What will I be getting?
1. Healthy! Lower cholesterol, reducing my chances for diabetes. . .
2. Smaller jeans!!! I hope when I am at my maintaining stage I will be atleast in a size 7/8
3. Not feeling like the biggest person in the room.
4. Clothes from my sisters closet!
5. shhhhh, better sex don't tell anyone.
Miss Bliss, I LOVE your last two posts!!! The one about the gym could have SO been written by me! I would have NEVER thought I would like going to the gym, but now I just CRAVE it! I sweat like a piggy and can't talk while I work it but at the end of the whole thing, I just jump off my machine and practically JUMP around and do a little woot woot, why doesn't anyone else just get so happy at the end of their workout? I feel like a nut grinning so big and skipping out of there like that. But it feels SO GREAT! If you'd have told me I'd be saying these things a year ago, forget it! Just give yourselves the time and you'll be there too. So BTW I think I jump started the weight loss by increasing my cardio before and after my weight lifting....Used to be 20 min elliptical on level 4 cross train aerobics, now its 35 min on level 5, then the weights, I've upped the weights and upped the reps, then the abs, again upping the weights and the reps, then the cross trainer, used to be 10-15 min cross train aerobics, level 4, now up to 20-25 min level 5! Going backwards on those elliptical/cross trainer is TOUGH but feels so good.
Food wise, doing really well, I am in a soup place right now, making my own chili, minestrone, veggie soups, etc. I like to make big pots of soup and having leftovers for like a week of lunches, etc. Tonight I'm making my favorite: take your favorite frozen bagged veggies (I like the zucchini/squash/red onion mix) pour chicken stock over the veggies and cook til veggies tender (I'll add some shredded carrots and celery or whatever looks good in the fridge) then add a can or two of tomato/jalepeno mix, and a can or two of FF cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, heat through and at the end add 16-20 oz light velveeta cheese....so warm and comforting! I also found a recipe for a potato bomb, one microwave baked potato, 1/2 cup FF refried beans with 1 oz light velveeta melted in with salsa on top....the soup and potato are so filling and comforting! Not too bad on calories/fat either. And an easy lunch or light dinner.
OK let me think over the 5 top things I'd like to concentrate on....
1. Looking HOT in a size 10-12 (for now) I'm feeling pretty HOT in my 14-16s right now but still!
2. Not using my inhalers as much, increased endurance, strength, health
3. Wearing a two piece swimsuit next year (blatantly ripped off from bliss's list)
4. Shopping at "skinny girl" stores
5. Playing hard with my kids, maybe even being the MILF of the group! LOL Wouldn't you love to overhear one of the kids friends saying "oh your mom is so pretty!" ??
Maybe I'll tweak the list after some thought.
Oh on the water thing....I know I drink ALOT, I have that water cooler in my kitchen and always have a full (1-liter)bottle at my side, sip at it all day, and take my 3 liter bottle to work and finish it over the 12 hr shift. I like that formula taking your weight divide by two but WOW thats alot of water for us 200 lb + chicks.
Well I'll check more later...you know what? I really admire you gals who can respond to each person's posts individually and by name, do have to take notes before your posts so you can remember who said what or do you just remember? Like I remember details of all your stories but I often get each name mixed up! LOL that should be my goal....to respond to the posts with each person's name and make it personal. Am I being silly or what?
Thanks for the soup recipie, Michelle. I LOVE SOUP!!!
I thought about doing cardio-strength-cardio, but since my workouts are at home and I can only do it when Tommy is sleeping, I pretty much take what I can get. Although the kids left me alone today so I got in 20 minutes on my stationary bike! As soon as the man takes a nap I will do pilates, then I hope to get on my treadmill for 20 minutes. If I have time then I will get my weights in.
Rowdy Bliss and everyone else that spoke about the gym - you have certainly given me something to ponder and I will be thinking it over for the next few days. I'm just really scared that I will be useless in a gym, but I'm getting really close to wanting to give it a try, after all it will get me closer to
my 5 things
Okay here goes:
1) I will be getting better clothes and shoes because the clothes and shoes I have now, I hate. Look out cause I'm gonna shop like crazy.
2) I will be getting better health and the chance to be more active and doing things with my kids, my husband and my friends.
3) I will be getting normal - I really don't feel normal now, I feel like a circus freak.
4) I will be getting a chance to be a fantastic grandmother to my as of yet unborn grandchildren - I wanna be here for them.
