Need to Lose 100 LBS -Robins Thread !

Teresa_3266

Oh my gosh!! You skip one day around here and there are a million threads to catch up on. We girls do like to talk a lot don't we! :bigsmile:

OK, I read all the threads and made notes of many of them. First off:

@ForeverDaniel, I was once addicted to Pepsi and drank at least a 2-liter a day if not more. :noway: When I switched from regular to diet I did it by cutting my regular Pepsi with diet. For several days I did 1/2 and then I kept adding more diet than regular until all I was drinking was diet. It will also maybe help you if you track every one of the full flavored soda's in your food journal. That is a lot of empty calories that can be taken up with yummy, filling food! I now only have one diet Coke at lunch.

As to the not being able to sleep. I have the same problem and last week I started taking a 3mg melatonin right before bed and it is actually helping. I have been falling asleep fairly quickly instead of laying there for one to two hours staring at the ceiling. Maybe you should look into it.

@ Kate, you have my support!!! :flowerforyou:

@ Soosun (Susan), welcome!! Your list looks great and I believe you can do it. As for the sneak eating, I have that problem too. When I joined my MFP 40 days ago I vowed to track every single bite. Even the sneaky ones. Keep your diary private if it helps, but at least track for your eyes only so you know what your doing. It has really helped me.

@Brenda, welcome! Please be VERY careful with the gym machines if you don't know what you are doing. I got a groin pull so bad that I had to go to physical therapy and 5 years later still have to watch what I do or I will re-injured myself. All because I thought I knew what I was doing. I didn't!

@ Connie, welcome!! :flowerforyou:

@Robin, I love me a good bargain! Just yesterday I stopped into Tuesday Morning and found the most amazing pillow for only $13. It could easily have retailed for over $75 anywhere else. Now it's living happily on my sofa!!

@GW, wayyyyy to go surviving the Cheesecake Factory!! That place is lethal and you proved it can be done. :drinker:

@ Nettie, I do have some African Violet food and I have been reading different websites. There are whole societys of crazy people dedicated to that little flower. And now I'm one of them!! :smokin:

AFM: Today is day 40 since joining ya'll! I am still only down 8 lbs. My truth is trying my best not to throw a hissy fit and throw my scale out the window. It is that time of the month, I have been exercising much more than ever before, I am tracking my food, but I think I'm eating too much. I am NOT giving up and will make this work!!!

skinnyjeanzbound

@tanya--sounds like a good decision to take a month off or physio.

@fera--great stats!! :drinker:

@nagyca--it depends on what you set your daily activity level at in your profile. For example, I'm a teacher so during the school year I set mine to "lightly active" to account for all of the running around at work (I am on my feet most of the day). But in the summer I set my activity level to "sedentary." In both cases, I usually only log intentional exercise; however, in the summer I could technically log any activity such as walking around a shopping mall since my level is set at "sedentary." Oh, and I love the translation of your name. :laugh:

@brenda--did you figure exercise into your TDEE? If so, then you wouldn't eat back more calories from working out, but if you didn't figure in any exercise, then yes, you should eat them back. Or at least enough of them that you aren't hungry or slowing down your metabolis, Remember, your body needs fuel for your metabolism to burn at an efficient rate. ANd ditto what kelley said about the weight machines--all great suggestions!

@marsha (grammywhammy)--I don't necessarily need volume, but I definitely need protein to feel full. If I don't have a good amount of protein early in the day, I'll just eat and eat the carbs. :blushing:

@danielle--that's awesome--glad you are almost done.

@nettie and tammy (jtconst)--LOL at me coming to do your yard work! :laugh: I still have so much left to do for my own, but it's coming along, and thus far gunner has left the new sod alone.

