September Challange!!!
 

Ok .. its now Sept 1st! Lets start our September challenge.

Everyone share their goals for the whole month. These can be weight loss, habits, or other goals.

Good luck!

-Tanya

Sept. Goals
 

Goals for this month:

1) Work out 4 days a week. (aerobic 45 mintues, weight lift arms/legs)
2) Lose a total of 5 pounds.
3) Drink 6 glasses of water per day
4) Only eat ice cream 4 times this month.
5) Eat a mixture of low-carb/low-fat. (if this doesnt work, I am gonna try low-carb either next month or halfway through Sept.)

ok here goes mine too...

1) im on the water thing too...2 litres a day
2) no chinese take away at all!
3) keep to my 200 crunchies a day (they make me feel good!)
4) Buy some scales (i have been to scared so far!)
5) Keep to my low carb diet

Ok there are my goals :D Good luck everyone!!

Tonic, I really like your goals. They definitly seem managable.

After two weeks of overeating (it's the first week back at college) I'm desperate to start eating better and FEELING better. My goals include:

Lose 3 to 5 pounds
Drink more water
Truly giving it some thought before I eat something when I'm not hungry
Making better choices at the dining hall
Adding at least one aerobics class a week to my 5 day a week walking routine (or replace a walk with a class)

My goals are:

1) To get all my water in (100 ounces).
2) Walk at least 3 times a week.
3) Don't get chips out of the vending machine when I already bring my lunch to work!
4) Stop drinking Diet SoDa (well any Soda) and see how I do with just water and Tea, DH is doing this one with me!:) :) :) :) :)

UPDATE:
I lost .6 this week, not sure what is going on with my weight loss but I am sticking to the plan so we'll see. I have met my goals for the week!

Hey all! New to the 20s group here. I have been doing LA Weight Loss for about a year, so I usually post over there. I am just starting WW this week, so my only goal is to make it through the month on plan...and maybe lose a few pounds along the way!

1) Learn, and stick to, the point plan
2) Lose 5 lb (end=237)

Anyone else here do Saturday weigh ins?

been sick!
 

hi everyone-i've been sick for the last few days, and i haven't been online much. was also v. busy at work with a special project, but hope this is over now. haven't been to the gym--sooo tired. was thinking about going back today, but now that i woke up-don't think so. still v. congested, tired, sore throat. HAVE to go tomorrow.
i am going to take today & think about my september goals. i'll post them tomorrow.
SELF magazine has this thing called the "SELF Challenge" it was in the mag. a few months ago. I stll have it. I am thinking about starting it this month. maybe that will be my challenge.

justsecretgirl-i know the feeling with the soda. i gave it up for lent & lost 5 pounds. but since then i am having a hard time
resisting!

JMU-i do the same thing "eating when not hungry" we need to overcome it. think about it first, wait ten minutes, journal, whatever it takes!

talk to y'all later!
happy labor day (USA)!

Jenn

started WW yesterday - trying to keep at around 20 pts - did really well for day one!!

This is my first 20-something monthly challenge - we'll see how it goes!

My goals for September:

1) Drink 100 ounces of water a day
2) Limit diet soda to 3 per week
3) No creamer in my coffee (1 pt per tbsp - no thanks!)
4) Run at least 5 miles 5 days a week, with one of those runs being an endurance run of at least 7-8 miles
5) Eat more veggies!!
6) Don't get down on myself if I binge one day
7) Keep points to about 20 per day
8) All said and done, if I do all these things, I will hopefully lose 8 pounds!!

:flow2:

Good luck to everyone!

Emily :doh:


NOW: 180 lbs. (43/33)
Sept. Goal: 172 lbs. (41/ 31):wave:

Hello everyone! I am sneaking on while doing all of my chores - labor day in deed!

I am pleased to say I will be starting September back at my lowest weight so far - I weighed in at 146.5 this morning! Yay!

I had written some goals in my journal at work, but since I'm at home, I hope I remember them!

September goals:

1) Do the "long" version of my walk once a week.

2) Get 20 minutes of aerboic exercise on the days I weight train.

3) Only get on the scale 3x a week. I am a daily scaler, and although I honestly have not let the bumps get to me, I know that I cannot do this for the rest of my life. Hopefully by the time I reach goal, I will be comfortable weighing in every week or 2.

4) Buy a stationary bike. Once daylight savings time hits, my schedule changes dramatically. I will be feeding the animals at the sanctuary first thing when I get home, and it will be dark when I finish. I need a way to get some easy aerobic activity indoors.

5) Lose 2.5 lbs. This puts me on track to be at goal weight by my birthday (March 2003). Probably should try for more, since we know what's around the corner (Holidays), but I will be happy if I can acheive this. I am getting down to weights that I used to maintain easily, so I cannot expect big losses.

Good luck to all!

hi everyone,
here are my september goals
1. drink 8 glasses water a day-every single day! (so far so good!)
2. cardio 5x a week at least 40 minutes
3. weights 3x a week using heavier weights this month
4. stick to my points/calories (toughest) put a stop to the binging!
5. cut out the soda/koolaid (maybe once per week).
6. eat more fresh fruits/veggies!
7. think positive!!!!!!!!!!

i've been sick for a few days so the eating has kind of gone out the window. i wasn't even hungry on saturday, i think i could have gone all day without eating, but my bf insisted i eat for energy. haven't been to the gym since wednesday. going back tonight!

