Working on Weight Loss and getting Lean!

[rubato]

Hi ladies. I hope everyone's having a great weekend!

AFM: Well, today was interesting. It was so hot by the time I was ready to run that I decided to run on the TM. I was only doing a 3 miler anyway, so the TM was going to be no issue. I felt so good about 1/2 a mile in that I decided to go for a PR on a 5k. I was 2 and 3/4 miles in and my treadmill just shut off! I wasn't keeping track of the exact distance and time so I have no idea just how fast I was going. I am so mad about that! Apparently, I was running too fast and overheated my TM motor! Oops! The repair man had told me I needed a new motor, but he hasn't had a chance to get to it yet this year. So, now he's going to have to move me up to the top of his list!

Other than that, things have been great. I'm holding steady at 1.5 pounds left to lose. I am really hoping to reach that goal soon!

We are having lots of fun with our visitor. He is so easy to deal with!

Anyway, I hope to hear from everyone soon. You all must have much busier lives than I do!
Tandy

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Good Afternoon, Leanies!

I wish I could say I've been busy working out and eating right...but that would be a lie. I can't even say I'm doing anything I should these days. I don't know what happened, I just can't seem to get up and run in the mornings, and I can't seem to stop eating junk at night. I had to deal with super scary in-laws this weekend (again), and I think it put me over the edge. I can only take so much of them, and then...even though I'm hurting myself, I am so stressed and depressed by their presence, I go a little and I don't do what I should. Instead I watch too much tv, stay up too late, etc. It's been 2 days, so I guess I'd better make an effort to get back. I got on the scale this morning and it was up 9 lbs. Now, I know that's not really "real" -- at least I hope not! But it was still pretty depressing. This is after a bunch of bad food, not moving in six days, etc. I know if I can get myself to start moving and eating right, I will see at least half of that just disappear, but I have to move first...

I'm also coaching on the BL thread this week, and it's taking so much time...I need a good kick in the pants and I'm hoping my buddies will be posting here so we can work on it together...

Maria

 

[Cindylou]

Good Morning Lean Meaners.

So sorry to not be posting much lately. I’ve been so down and don’t like to come here and whine. I just can’t seem to get any traction for my healthy eating. I go a day or two then have a huge binge. Really getting annoyed with myself.

Maria: So sorry the IL’s have driven you crazy. Hope you can get back to it. Coaching BL this week should help a bit with your mind set. Maybe giving wonderful advice to others will spread over to you too.

Tandy: Thanks for continuing to post even when we don’t. Good job on all the activity you do. I’m very impressed. There’s a reason you are just 1.5 lbs away from goal, because you work out like crazy. I’m glad that maybe you’ll be able to have your surgery some time. That should help you get down to goal. Way to go on your speedy runs. Sorry you were too fast for your TM. Hope it gets fixed soon.

Vicky: So is running with the guy from work going to be a weekly thing? It’s a great way to improve your running by running with someone faster than you. How did the group run go? Congrats on losing 14.3 lbs. That is amazing. I hope you are able to shed that final 2.5 lbs.

Beth: Hope the bronchitis is gone. How was Vegas? Were you able to run while there?

Jackie: So sorry about your injury. What’s the latest? Did you go to the ortho? Does he think it’s bursitis? I’m sure it’s frustrating. Hang in there. I’m sure you’ll have a new-found love for running when you are finally able to get back to it. Try to make good use of your non-running time with stretching and strength training, at least you’ll feel like you are making forward progress.

Hello to Jeanne, Debra, Manda and all the other lurkers.

As I mentioned above, I am having such a hard time getting into a groove for weight loss. I am starting to feel like I will never be able to do this. I finally braved the scale and have gained 10 lbs since January. It feels like a lot more. I’ve had to buy new clothes just so I have something to wear since I had given away most of my “fat clothes”.

My running hasn’t been great in that I’ve had to cancel or cut short a lot of my runs for a million different reasons. I haven’t been swimming in months. I’m always so tired I haven’t been able to get out of bed early to work out before work. I’m not sure if it’s physical or mental or maybe a bit of both. I think I’m going to schedule a visit to the doctor to see if all my blood work is normal. I’m planning on running a half marathon this fall, so I’m hoping that will help motivate me to start running a little more.

All done whining for now. Have a great day everyone.
Cindy

 

[Creativebeth]

Well, sisters, seems we are all in the same boat! UGH..... I hear you both Cindy and Maria!!!!

I can't get my A** in gear. I am not sure why?

Vegas was awesome! I love it there! But, ended up getting a cold while I was there, and still suffering with it. Stuffy/running nose, headache, congestion, and burning chest. I never really got over the bronchitis, and this cold on top of it all is making my life bad! I can't breathe, and my runs are mostly walks on the TM because of the coughing fits. This morning's 3 miles felt like a marathon.......and not a good marathon!

My eating went down the tubes too. What's with Vegas and buffets? They are very hard to deal with. I ate alot of snow crab legs! That isn't to bad, since it takes awhile to pick them....but the bad thing is that you never feel full either! I did skip the butter with them though......

I have a 1/2 marathon in 1 month, and I can't run more than a mile at a time right now......it doesn't look good for me.....

I am hoping that things turn around soon.......for all of us!

