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

meagalayne

Quick selfish (kind of whiney) post.

I weigh myself every morning, but my "official" weigh ins are on Sunday. Today I weighed 144.6 (down 4.4 lbs from 149 last week) Part of me is really excited about that.

BUT- the whiney part of me is depressed that I even *can* lose that much weight in a week. Until Feb. I weighed 135. So, it's not surprising that, since it took such a short time for me to gain 14 lbs, it would come off fairly quickly as well (a lot of water weight from a high sodium diet) How the heck did I let myself go SO BAD in such a short time that I would gain so much.

Don't get me wrong, I am happy and proud of my hard work this week. But I still feel like I haven't "really" lost weight yet- that the actual weight loss won't begin until I am back in the 130s. Does anyone else ever feel that way? Or am I just crazy?

First off - LOVE the new pic! You look great and so happy :bigsmile: Just beaming!

Second - It's really just water weight and you shouldn't feel too stressed or depressed about it. Nor should you be celebrating any major successes, naturally, since you KNOW it's not legit fat loss. Our bodies retain water - It's a fact. If you put on 14lbs of water weight in 1 month then of course once you get back to living clean and healthy its going to melt off. Just take it as it comes and work towards your non-scale goals of living healthier, being fit and active, and making yourself happy. At 144lbs, I'd strongly urge you to consider the # on the scale as only a secondary measure of you progress. With so little weight left to lose (relative of course), work on your healthy and fitness goals and the rest will follow. That sort of progress begins RIGHT NOW and you should consider each occasion to push yourself and set new "personal bests" as a opportunity to make good on your goals and feel that same accomplishment we all get out of a healthy weight-loss on the scale.

Good luck! And if you're finding it to be too discouraging, nix the weigh-ins for a few weeks (I KNOW! it's tough) and gain some perspective on what's important - health, fitness, and feeling good about where you're at in your journey. Ask yourself "what can I do now that I couldn't do 3 months ago? and what do I want to be able to do next month, or 3-6 months from now that I can't do right now - and how do I get there?" Acknowledge your progress and set new goals for your body and yourself. So much more rewarding than a few lbs on the scale.

Mary830

First off - LOVE the new pic! You look great and so happy :bigsmile: Just beaming!

Thanks! It was taken right after I completed my first 5K last year. Probably the happiest I had been in a long time. I wanted to remind myself how GOOD I feel when I am active! :bigsmile:

At 144lbs, I'd strongly urge you to consider the # on the scale as only a secondary measure of you progress. With so little weight left to lose (relative of course), work on your healthy and fitness goals and the rest will follow. That sort of progress begins RIGHT NOW and you should consider each occasion to push yourself and set new "personal bests" as a opportunity to make good on your goals and feel that same accomplishment we all get out of a healthy weight-loss on the scale.

I do agree with you, and I am not arguing. I will say, though, that when I don't have a goal to work towards, I just kind of stop. Don't know why. :huh: I set my "goal weight" so ridiculously low (115) that I doubt I will ever get to it. I don't think I'll ever WANT to get there. I was at my happiest (as an adult) between 125-130. My "real" goal is to get back there. Not even to those particular numbers- but back to that state where I was *happy* with myself and my body. Active, moving, eating right, etc... Having a # to work towards just keeps me accountable. Whether or not I get there is secondary to having a goal of working out and eating right on a consistent basis.

Good luck! And if you're finding it to be too discouraging, nix the weigh-ins for a few weeks (I KNOW! it's tough) and gain some perspective on what's important - health, fitness, and feeling good about where you're at in your journey.

I'm not ready to give up the scale again! That's what I did in Feb. After several months of maintaining the same weight, I decided that daily/weekly weigh ins were too stressful. I decided to weigh myself just once a month and then suddenly that triggered a series of bad choices and my recent weight gain.

^^^ OK, so I know that all of the above sounds a lot like "I hear what you're saying, and here's my excuse for why it doesn't work for me" and I promise that's not what I was trying to do! I really do appreciate your well thought out and extremely helpful reply- I am not discounting your advice. It's all being stored away to be slowly added back in to my life once I can figure out how to fix all the crazy mental/emotional stuff that's going on right now.

Because, really, your advice ROCKS. Much needed this morning. Thanks! :flowerforyou:

finncmh

Welcome to all the new ladies! Please please please listen seriously to Gonks most recent post. So many times we focus all on the numbers and set way unrealistic expectations (I have been guilty of this many times) and then when we don’t reach them it’s a complete let down and leads us back to all the bad eating habits that got us to this point. There are many very knowledgeable ladies on here. I have found in the past 6ish months I have been on this thread that Meag and Gonks provide the most honest, balanced, and much needed advice. It may be hard to hear sometimes but it is coming from a place of experience and caring for your success. So LISTEN darnitt… just my $0.02 hehe :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

Aly- don’t think I said this but CONGRATULATIONS on the coach thing! That must feel so amazing. You should be really honored that your hard worth and dedication is being noticed! Rick it lady!

Meredith- there are many a days when Meag’s “Full House” pep talks in my head are the only thing that get me through a run. Keep pushing on those days when it is mental. The more you do that the more you will be able to tell the difference between your mental side stopping you versus needing an actual physical break (because sometimes your legs/body just are too darn tired). Its all about getting to know your body and your true limits not the ones our minds set for us.

Rachelly- I think that you are definitely ahead of the game with the C25K but its also nice to have a program to follow. I took the same approach to it in the early weeks. I would change up their suggestions a little bit depending on if I needed to push myself more or if I really just needed to repeat some days. Its definitely meant as a base to start with and then you make it work for your needs and abilities! Great job working so hard at it!

Kandace- I think today is the day right? Just wanted you to know that I am thinking of you and am so impressed with how determined you are to make healthy changes in all aspects of your life! You are doing an incredible job!

Tara- LOVE the new profile picture and LOVE even more that you and your son went hiking together. That is SUCH a great way to get some exercise in, have fun, and spend quality time with him! Yay!

Megan- I am so happy to hear that you took Meag’s advice and rested. I myself am still recovering from weeks and weeks of insane workouts almost everyday. Physically I am not longer burned out but mentally I definitely still am. It’s a struggle everyday to stay in line with my goals without burning myself out again. I think its so hard to find the balance and not go from one extreme (of crappy eating and doing nothing) to the other extreme (of nonstop daily workouts and obsessing on food). Keep up the great work lady!

HotMama- welcome to the group. Sounds like its your bodies way of telling you that you need a lazy morning once a week. Maybe plan for that so you don’t feel guilty about missing a workout and just enjoy quality time with your boys!

Meag- glad to hear that you are enjoying your weekend with the boy. I absolutely can relate to how you are feeling about your work and whatnot :grumble: . I went through that for two years after leaving my job that I had for a few years after grad school. Lots of bartending and taking whatever jobs I could. All I can say is hang in there and do what you are doing- using this as time to take care of you. It will work out and you will find something that you are looking for to challenge you on your intellectual levels and allow you to be doing good work! And can I say YUM!!!!! As usual your recipes sound incredible!

Hizzle- glad to hear you are feeling better! Don’t be discouraged being sick is tough and your body needs all the fuel it can get to recover. You will be back in the swing of things in no time kicking *kitten*!

Mary- ditto to Meag LOVE the new pic! Understandable that you are feeling frustrated but I think you just need to try your hardest to accept the situation and move forward. If you keep thinking about it you are going to just focus on that rather than all of the hard work you have put in and will continue to put in. Keep it up! <<<< wrote that part while you were responding to meag… You know your body best and as long as you are hearing what other people have to say and then deciding what works best for you (because only you know that) then you are doing the right thing in my book. Just keep up the great work!!!!

AFM- Been a crazy few weeks. But all in all I am feeling in a good place. Trying to get back in to a regular routine without burning myself out again. Trying to do things that I enjoy just for fun and not focus on the numbers but at the same time not letting bad habits slip back in. Anyway, the boy and I are going away to a friends cabin from Tuesday through Friday. It will be nice to just have a relaxing getaway just the two of us. Lots of hiking, maybe some biking and just all in all relaxing! After that my 2 mile run is on Sunday. Should be interesting to see how that goes! Happy Sunday everyone!

