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

KanCrav

I acctually just realized why I have been soooo bloated... lol (im not good at keeping track) ... so I am hoping that when I weigh next week some of that water weight comes off!

TJ- I have game for PS3 called Active (or something like that) its really great to get me moving, and it does make me break a pretty good sweat... I get nervous about my heart rate, but it does go back down with my cool down. I am trying to focus on Diet AND Cardio, this is not the frist time I tryed so I want to really kick it into gear this time. Thanks for the motivation!

I just got done with lunch and it was soo delicious that I wanted to share! I took a can of tuna (in water) and mixed it with a little black pepper, 2 peperoncini pepers, half a med tomato, about a quarter of a yellow bell peper, a little onion and one tbsp of fat free ranch.

It made three small sandwhiches! It was only 74 calories for a third of the whole mixture. I ate mine on some german whole grain bread, but it would also be awesome in a leaf of Romain lettuce (i am going to do that tommorrow so I can save on carbs) or on top of a salad.

I hope someone trys it, it was amazing!~!

mkingraham

So everyone is talking about the Warrior Dash and I also would love to do it, but I am not sure where everyone is located. I live in the Washington, DC area and I know they have one here at some point- so even if I can't do it with you ladies I think I might do it just for fun. It seems like a challenging and interesting way to burn some serious cals!

Kan- WELCOME! I just join this thread at the beginning of the month as well and everyone is very supportive of what you are trying to accomplish.

AFM- I don't have much time to post a response to everyone right now so I will come back later and do that. But yesterday I had a headache all day long- which basically SUCKED! I tried to drink a ton of water, and got in at least 10 glasses, but I think it was just one of those days. So instead of waking up for my 6:30 am work out, I decided to sleep in another hour and half and work out this afternoon. So far I don't have a headache today so I am happy with my decision to sleep in. If this little bugger creeps back in I will probably just do a lite workout on the recumbant bike, or maybe go for a walk with the hubby this afternoon, although its pretty chilly out especially with the wind.

I am doing a really good job of eating a healthy breakfast and 2 pieces of fruit everyday and I am putting my mind to sticking with it! I hope everyone else is doing great on their goals as well!! Have a great day and I'll catch up with you later!

Megan

jillybeanruns

Gah, I could have sworn I checked in yesterday here. Boo on me! I do read the posts, but sometimes get too overwhelmed to comment:grumble:

Re: Warrior Challenge - I think it's really not as "Warrior-like" as they lead you to believe. Mostly why I've opted to not do it. I've heard/read that you wait around for periods of time to use the obstacles as they make the heats too large. So it's awesome that you're all doing it, but I don't foresee any injuries in your future from sprinting as fast as you possibly can. Just my .02 though

Re: Finding Races - Active.com is my best best best friend. It's hard enough to run 12 races in less than 8 months, nevermind actually finding the races. Word of mouth for them only works if you're in a club! Use it and love it! Runner's World also has a list on their website and some of the bigger races are listed in the back of their magazine issues!

Meag - Nice job on your runs lately! You're really knocking down some improvements! Mind sharing the cajun chicken kabob recipe? I need some new food and I'm trying to not eat sandwiches for lunch anymore!

Mary - Nice job on your lowest adult weight! I personally don't think 128 at 5'2 is too thin, but it depends on body type - one number just doesn't work for everyone. I'm 5'3 1/2 and 119ish and I think I could still lose a few, but for me it's mostly a toning issue and not a number issue. I don't want to lose anymore from my waist, but I have no control over that. Mostly sick of having to buy smaller pants every month though!

Mike- I'm so sorry for your loss.

Cait - I'm not a big zucchini fan (need to try it again) but that sounds delicious! Thanks!

Aly, you definitely need to go see a doctor about everything going on as soon as you can. I used to get fainting/dizzy/nausea spells quite often and I had to wear a ECG for a full week. I have a heart condition that's fairly serious when I get too dehydrated/hot and it tends to come when I'm standing for too long. Not something to mess with at all! Better safe than sorry, always!

Bethany, sorry to hear about your son's father and your brother's ex-girlfriend. What is wrong with people?!?! Not sure what your situation is with your son's father (and I have no experience with any of this) but you can always go to court and get more money for your son. Just because he lives with you doesn't mean he's your sole responsibility -50/50 is what it should be

Kandace, welcome!

Silver, welcome! Yayyyy another man around here!

Melissa, WOW! Nicely done with your intervals No idea on the Garmin - search the Garmin boards though. The reason I got a Polar first and not a Garmin was because Garmins don't calculate calories burned very well (supposedly the numbers they give are too low) and they're difficult to use indoors for anything other than running (which as you said you need a footpod for) I've heard they calculate calories burned based on speed + heart-rate...but yeah, check the boards over there! People seem to be knowledgeable and helpful on them! Sorry you're having trouble!

Doing good with my goals so far - will finish Week 2 of TurboFire tonight - Stretch 40 + Core 20 and probably do a 15-20 minute walk at lunch to get some fresh air. Tuesday night I did TF HIIT 15 + Sculpt 30 + 10 minutes of cardio intervals + 10 minutes of strength. My dumbbells are too easy for me now, so I bought adjustable ones yesterday. Got in 12 glasses of just plain ole' water yesterday. My skin loves it! Garmin arrived yesterday! Not sure I love it because it's HUGE and way more awkward on my wrist than my Polar, but we'll see how I feel come my weekend runs!

Anyone have any good/simple kale recipes? It's on sale this week at my grocery store and I want to get the most bang for my buck especially if I don't like it!

