I'm very excited to be able to come into the thread and say that I truly, 100%, joined a gym and I *HAVE* started working out! Saturday, Monday and yesterday I worked out and have three training sessions with a personal trainer to help me get started. She is so thoughtful, helpful and just a great support all around ...... her name is Heather and she's pretty cool, I can't even begin to say how I think she's awesome. I've been doing treadmill and weights, started at 25 lb weights and am upto 40 now ~ not bad huh? When I was weighed last summer I was 374 lbs, but then I weighed myself on saturday I was ............. 354 lbs! I'm pretty excited about all of the changes that I've been making lately and I cant wait for more :-)

I had a censable lunch at 1:30pm at 4:00pm I was feelin a bit light headed but as we have dinner somewhere areound 5:30,I flat refused to eat anything till dinner.I felt even worse cause I didnt eat,so it took a while to perk back up.This is the part where I prolly need to eat to keep my shugar up but with dinner being so early I really try not to munch,its a two edged soward to keep balance with being dibetic....some days I do some days I dont.Lunch was a cold bake sweet tater,and some veggies with a fue black olives,should have been enough.

You have to start somewhere...
 

Back in 2006 I lost 100 pounds... counted every calorie - every single one I could think of and basically remained faithful to eating as few "starches" as possible thus giving me more that I could eat throughout the day for the same amount of calories.

Somewhere along the line I decided I didn't need to count - I could gauge it well enough. And here we are 6 years later and I've gained 70 pounds of it back... Or I had as of Jan 3rd.

Both Gillian and I decided enough was enough. We simply can't be left to our own devices when it comes to eating. We have to log and count our food - or we go apeshit. So we started logging our food again on Jan 3rd with the goal of 1200 cal a day - as few starches as possible... drinking plenty of water (min 64oz pure water a day) etc etc...


And as of this morning I'm down 11 pounds and Gillian is down 13!!

At the start our sodium levels were around 3500mg a day and we've gotten them down to between 2000 and 2500 a day... started taking vitamins and supplements...

It always amazes me how much better I feel when I eat right, I honestly feel better. No guilt - no distended stomach - skin is better - moods are more stable... the list goes on and on... and yet I will throw all of that away if unchecked.


hmmmm

I'm feeling frustrated this week! I ate two things I know I shouldn't have and I have not been moving my body. If I have a gain this week... I'm gonna die! Well, not really die but you know what I mean. I am getting off my butt and walking today in between jobs. I also am gonna be on track 100% till my weigh in Sunday.

Here's to a good rest of the week!

:-D

Sometimes your body just needs more. Maybe try to eat a high protien snack like some peanut butter, or nuts to help you get through to dinner. I sometimes eat 2oz of greek yogurt to get me past my "im getting hungry too early". You are doing awesome tho! Keep up the good work. I love reading your posts!

:-D

Thanks,I hope I can pass on some ideas to others who are takeint this trip of getting healthy,its not easy nor is is something that happends over night.I remembr the days I could just go to 500 calories a day and 40 carbs then lose like crazy,I gess I could still do that but I also doubt it would be the right way to be healthy plus balance out my shugar levals.Im fixing to do a mediun work out then have some lunch,im supose to play pool tonight on my league team and shure dont want to be too sore to play.Lunch to day will be a can of progresso potroast soup 180 calories for the whole can and 20 carbs,so far with lunch and breakfast I will have had 40 total carbs and 289 calories no to bad so far.Dinner will be steak and baked potato(sm)with a salad to hole me over till I get home,but I will take some pistashio nuts to snack on while im out.

I hit the elliptical for 15 minutes last night again. 2 days in a row is a big deal for me. I usually only work out 3 times a week. My goal is to work out 5 times this week for a minimum of 15 minutes each.

Today's menu:

Breakfast:
Smoothie with chocolate almond milk, banana, ice, greek yogurt, and 1 tbs of natural peanut butter = 8 ww points

Snack:
Spicy V8 = 1 ww point
5 reduced fat triscuits and 1 Tillamook cheese snack = 4 ww points

Lunch:
Lean Cuisine Cannelloni = 6 ww points
1/2 cup mashed sweet potato = 3 ww points
grapes = 0 ww points

Afternoon snack:
honeycrisp apple = 0 ww points

Dinner:
Baked chicken breast = 5 ww points (Im eating a big portion!0
steamed veggies = 0 points
glass of wine = 4 ww points

Late night snack:
double chocolate pudding cup = 2 ww points

I get 42 points a day based on my weight. Today I will have a total of 33 points. I have found that I need to eat at LEAST 30 points a day or I wont lose weight so I try to stick as close to 35 as possible. 42 Points is a lot unless you are having a couple of large dinners or a chinese buffet :)

I am about to explode here at work. Several issues happening: database crashes, people bugging the piss out of me because they won't help themselves, people expecting me to research shit they have access to themselves, and people waiting until the last minute to get their data to me and then being all pissy when I tell them they need to redrop it to our FTP site because they didn't use the right encryption key.

