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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - August 23 - 29, 2009 (3 Waiting List Spots Available) | Aug 27 2009 23:05 (UTC) |
8 |
Hello all! Sorry I'm late! Thanks for the reminders, Sara and Carry! First, my recipe: Sauteed Swiss Chard with Onions. Second, welcome, Zora! I love greens - always have - and so I just include them in everything. I had to look hard for a recipe! Hopefully the exchange helps encourage the greens-phobics a little Check-in - am doing alright, still 100% on exercise, and 0 on logging. Ran my first 5k (distance, not an actual event) the other day, and was quite proud, even if rather slow. In theory I'll be running an actual 5k event next Wednesday... Also recently discovered a New Balance outlet store and got a pair of those (on the subject of sneakers) which are doing great. Particularly since they were hella cheap! I'm never paying retail for running shoes again!
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - August 16 - 22, 2009 (1 waiting list spot available) | Aug 17 2009 22:29 (UTC) |
18 |
Recipes! Check out http://www.epicurious.com ; It's a great website co-hosted by a bunch of gourmet magazines (!!) There's a searchable recipe index that you can use to find stuff by ingredient, course, occasion, etc. My favorite part is that there are user reviews of each, and looking through them gives you a good idea of whether you'll like something, or what tweaks you should make. It's also great to have recipes online that you can literally cut and paste into the cc recipe analyzer. Just thought I'd drop a line with that tidbit! |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - August 16 - 22, 2009 (1 waiting list spot available) | Aug 16 2009 19:28 (UTC) |
27 |
Hello all! So sorry for being MIA last week. Work is a turmoil as I settle into a new position, life is a little crazy (we had our house fumigated last week, which meant a lot of fun packing and unpacking of stuff), and I just haven't been able to fully pull my act together... That said, my belated check-in is that exercise continues apace, and eating, as mentioned before, is okay but completely unmonitored, putting me on track for 50% of my goal. I think maybe I'll stick to just one goal next round - my attention span can't seem to handle two! That said, the one goal strategy (I ditched the eating goal a few weeks ago) has really helped me stay on task. I started to lag two weeks ago but am back at it. My goal was 2x a week with exercise, and while I usually manage 3 or even 4 in good weeks, that gives me a lot of good slack. I'm trying to ramp up this week, with running every other day to prepare for a 5K at the beginning of September. And I'm going to throw other things in the mix on the 'off' days. Fabulously enough, even though I'm neither logging nor journaling my intake, the scale needle went down last week (slightly) for the first time in months. Awesome. Topic: The best part of exercise for me is that it's one of the few things that I do that's expressly for me and my own good. The idea that I'm taking time for myself is wonderful. So I really enjoy long walks (and am starting to enjoy runs!) where I can think, be alone, enjoy a little down time without distractions. I don't run with headphones, so it's really just me out there. I also love team sports, including volleyball and frisbee. I've been meaning to do those more, but haven't managed to fit them in yet. I'm not stressing about it too much. When things are more settled, I'll come back to them. I hope the craziness of summer is a getting a little better for you all!
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - July 26 - August 1, 2009 (Closed) | Aug 02 2009 07:46 (UTC) |
1 |
Hi all, Here I am, better late than never, and in a delightfully ambiguous place to report from. Sounds like summer is an... interesting? time for everyone! To all the folks who have been keeping chugging along with running, congrats! I've been doing the same and today I ran for the longest I've ever run (which of course is how my plan is designed Sara, I kind of think it's great that you're a little too busy for us... That probably sounds weird, but you're always very very on top of things here; I think it's good all around for us to let you put you in front for a bit. We'll hang on until you're settled and fully back in the game. Figure and Raven, hooray for 5ks! I signed myself up for one at the end of August, and by now I'm pretty confident that I'll finish. I might be the slowest one there, (solid chance), but I'll finish! It's comforting to know that other people do it all the time and survive. Raven, how did your 10k go? Germaica - not to worry. The gym treadmill can be intimidating, but once you face down the demon it's actually easier to run on that outside, and I found I got more confident about running generally when I worked out on it. Kind of like training wheels for runners. I think you'll do stellarly. Plus, when you head bacl outdoors you'll be surprised at how much more you'll be doing. Hope the intro goes smoothly! Wenchie, that's great news! Carry, hope the move is going well |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - July 19 - 25th, 2009 (Closed) | Jul 24 2009 08:43 (UTC) |
11 |
... and as a catch up for the things I missed these last days, welcome to the new and returning members! Also, hugs to Dove and Frog - it's always hard to let pets go..