No one in my "real life" knows about MFP. They all know that I'm super fitness oriented and that I pay attention to what I eat and look at labels, but that's where it ends. There's no need for them to know really and I already get enough comments from people that I don't need to lose any more weight and am too thin. Actually, b*tches I'm super fit and feel fabulous not eating junk :drinker:

meagalayne

Jill - No one in my "real life" knows explicitly about MFP either, or that I count calories. When I was more active in the MFP Runners Club thread I just called it my "running forum" when he was around, or asking, and that's just always how he's referred to it... Since I was mainly using this site as a way to get advice on improving running (before I found all you beautiful people), I figured that was accurate enough. Sure maybe it's not the MOST accurate/honest but it works for me. I don't need my family/friends/boy harping on me about how obsessed/crazy I supposedly am. "Actually, b*tches I'm super fit and feel fabulous not eating junk" should be our motto :laugh: Love it!

I know what you mean about the Warrior Dash - I am not expecting FABULOUS things out of the race itself. I am just more exciting for the whole experience. It'll be great to meet some fellow MFPals and it'll be a wonderful way to spend a weekend out of the country with Tyler. I am really excited to get away from here as much as I can this year and try to explore places I've never been. Seems like the mountainous areas around Albany could be extremely pretty and the city will be fun to check out at night. I am not too worried, really - We always manage to have an amazing time together. Besides, the event itself will just be a fun, active way to meet so many fabulous women from this group. It's all a WIN in my books.

For Canadian races, I think all of those sites are no help, unfortunately. There are quite a few similar racing sites up here so I have been using those and researching diligently. Also going through local running clubs to find races in the area. So far I've got 10 or 11 races picked out as potentials... Wanted to run a 5k on Feb 6th, but I am not sure if our schedule will accommodate that. The boy wanted to race with me but then forgot about it and made plans to go skiing up north that weekend :ohwell: So forgetful. He was crazy apologetic on the phone last night and offered to cancel his plans, but it's not that big of a deal and that would really suck for him so who knows. I'll post my race schedule once it's finalized!

I will definitely post my Cajun Chicken recipe, Jill! Coming up :bigsmile:

Megan - We are all signed up for the WD in NY on Aug 13th, in the 3pm starting slot. Should be loads of fun! :happy: You should see about doing the DC one if you want a race with a twist. I think the obstacles will be neat change and a great calorie burn for sure.

Kandace - Bundle up! Walking is good exercise for weight loss and while it might be cold it's not unbearable. Just bundle up and get outside. Once you get moving you'll forget how friggen freezing it is. If not, then walk faster or start jogging a little. If I have learned anything this winter it's that the weather is no excuse to curb exercise, so just make it happen! If you REALLY can't get outside - try doing the stairs in your house - up and down -, jogging on the spot, doing jumping jacks, or whatever else gets you moving. Do a few different exercises in 1-2 min intervals for 30 mins. Get that heart pumping!

AFM - Sweetener challenge is going amazingly well. I still haven't cheated. Go me! Breakfast today was yummy - Reheated a small portion of last night's dinner (chicken + veg), added spinach and 1/3 cup 100% egg whites and cooked for 2 mins, topped with nutritional yeast and TADA, super healthy protein packed breakfast for under 300 calories, even with coffee and soy milk :happy: I am getting good at this cooking business.

Nerdfitness workout today + 3mile run. I also need to get back on the push-up wagon. I did my exhaustion test last night and maxed out at 12 full push-ups. Really not great but I will get it back. I am going to kill it today with workouts and then rest tomorrow. Any suggestions for cold-weather cross-training my boyfriend and I could do on Sat? Cycling is out because it's way too cold and icy here, and running is out because I'm long-running on Sunday. I'm looking for something different and fun to do. He loves to ski but I am terrified of hills/heights so that is no good... Always taking suggestions :bigsmile:

Have a great Thursday, y'all!
Meag

jillybeanruns

Meag - Just checked for you and active does indeed do Canada! I even put in Hamilton and found some races. Namely a 3K (and half marathon) in Grimsby on February 27th that the boy could perhaps do with you to make up for the skiing incident?! There's also a marathon/half marathon/10K/5K in Mississauga May 14-15 (http://www.mississaugamarathon.com/event_10k.shtml) if you can't find anything else. Not tonnes of races yet in there (or maybe not ever) but might be worth a look-see: http://search.active.com/search

And yes, I think that should be our motto! No one is super judgy really to my face, but I know they judge me. I chalk it up to jealousy and maybe partly due to concern about the whole eating disorder fiasco in my late teens-early twenties. I think it's fine that Ty doesn't know, it's no big deal...or so I don't think. Warrior Dash will definitely be a great experience. I would maybe come out and join to meet up, but we'll see where I am in August. Plus, already running a 1/2 marathon and possibly a full marathon in NY so I need to not "waste" my races on traveling to states I already will have run in!

meagalayne

Jill - Yep those races I knew about. The 3k is a bit short I think and not worth the $$ signing up, IMO. It's part of the Niagara racing series (http://www.instride.ca/) that I took part in last year and I am signing up for 4-5 of their races in 2011 :happy: The Mississauga Half looks terrible, tbh. I live about 40 mins from there and it's not somewhere I want to be racing. The Toronto Half Marathon is on May 15, 2011 as well and that is my back-up race for now. I was hoping to find something more fun to run, possibly in NY, OH or PA. I am flexible. Still searching!

