So I didn't do as well as hoped, but it's soooo good for me to think about exercising and such again. I ended the week with 59 points. I had a tough time exercising -- probably because I haven't even tried for about 6 weeks now. I was doing really well walking with Gwen up until November when it got cold. When I popped in a tape to do last week I felt good and probably overdid it -- when I stood up after doing crunches I totally cramped up. Not good for a woman who just started her 3rd trimester! So, I'm going to try some of the pregnancy workouts from the library. (Anyone got any favorites?) I gave in to treats a couple of times, and of course one was after 8 p.m. so I got to give up two points for it. Good thing it was worth it! :) And I so wish I loved veggies like Jen! I love fruit (which, yes, is a carb), and with my gestational diabetes I can't eat any before lunch time. So, I had a couple of days of not getting four servings of fruits and veggies. Sigh. But it will motivate me to try to get in more, especially so those kids of mine eat more themselves.
Brandi - I hear you about the stress! The week before the challenge started we had our re-fi fall through, a car repair go from $500 to $1,500 and health insurance stresses -- this all just after buying a new dishwasher ... I gained 4 pounds that week alone, so this week of paying better attention to what I eat has been good -- I lost 1-2 pounds (my scale is old-fashioned, and the lines are too small for me to have noticed if I was 227 or 228 before, but now I'm 226).
I have money from Brandi thus far, but it sounds like Jen sent hers? (I'll e-mail you when I get it, Jen.) The rest of you can send it by the end of this week to get the 5 extra points. I also need to get in my own ...
And if anyone is discouraged that they didn't do as well, just remember that sometimes slow and steady wins the race. :) Last challenge there were two of us who started out really strong, and neither of us ended up winning. Just want to put that out there so nobody gets too discouraged right off. Keep up the good work -- I'm so glad that this has been a week of better awareness -- and some weight loss!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Week One Review
Overall, I was happy with how I did this week. I had a goal to get my water point everyday, and I missed 3. I will shoot for this goal again this week, and I am adding a goal of not having a treat 2 days this week, not just one (I need baby steps in this category). I think treats are more a habit, and I am having a hard time breaking the habit. I did good getting my exercise in 5 days, but I would like to try and do it 6 days. I lost 2lbs, putting me at 211lbs. My total points this week is 49.
I really like having to do this check in on Mondays. I think it will help me to get re-enthused for the coming week. Keep up the hard work everyone.
I really like having to do this check in on Mondays. I think it will help me to get re-enthused for the coming week. Keep up the hard work everyone.
Intro
I guess I should have read the blog postings before I did mine I have never done any of this blog stuff or any thing like this before. I am Jennifer Brown's sister and she told me about this. I had a baby 6 months ago and have about 10 more pounds of baby weight to lose. I was a little over 300lbs when I had her and now am at 260 so I want to get down to about 15lbs during this challenge. I am 6'2'' and played volleyball in college and coach high school and club teams so it would be nice to be able to play a little with my girls at practices. I am also a massage therapist and I have noticed that the massages are a bit easier when I don't eat so much during the day. I love to drink cokes for energy so that is one thing that I am hopping this will help me with cause it is so bad for you. I only had three this week so that was good. Well good lick to everyone this week and keep up the good work.
Barb
Barb
Monday Post
I started off well at the beginning of the week and then the weekend hit and it was down hill. But I am ready to have another good start and continue through the weekend. I ended up getting 53 points.
Barb
Barb
Jen H - Week One
Point total - 66 Points
This has been a great thing for me. The accountability is sooo helpful. I feel great, I feel motivated. I've lost weight (actually, quite a good amount, since I started taking my bp medicine again--love the diuretics, but that evened out after the first day of non-stop peeing). I figure I lost about 5-6 pounds of water due to the diuretic, and 1.5-2.5 beyond that, for a total of 7.5 (that's this week only, I'll enjoy it this once, because it wont happen again--I'll probably lose 1-2 pounds if I keep this up). In the process, I've discovered a few things:
1) Although after seeing a nutritionist for several months a while back, I got pretty good at keeping a food journal, we focused mainly on keeping a good balance between my carbohydrates and proteins. And since I love vegetables (we counted fruits as carbohydrates) and I could essentially eat as many veggies as desired, I didn't focus on counting them. What I've realized this week in shooting for a minimum veggie/fruit requirement, is that I eat fewer than I thought. I mean, I generally get my four a day, sometimes more, I just really had to watch it--some days I barely squeaked in my four. The dining hall re-opens from winter break today, so despite it's drawbacks, the plus is that there is a salad bar at lunch and dinner and getting my veggies should be easier. I still need to work on the fruit thing. I just don't like fruit all that much. I really need to be in the mood. This week I've been forcing myself every now and again when I know I'm kinda short on my 4 a day to pick up an apple or orange. I'll keep working on that.
