7 Day Motivational Thread Starting 7-15-2013
 

Good morning everyone.

I intend to do my best this week on food, water, and exercise.

Goals same as always and I'll post them tonight or tomorrow with my Monday report.

Good Morning Mern!

We started threads at the same time... oops! :o

I feel really motivated this week. I'm feeling great, my strength is doing amazingly well and I'm ready to keep pushing. It's suppose to be in the mid-90's today so my slave driver/coach/husband pulled me out of bed at 7:30 this morning and told me to get my walk in before it got too hot and I had an excuse. :) I'm glad he did though... it's absolutely gorgeous this morning... the very best part of the day! 1.5 miles in today... check! :D

Goals for this week are a little vague, but it's hard to tell what they should be...:confused:

1. Increase walking distance every other day as tolerated working toward 4 mile goal.

2. Eat only nutrient-rich, healthy food. No bakery, soda, deep fried, fast food... nothing. (Hard because well-meaning friends and neighbors keep dropping off incredibly delicious food and baked goods. Gotta love my chef buddies... they are the best!)

3. Do something each day that I couldn't do the day before.

Quinn, great minds think alike. :p I like your START FRESH addition, though.

Great to read that you're strength is doing amazingly well. I love your simple but aimed-straight-at-improvement goals.

UGH, it's supposed to be in the 90s here all week. I'll be exercising in the air conditioning in my living room.

Terri Taubele, wishing you great happiness as you celebrate today.

http://www.wishyoucard.com/assets/ca...quet/Terri.jpg

calories under 1,100:
exercise 7k:
water 8 glasses:

I need a FRESH START and these are my goals for the week. My weight was up from last week 179 from 178.4 so I want to lose that plus more this week.
My plan is to exercise every day and to drink a green smoothie for breakfast every morning. Lets all have a great week.

The green smoothie turned out to be a green chunky. yuk. I am going to eat my vegies instead of drink them. As for the exercise, it's too hot. I'll do what I can.

Mike, can you fix my misspelling of the word Starting in the title of this thread?

Quinn, we should have gone with your opening. You can spell! LOL


I have these other special days we're celebrating this month in our group. Anyone else have a birthday, anniversary or other special occasion for which we can congratulate you?

Quinn--birthday July 19
Hope and her DH-- wedding anniversary July 25 (31st in 2013?)
Pam (RunBikeSki) who posts to us sometimes-- birthday July 28

Quinn you are doing so well!

My goals will be simple this week as it is too hot to do much--40 celcius with humidity ALL week. We have a/c but I think it's working at full capacity today!

GOALS
1. Keep to carb limit
2. Drink at least 6 glasses of water--probably should do more!!
3. 4 servings of fruits/veggies
4. Work on some writing
5. Clean kitchen

Jenn

Good Monday everyone.

I have no goals yet. Other than to stay cool lol. The heat bothers me a lot (MS) and so I really need to just listen to my body's needs. I pushed myself on the weekend (on-going struggle) and was cranky.

Went for a noon hour swim. It was cooling. Nice.

Libby good luck with the green smoothies. Very nutritious. I saw a 3 day watermelon fast. Tempting haha.

Geez, it has been so long since I last posted. Had some unscheduled things happen two weeks ago (nothing bad, just extremely time consuming), then last week I was embarrassed 'cause I hadn't posted the week before :D. Today, I figured it was time to put on my big girl pants and jump back in. So here I am!

Didn't do too badly food-wise over the past two weeks, but sort of slacked on the activity side. I need to get back to the physicals. Doing physical stuff is not "natural" for me -- I have to make myself do things. I'd much rather be on the computer. I guess you could say I'm whatever the opposite of hyper-active is.

Building habits is HARD (and making myself do physical stuff consistently will have to be building a habit for me) and it is sooooooo easy to let things slide. It's amazing (and rather disheartening) how much I did NOT miss doing physical stuff!

So, I hope you all had a couple of fabulous weeks! Good to see you, Mern -- thanks for starting the thread! I'll try to get some goals posted tomorrow, with a report on how today went.

So, last week was totally bust.Not only did I fail to meet any of my goals, I also backslid.

*Sigh*

Goals to be posted when I get home tonight.

Okay, here I am!

