*** Supportive Friends -- Looking to Release 50+ Pounds ***

xxjolandexx

Hey everyone I'm back after Easter break. How are you all.
Struggling to keep motivated but I'm staying strong.
What are your thoughts on diet drinks I.E coca cola etc. I had a can today for the first time in weeks and I feel kinda bad about it. Just needed something sweet.

TheRunningGuppy

@Jolande, I wouldn't worry too much about the soda. I stopped drinking them for the most part (from one or two a day to one or two a month). I just don't sweat it when I do have one. I have to say though, when I stopped drinking them, I stopped getting migraines. It was diet sodas, so I think the artificial sweetener was my issue.
For your struggle with motivation, do you have any goals set for yourself? I set a monthly goal for myself (Feb was walk 65 miles, I did 67. March was 30 Day Shred 4 times a week, and walk 50 miles). I usually post something on Facebook about my goal, and then I feel I have to follow through with it. Very good motivation!

@Stephaniezoun, congrats on getting back to the gym! That must have felt great.

@JennyPenny, welcome! I've got to say this group of folks is very supportive, you will enjoy it here.

meaghan2008

Hey everyone ! My name is Meaghan and im a senior in college ! I want to lose 50 + lbs by summer. I wanted to before May but that is impossible seeing I have less than a month away ! But just in need of support ! I have lost 24 + lbs so far still a long road ahead !

xxjolandexx

@Meg I suffer from terrible migraines that put me in hospital! Didn't think it had anything to do with what I ate. It makes perfect sense now. I swapped sugar for sweetner from the age of 16. To the point where I would refuse food if it had noticable sugar!

Yes that's a great idea, this month my goal is to do Josie Gibsons 30 second slim 3 times a week and to go to the gym once a week. Fingers crossed I'll stick to it and see some changes in my fitness.

uhohkerri

Well I ate way too much Easter candy, but only gained half a pound. I've already lost it though, so I don't feel THAT bad. Instead of having ham, I had swordfish. I offered to make the dessert for Easter as well, so we didn't eat a cake with frosting. We had "healthy" sugar cookies with fat free whipped cream topped with blueberries, strawberries, and kiwi!

I so joined you on that one. Haven't been on in a couple of days spent one day with a stomach bug ate but didn't hold anything down so when I was feeling better the next day I pigged out. have been really tired I guess because I did get so sick but I am checking in again had to go back and read a little to get caught up. seems I ain't the only one who hasn't checked in everyday so I don't feel so bad.

@uhohkerri – Not sure how you are measuring? If 2 inches is just from one measure (ie. waist), then that is amazing! However, as much as we all want to see the numbers go down, it’s not all about that. Try going by how you feel. Are you happier? Can you jog longer? Do you have more energy?

It is around my hips lost one around my waist and a couple other places. I posted some pics from February when I first started trying to seriously lose and a few days ago with the measurements on it. so anyone who wants to check it out feel free. Kind of been well not sleeping well so I have been slacking of on the more intense exercising but I plan on heavy duty cleaning again 2 days of not doing much and my house has gone to the dog lol (my poor dog and baby have been blamed for a lot the last couple of days, stuff there is no way they did) I love my kids and my husband but really you can't pick up the slack while I am sick. anyways back up and back at it.

To the few new people you know who you are I will one day remember to write you all's names down to mention them thanks for joining welcome and please come back.
to those who are struggling I have been with you this week
to those like Ron and Jolande doing great checking in. wanted to ask permission to add you as friends before I send a request.
Anyway have a great day every one. check back in latter or tomorrow.

tazminacat

Hello everyone.

I was browsing the threads and saw this. I would love to have people to talk to and get ideas, help, heck even a "hello" from. Normally when I try to lose weight on my own, I do well for a while, but then get discouraged. Last success was several years ago, lost 40 lbs, got into a bad situation and gained it all back. Since no one in my family/life is working to lose weight, I feel like I'm stuck on chunka island.

Hopefully with such fun and helpful friends, I will succeed and maintain from now on.

Thank you =^.^=

TheRunningGuppy

@Tazminacat, welcome! I know how you feel about getting to a certain point and then gaining back. I've done that twice before. Keep pushing through, we'll be here to encourage you :happy:

@jolande, I don't mind regular sugar, I just try to keep it in check. If I really want to add sweetener to something, I use stevia.

tnsumner

Well, I've done it. I've lost 50 pounds!!! I have about 25 more pounds to go! We can all do this!!!! Summer is right around the corner. We are going to look SUPER HOT! So tonight for dinner I made stuffed peppers. I posted a pic on my profile! Yum. They are about 500 for the whole pepper (2 halves). They had rice, ground turkey, egg, and feta cheese in them. So good! I'll give anyone the recipe that wants to try them. I got it from "The Biggest Loser" cookbook.

stephaniezoundi

tnsummer: CONGRATULATIONS!!!! That is a fantastic milestone to reach.

