Healthy for the Holidays Challenge - 9/06 - 11/22

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  • oliviawink
    oliviawink Posts: 753 Member
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    I am literally craving kale. Seriously, craving kale, I mean s#!t's gotta be desperate to miss that!:noway:

    lol! seriously, that is awesome. I feel like that sometimes too, like oh man I really need a salad! Great job on turning down the pie too! That is something I've really been struggling with recently, sweets! I don't know what it is because I am not normally a sweets eater so of course I used looked it up online and guess what can be a cause of sweets (and alcohol) cravings? Stress. Of course. Something about some gland not functioning well enough after awhile and making your body crave the quick burst of carb energy, blah, blah, blah. Yet another weight loss struggle to blame on my job. :grumble: Well, it is what it is. Just have to keep telling myself-I will not eat birthday cupcakes at work today, I will not eat birthday cupcakes at work today....
    erica, 2 quick things:
    1. the sweet craving might be lack of protein. watch that in your diary
    2. I changed my approach when there is junkfood around, instead of saying "I will not eat..." (yesterday there were cupcakes at my work too, so I guess I can add that to my success: turned down 2 junk foods), I tell myself "I don't WANT...." and that seems to make it less difficult. For me anyway. Give it a try
  • 1erica60
    1erica60 Posts: 63 Member
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    Olivia, I think you meant to give those tips to Ellen but thank you for using my name!! It made me sit up and take notice! I've been in the sinking boat with her for long enough now! Going to use your advice and I WILL feel EMPOWERED when I skip sweets instead of feeling left out!!!!:flowerforyou:
  • oliviawink
    oliviawink Posts: 753 Member
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    Olivia, I think you meant to give those tips to Ellen but thank you for using my name!! It made me sit up and take notice! I've been in the sinking boat with her for long enough now! Going to use your advice and I WILL feel EMPOWERED when I skip sweets instead of feeling left out!!!!:flowerforyou:
    you're so right. oops, sorry both ellen and erica. I guess I hadn't had enough coffee this morning when I wrote that.
  • MayLan
    MayLan Posts: 1,523 Member
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    hey all,

    I'm so excited to have been able to join you guys on this challenge. We have 3 more weeks to go for this challenge, and then holidays are nearby with Thanksgiving as close one. Let's kill it these next 3 weeks and work hard and make our goals possible. And if we don't make our goal...well...I'm sure we'll get very close, and we went through it with a fight.

    Let's do this by planning our meals and workouts and looking at the end goal.

    Have an awesome day!
  • aab1
    aab1 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    Why does everyone have to bring in their leftover Halloween candy to work? LEAVE IT AT HOME, PEOPLE! Don't they realize that some of us are trying to lose weight?!?! How Rude!!...:wink:

    I was able to get in a quick run at the "Y". Normally Thursdays are not "Y" days but I had an absolutely horrible morning and needed to work off my nervous energy. I'm glad I did; I've calmed down this afternoon. And even better, I got rid of the urge to eat away the day. Phew!

    Have a great day!!
  • hopelyss
    hopelyss Posts: 145
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    Okay this is not about weight loss, but I need advice.

    I'm thinking about getting a dog. Then I wonder why I'm thinking this because my life is crazy busy as it is. My kids want a dog, and I found a rescue Bernese Mtn dog whose owner said he would even pay for a year's worth of dog food. My only hesitation besides my busy schedule is his age. He is already six years old. These are big dogs that generally do not live over 8 or 9. Would this be a stupid decision? They typically have arthritis in their hips too. All other factors are a go, house-trained, well-behaved, etc... I just don't know, but time is ticking and I have to make a decision...
  • oliviawink
    oliviawink Posts: 753 Member
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    Okay this is not about weight loss, but I need advice.

    I'm thinking about getting a dog. Then I wonder why I'm thinking this because my life is crazy busy as it is. My kids want a dog, and I found a rescue Bernese Mtn dog whose owner said he would even pay for a year's worth of dog food. My only hesitation besides my busy schedule is his age. He is already six years old. These are big dogs that generally do not live over 8 or 9. Would this be a stupid decision? They typically have arthritis in their hips too. All other factors are a go, house-trained, well-behaved, etc... I just don't know, but time is ticking and I have to make a decision...

