From ZERO to HERO - The October 2015 W.I.S.H. Challenge

[SwimminAtAKL]

A&D ointment is a topical ointment used for rashes and dry skin. I used some on my tattoos to keep the moisturizer after getting them. I am betting it was recommended here for chafing. I have body glide ready to go for both myself and DH2B, and baby powder and/or Gold Bond on my need to get list!

Ha! Cool. Thanks for wising me up! Keeping our bodies comfortable is so worth figuring out! It can really make or break us, or just be small ways that we communicate to ourselves that we love and value ourselves.

I tried both Body Glide and Gold Bond this summer-- What an awesome thing! I'd been wearing exercise shorts (calf length) to avoid chafing, but it's just so hot in the summer. Of the two, I liked Gold Bond a bit better. Which was nice, cuz it's a bit cheaper, and apparently it's available as an easy grab at Wally World, though I got mine on Amazon.

I did find, though, that I was happier if I was going to do a ton of walking that day, to just wear the exercise shorts (I'm still looking for even lighter, quick-dry ones...I'm just not willing to pay much for them, but I may re-think this rather arbitrary limitation I'm imposing). I found that if it's a really hot, sweaty day, the body glide/gold bond just wears off. You can carry it with you to re-apply, but you know how it is-- in a lot of situations (e.g. a day out in the city), if it wears off halfway through your walk, you're gonna be chafed before you get to a ladies room where you can re-apply, and then you're in trouble for the rest of the day. Disney, of course, has loads of bathrooms, so maybe it would work there?

Thinking a little deeper about it-- the emotional/self-criticism impacts of this issue-- I also like the shorts thing because it keeps my attention OFF my thighs. If I start having problems with the body glide/gold bond, and even before-- I'm always watching out for a chafing spot starting-- I end up in a lot of self-criticism over the size of my thighs, and feel isolated because it feels like an embarrassing problem that most people I can't tell about. The whole shame cycle for me is very important to manage/avoid --it can easily throw me into a downward spiral.

On the flip side, having the tool of Body Glide/Gold Bond freed me up to go ahead and wear a shorter hem length when I want to feel pretty, without wearing the shorts that add a little bulk, aren't so very sexy, and can feel like an advertisement that "my fat thighs are causing me trouble."

My favorite combo of these tools recently was to find a knee-length dress that I love in a light, summer-friendly material, and wear above-the-knee shorts that were invisible under the dress. The best of both worlds! I did a long day in Manhattan in the summer heat, climbing stairs, riding the subway, endless walking, etc. I felt so free to move, pretty in my dress, stress-free because I wasn't fretting over chafing hot-spots forming, and shame-free because I wasn't constantly reminded of my thighs. I felt great, and had a great day!

 

[contempgal]

Welcome! I really appreciate your desire to get healthy! It is so critical to think about health during this process of taking off the weight. I was diagnosed with breast cancer about 7 months ago. It was successfully removed, with clean margins and I had radiation therapy. Weight, is a contributing factor in breast cancer....and I knew I had to begin to eat healthy as a lifelong goal, without all the yo yo ups and downs. I am so grateful to everyone in here that has inspired me to continue my progress. Not all months are good ones, but maintaining a positive attitude goes a long way to avoid the "pity binging" that can happen when you feel stressed. You are wholeheartedly welcomed!

Thank you! I am working on that "positive attitude" bit. It's certainly not easy but my DD helps with that. It's so easy to fall onto the pity train and not take responsibility for my own actions. It's a constant battle but I'm winning that battle more than losing these days so that is a step in the right direction.

 

[SwimminAtAKL]

I know all about keeping up! I am always in awe of the people who manage to reply to everyone! I can never do that. In the beginning I thought I was a failure because of that and stopped taking part in these threads. But then I realized that this group is really welcoming for everyone, however much or little time they can commit to chatting with everyone here!

I appreciate you saying that! I feel so far behind. So I'm resolving myself to just jump in anywhere I can, without trying to make sure I've gone through absolutely everything. I still haven't had time to post my goals! But it's doing me loads of good to feel this sense of community. I've got apps and running plans for tracking my weight and exercise, and that's so far working very well to keep me in line. It's the community that I need most from this thread! Yay!! Such great people here.

I love the AKL pool, too! But I have to say that I loved it even more when it was still painted to look like a lake, not a pool. I thought it was the ultimate theming for a hotel pool!

Oh my garsh, I am SO in agreement about the color! That is absolutely my one disappointment too, that they went from that wonderful lake color (much more greenish!) to the current "pool blue". Thanks so much for posting that pic-- I LOVE IT!! That matches the "happy place" version that I have in my head. I've got an old post card around somewhere that is from that era too. I find myself pretending it's green even when I'm looking at the real thing!

