A YOU Worth Fighting For | January 2016 Weight Loss & Better Living Challenge

[SteamBoatAly]

Bahh so many posts to catch up on! I will have to read them all when I get home.

Just a quick note, I'm starting a fit bit work week challenge if anyone wants to join, let me know. I'm hoping this will help me stay on track for my step goal.

 

[Lady Marie]

I'm pretty much settled on CSR for my April race vaca, and so excited for my California Grill reservation!!! I want those fireworks over dessert! Any of you guys stay at CSR? There's no conventions going on and people have been saying its pretty laid back.

We stayed at CSR last February for a convention and liked it a lot. It is quiet and laid back - even with us convention folk there We had a good deal through the convention to stay business class and if that is an affordable option, I would say it is worth it. We could literally roll out of the room and right onto the bus. The location couldn't be beat being so close to the bus and the main building! Also-- the sangria and other treats in the lounge were a nice bonus to business area as well.

 

[flvy]

We stayed at CSR last February for a convention and liked it a lot. It is quiet and laid back - even with us convention folk there We had a good deal through the convention to stay business class and if that is an affordable option, I would say it is worth it. We could literally roll out of the room and right onto the bus. The location couldn't be beat being so close to the bus and the main building! Also-- the sangria and other treats in the lounge were a nice bonus to business area as well.

I'm actually pretty excited about it. I loved Riverside because of how laid back it was and that's all I hear about this resort. I made sure there was no kid type conventions. I like all the extra restaurants because its also the convention hotel.

 

[pjlla]

Is it too late to join? I just got back from Disney and need some help! For the first time ever, my weight made Disney difficult. If it's not too late, I'd like to set a goal of 7lbs.

Myfitnesspal name is the same as here, jayna22.
Thanks!!

WELCOME! We are happy to have you join us!! Read page one, introduce yourself, and then hop into the chatter!!

Hi Gang, I haven't had time to ready pages 2-8 yet but I realized I didn't add goals so here they are

Edit to add goals for the month! I will drink at least 64 oz of water per day (challenge comes on the weekends!) and I will track all foods ate for the month via my daily plate and my WW journal .. I am putting myself down for a loss of 4 lbs.. Thanks Michelle

and also caught my hubs eating salad today for lunch (it had buffalo chicken in it for protein) I was amazed, happy and proud of him!!

WOOHOO on hubby's salad! Unfortunately the salads I had planned for this week are not going to happen, as our market was doing inventory yesterday when DH stopped by and they were out of organic baby spinach and broccoli.... so of course, my DH bought chocolate peanut butter ice cream instead! (BTW, true story!) Good thing I have some soups in the freezer! Today was lentil and it was delish!

HI, HI, HI, HI, HI! I'M SO SORRY this is late today! Then, on top of having the QOTD up late, I miss one day in here and have multiple pages to catch back up on. I obviously need to step up my hosting skills! We spent yesterday taking down all of our Christmas decorations and trying to get as many items ready to post to my Etsy shop as possible as I'm launching it today. I always hate taking down decorations - 1, because I never realize how many we have until we take them down, LOL, and 2, because the house is so bare afterward - but boy, am I glad to have my living room back! Our tree took up the majority of the room and now my house feels so much bigger, haha. Well, let's get on to the QOTD, and I will be bouncing between here and Etsy all day today to get caught back up.

NO WORRIES! Prayers and PD that your Etsy kick-off goes well!! And BTW, when I went to "like" your Etsy shop page on FB, it stated that 4,878 people were talking about it! WOWZA! What a great start!!

WELCOME to the new members who have jumped in since my last post! I will welcome you all properly later today.

QOTD for January 4, 2016

Reflection. How many of us have seen ourselves in a mirror, or in a picture, and not recognized the person looking back at us? Maybe that's what inspired your weight loss journey. Or maybe you have been on this journey but don't feel you see the results that you should when you look in the mirror. It can be so discouraging when your reflection doesn't show who or how you feel inside.

Today, take a look at yourself and instead of seeing flaws or trouble areas in the mirror, tell us 3-5 POSITIVE things about you.. Maybe you've been so discouraged that you carry your weight around your middle that you've completely missed the amazing transformation in your arms. Maybe you have gorgeous eyes or beautiful hair. Or, maybe your positives are what the mirror can't show - maybe you're an amazing painter or singer or friend. Take today to show the world - and yourself - who you are beyond your reflection.​

Such a nice way to start the month off right!! Positives...... hmmm...... I have good hair (I would have said great, but it is getting grey )...... I work hard to feed my family a VERY healthy and delicious variety of home-cooked foods...... and I have, so far, beaten the odds regarding weight loss and weight maintenance by hitting my 8 year anniversary on this journey this past Saturday!! That is something that I am SUPER happy about!

I am in for this month. But it is probably going to be a rough one for me to keep up with posting so bear with me. Christmas day my dad took a fall and a cascade of bad health events occurred. Long story short he is still in the ICU and likely will be for a few more weeks at least. He is in a medically induced coma on a ventilator. Not the Christmas break anyone had planned. Long drives (2 hrs) to and from the hospital left little time for home cooked meals or any exercise.

As luck would have it, the batteries in my scale went this morning when I went to weigh myself, so I am not quite sure how much damage all the fast foods and lack of exercise did. But I think am going to go for 6 pounds this months, prior to all this I would have said I had 10 to lose, so I think 1.5 pounds a week for 6 pounds total is a decent goal.

I am training for the Glass Slipper Challenge next month, which means this is my peak training month pre race. I am doing the 5k, 10k and half marathon. It sounds like a good set up for weight loss this month, but the stress of everything going on with my dad will likely play a role. Also, with lots of exercise, my appetite goes a little crazy sometimes. This is my third time doing the GSC.