I had a fun time camping this weekend. Although, there's nothing like a couple nights of sleeping on the ground to make you appreciate civilization.

I ran 6 miles yesterday, my current record! I was overall pleased with my performance. Tried out a new trail that will work for longer runs - I think it will be a good addition to my repertoire. I'm super excited because a really good friend of mine will be here the latter half of this week, and I haven't seen her in two years! I'm going to take her to all my favorite haunts, so my calorie deficits my suffer a little bit. Oh well.

Goals:
1.) Be reasonable on calories
2.) Drink water
3.) Exercise -
M: Gym
T: Run 5 miles
W: off (driving to Baltimore)
Th: Run 4 miles
F: maybe Gym, maybe off (depends what friend wants to do)
S: Run 6 miles
Su: off
4.) Finish this paper and send it to collaborators by Friday!!!!

The servers where my work lives are down today, makes it difficult to get work done :( and I was hoping to be so productive today! I should still be able to get the paper finished, if I can convince my friend to spend some hours at the coffee shop with me. She's a grad student, too, so I'm sure that won't be too difficult to do.

Good morning all.

Goals:

1. log food every day
2. keep calories between 1400-1600
3. exercise on my lunch hour at least twice

Ended last week with a 2.5lb loss so the high/low/low trick worked once again in helping me elude the evil boomerang pound.

I have to be extra careful this week as next week is my birthday so I know lemon pie is lurking on the horizon.

Mike, thanks for fixing my spelling error. :)

Jenn, wonderful simple goals!

Robin, you are so wise to listen to your body's needs. I did not know that heat generates more discomfort and suffering for MS patients. It's my morbid obesity that causes me to feel like I'm melting in the heat. It makes me sick to my stomach. Wishing you coolness and comfort! Big hug to ya!

Episode, great to see you, too. :) No need to be embarrassed about not posting for a while. I hadn't posted for months and I was welcomed back with open arms--AS ARE YOU. I have to make myself move, too. Like you, I'd much rather spend my free time on the computer. I'll make myself exercise 5 days this week. How about you?

Claire, chin up--every day is a fresh start. Many of us struggle with committment to a healthy and active lifestyle. Together we can do this. :)

Joanna, kudos on your exercise and admirable goals! Have a great time with your friend! Best wishes on getting your paper done. I do not envy your sleeping on the ground! I'd like camping if I could put wheels on my house and move it to a campground. Adventurous, aren't I? LOL

Mel-Mc, congrats on your loss. I used to ask my Mom for a lemon meringue pie for my birthday. What day in July is it? I sent you a PM, but you can tell me your birthday here so everyone will know and we can send you good wishes on your special day.

I can't take credit for it. Another mod fixed it, I'm assuming VabeachgirlNYC fixed it.

Thanks! I've been feeling a bit down about it.

So, last week was totally bust.Not only did I fail to meet any of my goals, I also backslid.
CLAIRE: I hope that you are feeling better today. Last week was not a good week for me either but today is a new start. We can do this.

calories under 1,100:M-903
exercise 7k: 1k,
water 8 glasses:Y,

Today was the beginning of what should be a good week.

Hi Mern. Lemon pie has been my birthday cake for many years. My birthday is the 26th and my grandfather's was the 31st so my grandmother always made a pie for us to share halfway between the two dates.

Monday update:

1. log food every day M=Y
2. keep calories between 1400-1600 M=1500
3. exercise on my lunch hour at least twice = none yet

Right now exercise is the last thing on my mind. Its just too hot.

I am using my cell phone to post, so I will post goals and comments when I am home. I had a four pound weight loss last week but stress at work is over shadowing happiness. I used to eat in response of stress, so I am searcing for other methods. I feel so down and my mind fears weight will quit shedding and go in reverse. I know, crazy thoughts huh.

My food and water are going well so far today. Verdict not in on the exercise. :rolleyes:


VabeachgirlNYC or whoever fixed my typo the title of this thread, thanks. :)

Claire, Libby, and Mel-Mc, I'm fighting to make myself exercise. I think after I catch up here I'll make myself exercise before I'm allowed back on the computer--but in my air conditioned living room. UGH--I don't want to but I'll do it. I have a wedding to attend Friday--you'd think that would be motivation enough to lose a pound...

