My journey to a healthier lifestyle

Marcy and Alta have inspired me to create my own thread documenting my progress towards a healthier lifestyle.

In my youth, I was very athletic, participated in practically every sport available when I was younger. As I became older, my interests changed from sports to more sedentary activities.

When I worked as an RN in labor and delivery, I was active and on the go all the time. But, for the past 14 years, I have worked at a health insurance company, sitting at a desk all day long.

Year after year, I have become increasingly heavy. And it's all my fault. I know what to do to lose weight. I don't really eat all that much, but my choices have not been the best.

A few years ago I lost about 40 lbs mainly by cutting out regular sodas, eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising. Otherwise, I didn't change much about my diet. I truly believe that it was the exercising that was the key to my success.

The fact is, I hate to exercise. It bores me to tears. I would rather spend that time doing other things.

But, the other fact is, that when I DO exercise, I do feel much better. And I have made a commitment to exercise as often as possible each week. I am shooting for a goal of having exercised every day through March 31st. My hope is that by then it will become such a routine part of my daily life that it becomes second nature to me.

I joined a weight loss competition at work that also runs through the end of March. I'm on a team with 5 of my employees. The team that wins the highest percentage of their goal wins bragging rights. I joined the team because I felt it would motivate me even more if others were depending on me.

My goal in the competition is to lose 20 lbs, although my long-term goal is to lose MUCH, MUCH more.

I am starting this thread to document my progress throughout this competition. I am considering this my exercise journal. I think by writing down each day my exercise progress, it will help keep me focused.

Others who have the same kind of goal -- feel free to post here. If you have any tips on great exercise routines for beginning exercisers, don't be shy... share them.

Anyhow, here goes...

I actually started exercising over the weekend. I know this doesn't sound like much, but I exercised for 15 minutes each day. When you are as big as I am, and out of practice, one must start slowly and increase.

I just exercised tonight for 16 minutes with my daughter. She loves "coaching me." :)

I'm not doing anything fancy, just some basic exercises that my daughter learned in gym. In addition, I've been using the ab-roller. Anyone here tried that before?

I have one little tip that worked for me when I finally made the commitment to exercise by daily walking...

Since I was doing it alone, I needed something to keep me motivated. So I walked for an hour every day while listening to books on tape (or CD). I wouldn't let myself listen unless I was out there walking... and the need to know what would happen in the next chapter always inspired me to put on the walking shoes and headphones (and oh yeah... all the clothes in between) and head out the door.

Altogether I walked off a whole lotta pounds and "read" a whole lotta great books. :)

That's a great suggestion, Faith! I might end up trying that during my lunch hour. That's about the only time of day I feel I have time (and energy) to go walking.

Thanks for this thread, and good luck with your journey.

I am trying very hard to add better foods to my diet, and cut out many of the bad ones.

Its hard for me to find an exercise, because i have severe osteoarthritis in both knees. Walking is OK, but not for a very long distance, or very fast. Swimming would be great, but i live out in the sticks and wouldnt even know where theres a pool.

I saw an infomercial for the bar exerciser thingy - looks like a bar that ballet dancers use. I have a site that reviews TV products, and it got lots of great reviews. I may order one, but that wont get me much of the cardio. Any ideas for very low-impact cardio?

I wont go into detail about how much i want to lose, yet :eek:

Sorry I don't have any suggestions, Jelly, but maybe someone will chime in. I have completely ignored exercise for so many years that I feel like a complete rookie when it comes to understanding what is cardio vs. not and what products or exercises are good vs. not helpful, etc. I'm just mostly doing basic calisthenics and walking.

Last night I exercised up to 20 minutes. I know that doesn't sound like much, but for me, that's a huge accomplishment. My daughter is an excellent coach. She would make a great drill sergeant one day. :p

I weighed in at work today and I lost 7.8 lbs from last week. :eek: Obviously, most of that had to have been fluid, but I was happy. Assuming I can maintain that, I am 1/3 through to the goal I set for myself in that competition at work.

Yay! :D

I weighed in at work today and I lost 7.8 lbs from last week. :eek: Obviously, most of that had to have been fluid, but I was happy. Assuming I can maintain that, I am 1/3 through to the goal I set for myself in that competition at work.

Yay! :D

Awesome, congrats! The first week is always the biggest drop due to, as you said, fluid.... but I don't say that to discourage you, but rather so that you don't feel discouraged if the drop isn't as huge in coming weeks!

But what matters isn't what you lose in one week, but what you lose over several weeks... over longer periods of time.

Keep it up, the small changes will add up big time! It's great that you know that starting small is the best thing for you. I think the highest rates of failure are among those who think they will be able to run a marathon in their first month or something. Exercising 15-20 minutes a day is GREAT!!!

adam is setting an mp3 player as we speak, he wants me at the gym with him, he helped me pick all th 70 thru todays dance songs and hits.

i gained 10 bloody lbs this year, whiterose, i know that sound tiny but i really went up nearly two full sizes.

our gym has a jaquzzi, that is a fun part for me.

great job on your weight loss so far, you deserve to look and feel your best, you are a marvelous and wonderful, kind and beautiful person.

Awwwww, thanks Pink and Kitty! (((( hugs ))))

And Pink, you're right... I need to set small goals and not get discouraged if I don't lose a lot. My plan is to not consider this a diet, but instead, a change in lifestyle.

I was always athletic as a youth, and I really got away from any sort of exercise in my very sedentary job.

With the new position I'm taking at work, I'll eventually be working at home more and can take my dog for walks during lunch. So, that'll be additional exercise.

Last night, I worked out for 23 minutes. It was fun (my daughter is so funny, she cracks me up while we are exercising) and I really began realize how easy it is to incorporate exercise into a daily routine. I know that there will be times when I won't feel like exercising every single day, and I will not kick myself when I don't. But, my goal is to exercise as often as possible, even if it's just 15-20 minutes a day. That's better than nothing for sure. And eventually, I know I'll build up endurance.

It really does help keep me focused by coming here and documenting how things are going. Hope no one is bored with reading this. :p

So happy to have you along with me on this journey to healthier us!

If you are easily bored with exercise you might give Curves a try. I think you can try it for free for 2 weeks (and if not let me know I have a ton of guest passes you can have). It is a circuit and you move from machine to machine (and also cardio in between) very quickly. It is a 30 minute work out.... so they say... actually takes me about 40 mins from twice around the track to stretching to out of there.

I am also using Fitday.com to journal my intake. It is free and you might like it. It is an easy way to track. A normal diet (mine is not!) would be like 40% protein, 30% carb, 30% fat. The carbs can be natural (fruits and vegs) and whole wheat and be perfectly good for you. I protein load and I'm usually around 60 to 70% protein, 8 to 11% carb, and the rest in fat. Fitday tracks it all for me and even includes a nice lil chart so its easy for me to tell where I am during the day.

Water is the big problem for me. I hope your more successful at it ;). The more water the better and I'm about 10 to 20 oz low every day, but on the days I hit my mark or exceed it... I almost ALWAYS find I lose weight!

Faith I LOVEEEEEEE the idea of walking and books on tape! I'm definately stealing this one.

(((Kat))) We can do this!

Exercising bores me too. My only form of exercise these days is walking, unless of course if you count sex!!!!

A couple of suggestions for fun exercising.

1. I used to go to pole dancing classes and they were the best exercise classes I've ever been to. There were women from their early 20s to their late 40's in my class and we all had a ball. Being overweight I lost interest because I couldn't get myself upside down on the pole but doing the spins and routines were great fun.

2. I know someone who is going to hoola hoop classes. You expend a heap of energy trying to keep that hoola hoop up and it looks like its a lot of fun.

Both of those do sound like terrific fun. LOL this thread is giving me all kinds of ideas! Someone was telling me about aquarobics earlier in the week too and that also sounded like a blast.

Kat, congratulations on your weight loss and exercise, etc. Your daughter is really sweet and fun! And Marcy, you know you are our resident superstar!! :)

I'm on the wellness train this year, too. I've been getting up early in the morning and going to the gym before work because it works out with my work and school schedule. So far I've been to the gym 12 days this month, I think and walked on the treadmill at home the other days I haven't been in the office.

I've only lost 7 pounds thus far. I think it is because I always have to watch what I eat, being diabetic, and that I've dieted enough over the course of my life that my fat burning isn't the best. But I'm trying to focus more on the behaviors and less on scale and figuring that eventually it will all come together.

Let's all pat ourselves on the back!

Yeah, Marcy, I need to look into Curves. There's one near me. In fact, I'll call them in a few minutes to check out costs, etc. And thanks for the tip about fitday. I'll definitely look into that. I'll take all the help I can get.

Great suggestions, Satya, thank you! I think I'll go dig out one of my daughter's hoola hoops. :)

Good for you Bubs for the approach you are taking! I agree completely with placing less emphasis on the scale. It's really more about improving our overall health. Along with that, weight loss will eventually occur.

I'm really glad that this thread is helping others. We can all share and support each other!

Go Team! LOL

I exercised for 25 minutes on Thursday. By Friday, I was so pooped that I crashed on the sofa after I got home. I was a slug all day Saturday and then yesterday I did housework all day, but no exercise. So, that's 3 days straight that I have not exercised. I have got to work on making sure that I maintain my routine on the weekends. :(

I ate healthy foods, however, I did have a small ice cream on Saturday. But, I'm not going to beat myself up over it.

Yesterday I did very well with my food choices, and I did enough laundry that I think that serves as exercise. :p

I hate exercising too, I could be doing something more important while I'm wasting my time...but I bought an elliptical machine and that's improved that thought process. It's a great machine, easy to use, easy on the knees, gives you a great workout and is actually more fun to use than a treadmill or a stairstepper (jmo) Check into one of those, Kat, they're great!

I hate going to the gym so I bought the machine and it is setting in my living room. I use it an hour a day during the week - while Law & Order SVU is on. That way I watch my favorite show and exercise at the same time. I usually take the weekends off and just walk instead. I've lost 25 pounds since Thanksgiving with this little self imposed exercise program. Hopefully it keeps working!!

