Accountability and Motivational Thread - June 16 - 22
 

Hi Everyone,

I know some had a successful week, but I believe many more would like to see the week end early! So I propose an early beginning to Monday!!!

There really is no reason to wait. Start this minute, to commit to doing the best we can for the next 7 days.

I'm in.

Anyone else want to start a new week early?

I'm making tacos (with my homemade taco seasoning - salt free) on whole wheat tortillas made with extra lean ground beef and tons of veggies!

Healthy, nutritious, delicious, and filling!

Hi and thanks for starting us off early Bea. I want to make this a good week too.

I'm with you, Bea and Libby. No time like the present to get going on a good week.

I've been very happy for the most part with my nutrition. I've been exercising 34 minutes/day 4-5x/week, and I'm frustrated that I'm not seeing any lbs or inches going away. I had been losing so well but these past 2 months or so have not shown great results. Any ideas on what I need to do to change that? Do I need to workout harder or longer? Or more often? I'm averaging about 1450cal/day which should be about a 800cal deficit/day not including the exercise I've been doing. I know I've harped on this, but I am seriously at a loss as to what to do.

I'm not giving up or giving in. I'm going to keep at it. It just sure would be nice to see some results for my efforts.

I'm supposed to start phase 2 of Slim in 6, Ramp It Up, but I'm really dreading the 55minute workout. If I were an exercise junkie I could see how I would be rearing to go with this tough long workout. But it's not a habit for me yet, and I really have to work at it. I am very hopeful that this week will show some good results. I'll listen to anyone's suggestions.

I'm trying something new for dinner tonight. Roasted veggies (eggplant, red, orange and yellow bell peppers, red onion, garlic) mixed with orzo, green onions, pine nuts, feta and basil with a lemon and oil dressing. I wonder, instead of putting oil in the pan to roast the vegetables, AND oil in the dressing, could I just mix the lemon with the oil in the first step and roast the vegetables in the lemon dressing? It would be nice to cut out half the oil. Also, it says to serve at room temp. I think it would be good hot...what do you think? Doesn't this sound good??

Let's make it a strong week everyone! I'm rooting for you!

I'm in for a good week for all. Lets eat healthy - move our butts - and enjoy June as it speeds by. This week I want to lose another 2 pounds.

Goals:
1) stop the insanity! no more binge eating
2) walk/gym 3x min this week
3) 6 glasses water
4) stretch daily
5) meditate
6) practice Spanish daily
7) WORK comes first (have been slacking)
8) keep gratitude journal
9) talk less/listen more
10) weigh myself only on Friday
11) toss out 3 papers or 3 items

Jenai, are you drinking enough water? Would maybe going up to only 40-45 minutes be less intimidating? We all reach plateaus, hang in there. Also a suggestion: maybe roast the veg with oil (and garlic if you like) and dress with lemon and the rest when it's done. It sounds yummy! What time is dinner lol?

Mary, I can't believe it's mid June already.

Bea, thanks for starting us.

Good morning lovely ladies! I'm ready for a productive week! I do have ground to make up (again!!).....PMS + Tex-Mex restaurant = serious water retention!! I'm up on the scale this morning to what I weighed in January. No excuses...I've lost focus too many times so it's my own doing that I ended up here. However, I'm committed and determined to shed the water weight and get the scale moving in the right direction again. I know that I don't lose weight if I don't exercise intensly on nearly a daily basis. So even though I'm still having shoulder/neck issues, I'm going to do what I can this week to get in the activity that my body so desperately needs! My laundry room project is nearly finished. I love the flooring!!! It's looking so good!! We just need to finish up the baseboards throughout the week and my new washer and dryer will be here Saturday. Over a month without a washer and dryer!!! :rolleyes:

http://k-fittpt.com.au/wp-content/up...jpg-large.jpeg

Bea - Thanks for starting us off this week! How did your tacos turn out? Please share your homemade taco salt-free seasoning recipe!

Libby - Glad to see you posting more often buddy ;) Let's make this a great week!

