Cruise!!

Good news!  I went on a week-long cruise and didn't gain any weight!  Yay!  I did gain a bunch of water weight, but lost it in the first couple of days after getting back.  Maybe it was from swimming in so much salt water!  :) 

More good news!  For you Willow Spring-ers, there's new exercise equipment in the fitness center!  Woo hoo!  I went to go try it out tonight, but for some reason,  my key didn't work.  I'll look into that...

As for the rest of my life, I hope my big stressers are over, so I can focus on eating healthy rather than eating to make my stress go away.  I'm going to try!!

Hi everyone!

Yeah, it's really me:( What happened? Where did I go? I'm not sure. I was doing ok for a while and lost some more weight. I'm a yo-yo, in both dieting and mind=) I went to Anchor Blue with Josh tonight. He needed some pants, I browsed the shirts. I tried some on and pretended they looked good on me. Josh was nice and said "hmmm...it might be a little tight?" "maybe this store isn't quite your style?". His words weren't hurtful, but now I feel FAT and depressed. I had such high hopes for myself, such great goals. Sure, I'm busy, but that's no excuse to be healthy! I just need to DO instead of TALKING about doing. I just need to eat less, and eat healthy and just DO that instead of thinking, "well, I messed up today, so who cares!" OR "it's kind of chilly outside, I'll jog tomorrow" OR "I'm too tired to get up early to exercise". I could go on, but you get my point.

I guess I need to get back on track and commit myself again. And I need to commit myself to others, not myself. If I'm the only one that knows my goals and mess-ups, then no one will know when I mess up!

So here goes! Even though this week is extremely busy, I commit to eat healthier (even if we chance to eat out) and exercise every day, whether it be in the morning before I babysit, or at night when I jog with Christian.

I'll keep you guys posted and let you know at the end of the week how I did!

We've got to move it move it!

Thanks, everyone for getting us going again.  I guess with everything there is a lag between the initial hype  and the real commitment.  As for me, I am doing somewhat better.  I got a membership to the legacy center!  woot woot!!  And I went twice last week!!  And I found out that I am a really bad swimmer!  But when I went, I did a bunch of stuff and felt great.  I like the variety there and it keeps me going for a couple hours.  As far as eating, I really realized that I am an emotional eater.  I got my final rejection letter yesterday from doctorate programs that I had applied to, and then came home from the store with a bunch of junk food.  Well, it wasn't all junk, the brie cheese was great.  And I got bananas.  I didn't eat it all - don't worry, but food is tied to emotion for me and it helps me feel better when I am down or stressed. 

I'm a fatty fatty two by four:)
I can't seem to get out of this rut that I'm in! I eat too much, exercise too little, and feel awful about it all!
I've thought about going to Weight Watchers with Mike but we haven't been able to go together. I don't want to go alone- any volunteers to go with me?
and, I need a jogging partner. I need to go at 6am.

The blog has...lost steam

Hello everyone!
I changed the blog from private to public. That way, any posts people write will show up in our google readers (if we use that). I know that it will be more motivating if it's easier to read what's going on, without having to come here. If anyone doesn't like that, feel free to change it back.
I hope that even though we may not be writing on this blog, we are all still working on our personal fitness in some way!
Here's my own update. I have lost a couple pounds since I last wrote. I've been eating less, eating healthier, and exercising more. I am finally hovering around my ideal weight! I feel happy and healthy. I think the nicer spring weather really makes a difference in my desires to exercise, because I can go outside!
I hope everyone is having a nice spring, and feeling good about the work we are doing.

Keep Going!

I know that dieting and exercise are hard but KEEP GOING!! I'm not sure what all of your weight loss goals are but dramatic health improvements can be achieved by only losing 10% of your weight. Start out losing only 5% and then maintain and then do another 5% and maintain, etc. Slow and steady wins the race and unfortunately women have a harder time losing weight than men. It's a physiological fact. Get yourselves motivated again and start small-little steps.

Weekend of CAKE!!

My sister, Kristin, got married last weekend!  Yea!  But the bad thing was that there was cake, cake, CAKE!  Yummmmy!!  I love cake!  I had cake at the bridal shower, cake at the reception, and cake after the reception!  It was so good!  But I was careful and ate less of other stuff, so I didn't gain any weight.  Plus, my cake and all things sugar cravings will stay satisfied for a long time!

