Posts by moonlight_liz

ooo good idea Harl!!! I'm not sure if my stylist donated it or not, if I had any sense I'd have made sure she did. It's great, because it is SOO easy to deal with and I love just running my fingers through it. Of course it takes some getting use to looking in the mirror but I was SOOOO tired of having to wrestle with it on top of getting up at 5:30 and driving an hour and a half to work. My weight is 149.4 We are on the move ladies. I was 151 last week so I have kicked almost two and a half. Water water water run run run. Gotta get some paper work done and get home and run before it begins to rain... on second thought I'll take my umbrella and hope it isn't an electrical storm.

EXCELLENT!!!!!!! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!  Moving moving moving heading back to the 140's!!!!!! 

"Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride
Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no
I got to keep on movin'
Ain't nothin' gonna breaka my stride
I'm running and I won't touch ground
Oh no, I got to keep on movin'" ----SONG CALLED "BREAK MY STRIDE"

lmao!!! I have that song on my Ipod all the while that Elliptical is kicking my butt. That one and "She's a Maniac" Haha but it's good. My muscles are sore for the first time in a while so I must be doing something right because they haven't been in quite a while. Come on ladies what's going on!!! Surfer girl what's going on with your internship??? Pink how's that personal trainer going??? Blink when do you get to go home??? Yaya as long as you count for yourself how much you eat you don't need to worry too much. You can rationalize that an entire cup of sugary, milky chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream is nothing but empty calories that you feel guilty about later, or you could eat a half a cup of sorbet and feel no guilt whatsoever because you only consumed 90 calories. Just have to be rational. Hard. I know. I struggle too. I am a snacker/stress eater/soda-lover. I have been ran over by the weightloss wagon previously. But you better believe I'm DRIVING that sucker now!!!!!! I've not had any chocolate or fast food for a few days now even with all the girls at work parading all kinds of sweets past me. I allow myself one indulgence. It was a mountain dew yesterday. It's a one hundred calorie pack of sweeties tomorrow. I'm thinking of what I want as a treat  for sunday. I always give myself a 150 calorie leeway. I will fail miserably if not.

Hello my darlings!!!

Oh I've been absolutely horrible. When it rains it pours on me!!! But enough of that. I have a date with the gym today and I intend to do a full hour and a half. 60 minutes of that (broken up of course) 20 on the bicycle and ten on my upper body. I'm STOKED.!!!!  I'm only taking in 1800 where I was taking in 2200. My indulgence for today is a small coke. Tomorrow it's going to be half a cup of peach sorbet. Yesterday it was half a brownie. I'm kicking *** and taking names.. Until I get beaten down again by all the mess that was going on. I'm not slowing down. I'm making small goals these days, I've disregarded my long term goal. For now I'm going pound for pound, still taking the water pills and I haven't stepped on a scale to see if they're helping but bm has increased three fold. Who knows. I've begun taking vitamins just in case while I'm on these water pills and I'm just PUMPED about getting a move on and getting these pounds off.  Updates says that carbs are bad, but I've given up sugar, loads of calories, chocolate, pizza... the list is endless. I'm keeping my carbs, if I have to run two hours a day. I'm not giving up .one.more.thing.  I will see you guys soon

Hello all, it is Sunday. It has not been a good weekend, at all. I won't go into details as they are tedious and tiring. However, I wanted to pop in and check on you guys as you make your ways to Monday and I hope you are all doing well. I will give my weigh in tomorrow, I hope it brings good news.

Wonderful, we are all here!!!

Surfer- Lol I wondered if you had a preference or if you just wanted to continue being called "ocean" =0) I thought "Surfer" would do as a stand in until you came into one you liked.

Blink- Everyone deserves a lazy day. Take it and drink it in. Let the laziness consume you =0P. I know this Saturday. Is MINE. I plan to veg out and watch Lifetime or something.

Pink- I can't imagine the unpleasantries of having to eat a dry sandwich. I see no reason why you should give it a second thought. As for the cookies... it was maybe 90 calories, right? It's not as though you ate a slice of cake or a whole chocolate bar or anything. I truly believe that if we allow ourselves small indulgences we'll get on better. As long as we don't eat empty calories and over indulge, I see no reason why we shouldn't leave 150-200 calories just for indulgences.

