Decided to do this in a separate post. But I visited quite a bit with the people at Eagle's Song Health Food Store and got a lot more information of things I need to add to my diet (then came home and googled to find out that they are right).

First, I should not be eating so much raw cabbage, broccoli and anything in that family (unless they are cooked) because of my past thyroid tumor and being hypothyroid. So going to adjust that.

Also, going to add a daily dose of coconut oil and also use coconut milk, which are good for weight loss and have a lot of other health benefits.

And hemp seeds to add protein. I was surprised at how good they taste!! Like adding a few chopped nuts!

Diana - I am at the same spot as you on the rotation. The 2nd Fit test is our next workout. Only question is whether or not to take today as a rest day before we do it... or just jump in and do it today. The calendar has the day after the 2 workouts as a rest day before the fit test, but not sure I want to take rest day today instead of tomorrow and utilize it on a workday instead. Guess we will see what today brings :) We did survive the double workout, but barely. Admittedly I struggled through the ab part due to being so dang worn out by the first workout. Was it rough on you too?

Heck, everything is rough on me! :rofl: I could definitely feel the difference with adding in the extra workout. The funny thing is that I am not getting sore anymore. I didn't look at the calendar for next week so I'm not sure on the rest days. Do you and your DD count the reps for each other during your fit test? I think that would be so much easier. It's really hard for me to concentrate on doing my best and counting at the same time. I plan on doing the fit test today and then after I will do another new cardio workout that I have. Here it is: http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-...dge-video-6175 It's called Breathless Body 2 The Edge. Not that Insanity doesn't leave me breathless and 2 the edge. :rofl:

ETA: I think this is going to be my next purchase, when it comes out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ANJlajGNRs http://fitorflab.com/les-mills-combat-workout/

Misti I agree that the cruciferous vegetables should be cooked if you have thyroid issues. What is your plan with the slaw that you make?

Diana I couldn't either...I'd have to eat within like 3-5 hours generally, during awake times. I'm glad you like the workout! It sounds intense.

Stacy my girlfriends who have done spinning LOVE it! How cool!

Misti I'm glad you got some walking around in and interesting about the broccoli and stuff. I've wanted to try hemp too and nuts..I love them anyway (not all nuts though).

ItsMyTurn I hope your fitness test is better than you think. I think it's cool you workout with your daughter.

Yesterday was good, 1396 calories, 55 minutes of yoga and 25 cardio. I am in the 160s! I'll try to change my ticker later as the iPad is hard for me to deal with doing stuff on (like bold too)

Hi Everyone! :wave:

TTOM showed up this afternoon. Oh joy! NOT! That's the big problem with having longer TTOM's. Since it's so long, it shows up again so soon. :mad:

Serenity Good job on the 160's! :carrot: Keep up the great work!

Total Approx 1475 Calories + :coffee:

Breakfast (395 Calories + coffee)
spritz oil in pan
egg 70 cal
egg whites from carton 60 calories
Vegetable of choice
1/8 cup feta cheese 40 calories
Rudi's Whole Wheat English muffin 130 calories
1 teaspoon jam 20 calories
juice 75 calories
coffee w/sugar and cream

Lunch (700 Calories)
2 Grilled chicken tacos 600 calories
Sauce 100 calories

Dinner (380 Calories)
Ricotta cheese 210 calories
strawberries 100 calories
cinnamon peaches 70 calories

Exercise:
Insanity Fit Test
Amy Dixon's Breathless Body 2 The Edge

My Fit Test was about the same as it was 2 weeks ago, for the most part. The exercises where I improved was the floor exercises. I can also tell that I improved with my form. I am happy about those improvements. Now about Amy Dixon . . . She tried to kill me today. I don't think following the Fit Test with Amy's workout was a good idea. It was tough. I really like this new workout, though. I also did the floor exercises. Between Chris Freytag and Shaun T, they have really brought me out of my shell with doing floor exercises. Maybe I am stronger, now. :?:

Good Morning, Everyone! :wave: Where does the weekend go?

Calories for yesterday: 1475 + :coffee:
Weigh In: 149 (TTOM)
Up: .2

Monday Morning WI 180.2 down 1.6 from last week.

