Ok, I did it!! Just finished 20 min of AirWalking and then laid on the floor and did 30 leg lifts with each leg. Also did 30 leg lifts front and back on Josh's weight bench with 30 lbs attached. Will probably be sore tomorrow since I havent done that before. Feels soooooooo great knowing I did it and I'm finished..yeahhhh!! Gonna go now and fix lunches for tomorrow then heading to bed to watch ER. Talk to you all again soon

Miki

Hi Everybody!

Betty - Good to hear from you again! I’m so sorry to hear about your job. I know how hard it is to have to leave a job and if you like the job it’s much worse. A big congrats to you and your kids for winning regionals. You must be some kind of coach! And good luck on the Praxis. When do you take it?

Cyan – I was glad to read you are keeping up the exercise. I was also glad to hear you and your folks can breed easier now! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!) Changing your eating patterns is so hard, but worth the effort. Keep up the good work. Thanks for the count down reminder on our trip. It helps to keep it in mind.

Lisa – It sounds like something is really bothering you; causing you to be under a lot of stress and it’s coming out while you’re sleeping. I know you are balancing a lot right now. Are you trying to tackle too much? Is something making you anxious or angry and you’re “stuffing” it instead of dealing with it? This will also make you feel tired all the time. Sometimes changing just one thing will relieve the pressure. That potato bar sounds like a great idea. Take care of yourself and write again soon as you are able.

Debee – Hope you’re feeling better soon. Wow! Skinny Jeans again! And down 3lbs! You’re winning girl! Keep up the good work with those points. You sure have the right attitude to succeed. Your remodeled basement sounds awesome! You are so creative!

Cjunk – Do take your iron supplements, low iron can make you feel sluggish and even depressed. Are you drinking enough water? Hope you feel better soon and back to your old self. Don’t be too discouraged.

Miki – Sorry you are up a pound. You may just be on a plateau while your body readjusts itself. Stay on plan and it will start to come off again. Didn’t it feel great to have your success noticed by the produce guy?! And what are those candy bars doing in that drawer, anyway? By the way, you aren’t ‘trying’ to lose weight, you ARE losing weight! Congrats for getting back on the air walker. Also, thanks for those weight loss myths, I think I knew them, but don’t remember to use the information. It’s good to remind ourselves of these things, isn’t it?
Wish Josh good luck on the spelling bee, will ya?

Reina – Whooooweee! Good for You! I know how great that feels to be able to comfortably wear those jeans. And you know what? This is just the beginning! With the WW plan and Curves, you will see that weight just fall right off. I loved your story about yelling at yourself in the mirror. That’s taking self-talk to a whole ‘nother level!

Me – Cyan, I expect to be at my goal weight by October. I really want to be able to buy a shirt that buttons down the front! In a size 10! At my present weight my boobs are too big, so I only wear pull over shirts.

The last two days have been really tough. We ate out a lot, and it triggered all kinds of cravings for me. I went bonkers, completely lost track of my calories and fat, and ate and ate when I wasn’t hungry at all. The strange thing is on Tuesday I was able to buy a pair of size 10 pants and actually tuck in my shirt, so you would think that would keep me motivated, but I guess I got cocky or something. I didn’t exercise yesterday and I don’t think I would have today either, breaking my rule not to go 2 days in a row without exercising. Anyway, my daughter (did I tell you all I have a really great daughter?) well, as I was saying, my daughter called this evening and said all the right things to motivate me back into action. She pointed out that if I didn’t exercise tonight I will be giving myself permission to quit and may not be able to get back on plan. She also told me I really hadn’t eaten that much so far and could still ‘save’ today by not eating after 8 and getting back on that treadmill. So, that’s what I did. I put on some motivating music and did 25 minutes / 1 ½ miles on the treadmill. I guess I really had that music blaring, and was feeling very empowered, cause when I came downstairs belting out I Am Woman Hear Me Roar I found my son sitting here laughing and shaking his head. I don’t expect to show a loss tomorrow, but I feel good that I’m back on the wagon.

