BL Summer Challenge 2009

[ibouncetoo]

QOTD -- What are your plans for the summer? How will your plans help or hinder your goals for this challenge?


Well, I just returned from a trip, and other than a beat the heat weekend mid-summer to Prescott, I have nothing till Labor Day. So I'll be focused on eating healthy and swimming all summer long!

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[estherhead]

My plans for the summer include a trip to Williamsburg, VA and a small trip to Wheeling, WV. Neither of those should throw me off, though. But I have a TON of parties I have to attend in May & June. So that will be my challenge. And in July I have 5 wedding cakes to bake so that will be tricky too. It's not too bad, but I do have to taste the frosting & end product to make sure it is up to my standards and goofy as this is, I hate wasting calories on it. I wish I could just trust my family as my tasters, but I can't. If I haven't tasted it myself, I worry.

Anyway, we also have a pool in our backyard & we spend a lot of time there & grill out a lot. So I should be able to stay right on track with that.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Our plans for the summer include a vacation at Universal in June, and then several day trips on Saturdays -- Salem (yes, that Salem), the Freedom Trail, Boston Harbor Islands, etc. We've decided we need to make a better effort to see more of the area we live in. We've been to most of these places, but we're going to take time to really enjoy our adventures. I will have a major obstacle in the Orlando trip. We're staying club and it's going to be hard for me to get out of the "get my money's worth" mentality so I don't overeat. Plus, my favorite restaurant is Margaritaville, I can't say no to volcano nachos -- and you know it's 5 o'clock somewhere

It's all going to be a matter of balance. I'm just going to take each day as it comes and try to limit myself to one indulgence per day. The local trips are easier, although every time we go to the North End of Boston I have to stop at Mike's Pastry shop (incredible pizelles, gelato, Italian cookies, etc.). My dh makes fun of me and likes to say, "You can't find the post office in your own neighborhood, but you can find a pastry shop hidden away on a narrow street in the North End." Yep, I can!

Maria

 

[50sjayne]

My name is Susan- the screen name is in reference to Jayne Mansfield- I really just love her. there's more to her the the Hollywood blond bombshell image- she had 5 kids, her husband was in the military and she was so poor she struck out on her own to take pictures for groceries and in doing so was --discovered. She was a firm believer in exercise (which in the 50's was practically unheard of for a woman) and attracted crowds at the base she was living doing exercises in her front yard lol. She had a lot of drive and ambition, her first husband had big problems with this and left her. She eventually married Mr. Universe and Mariska Hargitay is her daughter from that marriage (Law and Order)

I guess I was thinking about her because in last weeks Family Guy episode they were doing a parody of Stephen King's Stand By me and one of them while looking at a playboy says something about the girls starving themselves and there couldn't be one of them under 180 lol. Anyway, I recently lost 25 pounds and fully intend to keep it that way even though every day is a struggle. I'd like to lose 10 more pounds but I'm not really sure about that. Trying hard to find the motivation. Just maintaining has been a struggle though the last month. Doing nothing really this summer, just saving for the next trip to Disneyland, next June.

 

[mikamah]

Happy weekend!! It's great to see everyone here so motivated. We are all going to succeed at this.

Today's QOTD is a two part question. Tell us a little about yourself and your goals for this challenge.

Kathy and Tammy, sounds like you are both raring to go. What is PFP?

!

I'm Kathy, a nurse and a single mom to DS7 which keeps me busy enough. I have always struggled with weight, pretty much yo-yo-ing my whole adult life, lose a little gain it all back, plus 10, etc. Almost 4 years ago, I rejoined weight watchers, and said it would be the last time, and lost about 40 pounds over about 2 years. I stuck with in another year, and wasn't losing anymore, so I quit, and did it on my own for a year, kept it off half the year, and regained 20 the second half. I rejoined WW this fall, and I've lost 7, but keep going up and down with the same few pounds. My highest weight was 226, and I'm 198 now. My goal for this challenge is to lose 15 pounds and get back to 183, which is where I was last april. I have some nice clothes from last spring that I want to fit again before summer is over. Plus I wear scrubs to work, and threw out my larger size last year when I went down a size, and now they are tight, so I need to lose this weight. I will not buy a larger size again.
I started my here on the Disboards when I was planning my son's first disney trip for his 5th bday, and after that trip, found the wish board, and have found so much great support here. It's a great group of people here.

