Shawn, I checked the label and as far as I can tell sugar is the only sweetner. As for the challenge - it doesn't have to be anything official or kept up with. Just sort of a minimum goal for us all to shoot for.
I think your calorie range is fine. Remember, too, that I stagger my calories daily so sometimes they are low - in the 1000 range and sometimes they are as high as 2000. My overall aim is to average 1500-1800 each week. I usually manage right at a 1500 average though. 1800 is rare, but things come up - parties, dinners out, etc. and I never want to feel guilty about participating in them so this works well for me. The funny thing is that the longer I do this the harder it is to consume the higher number of calories. Mostly because I've gotten so good at finding foods that I can eat a lot of with relatively few calories that I find myself stuffed before I've reached the target. I guess that is a good thing? Better than the other way around I suppose.
So, sorry to hear about your little one. It can be so tough when they are ill. As horrible as this may sound, when one of mine gets sick I secretly hope that they all get it. I would rather baby them all at once and be done with it than have to baby them one at a time for three weeks (four if DH comes down with it too!). Of course, I prefer it if nobody gets sick at all!
Jane - I don't know if it is my posts that confused you but, just in case, I've never posted on Twing. I just happened across the thread that Shawn started here.
Hi there ladies. My name is Lori. I have been trying to lose weight for a couple of months now and was hoping I might be able to join your group. A little info on me...I have four amazing, adorable, brilliant children . The oldest is a 6 year old boy, I have twin 3 years old girls and a 1 year old girl. Having 4 kids in 5 years has really taken a toll on my poor body. I weighed 130 when I got pregnant with my first son. When I started my weight loss goal on January 15th, I weighed...gulp...193. Eek! I am now down to 168! Hooray! I've lost 25 pounds. It honestly hasn't been that hard. It's amazing. My ultimate goal is back to 130. I have sort of hit a plateau lately and need some help.
This is how I've done it. First...LOVE Fitday.com! I log ALL my calories there. I try to stay between 1200 and 1500 and lower than 30% fat. I did a bunch of research on the fat percentage and everything I found said that we should stay at around 30% fat if we are dieting or not. The research says that if we go much lower than that we are much more likely to have binge days. I guess our bodies don't feel completely full. It also says that they have not found much benefit from lowering the fat% from that...we don't lose weight faster. All that said, lol, I have a hard time hitting 30%. I usually aim for between 20% and 30%. I lost 20 pounds without doing ANY exercise. Since I hit my plateau, I've added exercise to the mix. My husband bought me a treadmill (gotta love him ). I walk/run for 55 minutes every morning while I watch T.V. (and the three little girls run rampant through the house . My oldest is in first grade now so he's gone.
Anyway, I need some support for every area of my life!! Can I join? Please, oh, please?
Lori
Oh, P.S. I read through the entire thread, and I would LOVE to do weekly challenges! Also, my husband and I are looking to get pregnant again at the end of July so I really need to get into gear! I want to be at least 140 by then (can I lose 28 pounds by then? Sigh. Probably not.)
Oh...another thing
I had my husband take pictures of me in bra and panties last night for before and after stuff. I WISH I had taken a picture at the beginning before I lost the 25 pounds. Oh,well. I still have almost 40 pounds to lose so that's better than nothing. Anyway, do any of you have the majority of your weight around your belly? I swear all 40 pounds are around my stomach, lol. My shoulders, arms, legs, etc look pretty good. My stomach looks like I'm still pregnant...only this time with triplets. Ugh. It is so ugly. Here's an dark secret of mine...I still wear pregnancy underwear and pants sometimes. Pants of mine fit great in the legs, I just can't button them. Having the pooch in the pants helps me fit into them. Of couse, I NEVER wear pregnancy tops or people would think I AM pregnant. Sigh. Do any of you have the same problem? Also, I made my husband take away my scale the other day. He is going to give it back once a week only. I can't control myself and get depressed with the wild fluctuations. Also...a warning for those of you who are new to this: during your time of the month, the scale is your enemy!!! I often don't lose any that week or even gain a pound. However, as soon as good old AF goes away I lose a couple pounds in a day. Just a warning. My time is supposed to be next week so I might not participate in weigh in that week...we'll see. Thanks ladies.