Really like your new signature by the way - Sooo bling :laugh:

Cajun Chicken Kabobs - Adapted from "500 Low GI Recipes" by D*ck Logue (You know it's good when his name has to be ****'d out), pg 429

1lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
5 1/2 ounces (2/3cup) plain low-fat yogurt
1 Tbsp cajun seasoning (see recipe to follow - I made my own)
2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp lemon (or lime) juice
1 medium red onion
1 large red bell pepper
1 medium zucchini
1/2 whole fresh pineapple, trimmed and chunked for skewering (about 1lb)

**I used more pineapple than the recipe called for because we love it but yes - it's high in sugar. Cut back if you like. The recipe calls for only 8oz, or 225g.

Cajun Seasoning:
1/2 tbsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
** In the future I would add more cayenne - it was not spicy at all!

Preheat oven to 425F-450F
Place chicken pieces in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix yogurt, spices and citrus juice together and stir into the chicken. Marinade in the fridge while you chop the veggies. Thread chicken pieces onto 8 kabobs, alternative with onion, pepper, zucchini and pineapple. Cover a baking sheet with aluminium foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place skewers and whatever veg is remaining on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 mins, turning every 5 mins, until chicken is fully cooked. Baste with remaining marinade throughout cooking.

Makes 4 large servings. We used only 312g of chicken (2 half breasts) so our calculations were off, but for this recipe exactly I did the calcs and each serving contains 244 calories, 27g carbs, 1g fat, 28g protein, 4g fiber, and 238mg sodium.

seripha

Meag - I use Runningroom.com find my races (i'm sure you use that already as you have bought shoes from them) and runningskirts.com has a really good list of canadian races that are (unfortuately for me) in ontario.

If you're serious about doing a bunch of races and really getting into running I would suggest joining Team Running Skirts. You get discounts on all of their gear (besides the running skirts they also have really nice tops, bras, tanks, socks, etc) and discounts from other partner companies. The link below relates to the 2009 team, but I'm sure that if you email them they'll get back to you with more info about it.

http://www.runningskirts.com/RunningSkirtsTeam.html

That goes for everyone BTW. You can be from any where in the world and join the team

finncmh

Silver180- welcome welcome! Like the goals! There are more males on MFP than lead on… many just don’t post- so good for you!

Meag- hahahahaha on the man up. That will only make him more stubborn- hehe. We shall see we shall see. And the mountainous region around there is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous. As it gets closer we can chat and I will give you some recommendations on things to do and places to check out!!! The run did help A LOT!!! And my rough morning made me push even harder on my run so that was good. Stress again when I got home, but running helped me chill out a little bit and not be so overwhelmed by the sress.

Melissa- thanks for the props and the lasagna is super yummy and great for a quick meal. You can easily make more servings for a family by doing it in a larger glass dish. There is no real set standards for the recipe something I have just created along the way so have fun with it! And GREAT start on your marathon training- cant wait until I am running enough to be able to talking training with you ladies. Very inspiring!!!

TJ- you are rocking it as always. You will get there no worries at all!

Mary- enjoy your family time this month!


KanCrav- you just gotta get out there!!!! Just go for 5 minutes and before you know it you will be in the groove and walking a lot longer than that… sometimes the mental battle is much harder than the cold! Your lunch sounds interesting- I actually sometimes will just mix a can of tuna with spicy brown mustard- I don’t like mayo and it cuts the calories out A LOT! Mmmmm

Megan- definitely check out the WD in your area- if not for anything more than something different!

Jill- I am with Meag. Just looking for something fun to do and motivating. For someone who hasn’t been able to run in years its really motivating for me to find something to like this to work towards and meet some AMZING MFP ladies too boot. If we get stuck waiting at obstacles it will just be more excuse to chat and catch up- hehe

AFM- Run last night was great!!!! Did a variation of C25K week 3 except that I went for 30 minutes instead of the 20… did a 10 min warmup at 3.5mph walking. Stretched my knee out good (last time I didn’t and I couldn’t finish the run… boooo and lesson learned) Anyway did 1:30jogging at 5.0 then walking 1:30 at 3.5… followed by 3:00 jogging at 5.0 and 3:00 walking at 3.5… repeated this 3 times and then did another 1:30 of jogging at 5.0 before cooling down. 45minutes total of cardio including the warm up and cool down. Felt good and its getting me towards my goal of 5 minutes in a row of running. I think I could do it now at a slower speed but I figured I would just stay with this for now and see where I am at the end of the month.

That’s it for now. Crazy day- not going to be able to get my normal workout in so hoping to squeeze in a dvd with jillian at home

GuamGrly

Meag - my stepdad sounds exactly like your dad. He can't function without my mom or myself in the house. Its kinda comical to me but irritates me too!! Great job with kicking your sweetener habit!! Any habit is hard to break but you are doing a great job!!

Melissa - those sound like amazing intervals!! I would have flowin off the treadmill!!

Kandace - your sandwich sounds yummy!! I need to start incorporating more veggies into everything I eat!!

Megan - hope the headache stays away today!! Thats never a good way to start the day!

Mary - have fun wih the fam!! I love spending time with my brother but that seems harder to do everytime he gets a girlfriend.

Jill - love your motto!! I look forward to making that my motto also!!

Mike - sorry to hear about your aunt!!

All newbies - welcome!!

And a HUGE thank you to everyone that has been supportive of my situation!!

