Turn your knowledge into Power Challenge

LauraLLee

Results for week 2

Name SW GW GL CW Current LossPercentage of Loss lbs Left to go

Dorthydingman 259.6 247.6 12lbs 261.60 0.60 12.6 lbs
Emccand 237.6 227.8 10lbs 236.80 0.80 0.34% 9.8 lbs
idahogirl71 325.8 315.8 10lbs 323.80 2.00 .61%
Kimberlyrenee 279.0 276.40 2.60 0.93% ?
Kristiedavis1 315.0 303.0 12lbs
Laura Lee 293.2 275.0 15lbs 299.2 3.00 21 lbs
abhamilton 7lbs
McHeather 162.0 155.0 7lbs 162.00 - 7 lbs
Melane71 122.0 110.0 12lbs 12 lbs
Mindonhau 146.3 135.0 11lbs 145.40 0.90 0.41% 10.2 lbs
stepbystep6 233.0 225.0 8lbs 230.80 2.20 0.94% 5.8 lbs
vallejos6 154.6 140.0 in 140's

idahogirl71

Sorry girls that I am late weighing in. My husband left me this weekend and moved in with another woman so needless to say life has been a little off-kilter. And to top it off I injured my ankle walking and so will not be able to get any walking in this week which really sucks because I really need the calorie burn and energy to get through this. My weight is up from last week. I am at 325.8, but to be honest I expected it to be a lot worse so I am actually happy with that number.

vallejos6

OMG, Tami, I am so sorry ...((hugs)) Sounds like life is throwing a lot at you all at once. I hear that punching is a really great cardio work-out.. maybe target the closest soft surface, put which ever face on it you need and take out some aggravation and burn some cals at the same time! I'll be praying for you!

~~Veronica

dodie62

Bump

DorothyNorrington

Tami,

I am so sorry to hear about what is going on in your life right now, I am sure that it is a difficult situation. Please remember to continue to take care of you. You have done so well over the last 6 months.

Is doing arm workouts or swimming an option for you with your ankle injury?

kimberlyrenee

Today was a pretty good day for me. I walked a little farther than normal (walked 1 ¾ miles). On Wednesday I have to make zucchini cake for my husband. I am going to really try and not eat any of it. I know it will be hard, but I am going to give it my best.

Stepbystep6 – great loss! I also have a hard time getting my water in each day. Hope you are doing well with that this week.

Laural – I’m glad to see you here. Even with so much going on in your life, it is important to not forget about yourself. We are all here to support you and we know that you will succeed in your journey.

Veronica – Congrats on your new jeans! What a great accomplishment. Sounds like you had a great time at the church cookout. How awesome that you were able to have only 3 chips. Not sure I could have done it.

Tami – that is awful. You will be in my prayers. As Dorothy said, don’t forget about taking care of yourself. You are an important part of this world and you deserve to be happy and healthy.

Dorothy – keep up the good work. You are doing great!

idahogirl71

Thank you so much for your love and prayers. I feel so lost right now. I have not been able to eat much but am staying in touch her so that I don't give up. I want to keep moving forward, not backward. I know I deserve better than the way I have been treated, but I miss him so and even knowing that does not seem to help.

tami

LauraLLee

Thank you so much for your love and prayers. I feel so lost right now. I have not been able to eat much but am staying in touch her so that I don't give up. I want to keep moving forward, not backward. I know I deserve better than the way I have been treated, but I miss him so and even knowing that does not seem to help.

tami

Tami, I know how you feel. I have been going through the same type of issues with my husband now since about March. He says there is no one else but he treats me poorly and disrupts my security. He doesnt abuse me but he does not treat me like a wife. It makes me hate myself and fosters in me self destructive behaviors.
I want to feel good because I feel good, but sadly I feel my identiy is wrapped up in him and it sucks...

LauraLLee

Laural – I’m glad to see you here. Even with so much going on in your life, it is important to not forget about yourself. We are all here to support you and we know that you will succeed in your journey.

