Biggest Loser--SUMMER 2011 Challenge for Losers & Maintainers!

[tinkerbellang]

QOTD Friday, June 10 -- How do you track/journal your food? Do you keep an old-fashioned paper journal or a list? Do you do it online or maybe on an iphone app?? If you DON'T track/journal your food, do you think you should?


I track my food and exercise using an app on my Android phone - Calorie Counter and it sync on-line with fatsecret.com. Love it! It has so many restaurants in it that I can make sure what I'm ordering before I place the order! I think when you start to write down everything you put in your mouth you really didn't realize how many calories you were really eating. I pretty well enter everything everyday.

Laura - love the pictures of the cats - your Sunny looks exactly like my Sonny!! LOL

Angie

 

[tigger813]

Home from work...trying to clean...and not EAT! I came home and had twisted CHeetos and potstickers!

Waiting to hear from my sister...mom was having some major issues with her memory. She wasn't responding to my questions when I called her so I texted my sister. Mom didn't even know my sister's name or what year it was. They don't think she's had a stroke as she was answering other things. Her blood tests were clear so I think they were headed to do a brain scan. They think it may just be her body getting rid of the heavy duty narcotics.

Ended up with 3 clients this morning. My no -show from last night came in for a 30 minute massage and will be coming every other Friday once I get back from NC. My friend came and then my regular client came. He was late so I took the other client first as he needed to leave. I left work as soon as I could.

Getting a little cleaning done and watching The Queen. I bought it last week and hadn't had time to watch it again. Just love this movie! Ash will be home in about 30 minutes and then we are going to pick up Izzie. Brian's planning on coming home early so we can enjoy an early evening together.

Well, I'm going to try and get the raffle containers covered now.

I'm sure I'll check again later!

TTFN

 

[Rose&Mike]

Good morning everyone and happy friday!

I am a week late but would like to join the challenge. I did the spring challenge with a goal of 12 lbs. I lost 10 and then gained 2 back in the last few weeks when I was not an active participant. I went on vacation, came bak, had computer problems, worked on finding and new job, you know , all of the usual life got in the way excuses for dropping out early.

Here I am in the summer challenge hoping to pick up where I left off I want to lose another 5-10 lbs whcih will put me in my final goal range, which is also in the normal BMI range. I will set my official challenge goal to 10.


I have 3 main reasons for wanting to lose this weight:
1) I want to be healthier. The changes that will be necessary to lose this weight, eating better and exercising more, will make me generally healthier.
2) Fell/look better in my every day clothes. I always see pictures and think, "wow, I really look that big/flabby?" or look in the mirror and see the pudge.
3) I am in two weddings this fall/winter and we all know bridesmaids dresses are not usually flattering. I want to look good in them!

QOTD - I don't always journal but I always should because there is a clear difference in my eating on days when I do and days when I don't.

Thankks for organizing another great motivational challenge!

Welcome! donac is our weight keeper this challenge, so make sure to pm her your starting weight.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

And since I am a proud cat mom - here are some pictures of my boys:

That's Blackie, and yes, he is on the kitchen counter

And this is Sunny Doodle - I think he likes his new home


That's a new one, right? The cats made me eat badly - not PMS, not poor planning, not bad time-management - but blaming the cats .

- Laura

ok fine, i admit it, i'm not a cat person. but, those cats are SO CUTE! i would even like to cuddle them!

my annoying bulldog drives me to eat. she is so annoying and bad sometimes that i get mad and want to chow down. i get it.

i call it "pet-induced weight gain"

It has been a hard week for me this week. This was the first week home for the kids with summer break and work has been crazy for me too. So I let the stress overwhelm me and I basically ate all the wrong things and didn't exercise much. So with that being said, I am kicking myself in the butt and getting back on track. With today being weigh-in today, I was afraid to get on the scale but did and I did not gain or lose anything. So with the week I have had, I am grateful for that!! Now to do some catch up on the thread. I would like to respond to so many of them but I am overwhelmed with how to respond to everyone using the quote thing and such so I will just do a few for now but I will say that I enjoyed reading everything. It has provided me with such support and encouragement.

sometimes during the rough weeks just staying the same with weight is a VERY good thing!!!