-Cait

chris_elizabeth

I agree! Weight can definitley be deceiving ! I have started measuring my body once a month. Neck, shoulders, chest, waist, abdomen, hips, thigh, knee, calf, ankle, arm, forearm, wrist. It is actually really surprising and motivating to see the changes! You can use these measurements to find your waist - hip ratio and your body fat% (which is not totally accurate but gives you a great idea of how you are doing!).

tjradd73

hizzle-no worries about the scale...if you keep doin what you are doing then it will catch up to you! Great job on your WO goal!

Mary-I def get what you are saying! With me, I lost almost 70(like 6 years ago) and then gained back like 30 (over the past 4 years) and since joining this site in Oct am down 37lbs again! At first I didn't feel that great about it...since I was losing what I had gained back, but my thoughts changed pretty quickly when I was consistently losing every week and keeping up with my working out and healthy diet! It is all about actually changing your habits!! The scale will get where its going, when it gets there!! (if that makes any sense)?! LOL Point being...we all gain a few loose a few...but you are going in the right direction and changing your lifestyle which in the end leads to happiness so CONGRATS!

Cait-thanks girly!! it was a lot of fun, and the whole purpose was exactly why you said! Have fun on your vaca!

AFM-took my son to the tennis courts today and hit the balls back and forth! wore my HRM and after 45min of trying to catch his serves, I burned 425cals! We both had fun and enjoyed some activity togethor!

HotMamaof2Boys

Thanks Megg for the advice... I'm definately in need of it.
I am gonna change my GW loss for this month to 5 lbs... and if I lose more, it'll be that much better! Thanks!

Hizzle85

thanks for the encouragement ladies, it's hard enough to get started on the weight loss goal but set backs tend to feel so big!

kbellnurse

Hey girls.

I wanted to post something that has been weighing on me lately (part of my absence). And then when it's done I'm going to go back and respond to some posts!! I'm actually supposed to be studying for yet ANOTHER midterm tomorrow but I'm taking a dinner break.

This probably isn't the place for my "confession" or whatever - but it's one of those things I want to talk about but don't have anyone else to talk about it with!

The past month has been extremely draining and challenging, there has been A LOT of school stress, work stress, car, etc etc. But what's been the hardest - has been my husband and my's relationship.

This is probably the first place I can actually just come and out and say "we are having trouble with our marriage". It's such a painful phrase. You can complain about your husband/wife and everyone just laughs and says it's normal. But when you say you are having "trouble" people get uncomfortable. Not to mention the fact that we are pretty much newlyweds (7mo's) so no one who was at your wedding (and bought you a gift!) wants to hear that you're regretting your decision.

There's no need to go into an indepth analysis of what's wrong - we just haven't been getting along well. We love each other alot and we both want things to work but it just seems like we cannot find "eye-to-eye" stances lately. We have a lot of issues that don't have compromises as solutions. (Basically it's a "love it or leave it.." for alot of things.) And what's worse is a lot of the issues are mine. As in - I am the one who is so unhappy with so many things. Which is even harder because I've made him cry (so painful) with all my whining. He looked at me and asked me if I wished I hadnt' married him. I didn't even know the answer.

I am so tired of his company running out of our tiny house - but there isn't another option at this point. This makes relationships between me and his business partner and apprentice strained as well. I feel like the evil wife who's always storming around angry. Locking myself in the bedroom (with food usually) until everyone has gone home. I cry all the time and find myself just ruminating over things to no end.

Last night I stayed at my parents house because I worked with my brother and car pooled. I have to say when I woke up in the morning and missed my husband I was relieved. I was worried that being there would feel so much better than here, but I didn't like the empty bed and missed his smile at breakfast.

I've been doing a lot of thinking (obviously) about everything and I've decided that this week I am going to focus on trying harder. Focusing on why I love him and what I love about our life and not about everything else. Adding to my overall funk - I haven't worked out for two weeks and my eating this past couple weeks has been less than stellar. I just got home from the grocery store and I have a fridge/cupboard full of delicious healthy choices. I think it's time for a full turn around here - maybe this week was one of those "rock bottom"-ish moments. You can't go up until you come down?

Thanks for sticking with me through February girls (whole car drama, bah). I hope March has some sunshine in it, and I have some successes to celebrate. No matter how small.

-

kbellnurse

@stuartme - Oh man I felt a pang of empathy when you wrote about your late thesis. I feel like school work is consuming me!! Every time I hand in one assignment, I'm pulling the next book out of my bag to write another paper or study for another exam.. Good luck getting all caught up!

@rachellynch - 30 day shred AND a run?! you're my hero. You inspire me to kick up my game!

@meag - I love squash and curry paste! I got the idea from a friend of mine. I usually use butternut squash, roast it in the oven and then puree it with some light coconut milk and tandoori curry spice! It's so delicious. And low cal! (As long as I avoid dipping a ton of french bread in it hehe) I'm also glad that hear that your work is "looking up" so to speak. Hope your foot is feeling alright tonight.

@edryer - I had a scratchy throat the other day and I drank a whole pitcher of crystal light!! I know that there's mixed feelings on the whole splenda business but I just wanted something that tasted better than plain water! Maybe some tea would be nice? I drank a bunch of that too - chamomile is supposed to be throat soothing. (and is excellent with honey! mm)

@kandace - I read one of your posts from earlier where you said you laughed about my car driving, haha. It is pretty friggin funny!! i feel like a new driver all over again. I love that you enjoy my posts - I enjoy yours too! We just bare our souls I guess! And most of the time it's funny, hah. Good luck with everything, I'm thinking of you.

