WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE - 7 Weeks-10#'s

[limewave]

So, I thought I'd share my own Winter Salad creation that gives me a boost in the afternoons. DH thinks I'm weird and my coworkers go "ewww" when I eat it, but here it is:

1 block frozen spinach
1/4 - 1/2 cup frozen corn
1/4-1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup black beans
1 tsp olive oil
a couple shakes of sea salt
(makes 2 servings, or one hearty serving if you plan on working out that afternoon)

Heat in the microwave and stir.
Nutrional info for entire salad:
350 cals, 7g fat, 50g carbs, and 18g protein. Also 14g of Fiber.

[Pedal Wench]

So, I thought I'd share my own Winter Salad creation that gives me a boost in the afternoons. DH thinks I'm weird and my coworkers go "ewww" when I eat it, but here it is:

1 block frozen spinach
1/4 - 1/2 cup frozen corn
1/4-1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup black beans
1 tsp olive oil
a couple shakes of sea salt
(makes 2 servings, or one hearty serving if you plan on working out that afternoon)

Heat in the microwave and stir.
Nutrional info for entire salad:
350 cals, 7g fat, 50g carbs, and 18g protein. Also 14g of Fiber.

Yum! It sounds pretty good. That much fiber is sure to take care of anything bad you had for lunch.:eek:

[Geonz]

Ductape works with holding boobs in bras. It doesn't even hurt coming off.

[Tuckervill]

Ductape works with holding boobs in bras. It doesn't even hurt coming off.

Yeah, like you're really going to get me to try that! :eek: :eek:

Karen

[solobiker]

Yes, but that weight goes into great-looking muscles, instead of unhealthy, unattractive jiggle! And the muscles work much better for powering up a hill than the jiggly fat does.;)

So very true:) Thanks

[Over50Newbie]

Staying Accountable:

Friday, November 14

Calories: 1626
Exercise: None (rest day)
Water: 64 ounces
Vitamins/Supplements: Multivitamin, Calcium, Soy, Flaxseed Oil
Weight: 142.0

I'm going to start reporting my weight including the tenths.

I'm getting close to 141!

Lynette

[Tuckervill]

SOOOO close, Lynette!!! Keep going!

Karen

[Over50Newbie]

Thanks, Karen -

We can all use all of the support that we can get!

How's it going for you?

This is not easy, but I am findig that planning is the key to the whole process. If I plan ahead, I am less apt to make unhealthy choices.

Lynette

[Blueberry]

-2 lbs this am!!!

I was scared to get on the scales - it's been a rough week. I have a trial starting Monday, and had 3 13 hour days in a row. Not exactly conducive to good eating habits. So, I think I just lucked out - but I did, at least, try to limit the damage, and had quickly gotten back to normal eating habits (at least until I'm actually in the trial - then all bets are off).

CA

[kelownagirl]

Go Lynette and CA! You're right about the planning. I always have trouble near the end of the week when I start running out of the right foods and am too busy to get to the store. It's all about being prepared!

I had a tummy bug last week and lost a bit, down to 119.5-120 now. I waited for 3-4 days before I confirmed the loss in case it was just dehydration. Five more lbs to go!

[Flybye]

Hey there! I am so proud of all of you.

I weighed on Thursday morning, as was the plan, and was down on the scale, too. I can't remember the exact #'s, as it is Saturday today, I didn't post on Thursday, and my mind is a fickle thing!

I was going to post my #'s Thursday, but got distracted with the two day sale at Terry. Thanks alot for the tip, btw. I got my order in just in the nick of time because we are switching internet service providers at home and they shut down our access just after the order was placed.

Anyhow, I am doing great but have a pretty challenging couple of days, as we are celebrating two birthdays this weekend and have company coming for two days.

Knowing that you are all doing so well is encouragement enough to get me through the weekend! Thanks!

I am at work using the internet access here. I will most likely post on Tuesday, IF we get our internet access at home hooked up Monday night!

Good Job - can't wait to find out how well everyone is doing when I log on next!

[snowtulip]

Great Job Everyone!

I'm holding steady, no loss or gain since last week. Which I'll take anytime!

[Kano]

Minor frustration this morning when I popped on the scale -- I was up about 1.5. I'm pretty sure it's all in these tender boobies, it's that time again. And yikes, extra tender after being climbed all over by the two darling grandbabies yesterday!

On the other hand -- thursday was my day to get a flu shot, and they also had me weigh in -- down about nine from last time I was in, which is delightful. They also took my blood pressure: last spring, 120-ish over 80-ish was a good day. Thursday, it was 102/60. That's pre-motherhood blood pressure!!!

Karen in Boise

[sandra]

I weighed in today. 151.5 (happy dance) -1 I really don't think about snacking anymore. I stay busy and eat portioned meals.

[Over50Newbie]

You go, girls!

Everyone is doing wonderful - stay positive and we will be successful!

I am holding steady at 142.0.

Calories this weekend:
Saturday 1636
Sunday 1547

It was really nice New England weather this weekend. Sunny and chilly. So, for exercise, I completed a 45 minute walk outside on Saturday and a 75 minute walk today. Really pretty.

Four days until Thanksgiving... What are eveybody's plans. What are you planning to eat? Are you planning to be reasonable with your food choices, or throw caution to the wind?:D

Lynette

[Starfish]

Well, we will see how weigh in goes tomorrow morning. The good news is that I passed my state licensing exam on Saturday. The bad news is that while I was out of town studying and taking the exam, my study-buddy and I ate like idiots: DENNY'S. Yes, Denny's. Cheeseburger, seasoned fries, pumpkin pie. The works. :(

[NoNo]

Morning! Was pretty good this weekend, even managed not to go overboard at the tailgate. Didn't officially "exercise" Saturday, but I cleaned the house for a few hours. Yesterday I used the gym at my brother's condo; 30 min on the eliptical and some weight-lifting. My scale said 124.6, my bro's 124.2, I like his better:p I feel great, though, and think I have a shot at getting the results I want. That's the best way to start a Monday!:D

[nonsmoker3]

Start - 147
11/15 - 145.5

This morning 148????????

WTF???????????

I exercise like a crazy person and eat like a saint. I don't get it. I just don't get it.:(

[Over50Newbie]

NonSmoker,

Boy, have I "been there, done that]!" Many, many times!!!!! :mad:

Just a few thoughts:

Are are you eating enough calories? Your body will not lose weight if it thinks it is in starvation mode. And, believe or not, you can actually gain weight while not eating enough. Don't let your calories go under 1200.

Also, how about water weight? Especially if the most recent foods that you have consumed are salty. You might just be retaining water.

Also, how about hormonal issues (time of the month, etc)?

Lastly, I also thought I was eating like a saint until I actually started journaling my daily food and exercise. Once I added up my calories daily, I found that some days were not exactly as saintly as I thought.:rolleyes:

This could be just me, not you, so please don't be offended. I just found that I did not find success until I wrote down every piece of food that went into my mouth every day.

Lynette

[Pedal Wench]

Down 1! Yippee. Did a 73-mile ride yesterday, probably didn't eat enough afterwards, but with the holiday this week and my BF in town, it's gonna be tough. I think that as long as I keep control in the back of my mind, and make smart choices wherever we go to eat, I'll be okay.

[five one]

Been off the bike for a loooong week trying to get over this cold. It was hard sending DH off on "our" Sunday ride yesterday, but didn't want to risk extending this cold into the holiday weekend.

So I'm back up to 135.6 this morning. I'm hoping at least some of it is just retained water. Did an hour on the trainer this morning, so hopefully I can get back on track now. Looking forward to a small slice of pumpkin pie on Thursday. Friday is DH's birthday and he's requested carrot cake. Gonna be tough not to dive headlong into that! I'll be looking for support on Friday from everyone.

Hope everyone makes healthy eating choices today. Keep up the good work!

[kelownagirl]

Weeeelllll, I was 119.5 and 119.0 over the weekend but back up to 120.1 this morning so 'll stick with that. I'm always lighter on the weekends. Ah well.... A lb is a lb.