Jenai - You're determination is infectous! The dinner you have planned sounds yummy and I think it would be good hot or cold! If it turns out to be a keeper, you have to share the recipe! As far as reducing the oil, you could just spray your veggies with a little olive oiv and season them before roasting, then add the oil and lemon juice dressing at the end. Alternatively, you could half the oil in both parts of the recipe. It really sounds like you're doing everything right...keeping your calories in check and exercising. The only thing I can think that has the scale stalling is possibly the types of calories you're consuming? However, without knowing exactly what you're eating everyday, I'm just guessing at this. Try having a look at what you're consuming and see if there are things you can change. 100 calories worth of cake vs. 100 calories worth of apples is the same amount of calories, but not the same amount of nutrition.

Mary - I'm all for movin' my butt this week! LOL!

Hope - I'm all for stoppin' the insanity!! Once my washer and dryer arrive the insanity of hand washing clothes for a family of 4 will cease!! :cool:

Terri - Hope you're enjoying the time with your family!

Wishing everyone a success filled week!

All the recipes sound so good. On Friday I didn't have any meat to cook so I boiled up some Quinoa and added onion, orange pepper, cherry tomatoes.
celery, shredded carrot, romaine lettuce and salad dressing. I boiled up a bunch of eggs and that was our meal. The guys loved it. I am going to plan one meatless dinner every week. It saves money and calories. Lets make it a good week.

Hello everyone! I am nervous but excited to continue my week. We're going to be visiting with my parents, my husband's parents, and also taking a small trip to Chicago over the next 2 weeks. I've talked to my husband about wanting to keep up with exercise and he says he will help and support me on this. We shall see....Today I did 1hour weightlifting class and increased my weights (I should have done this weeks ago,but I've been a bit of a wimp). It felt good and I was able to keep up with the other ppl in the class with some effort. Also am continuing on with my Ab Challenge. I'm on Day 15 and will do that later tonight. It's getting pretty rough, but I'm sticking with it.

Goals:
1. 4-5 meals per day
2. 4-5 glasses water per day
3. Continue Ab Challenge
4. Eat in moderation and small portions

Aimee - Enjoy the time with your parents! Awesome job on increasing the resistance! I can't wait until I'm feeling better so we can cheer each other on with our workouts!

Terri - I think I may have confused you and Aimee....are you out of town with school stuff....or are you visiting your parents too? :confused: LOL!

Tonight, my daughter told me that I look like I have a baby in my belly! :( I swear this is what started me trying to lose weight in the first place. She's only 6...she just speaks from the heart....I feel so down right now! :o

Goals:
1) stop the insanity! no more binge eating- started in with chips after dinner but stopped myself.
2) walk/gym 3x min this week - longer walk than usual
3) 6 glasses water - y
4) stretch daily -y
5) meditate -y
6) practice Spanish daily- si un poco
7) WORK comes first (have been slacking)- yes
8) keep gratitude journal - yes
9) talk less/listen more - yes
10) weigh myself only on Friday - yes
11) toss out 3 papers or 3 items - yes

My DD was about 3 when my friend's son asked me if I was having another baby. Not exactly an ego booster! Hang in there; you will lose the "baby" weight. In fact, you are doing it!!! Keep fighting the good fight.

We gotta teach these kids they don't always have to say what they think lol!!!!

Thanks for having my back Hope! :o

Debbie & Hope- my DS has asked me why am I fat? It's hard to deal with such honesty from kids. They don't mean to be spiteful, just stating their own reality (which is greatly influenced by the perfect bodies they see in tv and magazines). Try not to judge yourself on those stereotypes. ((hugs)) I know it's hard to hear though..Really I do.

Debbie, we are here to support each other. You guys do this for me all the time. Through thick and thin as they say!

So I gave in and weighed myself this morning. Compulsion? Curiosity? I guess I wanted to know. It is, as I suspected, up so I might go back to food planning or logging for a bit.

I'm sooooo with you Hope....I too need to do some serious food planning!

