FINALLY!!!

Well, I weighed in yesterday. For the week, I lost 4.6 pounds!!!! It's a total loss of 7.2 pounds now! Omigosh---what a difference a week makes!! I went grocery shopping after my weigh in. Instead of buying myself flowers becasue I was depressed, I bought flowers for myself because I was elated. I had gone in thinking that if I lost one pound, then all would be good. I know that just because the pounds might not be flying off, my clothes fit differently. And, because I'm up to 2 miles of walking, I just feel better and have more energy. My prayer is to be able to keep up with the walking once I start back to work. In the past, I've always been whipped once I got home and didn't want to go anywhere. I want that to change.

Laura, you are on my mind constantly. I lift you up in prayer every time you come to my mind. I'm praying for strength and perseverance and, God willing, immediate healing. Take care and keep your updates coming.

Lee

Change Happy to Sad with Exercise

I did not get the news I wanted to hear today. I was so hoping that they would say "we are pleased to inform you that the results of your ultrasound appear normal" but NO. Instead, after the Ultrasound, the radiologist took more Mamo pictures. Then I got the escort to the private office followed by the Radiologist's news "After reviewing Xrays and Mamo film, the nodule appears to be abnormal and I would like for you to undergo a biopsy" - Great news, thanks doc ;-((

It would be so easy to curl up on the couch, eat and feel depressed all night. Instead I'm going to turn my Sad into Happy. How? EXERCISE - research shows exercise will make your body release endorphins and adrenaline which will make you feel better physically and emotionally. Exercise compares favorably to drugs as a mood raiser. I'll do my own test tonight.

Must stay positive.

Laura, congratulations on your treadmill success! What a feat!
As for your test results, focus on the positive. Your weight loss alone has been phenomenal. Now, know in your heart and head that you can overcome. I've had that phone call so I understand your anxiety. I'll pray for perseverance and peace of mind.
Please let us know the results.
Lee

Good Night

The picture above is me about 45 lbs heavier than I am today-

Good Treadmill night! I jogged a mile in 16.20 minutes. It's not so much the time anymore but the fact that I actually jogged the entire 16 minutes. Woohoo! Even though the weight is so so so slow to burn off, the increased energy and strength is worth all this work.

I received the dreaded phone call after my mammogram. "Suspicious material" in R Breast. I'll be going in Friday for an ultrasound. I better find out now just in case - I certainly don't want to wait for Obamacare to kick in. After receiving that news I watched a Breast Cancer Tribute dance on "So You Think You Can Dance" last night. I could not stop crying. Who knew that a dance could show fear, denial, anger and the strength of love, trust, caring and hope. It was so touching. What does that have to do with weight loss - well, hmmm, the dancers, Melissa and Ade, have amazing athletic bodies. Here's to our Health!

Laura

200 POSTS - Another Milestone

Hey Everyone - we all hit a milestone - 200 Posts to our blog. Leah you beat me to the # 200 post. I still claim the # 100 post. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories (good & bad), tips, jokes, pictures and encouragement.

The meatballs were delicious considering they were made from ground Turkey. Leah used egg whites instead of whole eggs, 40 calories bread slices and baked rather than fried the meatballs. The fattiest ingredient was Pecarino Romano cheese.

I was a couch potato tonight. Tomorrow I'm determined to come straight home and treadmill. My goal is to do a mile under 16 minutes. Hmmm, I'll let you know how that goes.

Tip for Weight Loss:

I'm going to try this tip - BUT I have to get to bed before midnight. Now that's a challenge.

DO YOUR CARDIO FIRST THING IN THE MORNING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH

Fasted early morning cardio is still controversial in academic circles, and some people are concerned that it might be too catabolic and you may break down muscle along with the fat. However, my experience and research has shown that while there are risks, fasted early morning does work and the potential benefits outweigh those risks when maximum fat loss is your goal.
But don't take my word for it - examine the facts, test it while carefully monitoring body composition and lean body mass, and decide for yourself.
The argument in favor of fasted early morning cardio goes something like this

1. After an overnight 8-12 hour fast, your body's stores of glycogen are depleted and you burn more fat when glycogen is low.

2. Eating causes a release of insulin. Insulin interferes with the mobilization of body fat. Less insulin is present in the morning; so more body fat is burned when cardio is done in the morning.