Lisa- the pfp challenge is the biggest loser pound for pound challenge, where you go to the website and pledge how much weight you are going to lose and they match that amount with food that they donate to the hungry. It's open to continue pledging until the end of may. I pledged 15 pounds to them, and will lose that this time.

I did have to get my DS who is 9 to stop "conducting" once. I told him to do his conducting by his knees. There was an adult behind me who had a comment about just about everything at the beginning but finally quieted down. It was a wonderful concert and they did music from the Pirates of the Caribean for the encore. It is a treat to watch those songs played live!

That's so cute you son was conducting. Sounds like a nice night. Last year, my niece's middle school choir did a concert of disney music, and it was so fun.

QOTD -- What are your plans for the summer? How will your plans help or hinder your goals for this challenge?

We have a couple weekends camping planned, and I have the last week of august/first week of sept off that we will go camping for part of, and do some day trips, beach, local amusementwater parks also. We are loving baseball, and also have a few minor league baseball games that we're planning to go to. I also have a big july 4th party, which is probably my biggest challenge. But if I can stay incontrol earlier in the week, and enjoy the day, and get right back on track the next day, I'll be successful. To stick with this challenge, I need to plan some healthy foods for camping, and good snacks for the baseball games, but also plan in some splurges for those times. If I want to have a few drinks while I'm camping, I'll do that. I'll have only one smore, not 5 around the campfire. Doing ww, when I'm on track and motivated, it's easy to plan, and not feel deprived, but it's when that insane person sneaks back into my head, and before I know it I've eaten 10 cookies is when I lose it. I want to keep myself more aware of what I'm eating this summer, and sit and enjoy the food, not just wolf it down like there's no tomorrow. It sounds so simple, I just need to think before I eat, yet it can be so hard sometimes.

Have a nice weekend everyone. Gotta get out and enjoy the beautiful day before the rain comes this afternoon.

 

[mikamah]

Our plans for the summer include a vacation at Universal in June, and then several day trips on Saturdays -- Salem (yes, that Salem), the Freedom Trail, Boston Harbor Islands, etc. We've decided we need to make a better effort to see more of the area we live in. We've been to most of these places, but we're going to take time to really enjoy our adventures. I will have a major obstacle in the Orlando trip. We're staying club and it's going to be hard for me to get out of the "get my money's worth" mentality so I don't overeat. Plus, my favorite restaurant is Margaritaville, I can't say no to volcano nachos -- and you know it's 5 o'clock somewhere

Hi Maria. Are you right in boston? We live in danvers, right next to salem, and it's so true that there is so much to see locally, but we don't do it. I've not done any of the museums in Salem, but I love to go down and walk around Pickering wharf and poke in the shops. Have you been in October? That is a trip.
You just reminded me that we want to go into boston and do a Duck tour, this summer. we had tried last fall, but didn't get tickets early enough.
Nice to meet you neighbor.

 

[newholidayx2]

Today's QOTD is a two part question. Tell us a little about yourself and your goals for this challenge.

Im Barb - recently moved to FL from MA - came down for a WDW vacation in Sept and all but a month have been down here. Drove down day after Christmas. Met up with someone who treated me very badly, got caught on his DUI charge so trying to get myself out of the system. Also going through a divorce in MA, have a 17 yr old son living there too.
Soooo with all the stress Ive been under I gained 15 lbs! yikes! time to get it back off - i'll feel better about myself.
Joined gym about a 45min walk away from where Im living. This past week attended 10 gym classes, walked 30min/every day and 4x (2hrs total) on the weight machines.

