My Hometown Gyms Receive an F-

** This was supposed to post last Friday morning, but something went haywire. My apologies.

I am a procrastinator from way back. When I was working, I would get all of my work-related stuff done right away. My personal stuff has always been a "wait until the last minute scenario". I have been working to change it, and actually get things done as close to immediately as I can. It was, with these intentions toward anti-procrastination, that I tried to proactively look for a place to workout in my hometown while home for Thanksgiving. I wouldn't have thought it would be such an ordeal to get a workout in!

On Tuesday, I made some calls. One gym appears to be city-owned, and it was closed on Thanksgiving. I had two other options that claim to be 24-hour facilities. I spoke to the larger of the two, and was told I could stop and pick up a visitor card on Wednesday, as long as I was there before 6pm. Imagine my surprise and delight when I arrived at 3:05pm to find the person working already gone for the day. Awesome. It appears I should not have bothered trying to line this up ahead of time.

Onto option three. I walked into the gym, and walked right back to the office. No one was there, but the lights were on and the door was open. I was hopeful. Then the manager hopped off his machine, and came over. I explained that I just needed a place to work out for two days, and asked what I needed to do to make that happen. I was naive enough to believe the answer would be something along the lines of: "No problem. Come right over here, and we'll get you set up." I mean - how hard could this be? Instead I got told "Ummm...I don't usually do passes for that amount of time. I don't want to have to do all of the paperwork. And there is a deposit on the card, and if I'm not here when you're done on Friday I can't give your deposit back." I think he was hoping that I would give up at that point, and leave. That young man was not so lucky.

I went into my rebutal. My parents live in town. I will be back at Christmas. I could just get my deposit then. I understand there will be a fee involved, but I need a place to workout. Are you sure there is no way to do this? I don't have another option.

He changed his tune. Suddenly it was no problem. I went over to the table to fill out all of the paperwork. I want to let you in on something..."all" of the paperwork was one 2-part document. I had to fill in the top with my name, address, phone and emergency contact information and sign it. He had to check 2 boxes, write ten numbers and tear them apart. After I massaged my hand, because of the cramping from filling out so much paperwork, we went into his office where he ran my credit card through for the $7 card deposit (I can see why getting this returned immediately should be one of his negatives used in his attempt to dissuade me), and my 2-day fee. While the card was authorizing, he activated my gym card. Manager also told me to just give him a call if I was going to be back in December, and he could activate my card for whatever days I need it - incase I get in after he has left for the day. See....super-helpful now. He gave me a tour of the 20x20 facility - which was basically walking through the middle of it and him pointing at stuff, made sure my card worked, and I was on my way.

Start to finish this entire exchange: I want to use the gym, well...I don't really want to let you use the gym because I am excessively lazy for a fit person, but dude - I really need to use the gym, OK - I want to be super-helpful now, fill out "all of the" paperwork, charge credit card, activate gym card, there are the towels - help yourself, hey there are the TVs, don't bench press if you are here by yourself incase you get trapped and die, here is how you use the card at the door, OK thanks for coming in, have a nice Thanksgiving - - seriously took about 5 minutes. I can see where that was almost too much for him for the $21 he charged me.

Cut to Thursday morning. I am a person who does the same things until I get sick of them, then I change to something new and do that until I get sick of it. So going into a new gym, which is very limited compared to the gyms I am used to, had me all out of sorts. I forgot to do my warm up. The equipment didn't have actual weights on the plates...it had 2, 4, 6, etc. on them - and no note as to how much each plate weighed. Annoying!! So I got to improvise. As a non-fitness professional, I don't want to have to improvise. That is how I am going to hurt myself! All was not a loss, however. The last exercise on Thursday's workout is the "dip" machine. I love to hate it. It absolutely exhausts me. Limited gym 3 didn't have anything that even remotely resembled it, so I had to skip it. It really broke me up. (that is sarcasm)

I went to 1/2 of a bootcamp class after that - which was awesome. It got my heartrate up, without making me want to kick anyone. Plus it had "Tootsie Roll" on the playlist! How do you go wrong with that!?! I headed to my two family gatherings. I ate what I wanted, just smaller quantities than usual. It was nice to feel satisfied, but not miserable.

I plan to work it Friday morning at "Gym Limited" and then head into the lion's den. I am spending two days making cookies with my sisters and nieces. This will be the third year we are doing it. It is always a very entertaining time - with lots of yelling of Celine and Mariah Christmas albums. I just hope I am able to show some strength, and not eat all of the cookies. Wish me luck!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! What are you going to do to make this coming week great?

SDtS Mission 101: Week 6

Sorry for my extremely slacking nature this weekend! Cookie baking tried to kill me! So I am getting this out a little late!

Week six was a bit of a victory as far as I am concerned. Of those that sent in their updates - many people were able to lose weight (over the holiday week!!), and those that gained kept it very in check! HUGE WIN for Mission 101!! You guys rock.

We are heading into our last month of the mission! Let's kick some ass!!

I do have one new participant to introduce! Mission 101 has gone International!!

NEW MEMBER: Lia from Hungary

• Goal: Lose 50 pounds

Now on to the people that reported for this week! 

Gela

• Lost .2 for a total loss of 2 pounds
• Ran 7.5 miles (Goal is 10/week)

Ann

• Maintained her weight
• SHARE: Happy holidays!! No weight loss this week, but worked out every day and only had one helping on turkey day!!

 Dawn

• Gained 1.4 pounds for a total loss of 3.4 pounds
• Exercised 5 times (Goal: 4)
• SHARE: I made good food choices and got 5 workouts in so I am fine with that and hope to work it off this week.;)

Hillary

• Gained 1.5 pounds
• Exercised 4 times (Goal: 3)

Jennifer D

• Lost 4 pounds for a total loss of 5 pounds
• SHARE: All due to the bug, but maybe I can sustain it?  

Kari

• Gained 1 pound for a total loss of 5 pounds
• SHARE: Too much pumpkin pie

Kate

• Lost .4 pounds for a total loss of 9.6 pounds
• SHARE: I ate in moderation for thanksgiving. It was a good day. Did horrible on my steps this week…can’t get myself to use the treadmill. It needs to warm up…just a little bit even so I can get back outside and walk. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Kim

• Lost 2 pounds for a total loss of 9.2 pounds

B-Linda

• Lost .5 pounds for a total loss of 2.5 pounds
• Slept more than 7 hours 4 times (Goal: 4)
• SHARE: Just had to wait until this morning (inserted by Natalie: Saturday) as I wasn’t home yesterday and didn’t have a scale available. Then I had to get a workout in before emailing. Amazingly I’m down 0.5 pounds and I did manage 4 nights of 7 hours of sleep. (And I’ve got the Experience Life magazine open so I can read about how important it is that I sleep.) 

Marilyn

• Maintained weight for a total loss of 10.5 pounds
• Exercised 3 times (Goal: 3)

Melissa

• Gained .7 pounds for a total loss of 1 pound
• Exercised 5 times (Goal: 4)
• SHARE: I call that a success still.  I figured I could have waited until sat morning and it would have been better, but it is what it is.  I got 5 workouts in this week and I feel great!   

