Healthier Lifestyle Thread 4th Jan till 10th Jan

[Lorelei]

Happy new week all and welcome to our new members Charbie, Bella and Amber!

I think now is an excellent time to go back to basics so I wanted to discuss calories today. It is crucial to keep track of calories when embarking on a healthy lifestyle and nowadays it is so much easier than it used to be with websites such as SparkPeople and so on. I remember years ago, all that was available was a calorie counter book and it took a great deal of time to look up each food or brand to be able to track the calories, also the nutritional information was very basic. So it is very important to be aware of how many calories you are eating in order to lose or maintain weight. One of the things I particularly like about SparkPeople is that even if you do your own menu plans rather than stick to the suggested meal plan, it breaks your foods down into carbs, fats, proteins etc so you can see exactly how many of these food groups you are having and where you might need to decrease or increase these amounts.

Also bear in mind that even with working out that calorie counters on machines can tend to be generous and also it is said we don't always burn as many calories as we think we do when working out, so in order to achieve success make sure you keep an eye on those totals.

Lastly, for those who might be feeling despondant over feeling heavy especially after the Holidays, remember you can change this and those of us here have all been there. It is definitely possible to turn things around with patience, persistance and practise as we say! Make a commitment to yourself that you can and will change and remember that today is the worst it will be once you decide to take action, from now on things will only get better! And above all remember slow and steady wins the race, progress won't happen overnight but with each day you strive toward a healthier lifestyle you will feel better about yourself and positive results WILL come!

Have a great week

 

[tlh]

Lorelei- Everything you said -- HUGE DITTO! I totally agree about calorie counting, and I also love the spark.
marcy- glad you got your hair trimmed!
bella- I think living life and enjoying one''s friends is important - even if the eats aren''t always the best. But like you siad you didn''t over eat on the bad stuff! So that is progress!

Everyone HAPPY MONDAY AND 2010! Lorelei really hit a homerun w/ me and her opener this morning. When I''m in the heavy throws of training I try to worry less about the calorie and more about my general balance of nutrition. Also in the winter months I am less diligent about weighing myself, like I am in the summer when I actually have to worry about rehydrating. (I don''t lose 8 pounds of water from a run in the winter time.) So it really wasn''t a huge surprise when I weighed myself and saw I was up a few. Ugh. Lugging around even 3 extra pounds over the course of 20+ miles is such a pain in just about EVERYWHERE. So I''m back to sparking everything, and not ballparking meals. I''m also trying to front load my calories. Bleh! Once I''m in the habbit of it, it won''t be so bad, but even just over indulging 200 calories a day, really lets it slowly creep on. I don''t diet during training, so I''m trying to figure out a way to balance my activity and my eats to get the best of both worlds. I also don''t using running as my means for a calorie burning exercise - if that makes sense. I run because I like it - when I want to lose weight, I actually add on another activity. So I think I''ll just increase my swimming to keep junk miles at a minimum and hopefully slim down a bit.

"You can''t really be strong until you see a funny side to things." Ken Kesey

 

[charbie]

Lorelei- what a MOTIVATING way to start out my monday! i downloaded a calorie counting application for my phone and one of my NYresolutions was to start using it! i counted calories before, and want to get back on the train. it really is such a simple concept...if you do it! and with it being on my phone, it literally is RIGHT at my fingertips!

Tlh- i''m so inspired hearing about your running. i''ve never been a huge runner, and i''m in awe of people who can log miles like that.

Today is the day I''m jumping on the wagon!
I''m not going to make huge changes in my life, because I know it will be too difficult to stick with it all. It becomes overwhelming, and I get frustrated, and then I''m back to square 1. So my goal is to add something new or take away a bad habit every two weeks.

My new "habit" this week is to begin eating breakfast everyday. I LOVE my sleep, so I need something quick and easy. For christmas I got this perfect little microwaveable bowl, perfect for oatmeal. Only problem is, I hate oatmeal. The texture freaks me out. So yesterday, I was trying to figure out how to make myself enjoy oatmeal. I added some all-natural applesauce to it after its been cooked and BAM- that was just what i needed! Soooo...a bowl w/ the applesauce is 260 calories + a cup of coffee w/ splenda and i can take it with me to work. Sounds easy enough to me!

Gym tonight, and a friend of mine has been trying to get me to coach a club volleyball team with her. I love volleyball, and we used to play together in high school. She has coached pretty much since we graduated, and LOVES it. plus, there is some extra cash involved, so I''m thinking about trying it out with her. And it will help me get a few extra calories burned! I have to let her know by tomorrow if I want to coach with her- we will "co-coach."

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Thanks Lorelei! What a great way to start my Monday!!! I just joined sparkpeople, let the calorie counting begin.

 

[alli_esq]

Thanks so much for the motivational words, Lorelei!!

I have been a member of fitday for many years, but it sounds very similar to sparkpeople, from what everyone has said about it.

I am feeling very sad today...actually, I have been down for a few days...I think it might be just the hormones associated with AF...but weighing myself this morning certainly didn''t help! I need a baseline, though, if I want to see how far I have.

Now that I don''t have an event at a certain date (i.e. wedding) for which I want to look lean, I have to remind myself that I just want a healthy, leaner lifestyle in general and taking care of myself is the goal. I have 6.4 pounds to lose before I am back down to what I was at the end of November (it was so easy to gain that weight, it''s scarrrrryyy!), and then we''ll work from there. I think I might want to lose an additional 5 after that, but I''m setting the 6.4 pound goal for myself for hubby''s bday in March.

My plan for the next 2 weeks is to recalibrate my carb intake and stick to about 20 net carbs/day. I was doing low carb for months and I saw significant results, so I would like to maintain a lowER carb diet (just cut out bready things and pasta except on very rare occasions), and try and significantly up my veggie intake. After those first two weeks, I will start adding in foods that are higher in carbs but healthy (i.e. legumes) and see how far I can go with still seeing results. I know I can do it if I set my mind to it!