 

[newholidayx2]

QOTD -- What are your plans for the summer? How will your plans help or hinder your goals for this challenge?


my summer plans? hopefully to get to as many EpCot concerts as possible - lots of groups playing in the America gardens. Get more settled, license back, weight loss, reduced stress and hopefully find a job.

Good luck to everyone

 

[donac]

QOTD -- What are your plans for the summer? How will your plans help or hinder your goals for this challenge?


I am going to be the downer for the group. I have no plans for the summer except possibly foot surgery. I am still waiting to set the date to have my bunion removed. I am getting together books to read, puzzles to do and needlework pieces to work on. I need to do this so I can get back to work in the fall. I do have a week of work scheduled in Aug where the school is paying me to go in to do some work and maybe a week late in July when I can get around to do the same thing.

Everyone else's plans sound great. I do have to get up to Boston again. I haven't been there in 25 years. The local news just did a story about SPringfield and the NBA Hall of Fame. I am surprised we have never been there. We have been to Cooperstown and the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton but never NBA. My dh asked why we had never been there.

Have a great weekend everyone.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Hi Maria. Are you right in boston? We live in danvers, right next to salem, and it's so true that there is so much to see locally, but we don't do it. I've not done any of the museums in Salem, but I love to go down and walk around Pickering wharf and poke in the shops. Have you been in October? That is a trip.
You just reminded me that we want to go into boston and do a Duck tour, this summer. we had tried last fall, but didn't get tickets early enough.
Nice to meet you neighbor.

Hi Kathy!

Yep, I actually live in Boston, East Boston to be specific. We usually go to Salem when we have out of town guests, so we end up walking around the central area, doing one of the witch trials, and eating at Red's. I think I'm afraid to go in Oct. I'd like to actually take time to really see some of the sites, rather than hitting the surface. I've been through the House of Seven Gables about three times, so I think I've hit my limit on that one, though!

The Duck tours are awesome! They will let your son drive while you are in the Charles, he will love it! We also want to do one of the graveyard tours at night. I think my ds11 will really enjoy that.

Very nice to meet you, too!

Maria

 

[bobnjenn0828]

Our plans for the summer include a camping trip to Gulf Shores in June, a camping trip to Fort Wilderness over the fourth of July and another trip to Gulf Shores at the end of July. Then it is back to reality when school goes back and football and cheerleading start again!

The biggest challenge for me I think will be eating out, but we will be camping so mostly eating at the campsite.

Jennifer

 

[newholidayx2]

I have no plans for the summer except possibly foot surgery. I am still waiting to set the date to have my bunion removed. .

I had foot surgery (bunionectomy/osteootomy) May 22nd last year. Took me till early July (day I got out of the boot) to get back to the gym. Early Aug when the stitches were finally out and I could get my foot wet (didnt like using that shower chair!) I was able to spend lots of time at my friends pool.
Good luck with your surgery

 

[mikamah]

Hi Kathy!

Yep, I actually live in Boston, East Boston to be specific. We usually go to Salem when we have out of town guests, so we end up walking around the central area, doing one of the witch trials, and eating at Red's. I think I'm afraid to go in Oct. I'd like to actually take time to really see some of the sites, rather than hitting the surface. I've been through the House of Seven Gables about three times, so I think I've hit my limit on that one, though!

The Duck tours are awesome! They will let your son drive while you are in the Charles, he will love it! We also want to do one of the graveyard tours at night. I think my ds11 will really enjoy that.

Very nice to meet you, too!

Maria

Ahhh Reds. Now there's some place I won't be going to during this challenge. What a great breakfast they have. My brother moved to western MA from salem, so we usually go there about once a year with them.
I bet your son will love the graveyard tour. It's pretty cool just walking through the old graveyard during the day. I've heard the pirate museum is good too.

