Recommit Survey

1. What is your eating plan of attack? To journal my food everyday no matter what!

2. What is your preferred method of exercise? Tredmill and my total gym for now. Once it warms up outside will be going on bike rides.

3. What is something you excelled at over the past 6 weeks? Maintaining. I am not happy that I am not losing, but at the same time I am happy to know that with all the junk I have eaten, I have been able to maintain. Hopefully when I get to my goal weight I will be able to maintain just as well.

4. What is something you are still struggling with? Self control, journaling and drinking my water. Oh yea, and not being lazy!

5. What is your goal for the next 6 weeks? To change all the things I just listed in #4. I need to get a grip on things once again. When I focus, I do so well. I am over half way to my goal, so I know it works, i just have to focus.

6. Say something positive about yourself! I deserve to be healthy and around for my family.

Yes, I am doing the Beck Diet Solution. I am actually on week 6. I didn't do several days of it last week.....I really slacked off a lot on everything. I am noticing that while I did well sitting down to eat and eating slowly and mindfully, I am not doing so well lately. I need to re-read those chapters and focus back on doing that again. I think the Beck Solution has helped keep me from "falling off the wagon" during my funk. I'm not doing great lately, but also not nearly as bad as I would have done otherwise, I believe. I hope it really helps you like it has me.

Tina, maybe you could get her a kids cooking book instead of a play kitchen? I had this cookbook when I was little that was published by Better Homes and Gardens, and I'd guess it was aimed at 5 to 12 year olds. It told you in the book when you should get an adult for help. I think it was called the "Better Homes and Gardens Kids Cookbook." Definitely a good one.

1. What is your eating plan of attack?
I'm going to start looking at things one meal at a time, rather than cheating and then making up for it. I'm aiming for 400 cals/meal, plus snacks. I haven't been snacking recently, but now that I've discovered the grocery store across the street from the office, I can pick up some healthier things that will help keep me full throughout the day rather than eating larger meals.

2. What is your preferred method of exercise?
Running, elliptical, light weight lifting.

3. What is something you excelled at over the past 6 weeks?
I'm now traveling 4 days/week for work, and I'm doing better than I thought I'd be able to do, especially with exercise. I've been doing a great job doing some kind of exercise every day, and my muscles are starting to look really toned. I've also been great about running even if I don't want to, and am feeling in good shape for that.

4. What is something you are still struggling with?
For eating: if I had a little more willpower, I could do a LOT better. I've gone on several binges in the last few weeks, which I never would have done two months ago when I was losing steadily. I think I'm getting used to the plan and not seeing the end in sight, whereas at the beginning it was new and exciting. My original plan worked, so I don't want to stray too far from it, but I'd like to revamp it a little bit.
For exercise: I've been doing a great job doing something every day, but it's really not enough - I need to be getting in a good WORKOUT not just a little bit of exercise. The hardest thing for me to do is get some good cardio in. It's easy for me to say "well I'll do 20 minutes of weights," because I don't necessarily get exhausted and out of breath from that, but it's harder to go run on the treadmill or the elliptical for 20 minutes during the week when I just want to sleep.

5. What is your goal for the next 6 weeks?
My results goal: I'd like to hit 124, which is just below my plateau weight of 125. Haven't been able to drop below that for a few years. Unfortunately, I seem to have taken a step back in the last two weeks, so I'm not sure if I can really get there by the end of the challenge.
My daily goals: get at least 15 minutes of HARD cardio in every single day (i.e. stop counting walking on the treadmill as my workout for the day). Every little calorie counts, but I'm in good enough shape that just walking doesn't do that much for me. My other goal is to stay mostly on plan for eating, though I'm not sure how to define this. When I'm on the road, there are challenges every day and I can't necessarily have a "plan." So - just making myself proud with the choices I make from what the options I'm given.

6. Say something positive about yourself!
I've gotten my project team to switch from Dunkin' Donuts afternoon latte runs to Robeks healthy smoothie runs. Small smoothies are only 150-200 cals (depending on flavor), and are full of vitamins and nutrients and NO artificial junk. They're also starting to consider the nutrition of other things they eat and drink, and are always asking me how they can make healthier choices. I'm really proud to have inspired them at least somewhat :)

1. What is your eating plan of attack? Stay within my "to lose 2 pounds" target as much as possible (getting harder now and no longer obtainable on non-exercise days) so that means I HAVE to exercise 6 days a week.

2. What is your preferred method of exercise? Running or learning to...

3. What is something you excelled at over the past 6 weeks? Keeping up with the exercise.

4. What is something you are still struggling with? Making better food choices are far as healthy vs. empty calorie

5. What is your goal for the next 6 weeks? shift to better nutrition and whole food when possible.

6. Say something positive about yourself! Going on 10 months with this. Go me!

Tina...thank you so much for your support! I cant tell you how much it means to me to have you in my corner cheering me on! I'm so glad that you are grasping OA with both hands and working it for all its worth, you'll turn that eating struggle around I know you will!

