The Bloggest Loser Day 50 and Weekly Check In

Last week's winner was......

Cindy!

Okay, people.  Time to start weighing in again.  We're just over halfway through!!!  Remember, I'm out of the game, so I live vicariously through YOU!!  Lose weight for me, please.  My gut thanks you.

My goals this week: water, water, water.  And I'd like to make sure I run three days this week.  I missed last Monday.  Ironically, it was the first day after I completed the Couch to 5k.  And the first time I'd missed a day at all in ten weeks.  I think that was more mental than anything else.  Why do I give myself permission to give up?  I've got to change that.  Plus, I'm nearly sure I'll be running the Turkey Trot next month in Syracuse, UT.  I've got a few more details to hash out, but I should be there with my running shoes.  I've got to keep running so I can finish the race without much problem.  I'll be about 12 weeks along by then (give or take a week or two) so I should be able to do it.  Will you?

So despite all the Halloween candy, cookies, and any other yummy holiday treats you can think of, calculate your weight loss and TELL ME ABOUT.  (That's almost a Billy Joel song.)  Any new goals this week?

Bloggest Loser Day 42 and Weekly Goals

This week's Bloggest Loser winner was....

Carina with a loss of 1.37%!

Congratulations, Carina.  And congrats to everyone who actually LOST weight last week. 

I, for one, did not lose weight.  I'm not supposed to be gaining baby weight yet.  No, no.  I'm gaining Birthday weight.  We have yet to learn how NOT to pig out on birthdays.  Last week was Josh's.  Lots of excuses to overeat.  And then Josh got sick.  He had no appetite.  I had no real appetite.  Why the heck would I cook an actual meal that no one was going to eat?  But I have to eat something.  So I eat the ready-made junk food that I shouldn't have bought, but did anyway.  Another wrench thrown in my efforts to be healthy.

Also, this week I completed my Couch to 5k program.  I'm very happy about this.  You may have picked up on that fact since I mentioned it on my other blog and Facebook.  I just need to figure out what to do about it. 

As far as my goals for last week go, besides the cruddy eating and not enough water consuming, I did pretty well.

Goals for this week: Eat more fruit and less junk.  Drink more water.  I feel like I should be wearing a cow costume and holding a sign that reads "Drink mor watr" instead of the usual "Eat mor chikin."  But I don't need to imagine myself as a cow.  Not yet.

So tell me.  How'd you do?  Calculate your weight lost.  Successes?  Challenges?  You know, the drill...

The Bloggest Loser Day 34 and Weekly Goals

Here it is again.  The weekly check in for our weekly goals.

And the winner of last week's weigh in is:

Cindy! 

Who gained the least weight of 0%!

Last week must have been the week of gains.  We all struggled. 

So, in case you've missed my numerous announcements, I have the need to step down from the competition.  Pregnancy is not the best time to try to lose weight, weekly weigh myself, or take any sort of body measurements.  But I will happily continue to host the competition for the next 56 days.  And be prepared for a Season 3 in about a year or so.

Now my focus has changed to new weekly goals.  Suddenly, all the foods I've been avoiding sound over-temptingly good.  Never heard that expression before?  Well if you've ever been pregnant, you can figure out what it means.  And water doesn't appeal to me.  I desire nothing more than sitting around and watching TV or playing around on the internet.  It doesn't help that my check up with the doctor included her telling me that she's giving me permission to not exercise so intensely and only eat what sounds good.  Oy.  I'm in trouble.

So, here are my new weekly goals: get my water intake back where it needs to be, keep my running going but make sure my intensity is low, and try to stay away from the simple carbs.  Now that Josh's birthday is over, it should be a lot easier.  The German Chocolate cake I made from scratch was devastatingly good.

