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

Roobean33

Megan - lifting weights and running is probably the most surefire way to get some big losses! I wish I had started lifting earlier in my whole journey, because I think it really pushes your body to focus on making lean muscle and burns serious cals doing so. I've heard good things about the C25K - glad that is working for you! I haven't gotten into running that much myself yet, but I'm thinking of giving it a fair chance when it warms up outside. Plus, I love that it's free! :-)

Mike- So sorry! Totally understandable to take some time.

Melissa - Sounds like you are a great Mom! Making mental notes for my future kids. :-)

Meag - Friendly competition? Why not! I'd like to try and tie up the score. I think you mopped the floor with me in December! lol Great job with your sweetener challenge! Really fine tuning the food diary!!

AFM - I was talking on the phone yesterday with my Mom and she was saying how she loves MFP but is still trying to keep from obsessing with the #s and talking about it all the time. *enlightenment* That's me. lol I don't broadcast it to anyone who isn't in my inner circle, but to my family and close buds, I think it's probably my top 3 subjects. I mean, it's my life. I can't help it. I really enjoy exercising, always have done sports and whatnot. It's my hobby, really. One of my brothers is the same way. He workouts out everyday, on holidays, during finals etc. So he gets it. My Mom also is expressing a bit on concern on my weight front. She keeps saying I don't need to lose weight. I'm 5'2", 128lbs. I'm actually still at the top of my "healthy" BMI range. I know I have more to lose. I don't have a set #, I just want to be happy to wear a swimsuit or sport's bra in the summer and not have to worry about sucking my gut in lol.

finncmh

AFM - In my furious posting last night at 2am, I totally forgot to mention that my boy and I had a really exciting conversation about the Warrior Dash last night. Turns out that his good friend + coworker is getting married the weekend before that (Aug 6) and we're committed as guests to that event. Looks like Aug is going to be a busy month. He and I are so excited to have a killer race with some of my MFP ladies and their S/O's, and hoping to make the after-party the MFP social event of the season I know that Gonks and I are signed up, and that Cait you mentioned wanting to come and run with us or spectate since you're so close, and that Roo, Spellbinder, and a few others mentioned that they might join as well but I really can't remember. Who else is planning on or at least hoping to run the race? I'd love for us to have some kind of "group" or "team" thing going if we are all running in the same start time and corral :bigsmile: We still have to work out the logistics of travel, holiday time, accommodations and all that jazz (our budget is yet to be determined, especially since this wedding is going to drastically cut into our funds) but we are still really pumped to drive down, meet all you fine ladies (and gents, whoever comes!) and have an amazing weekend away! :drinker: OH and kick *kitten* at the race, of course!

Meag- I am in for the race. I think you both said you are doing the 13th at the 3pm slot? I just need to register- still recovering from the holidays moneywise so hoping by the end of the month! My holiday gift to myself. I will be there and ready for it! Its funny because its almost more motivating to me to be physically fit enough for the WD than it is for my wedding in October. I was telling one of my bosses the other day about the WD and he said to me "You cant do that! Its only 2 months before your wedding you dont want to get injured!" I coulndt believe it- that thought hadnt even crossed my mind. I actually toyed with the idea of not doing it. And than I said THIS IS RIDICULOUS! This is something I am going to enjoy and havent been able to do anything like it in years. My wedding is special and all but this is about me getting healthy and having fun!!! SO I AM IN!!!!

meagalayne

Injured? Nahhh! Besides - 2 months is plenty of time to recover from a minor injury when you're a warrior - what's the worst that can happen hahah!

So glad to hear you are game for this race Cait - Can't wait to run it and really excited to see you looking FAB in Aug. What about the fiancé - any chance he'll want to run it as well?

finncmh

Having a crappy day BUT I refuse to let it impact me being healthy. Still have my lunch packed and just trying to psych myself up for running tonight. Normally I would just go home and be lazy after a day like today but I know it wont help!

Anyway enough of that crazy talk! The other day I mentioned that I would love to start sharing more recipes again! I just wanted to share one of my favorite go to quick, easy, and healthy dinner that the fiance and I whip up when we are in a rush or stuck for ideas.

Zuchini Lasagna
*Last night we made it in a small glass 8x8 pan since I only had one pound of ground beef and cut it in to 6 small servings. We each had two servings and it was perfect!

1 lb ground meat (I try to stick with ground turkey breast or chicken breast. Or will use beef if its organic local and free range)
1.5 cups of low moisture skim mozzerella cheese grated
1 jar of pasta sauce of your choice
3-5 small zuchinnis (we used just 3 last night for this dish)

Peel the zuchinni and then cut in to long thin slices to resemble lasagna noodles
Brown your meet on the stove top. When it is mostly done add the sauce in for just long enough to heat up.

Then layer in to your glass dish in the following order 1.zuchinni 2. meat/sauce 3. half of your cheese
You should get two full layers of each item ending on top with the cheese.

Season to taste if you want. Usually doesnt need anything because of the flavors from the sauce and the salt in the cheese already.

I cook it in our oven on 375F anywhere from 10-20 minutes. The lower and longer the heat the better so the zuchinni can cook. Sometimes I bump the heat up at the end to get some nicely browned cheese on top.


YUM!!!! MFP calculated it at 239 calories per serving if you cut it in to 6 pieces like we did last night

finncmh

Injured? Nahhh! Besides - 2 months is plenty of time to recover from a minor injury when you're a warrior - what's the worst that can happen hahah!

So glad to hear you are game for this race Cait - Can't wait to run it and really excited to see you looking FAB in Aug. What about the fiancé - any chance he'll want to run it as well?