5) I will be getting more confidence and hopefully that will make all aspects of my life better.
Can I just say how proud I am of you all? Here we are, all at different stages of our journey... and as long as we keep helping each other along like this, little by little and inch by inch... we WILL get there, short-term AND long term!
jcatron243: Yeah... better sex! It didn't even really occur to me, but you're absolutely right... and I think I shall make that my #6 thing to focus on... powerful motivator!
NurseMichelle: Skinny-girl stores! I remember a time in my life, a long time ago, when I used to shop in the 5-7-9 shop (I don't know if those are even still around anymore). Sigh... memories... AND IT SHALL BE OURS AGAIN!!! Also: glad to see I'm not alone in my gym addiction. I never thought to do cardio-weights-cardio; maybe I'll give that a try!
"fed"up: I know how you're feeling. I was SO self-conscious walking into that gym, especially when I realized just how out-of-shape I was and nearly passed out after only 5 minutes of cardio. I always am scared to try new things because I'm so very afraid of failing... discouragement... But you know what? Every person that walks through that door in the gym is at a different level; all of them had to begin somewhere. And things really have gotten better - I have seen such an improvement, not only in my physical endurance but also how I feel when I know that I simply made the decision to make that effort. The first time I did ten minutes on a cardio machine without stopping, I felt like I'd just won the Nobel prize or something! It might not be as huge of an effort as, say, the 75-year-old ex-Marine that comes in and runs circles around me, but hey! I conquer my challenges at my OWN level, not other people's! You will conquer your own challenges at your own level, too; just start small, don't be too hard on yourself at first, and remember that even just walking through the door to the gym is something you should be very, VERY proud of. You have excellent, honorable and admirable things you want to achieve - and you WILL achieve them.
OKAY - today's weigh-in update.....
179 pounds!! I'm no longer in the 180's! 1-pound loss. Not much, but a loss is a loss! I'm beginning to wonder if I'll be able to make it to my Thanksgiving goal of 165 after all - if I really bust my butt, I probably can, but I want to make sure I'm healthy about it, you know?
I had to go to the gym this morning again because I have a show tonight, but it was a little easier for me today than it was on Tuesday. (NOT a morning person!! ) Also - I met a gaggle of 4 ladies in the locker room. I have no idea how they met, and they are about as different from each other as could possibly be but seem to really like each other - and they have pick-up racquetball games every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. I saw one lady (a breast cancer survivor, WOOT for her!) with her racquet and noted how it seemed like a lot of fun and that I'd love to try it one day... and they said they'd love to teach me and have me join their little group! Now HOW COOL is that?? Of course, it would mean more mornings at the gym (ugh mornings!), but it would also mean that I'd get a new kind of exercise with what seems to be some really nice ladies. I'm meeting them tomorrow morning for my first lesson!
A good start to a good day.
Happy Friday to you wonderful ladies! Let's make it a good one!
Happy Friday back at you RowdyBliss! and to everyone else too! Congrats on the 1 pound loss!!! It was nice to see my scale move to 169!
We have 4 weeks and 6 days left in our Thanksgiving challenge. my goal is 158 and believe me I am trying to get there, but in reality since I am only losing a pound a week right now I will probably be at 164 or 165. It just seems that so much has come up in the last 2-3 weeks that has made it impossible for me to work out like I want. I am still getting in a little bit of workouts, but instead of my 65-100 minutes I am barely getting in 40. Don't get me wrong, I am glad for the 40 and I know it is helping me, but I love my workouts. It is Time for mommy! But it still revolves around my kids, and the baby's nap time.
I was trying to explain to my husband that this isn't a diet, I plan on watching my calories for the rest of my life, 1 pound a week is great. (I don't want it to take me 44 more weeks to get to my ultimate goal of 125, but If it does it does.)
Then I have days like yesterday that seem like it will be impossible for me to even get to 158. I walked through the mall as my workout, it was raining here, it was a slower pace walk, but I did walk for 2 hours. I didn't get home in time to cook my dinner so I ended up eating at work (I work and a family owned hamburger restraunt, with nothing healthy on the menu). But since I didn't get in enough protein/fiber/water I was so hungry all night. I tried to give myself a break, I have been doing great, but I had to go get milk for the baby after work and I ended up getting a candy bar, IT WAS SOO GOOD! but it was gone in like 60 seconds then I was still hungry. i ended up going to bed to avoid a binge which I new was coming. TODAY IS A NEW DAY! I know that as long as I follow my food plan, I will get enough of everything so I don't want to sit here and eat. I told my husband that I refuse to give into my cravings. I lost the battle yesterday, but I will win today!!!
