Before and After??

[smoothdancer]

Myself, I found the exercise ball to hard to work with. I however really like working with a resistance band. My exercise ball now belongs to the dog and she has not popped it yet!

 

I dont know why the Mfg's cant get the sizes consistant on the smaller sizes. When I was wearing a size 10, a 10 was always a 10. Now I wear 2/4/6 depending on the mfg. It makes shopping a real pain.

[SugarFreeSheila]

Atkins: lots of veggies, adequate meat, starches or foods with added sugar, low-glycemic fruit. As far as cardio, the only exercise I have ever done is brisk treadmill-walking. Never running.

[sharonella]

Hi all!

 

skimmed the posts - seems like everyone's doing OK? SFSheila - AWESOME!

 

about the exercise balls - I think they're hard too - but that's the point, I guess. Whatever you do using a ball is that much harder because you need to use more muscles to balance.

 

Well - rode my bike last weekend - about 45 miles! Woohoo!

 

Bad news, is I weighed in yesterday & I'm up 3.5 over the past 2 wks. I really need to get control of my eating. I'm fine all day - then when I get home - I feel like I want to inhale anything within reach. I thought I had done better this past week. And I thought with all the bike riding I'd at least stay the same - but another gain. AAACCKK!

 

OK - I've got to buckle down this weekend - only eat meals & planned, health snacks! Either that, or have my BF lock up all the food!

 

Sha

[Mississippigirl]

Hello everyone! Just wanted to join in on the fun!

 

February 18th - 211 lb.s

 

June 2nd - 180 lb.s!! WOOHOO!!!!

 

Lost 31 lb.s by eating low calorie low fat foods. Lots of weight watchers smart ones and lean quizines. Lots of broccoli and plain salad with Light done right raspberry vinagrette dressing. And if I want chocolate I have weight watchers chocolate cake.

 

I am 5'5 and haven't measured myself since I started but I will tonight for extra motivation. I have lost only one pant size. But the 18s are getting loose now.

[Sea Fan]

Way or should I say Weigh to go Mississippigirl! That's a great loss for that time frame I started in March 183 pounds and reached 166 today. Your right, WooHoo. I love WW just found out about the chocolate cake today.

 

Oh I don't think I have officially joined the group yet but have been lurking since it started. So let's get busy!:)

 

Dianne

[Cricket63]

Hello all...hope your all having a good weekend. We have rain today, so I'm in the house for awhile.

SFSheila-you look great

Hi Sha, the 3.5 lbs you gained was muscle, sounds good anyways. Got to hand it to you, 45 miles on a bike...WOW. I could do that if 44 of those miles were down hill. You Go!!!!

I also go through those hunger spells in the evening, before dinner. Usually if I have a bite or two of something, it will usually curve my appetite until dinner. If that doesn't work, I suck on an ice cube.

Welcome Mississippigirl, looks like you have a good plan going, keep it up!!

[sharonella]

Grace - It's not really "hunger spells" - it's just the need(?) to keep eating! I need to start writing down my food again. Maybe the fact that I will have to put it in black & white will make me STOP!

 

Well - the 45 miles was over 3 days. And once I'm on the bike - I just want to keep riding! It's really great - I couldn't ride this past weekend, too much rain - hopefully THIS coming weekend!

 

Sha

[Cricket63]

Hi Sha...even over three days is great!!!

Maybe I should try the writing down what I eat!! I'm one that eats out of boredom :o and today was one of those days :(

When I quit smoking, I gained 45 lbs. I've lost half of that, thankfully, but I also put on weight besides what I did when I quit smoking.

I'm bound and determined to lose at least 40 lbs before our January cruise!! I have been doing the exercise ball now for 3 days. Worked out with Denise Austin Friday am, the cats thought I was playing with them!! I enjoy the ball, so I guess I will coninue that. Found lots of muscles I haven't used in awhile!!

Hello to everyone else out there. Hope you had a wonderful weekend!!

Grace

[Sea Fan]

Grace~That exercise ball works, I dug mine out the other day when I think you mentioned it. Sore tummy muscles but that's where I want it.

 

Sha~You'll get back at it, you are right have to write it down. I have been writing down what i'm going to eat for the next day then I journal it as I eat it. It's starting to become a routine but I am a work in progress!:D

 

Dianne

[Sea Fan]

Sha~I was thinking about what you said it really is the "need" I can get up from a meal and 1/2 hour later I'm checking out the cabinet's. Usually I just hit a bunch of WW snack foods, But 6- 1 & 2 point bars is not a good thing. Or I munch the 94% Fat Free popcorn and so it goes........

I guess it's the food addiction thing, Think I'm doing better especially if I stay away from wine.:( That's my trigger.