Hahaha glad we are on the same page! Working on the fiance. He will be there no matter what but is toying with the idea of racing also! I have a few months to work on him... hahaha

lostalykat

Good morning everyone! somewhat of a selfish post today just feeling a little off... I am sure I will address you guys later today.

I started feeling really strange towards the end of my day at work yesterday, the dizzyness and headaches were not good I turned to apple and peanut butter hoping that I was lacking protein...It didn't seem to help and I know I ate more peanut butter then I should have but only by maybe a tablespoon or so. I felt so tired I started falling asleep on the bus, so I decided that I would skip my swim workout for the night and just let myself relax. I started having really negative feelings and thoughts about me and my bf and was thinking about moving out or leaving him. This continued even when I told myself that these thoughts didn't make sense and that I am happy, I was just tired. My bf could tell I was feeling strange after my bath and gave me a massage, which proved even more that we are good together, but my mind didn't want to listen. I then had a random dream about sleeping with someone else while I was with him so I felt weird this morning as well. I hope I can get out of this funk. I have having these High's and Lows... I just really needed to vent guys sorry.

I changed my calories back to losing 1 lb a week and logged as best I could last night. The good thing is that I get a 30 minute walk every day for my commute to work. At least I wasn't completely non-active yesterday. I did splurge and have 2 pieces of see's candies which I didn't track. I said I was going to be honest on here and here it is. Today is a new day, I have training after work with the team and that always makes me feel better, I guess I just get worried that the boy and I are really different. I recently became really into fitness and healthy living and I am always doing something. The boy likes to work out sometimes but is really into video games.... I am learning to live with it because I feel we work really well together otherwise... OK enough about the pity party. Lets have a great wednesday!!

QOTD: What are you looking forward to the most in the next month or so?

For me it would have to be my duathlon, it is next month and I am really excited to try a new kind of race. I also want to have a special valentines day with the boy so I better start thinking of ideas!

spellbinder25

Melissa – Great way to get your girls involved. Wish all parents would do that!

Megan – I agree with what Meag said. I’m currently doing C25K too. I started with it sometime last year & couldn’t complete week 6. So, I started again from week 3 and have been repeating weeks now. Even though I feel like I can stop repeating weeks now, I’m going to continue this way since I don’t want to start over again. But I definitely love this program and having so much fun. Will be doing W6D3 today & am super excited. This is where I had to stop. Also, I used to do the elliptical on alternate days but started weight training on those days now. I think that’s helping. The elliptical was making my legs very tired. See if doing something a little lighter on those days helps you. Good luck with the program!!

Jim – Sorry to hear about your Aunt. Take care of yourself and your family!

Meag – Hubby & I are already registered for Warrior Dash & it’s as the same time as you and some of the others are signed up for. I’m in for anything you want plan for our group. Just hoping that hubby starts training or atleast starts with some sort of exercise soon. I know he will eventually but I want him to start soon..
Oh, and I love the effort you put into your food and all the experiments you do. I wish someone would make all those things for me. I’m super lazy to enter the kitchen

Roobean – Lol…I bug my sister with my weight loss and C25K stories everyday. She’s fed of hearing it all but has no choice and I love talking about it! My Dad also just told me that I should stop losing any more weight and maintain but I know I need to lose more and I will. I’m happy he said that because it means I truly have lost a decent amount of weight and am looking better. I don’t realize that on my own so I need his approval. And, moreover my goal is to be able to wear a bikini is summer of 2011. I’ve never worn one in my life and I’m going to this summer!!

Cait – Good to know that you’ll be there at Warrior Dash too. Your recipe sounds good. I’m going to try it soon.

Aly – Hope you are feeling better! I’d say don’t think so much about your relationship if things are going well and you are not having arguments or are staying aloof. If it’s one of those things, then you may need to think. But even if 2 people are not alike, they can get along well. Don’t know much about you two but what you stated is similar to how my hubby & I are. I’ve been working out regularly, counting calories, etc. and his exercise is almost nil right now though he’s controlling the quantity of food. But he hates it when I measure my food and says I don’t appreciate his cooking. But I know for sure that he is the one for me, the best person I’ve known & he completes me totally. Before we got married I did go through a phase like yours & now I know that I was totally wrong in thinking that way. Just relax & see how things go. Try not to over analyze. Hugs!!

AFM – I’m just happy today. Excited to be doing W6D3, i.e. 25 min / 2.25miles, run of C25K today. I’ve been going by the time rather than the distance but since I’m repeating weeks, I’ll concentrate on the distance in the repetition week, which at the speed of 5mph will take more time than mentioned in the program. I’m super excited about this now and I know I’ll be able to rum 5k max by the end of March.

I was hoping to fit into a dress of mine for New Years but didn’t. But I know I’ll fit into it for my wedding anniversary, which on V-Day. Really looking forward to that. I love that dress and have worn it only once – in Jan of 2008. Also, I’ve been getting compliments on my weight loss; so it’s getting me more motivated.

Keep up the great work everyone!!

meggonkgonk

Hahaha glad we are on the same page! Working on the fiance. He will be there no matter what but is toying with the idea of racing also! I have a few months to work on him... hahaha

Cait- I am also working on getting the boy to join us (other than driving the possibly rented car there and back). Earlier I tried the *but everyone else's bf/fiance/sig.oth is doing it*... but I don't hold out much hope. He's not pushy (like me) but he is not swayed by much other than his own brain... That's ok tho- just know ur guy will have some one to chill with in our cheering section if he decides not to run (though idk if that's a positive...boys can be weird about new peeps)

Aly- I'm sorry yesterday was such a funk for you. I've totally had dreams like that before and its never pleasant, even with things being normal between you. I can't offer you a lot in the way of advice, but I would say maybe try writing whatever those thoughts are out. Put them away somewhere and promise yourself that you will look over them later, when you are feeling better. My boy and I used to do long distance, and it was hard. Thoughts like that were often in my mind and this would let me put the bad thoughts (and feelings) out of my mind for a while and give me the distance from them to get perspective. Plus, that kind of melancholy often prompted me to write things that were so melodramatic I just needed to laugh at them.

