Do you need to lose 60 pounds too?

Excellent~ I'm gonna stop tracking mine too then. I go over after an apple and a piece of toast. Try to have a banana later and I feel guilty, even when I'm way under calories. So, I won't look at sugar anymore. I do really good on sodium I think, I haven't noticed it red yet. My boyfriend has always had to add salt to everything I cook. lol guess I can count that as a blessing... well for me, not him though...

How is everyone doing? Thread died!

So with my new semi-crazy schedule, the warm (sometimes weather) and my brother and his daughter living with me...I am not walking or getting hardly any exercise in at all. This irritates me because yet again I have put myself and my own personal needs on hold to make sure everyone else is taken care of. I get up at 6am and am usually busy with a ton of kids from about 6:30-6:30, then its dinner, cleaning the house, taking kids to the pool....I'm typically running around and busy until at least midnight. YES....I need to change my schedule to fit in some exercise everyday. I have been so tired that even an extra half an hour walk is overwhelming. My dogs and myself are suffering. My dogs are used to walking between 3 and 5 miles a day...sometimes more. I'm frustrated because the lack of walking is definitely going to slow down any weight loss I might see.

Mostly this is a vent/rant because I'm frustrated, irritated and disappointed in how things are going. I also wanted to pick brains and see what kind of, if any, at home workouts that everyone is doing. My brother and niece sleep in my living room so my only option for in-home workout is to do it in my room (and to go walk the dogs of course), which is possible since I have plenty of room in there. I have some resistance bands, an exercise ball, I have the entire Yoga Booty Ballet exercise set on DVD, some yoga and pilates dvds. Not a bad start I'm thinking...but I have been thinking about purchasing the Zumba Fitness DVDs and wonder if its worth getting. I cannot afford gym membership right now, and I sure as heck don't know when I'll be able to get into the gym with my schedule the way it is right now (my schedule will change again in August). My goal today is to get my bedroom cleaned up so I can have the room to workout in there. Just the thought of getting up earlier is making me tired. lol

Has anyone tried the Zumba workouts? Are the DVD's worth getting? I know everyone seems to like the Jillian Micheal's stuff as well, and I think I'd like to get her work outs as well. I'm not sure if or when I'll be able to have the extra monthly money to join the gym, and if I can get similar (maybe not as good) workouts at home for a while...then that is a good option for me.

Sorry for the rambling rant. LOL Its been a long stressful week, and weight loss is, of course, big time on my mind.
Thanks everyone...hope everyone is doing well this week

I have at least 75lb more to lose but if I meet the 60lb goal that woubld be awesome!

Rhaeven ~ don't forget swimming at the pool is great exercise too. There is some debate on the accuracy of MFP on the calories burned, but other sites show me close the same numbers. Personally, I take my workout time during the baby's nap, and I workout on various videos from Netflix instant play. I love the Crunch series. I have some resistance bands too, but haven't used them since I started this journey (they were left from an attempt some 6 years ago). My daughter will exercise with me... or at least attempt to. She has been known to spray my face with water periodically when I get sweating really good. Once I explained to her that it wasn't healthy for my belly to be this fat, she wouldn't let me skip a day when I was feeling particularly lazy!
Depending on the clutter you need moved today, making room to workout may be a workout in itself. Your boyfriend, brother, and niece all love you and I am sure they want to support you. Just let them know you need an hour a day all to yourself, even if not all at once. One hour out of 16 is not too much to ask. You are a priority, don't let yourself or anyone else forget it! If none of that works, find activities that you can exercise, include them, and they won't realize the healthy impact. Like going for a nature walk, swimming, riding bikes to get snow cones, go to the playground and walk around the perimeter while they play, outside running games, ok my brain is picked... be creative and exercise will come easily and feel less like work

Thanks for the ideas/motivation. I kind of already to that stuff with the kids in my house. I have VERY busy 4 and 7yr old girls to watch and my 10 and 14yr old sons. I take the kiddos swimming, and we typically play in the pool for 2-3 hours, sometimes more when its nice out. I don't add in that play time because though I'm swimming with the kids...not sure how to count the calories because I'm not constantly swimming. I also get the girls out and we walk, but its always PAINFULLY slow so I don't count those as exercise moments either. We also have a playground in the complex so I take the girls there to play as well. I know I'm burning up cals but I don't log them in. My biggest worry/complaint/frustration is that I just don't feel like I'm getting enough exercise or working my muscles enough to make a decent impact at the moment. Packing kids, picking them up, throwing them in the pool...cleaning the house, moving furniture, walking the dogs and kids...its all great calorie burning exercises, but I'd like to put my muscles to better use and tone up.