On the fun side - I met my friend Nancy for our monthly lunch yesterday, and afterward we went to the mall where she talked me into trying on prom dresses just for fun! What a hoot! The two of us acting like we were 16 again. I never would have done that on my own, but Nancy says she's working on helping me to losen up a bit. LOL

Talk to you all tomorrow!
Lady

LadyRider...Yes I was hoping no one would notice my misuse of the word breathe But you had to tease me on it...yes I am now planning on having lots of children ...cant wait Its okay..I laughed too when I reread that post...go ahead laugh, chuckle away....knee slap and toe tap away....its okay Just Kidding

Anyway, Lady congrats on your weight loss...you are the incredible shrinking lady...amazing

Miki congrats on doing your airwalker...have you weighed yourself? Let us know how you did.

Reina...cant wait to hear from you...I hope that your first week on WW has made you lose some pounds.

Debee your home sounds amazing...I would love some day in the near future to come visit you.

Okay...here goes...I weighed my self this morning and I have gained three pounds...I am now 170! That's right...I have been exercising for the past two weeks 5 days our of 7...my calorie averages for the week are high at 1700 but somehow...I am now 3 pounds heavier from 2 weeks ago. I will keep trying...to lower my cal and fat consumption.

Things that I will do this week.
1. This Sunday...I will plan out all my meals for the week instead of planning a few hours before each meal.
2. I will continue to exercise
3. I will continue not to eat after 8pm
4. If I do eat cheese. it will be low fat kind.
5. I will fight to stay at 1500 cals and 40 grams of fat( I have not been sucessful yet on this one...I can never do it for a week straight!)
6. I will keep trying no matter what..I will not get discouraged or give up.

Well I hope that you have better results than I do...looking forward to hearing from all you lovely ladies

Cyan

Just what is a single serving?
by Lynn Grieger, RD, CDE



One blueberry muffin MUST be equal to one serving, right? But is this muffin the size of a small homemade muffin or one from a store? Many commercial muffins are the size of two to three homemade muffins. All those additional calories (from fat and sugar), add up to almost 400 calories.

So what is a serving size, anyway?

Confusion over serving sizes has contributed to the growing problem of obesity in the United States. It seems that serving sizes are getting bigger (think "supersized" meals) with our desire to eat them. We can consume a low-fat diet that is high in fruit, vegetables and whole grains and still gain weight unless we are knowledgeable and careful about serving sizes.

The easiest way to determine serving size is to read the nutrition facts on food labels. For example, one serving equals five Ritz crackers, 16 Wheat Thins or 55 Goldfish. If you like volume, choose the Goldfish. One cup of Raisin Bran, 2/3 cup of Great Grains granola-type cereal and 3/4 cup of Life are all one serving of cereal. Instead of pouring the same amount of cereal into your bowl regardless of type, measure your portion based on the serving size listed on the label. Most of the time, when we start to read labels for serving sizes and to consume appropriate amounts of food, we take in fewer total calories and lose weight.

For foods without labels, use these handy visual reminders:
Three ounces of cooked meat, poultry or fish, the recommended amount at a meal, is about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of a small woman's hand.
One cup of cooked rice, pasta or vegetables is about the size of a small fist; a large fist can be as much as two cups. Measure a cup of cooked rice at home, then compare it with your fist -- a "handy" reference.
One ounce of cheese is about the size of four stacked dice.
One teaspoon of mayonnaise, peanut butter or salad dressing is about the size of the tip of your thumb, from the end of the thumbnail to the first joint. Guidelines suggest limiting added fats such as margarine or mayonnaise to one teaspoon per meal (each teaspoon contains approximately 30 calories).
One ounce of nuts or raisins is the amount you can hold in your cupped hand, if you have a small hand.
All of those extra servings can really add up. One extra bite here, a large soft drink there, an entire bag of microwave popcorn at night (most bags of microwave popcorn contain three servings), and we've eaten 200 or more extra calories we didn't realize were there.

It may seem like small potatoes at the time, but 250 extra calories per day adds up to two additional pounds each month -- 24 pounds in a year.

