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Revista Geológica de Chile 35 (1): 175-184. January, 2008
Theropod Dinosaur Trackways from the Lower Cretaceous of the Chacarilla Formation, Chile
Pistas de dinosaurios terópodos del Cretácico Inferior de la Formación Chacarilla, Norte de Chile
David Rubilar-Rogers1, Karen Moreno2, Nicolás Blanco3, Jorge O. Calvo4
1 Sección Paleontología, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Casilla 787, Santiago, Chile.
2 Instituto de Geociencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile.
Current address: School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, Australia. dinohuella@yahoo. com
3 Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, Avenida Santa María 0104, Santiago, Chile.
4 Centro Paleontológico Lago Barreales, Museo de Geología y Paleontología, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Avenida Mega-raptor 1450, Ruta Provincial 51, km 65, Costa Norte del Lago Barreales, Neuquén, Argentina. jocalvo40@digimedia. com. ar
We describe sixteen theropod dinosaur trackways from site III (Lower Cretaceous?) of the Quebrada Cha-carilla in the ChacariUa Formation (Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous), northern Chile. The trackbed belongs to a meandering river environment, with recurrent track assemblages. We find that the main direction of the ichnites from site III parallels that of water flow. Two theropod footprint morphotypes are recognized: A) digit II and IV occupying about 0.5 times the total footprint length, and B) digit II and IV occupying less than 0.35 times the total footprint length. We estimate similar speed (~7 km/h) for the two parallel theropod trackways of morphotype A, suggesting synchronized walking. We also describe some of the largest theropod footprints from South America (>60 cm), which are all of morphotype B.
Keywords: Large theropod, Behaviour, Synchronized walking, Footprints, Ichnites, Lower Cretaceous, Northern Chile.
Se describen dieciséis pistas de dinosaurios terópodos localizadas en el sitio III (Cretácico Inferior?) de la Formación ChacariUa (Jurásico-Cretácico Inferior) en Quebrada ChacariUa, norte de Chile. La unidad con huellas fue depositada en un ambiente de río meandriforme y presenta recurrentes niveles con asociaciones de trazas. Las icnitas tienen una dirección paralela a la dirección del flujo de agua. Dos morfotipos de huellas de terópodos fueron reconocidos: A) Con los dígitos II y IV, ocupando cerca de 0,5 veces el largo total de la huella y B) con los dígitos II y IV ocupando menos de 0,35 veces la longitud total de la huella. Estimaciones de similar velocidad (~7 km/h) de dos pistas paralelas pertenecientes al morfotipo A, sugieren caminata sincronizada. Además, describimos algunas de las huellas de terópodos más grandes de América del Sur (>60 cm), las que corresponden al morfotipo B.
Palabras claves: Terópodos grandes, Comportamiento, Caminata sincronizada, Huellas, Icnitas, Cretácico Inferior, Norte de Chile.
1. Introduction
The record of Mesozoic continental vertebrates in Chile consists mainly of dinosaur tracks (Theropoda-Sauropoda-Ornithopoda), remains of titanosaurid sauropods, and pterosaur bones (Casa-miquelaandFasola, 1968;Casamiquelae?a/., 1969; Casamiquela and Chong, 1980; Chong, 1985; Bell and Suárez, 1989; Salinas et ah, 1991a; Salinas et ah, 1991b;Moreno and Pino, 2002; Rubilar-Rogers, 2003; 2006; Moreno and Benton, 2005).
Galli and Dingman (1962) mentioned the presence of diverse dinosaur footprints in different outcrops of Quebrada Chacarilla, northern Chile (Fig. 1). This was the first description of dinosaur ichnites in this country. On that occasion Joseph T. Gregory (in Galli and Dingman, 1962) identified different morphologies from pictures, including theropods, sauropods, ornithopods, and perhaps stegosaurs. These footprints are distributed in two separated tracksites, although most of the description was focused in the first locality examined.
We re-study the different outcrops of this formation, and present here the first detailed information on the vertebrate ichnofauna of the tracksite mentioned by Galli and Dingman (1962) as 'second locality' with dinosaur footprints, named 'site III' in this paper (Fig. 2). The locality shows numerous eastern-western and northern-southern striking outcrops with a pronounced west-dip (44°) and dozens of dinosaur trackways exposed in a thick sequence of sandstones. Their preservation is generally good, depending on the weathering of the different levels. A detailed track mapping of the Chacarilla Formation is far from complete, thus only preliminary results will be presented here. The present study only describes theropod trackways of an outcrop in Quebrada Chacarilla. The cast of a footprint from this site is housed in the Paleontológica! Collection of the Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, Chile (SNGM-311).
2.General Geologic Context
Mesozoic tectonic evolution in northern Chile was dominated by subduction along the western margin of Gondwana (Coira et al., 1982; Jordan et al, 1983; Mpodozis and Ramos, 1989; Ramos and Kay, 1991; Mpodozis and Allmendinger, 1992). During the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous, a magmatic arc was formed along the present-day Cordillera de la Costa. East of the arc, in the Central Depression and Precordillera in Chile, there was a contemporaneous ensialic back-arc basin, the Tarapacá Basin, which comprises thicknesses of thousands of meters of marine and continental sediments (Coira et al, 1982;Groschkee?a/., 1988; Mpodozis and Ramos, 1989). During Lower and Mddle Jurassic, deposition of marine sequences was controlled by post-rift thermal subsidence and global sea-level fluctuations (Groschke et al, 1988; Ardill et al, 1998), whereas later on, in Middle Jurassic to Cretaceous times, the basin was controlled by tectonic movements related to the break-up of Pangea and fragmentation of Gondwana (Ardill et al., 1998). The latter resulted in a widespread marine regression causing deposition of continental red-beds during Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous in the backarc basin (Rutland, 1971; Chong, 1977; Bogdanic, 1990). Sedimentation stages in Lower Cretaceous times corresponds to the track-bearing deposits of various carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs tracks (Blanco et al., 2000; Moreno et al., 2000; Rubilar et al, 2000a and b; Moreno, 2001).
