Just got finished painting the bedroom all by myself ... took me 6 hours in total today...

So I plug that into Fitday and it comes back saying I burnt 1502 calories! :faint:

By the way I'm only eaten 498 for the day so far :lol:

Now what to do??
 

You are thinking, "Anna, I made those great soups. Wow, those were really good. But I am still stuck inside in the cold. I have done my work out (and I KNOW you have), but I need to fill the rest of my time."

I have the answer in a few food-related book titles to recommend.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by B. Kingsolver

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

Omnivore's Dilemma by M. Pollan



Read. Enjoy.

Good morning, Bluesers! We're kinda quiet around here? Hope everyone is doing well and staying on-plan. So far, I've had a pretty good weekend. We took the girls shopping yesterday and found some awesome sales. They seem to grow out of their clothes overnight. Bath & Bodyworks was still having their $5 sale, so I got two sets of new bath products. Bath products are my way of pampering myself, so this put a big smile on my face. Now, I have the challenge of deciding what I want to smell like today.:D My eating has been okay. Could be better, but could be a lot worse. And, I haven't exercised in three days. Weekends are so rough! I really need to find a way to focus on the weekends. The good news is that Hubby planned the menus for the week and is going shopping today. Tomorrow, I begin calorie counting.....seriously! I've said this before, but I really have no option if I want to lose this weight.

The season premiere of Trading Spaces is waiting for me on TiVo.(Paige Davis is back as the host.:carrot:) I'll enjoy a cup of coffee while watching. Then, its time to make my house sparkly again.

Hope everyone is having a great on-plan day!

I found us a secret weapon!
Hawaii Chair
with this thing we are soooooooooo gonna rule this challenge!! :woohoo:

Rhonda I'm so glad Paige is back!!!!
I still wouldn't want Hildy designing a shoebox fo rme though! :fr:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=28269&stc=1&d=12014548 55

That link didn't work for me but I did find it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9_amg-Aos4

thanks for fixin' my link - wonder what I did wrong LOL

Hi everyone,

I'm around, staying on plan as best I can...got sick on friday and still queasy today, the scale says I've gone down...so I plan to weigh in tomorrow :)

Take care everyone!
Ginger

:wave: Just wanted to check in and tell everyone hello. We have been busy this weekend so I am way behind here. I might just jump in now and not even try to catch up...I'm too tired to do all that ready tonight, sorry eveyone!

Rhonda---AWESOME to hear about the insulin resistance being gone. That is wonderful!

Everyone else....let's try and WIN this week :D

Hi everyone,

I have been so tired this weekend. It is mainly because I don't sleep through the night. My eatting has been better this week. HOpefully I can keep it up.

Bev

Bailey you look great dont even think about slipping. keep up the good work
Teresa you are doing good keep it up

Hey everyone!

Getting ready to head off to bed here. The day has been rather rough for me health wise because in my efforts of painting yesterday, I managed to not ventilate the room properly and inhale latex paint fumes for 6 hours. Then to add to matters, the seller that owned the house before us had a long haired house cat that slept under where our bed now is. So before we could move our bedroom furniture in, I had to vacuum the carpet, which started what I believe is an allergic reaction to the cat dander and fur (mind you I have no problems with my two cats.)

So I haven't really been able to breathe all day and to make matters worse my Aunt Flow showed up today bringing gas and cramps with her... :faint:

I'm expecting to be up a little this week but I'm hoping Flow hits the road before weigh in on Saturday!

Well I better run.... the dog needs to go potty! :lol:

Hello guys,
I have really been terrible about posting...I apologize. Anyway, not a bad week, pretty much on plan except for the brownie I ate today and the veggies I'm having trouble getting them all in. Other than that, I've been working double shifts to help make ends meet here at home. That's my excuse for the lack of keeping in touch with you guys. My thoughts and cheers of great weight loss are with you all.

Michelle- hearing about you painting your room has inspired me to do the same. Our bedroom needs some serious color!

Nadalie- thanks for the hawaii chair video, I'm not sure if it was the video or the comment the man made under it, but it struck me as funny and I laughed for at least 10 minutes. I was crying! I burned some calories with that one for sure. Maybe I'm getting tired, it's late...