Shockingly, I was down 2.3 lbs this morning, even with not eating what I know to eat, and being so tired this week I only 2 walked 3 days! So - my goal for this week is to improve on last week - more days eating correctly and more days of exercise. And try not to be so hard on myself when I mess up!

This month is always my most stressful at work - usually not a good time for me to try to stay on a diet - but I am just trying to make good food choices.

I'm missing a couple of QOTD!

My favorite resort is a tie - I have two favorites - I loved Yacht Club, but I also love Wilderness Lodge! we end up staying at Wilderness Lodge more because of the cost - and because I love Roaring Forks. I can stay on plan for breakfast by having the kids scrambled eggs, bacon and unsweetened apple sauce! It is the perfect portion size!

Have a great day and weekend all, if I don't get to talk to you until Monday!

Angie

nice loss! good for you!

hope work isn't too stressful! it's hard when you KNOW things are going be stressful and there isn't much you can do!

i've never stayed at the yacht club or wilderness lodge. haven't eaten at roaring forks either. i'm impressed that you are thinking about portion size while on vacation! i, unfortunately, never do that!

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

well, i am proud to report that my house is on the way to being clean! i vacuumed the whole house, mopped the living room/kitchen. went through and tossed a ton of my clothes that i just will never wear. i actually got rid of a few workout-type pants that i had in a larger size. i will NOT need to wear those again! i got rid of a ton of shirts that i have had for close to 15 years! and i tossed a pair of sneakers that i have had since i was in the NINTH grade! not kidding!
i wiped down the counters and went through the pantry and fridge and tossed all the old stuff. vacuumed the couch and chair cushions and got rid of a pound of crumbs that were underneath. ew.
i did not, however, touch the disgusting bathroom. i'm going to let DH do that tomorrow...and he doesn't even know yet! i'm so nice. i just draw the line at bathrooms. no can do.

there is still so much more to do. this house is SO small that there just isn't any room to put anything! so the kitchen table is piled high and there's a bookcase stuffed with crap. i WILL tackle that tomorrow as well as put some sweatshirts in a bag to be put in the basement.

don't think anyone cares to read that but i'm kind of like pamela...needed to just prove to myself that i did stuff!!

oh and the best part? while i was cleaning I WASN'T EATING!! NSV BABY!

 

[mommyof2Pirates]

Just a few minutes to post so sorry that I cant respond to everyone.

Laura- Your kitties are so cute. Our pets are our kids so I totally understand the worries.

Nancy- Glad you got the house cleaned and I agree I dont do bathrooms either. Well I should say I dont do toilets.

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

We ended up having lunch at home since it was just easier that way. I made this super delicious tuna sandwich. Just a small amount of tuna and lett and tom. It was so good. Its amazing how when you eat normally everything tastes wonderful.

Then as a snack I had an ice cream cone from the ice cream man at the playground. Anyone else have ice cream man's or trucks??? or is that just a city/PA thing. Just curious. It was a small vanilla cone so I would estimate maybe 4 points. I just couldnt pass it up on a hot day.

While I was there I got a call from my friend who is suppose to start watching Ryan on Mon and she said her father in law passed away. She wont be able to watch Ryan Mon or Tues. I am trying to call my backups but I am getting all the sorry I wont be able to's. uggh. Now Im in quite a pinch. I will figure something out Im sure but its a bit stressful and this is just the start of the summer.

Now we are home and I am about to make dinner. On the plate tonight is taco's and for me a salad w a small amount of taco meat made with 97%ffree beef.

 

[mackeysmom]

Then as a snack I had an ice cream cone from the ice cream man at the playground. Anyone else have ice cream man's or trucks??? or is that just a city/PA thing. Just curious. It was a small vanilla cone so I would estimate maybe 4 points. I just couldnt pass it up on a hot day.

