Red - Quite frankly, I can't give up...or disappear for good...otherwise, I'll never succeed. The only way I can fail is to give up...and I'm not about to do that. I'm doing good. Work has been insane, as have my evenings. It'll get better...I'm looking forward to having Friday off. Yay!
Shad - Yup...taking stock and getting over it. That's exactly what I'm doing.
I'm prepared for a gain this week...so my Halloween challenge isn't doing too great either. But I'm starting anew, and I will succeed.
Journal and stay within WW points - 3 pauses left - Day 1 completed
Drink 64 ounces of water - 3 pauses left - Day 1 completed
20 minutes (at least) of cardio - 3 pauses left - Day 1 completed
25 crunches - 1 pause taken - 3 pauses left - Day 1 completed
At least 10000 steps per day - 3 pauses left - Day 1 completed
I'm looking forward to getting to the gym tonight. Yay!
Hi Red!!!
It`s been years and I`m not sure if you remember me, I was so happy to see you are still here and running the thread! I hope it`s okay for me to jump back in and be part of the challenge. I`m not quite sure what it`ll be or when it`ll start, but I need some support or I`ll never get off my butt and lose this weight again. I did it once I know I can do it again, I just can`t motivate myself.
Well, I had a baby about 10 months ago... after keeping the weight off for about 4 years I`m almost back where I was at my heaviest. I dont want to be there again, and it`s really starting to get to me lately.
I`m going to have a challenge for myself by tomorrow and will share it, also going to try to read some of the thread to get to know everyone again.
1300 Calories or there about per day - Day 12 done - 2 pause taken
30 minutes solid exercise per day - 2 pauses - Day 9 done
1.5 litres of water per day - Day 13 done
Journal food and water - Day 13 done. 1 pause taken.
Weight is up from last week, but I'll just have to get back into it and try again.
Not feeling good due to excesses again. Unavoidable but it means my booze and cigs challenges are on the ropes...and I have more invites etc. I will have to decide which is more important, meeting some people and doing unhealthy things or not meeting them or meeting them and just avoiding the garbage. Should be an easy choice, but then, of course, it's not.
SUPPLEMENT Challenge Day 19 completed 0 pauses taken
VEGETABLE JUICE Challenge Day 16 completed 3 pauses taken
FOOD/EXERCISE LOG -- Day 14 completed 2 pause taken
NO ALCOHOL (round 4) -- Day 9 completed 3 pauses taken
NO SMOKING (round 4) -- Day 9 completed 3 pauses taken
CAFFEINE CUT (Round 6) -- Day 1 completed 0 pauses taken
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Shad -- What's up with the weight...besides, yeah, the weight? What a bummer. Any idea what the cause is or do you just need to give things time?
diyana -- Glad to hear you're determined to stay in the fight!
Caro -- A shot from the past. Amazing that you are still out there kicking...well, no, actually it's amazing that you were out there and have decided to come back HERE! Great to hear from you and welcome back!! And congratulations on your baby!!! Wonderful. I'm looking forward to hearing your challenges. We have a very small group of diehards here now. You can see them on one page. It'll be good to have you back.
I'm in a good mood today. Less stress (hopefully) at work today. I will be spending part of the day moving belongings from the 3rd floor to my new desk on the ground floor. Our whole team is moving. While I won't have a window view, I'll be very close to the window so I'll get some natural light! Yay!
I went to the gym last night and did an hour of cardio! It was wonderful!! I always feel so much better and am in such a better mood after a good workout.
Today's WW weigh in probably won't bring good news, but that's okay...I will not get discouraged. I must keep plugging along. It's all about progress and not perfection.
Caro - :WELCOME: When I was growing up, I lived for a few years in MA - in Andover and then in Gloucester (in the Rocky Neck area). Cape Cod is so lovely! Especially this time of year! I'll bet the fall foliage is just gorgeous!! Do you work on the Cape too?