3. There is less carbohydrate (glucose) in the bloodstream when you wake up after an overnight fast. With less glucose available, you burn more fat.

4. If you eat immediately before a workout, you have to burn off what you just ate first before tapping into stored body fat (and insulin is elevated after a meal.)

5. When you do cardio in the morning, your metabolism stays elevated for a period of time after the workout is over. If you do cardio in the evening, you burn calories during the session, but you fail to take advantage of the "afterburn" effect because your metabolic rate drops dramatically as soon as you go to sleep.


Laura signing off!

July 22nd

Yesterday was much better than day one. Charlie and I went for a run around the neighborhood. It never rained and was actually pretty perfect. We ran around the block once, then turned down a street called Eastwood or something like that. It was a really small road that eventually turned into a dirt path that led to this private property and a massive farm house. It was pretty neat and I'm guessing it will be our morning trail from now on. We also jogged down a few streets off Craddock but we're both out of shape so when my face was red as a tomato and Charlie was straggling behind me panting like crazy I called it a quits.
Food did not conquer me last night. It was really difficult because Chase and Dakota came over for a visit. Of course Krista and Dakota ordered a pizza from Papa John's (my favorite). They were also both so generous and kept insisting that I have a slice. I resisted though and was thankful for Chase who helped them finish it off quickly. I still need to work on drinking more water but I definitely had 5 glasses at least. (More than yesterday anyways) If I just make each day an improvement to the one before it then I should be full swing in no time. Krista told me she really wants to see me start dating and apparently she isn't alone in those sentiments. I told her I would be her personal trainer if she'll be my match make/dating coach. Sounds like an even trade to me.
Tonight is the new episode of So You Think You Can Dance! If those ladies and gents don't inspire you to move then I don't know what will. I doubt if I'll ever have a body like those girls but they sure do make you feel guilty just sitting on the couch watching TV all night. I plan on taking Charlie for a wog tonight. I'm thinking we'll go through the park and down Andersonmill and back home. Mom is making turkey meatballs for dinner so we'll post the recipe if they're any good.
Mom- Sorry to keep taking your running buddy, but it's something you'll have to get used to seeing as how we'll both be gone permanently starting at the end of August. We're back tonight though so we'll need to hit up the track or tennis courts. I'd prefer tennis but it's your call. You need to train me up so when I take the class I don't look like a fool.
Whitney- Yeah, I'm going to need at least another year before the wedding. If I'm going to be Belle then I need to be a knock out. If I'm going to be a knock out then I'm going to need some time. So basically you'll have to plan your wedding around mom and I's weight loss goals ha. At least that's just another motivation for losing weight more quickly.
Grandma- Where have you been? Missing your blogs! Re-join the team.
Lee- I understand your frustration. I think we can all agree reaching that goal is not an easy thing to do and even harder to maintain, but all the articles say that you burn more calories when you think positive thoughts so don't let it get you down too much. Sounds like you're doing a lot of work so just keep it up!

Jillian's tip of the day:

A Note for Picky Eaters
You say you don't like vegetables and never will, eh? I guarantee that's because you've never tried roasting them. Roasting concentrates the sweetness of vegetables and takes away the bitterness, resulting in a satisfying flavor that will win over the most die-hard hater. Plus, roasting is a fast, easy, and hands-off cooking method. You have no more excuses — eat your veggies!

Have a great day! Do something you can say you're proud of.
-Leah

sadness

Week 2 ended yesterday and I only lost 1 pound. How discouraging! I'm walking at aleast 1 mile a day, a mile and a half the last 2 days, and I only lose 1 pound. After reading your last upbeat posts, I just want to cry. It seems like an awful lot of work to go through for 1 pound. While I know in my head that it's better than 1 pound gained, at this rate it will take me a YEAR to lost 50 lbs. and over TWO years to hit goal. It seems like SUCH an uphill battle. Prayers for perseverance will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your kind words of encouragement.

