Biggest Loser 9 Spring Challenge -- thread closing -- see new thread Part 2!

[redwalker]

You have to go with what makes you happy. Everybody's shape and size are completely different. I never seem to be happy at any size, I'm always thinking I should be smaller. Right now I'm 155lbs at 5'4 and wearing a size 6 jeans. I used to be 144 and wore size 4 jeans and I still thought that was too big. I will always have that mom pouch, I had 2 boys and they were both c-sections. I decided since the pouch will always be there I might as well tattoo it, so last year I had a butterfly and my boys names tattooed on my hip. I just think we are too hard on ourselves sometimes with should be happy with who we are. There is so much emphasis on changing what was given to us. I would love to not beat myself up anymore, but I know I always will. This is something I really need to work on.

This week I lost 2.6 lbs for a total of 11.4. I realized that water is the key to my metabolism.

Yes, water is key! so totally Key! so keep drinking it! I am. My ideal size I believe is a 4-6. When I was at my goal weight I was a 4 and felt awesome. I think that my height 5ft 2in is about right at those sizes. I have a medium frame..so I am going with that. Even though right now I am 10lbs above my goal, I am still wearing a 6...which makes me happy. I have all these new clothes that I bought, I can't afford to replace with larger sizes. I have been here for 3.5 years now, so I am confident that I am not going back or gaining the 45lbs I took of initially. I hope at the end of this BL9 I will be down these last 10 pounds and feeling comfortable in my 4-6 clothes.

 

[redwalker]

Monday's QOTD:

What is one of your "can't-live-without" healthy foods (or recipe)?

I can't not live with out Almonds...I use almond butter on my whole wheat english muffin every morning, I have a handful @3:00. I think nuts are a great way to take the hunger edge off, with also adding good vitamins and fiber to your diet. Without nuts I don't know if I would be where I am today.

 

[sahbushka]

Aaaaccckkkk time to confess my sins. Yesterday I had a total food meltdown. Usually this is where I quit. The scale went up nearly 2lbs from food and salt. Blah. I am going out right now to do my C25K before the rain starts again. Usually this is where I throw in the towel but not this time. I have a weigh in Friday good or bad. Geez I hate when I loose control like that. We had spaghetti and it was just a disaster from there on out with the dessert and a piece of candy and then goldfish for snack. Not horrible food but to much food. I am sure some of you have been there so you know what I mean. OK off my bad choice bandwagon and out the door to try and run. Thanks for listening to my rant.

I had a very similar day yesterday...must have been something in the air...but I am back on track today...unfortunately my ww weigh in is tonight so no time to repair the damage!

Have a good one all!

SarahMay

 

[maiziezoe]

I have an Omron brand, which was purchased at REI. I know they are also avail on Amazon, amongst other places. They run $20-30. Here is the link for the product info: http://www.rei.com/product/769817 I believe Corinna has the same brand, just a different model.

I also have the Omron. I love it but it does seem to need a battery pretty often.

Aaaaccckkkk time to confess my sins. Yesterday I had a total food meltdown. Usually this is where I quit. The scale went up nearly 2lbs from food and salt. Blah. I am going out right now to do my C25K before the rain starts again. Usually this is where I throw in the towel but not this time. I have a weigh in Friday good or bad. Geez I hate when I loose control like that. We had spaghetti and it was just a disaster from there on out with the dessert and a piece of candy and then goldfish for snack. Not horrible food but to much food. I am sure some of you have been there so you know what I mean. OK off my bad choice bandwagon and out the door to try and run. Thanks for listening to my rant.

Do you grow your own blueberries? If not, you should try it. They are super easy to grow... the hardest part is keeping the birds from eating them first.

I haven't in the past but DH and I were talking about doing it this year. I know exactly where I want the bushes to go!

I am back from W2D2 of C25K and I left my crappy attitude of this morning outside. I feel much better now. Had a healthy breakfast and I am off to a fresh start.

Whoo Hoo!!! Great job!!

 

[tigger813]

pjlla: She's making a video book report about Walt! It's all written, just need to record it and put it on a DVD. It's supposed to be 2-5 minutes and when she did it the first time it was 4 1/2 minutes.

QOTD: I think the winter is the time for me. If I'm cold I just exercise and warm up. Does that make sense?