Carol - Sorry the knee's acting up! I can imagine how frustrating that must be. Hope things start to feel normal again soon. And congrats on the MBA program - that's fab! Sounds like things will continue to be topsy turvy. I figure it's fine for you to complain here every now and then - sometimes you just need a good bitch session to get things into perspective and off your chest! Kyashiis - funny thing - I definitely bought a dress a size too small a couple days ago, and it's my motivation dress! Long story, I'm not usually into the 'goal' clothing, but I've been coveting the damn thing forever, it finally went on sale and they didn't have my size! So I'm hoping I can wear it before long. That would be trhilling. Germaica - isn't the victory feeling awesome? I love it because it doesn't matter how fast I've gone, whether it was a struggle-run or a wind-in-my ears run (and for the record, the speed I go is apparently technically a 'jog', although I'm working my way up) but every single time I can say that I've done better than I've ever done before. Glad you're doing the same; congratulations! Hooray for small victories!! Laura - You know, I've decided two things this round that made me settle on the running. The first is that the previous times I started running programs, I always stopped before it got easy. Even though I've never run like this in my life, I was put off by the fact that it was hard. So this round I'm telling myself that yes, it's hard, that's the point. But if I stick with it, it will get easier. And it has, so I'm hoping to keep the trend going :) The other thing is that I've always decided to do the things that I prefer instead (volleyball, ultimate frisbee, other sports), but while they're awesome, running is the best thing I can do that is dependent only on me. So I don't have to worry about weather, or the game getting called off, I just have to put on my shoes and go. I'm trying to make this the start of being disciplined about the things I know I need to do for me. Kind of a long response ; I've been thinking about this for a while, and the plan is to transform myself into a mentally well-disciplined person, starting with the physical activity, then spreading to eating, time management, prioritizing etc... Lol! You thought you were just encouraging me to mix things up, probably didn't expect such an earful! I *do* try to switch in things I love on the off days... Thanks for the thought!
Well, when it comes to my posting, I guess when it rains, it pours! Enjoy your Fridays! |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - July 19 - 25th, 2009 (Closed) | Jul 24 2009 00:45 (UTC) |
17 |
Hello all!
Well, first off, sorry for being MIA these last few days. I'm fighting a massive... I'm not sure what - but I've actually gotten as far as reading through your posts several times but have been distracted/called away before I managed to post my own! Thanks to Sara, Dovelette, Germaica and Carry for the friendly nudges. Sounds like folks are doing okay to great on the goals this check in. I'm doing fairly well too - the food-journaling is about 85%, and I'm going to take up the splendid idea of carrying my notebook around with me (thanks for that, Figure!) rather than keeping it next to my bed, where it has been. On the exercise, I'm meeting and passing, so far. The running program I started has me running 4 times a week, and I've been pretty good about it so far. It's getting easier, even though my intervals are getting longer. Even that last bit is inspiring because every day I go out I run longer than I've ever run continuously before! Great motivation there, even if the physical part is hard work! It's not the easiest beginner program, but if you're interested in starting and have tried one or two others before, I think it's worth a look. I got it from Runner's World - it's challenging, but good. On the topic of the blahs... I think that's what I've been struggling with as well, these days. I'm not sure what it is - whether summer feels like the time to take off, whether settling into my routine is more taxing than it seems it should be, or what. I've been doing my damnedest to fight them, particularly with the exercise. Looking back on the number of times I've stopped and started programs I'm determined not to stop this one. So I've been putting all my energy in getting out the door on the days I'm scheduled to run. I figure the thing I have to achieve is not so much finishing the program, losing a bunch of weight, or even eating perfectly; what I absolutely *must* do is fight the "I don't really feel like it today" feeling. So whenever I think to myself 'gosh, I don't really feel like going out to run, I kind of want to sit at home', even if I'm tired I've been telling myself that that feeling is my cue to get the running shoes on and go, that's what I've got to fight. I've been pulling it off, but then everything else (like posting to the group) has kind of been slipping me. Just thought I'd share my own 'blah' struggle... Hope this finds everyone in a good place! C |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - July 5 - 11th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List FULL!) | Jul 09 2009 06:38 (UTC) |
13 |
I'm here! A little stumped on the recipe this time around - have been too lazy to cook and the inertia is spreading! I'll think about it harder and post something tomorrow for sure, as well as post replies to everyone. Happy Wednesday/Thursday! |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - June 28 - July 4th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List FULL!) | Jul 03 2009 00:57 (UTC) |
10 |
Hi all! Thanks for the reminders, Sara and Carrie! Here are my goals: 1. (maintenance) Exercise an average of 2x/week 2. (new) For the next 12 weeks, (minus 12 possible slack-days), I will eat up to: 3 meals, 1 snack and 1 dessert per day with no more than 7 alcoholic drinks/week. This is my new meal plan. You may have noticed that I upped my booze quota. I figured that would improve my chances of success - I'm really hoping to get to 100% this time around.
And for check-in - this week has been crazy - the hubby and I are on vacation with his family, which means I'm away from my space, and routine. Last week I got no exercise at all (also managed to get a nasty cold, on top of everything), but I'm back at it this week, trucking away with my beginning running plan. Food is harder to do, particularly with my in-laws. I think that they see our visits as a time to indulge all their foodie desires. Delicious, but really terrible when it comes to maintaining good eating habits. I'm getting better at identifying what I can/shouldn't indulge in, though, and sitting it out while everybody else shares brownie sundaes. Phew. Still, I'll be glad to get back to the relative safety of my little house at the end of the weekend. Good luck, everyone, on the new goals! (And on the non-goals, for those of us working on producing healthy babies!)
