January/February weight loss thread

[Susan Otcenas]

Congratulations on being able to see recently, did you feel like a rockstar?

It was a really good feeling! Now I need to keep it up...

[Over50Newbie]

140.6 - I like this downward trend!

Lynette

[Mistie]

150 with a diagnosis of arthritis on Tuesday. Sigh.

[Susan Otcenas]

146.0. Slow, but steady.

[Grits]

Still 141. Now that birthdays and sickness are behind me, I'm getting serious again!

[Hill Slug]

Back up a bit, 194. But a couple rides are planned for this weekend. And I must remember not to eat anything with sodium the night before weigh-in day......

[solobiker]

Back up...152 I have been sick with a cold that has kicked me in the butt big time. Basically strugled through work all week, came home and slept until 7pm, got ready for bed and went back to sleep. I am feeling better today and Sunday we leave on one of our annual hut trips..lots of backcountry skiing so I hope I can lose some then.

[Susan Otcenas]

Sounds like alot of folks had a rough week. Hang in there! We're all rootin' for you!

We've had nice weather the past two weekends, so I've been able to get out for bike rides (although it did start snowing on me last Saturday...). Tomorrow looks like cloudy and a high of 40, so I'll try to get out for 30-40 miles around 10am or so. We've been having freezing fog* the past few days (I never knew there was such a thing as freezing fog until I moved to Oregon), so the roads are too slick to ride much before that.

Susan

* From Wikipedia "Freezing fog occurs when liquid fog droplets freeze to surfaces, forming white rime ice. This is very common on mountain tops which are exposed to low clouds. It is equivalent to freezing rain, and essentially the same as the ice that forms inside a freezer which is not of the "frostless" or "frost-free" type. In some areas such as in the State of Oregon, the term "freezing fog" refers to fog where water vapor is super-cooled filling the air with small ice crystals similar to very light snow. It seems to make the fog "tangible", as if one could "grab a handful"."

The ice crystals drop out of the air as the sun is coming up, and coat the streets with a thin, powdery, icy layer. Takes a few hours to melt off, usually.

[tulip]

Susan O, your progress is wonderful! Just a few months ago, in November, I think, you started in the 160s if I remember correctly. You are now at 146--that's fantastic! I enjoy reading about your very steady and disciplined progress. It is possible, you are proof, you are an inspiration! You make it look easy, but I know that it is not. Congratulations!

That freezing fog sounds delightful, beautiful, and somewhat hazardous.

[derailed]

I'm 191 today.

[Lori81295]

148.4 slow is good

[kjay]

Congratulations, Susan!

I'm the same and because I hurt my back two days ago, I'm unable to bike or even walk very well. Hope this doesn't last long.

[polly4711]

I missed the entry for these two months, but i've been trying to do the same thing as if i would have been posting here. I've lost two pounds since jan 1.

I just wanted to tell everyone congrats to all of your hard work and I'm proud of you! I'll join for the april/march one!!!

JP

[deedolce]

Well, back to 120! Switched to salads and actually cooking with more veggies.
BUT...I took a crash today. My own stupidity and poor bike handling (ran over my own water bottle, then instinctively grabbed break.) to I hope I can keep some discipline and that I'm not too messed up to get back on the bike in a couple of days...hmmm, maybe some of that weight is my skin that I left on the road!!

[Susan Otcenas]

Susan O, your progress is wonderful! Just a few months ago, in November, I think, you started in the 160s if I remember correctly. You are now at 146--that's fantastic! I enjoy reading about your very steady and disciplined progress. It is possible, you are proof, you are an inspiration! You make it look easy, but I know that it is not. Congratulations!

That freezing fog sounds delightful, beautiful, and somewhat hazardous.

Hi Tulip,

Thanks!! I started on November 5th at 165 pounds. It hasn't been easy, but on the other hand, for the most part, it hasn't been excruciatingly difficult either. I'm a stubborn person, and once I set my mind to something, I can usually make it happen.

When I was 14, I started smoking cigarettes. It wasn't long before I had a pack-a-day habit. My mother allowed me to smoke in the house. She was a smoker, and recognized the hypocrisy of telling her teenage daughter that it wasn't OK to do something that she herself was doing. Plus, she was afraid I'd burn down the house sneaking cigarettes in my bedroom at night, so she preferred I do it out in the open.

Anyway, when I was 20 years old, I'd tired of smoking cigarettes. But habits are hard to break. So, I decided to tell everyone I knew that I was quitting smoking. Friends, family, classmates....everyone. Then, I set my mind to doing it. My stubborness, plus the fact that I didn't want to "fail" in front of my friends and family and all these people who knew what I was trying to accomplish, kept me on track. This Thanksgiving will mark 20 years without another cigarette.

I'm basically taking the same approach with my weight loss. I set my mind to it. I made a plan:

First, I joined WieghtWatchers online, and I record all my food intake diligently. I don't cheat on recording what I eat, because I'd only be cheating myself. That doesn't mean I always eat perfectly - believe me, I don't. But I record everything, regardless. I've become a label-reader. I look for lots of fiber, low fat, no added sugar, no high fructose corn syrup.... I try to make 95% of my meals at home, using natural ingredients & minimally processed foods. I like to cook, so this is not a burden.

Then, I announced my intentions to my friends, co-workers, family. This helps me in several ways. First, like with my smoking habit, I don't want to be a failure in the eyes of people I love and respect. Keeps me accountable to someone other than myself. Second, the people I interract with day-to-day in person now understand why I say "no" to certain things. "No thank you, I wouldn't like a piece of cake." "No thank you, a 2nd serving wouldn't be a good idea. " "Yes, I'd love to go out to dinner with you - let's try Sweet Tomatoes tonight instead of chinese." They help keep my on track, and cheer me on.

Then, I set some goals. The Shamrock Run 5K on St. Patrick's Day, The Canby Gator Grinder Sprint Tri in May, the Pacific Crest Olympic Duathlon in June, two long-distance weeklong bicycling vacations in July & August, an Olympic triathlon in September. I know I'm capable - I've done all these things before in my leaner/fitter years. I don't want to just "survive" these events. I want to have a rip-roaring good time doing them!

So, I made a training plan. Running 3 mornings a week. Cycling on the weekends (have to try to fit some spin classes into my evenings, but so far that's been hard with my work schedule). Swim lessons (i'm a lousy swimmer). All of this activity is paying off. I'm not just losing weight - I'm becoming much more fit. I'm building muscle. I'm keeping my metabolism high (I think diet-only plans fail because our bodies' metabolisms respond to less food by slowing down. Exercise is key to keeping metabolism high). And I FEEL so much better.

I've spent the past few years not being very good to myself, physically or mentally. I decided to change that and treat myself better. Like I said, it hasn't been easy, but it hasn't been excruciating either. I set my mind to it, knowing that the payoff is better health and a stronger/leaner me.

Thanks again for all the encouragement, ladies! The supportiveness of this group is amazing, and has been so helpful to me.

Susan