July 21st

Yesterday was a rough start. I drove to San Marcos. Charlie and I started on a jog but the rain cut it short. So we went to the grocery story. I bought some turkey hot dogs, tune, and some special K cereal. I did get a small snack attack in the middle of the night. I'm hopeful that today will be more productive. I plan on jogging over to Whitney's place and back. I didn't drink 8 glasses of water yesterday either, so I'll need to work on that. My skin was really healthy before when I was drinking all that water. I found the tennis courts in San Marcos. I plan to spend a lot of time there this year. I need to get good enough to beat mom and dad. I'm simply pathetic.
Mom- Have you been keeping out of the kitchen at night? I'm going to be in San Marcos tonight again, but Charlie and I will be back Wednesday or Thursday. You and I need to start to either hit the track or the courts (your call). Starting next week we'll step up and do the Jillian videos, so build your stamina up as much as possible for the rest of this week.
Whitney- If you ever want to go play tennis give me a call and we'll play some games. It's a great work out too. Mom said you burn more calories than jogging.
Grandma & Lee- Hope all is still going well!

I'll end again with a Jillian Tip of the Day:
Burn Those Cardio Calories Outdoors!
Does doing the same cardio routine at the gym make you feel like a hamster on a wheel? If so, why not go outside and get a change of scenery? Exercising outdoors can be a hit-or-miss proposition depending on where you live and the season, but when the weather is decent, there should be nothing stopping you. Take advantage of summertime to enjoy the fresh air!

Have a good day. Stay positive!
-Leah

Smoothie Weather

I was so hot and thirsty tonight and I didn't feel like eating a heavy meal so Voila! a Lowfat Pineapple Smoothie. Calories= 255 calories (recipe makes two servings)
1 small banana
1 cup of fresh pineapple chunks
1/2 cup of skim milk
1/2 cup of low fat vanilla yogurt
4 ice cubes
2 or 3 packets of artificial sweetener to taste

If you have any favorite smoothie recipes, send them my way.


It's Monday - did not exercise like I had planned. I took Louise for a walk. Not quite the high energy workout with Louise as I get with Charlie.
Leah, I need Charlie back. She motivates me to walk when I come home.



(By the way Leah, I loved your last post. It was so positive, well thought out, fun use of color and pictures and motivational) I'm glad you're back! Now we need to get Whitney back to square one again. Maybe with the possibility of wedding bells in her future, she will have a new inspiration. Wait, this is more an inspiration for me! New Goal - not to be the fattest Mother of Bride/Groom in the wedding party. HA - Whitney, you guys better give me at least another year.

Here's hoping tomorrow will bring more perspiration and burned calories than today.

Good night

Laura

July 20th

I've been yo-yo ing for about 2 full months now. Food continues to win the battle. Last night I was re-inspired by watching the biggest loser and have decided it's time to make the cut again. How quickly we forget how great the compliments feel when you lose the weight and others acknowledge your hard work.
I have to remind myself why I started the journey in the first place. I wasn't happy. I lived with two girls who were half my size. I couldn't complete one lap on the track without feeling winded (and I'm only 20 years old). Boys didn't seem to notice my existence. My clothes were beginning not to fit (or were just fitting very snug). I started opting to stay in because I was embarrassed to be considered the chubby one of the group.
Now I have to remind myself how I felt after I lost the weight. I was always happy. I had a ton of energy. My roommates were no longer half my size but just 5 lbs. different than me. I was running 3 miles a day without stopping and doing 5 k's almost monthly. Boys were definitely noticing me and even commenting on how great I look. My clothes fit better and my confidence sky rocketed. I would never have stayed in on account of my weight. It allowed me a sense of freedom and pride in every other area of my life as well.
So I'm starting back up. This time no yo-yo. Just the long stretch, and more. I don't want to have to write another blog stating my "starting up again." I'm hopeful that because I've already done it it's going to be easier for me this time around. I'm also glad that when we officially move in, Krista wants me to train her, which will give me even more of a focus, accountability, and determination to see this through.
I'm splitting it up into 4 weeks: Week 1: Pre-Training I'm setting 3 unbreakable rules 1. No eating after 10:00pm 2. Drink 8 glasses of water a day 3. Run at least 2 miles a day Week 2: Real training with Jillian again I'm going to do the 30 day shred videos on level 1 for the entire week. Week 3: I'm moving to level 2 on the videos Week 4: I'm moving to level 3 on the videos By the end of the 4th week I'll be back in San Marcos and with the assistance of the Rec, Krista and I will be doing the official "Make the Cut" work outs. I plan to blog every day so get rady to read!
My goal is to lose 15 lbs. by September 1, to be able to run 3 miles in 30 minutes, to get Krista to her target weight before she leaves for the Bahamas, and to go on a date with a boy so people will stop thinking I hate them.
Mom- I need your strenght. I need you to ask questions like "have you worked out yet today?" "Have you already eaten?" "Do you want to go for a run?" "Do you want to do a Jillian Video since we're both just sitting here?" ect. Lets keep both our goals in the front of our minds so neither of us slack off.
Whitney- Come run to my house iwht your dogs and we'll run back to your house together. Include me in your work outs whenever you can. I'm calling for all the support I can get! Grandma- How have you been doing? You have the best tredmill out of all of us. I'm jealous and therefore demanding that you put it to good use!
Lee- Congratulations on completing week 1! I know you'll reach your goals because our family is just good like that. I told my mom that our family is competitive and we love games, so I said we should have our very own biggest loser challenge and THEN the pounds will just fall off haha.

