Who is interested...

[Amy Eileen]

in doing a weight loss challenge with me? Something small, something simple. Maggie and I have been talking about it and I promised I would post something today. :) This morning I even went to see my doctor about myself and he gave me some tips I can pass along as we go. He even told me to come back in a month so we can track my progress. So you ladies up for it too?


I thought that we could each do our initial weigh-in, then weigh-in every week on the same day. You DO NOT have to share your weight if you do not want too. HOWEVER I would LOVE to hear what pounds you are LOSING! :) Getting your measurements is also a good idea because sometimes when the scale doesnt move, we are still losing inches. We could have a tips thread, recipes, motivation thread, exercise thread, etc.. May be I could get a blog going...hmmm.....

Anyone game?

[Sandersmr]

Me! Me! Me! I started back the first of the year - and have lost 17.4 pounds so far. I won't say how far I have to go just to get back to where I was when I did my last half marathon (pre-knee replacement in 2005), but it's not pretty.

I have all kinds of tips and tricks as well - since I have been a WW member for the last 6 years - ok, I wasn't on plan all that time, but I know what I'm supposed to be doing to make this a lifestyle change!

Oh and Mondays are my Weigh In (WI days).

[Amy Eileen]

Me! Me! Me! I started back the first of the year - and have lost 17.4 pounds so far. I won't say how far I have to go just to get back to where I was when I did my last half marathon (pre-knee replacement in 2005), but it's not pretty.

I have all kinds of tips and tricks as well - since I have been a WW member for the last 6 years - ok, I wasn't on plan all that time, but I know what I'm supposed to be doing to make this a lifestyle change!

Oh and Mondays are my Weigh In (WI days).

Thats EXCELLENT! I am so proud of you! Oh and I told Sean and he said to tell you thats great! :) I weighed in yesterday as well. May be Mondays should be weigh in day.

[wvsandy]

I'm game. My DH is doing WW and I'm eating better but I need to get serious about this. The last time that we did this I lost 20 lbs. BTW, Monday is his weigh in and it would be great for me too.

[Amy Eileen]

I'm game. My DH is doing WW and I'm eating better but I need to get serious about this. The last time that we did this I lost 20 lbs. BTW, Monday is his weigh in and it would be great for me too.


Excellent!! :)

[ina]

I'll pop in now and again. I want to lose the baby weight! :)

Would you believe I weighed myself after the delivery and I only lost 1.5 lbs? After delivering a 6 lb 2 oz baby boy?? Plus the placenta, and all the amniotic fluid? I need to weigh again, I had just taken a big drink of water before I weighed, and my feet and ankles were swollen, probably from the IV fluids.

[Amy Eileen]

I'll pop in now and again. I want to lose the baby weight! :)

Would you believe I weighed myself after the delivery and I only lost 1.5 lbs? After delivering a 6 lb 2 oz baby boy?? Plus the placenta, and all the amniotic fluid? I need to weigh again, I had just taken a big drink of water before I weighed, and my feet and ankles were swollen, probably from the IV fluids.

You are most definitely retaining water. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water right now. :) The baby and all the baby "stuff" generally weighs in at around 20-25lbs. Most mothers retain a lot of water for the first week or so...at least with the people I know and myself, this happened.

[Amy Eileen]

I have started a blog to keep everything in one place. Hope you all like it. It does have my picture on it because its under the same profile as my regular blog. Hope no one minds.

On the blog I will keep track of the weight loss, add tips, recipes, etc.. Please PM me if you have anything you want posted. :)

Losing It with the Gigis (http://losingitwiththegigis.blogspot.com)

[Sandersmr]

life insurance (http://www.freelifeinsurquotes.com/) 371 auto insurance quotes (http://www.gettinginsurancequotes.net/) azg

[Amy Eileen]

I added a couple more sites. My main thing to reiterate is to follow a healthy food plan. Try to make it a lifestyle change rather than a diet. Fad diets will allow you to rapidly lose weight in the short term, but you don't learn to keep the weight off.

I liken myself to an alcoholic, only my drug of choice is food. And food is a necessity, unlike alcohol. So it's tougher being a food addict than an alcoholic in that regard.

I will post them in tomorrow's post! Thanks!

[nittans]

currently trying to lose a total of 30 lbs - I am not desperately overweight but don't feel like I want to. I started going to a gym regularly at the end of January and so far have lost abou 10 lbs. Unfortunately the gym I go to is closing down at the end of March and I have trying to find another with similar hours.

Also I have started an ultra low carb diet and cut out all kinds of things like bread. My Mr. Wonderful is on a low protein diet which is extremely challenging.