What to do about managing serving sizes? Start by reading labels on the food you eat. Try limiting yourself to the serving size listed and measure it out. You may find you can eat less and still feel satisfied. Get in the habit of using the visual reminders for more exact measurements of foods without labels.

Realize that restaurant portions are larger than we need. Either order half portions, share with a friend or ask for a doggie bag. Get in the habit of ordering small fries instead of large. Avoid supersized meals whenever possible. Order a small beverage instead of large, and if you're still thirsty, drink water. Who needs 32 ounces of soda at one time anyway? Eat half a bagel sandwich for lunch and save the other half for a snack or lunch the next day. Think how much money you'll save too.

Over time, you will probably reduce your appetite and feel more comfortable -- not to mention shedding unwanted pounds.

Well, happy Chinese New Year. It's now year of the Lamb or Goat or sheep (however you want to translate it!). We got back yesterday, a day late. We overslept and missed the train on Thursday. Train leaves at 6:15am. The boys were pretty good on the train. Joshua loved being on the train, but it just messed up Josiah's schedule--something you don't do to a 7.5 month old Anyway, it was ok. To me it's kinda boring being there, but we made it through.

Ok,I will admit, didn't do any exercise or really pay attention to what I ate and drank almost no water. Though I didn't pig out or anything, though I had too much candy I think. I do feel kinda blah though. I did weigh myself and found out I gained 2lbs. Ok, it could've been worse, but I think it will come of easy. To be honest, weekends are always rough for me, so I am not going to do much until Monday, then I will get back to a schedule.

I've been reading posts, but there is alot to catch up. I am not going to post to individuals. Sounds like everyone is doing ok. I really missed you all while I was gone and boy am I glad to be able to post again. People actually noticed I had lost weight Hope being back again and seeing your posts will motivate me again.

Well, I am typing and watching the baby. He has started cruising, or hold on to something, pull himself up and holding onto the couch can walk some. I am not looking forward to a 9month walking!!! I will know more later, but think of us this next week. We are going to house a 15yr old pregnant girl whose mom (parents divorced over 10years ago) is embarrassed to have her home anymore as her stomach is getting bigger. She is due in March. She go back after she has the baby. It will be interesting. I really don't know what to do with her while she's here. But it will be a short time.

Ok, enough rambling. Talk with you all later.

Just checking to see if I can upload some pix

in Egypt

Hi everyone!

Sorry I didnt make it in to post yesterday. Cleaned house all day long then hit the couch last nite til bedtime. I did not lose one stinking pound this week!! I am getting very discouraged. My calories for the week averaged around 1300, and once again I think I exercised 4 days out of 7. Cyan, I'm beginning to know how you've been feeling...I really dont understand it. Just a few weeks ago, I lost 4 lbs 2 weeks in a row. I keep telling myself one of these days, the scales will catch up and surprise me with a big loss all at once. I have to think that or I'll be tempted to give up. I dont want to do that!!

Well, today was the big Spelling Bee. Josh didnt win, but he was one of the last 3 standing. There were 14 contestants so I think he did well.

LadyRider, good to hear from you again! Sounds like you had a fun day with Nancy. Wish I could into MY prom dress again or even my wedding dress! I had to laugh at your "breed" comment. I almost mentioned it also but didnt. Things like that are what make these posts so fun. Plus they make me feel good-- I like knowing I'm not the only looney one here.

Taiwan, I was just thinking about you last nite! I couldnt remember when you were supposed to be back, but I have definitely missed you. Isnt it great to be home?? And dont worry, a 9 month old walking, yes dear, you will be losing more weight SOON...I'm sure Josiah will keep you running.

Cyan, thanks for that serving size post. Sometimes I do get confused about that and wonder how much Im really eating. Those pics are cool...Egypt, Wow...how exciting. When did you go?

Lisa, I'm having that same problem of needing healthy snacks at work. Lately, I've been eating whole baby carrots with a little FatFree Ranch dressing to dip them in. I also keep grapes in the refrigerator and grab a few occasionally. I have a bag of Pretzel sticks too. Guess the pretzels and carrots might be a little loud for studying with all that crunching tho.

