Its not how you start, but how ya finish

All right gals, I know its been a rough and busy 2 months, but we are still losing together!! Now, I say, let's get back into motion. Blog away and let me know how you are doing. As of last Tuesday, I had actually GAINED weight!! 2 lbs. However, I am trying to get back now that the weather, although rainy, is warmer and a little nicer. I want that shopping spree! :) So, let's get to losing again! Are you with me? Or are you a winner? :)

Kind of Not the Point

Today we finally had our first weigh in, after almost three weeks. I had gained 3 pounds since the program began. This is really stupid. I have been journaling and working out 3-5 times per week. I know that "muscle weighs more than fat" and sometimes you "retain water" but I need to change my strategy. Gaining weight is not the point...

Progress!

I got on the scales today to see that I was 1.5 lbs down. It's small, but great! Its hard to get motivated when you don't see results, but slowly and surely, eating less and working out more pays off. I kind of felt it in my dress pants--still got a ways to go before fitting into last year's jeans!

Sticker for Heather

Sticker for Heather. Way to be a big loser!!!

Tiff's "Downdate"

Hey Heather, I like your coined term "downdate." Funny.
I have no idea if I am a big loser or not since the weigh-ins for my program are bi-weekly--I guess I'll get some feedback on next Tuesday.
I have been consistent with working out (I've worked out three times this week so far), but I could do better with journaling my food. I need to make that a priority.
I also am going to powerwalk a 10K with my friend Betsy on St. Patrick's Day weekend and powerwalk a half-marathon with her the weekend after. I have to admit that the exercise is making me feel better physically.
Good luck with your journaling Kris, and the working out Heather. Maybe come up with some "baby step" goals to get you to the bigger goal. Interim goals make anything seem more do-able.
XOXO,
Tiff

The bronze for now...

Well, I certainly have a better attitude about this all since last week. I haven't lost anything, but I have worked out 2 times already this week and plan to work out Thursday and Saturday. I feel good and I know that it will take a while before I start to see results. I know this is good for me--I guess I didn't realize how many calories I eat in a day--or even a meal. So, let's see how next week goes. Glad to hear you both are losing and doing well on this. So far, I have the bronze for being the biggest loser, but I am still fighting...:)

Weight Loss "Down"date

So, I went to my WW mtg on Monday, and found that I had lost 2.4 lb. for total of 6.2 lbs over the last 4-wk period . . . so, I'm lifting a 5 1b. bag of Domino sugar, and really believing that life is sweet since that much weight is not on me anymore . . . I know living by the scales is a precarious slippery slope, but it's what made me believe today . . . No mini-workouts this week, but I like Tiff's idea of how to work in 3 . . . why do I have this all or nothing mentality?

My Little Pony Sticker for Kristie

Kristie worked out 3 X last week. Yea!!!

Sticker for Me

I worked out 4 times this week. Big sticker for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Pain, No "Gain"

So, remember the spinning class that I wrote about (a crazy class held on stationary bikes)? Well, I have crazy bruises all around my tailbone from the seat on the bicycle. It hurts to sit. (Maybe that will help me burn more calories)

Spinning? Just say no. Your crack will thank you.

The Biggest Winner?

Well, I must say if what we want to be is the biggest loser, than I feel like the biggest winner. I went to the doctor yesterday just to find that my new scales are way off and that I am actually 10 pounds heavier than my last visit to the doctor. I put on my "fat jeans" just to find them snug. You'd think I would be motivated by this, but what I usually do is punish myself with self-soothin choc. and thoughts that go "all this work for nothing". I get so mad at myself for letting this happen--I hate my clothes because I can't wear them. I rotate 3 pairs of newly bought pants and all my shirts are snug. This affects me a lot and it really discourages me. I am just lamenting cause I feel so frustrated. Not to discourage you all, for I am encouraged when I read how you both are doing, but I was just jolted by the scales yesterday and now it makes sense why nothing fits. I refuse to buy new clothes to fit my bigger size, but feel frustrated that it takes so long to lose just one pound. and how do I feel good when I don't even feel right in what I am wearing? Especially since I have to stand in front of 120 students each day....
Alright, enough said....