[VeloVT]

Well this morning I weighed in at 120, which given my super stress eating due to exams at the beginning of the week is not a bad result. Haven't lost anything this week, but haven't gained anything -- and the good behavior at the end of the week was apparently enough to offset to bad behavior at the beginning of the week. Phew!!!

Now I have to try to lose a pound or so before Thursday because while I can definitely avoid GORGING on Thanksgiving, it's still going to involve going off the diet for a day. Then I will have to plan ahead carefully so I can stay on my diet during the three weeks after this one, which will be crazy, end of semester, term paper-writing, final exam-taking weeks. One thing I need to do as much as possible is try to get as much sleep as possible, because being underslept always kills my diet.

[nonsmoker3]

NonSmoker,

Boy, have I "been there, done that]!" Many, many times!!!!! :mad:

Just a few thoughts:

Are are you eating enough calories? Your body will not lose weight if it thinks it is in starvation mode. And, believe or not, you can actually gain weight while not eating enough. Don't let your calories go under 1200.

Also, how about water weight? Especially if the most recent foods that you have consumed are salty. You might just be retaining water.

Also, how about hormonal issues (time of the month, etc)?

Lastly, I also thought I was eating like a saint until I actually started journaling my daily food and exercise. Once I added up my calories daily, I found that some days were not exactly as saintly as I thought.:rolleyes:

This could be just me, not you, so please don't be offended. I just found that I did not find success until I wrote down every piece of food that went into my mouth every day.

Lynette

Thanks Lynette. I tend to get bent out of shape over this weight thing. I log my food faithfully, but you are so right about my hormones. This peri-menopause has got me pulling my hair out! Could very well be I am about to start. I just never know anymore!

I was curious about what ratio of carbs, fat, and protein everyone goes by. I think I may be eating too many carbs. I usually get 50/25/25 a day. Anyone else? Any advice?

[bambu101]

OK- I am out of this challenge. I am going to slink over to the Over 50 can’t lose the weight thread, or whatever it is called.
Despite my best efforts, I keep going up a half pound, and then down a half pound, but always creeping up a little. It is VERY frustrating to work out 5 to 6 days per week, including 2-3 intense weight workouts, and riding, walking, or the Nordic Track for about 5 to 7 hours of aerobics, and GAIN! My diet is pretty good- about 1400 to 1500 calories, with an emphasis on lean protein, veggies, and small amounts of fat and sugar.

I lost 34 pounds on Weight Watcher’s in 2000, pre-menopausal, put it back on over the last few years, and really started having problems with the weight after menopause in 2004. I had my thyroid tested, and that was normal. It just seems like no matter what I try, it just doesn’t work anymore- WW Online, high protein, counting calories (CalorieKing, SparkPeople, Self Diet Challenge), increasing the weight workouts intensity, etc. I don’t know what to do! I feel like I have tried everything.

I refuse to give up completely, but it sure is frustrating. Good luck to everyone else in this challenge!

[NoNo]

AAAAAAAHHH!!! My boss just placed a still-warm oatmeal raisin cookie on my desk!:( How am I supposed to be good when people are randomly placing delicious treats in front of me? (I think I'm going to take it home and eat it tonight - after I work out.)

[Flybye]

Here's the history:

11-05 158.2
11-08 156.4
11-12 155.2
11-19 153.4

I am down 4.8 pounds since the beginning of the challenge! Wow, I really am a sucker for a challenge! :D

I wouldn't be surprised to see the scale creep up a bit in the next day or two because Wednesday I had 1/2 a cinnamon roll, Friday I had a hot dog and ice cream at the state championship high school game (WE WON), Saturday there were the amazing homemade enchiladas smothered in cheese that DH made, and Sunday I had cake and ice cream from two birthdays that we celebrated in one shot. I was sooo good other than that.
This week will be so much easier to navagate through, even with Thanksgiving.
Let's nail this thing!!
Congrats to all who are down!
Bambu - sorry to see you go! Can we talk you into sticking arond a little longer and hanging in? If not, good luck with the over 50 threads.

[Pedal Wench]

Heading into the holidays, I know it's gonna be tough, but someone once gave a tip that I thought was great. Don't eat things that aren't wonderful, or are things that you can get any-old time. It got started with 'don't get distracted by the cheese'. In other words, you can have a piece of cheese any time you want. Don't bother with it. A store-bought dinner roll? Don't waste your calories on it. Canned cranberry sauce? Not worth it. Save the calories for your aunt's special made-once-a-year rum cake, home-made cornbread stuffing, or made-from-scratch gravy. We'll all get through this!

[Tuckervill]

Weight: 179.8
Hips: 44 (down TWO inches)
Waist: 36 (down 1 inch)
Bust: 39 (down 1 inch)
thigh: 25.5 (down 1 inch)

I can't believe I broke 180. (2/10ths, but I'll TAKE it.) I looked back in my Calorie King log and the high weight was 186 around the 22nd of October, when I bought the program. I can't remember my weight when we started this thread, but I know it's down.

::Happy Dance::: :) :) :)

Karen

[Pedal Wench]

::Happy Dance::: :) :) :)

Karen

Good for you! Plus, the Happy Dance burns calories!

[solobiker]

Way to go to everyone!! I know it is hard work, especially this time of year. Hang in there and enjoy yourselves. I have not been eating quite as planned, have had a cookie or two, a small dish of ice cream and split a candy bar with a friend. Overall I have been eating healthy. I am down one pound, 149. We will see what happens after Thursday:p

[kelownagirl]

Congrats everyone who has maintained or lost and don't give up those who haven't! It sometimes takes time for the first few to budge. Keep at it, log food carefully (I am always amazed and how many calories I can sneak in even just by tasting what I cook...:rolleyes: ) Don't pack it in - the healthy choices you are making now will help you even if you don't lose weight right away. I personally find that nothing much happens unless I BOTH diet and exercise.

Nonsmoker - I was eating a lower carb diet but recently switched to a higher carb one after reading Nancy Clark's book Sports Nutrition. She states a good case for athletes eating more carbs. Carbs will cause you to retain more fluid but that's not fat so it's ok in my book. If you're riding inside or outdoors, or working out in other ways, you need to them to properly fuel your body. I think my current ratio is 60% C, 25% protein, 15% fat. I think...

[ibcycling]

Congrats Starfish on your exam! What a great accomplishment!

I'm up a tad from last week - 162 but my scale only does .5lbs and it almost stayed at 161.5. Not a problem as I have a cold and haven't ridden since Thursday. D@mn cold! I really want to ride tomorrow but I know I shouldn't. Ugh.

Congrats to all the losers! :p

Lora

[kelownagirl]

Thought this info from Sparkpeople might be helpful to someone....


Kick Your Metabolism Into High Gear!
The Do's and Don'ts of Efficient Fat-Burning
-- By Dean Anderson, Fitness & Behavior Expert
If you’re reading this, chances are pretty good that you don’t have a metabolism that lets you eat as much as you want without ever gaining an ounce. Maybe (like me) you’re even at the other extreme, where it seems like all you have to do is smell the foods you love to start packing on the pounds. Does this mean you’re doomed to a lifetime of munching on carrot sticks with fat-free dressing, while watching your hollow-legged friends enjoy their pasta Alfredo and chocolate cheesecake? Not at all.

There are lots of things you can do to turn your body into an efficient fat-burning machine, and they don't include depriving yourself of foods you love, resorting to unhealthy gimmicks, or taking expensive “fat-melting” supplements that fail to deliver what they promise. All you have to do is avoid a few common mistakes, and include some simple ways to boost your daily calorie burn.

Metabolism DON'TS

* Don’t reduce your calorie intake too low. The fact that you gain weight easily is proof that your body likes to shift into fat-storage mode at the drop of a hat, and going too low on calories is one of the easiest ways to trigger that reaction (often referred to as starvation mode). Don’t fall for the mistaken idea that the less you eat, the more you’ll lose—that’s just not how your body works. Staying within your recommended calorie range will keep your internal furnace stoked so that you have more capacity to burn stored fat.

