8 Week Healthy Weight Loss Challenge 7.0 (enrolling through Feb. 6, starts Feb. 4) - Page 4

[mamatoabirdie]

Originally Posted by Ruthiegirl 

I was reading about sugar and its addictive qualities.  Sugar stimulates the brain like a highly addictive narcotic.  It excites our brains in a way that says "feeding frenzy" which would have been adaptive if you were foraging and happened to find a tree laded with sweet fruit.  It is a problem in our modern world where sugar is so pervasive.  

I like having a bit of science in my corner.  And what this tells me is that sugar is 1) addictive and 2) very difficult to control.  Just knowing this makes me feel better.  I know that I have very little control when it comes to cookies and treats, so I am more likely to eat none than try to exercise portion control and eat one or two.  

And if I had a box of thin mints, I would eat them till I made myself sick.  So, don't be hard on yourself.  I am impressed you stopped at eight.   

thank you!  I definitely had to force myself to stop...I have absolutely been guilty of eating a whole box before.

sugar is terrible.  it really is. the more I stay away from it, the more I realize just how hard it is on the human body. I *totally* understand and experience that feeding frenzy feeling.  in fact, after I forced myself to stash the cookies, I still poked around the kitchen and ate some veggies just to satisfy the feeling, although I wasn't hungry at ALL.  sugar is just a really powerful, toxic substance and it's EVERYWHERE and it is hell to get off of!  lol that sounds so dramatic, but it really is like a drug.  

Originally Posted by C is for Cookie 

Oh believe me! I know how hard it is to control sugar intake. DBF's dad brought in a chocolate bundt cake from Sam's Club... ARRGGG! Girl scout cookies are the enemy, especially the samoas... Yeah, once I see caramel and it's in the house, I would be munching on those things to my heart's content... lol. I don't ever buy junk food but DBF and DBF's dad are junk food maniacs so I have to keep telling myself everyday "stay away!!!! Eat this instead" It's tough.
 

samoas are THE END for me.  they are not allowed in my home.  DF has an awful diet and brings home junk all the time and DP is a rail and can stuff himself silly with taco bell and chick fil a and never gain an oz.  I'm slloooowwwly converting them, but it's hard!  men just don't gain like we do.  it's hard for them to understand why we can't gorge on the same stuff.

[mamatoabirdie]

day four!

bfast - two eggs fried in bacon fat, three strips of bacon, handful of blackberries

lunch - a cup, cup and a half of roasted veggies and about 3 or 4 oz of shoulder roast, all cooked in lots of butter and coconut oil

dinner - out at my favorite greek place and I SUCCESSFULLY avoided the gyro for a large greek salad with gyro meat.  not the best, but better in terms of what I *really* wanted to eat lol

snack - a few sips of coffee with coconut cream

work out - 45 minutes of horrible, awful bootcamp with crazy people who are clearly in far far far better shape than me.  a couple hours of walking around the children's museum, half the time wearing 20 pound baby.  no yoga tonight, as I seemed to have pulled something in the bootcamp from hell class.  this sixty something year old woman taught it and she could have taken me down in a matter of seconds.  it was a humbling experience.

[Adaline'sMama]

Well, I did pretty well today, despite being out and about all day long. I had raisin bran with almond milk. Then I had some nuts throughout the day and we had dinner at whole foods- beet and kale salad with bacon roast beef, some sprouted sweet potato chips, and then 1/3 of a cupcake that is made with honey and fruit (and butter Im sure). All in all, a fairly good day.

Dude, girl scout cookies are hard. I could down whole box of somoas.

But, I didnt do my push ups and sittups today. I was gone all day with the kids, and I was just too beat by the time I got home. 

[Ruthiegirl]

Day 5!  

I am on a roll.  I love the first week -- I feel better since I am not eating sugar or gluten and the scale is dropping a bit. I must stick with this!  

The weekend is coming and some good friends want to take us out for dinner.  I know that I can  order well and eat half a portion and be fine, but it is always so much harder when I am sitting there in the restaurant.  

