The Diamond Challenge: Round 3 - Wk 4 (DITR)

I'm loving all these pics gals, its nice to attach some faces to the names.

I know it is pretty cool to see!

...although my husband laughs at me doing my morning dvd, he always says he is impressed at how I stick to it.

Join the club - mine teased me about wearing a bandana over my short hair for a run instead of a hat the other day but then did back right down when I told him to join me on the long run of the week! :laugh: But he's now asking each day about whether I'm running, riding or doing strenght and the distance I've got planned!

QOTD Monday: What is more important to YOUR weight loss journey: Diet or Exercise?
Both, but what I eat mostly since it has the greatest impact on weight loss compare to exercise.


QOTD Tuesday: I often crave sweet stuff and very often give into temptation without much thought. What strategies do you use to keep your willpower strong and not snack?

I really appreciate reading all of your replies to this great question. The most sucessful one is avoiding all sweets, cold turkey. It truely is easier for me to avoid the first bite rather than limit the portions - which I can't seem to do at all. I also have gone to bed earlier to avoid my unwind snack-crazy evenings. Mostly I simply don't buy sweets so they aren't available, or I have to make something which I'm often too lazy to bother to do. At times when my husband or I have bought the treats, I ask him to keep them in his trunk - this helps a bit, but the car always comes back again and I know just where the treats are

QOTD Wednesday - How much support do you get at home, from friends and family? Do people support your new healthier choices or is there pressure on you to revert to your old habits every time you see certain people?

For the most part people are supportive. I have shared with close friends before I come over that I will not be eating any sweets, for instance. And that helps me to follow through and they have always been supportive. My mom whenever I see her, gives my the look over from head to toe and I can't tell you how I shrivle under her gaze, I don't think she knows she is doing it - but I just try to pretend it doesn't happen. I am pretty sensitive to the phrase,"being 'good", which my mom uses to describe her dieting success. 'Good' conveys a morality to food selection that it simply isn't. I am a good person, I am skilled and good at doing many many things. I'm not being 'bad' when I indulge in various foods - I'm chosing and living consequences. Nor am I 'being good' when I choose those things that support my health and weight loss goals. (please forgive my rant!) My kids are very supportive even in the grocery store when I explain that we are not buying various foods because they are not healthy and mommy has a hard time not eating too much of them. My husband has been pretty good at eating his snacks outside of the house or after I go to bed, I'm very grateful for that.

QOTD Wednesday - How much support do you get at home, from friends and family? Do people support your new healthier choices or is there pressure on you to revert to your old habits every time you see certain people?

A lot!! I do all the grocery shopping at my house so there's nothing bad except some ice-cream. My fridge is STOCKED with veggies and fruits. I just made a 5 gallon fruit salad with nine different fruits in it! an if you look at my diary its mostly vegetables:) they like how I eat so I make every one healthy meals and I love cooking and experimenting with food, and they eat well too so it's awesome! Yes! usually my friends are away for college but when we all get back they like to drink and smoke and eat crap! so I try to stay away by either not going or me being the one to say where we're going and I usually to invite them over to eat. My brother and I go to the gym together at least 4r times a week so I have such a great opportunity to lose some weight and finally feel good about myself! After our gym time today we both sat in the middle of the gym with our mats and did an abs video .. it was so much fun and I cant wait to go back tomorrow!

P.s Blue Diamonds- I havent been losing a lot of weight these past 4 weeks but I have been losing quite a few inches (my thighs almost dont touch while my feel are together!!!) and my muscles are being defined! Now if only the bit layer of fat will come off.. especially love handles !!

Go Diamonds and I hope to catch all of your next round !

QOTD Friday:

Today is the last day of the Diamond Challenge, and I will truly miss this funny, amazing, quirky team! For today's QOTD, please finish the following sentence, "I loved getting to know my Diamonds, but they don't know... [something about you]."

My response:

I loved getting to know my Diamonds, but they don't know that although I am originally from Los Angeles, I attended a boarding school in New Hampshire for three years. I then spent a year living in France as a part of my school's abroad program. I am African American, but my first language is actually Spanish... my mother taught me Spanish first because she wanted to make sure that I would grow up multilingual.

I grew up in a poor but educated family. My mother, brother, and I shared a bed in a tiny converted garage when I was growing up, but my mother was a public defense attorney and instilled in me at the early age the value of education. My brother is currently in an MBA program at the University of Chicago, and I'm a UC Berkeley grad currently work for a charter school in Philadelphia (...and running an online weight loss group, lol). I like to crochet, dance, and spend time with my dog.

QOTD Friday:

Today is the last day of the Diamond Challenge, and I will truly miss this funny, amazing, quirky team! For today's QOTD, please finish the following sentence, "I loved getting to know my Diamonds, but they don't know... [something about you]."

I loved getting to know my Diamonds, but they don't know that I'm married for 29 years to the same wonderful guy and have two great children, my oldest isgetting married next july. At the age of 10 I was on a television show called" Bozo the clown" , ( for those of you younger diamonds it was a very popular show at that time lol) I participted in a game on that show and one the grand prize. ( nothing big).

QOTD Wednesday - How much support do you get at home, from friends and family? Do people support your new healthier choices or is there pressure on you to revert to your old habits every time you see certain people?

My husband is fairly supportive of my healthier eating habits... he will eat whatever healthy options I cook. However, when we are on-the-go or having a hectic day, he sometimes encourages just grabbing something from a drive-thru or ordering pizza. He is supportive of my new "love" for workout dvds and makes sure that I have the uninterrupted time to do my faily workout. I also have several friends who are also either in the losing weight stage or just reaching the maintenance stage of the journey so they are also supportive.

I loved getting to know my Diamonds, but they don't know..... that I have hypoglycemia - a symptom of which is weight gain :sad:

Also means I have to be extra careful with foods i eat and calories, making sure I dont eat too little as well as too much!!

Lisa :flowerforyou:

QOTD Friday:

Today is the last day of the Diamond Challenge, and I will truly miss this funny, amazing, quirky team! For today's QOTD, please finish the following sentence, "I loved getting to know my Diamonds, but they don't know... [something about you]."

I loved getting to know my Diamonds, but they don't know that I'm the oldest of 5 kids (farmer's daughter) and even though most of us are well above 30 (besides my 26 year old baby brother), I'm the only one with any children at all (and just one for us!)

Qotd Friday: I loved getting to know the diamonds, what they don't know about me is that I am a mad animal lover and have a few dogs and cats. My dog lily win her class at crufts for the last two years!