I didn't get on the scale today at the gym. I am really enjoying being back in a fitness routine. I have 3 small kids and a full time job at the hospital. I never get "me" time anymore. I did 8 miles on the stationary bike today while I watched Kelly Ripa. I forgot my iPod today. It was kind of nice to watch a show and pedal away and just think, my own un-interrupted thoughts.

It is also motivating me to make better food choices. I think twice before 'over' indulging in anything or mindless eating.

I just asked my friend and sister in law to relay a triathlon with me this summer. I had a knee replacement 6 years ago, and realized after doing the whole tri- it is just too hard on the knee. I am doing the swim- no impact on the knee with swimming at all. Can't wait to start training.

Wow Polly - how DO you fit in time for fitness with everything else you have going on. What kind of work do you do at the hospital?

Mindless eating and over indulging is a trap I have to avoid slipping back into.

Gibby, I'm a Physician Assistant in the NICU- I work shifts - very long 24 hour shifts. The advantage is I am home more days with the kids which means less day care- but it's a lot of juggling. My long, irregular hours and high stress levels lead to over eating at crazy hours, I am 30lbs overweight. (For the record, I wear a beeper at night and am only called for emergencies or high risk deliveries, I am rarely up for 24 hours straight)
I need to get this weight off for good before I turn 40 or it may never come off! On my days off from work, I have been going to the gym. I used to do this more regularly when I had 1 and then 2 kids. Number 3 put me over the edge, and the scale too!

gibby3000- If you don't want to lose ground this weekend then I don't think you will. Instead of trying to continue to lose weight this weekend try to just maintain your current weight loss. That way you won't get down on yourself for not continuing the weight loss. If possible, maybe suggest a group walk at some point, not "for exercise" but rather to "explore an area" or "to see something interesting". That way, it's a social activity rather than exercise that people feel obligated to do.

On these kinds of weekends, for me, it's the wine and the dessert that does me in. I don't know why, but for me what also worked was not talking about it to others. I just quietly went about with my new eating habits knowing how much better I felt and knowing that my choices were dictating my future health.

Have a great weekend.

polly, my new daughter-in-law-to-be is just starting her rotations for PA school. She's very interested in NICU.

Bounced up a pound yesterday & today for no reason, but that's normal. My weight will bounce up & down, up & down, but as long as the graph generally slopes towards the lower right corner of the computer screen, it's okay. Still down 5.5 pounds.

blfenton, in mid Feb we leave for a 10 day trip, visiting friends, relatives & going to a convention. I am terrified of a dieting set back -- off my schedule & away from my diet crutches. Any tips? Other than faking illness & staying home?

That's awesome awm03, what part of the country is she in?

As for your trip- I use a calorie counter on my smart phone. I used it when we were in Aruba in November. I was very careful to make better choices most of the time, but occasionally I'd let myself indulge. I maintained my weight when we were away. It was Christmas cookies that killed my progress! And my husband's homemade torrone!

gibby,
So???? Did your DH notice your weight loss?

awm,
I think you'll be fine on your trip because you are already thinking about how to prepare yourself. You worked hard for that 5.5 pound loss, keep that in mind and it should provide some extra will power when friends & family are pushing treats on you. In Weight Watchers, they used to give a special little charm type thing when you hit certain points. You should wear a special ring or bracelet or some visual reminder to serve as a talisman.

Can you bring something, like almonds, that can you munch on to prevent yourself from getting too hungry & making poor choices? I keep a small bag in my purse and only need a few if I'm out & about and getting hungry. They can take the edge off my hunger until I can get home to healthy meal.
They certainly travel well and don't require any fussing or refrigeration. I always carry water with me and also an apple when I know I'll get hungry before I get back home. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger so bring water with you everywhere.

awm03 - a 10 trip to see family and friends - what fun! But, you're right, what a diet trap!

When that sort of thing happens/happened to me during my struggles with my weight loss (try a 7 day cruise with 10 girlfriends - now that was hard!) my goal was to come home even. I didn't worry about trying to lose weight during the holiday. It's too hard to try to find a gym or go for a run, so I just walked and my goal was 1 hour a day. I would suggest "exploring" or, if you're visiting relatives "I would love to revisit the park or ...."