Beth

 

[bunnyfoo]

Good morning leanies! So are we all agreed that we're going to make a new start on Sunday? I see it as a new month and we can all start with a clean slate! So who's with me Start with small steps - maybe it's adding back the fruits and veggies into your diet. Anyone have a farmer's market near them? Or my favourite - eliminate refined sugar from your diet For exercise - how about trying a minute of jumping rope or jumping jacks (or 2x30 seconds), holding a plank for 30 seconds or picking up those weights. For a real challenge, take all that food you know you shouldn't be eating, the stuff that's just hanging around your house that you snack on and toss it in the garbage - not just putting it away - actually throwing it away. Come on ladies! I know we can all get back on the wagon!

Beth - for your cold! I hope you're feeling better soon! I felt the same way about Disney and buffets. And once I'm there, I just feel I have to eat EVERYTHING ... even though I know better I say for the 1/2 training, just work on doing run/walk intervals. Just focus on running for those few minutes 5, 10, 15 and go from there. Don't focus on just the mile you can run - you did a marathon a couple of months ago!! How many miles was that? Which race are you doing?

Cindy - What's the weather been like in your part of the country? It's been hot, sunny and hummid here in Toronto. I can say that it's made me more tired than usual. I think there's something with the hot weather that just sucks the energy from you. If you don't feel like running, maybe you can go out for a walk instead. I know, I know, it's not the same as running but it will get you out there and usually when I walk, I feel so bored, I just start running anyway. Which fall race are you thinking of? I am going to try and go out with Speedy at least once a week. Running at lunch is hard mostly because of the heat but I also feel like it's hard cooling down even with a cold shower.

Maria - Sorry to hear about the ILs trouble When I go out with my extended family, I wish I could aim a TV remote at them and hit the mute button. Is there anyway you could skip out when they come over? Have a work emergency or some other excuse not to be there. My dad never really got along with my mom's family and would sometimes do that. It didn't help him win over anyone but I think it saved his sanity. How was Cirque? I've never been before - mostly because of the ticket price but it looks awesome! Have fun coaching BL and don't forget to come back and share some of your tips with us

Tandy - That's a bummer Any ideas on how much the TM motor will cost to replace? Does that mean you'll be running outside for now? I tried to get a Fuel Belt last weekend but the running stores I went to were sold out of the 4 bottle belt in small. So I had to hang onto mine for another weekend. I guess everyone had the same idea with the weather being so hot. There are a couple other stores I'm going to try and go to in the next few days so hopefully I'll have more luck. WTG on being 1.5 lbs away from your goal weight! You're so close!! How are you surviving with the German? How long is he staying over for?

Jackie - Any updates from your chiro? I hope there's good news for you!

Debra - We need a writing smiley for you! You are an article writing machine! And yes, I could use a week at WDW in December to take in all the Christmas decorations.

AFM - My eating has mostly been on track. I lost 0.9 lbs last week which means I only have another 1.5 lbs to reach my month goal. I don't think it's going to happen though because I ate 3 cupcakes on the weekend and went out for a birthday dinner last night. I ate mussels which I have no idea whether they're healthy or not but it was the appetizers and cake that killed me. I still feel stuffed from last night - someone remind me not to do that again.

I'm still running but am really behind on my training schedule for the 30K. I keep debating whether I should downgrade to the 15K instead. I feel like I'm undertrained which is not a bad thing but I'm finding it hard to get in the long distances with the heat. And... I can kind of feel my ankle pain coming back. Training at the gym has been going well for the most part. It's nice to still have that part of my routine going. But nothing really new to report there.

Have a great day everyone!

 

[rubato]

Good afternoon ladies! It's so nice to see posts from so many of you!

It's starting to sound like we're all in the same boat. Tired and eating a bunch of junk. Could it be a mid summer funk? Is there such a thing?

Vicky: You certainly sound very positive and upbeat today. That's exactly what I'm needing! No problem waiting on the belt. I'm so tired lately, I'm only running 3-4 miles, max! Don't need any water going that short!
Congrats on your loss. I bet you can reach your goal. That's doable in 3 days, right?I hope your ankle is okay. It seems that everyone is injured right now. How's the back?
Things with "The German" have been good. i'll write more farther down.

Beth:I agree with Vicky. Why not just plan a run/walk and start working on increasing that interval? I can see how you could easily get a cold in Vegas. I just remember going between indoors and outdoors and being burning hot and freezing cold all the time. You were just getting over the bronchitis, so that probably added to your sickness! I do love a good buffet! They just don't love me.

Cindy: I'm sorry to hear that you are in such a rut! I'm glad you are going to go to the doctor. It could all just be a motivational thing, but it could be so many other things also. I spend about 6 months in bed before we figured out that I had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. I didn't even realize how bad I felt until it was 20 hours a day of sleeping. It was easily treated and I feel great now, so who knows?

Maria: 9 lbs in 2 days! No, that can't be real and I'm glad you realize that. My inlaws or even just my own family could certainly make me eat that much though!

AFM: I have been shopping for 2 days straight. I think school supplies and all school clothes are finally purchased. Even undies and socks. Carsten (the German) has so many new clothes he had to buy a new suitcase to get them home. But, our prices are so much better than theirs. I dislike shopping so much that I have been miserable.