The past 2 days have been a bit of a struggle, I had bad cravings for the first time in a few weeks, but I got through it and ate very well. As you know I'm struggling a bit with the exercise, and today is no exception - especially since it was raining out this morning and I missed my 30 min. walk. Oh well. I'm gonna try doing a Richard Simmons video, still working up the courage for the gym, hoping to get to that next week. Gym addiction - wow, what a concept.
For the first time since I started this, almost 7 weeks now, I will REALLY be challenged. I have not one, but 2 parties that I will be going to on Sunday, 1 in the morning, 1 at night. And there will be TONS of food, buffet style. I am bracing myself, still not sure how I'm gonna handle it. Any tips would be appreciated. At the morning one I will be seeing people that I have not seen since I lost about 30 pounds, dieing to see if they notice, can't blame them if they don't. If it weren't for my clothing being loose I don't think I would either.
For the first time since I started this, almost 7 weeks now, I will REALLY be challenged. I have not one, but 2 parties that I will be going to on Sunday, 1 in the morning, 1 at night. And there will be TONS of food, buffet style. I am bracing myself, still not sure how I'm gonna handle it. Any tips would be appreciated.
Ooooh boy is that a tough one...
Sometimes, I will "pre-eat" before I go to these things. I have a light snack before I go, something healthy like a salad with lots of fresh veggies and greens, or a lowfat yogurt or something, and I drink water. I feel nice and full before I even get to the party; I'm not tempted to gorge myself on the high-calorie stuff once I get there. Maybe I'll have a taste or two of something (I don't believe in complete deprivation!) - but not NEARLY as much as I would have if I hadn't "pre-eaten."
jcatron243: Hang in there, girl, you didn't lose the battle yesterday... it was just a temporary setback in the journey. Your attitude is great... good for you!
I tried explaining the whole "life change" thing to my husband, too - and it really IS a life change. He's excited for me because I'm losing the weight and he would like to lose weight, too, but he says he doesn't want to diet OR exercise. (just how he plans to lose weight without doing those things, I don't know. magic, maybe? ) Diets are temporary; results will probably also be temporary. A life change is forming lasting habits for lasting results. I think that dieting frustrates a lot of people because of the mindset of it being temporary: get to the goal weight then resume the old habits and gain it back. How many times have we done this??? I've done it A LOT!!!
If we get into the "life change" mindset - "I am resolved to eat healthfully (not starve and not deprive but make good choices!) and move my body" - we are not setting ourselves up for failure but rather getting into a psychology of commitment and long-term, gradual, LASTING weight loss.
I've basically told this to my family also - that this is FOREVER - not just till I get to my goal weight. I can never go back to how things were before - I think they're beginning to get it that I'm serious. I am making everyone a bit crazy though - i think they're a bit sick of listening to me with all of my healthy choices and stuff - but they're pretty good about - my kids have been ultra supportive and are so excited for me. They come home from school and ask me how I've done for the day.
Rowdybliss thanks for the input, it is a tough one isn't it? I know they say that you should eat before an event as to not overeat at the event, but I'm just afraid I'll eat before the party AND at the party, so I'm thinking to maybe to not eat before. We shall see. I'm gonna really need some willpower.
for you fedup!!! Good luck, the best advice I can give Is try to stay at the healthy end of the buffet!
My husband wants to lose weight too. He has been walking to work everyday(a mile each way) and he has been watching his soda intake as well as his sugar. He is so proud of me and he says I make dieting look easy. He wants me to figure out a meal plan for him which is fine by me, but he doesn't plan on doing it as a life change, he thinks if he gets rid of it it will stay gone. I guess though with me eating healthy, he will too.
My friends and family get tired of me talking about calories and exercise everyday, but I listen to there everyday things.
It's amazing how consumed I have been with this weight loss stuff and in such a short time. I can't imagine what it's like for people who have reached their goal.
My husband who also needs to lose weight, although not as much as me was doing really well for a few weeks. And he's certainly benefiting from the dinners I have been making. But he works long hours outside of the home and has access to all kinds of fast food stuff and lately that's what he's been eating for lunch and stuff. He's a big boy and I can't control his food intake when he's not at home.
And thanks for the Will Power Dust - it made me smile. (If you could figure out a way to bottle the stuff for real....... ahhh just think!)