I am working my way to be back like I was before.
But I feel so ashamed, and disgruntled. I have gained the last two weeks and I feel grosser than I usually do.
Thank you for your support! It is the only support I seem to have at this time and I appreciated the fact that I am not alone.

LauraLLee

Laura!

Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful time. You managed to get those JJ in. Way to go on that! An Indian Taco is a scone (frybread) topped with meat, beans, and the other taco toppings such as cheese, lettuce, tomato, ect. It would n't be too bad except for the deep fried bread. Which really is what makes it taste so good. :laugh:

We have made them at home by baking the scone, and doing healthy toppings. Worked great except just not the same as deep fried! But, what is??

Hey I have had that before, I guess I wasnt thinking! Thank you for the welcome back! You are always so supportive.

LauraLLee

Thank you for explaining the Power Challenge. I will start today I will start keeping track and reporting the activity. I am a strong believer of joining a group for motivation and support.

Laura :drinker:

Welcome Laura! Glad you could join us!

DorothyNorrington

Hey everyone,

Sorry I am out of it this week. So much going on! I have not logged food or exercise this week, and all of my exercise so far is busy work, ie. grocery shopping, cleaning, moving a classroom, and etc. I am a bit nervous to see what happens on Friday. I am sure the scale will show a gain, which is honestly deserved after this week.

But, I have to remind myself that learning to balance everything is part of the journey for me and that life is not going to stop so I can get healthy! I have to learn how to juggle both.

Hope everyone else is having a great week!

vallejos6

Hey ya'll.. hope everyone is having a good hump day! Sorry was MIA yesterday, but hubby decided he was "sick" and stayed home from work. So, we slept in late, went to get oil changed in the car, then did our exercise early and laid around watching movies and tv for the rest of the day... LAZY, but boy it felt good for a change, LOL.

Tami- continuing to think of you, hope life is a little brighter today than it was yesterday!

LL- you must be so strong to do this pretty much on your own. I have so much support from hubby that I don't know if I could do this without it!

Exercise has been going well. Monday, we did 2.8 mile jog, I also got 100 jumping jacks in, did 23 pushups as well, and more arm/ chest/shoulder weight work. Yesterday we did Insanity abs workout, then did leg weights. We did pull-ups (kinda, I still can't do ANY unassisted ones, but with a little boost, I got 5 in. Also did more ab work with the bar. Tonight should be a running night, but hubby's shins are still sore, so we'll see (have already done 25 pushups this morning).

Fri: 2.1 miles
Sat:
Sun:
Mon: 2.8 miles, 100 JJ, 23 pushups
Tues:
Wed: 25 pushups

~~Veronica

DorothyNorrington

(TMI- Notice)

So, I have had an issue this week that has lead me to the doctor finally. It started off with an itch under my belly roll, after exercise. I figured it was because of the sweat and carried on. It got progressively worse over the week, and developed blisters from rubbing, and a bad smell. I was hesitant to go to the doctor out of sheer embarrassment. (even though I have an amazing doctor...he understands that not EVERYTHING is due to my being overweight.) Unfortunately, I knew that this one IS due to my weight.

So, I went. He was very kind as usual and informed me that it was a yeast infection. I was surprised as I was unaware that you could get a yeast infection there. He said it can be anywhere ie, under your boobs, in your belly button, and in various skin crevices that are moist and dark. He prescribed a cream for me, as well as some helpful hints for prevention.

* Wear cotton panties when working out.
* Shower immediately after working out and dry well. He suggested even using a blow dryer on a cool setting.
* Keep the area clean using gentle cleansers.
*wear loose clothing that allows the skin to breathe.

I wanted to share his tips with you, because if I can help someone else avoid the embarrassment, it was worth it for me to go. I hope I didn't offend anyone.

vallejos6

Dorothy, that sounds so uncomfortable, I hope the medication clears it up soon! (and not offended at all, it was good info)

Fri: 2.1 miles
Sat:
Sun:
Mon: 2.8 miles, 100 JJ, 23 pushups
Tues:
Wed: 25 pushups, 100 JJ, 2.8 miles
Thur: 25 pushups

Weekly Total so far: 73 pushups, 200 JJ, 7.7 miles

~~Veronica

kimberlyrenee

Dorothy:

I hope you are feeling better very soon!

