Kicking *kitten* In Our Twenties - January Challenge!!

finncmh

Jill craziness- I have been trying to keep up and SOOO glad to hear things may be working out with the other job!!! very very cool it will definitely help to keep you in a better mental state.

Welcome back EMMMMYYYYY!!! YAY


Things seem to be moving really well on this thread this week- sorry I have been so lame at keeping up with everyone. I have been here in mind and spirit though (aka lurking the thread and reading peoples posts). Seems like everyone has been having craziness. For those of you that are newer to the thread a few months back we all talked about our jobs and what we do. Anyway- I run a small high end home goods and home furnishings store. We have tons of stuff in the store and we also do interior design work. Anyway, I am basically the sole employee/store manager so its me and the two owners who are fabulous and I adore. I love running the place for them, but this week has been NUTSO!!! They have been out of town for a week and half for a funeral and things have just been crazed here. Cant complain because I love- just a little insight in to my lack of support recently... SORRY LADIES!!!! :embarassed:

Anyway- I have still be on MFP logging food and exercise even witht he craziness so that is a good thing. I did go to the gym last night for my cardio. Head just was not in it again BUT I got on the treadmill did my 10min warmup (even up to 9:59 I was still trying to decide if I was going to run or do the bike- my foot felt great I just wasnt mentally in to it). Anyway, got off did my stretching and decided I needed to just get over it and run. So I did- I ran my mile and increased it by 10% as Meag suggested... so did 1.1 miles- and let me tell you it was TOUGH last night. I think my body was so sore from doing Jillian the day before instead of my typical lifting routine. So I was sucking wind- and almost gave up a few times but I didnt. I got through the mile and was hurting physically but felt great mentally. So to still get in a good cardio workout I hopped on the bike and did hills for 20 minutes. All in all I am happy with the the results and that I found a good balance of pushing through a mental road block but still listen to my body.... anyway hope this made sense!!!!

Miss you ladies- hoping to get back in the swing of things on here in the next few days!

meagalayne

Meag--I hope you can catch up on your sleep! I think you are the busiest girl I know! Great job on your continued awesomeness at working out and healthy cooking! Have you ever thought about being a nutritionist/trainer/healthy lifestyle coach??? Seriously, you would be great at it!

I probably just make myself SOUND busy I am sure I could be busier! I just procrastinate a lot and spend an unhealthy amount of time on MFP hehe

I would LOVE to work towards a career in health + fitness but the industry is horrendous and I already cannot stand dealing with all the BeachBody coaches and folks out there to make a buck off the backs of people desperate to find a quick fix. I would love to dedicate my time to helping people work towards healthier living, but if it means dealing with all that garbage, I'd rather just do it on my spare time and with people I trust and care about :happy: But yea - I think I'd be pretty awesome at it too! So thanks! :blushing:

For a while I've been toying with the idea of opening my own business once I'm financially stable. If I can make it something I'm passionate about, like food/fitness, then all the better. But I know that I'll end up doing something that makes me happy so I am alright with doing other *kitten* in the meantime. It's all about making the best of what you've got, IMO.

Anyway, glad to see all the action in here. Keep it moving, ladies!

cheralicia

Hey everyone just spent the last little while catching up on here. So much going on! I guess I'll catch on eventually, but you guys are really good at replying to everyone! For now, I'll try with a few replies ...

Meag - I think starting your own business (if it's financially feasible of course) is an excellent way to make a living from doing the things you love. If you've got the right idea and your heart is in it - go for it! You seem like you have a lot to give to the health/fitness industry! How saturated is the Hamilton area with what you'd be interested in? To your question earlier, I am in Toronto now, pretty close to Hamilton.

Jill - I'm sorry to hear about losing your job but definitely sounds like you'll soon be on to much bigger and better things! Plus you have an excellent attitude toward it all, I'm sure what will get you back up on your feet in no time!

meggonk - good job on the 10k run! That's almost 8 minutes under your goal time, good for you! I'm inspired.

Seripha - What kind of cleanse are you doing and how long do you do it for?

Now this is a noob question, but what is AFM?? I'm gonna go and take a guess that it's some acronym to indicate the rest of the forum? I keep seeing it and for a while I was wondering who AFM was...lol.

So I went to my yoga class on Tuesday and Duncan (my fave instructor) really gave it to us! It's supposed to be a core/vinyasa class and he killed it on the Core part. Love him for pushing us! This also means I met half my goal for the week! Yay! I've been home sick since Wednesday so haven't made it up to the gym yet but I think I'll go up tomorrow and get some cardio in. I really have no excuse, the gym is in my building.

Oh yah, I made my scale goal! Dropped 1lb. I want to wait until the end of the week though to see if it sticks. I've been really good in sticking to my diet so it should be legit!

QOTD - the last time I had a really good laugh was the other day when my 4yo nephew asked why I have to pull my eyes down to take out my "tic tacs"... we asked him what he was talking about and he said "you know, her tacs, her tic tacs". LOL then we make the contact lens connection. He makes me laugh on a daily basis.

seripha

Cheralicia - AFM = As for Me, TOM = Time of the Month. (The second one always pops up on this thread, so I thought I would give you a forewarning

It's not really a cleanse that involves eating weird stuff or doing it for an exact number of days. It's just hot water, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper (cayenne cleanse drink under recipes). It's supposed to help your digestive system get rid of all the bad stuff and promote regularity. I'm going to do it for about a month I think and most recommend 2 - 3 weeks for people that don't like the taste, but you could do it indefinitely if you like. I know that after a week it's really helped my IBS, so it's a win for me. It's not for losing weight or anything like that though. Just for assisting digestion

AFM - Totally binged on Haribo gummy bears. Ended up way over my calorie intake for today even with the extra pushups, sit ups and lunges at the end of the day to try and make up for it. I'm proud that I logged it because I could have just not and pretended to be 'good' like I sometimes feel like I should. Or not log it at all and not complete my diary for the day. But I'm trying to be accountable and shrugging this off as one bad day of the week. Tomorrow will be better (my diary was awesome today until after work) and I will be able to keep going.

On a positive note, had some people at work today say I was looking super fit this (academic) year. I'm glad people are noticing that I'm working hard on my health. Even if I am not losing as much as I would like, I'm definitely toning up and sliming down measurement wise. My yoga pants I bought back in September that were a little tight are now super loose

tjradd73

Meag-you should totally open a smoothie and healthy salad shop or something! those are really popular out here i know!

Cheralicia-great job on meeting your scale goal and you have 11 days to keep it off plus maybe more! wtg!