Dona- that doesn't sound like a fun summer. It's good you're planning ahead to find things to keep you busy after the surgery, and hopefully it won't keep you down too long. I've not been to the Basketball museum in Springfield yet either, but had heard recently they were in financial difficulties, so I want to go soon. My brother lives near springfield, so we get out there often.

 

[tink1963]

Today's QOTD is a two part question. Tell us a little about yourself and your goals for this challenge.

Hi, I'm 46, and married to a great guy. We have been together for 25 years and married for 14 years. We are left coasters and I think we live in paradise. I'm an office manager for an auto dealership. I've worked there for 24 years.
I have struggled with my weight all my life. I am currently doing WW and have done it in the past as well. My current loss since my most recent WW return is 32 lbs.



QOTD -- What are your plans for the summer? How will your plans help or hinder your goals for this challenge?
We don't really have any summer plans. Our long vacation this year is spending a week in the Eastern Sierras for our fishing trip. The wonderful part eating wise on this vacation is we are staying in a cabin that has a full kitchen. We will be preparing all our meals.

 

[LuvBaloo]

QOTD -- What are your plans for the summer? How will your plans help or hinder your goals for this challenge?

I have no specific plans for the summer. I'm hoping that a friend from the WB PC cruise will make it up here for a camping visit, but she hasn't finalized her plans yet. Other than that, have lots of work around the house to do. I am hoping to find a different job and move, but no guarantees when the right opportunity will show up.


DH got the Wii working for me, and I'm down 0.4lbs.

 

[50sjayne]

Well I went to the pool today to find there were classes so I couldn't swim so I got on the low exercise bike thing and did 20 minutes. Didn't feel it was enough so tried 3 different treadmill's fat burner programs- well--tried to figure out 3 only to have one sort of figured out then it got an error so I tried this weird swingy/bouncy thing that seemed posessed and proceeded to kick my rear end for about 40 minutes so I ended up exercising for an hour and 15 minutes. Sat in the jacuzzi for about 20, that was nice but wanted to go to a Scottish festival that was actually really close to our house and did.
Was planning on eating something good there but spent $24 on a great dragon long sleeved shirt for my son who is a 3x so hard to find great clothes for decent prices and spent all my money lol. Got to hear my bags though--really love my bagpipes nothing like hearing them Loud right in front of ya ;-)
So-- did well on eating dinner when I got back. Had leftover meatloaf and a great salad. I was planning on having a hot chocolate and a few chocolate cream sticks as a snack a couple hours later, but started watching the repeat of this weeks biggest loser and remembered I had bought a big thing of kiwi's at Costco so had 2 of those and a glass of wine and I'm fine. I remembered when Jillian visited Helen and she had fruit everywhere-- I do like fruit. It's farm season! I intend to visit the farms at least once every 2 weeks this summer.
I would like to get up to Portland in July when the disney Christmas Carol bus visits. It'll be there before the 4th and that's when we like to go up there to cross the border to get the Good fireworks lol. I was hoping to get a yurt on the coast for that week but was disappointed to find them all rented months ago. (now we know jeez) We like the fireworks around where we live though it's kind of all week everywhere so I asked for the week off this year. Soo- I guess the week of the 4th will be fun and something to look forward to. It's kind of a bummer for me though because I'm from Illinois and the 4th was such a huge deal there and REAL summer if you know what I mean. It's always cold here later...doesn't seem right. And there's no lightning bugs.......at least Washington has those real gold sparklers- not the stupid flare things Oregon sells.
I bought a swimsuit at Costco- a size down from what I was and the dumb thing is kind of loose on the top lol. Oh well- it'll just take some adjusting and I didn't spend much on it if I do lose more weight.. I was wondering if I should buy a size 12 instead of 14 but I really hate trying to get a tight wet suit off yech. All of my clothes are getting too big-- it's kind of overwhelming right now. I was hoping to start finding great stuff on the Target clearance rack but everything I've been seeing is ugly. I'm going to be very picky choosing clothes. I know fitting into clothes I love is going to be amazing motivation to maintain. I did manage to grab my bike when I got home today around 4 and hit a few garage sales around my neighborhood. (raided husbands wallet) Didn't find any clothes but I think I will go out of my way to start looking at Craigs list and the paper for garage sales this garage sale season like I used to and ride my bike around to them. I can also use our gps now too to make it easier to drive 'em and go with my Mom and her friend when they go.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I'll catch up with you all again after our vacation and HOPEFULLY I won't have gained a bunch while on vacation! We'll be driving to WDW on the 22nd- but when we're back in June I'll try to play catch up with all you guys.

