I got behind reading this thread...

Laurie, Hang in there - you had a REALLY tough Spring and Summer! I hear your new resolve. How did this past week go?

Linda, WHaaa Hooooo!! Excellent - A+++!!

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Originally posted by johnbol:
<u>Part</u> of the reason that I started on this journey was my blood pressure. I had tried to give blood at least 3 times and since my blood pressure was 140+/100+, I couldn't give.

The doctor changed my medication, but I want to get off - or at least back to one in which I can have my grapefruit juice.

Today, 27 pounds down, I stopped at the blood bank. I was able to donate today. My blood pressure was 122/86.

I'm feeling very good about that.

Linda

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Way to go Linda!!! That's awesome news!

Yeah Linda! You must feel so good for so many reasons including giving the gift of life today! Good for you and congrats on the continued losing. You are doing great!

Peg

<u>Part</u> of the reason that I started on this journey was my blood pressure. I had tried to give blood at least 3 times and since my blood pressure was 140+/100+, I couldn't give.

The doctor changed my medication, but I want to get off - or at least back to one in which I can have my grapefruit juice.

Today, 27 pounds down, I stopped at the blood bank. I was able to donate today. My blood pressure was 122/86.

I'm feeling <b>very</b> good about that.

Linda

For Hawkeye: We used to drink Coke exclusively - now it's diet Coke, at least. It was a hard change (I cried when Coke changed the formula and rejoiced when they brought it back). I'd hate to see what I would weigh if I still drank "the hard stuff".

Even adding a spritz of lime or lemon to water changes the taste considerably for me to relish it at meals.

Linda

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Originally posted by Laurie:
Ok this isn't quite a progress report, more of a lack of progress report.

I haven't weighed myself in over a month. Today I hopped on to see where I stood, At my lowest (january) I was at 261, well slowly it had crept back on and I am at 278. So its time to get serious, about a lot of things. I have come up with a fitness plan, and posted it on the exercise challenge thread. And I am also making food goals, one week at a time.

This week -

by the end of the week I want to be getting in my 64 oz of water a day. Its amazing how those sodas start slipping back in without you realizing.

At least 1 fruit a day this week

At least 2 veggies a day this week.

Now I am going to print these out and get serious. I am not expecting miracles, and I know a big reason why I've gradually slipped off the wagon is due to stress, so I am working on that as well.

Laurie

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This is a great plan Laurie! Baby step your way back to success. You can do it!!!

Ok this isn't quite a progress report, more of a lack of progress report.

I haven't weighed myself in over a month. Today I hopped on to see where I stood, At my lowest (january) I was at 261, well slowly it had crept back on and I am at 278. So its time to get serious, about a lot of things. I have come up with a fitness plan, and posted it on the exercise challenge thread. And I am also making food goals, one week at a time.

This week -

by the end of the week I want to be getting in my 64 oz of water a day. Its amazing how those sodas start slipping back in without you realizing.

At least 1 fruit a day this week

At least 2 veggies a day this week.

Now I am going to print these out and get serious. I am not expecting miracles, and I know a big reason why I've gradually slipped off the wagon is due to stress, so I am working on that as well.

Laurie

If iced tea appeals, you might look around for a bottled brand called Honest Tea. It is very lightly sweetened with 'good' sweeteners (in other words, not high-fructose corn syrup) and have only about 14-34 calories per bottle. I really like them for a substitute for my old soda habit. Sometimes I want something besides water with a meal.

Peg

Thanks for the advice, I'm going to start implimenting sun tea and see if that helps. My sixteen-year-old daughter and her boyfriend bought me a book by a favorite writer last night, to inspire me (I'm a frustrated writer) and that gift made me feel so good that the chips and coke didn't seem as needed.
I really appreciate the advice, encouragement and hope to do the same for everybody.
Thanks.

Coke was my vice that was defeating me. I started by just getting myself down to 1 per day most days of the week. Like Sandy mentioned, even getting down to 2 per day would make a big difference for you. Can you maybe pick up some of those little 8oz cans? I wish those had been around when I was cutting back. If you could have one of those 3x per day, you would be in effect cutting back by one can. Eventually I went to only having it a few times a week, to having it about 1x a week and finally got it out of my diet. I replaced it with Chai tea for a while but had to get it cut back too to get the weight loss going so it would be better to find a no-cal substitute. If you like tea, play around with it both hot and iced and see if you can find a good substitute.

One other suggestion. Start looking for ways to reward yourself that are not food related. This one is really hard for me too but I needed to get out of that frame of mind because it was the perfect excuse every time.