tjradd73

editing hotmama's

Jessyas - Incorporate strength training into my workouts in order to build more muscle while I'm burning the calories, keep learning new recipes and cooking for myself, get down to 133lbs or less!
atrayubrandy - to lose 7lbs, drink 64oz of water a day, cut down on sugar, and quit diet soda. I also want to build lean muscle mass.
lolahippie - to exercise at least 4 times a week, not binge, and to get below 134lbs!
froggytank3- lose 10lbs, cut down on sugar, and stay under cals without eating exercise calories.
Allie7383- get into the 140's, stay on schedule with TurboFire, get in at least 8 glasses of water/day, increase my running distance.
KanCrav-152 lbs-strength train 4 days a week-only 3 caffinated drinks a day-80 oz water a day.
Rachellynch83- Finish my 30day shred, be able to run 3 1/2 miles without stopping, try to eat the majority of my exercise calories, and stay below my calorie goals at least 29 days this month.
Toshiette - go 120km/75miles this month and get comfortably into the 140s.
mkingraham- lose 7lbs, run a 5k without stopping, strength train 3 days a week
meagalayne- maintain between 125lbs and 128lbs, complete weeks 8 and 9 of HH 1/2 Intermediate Training Program, YogaFit 1 time/week, strength train 2-3 times/week, and eliminate sweetener use by the end of the month (eeek!)
hizzle85- lose 8 pounds, complete the pushup and squat challenges, eat under/ right at my calorie limit, exercise at least 4 days a week, work on increasing my water intake, start the c25k program.
eleanoreb- Get below 135 pounds, eat more veggies and less chocolate/candy
Ngoat- lose 3 lbs, drink more water, cut down on my sugar intake and be sure to excercise at least one day of the weekend
NicNac86 - lose at least 4lbs (avg 1 a week), drink more water, more Wii, more dog walks
echoicmemories- down to 130lbs, lose 2" from waist and 1" from hips, continue workout plan with alternating days at least 4x week, increase elliptical to 15, begin C25K
cheralicia - Walk to or from work (or both) at least 4 days a week, track on MFP 90% of the month, yoga 2x/week, start to love running!
GuamGrly (Bethany) - continue to incorporate more fruits and veggies into my diet, drink my water, workout 3-4 times per week, and continue C25K training
kristinlough- lose 6 lbs, exercise 5 days a week, water and/or tea only, no more white carbs, 20 pushups a day 3 days a week, plank for 60 seconds
maggiemay131- stay on track with half marathon training, kick the Diet Coke habit, and reach comfortably into the 150's (162 current!)
Lostalykat- Work out 4-6 days a week with my training, Make 1 new recipe a week, Track everything that goes in my mouth, try 1 new yoga class.
shelsab-lose 5 lbs. Try 3 yoga classes. strength training 3x week. Try new clean eating recipes.
Sams111- Get into 220's, Spin 3x a week, gym 5x a week, and increase calories.
mamabearr- Lose 7-10 lbs. Try to work out at least 5 days a week (even if it's only for 20 minutes) and eat healthier.
brittfam- continue to work out 6x's a week, more stength training, goal weight loss for this month is 8lbs
emmarie1630- lose 4 pounds, at least 4x a week workout with strength training, lengthen gym time, tons of water- cut out diet soda, find wedding dress
Mary830- scale: lose 9lbs, jog/run 50 miles, track my food every day, and 64+ oz of water a day
edryer123 March Goal Weight is be under 140lbs and get to where I can run a full mile without stopping (almost there but still fighting weather outside)
CaptainJim157to lose around 7-10 lbs, if I can, get at least 30-60 min of exercise a day, that's my main thing! And try and only have a pop once a week, instead of like, everyday
Mary830- scale: lose 9lbs, jog/run 50 miles, track my food every day, and 64+ oz of water a day.
Meggonkgonk: Make strength training workouts more of a priority (30 min 2x/wk minimum); Eat 1 fruit and 3 different vegetables everyday; Try 3 new recipes (do not have to be “perfect” just delicious).
jnlynch- lose 5 pounds (be at 118 lbs), workout at least 4x a week; completing my 30 Day Shred & starting the 6 Week Six-Pack, & eat breakfast on weekdays.
rmarin18- scale: lose 5 lbs, non-scale: Drink at least 72oz of water a day & strength train 2x per week.
prila13-5 lbs weight loss, Drink at least 4 glasses of water per day. (I have only been able to reach 2 so far LOL), Be able to walk 3 miles per day by the end of March.
gofatties-make it to hand stands class 1x a week. and to cut down on late night emotional eating.
Huni3bee-lose 10lbs, drink 10 cups of water a day instead of 8, and when I walk home I'll take the long way home instead of the shortcut... I'm also going to try and cut back on sugar, I'm going to actually push my self when working out no matter how bad it burns.
Paigeb15: Drink at least 48 oz of water a day, Maintain 110-115 lbs, Make myself go walk at the park down the street on my lunch on nice days, less alcohol
wardiemelissa-continue to maintain between 120-125 lbs. ; continue to follow Hal Higdon 1/2 marathon training (starting week 9-race is on April 2nd); continue to find and try out new recipes for dinner at least 4 nights a week; make time for my family )
Finncmh- see a loss on the scale, continue lifting 2-4 times a week, run 1-2 times a week, walk to work at least 2 times a week, play outdoors more, keep eating clean! Be supportive on new people on here giving honest opinions and input.
JacciLatt5- Ive never done this before but here it goes. I want to do the 30 Shred Dvd this month; eat less processed foods; try atleast 2 new workouts; be down @least 4 lbs
kbellnurse - Get into the 140's! (lose at least 4lbs), workouts 4x/week (at least), school work on EVERY school day - make it to church for at least one Sunday.
NLG139-I would like to lose 4lbs in March, drink 64oz of water a day, and get in my long runs every weekend (I'm training for a half marthon in May).
Whitneysaenz - Lose 7 lbs (GW for March 31st: 160lb), drink at least 64oz of water a day, eat more vegetables, and exercise at least 4 days per week!
DowntimeDesings-Start and stick with insanity workouts
SexyInASizeSix-lose 15lbs, and drink 10 glasses of water per day
tjradd73-to lose 6lbs, drink 80ozs of water/day, 3 days of arms/week, and burn at least 5,000 calories/month
rivingtonst-I'm doing the 4x4, haha, In the next 4 weeks I will: lose 4lbs, workout 4x week, and make 4 new recipes.
stuartme123: Check in with this thread 3-4x a week.- 30 min of cardio 4x a week - Continue C25K - reach W4 by Spring Break! - Curb unhealthy snacking - - Add veggies - Try one new healthy recipe a week - Lose 1lb a week and maintain over Spring Break for a total of 3lbs. MarchSW = 155.4.
hilhall822: up the water intake- be better about precooking meals so I don't snack all day!
runteachrun-For the month, I want to lose 15 pounds!
peachyxoxoxo-stop bingeing. Work out 3-4 days a week. Track ALL foods every day.
crystalfaith - workout at LEAST 4 times a week! Lose 5 lbs. Start eating more veggies and fruits
mmahabee- get a fitness routine worked out so I can maintain my weight and tone my body
bstamps12- Lose 4 lbs, bike 60 minutes straight, bike 9 miles straight.
Sorry I am late! I wanted to do this challenge last month and lost track of it and haven't found it this month until now.
CurriedGrasshopper - (Jenn) - I'd like to lose 3lbs, continue with p90x, and focus on drinking more water and less diet coke.
gymgirl12- lose 5lbs (be at 145) Increase cardio time, starting working more core exercises, watching what I eat and limit snacking (especially chips).
weslfuss- to lose 10 pounds (though honestly I'll be happy if I can just make it to 5-7), Drink more water, work out at least 4 times a week. no drive-thrus or soda!
HotMamaof2Boys: I want to lose 5 lbs., stop getting any fast food or soda. I really, really want to try to workout every morning Mon. - Sat
nausicaa11: Lose 5 pounds and exercise 6 days a week.

tjradd73

kbellnurse- I am sorry to hear about your marriage problems. I truly understand where you are coming from, as I myself, am filing for divorce tomorrow. My hubby and I were togethor for 12 years before we grew apart and we have been separated for about 16 months now. Trust me when I say...you may not know if the marriage is "right" but you will for sure know if/when it is "wrong"! Keep your head up, give it some time, and definately try out your plan of focusing on the positives instead of the negatives, it is a great starting point for sure. Good luck, and we are all here for you if you need anymore support

mkingraham

Good Morning Everyone!

Sorry was kind of MIA this weekend. I think after 2 solid months of non-stop logging and exercising I was starting to obsess over every little thing, and to me thats not a lifestyle change- so I took this weekend off from exercising (my body really needed the rest any ways) and did log food, but wasn't overall to concerned. Now I am back on track and feeling rejuvenated.

This morning I ran 1.5 miles, walked .25 miles, and ran another mile. I was suppose to be running 2.5 miles non stop, but I am really struggling with this distance. I still got a total of 2.5 miles of running in- which to me is just as important, so I am happy with that. I think I might stay on week 7 for two weeks, maybe more depending on how I am feeling. I think once I feel good about this distance I will move onto 2.75 miles.

Any ways- I have a busy day at work today, but I just wanted to drop in and say hi! I will work on replying to everyone throughout the day!

Megan

wardiemelissa

CHOCOLATE - For those who want a low cal choc fix, I have a few suggestions.

For clean eating, I'd mix together 1/4 ip each pumpkin puree and egg whites (2), 1 Tbsp chia seed, 1 Tbsp water, and 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa plus whatever fruit, jam, dark chocolate chips, natural PB, or other addition (think oatmeal/ice cream mix-in) and any natural sweetener (I use none but I like my chocolate bitter) and microwave on high for 90-100 seconds. Awesome! It's like cake. I like mine with a little melted PB and natural jam, but fruit and choc chips both work awesome too!

Another yummy treat - mix 1-2 tsp of cocoa powder in with your oats before adding milk/water and then cook as directed. Top with coconut and almond milk - tastes just like almond joy! It's great with blueberries too :bigsmile:

Want a choc protein fix? Protein brownies! OMG I am in *LOVE* with them! I had one crumbled up with plain yogurt and strawberries today for a snack at work and it was heaven. So easy. Recipe:


1 cup oats, old fashioned
1/2 cup each 1% cottage cheese and egg whites
2 scoops whey isolate protein, chocolate
1/2 tsp each vanilla extract and baking soda
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Mix in a food processor and bake in a parchment lined 9X5 loaf pan at 325F for 27-32 mins (watch carefully). I cover mine with aluminium foil for more even cooking. Once it's set in the middle and a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly, they are done. Cut into 6 servings - around 140cals each and soooo good! No sweetener or sugar needed (IMO).

