Wagon Jumpers - November 16 - 22nd, 2008 (Closed, Waiting List available)
Welcome
(We are currently at 30 members. If you are interested in being on the waiting list please read below and e-mail me.)
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 please see the guidelines below and send me a PM if you are still interested (there may be a waiting list).
Why is the participation capped?
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.
Over the first few weeks we experimented with an "open to all" concept and found that the thread became too long and confusing and as a result no one got to know each other and it became too much work for many members.
With a mid sized group (30) I am hoping to maintain the community and supportive goals of the original thread, and have enough people that if we are not all daily posters (as the only requirement is a weekly post) that the thread is still motivational and has new content day to day.
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.
Still interested? Send Supersized a PM.
Wagon Jumpers Participants
Week 28 Riders - Congratulations on 7 Months!:
Supersized (myself)
Week 26 riders:
Week 25 Riders:
Week 24 Riders - Congratulations on 6 Months!:
Week 21 Riders:
Wenchie58 - recovery to December 6th, 2008
Week 20 Riders - Congratulations on 5 Months!:
Week 19 Riders:
Week 16 Riders - Congratulations on 4 Months!:
Week 13 Riders:
Week 12 Riders - Congratulations on 3 Months!:
Week 11 Riders:
Week 10 Riders:
Week 9 Riders:
Week 8 Riders - Congratulations on 2 Months!:
Nannygabber - Away to December 1st, 2008
Week 7 Riders:
Amber1l - away to November 22nd, 2008
Week 5 Riders:
Week 4 Riders - Congratulations on 1 Month!:
Week 3 Riders:
Week 2 Riders:
Week 1 Riders:
New:
Missing In Action:
Missing In Action - 1 Week:
Missing In Action - 2 Weeks:
Current Membership: 30
Current Waiting List: 0
Outstanding Wait List Invites: 0
12 Week CONSISTENCY GOALS
(as set w/o October 19th, 2008)
By January 11th, I will be...
At least 8 weeks successful on my 12-week consistency plan. That is 8 weeks at an average of 1500 cal/day (weekly avg) and gym 4x/week 2 hrs/session.
Working out 5x week. I will be eating 1500-2000 calories a day dependng on exercise.
Sticking with the NROL nutrition (40%-30%-30%) and working out 3x/week. This should have me almost complete with stage 4 of the program.
Consistently drinking 4 500 ml bottles of water per day and working out 3 times a week, this can include running, weights, etc...
Maintaining walking 10,000 - 12,000 steps a day and adding both Wii Fit exercise 2-3 times per week, while achieving a calorie deficit of 500 cal/day.
Exercising 5 days/week (cardio + strength) and eating 1500 calories on exercise days and 1200 on rest days.
Be eating 1450 cal/day, except on non-exercise days (1300) and exercising 6 days/week on a stationary bike, increasing the distance each week by 1/2 mile with a goal to reach 10 miles/session by the end of 12 weeks.
Journaling my food on CC everyday, and getting 30 min of exercise 2-3 times per week.
Adding interval training - Fartleks - to my running to reach a goal of running a 5K at 6 min/km. While maintaining a 600 cal/day deficit.
Eating 5-6 fruits and vegetables a day, and working out 5 days a week.
Drinking 2L of water everyday, and eating at a 500 calorie deficit everyday.
Eating at an average deficit of 500 cal/day 6-7 days/week, and exercising 5 times/week for at least 20 min/session.
Eat an average of 1700 cal/day and exercise 4x per week, according to my plan
Eating at 1600 cal/day and walking for 1 hour 3 days/week.
Drinking 2 mugs and 1 glass of water per day and logging my food everyday.
Exercising two times a week for 60 minutes at the gym or at home, and logging all of my food.
Exercising 2 times a week.
Maintaining a complete food log on the CC website daily to remain on track. Exercising 2x a week for minimum of 45 minutes.
