Re: Co-Worker Challenge

[Jenn052402]

Ok so I have been a little MIA for the past two weeks but here I am on vacation sitting outside with the bugs just so that I can use the wireless internet at the golf course that is about a block away. So last week I was down 1lb and this week I am the same. Which I guess is not bad since I must say that I haven't done really ANYTHING! I know I could do better but I have been busting my butt to get everything packed to come on this vacation. I am going to get up in the morning (hopefully before the bugs do) and walk the dog around this neighborhood then its off to the beach weather permitting. We have bought groceries so there will be very little eating out. There is a scale here at my aunts condo so I will weigh in again this week and let you guys know.

[Jenn052402]

So only one day later and I am back on here to let you know that I went walking last night and this morning and I feel great. I already stepped on the scales again and I know this is jumping the gun but it did say that I was down .6 oz. I am getting ready to go to the pool so I plan on trying to do some laps while I am there.

[ligatoni]

I am happy to report that I've lost another pound this week. Of course, my husband thinks it has something to do with not eating fast food on our recent trip, which I'm not disagreeing with, but starvation (i.e. only bringing a 120 cal granola bar on our 6 hour trip) will make you lose weight too! To be perfectly honest, the exercise this week has pretty much been nil. I haven't been able to motivate myself to do much in the mornings and evenings I'm pretty drained from work. My walking buddies both had other plans this week, and I just didn't feel like going alone. To compensate, though, I've been really watching portions. The exercise class I was going to start turns out to be a different time-it's in the evening, not am like I thought and I won't be able to do it. I am actually going back to school and the classes will all be in the evening, so it would be a waste of money to pay and only be able to go for 2 weeks. Oh well. Maybe something else will come up. We'll see...

[AT]

I feel like this has been a good week for me. I've stuck to my diet & actually got in my walking with my sister a couple nights this week. I'm leaving tonight to go to the lake for the weekend & once again I'll be taking my own things to eat. It shouldn't be as hard as before because my sister & cousin, who will be with me, have started their diet this week too so there shouldn't be too many things to tempt me there. We'll see how the weigh in goes on Monday.

[ligatoni]

Tomorrow is D-Day! Mondays are never great to begin with and adding the weigh ins can make a bad day even worse if the scale goes the wrong way. I think I've still been doing okay food wise. I know there is still lots of room for improvement but right now my motivation is at an all time low. Sometimes I think I'm starting to look a little bit better, and then others it looks like I have done nothing at all. I realize that my 4 lb weight loss isn't significant, but considering I'm on the smaller side I thought I'd see something. With any luck tomorrow will show a little change but considering I spent all day yesterday with friends (and went out to eat for lunch and dinner) I'm not holding my breath. I have no one to blame but myself for that. But I can't go all week without some sort of splurge, or I'd have given up a long time ago.

[AT]

Well, last week was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. We weighed in yesterday & I lost 2 more pounds. I was a little worried about the weigh in because of the weekend lake trip but apparently I did ok. I did eat a little more than I normally have been but everything was healthy. I got in my exercise by walking & swimming & chasing after my two little cousins the whole weekend. They have endless amounts of energy! All in all I had a great week & I hope I can keep things up. Just 3 weeks to go!

[ligatoni]

Yesterday's weigh in was about what I expected. No change whatsoever. I'm okay with that; the eating out probably really did me in. I did go out walking tonight, and I've picked back up on some of the weight training I've let slide. At this point, unless something phenomenal occurs, Angie will probably win hands down, and honestly I'm ok with that. I would just like to be able to have something to show for it myself. I wonder if maybe I'm at my 'ideal' weight and it's going to be next to impossible to lose any more without tightening up to the point of misery. I honestly didn't expect this to be so hard! I'd been underweight since high school and it wasn't until I got married that the weight creeped up a bit and 'redistributed'! So it's still hard to deny myself when I used to be able to burn it off so fast. From both an exercise and nutritional standpoint I do better than a lot of people, but it's still the portions that I think are impeding me. So with 3 weeks left (thanks for the reminder Angie) there is still hope, although it would help if someone would put some peanut M&M's on Angie's desk...I think I'll have to discuss that with Jen!

