Posts by lidan

Name: Lidan
Age: 34
Height: 5' 6"
Start Weight in August 1, 2009: 211
Goal Weight (by August 28): 205

Aug 07:
Aug 14:
Aug 21:
Aug 28:

Total weight loss:

Hi all! It's been ages since I did one of these challenges, having fallen off the wagon hard during a very difficult year. However, I've got my life back in order, and being newly engaged, am motivated again to get healthy!

Doing these challenges really worked well for me before - it seems to be one of the few areas that brings out my competitive side. I've started journaling again, and will be starting to exercise again after recovering from a back injury.

Count me in, too.  I need to get back on the horse, and these motivational groups seem to be one of the best ways for me to stay mindful - needed all the more as I head into the second, more intense half of my final semester of school.

I'm with baybeesunja, Koreans eat kimchi with *everything* - rice, fish, grilled meats.  I love it with plain white rice, or even by itself.  The tingly sensation is perfectly normal - it's fermented, and the fermentation causes that tingly feeling, as is why the jar is under a fair amount of pressure when you first open it.

By the way - here in the States, people only think of the cabbage based kimchi, but in Korea, it can be and is made with just about any vegetable you can think of...I even had a stingray-based kimchi once! (before I became vegetarian).  If you have a Korean market in your area, you should be able to find a variety of different kimchis to try.

It's said to be a super healthy food, so enjoy!

Name:  Lidan
Age: 33
Height: 5'7"
Start Weight: 200 lbs
Goal Weight (by August 1st): 194

1/7/08:  200 lbs
8/7/08:  200 lbs
15/7/08:
22/7/08:
29/7/08:

Total weight loss: 0 lbs....not good, but hey, I got through the long holiday weekend without a gain, so it's still a (small) victory.  Was back at the gym last night after taking 6 days off due to schedule conflicts.

Name: Lidan
Age: 33
Height: 5' 7"
Start Weight: 200
Goal Weight (by August 1st):  194

1/7/08: 200
8/7/08:
15/7/08:
22/7/08:
29/7/08:

Total weight loss:

lidan
Goal loss: 8 lbs
Start weight (June 1): 205
Week 1 (June 8): 205
Week 2 (June 15): 204
Week 3 (June 22): 201
Week 4 (June 29): 200
Total loss for June: 5 lbs.

Didn't make the goal, but I got back on the horse.  I'm more active than I've been in months, and feeling terrific!

Good morning gang – I can’t keep up with everyone’s posts individually, but I have to say, you’re all so motivating!  Kudos to everybody staying on track, and to those who fell off the wagon, here’s a helping hand back up.  We’ll get there eventually.

I had a really great weekend.  Went out to a bar Friday night for some live music, but it was SO hot that I mostly drank water all night, so that helped me behave myself and not load up on empty calories.  I’ve been eating even better, filling up on low-cal fruits and veggies, and have kept cravings at bay.  Spent all of Saturday helping friends cook for an Indian-themed BBQ, and learned how to make DELICIOUS authentic Mumbai-style veggie curry.  There was also tandoori chicken, and funnily enough, it was me and one other girl – the only 2 vegetarians in the group – who ended up doing all the barbecuing of the meat!  I also discovered an unexpected new love – raw red onion in plain yogurt is YUMMY.

Yesterday I joined some athletic friends for their standard Sunday morning sports – it was supposed to be cricket, but not enough people showed up, so we played tennis instead.  Ever since, I have SO MUCH ENERGY I can hardly believe it.  Last night I did a huge amount of housework, up and down the stairs who knows how many times. 

Well, I’m a little bit sore this morning, but I bounced out of bed today at 5 AM!  Usually I’m dragging myself out of bed after hitting snooze a dozen times, and am late to work.  But today I had time to make a huge breakfast (which keeps me from snacking all day), and even do some reading.  Hopefully I can keep this up.  Who knows, maybe I’ll suddenly become a morning person!

Oh, and on Friday after work I joined a new gym, which has an all-skill level racquetball league I might look into joining, if I can find a reasonably cheap racquet.  Going to go tonight after work and get oriented to the club.  I'm feeling great!

Hi all! Daizymae, thanks for asking that question - I was wondering the same thing!

Welcome to the new folks, and congratulations cegdoodles!

