Labor Day challenge 2017

[DJC_63]

This is an ongoing challenge where we post weekly about our weight and share helpful tips, give support and talk about our ups and downs.  The following abbreviations are helpful to use:

SW - starting weight

CW - current weight 

PW - previous week's weight

GW - goal weight

USW - highest weight

All that you need to do to join is write a post with your starting weight and your goal.

[_Lilac_]

@dancefoxtrot  She got the app called 'From couch to 10k' and she's enjoying it. Her first day was exactly what you said...jog a bit, walk a bit, jog a bit...It's a 12 week program with high ratings.

I'm going to get up the nerve to get on my bike and build up enough strength to go with her so she can jog and I'll cycle. 

Mom and I went for our river walk this morning. I probably have 6000 steps so far. It's hot so I can't take the dogs out until later in the evening. My daughter has talked me into NOT cancelling my YMCA membership, since there are water aerobics classes in the evenings that won't interfere with my walks with Mom. And I really do need the low-impact exercise for my legs and joints. The pool water will cool me down for a comfortable sleep at night. 

Food is good. Much success avoiding temptations, which really haven't been tempting. When you walk into an ice cream party and almost every single person there is obese with health problems, shovelling junk into themselves, you develop quite a bit of motivation to stay true to your plan. 

Ok, off to the rest of my day. I hope everyone has a great day. Keep up your motivation and drink your water!

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

Sounds like a great app.  You have been incredibly determined and clear headed at these food parties.  The image of obese peeps with health problems eating junk food is so sad.  Glad that you can say no thanks to going in on the self destruction. 

It has been hot here too and I stayed pretty sedentary on Sunday since walking in the high 90 degrees F is not something I do.

Stay cool enough.  I think the swimming in the evening at the Y sounds great.

Best,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi all,

Talking myself into going to the dance class 50 minutes away. Only 4100 steps so far and not feeling like moving, darn it. I usually enjoy the class after I get there. OK prying self out of chair. 

144.8 this AM yeaaah

Later,

Barb

Now at 7:14 PM listening to the appalling and alarming news. 

Got to class and back so now 5134 steps. May walk a bit later.

Stay mindful and present with we eat. Had a veggie burger with guacamole on it. No bun at all.  Next a salad. 

Stay strong since you and your health are worth it.

Best,

Barbara G

[alleganygirl]

Hang in @Cele21 some weeks are worse than others

you can do this

I had a couple weeks I was up & managed to get thru it

[alleganygirl]

Weigh in day & I was not even scared to step on the scale

(well possibly a little since I blew off the Y this morning!!!)

happy to say I'm down again this week 🙂

SW 152.4 on 7/5

CW 149.4 on 7/19

GW 148 but thinking I better change that to

        145 to keep me on track

I'd love to get to 140 but am realistic & don't think that is possible by 9/4

looks like we're all in the same boat ~~~~ bobbing & weaving up & down

Hang in everyone

[Tybokitty]

I haven't posted in a while because my kitty had been sick for the last 6 weeks and Monday we let him go (RIP Gizmo).  Needless to say the last 2 days have been really rough.  But, I did find when the anxiety set in or I felt like I couldn't handle things any more, walking or using my fit board helped.  It calmed the anxiety cause I was doing something.  And that made me realize walking is good for more than helping to lose weight.  Which I did that to because of nervous stomach during that time and still have for the moment.  Didn't reach my goal but I'm ready to get back in there again and work toward reaching it.  Will post my my stats a little later when I have time but I'm ready to start walking and reaching the goal I set out to do.  

[Bobbinyc]

@dancefoxtrot Hoorrayyy! for the 144.8!  Hope you made it to dance class.  

I think I gain weight just reading the news!  Crazy when your choice is be informed or be sane.  They are supposed to go together.

@_Lilac_  I love that those parties don't even tempt you.  I realized today that the first year the French pastry shop opened, I panicked when they closed for the summer for 6 weeks.  Tried freezing pastries. (not a good plan).  Last year I just thought my way through.  This year, no big deal, not even on my radar.  I don't want all that sugar going into the cells of my poor struggling body and doing all that damage.  It only took me 67 years to figure that out!

[Bobbinyc]

I'm checking in:

14 months of 186

1 month of 183

and today - 182.

I take any victory I can get.

I try hard to focus on health, but sometimes I find this soo discouraging.  I am celebrating that pound!

With some gym time and a tai chi tape, time with a good book and music. I'll read the NY Times later, I want some happy time.

[Bobbinyc]

@Tybokitty  I"m so sorry about Gizmo.  Losing someone  we love , including the animals we love, is so painful.  Take extra good care of yourself during this time.  Walking is a wonderful way to say in touch with yourself and calm and energize yourself all at once.  

[_Lilac_]

Yesterday I got over 13,000 steps with our morning walk and water aerobics in the evening. Today we walked the forested park and I did some laundry (stairs) and hung it out on the line. I'm at about 8000 steps today but it's so hot I don't want to venture out again, even if it's to the pool for aquafitness. I think I need a bit of a break too after the three workouts in two days. I don't want to hurt myself. I might have to take the dogs for a trek around the block though since the big one is trying to munch on the small one (which means he has too much energy and needs to get out). I really really hate sweating.

I haven't had enough water to drink so I'm going to fill up a bottle and down that. Still need a supper. I just found out my province has a 'Live Well' program that has health coaches that offer info on eating, physical activity, diabetes info, stop smoking, etc etc etc. I might look into that to see what resources my community might offer. I'm not doing too badly on my own (if I do say so myself) but I'd like to find out what's out there. I wouldn't mind being a volunteer to help someone who is just starting out, sort of like a mentor/buddy. 

