From ZERO to HERO - The October 2015 W.I.S.H. Challenge

[Raenstoirm]

Ok, haven't had the time to catch up on my reading. This is a chatty group! , but I thought I would put in an intro as I get caught up.

I am Carla Rae. I have been on the weightloss rollercoaster for pretty much forever. I was doing great, eating well and running every week and racing a half marathon or other race at least once a month. Then I broke my hip, a stress fracture caused by all the running. I gained weight while I was out and didn't mange to lose it when I got back into racing. Early 2014, I was injured again (two burn spurs) and had to defer all of my spring races. Not being able to walk much, let alone run, more weight came along. In May of last year I got pregnant with my twins and the high risk pregnancy came with a "no running" warning. So I haven't had a good run in 22 months and gained a lot because of a lack of exercise and a lack of motivation to eat right since the twins were born and that whole pesky twin pregnancy didn't do anything good for my figure! I am doing the dark side challenge (10k and half marathon) at WDW in April and I have 3 other half marathons and a 5k in the spring so far (deferred for the past two years because of injury and pregnancy). So there is a definite motivation to get back to running, however I have having minor surgery next week and when I mentioned to the doc about getting back to running, he said "at least a week or two" without any type of exercise. So my goal was supposed to be to increase my milage, but without being able to run, thats not exactly promising. lol. So I don't have a goal as such. I will think of one. I just figured checking in here will help me stay on track.

 

[pjlla]

Hey all! Just a quick update.......leaving my DMIL's party feeling 99% victorious! Neither cake nor wine nor cookies nor pizza crossed these lips! My only "cheat" was the frosting I licked from my fingers...twice. Ok...it was a GOB of frosting.....but that was it!!! Just had my healthy treat and sipping a cup of decaf on the ride home. Now to get the leftovers into the freezer without incident!! TTY tomorrow!..........P

 

[SureAsLiz]

Today was a busy day spent at the parks. My first Dapper Day and it was pretty fun

Weekly Update:

Weekly Steps: 19,780
Total Steps: 19,780
% Weekly Goal: 98.90%
% Goal Pace: 98.90%
% Total Goal: 7.09%

(please use the % total goal for the tracking)

I really should just take a lap or two around the lake to get those last steps in, but wearing flats at the park all day is killer on my feet. Going to MNSSHP #4 tomorrow, so I'm hoping to make up the difference there!

 

[DisPup75]

My goal for October is NOT to gain any weight between now and the end of the month. Yes, instead of stressing over trying to shed pounds, I am declaring this a maintenance month for myself. I weighed in this morning at 204.0, so I will consider that my starting weight for the month. My final, official weigh-in will be October 24th... I might do one the morning of the 25th, but definitely not beyond that, because I will be in Disney World, and Disney World is a haven where scales do not exist. I'm hoping that in my desperation to make sure I don't GAIN any weight, I will inadvertently LOSE weight... We'll see how that backfires! Tracking this goal will definitely be tricky, though. See, this is why I said to pick something easy to calculate! Obviously, 204 is home base, so staying there means I'm at 100%... I am going to say that every .1 of a pound will be equal to 1%. So if I weigh in at 203.6, then I'll be at 104%.... If I weigh in at 201.0, then I'll be at 130%... But if I weigh in at 206.5, I'd be at 75% of my goal (since 206.5 is 2.5lbs more than 204, which would come out to a 25% deficit)... Does that make sense? If anyone sees a more logical way to calculate this, please let me know!

OBSTACLES:
1) ME! I am, in fact, my own worst enemy. I know what to do. I know I need to do it. For 2 months now, I've set out a completely feasible plan for myself... and for 2 months now, I have completely ignored it. And then I've beaten myself up for it. But I have clearly not changed it yet. I don't know that this will necessarily be the month that I change it for good, but I'd certainly like to do better than I have been. With my wedding date fast approaching, I have to remember that the 24th is NOT my finish line. It's so hard to do, since that's the magic date I've been struggling toward for so long... It makes it hard not to just slack off even more than I have been. But I have to remember that, wedding or not, I need to get healthy, and I need to love the way I look, and that will never happen if I just quit when I get close to the mile marker.

2) This Saturday (October 3) is my bachelorette party. I don't necessarily see it being a HUGE obstacle, but it will be one nonetheless. I think there will be cake, and I am not at all a drinker (in college, yes. Now? I'm too old to party. ), but have been informed I will be having drinks bought for me. So there's that.
3) I am only 3.5 weeks away from my wedding, and only about 3 months away from being done with my wedding-still-to-do list. Free time is basically non-existent at this point, so I am really going to have to figure out how to manage my time so that I can take care of myself but also take care of everything that needs to be done. Tips are welcome, as always! Be it make-ahead meals, somewhat healthy take-out options, or time management advice. I'm all ears!

I hope you had a wonderful time at your bachelorette party tonight! You deserve it!!! I think your plan for the month is great - the last thing you need right now is more stress. Keep making the lists they will help! And sleep!!! I don't know about you but I always get more done if I put things aside and get some sleep. Powering through on no sleep makes me useless and grouchy. Also, be nice to yourself. This is your month and you should enjoy it as much as possible!

Good Morning everyone!!

October here in Germany is starting with brilliant sunshine and freezing (not literally, but nearly) temperatures! And for me personally with a victory on the scale. My official start weight for October is the same as my pre-vacation weight at the start of August! I think I never have been so successful at eliminating vacation damage as this time.

Woohoo!

Hello all! My name is Megan, and like our host, I am also 26!

I have been heavy nearly my entire life. Not only that, I was the tallest kid in class from preschool through sixth grade, when the boys started to catch up. I was fairly active as a kid, but when high school hit and my activities switched from softball, cheerleading, and dance to theater tech and advanced courses, my weight increased pretty rapidly.

I plateaued the final two years of high school, but college brought on all sorts more problems. A terrible sleep schedule, tons of free time, and an unlimited dining hall over the first 3 years of college were terrible to my waistline.

After leaving school before graduating and not gaining any physical hobbies, my weight continued to increase. I have tried nearly every diet there is, but I cannot make it more than 2-3 months on any of them. A special event comes up and I can't get back on track after. Or I get sick of the same foods over and over. Or I stop for McDonald's one night on my way to work, and next thing I know, I've been there every night for three weeks.

During my last trip to Orlando, I had no issues at WDW but could not ride the Dragon Challenge at UO's WWoHP. That was the big sign I needed to change something. And I tried. But moving across the state and starting two new jobs did not leave much time or money to cook healthy foods or exercise regularly.

Unfortunately, my main job is a full time overnight office job, so there is not a lot of movement during my shift, and the overnight work has made my sleep schedule even worse than it was.

I have trips to Orlando planned for October '16 and January '17, and I WILL be able to ride the Dragon Challenge (and everything else!) when I come back!

My GOAL for October is to remain under 285 pounds.
My PLAN includes eating no fast food, drinking 32 ounces of water a day, and getting at least 60 minutes of exercise per week.
My biggest OBSTACLE is persistence and consistency. I am terrible at finishing things I start. But this will NOT be one of them!

Hi Megan! I like your goal and plan. Sticking with us will get you past that obstacle.

My goal: Drop 12 pounds this month.
My plan: Diet and exercise. The diet part is all about willpower and should be pretty easy because eating better than I was eating shouldn't be too hard at all. As for the exercise I signed up for the Star Wars 5k and started couch to 5k on Monday so I have that plan to follow.
Only big obstacle I see (other than my insane love for any and all pizza) is my birthday on 10-14. It'll be tough watching the family eat cake and ice cream.

That's a big number! I think you are going to make it happen!! I do hope you will plan at least a small birthday treat

my goal is to lose 4 lbs..
my plan is to follow WW (my first mtg is today a noon where I get all my materials)
my obstacles are listed in my intro - I have a zillion birthday's including mine and a few scrapbooking events where there is almost no moving except to pack and unpack LOL but even with all that going on I am committed to tracking and staying within my points range (including the bonus points)

Thanks for the warm welcome I appreciate it and I find you all inspiring! here's to a great month!!

I'm so in love with WW right now. I hope you had a great first meeting!

Hi all! My morning so far has certainly been a “murphy’s law” type of morning but I’m very excited to begin October with all of you!

My goal this month is to lose 10 pounds. That’s a lofty goal for me and possibly a bit too high but I know it’s doable. Regardless, I’m an any loss is a good loss type of girl.

My plan is to maintain my current exercise schedule. That is typically 4 to 5 times a week for 40 to 45 minutes. I use a fitbit and I am OBSESSED with meeting my step goal so I’ll continue to add additional movement in throughout the day as well. I work at a job that requires long periods at a desk and in a car so I try to get up and move as much as possible when I can. I also will continue to have dance parties with my little princess to work off some additional calories. Additionally, and most importantly, I will continue to tweak my food intake, specifically limiting sweets. Finally, I’ll continue my water intake of at least 64 ounces a day.