3. Locality and Geologic Setting
The tracksite is located in Quebrada Chacarilla (coordinates 20°38T2.4"S, 69°4'25"W), Region I, northern Chile (Fig. 2).
The ChacarillaFormationis mainly a clastic succession with an exposed thickness of 1100 m. The lower part is of marine origin (Oxfordian), whereas the upper part was deposited in a continental setting (Galli and Dingman, 1962). The marine section at the Quebrada Chacarilla crops out in a box-fold anticline centre (Galli and Dingman, 1962), and the continental deposits form an open syncline. The top of the formation is marked by an angular unconformity, overlaid by volcanic and clastic rocks of the Cerro Empexa Formation (Upper Cretaceous-Lower Paleocene, Tomlinson et al., 2001).
A certain discrepancy in age determination has been noted for lithostratigraphically equivalent continental red-bed successions exposed along the Precordillera in Chile's Regions I and II. This variability is due to the scarcity of biostratigraph-ically significant fossils in the continental facies rocks. As a result, previous workers have reported ages varying from Oxfordian (Galli and Dingman, 1962) or Kimmeridgian (Vergara, 1978) to entirely Lower Cretaceous (Ardill et al., 1998). In addition, 60 km north of the study area, Herbst and Troncoso (1996) placed a part of this formation in the Middle Jurassic, based on a taphoflora association. However, the discovery of large ornithopod ichnites in the Chacarilla Formation indicates a Cretaceous age at least for the upper part of this formation (Blanco et al, 2000; Rubilar et al, 2000a). These tracks are correlated to the Caririchnium ichnofacies described by Lockley et al. (1994) for the Cretaceous of Laurasia, which are dominated by large ornithopod tracks preserved in silicoclastic rocks from coastal plain environments, in medium to high latitudes (Lockley et al, 1994). The studied strata are located in the uppermost part of the Chacarilla Formation, hence it is likely to be of a Lower Cretaceous age.
The measured section (Fig. 3) contains 140 m of rhythmically alternating shales and red sandstones, and is structured in multiple, superposed fining- and thinning-upward sequences of decametric to metric scale. Within this section we observed two facies associations, which represent point bars and flood-plains of a meandering river environment.
The point bar facies association consists of several superposed fining- and thinning-upward cycles, with each cycle being 30-50 cm thick and reaching an overall thickness of 4-10 m. Each cycle is composed of medium-grained quartzose sandstone with trough cross-bedding stratification, which passes gradually into sandstone with parallel plane lamination. The highest part of the cycle shows reddish mudstone with current ripple marks. Sedimentary structures such as trough cross-bedding and parting lineation indicate paleocurrents toward the NW, WNW and W (150 measurements). In sections perpendicular to the paleoflow, the sandstone shows a sigmoidal geometry that forms a large-scale cross-stratification of the epsilon type (Allen, 1963).
The floodplain facies association consists of finely laminated mudstone (generally shale). Plant remains, carbonaceous levels, and root marks are present, as well as some fossil trunks in life position. Furthermore, arboreal root casts and dinosaur footprints can be found. Intercalated in the mudstones are laterally extensive, but thin (0.1-0.3 m), tabular bodies of fine-grained lenticular sandstones, with a planar to slightly concave base, ripple marks, and parallel plane-lamination. These sandstones probably correspond to the distal deposits of crevasse splays covering fioodplain areas (Miall, 1996). Asymmetric ripples in this association indicate a paleoflow toward WSW (50 measurements). The orientations of ornithopod and theropod dinosaur trackways are toward WSW and SW, approximately parallel to the water flow direction.
4. Description of the dinosaur ichnites
Here we describe sixteen trackways (3-6, 8, 10, 12-13, 15-18, 22, 24-26) from Quebrada Cha-carilla site III (Fig. 2), which correspond to the theropod morphology. Measurements were taken in situ (Fig. 4, Table 1). Footprint dimensions clearly show s a tendency toward a longer than wide footprint shape (Fig. 5). This characteristic, together with the anatomical features described below support the assignation of these ichnites to the The-ropoda Suborder. Most of these footprints exhibit a tridactyl morphology, with impressions of digits 11,III and IV. However, trackway 26 also displays the impression of digit I (tetradactyl morphology), which corresponds to a deeper impression of the autopod into the substrate and subsequent collapse of the sedimentary structure (Fig. 6). Despite of this, two main pedal morphotypes are recognized, A and B, based on digital proportions:
In morphotype A, the length of digits II and IV is about half the total footprint length. This morphology is observed in trackways 3,4 and 18 (plastotype SNGM-311, Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería). Trackways 3 and4 show surprising similarities. Footprints have comparable shape and size. Also, these two trackways are parallel (separated by about 80 cm), and have approximately the same length (6 m) and same number of footprints (8 each). Later on, trackways 1,2 and 5 crossed trackways 3 and 4 (Fig. 7). In morphotype B (trackways 5, 6, 8, 10, 12,13, 15,16,22,24,25 and 26), the length of digits II and IV are proportionally smaller than in morphotype A, and are about a third of the total footprint length. Morphotype B displays a wide variety of footprint dimensions, from 28 cm long and 15 cm wide to 65 cm long and 53 cm wide (Figs. 7-11), including some of the largest in South America (see discussion). Also, the tetradactyl footprints (trackway 26) mentioned above are included in this morphotype. These footprints show deep impressions of digits I to IV plus a metatarsal impression. The impression of digit I is directed anteromedially (Fig. 6). The total anteroposterior length (1 m) of this footprint was taken without accounting for the metatarsal impression, which is approximately one third of the total length (Table 1).