Quick introduction, I have been doing these challenges since September. I have had a pattern of losing at the beginning of every month, then regaining the second half of each month. I first started my weight loss journey 6 years ago. I had gained far too much weight with my two pregnancies, and had gone into the first slightly overweight. I lost 40+ pounds from my postpartum high, (not entirely sure how high it got). This spring I had a fairly minor surgery with a major set of recovery period restrictions. I could not exercise at all and I regained 10 pounds. By the end of the summer, 3 months after I was able to exercise again, I still had the 10 pounds, which is when I started joining this and the exercise minutes challenges.

I struggle with my ideal weight number, as I think I am pretty muscular and the scale isn't my friend People think I am a little nutty for being upset with my weight, based on my appearance, but they don't know the number on the scale. I am less than 5 pounds from being in the overweight range. My doctor agrees with me that maintaining closer to the middle of my healthy weight range would be a healthier choice. Particularly based on a strong family history of weight related health problems like diabetes and heart disease. I am 5'3" which means my healthy weight range is 107-141, so 124 would be the middle. I am hoping to get to at least 128. I will see how I feel when I get there, but I may well decide that is good enough.

Once I get new batteries for my scale I will weigh myself and finalize my goal, but I am thinking 6 pounds as of now.

Oh no! So sorry about your Dad.... how terrible for all of you. Prayers going out!

​

I don't even look in the mirror anymore. I am so far from "me" that I can't even look at myself. I have never been this big in my life and never thought I would be this big.

I'm so sorry to hear you say that.... but I can definitely tell you that you are NOT alone! Whether you have 30 pounds to lose or 230, I'm certain you NEVER pictured your life like this. But YOU CAN CHANGE IT! You have the power inside. I tell my WW members all the time....."I am NOTHING SPECIAL! I don't have special willpower! If I can do this, you can too!" So take a look at the "Today" you and kiss her good-bye. You NEVER have to see that particular person again! The healthier you is RIGHT around the corner!

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

Evening all! Dinner is in the crockpot ready to go when DS gets home and I have taken the remainder of this week off from school!! They need me to proctor standardized tests every day next week and into the week after that and since DD goes back to school on the 17th, if I don't take time off this week we won't really have any more time to spend together (FIRST robotics kick off is next weekend, so that part of life will be SUPER busy for the next 6 weeks!). So other than my WW meeting tomorrow night, I am FREE! I know I shouldn't be so excited about it since we JUST returned from our holiday break, but the holiday break was so busy with family visiting and such I didn't really feel like I got a huge break. Plus DD has been working night and day trying to finish up a paper that she has been working on for MONTHS and it was finally submitted today, so she can take a deep breath and relax as well!!

Roasted cauliflower corn chowder for meatless Monday along with a wedge of cheese (for DH, DD, and DS) and sliced apple on the side for everyone. Thanking the September "ME" that made it and froze it for just such a night!

If you all are fans, don't forget that the newest season of Biggest Loser starts tonight! And if you are a fan of those types of reality shows, ABC has a new one starting Thursday called "My Diet is Better than Yours".

I'll BBL tonight or in the morning!................P

 

[jaelless]

QOTD for January 4, 2016

View attachment 143197

Reflection. How many of us have seen ourselves in a mirror, or in a picture, and not recognized the person looking back at us? Maybe that's what inspired your weight loss journey. Or maybe you have been on this journey but don't feel you see the results that you should when you look in the mirror. It can be so discouraging when your reflection doesn't show who or how you feel inside.

Today, take a look at yourself and instead of seeing flaws or trouble areas in the mirror, tell us 3-5 POSITIVE things about you.. Maybe you've been so discouraged that you carry your weight around your middle that you've completely missed the amazing transformation in your arms. Maybe you have gorgeous eyes or beautiful hair. Or, maybe your positives are what the mirror can't show - maybe you're an amazing painter or singer or friend. Take today to show the world - and yourself - who you are beyond your reflection.​

hmmmm positive things. That is a challenging question. OK last year I started growing my hair out so now it is getting quite nice. It is red now and I can braid it again, it if fun feeling the braid swishing about. My eyes are a great shade of sky blue. I get a lot of questions asking if they are real. ok as a third I have nice skin. I only have one small wrinkle and I am close to fifty LOL people guess my age to be in the 30's. It is hard trying to see past the negative. Then at times I catch a glimpse of me unaware and am stunned that it is me. Not in a good way either. I hope to be stunned in a good way by the end of the year LOL I want to see a healthy happy woman in a reflection and then realize it is me.

 

[Tigerlulu]

I'm checking in to say I conquered day one! Now to extend that into a whole week. I'm good at dieting until I get to 5-10 lbs. and then I tend to waiver and get off track. So my biggest challenge will come in a few weeks.

 

[jayna22]

Thank you for letting me join!!

Introduction..I am 45 years old and weigh more than I ever have. Ten years ago I lost 110lbs using weight watchers and DIS challenges. Then I gained it all back. 4 years ago I lost 60lbs and gained it all back while my dad was being treated for and subsequently died of cancer.

Fast forward to today. I spent the weekend at Disney and for the first time ever, my feet, knees and back were killing me! I don't want to have that when I go back. I joined this challenge and a couple on myfitnesspal.

The doc has given me an interesting diet, telling me to eat the calories I would need to maintain my ideal weight. He may also prescribe a new medication, Contrave. We will see!

As far as reflections go, I'm another person who does not look in the mirror if I can avoid it. I do take a lot of selfies because I can position my face so it doesn't look so bad. Out of sight, out of mind I guess!

Thanks again! I'm looking forward to following this thread!

 

[DisPup75]

Reflection. How many of us have seen ourselves in a mirror, or in a picture, and not recognized the person looking back at us? Maybe that's what inspired your weight loss journey. Or maybe you have been on this journey but don't feel you see the results that you should when you look in the mirror. It can be so discouraging when your reflection doesn't show who or how you feel inside.

Today, take a look at yourself and instead of seeing flaws or trouble areas in the mirror, tell us 3-5 POSITIVE things about you.. Maybe you've been so discouraged that you carry your weight around your middle that you've completely missed the amazing transformation in your arms. Maybe you have gorgeous eyes or beautiful hair. Or, maybe your positives are what the mirror can't show - maybe you're an amazing painter or singer or friend. Take today to show the world - and yourself - who you are beyond your reflection.