@tom (morgori)--ditto what tammy said about Mutt's Day. I have a friend who had 2 Goldens (paperless, but still supposedly purebred). SHe lost one a couple of years ago at the age of 6, and now her 2nd was just diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 8. SHe read that something like 6/10 die from this. So sad, but just reinforces my desire for mutts--always. Oh, and even though gunner doesn't strut around a dog show, he definitely struts his stuff--he knows he's a handsome dog. :laugh:

@steph--ditto what nettie said about the food scale. I was the same as you--I ate healthy food; just too much of it. Once I started weighing my portions, the weight dropped off. I also can relate to your goal weight. I'm also 5'7" and my current goal is 170--once there, I will reassess to decide if I need to go lower. However, my doctor said the same thing as you about not going below 150. It makes me laugh (and not in a good way) that the BMI chart has 118 as the low end for me. I would look anorexic at that weight and it definitely would NOT be a healthy weight for me.

@kelley (kah)--I'm so happy that you are in the zone--can you send me a map? I need to get there too. :laugh:

@holly (mnwalking)--I'm so happy that you are in such a good place right now. I remember how you struggled with the decision to split with the ex, but it sounds like it was the right choice for you. :flowerforyou:

@tunetut--I don't list my strength work on my weekly schedule, but every time I go to the gym, I do some--whether it's machines or heavy lifting or core work. Since I tend to do the gym every other day, I do all muscle groups. I also do some form of cardio at the gym--often more than one type. On my non-gym days I either go for a walk or a run outside with my dog, gunner.

@robin--that's funny that you met a human gunner. I wonder if it's actually Gunar--I know that's the more common German spelling. Either way, thatnks for thinking my guy is the more attractive of the two. :happy:

@kaye--I like your goals for August. I also sympathize with your upcoming task of going through your dad's things. :flowerforyou:

@truly--pictures really do make a difference. I've been feeling down about being stuck at my current weight. However, last week while I was cleaning, I came across a photo album from my 10th anniversary trip in 2008. I decided to flip through the pictures and holy cow--what a difference! I look so much heavier in the pics, and I wasn't even at my heaviest weight at that point. In fact, I was probably only about 20-30 lbs more than I am now, but my body is so much more compact with all of the exercise I do now. Anyways, it made me feel a lot better about where I am right now--even if it's not where I would like to be, it's still so much better
than where I was!

Thursday Truth:
I've been snacking on reduced fat wheat thins in the evenings. I go back and log them. The funny thing is, I bought them by accident. I meant to buy reduced fat triscuits. I will be careful not to make that mistake again! At least they are healthier than those evil nacho cheese doritos. :devil:

The interviews went okay today. The first candidate was great--he seems like a good fit for the department and the students we serve. The second was difficult b/c we were supposed to meet via skype, but the audio wasn't working, so we had to interview her over speaker-phone. She seemed fine, but her strengths didn't fit what we need at our school. My boss is going to offer the position to the first candidate, but we know he had an interview at another school this morning so we will have to see. If he's offered a job elsewhere and declines our offer, it will be back to square one with the interview process.

For the August challenge, I am going to try to meet my calorie allowance every day, but will allow myslef to zig-zag. So if I go over one day, I can make up for it the next. This has worked well for me in the past though I'm not sure how I will track it here. Maybe I can just keep track of my calories over or under--like a running tally. That's how I track it in my food diary, and the goal will be to be at 0 at the end of the month. My bigger challenge will be meeting a protein goal of 100g minimum every day.

August Challenge:
Cumulative calorie surplus (shortage) =
100g of protein = x/31 days

Exercise Goals:
Mon--walk gunner DONE
Tues--walk gunner DONE + gym DONE
Wed--walk gunner DONE
Thurs--walk gunner DONE
Fri--walk gunner + gym
Sat--walk gunner
Sun--walk gunner + gym