I exercised for 25 minutes on Thursday. By Friday, I was so pooped that I crashed on the sofa after I got home. I was a slug all day Saturday and then yesterday I did housework all day, but no exercise. So, that's 3 days straight that I have not exercised. I have got to work on making sure that I maintain my routine on the weekends. :(

I ate healthy foods, however, I did have a small ice cream on Saturday. But, I'm not going to beat myself up over it.

Yesterday I did very well with my food choices, and I did enough laundry that I think that serves as exercise. :p

It's pretty hard to lose weight without much exercise, unless you are young! Man I could lose weight without much exercise back in my 20's. I just watched what I was eating and bam it just melted away.

Keep with the exercise Kat, it will pay off. I'm down about 9-10 pounds since the first week of January. I hit the elliptical or the treadmill for about 35-40 minutes 6days a week and watch what I eat, of course.

I exercise in the morning before work. It's hard to get up but it is what works best for me since I have school two nights a week.

Keep up the good work all!

30 minutes of exercise last night done! Yay! My daughter, the coach, is getting bored though. I'll have to think of ways to keep her interested, because once she is interested, she is a fabulous motivator.

good for you katrina!!!
all of you ladies are inspiring me...i'm like kittylane...put on a few BUT i quit smoking...so a trade off here. now its time to focus on the calories again...thats what works for me, plus walking. katrina, the exercise...it is for YOU! make it a priority, even the days its the last thing that you want to do, 15 minutes, you can spare that much time for a new and improved kat!

What kinds of exercise have you done Katrina?

Today I started strength training at the gym. A fitness trainer gave me a personal routine to follow three times a week. She said if I do cardio 5 to 6 days a week and strength train three, I'll get optimum metabolic benefits.

I'm tired just thinking about it, lol.

This month I went to the gym or walked on my treadmill at least 5 days a week and did 35 to 45 minutes each time. I'm down about 9 pounds thus far.

I am just doing some standard calisthenics, walking and jogging at the moment. Oh, and some abdominal crunches (ugh). :D

I have a treadmill, but it's in the garage at the moment. I moved it there while my new flooring was being installed and haven't decided if I want to move it back in the house or not. I never liked it.. it's the most boring form of exercise to me. On the other hand, I know that it's just going to waste in the garage. :rolleyes:

I keep saying I'm going to check out the cost of Curves, and keep forgetting. But, if I can afford it, I might join there as there is one nearby.

I only managed 20 minutes of exercise tonight. Got started too late. But, at least I exercised! I almost slacked completely off. :p

Tomorrow morning is my weekly weigh-in at work for our weight loss competition. Wish me luck!


Edited to add: I am also joining Weight Watchers. My employer is paying half the cost. And they are holding meetings at work. Yes, that's right. HALF the cost. Too good a deal to pass up.

katrina..

good!

good!!!

all GOOD!!!!!!

Edited to add: I am also joining Weight Watchers. My employer is paying half the cost. And they are holding meetings at work. Yes, that's right. HALF the cost. Too good a deal to pass up.

That's great! I've been thinking of joining.

My house is SO small that i cant really fit any exercise equipment in here. I did order "The Bean." i hope i can get up off of it when i'm done!

I had an appt. with the arthritis specialist yesterday, and after draining both knees, he reminded me that i need replacements...LOL... :(

I'm going to try more walking. The rehab is tough for that surgery, even tho they only do one knee at a time. He told me it will be a long struggle, but worth it.

I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, have been since 2001 when I first achieved my goal (down 30+ pounds). I had a glitch a couple years ago where I gained back about 15 pounds of the 30+, but i've lost most of that again and have been under my goal for a while now.

I can not stress enough how great I think Weight Watchers is. I have learned SO much about nutrition from them... and I can't believe how many misconceptions many many (if not most) people have about food and weight loss!!!

I fully encourage anyone to go to them. :D

Hey jellybean, I ordered the bean and it just arrived today. Haven't taken it out of the box yet, but I'll let you know how it goes.

I lost 2 lbs since last week! yay! :D

From one Kat to another, good for you!!!!!!!!

I joined Weight Watchers and have lost ten pounds. It's not that hard to do really. I fall off now and then, but just get right back on.

Let's all get healthy!!

My downfall is lack of exercise, but you guys are inspiring me.

What's The Bean?

The Bean is an inflatable that looks like a small chair. You can do all sorts of exercises on it for your abdomen, legs, and back. In particular, you are supposed to get a really good abdominal crunch workout. They advertise it as being better than the ab roller because you can do so many things with it.

Now, I got the Bean Deluxe, which is longer and costs a little more than the regular Bean. I got it because I wanted more neck support and I'm glad I got that one instead of the original shorter one.

For me, using it last night for the first time, I found it to be much easier than the ab roller and I was able to exercise longer. But, I'm not so sure I got as effective a workout to the abdominal region as I do with the ab roller. However, the weird thing was that about 5 minutes AFTER I finished the workout, that's when I finally noticed that I started feeling it in my muscles. I thought that was interesting. I'm going to try to incorporate at least 15 minutes of using the Bean into my nightly workout.

A DVD came with it that I haven't yet watched. I'll probably sit down over the weekend and check that out.

I'll tell you all something funny, though... I almost could not get off that thing! It's low to the floor. And I just don't have the leg strength I used to have to get up from a low sitting position. When I use the ab roller, I use it in bed because I knew that I couldn't get off the floor, and I didn't want the hard floor hurting my back.

Anyway, I had nothing around me to grab onto. My daughter helped me the first time I got off it. But, the 2nd time, after the 15 minute steady workout, my legs were feeling rubbery. I just couldn't get up! LOL

So, I rolled over onto my abdomen, and grabbed onto the coffee table, and finally pulled myself up. My daughter had a good laugh about the whole thing. :p :D

Im so proud of you! What positive changes you are making.

I started a watching what I ate last month, and then fell completely off the wagon and am now starting over again. :( As of today... :( again!

I have a little extra money, and Im thinking of either buying a treadmill or an elliptical trainer. I would really love to have the ellipitical trainer, but I want to get my dad up and moving some and I don't think he could do it. So will probably do the treadmill. I figure I can walk on that every day for cardio.

I really need to build some muscle. I have like..no muscle whatsoever, and I know the more muscle you have the more calories you burn, even at rest, right?

I have never heard of the Bean. Im going to have to look that one up!

Im just so excited for you, and I can't believe your company will pay for half of Weight Watchers. Thats awesome!

((hugs)) to you...stay motivated and positive!

jo... neither the treadmill nor the elliptical are gonna build muscle...not really.
but you are right, muscle weighs more and burns more calories.
one of the easiest(relative) ways to build muscle...dumbells. google joyce vedral. i have been following her "weight training made easy" for a number of years. of course fell off , restarted...you know the routine. it targets all muscle groups, 30 minutes a day... we're worth it!

something i received in email today..


February 1, 2007
Redefining Health
Throw Away Your Scale
Health is not a numerical concept and cannot be defined using statistics. Human beings, however, tend to want to quantify well-being into easily understandable figures. We feel compelled to ascribe numbers to every aspect of wellness, from the qualities of our food to our fitness levels to the physical space we occupy. As a consequence of social pressures, we turn our attention away from health and focus instead on the most contentious of these figures-weight-checking our scales to see how we measure up to our peers and role models. Yet each of us is equipped to gauge our relative healthfulness without any equipment whatsoever. When we have achieved a state of wellness, we feel buoyant and energetic. Some of us are naturally slim, while others will always be curvy. No matter what our weight, we can use the cues we receive from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we really are.

When you throw away your scale, you commit to a lifestyle that honors the innate wisdom that comes from within your body and within your mind. It is logical to examine how you feel while considering your health-a strong, fit, and well-nourished individual will seldom feel heavy, bloated, or fatigued. If you have concerns regarding your weight, remind yourself that at its proper weight, your body will feel buoyant and agile. Movement becomes a source of joy. Sitting, standing, walking, and bending are all easy to do because your joints and organs are functioning as they were meant to. When you are physically healthy, your mind will also typically occupy a place of well-being. Mental clarity and an ability to focus are two natural traits of whole-self health. Surprisingly, promoting this type of easy-to-discern wellness within yourself takes no special effort outside of satisfying your hunger with nourishing, wholesome foods and moving your body.

The numbers you see on the scale, while nominally informative, can prevent you from reaching your healthful eating goals by giving you a false indicator of health. You will know when you have achieved true health because every fiber of your being will send you signals of wellness. When you choose to listen to these signals instead of relying on the scale, your definition of well-being will be uniquely adapted to the needs of your body and of your mind.

I agree with this in principle, but the scale is a measure for those of us that have quite a bit to lose. It is a way to hold ourselves accountable in some fashion. I think weighing once a week is more than enough, although sometimes I am tempted to do more.

Kat, get that treadmill out of the garage. Put it in front of a TV or in a room where you can hook up a DVD player or laptop computer and play DVDs to minimize the boredom. I have my treadmill in my office next to my desk and my computer can play DVD's. So I load up a DVD and go on the days I am working from home or on the weekends. Otherwise I head to the gym. I have a few boxed sets of Seinfeld that have me laughing as I am walking (a double benefit!).

christina, I started strength training on Tuesday and I was so sore Wednesday. I am going to do more tomorrow when I hit the gym in the morning before work. I usually do the elliptical at the gym for cardio. Yesterday, I burned 400 calories on it in 35 minutes!

Jody, it would be great to get a treadmill if more than one person can use it. I prefer to walk outside in the nice weather but the treadmill is a lifesaver right now when its cold and snowy! I have such a good one that Phil can even do long runs on it when he's home.

It makes me feel good that so many of us are trying to improve our health and fitness together!

