5'8" group losing 10-15 lb: CLOSED

Hello ladies!

This is our new thread, I figured to put it under Motivation would be best!

We are all 5'8", around 150-155, looking to lose between 10-15 lbs.  We should be able to best help each other with tips, ideas and movitation since we are all so close in stats.

I think we should aim for 1 December, which gives us more than three months to reach our goals.  Weigh-ins will be on Fridays, but whenever you get here put up your first post with all the important information!  I want to keep up talking throughout the week, not just posting weigh-ins, but tips, things that have worked for you, problems, etc.  We can do this for each other!

Include in your first post: highest weight, current weight, goal weight, age, cal/day, exercise routine, and anything else you think is important! 

tink8: SW: 149.8, GW: 135, CW: 148.4   Total loss: -1.4
healthnhappiness:  SW: 147, GW: 140, CW: 146  Total loss: -1
wants2bhot: SW: 149, GW: 142  Total loss:
raerose1984: SW: 154, GW: 140  Total loss:
jayz_gal2004: SW: 151, GW: 140, CW: 151  Total loss: 0
jennali: SW: 139, GW: 135, CW: 140.5  Total loss: +1.5
mszander: SW: 150, GW: 140  Total loss:
emccoy79: SW 142, GW: 130  Total loss:
ltjchicklet: SW: 151, GW: 140, CW: 148  Total loss: -3
nicole0802: SW: 149, GW: 140, CW: 149  Total loss: 0

I think we can do it ladies!  Good luck, and see you soon!

HW: 173
CW: 149.8
GW: 135
Age: 25
Cal/day: 1500
Exercise: M, W: volleyball for 2 hours; M,W,F: squash for 1 hour; everyday, walking at least an hour as I don't have a car and don't like public transportation!  When I get bored sometimes I'll run though it hurts my knees, lift weights or do yoga.

I'm also in the UK (N. Ireland) so I might be posting a bit earlier on Fridays.  I am American, though I've been here for a few years.  I'm also getting married in 2011 and I definitely want to be at goal by then; I can see myself putting it off so long that it doesn't happen so I'm doing it now!  I've been maintaining around 150 or a bit lower for the past 9 months and I want to get back into dropping now.  See you guys soon.

HW: 153

CW:147 (this morning, as it fluctuates up  151)

GW:140

Age:27

Cal/day:  Shooting for 1600, but I don't always reach this goal!

Exercise: I used to belong to a gym, but I moved 4 months ago and don't live near a gym so I do a variety of workout dvd's or I exercise outside.  I work out 6 days a week.  2-3 days I do weight/cardio interval workout for 20-60 minutes. On the other days I do cardio, right now it is either rollar blading, biking, walking, or a cardio interval dvd for 25-45 minutes.

HW:181

CW:151

GW:140

Age:22

Cal day: 1400-1500

exercise: You got me here! need to get back on the ball. When I do exercise I do Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.

Hey everyone! This is exciting for me and I hope we can all be there for each other. I need you ladies to help keep me accountable!

HW: 165 ish - though once I reached that level I became very scale shy.

CW: 154

GW: 140 and then see from there

Age: 25

Cal day: 1500, but haven't been keeping track lately so definitely trying to get back on track with that one. I am a vegetarian, so more than just calories I am working on getting in the proper amount of protein, as it keeps me full longer, and also as many veggies as I can. Carbs can be a real fall back for me, so I am trying to cut back on the white flour/wheat products.

Exercise: I do yoga a few times a week, exercise dvds, running, and I walk a lot (at least three miles a day) My goal is to put this a more concrete plan, and also try new stuff so as not to get bored.

