The dvd workout that came with it was a 30 min workout and it is intense. I got the 10lb bell to start and I am glad I did not go higher. I couldn't even do some of the moves but I will get there and my quads are killing me! Can't wait til I am good enough to complete the entire work out!
I am exhausted. I got up early this morning and got showered and dressed planning to hit Wallyworld as soon as DD got to school. I was drinking my coffee and doing my leisurely morning email/DIS/FB checking when I got a call to sub at her school. I have not been able to work all year because she has been sick a lot and they never seem to call on a day I can go. I decided what the heck and had 20 minutes to change my clothes, get breakfast, lunch and snacks together and get out of the house. I like subing at her school because it is familiar. I know the teachers and the layout and I also know a lot of the kids. Had great day in first grade but my feet are not happy with me. I can't sit still when I teach. I have to be up and moving around the room and that is still difficult for me. But I probably walked more steps today than I have in a year! For me that is good exercise. The teacher is supposed to be out again tomorrow so maybe I will get to go back. Flu is hitting here big bad so maybe things will get busy for me. I was also relieved because I got a call from the Subbing Supervisor that I had to work at least ONE day this school year or they would terminate me. Now I have that done so I can stop worrying about it.
Frankly if I had to do it we would be having Dominos Pizza or grilled cheese-- neither good choices on a low carb plan! Great Advice! 
The accident I take it happened this morning it was really bad for them to still be out with the road blocked at 3:45 pm. Still blocked now at 5:30. 
I think I may have her start her cucumbers back up and try to keep them living long this year. I may pick up tomato seeds too.
OMG!!!!! I am shocked!!! Holy guacamole (low fat of course, LOL) !!!
WOOHOO!!!!!!
After being sick and feeling off track this is exactly what I needed!
Thanks for the boost!!!
I can SO relate to this! I hit a few plateaus while I was still in a significant "losing" mode.... but since I've gotten to within 10 pounds of my goal, I can't seem to get there or stay there! During the spring/summer I was exercising upwards to 90+ minutes a day, 3-5 days a week... and I STILL never hit my goal (welll... my NEW goal).
I know as a "former fat person" I will NEVER be able to eat like a similarly sized person who had never been overweight (scientifically proven).... but there are times when I can't believe I can have SO LITTLE to eat everyday for the rest of my life. It gets really frustrating. But honestly.... just about the time I think I'm about to give up, I remember how frustrating it was to be FAT! It was frustrating and unpleasant and hard and depressing. So I find a way to soldier on in this healthy journey.
I know I've said this to someone here before, but it bears repeating. If you are "stuck", then now might be a good time to make a NEW beginning. Sure, you never really "ended", but sometimes we need to get back to basics. Re-read some literature about losing weight (re-read your SB book if that is the plan you follow, re-read your WW literature if you are following WW.... you get the idea). Start a fresh journal (or at least a fresh page). Start weighing and measuring ALL of your portions again. EVERYTHING. Every spoonful of salad dressing, every piece of meat, every slice of cheese, every glass of milk. Keep a check list to be sure you are getting all of your water in every day.
Try to re-invigorate that motivation you had back when you began this journey. Remember that feeling?? You (probably) started with frustration about your weight or had a health issue. Then you were feeling INSPIRED and MOTIVATED to lose the weight and get healthier. You were ready to start on a new plan! You were (hopefully) excited about the prospect of losing weight, getting healthier, starting a new exercise plan. You had determination. Those are the feelings you need to revisit.
I'm not saying you've lost your motivation or anything like that. But sometimes we need to get "re-excited" about our healthy journey. Find some new recipes or try some new foods. Check out a new kind of exercise!
Another thing to try to shake up your plateau is to try really varying your calories.... if your norm is say 1500 per day, try having 1200 today and maybe 1800 tomorrow and then 1500 the next. Keep your body guessing. That is supposed to keep your metabolism fired up.
I've been meaning to do some reading about keeping an active metabolism and metabolism boosting, but honestly I haven't had the time lately. If I get to it and I find anything significant, I'll be sure to post it here to share.
Anyhow..................................P
Shawn, so sorry that you feel discouraged.
You might want to try this calculator for your BMR (basal metabolic rate). http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ to double check what you found online.
