Wagon Jumpers - August 16 - 22, 2009 (1 waiting list spot available)
Welcome
(I keep the waiting list capped at 4 people as it can be a 16 week wait with that length.)
Welcome to the Wagon Jumpers weekly thread. We are a group of CC members who have identified that one of our main challenges with achieving our weight loss, maintenance or general health goals is consistency.
This thread is designed to encourage long term commitment to our goals by publicly declaring them and asking the other members of this thread to hold us accountable. The primary focus of wagon jumpers is not how much weight you have lost, or need to loose, but what you need to do on a daily basis to meet your long term goals.
There are two rules for Wagon Jumpers:
1. All members must post once per week between Sunday and Friday.
2. All members must check the thread for members who have not posted by Saturday (a short list is posted on Thursday) or are on the MIA list on Sunday and send them a polite and positive message to stay involved in the group and on track with their goals.
If you would like to be a member of this thread please see the guidelines below and send me a PM if you are still interested (there may be a waiting list).
Medium Size Group = Some Time Commitment
The original idea of Wagon Jumpers was to create a close community where participants could get to know each other and hopefully form virtual-life and perhaps even physical-life bonds to create a support network as they attempted long term weight loss.
We quickly discovered that this was impossible with an 'always open' group as there were too many people coming and going. For this reason the group is finding its optimum level is between 20 and 25 participants.
A medium sized group means that we have an active thread that produces between 30 - 45 posts per week. Members do not need to read / respond to every post every week. I do notice that those who respond regularly do tend to keep their goals top of mind, and have a better chance to achieve them. I estimate the average time spent by an active member on Wagon Jumpers to be between 1-2 hours per week.
If you are looking for an always open group on CC there are several that operate by different weight criteria, similar motivational patterns etc... There are also many small groups that cap their numbers between 4-10 people to keep the group more intimate, and easier for members to keep up with.
Interested in Joining?
General Guidelines for Joining
1. Are you a wagon jumper?
Do you know how to loose weight, you often have success but then you find yourself loosing interest in your plan, or sabotaging your plan. It's not the "how" to loose weight that is the problem, it's the "how" to stay motivated.
2. Do you have a long way to go?
This group is designed so that members can get to know each other and support each other. Ideally you are planning to be a CC member and part of this forum for at least 6 months or more to achieve your goals and hopefully stay in motivation for a further 6 months or more.
Yes. This is, a long term plan.
3. Do you have the time?
This is a medium sized group, the thread does move fairly quickly each week. If you do not have regular internet access this is likely not the group for you.
Still interested?
Send Supersized a PM. (Please do not reply on the thread)
An overview will be sent to you, you will have a chance to ask questions and an invitation will be sent to you once a spot is open.
Google Group
We have recently added a google group as an option for members, past members, and members on the waiting list. If you would like access to the google group (and are in one of the above categories) send a message to beaglesmuggler (at) roger.com with your username and e-mail address and I will add you to the google group.
Wagon Jumpers Participants
Year 1 - Week 15 Riders:
Supersized 
(myself)
Year 1 - Week 11 Riders:
Year 1 - Week 10 Riders:
Defrog3 - Maternity Leave to October 31, 2009
Year 1 - Week 7 Riders:
Year 1 - Week 5 Riders:
Week 52 Riders - CONGRATULATIONS ON 1 YEAR!!!:
Week 47 Riders:
Week 43 Riders:
Week 39 Riders:
Week 37 Riders:
Week 35 Riders:
Week 33 Riders:
Week 29 Riders:
Week 14 Riders:
Week 9 Riders:
Week 4 Riders - Congratulations on 1 Month!:
Week 2 Riders:
Week 1 Riders:
New:
Missing In Action:
Missing In Action - 1 Week:
Missing In Action - 2 Weeks:
Current Membership: 22
Current Waiting List: 3
Outstanding Wait List Invites: 0
12 Week CONSISTENCY GOALS
(as set w/o June 28th, 2009)
By September 19th, I will be...
Msmeg1984 - NEW: eating a weekly average of 2,000 cal/day and, MAINTENANCE: exercising 3x/week for at least 9 of the 12 weeks.
Dovelette - NEW: NROLFW 3x week for 9 out of 12 weeks.
Merimeriqcontrary - NEW: 3 times/week exercise for at least 9 out of the 12 weeks.
Wenchie58 - NEW: Logging my food intake of <1500 cals per day at least 5 days per week.
Figurethefat - NEW: to run/walk a minimum of six 5ks per month. MAINTENANCE:to continue doing a minimum of 1,500 exercise minutes per month.