My exercise has hit a lull again.  I like the wii fit, but it wasn't giving me the satisfaction that I was looking for.  There are too many pauses in between, and it doesn't challenge my endurance very much.  So I tried the treadmill at the clubhouse again.  I used to do it all the time and watch movies, which was great.  But the belt is a little jerky, and the screen for movies had weird colors.  So I brought my own portable DVD player, rigged it up to the panel with a belt, and tried to get used to the jerkiness.  It worked out pretty good, until right at 55 minutes, when I was going to start my cool down, the treadmill shut off and wouldn't turn back on.  I killed it.

Exercise!!

I did so good this week with exercise!   I went to my parents' house every week day and exercised on their wii fit for 45-75 minutes!  And then today (Saturday), I put out the milk at work!  I could really feel it in my arms and shoulders while doing the milk.  I'm sure it is because I did push-ups yesterday.  We'll see how my weigh-in goes in the morning...

Is my scale broken?

So, I lost two pounds. But, I'm not sure how. I worked out a few times but I ate terrible. Let's see if it stays gone for next week.

Here's hoping!

Dang

I haven't been doing so good lately, and not really trying.  I think I just needed a break after being sick, and before being sick, I was really good for 6 months.  I avoided weighing myself for a while, and finally did and found that I gained back everything I lost.  So poor fishies.  I took off all the ones I've added.  I'm starting over and refocusing to do better from now on. 

I did exercise today!  I played on my parents' wii fit - those things are fun, and it is good to get a mixture of aerobic, strength, and balance.  It tells me frequently that I'm a little wobbly - maybe if I keep practicing, I won't be such a klutz!

I added a fish!

Finally, I have a fish to add. Probably a result of sickness, but a fish, nonetheless :) I've been pretty constant, so I guess no gaining is still good. I have maintained my 2-3 workouts a week, and have decided to add to it by walking twice a week with Erin Nielsen. Things are going okay, but I need to start eating more fruits and veggies. I've also decided to start training for some little runs in the Spring and Summertime. I'll keep you posted :)

Update

Well last week, I did awful with my eating. I ran twice (once more than the previous week:) So, I gained .2 (can we not count that!) My hair was wet!

Anyway, I have been doing some exercising this week too. I'm really motivated to lose 25 pounds so that I can feel good about getting pregnant again. If I have to have a C-section again, I want to be able to be physically fit so that at least I will have that going for me. C-sections are hard to lose weight after.

Anywho. Good job Pam! You're the woman! I saw you on Sunday and you looked great.

Exercise!

The past few days I have really craved exercising.  Not just my 20-minute Buns of Steel, but sweat-pouring-down-the-face don't-know-if-I-can-keep-going type of exercise.  I love how it makes me feel afterwards.  I like going to a gym, and I used to do it all the time when it was readily available at work.  I also liked Sharon's suggestion of going swimming, and considered getting a membership at the Legacy Center.  But I'm not sure at this point if the distance would be a deterrant, and if I could justify the cost.  If I do get the job that I interviewed for last week, then I will definitely get a membership, and exercise on the way home from work.  I have also used the Willow Springs fitness center, but the equipment is breaking down (unless they got new ones in the past year).  So after weighing all of the drawbacks, I went to my parents' house today, and used their wii fit!  It was a lot of fun, and I feel like I got a good workout.  I am a numbers person, so I like that it told me that I got a total of 31 minutes of exercise time and burned 196 calories.  And losing 3 lbs since last time (a month ago) was great too!

From Sharon's Blog...

If the exercise routine or diet seem too easy or good to be true, it probably is. Don't let anyone fool you. The best way to lose weight is a change of lifestyle, and it takes your whole life to work on it. And it should be HARD, but very rewarding.

The interview went well, I think, but I didn't even want to go out to eat afterwards, so that was easy to avoid!  I had a can of tropical fruit when I got home as a reward, and it was okay.  But then I didn't exercise, and I was craving some chocolate, so I gave in tonight.  So overall, not the greatest day, but is still could have been worse.  I think the hardest times for me are when I don't feel well.  That's when I don't want to exercise, and I just want chocolate.  I guess if I make sure that I have a lot more good days than bad, then those bad days will be okay.