Alright, dogs are getting wound up..sigh...off to deal with them.

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc  YAY that scale decided that you have much more determination than it does...and threw in the towel/white flag...and submitted to your choke hold. Way to go!

[DJC_63]

@Tybokitty, So sorry to hear about Gizmo. I had 2 girls that each lived to be 18, and letting them go was so awful. Probably one of the most difficult things I've had to do. They had each been with me for so long and through so many things that there seemed to be such a big hole without them. Each one of them had an emergency in the middle of the night so I had to take them to an animal E.R. (one was having grand mal seizures and the other suddenly became paralyzed in her hindquarters due to a blood clot right before her back legs).  When I realized that I'd be coming home without them it was the most awful feeling.  If you ever want to talk about your Gizmo feel free to send me a private message.  I found the web site pet loss.com to be very helpful.

Walking definitely helps me burn off anxiety, frustration, etc. When my 2nd girl died I started exercising a lot more just because I hated being at home without her. Time does help but until then the walking and having a goal will likely make it easier.  

[Kimgeloneck]

Hi trying to get some motivation..  Not loving what I see in the mirror.  I know when I eat more....when I'm stressed and bored.  I'm  an emotional eater. 

F  5'3" MI

SW: 215

CW: 215

GW: 150

USW:  NOW 215

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

Sweating is a way to carry heat out our bodies.  We would have heat stroke without it. 

Sorry you are so hot up in Canada.  Who knew up north it could be so blazing hot during summer. Live Well sounds like an interesting program to get involved with.  

Best,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

@Bobbinyc

Hooray for the departure of that unneeded lb.. Definitely time to celebrate.  I bounced off of 144.8 back up to 145.4 this morning.  I know that it is connected to eating after I return home from dance class at 10 PM.  So I ate steamed veggies cold, dipped in pine nut hummus (yum), a Greek yogurt with blue berries 80 calories and some almonds probably 80 calories.  Well, nice and healthy but the scale didn't like it. Sometimes I feel rebellious and crazy as it sounds, say to the scale, "Well, I enjoyed my healthy food, so there!"

Driving home last night I heard a PBS program about the food the Hanza people in East Africa eat and how diverse their micro biome, intestinal bacteria are. They don't have obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, or auto immune diseases any where near  our levels at all. There diet is full of veggie fiber, berries, tubers and porcupines. They are active hunters and gatherers from the area of our earliest ancestors.  

The scientist thought that the healthy bugs in our gut are super important for health. They feed on water soluble fiber so more veggies, raw and only lightly cooked for me.

This morning I think that I won't forget to take my probiotic either. The scientists commented on drugs, especially antibiotics, harm our micro biome. They also noted how little fiber we eat daily. 

Okay off to getting  breakfast, clothes and out the door to teach exercise.

Have a wonderful day my friend. 

Stay strong everyone.

Best,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

@Tybokitty

Sorry for your loss of Gizmo kitty. Glad that you are back to walking again. I lost one of my best long time friends this week and it is sad. Loss seems to be part of life and aging.

Take care of yourself,

Barbara G

[Tybokitty]

@dancefoxtrot    So sorry for your loss.  It is never easy. Time will get us through it.  Take care of yourself. 

[Tybokitty]

@DJC_63  You are right about that awful feeling of going home without them.  Most horrible thing I've felt in a long time.  I get a jolt every time I realize he is not coming back and I wonder how I'm going to make it through without him around.  I have another cat Chelsea, but she was my daughter's so her and I was not that close.  It is so hard to watch her looking for him.  I've been playing with her and keeping her company and she comes and lays on me a lot more.  But it just isn't the same.  Right now we are helping each other as we both realize the loss. She has been closer to me in the last couple of days than she has been in 12 years. I will check out the website and I appreciate your offer of talking.  By the time I do get over this I will have a path from the bedroom closet to the living room door in my carpet from the walking.  

[annypi]

thanks @_Lilac_ for your support and words, yeah it was very frustrating last week to see no change but I stuck with it this week and now I am on week 2 of the cleanse and I dropped another pound. I think the issue may have been the lack of exercise or rather is the lack of exercise. I have been having a lot of back lately and work has been super crazy so I can only really get all my steps in on a run bc I don't have the time for a walk. I get off of work around 7 every night and I walk home and make dinner and its already 8 so then dinner, some work, and a wind down so I can be in bed by 11:30. I try to work out in the morning before work so I get up about 6am but that was where the struggle was... getting up and to a work out was hard especially when work demands needed me to come in earlier. 

I guess we'll see how i finish out the week because I still feel as though this is too slow of a loss for the green smoothie breakfast and strict diet I am on. 

I know 2 pounds a week is healthy but I also think that depends on how big you are and how much you have to lose and I would like to lose 40 pounds, so I still have a ways to go. 

Thanks again for the kind words though it always help to get support 🙂 

[annypi]

@Sherwat that is exactly what I have been thinking bc I have always been pretty careful about what I eat and about working out. I have never gone more than a week without working out since I was about 19 and I only eat things like bread or rice on the weekends, I am not a pasta fan.  Then about 2-3 years ago my weight crept up like 15 pounds and my constant struggle seemed like i had just been hugely defeated. I worked really hard to maintain my weight at 180 and it was HARD (constant diets, fasts, cleanses, etc.) and then when I went up 15 pounds thanks to a summer in Europe (even though I was still careful, walked a ton, and kept running)  and I have had the hardest time getting it back down. We'll see what the doctor says.