Tazminacat: welcome and hello! Lots of support and encouragement here.

@jolande: aspartame (sp.) gives lots of people migraines. I'm a former migraine sufferer and one of the first things doctors had me do was keep a food diary to see if there was a connection. That said they vanished when I started losing a significant amount of weight and the only thing that triggers them now is pregnancy (!) and cinnamon.

So I'm definitely feeling yesterday's workout. Have some serious DOMS going on today which I am actually enjoying as it is proof of how hard I worked yesterday. Hoping that I can get to the gym tomorrow. Hopped on the scales for a sneaky peak this morning and liked what I saw. Am waiting until Wednesday though to officially weigh in . Hoping that I will be close to my reward (£20 on iTunes for more music). Gotta go, baby girl is napping and its the only time I can get my cross-stitching done, now that my niece has arrived, I need to get her picture done. Have a good one! :flowerforyou:

TheRunningGuppy

@Tnsumner, that is awesome! Congrats on 50 lbs gone!

@Stephanizoun, great reward for yourself! I need to come up with some...

Well, I am feeling happy today! Hopped on the scale this morning as it is my official weekly weigh in time, and I've lost 4.4 lbs this week! That's 1 lb less than all of last month! lol
I'm going to start the c25k program today, even though I know I can run almost a 5k already, I can't do it in one shot, have to take a walking break between running. So I figure this will help me build up my endurance.

Have a good weekend everyone!

tazminacat

@Tnsumner : Please, I would LOVE that recipe! It sounds deliciousness!!:bigsmile: Is it a recipe that is easily cut to a single serving? Cuz no one in my family would eat that but me. I love me some feta and bell peppers!! Also, I am kind of getting over done with all the microwave meals or turkey breast with veggies. Need variety! But I suck at cooking. It is possible to burn water, I've done it! =^.^=

jennypenny133

Tnsummer- Could you post the recipe on here? I'd definitely like to try it as well.

ron2e

@tnsumner - Great job! And I'm so pleased you say we are all going to be SUPER HOT this summer, in fact I am going to wear a placard round my neck which says "tnsumner says I am SUPER HOT'. If that doesn't attract the ladies, nothing will :laugh: Mind you my wife will probably point out the only "Hot" I am is because of the air temperature.............

@Tazminacat - Wellcome to the madhouse section of MFP! Plenty of support and help here and if you fail, we send round the REALLY heavies! Keep trying with the cooking, it's easier than you think and much healthier than ready meals. It's also a fun thing to do when you get into it.

@meg - told you the water would go and you'd get a proper reading! Great week's loss.

@jolande - good for you on the gym, sounds like you're really motivated, keep that motivation going!

@steph - well done on the excercise, hope you reach your reward this week!

Me, I've got the water anomalies as usual, I was away all last week, ate in hotels/restaurants, weighed myself Friday morning on my return - 2 lbs heavier than last Sunday's official weigh in. Weighed again this morning, 0.4 lb down on last Sunday (so lost 2 lbs + since yesterday! Yeah right). And I expect to be down again tomorrow morning. My ticker however shows another milestone, 2 stones (28 lbs) down. My target originally was a stone a month to start with, and I'm only slightly behind target, but then February was a short month!

Off next week to Romania a fascinating mixture of the modern and last century, horse drawn carts on the highways, Airport runway that is more patches than runway (though they're building a new one) pot holes you could lose a dog in on the old roads, nice people though and where I'm going all well educated with great English, and the majority of them good looking women under 30, not that that affects me in any way................ Lots of work to do though so I won't be bored.

PipBnz

Hey guys and gals!
I'm Pip, 24 from New Zealand, not sure what i want to lose in pounds, but 25-30kgs or a NZ size 12-14 is my goal.
I have lost 15 already (then put 5 back on when i started getting into lifting weights....my body looks better every day so i'm not too worried about the number on the silly scale)
I am slowly changing my relationship with food, but it's a long hard road, as you all will know.
The gym has always been a place i like to be, and i love running even though i seem injury prone ( almost ruptured achilles, pulled hip muscles...) so try to keep it to once a week.

I look forward to getting to know you all

gonzamm

Yesterday was not a good day for me. I went on an eating binge. It was like I couldn't stop eating and ate everything I could get my hands on .. even chips and ice cream. At the end of the day when I was exhausted eating, I had to sit down and speak with my husband who is a big supporter of mine in my quest to lose weight (he has joined me in my journey; which is great). He told me I should figure out why I was doing this to myself and start from there. It was the stress of going to school after over 30 years, planning to move and wanting to spend time with my new grandchild. He suggested that I prioritize the things that are important and do them first, the rest can wait. Well, I took care of the first thing that was weighing me down - stop going to school and continue later on at the location where I will be moving and concentrate on my move (cleaning up house, throwing away things, packing, etc); there will be plenty of time to spend with my grandchildren down the road. Well his suggestions helped me figure out why I was eating and today I feel much better. I think I needed someone to talk to about the stress I was having and not keep it in (as I normally do). Today, I feel better and ready to take on the world. A shout to my husband for the love and support he showers upon me. Back on track ... thanks for listening.