Here we come, 2010!

 

[tlh]

charbie- I like adding berries and honey to my oatmeal! YUM!
alli- I''m sure you''ll get down in no time. People always think runners eat pasta. But pasta is chock full of junk... I eat pasta like a treat only. I enjoy things like quinoa, beans, brown rice and soup. I do enjoy veggies, and hope your low carb diet works for you! I found this website helpful in getting me the propper # of nutrients and help me stay close to zone. http://www.freedieting.com/tools/nutrient_calculator.htm they also break down other popular diets.

 

[deegee]

Lorelei - you're so right about the calories, and it is MUCH easier these days to keep count. I'm still a member of weight watchers, so I'm counting points which is pretty much the same as counting calories, fat and fiber. I have a ww app on my iphone which makes it super easy for me to check anything I'm thinking about eating, and it makes keeping track of what I have eaten very easy also. If I hadn't been so diligent about keeping track, I don't think I would have been successful in losing weight. I have to continue to be diligent to keep it off!

tlh - hubby couldn't believe I was using a measuring cup to dish out my serving of chili last night. He thinks I should be at the point where I can eyeball it, but I'm thinking that's how weight gain begins. Over time, we start forgetting what a true portion size is...I'll add just another spoonful or two because I'm really hungry, and before you know it I'm back to eating 2 portions and not realizing it! How's your PF? I had to google it, and...OW!

Hi charbie! Are you still in Ohio? Hubby is from southern Ohio (I grew up across the river in KY), and we lived about an hour south of Columbus for 3 years after we got married. We live in WV now. I think your idea of little changes is great, and is definitely what works for me! Our weight watcher leader once gave us each a rock to put on our desks. She told us to remember each time we looked at it that if you set your goal too high and make too many changes all at once, it's really hard to get there (like pushing a boulder). Instead set small, attainable goals which you can accomplish and kick out of your way like a rock on the path. Your oatmeal sounds yummy-I need to give that a try!

Hi Bella! I joined sparkpeople, and love reading the articles they email each day. Very helpful!

Hi alli! I just reached my weight loss goal right before Christmas, and am now trying to maintain the same weight for the next 6 weeks in order to become a lifetime weight watchers member. While I was losing, I set goals of 10 pounds at a time and had something to work towards. Now that I'm at goal and once I become a lifetime member of ww, I'm afraid I'm going to have a harder time than while I was losing! I don't think I could ever do low carb because I eat way too much pasta.

Last week was a crazy busy week. I took an extra day off today to rest and recover from last week! My FIL had total knee replacement surgery on Monday, and was home and walking around without assistance of any kind (no cane, walker or crutch) by Wednesday. Pretty amazing! We were on the road much of last week, so I'm looking forward to getting back into a normal routine of eating in (and healthy) and exercising. Since it's way too cold and snowy to walk outside, I dug the treadmill out from under all the clothes and junk piled on it and will start using it today. I also inflated my exercise ball and plan to get started with the pilates exercises this week. I'm hoping my back doctor will let me join the gym with my ww buddies, but I'm going to have to strengthen my back muscles first. Have a great week everyone!!!!!

 

[tlh]

DG- how awesome for your FIL to be back so quickly! And pretty cool that you''ll be working out w/ your WW friends. I think strengthening your back is a terrific idea. My PF is still there, I''ve been icing it... we''ll see what sort of monster it becomes during the race. The razor blade doesn''t find its way into my sock until about the 10th mile... I''m hoping it doesn''t show up until at least 13 or later... but that is wishful thinking.

Oh and I bought those plastic $1 bowls at taret and have permanent marker on the inside measuring the 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup and 1 cup marks. I use that for my rice, pasta, soup dishes, and my cereal too. They are stupid, but it helps me from feeling bad if I forget to whip out the measuring cup every meal... just a thought if you''re interested.

 

[deegee]

Ooohhh - that''s a great idea for the bowls, tlh! I have lots of ww soup recipes that I plan to try this winter so the bowl thing would definitely work for me. Plus my measuring cups always seem to be dirty because I measure everything. I just may bring that up as an idea in the next ww meeting!

 

[Skippy123]

Hi friends; I have a couple of lbs to lose which isn't too bad. I tried my hardest this holiday. I did some house cleaning today and had to go to the endodontist; I am going to have a cap put on my root canal next week. I hope it goes smoothly as I don't like tooth work, but who does?!? hehe

Oh I have to add that I like the thedailyplate too for looking up calories.

I didn't have a chance to workout but I will for sure tomorrow. Yesterday I did walk and we did get into the Pub trivia, so yay!!!
Happy Monday and New year!!!

LORELEI, excellent opener!!! Dang those machines telling us we work off more calories then we do; I remember someone told me that they aren't accurate and I was bummed out. hehe You are so right slow and steady wins the race; that kept me going for sure!!!

TLH, you will lose those couple of lbs. I agree w/the others your runs are uber inspiring!!! You go girl! aw, those doggies are the cutest and yay for a kitty!

BELLA, yay for sparkpeople

ALLI, I have those kind of days too; hugs and you will lose those lbs. You don't have much to lose and by the way your wedding pics are beautiful! Good to see you!!! I have to add to tlh's list that I love lentils, hopefully they are low carb but they are full of filling protein and fiber.

DEGEE, wow, that is great news about your FIL. yay for doing your treadmill; you are so awesome!!!

ROD, prayers for your brother and yay for your upcoming bday!!!

MARCY, hi friend!!