AFM...ugh *hangs head in shame* Last night turned out to be a night of self-destructive behavior. I was craving the cookies that my brother had baked the night before. So when I got home, I ate not one, not two, but eventually lost count of the amount that I indulged in. And then I made myself a grilled cheese sandwich when I was making my daughter one. I was so wore out last night from the day that I had that I went to bed early. BUT I still managed to get in W1D2 of the push-up challenge. I told myself that I couldn't continue to sabotage myself. I wanted to look great for the wedding on Saturday but that is not gonna happen. But I don't need to involve myself in some sort of downward spiral. No cigarette, no drink, and no item of food will make my problems go away so there is no valid reason to over indulge in any of them. I gave up smoking last year but when I get stressed I always think about lighting one up so I had to throw that out there. And I also realized that kickboxing makes me feel amazing so I am going to do whatever it takes to pay for the kids club for my daughter while I work out.

Oh and I am hoping you can help me out...my 2 problems spots are my inner thighs and my belly. Let's just say that I was pregnant for almost 6 months before I found out because my belly concealed it. Any tips on how to help with these areas??

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday!!

lostalykat

Wow, I come back from the evening and all you peeps either are staying up late or living in a different time zone! Nice to be able to read some updates when I get into work tho.

Meag- What do your intervals look like? I was doing the treadmill tonight for the first time in a long time and I was playing around with intervals. I pretty much just stuck to my outdoor running plan. Work my way up to 6mph for about 10-15 minutes do that until I hit 25 minutes, do 6.5 until I hit 28 minutes. Then do 6mph for 6 minutes and 3.5 for 1 minute about 3 times. I bumped it up to 6.5 for the last 3 minutes, it was brutal but I felt great.

Jill- Thanks I know I need to see a doctor about the dizzyness and headaches. I am going to make an appointment today so I can get this taken care of. It comes and it goes so we shall see. But thanks for your concern.

Krav- Start slow, I found that committing to a program and signing up for my first 5k helped me a lot. There are a lot of couch 2 5k programs out there. And you can even just work up to walking a 5k I know a lot of people who did that to start. I am addicted to people so I always liked classes too. Don't worry the fitness bug will bite you soon enough.

The boys- Yay! Welcome and glad to have you here, I already forgot new guys name but I know mike is on here and it will be interesting to get a guys opinion on stuff.

First of all I want to say thank you all for your support yesterday and the day before. It really helps to talk about stuff more and more and I feel safe talking to you guys here. I really appreciate all you guys.

AFM- I am feeling amazing today! Lets hope this sticks around. I have been eating healthy all week and didn't even want dessert last night after dinner. I wen to track practice last night with the team and the track was closed. But, we are so hardcore that we did some running next to the track that was slightly lit up and a bunch of core, go me! I needed more strength anyways but I was bummed about the run. I came home and did my Push-ups and realized I had to max out at the end of the sets, I maxed at 15 which was awesome! I am feeling so strong already, so glad I finally committed to this.

Woke up this morning at 5am to hit the gym, it was about 40 degrees outside and the pool did not sound good, I also felt like I needed that run I missed, so I did the treadmill, I discussed my workout earlier in this post with Meag. I did about 40 minutes running and cooled down for 5. I am also dealing with trying to make my GPS heart rate monitor work at the gym. I think the GPS messes things up, so I put down that I did a 35 minute run at 6mph.....

Tonight we have a family dinner, I got all cute for work and I am feeling very confident. peaked at the scale and it is not as low as it was earlier this week but it is lower than it was friday and that is my official day. I know something is happening because I have been using the restroom a lot! (sorry TMI) Well looking forward to a great day. I am debating about getting a swim in tomorrow or spending the night with the boy and doing a date night....hard because I feel that I really need the exercise....I also haven' t swam all week. We do have a swim workout on Sunday with the team. Well sorry for the super long post...I guess I am pretty juiced about my workout today hehe.

lostalykat

Forgot the Question of the Day!!

QOTD: What is your favorite month and why?

This is another tough one for me, I think I would have to say May because it starts getting nice but not too hot... well sometimes it can....It is also the beginning of warmer weather.

LaurnWhit

Okay I have officially made it into the 160s! I weighed in yesterday at 169! Very excited about that.

QOTD 1: I am looking forward to working out and eating healthy....kind of lame but without all the treats everywhere, I think I am going to rock this month!

QOTD 2: My favorite month is November...it's my birthday but it's slowly changing to July because we always go on vacation during that month and with me losing weight...I'm actually looking forward to sporting the 'smaller clothes' while on vacation.

spellbinder25

Quick update - I finally was able to complete W6D3 of C25K...yay!! I ran for 27 min @5mph = 2.25 miles!!! This is the longest I've ever run & am so so so sooo happy!! I did the eliptical after that, as usual. And, had a grand dinner. Not proud of that but I can't help it. Have to go out tonight too but I promise this is the end. I'll be back to eating out only once a week after this. I anyhow have to lose weight before my anniversary next month - about 5 weeks to go!!

QOTD: October & November are my favoritest months since it's my birthday & my parents anniversary in Oct, my hubby's birthday in November, and most of our festivals, including the biggest one, fall in Oct / Nov.

finncmh

Quick update - I finally was able to complete W6D3 of C25K...yay!! I ran for 27 min @5mph = 2.25 miles!!! This is the longest I've ever run & am so so so sooo happy!! I did the eliptical after that, as usual. And, had a grand dinner. Not proud of that but I can't help it. Have to go out tonight too but I promise this is the end. I'll be back to eating out only once a week after this. I anyhow have to lose weight before my anniversary next month - about 5 weeks to go!!

QOTD: October & November are my favoritest months since it's my birthday & my parents anniversary in Oct, my hubby's birthday in November, and most of our festivals, including the biggest one, fall in Oct / Nov.