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - June 21 - 27th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Jun 24 2009 03:26 (UTC) |
23 |
Hello all! Well, goals. I have to admit, that I did that classic wagon jumper move this round, where I realised along the way that I was beyond making/assessing one of my goals so I just kind of threw it out. That was my 1700 cal goal, and I for sure did not make it. I did, however, make my exercise maintenance goal, (I averaged 2.75 times/week) so I'll give myself 50%. I have to say that I'm pretty proud of myself. I'm usually terrible at reaching any consistency goals, but I made the maintenance one, which means that I've been successful on that for the last 24 weeks. In terms of intake, though, I've spent some time thinking about the approach I had/have been using, and whether it's sensible for me to continue it. On the one hand, I'm a little worried that switching strategies is a convenient way to avoid holding myself accountable for not making the goal I set. On the other hand, lookinng back over my journey (7 months of which has been with wagon jumpers! omg!!), I have to note that I've had all kinds of calorie goals, and I generally fail at making them, even though they've gotten somehwat more lenient. Which is not to say that I shouldn't have calorie goals, but I think I should try a different tack for a while. Something about repeating actions and expecting different outcomes not being a solid plan of attack. My best assessment of my eating habits is that most of my regular meal choices are actually pretty good. The trouble starts when I give myself dispensations - I'm PMSing and my appetite is raging, so I have snack after snack; I'm out at a party so I ravage the food table; I'm out drinking with friends, etc. I'd like to build some discipline into my eating. So... with that in mind, my proposal for the next rounds of goals is: 1. (maintenance) Exercise an average of 2x/week 2. (new) Create the habit of an eating schedule according to these parameters: 3 meals/day, plus 1 snack and 1 dessert; max. of 4 alcoholic drinks/week. The daily goal would have 12 slack-days built in for the twelve week period, and the drink goal would be an average. To keep track of them, I'll carry a little notebook around so I can write things down wherever I am. I welcome thoughts/feedback! Will write a bit more to reply to others' goals in a bit.
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - June 14 - 20th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Jun 17 2009 07:36 (UTC) |
14 |
Another note on running (I'm all over this week!) |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - June 14 - 20th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Jun 17 2009 00:45 (UTC) |
16 |
Hi all! This month is a crazy one - I'm heading to my college reunion this weekend, followed by a week of family vacation. Am hoping I (and my diet and exercise regime) survive! The plan is to take along a notebook for food log and my running shoes. Which feeds right into this week's topic! I've always like sports, of the cardio type, like volleyball, tennis or ultimate frisbee, but never liked straight up cardio, like running. I'm two weeks into a beginning running program (second try, first try was last year. It got derailed after a vacation when I fell of the wagon and then forgot the wagon existed.) I seriously think I have the makings of a star runner. This is at least slightly hilarious given the hijinks I pulled on high school sports coaches to avoid the running part of warm-up routines. But I love being outside by myself, I like the feeling I get when I realize I've hit my groove, and I feel great and accomplished at the end. So I'm trying to stick with this program until I get past the part where it's physically hard, so I can enjoy the other parts. At the end of week two I don't feel as broken up the next day, and while it's still very challenging (partly because the intervals keep getting longer), I feel stronger. I run with a pedometer that gives me distance as well as time spent, and claims to be able to check heart rate too. It helps that I'm doing an 8 week program - it sounds short enough to do. :) For anyone interested, I found it on runnersworld.com So for the time being my routine is cardio-cardio-cardio. Previously it was strength- strength-'cardio'. I have no trouble getting my heartrate up - when I'm at the gym the machines are constantly telling me my heartrate is high. It hangs out between 160 and 170, which I'd be concerned about except that I feel fine at those points, not out of breath, not struggling or anything, and also my resting heartrate is usually fairly low. I'm trying to work up to being able to do 45 minutes straight running (right now I'm at half an hour with 5 1-minute walk-breaks), then I'll get my pilates back in, maybe some yoga and other strength training as well. Sara: Hooray for teams and social pressure leading to good things! The self-consciousness issue is a hard one to get around. When I tried running the first time I definitely only went out at night because I was uncomfortable with looking obviously - inexpert, shall we say - particularly here in SoCal where everybody is all sculpted and manicured. One thing that's helped me - and this may be my own weird negative motivation - is knowing that I have to start somewhere, so there'll never be a time better than now to put the suit/spandex pants on and go. Also, when I see people out exercising, regardless of how inexpert they may look, I'm always thinking 'good for you! stick it out! maybe that'll help me stick it out too!' I've gotten to the point where I don't even think about it.. Probably more of a reaction than you were expecting - I guess that hit a nerve! JessicaAnn: If you can handle a ridiculous number of banner ads, the runnersworld website is great - if you sign up for a free account you can log your workouts online, log miles, join support groups, and all kinds of cool things. They also have example running programs, like the beginner one I'm doing, 5ks, 10ks, and more intense stuff. Dove: sounds like you're due for a reacquaintance with your hoop! Carrie: Boxing sounds faaaabulous - tell us how it goes! Carol: I've also dallied with 'Volumetrics', the idea of which is to make meals filling in terms of volume but still healthy and low-cal. There's a bunch of solid tweaks you can make to food you might eat anyway, which was helpful for me. Germaica: way to go on starting running too! I like having company - hope it keeps going well (and gets easier) :) Declanphineas: Welcome! Julie: How exciting - you should def be a Zumba instructor! MsMeg: I'm so sorry about your loss. It's a hard thing, but you'll pull through.. |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - June 7 - 13th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Jun 09 2009 08:56 (UTC) |