SS, I think your JT and my nephew would get along great. I read in some other thread about JT loving to hike; that is awesome!! You are a great mom!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Oh Skippy, Hope the dental work goes ok, that is no fun!!! Sparkpeople''s site wasn''t working for me today after I joined, but that could be my work internet it seems slow today

So far I''ve done pretty well with food today and am going home to make dinner and do Pilates (this morning it just didn''t happen...I need my sleep and can''t seem to get up in the morning

 

[lliang_chi]

Hello everyone!

Welcome Charbie, Bella and Amber! New members in the past week, I didn''t even have time to say hi before the week ended!

Charbie, Breakfast is a fantastic way to start a new good habit. It definitely helps keep you from getting hungry and then eating junk like what I normally did (not saying that you do). I love putting berries in my oatmeal too, but I love oatmeal. I hate eggs, but I''ll eat egg whites.

Lore, Fantastic opener, of course! So true. I think for a lot of us, we focus on the "Working out" part, but forget about the "food consumption" part and then wonder why we don''t see any progress. I was falling into that a fair bit whenever I worked out, not I pay more attention to what I eat. I don''t track much, but I do make sure I eat a salad for lunch and don''t take seconds etc for dinner.

TLH, How''s the PF? Adding swimming sounds fantastic! I''m glad you like it so much. You and your hubs are so cute that you guys love running together.

Bella, Awesome with joining Spark! I use NutritionData.com but it''s similar. Everyone here loves spark so I hope you have a lot of luck with it.

Alli, if you want to stick with the lower carb, I''d like to suggest bean thread noodles (Asian glass noodles). They''re actually made from mung bean, so its'' high protein, low carb.

Deegee, wow, that WW app sounds like it''d be awesome! Congrats on the maintaining so far. Good for you for taking an extra day off. Wow, awesome that your FIL is doing so well after his surgery.

Skip, good luck @ the dentist. Yay Pub Trivia. I''ve tried the DailyPlate as well, I think it was from your suggestion. How are you darling nephews?

Hey Rod, re: what we spoke about, I think I''m going to put the time in my company (about 1+ yrs) and then find another position. I didn''t hear from the other place. My company had a similar position in another group so I inquired about it. But the partners etc freaked out and they kept making a big deal about what I/they need to do to make me happy in my CURRENT position, so I don''t think they''ll even consider me for the new position. So it was just all a hot mess. Bummer. It just sucks in general. I''m adopting a new "YAY TEAM!" attitude for my boss and partners etc to get back on their good side, but it is what it is.

Had a great workout with the trainer on Saturday but didn''t do anything on Sunday. I picked James up from the airport and he came home sick. he was sick in bed all day today. I feel like a horrible wife, but I can''t stand it when people are sick with a running nose and they just sniffle and snort all the time. ARGH!!! Drives me crazy! I''m going to subtle-y leave Kleenex boxes all over the place but still... Would it be terrible to wear headphones all day...?

Sis and i are going to work out and then make chili. I''ll bring some home for James. I cut off all my hair last week (Weds) and sent it off to Locks for Love. James is still on the fence about the short hair, but I like it. It''s just hair it''ll grow back. I''ll attach a picture when I get around to it.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

My first day''s food journal on spark people is done and I was really happy b/c I entered my food for today in and it came out perfectly within all the target ranges for calories, carbs, fat, protein (well protein was like 2 grams low, but that''s not suprising since I don''t eat meat.)

Anyway, I was glad to see I know how to eat right I just need to avoid junk and not snack so much

DH is using the TV right now, but at 10 I get the licing room for Pilates

Lliang_chi-that''s so cool that you grew your hair out for locks for love, I''m hoping to cut mine in the spring, but DH isn''t thrilled so I''m waiting a few months

Sorry things at work kind of suck right now, hope that you can "do your time" and move on to something better....

 

[Rod]

Hey.......Happy First Work day of the New Year. It was a very long one for me. And while much of it was good, we came in this morning to find they let one of the guys in our office go on New Year''s Eve after we all left. He wasn''t doing well and never hit his goals, but we were just kind of floored that he was let go. It started the day on a sour note for sure. But, I worked hard and by the end of the day I had 8 candidates scheduled for in-person interviews this week. That''s a nice way tto start the new work year. I met Charlie for sushi after work, and it was great as usual. Tomorrow night''s a gym night for me.

Oh thank you Lorelei for getting us off to such a good start for the new year. I learned long ago that losing weight is simple math. Burn more calories than you consume (without putting your body into starvation mode) and you''ll lose weight. I also agree that often the machines at the gym are overly optimistic on how many claories you burn. Here''s a good example: When we first joined the gym almost 5 years ago (wow, I can''t believe it''s almost been that long since Rebuild Rod) the LifeFitness Ellipticals said we burned like 600 calories in 30 minutes (of course we go like over 10 miles an hour on the ellitpical), but then about 2 years ago, they replaced the machines with newer versions and the burn magically was 1/2 what it was. So take the calorie count on gym mchines with a grain of salt and just remember that you are burning calories and doing great things for your heart and overall health. Anway, thanks so much for getting us going in the right direction.

Hey tlh.......I used to be a slave to the scale. It made me get on it in the morning, when I got home from work, from the gym, before I went to bed. I think the scale is an "Evil" device!! I now get on it once a month or so. I use how my clothes fit as my guage. If my pants are a tad snug, I need to drop a couple pounds...........

Charbie......eating breakfast is an absolutely necessary. You don''t know my story much, but I used to be pretty big and had never been in a gym. Now, I''m in great shape and I workout a lot. Before Rebuild Rod, I never ate breakfast. I always figured if I didn''t have the calories in the morning it was good. Actually, it''s bad, and when I started eating, I wouldn''t stop. I actually eat all day long. After breakfast and before lunch, if I feel like I need a snack, I eat a handful of natural (raw) almonds with raisins. Almonds contain healthy fats that are good for you. Anyway good for you deciding to make breakfast a part of your healthy diet.

Hi Bella........I hope the calorie count is great for you..........