Are aches and Pains normal when exercising?

Hi Pam,

That's a good question. Because you are starting out on a new exercise program, I would say being sore is very normal. Your body is not use to the exercise and is feeling it. If the pain doesn't subside within 24 hours, but just gets worse, than that is not okay. You need to try a different kind of exercise. But if you are sore for a day or two and the pain is not getting worse, this is normal. Your muscles are breaking down and rebuilding, and this is what you want. The pain should lessen as you continue to exercise on a REGULAR basis. If your knees or joints are bothering you, you may want to consider getting new shoes, or changing up your mode of exercise. Don't always walk. Do you have a bike or access to a pool? I think it is a good investment in your health to join a gym or buy a bike so that you can keep a healthy lifestyle. Exercising in different ways helps you to build muscle all over your body and keep your exercise routine interesting. A lot of times, as people lose the weight, their joints hurt less when they exercise, because they have less weight to carry around.

Good luck and have fun!

Answer to Pam

Pam asked me about the diet where you eat 500 kcal per day and take shots. It is the hCG diet and has actually been around since the 60s. It was started by a guy named Simeon who was doing field research in Rome. There are various diets out there that are classified into low or very low calorie diets depending on how many calories you consume in a day. The hCG diet is a very low calorie diet consisting of 500 kcal per day. That's how you lose the weight. The shots contain the pregnancy hormone hCG which helps to suppress hunger pains and utilize the fat stores. In one of my classes I did a research project about this diet and this is what I found.

1) People do lose weight.
2) There is NO scientific research to see if there are extreme health problems later in life caused by the diet. There is NO research to see if people who do the diet end up keeping it off in the long run. There is NO research-period-that can show significant evidence that it is actually causing people to lose fat weight instead of muscle or water weight. Basically there is NO research about hCG.
3) Some people kept the weight off but most people did not. The problem with such a short diet is that it is not a lifestyle change and the results are short lived.
4) There is a concern of malnutrition. The diet is limited to a few meats, some vegetables, and four different fruits. One melba toast is allowed. A person consuming this diet may experience various side effects from a lack of vitamin and mineral consumption. The side effects will be small since it is only a short amount of time but any period of malnutrition is not good for the body.
5) Of all the diets that were studied in my class (8+) the hCG diet was the most expensive.
6) The FDA has approved the diet but you should still be careful with FDA approved products. There are several weight loss pills out there that will cause high blood pressure and other health problems that are FDA approved. In the long run (6 mo-12 mo later) people who dieted without weight loss pills lost as much weight as those who lost weight with weight loss pills.

My experience has found that if you try to use the "quick fix" diets that you are no better off in a few months. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to change your lifestyle because it will give you lifelong results. Don't forget about the Word of Wisdom. It tells us to eat grains, meat, fruits, and vegetables. It also talks about running and walking without getting out of breath. If you can't run or walk without getting out of breath then you need to start exercising more until you can. Heavenly Father built our bodies and He knows what's best for them.

Pam, I hope this answered your question. If anyone else has any questions I'd love to answer them too.

Question for Sharon

When I exercise, I can really feel it in my knees and hips later.  It isn't a sharp pain, just more of an ache.  Am I doing someting wrong?  Or am I doing something right?

Bring it on!

Bring on the scrambled eggs florentine and Jilian's 30 day shred!
I gained back a pound last week, but because of the great jump start I had the first week, I am still on track with my goal of losing 1 1/2  pounds each week overall.  I just need to keep up with my self-discipline of keeping busy, exercising and eating the good stuff.  I was just thinking last night how I have some big things coming up ever couple of months for the next year, and it would be nice to use those as milestones.  I can look forward to looking better for each one!

I'm Baaaack!