Well, I get to add my own eating and exercise problems onto the pile today! I went to the lake Sunday and had WAY too much to drink! So, I ate really bad and then, I have been recovering ever since. No exercise at all, not even walking the dog! Poor guy! Plus, Carsten is a junk food junkie. He doesn't really eat, but when he does eat his one meal a day, he hopes for junky American food like ribs and fried chicken. Of course, he eats a small plate of it and I chow down! That's why he's this tall, scrawny guy and I struggle all the time. I think that's what years of deprivation does to a girl! At least I woke up feeling human today. I don't drink much and boy does it show! I ran 3 miles today and it almost killed me. And, here I sit eating cookies!

So, I'm ready to join Vicky and get back on track. Anyone else? Of course, we're going on a canoe trip starting Sunday, but I still think I can eat healthy if I work at it. I just won't be able to run. But, I'll be rowing which has to burn calories, right?

I hope to hear from the other ladies soon! We miss you.
Tandy

 

[MouseDogMom]

I need to be in bed, but I also need my friends...

Vicky - What an upbeat, uplifting, motivational post! Thank you so much! And how ironic that we had the cutest waitress tonight at dinner whose name was Vicky, and she reminded me of you!

Everyone else, since the posts are almost identical - Vicky had some great ideas. I think we all have to recommit. Maybe a little at the time, but I know we can do it. We've done it before. We just need a lot more encouragement this time around!

I only have marginal news to report. I saw the ortho on Friday. He seems to think I may have torn cartilage, but he's ordered an MRI to determine what the exact problem is. Nothing showed up on the xrays, and my symptoms left it open for a variety of problems. He said he could order physical therapy and wait a month, but since I'm on a deadline he agreed to get answers now instead of later. I've been waiting all week to hear from the radiology clinic, and they called tonight while I was in a meeting and I muted the phone because I didn't recognize the number. So now I have to call them tomorrow and HOPE they can get me in quickly. I am feeling a lot less pain now, and I even went for a 3 mile walk with my running buddy Sunday night just to get out and do something and try to get reacclimated to the heat.

Meanwhile, our warehouse manager left on Monday, and we discovered that he hadn't been doing ANY of his work for quite some time. So I'm now trying to pick up the pieces of his job (all except the truly manual labor parts - I refuse to load and unload trucks until it gets desperate!) on top of my own. It's a little more complicated than when the other girl in the office has been out; at least her job was similar to mine. This is an entirely different universe! So I'm reacting to the stress by eating, of course. (Vicky - I also ate 3 cupcakes today. I had to laugh when I saw that you'd done that over the weekend. Mine were in the span of 10 minutes. )

Jackie

 

[Cindylou]

Good Morning.

Jackie: Hope you are able to get in for your MRI soon and get some answers. That's great that your doctor is taking your schedule into consideration. I hope you don't have to load and unload trucks at work, but if you do, it'll be good weight training. When I have to do ridiculous stuff at work I just imagine the calories I am burning.

Tandy: I definitey think there is a mid-summer funk. I'm glad you were able to get all your shopping done. I haven't even begun back to school stuff yet, but we still have 6 weeks until we start. When does your son go back? Glad you are beginning to feel better after your fun weekend. Now it's time to put the cookies away and take the dog for a walk.

Vicky: Love your positive attitude. That's just what we all need. Starting on the first of the month when it is the first day of the week is the perfect combination. Although I don't want to wait until Sunday since I can do a lot of damage in the next 4 days if I let myself. Good luck with the 1.5 lbs.

Beth: So sorry to hear you are sick. Do what your body allows. You can't push yourself when you need rest. Hope you are on the mend quickly.

So, I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into. A friend sent out some info yesterday about a weight loss challenge starting last night at the Wellness Center in my town. The Center sells Herbalife and sponsors many of the WL challenges. It seemed to be just what I needed, so I went last night and signed up. For the next 12 weeks I have to weigh in once a week and attend nutritional seminars. You don't have to use Herbalife products, but you can if you want to. If you skip a weigh in you owe $5 and if you gain you pay $1/lb. I'm hoping it keeps me motivated, though I'm already worrying about gaining on my vacation and at a wedding I'm going to and a birthday party. This could get expensive given my recent weight struggles. But if I end up losing the most inches or the highest % I could win some money. I'm hoping that's motivation enough. It did get me out of bed at 4:30 this morning so I could do the Jillian Michael's DVD before work.

One of the woman's suggestions was to drink 1/2 of you body weight in oz of water for example if you weigh 140 you would drink 70 oz of water a day. Man that's a lot of water. Most days I don't even make it to 64 oz. The other thing was to eat a LOT of protein. I'm supposed to be shooting for 140-150 g of protein. I think that is ridiculously high. I'm going to track for a while to see what I normally eat. I'm pretty sure it's closer to 60 g.

Does anyone have any opinions on Herbalife products? My initial feeling is that I don't plan on using them since I don't know what half the ingredients are. I'm trying to eat clean as much as I can and I worry about what might be in them.

Have a great day everyone.
Cindy

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Good Morning, Lovely Lean Ones!