I’ll have several obstacles. First and foremost, my biggest obstacle has ALWAYS been myself. I can talk myself into anything, justify anything. I’ll eat JUST ONE. Nope. I’ll do better tomorrow. Not always. I can eat worse for lunch and better for dinner. Ugh! I totally need to work on my thought process. I’m my own worst enemy. I will face a pretty big obstacle over the next 3 days. Constant rain! I find that if I’m stuck in the house or office all day, I tend to eat more. Its thoughtless eating. I don’t need it, I just do it. That rain my save me tomorrow though as I HAD been considering making a trip to a local flea market where the makers of my all-time favorite sweet (the amazing Cinnsational Cinnamon Roll) will be set up for just a couple days. I will be far less tempted to make the journey to stand in line for that cinnamon roll in the rain. I’ll have two more obvious obstacles in October . . . my beautiful niece’s 5th birthday party and Halloween! I am, however, determined to overcome these obstacles!

Oh and I guess I should add that I'm starting this challenge at 241.2 pounds.

Good luck everyone!

I can't even think about such a cinnamon roll! Remember, you can always post here if you need someone to talk you through your thought process. You're going to have a great month!

Something similar happened to me once. I was in my car eating an APPLE of all things and someone yelled out "pig" at me. It was devastating. But it definitely served as a wake up call.

I can't even form words. I'm so sorry that happened to you.

Yay for another month!! I am so happy to get going!

GOAL: My goal for this month is to lose 5.5 pounds. I was quite a bit shy of that last month and I really need to start seeing some bigger numbers if I'm going to get to my lofty goal of Onederland by Dec 2nd.
PLAN: Continue with WW. I'm going to try and decrease the number of Activity Points and Weekly Points I'm eating though because I'm using them as an excuse to eat poorly all weekend long and it's just not a habit that I want to form. Plus I feel like most of the week I'm playing catch up. So I plan on using some. Just not down to 0. That's a lot of bad choices. I also will get to the gym 4-5 times a week. I have a 5k on the 24th! It's a Monster Dash and I don't have any costumes because we are trying to save money but it'll still be a good time. and my overall goal for 2015 was to run a 5k!
OBSTACLES: My 1 year wedding anniversary is on the 6th. So that's freezer burn top cake and a dinner out for me. Then my birthday this month! I'm having my brother make a cheesecake (because he's an excellent baker) and hopefully won't have any leftovers. That should be it though, fingers crossed!

Congratulations on the upcoming anniversary! Freezer burned top cake is always worth the points.

Welcome to all of the new & returning participants. I love seeing so many people take their health seriously!

I'm going to be more lurking/occasionally chatting than participating, but I figured I'd introduce myself anyway.

I'm Sarah, I'm 29 years old, pretty much unemployed (I have a 4-5 hour per month part-time freelance gig, but nothing that actually pays bills), and I live with my parents (and older sister & younger brother). I've struggled with my weight over the years, and I've spent as long as I can remember trying to get down to 120 lb. My highest weight was about 153 lb a few years ago, and for the last two years or so, I've been hovering between 147 & 137 ... but I can't seem to get below 137 (in fact, I haven't even hit 137 in over a year). One of the great disappointments of the past few years is that I'm actually in the overweight range in terms of BMI (for a few years I was on the high end of normal, but now I'm at the low end of overweight and I hate it).

I'm also under quite a bit of stress with my work (or non-work) situation and some personal stuff. Add to that my family history of high cholesterol, heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, and I know it's important for me to cut down on the stress and take care of myself. But it's really hard and I've been struggling with this for years. Sometimes I just don't think I can do it, and I know that's a bad mindset to have.

On to the positive stuff ... more often than not you'll see me on here talking about my running. I've been running for about 14 months now, I've done one runDisney 5K, and I'm doing a 5K and 10K in January. My goal is to do the Disneyland Half Marathon in September 2016 ... but that's still almost a year away. I also talk a lot about trying to make better decisions ... but apparently talking about making better decisions doesn't equal making better decisions. Who knew?

Anyway ... that's my slightly angry sorry-for-myself deal. I had a rough September. So I'm hoping October is better.



This entertained me. Once I got it. At first it was just kind of "why is there a giant picture of Billie Joe Armstrong?" And, btw, I love that song.



I'm not setting a goal for this month, because I want October to be a low-pressure month for me. My "goal" for October is just to focus on one thing at a time. I'm not worrying about a specific number of pounds to lose. What I am thinking about is making the right decisions at every meal and being conscious of all the decisions I make. I want to take this month one meal and one day at a time. Hopefully that will make it easier for me to make the right choices.
My biggest obstacle is laziness ... sometimes I don't want to think about what I'm doing. For example ... yesterday I had pizza bagels for lunch. Because it was already 4 PM and I wasn't in the mood to think of a healthier lunch. Thankfully, by dinner I was willing to put a little more effort into it (I ended up with salmon over a bed of wild rice and mushrooms with a side of snap peas ... so I got my protein, my starch, and my veggies!). I need to learn to stop being lazy when it comes to my health and have more meals like yesterday's dinner. It's not hard for me to come up with something healthy that interests me - as long as I'm willing to put in the effort.

I hope the first few days of just focusing on you are going well! And your dinner sounds delicious!!

 

[DisPup75]

Goal: Lose 6 pounds.

With 5 Saturdays this month, there will be 5 opportunities for weigh-in. I'm aiming to lose at least 1 pound per week, but some weeks may be .5 and others may be 1.5. I figured I'd error on the side of "enjoying life" and not put too much pressure on myself.
​

How I'm Going to Get There

• Weight Watchers. Online member since July 3rd and have done so well on the program. Just going to keep it up.
• 10,000 steps per day. I want to break 70,000 steps per week, or the equivalent of 10,000 per day average.
• Abstain from candy for the month that is all about candy. One you start you can't stop!

This month will be interesting, as I have Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland on 10/16 and a slew of team project meetings and midterms at the beginning of the month. (10/5 and 10/13).

Taking it one day at a time and doing the best I can each day.

I love the plan to abstain from candy for the month that is all about candy! I'm glad you the MHP award after meetings and midterms! That party is so much fun and will be a nice mid-semester treat!!

I could definitely share some lower carb make-ahead and crockpot meals..... I follow WW, but DH is a true-blue Atkins follower. Also, regarding the slowcooker and the timing..... I have one that goes down to "warm" after a certain amount of time (either 4 or 6 hours on high or 8 or 10 hours on low).....worth its weight in GOLD..... or you could plug it into a regular wall timer (like the kind used to turn on a lamp while you are on vacation). If the food in your crock is COLD when you put it out (I will fill the crock at night and leave it in the fridge overnight), I think it would be fine to sit on the counter for an hour before it starts cooking (JMHO, of course). This would work especially well if your meat were still at least partially frozen.

I would love to see the meal suggestions!

Alright, here goes:

Goal: -4lb by the end of the month, starting weight of 145.8lb. It's a bit ambitious, at my weight most resources would say 0.5lb a week is sufficient but I'm hoping there's still some water weight that needs to come off the speed up the process.

Plan:

Tracking- I need to be consistent with tracking! I'm aiming at between 1500-1600cal per day as a starting point. My biggest problem here is that when I have off days and eat a ton of junk I don't log it... because if I don't log it it didn't happen. Hopefully I can overcome that, having a few days in the red on MFP isn't the end of the world.

Eating- Once again I sing the praises of meal prep! I always do so much better when I have portioned meals waiting for me in the freezer, it's so much harder to justify getting takeout (except now I can get pizza via emoji? I wonder if that works in Canada. Best not to test it out). I'm trying to get better at having healthy snacks around so I have something to reach for when I need food NOW. Also, at least 90g protein, 25g fiber before snacks.

Exercise- I'm going to try to aim for 3-4 gym days a week. I keep telling myself it isn't that much, and it really isn't. I just need to bully myself into going over there. Nice thing is, on gym days it's way easier for me to control food intake for some reason.
I also walk 25 minutes to work every day, although it gets more difficult as the cold weather rolls in (I've accidentally done it a few times in -40 celsius and it ain't pretty. Morning autopilot Trith doesn't understand cold weather).

Obstacles:

Party this weekend. Canadian Thanksgiving next weekend. Oma's birthday next weekend. Oh dear.

Usually with events I'll just let go for the evening and eat what I want. However, the parties we throw are always dangerous as parties=wine and wine=EAT ALL THE THINGS. So the plan for this weekend is a) vodka with low cal mixers, b) guacamole and salsa. Still not low calorie but a bit healthier than the alternative.

Besides events, just like everyone else I'm my own worst enemy. I get bored and I'll stuff my face for something to do. I'll have a stressful/sad day at work and eat emotionally. I think the only way to combat it is sheer willpower. All I have to say is "no". I think if I can keep up with my tracking it will be much easier as it makes me hold myself accountable (or at least I can shock myself with the sheer amount of calories I'm consuming).

TL;DR: Prep, track, gym, willpower.

Also I need MFP friends to yell at me when I don't log days I'm Trithie over there.

Great goal and plan! The specificity of your party plan is awesome!!

Hi! This is my first post ever on the WISH board, but now that I know I'm sticking with the Dis for a while (the number of boards I have joined and left is kind of ridiculous) I wanted to jump in here.

About Me:
My name is Liz. I'm 22. From Colorado, spent 2.5 years in Oklahoma for school, and now live in Florida as a Disney intern. I've always wanted to start taking better control of my health, but never really did. It was a *once I finish this school year, or go to college, or graduate college* type of thing. And now here I am, 10 months out of college and I still haven't done anything (the change to FL heat/humidity was rough and I wanted to spend approximately 0 minutes outdoors). I really want to get serious about doing something. I've been vegetarian for 5.5 years now, and since moving to FL have been a lot better about drinking water, but the physical fitness part is limited to park time.