Hi guys! Sorry I was gone for so long:( My kids each took their turn of the flu. It took 1 1/2 weeks to cycle that through. I was SO glad that I didn't get it. HA! After 2 weeks of being flu free here, I GOT IT! Ugh. I woke up Sunday morning not feeling so well, thinking it was just because it was early. I survived church (Josh and I are primary teachers). Josh did the teaching, I did the "surviving". Anyway...I feel MUCH better today! I'm sad to report that I haven't lost any weight:( But that's ok! Just so you know, I'm not really trying to cheat, but I'm starting that HcG diet on Monday. I bought the stuff 2 weeks ago, but wanted to wait until after our girl's night to start it. I'm only going to do the minimum which is a total of 25 days, but the first 2 are eat anything super fatty you want. I've heard that it's kind of hard to keep the weight off afterwards, but I think if I can just jump start some weight loss that I can develop some pretty good eating habits and exercise routine to keep it off. Honestly, I'll be happy if I can lose 10 lbs doing it. My body doesn't seem to respond to this kind of stuff as amazingling as other people.

Anyway...I'll keep you posted. Maybe I'll blog about it every day while I'm doing it, then you'll know, Pam, if it's something you want to try.

Slowly but surely.....

Hey! Since the blog went private, I forgot to check it! I get automatic updates on non-private blogs!
Anyway, I just thought I'd give you an update I lost 1.6 last week (I wish that was 16 but oh well!) and 1 this week. I even ran today finally! I played Wii "Just Dance" too. It was so much fun. If you have the Wii, you should totally play this. It was fun but a work out too:)

Pam, I just saw you in sacrament and you are lookin' good girl:)

Now, if only I can resist the temptation to eat ice cream before bed tonight, I'd be great! It's hard to resist temptation after a certain point in the day!

Good luck:)

Question for Kristin

Hey Kristin,

I was just wondering what your opinion is on that diet I've heard about where you take shots and eat 500 calories a day.  It can't be good, but maybe on the short term, it is okay???

I EXERCISED!!

I FINALLY felt well enough to exercise yesterday and today!   Yea!!

Oh, and I have another interview coming up on Thursday, so I need suggestions of a good reward afterwards that will satisfy me as much, if not more, than eating out.  hmmm....

Crowd out the bad

Thank you Sharon and Kristin!  I like what you guys said about filling up with good things, and then there isn't as much room for the bad.  I have found that is the case for me lately, as I have tried to eat more fruits and veggies, there isn't much room for other stuff.  I actually had an apple today!  That's actually a big accomplishment for me - I haven't been very good at eating the natural stuff in the past.  I still have one more apple leering at me from the fridge...

I think this blog is such a great motivator! Great idea. I would like to encourage you to not worry about weight right now. Just get used to living a healthier lifestyle, and the weight will come off as you adjust your habits. Pick one new habit to change each week or month or whatever you choose. Pick something diet related, and then exercise related. Don't expect huge changes until you can burn some serious calories working out, and lower your calorie intake by 300-500 calories/day. This will take time. I am a firm believer that no food is EVIL. Portion control and eating the right amounts of all the food groups is the most important thing. I love dessert, but I don't let myself have it until I've had all my fruits, vegetables, WHOLE grains, dairy, and meat first. Usually by then I'm too full to eat much dessert. And I only eat the heavy desserts once in a while. Pick lighter desserts with less calories. It's all about calories!!! Don't go shopping when your hungry, don't let yourself get really hungry or you'll binge, and don't skip out on exercising. I love to exercise, because I know that means I get to read my book or listen to a book on tape. I really look forward to that and I get excited to exercise. Anyway, that's enough for now. Good luck! I'm so proud of you.

Eat More Not Less

I figured it was time for me to give my little input. I am Pam's sister. I got my undergrad in dietetics and am getting my Master's in nutrition so she asked me to make comments. If any of you have specific questions I can answer those for you but most things are pretty general. First of all diet is the key to losing weight. Diet alone will have a greater impact on losing weight than exercising alone. Together you get the best results but alone diet is better. I don't mean to say that you should stop exercising. Studies have shown that exercise has many benefits even if you don't lose weight. Here are some tips to hopefully give you a little more confidence for losing weight because it can be hard sometimes.

1. Add more before taking away. It is always easier to eat more than less. Go to www.mypyramid.gov and enter your information. It will give you a recommendation for the number of servings to have of fruits and vegetables. Concentrate on getting all of these servings so that you are fuller and you may not have room for dessert.