Going to the gym 4 times per week (maintenance). Drinking ATLEAST 2 litres of water per day.
Exercising at least 30 min every day. Logging my calories on CC every day.
Exercising for 30 min 3 times per week. Eating vegetables with 2 meals per week.
Previous Threads:
Wagon Jumpers - November 9 - 15th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - November 2 - 8th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - October 26 - November 1st, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - October 19 - 25th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - October 12 - 18th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - October 5 - 11th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - September 28 - October 4th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers - September 21 - 27th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers September 14-20th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers September 7-13th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 31 - September 6th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 24 - 30th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 17 - 23rd, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 10 - 16th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 2 - 9th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers July 27 - August 2nd, 2008
Wagon Jumpers July 20 - 26th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers July 6 - July 21st, 2008 (another, two week special!)
Wagon Jumpers June 22 - July 5th, 2008 (two week special!)
Wagon Jumpers June 15-21, 2008
Wagon Jumpers May 25 - 31, 2008
Wagon Jumpers May 18 - 24, 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.
Hey guys.......I am back....my trip was great.....I am so exhausted so I need to catch up at home I will write on the next strand.....by the way I only gained 3 lbs.....YAY
Yoga was cancelled. There is no school today due to the severe weather. So, the fitness center classes follow the school policy. BUT! (another but... LOL!) I made it there anyway! I got a 24 minute run in, and substitued lifting for the yoga class. WOW, that was one amazing run too. I didn't want to stop... LOL! I found a treadmill near the windows, and watched the snow flying while i trudged along. It was very interesting, by the time I hit 20 minutes, it felt as though I wasn't even breathing heavy. I kept checking my heartrate, and it stayed between 125 and 140, depending on the incline.... I did, for the first time, a random path. I usually just keep it track level, and go for the time. The addition of inclines actually made it more interesting! (I am easily distracted and get bored easily too) I am really beginning to love this stuff! And the best part of being there today?? Hardly anyone at all was there. It was just nice and quiet, and peaceful.... I will post a couple pics for you guys of what my neigborhood looks like today.
Sara - no need to apolgize to me for longer than usual "round abouts" (that has to be Canadian!) I truly enjoyed your analysis, and believe that you are right on with it. I tend to linger with analysis paralysis most of the time! LOL! It makes perfect sense to me anyhow. I'll venture to answer your rhetorical question, "the question is not necessarily how to do better always, but why you have need not to do better on some days..."
Why do I "sabotage" on weekends? Well, maybe I'm just not ready to give up my wild times. I truly enjoy going out, having drinks, socializing, getting a little rowdy, letting my hair down.... yep, that's what we do! NOW..... I ask my own self, how can I do the things I enjoy, and remain on track? Well, I suppose there are several answers, depending who you are and where you are in life or even in geography. LOL!
I consider it a complete success that I don't get rowdy every day of the week as I used to do! I quit smoking entirely, as of 3 weeks ago. (Cold Turkey)... mmmm turkeyyyy.... *blink back to reality* ... I try to drink alcohol in moderation when I am out. I do enjoy that. I know its not calorie free, but darn it, I have to be allowed one vice! Don't I??? LOL. heh.
I can tell you this. The way my life has utterly completely changed in the past two months, with BF being completely gone for 5 days a week, and home only on weekends, I have good reason to live those two days to the max.
BUT I suppose the options could be:
1. Just give it up, its not worth it.
2. Go out, but don't drink alcohol.
3. Celebrate in ways that don't involve food.
Hmmm... did I just write that? I LIKE IT.
4. Can't think of any other possible options... help? LOL!
Let's go skiing!
Happy Healthgain to all,
~Julie
PS For those of you who think I may actually go skiing, there is definitely the option locally! However, I have lived a sheltered life... lol... and have never ever been on a set of those things! I can ice skate... does that compare? I think I'd more rather be in the cabin by the fire, considering how I love (NOT!) the cold.