 

[pjlla]

Hey there, Hi there! I picked my username because...I LOVE the AKL pool! It's my happy place, and I visualize it and imagine swimming there sometimes when things feel rough! It's just one of my favorite places on the planet. I have it totally locked into my memory...I can feel that wonderful water on my skin, and feel that luminescent blue-green in the back of my eyes...with the wonderful tropical foliage, echoes of African drums....

...Along with the occasional stench of flamingoes, wafting in the sultry evening air...

Love it! Never had the pleasure of staying at AKL but it is definitely on my bucket list!

...Did you say...Butt paste??? I want to ask ...wha? ...why? But I'm not sure I want to know... Great concept, though. BUTT PASTE!

Please excuse my Beavis & Butt-head moment...

Yup.... BUTT PASTE! Glad others came on to explain! It really is a diaper rash cream (hence the name), but it works great for other situations too..... like chafing, beach rash (from salt and sand), eczema flare-ups..... anything where your skin is broken/disturbed and might be hurt by moisture, sweat, environmental things, etc. IMHO it is better than A&D, Vaseline, Desitin and the like....if you don't mind the white color. And it stains! If you use it on "thigh rub" be prepared to have stained shorts and undies! But it is better than suffering!

So meal prep Sunday was pretty long this week, but that means minimal cooking the next two weeks! As promised, here are some pics (under the spoiler tag so as to not break the thread):

Spoiler

This one's a bit of a cheat as I made them on Friday. Sweet potato protein muffins for an after work snack. 12 servings, 54 cal


Pumpkin spice oatmeal. This one went straight into the freezer. I'll pop three out for breakfast, microwave and add a scoop of protein powder and fiber cereal. 4 servings, 312cal


Pumpkin spice and mocha pancakes. On the side is 'syrup' which is milk and protein powder. Again, they go straight in the freezer to be microwaved as needed. 5 servings each, mocha 205cal, pumpkin 199cal.


Tomato cream sauce. Not a great picture, but tastes pretty good. ~6 servings, 129cal

Lentil meatloaf. Not too sure how this one is going to taste, but it's got awesome macros! ~3 servings from each, 263 cal


CAN I HAVE THIS RECIPE????

Veggie lasagna! Frozen uncooked. 2 servings each. Sent one to my parents. 6 servings, 309cal


Broccoli and cheddar quinoa casserole. ~8 servings, 292cal. Bf loves this one so I have to share.


Ricotta gnocchi action station. These were slightly easier than I thought they would be, but still kind of a pain. ~4 servings, 233cal.

The beginnings of apple crisp, one each for bf, mum and dad. I had some the day before and it just has a bit too much sugar for my tummy.

For a total of 24 servings of lunch/dinners and 14 breakfasts. I take some to my parents and bf eats a bit, but overall not a bad haul.

It all looks LOVELY! You are so ambitious!! Thanks for sharing the inspiration!!

We have a pretty big haul of unhealthy food left in the house from Saturday, so I haven't eaten all that well the past two days. BUT I have been weighing/tracking everything as best I can and I've been staying under my daily calorie allotment, even if macros are a wee bit skewed.

Great job! Sorry about the unhealthy leftovers.

Can I have a "woohoo Monday" since my Wednesday last week was terrible? We learned about an annual passholder loophole and were able to score a fairly decent discount on our annual pass predicament. It turns out that the local Disney Stores were still selling the Premium level pass. I went to our local store and got nearly the last two! This allows us to upgrade to Signature Plus level at the old Premium Price!!!! YEAH!

Just saved us nearly $700 between the two of us; so so so excited and relieved.

Ummmm... OF COURSE! Who WOULDN'T wooohoo saving $700 AND combine that with another year of DISNEY!!! WOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!

My free lunch was something of a disaster (tree nuts in both the salad and on the fruit tray and im deathly allergic) but I managed to ignore the chips and the cookies and just stick with a sandwich so not too bad of a points total. Still, it was kind of dry and tasteless and if I'm going to spend points on a deli sandwich, I'd rather it be a good one!

My conference did result in a huge woohoo moment, although one that did result in a bloody foot. The rain finally stopped and it was a beautiful day. My boss got it in his head that we should walk. I was confused about where we were going and agreed because I thought it was only a few blocks away. The hotel was actually almost a mile and a half away. Uphill. And I was wearing a suit and heels. My boss also tends to walk like banshees are chasing him. When I started my plan four months ago, I would have collapsed about two blocks into this march across the city and hailed a cab. But I managed to keep up the whole way and even engage in conversation with him. About a block from the hotel, we finally hit a red light and stopped and he started staring down at my feet before muttering something about him forgetting to look at my shoes before we left (my boss is old, vaguely inappropriate, and has a wife that would absolutely yell at him for not taking care of my feet - he makes me crazy but I adore him). I have a terrifying blister and a bloody toe but I survived the march!!! And yes, we took a cab back.
Uggghh. I'm so sorry people are letting you down on the wedding front. Promises need to be kept! I hope the mental health day helped.