Don't tell people that you're on a diet. Seriously, don't. The comments that people often make are things like "You look great, you don't have to do that" or "You're on holidays so spoil yourself" or "That's silly, life is too short to count calories" (that one is a favourite of one of my friends who needs to lose about 50 pounds) because what happens is that you start to buy into the comments if you're the least bit vulnerable. I actually don't use the word diet because it's a word that conjours up ideas of deprivation but what you are in fact doing is making life-style changes to give yourself a better form of life and what could be better than that

IF you don't tell people that you're on a diet, they WILL NOT ( for emphasis, not yelling) notice that you are eating the carrot sticks instead of the potato chips, they won't notice that you're putting more salad on your plate than the mashed potatoes or the sauced vegetables, they won't notice that you didn't eat the pie and the cake but instead chose to have a small piece of one of them. If you're out for dinner, opt for the fish dish rather than the slathered rib dish - people won't notice unless you have said something. (Be careful of salad dressings when you're out - the biggest misconception about restaurant salads is that they are low in calories - not so). It doesn't give them the chance to say one of the above comments

awm has a good idea about the nuts - just remember that they are not a pass in terms of calorie counting, there are still 100 calories in 8 of those almonds that you just chowed down as a snack.

Whatever you are doing seems to be working and you still have another couple of weeks. Use those couple of weeks to really analyze what your triggers are for eating and look at how you are breaking those habits. Take a couple of those easier habit-breaking ideas with you.

I think you'll be successful because you are aware of your goals and why you are on this journey of life-style changes. You know what the downside and what the upside is. Keep your eye on the prize. I believe in everyone who is part of this conversation. And besides you have to report back in here - but we're behind you regardless of what happens.

If you have a slight weight gain, don;t look at it as failure, look at it as a restart, you're not back at the beginning, it's just a new start.

hhireno - he's not back yet - tomorrow night. I've been dropping hints when I talk to him so we'll see. I dropped him off at the airport on Jan 2 and started my healthy lifestyle that day. He hasn't seen me since - other than my face on FaceTime.

blfenton - ya, I just need to stay conscious of what I'm eating and not start that mindless grazing on sweets, chips, etc. and be conscious of portion control, no seconds, etc. And then before putting something in my mouth I will ask myself - what do you enjoy more: stuffing yourself with that unhealthy food or looking much better in all your clothes. Just need to stop and think before putting something in my mouth. I am bringing healthy snacks to keep my mouth occupied when needed.

I'm actually going on a cross country ski trip though I don't ski (I'm an above knee amputee so not very feasible). So many of these people are fitness fanatics and will be out skiing. I usually do get out for a 40 minute walk when I'm at this place assuming it's nice packed snow and not icey.

Polly - interesting to hear that you are a PA. You must have a VERY busy life with a demanding and stressful career plus three kids! It's good that you want to lose weight now as it does get so much harder the older you get (speaking from experience at age 54).

Wow, it sounds like everyone is getting into the swing of it. I thrive on routine so all the advice about what to do when traveling, ect...really interests me.

I've discovered Morningstar breakfast patties are pretty good and low in calories/fat. I've been experimenting with an egg white/veggie patty breakfast casserole. It's not bad but still needs some tweaking. What do you all have for breakfast?

I'm also looking into sous vide cooking. I love chicken breasts but am notorious for turning them into shoe leather. A few people on the cooking forum rave about it. Has anyone tried this method?

Gotta run - my lunch hour is up!
Jennifer

214.17 miles = total number of miles I walked at the park + the indoor track in January. That's an all time high for me! I doubt that I'll hit that high again any time soon. Part of the reason I did so much walking is because my dog broke her toe back in November so she was restricted from activity. No walking, no agility training. I cleaned the house a LOT and walked a lot to burn off energy.

Jovi's toe has healed and as of last week I've got a walking partner again. We're easing back into agility training and I'm sure as my time spent there goes up my walking time will decrease a bit.

