Week 3 down

And so is the weight.  Not perfect on working out and definitely need work on portion sizes, but making progress.  

Saturday my son, my dog,and some friends and I walked a 5k.  We finished second to last, but we helped to reunite a lost little boy with his family.  So coming in at the end of the pack was worth it.

Yesterday was Family Breakfast AND dinner.  Old Country Buffet was breakfast ~ 5 egg whites with chopped tomatoes, fried seasoned potatoes and a bit of bacon.  Then later was dinner at Macaroni Grill to celebrate my nephew's 17th birthday, my niece's 15th birthday and their cousin's 19th birthday.  I had the grilled shrimp skiendi (?).   

On a sad note, I may be allergic to peanut butter or balsamic vinegar!  Both are staples in my food.  So I'm off both for another week and then will bring one in at a time.  If I start scratching then I'll know which one is the culprit. Either one ill be upset.  :-(

Week Three - Ye Old Weigh-In Sucketh

Well, I did some really good things in Week 3.  I ran for an hour, 3 times and ran 3.5 miles each time. Plus I walked the dog one of those days.  I logged my food and followed my diet Monday through Thursday.  Then Friday and the weekend happened. Friday, we had my seester and her hubby Kevin over for Friday Night Decompress. This is basically our version of happy hour.  At home, it is cheaper than going to a bar for happy hour.  Quieter too so we can actually hear each other speak.  It is not that I ate poorly on Friday.  In fact, I ate quite well.  BUT, I completely forgot to log my dinner!  I pre-logged my drinks knowing I usually only have 2, maybe 3.  But, I had a few more than that and forgot to log those as well.  So I lost those points.  Then Saturday we went up to Flagstaff to Northern Arizona University to see my girl!  She's been up there for a month and it was parents weekend.  We didn't participate in any of the parents weekend activities (though there were alot, including a football game) because we just wanted to see our girl.  We would have loved to hit the football game but she was so homesick and missed Soccer (our dog) so we brought the dog as well.  Can't go to a football game with the dog.  Just as well because the poor sweetheart (Dakota not Soccer) had strep throat.  I'm glad we were there.  We got her to urgent care, they gave her a great shot in the butt of Penicillian and some steroids to reduce the swelling in her throat (it was bad) and she is good as new.  While we were there, I didn't log anything.  I didn't eat too, too badly portion or calorie wise (well, except that most excellent French dip from Altitudes restaurant and bar) but I did eat food that had a lot of salt over the weekend. Then on the day of weigh in for last week (today), good ole' Aunt Flo rared her ugly, unwelcome head so you know there is even more water retention there.  Anyway, I normally weigh in on Saturdays but I completely forgot.  Had I weighed in on Saturday instead of today, I bet the stupid scale wouldn't have reflected a 2 pound weight GAIN!  UGH!!  But I did weigh in today so I did gain 2 pounds this week.  Damn that salt and Aunt Flo.  So long story short, did some good behaviors and had some bad behaviors and ended up 2 pounds heavier.  BUT, I got to see my baby and that really is what matters! :)  Good luck in week 4!!!

week 3

Week 3 and I'm still not with the program - any program - since returning from vacation. Work blows and isn't getting any better any time soon. And I have a head cold. Eating OK (stopped on the way home from work for rotisserie chicken today, made chicken breast with onions and peppers for tacos Saturday, Subway yesterday and pizza (eh, can't win em all)) but ... not recording so not getting my points. I just need a big old restart button and it might be a few days before I get there. Weighed myself this morning and I'm even, so I'll take it. Just keep swimming! :)

Week 3 was a great start!

SO...I lost 2 pounds this week.  I went to the gym 2 times.  I was scheduled for 3 but my husband was running late so I had to run home to relieve the nanny.  :-(  BUT, I did work out 2 times which is 2 more than I have since the beginning of this.  I am on the schedule for 2 times this week here at the gym, but I am also going to try to get in a good walk with the kids on the weekend for 3.  Thats my goal...3 times a week. 

My eating is getting better.  I have been watching my portions and trying to make smarter choices.  I must admit, this is the hardest part about my dieting.  My husband and I both need to start watching ourselves with this.  Having 2 very small babies in the house, our night gets away from us and we realize that we have yet to eat by the time we get them to bed...so 9:30 at night, were making a McDonalds run.  :-(  Thats why I need to get recipes for the crockpot.  This will be a lifesaver for me.  I do like what Jill does, and when my weekends free up, in November, I am going to make 3-4 meals on Sunday and freeze them! 

