Need to Lose 100 LBS -Robins Thread !

Hi all, just checking in. I went to the gym this evening and did my hour on the treadmill at a steady moderate pace, but my heart really wasn't in it. I just wanted to be home snuggled up with my dog, which is where I am now. He has a pulled muscle in his front leg It's getting better, but he is the king of sad puppy eyes and he looks so pitiful. He just melts my heart. Totally ruins my tough old broad image.

I had to drop a serious soda and sweet tea habit too. I haven't found an artificial sweetener that doesn't bother my stomach, or taste awful to me, so diet drinks are not an option. I drink a lot of iced tea. I make it with about a half a cup of sugar in a gallon of tea, but I used to use more than twice that much. I'm willing to live with those calories in order to have a beverage I enjoy drinking. I allow myself a soda once in a while, but only maybe once a week.

Not much else new around here. I'll just go back to my job of being a dog bed for a while longer.

Hello everyone!!!
So glad to have found this board . I finally decided to start caring about me on Sunday after putting on a shirt I haven't worn in a few months and it didn't fit. Its time to stop putting off what needs to be done today! I have been doing great all week! Tonight I am struggling I have the munchies but I have not caved nto them. Here's to all of us caring about ourselfs!!

Good Morning.

@Karen ~LOL at the sweet tea. As you know I grew up in NY, my grandmother came to visit often and she couldn’t believe that a waitress at a restaurant we were in many, many years ago didn’t know what (a) iced tea was and (b) what “sweet” tea was so they brought her hot tea, a glass of ice, and sugar. Of course, now I’m here in Texas and restaurants give you a choice of sweet or unsweet—I’ve never liked sweet tea, so always ask for unsweet.

@celtikgirl ~I know how you feel about being a dog bed, I’m a cat bed and apparently a tree at times. I have a 15-pound Maine Coon, who thinks shes a dog and just loves to snuggle.

@Laurie and Karen~Snow?! We’re having such a weird winter here, no bad weather and warm temps (fingers crossed that doesn’t come back to bite me, it is still March). I think the trees are confused, my Bradford Pear tree is blooming its beautiful white flowers already (that I’m allergic to by the way ). I think the bluebonnets will be early this year.

March Goals:
Continue with PT twice/week
Bike outside or at gym at least twice week

March Challenge:
3/31 Veggies
PT—2/10
Bike—x/10

AFM~I haven’t made it to the gym yet this week to bike due to late PT appointments and work, hope to go tomorrow if my calendar doesn’t fill up too fast. I’m starting to look at cruises for next year. I had my heart set on tropical, but have found myself seeking out Alaska—again. I’ve run across a different itinerary so would see some places I haven’t seen yet. We need to book soon so we can get cabin we want. Tonight I’m getting together with a good friend, she raises/shows quarter horses and has a new baby—so going to love on the new baby and then we’re going to HH—I’ll try to remember to take a pic of the new foal.

Regarding the soda habit, when I was in my late 20s I was a Diet Pepsi addict—one day I just quit drinking it altogether. I don’t drink anything other than water, black coffee, or green tea now. I may have a soda once or twice a month but it’s usually this organic ginger ale I found at a local health food store.

Good morning all. Just got home from the gym. Did some arm workouts and then a circuit of the cardio machines that the trainer suggested. Start with 5 min on the treadmill, then 5 on the arc trainer, then 5 on the recumbent bike and then end on the treadmill for at least 5 more or more if I want. The arc trainer is a new piece of equipment at my gym and I am quickley developing a love hate relationship with it. 5 min totally kicks my butt but The workout I feel in my glutes and thighs has me super happy. Otherwise today is a nice afternoon of housework. Got the dogs walked this morning thank goodness cause the rain has arrived and the weather man says it isnt going anywhere. My daughter is going out of town this weekend so just me and the hubby home. Thinking maybe I will see if he is up to going out to dinner. He is just so tired all the time with the way his company is pilling everyhting on this year. We just keep saying it is just this year and the rewards in the long run should be worth it if he survives lol. I do as much as I can to eleviate things and spoil him when he is home so he can just rest and relax. Well I best get busy. Have a great day everyone.

I'm proud of myself today: I cooked an actual breakfast. I ate that dang soup, and figured out a diet-friendlyThanksgiving Dinner sandwich. And I didn't take the building elevator even once.

tootsanderson wrote: »

Good thoughts @RobinsEgg

Do any of you exercise in the pool without actually swimming or being a part of an organized water aerobics class? I have an allergy to my own sweat, which is the most annoying thing, and it makes working out tough because I get hives. It occurs to me that a great solution would be using the pool at gym, but I don't know how to swim, and there's no classes. Does anyone have some tips on what exercises you do on your own in the pool? Thanks!

The Y that I had a gym membership has a pool and I took a water exercise class one time. It was either water aerobics or water yoga. You didn't go into the water above your shoulders, more like between your bust and shoulders. There was also a walking in water program where certain lanes of the pool were reserved during specific hours of certain days for individual lane work in the pool. Some people walked, others did laps. ...
... So ... you don't need to know how to swim to use a pool for exercise. But it sure does help if you learn how to float ... and (LOL) I have enough body fat that I float really easily ... my problem is hoisting myself up out of the water onto the steps to climb out of the pool ... all of a sudden the bouancy of the water drops away and I'm left hoisting my body weight up them! Hard Work!!!

