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

[mickeyfanachey1999]

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.

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.

 

[JacknSally]

Made it to work! ...15 minutes late. It wouldn't have been too bad if I hadn't gotten caught on the wrong side of the train tracks when the train came through this morning. UGH. Ohhhh wellllllll.

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.


There has been SO MUCH ACTIVITY in just one day, and I AM LOVING IT!!! But it means that some posts are already buried , so here is a little reminder of how the reporting will work, from page 1 of the thread -

It will be up to YOU to decide on your goal, your plan, and to report your progress either here on the thread or through a private message every weekend - I'll accept progress reports anytime Friday through Sunday, but will try to update the list of participants every Sunday evening.

If you have multiple goals for the month (example: "I plan to walk 30 minutes a day AND I plan to drink 64oz of water a day") please EITHER pick one goal to use for your progress reports OR average them both together when giving your report. It's just much easier for tracking this way. If you only use one of your goals for progress reports, that doesn't mean we don't want to hear how you're doing on your other goals!

You can either post your update in the thread, or you can PM it to me, whichever you feel most comfortable doing. If for any reason you don't want your progress posted in the thread, please let me know so I know to leave your name off the weekly updates.

The progress reports are why I said to make sure you pick a goal and tracking method that you can calculate! The math is on you. If the goal that you will be tracking and reporting was to lose 4lbs this month, make sure you remember your starting number! If the goal you will be tracking and reporting was to drink 64oz. of water a day,it's probably easiest to figure up how many ounces of water that would be for the week, and then divide how many ounces you actually drank by that weekly total. If you have more than one goal that you are tracking and reporting, and you want to combine those to give one percentage.... Don't ask me. So sorry, but I am just NOT a math person!

If any of that is unclear, PLEASE let me know. I tend to try to overexplain things, in an effort to be sure that I am being 100% clear, but it usually ends up that I just made it worse.

You can report ANY TIME between Friday morning and Sunday evening, and I will update the progress report chart Sunday evening or Monday morning at the latest. If you want to report Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (or any combination of the three), then I will use the highest percentage you post for the chart.

EXAMPLE:
My goal for October is to lose 6lbs total. I've lost 4lbs to date, so I am currently at 67% of my goal.​

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

___________________________________________

A recap of my personal goals for the month (because I, of course, have to go and make things difficult! Haha) -

• For consistency, I used my weight from our final September weigh in as my starting weight for this month, even though I knew it was a fluke weight. I could feel my poor choices and habits weighing me down (literally!), but that's what the scale said, so that's what I went with! So my starting weight for October 2015 was 204lbs even.
• My goal for the month is to NOT gain any weight between now and October 24. Losing is fine, but not my focus.
• I will consider a weight of 204lbs even to be 100%of my goal, with 0.1lbs being equal to 1%, with every 1lb being equal to 10%. Any variances in weight will adjust the percentage accordingly. EXAMPLE: 204.6lbs = 94% of my goal; 203.2lbs = 108% of my goal; 190lbs = 240% of my goal.

So, my check in for this weekend...

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

^You don't have to lay out your report like this I mainly did it 1) for myself and 2) to help give a better idea of the logic behind the reporting. I really doubt I'll do it like this every week, LOL.

 

[pjlla]

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.

Unless you are going low carb, you should still be able to enjoy pizza occasionally. I have a pizza crust recipe over on the WISH recipe board.... can't remember the calories, but you could probably find a calorie calculator online. I know for WW it is only 5PPV per serving. And since you can top it any way you wish, you could definitely load it up with veggies and just a bit of cheese and/or meat to keep it light! I make my low-carb following DH pizza pretty regularly. I make it on a low carb flaxseed and oat bran pita or flatbread (Joseph's brand around here).

Regarding the birthday cake.... you need to plan at least a SMALL TREAT for yourself for your birthday. If you think that the "real" cake and ice cream are too caloric or too much of a trigger, how about something like a serving of light ice cream, a bit of angelfood cake with berries, or something along those lines? Otherwise you may end up feeling too deprived!

And since I will be away on your birthday, I'll say HAPPY BIRTHDAY right now!! So.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

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!!

Been there, done that with the scrapbooking weekends. How about setting an alarm to get up and walk every hour on the hour? Get a drink (if you are like me, you do NOT keep drinks anywhere near the paper!), maybe a piece of fruit or some veggie sticks, walk a lap or two around the building/parking lot/whereever, a quick potty stop, and then back to work! Just a five minute break every hour will help keep you from feeling like your feet are turning into cement!