July Goal = 100 miles

7/1 = 3 miles
7/2 = 0 miles
7/3 = 2 miles
7/4 = 2 miles
7/5 = 1 mile
7/6 = 2 miles
7/7 = 8.5 miles
7/8 = 1.5 miles
7/9 = 2.5 miles
7/10 = 1.5 miles
7/11 = 1.5 miles
7/12 = 1 mile
7/13 = 3 miles
7/14 = 1.5
7/15 = 4 miles
7/16 = 4 miles
7/17 = 8 miles
7/18 = 1.5 miles
7/19 = 1 mile
7/20 = 8.5 miles
7/21 - 1 mile
7/22 = 8 miles
7/23 = 4 miles
7/24 = 1.5 miles
7/25 = 4.5 miles
7/26 = 3 miles
7/27 = 5.5 miles
7/28 = 3 miles
7/29 = 7 miles
7/30 = 4 miles

susan2396

Bump

I wanted to send a quick note to say thanks for sticking by me even when I haven't been around. So many of you have sent me personal messages and I can't tell you how much that has meant to me.

I've been overwhelmed and its taking its toll. Work is really pulling me down. I truly love what I do, but things have really picked up. I'm in the office by 7 a.m. and barely leave by 6 or 7 p.m. It's been 10+ hour days for so long. I'm exhausted by the time I get home and don't even bring home my laptop to jump online. The last thing I want to do is look at a computer screen even for fun and personal reasons.

Plus, my friends husband is losing his battle with cancer so I've been an emotional wreck worried for them. Cyrus is doing great, but I'm in the woe is me - single mom, dead beat dad, working non-stop, eating non-stop, exercise is non-existent, lonely, and probably throw in a little depression too. I've got to pull myself out immediately, but it's hard. I know once I get back in the swing of things by eating better, getting exercise back in and balancing work things will get back on track.

No one else can do it for me. I have to do it. Thanks again for the support and keeping me as a friend.

Ohio4Me

Would like to join this thread. I have at least 100 pounds to lose. In the last three years I lost 40 pounds (during chemo) and regained the dang weight after treatment ended! I am so frustrated. I promised myself I would keep the weight off and keep losing, but no.... I just gained it all back.

My knees are in pain from weight and medication. I would like to start with a goal of logging 4000 steps a day. I travel with work and it's easy to keep track of steps instead of miles. I know the 'real' target is 10,000 steps a day but that is a dream for now. Reality is that 4000 steps a day would be really big for me. I need the steps and consistency.

My life is less than sedentary. I work from home. Sounds nice but on a regular day I don't even log 1000 steps. I sit at my desk all day, I don't walk in from the parking lot, the restroom is very close, coffee and lunch are close. I just need to move!

I will also join the challenge to stay within my calories. I like the +/- rule. If I'm close it's a victory!

Tanya949

Forgot to post my miles and August goals!

7/31: 0.5 miles 20 AM

August goals:

TDEE: 3264 (based on July's numbers)
daily calorie limit: 2400 ... 1.6 lb/wk deficit

Days under calorie goal (aiming for 100%)
Protein intake: 120g (aiming for 100%)

ForeverDanielle2013

@Teresa_3266- That is an awesome idea to cutting back on my sodas! I have never thought about doing it like that, I do believe I will start that tomorrow. As for the sleeping, I did try the melatonin a while back and it made me have terrible nightmares:devil: . I know that may sound crazy but I stopped taking it for a few days and then tried it again to make sure it just wasn't me and sure enough I would have nightmares everytime I took it so I stopped. Now my brother takes them with no problems, guess I'm gonna stick with my zquil for now:yawn: . Hopefully I won't have to take it long, I hate taking any kind of medicine. Thanks for the idea about the sodas! :bigsmile:

Lauriek70

Karen- You will make your goal you just need .5 mile to finish it. A walk with Gunner will cover it. I hope the interviews go well and you find a great teacher. I am running a 5K on Saturday provided the storms that are expected are not overwhelming. Hope you are working on running up hills, we will need it based on the course description in the tunnel.

Lives 2 travel- You job sounds crazy but you don’t get bored. Good luck with the new position.

Trulydivyn- I am also guilty of sitting and typing at night especially since I respond to MFP. One trick I learned is to get up and move during commercials- you can walk around your place, go up and down the stairs etc and it will make a difference. You only do it for the length of the commercial break. IF you are skipping the commercials then set a time for 15 minutes, hit pause and get up and move. It works and you increase your physical activity.

