Time for us Moms! Group

AmandaJ

You go, BOG! I'm excited to take the baby to the zoo for the first time this weekend! Should be awesome.

Welcome to the new ladies! You'll love it here. The first step of the journey is finding a place that will help and support you. None of us are perfect, and we all fall, but we can help each other get back up in tough times. )

Okay, let me get some feedback... I've been staying under my calories, but I've been eating some crap. For example, today I had a Starbucks (nonfat chai) AND a cream filled doughnut! (with chocolate frosting) I still came in under my calories, though just barely. I understand the point of this is to learn healthier eating habits and to eat less calories, but as long as I'm under the goal, can't I have junk sometimes? It's not every day, but enough to make me think it's a problem.

I think it is fine, I still drink a Coke everyday and am still under my calories. I losted almost all of my weight two years ago and deprived myself of everything that I wanted. Everyday was a struggle and in the end I quit and binged day after day after day. This time I am allowing myself what I want to eat in moderation. A Coke a day for me is moderation, I was a six pack drinker a month ago. That is my 2 cents on this. Of course the goal is healthy nutritious food for a variety of good reasons but I think we all need a treat once in awhile.

AmandaJ

I have fibromyalgia , chronic fatigue syndrome and thyroid problems so it is hard for me to do strenuous exercise so I have been doing swimming and walking I hope to be able to do more and more as I stick with it and add other forms of exercise also. Do any of you know of a dvd workout I could do that is very easy and easy on the joints ?

I have heard good things about Walk About the Pounds dvd. I have not used it myself.

BOGmama2010

British - oh have fun at the zoo. The first time I took my youngest he was about 12 months and didn't really enjoy it. A few months ago I took him though and he really liked it, could name some animals, etc. Too bad it is so far away from us.

Well, here is my take on it. Our bodies are like a car and need the right fuel. A treat (like for a birthday) is ok, it's not an everyday thing. But, I would try not to have more than 1 junk thing on a particular day. I was an avid Caffeine Free Diet Coke drinker when I was young and truly, water is the best thing for you. The carbonation in the sodas can leach calcium out of your bones. And the high sugar in processed foods can impair your immune system for hours afterward. That being said, I too have gone the path of trying to eat as healthy as I could and lost the weight and then started binging on sweets again. Even Jillian Michaels says that she eats a piece of dark chocolate every day and figures it into her calories. But, it's a piece. If you need it, then moderation is the key. I will say that one thing that has helped me immensely is making sure that I eat enough protein. When I have that in my system (I eat 40% of my calories as protein), my sweet tooth disappears.

Themommie - I really am a fan of the DVDs that Beachbody sells. Slim in 6 is a great DVD set that is low impact, but many people have had great results with it. Some have lost up to 25 lbs in 6 weeks! You can check it out here:
https://extranet.securefreedom.com/MillionDollarBody/csShopping/ShoppingCart_Detail.asp?PriceID=176835&Cat=Fitness Program|Slim%20in%206 - if that link doesn't work let me know.

Amanda - definitely get new shoes! Great job asking for them for your birthday - we used to get my dad a pair for Christmas and his birthday. Made shopping easy. )

Today is my rest day, and I so look forward to it. We sleep in, go to church, and just relax during the afternoon. We'll be back at it early tomorrow morning though! We're starting a workout group in WOWY too, so if any of you would like to come join us at 7 am you can. It's free to sign up (teambeachbody.com/superayla) and you can enter your workouts in and have a chance to win $300 a day.

britishstar41

Thanks, guys. I dont eat junk every day, and I try to get as much healthy protein and carbs as I can. The doughnuts were two days in a row, but I hadn't had junk before that in a while. I blame our recent training. They had a snack table of muffins and doughnuts to get us started in the morning and I gave in when my 2pm snack hunger struck. But now it's over, so I"m back on track.

Heading up to Salt Lake City tomorrow morning to see my best friend who will be in town on business (that's also our closest zoo, which is why we're incorporating it). I'm hoping the walking around the zoo will help balance out the calories I know I'll get from the Mexican restaurant tomorrow night )

Have a great start to the week! Talk to you guys on Tuesday.

BOGmama2010

Have a great time British! Just remember, take what you want, but want what you take at the restaurant. You don't have to finish all of it either. Zoos are great because I find that most of them are hilly and so I really have to work my legs and glutes pushing the stroller up. Talk to you on Tuesday!

CGerman

Hey ladies, mind if I join you? I've got 5 kids (twin boys that will be 8 next month, a 5 year old daughter, and 3 year old boy/girl twins). Hubby stays home with the kids and I work full time while going to school to finish up my accounting degree.

