Exercise and Weight Loss Challenges
Replies
-
yeah us! All back on track. Onwards through the holiday period. We can conquer the challenges.
We have friends with us for holidays this week and it is harder because there is more wine.
But .... I was on the eliptical this morning and then out in the rain golfing again. Outlet Mall shopping tomorrow so back to the fitness centre in the morning.
I hope you are all having a good week.0 -
Hang in there guys! I'm dinking around in the 190's but hopefully will get into the 180's next week sometime. Right now the Thanksgiving plan is to do a 1/2 calorie day on Wednesday and then eat whatever is on my plate at the "Thanksgiving Feast" at Mimi's Cafe on Thursday. It is just my son and I and he doesn't like Turkey or mashed or gravy or dressing, can you believe it? So makes sense to go out. They do a pretty good meal. Not sure about the Friday weigh in then but hey, only once a year, right?0
-
Good planning, Gayle, and yes, life is to be enjoyed. We know that one day of splurge does not ruin a plan. It is only once a year and it is only one day. Enjoy.0
-
Since I stopped drinking I don't have the "more wine" challenge but I can relate that company does encourage excesses of all kinds. That's what this group is for: support to get through the everyday and special weight loss challenges that life is packed with.0
-
I don't drink either but I use to be hooked on diet sunkist.That's all I'd drink.Very seldom did I drink water,probably no more than a glass a week.I went to have blood work done and they sent me out to drink water because they couldn't get blood.After consuming water they were able to draw blood.I didn't know your veins could become dehydriated.I still stayed drinking my diet sunkist.Now I haven't drank one for a year.Water is all I drink.
That was hard to give up but now I don't crave my sodas.
I'm not sure i'll get in exercise today.I've been fighting a sinus headache today.I took sinus medicine and Ibuprofin today but still feel yucky.hopefully i'll feel better tomorrow.
I'm having company for several days next week,my daughter,husband and 3 grandchildren.Ages 2,4 &6.Alot more cooking.At least they can have leftovers after thanksgiving.I'll probably be to busy to eat much.Another challenge for sure.
Mary
0 -
Oh, I miss those days of large Thanksgivings and playing board games and catching up with cousins. And when I was in my 20's and 30's always seemed to be a gang of friends to bring their holiday favorites for a Thanksgiving potluck. I probably will cook a turkey breast---it's all the leftovers that I really like: turkey sandwiches and turkey casseroles and the like. I am saved from myself though, in general, by going out to eat and having it mostly be a one meal feast.
I think the secret is planning ahead. Entering the items and calories before meals.
Mary, how wonderful for you to have your daughter and her family, especially the little ones with you!
0 -
Hi Mary and Marney, I've invited Marney's friend grandmothercharlie (Charlie) to join us. She's 63 and seems like a good fit.0
-
[img]http://www.freesmileys.org/custom/image/grey%5E_%5Eimpact%5E_%5E3%5E_%5E0%5E_%5EThanks for the invitation!%5E_%5E.gif[/img]Thanks, Gayle, for inviting me to take part in your challenge. It is a little late for me to say a 20 pound loss by January 1, but I will try for 5 pounds. (I looked back and see that you started on August 28. I was at 170 then. I'm at 159 now. So my goal will be 154! (I would never had signed up for 20 anyway as 5 pounds a month is pretty much the best I can do) That will be tough with some travel and holidays in there, but I'm always up for the challenge.
Okay, I'll tell you a little about myself and how I got here: Was always thin at about 115. About 14 years ago I suddenly couldn't do the things I wanted to do. I had developed some heart problems which my doctor did not take too seriously (so neither did I) and RA. I gained 100 pounds in 8 months and then over 20 more throughout the years. About 5 years ago, I hit a really critical stage with the heart, although the RA was in remission. Now, I wasn't allowed to exercise at all. They urged me to quit work, but I wouldn't. They kept calling me to warn me of the symptoms of sudden death They only gave me a 1 in 3 chance of surviving 5 years. They tried to stablize and improve my heart with meds, but never got too far with that even after 2 years. Finally, they put in a pacemaker/crt/defibrillator. The CRT part of the implant really helped my heart function and has pretty much normalized its functioning!
