Weight Loss Challenge -- join us anytime!

[SDKath]

I am down 5 lbs. for the week. However I did not last 2 weeks on Phase 1 of South Beach I just could not do another breakfast with eggs. I broke down and had 1/2 whole wheat bagel with low fat cream cheese and sliced strawberries and a cup of coffee for breakfast on Sunday. I still do lunch and dinner per Phase 1 but breakfast it out! I have been a much happier person to be around since Sunday My DH and I joined the new Gold's Gym which is only about a mile away and it is really nice. Today I did 30 minutes on the treadmill. I plan to do 30 minutes 5 days a week with some very light weight lifting (biceps and triceps) 2-3 times a week. Our plan is to make this more of a lifestyle change than a diet. On Sunday I am planning on making our usual spaghetti dinner but with whole wheat pasta and we will skip the garlic bread.
Time will tell........

CONGRATULATIONS!!! That is awesome! I know what you mean about the eggs. It's nice to lose weight with South Beach but to follow that strict diet forever (Phase I) is totally unrealistic. Maybe you can incorporate a little bit of phase II into it for breakfast now, rather than next week.

Katherine

 

[sandesurf]

Hi friends, sounds like some of us are doing well!
I fell off the wagon over the weekend but I'm determined to hop back on. Not doing too bad today and we're off to a James Taylor concert at The Greek Theater! We'll grab Subway sandwiches on the way!
I weighed my self on Saturday and won't do that again until this Saturday. I'll be confessing soon!
Good luck!

 

[SDKath]

Well, I have to say, I am sooooo impressed with my Jenny Craig program. Did my weigh in today and I am down ANOTHER 2 pounds!!

I have never lost so much weight before in my life! Yipeeee.

So total is 5lb in 2 1/2 weeks with my horribly slow metabolism. I love it! I am going to sound like Valerie Bertinelli -- "Thank you Jenny!".

Katherine

 

[UWSurfer]

I'm glad it's working for you Kathy.

I was down 1.5 lbs last week at my weigh-in (WW's) and I've been doing better at journaling. Not great...but better. I'm noticing I'm following breakfast and lunch just fine, but I get home from work and dinner is not ready for a couple of hours...and I snack, cruise and munch through the house. At least I have a clue what I'm doing.

Among other things, I'm a heavy triathalete, and while I swim fine & bike somewhat ok, my run has been very bad for years and years. There's a couple of running groups locally who train for the LA Marathon (next one is April 1, 2009) and I figured if there was a group who could help my running it would be this. So...we begin our training this Saturday!!! It builds with weekly runs...2 miles this Saturday, next Saturday 3, the following 4, then 5 and so on. After we reach 10, (or was it 14?) they start alternating...so after 14, the next week is 7, after that is 16, then 8, then 20, then 10.... They follow runner Jeff Galoway's method of running a bit, walking a bit, then running some more, walking again...repeat. Probably the hardest

Then had some testimonials at the orientation meeting and we met someone who lost 100 lbs and did the marathon for the first time this past season. With it comes lots on info on technique, nutrition, strategies and so on.

I like that it's on April 1...just works with my sense of humor. So I suppose I'm an April fool in training. :rofl:

 

[OkUSooner]

Hey guys, I started the South Beach Diet the second week of June. I am now down 30 pounds. I am excited. Good Luck to all!

 

[cvmar]

Well, I have to say, I am sooooo impressed with my Jenny Craig program. Did my weigh in today and I am down ANOTHER 2 pounds!!

I have never lost so much weight before in my life! Yipeeee.

So total is 5lb in 2 1/2 weeks with my horribly slow metabolism. I love it! I am going to sound like Valerie Bertinelli -- "Thank you Jenny!".

Katherine

Katherine that is excellent ! I too have a slow metabolism. I have been battling thyroid issues for years. I won't weigh myself this week (too bloated if you know what I mean) however I am having a much better time on Phase II of South
Beach. I don't feel deprived at all and I love their sugar free pudding! Pricey but good. I will be happy with a loss of 1 pound a week.

Catherine

 

[cvmar]

Hey guys, I started the South Beach Diet the second week of June. I am now down 30 pounds. I am excited. Good Luck to all!

Wow that is around 5 lbs a week! Do you have things like whole grain pancakes, whole grain pasta etc ? I could not do Phase 1 for 2 weeks I only made it 1 week but now that I can incorporate whole grain items in my diet I am much happier. Any suggestions for someone that loves pasta and pancakes? I am eating whole grains with breakfast (1 piece of WW toast or 1/2 a WW bagel) and a small amount of WW pasta(about 1/2 c prepared) with dinner. How about you?

 

[ownsmany]

ok - I'm totally in now. My weight just keeps creeping up. Started hitting the treadmill again. Yesterday did 60 mins - walking. Tonight did 30 mins - 5 min warm up, Jog 1 min, walk 3, Jog 1, walk 3 etc.

I really need to get my endurance back. It's tough.

Any advise on how to do it? I haven't run for a LONG time. Thinking if I start to run again I can lose weigh quicker?

 

[Ginny]

It's great to hear everyone's successes! Way to go, everyone! I've lost 2 lbs this last week and the week before, on WW, which puts me back about where I left off a month ago, down about 5-1/2 lbs since Katherine started this challenge.