Hey alli, I hope 2010 is a great year for you!

Woo hoo for meeting your weight goal. As many of us can tell you maintaining it takes constant vigilence. Good luck with yours!!

Wow Skippy, how do you manage to remember things like my birthday. Yep, it''s Wednesday and it''s a semi-biggie. The BIG 55. Oh my! I''m in better shape at 55 than when I was 30, so age is just a number. Anyway, you are too sweet for remembering!! you''ll lose a couple pounds in no time my dear!! And thanks for the prayers for my brother. His surgery is tomorrow, then we''ll have to wait for the biopsy to make sure the growth isn''t anything bad.

Thanks for the update Lisa. I''m sorry it got a bit convoluted and hope it quiets down quckly. I''m sure the perfect situation will come along either at your current company or with another one. At least you have a decent (albeit not perfect) job, when so many other''s don''t have one at all. I have to remind myself of that very thought often as at this point in my career I never thought I''d be doing what I''m doing today. I''m just lucky to have a decent (albeit not perfect) job.

OK....Enough for one day. Time to shut down and get some rest before starting a new ''uber'' day. I''ll check in tomorrow after my workout, but it will be a quick checkin..........

 

[marcy]

Hi everyone.Today was my first day back to work.One down 4 to go.

I stuck to my calorie limit today and didn’t have any problems passing up goodies.You can tell New Year’s resolutions kicked in because the plate of cookies and boxes of candy didn’t go down like they normally do.Yippee!

Food was good today.Cereal and fruit for BF, mid morning 100 calorie snack mix, roast beef and mashed potatoes for lunch, mid afternoon snack 100 calorie cookies and supper thin slice of bread, small part of a pepper steak and small serving of noodle roni.We also had a bowl of low fat ice cream.

Lorelei, great opener.Getting back to basics is always a good idea and every day you stick to your plan the easier it is and the more likely you are to go back on track if you slip up.Slow and steady does win the race.

Tlh, tracking on spark is quite helpful.It is sad how quickly a few extra hundred calories can add up.Getting back to a stricter routine is a challenge at first but it soon becomes the norm.Yay for adding on swimming for awhile.Good idea.

Charbie, good idea to have your calories at your fingertips.I actually use a little notebook and add things up all day.It’s quick, easy and I’m not out much if I leave it somewhere.Good idea to work on things slowly.I set small goals as I went along and it made it so much easier.Eating breakfast is very important.I actually eat 5 times a day so I don’t get very hungry.I hope you had fun coaching tonight.

Bella, Sparkpeople is a great way to track things.

Alli, good luck reaching your goal.You’ll lose those few pounds in no time.It is scary how easy it is to put on a few pounds.

Deegee, how sweet to be where you have to keep it off.One day at a time.My trusty scale is always out and gets used daily.I want to make sure I get every morsel of food I can eat.I like the boulder / rock analogy.Sadly you are right my friend keeping the weight off is harder than losing it.That is great news your FIL is doing so well after surgery.Yay for digging out your treadmill and exercise ball.

Skippy, no worries on a few pounds – they will come off in no time.Good luck with your dental work.

Lisa, sorry to hear about the reaction at work; I hope it all settles down soon.I am glad you like your new haircut.That is very nice of you to send off your hair to locks for love.

Rod, we always seem to be posting at the same time.I was about to post and hit refresh and there was your post. That is too bad to be greeted at work with the news of someone losing their job.Congratulations on lining up 8 interviews this week.I hope they go well.How exciting your birthday is coming up this week.Sending PS dust to your brother with his surgery tomorrow.

Take care.

Marcy

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Did pilates tonight, even though I was tired

it helps a lot knowing I can come here and post

Note to self, one hour after dinner is too soon for Pilates, I do not enjoy the almost puking feeling

I''m hoping my new videos will be here tomorrow, if not then I think I''ll try to go for a long walk with a little jogging or the NYC Ballet workout b/c I''m not sure my abs are ready for 3 days in a row of Pilates

 

[charbie]

monday is...OVER. man did i ever have a case of the "mondays" when i woke up this morning. i really tried to get a workout in today, but my husband convinced me that we really needed to go look for a new sectional couch instead (last day of a sale)- i didn't get home from work until really late, and once dinner was cooked, cleaned up, and such, it was 8:30 by the time we got to the store, 9:30 by the time we got home! and i had to finish my wedding photo album, since my coupon expired today. however, these excuses are NOT allowed to keep coming up. my husband got a STRICT warning and a death stare from me when i realized that the gym just was not happening for either of us today. he told me i need to motivate him just as much as i say he needs to motivate me...and i'm not backing down!

alli- those post-wedding bliss pounds creep on quickly...i'm right here with ya! but you have a great grasp on what you gotta do, and have smart goals. i was making a wedding album on mypublisher tonight (buy 1 get 1 free!) and was sooooooo happy to see those amazing pictures...GOSH it was a great day! and it also reminded me that i was able to get myself into better shape once, so i can do it again!

deegee- yes! i am in ohio! i grew up in cleveland, but then moved down to columbus for college at OSU. andy (my DH) grew up in cinci and went to miami. we live in columbus at this time. i l

ve WV- i used to guide on the New river- i'm a big whitewater rafter whenever i get the time! and you will have to try the applesauce and oatmeal- i think the tang of the applesauce (unsweetened...i don't eat the other stuff) adds a nice balance to the oats! and i totally agree about the goals- i know DH likes a complete overhaul for his own personal routine, but i know it just isn't in my willpower! and CONGRATS

on reaching your goal! that is AWESOME! oh, and i work in a nursing facility- so to hear about your FIL's progress is amazing to me- major props to him! make sure you tell him to keep stretching it so he doesnt lose his flexation- he needs to not worry too much about bending it but keeping it straight so it can stay straight!

