Thanks, Jolly, for your kind words. I can do this...just not in the way or as quickly as I'd like. Congratulations on your achievement! YGG! So proud of you.
No time for other personals...but know that I'm cheering y'all on!
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here's where I'm at:
1. Drink 72 ounces of water per day - Day 3 (3/3 pauses left)
2. 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day - Day 3 (2/2 pauses left)
3. Track what I eat and count WW points - Day 3 (3/3 pauses left)
4. Daily stretching - Day 3 (3/3 pauses left)
No frappes or sodas -day 21 with 1/3 pauses left
Follow exercise plan - day 21 with 1/3 pauses left
Both challenges finished. Woo hoo!!
SeaWave, hope appt goes well. Elaine, goodjob on day 2, and on feeling good.
Michelle . . . What you said about not doing it the way and as quickly as you like. At least you are doing it! Things have been going well the past couple weeks, overall. I found myself falling into the "Well, if I lose X amount per week, by Christmas I can be . . . " thinking. Realized this played into my perfectionist thinking. And it just causes extra stress, which pushes me back to my comofrt zone of stress eating, and hiding behind my fat. so I decided I needed to adopt my holiday shopping theory to my weight loss. When Igo holiday shopping, I know the crowds will drive me crazy. And I know parking is bad. So I deliberately look for the furthest AWAY parking space. If I find something closer, cool. But I am looking to walk. That way I am not frustrated trying to fight for parking, and already in a bad mood before I hit the store. I need to do the same things with weight loss - the main thing is making positive, LASTING changes in the healthy direction, and losing a pound a week. Anything better is gravy. No pressure, no race.
good luck, and work with what you got. Everyone and have a good day.
I made it through yesterday but it was close. I almost went into the convenience store to buy cigarettes and sweet things. WTF?!!?!? But then, believe it or not, I thought about having to report another "pause," which to me is akin to failure at this point, and I stopped.
I went into another convenience store (they are all over the place and a 10-minute walk home takes me past about five of them! And there I was going to get something sweet. As it turns out, I didn't, though the extra calories were not good.
Less than a minute from home, I nearly gave in again, but said to myself, you are exhausted and need sleep, NOT food! Get home and get to bed. There is NOTHING good that comes from thinking about things when you are this exhausted. And I was able to do that! Hurrah. I truly was exhausted.
I had been out to see my horse and was recruited into mucking out six stalls as well. The sweat was pouring off me. A few hours later my muscles were aching (what a workout that is!) and I had taken over 5 hours just to get back to Tokyo by slow (read "cheap") train. But I made the challenges. Now, THAT is an achievement!
That said, I want to seriously look at my eating habits and calories. All the bodybuilders in the gym are getting ripped for the contests and I feel so huge. They ask "What do you eat?!" and I just say, "too much."
So, here I am trying to take on the ultimate discipline, to not only lose weight, but lose fat and maintain lean muscle mass. And I'm thinking, "damn, the way I use food to feel happy..., this will be HARD!"
On the other hand, I keep telling myself, heh, it's not rocket science. You can do this! So, I am going to try and I'll be starting some new challenges. I have been studying about protein/carb/fat ratios and all and realizing how little I really know. And this is just as important, if not more important, for bodybuilders. I don't want to be a bodybuilder but I do such heavy muscle work that it is a shame I have so much fat covering it all up.....
No Smoking Challenge Day 5 completed 1 pause taken
No Booze Challenge Day 6 completed
No Sugar Challenge Day 6 completed 1 pause taken
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jolly -- Congratulations again for you!! And three cheers for a job VERY WELL done and pauses left over!! Rock on!!
I really like the way you are planning ahead for the holiday shopping stress. This is great. When you have a strategy it's so much easier to carry it out. It makes you realize how strong and in control you actual are. Good for you!
SeaWave -- You're doing well. Good for you!!
elaine -- Hang in there! Glad to hear the exercise is giving you a lift!!
Well, I miraculously made it through another day on my challenges. I almost didn't and then thought of the challenges and forced myself to stick to them. Tonight, however, I have been invited out and will notch a pause on the drinking challenge. Still, I can make another day of progress on the other two.
Hope you're all doing well!!
No Smoking Challenge Day 6 completed 1 pause taken
No Booze Challenge Day 7 completed
No Sugar Challenge Day 7 completed 1 pause taken
Congrats to you too, Red. I know how hard it can be to say no. Though, why do you assume you will need to take a pause going out tonight? Just curious.
And the holiday planning thing I have done for years. I am just now realizing I need to use that same technique to keep me on track with my weight loss. So I don't sabotage myself if I don't rush rush rush and get through by a certain date.
My new challenges I will be starting on 8/21
1) Daily posting, 3/3 pauses left
2) Follow exercise plan, 3/3 pauses left
3) No deep fried foods, 3/3 pauses left
4) Follow menu, 3/3 pauses left
Have a good night all. I get to go play closet archeologist, as I look to see what clothes I fit into again
Well, jolly, it's just really because I WANT to take a pause. Heck, in the beer challenge (I only drink beer). that's what they are there for, instead of being something I am forced to take, I can look forward to them. It's not like I'm an alcoholic or anything so drinking a few beers with friends is well within reason. I just don't want to do it too often for financial, health and caloric reasons. Tonight, I'm meeting a new 80-year-old friend and his wife and friends at the press club for an evening of talk and music by a Russian-born pianist playing ragtime and early jazz!