Ok guys, I kind of started today..Here is what I have decided to do..When I take my 4 yr. to preschool I have to go right by our High School. They have a track around the football field. My DS tells me that 4 laps is a mile..I called the school and they have no problem w/ me walking of the mornings..
So today I dropped off DD and went to the school. My sis met me and we walked two miles in around 40 min. I think!!
I bought some lean cuisene meals for lunch around here..So, I am off
Everyone seems to be doing great!!
Glad to see JANE back from her trip!!
As for the twin skin, I am terrified to see it after I start losing!!
Lori, I look pregnant w/ triplets as well..
I looked in the mirror yesterday and my legs remind me of elephant legs..so huge and lots of dimples and well, just YUCKY!!
If I can get my eating under control and drink more water I think I can do it..
QUESTION: My DH thinks you can safely lose 5 llbs a week..What do you guys think??
Shawn: How is the baby??
Tricia: Thanks for all the support and input!!
Lori: My goal is 130 as well...you are doing great!!
I hope to stay caught up here from here on out.
BTW: I popped in my Walk Away the Pounds DVD yesterday morning and WATCHED it..NO I didn't get up to do it..I just WATCHED it while I done other things..I know if I push play, I need to get up and get it done!!!
Welcome Lori! So glad you joined us!!! yay! It's always fun meeting new twin mommies!
I made myself give away my maternity clothes - I didn't want them anymore! (okay, well, I still have ONE pair of black crop pants that i wear with the elastic waist -- but they fit so good! hahaha) I am always afraid somebody is going to come up to me and say "oh, how far along are you?" ---- that happened to my sis post-preg. I would just burst into tears! How depressing!! hehe
Pam, it sounds like you've got a great start & plan! That's awesome! I'm proud of you! Keep up the good work! And btw, your DH is crazy! You might could lose 5 lbs/week for the first week or two (water weight), but after that, I think SAFE weight loss is only .5-1.5 lbs/week - is that right ladies? Plus, if you're exercising, you're building muscle, which weighs more than fat..... so the weight loss is slower. (thus my frustrations all the time) As I tell my stepson -- PATIENCE YOUNG GRASSHOPPER! If only I'd listen to my own advice! hahaha
Carson is still coughing / snotty / etc -- and Jordan has been uncharacteristically (sp?) fussy today, so I'm wondering if she's coming down with it. And my throat hurts a bit, so I may be getting it, too *ugh* Joy of joys!!
Still on track for today! Good job! (patting myself on the back)
Pammie, I think 2 pounds a week is a more reasonable expectation. 5 pounds might drop off the first week, maybe three or four the second but most of that is going to be water weight as your body adjusts to your new habits. Is it possible? Probably. But I imagine eating as few calories as would be required to make up a 5 lb weight loss isn't sustainable (3500 calories = 1 lb, so you are talking about having to create a 2500 calorie deficit each DAY through diet and exercise). Eating so little also means that your body is going to resort to the most viable energy source - your muscle - and you want to keep (and build) as much of that as you can as more muscle means a higher metabolism. A higher metablolism means burning calories more efficiently thereby making weight loss a bit easier in the long run.
WELCOME LORI!
I hope everyone is having another successful day. I have an awful case of the munchies. So, rather than eating lunch today I just had a few closely spaced snacks. I'm still okay calorie-wise but eating that often makes me FEEL like I've gone off of plan and I get that underlying twang of guilt. I have to keep telling myself that it is all in my head. I just keep checking fitday to remind myself that I haven't consumed anymore than I would have if I'd eaten a regular lunch.