Debee, Congrats on the 3 lbs!! I'm envious. Your house sounds beautiful. 5000 sq feet and not big?? Mine is just under 2000 sq feet. Takes me all day to clean this one...I cant imagine cleaning yours.

Reina, I have my fingers crossed that you had a successful weigh-in. You're doing great. Miss you and hope they arent working you too hard. Cant wait to hear your results.

Annie, Precious One, Cjunk, Betty....big hug to all of you. Hope to hear from you again soon.

Miki

Miki ...Sorry to hear that you have not lost any weight this week...I think you may be on a plateau or you are building mussels...haha muscles. Dont give up and weight..oops wait till next friday and hopefully you will show a loss on the scale. So breed easily..I mean breathe easily and this plateau you are on will crack!

Taiwan glad to have you back ...looking forward to reading your posts.

So far so good in terms of diet! yes I meant to say diet...I am eating on track thus far so I am really hoping to see a pound gone this weekend. As usual, I continue to exercise...talk to you later.

Cyan

Hi Everyone!
I am a t work, so I won't be able to write much; waiting for my student to arrive.

Hey guys, I didn't lose this week either. But I know mine was because I ate way too much. Don't get discouraged, after losing weight continually, your body needs to stabalize. You will see the weight drop off again soon. Just keep exercising and watching those calories.
Cyan, those pix are really cool! I like your new avatar too. It's fun to see you in a different setting. Your post had me laughing out loud. Congrats on being back in "diet" mode, sometimes that's exactly what we need to get us losing again.I'm going to try to be extra careful this week and see if I can get back to losing. I bought some V8 juice to drink between meals, and I'm going to join the rest of you in the soup bregade. I always lose when I eat soup.


Taiwan, good to see you back! Gaining 2 lbs is not bad at all, and you're right, it will fall back off quickly. It must have been great to have people notice you've lost weight.

Miki, the prom dresses didn't even come close to fitting!! But we sure had a good laugh trying them on.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. It's cold and rainy here - ugh!

Lady

Just a quick post....getting ready to watch a movie. Thanks for the encouraging words, Lady and Cyan. I do intend to keep trying ; just makes it so much easier when I see positive results each week. I've already had 1100 calories today, and it's only 1:30 so the rest of the day I'll definitely have to be selective about what else I eat. I'm going to TRY to get on that AirWalker. I'll let ya know later. Ya'll have a nice day! Talk to ya soon.

MIKI

Hello Ladies, I hope you alll had a great weekend! I am finally able to sit and really read all the posts. I have been swamped with work and trying to catch up here at home.

I want to let you all know that I did weigh in at WW this week and lost 1.6lbs this week! I was really excited. I know I can do more, because in all actuality I felt full all the time. I was never really hungry! I thought I was gonna be hungry all the time.
I also worked out 5 days this week! NOT bad for someone who never wanted to work out. But Curves is a great place and I look forward to seeing the regulars there!

Mikki, I am sorry to hear that you are having a discouraging time. I have been there, and all I can say is keep trying, I am sure all your hard work and dedication will not be in vain! You are doing a great job! If it isn't coming off in lbs, it may be coming off in inches and you just don't know it yet! Don't despair!

Lady, The story about the prom dress had me laughing. After looking at my prom pictures, I can't believe I actually walked out of my house in that thing!
But it must have been run reminising??

Debee, Congrats on the 3lbs this week. Looking at your stats, you are so on track to reach your goal. You house sounds beautiful, I would love to go up to Philly!

Cyan, Cool pix's. Must have been beautiful to travel all over!

Lisa, how you doing on the medicine. I took zoloft, and I did care for it. They had to try all different types of medicine until they found one that worked for me. I have horrible panic attacks and I used to wake up fridig and shivering and my husband would go crazy because he didn't know what to do. I tried pulling my hair out once the panic attack was so bad! That could be why you are clenching your teeth and fists. With the change of schedules it is your body trying to adjust. Just a thought!