Sooooo frustrating! Now that we've been together for a good amount of time I've definitely come to understand that I cannot eat 2 McDoubles and a medium fry from McD's and still be a skinny person. And on the flip side I've helped him a lot with his own eating habits. We don't keep cookies or candy around. Sometimes we have a pint of ice cream in the fridge. Also, I definitely plan on doing that in WDW! I have quite a few sweets on my list of things to try and I've already told him we are splitting them!

Splitting treats is a GREAT idea! While we are not huge foodies, DD and I definitely like to try new foods when we travel (especially at Disney!) and we almost always split things.....sandwiches, apps, treats, etc. Sometimes just a small taste or bite of something is enough! You've experienced it, enjoyed it, and now you can move on! And if the item is SO outstanding and delicious that HALF is not enough.... you can ALWAYS go back and buy another! And of course, if it isn't as exciting as everyone claimed (the schoolbread from Epcot's Norway bakery comes to mind ), you haven't wasted money buying TWO!

My eating plan is pretty simple. I've changed breakfast from biscuit and gravy to a variety of fruit...changed lunch from fast food to salad and changed dinner to more homecooked and healthy instead of pizza and fried chicken. I will miss the pizza. I've also added 8 cups of water versus the 0 I used to drink. I have enlisted the help of an online calorie tracker and weight monitor. For what it's worth, feel free to question the number...I actually lowered it a little from my first thought. I know it's quite lofty but with the diet changes and the couch to 5k training I think I can do it (thankfully there are 31 days in this month ) I'm starting today at 235.0. I'm looking forward to my first report of a new weight a week from today!!!

I don't see much protein in that plan..... but I will assume you are having some protein with your breakfast fruit and on your salad? Otherwise you will get TOO HUNGRY! And with all of those great lifting sessions (that is crazy impressive BTW), you KNOW your body needs protein!

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 is the place to have that rant..... because we can all understand and empathize with it!!

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.

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

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.

THat sounds like a SOLID plan!! I agree with abstaining from candy..... because once I start..... just one M&M, just one candy corn..... it can become a slippery slide into smuggling snack-size Reese's to bed with me!!! I do best when I remind myself that the candy my kiddos bring home is THEIRS.... NOT MINE! I wouldn't want them eating my healthy salads I packed up for lunch.... and they don't want me eating their candy!! And I buy my candy to hand out at the last possible minute and I don't cut the bag open until the time Trick or Treating actually starts. And when the last kid comes to the door, I dump ALL of the remaining into their bag (unless DS has requested that I save anything in particular for him). And then Halloween is over and I have overcome!!

I'm so excited for this fresh new month! I'm going to set one simple goal: lose five pounds. I weighed in at 203.4 this morning and so plan to see 198.4 on the scale on October 31st. Along the way I will be saying goodbye to obesity (201.2 is just plain overweight for me) and the 200s and hello to 199.8.

Plan: I'm going to continue WW and will also likely double track with MFP because I like the additional data. I'm really loving my WW meetings and I like my coach as well. With all of the resources at my disposal, including all of you, I can't help but be successful, right? I really want to focus this month on cleaning up my diet. I've done a pretty good job since June of reducing and removing a lot of the junk but somehow I seem to have also largely eliminated vegetables. That is not OK since I need the nutrients and I need the volume. So I'm also pledging to eat some sort of produce with every meal or major snack. And white potatoes don't count as produce in my world.

Activity: I'm going to continue to use my Fitbit and not set a real goal. I manage to average 10,000 steps a day without too much difficulty and I'm happy with that. I feel a little bit more energetic with every pound lost and my regular walks get a little bit longer and faster. I still hope that someday soon I'll be inspired to do some strength training but I'm not going to push it right now.

Obstacles: This is a relatively event free month for me. We will be with the in-laws for a week but they are usually pretty healthy eaters so that shouldn't be a deal breaker, although I'm kind of sad that I will have to miss a meeting. Work is as insane as usual but I'm starting to do a better job at stocking healthier snacks at work so I don't dive into the inevitable cookies/cupcakes/donuts the minute I see them. And I'm finding healthier eating out options near my office for those days when I need to work late or have lunch out. My biggest obstacle is still me and my seeming need to occasionally sabatoge myself with horrifyingly bad decisions. I'm getting better at putting the brakes on - one bad meal is NOT an excuse for a week's worth of poor decisions - but I still need to work on this. I also need to get much, much better at making a meal plan for the week, buying the groceries, and following said plan. I do OK eating on the fly most of the time but I know that I'm making it so much harder on myself by not having a plan for what I'm going to eat. It could also be a reason for some of the self sabatoge described above. I can only say no to whatever it is (generally involving bread and cheese) so many times before I crack. If I had a better plan, I wouldn't be faced with choices so many times and I would have few opportunities for going off the rails.