Can I say YUMMY!!!!

wardiemelissa

Meag-just wanted to tell you that I had never heard of buttercup squash before (butternut, acorn and spaghetti-yes) and I actually found one at the store a few days ago...do you just bake it in the oven like a regular squash??? What would you pair with it? I was thinking couscous or quinoa and maybe either chicken or pork chops?

We really love buttercup squash because its SO creamy and delicious and so we tend not to use it in recipes - we just eat it oven-roasted either tossed with some curry paste thinned with water (weird but so delicious) or roasted as-is. I've used it in a few recipes before but the texture and taste gets lost amongst the other ingredients and it makes me a little sad, because it's so luscious and creamy. I know - it's squash - but seriously! I'd say either peel and cube it and toss it in the oven with whatever flavours you like (we like more Indian masalas) or just cut it into 8 or 10 large slices, scoop out the middle, and roast it skin down until it's soft (may want to microwave it on high for 5 mins to speed this up). Serve it along side whatever protein you're having that day. We've had it with BBQ chicken, roasted pork tenderloin, and even fish and it was always great. I'd typically not have a carb with it, because I'm somewhat carb-phobic and squash is a decent low-GI sub, but I am SURE i'd be really yummy with couscous or any other whole grain as well. I bet it would be amazing in a warm bulgur wheat, couscours or quinoa salad! :bigsmile:

The coolest thing? When you cut it open, notice that it smells strangely like a mix between pumpkin and watermelon. That's how you know it's good! So sweet, creamy and fabulous. Enjoy it :happy:

Meag-made the squash tonight. Just baked it in the oven...I put a little brown sugar on top of the girls' and they liked it ok...squash is the one veggie that they aren't the fondest of! Funny cuz they loved it as babies...too much of a good thing I guess :laugh: We had it with some salmon. It was by far the BEST salmon I've EVER had! He works with a guy that has a buddy that lives in Alaska and flew him some fresh Alaskan salmon-it was so pink-it was almost red...very tender and YUMMY!!! Squash went really well with it.

Oh...and I found the blueberry muffin mini wheats today at Wal-mart...excited to try them tonight as my snack

Glad you liked the squash Melissa! We never have ours baked sweet with brown sugar, but I bet it's yummy that way too :happy: As long as it's cooked long enough I find that it's just absolutely fabulous. And that salmon sounds incredible. We have some in our freezer that I should make this week... Any good recipes?

Hope you enjoyed the mini-wheats! I prefer mine with coffee and without any milk, but to each his own!

I just like to grill ours up....love how flaky it gets from the grill!!

wardiemelissa

Ok...so I have a couple of minutes to update....I finally finished with Week 9 of my 1/2 training. Finished my first 15k "race" outside yesterday and feel that I did really good admist all the snow/ice that is still lurking around (finished in 1:28:54). Running in a 5k this weekend for St. Patty's day. Stocked up on groceries and took my oldest with me...to get her out of the house and we ended up spending more than normal-let her pick out some extra fruits/veggies and snacks. I was a proud mama watching her pick out stuff...I think she is getting it!!! We walked right by the oreo's and chips ahoy and she went to the nilla wafers, fig newtons, and picked out snacks in the health food section...$14 mini protein bars box!!!! I was BEAMING!!!!!

Tonight we are making a "healthified" Broccoli and Cashew Chicken with brown or long grain (not sure what's in the cupboard) rice.

Stretch and strength on tap for tonight!

Have a great day!!!!
Melissa

wardiemelissa

Good Morning Everyone!

Sorry was kind of MIA this weekend. I think after 2 solid months of non-stop logging and exercising I was starting to obsess over every little thing, and to me thats not a lifestyle change- so I took this weekend off from exercising (my body really needed the rest any ways) and did log food, but wasn't overall to concerned. Now I am back on track and feeling rejuvenated.

This morning I ran 1.5 miles, walked .25 miles, and ran another mile. I was suppose to be running 2.5 miles non stop, but I am really struggling with this distance. I still got a total of 2.5 miles of running in- which to me is just as important, so I am happy with that. I think I might stay on week 7 for two weeks, maybe more depending on how I am feeling. I think once I feel good about this distance I will move onto 2.75 miles.

Any ways- I have a busy day at work today, but I just wanted to drop in and say hi! I will work on replying to everyone throughout the day!

Megan

Megan-great job on getting the distance in!!! I think you are right just listen to your body!!! Congratulations on making it 2.5 miles though that is something to celebrate!!!

jbars11

WOW 8 pages and it's only the 7th of March!! :flowerforyou:
I know I'm super late, and that I have been missing in action for a couple of weeks but I am back and man I have missed you ladies!! :sad:

Lots of interesting things happening in the real world here but I'm settled and so so so so happy to get back to working on me!!

I lost 4 pounds in February and I am a true believer in mfp, without it the past couple of weeks I felt out of control....my workouts were lacking/non-existent....so it's my birthday month and it's time to get going. First success I signed up for that 10k in June. I am realistic that I will most likely walk the majority of it but signing up is the first challenge....I am also working with another co-worker as team captains for our office....promoting health all the way....

GOALS: C25K starting this week....staying consistent with logging EVERYDAY even if I know I'm over and losing 4 pounds.

I am so excited to catch and read what awesome goals everyone has set and catch up on everything else with you ladies!!

Happy Monday, so happy to be back :bigsmile: :flowerforyou: :smooched:

lostalykat

Good morning everyone! I know I was MIA over the weekend sorry about that. I will come back and check in with everyone when I get a minute for now somewhat selfish post.

I had another bit of a splurge weekend and I am going out to dinner tonight. It makes me feel out of control and worried I won't make it to my goal. I am just going to pick up where I left off today. I am going to make smart choices at dinner tonight and not deprve myself. The good thing is that I started undoing the bad day yesterday. I didn't workout because our triathlon was canceled due to weather, but my body was really tired. I worked out weds-sat for at least 40 mins every day so I think yesterday break was ok. Today I am going to take a workout break as well because I could not wake up at 5am this morning for spin I was too exhausted. I am getting my healthy lunch together and just had some crockpot oatmeal. We stocked up on healthy food yesterday and I am ready to tackle this week.I am debating about not weighing myself this week so I try extra hard over the weekend...not sure if that would work. Well gotta run loves. Ill be back to catch up!

QOTD- If you could buy one outfit what would it be?

Ill get back to you on this one... I love clothes!

