Summer Challenge

Hey! I'm checking in!

First of all, Thank you so much for making the time to make a spreadsheet. It looks amazing!

SW:176.4
W1:172.6
W2:172.6
GW:154

So I didn't lose any weight this week, but I'm just glad I didn't gain anything

Now, for the challenges:
- Pick one thing you should cut out of your diet and CUT IT OUT for the week - I'm going to cut out sweets! (I tend to eat a couple every week, which isn't bad, but I'll cut them out this week.
- Add FIFTEEN MINUTES of exercise to your normal routine - I won't be doing any exercise until my knees stop hurting I want to go swimming, but I'm in the middle of my final exams and haven't got the time to go to a swimming pool. I'm studying non-stop for at least another week and a half.
- Share your STORY with the group - why are you here and what motivated you to lose weight? - I've always been chubby, even when I was little, but I gained about 25 lbs when I went to college. I've lost the weight before, but I gained it all back.
The thing that I want to do differently this time is working out. I didn't really exercise when I was on a diet before, and I want to change that. I want to be fitter than I am now.

Keep up the good work everybody You're all doing amazing

SW: 139
W1: 139
W2: 138
GW: 129

Loss: 1 pound

Good Morning! I'm a day late checking in...

SW - 195
CW - 193

No loss this week, but last week was crazy, so I'm just glad I didn't go up.

Pick one thing you should cut out of your diet and CUT IT OUT for the week! I'm eliminating alcohol this week

Add FIFTEEN MINUTES of exercise to your normal routine. Taking my sweet dog for a walk each morning - she's very happy about this!

Share your STORY with the group - why are you here and what motivated you to lose weight? The short version of the story is that last year was a very, very stressful year and I managed to gain twenty pounds in one year. When life finally calmed down and got back to being good, I realized I had stopped paying attention to me and was shocked by what the scale had to say. I've realized that if you don't pay attention to your life it quickly gets out of hand. Paying attention to the little things, both good and bad these days and working hard to get back to a more comfortable weight.

Check-in:
SW:149
CW: 145

Now, for the challenges:

- Hmm.. I'm going to cut out anything fried and if my mother decides to make it..my beloved cornbread :c .. but I think the cornbread is what slowed my progress in my previous week

- Add FIFTEEN MINUTES of exercise to your normal routine - I will be adding an extra day of 45 mins of strength training a week.. that's about 15 min a day for 3 days if you want to divy it up.

- Share your STORY with the group - I have always been a little chubby too. I don't ever recall having a flat stomach at all. My mother introduced me to this site and now I am on it more than her! What motivated me to lose weight was that after going through an emotional break down the last month of school I put on a few pounds not much, but it made me realize I was tired of being chubby and wanted to get fit for once in my life! So its been 3 weeks of working out and pushing my body ways that I never have before and trying to watch what I eat and now I'm 20% to my goal weight loss of 20lbs.

Pick one thing you should cut out of your diet and CUT IT OUT for the week
Frozen pre-made foods, everything will be fresh and homemade.

- Add FIFTEEN MINUTES of exercise to your normal routine
Typical = 45min (cardio and strength) or 60 min (just cardio).
Plus 15 = 60 min (cardio and strength) or 75 min (just cardio).
I dont know if this is possible. I will try, hopefully my muscles wont give out on me.

- Share your STORY with the group - why are you here and what motivated you to lose weight?
I am 22 years old and I don't want to be over weight anymore. I though I was fat when I was in high school but looking back at the pictures I wish I could have that body again. I gained a lot after high school. January 2011 I began WW with my mom. I lost 10lbs and felt great. Then in August I went to my family reunion in my dress-like bathing suit next to my cousins all in bikinis. I didn't feel so good after that and gave up. Christmas Eve 2011 my boyfriend proposed!! I am determined to look amazing in my wedding dress. I had started my diet (again) Jan 3 2012 with WW. I wasn't going anywhere. So I gave up. I told myself that my fiance loves me no matter what size I am, which of course is true, but I was lying to myself about how heavy I was. April I had joined MFP but didnt really use it. A co worker who I have always seen as larger than I, had asked me where I buy my clothes because "we are on the same page." I wanted to cry. Then in May I began working out with a friend who is also engaged and we both started using MFP. Here I am a month later and 6lbs down! only 31 more to go. I am determined this time to stick with it and change my life.