skippy- yay for pub trivia!

llia- oh no, trust me, i do eat the junk if i don't eat breakfast. i'll have to get some berries- in the winter i usually get frozen raspberries and strawberries for smoothies, but i could thaw them for some oatmeal. i like eggs and their yolks! and isn't it so refreshing to cut off a lot of hair? props to you for donating it! i cut off all my hair after the wedding but it had been bleached so no donating for me

Rod- there is a great little sushi place near me that i don't go to nearly enough. what do you usually order? i'm always open to new sushi! actually, now that i think about it, i might need to head there tomorrow since andy is out of town on business and doesn't do sushi...yumm! the gym is an Urban Active, but I believe they bought out Golds, so it used to be a Golds. The Cardio Theatre is something sort of "signature" to them I guess. and i love almonds as a snack. i like the raw ones, but i've recently discovered a light cocoa roast and a cinnamon roast. i know the sugar isn't great for me, but i have a HUGE sweet-tooth, so for me i at least feel better knowing i'm not grabbing a bag of candy or something!

bella- sparkpeople was a great tool for me leading up the wedding. if i didn't spend so much time on PS

i'd probably spend more time there. but andy already complains about me being addicted to my phone (my "secret" internet connection) so i'm trying to only keep track of one site at a time right now. and way to go on keeping in line for your first day! i'm soooooooo excited for you!

marcy- way to go and stick to the good foods! i'm a sucker for ice cream. the slow-churned by edys seems to not be too detrimental to my health ! its funny, when im tracking my diet, i actually really start looking forward to it. i know i don't end up eating as much, because seeing it in black and white makes whatever i crammed into my face not so good anymore. i'm proud when i can see my daily total and know i kept to my guidelines. my husband and i were talking about it, and he says, "so are you honest with yourself when tracking it or do you cheat?"

which i'm proud to say i really do track it the right way, and if i ate 2x's the serving amount, well, that gets included! i'd have to keep a mini journal if my phone didn't have this great new application! i think it really will keep me focused! AND it has this cool function where i can scan a barcode and if it is in the system (which so far everything has been in the system) it will put all of the info in, so i don't have to search and such. hopefully i don't eat too many things from a box that has a barcode

tho...i'd rather be eating fresher items. OH- and volleyball coaching wont start for a few more weeks, but i'll keep everyone updated on my 14 y/o's!

 

[marcy]

Bella, sorry doing pilates so soon after supper did not do much for your stomach.I hope your videos show up today.

Charbie, LOL at death stare!Hopefully you make it to the gym today.Funny you are looking for a sectional we just got rid of ours a few weeks ago.Slow churned ice cream keeps me going all day too; it is my treat at night.I too am completely honest with what a record.It’s not like it matters to anyone but me anyway.The bar scanner feature sounds great.

Well, we are off to work.Laters.

Marcy

 

[somethingshiny]

Sorry for another fly-by......

Now that I''m holding down food, I decided to track a bit. I''m WAY low on everything. I''ve had a headache and been really tired because of it. I''m trying to do nutrient rich foods like almonds but still need to add lots more food. After so many weeks of feeling icky, the thought of shoving lots of food in my mouth is a bit

. I''m going to clean my grandma''s house in just a bit. Maybe I''ll work up an appetite. I''ve lost another 3 lbs and I''m finishing up the first trimester so I need to make sure I quit losing now. (wow, I think that''s the first time I''ve ever thought I need to QUIT losing weight. lol)

Hope all of you are doing well!

Bella~ Please post when you get and start your videos!

 

[tlh]

skippy- I''m sorry you have to have a root canal! Yuk! But way to keep the gain in check! You''ve been the master of your scale, so I don''t think a couple pounds is gonna get in your way. You''re super woman!

bella- have fun at pilates! way to stay on track w/ your spark!

lisa- glad you got a powerful workout in. Sorry James is sick, and hope he feels better soon!

Rod- what a sour note indeed. Even if he wasnt'' a top performer, not a great way to finish the year. Who knows, maybe he''ll come in and ask you to place him somewhere! I''ve never been that bad about the scale. Just when it is around and over 100*, before the run and after the run... when I run in the 30''s I don''t really worry about it. I use my face as a gage. Ha! When my cheeks start to round out, I don''t really feel that jolly. (i notice in my cheeks before other places! ha!) Have fun at sushi!

marcy- Way to pass up on the goodies! Unfortunately this is the time everyone starts cleaning out their house, so they bring all the leftover holiday goodies in to work to pass on to their coworkers hips and thighs. Only the coworkers don''t want them either... so they sit until they are stale and someone else throws them away. Makes me laugh.

charbie - your husband made me laugh w/ his death stare. It is good to work together, but also to be accountable for your own actions and goals. When hubs doesn''t want to work out with me, I tell him I''m gonna go for a run and meet (insert random name of hottie actor of the moment) and then we''ll run off together, leaving him all alone w/ his m&ms.

shiny- have you thought about using nut butters on whole grain breads? It is rich with nutrients, and flavorful, and also calorie dense... one of my favorite treats is a banana w/ PB and honey... YUM. I cut it up and eat it as dessert. Glad you''re keeping food down!