My brother is an alcoholic and so its like having another kid around, he would definitely make working out a pain in the butt. He is one of the main reasons its chaotic around here. I'd kick him out but that would leave my niece homeless since he would try to take her with him. Its a crummy situation that I'm working toward finding a solution for, but its not an easy process.

I am going to have to suck it up and wake up early enough to work out BEFORE everyone is awake and here. I don't live with my BF, but if I did, my life would probably be tons easier...lol he's also my personal trainer. HE would definitely push me to work out when I needed the extra motivation. We almost always walk somewhere when I go to his house, we talk about his views on nutrition/diet and ideally he wants me in the gym, but knows that just isn't an option at the moment. I pick his brain constantly, but he is a guy, and his solution to my problems would be to just kick out my brother...My BF doesn't have kids so its hard to get him to understand how much grief my niece has been through lately...so...its up to me to find a solution that works.

Thanks again..this is why I am falling in love with this site and all the people on here

Rhaeven - I would count swimming girl. I know you said you don't eat back most if any of your exercise calories so the accuracy isn't all that important but I do think investing in a cheap HRM would do you good so you could count anything out of the ordinary on days that you are running around so much and no time for your own exercise, you may be surprised on what you burn. I count cleaning days on the days that I do deep scrubbing and when I clean the dogs' room (sweep, mop, sanitize their cage etc.) I also count shopping if I shop for more than an hour. Lately I've stopped counting anything unless I wear my HRM though because I'd rather be low on calories eaten than be over my calories because the estimate was way off. Congrats on your 2 lb loss!

Welcome newcomers!

I am so fricken hungry right now but dinner isn't for another 2 hours (hour and a half if need be) and I'm trying to not eat anything but TOM is on the way and I know that's why I have the munchies because I've eaten fine today. Steelcut oatmeal for breakfast, some fruit - a cucumber salad - and a lindt chocolate square between meals, and egg salad sandwich for lunch (1 whole egg 1 egg white), so the only thing I can blame my hunger on is TOM! I may have to make another cucumber salad to get through it lol.

I am so fricken hungry right now but dinner isn't for another 2 hours (hour and a half if need be) and I'm trying to not eat anything but TOM is on the way and I know that's why I have the munchies because I've eaten fine today. Steelcut oatmeal for breakfast, some fruit - a cucumber salad - and a lindt chocolate square between meals, and egg salad sandwich for lunch (1 whole egg 1 egg white), so the only thing I can blame my hunger on is TOM! I may have to make another cucumber salad to get through it lol.

Gotta love cucumbers, tomatoes and apples..those are my go-to foods when, on the VERY rare occasions, I'm hungry. Today is a hungry day strangely enough. My BF just laughs at me and says its good that I'm hungry. Thank goodness I'm not an emotional or bored eater though. LOL

My goals are similar to yours. My first weight goal is 65 lbs to get into the healthy area. I have lost 19 to date. So happy about that. I could use a team motivation at this point-especially to exercise.

I am in! My 1st goal is to loose 100lbs and I am half way there right now. I intend to loose another 20-30lbs once I have reached my first goal! So, count me in!

Rhaeven~ I agree its good that you are hungry, it shows that your metabolism is catching on to your schedule!
Welcome to our thread newbies too Can't wait to get better aquainted with ya and follow your success.
I'm gonna go eat something now ... Peace!~

I agree that its good. It has taken me over a month to actually be hungry during the day. Its an odd feeling since most of the time I'm not hungry at all. Today makes 2 days in a row that I'm hungry. LOL NOW I'm sure I will be getting close to or hitting my calorie goal, finally. Which is good since I'm hoping that I've finally kicked in my metabolism. YAY, now for the hard part, more exercise, more water and keep'n an eye on my food even more closely.

MamaDaisy...good job at the Golden Corral!!! Sounds like you made some excellent choices. I'm grateful for my dogs that keep me motivated to get out and walk!!

Last night, we went to Golden Corral for dinner, sounded like a terrible idea, but I think I did pretty well actually. Had chicken, baked potato, salad, and cornbread. I just couldn't walk away from a little bit of banana pudding though. Luckily for me, I left my walking Buddy in the house all day and he demanded a walk when we got home so I came out exactly even on my calories. Luck and a little self control went a long way and I am uber proud today.
This morning we went for another 25 minute walk, baby was pooped and went right to sleep so I jumped right into my cardio pilates video on Netflix, totaling 65 minutes cardio... in a row even. I'm thinking its time for lunch pretty quick now, as I have now have more calories to eat than I started with before breakfast lol.
Rhaeven~ I agree its good that you are hungry, it shows that your metabolism is catching on to your schedule!
Welcome to our thread newbies too Can't wait to get better aquainted with ya and follow your success.
I'm gonna go eat something now ... Peace!~

Nice job on the cardio and golden corral! I'm terrified of places like that (and chinese buffets) because I don't know if I could have that kind of restraint with so many options! Good on ya!