2. There are no "good foods" or "bad foods" but there are foods you should avoid eating everyday. If you have to have ice cream everyday then have ice cream everyday, but limit yourself and take calories away from other meals to make up the difference. Self control is the hardest part, so sometimes it is easier to avoid it than to have only a small amount. The only problem is that you end up binging later. One tactic may be to chose one day a week for dessert and then avoid it the rest of the week. Find what works for you. Experiment to find your style.

3. Fill up on fiber and protein. If you are hungry after having cereal in the morning try other things that have more protein in them to help you stay fuller longer. Some foods that have a higher protein and fiber but not fat content that you can have as a snack or to start out your day are egg whites, string cheese, yogurt, oatmeal, cream of wheat, granola, and granola bar. Check the nutrition label and aim to gets breads that have ~2 gm fiber/100 kcal. Make sure your bread is 100% whole wheat and not just wheat. If it doesn't say 100% whole wheat it won't have as much fiber in it and it's more like white bread.

4. Weigh yourself often, everyday if possible, at the same time, with the same scale. You will be more conscious of your weight and have more success at losing weight.

That should do it for now. Again, if anyone has any questions just ask. Good luck and don't give up. It is hard but so worth it.

and another thing...

Another thing I am trying to do is to go to bed just a little bit hungry.  Not so much that I can't sleep, but just a little so I know I didn't eat too much during the day, and I can ignore it and go to sleep.

Week 2

I lost 2 more pounds!  Yea!  And I even exercised yesterday.  Well, I am totally counting it because I stocked the milk at work, so I did 200 reps of 8 pounds each.  My arms are chiseled!  At least, they are underneath all that extra "stuff"!

Carrots

I ate a cup of baby carrots and got so sick of them that I had to switch to tortilla chips!

Spinach!

I cooked fresh spinach into my scrambled eggs for breakfast this morning.  Yummy!

Fruits & Veggies

Here's my plan for fruits and veggies: 
According to http://www.mypyramid.gov/, I need 2 1/2 cups of veggies and 1 1/2 cups of fruits each day.  So every day when I get done with work, I am going to buy that amount of fresh stuff and make sure that I eat it all before I go to work again.

Food as a Reward

I really need to find a better reward than food.  Yesterday I had a job interview, and I have a tradition that I go somewhere really yummy to eat afterwards to celebrate.  I thought about going to Zupa's and having there soup and sandwich, which I absolutely love.  Then, after the interview, I stopped at Bed, Bath and Beyond, and started thinking about alternatives to food as rewards.  As I looked at all the fun gadgets in the store, I decided that it would be better to spend my $10 that I would have spent at Zupa's and get something fun for my home.  But then I was SO disappointed!  Everything I looked at after that just felt empty because I knew I was giving up this terrific meal for that item.  So I gave in.  I went to Zupa's and thoroughly enjoyed myself.  It was delicious!  One good sign was that I was really full after eating a meal that never used to fill me up before.  But I also realized that living the perfect fat-free life isn't going to work for me.  It is just too hard. 
But I can do other things to make up for it.  I CAN exercise more.  I CAN eat less.  I CAN eat more fruits and veggies.  I CAN drink more water.  And I CAN lose weight and look great!

Zumba Schedule

Don't feel obligated to go. This is just in case you want to:D
Mon 8:30-9:30pm
Tues 9:00-10:00am
Wed 5:30-6:30am AND 7:30-8:30pm
Thurs 9:00-10:00am
Fri 5:30-6:30am

Sugar Junkie

I think the basic thing that I need to do is determine why I am overweight.  One factor for me is that I enjoy food very much.  It makes me feel good.  We are great friends.  Especially sweet foods and rich foods.  Last night I was working at Walmart, and I was tired, but also looking at some sugary snacks.  I thought of not how good it would taste, but how good it would feel to eat something that tasted so good.

So now, I need to figure out what I can put in place that will help me to feel that good, and not make me fat.  I think that is where exercise comes in (I am almost ready to start again), and getting enough sleep.  Maybe I need to find something else to do that I really enjoy, that I can crave instead of food.

Public or Private?

Just a thought - do we want this blog public or private?  I think it is public now, but maybe it should be private.

Portion sizes

This week I am focusing on portion sizes and only eating when I am hungry.  Not super hungry, because then I will eat too much.  And water!  Lots and  lots of water!