Goal- 10,000 steps a day
Plan- I just moved to a new complex with a wonderful walking path right outside my door. I need to start using it. I have a Microsoft Band that has wonderful fitness capabilities to track with.
Obstacles- FL heat and general laziness haha. When I go and spend time in the parks, I can usually hit about 6-10k steps depending on how long I am out. But the days I stay in I am lucky to hit 1k. I really need to build up that consistency.

Welcome Liz! What an exciting internship you have!!! This is a great group for motivation help. We look forward to watching you meet your step goals!

Hi ya'll! This is my first ever WISH challenge and I'm super excited to join in!

Me:
My name is Lauren and I'm 28 years old. (29 on Oct. 11!) I was a competitive rower and in the best shape of my life in high school. Even in college I didn't really gain a lot of weight. It wasn't until I did the DCP that I started packing on some pounds. Working ridiculous hours, making no money, and spending your free time drinking is not a recipe for being healthy! However, I met my now fiance when we were both CMs so that is a positive! In 2012, we moved from Orlando to upstate NY (his hometown) and it is where we currently live. I had a really hard time with the move. We live in a rural area and while he has he friends and family all close by, I had no one but him. He also started working at a new job immediately so I had a lot of days where I was completely alone. I hadn't found a job yet and I didn't know a soul! So I did a lot of boredom eating and depressed eating and gained a lot more weight. Finally, I saw the scale hit 200 lbs and I was in shock. I couldn't believe I had let myself get to that level. So I signed up for the TOT 10 Miler and started training for that. I felt amazing training for that race and did really well with eating healthier and running consistently. It felt so great to be able to accomplish that. After that, it went downhill again. I've realized if I don't have some sort of goal or program to follow, then I don't really know what to do with myself. So I'm basically back to where I started. 200lbs and unhappy. It's time to change that!

Goal:
30 minutes of exercise 6 days a week. I'm hoping to lose 10 lbs. Might be a stretch but I'm going to shoot for it. We go to WDW the 1st week of November so it's a good target.

Activity:
I bought the P90x3 program and I am starting on Monday the 5th. Like I said before, I need a program to hold myself accountable and this program is 30 minute workouts which I know will be extremely challenging, but doable.

Obstacles:
Meal planning! October is a super busy time at work and when I come home I never want to cook. On Sundays I want to make a plan of what to have for dinner each night so I know exactly what I'm doing when I get home. If anyone has any healthy crockpot recipes, please share!
Me! I need to stop procrastinating and making excuses as to why I should skip a workout or eat that handful of chips! I always feel so great after a workout, so I just need to force myself to put on my sneakers, suck it up, and do it!

Hi Lauren and welcome!! You've got a good plan and that goal can happen!

I am back in and even more determined to make progress this month! My goal is 5 pounds again.

A little quick history. I was genetically lucky as a kid and teenager. I could eat anything and everything and stay at a healthy weight. Sounds great, until I hit about 22 and slowly but surely that superpower began to fade.

It was a gradual onset. Thanks to lack of a scale and the onset of vanity sizing I really did not think about my weight much. Then came trying to get pregnant in my late 20s. I struggled and eventually ended up with a fertility doctor, who told me my weight, which was right at the top edge of the healthy weight range for my height (5'3") was likely part of the problem. Ouch, wake-up call. She put me on the South Beach Diet (as well as my husband who didn't make it through the first 2 weeks!). I also had other issues requiring surgery. We were really lucky, and after surgery, once my recovery period was up, I became pregnant naturally. Phew. But, that meant I was starting pregnancy at the top end of the healthy range. My OB said since I was still in the healthy range I should not try to limit my weight gain to less than the normal recommendation, so while I knew I wasn't supposed to be eating for two, I was not watching everything I ate. In the middle of my pregnancy my husband changed jobs, which meant a sudden transfer. I had been working full time in a job I enjoyed that had me on my feet a good part of every day. We moved back towards our family, in with my parents while we looked for our own home. My mom insisted on waiting on me and feeding me. I am adult, it is not her fault, but man she is a great cook and an even better baker, and she stuffed me with lots of deliciousness, plus, I wasn't working so I was sitting around the house a lot. I ended up gaining close to 50 pounds during my pregnancy.

When my DS was about 1 I decided it was time to get serious about getting the weight off. I had lost about 30 pounds already, from a high around 190. I was in the low 160s, so I had about 20 to go to not be clinically overweight (141), 30 to a weight I could live with, 40 to the weight I wanted to be at (121). I started tracking what I was eating and taking my son to a park where I'd push him in a stroller for a half hour then we'd go to the playground. I lost 10 pounds in 2.5 months. And then, despite doctors telling me that due to my history I would likely need surgery or other assistance to get pregnant again, I found out I was pregnant again. Repeat of the same pattern. Ate too much, exercised too little. Gained too much.

When DD was 1.5 I joined a gym with childcare and got serious. I lost about 25 pounds in 4 months. I exercised daily on weekdays and tracked my calories online (this was pre MFP). I got to my live with it goal weight of 130. I kept losing and gaining, floating between 128-132 for 5 years. Then, this spring I had a surgery that had a very limiting recovery period. The success of the surgery depended on my taking it very easy for the 6 weeks afterward. I gained 10 pounds, fast. It was depressing. Exercise had become my stress relief, my escape. Not being able to exercise not only led to weight gain, but a return to old coping habits of eating comfort foods. So, I was back at 140. I've gotten to 135 now. But I really want to get back to 130 at least. However, I turn the big 4-0 this month , so I feel like metabolically, I am hitting an age where if I don't get to the weight I really want to be soon (122) I will never get there. But, I have decided 122 may be unrealistic, although I chose it for a reason. I am 5'3" so a healthy weight is 107-141 (107 - really?) The middle of that is 127. I am medium framed, so 127 seems reasonable. I chose 122 because its 5 pounds less, and it would give wiggle room for life's ups and downs. But I think I am getting ok with never hitting 122. So, I am at 135 now. I want to be 130 by halloween, 127 by Thanksgiving.

Sorry, that was all longer than I meant it to be!!!




My goal is 130, 5 pounds less than today.

Obstacles:

1) Me. I stay really focused for a while, and then I lose all focus. I am a stress eater. I am a celebration eater. I am a hormonal eater. My life revolves around food. I love to exercise (good thing) but it makes me think I can eat everything, and I can't anymore.

2) Schedule - I have a lot on my plate this month. My husband is out of town for work twice (including now) and that limits my chances for exercise on weekends. It also means added stress which sends me running for chocolate or ice cream, or both Plus my kids schedules and my schedule are busy, so although I think I can still keep up with my exercise plans, I will be fitting it in a tighter schedule than usual. I will need to find a way to make up for those days where life gets in the way.

Plan:

1) Be scared. Sounds ridiculous, but true. 40 is a mere three weeks away. If I do not start regaining control now, its not going to get any easier, and its going to start to require more effort to lose the same weight. I know plenty of people who have gotten into better shape and/or lost substantial weight after 40, so I am not saying 40 is the end of the world. But I am technically at a healthy weight, and I am in good health and good shape. If I can't find a way to harness those things now and get to my goal weight, I am only making it harder for myself down the road.

2) Be honest. Example: I use My Fitness Pal to track calories. Right now, I know it is missing calories, but I am not going to fix it, because I know I will be over my goal. Now, that goal is at a 500 calorie deficit. So, my glass of wine that will take me 40-50 calories over goal (I'm still under at the moment) needs to go on there, and I will still be negative for the day, but I don't won't to see that I went over my goal today. So, when I leave Disboards I will head to MFP and correct it, and I will be honest for this month, to see where it really gets me.

3) Relax. I think I put a little too much pressure on myself. I have several friends who are crazy fit, some who even compete in bikini body builder competitions. I think it skews my perspective a bit. Thanks to two pregnancies where I gained far too much weight, and the stretch marks to prove it my bikini days are loooong gone. I should not be comparing myself to those friends. I just want to be fit, healthy and know I am not teetering at the top of my healthy weight range. I have a very strong family history of weight related health issues. For this reason, my doctor says I am fine at 130, but she thinks that I should strive to stay between 125 and 130 vs closer to 140, to stay away from the risks of these weight related health concerns. So if I can realistically get to 130, fantastic. But bottom line is I am trying to improve my nutrition in general and keep up my exercise habit. Meeting those two goals are more important than numbers on a scale.

4) Keep training. I am doing the Infinity Gauntlet Challenge (10k and half) at DL in November, and I am throwing in the 5k with my DH and kids for fun. I did the Glass Slipper the last two years. I will get my Coast to Coast medal in November for doing a half on both coasts in 2015. Very excited. I am getting toward the peak part of my training. 8 mile run tomorrow... My exercise is my saving grace. It is how I lost 40 pounds almost 6 years ago, its what makes sure I don't gain crazy amounts of excess weight now. I just need to use it to my advantage to lose these 5-10 pounds as opposed to using it as an excuse to eat a ton of junk.

5) Keep moving. I have days when I exercise, and then sit around for the rest of the day. I need to make sure I keep moving, and keep burning calories.


Man I am long winded tonight. I need to do these earlier when I am not so tired! I am more concise then.