Well, I am starting to get it back together. I've been doing office laps when I get in and eating better. I lost 3 of the phantom lbs yesterday, and another 2today. I'm hoping for another 2 tomorrow, and then an actual loss of Saturday. That might be pushing it, but why not go for it?!

When I got home yesterday I read all your posts, and it inspired me to at least get on the exercise bike. It was too hot to run, but I could do that. I spent 30 minutes and went almost 7 miles, so I was happy with that. Babysteps, right? Still didn't manage to get up early and run this morning. It looks like it's going to rain and cool off later, so I might be able to get a run in when I get home.

So, here's my eating plan for today:

B -- peach, light yogurt, vitamuffin
MS -- orange, 1/8 tbsp. cashews
L -- hummus, peppers, grape tomatoes, baby carrots, sugar-free strawberry jello
AS -- 2 light & crisp Wasa breads, 2 laughing cow light cheese wedges
D -- salad with shredded turkey and 5 olives, 2 tbsp of dressing, pretzels, sugar-free jello pudding and chocolate vitamuffin

While I was walking this morning I thought of a new dessert. I'm going to cut up my chocolate vitamuffin (I may use a muffintop), and layer it with the sugar-free pudding. I think that will seem more like a substantial dessert, and I will be satisfied eating that as my last item of the evening. Sort of like a mini homemade trifle -- if we had some strawberries I would cut one up and add it. Since we don't, I'll try to remember to put them on the grocery list for next week -- or maybe some raspberries -- sounds good doesn't it?!

Cindy -- I don't know anything about Herbalife, but it sounds like the Challenge is a great way to get a jumpstart going! Yes, having to pay, even $1/lb, would have me working hard to make sure I had a loss! That seems like incredible amounts of both water and protein to me...I think you are wise to see what you normally have and maybe try to increase the ratio a bit, but not go crazy. My body would not react well to a sudden onslaught of water and protein -- I think I would be very uncomfortable!

Jackie -- You are right, we are all singing the same song I'm ready to encourage as much and as often as I can. I think we make a great little support group, and I'm with you! Sorry about the work situation -- it's always more work when a co-worker leaves, and then to find out the tasks weren't being done in the first place... I'm so glad the doctor is onboard with finding out what's wrong now rather than "wait and see". I think you have waited long enough!

Tandy -- My ds doesn't go back to school until Sept. 8th, and he's already bugging us to buy school supplies and clothes. I envy you being done! I think we're going to start next weekend with shoes and go from there. I'm not buying a bunch of clothes until he goes for 3 days, because if I do he's going to tell me none of them are "right". This is our first year without uniforms, so we're going to figure it out as we go. Sounds like the German is keeping you busy! The canoe trip sounds like fun -- I think rowing burns a ton of calories! This is my first IL-free weekend in a month, and I am going to relish it. A former co-worker of dh's is having an open house Saturday, so we may to go NH for that. I'd rather skip it, but there could be good contacts for dh there, so we'll see. As long as none of his relatives show up, I think I can handle it!

Vicky -- You are just the we need! I actually didn't go to Cirque -- we get 2 free tickets through dh's work, so he took ds. I've been several times locally, and I saw "O" in Las Vegas, so I was happy to have a night at home to read. The show they saw was called "Ova", and they thought it was really good. I am so proud of you for being so close to goal! You are rockin' this out! You are the one who should be giving us tips! Today is my last day of coaching. I need to go over there in a few minutes and start replying to people who answered yesterday's Question Of The Day -- I made it "Who is your favorite Disney villain? Is there a villain in your weight loss journey?" I meant is as something fun and thought people would answer things like Doritos, or their comfy beds. Instead I got a lot of people saying they are the villains in their own lives. I feel bad, that is not what I meant at all!

Beth -- You need to get better, my friend. No wonder everything is so hard for you right now! A trip to Vegas was a great way to relax, though! What did you do while you were there? Those of us waiting for the end of summer for their vacations (ok, me!) want to live vicariously through you. Tell us about all the fun! How are the boys doing? When do they start school? :

I guess I'd better get to that coaching...

Maria

 

[Creativebeth]

Good morning lean ladies!

I am so glad that I don't stand alone in the 'funk' line!

Cindy: The weight loss challenge I did last year was exactually the same thing as you are doing now. I didn't take the Hebalife supplements though. They really pushed them, and I tried the water additives, but that's it. I don't believe in the weight loss adds......feel I need to do it with diet and exercise. My main moto is to lose weight doing something I can do forever. I know I sound preachy, but I am always afraid of taking anything I don't really know is safe. Enjoy the challenge though.....I came in second in mine and won $90!

Jackie: What a bummer about the work trouble......wow, you just never know about people, do you? I wouldn't want to load or unload trucks, but I guess I would if I had too!

Tandy: I would not be happy with the German's diet!!!! I would follow right along with the crappy eating! I LOVE crappy food! Hold strong!

Maria: My kids go back to school the end of August....and it's rapidly approaching! I did order the boys their backpacks from LL Bean. Adam had one from LL Bean that lasted him 3 years, and it would still be good, but he wants a new one to start the 8th grade! I hope Alex's lasts at least a couple of years....but his really tough on his stuff, I will be lucky to make the year! I am glad that you are back on track! Keep it up!

Vicky: Thanks for the support! You are so sweet! You are a great weight loss coach!