But...my RA was now back with a vengence. Took a while for me to get it back into remission.
Once I started feeling better, I then wanted to lose weight. I thought about gastric sleeve surgery at 238 and BMI at 45. Went so far as seeing the surgeon and paying my "up front" money. She said that after I did all the stuff and after surgery, I would be required to eat only 1200 calories a day, walk everyday, and log my food. So, I decided to see if I could do it then so I was prepared after surgery. Since I'm a technology geek, I asked her if there was a program and she suggested MFP.
So, I joined the gym in January 2014 and started eating 1200 calories. I started losing. I started getting stronger and increasing stamina which was huge for me. I finally lost so much that I didn't even qualify for surgery anymore. I've lost a total of 79 pounds (71 since really actively joining MFP in mid-January).
I do have a few things that may look different from some of you. 1. I almost always eat out. I love to cook, just not for just myself; 2. Because of the HF, I can't drink lots of water as water-weight gain is my enemy and my intake is limited, and, 3. I am addicted to cardio, but I was having water-weight gain problems and read a lot of articles stating that anything over 60 minutes of cardio a day (with the ideal at 45) and no days off could contribute to water-weight gain and retention. I have really lowered my cardio to around 45 minutes a day and am taking off at least one day a week. Believe it or not, this has been very hard for me. Seems to have made a difference though as I have lost 4 pounds since I started doing that a few weeks ago and no large water weight gains since either.
My diary is open to the public, so feel free to look and comment. I leave tomorrow for 3 days in DC (work and pleasure) so I may not be as good as I should be. Don't be surprised!
Good luck to all of you trying to meet your goals!
Charlie (really Charlene, but no one calls me that)
0 -
Thanks for inviting Charlie, Gayle, and welcome Charlie. Interesting story, Charlie, and what a journey! Truly inspirational to do it yourself and with body challenges too. I have no excuses. I am always learning on here.
I did not know that cardio workouts every day were not so good and a day off would make a difference. I am working up on cardio and trying for 45 minutes, which I am achieving most days, but I am still counting warm up and cool down. I am also increasing intensity. Mary and Gayle outshine me by far with their staying power at cardio. I tend to skip. But I guess I need a 'planned' skip.
I know from my senior fitness education that us folks over 60 should watch intensity abit more closely and that medium to medium low is better for us than high and it 'mobilizes' our fat stores better. When I get home, I will look up in my books and get the details of what I learned. I knew that for strength training, 3 times a week with time off in between sessions in essential for your muscles to heal from the work. I looked at the machines in passing this morning, so I am in the 'early contemplation stage of change' for strength training. But I know that strength training makes a huge difference in inches loss and in senior's lives, keeping them looking and feeling younger longer.
Water drinking is always a challenge for me and I did not know veins became dehydrated, Mary. Thanks for that info. It puts a different slant on trying harder. I am lucky. Sodas have never been tempting for me. But, I just don't drink much of anything. So I am trying for more water.
Gayle is our star at 20 lbs and counting! Mary and I are moving along though and we both look forward to 15. And with the time left, it is still possible. It is, after all, set out as a challenge! And any loss is a gain, if you know what I mean.
Weigh in tomorrow. Good luck!
0 -
Intensity varies according to fitness. At one time 2 mph for 10 minutes was intense for me. Now, I walk 4 mph for 30-45 and barely breathe heavy. The fat burning zone for your heart-rate is really not very high. You are right about that. If you want to figure it for yourself, take 220 - your age. Then multiply by 60% and 70%. This is your fat burning range and a good range for the non-athlete. So at 63 mine would be 94-110. Even at 4 mph, there are times when I really have to be punching the air overhead in order to raise my heart rate. Or I have to increase the level on the stationary bike.