A Message From Renae:D

Good job, Pam! And hang in there, Lori! I think we're all doing pretty good. I know what you mean, Lori, about having no energy to exercise! But it is true, once you just do it, you feel so much better. I wish I had some advice on how to just do it. Sometimes for me, I just have to get up before everyone else and get in at least 20 minutes of a workout video or something. I just don't do it when everyone else is awake. And if I wait until after bedtime, I'm too tired. It seems like your body will adjust as you start doing more, and it will become easier.

I'm happy to report a 1 lb. loss this last week. My scale told me 1 lb. Wii Fit told me 2.3 lbs. But I don't want to get my hopes up too much, so I'm just going to go with 1 lb. I was happy to add a fish to the side!!! (Mine's orange:D)

For those who want to track calories eaten and burned and tell you how many calories to eat, I really suggest sparkpeople.com (it's free!). I absolutely love it. If you decide to do it, take time to get familiar with the website. There's a place to enter how much you weigh, what you want to weigh and by when. Then it will calculate how many calories you need to consume each day. You can type in the food you eat, and it will tell you how many calories it was, and how many you have left. You can enter in your weight as often as you want and it has a progress chart to show you how you're doing and where you should be at. Anyway, I like it. Let me know if you have questions about it.

I'll post the Zumba schedule on here for those who are interested in doing it. Your first class is free. It's $30 for 10 punches, good to use whenever you want within 3 months. For every friend you refer and buys a pass, you get $5 off for each person on your next pass. I got $10 off my last pass!

Anyway...keep up the good work, and hang in there!

I'm Not a Loser!

I am so mad! I gained one pound! I feel awful.


I'm getting down to business.


But, I'm too tired to exercise. I really am exhausted! I know that exercising will give me more energy but how do I exericse if I have no energy? IDEAS?


Hope your guys week is better than mine was:(

-Lori

First Week

So my official weigh-in this week is 4 lbs lost.  I know that has a lot to do with being sick, so I'm not celebrating too much until I actually try  to lose weight.  Yes, the cookies I bought were great, and so were the peanut M&Ms and of course, the yummy cupcake with lots of frosting from the baby shower.  ;)  These things were all my "feel good" foods, for times when I don't feel good.  It is a crutch, I know, and I need to learn to get over it and find other ways to feel good, instead of turning to food.

Little Fish

Hi ladies. Thanks for letting me join your blog. In order to accurately monitor my weight loss, I did my official weigh-in this morning. I just have to say that I love the little fish thing. A visual cue to show how we are doing is very motivational to me--of course my personal visual cues from looking in the mirror and feeling how my clothes fit better is also very motivational to me when working on weight loss. Anyway, last year I made myself a goal weight that I have not quite achieved, so my purpose is to reach that goal by making good lifestyle choices, in whatever time it takes. I recently finished a little weight loss challenge, and I found that I was most successful in general when I ate smaller portions, didn't deprive myself, started out my day with small exercises and stretching, and drank lots of water. I decided not to deprive myself of sweet things I really wanted, which actually helped me mentally. I didn't actually count calories, but I knew I was eating less, so I would think to myself, "Do I want to spend my calories on this?" And sometimes I would, and that was okay. I didn't feel such an urge to binge because I allowed myself treats here and there without going overboard. I don't know if that works for everybody, but that was the first time I'd tried it, and I still lost weight and didn't feel like I was starving or deprived. I'd like to try to increase my exercising, so that's my goal. Right now I exercise once, sometimes twice a week. I think I will shoot for two, sometimes three times a week. That should work well with basketball and open court night, plus I may join you in Zumba, Renae! I need to work out scheduling with John. I'll let you know. Anyway, those are my thoughts for now. Thanks again for letting me join you in your journey.

Pound #3

I lost another pound!  My secret.... bronchitis!  (now if I can just continue once I'm better...)

Pound #2

I lost another pound!  Woo Hoo!!  For me, the first couple of pounds are the hardest, because I sm still really deciding if I am going to do it or not.  So two pounds down, I'm in, and here goes!
(and now our one little fish isn't so lonely anymore)

Confession

I wouldn't admit this to anyone else, only my weight loss buddies, cuz you know what I'm going through! Do you wonder where I've been the last couple of days?? Bindging! AHHHH! Seriously, it's that time of the month, I'm bloated and tired and I'm a super emtional eater. So I've been eating a lot of chocolate, brownies and cake:-( But I told myself that I'm pretty pathetic, because really, like Pam said, I don't need any excuses! So today I had an apple and a cheese stick for breakfast. I made 97% fat free popcorn (I NEED just that little bit of butter) to snack on today. I'm also making homemade bread, but I'm planning on not eating it. I know my family will eat one loaf super fast, and I might just give the other one away.