Way to go!!!!You rocked it. Im about 3 weeks behind you... although I will prlly repeat some weeks. We shall see how it goes! :drinker:

meagalayne

Ok... Why on earth am I SO dizzy today? Argh! I just had some oatmeal with jam (basically = sugar) to hopefully help relieve my headache/dizziness. No idea what's going on it but I am tempted to attribute it to my lack of carbs so far today... I am SO used to oatmeal at breakfast. Who knows! Running in a bit and getting some homemade bread started for dinner tomorrow. Trying to be productive today!

QOTD yesterday - I am looking forward to my parents vacation this month, TBH. They are going away for 2 weeks to Mexico which means for 2 weeks I will have the house entirely to myself. The boy is going to be spending some time staying here with me (he currently lives 2 cities over so there's a lot of commuting in our life ATM) and I'll be able to eat whatever I want without having to prepare food for anyone else. This is a huge BONUS. I can really hammer down my diet and make January a great month. Really psyched.

QOTD today - My favourite month is any month I can camp - I love the summer and I love the sun/beach :bigsmile: Once the rainy season ends I'm a happy camper (literally hahah) until Oct or so. For years my favourite month was always Dec because I love my birthday and I loved "comfort sweaters" even more - summer attire always made me feel chubby and unattractive - but now that I feel way more confident about myself and care far less about what others think (ah, maturity), summer is back in the mix!

Spellbinder - Amazing run!! So happy to hear about your progress on C25K - I am really glad you are sticking with it!

Cait - Wicked run to you too! You'll be up to 5 mins in no time. I can tell you from experience that it is 90% mental. Once you get it in your head that you can finish those 5 mins, you'll be able to do it. Just keep working at it, pick a day you want to do it, and don't talk yourself out of it. Do it once and there's no looking back :bigsmile:

Laura - You kick so much *kitten* girl! You keep chipping away and chipping away! Really proud of you :drinker:

Aly - It changes depending on my mood/the day but yesterday this is what I did: I warm up for 0.5miles walking and then jogging at 5.5mph, then run 5 intervals of 400m (0.25mi) at 6.5mph and 5 intervals of 400m (0.25mi) at recovery (5.5mph), and then I cool down. It's not a tempo run (working up my speed to race pace, but just solid intervals of slightly above race pace and then recovery. I'll do my tempo run next Wed and alternate weeks. Your run sounds great!

Guam - It is SO grating, sometimes. He's so completely useless around the house. And I really hate that I feel guilt not coddling him like a child... He's a grown man. Goes to show who did most of the work raising me. Today's a new day so put yesterday's emotional eating behind you and start fresh. Try to figure out a plan for sticking with kick boxing and work your *kitten* off. You've got this!

OK off for running and to the store to pick up some flour, since we're all out (of course!). Baked salmon filets, roasted buttercup squash and spinach salad for dinner tonight. Yum! :happy:
Meag

lostalykat

Meag- you are making my mouth water with all your amazing recipes!! I wish I lived at your house and you cooked for me!! I am really lucky the boy cooks a lot, but I am the one who finds recipes and broadens our horizons. With training and work I have not had the time to get too crafty during the week. I plan to try to make one interesting meal every weekend if I can....

stuartme123

This is going to be short right now, hopefully I can come back later tonight and catch up with more of you.

Spellbinder, Congrats on W6D3 of C25K - you have a lot of dedication to hop on the elliptical after running for 27 min straight! WTG, girl :flowerforyou: I just started the c25k program yesterday and while I can't say that I enjoyed it while I was doing it, I did have a serious sense of accomplishment after :happy:

Today is a high calorie day for me - and I don't really remember eating most of them.... yikes! So weird since I had so many leftover calories from yesterday. Definitely think I really need to hit the gym tonight before I go. I just need to talk myself into it. Come-on motivation!!

QOTD (looking forward to): My friend (who I've known since we were in the 3rd grade) is getting married in July and she's planned a day for all the bridesmaids to get together and help her pick out dresses. Going to CT for a few days next week to do that. I'm so excited!! I haven't seen her in months - can't wait :bigsmile:

QOTD (month): I'm going to say September. It starts to cool off from the ungodly heat of the summer - and its just so nice being outside. Also I'm still in school, so September for me represents new beginnings, changes, potential...

SkipToMyLou32

Oh my gosh so much to catch up on! I'm sorry if I miss some people. I didn't check the forum yesterday because I just had the brilliant idea to sell a bunch of crap on ebay since I am not working and want money!

Mary--Congrats on reaching your lowest adult weight ever!!!!! That is an amazing accomplishment. About your mom, only you know how low your body needs to go weight wise. I'm sure your mom is just not used to seeing you this size. (What was your starting weight by the way?) My mom tells me I need to gain some weight all the time so I totally get it! And I would love to be able to go for a run in my sports bra in the summer! It is seriously so hot in the summer so it would feel awesome to not have a sweaty shirt clinging to you, but I am so self conscious if I have the slightest bit of a "muffin top" in my shorts!

Cait--Nice losses on inches!! I love your positive attitude! You make me smile!

Jill--You did so well with your goals for December. So awesome. How'd the interview go?

Tai--I am so sorry about your not so great Christmas. It's so hard to focus on your health when you've got bigger issues going on with family. 2011 can only get better!! I hope weight watchers works for you!

Rai---My Christmas stuff is still up and not looking like it will be taken down any time soon! Glad you're getting back on track!

Meag--You are doing so well on cutting your sweetener use. I am impressed! Just go get that darn test so you can lay it to rest! You can get generic versions pretty cheap!