I had a pretty great weekend! I FINALLY got a weekend off of both work and social activities, stayed home other than walks with the pup, and ate pretty well. There were a few treats but I'm well within my points for the week and feeling great and tomorrow's official WI!

Urgh..... sorry about the lunch disaster AND the blisters!! But glad your weekend was great!!

I sympathize with the boondocks - I grew up in a town like that and it is hard! We were 15 miles from a grocery store and I go home now and I'm still amazed by how complicated dinner can be. I complain now about my top frequent eating out but I know it makes my life a LOT easier!!

Our nearest real grocery store is nearly 40 minutes away (and there is a choice of Market Basket or Hannaford).... for a quick "emergency" stop we do have a small Mom&Pop style market about 20 minutes away, but the prices are a bit crazy.... but okay if I'm absolutely desperate for something

Praying that your medicine chest contained a good stock of blister band-aids! Hope you can wear comfy shoes all week!!

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! How are we all doing today? Our QOTD is going to be a fun one that hopefully doesn't backfire I had initially thought of this question on Disney-specific terms, but feel free to answer outside of the parks.

QOTD for Tuesday, October 6, 2015

View attachment 127286

Today for lunch or dinner, your meal can be ANYTHING. Calories, carbs, and cost don't count. You can have as much food or as many courses as you like with NO repercussion. What would your meal be? If you eat out, where would your meal be from?​

OH MY GOSH! This is TOO wide open for me to answer quickly!! I'll give it some thought (while I eat my shredded kale and brussel sprout salad with lean chicken and an apple.....).

Welcome! I really appreciate your desire to get healthy! It is so critical to think about health during this process of taking off the weight. I was diagnosed with breast cancer about 7 months ago. It was successfully removed, with clean margins and I had radiation therapy. Weight, is a contributing factor in breast cancer....and I knew I had to begin to eat healthy as a lifelong goal, without all the yo yo ups and downs. I am so grateful to everyone in here that has inspired me to continue my progress. Not all months are good ones, but maintaining a positive attitude goes a long way to avoid the "pity binging" that can happen when you feel stressed. You are wholeheartedly welcomed!

Congrats on being a BC survivor! My Mom is a 15 year survivor with no further complications after initial lumpectomy and radiation, so YOU GOT THIS!!

Ha! Cool. Thanks for wising me up! Keeping our bodies comfortable is so worth figuring out! It can really make or break us, or just be small ways that we communicate to ourselves that we love and value ourselves.

I tried both Body Glide and Gold Bond this summer-- What an awesome thing! I'd been wearing exercise shorts (calf length) to avoid chafing, but it's just so hot in the summer. Of the two, I liked Gold Bond a bit better. Which was nice, cuz it's a bit cheaper, and apparently it's available as an easy grab at Wally World, though I got mine on Amazon.

I did find, though, that I was happier if I was going to do a ton of walking that day, to just wear the exercise shorts (I'm still looking for even lighter, quick-dry ones...I'm just not willing to pay much for them, but I may re-think this rather arbitrary limitation I'm imposing). I found that if it's a really hot, sweaty day, the body glide/gold bond just wears off. You can carry it with you to re-apply, but you know how it is-- in a lot of situations (e.g. a day out in the city), if it wears off halfway through your walk, you're gonna be chafed before you get to a ladies room where you can re-apply, and then you're in trouble for the rest of the day. Disney, of course, has loads of bathrooms, so maybe it would work there?

Thinking a little deeper about it-- the emotional/self-criticism impacts of this issue-- I also like the shorts thing because it keeps my attention OFF my thighs. If I start having problems with the body glide/gold bond, and even before-- I'm always watching out for a chafing spot starting-- I end up in a lot of self-criticism over the size of my thighs, and feel isolated because it feels like an embarrassing problem that most people I can't tell about. The whole shame cycle for me is very important to manage/avoid --it can easily throw me into a downward spiral.

On the flip side, having the tool of Body Glide/Gold Bond freed me up to go ahead and wear a shorter hem length when I want to feel pretty, without wearing the shorts that add a little bulk, aren't so very sexy, and can feel like an advertisement that "my fat thighs are causing me trouble."

My favorite combo of these tools recently was to find a knee-length dress that I love in a light, summer-friendly material, and wear above-the-knee shorts that were invisible under the dress. The best of both worlds! I did a long day in Manhattan in the summer heat, climbing stairs, riding the subway, endless walking, etc. I felt so free to move, pretty in my dress, stress-free because I wasn't fretting over chafing hot-spots forming, and shame-free because I wasn't constantly reminded of my thighs. I felt great, and had a great day!

