Posts by prospectpark

Good morning everyone,

I'm sorry I haven't been around. These two teaching jobs, on top of my own work and the freelance translation, are taking a serious toll on my free time. Don't worry, I'm not giving up the fight. 140.8 this morning. I have promised myself that I will take the time to journal and log my food EVERY DAY in feb, with the aim of maybe seeing 135 at the end of the month, but I don't know if I'll be here much. I'll read journals and try to reply to those, and get back to you guys soon!

xxx Nicky

Brigitte, I'm right there with you in the bad day on the scales dept. Yesterday, I was 140.6, today I'm 143.6. WTF? CHA CHA CHA BOO. I mean, I ate some cheese yesterday, and drank some wine, and got TTOM and ate very salty tomato soup... but three pounds? Boo! Maybe you need to do pilates/weights to fight the "flab"?

Joan - that's so terrifying, the idea of all of us trying this hard and then possibly putting it back on within 5 years. Eeek! Shows how much of a commitment maintenance is - maybe that's why it's hard to deal with. That image of you falling asleep on your keyboard is pretty cute too. My cat likes to do that if I leave my laptop open, and then I come back to all manner of secret feline code that's he's "typed" into whatever I was working on.

Cassy - man! You're a tour de force. Did you make it outside for the run? Something tells me of course you did! Do you have any tips for a beginner runner such as myself? I have a mental block about training for the running part of this tri. 

Sherry - 4 miles is a great distance! I haven't been logging food for a while either, and I think I need to get back to it. It's so easy to tell yourself that a half-pound is really just a couple of ounces, and so on...

Colleen - hope the hair appointment goes well today. I love having my hair cut, but I never do it because it's so expensive in NYC. As I said to Brigitte, with you on the cha cha. I hate it! 

There's been a hell of a lot of poo talk on here of late. My husband would be in heaven - he's a great (?) one for bathroom humour.

Alizus... I'm right there with you on the 9/10 pounds. I'll stop at 130, and I'd like to be there sometime in the next say 4 months (we leave for our honeymoon - 1.5 years after we got married - on May 24). I'm also a big fan of acidophilus!

Hmindel... We were born within 10 days of each other! I don't have any kids yet though. I really admire you & Cassy and all others who managed to have it together enough to have kids in their 20s.

Sherry... hope you got your exercise in, and that Summer is feeling better!

Colleen... Thanks for that information! I think the mental benefits of exercise (for someone like me, who's somewhat prone to foul moods) are enough to make me keep going, but it was great to read that we should be going for a minimum of 5x a week. It'll keep us going when we next don't want to step outside of our warm houses! Oh, and yes I talk to the dog a lot. And to myself! Good job on the shopping! I love excuses to get new things...

Cassy... I'm going to get some of that Mocha silk. I've always looked at it in the store and thought it looked good, but have never tried. I hope the scales are being kinder to you today!

Brigitte... How did the HRM-wearing go all day? And how's your hubby's ankle? Three months after I sprained mine, I know how much it sucks!

Joan... I'm wondering if the culprit isn't the protein. Everything I've read on protein says that even for hardcore athletes, one shouldn't have more than 1.2g-1.8g per KILO of bodyweight, not per pound. So if you're about 59kg, you should be eating 71-106g of protein max. I don't know, but it might be worth considering.

As for me: today I saw a new low: 140! Not sure how that happened. When I first stepped on the scale it read 139.4, but then I reweighed twice (139.8 and 140) and took the highest. Still... it seems that a dead-on deficit of 500 works for me. Problem is, I know that number's going to crawl back up this week, as TTOM is due on Monday. But for now, I'm smiling, and am all set for my spinning class at lunch!

Hey all,

Joan, awesome numbers! You have such a positive outlook on things, and a really good way of looking at this weight loss lark. You're a pretty savvy lady, all in all.  I had some crazy cooking fun over the weekend too, and I've just made a tasty tomato soup (just 120 cals per 16oz serving, which is huge). Sadly I still have to do the dishes.

Cassy, I'm really not working for the tri just yet. I will be soon, but for now I'm just trying to maintain a basic level of fitness. The three weeks off didn't help! When's your birthday?

Holly, how nice to have a job where you meet lots of handsome men! I'm at home with my freelance work and the dog all day... can get a little weird, at least until my husband gets home. The cake for your late MIL is a lovely idea, and I'm sure Michaela loved it.

Colleen, Ireland was lovely. It snowed for the first time in 12 years, and our 5 friends that came with us all caught Norovirus (that horrendous stomach bug that's making the rounds) but apart from that, it was really nice. I met up with my best friend from high school, who I haven't seen in about 10 years, and that more than made up for any pain!

