September/October weight loss challenge

**Crankin** · 09-21-2011, 03:21 AM

I, too am turned off by the "obsessiveness" of the paleo/crossfit people. A close friend's son went to a cross fit gym this summer, went on the diet (he was not really heavy) and became a "trainer." He is in college, extremely bright, but it seems like he's been "taken in" by this gym. Now my friend (she's the one who is the newer cyclist I've been enabling for about 2 years) is going to try out a class there today. I wonder what she will say when I talk to her tonight.
I too, don't eat a ton of grains, but I can't live without them.
I know this diet would work for me, but when I've needed to lose weight, it's always been a diet/exercise plan of my own creation. Generally, cutting carbs and changing my exercise up works.

**GLC1968** · 09-21-2011, 08:34 AM

The scale is finally moving in the right direction, so I'm hopeful for seeing a little 'motivation' by Friday.

The most difficult part about being paleo is not giving up bread or grains. It's removing sugar, corn and soy from one's diet. Oh, and vegetable oils. Seriously, this stuff is in EVERYTHING. I cleared out our pantry in week one and that was pretty easy to do (most of it is boxed up for food donations). Week 2, I cleaned out the fridge - giving all yogurt to the chickens, saving all beer for the slugs next spring, and tossing a lot of half-finished bottles of salad dressing, condiments and asian sauces. ALL of these thing have either soy oil or sugar as their first ingredient. It's insane.

This week, I finally cleared out our 'spice' cabinet. Basically, I removed all the bad oils (corn, safflower, canola, etc) and every single asian sauce (fish sauce, oyster sauce, black bean sauce, tamari, soy sauce, etc). as they ALL contain either soy or sugar or gluten. I had no idea!

I always thought that we ate pretty home-made foods, but we do use a lot of prepared sauces and spices and flavorings and I'm amazed how much these things are processed. This way of eating is opening my eyes to all kinds of things that I'd never thought of before.

**skhill** · 09-23-2011, 04:47 AM

120.4! Moving in the right direction at last...

**oxysback** · 09-23-2011, 04:58 AM

233.0

Hey, at least it's something!

**limewave** · 09-23-2011, 04:59 AM

153 this morning. Up a bit, but the good news is my "skinny" jeans fit just fine this morning.

**Veronica** · 09-23-2011, 06:20 AM

I'm not actually a part of the challenge, but I saw a number on the scale today that I don't think I've seen since I was 19 and swimming 5,000 - 6,000 yards a day.

I wish I had taken my training more seriously then. I don't know if I could have been a great swimmer - but I know I could have been better than I was. Oh well... the folly of youth.

Veronica

**goldfinch** · 09-23-2011, 06:35 AM

118.2

I am bummed. Up two pounds. I really have been vacillating around this weight for a while. I thought I'd broken out with last week's 116 weight but back up again. Not getting enough exercise in the cold and rain. I have to head south.

**channlluv** · 09-23-2011, 06:38 AM

226.8

Definitely in the right direction, but is it just water weight?

I've been mixing up my exercise routines, too. It turns out that my Y has classes in the morning. With other people. Who knew? There's more there than just the pool and the sauna.

So this week I took two step aerobics classes, one hatha yoga class, one Zumba class, and I swam a half-mile twice (two different days) and I actually sat in the Jacuzzi for a bit and chatted with a really lovely internal medicine doctor who referred me to a holistic cardiologist and the Center for Integrative Medicine. I have an appointment in October.

Oh, and I started South Beach two days ago. I'm in Phase 1, of course. Nothing but veggies and lean means. I'm a pretty good cook, though, and so far it's painless. I quit buying bread over a week ago and have relegated my DD to brown rice tortillas for her school lunches. I think she's happy with it so far, too.

I also signed up for myfitnesspal.com. We'll see how that goes. Their forum people aren't as nice, some of them, as we are here. Not all, but there was enough snarkiness I don't think I'll be chatting much over there.

My goal is 200 by Christmas. I think I can do it.

I am going for a bike ride this morning on my 37-lb steel frame Palomar GT. This is the bike on which I lost that 20 pounds a couple of years back. I never lost anything on the road bike, I think because of the different posture and my belly getting in the way of pedaling a steady pace, and my hands kept going so numb I couldn't work my brakes.

I'm back on platform pedals and a more upright posture this morning, with friends who are training for an upcoming triathlon. We'll see how it goes.

Roxy

**Blueberry** · 09-23-2011, 06:47 AM

228 this morning.

I think I have an idea of what caused the blip last week and have corrected it. Missed 2 workouts earlier this week, but have completed then the last 2 days (and will today). At least I moved on and didn't let the missed ones get me down.

**jobob** · 09-23-2011, 06:54 AM

Hi, I'd like to join in, if it's OK to do so mid-challenge.

I'm now at 164, and my goal for the end of Oct. is 158.

**maillotpois** · 09-23-2011, 07:26 AM

Stayed the same.

My last double century of the year is tomorrow and I came down with a bladder infection 2 nights ago, which kept me up all night. Joy. The antibiotics I am on say they may make me dizzy and I should stay out of the sun, which is exactly what you want to hear when you're going to go ride your bike 200 miles.

So I have been having a mini pity party for the last couple of days and just not worrying about food or exercise.

Roxy - good for you! Sounds like you have a solid plan and are heading into it with real commitment. Keep it up.

**GLC1968** · 09-23-2011, 08:22 AM

148.0 - and the scale paused on 147.something before settling on 148. It looks like my body has finally figured out that this paleo thing is here to stay and it better start cooperating!

**ny biker** · 09-23-2011, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by channlluv

I also signed up for myfitnesspal.com. We'll see how that goes. Their forum people aren't as nice, some of them, as we are here. Not all, but there was enough snarkiness I don't think I'll be chatting much over there.

I think "pal" and "snarky" are two words that don't go together. But maybe that's just me.

145.0 this morning. I was up to almost 147 a few days ago.

**Catrin** · 09-23-2011, 08:44 AM

135.4....sigh

I think this maddening plateau is due for two reasons: too many carbs on non-ride days, and a decrease in my long rides. Recently assorted schedule problems have decreased my number of road rides. I still prefer the trails to the road, but if I don't have time to fit in the number of rides that I KNOW I need, I need to find some other way of getting in that cardio work.

I feel like a fat slug, though I know I am not any more...part of this is also my internal self image.

**Susan Otcenas** · 09-23-2011, 10:15 AM

143. It's just a pound, but it's a pound in the right direction.

I haven't done a single thing remotely athletic since Sunday's Muddy Buddy, though. I gave myself permission to take September off/easy after a long hard year of PBP training. It feels incredibly decadent to do nearly nothing, but I think it's a good mental break, and my left knee sure needs the rest. I have a picnic -oriented bike ride (think: 2 five year olds along for the ride, and you'll get an idea of the pace

) planned for tomorrow and a trail walk on Sunday.

Susan

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