Brenda- Learning to use the weight machines can be challenging but it is doable. First check with your gym, they may offer and introduction to the weight machine from one of the trainers. They will set up a program for you with the correct settings for the machines. Ideally, you will work arms one day and legs the other day that way you are giving those muscles a rest in between workouts. Start off with light weight and move on from there. There is also a book called New Rules for Women lifting that well done and explains things. It is okay to eat under your calorie allotment especially if you are not hungry. It is your choice if you want to eat back the exercise calories however you don’t want to drop to low. Just make good choices with the food you eat throughout the day.

Queen-Congrats on the great lost. You had a tough year and I am very proud of you for taking control of your life.

Kelley- Only 4.28 miles to go, I know you’ve got this.

Stephgas-Welcome. One thing many of us have learned during this journey is that the fad diets don’t work because they are hard to sustain. You are making a lifestyle change so you need to figure out what works for you. Start with one thing at a time until you are successful then add a second thing etc. Nice job on eating only 1 slice of pizza and a salad.

JNettie- Love the good news from the doctor.

Nagyca- If I understand your question correctly- Does MFP calculate your calories per day based on the activity level you entered? The answer is yes, so the steps you take at work do not count as additional exercise. The number of calories per day also has a calorie deficient built in to help you lose the weight. Hope this helps.


Fera-10 pounds and 6.5 inches- YIPEEEEE!!! Congratulations.

Tanya- New trainers can really make a difference, especially when you find the right match. Glad you have a new plan so enjoy the new routines and being outdoors.

Susan2396- Glad to see you back and checking in with us. I hope work calms down for you soon. Looking forward to catching up with you in NY, we will have fun.

Ohio4me- Welcome.

Lauriek70

Truth- I get nervous when I think about participating in a race and it gets worse when I study the course maps. I like knowing what to expect so I am prepared but at the same time I would prefer not to know. This is a double edge sword for me and gives me an easy way to avoid races. My goal is to participate in a couple of 5K between now and the middle of September, so I will be prepared for the NYC 5K. I just need to build my confidence in doing these events.

I really don't want it to rain Saturday morning. I hope the rain takes a break so I am not running a 5K in the rain. Any tips for running in the rain?

Lives2Travel

Thank goodness this week is almost over. I cannot wait to get on the plane tomorrow and get home. I'll catch up on personals over the weekend. I plan to sleep late and do as little as possible to make up for my crazy week.

My August goal is to be at or under calirie goal every day and to walk 6 out of 7 days.

July Mileage Goal: 100 miles

7/1 - 3.02
7/2 - 5.02 (3.02 walk and class)
7/3 - 4.86 (2.86 walk and class)
7/4 - 3.92
7/5 - Rest Day
7/6 - 2.70
7/7 - 4.72 (2.70 walk and class)
7/8 - 2.91
7/9 - 2.86
7/10 - 2.90
7/11 - 2.90
7/12 - 7.30 (14,615 Fitbit steps)
7/13 - 3.98 (7,978 Fitbit steps)
7/14 - 2.90
7/15 - 2.88
7/16 - 3.01
7/17 - 3.02
7/18 - 2.82
7/19 - 2.84
7/20 - Rest Day
7/21 - 2.90
7/22 - 2.88
7/23 - 2.84
7/24 - 2.86
7/25 - 2.80
7/26 - 2.80
7/27 - 3.92
7/28 - 2.96
7/29 - 2.91
7/30 - 4.57
7/31 - 5.17

Total: 101.17 (Yay, I made it!)

