Mayday! Mayday! Holidays are attacking!

This fall has been a baaaddd one for me-- overeating and not exercising. I wondered if anyone else was having a hard time and what they do to fight it.

Rachel (our #4) is home and baking like crazy. Previously I had kept bad snacks out of the house. Now there are fresh baked goods, my Achilles Heel, regularly appearing on my kitchen counter.

My very own evil Nemesis is myself! What do you do to fight back?

Tammy's 30-day challenge

I thought I should do my 30-day challenge in a seperate post. My challenge will be to eat 5 servings of fruits and/or veggies a day. I really need to increase this part of my diet. I am going to put a chart on the fridge and everytime I have a serving I will mark the chart. This will take some planning to make sure I alway have some fruits and veggies on hand.

P.S. I started going to the body cuts class on Tuesday mornings at 9:30. It has been awesome and I have lost 3 lbs already. It is every Tuesday from 9:30 to 10:30 at the Y. You can go at your own pace and the class is big enough that no one is staring at you.

Let's get this blog going!!

Hey everyone, I have been thinking of how to use this blog better. I enjoyed my 30-day no sugar challenge and I thought we could do a spin off of that. So here is the idea, think of a 30 day health and fitness challenge for yourself. It could be more exercies, early bedtime, less sugar, more water, anything that you want to work on. Everyone can have a different 30-day challenge but during the 30 days we all blog about our successes, our struggles, our motivations, etc.

If you want to join this first 30-day challenge, think of you challenge, blog about it, and we will start it a week from today, October 21st.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Church ladies walking...around and around and around

Hi all,
Beginning next Tuesday, Sept 15, at 4:00pm and every Tuesday afternoon thereafter at 4:00pm, Vivian and I are going to be walking at the church (gym) for probably 45 mins or so. Who would like to join us? It'll be a free-for-all fun and fitness walk. We'd kinda like to keep it with no kids, though, since they're so noisy and distracting in the gym. Anyway, if that works for anyone, please join us!

Sugar-free Challenge - Day 20

I really, really want a yummy, sugary treat tonight. I miss sugar. But, I am still at it. I have so much more energy and, not to get to descriptive here, but my digestive system is much happier. I really haven't lost any weight which is disappointing but hopefully that will come. I have started to phase in sugar once or twice a week. I want to live like this forever more and I worry that once September comes I will quickly go back to my old habits. If I can have dessert twice a week, the hard days will be easier because I know something yummy is coming. I have already planned a yummy lemon cake for Sunday dinner. Can't wait.

If you want email updates

Hi, Vivian asked how to get email updates when someone posts on the blog. Go into settings and then click the email tab. Enter your email address in. I already added yours Vivian.

Sugar-free challenge - day 13

I am still at it. We took a long weekend in Massachusetts and I ate cake at my nephew's graduation party and an ice cream sundae the following day but now I am back and doing well. Melissa asked what sugar counts. I try to stay away from anything that has sugar or a form of sugar in the first two ingredients. It is tough. One of my favorite cereals is frosted mini-wheats and although it is low in sugar, sugar is the 2nd ingredient. The worst I think is over and I getting use to not snacking on sugary things during the day. Totally worth it. Since I cheated a bit in Massachusetts I am extending the challenge until Labor-Day weekend.

Sugar-free challenge - day 4

I am still at it. It has been tougher that last two days but I still feel strong and in control. The withdrawal from the boost that chocolate gives me has made me really grumpy but I know that will go away. I keep reminding myself that it will be worth it and in just a couple of weeks the cravings will lessen and I get have more energy. I can't wait!!!

Sugar-free challenge - Day 2

Today was tougher. I also fasted, so by dinner time I was starving and when I am starving I want cookies or something chocolate. Instead I made a yummy dinner and stuck to the challenge. I am still trying to find snacks that are healthy and sugar free. (I am also staying away from artificial sweeteners for at least the first 2 weeks.) Hopefully I won't cancel out any of the benefits by filling up on potato chips.

Sugar-free challenge - Day 1

I have made it so far. I have a headache tonight but that is porbably my body saying "show me the sugar!" My mantra for the month: "I am strong, I am powerful, I can resist the sugar temptation." I said it about 15 times today. It is going to be so great when these cravings go away.

Off to California to eat more than I weigh

We leave tomorrow morning for 10 days in California at my Mom's. One of the ways she shows love is by making super yummy treats. My goal is a little bit here and there but no gorging out on any one thing. We do eat alot when we are together as a family. My kids are going to have more treats in the next 10 days than in one month at our house. Dan and I are going to go running every day we can. I can't wait to run with him while grandma watches the kids.

I am still training for the triathalon in September. I need to work on eating less when I work out, not more!!

A sugar-free August anyone??

Hi all, I am going to cut out sugar for the month of August and I was hoping someone would like to join me in this challenge. I have done it before and it really helps with my sugar cravings. The first two weeks are tough but then it gets easier and the results are great. I lose weight and have so much more energy.

Let me know if you want to join and maybe we can all do it together.

Tammy

Everybody Zumba!!!

Okay, so I know there are quite a few of you who already do this, but I have found that Zumba not only gives a great workout, you have a great time doing it! I'm terrible with sticking to going to Zumba because of clashing schedules with Drew and my mom, but I really want to get back into it!

