9 Week Holiday Challenge (close group) wk 2

QOTD 10/5/11 Wednesday - What do you think was the biggest factor in your weight gain? What do you think is the biggest factor in your successfully weight loss?

Wow. I've really enjoyed reading your answers to this question.

My weight has gone up and down all of my adulthood. I was a skinny cheerleader. Got married. My mom never let me eat bad food, so I started eating a lot of it because I could. (It's my mom's fault!!!! No...just joking). Then we got burglarized and I went into a major depression, had to go on medication for it, and I gained and gained. I went from 115 to 155. (Now I would die to be 155).

I lost the weight several times through phentermine, a diet drug. Then I became very depressed again and I went up to 180. Then I became super depressed again, and went up to 211. See the trend?

Something happened that made me realize that I was addicted to food, and didn't want to be, so I decided on a summer night at 11pm while walking through my neighborhood crying, that I was going to change. So I did. I lost 52 pounds through Weight Watchers.

I got pregnant and miscarried. Then I got pregnant again and it was a terrifying pregnancy where we were told she would not live. I went on bedrest to save her and ate lots and lots to get her to grow. (The problem was that she was not growing). I ended the pregnancy at over 200 pounds again, and I only lost about five pounds because she only weighed a pound!

She spent a lot of time in the NICU and then she came home, but had several issues. This caused me to just keep keep on eating and eating. Now I've decided that I'm done with eating to make me feel better emotionally. I need to be fit for her because she has a lot of appointments and she needs my best. Also, I want to get pregnant again.

When I was successful in losing weight, the biggest factor was me being patient. I realized that my weight loss was going to be about a pound a week and it would take a long time. I also kept my goal of having a baby in mind. I knew that I couldn't safely do it at my weight. So that is where I am now, again!

QOTD 10/5/11 Wednesday - What do you think was the biggest factor in your weight gain? What do you think is the biggest factor in your successfully weight loss?

My weight gain probably was from two different things. 1. I got married and didn't realize that I couldn't eat like my stick thin husband. That was probably a little bit of the weight. 2. I have PCOS, and didn't know. As soon as I found out that I had PCOS, I changed my diet, and have been consistantly losing all the weight that I originally put on. So, I think that the majority of my problem was the carb resistance that PCOS causes, but because I was eating like my husband (tons of carbs) I gained tons of weight. The biggest thing for me is to significantly reduce the amount of processed carbs that i eat. I can eat complex carbs, and natural carbs, but I hav eto stay away from white rice, pasta, etc. At this point I am slightly lighter than I was when I got married, but my goal is for my college years. Almost there.

QOTD 10/5/11 Wednesday - What do you think was the biggest factor in your weight gain? What do you think is the biggest factor in your successfully weight loss?

The biggest factor in my weight gain was not being able to take care of myself, because I was taking care of everyone else. I can’t blame my weight gain on my pregnancy alone, because I actually lost weight during and after. But, because my husband had a spinal injury 3 weeks after the triplets were born, I had my hands full. Thank God for family and friends. But, slowly neglecting myself, the weight starting creeping up and up and up. It's not that I was eating bad, but not eating often and not eating healthy choices. Then, I had to return to work. So I had to go shopping for new clothes. Well reality was clear, I was over weight, and not happy.

I think the biggest factor in my weight loss is also my family. I want to be healthier so I can live longer, but I also want to be able to keep up with my family. I want to enjoy life.

QOTD 10/6/11 Thursday: What is your workout routine? Do you always do the same thing? Do you mix it up? What kind of music is on your iPod (if you use one)?

I just started the turbo fire program and it a 20 week program that I plan to complete. So it'll keep me busy for quite awhile!!

QOTD 10/6/11 Thursday: What is your workout routine? Do you always do the same thing? Do you mix it up? What kind of music is on your iPod (if you use one)?

I do circuit training classes where you rotate between the treadmill, row, trx, weights, abs, etc. There are usually about 20 people in a class, the music is blaring and there is a fitness coach instructing the two teams what to do. I really enjoy the classes, but after a year of doing it, I need to add something else to my routine. The weather has been so nice lately (I live in Fort Lauderdale, FL) so we have been walking/jogging in the evenings this week.

I don't know what any of these programs are that ya'll are writing about. Tell me more please!

QOTD 10/6/11 Thursday: What is your workout routine? Do you always do the same thing? Do you mix it up? What kind of music is on your iPod (if you use one)?

I don't have a real routine. I'm doing the 30 day shred right now. When I go to the Gym, at least once a week, I either do a zumba class or do the elliptical/treadmill for 30-45 minutes and then some strength training. I really try to do some kind of walking everyday and I do choreography once a week for my band. So I'm all over the place, cause I get bored easily.

My Ipod is my friend. It is because of my ipod that I do get out and exercise. I load new stuff all the time so that I will need to do something that allows me to listen to all the new music. I love David Guetta's music to workout too. Also I guess I do best with Pop and Alternative rock for walking, the tempos keep me going.

QOTD 10/6/11 Thursday: What is your workout routine? Do you always do the same thing? Do you mix it up? What kind of music is on your iPod (if you use one)?

Right now I do strength training 2 -3 days a week

Generally its Monday - Thursday with my trainer and then Sat on my own (So that doesnt' always happen) but I try to do some pushups any day I can workup the push to do it because they are a great way to get stronger and to really see progress.

I'm also starting to take the jogging a little more seriously but I havent' officially dialed into a program like C25k - so that's Tuesday - Friday - Sunday.

Normally I would just walk on wed but yesterday I did 15 minutes on the elliptical and then 50 jump squats and 65 wood choppers and ooooooh boy was that a bad idea. my knees are upset and my left ankle is upset and my left calf is cramping today after my walk up to the starbucks and back (its a longish walk, 2 miles roundtrip) . So hopefully my PT doesnt' want to do squats today/

as for music I MOSTLY do my walking/running to high energy pop - it helps me a lot. So dance music like david guetta or pitbull is good, certain songs by other artists that are uptempo. Getting tired of listening to the same songs over and over though so I might switch over to a metal playlist (dethklok! haha) for a while.

QOTD 10/6/11 Thursday: What is your workout routine? Do you always do the same thing? Do you mix it up? What kind of music is on your iPod (if you use one)?

Currently I am following the Chalean Extreme Program and I am loving it. I do 3 days of weights a week, 1 day of endurance and 1 day of intervals. There is also a session of ab work and a session of yoga per week. This program has two rests days, but often during those rest days i do a cardio workout from her Turbo Jam program. As you can see, I love Chalean. Her programs always has music which is very upbeat and helps me enjoy the programs.