Libby, nice Monday report! :)

Mel-Mc, what a nice story about you and your grandfather sharing the birthday lemon pie. :) Pretty cool grandma, too.

Renewed Soul, kudos on your wonderful loss last week! :) Wishing you freedom from stress at work. Big hug to ya!

Thank you Mern. I needed that hug. Hugs back at you.

Newbie Starting Yesterday, Motivational Goals
 

Hello :D
I am a 61 year old lady suffering with chronic pain and migraines as well as other health challenges. I have started eating guten free last week to see if it will help and also to loose weight. I am 5'6 and weigh 200. I did loose 5 pounds last week since starting gf (gluten free) and I am also limiting sugar. So for this week I just want to continue gluten free and stay under my calorie count (2000) per day for now. I think journaling and hanging out in the boards will give me a good boost.

Marce Hall
Cottonwood, Arizona

Epixi, yeah you are back........I have missed you and your entertainment (and support). Get off that computer and get to a class haha.

Mern, it is so nice how you always take the time to respond to all the posts. I feel a bit mothered (yes mothered not smothered lol) by that thanks and stay with us ok?

To all you backsliders out there, did you back slide everyday? I bet not. I bet some days were fine. Figure out what went wrong on the bad days and come up with a plan, eh?

Over the months I have participated on this forum, what I have seen hurt people the most is their own self pity.....that seems to be what leads to giving up. Remember "I can but I don't want to"- it's a good slogan.

Welcome Marce, and good luck. Sounds like you are ready to do this!

Glad to see you back episode! Welcome to the forum and good luck with your goals Mrs. Marce. :)

Week goals:

1. Research five different ways to relieve stress
2. Log in all food intake
3. Stay under 1,200 calories a day
4. Walk 5 out of the 7 days this week

1. Meditation (guided or breath awareness)
2. Stretch
3. Journal
4. Be grateful
5. Understand that everything changes

Five More ways to relieve stress:

1. Think Positively
2. Identify your stress triggers
3. Practice relaxation
   
4. Get a massage
5. Get enough sleep

+ 1: Learn to laugh about it!

I couldn't agree more... right on. I have had very few episodes of self-pity during the last month. As a matter of fact, just the opposite. I'm so completely grateful for the benign outcome, that my lingering post-op issues pale in comparison.

I guess I'm ready to talk a little more about my experience now... it was a nightmare. One day, I'm physically fit, at my ideal weight and busy with family obligations. Within 48 hours, I was having emergency surgery far from home with a large (2 1/4"), possibly malignant, mass lodged near my spine.

For someone like me, who has been heavily into hiking, backpacking, climbing, snowshoeing etc. my entire life, I suddenly found myself at a cancer center with my name at the top of the chart and a matching band on my wrist while countless others were being called in around me for their next chemo treatment.

I can't tell you how grateful I am to have had this experience. I was lucky, but I watched as so many young, old, children, moms, dads, grandparents, male and female patients were not receiving the benign report that I did. God, I see their faces every single night when I fall asleep.

She said in a tone not to be intended to sound preachy, take good care of your body. Get to your ideal weight. Stay there. Watch what you put in and on your body. Get regular physicals... no excuses. Exercise. Always be patient and kind with strangers because you never know what their life's journey involves. And, most importantly, be happy, be grateful and be your best... always.

quinn :)

On a lighter note, and practicing what I preach, I completed 3 miles today in two 1.5 mile walks. So happy with this. Ok, so it's not my usual 4 mile hike, but I'm getting closer... :)

My weight is down this morning so I adjusted yesterdays gain to a loss. I weighed in at 178.1. What a great fresh start to the week. :D

GOALS
1. Keep to carb limit yes
2. Drink at least 6 glasses of water--probably should do more!! yes, pretty easy to do in this heat!!
3. 4 servings of fruits/veggies yes
4. Work on some writing
5. Clean kitchen (working on it)

Jenn

Boo! Up a pound today. :mad: Even knowing that it is probably nothing but heat bloat from this awful weather and the salty pretzels I chose for a snack yesterday evening I still choose to sulk about it. (stomps feet, kicks the scale, glares).

There. Now that my inner princess got that out it's back to careful food choices and exercise. :p

Joanna:
yey for trails!