I will do my best to pop in from time to time

[Amy Eileen]

Good for you Annette! I wish you the best. I literally cried when my favorite gym burned down a few years ago. :(

I could NEVER give up bread. Ever. I wont even try. lol I love my grains. I have switched from white to whole wheat/whole grain though. :)

[Amson]

Amy count me in. I have been trying since Jan 1 and so far have lost 4kgs. Great idea.

[Amy Eileen]

Did mention the blog? I did, right? :confused: lol

Losing it with the Gigis (http://losingitwiththegigis.blogspot.com)

I have added everyone's name to the sidebar at the top, each Monday let me know how much you have lost and I will add the numbers. :)


Also if anyone wants to guest blog, that would be great too. Let me know.

[MooseyScraps]

Hi ladies :)
Maggie told me you were doing this and I would love to join you. I have done 3 Ten week Weight loss challenges at the local YMCA (where I work and also met TaniaJPS) and have done well with all of them but this last one. I have actually considered just throwing in the towel on the whole journey...then Maggie mentioned this :D I do have some knowledge I have learned and can share...as well as the fact that I am very open and willing to learn more!!!

I am heading over to the blog to check it out now!!
(HUGS)
Stacey

[Amy Eileen]

Hi ladies :)
Maggie told me you were doing this and I would love to join you. I have done 3 Ten week Weight loss challenges at the local YMCA (where I work and also met TaniaJPS) and have done well with all of them but this last one. I have actually considered just throwing in the towel on the whole journey...then Maggie mentioned this :D I do have some knowledge I have learned and can share...as well as the fact that I am very open and willing to learn more!!!

I am heading over to the blog to check it out now!!
(HUGS)
Stacey


Fantastic to hear from you Stacey! :) If you want to be a guest blogger, just let me know!!!! I have been hectic lately but will start posting regularly on the blog started this weekend. :) I will add you to the list!

[Sandersmr]

Stacey - glad to be able to help a little. I know how hard it is to try to lose weight. I'm correcting a major case of "dumbass" where I undid 2 years of hard work and the loss of almost 100 pounds went up in smoke. I have to remember that I have to permanently change the way I eat.

I can have treats, not just every day and not in the quantity that I was eating before.

[nittans]

I think I have slipped a bit this week due to being away on business for the whole week. Also tomorrow is the last day at our current gym so this morning we bit the bullet and joined LA Fitness - first work out there will be on tuesday.

I will weigh myself at the gym later on and report back.

Good luck to all with this.

[Sandersmr]

Annette - read Amy's post on water. If you try drinking more water this weekend, it will help undo some of the damage of traveling and eating out.

[Sandersmr]

Eating out - you can do it while still trying to watch your weight or diet. I should know because I eat out at least one meal a day. Mark and I don't like to cook mainly because we don't like to clean up the mess. Also, with me working later and later by time we cooked, it would probably be close to 8 by time we finished eating.

So what can you do to eat out and eat well. Look for lower fat options. Try to avoid things that are deep fried. Almost every menu will have some sort of grilled chicken or fish. Don't be afraid to ask for something to be cooked dry - without extra oil. Look for steamed vegetables. In most restaurants, the portions are huge - so you can ask for a to-go box and portion out half the meal before you start. Or if you don't want to do that, at least cut your portion in half and only eat the one half (not as easy to do - it's really easy to pick at the rest) A good size portion of protein is 3 oz - about the size of a deck of cards. A normal portion size of pasta is one cup - when was the last time you only got 1 cup of pasta at a restaurant? A normal restaurant size portion tends to be closer to 3 cups.

Beware of salads - they can have hidden "calorie bombs" in the form of lots of shredded cheese, croutons, swimming in dressing, high fat meats, eggs, etc. The best salad is leafy veggies, tomatoes, carrots, onions, peppers, broccoli. Get your dressing on the side so that you can control the portion. If you get a vinaigrette or oil and vinegar type dressing, just pour a small amount (around a tablespoon) of dressing and use that to coat your greens. For a creamy dressing, you can dip your fork in the dressing then spear your salad.

Baked potatoes - don't load it up with stuff! And a tablespoon of sour cream is less calories than a tablespoon of butter or margarine. Don't get butter, sour cream and cheese all together. Again, you can ask for the toppings on the side so that you can control the portions.

Some tips when traveling - pack some fruit and veggies such as carrots or pepper strips that you can have in your room. If you are driving, pack a small cooler with healthy snacks. You can pack yogurt for breakfast or a snack. Many hotel rooms have a mini refrigerator so that you can stock up on healthier items.

At the breakfast buffet, go for whole grain cereals, yogurt, fresh fruit and plain or veggie omelets. Juice is calorie dense and doesn't provide a lot of staying power because it doesn't have the fiber that whole fruit has.

I also pack snack bars such as the Fiber One bars for snacks. The fiber helps keep you feel full longer, and I like the one with chocolate so it feel likes I'm getting a treat - for 2 WW points.