|FIG. 7. Schematic drawing of trackways 3 and 4 crossed by trackways 1, 2 and 5. Scale bar 50 cm.
5. Discussion
There are two dinosaur groups with tridactyl footprints: theropods and ornithopods. Diagnostic features which permit the discrimination between both groups are the marked differences of footprint length/ width ratio, the lower interdigital angles and lower trackway pace angulations, and the presence of an indentation along the medial edge of digit two just distal to the 'heel' apex seen in theropods as opposite to ornithopods (Fig. 4). However, these characters do not allow the identification of a specific trackmaker, due to the weak correlation between footprint morphology and skeletal features (Farlow and Chapman, 1997).
The ichnofauna identified in site III of Quebrada Chacarilla is composed of about 80% theropods and 20% ornithopod footprints. Therefore, it is distinct from other Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous tracksites, such as San Salvador and Baños del Flaco, which present a mostly small theropod and a small ornithopod-small theropod-narrow gauge sauropod ichnocoenosis respectively (Moreno and Pino, 2002; Moreno et ah, 2004; Moreno and Benton, 2005). This variation is difficult to interpret since many factors are involved in the preservation of the various tracksites, being dinosaur behaviour, distribution, palaeogeography and chronological differences among the most important. In this respect, much more work is needed in order to identify possible ichnofacies and chronological accuracy.
The general orientation of the trackways in site III is similar to the direction of water flow (NE-SW).
Based on the proportions of the digital impressions, two morphotypes have been recognized: Morphotype A, with a prominent digit III (lateral digits II and IV about a half of digit III length), which is comparable to tracks attributed to 'coelu-rosaurs' in South America (Leonardi, 1989; Calvo, 1991; Leonardi and Spezzamonte, 1994). Within this morphotype we observed two trackways (3 and 4) that are walking parallely at a similar speed (~7 km/h), and have a regular separation between both trackways, suggesting that both individuals were walking in a synchronized manner (Fig. 7).
Morphotype B, with lateral digits (II and IV) about a third of digit III, is similar to the ichnogenus Abelichnus (Calvo, 1991, 1999; see Figs. 10-11), where claw impressions are very prominent and the digit impressions occupy most of the length of the tracks, and may be tentatively referred to that ichnotaxon. However, the pace angulation recorded is 180° in contrast to ~150° for Abelichnus.
Morphotype B includes one of the largest theropod ichnites known in South America. These ichnites are comparable in size (mean hip height ~3 m) with carcharodontosaurids such as Gigano-tosaurus, as was previously referred (Calvo and Mazzetta, 2004) from the early Late Cretaceous of Argentina (Coria and Salgado, 1995; Calvo and Coria, 1998; Novas et ah, 2005). However, theropod remains of this size have not yet been found on the western portion of Gondwana. Consequently, the Chacarilla footprints represent the first evidence of their existence in that area. In addition, a trackway of seven tetradactyl footprints (trackway 26) with metatarsal impression is included in this morphotype. The particular morphology of these footprints suggests a quasi-plantigrade locomotion (Kuban, 1989) and presents independent evidence that these theropods powered the early stance phase by femoral retraction, rather than by knee flexion as in living birds(Gatesye?a/., 1999). Subtracting the posterior footprint elongation from the total footprint length (1 m), we obtain similar dimensions (60 cm long, 53 cm wide) as those as in other trackways of morphotype B (Fig. 6).
The average speed estimated for all the trackways is 5.8 km/h, which is consistent with a walking gait. The only trackway that has a trotting gait is 17, with an estimated speed of 11.2 km/h.
6. Conclusions
The ichnofossils from the Chacarilla Formation as a whole, but particularly in site III, are a unique record of dinosaurian fauna which inhabited a flood plain environment of a meandering river in the north of Chile during the Early Cretaceous (as indicated by the presence of large ornithopod footprints cha-racteristical of this period). Here, described some of ichnites from site III, which show a main direction NE-SW, and therefore are parallel to the direction of the water flow. Two theropod morphotypes were recognized, including some of the largest of South America, which indicate that large theropods lived on the western portion of Gondwana in earlier times than the suggested by the oldest carcharodonto-saurid record (early Late Cretaceous). In addition, among these large theropods traces we found two parallel trackways with similar speed and footprint morphology, which are evidence of synchronized walking, a behaviour previously not described for these big animals.
The quality, abundance and time span of the footprint record of the Chacarilla Formation makes it potentially useful for the study of paleogeogra-phic, behavioural and evolutionary patterns during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. This should be addressed in future research.
