Healthy Weight Loss

[sylvie]

Hellooo darlings...

Long time no see .. ♥

98 lbs as of April 2nd..
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay...

i will be in more soon, getting life back on track, i went away to visit my grandmother for a few days, and prior to that was busy with everything else it seemed.. But wanted to tell the good news!

Will catch up with you all & the posts soon as i have more time , xox!!
(tomorrow most likely, lol)
*hugggs*

[Hollylane]

Evening!

I have survived the long list of temptations spread liberally throughout the call center. I even took a walk during half of my lunch, and spent one of my breaks lifting in the gym.

One more potluck bites the dust!

I'm heading to bed early, so that my friends, Kristen and Andrew, and I can get an early start on the hiking trip tomorrow morning. I'm beat, so hopefully I'll drift off quickly.

I hope you all have a happy weekend, and enjoy life to its fullest

You rock Sylvie, keep up the amazing work!!

[Gentle Tiger]

Push a bit more today. 5.88 miles of walking. Consistent exercise. That is the goal, well and 2012 miles in 2012. Dang blasted challenges. What was I thinking?

[JustJo]

Good morning healthies

I'm home after a week-long business trip, and weighed in this morning to find myself up 2 lbs.

Honestly, I'm good with it.

After all of the stress I've been (am) going through for months and months, it felt good to be celebrated for an entire week. My colleagues celebrated my birthday twice....my immediate team (that knows I'm trying to eat healthier) with Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, the expanded team with an amazing meal at a mexican restaurant (including a couple of margaritas and some fried ice cream), plus a senior management dinner at a great italian restaurant....not to mention catered lunches and snacks galore during project kick-off meetings.

The week was totally, magnificently successful. My new boss is impressed. My VP-level boss gave me some amazingly awesome feedback. And I got a nice surprise in my paycheck by way of a thank you for the hard work of the last year.

Rooster traveled with me, which had to be a bit boring for him...but he did great, walking from hotel to the office each day for lunch, going swimming in the hotel pool, joining us for dinners out. It was great to see him in that environment...shaking hands and introducing himself, joining into the dinner and lunch time conversations with execs and colleagues....good stuff.

So...up two pounds...and it'll come off soon enough.

[Ginger]

So far so good today, day two of my weekend with the parental units.

This morning I had oatmeal and resisted biscuits.

For lunch I had two bowls of soup—onions, hamburger, tomato, corn, water—and a bowl of fruit. I resisted pound cake.

I shopped a little today and tried on some clothes—I didn't feel quite as self-hating as I usually do, when I look in the mirror.

[ruffryder]

Happy Easter Healthies. Be blessed and continue on with your journies.

[Ginger]

Is it possible to feast smart? I think so. It has to be!

Whether it's a seder or an Easter brunch or anything else this weekend, enjoy!! Savor the delicious treats!

There is a time to resist and a time to give in; turn, turn, turn.

[sylvie]

Hi healthies <3
love to you all, been reading through the posts here, and loving the updates...

At 217 lbs now, i find that i have to work harder to lose the weight, i haven't plateau'd, however, i am finding it harder to lose..
So, this week i am working on being more strict with my portions, pre-planning my meals, and upping my exercise..
So, i joined a group on facebook that some ladies at my gym started, and they count their fitness minutes each month and set goals..
i, of course, jumped on board.. So, i set my goal for this month at 1800 minutes.. i am 7 days in and am at 440 minutes.. There were 2 days i didn't really exercise though, due to travelling.. So now i am home and can focus on this..
Just another way to get myself motivated more!

Also, starting my own weight loss support group at work, how cool is that? They asked me to lead it, and i accepted.. So really looking forward to that.. The next couple of weeks i will be bouncing ideas around, and have also been getting feedback from my co-workers.. LOVE that everyone is excited for this.. i love that i will have this to rely on for support as well, especially now that i have to buckle down more to keep at this.. i'm just super excited that i feel enough confidence to put myself out there like this..Exciting!!

SO awesome to see some new faces in here, & hope you are all having a great weekend.. xox

[Zimmeh]

Good Evening/Morning Everyone,

I am still counting calories and exercising as much as I can. This overnight shift at work is for the birds and I have a second interview on Monday for a new position at work. The new job is a mid-shift position and I will be getting home just after 6p...Woohoo! More time to work out and have fun

I made my potato casserole with diced grilled chicken on the side. I brought some of it to work tonight and ended up eating the broccoli and corn out of it.

Tomorrow is going to be a bad day for me! I will be spending it with my family and then coming home to have Easter dinner with my roommates!

Tomorrow = gym before I go to bed...

Zimmeh

[Hollylane]

Good evening all!

I'm back from an amazing day of hiking and fun. I am a tad bit sunburned, windburned, and completely exhausted.