Bry-Guy 

• Maintained weight for a total loss of 4.6 pounds

MCS

•  Gained 3 pounds

Linda Lou

• Gained 2.5 pounds for a total loss of 2.5 pounds

Molly

• Pretty good week. Good on not bingeing and limiting pop. However really enjoyed my thanksgiving 

Carrot Top

• Exercised twice this week.  Working a lot and sitting a lot, but the exercise made me feel so good!  Food...eh, still having trouble being totally healthy.  I get tired and really hungry and eat what I want. I know the key is exercise 5 days a week min.  I will focus on the health aspect and not think of it as a way to lose pounds. 

Sarah

• Lost 1.5 pounds
• SHARE: 1.5 lbs lost this week so great week for me. I do have a family get together today where there will be a lot of food so hopefully I can hang on! Still haven't found a way to switch my workouts to mornings instead of late evenings. Other than that I feel more on track lately!  

Stephanie D

• Maintained weight for a total loss of 7 pounds
• SHARE: Im late, but down NOTHING....Yep 2nd week, wait 3rd week in a row.....better than going up, but not going to meet the goal unless I get in gear.  Life is seems to be getting some order now so I NEED to get back to the gym and eating better!!

Stephanie K (aka: Steaming Myself to Hotness)

• Gained 2ish pounds for a total loss of 2.4 pounds
• SHARE: 17 is looking real hard to achieve! 

Camille

• Gained 1 pound for a total loss of 4 pounds
• SHARE: I almost missed my chance to report my weight gain BUT it is only 1lb. from last week so I'll gladly take it.  I am still eating left overs but I can report only 1 dessert which was a luscious bar that Stephie made.  My biggest downfall was the appetizers so I will need to work on a plan as to how to avoid those at Christmas but anyway, I still consider this a prettty darn good week.

Kateo

• Maintained weight
• SHARE: I was able to maintain through Thanksgiving! Whoo Hoo! 

What is Your Strategy For the Fight?

And no - I don't mean fisticuffs. I am a lover, not a fighter. I am talking about the internal fight that it takes a person who loves food, and really loves fattening food, to not inhale a week's worth of calories and fat grams in one day. OK - that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but you get my drift. The holiday's are a nightmare for anyone who is trying to eat low calorie, low fat and low sodium. Everything seems to come along with heavy cream, butter, salt, butter, sugar...and did I mention butter? Our only hope is to pray there is a fresh veggie tray, and then will yourself to stay away from the dip!

So I have been working on devising a plan for myself for weeks now. How to make sure I get my exercise in, and don't treat my return trip to Minnesota as a workout-free vacation, like I usually do. How to keep my calorie/fat intake to a minimum while still enjoying myself, and not feeling completely deprived. It is going to be a challenge - I am not deluding myself into believing it is going to be easy - but I am also sure I can do it. Here is what I've come up with so far:

• I have contacted a local gym, and will be going to do my weight lifting at 6 or 6:0am on Thursday. From there I am going to head to Dynamic Fitness, where Molly has been kind enough to throw an earlier bootcamp class in the mix, and let her kick my ass for a while.
• I am going to  hope and pray that the fact that I went and busted my rear in the morning will help me not want to eat like a pig the whole day. It has been working for the last couple of days in my cocoon - so I'm going to take it out in the real world, and see how it goes.
• I will not eat appetizers. I will eat only at mealtime, and I will not go back for seconds.
• I will have all of the things that I want, but in much smaller quantities than usual.
• I know that people in the know suggest getting out and going for a walk after lunch, but let's be serious. It is cold, and I am dressed up. Well - maybe not dressed up....but I am in jeans instead of FPs. I am not going out and freezing my ass off (the result if I walk slow enough to not turn into a complete sweaty mess) to go for a walk. Instead, I will try and help do dishes (I saw something about a 150# person burns 156 cals/hour washing dishes) and then I will remove myself from the food.
• For dinner, I will repeat the same plan.

This isn't a diet with a deadline. This is my life. I have to figure out how to make it adaptable to real situations, because I am hoping to be around for a few more Thanksgivings.

What tips do you have for enjoying your holiday, without blowing your whole week?

A Perpetual State of Dehydration

I sweat. Not like a hot, sexy sweat. Drenched in it, sweat. Drenched hair, drenched shirt, sweaty knees (yes - I said knees. and no - I have no idea why my knees release so much sweat) Any amount of humidity causes me to sweat. Standing too long, causes me to sweat. So many things cause me to sweat - it is impossible, and unnecessary, to list them all right now. The point is - everyday life makes me sweat - so the gym makes me look like I had a 5-gallon pail of water dumped over my head. When I get myself organized, and on track with my exercise, I lose a LOT of water. Every day that I leave the gym my shirt is drenched to my navel. I know, I know. That sounds super-hot. Trust me. It is. I guess on the up side - I never over-heat, and I always look like I worked REALLY hard! =)


Small side ramble: I love reading the articles in magazines about how to put yourself back together after the gym, if you have to go out after. The cute little girls writing the articles obviously have no idea what it is like to sweat. They talk about "blotting papers" and "braid your hair and put it up in a bun so it creates nice waves when you are done". Are they kidding?!? There is no chance that I could be ready for public with anything short of a complete shower - and some days it seems like a fire hose might be needed to get me clean. Blotting papers?!? Please. I need 6 towels and sitting still for 15 minutes to get my body temp back to normal! And my hair would not cascade into lovely waves. It looks like I just got out of the shower, only greasier. I am somewhat envious of these women who can just blot and go. That would be a real time-saver!

Back to your regularly scheduled program: Luckily, I am a person who has always liked water. Typically, I drink a lot of water. I work in my daily soda, sometimes two - but for the most part, I am on straight water. But a problem arises with the volume of sweat that I release when I am diligent about my gym attendance. I feel like I can't ingest enough water! Eight glasses of water is just not going to get it done for this big, sweaty girl. I feel like I am in a constant state of semi-dehydration. Granted, I am basing this assessment on the very scientific: the darker your pee, the more dehydrated you are. I just keep hearing Jane Fonda from the workout tape we did in high school aerobics when she said "muscles don't work as well when they're dehydrated". It's true! One of my first sessions with YC I must not have been drinking enough water, and started feeling woozie. Like I might spike it and fall on my face if I didn't get some water and sit down for a second. And who would help me when I am so sweaty?

Over the last month I have gotten myself in a rhythm, where I keep myself hydrated enough to not cause physical pain (I always know when I am really not getting anywhere near enough water, because my organs start to hurt). I keep a glass of water by me at all times, hoping that will keep my ounces up.

I am wondering if a day will come where I will be so fit that I don't sweat like a maniac? Or are some people just predisposed to sweating? That is just one of the many things I am hoping to answer while I'm Slimming Down to Sexy!   

How do you guys make sure you get enough water?

Healthier Options for Thanksgiving

In honor of my first holiday season since FC, I wanted to share some healthier recipes I have found. If you have anything to share, please put them in comments, or email them to me and I will add them to a future post. If any of you actually try any of these recipes, please let me know what you think! I LOVE feedback! =)

The average American scarfs 4,500 calories & 229 g fat on Thanksgiving! Let's see if we can't do a little bit better than that this year, while still enjoying ourselves!

These three recipes are from Prevention Magazine.

Candied Sweet Potatoes
Flip out: Brown sugar, marshmallows, butter
Flip in: Maple syrup, olive oil

Calorie savings: 93

Roast it!
Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash and peel 4 med sweet potatoes and cut into 1" pieces. Toss in large bowl with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 c pure maple syrup, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and 1/4 c chopped pecans. Place mixture in 13" x 9" baking dish and roast until fork-tender, about 40 minutes. Serves 4.