Seripha-way to log your calories still.. its really important in my opinion so you know why what happens happens...if that makes sense! and congrats on your compliments from others...feels great doesnt it?

emmarie1630

hey everyone! I haven't posted here in a while... this thread takes off so quickly it's hard to keep up! I just wanted to let all of you know that I have been trying to catch up as frequently as possible and you all are SO inspiring! This thread is awesome. I wish I had more time to catch up right now individually but I really need to get to bed. It's been hard getting back in the swing of things for school. New schedule to get used to!

meag- I can totally see you in that line of business! You would most definitely make a difference in peoples' lives! Your positive attitude is always so inspiring.
seripha- way to stay true to logging your cals! I feel the exact some way sometimes when I see the angry red numbers.. but that just reminds me that this is exactly what this site is for, and tomorrow is a new day!

And to be honest I had no clue what AFM meant until that previous post.. haha! So now I can use the proper lingo
sooo AFM- I have been really proud of myself staying true to my goals of more workouts and water this month (and in general.) I've been to the gym almost every day since the semester started and I've been taking my water bottle with me to class, the gym-- everywhere. So I was pretty disappointed when I got on the scale yesterday for the first time in a while and it said I was up about 1.6 pounds. Although now I realize it could have been because it's my TOM now. Or maybe because I've also been starting to lift weights consistently over the past couple weeks. HOPEFULLY it's one of those because that was pretty discouraging.
And one thing that's hanging over my head is wedding dress shopping. My wedding is now in less than 5 months and I haven't looked for a dress yet. I know, that's shocking. I keep trying to wait until I think I'll be comfortable enough (not ideal weight-- just more comfortable) to see myself in a dress but I'm afraid it's never going to come. I'm running out of time! I may just have to bite the bullet and try one on soon... like yesterday-soon. yikes. Everyone tells me I can always get the dress altered as I lose more weight, I'm just afraid I'll see myself in the dress now and get totally discouraged and hate the way it looks.
Alright, that's enough of me being a Debbie Downer for one night! Keep it up, everyone! Even if I'm not constantly active on my posts I'm always trying to catch up and I love reading about your success!

cheralicia

TGIF! I hope everyone is having a great Friday, mmm maybe I should start a QOTD? - How do the weekends factor into your diet/fitness routine, do you keep it up straight through or consider it a free-zone?
- Personally, as much as I always plan to go to the gym on the weekends or stick to my health plan, it always goes out the window. Some weekends I'll be good but generally I'm much more controlled during the week. This weekend I foresee being good except for tomorrow morning. Family brunch at a great restaurant, kind of like dim sum with over the top, decadent ingredients. I love food too much to deny myself but I will stay away from the wheat/meat. I'll make up for it with some gym-time though.

Seripha - That mixture is what my husband uses when he's sick, he says it helps kill the bacteria, so I guess it's good for many things. Glad to hear it's helping your IBS. As for your tone-up, that's great! Even if the scale doesn't say much has changed, the inch loss is what really counts! It's also good that you made the effort to log the excess calories. Seeing the jump in your diary may help curb you next time, but with that said, it's OK to cheat every once in a while! (and thanks for the acronym update)

emmarie - don't let the scale discourage you from wedding dress shopping! It's so much fun once you actually get in there and start trying things on. Plus, like your friend said, you can always take the dress in when weight comes off. I had my wedding dress taken in 3 times before the actual day. Just don't do the other way around, I had a friend buy her dress too small in anticipation of weight loss and 3 weeks before her wedding she nearly killed herself trying to lose weight and squeeze into it.

KanCrav

Gonks- Awesome run!~!... everyone here that runs have really inspired me to see what I can do. I was ALOT, but my goal this weekend is to go to the gym and see what I can acomlish on the treadmill. I get really bad shin splints, even from walking sometimes, but Im gonna give it a shot anyway.

Radd- Keep up the good work! I feel like I havent gotten too much dont this month, but when you said we still have 12 days I got excited!~!

emmarie- I understnad how you feel about not wanting to try on dresses. My clothes situation is not as important as a wedding dress, but all my winter clothes are black stupid sweaters cuz I was fat and depressed last winter and thats all I bought. But I dont want to try anything else on because I feel just as fat everytime I try anything new, so I just gave up! Its all mental. Go out with a bunch of girlfriends, and let them be honest with you, you might not feel completly comfortable, but at least you will get over the initial scare. Hell, you might even love the way you look!~!

Serphia- Congrats on the compliments!~!~! I bet that made your day, hell it should make your month!~!

AFM- not too excited about this week, watching these two other dogs has really taken it out of me. I feel like all I do is walk dogs all day! I have to take mine out for at least 20 min or he gets mad at me. So needless to say, I didnt get in too much "good cardio" I did loose one pound, so I am at 166. I wanted to be lower, last week it kept flipping between 166 and 167, so I just went with the higher. I guess I am on the right track, as you have all reminded me before, at least im not gaining weight! I want to get to the gym this week. i do home workouts, but I just dont think its enough since I dont work, I dont get too much extra movement daily. (Other than cleaning!~!) My husband comes back today, its been a week since ive seen him.. so thats fun. I just hope I can make it through the weekend and be good with my calories. I also started taking a multivitamin today. I have been SO TIRED this past week. I dont know if its cuz I am depressed or if my body just realized how much I have been doing, in realation to the past few months and it wanted a break. So we will see if the vitamins help, if not, my body will just have to get used to it. I plan on bringing it next week!~!~!

meggonkgonk

Meag- If you ever open a health/fitness related business, let us know! Mayhaps we can arrange a trek to the Great White North to check it out!

Seripha- I love those gummy bears!! My bf's grandma buys them for him in like bulk- but I can totally understand about going overboard with them. Way to log!! I actually use them on my long runs...cuz gels creep me out. There was a whole article on Runners World about alternatives to gels, and I guess gummies are all carb and sugar which is what your body needs for those runs...so and excuse to eat gummies! yay !

Emmarie- I would say hitting wedding dress shopping, even just to try on and get a feel for the shape/silohuette you want for your body. Even when you lose weight, the same type of dress will still be generally applicable/complimentary and you def want time for alterations (don't forget to leave room in your dress budget for them- they can run as much as 20% of the cost of the dress!) . But I think going out soon and just as you are will be good- learn to give your body some love as it is! Good luck and keep us posted.

Cheralicia: good luck with brunch! I hope you get in all your gym time!

QOTD: How do the weekends factor into your diet/fitness routine, do you keep it up straight through or consider it a free-zone?

