What happened to the nice blog/web site buttons?

I used to have one with "pounds to go" on my blog, now it has completely disappeared and there's just a text link to traineo.

Are they coming back?

Otherwise, I like the new look!

It's hard to leave... but at the same time, it's just too much at the moment.



It doesn't help that spending time typing aggravates my chronic tendinitis in my forearms. And I don't need that, given the amount of pruning and lopping I've had to do lately in the yard!



I'm not dumping my account or anything, so I may be back later.

I hate to say it, but I'm dropping out of this challenge.



I'm too busy this summer to be coming over here to post weekly. It probably doesn't help that we have slow dial-up, but I'm finding that too much time spent on the computer is not helping my weight loss situation.



It's been fun... but I need to refocus and get moving.



Cynthia

I hate to say it, but I'm dropping out of this challenge for now.



I may, stop by and post current weight occasionally for the sake of accountability, but I find that each time I log into Traineo, I start reading forums, etc... and spending too much time on the computer. It's easy for me to get addicted to doing this, a.k.a. sitting on my butt, than to get myself moving... which is better for weight loss.



And there's just too many chores and tasks here in my house for me to justify time spent on the computer "yakking" as it were. Now, I may change my mind some if we get faster internet access, but for now, I need to do my yard chores and work on my house.



It's been fun and I may rejoin later, but for now, it is too much. Though I have been going backwards lately on progress, I want to reverse that trend. More activity and less computer should help.



Cynthia

LW = 222.6

TW = 223.2



Ugh... just ugh.

Never eat 'em myself. I don't have any trouble getting plenty of fiber in.

I understand about the "fresh" foods being not so fresh... it's similar in my town. I've just learned to pick the best I can and consume quickly. Or buy frozen. Just do the best you can and remember you don't have to eat perfectly to lose weight, just consume fewer calories than you burn.



Keep up the exercise and don't worry if things go slowly, just keep reminding yourself daily that you are choosing a healthier lifestyle.

Well, money is definitely an issue when it comes to buying quality veggies and meats... but think of the good things you can buy that are relatively inexpensive, like grains and beans and legumes and stuff like that.



Likewise... if you don't spend some on improving your health, you might find yourself spending considerably on things like prescription meds and whatnot. So make your best compromises.



Exercise will help with depression, also better food intake. And while you may have done a lot of negative self talk in the past... that's done with, you have control over your future and you can cut it out. It will take some work, but you can do it!



So hang in there and make good use of the forums!

Yes... get whatever guarantees you can and as much info on the pool as possible before forging ahead and buying a property with a pool. When pools work, they are great, but when they age and start to have issues, they are a HUGE money drain.



My sister also has a pool... and like mine, it was older and needed work. She had to put about 20K in to get it running well. That's not chump change. In her case, she will probably not be moving from her house, so it's a reasonable investment for a lot of pleasure and she LOVES her pool!



In my case, hubby may well want to move to get a promotion in a few years, so putting big money in the pool was NOT exactly what we wanted to do, especially as the house could also use some work. It's our first house... if I had it to do over again, I'd skip the pool, much as I love swimming and water workouts.

Excellent suggestion. The basics really are simple... burn more calories than you take in.



I'm going to add to Minu's post though. Make all your changes to eating and exercise into HABITS. Permanent ones. Things you just do. And don't stop after you've lost the weight and hit your goal. It's not that eating well and exercising regularly don't work, they do, but people set a goal, get there and stop the good habits that got them there. Then they wonder why the weight comes back!

I think the yoga and pilates will be great. Probably the Turbo Jam as well. I just bought that off eBay myself and will see what I think.



I would suggest also looking into some kind of strength training DVD or program as well. That combined with cardio will help.



Don't get into that "motivation" thing... bunches of us lose motivation and just keep on keepin' on anyway. You can't count on motivation to always be there... for people who are overweight like us, goal weight can be some time in the future. So, you need to make good clean eating and exercise a HABIT. Something that you just DO, like brushing your teeth.



Important stuff: You almost certainly will have days you skip working out for whatever reason or days that you won't eat properly. It doesn't mean you've ruined everything, consider such times a "blip" and then get back on track as soon as possible. Next hour, same day, next day, next meal, just as soon as you can. Always move forward, don't obsess about screw-ups.



BTW, your weight loss goals seem very realistic. In addition to the exercise, be careful with the eating. Salads are great... make sure you are getting enough protein though. And don't cut calories too drastically.