Having a good day. Haven't been super hungry so I haven't eaten a ton. Did the 2 mile WATP this morning and then the EA Sports Active workout around 11. I will do another 2 mile workout in a while and then tonight while watching Biggest Loser I will do 2-3 miles on the elliptical. Gotta get drinking my water. Haven't been that thirsty either. CRAP I left my bottle at work! I'll have to grab my other one.

Having turkey gorditas for supper. That will be the bulk of my calories today.

Time to get the video camera ready to record!

Enjoy the show tonight!

 

[maiziezoe]

Good afternoon!

Just finished 30 minutes of a BL workout and 30 minutes of an EA Sports workout. I'm feeling a little tired now. Usually I feel motivated and excited. Hmmm.

Is there a particular season of the year when you find it easier to keep up a healthy lifestyle (eating, exercise)?


Re: Exercise: It's hard to say. In the winter we have snow and below zero temps. In the spring in fall we have rain and allergies and in the summer we have heat index and humidity. I love Chicago! *rolling my eyes*

Re: Eating Healthy: In the winter we have Christmas and New Years. In the spring and fall we have Easter and Thanksgiving and in the summer we have village festivals and Taste of Chicago. LOL

 

[tea pot]

Happy Tuesday All
I just finished reading back to Friday
I'm very moved by the depth of sharing and most of all encouraged by the more than supportive responses. This is truly a safe place to be and I for one feel Blessed to have found all of you.

I had a so so weekend but I'm still swimming

QOTD Saturday My fear is not finishing, not actually make it to goal. But I need this and I need to believe that it is really possible.

QOTD Sunday I can't live without Vegetables thank God I love them

:It is a snowy day here. DH and I had a hot date at the waste transfer station this morning. We are easily entertained! Chicken and vegetable curry is in the crockpot so I can spend the afternoon puttering around the house. It is a nice way to spend a snowy afternoon. Have a great Sunday all!

Thanks lisah for sharing the recipes from Women's Day I need to try a few of them

Is there a particular season of the year when you find it easier to keep up a healthy lifestyle (eating, exercise)?

Summer!! Food is a challenge this far north in the winter because everything travels so far...it is hard to get motivated to do anything in the winter. Iam hoping to do a balcony style garden on my deck this year. I have just started researching. In the summer 24hrs of sunlight makes it hard to slow down....a bike ride at midnight is not unheard of.

WOW I would agree for me Summer is easier but 24 hr of sunlight and a bike ride at Midnight what an experience! But I think I would just curl up in a ball during 24 hr of darkness.

Take Care

 

[princessbride6205]

Is there a particular season of the year when you find it easier to keep up a healthy lifestyle (eating, exercise)?
Summer. More daylight, warmer temps and sunshine! I usually eat more produce in the summer and don't crave comfort foods and treats as much.

 

[redwalker]

Is there a particular season of the year when you find it easier to keep up a healthy lifestyle (eating, exercise)?

My best season is Jan-June...I love to have the summer as a goal to work towards and all the great clothes to wear then. I love to see all my hard work pay off!

 

[tigger813]

Just finished turkey gorditas for supper. Added some extra onions on top.

6:15- 2 mile WATP workout

8:00 Begin 2-3 miles on the elliptical while watching BL

Hoping to see the 150s tomorrow and continue through the week. Would love to see 158.8 as that was my ending weight for the last BL thread. PMS week too and I haven't had a whole lot to eat today. I hope I've had enough. I've been doing the Leslie Sansone 3 mile Thin and Sleek with Pilates for the past week. I LOVE IT! I have noticed a difference in my abs so I think that will be the one I will do at 6:15.

Time to get some more water as I hadn't had much to drink today.

 

[cclovesdis]

Congrats to cclovesdis and all our biggest losers! I need to get on the stick!!

Thanks! I've had a rough last few days and your encouragement was just what I needed.



QOTD: I prefer summer because we have a pool and I like to swim. We also barbeque a lot in the summer and have a lot more salads.