As for water in blood and vessels, that is why if you need to raise your blood pressure, you drink water. When I was in cardiac rehab, my blood pressure would drop lower after a workout (most people's do). I had to get mine up to a certain level before I could leave so they would have me drink water.
The length of a workout and rest time is important because our bodies produce cortisol to give us the energy and strength to get through the workout. Cortisol is the stress hormone and known to inhibit weight loss and cause belly fat. When we come to rest, dopamine and growth hormones are released and they wash the cortisol away. But, if we exercise too long, there is too much cortisol to wash away. So, exercise, which we think of as relaxing acts like a stress instead. It also inhibits our sleep, our weight loss, and causes water retention because our cells absorb and hold water to protect themselves. Our bodies need an occasional long break from all that cortisol, so that the good hormones can really wash everything bad away. That is the reason for taking a day off.
As you may have seen, I have real problems with water retention and plateauing. I was doing cardio up to 2 hours a day and would only take a break if I had to (maybe once every two weeks or so). I could gain 10 pounds in two days. Then I would have to start on the diuretics as the water is bad for my heart. It would take sometimes weeks to get rid of the water and back down. Only to gain again. Diuretics are too hard on kidneys to have to do that consistently.
After doing all the research and I kept seeing this thing about cortisol, exercise, and water retention, I cut back about the beginning of the month. 45 minutes or so, 6 days a week. That is cardio now. But still, everything says you should take a total break one day a week.
You can search this on MFP and on other sites. Lots of studies.
Charlie
0 -
Welcome Charlie.Interesting reading ladies.I knew a person shouldn't exercise everyday and the exercise routine should vary.I tried harder this week so we'll see what the scale shows tomorrow.Marney you're right,any loss is a gain.We're trudging along but we'll get there.See everyone on here tomorrow.
Mary0 -
Wow Charlie, you really know your body and all the science as well. Marney is wrong about me being an exercise star--I know it is important to move but right now I do no formal exercise. My goal is to walk 5 days a week (45 minutes) and do yoga as well. I think that kind of routine is something I can do, once I get started, as long as my feet and knees work. Right now I am just focusing on recording my food, drinking my water, watching salt and carbs and sugar, keeping my protein consumption up.
I started with mfp on July 7th, my birthday, 2014, and hope to reach my goal weight of 165 by March, 2015. In July I weighed in 218.8 (I think I probably was heavier than that at some point) and I've lost about 28 pounds so far.
I was of an average weight for most of my life although I've dieted on and off my whole adult life, starting as a teen. I did not start to seriously gain weight until I was close to 50. I guess I could blame menopause but think it was more using food as comfort and being less physically active. I've been on every diet invented during my life and, in the past, had my best luck with weight watchers. However, whenever money was an issue I would stop going and the 20 pound I'd lost would return. I am so grateful to have found mfp. Since it is free and a much better support system (to me) than ww I have had more success.
0 -
Sept 5th-168. 3.5lb loss
Sept 12th-167. 1 lb loss
Sept 18-166. 1 lb loss
Sept 27-166 0lbs lost
Oct 3-165 1 lb loss
Oct 10-164 1lb loss
Oct 17-165 1lb gain
Oct 24-166 1 lb gain
Oct 31-162 4 lb loss
Nov 7th-162.5 .5 gain
Nov 14th-167.5 5lb gain
Nov 21st-163.4lb loss
Started out171.5-8 lb loss on challenge.0 -
8 lbs sounds great! Man, just think of 8 pounds of ground turkey--that's a lot! Not that I mean to compare your progress to ground turkey in a bad way, lol.0
-
Hi Guys,
Start--207
Sept. 5--205.6
Sept 12--203
Sept 19--202.8
Sept 26--200.9
Oct. 3rd--199.2
Oct. 10th-198
Oct. 17th-198.3
Oct. 24th-198
Oct. 31st--194.6
Nov. 6th -192.6
Nov. 14th-191.9
Nov. 21st-191.1
15.9 lbs of ground turkey!0 -
OK, I admit it, I have turkey on the brain.