I'll end as usual with a Jillian tip:

You're Not Alone
Even if you don't have the kind of people in your life who'd make good partners in crime, don't lose hope. There are other people out there who would be happy to make a new friend like you. Look for them by joining a group, hiring a trainer, asking a co-worker to be your diet buddy, or approaching someone at the gym about training together. If you surround yourself with people who support you and want to see you succeed, chances are you will.
Tips for When You Do Eat Out
In a perfect world, you'd eat at home all the time. But this is the real world, and sometimes you will eat out. Scour the menu for the healthiest options, and keep in mind that minefields are everywhere — even salads can be calorie bombs if they're loaded with cheese and bacon and smothered in dressing. Choose salads that feature vegetables rather than high-fat additions like croutons, and ask for the dressing on the side. You can also save money and calories if you split an entrée with your dining partner. Restaurant portions are usually so large that they can feed two!

Good luck ladies! Stay strong, find your inspiration, and remember the pain of regret is far worse!
-Leah

It's a Matter of Life and Death

My motivation for starting this journey came from the realization that my eating and sedentary lifestyle would lead to an early death. In December, I was diagnosed as Prediabetic, a precursor to full-blown diabetes. Wake up call! I learned that it was reversible with weight loss and proper diet and I observed so many contestants on Biggest Loser do just that. After reading studies that found that subjects with prediabetes who exercised a half hour a day—even if they just walked at a slow pace—were 58 percent less likely to develop diabetes over a two-year period than those who didn't exercise.

I have my next doctor appointment in two weeks. My hope is GREAT blood test results; my fear is full blown diabetes. Although I feel great and don't exhibit any symptoms, diabetes often goes undetected by millions of Americans until a major illness occurs like stroke, heart attack, blindness - If that isn't inspiration, I don't know what else could inspire me more!

Congratulations Lee on Week 1 success. Just starting deserves a round of applause



and the race continues====>

week one

ok - my first week with jenny is done. I lost 1.6 pounds. I was quite taken aback at first, thinking that i'd lose ten pounds the first week! no such luck. however, 1.6 lost is better than 1.6 added!!! i started my REAL exercise regimen too..1 mile per day. I don't have a treadmill so i must go outside in this damn heat. (I wish we could move north!) I plan to do it first thing in the morning so that it will be bearable. Next week, i'll work up to 2 miles/wk, etc. My way out there goal is to get to 5 miles/day. We'll see. That might not be realistic once school starts back up.

I have learned that eating 5 small meals a day is not always easy. I thought it would be a breeze but it's not. However, it is healthier for me to do that than to gorge myself twice a day (OBVIOUSLY!!) I live for the day when i'll be able to say "i lost 50 lbs!" It'll come.

Laura - congrats on your treadmill goal! that's great!! Hope you'll be able to keep it up.

More to come.....
Have a great day,
Lee

Hit an Exercise Goal Tonight ;-))

I hit an exercise milestone tonight by jogging (not wogging) a mile on the Treadmill in 16.45 minutes. I can't believe it took me 6 months to finally get under 17 minutes. I guess I was inspired, once again, by these 200 + lb women on Biggest Loser jogging 10k's on the treadmill. Sure sure, anyone can do that if you have Jillian yelling "Unless you Puke, Faint or Die, Don't Stop"; but I just had me and my music and my self-pleading "please Laura, puhlease, just a few more minutes"

Welcome Lee!!! Congratulations for taking the first step in your lifetime journey. Break your goal up into smaller, reachable goals - weekly goals; it won't seem like an impossible task if you work towards small goals.