Sherry,  what are jigglers? I've never heard of them! Great news on the impromptu exercise too.

My weight was 142.6 this morning. Strange, because I ate some serious salt and sugar yesterday, but I'm not complaining. My official triathlon training plan starts next Monday (6 months before the event itself) so for now I'm just trying to do something most days. I have the hour-long swimming class tonight, and spinning and weights tomorrow. 

I'm a little concerned about the running part right now, because my ankle still isn't right from when I busted it in Hawaii in October. Ah well, it's got time to heal...

Hello all,

Colleen: I'm making that soup this weekend. And then I'm going to let it sit for a few days; soup always tastes so much better after a good steep, don't you think? I'm also a recovering member of the clean plate club, and am slowly learning to just have a taste of some things and then let them go. The "only 6lbs" thing is hard too... I've only lost 8 and I've been at this since September! Nothing to do but keep on trucking, right?

Brigitte: That sounds more like it! Good for you. Hope the gym went well. 

Cassy: We should talk about varicose veins one day. I've had them since I was 25, and I'll be 31 next week.

Carie: Congratulations again, you determined young woman you. You're well and truly a member of this club these days!

Holly: Congratulations to you too! 

Joan: Those temperature changes sound ridiculous! Hey, if it's 80 degrees out though, does that mean that the realtor/handyman might turn up scantily clad? ;] 

Sherry: Yes the spinning classes are amazing. Are you sure there aren't any on offer near you? They're such a good workout.

The last couple of days I've been spinning and walking the dog, as usual. I spun (?) at lunch time today and then did a core class with the same teacher... Wow. 200 crunches, a 2 min plank, 30 of those things where you lie on your back and lower your legs all the way to the floor without touching it and then raise them again, and so on... It was intense. Good, though, as two of my friends are bringing me out for an early birthday dinner tonight at what has been called "one of the top new restaurants in the US" (eek). I plan to eat light (grilled fish, veggies) but to enjoy every bite - including a shared dessert if I am so tempted. I had half a tofu wrap and a cup of soup at lunchtime today, so I should be OK.

So all this is because next Friday's my birthday... and then next Saturday's my first wedding anniversary! Talk about a festive season!

Please, please, let me see the other side of 143 (you know which side I mean) by then. The plateau infuriates me, but if I see a nice drop before Christmas it'll all be worthwhile. I think I'm still just eating too much; I average 1500 calories on days I work out (although my burn is usually up around 2200). I did, however, buy the jeans I'd been wearing in a size 8 in a size 6 yesterday, and they fit better than the 8s do now. And my spinning teacher said, "Man, you've lost weight!" in front of the whole class.  And I've lost a good inch from my hips in the last couple of weeks too. So I'm not giving up entirely...

Hi all.

Sorry I've been absent, I'm just getting frustrated. I looked back over my weight log and it seems like on average I can't lose more than .5 a week. I mean, I have hypothryoidism and I'm not overweight per se, but I think that losing a little & then staying at that same number for a week or two is not doing my diet morale (or my weekend resolve) much good.

So... still 143.

Colleen, I have the F4. I love it. There's a function where you can set your "own zone," meaning that you do a brief fitness test and it calculates what, say, 85% of YOUR heart rate is, rather than 85% of someone of your weight and height. Also: slow progress. Argh.

Brianne, Hi! Could you post some more pictures of Pahapu? I'm dying to see what he looks like now! I also have trouble with the gym going at the weekend... it's much harder to make myself do stuff like that when my husband's home!

Cassy, You are Amazing. 136.4! That is so very cool.  

Carie, I know the urge to "go crazy". And yes, Joan is right: it can undo weeks of sensible eating and exercising in just one or two days.  Hope you got to the gym last night!

Joan, hurrah for the 129! And don't give up... 

Yesterday was great, food-wise - broiled wild alaskan salmon, homemade curried parsnip-carrot soup (from the moosewood "low fat favorites"" cookbook, which is great for veggie stuff) - and my usual kashi. A small piece of 80% dark choc with apricots. And a great spinning class with almost a 600 cal burn in under an hour. 

Hi you crazy load of ladies you,

I just read everything and now all that is in my head is "tattoo... gym... bouillon... squash.. jacuzzi... snow..."

It's a weird combination!

 Forgive me, I'm tired. It's my day off from the gym today, but my stomach muscles are still aching from the core class I took after spinning yesterday... not sure what I'll be up to tomorrow, but a good burner, that's for sure.