We have another beautiful day here so we are off to enjoy the weather while we can. The kids and I planted a small vegetable garden and it is time to water it. They get so excited when we start to see tomatoes, peppers, etc. pop out and they love to pick them when it is time. But I'll be darned if I can get them to actually EAT them - and that is why we started growing them in the first place. I thought they'd be more likely to eat (or at least try) vegetables that they had grown themselves. Year after year I just keep trying maybe it will eventually work. We threw in some strawberry plants this year - surely they'll give those a try!
Well, I did good today, but I also got a small dipped cone from Dairy Queen!! Had I been thinking, I would have gone & gotten skinny cows, b/c I could have had THREE of those instead, for the same calories!!! (approximation)
I still am coming in at 1800 calories for the day, though! yay!
Also, tonight I had DH take pics of me in just bra & panties! (borrowed mom's digital camera - I know the people at Wolf camera DON'T want to see that! hahaha). I hate looking at those pics -- poor DH! haha! But that will be inspiration, won't it?!? It will be good to see how I change, too, so that once I get skinny I remember how I used to look, and can try real hard to not do it again!
LOL! I only have a second, but I had to pop in and say that I ALSO HAD A SMALL DIPPED CONE AT DAIRY QUEEN TONIGHT! I still finished the day at 1500 calories. Anyway, I have tons more to write, but I must get to bed. I'll write in the morning.
Good morning ladies! Yesterday was a pretty good day. I even bought the girls a Krispy Kreme donut when I was out running errands and did not have one bite!! I had soup for lunch and a chicken breast with black bean salsa for dinner. It was yummy! So, I ended the day with 1300 calories. The biggest thing for me was that I had 29% protein. That is something that I usually don't get very much of.
Well, I stepped on the scale this morning. Can we say water weight loss!?! 6 pounds. I was quite surprised since I don't feel any different. It does not help that I started my period. But since that only comes around once every 3 months, I am not too upset. My biggest thing is to control my constant urge to munch this week!
Shawn~ Sounds like you are doing well. How is Carson feeling? It is great you took the photo. I don't know if I am that brave.
Pam ~ Sounds like you are off to a great start. The walking will be great. That is great that it is on your way. It makes a difference when things are convenient.
Question for you ladies....does your husband or significant other have issues with their weight too? My dh is tall and skinny and does not always understand how hard it can be. He is supportive of me, but I get frustrated that he can eat a lot and not gain much if any.
It is suppose to rain around here today. Not sure if we will get outside or not. The weekend is suppose to be gorgeous again. They are coming to start working on seeding our lawn this weekend. I can't wait to have grass!!
Thanks for the reminder to weigh in this a.m. -- I've lost 3 lbs, but am not that thrilled about that..... it's just that I'm only back to where I was pre-Easter, so it's like I'm NOW at my starting point. Plus, I gain & lose 5-8 lbs so easy, that until I get under 210, I'm not gonna REALLY believe I'm losing!! Sorry for the negativity, but just need to share where I'm at! Oh, it's THAT time of month for me too - so maybe I'll drop alot next week?
Carson still sounds awful, and I am fighting off trying to catch it, although I'm feeling worse today than I did yesterday. I keep taking my prenatals, hoping not to catch it!
Yes, DH is smaller than me, and I HATE that. He's a smart man, and doesn't comment on my weight. But he really doesn't eat that much, either....
Congrats on the 3 lbs Shawn! I hear you about getting to a point to feel like you are really losing weight and not just water or normal fluctuations. I hate this time of month. I have horrible cramps and usually do not want to do anything. I hope that I can break that cycle.
I hope you can fight off the cold that Carson has. It sure has been going around here lately. It seems like it takes forever to get rid of too!
. My oldest is in first grade now so he's gone. 
I had soup for lunch and a chicken breast with black bean salsa for dinner. It was yummy! So, I ended the day with 1300 calories. The biggest thing for me was that I had 29% protein. That is something that I usually don't get very much of.