My September goals are:

To stick with the 4 things a day challenge
1) 8 glasses of water a day (64oz)
2) Daily devotion
3) Daily aerobic exercise (for at least 30 minutes)
4) Stick with eating plan between 1200 and 1500 calories a day

a)I also want to continue my one night a week technology time out.

b) try my best to keep my house straight this month

c) keep the yard cut on a regular basis

d) celebrate me once a week in some inexpensive way

I look forward to hearing from everyone throughout the month.

Betty

Oops! I forgot to add that I my goal for weight loss this month is to be down to 137 by Oct 1st.

i am happy to report that I didn't do too bad yesterday. i had about 1700 calories (not that bad!), no soda, 8 glasses H2O, did 45 min aerobics class, abs, had 2 fruits, 2 veggies servings.
i think i am going to run/walk today & lift weights at the gym.
well i better go do some work!
Jenn

Hello all, I am posting in hopes of good mental health. Perhaps a vent will make me feel better.

I have had a headache now for over 2 days. I took Tylenol PM last night and got a good night's sleep (didn't want to get up!), but this is wearing me down. And making me eat more. OK, I'm just eating more, but I really do feel it is in part due to the pain. Whenever I don't feel well, I just don't concentrate on being healthy.

The headache, BTW, is a tension/stress headache. It's accompanied by a very sore jaw - my TMJ acting up. It is a struggle with insurance to try and see the dentist which can help (he runs a TMJ pain clinic). I am considering saying F**K it, and paying for it out of pocket. It would be about $3-4000, but I have a mutual fund which we could cash out to cover it.

Sigh. Of course, having less stress in my life (read - not disliking my job so much) would be a good thing also. I really do like my job, I've learned a lot and I am good at certain aspects of it, but currently I am working on something VERY important (sucks that they figured out how smart I am) which is not only stretching my learning abilities, but has me tied up in a lot of detailed, pointless meetings where everyone just re-hashes the last meeting and changes their mind a dozen times on the smallest details.

And having to attend/participate in all of these meetings just drives home some sticky facts like 1) I am the only female in these meetings; and 2) Most people in the meetings have children my age. I don't mind these points too much generally, but it seems to put me at a disadvantage during meetings that people expect me to lead, but insist that their way is the right way. They always talk over me, and unfortunately my hot-headed impatience is almost a joke now, so no matter how calm I try to act, they almost seem dissapointed/uncomfortable when I don't get animated/arugmentative.

(deeep breath) Funny thing is, last night when I did my walk (long version - yay me), was the only time yesterday I DIDN'T have a headache. So, I am going to take a "break" at 10 (will be too hot by lunchtime) and take a quick walk as a stress reliever.

As I said above, my eating habits have suffered from my headaches and I seem to go into snack mode in the evenings. In part because I don't have anything else to do - I have been trying to not give myself too big of a "To Do" list so that I can have some down time and not stress at home.

So tonight I am going to try and not watch my usual TV, perhaps just go to bed early with a book, or play with the dog.

Thanks for letting my rant.

Monique - I think cutting out diet coke is a good idea. The Richard Simmons plan allows for two caffienated beverages a day, so I have my morning coffee and afternoon diet coke.

Betty - you are going to have one busy September!

Jenn - are you feeling better? I hope so.

Tanya - good idea on the ice cream. I think it's probably the "best for you" treat you can have.

Emily, JMU, justsecretgirl, Torah, and Jibbelle - welcome to the challenge!

Have a good day everyone.

Hi all,

I am new to all this. but hoping that having a place to share will keep me motivated! Also hope that letting you all know my goals will help keep me to them! SO here they are:

1. drink 6 glasses H2O every day
2. exercise at least 3 times per week
3. lose 5 pounds by end of september (at least!)
4. Think more positive thoughts!;)

fm-i know how you feel-somewhat.
i've had some problems with my jaw for about the last 7-8 years. it is not that bad. once in a while it flares up. i've also had some dental work done since May & i was having problems where my teeth/jaw/gums seemed to be hurting all the time. and to add to it, the insurance co. recently denied a claim from my dentist for some periodontal work. (totally necessary work that in the books says they cover!) the dentist says they have been denying all these claims for a while now, & they have resubmitted it. sometimes i really hate insurance companies.
i also can relate to your job experiences. #1- i am the only woman in all men office/almost all men company (worldwide). Granted the actual office i work in is only 4 ppl total, but everyone here is almost old enough to be my Dad. They constantly talk over me. Meetings are completely useless (most of the time) because they sit there talking about technical things that I know nothing about, yet expect me to understand everything (i have a business degree-not an engineering degree!) don't get me wrong, the guys are nice guys, but it's like you said, they are always "right" about everything! and then the head office is another country-where they don't all speak english! ah, not always fun to deal with.
i definitely think exercise will help your stress/pain levels. i swear whenever i have any pain before a workout it goes away during the workout.
i hope you feel better as the day progresses.
:)

Welcome to the challenge kittykat714!

FM - I am so sorry to hear about your chronic headaches. I hope you find a solution soon.

Monique - Buying cans is probably a good idea.. plus it doesnt get flat as quickly! Good job on the exercise.. and maybe your body just needs more fuel for today?

I need to correct one goal. I need to move my exercise to 35 minutes and increase intensity. See below for why.

Well I am doing fine with the goals... except for drinking water. Its a bit too early to tell in regards to exercise, but I went Monday and I am going tonight. I have pottery on Tues/Thur so I am usually really tired by the time I get home.. so I decided not to go on those nights.

So we shall see. I am a bit worried. I used to exercise 45 minutes 5-6 days a week. Now cause of school and moving its only 4 days.. and only 35 minutes (I have to sign up for blocks on the machines at the gym).

Good morning! Thank you everyone for the support yesterday. It felt so good to just "get it out".