Just popping in to say 'hi' and answer the QOTD. I'm another that feels this question could have been about me. It wasn't the mirror so much for me but a reflection in a window. I seriously thought "wow that woman needs to take better care of herself" and then almost fell over.

But positives! I love positives! I'm totally with @pjlilla on the hair. I used to have GREAT hair but the gray strands makes it merely good these days. I've got nice eyes and skin that improves every day that I eat right. I'm funny, I'm smart, I'm kind, and I'm a really good cook. Finally, at least while the weight lasts, I've got a great rack!

 

[SarahDisney]

Reflection. How many of us have seen ourselves in a mirror, or in a picture, and not recognized the person looking back at us? Maybe that's what inspired your weight loss journey. Or maybe you have been on this journey but don't feel you see the results that you should when you look in the mirror. It can be so discouraging when your reflection doesn't show who or how you feel inside.

Today, take a look at yourself and instead of seeing flaws or trouble areas in the mirror, tell us 3-5 POSITIVE things about you.. Maybe you've been so discouraged that you carry your weight around your middle that you've completely missed the amazing transformation in your arms. Maybe you have gorgeous eyes or beautiful hair. Or, maybe your positives are what the mirror can't show - maybe you're an amazing painter or singer or friend. Take today to show the world - and yourself - who you are beyond your reflection.

1 - Minus the gray and the occasional split ends, I have really good hair. It (for the most part) does what I tell it, and once I iron it, I can go 2-3 days without touching it and it still looks great
2 - I have an insanely active imagination. I can create entire worlds in my head and stories based on those words. If I could just find a way to translate what I create in my head into words, I could probably be an amazing writer.
3 - I'm really good at problem solving. I can figure out a solution to almost any problem, which makes dealing with random crises a lot easier!

I'm sure there's more, but ... I have about a million things to do tonight. Life is certainly interesting for me right now... (but hopefully that's a good thing).

 

[flvy]

Reflection. How many of us have seen ourselves in a mirror, or in a picture, and not recognized the person looking back at us? Maybe that's what inspired your weight loss journey. Or maybe you have been on this journey but don't feel you see the results that you should when you look in the mirror. It can be so discouraging when your reflection doesn't show who or how you feel inside.

Today, take a look at yourself and instead of seeing flaws or trouble areas in the mirror, tell us 3-5 POSITIVE things about you.. Maybe you've been so discouraged that you carry your weight around your middle that you've completely missed the amazing transformation in your arms. Maybe you have gorgeous eyes or beautiful hair. Or, maybe your positives are what the mirror can't show - maybe you're an amazing painter or singer or friend. Take today to show the world - and yourself - who you are beyond your reflection.​

I typed this about five times because my positives were actually negatives. I have awesome eyes/hair. Aside from the extra lbs I'm petite and I love being small. I also have a baby face which at 28 can still be annoying but I know it'll be great later on in life. I clean up pretty well, and lean towards being pretty adorable daily. Personality wise I'm kinda awesome so that's a long list.

I actually have learned not to dislike myself. I spent the majority of my life hating who I was and everything about myself there were a lot of years were I was self destructive and depressed taking any coping mechanism I could. I've spent a lot of time coming to terms with the good and bad about myself. I know the work that needs to get done to fix the negatives and I'm getting there. That alone is a huge positive and credit people don't normally give themselves.


That said I'm mad at myself because I over ate by about 400 calories today, pure carbs. I've just been so over tired that I added pasta to dinner when it should have been protein and veggies.

 

[CruisingKate]

Yikes, so much to catch up on - great, active thread.

I gained almost 2 pounds the last 2 weeks of December, my first gain since starting these challenges 3 months ago. I'm back to tracking and getting to the gym 3 times weekly and will get to my goal of 4pounds this month. (I've been averaging a pound a week loss these 3 months).

QOTD -- Positives? My hair is thick and wavy, doesn't need a lot of styling, just wash n wear! I love hosting family get togethers and preparing healthy foods. I love being a peds nurse and especially am grateful to have a flexible schedule.

 

[JacknSally]

Posting this from my phone so the QOTD is up at a reasonable time today, haha. I'll be back soon to catch up for real (I know I said that yesterday - I'm sorry! Etsy took SO much more time than I anticipated!)

QOTD for Tuesday, January 5, 2016




Chien-Po is really coming at this the right way! It doesn't matter what you wear (LuLuLemon or Fabletics or Champion or Nike or Walmart - the clothes aren't doing the work!!) or what you look like (short, tall, blonde, redhead, 10lbs to go, 100lbs to go... Whatever!) - IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU COOK LIKE!

We've all heard that 80% (or similar) of weight loss happens in the kitchen. Well, that's because your diet has the biggest impact on your results! You can run for hours every day but it doesn't matter if you then eat 3,000 calories of chocolate & cake every night.

Did you know "low-fat" items are not the "healthiest", because they have been so over-processed to get to "low-fat" stage that they've lost the majority of the nutrients that make them healthy? A lot of "low-calorie" options are the same way - don't just grab a box because it says 100 calorie on the front! That chart on the back is what's important.

There are so many food theories out there that it's easy to get overwhelmed. Atkins, South Beach, Slimfast, NutriSystem, Weight Watchers, Paleo, Vegetarian, Low-Cal, Low-Carb, Low-Fat... There are so many more that it will make your head spin. It's enough to make you throw in the towel and pick up the spoon, for sure. The most recommended macronutrient breakdown for "healthy eating" is 50% protein - 30% carbs - 20% fat. Does anyone here follow that breakdown in their diet?

No matter how you diet - tracking macros, low-carb, no sugar, vegetarian, etc. - the most important factor is common sense.