 Made risotto tonight. The recipe called for FIVE TBSPS of butter. I cut it down to 2, and then ate 1 out of the 5 servings it made. Hubby had two (that's fairly restrained for him) and the rest went for (his) leftovers. It was pretty good... spicy roasted butternut squash, mushrooms, parsley, a bunch of herbs, some parmesan... mmm. We had it with steamed French beans, and I ate very lightly the rest of today, so it was pretty healthy all round.  

 I should go to bed before I stop making sense entirely...

Too much to catch up with! Aaargh!

Hi everyone,

Well, the damn TTOM arrived yesterday so I feel human again, and I finally handed in a paper that was due about... oh, two years ago (whoops!). And I went spinning at lunchtime - it was her serious "climb" workout, where she makes us do all this high-resistance stuff and then at the end crank the resistance up as high as we can and do a 9 min mountain climb to some extended version of a Pink Floyd track. Tomorrow, it's a spring spinning class, and then I'm going to get some weights in.

Snuck on the scale this morning. Still 144. Sigh. 

So here's a mini holiday challenge, if anyone wants to join me. It's my birthday in three weeks (21st Dec) and I want to commit to at least a 750 deficit every day until then. Call it "wiggle room" for the holidays, if you like, but this way I think I can keep the festivities in check by ensuring that I have to work if I want to party... 

I'm not setting any weight goals or calorie goals, just the deficit one. I want to see what that does.

Colleen & Cassy... wtg on the 139! That's my dream number just now, but my body doesn't seem to want to go there. Must. Try. Harder.

Brigitte... Congrats on surviving the parents! And good luck with getting back on track.

Joan... (Big hug). Hope things are going well with the big boss. As well as can be expected, anyway.

Carie... You are doing SO WELL. Wow. Your dedication is inspiring.

Stacey... I have some drinking to do tonight too; a surprise engagement party for a friend. Hopefully we'll both be able to stay strong!

Hi everyone else... sorry I can't reply to you all individually, but the dog is asking me to please take him outside right now, so I'd better do so before there's an accident! 

hi everyone,

just a quick pop in to say happy thanksgiving... if we all eat/drink no more than maintenance, we should consider it a resounding success!

good luck with the stuffing, brianne!

xxx nicky 

hey chatterboxes,

butchering deer? eek, cassy! (squeamish vegetarian looks away)

joan, you are amazing!  congratulations on the new low! 

carie, you're doing so well!

storm, welcome! make sure you get a balanced "pie" and at least 1200 cals, and the weight should come off.

colleen, we all know how i feel about the booze. wine in everything, i say! i've come to accept the blackness in my pie. and that pasta you made? sound soo good.

brianne, hi! hope the game was fun... congratulations again.

sherry, eek! that attitude would make me go through the roof. though i think i might have been just like your kids when i was wee. 

Well i haven't been doing excellently this weekend, but not badly either. I spent six hours cleaning, doing laundry, sweeping, etc. yesterday, without sitting down once, and so didn't get to the gym. But I figure I burned a lot more calories than "sedentary!" - especially  as the dog got a 90min walk in the morning. My husband wanted Thai food last night, so I got a noodle dish & ate all the veggies & tofu but none of the noodles. I'm sure the sodium's still through the roof, though. I didn't weigh to check; I'll drink lots of water today though.

My hip's still really sore, so I'm not spinning today. I'm going to try a Vinyasa yoga class at the Y at 4pm, and then do a 1/2hr of weights. I'll wear my HRM and let you know. I'm sure you're all waiting with baited breath! I'm also going swimming on Tuesday - I've got the biking down for the triathlon I think, but I'm concerned about running straight after biking 25 miles, and about swimming in open water (and the Hudson River at that!) I know I have eight months until the tri, so I'm really just working on my endurance right now, and I'll get some serious training regime started about 5 months before. 

Ooooh Black Friday! I'd forgotten about that aspect of the whole Thanksgiving palaver! Perhaps I'll try and convince my spouse that we need to stop at Woodbury Commons on our "way upstate."

Holding at 144 this morning... I'll take it! I want to be down to 143 by Turkey Day, maybe even 142.9 or something! I've found that posting my pie chart in my journal is making me much more accountable, especially when you guys are so good at commenting on it! Thanks!

Carie... the scale is not, and will never be, your friend. Not because you won't reach your goal of course, just because scales are inherently malevolent. Your body is your friend!

Brigitte... hope you managed to stay away from that cheesecake! 

Stacey... stitch n bitch often involves wine. The bitching is much more intense when it does! 

Sherry... I'm really not smart; I'm 30 and still in school.   That's pretty sad, really!