Mern:
LOL at the idea of getting the house out to the campground. I'm all for roughing it, but there's much good to be said about a decent bed/mattress combo at the end of the day...

Epixi:
When I was still lurking in the shadows, your wisecracks were what I looked forward to I each time I opened FitDay - I missed them for the last two weeks. So glad you are back!

Thanks Robin and Dmartz for the stress relief suggestions. Work is the main source of stress right now. My blood pressure was 165/105. The doctor stated it is not weight related but from stress. After 44 pounds lost, it continues to get higher than ever. He wants me to start BP meds, but I talked him into letting me try to find ways to relieve my stress for a month. If it does not go down, I will have to go on the meds. It runs in my family, too. My mom weighs 98 pounds and takes BP meds for high blood pressure.

Week goals:

1. Research five different ways to relieve stress: Yes Tai chi
Tai chi: A gentle way to fight stress - MayoClinic.com
2. Log in all food intake: Yes
3. Stay under 1,200 calories a day: Yes
4. Walk 5 out of the 7 days this week: Yes
5. Lose 2 pounds: Hopefully

Good Morning!

A few more days of 90 degree plus weather so I did my 1.5 miles early this morning. Hoping to pull hubby out with me tonight as well. Scale is remaining pretty consistent so at least I won't have inactivity weight to take off when all of this is over. :)

1. Increase walking distance every other day as tolerated working toward 4 mile goal. Yes

2. Eat only nutrient-rich, healthy food. No bakery, soda, deep fried, fast food... nothing. Could have done better but hot weather is limiting food choices a bit.

3. Do something each day that I couldn't do the day before. Yes! (Still wishing that I could put my own socks on though... lol :) )

For yesterday:
1.) Be reasonable on calories - M: Not really
2.) Drink water - M: Okay
3.) Exercise -
M: Gym - Done
T: Run 5 miles
W: off (driving to Baltimore)
Th: Run 4 miles
F: maybe Gym, maybe off (depends what friend wants to do)
S: Run 6 miles
Su: off
4.) Finish this paper and send it to collaborators by Friday!!!! - M: Servers were down, not much done

I ate pretty high calorie, and for no apparent reason. I've got this problem that I love going to Barnes and Noble and chilling out, reading a book. The problem is that I worked there for 5 years a while back, and I know the good food to eat in the cafe. It is EXTREMELY difficult for me to divorce the joy of the bookstore from the joy of eating the quiche and the chips and the sweet stuff. Sometimes I succeed, but I've been having trouble recently. In my brain, it's like, yay, let's go the bookstore and chill out and also eat a bunch of crap (which is great news to my brain that wants fatty and carby food.) Anyway, that's what happened yesterday.

I wasn't sure about my goals this week, so I'm trying on this:

• Calorie Deficit (Avg) -250/day: -429
• Vegetables > 3 /day: 2
• Cholesterol < 200 mg/day: 213
• Sugar < 40g / day: 31
• Protein > 50g / day: 84
• Workout > 150 min/week: 60

Long term goals -

• 1/2 inch off waist:
• Complete 'Learning by Giving' course:

Based on an average calorie deficit of 250 cals/day, I should lose a half pound a week. I don't really care about losing weight at this point, but I'd like to rearrange a little bit of my body mass. I've worked my butt off, but my ass wasn't really an area in need of improvement. Not to mentions a couple other areas. Really just hoping to maintain and tone up a bit.

RenewedSoul: Thanks so much for raising the issue of stress in your goals this week. It gave me incentive to review suggestions for dealing with stress, too.

My experience with stress seems to be that I can handle it fine while I am in it but when the stress is over I want to reward myself for my self control.
How stupid is that. The suggestions for dealing with stress will be helpful to me. It's a lot more productive to keep moving forward. Let's all have a good day.

Tuesday update:

1. log food every day M=Y, T=Y
2. keep calories between 1400-1600 M=1500, T=1400
3. exercise on my lunch hour at least twice = 1 done

calories under 1,100: M-903 T-1138
exercise 7k: 1k, 1k,
water 8 glasses:Y, Y,

Boy those calories can sneak up fast. I should have checked them out on fit day before I ate them. I am drinking lots of water today because of the heat.
Try to keep cool today.