What is your eating plan for this month, and what are some of your favorite healthy things to eat? Do you track everything you eat? Do you eat only at certain times or whenever you feel hungry? Do you cut out soda or candy or baked goods? Do you just wing the diet and hope the exercise will counter it? Do you cut yourself off at a certain time of day? Tell us how you diet!​

 

[Lady Marie]

I thought I wrote a reply for yesterday, but the boards ate it--
At any rate--- 3 positives would be 1) I love my eyelashes. When I'm all made up, people ask me if their fake haha! 2) I'm so lucky that I have straight teeth that never needed braces! 3) I'm good at creative problem solving and system implementation--- which, being the only woman involved in the day to day workings of DFIL's business, comes in handy! They know what they want, but not always how to get there.

What is your eating plan for this month, and what are some of your favorite healthy things to eat? Do you track everything you eat? Do you eat only at certain times or whenever you feel hungry? Do you cut out soda or candy or baked goods? Do you just wing the diet and hope the exercise will counter it? Do you cut yourself off at a certain time of day? Tell us how you diet!

I'm excited for this month's eating plan. I touched on it before but we signed up for Blue Apron. All the meals they will send us to cook are supposed to be 500-700 calories. And DH and I will be learning to cook new stuff together! This is a major change since we go out ALL THE TIME! Not only is that super unhealthy, but one month I totaled how much we spent going out to eat and I about passed out. There are so many other fun things I can think of to do with that money!

My favorite things to cook on days when we won't have Blue Apron this month are steamed broccoli, swordfish, and quinoa. I also make a meatless chili that is good and not out of the ballpark in the calorie department (as long as I can refrain from adding sour cream...).

I was tracking everything I ate (and was loosing more weight that way), but I find it super tedious. I'm going to try this month without and see how it goes, but I may need to force myself.

 

[pjlla]

Thank you for letting me join!!

Introduction..I am 45 years old and weigh more than I ever have. Ten years ago I lost 110lbs using weight watchers and DIS challenges. Then I gained it all back. 4 years ago I lost 60lbs and gained it all back while my dad was being treated for and subsequently died of cancer.

Fast forward to today. I spent the weekend at Disney and for the first time ever, my feet, knees and back were killing me! I don't want to have that when I go back. I joined this challenge and a couple on myfitnesspal.

The doc has given me an interesting diet, telling me to eat the calories I would need to maintain my ideal weight. He may also prescribe a new medication, Contrave. We will see!

As far as reflections go, I'm another person who does not look in the mirror if I can avoid it. I do take a lot of selfies because I can position my face so it doesn't look so bad. Out of sight, out of mind I guess!

Thanks again! I'm looking forward to following this thread!

First of all....so sorry about your Dad. And sorry that you were uncomfortable at Disney. I've been to Disney both very overweight and very slim and fit....and slim and fit is SO MUCH BETTER!! So now you have that to look forward to at your NEXT Disney vacation!

1 - Minus the gray and the occasional split ends, I have really good hair. It (for the most part) does what I tell it, and once I iron it, I can go 2-3 days without touching it and it still looks great
2 - I have an insanely active imagination. I can create entire worlds in my head and stories based on those words. If I could just find a way to translate what I create in my head into words, I could probably be an amazing writer.
3 - I'm really good at problem solving. I can figure out a solution to almost any problem, which makes dealing with random crises a lot easier!

I'm sure there's more, but ... I have about a million things to do tonight. Life is certainly interesting for me right now... (but hopefully that's a good thing).

Creative AND a problem solver? Have you ever thought about being an engineer??? So jealous of your positives!

I typed this about five times because my positives were actually negatives. I have awesome eyes/hair. Aside from the extra lbs I'm petite and I love being small. I also have a baby face which at 28 can still be annoying but I know it'll be great later on in life. I clean up pretty well, and lean towards being pretty adorable daily. Personality wise I'm kinda awesome so that's a long list.

I actually have learned not to dislike myself. I spent the majority of my life hating who I was and everything about myself there were a lot of years were I was self destructive and depressed taking any coping mechanism I could. I've spent a lot of time coming to terms with the good and bad about myself. I know the work that needs to get done to fix the negatives and I'm getting there. That alone is a huge positive and credit people don't normally give themselves.

That said I'm mad at myself because I over ate by about 400 calories today, pure carbs. I've just been so over tired that I added pasta to dinner when it should have been protein and veggies.

Hope you were able to forgive yourself for the pasta and MOVE ON! Glad you took a minute to re-type your positives to REALLY be POSITIVES! I started to add a caveat to each of my positives (i.e..... I like ____________ BUT...) and had to go back and drop the "but" statement on each of them! Why is it SO HARD to just be POSITIVE!!??

Yikes, so much to catch up on - great, active thread.

I gained almost 2 pounds the last 2 weeks of December, my first gain since starting these challenges 3 months ago. I'm back to tracking and getting to the gym 3 times weekly and will get to my goal of 4pounds this month. (I've been averaging a pound a week loss these 3 months).

QOTD -- Positives? My hair is thick and wavy, doesn't need a lot of styling, just wash n wear! I love hosting family get togethers and preparing healthy foods. I love being a peds nurse and especially am grateful to have a flexible schedule.

Hugs to you for being a peds nurse! Both of my children have had times in life where they have been hospitalized and the nurses made ALL the difference in the experience! I KNOW it is a calling, not just a vocation. God bless you!! And super jealous of your hair! I like my color.... but being blonde means it is NOT thick.

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

Morning all! I rose an hour earlier than needed this morning...... I misunderstood DS when he said he needed to be at school an hour early on Wednesday and thought he meant today. So I set my alarm as back-up (he sometimes forgets) and after I knocked and woke him at 6 am I went downstairs to make coffee.... and he came down to tell me he had another hour to sleep. He was NOT happy with me. I went back to bed and watched the rest of BL (I fell asleep last night about halfway through). NBD for me to get up, since my alarm goes off at 5:30 most work days anyhow..... but frustrating I could have slept in a bit more.

DD has learned to make over-easy eggs, so she made breakfast! I haven't had a real whole egg in a while (just eat egg whites the majority of the time), so it was a nice treat! Had a small low carb pita pocket with some PB2 and a half banana on the side. Since I ate later than usual this should last me until lunch.