Sara and Julie thanks for the reminders. Our internet service has been out for the past 2 days and even our phone went out for 1 day so its been really quiet here. Not necessarily in a bad way.
I am a very organized person so holiday scheduling is the norm. I bake a lot for presents so I have to keep on schedule to complete everything when it's needed. Funny thing is when I bake I don't taste. Having a large quantity of goodies around and having the work of making them seems to be a turn off. Not sure what that says about me but I'll take whatever help I can get with my will power.
This week has been very rushed with school activities with my boys and work. Also I work this weekend so no help with time there.
Thanks again for the gentle reminders and I hope they truly fixed the phone/internet problems so I can be more timely next week.
Jen
Hello All..
I am trying to get used to the coldness here in Ohio, and not succeeding...patience is needed I guess..I don't hate the winter, but I don't make unneeded trips to be out in it either..lol
I am still on track goal-wise...loving the slimmer body even if it does jiggle and needs to be firmed up if possible. I just found out that our local YMCA has opted out of our health network and will not allow us to attend unless we become a member...so I am working it pretty hard here at home. I have me bike, trampoline, and treadmill...of course I still take maniac dog for long walks when I can. I have found youtube and have downloaded a wonderful mix of music that is very motivational(also nice on the eyes Thanks to lead singer of Nickelback!!) lol
I think after this goal period is up I might start to try to add some weights into the mix..I am getting old enough to start being concerned about osteoporosis...my mother is on meds for it, and would like NOT to take 14pills a day to survive when I hit 64..
have a good evening
Robin
Hi!
Thanks Sara and Nannygabber for the reminder notes! I've just been working a lot this week, as my "real" job has started to kick in. Its OK; I'm not going to get too into it here.
I'm VERY excited. I think that my 3 month long plateau is finally breaking. There are two pairs of work pants that I had as part of my wardrobe rotation a month ago when I started my job--as of this week, they are "just this side" of too big to wear (hooray!). Too big as in, the waist is at my hips--even when the waist is buttoned to be smaller--this must mean that my lower abs are shrinking!! I can remember wearing these pants w/the waist unbuttoned (not cinched), I feel great about the progress!! And all of this is made even more amazing because AF started today--I have a little bloat going on!!
To celebrate, I'm going to buy a few new bras tomorrow. The smaller ones that I bought in July to accommodate my ever shrinking cleavage are also now too big (sigh). Its so frustrating that I lose it there first, but I suppose there's nothing to be done for it!
I've already planned out every weekend in December. I'm hyperorganized, so that was done a few weeks ago. My husband just added his new job's holiday party, though (spouses are invited!), so now I've got to make appropriate changes...
Robin--add the weights! They help! There are plenty of resources out there on how to use weights to lose weight, but I think a good guidebook is "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women," if you can ignore the cheesy pictures... :D My mother in law was on meds for osteo--they gave her dry eye! Sux about your YMCA.
Sarah, "seriously in the summers it sounds like the States is in the end days." haha, you're reminding me of a thread on this site where someone was looking for "someplace warm to go in March"--and I contradicted a prior poster who recommended Canada, saying that Canada isn't that warm in March. The prior poster then replied and started ripping into personally, insulting where I live, all kinds of crap. The response was incredulous! I could go on, but its not worth it. Your statement just reminded me of it. haha! :D
Maureen, Great work!! Your loss is inspiring. Keep it up!
Susan, love your story on the 8K! I have a torn meniscus that I'm trying to baby, so no running for me :( I think that you should be OK w/Wasabi--after all, its just horseradish powder and water--in fact, I have a jar of Trader Joe's Wasabi Powder here--1/4 tsp per serving is zero calories! so go ahead--burn your sinuses away!!
OK--husband just came in from grilling dinner--turkey burgers! can you believe he actually enjoys grilling in the outdoors in this freezing weather?? He's a nut, I tell you...
Cheers!