I proly fall somewhere in between on this one- I have slightly different rules for the weekends than I do for during the week. For 1 my WI is Sat morning so usually there is 1 splurge on either Sat or Sun (take out, or big homemade breakfast, or something similar). Also the boy isn't so strict on when he needs to eat, but he likes more meat/cheese based meals (which rack up cals fast) so usually we will do sleep in/late breakfast/me little snack/ big late lunch-dinner/ me little snacks til bed. It's not what I would prefer at work, but it allows us to eat some of the junky food we love to bond over (did I mention our first "date" consisted of grocercy shopping and proceeding to eat ALL of the marshmellows out of a giant, 7$ box of Lucky Charms?) without going too overboard. I'm also pretty lax with my workouts- I usually have a run scheduled Friday and Saturday, but I almost always miss 1 of them. But again, with the boy more in the picture over the weekend, I don't really stress about it because we walk a TON. Like bare minimum, we walk about 3-4 miles a day over the weekends (our apts are about 1.75 mi apart, we shop, we go between apts, we love to walk after dinner, even in the snow). So even if I miss one or even both workouts, I don't usually stress about it too much.

So yea, AFM-- today is a sad day. Last week I posted about how my best friend in the office is moving to Boston. Her last day was supposed to be last friday but she decided to stay another week to help the transition. So yay! I had an extra week but that also means that today is the last day. And it's bumming me out. But I'm trying to be all stiff upper lippy cuz I know she's bummed about leaving (her fiance lives in Boston and his job earns more...so there you go). But I am putting together a surprise that I think she will LOVE- one of my (boss') authors sends out this CRAZY calendar every new year of her cats (no I'm not lying, she really goes to kinkos and makes us calendars every year) and my friend was jealous (this is the kind of crazy, silliness over which we bond) of my copy. So I got her one and had all the other assistants sign it and I'm marking it with all manner of crazy holidays and other such observances. It's going to be epic. So focusing on that and not on the missing her angle. *sniffles* yea focused on the calendar...

meggonkgonk

Kandace, I think we replied at the same time :-)

1- 1 lb a week seems so so slow, but it does add up! Even looking back before I started MFP I lonly ost about a lb a month (I wasnt tracking, just trying to cut down on junk and commit to exercising) which was a total of 8lbs before I started (putting me in another "decade") It seems soooo slow but if you focus on doing the right things for your body, pretty soon it's 4 months later and you are (almost) in the 140's and you're like "How'd that happen?"

Also you look like you are mostly on track for your January goal- pretty positive

Any ways I just wanted to say keep pluggin along. 166 is a great number to be at from where you started. Keep focused, we know you can do it!

Have good time with the hubby!!

meagalayne

Good morning/afternoon lovely ladies and THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY! Am I right?!?! :drinker: The only bummer is that I actually work on weekends, but it's so nice that my boyfriend actually has some time off work and we can do things during the day together. So despite work, weekends are still my fave!

Couldn't believe it last night - I actually had a REALLY good shift at the night club. No one was a d*ck to me, I didn't have to break up any fights, all the trashy drunk women were friendly and hilarious instead of rude b*tches like usual. Oh, and it was totally dead apart from about 100 regulars - so everyone was really chill and it was an easy night. Additionally, the night club is under-going serious renos so my whole work area is getting totally revamped and it looks so much better already. I think the change just put me in a great mood - I love change for the better! :bigsmile:

Also, I managed to actually stick to my food diary and what I had logged for the day instead of snacking when I got home. It took every ounce of will-power, and I found myself pacing in the kitchen a few times at 4am without even realizing it, but I held strong and didn't put a single morsel of food past my lips after work. Huge victory for me. Granted, I was friggen STARVING when I woke up this morning.... But not to fear, Blueberry Yoatgurt to the rescue! Mmmmmmm...

Woke up this AM and weighed myself - Full on maintenance, baby! 126.5lbs exactly, so I am happy with that :bigsmile: Kind of worrisome only because I've been working my *kitten* off at the gym, but I'll just take it with a smile for now! No time to worry when you feel this good!

How are the green monster experiments going, ladies? On tap for today's shake is the following:

1/2 to 1 cup almond milk
3 oz silken tofu, soft
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 large handful spinach
1 Tbsp natural PB

Breakdown (w/ 1 cup of almond milk) : Cals 286, Carbs 34, Fat 14, Protein 11, Fiber 8, Sodium 171
Such an awesome balanced snack! Replace the PB with flax, chia or just leave it out entirely, if the fat is a concern but it's all healthy fats so I say bring it on!

I have no idea how much milk I'll need to give this a smoothie-like consistency, but we'll see. Hoping the frozen fruit thickens it well with the tofu. I like my shakes so thick I can eat them with a spoon - I find them WAY more satisfying than just the protein + water combination, and for only an extra 100 calories and delicious fruit goodness, it's worth it. I've been reading about the benefits of silken tofu in smoothies and it seems all good to me. I'll let you guys know how it tastes!

Thanks everyone for your wonderful, supportive comments RE: my future career. I have no idea what I'm going to be doing but for right now I just need to dig in, work for someone else for a few years, save up and pay off some school loans, and get myself settled. It'll give me some time to decide which avenue I'd like to take with a potential business in the future, and maybe some time to take night classes in business & nutrition. If I could start up my own "start-up" by 30 (6 years from now) I'd be very happy with that. I know that life has a funny way of turning plans upside-down, so I am not too stressed about my timeline. As long as I am moving into my 30s and 40s working towards this as my ultimate dream-job goal, I am happy :happy: But for right now, I can't afford to do much else but work, run and job search. So I'll just keep on trekking with that!

Gonks - You know I would! You'd be getting a first class invite and all the special treatment, too My lovely girls from Kickin' *kitten* would always be welcome :bigsmile: Open invitation for anyone! Sorry to hear about the work-bff-sadness, though... I have been there and it is totally lame. Hopefully they'll bring someone new on that you'll be able to bond with and enjoy. The calendar surprise sounds adorable and I'm sure your work buddy is going to love it. Very sweet of you! At least now you've got a buddy in Boston to visit on the cheap, though, right? Enjoy your last day with her and make the most of it Meg. Big hugs coming your way - At least you have this crew to socialize with during your work hours - Holla!

