Wagon Jumpers - May 25 - 31, 2008

 

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.

Each member on this thread (listed below) has agreed to check into the thread at least once per week. If any member does not check in by the end of the week, we ask all members to politely and positively PM that member and encourage them to make a post and stay on track (or get back on track).

If you would like to be a member of this thread, either leave a note here and I will add you, or send me a PM. 

 Wagon Jumpers Participants

Week 3 Riders:

Supersized (myself)

Jane3001

JCR

Shrinking_Caro

Newsjunkie1

Juicer17

Safina1

Karenie

Kreitter

Kaydeefalls

Thin27

Jburgin

Vicki8seekers

FantasyFlight

Tally-Ho

Got2getthin

Week 2 Riders:

Hopeful31

Gettinghealthy123

Healthfirst

Marlasinger

igrratu

rwbsmom

defrog3

Week 1 Riders:

Mpscarlet

Tamji

New:

Sarah_11235

Peera

Madikim

Ser25

ld1984

Lumcti

Missing In Action:

Tamarbee

DC_Runner81

Sneakafreaka

Writestuff

Previous Threads:

Wagon Jumpers May 18 - 24, 2008

Wagon Jumpers May 11-17, 2008

Wagon Jumpers Week 1 (May 4 - 10)

Wagon Jumpers - Anyone Need a Lift? (initial thread)

As always all members are encouraged to tag this thread so that it is easy to find. 

 

Congratulations to everyone who made it through another week! Wagon Jumpers in week 3, are heading towards one month on the wagon at the end of this week!

Unfortunately this is also the first week that we lost some people (I suppose it had to happen sooner or later). If you have not already sent the people on the MIA list a PM to encourage them to come back to the group please do so.

Last week we talked about setting motivational consistency targets. Many people had plans in place for how to loose weight (i.e. eat 1500 cal / day, exercise 4 times a week, drink 3L of water a day), but many also struggled with giving themselves a reason to stay on that weight loss plan consistently over the long term.

We all want to be healthier, to look and feel better and in most cases to loose weight. The struggle for us is being motivated enough by the end goal to stay with our well intentioned plans long enough for them to work. So, this week's topic is a slight twist on last week's.

This Week's Topic:

Complete the following: "I will not fall off the wagon this time because..." 

The good news for me this week is that I met my calorie goal easily eating an average of 2096 cal / day. This week my calorie goal is 2200 cal / day. Eight more weeks until I reach my on plan calorie goal. I flubbed my workout goal this week, I've already met my on plan workout goal of 4 days per week 2 hours per day. Now I need to figure out over the next eight weeks how to fit those workouts in no matter what comes my way. This largely involves getting up earlier in the morning and not shuffling around the house like a zombie. 

I will not fall off the wagon this time because:

- I have made a plan that is all about staying on the wagon not obsessing on immediate results.

- I have made a plan that is achievable and manageable under stress.

- I feel good when I am on plan and I do not feel like I am depriving myself or "missing" something. 

- I have made myself accountable to many people in my virtual and physical life. 

hey guys, not actually missing in action, just stranded on the isle of corsica with effectively no internet access!!!

I maybe ate too much, but i also walked a lot so I hope it has all balanced out (we lived on the top of the hill, plus had to walk 30 mins to get to class, and then back up a huge hill if we were unlucky as well).

bread and I don't really get along all that well, but in France there is often very little option, so my goal this week is to really cut out bread again and see if that helps both my stomach and my weight. This week I am at another course in Switzerland, where thankfully there is free wifi, so I am hoping I will be able to keep in touch with the group more.

sara, thanks for keeping this all going. Flubbing a work out goal one week isn't the end of the world, the trick is to make sure you get back on track as soon as possible. I know you can do it!

I will try and update myself by reading the last weeks thread, but anyway hope you are all doing well and have a good sunday.

Hey all,

Sorry about the MIA bit. Lost my password and cc took its time to send it to me.  Anywho, I am still here and am going pretty strong - fell off yesterday, picked back up today.

One ? - any advice for being home alone at night and bored and unmotivated? This is when I eat andeat and eat and it turns into a binge. HELP please! Thanks

And thanks for the msgs :)

Big challenge for me this week will be dragging my butt out of bed early enough to get to the gym before work. Tuesday through Friday I've got evening functions, so if I don't go to the gym in the morning I'll miss it for sure. I have so much trouble getting started in the morning. I've tried the juice, but I'm still dragging myself around the house for one or two hours. Even worse I've taken to getting up and then lying down on the couch for an hour and going back to sleep in front of breakfast television. I really need to not do that this week. 

Jane Great to hear from you, you did let us know that you travel quite a bit, so glad you are still trying to stick with it. Good luck in Switzerland!

Gettingheathy123 Technology is great, until it isn't. Or that's the ongoing theme until we get our office up and running again. 

I use tea in the evenings. I've got a great little japanese tea pot with an infuser, a really nice selection of loose leaf teas and I just keep making pot after pot of tea. It has a nice subtle relaxing taste for evening, and drinking that much water keeps me full. 

This seems like it could be a great group for me! May I join you guys?