*L* it was just something i thought i'd share.. i, before i put on these damn 20 pounds again, used to weigh myself every day! and it served its purpose! kept me in check. after my breakup with the cheetos, i will begin my focus more on calories, and when i'm brave enough the scale will be a daily check in.

isn't the sore a great feeling??? ;)

When you throw away your scale, you commit to a lifestyle that honors the innate wisdom that comes from within your body and within your mind.

Fine words, but no, it just doesn't work for me. I have to do a daily weigh-in, and then I mark the number on the calendar. I compare that number with where I was a week ago and a month ago. Sure, it's natural to have ups and downs...

BUT...

I have found that if i don't do the daily weigh-in, it always goes UP. :eek: :mad:

For me, knowing the number every single day keeps me aware... from there, I have better control throughout the day over my eating and exercise. :)

btw, I weigh myself every morning, same time same factors... right after waking up, unclothed, bladder emptied, and before having any food or drink yet.

LOL Faith that is my weighing ritual too!

faith...i agree! i need my scale...

but the principle, when we "get it", when we get who and what we are, THEN it all falls into place

but the principle, when we "get it", when we get who and what we are, THEN it all falls into place

Sez you. ;)

For me, the only thing that consistently works is daily weighing and daily walking. I've tried saying daily affirmations to no avail... but the daily doing, that's the real thing.

Hooray for all of us who are doing... and especially to whiterose for starting this thread and heightening our awareness. :)

i am thin
i am thin
i am thin

whatcha mean i gotta give up cheetos and walk a few miles a day...ARGH!!!!

Katrina!! Congrats on your commitment and your progress, girl:)

Bubblee's trainer is absolutely right:
She said if I do cardio 5 to 6 days a week and strength train three, I'll get optimum metabolic benefits

I was a PE major in college (with a dance specialization), taught PE for years until I opened my dance studio....What everyone has said is true, and especially over 30: you've got to exercise to lose weight and keep it off. It's so great that you've made the personal pledge to do that, and I believe you will reach your goal!!

I'm also glad that you have worked up to 30 minutes a day. Optimally, 30 minutes of cardio (I walk on a cheap-but-functional treadmill in front of my tv every morning except Sundays...rain or shine!) will promote cardiovascular health as well as help the weight drop. And then, resistance training 3 days a week on top of that is perfect.

We all think that we have to buy the latest groovey piece of gimmick exercise equipment to have the best results. That's far from the truth. You can walk during your lunch break (or on a treadmill at home), and then do standard bent-leg push-ups, crunches, lunges, arm circles, etc. as your resistance training. Barbells are good to, but you really only need your own body to get it healthy!

The best, most practical (and encouraging) book I've read that I recommend to everyone is "You on a Diet" by Dr. Memmet Oz (Clinton's heart surgeon and Oprah's resident health and diet doctor). The book is AMAZING and so simple to read and apply. They have a whole section on an exercise plan to follow that requires no equipment, etc.

anyway...brava for you, and keep looking forward!!

Chris, I haven't owned a scale for at least 20 years. That's probably how I got into this mess! :p I think there's one in my future now. At least I can weigh in at work once a week in our Body Shop (that's what they call our gym at work) while I'm involved in this weight loss competition. lol

Thanks Karen for the encouragement. I had forgotten that you said that you teach PE. Thanks for weighing in (pun intended) and giving us your expert advice.

I am really glad that others have joined this thread. I started a similar one a couple of years ago and it bombed. I hope that we can keep our momentum going. If you all want, I can change the title to "our journey." :)

Now, back to my progress....Today, I did eat somethings that I shouldn't have, including 2 pieces of cake. They had a goodbye party for me today at work. I know, I should have resisted that 2nd piece of cake, but I didn't. But, I ate very small portions of the other things that I ate, none of which was healthy at all. But, that's ok, because I'm back on track with dinner. A salad with grilled chicken. And, then later, back to the bean. And I'll do my regular nightly exercise.

Bubs, I'll get walking, with or without that treadmill. I just need to get a better understanding of what exactly includes "strengthening" exercises. You'd think I'd know, being a nurse, but doh! I don't know all the difference betwen cardio exercises and strengthening. Maybe you and Karen can advise me? :D

Katrina, you are leaving your job?

Yes, I was offered a new position within the same company. I will now be serving as a Business Change Manager (Project Manager) to the regional VP. For much of the past 8 years, I have been the one manager that has driven many of the projects we have implemented. And the VP saw an opportunity for me to do that full-time without having to manage people. First time in many years that I won't be managing people. It's a good thing, yet sad for me at the same time.

ah......congratulations!!! personally, i'd prefer not to manage people, but i understand how that could be bittersweet for you.

hope you're getting a bunch more cash!!

i haven't been to a WW meeting for 3 weeks. i'm back on it tomorrow.

Now, back to my progress....Today, I did eat somethings that I shouldn't have, including 2 pieces of cake. They had a goodbye party for me today at work. I know, I should have resisted that 2nd piece of cake, but I didn't. But, I ate very small portions of the other things that I ate, none of which was healthy at all. But, that's ok, because I'm back on track with dinner. A salad with grilled chicken. And, then later, back to the bean. And I'll do my regular nightly exercise.



You did exactly the right thing by getting back "on the wagon". The issue usually isn't straying now and then but getting back right away after you make a bad choice like eating two pieces of cake. Good for you!

okay, i went to WW today, and I had gained FOUR lbs in three weeks. that's from not paying attention, feeling low over my final goodbye to P, and just being less conscious. kind of a pity after losing ten pounds.

BUT, i'm back on it. i saw my cardiologist yesterday, and she said to start a walking program immediately. so i just returned from a 15 minute walk. i can't believe i feel like a nap now. sad. gosh!

That's ok. 15 is good. And you'll increase the length more and more. And don't beat yourself up over the 4 lbs. They'll be gone soon. You're back on track now!

I go to weight watchers...I lost 25 kilos before and have put on 10 since stopping doing so much gym work and moving to live near the beach (have truly embraced the laid back lifestyle much to my detriment)....what I love about WW is the slow steady change in weight and eating habits....the meetings are great for new ideas and also support, and I have learnt a lot about healthy eating. I never have butter on anything and only drink skim milk. I don't eat cake or chocolate any more.

anyway I need to get back into the exercise so I will start walking tomorrow morning and do a bodypump class in the evenings...I also walk my dogs on the beach every afternoon although we go slow because of my old dog....

anything you do is a positive improvement on doing nothing and its all about lifestyle change not diet....diet implies it can end whereas lifestyle is forever....bloody hard sometimes though when you fall off the wagon, to get back on it

Katrina:

Cardio exercises: Increase your heart rate and breathing, and best when
sustained for 30 minutes at a time without stopping...at a pace where you are breathing heavily but can still maintain a conversation with someone(work up to that if you need to) Examples: walking briskly at a steady pace (or alternating moderate/fast/moderate)....jogging, swimming, aerobics, rowing, biking, rope-jumping, dancing, etc.
Cardio strengthens your cardio-vascular system (heart and lungs) and burns calories at an efficient rate. Notice that serious runners, dancers, bikers are mostly lean? That's because they are dedicated to an aerobic sport which burns fat up the ying yang.

Strengthening exercises: Primarily focus on specific muscle groups to tone strengthen and sculpt. Involves repetitive action ("reps") with
weight (your own body weight or barbells, ets.).
These are not usually "cardio", and do not neccessarily contribute to better cario health,
but they build and refine muscle which results in a higher metabolism:D (and a nicer shape!)
Examples: push ups, crunches, lunges, using free weights
to do barbell curls for the biceps/bench press, etc.

So everyone, how is the journey going?

Are you eating better? Exercising more and in different ways? Sticking to your plan?

I'm down about 9 pounds for January. I'm doing the cardio 5 days a week. I've strength trained three times since last Tuesday. Last night I went to the gym after work (I normally go before) and did 35 minutes on the elliptical and my strength training routine.

The mistake I did make was come home and eat too much! I let myself get too hungry because I didn't get home until almost 7:15 and had lunch at 11:45 with just a piece of fruit in between.

So, I'm sticking to the plan, not perfectly, but sticking to it. How about you?

well, i'm still a non smoker! and plan to stay that way. the substitute eating, well, its better but still need to work on it. one step at a time ;)

I seem to be struggling most on the weekends when I am out of my work routine. I am wanting to eat more and am exercising less often on the weekend. I need to establish a routine that'll work for me on the weekends and stick with it.

But, during the week, I'm doing pretty well. Still exercising 30 minutes/day during the week.

Thanks for the tips, Karen, about cardio vs. strengthening. I have been doing a combination of both apparently. :) In my case, I am soooo out of shape and out of practice with exercise, that I am proud of the fact that my body is moving at all. :D

About the bean (for Jellybean and whomever else is interested).... I have been using it quite a bit. But, the only time I am feeling like I am actually receiving the effect from it is when I raise my head and chest up off of it. This is causing me to work my abdominals, which is what I wanted. I guess over time, it might also strengthen my legs and hiney, but so far, I just feel like I'm in a reclining rocking chair. LOL

I am just getting started with Weight Watchers. Decided to use the online option because my schedule at work will vary so much that I am afraid I'd miss meetings. So, am trying the online option.

Bubs: good for you for sticking with it! You're doing a great job!

Chris: Good for you for no smoking!

katrina, you are doing great!!! and about your weekends..it IS acceptable to take 2 days off from exercising, in time perhaps just a walk on those days when you can get outside more. and the eating, wilko did body building for years... there is ALWAYS a regular cheat day in a diet, otherwise you won't stick to it.

so!!! you are doing everything right!

Thanks Chris. Good to hear that. I'll really try not to think so negatively of myself on the weekends. I just want to make sure that I stick with this and the past few days, my appetite has increased somewhat. But, my mind is focused on making these changes and it helps to have this thread where I can post updates. It sort of helps keep me accountable.

Ah the weekend problem... I know it well. I also seem to fall apart on the weekends. For me that translates into meals skipped, missing my mark on water, and on protein. It is so darned hard to keep on schedule on the weekends.