Denise
Sarah,
Adding squash to my exercise regime has certainly upped my weight loss as I play competitively for one hour and within that hour I can burn off up to 700 calories! It's been a godsend for me as living in B.C. our winters consist of rain, rain and more rain! Rather than sit in and watch tv, I feel that getting out and hitting the ball is a good stress reliever and I'm far away from the kitchen!!
Good luck this coming week to all of us! DON"T let emtions control you by feeding these emotions with FOOD!...we are stronger than that!
Cheers alll,
Maureen
Denise,
Thanks for your warm words of support. Since I made the committment once and for all on Sept 1/08, I find that if I take control mentally over what it is that is causing me to binge etc. then I know deep down I have a good chance of reaching goal. Now, 16 1/2lbs. later.....I can honestly believe FINALLY that I shall make it! One mouthful at a time, one meal at a time, one day at a time and finally ONE POUND at a time!.
Hoping to have another "small loss" next week but if I maintain well then it's not because I've failed....perhaps my body is taking a "break"???(ha).
Cheers,
Maureen
Hi Everyone,
I'm here this week -- better late than never.
This week was pretty tough for me. I missed a few workouts, which I realize will have to happen from time to time when I have to squeeze extra things into my already busy and time-crunched schedule.
What got me down this week was that my food logging went right out the window. I was angry at hubby for something he did a few weeks ago and still hasn't exactly made right. In the beginning, there was no way I was going to let my emotions derail me-- I was super conscious of my tendency to do just that, and I stayed focused on my goals. Somehow, this week, my mind would be saying "don't use this situation as a reason to make poor choices," while my hands were putting dangerous items into my shopping cart and later into my mouth. I was hiding contraband food items and eating them on the sly -- and telling myself that it's okay -- after all, I'm only looking to lose 10-15 lbs and I'll start again tomorrow.
Ugh. I hate that I do that! Particularly the sense of feeling not in control.
As I've said before, I'm not a junk food fan and for that I feel very fortunate. But binging on otherwise healthy foods is still binging . . . you know? Still a bunch of extra calories and still that same out-of-control feeling.
Nannygabber: thanks for the nice message
Sara: thanks for the reminder. I hope to get to the holiday planning home work later today. I've been looking forward to doing it-- just haven't had time yet; it's a great idea.
Maureen: I LOVED reading your posts because you've been directly addressing emotional eating. Generally I've found that I need to fill up my time with so many activities I barely have time to eat except when I really need to. That tactic's not working right now . . . Did you do anything specific to kick that habit?
Enjoy the rest of the weekend all.
Felecia
Lee-Anne Great job on the logging, and isn't it wonderful to find an exercise that you enjoy! My major complaint with the scale is that we have such a reliance on outside approval of our bodies, and the scale is a way to reinforce that. All diet and fitness marketing is done in inches and pounds and when we think about everything outside of ourselves then we forget how to listen to our bodies. Listening to your body is the most powerful tool you will have to be able to move through your health goals and then maintain them without the forever aid of calorie counting etc...
Kyashiis The holidays do sound very busy for you. Big congratulations to your student. My mum leans many different languages, she is currently fluent in 36... I did not inherit her talent for languages, I am fluent in two (English / French), I can get by in Spanish, and I know some basic phrases in Mandarin and Japanese...really basic. I find the transition to the Asian and Arabic languages the hardest as the structure does not seem to be the same and it is of course an entirely different system of viewing the language. I imagine it is much the same coming from the other direction.
Amber Welcome back! See you next week!
Julie Spectacular job on the workout, what area of the states are you in? I think we're in a similar boat as the weekend warriors. Like you my partner and I only see each other on weekends, I'm not as wild as I used to be, but I like to cut loose, I quit smoking 4 years ago.... so it is easier now, oh, and I work in beverage alcohol (communications) - lets just say sobriety - not an option.
I think the option to take is simply Plan For Moderation... and Plan.