Shad - I sure hope your tooth feels better today. I will be getting back into it this week as well.
Red - It's never an easy choice when it comes down to seeing friends and indulging in unhealthy behaviors; or avoiding friends and staying OP. If you believe you can get together with your friends AND stay OP, then the choice is easier. Otherwise, can you allow yourself one AND ONLY ONE pause on your challenges? Or would you feel lousy physically and bad about yourself as well? Good luck!
I get emails from SparkPeople, and today's had an especially timely article (for me anyway).
1 Step Back, 2 Steps Forward -- By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer
"Fall seven times, get up eight." - Japanese Proverb
"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." - John Quincy Adams
"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials." - Chinese Proverb
"Never give in. Never. Never. Never. Never." - Winston Churchill
"Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance." - Samuel Johnson
These quotes all say the same thing. No matter how many obstacles you run into, what matters is that you’re able to overcome each of them, one at a time.
"Two steps forward, one step back" is usually a negative term to describe someone who is having trouble making progress. But switched around, "1 Step Back, 2 Steps Forward" means that instead of grousing or feeling guilty about a misstep, you can still come out ahead if you put your head down and push forward.
Steps back can take many forms: a family vacation, breaks in your routine, personal tragedies, injuries, or that lost weekend in front of the tube. A big mistake people make when trying to get healthier is that when they fall off a bit or something happens, they think they "have to start over". Wrong! When missteps do happen, a better strategy is to simply take two steps forward. You’re still ahead of where you were before, far beyond the starting line.
In tennis, losing one point isn’t the end of the world. It happens to the best of them. In fact, if you can consistently win a few more points that you lose, you may end up in the hall of fame. With healthy eating and exercising, as long as you’re consistently out-stepping your steps back, you’re ahead of the game. If you expect perfection (and many of us do), you’re setting yourself up for disappointment and guilt.
Guilt can be debilitating to your healthy habits. When you mess up (or even when things are messed up for you), it’s natural to feel guilty. At that point, you have a choice: to let that guilt plummet you into a cycle that could spit you out worse off than before, or to accept the step back and say "where do I go from here?"
Of course, consistent success is still something to strive for. You don’t want to roller-coaster up and down. That’s an "old" habit, remember? And the 1Step/2 Step strategy doesn’t lessen the need to do your best. You should still work hard to keep those steps back from happening. But it helps to be prepared with a plan and a positive attitude for when they do happen.
Many times, this means a rededication, a refocusing, and a recommitment. You might want to look at your program and see why it’s allowing those landmines to stick around. Use it as a learning process. Ask how you can keep that misstep from happening again.
Take a walk in the woods to clear your head and regroup.
Have a personal "bounce back" motto that will re-energize you. Put it everywhere.
Take a break if you think you’re trying too hard.
Return to the basics. Are you making it too complicated and tough on yourself?
Plan ahead for irregularities in your schedule, call ahead to healthy restaurants, pack healthy snacks.
Stay aware of what you’re doing. One meal mess up can turn into a one day mess up, a one week mess up if you’re not careful.
Remind yourself of your success so far when you need a boost.
Unlike people who run 10 miles today because they should have run two yesterday, "2 Steps Forward" doesn’t necessarily mean doing a lot more to make up for a blunder. Just make a commitment to do things as right as possible as much as you can.
1300 Calories or there about per day - Day 13 done - 2 pause taken
30 minutes solid exercise per day - 2 pauses - Day 10 done
1.5 litres of water per day - Day 14 done
Journal food and water - Day 14 done. 1 pause taken.
Clear on all fronts for once again. I admit I had to buy my vegetable juice twice, but that I was allowing. Kind of pigged out on junk food yesterday. Just in a defeatist mood lately.
Just sick of the skin problems and the lack of work around here. Really ridiculous. Our industry is shot. I wish I could get the skin back in shape. It boggles my mind. Going off booze for months at a time, no sugar, getting lots of greens, rest, everything, nothing seems to help and the doctors are baffled. Really pisses me off. Thus I fall into the "nothing helps" mindset, because that is what is happening. And then that carries over into other areas....
