February Feathers Chat
 

Hi Everyone :)

Just thought I'd start a new thread for February. Please join in :)

A new thread, yay!

Hi Sum :)
I wish I could find a place to swim around here. There are YMCA's, but they're usually overcrowded. I usually am at the gym about 3 hours also, how long do you treadmill btw?

Chardonnay, I walk at 4.3 mph (incline 2) for 60 minutes and then 5 minute cooldown. I wish I could run, but I shattered my ankle some years ago and running hurts it. How about you? Are you a runner or a walker?

Our pool is absolutely gorgeous at the gym and around 2 pm is never crowded.

What do you do at the gym?

My weight started melting off after I started my long days at the gym. I don't think diet alone would do the trick for me, well I actually know it won't. I tried dieting myself thin and it was really slow going. I started going to the gym, seriously, December 13th and I have lost 12-14 pounds so far.

Better weigh in for me. I lost another 1.4 lbs of my mystery bloat, still not where I was on the 29th but getting closer. Perhaps one more day of strict clean eating and loads of water will bring me back down to 142 (141.8 to be exact ;))

Krampus, are you starting daily weigh in thread for this month? (Pretty please)

Hi Sum :)

Thank goodness you're losing that bloat...d-day is tomorrow for me! But tonight my bf and I are going out to eat...deli food. Smoked meat, chopped liver, Verinikas (kind of like perogies) with sour cream...once in a while we love going to the deli for dinner, so I'm hoping that doesn't flub up my weigh-in tomorrow morning.

I'm like you, dieting alone won't do it. I have a very slow metabolism and if I just diet, I might be lucky to drop a pound a month. Oh, so you just started at the gym almost 2 months ago? Good for you! It really does help with the weight loss!! Overall do you like the experience? I can't run...I used to run in the woods. In 2009 I decided to face a fear and take downhill skiing lessons. Within the first hour, a little "dude" on a snowboard jumped lanes into my beginner lane and slammed into me, right knee dislocated. Ever since then, running hurts too much, in fact, so does driving too long - thank goodness for cruise control! :) But I also have this problem with my esophagus. At the base, I have a "lazy valve", if acid from my stomach irritates it, then it won't open and shut properly so food gets stuck. I've found that if I try to even do a slow jog, I get heartburn and I pay for it at lunch time. It's a very painful experience, and all I can do is either wait for the food to drop, or bring it back up...unfortunately panic sets in and it comes up. The mind is very powerful, I keep saying out loud "you're not choking, it's your esophagus, not your trachea"...but so far I haven't been able to control the panic. Horrible affliction, but I refuse surgery, so I have to deal with it. I'm lucky my bf is very supportive, he comes over and hugs me, tells me it's okay, even comes to the bathroom with me to hold my hair...lovely man :)

So yeah, I'm a speed walker! I don't use an incline yet, but I"m working my way up to it. I do about 5.4 mph and I speed walk to the beat of songs I've chosen so that the time goes quickly and it's more fun. Most gym days (T-TH-SA) I try to do about 90 minutes cardio - but I change up on the machines because I get bored so the most I've done on the treadmill is 45 minutes, then weight training and stretching. My weight training is 3 sets of 12, but I can't do any of the ab machines because of the esophagus problem.

On M-W-F, I stay at home and do some intense yoga - usually between 60-90 minutes. I do a hip-opening routine each time (45 mins), then I target either my legs or my upper body with another 30 minute routine, followed by about 15 minutes of ab work - no situps, but I do leg ups and planks. Sundays - aaaah today :) - complete day off!

So there's my life story for today lol ;) I like the chat threads, it's nice to get to know people :)

Hi Chardonnay and Sum!
You guys are much more intense about exercise than I am. I try to do a 30-50 min work out video 5 days a week. In the nicer weather I like to hike. Chardonnay, I hope you find a place to swim.

This week, after 7 months, I hit my original goal of 138lbs, but now that I am there I totally feel like I need to lose more. So I nudged my goal weight down and I am still on plan.

I love coming here for motivation.

Hi Tilly5 :)

I think it's great that you want to keep going! Good luck and congrats on reaching your original goal! What workout do you do?