I definitely do better getting my workout over early in the day - usually I'm up about 4:30 for a walk or bike ride. I do strength training at night. Hubby and I are both trying to lose weight, and we alternate schedules. I do cardio in the morning and strength training at night, he does the opposite.

We just got back from a nice bike ride. My 3 boys are staying at grandma's for the night, so we hooked up the bike trailer and hit the trails. Hauling 90 pounds in kid weight and a bike trailer made for a serious workout - I think I can skip the leg strength training tonight :laugh:

I'm looking forward to some cooler weather - hard to get out and workout when it's close to 100.

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

BOGmama2010

Awesome job, C! Welcome. I have twin boys as well who will be 9. I just joked with my hubby that I could see us having another set of twins if we ever got prego again. Don't know how you do it, but kudos! I am a bookkeeper, so I am totally interested in accounting. How much longer do you have?

Sounds like you and your husband have a great system going on. Look forward to getting to know you better.

Lisa

CGerman

Lisa-

I've got a long way to go on my degree, I joke with my family I'm a late bloomer. I've been working in the field for 10+ years and finally decided the extra money would make going back to school worth it. Especially since my employer has agreed to reimburse my tuition for any classes I get a B or better in.

I'd like to say the second set was easier, but that just didn't happen! I knew what to expect but their personalities were so much different is wasn't at all the same. My first set was really laid back - not so much with the second set!! I wouldn't trade it though, hectic as it may be there's always some excitement around my house!:laugh:

BOGmama2010

C - that is awesome about your employer. Mine jokes every once in a while that I would have had to go to Heald to get this type of experience (I've been working for him for 4 years) so I just joke back that I can then take all of the work that I have done and put it in my portfolio, leaving him with none of it! Ya know, my first set is laidback too and I swear the 2 year old is more work than the twins were, in his own way. I could imagine another set just throwing a whole monkey wrench in knowing what to expect!

Anyone interested in posting one challenge that we are going to be trying to conquer this upcoming week?

I haven't been doing too well at mine the past 2 days. I really need to get better about packing enough food for me to eat. Yesterday, I packed a yogurt to have at church during potluck (which barely would have been enough) and hubby fed it to the 2 year old. So, I went from about 8:45 am to 2 pm without eating. Today, I tried to do better. I left for work at 10:30 am and didn't get home until 5:30 pm. In that time, I had 32 oz of water, a protein shake and 50 raisins and a tsp of peanut butter. Not much and I still have a lot of food left to eat. We are going to be going to amusement parks this week and a baseball game and I know I need to do better! I would rather go hungry than eat something that is not on my planned eating for the day. Hopefully with hubby home this week I can focus a little more on getting the things that need to be cooked prepared ahead of time.

Have a great evening!

CGerman

I think a challenge is a great idea. We could alternate between diet/fitness on alternating weeks. Staying within range for a category (sodium, carbs, etc). Maybe distance or total workout times for fitness challenges? I tend to do a little better when I've got something extra to shoot for (other than watching my calories and trying to exercise)

BOGmama2010

C - I like those ideas!

Today was a much better day. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to take my food into the theme park (had big signs with NO OUTSIDE FOOD) but they checked my bag and allowed it. ? Great way to stick with policy guys. Anyway, it was nice to eat my burger and oatmeal in the park and have my water. As well as have food for the kiddos.

Let's focus on diet this week and I challenge everyone to make sure that they get within 10% of their protein goal (so mine for example would have to be within 18 grams) on their log.

Lisa

CGerman

You would pick one of my biggest challenges to start :laugh:

Okay, should we do this daily or weekly?

Something like:
Monday - Protein: Actual 70 vs Goal 63, over 7 (This was a really unusual day for me, I usually struggle to even get close on protein)

BOGmama2010

LOL well let me ask you what your biggest challenge is with protein. For the most part I feel like MFP has it set WAY too low. I do a 40/40/20 ratio which might be too high for a lot of people (I do strength training though during the week in addition to my cardio workouts). That is the long-term ratio on P90X. Hence why I have my protein at 180 g a day. His ratio that has to be "earned" by working your tail off is 60% carbs/20% protein/ 20% fat and when hubby and I did that for 2 weeks during our last phase of P90X we felt like we were thick, his stomach wasn't flat anymore.

Time for bed. Have a good one!

britishstar41

Hey guys! We never made it to the zoo. By the time we got up there it was time for a nap. Then it was time for dinner, and the day was done. Anyway... we had fun. The first day I was actually under my calories by a GIANT amount. Although the second day I was over by about the same amount... we had to get "lunch" at a gas station.

