Health and Fitness, May, 2014

[Cowinkie]

I'm .5 lb closer to my big goal
Okay when I lost those 40lbs it all started with my son's diving and swimming class. There was a walking path next to the pool that was a quarter mile long. I started out the way you did and walked while my son swam. Could barely do a mile to begin with. But with the help of a tape player and walking tapes I was able to get my speed up. By the end of the summer I was walking 5.2 mph.

If you have an iphone or are capable of download music from iTunes you can find walking music specifically set up for walking. You can choose the distance and time that you want. I learned to love my walking time and protected it with a passion. I'd turn up the music and set sails... Soon I was in my Zone. Of only did I love my results but learned this me time was a tremendous benefit to my soul.

[Twins' Mom]

I've pretty much been a nonstarter here....bigger meals on our weekend and travels and I haven't gotten myself going here.

Fitbit is on.

After dropping off ds this morning, I stopped at McD's for an Egg McMuffin (8 pts). At least it was egg mcmuffin instead of Bacon egg cheese biscuit (12 pts.)

[Nancy]

Mowed the front yard here this morning.

Did a med. Sized walk with dgkids to a yd sale that was fun sort of it was hot and muggy.

[Harriet]

In Jorge Cruise's older books he mentions the Egg McMuffin, because even though it is a sandwich with bread, it only has, I believe, 87 sugar calories. So, that's not such a bad decision, Twins'. I have sometimes gotten one and then saved it in fridge for the last thing I eat instead of the first, though, because I think I am susceptible to wanting "more" carbs after having them early.

Had (a reasonable quantity) of buttered brussels sprouts again today for first meal. Pleasant to me - don't know why that particular veggie makes me smile. Lunch was Har dee's low-carb burger with the menfolk working here. So far, if there has been a sugar calorie, it was in the pickle slice!

Great job on calendar-event goals, Dee and Cowinkie. I really believe they give us something with positive "vibes" to think about. Best luck!

[OKay]

I'm frustrated because I missed weighing this morning. I went to weigh but was sidetracked by visiting my hair colorist. Reminding myself.....progress, not perfection.

I too am a nonstarter on some of my previous healthy habit focuses. I am not consistently tracking my food. I was doing it so well then stopped when I was sick and wasn't eating much. It is hard to get restarted!! I keep making attempts....logging breakfast.....some days logging breakfast and lunch. I tried logging everything I THINK I will eat at the beginning of the day, but that didn't turn out to be the truth....so was sorta useless. Progress, not perfection.

I found this online. Posting to remind myself. -
Stepping on the scale can be disheartening, particularly after an indulgent weekend (“I gained five pounds since Friday?!”). But it's best to face your fears, because as it turns out, weighing yourself regularly can actually help you stay slim. Scientists at the University of Minnesota discovered that people who got on the scale every day lost twice as much weight as those who weighed themselves less often. The assumption: Monitoring your weight keeps your mind on your health and prevents weight denial.

[Twins' Mom]

Okay, I have trouble weighing at a consistent time. I usually get out of bed to go see about ddogs, and don't stop at the bathroom at that point. Later in the day I see so much fluctuation from what I eat and how much water that I drink that it's really hard to see any kind of trend.

Earlier this week someone posted about a electronic scale that measured in increments smaller than a pound. Are those scales pretty accurate? I also realized that our scale is probably close to 20 years old - it is a good one and still works fine if I would use it regularly.

Of course, I could show up at WW weekly to weigh also.

[OKay]

I only weigh first thing in the morning. If I miss that time, I don't weigh at all.

Cut/paste from article I found on internet that describes how/why I weigh daily-
Weighing in once a day, in the morning, after you pee and before you put on your clothes, can be a smart way to keep tabs on whether you've been gaining over time. "Daily weigh-ins allow you to detect small changes before they become big changes," says Rena Wing, PhD, a professor of psychiatry at Brown University.

I do like a digital scale with read out in tenth of pound. Our scale is probably 5?? years old - bought at Sam's for under $30. I'm very pleased with it.....although the newer digital wifi scales are a temptation to the techie-CRAZY-person in me.

[Cowinkie]

I weigh every day with my digital scale. I love mine for all the same reasons mentioned. I'm down again today.. It's .25 lbs, but without my digital scale I might not be able to SEE the downward movement.

Every morning I get up, use the bathroom, take my nightie off and step onto my scale. I can almost do it with my eyes closed. I know ME very well. If I don't want to step on the scale it's because I know Ive gotten off my plan and am afraid to see the results.

Weighing every day was key to keeping my 40lbs off for years... It's when I began taking preventive meds for my migrains that I saw my weight soar. Disheartening to say the least and little I could do about it. Tremendous weight gain is/was a side effect of these meds but I wasn't made aware of it at the time. Had I know I'm not sure I would have taken them.

I ate well yesterday, but taught out in a portable. This made using the restroom near impossible. I could t drink much water because of it. I am also taking OTC sinus meds at the moment along with an occasion pain meds to keep my headaches at bay and believe this effects the speed of my weight loss. That's ok.. As long as the scale reads ... Going Down, I'll take it.

Okay... I kept a small pocket notebook and pen on my count to track my food, and logged what I ate as I prepared it... Sort of a post and eat thingie. Hardest for me were the"little" bits I took while cooking. WW has a term for those bites. But I can't remember what they're called. Anyway I know for me these bites that I eat are also key for me to keep track of.

[Harriet]

Scale

We likethis one, which has been a good value for us. It actually does a little more than we need - lots of features others might like. We like that it never, ever changes its mind. If you weigh something-and-2-ounces, you just can't fool this scale in any way. You can't sneak up on it, or just wait a little while and surprise it, or jump on it, or tippy-toe onto it, or ANYTHING to get it to change its mind. Our previous scale was a Health-o-meter, and even though it was very attractive it was wishy-washy!

[Ivy]

I've been eating healthy, but occasionally, every other day, I'll treat myself to 3 Mother's Day chocolates at 170 calories per 3 chocolates. I DO count them. I've been getting in a lot of activity, too. I stacked wood for a bit on Wed. & then today, it was a Conga Friday for me, with only a few items left to do tomorrow. I feel healthier & more fit, when I'm busier & more energetic & happier, too. I'm trying to lose about 8 Lbs. before the end of July Dr. appt. I want to be proud of good work well done, have had tips & help from my Dr.'s medical asst., one day when she called to chat on the phone, too. It was so motivating & inspiring to just visit with her. She's wonderful & I know she's an M. A., but she's so GOOD, she & the other M. A., BOTH seem like RN's. Very knowledgeable & care for their patients. After talking to her, I felt as though I'd had a shot in the arm of endorphins & valuable info. It's so wonderful to have a good crew at a clinic like this, with the patients' interests & problems first.