ever had, and I love instant gratification, what can I say? And that's the short of it. If you wanna come into the Firm Believers thread, don't feel the need to read the whole thing. Really. It's mostly just check-ins with what we did and if we did an modifications and how hard this or that is for us. :)
ETA: I noticed that you're getting married. I used The Firm before my wedding, and everyone mentioned the difference on my wedding day. :)

[numberlady]

I have been playing around on SP. All I can say is that I am amazed at the calories I consume. I am a former WW member and am so used to the "points", that I think I forgot how many calories some things have.

[EmilyBronte]

Why does it matter what the thread starter did/does? Everyone has to find what exercise/diet program/system works for them. I also did wwonline and cancelled it. That's in the past and I'm refocused & working on a different plan today. The thread will only be as active as WE make it. Start threads in the forum there don't wait for someone else to do it.

:confused: I started this thread because I loved SparkPeople when I joined in September but then I lost faith in it and joined WW online. Now I'm back to Spark People. I was just poking fun at myself for being so wishy-washy. And after reading entries in here it seemed like there might be a group of people from here on the message boards in Sparkpeople and I was curious if that was true and if so, where. I don't generally like their message boards but if there was a group of women from here over there I'd like to stop by. Sorry you took my post so offensive but I think you misunderstood what I was saying/asking. I don't care how active this thread is if that's what you thought.

Anyway.... Day 3 of using Sparkpeople again and it's going great!

[Candy]

Hey there mama! Please join us over there. Here is the link:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=7982&gcode=AKNPJ1B6VI

[EmilyBronte]

Candy~

Thank you! I just joined the team.

PS. How's Maya? I can't believe our Feb. 2005 babies are already 2 years old!!!

[angel17]

:confused: I started this thread because I loved SparkPeople when I joined in September but then I lost faith in it and joined WW online. Now I'm back to Spark People. I was just poking fun at myself for being so wishy-washy. And after reading entries in here it seemed like there might be a group of people from here on the message boards in Sparkpeople and I was curious if that was true and if so, where. I don't generally like their message boards but if there was a group of women from here over there I'd like to stop by. Sorry you took my post so offensive but I think you misunderstood what I was saying/asking. I don't care how active this thread is if that's what you thought.

Anyway.... Day 3 of using Sparkpeople again and it's going great!

Totally my bad - I didn't realize you were poking fun at yourself- I thought someone was criticizing you by being snarky about your journey;) . I'll put my superman cape away!!

[Linz]

I have totally fallen off of the SP and diet and exercise in general bandwagon. I need to get back on before I gain back all the weight I have lost. Where is the motivation??? :confused:

[PG-rated]

It's really hard to be motivated when you have stress in your life. I've gained pretty much all my extra weight during stressful times. I've found that SP helps if I commit to logging on at least once a day. I don't always worry too much about my food or exercise, but I track my short-term goals, read some articles, post on my Sparkpage blog or the messageboards, etc. It doesn't take long, and reminding myself of the small steps I've taken (like drinking enough water or getting enough sleep) and seeing other people who are having some of the same struggles helps keep me from totally losing sight of my goals.

[Candy]

Liz, I feel your pain. I'm in the exact same boat.
My main problem has to do with it being the "last 10 pounds". I'm happy with how I look right now, so it's tough to stay motivated. I have to stop comparing myself to how I used to look when I was much heavier. It's tough though!

[espresso]

*Bump* In browsing CC, I found this thread and I am very excited! I had been using mycaloriecounter.com, but you had to pay for it (5/month). I'm excited to get something that is free! :) Do you care if I join your group? (I am Espressivo over there...)

[jesvet]

I just joined!

I've used WW online in the past, but I LOVE this site just as much. And it's free, woo hoo!

[Natasha]

I was over there before, but with 5 months to go until my wedding, I am really getting into it again. I have tracked calories and exercise all week. I know it's a little silly, but I LOVE earning points, so I try to participate as much as I can over there!