Good Luck I know you can do it!!:)

 

Dianne

[smoothdancer]

Sea,

You may be on to something here.. I am the same way, give me a glass of wine and all will power goes right out the window.I found I just have to stay away from thoes things that make me indulge.

 

Also, remember it only takes a few week to form new habits... If after dinner you can start to limit your snacks in just a few weeks the desire to snack will go away... Just try to stick with it for a couple of weeks, and you should be home free!

 

Look whos talking here!.. I caught this horrible cold, and all of a sudden I started to eat everything in sight!.. I need to get things under control myself. It sure is funny what makes us do the things we do!

 

Good luck!

[Sea Fan]

Smooth~LOL, not that you have a cold but it brought back such memories of my Mom stuffing food down me when I had a cold. Not just good food also comfort food. Maybe that's why we feel the need to hit the cabinet's. Only time I don't eat when I'm sick is with the flu, I can't keep anything down.

 

Didn't know about it only taking a week to form the good habit, I will have to keep working on it.

 

Thanks, Dianne

 

PS Hope you feel better soon.

[sharonella]

smoothdancer - not exactly sure why, but when I have a cold - same thing - I just want to keep stuffing food down my throat. It's not hunger & it's not even like it tastes good (it usually doesn't taste like anything, when I have a cold!) Sometimes I think just the act of swallowing food helps keep my sinuses clearer, & keeps the post nasal drip from driving me MAD! When I'm "eating for a cold", I try to have more soups & eat smaller bites. (Probably something we should do all the time anyway!) Hope you feel better!

 

Dianne - I just have to stay away from food after supper - PERIOD - And it really shouldn't be hard. (We all know that what SHOULD happen, and what DOES happen are 2 very different things!)

 

We usually eat late anyway - by the time I get home from the gym & we start making supper, it's at least 8pm. Logically, there's no reason for me to be hungry & still eating at 9 or 10pm! (But I DO!) I didn't start the journal - yet - yesterday, just the thought of having to write stuff down kinda scared me into not eating too much!

 

I do like your idea of writing your food plan for the next day - not that I think I'll be doing that either - but I think planning ahead - even mentally - for what my next meal will be is important. All day, I don't have much of a problem with food - I pack my food for the day & pretty much stick to it. It's suppertime & after that gets me off track. I've gotten into the bad habit of not thinking ahead about supper, because I usually don't know what IS for supper - because my BF cooks AND serves the food. But that doesn't mean I can't "plan" that I will only have a small portion of meat (whatever it is) & more veggies, etc. Before I got home for supper last night, I "decided" what I would have & how much, even tho I didn't know exactly what was being cooked, I also filled my own plate to better control the serving size, & it worked!

 

1 day down - the rest of my life to go! Seriously - taking control back as to what was on my plate for supper, seemed to continue on to AFTER supper & I had nothing more to eat! Baby steps.......

 

I'll let you all know how it goes!

 

Sha

[joelmarj]

Hi Ladies - just finished reading through here. You all are doing such a great job both with your diets as well as with your support of each other. Thats the most important thing for accomplishing your goals - having support, especially from ones that have been down the same path!

 

I started a year ago. I was 44, 5' 5 1/2". I was 157 lbs and shocked that I had creeped up that high. I had always been about 130 but had a pretty bad two years and the weight just crept up. I finally decided to start to do something for myself so I joined a gym, hired a trainer and started weight watchers. Now a year later I am at 135 and in the best physical condition I've ever been. I have abs, great shaped arms and tons of energy! I originally wanted to be 129, but now realized that will all the muscle I've added, I'll likely never get there. But thats ok, because I'm now a size 0 and size 2 and like my new shape.

 

I have to admit though there are days and sometimes weeks where it gets away from me. I see a few lbs start to go back on and I have to have a reality check and say "what are you doing". I like wearing size 0/2 and don't want to go back to the 8's. I like how I feel and don't want to go back to feeling sluggish. That's my motivation! Its definitely is a way of life, not a diet you get to stop doing when you reach goal.

 

Marj

[Mrs Lewdawg]

Just back from the Carnival Victory. Their gym was nice- we were able to complete our entire 1-hour workouts almost identical to what we do at home. I did mine 3 times on a 4 night cruise so it was good.

 

Using the stairs EVERY time except once (because I wanted to try the glass atrium elevator just for fun) we came home the same weight as we departed so that was great and we ate everything in sight.

 

I was able to wear my black one-piece with no wrap or cover-up... and having no upper-arm jiggle and back-fat was wonderful! I plan to be in even better shape for our December cruise on the Carnival Sensation.

 

Everyone keep up the good work!

