Thanks for starting this gibby; as often happens it escaped my attention that it was the beginning of the month.

More snow! You poor thing. Clearly, I am not hearty enough stock to live in Minnesota or other northern places because having snow in April would drive me over the edge.

Our weather has been lovely and I've been out for many walks. I said to my husband if we ever want to sell the house this is the time of year to list or take photos for the listing. The neighborhood looks fabulous with flowering trees, green grass, and multiple types of flowers. I have to walk with a box of tissues to deal with my allergies but it sure is pretty.

I was surprised how many people mentioned shoulder and butt/hip issues in those other threads. I need to improve my flexibility before I join those ranks.

Getting back on track. I lost a little bit of weight this month.

School is finishing, so after May 15 I will have more time to devote to myself and home projects.

The Mindfullness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) class is helping with my stress level. It is hard to do all the "homework" but like the instructor said, some is better than nothing.

I joined Weight Watchers on April 18th. I weigh in again tonight, so ill find out for sure, but i think Im down 10lbs already!

Warm weather is here early, and ive upped my activity level. Im ready to make this lifechange petmanent! Also signed up for a
5k walk for Domestic Violence on May 21. Doing it with my kids as a Mothers Day gift. Hoping to be able to ride my bike again soon.

I feel like I've been doing everything "right," and have been on a plateau for almost three weeks. Still have about fifteen pounds to go. Trying to stay on track, argh. Good luck, everyone!

Gotta brag-11 pounds down. More than I care to admit to go. But it's a start!! Yours-I always found that it just took one day of slacking off when I was at a plateau to kick start everything again. Good luck on your journey.

Yea Pesky, good for you!! Isn't it a great feeling to take control and refocus on your healthy and fitness? I love that your kids are doing the 5K with you, that is so sweet.

YTNF,
so sorry to read about your plateau. That can be so darn frustrating. I hope someone chimes in with some practical advice for you. All I can say is we're here to cheer you on and support you when you need it.

Gscience,
I was reading in More magazine that research shows the good bacteria in our guts might be helpful with how we handle stress, lower our risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and possibly play a role in weight gain. Eat a yogurt or some kimchi while you practice your MBSR.

Edited to add:
I was reading a magazine at the gym this morning and it had an article about hitting a plateau. Perfect timing for this thread. Things to keep in mind:

You may be losing inches, as you replace fat with muscle, but not see that reflected in pounds so take a few measurements or notice if clothes are fitting differently. It was also suggested to take photos of yourself to help you see the changes that might not be shown on the scale.

Watch your sodium intake, you may be retaining water.

Change your workout. Add more resistance and/or add intervals.

Keep some perspective and don't focus on just the number in the scale. Think about the other improvements to your health such as more energy, better flexibility, and maybe even better sleep.

I hope these ideas help push you off your plateau.

Here is a link that might be useful: Probiotics and stress

This post was edited by hhireno on Fri, May 3, 13 at 8:54

May 3 - snowing again. Will it ever end? DH is out of town for a few days. I hope to go home after work tonight and ride the exercise bike much as I am sick to death of doing so after a long winter of riding it. This will also be a few days I can just eat what I want, which is typically much less than he would want. So bottom line, hopefully a few days of more fitness focus and less eating focus.

Pesky - what great progress!! It makes you want to keep going doesn't it?

Yours - don't get discouraged. I do often wonder about the possibility that weight isn't going down because of building muscle that weighs more than fat. I wore a pair of jeans yesterday that I haven't worn because I thought they'd be tight with the few add'l pounds. I was surprised to find they fit fine. It was somewhat encouraging for me to get back on track with more frequent exercise and less of the nonsense eating I've done lately.

This post was edited by gibby3000 on Fri, May 3, 13 at 13:06

Thanks, you guys. Posting here must have done the trick. I'm down a pound. Not a huge drop but I'll take it, high five!

What kind of thread is this? Weight loss, general health, support for other issues. I need a place to be accountable with a boost of support without judgement. Can I join in?