Everyone happy Tuesday. I went for a 2 aday run last night w/ my poochie. The hubs decided to ride his bike, and I was bored, so I took the dog for a run. He was a big baby and was being stubborn. I think it was because it was 72* out and he was hot... so I kept giving him water, but he was still running like a little turd. That was until I turned around... then he was sprinting... so I kept up, because I knew he''d tire before me. Little guy didn''t stop until we got back to the house, and he ran straight to his food dish, and sat down and looked at me. Then I laughed really hard. I told him, but I already fed you... then I thought.. hmm how often do I reward myself after a "long run" (which this was to the little 18 pound pooch) with some sort of food reward. It made me look a little closer at my actions, and so I gave him a bone to chew on. Then I boiled up half a bag of spinach, and put on top of a baked potato for dinner.
This morning I went on a nice run with the hubs. Drivers are idiots... they forget to signal, and don''t always realize that in a crosswalk, the pedestrian has the right of way. This does not apply to bicycles in the crosswalk, but I won''t go too deep into that. Anywho, you''d be surprised how many times vehicles fail to signal a turn or nearly hit me. So just a shout out... always be defensive. You may be RIGHT or have the right of way, but they''ve got 2K pounds to back up their stupidity... and the heavyweight WILL WIN. Anywho, off my soap box. My brekie was nice. I had a cup of coffee, a small bowl of oatmeal w honey, and a 1/2 cup of frozen berries. My snack is 1 tablespoon of hulled sunflower seeds and an apple. YUMMMY! Work is insane still, and I''m waiting for things to calm down a bit or normal out.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Well hello ya''ll!!!

I''ve been MIA for various reasons, but found myself back at the pool after a long absence and it was a good workout. Came home and got the snowblower out and did the driveway--so that added to my workout. I''ll be back exercising, as in past, now my work is slowed down.

Keep well folks! Happy fitness everyone!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Lilac]

Hi everyone! I decided to post here because over the last couple weeks I''ve slowly been feeling worse and worse about myself and over the weekend decided I''m finally going to do something about how I''ve been feeling. DH and I went away to Baltimore for New Years weekend and I got dressed on Saturday night and started crying because I looked in the mirror and completely hated how I looked.

So some background information about me: DH and I got married last February and I was in great shape. I had been exercising for a couple months to get in shape and I lost some weight from stress leading up to the wedding, so all in all I was pretty happy with how I looked and felt at the wedding. Unfortunately, since then it''s all been downhill. At the wedding I was around 120 pounds and while I''ve only gained around 8-10 pounds, but I guess at 5''4 it''s pretty noticeable on me and I absolutely *hate* it. DH tells me he doesn''t really notice, but who knows if he''s just saying that to make me feel better.

I''m not really looking to reach a certain size... I just want to look in the mirror and like the way I look and feel. I also have a history in my family of high cholesterol and heart problems so I want to start getting in better shape while I''m young (I''m 21 now).

My MIL is a nutritionist so DH grew up learning about food, portion sizes, food groups, calories, exercise, etc etc. DH actually measures his cereal and some of his food in measuring cups before eating it! I know it''s the smart thing to do in order not to over-eat, but I could never bring myself to do it (although now I actually probably will start). So he''s actually really supportive and I can learn a lot from him and everything he learned growing up in the home of a nutritionist. He tells me some substitutions to make in recipes to make them healthier and he''s actually gotten me to eat steamed vegetables at night with dinner (which I NEVER used to do!)

A couple months ago DH and I bought an elliptical but I don''t know what it is about the particular one we got, but it''s IMPOSSIBLE! DH can go on an elliptical for 45 minutes at the gym at his office, but can''t last more than 10 or 15 minutes on ours even on the lowest resistance. I can''t go more than 10 minutes on it either and then when I get off I start to black out. It''s supposed to be a good elliptical, but I guess it''s just TOO difficult or something and it''s basically been sitting useless in our room because we just avoid it at this point. I practically pass out after I go on it, and DH prefers to spend 45 minutes on the one in his office gym rather than struggling for 10 or 15 minutes on the one at home.

Over the weekend when I had my mini-crying "breakdown" DH said we''re going to try and sell our elliptical and we''re joining a gym. I had been avoiding it because the only gym by us is New York Sports Club and it''s just SO expensive - I didn''t want to spend the money on it each month. I also hate going to the gym alone but I don''t have friends that live close enough to come with me. So I''ve just been sitting around doing no exercise the last few months and it really shows. So DH said he''s made the decision to stop his membership at his office gym and join the NYSC with me this week. We''re going to go hopefully at least 3 times a week to the gym together after work and on Sunday mornings and we''ll motivate each other! I''m actually getting really excited because he''s a great motivator and as long as I know he''s going with me and keeping me going I really have a good feeling this will work! He''s excited too because he loves going to the gym but always feels bad leaving me home alone so now it''s something we can do TOGETHER.

Anyway, just wanted to tell you a little about myself and hopefully join in sometimes! Good luck to everyone in reaching your goals!!

And Happy New Year!

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 1/5/2010 2:01:15 PM
Author: Lilac

My MIL is a nutritionist so DH grew up learning about food, portion sizes, food groups, calories, exercise, etc etc. DH actually measures his cereal and some of his food in measuring cups before eating it! I know it's the smart thing to do in order not to over-eat, but I could never bring myself to do it (although now I actually probably will start). So he's actually really supportive and I can learn a lot from him and everything he learned growing up in the home of a nutritionist. He tells me some substitutions to make in recipes to make them healthier and he's actually gotten me to eat steamed vegetables at night with dinner (which I NEVER used to do!)

That is great your DH does that. Weight watchers pushes measuring things, etc. I actually have a food scale that makes it easier since I hate pulling out the measuring cups.

I actually think it is FUN measuring on my food scale.

Maybe try using an electronic food scale. I have to use my scale because I notice that if I don't I start getting generous with my portions and it keeps me in check. Yay for steamed veggies!!!

 

[Skippy123]

Hi awesome HLT!!! I did more cleaning this morning and doing some work so this afternoon I will go for a walk; I also did some planks so this afternoon I will need to work on my back. Oh last night I was talking to my sister and I could hear the baby laughing so I had her put the phone to the baby so I could hear him coo; I am a nutty auntie but it makes my evening!!! hehe

HAPPY TUESDAY friends!!!

BELLA, thanks! YAY for tracking your food; that is awesome. I read in some study done that people who track do better losing weight because you are aware of what you are eating, etc. Awesome!