Melissa--I am so impressed with how you have taught your daughters to be healthy without using the "fat" word. I've always wondered how I would go about that if I ever have daughters and I think your way is great. About tracking intervals--I did intervals today also and wondered how I would track it while I was running. Then I got off the treadmill and it gave me my average speed in all the info that flashes across when you stop. So I just logged that. If your treadmill has that feature I would think that's a decent enough track. HOWEVER, I do think your burn would in actuality be higher, but I'd rather under log calories than over log.

mkingraham--I love sore arms when I wash my hair! Also love sore legs getting in and out of the car. It sucks but you definitely know you did something!

CaptainJim--I am so so so sorry to hear about your Aunt... Wishing the best to you and your family.

Spellbinder--You're doing great! You'll be into that dress in no time! It's a great feeling to slip into something again that had gotten tight!

Guam--Hula sounds FUN!!! I've done the hula game on the wii and it's hard! I can't imagine a whole class. Geez your brother's ex is crazy. Surely she wouldn't do something so stupid, not that it would matter since you're a good mom, but still!

KanCrav--Welcome! 5 lbs is a great goal!

Seripha--Your Christmas gain is quite enviable! You will lose that in no time! That clothing exchange sounds super fun! I've heard of those but no one I know has ever had one.

Aly--Have you been to the doc about your dizziness? I'm sure it's nothing, but it's always great to rule stuff out. I hope it goes away!

Silver--Welcome!

Laura--Congrats on the 160s!

WHEW!!!

AFM--January is going great! I am losing all the faux weight I gained over the holidays and I am super excited to start losing some of the real stuff! I'm wondering if I should change my goal of 125 since I am already at 126. I don't want to get ahead of myself but don't want to be complacent either. Today I ran intervals on the treadmill. 5 min blocks at 6, 6.5, 6, 6.5, 6, 6.5, then walking to cool down. THEN, a super upbeat song came on and totally inspired me to run more so I kicked it back up to 7 for a few minutes then was done!

QOTD--I love using Pandora when I work out! It gives you new songs all the time and it's a free app!! (I have an iphone)
QOTD--I am looking forward to my birthday on the 13th!!! My bday is Thursday, but Friday we are going out with some friends to bar hop. Yeah that will be a calorie buster of a day but whatever! I always say calories don't count on your birthday! (And in this case, the day after your birthday!)
QOTD--Favorite month is June because it's nice and warm but not blazing hot and there is no sign of cold anytime soon!

tjradd73

KanCrav-I am going to have to try thtat game for sure!! i have faith that you are completely ready to go full force on this!! you are gonna rock it!

Megan-Vegas here and I haven't done the warrior run but we have a MUD run close by (in Cali) and it is tons of fun!!! and great job on the water...even with that headache!

Jill-i hate when people think they know best for you! as long as you are in a healthy weight range for your height and body type then lose as much as you want!

Meag-sounds like a yummy bfast and you are doin great with the sweetners! keep it up!

Guam-you are a strong woman...stay strong and focused like we all know that you are!

Laura-congrats on the 160's!! i see that you are almost to your goal!!

spellbinder-you are doin great with the running!! 2.25 miles straight is awesome!

Stuart-you got this!! Get 'er done girly!!

QOTD-fave month....when i lived in the midwest it was October for the fall colors...now it is May for the beautiful weather...and my b-day!

Lou-great run girl!! I would totally add another pound and really push yourself!! but thats just me great work so far!

angelsandwolves09

Hey everyone!! I know I'm a little late but I would love to be in for this challenge!! I am 23 and 7 months post labor....Just wanting to get healthier for me and my family, lose weight, tone up and gain some self confidence! My starting weight 2 weeks ago was 193, current weight (as of today) is 178!! My overall goal weight is 140 by March 15. I absolutely love MFP!! I am doing the 30 day shred and managing to stay about 200 calories under my goal so far. Adding my name and goals to the 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
angels and wolves-scale goal: 169 by feb 1st; non-scale goals: continue 30DS everyday, drop a pant size by feb 1st, give up soda and caffeine, and be able to run a mile.

meagalayne

Today is a high calorie day for me - and I don't really remember eating most of them.... yikes! So weird since I had so many leftover calories from yesterday. Definitely think I really need to hit the gym tonight before I go. I just need to talk myself into it. Come-on motivation!!

Your body is likely telling you - HEY! Feed me! - If you didn't eat enough yesterday. When I am majorly under calories for whatever reason one day, I am usually famished and ready to eat my weight in chocolate, raw meat, and whatever else I can find. It's a good reason to eat your cals every day, because feeling totally famished and then disappointed when you over-eat is a total b*tch and can be uber discouraging.

meagalayne

Hey everyone!! I know I'm a little late but I would love to be in for this challenge!! I am 23 and 7 months post labor....Just wanting to get healthier for me and my family, lose weight, tone up and gain some self confidence! My starting weight 2 weeks ago was 193, current weight (as of today) is 178!! My overall goal weight is 140 by March 15. I absolutely love MFP!! I am doing the 30 day shred and managing to stay about 200 calories under my goal so far. Adding my name and goals to the list!!

angels and wolves-scale goal: 169 by feb 1st; non-scale goals: continue 30DS everyday, drop a pant size by feb 1st, give up soda and caffeine, and be able to run a mile.

Welcome :flowerforyou:
10lbs in one month is a tall order - I would recommend a goal closer to 5-6lbs per month, for reasons stated earlier in thread. I know it's easy to get pumped and want to see results fast, but if you want to maintain and develop healthy eating skills, a slower loss is the way to go. I really hope you meet your goals, Angela -- Just make sure you aren't setting the bar too high, and make sure you are eating ALL your alloted calories + anything you burn. You have to fuel your body so that you don't burn out!

