Here's the deal: month-long challenges and long-term goals are all well and good, but some of us have a hard time making it through a week without our motivation sagging. Don't you wish you could maintain the level of motivation you had the very first day of your new healthy lifestyle? I sure do!

So here's what we're going to do. Every day is a chance to meet our goals!Each week is a new chance to be healthy! If you can make it through this one single day on track you are doing great!

Each day offers so many opportunities to make the right choices, whether it be in regards to exercise, water, calories, carbs, or anything else. Whatever it is you're working on, you can do it for one single day. Tomorrow is another day. We'll worry about tomorrow tomorrow. Today we can achieve our goals!

But days add up, and before you know it you have a whole string of OP days without even trying!

So the whole point of this thread is to take things one day at a time. One tiny little thing at a time, because we know we can do tiny little things. Let's work together to keep each other motivated! We'd love to have you with us as long as you want to be here, whether you're in need of a permanent kick in the behind or just a little motivation pick-me-up.

Set daily or weekly goals, then let us know how you're doing! They can be anything you want--exercising 30 minutes or stocking up on healthy foods at the grocery store or even finally sorting that stack of old mail! Whatever you need motivation for, we're here to help each other!

I will try to post some sort of motivational quote daily. If you have one, PM me or feel free to post it yourself. We need all the motivation we can get!

Please introduce yourselves if you'd like, or just lurk around collecting inspiration.

That said, LET THE MOTIVATION BEGIN!!!!!

To get things started, let me introduce myself.
Hello, my name is Elisha.
I'm 24 years old. I graduated from college in December and am currently working as a Cosmetics Manager at a department store while looking for my first *real* job. I live with my parents and older brother in north-central West Virginia. I've been overweight all my life and have tried many different diets, from Atkins to the Zone, even diet pills from my doctor once upon a time. This is the first time I have ever succeeded in losing a significant amount of weight (20 pounds so far!), and I'm doing it by counting calories, drinking lots of water, and exercising. I figure that when I get closer to my goal weight of 150 I'll start watching my carb/fat/protein ratios, and probably sodium as well, but right now I'm just happy the pounds are coming off. I use software called DietPower, which I think is totally awesome (you can download a free trial at www.dietpower.com), to track my calories. It tracks everything else too, just in case you were wondering. My calorie limit is usually around 1700 a day, which will take me from my current weight of 211 to 150 by the beginning of March (according to DietPower, anyway). Faster than that would be just fine with me, but I'll take what I can get.

Motivation level for the day: 8
Today is my scheduled day off from exercise. It was supposed to be yesterday, but I forgot and exercised anyway. I feel like moving today, but every time I try my body reminds me that I overdid my workout a little yesterday, so I'm forcing myself to take the day off.
Today's challenge: drink at least 64 ounces of water. So far I've gotten in 32, not counting my morning cup of coffee and my lunchtime Diet Dr. Pepper. 2 more 16-ounce glasses to go!

Okay, that's it from me for now. Hope to hear from all you motivationally-challenged chicks soon (I know you're out there!)! Have a healthy evening!
~Elisha


Motivational Quote of the Day:
We have come to a place now where our search for Truth must no longer be for the rewards; it must no longer be our seeking a creed to follow, but it must be our living a life. -H. Emilie Cady

Hi Folks,

I am in motivational **** right now. The kids are home from school and all they do is eat, eat and eat! I have gained back every pound I have lost since I started. Sigh.

waaahhhhh!

I am out of here for a girls' weekend away. We are off to Ashland to hear the great bard! And here it is 10:30pm and I need to pack still. Oh well, at least this way I'll pack light.

I'll get back on track when I get back on Monday!

=)

Hi Elisha, Lucia, & CaCritter!
THIS is where I need to be! I don't have any words of wisdom to write right now as I'm trying to get ready for work, but I do promise to do some sort of exercise today!
I'll do more of a formal intro in my next entry! Yesterday I did my 20 minutes on the exercise bike in the AM and then last night, DH, DD and I went for a hour bike ride (which really could have been 30 minutes if I had done it alone!) but it was good! The bad part was...we stopped for icecream half way through! OK...I was good! I had SF/FF After Dinner Mint. One scoop!

Goal for today: Drink 64 oz. water and make loving food choices (because I don't have time to make a lunch!)