2) I'm a big water drinker--I rarely drink anything else, so again, I've always just assumed I get at least 8 glasses a day in--actually, I figured I get a lot more. This exercise has proven to me that I usually just barely get 8. Some days in the past I've probably gotten less, as there were a couple of days this week I really had to push to get the 8.
3) Since my days with my nutritionist (and after reading a fantastic book called Intuitive Eating--you should check it out), I've tried to teach myself to listen to my body cues--eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full--and avoid rules about time and treats and such. So, I was a bit concerned about the "No eating after 8" and the "No Treats" rule because I do believe that if we restrict ourselves and as such, feel deprived, this builds into an explosion and binge. So, I've tried to go into this challenge with no expectations of 100% points every day. If I'm really hungry after 8, I give myself permission to have a snack, and dock a point. Likewise for a treat. If I really want it, I give myself permission to have it, and dock a point. One point does not a contest lose. And you know what? This week I have had no "treats" and have not felt compelled to snack after 8. Through this I've realized that I'm really not usually hungry at night, I'm just tired and have a habit of eating. Even if I'm mildly hungry, I've found that going to bed mildly hungry I sleep better and wake up happier. Whereas if I eat before bed, I'm uncomfortable trying to go to sleep and I usually wake up starving and cranky. Likewise, I've always claimed to be able to pass up sweets--and this is usually true, unless there are large amounts of chocolate involved. But, just because I can pass it up, doesn't mean I do. I tend to eat it anyway because I believe I shouldn't make myself feel deprived. So, this contest has been great in that it gives me a good reason to pass it up--I'm reserving the right to eat a treat if it's really fantastic and worth that point, not on mindless junk that I would have eaten just because I could. And the best part--I don't feel deprived, at least not yet.
I also got to the pool twice this week--instead of my usual once. And I bought the extra class pass for the month, so to make it worthwhile, I have to do at least four classes--but I can do unlimited. So, I'm excited to have a good excuse to try out the weekday water aerobics. I'm planning on putting my youngest in their childcare and doing the Tue & Thurs am classes, in addition to my usual Wed and Saturday laps. And the other days will get to be filled in with Bollywood and Bellydance. I can't do canned aerobics tapes, but I've been getting into these two dance workouts. My three-year-old loves to do them with me. "Mommy, can we bellydance?" and they're just fun. I'm also sort of craigslisting for a stationary bike. I hate to buy equipment that takes up a lot of space and may go unused, but I'm looking for something I can do when I all I feel like doing is sitting around reading--at least I can pedal and read--and work toward that Triathalon! (some day, right?). Also, I'm hoping to take the kids sledding a couple of times this week. I tried playing in the snow with them once this week, but didn't feel good counting it as I was only out there barely 30 minutes and certainly didn't get my heartrate up for over about 15 of that. Maybe a good hour of sledding and hiking up that hill will count.
That's all for me--Sorry to be so long winded, but this helps me.
Denise did you get my $$, so I can add my bonus points?
Jen
This has been a great thing for me. The accountability is sooo helpful. I feel great, I feel motivated. I've lost weight (actually, quite a good amount, since I started taking my bp medicine again--love the diuretics, but that evened out after the first day of non-stop peeing). I figure I lost about 5-6 pounds of water due to the diuretic, and 1.5-2.5 beyond that, for a total of 7.5 (that's this week only, I'll enjoy it this once, because it wont happen again--I'll probably lose 1-2 pounds if I keep this up). In the process, I've discovered a few things:
1) Although after seeing a nutritionist for several months a while back, I got pretty good at keeping a food journal, we focused mainly on keeping a good balance between my carbohydrates and proteins. And since I love vegetables (we counted fruits as carbohydrates) and I could essentially eat as many veggies as desired, I didn't focus on counting them. What I've realized this week in shooting for a minimum veggie/fruit requirement, is that I eat fewer than I thought. I mean, I generally get my four a day, sometimes more, I just really had to watch it--some days I barely squeaked in my four. The dining hall re-opens from winter break today, so despite it's drawbacks, the plus is that there is a salad bar at lunch and dinner and getting my veggies should be easier. I still need to work on the fruit thing. I just don't like fruit all that much. I really need to be in the mood. This week I've been forcing myself every now and again when I know I'm kinda short on my 4 a day to pick up an apple or orange. I'll keep working on that.
2) I'm a big water drinker--I rarely drink anything else, so again, I've always just assumed I get at least 8 glasses a day in--actually, I figured I get a lot more. This exercise has proven to me that I usually just barely get 8. Some days in the past I've probably gotten less, as there were a couple of days this week I really had to push to get the 8.