Haven't weighed myself this week but I doubt that I've lost much. Things seem to be "re-arranging" but all the walking I'm doing is only generating a very slow weight loss.

gosh, whitdobe, that's 53.64 miles a week or a bit over 7 1/2 miles a day.

blf, okay, I take back the whining I did about the upcoming trip. It does NOT compare to a 7 day cruise with 10 girlfriends, lol! Talk about a dieter's nightmare! (And I'm not afraid of the word diet. A diet is just one's daily eating habits, to me. The standard definition.) I very much appreciate the tips and the pep talk. I won't say a word about eating or not eating -- good idea. Other people's diets, i.e., eating habits, don't apply to me. That will be my mantra.

hhireno, that's a great idea about the almonds, or at least having something in the hotel room for lunch or breakfast that's a measurable amount. Then I'll know how many calories I'm consuming instead of being at the mercy of restaurants. Access to exercise is no problem, the issue is, as it has been all my adult life, eating too many calories.

polly, our future DDIL will be working in various parts of CT & MA this year. She's in an emergency care clinic in Hartford right now & learning lots. I don't have a smart phone, but maybe I should bring my laptop.

jennifer in kansas, no, I've not tried sous vide cooking. Is it tricky? Breakfast: scrambled eggs w/wholegrain toast, oatmeal w/apple or pear & nuts; combination of high fiber cereals; smoothies. And 8 oz. of skim milk usually.

Breakfast - during the week usually multigrain cheerios with blueberries and milk and maybe a piece of fruit like an orange later in the morning. Or a container of greek yogurt and a piece of fruit. Last weekend I had oatmeal with apples and a little brown sugar and juice. Occasionally I'll have and egg and whole grain toast with juice. Sometimes whole grain toast with peanut butter and milk.

I feel like I can barely eat anything (breakfast or any meal) and stay within the calories allowed for 1/2 lb weight loss per week - unless I do a lot of exercise. Fortunately I'm close to my weight goal and can increase the daily allowance soon.

Knee update: The good news is that my torn meniscus doesn't need surgery. I just have to baby it for awhile. The bad news is that my knee cap is all ate up with osteoarthritis (most likely genetic, Mom has it pretty bad) and the trauma I had made it flare up which is now causing a bunch of pain. I got a cortisone shot that should help in the short term and for the long term - no more squats, running or step.

I am officially an old lady!

I'm late joining the party here. Congrat's to everyone keeping on their new healthy living plan.

awm, my go to food is either an apple or some of those Prune Ones that are each in their own little package. I keep some in my purse and always bring an apple or two with me when I'm going to the gym or run errands. At home I keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge and I eat the whites and the dogs get the yolk. I also grab a banana if I'm really hungry between meals. I snack on sardines and tuna sometime also. I love the new flavored tuna in the can. Some have garlic and another has dill. They are fabulous. I could never eat just plain tuna out the can, but this stuff is vert tasty. I like the one in olive oil. Of course I drain as much as I can off the tuna before eating.

For your trip, great advice about not telling anyone about your eating preferences. Some people will unconciously sabatoge you. You should just reach for healthy foods and not stress yourself worrying about calories. Try to stay away from carbs, eating them only once a day and the rest of the time eat anything that is natural, i.e., veggie's, meat of any kind, fish, lots of fish, fruit and nuts. That's what I've been doing and now I'm down 12 pounds. Lost another one this week.

If you get the opportunity to walk, then take advantage of it. No one will question walking.

I love Morning Star products. I've tried them all. Our favorites are the different types of veggie burgers. The prime griller tastes really good. I use their crumbles when I make red sauce.

For breakfast I've been eating salad. I know that's not a favorite of most people, for breakfast. I make it with pineapple, small apple, lettuce, soy cheddar and a few pecans. Oh, and reduced fat mayo.

A note to everyone, don't ever think of yourself as a failure if you aren't losing weight at some point. I signed up with one of those tracking websites. I think someone mentioned it here, can't remember. Anyway, I thought it would be a good idea to weigh in every week with that site and keep track of things. Well, I unsubscribed the other day when I entered my 1 lb. weight loss and it responded "You failed this week." I yelled back, no I did not!!! The word failed really made me angry. That's the problem with "diets" and all the negativity that goes along with them if you don't obtain what that diet says you should. OK, that's my rant for the day.

What a motivating thread !! HIW, that is really terrible that they use the word fail, I agree.

I've been good at curbing my carbs, specially at dinner ; we've been eating out a lot. I say curbing as in diminishing, I lowered my intake for sure. No starch with my main meal, just vegetables.