Welcome back! You've got a great plan and great motivation. Also, I promise 40 isn't the end of the world. It just feels like it in the days leading up to it.

Hello everyone! I am thrilled that we have so many new participants signing up!! My advice to al the newcomers: become an active part of the discussion here, it really helps!

Someone asked yesterday about my timezone (sorry, forgot who it was! ), I am in Central European Time, currently on Daylight saving time. This is 6 hours ahead of EST daylight saving time. I don't get up horribly early!!

It all will become interesting later this month though when we fall back to normal time a couple of weeks earlier than the US. It is always very confusing, especially because the "DISboards dark hours" then fall differently. The DIS actually goes down for backups every night at 4am EST to about 5:30am EST. For me that is between 10am and 11:30am, so it would be a great time for a work coffee break...

I finally saw Inside Out yesterday - it just started yesterday here in Germany and I went to the first showing at my cinema. What a wonderful film!! I think one of the best Disney/Pixar films I have seen in a long, long time! It might even become my favourite - or at least one of my top three films!

I was also proud that I was able to withstand all the cinema temptations! And because I was not hungry before the film and then not really hungry after it either, I ended up with a rather low calory intake yesterday, while walking to and from the cinema added a lot of additional steps to the day. So, I feel like I need to eat a little more today.

QOTD: (ETA: oh, the question about the weekend was not the QOTD!! I see there is now one after my post... So, just see the below as just a general comment!!!)

I am signed up for a 6k race this weekend, but I am not sure if I want to do it. I have not really gotten back into a running routine since I came back from vacation. I only got up to runs of 4k and I felt mainly lousy during those. And I kind of have a scratchy throat... Originally I was supposed to run with my sister, but she has been battling a nasty bronchitis over the last two weeks, so she will definitely not run. I guess I will give it a try though and just try to take it slowly. I should be able to run 6k, even without a lot of training, if I run slowly and maybe take walking breaks now and then. And I know that it will be good for me mentally to do it!

I hope you feel much better soon! And that you have a great easy run if you decide to go for it!,

Time to share two small victories...I had a rough day at work yesterday and got home in an ill mood. I was looking forward to hitting the treadmill to get away from everything but then tee-ball practice for DS4 entered the picture. Long story short I got home at 7:45 pm after leaving for work at 6:15 am. Now I was really ill. I cracked a beer and sat on the couch. Half way through the beer I asked myself what the heck I was doing, dumped it down the drain and got on the treadmill for 45 minutes.
Second small victory...I come in to work this morning and someone has gone to Chic-Fil-A and gotten everyone chicken biscuits for breakfast. Food in our office should have been one of the things I listed as an obstacle. I love Chic-Fil-a biscuits so it's pretty tough eating this apple for breakfast while I am typing this post instead.

GREAT JOB!!! Woohoo!!!

My motivation is 100% my DD. She was a surprise baby, born when I was almost 35 years old. I had no intentions of having children so my world was turned pretty much upside down. Now, 3 years later, she is my entire world. I love her so much and she is my little best friend. While I have been lucky in the sense that I've had very few health problems, I know that this could easily change, especially as I grow older. I'm not overweight, I am obese. I know that for me to stay active and involved in my DD's life, I have to make changes. I don't want to be the mom who has to sit on the sidelines because I can't physically keep up with her. I owe her as much. After all, she brought "life" back to my life.

How will I keep motivated? I'd like to say its simple and looking at my sweet DD will keep me motivated but alas, it is not always the case. While she is my motivation, its also so very easy to fall victim to temptation. So this month I am going to try a new strategy. I was recently on my sisters facebook page going through some old pics when I found one that she had posted of me from several years ago (prior to my first weight loss). Wow. As embarrassing as that pic is, I saved it to my phone. From this point on, when I get that "this is too difficult" feeling, I am going to take a peek at that pic. AND....I'm going to keep in mind that I am going WDW next month for my DD's first visit so I want to make sure I can keep up with her.

How can everyone else keep me motivated? SUGGESTIONS. I know some things that work but could always use some additional suggestions. This can include ideas for getting in some extra movement during the day, dealing with lack of sleep, super yummy healthy recipes, etc. A virtual pat on the back or "I've been there too" is always helpful as well. It helps to know that there are others out there dealing with the same barriers as you.

They is pretty special motivation!!!

I really like your suggestions idea! One thing I do to get in some extra movement is to do just a few minutes of extra walking/marching in place/whatever to get 500 steps in every time I get up to use the bathroom. I drink a lot of water so that usuaLoy gets me a bunch of extra steps!!

 

[DisPup75]

I'm turning 44 in a couple of weeks and have a 4 year old. My wife finally pounded in my head that I need to take better care of myself if I want to live long enough to enjoy all the great times ahead with both him and his older brother (who is 13). Kids can be great motivation.

Happy almost birthday! And that is great motivation!

This morning I weighed in at 200.8lbs. That puts me down 3.2lbs, or 132% of my goal this month!

Woohoo!L

(Just need my boobs to shrink a bit more. Why can't we just tell our bodies where to lose weight? Like, wouldn't it be great if you could just tell your body that you want XX pounds to come from a specific area? HA!)

And yes, wouldn't it be a dream if I could tell my b**bs to stay where they are, but my belly to DISAPPEAR!!??

LOL. I would love being able to direct where the pounds come from. The only thing I've liked about gaining weight is that I finally have a great pair. And they are disappearing! The belly? Not so much.

1. It was time to drag myself out of my slump! Also, I have a couple of vacations coming up! Disney in a month and a bit, and it really is so much nicer walking around when my thighs aren't rubbing together. Then Mexico for new years, where I would like to be comfortable wandering around in a bikini.

2. Can we link/embed youtube videos here? I have a few goofy songs that are motivating me right now. In the end, though, motivation is fleeting and everything comes down to having the discipline to continue on every day. I'm trying to make things a bit easier on myself than last time (less strict on macros, a few more calories) to try to make it stick better. The gym is just something that I need to do whether I like it or not. I just have to drag myself over there. Once I'm there, I'll enjoy myself and be fine. And I don't think I've ever regretted a work out, but I've certainly regretted not doing a work out, you know?

3. Come to my house, grab me by the ear and drag me to the gym every couple of days, k?

****

I've been reading through the whole but there's just so many people to respond to! All I can say is keep it up, everyone- you're all champs.

Have had a good day of eating, planning to go over to the gym soon. Weigh in tomorrow!

Vacations are great motivators! And yes, you can embed YouTube videos. The little film strip icon at the top of the post box (next to the photo icon with the mountain) is the place.

Jumping in! My goal is a 5 pound loss.

Joined this thread last month and it really kept me motivated, although I didn't actually participate as much as I would have liked in the discussions. My motivation for joining -- several years ago I made Lifetime at WW. I rejoined WW last month - 30 pounds over my goal wt. Eeekk! I've found in this month that the weight is coming off so much slower, now that I am in my 50s. My long term motivation is for my health. Short term is a class reunion next month and a Disney trip in December.

I have WW meetings/accountability to keep me motivated. I also have 2 pairs of jeans that are tight - fitting into them comfortably will motivate me.

Just facilitating/leading this thread this month, especially with the wedding this month, is a huge help -- THANKS, JacknSally !!

Welcome back!!

Hello friends! I can't believe I haven't been in in a few days.
1. Goal- My goal is an average of 10k steps per day
2. Obstacles - working long days, I am usually gone for 15h of the days, so at times it is hard to find time to exercise especially as the weather gets worse. Plus, I have to overcome lack of will power. As you can see I already making excuses for the weather. Also, when I do insanity my tracker doesn't give me many steps, so i struggle with knowing that I put my hour of drenching sweat in and gel like I didn't have anything to show for it.

Isn't the drenching sweat something to show for it?

eat a healthy breakfast (check!)

eat a mid-morning snack of fruit

eat a light but healthy lunch on the car ride (so as not to hit Costco STARVING)

eat a healthy portion of chicken, veggies, salad.... don't worry about portion sizes!

bring along a small HEALTHY OP treat to eat when others are having cake

bring along a few teabags and have a nice cup of green tea with that treat.

decide NOW that my eating day will END when we leave DMIL's house..... no late night snacking when I get home!

Okay! Now that I've laid it all out, it sounds GOOD!!! I can do this!

TIME TO BE PRODUCTIVE! No wi-fi at DMIL's, so this will probably be it for me for today! TTY tomorrow!..................P

This is a great example of a super specific plan for getting through a day of obstacles!! Love it! And hope you had fun!!

I lost 1 pound this week which is 18% to goal. So far I've worked out 3 days but I'm going to get up and go this morning which will be day 4 for the week. I almost didn't go last night but I talked myself into it

As for the QOTW I dont pack anything too out of the ordinary but the months that I go can be pretty variable weather wise (I went in October one year when there was an unexpected cold snap in the middle of our trip that brought nighttime temps down to like 45 degrees which made MNSSHP a little brisk). So I usually pack for different weather scenarios. Meaning I'll wear a light jacket and jeans to the airport (it's cooler in KC when I leave) and maybe pack another pair of jeans and then capris/shorts. Last October when I went the week before Columbus Day it was like 90 degrees or more all week. Needless to say I didn't wear the jeans I packed!

Woohoo!

I started at 235.0 and weighed in this morning at 232.2 so I am down 2.8 pounds or 23.3% of my twelve pound goal.