I joined Weight Watchers on April 18th. I weigh in again tonight, so ill find out for sure, but i think Im down 10lbs already!

Warm weather is here early, and ive upped my activity level. Im ready to make this lifechange petmanent! Also signed up for a
5k walk for Domestic Violence on May 21. Doing it with my kids as a Mothers Day gift. Hoping to be able to ride my bike again soon.

Annie1971,
Yes, by all means, join us. Some of us are focused on weight loss, some on improving fitness, and all of us are interested in being healthier. It's a judgement free zone for moral support on any of life's issues. I find that reading about other people's successes, and at times failures, is inspiring.

I'm writing from a cottage on the beach, because I was wise enough several months ago to know that by this point I would be desperate for some down time :).

Am taking a long weekend, alone, on Sanibel and simply relaxing after a hellishly stressful few months as work. Like gscience, I'm in academia and my magic date is coming-May 10 we graduate our class of 2013 and then life will settle down. I scheduled my Pilates intensive summer program to start on May 13, and I chose 3 mornings/week. I find that if I exercise first thing I get it done, but if I try scheduling later it just gets bumped too easily. So I'll be working on my core via the Pilates all summer with a fantastic instructor. Can't wait. She talked to me about sciatica and understands how to work my body to minimize a flare up or deal with it if I do have one.

My eating habits are definitely so much better, in large part due to some of the previous discussions here. Am moving slowly toward the plant based diet. I also try to stay away from white food (bread, potatoes, sugar etc). Over the past 6 months I've lost ~10 pounds which is a nice side effect of eating lighter.

Have been off red meat for a couple of years, still love chicken but am minimizing that too. Having a quieter schedule means more time to cook and experiment with veggie recipes. I'm looking forward to that.

I'm also determined to spend more time out on the water this summer with my husband. He is out in the boat every Saturday and this will not only give me physical exercise as I swim and dive with him, it nourishes my soul to be near or in the ocean and most of all it will give us time to reconnect together.

So, feeling pretty optimistic right now about the next few months. Summer, bring it on!

Ann

I just keep losing and gaining the same 3 lbs. Right now, in the "gain" column. Sigh. Too many social events, some travel, and stress. I started doing Weight Watchers online 5 days ago but already have gone off the rails. Starting again today.

...as I sit here trying to talk myself into a walk...I'm going, I'm going! Just need to finish my coffee.

Ha-ha - sueb20. You sound a lot like me only I just keep staring at the same three pounds I want to lose and don't. I'm never in the lose column. And I sit here having one more cup of coffee and telling myself what time I'm going to go jump on that exercise bike that I've grown to hate this winter. I do think I'd be out for a walk in a heartbeat if it was a nice sunny, spring day. But alas it's a rather cold, blustery spring day. At least it's not snowing...

Annie1971 - welcome!! Hope to hear back from you soon.

HI Everyone.
Here I am. Just the same as I was. I did seven weeks with no sugar, no white flour or bread. Lots of veggies.

I haven't lost a pound. Can't fit in my pants. Full of rage.

I saw my endocrinologist about a week ago and she said that movement is my only answer. I'd been walking here and there, but ramped it up this week. I'm really going to try to get in either a ten mile bike ride or 3.6 mile walk every other day. I've got to revisit the gym idea but haven't done that yet.

The no sugar thing ended yesterday when I ate about a million chocolate covered strawberries.

I'm spending today convincing myself I don't need to finish them off.

Sigh.

Beth P.

Gad Beth, I could never give up sugar and sweets. I did it once many years ago and it wasn't so bad but now I'm at the stage of life where I say life is meant to be enjoyed and I enjoy my chocolate!! I completely agree with your endocrinologist - movement is key.

I did get off my butt today and ride the gawd awful exercise bike and was very happy I did. I always feel good afterward but so hate the thought of it ahead of time. I also had a nice healthy dinner of baked sweet potato and brussels sprouts. I will be treating myself to a little low fat frozen yogurt for dessert. All in all I was good today.