jbars11

Jessyas - Incorporate strength training into my workouts in order to build more muscle while I'm burning the calories, keep learning new recipes and cooking for myself, get down to 133lbs or less!
atrayubrandy - to lose 7lbs, drink 64oz of water a day, cut down on sugar, and quit diet soda. I also want to build lean muscle mass.
lolahippie - to exercise at least 4 times a week, not binge, and to get below 134lbs!
froggytank3- lose 10lbs, cut down on sugar, and stay under cals without eating exercise calories.
Allie7383- get into the 140's, stay on schedule with TurboFire, get in at least 8 glasses of water/day, increase my running distance.
KanCrav-152 lbs-strength train 4 days a week-only 3 caffinated drinks a day-80 oz water a day.
Rachellynch83- Finish my 30day shred, be able to run 3 1/2 miles without stopping, try to eat the majority of my exercise calories, and stay below my calorie goals at least 29 days this month.
Toshiette - go 120km/75miles this month and get comfortably into the 140s.
mkingraham- lose 7lbs, run a 5k without stopping, strength train 3 days a week
meagalayne- maintain between 125lbs and 128lbs, complete weeks 8 and 9 of HH 1/2 Intermediate Training Program, YogaFit 1 time/week, strength train 2-3 times/week, and eliminate sweetener use by the end of the month (eeek!)
hizzle85- lose 8 pounds, complete the pushup and squat challenges, eat under/ right at my calorie limit, exercise at least 4 days a week, work on increasing my water intake, start the c25k program.
eleanoreb- Get below 135 pounds, eat more veggies and less chocolate/candy
Ngoat- lose 3 lbs, drink more water, cut down on my sugar intake and be sure to excercise at least one day of the weekend
NicNac86 - lose at least 4lbs (avg 1 a week), drink more water, more Wii, more dog walks
echoicmemories- down to 130lbs, lose 2" from waist and 1" from hips, continue workout plan with alternating days at least 4x week, increase elliptical to 15, begin C25K
cheralicia - Walk to or from work (or both) at least 4 days a week, track on MFP 90% of the month, yoga 2x/week, start to love running!
GuamGrly (Bethany) - continue to incorporate more fruits and veggies into my diet, drink my water, workout 3-4 times per week, and continue C25K training
kristinlough- lose 6 lbs, exercise 5 days a week, water and/or tea only, no more white carbs, 20 pushups a day 3 days a week, plank for 60 seconds
maggiemay131- stay on track with half marathon training, kick the Diet Coke habit, and reach comfortably into the 150's (162 current!)
Lostalykat- Work out 4-6 days a week with my training, Make 1 new recipe a week, Track everything that goes in my mouth, try 1 new yoga class.
shelsab-lose 5 lbs. Try 3 yoga classes. strength training 3x week. Try new clean eating recipes.
Sams111- Get into 220's, Spin 3x a week, gym 5x a week, and increase calories.
mamabearr- Lose 7-10 lbs. Try to work out at least 5 days a week (even if it's only for 20 minutes) and eat healthier.
brittfam- continue to work out 6x's a week, more stength training, goal weight loss for this month is 8lbs
emmarie1630- lose 4 pounds, at least 4x a week workout with strength training, lengthen gym time, tons of water- cut out diet soda, find wedding dress
Mary830- scale: lose 9lbs, jog/run 50 miles, track my food every day, and 64+ oz of water a day
edryer123 March Goal Weight is be under 140lbs and get to where I can run a full mile without stopping (almost there but still fighting weather outside)
CaptainJim157to lose around 7-10 lbs, if I can, get at least 30-60 min of exercise a day, that's my main thing! And try and only have a pop once a week, instead of like, everyday
Mary830- scale: lose 9lbs, jog/run 50 miles, track my food every day, and 64+ oz of water a day.
Meggonkgonk: Make strength training workouts more of a priority (30 min 2x/wk minimum); Eat 1 fruit and 3 different vegetables everyday; Try 3 new recipes (do not have to be “perfect” just delicious).
jnlynch- lose 5 pounds (be at 118 lbs), workout at least 4x a week; completing my 30 Day Shred & starting the 6 Week Six-Pack, & eat breakfast on weekdays.
rmarin18- scale: lose 5 lbs, non-scale: Drink at least 72oz of water a day & strength train 2x per week.
prila13-5 lbs weight loss, Drink at least 4 glasses of water per day. (I have only been able to reach 2 so far LOL), Be able to walk 3 miles per day by the end of March.
gofatties-make it to hand stands class 1x a week. and to cut down on late night emotional eating.
Huni3bee-lose 10lbs, drink 10 cups of water a day instead of 8, and when I walk home I'll take the long way home instead of the shortcut... I'm also going to try and cut back on sugar, I'm going to actually push my self when working out no matter how bad it burns.
Paigeb15: Drink at least 48 oz of water a day, Maintain 110-115 lbs, Make myself go walk at the park down the street on my lunch on nice days, less alcohol
wardiemelissa-continue to maintain between 120-125 lbs. ; continue to follow Hal Higdon 1/2 marathon training (starting week 9-race is on April 2nd); continue to find and try out new recipes for dinner at least 4 nights a week; make time for my family )
Finncmh- see a loss on the scale, continue lifting 2-4 times a week, run 1-2 times a week, walk to work at least 2 times a week, play outdoors more, keep eating clean! Be supportive on new people on here giving honest opinions and input.
JacciLatt5- Ive never done this before but here it goes. I want to do the 30 Shred Dvd this month; eat less processed foods; try atleast 2 new workouts; be down @least 4 lbs
kbellnurse - Get into the 140's! (lose at least 4lbs), workouts 4x/week (at least), school work on EVERY school day - make it to church for at least one Sunday.
NLG139-I would like to lose 4lbs in March, drink 64oz of water a day, and get in my long runs every weekend (I'm training for a half marthon in May).
Whitneysaenz - Lose 7 lbs (GW for March 31st: 160lb), drink at least 64oz of water a day, eat more vegetables, and exercise at least 4 days per week!
DowntimeDesings-Start and stick with insanity workouts
SexyInASizeSix-lose 15lbs, and drink 10 glasses of water per day
tjradd73-to lose 6lbs, drink 80ozs of water/day, 3 days of arms/week, and burn at least 5,000 calories/month
rivingtonst-I'm doing the 4x4, haha, In the next 4 weeks I will: lose 4lbs, workout 4x week, and make 4 new recipes.
stuartme123: Check in with this thread 3-4x a week.- 30 min of cardio 4x a week - Continue C25K - reach W4 by Spring Break! - Curb unhealthy snacking - - Add veggies - Try one new healthy recipe a week - Lose 1lb a week and maintain over Spring Break for a total of 3lbs. MarchSW = 155.4.
hilhall822: up the water intake- be better about precooking meals so I don't snack all day!
runteachrun-For the month, I want to lose 15 pounds!
peachyxoxoxo-stop bingeing. Work out 3-4 days a week. Track ALL foods every day.
crystalfaith - workout at LEAST 4 times a week! Lose 5 lbs. Start eating more veggies and fruits
mmahabee- get a fitness routine worked out so I can maintain my weight and tone my body
bstamps12- Lose 4 lbs, bike 60 minutes straight, bike 9 miles straight.
Sorry I am late! I wanted to do this challenge last month and lost track of it and haven't found it this month until now.
CurriedGrasshopper - (Jenn) - I'd like to lose 3lbs, continue with p90x, and focus on drinking more water and less diet coke.
gymgirl12- lose 5lbs (be at 145) Increase cardio time, starting working more core exercises, watching what I eat and limit snacking (especially chips).
weslfuss- to lose 10 pounds (though honestly I'll be happy if I can just make it to 5-7), Drink more water, work out at least 4 times a week. no drive-thrus or soda!
HotMamaof2Boys: I want to lose 5 lbs., stop getting any fast food or soda. I really, really want to try to workout every morning Mon. - Sat
nausicaa11: Lose 5 pounds and exercise 6 days a week.
Jbars11- C25K starting this week....staying consistent with logging EVERYDAY even if I know I'm over, making sure I'm getting my water and losing 4 pounds this month.

kbellnurse

@jbars - Congrats on the 10k! Good to see you back. I'm thinking about signing up for a 10k here as well. I ran it a couple years ago and my only goal was to run the whole time (which i did not do) But since then I think my endurance has improved AND i quit smoking. Running hasn't always been my forte though so we will have to see..:) Way to be a captain for health promotion :-D

@melissa - mmm healthified cashew/broc chicken! Sounds delicious, i'm inspired. 15k is awesome! Especially amidst all the snow/ice! I have been avoiding outside like the plague for at least the past month. It's still been like -30C this week (which is unseasonably cold even for the arctic up here!) I can't wait for spring!! I'm thinking if you can run 15k with snow, I can walk my dog today with snow. haha.

AFM - Well after yesterdays's post what more is there to say! haha. I feel pretty positive this morning, ready to handle the week! I'm up early to get some more studying in before the tests today. (A quiz and a midterm). Just had a delicious breakfast, (my staple "test morning" breakfast of toast and an egg). I think I was brainwashed by all those egg commercials saying how they give you energy because whenever I have a big day ahead of me I always go for the eggs! I'm going to brave a "green monster" for lunch before I take off for school. Bought some spinach and almond milk for the cause! For dinner tonight I'm going to make some little fajita's with the rotisserie chicken in my fridge. I'm a total rotisserie convert - I buy one almost every other week and then take all the skin off and use the meat for various things. I also usually make broth & soup with the bones! I can get three meals out of a 7.99 chicken!

Anyway - this test wont write it self. Back to the grind. I'd love to get a work out in today. Hopefully I can motivate myself for one this evening.