I had another day where I was really hungry. My goal for the week was to focus on getting an eating pattern down solid. It helped when I added canola oil to my oatmeal, but I'm still getting hungry at least 1 hour before lunch. I tried adding egg whites to my breakfast routine, but that didn't help so I stopped that and saved the points for later. I have to up my water intake between breakfast and lunch. I have a feeling that will help a lot. The problem is I'm not allowed to have water at my desk so I have to go to a drinking fountain. They work fine so I'm not worried about germs. I know my boss won't mind if I get a drink every once in a while, but I still feel bad about leaving my desk. I have a bunch of timers at work. I think I'll set one for 30 min. and get a drink every 30 min. or so. That should help curb the hunger. We're doing a weight loss program at work, so hopefully that will help.

Part of my problem is also that I save my points for dinner. I'm going to vent here. My mother supports my weight loss by buying whatever I want and buying low point meats for dinner. I figure I need to eat dinner just like everyone else so I try to have as many points left for that meal as possible. Now, sometimes, I skip part of the meal. Like, I had some broccoli a few nights ago when the rest of my family ate baked potatoes. But, in general, I try not to do that. I feel like I have to eat with them completely. And, to be completely honest, I also don't like feeling different from everyone. Ok, enough venting. Dinner will be ready soon and then I'm going to get some exercise in before going to bed. Thanks for listening.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

I have to tell you all about the Vita Muffins. These things are awesome. I served the corn muffin variety with dinner tonight and no one knew they were diet. They are only 1 point on ww and so yummy. You have to try them.

 

[jennz]

I have to tell you all about the Vita Muffins. These things are awesome. I served the corn muffin variety with dinner tonight and no one knew they were diet. They are only 1 point on ww and so yummy. You have to try them.

What the heck is a Vita Muffin? It sounds like Tofurkey! I'll have to try them - for some reason I am craving corn bread. I have it once a year MAYBE and I'm craving it!

Did Jillian's Trouble Spots dvd today w/dd - my little . That was tough!

 

[tigger813]

Just finished turkey gorditas for supper. Added some extra onions on top.

6:15- 2 mile WATP workout

8:00 Begin 2-3 miles on the elliptical while watching BL

Hoping to see the 150s tomorrow and continue through the week. Would love to see 158.8 as that was my ending weight for the last BL thread. PMS week too and I haven't had a whole lot to eat today. I hope I've had enough. I've been doing the Leslie Sansone 3 mile Thin and Sleek with Pilates for the past week. I LOVE IT! I have noticed a difference in my abs so I think that will be the one I will do at 6:15.

Time to get some more water as I hadn't had much to drink today.

Just saw that the new episode isn't on until 9 so there goes my schedule for the night. I ended up doing the 3 mile Pilates workout at 6:15 so I may just go down at 8 and do a 1 mile so I will hit 6 miles for the day!

 

[redlight]

QOTD: The easiest time for me is late spring to early summer when the days are really long but it's not too hot out most of the time. The worst is from November to January with the long nights and the many holidays.

 

[jenanderson]

Need some advice/comments...

Here is some background...I started this journey on the 1st of January and started WW about the same time. Each week I have lost a decent amount of weight (13 pounds for the month of January). Tonight when I weighed in at WW, I had loss 3.8 pounds for the week. I am logging all my food and eating my daily allowance of WW points. I am not eating my flex points or exchanging any of my exercise points for extra food. Last week I earned over 40 points for my exercising. For exercise, I am doing the C25K, walking on the treadmill, pilates, lifting weights, doing the Wii Fit, Active and Just Dance. I have been increasing my exercising every day. For example, today I logged 4.65 miles of running and walking (I ran about 1/2 of the distance). When I look at the data I get from my Nike+, I burned 648 calories for my efforts.

Here are my questions:
1. I have been really cold lately (this is not normal for me...even when it is cold outside) and have a hard time warming up. Does anyone else have this happen? I have only loss 13 pounds but could it be from the diet? How about all the exercising? Any ideas?

2. For those of you who exercise a lot, how do you decide what is the right amount to eat to do well with both exercising AND weight loss? I have been trying to change things up because some days I am hungry. I sometimes wonder if I should be focusing on certain types of foods to sustain the exercising or if I should try eating a little more at times. I am just worried that I might gain weight instead of lose it if I eat a bit more.

I guess I am just looking to hear from people who might be balancing the food and exercise better then me and how you make the decision as to how much to eat.