    First, I'm all for rescue dogs and adopting those that are already out there and what not. When I adopted my now 12 year old lab he was 6. And having that experience I feel like I have to tell you, "buyer beware!" I love our Barley and wouldn't trade him for anything, but old dogs cost a lot of money in vet bills, pills, care etc. Getting old is expensive. Yes, it was great to not have to do the puppy thing where everything in the house gets chewed or peed on or both and the endless running and walks and so on that pups need, but he's not cheap at all in his old age. That's the double-edged sword of adopting an older dog. Whatever you decide will work out in the end.
  • oliviawink
    oliviawink Posts: 753 Member
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    Just posted this on my page too, sorry for the redudancy friends, but it just feels so good I have to shout it from the rooftops. My boss sees me about 4 days a week. She popped into my office today while I was cleaning (so I was standing) and mid sentance she stops and goes "Wow, you've gotten skinny!" Me? Skinny? I will take the compliment. I'm going to use it to fuel me into the weekend and power me to keep it up
  • oliviawink
    oliviawink Posts: 753 Member
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    where is everyone? Why is it so quiet here???
  • LeslieRoyale
    LeslieRoyale Posts: 331 Member
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    I'm here, I'm here!!! :laugh:
    Doing chores and burning cals! My week was RIDICULOUSLY busy and stressful (work-wise, I mean)
    So now I'm playing catchup with the house :grumble: But at least it's sunny & and I can open the windows!
  • jessicamarie81
    jessicamarie81 Posts: 441 Member
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    Olivia, that is awesome!!! It's such a motivator when people take notice, especially those that see you frequently, you are doing an awesome job!
    Well, we have a German shepherd here....and let me tell you, she is WORK!!! I have to vacuum frequently because she sheds like CRAZY, take her out in the cold, rain, or any weather, food costs a fortune as well....she is a pretty good dog, but the mess she creates for a somewhat OCD person like me is sometimes very frustrating. Just think about it before you jump in! Although the calorie burn from cleaning up after her and my four year old may benefit me at times, lol...
    Sorry I have not been very active in here lately...I just have been feeling frustrated because the weight is not budging anymore...and I know I am to blame for a lot of it....I have made a vow to get back on track totally today and keep my eye on the prize...I will get to my goal of 150, I will!! This winter will not get me like it has in the past! Just saying all that makes me feel better :)
  • aab1
    aab1 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    I'm here, too! Ran errands all day; helped a friend with some yard work.

    I'm hoping to go for a run tomorrow morning. I ran 4/5 days this week...a good test for the hip. A little tenderness but overall not bad.

    Enjoy your Sunday!
  • 1erica60
    1erica60 Posts: 63 Member
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    I'm here too!!!! Awesome compliment, Olivia! What great encouragement to keep going, isn't it?! Crazy busy getting ready to travel to a wedding in Illinois in 3 weeks! Shopped til we dropped today! So glad for the "extra" hour of sleep in the morning! Goodnight, all!
  • singer201
    singer201 Posts: 560 Member
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    I've been around, too, working in the yard, weekly shopping, cooking for the freezer. I bought a pair of size 8 jeans that FIT! Took a walk with the dog (DD2's Border collie) this afternoon, and managed to misplace my glasses when I took them out of my coat pocket. They're in the house, just don't know where..
  • singer201
    singer201 Posts: 560 Member
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    Found 'em! I knew if I confessed it to the world, they'd show up.
  • helena98
    helena98 Posts: 327
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    I'm still here too! I've had to do A LOT of re-focusing this week. October was crazy busy, and I ended up eating way too much (stress-eater here) and never exercising, only to put on a few pounds. :sad: We had a couple recent challenges about sharing weight loss journeys, which helped me take some time to REALLY think about why I gained weight and why I'm trying to lose it. Here's what I learned about myself.

    I'm a junk food addict and have been one for 25 years. I started making money when I was 12 (paper route, baby-sitting, part-time jobs later in high school), so I could always buy the candy/cookies/donuts I wanted. I pretty much had cookies for lunch every day for six years during junior high and high school. However, I was always skinny because my mom was an awful cook. Cold cereal in the morning, junk food for lunch, maybe an apple for dinner, and that was it. I went to college and had to fend for myself when it came to cooking, and that usually was fast food and more junk food. But once again, I was skinny because I didn't have a car and had to walk EVERYWHERE. I really started putting on weight when I got married at 24 because I had a car and a desk job. I didn't walk anywhere, I didn't exercise, I still ate junk food and fast food, and I gained 25 pounds. I also put on weight with my 2 pregnancies. I lost all of the pregnancy weight from my 2nd baby, but I never managed to lose those excess pounds from the first pregnancy or the first 3 years of marriage.