* Don’t skip meals. Going too long between meals affects your body chemistry in ways that can make weight loss more difficult. Most people can manage their hunger and avoid cravings and overeating by spreading out their calories into four to five small, well-balanced meals or snacks during the day. Try not to go more than four to five hours without eating something.

* Don’t short yourself on shut eye. More research is showing that chronic sleep deprivation plays a significant role in weight gain. Your body needs plenty of “downtime” for the internal housekeeping that keeps your metabolism in good working order. The occasional late night won’t hurt you, but consistently sleeping just one hour less than you need may slow down your weight loss considerably.

Metabolism DO'S

* Build muscle! This is the most important action you can take to maintain a high metabolic rate while trying to lose weight. Strength training prevents you from losing a lot of muscle along with the fat you lose when dieting. If you don’t strength train regularly, up to 30% of the weight you lose could be muscle tissue. Considering that a pound of muscle burns about 3 times more calories per day than a pound of fat even when you’re sitting still (and up to 15-20 times more calories per minute when you're physically active), you can see the problems this can cause. If you lose 20 pounds of weight (and 30% of that weight loss is muscle—seven pounds), you’ll be slowing your metabolism and your fat burning capacity down by a significant amount. A simple strength training program twice a week can limit your muscle loss to almost zero, and keep your metabolism running high.

* Stay as active as possible. The more you use your muscles, the more calories you will burn. Moderate exercise like walking can burn three to six times more calories per minute than sitting still, and high intensity exercise like interval training can burn more than 12 times as much. Likewise, the more you vary your daily activity and exercise, the more you keep your body on its fat-burning toes.

* Don’t just sit there. If you’re watching TV or sitting at your desk, get up frequently to do a few exercises. Keep those resistance bands and dumbbells nearby at all times—you can fit a complete strength training workout into the commercial breaks of a one-hour TV show. Ditch your chair and sit on a stability ball (or a stationary bike) instead—even fidgeting can help!

* Exercise in the morning or in frequent bouts. Both strength and cardio exercises boost metabolism by increasing your calorie burn even AFTER your session is done. You can get the most out of this perk by starting your day with a workout or by incorporating multiple exercise sessions into your day. Longer or intense workouts have a greater "after burn” but even a 15-minute walk will make a difference.

* Try interval training. The harder you work, the more calories you will burn both during and after exercise—plus your fitness level will really improve. Studies show that exercising as intensely as you can, for at least 10 minutes per day, produces the best results. Interval training is an effective way to increase the intensity and duration of your workouts without running yourself into the ground or risking injury.

* Include mental exercises. One of the most important (but least recognized) factors in keeping your metabolic fires well stoked is managing stress effectively. Chronic stress disrupts the hormones that regulate everything from appetite to fat storage, and can defeat even the best exercise and eating plans. The more effort you put into recognizing and handling stress, the better off you’ll be. Include some time in your schedule every day for relaxation exercises, yoga, journaling, and other stress management activities.

And Most Importantly…
Make exercise and healthy eating FUN! Experiment frequently with new exercises and recipes, or anything that keeps you interested and adds some spice to your program. Well, don’t stop there. The more variety you can put in your diet and your exercise routine, the more stimulating it will be. That makes it easy to put your best efforts forward, and get a major metabolic return on your investment.

[firenze11]

Just checking in. I weighed yesterday morning but then got caught up with stuff.

Start weight: 150
Monday Nov 12: 150
Monday Nov 19: 148 yay!!!

My period's coming so all I wanted yesterday was salt. I didn't eat amazingly well but I be better today.

Kelownagirl: That's a great article. I think a lot of people end up sabotaging their metabolism when "dieting." I know my mom is one of them. She skips meals left and right and is gaining weight. I keep telling her how bad it is for her body and her metabolism but no such luck in changing her ways.

Great job everyone!! :) I hope you all have a great week.

[crazycanuck]

So far i've been eaten 90% healthily!!! I normally go by how my clothes feel & they're looser. I have cut out bread :) but i do eat mountain bread(flat bread). Oh, i have a bagel on the weekend w a coffee @ my fave cafe

I won't stand on the scale until the leg brace comes off. Not because i don't want to know my weight but leg logistics..

Anywho, good job so far ladies!

C

[Tuckervill]

Firenz, I don't know how to lose weight and have my period about to start! I get soooo bloated and I crave all the bad things--hot salty fries are my downfall.

Congratulations!

Karen

[caribou]

Kelownagirl, thanks for passing on the tips. I've been hearing a lot about the sleep one lately, and it really does fit the pattern. Extra incentive to not stay on the internet too long late at night!!

Pedalwench: what's the deal with the bunny wearing a CD as a hat for your avitar? (Cute bunny.)

Cheers for everyone who's lost some weight, and a "hang in there" and empathy for the plateaus and temp gains.

And, now my big news: I am officially as of my weigh-in day Sunday down 5 lbs! That's enough for pants to be loosening up, and an obviously slimmer face in the mirror.

I'd be worried about too much weight loss, but that's a pretty typical first week for me. Good kick start, + water weight loss, then it slows down to the expected 1-2 lbs per week.

It's really nice to have the positive reinforcement right off.

I didn't note who it was who was also complaining about the perimenopause thing, but yeah, it really does suck. And how are we supposed to know if we're grumpy because it's almost "that time," or if it's the dieting?

That's what you young'uns have to look forward to. :p

[Over50Newbie]

Hi everyone,

This is going to be a fly-by post as I am straight out getting ready for the Thanksgiving holidays.

You won't be seeing another post from me until Monday. So everybody please have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy the time with your friends and family.

Lynette

P.S. I plan on being 141 by Monday. ;)

[kelownagirl]

Well I think you should all take a few days off "dieting" over the thanksgiving weekend and give yourself permission to enjoy life and family and the good food that entails. Maybe cut back a little on the amounts but don't deprive yourself completely. You can get back on the wagon on Monday. Happy TG to all my American friends!! :D :D

[caribou]

I just read bambu-101's last post. Had missed it before.

Arggghh!

How frustrating! Anyone have any further advice for her? Is there another possible medical reason besides thyroid for weight to just hang on like that? Is it worth doctor-shopping to try to find other causes?

Just wish I could help her, but I'm clueless on this. It sounds like she's doing everything right.

To change the subject: yes, Happy Thanksgiving everyone (at least those of us in the U.S. celebrating this week). I've saved my WW flex points, and am counting on 2 pieces of pumpkin pie. Plus, best of all, darling daughter home from college for a couple of girly days (including a girly mountain bike ride) with mom.

[Tuckervill]

but I'm hoping.

Under all baseline conditions, this morning the scale said 176.2.

That's down 2.5 lbs since MONDAY. The scale has not been moved. ;)

I have been working hard the last few days, getting ready for the Big Meal. The only thing I really did different is drink way way more water since Monday, because it's been hot and I've been thirsty. Maybe I'm not getting enough water for the processing?

oh well, just in time for Thanksgiving. :)

Karen

[wawaski]

This will mean committment, eh? Shudder. Back on the Zone, worked well for me, food diary was the best thing about it me thinks! 160 now, want to be back at 140.....so.....ride ride ride! I'll be checking in so you gals can keep me on the "path"! :cool:

[NoNo]

No movement on the scale yet, but I wasn't expecting it this soon. Ate well yesterday and did an hour on the elliptical. Having lost all the "extra" weight a few years ago, I think it's going to be a few weeks of continuous exercise that will move the scale. Even if it doesn't move, all this working out can't be bad for me:) Have a happy Thanksgiving all! Enjoy the day off!!

[Pedal Wench]

no!!! Don't give up! That's not going to accomplish anything. Just keep up with the working out, and keep an eye on the diet. Like someone else said, maybe not enough calories. Are you drinking plenty of fluids? Watching the sodium levels?

I can relate, because I've been riding, on the treadmill, and adding weights. My theory is that I'm building upper body muscles, and that's why the scale is barely budging. But, I'm not giving up!



OK- I am out of this challenge. I am going to slink over to the Over 50 can’t lose the weight thread, or whatever it is called.
Despite my best efforts, I keep going up a half pound, and then down a half pound, but always creeping up a little. It is VERY frustrating to work out 5 to 6 days per week, including 2-3 intense weight workouts, and riding, walking, or the Nordic Track for about 5 to 7 hours of aerobics, and GAIN! My diet is pretty good- about 1400 to 1500 calories, with an emphasis on lean protein, veggies, and small amounts of fat and sugar.