LOL - I can understand that. I live directly across the street from an elementary school playground and the ice cream man parks there EVERY DAY from 3 - 6. Usually I'll treat myself to the same thing - a small vanilla cone - on a Friday if I've been on plan all week.

- Laura

 

[DisCanCan]

Thanks everyone for their kind words & thoughts about my dad. It has defiantly been a shock to the system. I also started a new job & there is way more over time. I start at 7:39 am & some days I don’t get home till 7 pm!! So by the time I get home I don’t feel like working out.

Buffy – Regina is about 485 km or 301 miles. Yah we most certainly get a lot of snow here, but I have lived here all my life so I guess I am kind of use to it. As much as a person can get use to -30 c wind & snow lol

6/10 QOTD: How do you track/journal your food? Do you keep an old-fashioned paper journal or a list? Do you do it online or maybe on an iphone app??

I am starting following WW again, so I am tracking using a excel spreadsheet that I have created myself, I found that there was no room to write down what I ate in the trackers that they give you. I guess now the key is to track everyday & be consist with it.

 

[my3princes]

QOTD Thursday, June 9
I thought I'd end the week with an easy one. What is your favorite Disney Resort?

*****
Have a great day everyone! We have someone coming to look at replacing our windows after work and then we are going running. It's supposed to be in the 90s again, but back in the 80s by Sunday. I'm going to get up and do some yoga (which I still hate) before work. It seems to really be helping with my itband issues. Stay hydrated! It's hot!

Our favorite is Old Key West. I think it is because it is laid back, has a ton of space and uses the least amount of DVC points.

We also would say that Fort Wilderness is our favorite campground anywhere. It is so clean with great activities and the rates are not any worse than the bigger campgrounds around here.

 

[my3princes]

Wow, I haven't really had a chance to read since Sunday. I keep thinking that Friday I will have time, but time doesn't seem to free up. The job is going well and after this weekend the Lacrosse games will be over, just have the end of year gatherings to attend (or throw). Yesterday I left the house around 5:45 am for work and didn't get home until after 10:30 PM as I worked both jobs. very long day. Today I dropped the kids off at school and headed home and took a 3 hour nap. got up and did a few chores then went back to school to help with Field Day. Colby had a friend over after school and after he left I took Hunter shopping for the last items that he needed for his Dance outfit for tomorrow night. Tomorrow he is playing in 3 LAX games too. Life is certainly busy, but I wouldn't miss a minute of my kids activities.

Hopefully things will settle down soon and I'll be able to catch up at least a few times a week. I really WANT to exercise too That is not like me, but sitting at a desk for 10 hour a day has me feeling the need to move.

 

[glss1/2fll]

I'm several pages behind but just thought I'd hop on and answer 6/9 qotd. My absolute favorite place we stayed was The Dolphin, but technically it's not a Disney resort. The hotel was fine but I love, love, love the location. Being able to walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios was a blast.

Weigh in this morning was good. It matched Wednesday's peek, so now I trust that number. I hope this week I can get down to a new decade! Today the classroom I worked in had their kindergarten graduation so there were cookies, and cupcakes, and cookies, and chips, and cookies, and juice, and cookies. I was assigned to put all those on trays. I remembered my weigh in and resisted any nibbles.

 

[satorifound]

I lost 1.6 pounds last week. If I could continue to lose 1 pound- 1.5 pounds a week I will be really close to my goal by Disney time. I want to wear shorts... Soooo, if anyone sees me walking around and my legs blind them, I am sorry, I don't tan. LOL

Oh and hopefully Tuesday I can get back on the gym wagon. Working 12s all weekend, but come Tuesday the gym is calling my name.

 

[Zhoen]

That loud crash/boom sound you heard an hour or two ago was NOT a nuclear explosion, the rapture, or even a meteor the size of Texas crashing into Notre Dame and disintegrating Paris... that was just me falling off the wagon... no worries, I climbed right back on, but if my heinie seems just a bit bigger for the next week or so, I'm sure it's just the bruising, it has NOTHING to do with the pizza. ...

