Need to Lose 100 LBS -Robins Thread !

Yawn. . . another long day of travel. Vegas to Minneapolis, but these early flights and time differences are wiping me out. I did have a nice lunch with an old friend/supplier during my Arby's days. We had a very nice visit and burned our lunch calories walking the Mall of America. I could do some serious damage in that mall and I didn't spend a dime - awesome NSV!! I then was picked up by a new supplier and drove out to the burbs. We had dinner with some guys from the plant and now just catching up in my hotel. A busy day tomorrow with the plant visit and drive to Sioux Falls. Another plant Wednesday, but back home that night - thank goodness!!

I did hear from Cyrus this morning as he heads off to church sleep away camp. He sounds like he's having a blast and was just 2 hours into the trip. So happy for him, but I miss him already!!!

@robin--I leave next Monday the 15th and return on Friday the 26th. I will have internet access at least part of the time while staying with my friends in Zurich, so I will probably pop in once or twice. However, I have no plans to try to log food or exercise--just going to take a break from that and pick it back up when I return.

My favorite cyclist, Christian Vandevelde (a Chicagoan) had to abandon the race a couple of days ago. My plan was to wear either my Cubs or Blackhawks shirt to honor him while spectating. Since he's no longer in it, that won't work. Now I'm not sure what to wear--I have lots of favorites from different teams and different countries. Do I wear something green to show support for the sprinters? Do I still wear something "American" to support the American riders and teams? Do I wear orange to support those rebel Basques on team Euskatel? I had planned to buy a real racing jersey while out there, so I guess I will have to see what's available and make my choice once I'm there.

Today was a good day. I went for out patient PT this morning. I was able to get a full rotation on the exercise bicycle, and my flex is now 127*, just as good as the one I had done in Oct. This afternoon I had an appointment with the orthopedic dr. He couldn't quit smiling. He says what I have accomplished thus far is incredible. This evening I got in a 50 minute walk.
Welcome to all the newlings. You will find lots of love and support here if you will come and post often. I have lost all of my weight (started the first of Oct, 2012) just using the databases for food and exercise on MFP. My budget doesn't allow for gadgets, and my small town doesn't allow for gym memberships. I log all of my food, try to keep about 1200 calories, and eat back very few of my exercise calories. There was a discussion a few days ago about the mental aspects of losing weight. I concur whole heartedly. You have to be into it mentally. It is just too hard if you aren't. What you eat is far more important than the exercise you do to the overall success of losing weight. You can lose weight with very little exercise, but you can't lose weight if you just exercise and don't limit your food intake.
Tom, I grew up in Ashton, ID, less than 80 miles from West Yellowstone, MT. We went to Yellowstone every summer. I love that place!
Have a great evening. Kaye

Good Morning.

MFP sure was a mess yesterday afternoon, looks like they have it fixed though – newsfeed is back this morning!

Not sure if I mentioned it or not, but I finally found Zoe a cat tree over the weekend – I have never seen a cat so excited, she loves that thing. It took her a little while to figure it out and trust her jumping abilities, but now she is having so much fun with it. For those that are new, after losing both of my senior cats last year I adopted a Maine Coon kitten in December – she is 8 months old now and is crazy full of energy, but so lovable!

@Tom~Looks like you have a great trip planned. Great pics, I’ve been to most of the national parks – when I was a kid we spent our summer vacations traveling the U.S. , I haven’t been to Arches National Park in years – it’s beautiful there. Enjoy your vacation!

@Tracy~It happens to the best of us, we fall off that wagon but luckily we have a pretty good grasp and can hoist ourselves back up. All we can do it take this one day (or one meal) at a time.

@Sherrie~Its possible you didn’t have enough rest days from running before your race, still awesome though. Hooray for the NSV! :flowerforyou:

@Susan~So glad Cyrus is having a blast at his first sleep away camp. Mall of America would be a VERY dangerous place for me to visit! :laugh:

@Karen~I’m so excited for you, your trip is right around the corner. I’d like to be a stowaway in your luggage! I loved my trip to Germany, so know you are going to love Switzerland. While there I didn’t think about food, I got in a TON of walking touring as many castles that I could and when I got home I was pleasantly surprised to find I had lost 9#. Have fun and take tons of pics!

@Kaye~You are recovering so well from this surgery, so glad to hear your surgeon is pleased with your progress as well!

@Beth~Love the new pic!

Welcome to Kelly, Joan and Olasmiles. Like so many have said, you have found the best and most supportive thread on MFP. Like many have said also, weight loss is about mentality – you have to want it bad enough and you have to want to make the sacrifices to get you where you want to be. We all fall of that wagon from time to time, but we always get back on and trudge through whatever we may be going through. All of us have had our ups and downs, but we all come back to this thread because we know there is a virtual shoulder waiting to unload on with no questions asked. So my advice is to log every BLT (bite, lick and taste), find an exercise that you enjoy and will do, and lastly check in on this thread daily. You’ll be glad you did.