I haven't exercised for a few days, I hurt my foot on saturday but it feels better today so I might try a light session on the exercise bike later.

you all keep up the good work !!!

hiwthi, uggh, which web site was that? Nothing wrong with losing "only" a pound in a week -- that's what I'm aiming for!

I like using Diet Power, traditional software, for tracking. I can set a weight target to make the weight loss as slow or as fast as I care to. You enter in your weight every day, and it calculates a target calorie amount for the day. It also grades your nutrient quality. In short, to get the most calorie bang for the buck and to get that A for your day's nutrition, you end up eating more fruits, veggies & high quality proteins. It's nice to see if my Vitamin D or protein levels are low or high or if my diet's too low in protein. And the graphs are very encouraging.

I've heard good things about the LiveStrong site for online tracking. SparkPeople is another online site I've heard works well. What are the rest of you using?

awm, I need to go look it up. When I find it I'll let you know. I'll try the Diet Power you suggest. It sounds interesting and helpful. Thanks

There is one the government has on line that is very comprehensive. It calculates how many calories you should have, then keeps track of your nutrient totals based on what you eat that day.

"There is one the government has on line that is very comprehensive. It calculates how many calories you should have, then keeps track of your nutrient totals based on what you eat that day."

Yes, that looks good too. When I first tried to get rid of my mommy weight in 2006, few people were using trackers. Now they seem to be the going thing. I did lose 50 pounds in 2006 using the Diet Power software. But life intervened & the weight eventually came back. I haven't been able to marshal the self-focus for another serious effort, but the stars are in alignment, it seems, so am going at it again.

I use Tap&Track app on my iPhone - there is also a website. I never use that though except to sync my phone to it so I have a backup. There may be much better tracking software out there but this is what I got when I first got my phone and it does the basic stuff I need.

I'm kind of amazed at how effective using tracking software has been for me in losing weight. Every time I commit to tracking everything I lose weight. I'll make other efforts to do so and they never seem to work. I delude myself into thinking I'm not eating as much as I really am. No can do with the tracker - it keeps you honest. Plus it is motivating to see progress and it motivates me to exercise because then it increases my calorie allowance and I can eat a little more.

The tracker does indicate I'm eating a disproportionate amount of carbs though I'm not particularly concerned about that since none of it is junk food. I eat a lot of non-fat dairy, fruit, vegetables and whole grain stuff and very little meat/fish, cheese, eggs, etc. I've stayed away from eggs for years because of the cholesterol but I've started eating a few more now since I'm not eating anything else with cholesterol and I figured they're good for protein. With heart disease risk factors I'm also conscious of cholesterol and salt which is another whole thing to limit what you eat.

I downloaded the free subscription to the Diet Power and it is really neat. I like the way it gives you the totals of everything all on one screen as you're logging your food in. Really neat, I'm going to enjoy that. It's telling me to eat a whole lot more calories than I normally consume though. Maybe because I stretched my weight loss out for a long time instead of trying to lose it all in a few months. Thanks for that tip.

Congratulations everyone! This thread IS inspiring.

I am late to the party...life has caught up to me big time and now I'm taking charge again.

I just joined the YMCA yesterday, they have 2 pools and have dedicated ADULT time for them during hours most adults would use them, so that was a big feature for me. I used to belong and would do weight training and running the indoor track, but that was years ago. I haven't been on a regular exercise routine in ages, but I am very active and my job requires a lot of physical activity.

I'm limited to what I can do because I need a knee replacement...but need to lose some weight before they'll do it...so it's like a double edged sword...can't get a new knee so I can exercise again until I exercise to lose weight. But since I LOVE to swim, I will do that. Going to rejoin WW again too. I NEED that new knee!

I have been making more conscious choices in eating...less processed food (too much sodium), replacing milk with soy milk and eating more fruit...my latest guilty pleasure has been fuji apples with a bit of extra sharp cheddar. Cut out fats in other places allows me that extravagance.

pesky, congratulations on joining this party. I know about knees, had mine replaced a few years ago. I was a lot overweight but couldn't wait any longer. Now I'm on a fitness quest so my new knees last me the rest of my life and I never have to worry about getting them replaced again. BTW, my life has changed for the better with the new knees. I wish my doctor had not put me off as long as he did.

