foucault - Great job!

I am back on my eating plan today and I am going to stay there. I had a good workout this morning: 12 min mile to warm up, Group Ride class, 20 min on the stair climber and 20 minutes on the elliptical.

You know what else is hard during the winter? Drinking enough water! It's cold - I don't want water!

I hope everyone's having a great day.

Hi,

I just got home from my workout. I walked 2 miles. It felt good. I had some frustration to walk off and it did help.

I'm staying on track this week but I didn't get a chance to write down my food today so I'm going to do that when I finish posting here. I don't plan on waiting like that again; it's too easy to just not do it when I don't do it right away.

Wardhog: You are doing some awesome workouts! As for the water. That is about all I drink. It took me a long time to get to that point but now I crave it. It can be hard when it's cold --I remember when I felt that way. But now I just feel so dry without it and I feel dry enough in the winter. The cold and heating make my skin feel so dry and my hair too so I try to drink extra water in the winter.

Focult: Yeah! You had a great weigh-in Your goal is vey realistic and what a nice present to give yourself. Keep up the good work!

Ok...time to go log that food and then get ready for bed. 5:30 a.m.comes early!

WardHog - Glad you are back on track! I know what you mean about water. It is difficult for me to drink as much as I should during the winter months. I usually try to drink between 100 to 120 oz a day, but in January, February, and March I'm lucky if I can drink 60 oz. I guess that's still around the recommended daily amount, but I like to go above and beyond the call of duty.

Susie - Walking is such a great way to get out frustration and stress. I was frustrated with work and went for a walk at lunch to balance myself. It really works well. As for the food log - I know exactly what you mean. It is so easy to leave off with keeping a food log if you miss one day. One day turns into two days, which turns into two weeks. Which is bad news. I can't lose weight if I don't log my food.

I stopped myself from committing a bad habit yesterday. I had to run a few errands for work, and on my way back to the office, I thought, "Hey, I've been so good and done so well, I should treat myself to something yummy." I began planning out where I should stop to get my yummy treat. Then I realized what I was doing: rewarding myself with food. Bad, bad idea. So, I went back to work and ate my snack (an orange). Will power, I love you.

Other than that, I'm great. I'm participating in a month-long challenge to lose 10 pounds by February 10th. I started at 230, so I'm only 3.5 pounds away from meeting my goal. In my dreams, I'm be 219 by then, but that might not happen. Just depends on what my body wants to do.

Today is strength training. I'm using 5-pound weights right now, but I think I might up it to 8 starting next week. The 5-pounders are getting a little bit too easy for me since I've been using them for a month. I'm still doing that silly dance video for some quick cardio on my strength training days. I can do the routine now! I'm sure I look ridiculous, but it is fun and within a minute of starting it, my heart rate shoots up there.

Mychoice - keep up the good work! foucault, great job stopping yourself from getting a "treat". Pretty soon you'll be able to reward yourself with a bunch of smaller clothes!

Today I did a Group Ride class, then a Group Power class. I am still shaking. LOL I stayed on my eating plan yesterday and I am on track for today. I am still trying to get rid of the 5.2 pounds I gained on the two bad days. Yup, 5.2 pounds. It's so easy to gain - why can't it be easy to get rid of?

Hi Gals,

I can't believe what I did. I turned down FREE cake in the cafeteria at work today. It was chocolate and free and I still turned it down. I am so proud of myself.

I am going to the movies tonight with friends (going to see 27 Dresses). I will by-pass anything at the movie but I might have a little something when we go out afterwards. I just made up my mind that I'll only have something if someone will split it with me. That was one reason for not having the free cake because I know that I will want something when we go out after the movie. I wish I were a coffee/tea drinker and then I could just order that but I'm not so I'll need to pick something. I'm sure I can find someone to split something with me. I'll ask at the movie and then if no one thinks they would want to split a dessert then I will not go with them; I'll just go home.

Wardhog: I hear you on the 5 lb easy gain. I can do that in just a couple of days too if I'm not careful and it takes more than that to get it back off.

Focult: Your will-power was in full control today. Great job!

Ok..I need to get back to work. I wanted to be sure that I posted today because I truly do think of the posts on here and they get me through until the next day. Just like a 12 Step program!