The headache is still there. Dentist's office is now adding to it. I emailed information to the assistant's home address because they don't have internet in the office. That was on August 26th. I called yesterday and she said she hadn't received it (although I got no message of undelivered mail) and she thought I had just changed my mind! How presumptous! I emailed it again and said I would call today to make sure she got it.

I see the Dr. that diagnosed my TMJ next week, and will ask if he can recommend another dentist.

My mid morning walk did help a lot. I might try and do it every day, not just on the days when I weight train.

I didn't stay completely away from the TV last night, but I took a great bath, had some Tylenol PM (won't have any tonight - I actually hate taking stuff) and got in bed to read a book a 1/2 hour before my usual bedtime.

I plan to do my long version of my walk again today. And I saw a recumbant bike for $90 at Sears. I would like to find a used one, but because of my back I think a recumbant would feel better and it's hard to be so picky when shopping used. Does anyone have any experience buying a stationary bike? Any advice?

I stuck to my eating pretty much yesterday. Had a huge sub at lunch that allotted for most of my calories, but it really filled me up and I didn't eat much after that.

Today is a 1200 calorie day, and I think I have been struggling because I just don't eat enough at lunch on these days - I try to save as much as possible for dinner. So today I am going to order a BBQ chicken breast and (dry) sweet potato from the local BBQ place. I will take the skin off the chicken, and probably throw away some of it, but that will give me some extra protein to have staying power through the day.

Tanya - I wouldn't worry too much about the exercise. I got a lot of extra walking in when I went to school, it definitely made the difference between then and now (desk job). And you can always add some walking in (park far away, etc.) if it seems like you need it. BTW, I absolutely love to throw! I am so jealous that you are taking pottery. I know of a few places I could sign up around here, but I simply don't have the time. One of my goals in life is to own my own wheel and kiln.

Monique - I had a few days like that myself - completely starved and it's only 10a.m. It got out of my system, although I did give into a little (evening snacking). I buy my diet coke in cans as well. I keep them hidden in one of the vegetable crisper drawers so they aren't in line-of-sight when I open the fridge.

Jenn - I am not the only female, I work for a very large company. But we definitely are outnumbered. And the other women all seem to be family-oriented. I just don't relate when our woman's organization holds an open forum to discuss the new school busing rules and how they will effect us. But at least everyone speaks english!

kittykat714 - welcome! Sounds like you have some really good goals set.

I'm off to do some work, take care...

Thursday:

The past couple of days have gone okay - I have even cheated and still stayed within my point range for ww.

I have been staying to my water amounts, and have gone to the gym 3 times this week (Sun, Wed, Thur)

One bad thing though - :eek: - I did horrible on Tuesday, but it hasn't really gotten me down - I just started anew on Wednesday - I think I will be really successful with Weight Watchers so I am really pumped up now!

My friend and I are planning on doing a 1/2 marathon in November so I have to get ready for that too!:strong:

Hope all is well with everyone!!

Emily

hi everyone,
since i've been sick this last week, diet & exercise have kind of gone out the window. i did great on tuesday, but wed & thursday were so-so. i haven't been working out either, except for tuesday. i just don't have the energy. i wonder i have a sinus infection, since i cannot seem to shake this cold. it's making me crazy.
:dizzy:
i got a thing in the mail to re-join WW. i keep looking at it, thinking i should just do it. i mean, i probably shouldn't because of the $$$ but then i think i should, because maybe the meetings would be really helpful to me. when i did it before & when i went to the meetings, that is when i lost weight. honestly i am worried about what my bf will say. i know the first thing he'll say is "i thought you didn't have any money?" and the second thing will be "you know what you have to do, just eat less". like it's that easy. the support factor is very important. i know you guys are very supportive & i thank you for it, but i think in person support is important too. men don't really seem to understand the weight loss process, and i have no "girlfriends" locally that can jump on board with me.
i am so sick of not losing weight. i feel like i am getting fatter every day!
also i should probably seriously go to OA. I looked at their website, and some of the symptoms they had showed very much what i do on a daily basis.
aaarrrrggghhh! i'm sorry, i guess i am jumping all over the place with my thoughts. let me know what you guys think!
monique-i think the journal is a good idea. i do that sometimes too. should probably do it every day, it would probably help.
lucky, good luck with the 1/2 marathon! :cp:

Hey Jenn,

I hear you about being sick. Same situation here...but I think I am managing to kick this cold! I am so GLAD! I felt HORRIBLE on Tuesday...Wednesday was worse. But yesterday was a little better, with the help of medicine all day...and well...today...I'm managing pretty well without it! So I'm excited b/c IF I can shake this cold by Monday, I may get to hold my nephew for the first time ever.

My sis called yesterday and said that my nephew is coming home from the hospital! We are all so excited that we are bouncing!! :) yay! He is a little over three months old. He was born VERY premature 3 1/2 months early...so this is exciting that he's going to come home for the first time.

I haven't managed exercise at all this week except for Monday. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, no exercise, but I did stick with my eating plan all three days on that! So I'm proud of myself for that. I was worried about over exerting myself with exercise with the cold, and I honestly didn't have the strength to do much moving at all when I got off work on those days. But I think with this cold decreasing that my energy will increase and I will get exercise in every day this week! Yay!

How is everyone else?

Monique, that thing about journaling on your cravings is a great idea! I may do the same, along with you and Jenn.

Jenn, hang in there! And I hope that your cold improves. And as far as weight watchers goes....if you think it will help, I would say pay the $$ and cut the funds from else where. That's just my 2 cents!