I know that I ALWAYS eat more on the weekends. Some of my tactics are to eat less during the week, I tend to say around 1250 - 1350 cal M-F this gives me some room on Sat/Sun. I try to plan for one major party on the weekend (harder as holiday's come up) and then one special at home night with my partner on the other day.
If I'm going to party, I eat lighter during the day, but light and healthy, plan how many drinks I am going to have. I've become a pretty big beer drinker as it's lower in calories than most of the cocktails available. I try to focus on beer & wine and try to drink at the party rather than eat too much. I sit away from the munchies, have as many conversations as possible, and only carry a napkin so that I don't pick up tonnes of food.
On the other day on the weekend I can control the menu more because my partner doesn't really like to cook. So we do some laid back stuff like going to park / museum / art gallery (there is rarely food in these places), treating ourselves to uber expensive but uber great fair trade organic teas or coffee and then focusing on having local orgnic dinners at home that are low cal but well presented and filling. This also gives us a lot of 'us' time and even though my partner will not generally cook, chopping and helping with prep work has been good 'us' time.
Jen Hmm, maybe I need to take up baking. My deal with my partner is that he bakes and I cook. I thought this was a fair trade as I'm a reasonable cook and so was my mum while his mum is a great baker. Funny, he doesn't often taste when he bakes either.
Robin I hear you on the osteo... in fact I don't think it's something that any of us are too 'young' to be concerned about. This may be TMI, but if any of the ladies here who are younger are on birth control especially a birth control that negates your period this has big time consequences for your bone density. Sucky about the YMCA, I don't get American health care. YMCA's here (Canada) are basically free, you can either to a pay-to-play or get a VERY cheap membership. And all of the community centers have little gyms.
Denise Well hey! You can't blame me all we get up here is CNN and during the summer it's 24-hours of floods, hurricanes, tornado's, and wild fires.... in fact, I'm becoming convinced that there may not in fact be any people left in the states!
Canada....warm.... in March? Eeeagawds! No! We still have mountains of snow in March, people are often still skiing her in March... okay well maybe if your in BC that isn't true, but you'll be getting rained on 24-7 (see Maureen's post). That person must have been thinking of the Canadian dream to include Turks & Caicos in the Canadian federation. It's not so much that we know anything about Turks & Caicos (in fact I'm not sure I've got the second island name right), or what their political leanings are, but they inquired and it was put out in the news, and every Canadian went... Tropical Islands in Canada? Whatever, get it done!
Fabulous job on the weight loss, great news about the pants! I'm now out growing (in a good way) the skinny jeans I bought 2 months ago. I figure given another month they will look ridiculous on me.
Maureen I hear you on the rain, and I raise you snow. I've been thinking about trying to find a women's indoor soccer league. I need something to supplement the incidental activity that I participate in during the summer simply because it s good weather.
Felicia I binge on mustard pickles, seasoned seaweed and rice cakes. There is something fundamentally wrong with me. You're right it's still bingeing, funny how we think we can hide foods from ourselves. Tune into next week's thread if I remember it will be something about this secret eating bit.
I made it out to the gym today, which was a small miracle. I've been organizing the Annual Policy Convention's Communications and I ended up building an entire website, a registrants package, 2-supplementary backgrounders, an overview, an e-mail blast to members and fixing all of the formatting my none-to-detail-conscious helper missed. In short, aside from my 1.5 hrs (did workout quickly) at gym and an 1 hour meeting I spent the rest of the day... and I mean the full 24 hours in front of the bleeding computer!
I'm starving. I forgot to eat.
Watching myself, I need to get it under control today, relax, eat well, and stop being a crazy workaholic for an organization I volunteer for.
I am however having a 'skinny' day. This was the first day I've actually been a bit embarrassed by how loose my gym clothes are I think I'm looking a bit of a raggamuffin in them now.
Sara.