For me the exercise is a must because of my really unstable metabolism. But I also love how it makes me feel. I have depression and anxiety and I quit meds, so daily exercise is needed to keep me feeling happy :)

Right now I am alternating between Leslie Sansone walking videos and Jessica Smith walking with standing abs work. I am really too cheap to do gym membership, so in-home, YouTube exercising is a good plan for me. My favorite thing to do is hike and I have a hobby that involves hiking, but at the moment I am not hiking much due to the snow.

I ate about 500 times more than I needed to at the Superbowl. The game was boring, the food was good, none of these excuses/reasons make it necessary to eat to the point of massive physical discomfort! I had intense "food dreams" as I tend to when I overeat at night and I was up like 3 lbs this morning. Gross.

Roommate and I ran 7 miles before the game which was nice, especially because it's going to snow a ton tomorrow-Wednesday. She has a herniated disc and was on her first run with new minimalist shoes so we went pretty slowly, but 7 miles is 7 miles.

Hi Tilly5 :) Yeah, I'm a hiker too. I just love being in the woods and climbing mountains. My bf and I currently live in the city but the mountains are just an hour away. We both love fishing, so we can't wait for the spring. We usually do an hour or so hike then get ourselves to a lake to fish. It's not easy in the winter, you definitely need snowshoes, snowpants and the WILL....which I don't have when it's freezing out!! :)

Hi Krampus :) 7 miles is a great run! Too bad about the 3lb gain. I used to totally overeat at sporting events. I don't have a tv anymore and I do go to them, so I'm lucky to avoid the entire mess of chicken wings and fried cheese...

Hi Everyone :) :)

I'm super happy to say I lost 3 pounds of that 5lb weight gain I suffered last week :) I'm tickled! :carrot:

So today is fasting day for me. I have to figure out what I'll make for my 500 calorie allotment. I have mushrooms, so a nice "cream" of mushroom soup (minus the cream) will be really yummy, nutritious and low in calories.

Hi everyone!

Thanks for starting a February thread. February . . . not my favorite month. I'm going to do lots of running to keep the midwinter blues away. I'm toying with signing up for a half marathon on March 15. It will definitely keep me running, and it's in a beautiful redrock canyon, but it costs cashmoney and ergh, I don't have any other excuses. Krampus, seven miles is SEVEN MILES. Good job!

I've been having a lot of fun with/learning a lot from this little fitbit thingy. The biggest thing is that for the first time in my life I *get* the calories in/calories out thing. I've made some progress too!

This was the first Superbowl game I've watched in maybe 10 years. Too much food and a very boring game. I think I'll go for a long hike next year :)

Krampus - Great going on the 7 mile run. Good thing there is only one Super Bowl per year. :-)

Chardonnay - Congrats on the 3lb loss. Mushroom soups sounds good.

skutumpah - Great going to use a fitbit. Those things seem like a great motivational tool.

I'm trying to come up with a better goal. I thought when I hit 138 (my original goal) that I'd feel done, but I still have fat around the hips. I guess it is time to really target that area in workouts.

Chardonnay congrats on your 3 pounds! :woohoo:

Tilly5 I have a feeling that once (and if, ugh) I reach my goal, I won't be happy either and I will go for another 5-8 pounds more. -- I just have to be careful because I am 46 that I won't look to gaunt on my face. At 35 120 pounds looked good on me, but at 46 I am not sure.... I actually like how my face looks right now; I wish I could keep the little fat I have on my face and lose everywhere else...lol

skutumpah I love my fitbit. What kind did you get? If I remember to put it on, it really keeps me motivated to get all those steps in. I like it as well because it "talks" with MFP and I get the total calorie burn from my exercise and food.

LOL krampus!! So you are 200 pounds now? :D :D -- The game was really boring. We were at home and I napped through it.

I ate like a pig last night. TOM is getting near and all the cravings came out. Scale did not jump that much, partially because I had fasted all day prior to my binge. -- I volunteer at a local Finnish Center (FCA) and the days I am there I simply don't have time to go out and eat and I keep forgetting to pack my lunch. -- So I have adopted those days as my fast days. -- I try to fast 1 x week. Usually I just come home and have a sensible dinner, but not last night... I gorged on everything I had around the house. UGH!!!! This weight won't come off if I eat like that!