3) Since my days with my nutritionist (and after reading a fantastic book called Intuitive Eating--you should check it out), I've tried to teach myself to listen to my body cues--eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full--and avoid rules about time and treats and such. So, I was a bit concerned about the "No eating after 8" and the "No Treats" rule because I do believe that if we restrict ourselves and as such, feel deprived, this builds into an explosion and binge. So, I've tried to go into this challenge with no expectations of 100% points every day. If I'm really hungry after 8, I give myself permission to have a snack, and dock a point. Likewise for a treat. If I really want it, I give myself permission to have it, and dock a point. One point does not a contest lose. And you know what? This week I have had no "treats" and have not felt compelled to snack after 8. Through this I've realized that I'm really not usually hungry at night, I'm just tired and have a habit of eating. Even if I'm mildly hungry, I've found that going to bed mildly hungry I sleep better and wake up happier. Whereas if I eat before bed, I'm uncomfortable trying to go to sleep and I usually wake up starving and cranky. Likewise, I've always claimed to be able to pass up sweets--and this is usually true, unless there are large amounts of chocolate involved. But, just because I can pass it up, doesn't mean I do. I tend to eat it anyway because I believe I shouldn't make myself feel deprived. So, this contest has been great in that it gives me a good reason to pass it up--I'm reserving the right to eat a treat if it's really fantastic and worth that point, not on mindless junk that I would have eaten just because I could. And the best part--I don't feel deprived, at least not yet.
I also got to the pool twice this week--instead of my usual once. And I bought the extra class pass for the month, so to make it worthwhile, I have to do at least four classes--but I can do unlimited. So, I'm excited to have a good excuse to try out the weekday water aerobics. I'm planning on putting my youngest in their childcare and doing the Tue & Thurs am classes, in addition to my usual Wed and Saturday laps. And the other days will get to be filled in with Bollywood and Bellydance. I can't do canned aerobics tapes, but I've been getting into these two dance workouts. My three-year-old loves to do them with me. "Mommy, can we bellydance?" and they're just fun. I'm also sort of craigslisting for a stationary bike. I hate to buy equipment that takes up a lot of space and may go unused, but I'm looking for something I can do when I all I feel like doing is sitting around reading--at least I can pedal and read--and work toward that Triathalon! (some day, right?). Also, I'm hoping to take the kids sledding a couple of times this week. I tried playing in the snow with them once this week, but didn't feel good counting it as I was only out there barely 30 minutes and certainly didn't get my heartrate up for over about 15 of that. Maybe a good hour of sledding and hiking up that hill will count.
That's all for me--Sorry to be so long winded, but this helps me.
Denise did you get my $$, so I can add my bonus points?
Jen
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
It seems to me that we are all in the same boat. We all love food, really don't enjoy exercise and really hate being fat. I am sure I am not the only one that looks at skinny people and wonders what it feels like to be thin. I also wonder if they really know they are thin or do they think they are fat too? I don't know what thin feels like. I really think I was the only 12 year old that bought size 13 jeans and had to cut about 8 inches off in length to make them fit. You'd think if I hated being fat at 12 I wouldn't be fat at 41, but here I am, I weighed in on Monday morning at 218 lbs, I am 5' 5 That is a 15 lb weight gain since Sept of last year. I had a hard time with several things going on in my life and food became an even greater friend. My goal for this challenge is to get back to where I was in Sept. My ultimate goal is not to be super skinny, but to have energy and feel healthy and be happy, even more is to live a life that is conducive to the spirit. I find when I don't eat healthy, I can't focus clearly and everything suffers, especially my spirituality. I look forward to the relationships and sisterhood we will build through becoming stronger by overcoming our weaknesses. Best wishes to each of you.
Brandi
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Jennifer B intro
My name is Jennifer B, and I am Denise’s sister-in-law. I weighed in yesterday at 213lbs, and I am 5’11”. I played basketball in high school, and was generally pretty active. When I left for college instead of gaining the freshman 15, I lost about 20 because I did not like the food they served in the cafeteria, and had no money to buy anything else. Starvation is not the healthiest way to lose weight. I also did not have a vehicle, so I walked all over the small town my university was in. At 19 I looked my absolute best and I was in great shape. I moved to
My ideal healthy weight is 180lbs, but I will be happy to get down to 190lbs, and just feel better. I want to be active and healthy. My fourth just turned a year old, and I need to get rid of all this baby weight. I am hoping that this challenge will help me stick to my goals, and keep me motivated. Hopefully I will use the prize money to buy some new skinny
I have chosen to post this picture of myself because it shows the area where I need the most work. I tend to lose weight first in my face, then my waist, but never in my hips or butt.
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