[mscat816]

The object of this thread is to STOP THE INSANITY! of doing the same thing week in and week out to lose weight, expecting different results, and not getting them! We invite you to challenge yourself to establish a new weight loss ACTION each week and repeat it for 7 days straight. Choose whatever inspires you and will make a difference in your weight loss goal - a certain amount of water intake each day, no sweets, a certain amount or kind of exercise a day, etc.

If you don't master the action - take it on another week. Once you have mastered the action, continue that challenge but if you are not losing weight (or inches) STOP THE INSANITY! and up the anty on that goal or take on another. We will weigh in and declare our challenge(s) for the week each Monday. I will award kudos for each day you report success and at the end of the week for total pounds lost.

We will support each other by staying focussed on our successes and/or challenges of the day and week and keep our personal stories to a minimum.
Let's see how much we can lose by Valentine's Day!

mscat-
All that we have is right now.
Yesterday is gone, Tomorrow is not promised, and Someday is not a day of the week!

[mscat816]

Mornin' Ladies - I believed it, then I achieved it! After upping the anty and STOPPING THE INSANITY 5 days out of last week with my eating plan I finally showed a loss - 4 lbs!

[carla49]

YAY MSCAT!!!! YOU ROCK!! OUR INSPIRATION!!!

Cat, I'm so impressed! 4 pounds! Of course, I knew the extra pounds on my scale had to come from somewhere, and now I know who to blame.

Last week was one long series of junk food, wine, late nights and early mornings... Which, of course, got me all blue. My intention was to hit the insanity button today, and while I may catch a tiny corner of it, I've already had more carbs than I should have all day, and it's only 3:15. (But those quesadillas were so, so good. Not totally bad, just too much.)

This week's challenge (again): to be in bed lights out by midnight, and no after dinner eating.

Bonnie, has it been lonely here with so many of us awol? Sorry, my dear. When I get the blues and try to eat my way out of them, I don't much feel like posting. I'll try to do better.

This is totally OT, but I'm almost at my wits end with my Zen cat. He's been on the special diet for about a month, and I thought his fur was growing back in a bit, but then I came home from a week away and he just looks awful. The bald patches are bigger, and the skin has little bumps that look like they're going to turn into sores. Argggh! I guess the next step is kitty prozac. (My neighbour came in to feed and play with the cats 4 times a day while I was away, and spent hours with them, so it wasn't loneliness.) The unfriendly little schmuck seems to have a neurotic need to have me around; I guess it's just not the same snubbing other people... I've always had easy-going, healthy lap cats, and I just don't know what to do with neurotic, food-obsessed Zen and little Lily with her constantly dirty, irritated eyes from blocked tear ducts.. Neither of whom will sit on my lap. Ever. I haven't felt this unappreciated and frustrated since just before my ex moved on...

[mscat816]

Carla - my heart goes out to you - what does the vet say about your kitty?

[MommaAshley]

HI Ladies !

Thanks for this challenge and for sharing your stats !!

I've lost an additional 3 lbs for a Grand Total of 19 lbs since January 1st.

I only have 2 more lbs to reach for my V-Day Goal

I know i can do it, but I may up the anty a bit !!

CONGRATS to everyone ~ Keep up the great work !!

[Sushi Penguin]

Hello Ladies,

First of all, Mscat, wow, I'm so impressed and inspired! Congratulations! And thank you for being a leader in action!

Carla, sorry to hear about the kitties and your frustration... is Zen the one dropping 'silent but deadly' ones? But don't dare blaming Mscat for your 4 pounds!

Bonnie and Casper, I realize I still have your unanswered PMs in my inbox... will try to get to those in the next couple days. First I didn't have time, then I forgot... aack!

Not much news with me... I finally got the idea of typing all this up while it's quiet at work and then post on the thread during my break, which is why I can write some more. My Ashtanga Yoga course started again, which makes me very happy, but not tennis yet and it seems like it's going to be a few more weeks. I was taking lessons near my work, at a very good price, but the slots they have now don't work with my schedule, unfortunately. I will be without a job in 3 weeks, and then coming here would not make any sense anyway, it's an hour's drive one way. Haven't heard from any of the other places yet. I'm looking forward to being done working here, I'm a bit sick of call centres at the moment.