Today I have been really good :angel: I went back to eating my normal bfast of orange and a "fried" egg and I am about to have a salad for lunch. Then I am off to my gym. It is my 3 hour workout day; First I left weights for 45 min, then hop on treadmill for an hour and then I will swim 45min-1h. If I am home early enough, I may squeeze a hike in as well.

So off to have some lunch and then gym....

Everyone have a beautiful day!!!

Hi Everyone :)

Have fun on your gym day Sum :) Hey I had a gorging session myself on Sunday night, can't not gorge at a deli...but my fast days of last week saved me I think.

Hi Tilly5 :) You know, I thought I was happy at 140 all these months, I kind of gave up my original goal. But my problem area is my torso, mainly the abs. When I lost all my weight, I got saggy in the belly, could be my age too, I don't know...but I'm just not happy with it. That's why I decided to restart my goal of 125. I target the abs 3x a week with yoga moves and I've seen a slight difference. I think targeting your hips is a great idea. If it interests you, here's a great 45 minute yoga video on you tube, it's specifically designed to open up the hip area, I do this 3x a week, I just love it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lUqo5Qceh0

Hi skutumpah :) I used to watch all the sports finals...it got to be too much beer and chicken wings lol...a long hike sounds much better!

Today has been great so far. Well, yesterday was fast day and I ate around 585 calories, I made a nice baked bean slow cooker recipe, delicious and very filling! Today I did a long workout, 60 minutes speedwalking on the treadmill, 30 minutes on the motion trainer, my weight workout and stretch. I feel so awesome. Tonight is Mexican night! Chicken fajitas and Mexican rice, I can't wait! :)

So Chardonnay you challenged me :) -- I have been walking at 4.3 mph...I upped it to 4.7 mph :) I don't think I can do your crazy speed, but I lasted a whole hour at that speed. Yay me!

Ha! Good for you Sum!!! You challenged me too btw, I was never walking at an incline, but today I did a 2.0 incline and boy howdy....I felt like I might fly off the end of the treadmill lol...my shins hurt a bit, but I guess that's normal!

Good for us :high:

I unfortunately forgot my bathing suit home, I did not get my swim in. I think I will go and swim tomorrow morning and do step aerobics at night.

And snow continues.... I decided against FCA today, I did not feel like fighting the traffic and the conditions are icy.

I had a little whoosh :yay: I am inching towards 130's and I am back to having normal BMI. Hopefully I will see the 130's in a week or less :crossed:

This morning I will go and swim 45-60 min, walk the pup (wade through a foot of snow, ugh) and do an aerobic class. A good exercise day, mere 3 hours :D -- Some think I am a bit crazy, lol. They may be just right ;)

Hi all,
A snow day, so I had more time to work out this morning. You exercise gals inspire me. :-)

Sum - I know what you mean by being 46 and fearing looking gaunt in the face. I am 52 and I already look gaunt in the face, but oh well. Maybe I'll need a face lift after I get my body in shape. Good that you had a whoosh. I love to see your exercise enthusiasm.

Chardonnay - Thanks for the yoga YouTube suggestion. I will have to try it, but I can tell already that Esther is way more limber than I am. HaHa.

Snowing in New England...

Good morning everyone :)

It's snowing in Montreal too! I'm NOT taking the car out today, people don't know how to drive period in Quebec, but add snow or rain and it's dangerous.

Hi Tilly :) Yes, Esther is VERY limber! She's awesome though, she had hundreds of free yoga videos. I did one called Fighting the Winter Blues or something like that, and I realized how not-flexible my legs are! She bends like a pretzel!

Hi Sum :) Crazy healthy right? ;) I know, corny joke, but I personally love an active lifestyle. Winters are tough though, but having a dog to walk is always a motivator!! I do have a dog, he's 18 years old, a sweet little pug, blind and deaf, so he mostly hangs around his cage...kitchen...bed area. He wears little diapers because he has trouble with his hind legs and I can't walk him anymore. But I'm definitely a dog-person. When my bf and I move up north again, we want to get a few huskies. Have fun on your walk and swim! And congrats on your whoosh!!!