AFM: My cold had me up and coughing all night.....ugh. I even cancelled my hair appointment this morning (and that never happens). I have been running the last 2 days (sort of) but I might take today off. I just don't feel good.

I did get myself an electronic book a couple of weeks ago (the Nook from Barnes and Noble) and have been reading like crazy. Just finished The Passage which was excellent. I have to say, I was unsure if I would like the Nook, but I LOVE it! It's so much nicer not to have the book clutter (which, of course, is still around). I highly recommend it!

Now, we can all start thinking about our 5 healthy habits (I have to start small!) and maybe start getting back to them!

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Hey Leanies!

A quick check in before I'm off to run errands...You all have inspired me immensely. When I got home yesterday it was warm, but bearable. I ran 6M -- a little slower than usual, but I did it! And then today I sort of blew off a meeting (it's huge, trust me no one will notice I wasn't there), and stayed home. I ran 6M again, and I plan to do 10 tomorrow. I have totally toned down the eating. And the best news? I'm weighing in at less than last week, and I still have tomorrow before my "official" weigh in. The phantom weight did come off, but I had to get back to doing what I should to make it happen. Still not as low as I was before my dad came, but I'm almost there. I'm definitely on track to go for it in August and do my best to make it to the 170s before we leave on our vacation. It's tough, but it is possible...

Beth -- I need to order ds a new backpack. He has one that is perfectly fine from Lands End, but he doesn't like it because it has his name on it. He wanted it that way 2 years ago, but not now...He's picked another Lands End one. I wish he would have picked LL Bean, I could have picked it up when we went there! I know we'll be making another trip up there this fall to get his winter coat. I know we could order it, but we kind of like the drive and the area, so we turn it into a family activity. Last year we got him an XL kids, but that is definitely over. Men's small, here we come!

Ok, I'm off to Target and the grocery store. I'm going to get my own food (the yogurts and stuff dh seems to not pick the kind I like), and then get busy with and some house work. I've got my usual hummus and veggies for lunch, and I plan to eat while I watch Tivo'd Daily Show/Colbert Report. That's a pleasant way to pass the time!

Maria

 

[rubato]

Good afternoon ladies. I have exactly 15 minutes on the computer today and then, I'm off and running!

Beth and Maria: We just received our first LL Bean backpack. Harrison picked the graffiti one with his name, but in white so you REALLY have to look to see it. He likes it so far. All I know is that all of his stuff actually fits!

Beth: I'm happy to hear you ran, but sorry to hear you are still sick! Yuck! I have been soooooo tempted to buy a Kindle or something like it. My problem is that it is yet another thing to have to charge and bring with me. But, it would be nicer than all the books I have!

Maria: for a IL free weekend! No matter what you do, it'll be better than the last month's worth! I wish my son wanted to go shopping, but I have to drag him! This year, we upped the ante and went to really hip and cool stores, but he only got a little more excited than normal. I did let him get an Invader Zim tshirt at Hot Topic that made him thrilled and he got some Vans for the first time. I am usually very practical, but what the heck!

Great job on all that weight loss. It really was just temporary! I've gained about 1 or 2 from all the junk food, but I know it'll come off.

Cindy: I agree that your new challenge sounds great! I would be so competitive if it meant I was going to lose money! I don't know about Herbalife, but agree with Beth in general. I don't like pills or drinks that tout weight loss. The protein seems a bit high to me. I was told to eat 1 gram per pound of body weight while I was lifting a lot of weights and trying to bulk up a bit. I think for overall health and weight loss, that's too much!

Jackie: I'm so glad you and your doctor and taking care of business and not wasting time. You need answers girl! I'm sorry about the work situation. How long is that going to last, or do you even know? Yikes!

AFM: To all who asked about school, we start on August 13th, which, in my opinion, is ridiculous! But, we got out really early also. I also don't understand starting on a Friday, but oh well!

I've been good about getting 3ish miles in for the last 3 days. Plus, I walked off 800 extra calories yesterday. Of course, we had ribs again, and 2 beers, so I got no benefit from it. I'm ready to start my new plan Sunday. I will be eating veggies and fruit, drinking water, exercising as much as possible, and sticking to that fiber! I sooooo need to get back on track!

Have a wonderful day ladies!
Tandy

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Good Morning, Leanies!

This has to be fast 'cause I'm running out the door to the mall -- gotta get those shoes for ds so dh can get on the road to NH to his friend's open house. I'm staying home with ds, which means I just may nap!

I did 10M this morning. It was cooler and more comfortable, and I'm really glad I did it. I didn't see the big drop I was hoping for in my weight from yesterday to today, but over the week it's gone down 10 lbs, so I cannot complain! Actually, I'm almost giddy because I know if I apply myself I will get back to where I was before my dad came next weekend, and then it's 3 weeks to go down, down, down! It is going to be a stretch to make the 170s, but it is technically possible. We'll see how I do. Just striving for it and getting as close as I can is going to be a victory, I'm not giving up and starting again after my vacation, which is what I would usually do...

Tandy -- Your son starts school on Friday the 13th?! Ok, well, I hope it all goes great...Tomorrow is a great day for a fresh, new start! I am looking forward to planning my exercise for the coming month!