At the weigh-in on Wednesday, I gained 0.8 lbs. But, I think it was mostly fluid gain. I had eaten something salty a day before and didn't drink enough of the liquids I needed to diurese. Regardless, I am still continuing my usual exercise routine and eating healthier.

Today, I joined Weight Watchers online. With my employer paying half the cost, it was a GREAT DEAL. In addition, I was given yet another discount for enrolling online. It's costing me about $83.00 for a 1 year subscription. That's about a $150 saving for me! Those at work who are going to the worksite meetings are paying $93.00 for 18 weeks. So, I think I got a great deal, although WW tells you that more people lose weight by attending WW meetings than if they do it on their own.

But, with my work schedule, I knew I'd be missing some of the meetings, so, decided on the online option. It's a cool site. I'm going to follow their Flex Point plan. It seems easy and I've seen it work for others. So, am hopeful. :)

Good to hear you're not discouraged! We *ALL* go up and down. I do too and I eat about 500 to 700 calories a day lol. I have lost and gained the same dang pound for the last 3 days. I know it will come off. Just follow your plan and you will feel good. Its a marathon, not a sprint. :D

WW is great, I lost 25kgs give or take a few...unofrtunately I didn't reach goal so I didn't get to do the 6 week maintenance which seems to have mystical powers coz everyone who has done maintenance that I know of has never put that weight back on and it entitles you to free lifetime membership if you stay close to goal.

This time, after emotionally eating for two months, I am only needing to lose 10kgs, and have lost 2kgs in five weeks, which is a nice steady weight loss...its true about the meetings WR...I am not a meeting girl but they only go for half hour and are really supportive and strengthening, people share great hints and you get a lot of great ideas about cooking differently, feeding a family who aren't needing to diet (very difficult actually...they want to snack and eat takeaway!!), all that sort of stuff

I track everything that goes into my mouth...as well as every bit of exercise I do...so I make sure I'm burning more than I'm consuming....it helps to live near the beach and take the dogs for long walks on it every day....I wear my pedometer so I know how many extra points I have earned...tgat means I can have chocolate lol...

Marcy...do you feel full on that amount of food after your surgery? And will you be increasing calories like in a year or so, after you have reached your target weight (not sure how long it actually takes, I guess it depends on amount and stuff?)...

Just curious...I don't see how you could maintain that caloric intake after you have lost the excess weight.

Are you able to eat whenever you are hungry at this stage? Because it takes so little to make you full? Hope I'm not being too nosey... :o

Hi Epo,

I always feel "full". I know that doesn't make sense but my stomache is the size of about a 1/4 cup. I know I have to eat and so I do when I am supposed to... I literally time it out. Overtime, about a year to 18 months, your small stomache will slowly stretch to about a 1/2 cup. Eventually I'll be able to consume more in each sitting, but I'll likely never be able to consume as much as I did pre-surgery in one sitting.

I would eat whenever I felt hungry, but as of yet, I haven't actually had that feeling. Everyone is different. Some post-ops experience real hunger immediately and some take a much longer time to get that feeling back. It all has to do with the nerve-endings.

I eat very low sugar, low fat, and low carb foods... those tend to be lower in calories (hehe of course because those things help make up calories) and so that is why my caloric intake is so low... that and the combination of not being able to consume a whole lot at a time.

I should get up to about 1500 calories by the time I'm a year or so out. I'd like to be higher in my calories now, but I'm not exactly sure how to get them up. I'm starting to experiment with adding some fruit to my days. I do need fruit and they should help raise my calories.

Having your calories too low actually inhibits weightloss as your body goes into starvation mode... I'd like to be closer to 700 a day and get rid of those 300 - 500 days.

I'm able to survive on these low calories because I supplement my diet with protein, but as I said my calorie intake will rise over the next year.

The nice part about this surgical tool is that I do not feel hungry and I cannot overeat or cheat... not without being EXTREMELY ill. It doesn't take more than once to cure overeatting (have done that and it is like having a fist in your chest... HORRIBLE... for hours) or cheating (never done that, but I hear it is also horrible where you might experience vomitting, diahrea, passing out, and exhaustion -- dumping syndrome). *shrug* since I've not had any hunger, I've also not had any real "desire" for something special to eat and so cheating hasn't been an issue for me. The overeatting was relatively easy to do because since I always feel full if my meal isn't exactly measured out then I eat it without really being sure it is too much. This never happens to me anymore because I can tell by looking at the amount if it is too much now.

sooo...have we all fallen off the healthy eating/exercises lifestyle????
but i'm still a non smoker...

Nope!

I'm still on the wagon!

I stopped weighing myself daily because the fluctuations were getting to be too much. I had two bad days last week but had 5 good ones. And I'm still going to the gym and lifting weights.

I realize that at my age this is going to be a long, slow process. But my clothes are looser and that's great!

I've lost about 10 pounds total thus far. And I feel good, too, because I'm in control.

And christina, good for you! Next?

good!!! cause i need to hear these positive accomplishments...this time around, i'm having food issues...but i counter it with i'm a non smoker!! now i just have to get more control over the eating...and i will!

Well, my new family doctor says i'm not a candidate for weightloss surgery...dont weigh enough and not a high enough BMI (i disagree of course!).

He also does not believe in "diets," and even said that exercise is only "the icing on the cake." He said that for people like me - we had discussed my 'food issues' - its all about behavior modification, and i do think hes right.

We had a long talk, he suggested a book for me to read, and gave me a medication to try. We'll see how it works. I've lost 6 pounds so far, but that could just be a fluke.

In the two months since he's been gone, I've gained 12 pounds. At first, it seemed I was losing weight, but that was merely the result of being too heartsick to eat. Then came several weeks of binge eating, getting sick, and throwing up. Then I stopped weighing myself at all, and sure nuff here come the pounds piling back on again. :(

Uh... so where's the healthy part of this post? Well, for the past three days I've been eating properly again and walking every morning. I'm down 1 1/2 pounds, I've slept well for the past three nights, and I'm sticking lotsa gold stars on my forehead for being a good girl.

(Meanwhile, in Germany over the past two months he's gained 26 pounds...!!! :eek: )

*admiring faith in her gold star get up*

I lost 2 lbs last Wednesday. Am keeping up with my Weight Watchers point tracking and my exercise plan. However, my brother rolled into town on Thursday for a visit and it has completely thrown me off. We went out to eat that night at Olive Garden and while my entree was healthy, I ended up eating a large slice of white chocolate, raspberry cheesecake that night. That sort of set the whole ball in motion for me to go off track for the whole weekend. But, today I am back on track again. I'd almost bet money that I have gained on the scales this week. But, I'll just keep on moving forward.

white chocolate, raspberry cheesecake ...
god that sounds wonderful!!!! you best have enjoyed every bite!!!

oh, we ARE allowed a cheat day a week, or two ;)

Oh I did enjoy it. I surely did. I failed to mention that it had a chocolate crust.

And I failed to mention the 4 or so brownies I ate on Saturday. :o

And the Samoa girl scout cookies I ate on Saturday night. :o

It was bound to catch up with me sooner or later. But, I'm back on track now. I am looking for ways to fix my sweet tooth when it comes up without going over the edge. We made sugar free chocolate pudding last night and it was really good.

I really think that restaurants are my downfall, and I am convinced I should avoid them at all costs, period.

I am right back at the weight I was before starting to try to lose weight, so back to square one for me. Gosh, I really never though it would be this tough.

Congrats on your weight loss Kat. Keep it up, ladies!

Last Wednesday, I had gained 4.4 lbs. :( I know that much of that was fluid gain because I had some pitting edema of my lower legs. I continue on my Weight Watchers flex points plan and only once have I exceeded the point limit. However, I do feel that I could be making better choices in what I am eating. I am staying within the point range, but I think I need to re-examine the choices of foods I am eating.

What I'm struggling most with is the exercise, which is the MAIN REASON I lost all the initial weight. My arthritis has kicked into high gear since I started exercising, especially in my knees. I used to only have to take my Meclomen (NSAID) once a day, but I am going to bump it up to twice a day for a while, which is what my rheumatologist originally ordered. He has always supported my need to only take it once a day. But, it's time to increase back to the original dose. In addition, he started me on plaquenil to try and put my arthritis in remission. We'll see how that goes. I took it once before for about 5 months and it did no good then. I stopped it on my own because I afraid of the potential side effects, including permanent retinal damage.

But, overall, I just keep doing my best to remain on track with at least staying within the recommended point range and exercising when I can.

Hi Kat!

I just wanted to congradulate you on your commitment to a healthier lifestyle with weight watchers.

Here are some low point foods that are great when you are using the flex plan:

Light English muffins (1pt)
Laughing Cow Light cheese spread (1pt per piece)
Egg beaters (1pt per 1/4 cup)
Crystal light (to add to water)
Kraft 2% milk cheese slices (1pt per slice)
Light whole wheat bread
Hillshire farms deli select Turkey breast (3 slices =1pt)
Brown rice (2pt per 1/4 cup)
Sugar free jello pudding cups (1 pt per cup)
Splenda
Vitamuffins (1 pt per muffin) *they are expensive to purchase but super high in fiber

There are alot of low point foods at trader joe's if you have one in your neighborhood to! I love how weight watchers makes you accountable for what you eat. The WW message boards are a great place to hang out too!

Remember to eat your flex points each week as well as your daily requirements for water, vegetables and good oils.

Great tips, Lola. Thanks!

hey Lola....they are great ideas......I was going to suggest too the ww choc covered bars...they are excellent when you have a choc craving and are only 1.5 points, also the little tubs of choc icecream are really good and very chocolatey and only 1.5 points. 3 ww crispbreads with tomato is 1 point and quite filling...youghurt and fruit is usually 1.5 points.....

