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awm03

October Healthy Check In

awm03
10 years ago

How's everybody doing? Halloween is coming up. What are some good strategies for avoiding the ubiquitous treats? I don't buy candy until the day of Halloween, and try to buy something I don't like (Twizzlers, for example).

Here is Madame Kettlebells spotting me while I do a Turkish Get Up with a 25 pound bell. Think I'll stick with 18 lbs, lol!

Comments (13)

  • Sueb20
    10 years ago

    I have lost 6-7 pounds since August. I keep saying I must be dying because I haven't lost more than 2-3 lbs (when trying harder than I am now) in YEARS. What I have done is simply stopped eating junk. Everything I put in my mouth is "real" food. Also, with a few exceptions, I don't eat after dinner time. I do have a few beers or glasses of wine on the weekend, sometimes, but almost always lite beer. And I have two pieces of pizza almost every Friday night!

    I've gone down a pants size. That feels so good. I'm only 5'2" so a few pounds makes a difference. And, two different people over the past week (who had no idea I'd been on this "diet") commented on my weight loss. Love that, too.

    I'm hoping to lose 3-4 more lbs. -- that's my realistic goal -- but ideally would love to lose about 15 total.

    Now that I've been off sugar for a couple of months, I am not worried about Halloween. Candy tastes way too sweet to me now, like grossly sweet. Never thought that could happen to me! I will still buy the candy that's less appealing to me, just to be on the safe side :)

  • ellendi
    10 years ago

    My health is stable. Woo Hooo!
    Awm, that looks hard!
    Sue, I always thought I was 5'2 and 1/2 and lately wondered why I seemed to look heavier than the numbers on the scale.
    I had to go to the doctor a few months ago and I asked to be measured. I am only 5'and 1/4! I know that we shrink as we age, but I am thinking I was never 5'2 and 1/4 to start with.

    I am now down five pounds. I have not been this weight in ten years. My weight goes all around my middle so I like having a bit of a waist. (I think hooping has helped too thanks to Terricks)

    I am going to be visiting my sister for a week. It will be a challenge as we do eat out a lot and her DH loves wine, so a bottle is opened every night.

  • springroz
    10 years ago

    Here's hoping October is better than the last 6 weeks!

    My MIL was supposed to be going to live elsewhere, then came back here, Through me for a loop! I was so depressed, and ate..... DH finally recognized her emotional wrangling, and sent her to live with her sister again.
    He told her if she felt like she needed another place to go, to find her an assisted living center. It sounds mean, but she just could not stay by herself any longer, and we could not have Dh working in the middle of the living room, and home health care, nurses and therapists constantly in and out(we did that in Texas, but DH did not work from home then). She was sequestered in her room all day, and could not even turn the TV on, because she had to have it so loud.

    So, now I feel a lot better, and hope a few of the pounds I put on will drop back off. I will get back to the gym when we get back to town on Oct 13.
    We are going to drive a horse around for a week in Lexington, KY.

    Nancy

  • awm03
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Today Madame K. demonstrated the Turkish Get Up with two 25 pound bells. She has unbelievable core strength. None of us "Warrior Women" were the slightest bit tempted to try it ourselves :)

    Happy to say my head is in a good place for dieting. It wasn't for a long while. I've been eating less & feeling comfortable about it. Baby steps...

    Here is a link that might be useful: double bell get up

  • hhireno
    10 years ago

    Thanks for starting us off awm. As I've mentioned before, sometimes it is days before I realize it's a new month.

    My niece and nephew are visiting which means lots of dance parties and running around and playing to offset the additional calories I'm ingesting.

    Awm,
    What you're doing in your kettlebell pix looks hard enough, the video linked exercise is just scary. It's great your head is in the game for your healthy living choices. Isn't it nice when mind and body and spirit are in sync? Would it be easier for you if you gave out something besides candy, like pencils or stickers? That might not be practical, based on the number you hand out, but it's worth considering a cheap, non-food treat.

    Sueb,
    Yay! for you and your continued success with no sugar. I don't think giving up pizza and beer or wine is a reasonable way to live. If your eating doesn't bring any joy or satisfaction, I don't think you'd stick with it. (Full disclaimer: I love pizza and beer and wine. I'd rather be poked in the eye with a sharp stick than give any of those up.) Sometimes we have to stop focusing on 'a diet', and just do what you're doing. I've had success with that this year, also. I cut out obviously unnecessary calories but still allowed a reasonable amount of enjoyable calories.

    Ellendi,
    Eating out a lot is hard but if you stick to reasonably healthy choices and watch the portion sizes you should be okay. Be sure to have a glass of water and alternate sips between the wine and water so you can slow your consumption of the wine. That way your BIL won't be topping off your glass too quickly. And he can enjoy more of the wine. A win-win.

    Springroz,
    Okay, you need to further explain "we're going to drive a horse around a week..." Why, pray tell, are you driving a horse around Lexington, Ky? Sorry about the stress you MIL added to your life but kudos to your husband for taking action.

  • trailrunner
    10 years ago

    Hey...I haven't checked in for ages ! It is great to see pictures !! I will get DH to take one tomorrow at the gym. Would be so fun to have everyone post a pic during a work out ...very inspiring.

    I have been working on the plank for the past month or so. It is a great full body isometric exercise and tones core like nobody's business ! I can now hold the traditional toes/elbows for 5 1/2 minutes, I then get up and stretch and walk to the water fountain and rest about 5 minutes and come back and do it for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. I have seen a change in my core and my back and buttocks. I am really pleased.