I suppose in the end, like many of us, I know what to do. I just have to do it!

Looking forward to celebrating the 190's with you!! You've got this one!!

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! Another new (young!) friend!! Love to hear more about your experience with the DCP. I think DD will end up waiting to do it post-graduation, as she just wouldn't have time in the next 2 years..... but I know it has been in her mind.....especially since she has a friend doing it now!

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!

WELCOME to another new friend and another graduate of the DCP!! Again, love to hear more about it! And love to hear your success as you work your way through P90X...... that program actually looks SCARY to me!!

More people! More stories! More goals! More posts! I AM SO STOKED!!

I am caught up on reading, but I want to make sure I really take some time to respond to all the recent posts adequately, so I will do that in the morning, along with your QOTD for October 2! YAY!! Something to think about in the meantime... Day 1 is behind you now - how did it go? Did you start off strong? October is already moving quickly, so don't blink!

ME TOO!! So stoked about having so many new people!! Day one..... went well. Could have gone better (no real exercise, but a busy day nonethless), but lots of healthy eating, lots of water, adequate protein.... could have been better, but it could have been FAR WORSE!!

Good morning, wonderful people! I hope everyone has a FANTASTIC FRIDAY today! Our veterans will remember how much I LOVE FRIDAYS! Our newbies will soon figure it out.

TIME TO DO THE FRIDAY DANCE!

The end of the week is officially here! What are your plans for the weekend? Anyone doing anything fun? Anyone doing anything boring?

I'm happy to say that, while we ended up being out much later than anticipated, and we didn't get as much done as we wanted, DH2B and I had a fairly productive night last night, running all over trying to pick up things we know we need for the wedding and/or Disney trip. My bridesmaids get in town tonight until Sunday morning, so our productivity is really going to flatline until they leave. I'm trying very hard to learn to delegate (not an easy task, because I can see exactly what I want in my head, but have trouble articulating it so that others see it, too, resulting in "No, that's not right... No, it's more like this... No, no, not like that... No, it's like... here, I'll just do it myself". It's easier if I just do it, but my to-do list is currently 2.5 pages, not including anything I might have forgotten about... ) as well as learn that while, yes, I may very well be able to DIY everything I want to do, sometimes it's worth it to just spend the extra money (as long as it's not astronomical) and buy it and have someone else do the work. It's been a difficult process! Haha.

I'm starting this morning out with some time on the back deck as I check in with everyone. It's cool (ok, no. It's downright cold. I never wear shoes around the house, and certainly not shoes AND socks, but I had to dig out shoes, socks, AND a hoodie to come outside this morning. 55 degrees! Winter needs to back off a little bit.) and calm and peaceful out. I need to be careful, though, that I don't sit here too long and make myself late for work. I'm really good at being late for work... ​

Glad you were able to get stuff done! Enjoy your time with your bridesmaids.... and TRY not to stress!

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.

Those are HUGE victories!!!! Do not downplay them! I've never eaten Chick-Fil-A, so I cannot really comment, but it sounds kind of yummy...... so good for you for making the healthier, lighter, SMARTER choice! I'll bet you felt VICTORIOUS !!!!

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

Well.... in the amount of time it has taken me to write this post and get it loaded, I'm sure I'm behind again!! ................P

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

Unless you are going low carb, you should still be able to enjoy pizza occasionally. I have a pizza crust recipe over on the WISH recipe board.... can't remember the calories, but you could probably find a calorie calculator online. I know for WW it is only 5PPV per serving. And since you can top it any way you wish, you could definitely load it up with veggies and just a bit of cheese and/or meat to keep it light! I make my low-carb following DH pizza pretty regularly. I make it on a low carb flaxseed and oat bran pita or flatbread (Joseph's brand around here).

Regarding the birthday cake.... you need to plan at least a SMALL TREAT for yourself for your birthday. If you think that the "real" cake and ice cream are too caloric or too much of a trigger, how about something like a serving of light ice cream, a bit of angelfood cake with berries, or something along those lines? Otherwise you may end up feeling too deprived!

And since I will be away on your birthday, I'll say HAPPY BIRTHDAY right now!! So.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Thanks for the suggestions. The problem with pizza is that with me there is never enough! I have thought about the birthday issue and I'm pretty sure I'm going to make myself one of my favorites for dinner that night and just make sure to try to add a couple of exercise sessions to make up for it.