On to week 4 ladies - I'm feeling good about this week...good luck to you all!

Week 2...not so hot

Well, up 3 pounds this week. :-(

I definitely veered off the elimination diet last week and in quite a big way.  I did get some exercise in, but not what I needed.  This week is going to be different.  Restarting the elimination diet, got all the sugary crud out of the house (9 yr old not real thrilled), will be exercising daily AND getting more sleep than I have been getting.

Hope everyone has a great week!!

3 pounds and counting...

UP!!!  :-(  The good thing is, all my out of town trips are done so I can concentrate on eating at home more AND...I joined the gym here at work with a girl here.  We said we will both hold each other accountable for going.  I'm pretty excited about this! 

I LOVED the recipes Jilly - I will find some time later this week to post one myself. 

They have Health Week going on here at work all week and each day is designated to a certain thing.  For instance, I'm sure we would all love Tuesday.  Tuesday is Hand Paraffin, Massage and Aromatherapy day.  Oh YEAH!  Thursday is cooking demo and recipes.  Friday is dental, vision and hearing screenings.  Today was blood pressure, weight and health score.  They plug in your birthday, height and then you get weighed...then this disgusting number comes up that tells you how old your body due to how healthy you are.  Mine was 72 years old.  WHAT?!?  Time to get my butt in gear! That's just crazy and really shows me how I have let myself go.  No More!!!

Week 3 - watch out...you're mine!

Not sure how I accomplished it but will take it!

Hello ladies.

I am not sure how I accomplished it but I lost 2.6 pounds last week (YAY).  I only worked out twice although both times were for a full hour so that probably helped.  And Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I did follow MyFitnessPal diet.  So maybe I do know a little how I accomplished it. :)  I guess I'm just surprised (and thankful) that I lost so much.

This week, I am going to continue to focus on following the MyFitnessPal diet plan for me as well as working out.  I really like MyFitnessPal because it has helps me watch my added sugar intake (along with sodium, fats, protein, etc.).  You just don't realize how much added sugar is the food we eat.  My only complaint is that it tracks the sugar period.  Both added and natural sugars are in the same bucket.  Our bodies process these two types of sugars differently so I would like to have them broken out.  Maybe I'll put that in as a suggestion. :)

My goal is to work out vigorously 3 days this week (Monday running, Wednesday yoga, and Thursday running) and also get in a mile walk with Soccer all five days of this week.  Our weather has broken and now we're in for 9 months of freakin' awesome weather. This means, I can walk/run my dog Soccer daily again in addition to my regular workouts.  Hopefully, I'll be racking up those exercise points! :):)

Be on the look out for a few pop challenges this week.

Good luck this week ladies.  

I Blow at Taking Care of Myself!!!

The one thing this challenge has brought to the forefront is that I blow at taking care of myself!  Why is it that I can run a multi-million dollar business, fit in time for my grandchildren, complete the church communications and website, keep my husband happy, and chip in where a friend needs me to...and I can't frickin' do something for myself?  Excuses, excuses....

My husband can set a goal and nothing....absolutely nothing gets in his way.  He walks at least 5 miles everyday, lifts weights 5 days a week, does most of the housework (which isn't much when your empty nesters but I still appreciate it), and says "I'm going to drop 10 in 3 weeks" and he just does it.  What is wrong with me that I can't make those commitments to myself?  I won't even make myself drink my water everyday.  It's like I'm in a complete frazzle spaz at work and next thing I know, I'm dragging my worn out butt home at 7:30pm, stuffing in something fast to eat and "PLOP"....I'm done at 9:30 and can't move another muscle.

What happened to the night owl that would stay up half the night creating wonderful sewing projects, or reading, or writing an article for the newspaper????  Where is my energy?

This week 3 will be spent contemplating what happened to that "ME" that used to BE.  This week I will try to keep "ME" in the front of every sentence.  Seems selfish...maybe that's my problem.  I have tears in my eyes right now.  That has to be it.  It seems selfish.  I think that of my husband....selfish that he puts his health and well being in front of everything.  I don't come from selfish.  My life has been about taking care of someone else, of looking out for others, and being a good friend, a good wife, a superb employee.  Not about "ME"...it seems selfish.  I need to change that thought process.....any ideas?