0 -
Started this challenge at 172
Sept 5th 171 - 1 lb lost
Sept 12th 169.5 - 1½ lb lost
Sept 19th 168.5 - 1 lb lost
Sept 28th 168.5
Oct. 4th 167.5 - 1 lb lost
Oct. 10th 167 - .5 lost
Oct. 17th 167
Oct. 24th 166 - 1 lb lost
Oct. 31st 164.5 - 1.5 lb lost
Nov 7th 166 - 1.5 gain
Nov 14th 165 - 1 lb lost
Nov 21st 162 - 3 lbs lost
Total 10 lbs of ground turkey lost or a 10lb bag of potatoes!
I hope my scales at home agree but the exercise centre scales are like doctor's scales so they should be right. I was startled this morning since I was hovering around 164 all week. Of course, French fries and a burger lunch out and dinner out tonight will not help. But it was a good burger and I wanted to test French fries, since I have been gluten free for a month now. I have my answer.
Yeah us! Gayle flirting with a new decade and Mary losing 4lbs in a week. Go team go!0 -
Great job Gayle and Marney!!Now to get through Thanksgiving and company.This week will definitely be a challenge.I definitely will be challenged this week but i'm up to it.Like Marney said, go team go!Charlie,so glad you're now part of the team.
Mary0 -
Marney, funny that a 10 lbs bag of potatoes sounds heavier than 10 lbs of ground turkey. It's a better illustration for me. Let's try to check in as needed this next week. Wishing you a fabulous Thanksgiving week! A little early, I know.0
-
Hey guys, not sure how often you find yourself resorting to fast food but I was glad to see this article about healthy fast food choices.
BREAKFAST OPTIONS
*Starbuck’s Spinach and Feta Breakfast Wrap
Calories: 290; Total Fat: 10g; Saturated Fat: 3.5g; Cholesterol: 20mg; Sodium: 830mg; Carbohydrates: 33g; Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g; Protein: 19g
Panera Bread’s Power Breakfast Egg Bowl with Steak
Calories: 270; Total Fat: 17g; Sodium: 440mg; Carbohydrates: 3g; Fiber: 3g, Protein: 24g
McDonalds Fruit & Yogurt Parfait
Calories: 150; Total Fat: 2g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 5mg; Sodium: 80mg; Carbohydrates: 30g; Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g; Protein: 4g
Taco Bell A.M. Grilled Egg & Cheese Taco
Calories: 160; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 90mg; Sodium: 330mg; Carbohydrates: 15g; Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g; Protein: 7g
LUNCH & DINNER OPTIONS
Panera Bread’s Power Chicken Hummus Bowl
Calories: 270; Total Fat: 10g; Sodium: 500mg; Carbohydrates: 18g; Fiber: 4g, Protein: 27g
Check out their whole Power Menu here.
Subway’s 6” Oven Roasted Chicken Sub (Served on 9-grain wheat bread with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and cucumbers.)
Calories: 320; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 45mg; Sodium: 610mg; Carbohydrates: 45g; Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 23g
*Chipotle Steak Burrito Bowl with Romaine, Fajita Vegetables, Black Beans and Green Tomatillo Salsa
Calories: 355; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 65mg; Sodium: 1,000mg; Carbohydrates: 33g; Fiber: 15g, Sugar: 6g; Protein: 39g
*McDonalds Premium Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Calories: 350; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 65mg; Sodium: 820mg; Carbohydrates: 42g; Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g; Protein: 28g
Ordering Tip: Make it an open-faced sandwich to save 100 calories and cut 165mg sodium and nearly 20g carbs.
*Quiznos’ Small Tuna Sub with Cheese (Just ask to hold the dressing)
Calories: 410; Total Fat: 14g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 45mg; Sodium: 1030mg; Carbohydrates: 44g; Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 27g
Wendy’s Asian Chicken Salad (Large salad with 1 packet of dressing)
Calories: 335; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 90mg; Sodium: 775mg; Potassium: 1100, Carbohydrates: 26g; Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 12g; Protein: 35g
*Nutrition Note: Many fast foods, even the healthier options, contain a lot of sodium. These meals provide more than 35% (805 mg) of the daily recommendation for sodium. Try to select lower-sodium foods at other meals & snacks throughout the day to balance it out.