Field work was supported by Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, Chile (SERNAGEOMIN), as part of the project 'Geología de la franja Chuquicamata-Quebra-da Blanca'. We thank A. 'Tuco' Díaz (SERNAGEOMIN) for his help in the field. Z. Gasparini (Universidad de la Plata), A. Tomlinson (SERNAGEOMIN), J. Hutchinson (University of California), R. Charrier (Universidad de Chile), L. Salgado (Universidad Nacional de Comahue) and M. Suárez (SERNAGEOMIN) for their reviews of the manuscript.
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Manuscript received: April 24, 2007; accepted: September 14.© 2011 Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería


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Saturday, November 1, 2008
A New Plan of Attack
This might sound lame, but gimme a chance to explain. I think this will work for me, and just maybe it will work for other people who are going, "What am I gonna do??? I can't seem to get it in gear! I need to lose weight!! UGH!!"
I pretty much lost all this weight by counting calories. I just logged everything I ate on the free site, sparkpeople, and kept it to a certain calorie level: 1800 to start, and then working my way down to 1500 calories per day. When I got tired of counting calories, sometimes I took a break and just kept a tally in my head, or eyeballed my food, or just ate a lot of fruits and veggies and no junk. Which works fine, unless you get your taste for junk back, which I have. But I am convinced that calorie counting is THE ONE THING that definitely WILL work for just about anyone. It's free, it's relatively easy once you're in the habit, there are no inherently off-limit foods, and there are no special programs, books, or equipment needed. If you are stuck, why not give it a try?
Anyway, obviously, I am not *working* my calorie counting like I used to. Problem being, I tend to want to eat in the late afternoon and I go over my calorie level. I keep starting over, but those calories count. So I am stalled.
Enter my big idea: a MONTHLY calorie budget. I posted earlier about every calorie counting, and how people tend to think of a 24-hour-day as a "diet unit." But if you have a bunch of good days a just a few really bad days eating too much can halt your progress. Well, how about this. You take the number of calories you should eat in one day (for me, 1500-1600), and you multiply that by the number of days in the month (30 for November). You get a calorie budget. This is the number of calories you should eat for the month. For me, taking 1600 times 30 days, I get a calorie budget of 48,000 calories for November.
Now, how does this help me, any more than setting a goal of 1600/day? Well it helps because it makes me look at the bigger picture. It makes me accountable in a broader sense. It's easy, when you have a daily calorie budget, to go over your calories by a bit, and then think, "oh well, I blew it. I will just eat as much as I want and start over tomorrow." But with a MONTHLY calorie budget, every bite counts. You have to stop and think: "hey, I only have x number of calories to spend this month, so I need to spend them wisely. If I overeat any MORE tonight, I will have to eat less all month to make up for it." This has helped me already today, because when I was grocery shopping I really wanted a big ol' sub slathered with mayo and loaded with meat and cheese. But I didn't want to spend my precious calories on THAT. So I had some turkey and a pear instead.
The beauty of the monthly budget is you can consciously save up extra calories for a treat, or you can just go along doing your very best and then IF you mess up, you will be fine. If you have an extra-hungry (PMS?) day, you can allow more of your calorie budget on that day and fewer calories on the days you're not so hungry. You just sit down at the end of the day and subtract the calories you ate from the budget, just like a grocery shopping (monetary) budget. Then you can take the amount that is left for the month, divide it by the number of days left, and that gives you an idea of how much you can eat per day for the rest of the month.
"What if you binge and end up the last week of November with no calories left?" Well, obviously, that's what we are trying to avoid. I don't think that will happen for me. I plan to work hard to make that NOT happen. And because this is interesting, and more like a game, or even a challenge to me, it is more stimulating and enticing than the same old calorie counting I'd been doing.
Okay, so that's my new plan. If things DO get out of hand and I end up using too many calories early in the month, I plan to "earn" more calories for the budget through exercise. It would have to be EXTRA exercise on top of what I already plan to do (bike 30 minutes 6x/week and strength train 3x/week). A half hour on the bike, and the bike tells me I burned 200 calories. So I can add to the calorie bank that way if I need to.
You're probably either going, "dude, she has really lost her marbles," or "wow, that's brilliant." But let's just see how it works for me. I gotta do SOMETHING new to get me going, so this is it. If you want to join me, go ahead and start tomorrow. Just take the number of days left in November times your daily calorie goal and start keeping track of what you eat! I know FOR A FACT that if I eat 48,000 calories this month, and no more, I WILL lose weight. No doubt. Stay tuned to see :)
32 comments:
- kilax said...
Go for it! Putting it all in perspective, like you said, IS going to help.
I count calories too. I personally know it is the best way to do it for me!
- November 1, 2008 at 4:40 PM
- Super Healthy Kids said...
It's Brilliant! I think that would work for me too because I think if I screwed up for the day, I may as well binge. But that attitude would eliminate that reasoning.
- November 1, 2008 at 5:06 PM
I hope this works really well for you. It is similar to the Weight Watchers point system, in that you can earn extra points for exercising and you have extra points each week to use for days when you need extra. Go for it! I'm looking forward to seeing your success.
- November 1, 2008 at 5:21 PM
- Mirtika said...
Weight Watchers does a form of this--allowing you to "flex" points across a week's span.
I think for folks who can do the budgeting things (it does require accountability), it should work.
It's the keeping track that can become the sticking point.