It is really good information for us to have. Knowledge is power!

DorothyNorrington

Week 3 Results

Knowledge Challenge (Respond to articles)

Five Elements of a Rounded Routine
I loved this article. It was easy to read and understand and explained the why behind the science. I thought about how the Wii fit is set up and it offers all 5 of these areas. I am pretty good about incorporating aerobic exercise in, and also core and stretching. I need to work on increasing the muscular fitness and balance. I am the clumsiest person I know and am constantly covered in bums, bruises and scrapes.

Counting Calories- Get back to Weight Loss Basics
This article made it seem like it is so easy and uncomplicated to lose weight. I think it would be it is was simply a matter of eating food to fuel my body. Unfortunately, I eat for so many other reasons. It does have some great ideas, on how to cut calories in ways that don't seem so extreme.

Fitness Challenge: 1 mile 3x week, 150 JJ, 50 PU
The only thing I managed to do in regards to the Fitness challenge this week was 50 modified push-ups. That was it. I am hoping that next week is much better and more productive.

I hope that everyone else had a great week.

vallejos6

I really enjoyed the 5 elements article this week as well. I know, for me personally, I have a good handle on aerobic, core and muscle building exercise, but I really have neglected balance work, and to a lesser degree stretching. I'd really like to incorporate some yoga as I think that would be the piece to really complete my fitness work. I'm excited that the P90X program we are going to be getting has a yoga component, and look forward to getting started.

The counting calories article was a little basic, but I've been at this a while, so it is probably more helpful for folks starting out. Although, it's always nice for a reminder. I do have to say though, a few of their "substitutions" were a little strange-switching out a piece of pizza for grapes? If I'm going for pizza, I want something salty and gooey, cheesy, not sweet, LOL.

Tami- still thinking of you.

Kristie- hoping you're still out there reading this

LauraLee- Hope you're having a great Thursday ((hugs))

Kimberly- Glad to see you checking in, how is everything in your world?

~~Veronica

stepbystep6

This week started out great, but it has quickly gone sideways! I only acheived below my calorie goals twice this whole week AND that was with eating every last one of my exercise calories! Sigh... I'm not looking forward to tomorrow's weigh in. But considering all the personal struggles many of you are facing I think I will not wallow about my little struggles, and my heart sincerely goes out to Tami, Kristie, and LauraLee. Hugs and prayers!

The 5 elements article was a good reminder about the other measures of fitness, beside cardiovasular. Klutz that I am, I know balance would be a great one to add to my routine. I am starting the squat, sit up and push up challenges online again to increase my strength. I do feel like I am getting more backaches as I add more jogging into my cardio and I don't doubt my core is weak! I'll post my week 3 data tomorrow, I'm still trying to get it all done!

PS Dorothy - appreciate the tips!:blushing:

DorothyNorrington

Week 3 Weigh-in

Well, the week ended much as I expected it would. I weighed in at 262.9 (gain of 1.8)

I am not surprised and feel that the number accurately reflects my effort this week. I did not log food at all this week, and only completed 50 modified JJ. I was moving my body, and made sure to do those little things that add up such as parking farther away and walking, and making multiple trips when cleaning. But I know that it is not enough.

I am really struggling to get my motivation and intensity level back to where it was when I first started this journey in Oct. I did really well for the first 3-4 months, and was down 32 pounds. Now I am only down 7. It is difficult, and requires a high level of commitment. I know that I need to make some changes, and so I have a plan. I am setting a goal to get back to basics.

Here are my goals for the next week.
* Record my food intake each day. (even if over on calories)
*Exercise for 30 minutes 5 times this week.
*Drink 8 cups of water each day.
*Complete the challenge activities for week 4.

