rosabella2012

Libby: Sure hope the new meds help. Being is constant pain really pulls a person down.

Terri: Congrats on reaching a new low! Wish I was as far along my journey as you are but if I keep at it, I know I'll be there one day.

Annette: Are you diabetic? If so, it's not uncommon at all for blood sugars to begin to rise around 5 pm and 5 am for some folks. Don't know exactly why other than maybe it has to do with body rythms. Old folks thought it has something with the moon and tides believe it or not!

rainbow24

I was diagnosed at the same time as the heart attack, but I haven't been given a lot of information on it. One photocopied pamphlet and an order for an A1C test every three months. That test is actually hidden in amongst a whole bunch of kidney and liver function tests to do with my heart meds.

Side note: I have now tossed three pairs of work pants that are too big.

beccafries

Hi Ladies, I'm still around...been soooo busy this week with work...have not had time to check on ya and check in..

I been doing good this week..very proud of myself...

How is everybody... Debbie I see you are starting off very excited!

taubele

Debbie: Hey - you're doing awesome and don't give yourself a reason to think you haven't worked hard! I think it's pretty easy to game that system over there (how would they know if you're not actually holding a small weight when you're taking your picture? How can they prove they were taken within a few seconds of each other?) and the fact that you didn't means that it's all the more worthwhile!!! Thanks for the kudos. It was a bad week but I feel like I got over it and Aunt Flo now; it was really two weeks of recovery, but that's okay. The numbers are moving in the right direction and that's the #1 goal!

Annette: Hahahaha! I love your pants story! That's FANTASTIC! I honestly sometimes think fitting back into smaller clothes/no longer fitting into larger ones is more satisfying than seeing the numbers on the scale drop (though that helps, too ) because it's just always this unexpected marker of change! Great job on getting rid of those big clothes!

My Dad was diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago and commonly has that blood sugar rise/fall cycle like you do - sorry you haven't been given more information on it! Maybe you should ask your doctor about it? See if it's anything to be concerned about?

Vicki: You will get there one day! I'm just about 40 lbs. down now from my biggest weight (~215) and there have been bumps along the way - my lowest weight was in the 150s so I did some re-gaining from there, but I'm very glad I caught it before I was that big again! I have so many reasons to get healthy and so do you - your own progress is super-inspiring, keep at it!

Becca: Can't wait to hear more about your great week!

As for me:

Trying on pants yesterday morning was nice - I have a few pairs that I fit into 15 lbs. ago (when I was around 160) but that are now too tight. I couldn't even button them properly at 185 without really sucking in uncomfortably, and I had a terrible mushroom top and they looked like they were about to bust over the butt. I tried them on yesterday morning just for kicks and while they're still too tight (especially across the butt), they're better, and I can see in another 10-15 lbs. potentially wearing them again! One pair I may get rid of due to a very odd stain that's running down one back leg - it looks like a bleach stain (i.e., it has the general shape and pattern of what I associate with a bleach stain), except it didn't bleach the pants and in fact made them darker -- but it's definitely not anything ON the pants and seems to be a discoloration of the fabric. Very weird.

I didn't get as much work done as I wanted to yesterday. DH has to work until 8:00 today, so I may stay at work late too and bang some things out. I have a lot I want to get done today, such as that poster introduction, I need to grade some quizzes, I also need to write a test study guide and get more of those papers read. Blergh. Lots of "little" tasks that take a couple of hours each.

That's okay, though! I lost another 1/2 lb. this morning (175.8!) and am close to my next mini-goal! I need to think about what my 'prize' will be. I still haven't bought my sports bra from my last mini-goal, haha.

I didn't exercise yesterday. Blergh. I need to get back in that habit soon. I'm losing steadily without exercising, which isn't helping my motivation -- but it's DETERMINATION and not motivation that gets it done!