Here's to a week of thinking,
Terry

Week 1 - Well, I Sorta Did OK

I'm posting even though I know I don't get the posting points for this week. :)  Well, I sorta did OK with week one.  As Jenny and I have been talking about, we had the Skelnik Family Reunion over the weekend and, as usual, there is alot of yummy food and the keg always flows cold (along with the other alcohol imbibed upon).  It was the beer that did it, of course.  I was pretty proud of myself because I did run/walk for 30 minutes on Friday with my nephew.  I tell you, it was a hard run!  I know that going from the treadmill to the street is harder but dang!, everything is up hill where we were.  So we run up hill and then on the way back, one would expect it to be down hill right?  Oh no, it seemed to be up hill on the way back too!  Not sure how that happened. :):)  I gained 2 pounds and I'm pretty much thinking it was the beer because I ate fairly decently and did work out a bit and I'm OK with that. It was worth it as it always is when we're at our family reunion.  Family reunions help center you, regain perspective and work on those abs as we laugh our butts off pretty much all the time.

I didn't start the 2nd week off so swell due to stupid reasons really but I am hoping to finish with a bang.  Today I did an hour of yoga, tomorrow will be about 50 minutes of cardio.

Good luck this week ladies!  Remember - even though this is a friendly competition, we're all in it together and I hope you all do fantastic (but that I do just a little bit better.... hahahahaha - I slay me).  :)

Big hugs to all!

Week 2 - here I go!!!

OK - I SUCKED last week, but I knew I would!  Family reunion time...and the beer tasted good! 

Week #2 - Here I come.  I have started off the week pretty good.  I'm walking at lunch today :-)  Had a nice big salad for dinner last night, chicken tonight...making better choices!  I gained last week but intend to get that off this week. 

Does anyone have any healthy crockpot recipes???  With having two babies at home, making dinners is a challenge.  My husband and I eat out a TON and we are trying to quit that.  It will not only make us healthier, but save us money, lol!  Even if its not a crockpot recipe, maybe a healthy easy to fix recipe?  Why don't we all share a recipe a week with each other?!?  I know we are all doing different diets, but healthy eating is just that...

Good luck this week ladies - we can do this!!!

WEEK 1

Well, those of you enjoying the reunion don't have to worry about competition from me this week. I'm having a real hard time getting started this time. Cooked my food but caved to snacks - or - during one exceptionally loud play date my daughter had, I caved to two beers just to take the edge off LOL !! (worth every calorie let me tell you) So, down .6 for the week which is essentially staying even. I will credit the same child responsible for my grabbing the beer for my only exercise points as well, yay Girl Scout hikes (wow, did I just say that?). ANYWAY. Bad day today so I'll start AGAIN, tomorrow. (sigh) Hope everyone else isn't false starting like me.

Round Two ~ Take 2

Hello all, welcome back to those from round one and welcome to those who are new!!!  My name is Kimberly and my short-term goals for this round is to lose 10 pounds and complete the Elimination Die.  This diet will help me to discover what foods my body really likes (not just my tongue and taste buds) and which foods my body just does not do well with.

A little bit about myself...I'm a Mom to an amazing 9 year old boy, I've known Stacey 8 years (I know this because Anthony turned one at Trax around the time you started :-) ), was a personal trainer which I absolutely loved and have just recently became a certified Health Coach, I work in an office as a project coordinator so I sit most days.  That's one reason I need to lose those 10 pounds.  I have a horrible sweet tooth ( the other reason for wanting to lose 10 pounds).

That's it for now...I'm off to get some exercise in...

Did I Do That???

Really?  I'm asking myself as I type this.  Did I really tell Stacey I would be part of this?  Well, Weight Watchers hasn't done it for me, South Beach hasn't done it for me, the hospital liquid diet hasn't done it for me, Nutri System hasn't done it for me....so I might as well put this in a different perspective and try something new.  Oh yea, I've lost as much as 46 pounds before.  And no, I haven't put all of it back on, but yes, a good deal of it.  As I get older, it seems it doesn't matter so much....that is until I head to my closet and everything feels like it's choking the living daylights out of me!!!  So I guess, my main goal is to feel better, look better, think better, have more energy, and just enjoy life a little better.  I want to put me first, and everything else second.  Well...my job could be 15th and that would be okay.  Unfortunately, the job seems to consume me, literally it is sucking the life out of me.  I love my job, I make good money, but I'm tired...so, so tired of it being at the top of the heap. So I'm doing this to focus more on me.  If I have to focus, maybe good things will happen.  Oh...and if I lose a couple of pounds in the meantime....WOOHOOTY!!!  All the better!!!

After all, I have two absolutely beautiful grand daughters who I want to run and frolic with.  My family is my life and I want that life to be long so that I can enjoy my family to my last breath. 

And I have no need to be "skinny"...at least not anymore.  Not after all the years of wishing and trying to be skinny.  I'm happy with me...I'd just like to be a healthier me.