 

[SureAsLiz]

WELCOME! Another new (young!) friend!! Love to hear more about your experience with the DCP. I think DD will end up waiting to do it post-graduation, as she just wouldn't have time in the next 2 years..... but I know it has been in her mind.....especially since she has a friend doing it now!

I'm actually doing a professional internship rather than the DCP, and I absolutely love it. I would suggest your daughter look into PIs as well if she is wanting to wait until post-grad. They provide legitimate experience in a specific field. I never did the DCP, so I can't provide personal experience, but everyone I know who had done it walked away with great memories.

 

[pjlla]

Actually that is EXACTLY what she would like to do! She has already done three excellent internships in her chosen field, so she is hopeful that all of that experience will translate well if she were to apply to the Disney PI program. But right now she is studying abroad and primarily has Sr. thesis and looking at grad schools on her mind. She hasn't mentioned Disney in a while, so perhaps she has changed her mind? Who knows!!?...............P

 

[pjlla]

QOTD for Friday, October 2, 2015

Your THREE PART QOTD for Friday, October 2, 2015

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




(And now that I'm late for work, I have to run find clothes to wear today and get out the door... in literally the next 5 minutes. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten that I owe individual responses!)​

WOWZA!! WHat an AMAZING QOTD!! Thank you for putting so much time, effort, and thought into getting us off on the RIGHT FOOT for October!! Since I don't have time to do this justice right now, I will hold off and answer later tonight or tomorrow! ..........................P

 

[courtneybeth]

The end of the week is officially here! What are your plans for the weekend? Anyone doing anything fun? Anyone doing anything boring?

Midterms start next week so I'll be hunkering down at my desk and studying for those and working on homework. Thursday is my play day and I spend the weekend working on homework and school projects. The Disney India project is actually going really well and we managed to find a great hypothetical location for it. We start diving in the assignment this weekend and putting it all together.

SO JEALOUS of your Disney passholder status! Congrats on approaching the end of your grad program. DD has just started looking at grad school (she just started her junior year) and when she gets back from her semester abroad she will probably have a list of schools in New England that she wants to go see (I think there are two on the list already). WOOHOO.... a Kate Spade dress? Any particular one in mind?

Thank you for the congrats! I conclude the MBA program in 74 days and head to Disney World in just 76 days! The Premier pass just made sense for my husband and I. While the cost is $1100/person, we live so close to Disneyland that we go once per week and it starts to pay for itself. Combining 1-2 times per year with Disney World and it really starts to pay for itself. The only problem is that we drop so much more money at Disney because of this. Too many shirts, pins, ornaments, and other items. It's really an addiction!

As for the Kate Spade dress... not one in mind but I just want to look FAB-U-LOUS. Before I started this crazy weight loss journey, I weighed 200 pounds and was probably a size 14 in dresses. I don't know where I am currently at, but I figured I'd get to that point when I start shopping for a dress in April.
(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!)

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

This office has got to be against me. Today we had a think pink party for breast cancer awareness where they served which chocolate sprinkled popcorn, mini cupcakes with pink cream cheese icing, pink jelly beans, and pink chocolate dipped pretzels and pink m&ms. I got bags for the wife and kids and stuck them in my computer bag. It's like this all the time around here! None for me though #smallvictories.

 

[pjlla]

Midterms start next week so I'll be hunkering down at my desk and studying for those and working on homework. Thursday is my play day and I spend the weekend working on homework and school projects. The Disney India project is actually going really well and we managed to find a great hypothetical location for it. We start diving in the assignment this weekend and putting it all together.



Thank you for the congrats! I conclude the MBA program in 74 days and head to Disney World in just 76 days! The Premier pass just made sense for my husband and I. While the cost is $1100/person, we live so close to Disneyland that we go once per week and it starts to pay for itself. Combining 1-2 times per year with Disney World and it really starts to pay for itself. The only problem is that we drop so much more money at Disney because of this. Too many shirts, pins, ornaments, and other items. It's really an addiction!

As for the Kate Spade dress... not one in mind but I just want to look FAB-U-LOUS. Before I started this crazy weight loss journey, I weighed 200 pounds and was probably a size 14 in dresses. I don't know where I am currently at, but I figured I'd get to that point when I start shopping for a dress in April.
(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!)

You will look amazing!! I haven't actually looked at any KS dress.... not familiar with what her style looks like. I'll have to check it out later!

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!!??

This office has got to be against me. Today we had a think pink party for breast cancer awareness where they served which chocolate sprinkled popcorn, mini cupcakes with pink cream cheese icing, pink jelly beans, and pink chocolate dipped pretzels and pink m&ms. I got bags for the wife and kids and stuck them in my computer bag. It's like this all the time around here! None for me though #smallvictories.

