Good morning everyone! I hope you are all doing well today. Here are my answers to the latest round:
1. When did you join this website and why? I just joined Feb. 17th. I was looking for a little boost to add to my journey of losing weight. I have read over and over again that support from others going through the same thing helps you reach your goal. I checked out these boards and felt this board especially was a place where I could feel comfortable and give and get support. So far, I have not been disappointed thanks to all of you!
2. Has your new lifestyle had any unexpected benefits? I am sleeping better than I have in about 10 years. I no longer have difficulty falling asleep nor do I wake up in the middle of the night and toss and turn. It has made a huge difference in my days.
3. Do you still have any friends from your childhood? My closest and dearest friend now is someone I started hanging around with in freshman year of high school.
Happy Thursday!
Last edited by Lessofmaur; 03-05-2009 at 09:21 AM.
CanadaMel, I loved reading about your trip up Mt. Fuji but I had to laugh when you said there are vending machines and a restaurant on top!
This just reminded me -- when I hiked up Mt. Washington (NH), the very last bit is this steep climb up over a ledge to the top. The first thing I saw when I got there? Women in sandals with painted toenails! Too funny...
And my answers to the questions:
1. When did you join this website and why? I just joined 2/15, I think. When I lost weight the last time (beginning weight 177, final weight 155) I belonged to a different website community that provided a lot of the same type of support (although not as large as this one). That community has since gone away, and so I wanted to find something similar to help me on this trip back down in weight. I really want this to be the final resting place for my yo-yo...
2. Has your new lifestyle had any unexpected benefits? I actually haven't changed my eating other than to reduce portion size and cut out all candy and desserts. I've always eaten a lot of vegetables, whole foods, drank a lot of water, etc. So, the unexpected benefit that occurred to me yesterday was how much money I am saving by not constantly buying candy! And like Lessofmaur, I find that I am sleeping better, too.
3. Do you still have any friends from your childhood? No. My oldest friend dates back to freshman year in college. I guess that makes us friends for 26 years (!) but I haven't kept in touch with anyone from high school or earlier.
Last edited by newleaf123; 03-05-2009 at 09:35 AM.
Good morning all!! Hope you all have a good day being fit and healthy!
1. I joined when someone recommended it on pet site when some of the girls started talking about weight loss around New Years. I just joined in January. I started watching it around November after I turned 40. I like online communities and being on the computer, which probably doesn't help much with weight loss, being on the computer. I think being in a community does though as we can be accountable and inspirational to each other. This group has been great!!
2. Having my kids try and be a little healthier, my son especially. He and I are doing the Presidential Challenge together. I have earned a certificate already from them and am now working on my first medal. He is almost to his certificate. It has been fun to do it together. My daughter started doing it but slacked off. I am not going to push her on it. It needs to be her decision I think to get healthier. I can only teach by example. She is a real candy and cookie monster like I always was. Her and I will be doing a 5K together this Spring with a program at her school called Girls on the Run. Maybe that will help?
3. I moved around a lot growing up and changed schools several times. Makes it hard to make and keep friends. I even went to 2 different kindergartens and 3 different high schools! I do have one friend that I have known since 6th grade that I keep up with some. We are not very close anymore but catch up once in awhile. I did meet my husband when I was 17 and have been friends with him since then. We actually didn't date until I was 19 so it was nice that we were friends first for quite awhile. I married him at 20 after only dating 9 months but we knew since we had known each other longer. We will be married 20 years this June.
Beemer, what a great idea doing the Presidential Challange with your kids. My son does the program through school but I never thought about doing it myself. I am going to look into that. It would be a great family activity. My son's school holds a 5K in May as a fundraiser, but I am not ready to participate this year. My hope is that we can do it together next May.
My kids are doing it at school too. My son always gets most of the way there except for sit and reach. He has tight achilles tendons from walking on his toes since he was a baby. Just last night I asked him about it and he said they felt much better and I don't see him walking on his toes as much if at all anymore. He has had therapy and had to sleep with casts when he was younger. Maybe he can finally get one this year!
What got me started on the Challenge was I actually earned the Presidential Physical Fitness Award in middle school. I was quite proud of myself as hardly anyone else did. I guess it is a huge deal. Only a handful of kids get them each year at my kids school. I can't find my award so I went to their website to see about getting another one and that is where I saw the Challenge. Let me know if you end up doing it. It is quite motivating. Especially doing it with someone else.
When did you join this website and why? I joined 9/7/09. I joined because I wanted to get healthy and be alive for future grandchildren. I found the site randomly...looking for advice. I love it!!!!!
Has your new lifestyle had any unexpected benefits? I have a bounce in my step now. The energy is incredible! I also can get off the couch without using my arms. LOL My digestion is a lot better. I am sleeping better also. The best thing...I like myself!!!
