Healthy Weight Loss

[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

[starryeyes]

I am so so so sick of yo-yoing these 10 lbs. I am trying to get the switch flipped on in my brain again so I can become fully committed to being healthy. The weight just CREEPS up out of nowhere for me. I know I am eating bad and not on track, so of course it creeps up but wow. I just need to keep myself on track for the rest of my life which is scary for me. I want to do this and get this 20 lbs off!!! I went to the gym with my roommate today an had a great workout. It felt good! I am going to commit myself again. I know the results come just as fast as when they creep on. I CAN do this. I CAN do this!! Grrrr!

[Novelafemme]

Please keep my Katy in your thoughts. She started juicing today and I am so proud of her. She needs all the encouragement she can get. I love showing her everyone's posts on here...it's very motivating! xoxoxo

[Leigh]

Originally Posted by Novelafemme

Please keep my Katy in your thoughts. She started juicing today and I am so proud of her. She needs all the encouragement she can get. I love showing her everyone's posts on here...it's very motivating! xoxoxo

I've been interested in juicing for awhile now, you'll have to keep us updated on how it goes so ~ Go Katy Go!

Well today I started a challenge on SparkPeople.com about learning to curb my sweet tooth. I took a quiz and of course, as I knew already, I am addicted to sugar so I am hoping that this 4-week challenge will help me to atleast curb it even if I don't completely give it up ~ baby steps right? I also began today using their food tracker and I actually felt more accountable in keeping track of what I put into my mouth. I did have some sugar today I won't lie, but I didn't go overboard either surprisingly enough. I've also been looking into finally getting back into the gym after so much time off due to being sick with first bronchitis and then a viral infection ~ now that I'm doing better, I can finally get back to working out.

My mom and dad bought me a beautiful blue colored spring jacket from Wal-Mart tonight, size 3x and it is very tight around the midsection but it does technically fit. They were gonna take it back but I told them no don't do that, since I will be going back to the gym soon to start losing more weight I have decided to keep it for motivation ~ just think, losing some weight will mean that I'll be able to fit into the jacket and that's the perfect motivational tool for me to get my ass in gear. I'm very glad to be able to share my goals, motivations and more with all of you here

[Lady_Di]

Love reading the posts here. We are not alone in this adventure.

Someone mentioned hating water, I too had that issue. I like to drink tea, or sometimes just putting a tea bag in the water makes it more palatable.. A tip from my doctor, who has a specialty in bariactrics. Importance of water can not be overstated. I am doing better with it lately, on an organic lemon kick and for me, since I do not have a sweet tooth, I just have my lemon water. Very refreshing.

One of the women in one of my Paleo groups puts a whole gallon of purified water in the fridge every morning, with her organic lemons cut up and organic cucumbers. It sounded lovely, so I bought my cucumbers yesterday. Will let you know how it works for me.

Herbal tea current fav is a lemon and rose hips blend. Again, refreshing and no caffeine. I have also been enjoying Cinch from Shaklee, these little individual sticks of wonderful mata teas, a white, red and green mix of some proprietary blend, has also been wonderful for me to increase my fluid intake. Has a nice burst of energy, which I often lack. Whatever works for you, I say.

I also take supplements and will have to the rest of my life, as I did have surgical intervention a long time ago, which I never really took advantage of. These are the best supplements I have ever tried, too. Nice discovery of how much different I feel when I started taking them in January. It was dramatic. Vit D deficiency is not a good thing, nor is low calcium when I am in the beginning stages of osteopenia. I surely want to prevent osteoporosis if possible. My ever shrinking mother is a warning of what could happen, if I am not careful. And I am short enough, darn it!