Hope everyone is doing well with their own personal goals!

 

[mikamah]

Bibbidybobbidyboo- Have a fabulous trip.

59sJayne- Nice work on the exercise and eating. Sounds like some interesting machines at your gym. Be careful you aren't injured. Fruit is so good, and the local fresh fruits will be coming soon. I made my shopping list, and raspberries are half the price they were last week, so we'll pick up a bunch of them. They're my son's favorite, but I wouldn't pay the crazy prices.

Luvbaloo-Congrats on the loss!! Everyone who has the wii, loves it. I might get it for my son and me next dec b-day/xmas.

Tink1963-congrats on 32 pounds!! That's awesome.

I have had 2 days completely on track, and checking in here really helps motivate me to stay that way. I'm off the the grocery store, and then we're going to see Monsters vs Aliens, and a soccer game this afternoon. It looks like the rain is stopping.

Have a nice sunday.

 

[TammyNC]

I missed a couple of days checking in, looks like everyone has been busy. We had yearbook meeting yesterday trying to get everything finished up so we can get it submitted this week. It has been a lot of work for the students but they have done an amazing job. I had a couple of nights of not sleeping so well and that caught up with me yesterday as well. Today is a new day, ready to get more focused on my exercising, drinking water and better portion control. I too need to focus on eating more fresh fruits, veggies are never the problem but the fruits I just don't seem to get in.

Going to get caught up on the QOTD's now...

Today's QOTD is a two part question. Tell us a little about yourself and your goals for this challenge.

I will be 40 this August, have been married for 19 years and have two children - DD-16 and DS-14. We are just finishing up our 7th year of homeschooling and I am so ready for the summer break. We all love WDW and thankfully having DVC allows us to make at least a couple of trips a year with the one after Thanksgiving usually being two weeks. Like everyone the busy family keeps us hoping and does make it a challenge to get the exercise in like I plan.

My goals for this challenge is to lose 10 pounds. I have lost 40 since August 08 and still have a good 25 pounds. The other big goal is to get back into consistent walking at the park, I felt so much better when we were doing that. I am not following a particular plan, just watching the types of food I'm eating and keeping control with the portions.

QOTD -- What are your plans for the summer? How will your plans help or hinder your goals for this challenge?

We just returned from our WDW trip so nothing major happening this summer. We will try to get to the lake some for some relaxing time. DH just came home yesterday and ask if I'd like to make a trip to the mountains for a weekend...I said well we need to talk to DD because she isn't a fan of that and he said oh no, I was talking just the two of us. Hoping for late July for that one. Other than that, we'll be around the house trying to get a few things done and look forward to our next WDW trip in Nov. None of our plans should cause any issues with the challenge.

We have DD's piano recital happening this afternoon and then we'll go out to eat with the family. I'm fixing bacon and eggs for brunch here in just a little while.

It's been great getting to know everyone. I hope you have a great Sunday.

 

[njcarita]

I would love to join this challange if its not too late--
lmk---I am a little bummed about being put on a second blood pressure med on FRiday---and really want to loose weight and eat well-- and I'm tired of feeling like I'm 90.