If I can maintain my good eating over the weekend, Monday morning will show a nice loss and I will be in a better mood to keep going.  Stick with the plan! 

Breakfast -- oatmeal, sunflower seeds, banana, tea with milk (8)

Lunch -- kale, sunflower seeds, hummus, brown rice, tea with milk (10)

Dinner -- 

Edited by Ruthiegirl - 2/8/13 at 9:20am

[Millie Ivy]

OMG.  Getting out with an almost 6 year old and my new 7 week old for stuff makes me remember why I decided I'm done having kids!  LOL. I love them dearly, but I started having kids very young and it was just physically easier to bounce back into life after having a baby when you are 19-25 ish.  I'm totally counting going out and running food coop or walking museums, or working homeschool coop with a baby in a sling as workouts right now.  Especially when said almost 6 year old needs piggy back rides.

I've managed 2 walks this week, and two coop days wearing the baby.  I will walk tomorrow too.  My thighs burned so bad the first time I did food coop with Soren on me, Yay repetitive squats! 

Doing ok on food.  I brought all our food to hs coop yesterday, fruits, veggies, meat, cheese, eggs, kombucha.  Then I was SO beat at the end of the day we just went to BJ's brewhouse. I did order a GF beer, but I realized pizza didn't even sound good enough to me so I got the balsamic chicken instead. fatty mashed taters, chicken, and field greens. 

I'm doing better at not drinking so much. I have a really high tolerance and have to watch it or the glasses of wine add up too fast without me really feeling anything.  hubby and I trying to find balance again after the holidays, birth of a baby during the holidays, stress of a baby with the flu in the nico, etc.  I think red wine with my hubs with dinner is a healthful part of our life, but I have to regain moderation!

Haven't weighed myself again but I will at my moms today. Still haven't gotten a set of scales!

[newmamalizzy]

In the name of accountability, I have to confess that I had another binge eating episode after an otherwise good day yesterday. It's so frustrating because I try so hard to do things right and I'm generally pleased with my deliberate eating. Then these binge things happen and I feel completely out if control. I'm making a new rule that i'm not allowed to binge on carbs. I hope that will help to make the episodes shorter and less damaging. Feeling pretty discouraged today, though...

[hedgehogs4]

I'm doing pretty good - I think I should have a nice loss come monday!  I've kept to my plan of less than 20 net carbs a day and i've been eating pretty clean, with the exception of a few vodka shots :)  I'm back to the gym post op and I have clearance to lift again in one week and I'm back to work tomorrow during the snowpocalypse!   I was fearing they'd make me come in early and sleep over to make my shift, but I just heard I'm in the clear.  My DH and I will have to wake up at 5 and dig out though....  

I did get upsetting news - my thyroid pathology report shows my cancer spread to the tissue surrounding my thyroid and I had one positive lymph node on my larynx "micrometastasized".  My surgeon says this is still stage I cancer because of my age and the kind of cancer and that the findings are still in my neck region, but I was still taken aback and upset.  I still have a great prognosis and all that, but I was upset.  This all started with my having a routine physical in November and my PMD feeling a nodule!!!  Can you imagine if I didn't get one and waited a year or two?  

Well, despite all that I did kept my diet clean and exercised 3x - cycling, wood pile making?, and elliptical.  

 Millie Ivy - wine is a weakness of mine as well - I'm avoiding it entirely for 2 weeks as I re-up my low-carbness :)

Newmamalizzy - i think it's a good step to own the binges at the very least.  I eat when I'm bored.  

[lilacvioletiris]

I think this is going to be a great challenge!  Love the sharing of food choices and exercise.  Remember to aim for 30 minutes of exercise!  Today I shoveled snow.  Not quite the snowpalypse but definitely significant.  Took my DH and me about 45 minutes to clear the side walks and driveway.

We are now done enrolling for this challenge.  Generally I put this chart up on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.  I am getting in touch with a few last people who didn't post a weigh in but expressed an interest in joining.  Their weight areas are in blue.  Two were from the last challenge and I took their last weigh in from challenge 6.0.  Here is to hoping that Monday, Feb. 11 will be a great weigh in day for all of us!