Cheralicia - Everywhere is saturated with bogus health and "wellness" stores. To be perfectly honest, I have negative patience for all the homeopathic/natural remedy/natural supplement type stores and their patrons, and think it's perfectly possible to just eat regular ol' food, exercise lots, get tons of water and stay super healthy. The only "supplement" I take is whey protein, and even that is a new addition on account of how much I work-out (and needing a quick and easy post-workout meal). Health food stores, by and large, make me want to punch someone in the face -- A majority of the stuff they peddle is placebo, and I am a true believer in NOT getting ripped off (or ripping other people off), so it really rubs me the wrong way to see people buying Glucosamine & Chondrotin or any other whack garbage that has never been found to have any scientifically significant effect on our health and wellness just because some "health expert" has recommended it. Woaaa END RANT! haha

Sorry there. I just get carried away. I'm a total skeptic by nature. I do what works for me but I also do my research - we all should, but most people have no time and want others to do it for them. It is what it is. If I were going to open up my own business it would most likely be along the lines of a food/cafe/activity hub type lounge for fitness folks to fuel up with healthy, homemade goods, pre and post-work out and to enjoy a healthy balanced diet on the run. It'd also love to incorporate actual fitness in some respect, either with classes or training groups, or maybe a fitness room... It's my opinion that it really shouldn't cost you anything extra to be the healthiest version of YOU. Opening a business on my end would be more a way to serve the community than to make $$ - I've never cared much for profit or material wealth and I would only ever want to make enough to get by. Its all just fuzzy blue prints in my head right now. I have no idea where I'm going to be in a few years, and I'm not sure this sort of business would take off in Hamilton, so I'll have to figure it out once I get there. Just a "dream job" I've been toying with lately...

Emma & Tara - Thanks girls :bigsmile: Sounds like you're both doing great! Don't stress too much about the dress shopping, Emma. As others have already mentioned - you can always get it taken in. I totally get what you mean about not wanting to see yourself in a wedding dress until you are feeling a little better about your progress -- you want it to be perfect, of course! -- but take time to enjoy the "reason for the season" (I know it's not xmas but I love cliches) and find a dress that makes you feel good at this weight. In a few months, even after dropping some weight, your body image will not have changed that drastically, to be honest. You'll be smaller and happier and proud of what you accomplished, but for the most part what looks good and makes you feel special now will make you feel the same way on your wedding day, if not even better since you'll be looking FIT and FABULOUS in it! So find something you like, and that fits your body, now - that would be my advice!

OK well that's all I've got - thankfully! haha Gosh my posts are always epic. Have a great day everyone!! I've got Chicken + Veg StirFry with Thai Peanut Sauce on the menu for tonight :bigsmile: If it turns out as yummy as it sounds, I"ll definitely pass on the recipe! It's supremely easy too!
Meag

mkingraham

Good Afternoon Everyone!

Jill- That sucks about getting fired, but awesome that you already have a really good possibility that seems to be just waiting to knock on your door!

Gonk- I moved a lot as a kid, Navy Brat, so I know that your gift is going to make her day! I loved getting silly fun stuff that only that friend who gave it to me really understood my weird reasons for enjoying it.

Meag- that is awesome that you resisted the food. I know exactly how hard it is to do that, but exactly how good it feels after you realize that you accomplished it.

Kan- a 1lb loss is great! That is one less pound you now have to carry around- so YEAH for you!!!

AFM- Today I took a spin class at work and it wasn't from my usual instructor. Now before I entered class I made a mental note to push myself hard. At the end of class we were doing a climbing drill and before we started I added two extra turns of resistance pass what I normal do. So I was pushing myself hard. The instructor then proceeds to get off her bike, stand in front of mine, and say, "someone isn't trying very hard." I wanted to punch her in her face! HOW RUDE!!!! I was pushing myself hard. She doesn't know me, doesn't know what I need to do to fit within my goals, and how dare you tell me I'm not trying hard enough when you aren't even on your friggin bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was so angry and it made me want the workout to just be over! Luckily that was the last drill so I just powered through with the knowledge that I was indeed pushing myself. ARG! Its been a frustrating morning thanks to this lady. Ok- now that I got that out. Here's to a fantastic weekend!

Megan

lostalykat

Good morning everyone! We are in different time zones so I always respond a little later hehe. Thanks for putting up a QOTD not that I mind doing it, I just don't know what to write sometimes.

Meag- I think it would be awesome to open a heath related business. I always toy with that idea, I am going to become a spin instructor this summer(in hopes that I can make some extra money in my free time) and I have always dreamed about opening a workout studio or something. especially since I live in a smaller town where we don't have a huge selection of gyms, granted I am really close to others outside of town, but hey I don't want to drive all the time. Hooray on maintenance, I can't wait until I get there. You have worked so hard and should be proud.

KanCrav- 1lb is nothing to shake a stick at, be happy and focus on non scale goals next week.

AFM- I took last night off working out since I think I was coming down with something(why I had a headache last 3 days) I just needed rest I think. I still feel a little off so tonight will be the same since I have training in the morning. I pushed myself a little too hard last week and worked out for 7 days straight, I guess I just really wanted to see a loss. Well I did! I lost .8! Thank god the number is going down consistently instead of going up. I feel really good and in control and I am happy I made the switch back to Weight Watchers. I have run and bike training this weekend, but I might try to get in the pool sometime depending. Pretty busy weekend with lots of family and friend stuff going on.

I just ordered a motivation bikini for Hawaii, I am going to take a picture of me in it when it comes in the mail and again right before Hawaii. here is the pic if your interested.

http://www.victoriassecret.com/ss/Satellite?ProductID=1265360892677&c=Page&cid=1265365108043&pagename=vsdWrapper

QOTD: How do the weekends factor into your diet/fitness routine, do you keep it up straight through or consider it a free-zone?

I am really bad about this one, I used to just have weekends be my free time. But then I gained about 7lbs back that I lost. I usually get around 3+ hours of exercise with the team during the weekends and I would use that as an excuse to eat whatever I wanted. Now I am going to limit it to one free meal a weekend and hope for the best. I did that last weekend and it was really good for me since I saw a loss. This weekend will be challenging because I have a few events going on with family and friends, I am going to let myself enjoy myself but track the whole time.

meagalayne

LOVE the bikini Aly! Wow! :noway: Maybe one day I'll be able to wear one of those and feel good about myself... Sigh. Definitely not any time soon! haha But you'll look smashing, I'm sure. What a great motivator!

Megan - HOW RUDE! Wow I can't believe an instructor would do that. Such poor taste and incredibly unprofessional. She's supposed to be there encouraging you to push harder not putting you down in front of everyone else... :noway: Very disappointing. If I were you, I'd approach her the next time you see her at the gym, and let her know how discouraging and completely out of line her comments were. If she's got nothing positive to say, then she shouldn't be saying anything at all. There was NOTHING constructive about her comment. Glad you powered through any way and felt good about how hard you were working. I am sure you kicked *kitten*!!

QOTD (which I totally ignored): How do the weekends factor into your diet/fitness routine, do you keep it up straight through or consider it a free-zone?