Hey!  I got an invitation but I don't know if that just means that I am in or what so if I'm not please add me :)  I think this is a great idea.  It's so much more helpful to have people in a similar situation.  So let me get my stats out:

HW:  around 165

CW:  139 this morning

GW:  130 eventually...135 definitely before school starts again

Age:  21, will be senior in college this year

So I have been doing around 1000 calories a day for the past couple weeks and it's hard to tell if this is too little or not.  I don't really get like hunger pains or anything on this # of calories so I'm not sure if it's really too low or not.  Also, I gained and lost like four pounds between starting and ending my period about two weeks ago so that seriously messes things up for me!  Does this happen to anyone else?  It's so hard to keep going with everything when the scale shoots up at that TOTM!  It's been hard for me to get in as much exercise as I would like because I am taking classes this summer and we have finals coming up this week but when I do workout I have a pretty set pattern:  I ride my stationary bike pretty for 30 minutes (7.6 miles-ish), do a little bit of weight-lifting, and do an abs routine (involves bicycle crunches, leg lifts, etc.).  So all in all it takes me about 45 minutes to do everything and I am drenched when I'm done so it always feels like a pretty good workout but it's hard to tell because I always sweat so much when I workout...sorry I know that's gross but it's so frustrating because I hate working out in public even though we have an amazing rec facility at my school.  Good luck to everyone :)

edit (8/23/09):  I just want to emphazise also how much a person's ideal weight can vary depending on their body type- my best friend is 5'6" and she weighs more than I do but I swear she looks like she's in better shape then me just because of her body type (although she never believes me when I say this).  I have no chest to speak of and a very small waist so all my weight is in my lower half, and that's why my goal weight is closer to 130.  I'll see how I feel at 135 first, however, and then decide if I really want to go to 130 or not.  It's really hard to guess what you will look like with negative five pounds!

Hello everyone,

I do the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred dvd also.  It is a great workout!  For anyone else interestedin workout dvds I would reccommend this one.  There are 3  20 minute workouts (easier to harder). They each have 6 minute circuits, 3 minutes strength, 2 minutes cardio and 1 minute abs. 

It really works you hard and gets you sweating.  I also like her boost your metabolism dvd.  It is a 40 minute workout with cardio intervals, no other equipment needed. 

I am getting addicted to trying new workout dvds! I rotate the ones I have to keep my body challenged and not get bored.  Does anyone else have tips on good dvds or home workouts?

Thanks and I hope everyone is having a good weekend.  Talk to you later.

-Kimberly

Hi jennali,

I'm glad you could join us!  I did send an invite but didn't get any response yet (though I didn't really leave much time!).  Before we get started though, I have to say that CC won't accept anyone supporting your calorie intake of 1000, it's NOT ENOUGH!!!!  Women over 21 need at least 1200 cal/day, and that's for a 5'0 sedentary woman.  You are young, have a faster metabolism, are much taller and do plenty of exercise, and should probably be eating at least 1500 cal/day, maybe even 1800 with all the exercise you do every day.  Low calorie intake might make you lose weight initially but your weight loss will stall as your body will think it's starving and hold onto everything, plus you could mess up your metabolism in the future.  So, please please increase your intake!  I'm positive you'll still lose weight, though you might gain a bit in the beginning as your body adjusts.  Plus you need energy, you're young, active, and need brain power for school!

So, long story, you're welcome to join, ONLY if you increase intake and do it healthily!  The rest of us have healthy intakes and if it seems as if you're succeeding on such a low intake it could have a negative intake on the rest of us.

Hi tink8- yeah I know you are right and after a lot of research I have decided to try to up my calories to around 1400-1700 or so and keep in mind that I only workout 3, maybe 4 days a week so it's not as much as it sounds like.  The fact is, the 1000 calorie a day thing isn't working anymore and I am a living testament to that!  My weight loss has stalled completely and it's so frustrating!  It's just like I am afraid of gaining weight, you know, but I see now that I have to up my calories so my body won't think it's starving.  My new and better goal is to weigh 134 (or 135...just in that range!) by the time fall classes start which is September 23, exactly one month away.  I used the CC calculator and it said for light activity I could eat about 1400 and moderate about 1700 calories a day and still lose this 1.5 lbs. a week so since I think am probably between these two levels, that is what I am going to shoot for.  I'm sorry if I offended anybody or anything it's just that this whole thing is such a psychological struggle, you know, and it's hard for me to imagine eating more and not just gaining weight but I am seeing now (and I should know this as a pre-pharmacy major) that it's much more complicated that just calories and and calories burned.  Why can't anything just be easy!?  Anyways, I am really glad that you started this group, I can't wait to see the kinds of progress we are all going to be making!