We didn't take the hike we had originally planned, but went to breakfast (a healthy one ) and discussed different hikes available, picked one, and off we went.

We decided on White River Falls, about 2.5 hours away, a place none of us had been to. I posted some pictures in the gallery if you're interested.

It was a beautiful hidden area, that you would never know was there without getting into some desert like, rural farm areas, well off the beaten path. Since it is early in the season, we were blessed to have the majority of the hike to ourselves. The sounds of the falls, and the rushing water were so peaceful, and at the same time exhilarating.

My endorphins were through the roof after a slip and slide descent on loose rock, and even more pumped when I made it back up that steep hill a few hours later, on the way back. When I got to the top, and looked back at what I had ascended, I was so proud of myself, because I remember all to well, just a little over a year ago, when the trip would have started and ended in the parking lot at the trail head.

The three of us went to dinner after the hike, and talked about all of the wonderful things we had seen, and I celebrated with a chicken enchilada, and a cabbage and pico de gallo salad. It was great having such good friends along to share the hike with, and we all are really jazzed about planning the next hiking trip in about 3 weeks.

So, I can't slack between now and then. The next trip will likely be to the Eagle Creek Recreation Area, and I need to be prepared. They are both in great shape, and keeping up is mui importante, for both my pride and my health.

I hope you are all having a great weekend!

[sylvie]

Today, i'm practicing gratitude..
The fact that clearly, i am a recovering food addict, compulsive eater, and working on my eating disorder through various programs.. (& i know my posts are always riddled with my recovery stuff throughout the Planet but it's such a huge part of my life right now, it's hard for me to not be so focused on it.)

i've lost 98 damn lbs, and i've done that by eating healthy and exercising.. all on my own.. i've completely changed my way of life and...and...and...
i have gone a whole year, with no purging.. not binges, (while there were some small binges earlier on) i've kept that under control too & nothing like i used to do for years & years.. and i actually crave healthy foods, and SO many things in my life are improving as a result.. It's like, all interconnected and believe me, i know that it's one day at a time and anything can change if i'm not super careful.

But looking back on this year, i have learned SO much..
And i am so grateful for the knowledge i have learned here in this thread from you all.. i am grateful for the support, the love, the tips and the friendships.. This really is such a wonderful and useful tool in my weight loss journey as well as my recovery (though i don't usually talk about my recovery in this thread..)

You all make a world of difference in how i handle each day, find strength to take on what i do, motivation to get my ass moving and eating healthy.. And doing it all in a "healthy" way for the first time in my life.. No fad diets, no quick fixes and no starving myself, purging myself or causing my body harm.. i am losing one lb at a time, because i am making healthy choices..

i feel fantastic, and look fantastic, and keep finding strength to push myself further and further - & you all deserve the a pat on the back, a HUGE hug, and to know you sharing here each day helps this girl (& i'm sure many others) to keep on keeping on!

i seriously couldn't be more grateful, than i am today for you all..
& couldn't be more prouder to watch the journey you are all on .. We share our ups and downs, and draw strength from one another, & look at us go!
No health club, gym, diet, trainer or health expert, could come close to offering me what each of you do HERE, each and everyday..♥

[Ginger]

People talk about looking fantastic when they're at their ideal weight and I'm sure they do but I want to say, looking fantastic isn't all about the weight, at least not for me.

I was model thin for most of my adult life, and even now, when I'm struggling to lose 15 pounds, many would say I look fine, weight-wise—but that isn't all it takes to look "fantastic."

Confidence is what makes a person look great, and rachets up their sexual allure, IMO. You literally throw off pheromones when you're happy, and feel good about yourself, at any size.

When I feel unloved, I internalize it, and make it true, in a sense—by making myself unsexy with self-loathing, which is a real turnoff to a most people.

It's not an unusual cycle, especially for women in this culture, and one sad bi-product of the phenomenon is how a beautiful woman with low self-esteem is a favorite target of a certain kind of sexual predator or creep.

I try to stay conscious of my internal/external balance. It's tangled up with body image, so I'm mentioning it here.

Exercise ups the self-love, because of the body's chemical response, and because it makes me feel strong physically, a metaphor for psychic strength—or maybe they're linked.

[Lady_Di]

My best friend's partner just called, and we are surprising her. Surprising me too, as they will be in my neck of the woods this time! *happy dance* Meeting for Easter Dinner with the whole family at a restaurant I have never had the opportunity to try. It was lovely to be included in this celebration.

Though since tomorrow is my weigh in for Dr. Oz's Transformation Challenge, I am not going to eat much. I am going just for the company, the quality time with those I love. Hard for this foodie to not try the various flavours, but if I like what I see, I will return another day.

*crossing my fingers for the weigh in tomorrow*

I feel I have already won in a way, as the weight is coming off so easily now. Feels so dang good to be lighter in mind, body, and spirit. I feel more comfortable in my own skin. Much of which is scheduled to come off before the years end. Some folks I know keep the extra skin as a badge of courage, but I want it gone.