I try to go straight though, but I allow for some treats here and there. I spend a lot of time with the boy and it's hard to accommodate his preferences and my food neurosis. I tend to burn a lot on Sunday's long run, which makes up for any minor food transgressions throughout the weekend. I also work late and on my feet, so that screws around with my eating and my workout schedules, and usually has me sleeping in a bit. Pushes all my meals back, etc. So basically i have no real "routine" and I shouldn't have even tried to answer this question... Yep, you're welcome. Totally senseless response, once again hahahaha You guys must hate me some days! :laugh:

seripha

Aly - I have been wanting to order that bikini for like EVAR. But I promised myself I wouldn't order any of the shinies off VS because I'm trying to save up money for mexico next christmas. I think if we were in the same town we'd TOTES be friends, we seem to have a lot in common

Megan - Some fitness instructors think by getting all in your face that it's a good motivator. It doesn't work that way for most people, just demotivates them especially if they're working hard. Good for you for pushing it though, even if your instructor was a dink. Did you tell her off? I would have...

Meag - In my experience frozen fruit always thickens everything, so much so that you might have to add extra liquid. I'm sure it will be delish

QOTD - I usually go for a run on either Saturday or Sunday, depending on what I have going on. It's usually pretty short / wrap up for the week. I also try really hard to stick to my cals for the weekend too. No special treats unless I go for an epic run.

AFM - Wanted to share some of the photos of the earrings I made last night. I'm really proud of them. Totally wearing the purple ones today Sorry about the orientation, but you get the idea

meagalayne

OK - Dinner was awesome! Chicken + Veg stirfry was a huge hit. So yummy and filling! And for only 275 cals? You better believe it'll be happening again! Could have it with rice or some other side but it wasn't even necessary. I was STUFFED once we finished eating. I'll be posting the recipe tomorrow for sure. Just snuck on here for a minute while Tyler does work (yes, work, at 12:30am because he's a slave to his job :grumble:) to catch up, but I guess there isn't much action... Damned Friday night. And you all have lives! How dare you

Had a decent food day but far from perfect. Making some cornmeal pancakes in the AM and then going to run them off with Ty for a few miles. Hoping to have a somewhat healthier day following the pancakes but we'll see what happens. Work at night, so it could be dicey.

Have a great Saturday everyone!
Meag

PS. Cute, cute earrings Seripha! Wish I could wear cute girly stuff like that, but I was all punk'ed out in my youth and stretched my ears to high heaven....Ahhh choices! haha

tjradd73

Emmarie-Great job on sticking to your goals and I wouldnt be too worried about the gain, it could be from TOM or the strength training you never can tell?! Did you take your measurements at the beginning of the month?? hopefully you will see a big change in those
and you for sure can take in your dress if and when you need too!! when i had gotten married(many yrs ago! haha) i had to have mine taken down 4 sizes!! if you pick one that you think looks good on you now just imagine how good it will look when you have to have it taken in!!

Kandace-i know it seems like there is so many less days in January...no worries we still have 10 days to go!!! and with you being 1lb away from your goal...you should for sure hit it!! keep up the great work! and i agree that vitamins are a great idea

Gonks-sorry to here about your friend, its hard when you have frineds move away...with me living in such a transient city i see it all of the time! it sucks sorry again

Megan-I am sooo sorry to hear about the trainer...that's rough! you know how you did compared to normal and always remember that and your success and you will continue to do great!

Seripha- very cute earrings!! i bet those beads would look great on a bracelet too!

QOTD-As for my weekends...I work Sun-Tues so my weekends are 4 days every week! awesome for social life but not great for diet!! i do really great with eating during work but not working out since i work 12.5hrs a shift! and then on the "weekends" i do way better on my WO's but i tend to eat more...not bad....just more! still think i do ok since i am never over my calories still though

AFM-i FINALLY got the damn elliptical put togethor tonight so I will be doing my first WO on it tomorrow and I am pumped! I also got an extra WO in today for the week so i feel pretty good about that

angelsandwolves09

Holy Cow this thread moves fast!!! :noway:

lol, will try to post to everyone...if I miss ya I apologize!!!

tijradd73- Congrats on getting the elliptical together and on getting the extra workout!!! It's awesome to see people excited about working out!!

meagalayne- Chicken and vegie stir fry sounds awesome and I would love to get the recipe from ya!! Hope you have an amazing day tomorrow!!

seripha- those earings are cute! did it take long to make them? you should be proud!! i know i couldn't do it!! lol

lostalykat- congrats on the weight loss!! take care of yourself and don't over work your body!! I have heard of several people who get seriously sick because of that!! and good luck with your training this weekend!! hope it goes great!!...that bikini is gorgeous!!

AFM- I haven't been doing any cardio because I had a preggo scare!! but i took a home PT and it came back negative so I decided to get a little exercise in before work. Gonna take another one in the morning just to be sure, and if it says negative, then it's on!! lol I am missing doing the Shred and the feeling it gives me after!! Seeing all of you sticking to your goals makes me want to continue pushing on!! I did break down at work and kind of overindulged, but it wasn't too bad with the calories burned from working out. I was doing some searching on weight loss sites and came across the atkins diet page....I have heard a lot about it...both good and bad....then I was reading posts on here and it seems a lot of people are on the weight watchers program. I am thinking about joining myself...but I'm not sure if it's for me. We had a new gym open on the 1st and I am going to check it out tomorrow...hopefully it's got some great people in it so I can have a place to go workout other than these 4 walls I call home....lol...And no sooner did Tanner's tooth break through, now he's got another one coming up!!! It's killing me to see him in so much pain!!! I tried the natural teething tablets, baby orajel, teething rings...lots and lots and nothing seems to alleviate the pain!!! So I'm hoping it just hurries up and comes on through so he won't have to be in so much pain. Till then, it looks like a bunch of late nights filled with gum rubs and massages for me and little man. Can't say I'm complaining too much....cuz I love the bonding time....just would much rather prefer it to happen during daylight hours!! lol

KanCrav

Meagalayne- I LOVE chicken stir fry! I make it all the time, not sure how many calories I put into it, but Im working on paying more attention to the way I cook so I can control more aspects of it.

Gonks- It sucks that your friend left. The calendar is AWESOME. She will look at it everyday and remember that you gave it to her. I hope you know that you started a tradition though and your gonna have to send her one every year!~!~! As a yound army wife, I have made many friends that I didnt want to loose. And I have found that the right ones always keep in touch. So dont worry too much, I know your work day wont be as fun, but look at it this way, now you have a pen pal! I know with email and the web, writing letter and sending cards seems like a lost art, but its SO FUN! My best friend from back home and I send each other stupid things in the mail all the time. Its nice to open the mail box and get something random for no reason, especially cuz its not a bill!!! She is having a really hard month so I am sending her some boxed chocolates for Valentines Day. But the last email I got from her she said that she hates valentines day and boxed chocolates taste bad (shes having relationship issues) so I am taking out all the chocloate and wrapping them in a little jar, then filling the spaces in the box with little inspirational notes. I know its corney, but I love that kind of stuff!!