I haven't been around for a few days and it looks like I missed a lot! I so enjoyed reading everyone's posts and I think they may help me get into the right mindset for this journey that I am re-starting.
Right now I am having such a hard time committing to regular exercise and eating well. I believe that successful weight loss and maintenance is almost all mental, and before my injury I used RowdyBliss's suggestion about focusing on what I was gaining. Is a very powerful tool and I think I need to re-focus on that. So here goes:
What I am gaining:
1. The GIFT of good health by CARING for myself
2. More ENERGY so I can enjoy all the things that are important to me
3. A body that is STRONG and FLEXIBLE, and doesn't tire or injure easily
4. A better FIGURE (vanity here!)
5. FITTING better into my own CLOTHING and buying new things that look good
RowdyBill and NurseMichelle, thank you for your posts about the gym. I belong to a very well equipped gym but have not stepped foot in it since June. I want to go, just having a hard time getting going (Have been walking and bike riding, and lifting weights at home for past couple of weeks). But I felt the same as you both describe when I finished a workout. It was awesome!! I miss that feeling; gotta get it back.
"Fed" Up, maybe you can get a trial membership at a couple of local gyms and try them out before you commit. It's really great to be in the company of others who share the same goal. And don't worry about your size. I never did when I was bigger and I'm not worried now. Keep in mind that many of the skinnies there were probably large at one time and have to keep working to stay skinny! My own experience is that most people are happy to help and never look down on larger folks trying to get in shape.
After I sign off, I am planning out my meals for the entire week. Will plan every meal as well as every snack. Then it's off to the store to get a few odds & ends; already bought a bunch of stuff at Trader Joe's after our 50-minute bike ride so will need to get more produce. In the past, planning, planning, planning was the only way to keep my eating under control. I will also cut veggies for snacks, pre-cook steel-cut oats for breakfast, and anything else I can do in advance.
I had a great eating day all the way until last night. I skipped my snack because we were going to head out shopping when DH got off work, so when we were done we were all pretty hungry so we had mexican....mmmm, I only ate half my burrito, but i am sure I went way over my calories. Today I step on the scale, and I lost a pound! Now I am wondering whether I should increase my calories for a week and see how I do.
I had a screening interview for a job that would be really nice to have, I made it through with no problem, but now I have to wait until December for the actual interviews. It will be nice, I am hoping to have lost at least 15 more pounds, but I am going to have to buy some interview clothes! (My husband is having his screening interview on Monday!)
I am hoping my son will nap soon so I can get in a short workout before I have to go to work.
Sunday:
Hi ladies! I hope everyones weekend has been good. Mine has been great! We took the kids to the pumpkin patch/corn maze and boy did we have a great time!
I got on the scale yesterday and guess what I am down one more pound. I was shocked considering I have been eating bad and not exercising much in the past two weeks. I think I am going to up my calories by 100 calories (average) and see if I can get to my Thanksgiving Challenge weight, I still have 10 pounds to go, but I am getting closer!!
This is crunch time for me (well us ladies) we are just over 4 weeks to our goal date!!!!!
I hope when I am at my maintaining stage I will be atleast in a size 7/8
Happy Friday!! My weigh-in day!
AND IT SHALL BE OURS AGAIN!!! Also: glad to see I'm not alone in my gym addiction. I never thought to do cardio-weights-cardio; maybe I'll give that a try!
You have excellent, honorable and admirable things you want to achieve - and you WILL achieve them.
) Also - I met a gaggle of 4 ladies in the locker room. I have no idea how they met, and they are about as different from each other as could possibly be but seem to really like each other - and they have pick-up racquetball games every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. I saw one lady (a breast cancer survivor, WOOT for her!) with her racquet and noted how it seemed like a lot of fun and that I'd love to try it one day... and they said they'd love to teach me and have me join their little group! Now HOW COOL is that?? Of course, it would mean more mornings at the gym (ugh mornings!), but it would also mean that I'd get a new kind of exercise with what seems to be some really nice ladies. I'm meeting them tomorrow morning for my first lesson!
) Diets are temporary; results will probably also be temporary. A life change is forming lasting habits for lasting results. I think that dieting frustrates a lot of people because of the mindset of it being temporary: get to the goal weight then resume the old habits and gain it back. How many times have we done this??? I've done it A LOT!!!
for you fedup!!! Good luck, the best advice I can give Is try to stay at the healthy end of the buffet!