I lost 34 pounds on Weight Watcher’s in 2000, pre-menopausal, put it back on over the last few years, and really started having problems with the weight after menopause in 2004. I had my thyroid tested, and that was normal. It just seems like no matter what I try, it just doesn’t work anymore- WW Online, high protein, counting calories (CalorieKing, SparkPeople, Self Diet Challenge), increasing the weight workouts intensity, etc. I don’t know what to do! I feel like I have tried everything.

I refuse to give up completely, but it sure is frustrating. Good luck to everyone else in this challenge!

[bambu101]

Thanks for the encouraging words! I am too darn stubborn to give up, but it is very hard after almost 3 years of this. I will keep trying to find that magic trick that finally allows the scale to start moving in the right direction.

I think part of it is genetics, and there is only so much that can be done about that. My sister, who is 18 months younger than me, has been complaining that this is the first year that she could not drop the winter weight gain after going back to her job as a gardener/horticultuist at a local golf course in the spring.

I WILL NOT QUIT!!!!!!!!

Wendy

[snowtulip]

Bambu - Keep it up! I'm rooting for you!

I had a similar issue many years ago, I could not loss weight and was very diligent in my exercise and very dilligent in my strenght training which everyone said I needed to make the difference. But still nothing.

It turned out that I was consuming too few calories with not enough nutrients needed for my body. What I did (kicking and screaming at first) was up my caloric intake by 200-300 calories. Apparently all that exercise sent my body into panic. Admitedly, it took about 3 weeks for my body to adapt to this new situation. So give it some time and hang in there!

We're here to support you!!!

[Flybye]

Just wanted to give encouagement in the motherly form..............

You can eat as much as you want to tomorrow, just keep in mind that the average Thanksgiving meal has anywhere from 3,000-5,000 calories. Now, it is your choice, but I know you will do the right thing :D

I will do my best to stay away from the 500 calorie slice of heavenly pecan pie!

Let's have our Thanksgiving cheer, now................


Rah, rah spandex!
Rear end view!
I want those pants to look good on you!!!!

Never claimed to be a poet :rolleyes: :p

Happy Turkey day one early, as tomorrow I'll be going over the river and through the woods............................

[ibcycling]

Let's have our Thanksgiving cheer, now................


Rah, rah spandex!
Rear end view!
I want those pants to look good on you!!!!


ROFLMAO! I love it. :D

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Keep in mind how many miles you'll have to ride on Friday to get rid of those Turkey Day calories. :p

Lora (who plans to EAT today even though she'll have to put in lots of miles tomorrow!)

[kjay]

GREAT cheer, ibcycling! I just finished my breakfast (blended: one cup of canned pumpkin, whey protein, liquid calcium, Omega oils, cinnamon, water) to be following by a bike ride if I can kick myself out. I didn't take part in this weight-loss challenge, but am motivated now. Finally! Thanks, everyone, for your motivating messages.

[kjay]

Sorry, I meant to say thanks to Flybye for that great cheer, but I thank you, ibcycling, for including it again. :o

[ibcycling]

GREAT cheer, ibcycling! I just finished my breakfast (blended: one cup of canned pumpkin, whey protein, liquid calcium, Omega oils, cinnamon, water) to be following by a bike ride if I can kick myself out. I didn't take part in this weight-loss challenge, but am motivated now. Finally! Thanks, everyone, for your motivating messages.

Good for you! I didn't get out on the bike today but plan to tomorrow. I've been fighting a cold but I think I'm over it enough to get back on the bike! Crazy thing is I hit an all time low this morning at 160! The scale tried to go to 159.5 but couldn't quite manage it. LOL!

Lora

[Kano]

173 today -- more gone! I think it was 175 last time I posted?

I'll just keep on keepin' on with what I'm doing, I guess!

Karen in Boise

[NoNo]

I stepped on the scale yesterday morning and was at a low of 122.8 :D This morning it was 125.6:p Oh well, it was totally worth it! I did bring my work-out stuff to work, so I'll be hitting the elliptical later. Anyone else stuck at work today?

[Tuckervill]

I'm not stuck at work, but I am stuck at home with a houseful of people and the sewer system clogged up!!!

My poor hubby dug it up yesterday and he's finishing it up today. What a way to ruin a 4-day weekend.

I ate like a PIG yesterday, but I enjoyed it a lot! I cooked everything all by myself because of the sewer and I decided to cook a lot of healthy food. I still had my MIL's recipe sweet potatoes which classify as a dessert, really, but it's only once or twice a year, right?

Pie for breakfast, which my 14 yo son made--he's becoming a right fine cook.

I weighed this morning and up a pound, but hey...it's Thanksgiving.

Karen

[solobiker]

Still at 149, at least it is not up from Thanksgiving. Lets see what happens after this weekend. I too, like some of you have thyroid issues. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 1989. The older I get the harder it has been for me to drop any weight. It gets a little discouraging as a few of my co-workers can drop weight very quickly and they dont even know what the word exercise means. While I ride, run, walk or lift weights on a daily basis:( Oh well, I will eventually find something that will work. I do keep a positive attitude in that I say to myself would I rather be the size that I am and be able to ride the distances that I can, or, would I rather be skiinny like my co-workers and get tired from a 10 min walk. hmmm tough choice. not really:D

[deidre]

Weigh in for Sunday 11/18:

I didn't post my weight because I was so frustrated; I don't think I even read this thread at all last week :o I stepped on the scale and was UP to
171. :eek:

The week leading up to the weigh-in was a good week from a workout perspective. Food is another issue because I don't think I am eating enough. I wake up for my 5:15 am morning workouts and don't eat breakfast until 8 am. By then I am so hungry and then it feels like I am hungry for the rest of the day.

Anyway, I have set a goal to run at a couple of miles every day (this is something that I felt I needed to do to get back to running consistent). So that I give my knees and legs and joints a break, I usually do treadmill runs during the week and outdoor runs on the weekends.

Though the scale didn't make me happy, I didn't let it get me off of my program. I will keep running and biking and eventually my body and the scale will respond accordingly.

Congratulations to everyone on your progress and thanks for the encouragement.

[Tuckervill]

I know some people can't eat before they work out, but I suggest you eat before it or immediately afterwards. I eat a small bowl of oatmeal, raisins and walnuts every morning within a half hour of waking up, which means before my workout on those days. If I don't eat, I run out of fuel during my workout, and I'm so hungry after that I eat too much.

I heard an "expert" say once that eating within an hour of arising stokes up your metabolism and pays off all day. There's a good reason it's called "break-fast".

Karen

[snowtulip]

I'm still holding at 115, no change, hoping the change starts to come soon! DH and I are going to start a eating and exercise challenge that will end on 12/31. So I need to kick his butt!:D

[deidre]

I know some people can't eat before they work out, but I suggest you eat before it or immediately afterwards. I eat a small bowl of oatmeal, raisins and walnuts every morning within a half hour of waking up, which means before my workout on those days. If I don't eat, I run out of fuel during my workout, and I'm so hungry after that I eat too much.

Karen

Thanks for the great advice. I can't believe I have to be reminded (again) of the importance of breakfast.

Any ideas on quick/healthy things to keep on hand to eat in a hotel room? I try to keep fruit with me (bananas at least). When I am away on business, I usually rush back to my room to shower, get dressed then head out of hotel to the office.

I keep packs of instant oatmeal with me. I know these are probably not as good as the real thing but since I am an oatmeal newbie, it works for me. Maybe I'll use the coffee machine to heat up some hot water and I'll have a pack of instant oatmeal right after my shower. Instant oatmeal and a banana sounds like a good start.

And on that note, I must go and eat something. I have been up for at least 2.5 hours and haven't eaten anything yet. :(

[Tuckervill]

I think there's a whole website on what you can make with the hotel room coffee maker! I just googled and there are LOTS so I'll let you peruse at your leisure.