Anyway, it pretty much balanced out, plus we did a lot of walking.

Alright. I'm frustrated. I've lost 16 pounds. Can anyone tell my why, when I tried on my jeans for the first time in like 2 months, they didn't fit any differently? And let me just say I didn't stop wearing them because they were too small. It's just been too hot here. I don't do jeans in triple digits. I would think they would feel looser, but no. They fit exactly the same as the always did, giving me a little muffin top.

BOGmama2010

British - I totally hear you on the nap. My 2 year old is so horrible at night if he doesn't get a good nap. We actually dealt with that yesterday. Good job walking and trying to eat right.

I've been thinking about your question today and there are a few reasons that come to mind. First, the majority of your weight loss may not have come from your lower half. But, I think my main guess would be that it was some water weight and some fat but also some muscle. If you are not doing strength training, your body will lose both fat and muscle. To burn the fat, your heart rate needs to be pretty high during cardio (mine is always above 160). A pound of fat weighs the same as a pound of muscle too, but the muscle takes up less room. So, maybe to try to focus on doing some squats and lunges for your legs. Unfortunately, you can't spot reduce the tummy, but there are some moves that really work to strengthen the core that will help you feel more stable and start to work on slimming down your tummy.

Hope that was clearer than I think it is. :oP If you have any more questions, ask!

Challenge time: I was expecting my shipment of Shakeology today, but it is stuck in San Pablo. Oh well tomorrow. It would have put me 5 grams over on my protein anyway. I came in at 168 g of protein and my goal is 180. C, how did you do?

AmandaJ

Sorry I am missing on here for a couple of days! The protein challenge sounds great but I usually go over my protein allotment anyway. LOL.

Went for an hour walk today and yesterday both, burnt 446 calories today which is 146 MORE than yesterday using the exact same course. Difference is I started running part of it, my legs feel like jell-o and I have been home for an hour now.

Have a great day everyone!

CGerman

So on the protein front, goal was 70, actual was 56. (Told you yesterday was out of the norm for me). I think I just naturally don't favor protein rich foods or something - protein is definitely one of my biggest struggles.

Amanda-
Nice job on the walk/run! I get excited about jello legs, it's proof I've busted my butt that day!

On the exercise front, when I started this journey about a month ago I could easily get my heart rate up in the high 150's, low 160's just doing a brisk paced walk - and bured a ton of calories in 30 minutes. Now, doing the same pace I'm lucky to get in the mid 130's, must be time to up to speed a little. It does feel nice to notice changes other than the scale moving!

BOGmama2010

C - that's an excellent indicator that you are getting fitter!

Amanda - great job on your walk/run!

Protein - I was very far off today. 117 compared to my 180 goal. I was also 400 calories under though. We went to a baseball game today and I ate everything, but I don't like making a protein shake to take with me (one of my last ones grew mold in the cup when it was in the car after I drank it, yuck! It was in there all of 3 hours) so I didn't have any of those when I came home because I wanted to try my Shakeology instead. Yummy! But I am so full, and I really don't want to slam 2 protein shakes (plus I know that it is just NOT the right thing to do).

britishstar41

Hey everyone... I'm loving the stories of progression and small victories! I also love the feeling of jello legs, though sometimes it makes me feel super out of shape since I know the workout that caused the jello legs probably wasn't that intensive. Oh well, you gotta start somewhere.

I'm thinking of getting a beach cruiser. My mom is an avid road biker and does cross country tours. She swears by biking, but I'm not in good enough shape to even think about doing hard core riding. I'd love to get out and have a leisurely ride though.

Protein - My goal was 93, and I ate 111.

I actually find I have the most trouble meeting my allotment of carbs. Protein is almost always over, and carbs are almost always under by a long shot.

Good work, ladies!

BOGmama2010

I love my beach cruiser and I love this seat http://www.amazon.com/WeeRide-Kangaroo-Child-Bike-Seat/dp/B000FIH0EG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1280986692&sr=8-1

It's a little awkward at first, and my little one likes to hold onto the handlebars for a little bit, but he loves sitting there and going for rides. I don't have the best balance either, but it works well enough. If you don't feel comfortable with that, I would recommend getting a trailer.

I bought my bike on Black Friday from KMart for $70 and I am glad that I didn't spend more as we don't get to go riding that often. Just another thing to think about.

Oh and on the protein and carbs - I actually think being over on protein and under on carbs is a good thing!

CGerman

I love bike rides - and it's something I can do with my whole family. When it's hot I prefer that to walking, I can actually go fast enough to create a little wind - it's like built in air conditioning :laugh:

I'm definitely not a pro by any stretch, I proably look ridiculous but I have actually have a great time doing it.