[Mystikal]

Dumb question (since I have been a member over there for five months), but what is the deal with the points? What are they for?

[Reenie]

Dumb question (since I have been a member over there for five months), but what is the deal with the points? What are they for?

They're just a motivational tool. Actually, I never really got into them until a got on a Spark Team, and now I make sure I do all I can each day to earn as many as possible (um, can you say "competitive"? :o ). When you reach so many points, you get a different trophy.

[Mystikal]

Oh, I see. Thanks, Reenie! I just got my first "trophy" the the other day. lol.

I saw that there is a group over there for CC'ers. How do I join?

[Reenie]

Mystikal
Please join us over there. Here is the link:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=7982&gcode=AKNPJ1B6VI
See ya over there! :)

[Medako]

I just signed up today. so far, so good. I'm really hoping to get more serious about weight loss and I'm hoping that this will serve as a bit of a motivational tool.

If you guys don't mind an extra, I think I'll join you all over there. :)

[BumbleB]

Anyone having problems loading Sparkpeople.com? It has been SO slow or not loading for me lately. GRRR... :mad:

[bethnjim]

I just joined your group on sparkspeople.com. Love this website!!!

[yby1]

Cool. I joined. :)

[semily24]

I just found this thread today and went to sparkpeople.com to check it out. And I am officially obsessed!

I've never been super-heavy, but I haven't been totally happy with my body for most of my life either. Then last year I lost about 15 pounds by exercising more and eating better, and it was by far the best shape I'd ever been in. I had never felt better, both physically and mentally. I got a new job last fall that totally changed my schedule, and some of the weight crept back on this past winter as a result (...hello starbucks muffins....). Now I'm hell bent on stopping the creep! I think being able to track my calories will make a big difference. I don't eat a lot of junk, but I never have a sense of whether or not I'm eating enough of the right things. I'm also a DISASTER in the kitchen and I suck at planning dinners for DH and me- the recipe center is exactly what I need.

So anyway, the short version of my blabbing above is: I'm in! :cool: Off to join the cc group over there...

[hokiegirl]

Thanks for suggesting this site. I surfed around all yesterday and it's awesome! Off to join the CC group thread there.

[JRG]

I lost 15 pounds using this site! I love it! :p

[ez2luv]

I just started it - so far love it, I need the accountability in order to lose.

[isaacsmommy]

I signed up over there in the spring, I was doing pretty well then it got cold here again and I slacked off. Now I reset my goals which I will hopefully meet. My goal date is Christmas, I think losing weight and improvimg my overall health will be a wonderful present to myself and my family.

[Sare79]

I'm bumping this up. I started last week and so far have dropped a few pounds. Anyone want to join me in trying to lose over the holidays?

[JayJay]

Sare, I'd so be there with you if I could! I can't wait to start dieting again!

[LaughAtlantis]

I'm in... I just joined the biggest loser club as well but it looks like spark peaople has better resources - and is free, which BLC is not. Oh well. Frankly, the more help I have right now, the better.

[Raven_Girl]

I've been on Sparks about 2 months. The first month I was doing great but holidays has killed all the hard work I accomplished. I'm back on with a vengence.

[Candy]

It's time for me to start back over at SP. I've been gone for months now, but it's time to lose the 5 lbs I gained over the holidays plus another 10. ;)

[udsweetpea]

I just signed up, and I'm so glad I did because I was just about to sign up for Weight Watchers Online. Why spend the money when Sparkpeople seems so much more fun and its FREE!

I love the nutrition tracker and being able to see if I'm within my desired range. Love it so far!

[udsweetpea]

I'm TRUNKSNUGGLES if anyone wants to add me as a buddy :)

[August2005Bride]

Hey everyone I just joined sparkpeople now and goign to try and navigate the site. I am a member of WW online but use that to track my points and really need something to track my calories. :)

Any help or suggestions with anything woudl be appreciated.