HOWEVER, I do not like the taste of coffee--I drink hot tea instead. Whenever I used the hotel coffee maker, my tea always tasted like burnt coffee. So, I went and got myself an electric tea kettle and I take that with me when I travel. I almost always travel by car, so it doesn't matter how big it is to me. If you fly a lot, maybe a cup-sized one would work for you. Or a few cycles through the hotel CM would get the coffee taste out?

For oatmeal on the road, I mix what I like in my oatmeal (walnuts, raisins, brown sugar, and even a little powdered milk sometimes) into a ziplock bag--then I can take as much or as little as I want, knowing there's nothing artificial in it. I bring my own tea bags and raw sugar for that, too. All of that usually fits right into the kettle so it's no extra space. (I take my favorite mug--but hotel mugs are fine.) You could even set out steel cut oats to soak overnight in the hot water and they'd be ready in the morning.

You can make cup-o-soup and rice and raman noodles and all kinds of things with the hot water from the tea kettle.

The important thing is to eat right away after your work out. Happy problem solving!

Karen

[kelownagirl]

Whoo hoo, down to 118.1 this morning. I doubt it will "stick" but at least I know it's possible! Makes the suffering this week worthwhile...

[bambu101]

OK- the holiday weekend is over. How did everyone do?

I weighed yesterday morning, and was down .8 pound- I'll take it! After the cookie baking yesterday afternoon, I am not sure it'll stay off, but I'm a happy camper for now.

BTW, anybody weigh more than their significant other? I outweigh mine, who is 6'3" and 150 pounds, by a good 25 pounds- how humiliating is that?

[sandra]

I did not eat dessert over the holiday until Saturday. It was my son's 27th birthday. I ate a small piece of apple pie that he requested. Today I weighed 151. Down 1/2 a pound, I think, but anyway I'll take it. At least I made it through and did not gain.

[Tuckervill]

I ate this weekend--not the last 2 days, but the first two I ate a lot and didn't log any of it. We had my son, wife and grandson over for the weekend, plus the relatives for dinner.

God love him--my grandson is a really easy toddler to get along with and I do adore him so, but I had enough of the littering that toddlers naturally do by the time they left. Normally clutter doesn't bother me, but the relentlessness of the way a toddler does it--I'm no longer accustomed to that. My house is small, and we had 5 dogs here, too. Plus, I'm about to start my period and I don't tolerate noise well during this time, and I didn't get to really leave the house for 4 days, while everyone else came and went.

PLUS, our sewer system got clogged on T'giving day and my hubby had to dig it up over two days, but thankful that we didn't have to call a plumber!

By the time Saturday night rolled around, I was feeling emotionally hungry so I suggested pizza and everyone jumped on that and I ate THREE pieces before I felt happy again. Emotional eating. I used to be so immune.

/whine

I did exercise 2 of the days--did the Master Your Body program that the guys I work out with created,

http://fcs.tennessee.edu/masteryourbody/index.htm (the website where you can buy the booklet is down right now.)

One day I pushed the grandson in the bike trailer/stroller for 45 minutes.

So my weight is up a little (part T'giving, part bloat), but my measurements are the same, and I went to my fitness class today (the last week before it breaks then starts again in January--bad timing). I'm feeling good about my fitness because I could lift and throw and play with the boy without even noticing his weight. Now I need encouragement to keep going through December even though there's not a class.

:::sigh::: rain, rain go away....

Karen

[NoNo]

Saturday morning I was down to 122.8:) Didn't weigh myself this morning, I'll have to do it tonight. Picking my bike up from the LBS tonight, it'll be nice to get back on that. Not that there's any room to set it up on the trainer - Christmas decorations everywhere!:eek:

[kelownagirl]

119 even this morning. I did two sessions on my trainer this weekend.

And perhaps I need to remind you that I'm lucky - did not have to battle Thanksgiving dinner this weekend. :)

[caribou]

bambu101: hurray! the scale moved!


OK- the holiday weekend is over. How did everyone do?

I weighed yesterday morning, and was down .8 pound- I'll take it! After the cookie baking yesterday afternoon, I am not sure it'll stay off, but I'm a happy camper for now.

BTW, anybody weigh more than their significant other? I outweigh mine, who is 6'3" and 150 pounds, by a good 25 pounds- how humiliating is that?

6'3" and 150 lbs? He's a string bean!

I outweighed my 5' 11" not-so-darling-at-the-moment husband when I was 190. He was 175. I lost twenty pounds, and I think he found them, and more.:( I'm not sure how much he weighs, and I don't think he knows either. He doesn't like scales right now. He know's he's overweight (and he's got naturally high cholesterol, so it's REALLY bad to be overweight), and was just starting an exercise program when he hit some railroad tracks the wrong way on his bike, tumbled off, and cracked some ribs. The doctor has forbidden him to do anything but swim or walk on the flats for months!!! I had no idea cracked ribs were that bad.

Wow, Tuckervill. Your Thanksgiving sounds like one that will be funnier as a memory. "Remember the Thanksgiving where litlle Joey was 2 and littering the house, I was PMS-y, and the sewer system went out with the house full of people? Hah hah hah." Okay, maybe not so funny!

Congrats for making it through it with a still semi-positive attitude!;)

We had a nice thanksgiving, just my younger daughter and me. Very giggly.

I'm up a couple of pounds, maybe the PMS thing, maybe the PIE thing.

But borrowed Darling Daughter's mountain bike and did a great ride in San Luis Obispo when I droppd her off at school yesterday. Pedaling up dirt hills is always great incentive to shed a couple more pounds of baggage.

[Pedal Wench]

Down one pound! We ended up staying in town without plans, so had Boston Market for dinner - plain turkey, string beans and stuffing, so nothing really bad, and I gave DB most of the stuffing. Plus, we only ate half and had the rest the next day. So, I'm glad I managed. The weather's been bad, so haven't done much riding, but I hope to get in long rides this weekend, and another century next weekend.

[nonsmoker3]

I am just to chicken to get on the scale. I feel quite chubby.

We did a 35 mile ride on Friday (in terrible wind), and I have done absolutely nothing since, except eat and drink.

Wednesday we leave for Charleston for the festivelo, where I will ride, eat and drink for 4 days.:eek: :eek:

[five one]

For well over two weeks, I've had a chest cold. Last week, when I thought it was finally going away, I did a couple workouts on the trainer (cold garage, but I was dressed for it). I guess I was over anxious to get back on the bike in some form, because the leftover tightness in my upper chest worsened after that. Back to no aerobic workouts after that, which encompassed Thanksgiving week plus DH's birthday. While I didn't really over eat, I did have dessert several times, something I rarely do. I am also not as good about hydrating when I'm at home as I am when I'm here at my desk with the bottomless teacup. So I know I'm dehydrated.

Long story short, I'm back to square one weight-wise :( . Tried a short, easy ride of 20 miles yesterday afternoon, but the tightness in my upper chest just won't go away. It feels like EI asthma, which I have had in the past. I'm trying albuterol to see if that makes a difference, but so far, no. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm going to give it a couple more days then make a dr. appt. I don't feel sick. I'm not coughing. It just feels like there's a tight rubber band around my lungs. Bleh...

The ten pounds by year end is not going to happen for me. I've changed my goal to 15 pounds by my birthday in March.

Good to hear many of you fared well over the Thanksgiving weekend.

[Over50Newbie]

Well, I didn't do any journaling over the Thanksgiving weekend, but now that Monday is here, I am planning on starting my food and exercise log again.

I am down .4 of a pound - 141.6

October 12th - 144
October 27th - 148 :eek:
October 29th - 146
October 30th - 144
November 5th - 143 (This was the official starting date)
November 13th - 142.0 (I now have a digital scale)
November 26th - 141.6

At least it is moving in the right direction...

Lynette

[ibcycling]

Happy Monday all!