I was kind of lax this weekend. I calculated my points daily, but last night, I made a Chicken broccoli braid with reduced fat crecent rolls, lite mayo and it was really good, I didn't bother calculated that, I just chalked the day up as about 29 pts. I really didn't eat much earlier in the day. Today, I had a 65th Birthday party to go to for a friend of the family. I had to go alone because a Hockey game was more important to my husband. But I have to tell you all something that made me feel really good. Since I have been on this Life Journey to change myself. I have been able to hold my head up higher and walk with reassurance of myself! Well, for the first time in a very long time, someone actually flirted with me at the party! I just laughed it up and went home! It was cool to feel like I am worth something! My husband always tells me I am beautiful, but I just never believed it with all this weight on me! Well, I feel a difference and I walk with pride now!


One of my biggest struggles is carbs! I LOVE them, well since Cyan did the no cheese for 1 week, I am giving up carbs or at least trying to this week! I want to see if that helps with my points!

Wish me luck ladies!

Ack! Its Monday morning...I really dont like monday mornings...and last night, my mother kept me up for most of the night with her incessant night travels around the house and talking out loud.

I was testing uploading pictures, so the first picture is me in Manaus, Brazil...its the biggest jungle city in South America deep in the Amazon Basin...it was Carnival time...about 3.00 am in the morning...thus I am wearing the hat...the year was 1999 and I was about 140 pounds!

My avataar is me in portugal...the acores in 1998...I am also 140 pounds there.

the other picture...well I am in Egypt at Sakara...near Cairo...1998 and I weight 140 pounds. I look and felt good...I wore a size 8.

So now I am once again 170 pounds and a size 12 and I hate it!! I feel gross and fat and uncomfortable in my body...so I figured I would post some pictures of me at my goal weight in the attempt to motivate me to lose the 30 pounds!

This past week I have exercised for 5 days out of 7, cycling, lifting weights and doing calisthetics...but not in the nude

Once again, my diet needs serious improvement...I live in the moment and if I am hungry...I eat eat eat...and then I feel horrible and regret it.

I will lose 3 pounds by the end of February...this is my challenge to myself...so by February 28, I will be back at 167 and thats it...no more wishy washy maybe I will do it...forget that...I will do it...I have no choice...I will show some restraint where food is concerned and I will continue to exercise 5 days out of the week.

My long term goal until October is to lose 3.75 pounds per month...which is very doable and by october to weight 140 pounds...my weight before I moved back to Montreal to take care of my mother.

Ok Ladies...Cyan has taken off her gloves and she is ready to do battle with her weight...I am angry at my lack of will power, my lack of desire to stay motivated, my glutonous response to food. I know why I eat, and I nolonger accept that as an excuse to keep eating. I will not use excuses of stress eating...thats it...I know I stress eat...lot us do...but that is no excuse to gorge myself nightly on food..its doesnt make me feel better afterward...quite the contrary...I feel worse....bloated, and miserable...thats it.

Looking forward to hearing from all of you soon and let us know how your weekend went

Cyan

The Great Weight Debate

Biology vs. Willpower: Is Fat Due to Our Food or Our Genes?
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD
on Thursday, February 06, 2003
WebMD Medical News



Feb. 5, 2003 -- Too many fat people are roaming this nation, but who -- or what -- is to blame? Is it the genes we inherited or that one extra cookie a day?


Two researchers square off in this week's Science, addressing why more than 60% of Americans are overweight.


Fat People Can't Help It


In one corner: Jeffrey M. Friedman, with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute of Rockefeller University. He says that obesity is not a personal failing -- that we're fighting a battle against biology when we try to stay slim.


The complex mechanism that regulates our weight -- triggering a calorie burn rather than fat storage -- is largely controlled by our genes, says Friedman.


A key element is the hormone leptin, which is produced by stored fat, he writes.


It's a vicious cycle. When we have less body fat, we have decreased leptin levels, which make us want to eat more -- yet reduces the amount of calories burnt. It's this "potent" cycle that that makes successful dieting so difficult, writes Friedman. "A primal hunger trumps the conscious desire to be thin."


Yet this natural weight-regulation system works quite well in all but a small percentage of people, he says. In fact, the huge increase in massively obese people "strongly" suggests the possibility that there are people with a predisposition to obesity -- while others are relatively resistant.