WR I would check with your group leader about that weight gain and make sure you are doing everything the right way....when I have stalled or had no loss despite following my points, its usually because i have misjudged portion size, which does matter, so you may need to weigh everything for a while till you get used to your regular food and what constitutes a portion

and the other thing is are you tracking correctly....eg a brownie is 5 points, you said you had 4 = 20 points which is one days worth of points (for me)....so have you written everything down....its ok to go over points or treat yourself, but on their plan if you don't work it off or have bonus points then you will have a weight gain.....

have you tried just walking rather than doing aerobic stuff....walking for short lost of 10 - 15 mins counts....and you can do that a couple of times a day rather than doing something which is causing you pain and will discourage you....

good luck with it, I gained .3kgs this week but it was because I ate too much and didn't exercise....so you're not alone

About those brownies, Freespirit, I went off track so badly that weekend that I didn't track anything at all. But, since I've been back on track, I've done a great job tracking everything. I write everything down, or load it into my online tracker immediately. By the way, thanks for the tips!

I weighed today and have lost 6 lbs from last week. I knew that last week's weight gain was mostly fluid. So, was relieved that I lost those 4.4lbs and then some. My total weight loss since I began in January is now 13.5 lbs. Not big gangbusters, but enough for me to have a gradual loss. I'm fine with that.

I have really done well with my point tracking this week. I only exercised twice, though, because of the recent negative impact to my arthritis. But, when I have exercised, I use low-impact exercises.

Am feeling really great about things at the moment. :)

YAY ME!

13.5lbs is one stone (here) which is great....and slow and steady is a much better maintenance method than rapid coz you will keep it off that way.....keep on tracking it really works.....I have PMT at the moment so am anticipating a fluid weight gain this week....otherwise i will be happy with my .5-1 kilo weight loss...

Weight loss in the past week: 1.9 lbs. :D

I'm thrilled because I have been unable to exercise as often as I have been in past weeks because my joints have been killing me. But, I stuck to the Weight Watchers Flex points to a T and I think that made the difference.

How about everybody else? Any updates?

I'm ashamed to say that I am still not keeping up my exercise program. I need to get back on it because the arthritis pain has improved since increasing my dosage of my NSAID.

Anyway, despite that, I lost 1.6 lbs in the past week. Yay for me!

:yay:

I am amazed at how well Weight Watchers works. It's SO EASY. I should have started this long ago.

I love the online version. I don't have to deal with any meetings. I have a point tracker that I use religiously.

I noticed that everything seems different. I am definitely eating to live. I make sure I eat something small every couple of hours. And I get full very fast. And the honest to God truth is that I still eat pretty much anything I want, AND I seriously feel like I am eating more than I did before I began the program.

I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to lose weight and hasn't been able to.

You doing great!

Despite watching my diet, substituting shakes for breakfast, some minimal exercise and taking an hebal supplement, I have lost nadda. :aaaaaaack:

Tomorrow I start walking 2 miles every day...wish me luck!

Good luck, Jody!! You can do it!! :w00t:

katrina...be our inspiration!!!

jo...i'm with you...BUT i HAVE been walking... it is now up to 4 miles a day on average, calories are on average 1500, and still nothing!! last time this also happened, weight would not budge for a month, then it dropped off. then i slacked, quit smoking (still need to keep patting myself on the back over that one, makes the weight easier to take) and voila!!! 15 pounds back on again!

I am unable to bear any weight on my right knee. I'm scheduling an appointment today with an orthopedist to rule out a possible tear in my meniscus. But, either way, it's definitely put a crimp in my ability to exercise.

So, for now, I'm just staying focused on remaining on my WW points plan and doing some strengthening exercises of my arms and my other leg.

I'm not gonna let it get me down or change my overall plan. :no:

good attitude katrina!! and i can't help but think as the weight comes off, your knees get better

Wow this thread is fantastic! I think it is exactly what I've needed to get myself motivated. My prior attempts to exercise have been so feeble lately.

I gained nearly 20 lbs in the last four years, since I've met Dereck. I'm not really sure why, but I'm assuming it is a combination of factors... getting older, which for me meant not quite as active; stress, or perhaps an absence of a certain type of stress. And restaurants. Yep, since I've been with Dereck we go to a lot of restaurants. And I'm guessing numero ono is my computer! :mad: My fault, I sit my fanny in front of it way more than I should.

I really have no excuse to not exercise. I only work part-time now, so have plenty of opportunities to do something. I did purchase a dvd on beginning yoga. I thought that might be more up my alley than the aerobics I used to do back in my 30's. However, I only did a week with the yoga when I injured my foot so bad I could barely walk on it. That was in January... it is getting better, at least it doesn't hurt much anymore. Thing is, I used the injury as an excuse not to do anything more.

Oh.. rereading the above paragraph I should tell you that my foot injury wasn't from the yoga, but from wearing rubberboots 2 sizes too big for me (they're my daughters :p ) and working on a hillside for several hours carrying large branches that had fallen off the trees from a heavy snow we had. Pulled it bad, and it hurt like the dickens.

But Kat, and the rest of you girls have inspired me to get going. I can't believe I read this entire thread! That's how inspiring you all are. Thank you thank you...

Today, I'm going to work, but there is a treadmill over there that I am going to use when I'm done.

Oh, I weighed myself at my parent's yesterday. I did lose 4 lbs. Might be because I've been drinking one of those health shakes for the past few days.. ugh I hate soymilk, but I'm trying to make myself like it.

:ohyes: a "new" member to our self improvement thread!!

I'm so glad, Lynn, that you find this thread inspiring! Please do come back and post how things are going for you along the way. :w00t:

Well my google-eyed intentions to get a decent workout on the treadmill fell flat. Somebody broke it! I'm very upset. All these years it worked great, but now it will turn on but the treadmill won't move. Makes a funny straining sound.

If this rain lets up a bit I'll just take a walk down to the creek instead. It's downhill all the way, which is fine... coming back up is the clencher. :eek:

thats the ticket!! get moving!!!

and the yoga is excellent! how i started a long time ago...

I was in good shape when I was young, but after a couple of decades of being mostly sedentary and working at a desk, my weight had gone up considerably. Sometimes I would diet and lose some weight, but I would put most of it back on sooner or later.
Last year I decided that I really needed to lose some weight and keep it off. I started eating more reasonably and walking regularly. Unfortunately, after a few weeks of this, I was hit head-on in car accident. I came out of it okay all things considered, the worst injury being a dislocated shoulder. Given the pain level I had for several months after the accident, I didn't feel like eating much, so I was still slowly losing weight.
About two months ago, for some unknown reason, my food habits changed. I used to eat a lot of meat, and I tended to eat relatively large portions at meals. Suddenly, I didn't want meat with most meals, and I was eating much less than I ever ate. I eat a mostly vegetarian diet now, with some seafood and occasionally meat. Mostly fruit and vegetables though. Breakfast is usually a banana or apple, lunch is a salad, and dinner is something relatively light most of the time. I feel better than I have felt in at least 20 years, and I actually weigh a bit less than I did when I graduated from high school 31 years ago!
I hope my food tastes and appetite don't revert now, because losing weight this time was completely painless and in fact enjoyable. I'm finally back to being able to walk a bit now too, which is good.
I think my stomach must have shrunk back when I didn't feel like eating much. Also, I think eating was a reaction to stress, and now that I am separated and my divorce is almost final, I look forward to going home after work instead of dreading it!
I think the most important thing is to keep trying to reach your weight and fitness goals and don't get discouraged if it takes a while to find what works for you and succeed.
Jeff

I think the most important thing is to keep trying to reach your weight and fitness goals and don't get discouraged if it takes a while to find what works for you and succeed.
Jeff


Excellent advice Jeff!

After I injured my knee on March 17th (No, not due to any wild St. Patrick's Day partying going on here :tongue2: ), I definitely got off track with monitoring my Weight Watcher's daily flex points. But, I generally tried to continue to be aware of what I was eating.

There were a few times that I ate things I really shouldn't have... like the McDonald's Filet-o-Fish meal WITH fries :bgrin2: , and the ice cream sundae from Dairy Queen. :cool:

And, basically, since I last posted about some of the strengthening exercises, I had stopped even those.

Today was the final weigh in at work for the weight loss competition that started my whole change in my lifestyle. I figured that I surely had gained weight in the past 2 weeks since I last weighed in.

I got on the scale and had to laugh out loud when I discovered that I had lost over 4 lbs in the past two weeks! Just the idea of it has gotten me remotivated to resume tracking my points again.

And, since receiving a cortisone injection in my knee yesterday (ouch), my knee is starting to feel better. There's still some pain, so I am reluctant to do heavy exercising, but I am HOPING that I'll be able to get back into my routine again.

Anyway, I met my goal in the weight loss competition at work. I planned on losing 20 lbs over the 9 week plan. And I lost 20.6. Yay me!

I am staying focused on how easy this has all actually been for me and on how in about 8 more weeks, I hope to be down at least 15-20 more lbs.

GO ME!

[QUOTE=There were a few times that I ate things I really shouldn't have... like the McDonald's Filet-o-Fish meal [/QUOTE]

But, I thought fish was good for you...:p

I haven't read the entire thread, but plan on it...VERY encouraging...and Whiterose...you are a complete sweetie....you rock..

Thank you Zuzu. :) I'm glad you find it encouraging. The thread helps keep me focused, and I hope that the progress I am making will inspire others.

Speaking of others... there were quite a few who initially posted their stories on the thread a few weeks ago. Yoo hoo!! Where is everyone?

:yay: great!!!!!!!! job katrina!!!!!

as for me...i'm stil a non smoker, hitting the 3 month mark, which they say is the time most go back...and yup! have some hard moments!

weight is still the same...ARGH!!! ... but i'm resculpting here! do my weights, walk 4 miles, keep calories to around 1500.... its just a matter of time till the pounds do start to come off. but it can get discouraging!

My biggest problem is evening meals. I've got to stop eating as much as I do. It's so hard after a full day to finally get to sit down to dinner and here's all this good food and I want to eat it!!

But I've been active. Mowing the lawns, weeding, raking, cultivating, hope that counts. I'll be weighing myself today. I don't have my own scale yet so I have to do the weighing at other peoples homes.