Good luck!

meggonkgonk

Hey everyone!! I know I'm a little late but I would love to be in for this challenge!! I am 23 and 7 months post labor....Just wanting to get healthier for me and my family, lose weight, tone up and gain some self confidence! My starting weight 2 weeks ago was 193, current weight (as of today) is 178!! My overall goal weight is 140 by March 15. I absolutely love MFP!! I am doing the 30 day shred and managing to stay about 200 calories under my goal so far. Adding my name and goals to the list!!

angels and wolves-scale goal: 169 by feb 1st; non-scale goals: continue 30DS everyday, drop a pant size by feb 1st, give up soda and caffeine, and be able to run a mile.

Hi angelsandwolves -

Welcome to the group! I think you'll find a really great support network that most of us have come to rely on in our weight loss (or maintenence) journey.

I do want to give you a few words of advice regarding your goals which seem pretty high to me.

First- congrats on the weight you've lost already- that's amazing progress!

That said, I think you should temper your goals just a bit- one because it sounds like you might not be getting quite enough in the way of food -- if you are 200 under every day, your net cals are proly consistently well below 1200, whic h at first can produce rapid weight loss, but eventually will bring your body to a standstill, or a plataeu. The other reason is because even eating at a regular deficit, weight loss tends to slow down as you get closer to your goal weight.

I'm not saying any of this to put you off, or dampen your enthusiasm (I LOVE how excited and committed you are!) but I have tried to lose weight many a time, and never made it much past the 2nd month because I made changes too dramatically and too fast- I just got burned out and when the weight didn't come off a lot and consistently, I would get discouraged and quit. Now is the time where you can best make mental adjustments and prepare yourself for the possiblity that it might take a commitment of longer than 3 months, and get yourself psyched up for that.

To give you some perspective, I started at 174lbs, am now roughly 151 and my goal is to be 135 by May 1st. Your goal is 9lbs this month, which is ambitious, you can stick with it, just make room in the back of your mind for the possibility that you might only lose 4-5 so you aren't so disappointed if that happens.

Any ways, sorry to be something of a kill joy-Welcome aboard! I really hope you stick with this, and I look forward to your future posts!

Peace,
~Gonks

angelsandwolves09

Thanks! And just to clarify...I originally had my goal of 140 lbs by June 12. I know that is still stretching it. But I have learned that in order for me to keep motivated(in pretty much anything I do), I have to have my goals set a bit higher...even though in the back of my head, I know it prolly won't be that much(I'm expecting more like 155-160). But I totally understand where you are coming from!! And I didn't know that about the calorie deficit. I thought staying consistently under was a good thing!?

meggonkgonk

And I didn't know that about the calorie deficit. I thought staying consistently under was a good thing!?

Well staying under is encouraged by the system (as it glares angry red #'s at you for going over- drive me CRAZY) but you should try to be as close to the goal # of cals as possible and being too far under for a sustained period of time will eventually work against weight loss (because your body will determine that you are slowly starving- hence why being over once in a while is actually a good thing!). I typically give myself a range of about 100 +/- the goal.

Glad to hear you are prepared and ready to stick with it. 140's by june doesn't sound like too much of a stretch tho!

angelsandwolves09

Well staying under is encouraged by the system (as it glares angry red #'s at you for going over- drive me CRAZY) but you should try to be as close to the goal # of cals as possible and being too far under for a sustained period of time will eventually work against weight loss (because your body will determine that you are slowly starving- hence why being over once in a while is actually a good thing!). I typically give myself a range of about 100 +/- the goal.

Glad to hear you are prepared and ready to stick with it. 140's by june doesn't sound like too much of a stretch tho!

That helps a lot!! Thanks! I was always told that you should try to stay under and take in what you burn off....but the people giving me that advice are actually very overweight themselves, now that i think about it....

I did read that you should give yourself a "break" day to trick your metabolism every once in a while also....is that true? I guess I wasn't as in the know as I thought I was...lol...But I want to do this right and have re-examined my goals and changed them to fit a better schedule. (They are now posted in my signature...lol) 140-145 is my overall goal by June. So if there is any more advice out there, please, feel free to give it to me!!! Cuz I really want this to work and not only lose the weight but keep it off by changing not only my exercises but my whole lifestyle.

And thanks to all those who have been through this already and are helpful and motivating me to keep at it!! Even though I don't personally know ya'll....I feel like I have gained you all as friends!!!

Roobean33

Mary--Congrats on reaching your lowest adult weight ever!!!!! That is an amazing accomplishment. About your mom, only you know how low your body needs to go weight wise. I'm sure your mom is just not used to seeing you this size. (What was your starting weight by the way?) My mom tells me I need to gain some weight all the time so I totally get it! And I would love to be able to go for a run in my sports bra in the summer! It is seriously so hot in the summer so it would feel awesome to not have a sweaty shirt clinging to you, but I am so self conscious if I have the slightest bit of a "muffin top" in my shorts!

Thanks! I started out at 140lbs, but lost several for my wedding without MFP (if only I had found it beforehand: Finn you are so lucky!). I was 131 for my wedding. Then I gained "happy weight" and hit 135. Yesterday's number was a lean 127.8. I doesn't sounds like a lot, but on my just shy of 5' 2" frame, it makes a big difference. You are probably right about my Mom.