I use a HRM to measure my expended calories. I feel like it’s more accurate than what MFP or the machines at the gym say. It’s been trial and error, I’ve had three – my first was a Polar FT7, but I could never get it to work right. I gave it to a friend and it works great for her – go figure! :huh: After that I upgraded to a Polar RS300X, it worked great and I loved that I could wear it in the pool but when I started running and zone training I found I needed something a bit more fancy so upgraded earlier this year to a Garmin Forerunner 210 which I absolutely love! I thought about selling my Polar RS300X but I can’t wear the Garmin in the pool, so still use the Polar when I swim. I think HRM can be a bit pernickety, with the chest strap models (which both of mine are), you have to get it placed just right. If interested in a Fitbit, like Karen (skinny) suggested it isn’t a HRM but keeps track of steps taken, floors climbed, miles traveled, and calories expended throughout the day. The One and the Flex also monitor your sleep patterns, the Zip only monitors steps. I have a Fitbit One and love it also.

Tuesday Goals~Well, it appears I’ve been under on calories by 400 on Sunday and 600 yesterday so its my goal today to get closer to my goal or I’ll get a lecture from my trainer tomorrow. Otherwise, its business as usual around here.

Exercise Goals:
Sunday~Trainer DONE! :bigsmile:
Monday~Rest Day Done! :bigsmile:
Tuesday~HIIT at gym
Wednesday~Trainer
Thursday~Arc Trainer at Gym
Friday~Rest Day
Saturday~HIIT at gym

Have a super day and stay cool! Is hot & humid everywhere so make sure you drink that water! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

just joing this thread. just had baby 2 months ago. need to lose half body weight. don't know where to start. any suggestions of where to start with calories? how many to eat?

I haven't been around much and I'm sorry! Things have been busy! I had 2 days left of 30DS before my trip, and was unable to get them in. But that is ok. I received my "Rockin Body by Shaun T" new DVD set and will be starting that when I get home from visiting my best friend!
I leave in just a few hours and will be back on Sunday. So Shaun T and I have a date on Monday morning at 6am!
I probably wont be on much this week, so have a wonderful week everyone!!

Tina

So, I use the food tracker daily and I enter in the exercise that I do, but I'm beginning to think that the calories they tell you you burn is not accurate. It's seem like alot. Does any else use this, or am I just complete brain dazzled

@Kelly, welcome. I'm new here too, just joined last week and 100 to loose also.

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Joandue - the amount of calories that MFP tells you to eat back is strictly your choice whether to eat back or not. I think its kind of high too. I think some other people will weigh in on this issue too. If you want to lose more weight, don't eat back your exercise calories, unless the hungry monster inside you compels you to do so.

Robin - thanks for the advice... ...I don't think I'll record exercise.... might forget one day and think I have 400 calories to eat . Been here a week, weigh in tonight....Wish me luck

Tuesday Goals:

July Challenge

1 loose 4 pounds, on track
2 drink 7-8 glasses of water per day - check
3 try a new menu - DH wants to try something new tonight... Spaghetti squash Chicken Marsala...or something like that.... we'll see how that goes.

personal goal to get my thyroid meds regulated for the rest of the month... had a major screw up the last week because the pharmacy sent a new brand, with tiny print which I miss read.... :frown:

I was reading the posts and this sounds like the support group/forum I need in my life. All the posts seem so motivating. A little about me, I'm a 44 year old mother of a very active 8 year old boy, recently divorced (1 year 2 months since I was walked out on) and I've decided to finally (I guess 36 years of struggling with my weight is enough) do all I can to lose the weight and get healthy for myself and for my son. Of course, doing all this for the "Damn, You Got HOT!" isn't a bad thing either. I know I hide it well but I have between 112 and 128 pounds to lose (more than 128 lbs and I'll look anorexic even if it's in the healthy range). About 1 month ago, my roommate and I decided to cut wheat out of our diets on the suspicion that we're sensitive to it. It was one of the best things I could've done. I've found my energy again. I'm not suffering from as many sinus issues (headaches, allergies, stuffiness) even with a rather large fire burning nearby (praying they get it under control soon) and I don't have that "foggy brain" I used to have. I did try something with wheat about 2 and 1/2 weeks ago (just before signing up with MFP) and felt horrible the next day, nothing serious but a lot of the abovementioned things came back (like sinus headache, lethargic, foggy brain). So I'm off wheat permanently. I'm still trying to get back into the groove with exercise and my roommate has inspired me to do a lot of these themed 5k fun runs for charity (like the Bubble Run which was through colored bubble foam). I want to become a runner and really be able to tackle the Dirty Girl Mud Run with all it's obstacles in February next year. So if anybody has experienced the same sore knees from too much weight on their frames and found exercises that might alleviate it until I drop more pounds, I'd greatly appreciate if you could pass it along. I'm excited about MFP as I've lost 3 lbs in 2 weeks (a nice slow amount that should stay off). Also, if anybody wants to post group challenges, I'll be willing to try and meet or beat them along with all other willing participants. Anything that keeps it fun, new and exciting to lose.

