1300 Calories per day - 3 pauses Day 4 done.
30 minutes vigorous exercise - 3 pauses Day 5 done
Plus 100 crunches - 3 pauses Day 4 done
Journal and count food intake - no pauses Day 4 done
Water - 1500ml per day - 3 pauses. Day 5 done
Busy day again today. Weight is on it's way down again, but I haven't taken my fluid tablet today, so it won't continue tomorrow if I don't go and get that.
Red - so sorry to hear about the eczema ****. I remember having that as a kid and it drove me crazy. I grew out of it thank heaven. Just keep plodding along. Not much else you can do except give up and you won't do that! I just know it. Journalling and counting is as boring as all heck, but it works. So just get on with it same as me.
Michelle - hope you get some R & R this weekend and are not completely stuck at the keyboard. At least with my stuff I am getting plenty of exercise and there is no food round at DS2's house so I can't snack.
Better go get stuck into it again. Painting gear here I come - again.
1300 Calories per day - 3 pauses Day 5 done.
30 minutes vigorous exercise - 3 pauses Day 6 done
Plus 100 crunches - 3 pauses Day 5 done
Journal and count food intake - no pauses Day 5 done
Water - 1500ml per day - 3 pauses. Day 6 done
All going well here. Weight down again. Hopefully this trend will last for a while. Aaah well back to the grind.
1300 Calories per day - 3 pauses Day 6 done.
30 minutes vigorous exercise - 2 pauses Day 6 done
Plus 100 crunches - 2 pauses Day 5 done
Journal and count food intake - no pauses Day 6 done
Water - 1500ml per day - 2 pauses. Day 6 done
Wow, three days in a row. Never had that before. Hello (joking)
Had a mixed day yesterday and ended up taking a couple of pauses on the exercise and drink - mainly because I was around at the DS2's house. I was fairly active - prep for the paint job and installing a cavity door frame. It wasn't the 30 minutes of intense activity so I am calling a pause. Food was sparse and I forgot to take water around with me. The water at the house is turned off because we are replacing the tapware (faucets to the Americans) and having been working on the shower and it's attendant leakage problems. So that meant a trip to my house if you wanted to go to the loo (or a trip behind the tree in the back yard if you weren't too squeamish or in too much of a hurry)
Hope you are all doing well over the weekend. See you later.
Gotta run now but just wanted to say I've had a weekend of a few pauses I think. I don't really know where I stand so have to look things over. Will figure it out and get back on track.
Later!
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Shad -- That's great about the weight! Good for you for sticking to your challenges, especially that 1,300 calorie one, amid all the disruption at home!
Busy weekend! Friday after work, I did the grocery shopping, some laundry and a little cleaning. We went fishing on Saturday...didn't catch a darn thing but it was in the upper 60s and sunny - a gorgeous day to be out in the boat! While we were fishing, I had a pot roast cooking in the crock pot so when we got home, dinner was done and the house smelled great!! Yesterday, DH got the boat ready for winter and worked on the cars, while I did about 11 hours of website work. I took a few 5 minute breaks here and there to go outside and play with the dogs, but other than that, I worked straight through...didn't even take a break to watch the Packers lose in pathetic fashion to a team they should've easily beaten.
1/2 hour of cardio - 2 pauses taken - 1 pauses left - Day 10 completed
Journal and stay within WW points - 3 pauses - Day 6 completed
Drink 64 ounces of water - 3 pauses - Day 6 completed
50 crunches - 1 pause taken - 2 pauses left - Day 4 completed
2 minutes of planks - 1 pause taken - 2 pauses left - Day 4 completed
5 servings of fruits and veg - 3 pauses - Day 6 completed
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Shad - I got a little R&R and fun this weekend....but a lot was spent at the keyboard. Still more website stuff to do...and cleaning. Are you painting at your house or at DS2's house? All your remodeling is really giving you a great workout! Congrats on all the weight loss! You go, girlfriend. I'll bet you'd also get a great workout if you flew over here to help me clean - burn calories, help out a friend....what a great combo! So faucets are called "tapware"? I learn something new every day!
Red - So sorry to hear the the medicine and cream aren't helping your itching. Have you switched laundry detergents? And if the steroid medicine you're on is anything like the Prednisone they give me to clear out my lungs, it will make you retain water and weight. And it gives me the appetite of a small army. A friend of mine with eczema had to bathe with special soap. I hope it clears up soon. Shad's right...just keep plodding along...you will make progress. And slow progress is much better than backsliding. So DON'T GIVE UP!!
1300 Calories per day - 3 pauses Day 7 done.
30 minutes vigorous exercise - 2 pauses Day 6 done
Plus 100 crunches - 2 pauses Day 6 done
Journal and count food intake - no pauses Day 7 done
Water - 1500ml per day - 2 pauses. Day 6 done
No time just now. Off to the hairdresser for a cut and colour. Back later.