I am lucky, I prefer healthy foods to most foods out there. Though I have some notable exceptions, my salty fat tooth demands attention with something crisp. Celery does not cut it always, though I love it, too... but when you are craving a potato chip, well you know how it goes. So after my weigh in yesterday, I went ahead and splurged on a bag of chips. One good thing I learned from my ex, how to buy a small bag and just enjoy it. I will not deprive myself, I will not bring on a binge. Eating healthy has so many of its own rewards, reinforcements. Love it. Lightening up on every level. Mind, body and soul. Getting my house in order. Happiness.

Very cool to hear someone else is using Spark People, I love it there. Though I have not been very active lately, it is a good reminder to use it. His book, too... so dang inspiring. The accountability of the food tracker, exercise/activity tracker is priceless. Free too, love that. Every type of support team imaginable there, too!

My weigh in yesterday went really well. I qualified for the Dr Oz's Transformation Challenge, lost the 10%! I probably won't win. But I keep telling myself, stranger things have happened.

I worked really hard with my eye on that prize mentality. Which I was thinking yesterday that I do really well with some prize to work towards. Time to make some new prizes I can give myself for the next 10%. Coolest thing about this is I have not been this weight since I was in my 20's, a good while back. Feels awesome!

Thank you for the support I feel so very much here. More than I have had in many a year.

Keep Coming Back!

d

[Medusa]

HOOOO-AHHHHHHH!!!

Just got back from the gym and feeling STOKED. I shredded my legs tonight and finally got that desired drippy sweat I have been wanting.

Warm up:
30 minutes on treadmill at 4 incline @ 2.8 mph
10 minutes on elliptical at 4 incline

Weights:
5 sets of 15 on squat press
5 sets of 10 on outer thigh press
4 sets of 10 on butterfly lift machine
5 sets of 15 on quad press
5 sets of 15 on calf press machine


I really felt strong tonight at the gym and ended up working out for almost 2 hours. I like to do a slow, steady pace and it seems to be working well. My legs are starting to look different.


The gym is addictive. I don't generally have any free time during the week but thanks to a new account schedule at work, I am now only pulling 50 hours a week instead of 65 - 75. That has freed up a TON of time so the fact that I am doing the gym means that I am really having to focus on "me" versus everything else.

It feels super decadent.

Like self-therapy.

I kinda love it.

I know that there will be days that I don't love it and don't want to work out but right now, I love it and that's all that matters.

[Hollylane]

Originally Posted by Cajun_dee

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

Scramble only counts as "A" when you move your finger fast enough, also I think that seeing the possibility of losing the game may increase your heart rate J/K

Yes, the "E" is the part I do not like, but it makes it possible for me to participate in the "A" and enjoy it so much more.

Medusa, that is awesome! I was not as successful yesterday. I came home early and did not workout.

Good luck to Katy!

Funny thing I do:

I used to think that losing 5 or 10 pounds was not that much of an accomplishment. Then I started thinking of my weight in terms of chickens and turkeys. I know, I am strange, and I like me that way. But this past two weeks I've lost the equivalent of a good size Thanksgiving turkey. It puts it into perspective for me. When I think of how big a turkey is, I'm pretty impressed with myself.

[Novelafemme]

Originally Posted by Hollylane

Scramble only counts as "A" when you move your finger fast enough, also I think that seeing the possibility of losing the game may increase your heart rate J/K

Yes, the "E" is the part I do not like, but it makes it possible for me to participate in the "A" and enjoy it so much more.

Medusa, that is awesome! I was not as successful yesterday. I came home early and did not workout.

Good luck to Katy!

Funny thing I do:

I used to think that losing 5 or 10 pounds was not that much of an accomplishment. Then I started thinking of my weight in terms of chickens and turkeys. I know, I am strange, and I like me that way. But this past two weeks I've lost the equivalent of a good size Thanksgiving turkey. It puts it into perspective for me. When I think of how big a turkey is, I'm pretty impressed with myself.

You crack me up I love laughing first thing in the morning!

