Post Thanksgiving Roll Call

Calling all Losers! (Weight loss losers, of course):

Time to fess up on how you did over Thanksgiving....

I am afraid I had too much pie twice, but I am going to swim tomorrow.

What about you?

I rode Andie yesterday and tonight I'm going to go swimming at the local pool with a friend or two.
I'm trying to get moving more...its hard but I want to really enjoy my winter. I've not had to medicate myself (for pain) in the past few days (much) so I'm happy that I'm in a zone that is relatively pain free! Other than the lactic acid in my legs and back from riding!!!

Post-Race Debriefing

I'm too sore to post much today, but the marathon went really well. I "hit the wall" at mile 20 but kept running right on through it. So I'm now a marathoner, and really proud of myself, but a depressing realization hit after the run was over: do any of you realize just how few calories you burn running 26.2 miles?

I feel like I worked a lot harder than 5000 calories...(sigh).

Wish Me Luck!

Well, Ladies, tonight I head south to San Antonio. It will take me (hopefully) longer to drive there than it will to run the marathon on Sunday, and I'm getting nervous about the race. At the same time, however, I feel really blessed.

The weather will be perfect - cold early in the morning and warming to the mid-60s by the end. I will have friends and family to cheer me on. I have gorgeous scenery to run through and I will even get to run by the Alamo and the other missions in San Antone. I will be able to stretch my legs and run for the pure joy of it.

I'm a little scared and nervous, but mostly amazed that this is actually happening. It wouldn't have happened without each of you, and I will see you at mile 22!

Lisa

Swimming with the Stars (in her eyes)

Okay, I'm going to start swimming twice a week w/ a friend. We'll rotate local pools and pay about 1.50$ a visit. Cheap, and great aerobic benefits and will help me get in shape for snowboarding season.

Yay!

Hello!

Hey girls, thought I would take a minute to say hi! I am still in the weight loss game, will be till they bury me, I suppose, but I am trying to get to the Y to workout ! Homeschool pretty much runs my life and I can't seem to make time for me. I get down and crave bad foods. Not a good cycle. Pray for me, k? I just need a breakthrough. I have been trying to get Blake or Jodie or somebody to work out with me from 7-8AM, but no one is up for that. Grumpy me needs a partner.

I am still in the 160's, but my fitness level has completely sunk to bottom.

I will try to put more time into the blog, that might help inspire me. Prism meeting tonight at 6:30, too. Rambling now. Sorry. Jules

I am still here!!

This was me at my year mark, in June!
I am feeling great!!

Back on!

So I went back on Weight Watchers last Saturday and found out that I had gained 6 pounds back from me leaving in July. I didn't think it was too bad considering all I had done the past 3 months including 11 days in Cabo. I weighed in yesterday and I was down 2.6. I wasn't expecting this much since my week was crazy. I had a death in the family, my mom had a small stroke on Friday, and I started a part time job that I work on my days off from my full time job. So I will take this loss :)

How is everyone else doing? Where is everyone? :)

Have a wonderful week!
Coreen

Stay away from the CANDY!

Stay away from the candy girls, its SCARY!

Much love to you all!!!

Elicia

Natural Highs

Kris feels great when she gets home from the gym for many reasons, but a HUGE part is the hormones the brain produces after exercise. Endorphines are powerful and natural chemicals which energize your body.

Does anyone else get a buzz from working out? Share the story and help encourage a sister to get her butt a-movin!

(I went to the barn today, for the first time in months and months)

A little embarrassed, but definitely encouraged...

Today at the Y I got TWO compliments! One from another woman,(about my age... 40) . She told me that my butt was lookin' great. : ) And I know that she's straight because I've had conversations with her about a couple of her different boyfriends. And the other compliment took me completely by surprise. A man, I'm guessing him to be in his 50's somewhere asked me as I was standing in the lobby, if I was a dancer? If you can believe THAT?!?!?!? Maybe it was just a pick up line, I don't know. I suppose the sweat pants and shirt that I wore today must have been doin' my curves some good. At any rate, I'm motivated to keep going to the gym.