SUPPLEMENT Challenge Day 20 completed 0 pauses taken
VEGETABLE JUICE Challenge Day 17 completed 3 pauses taken
FOOD/EXERCISE LOG -- Day 15 completed 2 pause taken
NO ALCOHOL (round 4) -- Day 10 completed 3 pauses taken
NO SMOKING (round 4) -- Day 10 completed 3 pauses taken
CAFFEINE CUT (Round 6) -- Day 2 completed 0 pauses taken
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diyana -- Yeah, well, if I could only stick to one pause there wouldn't be a problem, would there? No, I don't mind the pauses. That's what they're there for. I am only ticked that I used them up so soon and still have two weeks left in the challenge. The smoking I can force myself to still make if I really commit to it. But the drinking is likely to fall. You see, I don't consider it such a bad thing and if I keep it down to a lot less than it was then I'm still way ahead. It's just that it is not helping the weight loss. That's my main concern. I only drink beer and when I say "excess" it's only relative to zero, not more. I'm just bummed about so much. Don't mind me.
Shad -- Very quiet, aren't you?
Caro -- Don't come back and then leave us hanging!
1300 Calories or there about per day - Day 14 done - 2 pause taken
30 minutes solid exercise per day - 2 pauses - Day 11 done
1.5 litres of water per day - Day 15 done
Journal food and water - Day 15 done. 1 pause taken.
Sorry if I am not chatty. Wasn't feeling so hot with the mouth being sore and what a revolting taste in the mouth. Still it is pretty good now and I can open the mouth fully so should begin talking to excess sooner rather than later. Add to that the skin Dr froze a freckle on my face and now that has turned to blisters and is itchy and I dare not scratch. Isn't it interesting how much worse you can feel AFTER a medical appointment than before it. The cure is worse than the disease so to speak.
Weight this morning is down again. The slow rise was probably something to do with not eating enough. Couldn't shove enough in to get excited by food and therefore didn't get enough calories and the body goes into survival mode. At least that is what I am putting it down to.
Skin problems I have had all my life. Thats what you get with a very greasy skin. I swear I have the oldest teenage skin in the world. Have you considered that it may be the product/s you are using to clean the skin that cause the problem. No doubt you have, but my skin sure cleared up a lot when I discovered that lotions helped far more than creams which clogged it up and caused more problems and here was I thinking I was doing it some good. The sun, plus a good sunscreen and moisturiser is all I wear on it these days. Still it's not great but a helluva lot better than it was.
Okay - time to go make a noise. The motor racing from Bathurst is on today and the DS2 wants to watch, which means that I need to be quiet (even though the telly makes a heck of a noise) while these silly people drive themselves around the mountain track and crash their expensive cars and then blame everyone except themselves for the trouble they caused and the damage they did. Enough - off the
The supplement challenge is over! Hurrah. With such things, I have no idea if it helped. So many things that are good for us don't show up for a long time and then we have no idea of what the actual causes were. What a bummer. But, I don't think it's hurting, so I'll carry on.
I am determined to get through this challenges, even though three of them are on the ropes.
I can do it if I set my mind to it....
SUPPLEMENT Challenge Day 21 completed 0 pauses taken CHALLENGE COMPLETED
VEGETABLE JUICE Challenge Day 18 completed 3 pauses taken
FOOD/EXERCISE LOG -- Day 15 completed 3 pauses taken
NO ALCOHOL (round 4) -- Day 11 completed 3 pauses taken
NO SMOKING (round 4) -- Day 11 completed 3 pauses taken
CAFFEINE CUT (Round 6) -- Day 2 completed 1 pause taken
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Shad -- Glad to hear you're feeling better. Yes, I think that getting better often involves a setback. It's often what stops people from getting better. It's like getting punished for making the effort to get better. In other areas, it acts as a huge deterrent to improvement. But we have to push there, right?