LISA, the nephews are good, thanks! hehe Oh no, I am sorry your hubby is sick; I hope James feels better soon. haha about the kleenex box and headphones, nope, do what you have to do so you don't go nuts. YUM to chili! Aw, that is so awesome about your hair; I did that once and I was glad I did it. Yeah I want to see a picture; I bet you look beautiful and sassy!

ROD, oh I am sorry about your coworker; those things do shake up a team. Yay for getting the 8 candidates scheduled; you are awesome!!! YUM to sushi!!!
Rod thanks; I don't think it will take me long to lose these 2 lbs. Yay for your birthday what are you doing tomorrow to celebrate? prayers for your brother, keep us posted. hugs

MARCY, thanks, I don't think it will take long for me to lose the 2 lbs either, I think I lost .4 this morning. hehe Yay for a healthy meal. What is noodle roni? That is good people are passing up goodies; I love healthy snacks so that that is cool everyone is getting on board w/good health, yay!

CHARBIE, hehe that is good you gave your hubby a strict warning; I think when we share our needs then it helps others to know to get on board with helping us! That is awesome Charbie! Yay for tracking; I think tracking is fun too!

SOMETHINGSHINY, aw, I am sorry. You sound like my sister; she just had a baby but when she was preggo she lost a lot of weight because of the morning sickness. I feel for you; I hope you can eat more soon. huge hugs and prayers. You are so sweet to help your grandma out; I bet she thinks you are the best!!

TLH, yay for your runs!! Oh my gosh, that is my biggest pet peeve is that drivers do not look out for pedestrians; one time I was walking with a stroller and my 77 yr old dad crossing the street and cars would not stop. ugh, you poor sweetie, grrr, that makes me angry. Yay for your runs and your dog sounds so cute!! thanks for cheering me on; you are the best!!

SHARON, i was missing you; glad you are back!!! Yay for exercising and working the snowblower!

LILAC, glad you joined us and awesome about your hubby joining the gym with you!! It is great to have a workout buddy! You will lose those 10 lbs in no time; sounds like your hubby's healthy habits are rubbing off on you, yay for team work!!!

 

[tlh]

sharon - Hi! Glad you hit the pool again!

lilac - sorry your down. I agree with your hubs and try measuring your food, and getting into the habbit. It is 90% diet, and only 10% exercise... so I think as long as you start something you''ll do alright. Also I recommend getting to moving when you''d be getting to eatting. So walks, even though they don''t brun a lot of calories, can keep you from mindlessly snacking for long periods. But I understand how you feel... even the small number of pounds if you don''t FEEL attractive, can become a point of fixation. But now you have set a goal, and can move forward. Good luck! (Also if money is tight amazon sells Jillian Michaels DVDs for like $8 each - and are 20-40 minute workouts where you can get a pretty decent calorie burn....)

skippy - g;lad you are walking, and I love listening to babies coo too! You aren''t a nut - just adorable!

 

[Lilac]

Date: 1/5/2010 3:33:51 PM
Author: tlh
sharon - Hi! Glad you hit the pool again!

lilac - sorry your down. I agree with your hubs and try measuring your food, and getting into the habbit. It is 90% diet, and only 10% exercise... so I think as long as you start something you''ll do alright. Also I recommend getting to moving when you''d be getting to eatting. So walks, even though they don''t brun a lot of calories, can keep you from mindlessly snacking for long periods. But I understand how you feel... even the small number of pounds if you don''t FEEL attractive, can become a point of fixation. But now you have set a goal, and can move forward. Good luck! (Also if money is tight amazon sells Jillian Michaels DVDs for like $8 each - and are 20-40 minute workouts where you can get a pretty decent calorie burn....)

skippy - g;lad you are walking, and I love listening to babies coo too! You aren''t a nut - just adorable!

Skippy - thanks for the warm welcome! Having DH work out with me will absolutely help and I''m actually looking forward to spending that time together and hopefully we''ll both see results. Although he tends to tone up and lose weight quicker than me so that might be hard for me to deal with at first if I''m not seeing results. But I just want him to be happy too, so I hope he enjoys this also! And I know I just have to stick with it and eventually I''ll see results.

tlh - I think part of the problem is I don''t eat meals consistently. Often I''ll eat breakfast, skip lunch, and then just eat too much for dinner and end up feeling sick. I don''t think I''m eating too many calories (I have tried counting them - it''s not that I''m eating too much, I think it''s just that I need to eat consistently, drink a LOT more water because I rarely drink any at all, and I need to add healthier items to my diet).

If it were nice weather I definitely would go out and walk or run outside! I actually love that. When DH and I were in Hawaii for our honeymoon in August we did a lot of walking and hiking and I lost 5 pounds and got pretty toned just in those 10 days! I came home and felt *great*. But then after being back for a couple weeks it went back to how it was before we left. Then came winter. Unfortunately, it''s literally 15 degrees outside now and it''s SO unbelievably bitterly cold I wouldn''t last more than 5 minutes without feeling like I''m getting frostbitten if I tried to walk or run outside.

Thanks for the suggestion of the DVDs - I''ll look into buying one or two for the days I don''t go to the gym. It''s not that we can''t afford the gym... it''s just that I always felt like it would be a waste of money and I wouldn''t go if I were doing it by myself. But now with DH joining with me hopefully we''ll really take advantage of it and keep each other motivated.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Welcome Lilac, I''m sure you look great, but that''s fantastic that you and your DH are going to work out together and make sure that you feel great too!

MY videos aren''t here yet

maybe tomorrow, but the good news is I''m on track again with my food, and I cooked tonight for the first time in months. I didn''t realize how long it had been since I made dinner, man, you feel so much better when you eat real food! Tilapia, mashed butternut squash, arugula, and homemade orange sorbet.