[Amy Eileen]

Stacey - glad to be able to help a little. I know how hard it is to try to lose weight. I'm correcting a major case of "dumbass" where I undid 2 years of hard work and the loss of almost 100 pounds went up in smoke. I have to remember that I have to permanently change the way I eat.

I can have treats, not just every day and not in the quantity that I was eating before.

You can do it! :) We have faith in you.

[nittans]

going to the gym that is closing down today and will weigh in there again to really see if there is a huge amount of damage. I did manage not to eat a huge amount yesterday and did drink what seems like gallons of water but we will see.

I shall definitely check in later on again

[Amy Eileen]

going to the gym that is closing down today and will weigh in there again to really see if there is a huge amount of damage. I did manage not to eat a huge amount yesterday and did drink what seems like gallons of water but we will see.

I shall definitely check in later on again


Let us know!! :)

[yhalos]

Well, this sounds like I something I NEED. I am not overly overweight but because of my health condition I NEED to learn how to eat better. I get very frustrated because my health nor my weight seem to change much. I'm hoping with some support I will be able to eat healthier with you guys. I wouldn't mind dropping maybe 15 lbs. or so. Thanks Amy, for giving this a shot.....:D

[nittans]

back from the gym and I have NOT gained any weight!!! I am thrilled to blithereens! Now I need to concentrate on losing another 20 lbs.

Thank you all for your wonderful encouragement.

[Amy Eileen]

Well, this sounds like I something I NEED. I am not overly overweight but because of my health condition I NEED to learn how to eat better. I get very frustrated because my health nor my weight seem to change much. I'm hoping with some support I will be able to eat healthier with you guys. I wouldn't mind dropping maybe 15 lbs. or so. Thanks Amy, for giving this a shot.....:D


Have you heard of Clean Eating?? You should check into it, I imagine it would be great for you. Its by Tosca Reno, Google and ye shall be rewarded. ;)

[Amy Eileen]

back from the gym and I have NOT gained any weight!!! I am thrilled to blithereens! Now I need to concentrate on losing another 20 lbs.

Thank you all for your wonderful encouragement.


Good for you!! Thats great to hear. Its always tricky, isnt it? Hope the new gym works out well for you.

[Sandersmr]

I stepped on the scale and I was down 1.2 from last week. So I have had a 0.6 pound loss in the last 2 weeks. Of course, I had to go to the bathroom once I got to work - that would have been worth more :)

I'm down 18 pounds since the first of the year.

[bunnynose]

I think I need to join the club.:) I stepped on the scale this morning, and OMG, I think this was the heaviest in my life (without those pregnant days;)). I'm not like overly overweight, I probably look normal. But, knowing I don't have thick born structure, I shouldn't weigh as much as I do now. I think I'm gonna cut back snacking, starting today. :)

[Amy Eileen]

I think I need to join the club.:) I stepped on the scale this morning, and OMG, I think this was the heaviest in my life (without those pregnant days;)). I'm not like overly overweight, I probably look normal. But, knowing I don't have thick born structure, I shouldn't weigh as much as I do now. I think I'm gonna cut back snacking, starting today. :)

Good for you Sayo!!

[Amy Eileen]

I stepped on the scale and I was down 1.2 from last week. So I have had a 0.6 pound loss in the last 2 weeks. Of course, I had to go to the bathroom once I got to work - that would have been worth more :)

I'm down 18 pounds since the first of the year.

ME TOO! Well, kind of. I am down 18lbs since before Christmas. I cant seem to find my original measurements but I am down over 5 inches and 5% body fat since January.

[twinkerbell]

This came at a perfect time for me. I just started a "diet" today and am remotivated to get more exercise. Yay! I'll post my weight and measurements soon.

[Amy Eileen]

This came at a perfect time for me. I just started a "diet" today and am remotivated to get more exercise. Yay! I'll post my weight and measurements soon.

I will add you in! :D Good luck!

[MadameWing]

Is it too late to join the club?

I really really want to lose some weight... well not some weight, a lot actually! I'm one of those girls who runs to the kitchen when something is bothering me :(

But I want to start eating healthy food again and do some walk/running at the park.

[nittans]

OK we switched gyms and are going 4 -6 times a week. The problem that I encountered is that the scales are callibrated differently at the new gym. I was totally mortified when I weighed in last Sunday at 136 lbs. Up 5 lbs from the last visit to the gym that closed.

Then went yesterday afternoon and weighed in at 132 lbs which is still 3 lbs up from the other scale!!! What am I doing wrong???

I am eating a bit healthier. Have reduced the sugar intake in my coffee and am only drinking a small glass of coke every day. No other sweet stuff. Still almost no bread or other carbs and eating things will no or lo fat. Also drinking gallons of water and homemade lemonade with no sugar!