Weight is down? Hurrah!
My skin problems are the opposite of yours. I have always have clear skin that tends to dryness. Now, as I become gnarled and ancient, the dryness is a big problem. It wouldn't be so bad if it were only dryness but, like you say, a lot of moisturizers make things worse when you have some sort of irritation, as I do with the eczema. I think I will just try to continue improving my diet and habits.
Your challenges are moving along. Just a bit more on journaling. I find it tough to write things down, don't you?
1300 Calories or there about per day - Day 15 done - 2 pause taken
30 minutes solid exercise per day - 1 pauses - Day 11 done
1.5 litres of water per day - Day 16 done
Journal food and water - Day 16 done. 1 pause taken.
Dull grey rainy day here. I will not complain because we badly need this rain. The garden will just love it, and I spread some fertiliser yesterday so that will sink in nicely I hope.
Red - I think that in all aspects of life we have to push - well at least I do. I am not one of those people where things just drop into place for me. I have to work for what I have and what I want.
I'm sorry to hear of the dry skin syndrome. I think if we have to have skin, one that is on the oily side is better even if it does tend to encourage acne. At least it doesn't wrinkle easily. Well that's my theory and I am sticking to it.
Weight is down again this morning, not by much but I'll take it. Shouldn't have had that ice cream last night. It pushed me into the high 1300s but not over. I just think that we should not have to deny ourselves all of our treats because then life does not become worth living any more. I lurrrrrve icecream.
Journalling and planning arethe pits, however I use an excel spreadsheet and get it to add up the calories I enter. I have also put in a list of common foods - like bread and chicken, fish, meat etc and entered the calorie count so I don't have to keep looking them up in the book - painful job that. And of course I check the labels to see what gives as far as salt, fat, calories etc go. Luckily I like salads, raw onions, tomato and other veges and fruit. I don't have to deprive myself of much.
Ah well, back to cleaning the bathroom. Tomorrow is another day.
1300 Calories or there about per day - Day 16 done - 2 pause taken
30 minutes solid exercise per day - 1 pauses - Day 12 done
1.5 litres of water per day - Day 17 done
Journal food and water - Day 17 done. 1 pause taken.
Not a completely good day yesterday. I did stay within plan, but the choices weren't the best. Bangers and mash for dinner - even if they were fat free and gluten free - what was I thinking.
Well, I am afraid I must confess that two challenges fell by the wayside yesterday. Amazingly, I was able to keep a very important one going and because of that I am feeling quite good about myself today.
A good friend's siblings were in from London and we met up. Then other people joined us and I carried on till the wee hours. It is very rare to find feisty foreign women in Japan and I did, so I was enjoying the talk immensely, out late and naturally....don't say anything....consuming beer.
So, I'm doing another round of supplements and starting veg juice and no alcohol over. I DO want to stop smoking entirely and am determined to keep this challenge going. Afterward I will aim for less pauses. You see, diyana, I am NOT oblivious to the things I do that are NOT good for me. I just have to take things slowly. This is for me still a huge step to have come this far.
SUPPLEMENT Challenge Day 1 completed 0 pauses taken
VEGETABLE JUICE Challenge Day 0 completed
FOOD/EXERCISE LOG -- Day 17 completed 3 pauses taken
NO ALCOHOL (round 5 minus 10 days and pauses) -- Day 0 completed 0 pauses taken
NO SMOKING (round 4) -- Day 13 completed 3 pauses taken
CAFFEINE CUT (Round 6) -- Day 4 completed 1 pause taken
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Shad -- Thanks for keeping things going. Without you I'd be all alone most of the days and you keep me coming in here as well. What are bangers and mash?
Last edited by redballoon; 10-12-2009 at 08:29 PM.