QOTD: January hasn't got much in the way of events for me- my best friend and work collegue in the city is actually moving to Boston next week and that's really the only event type thing on my calendar...so looking forward, not so much. I am having sushi for lunch today tho- looking forward to that...

GuamGrly

Megan - haha...I have had plenty of nights like that where I struggle to wash my hair and stand up then drying my hair is out of the picture. My legs were shaking as I drove home last night cause I apparently worked them more than I thought I had. But it was such a kick *kitten* workout.

Cait - you will do fine at the WD. You are training and preparing. But once you get over the excitement of the WD, hopefully you will then be more excited about the wedding. And I can't wait to try that recipe!!!

Aly - sorry to hear about the emotional rollercoaster that you can't seem to get off of. I hope that you are able to overcome those thoughts and think logically so that you don't sabotage your relationship with your boy. Perhaps, you need to get a doctor's opinion about your negative thoughts. It may be nothing but getting a professional opinion might put things into perspective for you. I can remember a day when I honestly could not drag myself out of bed, even with my daughter right there to take care of. Luckily she didn't think much about it but I knew I needed to seek help because it wasn't fair for either of us to go through that. But you are correct...today is a NEW day!! Take one day at a time and don't overwhelm yourself with things that are out of your control.

QOTD - I have so much going on this month. This weekend I am going line dancing with my parents which I am so excited about because I don't have hardly anyone that will go with me. Saturday the boy and I are headed down to San Diego for his cousin's wedding and then we will stay down there for the night and head back some time on Sunday. And then 2 weeks from that, I am going on my annual girl's cruise. There is about 20+ girls in our group that go. They have gone for about 6 years and this will be my 3rd going with them. And the following weekend is the boy's birthday and my mom's birthday.

AFM...had a great workout at the gym last night. I have just been going to kickboxing on Tuesdays because of the time, kids club, and feeding my daughter. But I decided to stay for hula last night too and I am so glad that I did. Although the gym was packed with everyone and their new year's resolutions to lose weight. But as I got home, my brother and his girl were baking cookies. I only had 2 which wasn't too bad. However, I was looking forward to all of the baked goods being out of the house after the holidays. Yesterday was a bit of a struggle for me. I am just not making it monetarily and I tried to ask my son's dad if we could just sit down and talk about options. I don't usually ask him for money just wanted to see if we could work something out since I pay for daycare and medical insurance. But he immediately just started lecturing me so I told him that I no longer wanted to talk or his help, I would figure it out on my own. And then today my brother text me and said that his ex girlfriend is threatening to call child protetive services on me because she is upset that she is no longer with my brother. I guess she was also upset after I posted something on Facebook about he and I hanging out. Didn't know it was a crime to hang out with my brother. And she obviously hadn't thought that through because calling CPS would hurt me far more than it would hurt my brother if anything were to happen. But my kids are taken care of and I told him to let her call if it will make her feel better. It will just give us all more reason to believe that he made the right decision to not be with her anymore. Sorry...needed a moment to vent. I am sure that was far more than you all wanted to hear but thanks for listening.

And I wish I was close enough to join the Warrior Dash with all of you ladies and your significant others.

Hope everyone is having a great hump day!!

KanCrav

I was wondering if it was too late to join into this challenge.. I started MFP around 2 years ago but never got involved and kept loosing my motivation... this time I am serious about my weight loss so I want to get more involved with everyone.

inskydiamonds

I didn't weigh myself yesterday, so no weekly update from me.
I'm starting to stress about school starting soon - so I need to relax and get back on track.

seripha

Mike - I'm really sorry to hear about your aunt. My best wishes go out to you and your family.

Sky - Try not to stress too much but be excited? (harder to do than to say I know ) I'm sure you're healthy lifestyle and mentality will help you adapt to the stress better. I know I always felt less stressed at school after a good work out

Kan - It's NEVER too late. I just joined in November

Guam - NICE! I wish we had an annual girls cruise. A bunch of girlfriends and I often go down to Seattle for a weekend of shopping and girl time every few months but nothing as awesome as a cruise! Have fun with that!

An update about me - I added up gaining 1.5 lbs over christmas which is less than I thought I would so I'm happy with that. I can easily lose that again in a few weeks. It's also kind of why I didn't have any goals for January besides being all exermacising.

QOTD - January is full of work commitments for me but I have a few cool things on the go.

1. MINGO (meat bingo) is coming up this Sunday at the legion and it's always a good time. It's completely free for members (my bf is a member) and instead of winning $$ you win case lots of meat. Last time we won a case lot of chicken drum sticks which was awesome.

2. Avenue Q - Technically it's Feb 1st but who cares. It's an awesome musical done by muppet like puppets with such awesome songs like "The internet is for p0rn" and "everybody is a little bit r@cist sometimes". It's gotten a lot of Tony's so I'm excited that it's finally made a visit to BC.

3. KUNG FUUUUU - I'm way stoked to start this up again. I'm worried that there isn't going to be enough people signing up for it here on campus and it might not run. I'll still do it through my shifu's school, but it's cheaper here at the campus I work at because I'm a staff member Saving money is fun!

4. CLOTHING EXCHANGE - A bunch of my gfs and I are pooling our clothes together for a nice clothing exchange. Anyone who hasn't been to one is missing out on getting a bunch of new cute stuff for free. It's also nice to donate all the old unwanted clothing to shelters and stuff afterwards

KanCrav

I want to loose 5lbs by the end of January.... i know its not alot, but I am just stating out again and I dont want to get frustrated in the end..