Your basal metabolic rate is the calories that you burn just by being alive, i.e. you are lying in bed all day doing nothing. Your total daily calorie needs are calculated by taking your BMR and multiplying it by the factor in the Harris Benedict Formula
Harris Benedict Formula
To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:
If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
Once you know the number of calories needed to maintain your weight, you can easily calculate the number of calories you need to eat in order to lose weight. A 500 calorie per day deficit would give you a one pound per day loss. That is realistic and doable over the long term. Remember that your body is very good at adapting itself so that what worked before may not work always. You have to trick it!
That calculator shows I can eat 2450 calories per day and maintain my weight (I used moderately active since I exercise every day). So in theory, I should still be able to eat 1950 calories per day and lose one pound per week. I don't think I eat more than around 1600 calories per day so what's going on
Well, I need to journal and track to be sure, try new foods and new exercise and try the high/low calories to mix it up. {sigh} I don't want to work this hard at it but like Pamela said I don't like being fat either
FIRST GRADERS!!! yikes
so I will do a major grocery shop. I may even go to 2 shops today. Then I just have to take DS to scouts tonight and that's it. Well, plus exercise, cooking, cleaning, laundry and all the usuals I finally got up my nerve to answer back to the principal's email where he told me my son had participated in an act of vandalism. I told him that DS would accept the punishment but told him that this should NOT be called vandalism. To my surprise he wrote back very promptly last night and said he agreed with me and he should have worded the email differently! I am so relieved!
) and especially to our biggest loser this week, Buffy! Little losses over time add up to big numbers for the challenge. 
I totally know what you mean -- sometimes Leslie Sansone and her perkiness get on my nerves, too! OMG!!!!! I am shocked!!! Holy guacamole (low fat of course, LOL) !!!
WOOHOO!!!!!!
After being sick and feeling off track this is exactly what I needed!
Thanks for the boost!!!
ETA: man that signature feels good!
ETA ETA: I finished registering for the Everest Challenge today and I was so worried I was making a mistake. I realize now that taking care of myself and setting goals is never a mistake!!!
Way to go being the BL for the week and getting ready to run the Everest Challenge with your DS soon! But, I'm not going to let that hold me back....all I can do is keep trying today!
Thanks Lisa
, Shawn. With all that activity maybe you do need to increase your calories. Your body could be holding on to the weight. I think Pamela's suggestion of mixing up your calories is a great one. Eat 1950 calories a few days a week, a couple of 1800 calories days and maybe a 1600 or 1700 calorie day, too. Mix them up and keep your body guessing. In the fall when I was working out with the trainer she increase me calories and it did make a difference to me -- who knew? Plus I think it is a lot easier to be with this for the long haul when it is something that you can live with -- even if the weight loss is slower than you would like! 
Sunday was my new day, after a bad saturday. I am back on track day 2 down, and now am 14 days away from wdw!!
I did mean miles. Guess I was dreaming about losing 12 pounds. Wouldn't that be great, lose a pound for every mile.
Thanks Pamela. Yesterday was a good day, and there were some cookies at work someone baked, and I didn't even want to have one.Sorry you're having a tough time. It's tough, old habits die hard, but every little change we make does make a difference.Soaring, Splash Mountain, Toy Story Mania, and Everest!! I couldn't pick just one.
One of my most favorite things to do is the Animation Studios drawing class in DHS. So fun to look back on all our drawings we've done over the past trips. 
YAY!!!! That biggest loser clippie looks soooo good on you!! So happy for you!! Keep up the great work!!Congrats to all our top losers and all of us here still plugging away!! Hang in there. I definitely think mixing up the amounts of calories each day can make a difference with the metabolism. Are you getting enough calories every day? If both of the calculators show you need more to maintain, maybe your body needs a little more to keep the metabolism up and lose. I wish I had better suggestions. You are trying so hard, and doing all the right things and the scale isn't giving you the reward you deserve, but try to look at the non scale victories you've accomplished. I bet you felt a lot better out on those hikes than you would have 25 pounds ago. I know it's frustrating, but it is also a lifestyle, and not gaining is a good thing too. You are doing so well with the exercise. Maybe a bigger breakfast in the morning to get the metabolism going. I've also heard 6 small meals a day, and eating at least every 3 hours. hang in there. Is coco key this weekend? I'd love to go, but with the extra days off for snow days, it's not in the budget right now. Have fun. 