[Ginger]

Originally Posted by Cajun_dee

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

Dee, I know you live in a beautiful place, from your posts and pics, and I can totally see you out there grooving on where you are, enjoying it with the pup. That's a great plan!! Nice to see you here

It sounds like your goal is kind of like mine, so I feel sort of validated by that. Here's the latest update on the 15-20 pound loss I'm trying to orchestrate:

I was down five pounds Friday morning, then up three this morning, four days later! And that's after a weekend in which I resisted key lime pie, biscuits, the bread basket at restaurants, pound cake—I was totally in control of what I put in my mouth!

When I stepped on that scale it was like studying really hard and still getting an 'F'. But there have been a lot of posts here about the one-step-forward, two-steps-back nature of weight loss, here. It's the long run that matters, and it doesn't matter how long the long run lasts, IMO.

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by IslandScout

Dee, I know you live in a beautiful place, from your posts and pics, and I can totally see you out there grooving on where you are, enjoying it with the pup. That's a great plan!! Nice to see you here

It sounds like your goal is kind of like mine, so I feel sort of validated by that. Here's the latest update on the 15-20 pound loss I'm trying to orchestrate:

I was down five pounds Friday morning, then up three this morning, four days later! And that's after a weekend in which I resisted key lime pie, biscuits, the bread basket at restaurants, pound cake—I was totally in control of what I put in my mouth!

When I stepped on that scale it was like studying really hard and still getting an 'F'. But there have been a lot of posts here about the one-step-forward, two-steps-back nature of weight loss, here. It's the long run that matters, and it doesn't matter how long the long run lasts, IMO.

Well i am not expert believe me, but i've studied diet plans, food programs and having a food disorder just love studying food stuffs. One of the things i remember hearing is that you should lose at the same pace you gained it, so it stays off, and sometimes we get stuck at a place we weighed for a long time, like the body says *oh i know this number, i like it here* (plateaus maybe?).

So i am trying to just do this and let it go, get my pups out to enjoy all the land here and all of Canada and yes this is a good life and for the first time in a long time i have learned to eat without TOO much guilt over each bite.

Work in progress, but today, i did take a step to help myself feel better and get out and join a group. i was diagnosed with arthritis in my hands (sad news for a bodyworker) and now one of my knees is feeling the same way, (spent lots of time on my knees in my life! ) and i don't want to look back and think i could have done something to help myself feel better.

One of my clients is stricken with arthritis, she recently went on the "God Diet: = no preprocessed foods, and since then all of her joint pain has gone away, and she isn't the first one to say this.

We eat mostly off the land here, fresh meat, veggies or freshly frozen from our garden, so there is no excuse to buy and eat the processed stuff, not for me anyway.

[sylvie]

So i've worked hard at my health plan today, as i promised myself i would.

♥ portionning & measuring - i will start this up again
♥ SparkPeople - i will be faithful about calorie counting & fitness tracking again

they were both very useful tools for me, cept i tend to obsess numbers, i hope i'm strong enough to do this in a healthy mindset now and use them to my advantage.

♥ exercise - i have a good plan for attending the gym, exercise at home and fitting in exercise with various work shifts that i work. i will be faithful about following my train to run program and doing it in a healthy way.. i will also be faithful about stretching (something i'm horrible about doing lately).. i will also get my weights in twice a week.. and i will track my fitness minutes and set minutes goals each month.. (this month is 1800) - also i bookmarked some good videos for steps and weight lifting and exercises that target areas i want to work on for easy access for days i only have a few hours between work shifts..

♥ foodwise - i will cut back some on carbs (still eat them, but portionwise)
- i will eat more clean foods, organic when possible, no processed (except tuna, i love my damn tuna lol)
- i will be more faithful about food journalling in my book i carry.. it is a useful tool for me, and helps me think hard about what i put in my mouth..

♥ self-care - i will take at least 15 mins a day for 'me' time.. Whether to read, stop & breathe, practice gratitude or taking a bubble bath or pampering myself in some way.. Also breathing exercises, something i learned in a program i am in, that stretched parts of the body along with relaxed breathing and it helped so much, so definitely need to get that worked back in..