Melissa73...did you do the habits survey in the 8 healthful habits book? I forgot all about it until you just mentioned following them.

Excellent job on the surveys everyone! Keep it up! We need to hear from our lurkers too!

Recommit Survey

1. What is your eating plan of attack? To plan meals and eat at home (portions, portions, portions!) Mainly lean meats and veggies. Stay away from sugar, fast food, desserts.

2. What is your preferred method of exercise? running, t-tapp

3. What is something you excelled at over the past 6 weeks? Did 7 weeks of C25K- I'm in shape enough now to run 20-25 minutes 4-5 times a week.

4. What is something you are still struggling with? Food. I just need to stay away from drive-thrus, donuts, etc. Once I start I have a hard time getting back on track.

5. What is your goal for the next 6 weeks? To stay perfectly on plan. Run 4-5 times a week, start t-tapp again for toning, don't let one off day turn into 2- ever! Oh and 10 lbs would be great too! :D

6. Say something positive about yourself! I can do this. I deserve this.

OMG Emily that is FANTASTIC!!! I'm so impressed! The fact that you can get to week 7 of C25K says so much about your strength and determination! Way to go!! Got that 5K lined up yet? LOL!!

Oh yeah! We had one when we were little too. I think ours may have been Betty Crocker. We loved making things out of it. With her being 6, that would be something that could grow with her. We used to make the cinnamon rolls when we were in Jr. High and High School, too.

I'm not sure if anyone participates in these anymore but I'm gonna put it up there anyway, cuz I'm gonna do it!

Last chance workout during the show

Do a workout of your choice during the show

and/or

see how many squats you can do during a commercial break. We could have a contest see who can do the most! AND, do as many crunches as you can during a commercial break...again contest!

I hope someone does it with me, and I hope even more they respond and let me know they did! Good luck!

I'm totally going to do the squats contest - great idea!

I told you all I have been told many times by older woman, I was born years after my time. There was a time I had a great job and made lots of money. Stress stress stress. I love being a housewife and stay at home mother. I have a pretty much stress free life ( ok I have teenagers so it isn't totally stress free lol ). I have tons of time to play Miss Marple and sit around and chat if I want to. I generally don't do anything I don't want to do and the world, generally, moves at my pace. I don't move at the worlds pace lol. I try to tell my kids. You can't take it with you. Don't fill your life with things. It isn't what you take with you. It is what you leave behind. Make sure you have time to smell the roses. If I were to die today. I want there to be more people who miss me, than people who don't even notice I am gone because I have been so busy I haven't been around for them.

Melissa
P.S. I even enjoy washing windows lol.

Excellent post! I am so with you on this! I am constantly brushing aside what I NEED to be doing for me to take care of those around me. It's time to stop doing that and give myself 30 min's to an hour 1/2 to myself EVERYDAY!

Recommit Survey

1. What is your eating plan of attack? - calorie counting AND make sure that my calories are coming from nutritious foods (no empty calories)

2. What is your preferred method of exercise? Varied - I think a variety really helps keep me on track. I do weights/yoga/pilates in the morning and cardio (dance/WATP/TaeBo) after work. Mixing things up works so many different muscles and keeps my body from becoming accustomed to my routine

3. What is something you excelled at over the past 6 weeks? Staying OP with my eating. I haven't gone over 1400 calories on any day.

4. What is something you are still struggling with? Patience. At 50+, post-menopausal, life-time yoyo dieter, my metabolism is more than sluggish. I have to be happy with losing very slowly.

5. What is your goal for the next 6 weeks? To stay OP, to stay involved on the chat thread, to push my exercise limits by doing a little bit more (whether it be time or intensity) every day

6. Say something positive about yourself! I AM doing this. After 8 years of convincing myself that I was just at a time in my life that I should accept my weight - I AM SUCCESSFULLY doing this!

Recommit Survey

1. What is your eating plan of attack?
Keeping track of my calories, fat and carbs. Making sure I get the required amounts of the four basic food groups in each day.

2. What is preferred method of exercise?
I do a few different things. Walking/aerobic videos, Pilate's, yoga and resistance training. I happen to love Leslie and do most of my exercising with her.

3. What is you excelled at over the last 6 weeks?
I have stayed within the weekly averages each week that I allow myself.

4. What is something you are still struggling with?
While I don't mind losing 1 pound a week. Sometimes it does seem dreadfully slow. I am still having a hard time getting all the required amounts of the four basic food groups in some days. The bread/cereal group is hard for me.

5. What is your goal for the next 6 weeks?
To stop pushing myself so hard when my knee hurts. I shouldn't make myself exercise. The turtle always wins the race. I do not want to be the rabbit.

6. Say something positive about yourself!
42 weeks ago the doc told me I could now TRY to lose weight. The meads were pretty much out of my system. I have stayed within the weekly averages I allow myself since the doc told me that and I don't really find it all that hard to do most of the time.