As for packing, we also drive so the bed of my truck is usually packed to the gills with a stroller, a couple of coolers, 4 suitcases, groceries and anything else we can think of that we might need.

Great job!!

Weigh-in Results - Week 1

Pounds lost: 2 of 5
Goal Progress: 40%



Wow - what an excellent way to start a month! If I can lose another 2 pounds I'll make the jump from Obese to Overweight on the BMI scale. (I'm at 166 and 5'2". I think BMI wants me at 130 and I was going to see how 150 looked first before I continued). I suspect that with a 2 pound loss this week that next week will be a bit slower with maybe .5 or just a pound. But let's see how it goes.

Yay!!!

BUG SPRAY. SO MUCH BUG SPRAY. I don't know what it is about my blood chemistry and the little biters in Florida but they LOVE my ankles. I've had trips there where I've gotten so many bites that my ankles swell to a size where I can't wear my runners. I don't care to repeat that so I drench my feet in bug spray at night now.

Lots of Advil as well, 'cause we can't have no foot pain slowing us down.

For packing itself, I've fallen in love with the app PackPoint (Android, not sure if there's an iPhone version). You input where you're going, how long and activities and it generates a packing list for you. From there you can add anything it missed, remove anything you don't need and change amounts. Then, as you're packing you just check things off the list. Checked off items gets greyed out at the bottom of the list, so it's easy to reverse it when you're packing things up to go home.



I know it would be a bit pricey, but what about a heart rate monitor for insanity? It's a bit more accurate for workouts.



I think you would be my favourite person ever to travel with. I always get made fun of for the small pharmacy I drag along with me on vacation.



A paperclip chain is a great idea! And congrats on your loss!

*****

Congrats to everyone for their successful losses this week! It's amazing to see some of the numbers out there!

2.8lb loss today puts me at 70%. Mind that I was totally dehydrated when I weighed-in, which may have skewed the numbers a wee bit.

So, tonight is party night. I'm not planning to overly restrictive, but bf and I went shopping for food this morning and there are a loooot of temptations in the house right now. I probably should have aimed to buy more food I'm not keen on, but as I'm going to make make guac and apple crisp (Disclaimer: this is not party food. However, bf bought a huge bag of green apples last week. I'm allergic to them raw, and he hasn't touched them. Into the pot they go!), hopefully I can focus more on those and not munch on the two thousand Halloween sized chocolate bars we bought.

Hoping to pop over to the gym for some cardio (bleh!) later, depends on how quickly I can get the house cleaned up.

Great job is week!

Just popping in on this rainy and cold Saturday! I can't believe how busy this thread is, I feel like I'm constantly needing to catch up. It's great! It's also amazing and inspiring to see everyone's progress during week 1. I've been nervous to start this P90x3 program on Monday, but now I'm really ready to dive in and feel like I'm working toward something.

Question for everyone. Do ya'll have any recommendations for a meal replacement shake, protein powder, or something similar? I know about Shakeology but I don't know if I can justify the cost. It seems a little ridiculous! But I thought having a shake in the morning after a workout and even be able to take one to work would be easy and filling. Just interested if anyone has any recommendations or ideas!

Good luck with the start of P90x3. Those programs scare me!

No suggestions for meal replacement shakes but I just wanted to put in a plug for hemp hearts. I throw them in smoothies and on top of yogurt or oatmeal for extra protein. They turn a green smoothie into someone that can keep me going all. Opening.

Ok, haven't had the time to catch up on my reading. This is a chatty group! , but I thought I would put in an intro as I get caught up.

I am Carla Rae. I have been on the weightloss rollercoaster for pretty much forever. I was doing great, eating well and running every week and racing a half marathon or other race at least once a month. Then I broke my hip, a stress fracture caused by all the running. I gained weight while I was out and didn't mange to lose it when I got back into racing. Early 2014, I was injured again (two burn spurs) and had to defer all of my spring races. Not being able to walk much, let alone run, more weight came along. In May of last year I got pregnant with my twins and the high risk pregnancy came with a "no running" warning. So I haven't had a good run in 22 months and gained a lot because of a lack of exercise and a lack of motivation to eat right since the twins were born and that whole pesky twin pregnancy didn't do anything good for my figure! I am doing the dark side challenge (10k and half marathon) at WDW in April and I have 3 other half marathons and a 5k in the spring so far (deferred for the past two years because of injury and pregnancy). So there is a definite motivation to get back to running, however I have having minor surgery next week and when I mentioned to the doc about getting back to running, he said "at least a week or two" without any type of exercise. So my goal was supposed to be to increase my milage, but without being able to run, thats not exactly promising. lol. So I don't have a goal as such. I will think of one. I just figured checking in here will help me stay on track.

Welcome Carla Rae! Twins would definitely make things a challenge! And all those injuries certainly aren't helping. I hope the surgery recovery is quick and easy.

Hey all! Just a quick update.......leaving my DMIL's party feeling 99% victorious! Neither cake nor wine nor cookies nor pizza crossed these lips! My only "cheat" was the frosting I licked from my fingers...twice. Ok...it was a GOB of frosting.....but that was it!!! Just had my healthy treat and sipping a cup of decaf on the ride home. Now to get the leftovers into the freezer without incident!! TTY tomorrow!..........P

Woohoo!

Today was a busy day spent at the parks. My first Dapper Day and it was pretty fun

Weekly Update:

Weekly Steps: 19,780
Total Steps: 19,780
% Weekly Goal: 98.90%
% Goal Pace: 98.90%
% Total Goal: 7.09%

(please use the % total goal for the tracking)

I really should just take a lap or two around the lake to get those last steps in, but wearing flats at the park all day is killer on my feet. Going to MNSSHP #4 tomorrow, so I'm hoping to make up the difference there!

Great job!


ETA: I'm caught up!!!!

 

[courtneybeth]

QOTW for October 3 & 4, 2015
What are your essential must-pack items for a trip to Disney World and/or Disneyland? Do you take along anything that most people probably wouldn't think to take?
We are driving, too, so feel free to include any helpful roadtrip necessities! Must-play music? Life-changing iPhone apps (like GasBuddy!)? Snacks?

I'm going to answer this from the perspective of Disney World since that's an actual vacation and Disneyland is more of a 'stop and hang' place for us.

Must pack items: pins for trading, my Arribas Bros princess crown, lots of dresses, two pairs of converse, and all of my credit cards

I'm really the worst at giving advice about what to take and wear because I hate humidity and Florida (overall) is a gross place for weather. (I feel like I can say that since I'm originally from Tampa but moved to Orange County CA when I was 2!)

I love the plan to abstain from candy for the month that is all about candy! I'm glad you the MHP award after meetings and midterms! That party is so much fun and will be a nice mid-semester treat!!

That's exactly what I was thinking! The best part is that hubs and I will be joining my classmate and his wife for the evening as well. They're also joining us in December for our Disney World trip to celebrate the two of us completing our MBA's! Which reminds me - I need to work on hubs' Wreck it Ralph costume and I need to finish my Vanellope costume. Darn it- almost forgot!!

 

[DisPup75]

Good morning!!! Please excuse the unpolished feet but I am so excited!!!!

Just Plain Overweight!!!!!​

 

[Flossbolna]

Not a good day today for me. But I still need to brag about yesterday, which was a great day! I did get out for my 6k race. And it went great! I got a time of 38 minutes, 17 seconds! I was hoping for anything under 45 minutes and was really pleased with myself that I was able to stay under 40 minutes and feel great while running.

I got a picture of me crossing the finish line from the race:

And that is me in the after race zone with an alcohol free beer:

The race is the large city run which a big sport store here sponsors. You don't get bibs, but really nice shirts and you are required to wear the shirt as proof of registration (and it makes for great publicity pictures for the store to have crowds dressed in their signature orange). And alcohol free beer is a after race standard here in Germany. Every race I have taken part in has a stand by a brewery handing it out for free to the runners. It is always great and refreshing!!

 

[pjlla]

Am I the only one who has been unable to get on the Disboards for the past 4 hours? I am FINALLY on here and was expecting to see some sort of report about why its been down, but I see nothing. Anyhow..... PHEW, you all are BACK with me! Off to catch up!....................P

 

[ilovevacation]

Am I the only one who has been unable to get on the Disboards for the past 4 hours? I am FINALLY on here and was expecting to see some sort of report about why its been down, but I see nothing. Anyhow..... PHEW, you all are BACK with me! Off to catch up!....................P

Me too! I lost too many hours of my life trying different browsers and devices! Glad we all made it back!

 

[pjlla]

Just popping in on this rainy and cold Saturday! I can't believe how busy this thread is, I feel like I'm constantly needing to catch up. It's great! It's also amazing and inspiring to see everyone's progress during week 1. I've been nervous to start this P90x3 program on Monday, but now I'm really ready to dive in and feel like I'm working toward something.

Question for everyone. Do ya'll have any recommendations for a meal replacement shake, protein powder, or something similar? I know about Shakeology but I don't know if I can justify the cost. It seems a little ridiculous! But I thought having a shake in the morning after a workout and even be able to take one to work would be easy and filling. Just interested if anyone has any recommendations or ideas!