Emily, that's exciting about the 1/2 Marathon, keep us posted on how that's going.

FM- How's your head? Any improvement with the dentist? How did your eating go yesterday?

Hope everyone is doing well.

Betty

No offense guys, but please don't sneeze on the computer! I cannot afford to get sick until January (and not really even then!).

Jenn & Betty - Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well. Jenn, definitely consider seeing a doctor. Some allergy meds might make you feel a ton better.

Monique - I keep a mini "weighloss" journal on my computer at work, and I find that the weeks I write the most, I lose the most. It just keeps you "focused" to be able to vent out all those feelings you have on food, rather than succombing to them.

Jenn - I wish I had some magic words to make you feel better. Hang in there! I wish we lived closer so we could exercise together - and our skinny men could go have pizza with out us! Don't let him talk you out of doing something for yourself. How much are the meetings? Could you skip eating out once a week to cover it?

Yesterday went pretty well, with the exception of making caramel corn. 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and 1 1/2 tbsp. butter over six cups of popcorn isn't the worst thing in the world - and most of the "caramel" just sank/stuck to the bottom of the bowl.

So, I don't really count that as a failure except for the fact that I ate popcorn rather than vegetables or fruit. It's funny how our minds work. I bought plums as one of my fruits for the week, but with the first one I bit into a rotten spot and now I have managed to "forget" my plum every day since!

But today I am right on track. A 6" chicken terrayki sub from Subway and beets for lunch. I am making fahitas tonight which will have tons of red peppers and onions in them as well. As long as I eat my peapods, I should be on track with vegetables....we'll see about the plum...

I did my short version of my walk yesterday, but in the pouring rain and jogging more than ever. I also had done a 20 minute walk during the morning, so I consider that equal to my "long" walk.

Other than that, I faithfully stayed off the scale yesterday and today. I am scared about tomorrow. I got down to 146.5 last month (I hate 1/2 lbs!), only to gain back. I know I haven't eaten enough to warrent a huge gain, but I just have this feeling that it is going to be hard as heck to get lower.

Well, I could babble on (who wants to work on a Friday??), but that's it here. Hope everyone has a great weekend. We have a going away party on Saturday (sad) and then on Sunday going out on a co-workers boat (first time I'll have been on a boat in FL - lived here for 9 years). Take care!

DON'T QUIT!
 

I didn't write this, i got it from the WW site, but I thought it was pretty good.


When you've eaten too much and you can't write it down
And you feel like the biggest failure in town;
When you want to give up just because you gave in
And forget all about being healthy and thin;
So what! You went over your points a bit;
So don't you quit!

It's a moment of truth,
It's an attitude change;
It's learning the skills to get back in your range;
It's telling yourself "You've done great up till now;
You can take on this challenge and beat it somehow."
It's part of your journey toward reaching your goal;
You're still gonna make it, just stay in control.

To stumble and fall is not a disgrace
If you summon the will to get back in the race;
But, often the strugglers, when losing their grip
Just throw in the towel and continue to slip
And learn too late when the damage is done
That the race wasn't over and they still could have won.

Lifestyle change can be awkward and slow
But facing each challenge will help you to grow;
Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint in the cloud of doubt.

When you're pushing to the brink,
Just refuse to submit;
If you bite it you write it...But don't you quit!

Excited
 

Wow, I just discovered the monthly challenge page and I think it is a great Idea.

Right now I am in transition. I have been living in a van in Europe for the last 4 and a half months, and have been on the road for a total of 5 and a half months. Tomorrow I fly to Chicago, meet my mom there, and we drive a little more, another 2000 miles back to Oregon. I live with the folks for a week or so while housing is arranged and then POW!!! I have a stable place to live for another half year!!!!! I tried to begin a fitness program while traveling, but it fell apart after 1.5 months. I think having no regular schedule contributed to this.


So my goals for september are:

1) decide on exersize plan for october
2) decide on eating plan (if I do one!)
2) keep thinking possitively about my weightloss and fitness prospects

So there it is, some reasonable and attainable goals!

i was getting this weekend so depressed about this weightloss/points/calories/diet thing. since i have been sick for about the last week, i didn't go to the gym that much. i wasn't interested in counting calories or anything like that. then i got a thing in the mail from WW to re-join. i would like to do it, but there are reasons why i don't want to:
#1 the cost-although i was able to afford it when i made much less money!
#2 i am afraid that i will just end up quitting it again.
i was thinking about it, & i don't think my bf would really care either way, he just wants me to be happY!

then i was reading a book called "it's not about food: end your obsession with food & weight" it is a good book, it is about getting away from being obsessed with losing weight & eating (which i feel i am a lot of the time!). i was reading a chapter where it talked about stopping dieting all together & only eating when you are truly hungry, eating enough of what you want & stopping when you are full. i thought i would really love to not be "dieting" all the time. so i was thinking over the weekend, back and forth-should i just stop all together with the points, calories, etc & just learn to eat naturally again? or should i do WW? but then what if i never ever lose weight? what if i stay the same forever? aaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhh! it is actually scary to not be on some kind of diet because that is what i am used to. know what i mean?

i really want to lose weight, but I don't want to be counting calories, points, and obsessing about it for the rest of my life. i don't want to get depressed every time i eat a doughnut!

i guess i am really confused about where to go from here. i was so depressed about it over the weekend. sunday i went to target to return something & i ended up spending $100 on new clothes-even though i keep saying i don't want to buy clothes until i lose weight. but shopping is my best anti-depressant! :) (actually i didn't spend all the $$ on me, i bought my nephew some things for his b-day & bought my bf a shirt).

i am seriously considering contacting a counselor or therapist for an outsiders opinion.

i would still want to keep working out-no matter what i was doing food wise. it really occurred to me over the weekend (i went to the gym on friday & saturday) that i really do love exercising. sure it is time consuming & sometimes i think 'oh my god, i can't do this!' but in the end i love it anyway!
and i would still want to post here because you guys are so great!

anyway, that's my two cents, happy monday!