Angel- I have heard alot about the atkins diet too. But I dont like the word diet. I also did south beach and man did i drop the pounds!, but it all came back!~!... I think the best way is to learn about food and its nutrional value and just start eating what your body needs. Everyone has their own thing, but I just cant stick with a diet plan, so I just log in recipe ideas and make them healthier as I go.


hey, its saturday and guess where i went at 10am... THE GYM!~! Im so proud of myself! Running ppl ( I dont have everyones name down yet sorry) but you have motivated me to see what I can do. I did my frist mile on the treadmil today!~! 12.40 !~! My husband said it was pretty good, so maybe in a few weeks I will be more comfortable with it. I got up to 6mph and could only hold onto that for about 3 min, i got really lightheaded and knocked it back down to 3. But all in all, 12.40 for the whole thing. I feel like I could have pushed myself more but I have a bad ankle and I didnt want to really hurt myslef and not be able to keep exercising. I also had my husband coahc me through his core workout. Not sure what the names of everything I did was, but I was at muscle faliure by the end when we did planks, so I think I did pretty good. Now I just gotta keep it up through the week. Im going to see how much gym time I can get in this week and make a Feb goal to keep it consistant. Dont tell, its a secret, but I think I am getting excited about working out~!~!

Sorry for all the ranting, I guess that workout really got me going, i dont know what to do with all this energy!~!

lostalykat

Morning Everyone! I hope everyone had a fun friday night.
KanCrav(candace?)- Good job on the workout! It always feels good when you can push yourself beyond what you think you can do! Keep the faith! That is awesome. Keep at it and you will be a runner in no time

Angels- I am on Weight Watchers and this is my 3rd time in my life. It all depends on what works for you. I like WW better than just straight counting because I tend to be a little obsessed and stressed out about calorie numbers. WW uses points which is better for me. They also put everything in a weekly perspective instead of a day. You have an alloted amount of points a day and then extra points for the week in case you have a meal out or something. I have had good results with it, but I know people did well with just calorie counting as well. Also with WW you are paying money so it make it more serious for me.

AFM- My friday was pretty mellow. We had a Thai Beer Stirfry, it was really good. I also enjoyed a beer and some fruit. I was good on points but then had a square of chocolate. It only put me over a few and I have reserve. Today I have a run with the team and then it is a house warming party with friends. I know I can be good with my points, I have faith in myself!! Have a great weekend everyone.

wardiemelissa

Holy moly!!!! This thread is just a jumping like crazy!!! I hate to admit it because I don't want it to come true...but I am feeling like CRAP!!! I have had a headache for 2 days straight and my sinuses are OUT OF CONTROL!!! Thank goodness yesterday was my rest day...I don't think I could've ran yesterday if I wanted too :sick:

We did go to our local Coney restaurant last night and I ordered a cup of chicken noodle soup and a garden burger (no fries). Came home took some meds and was asleep on the couch by 8:00-my kids were poking me at about 9:00 telling me to go to bed! How sad :frown:

Not happy because I ended up getting picked for jury duty for next week...not easy for an educator because I basically had to prepare a whole weeks worth of plans and have everything all set yesterday for the entire week...UGH!!! I'm thinking of just acting really sick and maybe they won't use me!!!

I was also reading my Parents magazine this morning and Myfitnesspal.com was mentioned in an article as a good tool for online weight loss tracking. Thinking about writing or emailing the magazine and giving props to this site

Today is supposed to be another rest day according to my HH 1/2 training with tomorrow being a 5K race (which I am running on the treadmill) but I may run a little today...who knows!

Meag-I chicken stir-fry too!! going grocery shopping today and gonna pick up some more spinach and some tofu (trying out your green monster) along with some veggies for stir fry!! Good job on maintainance!!! Keep kicking *kitten* with your 1/2 training!!!

KanCrav-great job on taking up running! I never thought of myself as a runner...but 1 year later here I am training to run a 1/2 marathon in April :happy: I to run!!! It is my time to reflect and re-energize!!!

Serphia- those earrings!!!! I am not much of a jewlery person...I wear the same earrings, rings, bracelets, and necklace EVERYDAY!!! But if I those I would switch them up fo' sure!!!

tjradd73-yeah on getting the elliptical put together...I remember when we first got our treadmill it took my hubby awhile to put it together and he finally had to lock me out of the bedroom because apparently I was "bothering" him...:laugh:

Have a great Saturday, everyone!!!
:drinker: Melissa

spellbinder25

Good Morning!!

Sorry I've not been posting on this thread recently. Don't know where time flies. Haven't been doing anything special yet I can't explain what I've been busy with

I have, however, ensured that I log my food & exercise everyday, and that I go to the gym at least thrice a week (on days that I run). I didn't lose any weight on last WI, whcih was Monday, but I didn't gain either. I think I'm eating healthier than I did in the first half of this month. Also, finally, my husband has started going to the gym with me & surprising is logging his food on MPF too!!! It started with me wanting to see his calorie intake & he didn't like the idea, but he did want to see & understand what I was doing. And, then yesterday he logged everything on his own. :drinker: He's also happy that he has about 400-500 calories remaining everyday & that I'm either going over or barely managing to stay under mine.

Today it's going to be difficult for me to stay under since I have only 1200 calories and have left overs from a Thai restaurant for lunch & then friends will be coming over for dinner. I'll be happy if I don't exceed 1500. I think I better hit the gym right now to get some extra calories, else that may not happen if I leave it to later.

Will be back soon (maybe in a day or two) & then will start replying to all of you. I'm really feel bad for not doing it now. :embarassed: You all are such a good support system. Love you all & hope you all have a great weekend!! :drinker:

mkingraham

Happy Saturday everyone!

Woohoo for the weekend. Work this week was CRAZY! I love having three day weekends, but then it just means I have to cram 5 days worth of work into 4 days- but I got a lot done this week and did really well keeping up with the exercise. We are having some friends over for dinner tonight. I went over to my girlfriends yesterday and she is really supportive of trying to eat healthy- she's a marathoner so she totally gets it-and we made turkey "hamburger" steaks with a mushroom sauce. So delicious and only 276 calories! YUMMY!!! She was even patient as I copied down the ingredient info so that I could log everything into MFP when I got home.

The benefit of having everyone come over tonight is I know exactly what's going in my food and how much to have. So I am excited to serve everyone some good for you food. They don't need to know that its good for you until after they eat it all up right! Trick them into it is my belief.

So tomorrow I will have some fun updates for everyone and I will respond back to all of you lovely ladies then. I gotta decide what to make and head to the grocery store! Yeah!

Megan

meggonkgonk

Seripha- I the earrings! It’s been so long since I’ve had my stuff to make my own jewelry- it’s so much fun! (I primarily made necklaces) but it’s so exciting when one of them turns out so amazingly!!