So some solid goals are trying to earn the exercise points....drinking the water....and 15 pounds in this 12 week challenge. 

And I'm headed to the beach for 2 1/2 weeks so this will be a real challenge.  But I'm up for it.

"Did I do that?"....well, yes, yes I did!! :-)

Peace Out - Terry

Hola!

Hi all, we're back! And we have Jenny along - yay! I went right off the band wagon as soon as this was done - like off the wagon, down the hill, to the left and around the corner :) I am essentially starting over. So, my goal this time is to come up with a style of eating that I can actually maintain in the long run. I did pretty well last time provided I didn't eat out, that was a killer every time even when I *thought* my choices were healthy. Time to get the grocery list and meal plan ready, that is the only way. I dread these first weeks getting started. But I distinctly remember feeling good, having more energy, feeling lighter even when the scale disagreed - so that will motivate me I hope. I would love to lose 10 pounds but honestly, just feeling better was enough for me so I am going to try not to worry about that scale other then having to check in. Mentally it did help to see it move though, I can't lie. I am taking vacation the week of the 21rst so although I'll get my exercise (DISNEY!) I have no plans to track or follow any diet plan that week. Hopefully the exercise points will keep me alive in the game. :) AWAY WE GO... !!!

Week 1

As my Aunt mentioned, my Name is Jenny, I live in Ohio with my fabulous and very supportive husband of 2 years and our 2 beautiful children who are actually Irish Twins.  I never heard that saying until my BFF, Jill Miller, told me about it when I called her freaking out on the way to the drug store to pick up a pregnancy test.  I was pregnant 6 weeks after giving birth to my daughter...SURPRISE!!!  Thats ok, I am blessed with one of each.  A 15 month old daughter Hannah and my 4 month old son Matthew.  I also have 2 awesome step-sons, Aaron who will be 18 next month and Shawn who will be 16 in November.  As you can imagine, I have 2 years worth of baby weight to get off.  I'm 38 years old and want to be able to keep up with my children, so here I am, going on this journey with you all. 

I would like to loose 15 pounds in the next 12 weeks.  Considering what I have to loose, it doesnt sound like a lot to me, but then when I think about it...thats 5 pounds a month!!! 

I'm upset with Stacey though, as we have our family reunion this week and I know that I will not stay strict to my diet.  I will try to make smart choices, and probably get exercise in so I will be happy with that.  (Way to pick this week Aunt Stacey!!)

Good Luck to all...I look forward to keeping in touch. 

(If there was something else, besides my picture to be uploaded later this week, that I am supposed to post on here...please let me know!)

WELCOME TO THE SKINNY HEALTH CHALLENGE - ROUND 2

Hello Ladies!!

Welcome to the 2nd round of the Skinny on the Inside 12 Week Health Challenge.  I am so excited that you are joining me for this second round.  There are only a handful of us this time but I am confident we will still have a great time, learn new things and get to know each other even better.

I will start with introductions.  We all know each other, except for Jenny. Jenny is my darling niece.  She has two beautiful babies,  two teenage stepsons and a wonderful husband.  AND might I add, I am her best and favorite Aunt. :)  I met Jill through her as they are best friends since high school (and maybe even earlier).

Jenny - Kim and I have been friends for about 6 or so years now.  We met at a prior job and have stayed in touch.  What is cool is that she is now a contractor at Wells Fargo.  It was a fun surprise when we saw each other at work because neither of us realized the other was working there. :)  Kim is not only a great analyst she is also a personal trainer and just received her certification in Health and Nutrition (or something like that - Kim, you'll have to correct me).  I am so proud of her because she has worked so hard to do both.

Audra and I have also known each other for several years.  I hired her on one of my prior jobs and we became friends as well as coworkers.  I'm lucky because she works with me again at Wells Fargo.  Audra, like us, is in the middle of her quest for health and fitness as well - in addition to being just a wonderful sweet lady.

And you know Jill, the sweetest, most encouraging lady ever!!  I've known Jill for so long, she is part of the family and still looks like the pretty Noxzema girl next door. :)

I am thankful for all of you and also thankful that you have chosen to take this 12 week journey with the group. I hope I make this a fun, learning, and productive 12 week challenge for you all!

My goal for this 12 week period is to lose 12 pounds which should be a doable 1 pound per week lost.  My other goal is to continue learning to live in a healthy - to focus my eating and fitness habits from a healthful perspective so that it starts to come naturally to me instead of always having to think about it.

Big hugs,
Stacey