Howdy chicks!

Here's the link to the eDiets article I was talking about, "Do You Really Want To Lose Weight?"

http://www.ediets.com/news/article.c...rticle_id=9311

It's a different struggle for all of us, and we're all doing it for different reasons, and we all have different motivations. But none of that matters, because the fact remains that we are ALL doing it, and we are doing it together.

I'd like to second Julie in saying how thankful I am I have this site and you chicks. You have helped me through so many tough spots I can't even begin to count. And you're here to help me through this one too. I feel like we should throw Suzanne, Jennifer, and Amy a big low-fat party or something! How wonderful they are! I honestly feel that this site has made me a better person--I get to rant and rave, cry and whine, lose and gain, question and confuse--and then I hear from my chicks and I feel calmed. Growing smaller physically is helping me to grow larger spiritually.

Besides, Michelle, if you're looney then so are the rest of us.

See you in the morning, everyone.
~Elisha

True hope dwells on the possible, even when life seems to be a plot written by someone who wants to see how much adversity we can overcome.
--Walter Anderson

Hi ladies!
This has been the most emotional weekend for me and hubby. We're going through a rough patch right now because of his work situation. I'm glad to say relief may be in sight, as he has been granted a couple of opportunities that, if he's chosen, will significantly reduce his work hours Anyway I'm all cried out from this weekend (I think). But the good news in all of this? I haven't turned to food! Now I must admit, I sat in church today thinking of all of the naughty things I was going to eat for dinner But when it came down to it, I just couldn't do it. I went to Arby's and got a market fresh sandwich, NO POTATOES (WOO! HOO!), and a large diet coke. It felt so satisfying to eat that. (I shared a piece of it with my mom, by the way.) To have felt so emotional, and still only ate until I was satisfied, not stuffed beyond belief. What a novell idea! I'm not naive enough to think that I have conquered this emotional eating syndrome, but....baby steps.....baby steps! Each wise choice made is another step in the right direction.

Thanks Elisha, for the link. I'm off to read it now.

You're absolutely right, Michelle--it's the little things that count, those baby steps we take. That is a huge victory for you! I was almost tempted into boredom eating, and even car eating (hey, it happens when you have to drive 30 minutes to get anywhere!), but I avoided it, just because I knew I would regret it later. Great work!

~Elisha

Let us strive to improve ourselves, for we cannot remain stationary; one either progresses or retrogrades. ** --Mme. du Deffano

Okay, where is everyone?!

Motivation level: 9
Way high today, probably because I already exercised. Yay me!

So here's my exercise challenge: 5 days this week, at least 20 minutes doing whatever you normally do, only kick it up a notch. I.E. if you're used to doing 20 minutes do 30, if you usually use 3-pound weights, use 5-pound ones, or do more reps, if you normally walk a 20-minute mile, try for 18-19 minutes. You get the picture. Just for one week, after that if you don't like it you can go back to your current level of exertion. Just one week, 5 days.
I'd like everyone to post their goals so the rest of us can hold you all accountable. Doesn't matter what they are, just so you set some.

My goals are as follows:
1. Keep calories under my daily budget (around 1700 at the moment). I know that doesn't have anything to do with my exercise challenge, but I need to crack down on that too.
2. Since I've been working out 1-2 days a week, 5 days is really kicking it up a notch! I'm going for at least 30 minutes on the stairclimber or treadmill, or a 15-minute walk plus 15 minutes on the stairclimber, or an exercise video (I think the shortest cardio one I have is 25 minutes).
3. Strength training 3-4 days, whether UB or LB, with my cardio or separate.
4. Stretch. I've gotten really bad about it, which is terrible, since I love yoga and pilates and stretching in general. There's no reason I can't do it.

So who's with me?

~Elisha

Alright chickies! Here's my goals for the week[U]: (pretty much the same as any other week, but the exercise is going to get kicked up a notch-thanks Elisha!)

Ready to begin a new week! You can read my post from the Labor day challenge to see how my day today was, but I wanted to make some comments here since it's been a while since I last posted!

Also, to post my goals! Here they are for this week!

1. 60-80 oz. water daily

2. Food-Try to "get" in the Zone and stay there all week. At least a fruit and veggies once a day! I have found that if I am conscious of trying to get in some fruit and veggies daily, the rest falls into place! I have to make brownies tomorrow night for our birthday party at work on Wednesday. I will plan to have ONE brownie and NO icecream (that is going to be soooo hard, but I know I can do it!!) Really! But that's it for the week with sweets! We are also having a "Taco Bar" at work on Wednesday, so I'm going to try to get my boss to bring in lots of extra veggies and if he doesn't, I will--to make Taco Salad! I love it! Yum! I've also got stuff to make up a pot of chili, so I will try to get that made sometime this week!