So this is where I would normally go to the vending machine and get a candy bar.

Instead, me and The Princess are heading over to Sonic and getting a Route 44 drink. She gets Diet Coke, I get unsweet tea with a bunch of lemon!

VICTORY!

Hi Medusa
 

I am on a strict diet for this month. I am doing a parasite cleanse and have to be off carbs and sugars, no flour etc. I will have to check into WW, but, nearly everything you have listed are high on the glycemic index and I can't have them. Strange how all the diets go by different things, but if we get results, it doesn't matter. Good for you on the ecliptical. I have heard that is the best machine yet. Best of luck to you!! I hope to be in a ball gown at the Reunion. Just need to figure out Ebay lol

Fever
Look at Davids Bridal shop or a place like it,they have ball gowns/prom dresses on sale after the prom season.When I went the bash I went shoping with a femme friend of mine for hers,to store after store.Then I went tux shoping,most places that rent tuxes will sell them as thay go out of season with all accsessories for $125.00 or so..hear they do any how.

Hello healthies :)

I'm cleaning off my desk and purging filing cabinets this afternoon...something I've been wanting and needing to do for ages.

It got me thinking about how "stuff" accumulates....and also about how small changes and small, consistent effort adds up.

And then....a lightbulb moment....when I found my lab results from February 2006 (yea, I know....like I said I've been meaning to clean it out for a long time).....
So here's what small, consistent changes over years do.....in six years....

Blood sugar....was 298....now 103

A1c......was 8.3%.....now 5.9%

Triglycerides.....was 369.....now 126

HDL....the good cholesterol....was 40.....now 72

When I was first diagnosed, my doctor said I had the "fatal four".....high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high triglycerides....and was essentially a heart attack looking for a time and place to happen.

Today, after many years of progressive, small changes.....not even close. :rrose:

epiliticals
 

Yes,they are a wicked bitch from hell,I can use any machine in the gym I went to but the epilitical was one that spazzed my left leg from the small of my back to the bottom of my calf.I did manages to work up to four minits on it without totaly stoping then I had to give it up.One of these days im gonna be able to do it with out pain,I hope.

Way to go,congrats.

Hey Jo!

You reminded me of something I took from my WW meeting yesterday.

Our leader talked about the "clutter" in our lives and how getting organized and decluttering can really help spur weight loss. She passed around a photo of her before starting the program.
I think she said she weighed about 400 lbs in the photo. She was standing in the middle of her kitchen in the photo and you could tell that there was complete chaos going on around her.

She talked a lot about how decluttering helped her busy herself instead of sitting in front of the television and how it reduced her stress, which in turn reduced her desire to eat because of the stress.

It really rang true for me. My office used to be really chaotic (ask June who saw it in it's tornado state last year) and I always had a feeling of dread about going in there and found my mind wandering to it several times a week. It was pretty symbolic of my spiritual house as well. Everything else in my life was neat and clean but there was that one room that was completely neglected and embarrassing.

My office is my utopia now. I designed it myself and it is pristine and organized and I am no longer embarrassed for people to see that part of my house. Much like my weight loss process, having finally started to address it I am not feeling the apprehension around it anymore. It feels more accessible because I have started "cleaning it up".

Your results sound amazing! (and very inspiring!)

Congrats!!

Zimmeh

Good Evening Everyone,

I went to the dr today to get my thyroid checked. After six vials of blood, I will know in a few days what my results are :)

Zimmeh

I start back at work on the 1st of Feb and I am nervous my duty belt will not fit. I know since the surgery and rehab I have put on 30 pounds. I need to take it off my knees are yelling at me and yes cortozone shots take the edge off but for me I need to be in shape for my job and my family I want to be sure I am around to see Abby grow and I want to spend many years with Desd so now is the time before the wedding to be the best I can be for them and yes for me. Started the Biggest loser challenge game for the Wii and so far so good I guess the first step is the hardest

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/...5559484090.jpg

Please remember we are all so much more than the number on our scales...

WW
 

Joined weight watchers for the I don't know how many time:seeingstars:
BUT I am determined to do this. I think that my fat feeds a negativity that I want to let go of. This protective shield is not protecting me from anything. I made it through the first day despite some stress that would have sent me to a binge-- So on to day 2!
Would love to hear from anyone who does WW.
Thamca :chocolate:

great job. Baby steps add up!

I have found for me to lose weight - I react well to praise / constructive criticism. The program that works the best for me is http://www.myfooddiary.com. It costs 9 or 10 bucks a month but to me it's very worth it.

over 75,000 foods in their database.. they track sat and trans fats, calcium, a, c,... etc. and at the end of the day you get smiley faces or frowns depending on your levels of that particular nutrient. This encourages you to not only aim for the calorie count - but to do it in a healthy manner so as to reach the smilies for sat fats, sodium, iron, water... etc.