Off for a lovely Easter Celebration with my family of choice. Hope everyone had a wonderful day. The weather is simply so beautiful, the flowers in bloom, so many trees just exploding with colour, go enjoy it!

[sylvie]

Originally Posted by IslandScout

People talk about looking fantastic when they're at their ideal weight and I'm sure they do but I want to say, looking fantastic isn't all about the weight, at least not for me.

I was model thin for most of my adult life, and even now, when I'm struggling to lose 15 pounds, many would say I look fine, weight-wise—but that isn't all it takes to look "fantastic."

Confidence is what makes a person look great, and rachets up their sexual allure, IMO. You literally throw off pheromones when you're happy, and feel good about yourself, at any size.

When I feel unloved, I internalize it, and make it true, in a sense—by making myself unsexy with self-loathing, which is a real turnoff to a most people.

It's not an unusual cycle, especially for women in this culture, and one sad bi-product of the phenomenon is how a beautiful woman with low self-esteem is a favorite target of a certain kind of sexual predator or creep.

I try to stay conscious of my internal/external balance. It's tangled up with body image, so I'm mentioning it here.

Exercise ups the self-love, because of the body's chemical response, and because it makes me feel strong physically, a metaphor for psychic strength—or maybe they're linked.

i agree, 100%... i can honestly say i am not at my ideal weight.. looking fantastic isn't about my weight loss, for sure.. but my increase in confidence helps me say so now.. Being able to say the words for the first time in my life, and being able to look in a mirror and say i'm beautiful.. Isn't about how my body looks physically today but about the changes within, the building self-esteem and the good health, improving skin, my constant smile, it's many, many things.... it just feels great to be able to acknowledge for once i look fantastic.. i'm at 217 lbs, i still have more weight to lose (for me).. But, this is the first time in my life that i can say it and mean it.. BIG milestone for me..

i think beauty comes in all sizes, shapes and forms..i think back to me at 315 lbs and i can say, honestly, i 'was' beautiful.. What is sad to me is that i never *felt* beautiful & spent so much time putting myself down and being so negative towards my own body. So clearly, it was my own stinkin' thinkin' and low self-esteem.. i know i still have a lot of weight to lose to feel healthy overall.. It was simply a yay moment for me, and i wanted to share that & lend my gratitude to you all in the thread.. Hope it didn't seem like i was being anything but humble..

Hugs to you all & hope it was a happy Sunday!

[Thinker]

I've been working on my addiction to sweets. It's a mental thing for me, ya know... So I've been working on getting to where I'm just not interested in the donuts, Blizzards, Oreos, etc... Last week was a real turning point for me, so I'm feeling more hopeful.

On Saturday I had a Blizzard, and it made me feel like sh*t. My stomach hurt and later, when I was in the shower, I sort of felt grossed out that I had eaten it. THAT is where I need to get with it, and I feel like I'm pretty damn close!

Have a good week, y'all!!

[Lady_Di]

Originally Posted by Thinker

I've been working on my addiction to sweets. It's a mental thing for me, ya know... So I've been working on getting to where I'm just not interested in the donuts, Blizzards, Oreos, etc... Last week was a real turning point for me, so I'm feeling more hopeful.

On Saturday I had a Blizzard, and it made me feel like sh*t. My stomach hurt and later, when I was in the shower, I sort of felt grossed out that I had eaten it. THAT is where I need to get with it, and I feel like I'm pretty damn close!

Have a good week, y'all!!

Glad you are listening to your body. It is a wise wise amazing gift from G.d. Something a friend posted on facebook made sense to me:

Eat Less CRAP

C - Carbonated Drinks
R - Refined Sugar
A - Artificial Sweetners & Colours
P - Processed Foods

Eat More FOOD

F - Fruits and veggies
O - Organic lean proteins
O - Omega 3 Fatty Acids
D - Drink Water

It is a handy little reminder and keeps it nice and simple.

This evening I go to a group therapy, a friend puts on here. She is a health/wellness educator exercise physiologist psychologist - she keeps adding to her resume, I think she is on her like 2nd PhD now. Anyhows, very inspiring and motivational group. Cheap too, which works for me. Most here have lost several hundred pounds and are maintaining. Some have had surgery, some haven't.

She always makes several great points. Keeping it very simple, which always works for me.

Sleep
Hydrate
Eat
Exercise


gotta love that, no?

She also makes sure we take a few minutes to breathe deeply, which she explains how this effects your brain chemistry giving immediate results for your health and wellness. Love all the talk of serotonin and dopamine receptors. I get my science fix and someone I can talk to that gets me and how my brain works, literally.

and...

Love her and her flashy red cowboy boots!