After some trial and error, we have landed on the Orgain brand organic protein powder. It is organic, plant-based, vegan, sugar-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and GMO-free!! WINNER WINNER! My ONLY little hesitation with it is the organic erythritol..... I know some people can have belly issues from this (doesn't bother any of us thankfully) and it is the only ingredient that I really question (there are a few "gums and thickeners" that I would prefer to do without, but I don't think that they are necessarily harmful).

I've only ever seen it in chocolate, so I'm not sure if it is available in other flavors. We buy it at Costco (and its on sale this month!), but it is also available on Amazon and I think through Swansons.

NI is as follows: 150 calories, 4 g fat, 13 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 21 g protein.

I make a smoothie for DS 5-7 mornings a week with this..... I use 2 C of organic 1% milk (he can't have almond milk), 1-2 bananas (usually frozen, but sometimes fresh), a huge handful of greens (usually Powergreens from Earthbound Organics or organic baby spinach), a small chunk of frozen ginger (good anti-inflammatory), a bit of extra fiber (storebrand Benefiber), 1 Tb. of dark chocolate powder (helps intensify the chocolate flavor and hide the greens!! ), a sprinkling of cinnamon and (about half the time) a heaping tablespoon of organic peanut butter. I also occasionally toss in a chunk of avocado (frozen or fresh), a chunk or two of cucumber (frozen or fresh), and/or a tablespoon of organic flax oil.

We also started putting in a scoop of L-glutamine powder for his allergy/skin issues, but DH hasn't reordered it recently.

Ok, haven't had the time to catch up on my reading. This is a chatty group! , but I thought I would put in an intro as I get caught up.

I am Carla Rae. I have been on the weightloss rollercoaster for pretty much forever. I was doing great, eating well and running every week and racing a half marathon or other race at least once a month. Then I broke my hip, a stress fracture caused by all the running. I gained weight while I was out and didn't mange to lose it when I got back into racing. Early 2014, I was injured again (two burn spurs) and had to defer all of my spring races. Not being able to walk much, let alone run, more weight came along. In May of last year I got pregnant with my twins and the high risk pregnancy came with a "no running" warning. So I haven't had a good run in 22 months and gained a lot because of a lack of exercise and a lack of motivation to eat right since the twins were born and that whole pesky twin pregnancy didn't do anything good for my figure! I am doing the dark side challenge (10k and half marathon) at WDW in April and I have 3 other half marathons and a 5k in the spring so far (deferred for the past two years because of injury and pregnancy). So there is a definite motivation to get back to running, however I have having minor surgery next week and when I mentioned to the doc about getting back to running, he said "at least a week or two" without any type of exercise. So my goal was supposed to be to increase my milage, but without being able to run, thats not exactly promising. lol. So I don't have a goal as such. I will think of one. I just figured checking in here will help me stay on track.

WELCOME!! And congrats on the twins! Hope you can get back to running soon.... seems like you must miss it!

Good morning!!! Please excuse the unpolished feet but I am so excited!!!!

Just Plain Overweight!!!!!​

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!

Not a good day today for me. But I still need to brag about yesterday, which was a great day! I did get out for my 6k race. And it went great! I got a time of 38 minutes, 17 seconds! I was hoping for anything under 45 minutes and was really pleased with myself that I was able to stay under 40 minutes and feel great while running.

I got a picture of me crossing the finish line from the race:

And that is me in the after race zone with an alcohol free beer:

The race is the large city run which a big sport store here sponsors. You don't get bibs, but really nice shirts and you are required to wear the shirt as proof of registration (and it makes for great publicity pictures for the store to have crowds dressed in their signature orange). And alcohol free beer is a after race standard here in Germany. Every race I have taken part in has a stand by a brewery handing it out for free to the runners. It is always great and refreshing!!

You are so cute!!! Congrats on such a wonderful time in the race! Sorry to hear that today isn't going well. Anything we can help with???

*********************************

Hey friends! Happy Sunday!! Like I said, I do not know WHY my computer would not link me to the DISBOARDS since about 6:30 am this morning. I figured it was a Disboards issue, but I don't see anyone else talking about it, so maybe it was just me!

Prayers needed............ My Mom and Bermuda-travel-buddy twisted her ankle BADLY last night! She was in the ER for a few hours..... no fracture seen on x-ray, but she is in an aircast and pretty much immobile at the moment. She is DETERMINED to make this trip and will do EVERYTHING in her powers to get this ankle healed up in the next 11 days..... ice, rest, elevation, epsom salt soaks, extra vitamins.... whatever it takes!! Any suggestions (other than extreme prayer??)?? This was going to be a VERY ACTIVE trip.... lots of walking, hiking, snorkeling... but obviously that will NOT happen unless this ankle heals quickly!

Also............ for anyone here on the East coast of the US, I'm sure you are aware of Hurricane Joaquin..... and the path has changed so it is really going to give Bermuda quite a wallop! So MORE PRAYERS for DD and her classmates and the people of Bermuda needed and appreciated!

Anyhow............how are you all!?? Hope your weekends are wonderful! Praying none of you are in the midst of that terrible flooding that they are experiencing in the Carolinas.

I've got two loads of laundry on the clothesline and another one ready to go out there. I need to do some WW work online and then I will head outside in my working gear to help DH with the chipper and chainsaw work! I've got a batch of homemade chicken stock bubbling and will use the stock to make lentil soup later. I usually use vegetable stock to make my lentil soup, but since DS doesn't like the soup any how, I'll make it with chicken this time and see how I like it!

Gotta share this smilie with you.... my Dniece posted it on FB this morning and it made me chuckle and think of all of us doing our weekend meal prepping!



I'll be back later to chat!......................................P

 

[Flossbolna]

Am I the only one who has been unable to get on the Disboards for the past 4 hours? I am FINALLY on here and was expecting to see some sort of report about why its been down, but I see nothing. Anyhow..... PHEW, you all are BACK with me! Off to catch up!....................P

Yes, it seems like the nightly downtime ran longer today. The DIS is always down between 4am and 5:30am EST. Today it did not come up as usual and just stayed offline. No clue why though.

 

[Flossbolna]

Anything we can help with???

Thanks! No, just lousy weather, sore muscles from yesterday and the arrival of that time of the month all combined. Tomorrow will be better!

 

[Flossbolna]

Just Plain Overweight!!!!!

Congratulations!!!

 

[courtneybeth]

Just Plain Overweight!!!!!

YES!!!!! That is so awesome and I bet you feel great!

got a time of 38 minutes, 17 seconds!

You're so fast! That is an awesome accomplishment.

 

[Trith]

Just popping in on this rainy and cold Saturday! I can't believe how busy this thread is, I feel like I'm constantly needing to catch up. It's great! It's also amazing and inspiring to see everyone's progress during week 1. I've been nervous to start this P90x3 program on Monday, but now I'm really ready to dive in and feel like I'm working toward something.

Question for everyone. Do ya'll have any recommendations for a meal replacement shake, protein powder, or something similar? I know about Shakeology but I don't know if I can justify the cost. It seems a little ridiculous! But I thought having a shake in the morning after a workout and even be able to take one to work would be easy and filling. Just interested if anyone has any recommendations or ideas!

Are you in the States? I've heard good things about the Optimum Nutrition whey protein powders BUT I've never tried them myself, as I get mine in bulk from a Canadian website. I'm not a huge fan of protein shakes, I'd much rather mix protein into meals (usually yogurt, oatmeal, baking, etc). When I do have a shake, typically I'll use a scoop of chocolate protein powder (~120cal), a tsp of cocoa powder (~20cal), a banana (~90cal), 1/2c 1% milk (55cal) and a serving of peanut butter (~90cal). Just be careful with shakes, the calories add up quickly and you can easily blow through the amount of calories you've burned off!

If you want quick food I will never not push Quest protein bars- they're expensive but I could eat them all day every day. Check the ingredients, though, they use some weird sugar alcohols (?) to keep the amount of carbs down.

View attachment 127053

Good morning!!! Please excuse the unpolished feet but I am so excited!!!!

Just Plain Overweight!!!!!​

That's so amazing! Congratulations!

Not a good day today for me. But I still need to brag about yesterday, which was a great day! I did get out for my 6k race. And it went great! I got a time of 38 minutes, 17 seconds! I was hoping for anything under 45 minutes and was really pleased with myself that I was able to stay under 40 minutes and feel great while running.

I got a picture of me crossing the finish line from the race:

And that is me in the after race zone with an alcohol free beer:

The race is the large city run which a big sport store here sponsors. You don't get bibs, but really nice shirts and you are required to wear the shirt as proof of registration (and it makes for great publicity pictures for the store to have crowds dressed in their signature orange). And alcohol free beer is a after race standard here in Germany. Every race I have taken part in has a stand by a brewery handing it out for free to the runners. It is always great and refreshing!!

Great job finishing! That beer looks pretty tasty!

After some trial and error, we have landed on the Orgain brand organic protein powder. It is organic, plant-based, vegan, sugar-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and GMO-free!! WINNER WINNER! My ONLY little hesitation with it is the organic erythritol..... I know some people can have belly issues from this (doesn't bother any of us thankfully) and it is the only ingredient that I really question (there are a few "gums and thickeners" that I would prefer to do without, but I don't think that they are necessarily harmful).

I've only ever seen it in chocolate, so I'm not sure if it is available in other flavors. We buy it at Costco (and its on sale this month!), but it is also available on Amazon and I think through Swansons.