tnsumner

I actually brought the cookbook to work with me... so here is the recipe with my side notes at the bottom

Bench Press Bell Peppers

2 large green bell peppers
Olive Oil Spray
1 pound extra-lean ground turkey breasts
3 tablespoons freshly minced garlic
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
3 ounces reduced-fat feta cheese crumbles
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 375. Carefully pull the stems off the peppers (without breaking the peppers). Cut the peppers in half from top to bottom and remove the cores and seeds.
Fill a large pot 2/3 full with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the peppers and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and place on a cutting board or flat work surface.
Meanwhile, place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, lightly mist with the olive oil spray. Add the turkey and garlic and cook, breaking the turkey into bite-sized chunks, until no longer pink, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the rice, egg whites, mint, feta cheese, and salt. Mix well, then carefully spoon 1/4 of the mixture into each pepper half, forming a mound.
Place the peppers, stuffed side up, in an 8"x8" glass or ceramic baking dish. Add enough water to come about 1/4" up the sides. Bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers are tender, the fililng is hot, and a light crust starts to form on top.

The recipe calls for 2 green bell peppers. I wanted color so I used 1 green, 1 yellow, and 1 red. The filling that this recipe makes BARELY fit in the 3 peppers I got. It makes quite a bit, so you may want to use 3-4 peppers or cut the recipe in half. I did NOT use the olive oil spray. I also didn't use the fresh mint. I did not put water in my baking dish. The peppers came out very tender (I cut them with my fork). I baked it for 20 minutes, but did not see a light crust form. Although there were some crunchy parts to it. It was delicious. My boyfriend said I can make that as many times as I want. I think next time, I'm going to put some Mexican seasoning in it for a little kick!

Let me know how you guys like the recipe! It was very easy to make. I think kids could probably help stuff the peppers!

Doresoontobehealthy

Good morning everyone. My name is Dore. I've been on and off MFP for a couple years now. I've been back on 56 days so far. I started my process with about 100 lbs to lose. Like a lot of people whenever I've given up I've put back on the weight plus an additional 10 lbs or so. I'm trying to make this more about changing what I eat and how much. It's hard not to give into my binges sometimes. I know in order for this to work I need to start exercising again. But everyday the thought of doing so just makes me more tired than I already am. I would love to be a part of your group as I go through this process to release this weight from my body and mind.

TheRunningGuppy

@Ron, Romania sure sounds like an adventure! Have a good week there. And of course, you were right :happy:

@Pip, welcome to the group! It's a good way to look at it, changing your relationship with food. That something I've been working on too.

@tnsumner, thanks for sharing the recipe, sounds tasty.

@Dore, welcome We'll be here to encourage you. I do want to encourage you to get out there an exercise. Even though it sounds exhausting, it will actually energize you. And trust me, I never thought I'd be one saying that, even though I've heard it many times before. Besides the health benefits, it's amazing how much working out effects my moods. I'm a lot less cranky!

Well, today is going to be interesting. I thought I was going to get a chance to get out of the house for my workout today, but turns out my husband has to go to his tribes annual council meeting, and it takes ALL day. So me and the boys are stuck at home. It's a rainy day here in the Pacific Northwest, so I don't know if we'll venture outside. I do have to go pick up my bulk chicken order (40 lbs of chicken to package up, yay...), and my son is going to want to finish his cardboard Tardis, with my help of course. I think I'll probably do zumba today...

stephaniezoundi

Ron: wow, Romania sounds like it will be quite the trip. Don't get lost in the potholes and make sure you come back!

Pip and Dore: Welcome to the thread!

Gonzamm: the binge, it happens and you talked through it with someone which is awesome! You are lucky that your husband supports and understands. My hubby is behind me but being thin as a rail he just doesn't get it.

tnsummer: Thank you for posting, I will be trying those soon!!

Meg: time for rainy day fun with the kiddies. Hope you get some kinda workout in.

As for me, I was at the gym today and LOVE LOVE LOVE being back working out. I am one of those that I am happy to see my sweat patch growing and a little puddle appearing on the floor below me, I've been known to admire said puddles :laugh:
Worked so hard that by the time I went to wash my hair in the shower afterwards my arms were already aching. Going to make tomorrow interesting.

An added extra for today was that with me going to the gym my hubster got some one on one time with the little miss which doesn't happen to often and as she was with her daddy, I didn't feel guilty about going to the gym. I keep telling myself that the sacrifice of time apart from her means that I will be around for a lot longer. Hope you have all had a great Saturday!

stephaniezoundi

I forgot, Ron congrats on the 2st milestone, that is fantastic!!!