Have a great monday/week everyone!

jbars11

kbellnurse: Good luck to you. I think you have the right attitude and new outlook to really make a change for the better! Thanks for sharing your 'confession' it's nice to know that there are other people that have been in similar situations or have at least felt similar feelings. Marriage is work and whoever tried telling me it wasn't in the past was wrong...they all have their little hiccups and I wish you luck and happiness :flowerforyou:

kbellnurse

@tjrad - (Tara?) - Thanks for your support. I'm sorry to hear that you are filing for divorce but I hope that you are able to find more happiness now that you are out of a "wrong" situation. I really hope that my husband and I can find some common ground in the weeks/months to come. I know that our situation isn't the most conducive to a healthy relationship (me: fulltime student him: opening a company) but I feel that some of our issues are deeper than just what's happening "right now". I didn't see much of him this weekend as I was working and then studying but we are going to spend some time together tonight. I'm just praying we don't fight over anything and can just enjoy eachother. Have a good Monday!

mkingraham

Kbell- Marriage is hard! My husband and I were together for 6 years before we got married and we still have to work at our relationship. I think since you are consciously thinking about your relationship and what you need to work on that you are doing the right thing. My brother-in-law is going through a divorce now and all they did was sweep their problems under the rug and never try to deal with anything. You have a great outlook and I’m sure you will do what is best for you. HUGS

Aly- I totally feel you on body saying you need a break. That was totally me this weekend, but I was right back at it this morning and I know you will be too! Keep up the great work and positive attitude and you will definitely achieve your goal!

Jbars- Welcome back!! A 10K! HOLY MOLY that’s exciting! I am doing some searching for 5ks that I want to run, but I don’t want to run one until April since I want to be able to do 3 miles non-stop. I know you said you are going to walk/jog it, but that is still amazing! You rock!

Melissa- Thanks for the encouragement! I love that you and your family are in this thing together. Having a support system like that make life so much better no matter what kind of goals you are trying to achieve! Keep up the amazing work its such an inspiration!

Tj- love playing tennis! It also is way better to be active and not even think about the fact that you are working out. 425 cals is killer! Also- I love that you are doing a lot of activities with your son lately- hiking, tennis- love it all!

Cait- I can’t believe your 2 mile run is this Sunday! AWESOME! I know you can do it! We have been right around the same schedule with running so I definitely 100% believe that you can run this whole thing without stopping- especially after you have a nice and relaxing mini-vacation with the boy! I’m so excited for you and can’t wait to hear all about how you killed it!

Mary- Sometimes I get down on myself about well I weighed less then this before so I can’t even get down to that yet, but if I did that I would want to be 8lbs 7 oz. I mean that’s my lowest weight post birth ever so lets do it. Hehe- I think that I did a lot of discounting of my hard work, kind of what you are doing in your post, in the past but now I am proud of every pound. Water weight or not- it still meant that a change had to be made and isn’t the real end goal to make a positive lifestyle change not to weigh a certain amount? Getting to that point mentally is the hard part. Keep up the great work and remember you are working your butt off so you deserve every hard fought pound!

Ok- that’s all I have time for right now, and if I keep going I’ll run out of room. I’ll try and stay caught up with everyone, but we all know how hard that is! Keep on keeping on!!

Megan

XOXO

eleanoreb

Been MIA today with the boy, and due to work, which is going fine. The bar is actually just so easy -- Really lax and the customers are insanely easy to please. Anddd they all want to date me, which is hilarious :laugh: It's pretty miserable as a highly educated and diversely skilled young professional to still be working at bars, but whatever. I'll take what I can get right now. I have the rest of my life to be successful and do meaningful work... :noway:

Eating has been so-so. Since I can't really workout on my foot (and knee, which I hyper-extended in YogaFit this week and is killing me) I'm taking a break from obsessing about food. Still doing really well but not going crazy. Adapting meals where I can and just taking what comes. No idea how to log my work into exercise so I am eating when hungry and just seeing how my body adjusts. Had frozen yogurt tonight and it sated my desire for ice cream - at least for the time being. I'm feeling some improvements in my foot so perhaps I'll be able to run again soon... It's just a waiting game.

CHOCOLATE - For those who want a low cal choc fix, I have a few suggestions.

For clean eating, I'd mix together 1/4 ip each pumpkin puree and egg whites (2), 1 Tbsp chia seed, 1 Tbsp water, and 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa plus whatever fruit, jam, dark chocolate chips, natural PB, or other addition (think oatmeal/ice cream mix-in) and any natural sweetener (I use none but I like my chocolate bitter) and microwave on high for 90-100 seconds. Awesome! It's like cake. I like mine with a little melted PB and natural jam, but fruit and choc chips both work awesome too!

Another yummy treat - mix 1-2 tsp of cocoa powder in with your oats before adding milk/water and then cook as directed. Top with coconut and almond milk - tastes just like almond joy! It's great with blueberries too :bigsmile:

Want a choc protein fix? Protein brownies! OMG I am in *LOVE* with them! I had one crumbled up with plain yogurt and strawberries today for a snack at work and it was heaven. So easy. Recipe:


1 cup oats, old fashioned
1/2 cup each 1% cottage cheese and egg whites
2 scoops whey isolate protein, chocolate
1/2 tsp each vanilla extract and baking soda
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Mix in a food processor and bake in a parchment lined 9X5 loaf pan at 325F for 27-32 mins (watch carefully). I cover mine with aluminium foil for more even cooking. Once it's set in the middle and a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly, they are done. Cut into 6 servings - around 140cals each and soooo good! No sweetener or sugar needed (IMO).

I honestly have chocolate at least twice a day and it keeps me sane. Cocoa powder is perfectly fine for you (as far as I know) and it's a great add-in and so flexible! If you want that extra kick, 15grams of chocolate chips is 70 cals and sometimes it's just worth it! Just be sure to weigh it out because honestly, it doesn't look like much but it goes a long way!

Have a great night everyone and see you tomorrow - You're all doing fabulous! And welcome newbs to our happy little corner of the internet :flowerforyou:
Meag

yum thanks for these recipes!!

meagalayne

Morning folks and happy Monday! Been working hard to catch up from a weekend of QT with the boy and so I am just finally getting around to my Kick *kitten* crew - Happy to see the posts here and lots to say, per usual! So bare with me :bigsmile:

kbell - Very sorry to hear about your marital troubles but it sounds like you have the right attitude and it's refreshing to hear that you really want to make things work. I empathize with your feelings of frustration and resentment - It's so hard to cope sometimes when you are feeling resentment towards someone you love so dearly and you really have no idea how to make things better. I find that a lot of times I feel resentment towards my family simply because I am frustrated and fed up with my life's circumstance (comparable to your husbands business situation, I"m guessing). Those feelings are then conflated with feelings of frustration and overwhelming helplessness because I am totally at a loss of control - there's very little I can do to actually change those circumstances in the short term and so my resentment and frustration builds and I find it very hard to cope. Definitely a major stressor on any relationship. You are not alone, sweetie. The good news is that it seems you are still in love and that your problems are more to do with circumstance than the quality of your bond with one another -- I think these things just take a lot of work and time to sort themselves out. I wish you both the best <<hugs>>

And what do you mean "BRAVE" the GM? Oh man.... They are incredible! I really hope you find a blend of fruits, milk and protein that you enjoy. I love mine nice and thick, almost like a milkshake, but everyone's different. Let the experimenting begin! :bigsmile:

jbars - FAB having you back, girl! :bigsmile: Love your goals and your attitude, per usual. Really glad to hear you signed up for that 10K - You'll be surprised with how much progress you can make between now and June. I wouldn't be surprised if you ran 1/2-3/4 of the 10K come race day. Just take it one day at a time and you'll be seeing crazy progress before you know it.

Megan - It's all about miles logged - Time on your feet is what counts! When I was training for my 10K in the fall I ended up really obsessing with running straight miles and not walking at all - Turns out it really isn't worth the stress. Taking a 1 min walk break every 9 mins of running works REALLY well for me on my long runs and helps me maintain my pace, even over 10+ miles of running. I actually keep a faster pace when I take short walking breaks than when I run straight through. It doesn't make you less of a "runner" and it certainly isn't anything to be ashamed of, so listen to your body and walk when you need to. You are kicking *kitten*! Keep with it!