How to cut calories
Traditional versions of this dish call for lots of brown sugar and a cup of marshmallows--no surprise it's called "candied." Plus, recipes are generally brimming with butter, which is laden with saturated fat. It's why a serving can pack in 430 calories. Our slimmed-down rendition is sweetened with just a touch of antioxidant-rich maple syrup and has the same nutty flavor but only 237 calories and 1 g of saturated fat. 

*********************************

Mashed Potatoes

Flip out: Heavy Cream
Flip in: Low-fat buttermilk

Calorie savings: 182

Make it!
Put 2 lbs of cubed Yukon Gold potatoes in a large pot, add 1 Tbsp salt, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Warm 1 c low-fat cultured buttermilk in a saucepan over low heat, being careful not to overheat. In a large bowl, mash the potatoes and pour in buttermilk; season with salt and pepper and finish with 1 ½ Tbsp butter. Top with 2 Tbsp chopped chives. Serves 4.

How to cut calories
Replacing heavy cream with low-fat buttermilk reduces artery-damaging saturated fats from 17 grams to 3. Buttermilk is thicker than regular milk, which helps the mashed potatoes retain their characteristic creamy texture, plus it’s also a source of probiotics—live beneficial bacteria that can boost immunity and improve digestion.

************************

Pumpkin Pie

Flip out: Store-bought piecrust
Flip in: Quick graham cracker crust

Calorie savings: 175

Bake it!
Preheat oven to 375°F and coat 12-cup nonstick muffin pan with canola oil cooking spray. In small bowl, combine 3 Tbsp wheat germ, 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed, and two 2 1/2" graham cracker squares, crushed. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of the mixture to each muffin cup. Whisk 2 lg eggs and stir in one 15 oz can plain pumpkin puree, one 12 oz can fat-free evaporated milk, 2/3 c packed brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Pour evenly into cups. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until sides are set and filling jiggles slightly. Mix 3/4 c nonfat Greek yogurt with 1/4 c pure maple syrup; keep cool in the fridge. Let pies rest 10 to 15 minutes before removing from tins; top each with a dollop of the maple-yogurt mixture. Serves 12.

How to cut calories
Replacing the buttery crust with a thin layer of crushed graham crackers and nutty grains drops the calorie count from 316 to 141--without compromising flavor. Flaxseed adds heart- and brain-healthy omega-3s, while wheat germ boosts vitamin E, which helps control blood sugar. A piecrust that fights disease! What's not to love?

****************

Courtesy of Bethenny Frankel:

Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake

Celebrate fall with this delicious marbled pumpkin cheesecake that looks fancy and tastes fabulous.

Crust 1 ½ cups graham crackers, crushed finely (approximately 9-10) 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce 1 tsp ground ginger 2 tbsp melted butter Filling 2 8 oz. containers reduced fat cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup raw sugar plus 2 teaspoons 2 eggs 2 1/2  tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1 can of 15 oz. pumpkin (do not substitute pumpkin pie filling!) 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed graham crackers, butter, applesauce, and ground ginger. Press into the bottom, and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake crust 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, ½ cup raw sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Mix eggs in one at a time, blending well after each. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Blend ¼ cup raw sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar and nutmeg into the remaining mixture. Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust, and drop the plain batter by spoonfuls onto the top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until filling is set. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Allow the cake to cool before removing pan rim. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.  Hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Love The One You're With

Before I get rambling - we had an update from Mission 101 participant "Ann". Here it is:

• It wasn’t a good week at all…didn’t work out once and ate like crap….I was sick, and once I started feeling better, I just couldn’t find motivation for the gym.  BUT, back at it this week…I won’t let this get me down.  Still have 9 pounds to lose.  UGH!  I am going to make this my healthiest holiday season yet…
• note from natalie: LOVE the positive outlook going into what is sure to be a hard week. YOU CAN DO IT!!

Now to the blog....

I realize that this body of mine is not anything people are going to look at and covet. It has all sorts of rolls and dents and dimples (cuter name for cellulite). My stomach has so many rolls it looks like my FUPA has its own FUPA. I am a festival of stretch marks. My boobs are so flat against my upper stomach roll that if I slice them open, I can use them as extra pockets. Instead of knee caps, I have indents where you suspect they might just be. When my arms are straight, you can't tell I actually have elbows - it just looks like I have divots in my flesh. I suspect I have wrist bones, but I can't really tell because it looks like I'm wearing puffy wrist bands - but it is just my fat/flesh. My hands look more like paws, and my ankle bones are buried deep beneath what looks to be a dough-like substance.

But this body of mine - regardless of all of the issues I described above - has been good to me. When I was at my heaviest, it didn't give out on me. When steps made my knees ache...when getting up off of my couch was a full body workout...when standing for more than 2 minutes caused me to sweat...it never shut down. It allowed me to go to fat camp, and work. There were a lot of people there, a lot smaller than I was, that were sidelined by various aches and pains - while I was still able to do everything. It saved me from having to use one of those scooters in the stores, which I thought might be a possibility for a while.

Over the last month I have been reminded of what it is like to feel strong. YC has made it his personal mission to kick my ass, daily. And I appreciate him for that. I like that he doesn't look at me as a weak fat girl. One who has to be coddled and babied. He is pushing me, because he knows I can do it. I have 5 workouts, with 6-8 different exercises each, and I do at least 3 sets of each for every workout. And I can do it. This body, that from the outside doesn't look like it is capable of lifting a weight (much less many weights, that would necessitate an entire rack), can do these workouts. I can way more than even I thought I could. It may not be the body I envision when I think of my ideal - but it is the body I have. I am learning to love it, and appreciate it. Well....love might be a strong word - but I am definitely learning to appreciate all it can do, in spite of my size. And I am really going to appreciate it when it is a little smaller...and a little stronger...and a little unstoppable.

All of this love may not have translated to huge numbers in my weight lost column - but I feel awesome! I have never been too hung up on what the scale says - I just want to be healthy. To me, being healthy means also being strong. I know there are people who are able to lose weight by just cutting back on calories - and that works great for them. For me - I like to workout, too. It is the best way for me to see improvements. It makes me feel mighty. It makes me feel like I can kick ass, and I LOVE it. And even though I may not have lost a lot of weight this week - I feel like things are smaller...or more compact is the better way to word it? I have noticed small areas where I used to have pockets of blubber that are now shrinking. I am sure it is something that most people take for granted - but I can now reach spots on my back that I couldn't before. When your body is really...inflated...it is hard to reach everything! I felt like I had baby T-Rex arms, but it was really just the amount of rotundness that they had to reach around.

So after all of that rambling - here are my results for the last week of Mission 101:

• Lost 2 pounds. 45 Pounds to go to reach 101.
• Exercised 6 days with 5 weight sessions
• Tracked my calories 50% of the time
• Stayed within my calories that 50% of the time listed above =)
• No alcohol
• Limited caffeine to an average of 1 can per day

I am somewhat worried about this holiday weekend I have coming up. Two family holidays on Thursday and then cookie baking with my sisters and nieces on Friday and Saturday. I am trying something new for my return trip to Minnesota this time. I am proactively figuring out how/where I am going to workout while I am there. I have usually just treated my trips back as "time off" - but not this time. Changing behaviors slowly....I'll get this eventually.