grandmakaye44

Mileage for 7/31: 2 miles water aerobics. Didn't get to walk this evening because I went to my granddaughter's bridal shower.
I felt pretty good about my choices today until the shower. I did better than I would have done in the past, but not good.
My washer didn't get fixed today because they ordered the wrong part. I can't even tell you how upset I am! that means another week without a washer.
Skinny, your post about hiring a new teacher struck a cord here. I know I posted that they were taking Nicole out of the library because of budget. Now they have had an audit and found the money for a librarian. They want to move her to the high school because of certification issues. It is all dependent upon them being able to hire a good English teacher for the middle school at this late date. If they can't find one, they will wait until next year to move her. So school starts for the teachers on August 18, and she still doesn't know what her assignment will be.
Fera, great loss!
Susan, glad you checked in. Hang in there.
Tlh, good luck getting settled.
Queen, glad things are going well for you.
So happy for all of your successes. I am really looking forward to the August challenge. I hope I can get back into a more disciplined routine.
Onward and downward. Kaye

FeraFilia

Last mileage update:

July 30 - 2.82 miles

July 31 - 2.29 miles

trulydivyn725

@LaurieK

---

fantastic ideas!! I rarely watch TV but setting a timer is a priceless thought.....I tend to forget about time while in cyber world or kindle world or college work....this is something I can truly use!!

You guys are all an awesome fount of information and encouragement...!!!

skinnyjeanzbound

@kaye--sorry your daughter doesn't know her assignment--that's got to be really frustrating. :grumble: Glad you did better at the shower than you would have in the past. That says a lot; plus, it is a special occassion, and you have to be able to enjoy those moments as part of a healthy lifestyle. :flowerforyou:

@L2T--glad your crazy week is over--I don't blame you for wanting to sleep and relax tomorrow. Great job meeting your mileage goal! :drinker:

@laurie--it's interesting to me that studying a course map makes you more nervous about a race b/c it has the opposite affect for me. I find I do better if I'm familiar with the course. Where did you find the course description for the T2T race? I've got the course map, but it doesn't give a lot of detail about the actual course. I didn't realize there would be hills--yikes! To be honest, I'm kind of nervous about the whole idea of running through the tunnel. There's a very short one on the course I'm running in a couple of weeks, and I always feel the need to slow down for fear I will hit a crack in the pavement and fall. The lighting isn't great--hope that's not an issue for the NYC tunnel.

@ohio--welcome! :flowerforyou:

@susan--hang in there! I know you will make it back on track if you put your mind to it. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's husband. I know it's really hard for you to not be back in Atlanta to support her and her family in person. :flowerforyou:

August Challenge:
Cumulative calorie surplus (shortage) =
100g of protein = x/31 days

Exercise Goals:
Mon--walk gunner DONE
Tues--walk gunner DONE + gym DONE
Wed--walk gunner DONE
Thurs--walk gunner DONE
Fri--walk gunner + gym
Sat--walk gunner
Sun--walk gunner + gym

July Goal = 100 miles

7/1 = 3 miles
7/2 = 0 miles
7/3 = 2 miles
7/4 = 2 miles
7/5 = 1 mile
7/6 = 2 miles
7/7 = 8.5 miles
7/8 = 1.5 miles
7/9 = 2.5 miles
7/10 = 1.5 miles
7/11 = 1.5 miles
7/12 = 1 mile
7/13 = 3 miles
7/14 = 1.5
7/15 = 4 miles
7/16 = 4 miles
7/17 = 8 miles
7/18 = 1.5 miles
7/19 = 1 mile
7/20 = 8.5 miles
7/21 - 1 mile
7/22 = 8 miles
7/23 = 4 miles
7/24 = 1.5 miles
7/25 = 4.5 miles
7/26 = 3 miles
7/27 = 5.5 miles
7/28 = 3 miles
7/29 = 7 miles
7/30 = 4 miles
7/31 = 3 miles

Yay! I made it! :bigsmile:

ebailey710

Time is getting away from me so I'm just going to post really quick.

Was going to run this morning but couldn't find my pants (they went down to the laundry) and so I'll run tomorrow. I refuse to wear my shorts now.