About the sports bra thing: wouldn't it be wonderful?!?! I also have the self-conscious thing about my love handles/ any jiggly bits waving around as I jog. I'm hoping by this summer I'll be a lean, mean fitness machine and I won't have to worry about it.
Definitely getting into a bikini too. Slowly getting there, if I stay laying down I'm looking pretty slim!! :laugh:

Good luck with your Ebay stuff. It's great, but time consuming! Hope it all sells and you're rich! lol

nadine2unfit2bqueen

Hey,

This seems like a fantastically supportive group and I would love to join if you'll have me

I'm 24, currently 132 lbs - at only 5'2" thats a belly tire and thighs that touch. I was following my fitness pal all during the summer, and even when I stopped counting calories I managed to keep up my healthy eating and fitness routine. My lowest weight was 121 and I felt AMAZING!!! Not just because I liked how I looked, but I felt good, healthy, energetic. I literally felt on fire, like nothing and no one could stop me and I was just buzzing with life.

NOW I NEED HELP!!! I went nuts eating and partying over the holidays and have put every lb back on And I just can't seem to get back into the routine and get motivated again. I had every intention of going for a run and to yoga after work tonight, but what did I do instead? I bought a mccains chocolate cake and mint icecream, drizzled it with baileys and parked my *kitten* on the couch. Feel free to give me a hard time...

So hopefully I am posting this right...

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
angels and wolves-scale goal: 169 by feb 1st; non-scale goals: continue 30DS everyday, drop a pnt size by feb 1st, give up soda and caffeine, and be able to run a mile.
Nadine - Scale goals: 125lbs by my next half marathon in March. Non scale goals - successfully check off every scheduled run on my 1/2 marathon training program, thats 4 runs a week. Committ to practicing yoga at least twice a week (running injury preventer!!) Weight train twice a week. Cut fast food, make my own lunches and eating smartly - feeding my body what it needs to perform and feel its best, not foods that taste good but make me tired. My running time goals are in my signature

tjradd73

angels-welcome to the group!! I am another one of those who likes to set my goals kinda high! makes me work a lil harder ya know?! LOL I would say to only be a lil hesitant since you already have had a huge loss in the past 2 weeks!! which is awesome btw!! as far as calories go...I agree with the ladies...I try to stay as close to my alotted calories with out going over my 1200...and I only eat half of my exercise calories if that!! This is what seems to work the best for me since I don't do major work outs like some of the ladies on here As far as taking a high day...i DO think that is it important to change up the calories a little bit but I also feel if you are eating you extra calories you are already doing that...I would say DO NOT deprive yourself of the foods that you crave all of the time because that will just make it harder to follow this lifestyle...just eat what you want when you want it...in moderation! in other words, do not make a whole day of cheating, make a meal of "cheating" and still listen to your body and stop eating when you are full other than that....great goals and welcome again

Nadine-welcome to the group!! seems you have some great goals in place and already have great progress towards your goals!! WTG!! You did post right...just didnt know if you wanted to add a weight goal specifically for January?? we start a new forum every month...so we can take it one small step at a time other than that great goals for you too!!

meagalayne

Wonderful to see the fresh meat on here Welcome to the group, ladies! This place is SO supportive and motivating. I just hope you find it half as inspiring (and addictive) as I do! hahaha

Sorry for my short reply earlier, angels -- I should have been clearer and less abrupt, but I had to leave for work. Gonks did a very good job explaining what I had intended (thanks Gonks! you're such a clutch player...) -- Eating *enough* food to keep our bodies happy and working for us is really essential in the long term. Eating too little can result in rapid weight loss - the kind you see on the Biggest Loser - but that weight loss is nearly impossible to sustain for a few reasons: 1) your body is slowly starving and eventually it will start storing everything, stagnating any loss and keeping all sorts of weight you don't want while your lean muscle deteriorates; 2) you are de facto practicing extreme 'dieting' by eating so few calories and are not adopting healthy sustainable eating habits, which makes transitioning into 'maintenance' really difficult; 3) exercise and fitness is a KEY component to weight management, building lean muscle, and leading a healthy active life and our bodies simply cannot perform at 100% when we are not fueling them properly - ie: eating at least 1200 calories plus our exercise calories - and will not leave you with the type of fit, healthy body that most people desire.

It's really important for sustained weight-loss and general health and fitness that you lose weight in a slow and healthful way. This means eating enough to fuel your exercise and daily activities, eating good whole foods and enough fats/proteins/fiber to build muscle and keep your organs and all that functioning well, and to exercise regularly. Hope this helps -- Glad to you have you with us!!

Nadine - Welcome! Your goals are great and many of us ladies are currently training for our first 1/2 marathon as well!! :drinker: Hope you find the support and motivation that you are looking for here. We are all in this together! If you like, set a short-term Jan goal and update it as the months progress. As Tara as mentioned, we update the thread every month with new goals so that we can check our progress, so feel free to join in and do that as well (or not!)

Home from work and didn't quite eat my calories today... Lame! I even treated myself to 210 calories worth of dark chocolate after work to bump them up but I was way under. Thankfully tomorrow I'll be meeting them, since it's a REST DAY (WOOOT!) and my boy is going to be here so I am sure we'll indulge in something or other. I am making homemade bread for the first time ever tomorrow (http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2010/12/no-knead-ciabatta-074-recipe-012.html) so wish me luck! Having it with roasted veggies, grilled chicken and roasted jalapeno aoili (homemade, of course ) so I am pretty psyched! Loving all these new attempts in the kitchen - I am really broadening my horizons! On the agenda for next week are steel-cut oatmeal cookies (thanks to Jill), power-oat muffins (for pre-workout) and some more low GI dinners from my new cookbook.

Rock on, y'all! Have a great Friday!!
Meag