I was chicken and didn't weigh this morning. I haven't been going nuts food-wise but I haven't been good either. I've also not ridden in the past 1.5 weeks because of a cold. I thought I was better and considered a ride yesterday but got busy around the house and didn't. Probably a good thing as the cold seems to be back with a sore throat today. :mad: I've been sitting around the house not getting anything done today and feeling sorry for myself. :o

BUT I thought I'd better check out the wonder TE ladies and decided I'd better weigh in and take a hot shower to help my throat and chest. Surprise! The scale still shows 161 and I'm thrilled. I was sure it would be up! Hopefully I'll ride in the morning and I WILL get back to eating healthy!!!!

Great job to everyone who survived Turkey Day (even if you didn't celebrate it ;) )

Lora

[solobiker]

Originally Posted by bambu101
OK- the holiday weekend is over. How did everyone do?

I weighed yesterday morning, and was down .8 pound- I'll take it! After the cookie baking yesterday afternoon, I am not sure it'll stay off, but I'm a happy camper for now.

BTW, anybody weigh more than their significant other? I outweigh mine, who is 6'3" and 150 pounds, by a good 25 pounds- how humiliating is that?


I too weigh more then DH. He is 5'10" and weighs 140:eek: I am still at 149, no loss or gain. I went for a nice ride yeterday. It was a little cool, but nice enough to enjoy the day. I didn't over eat over the weekend which was a good thing and I am proud of myself for not having any more desert after Thanksgiving Day.

[Tuckervill]

If I ever weigh more than my husband, I'll shoot myself. We've always been about a hundred pounds apart in weight, and 15" apart in height. :D

[Over50Newbie]

Staying accountable again:

Monday, November 26th

Calories: 1306
Exercise: 1 hour workout with "Tom the Personal Trainer"
Water: 60 ounces
Vitamins/Supplements: Multivitamin, Calcium, Soy, Flaxseed Oil
Weight: 141.6

Lynette

[VeloVT]

Alright. Last week I weighed in at 120. This week I'm up between a half pound and a pound. My scale can't decide (my apartment is in an old house and the floor slopes, which makes getting a reliable scale result a little tricky sometimes).

It's going to be a rough three weeks (finals, papers) but I will try my best to get back on track.

[Tuckervill]

You can do it, Liza!

Keep going, Lynette!

Karen

[NoNo]

(my apartment is in an old house and the floor slopes, which makes getting a reliable scale result a little tricky sometimes).

I like that explanation. I'm in a 3 family that's over 120 years old. This morning I stepped on and it was 124.4. Stepped off, then back on and it was 125.6!:eek: How did I gain 1lb in 10 seconds? My scale also seems to be unreliable. It tends to give the same reading for days on end and then will suddenly start jumping around. There's a scale at work that I think I'll hop on after I work out tonight. I will confess to a bit of emotional eating last night when I found out a very good friend was in hospice. Fortunately there was only about a scoop of the low-fat ice cream left, but I doused it in Hershey's. This kind of scares me into wanting to really, really take care of myself, but I'm also getting that "what's the point?" feeling. I'm sure it'll pass.

[Pedal Wench]

If I ever weigh more than my husband, I'll shoot myself. We've always been about a hundred pounds apart in weight, and 15" apart in height. :D

My BF is naturally thin, so it's a strong incentive for me to stay under his weight, but it's tough!

[firenze11]

Well I'm only down about a half pound to 147.5. But after last week I'll take it. Whew it was pretty stressful.

NoNo - I know exactly how you feel. My family has had a lot of health problems this year. Every time I hear something new I feel like I should take it as a warning and really take care of my body, but at the same time the stress of it all makes comfort food/eating really really tempting.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. One holiday down! :)

~E.

[surgtech1956]

I need some help. I just can't get myself motivated to start, stay on, diet, etc.... I was off work for 5 months due to a work injury, I was riding regularly, etc..., cutting down on my food intake, healthy eating, went back to work June 20th, still rode. For one thing I'm under alot of stress, not doing my regular job(doctor says I need a different job), between getting paid at a lower job and worker's comp(losing $$$$) - I need to make a decision, whether to just chuck the whole worker's comp and go back to my job(and work in pain) or hang in there and be patient and hopefully will find another job(with my employer) that will pay me what I was making. Plus, DGF is unemployed and has some mental health problems. So more stress. Sorry, this is off the weight loss track and not motivating for those of you that are doing so well on your weight losses. Thanks for letting me vent.

[kelownagirl]

Hey vent away, that's what we're here for.

I can't help you with the work problems, but I think if you can just start by making small, manageable changes in your diet and exercise, you will feel better and maybe be able to get back on track. If you can just start fitting a little exercise into your daily routine, you will likely find that some of the stress is relieved and probably also some of the physical stuff as well. Maybe you just need to start walking for 20-30 minutes every day and cut out one bad food habit for starters. Whatever it is, find something you CAN do and then just start. Once you get started, it can often snowball into more. Good luck!

[Pedal Wench]

Hey vent away, that's what we're here for.

and cut out one bad food habit for starters. Whatever it is, find something you CAN do and then just start. Once you get started, it can often snowball into more. Good luck!

I can't agree more. Find one thing - one SMALL thing to start with. Maybe switch to diet soda, or start out half and half. Or do the same with milk. Slowly get to skim milk, by mixing it in slowly. Or cut desserts in half and share them, or toss out half. (My company serves meals, and until I was able to control it myself, as soon as I would get dessert, I would throw half the serving in the trash before even sitting down.)

Taking charge of one small aspect of your diet will really help you feel that you can control things, and as K-Girl said, can snowball rather easily.

[Over50Newbie]

Thanks, Tuckervill, right back atcha!

Kelownagirl, you couldn't be more right. Consistency, consistency, consistency, that is the key for me. If I mess up one day, I am determined to be right back on track during the next one. In my book, baby steps are better than no steps at all

Now this is me again, staying accountable:

Wednesday, November 28

Calories: 1121
Exercise: None - rest day
Water: 60 ounces
Vitamins/Supplements: Multivitamin, Calcium, Soy, Flaxseed Oil

Even though my calorie count was lower today, I had two big handfuls of cashew caramal corn. :eek:

I was going to stop at one handful but it tasted sooo good that I allowed myself another one. Not the best choice for me, but it was very satisfying. LOL

Lynette

[NoNo]

Arg! The scale doesn't want to budge now. Stuck at 124.4. I've been eating well and did my hour on the elliptical yesterday, then finished putting the lights on the tree. Despite the lack of evidence from my scale, my pants feel looser, so I must be doing alright. Maybe it's being replaced with muscle. A girl can dream, right?:D

[limewave]

Five One--I'm with you. Had the chest cold. Lost my voice. Stayed in bed. It was awful. I'm finally doing better and this morning did my first workout in almost two weeks. I'm back at square one too :(

AND, I'm also one of those that weigh more than SO. DH is 6' and weighs 150. My dream is for us to weigh the same :-)

I'm at about 175 right now. My goal is to inch under that 170 mark by Christmas. Those five pounds should get me back into my favorite pants :)

My Estimated Cals for the day (unless I stray from the plan):
Cals: 1500
Fat: 50g (all good fat though)
Carbs: 187g
Protein: 93g
Fiber: 44g

Workout:
50 minutes on the Trainer--Intervals
30 minutes of stregth training

[five one]

Down again slightly to 134.4 this morning, but this is a result of cutting back calories as opposed to exercising to burn them. The cold is gone, but the asthma symptoms remain to a degree. Still using Qvar and albuterol, which are helping somewhat. Did weights this morning and will try an hour on the trainer tomorrow. Hoping to get out on the road over the weekend if it's not too cold. That cold air really bothers my lungs. :( :mad: :(

I've managed, so far, to refrain from eating the treats that people have been bringing in to work.

Wishing everyone good luck over the next few tough weeks. We can do it!

[Flybye]

Well, I have had bronchitis since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I finally feel halfway human today.

I ate two Thanksgivig dinners, one at my families house Thursday and one at my husband's families house on Saturday.

I think the combination of two dinners plus the fact that I have been taking a lot of alka seltzer cold medicine with lots of sodium in it is the reason for the gain. I am hoping that most of it is water weight, because I have really been great with watching what I eat. I may not be getting enought calories, either, food just doesn't sound as good when you can't taste it! I haven't eaten much this week.