20 |
Hello all! Well, today I took the LSAT. It was h-a-r-d. But now I'm done! And I can't do anything about it until the end of June, which is when I get my results. Sorry for being MIA last week. I literally did nothing but study all day every day. Moving on to this week's topic! I'm pretty ready to move on with my goals, I think. Three months is a good stopping point, Sara ;) I'm still doing super on the exercise - my goal was twice a week on average. I haven't checked recently, but I've been averaging three to four times a week, and have just decided to start a running program, which should help even more. I've never been into running, but I think I might have the makings of a good runner - I like being outside, even/especially by myself, I like getting into a rhythm because it helps me unwind, think, relax, etc.. Will let you know how it goes. To stay motivated on that, I also joined a new runners' forum, which will hopefully help me keep myself accountable. On the food goal (1700 calorie average), not so much. I've totally been slacking on logging, entering food at the end of the day or days after the fact, and I haven't put values into my spreadsheet for a while, which means that I don't know what my average is, and I'm afraid to find out. I suspect it's at maintenance. Which is good for maintaining, but not for losing. So I'm thinking about how to adjust my goals for next round so I can affect that. I agree with you, Germaica and Sara, about learning to prioritize yourself, and also with Kyashiis about getting easily derailed by my partner (throwback to last week's thread). I'm figuring out that he's got terrible habits regarding food and exercise, and if I prioritize his choices, or use waiting for him as an excuse for not getting my butt out the door, I'm not going to make it. So I've been trying to take initiative for myself, and am also hoping some of it will spread :) And finally, on last week's topic, I think my biggest flag for flagging motivation (hehe) is when I stop reporting - logging, writing down, keeping track of where I am. I still haven't quite pinpointed why I stop, so I'm going to try to pay more attention the next time around and hopefully find the trigger(s), and something I can do to work around it. That's it for now. Hope everyone's week is starting well!
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - May 31 - June 6th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Jun 04 2009 18:43 (UTC) |
8 |
Hi all! I'm here, but sadly not quite able to give as much time as I'd liek to reading and responding this week. LSAT studying has taken over my life. There's so much going on though! I think I might actually hold over some of my comments to next week, when I'll have more time. On motivation I'll have to think hard about what my signs are. Usually I know my motivation is slipping when, well, I don't feel motivated! Will ponder it some more. On the basic check-in front, I've been doing alright. Exercise is still right on, diet right off. At least I'm consistent. :) More next week - stay well everyone! - And welcome, Meri!
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - May 24 - 30th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | May 31 2009 05:21 (UTC) |
2 |
Hi again all! I'm late with the follow-up this week - it's been a crazy one! I've got 8 days until I take the LSAT, and I literally have been doing nothing but studing logic games, logical reasoning, logic games, logical reasoning.... Today was a bit slower of a day - we had a practice test this morning. As part of my break, I was reading magazines and found a ton of fab recipes that fit our theme, so I thought I'd input and share! Here's a yummy looking one: Spinach Salad with Grilled Eggplant and Feta. It comes in at over 200 cals/serving, but I put it in as it appeared in 'Gourmet' (which is a website everybody should bookmark!) I'm pretty sure if you tweak/substitute the high-cal ingredients, which are pine nuts, feta and olive oil, the total would be much lower. Mmmm... grilled veggies...
Welcome Jacqueline! Glad to have you in the group! Sara, good luck with your move! It's moving season, apparently. It's great that you managed to get into a place you've been looking at for so long! And way to go getting to the gym even though things are changing up. Julie, fab job getting the kids to the gym. It makes sense that you've been busy - you've got tons going on these days! Also, what a provocative link.. Lee-Anne, congrats on the sale - especially in this economy! That's better than most. And good luck with the exam. Defrog - I've become a fan of Neutrogena's spray on sunblocks - they've got some kind of weird polymer action, so they don't wear off as easily, go on no problem (they should pay me for the publicity), and come with spf as high as 70. That one's not always on the shelf at the drug store, but even the lower numbers are really good! Carrie - too funny! I'm convinced that most people who don't like certain things have just never really had *good* versions :) The grilled part of this recipe makes it reeaaally yummy, I think. |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - May 24 - 30th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | May 26 2009 03:41 (UTC) |
29 |
... and here's my recipe. It's a slight cheat because it's one I use for the holiday season, but it's veeeery yummy and very easy, and manages to be pretty healthy even though it has pancetta! (Substitute lean bacon for ease of shopping, the values shouldn't be much different). Enjoy! Link: Brussel sprouts with garlic and pancetta. |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - May 24 - 30th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | May 26 2009 03:32 (UTC) |
30 |
omg mojitos and capirinhas and bbqd salmon... summer yumminess! Wait - what's the topic again? :) I'll have a look at my recipes online and elsewhere and post my best. Last week was a stunner week for logging and exercise - joining the university gym was a big boost! This week the challenge is to keep it up. But when is that not the challenge? Congrats on finishing your degree, Tiegurl! That's a big deal!