Just little ways to up my motivation, push myself a little harder and be more mindful with what goes in my mouth, and being good to myself..

Today has been an accomplished day and feeling good about this.

[Hollylane]

Originally Posted by deedarino

Lost another "chicken"!!! The best part is when the second number on the scale goes down :-)

I started my class and have been doing pretty good...yesterday the room was filled with about 10 athletic type men; usually I would be so intimidated I would leave but not this time! I got right on those weight machines, right in front of those dudes, right in front of that GIGANTIC mirror...LOL. Yeah, gonna have to work on that one.


What do you guys think of coconut milk? I found one by Silk that is very good. It has less sugar content than milk but it is cane sugar. Does this matter?


3.6 Turkeys lost.....(love this!)

I was at the gym with my trainer last week, feeling intimidated by all the big buff guys in there. One of them walked up to my trainer, interrupted our session/discussion, and asked where something was, and then tried to start a chat with my trainer about the training he was doing. I could tell Mark was getting annoyed, and I was just standing there being polite, but all of a sudden the hair went up on the back of my neck, and I looked right(up) at that 300 pound, fully muscled guy and said:

"Hey, Brittany over there can help you with your questions. This is my trainer, and you are interrupting the time I have paid for."

I was so PROUD. Mark was grinning like a loon. I swear that guy was pouting as he stalked off looking more than a little like the shape and size of a silverback gorilla.


Congrats on the lose of 3.6 turkeys! That is AMAZING!

I am totally jazzed about the hike tomorrow. The more I hike, the more I want to hike. I even posted a duplicate hike to one I had been on the wait list for, in the hopes that some of the other people on the wait list would join the duplicate hike this Sunday, and I got a group together of 12 people. This one will be an 8 mile hike at the same park as tomorrow's hike, but on a different trail.

I did some lifting, squats, and walking during lunch today, and had plain tuna on a bed of greens. I found some great protein bars that are low carb enough for me, but with enough calories to support my energy levels on my hikes. They actually taste frigging good too...BONUS!

I hope you are all having a wonderful evening

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by Hollylane

but all of a sudden the hair went up on the back of my neck, and I looked right(up) at that 300 pound, fully muscled guy and said:

"Hey, Brittany over there can help you with your questions. This is my trainer, and you are interrupting the time I have paid for."

Right. On. !!! I love when entitled asses get snapped off like that!!!

[Ginger]

Originally Posted by Cajun_dee

i was diagnosed with arthritis in my hands (sad news for a bodyworker) and now one of my knees is feeling the same way, (spent lots of time on my knees in my life! ) and i don't want to look back and think i could have done something to help myself feel better.

One of my clients is stricken with arthritis, she recently went on the "God Diet: = no preprocessed foods, and since then all of her joint pain has gone away, and she isn't the first one to say this.

We eat mostly off the land here, fresh meat, veggies or freshly frozen from our garden, so there is no excuse to buy and eat the processed stuff, not for me anyway.

Dee, I intuitively believe that what we eat offsets the genetic triggers that cause arthritis and other conditions. I'm sure there is plenty of research to back up that belief, too.

Also, exercise is always good for the body—strengthens the immune system, for one thing. And how delicious, to have freshly frozen veggies in the winter.

My grandmother had a huge freezer on her back porch and that's where she put cobblers, berries, pies, homemade ice cream, and meat wrapped in white paper. I still remember that frosty air that would rise into your face when you lifted the big white lid.

[Hollylane]

I think I could possibly have located every muscle that I have in my body today. They all feel about the same as that one spot on my neck...You know the spot...

Where the last nerve resides...

[cara]

My exercise plans have been put to the side momentarily while I rest my knee, which has decided to hurt in a very bad way. I think I was doing too much too hard and the snowshoeing adventure (the first one) really did me in. I'll get better, but in the meantime, OW!

Good luck, all!