We went with a bike trailer since there is more room. My little ones climb in and usually take a book or some snacks, something to help keep them entertained. Nice thing is, if I tip over the trailer stays upright so I don't have to paranoid about them getting hurt!

BOGmama2010

C - that's a nice trailer you've got there! I don't like the back child seats, but I like the front one so that I can at least break his fall. LOL at your built in air conditioning system. Love it.

Good morning, everyone! Have a great day! We are off to try our 2nd flavor of Shakeology this morning for breakfast and to go to the beach a little later when the fog burns off. Sometime today we will try to fit in Legs & Back, our last time doing it for this round of P90X. ( It's hard, but I like that workout. What do you all have planned for today?

Lisa

CGerman

Nothing fun today, I'm working all day. I took tomorrow off though, so we'll have some fun. We're planning a bike ride through a water fowl conservancy area by my house that runs close to a lake, beautiful views and pretty easy terrain. The kids want to go swimming so I'm sure we'll be heading to the pool that afternoon, which will feel great after a bike ride in the heat.

BOGmama2010

C - that sounds like a great place to ride! Heat? This has been such a mild summer. We went to the pool yesterday and the little kiddie pool was even cold. Sigh. It was better earlier this summer, but the covers have torn (yes, we have to keep the covers on to keep the heat it) and I didn't feel any warm water coming in from the solar panels. Not even sure the filter was working it was full of gunk. Not our pool though, it's in the complex where we live.

Protein was a lot better yesterday. Today's plan if I can get it all in will also be a good day. I'm at 176 out of 180.

Have a great Friday everyone! So happy it's Friday. )

Lisa

CGerman

Lisa- Where do you live?

It's been a frusrating week on the weight loss front. My official weigh in is on Sunday but I usually check myself every day. Between last Sunday and Tuesday I was up 2+ lbs. I've been really pushing all week and at this point it looks like I might just break even for this week, pretty disappointing after being down over 3 last week. Nothing to do but keep plugging along, I just need to push through and hopefully my body will start cooperating. My first mini-goal was to fit comfortably into the rides at my company's Lagoon day (local amusement park). It's coming up on Monday so we shall see if I made it.

It's my boys' 8th birthday next week - so I'll get some "bonus" exercise getting the house party ready.

BOGmama2010

C - I live on the Central Coast of California. Fog almost every morning this summer and cool ocean breezes every afternoon.

Great job on your loss last week. How has your eating been and your exercise? What about your water intake? That can really affect it as well.

I hope you have fun at the amusement park and a happy early birthday to your boys. Birthday parties are fun, but with all 3 of my boys and my husband's birthdays being within 3 weeks of each, I go kind of crazy once birthday season rolls around at our house.

Lisa

britishstar41

California... we moved away from the Central Valley (Stockton) about a year ago. We ended up in St George, Utah. Although we had some difficulties living there, we regret moving here.

BOGmama2010

Stockton has been hit so hard in the housing. We live in Salinas right now (near Monterey). It's an ok place to live, we are kind of just waiting to see where God leads us. Sorry that you aren't happy in Utah. I don't know that I would be either.

CGerman

British-Sorry you aren't enjoying Utah - I'm in Utah too! Although I love it! I'm not a fan of St. George, too hot for my taste. We usually do a CA trip each year for vacation and just driving through St. George is about all I can take. :laugh:

Lisa- I think my food and exercise has been pretty close to last week, the only real difference is maybe more sodium (which I know will lead to some water weight). I figure I can't maintain 3+/week, so I just have to accept that and move on.

I though having my 5 kids' birthdays and hubby's within 4 months was bad, I think I'd pull my hair out if they were all that close :laugh:

britishstar41

BOG - yes, housing has been hit hard, but mostly we left because it is such a dangerous town to live in. The crime is ridiculous, and don't even get me started on the gangs. I'm a teacher, and was actually offered a job at one of the high schools in Salinas. I thought about taking it, but we didn't know if we could afford living in that are. LOVE Monterey/Carmel.

CG - where in Utah are you? Tell me about the heat! I thought Cali was hot (I"m originally from Seattle) but this takes the cake. I'm counting the days until August is over so we can go back down to double digits. We won't even hit sweatshirt weather until November. Crazy!

So yesterday was a total bust. I started my time of the month, and went over my calories by 300. Yes, you read that correctly. I am now hanging my head in shame. So today I make sure I was under by at least that much, though I actually ended up under by a little over 500. I'm good with that.