The other thing I'd suggest is do NOT rely solely on a scale for signs of progress. Take girth measurements... and also take them around some less likely places, like your wrist for instance. Sometimes changes take a long time to see on a large body. I start seeing measurement changes at my wrists before anyplace else.



Consider doing progress photos and consider measuring things like resting heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, flexibility, etc... Notice every small improvement, even if it's just that you feel better after a workout or fit in a chair better, because seeing these small signs of progress will help keep you going and realizing that change IS happening!



Good luck and hard work!

222.6 pounds.



Racing backwards this week... but no more!

Definitely some good losses going! I'm feeling encouraged, even though I had to post a gain.

LW = 221.6 pounds

TW = 222.6 pounds



Difference = +1 pound Sigh.



Was on track yesterday though... hope to keep it going and get back to losing again.

If you knew how much trouble they could be... you might change your mind about that, LOL!



I love to swim and I *have* a pool... and the blame things leaks and can't be used until we figure out where. And we put new equipment in while it was working and fixed TWO leaks already at a cost of 5K... so be careful what you wish for! Now they are telling us the side panels are leaking so we might have to have a liner installed. (2.5K-3K)



Oh, and let's not mention that with the initial leak, the ground got so saturated that we ended up with some flooding in the basement.



It's not even a good shape or length for lap swimming, though it is loads of fun to cool off in evenings when it works.



We love the house... but the pool is a problem. And filling it could be as expensive as fixing, thanks to the fact that there is no real access for major equipment to get through to it.



Natasha, you are getting good advice. Weight lifting will help you tone... but to build muscle, you generally need surplus calories. So checking your intake is a good idea.

Yes, definitely icing! Have water bottle in the freezer now. It helps, but I'm beginning to think I need to suck it up and do some actual ice water soaking. That's not pleasant, but has helped before.





Congrats to everyone who lost and to everyone staying accountable!

Sure, I'm in.



Starting weight: 221.6 pounds

I think you look great!



Now that the wedding is over, just keep focusing on your goals and next pictures, you'll be even better!

Knockout by New Year!



I like Dan's ideas too!





This is a good one for me, because one of my goals is to get to or be under 200 pounds by New Years. And I have to keep focus, because at the slow rate I lose, it won't happen if I don't. Worse... I think I'm getting into menopause. A couple nights this week I got really hot while sleeping. Which is not the norm for me.

If it makes you feel any better... I drink a gallon a day. MORE on exercise days! And it's still sometimes a battle to keep my urine on the light side. It's not likely to hurt you unless you drink it all at once, which I don't. At that, I still wake up feeling very dry and thirsty. Note: I do live in a drier climate.



Be sure you get some salt in your diet, especially if exercising. Otherwise, if you eat a healthy diet, I wouldn't worry about drinking plenty. I think if you are overweight, you do need more than a normal weight person.



I definitely know *I* need this much water... if I drink less, not only does the hydration level on my Tanita scale start to drop, but my eyes get dry feeling, my skin suffers and I get headaches. So I drink and feel good. Individual needs definitely differ!

OK, I'm not listing last week's weight... because all I've lost over the past week is water anyway. Not fair to be in the competition. So I'll just list this week's weight and I'm listing Monday's weight. I may do that from now on, it's my "official" weigh-in day and less confusing for me than trying to have two different weigh-in days.



TW = 221.6 lbs.





I need to buckle down and focus. The plantar fasciitis flareup has been a setback, but I've got to cope better. Get some exercise, eat less until I can do more exercise.

Definitely congrats everyone!

Yes, great work all!



Summer isn't quite here yet in the NW... 50s yesterday and rain. Cool today as well. Ugh.

BTFFTM is a good one! And I agree, one at a time is best, give you a chance to read, absorb, try out, etc...

Thanks Ivie! Yes, I need to get myself doing "something" this week. I did ice last night, but it hasn't helped that much. So I think it's time to get the fitness ball out and at least do some upper body and ab work. Maybe try my TRX core DVD out. And when my back feels a bit better, some swimming would be good. I'm hoping I can tackle water aerobics by the end of the week.



Meanwhile, I'm back down to 222.4 which makes me feel better. Even if my gain was mostly water, NO extra weight is good for my feet!



Oh Richard... hope your grandmother does well. Meanwhile, take care of yourself as best you can, but don't stress if you have other concerns for now. Life happens.