Thanks to Ms. Elisha for setting this up! This is just what I need! I love the title!

For more inspiration and lots of good stuff to read, to go www.ralphmarston.com (I think I spelled that right) He's got some great stuff!

Have a great weekend!

Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. --George Eliot, Adam Bede


Ain't that the truth? We decide what we do, yet what we do influences who we are. That is especially true in regards to weight loss. We decide if we exercise or eat right, but our health regime determines what happens to our bodies, makes it happen.

So if we want to be thin and healthy, we must act healthy. Exercise and healthy eating will give us the strong, trim, beautiful bodies we all desire.

So get out there and do it!

Welcome Lucia, Ann, and Julie! It's great to see you here!

Let's see, today....

Motivation Level: 4
I'm not feeling particularly motivated to do anything besides sit here and drink my coffee this morning. But I will go to work and be cheery.
I get to wear my new dress today. I've had it for weeks and haven't had a chance to wear it, since it requires heels and I've had long shifts at work every day for a month. Today is my first short shift, and I'm so excited because my dress is just SO cute! Oh, and it's a 16 rather than an 18. Yay! Of course, dresses always fit differently, since it's my hips and thighs that are big while my top is proportionately small. But still, it's not an 18! HOORAY!
I get to go find insurance for my new car this afternoon. Bleh. At least I will look super cute.
Like I said, I get off from work early today, so I'll have plenty of time to exercise this evening. After insurance shopping, but hopefully before dinner. I'm going to aim for another workout like Wednesday's: 30 minutes on the stairclimber in 5 minute intervals with weights in between. I might add some squats or butt isometrics before I climb on the stairclimber though. After the stairclimber my legs are just too tired for anything.
Don't know what food is going to be like for the day. I haven't even decided on breakfast yet. I'm going to take a lunch with me, even though I don't get a lunch break at work, because if I don't eat my brother (who is going insurance shopping with me) will want to get fast food, and that is something I can't afford, calorically or financially. Probably my old standby of a turkey bologna and mustard on whole wheat sandwich.
Anyway, time to stop talking and start doing. Have a healthy day everyone! I'll see you again this evening.
~Elisha

Well, chicks, another day come and gone. Did I meet my goal for the day? No. But I'll try again tomorrow.
Friday's are always tough for me. Saturday and Sunday I can usually handle, but Friday's always throw me off. That's the day I'm usually with friends, the day I don't know what I'll be doing at every moment, the day it's hard to plan for. My calories came in at 1926 today, over 200 more than my limit! Ack! That means extra exercise tomorrow for me.

What about you chicks? Any days of the week in particular that prove difficult for you to manage? What could you do to make it easier?

I need to start planning my Fridays better. Part of the problem is that I get paid on Friday, and therefore I'm always running errands and I want to eat out, if not dinner then at least lunch. And I ask a friend to do a little shopping with me, then we hang out, and we snack and drink coffee, and time for exercise gets pushed to the side. But, with my new car and new payment book, I have to be more responsible with my money, so I'm going to have to cut down on a lot of that anyway. Hopefully that will make it easier not to splurge, calorically or financially.

I did notice today that my jeans are getting looser. Actually, I'm not sure. It seems like they are, but I kept telling myself things like, "it's only because I've had them on for 20 minutes," or "they were loose before." I've lost over 20 pounds, you'd think that would make some sort of significant difference. But I'm not even in a smaller size yet, and that frustrates me. I remember wearing a 16-18 in high school, when I weighed around 195 or so, another 15 pounds lighter than I am now. So if I lose 25 pounds I should be in a solid 16, right? I have no idea how to judge what size I'll be when I get to my goal weight, or what I'll weigh when I get to my goal size. I've never been thin, so how would I know? My old roommate was a 6-8 and she weighed around 155, but she's a good bit shorter than I am, and she was a little flabby, whereas I'm trying to tone my muscles, so theoretically I should weigh more than that at the same size, right? But that means if I get to my goal weight of 150, I'll be a size 6 or smaller. I don't really need to be a size 6, I think I'd be happy with an 8 or a 10. I don't need to be a Small, but a Medium would be nice. I'd just really like to see some substantial progress right about now. I need a motivation boost. My weight hasn't even budged much in the past few weeks, and I feel like I've been doing better on my diet than I ever have. I don't know what else to do.