Have a good weigh in tomorrow...I'll talk to you soon
Brenda

Hi all! I've been quiet bc I've spent the last 2 days looking for rental prop for my sister & I this summer at the beach in Fla. It's great that everything's on the internet now, but it literally has taken me 2 days to narrow everything down and get a short list for her wants/needs. I think we are there. So much out there!

I think I am going to have to join in on the serious calorie counters crew. You all KNOW from reading the exercise thread how much I've been working out - to the point of being perpetually sore and having to scale it back. The scale - not so much reflecting that, altho, i do lift weights. But after a week and half of that......well, not getting what I want. I'm not being bad with my eating either. So, just time to revisit things, start tracking things and doing some math. Tomorrow starts another week and damn! feb 4th better show some improvement!!

Hi Bluesers!

Thank goodness for fresh starts! I totally blew my plan this weekend and I have a two pound gain as my reward. My emotions are getting the best of me. One of my good friends...who lives right across the street...is moving back to Florida on Sunday. I've been feeling very down and using food to try to make myself feel better. Unfortunately, it does help temporarily, but it comes with a big price. Today, I feel sluggish from too much sugar and carbs and I'm now fighting the lousy emotions from having a gain on the scales.

So, Fran...I'm joining you! As of today, I begin with calorie counting. My Southbeach plan has been very good to me...30 pounds worth of good!..and, it helped me to reverse my insulin resistance. I'm not giving up on eating Southbeach approved foods as the eating plan is extremely healthy. But, I'm getting stalled on the weight loss and need to start tracking my consumption of calories and making this a priority. I have my handy-dandy spreadsheet ready to go and I'll track every single calorie that goes in my mouth! Also, I'll be getting on that treadmill for an intense workout for an hour a day. Hopefully, I'll kick butt on the next weigh-in!

Hope everyone has a great on-plan week!

Today is a new day to restart. I haven't really followed my plan, journaled or kept up with points. I'm going to try hard this week to do that. Even if journalling won't help, maybe I will try the quick point tracker. That's better than nothing! I haven't had huge losses in my opinion in the last few months. I started to exercise again with the new firms. I hope this will help me get bigger, better losses. If not, I'll know that my lack of losses isn't my fault but my body's fault. Either way, because I'll be trying 100%, I'll feel soooo good. Like even when I was lossing way off plan and got back on plan and lost only 1 pound, I danced. ^_^

Also, I want to try harder so the new clothes I got will be even looser. It's nice to know that the clothes you buy now won't be that tight if all goes well! I really want to be in normal sizes across the plain by summer. I'm in XL normal sizes at Cato's and XL at Dots(they size smaller too) in their plus. My bottoms are currently 18. ^_^

Fran -- as counterintuitive as it may seem, you might want to think about adding calories if you're working out extra hard. Oddly enough, I lost most of my weight eating about 1300-1500 calories per day and working out at a moderately intense level. But, when I hit around 170, I stalled out. I worked and worked and the scale never budged. I upped the intensity of my cardio workouts, but still no change. I stalled out for about a full year.

Then, a friend (who is a doctor) suggested adding about 150-250 calories of extra protein and fruits/veggies and see what happened. Lo and behold, the scale started going down again. Now, I eat about 1600-1800 calories per day, work out at the same high intensity level (cardio and weights), and I'm losing about a pound a week.

Morning team! I hate it, but I'm going to have to post a gain this week. I'm back up the one pound I lost last week, thanks to TOM. :( Oddly enough, I took a couple of measurements this weekend and I seem to still be losing inches, if not weight.

I took Friday off sick, so I'm already behind here at work, so if I don't post a lot today you know it's because I'm buried under a pile of paperwork.

Thanks, SCGirl. My doc had suggested 1500, but I"m going to start with 1800 like you said. I'm still at a pretty high weight, plus, I want somewhere to go from here, kwim? I want to start at 1800, and be able to drop to 1500-1600 if I begin to stall. THanks for your suggestion, I appreciate it!

Hi all - just wanted to say I posted a 1lb gain this week. :( I was successful in getting rid of that other pesky pound that had been making appearances earlier in the week, so I guess that's a positive!

More later - it's been a crazy weekend.

Hey everyone!

Seems to be lots of gain and stalls - hang in there ladies!!!! Inches, feeling good and staying positive will get you through it.

I have a 4 lb weight loss this week! :) I am so excited. I don't think I could have done it without being sick, but I will take pounds where I can get them! I'm just hoping not to have a gain next week.