My mom and I found this place online (actually, thanks to Drew) called Roombita. It's in the plaza next to C-NS High School. One of my co-workers has gone to both this studio in Cicero and the one on Route 57 and says this one is definitely better. I like that I don't have to be a member of a club or a gym (or be a guest) just to go to Zumba.

Though I speak so highly of this class, I still need some motivation to get going on Zumba again (even if I'm only here for one more month). If you're interested in going to the Cicero Zumba studio, Roombita, let me know! Here is her schedule/website: http://roombita.com/pb/wp_bc9d98c8/wp_bc9d98c8.html

Penny is really upbeat and is from the Caribbean. She makes it so fun and worth while to be there!

Summer fun?

I was wondering if anyone is still working on their eating habits and physical fitness this summer? I am feeling a little burnt out in my efforts. What do you do to keep going?
But I still want to do that 7 person bike ride on Onon Lake Park...if it ever dries up in July.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaRfxjcpYvM maybe we should exercise like this??

Request for moderator

Hi all, sorry I haven't contributed at all. Once I am done this move I will get involved. I am glad so many people are using this. I have had a request to have someone moderate or lead this blog so there is more direction. Amy Blanch has volunteered to do this. I think she will do a blog once a week that gives a specific topic or idea to talk about, such as: how to stay motivated, 20 minute exercise ideas, recipes, etc. Thanks Amy for doing this.

Also, I am doing the Skinny Man Triathalon on Labor Day weekend if anyone is interested in doing it with me. Lots of fun!!!

FYI: Nutritiondata.com and Sparkpeople.com are 2 great websites for healthy living.

Nutritiondata gives you all sorts of details about foods. It can help you total your intake whether you're trying to track a specific nutrient (like salt or calcium) or just calories.

Sparkpeople has exercise, food, and goal trackers as well as weight loss and healthy eating articles and support groups. I once tried an LDS group through them but folks seemed more interested in discussing their callings than weight loss tips.

Both are free to join.

How many calories are in that?

I know many of you are great at counting calories, I am not one of them. However, I have this great book called Total Nutrition that has calorie amounts for almost anything you can think of. If you are ever stumped or just don't want to look it up online I would be happy to look it up for you.

Is it so sad that in order to entertain Gabriella while I posted this I handed her a small box of whoppers? Just doing my part to perpetuate the problem. I need to do a serious overhaul. I think I eat more chocolate between Valentine's and Easter than I do the entire rest of the year.

SO,

That is going to be my immediate goal, clean out the junk and stock up on better options! Who's with me?

I'm at a bit of a loss...

When did this come about?  I mean, was there some sort of discussion, or whatever?

However, it does help a ton to have some support.  I need to lose (and keep off) 5-7 lbs. by May 18th, my next neuro-opthalmolagist appointment.  If I'm losing weight at a steady pace, my doctor will be able to lower my prescription dosage so that I'm not relying solely on the medication (it's that whole psuedo-tumor cerebri thing).

Good idea, whoever's this was!

HI all,  

  I went walking today yea, and i got up at seven not 9:30.

I like to Move it, Move it!

Anyone who is interested in walking 4pm+, let me know. I sometimes walk for half an hour during lunch. If you want to meet up, just give me a shout.
Bicyling is also a possibility. Right now I am back to the beginner level so no marathons for me. I will gladly cheer you on from the e-sidelines if you are doing a marathon!
I still want to get a group together for the 7 person bike at Onondaga Park. It's a blast! Great way to socialize and burn some calories.
thanks, Tammy for putting this together! I like the symbol of Lights a lot! Although I am grateful we are not in the Bud Ward... :)

cookies to blame?

So I recently realized that I am losing about 1 pound a month.... not great considering that I work out regularly... could the cookie I had for breakfast be to blame?

I have a good web sight for you all

Ok so I have been trying to lose weight for like 4 years now but I have not been to diligent about it. Any way's I  found out that I have high blood pressure not so good I know, but I found this web sight http://www. mypyramid.gov, it tells you how much grains, Vegetables, fruit, milk, and meat you need based on your weight and hight :-) 

My name is Estelle and I am a Rufflesaholic.

And I'll also admit that have no idea what Mindy is talking about.

Pictures

How about we all post pictures of ourselves!!
You first Amy!!!

:) What are you eating?

Should we all use a label for ourselves? Like everytime you post, put your name in the LABEL section of the post(bottom right corner). That way if someone wants to go back and see what someone had written, they just click the label and it will take them to everything written by that person.
OR, we can have labels that pertain to certain subject like...

Label WEIGHTS...
then everyone who posts a weight writes Weight in the label spot.
YES? NO? Have I lost anyone? yeah, ok. NEVERMIND!!! lol

It's 9:10pm and I am eating...is that bad??

So, what are we supposed to do on the blog now....somebody start.

Thanks!

Thanks, Tammy for taking the initiative to set this up for us. I've been wanting to do this for a while now. And thank you for remembering to include me ... sometimes I feel a bit like an orphaned child out here! :-)

I love our name - especially the shortened one .... I want to be a "Liverpool Light" when I grow up!!!