I found a new indulgence that is acceptable I think.  I take special K crackers (about a handful),  and put four cubes of 2% cheese on them and melt them... it tastes so bad for you. I also invested in some Haag and Daas ( I think that's how you spell it.) Sugar free "Orchard Peach" Sorbet. DELICIOUS!!!.... However.... do not get Breyers yogurt blend of cappuccino and dark chocolate chip....It's... EXTREMELY creamy. Very hard to swallow. I picked up some more Special K Fruit and Yogurt and another batch of bananas(Breakfast today) and I am drinking strictly water or Sparkling water. I am still taking the water pills, I truly believe that sometimes my body may need help getting rid of all the water retention. I will take them for one week and see how it goes. I read online and our bodies retain seven pounds alone of water weight simply from all the sodium we consume. I think my seeing how much that effects me and seeing what it really does to my body will help me cut the salt down a bit more easily.

I am still having trouble shaking this. I have read that the after effects of Food Poisoning are suppose to linger, but my goodness. I am STILL SOOOO tired. My stomache is still sensitive and I still have horrible headaches. I have had just enough energy each evening to play with my little boy, clean up and do some floor exercises. It's not like me to be so tired. Anyway, I need some cheese for my whine, lol. Gotta get back to the grind, I'll be checking in off and on today!!! Have a good day ladies!!!

http://caloriecount.about.com/challenge-reach -their-goal-ft137235

There you go ladies. Our new home. Food's in the fridge, blankets in the closet. Welcome home!!!

This thread is going to be moved to the Games & Challenges section of CC.

No no no guys stay focused!!!!!!! I know it's tough but just imagine how great we're going to look and feel in those sexy new bikinis that we will never fit into unless we stay on track!!! We can do this!!!!! Remember it's okay to treat yourself in small increments but you must stay in control. Don't think "one candy bar won't hurt" or "just one sundae never hurt anyone". That one entire candy bar or that one entire sunday just put you over your calories for lunch and dinner. Now what are you going to do? You can't starve yourself and you can't take back eating something in any healthy way. You get home, and think " well I've already gone this far off, what does it matter now?"  And that's where we go wrong.  If you fall down, do you stay in the mud and wallow, or do you get up, brush yourself off and keep going? I'm not sitting in the mud, and I'm not going to let you guys either. We're going to get through the cravings. Count to seven and let it go. A craving, as proved, only lasts seven seconds. Seven seconds. In the time it takes to count to seven you can drive right past McDonalds. Or walk right past that ice cream palace. or get out of that convenient store before your hand takes a mind of its own. Stay strong ladies. It helps to tell what's wrong every now and then so let's here it. What is making it hard for you and what are you going to do about it? Pink- Take sorbet to work with you. Half the calories and fat of ice cream still delicious. If you haven't got a fridge there I'm sure there's a store or even dairy queen must have some fat free or lowfat soft serveRemember those delicious pudding pops. Dairy Queen is the most evil place, that and Sonic. Imagine them laughing as they draw up those advertisements and how they don't care how it effects peoples health or happiness. All of those restaurants pride themselves on tempting people beyond their control. Don't give in Pink. Remember all that hard work and that forty dollars you'll have to pay if you don't meet your goal.  You guys be strong!!! Don't get discouraged!!! We are only months away from our goals. MONTHS. Keep up the good work guys. BE IN CONTROL!!!

-Liz

Hi all.

 I have been on a diet regimen for some time and I got discouraged going to the gym seeing thin little  things in there and Friday I stepped on the scales and got... irritated to say the least and decided to er.. .I dunno  anyway I waited until dusk and put on my ipod and ran at the track. I ran and ran and ran...  laid on the track for three minutes looking at the stars and got up and ran some more. I ended up with shin splints. I was sore yesterday and still went power walking thinking if I warmed my muscles up they wouldn't be so stiff.... nuh-uh. Bad idea. Plus today I am wearing heels since they are kind of required, so I'm reaping the benefits of pushing myself so much.

Thanks for the advice Alevin, I was planning on going again today thinking it would loosen them up!!