Wow..... so many hurdles to overcome! I guess I am lucky that although there is OCCASIONALLY food out for everyone (usually leftovers from a morning breakfast meeting or something like that), it isn't the "norm." And I pack my lunch/snacks/drinks EVERY TIME I work.... without fail. So I am not tempted to indulge as long as I know my yummy healthy foods ready to eat!

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

Time to answer the QOTD!......................P

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

"Wow..... so many hurdles to overcome! I guess I am lucky that although there is OCCASIONALLY food out for everyone (usually leftovers from a morning breakfast meeting or something like that), it isn't the "norm." And I pack my lunch/snacks/drinks EVERY TIME I work.... without fail. So I am not tempted to indulge as long as I know my yummy healthy foods ready to eat!"


I did splurge and have steak and veggies for lunch. Since our cafeteria publishes nutritional information on everything I know that it wasn't too bad for me. And couch to 5k has me running tonight so I'm pretty sure it's ok. We'll see tomorrow when I weigh in.

 

[courtneybeth]

Your THREE PART QOTD for Friday, October 2, 2015

1 - WHAT was your motivation for getting started on this journey, or joining the thread this month?
2 - HOW will you, as a participant, try to keep yourself motivated this month?
3 - HOW can we as a group, and I as a host, help keep you motivated throughout the month?

1. I started this journey when I got back from Europe in July and noticed there was this little "WISH" board below where I usually posted, lurked in the June thread and joined in July. And I loved it! This is a great addition to WW because it's filled with positivity and pixie dust. And it's a great distraction for work too!
2. Eyes on the prize. That Kate Spade Dress sign I posted a few months ago is still up and every day I look at it as a reminder of what I am going for. I also have dance parties in my office when I need a "moment" - you know, the usual tunes that have a good beat and can keep you distracted enough so I don't eat my feelings.
3. Everyone's positivity and accomplishment are enough for me. YOU ALL KEEP ME MOTIVATED AND STRONG. <3

 

[pjlla]

QOTD for Friday, October 2, 2015

(on a side note, if my images are huge or the GIFs make it difficult to load/read the thread, please let me know! The images look really big on my screen, but I don't know how much of that may be my zoom...)

They do look big, but it doesn't bother me!!

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.

That song is actually a favorite of mine..... I find DS singing it on occasion! Love what it says about WORKING HARD and ACHIEVING and NEVER GIVING UP!!


Today, we're going to talk about motivation. We all joined this thread for accountability and motivational purposes. We're all here because we have a goal that we want to achieve. But WHY do you want to achieve it? What was your motivation to get started? I know @courtneybeth , for example, is here because she has a huge life achievement coming up in a few months and she wants to be in amazing Kate-Spade-wearing shape when it gets here! @contempgal , as another example, is here because she wants to be able to make memories with her daughter without anything holding her back! So WHY are you here? It doesn't have to be a huge life achievement "I need to weigh this much by this date" reason. It can be anything. And don't feel self-conscious about your reason, because it may not sound like someone else's reason! ANY reason to get up off the couch and get healthy is a GREAT reason!

BUT, we all know that it unfortunately just isn't enough to WANT to get started, or to get motivated to join a thread. I AM SO GREAT and getting HUGE bursts of motivation and taking on these BIG projects aaaaaaaand fizzling out two or three hours or days or weeks later. So what will help KEEP you motivated this month?

I love visuals. I do the before-during-and-eventually-after picture mash-up. I LOVE the Pinterest visual where you have one jar labeled "pounds to lose" and fill it with rocks, 1 for every pound, and another jar labeled "pounds lost", and whenever you lose a pound, you move 1 rock from the first jar into the second jar, until all the rocks have been transferred. A lot of you guys know I love the "one pound of fat = THIS MUCH disgusting yellow lard" picture... I'm sure it will show up here soon.

I adore visuals!! Love a good graph or chart or checklist!!

Maybe visuals aren't your thing, though. Maybe you are a person that REALLY connects with music, and you have a song that speaks to you and really makes you want to make a difference. That's AWESOME! Play that song every morning. Before you do anything else. Make it your alarm song if you can. Start out EVERY DAY motivated to just make it through these 24-hours. And listen to it again whenever you feel weak!

I wake up to a regular alarm clock (annoying buzz), but I love it when I stay over with DD and wake up to her iPhone music alarm.... she will usually set it to a song that I like. What a POSITIVE way to wake up every day! I need to start doing that!