Elle Penner, MyFitnessPal Registered Dietitian
0 -
How are you guys doing? My scale was up today, for no apparent reason but only.5 pound so I can live with it. Threatening clouds in CO today but only flurries.0
-
Hi Guys,
Back in Williamsburg today after driving up from Hilton Head. Driving days are hard. No exercise and I found gluten free, dairy free pizza and fake ice cream in the store. A quick high salt dinner. What can I say? We were tired, it was there, and we don't have such things at home.
I am not getting on the scale today!
Gayle, .5 lb can rise or fall in an hour. Keep doing what you are doing.
I am back on track today and tomorrow. Driving to Phillie on Wednesday. Difficult because of a driving day, heavy traffic and a snow, rain mix expected and then out for dinner with friends. On home on Thanksgiving day with increasing snow on the ground as we go. At least we don't have to go via Buffalo area!
So, I will be on my own scale for weigh in day but after two driving days, I am expecting a gain. Still only one week.
The Christmas music is all around us and I haven't even though of gifts yet. I got a few things down here at the malls but not really even started,
I did however find some great fitting pants. So pleased! Haven't had pants that fit in years. However, I am hoping to shrink out of them shortly. What a dilemma! And we don't have that store in Canada.
Do you three have favourite clothes that you have had to, or aren't looking forward to, giving up? Altering or just giving away?
Keep on with the plan!
Marney0 -
Got back from my weekend business/pleasure trip to D.C. Overate and scale showed it this a.m. was up 2 pounds. Oh well. It was worth it!
We won the award at the Green Symposium for our category. I only had the symposium on Friday afternoon, so the rest of the time until I left last night was all mine!
Marney, can you get the pants on-line? Most places, even boutiques, seem to sell on-line now.
I eat out all the time. I don't like Wendy's, but I do love that Asian Cashew Chicken salad. Is spicy so be warned! I am boycotting Panera though since they did away with croissants!
Back to work tomorrow. Then have only 1/2 day on Wednesday. I do have to work Friday and Saturday though. Oh well, 3 1/2 days this week isn't bad!0 -
Hi Guys. How are you doing this week? I feel like I am struggling a bit, but only a bit.
Marney, you are really paying attention and that is more than half of it. How fun that you get to travel so much! Great that you found the pants!
Charlie, what is a Green Symposium? Congratulations for the award. You are an inspiration that you manage to lose and eat out a lot.
Mary, know you are busy with company but hang in there and we will all pick up the pieces next week.
Looking forward to the Friday weigh in--then it's full steam ahead.0 -
I work for County government as a sustainability coordinator. The symposium was to discuss ways to make correctional facilities greener. We have done a lot at our facilities and the Sheriff's Department entered this competition based on the green initiatives we have taken. Was interesting meeting with other governmental people and learning about what they are doing to "green" up their prisons and jails and the resources available to do so. Was only 2 1/2 hours. Should have been 2 1/2 days.
Oh, do you guys all weigh in on the same day? I have to weigh daily because of my heart failure, but I can post on Fridays. Well, maybe I won't want to this Friday after Thanksgiving. I've already gained two pounds being away.
I have a trick you might be interested in for eating out and even for meals you regularly cook at home. Interested?0 -
Hi Charlie. Oh yes I am interested in any tip or trick to make this better, smarter, easier! I weigh daily (or I start lying to myself) but we have a group weigh in on Fridays. I am sort of dreading the Friday after Thanksgiving but it is what it is. A new starting point, lol.
0 -
That is interesting about greener jails. Would be cool to offer green job training as well. It is important to me to work at something that makes a difference (or I try). That is right where you are as well.0
-
Any tricks that would help, particularly in eating out, Charlie. I am in awe that you have done all you have done while eating out. Any help would be welcome.