Cheers, Ginger

I did get to post a 2 pound loss for this week but I am still up 1 pound for the challenge. The good news is I have done some form of exercise 9 out of the last 10 days. That is something right?

Hi everyone. I went to the gym this morning. I did 30 min of cardio and then my friend and I did some weight lifting machines. i'm also down for this week. Yay. On the way home from the store after going to the gym they had Jillian from TBL on Greg and the Morning Buzz morning show I listen to. Unfortunately I didn't have a long enough drive to the babysitters so I only heard half. I just thought that was cool.

Afternoon Ladies,

Well, I kind of disappeared last week, because I was stressed and off plan and generally having a negative outlook. Funny how when we need the support the most we run away from it, eh? I posted a 1.4 lb gain since last week, which means a .4 gain for the challenge so far, and my damn pants are tight.

Today is a new day, a new week, and I'm going to push through and get this runaway train back on the tracks. Good luck to all you other chicks who are doing the same thing today! I didn't make it to my planned 6:30 am strength training session at the gym, but I worked out hard the last 2 days so I think I'm going to just do my weights tomorrow and squeeze in a quick couple of miles running as well. I think tonight I'll try and do some yoga to stretch out and soothe my sore leg muscles.

Week three is going to be the best one yet, I just know it.

Hey, everyone!

Chelle--sorry about your respiratory system, chick. That blows.

I have an appointment with the miracle doc next week. Blood tests, hair analysis, the whole thing. Very excited to see what is said about my diet, since I have a year of food journals to share!

I talked to the woman who has gone to him, and our stories were crazy similar. She had been stalled for 6 months, and then started running. She still was stuck at 155 (hmmmm....freakishly familiar). They found she had a slight hormone issue and some liver and kidney issues. Nothing that would ever make you feel sick or anything, but enough to have your body working on those things and not on weight loss. Anyway, in four months, she was down to 135.

For YOU: Ona Diet fans, the other thing he monitors closely is the c-reactive protein to watch for inflammatory response.

I am very interested to see what happens!

Fran - I am better with workouts than food also - and it should be the other way around if anything. I LOVE working out and pushing my body - and I feel smaller and am losing inches. Why do I care soooo much what the scale says? I know, because I'm morbidly obese! Oh well... I took a day off on Saturday - I'd worked out hard for 13 days. I'm playing around with ratios and numbers now. I aim for 1800cal/day and don't really want to do much lower for now since I'm already counting on only being able to eat 1200/day in maintenance. Eating more carbs this past week didn't cause me to lose faster, but 1 week is a short time to tell.

Rhonda - Weekends are such a challenge for me too! I think we all know how to maintain perfectly! Careful during the week and crazy on the weekends. It's crazy how a day or two off plan takes the next 5+ days to come off.

I'll be exciting to see the numbers tomorrow!

GO BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's SLOW at work today - so I'll probably be on here all day! The roads were to icy this morning and then it snowed on top of it all - so no one is bringing their kids in. It's supposed to snow again tonight. Seattle is not a nice city to be in when it's icy and snowy - so many hills...

Lots of plateaus and gains this week...but chins up ladies (and gent) we will all get through this :grouphug: Blue team is going to rock next week when we drop the added lb. plus more...right? :listen: Right!

I had a bad day eating wise yesterday. I just kinda got the "who cares" attitude, then that turned to anger at myself and a good workout before bed. I woke up today refocused and ready to go. My final weigh in for the month is Thursday and I'm hoping to come in at 10 lb. this month :carrot: I have to stay OP to get there.

I posted 3 lb. loss for this week, hope it can help carry us to WINNERS this week :D Even if not though, I have faith in this team. Back on track now!

Hello everyone.

I have been out of the loop for a couple days. I see we have some pluses and minuses on the scale this week, but remember that you are still here and that counts for something to me.

I do though have to say for all of you who said corn and potatos (sweet or otherwise) that I hate to burst your bubble, but if you are counting those as a veggie, you are putting it in the wrong catagory. They are starches (which means sugars). I too though love them, I just have to love them in moderation now.

Have a POP Day!

Hi there Blue Team. I am so excited to see our total for this past week. I really want to win!

I am having a horrible day. Just horrible. Kind of day you want to cry and drink hot chocolate all day. I made some sugar free homemade hot cocoa instead. Comforting.