So 162 here I come.!!

spellbinder25

Guam – Hugs! Things will work out for the best for you. In the meantime enjoy all the fun things you have lined up for the next few weeks Love the idea of an annual girls cruise. Need to come up with something like that with my friends!!

KanCrav – It’s never too late to join in here. Welcome aboard!

Inskydiamonds – Not sure why you are stressed about school. That’s not something to worry about Enjoy your time in school!

Seripha – you have some interesting things lined up too. My hubby would definitely be interested in MINGO…lol

Forgot about QOTD in my last post. So, here it is:
In Jan, I’m just looking forward to lose some weight and go further in my C25K program. But I’m super excited about Feb. It’s my 2nd wedding anniversary on V-Day and I’m going to wear a dress. I couldn’t wear one last year as I’d put on weight and didn’t feel comfortable wearing one. Also, am planning to visit my family next month. It’ll be a short trip but will nice to meet everyone and, of course, am looking forward to everyone’s comments about my weight loss – some good ones, some just out of jealously

spellbinder25

Updating the list with KanCrav's goals.


JANUARY LIST

skiptomylou32--scale goal: 125, non-scale goal: stop waiting till tomorrow, making excuses, and being complacent with my fitness goals
Lauratx22-to lose 7 pounds! Weighing 163!
Roobean33 - cardio 5X/week, lifting 3X/week, try out CrossFit, lose 2lbs, H20 guzzle, take measurements.
kvr414- 1 hr cardio 3x a week, try 3 new recipes, 12 cups water/day, lose 6 lbs.
meagalayne- curb late-night snacking and emotional eating, limit carbohydrate consumption after 4pm and experiment with new Low-GI recipes once a week, maintain under 130lbs, and complete first 4 weeks of Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Training (Novice)
emmarie1630- lose 4 pounds, 4x a week workout, use wii fitness games a ton, MORE WATER!
wardiemelissa-continue to maintain between 120-125lbs; plan healthy family meals at least 5 nights a week; begin training for half marathon (just need to find one in May or June)
tjradd73-lose 8lbs, 80oz H20 per day, and cardio 3x per week.
Mike (CaptainJim) lose 5-8 lbs, 3x (30-60 min) cardio per week, fit into size 32 jeans (I'm 34's right now)
Finncmh- see a loss on the scale, continue strength training 2x's a week and update the routine at the end of Jan, continue running training- increase to 5 min running intervals, 1 new healthy recipe a week, and get back in to yoga/stretching routine in the am and/or pm
briar_rose: lose 5 pounds, exercise 3x/week, no potato chips
mkingraham: lose 15 pounds by Feb 1., exercise 5/6 x a week with 3/4 days of strength training, eat breakfast everyday (a healthy one), two servings of fruit a day.
GuamGrly (Bethany) - DO NOT focus on the scale. Focus on changing my lifestyle by incorporating fruits and vegetables in my diet more, drinking my water everyday, planning my meals, working out 120 minutes per week, and getting back to C25k traning.
LostAlyKat (Aly) : Be under 170lbs for the end of the month. Do weight lifting or strength 3 times a week, be active in some way every day. Get back into doing Yoga do a class at least 1 time this month. Write down my feelings more often.
Stuartme123: JanSW = 156. Check-in with this thread 3-4x/week, 30 min of cardio 3x a week, Restart and keep up with 100 push-up challenge and C25K, Keep unhealthy snacking to under 200 calories/day, Add veggies that wouldn't normally be there to at least one meal a day, Try one new healthy recipe a week, Lose 1lb a week for a total of 4lbs.
seripha - exercise 5x a week for at least 30 minutes each. Try to eat at least 1 cup of dark green food every day and only 1 sweet thing per day.
miss_amy: to lose 8lbs (38 total lbs), work out 5x a week for an hour & log EVERYTHING!
Ngoat (nancy): Lose 5lbs, Drink more water, and eat healthier dinners!
rai8759: lose at least 4 lbs (164 by 1/31/11); work out 3x a week idevelop a consistent weight training regiment and work my way up to 2x a week weight training; drink 8-10 cups of water per day; eat more veggies; track everything in my food diary!!
Dteg: Scale to lose 5 LBs making under 140 for the first time in 5 years!!!! non scale: to eat more fresh food, eat in more often not going out as much anymore, excerise three times a week
Allie7383- be at or under 155, eat more fruits/veggies, and drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.
katecampbell03- Lose 5lbs this month and make time to fit in a work-out before/during/after work
pags221 - weigh 1.31.11 @ 123lbs / make it to the gym 21 days this month
Allislefttogain - Stay below 120; run 70 miles; 64 ounces of (straight!) water daily; complete weeks 2-4 of Turbo Fire; try kale & brussel sprouts; strength train 3x a week
tai_88 - drink at least 8 cups of water a day. I must drink at least 4 cups before i can have tea or my sprite zero; stop mindless/emotional eating; work out at least 4 times a week; log every day; continue the push up challenge; lose 4 lbs.
spellbinder25 - (1) Continue with C25K, (2) Cook twice a week, (3) Have a serving of fruit everyday, (4) Do strength training thrice a week, (5) Reach 142lbs by the end of Jan.
KanCrav - I want to loose 5lbs by the end of January

KanCrav

thanks for throwing me in the list!~!... and, I am in germany so if my posts seem a little early, or late!!.. its just the time change~!~!

Its 830pm right now and I am extra excited to go to bed soon so I can wake up and do my morning exercises and keep on track!

lostalykat

Thanks for being so supportive guys, I can always count on you all to make me feel a little better. I guess it is just rough getting back into the groove of things after having over a week off. I do think I need to see both a therapist again and see a doctor about these headaches and dizzy spells.