Kyashiis - NEW: Run a minimum of 3 kilos 12 times over the 12-week period. MAINTENANCE:I will zig-zag on my food intake consistently throughout each week and end up with an average daily calorie count of 1,100 cals.
Raven21 - NEW: Eat all my yummy, healthy meals (3) and snacks (2) before 9pm for 12 weeks, with no more than 12 days missed. MAINTENANCE:Exercise at least 3 times a week
Supersized - NEW: Go to gym 3x/week for 6 of 12 weeks. MAINTENANCE: Log all food for 9 of 12 weeks.
Cawilder - NEW: Log my food 85% of the time. MAINTENANCE: Running at least 5 hrs/week and lifting 2x/week.
Lam7 - NEW: Consistently log all calories 5 of 7 days a week. MAINTENANCE: Exercise at least once a week.
Nannygabber - MAINTENANCE: Strength training 3x/week for 9 of 12 weeks. Macronutrient ratio of 40/30/30 (carb/fat/protein) for 9 of 12 weeks.
Germaica - NEW: Exercise at least 3x/week for at least 30 min for 9 of 12 weeks. MAINTENANCE: Continue to eat 1 portion of high iron food at least 4 times per week.
Jessicaanne2001 - NEW: Keep calories under 2,000 checking by logging food 4x/week. MAINTENANCE: workout at the gym 4x/week
Carryonandon - NEW: Exercise 3x weekly MAINTENANCE: 300-500 calorie deficit daily.
Constanza - NEW: For the next 12 weeks, less twelve days I will follow this meal plan: 3 meals, 1 snack and 1 dessert per day, no more than 7 alcoholic drinks per week. MAINTENANCE: exercise an average of 2x/week.
Previous Threads:
Wagon Jumpers - August 9 - 15, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - August 2 - 8, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - July 26 - Aug 1, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - July 19 - 25, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - July 12 - 18th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - July 5 - 11th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - June 28 - July 4, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - June 21 - 27th, 2009
Wagon Jumper - June 14 - 20th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - June 7 - 13th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers May 31 - June 6th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers May 24 - 30th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - May 17 - 23rd, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - May 10 - 16th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - May 3 - 9th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - April 26 - May 2nd, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - April 19 - 25th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - April 12 - 18th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - April 5 - April 11th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - March 29 - April 4th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - March 22 - 28th, 2009
Wagon Jumpers - March 15 - 21st, 2009
As always all members are encouraged to tag this thread so that it is easy to find.
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: EXERCISE
It's summer, it's hot, but there's no excuse not to get outside. What exercises can you / are you / should you be doing now that you can get out and around?
Time Off?
Need time off for vacation / work / baby? Send me a private e-mail with the dates you will be away from and to and I will post it by your name so that we do not put you on the MIA list in that time.
This week's topic:
When the weather is nice, I like to get out and take walks or plan hikes! The weather isn't too hot today, so my puppy and I are about to get out and go on a nice walk on the riverfront. Since she has a long coat, I have to be careful about when and how long i take her out.
Weekly Checkin:
My eating is off the wall again. I just can't get myself to behave. Need to figure out a goal system again. That seemed to work last time.
I'm with you msmeg, I love taking walks and seeing the beauty around me. Doesn't cost a thing and I can do it everywhere. I like running too. I'm lucky to have a nature park with trails 5 minutes from my home. Swimming is fun too, but the weather this summer has been too cold.
Weekly check in: I missed one work out last week, bad planning. I had planned my last run for Saturday morning but I slept in. Then I thought would go after supper, but watched some movies instead. Hugh! Will make it up today and do 4 sessions this week, even if the extra doesn't count for the challenge, it counts for me. It's like a promise to myself that I have to keep.
Have a great week,
Caroline
I love to walk and ride bikes, but I don't like to do it alone. When my husband is home we do these things together, which is nice. Most of the time I go to the gym or use my weights at home, but for the last couple of weeks I've been a slacker. Tomorrow I start back on my regular program. I feel better when I exercise!
I'm finally showing some weight loss after a very long plateau period!
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!
So I've been back on the wagon for a month now! I'm still not doing wonderful with the food and exercise, but I'm plugging away at it. As of this morning I've passed down into numbers I haven't been since I was preggers, and that gives me hope and motivation. If I can do that without a set and stuck to exercise & diet regime, how much more am I going to be able to do once that switch flips, that this isn't just about not being fat, but about being healthy, not hurting, not gasping for breath at the top of a flight of stairs, and most importantly, being there for my son and being able to do things with him? Intellectually, I get all that, but it just hasn't clicked with that part of my brain that motivates me yet. I'm only 2 pounds off my first "mini-goal" now, and I can't wait to show off the piece of jewelry I'm giving myself as a reward!