Well, I had a terrific weekend. Ate and drank too much on Friday night, but danced a lot and hit it off with a lovely guy I've had my eye on - which was a much-needed boost to my self-confidence, after a long and difficult breakup these past several months.

On Saturday, I played volleyball for the first time in 15 years, and that was a lot of fun. I was laughably terrible for the first two games, but then I really got into it, and was diving into the sand to save points. So now I am SO SORE. But it's the kind of pain I actually almost enjoy (except for the giant bruise on my arm), and...when I stepped on the scale this morning, I was down 3 lbs.! All water weight, certainly, but it put a big(ger) smile on my face. Can hardly wait to play again!

Falafel, hummus with celery and carrots, and a handful of kalamata olives.

If you want to get fancy, make a fruited pilaf with quinoa or couscous.

And you guys are awesome for volunteering.

The people I know who've had the most success have cut out the white stuff:  no flour (or rarely, but then whole-wheat), no sugar, no dairy, no rice (or again, rarely, but brown short-grain).

Sadly, I am not that strong, but I'm working on it.  :)

I'd love to participate here as well.

I'm 33, 5'7", and I joined CC over a year ago.  I quickly lost 30 lbs., but then being at University full time (just one more semester to go) and working part time got the better of me, and I've fallen back into my non-exercising habit.  My diet is pretty healthy (vegetarian, little sugar or junk food), but I LOVE bread, cheese, and wine, and I'm rather self-indulgent.  Because I don't get much exercise, my weight loss stopped, and I've gained some back.  For the last year, I've fluctuated between 195-205 lbs., and I'm currently back at the top of that range.  Ideally, I would like to be around 150 lbs., which on me should be slim and athletic but still a little curvy.

WHEN I exercise, I lose weight really fast...at least, I do for now.  But I'm starting to really fear that looming metabolism wall.  I am running out of time.  I'm afraid of keeping these bad habits up and never getting this weight off, even gaining more, yet I can't seem to keep myself on track.  I'd love to have someone(s) keeping me accountable.

My roommate just got me a bike to use, as I'd been talking about getting one to commute with (especially with gas $4.50/gal now!).  I'm aiming to start next week (I need to get my sleep schedule rearranged), and just riding to work and back would clock me in for 25 miles per week, probably all the exercise I'd need to start out.  I also love rowing, hiking and yoga, but have been having trouble finding making the time.

Original Post by morrighu:

...humans have omnivore dentition. We evolved early on to eat a certain amount of meat.

I'm just finishing my degree in anthropology, and I can assure you that just because humans are equipped to eat meat doesn't mean that they MUST. That's pretty much the reason for evolving as an omnivore - being able to survive on multiple food sources, and thus improving one's survival rate. Meat is a more efficient caloric source (Ed.: well, that's actually quite debatable, but I glaze over when attempting to read the caloric expenditure/intake analyses of hunter-gatherer vs. agricultural societies), but we have the luxury of being able to make choices now. Additionally, look at chimpanzees, our closest relatives - some groups are vegetarian, some eat meat (yes, chimps have culture, arguably). They're all perfectly healthy, and as nature intended.

You cannot carry a baby without consuming meat of some kind. Ask your doctor. The fetus won't develop properly without enough protein and the only way you can get enough is to eat meat.

LOL...well, then someone needs to tell millions of Buddhists, Hindus, Seventh Day Adventists, and Jains (all religions that dictate a vegetarian diet in at least certain sects, if not throughout) that their very existence is impossible. Millions of people have been born to vegetarian parents, throughout history. If you're going to post an argument, please use actual facts.

lidan
Goal loss: 8 lbs
Start weight (June 1): 205
Week 1 (June 8):
Week 2 (June 15):
Week 3 (June 22):
Week 4 (June 29):
Total loss for June:

I signed up for the May challenge, but was (not surprisingly) derailed by finals and vacation.  Back on the horse (hopefully in a big way) for June.

lidan
Start weight: 200
Goal loss: 8 lbs
Week 1: 200
Week 2:
Week 3:
Week 4:
Total loss for May: 0

I usually go with oatmeal and a banana, myself, or a cup of cottage cheese (really fills me up).

If you can get past the Western norm of something sweet or carb-laden for breakfast, try an Asian-style breakfast.  Steamed or stir-fry veggies with rice and miso soup.  I go through periods when I prefer eating this way, and it gives me TONS of energy.  With a little prep the night before, it hardly takes any more time than the aforementioned oatmeal and banana.