Maria

 

[bunnyfoo]

Hi leanies! Hope you're all having a great weekend! I'm glad you liked my last post! Everyone here has been so inspirational and listened to me when I was feeling down, I was glad I could return the favour. And I didn't quite meet my July weight goal so I'll be back on the clean eating and exercise bandwagon with everyone in August. New month, clean slate - let's do it!! Umm... but not before I have a small caramel waffle cookie from Starbucks

Maria - WTG on your 10 miler and 10 lbs down! You go girl! Doesn't cooler weather make all the difference in the world when you're running? Tomorrow is suppose to be overcast so I'm hoping to get in a run then. And a nap after the house empties sounds like the perfect way to spend a weekend afternoon. As for the villans question - see I would have said the donuts and pasteries at morning meetings or the bowls of candies people keep on their desk. But I see how people might have done some deep thinking about it. Did I remember you saying in Boston that you were thinking of doing the Princess solo? Kim and I might be going solo ...

Tandy - Mmmmm... ribs! In my mind, nothing says summer like the smell of ribs on the smoker! Friday is such an odd day to start classes but I guess it will be easy on the kids because they'll go in for a day and then have the weekend off again. Are you superstitious about Friday the 13th? Oh and good news, I managed to pick up a four bottle Fuel Belt!! And there was a promo for 20% off so I'm glad they were all out last week! I did try to stick the old bottles onto the new belt but the new bottles are 8oz and the old ones are 10oz so they didn't fit. I'll get everything out to you next week! And fantastic job on the 3 miles over 3 days!

Beth - I caught a cold this week so I'll join you in coldland *cough cough* Hope you're feeling better though! Thanks for the book recommendation! I'm going to check it out on Amazon - I love the feature where you can read through the first few pages of a book. Congrats on the Nook! I'm seeing a lot of people on the subway who have eBook readers. I've heard people say that it's much nicer than carrying around some of the hardcover books which I know are quite heavy and bulky. And make sure you're taking care of yourself and getting enough rest young lady! You don't want to overdo with the exercise!

Cindy - WTG on the morning workout! I've heard of Herbalife but have never used their products before. I would be a little hesitant only because there are studies every so often saying this medication reacts with this type of herb or this herb came from x country and has high levels of x chemical. As for the water thing, I know that people who do fitness competitions can manipulate the amount of water they take in to control their weight somewhat. One of the chiros I know was doing a fitness competition and she would consume an insane amount of water one day (6L I think) and then not much the next day. The idea behind it was that your body is expecting a large amount of water the day after so it continues to flush fluid out even when you're not taking in much so it gives your body a lean and defined look. No idea on how much protein you should be eating but Greek yogurt is a great source

Jackie - Oh I think we truly are twins because I ate those cupcakes in about 10-15 minute span too What is it about cupcakes because I never would have eaten 3 slices of cake like that ... okay well maybe that's not entirely true ... And yikes on the warehouse manager who left behind the giant pile of work. I guess he figured that was a goodbye present or something. Any luck getting booked in with the radiology clinic?

AFM - It's been a bit of a mixed week for me. I caught a cold after going out for lunch with a friend I haven't seen in a while. He didn't even look sick but it seems to happen to the both of us a lot. My throat was really sore on Thursday and Friday my head felt like the size of a beach ball. I went in to work anyway because a lot of people were away (long weekend) so I figured I wouldn't be super contagious. My manager sent me home early anyway so that was nice... Had a nice long nap on Friday afternoon but still didn't feel up to the 25K this morning so I did 5K instead (Monday's run). Got in a good pace of 9:36 m/m all things considered.

Got a bit of bad news about my PT on Thursday. I almost didn't go in because I was sick but the receptionist was new and wouldn't give me a pass on the 24-hour cancellation policy. I was a little bit upset about that but went in anyway thinking I could at least get ART on my ankle or something like that. I saw my physio (who made sure I wasn't charged for the appointment) and he told me it was his last day there I think his decision had something to do with management - it didn't seem like he could talk much about it and I didn't want to press. I felt a little (a lot) sad when I was talking to him about the stuff that I had accomplished in the time I worked together with him - the deadlifting (he thinks I'm going to be able to do 275 lbs eventually), the weight loss, the low sugar diets etc. I remember when I first starting seeing him, I couldn't even do a body weight squat because I didn't know how. I think I've known and worked with him almost for as long as I've been running. So on the one hand, I'm happy for him because who wants to be in a crappy work environment but on the other hand I felt sad because I felt like I was losing someone else. I threw myself a pity party of M&Ms and Ben & Jerry's ice cream - I didn't eat the entire package of either but I didn't feel great afterward.

So after a week of craziness, I'm definitely looking forward to a fresh start in August tomorrow. Hooray for a new month! Btw, anyone else going to the Princess 1/2 in February? I've been throwing the idea around after Kim mentioned it to me ... plus I remember a while ago we were talking about a leanies meetup

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

 

[MouseDogMom]

Cindy - I'm like everyone else. I don't know much about Herbalife, but I tend to steer clear of anything like that. I'm way too skeptical about any of those products and tend to be very wary of their claims. Other than that, it sounds like a great program with lots of motivation! My massage therapist has recommended the half the body weight in water as well. As if 64 oz wasn't enough!