Welcome to Keydrap, CeltGirl, and AurraSing!

My knees used to bother me *ALL* the time. The best solution I found to ease the pain untl I dropped some of the weight was GOOD shoes. I mean REALLY good supportive shoes that fit well. My first pair (@328 lbs) were the New Balance 927s. I got them for like 120 on Amazon. When I first put them on I felt like Herman Munster but WOW did they make my feet, knees, and back feel good while I walked.

Walking is a good start and for really LOW impact try swimming. That burns a carpton of calories and doesn't stress your joints. It took up some major nerve to get walk out of (and into) that lockerroom into the pool area that first time...but it was worth it!

Tuesdays goals... ONE day at a time for me. I'm slowing down to a snails pace and will stop thinking (for a little while) of where I want to be in 6 months and a year from now. Until I get back in the groove (or rut, whatever) I need to concentrate on the here and now and go minute by minute. THEN I'll think about next month/next year.

I was proud of myself last night, my dinner (an experiment) didn't come out that great. It tasted good but it wasn't very filling and the recipe was a flop (I tried making potato pancakes with instant potatoes instead of my mom's tried and true recipe) so I was still really hungry after I ate. I just had my fruit/desserts that I had prelogged and then called my momz to discuss the recipe (and complain) until it was bed time. I didn't make an entire SECOND dinner and eat it just because I wan't satisfied.

@anna--there are a lot of "experts" on MFP who will tell you you MUST do this or that to lose weight. Take it all with a grain of salt and use trial and error to see what works for you. Having said that, I *think* 1600 calories is enough for your size provided you are eating back your exercise calories. You could probably continue to lose weight eating a bit more, but as long as you aren't hungry I think it's ok. I'm 5'7" and started at 240 lbs--at that weight I believe my calorie allowance was about 1450 (for a 2 lb /week loss). I ate back every single exercise calorie and pretty easily lost weight until I got down near Onederland and my calorie allowance dropped to about 1200. At that point, I adjusted my goal to 1 lb/wk and have slowly moved down (then up, then down ) into the 180's. I've been a bit "stuck" here but I don't view it as a plateau b/c I haven't been super-disciplined with my calories.

Oh, and my personal opinion (I am NOT an expert and will use no research to back this up) is that the more you weigh, the less important it is to "eat clean"--at 280 lbs you will drop weight as long as you are coming in under your maintenance. I think once you get closer to ideal body weight, macros and nutritional content become more important. Having said that, I am always less hungry when I eat whole foods vs. processed foods.

@kris--sorry your dinner didn't work out, but good girl for not eating 2 meals. :flowerforyou:

@aurra--welcome--glad you've decided you are worth it!

@celtgirl--I agree with kris (mymow) that good shoes will really help and walking is better to start. I started running using C25K when I was about 235 lbs. I had no knee issues from the running. However, I had already walked regularly for a few years and did the elliptical for about a year. (Sidenote--the elliptical, though lower impact on the knees can cause hip problems, so be careful about that as well). I just did the Dirty Girl 2 weeks ago here in Chicago (my pics are from the race)--did it last year as well and it is SO MUCH FUN!!!

@angelika--I love spaghetti squash, but my DH doesn't. :ohwell: As far as the HRM--I followed the directions, but mine has no way to enter a personal resting HR which makes no sense to me. Instead, the instructions just give you a chart to enter high and low HR goals. I think it's just not a very good model. :ohwell:

@helena--I'm sorry you are going through such a rough break up. Sending you {{{hugs}}}. Yes, go to the gym--those endorphins will make you feel better--even if only for a little while.

@tina--have fun visiting your BFF. I'm starting level 3 of 30DS today :noway: --wish me luck!

@keydrap--kaye's advice was good--I just want to add that if you are breast feeding, I believe that uses a certain amount of calories as well. I have no babies, but I've seen other women on here give themselves more calories to adjust for it. If you search for "breast feeding" (under message boards or in groups) I bet you will find some other moms who can help answer questions about that.