~Liz

Blink- I think, being parents, you would have more luck reasoning with them in a "long term" perspective. Parents love the thought of being emulated, and they love the thought that their children are responsible, productive beings. You could let them know that you are putting forth great effort into making a career for yourself that you will be happy and productive in. Let them know that you are a responsible young adult and treat it as you would a presentation. Sit them both down, at a table or the like, and have a "conference" of sorts. Diagrams and visual aids are a plus. Be persuasive. Do NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE stomp your feet, use your hands in any flustered gestures. Be calm. Be still. Be Confident. Be Professional. Approach it as you would a bank hoping to get a loan. Show the affirmative side of them giving you financial assistance. Don't under any circumstance give the impression that what you want is simply a phase that will take their hard earned money and flush it down the drain. Do NOT give the impression that you feel that they MUST give you anything. Make sure they know it will be GREATLY appreciated. Using these tacts with any situation usually helps me. It's only free advice. Use it if you feel it is for you, or parts of it, or none of it if you feel it isn't applicable.

I'm glad to hear you are back on track blinka, you are going to make it through all those tempations with style and grace I am sure. Ice Cream was surely created by an evil being who is surely laughing at all our cravings. lol. I was invited to a bachelorette party tonight.... I had to decline. I will be absent some next week and I wanted to get in all the extra time I could with my little boy. I had my oil changed and I found that my brakes on my car are "glazed". They sound HORRIBLE. I'm going to have to have them fixed. I have a relatively newer car and it just sounds AWFUL. I have to get moving, I will post again tomorrow hopefully. I will give my weigh in on Monday!!!! STAY STRONG!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so glad to find you guys doing so well!!!!

Pink- you are a MONSTER girl!!! Look at you!!!! Ripping right through those pounds like a kid at christmas!!!!! WOW!!!  Keep up the AMAZING progress hun, you are an inspiration!!!!!

Ocean- 140's!!!! OMG!!!!!! I'm SOOOO happy for you!!!! I have NO DOUBT that you are going to stroll into the 130's with style and grace. Remember to keep moving forward!!!!!

Welcome Rabbit and Welcome Banana you guys are welcome to join our motivational group of posters!  Remember to set goals but not to set them so far away that you will lose sight of the big picture, but most of all... Remember to enjoy the ride. Don't get so caught up and focused on shedding the pounds. Make it an adventure.

I have an extremely busy week coming up. My best friend graduates from Army bootcamp and it's an out of state two day event. I have got what I will need for two days and I have booked a hotel and I am in the process of packing and I get my car maintenanced this weekend. I will be in the presence of two VERY hyper-active young boys and her mom during the eight hour drive. Needless to say I have packed excedrin, diet mt. dew, and my ipod. Double caffeine, I will need it I fear.

Blink--

My trainer always has me either on the treadmill or the elliptical for twenty minutes, then you can move to the areas of your body you want to work on:

• sit ups/crunches (stomach)-if they have a ball it works for your back muscles as well,
• lunges(thighs),
• butterfly machine(chest, shoulders, upper back muscles)  or use dumbells and hold them out moving them in front of you and then back. 
• twist machine(stomach, back, shoulders, upper arms) my favorite!! You can do this in a chair as well, with a medicine ball, weights, or just tensing your stomache muscles.

When you feel like you've done enough reps... do ten more.  The areas I focus on are:  lower back... ugh, vicious muffin-top, bleh. Thighs... did I mention I have a fondness for M&M's?, Stomach.... not that bad, just a little post-baby pooch. Upper arms.... no woman wants to wave and have her arms wave back.

Perhaps my workout regimen isn't for everyone but it seems to be working. I put on a shirt today that I haven't worn in more than two years. I am NOT going to even look at the scale yet. I am so very very tempted, but I figure If I look and haven't lost anything I may get discouraged, or if I've lost more than I think I may have an impulse to give some slack. I've taken half the morning to post this in between reports, customers and paperwork so I'm just doing to do the thing now and say, I go to the gym again at two, carrots, celery and a protein shake for lunch today. Good luck, ladies!!!

       &nb sp;               &nb sp;               &nb sp;          BE IN CONTROL!!!