The water is fabulous for exercising. That's all I can do at present and I am getting a great workout on muscles I forgot I had. LOL Before your surgery you have to join the Delphi forums, the knee and joint replacement one. It is full of wonderful people who have had or are going to have knees replaced. They were a great source of comfort for me when I needed them. They helped me tremendously with what to do before and after surgery.

I also love apple and cheese, but I stay away from dairy and have the soy or rice cheddar cheese. The combination of apple and cheese is my favorite. The only way my DH will eat apple is if I slice one up with slices of cheddar on the side. No, he's not spoiled.

Hi Pesky - welcome to the party. It is fun to have some other people to share the trials, tribulations and successes of the transformation to a healthier lifestyle. It helps keep you going.

hhireno - just reporting in that DH did notice the new and improved, thinner me - less girth as he describes it. That's not the first thing he said - it was more of a comment about baggy pants and that I looked a lot thinner. We later discussed the favorable impact on the W.A.S. - my term for the spreading behind that seems to come with age.

I'm happy that when I lose weight it leaves the areas I want it to leave. I do also think the yoga is helping with reshaping the aging body. I have my fatter jeans and my skinnier jeans. I think I'm ready to switch to the skinnier jeans. A while back I finally got rid of my even fatter pants from before I made my first foray into healthy diet and exercise. Fortunately I never grew back into those and I finally parted with them because I told myself I would not grow back into them - ever.

I so like the thinner me that I think I will not blow it during the weekend getaway. Though DH made cookies as soon as he got home....they're relatively healthy cookies made with oatmeal, whole wheat flour, eggbeaters, almonds, craisins, low fat margarine and agave nectar but calories none the less. We call them breakfast cookies and I will probably have a couple for breakfast. That will be a treat.

gibby, those cookies sound good; could you post the recipe ? is the nutrition count included with it ?

Checking in too.....my slacks are all fitting me nicely now There were a few pair that had become too snug in the waist to wear comfortably. I am walking a couple of times a week and playing tennis too. My whole relationship with food has changed -much more like it was when I was younger and naturally thin....

oh gibby, your husband noticed! (laughing happily at my monitor)

Hi pesky! Your YMCA sound like an invigorating place. Hope you find it to be fruitful & a good stress release.

Good, positive vibe from everybody this morning. Our efforts are paying off. My pants are looser around the waist.

Those of you with knee issues, are there strength exercises you can do that help stabilize the knee area without stressing the joint? I don't know much about knees, but my legs feel more stable from kettle bell work. I wonder if there's something similar you can do?

Glad to hear that Mr. Gibby is more observant than I, or maybe we?, suspected. Have a nice, healthy, active weekend with Mr. Gibby and your friends.

A question further up this thread was what do we eat for breakfast. My favorite breakfast is fat free Greek yogurt (high protein, no added sugars), fresh fruit, either my homemade granola or shredded wheat, and a scant tablespoon of Chia seeds (omega-3s, fiber, protein). That combination really fills me up and keeps me satisfied for hours. If my DH isn't home for dinner, sometimes I'll eat it for dinner too.

Anyone else sing Cha-cha-cha-chia when they read hhireno's breakfast? Okay, what is chia and what does it taste like.

HIWTHA - Tell me about soy cheese. Do you have a favorite brand? Is it difficult to switch from real to soy? My downfall is blue cheese and I didn't think I could find a good substitute

awm - you're a Kansas transplant? What part? I actually grew up on the East Coast but landed here many, many years ago.

Jennifer

awm03, to answer your question about strength exercises for the knee, it's all about the quads. The quadriceps are vital to the stability of the knee. You strengthen those and the knee become stronger and more stable.

I'm doing a particular floor exercises that's pretty simple. Sit on the floor, legs out-stretched and contract the quad 10 times, holding for 10 seconds, do 10 times per day.

I'm taking it really slow this week, only doing weights and ab work. Next week I'm going to start going to a spin class since cycling is so good for the knee. Not my favorite activity but I'm going to make it work.

Sadly, I do sing that in my head most mornings when I add it to my bowl. So far, I have not had any green grass sprouting all over my head. If I ever do, I'll add my picture to the older women & their hair thread.