Good morning!

I had some great emotional highs this week (free tour at the sanctuary generated almost $800!, and went out on a boat for the 1st time yesterday - it was a blast).

So, that eases the 1 pound gain I saw. That, and the fact that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out less fruits/vegetables + more carbs = no weight loss.

So I'm back in the saddle, and have some good foods planned for the week.

Monique - you don't know how many times I've related the concept of quitting drinking/smoking with losing weight! I tell DH that if I can lose weight while being phsyically required to face the food demons every day, he should at least have just as much determination to quit smoking. Not like he "needs" nicotine to live the same way that everyone needs food.

But yes, it would be nice if someone made a pill, or gum (like in Willy Wonka), that contained all of your calories/food groups/etc. and we could chew it and be done with it!

Jenn - I've been there (I think we all probably have), and I feel for you. Between Janaury and June I felt like a complete loser (and not in a good way). I thought I would never figure out a way to successfully lose weight again.

Maybe taking a break is what you need. Maybe you will find that you've learned enough about good food choices that you don't need to "diet".

I believe that therapists are a great tool for everyone to use. I've met some icky ones unfortunately, so I would suggest to anyone that they should have some specific qualifications/personality traits/styles that they insist from a therapist.

What has worked for me in the past is to concentrate on REALLY small things, like just getting 2 fruits/2 vegetables a day. That allowed me to maintain through some really bad periods, until I was ready to re-focus my energy.

OK, I hate it when I have a problem and all someone does is talk about how THEY would fix it (you're not me), but I guess it's the only way I feel I might be able to help from here - so I hope if anything my ramblings might spark some idea to lead you to something you're happy with.

I hope everyone had a great weekend, and is ready to challenge themselves this week. I am off to do some mid-day walking. Hope it's not too hot out there!

My weekend went okay. I was recovering from my cold. And I think I am pretty much recovered. Yay! I didn't count calories or do exercise this weekend either Jenn....and I'm with you in that, that was a bit frustrating just for my mental state. I completely understand what y'all are saying about not wanting to do that forever, but then again for me in just such a short time, I find myself trying to figure out what everything has for calories. I can't imagine not figuring it out even when I stopped dieting.

I obviously didn't manage to do all 4 things any day this weekend, and my nephew comes home from the hospital today, but I have grand plans for exercise this afternoon....so if I succeed with that, I will have managed all 4 things today. My goal is to cut the grass this afternoon at my house. Which doesn't sound like much but doing that and then maybe take a mile or mile and a half walk....and I think that will be good exercise for today. :)

I went to Walmart today and got one of those exercise balls. I'm looking forward to using it. And some light wrist weights (about 3 lbs a piece). I'm sitting on my exercise ball right now. Shape had an article this last issue that talked about things you could do at work to increase your fitness. One of them was sitting on the exercise ball 30 minutes a day and building up to all day. :) I think it must help stomach muscles etc....with balance and all going on there. So I've started working on that.

Jenn--I would say with the WW, IF you think it will help then do it. And don't avoid it simply because you are afraid you may quit. If you fall off the wagon pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start over. But if you decide to go the more natural route then I say go for that! Yes, it will take longer to lose the weight, but it probably will last better. Although I've always heard that weight watches teaches healthy eating habits.

This time around on my diet, since I've started writing to this board, I've not "forbidden" myself anything. And that's much healthier I think. My goal weight is what I weighed 4 years ago. And I got there with LOTS of exercise and a fitness plan that was reccomended by a dietician but forbid me from so many things.... ugh!

Anyway....allowing myself small indulgences so long as I'm within calorie range is working well...and doesn't make me feel as much like I'm dieting.

Monique, hang in there. And I know that you are right that you will lose those three pounds again before the end of the month. It does get frustrating doesn't it...when we binge....especially. Let me know if I can do anything to offer support.

FM- What wonderful news you had. The $800 and the boat ride! WOW! Impressive!! Glad to hear that your 1 lb gain didn't get to you that much and that you are back in the saddle. Sounds like you are handling it really well. And I think that you are right to reccomend the small goals to Jenn to get through the hard times. Baby steps, can get us where we are going when big steps seem to hard at times. :)

I will talk to all later! I hope that everyone's day goes great.

Betty

thanks for your messages guys.
i am still not sure what i want to do. i have to make decision soon because i think my join WW for 1/2 thing expires at the end of the month.
i think i could afford it, i mean i paid for it before when i was working part time in retail, i think i could afford now when i have a full time "real job".
something to motivate me (should anyway!) i bought this really cute skirt at target. it was like a plaid "school girl" skirt with a matching shirt. I had to buy an 11 (juniors size) i would love to be able to exchange for it 9.
isn't it weird how the sizes are so screwy. i have some pants/skirts that are 9/10 & fit fine, and then i have some that are 11/12 & they are super tight! wassup wit dis? although lately i am finding almost everything is getting tighter. aaauuuuggghhH!
FM-congrats on the $800. thanks for your advice, i guess baby steps are the way to go sometimes.
thanks for all your help guys, i guess i have some things to think about.
i printed out the posts, i am going to read over them & think about it.
:)

hello all

weekend did not go according to plan - a little too much drinky-drink saturday night let my defenses down and the pizza was too good!! :(

Well, I paid for it on Sunday - didn't do anything at all!!