Late evening snack

Ok - its a little bit like spinach - you like it or you don't - but I found a guilt free, stomach filling snack that will stall your hunger.

Cottage cheese w/ pineapple chunks.

It has a ton of protein, it is high in calcium (which we need as we age, ladies!) and the cottage cheese itself is fat free.

You could also add a little of Bonne Maman Apricot preserves - but I like the sweet spike of pineapple.

Haven't weighed myself. My jeans told me not to.

I'm feeling re-inspired!

Okay, I wore some jeans on Sunday that I've not worn for several months... ones that were starting to get a bit baggy on me, and they were too tight! I've worked too hard to let myself get fat again. I am NOT going to be fat for the holidays dangit!
So, I've been eating healthy again, drinking my water, and even started drinking green tea in the afternoons. I've already lost a few pounds since this weekend ladies. : ) I am encouraged, and determined. My goal is to lose 10-12 pounds more by Christmas. Does anyone else want to set some goals with me?

So Glad to See Y'all Back!

Hi Ladies!

Well, as promised, I'm posting and WOW has it been a long time! I haven't lost any weight - at least I don't think so - but I don't know because the battery in the bathroom scales died and I haven't yet gotten around to replacing it. I think I'm a little scared to, since I have been eating SO MUCH lately. My appetite is really strong with all of the running that I've been doing. Which brings me to...

The marathons. Yes, plural. I am running my first marathon on November 16th (if you'd care to say a little prayer, I'd appreciate it - I feel like I can use all of the help I can get) and my second on December 14th. The first one, I want to beat Oprah's time (4:29) but the second one's just for fun. I'm a little scared of the distance, but I've come up with a battle plan (courtesy of Lance Armstrong's ex-wife's friend via Runner's World magazine). Which is...

I plan to dedicate each mile in my first marathon to someone I love, someone who has been an inspiration, or someone who has gotten me to the point where I could run a marathon. For example, one of my running buddies is mile 8 because she got me through our first 8-mile race last year. Another friend is mile 25 because he has always believed that no matter what I'm doing, I can do anything and I will do it well. You ladies are mile 22 - because each of you has been such an inspiration and last year when I said in a posting that I was thinking about taking a running class, each of you was so supportive and realized that while I might be afraid of it, it could be a really good thing. So like it or not, you'll be running a marathon in spirit! But the last mile...

That last mile of the marathon is kind of how I feel about my relationship with my body and this whole weight loss thing. You can't set out to lose weight or change your lifestyle or get healthy simply because you want to please someone else or because they told you to. In order to be successful at it - as many of you have shown - you have to want it yourself and be willing to work for it. The dedication it takes to be successful and lose weight in a healthy way doesn't come from other people - it comes from within. Which is why, the last mile? Of my first marathon? When I could barely run a half-mile 14 months earlier? That one's for me.

There's so much else going on so I'll keep posting, but I'm glad to "see" you ladies again. I've missed you!

Lisa

This is for you Coreen...

You know, I check the blog every single day, even though I've not posted anything in ages. I suppose I feel like if I'm not losing anything, that I've not really earned the right to post. Does anyone know what I'm talkin' about?!
Anyhow, I've not lost anything for a while, but I've continued to be extremely active. In fact, we've taken the boys on several hikes this year. Something that I wouldn't of DREAMED of doing a few years ago. All I used to want to do was lie around, eat, and stay home, because I had no energy and I was ashamed of myself for being so unhealthy. Well times have changed baby. Perhaps I should take the time to look at some old photos of myself. I need to find some more inspiration to get the pounds movin' again.

Inspiration?

Hi everyone!
So I have been checking the blog and I only see Elicia posting. I, being guilty as well. I just wanted to share what all of you have done for me. I joined the blog several years ago with hopes that I would lose weight by surrounding myself with people that were also wanting to losing weight. I worked for Jenny Craig so I thought how could I not do this? Well I failed and ended up gaining about 20 pounds. During this time I still read the blog and look forward to updates on all of your progress so I could hopefully get motivated.