*Moonlight

wow... I have to admit i'm pretty upset. I had a pretty big post full of encouragement and motivation. and I accidentally navigated away from the page and lost it all. lol. Okay, I'll just condense it all and say:

Pink--Do not feel bad. Be glad that you didn't gain any weight and glad to see you getting back  in the ring and keep fighting. If I eat one M&M I get a new ripple in my thigh.  I understand the want to be pushed. I almost want someone to be mean. To be there yelling at me to be healthier. Sad, but true. We want someone to bring it to reality that being unhealthy is not okay. I am also glad that the holidays are far away. My 3rd anniversary is June 15th, how great is that? You are going to do wonderfully on your test and take the constructive criticism in stride and make the most of what they tell you I am sure. I can not WAIT until Monday's weigh in!!!

(On the funny side of things a girl just asked if the author of To Kill A Mockingbird was Harriet Tubman.. couldn't help it... I lmao)

Ocean-- You have lost two pounds already, that is amazing. You are a weight loss machine, keep up the fabulous work!!! As long as you remember not to be too harsh on yourself for daily fluctuations, I don't see why it would be a bad thing to weigh daily. Everyone has their own form of motivation, if it works for you I don't see a reason why you shouldn't continue. I am so ready to see you reach the 140's. I have all confidence that you will stroll right through them into the 130's but remember to continue celebrating your successes after you reach 149. Go for 145, then 139 and so on until you reach your goal. You are doing GREAT!!!! Keep us posted!!!!

Blink--  My first instinct is to remind you of your goals. But you are back on a positive track already so my help is not needed!!  You are completely right about forums fizzling out. If someone falls behind, or decides they are too busy, everyone quits. I intend to be here for some time. I know my posts are more like personalized journal entries, but the way I see it I can get on here everyday and be all "GO TEAM GO" but I'm sure that would grow old rather quickly. Any quirky little obstacles you overcome, or anything you encounter, any advice or tips.  There would be no point in keeping in touch with everyone if we only focused on our own successes. We're here to motivate each other as well as compete. Everyone has a strong sense of wanting to "keep up" with others, not get ahead, but to have someone to pace themselves against. I know you are going to be very happy with your   weigh in on monday!!

I spoke with my trainer today and she told me to do a cardio exercise (jogging in place, jumping rope etc.) and get your heart rate elevated to 150 or as high as you can stand it, and keep it up for 20 minutes. Then you can cross train and it burns triple the fat. She also said that if you MUST eat bread, make it whole wheat. Do NOT eat any sauces. Mayonaisse is a BIG NO NO. If you must have a season on your sandwich try mustard or pepper.  Hope this helps!!!

p.s. I had Quiznos today. A six inch veggie sub (which I cut into quarters and snacked on through out the day) on whole wheat, no dressing. I ate before I went to the gym. So perhaps it burned the black olives off. Well, I've got to get ready to close down my desk so I'll check back later!!!

*Moonlight

P.S. If you guys are having a hard time getting started on your excersise routines or don't have the energy yet, try Yoga. Sun Salutations in the morning are helping me kick my coffee habit. What are you guys cutting out, and what are you replacing it with; whether it's an activity or a healthy alternative?? What are you guys weaknesses and how are you going to overcome them?? Let's help each other out!!!

Original Post by pinkpinkotter:

Hello Liz!!

I'm 23, and at a VERY ripe 215 (UGHHH). So I obviously don't want to lose all my weight by the end of august... how unhealthy would that be?!

But if you would like We can still challenge each other. two lbs a week versus one lb. who lost more.. who ate healthier and actually worked out etc. Who cheated on their diets *gasp* ... For I need a motivator other than my fiance. and someone who will keep it real... it's fun working with him. But he's one of those "i love you just the way you are" ... which is great and all.. but kind of counter productive to losing weight lol.

 It would be wonderful! You could just lose the amount that's healthiest for you! We're not trying to see who can get the skinniest, but who will challenge themselves and each other to move on to a healthier, more fullfilling lifestyle. I completely understand the counter-productive part. I need someone to be a pusher. Push me to be harder, when I attempt to stray, remind me of my goals. Remind me that every unhealthy thing I take in, though one may seem insignificant, they add up. They are the reason that we don't feel complete unto ourselves, they are the reason we don't feel as beautiful as we are. They are the reason our confidence isn't as high as it should be. It's to the point now where when I pass a McDonald's, I smile. Truly because every time I look at their food. I picture myself eating the fat. Just the fat and I imagine it going down my throat. The feel of it in my mouth and I almost gag. This may seem gross but it's what helps me. What are some methods you guys use to resist?