But, today I was super-busy at work - which is a good thing and have finished my dinner - finished at about 1500 calories for the day - that is fantastic for me!!

Right after I am done posting this I am going to the gym - I definitely told my friend I would run the 1/2 marathon with her so I can't back out now! Got to get ready for that!

I totally know exactly what you all are talking about with the obsessiveness with dieting/exercise, etc...I am sure my fiance is sick of living with a walking food label

The only problem with this is that I care so much about it so when I don't meet my goals, it is even worse (on the ego especially)

Jenn - I know what you mean about sizes - 12/14 for me - it all depends on the type of clothing it is - loose fit, etc...it sucks!!

I can't wait to fit into a size 9!!

Come on guys - keep it up! Monday is almost over!:cb:

P.s. how much is WW - and, how many bonus points can you accumulate with exercise?

This sunburn is ruining my exercise routine! It feels horrible to wear a bra, let alone a sports bra. I got in a 20-minute walk yesterday, but today I am supposed to have my long walk, and I think I will only get another 20-minute one in.

Sigh. If it's not one thing, it's another.

I guess I will get some extra exercise tonight in that my house is trashed. With DH out helping a friend set up a kennel for a dog she rescued, I will just scrub to my heart's content.

I would have done some of this last night, but I went with DH to the friend's house because I've never been and she wanted me to meet her cats. She is a wonderful lady. She has lived one heck of a life. She works for a phone company, and has about 26 cats - she has rescued from dumpsters, construction sites, and mean owners.

There was one, a little siamese named Rita, who really struck my fancy. I am about 95% sure she is deaf, and she is not very human friendly yet. Our friend thinks she would benefit from a quieter environment.

If I were a betting a woman, I'd lay odds that if DH has to help longer than tonight, we'll end up with her.

Anyway, we didn't get home until after my bedtime - and I hadn't eaten yet! Luckily I had made some taco soup and frozen it, so that was a quick meal. I didn't get 2 vegetable servings in, but at least I didn't go over on carbs!

Monique - I know how frustrating this past month or so has been for you. I feel like I'm in the same situation - just seems like I can't get to the next step (or pound!). How many plateaus did you hit on your way down to your current weight? You have done an amazing thing with your weightloss so far. You are really an inspiration. I am really trying to tell myself right now that my body is adjusting to the weightloss so far, and no matter what I do diet-wise I just have to wait it out.

Betty - I love exercise balls! My cat popped mine. One exercise I would do that was part of my physical therapy for my back was to place the ball between my back and the wall, then do squats. The ball teaches your back to stay straight and steady, and it really lets you focus on the squat.

Jenn - I know you feel like you have to make a decision soon, but don't break a sweat over it (hehe). Although you have this 1/2 off coupon, you could join whenever you were ready. I bet they could give you some kind of deal if you brought the coupon in after it expires - they want your weekly $$.

I seem to remember that you've had goals that included trying to get out do stuff just for you. Might a "personal" day off, doing things you love and just getting some time to breath, help?

Lucky13 - pizza is a downfall for me as well. But it's good to hear that you rebounded rather well yesterday. Did you make it to the gym?

Well guys, I've had a litre of water now, so you can guess where I'm headed....have a good day!

hey everyone.

i don't know if it's a fluke or what, but i weighed myself yesterday & i lost 3 pounds. i guess all this thinking about losing weight has actually made me lose weight! hehehehhee.
i still haven't completely ruled out doing WW (rejoining) although my practical side thinks it's a waste of $$ since i already have the whole plan (points info, calculator, etc). plus i am thinking, christmas is coming, i need new tires (FOR REAL!), my car insurance is due....
so more or less for this moment i'm thinking just going to journal, cut down on sweets (soda for example), And try to incorporate the small change of insisting on 2 fruits/2 veggies per day. when i say journal, i just don't mean writing down what i eat. i mean writing down all my feelings on the subject as well.
lucky, to answer your question, i think WW costs the same everywhere, but here it is $12/week. you can save $$ if you pay for like 3 months-12 months in advance. also, when you get to your goal weight (what they call lifetime) i think you can continue to go for free as long as you don't go 2# over your lifetime weight. you earn activity points like 1 point for each 20 min of moderate aerobic exercise. you can use these points for food. i kind of don't follow the AP side but i guess i could.
FM, i think i'll have some "personal" time this weekend, actually not alone. a friend is going to visit from out of town, and i'm sure we'll have lots of "girl time". my bf insists that we go out without him for that reason. so that will be nice. we haven't had this much time alone since we both left college (we were roomates).
well i better go do some work.
ttyl,
jenn

monique-
i know plateaus can be really hard. when i was in WW in 99, i got to 153 & i kind of just stuck there for a while...that's when i basically quit going to the meetings because i thought i could do it all alone...but looking back i was probably just frustrated with the plateau!
how did you do yesterday? did you journal?

Hi All!

Guess what! I managed to do all 4 things yesterday and I'm well on my way to accomplishing it today!! YAY!! This is truly turning out to be a good week for my weight loss plans. I haven't weighed since Sept 3rd, so I still have about week to go before I weigh gain...but I just feel so much better. Getting rid of that cold helped too. :) I hope everyone's day is going great!!

Jenn-- Wow! That skirt sounds nice. I wouldn't worry too much about the Jr. Size being an 11 from my understanding of fashions that is actually a woman's 9. Right? Which is still not bad!! And I completely agree with you about how sizes are screwy. I have the same deal some shorts and stuff that are size 6 fit just fine, but others it takes a 10 in...to fit right. I truly don't believe I will ever understand how clothes are sized. Because the sizes don't mean that they will fit a certain way.