DH surprised me with a trip into the City. We left at 9.30am and got home at 12.45am (this morning). We walked everywhere, no cabs, no subways. We did several sights that we hadn't done before (we're racking them up over the years). This year we did the wax museum, the sex museum and top of the rock...plus a cruise. It was a gorgeous day in the City yesterday. After lunch, we headed down a busy street when I spotted a blue rat on top of a man's hat. I stopped immediately. He and I chatted while he plopped 4 rats on me and swapped hats for DH to take pics. Turns out this street guy and I had a lot in common as far as exotic pets. He said he just got his first skunk. I laughed and said, I had one as a kid. DH was surprised at how long we chatted and how close as I had to bend over so we could chat in each others ear, since it was so loud. LOL, who knew I could be so chatty. We got a pic with me and the rats and two women looking horrified. I bet the guy thought he's shock me when he did that as he didn't ask and I hadn't mentioned my 13 yet when he did that.

I was surprised this morning when I hopped on the scale and nothing changed in the last 3 days. I was going to have a Peppermint Patty yesterday, but we never got it and now I'm officially being a good girl, so no more cheats. Hopefully I'll see some changes soon. I did notice though, I look so different in comparison to last years Anniversary trip to the City. Oh and (drum roll please) I finally shrunk in bra size. 44f/g to a 36D...finally! Sometimes it isn't weight/scale but a new size in clothing :D

I hope everyone has a wonderful and healthy day!

Like the Accountability
 

Hi All,

I just joined the site and am loving this August accountability thread. Briefly I am a mom to three boys who never lost any of the baby weight after my third child and managed to put on even more pounds over time with poor eating habits.

I made my decision to do things right a few days ago with a starting weight of 217 (I'm 5'8"). This morning I was at 216.4

Here's what I ate yesterday. It's been really EYE OPENING how much I have been overeating for how long! I've been looking at what you guys eat and am really impressed and inspired!

Breakfast - 415 calories
Trader Joe's Cage-Free Liquid Egg Whites, 9 Tbsp
Grape Tomatoes - 1 oz.
Green Onion - 1/4 c chopped
Strawberry Vanilla Greek Yogurt - 227 g.

Lunch - 202 calories
Quinoa - 1/4 c dry
Broccoli - Raw - 1 cup chopped

Dinner - 448 calories
Hominy with Lean Ground Beef
Grapes - 1 cup

Snacks - 261 calories
Chiquita Pineapple Fruit Chips - 1 bag
Tic Tac Orange - 6
Goya Coconut Water - 1 can

1326 Calories for the day!

Hope it's okay for me to jump in here and join in with the daily check in!

HSMomGoingDown

Diana I think it's great you know you are improving with form. It's really amazing how little tweaks here and there make a huge difference for me anyway as far as results :bravo:

Mamakat I love rats. Out of the rodents and rabbits I've had (hamsters, mice, rabbits, and rats) or been exposed to they are the sweetest. My kids think they are ugly, but it's not a big issue since with 2 (soon to be 3) cats and a dog we have enough. And :cool: about DH's surprise trip too.

Today I did some gentle yoga DVD by Ashley Turner. It was good, not "great" but I twas supposed to be a light day. She's DEFINITELY got Anusara training with all the affirmations and what not, which I like *most* of the time. Sometimes though I want hard core. Diana last night I decided to order the Powerfit Plus DVD because I figured if I'm going to do it, I want to do it all. I don't know when I'll add them in, probably end of August/beginning of September when the kids are in school. I was SO fortunate to be able to stop working this year (lots of reasons but it's been a good choice for me and the family) so I promised myself if I did this, I'd get back into good shape....and today 168!

Food for Sunday, August 12th:
Calories 1341 (including breaking my sugar rule--my daughter had a slumber party, she thought 5 were coming, we got 2 dozen donuts and ONE girl showed up so I ate ONE Krispy Kreme)

Yoga (more Hatha or Yin so very low caloric burn) 40 minutes

I also did some self-massage with the Yoga Tune Up balls. Apparently my hips are bad again, especially the right..ugh. It did help my upper back, but my hip I'll work on again today. I'm glad to have learned the techniques from the videos and CD, but also from the physical therapist...but man sometimes I get frustrated having to do "extra" things to just feel normal.

:welcome: HSMom!

I was not surprised so much at how much I was consuming...it was like probably close to 3500 average calories daily...but I was disappointed because I really do know for me that's like um 2000 too much (I'm short). But I allowed myself 2 weeks of journaling (I use Lose It) to get in that habit. I'm very much about making things a habit not a quick fix. Unfortunately for me I've learned that I'm going to have to calorie count the rest of my life PERIOD. I don't like the pain I was in being overweight. I don't like the way I look, but as I got older the pain took precedent over looks..like I wouldn't have cared if I was 300 pounds if I didn't hurt and had energy. So it turned from vanity to changing my lifestyle.