What does healthy mean to you?

Bonus Footage: I was eating my dinner Sunday night, and was half way done with my greek chicken pita when I noticed mold on the pita. GAG! For those that are familiar with me, and myriad of food-related neuroses - I am sure you can understand my delight. I was able to finish my chicken, without the pita. I really am growing.

SDtS Mission 101: Week 5

It is hard to believe it has already been five weeks since you guys were awesome enough to join me on this mission. There are a few of you that have had smooth sailing since we got started, but most of us have had our ups and downs. Some of us are in a constant battle with chocolate, some of us have forgotten how to do basic math, and some have stopped reporting all together. In spite of the downs - which I have definitely experienced myself - it sounds like everyone has made positive strides. They may not be huge. They may not seem like much of a win to the person that is making them. But they are real. I am so proud of all of you, and so grateful to all of you listed below for sticking with this!

We are heading in to a week that has a high probability of being fairly brutal for all of us. If you ask people what is the first thing they think of when you mention "Thanksgiving" - my guess is that the large majority would mention food. I love the holiday season - but will fully admit that I am not looking forward to trying to avoid the super-calorie, super-fat, super-sugar foods. The best any of us can hope for is to make better decisions than we did last year. Or you can just say "screw it" - because it is only one day. As long as leftovers don't turn it into a week of eating this crap, enjoy yourself!

For those that want some better options - I will have some healthier swaps that I've found in my posts next week. If you have healthier options you'd like to share, please email them to me, and I'll include them for everyone.

You are all fantastic! GOOD LUCK this week...however you decide to handle it! =)

For this week - If people didn't respond, I didn't include them in the update.

Gela

• Lost 1.2 pounds for a total loss of 1.8 pounds
• Ran 10 miles - GOAL MET!

Ashley

• SHARE: Ugh life is hard!!!! I didn't meet any of my goals but I've done better than before. I have had a huge lack of energy this week then realized suddenly why - I wasn't eating breakfast or lunch! I cant believe I didn't even notice and now it makes me wonder how often it does happen. So my goal for this next week is going to be go grocery shopping and EAT! Oh I did actually do one goal - I have primped every day this week and I have been a lot more positive about myself :)
• note from natalie: I don't know that I have ever "forgotten" to eat lunch, but I can only imagine it wipes you out! You gotta eat to lose, girl! 

cjFh

• Lost 2 pounds for a total loss of 13 pounds
• Ran 24 miles, for a total of 124 (Total Goal: 151)

Dawn

• Lost 1.4 pounds for a total loss of 4.8 pounds
• Exercised 5 times (GOAL of 4 MET!)
• QUESTION: I have a question, do I have to weigh myself next friday morning? Can I do it a day early before I attend 3 different thanksgivings? Scary! 
• note from natalie: I would say no, but I guess I won't technically know when you weigh yourself. Maybe weighing in Friday morning will help stay in check a little bit? Or not - - but that is life. It is a holiday, so you should enjoy yourself. But maybe you'll make a couple of better choices? Which is the goal of Mission 101...  =)

Hillary

• Lost .4 pounds for a total loss of 1.6 pounds
• Exercised 3 times (GOAL MET!)

Jason/Vic Amore'

• Lost 1 pound for a total loss of 5 pounds
• Made lunch every day (GOAL MET!)
• Walked/Ran 1 mile/day twice (Goal: 7)

Jennifer D

• Maintained weight for a total loss of 1 pound
• SHARE: I am in a holding pattern...something about being on a "diet" or some type of restriction just makes me want stuff more! :( Still doing a little more activity, but wow is the chocolate devil in me coming out strong. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I am jealous of/happy for and irritated by people that are doing well and have some self control! Good job everyone! I need a kick in the ass! 
• note from natalie: maybe leave the chocolate in your car - none allowed in the house. If you really need it, you can go get it. But if you are just eating because you're bored, it won't seem worth it to go out and get it? Just an idea....
  

Joe R

• SHARE: If you can't channel MLK Jr - channel Martin Luther.  "If you must sin- sin boldly"
• Yesterday was my birthday.  Enough said about weight goals.

Kari

• Lost .5 pounds for a total loss of 6 pounds
• SHARE: I'm really happy about this 1/2 pound loss. I thought for sure I would be UP a 1/2 pound. I had too many days off this week 

Kate

• Lost 1 pound for a total loss of 9.2 pounds
• Walked 10,000 steps 4 days (Goal: 7)
• SHARE: 1 whole pound this week, woo hoo! No rounding either. Hehe! Almost lost a decade…hoping to maintain this week with Thanksgiving! Walked 10,000 4 days this week…hard with it being cold now. Can’t stand the treadmill.
• note from natalie: Totally agree about the treadmill. Unfortunately, it seems like a treadmill is a necessary evil. I cannot even think about bundling up to walk outside - and battle the ice - so I have to suck it up.

Kim

• Lost 3 pounds for a total loss of 7.2 pounds
• SHARE: I worked hard this week!  I had a few days where I could have easily talked myself into staying home but I made it every day. 
• FOOD SUGGESTION: I am also loving the low carb WHITE tortillas – they have 9 grams of fiber in each one and are very filling!  I think the brand is Cruz.  It’s the first low carb tortilla I’ve had that doesn’t taste low carb. 
• note from natalie: self-talks are a powerful thing! 

B-Linda

• Lost .5 pounds for a total loss of 2 pounds
• 7 hours of sleep five nights! (Goal: 4)

Linda Lou

• Maintained weight for a total loss of 5 pounds
• SHARE: Ready to do some meal planning this weekend to prep for next week.

Lisa

• Lost 2 pounds for a total loss of 1 pound
• SHARE: I stepped on the scale at least 2 times. I could not believe it! I did cut down on the wine and I did not stay completely away from baked potato chips but I did cut back and the ribeye I did not stay away but I did reduce my my intake. I'm still going to shoot to cut out these things but it may take more than a week to accomplish this. But my efforts did pay off and I'm so happy that I could report jubalation instead of frustration this week
• note from natalie: congrats! this whole process is about adjustments!

Mackenzie

• SHARE: I have gained a couple of pounds- but have not pooped much.  So I think that could be the problem.  I also have a super messed up neck so I have not worked out as much as I should.  I also went out to lunch yesterday…dang it.  Not a good week at all, again.
• note from natalie: I wasn't sure I should include this whole "share" - but figured it was honest, so I should. Hope no one is offended. =)

Marill

• Lost 1 pound for a total loss of 3 pounds
• SHARE: Bit of a stressful week. Finding it hard to plan my workouts but I'm going to keep on tryin. Not going to make any new goals just going to try to keep and make all the ones I have. 

Marilyn

• Lost 2.5 pounds for a total loss of 10.5 pounds
• Exercised 3 times (GOAL MET)

Meg

• Maintained weight for a total loss of 4 pounds
• SHARE: Could have made better food choices this week and I could have worked out more. Goal for vacation is to workout 5 times. We'll be in Mexico until next Saturday so I think we'll miss next weeks weigh-in :(  

Melissa

• Maintained weight for a total loss of 1.7 pounds
• Exercised 4 times (GOAL MET)
• SHARE: Well, although this week there was not a loss in weight(due to Buffalo Wild Wings Thurs Night) =) I still feel good that I made a great effort to get 4 days of workouts in and I succeeded!  Little by little goals are being met.
• note from natalie: it doesn't have to be all of nothing!   