[JoSchmooze]

Monday....
So, I went to a friend's house last night....
Neither one of us thought about my eating
habits (I did bring 2 bottles of water).
So I ate broccoli (I still am not so good with it, but
if that's what there is, then that's it) and th egg whites of some boiled easter eggs.
They had ham and sausage and yams and some kinda polish
soup made with sour cream.....
and lemon pie for dessert....
Everything I am not supposed to eat.
When I got home, I couldn't eat amything but I did have that
sweets craving.....strawberries seems to do the trick.
Now I gotta be on the straight and narrow until we leave
for Austin for the weekend.....
I will do it....I will do it...I will do it.....
*mumbling as I head for the bike*

[girl_dee]

i am thinking of doing Weight Watchers... i have issued with the complete focus on food but i love the meetings and the tools..

i need to lose about 25 pounds and lack any sort of self control

[Hollylane]

Originally Posted by Cajun_dee

i am thinking of doing Weight Watchers... i have issued with the complete focus on food but i love the meetings and the tools..

i need to lose about 25 pounds and lack any sort of self control

Even only knowing a little about you, I have a hard time believing you have no self control (Unless you're referring to Scramble) We've all got your back Dee, you can do whatever you set your mind to!

"stinkin' thinkin'" Sylvie, I am intimately familiar with this term. My mind is always at work, and I have to curb my own stinkin' thinkin' daily.

I have already planned a new hike, on Wednesday I am hiking at Forest Park. It is a relatively easy hike, 6 miles round trip, with very little elevation gain. I'm thinking about posting on the message board, with the hiking club. I want to find a few dedicated hikers who can go out on Wednesdays. I have that day off, and I am having my last session with my trainer this Wednesday evening, so I'm going to need to replace that time with some vigorous activity.

The hike this past Saturday made it clear that I need to do something about muscle cramping. I'm relatively certain that potassium and more water are the answers. Did I mention that I hate water? Trudging up that last hill back to the trail head also made me want to develop more stamina and more muscle in my upper thighs and buttocks. I was behind my friends on the way back up, and since they are both in great shape, I didn't expect to see the way they trudged up that last hill in the same manner as I did, so I'm not going to beat myself up too much about it.

Last night, I was feeling really worn down, but I made myself get up. I loaded up my backpack with bottled water (for extra weight), and took my dog down to the park. Once I convinced Chewy that we were walking for exercise, and not for leaving pee messages on every blade of grass between my house and the park, we got a good pace going, and walked about three miles. It ended up being quite the workout.

I hope you are all having a happy and healthy start to the week!

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by Hollylane

Even only knowing a little about you, I have a hard time believing you have no self control (Unless you're referring to Scramble) We've all got your back Dee, you can do whatever you set your mind to!

"stinkin' thinkin'" Sylvie, I am intimately familiar with this term. My mind is always at work, and I have to curb my own stinkin' thinkin' daily.

I have already planned a new hike, on Wednesday I am hiking at Forest Park. It is a relatively easy hike, 6 miles round trip, with very little elevation gain. I'm thinking about posting on the message board, with the hiking club. I want to find a few dedicated hikers who can go out on Wednesdays. I have that day off, and I am having my last session with my trainer this Wednesday evening, so I'm going to need to replace that time with some vigorous activity.

The hike this past Saturday made it clear that I need to do something about muscle cramping. I'm relatively certain that potassium and more water are the answers. Did I mention that I hate water? Trudging up that last hill back to the trail head also made me want to develop more stamina and more muscle in my upper thighs and buttocks. I was behind my friends on the way back up, and since they are both in great shape, I didn't expect to see the way they trudged up that last hill in the same manner as I did, so I'm not going to beat myself up too much about it.

Last night, I was feeling really worn down, but I made myself get up. I loaded up my backpack with bottled water (for extra weight), and took my dog down to the park. Once I convinced Chewy that we were walking for exercise, and not for leaving pee messages on every blade of grass between my house and the park, we got a good pace going, and walked about three miles. It ended up being quite the workout.

I hope you are all having a happy and healthy start to the week!

Thank you, i am resolved and look forward to the WW meetings, years ago i went for fun, obsessed with my food intake i got to engage in all that wonderful talk about food and now i actually weigh enough to have to pay for the meetings and be a real member. i loved the interaction with the members and having the support in person, although this thread is a great help too!

i recently read a story about a woman, self proclaimed couch potato who adopted a rescue dog, The dog required 3 nice walks a day, so she walked (not stopped to allow the dog to pee at ever blade!) and lost 30 pounds without a diet, she and the dog are in great shape now. My little dixi pup could walk for acres, and we've got 200 here so no reason i should not be out there enjoying our hiking. i used to love hiking at one time, and she loves to explore so that is my goal, to not think of the E (exercise) word but to think of the A (activity) word which is what works for me. i feel so outta shape and i can't have that!

i wonder if scramble counts and an activity