Goals for this Week:
1) Log everything; cals under 1500 daily M: 1,350 T: 1,344 W: 927 (oops? I feel like I ate more than this, but this is what the log says)
2) Water 64 oz.+ M: yes T: yes W: yes
3) Protein 20% of daily cals or more M: 27% T: 18% W: 27%
4) Exercise 3x
5) Dinner is not the biggest meal of the day (or close) M: no T: yes, lunch was W: dinner was, but since my cals were so tiny, I don't feel badly about this
6) Every day, write down one non-scale victory! M: Took the stairs all day at work! T: I have a pair of dress pants that are still wearable for me, but have been noticeably tight. They are still tight, but I can feel myself fitting fully back into them very slowly. It's not such a struggle to wear the right shirt to draw away from their pulling over my lower tummy. W: I was able to put on a couple pairs of pants I haven't been able to button in awhile! They're still too tight, but I could zipper/button them without struggle. Another 10-15 lbs. and I can wear them again!

Work Goals:
1) Advanced W's DONE this week W: I got a chunk of these done
2) Intro Done this week (ideally by Tuesday)
3) Catch-up Grade entering Finished on Monday
4) Job apps by Wednesday T: Got halfway through them, which was agreed upon by the group for today. W: These need to be finished by next Wednesday so we can rank candidates - weekend project!

~Terri

rainbow24

My focus at the moment is on the next pile of branches in my back yard. I can do it. According to FitDay Activities list, I not only burned the branches of a whole tree, I burned over 1000 calories. That is at least 3 times more than walking for that same length of time.
I had sore muscles last night but after a night of rest I only have a bruised hand from using the branch clippers.

Health Goals for the week:

1. Keep evening meals on track with the divided plate method Mon - good, Tues - no, Wed - good
2. Drink 2.2-2.7 liters water Mon - yes, Tues - no, Wed - yes, Thurs - already poured my water
3. Walk every weekday Mon, Tues Wed, Thurs, Decided to skip and spend a longer day burning
4. Exercise on weekends

Other Goals: (it is ok if I don't finish these, but I want to make a big dent in them)

1. Burn three piles of brush - Wed, prepping for Thurs
2. Mow lawn - 1/4 of back yard Wed
3. Edit chapters 5-28
4. Make 26 scrapbooks - 5 partly done, need to buy stickers

rosabella2012

Debbie: Thanks for reminding us to take notice of the beauty in the small things around us! Change isn't easy but if we want something different, we have to DO something different. To me, that one principle is part of the beauty of life.

Terri: Congratulations on getting so much work done--you are a 'Busy Bee'!

Annette: Sounds like a shopping trip is in your near future! Awesome!

As for me, last night I tried a new recipe, but then, I'm ALWAYS trying new recipes--I LOVE to cook! It was baked tomatoes. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze out seeds but not the pulp. Brush tomato outside with a little olive oil. In a small bowl, mix together oregano, basil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, parmesan cheese, and flaxseed meal. Use this mixture to top tomato halves. Put in a pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 mins or until crumbs are golden. That's it--no salt at all and very little oil. It's a great way to use late summer tomatoes!

I don't have a garden and have no 'green thumb', but we belong to a Community-supported Agriculture group. Every week we each get a box of produce--it has such things as peppers, green onions, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, apples, eggplant, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, limes--whatever is harvested on the day we pick-up. It's always wonderful and has encouraged us to eat more vegtables and I know that's better for our health.

For so long, when I cooked I had to do all my prepwork sitting down, because it hurt too much to stand. Yesterday, I was able to do all my prepwork and cleanup standing up! Folks, that's one more victory for me! Vicki

taubele

Debbie: Hooray for the motivational quotes! I always love seeing them

The bet hasn't really done anything for me either, but I think that's because we're both intrinsically motivated (to give it a psychological term). Those who are extrinsically motivated - meaning that they're motivated by others, or the world around them, or some external force - are going to be more likely to benefit with something like the bet. Whn you're intrinsically (internally) motivated by your own goals, your own program, your own reasons and don't have a specific external thing motivating you, stuff like that doesn't work. I'm looking forward to the final weigh-in, probably giving you my money unless a miracle happens ( ) and then being done with it. But it doesn't hurt to try!