Maria - I'm pretty sure you're going to see the 170's before long. You're doing everything right and being consistent with doing it! I'm very jealous of all the miles you're getting in, btw.

Beth - I was all ready to rejoice that I didn't have to do backpacks, etc. any more. Then I got a text from DD this morning with a list of what she wants to buy before we move her back into the dorm! I'm pretty sure a new comforter may cost more than a backpack...

Tandy - We're interviewing right now for a replacement for the warehouse manager. Maybe, just maybe, we'll get one hired this week. But I'm sure it will be at least a month before he's up to speed, so I imagine my work load will be increased for some time to come.

Vicky - My MRI is scheduled for next Monday (the 9th). Apparently it's a special kind, and they only do them a few days a month. A friend told me to go ahead and ask for my films that day, and then I can go ahead and schedule my followup visit for the next day with my doctor instead of waiting for them to send the info to his office, so I'm going to try that tactic. Anything to get an answer more quickly! Sorry to hear about your PT. I know you've really enjoyed working with him.

It's August 1st, and I'm making an effort to begin the new month on the right foot. We went to the Farmer's Market this morning, and I bought mostly fruit for breakfasts this week. We ate lunch at the restaurant out there, and I had a veggie plate. (Full disclosure - I had fried okra, green beans, corn, and mashed potatoes w/gravy. Maybe not the healthiest veggies, but there were some veggie credits in there!) Next I'm headed to the grocery store to get everything for this week's menu. (I'm supposed to be working on my list, but somehow along the way I got distracted!)

Gotta get moving. Two dogs need to go out before I leave for the store.

Jackie

 

[Cindylou]

Good Morning Leanies.

Jackie: Good job starting out the month with veggies. Even if they were fried, they were still veggies. That’ll be September’s challenge, to eat veggies that aren’t fried or creamed. Glad the MRI is scheduled relatively soon. The quicker you can find out what the problem is the quicker you can get back out there.

Vicky: Sorry to hear you’ve got a cold. Hope you are feeling better soon. Hope the new month/clean slate mentality is working for you. I’m sure you’ll reach your goal soon. Sorry to hear that your PT is leaving. Hopefully the new one will shake up your workout a little and you’ll see great progress. Don’t think I’ll be able to make it to the Princess. I would love to, but unless I get some sort of $$ windfall it’s not likely to happen.

Maria: Hope you were able to get a nap on Saturday (and Sunday too for that matter.). I love naps so much, but don’t really get the time very often. Glad you were able to shed those phantom lbs. Great job on your mileage.

Tandy: Yikes, your DS’s summer vacation is almost over. We just hit the ½ way mark. Hope you are on the August eating fruits and veggies band wagon. It has to be so much harder when you have company, especially when he’s eating all the yummy stuff.

Beth: Hope you are feeling better. Are you with us eating healthier in August? Glad you like the Nook. I really like the feel of a paper book, but you can’t beat the convenience of the electronic one. I agree with you about losing weight the “honest” way. The main reason I want to lose weight is to be healthier, so using an unhealthy way to get there just doesn’t make sense to me.

Jeanne: I saw your FB post about your DD signing up for an Ironman?? I need more details please. Which race, when, which DD? Hope all is well with you.

Debra: Hope you are doing well.

Manda: How’s it going?

AFM: My enthusiasm for this weight loss challenge has waned a bit, but I’m still tracking. I think I’m doing wonderfully as far as tracking food. I’m both counting WW pts and tracking every single bite on Spark People. It takes a lot of time to measure, weigh and enter everything, so for all my effort I feel like I should be down 10 or 20 lbs so far, but since it’s only 2 lbs I’m losing a bit of my oomph. Still 2 lbs in 5 days is great for me, so I just need to keep tracking and stay away from the scale a bit more. My official weigh in is on Wednesday night.

The water continues to be a struggle for me. If I can count milk and seltzer towards the total I’m hitting my goal, but for just straight water I’ve only hit 75 oz on one day so far. The protein has also been a challenge. I’ve done some reading and I really do think 140-150 g is too high for me. I think I routinely get around 60-70 (after tracking for 5 days I say this). I think 100 g is a reasonable goal. I did hit that one day this week. It required 2 c milk, greek yogurt, protein chips, lentils and 3 oz steak. The lentil dish I made was delish. It’s a WW recipe with garlic and tomatoes. I think I’ll make some lentil soup too.

I leave Saturday for a week of vacation. I’m planning on bringing my kitchen scale and tracking WW pts as best I can. I’ll really have to up my exercise while there to cancel out all the frozen drinks I plan to have.

Hope everyone is having a great day.
Cindy

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Good Morning, Lovely Lean Ones!

Cindy -- 2lbs in 5 days is absolutely amazing, especially from your starting point! You are doing great, but I can see with all that work why you would hope for more...and it will come! I think once you get everything going exactly as you want it, you will own this Challenge! That is a lot of protein, I'm glad you were able to find ways to get more in. Do you have a fabulous destination for your vacation? I hope it is somewhere fun!