Karen I did not get he delay on Friday, it snowed but the streets were only wet, the snow was on the grass. All the teachers were bummed.

Kelley, yes we got snow in March which was not usual since some of our worst storms come during this month. The warm weather is suppose to return on Monday, of course it will be too late to enjoy a outdoor bike ride this weekend.

Toots-water walking, jogging is great exercise. Also they have exercise belts at the pool that you use to help you float, so you can do crunches on back and sides. Water between waist and chest deep is a great place to start, make sure the pool is cool instead of warm since you can get hot exercising in a pool.

JT - I like the ARC trainer as well and it will kick your butt. There are a variety of workouts you can do on that machine. Enjoy.

Well I did eat out 3/7 days so an improvement over last week. I made some good choices and others bad but it will be okay.

When it comes to iced tea, I don't like unsweet tea even if I add sugar to it. I prefer sweet tea if not available then I will drink water. Soda is a last resort option these days.

I did a recovery run today and tomorrow I will swim and bike. Back into training mode for a triathlon and the upcoming 8k run. Still have residual stiffness in my ankle but it is doing better and I can run. My knee is still bruised but healing.

Hope everyone has a great Sunday.

Thanks for all the information guys!

Hello, new to these discussions. Nina here. How's is everyone? I need you now. So hello. I still need to lose over 100 lb. This life time journey is extremely hard when you go off track.

I know what to do. I've done it before. But I'm not motivated to do it. After losing 160 lb, I now gained 20 back. They feel like the worst 20 lb I've ever gained in the past. I feel heavy, aches and just gross. I want to do something about it, just don't know why I'm so weak? Like I'm spiralling out of control.

All want to do is eat, even when I'm not really hungry. Then I get scared to eat because I'll want more. So then I don't eat until I figure it out, then by that time, I'm starving and will attack any food. I'm tired of watching every morsel that goes in my mouth. What I did to get here, isn't satisfying me anymore.

My cravings for bad food is getting outta hand...and right into my mouth! Lol no really, it's crazy. How can I psycho-analyze and know myself and patterns so well, but feel like I'm so out of touch at the same time?

@Dance_Nina_Bee - Well, I am 35 years older than you are ... and I still often struggle with exactly the same issues as you describe. I've also gone through the same self-flagellation that you are engaging in right now ... and I want to tell you ... stop it!

Don't be afraid to eat Nina, be afraid to eat the foods that you know from experience have the affect on you of derailment from your path.

One more thought ... perhaps you are just plum tuckered out from the long stretch of dieting ... maybe it's time you just stopped dieting and ate to maintain the weight you are at right now. That doesn't give you liscense to go back to over eating ... it just means eating at a level that holds your weight where it is. That takes a skill set all its own to manage ... and it's something you have to learn to do anyway ... so maybe now is the time to celebrate your 140 pound loss and see how well you can keep it there ... within 5 pounds of weight fluctuation. Then, when you body gets used to the new input and settles in you can go on another extended cut. In the meantime, focus on your activity diary and on being as active as you can possibly manage to be every day.
Good luck
I'm Niki on here, but my family calls me Nina

Thanks Niki (Nina). Thanks for saying all of that. This will definitely give me something to think about.

@robin Have you asked about electrical stimulation for you pain? I am having amazing results with the TENS. I mentioned that it was helping my knees. I now have some gloves for my hands. I've only done had them for 2 days, but I can feel a difference. I'm hopeful that I may even get to return to my needlework that I have had to abandon for the last year. Now that you have ruled out disc problems, would a chiropractor be able to help you? Mine got amazing results on my sciatica recently.
The bathroom is almost finished. I'll pick up the paint this morning. I need to paint the wall behind the toilet before it is installed. Also still need to pick up some tile trim for around the shower walls. The floor looks great. Eventually, it will be done enough to take a picture.
I'm really treading water on my weight. At times I feel that I am sinking! @Nina I can really relate to what you are saying. I know what to do. I've been successful in the past, but I am really having trouble finding my motivation right now.
Wishing everyone a good week.
Onward and downward. Kaye

Monday Check-in ...
So, what did i say I would do this month, this past week? I'm certain that I have not performed as I had expected I would ... because the scale has been up and the swelling in my feet/legs has been problematic, and my waist was bulging ... and I know it's because I ate bread and cold cereal (even Kashi Go Lean does it to me) ... however these are my results thus far ... oh Yeah, it was a very long ambitious list ...

Nutrition Goal for March
Calories Goal - maximum of 1611 net cals per day - 3/7,
Carbs Goal - maximum of 161 grams per day (40%) - 2/7
Fat Goal - maximum of 54 grams per day (30%) - 4/7
Protein Goal - maximum of 121 grams per day (30%) - 2/7

Fitness Goal - active and participation in various challenges.
These are the challenges I have for March.