I don't really understand the August challenge formatting, so I'm just going to say that I want to be under my calories every day, and I want to come within 5% of each macro.

grandmakaye44

My morning is getting a different start. Nicole needed me to tend her kids for about 3 hours this morning and I had 3 batches of laundry that had to be done, so I am baby sitting at her house this morning. Both littles are still asleep. I'm sure glad that I have such close access to a washer.
Well, its August, and I am determined to make this work for me. Nicole was stuck from February and has lost 10# in July. Fortunately, she has learned from her mother and didn't let herself get so heavy. She is almost to her goal, and has reached her pre-pregnancy weight. I'm very proud of her. She is also using MFP.
I didn't get to go to water aerobics because of the kids, so I am going to have to be sure that I get a walk this evening.
Have a great day. Onward and downward. Kaye

Morgori

Good morning all.

Susan- Hope things get better for you!



Happy History of Air Force Day
Air Force Day was established on August 1, 1947, by President Truman "in recognition of the personnel of the victorious Army Air Forces and all those who have developed and maintained our nation's air strength." August 1 was chosen to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment, in 1907, of the Aeronautical Division in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army.
Air Force Day came into being immediately after the signing of the National Security Act of 1947, although the status of the air element of the military was uncertain. Thus, although it was called Air Force Day, its first celebration was staged by the Army Air Forces and not by the U.S. Air Force.
Underlying the Air Force Day celebration was a need to increase "both official and public awareness of the priority of importance of air forces in any system of national security," according to Mr. Truman. "The great strategic fact of our generation is that the United States now possesses live frontiers -- the frontiers of the air -- and that the oceans are no longer sure ramparts against attack."
In his message to the nation on the first Air Force Day, Mr. Truman said, "I remind all of our citizens that the air power of the nation is essential to the preservation of our liberty, and that the continued development of the science of air transportation is vital to the trade and commerce of a peaceful world."
Air Force Day was last observed on August 1, 1949.

It is also National Minority Donor Awareness Day
National Minority Donor Awareness Day is celebrated August 1 as a time to educate individuals on the need for minority donors and the facts surrounding organ, blood and tissue donation. The day is also used to promote healthy living and disease prevention in order to decrease the need for transplants. Of the more than118,000 people on the transplant waiting list, a little more than half, or 56 percent, are minorities. African Americans make up the biggest portion of minorities on the waiting list at 29 percent, followed by Hispanics, Asians, American Indians and Pacific Islanders. Most often people on the waiting list are awaiting kidney transplants. Minorities make up 36 percent of the United States population and 27 percent of deceased donors in 2013. It’s important to know that there are often opportunities to improve another person's life and be a living donor and donate organs, blood, bone marrow or tissue while living.
I am giving my blood today.:drinker:

“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.” ~Nelson Mandela

Tom

kah68

@foreverdanielle~I lot of people actually have strange dreams/nightmares while taking melatonin. Have you heard of Sleepy Time Tea or Sleepy Time Extra Tea? These are chamomile teas that aid in relaxation/sleep—the 2nd one contains valerian root which is a natural sleep aid. The regular Sleepy Time can be found with the teas/coffee (comes in K-Cups too), the Sleepy Time Extra is in the pharmacy section at most stores. Magnesium is also a sleep aid, take just before bed with a few crackers.

@Nettie~Hooray for goods news from your doc; however, inquiring minds want to know. Are you picking out a theme for the nursery?

@Laurie~I was determined, so walked flights of stairs instead of using elevators at work yesterday—grateful I have a two-story house too! Hope the weather holds up for your 5k tomorrow—good luck and have fun! Not sure I have any advice on running in the rain, except maybe have a waterproof lightweight pullover with a hood to keep your upper half mostly dry.