Last week wasn't too bad for me, but I had some chocolate nearly every day - wanted to indulge a bit after finishing one of my 21-day challenges. I'll get myself together again soon though! No loss really this week, but I know that's because of more chocolate and less exercise. Scale shows 60.5 or 61 kg, or somewhere between that, which is either 134.7777777777... lbs or 135.555555555555... lbs or somewhere in between that... don't know if it's a loss or not!
In either case, I'm changing my ticker to 135 lbs - it's at 135.5 right now, only the half does not show. Hopefully things will even out soon and I'll stop being at half pounds, that always creates problems with the ticker... 135.5 reads as 135, yet you don't want it to say 135 when you're at 135.5 and you don't want it to say 136 either... at least such is my logic.

As stated on last week's thread, my challenge will remain the same for this week: no food after 7 pm (or late dinner, whichever comes first), in bed with lights off by 10:30 pm, no more than one coffee per day and 2 days with no coffee.
Unfortunately, I had food late last night and thus missed Monday. However, I still went to bed on time, which I think is a success - you know how tempting it is to pass on your other goals when you miss one!

[dgpebbles]

mscat - great job on moving that scale

well I'm only down 1lb this week but I bought a new pair of pants yesterday one size smaller..so I'm happy.

I have a kitten thats only 6 month old and she is in heat again right now for the second time...so sleeping right now is hard...I really need to get her fixed soon...

[mscat816]

I have to tell you - I am having a tough time hitting the STI button - I am in bed and starving - trying to resist the call of kettle corn popcorn!

MommaAshley - Sounds like you are walking the walk and not just talking the talk! Congratulations to you and to those last 2lbs.

Bonnie on your goals for the week.

Sushi I know what you mean about those darn half pounds! Don't worry - you will see those losses soon. I am looking forward to the day I can get to bed as early as you.

dgpebbles for your pound down!

Last week I changed my food plan. It was insane to continue what I was doing before which was not following a plan. It wasn't making a difference. I am following phase 3 of the rice diet, slipping to phase 4 when I feel deprived. Both phases are healthier, less calories, and more carb controlled then what I was doing before. This week I am going to stay OP again (phase 3 and 4) and I am adding exercise 3 times this week. I taught a 45 minute belly dance class tonight so I have one workout down.

If you didn't lose weight last week, take an honest look at how often you cheated on your plan (food, water, exercise, and/or sleep). If you didn't stray from your plan, then examine if you need to hit the STI button and change something (food, water, exercise, and/or sleep).

I need your updates ladies on total days goals met and pounds down to give kudos for last week.

[Sushi Penguin]

Mscat, could you tell me a bit about the rice diet? It sounds like it involves rice, which I love... Thankies

[mscat816]

This has been a great week! I hope you all are doing well and understand if you think I am getting being tough on you. I had to get tough on myself. I had to get honest with myself about not working with a food plan. So examine your plan (food, exercise, water and/or sleep). Determine if you are following your plan (honestly). If you are not, STOP THE INSANITY, of pretending you can cheat on your plan and be successful in making a difference in your health when you are not. If you are following your plan, then determine (honestly) if you need to change to another plan (food) or up the anty on a current plan (decrease calories, increase water or exercise) etc. It is INSANE to keep doing something that doesn't work for you or that you can't work.

Sushi and Bonnie - yes - I am following the Rice Diet from Durham. There are 2 books available on Amazon - Judy Moskovitz' "Rice Diet Report" which was the original publication and the most current publication which is "The Rice Diet Solution: The World-Famous Low-Sodium, Good-Carb, Detox Diet for Quick and Lasting Weight Loss " by Kitty Rosati, Robert Rosati. The latter may be available in your library. Check out the reviews posted on Amazon and Sushi - I'll pm you more details if your interested.

Bonnie - we applaud you for 6 days of doing something positive toward your weight loss goals whether it was a part of challenge or not. Consider these official bonus kudos for 6 occurances of an unofficial bonus goal and for 3lbs down!

Everyone - keep pushing and take it up a notch if you are stuck! It worked for me!

[carla49]

Last week - NO successes to report.