OR. Maybe you are a rewards-person! Come up with a non-food reward (or a food reward, if it works for you! I am still at the point where one little bitty reward instantly turns into OMG-YES-I-CAN-HAVE-THIS-ALL-THE-TIME-HOW-DID-I-DO-WITHOUT-IT-EVER) for along the way. Work out 4/4 days this week? Treat yourself to a new candle. Walk 85,000 steps this week? Go ahead, pick up that cute top you've been eyeing. Finish the week with a ton of extra points? Have a glass of wine, or a little piece of chocolate. WHATEVER WORKS FOR YOU!

Well..... I try to avoid food rewards and I'm super cheap, so I don't often want to buy myself something..... but the reward of buying a SMALLER SIZE when I do buy clothes is so worth it! Sometimes I just take the TIME for some ME TIME.... a long warm bath or some guilt-free time at the scrapbook table or a Subway night for the men so that I don't have to cook!!

Basically what I want to know is - what can you do for you, and what can I do for you, and what can this group do for you, that will help keep you motivated to stick to this journey and this goal plan all October long?

Oh my!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS!!


So, after that INCREDIBLY LONG introduction (my sincerest apologies!), I present to you, in summary...

Your THREE PART QOTD for Friday, October 2, 2015

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

My original motivation (this time around) was returning to Disney in 2008. I didn't want to go back heavier than I had been on my previous trip in 2004 (before which I had worked for a year to take off 40 pounds.... half of which I had regained since that time). I had the relentless determination of a dog with a bone..... I ate OP EVERY SINGLE DAY, worked out 5-6 days a week (cardio, circuit training, WATP), did not cheat or splurge even once. I was rewarded with a loss of about 35 pounds in 14 weeks and I went back to WDW just a skooch lighter than I had been my previous trip. WOOHOO! But the best part.... I kept up that motivation AFTER my trip! I got RIGHT BACK on plan the morning after we arrived home... and I haven't stopped yet!! I finally changed my mindset from "dieting for a specific event with a specific end date" to "lifestyle change for the long haul"!!! And it has made ALL THE DIFFERENCE!


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?

Well... getting back to the low end of my maintenance range in time for my trip will definitely be motivating enough. I feel better about myself and that will definitely translate into enjoying my trip even more! Plus I will feel a bit more free to enjoy some of the local foods/drinks if I know I'm not starting at the top of or above my maintenance range. Otherwise I will perseverate on every single calorie/bite and it will definitely take the fun out of trying my first RUM SWIZZLE!

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%?

Personally I am just happy with all of the chatter here! It is 100% OPTIONAL, so no pressure on anyone in particular to offer congrats or consolations. I do love a good thought-provoking QOTD combined with the occasional easy/fun QOTD. But the idea of a buddy system is intriguing!!

(And now that I'm late for work, I have to run find clothes to wear today and get out the door... in literally the next 5 minutes. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten that I owe individual responses!)​

**Be sure to "click to expand" if you want to see my drawn out answer to the QOTD!

NO worries about the individual responses...... I'm sure your QOTD took lots of time and thought!

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

CAUGHT UP!!!! (at least for the moment!) I LOVE how active this month's thread has started out being! I think we are all setting up for a SUPER SUCCESSFUL OCTOBER! ......................P

 

[JacknSally]

GOODNESS. I knew I was behind, but I didn't realize just HOW behind I was! Here goes a marathon catch-up session... We'll see how far I get!

 

[JacknSally]

She is having a monster themed birthday party at a local spot. She is 1 1/2 years older than my daughter and they are like sisters (fight like sisters too!). It should be a fun day. Luckily, birthday cake is something I can typically ignore pretty easily. Not a huge fan. The cinnamon rolls though....Ugh. Glad it will be pouring the rain.

And feel free to give any advice you wish! I'm always open to it. I actually just bumped the exercise up to that amount last month. Unfortunately, most of my exercise is done on my lunch break so I don't have much time to add on at this point but I am trying to get even more activity in during the evening time. It's not difficult to do really....with a 3 year old whirlwind and all. LOL Just need to keep the energy going so I don't crash and burn once home from work.

That is so fun that they are so close in age! The good thing about them fighting like sisters is that, for the most part, sisters always make up after a fight. They have friends for life! So cool! I can definitely see how you must be exhausted by the end of your day... if not before!

My eating plan is pretty simple. I've changed breakfast from biscuit and gravy to a variety of fruit...changed lunch from fast food to salad and changed dinner to more homecooked and healthy instead of pizza and fried chicken. I will miss the pizza. I've also added 8 cups of water versus the 0 I used to drink. I have enlisted the help of an online calorie tracker and weight monitor. For what it's worth, feel free to question the number...I actually lowered it a little from my first thought. I know it's quite lofty but with the diet changes and the couch to 5k training I think I can do it (thankfully there are 31 days in this month ) I'm starting today at 235.0. I'm looking forward to my first report of a new weight a week from today!!!