@Susan~I know you’ve been going through a rough patch and it’s been hard watching your friend’s husband go through such a hard diagnosis from afar. Hang in there, we aren’t going anywhere. :flowerforyou:

July Mileage:

7/01/14—3.39mi
7/02/14—3.30mi
7/03/14—3.23mi
7/04/14—None
7/05/14—1.58mi
7/06/14—1.97mi
7/07/14—4.81mi
7/08/14—3.69mi
7/09/14—4.00mi
7/10/14—2.76mi
7/11/14—4.14mi
7/12/14—1.93mi
7/13/14—2.14mi
7/14/14—2.82mi
7/15/14—3.36mi
7/16/14—5.14mi
7/17/14—3.34mi
7/18/14—3.27mi
7/19/14—1.76mi
7/20/14—3.35mi
7/21/14—3.36mi
7/22/14—4.08mi
7/23/14—3.66mi
7/24/14—4.01mi
7/25/14—3.33mi
7/26/14—1.78mi
7/27/14—3.80mi
7/28/14—3.12mi
7/29/14—4.02mi
7/30/14—4.58mi
7/31/14—4.42mi

Total: 100.14/100 Miles (I made it--barely! )

Exercise Goals:

Monday~Gym, run DONE!
Tuesday~Trainer DONE!
Wednesday~Gym, elliptical DONE!
Thursday~Trainer DONE!
Friday~Run and/or Sauna
Saturday~Rest day (housework really)
Sunday~Trainer

ETA: I forgot to add my goals for the August Challenge. My goal is to be at or within 200 calories of my caloric goals, 90% of the time. I also plan to be within 1-3% of my daily macros. Exercise goals remain the same.

Brenda_1129

Oh Friday, Thank God its Friday!!! To get fit I am going to start working with a personal trainer. I signed the paperwork and made my first payment last night. As for my eating this weekend, it will be fairly easy. I have drill so I will be packing my lunch and my snacks as I would for a regular work day. This will also prevent me from going to whatever random restaurant that the other Soldiers decide to go to. My problem will likely be Sunday as the NFL Hall of Fame game is on and football, beer, and nachos or wings seem to go together very well. I will do my best to stay cognizant of my choices and of course log everything.

Nice job on the July Mileage challenge everyone!

My August goal is to go to the gym 4 days a week and to log my food, whether it is good or bad.

@Tanya - Meal planning can be such a nuisance but so worth the hassle. My sister has the best meal plan I think I have ever seen. She started with going to Pinterest and finding a bunch of crockpot meals, now on Saturdays she sits down and writes out her meal plan to include all the ingredients that she will need for each dish. She then shops on Sunday and preps everything for the week. When she was on maternity leave she would take 1 day prep crock pot meals for an entire month. Some of the links that I have seen through Pinterest give shopping lists so you know exactly what you have to buy. Of course having a crock pot allows dinner to be made by the time you get home from work. It is very convenient! Good Luck with your planning.

@Teresa - I have not used the machines because they freak me out! I don't know what I am doing and I am scared to death that I will hurt myself. I have enough trouble walking and not hurting myself, I don't need to take any chances!!!

@SkinnyJean - When I calculated my TDEE, it asked for activity level and I put light. I can change that if I see that I am having more moderate workouts. I think having a goal of 1930 as my TDEE suggests is where I need to be. I will reevaluate after some time and see what, if anything needs to change. Thanks for the advice, I gives me another perspective to think about.

@Ohio - Welcome to the group and good luck with reaching your goals.

@Susan2398 - Chin up. Knowing that the change has to start with you is the first step to greatness. Good luck and stay positive.

NewCaddy

@Robin..The one time we moved across state lines, we hired movers and that was a reck. This time, it was just us and friends. luckily, I had hid some things from my dresser to a tote with other items before I left to sign the papers. They had moved my dresser before I knew it. Would have been a bit embarrassing for Michael's friends (people I only met while they were moving my items) to have discovered those things. :blushing: Congrats on the lamp. Sounds neat.

@Kelley...I don't normally get migraines, but I'm taking note of your remedy. I've been teetering on sick for a few days now, which includes a low grade headache for 3 days now. I thought at first that it was a let down after the stresses of moving, but Emma had it yesterday.

@Fera...I'm so excited for you. It's nice to know where you're going now.