As far as getting out to excercise... Well, I'm very guilty of this! I really am not someone who likes to do things alone, and I don't have any local girlfriends and really haven't a clue how to even go about getting them at this point, since my work keeps me inside and only in contact with out-of-towners. I have ordered several books at the library though (one thing I LOVE about WA as opposed to CA is the library system. I can get a book from any library in Western WA for free, in CA I could only get books from libraries inside the county or I'd have to pay a dollar or two), so once those come in I'll have to walk down to get them since I don't have a car of my own, so that's injecting about a mile into my normal routine. Not much, but anything's a start, right?
I'm lucky I live in Southern California where it's not really very cold in the winter, but can be fairly warm in the summer. I certainly don't mind riding my bike in the heat, the worse part is pulling up at a really long signal. I'd rather run on my treadmill inside, but i do love to walk and hike. Hiking in the mountains is the best, but even at the higher elevations the summer sun can be intense.
Spring and Fall are my favourite times of year. Winter can be good too, but we need rain so much I hate to hope for sunny winter days.
Just would like to encourage everyone to wear a hat when you go out, no matter what you're doing. It really makes a huge difference in summer. Also remember to use a good sunscreen. I see lots of people in my area out walking with their kids -- no one is wearing a hat :/
Hi Everyone.
I'm trying to cut and paste the information from my "getting to know you buddy" and am having a little difficulty with it. I will give it a try again later.
As far as goals for this week, I did very well. It was helpful that it was a quiet week at home - no traveing or social functions. I lifted 3 times and walked 3 times and took one off day where I did nothing. I bowled one day and played tennis one day with the kids for extra activity. Calories were on target. I am very hungry right now, but sticking with it. I ran only a small deficit and ate maintenance on Saturday so I'm not sure why I'm this hungry. I didn't drink enough water but that is always a challenge for me. I have to try harder next week.
I have been part of Wagon Jumpers for 1 month now and I am enjoying it. I was vacationing the first two weeks of my involvement, so I don't think I enjoyed the full benefit of the group at that time. I was just hanging on trying not to do too much damage. Now that I am back and able to concentrate more fully on my goals, I find this group very helpful. I like the accountability. I like hearing about the successes of all the members and I like the encouragement offered by the whole group when we struggle. I think I'll stick around a while!
Have a good week everyone.
Been hot hot hot here and very humid. Ive been doing more walking, gardening...just more movement in general. I've also undertaken the task for this summer of painting the entire interior of my house. WHAT was I thinking? Obviously I wasn't thinking that in order to paint everything, I have to CLEAN everything. Closets included! YIKES!
I had been doing good with my caloric intake(or so I thought) but not so good on my logging. I decided that logging had to become important to me again and that I had to take the time to do it no matter how busy I am. I was eating less than 1000 calories a day...no WONDER there's no loss...my body is saving itself.
Live and learn.
Have a great week!
Hi,
Assignment:
Generally, I am a hike / run / bike kinda girl.. Oregon summers are the BEST - pretty much since the rest of the year it rains. This year though it has been swimming - some in the out door pools but alot in indoor pools. We are also going white water rafting on our vacation in a few weeks and riding our bikes. Our kids are kind of like puppies - you have to keep them active and outdoors.
This week:
Ran 4X in the pool - chlorine - YUK! Today was the first day that I ran in water where I could touch down and not in deep water. It felt OK but the knee is still funky. I can't tell if the naturopath is helping or it is just time... I know the orthopedic guys were not going to help.
My eating has been OK this week. I have not been logging. I definitely have not been hungry at night - no sweet attacks...
I have also been using my iPhone with this app called IFitness on it to do specific targeted weight routines but stay off my knee - it is pretty good.
Hope every is doing well.
Take care.
Carol
Sounds like everyone at least likes the idea of getting outdoors for a walk/hike/run in the summer, some of us need some buddies.
Weekly Topic
I'm trying to bring walking into my activity for the summer. I have to admit I don't like the hot humid weather, I much prefer spring/fall. I'd like to get in some swimming, but I feel a bit self conscious in the bathing suit, so that may wait a while.
Check In
I'm doing good & bad. Bad because I totally lost my mind at the end of last week and didn't lot my food past Wednesday which means I won't get 100% on my goal this time round.