[hedgehogs4]

Thank you for your work!!!

[meandk0610]

Originally Posted by hedgehogs4 

I'm doing pretty good - I think I should have a nice loss come monday!  I've kept to my plan of less than 20 net carbs a day and i've been eating pretty clean, with the exception of a few vodka shots :)  I'm back to the gym post op and I have clearance to lift again in one week and I'm back to work tomorrow during the snowpocalypse!   I was fearing they'd make me come in early and sleep over to make my shift, but I just heard I'm in the clear.  My DH and I will have to wake up at 5 and dig out though....  

I did get upsetting news - my thyroid pathology report shows my cancer spread to the tissue surrounding my thyroid and I had one positive lymph node on my larynx "micrometastasized".  My surgeon says this is still stage I cancer because of my age and the kind of cancer and that the findings are still in my neck region, but I was still taken aback and upset.  I still have a great prognosis and all that, but I was upset.  This all started with my having a routine physical in November and my PMD feeling a nodule!!!  Can you imagine if I didn't get one and waited a year or two?  

Well, despite all that I did kept my diet clean and exercised 3x - cycling, wood pile making?, and elliptical.  

 Millie Ivy - wine is a weakness of mine as well - I'm avoiding it entirely for 2 weeks as I re-up my low-carbness :)

Newmamalizzy - i think it's a good step to own the binges at the very least.  I eat when I'm bored.  

Such horrible news! I'm glad that you're going at it with a positive attitude - that will help immensely!

I forgot about the start date! My plan is to get back to eating paleo first then work the carbs down. I've been slacking since getting a job in after school care last fall and eating some of the (junky) snacks fed to the kids (approved by the USDA).

[meandk0610]

Yikes! I'm sorry that I forgot to start on time. I checked my weight this morning and it says 148! I was about 135 last October when I started my current job. Holy cow! I knew I had gained because my pants were getting tight but this is ridiculous.
 

[Millie Ivy]

Ok, so just took my measurements and the verdict is- giant boobs still giant, wide hips still wide, waist down by at least an inch in the past 2 weeks.  I'll take it.

[Millie Ivy]

And for posterity-

Chest-38/39 (milky!)

Above bust-34 ish

waist 31ish

hips 44

My  "normal" is about 36 bust, 28 waist, 38 hips.  I'm a size 4-6 at those measurements. I think if my boobs stay big while bfing, but I get my waist and hips back to normal, I'd have a tru hourglass for the first time ever. which is kind of cool

[emma1325]

Hi everyone! I'm Kellie. I've struggled with my weight since high school (I'm 32). I've done a lot of yoyo dieting, and my weight has fluctuated from 118-146 over the years. I have 4 sizes of pants in my closet as a result: 4, 6, 8 and 10. I was in my 10's for the past year, and they were getting tight. About 8 weeks ago I started paying more attention to my food choices and increased my exercise to 6 days per week, no excuses. I was going to the gym before that, but not enough to drop the weight. 4 weeks ago, my family started a strict vegetarian diet, and suddenly I had more energy and could do twice as much at the gym. Finally the weight is coming off!! I've been 140 for several days (I weigh each morning) but today I was 138! In addition, I got back into my size 8's 2 weeks ago, and now they're getting loose!! Size 6 here I come!!

I love, love, love this diet. My go-to diet has always been low carb, and while it worked well, the weight also came back quickly. I always felt miserable on LC and was constantly waiting for the diet to be over. With vegan eating, I feel cleaner, more energetic and more focused. I also don't feel like I'm on a diet; I feel like I will probably eat like this for the rest of my life. I don't feel deprived like I did with LC. I'm not losing as quickly as I do with LC, but that's a good thing, right?

I'm not counting or measuring anything...I'm simply avoiding animal products and choosing a variety of healthy foods. I do step aerobics and weight training on Mondays and Wednesdays, hot yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I run 2 miles on Fridays and Saturdays.