I know I HATE writing my calories/points down. However, that's effective for me. I just need to quit bitching and moaning and get my journal again. Writing it down makes you SEE what you eat day to day, and it does add to that whole perspective. When I was doing a chart (tedious as heck), I saw the indisputable fact. Days of fewer calories = less weight. Days of more calories= standstill or more weight.
But boring all that charting.
- November 1, 2008 at 5:27 PM
- Name: Lynise said...
I hate to rain on anyones parade but this method is inherently flawed as our bodies can only process so much food in any given day therefore if we don't use up the calories consumed in that day then it doesnt take long to register a gain.
The plan sounds good, but based upon how our bodies work it would still be easy to not lose weight as one very high week would counter act an 'on track week
then it would take another week to actually see a gain.
I have looked up the 'input/output' info that is written by doctors and don't believe this plan can actually work as it goes against the time factor needed to digest and use up calories.
- November 1, 2008 at 6:14 PM
- Name: Lynise said...
oops, that should have said it would take another week to actually see a loss. (so three weeks of the month used, just for a small one week loss)
- November 1, 2008 at 6:16 PM
I do the same thing, but weekly rather than monthly.
Basically, I do the zig/zag method of calorie counting. It's also called "calorie shifting method". That means I eat less, or zig, 1200-1500 calories three or four days in a row and then zag with a 1800-2000 day on the next day. Repeat.
Works for me because I can plan ahead with events, etc. and know it fits into my "budget".
I've lost steady weight (40 lbs) over 6 months and I don't feel like I want to rebel against a strict plan. Sure, it is still very strict and requires serious discipline, but psychologically I find it to be freeing because I can control my decisions about how many cals I consume that day.
All the best. I love your perseverance!
- November 1, 2008 at 6:54 PM
- bbubblyb said...
I have Jillian's (from biggest loser) book and she suggests calories by the week. So I think this can work. But I wonder if a month isn't a bit long?
- November 1, 2008 at 7:43 PM
- Simply Chanelle... said...
awesome awesome awesome idea!
i think people failing to look at the big picture in dieting is such a big mistake and if they "fail" in one day, it totally derails them.
going month by month lets you know you're living LIFE and every day of eating is different!
- November 1, 2008 at 8:06 PM
Hi Lyn - I found your blog the other day and have read most of your archived posts. I think you are an amazing inspiration, and, honey, you have kept 40+ pounds off - WAY TO GO! I'm looking forward to reading more of your posts. You are an excellent writer, and are truly any inspiration.
- November 1, 2008 at 9:00 PM
- elife said...
I like this idea a lot. It seems that it's how "naturally" thin people eat. They have a big night out, and then compensate over the next few days.
- November 1, 2008 at 11:15 PM
- moonduster said...
Good luck with this new plan! I weigh-in weekly, so I may try it some time on a weekly basis. I kind of do it anyway. If I go 100 calories over on one day, I try to go under by that much the next day.
- November 2, 2008 at 1:11 AM
- Mrs. Jelly Belly said...
I also found that my "need" to eat was strongest in the afternoon and I fixed that by planning my snacks.
I journaled IN ADVANCE everything I was going to eat for the day, calories already totalled, and planned for the snacks that would get me through the afternoon.
Good luck with your new plan. I admire your perserverance.
- November 2, 2008 at 1:32 AM
- Lady In A Net said...
I faced a similar problem earlier this year. I joined Weight Watchers for about the 50th time but I swore I was determined to make it work this time. What happend in weeks 7 and 8, I started eating what ever I wanted and couldn't really control myself. I continued to go to weigh in and was struggling mentally to figure out a strategy to get back on track and lose my weight once and for all. By this time I was 250 pounds.
Like you, I blog to help me keep focused on what I need to do take off my weight. What I discovered was that it wasn't my management of food or even the exercise that was the problem. It was my state of mind and until I got to the bottom of what drove me to eat I would never take off the weight. I started blogging about my weight loss in March http://loggingandlosing.blogspot.com. My progress has been steady emotionally, at the scale and in the gym. Each day I tackle they craziness that is in my head that drive me to eat for comfort.
I found your blog while looking for inspiration to get me through a difficult time. The scale isn't moving, although I have been doing everything right and its messing with my head. Your blog helped me remember that this is a life long process and the weight is not going to fall off and that it is possible to take off my weight. Stay strong and focused.
- November 2, 2008 at 1:41 AM
- MizFit said...
echoing what has been said in that it sounds like a good idea to me as well!
- November 2, 2008 at 3:01 AM
- Vickie said...
I think that it might be helpful to keep track of it daily, weekly, monthly (all of them) so that you have a little picture, medium picture and big picture all going on at the same time. This will keep you on target each day amd make it easier to have the over days and the under days work out to an even balance.
I think just monthly is too big of a picture.
My oldest is going through exactly this same thought process his first semester at college - only it is $$$ and not calories - he is learning how to make his $1000 food allowance last for a whole semester. He has to look at each day's target/allowance in order to have his $$$ last the whole semester.
- November 2, 2008 at 3:49 AM
Lyn, please understand that my comments are made with love, compassion, and understanding. :)
I think you're kidding yourself with the monthly calorie idea. You're looking for permission to eat more than your daily alloted calories without really grasping the need to cut back to compensate on other days. Try and imagine what those days will be like if you only have 1200 calories left to eat that day. Can you really do it? If your average calories are say, 1500 and you have 1800, 2000, and 1700 days in a row, are you really going to eat 1200 calories for the next three days to compensate? Have you ever managed a 1200 calorie day, let alone three in a row?