My DARLING sister had pizza delivered to her house for her kids while I was over hanging with my nieces and nephews. Now, to be clear, this is the same beautiful sister who's lost so much weight in the past year... so now we know her secret... have pizza sent to the house for the kids when you're not home so you won't be tempted. It will take me a while to forgive her... she KNEW I was going to be there, and she had it delivered right.at.4pm-- the witching hour in dietville!

Oh well, that's what flexpoints are for, and MAN did I blow a hole in mine!!! Even though I had a virtuous soup-and-salad lunch! I don't know... it doesn't seem possible to gobble that much junk and still be on-plan. Well, we'll know next Friday!

 

[lovedvc]

This is my first post for the summer challenge. Life has been a little hectic. We are installing a wood floor in the dining room and it just seems like there are things everywhere they shouldn't be. I haven't been watching what I eat the past 2 weeks my brain is in too many directions. Fortunately I started boot camp training 4 months ago and I go faithfully 4 times a week sometimes 5 if I can squeeze it in. It's amazing how it makes me feel. I've only lost about 5 lbs since I started but I have lost a ton of inches and gained a lot of strength. I can actually run 2 miles straight now without stopping and that in itself is a huge accomplishment for me. I hope to be able to run the 5k twice on Castaway Cay in August with my husband. I know I can do it especially with him cheering me on. I hope to have a weight loss to report next week.

 

[6Smiles]

Hi everyone - I am very far behind on reading here, but will make it a point to catch up on Sunday. I lost 1 pound for the first week. Not happy but I lost my mojo during the week by setting my expectations for myself way to high and very unrealistic for our schedule. This week I am going to be focusing on the Healthy habit goals and working out 30 minutes 5 times this week. I have decided to take the TEAS or nursing entrance exam next month and have been consumed with all that comes with it for hopeful admission to the University for the Spring 2012 semester. Very busy week ahead with daily activities all week and ending with DH and I going away to a couples only event this weekend without our four kiddos.

Kris

 

[mikamah]

That loud crash/boom sound you heard an hour or two ago was NOT a nuclear explosion, the rapture, or even a meteor the size of Texas crashing into Notre Dame and disintegrating Paris... that was just me falling off the wagon... no worries, I climbed right back on, but if my heinie seems just a bit bigger for the next week or so, I'm sure it's just the bruising, it has NOTHING to do with the pizza.

You're too funny. Glad you climbed right back on. that's what this journey is all about, never giving up.

Good evening, friends,

It's been a bit busy and crazy around here, and I haven't read the past couple days, but hope to have some time sunday to catch up with you all here. I did track all my food this week, but follow ww, and instead of 49 extra points, I had 109 extra points. So I didn't lose any weight, and I know why, but I do know that writing it down definitely helped me make some smarter decisions.
We have a busy day tomorrow. Baseball picnic, game, and then a cub scout campout. I think we're expecting rain tomorrow night, so we may skip the campout, and go for the bbq and campfire, but come home to sleep. It's held at a park nearby. I'm a fair weather camper, for sure.

I hope you all are doing well, and saw some good numbers on the scale today.

Enjoy the weekend.

 

[trinaweena]

Im hoping for some feedback here. I use myfitnesspal to track my calories. Ive been very faithfully tracking calories for the past 9 days. Before i "used" it but when i felt guilty about something i never put it in so it didnt really do anything for me! Now im trying to really pay attention to what goes in my mouth!

Anyways, when I started I had set my calorie intake on 1500. When I started tracking calories seriously i brought it down to 1300. I weigh 162 and im 5'6" so this seemed decent to me.