Challenges for March - Physical
1. RobinEgg's Ankle Strengthening - 3/7
2. 30-Day Squat challenge begins 3/1 - 3/6
3. Amazing Race challenge begins on 3/7 and ends on 5/2 -- started today


Personal Challenges for March -- aside from nutrition and Physical
1 Make meal plans and prep food for easy cooking so I don't order out or carb out ... imcomplete
2 Finish the housework and move on with spring cleaning ... incomplete
3 Trim all the flowering shrubs before they bud out. ... not done
4 Cut back and clear away all the naturalized weedy growth around the perimeter of the back yard ... not done
5 Prepare the indoor seed starting location and start the seeds (vegetables and flowers) ... not done

My scale registered a 3 pound gain over last Monday and I know that I did not overeat to the extent that I would have gained that much in body tissue, and given that I am so swollen, I believe part or all of it is due to the water weight I'm carrying in my tissues, plus my average calories were below maintenance level for the week with only two days being at a true overage ... and both attributed to eating a whole loaf of artisan battard bread (6 servings) in one day and an entire 10-oz in-store baked Angel Food cake on the other day. What set off my carb cravings? ... probably no one thing, but I did cook up a batch of a grain mixture under my posh supermarket label here in town (a mixture of lentils, brown rice, barley and red quiona) that I had some every day until it was gone, and I tried using a 6Star brand of protein powder to up my protein intake ... mistake ... won't do that again. I'd rather lower my protein intake to what I had in February (77 grams) instead of using additions like that. Even though this product did not have sugar in it, it tasted sweet to me and gave me a sensation of wanting more sweet tasting things for the rest of the day.

I hope I do better this week than last ... and I should be able to since I love new beginnings and try to wash the board clean with every new start.

And, I also hope that everyone who posts on here has successes this week as well.
Follow Through with Consistent Focus
Niki

Hi everyone! Sorry I was MIA over the weekend. Saturday I ran at the gym--completed an 8k in 53:30 which is a PB for me. Then spent the night at my friend's house after helping her move some of her things out of her dad's place. He passed away a couple of weeks ago, and this was her first time back at the house. It was rough, but our only goal was to grab some of her clothing and toiletries that she kept there. Next trip we will need to begin the long process of going through her parents' belongings, but she's not ready for that quite yet.

On Sunday we went to a pre-St. Paddy's day fest in my old neighborhood in Chicago. Met up with some of my family and friends, so that was fun.

Today, it was gorgeous weather, so I walked gunner and then ran outside--just over 2 miles. I've reached my first 100k milestone in my UA You vs Year Challenge. At this rate, it's unlikely I'll finish the full 1000k, but as long as it pushed me to do as much as possible, I'll be happy with the result.

On a sad note, I found out a couple of hours ago that my friend who's been living with breast cancer for the past 2 years is now in hospice care. I don't know if it's longer term in-home services, but I suspect it's more grave than that. When I saw her last month, she had just had treatment for a lesion on her brain, so that's clearly not good. I've cried quite a bit tonight over the unfairness of it all. The last few times we've gotten together, I have left her with the grim thought that I will lose her some day, that I will go to her funeral some day. The hospice news makes all too real.

Grading Goals:
1. 28/41 AP essays

Fitness Goals for the month of March:
I will run 3x/week and at least 1 5k/week
Week 1 = 3/3 runs, 2/2 5k; Week 2 = x/3 runs, x/2 5k; Week 3 = x/3 runs, x/2 5k; Week 4 = x/3 runs, x/2 5k
I will run a 5k start to finish twice with no walking breaks: 1/2
I will run an 8k three times: 1/3

Stretch legs after each run = 1/1

Nutrition Goal for February:
Eat >100 g protein 4/31
salad or veggies 4/31

You vs Year Challenge:
100k done/ 900k to go

Exercise Goals:
Tues-- walk gunner NOT DONE
Wed-- walk gunner DONE + gym DONE
Thurs-- meeting
Fri-- walk gunner DONE
Sat-- walk gunner DONE + gym DONE
Sun-- rest day
Mon-- walk gunner DONE + gym RAN OUTSIDE

@Karen ~I’m very sorry to hear about your friend entering hospice care. It’s a hard thing what your friend that just lost her dad is going through, too. I know she appreciates you being there to help her. Hooray for a new PB on your 8k, I think you’re doing great, even if you don’t make the 1000k goal for the UA challenge you are definitely challenging yourself to run more and get in some longer distances.

@Robin (Ellen)~Good luck with your car search. I’ve had a lot of stressful car shopping experiences, but when I bought my Escape last year it was so easy—found a great Ford dealership and great salesman, both made the whole process virtually painless.

AFM~A bit of sad news yesterday, as a former co-worker passed away. I’m not sure of the circumstances, but know she's had a hard time and health complications in recent years. Busy week this week with PT today/Thursday, neurologist appointment and a/c repair tomorrow—hopefully my a/c guy finishes early so I can get to the gym for a bike ride (supposed to rain so can’t ride outside).

March Goals:
Continue with PT twice/week
Ride bike at least twice/week

March Challenge:
PT: 2/10
Ride bike: 1/10
Veggies: 7/31