Also I think that FM gave you some good advice. Even if your coupon expires and you go talk to the WW people they may cut you a good deal. So take your time, think things through and go with what seems right, when you are certain what you want to do. In other words, don't rush simply because you have the 1/2 off coupon. Because things will work better if you are more sure in the long run which way you want to go with things.

Lucky- Good job with sticking with your eating plan yesterday. Did you make it to the gym yesterday too. I know what you mean about getting upset with yourself for not meeting your goals. I'm the same way. But I'm trying to look at things more as each day is a new opportunity, and there will be days that I simply can't meet all the goals I set. And that's okay...but striving toward them is the important thing. And if I see each day as a new beginning and new chance to meet my four points, I'm more likely to actually accomplish them. Does that make sense?

FM- I'm so sorry to hear about your sunburn. Hopefully the burn will fade quickly. I think you deserve 3 cheers for pushing through with a short walk when the sunburn is acting like it is! Good job for hanging in there!!

And the cat Rita sounds just absolutely adorable. I have 5 cats, right now. What can I say, I'm a soft touch. I rescued the Mom from the pound and then didn't have the heart to give her babies away. So now we are all one great big happy family living in my house! You'll have to keep us posted on Rita. It definitely sounds like she would make a nice addition to your household. :)

Before I got these 5 cats, I had a Siamese Persian, Mister Cat, and he was my BABY!! He lived with me for a little over 4 years. And ran the household quite effectively. But he passed away last February. And so I got Emi to help out around the house. She provided me with the babies, surprise, surprise. I didn't know she was pregnant when I adopted her. And now we all live together. But the point of that was to say that Siamese cats are usually quite vocal and quite loving. So if y'all do end up with Rita, I look forward to hearing more about her.

As far as the exercise ball goes, I'm loving mine. I started the exercises with it today! And they were great and fun!! I'm so glad that I got this ball. Hopefully my little ones won't pop it, but I guess we shall wait and see. :)

Monique, that's exciting that you have a new exercise video and that it doesn't seem like working out using it. I used a video last night myself....and I was surprised, I had forgotten how challenging that particular one was and I had forgotten how much I didn't mind doing it. :) So that is something I will be doing more often as well.

Hang in there on the losing now. It will come, it really will. Have you considered taking on a different activity to boost your metabolism again. For instance when you hit the plateau and went walking and then hit one and took on the videos. Maybe take on something different like indoor swimming or biking? Just thoughts off the top of my head. I've been wanting to take on biking myself for a while, but I've got to invest in a bike first. Keep us posted. Hope that your day goes great! And yes I did do all 4 yesterday!!

Talk to you all soon,
Betty

*sigh*
 

I've been pretty depressed since Saturday. Dunno whats up. Its probably because I'm craving chocolate.. and I am so tired and the scale is showing a gain (aka TOM). So I am just taking it day by day and trying not to stress it so much.

I worked out last night... which was the first time since last Wed. I am not meeting really any of my goals yet. This is probably a turning point.. where I question if its possible to lose more and go on... or if I should just give up and try to stay this weight and not be happy.

I know the obvious answer. Just gotta get through this week.

I am putting away the scale until next Wednesday... its too depressing.

-Tanya

One plus of working late is getting a chance to respond to everyone.

Other plus is FINALLY, FINALLY my code works! This has been very hard, and I've had a lot of people who know much more than I do be completely stumped. It was a bunch of little things which added up in the most frustrating way.

But it's over! Now I can concentrate on my "real" project (this was a side thing to clean up some changes).

Monique - I love the foodmover, but I just could never get into Richard's videos. More power to you though, it's great when you can find an activity that burns calories without you constantly thinking, "Just five more minutes...".

I've been thinking about plateaus, and I am considering whether part of my problem is that walking just doesn't burn enough calories. I love it, so that's why I do it, but I think I need more.

I am going to play around with my videos, while still walking during a break at work, and try to get DH to say we can buy an exercise bike on Sunday.

BTW - how's the soda thing going? I bought myself diet cherry coke to change things up. It's not half as sweet as I thought it would be.

Jenn - 3 lbs, that's great!! And I think you have some great ideas to keep yourself going. Having a friend in town visiting sounds like a great weekend.

Betty - If we take in Rita, that will put us at 5 cats as well. Along with the dog, snake, and guinea pig! Two of the cats are kinda like Maine coons, which can be very vocal as well. So, I phoned DH and planted the idea that he could ask to "borrow" her for the night. We'll see if he brings her home...

Tanya - I'm sorry things are rough this week. It sounds like you are on track to just grit your teeth and see this funk out. Definitely put the scale away! I have stayed true to my 3x a week weigh-ins, but it has been tough! It probably says that I need to ingrain some healthy habits better, rather than let the scale dictate how I think I'm doing.

Does it seem to anyone that we've all been struggling lately? Can I just throw a little pity party for all of us right now and go on record as saying It's Not Fair! We're trying hard, working, going to school, exercising, caring for SOs, eating no where near what we'd like to be eating - even when we're not being letter perfect - so why can't we get a break, huh??? Is a few measely pounds too much to ask????

Ok. I'm done. Perhaps I should just shut up and eat my yogurt before the weightloss fairy puts a whammy on me. Have a good evening everyone!

Thanks FM. I hope it passes.. because deep down inside I know not to give up.. just with the addition of school in my life and moving.. I have less time to exercise and its more of a hassle to go (which is an excuse not to go).

