Shawn, taking your measurements is a great idea. I hit a plateau a few weeks ago and if I had not been able to see lost inches I would have gone nuts over the scale not moving (okay, okay, I still went a little nuts that the scale didn't move, but the inches lost helped me stay on track)
I don't have any fat gram goals. I count calories only. I do, however, try and make sure that the fat I eat is mostly mono or poly, instead of saturated. I also try to make sure that no more than 20% of my overall calories come from fat. But, again, it isn't a big deal to me if I go over that as long as my calorie intake is on target.
Kellie, I do use the activity calculators. They are always lower than what the machines at the gym tell me I burned, though. I'm not sure, but I think fitday takes into account your lifestyle so the calories burned are actually what you burned less what you would have burned anyway if you hadn't done any extra exercise. I'm not sure about that though.
Mostly, I use it just to keep up with how often I exercise. I don't really consider the calories part of it. I'm afraid I would undo any work by saying to myself, "Oh, look, I burned an extra 500 calories today I can have that chocolate cake after all!"
Yes, girls today is a new day, Shawn I am so sorry for not sstopping in sooner. I have been so busy with the kids and trying to get some sleep but you know it never works that way. Like now, Cam is sleep, Cort is wide awake and Chase is eating her breakfast (yes at almost eleven o'clock :anon But anyway,
My name is Alice, I am 24 years old, and I have a three year old daughter and eight month old boy girl twins. I work third shift, so a lot of times I will eat while at work to "try to stay awake" and I know that I should munch on something healthy or just drink water. I have been working in my area for the past five years, and let me tell you, everything on me has expanded. I sit down for more than ten hours at a time, and i know my butt has spread.
I haven't weighed myself in a month or so, but I will when I get to work tonight and check in. I know that I most likely still have about ninety pounds to go to get to my goal weight, of 185. I am tall, about 5-10, and people use to tell me all the time, "You don't look like you weigh that much" but HEY! i feel like I weigh that much now. I cannot fit into the clothes like I used to of course having twin skin and all, but that is no excuse. I was doing really good for a while, and just lost sight of what I wanted. I am a single mom, and really praying that my husband will find me soon. I want to get down to a size 13,14, right now I am comfortable in a size 20, and can wear some 18's. This is not how I want to be for the rest of my life. And to top it off, I want more kids, so I really want to lose some weight before I do that.
Well, girls, I don't know how true my ticker is now, but we will find out tonight. And I will start now, since right before Shawn reminded me to come over here I had a reese's peanut butter egg :anon:
Happy losing ladies!!!
Pammie! You made it! Taking a pic is a GREAT idea! I'll try to do that tonight... (*wondering what I should wear - yikes!*)
Exercise - nothing just yet. I need to get motivated to do that. I WAS watching FitTV and doing the workouts each a.m., but got out of the habit a few weeks ago. It's hard b/c as soon as I get into it, the twins wake up! hahaha It gets frustrating. I'll probably just start trying to walk with them more often.......
Pammie, that is a great idea about taking the pictures. I wish I had done that when I got started. No matter how much I lose I still see myself as fat. Okay, at only 5'1 and 164 pounds I am still fat but I don't see the progress I've made in the mirror. Of course, I don't have any old pictures I can use because I've never allowed a full body shot. Heck, I always have to be talked into being in the picture at all! I think I'll have my husband take a picture tonight since I still a good ways to go before I reach my final goal weight. Thanks for the idea!
As for exercise, I go to the gym and take a variety of classes for cardio. Step aerobics is my favorite. I recently tried a spin class and it kicked my butt. I've gone back a few times because I refuse to let it beat me but it won't become one of my regular classes. If I can't make a class I ride the elliptical for half and hour, the bike for 20 minutes, and then do the treadmill for 15 minutes or so. I work with weights about every other day. Sometimes I'll take one of the toning classes they offer, or go to a yoga or pilates class instead of the weights. I don't go to the gym every day but I do try to do something active each day. Like yesterday, the kids and I put a small vegetable garden in the backyard. It wasn't strenuous exercise but it was physical and was certainly better than sitting on the couch watching cartoons. The key for me is that I have to do something different all the time. I get bored if I don't and then exercise starts feeling like a chore to me. It is hard enough just to find the time to work out so I certainly don't need any other excuse holding me back.
Do most of you exercise with your kids? I find that very difficult. I take them on walks and things like that but we have to stop and smell every flower and check out every bug. I love doing it with them but I never get going fast enough to really get my heart rate up. At their ages there would be no way for me to get them to stay in a stroller. The gym I go to does have free child care and I can usually talk them (well, BRIBE them with a slushie) into going with me once or twice a week. But, more often than not, I do my workouts at the end of the day once DH is home from work and can keep the kids.
Good Afternoon ladies! Today is going quite well so far. I am pleased about that. I hope my day continues that way!
I actually have a picture my my nice huge rear from when we moved a few weeks ago. My step-mom took it. It is horrible to look at! I guess that is one of the reasons that I KNEW I needed to do something.
Alice ~ I get those same comments. If I have to go to a new dr. or if there is a different nurse. They will always put the scale much lower than what it will be. I have even had some comment that "wow, you don't look like you weigh that much" I don't know how to take that comment. I am 5'9" and carry the most of my weight in my butt and hips.
Not too much exercise here today. They are pouring concrete at our house, so it is not easy to get outside. I took the dogs out once, but it was starting to rain, so we ran back inside....does that count?!
Tricia ~ I want to thank you for all of the information that you have been willing to share. It is a great help and motivator!
Shawn ~ How is Carson doing today? I hope the fever is down. You did great with the pizza! I want to thank you for inviting me here. I think this is something that will really help me!
Kelly, that is sweet of you to say. I am certainly no expert on weight loss but I do seem to have figured out what works for me. Of course, we are all different and not everything works for everyone. That is one thing I love about this site and threads like this one. There are so many tips and all that people share that I would have never thought to try. I give the ones that make sense to me a shot. Some work, others don't. If nothing else, it is nice to read everyone else's posts and realize that it doesn't matter whether you are trying to lose 10 pounds or 100, the struggles are almost always the same.
Shawn, it is so good that you were thinking ahead on your pizza choice! Was the specialty pizza you ordered pretty good? I've seen those on the menu but have never tried one. Lean Cuisine pizzas have almost 400 calories and I bet for just 100 more, Pizza Hut's are a lot more satisfying.
I have done really well today. We've got yucky weather and haven't been able to get outside much. These are always my weak days - nothing to do, boredom sets in, and the munching begins. So, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself that I've stayed in line today. Now, of course, when I say there is nothing to do I mean nothing FUN to do. I've got a whole pile of clothes to fold that would keep me plenty busy for a while!
I don't know what we will be having for dinner tonight but I've only had 500 calories so far today (egg white omelette and OJ for breakfast, black bean soup for lunch) so I have good bit of room to work with. I may just make DH take us all out to dinner. If I'm not going to fold clothes I may as well take a break from cooking too!
Countin calories is HARD for me!! I really don't have a problem working out..It is just starting that is HARD!! Once I start I can do it every morning. It only takes 30 min or so out of my day!!
My weakness is fast food!! I love burgers and fries!! I think about what kind of example am I setting for my girls!!
Ok. I won't be on here this weekend!! My DH doesn't like me online when he is home!!
So Monday I am getting up and going to work out before signing online..Then I can come here and say " I pushed play" and let you all know what I worked out to. I have so many workout tapes !!
But anyway,
and I know that I should munch on something healthy or just drink water. I have been working in my area for the past five years, and let me tell you, everything on me has expanded. I sit down for more than ten hours at a time, and i know my butt has spread. 