Meag- I don’t do much on Friday nights either (tho I’m usually the one catching up on work over the weekends, so Tom would make the grumbley face) The only thing on my EVERY Friday agenda is The Soup on E!. I LOVE it (and Joel McHale, even tho he’s married. Every relationship has its obstacles :laugh: )

Tara – let us know how the @home elliptical is!

Angelsandwolves: I know diets that are out there are tempting (preplanned, all you have to do is follow them and tada! Weightloss! So fast! So easy!) But I am a big believer in 1) not spending $$ to lose weight and 2) making sustainable changes. Atkins, Belly Fat, Abs and South Beach diets all miss the mark on sustainable changes. I think your biggest ally in weightloss is experimenting and finding a routine that you can work from. Some people like to break their calorie count down into specific meals (ie- 1300 for the day, aim for 350 Breakfast, 400 lunch, 450 dinner and 100 for snacks), I like to plan the types of food I want for every meal (Protein, veggie, sandwich/fruit, protein, balanced dinner). Meag’s plan seems to be to eat as much vegetables at every sitting as she can conceive of putting into a meal Even weight watchers has some strong positives in this vein…I’m just too cheap to pay. Any way, the point is, those diets are all well and good for the short term, but if you can’t imagine sticking to it for the majority of your life, than it really isn’t a solution for maintaining your weight, it’s just kind of a band-aid for a problem that really needs stitches. Play around, take some books out of the library (have I mentioned I’m CHEAP? :laugh:) find perspectives on healthy eating that make sense to you and your life, find exercise that fits with you (something you can be excited about). If you do these things, you will see the lbs come off and stay off.
Kandace- a 12:40 mile is awesome for your first time on the treadmill! My early mile time was like 15ish minutes (which the treadmill counts as a “walking” pace…not discouraging at all). Keep it up and you will become comfortable enough with it in time!

Melissa – I hope you feel better soon!

Spellbinder- Good luck staying under your cals!

Megan- Hope you have a great time at dinner tonight!! What are you making? The hamburgers?

AFM: Down a lb this week, so moving right along. Officially have met my scale goal for the month (which, admittedly, was modest as I’ve been noticing a slowing down in my losses.) But for the month I’ve lost 3.8, which is encouraging.
Need to get my WO in this weekend but it’s a boy-free weekend (he’s with his fam in Long Island), so my priority is going to be school work. Hopefully I get my run in today (but it’s coooold and I’ve already walked 2 miles in it!) and the end of my W3 of the pushups challenge. Until then Aladdin and thesis proposal. Sweet.
Happy weekends everyone!

finncmh

Love this thread and how chatty everyone has been on it recently!!!!

Meag- I am with everyone else on this DOOO IT!!!! You would be amazing- you are passionate about it and you have a great balanced viewpoint!!! Glad that work was a little more low key for you- it has been super crazy the past few months there! Way to go on the maintenance!!!

Cheralicia- thank you for sharing your story with us about such an intense change to your diet for health reasons. It was definitely interesting to read- I have been reading more and more about nutrition as I begin to figure out what works for my body and I am always interested in others experiences!

Seripha- I LOVE when people say stuff like that- especially when they say you’re looking super fit and not just oh man you look skinny or like you are losing weight. To me it is all about being fit and healthy- so when that is noticeable it is soooo awesome. Also LOVE the earrings! SUPER cute!

Emmarie- so glad to hear that you are sticking to your goals- especially water. It is SO important and often sooo overlooked. I was in the same boat with the whole wedding dress shopping thing a few months ago. I wanted to start looking but I was afraid. 1- that I was afraid that I wouldn’t lose the weight and 2. I was afraid that if I got a dress that was too small I would put too much pressure on myself to lose weight for the dress and not to be healthy. Anyway- that all changed when I found THE dress. I put it on and teared up. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t totally in great place about my body in general- when I put that dress on I FELT beautiful! The one I tried on was slightly too loose on me- so I did end up ordering one size down ( toyed with the idea of going down 2 sizes but like I said I didn’t want my weight loss to be about the dress). I picked the dress up 6 weeks later when it came in and the smaller size fit PERFECTLY. I know that it will end up being too big for me but I have come to terms with that and know that I will just have it taken in. I will look and feel beautiful in it no matter what!!!! Just keep that attitude- go out with some of your favorite girls and have some fun. Let them pick out dresses for you that you would never try on. You will ROCK IT!!!!

KanCrav- keep up the great work and take care of your body like you are and you WILL see results!!! Definitely take measurements once a month also! That really helped me to see all the changes even when the scale wasn’t moving!!!! Also awesome awesome job on the run! Keep with it. I started seriously working up to running again at the end of December/beginning of January and I am totally getting addicted!

Gonks- I totally feel your pain on your work BFF moving! Its tough but so cool that you did the calendar for her! She is lucky to have a friend that puts that much thought, effort, and creativity in to a gift for her. Not many people can claim to have friends like that!!!!

Megan- I found myself getting angry at that woman for you!!! I hate that mentality and approach to coaching/instruction. It makes me really angry! Glad that you stuck with and and finished out at the intensity that you know worked best for you!

Aly- REST!!! Take care of that body of yours! You need to it to be well rested and in great form for Hawaii!!!!

Tara- awesome job getting that elliptical up! Its going to be so nice to have that so close when you need a good workout!

Angels- good luck figuring out what works best for you. I think what it all comes down to is finding a balance for yourself- there are so many programs and theories out there and it can get overwhelming. But most importantly you have to do what works for you! Just keep trying different things and you will figure it out. Good luck with the teething!!!

Melissa- hope you feel better soon!

Spell- great job logging even when you are super busy- I know I have not been nearly as active on the thread as I would normally like!


AFM- still working out right on schedule and my big focus is really just to figure out what works best for me with the eating. Everyone on here has given me super great advice and not I am just trying out different aspects and ultimately finding habits that will be realistic for me for years to come! I also have been slightly bored/frustrated with my lifting workouts. So I talked to another one of the trainers at the gym the other day when I was leaving. He ran me through a quick new routine to change it up a bit! So going to probably start that this week!!! Which is cool because one of my goals was to reevaluate my lifting routine.