Love all this information, but most especially that LAST paragraph about feeling GOOD and PRETTY!! It is SOOOO important to feel good about ourselves DURING this journey.... not just waiting until we hit goal!!

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

Morning all! Done with morning testing and now a quick lunch break and then a bit more testing and then covering the office here at school before dashing off for tonight's WW meeting. I cannot remember if I posted about how last evening went (ended up with Subway for dinner, but stayed easily within my PPV for the day, despite having more carbs than intended). I'll have more time to come chat while covering the office later..... but for now... LUNCH!.............P

 

[SwimminAtAKL]

Butt Paste is my winter excema savior. The stuff is magic.

Yup.... BUTT PASTE! Glad others came on to explain! It really is a diaper rash cream (hence the name), but it works great for other situations too..... like chafing, beach rash (from salt and sand), eczema flare-ups..... anything where your skin is broken/disturbed and might be hurt by moisture, sweat, environmental things, etc. IMHO it is better than A&D, Vaseline, Desitin and the like....if you don't mind the white color. And it stains! If you use it on "thigh rub" be prepared to have stained shorts and undies! But it is better than suffering!

BUTT PASTE! I can't believe that's an actual product name!!

I want a T-shirt of that. Wait! No I don't.

 

[SwimminAtAKL]

@Flossbolna and other members of the AKL Pool Fan Club: I totally just stole that pic you posted for my new avatar. Perfect!

I'm going to use it as body-positive imagery today: I can remember how wonderful the water feels slipping over my skin, how comfortable I feel, the sun warm on my back, the World smiling at me, feeling beautiful, relaxed, at peace. Happy voices, children playing, African music...

We're all weightless in the water!

 

[courtneybeth]

Today for lunch or dinner, your meal can be ANYTHING. Calories, carbs, and cost don't count. You can have as much food or as many courses as you like with NO repercussion. What would your meal be? If you eat out, where would your meal be from?

Begone you evil temptress.

Is it bad that I would just really want all of the desserts? I'm just going to post all of my favorites with pictures for further temptation. EAT ALL THE THINGS.

Croque Glace in EPCOT's France Pavillion. Warm bread roll, filled with an ice cream flavor of your choice and either raspberry or chocolate sauce.

Be Our Guest's Strawberry Cupcake.

My Standard - the Mickey Mouse Cake Pop... have to get it with Mickey Sprinkles!

The Kitchen Sink... Hubs and I attempted to conquer it at Disneyland's Paradise Pier Hotel for my 30th Birthday two years ago and we only got through half of it. It's nearly identical to this one at Beaches and Cream.



I think spreading these out over the course of a week (save for the Kitchen Sink, stay far far far away from it!) won't be too killer for a waistline.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

Anything at all for dinner and calories don't matter? Wow, that's a tough one. I'm a pretty simple guy so here we go:

Olivia's Café at Old Key West
Drink - Turtle Krawl
Appetizer - Onion Rings
Entrée - Shrimp Po Boy and Fries
Dessert - Key Lime Pie and another Turtle Krawl

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! How are we all doing today? Our QOTD is going to be a fun one that hopefully doesn't backfire I had initially thought of this question on Disney-specific terms, but feel free to answer outside of the parks.

QOTD for Tuesday, October 6, 2015

View attachment 127286

Today for lunch or dinner, your meal can be ANYTHING. Calories, carbs, and cost don't count. You can have as much food or as many courses as you like with NO repercussion. What would your meal be? If you eat out, where would your meal be from?
​

​

 

[bigsis1970]

View attachment 127141​

QOTD for Monday, October 5, 2015

Personally, I feel like it's harder to stay on track on the weekends than through the week. With work Monday-Friday, I have a schedule that doesn't really fluctuate much, and it's easy to have my routine and stick with it for the most part. But weekends are a free-for-all of errands, projects, snacks, and take-out.