Time to get prepped and ready for my first WW meeting of the year! I'm excited to get people started on this new healthy journey! Fingers crossed that I have a record number of newbies and ALL of my "regulars" and "not-so-regulars" back in the chairs as well!

I'll be back later to answer the QOTD!..............P

 

[5xdisneyfans]

Posting this from my phone so the QOTD is up at a reasonable time today, haha. I'll be back soon to catch up for real (I know I said that yesterday - I'm sorry! Etsy took SO much more time than I anticipated!)

QOTD for Tuesday, January 4, 2016

View attachment 143378
View attachment 143380

Chien-Po is really coming at this the right way! It doesn't matter what you wear (LuLuLemon or Fabletics or Champion or Nike or Walmart - the clothes aren't doing the work!!) or what you look like (short, tall, blonde, redhead, 10lbs to go, 100lbs to go... Whatever!) - IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU COOK LIKE!

We've all heard that 80% (or similar) of weight loss happens in the kitchen. Well, that's because your diet has the biggest impact on your results! You can run for hours every day but it doesn't matter if you then eat 3,000 calories of chocolate & cake every night.

Did you know "low-fat" items are not the "healthiest", because they have been so over-processed to get to "low-fat" stage that they've lost the majority of the nutrients that make them healthy? A lot of "low-calorie" options are the same way - don't just grab a box because it says 100 calorie on the front! That chart on the back is what's important.

There are so many food theories out there that it's easy to get overwhelmed. Atkins, South Beach, Slimfast, NutriSystem, Weight Watchers, Paleo, Vegetarian, Low-Cal, Low-Carb, Low-Fat... There are so many more that it will make your head spin. It's enough to make you throw in the towel and pick up the spoon, for sure. The most recommended macronutrient breakdown for "healthy eating" is 50% protein - 30% carbs - 20% fat. Does anyone here follow that breakdown in their diet?

No matter how you diet - tracking macros, low-carb, no sugar, vegetarian, etc. - the most important factor is common sense.

What is your eating plan for this month, and what are some of your favorite healthy things to eat? Do you track everything you eat? Do you eat only at certain times or whenever you feel hungry? Do you cut out soda or candy or baked goods? Do you just wing the diet and hope the exercise will counter it? Do you cut yourself off at a certain time of day? Tell us how you diet!​

I am using MFP to track everything I eat and they have the nutritional breakdown on there.I am trying not over think things or be my usual OCD with this. That what does me in is over thinking everything. Aiming for balance but not going to concentrate on that right now. Aiming to end up at or under my calorie for the day. Still trying to find things that are satisfying that is good for me.

 

[ohMom]

Morning my friends! I just realized I didn't answer yesterday's question as well, three things I like to see about me in the mirror, it's a bit of a struggle as others have shared. I have been very vigilant with a routine of face washing and products since I was 18 years old, and also a commonality of those who had Cushing's disease, and I am blessed to say that I don't have a lot of wrinkles and I'm often mistaken to be younger than I actually am. Love this! After having my adrenal glands removed as cushings disease treatment, my hair grew back wavy/curly. I grew up with stick straight hair so I love the new look. And lastly, years of half marathon power walking & weight training prior to getting sick I do think my legs look pretty good for someone my age, muscular.

For today's question, I shared earlier then I started an eight week program through my cousin's fitness blog company, and was reviewing their sample nutrition and menu. It reminds me of body for life if anyone has done that or heard of that, remember that from several years ago? It's more of a balance of ratio of proteins/carbs/fat. Three meals and two light snacks throughout the day. I think the snacks will be helpful because I hit a wall late afternoon usually. I am not going to strictly follow their regimented food plan, because that usually backfires for me. I'm using their examples as a guideline and modify with what I like and what I have here on hand. I am also counting and tracking on my fitness pal and think I have added everyone so far from this group.

I'm finishing the biggest loser right now from last night, I haven't watched it in a long time. Having Bob as a host, and my goal to get back on the wagon both inspired me to try again this season. I wanted to watch Richard Hatch as well LOL

After the show I'll be on to work out, hope everyone has a great day, get their exercise and steps in! And remember you are beautiful and you are worth it!

 

[pjlla]

Chien-Po is really coming at this the right way! It doesn't matter what you wear (LuLuLemon or Fabletics or Champion or Nike or Walmart - the clothes aren't doing the work!!) or what you look like (short, tall, blonde, redhead, 10lbs to go, 100lbs to go... Whatever!) - IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU COOK LIKE!

We've all heard that 80% (or similar) of weight loss happens in the kitchen. Well, that's because your diet has the biggest impact on your results! You can run for hours every day but it doesn't matter if you then eat 3,000 calories of chocolate & cake every night.

Did you know "low-fat" items are not the "healthiest", because they have been so over-processed to get to "low-fat" stage that they've lost the majority of the nutrients that make them healthy? A lot of "low-calorie" options are the same way - don't just grab a box because it says 100 calorie on the front! That chart on the back is what's important.

There are so many food theories out there that it's easy to get overwhelmed. Atkins, South Beach, Slimfast, NutriSystem, Weight Watchers, Paleo, Vegetarian, Low-Cal, Low-Carb, Low-Fat... There are so many more that it will make your head spin. It's enough to make you throw in the towel and pick up the spoon, for sure. The most recommended macronutrient breakdown for "healthy eating" is 50% protein - 30% carbs - 20% fat. Does anyone here follow that breakdown in their diet?

No matter how you diet - tracking macros, low-carb, no sugar, vegetarian, etc. - the most important factor is common sense.