Tomorrow is supposed to be 70 degrees - yee-ha!! Looking forward to going for a nice walk and doing spring yard work. Hope to fit in my yoga routine as well.

I had my slight pity party. I didn't eat the strawberries. My plan is to do some research tomorrow and make a plan to stick to.

My sister has recently lost about 78 pounds on the Ideal Proetein plan. She drinks shakes for breakfast, has 8 oz protein, lettuce and cucumbers for lunch, and a shake for dinner. They also have other dehydrated foods that you can eat. She hasn't cheated once since October. She definitely had 100 pounds to lose, and I know that she needed to do something serious as a "restart". That said, I'm not sure how she'll do once she reaches her goal. She is pretty disciplined so I think she will be ok. I really can't imagine myself sticking to that kind of regimen. Soon there will be no living with her.

My cousin has lost about 25 pounds. She has been counting calories using an app called My Fitness Buddy. She works out like a maniac. She is single, no kids, works hard and lives with her mom who helps with the cooking. When she talks about her days they are so far off from mine. I know I can fit an hour of exercise into my day, but I wish it was easier.

Beth P.

Beth, you can do this! Keep your fridge stocked with healthy snacks, fruits and vegetables (and then reach for them rather than the "other" snacks:)). Get that daily hour long workout in, working up a sweat for 20+ minutes and you WILL see the lbs drop. I used to think my diet and workouts were adequate (And they were. For a much younger woman), and couldn't understand why those 15 lbs wouldn't come off. Once I stepped it up, the weight dropped. My 30 y.o. DD was my role model. Watching her I realized she made much healthier food choices than I AND made fitness a priority. She was/is serious about her workouts; fits them into her schedule no matter what and works hard at it. Now my constant challenge is to maintain the loss with continued healthy eating and exercise. Not always fun but SO worth it!

Good luck, Beth!

Beth, do you mind me asking what shakes your sister drinks?

Annie, indeed join in, it's a random support group, venting venue, whatever you want it to be. Everyone's journey is interesting.

hhireno said it well: " It's a judgement free zone for moral support on any of life's issues." I love that.

I'm still maintaining my weight loss, I've been travelling since April 1, the last 2 weeks am in a hotel so I have to be careful not to overeat, I pickup fresh fruit when I see it, it's easy enough to find even in a big city.

I don't go to the gym as regularly but I walk miles in the city all week long . Still, I i miss my regular workouts, I find it a more rigorous way to keep fit but overall I feel great.

I eat less carbs also, it's becoming easier and easier over time.

keep up the good work everyone, one step at a time, one day at a timeâ¦..

Trying to get back on track...we went to Nashville and then to Memphis to visit DD, and ate lots of fantastic food in both places! The weather has been nice, so I have been trying to get out and walk every day after work with our younger dog. The day is coming when I will either have to get up before dawn or head back into the gym due to the heat.

Thanks to everyone who posts here!

olliesmom, she drinks the shakes that the Ideal Protein people make. I'm not sure what else they make. My mom and cousin are starting the plan this week.

I just feel like I should be able to do this eating food.

Beth P.

It seems like it would be hard to maintain your weight when you went back to food after the shakes. I think you really have to find a way of eating that you can stay with for life if you don't want to gain the weight back.

What a difference a day makes. Nice day today - went for a brisk walk and then worked in the yard for a couple hours, finishing off with 30 mins of vigorous raking!! No yoga after that - just a hot bath!

"Tomorrow is supposed to be 70 degrees - yee-ha!! Looking forward to going for a nice walk and doing spring yard work."

To demonstrate how one's body adapts to the climate in which you live, a voice from the subtropics:

I decided to come home early from my beach getaway because it was too darn cold...wait for it, the HIGH temperature was only 72 and I was freezing! Instead of lounging on the beach in the warmth, I sat wrapped in a beach towel because of the chill.