Mmmmm. Biscuits and gravy sound so good! You are already off to a great start - those changes might sound "small" but even the smallest change can have the BIGGEST impact on your progress!

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.

Hi, friend! SO glad you decided to pop in for October! This will be a "maintenance" month of sorts for the both of us, and that is a-ok. Sometimes a little break is exactly what your body (not to mention, your mind) needs! I hope you'll be able to chat with us often!

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.

You can TOTALLY knock 6lbs out of the park this month!! I wish you the best of luck with your candy goal... No trick-or-treating at MNSSHP, I'm guessing? You've got this!

I'm so excited for this fresh new month! I'm going to set one simple goal: lose five pounds. I weighed in at 203.4 this morning and so plan to see 198.4 on the scale on October 31st. Along the way I will be saying goodbye to obesity (201.2 is just plain overweight for me) and the 200s and hello to 199.8.

Plan: I'm going to continue WW and will also likely double track with MFP because I like the additional data. I'm really loving my WW meetings and I like my coach as well. With all of the resources at my disposal, including all of you, I can't help but be successful, right? I really want to focus this month on cleaning up my diet. I've done a pretty good job since June of reducing and removing a lot of the junk but somehow I seem to have also largely eliminated vegetables. That is not OK since I need the nutrients and I need the volume. So I'm also pledging to eat some sort of produce with every meal or major snack. And white potatoes don't count as produce in my world.

Activity: I'm going to continue to use my Fitbit and not set a real goal. I manage to average 10,000 steps a day without too much difficulty and I'm happy with that. I feel a little bit more energetic with every pound lost and my regular walks get a little bit longer and faster. I still hope that someday soon I'll be inspired to do some strength training but I'm not going to push it right now.

Obstacles: This is a relatively event free month for me. We will be with the in-laws for a week but they are usually pretty healthy eaters so that shouldn't be a deal breaker, although I'm kind of sad that I will have to miss a meeting. Work is as insane as usual but I'm starting to do a better job at stocking healthier snacks at work so I don't dive into the inevitable cookies/cupcakes/donuts the minute I see them. And I'm finding healthier eating out options near my office for those days when I need to work late or have lunch out. My biggest obstacle is still me and my seeming need to occasionally sabatoge myself with horrifyingly bad decisions. I'm getting better at putting the brakes on - one bad meal is NOT an excuse for a week's worth of poor decisions - but I still need to work on this. I also need to get much, much better at making a meal plan for the week, buying the groceries, and following said plan. I do OK eating on the fly most of the time but I know that I'm making it so much harder on myself by not having a plan for what I'm going to eat. It could also be a reason for some of the self sabatoge described above. I can only say no to whatever it is (generally involving bread and cheese) so many times before I crack. If I had a better plan, I wouldn't be faced with choices so many times and I would have few opportunities for going off the rails.

I suppose in the end, like many of us, I know what to do. I just have to do it!

Girl, you said it! I think that's what the majority of us have trouble with... Not figuring out a plan that works, but actually DOING the plan we come up with! I can't tell you how many "diets" I've said didn't work for me, when the truth of it is that I only really stuck to it for a day or two. Just remember - be sure to indulge yourself (without being too harsh on yourself) every once in a while. Cheese and bread are wonderful, in moderation! If you "just say no", especially to something you love, eventually you'll break and before you know it you've emoji'ed a pizza every night for the last two weeks. Or maybe that's just me! Haha.

WELL I weighed in less then what I thought I might (177.4) so that was good.. The at work meeting was all about what was in our welcome packet and how to use it to get the most benefits from the program. so that was a good refresher for me - I did WW 2011 and 2013.. My Weekly says "it's all about me time" so that likely the topic at the center, I am going to our local center on Saturday with my DD so she can sign up and that will become our home base. altho from time to time I will end up doing the at work one for my weigh in (quite possibly for the next few weeks as my Saturdays are crazy!)

as for exercise I HATE IT. so no I am not adding that in YET.. I am giving myself the whole month of Oct to just focus on the food changes. I know I will have to add it in but not right now..