Well i just noticed today that at some point it got changed to 1200 calories a day. I'm not sure if it did this when i updated my weight or if i changed that (I take ambiem every night and i forget a lot of the stuff I do) but i tend to fall about 100 to 200 calories short of my goal everyday whether im consuming 1200, 1300, or 1500 calories (I think this is a psychological thing). Well now its telling me that im consuming to few calories. I wonderded what you guys think? Should i raise it to 1250? Id like to be at 1200 calories each day if its healthy for me to do so but i admit i dont know much about all this.

Other than that today went...decent. I got employee of the month at work which ive been wanting for 2 years so thats cool. Class was eventful and i handed in my essay and touched based with my teacher on my grade so far in the class (A woot woot!) and last night we got our Harry Potter tickets for the midnight showing!! (im the crazy person who drove to the movie theatre at midnight to get harry potter tickets!)

Hoping to fit in a run tomorrow if its not too hot cause ive done no workouts for two days

now i must run as my dog is making weird noises

 

[JacksLilWench]

I am nervous as all get out for the weigh-in tomorrow.

My scale was grumpy today too. And it hurts when you are working hard for something you really want. Discouraged is a perfect word to use... let's take that apart, both of us, because I felt that way too. (If you can change you thoughts, you can change your feelings, if you can diffuse your feelings, they can't control you!) Seems to me that if we start out discouraged, and we come here to the DIS for support, and we take a breath in the middle, because we all know breathing is good for stress, and we decide to keep fighting, maybe say it in a loud voice, represented by capitals, we can go from discouraged to DIS Couraged. Change takes courage, you have it. You wouldn't be here airing your soul if you didn't . If the scale is unfriendly this week, use that courage to keep working hard next week, and sooner or later, the scale will budge. It's a mathmatical certainty.

No matter what size you are, there will ALWAYS be clothes that look great on the hanger and ridiculous on the human. Where's our size 3 maintainer, she'll totally back me up on this!!! Look at the runway shows, those models are size ZERO, and even THEY can't save a lot of what designers come up with!

I wish you a pocket of exceptional-specific-gravity tomorrow, floating just above your scale... and if not, just like you said, USE that for fuel.

It sounds like you have a good attitude going into the weigh-in tomorrow. Keep that positive thinking, but even if you have a maintain, please don't be too frustrated!

very well said. And fwiw--a maintain is not a gain.

You guys are so great, you have no idea how much I appreciate these amazing words And I did have a loss this week!! I'll take a loss over a gain anytime

6/10 QOTD: How do you track/journal your food? Do you keep an old-fashioned paper journal or a list? Do you do it online or maybe on an iphone app??

If you DON'T track/journal your food, do you think you should?

I actually do journal all my food already. I needed to so I could actually see what I was eating throughout the day and to help me visualize what I was *actually* eating. Turns out, I could hardly tell a tablespoon from a cup until I started writing stuff down and measuring everything. That helped TONS!!

I journal on sharecare.com, who is affiliated with Dr. Oz love: him!)

 

[Disneywedding2010]

QOTD Wednesday, June 8 -- What are your emergency healthy snack ideas for when you are out and don't have time to get a healthy meal, or for when you are home and you just can't make it until dinner without eating something?

I don't really have any healthy snack ideas for when I'm out and about. However, when I'm home I try to keep fruit, granola bars, water, or baby carrots around to munch on instead of chips or something.


QOTD Friday, June 10 -- How do you track/journal your food? Do you keep an old-fashioned paper journal or a list? Do you do it online or maybe on an iphone app?? If you DON'T track/journal your food, do you think you should?

I haven't started tracking during this challenge yet. Although when I am tracking I'm using Sparkpeople.com.


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I had a post all typed up and everything this morning and then my internet went out. Come to find out there was nothing wrong with it I just had a blonde moment and forgot to pay the bill so they disconnected it. I got it back up and running this afternoon.

I went in this afternoon for my ultrasound of my leg and x-ray of my foot and ankle. I'm hoping to know something on Monday. After the dr apt we went to Arbys. I know probably wasn't the best decision but I was really worried about what the results would be of everything so let's just chalk that meal up to emotional eating.