[mbake]

It is interesting to me how much our topics relate around food. I read a very good article about foodies, (people who write about food for a living) in the September issue of "bon appetite" the restaurant issue on page93 and they have to order and eat a lot of food yet most of them are able to control their weight! Check it out.

[ligatoni]

In response to your mention of the foodies...(and sorry, I haven't read the article but I'll bet it's pretty interesting), I would imagine that their perspective on food is a bit different than mine. They have to be objective about what they eat and I would think that they've got to be excellent with portion control, so they are able to try a multitude of different things in one sitting. Speaking for myself, food is a huge part of my life. I don't just eat to live. I love buying food, cooking food, reading about food, planning what I'm eating next. It's my social outlet, a way to pass the time, and a way to deal with my emotions. It's such a huge topic in the forum, I think, because you can't NOT eat. And I think that is ultimately why we are trying to lose weight in the first place- because of food, not necessarily a lack of activity. I imagine that these foodies have to look at food differently since it's their job. The novelty has probably worn off a bit. Talk to anyone that works in a specialty shop (ice cream, pancake house, etc) and the majority will say they can't stand to even smell that food anymore. But in the end, we talk about it so much because I think it's worse than any addiction. You can't quit it, or get away from it. It's a requirement to survive, not something you can turn your back on like drugs or alcohol.

[Jenn052402]

Well weigh in day today and I am up a pound. I kinda knew this would happen. I picked a great time to join a weight loss challenge. With all the stressors right now going on in my life. I am proud of what I have done because ultimately this is all a life style change not just a quick diet. I enjoy exercising more and we do watch what we eat more. Its just hard being a mother, wife, daughter, daughter-in-law, employee, supervisor, and soon to be student again, all at the same time and find time to eat right and exercise. I am going to continue and not give up. The fat lady has not sung!

[AT]

I guess I had a pretty good week. Things are starting to slow down a bit to a more normal wieght loss. I lost 1 pound last week which is what I expected. Nothing has really changed as far as my diet and exercise goes, other than that I have actually walked more this time. Things have been kind of stressful lately & I'm just taking it day by day & we'll see how things go. There are only two weeks left & I'm pretty sure I can hang in there a little bit longer.

[ligatoni]

Surprisingly, I actually lost a pound this week. I'm hoping in the next 2 weeks to at least lose 2 more pounds and get down to the weight I was when I met my husband. This week for exercise I've been cranking up the treadmill to the highest incline and walking for about 15 minutes. Eating hasn't been great- I've eaten out a few times already this week. But I've done well for breakfast and lunch and this weekend I'm hoping to stock up on some healthier groceries. My schedule lately has prohibited me from doing anything more than running to the store for absolute necessities, but with school starting next week I need to have quick, portable food that I can eat in the car since class isn't too long after work. The added advantage of that is that when I'm in class, I can't go out to eat. Whatever works, right?

[ATC]

Ligatoni,

Congratulations to you (and others on this forum) on your weight loss. Best wishes on your future weight control...

I personally have had success with ProGrade Products (www.progradenutritionstore.com) for weight loss. Not sure if you are interested or not but there is a thread on this forum about prograde supplements in the weight loss diaries section.

[Jenn052402]

Ok so this week I have managed to get up and walk in the mornings before I have to get everyone else up and get ready for work. I can't believe that I was able to do it but I did and I am proud. I even went out and jogged a little this morning but I was unable to do it long because my 4lb dog wasn't able to keep up. I have done good to watch what I have been eating this week so hopefully my work will pay off when next weight check comes along. I start school next week so I am hoping that I can take care of my family, do my job at work, do my school work, and continue to eat good and squeeze in some time at the gym. It will be what it will be and nothing more though. I have already come A LONG WAY since the birth of my daughter 37lbs ago so I have to say I am happy with all I have done and what I continue to work towards.

[AT]

Well, I'm not sure how the weigh in will go for me tomorrow. I've had a good week but I feel like I'm starting to get in a rut. I've pretty much stuck to the same routine & it has worked great so far but I just feel like I may not have done as well this week. It's probably time to start changing things up a bit by exercising more & taking longer walks. I know I can do it. We'll just have to see how the last week goes.