More Fun with Fitness

Well, I went to my second group workout today, and my legs are burning. They had us do some squats yesterday (only 15--how sad is that?!) and my legs were a little burn-y when I showed up to my workout today. Turns out it was a spinning class. I don't think that I like spinning very much :-)

I also went walking yesterday evening for over an hour with Betsy, who asked me if I want to powerwalk the Shamrock-n-Roll 10K with her (and her somewhat slobbery but cute dog) in March. I do. Sounds like a great way to sneak in some Saturday exercise.

Glad to hear that you are "stepping up" on the scales issue, Kris, and keep up the squeezing in mini-workouts Heather.

Challenges:

• Journaling is a powerful tool, Kris--remember that you have to run a 100 yard dash to burn off even one M&M--and it's not even a peanut one. Sadly, this weight loss thing is a two-front war.
  
• Make taking care of yourself--in this case working out--a priority, Heather. Go in late one morning a week to work, and step back from one evening commitment per week, and throw in one weekend workout and you're done! You can do it.

This Is Easy

All I have to do are the things that I'm supposed to, and not do the things I'm not supposed to do.

Scales to motivate

Well gals, I bought a new scale yesterday. It weighed me in at 141.6 (in the morning with my birthday suit) Although that sounds ok for my "range" that is 6-7more pounds than August 24th and well my normal weight. I don't wear any of my clothes because all those pounds went to my mid section, so no pants fit as well as my shirts are too snug--so, I am with ya. I will measure myself today to get the other measurements.
I hate writing down what I eat, but I will try--I only have internet at school and don't have time to catalogue it on-line. But I am using Tiff's chart. Make sure besides walking, you add some kind of weight resistence to your workouts--these really help in losing fat. I am proud of you Heather. The hardest part is trying to incorporate this into a hectic schedule.
I'm glad to do this with you both! The date to end this will be June 1st. I will check on races in VA today!

Fitness Beginnings

So, I went to my fitness assessment yesterday. One of the things that we did was the classic mile--I walked the mile and it took 14 mins. Good times. I didn't really run b/c I didn't bring my inhaler. My flexibility was in the "poor" range :-( so I've got to work on that. They also took my baseline weight and measurements. I guess that I will use my weight from that, Heather can use her Monday WW weight and Kris can use her Dr.s appt weight for the "challenge" part of it. We're all tossing in $33.33 so that the winner can go on a $100 shopping spree, right? And we'll define winner in terms of percent body weight lost, right? What is our end date for this?
On a bright note, I went to my 7am workout this morning, which meant getting up at 6:20am. First sticker on my sticker page.

Working in Activity

So I'm adding activity slowly in my daily routine after not exercising for a LONG time . . . my back is better after the post-Christmas travel from GA . . . being injured is the pits!!!
So I walked 15 minutes this morning
and 15 minutes after my WW meeting tonight.
and added some extra walking throughout the day. I wore my pedometer and racked up about 8,000 steps. Baby steps . . .

So I went to my WW mtg with much fear and trepidation since there wasn't a last meeting last week, and my sticking to the program wasn't on the forefront of my mind or plate during RA training last week, not to mention frequenting the Korean BBQ restaurant during the last 2 weeks.
However, I was down -.2, so at least I'm blogging now and not crying . . .