So tell me abouut your code? What language are you writing it in?

-Tanya

Hello all

today has gone pretty well - i am a firm believer that staying busy at work all day is a definite helper!!:wizard:

I did go to the gym last night - see, y'all kept me to it - I love it! I ran 6 miles in just under 60 minutes - that's pretty good for me. The most I've ever run is 7.5 miles - that took me about 78 minutes. - this is a little over my half marathon...

I have also decided to start lifting weights again a little bit - i have quite a bit of muscle already, but I will try to make my weight routine as more of a cardio workout than trying to make my muscles budge. Just got home from the gym - only ran 3 miles today - but, i think if i had tried to run more, i would have been way tired tomorrow...

I need to start dinner really soon - was going to order pizza for my fiance and his friend, but now I think i will go ahead and cook the chicken i was originally going to make!:jeno: :nono:

FM - I love cats!! although mine ran away about 9 months ago and the fiance doesn't really care for them

Monique - stick to it!! Plateaus were made to be broken!

Tonic - good job on working out - you can get back into it!

Jenn - thanks for the info - I am still debating on whether to join or not also - i have all the stuff from when my parents did it a couple of years ago

Happy Tuesday!:wave:

DH brought Rita home last night. She seems very much at home exploring the bedroom. I want to keep her a few more nights, then try to introduce her to the gang. He wants to give her back tonight and talk about it.

All of our doors have a gap at the bottom, so everyone can get to know each other nose-to-nose. One problem is that DH's cat has a Napolean complex, and he feels that the bedroom is his territory. We'd prefer that he didn't feel that way - all of the animals should get equal "bed" time - so who knows what will happen.

The sunburn is starting to itch, so I think I am over the worst of it.

Food is right on target today, feeling pretty good about that (I'm ignoring the extra 1/2 lb. that showed up on the scale this morning). I'm wearing a red mini skirt (only thing I own that's red to be red/white/blue today) and looking pretty slim if you ask me, so that negates what the scale said.

BTW - I said I'd weigh 3 days a week, I didn't say I'd only weigh once on those 3 days! I did quite a scale dance this morning, grudgingly accepting the lowest number I could conjure up.

Tanya - I code in C++. I have no formal education in computers past two intro classes in college. I was hired for my math abilities (M.S. in Physics) during a S/W Engineer shortage. It was the perfect time to enter because they were just converting from Ada to C++, so I learned along with everyone else.

Are you feeling any better today?

Lucky - Wow! The most I've ever run is 1.5 miles. I actually hated the idea of running for a long time, I have no stamina. Then one summer while I was doing a lot of self-improvement/introspection, I decided I wanted to challenge myself to run a mile. I think it was one of the best decisions I ever made, what a rewarding high it was to accomplish that.

And good job with that chicken. I had a deli chicken for lunch the past two days, so last night I used the rest of the meat for tacos. I love to stretch food out like that.

Monique - Hehe. You are talking about how you only have a few months more to run outside, and I can't wait until in a few more months I can do more outside with out becoming a sweat puddle!

Have you tried those "walk away the pounds" videos? I wonder if I would get bored because I love to walk outside. But I bet I would get a higher intensity workout with them.

It's drizzling here, which I feel is appropriate. I just wish I was at home playing with the dog. Maybe I could convince DH to try and get that bike tonight...

Take care everyone.

hump day wednesday
 

oh, i am so tired today! i have been going to bed later than usual the last few days, and now i think it is catching up to me today. i feel like i have no energy!
speaking of running, i think that will be my exercise today. it is cooler out today than it has been in a while, so i thought i might as well take advantage of the nice weather & run/walk outside & enjoy the scenery, instead of being inside the gym. maybe i can get my bf to go with me. he hasn't been exercising since his 3 day stint last month!
lucky, 6 miles is awesome! i can do about 4 but i have to take a break in between for water. then the next 3 days i am beat! i guess if i ran more often (in place of step aerobics) my body would get used to it. my main problem is finding a pair of shoes that doesn't give me blisters. i just bought a pair of new balance shoes in may, and i hardly wear them because they always make my feet hurt. i even tried wearing two pairs of socks (thinking they were too big) but i still get small blisters. it makes me so mad, because you have to wear them a few times to know that they fit, but you aren't supposed to take them back after you've worn them! (i used to work in a shoe store, and even though people always tried to return worn items, i can't do it myself, unless it's damaged or something) on the treadmill i run a mile in a little under 10 minutes, this is at like 6.5 mph. i've never timed myself otherwise. i know in high school the "good" runners in gym class always ran a mile in like 6 minutes. yikes!
i am doing pretty good so far today with food. i had a small breakfast (cereal & milk) and a lean cuisine meal for lunch along with an apple. i guess that 10 points. add in a dr. pepper (bad i know!) and that is 13. i think because i'm so tired, i just craved the sugar this morning. that still leaves me 12 points for dinner. my bf is making his special chicken dinner tonight. i fear he will make biscuits as well. & they are so good. i guess one of them is probably 4-5 points, i don't know for sure. he makes them with bisquick mix. anyone know the calories in those kinds of biscuits?
Fm, i wish I could have a cat. I really like dogs, but i like cats too, and would love to have one in our apartment. we are not supposed to have pets but a lot of people do I am sure. & cats pretty much take care of themselves don't they. they are not as high maintence as dogs are.

well, all iwant to do is lose maybe 6/8 lb for the begginning of october because me and my husband are going away for a romantic weekend and i want to look good in a stunning black dress i have seen. ok its not alot of weight but its smaller than i am now!! a weekend without the kids. bliss!!!

welshbird