What is your eating plan for this month, and what are some of your favorite healthy things to eat? Do you track everything you eat? Do you eat only at certain times or whenever you feel hungry? Do you cut out soda or candy or baked goods? Do you just wing the diet and hope the exercise will counter it? Do you cut yourself off at a certain time of day? Tell us how you diet!​

Well.... it should come as no surprise that my eating plan for this month.... and for the foreseeable future is WW (formerly Points, then PointsPlus, now SmartPoints). Some of my favorite HEALTHY things to eat OP..... egg whites (LOTS of bulk for very few Points), lots and lots and lots of fruits and veggies (truly.... I love so many of them), light cheese (light Baby Bel, or Laughing Cow or WW cheese sticks).... so few Points, so much protein and some calcium to boot, organic fat-free plain greek yogurt with berries (we eat a LOT of this in my house), oatmeal (old-fashioned and steel cut), hummus (my new favorite flavor is caramelized onion), smoothies (made with almond milk, fruit and greens).

Yes, I do track everything I eat the majority of the time (I usually fall away from this on vacations). I do NOT always eat when I feel hungry. I have gotten used to feeling hungry at times and have unfortunately come to find it an agreeable feeling..... but HANGRY is another thing! I eat three meals a day and don't always snack between meals..... it depends on how large the previous meal was and whether or not have time and the proper choices available.

I gave up Diet Coke (and other diet sodas) about 2 years into this journey. It is truly a TERRIBLE thing for your health. DH had a terrible addiction......... but he has finally found success in giving it up cold turkey. He hasn't had even a SIP of it in nearly a year!! I've never been one to have much in the way of candy or baked goods in the house (unless they were snacks for the kids) and now I don't even keep those around much. None of us should be consuming them and to be honest, DS doesn't even have much interest. He is the type to let a package of peanut butter Oreos go stale because he keeps forgetting they are there!

I do NOT just "wing it". I did that for enough years of my life and all it got me was nearly 90 pounds overweight! And even when I was running consistently and regularly a few years ago, I didn't count on the exercise to combat a bad diet..... I saw it as a BONUS to help with a GOOD diet!

I keep trying to train myself to not eat after 7pm..... but it doesn't always work. For now I aim for 8pm..... but I KNOW that I would be better off not eating after 6 or 7 pm if possible.

Overall I stick with the basics...... I use a healthy eating plan (WW), I weigh/measure/track the majority of what I eat every day, I stick with healthy REAL WHOLE foods (very little packaged and processed foods) that I cook at home. I try to have a good balance of macronutrients, but I know that being a product of the 80's "fat-free" food revolution has made me VERY fat phobic and as such that is probably the one food category I need to eat MORE of. I try not to eliminate any one particular category of foods (fats, carbs, sugars) because I think that sets you up for cravings..... but I do watch the carbs/sugars pretty carefully.

I thought I wrote a reply for yesterday, but the boards ate it--
At any rate--- 3 positives would be 1) I love my eyelashes. When I'm all made up, people ask me if their fake haha! 2) I'm so lucky that I have straight teeth that never needed braces! 3) I'm good at creative problem solving and system implementation--- which, being the only woman involved in the day to day workings of DFIL's business, comes in handy! They know what they want, but not always how to get there.

I'm excited for this month's eating plan. I touched on it before but we signed up for Blue Apron. All the meals they will send us to cook are supposed to be 500-700 calories. And DH and I will be learning to cook new stuff together! This is a major change since we go out ALL THE TIME! Not only is that super unhealthy, but one month I totaled how much we spent going out to eat and I about passed out. There are so many other fun things I can think of to do with that money!

My favorite things to cook on days when we won't have Blue Apron this month are steamed broccoli, swordfish, and quinoa. I also make a meatless chili that is good and not out of the ballpark in the calorie department (as long as I can refrain from adding sour cream...).

I was tracking everything I ate (and was loosing more weight that way), but I find it super tedious. I'm going to try this month without and see how it goes, but I may need to force myself.

Maybe you just need to find a new way to track? I am a strictly paper-and-pencil tracker..... but I know that isn't for everyone. Some of my members just use tally marks to keep track of the their Points..... and while this doesn't show the whole picture, it is much better than not tracking at all. Some folks use some sort of app that allows you to take a picture of your plate and the app figures out the SmartPoints/calories for the meal (not sure how accurate this would be, but again, better than nothing).

I would love to try something like Blue Apron, but I think I would find it expensive compared to my usual grocery budget. Can't wait it hear about it though!

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

Caught up to here..... off to be productive!..............P

 

[flvy]

Posting this from my phone so the QOTD is up at a reasonable time today, haha. I'll be back soon to catch up for real (I know I said that yesterday - I'm sorry! Etsy took SO much more time than I anticipated!)

QOTD for Tuesday, January 5, 2016

View attachment 143378
View attachment 143380

Chien-Po is really coming at this the right way! It doesn't matter what you wear (LuLuLemon or Fabletics or Champion or Nike or Walmart - the clothes aren't doing the work!!) or what you look like (short, tall, blonde, redhead, 10lbs to go, 100lbs to go... Whatever!) - IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU COOK LIKE!

We've all heard that 80% (or similar) of weight loss happens in the kitchen. Well, that's because your diet has the biggest impact on your results! You can run for hours every day but it doesn't matter if you then eat 3,000 calories of chocolate & cake every night.

Did you know "low-fat" items are not the "healthiest", because they have been so over-processed to get to "low-fat" stage that they've lost the majority of the nutrients that make them healthy? A lot of "low-calorie" options are the same way - don't just grab a box because it says 100 calorie on the front! That chart on the back is what's important.

There are so many food theories out there that it's easy to get overwhelmed. Atkins, South Beach, Slimfast, NutriSystem, Weight Watchers, Paleo, Vegetarian, Low-Cal, Low-Carb, Low-Fat... There are so many more that it will make your head spin. It's enough to make you throw in the towel and pick up the spoon, for sure. The most recommended macronutrient breakdown for "healthy eating" is 50% protein - 30% carbs - 20% fat. Does anyone here follow that breakdown in their diet?

No matter how you diet - tracking macros, low-carb, no sugar, vegetarian, etc. - the most important factor is common sense.