Joan... more hugs. When I read your journal, I was kinda wondering when they'd been planning to tell you myself. Seems a little late in the day. Good for you for crocheting at work though! Sometimes last year I'd knit in class, if the professor was just a horrible pedagogue. Oh! And you said "arse" not "ass" - that made me smile (and a little homesick!)

Colleen... Donegal is where we're going for New Year's Eve! My parents have rented a thatched house and will  be there with their three dogs, and then Rich & I, and five of our American friends, are going to invade around the 29th December. I love it up there (it's also where my now-husband first told me he loved me, so that might have something to do with it!)

Jenn... Hi! Take a load off! Stay a while! 

OK. May the low numbers continue. May we all be strong throughout the week ahead. One week til the dreaded Turkey Day! 

Hey all,

Not so bad today. About a 700 deficit, and a good workout. Over 100g of protein. 

Joan: Yes! Let's kick butt! Also: post a pic of the kitty, if you can! I'm a big cat (and dog) person. We have one of each, but the cat is always right when they argue!

Cassy: Tell me about the plastic. Ugh, I don't even want to think about it. My husband and I locked ourselves out of our apartment yesterday (long story) but as our landlords MOVED HOUSE the day before, we had no way in. So we had to call a locksmith. $160 later (welcome to NYC... that's standard here) we were back in, with a broken lock. Not such good timing economically, given the holidays and all... Also, I'm right with you on the in-laws and the nasty food thing. I think I'm going to bring some raw veggies this year as an alternative to all the chips - that way I'm not actually cooking and so hopefully won't offend my mother-in-law.

Sherry: They might call spinning "group cycling" in your town. Most YMCAs and gyms offer it, and lots will let you take a class without being a member (for a fee). It is a really awesome workout, and does lots of strength building in your legs while improving your cardiovascular fitness. As for me coming to the States... long story!  Came to New York to work as a journalist, then decided to go back to school for my PhD, in the meantime I'd fallen in love with a boy from upstate New York, we got married last December. I'm still in school, we're still married... and the rest is history.

 Heather: Thanks for the good wishes. I did end up having two small glasses of wine, but I had burned 500 cals in spinning class beforehand and was totally on track with my cals for the rest of the day, so I didn't mind so much. 

Brigitte: You sound giddy! Yay for reunions! 

Weigh in #3:

Weight on 10/26: 147

Weight on 11/02: 145

Weight on 11/09: 145 (ugh, plateau!)

8 more lbs to go! 

Sigh. Still 145. Still down 2lbs since the start of this challenge. Don't know if I can make 13lbs in six weeks, but I can damn well try!

No offense, Sherry, but rotel cheese dip sounds kinda nasty.

But then I'm Irish... What do I know from potatoes?

Just back from another great spinning class, followed by a half-hour core class (does that count for weights, Joan? I'm too knackered to do any right now, but I'm pretty heavy and I had to lift myself a lot in the abs class!) I am totally breaking the PT's no cardio rules, but I figure if I stay off the elliptical and don't run, the biking won't do so much damage. Yeah, right. 

Joan - thanks so much for that info about calcium. I have always had chronically low calcium (I've been a vegetarian for almost 18 years, and I never did eat much dairy) so perhaps it's time I started taking a supplement. Especially as the lack of calcium could be responsible for my achy hip somehow. Anyway, will pick up something today. 

Lisa - I haven't been taking any whey or other supplements for the protein either; so far, it's all from food. But it's an effort! I've been eating a cup of kashi golean (dry) as my afternoon snack (in addition to the serving I have at breakfast w/ almond breeze & banana) to keep the protein and fibre up. I ordered some brown rice protein powder online the other day though; hopefully it will get here soon. I'm hypothyroid, and so am meant to stay away from the soy protein, which rules out quite a few of the non-dairy  supplements. And while I'm a fan of happy-cow cottage cheese and happy-chicken eggs for protein, I'm yet to find happy-cow whey protein! 

Cassy - I bet you'll be below 140 on Monday. And if not Monday, at least a week from today. How awesome will that be? I'm only 5lbs away, but I haven't seen that side of 140 in about 7 years! Protein challenge it is then!

Stacey - You're 5'7" and 133? Wow. That's a nice number right there (well, it's my goal weight actually, so I would say that!)

Brigitte - Did he like the dress? Did he like you in the dress? Did he... (oh, never mind...)

Anna - Hi! You're doing really well. I liked your journal entry a lot.

Carie - Good attitude! Keep it going this weekend, and remember, if you're tempted to stray, you'll have to come back here shamefaced and report it to us afterwards.

Sorry if I left you out. I'm a space cadet after spinning. 

Brianne is getting married tomorrow!!