Mike- So sorry to hear about your Aunt. I hope you do ok during these challenging times.

Meag- Sorry about your scare, I hope you are doing better.

SpellBinder- Thank you for your input, I think I just get overwhelmed easily and I turn to him to everything emotionally so it can affect me in weird ways. Good to hear about someone else who is so different from the SO.

KanCrav- Welcome! This is such a great supportive fun group! Glad you joined and we look forward to hearing your input.

AFM- I ate a little more food and drank an emergency it is seeming to help the dizzy/spacey feelings for now. I just hope I can figure out what is causing all of this. I found this article with lots of yummy recipes that are low cal. Here is the link. I look forward to trying it soon.

http://www.self.com/fooddiet/2010/05/quick-weeknight-meals-slideshow?mbid=enws_row0103

Well here's to a day that can only get better!! We have a two mile marker tonight so I will compare it to one we did earlier this season and see how it goes. I am doing the Push-Up challenge after I get home from work and maybe a core video as well. Tomorrow morning I am going to try to wake up early to do a workout but it might not happen. I have a family dinner that evening and I might be exhausted from the night before....we shall see! Love you guys.

spellbinder25

Aly - Forgot to mention that my hubby loves video games too and that drives me crazy. Though I'm too blame too since I gifted him the PS3...lol. Anyway, take care of yourself & do visit the doctor about the headaches & dizziness.

finncmh

Tai- welcome back!!!!! We missed you! Holidays and families can both be tough on their own combine the two and watch out. That’s cool that you joined WW. Everyone has to find what works best for them- hopefully your mom and sister being there will be good for all 3 of you!

Guam- I agree with you about inches vs. pounds its just hard to notice the inches lost during the day to day craziness… but it was nice see what my total has been since the end of October! I am kind of in the same place as you with your mom except its more with my sister. She has gone through a lot of crazy stuff and she REALLY turned to food. I cant even begin to guess how much she weighs and she just seems sooo unhappy. Its just hard to watch- there is a big part of me that just wants to jump in and fix it for her or motivate her to make some changes BUT I have learned through my own trials and tribulations that change is only going to happen when someone is ready for it. I just hope its soon rather than later for her

Meag- you will beat that PR in no time! And we will all be here cheering for you when you do. Thanks for the support!!!! Feels good- wedding is October 1st this year! Going to be crazy really looking forward to it. It’s funny because everyone around me assumes I am just trying to lose weight for the wedding. That mentality REALLY bothers me. I mean of course I want to look my best that day BUT I also want to be healthy and fit and I am sick of keeping myself from that!

Aly- I hope you start feeling better soon! Glad to hear that it’s better today

TJ- great job on the H20!

Spellbinder- sounds like some GREAT goals… I am working on a variation on C25K also. Feels sooo good!

Megan- great job on working out this week! Definitely don’t overdo it- listen to that body of yours it knows itself best. You got this girl!

Mike- so sorry for your loss. Take some family time but know that we are here for ya!

Mary- It’s a tough balance to find. Staying focused on getting healthy but not obsessing or burning out on it. I struggle with that every day!

Spellbinder- YAY! Glad you are doing the WD with us! Its going to be awesome… MFP’s going to rock the house… I am feeling some sort of t-shirt or something is in order!

Gonk- I am in the EXACT same place with you with the boy… hahaha its all good either they run it with us or they can deal with hanging out with someone they have never met… mwahaha silly boys

KanCrav- WELCOME! Crazy fun group

Insky- NO STRESS!!! Take care of you chica

Seripha- mingo sounds awesome! And I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE Avenue Q. Have never seen it but I know the entire soundtrack by heart! My 3 favs are the two you mentioned and “Im not wearing and underwear today!” lmao

QOTD- hmmmm I am looking forward to getting together with all of my girls this weekend to find bridesmaid dresses for them!!!! Woooo time to be girly (and I am rarely girly… hahaha)


AFM- rough start to the day… just stressed and overwhelmed… but I am getting ready to close the store down and get a GREAT run in at the gym so its ALLL good

Silver180

Well, I just joined, so I wasn't around for the December period, but this is what I want to see out of the month of January:

- Keep cigarettes away
- Keep McDonald's away
- Hit the gym 3 times a week
- Successfully monitor my caloric intake and keep it below 2,000/day
- TRY to drink the recommended 64 oz of water/day (at the least, drink more water than I do now)
- Lose 5 lbs by the end of January.