Milt

• Maintained  weight for a total loss of 7 pounds
• SHARE: Down a pants size

Molly

• I did good on all accounts this week, maybe partly because I puked and was sick so I couldn't eat too much bad stuff!  

Nina

• Lost .4 pounds for a total loss of 5.8 pounds 

Carrot Top

• Gained 3 pounds for a total gain of 2 pounds
• SHARE: More wine than working out this week.  I gaIned 3 pounds.  That time of month, too.  Waaaaah!!! Still fun to be part of this for sure though.  Thanks for the humor and inspiration.
• note from natalie: thanks for being a part of this, and sticking with it! 

Sarah

• I'm going to start off positive.....I did weigh myself and didn't gain this week but didn't lose...I did well on the eating this week but fought a sore throat off and on all week and didn't exercise more than once. Terrible. I know I could have exercised thru it but used it as an excuse I guess. Seeing your posts on Facebook daily really help me. :) Even if I didn't do well with exercising this week it does help me focus every day on what I want to be doing! 
• note from natalie: thanks lady! I'll keep posting what I am doing. It also helps me, because I can't post what I don't do....I do better with babysitters.

Stephanie K/Steaming Myself to Hotness

• Lost 1.4 pounds for a total loss of 4.8 pounds
• SHARE: So…. I have a big reveal.  I was going to RNR. Or I was going to “forget” to report. I didn’t want to look at the scale.  I’ve had a rotten week, and I allowed other drama to let me make poor choices.  But then as I was thinking about it – I remember a friend (CJFH) that once told me that he used to lie about his golf score.  I thought “Why would someone lie about that? Who cares?”  But to him it must have mattered.  And this friend’s CJFH’s friend told him that if he cheated/lied/whatever on his golf number – that he was only lying to himself.  And so from then on he never lied about his golf score again.  So for some reason – that memory made me realize that I might as well just jump on the scale and look.   After all, I have to realize that all of my self-worth is not wrapped up in that ridiculous number on the scale right?  So I looked – and I’m reporting.  And It’s actually not that bad. You know what?  I was so scared of the scale – but if I would have looked earlier I might have realized that things weren’t that bad – and I could have corrected some of my poor choices in the end of the week.  Oh well… I’m trying to learn how to be an adult, but sometimes it’s hard.
• note from natalie: trust me, lady. I struggle with trying to be an adult every day. 

Kateo

• Maintained weight for a total gain of 1.1 pounds
• SHARE: Your words were music to my ears. Well, I have gone out to eat pretty much every night this week....lots of celebrations...and, I am happy to report that although my wt. has not gone down, it has not gone up either! I going to count that as a success. I know that the worst month is ahead and if I can hold my own through it, that will be better than some past years. Stay tuned..... Have a great week and Happy Thanksgiving!  

Camille

• Lost .5 pounds for a total loss of 5 pounds  
•  SHARE: Well, once again, I've had an emotional week, which still causes me to do some emotional eating.  Anyway, Mom is finally out of the hospital, which is why Kateo replied for me last week but then I had a run in with a really sweet parent that said the only reason I went into teaching was to be mean to kids so I fell off the diet wagon once again.  Anyway, a long story shortened would be, 
  NO exercise, water, great, eating well, down another .5 for a total of 5 lbs. THIS IS GOING TO TAKE FOREVER!!!! Thanks Nad for all of the laughs and encouraging words
• note from natalie: Anyone that knows you can really appreciate the absurdity of what that parent said to you. You are fantastic, and go so above and beyond for those kids. Unfortunately, you can't kick the parents - which is too bad for a couple of reasons: it would feel good, and it would burn calories. =)

   

Brain Damage

I'm trying to change this brain. My brain. I am trying to get it on board with all of these changes I am trying to make in this life of mine. It has proven to be quite the process! I started FC in February, and I was ready to go.  Body and brain were all on the same page. Enthusiasm filled the air. I was so excited take in all of the information coming at me, share it with my friends and family, and then use it to change my life. Change it for the much-better, I might add. Things were going along swimmingly. I got back from FC, and stayed on task. I got canned, and continued to exercise and eat well. I got cockily optimistic - which is to say: I felt unstoppable. Stand back world! I got this!

Then - some time in May - my brain gave me the finger, and basically told me to F-off. My brain had different plans. My brain wanted to exercise occasionally, but didn't want to put in the time necessary, or effort required, to make a big difference. At least not the differences I had thought were going to be so easy and attainable just a couple of months before. My brain wanted to eat pizza - and it wanted a lot of it. My brain loves pizza. Stupid brain. It isn't that I was eating a lot. I was just eating crap. Before FC I would eat a lot of crap - so it wasn't as bad as that. When you combine a semi-lazy ass with an overactive mouth, it is not going to equate to weight-loss success.

I thought I was fine. My jeans still fit when I put them on. I may have ignored the fact that they were a smidge tighter - but they still fit - so I was good, right? Wrong. I had packed back on almost 20 pounds. A lot of you are probably thinking - how do you gain 20 pounds, and it isn't abundantly clear? Here is how: 

1. Your brain tricks you into thinking you don't feel any different. It isn't harder to get off the couch. Your body doesn't hurt a little more than it did a month ago. The tightness of your jeans when you put them on is because you just washed them, not because you are bigger. Your FUPA isn't any bigger than it was a couple of months ago. 
2. When your body is the size of Smart Car - it is harder to notice 20 pounds. Not really more to say on this topic.

Out of sheer necessity, Mission 101 was born. I told YC I was re-dedicating myself to the gym. We were going to meet a couple of times a week, so he could whip me into shape. And I was good about the gym from that day. I would go lift weights 5 times a week, with one extra cardio session. I had a week back in MN that was completely off the program, but got back on track when I returned. 

The issue those first couple of weeks was that my brain had the thought process of "I went to the gym, so I can eat what I want". That's super-good rationale. Go bust your ass for over an hour at the gym, and then get a burger and fries. It is flawless thinking. Wait. Working out and then hoovering junk food might not make as big of a difference as I had hoped. It isn't like I show McDonald's my gym card, and everything is magically calorie/fat/sodium-free. Honestly. What is wrong with my brain. I never thought of myself as an idiot, but my brain was working overtime to prove me wrong.

Then something clicked. It clicked about the same time my weight popped up on the scale I finally broke down and bought. Why would I go workout every day to completely undo that with a pizza? For two weeks now, I have been eating much better and still putting in my time at the gym. My body is telling my brain what's what. I just hope my brain gets on board soon. I am getting stronger by the day, and I'd hate for my body to have to kick my brain's ass. 

a case of the cranks

Do you ever have one of those days where everyone is driving you crazy? My day didn't start out that way. I woke up early, after not sleeping well - but was in a good mood. I dropped my friends off at the airport, and headed to the gym. I was still feeling dandy. I did my warm-up,and my weights - and was still like a damn ray of sunshine!

Then I moved to the treadmill for my 30 minutes of walking. I was on it for about 5 minutes when the guy a couple of treadmills away from me started coughing. Not just coughing, however. It sounded like fake coughing - really forced, and he made like a gagging sound every time he did it. I finally looked over at him, and realized a few disturbing things: he was making no effort what-so-ever to cover his mouth, he was probably in his early 20's and a total rail, he was moving at about .3 miles per hour (I am not a super-fast walker - but this guy was barely moving), and when he would fake cough...repeatedly...he looked like he was gagging! Like full blown looking like he was going to yack on the treadmill.  Disgusting. I have a new gym rule. If you can't go 5 minutes without coughing - real or fake - stay home. Don't come an infect, or annoy, the other people who use that facility. Thank you. Love, Natalie.