Overall, I am not too disappointed in the gain. I just want to feel well again and get back on track with eating and exercising.

By the way, I have had my share of sickness for the winter season. :mad: :mad: :mad: I had puke-flu :eek: after Halloween which lasted over a week and now bronchitis. I am done. Hear that???? :rolleyes:

Monday will have better numbers, for sure!

Congrats and keep plugging away!!!

[NoNo]

Still stuck at 124.4. I've been eating well and exercising plenty, so I'll just keep going along. Got through 30 minutes on the trainer last night when dad stopped by to tell me our friend had passed away:( I never did the rest of my exercises, and baked some cookies to busy myself. There's nothing awful in them, but I brought the extras in to work so I wouldn't eat the whole batch myself. This weekend we're delivering toys to Make-A-Wish and I hope to get out on the mountain bike for a bit, so I'll be busy and not eating through my grief. Hope everyone has a great weekend. Make the most of it.

[Over50Newbie]

Just a quick fly-by for me.

My weigh-in today was 141.0 :)

I plan to be "140 point something by Monday"

Lynette

[Tuckervill]

I weighed at the gym today. Last time my BF% was 43, and today it was 41.9. By their scale I'm down 4 lbs since I weighed there, probably 4 weeks ago, I think. By mine, I'm up one pound. I've been feeling depressed lately, with winter closing in (gray skies really do a number on me). But I have a busy weekend so that should help me out.

I'm glad about my BF%. I have some muscles and I can do all the plank moves that I couldn't do when we started the boot camp. I found out today that we have enough interest so they will do boot camp through December! YAY! That should help my BF% and my depression!

Karen

[caribou]

The 5 lbs. found me again! I stopped doing online Weightwatchers over T-giving and just restarted. But I thought I didn't do That bad over the last week.

I'm praying it's water weight gain, and will drop off again.

Now I have to stay motivated despite gain. Help!

[NoNo]

Morning ladies. Didn't get around to riding this weekend, but I got a lot done. 4 hours of cleaning is exercise, right? Even managed to fix the leak in the tub. And yesterday we delivered 500 toys and $3500 to Make-A-Wish, so I'm pleased with that as well. I didn't eat that well, there was a lot of running around and we went out for Mexican on Saturday. So I was pleasantly surprised to see the scale at 123 this morning:) Maybe I haven't been eating enough, maybe my body needed a break, but I'll keep exercising and playing with my food intake. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

[sandra]

Since I last posted I've been up a couple of pounds, but I'm happy to report that I jumped back on the wagon and I'm now down another pound to 150. It has been forever since I've seen the 140's. I hope to get there soon as I also have a wonderful colonoscopy scheduled for next Monday. :eek: That should help temporarily. :rolleyes:

[Tuckervill]

Not a good way to shed a few, Sandra. lol.

I'm holding steady just below 179 (it varies). I've gone back to weighing and measuring all my food so I know as close as possible how much I'm eating. I'm logging it all on Calorie King software, plus my exercise.

I spent all day Saturday in boots with heels, which I normally only wear for fashion for a couple of hours. My feet and legs hurt a LOT. I even walked almost the whole parade route in the boots. I still did 100 jumping jacks this morning, though!

Karen

[Pedal Wench]

I made a rookie mistake over the weekend. I rode alot on Saturday, rode my mtb on Sunday, but didn't do enough protein after either ride, so I had carbo-cravings all weekend. Had popcorn both days, until I realized that I needed some protein and instantly, the munchies stopped. Oh well. I'm gonna skip the scale today, but I'm increasing my weeknight workouts so I'll be back on track in no time.

[mtbdarby]

Sorry to have abandoned you guys:( My spreadsheet is long by the wayside with all the posts here though - I can't keep up!

I was on the road both in state and out to Vegas. I have gained 2 pounds so far (down from the 3 I gained!) and am at 154 today. I OFFICIALLY started the P90 workout on Saturday and am pleased to announce I have eaten 100% clean since then. And yea-gads am I sore. More so from shoveling snow than working out.:D

I do have a suggestion though. Can we start a new thread each Monday with a count down or such in the title? It would be easier to keep track of but that's just me. Feel free to carry on this way....

Hope everyone else is doing great!

[Flybye]

I really don't know where my brain is - I completely forgot to weigh this morning. I have had a lot on my mind with one of my clients and what we need to get done for her to finish selling her home and start with a self help housing project. I thought about her case so much that I was relived to be able to get to work on things this morning and just forgot about everything else - I did manage to get the kids off to school :rolleyes:
I will weigh tomorrow!
Hopefully my Thanksgiving pecan pie will found it's way out of me by then!! TMI:D

[five one]

And yea-gads am I sore. More so from shoveling snow than working out.:D

Having grown up in Colorado, I can assure you that shoveling snow IS working out! But you really knew that :p .

I'm sort of back on track workout-wise, but too soon to see any change in my weight. Went out for Chinese food last night (ack! sodium!), so I'm sure my weight reflected that first thing this morning at 135.2. After an hour on the trainer and drinking close to 20 oz of water, it was 134.4. Normally I don't weigh myself two time in one morning, but I was curious today. Too cold in the garage to have sweat off nearly a pound of water. So much for the accuracy of my scale.

The good news is that I tried on a pair of slacks this morning that were a bit too snug last year. Today they fit in the hips and were a bit loose in the waist. Amazing! I'm holding off doing any major alterations for now, but that really made me feel good since I've been going up and down with the same two pounds since this thread began. My body seems to like where it is.

Last Friday at work there was a box of See's candy calling to me. I didn't listen. Same thing today. Sigh...so hard not to sample, but I know one will lead to more, so I'm safer with none.

[Starfish]

OK, I'm back. I have been having the worst time this year getting myself back on track. But, for the last three days I have written down all my food intake, stuck to sane calories/content, and stuck to a workout program.

Seriously hoping I can make it stick. If I don't lose some weight and get into shape, my cycling goal for next year is going to slip beyond reach. But, if I start now, I will just have time!

[firenze11]

No change in weight this week: 147.5 I've been trying to do this without counting and taking a sort of intuitive eating path. I was reading Nancy Clark's sports nutrition book and trying to eat right but I'm not so great at it. I think I'm going to start logging calories tomorrow just to keep myself in the right direction.

I really want to be at 130/135ish and strong when spring rolls around so if I get serious about it now I can make it happen.

on an off topic note: my laptop has been ticking as I write this. Any ideas as to what could cause it? My hard drive is doing ok, I'm pretty sure. Oh well, maybe it's scolding me for not being more proactive about my weight loss (tsk, tsk, tsk) hehe, kidding!! ;) :p :D

[Over50Newbie]

Hi ladies,

I am very sad right now because we had to have our sick cat euthanized today. He spent the weekend in "kitty hospital" but he was just too sick so we made the very tough decision to put him down.

He was a very sweet, gentle soul and I miss him. His name was Snuggles.

So I haven't been journaling my food or exercise for the past few days. I also haven't been making great food choices either. I haven't gotten on the scale, but I'm sure that if I did, it would just make me sadder, so I'm not going to.

The good news is that I exercised a little on Saturday, swam on Sunday, and did a tiny bit of cardio today.

So I plan on making better choices food-wise tomorrow, and get back to journaling my food and exercise soon.

But for right now, all I want to do is cry...

I will be fine, I just need to have some time to grieve for my little friend.

So I guess that is about all for now. Thanks for listening.

Lynette

P.S. I also like the idea of a new thread every Monday - that would be a little more manageable for me.

[Tuckervill]

I'm so sorry about your kitty, Lynette. Of course give yourself time to grieve the little life.

But all is not lost even if you didn't eat well or exercise. You can start again.

I've been thinking about this a lot, lately. A health plan has to work through whatever else goes on in life, doesn't it? I started thinking about this with regard to PMS, when I get very carb hungry and emotional. This is going to happen every month for however many years I have left--maybe 5 or 6, right? I can't let a predictable thing derail my efforts towards a healthy body every 3 weeks! I can be a little more forgiving of myself, and allow my focus to drift to other things, because I know it's only temporary.