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - May 17 - 23rd, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | May 20 2009 02:59 (UTC) |
19 |
Hello all! Things are getting crazy for me these days. It's getting down to crunch time for me, in my studying for the LSAT, which I may or may not take on June 8th, depending on what my score looks like in the practices I do the week before. So I've hardly been spending time on the other things I have going on, but I am trying to keep my goals in mind... This week's topic:
(maintenance) Exercise at least twice weekly (calculated by average) Super. I did not do a darned thing last week, but I've been so good before and since that if I keep it up I'll definitely meet and maybe even pass this goal. Which is nice. I'm at 2.5 times a week (average), and that should go up after this week. So I guess I'm hanging out on the shoulder of the road to success? Check-in: With all of that, largely because I haven't been able to get my food intake to where I want it (although it has come down from the weeks prior to the challenge) the scale reading isn't very different. I'm trying a new strategy for motivation, which is to break things up into small one-week challenges. So this week my challenge is to exercise every day. Next week might be to average 1550 calories/day, or something. Still thinking about it. Dove I tried going low-carb at one point, and I have to say the appetite thing was my biggest observation. I had no appetite at all after day 3. I eventually dropped it (maxed out on protein. I never wanted to see meat again! But I got over that soon enough :) ), but boy, if I could keep my munchies under control now my life would be so much easier! Julie enjoy your new gym! Carrie that restaurant list sounds great. More later (hopefully, unless I'm drowning in logal reasoning!) , happy mid-week to all! |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - May 10 - 16th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | May 16 2009 02:36 (UTC) |
2 |
Hello all! Well, this week's topic was a heavy one for me, because I've definitely been struggling with motivation. I have to echo much of what's been said on patience (or the lack thereof), and doing better when I feel like someone's counting on me. I've actually been casting around this week for motivating activities/ideas, because my easy exercise option - the trails near my house - have gotten a liiittle boring for my (admittedly miniscule) attention span. I also have had some schedule glitches this week, which are both not my fault and an excuse... you know how it goes... On to the actual question. Who do you have in your life who will motivate you to stay active? How do they do it? If you haven't recruited anyone, who could you recruit? Well, that's easy one - no one in my immediate geographical vicinity, really. My partner is lovely and supportive, but also lazy and blessed with a metabolism/genes that allow him to get away with minimal exercise and all kinds of ridiculous eating habits. He definitely encourages me when I'm on a mission with something, either food or exercise, but because he doesn't often do dedicated exercise and likes rich desserts and my buy-in on both, he's not much good at giving me the kick in the pants I really need. (Kyashi, I hear you!) So what can I do/who can I recruit? There's one acquaintance - a grad student who works with my husband - who over the last year has been amazingly disciplined, exercising on campus almost every day and getting really awesomely fit. We hang out from time to time but have never exercised together. She's one of those powerhouses who can discipline herself really well. I'm not sure she'll want somebody riding on her coat tails, but I think I'm going to see if I can be her work out buddy. And maybe I can get motivated by osmosis :) Today I got a membership at the university recreation center, which is a good first step. I'm no longer a student, so I had to pony up the cash, but it's much cheaper than all the other options nearby, and I've always been better at doing things when I've already paid for them! Welcome, Dove! And congratulations for working at this for so long.
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - May 10 - 16th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | May 14 2009 00:17 (UTC) |
18 |
I'm here! Hi all! Haven't gotten my thoughts together to post yet this wek, but I'm following along. Will have a moment to post in the next day. :) |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - May 3 - May 9th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | May 07 2009 01:56 (UTC) |
19 |
Hello all! Check-in Well, it's been a crazy start to the week - we've got a gnarly fire raging above town, it's HOTHOTHOT, and I feel like I haven't got any energy at all at all. That said, I have managed to get out to exercise a couple times already, and am vaguely keeping close to logging properly even though my calorie goal is still not under control. Topic Motivation is a big issue, of course. I definitely do much better when I've got other people involved in whatever it is (I hear you, Jessica!) This weekend, incidentally, I went to a volleyball game on the beach. We may have nasty fires, but the upside of living in Santa Barbara is bronzed gods and goddesses on the beach playing volleyball. And, in keeping with the discussion of superficial preoccupations with looks, I have to admit that I always enjoy being around good-looking people. So there's my motivation to go play! Yes, please! lol! I'm hitting my regular wall with exercising by myself, even though I'm still enjoying the walks in the reserve near my house it's becoming more of a struggle to get out on the trail. So I'm going to make an effort to mix things up to help me stay interested and in the game. Hopefully volleyball can be a part of that The other thing that's been great for me is my spreadsheet, for two reasons. First, because my goal is an average, when I have little falls off the wagon they don't seem as disastrous; and it's clear what I have to do to fix them and get closer to my goals. Second, it reinforces that I need to constantly work on planning my meals and being mindful of my food choices. Bad decisions show instantly in my little goal-progress estimate. I definitely think looking good is a big motivator - for instance, when I don't have a mirror prominent in the house, things kind of get out of control. But I don't want to be super skinny, I want to be ridiculously lean and fit. Like those bronzed gods and goddesses in the adjacent beach volleyball courts! Or some of the people at my yoga studio. I see people looking like that, and I think 'good lord, that's hot! If I keep coming to yoga will I look like that too?' So maybe I can use that to motivate me more too... See? good things can come of superficial thoughts! Besides, I think it's been pretty well proven that the reason we as humans like looking at people/things that look pretty (read 'fit', or whatever), is because we associate them with health and benefit. It's a natural and pretty sensible tendency - we shouldn't have to apologize for it! Other notes Congrats on 6 months, Defrog!! And good luck as the little tyke keeps growing! And ps, what's PITA?? MsMeg, good luck on your 5K! It's super awesome that you're doing it - give yourself props for that! I'm okay with whatever decision reigns re. group size. Increments sound like a sensible way to proceed.