By the by, being internally motivated has been shown, psychologically, to be better in the long run for lifestyle changes. Externally motivated people may lose weight or make changes faster (becase they're trying to 'keep up' with something) but those changes are less likely to stick or finish strong. Internally motivated people may move more slowly or have more bumps in the road, but the changes usually stick. It's like the tortoise and the hare!

One of the reasons I enjoy this group is because no one is really competing with each other. Debbie's goals aren't my goals, and Annette's goals aren't Vickie's goals. We're all doing what we need to do for ourselves and rooting each other on. Go us!

Annette: A thousand cals?! I'm gonna go look for some branches to burn!!! Nice!

Vickie: Those baked tomatoes sound yummy! We need more veggies in this house. DH is picky and so I just tend to buy a few old reliables I know he'll eat and use them a lot, but I really should be trying new things with new veggies like you are doing. Congrats on getting your prep work done standing! That's awesome!!

As for me:

Oh guys, I had a terrible food day yesterday and the numbers speak for themselves. Oops. There was take-out involved is all I'm sayin. I was fully expecting to be up this morning due to sodium or whatever, but the scale god was unnaturally kind to me and I actually showed a tick down. Pssssht. I will take it and run, but I know I behaved badly. Hopefully I have a chance to recover today and make sure that the scale stays moving in the right direction. I DID do a small workout, and maybe that saved me? Haha.

Lots to do at work today/this weekend. I didn't get those quizzes graded that I needed to do yesterday. I was honestly pretty zonked - my brain is tired. But I need to try to push through it today and grade those bad boys, and then over the weekend get the W's and the job stuff done. That will have me in a good place for Monday, which is the last week before Fall Break (I can't tell you how excited I am to get a fall break! This is the first college I've worked at that has one!).

Happy Friday everyone!!

Goals for this Week:
1) Log everything; cals under 1500 daily M: 1,350 T: 1,344 W: 927 (oops? I feel like I ate more than this, but this is what the log says) Th: 1,936
2) Water 64 oz.+ M: yes T: yes W: yes Th: yes
3) Protein 20% of daily cals or more M: 27% T: 18% W: 27% Th: 18%
4) Exercise 3x F: 20 minutes DVD. It's something at least.
5) Dinner is not the biggest meal of the day (or close) M: no T: yes, lunch was W: dinner was, but since my cals were so tiny, I don't feel badly about this Th: Nope!
6) Every day, write down one non-scale victory! M: Took the stairs all day at work! T: I have a pair of dress pants that are still wearable for me, but have been noticeably tight. They are still tight, but I can feel myself fitting fully back into them very slowly. It's not such a struggle to wear the right shirt to draw away from their pulling over my lower tummy. W: I was able to put on a couple pairs of pants I haven't been able to button in awhile! They're still too tight, but I could zipper/button them without struggle. Another 10-15 lbs. and I can wear them again! Th: At least I did a workout! Haha.

Work Goals:
1) Advanced W's DONE this week W: I got a chunk of these done
2) Intro Done this week (ideally by Tuesday)
3) Catch-up Grade entering Finished on Monday
4) Job apps by Wednesday T: Got halfway through them, which was agreed upon by the group for today. W: These need to be finished by next Wednesday so we can rank candidates - weekend project!

~Terri

JediMindTricks

I may have had a breakthrough. Time will tell. Something just seemed to click in my head last night. The light switch may not have fully come on, but something turned up the dimmer switch a bit.

I had my first Atkins/milk late last night for the first time in a long time. So tasty, and helped curb my cravings. I don't know why I got away from those. I need to make it a regular habit again. Also, I found a way to get myself to eat a healthy breakfast more regularly too. I love oatmeal, but I hate getting everything out each morning, the measuring cups and spoons, putting everything away again, etc. Last week I put the oats, stevia, brown sugar, raisins and cinnamon premeasured into snack baggies. Now all I have to do is grab a bag and put a cup of milk in it. It took all of about 20 minutes, and has been so worth the effort.