OMG Kat! 20 pounds! That's awesome!

I have only dropped 2 pounds, but that's okay. Im not going to give up. I have 18 pounds to go. *sigh*

Going to alter my food intake further...not restrict my calories more but use the calories on healthier choices.

lynn..all those activities do count!!! and for all those good things to eat, allow yourself but just be aware of portion.

jo.. lets see who gets there first! 20 is my goal also.
did you add walking?
curious...what is your caloric intake?

Congratulations, Chris, on 3 months of non-smoking! That's awesome.

Lynn -- try making your heavier meals earlier in the day. They say to shore up your caloric intake earlier in the day. You'll be less likely to overeat at dinner. And, if you do get hungry after dinner, eat a healthy snack in the evening after dinner. Ex.'s popcorn (no butter), a couple of graham crackers with a little peanut butter, banana, 15-20 pretzel sticks, yogurt. And, yes, all those physical activities you mentioned do count.

Way to go Jody. Keep at it. You'll find what works best for you!

lynn..all those activities do count!!! and for all those good things to eat, allow yourself but just be aware of portion.

jo.. lets see who gets there first! 20 is my goal also.
did you add walking?
curious...what is your caloric intake?

I have no idea what my calorie intake is. How do I find out?

Congratulations, Chris, on 3 months of non-smoking! That's awesome.

Lynn -- try making your heavier meals earlier in the day. They say to shore up your caloric intake earlier in the day. You'll be less likely to overeat at dinner. And, if you do get hungry after dinner, eat a healthy snack in the evening after dinner. Ex.'s popcorn (no butter), a couple of graham crackers with a little peanut butter, banana, 15-20 pretzel sticks, yogurt. And, yes, all those physical activities you mentioned do count.

Way to go Jody. Keep at it. You'll find what works best for you!

Graham crackers too?! Yippee, I love those. Well last night I had a half of a hoagie sandwich instead of a whole one. When I got hungry later on I drank a big glass of water then just went to bed. 10 pm. Much earlier than normal for me.

And btw, congratulations on making your goal! I keep repeating to myself that I can do this toooooooo. :yes:

lynn...there are a lot of calorie counters on the net. i have a book that at times becomes my bible. plus on all packaging, it lists servings and calories. americans "super size" everything...who knew 16oz of pasta is umm 8!!!!!! servings!
i was SHOCKED when i started looking at calories, serving sizes...no wonder i was overweight! one pound of fat is 3000+ extra calories...i have some cutting to do! look into resting metabolism, your activity level, your age. find out what your caloric intake should be ...then happy dieting!
i was rather surprised too...one mile, burns 100 calories...come on! i thought that was a joke! i'm sweating my rear off for 100??? puts that candy bar at 200 calories into perspective!

katrina...thanks! at times now i have some strong urges... but i grab a grape instead

A good free tracker for calories and all kinds of things is www.fitday.com.

Chris, Im not sure of my exact calorie intake, but I'll keep track today and let you know. Im trying to the six small meals a day, which is practically killing me.

For breakfast I have a high fiber cereal, or an LA diet bar thing or a shake. Then around 10 a.m. I have a "snack", like an apple with peanut butter on it, or a piece of cheese-nothing big. Then I have lunch..usually a salad with some turkey and various veggies etc...then in the afternoon another snack, usually a cup of yogurt. At dinner I eat whatever I make my family, but try to cut my portion in half, and skip the really heinous stuff like baked potatoes with butter and sour cream..or fried stuff.

I have only been walking 2 miles a day, and Im shocked to learn Im only burning 200 calories. YIKES. :eek: Im not even burning off that diet bar breakfast! But, maybe we are building muscle too. I have skinny little no muscle legs.

I try to walk in the morning, as I have heard that helps raise your metabolism for the rest of the day. I haven't walked at all this week, its been raining all day every dang day! Im saddened!

You know, when I lived in the city (ages ago) I went to the gym and had a personal trainer. She was totally awesome..called me when I slacked off going and motivated me, etc. I think I need someone to follow behind me going "walk walk walk walk". LOL Anyhow, I really miss her now.

Funny thing, thinking back...I remember going in one day and telling her I needed to lose 6 more pounds. Well, first off she said it wasn't about weight, and then second she said "Honey, you only weigh 113 pounds." And I said "But I look better at 107." OMG, have things changed OR WHAT! Boy, 10 years go by and Im in a totally different universe weight wise. *sigh*

jo...you are building muscle! it may weigh more BUT it also burns more calories!
umbrella!! get out there and walk! *nag voice*

Try eating something high in protein first thing too... it also helps increase your metabolism.

Try eating something high in protein first thing too... it also helps increase your metabolism.

I agree with this. That's what I try to do. And I find that it helps me feel more full for longer than if I don't eat high protein in the morning.

I fry 1-2 small eggs in PAM with 1 slice of dry whole wheat toast. 1/2 cup of O.J. I find a breakfast like this lasts me much longer appetite wise than a bowl of oatmeal does.

Jody -- I don't know how you're doing it by substituting a meal with a food bar or shake. I know some can do it, but for me, they just don't fill me up.

Alright, I used the site that Marcy recommended (how cool Marcy, thanks!)..and I entered in everything I ate today, but I couldn't find a selection for the meal replacement bars, so I just called them 3 cookies so the calories would come out the same.

Anywho, according to that, I ate about 1400 calories today. This was a fairly good day, because I didn't eat any fast food. Im thinking restaurants are my serious downfall, and Im avoiding them at all costs.

Anyhow, is 1400 calories good? Too few, too many? Ideas?

Jellybean, I'm not sure that the ballet bar would be a good idea for you if you have bad knees because, from what I've seen, many of the exercises involve standing on one leg and bending the knee. Seems like a lot of stress. But I'm just guessing.

Anyone with knee pain - SIT! Pop in a video or crank up the stereo and do as much as you can with your arms and shoulders. If you can, use some handweights, if not, clap your hands over your head, in front of you, bend to the side, move your feet and/or lift your legs, etc. I will never forget one lady on Richard Simmons that weighed 700 pounds who said, "I couldn't stand, I couldn't lift my arms, but I put in the videos and clapped my hands. I did it everyday, and soon I was able to clap my hands over my head, and then I started moving my legs, and then one day, I stood up and clapped, and then one day, I moved my feet a little." If she can do it, we can do it! :yes:

Christina and Marcy thanks for the help. I registered at the site Marcy gave and am trying to learn how to do it. Looks like something I can do.

Okay that is a bit depressing to learn I'm only burning 100 calories a mile. I definitely need to get a treadmill for these days when the weather is windy, wet and cold which WA state has in abundance. I'm a sissy, I don't like being out in it if I can do otherwise.

Jo I agree with the restaurant thing. Before I met Dereck I weighed 124lbs, only went to restaurants like once every other month. Now it's 3 or 4 times a month. Obviously my body is telling me to STOP.

Even though it is snowing outside (Yes, snow on April 2nd) I'm excited because I'm going to pop in my yoga program and then get this house cleaned from a very busy weekend.

:)

I actually had someone ask me a week ago how much weight i've lost and I looked at them puzzled. I never really thought about it much.

Although I too am self conscious and for a while i've tried very hard to eat healthier, drink more water, and walk around more. I guess staying busy in my case reduced the chances of me sitting around eating stuff i really shouldn't and kept me active. As you can see my own weight has fluctuated quite a bit over the years...

I WISH I could be as thin as i was in 2003:
This was around when i first joined ageless...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/Altoclef02/paulsummer2003.jpg

Two years later i'm embarrassed to say that i had gained quite a bit of weight...this was nota fun year. I blame it on mexican food!

Spring of 2005
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/Altoclef02/paulspring2005.jpg

By Fall of 2005 was still quite heavy...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/Altoclef02/Paulfall2005.jpg

By Spring of 2006 started trying to eat healthier...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/Altoclef02/Paulspring206.jpg

By Fall 2006 I started to try to be more active in addition to laying off my beloved mexican food.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/Altoclef02/Paulfall2006.jpg

Even to this day it's a challenge...even though it's only about a 20-25 weight difference I'm content with the difference i see in the photos.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/Altoclef02/Paulspring2007.jpg

I actually had someone ask me a week ago how much weight i've lost and I looked at them puzzled. I never really thought about it much.

Quite honestly, I hate it when people do that. That happened to me yesterday. To me, it's the equivalent of asking a woman how old she is. That's just a big no no. I don't think it's appropriate for anyone to ask anyone else either (a) how much they have lost or (b) whether they are losing weight at all. That's the question that was posed to me yesterday by some skinny little woman that I don't really know very well. She said, "Are you losing weight?" I've italicized the word she placed emphasis on.

I was a little surprised and said, "ummmm, yeah."

And she said, "oh that's wonderful. You look so good."

Ok, I know that one of my intentions is to look good. However, my primary intention is to be more healthy. So, when people like that say things to me, it just reminds me that the world thinks of heavier people as unattractive. After all, she thinks I am looking better now that I'm losing, right? People don't realize the negative impact they can have on someone.

Now, I see it differently had someone that I consider a close friend had said the same thing because I might be more likely to think that they are concerned about my health.

I dunno .... I just wish that people who do NOT have weight problems would understand that while they think they are being helpful, they are in fact, hurting some of us by perpetuating the notion that we somehow don't look good enough.

even though it's only about a 20-25 weight difference I'm content with the difference i see in the photos.

I think that's the most important thing. We must find a way to be content with how we look, and place more emphasis on the health aspect -- despite other's well-meaning intentions.

....or when someone (in this case an aquaintance that I was never really that close to) sees you again after a couple years and says "Have you put on some weight?" :mad: How tactless! In front of others too. I would never ever say that to someone. It is obvious I gained weight but for someone to say it like that made me feel really self-conscious.

I think when someone says "are you losing weight" they mean it as a compliment. In my case though, I actually normally have not lost any weight, so even though it's not what they are saying in my mind I hear "you looked a lot fatter last time I saw you." LOL!