The Fine Print: What's Really in a Lot of 'Healthy' Foods |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - April 26 - May 2nd, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Apr 30 2009 19:48 (UTC) |
4 |
Good luck, Lee-anne!
Way to go Carol!
:) |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - April 26 - May 2nd, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Apr 29 2009 01:11 (UTC) |
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lol Julie you crack me up! |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - April 26 - May 2nd, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Apr 29 2009 01:10 (UTC) |
20 |
Hi everyone! Check-in: I've been doing pretty well. I'm pretty sure a large part of my motivation has been my recent move. Life, and my new house, have been so upside down that I've done a great job this last week at calorie counting, and I've gone for a walk every day I could - I managed to get out four times last week. I definitely do a better job at being disciplined when I feel the need to impose control on something in my life. Usually I do that by cleaning, but since I'm limited by my moving boxes, I've got my exercise and calorie log in order instead! So the averages on my little spreadsheet (posting it today, Julie!) are heading to goal level, which is great considering they were waaaay off track a couple weeks ago. Carol: Today while I was out for my walk I thought about your post - I'd just come to check out the forum before heading out, so WJ was on my mind! Sara and I have compared notes before because we both seem to get things in order health-wise when we're trying to regain control in our lives because they're otherwise crazy. Sounds like you work the opposite way, and the various things going on are making it really tough for you to feel a sense of control these days. That said, I think my 2 cents on the unsupportive hubby note would be to make him get involved too. It's always easy to judge someone when you're on the outside assessing their 'weaknesses' from your own point of view. I imagine you're the main food shopper and meal planner in the house? Do you think if you and he both sat down, on a weekend for instance, and planned the week's meals together, that would be helpful? Planning food in advance always helps me stay on track. And I figure if he knew how much thought and effort goes into creating, and sticking to, a meal plan that is healthy and within a woman's (lower) weight-loss calorie limit, particularly when you're working and short on time, he'd be less critical. It might help him understand your side more, and maybe also help you a little in feeling more in control of your eating and more supported. I know my partner would be a ravenous ogre if he were trying to keep to my calorie limit! Just a thought. Meg: They really have a hard time getting it. My partner, who's usually very supportive, has a hard time not being temptation personified. These days I've been planning meals a day ahead, logging, and trying to stick to my plan and my calorie limit. And even though he tries to help me stay on track because he knows my goals are important to me, he still can't stop himself from offering me things (usually wine or beer) fairly often. He's better at keeping his cookie-dough craving ways to himself, but even there he slips up at times. It doesn't help that he's got the metabolism of a brush fire. Sometimes I think that offering me things he wants, particularly if I accept (and I'm a peer-pressure eater) is like a kind of permission for him to eat them. Sigh. PS congrats on signing up for the 5K! Jessica: Sounds like a rough rough week! Hope things are getting better quick! SilverStar: I'm exactly the same - if I feel guilty about something it takes me forever to work up the guts to fix it, even though the delay is usually a bigger deal than the thing I feel guilty for, and usually neither is that big a deal to people who aren't me! Don't worry about it. We all fall off the wagon, that's why we're here. On the exercise, I would say get yourself a good raincoat at Ross and go outside. First of all, once you start moving, you won't be as bothered by the cold. Second, you'll feel so hardcore and proud of yourself it'll be a big adrenaline rush. It'll be like conquering the weather! If you try it let us know how it went :) Julie: You continue to be awesome - good luck with the move! I've been settling into a new place too, and while it's exciting on the one hand, good grief it can be a pain! I hate boxes! lol! But way to go keeping to your diet and making progress anyway. That's all for now folks!
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - April 19 - 25th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Apr 22 2009 21:51 (UTC) |
16 |
Hello all! My recipe: Green California Salad. Due to recipe analyzer limitations, I couldn't put in the salad dressing that goes with it, so I'll include it here. I use (and *only* use) Annie's Sesame Shiitake Vinaigrette for this. It's ridiculously delicious and has a significantly lower fat content (nutrition info here) than the generic vinagrette I included in the recipe, which would help the nutrition rating of the salad - I was totally shocked when I looked at the analysis, but figured it was better to leave the substitute in for calorie counting purposes. Carol I'm really sorry about your mom. I also live far away from my family and the distance makes it much more difficult to deal with loss and life transitions. Try not to let the weight get you down even more - maybe focus on how much you enjoy running again? Sometimes life is just plain rough, but you'll make it through in the end. Julie I think I need a tshirt like that. On the check in front, oh dear. I hadn't been logging these last few days, between finishing the house-moving and attempting to catch up on my LSAT class homework I just haven't spent time with the computer. I have been diligently writing down what I ate, though, and this morning I got online and logged it all. Ouch. Now my spreadsheet clearly shows me where and how I undid all the conscientious tracking from the week before. Blehhhhh.... The good news is that yesterday I went out to the nature reserve by my house (about ten minutes walk) and it was gorgeous. I'm hoping to convince myself that I'm a person who exercises every day - I'll be walking/jogging there again this pm. And that's it for me. Hope Wednesday's being good to you all! PS I edited the recipe, so if you go check it out soon after I post this, it may not be the final version - give CC a few hours to register the new version. |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - April 19 - 25th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Apr 20 2009 07:45 (UTC) |
27 |
I'm so early this time! As it turns out, I don't have a single salad recipe written down, despite the fact that I make and eat them all the time (or maybe because of it?) I'm going to formally recipe-ize one of my favorites in CC and post it, it's a pretty californian mix of veggies and my fave salad dressing ever. On the check-in front, I've just mapped some walk/run routes from my new house to the beach trails nearby, and am trying to get excited about getting out of the house regularly to exercise. Today it was blazing hot here in SoCal, and the hubby and I did the last of the moving/cleaning from our old place. I figure I'd better get the exercise habit started now, so it's all part of the new place/space package! Wish me luck. I'm also working up the guts to post my little (very little, Julie!) spreadsheet on our googledocs page
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - April 12 - 18th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Apr 16 2009 22:45 (UTC) |
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Hi all!