[mim100]

Mrs. L....congratulations....coming back after a cruise weighing the same...that's fabulous....hopefully by the time my cruise rolls around, I will be set into an exercise routine and can carry that aboard the ship with me....what did you do to get rid of the arm jiggle ( It really bugs me to see my arms do that !!! ) cheers Mim

[sweetpea-2]

wow, you all are doing so good....think you have me motivated...keep up the good work ;)

[sharonella]

Way to go Mrs L!

 

Me - still not so good = exercising more :D but still not in total control of the evening munchies..... :(

 

Sha

[mim100]

Me - still not so good = exercising more :D but still not in total control of the evening munchies..... :( Sha

 

I have a thought about those evening munchies...I tend to start hunting for something sweet after dinner....and since it's the end of the day, my energy level is low...so I'm tired but not ready for bed...how to stay awake? swallow some sugar !! I know it's a nasty cycle and the sugar-high is short and dangerous but I'm wondering if my body is craving sweets in order to stay awake....for those of you that crave the "salts" instead of the "sweets", I wonder if the same argument would apply...any thoughts? cheers Mim

[joelmarj]

Mrs. L....congratulations....coming back after a cruise weighing the same...that's fabulous....hopefully by the time my cruise rolls around, I will be set into an exercise routine and can carry that aboard the ship with me....what did you do to get rid of the arm jiggle ( It really bugs me to see my arms do that !!! ) cheers Mim

 

There is a great and easy excercise you can to for that. With both arms straight up over your head, hold a weight vertically in your hands. Tucking both elbows in close to your ears, bent your hands back to a 90 degree angle at the elbow then straighten up again. Your hands should be one above the other, so after a rep of 10, switch hands by putting the other hand at the top. To 10-12 reps with each hand, and repeat 2 or 3 times. You can start with a light weight and as it gets easier, increase the weights. You don't want to go to more than 10 lb weights though as this is a small muscle area.

 

If you don't have weights, just use a can of soup or something to put some resistance in the movement. If its too difficult even with a weight at first, you can definitely do it empty handed. You will also find you can go lower than the 90 degree angle as you gain flexibility. You should feel the muscles tugging a bit, and feel resistance (fatigue) by the time you get to the last reps.

 

It's a great work out and simple to do (hopefully I've described it clearly enough). I have no arm jiggles and use this move regularly! Good luck!

[sharonella]

joelmarj - those exercises are HARD! That's probably why they work! ;) On the other hand, this time around for me, the skin isn't shrinking with the fat, so my jiggle isn't flabby fat as much as it's loose skin. :eek: Same with the tummy!

 

Sha

[joelmarj]

joelmarj - those exercises are HARD! That's probably why they work! ;) On the other hand, this time around for me, the skin isn't shrinking with the fat, so my jiggle isn't flabby fat as much as it's loose skin. Same with the tummy!

 

Sha

 

It should still work on toning the skin. If theres' just too much skin, your right - other than surgery it will only help a bit, but toning is a good start! (No pain No gain- they aren't kidding!!:eek:)

[Phaedra_11]

Hi everyone,

Wanted to introduce myself. I'm Carrie, 29 years old, married to my wonderful hubby Rob and have no kids.

Feb 2006- 273 pounds (I didn't take measurements)

July 2006- 250 pounds

 

I still have a long way to go but I'm getting there!

 

Have a great day!

[sharonella]

Hi everyone,

Wanted to introduce myself. I'm Carrie, 29 years old, married to my wonderful hubby Rob and have no kids.

Feb 2006- 273 pounds (I didn't take measurements)

July 2006- 250 pounds

 

I still have a long way to go but I'm getting there!

 

Have a great day!

 

Carrie - CONGRATS on the weight loss. Woohoo! And I can't stress enough - get your measurements taken, including your body fat %. You will thank yourself later! If you just can't bear to know what the numbers are now - have a trusted friend or trainer at the gym do it & seal it in an envelope. Measure everything - not just bust, waist & hips - also include: neck, chest (UNDER the bust line, where the band of your bra goes), upper arms, fore arms, thighs, calves.

 

Also, keep track of your blood pressure & cholesterol as you lose. It will amaze you how a "small" loss of "only" 20 lbs :rolleyes: (small compared to your total goal) can significantly improve both BP & cholesterol levels! And next time you see your dr, ask her if you can have your weight, BP, cholesterol (& any other tests they may do for you, such as blood sugar) from ALL your visits! (Sounds silly, but when I got mine, I was amazed at how my BP had slowly crept up over the years.) Weight loss & becoming healthier is WAY more than just the number on the scale. Track everything, so that if the number on the scale slows down - you've got other ways to track your positive results!

 

Good luck & keep us posted!

Sha