So let's take a look at our first October weekends! How did you do? Were there any roadblocks or speed bumps along the way? If so, were they things you have to deal with every weekend, in which case you need to come up with a new way of attacking that - such as always having to run errands on Saturday which means you usually swing through Starbucks or the McD's drive through at some point during the day, so maybe you should make up some overnight oats or a sandwich Friday evening? Or was it just a one-time special occasion, such as a birthday dinner, or unexpected rain making you miss your evening walk, and you feel like the rest of your weekends will go as originally planned? If you didn't stick to your plan - DON'T FRET. Today is a new day and it's a new week. If you did stick to your plan - YAY! Keep it up!! ​

Ok Monday QotD - Weekends are my killer, like a lot of you that is premium family time and lots of family stuff revolves around food.. this weekend for me was Friday night - rehearsal dinner, I choose baked haddock with crumb topping and it came with mashed potato (about 1/2 cup) and cooked carrots and roll.. THEN came the double layer chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting and walnuts.. I had a half slice.. then it was Wedding day (for my Sister in Law) on Saturday - so Reisling wine, Pizza Appetizer, entrées - salad, rolls, meatballs, mac & cheese, chicken fingers, cooked carrots. THEN came a whoopee pies (instead of cake) I had only a half as they were not moist like mine, and homemade Italian cookes .. Sunday was beef stew, crusty bread and cut up cold veggies THEN came the slice of homemade apple pie.. UGH.. my week is Sat to Sat and when I did the math for the weekend I was over by -29 AFTER using my 49 bonus points.. but I am tracking everything as I said I would, I am owning it..

and to answer some questions - I am not going to the meetings here at work - well I could I guess - but my DD is all signed up at our center and we attend the Sat am meeting, the Leader is FANTASIC!!! I love her.. she is high energy, funny, smart and genuinely cares that we all succeed... She happens to be the same leader that I had a few years back when my mom would travel 2 hrs down to the Meeting to go to just because she is that Great!!

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! How are we all doing today? Our QOTD is going to be a fun one that hopefully doesn't backfire I had initially thought of this question on Disney-specific terms, but feel free to answer outside of the parks.

QOTD for Tuesday, October 6, 2015

View attachment 127286

Today for lunch or dinner, your meal can be ANYTHING. Calories, carbs, and cost don't count. You can have as much food or as many courses as you like with NO repercussion. What would your meal be? If you eat out, where would your meal be from?​

Today I am going to eat Thanksgiving Dinner.. It would all be homemade except the soup!
Starter - French onion soup in a bread bowl from Panara!

Juicy roasted Turkey with crispy skin
Mashed potatoes with butter
Corn with butter
rolls with butter
Green bean casserole
cranberry sauce
just a bit of homemade gravy

dessert - homemade apple pie or my hubs Pumpkin cheesecake!

Seems to be a theme here with butter - I LOVE BUTTER

 

[pjlla]

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! How are we all doing today? Our QOTD is going to be a fun one that hopefully doesn't backfire I had initially thought of this question on Disney-specific terms, but feel free to answer outside of the parks.

QOTD for Tuesday, October 6, 2015


Today for lunch or dinner, your meal can be ANYTHING. Calories, carbs, and cost don't count. You can have as much food or as many courses as you like with NO repercussion. What would your meal be? If you eat out, where would your meal be from?​

Well..... since this is a MAGIC MEAL, I'm going to go on the assumption that ALL my favorites are magically available in the same place.... preferrably DISNEY! So i'm in a WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, MAGICAL Disney setting (perhaps on the balcony of the train station watching the evening parade with a PERFECT view! I have great company to share the treats (like my family) because this is going to be a full EXPERIENCE, not just an opportunity to eat. The weather is PERFECT, sun is setting, and the food is FREE!!

Starters..... garlic hummus with really wonderful crusty bread and a LOVELY glass of wine (not expensive kind, I like a cheap Riesling that comes in a blue bottle with a gnome on it! ). Next up.... my DSIL's butternut squash ravioli in a butter sauce.... just a few are enough!

Dinner.... perhaps a small serving of a rare prime rib with a nice creamy pasta dish or twice-baked potato on the side.... and a big heap of roasted veggies.... I really love roasted veggies!

And since I'm not full yet (because this is a magic meal), a slice or two of this great pizza from California Pizza Kitchen that I had once a few years ago..... a great multigrain crust topped with goat cheese, arugula, nuts (can't remember what kind)and grilled pears.... it was so delish! And of course, with pizza I need BEER!! Just a big frosted mug of Blue Moon pale ale would be GREAT!!!

Dessert...... hmmm..... how about we share a Kitchen Sink from Beaches and Cream..... I've had that on my bucket list for a while!! If not that, then a Mickey bar.... and almost anything from the Karmel Kuchen in Epcot!! And another beer.... I do love beer!

As I sit here and think, there are other foods that come to mind that I never, ever eat any more that sound pretty appealing (fish and chips!!), but guess I'll stop here.... because I'm making myself too hungry!!!