We got home in the early evening and sat outside for awhile just talking. Its our favorite time of the year that once it cools down in the evening we sit in the front yard, drinking soda and just talking about whatever. I then came inside and got on the computer and started looking up ideas for our 3 year anniversary that will be next month. I wanted to go out of town for a few days just to get away.

Alan said he wanted to just go somewhere and relax. I jokingly said, "Well we could relax at Baylake". Not thinking anything of it I continued doing what I was doing expecting no response from him. Then he mumbled something. I asked him what he said and he repeated his mumble "Hey that'd be cool." You could of picked my jaw up off of the floor. .

I asked him if he was serious or if he was just toiling with my emotions, LOL. He told me "Hey, that'd be cool. Just chill at the resort and not go to the parks. We've always said we wanted to do that." "Um, honey, I thought that's what we did last trip?" At that point I shutup because I didn't want him to turn around and say "Okay nevermind let's think of another idea."

I mean orginally I was looking at airfare to go out to Vegas for the weekend. However, me and my lovely plan of crunching numbers told him, "I can't find airfare and a room out there for very cheap. We're looking at over a grand just to be gone for 4 nights. You know we could use DVC points and drive to Orlando for about half that cost." I could see the wheels in his head turning.

My best friend was laughing hysterically when I called her and told her of what had just happened. She was like "How on earth did you get him to agree to that?" "Easy, I used common sense and I don't care what Alan says he isn't sick of Disney World . If he was then he wouldn't be all upset that I'm going in Nov with you and then again by myself at the beginning of the year. I think he's just very good at hiding his love for Disney .

Tomorrow he is getting up in the morning and going to the shop to work for a few hours. Then sometime that afternoon or early evening we're going to go get pedicures. My best friend wanted to come over at some point and hang out with us. So we will pretty much just be playing tomorrow by ear. Sunday, I'm going to get up early and put a roast in the crockpot and clean the house.

 

[Castillo Mom]

QOTD Friday, June 10 -- How do you track/journal your food? Do you keep an old-fashioned paper journal or a list? Do you do it online or maybe on an iphone app?? If you DON'T track/journal your food, do you think you should?


I've been tracking my food on the WW site and I also just revived my old WISH journal so I'm tracking there too.

 

[donac]

Good Saturday morning everyone.

Yesterday was just crazy. It was the last day with one of my classes. We have a one last full day on MOnday but my last class of the day is all seniors and they will be getting their caps and gowns then. I will miss them. I have had some of them for 2 years so it is hard to say good bye.

I went last night to help a friend's daughter with her Girl Scout GOld Award project. She was making bags with health care products. She is taking them to South Africa in Aug with her mom and a group of other nurses on a health care mission. We only stayed for a couple of hours. She had a lot of kids and other parents and relatives helping her.

Next week is going to be a challenge. We are having a chinese lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday is a barbque inthe afternoon at a friend's hour and then a barbque at Boy Scout council for next year's information kickoff, Thursday is a baby shower and then a retirement cocktail hour at the Outback. I can't believe next week. Luckily I will be spending most of the week moving books and cleaning my classroom.

ROse asked a QOTD on Thursday and she said it would be an easy one but it realy isn't. I have stayed everywhere from the high to the low.

My sister and husband gave us a night at the AKL for our 30th wedding anniversary. When we opened the curtain this is what we saw.

We have stayed at POp and ALL stars. I have loved POP and think the food court is one of the best in DW. We stayed at POFQ and love the small intimate resort. I stayed at the Poly for our 10th anniv and we have also stayed at WL for a night. I stayed at BWV with my sister one year.

I do have a favorite place and that would be Fort Wilderness. I love the quietness of the campgrounds. You get there and it is another world. We do get back to FW everytime we go to the world just to visit. I want to get a camper just to make camping there easier.

Going to my favorite fabric store with a friend this morning. It is the store's 15th anniversary. Then I am coming home to get some sewing done. It is cool here in jersey so I have to take advantage of it.

Have a happy and healthy day.