Thanks for the virtual hug Aimee...I needed that! ;)

Hi ladies. I'm still here, just having a busy week (birthday sat) so I won't post goals just going to eat healthy and make sure I get plenty of water in. Gonna be a hot week here.
Jenn

¿Cómo va todo? Me gusta objetivo no 9, sólo puedo imaginar que sugirió que una. Espero volver pronto, todo está tan agitado, aunque sé que es un paisito excusa, es la única que tengo.

Hola Miguel!!! Bienvenido!!! Objectivo 9 fue idea mia. No mas excusas, hijo. Como esta? Y tu esposa y las "chillens"?

Welcome back Mike!

Hey everybody -

Just a quick check in! Sorry I was MIA, I have not been feeling well and dealing with rolling headaches the last two days. I'm leaving at 6:00am tomorrow to go visit family for a week and a half, so I won't be around this week or next, but I will be thinking of you guys every day and try to check in!

It's going to be fairly impossible to log, but I have two simple goals when at home:

1) Eat clean (this means no processed food, no junk, smart choices, try to limit the treats - most of my family is obese and loves the treats)
2) Exercise as much as possible. My parents have a family membership to the Y, so I should be able to hit the gym at least a few times while I am home! Even if it's just on the elliptical, it'll be way better than doing nothing.

Love!

~Terri

Thanks but I wouldn't quite say that I'm back. ;)

Hope, would you like to make some easy goals for me?

Sure, Mike!!!
1) 8 glasses of water
2) 2 days of exercise
3) 2 RAKs

How's that? I went easy on ya cause you're starting late.

Ingredients:
6 teaspoons chili powder
5 teaspoons paprika
4 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dehydrated minced onion
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Optional
I also put in about 1/2 teaspoon of hot chili flakes. I like a little kick

(All the seasonings are standard no name packets I buy, nothing outlandishly expensive)

I put all ingredients in a plastic jar with a screw on lid, close the lid and shake the snot out of it :)

To use:

Cook the meat first, in the last few minutes I add about 1/2 cup frozen corn.
Drain, if it is especially greasy, I will also rinse it.

For a pound of meat I add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning and 1/4 - 1/2 cup of water. Put it back on the heat and let the seasoning thicken/soak in/ and reduce. It will only take a few minutes.

I use whole wheat tortillas as taco shells, cause I hate the mess AND I can add more veggies to the taco.

I was used to your typical, Old El Paso type seasoning mix. My first impression of this was, wow! I can really taste the real flavours here. The lack of salt was secondary.

I have just reread this... I need to put in a disclaimer! I am used to giving cooking instructions to a generally disinterested teen, so lay them out pretty granular. I am not trying to insult anybody's cooking skills!

On a side note - and only those who have been extremely obese will understand this one - I am going to see Maleficent at the movies tonight! I will be ok, in an aisle seat on the outside. This is a victory for me! There have been many places I have wanted to go that I couldn't.

I really want to see this movie, I dunno why, but there is something intriguing about the character, and I am a bit more intrigued by the darker side than the happily ever after sap lol. I hope it is as good as I hope it is :)

Hi Bea. Lately when DH and I go to a movie we eat supper just before we go.
That way we can buy our tickets and stay out of the snack isle. It saves money and calories. I want to see that movie too. I will make that my reward if I lose weight on Friday. Enjoy the movie.
Group hug to you Debbie. I have been in the same situation.
Terri we will miss you.
I weighed myself this morning and no change since Friday. Have I caught the plateau big? I guess it is too soon to tell.

I won't be snacking... it amazes me, the culture that seems to suggest, one cannot sustain 1.5 - 2 hours without eating, or one that suggests, every trip out MUST be associated with food. The concession stand at the theatre is CRAZY expensive, and I don't even like popcorn! The rest of the stuff holds no appeal to me. I'm thinking a repeat taco night before we go. My daughter has been informed, the movie is on me, but I will not be supplying treats lol

Terri, I hope you feel better. Hope to hear for you soon.