@Laurie...sorry, I just don't have my miles for the rest of July. I relied heavily on my Fitbit and that's out of comission for now (at least until I find it's cord. Goot luck on your 5K on Saturday...I'll hope for clear skies during the race. You'll do great. And no, I have no tips for running (rain or shine). :laugh:

@L2T...I've joined a team like that -- works on projects for other teams. I've been pretty secluded so far, but after my meeting with my boss this morning, it sounds like I will begin a few "filler" projects. Unlike you, I do have one main job but will spend my spare time (which I do have) on smaller projects.

@Karen...Hopefully the first candidate is available. We once had a situation like that, we had interviewed about 10 people and non seemed a good fit. HR actually called us and told us we were being too picky. Luckily, my manager stuck to her guns and a couple interviews later, we met someone who was the perfect fit for us and she ended up working for our company for 10 years.

@Brenda...my gym (and every one that I had belonged to in the past) had people who would train you on the machines. Tehy even suggest that you get properly trained before you do it yourself. They go over each one and gave me a list of which ones to work in which order. Ask for it. And if you are self conscious (which from my experience, you should try to work through because most people aren't paying attention to anything but their own workout) see if there is a female trainer that can help you. Congrats on being a Grandmother!

@Teresa...8 pounds is nothing to be frustrated with. Keep going, it'll move again. Remember, you are feeling better than 8 pounds ago.

@Tom...I'm a mutt and proud of it...German, English and Norwegian. My dogs have always been mutts too! Or at least up until the last two and we've never paid a dime for a dog. Cody, my Golden Retriever, came with our first house. We wanted a dog and wrote in the purchase agreement that we wanted them to "leave the great kennel in the back yard (and dog if you don't want it)" Turns out they couldn't take the dog with them and we inherited him. He was a big sweetie that had infinite patience for our baby boy that came along a couple years later. Our current dog is a miniature chihuahua that my son was given by my sister. She had rescued him and couldn't keep him when she moved so my two year old got a two year old dog.

@Susan.. I'm so sorry to hear the struggles that your friend's family is going through. That's very hard.

Welcome to everyone. I haven't been gone that long but there are a lot of new faces that I'm excited to get to know.

AFM. Well..my husband has thrown out his back and my son is gone until late Saturday. That means no dressers are getting moved into position. Hard to organize bedrooms without any dressers. :grumble: All said, I have my master bathroom completely done!!! At least a sanctuary in the midst of utter chaos! :sad: :bigsmile: The kitchen is getting close -- just still need those dang pots and pans.

The good thing is I now have steps in my house. If I'm in the kitchen, I have to go up or down stairs to get to a bathroom. When I'm in my room, I have to go down steps to let the dog outside. I have to go all the way down to feed the turtle. I feel like I will get a lot more daily steps just by being in this house.

As far as food goes, I've been trying the TDEE method with activity. I'm putting it back to sedentary to give me some motivation to move and get some more caloires. Gonna see if that will shake things up for me.

Friday Fitness: I'm still spending most of my free time unpacking. I do have a trainer session on Monday and plan to go at least two more times to do that same workout. Just not sure of the schedule.

August Goals:
1. Drink 8 glasses of water
2. Be within 100 calories of goal 26 out of 31 days.
3. Workout minimum 3 times a week

mnwalkingqueen

Here is the miles for my July Goal of 186 miles. I started on 7/2/14. My August goal is to try and be under on sodium every day.
7/2-5.02
7/3-6.05
7/4-5.1
7/5-1.16
7/6-4.08
7/7-5.95
7/8-6.93
7/9-5.82
7/10-5.74
7/11-1.03
7/12-3.39
7/13-3.82
7/14-5.54
7/15-6.47
7/16-6.87
7/17-7.52
7/18-5.67
7/19-3.67
7/20-1.67
7/21-6.18
7/22-8.61
7/23-7.24
7/24-6.07
7/25-6.05
7/26-6.94
7/27-5.31
7/28- forgot to put on fitbit aarrgg
7/29-8.33
7/30-6.31
7/31-6.51

Total per FitBit 159.05 miles in 30 days