Melissa - Dinner tonight sounds great! :happy: When should I get there? Fab "race" this weekend and great pace. Your running is so inspiring! I am so glad that you are continuing to see progress and well on your way to an amazing finish in your 1/2 next month. Really proud of you! And am currently living vicariously through your runs - so don't quit now hahaha Not that I think you would ever consider it

Cait - I love all the mad props you give me. What a sweetie I am definitely just riding this job out until I find something decent. It'll happen eventually. In the mean time just working at enjoying the good in my life.. And stoked about the WD! hahaha Thoughts of my kick-*kitten* summer are definitely occupying a lot of my time right now. Help me cope, for sure. Enjoy your getaway!! Sounds like an AWESOME trip - something Ty and I would love to do. Camping and cabins are our favourite form of "vacationing" - esp when they involve lots of outdoor activities, beaches, sun, biking, running and just general lounging. Have a GREAT time :bigsmile:

Mary - My advice is free and unsolicited - Take it or leave it, I am totally *not* offended :happy: We're all different and we know what works for us. You obviously know what your body needs/wants and so I urge you to just listen to it and go from there. Just know that my $0.02 is coming purely from a desire to see you succeed and is mostly just based on personal experience and knowing what has worked and not worked for me and others in the past. It's totally up to you - your journey - and I understand completely. Wishing you the best of luck, for sure :flowerforyou:

AFM - I can't be bothered to update for me right now. Great weekend - the best, actually. So crazy in love right now it's just ridiculous. Very very happy :bigsmile: Work and running stuff aside, of course. Weighed-in today at 124.8lbs, so still lower than I'd like.... Trial and error!

Made a totally delicious and super easy split pea soup last night. I'll post the recipe later. It was a great meal for a lazy Sunday when you have 2 hour to just let it cook on the stove. Minimal prep work - just takes some time to cook. Very healthy too! :bigsmile: Tonight we're having sweet potato, corn and white fish chowder. Not too sure. I'm going to do some strength work at the gym for an hour or so later and I'm relying on my mom to make something healthy for dinner, so we'll see!

Hope you all have a great start to your week! Much love
Meag

kvr414

February wasn't as awesome as I had hoped. But I did manage to lose 2 lbs. This month I will be back with a vengeance to lose these last 13 lbs. I've already come this far. I know I can do it.

For the month of March I want to keep up the water drinking, Limit my fat intake to about 35 g/day or 43g/day when working out. I want to be able to master of schedule of HIIT and distance running at some point this month. But most importantly, I want to lose 5 lbs this month to reach a weight of 147, and BMI of 21.7

This is the most recent list I could find:
Jessyas - Incorporate strength training into my workouts in order to build more muscle while I'm burning the calories, keep learning new recipes and cooking for myself, get down to 133lbs or less!
atrayubrandy - to lose 7lbs, drink 64oz of water a day, cut down on sugar, and quit diet soda. I also want to build lean muscle mass.
lolahippie - to exercise at least 4 times a week, not binge, and to get below 134lbs!
froggytank3- lose 10lbs, cut down on sugar, and stay under cals without eating exercise calories.
Allie7383- get into the 140's, stay on schedule with TurboFire, get in at least 8 glasses of water/day, increase my running distance.
KanCrav-152 lbs-strength train 4 days a week-only 3 caffinated drinks a day-80 oz water a day.
Rachellynch83- Finish my 30day shred, be able to run 3 1/2 miles without stopping, try to eat the majority of my exercise calories, and stay below my calorie goals at least 29 days this month.
Toshiette - go 120km/75miles this month and get comfortably into the 140s.
mkingraham- lose 7lbs, run a 5k without stopping, strength train 3 days a week
meagalayne- maintain between 125lbs and 128lbs, complete weeks 8 and 9 of HH 1/2 Intermediate Training Program, YogaFit 1 time/week, strength train 2-3 times/week, and eliminate sweetener use by the end of the month (eeek!)
hizzle85- lose 8 pounds, complete the pushup and squat challenges, eat under/ right at my calorie limit, exercise at least 4 days a week, work on increasing my water intake, start the c25k program.
eleanoreb- Get below 135 pounds, eat more veggies and less chocolate/candy
Ngoat- lose 3 lbs, drink more water, cut down on my sugar intake and be sure to excercise at least one day of the weekend
NicNac86 - lose at least 4lbs (avg 1 a week), drink more water, more Wii, more dog walks
echoicmemories- down to 130lbs, lose 2" from waist and 1" from hips, continue workout plan with alternating days at least 4x week, increase elliptical to 15, begin C25K
cheralicia - Walk to or from work (or both) at least 4 days a week, track on MFP 90% of the month, yoga 2x/week, start to love running!
GuamGrly (Bethany) - continue to incorporate more fruits and veggies into my diet, drink my water, workout 3-4 times per week, and continue C25K training
kristinlough- lose 6 lbs, exercise 5 days a week, water and/or tea only, no more white carbs, 20 pushups a day 3 days a week, plank for 60 seconds
maggiemay131- stay on track with half marathon training, kick the Diet Coke habit, and reach comfortably into the 150's (162 current!)
Lostalykat- Work out 4-6 days a week with my training, Make 1 new recipe a week, Track everything that goes in my mouth, try 1 new yoga class.
shelsab-lose 5 lbs. Try 3 yoga classes. strength training 3x week. Try new clean eating recipes.
Sams111- Get into 220's, Spin 3x a week, gym 5x a week, and increase calories.
mamabearr- Lose 7-10 lbs. Try to work out at least 5 days a week (even if it's only for 20 minutes) and eat healthier.
brittfam- continue to work out 6x's a week, more stength training, goal weight loss for this month is 8lbs
emmarie1630- lose 4 pounds, at least 4x a week workout with strength training, lengthen gym time, tons of water- cut out diet soda, find wedding dress
Mary830- scale: lose 9lbs, jog/run 50 miles, track my food every day, and 64+ oz of water a day
edryer123 March Goal Weight is be under 140lbs and get to where I can run a full mile without stopping (almost there but still fighting weather outside)
CaptainJim157to lose around 7-10 lbs, if I can, get at least 30-60 min of exercise a day, that's my main thing! And try and only have a pop once a week, instead of like, everyday
Mary830- scale: lose 9lbs, jog/run 50 miles, track my food every day, and 64+ oz of water a day.
Meggonkgonk: Make strength training workouts more of a priority (30 min 2x/wk minimum); Eat 1 fruit and 3 different vegetables everyday; Try 3 new recipes (do not have to be “perfect” just delicious).
jnlynch- lose 5 pounds (be at 118 lbs), workout at least 4x a week; completing my 30 Day Shred & starting the 6 Week Six-Pack, & eat breakfast on weekdays.
rmarin18- scale: lose 5 lbs, non-scale: Drink at least 72oz of water a day & strength train 2x per week.
prila13-5 lbs weight loss, Drink at least 4 glasses of water per day. (I have only been able to reach 2 so far LOL), Be able to walk 3 miles per day by the end of March.
gofatties-make it to hand stands class 1x a week. and to cut down on late night emotional eating.
Huni3bee-lose 10lbs, drink 10 cups of water a day instead of 8, and when I walk home I'll take the long way home instead of the shortcut... I'm also going to try and cut back on sugar, I'm going to actually push my self when working out no matter how bad it burns.
Paigeb15: Drink at least 48 oz of water a day, Maintain 110-115 lbs, Make myself go walk at the park down the street on my lunch on nice days, less alcohol
wardiemelissa-continue to maintain between 120-125 lbs. ; continue to follow Hal Higdon 1/2 marathon training (starting week 9-race is on April 2nd); continue to find and try out new recipes for dinner at least 4 nights a week; make time for my family )
Finncmh- see a loss on the scale, continue lifting 2-4 times a week, run 1-2 times a week, walk to work at least 2 times a week, play outdoors more, keep eating clean! Be supportive on new people on here giving honest opinions and input.
JacciLatt5- Ive never done this before but here it goes. I want to do the 30 Shred Dvd this month; eat less processed foods; try atleast 2 new workouts; be down @least 4 lbs
kbellnurse - Get into the 140's! (lose at least 4lbs), workouts 4x/week (at least), school work on EVERY school day - make it to church for at least one Sunday.
NLG139-I would like to lose 4lbs in March, drink 64oz of water a day, and get in my long runs every weekend (I'm training for a half marthon in May).
Whitneysaenz - Lose 7 lbs (GW for March 31st: 160lb), drink at least 64oz of water a day, eat more vegetables, and exercise at least 4 days per week!
DowntimeDesings-Start and stick with insanity workouts
SexyInASizeSix-lose 15lbs, and drink 10 glasses of water per day
tjradd73-to lose 6lbs, drink 80ozs of water/day, 3 days of arms/week, and burn at least 5,000 calories/month
rivingtonst-I'm doing the 4x4, haha, In the next 4 weeks I will: lose 4lbs, workout 4x week, and make 4 new recipes.
stuartme123: Check in with this thread 3-4x a week.- 30 min of cardio 4x a week - Continue C25K - reach W4 by Spring Break! - Curb unhealthy snacking - - Add veggies - Try one new healthy recipe a week - Lose 1lb a week and maintain over Spring Break for a total of 3lbs. MarchSW = 155.4.
hilhall822: up the water intake- be better about precooking meals so I don't snack all day!
runteachrun-For the month, I want to lose 15 pounds!
peachyxoxoxo-stop bingeing. Work out 3-4 days a week. Track ALL foods every day.
crystalfaith - workout at LEAST 4 times a week! Lose 5 lbs. Start eating more veggies and fruits
mmahabee- get a fitness routine worked out so I can maintain my weight and tone my body
bstamps12- Lose 4 lbs, bike 60 minutes straight, bike 9 miles straight.
Sorry I am late! I wanted to do this challenge last month and lost track of it and haven't found it this month until now.
CurriedGrasshopper - (Jenn) - I'd like to lose 3lbs, continue with p90x, and focus on drinking more water and less diet coke.
gymgirl12- lose 5lbs (be at 145) Increase cardio time, starting working more core exercises, watching what I eat and limit snacking (especially chips).
weslfuss- to lose 10 pounds (though honestly I'll be happy if I can just make it to 5-7), Drink more water, work out at least 4 times a week. no drive-thrus or soda!
HotMamaof2Boys: I want to lose 5 lbs., stop getting any fast food or soda. I really, really want to try to workout every morning Mon. - Sat
nausicaa11: Lose 5 pounds and exercise 6 days a week.
Jbars11- C25K starting this week....staying consistent with logging EVERYDAY even if I know I'm over, making sure I'm getting my water and losing 4 pounds this month.
kvr414: lose 5 lbs, limit fat intake 35-43 g/day, establish a HIIT/distance running rotation.