Hope you are all doing well, and finding small successes that you can build upon to create large ones!

ab_shutterbug

Checking in . .

Was on vacation last week but lost a pound

CW = 155
W = 38
B = 38
H = 41
N = 14

Goal will be to exercise for 30 minutes 6 - 7 days/week.
Need to drink at least glasses of water/day.
Lift weights and do sit-ups 2 days/week.

DorothyNorrington

Week 3- NSV

My NSV this week was a small one, and it took me forever to think of it. It was my turn to host Bunco, and as the hostess, I also provide the snacks. In the past, they have always been sweet dessert items such as cheesecake, brownies, cookies, etc. This time, I did fruit kabobs with dip, hummus and veggies, and black bean brownies for those that have to have the dessert items.

Everyone commented on how much they enjoyed having healthy options.

vallejos6

Week 3 summary:

This was a good week for me. Weigh -in at 152, which is a loss of 2.2 from last week. Probably about 1 pound of that was TOM bloat, so an overall loss of 1 pound, which I'm thrilled with! I also got in 5 good days of exercise this week, which is great. I've also made a little movement on my push to add 5 pounds to my lifting weights (I've done it so far in my squats, calf raises, and triceps dips)

Measurements:
Neck 12.5
Bust 35.75
Waist 30
Hips 39.25
Thighs 22.25
Arms 11

Exercise Challenge Totals:
Fri: 2.1 miles
Sat:
Sun:
Mon: 2.8 miles, 100 JJ, 23 pushups
Tues:
Wed: 25 pushups, 100 JJ, 2.8 miles
Thur: 25 pushups, 100 JJ

Weekly Total so far: 73 pushups, 300 JJ, 7.7 miles

NSV- Wed. we were doing our jog and I started to get a bad stitch in my side, so I reached up and pushed in on the spot (one way to deal with a stitch in the side) and WOW my stomach felt so firm! I love not being so squishy anymore.

Abhamilton, so glad to see you back and great job on losing a pound while on vacation, that's an accomplishment!

Dorothy- I've had several run-ins with the dreaded "loss of motivation" and it really does stink, hope you can get that fire back this week, I'm rooting for ya! If you need me to, let me know and I can be "nagging nelly" on getting your food log filled out, LOL.

~~Veronica

McHeather

I thought I had a terrible week this week. I just couldn't stop eating and couldn't find the time to excersise. But I lost - I'm at 159 this morning. I did the jumping jacks and push up all on Wed and Thurs. And my husband and I went for a 60 min walk yesterday. He says it was at least 3 miles but I don't know how far a mile is. I'll go for a drive one day and really take notice so I know for next time. So I think If I can do the power challenge in 2 days I need to step it up a lot and make sure I'm actually challenging myself. I didn't take the time to read the articles, I just don't seem to have more than 5 minutes at a time at my computer and I can't really concentrate on the reading with the kids and husband home. I try better next week of course

kimberlyrenee

Hello Ladies, another week behind us and I am looking forward to reaching for next week’s goal.

My weigh in today was 272.8. That is down 3.6 this week. I am down 6.2 so far. My goal for this challenge is to loose 10, so I made it passed the half way point.

I walked 5 days this week for a total of 6.5 miles.
I tried to do modified push ups on the floor, but it just hurt my knees too bad, so I did push ups against the wall. I only did 25 of them, but I will try to do more this week.
I did 100 JJ

My NSV this week . . . . I made zucchini cake on Wednesday and did not have one bite of it on Wednesday, which was way hard watching my husband have a piece and not having one of my own. I went to bed proud that I resisted. Thursday was a different story ~ the zucchini cake was yumE! It’s okay though, I am still proud for making it through Wednesday.

I have a birthday celebration to go to tomorrow. I already know that I will be over my calories for the day. I will however show some control and not deem it a free for all day  My biggest hurdle – I have to make the birthday cake, which is dark chocolate cake/raspberry filling/chocolate ganache frosting ~ ONE (I have many) of my favorites!

Abhamilton – welcome back from vacation and nice progress this week!