QOTD- weekends are weird for me because I work them but my gym has shorter hours on the weekends so I cant get there after like I normally do. Still trying to figure out ways to at least get one workout in on the weekend and then making the other day be my rest day. I just lose motivations when it comes to working out at home. Hoping that as the weather gets nicer (since I am so wimpy about running in the cold) I will do some road runs on Sat or Sun mornings. Its all a work in progress!!

meagalayne

Angelsandwolves: I know diets that are out there are tempting (preplanned, all you have to do is follow them and tada! Weightloss! So fast! So easy!) But I am a big believer in 1) not spending $$ to lose weight and 2) making sustainable changes. Atkins, Belly Fat, Abs and South Beach diets all miss the mark on sustainable changes. I think your biggest ally in weightloss is experimenting and finding a routine that you can work from. Some people like to break their calorie count down into specific meals (ie- 1300 for the day, aim for 350 Breakfast, 400 lunch, 450 dinner and 100 for snacks), I like to plan the types of food I want for every meal (Protein, veggie, sandwich/fruit, protein, balanced dinner). Meag’s plan seems to be to eat as much vegetables at every sitting as she can conceive of putting into a meal Even weight watchers has some strong positives in this vein…I’m just too cheap to pay. Any way, the point is, those diets are all well and good for the short term, but if you can’t imagine sticking to it for the majority of your life, than it really isn’t a solution for maintaining your weight, it’s just kind of a band-aid for a problem that really needs stitches. Play around, take some books out of the library (have I mentioned I’m CHEAP? ) find perspectives on healthy eating that make sense to you and your life, find exercise that fits with you (something you can be excited about). If you do these things, you will see the lbs come off and stay off.

Don't be such a hater, Gonks Despite the total dig, I have to re-iterate Meg's advice here. She's so wise! Whatever works for you in the long term as a weight loss and management "system" is what you should be working toward. Something you can fit into your life and maintain.

I am also incredibly cheap (dunno why everyone thinks eating healthy is so expensive - shop the deals, folks! and eat what's in season!) and think you CAN do it on a budget (read: virtually free) assuming you have the time, motivation and mental fortitude to do it without paid coaching or prepared meals. WW, Atkins, Jenny Craig etc all have their place and I'm not going to judge those who use it. But I lost and then gained and then lost and then gained on WW and have never had any success with anything OTHER than a full lifestyle change.

Just my $0.02. And yes Gonks - I'm the UBER cheap. I actually use coupons. That's right - COUPONS! hahaha

Wish I could reply to everyone else but I'm running out with the boy now. Have a great Sat and I'll catch up later!
Green monsters post run were delicious BTW. I had my Go-To and added some blueberries. Delish! :bigsmile:

Meag

meggonkgonk

Ahem. Point by point :laugh:

Don't be such a hater, Gonks

:laugh: :laugh::laugh: :laugh::laugh: :laugh: I'm not hatin'!! It's just the best way I can describe your food in a short, generalized way. Meag= Veggies... I think that a good thing :flowerforyou: Don't be mad, I you! (and you eat a million times healthier than me...we're all thinkin it, I'm jus sayin it:laugh: )

I am also incredibly cheap (dunno why everyone thinks eating healthy is so expensive - shop the deals, folks! and eat what's in season!)

HOLLA! I actually SAVE $$ on my grocery bill and I dont try very hard on the grocery bill lowering (I eat wut I want! ). The sticker shock tho- that's what I think gets to people - For these carrots I could have 3 family size bags of chips!!! But yea- in season is totes the way to go- both friendly on the wallet and the taste buds.

I actually use coupons. That's right - COUPONS! hahaha

<<waves white flag>> You win! I don't do coupons- I'm too lazy and shop too sporadically.

Hope you and Ty had a good day together!

Peace,
~Gonks

meagalayne

Yo yo yo. I'm back. And we totally had a wonderful day together! Including a 3.2mile run in -15*C weather! Holy smokes - He was hating on me BIG TIME hahaha I don't think he really realized how cold it would actually be... When we finally got home his first words in the door were "Wow. I have a LOT of respect for you for running in this cold all the time. Especially as far as you do. That was miserable". HAHA! Poor boy! But yea, it was fine and he did well. We jogged it slow and walked a few times, and he moaned about the ground cover and how uneven it was to run on, but it was nice to get a workout in with him here since that usually stresses me...

<<waves white flag>> You win! I don't do coupons- I'm too lazy and shop too sporadically.

We get flyers in the mail every week. I sit and look through them over a meal, see what's on sale (extra lean ground chicken for $0.99/lbs today - holla), and then organize my grocery shopping around the deals. I shop at 3-4 different places every week just to get the most out of my $$ - I really am a budgeter. It also helps with meal planning since I HATE to waste. If I know I have cauliflower or tofu or something that I picked up on sale but is going bad in a few days, I force myself to find a yummy recipe to use it. Cheap cheap cheap.

Buying in season is KEY! Cannot say it enough. I also stock up on lean meats when they are on sale, and buy family packs, and then weigh and freeze in portions, so that I rarely have to buy meat mid-week and hardly ever have to calculate it into my weekly grocery bill. All I buy is dairy, produce and the occasional treat, so my shopping trips are never more than $25. It really helps with budgeting. My deep freezer in the basement is full of great cuts of meat and so long as we plan ahead there's always something good to have! I'm a major dork, but it saves me money and it's practical so I don't mind!

Anddd I know you me and all my dorkish-ness, so I'll refrain from calling you a hater anymore haha

After such a long day with Ty all I want to do is crawl into bed... But instead, I'm going to put my "bouncer face" on and get my *kitten* to work. FUN! Hope y'all have an awesome night. I'll catch up in the AM with everyone else. Sorry for being all selfish and what not lately. You know I'm reading your posts!!
Meag

meagalayne

*Note to self* Post my awesome, delicious, super easy Thai Peanut Stir Fry recipe for everyone tomorrow. Just sayin' - Gotta keep myself in check!

tjradd73

Kandace-WTG on getting to the gym!! sounds like you are very motivated and I think that it is awesome that you are getting excited to WO!

Aly-I am glad to here that WW is working well for you and that you are realizing that even a night out doesnt have to mean you go over your calories (or points!)

Melissa-I had my ex come over to help me with the elliptical and since he had no choice to let me help (even the directions say 2 person job) then i didn't get booted out!! LOL I hope you feel better soon

Spell-i am glad that your boy got involved...that should def help keep you motivated!! and it truly sucks that he gets so many more calories then you do probably!! Just one of the joys of being a woman!

Gonks-great job on the 1lb and reaching your January goal!!! I may not hit mine but I do like to reach high so I push myself harder

Cait-you are STILL doing fantastic with your WO's, i am so proud of you! Good idea on switching up the routine too...you are more likely to stick with it if you arent bored with it!

AFM-so I got to use my elliptical for the first time today, and although it was a lot harder than i remember it...I pushed through and did a full 30minutes!! i hadn't done an elliptical for over a year and thought that i may die after the first 10 minutes but no way was i gonna give up!! With 9 days to go I am making sure to push it into high gear so i can finish the month out strong!!