Then this morning when I got up my husband excitedly told me to open the back door. A blast of frigid air--it was 61 degrees! OMG, who knew Miami was in for a vicious blast of winter climate this late in the season?!

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!

OK, sorry everyone who lives in normal climes. Back to your regularly scheduled conversation....

I'm still following the primal blueprint. I lost four pounds in April which brings me to a total of 16 for the year. Trying my best to lose slowly which is a real challenge for me. I'm either losing very fast or gaining very fast so I'm trying my best to stay consistent and moderate.

I'm really into pilates. I love it so much! At this point I'm only doing mat work but plan to progress to the reformer. Also lifting weights twice a week, cardio three times a week and a 20 minute tabata once a week.

Overall, I'm feeling pretty good and trying to keep my patience in check and keeping my mind in the "here and now."

Oh, my arthritic knee is so much better. I'm not sure what the key was but I did two things at the same time: acupuncture and stopped eating food that cause inflammation.

runninginplace - that is SO funny!! 72 degrees is my ideal temperature - though I do like it a little hotter for beach activity.

Yay Kelly, another Pilates convert! Isn't it addictive?!

What I like is that it is deceptively easy at first, but the more you do the exercises the more you realize how very complicated it is to do them RIGHT. That takes such concentration; I find it to be extremely mentally challenging yet soothing if that makes sense.

Looking forward to my summer Pilates curriculum so much, hope you keep having fun with your exercises too. Some of the reformer exercises actually remind me of being a little girl again the way you twist and turn your body into such interesting contortions...yowza!

Ann

I took some positive steps today. My cousin has lost 27 pounds using My Fitness pal. I downloaded the app and went and bought a fit-bit. I'm going to at least collect data to help pinpoint what might be holding me back.

Trying to stay positive and have some fun. I took a TRX class on Sunday and walked 3.6 miles today. TRX was hard, but fun.

Beth P.

Bethpen,
I don't use it but I hear many positive comments about fitness pal and you know from other posts I love my fitbit. I do find it motivational. You've already taken 2 steps towards better health. I agree with you, I think learning to eat well and maintain good health on real food must be better than shakes in the long run.

About a month ago, I decided to cut back on alcohol, to 2 nights a week at most (from 4-5 nights) and, as before, only have one glass (more than that disrupts my sleep). I've lost 2 pounds, without any other changes. Obviously, those were unnecessary, but tasty, calories that were easy to eliminate.

Ann,
72 is almost perfect for me but I would bring a light jacket. I should look into Pilates, your enthusiasm backed with kellyeng's is intriguing.

Beth, I think you will find logging your food consumption and exercise in an app to be very enlightening and helpful. I know I did. One I realized how much I was consuming compared with how much I was burning off it was no wonder I'd been gaining weight. I now use it religiously and have for over a year.

beth, thanks for the info! My DH drinks the protein powder/shakes from Jay Robb and I started drinking those. I am on day two (Woohoo) of no sugar. I eat way too much sugar, so I am starting there-baby steps. I am going to do this for two weeks and then start eating less flour, etc.

I still have about 20 pounds to lose (30 would be great) but I think I would look better with only 20.

Great news about your sister though!

Reporting in.
I like My Fitness Pal. It is pretty easy to use. I'm not 100% sure about following the guidelines. I'm keeping the carbs lower than it suggests, mostly because I know that is danger zone for me.

The Fit Bit is fun. I sort of wish I had something that measured more, but I do like the size and ease of wearing it. I find it is pretty accurate measuring my sleep. My DH works nights and comes in at about 2:30AM, and it always registers me waking then.

I've started working in the medical records department at my per diem job and sit at a computer all day. This could be part of the problem. This weekend I will be waitressing at my sister's restaurant, so I should catch up with the steps. I don't think I will be working quite as much so there will be more chance for moving.

I haven't lost any weight this week. Gained a pound early,but I'm still just going to go along.

Beth P.