For next week's foods (since we are talking about fun foods) I am looking forward to enjoying my first RUM SWIZZLE at the famous Swizzle Inn.... and maybe just a small slice of the local classic RUM CAKE! As I rule I don't eat seafood (DD is a Marine Bio major and has schooled me on how badly we are damaging our oceans by overfishing and how much mercury we are taking in when we eat fish.... especially BIG fish like swordfish and tuna)..... but I may indulge in one of the fish sandwiches on raisin bread that seems to be all the rage at a restaurant known as "Art Mels Spicy Dicy"...... Sounds great, doesn't it? And a bit of ice cream from a local place called Bailey's that is supposed to be wonderful! Can you tell I've done a bit of restaurant research??!!

Back to work!.............P

 

[contempgal]

Today for lunch or dinner, your meal can be ANYTHING. Calories, carbs, and cost don't count. You can have as much food or as many courses as you like with NO repercussion. What would your meal be? If you eat out, where would your meal be from?

Oh my that is an awesome question. I would have to go with dinner from Ravi Kabob in Arlington, VA. Anyone ever been there? If you haven't, you must! It's a small restaurant, one you probably wouldn't just go into on a normal basis, but you will be rewarded if you do. I always get the chicken kebobs with chickpeas, salad, naan and sauce (yes, sauce because I have no clue what is in it or what its really called). It sounds basic but it so isn't. It's all amazing. Just put it this way.....I don't live in Virginia. Actually I live in West Virginia, 5 hours away from Arlington. However, if my sister or I are ANYWHERE near that area (she used to live there), we make a trip to Ravi Kabob and bring it home for everyone. It's literally that good. And if I could get dessert from anywhere, I would go with the bread and butter pudding from Raglan Road at Disney Springs. Amazing. It's probably a good thing (and possibly sucks) that I don't have reservations for Raglan Road for my upcoming trip.

 

[contempgal]

Starters..... garlic hummus with really wonderful crusty bread and a LOVELY glass of wine (not expensive kind, I like a cheap Riesling that comes in a blue bottle with a gnome on it! ).

Yum! Hummus and bread...you can never go wrong with that.

 

[ThistleMae]

Let's get started with just some introductions. As you claim your spot amongst the October participants, give us a little bit about you! We all get to be a kind of family here, and it's always nice to know who we're on this journey with.


I'll go first!


I'm Megan , I'm 26, and I'm trying to lose weight before my October 24th wedding and DISNEYMOON!

I've always struggled with being overweight. Even in middle school/high school, I was a lot bigger than all the other girls in my class, wearing size 11-13 pants/dresses and size M-L shirts. I thought I was HUGE at the time, but I'd sure give anything to be there again now, LOL.

After I graduated college in 2011, I was REALLY depressed for the first couple of months after I moved back home. I slept all day and barely ate, and i ended up losing a lot of weight that summer, going from a size 16/18 in May 2011 to a size 12 in August 2011. I was thrilled! I kept it off until March 2012, and over the last 3 years, I've slowly put all of that weight back on. In January 2015, my scale hit the highest number it's ever hit - 227lbs. Since then, I've been desperately and unsuccessfully trying to make that number go down. Since the only time I've ever really lost weight was the summer after college, and the only reason I lost it was because I was sleeping 12-16 hours a day and barely eating, I had NO idea how to try to shed all the new pounds. To be honest, I'm still trying to figure that out.

After a rough January-April, full of poor choices, excuses, "tomorrows", and busy schedules, I finally hit 222lbs in May, and then I found the WONDERFUL June challenge thread, and that thread was the #1 reason I was able to start out July at 212lbs. As of June 30, I was 116 days away from my wedding, and 22lbs away from my wedding-goal (but 52lbs away from my overall-life-goal... but baby steps!)...


As of October 1, I am now just 23 days away from my wedding, and [number - will update after September final weigh in!]-lbs away from my wedding-weight-goal. This is just a mile marker on my weight-loss/healthier-living journey. I've still got a long way to go, but with the help and support of these threads and the people in this forum, I know I can do it!



Who's next?!

Hi, my name is Dale. And yes...I'm a woman. Just sayin'....sometimes people think I'm a guy. I'm 61 years old. I've been following these monthly challenges for three months now. I started gaining weight after my third child and more so after age 50....the last 10 years I've gradually grown to 213 pounds. I have had horrific problems with my knees...had orthoscopic surgery on one. I have a problem with one foot...bone spur...which hasn't been right since surgery. I was diagnosed with breast cancer about 7 months ago....had radiation therapy....and have a good prognosis so far. My health is a #1 priority! I feel the extra weight has contributed to my knee, foot and cancer. I've been eating terrible for ten years and my body just can't process all the junk anymore. I struggle every single day with the desire to eat more and to eat sweets. This site has been inspirational and I'm so thankful that I can get support and give support on a daily basis. I have lost 70 pounds since starting this journey. I just began working out at a gym....exercise has not been anything I ever stick with (sort of like dieting!) But I have a new life vision and I know I can't ever go back to random eating with no accountability. So here I am!