Works for me - but we're all built differently.

This morning - 12 pounds down total.

So nice to have new people join the thread....welcome! :)

Minor victory this morning....Rooster had no school, so it would have been easy to set the alarm for 7:30 and just get up for work.

Instead, I set it for 6:45 and headed off to Curves.

I'm finding that if I get it done first thing in the morning, it doesn't get swallowed up by the activities of the day....I don't make excuses....and I feel good about that one thing even if the rest of the day goes to hell in the proverbial handbasket.

Official weigh in tomorrow, but today's sneak peek showed that more movement has nudged me off that plateau. :cheesy:

Hello everybody!

Moxie, I did the same weight loss challenge at a previous job and won like $200. I like a good challenge and its even better when you meet that challenge. I loved pizza, tortillas, bread, soda and knew if I was gonna win I had to cut all that out. So I did, also sweets and carbs. That challenge right there was what started me on a healthy journey seeing results and knowing it worked to just eat healthy and make wise choices.

Thanks Miss Scarlett, starry, And others who have posted great recipes for us to try! I appreciate that.

I stepped on the scale and lost 3 lbs since last week. I have a few lbs I still want to shed. I had lost quite a bit before I moved across country and gained some back over the months but i'm ready to get back on track. I'll be moving in with roomies this weekend and look forward to cooking healthy together and using the complex fitness center.

Weekend challenge:
Everytime you walk, step it up and make it a brisk walk!
Share a healthy snack with us?

While grocery shopping the other day I bought some snack bars. One is a strawberry cereal bar that is 90 calories, the other oats & chocolate high fiber bar. I also love apples! These are great for on the run, quick snack or breakfast.

Great choices everybody and inspiration. THANKS and keep it up!

Hey all!

I hit the elliptical again last night. 15 minutes at high intensity. I was sweating hard!

I'm doing short bursts of exercise right now because I am trying to get into the habit of it rather than feeling like it's a chore. I have noticed that last night I started to feel kinda jittery around 8pm which is my normal workout time so I'm hoping that means my body is getting into the routine.

Feeling good!

Today's Menu:

Breakfast:
spicy v8
Fiber 1 bar
cheese wedge

Midmorning snack:
grapefruit

Lunch:
Lunch with the girls at a place known for gourmet salads.
I'm going to do a salad loaded with greens and grilled chicken and all the veggies. Planning for a vinaigrette dressing.

Late afternoon snack:
5 reduced fat Triscuits
1 Laughing Cow wedge

Dinner:
steamed veggies
1/2 c mashed sweet potato
1 hard boiled egg

Next week, Im going to shop and purposely get some different stuff at the supermarket. I've been eating several of the same foods over and over for the last month and know that I'll get food boredom.

Planning on doing some tuna salad next week and maybe makng some breakfast sandwiches at home to bring to work. :)

I have been on track for the rest of the week! It feels good :-) Hoping I can make it through the weekend and lose on my weigh in on Sunday. I haven't been feeling well, so I might skip out on being social this weekend which will help!! (no drinking, haha). I am going to a work meeting at Sizzler tomorrow. I have never been to a Sizzler, but I know I can find something!

Here's to a good weekend!!

:-)

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Since my appetite has gone whacky, I have been keeping Kind bars in my purse. Today is my bro's wedding, so my diet is off today!

Have a great day and keep up the good work!

Zimmeh

down to 17% body fat.

must be 15% or lower by feb. 3rd

new goal is to be 7% by my competition date 4-30-12.

Just asking....but...is a level that low even safe?

I was looking up guidelines on body fat percentage (for myself....cuz mine is pretty shocking) and found this article. Not sure how scientific or correct it is....but it's saying that a level of 12% is pretty much essential for health for females.

It just sounds really low....

It is pretty low....and it's pretty unhealthy, however most body builders/ fitness show people don't maintain that low a number for a long period of time. Generally a few weeks for competition. Then, they pig out! haha....not really healthy. But, when I can get there, I'll likely do it, too!





As for me, I had to take a break from the public for a few days after that hate mail drama. But, I'm back! I'm so happy with my life!!!

http://mynewdefinition.wordpress.com...py-whats-that/

***you are only that low for one day... then you go back up to a regular 12%. but your body cannot take lots of food, due to such a strict diet. but they do celebrate afterwards ;)

I like to stress, since we have a lot of new folks participating now, that the title and theme of this thread is "Healthy Weight Loss". Welcome to this wonderful thread that Jo started!

I personally appreciate everyone that works so hard to that healthy end and provide such support and feedback to all of us on that path.

Kudos to all!

Btw, I gained a pound this AM. Have no idea why but tomorrow AM
is another day to weigh:)

What matters to me, is that sustained weight loss and that I maintain lean muscle tissue while doing so.

(f)