And, in case anyone is looking for a new 5k to participate in, my friend Tara is fundraising for her project "Choe's Sunshine Playground."  I think almost everyone that reads this is a mutual friend of hers and mine.  But this race would benefit a good cause and be a motivator to keep running.  I have to tell you that I'm very tempted to make the trip up for it.  The following Tuesday I'll be in St George for my sister and BIL sealing in the LDS St George Temple.  It would just be a matter of starting my vaca a little early.  I'm running nearly 5k now (I'm about to start week 9 of the c25k program) so I could do it, but it would mean taking off without Josh because he has to work that weekend in order to get the days off we need for the sealing.  I hate making trips without him.  In fact, after the last one I swore I'd never do anything without him again.  Of course, I said that after the trip I took without him before that as well.

In any case, if you're still in the running for the Bloggest Loser, find your loss percentage.  And jot me a note.  How'd you do?  Like Carina said last week, no subject is taboo.  I'll listen to anything.  And I hope everyone had a MUCH BETTER week this week!!

The Bloggest Loser Day 28 and Weekly Check In

This week's winner in our Bloggest Loser competition is.... (drumroll, please)...

Me!!  With a 1.41% loss. 

This is the first time I've won a week.  Ever.  I'm so happy!

As for the weigh in for this week, I have NO IDEA where I stand.  I'm a scale-aholic.  I step on the scale once a day.  Sometimes more.  It depends on how confident I feel.  Or how masochistic I feel.  Depends on the week.  But this week I just haven't thought about it.  So I'm clueless as to how my weigh in will go this week.  According to my bodybugg I should be on track, but we'll see.

I also had a set back with my shoulder.  I did something to mess it up on Thursday when I was doing my strength training.  Ugh.  It hurts.  Josh told me to lay off the weights for a few days.  I, of course, didn't want to, but I've learned one thing over the years: You always listen to your nurse-husband.

But enough about me.  Tell me how you did this week?  How are your goals coming along?  What did you do well this week?  What was your struggle?  Any new goals to add this week?  Figure out your loss percentage and then tell me all about your week!  I'm bored and need something good to read.

Who Are the People In Your Neighborhood?

I've made a new discovery this week.  Workout videos are boring.

To do a workout video, you have to clean the room you're working in (always a pain with 1 or 2 2-year-olds hanging around), take over the TV so no one else can watch anything, and be surrounded by the reminders that you have other things to do (those stupid dishes mock me every single day).  Plus, it's the same routine every time.

I've learned this week that I'd rather go running for 5 days in a row than break it up with a cardio video in between my runs. 

Being outside is invigorating.  I know I'm at an advantage by living in Arizona, but it's starting to be more tolerable in the mornings and soon it will be absolutely heavenly.  I love the sounds, the smells, the freedom of the open road. 

Every morning I have someone to wave at.  It makes me feel a part of our neighborhood.  And if you've ever heard of Sesame Street, you know how important that is.

I have noticed that we have a few more people in our neighborhood than what the song describes.  We've got the electric company guys, the pest control guys, the pool guys, the landscapers (they even stop their work to wave as I run past them), the moms with strollers and dogs, the roller bladers, the "in shape" runners, the old guy, and many kids of different ages waiting for the school buses. 

However, I have yet to discover cheese in my neighborhood.  Or Ben Stiller.

Bloggest Loser Day 22 and Weekly Check In

I'm a little late this week.  Sorry about that.  I had no internet over the weekend and by the time we got home from my dad's house Sunday night, I nearly went straight to bed!!  That rarely happens.

Anywhooo...

Pam won the weigh in with a loss of 1.68%!!

Two weeks in a row, Pam!  You're doing something right!!

I have yet to officially weigh in for this week.  I was doing my weigh ins on Fridays, but I got a new toy last week and I set it up on Tuesday, so that is my new weigh in date since it won't let me weigh in any earlier than that.