Well, I figured it out. All challenges are still standing!
The party and drinks Saturday night down in Osaka involved put me over my calorie limit but I still wrote everything down later and have a rough idea of the damage. Other than that, with the routine shot, I reached for caffeine a bit too much and accepted it when offered. It still wasn't that much but maybe it was slightly more than usual so I took the pauses. I can't say I didn't think about smoking but I did NOT smoke and that's all that counts as far as I'm concerned!
I'm doing well on the calorie challenge. I'm getting used to thinking about the calories and I think it's making a difference. I am working out a lot as well, but it's short intensive weight-training workouts, but I know they eat up the calories.
I am very anxious about work and could get very despondent about the whole situation with my horse. I just can't see how I can afford her and yet I am reluctant to make the decision to retire her to where it would be cheaper to pay her upkeep. But I have to do something soon. The problem is still I don't know what.
I would just like to be preoccupied with weight and training and that's all. I feel very overwhelmed to say the least. Then again, I realize that this is what life has to be about, juggling it all and not dropping any of the balls.
That said, knowing I am at least juggling one of the balls gives me hope that I can juggle two, three and whatever comes my way.
CALORIE CHALLENGE (under 2,000) Day 8 completed 1 pause taken
NO ALCOHOL (round 6 minus 10 days and pauses) -- Day 4 completed 1 pause taken
NO SMOKING (round 5) -- Day 18 completed 2 pauses taken
CAFFEINE CUT (Round 7 minus 4 days and pauses) -- Day 19 completed 3 pauses taken
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diyana -- The fishing day sounds so nice and relaxing, even if you still had to do a lot of work. Probably it was a good thing it kept you away from seeing the Packers' embarrassment.
I've tried everything with the skin and am starting to just accept it and learn to keep covered or not care. But it does look horrible and I know people are looking in the gym locker room and wondering what the heck is wrong. I have found that heavy workouts seem to aggravate it but what to do? I can't NOT work out. Anyhow, let's just hope it stays within bearable bounds.
Shad -- You're doing well, aren't you!
Last edited by redballoon; 11-09-2009 at 07:43 PM.
Last night after work, I played outside with the dogs and did a little cleaning. Tonight, I have to get my dog's insulin at the pharmacy and then do some website work.
1/2 hour of cardio - 2 pauses taken - 1 pauses left - Day 11 completed
Journal and stay within WW points - 3 pauses - Day 7 completed
Drink 64 ounces of water - 3 pauses - Day 7 completed
50 crunches - 1 pause taken - 2 pauses left - Day 5 completed
2 minutes of planks - 1 pause taken - 2 pauses left - Day 5 completed
5 servings of fruits and veg - 3 pauses - Day 7 completed
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Shad - I hope your hair turns out lovely!
Red - on the weight loss! That's wonderful!!! See? You ARE getting results! I'm SOOOO proud of you and SOOOO very happy for you!!! You've really challenged yourself and stuck to it and are reaping the rewards! Also a BIG on NOT SMOKING when you went out!! That's awesome, girlfriend! Don't you worry a bit about the people in the gym locker room. You just keep working out. Hang in there, Red!
I got through yet another day on all fronts.
I am happy I found something that works. It's a great feeling of control to know that if I do this and this, I WILL see results.
The days of counting calories with no real limits allowed me to see what my usual number was. Then I allowed for 500 calories below that number and figured I could expect a loss of 2 kgs per month. I made a graph with that rate of loss and I am actually doing it! I am pretty pleased about that.
I have gotten absolutely NO comments, nothing, from people but I think it's hard to see a couple pounds (no kidding!). I did get one kind of comment from a friend I met for drinks the other week. He just said, "you're looking good," which could be taken as meaning nothing much but I think he did notice something. I see it mostly in my face, which always looks pretty thin but now it's looking younger again. Hurrah!
It's funny, people don't say anything or when they do it doesn't sound like much. On the other hand, I am pretty afraid of comment and I know this sabotages me once I start to see significant change. I guess to get over it (haha, WHEN it happens) is to wear baggy clothes so it's hard to tell. As it is I always wear clothes that are very, very good for hiding weight. Anyhow, I'm not there yet. I feel good and yet can't really imagine making a significant body change.
I found some old numbers from five years ago. The lowest I had there was just over 67 kgs (around 147 lbs). I do remember those times. I had a ton of muscle too so I was a lot leaner than now. But I certainly didn't feel (or probably look) small. The green pants I use now for a check I bought then but only wore them a bit before I started gaining again.