    In the meantime, I learned to LOVE exercise. I love how it makes me feel. I love my increased endurance, strength, and flexibility, and I love doing it. Exercising has never been a chore. However, I never did give up my junk food, and it's SO HARD to lose weight when I'm eating so many extra calories a day.

    I started a new job at the end of September. It's been a BIG challenge to figure out how to balance personal and work life, and I really miss all the free time I had. I've got the same crappy eating habits at work, and I've come to realize how badly I finally need to change my daily diet. I've had awful cholesterol and triglyceride levels since my teen years, but that has never made me want to change what I eat. But now, having a sedentary desk job and counting myself LUCKY if I can squeeze in a 20-min DVD at night, I have finally realized that I can't have 1000+ calories/day of junk food because I'll burn it off later. It really, truly is SO SAD that I would eat that much junk a day. Sure, I could burn it off later, but what kind of damage am I doing to my body? And even then, I never even burned it all off, which is why I usually only lose 10 lbs a year. My poor eating habits completely sabotage my weight loss efforts.

    Now, after 25 years, I'm learning to JUST SAY NO. I'm bringing healthy meals and snacks to work, and I'm avoiding the treat bowls. Some days are better than others, so it's still a learning process. I'm recognizing that I'm on the wagon here, and I can never fall off the wagon and eat like I did as a teenager/young adult. I've been so lucky that my poor eating habits haven't given me any other ailments besides high cholesterol and triglycerides, but I'm getting older and it will catch up to me if I don't nip it in the bud now. I relapse SO EASILY (thank you, October, not to mention the 30 pounds I put on last year when I was finishing my college degree). I guess I'm growing up and finally learning to take care of myself. :smile:

    November's a new month! Work stress is way lower, so I have the mental energy to change bad habits into better ones. Instead of stressing about these goshdarn 30 lbs that I'm still trying to lose, I've given myself a monthly goal of 5 lbs. 5 lbs a month for the next 6 months, and I should hit my goal weight at the end of Spring! Sounds reasonable, and as long as I can manage my diet, it sounds doable.
  • Tissues
    Tissues Posts: 361 Member
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    Helen.. i'm with you. the entire month of October was a train wreck for me as well, and as long as you can recognize that and move on from it, really its just a small setback on your journey thats all. Stress does the same to me so you are not alone.

    I have done 10 miles this week and the inside of my thighs and my hips hurt...lol. I think tomorrow I'll get back on the elliptical and worry about strength training at home.. or vice versa...
  • hopelyss
    hopelyss Posts: 145
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    Thanks Olivia! Sorry I hardly ever have time to get online anymore! I should be doing homework now instead of procrastinating.

    Anyway, I decided not to get Brody. The owner texted me today and said he found him a home. I'm kind of thankful for that. I was way too indecisive about the situation. I am going to look for another rescue, but a small dog that is not as old. The right one will come into our hands if its God's will.

    Anyway, was able to get some exercise in this week! Yay! Hopefully, I can keep it up now that the girls' soccer is over, and basketball doesn't start until after Thanksgiving hopefully.

    Have a great week. See ya Tuesday for weigh-in!
  • SallyCC
    SallyCC Posts: 531 Member
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    Sorry I haven't gotten to check in as much this week. I have been very discouraged with my weight and the ups and downs of the numbers...well...the ups!! My husband was also sick and it was a little scary. I had time to regroup this weekend and I decided I need to get down to basics. I finally realized how much processed food had been working its way into my day. I just got a book out of the library (The 17 Day Diet) and I decided to follow the first cycle for 17 days and see how I do. I am looking forward to feeling better and getting more stable in my weight loss!
  • emariec78
    emariec78 Posts: 530 Member
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    I've been a little MIA over this weekend and like a lot of others I'm struggling to stay on track right now. I had two events this weekend and overate terribly at both of them on top of eating a huge amount of various cakes that kept showing up at work this past week. I hopped on the scale this morning and the number is way up. Going to do my best to flush out all that bad stuff with lots of water and veggies today, but its not looking good for tomorrow's weigh in.

    I believe it is my week for the challenges and I will be back this evening to post. Hope everyone is having a great start to their week!

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