Things like smoking are not necessary at all. There I can refrain!!
The sugar is my absolute trigger and I tend to snowball (like my hips!) so there too I would make an effort to keep to the challenge at all times. Then again, if I really feel that having something is an occasion and an experience, then I will. Have to keep these things in perspective!
You're coming along well with your new challenges, aren't you?
Last edited by redballoon; 08-20-2010 at 09:35 PM.
I am so impressed and motivated by all the hard work you guys are doing
Day 3/21
1. excercise 1/2 hr - 1 pause avail.
2. no pop - 1 pause avail.
I am also trying to sleep more, with is difficult for me, but I am trying
I think of you guys every morning, and it really helps knowing you guys are out there rooting for me like I am for you. Hope your weekend is fabulous and healthy!
Good morning all Way to go Elaine. You are off to a great start. Red, hope you had a fun night out. I have a girl's night with two friends of mine tonight. Woo hoo.
I am happy to report I lost 3 pounds this week, with PMS. It's a good thing.
Well, I had better head out to workout. I tried to go get my swim workout in, but the pool was closed. Substituting with eliptical. Did my weights and yoga.
Jolly, 3 lbs is great epsecially with PMS
I walked for 40 mins this morning, and DID NOT indulge in any of the Coke my hubby brought home, YAY !!! So I am still on my challenge, this is day 4, and I have 1 pause left for both challenges
Well, it was not my best effort....but I did stay off sugar and worked out despite a very bad literal pain in the neck!
No Smoking Challenge Day 6 completed 2 pauses taken
No Booze Challenge Day 7 completed 1 pause taken
No Sugar Challenge Day 8 completed 1 pause taken
Great job Elaine and Red. Very good working through the pain Red. My back went out yesterday morning, so I hear you.
1) Daily posting - day 1, 3/3 pauses left
2) Follow exercise plan - day 1, 3/3 pauses left
3) No deep fried foods - day 1, 3/3 pauses left
4) Follow menu - day 1, 3/3 pauses left
For yesterday. Should be on plan for today, but will try to come back on line tonight. Got my class assignments for school starting next week, so have over 100 pages of legaleese to get through
Had a girls night out last night. Did not make perfect choices, nor horrid ones. Made choices I could live with. Funny thing though is that the meal I choose was a bit richer than I have been eating, so my body was not real appreciative. Ended up losing weight anyway
OMG I didn't realize so much time had passed! My arm is still bothering me, and I haven't been able to type as much lately... so for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Today, I've reached goals 2 and 3, but I did miss one day on the first goal. I just don't have that much appetite
1. 7 fruit/veggies per day - DAY 6 (2/3 pauses left)
2. Get fresh air twice per day - DAY 6 (1/1 pauses left)
3. PT exercises for arms - DAY 5 (1/1 pauses left)
I'm so jealous of all of you who can walk and exercise -- I can't wait until I'm at that point! On a good note, though, I had a visit with my aunt today and it was wonderfully uplifting!
On the run....just time for the tally.
No Smoking Challenge Day 7 completed 2 pauses taken
No Booze Challenge Day 8 completed 1 pause taken
No Sugar Challenge Day 8 completed 2 pauses taken
1) Daily posting - day 2, 3/3 pauses left
2) Follow exercise plan - day 2, 3/3 pauses left
3) No deep fried foods - day 2, 3/3 pauses left
4) Follow menu - day 2, 3/3 pauses left
Had a good day. Group should be good tomorrow night. I look forward to it. The right people at the right time, I guess.
SeaWave, I am glad you had a good visit with your aunt. You deserve it! And you'll get there - just take your time, and be kind to yourself.
Have a good night all I am going to go to sleep watching Design Star
I had a very hard time not eating sugar again yesterday. I even looked at the number of days done and the pauses taken and thought, well, if I eat some now, that is just going to make the rest of the days harder. I CAN hold off. When I think of it as only "holding off" I find I can do it more easily. Mind games.
No Smoking Challenge Day 8 completed 2 pauses taken
No Booze Challenge Day 9 completed 1 pause taken
No Sugar Challenge Day 9 completed 2 pauses taken
jolly, glad to hear you had a good day!!
SeaWave, you hang in there! You're doing well!!
Last edited by redballoon; 08-23-2010 at 09:00 PM.
and have a good day.
I have been studying about protein/carb/fat ratios and all and realizing how little I really know. And this is just as important, if not more important, for bodybuilders. I don't want to be a bodybuilder but I do such heavy muscle work that it is a shame I have so much fat covering it all up..... 
so drinking a few beers with friends is well within reason. I just don't want to do it too often for financial, health and caloric reasons. Tonight, I'm meeting a new 80-year-old friend and his wife and friends at the press club for an evening of talk and music by a Russian-born pianist playing ragtime and early jazz!
There I can refrain!! 