It's a Bodybugg.  Like the one they use on The Biggest Loser.  You can get it at 24 Hour Fitness.  I'm loving it.  I track my food on the BB (Bodybugg) website, just like I was before, but my calorie output is constantly monitored.  I'm still in my programming stage.  After the first week it will be easier to figure out what my goal calories burned should be and that will dictate what my calories in should be.  I've been burning around 3000 calories a day.  It's been really fun to see.  There's a grid of how many calories I burn each hour.  You can see the spikes: when I run, when I grocery shop, when the kids get home from school, when I lift weight, when I do the dishes.  I like it.  It cost a pretty penny, but Josh justified that it costs less than sending me to the ER again because I don't know what my body is actually doing.  Josh is so good to me.

So, I'll be posting my weight loss in the comments section with everyone else. 

Goals for this week: Run, eat well, GO TO BED BEFORE 11PM, and drink lots of water.

How did you do this week?  Any good news?  Anything to vent about?  New goals?  Did you accomplish your goals from last week?  What do you think of the new Biggest Loser season?  So many people affected by deaths this season!  But the story that got me the most was the mother who had to take her daughter to the hospital because she didn't eat so she wouldn't end up overweight like her mother.  I bawled.  That one hits close to home.  I love my mom, but I've always worried about being overweight like her.  And I have three daughters.  It's a cycle I don't want to continue.

Anyway, tell me how you did and I'll post my loss on Tuesday!

Go Here for the weight lost calculator.

Questions of the Day

I'm wondering.....

What made you take the first step to begin getting healthier?

Like, the literal first step?  What made you pull that workout DVD out of its dusty case?  What made you begin trying to keep track of what you eat everyday?  What caused you to decide that you have a goal, a plan, and a desire?

My first step came about with a conglomeration of fresh starts.

Me.  About 40 lbs ago.

Josh and I graduated from college and decided to move away from Colorado.  The little college town we lived in stifled us.  We weren't happy and we wanted to escape.  We weren't opposed to staying in Colorado, but we thought we'd take an even bigger risk and move to Montana. 

And we did.

We moved the week between Christmas 2007 and New Years 2008.  A new lifestyle (no more college living), a new job, a new state, a new year.  I'd known I needed to lose weight.  With both of my parents Type II diabetics, I knew I was heading down the same path.  I had already had to be mindful of my high cholesterol.  It was time to let that first step finally happen.  And then the second.  And then the third.

So that leads me to my next question.

What keeps you motivated to keep going?

If you don't have a bad day, then you're not paying attention to your own life.  Sorry.  That there's reality.  What has kept you going during those bad times?

My latest bad time was from about January to July of this year.  Major plateau.  And I quit my consistent exercise or even caring about what I ate.

I had to remember...

What keeps me going is the need to be healthy.  I'll never forget the first time I saw my dad after he had been diagnosed with diabetes.  He discovered it when he lost a lot of weight.  I had never seen my dad so thin.  My dad.  The man I considered Superman.  The man I thought would always be the big, strong beacon of stability in my life.  Hugging him freaked me out.  I could nearly touch my elbows. 

I want my health for myself, but also for my family.  If I can prevent my children from crying about how unhealthy their mother is, then I'll be happy.  I don't want to lessen my time with my husband or kids because I was lazy or didn't want to say no to the bag of cookies.  I really don't know how preventable my parents' health issues are.  I have a feeling they're more preventable than not.  But their health scares me and I want to break the cycle before it becomes unbreakable.

So leave a comment with your story.  Or blog it and let me know so I can read it. 

What made you take the first step to get healthy?

What keeps you going?

The Unspoken Runner's Rules

I've Friended the Couch to 5k group on Facebook.  They have all sorts of posts all the time (about 50 times a day) and some of them I think, "That's nice."  Others I think, "Man, I wonder if anyone else needed to know about this."

One of today's links was to an article about the unspoken rules of runners.

If you are a runner, want to be a runner, or are considering being a runner, I highly recommend reading this.  It's pretty light hearted but touches on a lot of different subjects.

