WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE - 7 Weeks-10#'s

[nonsmoker3]

Not sure if anyone else posted this, but this website is amazing and free for logging food and activity. It also provides grades for the foods you eat as well as an overall analysis of your eating for the day. Plus the food library is HUGE compared to spark people.

www.caloriecount.about.com

[Flybye]

My first real challenge is today...

An 8 hour training on chemical dependency in a ritzy (okay ritzy for Idaho) hotel with multious yummy snacks that can clog the arteries just looking at them!

I will pack an apple and a few other things to pick on when I want the yummies.

Pass up that Halloween candy, ladies, and eat at least 5 times today. Don't forget the protein, and make veggies the #1 thing ya eat.

Let's fill up the for sale board with things that don't fit us come January!!!

PS - It isn't too late to join. No buffets. Jobob - thanks for the picture and the "want to not look like that again" statement. I have a picture of myself that I looked at about 4 years ago and said the same thing! It strangely has disappeared from the photo album!



Yeah All of Us!

[deidre]

I have been reading and re-reading the posts and checking this thread each day. However, I have been hesitant to post or sign up for this challenge. Very frustrated with my weight loss rollercoaster. Started Weight Watchers January 07 and quickly lost 10 lbs. Then the next several months I proceeded to gain and lose that same 10 lbs. I didn't take my measurements (which was a mistake since the scale wasn't changing but my body was and it showed in my clothes). I stopped WW because I felt like I wasn't really making the right food choices; I just learned how to eat the right number of points and still didn't make the best food choices for myself.

I know that WW works for many people and they are able to lose the weight and keep it off. I can't explain it too well but I decided it wasn't the best thing for me. I decided to go back to tracking my foods in my journal and trying to make better choices and to exercise consistently.

So here I am again. I am posting this time but still haven't made the decision to join the challenge

Ok, enough. The first step (again) is for me to move forward and take the step. Count me in.

Weigh-in for beginning of this week - 171. My goal is 10 lbs at a time.

Sorry for the long post.

[Susan126]

Okay . . . here I am at my best weight, 120 pounds, when I rode ALL THE TIME!



Then it started with my foot surgery in December 2005



I was in a cast through June 2006, gained weight and didn't start biking again until spring 2007!

Here I am with daughter and hubby at my heaviest in June 2007



I am 148 in this photo!!!!!

And this picture was taken two weeks ago. I am down to 138 and trying to reach 125 (120 would be super great fantastic!)



So when is our first weigh in?

Sue

[ibcycling]

kelownagirl - I make the same snack but with ricotta cheese. It's actually one that is suggested quite a bit on the South Beach board I'm on. You can flavor many ways but my 2 faves are cinnamon and cocoa. I also put a splash of vanilla in there for flavor.

deidre - I had a friend in NE that was doing WW and I noticed the same thing. She'd eat junk but watch her points. She did lose some weight but wasn't eating well and had a hard time with cravings. I hope you do join us! What have you got to lose? Oh yeah, pounds! A good support group can help lots and the more the merrier!

South Beach is the first "diet" that has worked for me. I had stayed away from it for quite a while because I thought it was a low-carb fad diet like Atkins. After I did some reading on it I realized it wasn't. Essentially it works to control your blood sugar and follows the same principles as a diet designed for someone who is diabetic. My house is now full of whole grain bread and pasta, brown or wild rice, lotsa veggies and fruit, and very little junk food. I think what's enabled me to stay on it is a combo of realizing this is the way I should always eat (even after I lose weight) and finding lots of great recipes that are "legal" but taste wonderful.

I also wanted to say I'm proud of my numbers too! I hit an all time high this year of 182 and am now down to 163. I'm also in better shape than I've been in a long time thanks to the bike. I really do feel different and I love it!

Lora

[Pedal Wench]

I decided to try South Beach for this. In phase 1, which lasts for two weeks, they say no fruit or grains - no sugars, obviously. I've got a 55-mile ride on Saturday, and aiming for at least 75, 80 miles on Sunday. What can I use to fuel those rides? I've got a 25-mile ride tonight, and I'm already afraid I won't be able to keep up without a carb-based meal all day long.