[mamatoabirdie]

you ladies are AWESOME!  I love this challenge.

thank you for all of your hard work keeping us in line, lilac.

hedgehog, I'm sending good healing vibes your way.  I'm sorry to hear about that phone call.  

I didn't update yesterday but I didn't eat a whole lot because I was so busy (not a good thing) and ended up eating nasty sugary trail mix for dinner at the theater.  oh well, better than some other things I guess?

today:

breakfast - four pastured eggs from a local farm fried in coconut oil, nine blackberries

snack - larabar (normally they are "off" my diet but I was kind of in a bind)

snack/lunch - an avocado

dinner - grass-fed buffalo patty with pickles, tomatoes and onions and quite a few sweet potato fries!

so I really skimped on my veggies today and ate too many fruits/carbs, but that's ok.  was still a good day.  it's all a process!

no work out today.  still a little sore from boot camp and I did some extra damage to my hamstring, so I probably wont be back at the gym until monday or tuesday!  will probably do some light yoga tomorrow night. 

[IsaFrench]

measurements (over clothing, am sewing right now so had the tape measure handy, not goint to undress "just" to take measurements ...)

bust 39

waist 36

hips 44

haven't "had time" for my usual salad for the last two days (= not good, wondering what the scale will say tomorrow)

am longing to get into a familiar routine ... but only one week until a 2 weeks school break starts ... when i have to provide lunches AS WELL

i tend to eat less healthily ....

still need to wash these spinash leaves that i have in the fridge if i want the chance to make a nice salad tonight ...

[mum5]

Hi all! I am late to the party ( as usual!)  We are in the NE US. and were hit with a blizzaed, 3 ft of snow, no power and kids at home .Oh, and a new 9 week old german shepherd/ lab puppy!!!! Sooo, life is busy and hectic and that's why it slipped my mind. The nompower contributed also. I am currently 185lb. I am doing WW. but.... I am constantly hungry. I am not doing the Points Plus plan, but the old Points system, using the materials that I had from 2005.

Does anyone else do the new Points Plus system? I would love to chat with you about it, if so.

I have no work out plan currently in place. I need to work on that. I am sure that shoveling 3 ft of snow counts though!

[Adaline'sMama]

I did really well all week until yesterday, when my MIL arrived with some fried chicken and all the fixin's. I didn't binge eat, but I did eat on it all day throughout the day. And I also didnt really drink water :( I drank a lot of caffeine free diet cokes. And I didnt run, because it was raining. So, all in all, it was a crap day. 

I'm up 1/2 a pound from the day before, but down 2 lbs for the week, so I guess its good!

weigh in:

145.2

Edited by Adaline'sMama - 2/11/13 at 9:05am

[hedgehogs4]

Weigh in day!

Today I'm 170.2. -4.2 lbs!! I'm excited. I managed to stick to my eating plans despite returning to 13 hr ER shifts during the snowpacolypse! Prob digging out of 30 inches of snow and grabbing steering wheels with white knuckles helped! lol. My shift length is a challenge as I have to bring in 3 meals worth of food and stare down chocolate, chips and take out offers all day but I did it.

[woodchick]

Happy Monday!

I'm at 219 this morning! -2!  I'm happy about this, but recently I've gotten to 219 and I haven't gone lower, so I'm excited for the coming week so I can break though :)

Here's what I've been doing:

Gym:  M/F- Mile Swim, w/sprint intervals.  W-Treadmill, working up to a 5k walk/jog in 35 minutes.

Home: 3 and 4 mile walking video- Leslie Sansone.  Also there's a 2mile on Youtube.  I do these on T/TH and sometimes the shorter one in the evenings after dinner.

With my girls: Ice skating at the rink once or twice a week, hiking when the trails are clear of snow, swimming at the pool (not laps, of course!)

I feel like this plan is challenging, but enjoyable and I haven't dreaded keeping to the schedule, even when my alarm goes off at 5:15am!