So sorry that I haven't been around. Had a busy weekend...got the AT&T Uverse package installed on Friday, and we really like it. Friday, my exercise was going up and down the basement stairs what seemed like 100 times (slight exageration maybe), but I did get my cardio and easily 10k steps in. On Saturday, we ran errands, did yard work, and I went to the gym for 45 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of strength training. Yesterday, I went to the gym first thing in the a.m. for an hour of cardio. Then ran more errands and went grocery shopping. It was too dang cold to fish this past weekend. We're yearning for a 50 or 55 degree day (preferably on the weekend). We even got snow on Saturday. Yes, that's right, it was October 10 and snowing! None stuck on the ground, but still....that is just SO WRONG! The hard frosts and snow killed my tomato plants for good, and I still had several green ones on the vine. Oh well, it's all compost now.
Journal and stay within WW points - 3 pauses left - Day 4 completed
Drink 64 ounces of water - 3 pauses left - Day 4 completed
20 minutes (at least) of cardio - 3 pauses left - Day 4 completed
25 crunches - 1 pause taken - 3 pauses left - Day 4 completed
At least 10000 steps per day - 3 pauses left - Day 4 completed
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Red - You've used ALL your pauses for no smoking?! You've got 8 more days to go...and you owe it to yourself to keep on keeping on. Did you not log your food because you forgot or didn't have time...or was it for the same reason that I tend to not log sometimes....because I went WAY over in food consumption. You're really making phenomenally positive changes in your life...please keep it up!!! I'm glad you had a good time with the feisty women! Feisty women like us are SO much fun!
Shad - You're doing great on your challenges! I know bangers are a kind of sausage...but mash? Are those mashed potatoes? Hope the home reno projects are going well.
1300 Calories or there about per day - Day 17 done - 2 pause taken
30 minutes solid exercise per day - 1 pauses - Day 13 done
1.5 litres of water per day - Day 18 done
Journal food and water - Day 18 done. 1 pause taken.
Bangers and Mash are sausages and mashed potato. I bought the low fat sausages and they were quite nice however, I think they were full of salt - it's usually one or the other to preserve and flavour. And the mash had milk and butter plus pepper and salt. Ohmy.
Can't stop. Builder is banging away out there. Silly man. I mentioned that it might be a good idea to do more out the back while the sun wasn't there and that we are supposed to get rain later today. Wouldn't it be more sensible to work in the cool and then come in out of the rain?? Or am I being too logical.
Red - a binge is not always a bad thing. I bet your stress levels are down today and that you are happy because you had such a good night last night. You can't do it often, but life would not be worth living if your friends were living it up and you had to drink water and vege juice.
Michelle - good exercise that - going up and down stairs.
on the ropes...
Amazing that you are still out there kicking...well, no, actually it's amazing that you were out there and have decided to come back HERE! Great to hear from you and welcome back!! 
And congratulations on your baby!!! 
Wonderful. I'm looking forward to hearing your challenges. We have a very small group of diehards here now. You can see them on one page. It'll be good to have you back. 
No, I don't mind the pauses. That's what they're there for. I am only ticked that I used them up so soon and still have two weeks left in the challenge. The smoking I can force myself to still make if I really commit to it. But the drinking is likely to fall. You see, I don't consider it such a bad thing and if I keep it down to a lot less than it was then I'm still way ahead. It's just that it is not helping the weight loss. That's my main concern. I only drink beer and when I say "excess" it's only relative to zero, not more. I'm just bummed about so much. Don't mind me.
crawling along...
The hard frosts and snow killed my tomato plants for good, and I still had several green ones on the vine. Oh well, it's all compost now. 
You've got 8 more days to go...and you owe it to yourself to keep on keeping on. Did you not log your food because you forgot or didn't have time...or was it for the same reason that I tend to not log sometimes....because I went WAY over in food consumption. You're really making phenomenally positive changes in your life...please keep it up!!! I'm glad you had a good time with the feisty women! Feisty women like us are SO much fun! 