Jackie -- The Farmer's Market sounds lovely! Veggies are veggies -- and since I know how you feel about them in general, fried is a place to start! I remember those spendstravaganzas to go back to college -- it seems like there was always something else needed, and I wanted it all before I left the folks, because it would be months before I could get back into their pockets (ahem, see them) again...definitely more expensive than getting ready for Middle School!

Vicky -- I really hope you are feeling better by now. I know you are going to miss your trainer, hopefully the new one will challenge you in new ways, and you will ultimately be pleased. I'm not sure about Princess yet. My family seems unable (that would be dh) to settle on our plans for February vacation week. Once I get that nailed down, I will know if I can do Princess, or we are all going somewhere. Unfortunately I can't just take ds with me to Disney -- as I believe the race is on Sunday? He's on vacation the week before, but he has to be back in school on Monday, and there is no way I'm going to fly the same day I race -- and there's no way dh is going to Disney!

I rested on Sunday and ran 4M yesterday after work. I planned to do yoga today, but I forgot my clothes I'll do 30 min on the exercise bike when I get home instead. I'm very disappointed, but I guess it wasn't meant to be...

I still haven't made my workout schedule for August and September. I meant to do it last night, but since I did my run after work, I ran out of time. It's Shark Week (the most wonderful time of the year ), and my ds wants to watch every minute with me.

I was really proud of myself yesterday at lunch. We went out to a salad place, and I had looked up the nutrition info online earlier. I had a 6pt salad, and left it at that. My co-worker then went to a chocolate place and bought mini caramels, but I didn't get anything. I came back to the office and ate the sugar-free strawberry jello I had brought to be dessert. That took restraint I just keep thinking I really want to hold it together this month before I leave on vacation and do my best to make my goal. Ok, it doesn't hurt that there's a Cinnabon at the end of this rainbow (I only eat them at Universal, so it's pretty much a once a year splurge for me). But the food isn't the reward, it's going to be how I feel and look in my clothes!

How is everyone doing with their August fresh start? It's been good for me so far, I'm pleased with my eating and exercise. I'm very hopeful I can hold it together for the rest of the month until we leave.

Sending big Howdies to Debra, Manda, Tandy, Beth, Jeanne!

Everyone have an Awesome August Day!

Maria

 

[bunnyfoo]

Good morning lean ladies!

Jackie - Good tip about getting the film after your MRI so that you can get an appointment right away. I love going to the farmer's market! I'm heading over to one on Friday to see if I can pick up some veggies and chicken for grilling.

Cindy - WTG on the 2 lbs!! That's fantastic! You could try a smoothie made with protein powder but I'm not sure how many calories it would be. I have a protein powder that's about 140 cal (no sugar) for 3 scoops and 38 g of protein. Bringing your kitchen scale with you on vacation - now that's dedication! Keep it up and you're going to see results in no time at all! Can you share the lentil recipe? Sounds yummy

Maria - There's a Cinnabon at the subway station that I get off at so even though I don't walk by the store, the entire station smells like a bakery. I guess it could be worse and smell like other things. WTG on the salad place and resisting the caramels for dessert! That's tough! Keep me posted on the Princess! I might include you in an email that I'm going get started for February.

AFM - This cold is still hanging on. Can someone tell it go away? I did a couple of short runs on the weekend 3 and 5 miler but definitely wasn't up to the 25K. I'm about 3 weeks away from the race so I'm not sure whether I should give that distance a try this weekend. I personally think I'll just suck it up and go in undertrained. It's probably better for my ankle anyway.

Well, I had a sugar fest on Saturday to get everything out of my system so now it will be low/no sugar for the month (unless it's a LR day). I packed a salad and spicy lentil soup for lunch with carrot sticks. I have to head up to my hairdresser's place which is near a Whole Foods. Good thing we're all back on track or I might have been tempted by the junk food. Btw, what is it about junk food from an organics store that makes it taste so good? I'm just going to get a bit of cheese and some organic dried apricots. I love eating a few apricots before running weekday mornings. They give me enough energy and don't upset my stomach at all.

Have a great day everyone!

 

[Cindylou]

Vicky's cold: Go AWAY!!
Vicky: Here's the recipe.
Lentils with garlic and tomatoes
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium garlic clove(s), chopped
1 small onion(s), chopped
1 medium celery, stalk chopped
1 medium tomato(es), chopped
4 cup(s) cooked lentils
2 Tbsp basil, chopped
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/2 cup(s) canned chicken broth

Instructions
In a large skillet heat oil. Add garlic, onion and celery; cook until tender.
Add tomatoes, lentils and broth; bring to boil then simmer, covered, 5 minutes.
Stir in basil and vinegar. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving. 158 cal, 0.7 g fat, 27 g carb, 10 g fiber 12 g protein.

Maria: You will feel awesome on your trip to Universal because of the great choices you are making. Sorry you forgot your workout clothes. Very frustration. We are vacationing at the beach in Narragansett, RI.

 

[NCrunner]

My blog post this morning went something like this! If I continue to run, I will be 200 lbs in 2 months>>>I weight 155. Have been running/CT 5xw for 4 weeks and have gained 2 lbs. On top of that I have turned it around to the healthy eating, no sugar, no processed food and limited dairy....there is nothing else! Frustration at its finest! I will be happy to read everyone elses ideas for success..... Lentil soup sounds yummylicious btw...Rhonda