Laura, stepping away is not a bad idea. Sometimes a mental break is needed from the constant "measuring". Good luck with the jogging!

Honestly, I don't know anything about the e-Book or have any personal experience with it, but it's tempting to buy just to check it out. I do know that folks who have tried the exercises say they are wicked... and I've been tempted to buy a pair of ValSlides. Though I am not quite sure my body is ready for that challenge! Still, one never knows until one tries.



As for being "beach ready" in 6 weeks, I think that depends on where you are starting from. It would be ridiculous to think that my 222.4 pound body of the moment would look hot on the beach in six weeks! But I certainly could make further improvements in that time, even though they might not be noticeable to the outside world.



At the least, changing up one's routine never hurts, LOL!



Here's more reading from Skwigg Blog, she's bought the e-book and has been experimenting. So you can at least see what she thinks about the program.



Skwigg Blog - Red Carpet Ready



Skwigg Blog - Getting My Ass Kicked Down the Red Carpet



Skwigg Blog - Valerie Waters interview





Hope that helps!



And BTW, three cheers for the pound+ lost, Angie!

OK... whatever you weigh, getting in the water is fun! Especially as the weather gets hot. So don't worry about how you look in a suit, just DO IT! I buy plain black 2X suits from Junonia. I don't look great, not in my old, saggy, fat body, but I get exercise in and feel good about myself.



So stop worrying about losing weight by some vacation date. To be successful, to keep the weight off, it needs to be a lifestyle change anyway. Which means you might as well keep going with what you've started. Even if you don't look your best by July, by keeping on track, you'll surely look better by August or fall or the holidays!



Why bother? To feel better, to get healthier, to keep your body from losing more muscle as it ages.



Everybody has bad days, or even bad weekends... ask me about the latter, I was at 218.6 last week... one weekend away and eating too much, I gained nearly 10 pounds. Even if most is water, probably all isn't, and it sucks. But the only thing for me to do is get back on track.



Getting back on track after a goof up is the way you minimize the damage and keep the weight off. You might want to consider keeping foods that you overdo on out of the house. That helps me! I could easily go through a box of fruit roll ups myself. But some real strawberries would be far better for you.



Anyway, you feel like crap now, but you DON'T have to feel like crap tomorrow.

Thanks Richard,



Hope your weigh-in is better than you suspect.



It feels crappy because I was in the 2-teens... but I'll survive. Haven't done so well with drinking today, so may not shed the water all that fast. And my feet are bad off after being on them so much over the weekend. I'm not sure I'll be able to exercise at all this week! I'm going to ice tonight and hope that helps some.

OK, first off, don't stress too much. Try to eat whole foods as opposed to highly processed foods. WHO says you aren't supposed to eat meat? Losing weight/eating healthy is a lifestyle change... if you like meat, there's really no reason not to eat it as part of a healthy lifestyle. Eat the best quality you can afford. Grass finished beef or bison for instance. Free range chicken for another. Wild caught salmon and other fish. And if you can't afford or find those, just do the best you can.



Grilled chicken and roast beef are A-OK. On the wheat bread, check the label to be sure it really is made from whole wheat.



On the mayo... well, there's a lot of fat in that, and usually not the healthiest fat profile either, so maybe consider dressing with mustard or perhaps a little extra virgin olive oil and vinegar. But truly, even mayo in moderation with attention to serving size will be fine.



I would watch the Gatorade... you're drinking straight sugar there. Now, after a hard workout, you may need some sugar/protein, but you might do better with a specially formulated post workout drink.

OK, I'm jealous of that muscle, because it's hard for me to put muscle on. I'd be OK with looking like a gladiator... not that it will happen, LOL!



At any rate, those woman probably don't look quite that way in their real lives. And dressing a bit more in a feminine style and you might not recognize them on the street. So don't stress over it, really. Losing bodyfat is a good thing!



For those who are interested, one of the gladiators names is actually somewhat familiar to me. Not personally, no, but because Siren (real name Val Waugaman) works with John Berardi of Precision Nutrition, I've seen various posts about her progress. (I follow Precision Nutrition habits and am a member of the PN forums.)



Even if you don't like the figure competitor/gladiator kind of look, her progress and commitment are impressive.



Now, if you really ARE worried that you might get too much muscle and look big... check this blog article out. It's about Valerie Waters, who has made a career of training for the Hollywood "red carpet" look.