The so-called "thrifty gene" -- inherited from hunter-gatherer ancestors -- predisposes many people to obesity because they tend to store fat for survival in times of famine, says Friedman.


However, those who descended from the Fertile Crescent peoples of the Tigris-Euphrates rivers -- or Western societies in more recent times -- have less risk of starvation, and therefore don't have a tendency to store fat. However, when we do become obese, we likely are "weeded out" by natural selection -- our bad health causes early death.


"Might it be that the obese carry the "hunger-gatherer" genes and the lean carry the "Fertile Crescent" or "Western" genes?" asks Friedman.

Oh Yes They Can


Get a grip -- willpower has much to do with it, says James O. Hill, PhD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.


Hill analyzed national data on obesity in American adults, which shows that 65% of adults are overweight, compared with 56% in 1994.


"We found that people are gaining one to two pounds a year," Hill tells WebMD. "We're only eating a tiny amount more every day than we should -- no more than 100 calories more. But we're storing about 50 extra calories a day, on average."


The solution is simple -- "eat less," says Hill. More specifically, cut 100 calories every day. "It means leaving a few bites of hamburger, putting the cookie down," he says. "Not much more than that."


Then, find time for 15 minutes of walking every day. That equals 2,000 steps, says Hill. One foot in front of the other -- brisk, slow, whatever pace feels right to you.


"These are tiny changes," Hill tells WebMD. "We've tried to get people to make total makeovers of life, but they don't stick with it. But these are small changes that are sustainable."


But -- his formula won't make you lean, he admits. Here's the upside: "If you're overweight, you won't get any more overweight."


In fact, his strategy is being tried in Denver with success. "So far, it's working wonderfully. Anybody can do it."


"Obviously, genetics plays a huge role in body weight," Hill admits. "That's why some people won't ever be thin. And this obesity epidemic -- we understand so little about it. Of course we don't disagree. There's definitely a genetic component to weight gain. If we both eat 100 calories, I may store 80 calories, you may store 60. But if each of us ate a little less, neither one of us would gain weight."

Hello Ladies. How is everyone. I've missed a couple of days. Today is Monday and I'm trying to get off to a good start I had my slim fast for breakfast and brought fat free pringles to snack on in class. However, one of my group members brought bagles and cream cheese. Not fat free cream cheese either. So, I had half a bagle with cream cheese. How many points is that? I also had my fat free pringles. For lunch I had a veggie sandwich from Subway and a cookie. So, by my calculations I am at 19 points. That means I can have eight points for dinner. That's not a lot. Maybe I will take a walk to earn some points. hmmmm. I will just drink a lot of water and fill up my tummy before dinner. We're having Mexican food. I have a test tomorrow so I need to study study study...no time for a walk.

I also have some exciting news to share. Today I was elected Vice President of my class!!! I totally didn't want to run, but then they started talking about what we're in charge of and I thought it would be so much fun. Also, the girl who was elected President is Super Cool, so I was way excited to work with her. We have some great ideas! I bought some miniature Mounds candy bars and I'm wrapping them in purple (school colors) tissue paper and gold ribbon with a card that says "Looking Forward to MOUNDS of fun!" "Thank You!" What do you think??? Is that creative?

Miki, don't get discouraged! Don't give up. Even if you're not seeing a difference on the scales, I know you feel better and you're making changes in your health. You're making a healthier heart and veins and arteries. You're building muscle and you're lowering your cholesterol! If you give up, you will see a difference on the scale..but it won't be a good one! That's my motivational speech for ya!

Cyan, I really found that article interesting. I've decided that while I may be predisposed to be overweight, I can still choose to be healthy, thin or not.

Reina, Congrats! on the 1.6 pounds! You rock! I didn't lose anything last week. But I'm working on losing this week. I'm starting to get in the groove of my new schedule.

The Zoloft seems to be helping with sleeping and I'm not so stressed about everything and that's nice. I don't feel like I have to get the whole house immaculate before I can sit down to study.

Well, that's all for now. I hope to hear from all of you soon!

oh yeah, Taiwan, welcome back! I missed you!

Lisa