Breakfast
1	cup (not packed)	Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 1% milkfat	163	2	1	9	918	6	0	6	28
1	small (6" to 6-7/8" long)	Bananas, raw	90	0	0	0	1	23	3	12	1
Lunch
1	4 oz	Chipotle® - Beans, Black - black beans seasoned with cumin, garlic and other spices (Vegetarian)	130	1	0	0	318	22	1	3	9
1	wedge, large (1/8 of large melon)	Melons, cantaloupe, raw	35	0	0	0	16	8	1	8	1
1	cup, diced	Pineapple, raw, all varieties	74	0	0	0	2	20	2	14	1
1	cup, chopped	Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	55	1	0	0	64	11	5	2	4
Dinner
1	6 oz 170.1g	Yoplait® - Light yogurt, Strawberry flavor - 6 oz Cup	100	0	0	0	85	17	0	11	5
WW recipe of Chicken Fried Rice--2 cups Snack
1	1 Tall drink 12 oz	Starbucks Coffee® - Caffe Latte - Tall-sized with Nonfat milk	120	0	0	5	170	18	0	16	12
* Water Tracker - Add / Delete

Multivitamin

I recommend this vitamin. I read about in Health magazine and they studied several vitamins of various prices and products and said that this was the best one for what it offers as far as women are concerned and the best price. I like it--but do take on a full stomach!! Here's a link!
www.one-a-day.com/womens.html

I'm on . . . Official start date TODAY, JANUARY 28th

My Calorie Counter

The food journal (also an activity journal) is part of a free online service; I included the link this time. Yes, let's all get a "baseline" today--our starting weight, a photo, maybe measurements too? I think that the 8 glasses of water is, of course, a great idea. We may also want to do a multivitamin as well. Maybe also come up with some objectives, goals to keep us focused. June 1 seems like a great date to me...we just need to figure out where there is an event that we can do. http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/

First of all, this is awesome! I am sooo excited about being a loser! Thanks Tiff for putting this blog together--you beat me to it! I liked your journal of foods! I may use that as a suggestion as well.
We also need to nail down a date for this. I suggest Sunday, June 1st. What do you all think? Also, we need to take before pics of us (anyway you like!) and get measurements and weight!! So, if you can do it today-great! Let's make it "official" tomorrow.
My suggestion for a great start: drink 8 cups of water THROUGHOUT the day. This is going to be one of my strategies.

First, we should all keep track of what we're eating. Here is how I'm doing it--with my-calorie-counter.com...here are what the journals look like.

Breakfast
1.3	oz	Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared, toasted	113	1	0	0	215	19	3	2	6
2	1	Scrambled Eggs	216	10	3	423	359	2	0	2	27
1	57g 1/4 package	Yves Veggie Cuisine® - Veggie Breakfast Patties - meatless, low-fat sausage patties	70	2	0	0	350	4	2	1	11
			399	13	3	423	924	25	5	5	44
Lunch
1	cup, chopped	Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw	20	0	0	0	12	4	1	2	2
1	1/2 pita	kangaroo pita pocket	90	0	0	0	140	16	4	1	3
2	tbsp	Hummus, commercial	46	3	0	0	106	4	2	0	2
			156	3	0	0	258	24	7	3	7
Dinner
1	container (4.4 oz)	Yogurt, fruit variety, nonfat	118	0	0	3	73	24	0	24	6
1	1 6-inch sub 256g	Subway® - Steak & Cheese Sub, 6-inch Classic sandwich - steak and melted cheese with lettuce, tomato, onion, green peppers, olives, pickles, cheese, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper on Italian white	390	14	5	35	1210	48	5	7	24
			508	14	5	38	1283	72	5	31	30
Snack
1	1 drink 10 oz	Panera Bread® - Chai Tea Latte (hot) - brewed black tea with honey, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and steamed milk	210	5	0	15	115	37	0	0	7
			210	5	0	15	115	37	0	0	7
Water Tracker
Totals Target Balance			1273 1400 91 127	35 40 88 5	8 5 160 3	476 200 238 276	2580 1000 258 1580	158 200 79 42	17 25 68 8	39 50 78 11	88 50 176 38
			Cal	Fat	Sat	Chl	Sod	Crb	Fib	Sug	Pro
Activity
0.5	hour(s)	walking - walking, 2.0 mph, level, slow pace, firm surface	-85
Totals			-85