That's a lie. I know exactly what else to do: exercise more. I've got the calorie-intake system down pretty well, even with my occasional straying, but I've got to start exercising again, as much as possible. I just feel so much better when I do it, I know I do, but it's hard to start.
I need to quit complaining and just do it.
First thing in the morning. Now is the time for sleep. Nighty night.
~Elisha

I had ice cream last night! I feel like this forum is a confessional of sorts, so there it is! After all the hard work this week, I ate about 1/2 cup of Healthy Choice ice cream. I just wanted some, so I had some! Inever figured out my #'s yesterday but I'm sure it was too high on the carbs and not high enough on the protein...and wayyy too much fat! Yikes!

So, I'm off to work out this morning as soon as I get this in here!

Elisha, you asked about whether any days of the week are harder than others. They are all hard. I find that the days I work are harder for me because I am around all sorts of tempting foods and that's when I would go out for lunch with friends or eat the wrong thing (for example, I went out twice this week...one day I had a salad *good* and yesterday I had a salad *good* AND some pizza *not as good*) I find that my spontaneity gets in the way of my success! That's my big downfall. I was reading someone's journal entry yesterday and she said that because she is NOT spontaneous, she has been successful with weight loss. I find that when I plan my meals and my exercise DAILY, I am much more successful, because apparently, I need some structure! We all do, don't you think?!

I said I would do an intro, so here you go:

I am almost 43,(birthday is next month), married and Mom to one beautiful little 4.5 year old girl and have been overweight most of my adult life! I was never "chubby" as a child, but never thin like some of my friends! I remember that I really started gaining weight when I had the freedom to eat whatever I wanted...and that was in college about 25 years ago! There have been a couple of times my life where I have lost some weight, but have never gotten to where I wanted to be. I had always been comfortable in size 14 clothes. Now, I'm 5'2" and a size 14 is still overweight!

I was just looking at some old pictures of me when I had lost some weight. I lost back in the early 80's and got down to 150 something (don't remember the size I was wearing, sorry!) and looked pretty good. I wasn't exercising, though! And I slowly managed to climb back up (probably 20 or 30 lbs) and went off to live in Hawaii for a year where I don't remember what Iweighed, but I bought a size 16 dress which was a bit tight on me. Still, I looked pretty good because I walked everywhere (didn't have a car) and I was in good shape! I gained most of that back shortly after coming home! No exercise!

My highest weight was 199. My hubby reminded me of this last night when we were talking about my weight right now. (He thinks I've gotten into the 150's but I had to tell him I'm still around 170) I remember this because I had joined WW then and I couldn't beleive the scale! I lost about 12 lbs fairly slowly. No exercise then, either!

So last year (2003) I weighed in at 187 in January and knew that if I didn't start working hard at this, that I would be sorry in just a couple of years, health wise! I started losing and lost about 10 lbs. I was struggling to take off anymore than that (maybe lack of motivation) and just kind of gave up. That has been my biggest weakness with "dieting"...giving up or lack of motivation!

This year (2004) when January rolled around (what's up with these NY resolutions, anyway???) I was more determined than ever to start this weight loss journey. I was determined NOT to give up and started doing some research on weight loss/diet and exercise! I read some books, started this journey and found this website, which has really been my saving grace or I would have stopped this journey by now! I started at 181.5 in January. I started exercising every day or at least 5 days a week (until I got sick about a month ago and that dropped substantially). I lost a slow 10lbs, but people really started noticing the changes in my body. I can only attribute that to exercise and toning these muscles of mine! I went from 18's & 20's last year to now wearing 16's!

I am only down to 169.5 right now (a 12 lbs loss since January), hoping to weigh in a few lbs less on Tuesday this week which would be my lowest since Hawaii!!!! I want to be in the 150's by my birthday! I know it's doable, but I really have to stay motivated! I want to wear 12's by the end of summer! It kind of scares me because I have NEVER worn a size 12 in my adult life! NEVER! It's a whole new world for me to be able to shop in the "normal" clothes section of the stores and I love it!

My ultimate goal is to be in a size 8 pants and a medium shirt! I am fairly chesty, but I know as I lose, these very large things on my chest have been shrinking too, so I'm hoping a medium is not out of line! I want to have this weight off me by January, but I will accept it whenever it comes! Next summer, I plan to hike in the Adirondacks with my sister! It will be a guided hike, daytime only and we stay in lodges at night, but how cool would it be to be able to do that! I have dreamed of doing something like that all my life!