Here's an explanation from Dr. Andrew Weil
chia seeds

To me they are similar to poppy seeds in appearance and taste. They add another subtle layer of flavor to my breakfast.

Here's the Snoqualmie Falls granola cookie recipe. DH is not a big baker but he's health conscious so when he made these the first time he couldn't bring himself to put butter in so he used the light, watered down Promise margarine. I said OMG that will never work - he said it says for baking - it worked fine. I'm not sure how much whole wheat flour he uses - the majority is whole wheat and some regular. He's into this Snoqualmie oatmeal and orders it online. They sent him this recipe one time but it didn't come with any nutritional info unfortunately. When I log them in my tracker I just use an oatmeal raisin cookie. The cookies are kind of heavy and chewy - not sure if that's how they're supposed to be since he's never made them according to the original recipe. They're tasty though - toasting the almonds is critical to the flavor - don't skip that step.

FAMOUS BREAKFAST COOKIES

First make the Healthy Delicious Granola

Stir together in a large bowl:
� 3 cups Snoqualmie Falls oatmeal
� 1 cup freshly roasted sliced almonds
� 2 tsp cinnamon

Heat in microwave for one minute and add to the oatmeal mix:
� 1/3 cup salad oil
� 1/3 cup honey (we use agave nectar instead of honey because it never solidifies like honey)
� 2 tsp vanilla

Spread on 2 greased pans and bake in preheated 325 oven for 8-10 minutes
Stir and don't over bake; mix should be honey colored.

Add:
� 1 cup raisins or craisins

Store in an airtight container for up to one month.

Famous Breakfast Cookies

Beat until fluffy:
� 1 cup butter (substitute light Promise margarine in blue tub)
� 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Add:
� 1 egg (substitute egg beaters)
� 2 tsp vanilla

Add and beat well:
� 1 2/3 cups flour (substitute some whole wheat flour)
� 1/2 tsp baking soda

Add and mix thoroughly
� 3 cups granola
� Dash of salt

Chill dough a few hours or overnight. Dough can also be frozen and thawed in refrigerator.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and dry. Do not over bake.

Thanks for the chia link. Very interesting reading.

I'm already planning a trip to Whole Foods to check out soy cheeses. I'll add these to my list.

jennifer, I can't tell you the brand I use. I never notice the names, just the label. LOL I get the one at WM and also the rice and soy ones at WF. Whole Food has a solid cheddar almond cheese that is also very tasty.

The quad exercise I did before and after my surgeries was:

Lie on back, either on floor or bed. Bend one knee up. Then raise other one about 1 ft. off the floor, no more than that. Flex foot while tightening quad and raising slowly, lower, repeat. That one exercise allowed me to be able to swing my operated leg off the bed the very next day after surgery.

Another one that they had me do in PT was lie on back, bend one knee, then visualize the muscle on the inside of the knee tightening as you try to tighten it. That area right there is very painful after surgery due to scar tissue so it's important it is done immediately following surgery. It is subtle but does wonders.

Have to run, going to do my water exercises. Everyone have a great day.

Went out for another ride today, taking advantage of this warm winter. I did 21 miles & felt stronger than last week. Getting used to the new bike. DH rode with me, which was wonderful. This was his first long ride since his hip replacement in November, and he felt just fine! He'll start playing hockey again next week.

Well, I lost a grand total of 3 lbs. during the month of January. That was by working out about 4 times a week and following WW points, well, about 2/3 of the month if I had to be honest about it. I'm disappointed that I lost only 3, but then I figure if I continue this way until June, I will lose 15 lbs. and that's my goal. So -- slow and steady...

awm, I'm in awe of your bike riding. It's wonderful.

Sueb, that's my motto, slow and steady. As long as that scale is going down I don't care how long it takes to get this tonage off. LOL

I have a niece who follows WW and she is only 20 lbs. overweight. I don't think she's overweight at all, but she is so use to being skinny all her life, she thinks she's fat. She was dissappointed because the scale wasn't moving after she'd been exercising every day and watching her points. Then she went to put on some shorts she hadn't worn in a while and they fit. Then she realized she was losing inches. I think she has muscle taking the place of the fat and that's why the scale isn't moving.