Thanks Ms. Meg and Sara for the reminder - I'm getting to be quite a lazy poster! I definitely had this week's question in an open window on my computer for days this week... I've had a hard time getting re-motivated about exercise, so no wonder! Topic:
Check-in: My partner and I just moved (we got into the grad student/family housing near the university) so life has been hectic and we had to sell my treadmill because there's not enough room for it here :( I did sign up for a weekly yoga session, which I start tonight, and am determined to start going to pick-up frisbee again on weekends, starting Sunday. My plan is to prioritize it in my schedule so other things don't interfere with the exercise plan. And as soon as all this economic stimulating that's going on starts to make a difference in our budget, I'll re-start some of my more expensive activities, like pilates. In the mean time those two activities will get me to my goal of 2 exercise events/week, and I'm investigating other cheap options around here that I can add.. On the bright side, I'm continuing to love my calorie log/spreadsheet. I'm really glad I made my goal an average - it makes high-calorie days less daunting because they're evened out by the low-cal days. I've also put in a little overall calorie deficit formula, which is excellent for instant feedback. Super!
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - April 5 - 11th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List & Google Group Available) | Apr 10 2009 20:24 (UTC) |
2 |
Hi again folks! This is a quick one to say that I was so inspired by the folks who had success in the last round (esp. Julie!) That I made my own, very much simpler, spreadsheet to log my calorie intake and keep track of my average sincethat's my goal for the new round. I put in this week's info to get things up and running, and I'm feeling super-motivated already! It's a fantastic and instant way to see progress, even if it's only progress in keeping on track. Hooray! I may post it on the google docs site when it's got more info, if I feel brave enough |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - April 5 - 11th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List & Google Group Available) | Apr 08 2009 08:03 (UTC) |
21 |
Hello all! Well, I think I might be excited about this round of goal setting. Here are mine: - (new) eat an average of 1700 calories/day. - (maintenance) exercise at least twice weekly (calculated by average) The new goal is going to take some work, mostly because I get careless or busy and forget... For instance today I realized I hadn't logged for the last three days! I've been careful though so there wasn't any calorie-goal damage, but it's definitely gotten out of control in the past. I'm trying to schedule at least two activities per week - probably pilates and something else - to take the work out of my maintenance goal. On the check-in front, my partner and I are moving house, which makes life a little hectic. However it actually makes my eating control easier, because I'm so busy I forget to snack. lol! I'll see if I can keep that up. I've also begun studying for the LSAT - the job market in southern california is so tight, especially for recent grads (even though I have an advanced degree), that I've decided to go to law school. The classes are intense, though! Still, I'm looking forward to getting into a routine, because that always helps me be a little more disciplined... I haven't exercised this last week, :( , but I *have* been hauling boxes and running mad errands, so I'm hoping that counts for something. Hope everyone's week is off to a good start!