What if you have a 3000 calorie day? How are you going to make that up?
The problem with the budget analogy is that if you run out of money by the end of the month, you can do without until the month is over. We can't do that with food. If you run out of calories before the end of the month, are you simply going to stop eating? Not very likely and certainly not very healthy!
In my opinion, you should try re-learn eating within your calorie range every day -- the way you used to -- before you try calorie cycling. I think you're resisting the idea of staying within a daily calorie range because yes, it's hard and takes consistency and self-discipline but -- it's the foundation of weight loss. It worked for you before and it will again.
- November 2, 2008 at 5:15 AM
I can only speak for myself and am not giving you advise: This type of thinking always gets me in trouble. I am a compulsive overeater who must simply abstain from my binge foods and be honest with myself about eating an appropriate amount of food each day. I have to live my life and make my food choices One Day at A Time as if I were an alcoholic working to stay sober. I attend support group meetings and I use other spiritual tools. I certainly don't know what is best for you, and I wish you well as you try this. Take care.
- November 2, 2008 at 6:03 AM
- Tanya said...
I think any plan that works for you is a great plan. Personally, I know that I couldn't do it. I would end up having to exercise 12 hours a day at the end of the month to try to "earn" enough calories to eat.
- November 2, 2008 at 7:35 AM
- Lyn said...
Thanks for all the comments! I want to take a second and clarify a bit here~
I am not using the Monthly Budget as an excuse to overeat junk on some days thinking I will make it up later. I am using it to AVOID binge eating as well as to train myself to think in a bigger picture.
One of the nice benefits of this way of counting calories is that if I have a day when I eat more calories, I have a whole month to "absorb" the damages. For example: many times in the past I have eaten too much, say, 2000 calories in a day. In order to 'make that up' I would have to subtract 400 calories the next day, and that's tough to do sometimes. But if I distribute that 400 calories over the whole month, I just have to cut back 13 calories per day. Maybe it's a head game, but I have found this whole weight loss thing to be a head game for me.
Anyway, my point is, this is not a license to binge or eat trigger foods; it is a motivation to avoid them and eat clean so I can stay within my budget all month long.
And grovergreen, yes, I have had many 1200 calorie days along the way. You can get a lot of volume and nutrition in 1200 calories if you eat veggies! But since 1600/day is my ballpark range, I try and stay near that number most of the time.
For those struggling, trying SOMETHING is better than giving up and doing nothing. I am going to succeed at weight loss, and maybe this will help me along the way!
Watch and see.
- November 2, 2008 at 7:39 AM
- Deb said...
Put me down on the "Wow, she's brilliant" side. I had a friend who did a similar thing, only she tracked weekly calories. It worked for her. I definitely think it's a way to keep the bigger perspective in view.
- November 2, 2008 at 7:58 AM
I hope it works for you. I know it would never work for me. The thought of having to add up numbers for every thing I put in my mouth would drive me completely over the edge. It just seems that with this plan you have to constantly think about food day and night which I don't believe is how naturally thin people eat. Isn't the whole point to make food something we do to stay alive, not something to obsess over? My husband has never had a weight problem, and I watch what he does. He always makes the healthiest choice in any restaurant. He rarely snacks. He walks every day. He always says I don't let anybody else dictate my portion sizes, since eating out is always about three times as much food as we should eat at one time. I personally think his way of eating makes sense, and he couldn't tell you the calorie count of anything. I wish you all the best though Lyn, if it works for you then that's great.
- November 2, 2008 at 8:07 AM
- Dinah Soar said...
Your monthly calorie plan may work for you. We all are very different and what works for one may not work for another. I think it's a great idea to shoot for an average per day over an extended period of time. That is what I do--though my time period is ten days. And that is why I only weigh every 10 days.
I don't think you'll be any worse off by trying this method--if it doesn't work then you will be closer to knowing what will work.
One thing I've read that might help manage hunger is that our bodies tend to expect the same amount of food each meal...so if we've been eating diet sized portions, then have a couple of days where we indulge, our body expects the increased amount of food to continue--hence we have to fight off the impulse to eat. So--guess what I'm saying is--that we do better with a routine of eating less. But life happens doesn't it? And sometimes that it easier said than done--heck--forget sometimes--it's always easier said than done.
As for the afternoon snack--just decide it is o.k. and figure out what you can eat that you really like that will do the least damage. I had to do that--include an afternoon and late night snack because I stay up really late--don't go to bed until 6-7 hours after supper--so no wonder I get hungry. And I'm not a huge breakfast eater, and eat a light lunch or eat very early, so it figures I'm going to need a snack around 2-3 if I eat a light lunch at 11am.
We just have to work with our body, our appetite, our situation, et al. With the holidays coming too I think we must allow some holiday goodies. We can figure out how to fit in some stuff without a lot of damage. We CAN do it!
- November 2, 2008 at 8:33 AM
- new*me said...
getting a GOOD Feeling about this one Lyn :) Lookin' forward to awesome results for you in Nov!
- November 2, 2008 at 8:58 AM
- Lynne said...
An interesting concept and I will read your experience with it... My fear would be that i would end up with a week to go and no more calories! Do you fast til the end? Do you severely restrict the last few days if things are tight? Do you know that Thanksgiving is at the end of the month?
Another idea may be to start counting your calories at the worst part of your day so that you can limit your calories when it is easier to do so... Boy, if I just took 1/2 the advice I spew, I would be thin as a rail!!