Everyone I had an epiphany this weekend. I think getting rid of toxic people in my life or lessening my exposure to them has REALLY helped me. Usually I stress out and eat and eat and eat, then sleep or you know get depressed...because I don't want to deal with these situations. My friends and therapist kept telling me *I* have control over me and finally it clicked. I do. And I don't need negativity. It started around fall last year but really this June clicked for me 110%. I really think that has a lot to do with my weight loss..as corney as it sounds.

Hey all! I'm back from vacation!!!! I have tons to share and will eventually have a nifty slideshow you can look at, but after a 3.5 week long vacation to Croatia and add in a few days of frantic planning before that, I'm BACK!!!

Gained quite a bit of weight over the month, but jumped right back in with eating right and exercising as soon as things were back in my control. We got back late Saturday night after 17 hours of traveling. Ate well on Sunday and exercised and I'm following suit on Monday.

I think I'm more proud of myself for doing that than anything else. I didn't give it free license to just 'give up'. Gaining during vacation is NORMAL. Just 'giving up' because of a few pounds IS NOT!

It will take me awhile to catch up, but wanted to say hi!

Mamakat - I see the 180!!! You go girl!!!!!!!! (and for the record, you are under what I am as of this morning - as the scale said 181.0). I'm sure I'm holding a lot of water weight, but for this moment, you surpassed me girl!!!

Diana - HI THERE! So comforting to see you plugging along so successfully - you rock!

Thanks for the welcome SerenityDiva!

I know what you mean about how little we really need to eat, ugh! I'm hoping over time that my body will adjust to the new level of normal and not wish for the old days of mega calories.

I'm not going to think about counting calories for life yet (it took me so long to get to the point where I realized that I needed to do it). I will say that I just got the free MyFitnessPal for my phone and I think that maybe this time the technology will help me succeed. Counting calories and other nutrients kinda feels like a game, so here's hoping the fun factor continues with that! :-)

I know what you mean about health too. Being married with kids I really don't have "looking good for others" as a motivator for loss as I might have when I was younger. It's really all about health and energy and just looking a way that I can be happy with for myself!

HSMomGoingDown

Diana - Improving form is STILL improving!! You go girl! No, DD and I don't count each other's reps because we do it together as the DVD goes. Since I don't want to play it twice, we stay responsible for our own. Today is going to be our fit test... I ended up doing my schoolwork, then floating in the pool with my champagne afterwards, working on my tan yesterday - so DD and I decided it would be a rest day that was scheduled on calendar :) :lol:

Diva - DD doesn't actually have a choice, as she is punished and this is part of it :lol: After month 1, it will be her choice if she continues or not... but right now, her mother is a tyrant :rofl:
Congrats with ridding yourself of the negativity!!! That is a huge step, and definitely in the right direction for your well-being.

Berry - Welcome back! Can't wait to hear about it :)

Hello everyone! I have a lot of catching up to do. I was without internet access since friday noon. So I have not been able to update you all. Nor come in here and view eveyones post. I hope you are all doing great! And loosing those pounds. My family and I went out of town and well I can say I still stayed on track! I have lost another pound with a total of 6lbs since 2 weeks ago I decided to eat healthier. I am soo happy to see those pounds melting away!! Everyone have a great day! and I will come in here later on to catch up with everyone's progress.

Hi Everyone! :wave:

Mamakat Glad you had a great time in the city. The sex museum sounds interesting. ;) Good job on the bra size.

HSMomGoingDown Hi and Welcome to the check-in! :wave:

Serenity Good job on the 168! I totally agree about the toxic people. They are just like other toxic stuff, just not good for us.

Berry Welcome back! It's good to see you! Good job getting right back on plan. That's the way to do it!

Itsmyturn Today I did Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit. I have the motivation of a three toed sloth today. TTOM has started again and my energy is down the tubes. I think the big issue came in from doing two tough workouts this weekend. Today's workout kicked my butt! I think I need a nap and I'm not one that takes naps. :rofl: At one point, during my workout, I was kneeling on the floor while the sweat rained from my body. I was watching it drip, drip, drip. Then I hear Shaun T yell dig deep! There was no more digging for me. I did good to finish it. I really think I should have taken a rest day.

Campana Hi :wave: Did you get your Zumba workouts? I posted about some similar workouts at Walmart that I saw on Saturday. I put a link in my post.