Thanks Whitney for the article today from Sparkpeople (good website Lee - check it out if you haven't) - it was about making time for yourself. I'm guilty of putting off exercise because Steve wants to go to the movies or I need to clean the house or walk the dog or do bills - excuse after excuse. When the best thing I can do for me and my family is to get healthy. Next time, I'm going to be selfish and steal 30-40 minutes for me!!!! We can catch a later movie ;-))
Oh, who am I kidding, it's not about being self-less; it's about grabbing any excuse at all to postpone exercise. I don't know why I avoid it when It feels so good afterwards.

Leah, I found the Jillian videos - we need to do at least one or two workouts this week!!!!!

My short term goal tonight - DON'T EAT THE CHIPS!

Time for some Hannity then bed. Tomorrow will be a sad day - the bank will be laying off more employees in my department. Gotta love Obamanomics.

Counting Calories Again

Just got off the phone with Whitney. She told me she's worked out 4 times this week but has been doing really badly with eating bad foods. Where as I, on the other hand, have been doing a lot better avoiding the dangerous foods, but have only found the inspiration to work out once this week. If we could combine our forces we'd be one amazing girl. Unfortunately I'm going to have to dig down and find my inner exerciser and kick some fat butt.
Lee- Welcome to the club! Always nice to have more inspiration.
Mom- Way to inspire all your co-workers. Also a good thing cause I know how competitive you are so now we can treat it like "The Biggest Loser" challange. Which Wachovia employee will drop the weight the quickest? You've got the head start advantage but keep your head in the game, and next time dad brings home cheese sticks we're NOT going to share them we're going to say thanks, but NO THANKS because I'm gaining weight and you're platueing. So lets be honest with ourselves and strong willed please :-)
Whitney- Can't wait to have a lake day on your birthday. Maybe we can burn some calories by swimming around alot. I know the dogs will anyways. I can't wait! (I need a day off from work so bad too.)
Grandma- Hope to hear you on the blog again soon!

FYI- New study came out today showing a test they did on monkeys. They cut the calories one monkey and increased the calories on another and SURPRISE SURPRISE the monkey who was thinner and consumed less calories lived longer by 15% or something like that. SOOOOOOOOO eat less live longer.
Good luck this weekend.
Stay Strong!
-Mopeah

New to this!

Hi ladies! This is Lee. I've started on my own journey to lose 120 pounds. My gosh..that sounds SOOOOO hard right now. Since I obviously can't police myself, I'm using Jenny Craig. I plan to continue it as long as possible or until my halfway goal, whatever comes first. The food isn't that expensive compared to what we spend anyway but it's hard to dish it out.
I've read some of your posts and journey is just the word to describe this. At this point, my mind is the biggest struggle. My weight and what it does to me permeates everythings i do. I want that to change.
So, thanks for letting me be part of your journey and for offering me to able to share my thoughts.

Six More Months

Turtle is Back!

I have 6 more months to lose weight before Christmas. My goal is to lose another 30 lbs by Christmas. I seem to be stuck on a plateau though. Leah is starting the Jillian workouts again so maybe she will motivate me too. I still live we my enabler - ugh! He brought home Sonic Fried Mozzarella sticks tonight. I LOVE Mozzarella sticks. Leah split them with me. I really did not need the extra calories tonight. I guess I'll run an extra 15 minutes tomorrow. I find that in month 7 of this journey, I seem to be getting weaker; my resolve is diminishing rather than strengthening. A few months ago, I would have jumped all over Steve for bringing home cheese sticks but tonight I just smiled and thanked him - omg. I'm sure that's the reason why I'm stuck on a plateau.

When are we doing another 5 K? - I'm ready! My eating hasn't been great but my wogging endurance has increased over the months. I feel stronger and healthier, I just wish the scale would reflect the same.

Hey Whit - how are you doing? At least you'll have Leah in San Marvelous soon to work out with you.