I haven't posted in a couple of days. I have been so sick. Monday I did my workout and then got the chills and my eyes felt glazed over, then hot flashes and coughing. Yesterday I was OK, walk/jogged for 2 miles in about 35 min. that's pretty good for me. Tonight I feel the chills coming on again, I am freezing. Even though I have felt like crap, I have worked out every day. I am only down about a pound and a half for our "BL" weigh in tom. We'll see what happens tonight.

I am trying to get calories up to 1400 a day, somedays it is still down at 1200-1280.
Wardhog- sorry about the weight gain. You workout so much, good things will come if you just keep with it.
foucault- good job avoiding that drive thru yummy.
Mychoice- keep writing, even if you do it late at night or the next morning.
Kelly- I know you are down a few pounds. Great job, you might have to pull me through a little this week.

Keep working hard everyone and keep posting. It is inspirational to all.

Ok, I'm trying to get a ticker going, but am not sure how to do it!! Hope this works! I have been doing well. I am down 5 total pounds, 4 since last Thursday. I am keeping my hopes up that the scale will go down some more tomorrow for my weigh in. Mindy--no worries, I've got your back, you've got mine, I know! Keep up the good work everyone!!!

WardHog - Isn't it horrible how fast we can gain? I have a fear of gaining a significant amount of weight back after I've reached my goal. At any rate, I'm sure you'll shed those lbs in no time. You're a gym maniac. ;-)

Susie - That's awesome! Your will power was in full effect to turn down free cake - especially if it was chocolate.

Mindy - I hope you feel better soon. Working out when you're not feeling all that great is real commitment. And, wow, your calories are low. I guess it all depends on how each of our bodies work. I'm eating between 1650 and 1800 each day and losing. I hit a plateau a while back while eating less calories and started eating a bit more. I ended up losing the first week. Our bodies work in mysterious ways, I guess. Try high calorie, healthy foods if you want to up your calories instead of just eating more quantity-wise. A little bowl with one serving of mini shredded wheat with frosting is 350 (with milk). I combine it with a banana (100) and some yogurt (100). My lunch is usually less calories than my breakfast, but breakfast will keep me full longer.

Kelly - Great job on the loss! Tickers are easy. It's just a matter of entering your info and copy/pasting the code it gives you. If you need any help, I'm sure one of us can walk you through it. I get too much pleasure out of updating my tickers when I lose. It's nice to see the counter trucking along the screen each week.

It's another Thursday for me. Work is a bit obnoxious today, but that's nothing new. I'm looking forward to the weekend. It's supposed to snow here today, so my planned 1.5 mile walk might end up being a bust. I'll do some cardio inside if that's the case.

I've noticed in the last few days that I'm skipping my evening snack. I always leave about 150 calories for a snack in the evening after dinner. I've skipped it the last two days because I just haven't felt like eating. Surprisingly, I don't miss it and have not been hungry before bed either. Maybe my body is adjusting to this new way of eating.

Hello

I am happy to report that I stayed in control on the outing after the movie last night. I did order this wonderful dessert..ate half of it and stopped. I brought it home to have the other half tonight. Also they brought us rolls..warm..butter. I buttered a piece of it (after I stopped the cake--sort of to "cut the sweet" as my gandma used to say) ate that and stopped.

I am just amazed that I did that. I'm putting it in my memory banks..because when a time comes that I think I won't...I will KNOW that I can..I already have!

Tonight is weigh-in night. You know I'm hoping and praying my efforts this week show up on the scales.

I have many reasons to want to lose this weight--look better, feel better, feel sexier, buy normal size--not plus size--clothes and yesterday a trip to a checkup gave me another reason.

Without passing out TMI (to much information) I had a checkup with my urologist. I see one because I have a disease, Intersistial Cysistis or IC that I am medicated for. Urgency and frequence go along with this disease. I have noticed some urgency that sometime I can't seem to control..such as if I cough and sneeze--if I go to do those things I have to really be careful so no "accidents" happen-- he explanied why that happens and that surgery could correct it but he also mentioned that losing weight--even 20 lbs would make a big difference for me at this point. I only have the issue with coughing or sneezing..sometimes jumping up and down if my bladder is full. He did explain to me that weight isn't the only issue..ageing, hormones and such play a part to. But he checked me, said that he was sure that it wasn't bad enough for surgery yet and that with losing weight I could really turn things around. That was enough for me! I AM going to do this. I have had a lot of health issues in my life and I know how hard it is to stay well...I don't want my weight to be a factor. So..there is some more motivation for me.