Bea, that recipe looks great and I for one appreciate the explicit instructions (I must be a teenager at heart lol.) Thank you also for making me think about what people have to face and what they cannot enjoy (going to movies). So glad you could go. Let me know how the movie was. I also have to break the movie snack habit. I always eat popcorn and often something with sugar, which I rarely eat and always feel crappy after. I have gone to movies just to give myself permission to eat this crap I wouldn't otherwise eat. How does eating this help my enjoyment of the movie?

Mike, did I go too easy on ya? I didn't even mention diet lol... No fried chicken!!!! No Blizzards!!!

Goals:
1) stop the insanity! no more binge eating- started in with chips after dinner but stopped myself. ate too much dinner and a late night "snack" I could have and should have lived without.
2) walk/gym 3x min this week - longer walk than usual, no, too hot and muggy to walk, and didn't go to gym
3) 6 glasses water - y, ?
4) stretch daily -y, y
5) meditate -y, y
6) practice Spanish daily- si un poco, si y con Miguel jajaja
7) WORK comes first (have been slacking)- yes, YES gave up a play date with friend to work
8) keep gratitude journal - yes, yes
9) talk less/listen more - yes, yes
10) weigh myself only on Friday - yes, no tooo curious
11) toss out 3 papers or 3 items - yes, yes
12) no dairy, especially cheese - N, N

What is up with this appetite? You'd think I'd eat less in warm weather but I always eat more. Eating is out of control. Help me, Obi-wan!!!

I wanted to delete a few goals to make it more manageable but I added one. Cheese is a bad food for me and I can't seem to resist it but resist it I must.

And I am gaining weight.

Would that be 8oz glasses?

Good morning everyone!

I'm the newbie here (thanks to Debbie for turning me on to this thread). I'll do my very best to post as often as I can but working 10 hour work days this summer is killing me!!

Again, thanks to Debbie for helping me to get started on my weight loss. Looking to get rid of 20-25 pounds of ugly tummy and hips...just started Monday...and have planned my week. Been cooking low fat (even though it's hard with a hubby who can eat ANYTHING and not gain one freaken' ounce!) but I'm getting pretty good at portion control too! Now instead of sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of ice cream watching some detective program, I peddle my exercise bike and watch a good movie on my IPod. The time goes by so fast. I cannot exercise EVERY SINGLE day but I am going for at least 3 times a week to start.And the days I ride my bike, I will also hula hoop while watching TV. And I LOVE to hula hoop!!

I'm keeping a journal, and in the very front I've written my short term and long term goals. On each page for each day I write what I've eaten for each meal/snack and what workout I complete that evening. The very last thing I do before I go to bed is write what I call "Praise myself for the day" note: Example:. On Monday one of my co-workers had donuts and later that morning, birthday cake to celebrate her birthday. I did not have any..but just ate my hard boiled egg and string cheese at my desk and wished her a happy birthday. It was hard but that is how I praised myself for that day. That little tidbit really helps when I see that I was good!! I find something I've done every day to feel good about myself and keep me motivated! It's only my third day but so far, so good....AND..........I've lost 1/2 pound since Monday...baby steps....loving it!!

Hope everyone has a great day ....thanks to Debbie again for all her help and inspiration just when I was about to give up! Going to be a GREAT summer with a new two piece!! lol :)

Welcome Laney!! Glad to see you posting here! I may have helped give you nudge, but it's all you lady!! You're the one planning your meals, doing the workouts and putting in the work!! I can tell you're proud of your accomplishments this week...as you should be! :D Glad to hear you're putting your journal to good use too! You're off to a strong start!

Hope - Funny thing...well not so funny I guess...I find it easier to lose weight in the colder months too and always end up gaining in the summer months! What's up with that!!!

Bea - thanks for posting the recipe!! I'll have to give it a try!

Libby - hope you haven't caught the plateau bug! ;)

Mike - Glad to see you posting even if it means are aren't really back! ;)

Terri - Sorry to hear you've been unwell! Hope you enjoy the time with your family!