Hi Bluezers. I started this morning, joy!, and so the scale is back to being rude and saying I'm up some again. I hate that. No control.

So mayyybe in a few days I can drop that all off and lose a whole lb next week.

I hope you all are having a good Monday and that your week goes well.

Selina

Oh, pish. How many OP days? You are one of the most in-control women I know. Don't let a little slip cloud how you view the real Selina.

Hey, thanks. I didn't slip tho. Not yet!! Its in the 150s now, for OP days. (Even tho so many were spent white-knuckling it in the worst way and many nites I had to go to bed at 8pm with the kids so I wouldn't go over.) I meant no control over the scale when I'm at TOM. Uggh. Hate it too! I shouldn't even get on the darn thing but I need to see it. I know it will go up then but still doesn't help to see it on there. :(

Thanks for the encouragement. I need it horribly. Well, I hear Emily, she's awake, gotta run. Be back when I can.

Hey everyone,

I had a bad weekend and am having trouble staying on plan since wisdom teeth out almost 2 1/2 weeks ago. I was down .2 today at least not a gain. I suppose. I plan on staying POP for a while so I can get this weight on off. I hope everyone has a great day.

Question of the Day
 

Is your goal realistic?

Are you shooting for a goal that you believe you can maintain? Are you trying to recapture a happier time in your life through a magical number on the scale? How will you feel if you don't reach that goal, but find one that is a more reasonable?

My original goal after DS was 125. Folks, that ain't happening. I got to 142, was a size 8, good BMI and was happy with how I looked. I realized that I could get to 125 but 1) I would be miserable in the process and 2) I would never be able to keep it up.

Hello Blue Team!

Marianne, Dixie, Rosalie, & Heather...hugs to you ladies, hang in there.

QUESTION of the DAY...

My goal is very realistic...although, I don't have an ultimate goal yet. I am not sure what I will feel comfortable at. I was about 175 for years and felt great but I am aiming for 150-160 and once I get to 160 Iwill know where I want to be. But for now my goal is at least 1 pound a week. If I set my goal too high I feel like I am definitely setting myself up to fail.

:hug: to all in need of one.

Is my goal realistic? To be honest, I just don't know. I weighed 160lbs when I graduated high school in 2003, back when I was eating my mum's cooking, walking everywhere, and playing basketball competitively. I was fit and healthy. I thought I was fat then, too, which now I think is hilarious!

But... is it reasonable to expect myself to get back to what I weighed as a teenager? I don't know. Even with great fitness and nutrition habits, that might just not be practical for my body as an adult? It's JUST a number for me, though, not an indicator of my health or fitness or worth, so if I don't get there, it won't be the end of the world. I think I would truly be happy ANYwhere under 185lbs if I were fit and well-nourished, so I'll cross that bridge when I get there!

Is your goal realistic?

Heck no! My goal is to be able to jump up and down and not see anything jiggle but my boobs. No wait, that's not my goal, that's my fantasy.

My goal is to walk into my family reunion and have people tell me I look like my Aunt Julie (who is 54 and wonderfully fit) and not my Mom (58 and well, flabby). I don't have a specific weight goal in mind, anything under 145 would be in the "healthy" range for me, so I set that as my goal with the expectation that I would revise it when I got there. I remember being 106 pounds when I graduated high school, then suddenly I was up over 150 pounds at 23. I don't have a clue what happened in between, except a whole lotta drinking, late nights, and bar food. So I really have no idea how I'd look under 145. Maybe I'll think I look fantastic and stop there. I think I have some old pictures of me at around 120, maybe I can dig them out and see how I'd look and have a better idea of what my body would look like, and if it's realistic.

My goal is totally realistic, and actually a little higher than my doctor said I should aim for (she says 140, but since I'm wearing a size 8/10 at 165, I think that 140 might be a little crazy).

I'm aiming for the top of the BMI "healthy" range for my height. This was the original "grand" goal that I set for myself when I first started trying to lose weight. At that time, I weighed 286 pounds, and I had weighed 250 or above since I graduated high school. If you had asked me then if 150 pounds was a realistic goal, I would have been much more iffy about saying "yes" because, to be honest, I had doubts as to whether or not I could do it. But now, it seems not only realistic but totally attainable.