What is your eating plan for this month, and what are some of your favorite healthy things to eat? Do you track everything you eat? Do you eat only at certain times or whenever you feel hungry? Do you cut out soda or candy or baked goods? Do you just wing the diet and hope the exercise will counter it? Do you cut yourself off at a certain time of day? Tell us how you diet!​

The shop looks great though! I will be getting that mickey etched glass. My cabinet that has my wine glasses has my Disney stuff on the first two levels so it's perfect!

Health foods are crap for you but they're big business. That's the reason why I cook with real butter and olive oil. Yes it's higher in calorie content, but I don't count it (unless I go crazy or add some to something like couscous after the fact) if I'm just lubing up a pan because I'm using 25 calories worth. Honesty in moderation olive oil is just so good for you I feel bad for people that don't take advantage. Part of that is also that I eat as natural as possible. I like to cook, so prepackaged food just isn't really a thing for me. The low whatever fake butters and sprays freak me out a little bit.

My eating plan is calories in vs calories out. At the end of the day that's how you lose weight. Right now I'm tracking, and I've mentioned my issues with that before because with me it can dip into being too big of a focus if I let it. So far so good though. I am trying to force myself to eat normal meals though. I gain weight because I tend to eat one huge meal a day when I get home from work and then go to bed. My metabolism hates me for it. So I'm trying to do the breakfast lunch and dinner with snacks thing. Trying. Kind of failing, but still eating more well rounded than before. I've been paying more attention to portions as well.

I don't actually like a lot of "junk" food I didn't grow up eating it (because if it showed up in my house my family would eat it in ten seconds) so I've never had to give up soda, or sweets. I do like salty foods, but I can do pickles rather than chips. Running has made me more aware of things missing in my diet like iron and calcium. I don't like cow stuff so eating beef or drinking chocolate milk after a run is a struggle. I know I know boo hoo to me. I also live alone so I control what foods are and aren't in my house. If I don't buy it I can't eat it.


@pjlla hummus with salsa was a game changer for me I cannot imagine what caramelized onions will do to my brain it sounds soooooooooooooo good!

 

[dsnyfn1022]

So behind! Gah!

Reflection. How many of us have seen ourselves in a mirror, or in a picture, and not recognized the person looking back at us? Maybe that's what inspired your weight loss journey. Or maybe you have been on this journey but don't feel you see the results that you should when you look in the mirror. It can be so discouraging when your reflection doesn't show who or how you feel inside.

Today, take a look at yourself and instead of seeing flaws or trouble areas in the mirror, tell us 3-5 POSITIVE things about you.. Maybe you've been so discouraged that you carry your weight around your middle that you've completely missed the amazing transformation in your arms. Maybe you have gorgeous eyes or beautiful hair. Or, maybe your positives are what the mirror can't show - maybe you're an amazing painter or singer or friend. Take today to show the world - and yourself - who you are beyond your reflection.

1) I love my curly hair. It's actually low maintenance and it's just so cute! When I was a kid I HATED having curly hair because I grew up when everyone is making their hair stick straight so I was different. Since then I've definitely learned to embrace it.
2) I'm a great writer.
3) My skin isn't the greatest but I've seen a lot of improvement since losing 33 pounds and starting on a topical acne medication and it makes me feel so much more confident.

I am in for this month. But it is probably going to be a rough one for me to keep up with posting so bear with me. Christmas day my dad took a fall and a cascade of bad health events occurred. Long story short he is still in the ICU and likely will be for a few more weeks at least. He is in a medically induced coma on a ventilator. Not the Christmas break anyone had planned. Long drives (2 hrs) to and from the hospital left little time for home cooked meals or any exercise.

As luck would have it, the batteries in my scale went this morning when I went to weigh myself, so I am not quite sure how much damage all the fast foods and lack of exercise did. But I think am going to go for 6 pounds this months, prior to all this I would have said I had 10 to lose, so I think 1.5 pounds a week for 6 pounds total is a decent goal.

I am training for the Glass Slipper Challenge next month, which means this is my peak training month pre race. I am doing the 5k, 10k and half marathon. It sounds like a good set up for weight loss this month, but the stress of everything going on with my dad will likely play a role. Also, with lots of exercise, my appetite goes a little crazy sometimes. This is my third time doing the GSC.

Quick introduction, I have been doing these challenges since September. I have had a pattern of losing at the beginning of every month, then regaining the second half of each month. I first started my weight loss journey 6 years ago. I had gained far too much weight with my two pregnancies, and had gone into the first slightly overweight. I lost 40+ pounds from my postpartum high, (not entirely sure how high it got). This spring I had a fairly minor surgery with a major set of recovery period restrictions. I could not exercise at all and I regained 10 pounds. By the end of the summer, 3 months after I was able to exercise again, I still had the 10 pounds, which is when I started joining this and the exercise minutes challenges.

I struggle with my ideal weight number, as I think I am pretty muscular and the scale isn't my friend People think I am a little nutty for being upset with my weight, based on my appearance, but they don't know the number on the scale. I am less than 5 pounds from being in the overweight range. My doctor agrees with me that maintaining closer to the middle of my healthy weight range would be a healthier choice. Particularly based on a strong family history of weight related health problems like diabetes and heart disease. I am 5'3" which means my healthy weight range is 107-141, so 124 would be the middle. I am hoping to get to at least 128. I will see how I feel when I get there, but I may well decide that is good enough.

Once I get new batteries for my scale I will weigh myself and finalize my goal, but I am thinking 6 pounds as of now.

I'm so sorry to read about your dad! I hope and pray that everything is okay for you. Sending prayers your way!

Thank you for letting me join!!

Introduction..I am 45 years old and weigh more than I ever have. Ten years ago I lost 110lbs using weight watchers and DIS challenges. Then I gained it all back. 4 years ago I lost 60lbs and gained it all back while my dad was being treated for and subsequently died of cancer.

Fast forward to today. I spent the weekend at Disney and for the first time ever, my feet, knees and back were killing me! I don't want to have that when I go back. I joined this challenge and a couple on myfitnesspal.

The doc has given me an interesting diet, telling me to eat the calories I would need to maintain my ideal weight. He may also prescribe a new medication, Contrave. We will see!