Good luck! Have a nice trip!

Peg

Another thought...
How about replacing one can of coke with a mineral water each day? You'd be down over 1,000 calories per week- nearly a pound inthe first month. Imagine what would happen if you replace another can of regular coke with diet coke? Another pound in August!

I'm just getting started, found this board through someone on the Food Network site. Anyway, I'm 47 and have about 10# to lose, which doesn't sound like much, but I quit my diets before they begin. I always feel that it's a punishment to diet and that chips and wine at the end of my day is a reward.
My goal (I'm starting Saturday, we're going out of town for the next few days) is to walk a half an hour at least 5 times a week, get rid of my 3 cans of Coke habit, keep a food journal and try to see being healthy as a gift to myself, not a punishment. I'll check in next week and hopefully I'll have some positive things to report.
Good luck to everyone.

Charlotte,
Great job with water intake, fruits, walking 2 times and staying more active. I love that you enjoyed "every bite" out with the girls.
This is how it is done...
You are right on track...
There is nothing here about being perfect- we just take manageable baby steps and try to improve where and when we can.

Well, here I am again to report on Week 3. Can you tell that I'm not too excited about it?

I did eat healthy, including fruits and veggies. I did drink 64 oz. water daily. I did walk 30 min on each of 2 days but not the rest of the week. One day I thought I was really walking a lot doing my chores so I thought let's count steps. I put my pedometer on my waistband and went on with my business. I knocked it off and as it fell I hit it with my toe while taking a step and kicked it across the room against the wall. It's dead.

I went out with the girls before Knitting Guild on Monday. I stayed within my calorie budget but I had a glass of wine and a piece of cheesecake. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite! And then I had some more wine last night with dinner. It was good, but I'm paying the price for it today. I know it causes my body to retain fluid but I did it anyway. Now my weight is up 4 lbs. this morning and my ear hurts. I'll feel bad for a few more days while my body gets rid of the water. I don't think I'll do that again.

Charlotte

Thanks everyone for all of the encouraging tips. I listed each that I have read and put them in place - at least for these few days. I read this board each morning as my motivation and inspiration and it is working. Today I will start the moving more concept. Have a great day all!

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Originally posted by HazelWil:
I have a loving family and husband who is there through thick and thin and a family history of diabetes and heart that should make me get in the game.

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Welcome, Hazel! Sounds like you are on the right track getting started with baby steps. I always suggest the mini-meal concept (eating a snack or small meal every few hours) when someone is trying to lose weight. But especially with your family history of diabetes (I have one too), I think this would be key.

Eating healthy food every 2-3 hours helps keep both our blood sugar and our metabolism on an even keel vs. the spiking and dipping that comes with skipping meals and then eating a lot all at once.

My schedule is breakfast around 8-8:30 a.m., a snack around 10:30-11 a.m., lunch around 1-1:30 p.m., a snack around 4-4:30 p.m., and a light dinner (more of another snack usually) around 7 p.m.

Because I go to bed at 10 p.m. on the weeknights in order to be up early for exercise and work, I try not to eat anything after 8 p.m. but I don't always succeed! If I eat at all after 8 p.m., though, it's a light snack, not a meal.

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Originally posted by HazelWil:
No real excuse except I am not motivated to exercise or watch my diet--just plain lazy about it. HELP!!!!

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More water and fruit is a great first babystep! Welcome! I just bumped a couple of baby step posts up to the top of the home folder if you'd like to go read through those. It may be that you feel like exercise and watching your diet are huge, impossible tasks that you just can't take on...you're not lazy...you're human! It's a lot to tackle and when you try and do it all at once it can really set you up to fail. Baby steps are KD's answer to that 'all or none' attitude that can defeat us so quickly. Take a look, ask questions and spend some time with us! You can't help but learn something new everyday!

Peg

Welcome to the board, Hazelwil. This is a good place to come. Congraulations on the increased water and fruit. Keep posting with quesitons and needs. Many are here to help.

This is my first time posting to any site so advise me of message mistakes so I can learn...have watched kd on cooking channel and I've been encouraged and inspired by her story. I have been over weight about 15 yrs and now I am at the highest of 275 lbs; recent breast cancer and stomach surgeries have kept me homebound from a 50 hr plus career to 20 hr max. No real excuse except I am not motivated to exercise or watch my diet--just plain lazy about it. I have a loving family and husband who is there through thick and thin and a family history of diabetes and heart that should make me get in the game. I have started now drinking water (5pm so may not get all in today) and eating fruit. HELP!!!!

Congratualtions Peg and Sheri!