skiptomylou32--scale goal: 125, non-scale goal: stop waiting till tomorrow, making excuses, and being complacent with my fitness goals
Lauratx22-to lose 7 pounds! Weighing 163!
Roobean33 - cardio 5X/week, lifting 3X/week, try out CrossFit, lose 2lbs, H20 guzzle, take measurements.
kvr414- 1 hr cardio 3x a week, try 3 new recipes, 12 cups water/day, lose 6 lbs.
meagalayne- curb late-night snacking and emotional eating, limit carbohydrate consumption after 4pm and experiment with new Low-GI recipes once a week, maintain under 130lbs, and complete first 4 weeks of Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Training (Novice)
emmarie1630- lose 4 pounds, 4x a week workout, use wii fitness games a ton, MORE WATER!
wardiemelissa-continue to maintain between 120-125lbs; plan healthy family meals at least 5 nights a week; begin training for half marathon (just need to find one in May or June)
tjradd73-lose 8lbs, 80oz H20 per day, and cardio 3x per week.
Mike (CaptainJim) lose 5-8 lbs, 3x (30-60 min) cardio per week, fit into size 32 jeans (I'm 34's right now)
Finncmh- see a loss on the scale, continue strength training 2x's a week and update the routine at the end of Jan, continue running training- increase to 5 min running intervals, 1 new healthy recipe a week, and get back in to yoga/stretching routine in the am and/or pm
briar_rose: lose 5 pounds, exercise 3x/week, no potato chips
mkingraham: lose 15 pounds by Feb 1., exercise 5/6 x a week with 3/4 days of strength training, eat breakfast everyday (a healthy one), two servings of fruit a day.
GuamGrly (Bethany) - DO NOT focus on the scale. Focus on changing my lifestyle by incorporating fruits and vegetables in my diet more, drinking my water everyday, planning my meals, working out 120 minutes per week, and getting back to C25k traning.
LostAlyKat (Aly) : Be under 170lbs for the end of the month. Do weight lifting or strength 3 times a week, be active in some way every day. Get back into doing Yoga do a class at least 1 time this month. Write down my feelings more often.
Stuartme123: JanSW = 156. Check-in with this thread 3-4x/week, 30 min of cardio 3x a week, Restart and keep up with 100 push-up challenge and C25K, Keep unhealthy snacking to under 200 calories/day, Add veggies that wouldn't normally be there to at least one meal a day, Try one new healthy recipe a week, Lose 1lb a week for a total of 4lbs.
seripha - exercise 5x a week for at least 30 minutes each. Try to eat at least 1 cup of dark green food every day and only 1 sweet thing per day.
miss_amy: to lose 8lbs (38 total lbs), work out 5x a week for an hour & log EVERYTHING!
Ngoat (nancy): Lose 5lbs, Drink more water, and eat healthier dinners!
rai8759: lose at least 4 lbs (164 by 1/31/11); work out 3x a week idevelop a consistent weight training regiment and work my way up to 2x a week weight training; drink 8-10 cups of water per day; eat more veggies; track everything in my food diary!!
Dteg: Scale to lose 5 LBs making under 140 for the first time in 5 years!!!! non scale: to eat more fresh food, eat in more often not going out as much anymore, excerise three times a week
Allie7383- be at or under 155, eat more fruits/veggies, and drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.
katecampbell03- Lose 5lbs this month and make time to fit in a work-out before/during/after work
pags221 - weigh 1.31.11 @ 123lbs / make it to the gym 21 days this month
Allislefttogain - Stay below 120; run 70 miles; 64 ounces of (straight!) water daily; complete weeks 2-4 of Turbo Fire; try kale & brussel sprouts; strength train 3x a week
tai_88 - drink at least 8 cups of water a day. I must drink at least 4 cups before i can have tea or my sprite zero; stop mindless/emotional eating; work out at least 4 times a week; log every day; continue the push up challenge; lose 4 lbs.
spellbinder25 - (1) Continue with C25K, (2) Cook twice a week, (3) Have a serving of fruit everyday, (4) Do strength training thrice a week, (5) Reach 142lbs by the end of Jan.
KanCrav - I want to loose 5lbs by the end of January
Silver180 - Stay smoke/fast food free, gym 3x/wk, stay under 2,000 cal/day, drink more water, lose 5 lbs.

meagalayne

Another male! WOW! :noway: Welcome Silver180!! :drinker: Don't mind all our incessant girl talk. Sometimes we get carried away but make yourself fell at home and post with whatever you like.

Spellbinder/Cait/Gonks - OK so at least my boy won't be the only man racing hahah! He was somewhat worried that he'd be swallowed whole in a sea of estrogen, I think :laugh: But he's very excited regardless and we're both psyched to meet all you lovely ladies. The after-party will be great with plenty of food, friends, and laughs I am sure and lots and lots of gloating and compliments. Gonks/Cait - tell your boys to man up! JK of course. But hope they join us because I think it's going to be a total blast and they are going to really miss out!

Cait - I'm having a rough emotional/stressful day today as well. Hope your run helped! I think mine did... and then it was all undone once again when I got home :ohwell: Argh! Oh well. Hope you are able to relax and unwind tonight.

Melissa - That recipe rocked and I really like that website. Definitely going back for more recipes in the future! Thanks again!

Aly - Hope you figure out what you are going to do with the boy. Relationships are hard enough when you're at 100% and able to give all of yourself to make things work, but when life is stressful and tough and you are struggling with other stuff, making it work can be overwhelming. I really hope you get a handle on what's going on and why you feel the way you do. Someone here suggested possibly going to see someone about your negative thoughts/feelings and maybe that's something you should look into. Definitely no shame in that - I spent a lot of time seeing someone when I was younger and having a really tough time in life. It can be a really helpful resource, along with everything else you're doing for you :flowerforyou: Thinking about you for sure!

Kandace - Welcome to you too! Great goal and looking forward to seeing you reach it! Any non-scale goals you'd like to add as well? We promote those here too because the scale doesn't always reflect our hard work and seeing progress in other forms helps to motivate and push us forward :happy: A balanced approach to health and fitness is a great way to go about starting out a new, healthier lifestyle.

Seripha - MINGO sounds AWESOME and hilarious! hahaha I wish we had that around here! And I wish I could partake in your clothing exchange. I'd love to benefit from some of your hand-me-downs! Send them my way :laugh: I'm basically a charity case at this point anyway!