I will not fall off the wagon this time because..

- I know how good it feels when I eat well and exercise.

- I have reached a weight before that I was happy at, and its only a few more lbs away now.

- If I don't get back on that wagon now I'm going to just keep gaining and gaining and it'll only be harder to get back on!

Sarah_11235 Welcome to the group! Feel free to read though some of the old threads, we seem to be off to a bit of a slow start this week, generally it's a pretty laid back group. The goal being simply to stay on track by keeping our goals top of mind. 

Well I can tell you one really important reason for me right off the bat....I WILL NOT be fat in a bathing suit when I go to Mexico on vacation early next year! I looked over some pictures recently of my cruise a year ago...OMG!...not a pretty sight.  I want to look good in a cute little two piece this time around.

Secondly, I am starting week two of my purification process.  So far, so good.  About 6 lbs down, most of which I am sure is water weight, but hey, I'm not complaining.  It's been hard for me, as I'm not a veggie lover by any means.  So to do this for four weeks, not to mention the cost of the program, and then fall off the wagon?????Absolutely no way I'll let that happen!

I wish everyone else luck this week:)

I'd love to join your group... an inbox full of people holding me accountable is probably the best thing to keep me going!

I will not fall off the wagon this time because..

I'm tired of  feeling disappointed every time I look in a mirror or get on the scales.

I hate seeing the look on my boyfriend's eyes when I go back for just one more doughnut... piece of cake... half a loaf of bread.

I really, really miss fitting in my clothes.

And we're getting our Wiifit on Wednesday, so I'm hoping that'll make motivating myself a little more fun!

Update on me: I did not make it out of bed early enough to go to the gym before work so I'm hoping to get enough work done today to skip off a bit early and go to the gym before going out with the girls. 

Got2getthin I can relate to the bathing suit / photo nightmare. Well probably everyone here can. I've always gone with conservative bathing suits, and I though I was looking fairly okay in my shorts & tank top bathing suit last year.... then I saw the pictures of me jumping off a waterfall..... OH NO! YIKES! I know I started too late to really make enough progress by this summer so I've got one of the "dress" bathing suits (will the just please bring back the styles of the 1920's!) but I'd really love to be able to put on a cute 2 piece next summer.

Peera Welcome to the group! I miss fitting into my clothes as well. Feel free to go back and read some of the earlier threads, this week's is sort of a continuation of last weeks. 

I think one thing I would encourage people to think about is positive vs negative motivation. I'm not saying that negative motivation is not powerful, it can be, I'm just not sure that it can keep people going in the long run. Maybe I'm wrong. What I mean by negative motivation (and we all have some of it) is the "I'm too fat to...." The feeling that you are too fat to do something, or wear something.

I guess it depends on how far off it is, but as you try to motivate yourself to stay on track if it's going to take a year to fit into a piece of clothing isn't there more of a chance you get frustrated with yourself and fall off the track because there is not fast enough progress? I think it's important to pair negative motivation with positive motivation. What can you say that is positive about yourself, your strength, you abilities that is going to support you to your goal beyond the goal itself?

Got2getthin I totally hear you on the bathing suit thing! People lately keep mentioning plans to go to the beach and water parks and stuff later this summer when its warmer, and I get looking down at myself thinking of how I need to get myself bathing-suit ready by then! I would love to look great in a bikini. Good luck :)

Room for one more?

I will not fall off the wagon this time because I don't like myself when I overeat. It's been a three-month break from my healthy habits and I'm so ashamed of my new habits. Last night I ate a whole box of cereal, just because I like the taste and crunch and chewiness of the raisins! Every day has become like this. I will not fall off the wagon because I will surely rise above my start weight if I do, and I've worked too hard for that!

Seeing the number on the scale inch up every day is draining me emotionally. I know how to make no-yolk omelets and steamed veggies and I know how to exercise, so I need to get back into it. No more cereal, chocolate, and donuts. Hello chicken, tuna, veggies, squash, and wholegrain pasta!

Maybe we should start a list of positive motivators?

I will not fall off the wagon because....

.....nothing tastes as good as thin feels.

.....there is no reason I need to eat so much, weigh so much.

.....I love myself, and I want everyone else to see what I feel.

I would love to jump on this wagon. This sounds like a VERY neat idea. Whether you add me to said wagon or not, I will reply to this anyway.

I will not fall off the wagon because....

.....I want to live as long as I can.

.....I want to appear to others as I do in my head.

.....The wagon is moving very fast and I would not like to sustain injuries by flinging myself into the unforgiving streets.

Ser25 Always room for one more! Welcome to the group! I think a positive motivation list will be in order, perhaps I'll make that next week's topic, no harm to start it early though. I think many of us are really good at beating ourselves up for falling off the wagon and poor body image, we don't tend to focus on what our strengths are that can help us achieve our goals.

Vicki8seekers Love the last one!

Ld1984 Welcome to the group! Much like Vicki8seeker's I love your second one. I think part of the negative motivator for me is when I see photo's of myself now I'm surprised that I'm that fat girl. A positive motivator for me is that I haven't become that fat girl in my head, so I'm working hard to let others see what I see in my head.