3. 30 minutes of aerobics every morning 5 times and 3 days of my toning routine before next Monday.

Jaymi...we are ALL going to get back into exercising this week. Actually, last week I started up again and I feel guilty when I don't do it (like this morning) but I do feel better for having done something to get me going! You will too! Mmmmm! Chili Dogs sound good! Do you use Fat Free hot dogs? I'm going to make a batch of chili this week, so maybe I will blend some of it for chili dogs and get some fat free ones! That sounds good!

Elisha...As you can see, I'm kicking up my exercise to 30 minutes this week and really going to "work it"! I really rode hard on the bike on Saturday and it felt good to do that. I've been kind of "lazy" and my heart rate was only maxing at around 120 or 130, so to get it up to 150 for a little bit was good! I need to do that more, though! The WATP DVD I have doesn't get my heart rate too high. I'm wondering if I'm working hard enough or need to go to another tape which is a little mor challenging! I do the hardest section on the DVD, but my heart rate, I know, is not anywhere near where it feels like it is when I ride the bike! And I have a monitor on the bike! Well, I will NOT "retrograde" with you around! Crack that whip, chickie!

OK, so I want details on the date, girl! I read that you will be doing a 2nd date, so do tell, chickie!!! Details, I want details!!!! I'm happy for you!

Michelle...you are doing great despite the emotional week you have had! I am really proud of you! I've decided that next to trying to lose this weight, I spend more energy working on my relationship with my husband! It's work but I beleive that compromise and happiness with a partner is worth working for! We shall keep taking these baby steps together and soon we will all be hot babes!!! Hope your week is going well!

That's about it for tonight, chickies! Hope you all have a great week! I'm going to go clean up the kitchen now so I can get that workout in in the morning!

Hugs,
Julie

Julie--I know you can meet those goals! Ice cream is always the hard part, isn't it?
I know you'll do fine. I need to make some taco salad, that sounds really good. It sounds like everyone is having chili something this week. I'm making a huge batch of my homemade spaghetti sauce on Wednesday and using the leftovers for chili on Thursday. I'm going to put a ton of veggies in it to make it a little healthier. And my grandma's giving me her pasta maker, which means I can make spinach pasta! Oh, and she just gave Mom her big fancy food processor, which means I can make spinach soup too. YUM! I'm hoping to get her George Foreman Grill too, the super extra big one. We'll see. I love getting new kitchen stuff, even if I do live with my parents.

Ok, that was a completely random tangent...

Jaymi--I always do better with a exercise schedule too. You always seem to get yours in though, I swear I don't know how you do it! You stay so busy, and I don't do anything, and I'm the one that doesn't find the time to work out.

Anyway, my brain just quit, so you chicks have a good night.
~Elisha

Just finished 2.5 miles this morning with WATP DVD! It felt good too! Took around 40 minutes (which included warm up and cool down)!

Eating some cottage cheese & pineapple this morning and for lunch I will have a turkey roll up and some strawberries. Probably a cheese stick and some more strawberries for snack. Haven't figured on supper yet, but something on the grill and some veggies!

Found a good article from Truestar Health today:
http://www.truestarhealth.com/member...?id=59ml4p1a41

Enjoy reading! Hugs to all...hoping you are having a great Tuesday!
Julie

There are two kinds of discontent: the discontent that works and the discontent that wrings its hands. The first gets what it wants; the second loses what it has. There is no cure for the first but success; there is no cure for the second. --Gordon Graham

Hey everyone.. Here is a great article that I thought you all might like:

http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/d...ng_weight.html

Anyways, today is starting off good. I got in my exercises as follows:

60 minutes Denise Austin & Lower body
5 minutes ABS

Last night I got in all of my exercises too!!

60 minutes Denise Austin (upper body)
40 minutes : DA Shrink your Female Fat Zones
20- weights
20- stability ball

Later on I Plan on doing some Step Aerobics or WATP. Water is ok.. Could be better. I only drank 16 oz so far. My breakfast was:
one slice of French toast,
one service low fat sausage,
½ c egg
1/8 cup lite syrup

Total calories: 395 (not bad for me!)