Onward - Downward!!
- November 2, 2008 at 9:28 AM
- Heather said...
I think that sounds really great,and I hope it works for you. to me, the key to losing weight and keeping it off is finding something that works for YOU and is customized to who you are. sure WW is great, counting calories is great, all the other diet plans are treat, but they are one size fits all sometimes. they dont fit for everyone, and that is why people often fall off the wagon. I think tailoring something that does work some times to you so that it can work all the time is great, and this could just be your ticket to finding what works for you forever.
- November 2, 2008 at 4:17 PM
- Hide those cookies said...
I agree that most plans make us think in terms of 24 hours. In a way, that's a good thing, because it reinforces that no matter how bad your day was, you can start over in the morning, but you're so right about a couple off days really gumming up the works. This sounds like a fun and interesting plan!
I feel your pain. My weight's been on the upswing as well. It's helpful to know I'm not alone. Thanks for your honesty in your blog!
- November 3, 2008 at 8:10 AM
- Kimberly said...
Everyone is different and you have to find something that works for you. So you haven't lost your marbles, you are simply looking for what is going to be what you can stick to. I think its great.
- November 3, 2008 at 10:44 AM
I've been reading and cheering you on for seven months...and started by reading all the archives. I hope this works...the concept sounds good but a month feels like a really long period. When we teach kids to budget we start with a week and then extend.
I hope this works for you, you have made such progress...even if you were never to lose another pound! You have also taught so many of us so much.
I tend to find that for most things we need not one strategy but several. This is a new one for you, I hope it is a HUGE SUCCESS! Hugs and good wishes
- November 4, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Lyn, I salute you for what you have accomplished and appreciate all the good info you have on your site.
(Disclaimer: if you are feeling very vulnerable and need a shoulder and someone to agree with you about how hard, hard, hard! it is to lose a pound, delete this comment now. What I most admire about your posts is their honesty, so I feel owe you the honest comment that follows.)
That said, I hate this new idea. I love playing around with numbers, so I'm sure I would have fun following it, but I am extremely suspicious about it's ability to help.
What you said in the past about starting RIGHT NOW to correct mistakes (next meal, not tomorrow, not Monday, not Jan 1st)--that was the right idea. This monthly budget thing is completely the opposite. After all, if a month is good, why not a year, or ten years? Hell, let's calculate all of the calories we're allowed till age 100 and get going! We can always earn them back with exercise when we hit 95 or so... (um, except that we'll probably hit our lifetime max in about two years following this system).
Hey, I know you've been struggling and you need to try something. I would suggest instead going back and reading your posts from the first six months. There was better advice there.
- November 10, 2008 at 6:20 AM
- Lyn said...
See my above comment (scroll up) where I addressed this concern.
I never changed my opinion that starting RIGHT NOW to correct our eating IS a key to weight loss. That and a monthly calorie budget are not mutually exclusive. I am counting calories, same as I was before. The only difference is HOW I am moderating the number of calories I eat per day.
Whether it works for me or does not, I am not afraid to try. If more obese people would just keep TRYING instead of giving up, I think the success rate for weight loss would skyrocket!
- November 10, 2008 at 10:04 AM
- Sarah said...
I'm super excited about this! Check out my month!
- November 30, 2008 at 7:16 PM


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Many people come from a generation that did not ask questions of a doctor. They expected doctors to figure out what was wrong and have all the answers. Others feel they want to ask questions. But they don't feel comfortable doing it when the doctor is rushed - or when the doctor doesn't encourage them to ask question. However, doctors aren't mindreaders. The doctor-patient relationship is a two-way street. The patient needs a doctor for care, and the doctors need feedback in order to provide the best care. Good doctor/patient communication requires a relationship that goes two ways.
People become doctors because they want to care for people, and most hoped largely to cure. But doctors working with patients who have chronic illnesses have to shift their mind-set - to caring for people over time rather than curing. It can be difficult for doctors to know if they are meeting the needs of patients with chronic illnesses. So feedback is very important. Feedback can be:
Some people provide feedback by writing letters to make their needs clear. They may also write thank you notes when they feel they receive good care.
Patients are consumers. You or your insurance is paying for a service. You are entitled to good service. It can be frustrating if you feel doctors are doing you a favor by seeing you - but that can happen if the doctor is very busy. You may be reluctant to ask questions. But if you don't, then you may not get all the information you need. It is up to you to ask for good service. But that may take some assertiveness. If you are not satisfied with your care - after trying to improve communications over several visits - it may be time to find a new doctor.
To start a relationship with a doctor, treat it like any other relationship. You want to find out what the other person is like, and you want him or her to know you. You need to think about how to let the doctor know:
Workshop participants presented problems they have had communicating with their doctors. Then the speakers and participants brainstormed ways to build a relationship with a doctor.
The first theme that emerged was that patients want doctors to listen to their concerns or ideas. You need to have an open discussion in which you feel heard and proceed from there. One group member said that she talked about why she might be having muscle weakness, and her doctor listened to her. Sometimes you know your body best - and that can help a doctor plan treatment.
Another theme was how to get the doctor to know you as a person. One member said that it seemed as though doctors do not have enough time. By the time you report your symptoms, they test your muscle strength, and you discuss medications, there is no time left for personal discussion. But patients are not asking too much by wanting their doctors to know more about the effects of the illness on their daily lives. One possibility is asking your doctor for extra time at the next appointment to discuss things that are affecting your personal life or business activities. Then, make sure it's scheduled. It can be valuable to add a positive comment - tell the doctor what aspects of care you are happy with.