Hi, I'm still on the wagon!  I agree with the many others above me--I want others to see me as I see myself--not as the fat girl, but as the cute one!!

I did OK this week.  What got me a bit messed up over the weekend was going to DE to help my in-laws move into a new house.  I ate (and drank!!) a lot there, but, hey, I was moving heavy boxes and doing a lot of cleaning--hopefully that makes up for it??

I haven't formally exercised in a few days.  My knee is feeling it.  I need to go biking tomorrow.

My positive pieces of motivation:

I want my knee to not be so bothersome so I can run after toddlers!

I want my arms to get back into the "Madonna on yoga" shape, which I had 6 years ago.

I want to have a smaller face--it will make my pretty eyes stand out more!!

 HI, I am having a hard time... death of a dear co worker this week.  Today, one of my sweet patients died.  I love being a nurse but I am having a rough time with it all right now.  I just cried all the way home.  I got into it with the nurse that followed me today.  I wanted to smack her one. she was saying she just doesnt allow herself to get close to her pts.  She just takes care of them and meets their needs and that is it. I replied, well you are meeting all of their needs except their emotional needs.  when someone is dying, that is when they need you the most.  She replied, well, right now you are a basket case.  I dont need that.  I thought that she was so so so ... cant think of what I want to say.  callous.  sorry for going on and on.  I had a tough time with calories.  I had 2155.  I need to learn to not console my self with food.  Got to learn that.

sorry for venting.

I will not fall off the wagon because.....It hurts to fall off!!  seriously...I will not fall off because I am sick of being heavy...I have made up my mind that I am going to do it.  I remind myself of my goals when I want to eat what I shouldnt... most of the time.

Hope everyone had a good weekend (an extra day for some of us in the USA) I've done pretty well the last couple days. It helps to be accountable to all of you.

I won't fall off the wagon this time because:

1. It's too discouraging to have to keep climbing back on

2. I want the feeling of accomplishment that comes from deciding to do something, and then actually doing it

3. Summer will be soooo much more fun if I fit into my clothes and have the extra energy that losing weight always gives me.

I'm still having trouble getting up in the mornings but I'm trying to do it slowly. Well, I tried to do it quickly this morning, my friend called me at 7:00 am (after I got up at 6:30 and went back to sleep on the couch) and told me to get my butt to the gym. And I STILL went back to sleep until 8:00 am.... which is better than yesterday when I wasn't able to crawl off the couch until 8:30.... so I guess slowly it is. Must be off couch at 7:30 am tomorrow. 

This getting up late is a real pain right now since I have to find time in the day to go to the gym and end up doing some work from the gym between sets. I guess all those years of working nights and late bar shifts just have my body really programmed to avoid morning. Did you know it is actually light out at 6:30 am now? I had no idea. I'm seriously thinking I should try sleeping in my gym clothes, then I wouldn't have the chance to stop at the couch before getting dressed. 

I did go to the gym yesterday, and out with the girls but ended up eating too much. I had accounted for the sushi, but I had a few chips, four cookies, some wakame salad and some veggie tempura.... it added up. The good news is that I ate under cal the previous two days so I haven't blown my weekly average. Need to go out to book club tonight, must not eat the extras.

Defrog3 I like the smaller face = pretty eyes stand out more, I never thought about it, buy you're likely right, that's a great image!

Karenie I know I've said this before but both my aunts are nurses, and now that my mother had to have such an extended stay in the hospital I can really say that from a patient perspective there is a world of difference between nurses that are going about their "tasks" and meeting the patients physical needs, and those who stop to talk a bit, offer some comfort, hold a hand, take an interest and really listen. As a patient or family we can REALLY tell and it makes a world of difference. As far as I'm concerned you have the hardest job in the world. I'm grateful everyday that there are people like you doing it. I hope you continue to survive it, and yes, find another means of comfort besides food. 

JCR I think your second one for me is also a strong motivator I want to accomplish this, check it off the list, actually do it. I'm tired of being the girl on a diet and always being on the diet. I need to actually finish this. Complete the change, make the difference. 

well unfortunately this week the wagon has taken a very tempting route through a an all inclusive week, with three course meals, buffet breakfast, morning tea and afternoon tea in the swiss alps. I have been trying not to give into all the temptation too much, but it quite difficult to say no to all the yummy food ALL the time.  RIght now the wagon seems to be idleing in place for a bit.

Sara, regarding getting up, perhaps the problem is that you are trying something too ambitious, and then get disheartened when you can't make it. Perhaps a better strategy would be to take 8:30 as your starting point, and then do it gradually like you have been doing everything else. Get up 8 for a couple of days and go to the gym straight away then, then 7:30 for a few days, etc. Have all your stuff packed in the evening, and then set your alarm for 15 minutes before you leave to go to the gym (so you have to do everything quick and don't sit down on the couch in the first place).

if you get out of the house before you have time to wake up, I'm sure you will be fine.

Anyway hope you are all having good weeks, I'm still thinknig about my answer to this weeks question

Jane