Tink8 -

I read your blog post about thinking about eating all day long and I really identify with what you wrote - it sounds almost similar to something I have posted before. I get into the swing of watching calories and what I eat so much so that it starts to drive me insane, and makes me unhappy. That's why I have taken a break from calorie counting every single thing I eat and am just trying to be healthier all around. I would ideally run really well of of three 400 cal meals a day and 2 150-200 calorie snacks. But I live a hectic life, plus I work in a bakery (yeah, I know), so it can be really hard. Sometimes I just BINGE, you know? and then feel guilty and repentant, but when I start eating its like sometimes I don't even enjoy the delicious healthy food because I am woofing it down so fast.

Hi everyone,

Sorry about the earlier post, something was not working right. 

Just wanted to let everyone know about the good choice I made tonight.  I love to eat as much as all of us, but as you all know we have to watch what we eat in order to meet our goals.  This afternoon I went on a spur of the moment motorcycle ride with my boyfriend and a few of our friends. On the way home we made an unplanned trip to PIZZA HUT.  Yes, I love pizza, however, I order a salad from the salad bar and ate 1 1/2 breadsticks, one bite of my boyfriends piece of pizza, and a diet pepsi!  This was not easy, but I felt really confident and good about myself.  I had eaten home-made pizza last night for dinner and if I had known we were going to pizza hut I would have planned ahead and eaten less earlier inthe day in order to keep my calories in check.  I don't like to deprive myself but I know moderation is the key to success.  Also, the other four people I was with ate at least 4 pieces of pizza (pepperoni stuffed crust!-full of calories) and 2 breadsticks!  They felt so stuffed when we were done and I felt great!  My friends are not big, they just like to eat and are not concerned about their weight at the moment.  It is not always easy to be strong and go against the crowd, be it with eating or drinking, but I think we can all make a difference and be positive role models for each other.  Good luck to everyone and lets continute motivating each other!

Good night,

Kimberly

jennali- you did not in any way offend anyone!  i just want people to be healthy, and i totally understand that the eat more to lose weight thing is so hard to grasp, so i guess i'm just hoping that the more you/we all hear it the more we'll accept it!  case in point, i work out a lot and have worried that 1500 cal was not enough....saturday and sunday i ran closer to 1800-2000, and today i was down a half pound!  just don't freak out if you go up at first...if you can help it maybe stay off the scale for a few days after upping your cals?

raerose- i can't even imagine working in a bakery and trying to count calories!  i feel like it's definitely healthy to try to go about it without counting everything, but we can't let that be an excuse to binge.  try to go a week or even a few days not counting, but preparing healthy, tasty, well rounded meals and eating until you're full.  appreciate it!  also, this is a hard habit for me b/c i usually eat alone, but try to not watch tv or use the computer while eating.  just eat, and enjoy it!  and when life is hectic, try to plan your meals ahead with stuff you can either prepare and bring with you, or with food you know will be available wherever you are.  if you have a plan and manage to stick with it you'd be less likely to panic and binge, and then feel guilty.

kimberly- congratulations!  it's the small stuff like that that can motivate us to see it through to the end!  whenevr i'm around stuff i love and just want to eat until it's no more, i remember the studies that say you only really taste and enjoy the first few bites, after that it won't satisfy your tastebuds any more than the first ones.  so go ahead and enjoy a few bites, and then fill up with salad or something you can fit into your allowance.  we can't be expected to never eat pizza again, and we should be practicing a lifestyle we can do forever.  though i hear you when you say if you'd known you would have been able to save some calories....

i'm so happy we're here!  let's do well ladies!  i also want to change the goal date to 4 december, which is the first friday in december, and should give us some time to cancel out whatever we eat on thanksgiving!  (thanksgiving is definitely my favorite holiday!)

-jenna

Hey everyone,

How was everyone's weekend?  I know how much more difficult it is to stay on track over the weekend.  Tell us about your successes or difficulties with eating/drinking or working out and we can help give encouragement, find solutions and congratulate positive choices.   

Looking forward to hearing from everyone!  Talk to you later.