 

[ThistleMae]

Hi ya'll! This is my first ever WISH challenge and I'm super excited to join in!

Me:
My name is Lauren and I'm 28 years old. (29 on Oct. 11!) I was a competitive rower and in the best shape of my life in high school. Even in college I didn't really gain a lot of weight. It wasn't until I did the DCP that I started packing on some pounds. Working ridiculous hours, making no money, and spending your free time drinking is not a recipe for being healthy! However, I met my now fiance when we were both CMs so that is a positive! In 2012, we moved from Orlando to upstate NY (his hometown) and it is where we currently live. I had a really hard time with the move. We live in a rural area and while he has he friends and family all close by, I had no one but him. He also started working at a new job immediately so I had a lot of days where I was completely alone. I hadn't found a job yet and I didn't know a soul! So I did a lot of boredom eating and depressed eating and gained a lot more weight. Finally, I saw the scale hit 200 lbs and I was in shock. I couldn't believe I had let myself get to that level. So I signed up for the TOT 10 Miler and started training for that. I felt amazing training for that race and did really well with eating healthier and running consistently. It felt so great to be able to accomplish that. After that, it went downhill again. I've realized if I don't have some sort of goal or program to follow, then I don't really know what to do with myself. So I'm basically back to where I started. 200lbs and unhappy. It's time to change that!

Goal:
30 minutes of exercise 6 days a week. I'm hoping to lose 10 lbs. Might be a stretch but I'm going to shoot for it. We go to WDW the 1st week of November so it's a good target.

Activity:
I bought the P90x3 program and I am starting on Monday the 5th. Like I said before, I need a program to hold myself accountable and this program is 30 minute workouts which I know will be extremely challenging, but doable.

Obstacles:
Meal planning! October is a super busy time at work and when I come home I never want to cook. On Sundays I want to make a plan of what to have for dinner each night so I know exactly what I'm doing when I get home. If anyone has any healthy crockpot recipes, please share!
Me! I need to stop procrastinating and making excuses as to why I should skip a workout or eat that handful of chips! I always feel so great after a workout, so I just need to force myself to put on my sneakers, suck it up, and do it!

Hi and Welcome! I'm on my second week of crock pot vegetarian chili. I cook it on Sunday and eat one cup a day for dinner with a salad. It's just dried kidney and black beans, onion and zucchini....with packaged chili mix. Salad this week is, spinach, feta cheese, onion, cranberries and walnuts with balsamic vinegar. I also dislike cooking daily....this makes it real simple for me...I don't have to think about it at all. And....I don't mind eating the same thing everyday. We welcome your participation!

 

[disneycheerleader]

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! How are we all doing today? Our QOTD is going to be a fun one that hopefully doesn't backfire I had initially thought of this question on Disney-specific terms, but feel free to answer outside of the parks.

QOTD for Tuesday, October 6, 2015

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Today for lunch or dinner, your meal can be ANYTHING. Calories, carbs, and cost don't count. You can have as much food or as many courses as you like with NO repercussion. What would your meal be? If you eat out, where would your meal be from?​

I would eat sushi, sashimi, and all kinds of seafood in general. I don't really have a specific place, but maybe Japan in Epcot.

 

[ThistleMae]

October Goals: Lose the 7 pounds I gained while on vacation! Yup....7 giant pounds! I started out well for the first couple days. I decided to keep desserts down to just two a day, which was my goal for the six day cruise. Then by day three I was eating everything and then some! I tried almost every dessert there was to try. I ate pastry in the morning, with my eggs and bacon. I ate two to three desserts at lunch. I ate dessert at dinner and snacked on desserts at night! I ate till I was sick....literally....my stomach was in an uproar and that didn't stop me! Having unlimited quantities of food displayed before me on lovely dishes and fancy trays is like being an alcoholic in a bar where all the drinks are all free! I have my Disney vacation coming mid-November and I'm very worried! I am back on track right now, which is good for me, because like many others in here have said, it used to take me months to get back on track....so getting right back on my plan a day after my return is very good. I'm still very disappointed in the gain and would like to be back where I ended last month at the end of this month. Seven pounds is a lot for me to lose, so not sure I can get all the way there, but....I've stepped up my gym workout....so maybe. So 7 pounds is my goal for the month. And by the way....I did have a wonderful time in the Caribbean! I swam with stingrays and dolphins and danced the nights away! (It obviously did nothing for keeping down the calories, so in theory, I probably gained even more than seven pounds.)

 

[ThistleMae]

Me and my sister on our cruise. I am the one on the right. This is after 70 pounds in one year!

 

[courtneybeth]

This is after 70 pounds in one year

You look great in your photo - congrats on your weight loss!!!