Last November (with all of your help) I joined Weight Watchers and I am currently down about 33 pounds. I have lost my motivation and I keep coming back for inspiration and theres no one here (except Elicia). Thanks Elicia! You all have been a inspiration for me and I want to thank each of you for that!

So if you all could come back and help me (because I'm selfish) get back on track I would be very happy. Even if you aren't losing weight or at goal it's nice to know what everyone is doing and it's so nice to have solutions or just someone to talk to. Is any in with me?

Coreen

I feel Fat....

Have you had this thought recently? I have. I was down several pounds, but then I did what I often do, slack and eat inappropriately, and the pounds and girth responds.

I got a Wii recently, and am using their Wii Fit product to measure my path as well as encourage me to exercise - run, do areobics, step, all classical workout stuff - in addition to Yoga and games which encourage balance (skiing).

I'll let you know how it works.

I can tell you I got up and moved around for 45 minutes yesterday, all while playing tennis and baseball INSIDE. You have to still swing....

Elicia

Miss
You
All
Very
Much!

Stretching Help

Keeping flexible is very important for us ladies. When we walk on heels, carry babies and do many things women do, our muscles can get very tight, making falls more likely and recovery slow.

I bought these rubber strips which have varying resistance, light/med/hard at the Bartells. They advertised them as pilates bands. You use them to stretch gently and to do resistance work.
I am really liking using them (especially after a long ride) to loosen up.

They are inexpensive, portable (for workouts on vacation) and easy to use. You can get a nice workout without cardio just by doing resistance stretches with these puppies. Give them a try!

Green River Gorge

Yesterday, I had the awesome privilege of riding a gaited horse down to the Green River and back.

A gaited horse has a special step that allows them to cover a lot of ground while providing a smooth ride for the mount. It doesn't jostle and bump and shake, it smoothly and deftly advances and you're surprised at how little you're bejumbled!

We rode for five hours roughly, and while my back is sore a bit, my body seems to be able to handle the ride.

Plus, check out how cute I am in my tight breeches? That extra 10 lbs has made a big difference! Three cheers for being able to enjoy life! The weather was sunny and clear, and the wilderness we traveled was beautiful. I'll have to look at a map to see where we rode, exactly.

What are you doing to push yourself?

Hello, my name is Melissa

And I am a slacker blogger.

Well, not on my own blog - but I put off coming here for a couple of weeks (like, around CHRISTMAS!) and it's like skipping church - the longer you stay gone, the easier it is to stay out.

Well. Enough of my "sermonizing."

When last we spoke, it was the Christmas holidays and I was determined to maintain.

I think I ended up with a net gain of half a pound, but I guess that wasn't too bad.

In February, though, I realized that the Weight Watchers "Flex" plan was no longer working for me - I don't know if I was getting complacent, or spending too many POINTS on junk, but I was at a virtual standstill for MONTHS - so I switched to CORE.

One of the best decisions I've ever made.

I'm not penalized for eating fruit! Or drinking fat free dairy! Or eating whole grain rice or pasta!

(Well, as long as I only eat the pasta, or potatoes, or rice once a day. I can usually handle that.)

I'm eating way, way less junk now. I'm cooking better meals at home. And I'm feeling "freer" about my choices.

I've also lost another 10 lbs. since Christmas, to put me at 146.5 (a total of 90.5).

My three-year WW anniversary is coming up in a few weeks, and it kinda bums me out that I haven't lost my 100 lbs. yet. But I keep reminding myself that 90 lbs. is nothing to sneeze at, and that the longer it takes me to lose it, the more chance there is that I'll keep it off.

So, I'm sorry to have stayed away so long - I've been reading, even if I haven't always commented - and I'm glad to hear from those who are keepin' on keepin' on!