Dorothy – Congrats on your NSV. The Bunco snacks sound awesome! Motivation is such a hard thing. I have always struggled to keep my motivation up and a lot of time I don’t have any, but I just try to remember the reasons I want to do this and then try to understand why I sabotage myself. It doesn’t always work, but it does help me sometimes.

Stepbystep6 – a partial great week is an accomplishment

Veronica – how awesome it must feel to be firm! I would have been walking around telling everyone to ‘feel this’. Congrats!

McHeather - Congratulations! A loss sure feels good, especially when you weren't expecting it.

To all you ladies going through life changing events right now – hugs and prayers to each of you.

LauraLLee

Awesome job This week! I am returning to start this week, weekend off with a blast. No more playing around. It is time for me to buckle down. I weigh in at 296.6 which is technically a loss but still a gain since the begining of our challenge. . Like I said I am going to be buckling down and moving towards the prize, no matter what the obsticles.

stepbystep6

Weigh in today 229.2 - again unexpected. I haven't been this weight since May 2010!

Reporting on the challenge this week:

Friday 2.5 miles
Sat 4.5 miles
Sun 2.38 miles
Mon 1.5 miles
Tues25JJ
Wed 25JJ
Thur 2.86 miles 25 JJ 25 modified pushups

Totals: 13.74 miles
75 Jumping jax
25 modified push ups

NSV - in the past if I didn't reach my goals for the day, I would treat the guilt with - maybe chips and dip, or a bag of candies, or carmel popcorn. But this whole week I didn't compound my 'over calories' days with a binge cycle - that is a really huge victory for me!

Kimberly - great loss!
Veronica - I aspire to your firm tummy. Just yesterday my 20 month old daughter was giggling as she pushed my rolls and they bounced right back, she did it over and over. And I kept thinking this is not really funny, I can't wait for this delight to be gone from my waistline!

LauraLLee

K nowledge challenge: Read articles and respond.

Power challenge:
Work out at least 4 hours this week.

2 hours cardio
1 hour strength training
1 hour of choice.

Share your workouts.

LauraLLee

Week 4 How fit are you? How fit are you? See how you measure up
Ready to start a fitness program? Measure your fitness level with a simple four-part test. Then use the results to set fitness goals and track your progress.
By Mayo Clinic staff
You probably have some idea of how fit you are. But knowing the specifics can help you set realistic fitness goals, monitor your progress and maintain your motivation. Once you know where you're starting from, you can plan where you want to go. And it's easier than you might think. Get started with the simple four-step assessment below — based on guidelines provided by the President's Challenge, a program designed by the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.
Gather your tools
Generally, fitness is assessed in four key areas — aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility and body composition. To do your assessment, you'll need:
• A watch that can measure seconds or a stopwatch
• A cloth measuring tape
• A yardstick
• Heavy-duty tape
• Someone to help you with the flexibility test
You'll also need a pencil or pen and paper to record your scores as you complete each part of the assessment. You can record your scores in a notebook or journal, or save them in a spreadsheet or another electronic format.
Record your fitness levels (PDF file requiring Adobe Reader)
Check your aerobic fitness: Brisk walk
Checking pulse over the carotid artery

To assess your aerobic fitness, take a brisk one-mile (1.6-kilometer) walk. You can do the walk anywhere — on a trail or track, inside a shopping mall, or on a treadmill. Before and after the walk, check and record your pulse in your notebook or journal.
To check your pulse over your carotid artery, place your index and middle fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. To check your pulse at your wrist, place two fingers between the bone and the tendon over your radial artery — which is located on the thumb side of your wrist. When you feel your pulse, look at your watch and count the number of beats in 10 seconds. Multiply this number by 6 to get your heart rate per minute.
Let's say you count 15 beats in 10 seconds. Multiply 15 by 6 for a total of 90 beats per minute.
After you've recorded your pulse, note the time on your watch and walk one mile (1.6 kilometers). After you complete the walk, check your watch and record the time it took you to finish — in minutes and seconds — in your notebook or journal. Then check and record your pulse once more.
Measure muscular fitness: Push-ups
Measuring muscular fitness