I was grossed out, but went back to SportsCenter, and tried not to pay attention. But I kept hearing him....repeatedly. And he seriously looked like he was going to throw up every time he did it. I started to calculate my chances of kicking him in the back, and getting away before he could figure out it was me. Seriously. So irritating! A lady hopped on the treadmill next to me, between the two of us - and it only took her about 3 minutes, and a short discussion with me, to move to the other end of the gym. I felt somewhat better that it wasn't just me. I should have just moved - but thought I could "tough it out". But my irritation started to grow.... Luckily he left after 15 minutes, so I finished my walk in peace.

After the gym I ran to Sam's Club. The trip itself - not bad. Even the fact that I forgot two things on my first trip, and ended up having to go back in, didn't break my stride. Then I come back out, get in my car, throw it in "R" for race (or reverse), and see a lady in her car, sitting in the middle of the aisle, blocking me in. She was waiting for a car that was 3 spots closer to the store than I was. She was also blocking in 2 other cars that were ready to leave, and had 3 cars behind her. Dear Laziest Lady - It is still above 40 degrees. There is no reason for you to be holding up this many people for you to save walking 20 feet. Grrrr. It made me cranky.
 
These things were probably not helped by the fact that it was 2:45pm, and I hadn't had lunch. Natalie needs her food! =) I got home, and was completely relaxed by the time I got here. The rational part of my brain (yes! there is a tiny portion of my brain that is still rational - I think?) knows it is not worth being crabby about, but sometimes people just piss me off.

Do you ever have irrational crankiness? How do you deal with it?

Let Me Share Some Knowledge

I had been told a few times that I needed to get on Twitter. I was scared. Scared of what? I have no idea. I just was. I love Facebook, so I don't know why I was so reluctant to sign up for another social networking tool. I finally bit the bullet a while back - at the urging of an old coworker, and signed up. I am now completely addicted. It allows me to follow friends, athletes, celebrities....just about anyone in this world! I even have some guilty pleasures (Shout out to Kim Kardashian. I have no idea why I follow you, because your tweets make me want to kick you in the throat - but I just can't stop)

You can connect, immediately, with all of these other people who are going through the same things you are, have the same goals you have, and share pertinent information. I can also follow various "health" people - like magazines, etc. In the last month, I have marked a few "tweets" that shared interesting/startling facts - and I thought it might be fun to share some of them with you. So here goes.

From: Eat This, Not That!

* APP ATTACK: Chili’s Queso w/ Chips = 920 cals! Eat the Triple Dipper Fried Cheese & save 430 cals.  (Fried cheese is better? WIN!)

* The average American eats 23 pounds of pizza every year! (I think I help bring up other people's average)

* T.G.I. Friday’s Loaded Potato Skins are loaded with 2,070 calories! (Not that shocking... but kind of makes me sad. I love potato skins!)

* Looking to eat 98 g of fat? Try Carl’s Jr. Double Guacamole Bacon Burger with Large Fries. (HOLY CRAP!!)

* Each of us makes 200 decisions a day that impact our weight. (seems about right. I loved it.)

* Papa John’s Garlic Sauce = 150 cals, 17 g fat per tub! (Seems about right)
* 1 c frozen pineapple+1/2 c Greek yogurt+1/2 c milk+1/2 c O.J. = 250-calorie smoothie! (YUM)
* Boredom is one of the most common reason people bail on their diets! (I would have thought it was starvation)
*

From: Health Magazine
* If current trends continue, the obesity rate in the U.S. won’t level off until it reaches at least 42%, circa 2050 (yikes)

From: Life Time Fitness

* The average person loses 40 pounds of skin in a lifetime. Better take care of what you have now! (Ewwww!!!) 

From: Random People/Sources
* SLEEP YOURSELF SLIM: In new study, sleeping 8.5 hours/night=fat loss. Sleeping 5.5 hours/night=muscle loss! -Dave Zinczenko (who is: Editor-in-Chief, Men's Health & Women's Health; author of Abs Diet and Eat This, Not That! series and Today Show contributor.) (you know who you are...non-sleepers!)
* “Fear of failure becomes fear of success for those who never try anything new.” - Dr. Wayne W Dyer
* Exercise is the purest form of pharmaceuticals. Your body will create what it needs as long as you show it some love. - Frado from Biggest Loser Season 10
* "hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard" - Tim Notke'
* My bodyfat has the same steely determination as the dude in the song "Juke Box Hero." - Patton Oswalt

Happy hump day everyone!

SDtS: The Movement

While I was thinking about how quickly this year is passing by, and looking at all of the things I would like to accomplish (beyond just weight loss) - I started to make a list of the attributes I would like to strive toward.  Some of them I feel like I already have, some of them I think I have moments of, and some have just been downright elusive.

I was also thinking of the type of person that follows this blog - and I swear you guys have the "kindness" and "supportive" characteristics I desire in spades!  (do you guys read the comments people leave?  If not, you should!  SDtS readers are fantastic!!)  I am trying to learn from each of you, and make your great traits part of mine.

Here is my list so far.  For the purposes of this list, SDtS = me, and all of you.  It is someone who is old or young, fat or thin, male or female.  It is everyone who is trying to do something positive.

SDtS is...  kind/giving/supportive.  They operate under the old rule: if you don't have any anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.  They show support for friends and strangers, alike.  Now this is one for me to work on.  I have definitely had moments of being a grade-A bitch....but I am working on it. You guys are making me better.

SDts is...  selfish.  They realize that if they don't take care of themselves, they can't really take care of anyone else.  Their job, kids, relationships - everything will suffer if they don't make "me" a priority.

SDtS has...  a sense of humor.  They realize that being able to laugh at themselves, or their situation, makes everything much more bearable.  I tend to be a little self-deprecating, but it helps me deal with what is going on with me.  It is like my crutch.

SDtS is...  human.  They make mistakes. They suffer set-backs. They pick themselves up. They try to do better. They get frustrated. They keep going. 

SDtS is...  green.  Whether it is recycling, using a water bottle rather than buying bottled water all of the time, carpooling, walking from that end parking spot rather than driving around the parking lot for 5 minutes looking for a better one, driving a fuel efficient car.  I used to work for a recycling company, so I try to conscious of my "carbon footprint" - granted, this can only go so far.  I could never drive a "Smart" car unless they put a bench in for the front seat and put the steering wheel in the middle.  Seriously - my butt is way to big to fit in only 1/2 of that thing!!


SDtS is...  daring.  Whether it is jumping out of a plane, self-promoting themselves, walking up to a stranger and introducing themselves - doing anything outside their comfort zone.  They are willing to take the leap.

SDtS is...  open-minded.  In this world where kids are killing themselves left and right because they are being bullied for being different, SDtS realizes the world would be extremely boring if we were all the same.  We realize that not everyone that is different from us is a fanatical nut-ball out to ruin our existence.  We embrace our differences, and realize maybe we could all learn from each other?  Just a thought...I'll get off my soapbox, now.