[quint41]

I AM IN!!

Look at all the responses!

I've already put on 4 lbs since the full-blown riding season came to an end in Connecticut (i.e., haven't been able to ride after work for weeks, and once on the weekend is JUST NOT CUTTING IT).

Yes, I know, I really need to motivate to get to the gym more often.

My wonderful sister just gave me a trainer yesterday, though. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

Let's go girls! I weigh in daily. 148.5 this morning. UGH!!!!!!!!

[sandra]

Quint41, lose the Oreos! Welcome!

[limewave]

Can you believe I already fell off after only one day! My FIL had a heartattack late Monday night in the middle of moving. FIL is doing very well, minimal damage to heart. We are so thankful. Anyways, MIL and I spent all day yesterday getting them moved. Only 2 hours of sleep. Up at 4 to clean and move . . . I was a working zombie all day. And of course I ate fast food, halloween candy, and topped it off with pizza and pumpkin pie. I feel ill today.

I need some spinach.

[sandra]

Maybe you worked it off with all that moving. Back on the wagon!

[Susan126]

Happy that he is doing well. And like Sandra said, "Maybe you worked it all off with all that moving!"

So it all balanced out.

[five one]

After a couple of months of procrastination following an appointment with a nutritionist, I made an appointment for a body comp analysis. It's next Monday afternoon. I think it will be very helpful for me to know just what my fat/lean ration is. I know I have a lot of muscle. I can feel it. It's there. It's why I weigh what I do when I am just 5' 1". But I have that pesky layer of fat over the muscle that keeps me from really seeing it. I'm not looking to be "cut" like a weight lifter, I just want some visible definition. I do upper body weight work 2-3 times a week. I want the fat to slowly melt away to reveal those delts, bi's, tri's and abs I'm working so hard on. Being post menopause, I wonder if it's even possible .

But beyond the vanity of the above, what I really want is to lose the visceral fat that has sneaked up on me through the whole menopausal process. This is the stuff that I can still hide under my clothes. But it's the dangerous fat that is hiding around my organs and it's scary. Hopefully, after my appointment, I'll have a better idea of how much there actually is.

Yesterday when I got home from work, I cut up an apple and made a cup of tea. That got me through until dinner. If I can do that each evening, I'm getting some fiber and it will keep me from pre-dinner grazing on other food. I hope. Baby steps.

Here's to making good food decisions today.

[ibcycling]

I decided to try South Beach for this. In phase 1, which lasts for two weeks, they say no fruit or grains - no sugars, obviously. I've got a 55-mile ride on Saturday, and aiming for at least 75, 80 miles on Sunday. What can I use to fuel those rides? I've got a 25-mile ride tonight, and I'm already afraid I won't be able to keep up without a carb-based meal all day long.

It's not recommended to do P1 if you are exercising hard so I'd skip P1. You need those carbs, other stuff just won't cut it. Read up on the good carbs that you get to eat in P2 and go for those. Bananas with peanut butter, Larabars, and fruit seem to work well for me so far. On days that I put in over 30 miles I do a "full" P2 with 3 grains and 3 fruits. Other days I cut back on them and add more veggies but I always have my nuts and try to make sure and have my milk! Lotsa beans too!

Lora

[Starfish]

Joining a little late, but I'm in. I have been trying to gear up to lose weight for months now, and for some reason, I was able to start on Monday.

Monday, I was at my heaviest ever: 169 (I'm 5'6")

Today (Wed), I am at: 165.5 (thank goodness for that initial H2O drop!)

I would like to be at 140 by the end of March. (135 would be better, but that is pretty aggressive.)

A couple of months ago in August I squeaked by to finish the Shasta Summit Century weighing 160. Next August I want to do the Super Century (130 miles & 16,000 feet), and I have GOT to lose weight if I am going to get fast enough. That is my motivation.

Thanks for doing this!

[redrhodie]

How's this for motivation????

The Red Sox have put a weight clause in Curt Schilling's new contract. He gets $333,333 each time he maintains his weight at 3 weigh-ins next season.

Now that's a diet that works for me!