I am in fairly good shape, now for someone of my size! I do not get out of breath on long bike rides or walks with family. I usually push myself to work harder when I work out so my heart gets it's max workout and I am burning fat. I enjoy working out after I start. Getting started is something I have had to really push myself to do, but working out is not as hard for me as eating on target! That's been my biggest struggle and that's why I'm here!

So, there you have it! My weight history in a nutshell! When I get a chance, I will post a picture of me at my highest weight (1998 or 1999) and one of me now! You can be the judge!

Take care and have agreat Saturday everyone!

If anyone counts upon one day ahead or even more, he does not think. For there can be no tomorrow until we have safely passed the day that is with us still. --Sophocles, The Women of Trachis

Checking in with the morning report!

Motivation level: 5

I really don't want to move much today. I'm not much of a morning person, really, but this is the only time I have to exercise today, as I have to work late. After I finish this post I'm going to walk/jog our hill and then climb on the stairclimber for a while.
I have no idea what food is going to be like today. I took my lunch to work yesterday, but my brother brought me Subway instead, so I didn't eat my turkey bologna and mustard sandwich. It's still in the frige at work, so I guess I'll have that as my lunch today. Mom and Dad are going out for dinner, which is ok, because I never tend to eat much when I am by myself. I'll probably end up having a corndog or something, which doesn't seem that healthy, but it's only about 250 calories, and that would be my entire meal. I guess I'll find out when I get home from work.

Oh, and this morning the scale gave me 210 as my highest number (my scale bounces around a little with any movement whatsoever, so I always go by the highest number it gives me). That means I've met my goal for June! Yay! I'd like to see 2 more pounds gone by July 1, and since there's almost 2 weeks left that should be no problem. I'll be back in Onederland before I know it!

For now, it's off to exercise! Ugh...
Have a healthy day chickies! See you this evening!
~Elisha

But what about those of us who NEED to plan??? OK, you are right...ONE DAY AT A TIME!!!!

Hugs!!!
Julie

Woo! What a day!
I finally got all the details worked out for my promotion. I'm starting the new job on July 4th. I couldn't do it before then because the schedule is already set, and that is the day our new financial month begins, and they have to change my commission rate and wages, and yada yada yada. Whatever. I just hope I get to talk to my district manager before I start.

I totally rocked on the exercise front today! 15 minute walk/jog up the hill and back, 20 minutes on the stairclimber and 10 minutes of weights. DietPower says I burned 504 calories. If I could do that every day I'd lose a pound a week without dieting!

Food was decent too. Calories came in at just over 1600, which is right where I want to be, although I will admit that I did not eat healthy food (with the exception of lunch). A friend stopped by my work this evening and asked me to come hang out for a while, so I did. But by the time I got off work I was hungry, but I had very little cash with me, so I ended up grabbing a Diet Dr. Pepper and some Doritos. I just got home and ate a turkey and broccoli Lean Pocket, so that's a little healthier. But whatever. Just so my calories are where they're supposed to be, that's all I'm going to worry about for right now. The rest will come later.

But I'm dead tired. I'll do my best to check in in the morning, but I'm not guaranteeing anything. I hope I don't sleep late. I want to sleep in a little, but I doubt it's going to happen. Oh well, it's bedtime now. Nighty night.
~Elisha

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not. - Mark Twain

Don't you just love Mark Twain? I certainly do.

It stinks, but he's right. The truth is, we don't have to like it, we just have to do it.

I like your quote Elisha! Here's the Motivator of the Day from Ralph Marston.

Ralph's Inspiration

Hope this works for you all!

I'm having a leisurely day with family enjoying the cooler air and the sunshine! Going out to lounge in the sun for a little long before it cools off some more! Then maybe a nap or a bike ride??? LOL! I'll decide later!

Food today has been good since I missed breakfast. No protein this morning, but at church is was all about carbs! Strawberry Fest! Yum!

Lunch was steak on the grill, salad & 2 pieces of Garlic Bread!

So far, not a perfect day, but it's been good! That's what matters sometimes!

I'm still hoping for the 2 lbs on Tuesday, so need to do a workout yet today...and will!

Hugs,
Julie