@kaye--so happy you are healing so quickly!!! :happy:

@toots--haha--I remember when your husband stole that HRM. :laugh:

Tuesday Goals:
Nothing really spectacular. I worked all morning with the other Junior Honors teacher and my student teacher, and we got a lot of planning done for the fall semester. I think we planned through mid-October which is right when my student teacher will take over.

I would like to get the house picked up a bit this week, and I need to clean the fish tank before leaving for my trip. Blech--not my favorite job.

It's indecently humid, but I need to walk gunner regardless. :ohwell:

Exercise Goals:
Sat--walk gunner DONE + 30DS DONE + run DONE
Sun--walk gunner DONE + gym DONE +30DS DONE
Mon--walk gunner DONE + run DONE + 30DS NOT DONE
Tues--walk gunner + 30DS
Wed--walk gunner
Thurs--walk gunner + 30DS
Fri--walk gunner

@aurrasing23 - I know you can do it! Log, log and then log some more. Track all exercise, no matter how small it seems because it adds up. I also like the tracking my water feature. I was the worst for drinking enough water. Now I'm starting to drink more water than other beverages (big diet soda fan here and after even a few days off the Coke Zero, I had one and it really tasted sickeningly sweet).

For all others that replied to my post - thank you. I've got some really nice Saucony shoes which do help with the knees a little. This has been a problem for some time (better part of 20 years), every time I gain and/or lose weight. I've been walking and I love the elliptical but I do want to start running more. I want to experience that "Runner's High" I keep hearing about. I'm also trying to build muscle with weights at the gym (to include some exercises that are supposed to strengthen my knees). I'll be getting back in the pool because even just frolicking (it's not really laps when you're swimming and playing around in the water with an 8 year old that is a "fish" but has no fat, or so it seems and doesn't float well) burns a ton of calories. Plus I'm in Vegas and it's hotter than the hinges of hell out here from April through October (often times it feels like all year round! but May through August, sometimes September is the worst of it).

Keep up the good work everyone, we're going to do this! I also can not stress enough about tracking your food intake. It has helped me make better decisions about what I'm going to put into my body, and has motivated me to get to the gym or the pool if I need to burn some calories for foods I want (like a dinner at Outback Steakhouse, tracking helped me plan it out and then go swimming after to make up for some of the extra calories of my "must haves").

@Robinsegg and Skinnyjeans- Thank you! The one who gave me the lashing is nearing the end of her journey and is still very hard on herself, I think she sees her "former self" in me and is projecting that on me (if that makes ANY sense lol)

@Skinnyjeans- I'm meeting up at the lake with my third grade team this weekend to start planning for the year in more detail. Last year we were self contained and this year we will be departmentalized for Science and Social Studies and have toyed with the idea for leveling for Math.

@suzee- totally know what you mean! I have days that I have a hard time getting up and going. My kicker seems to be mornings and evenings. IF I get up and start doing things I am golden but the minute I set down, I get sucked in!!

Making banana bread for DH and MIL tonight. We lost my FIL (before he was my FIL) a year ago today due to complications of MS. It was/ is heartbreaking. My heart hurts so much for his family today.

@jersey--welcome! MFP is a great tool for tracking calories and this thread is very supportive. Hope to see you back soon! :flowerforyou:

@anna--that's nice that you are meeting at the lake. My colleagues and I like to meet at a place on one of the lakes near school when we are meeting on our own. However, today was a paid curriculum day which means we had to meet at school so our boss could babysit us (as if the curriculum would write itself if she weren't watching us:laugh: ). It's kind of humiliating, but that's the way our administration runs the district. :ohwell:

@suzee--as anna said, we all have those days. Today, it's 7pm and I'm still hemming and hawing about doing 30DS--I don't really want to, but I ate bacon and munchkins for breakfast, so I don't have much choice. :noway:

@celtgirl--I saucony shoes--those and asics are my favorite brands. It's great to do some lifting to gain strength and the elliptical will help with endurance, but from all I've read, the only way to build your runner's muscles is to run--even if it's really, really slowly. When I first started couch 2 5k, I tried running at 5 mph and I would lose my breath quickly. I then tried slowing to 4.5 mph and could run at that pace for much longer. Once I did that pace for a awhile, I was ably to speed up for shorter stints. Now I am by no means speedy, but I can run a 5k at an 11 minute mile pace (5.5 mph) pretty comfortably.

AFM--I've done nothing but walk gunner. Time to go do 30DS...

Exercise Goals:
Sat--walk gunner DONE + 30DS DONE + run DONE
Sun--walk gunner DONE + gym DONE +30DS DONE
Mon--walk gunner DONE + run DONE + 30DS NOT DONE
Tues--walk gunner DONE + 30DS
Wed--walk gunner
Thurs--walk gunner + 30DS
Fri--walk gunner