Also a little bad because I have over scheduled myself this week with things I can't cancel and have no idea how I'm going to work the gym in. If I don't get it in this week then I need to do the next four weeks perfectly. So far the best I've done is two in a row.
I'm doing good because I've started walking either to or from work, and I'm trying to follow the plan the nutritionist gave me, but even before that I'd finally started loosing again. I've lost 5 lbs, almost half of the post-Christmas 10 lb gain.
Nutritionist Update
I'm not sure how on-side I am for this nutrition plan. I'm trying to force myself since I paid about $400 for it. So I'd better do it.
I've found out that I'm really not a fan of flax seeds or nuts. The dark green veggies I tried to make for dinner yesterday were much too bitter for me. My partner was kind and said if I tried eating them with something else they wouldn't taste so bad.
The main part of the plan is reduced carbs - not no carbs, just reducing them - which I needed to do to get the macronutrients in line. Increased protein - also knew I needed that. What I'm not doing so well with is the increased fiber in the way of bye bye mixed greens and hello dark greens. I need to find some good recipies for this stuff.
Hello all
So sorry about the MIA last week! My back has been bothering me enough to make it difficult to spend much time sitting at the computer; I keep saying I need to get a laptop in order to do my computing/email while I'm in the recliner, but this probably won't happen for awhile due to finances. I am able to keep moving around outside, which does help tremendously to keep the aches in check. Our weather has finally warmed up, so I can now get out everyday. I grow some of my food and this time of year there's always something to pick or weed or water so I keep busy that way. Walking is still a problem, but I still hope one day to get back to my previous very active life!
At this point, my life seems like one step forward and two steps back, but I am buoyed up by reading about others successes, so keep it up everyone!
I don't think nuts agree with me.
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!
BF hid my scale today for me. No Weigh-in's for 30 days! I hope it helps kick my butt back into gear!
OK finally I have my assignment fom 2 weeks ago. Here are cawilder's (Carol's) answers to the questions we asked each other. She's lived all over the map and has had some wonderful travel experiences as well. It was fun and interesting learning a little bit about her.
1. Where do you live?
Portland, OR.
2. How long have you lived there?
I moved here in 2003 from Sacramento, CA. My life has resulted in many moves -
1964 - 1986: Essentially in Worcester, MA (except during college I spent a semester in Washington, DC)
1986 - 1988: Boston, MA
1988 - 1989: Santa Clara, CA
1989 - 1991: Boston, MA
1991 - 1996: Singapore
1996 - 1998: Hachioji, Japan / Palo Alto, CA
1998 - 2001: Sacramento, CA / Taipei, Taiwan
2001 - 2003: Sacramento, CA
3. What do you like to do? Like if you had a completely free day?
I love to hike and just wander around a mountain. I like to stroll down streets, have coffee and just poke in and out of shops and try to find something unique for my daughter, husband or others. I love to go to the beach, lay there in the warm sun and just read and sleep.
4. Best place where you have taken a vacation and place where you want to take a vacation?
I backpacked in 1994 in VietNam. My partner abandoned me (it's a long story) but that was the best because I ran out money and had to rely on the kindness of the VietNamese people in Nha Trang. I lived on the floor of the church for a few nights and traveled around with the Catholic priest. (I was accepted because I am Catholic...) I saw orphanages. I understood the country alot more. I finally got to Hanoi and had a friend and money waiting for me. We also had a great time in Hanoi.
5. Family - married, how many children, etc.
I am married with one daughter (adopted from China), 9. Plus I have a 2 stepsons 9 and 26.
6. Favorite exercise / Least favorite exercise
I love trail running. I love it in any weather - snow, rain, sun, hot. I stop in the woods and I am ALL ALONE. I just take off my headphone, breath and listen and do a few minutes of mindfulness meditation. It is bliss. I also like weight lifting but have only gotten to stage 2 of NROLFW. Right now I am using my iPHone and an app called iFitness.
I hate the treadmill - if I have to I will use it, but I hate it. I am not great at step classes and I feel like a klutz...
As for this week's assignment, here are some things I like doing outside - walk, hike, bike, tennis, soccer, kyaking, cross country skiing. The easiest thing to do and what I do most often is walk - any kind of weather. I avoid high intensity, high impact exercises.
MID WEEK REMINDERS
Sorry I know I've forgotten these in the last two weeks, so I hope I'm not catching people off guard. Here is a list of our members who have not yet checked in this week. Please watch for them to post Thursday or Friday. If you have not seen them by Saturday or they are on the MIA list on Sunday please send them a polite and positive message to stay on track with their goals and involved in the group.