SDtS is...  optimistic.  They fight their inner defeatist, and believe they can make their dreams come true - whatever those may be.  They know they can do whatever they set their mind to, they just have to be willing to work for it.  "If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought"-Peace Pilgrim

SDtS is...  confident and SEXY.  They realize that you don't have to be a certain size, or a certain color, or look a certain way, to be absolutely fantastic.  Carry yourself like you're the greatest thing going, because SEXY is a state of mind.  We are all bringing SEXY back!

What attributes do you think "SDtS" has, or should strive toward?

Ouch.

Last week, overall, was fantastic. It was, however, not without its faults. What you need to understand, before I get too far into this, is that I am having some brain issues. I used to work a 40+ hour per week job, where I had a lot of tasks to get done. I had to be extremely organized, and had a fantastic memory. Since I got canned in April, I have been using different muscles. Where my job used to be very literal, I am now using the more  artistic side of my brain. 

The up side is that I absolutely love everything I am doing now. I never would have thought I would enjoy writing - much less be any good at it. The down side is that I feel like I am turning into more of a ditz every day. I cannot remember anything without putting it on my calendar. My brain just does not operate in the same way. 

Take simple math for example. I tried to figure out the amount of weight I have to lose for my mission 101 goal, and needless to say - I was way off. And not in the right direction. Here are my updated goals, and results for week 4. I fear I may be a bit screwed, but I'll get into that more later.

Natalie

• Lost 7 pounds for a total of 7 pounds lost (47 pounds to go to 101)
• 5 days a week of weights & 40 minutes of cardio + 1 day of 60 minutes cardio (YES!)
• Track all calories eaten (Mostly)
• eat within calorie range (Mostly)
• No booze (yes!)
• Cut down on caffeine (YES! usually 1 can or less per day)

It's time to stop thinking that "sort-of" following program works

 So I have now come to terms with one other reality. A person who is attempting to lose weight, and not go completely off the rails, will need to have a scale. I have weighed myself 2-3 times since the end of May. I thought everything was going fine for the most part - I figured I'd probably gained a few pounds back - but everything was still fitting the sameish, so I didn't worry. No. This is not an acceptable way of tracking your progress. No. I had gained back more than I thought I had, with all of my couch sitting and crap eating. 

Part II of the puzzle for me is to also use a calculator when figuring out how much you need to lose (when you do finally get around to buying a scale), because apparently your brain can no longer do simple math.

So last week was pretty good for me. For the most part, I was sticking to the program I need to follow to drop some LBs, and get in better shape. I got my new workout from YC, and felt as though I was doing a fair amount of busting my ass. Then Saturday hit, I hopped on the scale. I was pretty jazzed about the 7 pound loss, and then I realized my error. I have a LOT of weight to lose by the first of the year. Boo. Which also meant I had packed more back on than I thought I had. Boo.

So I am putting my weekend of depressing realizations, as it will be referred to going forward, behind me - I am ready to rock the crap out of this next week.  

SDtS Mission 101: Week 4

Who can believe we are already on our fourth week!?! I guess time really does fly when you're having fun, and getting healthy? Yes. It is true. 

I want to thank all of you, again, for going through this with me. I set goals for myself all of the time, and follow through on them......not all of the time. Having you guys doing this with me, is helping me stay on task! I appreciate all of you. A lot. You are all fantastic. Please remember that - regardless if you hit 100% on all of your goals each week. I've said it a thousand times, and will continue to say it: if you make one change, you are doing something! Don't give up! We can do this! GO TEAM!

I am going to start something on Monday. For those of you that use Facebook, and have exercise as part of your goals - I am going to start reporting what I did for exercise each day, and would like you guys to do that same. I am thinking that maybe the gratification of getting to actually write it somewhere will help me want to do it? And maybe you guys, too? I figure it's worth a shot! =)

Now let's go earn some buns of steel!

The updates are put in (parenthesis) behind the original goals. RNR=Results Not Reported.

Ashley

• (RNR) for week 4
• Walk Dog 3x/week for at least 30 minutes each
• Exercise 3x/week in addition to dog walking
• Sign up for Yoga to reduce stress
• Drink at least 6 glasses of water per day
• Adhere to 100% gluten-free diet
• Make the time each morning to primp and stay positive about self 

Manny

• Lose 53 pounds (RNR)

Hillary

• Lose 8-10 pounds (gained 2 pounds)
• Walk 3x/week
• Cut back on emotional eating
• SHARE: It looks like Halloween caught up with me! And, I have been so busy at work, that I have let things slip. I need to get back to "putting myself first" and eating better and taking time to exercise.

 Gela

• Lose 10 pounds (Gained .2 pounds for a total loss of .6 pounds)
• Run at least 10 miles per week (Ran 5.5 miles)
• SHARE: realized I cannot get lazy on the weekend b/c it's too hard to catch-up during the week! I WILL do better next week!

Sarah

• Lose between 10-15 pounds (RNR)
• SHARE: Ok, so I still haven't weighed myself and I know I have too....i am telling myself I have to do it tomorrow morning. So that is the plan! This week was a good one for me! Yeah!! I exercised 3 times and even thought it wasn't my goal of 4, it was so much better than my previous weeks and even though it was a super busy week I still fit it in. I feel very good about that! I still have not attempted a morning workout and still find myself working out at 9pm. I am just not a morning person but would love to be done with my workouts right away. Anyone else not a morning person but still manages to make the am exercising work? I have tried in the past and I just can't get into it the way I do at night! I also did far less snacking at night this past week and that is always my downfall. So all in all a very good week! Keep it up everyone! :)

Carrot Top

• Lose 50 pounds (Same weight as last week for total loss of 1 pound)
• Drop 3 sizes (in progress)
• Exercise 3x/week for 30-40 minutes (please see below)
• SHARE: Good week so far. I rode my bike 40 minutes and walked for 30.  Have been watching the food intake. Not going near the scale...just trying to live healthily and get a good night's sleep.

 

Mackenzie

• Keep her weight in 5 pound range
• Exercise 4x/week with 2 cardio days (2 times - Opportunity for Improvement)
• Eat pizza 1x/week or less (YES!)
• No fast food for lunch (YES!)

Linda Lou

• Lose 25 pounds (Gained 2 for a total loss of 5 pounds)
• exercise 2 times per week (Opportunity for improvement)
• eat at least 5 fruits and/or veggies per day (Opportunity for improvement)
• SHARE: Social activities got the better of me this week. :-(

Nina

• Lose 25 pounds (Lost 2 pounds for a total loss of 5.4 pounds)

Stephanie K (aka: Steaming Myself to Hotness)

• Lose 17 pounds (Gained 2.8 pounds for a total loss of 3.4)
• see her clavicles (in progress)
• SHARE: I'm bummed because being on vacation this week is not going to help my next week numbers! I had thought I was doing ok because I was proud of being one of 2 people to decline a donut in a meeting. And when I went to olive garden I passed on the breadsticks... I have not been as diligent with my tracking. Thats a place to start. Boo!

Dawn

• Lose 10 pounds (Lost 1.2 pound for a total loss of 3.4)
• exercise 4 times per week (yes! actually 6!!) 

 Lisa

• Lose 30 pounds (Same weight as last week)
• SHARE: Well I'm super pissed I gain a lb. So my new goal to reach my goal of losing 30lbs is as follows. NO MORE SALTY SNACKS! WINE ONLY 3 TIMES A WEEK. THIS IS THE ONE THAT IS GOING TO HURT THE MOST: NO MORE RIBEYES.  Leaner meats more veggies. I'm going to keep on trying here!