Another participant discussed problems in "the system" that are frustrating. For example, she had specifically scheduled the first appointment of the morning so that she wouldn't have to wait long. But another patient was seen before her, and she had to wait a long time for her turn. The result: she was feeling stiff from waiting. Another problem: appointments are sometimes mixed up, and the staff double books appointments. Make sure to tell these problems to your doctor, who may not know all of what goes on in the "outer office."
Some members felt frustrated with doctors' explanations of technical information. One said that the doctor gave her a diagnosis and sent her to a physical therapist, but she didn't understand what she had until the physical therapist explained it. You need to be educated about what is going on and not just given a diagnosis - that's part of your doctor's job. One participant started bringing a tape recorder to her appointments - because her doctor sometimes talks fast. She wants to make sure that she remembers what the doctor tells her. When patients explain that stress makes it difficult to "hear" during a visit, doctors may not be intimidated by a request to tape the visit. Tell the doctor that you understand that a particular diagnosis may be common for them, but it's new to you -- and stressful. So you need to go over new information several times to understand.
Many people are uneasy when their doctors don't look at them. It's normal to need eye contact - which helps create trust. To ask a doctor to look at you while speaking, try using humor and practice asking questions. Some doctors may not be comfortable with the emotional part of the doctor/patient relationship. They may be afraid of getting too involved. Although doctors are taught that they should look at people, sometimes an emotional topic makes it difficult. Telling your doctor that you need eye contact can improve your relationship. It can also help the doctor develop a skill that will benefit other patients. But remember, like any other relationship, the doctor/patient relationship depends on chemistry. If you and your doctor just don't click, you are wrong for each other.
Other group members said that their doctors always seem very busy and rush through appointments. You can find ways to approach busy doctors. Acknowledge how busy the doctor is and let him or her know that you care about them too. But also let the doctor know what you need. It helps the doctor provide better service and teaches the doctor what patients' want and need.
One group member shared how she developed a relationship with her doctor. At first, she felt that she was getting good medical care. But it was difficult because she felt like a number - like any patient rather than an individual. There was no emotional link. She was determined to find ways to communicate with the doctor on a more personal level. She learned what her doctor likes and now bonds with him over basketball and coffee. Finding ways to relate to your doctor - making a connection - is important.
One participant was concerned about telling her doctor when she feels depressed. The doctor tells her that maybe she should see a psychologist, but she just wants him to listen and show compassion. You should be able to tell your doctor when you are upset about something. It's important for your doctor to know when your mood is changing over time. Many people get depressed - aside from chronic illness. Sometimes it just takes five minutes of listening to help, but sometimes treatment with medication or therapy may be needed. By telling your doctor how illness affects your life on an ongoing basis, your doctor can better understand symptoms of depression.
Patients are entitled to:
Reviewing a list of items to think about before appointments can help organize your thoughts and needs before appointments. This will help both you and your doctor. Think about what you want to get out of the visit and mention it to your doctor at the start of your visit. Make sure you get answers to your questions during the visit. If you forget a question or one is not answered, call soon after so that you aren't waiting anxiously until the next visit. Remember, the only way to have a two-way relationship is to give feedback and to let your doctor know what you need.
[Note: Dr. Mazie has trained doctors on communicating with patients. Dr. Wortley has worked with children and adults who have chronic illnesses.]
Learn more about the Myositis Education and Support Group at HSS
Updated: 10/7/2009
Summary prepared by Angela Hunter and Diana Benzaia.


text:
In honor of yesterday being World Book Day, I thought I would share some of my favorite books.
The other week in one of my classes, we talked about the low expectations we have of assigned reading. Typically if we're "forced" to read something, we've already made up our minds about it not being enjoyable before we even get past the title page. I'll admit to having fallen victim to this logic quite a few times over the years. That negative train of thought has also been proven wrong, however.
I first read my favorite book, Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, in high school as assigned summer reading before my senior year. I wasn't expecting to enjoy the book, but I was nearly immediately taken with the tale of mortality and ethics. As part of that assigned reading, I also read The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I've had to read the novel in two courses since then, and each time I was drawn into Edna's search for independence.
While I haven't always been as lucky with my assigned reading, these two books have stayed with me as favorites years later, despite the fact that neither fall under my favorite genre of literature. From the moment I finished reading my first Nancy Drew novel, I devoured any mysteries I could come across. I came across And Then There Were None in middle school and immediately fell in love with Agatha Christie's writing. The classic whodunnit helped fuel my passion for solving fictional crimes. I learned to pick apart scenes, searching for clues and piecing them together to deduct who committed the crimes.
Some people don't enjoy rereading books, but I find comfort in picking up something familiar. If I were in a novel, my great character flaw would be my faulty memory. When I'm enjoying a book, I hate to have to put it down–partly because of the fact that I'm enjoying it, but mostly because of how probable it is I'll have forgotten something important before picking it back up.
With the end of the semester approaching, I'm eager to tackle my 'to-read' list. After getting through the piles–yes piles–of books I've been pushing aside over the past few months, one of my goals is to finish reading Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. I started the novel a couple of years ago, and while I enjoyed it, I wasn't able to devote enough time to it.
I'm eager to hear some of your favorite books. What is it about them that stuck with you? Alternately, which books are on your to-read list?