    DH and I leave Saturday for a 3 1/2 week road trip. We are driving to Niagara on the Lake ON to visit family for 5 days and cycle a lot of routes on 3 different days. We will then head to Albany NY and cycle for 2 days from my 2010 tour cycling friend's home. On to New Paltz and another friend's home and we will cycle for 3 days there. On to Suffern and another friend's place for 2 days and not sure there will be cycling. Then to Manhattan and Brooklyn where our B&B is located for 7 days of cycling/jazz clubs/family/food ! On to Virginia Beach where there are 100 miles of trails for cycling just in town ! We will stay at the state park where there are 20 miles of trails and ride and eat seafood for a couple days . Then home to AL.

    I think the cycling will offset the food...I sure hope so cause we love to eat local and home cooking.

    I will try to post as we go along. It is great to be able to check in with everyone. Thanks awm for the great idea of a pic and hh for keeping this going too . c

  • CLBlakey
    10 years ago

    I am so glad I started the biggest loser challange with hubbies work. Even though I missed the first weigh in while I was away. I had my 1 month weigh in yesterday down 20lbs I was hoping for 10. I did not do much excercising due to holidays but acid reflux is down along with the weight.

    I did however have a nasty kitchen accident with my finger but my delay to the doc left it too late for stiches it is still wrapped so don't know how big it really is no tendon damage(yippee!).

    Winter is setting in here so have had to adjust my mental though abit and choose to be okay with it. An early snow was predicted but so far it has not arrived. Hopefully it will wait until halloween.

    Keep up the good work everyone. Have great trips Ellendi and Nancy. (and Trail)

    I missed a few posts by starting to type in the morning and finishing later. Kettle bell get up might be doable at 5lb bells.

    This post was edited by CLBlakey on Thu, Oct 3, 13 at 18:55

  • awm03
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    CLB, that's amazing -- 20 lbs. Also happy to hear about the acid reflux being reduced. That's what's driving my small meals approach -- need to get the ol' acid reflux under control. Hope that finger of yours heals quickly.

  • texanjana
    10 years ago

    Wow, my kettlebell is only 7 pounds! I have lost 10 pounds and have gone down a size, so I am happy about that. It has been slow, but I am ok with that. Most of my clothes are baggy now, but I still would like to lose a little more. I have just been walking and continuing with the healthy eating.

    I leave a week from Sunday on my trip, and like Trail I hope the exercise (walking lots while sightseeing for me) offsets the delicious food. When I get back I really want to hire a personal trainer and develop a good strength training program that I will enjoy.

  • Bethpen
    10 years ago

    YAY everyone! Trail, a 5.5 minute plank is crazy talk! How wonderful. That is such a good lesson for me. I can take 30 seconds several times a day and work away at a plank easily. Seriously, 30 seconds is going to feel like 3 years.:)

    I'm doing great. I'm not really sure when it all kicked in, but I have been eating really well. I have lost about 12 lbs since May. When I really got serious about a more paleo style diet, things got better. For some reason I was seriously attached to toast at breakfast. I kicked the toast, and cut way, way back on cheese and things really improved. When I was younger, I did Atkins, ate cheese with abandon and lost weight. Now calories definitely do count. I have been logging with My Fitness Pal, and though I don't freak out if I go over with fat or calories, I do try to keep it in the recommended calorie range.

    I still don't have a regular exercise regimen. I'm still waitressing one day a week, and on the days that I don't work at my desk job, I get a lot of steps in. My goal is to get a strength training plan in place soon. I should set a date. I know that is going to be the key for me. Self-Sabotage comes into play a lot over here, so i should really pay closer attention.

    Candy hasn't been an issue. I bake sweets here and there and have to cop to eating some batter here or there, but haven't had the crazy sugar binges that I had going on earlier in the year. We don't get Trick or Treaters, maybe 2 if we're lucky, and I always have some on hand. I do avoid buying the ones I really like though.

    Springroz, I hope that having your MIL safely ensconced will ease your burden enough that you can take care of yourself. Hopefully you're driving a fancy schmancy horse around KY and having lots of fun.

    Beth P.

  • sis3
    10 years ago

    I have found that sweet spot where I stay healthy and strong. I can eat all the foods I love and still maintain my ideal weight! It wasn't always so! My metabolism, for a time, seemed to have stopped!
    I have always been proactive about my health but a few years ago I realized that it was necessary to step it up if I was going to keep my good health. I have needed medical treatment only once in my life, 20 years ago, when my foot became infected from something I stepped on on the beach, and no medications at all since having tonsillitis in my 20's, and none before that since childhood. I am 60 years old.

    My successful strategies are
    1. Making health, strength and fitness my goal rather than my weight or appearance
    2. Eating a healthy diet at the right times of day
    3. Vigorous exercise at least 3 times per week. I like to run 5 miles 5 days per week.
    4. Keeping a daily log of my weight first thing in the morning and last thing at night, food intake, exercise and any other factors that affect my goals.
    5. Using the log only for knowledge about how my body responds, in order to optimize my behaviors, not to obsess over weight gain etc!

    I do not find it easy to put this personal information out there on an open forum, it may seem like bragging. I decided to do it only as encouragement for anyone who wants to gain good health or a healthy weight and may doubt their ability to achieve it. I can remember getting rid of favorite clothes that I had saved for years because I "knew" with absolute certainty that I would never be small enough to wear them again. After all, we all gain weight as we get older, right? And once we are over a certain age that weight is impossible to shift? Well, some of those clothes, had I saved them, would be too big for me now! Of course we are all different but I just want to encourage anyone who truly wants to improve their well being to stick with it. Don't be discouraged by set backs. Your goals can still be reached. The goal of staying in good health all your life is a fine one. For me health and happiness are locked together.

  • hhireno
    10 years ago

    Sis3,
    It's not bragging, it's helpful and encouraging to read about the success of others. Thanks for sharing and I hope you continue to post here.

  • Bethpen
    10 years ago

    Sis3, Thanks for sharing! It is encouraging for me.

    Beth P.

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