Sorry I have been so irregular. It's just that when I'm feeling so negative, I don't want to keep bringing that here.

Debbie, I'm so glad that you are finding reasons to smile again and that this realization is so profound for you.

Vicki, I'm envious. I would love to have an agriculture group like you do. I too love to try new recipes all the time. I take great pride in the fact that my family is always so eager for dinner and very rarely disappointed. It's one of my best talents. Down side is, I really love to eat what I make too. lol having an agriculture group like that where you don't really know what you're going to get sounds fun, and I think it would be a challenge to see how you can use each thing creatively or deliciously each week. Produce is always a challenge for me. Congratulations on your victory of standing! That's so wonderful!

Terri, congrats on that 1/2 lb and getting closer to fitting in your previous clothes. Have any thoughts on your prize?

Annette, burning 1000 calories is a major accomplishment! That's amazing!!!

rainbow24

Happy Thanksgiving back at you, Debbie. I'm not doing a turkey this year. I don't think I did last year either.

Vicki, that's a great victory. I know I had one the other night when I realized that I had made it standing for a full 40 minutes with our kids group. I could never do that before.

Fall Break, how exciting is that, Terri? You will have to do something just for you.

Janai, I thought of your little baggies last night and considered it. I went looking for my raisins, which I have to buy smaller expensive packages for me due to a "may contain" label. Someone ate them since the last time I made cinnamon oatmeal. I have several other flavours that I use for variety.
I have one unopened package of raisins which I will use as soon as I open it. I'll stop in town and buy the family a cheap bag.

I had a stressful day yesterday. I couldn't get my fire going. But I still spent 2 hours working in the yard, mowing and stacking wood. Not quite 1000 calories, but still a good work session. Arm and shoulder muscles are hurting today.

Today I have piano lessons, then I will come back here and try again in the backyard.

I mentioned on the weigh-in thread that my scale is acting up. I don't want to buy a new one, but if this keeps up, I can't weigh properly. I might add that I have forgotten to take my measurements for two weeks in a row, there is still that method, but it doesn't show the results as evenly.
I threw two shirts into the too big pile. I may still use then as over shirts for working outside in the winter, but I can't wear them on their own.

Health Goals for the week:

1. Keep evening meals on track with the divided plate method Mon -& Wed good, Tues & Thurs - no
2. Drink 2.2-2.7 liters water Mon - yes, Tues - no, Wed - yes, Thurs - yes, Fri - I have to open my water stash because my husband drained the filtration tank.
3. Walk every weekday Mon, Tues Burning as the alternative Wed, Thurs
4. Exercise on weekends - I may be completely worn out by the weekend. Sore muscles.

Other Goals: (it is ok if I don't finish these, but I want to make a big dent in them)

1. Burn three piles of brush - Wed, prepping for Friday
2. Mow lawn - up to 2/3 of back yard Thursday
3. Edit chapters 5-28
4. Make 26 scrapbooks - 5 partly done, need to buy stickers

rosabella2012

For those of you who like tortillas, I found some at my local Wal-mart with 9 gms fiber, 14 gms total carbs, and 5 gms protein in each one. They had 3 flavors: spinach, tomato and whole wheat. These are very thin, soft and pliable. They are a nice size and also taste VERY good compared to some others I have tried! My husband isn't usually fond of healthy foods, but he's ok with this one!

Getting the box of produce each week is like opening a present at Christmas! We enjoy learning about the veggies' nutrition and how to use them in recipes we adapt to our taste preferences. It's been great!

We're getting ready to attend a wedding this weekend; so, I'll be out of town for at least tomorrow. I know nothing about the foods that will be served at the reception, so I'm taking me a nutritional bar and flavored water with me, maybe even a shake. Even if there's nothing I can eat, I might get hungry but I really won't starve to death! Vicki