But what about the unpredictable things? If I don't predict that there will be unpredictable things, and figure out how to handle them wrt my eating/exercise ahead of time, I am setting myself up to fail. So during those times when things are going well (no PMS, no crises), I should try to habituate myself to the best habits.

I'm trying to predict what I can do when baseball season begins in earnest starting in February. (I'm president of the league and work basically full time for no pay from February to August.) I can't let my eating and exercise get out of balance during that time. I'm also trying to predict what the effects of dark gray skies will have on my psyche for the next 3 months. I'm taking the boot camp class again so that should help, but what about my eating?

So, grief is a huge burden to bear, and it's understandable that we would get derailed from the plan. But it's only temporary, and if the common thread in the thought process is to always stay near enough to hop back on, there's really no harm done. Just keep going.

Karen

[Over50Newbie]

Karen,

Thank you, you are so right. So I am going to take a few days to grieve, but I am not going to lose sight of my overall goal.

It is important to remember that unpredictable things like this will happen again and again in my life, and as you already said, I will need to "hop right back on" the plan if I get derailed.

Thank you again - your words are wise... :)

Lynette

[Flybye]

Tuck and Over50-

You are both right on track about the unpredictable stuff - the times we just get smacked in the face with something we didn't see coming. Those times require extra attention to keeping up with the exercise and dieting. I know personally, when I have let my self slide by eating more carbohydrates and exercising less, I feel worse physically. Top that off with a good dose of stress or grief, and I guess we have actually done more damage than help to the whole process of getting through what we are going through. Like adding insult to injury or that two wrongs don't make a right. I hadn't really thought about the unpredictable stuff tripping us up - I guess that it is because until reading through your posts and thinking through things, I would have done the same old thing I usually do - blow it under stress. Now I have a plan to have a plan!!! Thanks!

In other news, I forgot to weigh yesterday - so here are the results:

11/5 158.2
11/8 156.4
11/12 155.2
11/19 153.4
11/26 Up from Thanksgiving- don't have the #'s
12/4 152.4
Total loss so far this challenge: 5.8 Pounds
I'd like to lose 4.2 more - I only have 21 days to do that in - that's a little more than 1.3 pounds per week! Yikes!

[Pedal Wench]

Sorry about Snuggles. What a sweet name for a kitty. You do need to take time to grieve, and exercise only when you're ready to pick back up.

Regarding diet derailleurs... I think that if you have a good base of what you eat, what you don't eat, then even when life throws you a curve ball, you know how to deal with it. I just don't eat fried foods, creamy foods, white bread or white flour. So, no matter what's going on, I make healthy choices. I'll have fast food, but it won't be fried or on a white bun. Then it can't be that bad. Have your carb-cravings, but make it a sweet potato. Or low-fat/salt popcorn. Just my 2 cents...

[ibcycling]

Hey ladies. Sorry to be MIA but my puter is down w/a bad video card and dd spilled water on dh's and fried the motherboard. I'm using a Palm right now and it sucks.
Weight is holding steady at 161. My cold is mostly gone so I'm going to ride this morning. Need to focus on eating right.
Have a great week everyone.

Lora

[bambu101]

Lynnette- sorry about your kitty. It is so hard to lose our furry ones.

One thing that I find inspiring about this whole thread is that people are not giving up, even thought they are getting sidetracked by life in general, and right now, the holidays.

Last weigh-in was Saturday, and I was down 1.8 pounds- go figure! I'll take it. It would be great if the trend continues.

Why is it so easy to put it on, and so difficult to take it off? Rhetorical question , I guess.

[limewave]

We just got invited to a friend's for New Year's and there's going to be a hot-tub involved. I didn't think I'd have to worry about wearing a swimsuit for at least 6 more months!

It's time to put things in triple gear and hit those weight machines!

[mtbdarby]

Oh Lynette - I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Grieve for as long as it takes. Just one day at time is all we can do. I lost my dog in August and I still miss her. ((Hugs)).

Doing good this week. Four days of clean eating and working out and I'm feeling good. Just 3 more months of this and I should be in good riding shape:D

[solobiker]

Haven't written in a while, I hurt my back so I have not been able to do any form of exercise. I even tried walking which hurt it more. I have been trying to stretch and do yoga as it is a muscle imbalance but that has made it worse too. Even tried E-stim at work and heat which made it hurt more:( So i pretty much stopped everything and it slowly is starting to feel better. So, to make a long story short I am up 1#, and not eating the best. Weill get back on track:)

[Flybye]

Haven't written in a while, I hurt my back so I have not been able to do any form of exercise. I even tried walking which hurt it more. I have been trying to stretch and do yoga as it is a muscle imbalance but that has made it worse too. Even tried E-stim at work and heat which made it hurt more:( So i pretty much stopped everything and it slowly is starting to feel better. So, to make a long story short I am up 1#, and not eating the best. Weill get back on track:)

Sorry about your back. It is hard to slow down sometimes. Hope you are feeling better and getting back on track!

[Over50Newbie]

Well, my friends, I am definitely back!

First, and foremost, let me begin by thanking everyone for their support. I really did need some time to grieve the loss of my precious kitty.

But now I am much better. I still haven't been logging my food or exercise, but I am definitely back on track. I had a killer swim practice tonight - one of those practices where your arms hurt so much that you can't even lift them up to wash your hair after practice. And tonight for dinner I had fish, potatoes and green beans.

So I am feeling good about my weigh-in tomorrow. I am back wanting to be at "140 point something". I haven't made it there yet.

I'll post tomorrow morning after I weigh in.

Lynette

[Over50Newbie]

140.2 !!! :D

Next Stop - 139 point something!

Lynette

[caribou]

I couldn't see an obvious new thread for the weight loss challenge, but there were no posts for the last couple days, and a few people were interested in changing threads each week. If that happened, I hope somebody comes back here and finds me!:(

If I'm found: Kudos to everyone who's sticking with it despite the dreaded holidays!

I've been swamped at work, but we just finished a major milestone and I'm back. The water weight was water weight, and dropped off, but then I had several encounters with ollalieberry pie and cream of artichoke soup.:p

But they weren't fatal encounters. I'm at 166, but that's still down 4 lbs from the 170 I started at. And today I rode almost 65 miles, which is far for me. Can't even use up all the points that Weightwatchers said I get for that!

Lynette--glad you're starting to feel better after loss of loved kitty. It is tough to lose a pet, especially to have to make that final decision when you know they're in pain.

Limewave--why hasn't anybody made a horror film called, "Attack of the Swimsuits?" THAT would be a scary one!:p

[kelownagirl]

I'm guessing the new thread will get started tomorrow since that's when people are weighing in. I fell totally off the wagon all last week so wasn't posting. :rolleyes: :o It started when we had an appie supper and put up the tree on Tuesday. Made short bread, then sugar cookies. Bought candy. And haven't stopped nibbling since. Amazingly enough, I was down to 118 this morning so who knows. I have been running and riding the trainer so maybe that has helped. The real test is my weigh in tomorrow morning when I'm not dehydrated from wine. Even one glass drops my weight a bit and I rarely stop at only one glass on a weekend night. :rolleyes:

[NoNo]

I didn't disappear, life just keeps throwing me curveballs. Let's see, my friend died, I had to call the cops on my neighbor because he was freaking out on something and pounding on my door, and last night I lost my house key and had to have a locksmith drill through the lock at 11:30PM. I was definitely off the wagon, and didn't exercise as much as I have been. Saturday I had gone shopping and was shocked to find I had dropped a pant size!:D So I am very motivated to keep going even if the numbers aren't there. Hopefully I won't fall asleep while on the trainer tonight.

[Pedal Wench]

I'm on a training plan that I'm following to a 't', rode 111 miles on Saturday, a fast 50 yesterday, watching my diet, getting sleep, and I'm up 3 lbs. today. :confused: First day of that time of the month, but still, can I still be in the challenge without having to look at the scale?

[Starfish]

Well, I haven't seen the new thread yet, so I will say here: Yay, thank you Lord, I am back on the diet wagon this week. Down to 164, started at 169. Have been working out this week, found a coach (!) yay!!! I am hopeful again about my goals for 2008.