I think I typed my wrong starting weight, can you correct it on your spreadsheet. It was 188.

SW - 188
CW - 180.4
GW - 165

I ate more salads this week and started having snacks of carrots and apples during the week.

I didn't add anything to my routine last week :-(

SW: 151.8
CW: 151
GW: 140

I have had a hard past week with lots of challenges in starting a new job. There has been a lot of emotional stress as well, so I am hoping to have a better week and start fresh today. It looks like so many people are doing really well and that is helping me to keep on going. Even though I have had a rough week and no weight lost I will carry on.

My goals for this week are to drink more water, exercise everyday, and stay under my caloric goal. Glad to be a part of this group!!!

The thing I am going to cut out is popcorn. I eat it with way to much salt.

A little about me. All through high school I was thin. When I met my husband in 1998 I was 107 pounds, then sometime in my later 20's I started to gain weight and fast, it was like one day I woke up and the clothes didn't fit any more. Since then I have had 2 children, a son in 2005 and a daughter in 2008. I had at least 30-40 pounds that needed to come off for my to feel good about myself again. I started on MFP at 175 (I am 5ft 7.5 in), and I am currently down to 152. My lowest weight was in Feb when I got down to 149/. I just seem to be stuck here. I love having the group and being able to post, and making connections with people who feel the same. I would love to get to 140, but have huge belly issues with all the excess flab from the pregnancies. I find I fall of track easy, one week I will be very dedicated with excerise and then the next I get slack. I love walking and jogging, so I have been trying to do lots of that. I am going to draw myself a little program so I can incorporate some weights in for arms, and exercises for legs and abs, so everyday I can do one, one day arms, next day abs, third day legs, then repeat. So if anyone has any small programs they would love to share that would be great. I love doing the little workouts off of the fitness magazine.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Renae

CW: 173.0 I'm going to cut out pasta and potatoes for this week. I've no problem adding 15 minutes as I'm trying to successfully complete walking 100 miles in June.

My Story - I had a wake -up call last December when a co-worker had a heart attack in the bathroom at work. He had just turned 40 years old, was a dad, a veteran, and a friend. He wasn't overweight at all and other then the shrapnel and war injuries I thought he was pretty healthy. He had suffered a mild heart attack years before and had just had a physical that exclaimed he was healthy. As another co-worker and I went into action to save his life I just kept thinking this should've been me. I'm the unhealthy one. I was so overweight and out of shape. I had a very difficult time with the CPR. Of course the nerves didn't help. I was in complete shock and watched as his life slipped away. When paramedics took over I simply broke down. He died right in my arms.

We always teased each other (those of us that are in horrible shape) in the office about you shouldn't eat that or you'll have a heart attack. Of course we don't joke anymore. That scared the crap out of me. If he can die in this crap office then who's to say I'm not next. I was already getting more sever problems with my diabetes that I was afraid to even share with my closest friends and family. I knew they would just worry about me. But not anymore. I opened up and told them of my new years resolution which I started a little early and they supported me like they always have. Problem is I know they thought it was another short-term diet, and it's not. I still have days, and weeks where I struggle and can't seem to stick with the exercise or have bad food choices but this is the longest I've ever gone staying fully committed to making a change. I want to see my kids graduate, get married, have babies of their own. I want to travel the world but not in a wheel chair but with my running shoes on. What kind of example am I showing my kids by ignoring doctors orders and saying well if I gotta die young I may as well do it eating the foods I love. Man how wrong was I? I am doing this for me! I know it gets tedious for my family having to listen to me complain, and talk about diets, and exercise all the time but they do love me and support me. When I reach my goals and maintain them I'm hoping the struggle stops since everything will become habit. But at least now I have a real chance of actually being around! Thanks for listening to my story! Have a wonderful day!

Not having the best week. Haven't really been counting calories. I'm going to cut out milk and nut butters for the rest of the week.