NI is as follows: 150 calories, 4 g fat, 13 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 21 g protein.

I make a smoothie for DS 5-7 mornings a week with this..... I use 2 C of organic 1% milk (he can't have almond milk), 1-2 bananas (usually frozen, but sometimes fresh), a huge handful of greens (usually Powergreens from Earthbound Organics or organic baby spinach), a small chunk of frozen ginger (good anti-inflammatory), a bit of extra fiber (storebrand Benefiber), 1 Tb. of dark chocolate powder (helps intensify the chocolate flavor and hide the greens!! ), a sprinkling of cinnamon and (about half the time) a heaping tablespoon of organic peanut butter. I also occasionally toss in a chunk of avocado (frozen or fresh), a chunk or two of cucumber (frozen or fresh), and/or a tablespoon of organic flax oil.

We also started putting in a scoop of L-glutamine powder for his allergy/skin issues, but DH hasn't reordered it recently.

WELCOME!! And congrats on the twins! Hope you can get back to running soon.... seems like you must miss it!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!

You are so cute!!! Congrats on such a wonderful time in the race! Sorry to hear that today isn't going well. Anything we can help with???

*********************************

Hey friends! Happy Sunday!! Like I said, I do not know WHY my computer would not link me to the DISBOARDS since about 6:30 am this morning. I figured it was a Disboards issue, but I don't see anyone else talking about it, so maybe it was just me!

Prayers needed............ My Mom and Bermuda-travel-buddy twisted her ankle BADLY last night! She was in the ER for a few hours..... no fracture seen on x-ray, but she is in an aircast and pretty much immobile at the moment. She is DETERMINED to make this trip and will do EVERYTHING in her powers to get this ankle healed up in the next 11 days..... ice, rest, elevation, epsom salt soaks, extra vitamins.... whatever it takes!! Any suggestions (other than extreme prayer??)?? This was going to be a VERY ACTIVE trip.... lots of walking, hiking, snorkeling... but obviously that will NOT happen unless this ankle heals quickly!

Also............ for anyone here on the East coast of the US, I'm sure you are aware of Hurricane Joaquin..... and the path has changed so it is really going to give Bermuda quite a wallop! So MORE PRAYERS for DD and her classmates and the people of Bermuda needed and appreciated!

Anyhow............how are you all!?? Hope your weekends are wonderful! Praying none of you are in the midst of that terrible flooding that they are experiencing in the Carolinas.

I've got two loads of laundry on the clothesline and another one ready to go out there. I need to do some WW work online and then I will head outside in my working gear to help DH with the chipper and chainsaw work! I've got a batch of homemade chicken stock bubbling and will use the stock to make lentil soup later. I usually use vegetable stock to make my lentil soup, but since DS doesn't like the soup any how, I'll make it with chicken this time and see how I like it!

Gotta share this smilie with you.... my Dniece posted it on FB this morning and it made me chuckle and think of all of us doing our weekend meal prepping!

View attachment 127065

I'll be back later to chat!......................................P

Make sure she takes it very easy on that ankle. I sprained mine a few years back (I slipped on the TINIEST patch of ice known to man), went to work for a few days- I'm on my feet most of the day- and it never healed properly. The boot and rest are the best thing you can do, and take it day by day on vacation. Fingers crossed for her and that your trip goes smoothly.

Also, love that picture. And hey, it may be pizza but it's appropriate portion sizes!

***

Party went well last night, I didn't go crazy eating or drinking so I feel pretty good this morning. There's still a ton of junk food in the house, though, so that's burning a hole in my willpower. I'm about to start meal prep, so that should keep me too busy to snack!

Here's the menu for today:
Pumpkin pie and chocolate mocha pancakes (these are new recipes. I am nervous)
Pumpkin pie oatmeal (huge can of pumpkin puree needs to be used up )
Veggie Lasagna
Ricotta gnocchi with tomato cream sauce
Casserole with quinoa, broccoli and cheddar
Lentil meatloaf
Apple crisp to send over to my parents if there's time

 

[SarahDisney]

Okay, I'm finally taking some time to catch up... we've been really actively chatting so far this month, which is AWESOME!
Also, since we all seem to be sharing our instagrams, mine is @slkworks (my twitter is the same) ... it's set to private right now, but if you request to follow me I'll probably approve the request eventually. You'll see an interesting mix of Disney, running, baseball, and whatever else I feel like taking pictures of. My instagram is pretty random sometimes.

Day 1 is behind you now - how did it go? Did you start off strong?

My day 1 (and day 2 and day 3) was one of those days that had its ups and downs. I did okay, but not great. I have a lot of those days, and I've found that I'm a lot more successful when I have more great days than anything else, even if I have a few bad days thrown in there. So I'm going to try to work on doing great most of the week, even if I end up having a bad day or two thrown in there once in a while.

55 degrees! Winter needs to back off a little bit.

It's funny that you say this because ... my reaction to Friday was basically "it's in the low 50's, I get to wear a sweater!" I love first sweater of the season day!

I finally saw Inside Out yesterday - it just started yesterday here in Germany and I went to the first showing at my cinema. What a wonderful film!! I think one of the best Disney/Pixar films I have seen in a long, long time! It might even become my favourite - or at least one of my top three films!

I was also proud that I was able to withstand all the cinema temptations! And because I was not hungry before the film and then not really hungry after it either, I ended up with a rather low calory intake yesterday, while walking to and from the cinema added a lot of additional steps to the day. So, I feel like I need to eat a little more today.

I still haven't seen Inside Out ...
Congrats on staying away from the cinema temptations. That popcorn always smells really good ... but it's not worth it. Good job staying away!

If you've never heard "I Can Go the Distance" from Hercules, go look it up on YouTube really quickly. It's ok. I'll wait.



Welcome back! Don't you feel inspired now? Hopefully you found the movie version, not the Michael Bolton version, but that one's good, too, so it's ok.

So, if I ever saw Hercules, it was a while ago, and I don't actually like that song so much . But, my college's acapella group did a version of it on their first CD and one of my brother's close friends sings the lead on it, so it's growing on me. It's taken 5 years, but ... I'm thinking about adding that version to my running playlist.

1 - WHAT was your motivation for getting started on this journey, or joining the thread this month?

My motivation for getting started was so long ago that I can barely remember. But my motivation for joining the thread this month is that I know that I beat myself up over every mistake and I get very down on myself, and I really appreciate having a group of people who can understand what I'm going through and help me feel better about myself and my struggles, and I've really found these threads to be an amazing help in the past!

2 - HOW will you, as a participant, try to keep yourself motivated this month? Visually, with pictures or a "pounds to go" jar or a graph? Audibly, with an "Eye of the Tiger" type get-up-and-get-moving theme music? Which, by the way, if that's what you'll do, PLEASE tell me what song you pick! Tangibly, with rewards along the way?

Hmm ... usually I've got some great way to stay motivated every month, but since I'm being more laid back this month, I didn't think of something in advance. So ... I guess I'm going to pick a song, but a non-traditional one. I'm going with "If Only" from The Descendants (am I the only one here who's seen that movie and watches it repeatedly?). The song is about listening to your heart and understanding what it is telling you ... so I'm going to use it to remind myself to listen to my body and what it is telling me - I shouldn't do whatever I want to do, I should do what I know is right! I'll try to listen to it in the mornings as a reminder for how to approach my eating and exercise for the day.

3 - HOW can we as a group, and I as a host, help keep you motivated throughout the month? Thought provoking questions? Daily PM's? Buddy systems? Sending little happies in the mail or electronically when you hit 100%?

The questions are great, but I think what's most important for me is just having this group here as a place to share. As long as we're a judgement-free place where I can share whatever is going on, that's what matters to me most.
Although, I never say no to Starbucks gift cards. Which is probably a problem ... the more gift cards I get, the more likely I am to get a high-calorie latte.

Time to share two small victories...I had a rough day at work yesterday and got home in an ill mood. I was looking forward to hitting the treadmill to get away from everything but then tee-ball practice for DS4 entered the picture. Long story short I got home at 7:45 pm after leaving for work at 6:15 am. Now I was really ill. I cracked a beer and sat on the couch. Half way through the beer I asked myself what the heck I was doing, dumped it down the drain and got on the treadmill for 45 minutes.
Second small victory...I come in to work this morning and someone has gone to Chic-Fil-A and gotten everyone chicken biscuits for breakfast. Food in our office should have been one of the things I listed as an obstacle. I love Chic-Fil-a biscuits so it's pretty tough eating this apple for breakfast while I am typing this post instead.

Great job getting in some exercise and eating well despite the obstacles!
I really hate when people bring food ... it's a really nice gesture, but somehow nobody ever brings really healthy food into the office to share!

How can everyone else keep me motivated? SUGGESTIONS. I know some things that work but could always use some additional suggestions. This can include ideas for getting in some extra movement during the day, dealing with lack of sleep, super yummy healthy recipes, etc. A virtual pat on the back or "I've been there too" is always helpful as well. It helps to know that there are others out there dealing with the same barriers as you.

Suggestions are something that can help all of us!
I'll give you one that I've found helpful - if you're going somewhere that's within walkable distance, walk there. I used to take the bus to Starbucks or the drugstore ... it's a manageable walk in both cases, but the bus is faster. What I've started to do is just leave the house earlier so that time isn't a factor and I get lots of extra steps while walking, all without too much interruption to my routine. It really has made a big difference for me.