Felecia, Gotta watch out for the hidding food and eating it on the sly! eh? I have been known to do that. I guess it goes back to hidding stuff from Mom as a kid, but who are we fooling now? If it goes in, it's in and doesn't matter if anyone knows.
It is terrible that out of control feeling - it's like being trapped in your mind yelling "hey stop!" while the hands andd the mouth keep going - and you can't even enjoy your treat, cause it is on the sly.
Hope you find a way to snap out of it - sometimes I can and some times I can't. Recently I have taken to smelling the kids snacks- and it is enough (or sometimes better). Big, deep sniffs of popcorn and brownies, and eventually, the craving wears off.
Lalie
Sara, I've gotten so used to your reminder mail on my saturday/sunday that I logged in anyway to see if I have missed this week :D
I'm glad I did- you all have such an interesting discussion going! I am a big fan of HIIT too.. It is a great weight loss tool - esp. when you are in one of those plateaus- weight not moving down despite a healthy diet and exercise program for a while IMO. I probably should start it again in some small way at least.
Spent my whole day off shopping and getting cute clothes for the winter..(that was also a good exercise I hope!!)..
I hope you all have a great week - inspite of the weather!!
THIS THREAD IS CLOSED, PLEASE POST ON OUR NEW WEEKLY THREAD:
Maureen: I LOVED reading your posts because you've been directly addressing emotional eating. Generally I've found that I need to fill up my time with so many activities I barely have time to eat except when I really need to. That tactic's not working right now . . . Did you do anything specific to kick that habit?
Felicia,
You wrote this to me and I'd like to take some time to respond. The truth is the majority of women are EMOTONAL EATERS and hormones do play a big part of that. I feel society has put a lot of "stress on us" to look a certain way, wear a certain size etc. etc. and this also adds to the low esteem we feel from time to time hence, emotional eating. Also, I find eating out of boredome, loneliness, depression, anger etc. etc. is our "comfort blankie" we seem to reach out to to make us feel better AND it does for a few minutes but then we get caught in that vicious circle once again. Every one of us in CC know what to do, how to do it, what not to put into our mouths yet we are still human enough and along the way we go into these YOYO cycles of eating. HOw many of us have lost that same 10-15 lbs. over and over again.
You asked me (see above) what did i do to "kick the habit"....well, if you must know Felicia I sat down and thought of MAUREEN and what would make her happy and what is making her unhappy. Naturally, being overweight was the main issue. Then I asked myself ...how many more year am I willing to allow this to go by before doing anything about it. I'll be 57 March 3 and on March 6, I leave for Hawaii...so I asked myself what do I have to do to make this committment work....to see what I've been doing to myself....and the most important thing I asked myself is : What AM I AFRAID OFF??? WHAT"S STOPPING ME from reaching goal...the answer was FOOD! I've allowed food (binges) to make me feel better; make me feel worse; me feel sick; make me feel that I'm worth nothing. So Felicia, on Sept 1/08 I looked in the mirror and said ENOUGH! I've had enough of this CRAP....I'm worth more than this torture and I deserve to be happy AND I know I can do it if I allow Patience to guide me....deep down, I felt I couldn't do it and always felt a failure...now I mark my successes by losing little by little whether it's pounds or inches. And we all know that happiness comes from within so I stopped blaming others for me being overweight....I TOOK CONTROL of FOOD.... AMEN!! (ha)
Hope this helps you Felicia and any one else...thanks for your words of encouragement. Tiny steps Felicia..that's what I'm taking but you know what when I die (don't laugh at this ) I don't want to be overweight!!!! and I know that if I look after myself properly I can live longer!
Good luck Felicia, and good luck to everyone...it's a constant battle but one WE CAN ALL win!
Cheers,
Maureen
Enjoy the rest of the weekend all.
Figure out what type of eater you are and you might just find the answer to permanent weight loss.
Take the Diet Profile Test and learn to avoid the pitfalls and self-sabotage that often come with your personal profile.