Kimberly

HW:211

CW:149

GW:142

Age:43

Cal day: 1200-1500

Exercise: Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. in a.m., then a 40 min. run/walk combo during lunch. None on weekends. I was down to 146 on Friday. I have 7 lbs. to goal, so I need to seriously buckle down!

Good luck ladies!

wants2bhot-

Wow! Congratulations... you have already come so far!?

What has been the hardest part for you? How did you do it, I guess, is what I am asking.

I feel like I have had a moderately successful weekend. I am getting closer to finding a balance between eating healthy as a lifestyle and eating healthy as a diet. I think there definitely is a difference. I even had some weird ex-bf stuff going on and I resisted the temptation to binge out.

Not that I haven't. My most recent binge-a-thon was with a pint of ben and jerry's cherry garcia frozen yogurt. Ate it all on ONE sitting. Ew. Felt disgusting afterwards, physically and mentally.

I am headed to NYC tomorrow for a week of vacation, so I am going to TRY as hard as I can to make smart choices. Any advice, because I am seriously a little afraid.

Rae

I also added some new pictures to my profile if you guys want to check them out.

And a journal entry, because I think holding myself accountable through writing might help, and everyone can read whats on my mind. So another goal of mine is to journal this process as we go.

Want to join?

Rae,

I hope you have  a great time on your vacation.   I know exactly how you feel, worrying about how to stay on track.  My advice is just to try to maintain your weight over the next week.  Try to eat healthfully most of the time, but do not deprive yourself.  Enjoy your favorite splurges in moderation.  Listen to your body and stop eating when you  are satisfied. Also, are you staying in a hotel with a workout room so you can exercise?  If not try to do a lot of walking to get some exercise in. 

One last bit of advice, don't be afraid!  I can relate with how you are feeling.  Focus on enjoying your activities, suroundings and people you are with.  And, say you gain a few pounds, everything will be okay!  You can get right back on track when you get home, it is only a week.  Enjoy!

(I can also try to read your journal if you'd like too)

~Kimberly

Hello all,

Weekend was alright, I'm getting better at them in general but it will be a challenge the next three weekends as my fiance and I are both having birthdays!  Lots of drinking and eating; I'm trying to burn lots during the week with a higher deficit then enjoy myself on the weekends.  I think it's important to not say 'never drinking or eating ____ again', so I look towards holidays and special occasions thinking that I will use them to enjoy myself and not be so strict.  I also try to exercise a couple hours those days to balance it out. 

I was never really a 'binger', though I would eat lots.  I jsut would do it because I still wanted to eat instead of because I couldn't stop, and there was not much guilt afterwards...I'm more likely to eat lots of pizza or pasta, bread and cheese, rather than ice cream or cookies. 

Wants2bhot, yes please share your successes!  62 lb, that's amazing.  I'm really anxious to get down to where I can maintain as I've always been pretty good at maintaining when I was consciously trying to do so.  So any tips will help!

Good luck this week, eat what you want in moderation, stay away from alcohol until the weekend at least, and eat healthy tasty foods!

Hello everybody.  This is my first post in this thread so here are my stats:

Age: 33

HW: 156

CW: 149

GW: 135

I am currently training to run a marathon in December so I run 5 days a week.  My shortest runs are 3 miles on T and Th.  Then 6 on W and Sat and this week 11 on Sunday.  It varies each week and continues to increase the closer I get to the marathon. 

I had been lifting weights until last week.  My BF of 5 years are in the process of splitting and I just haven't felt like lifting, or doing much really, but the marathon has been a personal goal for many years and I just can't slack on my training there!

I try to stay around 1500-1600 cals per day but seems hard to do for me.  However, may be easier with the new added stress in my life and living alone means getting to cook what I like and not the heavy comfort foods he likes.

I have significantly decreased my diet soda intake and switched to water and eat fruits and veggies a lot more than I ever did.  In fact, I had high cholesterol of 260 a few months ago and I have now lowered it to 189 by diet and exercise and fish oil and flax seed oil.  Pretty cool!  I really didn't want to take medication for it...

I'll keep posting, hope you are all doing well!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I also quit smoking 2+ months ago!  Not bad for a pack and a half a day for 15 years!!