Missing In Action:
Laura Thank you for the introduction to Carol Wow! what list of moves! Next time I know who I'm asking for moving tips!
Hello everyone,
First of all thanks to Sara, who even through her days of mayhem and unpacking has managed to stay on top of me and kindly remind me that I'm being irresponsible. :-<
Wagon Jumper reporting live
Update
Long time no talk.
Esentially I've had the most hectic schedule in years. My friends from the ONG I work with have decided that I should be the head of a summer camp for kids in a village in Bucovina (in North-Eastern Romania) and so I've embarked upon planning said camp for about 25 children - finding trainers, buying equipment, materials, finding locations, organizing trips, negotiating with the town hall/village hall and council. And all was just fine.
Until 50 (59 on some days) kids aged 8 to 13 showed up on the first day of camp. From here on all hell broke loose (even if I did have internet access I didn't have a second's rest) - I ran around all day with requests to the mayor's office, trying to control 59 kids in 5 people is a job fit for Superman, teaching them useful things like English, Improv, Geography, woodwork, pottery, drawing and painting is a job fit for Chuck Norris/Obama.
But the kids are amazing and today was the goodbye party (I was crying like a baby secretly on my way home).
I love this crazy bunch of brilliant, noisy, happy kids.
Needless to say I totally forgot about posting and I really am sorry. I read the topics and the posts and I loved last week's homework. Getting to know people from the group feels great. I wish this could happen more often.
Anyways foodwise I've been doing ok, meaning under the given circumstances I've managed to maintain (this was my goal for the camp) and not overeat. The exercise goal is there 150-200% this week (We've taken countless hikes and walks with the kids, whether nature walks, photowalks, orientation classes etc). I've been trampolining every day at the hostel where we are staying.
Topic
I'm a big fan of biking. Ardent supporter of rollerblading as a workout. (learning HIIT on blades soon). Swimming in the ocean/sea has been a longtime hobby. Walking... well... I have my dryspells with it. It's terribly hot here for August and I can't really handle it well right now, but in the spring/fall I'm mostly on my feet, iPod buds in ear.
I wish I could go hiking more often, short sturdy legs and training can take you far and high. (I have pictures)
I also love rowing, but renting about here isn't exactly cheap and inflating my dad's boat alone counts as a workout for me (hand pump... big boat... Meri out of breath),
My parents are the outdoorsy type so I've been raised on camping trips watching the stars and fighting bugs and mosquitos.
I'm already rambling, I wish everyone a great week!
And I'll be back with more annoying comments tomorrow evening when I get home and properly groomed.
Hello! My name is Sakura, and I'm joining the Wagon Jumpers thread as I begin my Junior year in college toward a goal of healthy habits for eating. I guess a little bit (in other words, a long paragraph) about myself:
Currently, I am 5'3", about 123 lbs, and Asian. I am pretty perfectionistic, and I tend to stress out when I don't have anything to do, since I like feeling productive. I found my love of sports at the beginning of my college career (at 130 lbs), and with restricting (probably too severely), got down to 108 in the beginning of my sophomore year, but lost my period along the way, and gained an obsession with food and calorie counting. I felt that I had to do something about my period loss, so I went on bc after seeing a doctor. This then began my nightly binging habits, and I gained up to 116 by the end of the first semester. I spent the second semester lifting and toning up, to 118 lbs. Unfortunately, I continued the overeating at night, and sometimes instead of eating dinner and knowing that I would eat more afterward (also being a lazy college kid who now had to cook for herself), I just skipped straight to the snack foods. Whenever I felt that I ate too much, I would go exercise it off (I would do up to 1.5 hours of exercise daily) - I believe it led to my shin splints that I have right now. Anyway, now that I am at home and have a sedentary job, where I am unable to exercise at all, but still have my mother's wonderful cooking and snack foods at home, I've gained to 123 lbs. Luckily, I think I have just about lost my obsession with food and eating (I still overeat at home though =/), but I would love to get down to 115 lbs without obsessing, and just be able to live healthily, finding a way to relax, and restore my relationship with God. I think this group would be great for me, as it is a small group for accountability, and everybody isn't focused on just a number on the scale, but overall healthy habits. I am also in a really small group with two other people, and getting to know them really really well has helped me along as well. Anyway, enough about my personal issues, off to the weekly topic!
This week's topic:
Because of my shin splints in general and lack of access to a gym, the most I can do is walk around in the evening when the weather is cooler. I also do a lot of stretching and yoga in the morning to help my blood flow. When I return to school, I plan on using the easily accessible pool for exercise, and return to my rowing sport.
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