InSky- You are such a fabulous scholar - What are you worried about? I know that life + health and fitness + cooking + working + school can be very overwhelming, but you've got it, girl. You did it last semester and you ROCKED it. So try not to stress too much and just take it one day at a time. You'll get it done :happy:

Guam - Mayyyyjor <<HUGS>> your way - Sounds like a whole lot of bullsh*t that you don't need right now. I am sorry to hear about the financial burden. Having been mostly unemployed for the last 18 months and being forced to move home, I can relate on some levels. It's a constant stressor to feel like you are barely scraping buy and it can be very emotionally trying to feel the need to ask for help, especially if you feel like you still won't really be making ends meet and you can't be sure you'll be able to make things work even with some financial backing in the first place. It can be draining. I hope you are finding some solutions that work for you and your kids -- that is what matters. Leave the rest of it for now and just work on making things a bit easier for yourself and your family. You are doing great with this lifestyle thing and your commitment to the gym is really impressive. I really hope everything works out :ohwell:

Roo - Thanks girl! I am trying to fine-tune... Seeing where it gets me! Friendly competition is ON! We're at basically the exact same weight right now so we'll see how the month pans out. I am not looking to lose anymore weight, but who knows! Keep at it and we'll compare notes at the end of the month!

It's funny that you say you talk about MFP and fitness/health all the time and people are getting concerned... I'm probably the opposite. I never mention anything about it to anyone, even the boy. Obviously my family and boyfriend notice how conscious I am, but I intentionally never talk in terms of weight-loss, because I want them to take me seriously and know that my goals are ultimately to live healthy. I try to make it seem like a "fait accompli" instead of a struggle -- I never discussion calorie content, or calories burned, only ever NSGs with them (running, explicitly). It's partly because I feel embarrassed talking about my weight, I think (a relic of my heavier days)... I spend SO much time on here, I wish I felt comfortable talking more openly about it because it matters a lot to me, but I guess I still feel sometimes like only someone worried about becoming over-weight again would care THIS much about logging food and what I put into my mouth. Perhaps that's why I rely on you guys SO much for an emotional outlet...

AFM - Extremely hard (for me) interval run today. 2.5 miles of intervals with a 0.5mile warm-up and 0.5mile cool-down. My speedy intervals were at 6.5mph, which is basically my MAX speed right now. I was drenched with sweat leaving the gym. Definitely a good workout. No weights today though... The gym was CRAWLING with minors and I have exactly zero patience for anyone under 18 (yea, I know... broad generalization but honestly, its my greatest character flaw). Also, all the free weights were being used and abused and I couldn't be bothered waiting around. My day was hella stressful because my mom is on bed-rest and I had to care for her all day, and then I had to rush home from the gym finally to get dinner made so that my parents wouldn't STARVE (since I guess my father is virtually incapable of surviving without a female presence). It was just busy and I hate stressing/rushing about. And I caved in this afternoon and ate 2 full servings of licorice candy (my fave) instead of just passing it by... Brutal. Made me feel sh*tty all afternoon, but I'm over it now. Sort of :huh: Going to get back to my old routine from 10K training. Strength on Mon/Thurs instead of M/W/F -- 3 x week is too much for me right now. Maybe I'll try to pack in some circuit work on Saturdays if it fits, but I am not going to be down and out if I miss it. Push-ups are still on the agenda for later tonight!

Tried a new recipe today from my 500 Low Glycemic Index Recipe cookbook. Cajun Chicken Kabobs. Of course, I altered the recipe drastically for my tastes and it turned out pretty tasty. Also made my own homemade cajun seasoning (foolish given the time constraints but I am a horrible time manager at the best of times). The skewering was SUCH a hassle, however, and I wouldn't do that part again. I'd just bake the whole shebang and call it a meal! haha

Anyway this is thesis-lengthed. Sorry folks! Have a great night - I'll most likely post before bed with some responses and a recipe. Much love
Meag

wardiemelissa

Melissa - Sounds like you are a great Mom! Making mental notes for my future kids. :-)

Thanks!!!

wardiemelissa

Having a crappy day BUT I refuse to let it impact me being healthy. Still have my lunch packed and just trying to psych myself up for running tonight. Normally I would just go home and be lazy after a day like today but I know it wont help!

Anyway enough of that crazy talk! The other day I mentioned that I would love to start sharing more recipes again! I just wanted to share one of my favorite go to quick, easy, and healthy dinner that the fiance and I whip up when we are in a rush or stuck for ideas.

Zuchini Lasagna
*Last night we made it in a small glass 8x8 pan since I only had one pound of ground beef and cut it in to 6 small servings. We each had two servings and it was perfect!

1 lb ground meat (I try to stick with ground turkey breast or chicken breast. Or will use beef if its organic local and free range)
1.5 cups of low moisture skim mozzerella cheese grated
1 jar of pasta sauce of your choice
3-5 small zuchinnis (we used just 3 last night for this dish)

Peel the zuchinni and then cut in to long thin slices to resemble lasagna noodles
Brown your meet on the stove top. When it is mostly done add the sauce in for just long enough to heat up.

Then layer in to your glass dish in the following order 1.zuchinni 2. meat/sauce 3. half of your cheese
You should get two full layers of each item ending on top with the cheese.

Season to taste if you want. Usually doesnt need anything because of the flavors from the sauce and the salt in the cheese already.

I cook it in our oven on 375F anywhere from 10-20 minutes. The lower and longer the heat the better so the zuchinni can cook. Sometimes I bump the heat up at the end to get some nicely browned cheese on top.


YUM!!!! MFP calculated it at 239 calories per serving if you cut it in to 6 pieces like we did last night

Good job on not giving up on yourself!!! AND this lasagna sounds YUMMY!!!!

wardiemelissa

I have just a few minutes to update...need to spend a little time tomorrow to comment on how well everyone is doing. Here goes: had day 3 of my 1/2 training today. Had to do 5 x 400 speed intervals...ended up running out of time and only got in 4...BUT I ran 0.5 miles for both warm up and my cool down; I ran 2 x 0.25 miles at 7 mph and the other 2 at 8 mph!!! :sick: I couldn't believe that I ran at 8 mph and didn't keel over!!! I ran my 0.75 recovery miles at 6 mph...my only question is I'm not sure how to track the calories! I can't use my HRM on the treadmill and would need a foot pod. Any one have ideas of how to calculate???