Did you get the champion duo-dry gear? I have a workout outfit in that brand and it's my favorite thing to workout in for sure.

Mmmmmm now I want biscuits and gravy. Must resist! We almost got BK yesterday because we wanted a drive through and there were no healthy options but before we even got to the ordering window my husband saw I was having a battle in my own head on what I was going to order that would not make me feel too guilty so he suggested subway and he'd just run in and order so we could eat it in the car on the way to our destination . him!

CONGRATS ON ONEDERLAND!!!!!! Can't wait to hit that milestone! My whole family (husband, dad, cousin) are all excited for me to hit Onederland too, oddly enough. Every time I talk weight loss with my cousin she asks if I'm there yet, dad too.

I hit my first mini goal today - 215 by 7/22 which is my son's birthday. I exceeded it! 213.6 this morning when I weighed in. Woot woot! I bought a new pair of jeans 2 days ago so I'm just going to let that be my goal instead of a mani-pedi. Money is too tight for too many rewards :P.

Sounds like you ladies (Mirlyn and MamaDaisy) are doing EXCELLENT!!!! You girls are doing wonderful. So exciting to get on here and see/hear successes. Congratulations ladies.

As for me. Well this has been an incredibly long, long and exhausting week. I have had an up and down eating week. LOL Made potato sour cream soup for my ex (kids dad, we have an amazing relationship), and of course couldn't resist the yummy-ness! Not only the potato soup but not the best food choices because of lack of money. We don't eat much crap, but...this week has been on the less than healthier side. So combine that with the lack of walking...this week just sucked for weight loss. So, I'm back on the wagon so to speak on Monday. No point in even trying tomorrow since its my long work day where I don't get any breaks to eat...so no food from 4:30am to 4pm or so. I always try to take some apples, but I never have time to eat even one, so Sunday's usually end up looking like I'm trying to fast.

With my wild and crazy house, I have put myself on the back burner for the last...almost 2 weeks. Old habits of making sure everyone else is taken care of before I take care of myself. That stuff has to stop or I'll be fat forever. So I'm concentrating on clearing out my room (yup still working on that) and closet so I can get to all my exercise stuff...like the resistance bands, yoga mat and...the small ball for crunches. I'm making room so I can have a spot to work out, and come Monday...life is going to be a whole lot of eating right (as I usually do) and a whole lot of exercise. I've got at least 60lbs to go and I don't want to be stuck here anymore.

Hahaha Just venting again. I've had my mind going probably a million miles today with how stressed out I have been and over loaded with my alcoholic brother and 7yr old niece living with me. I'm so angry at myself for putting ME on the back burner yet again. Thanks for "listening" ladies. I'm gonna reclaim myself, yet again. LOL

You can do it Rhaeven. Getting that focus, or any kind of focus, back to ourselves can be difficult. The fact that you want to shows that it will happen. Sundays don't sound good, though the apple is a good idea. Have you tried slicing it up before you go to work? Might have a better chance of getting to munch if you can just grab a slice on the way to the copier than if you are trying to sit down and have a whole apple at once. I know you have finally got where you feel hungry, and I would hate to see you at work without getting to nibble on something.

Slicing up the apples is a good idea. I'll have to try putting them in little ziplock bags in my pocket or something. When I have the chance and extra money, I go shopping for protein bars to keep in my pockets so that I can grab a bite while I'm running from one room to the next. I'm a CNA (nursing assistant) and I work in a very poorly run nursing home right now. I usually don't stop moving from the second I get there until I plop exhausted into my car at the end of the shift. Usually by the time I make it to the car I'm so ready to be home...that even the thought of eating makes me ill. So....its get home, take all the dogs out, chat with the kids and THEN I'm settled enough to eat. LOL I guess if I was an intermittent faster Sunday's would be perfect for me. Today...its just 4pm and I'm finally eating after getting home from work at 2:30.

I'll have to try slicing up apples with some lemon juice and put them into little snack sized bags or something to shove in my pocket. Why I never thought to cut the apple up is beyond me...jeez. Brain is fried...lol

Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th!!!

I'm in!! I thought it 50-60 was a good idea but it's more like 70! Oh well, you have to get to 60 before 70 so this will be good!! First day on MFP and hopefully the excitement and will power will stick!! :-)