Yesterday: ate fruit after dinner, so no success on that, BUT was in bed with lights out at midnight!! Good for me! Baby steps...

Sushi, Zen WAS the silent-but-deadly offender. The one good thing about the strict hypo-allergenic diet is that his poops are now almost flower-like, as are his little farts!

Mscat, you're so dynamic this week, you're living in the future! (Unless I'm wrong in thinking hump day is Wednesday?) I may look at the rice diet too- I do love rice!

Bonnie, it is so good to have you back down in onederland! We all knew you would do it when ready. It takes so little to get derailed, and it's so hard to get back on track! My last little binge was triggered by a well-intentioned friend who gave me a very late Xmas gift of my favourite chocolate with whole hazelnuts - giant-size bar. I should have simply turfed it, but "didn't want to waste it", so here I am 10 days later and about 3 pounds bigger. I'll know better next time.

Pebbles, is it possible your kitten is older than you realised? A second heat at 6 months! Gruesome! I took Lily to the vet at 5 months just in case. Of course she was a shelter kitten, and here the purchase price at the shelter includes a voucher for neutering. We're pretty lucky, as the vets actually contribute their services for next to nothing. I did pay extra so she could have an IV for hydration and some other goodie that would help with a quick recovery, but that was optional. The procedure doesn't seem to have changed her in any way, still as bouncy and kittenish as ever.

ttfn

[Sushi Penguin]

Hello Ladies

Must. Get. Self. Together.
No, seriously, must! Second day of one coffee and lights off by 10:30 pm, but also of eating late... Totally emotional it was - I was very upset because of not getting a ride to my Yoga class, and thus being late, especially because it was for a really silly reason.
So I came home and had some mint chocolate sticks and a fruit smoothie... but at least I kept it in control - only a bit of chocolate and the smoothie was a low calorie one. I'm trying to come up with a tasty and healthy mango smoothie... find the bought ones to be too sweet, too expensive and waaaaaaaay too high in calories. I tried low-calorie ice cream a few days ago, but yesterday I opted just for milk. The first one was too watery, and the one I made yesterday didn't taste too good... perhaps I should add some orange juice or something, only there was nothing of the sort at home. I don't want to put icecream in because that won't go with the no sweets challenge I'm about to start. Any ideas for a low-calorie smoothie anyone? Just without bananas and apple juice!

Anyhow, must stop the insanity today and stick with no food after dinner! And I'm wondering whether my bed time needs some modification... I'm sleeping about 8 hrs (8.5 from bedtime to when alarm goes off, but it always takes me a bit to fall asleep), but I'm sleepy and tired in the morning.
No idea what the deal here is... it certainly won't help if I was to go to bed later, but it's going to be pretty much impossible to make it to bed any earlier... I usually don't get home from work until nearly 7 pm because of a long commute, and that changes to 9 pm if it's Yoga or tennis day, and there is stuff that needs to be taken care off at home. I don't really see a solution here... I could get more sleep next week because I start work later, but then the following week it's back to 8 am starts, which means leaving before 7 am and still coming back around 7 pm. Fortunately this job ends around Feb 17-21st!

Alright, I'll stop rambling and get to work!
Scale was a bit up this morning, serves me right!

Oh Mscat, I'll look for the rice diet book at the library, but it will be a couple of weeks till I make it there, so it would be cool if you could PM me some details when you have some time

[mscat816]

Carla - I have been a day ahead all week!

[dgpebbles]

I had a STI yesterday...My friend loves to go out to eat...she always calls me to go and I always give in....Then I'm trying to find something healthy when we go...so yesterday I told her that I just couldn't go cause I need to stay on the health eating track...I'm proud of myself cause I love going out to eat and it's hard to say no but I did it..

mscat - I may have to look for the rice diet too...I think we all love rice so why don't you tell us all alittle about it on here instead..

[mscat816]

Happy Hump Day! This is the tough part of the week because we often get week with our resolve knowing that there are still 4 days left in the week. Stay strong and revel in those STI moments - they will carry you through the rest of the week if you just choose to believe in their power.

dgpebbles - Congrats on your STI moment!

Let me check my book and I will give you all some basic info on the rice diet this evening. Have a great day!