Otherwise a good calorie day for me today!! I made tostadas for dinner and the girls loved their mini "pizzas"!!

Melissa

meagalayne

I have just a few minutes to update...need to spend a little time tomorrow to comment on how well everyone is doing. Here goes: had day 3 of my 1/2 training today. Had to do 5 x 400 speed intervals...ended up running out of time and only got in 4...BUT I ran 0.5 miles for both warm up and my cool down; I ran 2 x 0.25 miles at 7 mph and the other 2 at 8 mph!!! :sick: I couldn't believe that I ran at 8 mph and didn't keel over!!! I ran my 0.75 recovery miles at 6 mph...my only question is I'm not sure how to track the calories! I can't use my HRM on the treadmill and would need a foot pod. Any one have ideas of how to calculate???

Otherwise a good calorie day for me today!! I made tostadas for dinner and the girls loved their mini "pizzas"!!

Melissa

Why can't you use your HRM on the treadmill? Hmm Mine's got a chest strap and I have no prob using it on the treadmill... What gives? Killer intervals though. I'd estimate you burned around 8 billion calories at that speed, lady... And by that, I mean probably at LEAST 450. Depends on how high your HR gets and whether it's sustained. At 8.0mph my HR would be... dead. So I can't tell you I'd guess you burned higher than 30 mins @ 6.0 for sure, though. And :drinker: WOOT for D3 of 1/2 training! :drinker: We are so going to kick half marathon butt this spring!

How did you make mini "pizzas"? Small tortillas or something else? I just found a recipe for homemade low-fat tortilla with whole-wheat flour... They seem almost TOO low-fat (nothing wrong with good fats) but they could work. Thought I'd share with you guys/gals: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2011/01/flour-tortillas-v20-low-fat-044-recipe.html - Very cheap to make, easy to keep, and would be great to have on hand for low-cal/low-fat lunch and dinner options! Besides, how bad-*kitten* does it sound to tell people you make your OWN tortillas! :laugh: I'll be trying these someday soon.

Meag

Silver180

Another male! WOW! :noway: Welcome Silver180!! :drinker: Don't mind all our incessant girl talk. Sometimes we get carried away but make yourself fell at home and post with whatever you like.

I thought the same thing: "Where are all the guys? Am I on the right site?" But after reading some threads I came across a few other people with a Y chromosome, so it's all good .

tjradd73

Mike-sorry for your loss..we are here for you when you are ready to get back ot it

Roo-If you are still in your range I say keep going until you are happy with yourself!! I am 5'3" and my range is from like 107-141 and my goal is going to be 114lbs

Guam-WOW! sounds like you've got a lot going on...stay sane and we are here for you if you need any support (diet or otherwise)

KanCrav-Welcome!! and NO it is never too late!!! Great goal for the month too!!

Diamonds-just take things one step at a time...and take a breather

Cait-you are still doing so awesome!! how was your run?

Silver-Welcome!!! this is def not only for girls...just so happens you are the SECOND male to be posting on here

TO ALL WARRIOR DASH PARTICIPANTS-i am so jelous that you are all getting to do a run togethor!! if i didnt live so far away I most def would be joining you!!! i wish you all the best and be sure top keep us "others" posted!!

QOTD-the only thing that I am looking forward to for this month as of right now...to get to my 70lbs lost (in 1.2lbs), to get to my pre baby weight from over 12 years ago (in2.2lbs) and to stay focused!!!

AFM-so far 2/3 on workouts for the week, 4/4 of getting my water so far, and I only lost 1lb today so not thrilled with those results but 1/8lbs down for January so far

Roobean33

Spellbinder - Sign me up for a bikini too! I wore one last summer but felt very insecure. Not doing that this year! We are gonna be a couple of hotties lol.

TJ - Thanks I agree! If the BMI is healthy, fair game! Hey, don't worry about losing only 1lb, I'm sure you'll get to your goal!

Silver - Welcome! How did you learn about MFP?

Melissa - TOUGH intervals! I bet you will sleep soundly tonight! Way to go!

AlyKat - Sorry about your funk. It's natural to have mixed emotions at times, I mean, hello we are WOMEN. lol But seriously, I hope that everything sorts itself out. For now, try to focus on you and your goals. If you are happy, your outlook will improve drastically.

Meag - Don't worry about the licorice. You rarely falter, and you still were in your calories anyway. So hard on yourself.

Oh yeah - QOTD I am looking forward to spending some time with my brothers and parents this month. We haven't seen each other since Thanksgiving. It's going to be fun, loud and exhausting, but I love it.

KanCrav

I am very new to this message board stuff... so one question, whats AFM stand for? As For Me???

Well, Its morning for me, and I am trying to get motivated to do SOMETHING. I usually start my day with a 20 min walk with my dog, but its FREEZING and I woke up to a lot of snow fall. I am not really a runner but I know that I should be doing more cardio to get my weight down. I keep track of my food intake pretty well but I know I need to be more fit if I am ever going to make a goal. Another thing that I dont understand is that my heart rate goes really high when I work out. It goes up to about 170, sometimes it reaches 180 when I have am really really pushing myself. Is this becasue I am REALLY out of shape?

tjradd73

KanCrav-yup you got it AFM-as for me :)you are right cardio is very important...when i first started i had a difficult time focusing on my diet and cardio so i started with just my diet...but the more calories you burn the more weight you lose with it being cold outside the wii, and dvds are good alternatives to your walk. your HR should be going up that means you are working out hard....I wouldnt be too concerned unless it goes over 180ish and stays there for a while! the more in shape you get the less it will go up and even be while resting! you can look up some target HRs online though to see where you should be for your age and weight! good luck...you will do great