tjradd73

Megan-thanks! I really enjoy spending time with my son doing active things...with him being in middle school now, it seems to be all that we have in common! LOL Great job on your 2.5 miles...and don't be surprised when you end up running MOST if not ALL of that 10k in June!!

jbars-welcome back and great job on the 4lbs in February!

Kbell- Thanks, I am very happy where I am right now...12 years with someone is a long time and I really feel that we put in a great effort to try and work things out Just know that you WILL have trial and error, and circumstances WILL change and hopefully improve for you! I def wish you the best, and way to stay positive, things always work out the way that they are suppossed to in the end

Kvr-2lbs is 2lbs! Great job on the loss for February and great goals for March!

QOTD-fave outfit...hmmm....I have to say that dark denim boot cut jeans, with some nice black boots, and a fitted dark gray sweater, throw in some chunky jewelry and viola'!

AFM-did another WO today putting me at 2151/5000 calories that I wanna burn for March so that is a great start! With 6 days left until I go back to work (I took a few "mental health" days! LOL) I am slightly nervous about my eating! I tend to do awesome at work since I pack a lunch and get set eating times! With all of this freedom, who knows what I will do!! SO far so good though...I have been off for 5 days so far, and I only went over 1 day by 25 cals and that I have NO problem with! My bf took off of work for a few days too and is staying with me from Tues-Fri I know we are planning on going bowling and hiking so that will keep me active for a few of the days, and so far he has been very supportive in my eating/working out so wish US luck!

finncmh

Tara- you are just doing all sorts of fun exercise activities! I LOVE it!!!! You are a machine! Love seeing how you accomplish all the goals you put before yourself!!!

Kbell- thank you for feeling comfortable enough to share with us. Its so hard to respond to your post because on one hand I feel like I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. But of course everyone and every situation is so different. Relationships are really tough and there are times when you just wonder why? (especially when you are in a not so great place yourself) and then there are other times when just a smile from that special someone can make anything in the world seem possible. OY! Like everyone said lots of hard work and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks is about what is best for the two of you and figuring out what works and what doesn’t.

Megan- you are rocking it and I think the rest was the best think possible for you. I did the EXACT same thing to myself! Thank you so much for the props and luck on the running. I am excited and just approaching it as a good way to see where I am at. So we shall see!!!

Melissa- great job on your training! I love hearing about your shopping adventures with your girls. I hope I can be as good of an influence down the road when we are ready to have kids (EEEEK- scary thought!haha- let me get through the wedding first… haha)

Jbars- we are happy to have you back! You are definitely in the right frame of mind. Keep up the great work!

Aly- good for you for finding the balance! Definitely not an easy process

Meag- so glad you had such a wonderful weekend. YAY for great weekends with lots of love!!!! Your summer of adventures definitely sounds like its going to be amazing- cant wait to hear all the stories (and of course WD!)

Kvr- great to have you back. Just keep up with the good work and give yourself props for all the work you have put in!


AFM- today will be my last super active day on here at least. Going to be at a cabin with no internet (very excited about that actually) will be able to hop on and check in with postings but probably wont be posting a lot myself. Just looking for some quality time with the fiancé, relaxing, and doing some fun outdoor adventures!!!

Oh ya lost another 1.4 lbs (been a few weeks since I weighed in so slow and steady). Still not focusing on the scale though just nice to check in with it every once in a while

meagalayne

RECIPE TIME!
I have loads of stuff to do today, but first I'm going to procrastinate by posting recipes...

We made this super easy soup last night. Turned out great. Serves 3 hearty bowls - Which is perfect for us!

Cooking spray or oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup green or yellow split peas (we like green, but wtv)
1/2lb extra lean smoked ham (PC has a great one- 110 cals per 100g), cubed quite small
4 cups total liquid - we use half no-salt added chicken broth and half water, but use whatever you like
2 bay leafs

Easy - On med-high heat, cook your onions and carrots until soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Toss in the split peas and ham and stir for a few more minutes. Add in liquid and bay leafs and let it come to a boil. Once it boils, reduce heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the peas are falling apart. Serve with steamed veggies or bread, if you like.

Today's lunch was a total throw-together with whatever I could find in the fridge. We had some broccoli and diced tomatoes leftover, and I had half a package of soya beancurd strips from the other night's pasta dinner, so I just improvised. Here's what went down...

Serves 2

1 medium onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 broccoli stalks, stems only (saved tops for snacking later), sliced on the diagonal
1 small zucchini, cut into small strips
1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 1/2 cup diced tinned tomatoes, no salt added
1/2 - 9.5oz package beancurd strips, fresh
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Cook the vegetables in a large skillet over medium heat until tender and starting to brown (I like mine caramelized a bit). Toss in spices and combine well. Add tomatoes with liquid and scrape the bottom of the pan well. Allow tomatoes to come to a simmer and then lower heat to med-low and thicken for 5 mins. Heat the beancurd strips in the microwave for 1 min and pat dry with paper towel. Toss into vegetable mixture and fold in gently. Heat through. Before serving, fold in nutritional yeast. And enjoy!

I'm not huge on tomato sauces but with the curry it was pretty good. Here's how it looked -



These are huge dinner plates, so you can see that the portion is pretty substantial. And it only cost me around 260 calories :bigsmile: and packed 23 grams of protein. Thank you soya beans!

That's it for now! Off to feign productivity...

kris_g

HEY there everyone!!
Yep i'm deffo in for kicking some serious butt and making this next month and rest of the year not just a good one - but an awesome one!!
How do i join?