As far as reflections go, I'm another person who does not look in the mirror if I can avoid it. I do take a lot of selfies because I can position my face so it doesn't look so bad. Out of sight, out of mind I guess!

Thanks again! I'm looking forward to following this thread!

Welcome! I know someone who has had great success on Contrave. I'm not sure exactly how much she's lost, but probably over 40 or 50 pounds. For her, it has suppressed any real cravings, which makes it a lot easier to eat less and to make healthier choices. So she's content eating carrots or a cookie. There are some not so great parts, like she can't drink, but a 40 pound weight loss in the short period of time is awesome!

Posting this from my phone so the QOTD is up at a reasonable time today, haha. I'll be back soon to catch up for real (I know I said that yesterday - I'm sorry! Etsy took SO much more time than I anticipated!)

QOTD for Tuesday, January 5, 2016

View attachment 143378
View attachment 143380

Chien-Po is really coming at this the right way! It doesn't matter what you wear (LuLuLemon or Fabletics or Champion or Nike or Walmart - the clothes aren't doing the work!!) or what you look like (short, tall, blonde, redhead, 10lbs to go, 100lbs to go... Whatever!) - IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU COOK LIKE!

We've all heard that 80% (or similar) of weight loss happens in the kitchen. Well, that's because your diet has the biggest impact on your results! You can run for hours every day but it doesn't matter if you then eat 3,000 calories of chocolate & cake every night.

Did you know "low-fat" items are not the "healthiest", because they have been so over-processed to get to "low-fat" stage that they've lost the majority of the nutrients that make them healthy? A lot of "low-calorie" options are the same way - don't just grab a box because it says 100 calorie on the front! That chart on the back is what's important.

There are so many food theories out there that it's easy to get overwhelmed. Atkins, South Beach, Slimfast, NutriSystem, Weight Watchers, Paleo, Vegetarian, Low-Cal, Low-Carb, Low-Fat... There are so many more that it will make your head spin. It's enough to make you throw in the towel and pick up the spoon, for sure. The most recommended macronutrient breakdown for "healthy eating" is 50% protein - 30% carbs - 20% fat. Does anyone here follow that breakdown in their diet?

No matter how you diet - tracking macros, low-carb, no sugar, vegetarian, etc. - the most important factor is common sense.

What is your eating plan for this month, and what are some of your favorite healthy things to eat? Do you track everything you eat? Do you eat only at certain times or whenever you feel hungry? Do you cut out soda or candy or baked goods? Do you just wing the diet and hope the exercise will counter it? Do you cut yourself off at a certain time of day? Tell us how you diet!​

I watched a doc on Netflix called Fed Up and it talks about how bad low-fat alternatives are for you because low-fat stuff tastes gross unless the pump it full of sugar. So while the fat content is low, the sugar content is high! And they argue that's what's causing obesity in America. Because exercise trends are growing and low-fat/low-cal options are growing, but so is obesity. It was a very eye-opening documentary and it's opened my eyes to try and make some healthier choices. As a result, I never buy low-fat/fat free choices. It means that I don't get as many points to "spend" on those types of food (like cheese. A 1/4 c of shredded cheddar is 4 points but someone could have the same amount of fat free for 2). But I figure that it's healthier to eat the full fat/low sugar option and eat less of it because I really should be eating protein, healthy fats, fruits, and veggies anyway. So my eating plan this month is to follow WW as I've been doing. I've struggled to correct the sweet tooth and it's something I'll probably just always have. I track almost everything, except ketchup. I refuse to track ketchup! But I rarely drink any soda (not even diet). It's all about the balance and that's the struggle!

_____

Phew! All caught up. Yesterday was a 5 mile run which was my longest. It was a nice and slow pace on the treadmill. I'm pretty sore today! I'm not sure if it's the time of year or what but I'm starting to think I have exercise-induced asthma. I cough and wheeze towards the end of any intense workout and then am wheezy afterward for quite some time. I'm not sure if that's normal or something that I should actually check into.

 

[Lady Marie]

Maybe you just need to find a new way to track? I am a strictly paper-and-pencil tracker..... but I know that isn't for everyone. Some of my members just use tally marks to keep track of the their Points..... and while this doesn't show the whole picture, it is much better than not tracking at all. Some folks use some sort of app that allows you to take a picture of your plate and the app figures out the SmartPoints/calories for the meal (not sure how accurate this would be, but again, better than nothing).

I would love to try something like Blue Apron, but I think I would find it expensive compared to my usual grocery budget. Can't wait it hear about it though!

That's a good idea to try pen and paper. I was tracking on my phone, but wasn't too thrilled with that. I am going to all the lengths to write up meal plans and all this other stuff on my calendar, why not add points to it too! So I think I may give that a go-- thanks!

And yeah, I hear ya on the cost--- DH and I do not see Blue Apron as a long term thing due to the cost, but for the next few months we definitely want to try new things and see how to cook in ways that don't involve using the smoke detector as a timer (him) or frying everything in oil (me)

I watched a doc on Netflix called Fed Up and it talks about how bad low-fat alternatives are for you because low-fat stuff tastes gross unless the pump it full of sugar. So while the fat content is low, the sugar content is high! And they argue that's what's causing obesity in America. Because exercise trends are growing and low-fat/low-cal options are growing, but so is obesity. It was a very eye-opening documentary and it's opened my eyes to try and make some healthier choices. As a result, I never buy low-fat/fat free choices. It means that I don't get as many points to "spend" on those types of food (like cheese. A 1/4 c of shredded cheddar is 4 points but someone could have the same amount of fat free for 2). But I figure that it's healthier to eat the full fat/low sugar option and eat less of it because I really should be eating protein, healthy fats, fruits, and veggies anyway.

YES! I saw this movie too and it made me SOOOOO aware sugar! When I was tracking, the app I was using had a sugar calculator and even when I thought I was doing good, the sugar was STILL out of control! I agree with you on taking the full fat less sugar option as well. I'll just eat less of the full fat to avoid the excess sugar of the "fat free" any day of the week.