Push-ups can help you measure muscular strength. If you're just starting a fitness program, do modified push-ups on your knees. If you're already fit, do classic push-ups. For both types:
• Lie face down on the floor with your elbows bent and your palms next to your shoulders.
• Keeping your back straight, push up with your arms until your arms are extended.
• Lower your body until your chest touches the floor.
• Push your body upward, returning to the starting position.
Count each time you return to the starting position as one push-up. Do as many push-ups as you can until you need to stop for rest. Record the number of push-ups you complete in your notebook or journal.
How fit are you? See how you measure up
Assess your flexibility: Sit-and-reach test
Assessing flexibility in the legs, hips and lower back

The sit-and-reach test is a simple way to measure in general fashion the flexibility of the backs of your legs, your hips and your lower back. Here's how:
• Place a yardstick on the floor. Secure it by placing a piece of tape across the yardstick at the 15-inch (38-centimeter) mark.
• Place the soles of your feet even with the mark on the yardstick.
• Ask a helper to place his or her hands on top of your knees to anchor them.
• Reach forward as far as you can, holding the position for two seconds.
• Note the distance you reached.
• Repeat the test two more times.
• Record the best of the three reaches.
Estimate your body composition: Waist circumference and body mass index
With a cloth measuring tape, measure your waist circumference just above the hipbones. Record your waist circumference in inches or centimeters in your notebook or journal.
Then determine your body mass index (BMI) — an indicator of your percentage of body fat — through a BMI table or online calculator. If you'd rather do the math yourself, divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and multiply by 703. Or divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. (To determine your height in meters, divide your height in centimeters by 100). Record your BMI with the rest of your scores in your notebook or journal.
Monitor your progress
Now that you know your fitness level, keep track of your progress. Take the same measurements six weeks after you begin your exercise program and periodically afterward. Each time you repeat your assessment, celebrate your progress — and adjust your fitness goals accordingly. Share your results with your doctor or personal trainer for additional guidance. Your results may even inspire you to sign up for the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA).

LauraLLee

Week 4 Portion control
• Portion control — Downsize portions for better weight control
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

Research tells us that people eat more when presented with larger portions of food. Even children as young as two years are affected by portion size. Our judgment about serving sizes has been completely skewed by restaurant portions, food packaging and our own eyes. So how do we reset our expectations about appropriate portions? You're already on track by reading this. Now, how do you apply it to yourself?
Start by familiarizing yourself with appropriate serving sizes. If you don't have a food scale or measuring cups handy, use visual cues to help you judge portion sizes:
• A serving of fish (3 ounces) is the size of a deck of cards
• A serving of pasta or dry cereal (1/2 cup) is the size of a hockey puck
• A serving of fresh fruit (1/2 cup) is the size of a tennis ball
• A serving of butter (1 teaspoon) is the size of one die
Test yourself — pour yourself a bowl of cereal and then transfer it to a measuring cup. How much is your portion? How does it compare with the recommended serving size?
Here are other tips to try:
• Don't put dinner on the table. Instead, serve it from the stovetop or countertop. You'll think twice before you get up for seconds.
• Don't eat out of the box. Put your snack in a small bowl or other container. And then put the box or package away.
• Opt for single-serving treats. The fear of a wrapper trail will keep you honest.
• Downsize your meal. Restaurant portions are notoriously large. So when eating out, plan to eat only half of the meal. You can share the rest with a friend or ask for a doggie bag. Alternately, consider asking for a "light" or "lunch-size" portion.
• Try the tasting menu. At parties, sample two or three bites of the dishes on offer. Keep the portions small and have fun enjoying the variety.
• Take time to enjoy yourself. Appreciate the colors, smells and textures of your food. Stop and talk to your family and friends between bites. By slowing down you'll be better able to appreciate your meal and to register when you're full.
How do you do with minding your portions? Share your tips.