  Jason (aka: Vic Amore')

• Lose 30 pounds (Lost 2.5 pounds for total loss of 4 pounds)
• travel without the flight attendants commenting on "alleged"hangover into aisle (in progress)
• NEW GOAL: Bring lunch to work every day (I definitely can have some better portion control when I pack a lunch vs. eating everything in sight when I get hungry at noon....)
• NEW GOAL: Walk/Jog at least a mile a day
• SHARE: I brought my lunch every day this week! I walked at least a mile 1 day so far this week.

Kim

• Lose 15 pounds (Lost 4 pounds for a total loss of 4.2 pounds)
• SHARE: The junior mints have left the building. :)

B-Linda

• Lose 8 pounds (Lost 1 pounds for a total 1.5 pounds)
• get 7 hours of sleep at least 4 times per week (3 - Opportunity for improvement) 
• SHARE: It was a mixed week but I’ll take it. 1. Weight – finally  managed to move the scale, and in the right direction. Lost 1 pound. 2. Sleep – Just managed 3 nights at  7 hours or more…the book I was reading was too good to put down on the other nights where it could be possible for that kind of sleep.

Kate

• Lose 25 pounds (Lost .6 pounds for a total loss of 8.2 pounds)
• walk 10,000 steps a day (6 days + weather = YES!) 
• SHARE: I think I need to stop weigh myself everyday. It can be so frustrating. Wednesday morning I would've been down 10 lbs (total), but Friday morning I find that I'm only down 8.2 (-0.6 for the week). I'm cool with it. It's a loss but what a tease!
  We're having a steps challenge at work, so I've gotten 10,000+ steps everyday (except last night, it was SNOWING! Gonna have to break out the treadmill...pew.) This past week I had a biometric screening which provided me with some fruitful information. They do it every year (at work) so I'm hoping to (or I WILL) change some of those numbers.

Melissa

• Lose 10 pounds (Lost 0 for a total loss of 1.7 pounds)
• exercise at least 4 times per week (3 - illness) 
• SHARE: This week I have been stricken will a cold/sinus issue which meant that I only got 3 workouts in this week but did manage to stay the same weight as last week.  So, here is to feeling better and a normal week next week.

cjFh

• Lose 14 pounds (Lost 3 pounds for a total loss of 11 pounds)
• run 151 miles (ran 24 miles for a total of 80 miles)

Stephanie D

• Lose 35 pounds (Lost 0 pounds for a total loss of 7 pounds)
• prepare 3 healthy meals for her, and her family, per week (RNR)
• SHARE: Lost nothing............hard week:(
• In Stephanie's defense - she is opening a business this weekend, so probably had a couple of things going on. Good Luck with the stables, Stephanie!

Molly

• eat clean, with no binging (RNR)
• One can of soda per day (RNR)
• SHARE: not good, not bad, bout the same.  Maybe this is my week:)

Marill

• Lose 10 pounds (Lost 1 pound for a total loss of 2 pounds)
• be able to wear a tight shirt without a gut (in progress)
• move a notch on her belts (in progress) 
• SHARE: My week was an over all success I would say. I did do a little more sleeping then I planned tryin to get 100 percent healthy. I did not work out and that is one goal for this weekend for sure. I'm finding it really hard with working all day and random nights... softball was all planned so I want to start planning working out too. Maybe that will help. I did loose another pound so I'm down two total :-)!

Next week:
Keep with no fast food
No pop
4 total candies a day two home two at work
And I'm REALLY gonna work out! I have to I feel gross :-(
also I'm tryin to eat healthy lunches!!

Meg

• Lose 15 pounds (Lost 2 pounds for a total loss of 4 pounds)
• fit into her "skinny" clothes again (in progress)
• P90X
• SHARE: 
• I lost 2lbs this week. WOOO HOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Fit into another pair of jeans that didn't fit before:)
• P90X....I might need to put this on the shelf for now.  I don't feel like I'm getting enough cardio with it. It's a great workout, but when I'm weight training with my trainer already, I think I need more cardio.  At least until I get to my skinnier self. 

CCS

• lose 25 pounds (RNR this week for a total loss of 2.2 pounds)
• increase activity (RNR)
• eating treats means exercise first
• SHARE: Rough week for me. I'll get back on track and report next week. =(

Ann

• lose 10 pounds (RNR)
• exercise 5 times per week (YES!)
• strength training 2 times per week (YES!)
• Eat more healthy (Opportunity for improvement)
• Cut down on wine (YES!)
• SHARE: Worked out with trainer two days and focused on strength training. Yeah..met my goal. Cardio three times – mostly run/walk interval training and spin class on Sunday…woohoo, goal met! Eating…definitely need some improvement in this category – so hard to avoid that darn candy jar and lot’s of leftover Halloween treats. Water…still needs improvement, but most days I got at least 6-8 glasses, so happy about that. Wine…still a weakness, but getting better. Have only had a couple glasses of wine this week (and it was red wine…isn’t that good for the heart??)

Becca

• Lose 25 pounds (RNR this week for a total loss of  4.6 pounds)
• exercise 4 times per week (RNR)
• fit into a size 4 (in progress)

JD

• Lose 10 pounds (Same weight as last week for a total loss of 1 pound) 
• SHARE: Well the scale is not budging...maybe it's broken? Hahaha. More activity this week, but still a hard time with those darn sweets ! I feel like I need to give them up cold turkey, but I just don't feel quite ready to do that yet! I bought mini peppermint patties and that may be a good snack for those that have self control. They are low fat and dark chocolate, but I can't stop at just 1! Any tips from anyone else with a wicked sweet tooth?
• Note from Natalie: Thank you to everyone that gave ideas for satisfying your sweet tooth on Facebook. That is awesome. 

Kari

• Lose 10 pounds (Lost 1.5 pounds for a total of 5.5 pounds) 

Marilyn

• Lose 25 pounds (Lost 2 pounds for a total loss of 8 pounds)
• exercise 3 times per week (Opportunity for improvement)

Milt

• Lose 40 pounds (Lost 3 pounds for a total loss of 7 pounds)
• exercise 2 times per week (RNR)

Joe R

• Lose 20 pounds (RNR)
• swim 30 laps (in progress) 

MCS

• Lose 15 pounds (Gained 2 pounds for a total loss of .4 pounds)

Bry-Guy

• Lose 10 pounds (Same weight as last week for a total loss of 4.6 pounds)

Michelle

• Lose 10 pounds (Lost .4 pounds)

Rustin

• Lose 15 pounds (Lost 0 for a total loss of 2 pounds)
• stop smoking (work in progress) 
• SHARE: Lost 5 then gained 5

SDtS Waseca Chapter (SHOUT OUT!!) 

Members: Camille, Kateo  Patrice (The goals are the same for all members)

• Lose 15 pounds
• workout 5 times per week
• drink 6-8 glasses of water a day
• eat 5 fruits and/or veggies a day
• make healthy dining decisions.  More calories = more exercise

Camille

• No specifics reported this week (See Kateo's Share)

Kateo

• No specifics reported this week
• SHARE: I am reporting for both Camille and I tonight. We both held our own.....Too bad we aren't at an ideal wt!

 Patrice

• RNR