I need to go to the store and buy lots of fruits and vegetables. My aunt said she lost 15 lbs. this fall. The main thing she did was eat more fruits and vegetables (6 servings total a day!) and she didn't really have to change her diet. I think I'm going to try it! There's nothing wrong with eating healthier:D

Keep up the good work, guys. Thanks for letting me confess:) I'm glad I have a place to write about my naughtiness. I hope next time I post it will be something good!

Water, water, water!

Today's plan is lots and lots of water!  I am going to try to drown out my cold!  I am so anxious to start exercising again, but right now, just the climb up my stairs after getting the mail makes me winded.  Hopefully I will be better soon, then there will be no excuses!!!

SO HUNGRY!

K. I know if I keep plugging along it will get easier but today I really really wanted just to pig out on junk food. It's way hard to just be at home all day with the boys. I'm excited for spring so I can go on runs, walks, park, etc......

I ate Little Cesar's today though. I had only one piece of pizza. Together, the whole family, we ate only three pieces (ACCOMPLISHMENT!) We use to eat an entire one to ourselves (with just me and Mike!)
Oh yeah, Mike is doing this with me too. We are counting our points and really trying to be good.

I'm glad you guys are all such great motivators! Good luck!

(So to keep the hunger away I ate carrots with fat free dressing, salad, apple, and fat free popcorn!)

Peanut M&Ms

I'm still not feeling too great today, so I'm eating more peatunt M&Ms.  Not sure if it is helping.

wii fit!

I lost the other 1/2 of the first pound!  Now only anther 538 to go!  Ok, not really that much, but it seems like it somedays.  I just keep focusing on the smaller goals that lead up to the big ones.  A pound and a half this week... 5 lbs to new clothes...  30 lbs before the cruise...  and a pound a week after that until I am considered a "healthy weight."

So last night, I went over to my parents' house to help set up their new wii fit.  (by the way, my mom's name is Dorothy, and she might be posting stuff on the blog from time to time)  I had never used a wii fit before, and it was really neat!  It told me that I was obese and that my biological age was 10 years older than my actual age, and that my balance was equal to a person who had one too many.  I definitely plan on using it more, and playing the fun games to improve my overall fitness.  But for today, I need to rest and hopefully kick this dang cold once and for all.

Day 2

I lost a 1/2 pound!  Woo hoo!  Ok, so I know it is normal for weight to fluctuate a little and not mean anything, but I'm totally counting it!  So far today, I had cereal with 1% milk instead of 2%, and I finished the rest of the 8 cups of water I was supposed to drink yesterday, and I picked out the exercise video that I will do today.

Image is everything! (at least for me)

So I went to Zumba last night. I usually stand in the back corner. But I was late and had to stand in the front, by the instructor in front of the mirror. I HAD to watch myself this time. There was no one to hide behind! It's funny, because I've lost a little bit of weight and in my mind I look ok. But in front of the mirror, with the truth staring right back at me, I've decided that this is going to be a real battle of the bulge. I didn't like the way I looked. But thankgoodness it didn't make me depressed. It just motivated me more to lose some weight, so the next time I'm stuck in front of the mirror at Zumba I can think "Hey, I really DON'T look so bad!"

Beginning

Pam - January 4, 2010, Day 1: Well, here goes! This blog is about the women in our group who plan to lose weight in 2010 - our successes as well as our frustrations. Today I did pretty good. I weighed in at more than I should have, but I guess that is okay for the first one, it might even help. I had a few peanut M&Ms, but stopped at just one handful. I drank about 6 cups of water, and bought fresh fruits and veggies at the store. Dinner was pasta with fresh tomatoes and garlic (sauteed in butter, my weakness!). I didn't exercise, but I am just starting to see an improvement in my nasty cold and thought I'd wait another day or so.