Can't Decide Which Challenge To Take...

[AntePrincess]

Hello, folks.

Well, my mother has just been diagnosed with diabetes and that makes EVERYONE I know from the generations before me. I've lost so many people to this disease, some of them quite young, and I decided that I'd rather live on brown rice crackers and spinach then live with that disease if I could help it. So here I am, and I'm not sure which challenge to take.

These are my starter goals:

• Lost ten percent of my body weight, like so many health resources recommend. That's probably 16 pounds. (I need to get a scale, does that count as a goal? )
• Take up running again. I love it, but I'm afraid to run with a lot of extra weight on my frame. Also... I'm a wimp about heat, so I may wait to start until autumn.
• Eat the recommended amount of fruits and veggies every day. Starting with a big two cup salad of dark greens at lunch and dinner.
• Stop taking seconds! My portion sizes are usually fine... but fine x 2 or fine x 3 is bad.
• Finish quitting caffeine. I just started on Monday, I was drinking 4 cups of coffee a day, minimum, often one of those "big gulp" iced coffees on top of that, and nothing but iced tea, and I drink constantly. On top of that, I'm really sensitive to caffeine, just a sip and my heart would start racing and I'd get tense. I'm not going to be real strict about this, I'm fine with drinking a few cups of decaf tea a day once I'm over the withdrawal, but not right now and I'm not going back to coffee (except decaf on special occasions, I guess, if it's a choice between a black cup of coffee or a slice of cake at the diner, I guess).
• Kick the sweets habit. Pretty much no sweets or snacks that aren't homemade, and even then one dessert a day is enough, right?

So that's it. I'm a little nervous about talking about weight "publicly," but I think that the forum could make a big difference in whether I stick to my goals. I need that peer review.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

First off I want to say welcome aboard!! Everyone here is super supportive and we are all in various stages of our own journeys.
I hear you about the diabetes. I love my mom, but I don't want to be like her. High blood pressure, diabetes and vascular problems. If it's something we can either prevent or put off for years, we have to do it.

Let's break down your list.

the 10% - great goal. Don't ever aim for long term goal right away because that's when people get frustrated. Break it down into small segments. For this goal I would join the Sizzlin' summer Biggest Loser challenge. We weigh in every friday, we talk about our ups and downs and pretty much support each other. If you fall off the wagon we circle back and pick you up.

Running - I would recommend 2 things. The first being the monthly exercise challenge where you commit to a minute goal, say 1000 minutes for June and them you can log weekly how many minutes you did.
The second would be a Couch to 5K app, I like Bluefin. This will get you moving with running/walking intervals that will help you body readjust to running.

Scale - this can absolutely be a goal. You wouldn't go to a construction site without your hard hat and tool belt right? You have to have the right tools to do the job. I would get a good scale, measuring cups, measuring spoons and a food scale.

food - I would recommend the app and website My Fitness Pal, myfitnesspal.com It's a wonderful app that lets you track your food and your exercise every day and you can ask people to join so you can motivate each other. Lots of us on the BL challenge are there too.
For the seconds, that was my down fall too. We have to eat slower and love the food. Dinner is not a race!!

Caffeine - I quit soda cold turkey 7 months ago! Best thing I could have ever done!!!! The bloated feeling went away, I did have headaches for a while but those subsided and now I think more clearly.

Sweets - Oh my favorite thing ever!! I actually carry Extra sugarfree spearmint gum with me every where I go (If my kids don't steal it) to stave off the sweet cravings. I decided that Fridays are my sweet fix day. I will have dessert Fridays after dinner.

Again, I'm so glad you found us and I hope to see you in the challenges!!

 

[AntePrincess]

First off I want to say welcome aboard!! Everyone here is super supportive and we are all in various stages of our own journeys.

Thanks, I need it! I've always been too embarrassed to get involved with weight loss support groups.

I hear you about the diabetes. I love my mom, but I don't want to be like her. High blood pressure, diabetes and vascular problems. If it's something we can either prevent or put off for years, we have to do it.

Ditto. Unfortunately, I picked up the bad habits young.

the 10% - great goal. Don't ever aim for long term goal right away because that's when people get frustrated. Break it down into small segments. For this goal I would join the Sizzlin' summer Biggest Loser challenge. We weigh in every friday, we talk about our ups and downs and pretty much support each other. If you fall off the wagon we circle back and pick you up.

Awesome! That's what I needed to know!

Running - I would recommend 2 things. The first being the monthly exercise challenge where you commit to a minute goal, say 1000 minutes for June and them you can log weekly how many minutes you did.

The second would be a Couch to 5K app, I like Bluefin. This will get you moving with running/walking intervals that will help you body readjust to running.

I'm ready for the monthly exercise challenge now, not so much the Couch to 5k. If I had a treadmill, I'd be all for it, but I really can't take the heat, I faint. I guess there are downsides to really low blood pressure.

Scale - this can absolutely be a goal. You wouldn't go to a construction site without your hard hat and tool belt right? You have to have the right tools to do the job. I would get a good scale, measuring cups, measuring spoons and a food scale.

It's funny, I have a food scale and everything for cooking (I do love to cook and bake), just not a scale for myself.

food - I would recommend the app and website My Fitness Pal, myfitnesspal.com It's a wonderful app that lets you track your food and your exercise every day and you can ask people to join so you can motivate each other. Lots of us on the BL challenge are there too.
For the seconds, that was my down fall too. We have to eat slower and love the food. Dinner is not a race!!

I hear you about the dinner race! I'll check out the website.

Caffeine - I quit soda cold turkey 7 months ago! Best thing I could have ever done!!!! The bloated feeling went away, I did have headaches for a while but those subsided and now I think more clearly.

I'm surprised how energized I feel without my caffeine. I do miss my tea, but I think I'm all right switching to herbal tea. I just had a "raspberry zinger" with breakfast, that was wonderful. I'm still coping with the headaches though.

Sweets - Oh my favorite thing ever!! I actually carry Extra sugarfree spearmint gum with me every where I go (If my kids don't steal it) to stave off the sweet cravings. I decided that Fridays are my sweet fix day. I will have dessert Fridays after dinner.

I think mine will be Sundays, or when we have company (of course, we entertain a lot... ). I go all out on Sundays with brunch, the roast, etc. I might have to try the sugar free gum...

Again, I'm so glad you found us and I hope to see you in the challenges!!

Thanks, it's great to feel welcomed!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

HI I just wanted to second everything that Buffy said above. Really do come and join the biggest loser challenge-they're a great bunch of people and everyone cheers everyone on even through the toughest of days
Look forward to seeing you there

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

The headaches can last a while. Mine were probably about 3 weeks. Week 1 1/2 being the worst. But after I got over that, I felt great. Energized, focused, not foggy brained, and I dropped 5 pounds in about a month. Now, I will admit that I still want soda sometimes but I've convinced myself that it would probably taste horrible.

I do drink iced tea still though. And I make homemade Caramel Macchiato's but mostly I drink water.