I find eating out a struggle because I have been lactose intolerant for years and now gluten intolerant has entered the picture too. However, gluten free seems to be available in most restaurants in the US (not so much in Canada) and lactose free, I am used to. It just added another dimension to making good choices.
Jobs that make a difference are so important. That is why I changed to working with seniors from a long career in Banking IT. It was fulfilling and I hope at some point to re-enter as a volunteer.
I weigh every morning when I am at home but when travelling it has only been on reporting day, Friday. I never thought about weigh in after Thanksgiving! How unfortunate in our timing! Our Thanksgiving is on a Monday in October and I never thought about reporting day.
I hope the week is going well. Talk to you on Friday.
Marney0 -
Gayle: Many prisons are offering green job training. They do so within their facilities as part of their own recycling, composting, etc. programs. At the local level, our inmates only stay an average of 13 days (no longer than a year) and job training is not offered. We are looking into developing a hydroponics garden though as it will not require a lot of training for inmates to work.
Okay, here is what I do to make eating out easier, but you must do it on your computer, you can't use the phone app. First: It is always easier to find restaurants that have their calories on-line -- so many do. I never go to a restaurant that I haven't at least looked at menu and figured out what I'm going to eat first. But that can get time consuming over and over again and sometimes you just want to make that decision fast so how I do that will be following the next paragraph.
I also keep consistent. Also, I always ask for a salad with no cheese. No croutons. And dressing on the side. I never eat more than half the dressing. Sometimes less. I just dip the fork tines in the dressing. But, that is still not my trick.
Okay here is where I change it up: After I log the meal, I use quick tools and save it as a meal. When I save it, I save it first with the total calories, then the name of the restaurant, and then what the meal was. That way, at a glance I know the calorie count without having to open up the entry.
So, I might save a meal as: 348 Bob Evans potato crusted flounder, salad, ranch, beans. The next time you go and have that meal, just go to the meals tab. (Okay, so "Meals" isn't my idea, but a lot of people don't use it even though it makes things easier and they don't know the number of calories at a glance). Also, the problem is that it isn't in order so even if you have the calorie count, you have to scroll through all your listings to find those that fit.
So, I take it a step further to make it easier to plan your meals. I highlight and copy all those meals periodically. I then paste them into an excel spreadsheet. I sort them numerically (lowest calorie to highest), tidy it up so it looks nice, and then email the list to myself and save it on my smartphone. So, if I leave work, and I have 660 calories left to eat, I look on my phone and have 45 or so meals to choose from less than 660 calories at a variety of restaurants and cuisines all in order by calories. I go all the way up to over 1000 calories. Once I eat that meal, I can go into the "meals" tab on MFP, find the meal and upload it easily. You can then add or subtract any changes you made. Like remove one veggie and add another, etc. If I change it, I save the change as a new, different meal, with the adjusted calories.
The second advantage is that since I know how many calories I have left to eat and the number of calories in the meals, I don't tempt myself by looking at higher calorie choices so that I get hungry for something I shouldn't have. Also, if I know I want a dish of ice cream later, I adjust my dinner choices to eat less to allow for that snack.
Like many people, I might enter all of this in the morning and add or subtract from there. Always good to plan your day in advance.
You can do the same thing with the foods you make all the time at home. It saves so much time and you don't have to keep starting from scratch and figuring it out. I update my excel list about every month to 6 weeks.
I am lucky though, I don't have any dietary allergies or sensitivities. Although this would make it even easier for me if I did.
It sounds way more complicated than it is. If you save your meal every time as a meal in the calorie number format, the cutting and pasting is really very fast to create you carry with you list. Oh, if you don't have a smart phone, you can carry a paper copy.
My friends who aren't dieting like this. They may call me up and say, let's have dinner, where do you want to go. I can look at how many calories I have left for that day and say, "I can go here, here, or here! You pick!"0 -
Sorry about the grammatical, typos. I was in a hurry and didn't proof-read. Hope you got the idea though. Save the meals with the calories number first, restaurant, and description. Then transfer to a take-with you list in order from lowest calorie to highest.
0