Ok, excuse the rambling. I am trying to be happy about this loss and in a way I am but it is a lot of work and constant vigilance. It is SO super easy for me to eat a ton more. I am more nervous about the changes. I am a very nervous person inside. You wouldn't know it on the outside though. I get anxious about any change, good or bad or indifferent. Please wish me luck. This is all rather scary for me.
CALORIE CHALLENGE (under 2,000) Day 9 completed 1 pause taken
NO ALCOHOL (round 6 minus 10 days and pauses) -- Day 5 completed 1 pause taken
NO SMOKING (round 5) -- Day 19 completed 2 pauses taken
CAFFEINE CUT (Round 7 minus 4 days and pauses) -- Day 20 completed 3 pauses taken
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diyana -- you are really moving along on your challenges and boy you sure do have a lot of them! Thank you so much for your wonderful congratulations. I've been this way so often that I don't feel great about it. It's once I start getting into the 60s and possibly get below 67 kgs that I will probably start feeling really different. That weight for me is one I haven't seen in years. At one point, probably around 1983 I got down to about 60 kgs, but I wasn't weight training too much then so I didn't have as much muscle, well, a bit, but hardly any. I still have my jeans from that time, so I'll be able to try to get into them. That would be fun. Sigh. It would be nice I guess, but you know I have to just decide to do it, decide this is the body I want no matter how it feels or how my life is. Really rambling today. Don't mind me.....
You know, yesterday when I went to Starbucks for the usual pre-gym workout tea and sweet, I had tallied my calories so far. I wanted to be able to have dinner after the gym but if I had the sweet it wouldn't be much of a dinner. I considered a sweet with less calories than the other and THEN, I just said, OK, NO sweet! That was awesome!
Here's wishing you continued success on your challenges!!
1300 Calories per day - 3 pauses Day 8 done.
30 minutes vigorous exercise - 2 pauses Day 7 done
Plus 100 crunches - 2 pauses Day 7 done
Journal and count food intake - no pauses Day 8 done
Water - 1500ml per day - 2 pauses. Day 7 done
It's getting there. I'm having a light work day today. Maybe some real downtime this afternoon. A bit of washing, clean the laundry, bathroom and loo and I am done. I've done todays exercise and also raced around the back lawn with the mower and pulled a big pile of weeds from the vege patch and the rose garden and some nasties from the lawn. Funnily enough the DS2 gave the lawn a dose of weed and feed last week and so far the weeds seem to have survived better than the grass.
Red - congrats on the weight loss. You may not see it yet, but it is there. I note mine down each morning and find that somedays I am up and somedays down. It's a bit of a lottery. Still it all seems to depend on the water retention and the food intake and the exercise balancing out each other. I'm seeing a few more downs than ups at the moment. It probably won't last but I'll suck it up for now.
Michelle - good going on your challenges too. You should see some results this week as well.
Shad -- There you are! Wow, you sure have gotten a lot done today. I've done nothing but drink coffee and write on here. It's pouring down rain today and it's supposed to continue all day. I hate that. This was supposed to be a cleaning day and for that I want the door open and me able to go in and out without having to pop up an umbrella. Oh well. I won't melt. I wish I had your drive when it comes to cleaning. I just can't bring myself to do it, it seems. I think I am going to have to do another cleaning challenge.
You see, you play down your weight loss as well. A few more downs than ups is GREAT!! And, if you keep at whatever it is you're doing, why wouldn't it last?!?!
Thanks for the congrats. Yeah, I don't really feel great because my body is so ugly and misshapen and my skin looks utterly diseased. Still, I can hide all that with clothes. Oh, and the scale smiled on me again this morning!! 71 kg!!!
More website work came in so no cleaning got done. I think I have stopped stressing about the cleaning though. I'm taking Friday off, and although I was hoping to have lunch with a good friend...I think I might just spend my day off cleaning, which is okay, at least it will get done. Right now, I've got a big headache and bad cramps. Auntie Flo is kicking my arse.
1/2 hour of cardio - 2 pauses taken - 1 pauses left - Day 12 completed (thank goodness for taking the stairs at work)
Journal and stay within WW points - 3 pauses - Day 8 completed
Drink 64 ounces of water - 3 pauses - Day 8 completed
50 crunches - 1 pause taken - 2 pauses left - Day 6 completed
2 minutes of planks - 1 pause taken - 2 pauses left - Day 6 completed
5 servings of fruits and veg - 3 pauses - Day 8 completed
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Shad - Light work day? Downtime? Who ARE you and what have you done with our Shad? Then I got to your funny comment about the weed and feed, and I can detect our Shaddie's wit anywhere. Thanks for the laugh. I hope I do see some results. I really feel like I haven't exercised "properly" because I haven't gotten to the gym in a long time, nor have I worked up the huge sweat I usually do at the gym. But I am moving and doing crunches and planks so that's counts for something.