Gosh, my weight is coming off soooooo slowly. Im so bummed. Im watching my calorie intake, and I have been making sure I burn at least 500 more calories that I eat..but jiminy...it's only like a pound a week coming off..if that. Seems like I only have to mess up ONE day, and I have gained a pound.

Struggle, struggle struggle...I wonder if my stopping smoking is slowing me down some.

Mano! Good for you and the positive changes in your lifestyle.

I LOVE mexican food....

And by the way...hubba hubba! :yes: Your looking good!

Gosh, my weight is coming off soooooo slowly. Im so bummed. Im watching my calorie intake, and I have been making sure I burn at least 500 more calories that I eat..but jiminy...it's only like a pound a week coming off..if that. Seems like I only have to mess up ONE day, and I have gained a pound.




But, Jody, a pound a week is a GREAT weight loss. So, stop slamming yourself and pat yourself on your back.

Oh hey, another tip that seems to work for me.... I am a very visual person. It helps me to see my weight loss plotted out in a graph. The Weight Watchers site does that for me. And maybe fitday has that too. Dunno. But, you can use excel to create a linear graph that will show your progressive weight loss. Any weight loss is weight loss. So, do something good for yourself and graph it out so that you can see your results. Trust me, that 1lb/week looks pretty darned good on a graph.

Just be patient. :yes:

Quite honestly, I hate it when people do that. That happened to me yesterday. To me, it's the equivalent of asking a woman how old she is. That's just a big no no. I don't think it's appropriate for anyone to ask anyone else either (a) how much they have lost or (b) whether they are losing weight at all. That's the question that was posed to me yesterday by some skinny little woman that I don't really know very well. She said, "Are you losing weight?" I've italicized the word she placed emphasis on.

I was a little surprised and said, "ummmm, yeah."

And she said, "oh that's wonderful. You look so good."


Could've been worse. Every see someone ask a person about when their baby was due only to find out the person wasn't pregnant?

As for asking woman their age...I used to love asking woman their age as a kid just to see their reaction. I was just born a brat.:D

Mano! Good for you and the positive changes in your lifestyle.

I LOVE mexican food....

And by the way...hubba hubba! :yes: Your looking good!

Starbucks card is in the mail.;)

Could've been worse. Every see someone ask a person about when their baby was due only to find out the person wasn't pregnant?





Yup, that's actually happened to me a couple of times. Once, my neighbor who lived right across the street from me saw me hanging balloons on my mailbox for my son's 5th birthday party. And, she walked right up and asked me when me and my husband were expecting. :eek:

First of all, I was NOT pregnant, and my so-called "husband" was actually my brother who was living with me while recuperating from a brain hemorrage from a ruptured aneurysm. :jaw:

After I 'splained the truth to her, I don't think we ever spoke again. :tongue2:

I was just never the kind to assume anything, and I guess I expect others to know better, too.

Not trying to one-up on the ignorant things people can say buuuuuuut: I put my weight on VERY fast and when I walked into a 2nd Grade classroom to do my presentation - as a volunteer, I might add - the teacher exclaimed, "What the heck happened to you?????" And I said, "Excuse me?" And she said, "You got fat!!!" Not one word of exaggeration, I almost fell over.

So I turned around to the class and I said, "Good morning, my name is Ms. ___ and I'm here to talk to you about good mental health, self-responsibility, and being kind to others. We don't think of saying, "YOU GOT FAT!" as a kind thing to say to someone, and we're going to talk some more about that." And went on with my presentation! :p

Good one, Chatters! My ex-bf did the same thing to me after not having seen me for 15 years. He said, "what happened to you? you got fat?" I said, "yeah, and you got old." :tongue2:

Back to my journey...

I don't know how my weight loss has done the past week because the weight loss program is finished at work, and I don't have a scale at home. So, I'll be out buying a scale sometime in the next few days.

I've tried my best to stick with eating well, watching portions, but I admit, I am faltering on tracking my points like I should. I gotta get back on track with that because I know it is vital.

My knee is also much better now, so I hope to resume full exercise soon.

Well I've not been tracking anything this week like I originally planned. I felt so guilty after eating 3 slices of my birthday cake. Not all at once, but over the next 3 days.

But I weighed myself yesterday, fully expecting to see that either I didn't lose a single pound, or that I'd gained. I was shocked to see I lost 2 lbs! Whoa! I'll be double checking that though when I go over to my Mom's on Easter.

Oh yeah, I told Dereck he is NOT to give me an Easter basket this year. However, he's getting one. ;)

Lots of pages here! I tried to read it all from the start, but I confess to some skimming:p

I saw curves mentioned earlier. I don't know if you finally tried them, but Milady went there and loved it. She liked the fact that it was all ladies, and that the machines were designed with ladies in mind. She also said that the atmosphere was very friendly and encouraging.

Exercise is probably the single biggest thing that you can do to improve your physical well being. I maintain my own fitness through martial arts. I've been practicing kendo for some time. I used to do TKD in the eighties, but after years of not practicing, I'm starting fresh next month.

Daniel

The Rose Knight, I always wanted to do martial arts. I think it is beautiful as well as totally beneficial to the body and mind. The opportunity never seemed to arrive for me however, what with raising a family and being on a very tight budget for years.

Now, I wonder if at the age of 50 I might be taking some risks to start it up. Don't know if the body can handle such a rigid discipline.

On the weight loss note, I lost 2 lbs. Yippee for me!

Great job, Lynn!

You're never too old to start the martial arts. But before beginning martial arts or any sort of excercise, anyone over 35 should have a physical to make sure that there's no hidden issues that would be set off by increased physical excercise. That's the first part.

The second part is to figure out what you can actually do. If you have major knee or hip problems, a kick focused art is probably not the best idea. Tai Chi is fairly popular with people looking for a marial art but not wanting to get banged up too much. While you can get into sparring and such in Tai Chi, a good friend of mine (he's forty six) simply sticks with the forms and has received manifold health benefits, though part of that is due to changes in other areas of his life. Tai Chi has beautiful forms too. I practice Kumdo and hold the rank of first dan (black belt, first degree). It is a sword art, the forms are beautiful, but one can spar and compete into their eighties. It's much easier on the knees and hips than Tae Kwon Do or Kickboxing.

Another important thing is to shop dojangs (schools). You want an instructor who isn't going to expect you to be as flexible as a twenty year old and who is willing to listen to what you want from the class. Not everyone joins the class for the same reason. If you can find a decent instructor (they're fairly common, so that's good), martial arts can be a huge benefit and will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Once you start, it isn't a question of 'keeping up with the twenty-somethings' or being as fit as you were in your own twenties or thirties. It's about personal best. When I was twenty, I could kick higher than my head and do spin kicks and such. I am not flexible enough to kick higher than my head anymore (that may return, but if it doesn't, it doesn't). I'm forty, so I'm not going to try to be twenty. Be the best that you can be at your age.

The last thing I want to mention is that if you're getting regular excercise, the scale may fool you; if you're building muscle and toning up, you won't necesarilly get to your target weight; muscle weighs more than fat. But you'll look and feel fantastic, which is even better.

Daniel

good job lynn!!!
i think i have may have lost a couple too, but i fluctuate so much daily hard to tell. i'm finding it so much harder this time...damn menopause! has to be!

I have fallen off the wagon. :( I have felt so down about the problems with my knee that I am just not focusing right now like I should. Plus, I just returned from a business trip during which I hate several things I shouldn't have.

But, while I was away, I got a good look at myself in the full-sized mirror in my hotel room, and I am more determined to do something about my health in spite of my bad knee (actually knees -- now my left knee is bothering me. :rolleyes: )

This Saturday, I am going to scope out Curves to see if there is any sort of exercise equipment available there that I can do that has minimal impact on my knees. I've got to do something.

First things is that I have got to get back to tracking my points. I'm disappointed in myself for not being stronger during this issue with my knee. :(

But, a hearty congratulations to Lynn! And, a big thank you to Daniel for the info he has provided about martial arts.

Sorry to hear that your other knee is bugging you. Till your knees recover, stick to low impact upper body exercise, such as light weight arm exercises and sit-ups. I would also think that swimming would be a nice knee friendly exercise too. Aside from that, just keep on top of what you eat.

Big thing is, don't let the rough times get you down. I go through slumps in kumdo (I'm kind of in one now, and with a tournament two weeks away, I'm hoping it's done soon), but they go away and then I'm on top of the world. You'll get there! Just keep focused on where you want to be, not on the little day to day stuff.

Daniel

Disappointment can be a great motivator. Just don't beat yourself up. So you slipped..........your human and it is ok.
I am so sorry to hear that you knee (s) are hurting.....I know the feeling:(
Hang in there!
Blessings, TD

Awww Kat... don't beat yourself up! We have our good days and our bad, right? It is the summation of those days that counts. I'm having my problems too. Kinda too yucky to talk about here I think, so just suffice to say that I'm having to look hard at my diet and figure out how to change it. Our ideas are so ingrained aren't they? I have this notion that carbs are bad and I try to avoid them. My nutritionist says I can't fix my current problem without getting in carbs and fiber (at least 25 grams of fiber a day). I eat pretty much protien and very little else. I need to change the way I think about food and despite surgery... I suppose I really haven't changed the way I think about it. I would eat anything I wanted before and used it like a comfort. Now I am still using it as a comfort, but eating too little and still not the right things. I guess this doesn't make sense. I'm just not quite sure how to fix "me" on this matter and I am kinda counseling averse. I probably should consider it.

I am down 82 pounds, which is great, but I feel I should be doing better. My Nut thinks I'm slowing down my own loss with my current "problem" and by eating too little and being too protein focused. The information I get at Obesityhelp.com tells me that I should avoid Carbs and eat little with little mention of fiber... though truthfully lots of folks posting with my current "problem" too. Devon is not happy. He's concerned and wants my diet to improve... like yesterday. He is trying to be supportive, but I don't think he realizes what an emotional thing this all is and that it is hard to change your thinking. Well now that I re-read that... he is happy... I mean he is proud of my weightloss and tells me all the time that I'm looking great, but he's concerned.