Today I'm suffering a migraine...why me??? :headache::headache::headache: It happens. I'm going to do my yoga, but a little later, hoping the advil will kick in first. Hope everyone has a nice day :)

Chardonnay I hope your migraine has gone away. Those suck! I used to get them often when I was younger. But even now when one sneaks upon me, it really kicks my butt.

Greetings all Featherweights!
Hope everyone is having a good day. Rather than my usual exercise routine, I went x-country skiing. Good work out. And, on top of that, I fit in my size M ski pants. :-)

Nothing new to report - just more cold winter slush gloominess. Just started BCP...while so close to goal, and yet...its pushed me up 3.5 lbs in bloat. Its not discouraging me from doing what I do, but its just an extra bummer. Not really beating myself up for not doing X, Y or Z in life, I think that trying to be frugal and getting to goal weight during this winter is Enough - I'd rather make sure that I do things efficiently than do a billion things poorly at once. I do welcome the springtime ambition and joy though.

I am tired today. Miss my caffeine! I tried working out; I did get 45 minutes of lifting in, but I skipped cardio and swimming. Just did not have it in me. -- I did do 3 hours of cardio yesterday, I think I just needed a rest day. So rest I shall. :D

I gave up coffee some moths ago. Occasionally I get a decaf cup to satisfy that coffee flavor craving. -- I also gave up my beloved wine; and I miss having a glass or two every now or then. -- So I am eating/drinking pretty healthy :) Now if I could give up chocolate, the chocolate monster pops up during TOM time. Which is now. This time around I did not buy chocolate; I tried curbing my sweet cravings with a fruit smoothie; I think it did the trick, yay.

Eughhh, I have some crappy chest infection and I'm absolutely shattered from all the early mornings (teaching is crazy hard! :( ). I can't even get much rest this weekend as I have to be up at 5am to drive my BF to the place where he's leaving for a trip and then pick him up at midnight on Wednesday. gah!!!

And I'm fed up of being cold.

Whine over! Just inhaled chocolate, but it was in my calorie allowance! yay :)

Hello everyone!

Hope everyone (Leaves, Sun, Pixellate et al) is keeping their heads above the winter blues . . . that is . . . if you are in the northern hemisphere. If you are down south, enjoy the warmth. I try to stay above it by getting outside and active as much as possible, but Netflix happens sometimes :/

I've a had a good week, and I am seeing some really encouraging progress from tracking my calories and sticking to my fitbit goals. And I'm having a ton of fun . . . I may have OD'd on running and yoga this week :)

I've officially signed up for the Canyonlands Half Marathon in March. I've been running around 5 miles per run, so it's time to up the ante.

Weekends are hard for me to stay on track, food-wise. Going to exercise some self control while enjoying friendship . . . we'll see how that goes.

Hello all Featherweights!
Great to hear how everyone is doing!

Today I got a bad cramp after doing an abs workout, but I am okay now. And I went clothes shopping. I used to hate clothes shopping when I was obese. Today it was a treat. :-)

Hope you all have a nice weekend.

Luckily my tiredness did not last; I have had a couple really good workout days. Today I hiked with my pup through snow for 3.3 miles, then I lifted weights and finally swam for 45 minutes. -- I am feeling strong!

I went out with some girlfriends, last night, and received many nice compliments how thin I am starting to look. -- I have a long way to go before I consider that I am looking good :D But it is nice to know that other people are starting to notice my hard work.

Right now I am not friends with my body. When I was heavier, everything was nice and plump, now I just have squishy fat all over and I am not pleased at all. -- I know this soft fat is a good thing; it is on its way out, I am not liking it though. I will continue my eating OP; aerobics; weight lifting; walking and swimming and I know underneath all that squishy stuff is a babe ready to surface. :)

I am starting to see some muscle definition, which is helping me to feel better about myself.

Okay enough my whinyness.

So who's watching the Olympics? What's your favorite event? Mine has to be ski-jumping; the only sport in the world where once you start going, no changing your mind :D

Sum, So great to get the compliments. And how great to get all the exercise in.