This is awful.

[Amy Eileen]

Is it too late to join the club?

I really really want to lose some weight... well not some weight, a lot actually! I'm one of those girls who runs to the kitchen when something is bothering me :(

But I want to start eating healthy food again and do some walk/running at the park.
\

You can certainly join us!!! I will add you to the list on the blog! We even have a post there about boredom eating you should check out. It might just help you! :)

http://losingitwiththegigis.blogspot.com

[Amy Eileen]

OK we switched gyms and are going 4 -6 times a week. The problem that I encountered is that the scales are callibrated differently at the new gym. I was totally mortified when I weighed in last Sunday at 136 lbs. Up 5 lbs from the last visit to the gym that closed.

Then went yesterday afternoon and weighed in at 132 lbs which is still 3 lbs up from the other scale!!! What am I doing wrong???

I am eating a bit healthier. Have reduced the sugar intake in my coffee and am only drinking a small glass of coke every day. No other sweet stuff. Still almost no bread or other carbs and eating things will no or lo fat. Also drinking gallons of water and homemade lemonade with no sugar!

This is awful.


Trust me, Annette, you are NOT alone. It happens to the best of us. Seems like you may have hit a plateau? Why dont you try switching up your work outs? Try something new like yoga, or Pilates, may be kickboxing? You have to mix things up to keep your body working at its hardest.

Are you getting ENOUGH calories? Keep in mind that if your body is not getting enough food, it will go into starvation mode and start hoarding the calories. Our bodies need a specific amount of food to function properly. Find out what your caloric intake should be and go from there. If you are still having issues, try talking to a personal trainer or dietitian. Some gyms provide this for free with membership so ask about it!

[Sandersmr]

Annette - sounds like you have actually lost 3 pounds since you started the new gym. You can't trust any change from scale to scale. That's why I finally broke down and bought my own scale - the fitness center I was going to at the time moved their scale and it affected the weights. The more consistency you can give your WI's, the more confidence you can have in what the scale is telling you. I would not worry too much about the change between scales.

My doctor's scales always seem to weigh more than anyone else's. Coincidence?

[Sandersmr]

OK we switched gyms and are going 4 -6 times a week. The problem that I encountered is that the scales are callibrated differently at the new gym. I was totally mortified when I weighed in last Sunday at 136 lbs. Up 5 lbs from the last visit to the gym that closed.

Then went yesterday afternoon and weighed in at 132 lbs which is still 3 lbs up from the other scale!!! What am I doing wrong???

I am eating a bit healthier. Have reduced the sugar intake in my coffee and am only drinking a small glass of coke every day. No other sweet stuff. Still almost no bread or other carbs and eating things will no or lo fat. Also drinking gallons of water and homemade lemonade with no sugar!

This is awful.


Amy - I will try to work up a blog article on the benefits of oils/fats in our diets - as long as they are the correct ones!

[Amy Eileen]

My doctor's scales always seem to weigh more than anyone else's. Coincidence?

ALWAYS! I think its a conspiracy. lol

[Amy Eileen]

Amy - I will try to work up a blog article on the benefits of oils/fats in our diets - as long as they are the correct ones!

EXCELLENT! I will look forward to hearing from you! :)

[nittans]

132lbs!!! Adding water aerobics twice a week to gym activities and still trying to make sure that I am eating healthy.

this is an uphil battle - maybe I need to increase the incline on the treadmill

[Amy Eileen]

132lbs!!! Adding water aerobics twice a week to gym activities and still trying to make sure that I am eating healthy.

this is an uphil battle - maybe I need to increase the incline on the treadmill

Good job!!! What is your total pound loss? I can add it to the blog! :)

[nittans]

8 lbs.

I will keep on going though.

[Amy Eileen]

8 lbs.

I will keep on going though.

Good job!! :D

[Sandersmr]

I got on the scale this morning and it was 0.2 less than my last official WI, but was not quite as good as my last time I got on the scale before I left. I hope that when I officially get on the scale tomorrow, it will be less because I know that I retain fluids when I fly. I will post my official weight tomorrow.

[Sandersmr]

OK - the news wasn't good this morning, but not too bad. I officially gained 0.2 pound while on vacation. So my total is now 17.8 pounds. I'm back on track today.

[twinkerbell]

Maggie, I've had a bad few days too, but am back on track today also. Go us! I'm down 1.1 lbs this week, so about 7 lbs down from January.

[Amy Eileen]

OK - the news wasn't good this morning, but not too bad. I officially gained 0.2 pound while on vacation. So my total is now 17.8 pounds. I'm back on track today.

Thats really good Maggie! Especially considering what you have been through this week with the traveling!! :)


Good job! I will add it to the blog!