Anyways I got a lot to do today. I have about 4 stores to go to.. Which is funny since we have NO MONEY!! I have already planned dinner tonight. Here is the recipe, can’t remember if I gave it already…

Shortcut Beef Stew
from: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep/Cook Time: 25 min.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1" cubes*
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Tomato Soup
1 can Campbell's® Beefy Mushroom Soup
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 bag (24 oz.) frozen vegetables for stew (potatoes, carrots, celery)*


* I use stew meat instead.. Too poor to buy that other stuff
* I use canned potatoes and carrots so it can really be a shortcut!

Directions:
HEAT oil in saucepot. Add beef and cook until browned and juices evaporate, stirring often.

ADD soups, Worcestershire and vegetables. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 10 min. or until vegetables are tender. Serves 4.


Anyways…. I have to get going.. It looks like it’s gonna rain today! I’ll try to check back in later! I WAS gonna leave comments but my computer has froze up on me 4 times already… and I really need to go. I will come back later and leave comments only! I thin that may be my new way of doing this…. Anyway one day I will figure it out! Check you chicks later!

Some people go through life getting results; others get consequences.
--E. Stanley Jones

Morning ladies!

Motivation level: 7

Feeling sluggish today, as I always do in the morning, but I'll get over it. I am definitely going to exercise today, and NOTHING can stop me! Since I took yesterday off I absolutely HAVE to get back into it today, or I won't get back into it. It's ok, I'll kick some butt today.

I figured out something this morning. DietPower has been giving me a calorie budget around 1700-1800 the past few days, and my weight is going up and down 204-205-206. I had been losing a pound every few days. Now I know I have no right to complain, since I am still losing weight, it just gets frustrating when it goes slower than usual. So here's what I figured out: when I keep calories at 1400-1500, the weight drops off, but when I up it to over 1700, my progress grinds to a halt. My calorie budget today is something like 1582, and I'm going to try to have at least a few calories left over. And I don't want to use the calories my exercising puts back into my budget, because that will get it up to almost 1900, which is too much. I don't know what food is going to be like, except for dinner--spaghetti and garlic bread--so I'll eat light for the rest of the day. I don't plan on getting any food at the movies tonight, though I will probably get a diet pepsi. I can live with that.

Also, I read a few articles about the health benefits of green tea. Supposedly it can help you lose weight. I figure, even if it doesn't help, it can't hurt anything, so I've been drinking green tea for a couple of days. If it causes anything miraculous to happen, I'll let you know.

Anyway, that's it from me today. Have a wonderfully healthy day everyone!
~Elisha

Hello Everyone! Ok... I LIED! I never got back on the computer yesterday. By the time I got home I had to fix dinner, got a major migraine.. and soon as hubby came in, which was about 15 minutes later, I went in the bed and laid down. You'd think that would be relaxing.... and I guess it was! But I didn’t get to finish my exercises... Oh well, today we aren’t going ANYWHERE! So I should be able to do everything as planned...whatever that may be. I didn‘t get off to a great start
! I got up at 6, fixed my hubbies lunch, fixed me some....get this.. COFFEE, and it was already almost 7!!! That's what time I should have exercised… right!!!! WRONG! I didn’t exercise until about 10.. After I finished procrastinating the baby woke up. I need to stop doing that!!! Well TOM is right on schedule... but PMS is still here big time! Why can't it be late sometimes?!? Maybe even like a day! Darn Wednesdays.. ANYWAYS…..I MISS MY ADIPEX!!!! I found some generic ones online for way cheaper.. but scared to buy them.... does generic work the same?!? Hmmm. Anyways Oh hold on…. Had to stop the baby from eating the foam paper plate!! While she took the cookies I gave her and threw them down. Why do kids do that!! Well anyways I’ve eaten breakfast . finally.. now I’m starving!! I ate 1/2 c of egg substitute... wow.... and some low fat sausage, and 7 mini pancakes. I would eat earlier if I didn’t have to cook it…. I HATE cooking breakfast! Those egg substitutes take too long.. Or maybe I’m starving by the time I get through and I’m just too lazy… who knows. Well anyways I already did my DA exercise with weights… now I plan on doing the Ultimate Fat Burner DVD when the baby takes her nap… I’m not even excited at the least about it.. Because I SWEAR that workout is HARD!!!!! I’m not good at cardio moves for long periods of time… just short bursts… but that one kills ya! I just can’t seem to drink enough water though… I hate it!! Adding lemon and all that makes me nauseous.. I did It too much last time. I hope s/f koolaid helps in the water dept.. or tea.. Because yuck….Well here is a new article that I was sent today:

http://www.beachbody.com/jump.jsp?it...SLETTER_ISSUES



Darn.. Sorry everyone!!! My daughter keeps screaming.. So I guess she’s sleepy after all!! I will finish comments later!!!