 

[corinnak]

Hi Jen! Wow - you are doing great! No such thing as "only" 13 pounds, but I know what you mean, wondering if that is enough to allow for your feeling colder. I have had the same problem of feeling cold this winter, for sure, too.

First of all, I'm going to go ahead and assume, based on the work that you are doing that you have actually gained a fair bit of muscle over the past month and that you may have lost closer to 20 pounds of fat or more. That is not inconsiderable in terms of insulating power. Also, when you exercise regularly, your body is very good at compensating and I believe it actually constructs new blood vessels to accomodate the activity, which allows for faster cooling. I think some of that plays a role as well. My solution has been wool socks and an extra layer most days. My fingers get cold really, really fast, too.

Of course it may be medically relevant - something to discuss with your doctor, if you are concerned. I don't know all the things that can cause it but, you know, circulation, low iron and things along those lines....though it sounds like it correlates with your weight loss activity, I can't rule out those things, so use your best judgement and talk to your doctor if there is any doubt.

Finally, I'm not sure I could say I've balanced activity and food better or worse than anyone else - and I am still struggling with the balance here in Maintenance-land, but your loss is pretty rapid so far - and while it may be that you don't need those weekly flex points now, at some point (I felt it when I went below 22 daily points) you are going to want to be able to use them. I finally decided that I needed to use either my flex points or my AP every week for health, sanity, long term liveability and just to make sure there was enough fuel for my workouts.

I have never been the fastest loser, by any means, so my advice might not be the most appealing, but I have also worried about eating more and gaining. You are so far from that turn-around point, from what you've said. Maybe try eating half of your weeklies or activity points, to start. 85 points a week is a lot to leave unused, epsecially if you are hungry. Use them for healthy fuels if you feel any doubt about it at all. You can add more milk, whole grains, fruits, eggs, nuts, legumes without any guilt - these things will build you a beautiful lean body as you lose more fat. Some say to use those extra points for treats, but I felt better about adding high quality fuel when I started using more points. Your mileage may vary, of course.

 

[pppiglet]

Is there a particular season of the year when you find it easier to keep up a healthy lifestyle (eating, exercise)?

Well, I hate cold weather. I come home from work and put on sweats. DH has the house cold, so I won't do anything while I'm cold. Also...I tend to eat more in the winter because I want nice hot meals!

Summer time is easiest for me to diet and exercise.

Like tonight...no exercise...no housework...just eat and watch TV...too cold out for me!

 

[my3princes]

Need some advice/comments...

Here is some background...I started this journey on the 1st of January and started WW about the same time. Each week I have lost a decent amount of weight (13 pounds for the month of January). Tonight when I weighed in at WW, I had loss 3.8 pounds for the week. I am logging all my food and eating my daily allowance of WW points. I am not eating my flex points or exchanging any of my exercise points for extra food. Last week I earned over 40 points for my exercising. For exercise, I am doing the C25K, walking on the treadmill, pilates, lifting weights, doing the Wii Fit, Active and Just Dance. I have been increasing my exercising every day. For example, today I logged 4.65 miles of running and walking (I ran about 1/2 of the distance). When I look at the data I get from my Nike+, I burned 648 calories for my efforts.

Here are my questions:
1. I have been really cold lately (this is not normal for me...even when it is cold outside) and have a hard time warming up. Does anyone else have this happen? I have only loss 13 pounds but could it be from the diet? How about all the exercising? Any ideas?

2. For those of you who exercise a lot, how do you decide what is the right amount to eat to do well with both exercising AND weight loss? I have been trying to change things up because some days I am hungry. I sometimes wonder if I should be focusing on certain types of foods to sustain the exercising or if I should try eating a little more at times. I am just worried that I might gain weight instead of lose it if I eat a bit more.

I guess I am just looking to hear from people who might be balancing the food and exercise better then me and how you make the decision as to how much to eat.

I'm always cold so I wouldn't be the best gauge. DH has definitely noticed that he is much colder now that he has lost weight. He used to be comfortable in a t-shirt most of the time. Now I see him in long sleeve or a hoodie most of the time and his jackets of choice are all much warmer.

 

[my3princes]

QOTD: I do much better in Spring. I enjoy going out for walks or playing Lacrosse with my kids. There are fewer bugs and it isn't unbearably hot or cold. No big holidays or BBQs to mess me up.