For Pete's Sake, Stand Still at Red Lights

Sharks die when they stop moving. Runners do not. Keep this in mind next time you encounter a don't walk sign at a busy intersection. There's no need to jog in place or dance from foot to foot like you have to pee. Just chill. Wait a few moments. Note: If a nonrunner waiting with you at the crosswalk is dancing from foot to foot, he or she may indeed have to pee. Give this person wide berth.  (A Few Rules To Run By By Mark Remy Runner's World)

 A Few Rules To Run By Active.com

Bless This Food

I came across this yesterday and thought it was pretty funny. Enjoy...

My (Birthing) Plateau Story

I think that anytime you do some life-altering event, people are always willing to support you. And help you, if needed. And offer lots of advice.

I've come to discover that getting healthy is like going through labor.... there is conflicting advice about everything. Everyone wants to share their successes and their horror stories. And their 1 in a million event that only they have ever experienced. Sometimes the water breaks, sometimes labor is induced. Some go all natural, some get as many drugs as possible. It's all so different for everyone.

But the other day Crisanne brought out a good point. How do you get past a plateau?

This is a good question. One I've been reading/thinking/asking/researching a lot about. It's something I dread happening again. How to we avoid or overcome it?

So here's what I've discovered either has worked for me or several different sources seem to agree with. It's my own birthing story, if you will, of how to get past a plateau.

FUEL

First and foremost, make sure you have enough fuel for your body. This is the part that I have the most questions about. Five small meals? Three regular meals and a snack? No snack? Big breakfast? Big lunch? How many calories? How many carbs, protein or fat? How do you eat healthily but keep the kids satisfied too? Can my grocery bill afford it?

I thought I had all this figured out until I got sick last week. I'm trying a few new things. I've decided to start using Calorie Count from about.com. You set up your personal information and it takes into consideration your activity level and fitness goals. I did read the best advice about how much to eat at which times of day: everyone is different, find what works for you. Your lifestyle, schedule, and physical demands are different than others'.

STRENGTH TRAIN

Here's something I didn't know.... Your body protects its fat. Simply said, your body will get rid of excess muscle before it will use its fat to burn fuel. So, you have to use and develop your muscles so your body will revert to burning fat. Plus, muscle will help your metabolism function much better.

Don't worry about getting all huge and buff. Just learn how to gain the type of muscle you want. Heavy weight with fewer reps will give you muscle mass. Lower weight with higher reps will give you long, lean muscles.

MUSCLE CONFUSION

Your body is always trying to find stabilize itself. That's why we get plateaus in the first place. One thing we can try is confusing our muscles. Alternate workouts. If you do a lot of running, add some swimming in there. Alternate videos. Try a different time of day. If you always workout in the morning, your body begins to prepare for your workout before you even change into your workout clothes. Let your body think it's going to work out and begin getting hyped up for it, but trick it by exercising in the afternoon instead. It'll burn more calories throughout the day. Tricky, eh?

Don't get stuck in a rut with the same old thing all the time. Try a new what, when, where, or how.

RECOVER

I read that you want to take in carbs and protein 15 to 60 minutes after your workout. You want the protein for your muscles and the carbs to keep up your energy.

Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals from your diet? Do you need a multi-vitamin? Mostly likely, a vitamin will be sufficient and you don't need to run out and get whey or something similar.

Get enough sleep. Josh brought up a good point. If you are the perfect Molly Mormon Momma and you fulfill your calling, and take the kids to soccer/band/mutual/Scouts/piano, and you work out twice a day, and you make love to your husband seven days a week (his example, remember), and you care for your garden, etc, you will still hit a plateau and stop losing weight if you are only getting five hours of sleep a night.

Hydrate yourself. I don't know that many of us can confidently say that we get enough water every single day. We need to replenish the water we've lost while sweating but also flush out all the impurities.

So, those are the things I've decided may be helpful. At least for me. Remember, every body is different. And adding a strength training routine may take a couple of weeks to see results. Muscle weighs more than fat (yadda, yadda) and adding muscle will change your inches a little. At least at first.

Maybe see if any of these things are worth trying. Give it a few weeks. And hopefully we'll all get through the plateau periods somewhat easily.