I am still doing Curves, but have added strength training to my exercize program. We put up a bench in the basement and I'm lifting every other day. I really am enjoying it.

Hang in there Kat! We'll all make it!

I don't know if I have told this here on AL, but I'm going to have a breast reduction and in order to have that I have to lose at least what I have gained since I got married, I gained 45lbs in a year :eek: making me end up weighing almost 203lbs :hide: This was what I weighed when the doctor told me that I had to lose 48lbs to get the sugery. This was in the beginning of September 2006. The following months I lost 28lbs, but then Christmas came around and after that I kinda fell off the wagon and gained 17lbs.
I'm back on the wagon though and I have lost 10lbs again. :bgrin2:
Now my weight is: 182lbs.

The Rose Knight thank you so much for that information. I have a cousin who used to do karate, made it to a 10th degree black belt...well I asked him about some good instructors in our area. Said he'd get back to me on it, but he also said to stay away from instructors who focused on competition. That these schools oftentimes push their students too fast and far just to meet a certain level for competition. I thought that was good advice, what do you think?

Thanks for the cheers everybody. After a full day of lawn work yesterday maybe I worked off a few ounces more. I'd like to think I got something other than sore muscles out of it. :D

Kat I think I know a bit what you are saying. When I hurt my foot in January I could hardly walk and didn't feel I could do anything. It's frustrating. Perhaps you can find a light exercise to strengthen the knee? And let us know what you think of Curves!

Way to go Aina! And you know what's funny? Ten years ago I would say hand over some of your excess boobs to me, but now I'm glad I'm not so endowed. I hope you achieve your goal!

Your cousin is right on, Lynn. Unless competion is your goal, don't let an instructor put you on a fast track to tournaments.

Generally, the heavy emphasis on tournaments is (in my oppinion) a way for the instructor to continue to compete vicariously (sort of like the dad who used to play football but can't anymore, so he pushes and prods his son) or a way for the instructor to generate visibility and credibility for the school; tournament championships do enhance a school's reputation.

Bottom line is to make sure that your instructor knows why you're there and doesn't try to make you into something you're not. That is true for personal trainers and such at the gym too.

Daniel

katrina... *stopping the wagon, offering a hand* come on girl! we are all having problems here, so you are in the finest company!!!

marcy... knowing the problem( food/comfort/ bad stuff) one step closer to fixing it. i have the same issue also...i think we can all relate

Don't worry about the wagon, Kat; it's just a wagon, and there'll be another one along right behind it with helping hands to get you aboard! Just remember that it isn't the wagon that counts, but the destination. And you'll get there:) Never doubt for a minute, even if you take a side trip or two along the way.

Daniel

Aww, thanks, Daniel, Chris, Lynn, Marcy, and Tinydancer. Your words do help inspire me. :)

Good luck with your weight loss journey, Aina. And thank you for joining in this thread.

Marcy -- about carbs being "bad," I blame Atkins for that. It's just not true. You just have to be careful about the kinds of carbs you are eating and how much. Try eating your carbs and proteins together. I've always heard that is the best way for your body to make good use of the carbs.

You're in luck Marcy (and anyone else that is trying to increase fiber in their diet)! After seeing a PBS show on trying to get 35 to 45 grams of fiber a day (:eek: ) to prevent colon cancer, lose weight, and other benefits, I read every box/bottle I could find. My first surprise came when every fiber cereal I read had corn syrup ... not exactly a good thing ...and was very high in calories, but then I found "Fiber One" - no corn syrup, but it is made with Splenda (for those that don't like that), and only 60 calories per 1/4 cup serving. My second surprise came when I compared the fiber content of "Fiber One" to other high fiber cereals and to a myriad of fiber supplements: "Fiber One" has a whopping 14 grams of fiber!!!! The next highest content in another bran cereal was 5 grams and the supplements had only 2 to 4 grams.

Also, it tastes good. No, not CountChocula good, but much better than I thought it would taste.

Fiber One eh? I'll look into that. I am using Kashi Go Lean right now and adding fiber to it, but it comes with 10 grams per 1 cup serving already. I eat 1/2 cup a serving and add back in another 5 grams of fiber. ;)

I know I was going on about how much I like this author on another thread, but it's worth mentioning again here. Geneen Roth has written many wonderful books on food and its relationship to our emotional life. "When Food Is Love" is amazing, as is "Breaking Free From Compulsive Eating." Her approach is radical--and very scary at first--but it truly helped me break the diet yo-yo cycle and heal my relationship to food. My weight has been stable and healthy now for years, while many of my other family members still struggle with their weight & health. I cannot recommend her work highly enough for anyone who wants to work more on food/emotional issues. She also does workshops and has audio CD's, I think.

MRI of my knee shows that I have several tears in both my medial and lateral menisci (cartilage tears). Interestingly, the pain is 100% better this week. But, the doc says that if it becomes intolerable again, that he may do arthroscopic knee surgery.

So, for now, I'm still taking things very easy. Haven't managed to find the time to get to Curves to register.

Am still trying to watch what I eat, but I admit that I've been having desserts far too often lately. :o

I have fallen way off the wagon, but I know that I CAN and WILL get back on track!

hmmm...glad your knees are feeling better despite what the MRI says...

as for that wagon... i"ve "given up" for the moment. nothing is budging, despite weights and MILES of walking...so hell!!! bring on the cake! *for this week anyways* :)

I'm down 4 more lbs. :D

joelstrouble...:thumbsup_still:

Go Aina!!!!!!!!

Oh Kat..your poor knee! ((hugs))

Don't feel bad about falling off the wagon...I know you'll be right back up on there. The knee definitely put a kink in your plans. :(

Im having absolutely no luck at all...I am 3-5 pounds heavier than when I started. I got the treadmill yesterday. I tried walking on it at the highest speed, and my could not maintain my heart rate in a good range. It would go up to around 138 right when I started, but then back down into the 90s, and according to my son that is not maintaining it in a high enough range to really be effective. So, it looks like I will have to jog on the thing rather than walk, which I really don't want to do..but hey.

In the meantime..my s/o joined a gym a couple months back and has been working out 1-1/2 hours a day five days a week. He looks fabulous, not an ounce of visable fat on him (and he weighs 200 pounds). Im frustrated and jealous!

"""" Im having absolutely no luck at all...I am 3-5 pounds heavier than when I started. """""
oh god... after a chuckle... boy can i RELATE!!!! the damn wall is hurting my head from all the banging!! i have to get really REALLY serious about calories... but then i wonder if starving is worth it??? *sigh*

jo.. the s/o thing...we gotta remember, they love us exactly how we are. :yes: we won't tell them how close we are to murdering them...

May I have my pity party here?

I have tried and tried to loss weight and it just wasn't happening. One problem is that my Rheumatoid Arthritis is giving me a hard time. I can't stand without my feet and knees hurting really badly so I can't even exercise, my less do the dishes. :(

I am in bed most of the day and night. My right shoulder is pulled out of place and hurts constantly (torn rotator cuff).

I did loss some weight this past week because I was sick with a virus and couldn't eat anything. But now my appetite is coming back full force.

I hate that, at night when I put my head on my pillow, that I think that I have had a good or bad day based on what I ate.

There are some high powered meds that I can take for the Rheumatoid Arthritis but I nearly died 2 years ago when I had an infection and was on Remicade. So do I take the chance? My family says no. But my life is pretty bleak right now. :paperbag:

I have psoriatic arthritis, which is a cousin to rheumatoid, so I can relate. Arthritis has always affected my ability to remain active. If I'm not in pain, I am extremely fatigued.

Have you ever been on methotrexate? My rheumatologist wants me to take it, but I don't want to take such a dangerous medication unless absolutely necessary. So, I've been back on plaquenil again for the past 3 months and I can't see that it's doing anything for me. And it scares me too, because of the potential retinal damage it can cause.

So, I can relate completely to what you mean. It gets so old, doesn't it?

Oh, by the way. I am finally back on track with tracking my weight watchers flex points. And, my rt knee is so much better that I am going to resume some light calisthenics this weekend. I haven't had time to go by Curves to check them out, but it's still on my to do list.

I'm a little worried about this Saturday, which is Ky Derby here. Mom has invited me over and lord knows what good food she is cooking. I know one thing we are having is mock mint juleps. I'd have the real thing except I'd be the only one who could drink them. Mom is a sober alcholic and my daughter is 13. So, we'll do a mock drink. And, I've got to figure out how to calculate my points for that. What I fear most that day is derby pie. There's no way I can resist that.

WR, as for Derby Day, save all your 35 bonus pts for that day!

YR, have you ever done any work with Louise Hay? If you've never read "You Can Heal Your Life" I recommend you pick up a copy.

I had CFS many years ago due to having to get an MMR at age 40 (to work in the hospital.) I had a very bad reaction, and was down for the count. I couldn't work for a year I was so sick, and I was a single mom with no one to support me. Those were not good times, but through Louise's work, a diet of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables and tincture of time, I recovered. I still have bad days here and there, but nothing like it used to be.

kat...what i was going to recommend also to YR... louise hays...that book changed my life!
YR, i hope you read it and it helps. i can't imagine your chronic pain. *light hug*

WR ~

I just came across a wonderful little Japanese proverb, so simple and hopeful, I'm adding it to my signature line below...

xo Faith


Japanese proverb ~ Nana korobi ya oki... Fall down seven times, stand up eight

Have you ever been on methotrexate?Oh, yes, I have given myself injections for years. It is not as dangerous as the TNF blockers so I may go back on that. Trouble is that it is very fatiguing and I already have that.

Louise Hay? If you've never read "You Can Heal Your Life" I Oh, yes the book has tattered edges. :)

I believe that miracles happen and that some sickness is for miracles and some are to teach us something. Some are just what they are. Having had this disease since 1995 I have been through everything in dealing with it.

I was so ti