Don't forget that it's Friday, so it's time to weigh in! I know we're only on day 2, but just to get everyone familiar with the process - since we have LOTS of new faces this month!!! - let's go ahead and do a check in this weekend! 100% no pressure on anyone.

So, I'm not tracking a goal this month.
But ... I was down 0.5 lb on Friday (I haven't been on the scale since, but since we went to friends for lunch yesterday and I ate a lot, I'm guessing I'm not down any more than that). Good news so far, and I hope I can continue to do well!

How about setting an alarm to get up and walk every hour on the hour?

This is really good advice. For everyone.
Many of us work desk jobs or spend a lot of time in front of the computer or for some reason just don't move around much during the day. Setting an alarm to remind you to get up and move around a bit every hour will help a lot. Plus, if you're stuck on a project at work, this will give you a chance to get up, get away from it, and maybe even gain a fresh perspective!

Maybe when you do feel like making the effort you could make more than one serving?

That's a really good point and I do try to do that. My problem is that sometimes my meals need to be assembled ... for example, I make enough quinoa for a few meals, but I don't necessarily want the same exact quinoa dish every time, so I need to either grab a piece of leftover fish to put over it or a dressing or some salad ingredients ... it gets complicated.
I do definitely need to work on assembling as much as I can in advance to make things easier.

(Also, can I just mention that we are only partially through Day 2 and we are already almost to 100 posts?!?! LOVING the chatter happening here!! And I am usually a THREAD KILLER so I am really SUPER excited!!! Even if a majority of the posts are my own.... )

Seriously ... I kinda hate that I'm so far behind. But I love that the reason why I'm so far behind is because everyone is chatting so much. I know this is going to be an awesome month for many of us!

I am a digital analytics intern supporting tracking for a bunch of stuff on the WDW site (which I know is the devil around here haha). I don't work in the parks, but I spend enough time in them that you would never know!

Not gonna lie, this sounds really interesting to me. Plus, anything that gives you a chance to go to the parks on your off-time is awesome!

Okay, time for me to get some actual stuff done. I'll hopefully be back in a few hours to finish catching up!

 

[SarahDisney]

What are your essential must-pack items for a trip to Disney World and/or Disneyland? Do you take along anything that most people probably wouldn't think to take?

Every single medication I could possibly need. I use prescription eyedrops, so I need to bring those with me because I can't get them at Disney. I've had to buy allergy medication and Aleve in the hotel gift shop, and I hate the prices (seriously, $15 for 5 allergy pills ... I usually get 30 for like $10 at Costco). So now I bring any medication I could possibly need.
Oh, and hand soap. We stay at the value hotels, and while I hope the soap at the moderate & deluxe hotels is better, the hand soap at the values hurts my hands more than it cleans them. So on my last trip I brought a container of soap from Bath and Body Works in my checked luggage. It made a huge difference and I'll be doing it again for all of my future trips.
Oh, and if you don't already have one, get a portable charger for your phone. If you're going to use your phone to check wait times and/or take pictures, your battery will go faster than you think. Even if you have a great battery, it never hurts to have a portable charger just in case.
Other than that, my Disney packing is pretty much like packing for any other trip - every piece of clothing and pair of shoes I own (well, not really ... I fly and you can't fit that much in the one checked bag I'm willing to pay for).

We are driving, too, so feel free to include any helpful roadtrip necessities! Must-play music? Life-changing iPhone apps (like GasBuddy!)? Snacks?

I haven't done a road trip in a while, so I don't really know the essentials, but ... I'm going to recommend that you check out the app Waze. It's a social GPS, which means that it uses information from other users to determine what the best route it. It really helps with getting around traffic jams and helping you find the best way from point A to point B without having to get frustrated at the traffic. It also tells you when someone reports an accident, so you know to avoid the accident area even before the traffic gets too heavy there.
I'm probably describing it badly, but definitely check it out. Everyone I know who uses it considers it a lifesaver (or at least a timesaver).

So I suppose my motivation is myself. I'm lost somewhere in this mess I've become. And I want to be free.

I love this! At the end of the day, what matters most is that you feel comfortable with who you are, and it's important to do whatever is necessary to get to that point!

For packing itself, I've fallen in love with the app PackPoint (Android, not sure if there's an iPhone version). You input where you're going, how long and activities and it generates a packing list for you. From there you can add anything it missed, remove anything you don't need and change amounts. Then, as you're packing you just check things off the list. Checked off items gets greyed out at the bottom of the list, so it's easy to reverse it when you're packing things up to go home.

Thank you for mentioning this - it sounds exactly like something I need. I will definitely check it out once my phone finishes charging (the charger and computer are on opposite sides of the room).

I've been nervous to start this P90x3 program on Monday, but now I'm really ready to dive in and feel like I'm working toward something.

You can do it! I've heard a lot of really great things about the various P90X programs ... I tried it once and it wasn't for me, but I hope you have lots of success with it!

I am Carla Rae. I have been on the weightloss rollercoaster for pretty much forever. I was doing great, eating well and running every week and racing a half marathon or other race at least once a month. Then I broke my hip, a stress fracture caused by all the running. I gained weight while I was out and didn't mange to lose it when I got back into racing. Early 2014, I was injured again (two burn spurs) and had to defer all of my spring races. Not being able to walk much, let alone run, more weight came along. In May of last year I got pregnant with my twins and the high risk pregnancy came with a "no running" warning. So I haven't had a good run in 22 months and gained a lot because of a lack of exercise and a lack of motivation to eat right since the twins were born and that whole pesky twin pregnancy didn't do anything good for my figure! I am doing the dark side challenge (10k and half marathon) at WDW in April and I have 3 other half marathons and a 5k in the spring so far (deferred for the past two years because of injury and pregnancy). So there is a definite motivation to get back to running, however I have having minor surgery next week and when I mentioned to the doc about getting back to running, he said "at least a week or two" without any type of exercise. So my goal was supposed to be to increase my milage, but without being able to run, thats not exactly promising. lol. So I don't have a goal as such. I will think of one. I just figured checking in here will help me stay on track.

Welcome, fellow runner!
It sounds like you're ready to get back on track, despite the obstacles in your way. Have you thought about doing some sort of core strengthening? It's supposed to be very good to help with your running, and hopefully it will put you in a good place to get back to the running when your doc gives you the okay!

Just Plain Overweight!!!!!​

YAY!!!! Awesome news!!!

I did get out for my 6k race. And it went great! I got a time of 38 minutes, 17 seconds! I was hoping for anything under 45 minutes and was really pleased with myself that I was able to stay under 40 minutes and feel great while running.

Great job going out there and doing the race despite your hesitation. It's always amazing when you can finish under your goal and feel good the whole time!

And alcohol free beer is a after race standard here in Germany. Every race I have taken part in has a stand by a brewery handing it out for free to the runners. It is always great and refreshing!!

That's something I wish they would bring to the US. Not that I'm a big beer drinker (especially because of the calories), but it's a nice combination of a celebratory drink and a recovery drink!

Prayers needed............ My Mom and Bermuda-travel-buddy twisted her ankle BADLY last night! She was in the ER for a few hours..... no fracture seen on x-ray, but she is in an aircast and pretty much immobile at the moment. She is DETERMINED to make this trip and will do EVERYTHING in her powers to get this ankle healed up in the next 11 days..... ice, rest, elevation, epsom salt soaks, extra vitamins.... whatever it takes!! Any suggestions (other than extreme prayer??)?? This was going to be a VERY ACTIVE trip.... lots of walking, hiking, snorkeling... but obviously that will NOT happen unless this ankle heals quickly!

Oh no, I hope it heals quick! Make sure she listens to anything her doctor says, takes it easy, and listens to her body. Hopefully you'll still be able to have a great and active trip!

Gotta share this smilie with you.... my Dniece posted it on FB this morning and it made me chuckle and think of all of us doing our weekend meal prepping!

I love this! Fortunately, I don't have pizza on my meal plan for the week, so I guess it'll have to wait for another week...

---

Yay! I'm all caught up. For now. I'll be off the computer from about 5 PM today until late Tuesday night, so I hope to fall way behind on this thread again soon!

Nothing too exciting going on here. I won't be able to track for the next few days, so I'm setting myself a goal of only having one serving of non-fruit/veggie dishes, and no more than 2 servings of fruit/veggie dishes. I've tried this before and when I stick to this it really helps me control my eating on non-tracking days. I just have to actually stick to it.

I had a nice 5 mile run this morning ... I ran for an hour, and got in 5.09 miles. This was my first time doing 5 miles in under an hour since early July, so it was definitely nice. I've also done 2/3rds of my physical therapy stretches for the day, and I'll decide after lunch if I want to do my exercises (I don't always do my PT exercises on run days). Plus, I haven't been snacking much today, so it's been a good day so far. I know it's only one day, but ... I'll take it! My goal for the month is to take things one day at a time, so 1 good day is all I can ask for at a time!

Okay, I'm off to have lunch now. Have a great rest of the weekend, all!

 

[courtneybeth]

We woke up with a heart attack this morning as we saw the price increases for the Premier Pass. We are set to upgrade next month and now it's over $1525 with taxes. Yuck.

We've been weighing the cost / benefit analysis all morning. What a bummer.