Red - ANOTHER weight loss?! Fantastic! I'm absolutely thrilled for you!! Who cares if most people don't notice...a lot of people don't want to mention perceived weight loss, at least not here in the States, unless it's obvious like 50-75 lbs! Your friend obviously did notice something. You face is thin and looking younger again! That's wonderful!! Be kind to yourself...your skin looks diseased because it is diseased. And I'll bet your body is not ugly. I'd love to be as strong as you! In fact, the other day I was in a store, and the cashier was thin and had a good figure, but she had biceps the size of my wrist (and I have SMALL wrists) - no muscle at all. And her legs were the size of my arms! Now granted, I kind of envy women whose thighs don't rub together and who can cross their legs, but this girl's legs - while proportional to her tiny body, looked like little twigs, again no muscle. Red, take pride in your strength and your muscle and your healthy bones (which are supported by your strong muscles). You are a rock star, girlfriend. And it's obvious what you're doing is working, so keep doing the boring counting, keep working out! You inspire me to keep on keeping on. BTW, I wish I was even close to weighing what I did 5 years ago. Heck, I remember when I used to weigh 145 (going through the breakup of my first marriage) and I felt soooo fat. Now 145 is LESS than my goal weight, and I'm a helluva long way from goal. But as long as I don't give up I will succeed.
I got through another day on all challenges. The calorie one was really tough. I was dragging and really hungry toward the end of the day. I forced myself to go to the gym but only did a light workout. The calories added up faster because I was out of my usual routine. I really wanted to take a pause but thinking that a pause only means a slowdown in weight loss, I soldiered on. I probably should have just stayed home and taken a nap.
As it is, I couldn't sleep last night because there was road work going on and it was noisy most of the night. On top of that there were loud bumps that rocked the whole building. I guess they were digging up the road or something, but it felt like an earthquake. So, I am really dead tired now. I think I will take it relatively easy today.
CALORIE CHALLENGE (under 2,000) Day 10 completed 1 pause taken
NO ALCOHOL (round 6 minus 10 days and pauses) -- Day 6 completed 1 pause taken
NO SMOKING (round 5) -- Day 20 completed 2 pauses taken
CAFFEINE CUT (Round 7 minus 4 days and pauses) -- Day 21 completed 3 pauses taken
CAFFEINE CHALLENGE COMPLETED!!!
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diyana -- Yes, it was a drop on the scale for two days straight so today I am expecting a rise. But, please, my skin is not diseased, it's inflamed, irritated, allergic to something. My gosh! If it were diseased then the people in the gym would have reason to look since they may catch something. That's what I'm saying. They may be worried that it's contagious! But then, so would I.
And, my body is kind of a mess, with the fat making it definitely not very pleasant to look at it. Then again, how many of us look great naked? I don't care and yes, I do take pride in my strength, that's why I continue to train. It's the fat I'm not happy about. I think that strong bones are something people forget about when they think of being thin. The twig girl you mention is not in very good shape, that's for sure. I see more and more such people and not only Japanese. Then again, heck, there are all sorts of bodies and some people are just naturally tiny and super skinny. I guess we shouldn't look at them with a critical eye any more than we would want them to look at us heftier types with one.
Ah yes....sigh...it's a drag, this calorie counting, but I'm going to try to carry on. Going back and overeating constantly is not going to help a thing. At least this way I have small moments of feeling successful.
I have a good 10 lbs to go before I weigh what I did 5 years ago, but even then my weight was up and down. The real kicker will be getting down to 60 kgs again. Now that would be something!
1300 Calories per day - 3 pauses Day 9 done.
30 minutes vigorous exercise - 2 pauses Day 8 done
Plus 100 crunches - 2 pauses Day 8 done
Journal and count food intake - no pauses Day 9 done
Water - 1500ml per day - 2 pauses. Day 8 done
Red, I go up and down every day, however as long as I am down on the weigh day, I don't care. Congratulations on another loss. It all helps.
(joking)
where am I?
still standing...
success!!!
on the weight loss! That's wonderful!!! 
Also a BIG 
one more!
and it's supposed to continue all day. I hate that. This was supposed to be a cleaning day and for that I want the door open and me able to go in and out without having to pop up an umbrella. Oh well. I won't melt. I wish I had your drive when it comes to cleaning. I just can't bring myself to do it, it seems. I think I am going to have to do another cleaning challenge.
71 kg!!! 
But then, so would I.
I don't care and yes, I do take pride in my strength, that's why I continue to train. It's the fat I'm not happy about. I think that strong bones are something people forget about when they think of being thin. The twig girl you mention is not in very good shape, that's for sure. I see more and more such people and not only Japanese. Then again, heck, there are all sorts of bodies and some people are just naturally tiny and super skinny. I guess we shouldn't look at them with a critical eye any more than we would want them to look at us heftier types with one. 