AND wanted to say my DD's name is Megan as well - spelled the correct way.. BUT I have a cousin who knew I would be naming my DD Megan and found out they were having a girl 6 weeks prior to me and they named her ........................... MEAGHANN ... I cried for about a month then realized that we never see them except for Christmas so it was just fine to both have Megs..

here is a picture of her and I two weekends ago at my sister in laws bridal shower .. don't mind my crazy eyes I really don't know what is going on with them HAAAAAA

WOOHOOOOOO! Congrats on your 177lb weigh in! That's awesome. I love that you are doing WW at work - I think that's the only way I could work WW meetings into my schedule. And it makes such a difference to have every aspect of your day fully committed to your plan!

I am a big proponent of "baby steps", so GOOD FOR YOU, focusing on the food this month and not worrying about exercise. Seriously. I know you need them both together, and I know that some people can just wake up one morning and start all this and before you know it they've got a fridge full of mason jar salads and a closet full of running clothes. But that is so not me! Too many changes all at once and I go crazy. Good for you, setting yourself up to succeed!

That's SO frustrating about your cousin, though it sounds like it worked out in the end. If it makes you feel any better, she will never, ever be able to find a keychain with her name on it.

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.

YES! I will forever be in your debt. Haha. I'm excited that the cooler months are coming, so at the very least we can try out some soups... Half of my crock pot got misplaced in the move, though, and we have yet to locate it... It's the really important part, that the ceramic sits into, and provides all the heat, and has the "high/low/warm" dial... Really hoping it didn't get left in a cabinet at the last house on accident!

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.

Remember to have fun at your party, and don't stress yourself out too much over calorie counts! Is there anything you can do to counteract the food you'll be tempted to eat, so that if you do give in, it's not as bad? Upping your gym time that day/week, or adding in another walk? ALSO, I LOVE that you walk to work! It's completely impractical with my home-to-work route, but I have always wished I could walk or bike to work. LOVE the dedication that you have to do that! And OK, that's decided it! Going to go revisit my MFP as soon as I get a second.

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 @SureAsLiz !!!! So, so sorry that your welcome was delayed! Can I ask what you do as an intern? Where within WDW you work or anything? So jealous - I have always regretted that I didn't pursue the CP when I was in school. Good luck and pixie dust to you this month! How are you doing on your 10,000 steps so far?

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!!! WELCOME! and Happy Early Birthday! I need to scroll back through the last 5 pages and pick out everyone's October events, so I can jot them on my calendar. You can totally get to 10lbs, if you really work for it! Do you have any favorite exercises or routines to help you hit your daily 30? Wishing you the best with your P90X! I've looked into that and Insanity several times but haven't committed to one yet... Maybe your results will inspire me!

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.

I LOVE LONG WINDED! As if you couldn't tell by my posts. So do not feel bad! I love your honesty, and I can not WAIT to see you blow your 5lb goal out of the water this October! Be proud of your stretch marks, too. You EARNED those!


____________________________

WOO! Made it all the way through, up to today's QOTD, which I will be back in a little while to answer for myself and pick up where I left off with responses. At some point today, I need to actually get a little work done while I'm at work.

Hope everyone is having a FANTASTIC FRIDAY!!

 

[JacknSally]

(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.... )

 

[SureAsLiz]

WELCOME @SureAsLiz !!!! So, so sorry that your welcome was delayed! Can I ask what you do as an intern? Where within WDW you work or anything? So jealous - I have always regretted that I didn't pursue the CP when I was in school. Good luck and pixie dust to you this month! How are you doing on your 10,000 steps so far?

Hi!

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!

Today is basically day 1 since I just found out this existed last night (and my band was dead yesterday so I have no clue how many steps I logged), but I am going to MNSSHP tonight so I should be able to hit 10,000 without a problem!

 

[JacknSally]

Hi!

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!

Today is basically day 1 since I just found out this existed last night (and my band was dead yesterday so I have no clue how many steps I logged), but I am going to MNSSHP tonight so I should be able to hit 10,000 without a problem!

OHHHHH! So whenever we have issues with Disney.com, MDE & FP+, we need to come find you, right??

Have so much fun tonight!! Are you dressing up? If so, what's your costume??

 

[SureAsLiz]

OHHHHH! So whenever we have issues with Disney.com, MDE & FP+, we need to come find you, right??

Have so much fun tonight!! Are you dressing up? If so, what's your costume??

Thankfully I'm not IT. I am happy to help from a guest side - I know that system about as well as anyone can. If it's complaints about availability, that's a whole different department though

Not tonight. This will be party #3 this season. The first I went as Peter Pan and the second as "wall-to-wall creeps"
Tonight I will just be decked out in MNSSHP gear

 

[dsnyfn1022]

. The first I went as Peter Pan and the second as "wall-to-wall creeps"

Do you have pictures of wall-to-wall creeps?? I want to see what that translates to in costume!