Focult: I'm sure that your body is adjusting. That just goes to show that small changes can lead to bigger ones. What I mean is that you didn't cut the snack out all together at first..just planned for it and now your body is ok with that and it will even let you go without it. We can retrain our bodies. Isn't it wonderful?

Kelly and Mindy: Good luck with your weigh-ins. I know how great it feels to have your efforts shown at the scales. Mindy: I know you don't want to miss exercising but maybe you should scale it back a bit until you feel better. I was always taught that if your symptoms are above the neck it's ok to work out..maybe at a light, less intense routine..your body is working hard enough already to fight the sickness..but if your symptoms are below the neck (and I would say that chills are) then you need to give your body a few days of rest..mabye just do some gentle stretching or yoga...for relaxation.

Wardhog: How's your day shaping up?

Ok..back to work for me.

Mychoice - Great job last night! And what a great motivator you got from your doctor.

mtiger - I hope you feel better soon.

Good luck with the weigh-ins; mine is tomorrow, too. I don't have high expectations - I will be happy if I am back down to where I started this week.

This morning I did a Group Ride class (third day in a row - oy), 26 min on the stair climber, 26 min on the elliptical. I stuck to my eating plan yesterday and I am on track for today.

Okay, so today was weigh in at work. We did awesome. Kelly lost 4 pounds, I lost 3.5 since last Thursday. Alot of people gained weight this week. Those people who lost 8 pounds last week. AWW!! We came in second place for the week. Not bad huh? We would like to win once just to get our money back, but our time will come.

You know I have been doing so well that I fear changing anything at all. I am afraid to eat more calories or miss a single workout. Last night's workout was the hardest. I didn't feel well, even had a little fever, but I couldn't say no. I am very stubborn. I worked my tail off last night and lost two pounds today.

Tom. is my official weigh in at home and I just dread going up at all. However, after a loss like today, I fear I will go up tom. That just seems to be the way my body works. We'll see what happens in the morning. We walk/jogged 2 miles tonight and that is getting to where it doesn't feel like that much of a workout. I hope it was still enough.

Keep working hard everyone.

Hello,

Good news for me at the scales. I had a 2.25 lb loss. I was very happy with that. Looks like writing down my food really makes a difference for me.

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today. I woke up with a tummy ache and thought it was what I had for dinner last night but now I'm not sure. I'm sort of aching all over. I've taken something for the aches and for the tummy and I'm trying to make it to 4 when my last meeting will be over. I know I'll be going to the Health Services offices at noon and laying down for 30 min. I know that would make me feel a bit better. I'm really tired of getting sick!

Wardhog: I think I would DIE if I did 26 min on the stairclimber! That is amazing! Good job for being on plan.

Mtiger and Kelly: Glad to hear about your amazing losses! Mtiger, I hope that you get to feeling better soon.

Ok. Back to work for me. I'll be around this weekend. I hope others post too.

Kelly, mtiger and Mychoice - great job on the losses! I hope you are not getting sick, Mychoice.

Today I did 25 min on the elliptical, a Group Power class, then 20 minutes on the stair climber. It is a tough machine; it really gets the sweat going. I stayed on my eating plan yesterday and I am on track for today. And by some miracle I ended up down a pound for the week to 156.6.

I'll be around this week-end too, but if you're not - have a great one!

Okay so today was a great day. I am into my program 4 weeks now and am officially down 10 pounds. That is 2.5/week. I am so happy!!! Notice how I jumped right in and changed my ticker. In the spring I weighed about the same, so I am looking forward to losing a little bit more and being smaller than I have been in 23 years. Yeah!!! I am doing it this time.

I still feel kind of crappy. Mychoice, I hope you are not getting sick. It is no fun. Also good job on the weight loss.

Wardhog- Nice work losing, even though you had gotten off plan. You are a worker and it pays off. Good job.

Weekends can be tough, so stay strong everyone and be active.

10 pounds! awesome!

Today I did a Group Ride class, then walked (hills) 40 min (2.5 mi). I stayed on my eating plan yesterday and I am on track for today.

My embarrassing gym story for today: We were off our bikes stretching after the ride, and I slipped in my puddle of sweat and fell on my a**!! I was not hurt, so feel free to laugh with me! LOL