As for me, dealing with cramps today (Sorry Mike!!) so I feel like craaaaaap! I took my daughter for an eye appointment this morning that should have only taken 30 minutes, but they ended up having to put drops in her eyes, wait for her pupils to dilate, re-examine her then it was off to have new lenses put in her frames....so 30 minutes turned into 4 hours!! I didn't plan for this so had no snack with me which meant we ate junk. Now I'm scrambling to get back on track. I'm off to the chiropractor again this evening trying to deal with my shoulder issue. On the bright side, only 3 more days until I have a washer/dryer again!!! Who would have thought would be this excited to do laundry! LOL!!

Have an awesome day all!

Yessir.

Debbie, I think it's cause I'm more social and more active.

Goals:
1) stop the insanity! no more binge eating- started in with chips after dinner but stopped myself. ate too much dinner and a late night "snack" I could have and should have lived without.YES
2) walk/gym 3x min this week - longer walk than usual, no, too hot and muggy to walk, and didn't go to gym YES GYM
3) 6 glasses water - y, ? YES
4) stretch daily -y, y, YES
5) meditate -y, y, no
6) practice Spanish daily- si un poco, si y con Miguel jajaja, no
7) WORK comes first (have been slacking)- yes, YES gave up a play date with friend to work, ummm but I did work
8) keep gratitude journal - yes, yes, yes
9) talk less/listen more - yes, yes, yes
10) weigh myself only on Friday - yes, no tooo curious, no
11) toss out 3 papers or 3 items - yes, yes, yes
12) no dairy, especially cheese - N, N Y

I'm sorry I can't take the time right now to send everyone a message. My back popped out this morning when I was just standing there doing nothing. I felt a pop and then it felt like my whole right side there just slid downward. It's hard to describe, but it was something I've never felt before. I can barely move, and it keeps seizing up. I swear it's worth than labor. It is excruciatingly painful. I'm lucky that I hoard leftover hydrocodone any time I get a prescription. I've been taking them and it's slightly taking the edge off. But I've got to get off here and try to get back in bed.

Hi all! :) 2 more days until Saturday and I'll have a washer and dryer again! Over a month without them...it's been a lot of extra work so I can't wait until I have this luxury again! I've got my food planned out for the day and I'm trying some new recipes. I was sooooo bored of the stuff I was eating, so I'm trying to change it up to remotivate myself. If I find any good recipes, I'll be sure to share.

Have an awesome day everyone!

You are too funny. I'll give you a little history. For a couple years this motivational thread was in the woman's section. I was the ONLY guy there for the longest time. I heard about it all. At first they would apologize then they quickly realized that nothing they say could offend me. In fact, quite often they would turn to me for advice... like I'm some damn Ann Landers LOL. I guess me "hanging around" all the women here prompted me to push the ladies into doing mammograms as I became the "guy's voice" for breast cancer awareness. I'd challenge them to get their checkups and many of them did. I believe one of our members found something but caught it early enough. THEN...... I did the walk for the cure. I was recruited by a team that was merely needing another member. I was given a small amount as a goal. So I got busy raising money. Mostly from the wonderful ladies here. Lets just say I surpassed my goal 10 fold. I offered to wear pink (and make a YouTube video wearing a pink shirt) if I reached a certain amount. The ladies knowing that I DON'T WEAR PINK generously gave. Then I upped it and said if I raised x amount I would wear a skirt AND shave my legs:eek:. Fortunately for me, I didn't hit that goal. I did however make my video, wearing pink and thanked all my ladies.
So yeah... don't worry about the "girl talk".

I'm sure some of the "old timers" here will remember that and vouch that I was a good sport... even though I was humiliated in pink. :o

Mike, don't you know that real men wear pink? Wear it with pride.

I'm comfortable enough in my masculinity to not have to wear pink to prove that I'm a real man. ;) I'm more of a green type of guy. Not a pale green... a many green. :D