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - March 29 - April 4th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Apr 02 2009 21:05 (UTC) |
12 |
And now the check-in: grrr.. well, my previous plan was to be using the CC food log every day and, exercising an average of 4 times per week across the 12 weeks Part of the reason I'd been putting off evaluating is that I had a lot of back-log (so to speak) from when I was on vacation and had no access to the internet. I was really good about writing down my intake, but I've been avoiding actually entering it in to CC. I managed to exercise an average of 2.25 times a week - let's call it two times a week and say I made 50%. Counting the days I only have a written log for, I missed 11 of the 84 days of the goal period, which puts me at 86.9%. I did have that goal as a pass/fail, though, so I didn't meet it. I got a high percentage, but I really wanted to make it compulsory for myself - the slack I built in was that I didn't have to log every single thing, but I did have to log something for every day, regardless of whether the logging happened on the actual day. Looking back at the records, I'm impressed with how diligent I was before the vacation - not only did I log everything, but it made me pretty good at keeping a deficit. My average intake was 1817/day. It was rally hard for me to get back on track; even though I planned for the vacation, the habit was broken and then getting sick after it completely threw me. I think over the long term I should start thinking about how to maintain habits over disruptive periods, and find easier ways to get back on track when I'm interrupted. As far as the new goals, I think the calorie logging goal is going to be harder, mostly because I'm not quite back into the habit yet. I made it an average to give myself some leeway, and hopefully a little space for slacker days. The calorie goal is a little strict given how I've been eating (about 2100 avg), but I was actually much better in the last period when I was aiming for a low goal - more diligent about logging and maintaining that deficit. I'm with Germaica - the looser goal was I think a little too loose for me - I had enough space to procrastinate and fail to catch up. My thought is this somewhat stricter goal will help me get back to being diligent, since I can't know what my intake is without logging it! The exercise seems very achievable, particularly because that's what I averaged last period even with serious interruptions. I don't foresee any interruptions this 12 weeks (no vacays planned), so I'm hoping I can surpass it, or at least meet it if something comes up, like a cold or whatever else. Jessicaann - I hear you on wanting to preempt the problems the parents are facing. Both my parents are overweight, and even though my Dad exercises fairly regularly and doesn't really overindulge in major ways, he had a heart attack in his 60s (he was a smoker though, he quit not long before). According to my latest physical I'm ridiculously healthy, if overweight, which defies the imagination. Cholesterol low, blood pressure low, everything low low low but the damn scale! I figure I'm fighting some serious DNA so I better start early. Julie - you are my discipline hero! Congrats on staying on top of it all and reaping the rewards! And finally, I really enjoyed the posts this week. I think when everybody's soul-searching I learn a lot! Incidentally, I signed up to book mooch as soon as I read Sara's post, and the books that have been sitting on the 'get rid of' shelf for months are flying out the door! Great! Looking forward to the next 12 weeks and hearing about everybody's journey! |
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| Motivation | Wagon Jumpers - March 29 - April 4th, 2009 (Closed, Waiting List Available) | Apr 02 2009 19:09 (UTC) |
14 |
Hello all!
First, I really appreciate the motivational reminders, and I'm glad they're a part of being in this forum. I kind of wish I could have motivational reminders for my logging! Hey - is that an option on calorie counters, could I have a calorie counting/logging buddy? Anybody want to team up? I'm great at keeping other people on track! I just need somebody to be an equally stern taskmaster for me :) lol. I'm going to start with the weekly topic and then go to the last set of goals. I'll probably do that in two posts. On goals for the next 12-weeks: Having reviewed my goals, my successes/not successes, and the events of the last period, I think I have an idea of how to proceed, but I'm not quite sure. I definitely need to give myself slack for the unforeseen events - I think maybe I might build in 'slacker' days, but try to moderate them somehow - maybe I can have one slacker day a week (with a limit on how 'slacker' it can be), but only after I've achieved something else. I figure this will have to be my personal deal with myself, rather than the actual goal. I'm also not sure which I should make the pass/fail goal and which the maintenance goal. Is the pass/fail the thing that I expect to be harder, Sara? Hmm... Things I've learned about myself in this period: * I have to schedule exercise - in the form of classes, group activities, or something. If there's a commitment like pre-paid sessions, or other people expecting me to be there, I do it. The thing is, I already knew this about myself. But every now and then I get really diligent about ad hoc exercising, and I decide that I can do it long term, or I decide that I'm going to learn to be disciplined about it, but I never do... That said, some situations are better for me than others, for example when I'm visiting my in-laws I go for long walks regularly, because they live really near a great trail. * If I'm not logging my calories and planning my meals in advance, I over-calorie, and I gain. Sigh. I've definitely gone back up a few pounds in the weeks since getting back home, even though I've been logging - because my logging hasn't been comprehensive or complete, and because I haven't been planning my day's nutrition in advance. * I'm okay at sticking to my plan, but everything goes out the window when friends show up. friend: "You want a mojito, Danielle?" me: "umm..." (quick calculation of calories. does that fit my count today? no. no it does not.) me: "yeah." curses! Thing is, I get together with my friends relatively rarely, so when I see them I feel like we/I should seize the moment - this usually happens in the form of food and drink. *When I'm eating at a deficit, I lose weight. Surprise. *I have no idea what my maintenance range is. I'd like to figure that out someday. I think it's somewhere between 1900-2200 Take away lesson? I need to schedule my exercise and be veeerryy diligent about logging/restricting calories to make things happen - nothing groundbreaking really. So I'm thinking my goals should be (assuming we make the harder one the pass/fail) 1. Log an average of 1700 calories a day (p/f) 2. Exercise an average of twice a week (maintenance) |
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. Good topic Sara!
) Today's interval was a half hour, followed by a one minute break and another ten minutes to take me to 40 minutes. Super. Of course, tonight I downed an entire bar of toblerone, to make up for all my good work. I'll go ahead and blame it on TOM. It's been my only major transgression this round, though, so I'm not too upset. Next week I'm challenging myself to run as many days as possible. The food logging is nowhere near goal, but I've just about decided to forgeddaboutit. I think maybe one goal at a time is best for me. Since my eating isn't particularly horrible - although not quite 'diet' standard - I'm going to work on getting a handle (a foot?) on this running thing, and when that's second nature, I'll rethink food. 
Also, I'm seriously coveting your deck right about now.
In theory at least, that should be a lesson for me. Today, reeling in horror, I've planned all my meals in advance, and will try to do that for the rest of the week.
Happy friday, all!
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New journal post Weigh in take 2 by skyaid07 00:42 |
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New journal post Day 3 by desi2009 00:32 |
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New forum message Working out at home...what equipment? by wanderlustful 00:21 |
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New journal post enough! by 1teacher 00:20 |