I x-country skied yesterday. I really ought to watch the Olympic x-country skiing as my technique is pretty lame, but it is a good workout. I wish I had some snowshoes. I think I'll do videos today to get my abs work in.

hello featherweights :)

I am a returning 3fc poster - I've been on and off of these forums for several years and have recently experienced a regain that I am hoping to get under control by becoming a regular poster again. I lost ~35lbs over the course of a few years and maintained 128-129 consistently for about a year. I have recently been traveling a lot for job interviews and have had some work and personal life stress for a few months so I was hoping that some of the regain was water-weight, but I seem to have settled at 134 as of this morning. Most of my pants are tight and I can clearly tell the difference in the mirror, but I guess I was holding out hope that it wouldn't stick. Dang. I am conflicted between feeling as though this all snuck up on me versus knowing that I really let some of my habits slip (e.g., regular exercise, not having wine every night). I know objectively 6lbs is a doable task, but I am amazed at what a difference it makes on my frame.

I'm hoping to get back to 128-129 and to learn how to deal with regains effectively. Any other re-gainers here? Hope everyone is staying warm!

Welcome back pavvie! And best wishes on getting back on track!

thanks Tilly :) and that's awesome about the cross-country skiing!! I have never done it myself, but considering how difficult it is for me to walk from the parking lot to my office (~0.25mi) in this snowy mess makes me think it has to be a **** of a workout!!

I just started Junel 20 BCP beginning of Feb. Was doing OK until 1 week into BCP, I gained 10 lbs this weekend. Wow that totally offset months of hard work. Googling relentlessly and finding that a lot of the reports of gains are usually people who just ate more, but this pill hasn't increased my appetite. Still feel dark and angry at myself. Its all in my thighs too, no change in chest, only a chest COLD. lol. So upset at myself - not sure if its the "pills" causing that mood. Gyno said that this can be normal, to wait it out like 3 months (which I arleady found on Google lol) but 3 months...thats a long time and i wanted to take Goal pics too...not with these thighs.

I'm new here--I was poking around looking for a little support in my endeavor to lose a few pounds, and I found this board. I'm not overweight (yet), but I have gained about 15 pounds over the last couple of years due to poor food choices and circumstances that have made it harder to find the time and motivation to exercise. And sadly but inevitably, my metabolism is slowing. Anyway, I'm hoping that a support board with people in similar circumstances can help me kick start my weight loss and get me into good habits as I approach 40. My husband and kids are healthy and fit, and I want to stay healthy too.

Welcome, LongColdWinter. Hope 3FC can help support you in your weight loss plan. Great to have a family that can be healthy along with you.

Thanks, Tilly5!

Hi :)

Welcome LongColdWinter! Where are you from...because here in MI it has been a LOOONGCOOOLDWINTER. :D

pixelllate Luckily you only gained mostly water! I hope it flushes out soon. Water to battle water weight!

pavvie Welcome, and all the luck to you. I have gained, lost, regained million and one times. This time I am losing for the last time!

Tilly5 Growing up in Finland, we had to cross country ski, a lot. We skied to school (up hill, both ways :D). It is fab exercise. You will master it soon. Have you tried the skating method yet?

I feel like a true Feather right now. My scale says 13x.x :) I couldn't be happier. The 17x.x seems so far away and 12x.x is just at my grasp. I am also fitting into all of my 8's. My 10's are way too big to wear beautifully and once you get to know me, one thing about me, I never look frumpy :D -- I can't wait to wear all my 6's...they zip up but don't look pretty, yet...lol

I am just happy and excited today.

I interviewed yesterday for a volunteer position at a local hospital and received an offer. I thought getting a volunteer position would be easy, but I was wrong. I had to have all sorts of screenings done. I hear that to even get the first phone interview is a tall order. -- I made it in because I have volunteered for different organizations for 14 years and I am old :) -- Lots of the other applicants were nursing/med students who were hoping to get their foot in the door. -- They liked the fact that I had no agenda but to volunteer my time.

I chose the main lobby area as my volunteer spot. I have a very sunny disposition and I am overall a very friendly person, therefore the the main area entrance will be perfect for me.

I hope all of you are well and happy!