 

[JacknSally]

OK, so I'm DUMB. I have spent ALL DAY wondering why I haven't gotten any emails that people were commenting... I just figured it must be a slow day, everyone's busy, I'm busy, no big deal. I got on here tonight and there were SO MANY POSTS! Haha. Turns out I did get an email earlier, but until you visit the thread again, they won't send you another email... Since I hadn't had a chance to get on, I wasn't getting any updates... Now I'm behind again!

Let's start off with our progress report for Week 1! SO sorry it's just now going up. I went back through the posts from the weekend and tried to grab all the %s I saw... Please, please let me know if I've left you off of this or the monthly participant list. I know I am missing a few people on that one. If I have a chance tonight I will go back through and update that.

@JacknSally - 132%
@pjlla - 40%
@dsnyfn1022 - 18%
@DisPup75 - 32%
@mickeyfanachey1999 - 23.3%
@contempgal - 18%
@courtneybeth - 40%
@Trith - 70%
@SureAsLiz - 7%
@SarahDisney - Awesome.

Considering the week only started on Thursday, those are some pretty GREAT numbers! Way to go, losers! Can't wait to see what week 2 holds for everyone!

__________________________________________

Everyone's magic meals sound so yummy!! I hope I didn't wreck anyone's day! @courtneybeth you CRACK me UP!! and @pjlla can you please let me know the next time you go to the parks... and also include me on your ADRs? Your choices are incredible.

I am torn between going to bed now (at 8pm ) and working on wedding projects... I think bed might just win out. The projects are all fairly involved, and I think if I were to pull out something to start on now, I'd end up staying up all night. Or just not getting anything done and leaving a big mess in my wake.

So, I mentioned a couple of times last month that my work environment was less-than-ideal... If we're being honest, it was downright depressing. Constant negativity, lots of backstabbing and cattiness and two-faced drama, mind-numbingly-boring work, lots of empty promises (still haven't gotten that $0.10 raise I was guaranteed in April... )... Basically more often than not I spent my lunch break in tears and came home cursing the walls. Well...

I put in my two weeks today. When DH2B and I decided it was the right thing to do, I was all ... but ever since I did it, I'm pretty much just . DH2B got a promotion at work that came with a small raise, and several procedures have changed at work recently, and it was just steadily becoming a worse and worse place to be. With tickets and hotel covered, we think we've got enough in cash and gift cards for our Disneymoon, and we've got enough in savings to cover rent for 3 or so months... DH2B's checks will cover the other bills... I'll be added onto his insurance... I'm just panicking that there's something big we forgot about, or that I won't find even a part time job... I know lots of companies put their hiring on hold until the first quarter of the new year.... What if we run out of money between now and then.... AAAHHHHHHH.....

But at the same time... life is too short to be so miserable all the time... the constant negativity is EXHAUSTING. I come home so emotionally drained that I pretty much collapse onto the couch until I finally drag myself to bed. Then barely wake up in time to do it all again the next day. Mental health is just as important as physical health... RIght? And that job didn't really allow for either... Sigh.

Ah, well. Too late now! My last day is the 20th, which is the day before my PTO was scheduled to start... Definitely bummed that I couldn't work it out to have some extra free time between now and the wedding, but at least now I don't have to worry about spending the honeymoon stressing and dreading going to work the following Monday... Blah.


What's everyone up to tonight??

 

[DisPup75]

Today for lunch or dinner, your meal can be ANYTHING. Calories, carbs, and cost don't count. You can have as much food or as many courses as you like with NO repercussion. What would your meal be? If you eat out, where would your meal be from?​

I didn't have any time to chat today. . Just dropping by to answer the QOTD before I crash with intent to catch up tomorrow!

Since this dream meal can be ANYTHING, I'm inclined to go with dinner at the French Laundry because I'm assuming I'll be able to magically get that coveted reservation!!!

But absent a reservation that I spent years trying (and failing) to get, I think I want something simpler.

For a starter, I want the Wild Mushroom Bisque from Artist Point at the Wilderness Lodge with a bread basket of proper San Francisco sourdough and a crock of European butter.

Next I want New Orleans style BBQ shrimp and grits. There is a restaurant near me that has a wonderful version - fresh corn and pepper jack in the grits, garlicky chard on the side, and a mound of amazing shrimp. I might need some more of the sourdough to soak up the sauce.

I'll finish with key lime pie, preferably my own recipe with a graham cracker crust and a sour cream topping.

Hmm. I've made mushroom soup and shrimp & grits before although I've never tried the recipes for either version I mentioned above (and I have both saved in my cook-this-someday file). If I could get a decent loaf of bread and a few hours of spare time, maybe I could make this happen!

ETA: I forgot my location! Waterside at the Blue Bayou of course.