We got cuisinart ice cream maker for the wedding and are loving making our own sorbet for less than half the cost of buying it at the store, and with less sugar

YUM. Next week I''m going to make frozen greek yogurt with fresh fruit and honey

 

[charbie]

Date: 1/5/2010 8:45:06 PM
Author: Bella_mezzo
Welcome Lilac, I''m sure you look great, but that''s fantastic that you and your DH are going to work out together and make sure that you feel great too!

MY videos aren''t here yet

maybe tomorrow, but the good news is I''m on track again with my food, and I cooked tonight for the first time in months. I didn''t realize how long it had been since I made dinner, man, you feel so much better when you eat real food! Tilapia, mashed butternut squash, arugula, and homemade orange sorbet.

We got cuisinart ice cream maker for the wedding and are loving making our own sorbet for less than half the cost of buying it at the store, and with less sugar

YUM. Next week I''m going to make frozen greek yogurt with fresh fruit and honey

got the same thing! it hasn''t made its way out of the box, and DH keeps threatening to regift it! can you post some recipes, because i REALLY want some healthy stuff to make in it!

 

[lliang_chi]

Bella, Alright with the tracking! Awesome that you''re on target. Bummer your videos didn''t come in but yay for yummy home-cooked food. James is still on the fence on my super short hair. it''s Audrey Hepburn short. I''m asking sis to send a picture to me. I''m too lazy to take one.

I love doing pilates too! It''s so pricey, I should totally do videos like you are. Can you suggest one you like? Mmmm.. sorbet!! I love it too! You''re inspiring me to break out my ice cream machine

Rod, wow, bummer way to start the week but ssounds like you had a toosh kicking week so far. Mmmm, sushi! I agree, I''m thankful for my job, but I''m in a kinda crappy mood today, so I''m very down in the funk kinda mood, so it''s hard to stay positive, at least today. I know I''m fortunate. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

Hey Marcy! You''re awesome for sticking on your calorie range. Totally know what you mean about New Year''s resolution season. The gym has be CROWD.ED!

Charbie, you had the "Mondays" and I caught it.

Awesome that you and your hubby can motivate each other. As long as you make up the missed gym day, it evens up overall. Don''t beat yourself up over things getting in the way. HUGE milestone for getting your albums done. James hails from Columbus His mom used to teach @ OSU. I give my poochie the egg yolks with her dinner; she loves them

Rod always gets me in the mood for sushi too. Good for you for doing the tracking right and stuff. I kidna ballpark it, so I''m not as vigilant as you. Mad props.

Shiny. Oh hon! I feel bad when you say you''re fighting this morning sickness. I''m glad you''re holding food down. Definitely keep working in building blocks and not try to cram everything in at once. Hope helping grandma was good.

TLH, aw, I love hearing your pooch run stories It''s too cold for Quizas to run right now (and for me for that matter), so we''ll have to run vicariously through you. OMG I can''t believe you almost got hit! I totally know what you mean. It''s so frustrating when that happens. But you also have people on the other side of the coin. Cyclists biking at night on the phone in street with NO LIGHTS! GRRRRR!!! makes me so mad!!! People need to exercise common sense!!!

Sharon!!! Brrrrr I''m sure it''s cold up there because it''ss COLD, COLD, COLD in Chicago! Awesome you got a pool workout in! You''re such a rockstar with them! I''m glad work slowed down for you.

HI LILAC!

Awesome your hubs is so supportive! We''re here to support you to! So chin up and we''ll get those 8 lbs workin'' off You definitely have a big resource of your hubs and MIL so you should totally leverage taht. So much of weightloss & health is what you eat not just what you do. You''re so right about you and your hubs doing your workouts TOGETHER! YAY!!!

Skip, I''m thinking I should take a page from your book and do a scale too. So far sis has not sent a pic yet but as soon as she does I''ll post it. Aw, you''re such an awesome auntie.

Happy Tuesday!!! Did a session with the trainer. I totally wasn''t into it and he could tell. I mentioned it a little bit ago but I''m totally in a funk today. It was just a terrible day! James kept hitting the snooze for AN HOUR!!!! so after feeding the dog breakie, I did not get a chance to go back to sleep! I *HATE* it when he does that, because HELLO! I''m in the bed too!!!! So I''m inspired to create an individualized alarm clock. Sis and I were emailing a little bit today. Then work was kinda blah and I was SOOOO TIRED because of the snoozing. Our Q4 reviews will be done this month. We got the self evals and i''m reminded all over again about the whole getting burned by inquiring about the other position, and realize how much the gloss has faded with my current company. I kinda mentioned this to James but he totally didn''t help my mood. And I asked him to turn the oven on so the meatloaf will be done when we got home from the gym. But he totally didn''t, so now we''ll be eating at like 10:30. ARGGH! I just want this day to be over so I can start on a new one.

Hopefuly tomorrow will be better! Still cold, but hoepfully better.

Lisa, out.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Lliang-My fave Pilates video is the Gaiam Intermediate mat workout with Ana Caban. I really love it. I also have the beginning one with her, it''s kind of easy and boring, but my friend who is starting out loves it. I also have windsor pilates but I don''t really like it seems disjointed and it doesn''t help me keep my form. I prefer mat classes, or better yet a reformer class

but alas that is not in the budget right now. In all honesty the Gaiam INtermediate video is better than about 70% of the mat classes I''ve done, so that''s not too bad.

Charbie-YUM! I''ll find some recipies tomorrow, but there''s a recipie book in the machine (it;s part of the warranty/directions booklet) We haven''t made any of those yet, but I''m sure we will. DH is in LOVE with this thing

We''ve made green apple sorbet and orange sorbet so far. We found both of those recipies by googling, the orange one was from cooking light and the green apple one I think was recipezar.

I gave my abs the night off, but am back on track tomorrow and am going to bed now. Need sleep!!!