Do you still have any friends from your childhood? One that I went to Junior High and High school with. Wish I could find a couple of elementary friends, but since I moved, I don't know where they are. Also...Not sure I remember their names anymore. LOL
Newleaf: Just wanted to let you know..I was on top of Mt. Washington also...but my car climbed it. When I got up there, they had signs of all the people who died climbing it. I was glad I rode in the car! Yes...my car had that bumper sticker on it for awhile!
1. When did you join this website and why? I joined in October. My sister told me about this. She was very active here several years ago. She even got together with several women she met on the boards here.
2. Has your new lifestyle had any unexpected benefits? I no longer have heartburn. I have reduced my cholesterol and blood sugar. I can sit cross legged on the floor, something I could not do 6 months ago!
3. Do you still have any friends from your childhood? I also moved around alot growing up. I do exchange Christmas cards with one friend from high school. My son is 19 and his best friend was in his kindergarten class. I can't remember anyone I went to kindergarten with!
Our school started something this winter called "Commit to be Fit". I keep a log of weekly exercise and turn it in to our nurse. She is keeping track for us for the President's award. We also have a chance for weekly prizes.
Susan - Thank you for the link. Back in the day just about everyone was able to complete and obtain a certificate; not me. I was always overweight and remember how humiliating the tests were. Maybe it's not too late for me to get my own certificate. Do they still do the patch too?
1. When did you join this website and why? I started on plan on December 15th and joined a couple days later. I had found several forums but this one had it ALL.
Susan - What dog boards are you on? I am on a Great Dane board and also Big Paws Only; BPO is an excellent place for information and support with the fur kids. How many do you have? I'll share about my zoo in another post.
2. Has your new lifestyle had any unexpected benefits? We are also saving a ton of money. I have never been much of a cook so we would eat out 3-5 times a week.
3. Do you still have any friends from your childhood? Until recently I only had one friend from grade school that I have kept in touch with. Since joining FaceBook in January I have been in contact with many long lost friends. I had my 25th high school reunion in November 2007 and it was cool how many of us had grown up together. One of the pictures we took was of those from the same elementary school. Like 30 of us, several that I went to kindergarten with.
1. When did you join this website and why?
I joined in Dec. 2006, but then forgot about it shortly thereafter as I was mainly lurking. I became more serious in January '09.
Want to be healthy (lose weight obviously) and be a good role model for my kids.
2. Has your new lifestyle had any unexpected benefits? Better moods, not 'as' grumpy.
3. Do you still have any friends from your childhood?
Not really-mostly friends from college and a few from high school, but that's about it.
Ugh the presidential fitness challenge- I hated the bent arm hang!
Beemer - that's really wonderful about your best friend / husband. Congratulations on your upcoming 20 years! My husband and I aren't close behind; we've been together for 21 years and will celebrate our 18th anniversary come fall.
Hattie - I'm so glad you've had so many health benefits with your weight loss! Too funny about the Mt. Washington bumper sticker. I wanted one that said "These thighs climbed Mt. Washington"!
OnMyWay - that's really sweet about your son's best friend! Also, I'm glad to read about all your health gains, too! This really is about a lot more than the scale...
CruiseCAT - if you're not much of a cook, what are you doing now instead of going out? Have you taken up cooking? Are you enjoying it?
CanadaMel - That's great about being less grumpy. I'll have to be on the look out for that benefit!
Last edited by newleaf123; 03-05-2009 at 10:57 PM.
CAT, you must have had a pretty fit school! Mine must not have been or my kids school as most only get nothing or the National patch not the Presidential one. There are two criterias and the National one is easier to get. They do still do the patch for the kids at schools but with the Challenge, which is a little different than the physical fitness test that the schools do, you first get a certificate and then you move on to bronze, silver and gold medals.
I have earned the certificate which takes 6 weeks of at least a half hour of exercise 5 days a week for our age group. My son has had to do one hour for 5 days for his age group. I am now earning the bronze which take 20,000 points. I believe I am around 16-17,000 right now. It has kept me accountable.
As far as dog boards, I used to be on a Poodle board but now mainly hang at Bird boards. I have a huge Standard Poodle and one very small Toy one plus a Shih Tzu. I also have a zoo with birds, tortoises, fish, frogs and rabbits. We will have to chat about both of our zoos.
Beemer, Thank you for the information on the Presidental Challenge. I am going to check out the website this weekend and see what it is all about. Now that the weather seems to have made a turn, I am ready to get outside and get some exercise.
I do cook more but not as much as I should. I eat a lot of chicken and always have some in the fridge. I'm loving roasted veggies (brussel sprouts are my new favorite). Unfortunately I can't seem to get away from the lean cuisines.
One of my future goals is to cook and eat more whole foods.