I find I just can't give up eating out every day (at least at lunch) -- both because of planning, and because I like it -- so I'm trying to figure strategies for finding some ways of working in more healthy selections, like fish, soup, etc. Some days are more successful than others. I'm committed to going to the WW meetings, and I think that helps.

 

[UWSurfer]

This morning's weigh-in I was up 0.8.

I also came to the realization this morning that my routine is now out the window, mostly due to work requirements and travel through Labor Day. Maybe I'll hit upon a better combination of things this month. I have our first run with the group tomorrow and a swim race Sunday. Each are 2 miles distance.

Sunday afternoon looks promising for a nap. :zzz:

 

[Twinkstarr]

Wow that is around 5 lbs a week! Do you have things like whole grain pancakes, whole grain pasta etc ? I could not do Phase 1 for 2 weeks I only made it 1 week but now that I can incorporate whole grain items in my diet I am much happier. Any suggestions for someone that loves pasta and pancakes? I am eating whole grains with breakfast (1 piece of WW toast or 1/2 a WW bagel) and a small amount of WW pasta(about 1/2 c prepared) with dinner. How about you?

I use Hodson's Mill Whole Wheat Insta Bake(WW bisquik). Just made waffles for dinner tonight. Along with Jimmy Dean's Turkey sausage patties(only 170 cal for 2).

Barilla Plus is my pasta of choice. I forget the brand of WW noodles I use.

Both kids(12&7) eat it with no complaints.

DH has lost 50 lbs in the last year and is worse than a reformed drinker/smoker when it comes to food.

Update on me, I've lost 7 lbs over the last 2 months and about 7.5 inches. So I have to step it up. Still about 10 lbs heavier than I was last September.

 

[cvmar]

Went to the store this morning and bought Grandma Nunweiler's organic whole grain and flax seed pancake and waffle mix so I can have pancakes tomorrow:whoopie: This morning I had a newer Starbucks breakfast/pastry item called a berry stella. It is a small whole grain, high in fiber "pastry" and has fresh blueberries and raspberries on top. It is the only thing I can have there now. I use to get the cherry almond multi grain scone until I read the nutritional info on it Now that I can incorporate small amounts of whole grain items into my diet this way of eating really seems to be working for me. I double my veggies, half my starches (now whole grain only) and practically eliminated sugar. Tomorrow is spaghetti Sunday and I am making sauce with spicy chicken sausage over whole grain pasta with fresh parmesan cheese and a salad. The only thing missing will be the garlic bread. It really helps that we are doing this as a family and having this forum as a touch stone helps as well I am sure it would be more difficult to do on my own.

 

[Twinkstarr]

Turkey/chicken sausage is your friend. We have a local butcher shop that makes chicken brats/sausage. The spinach/feta one is suprisingly good(7 yr old didn't spit the sample on to the floor). Then again I didn't tell him what was in it either.

 

[SDKath]

Wow! Sounds delicious. We made chicken apple sausages last night but I couldn't have any. DH had marinated flank steak. I had one little bite anyway, but otherwise I nuked my Jenny Craig meal instead. I was drooling.

Still, this morning I stood on the scale and I am down ANOTHER half pound! What can I say? The diet is working so I gotta stick to it, even if it kills me not to eat the yummy BBQ my family made.

I have also picked up my biking a bit more this week. I went to the library and got some more mindless romance books to read and just take them with me to the stationary bike. 20 minutes goes by quickly and painlessly this way!

CVMAR, your shopping list sounds delicious! And Twinkstar, congrats on shedding so much weight. Ginny, 2 pounds a week is awesome. That would be my dream too, but I think I will slow to 1lb a week from here on out.

OWNSMANY, welcome to our little group. YUP, running will definitely help you lose faster. But you have to start slowly. Try not to get injured because then you won't do it anymore. I ran for about 3 months last fall but my knees really hurt so I decided to switch to stationary biking. That's been way better for me personally...

Katherine

 

[ownsmany]

Back on the treadmill today took Sat & Sun off (we were away). Did 60 mins today. 5min warmup, that run 1 min walk 1.5 mins. Could only do about 6 times. My one calf started hurting. So walked for the rest of the time.

I did a stationary bike at the gym on friday night. I like that a lot. I could relax on it. Problem is DH will kill me if I buy more exercise equipment. I recently got rid of my old stationery bike. I never liked it. The new bikes seem so comfortable - much lower to ground.


I feel I have to log in here - to be a little accountable.

Thanks everyone for the motivation and success stories. I'm enjoying hearing how you are all losing weight.

QVC had a todays special a week or so ago for Nutrisystems. Now I'm kicking myself for not ordering it.



OWNSMANY, welcome to our little group. YUP, running will definitely help you lose faster. But you have to start slowly. Try not to get injured because then you won't do it anymore. I ran for about 3 months last fall but my knees really hurt so I decided to switch to stationary biking. That's been way better for me personally...

 

[SDKath]

Hmmm, I need to get back on the treadmill too. I ate 1/4 of a pizza last night (could not resist!) and I gained a pound. UGH. It's gonna be really hard to come off this diet...

Katherine

 

[UWSurfer]

Hmmm, I need to get back on the treadmill too. I ate 1/4 of a pizza last night (could not resist!) and I gained a pound. UGH. It's gonna be really hard to come off this diet...

Katherine

The sodium alone in that Pizza likely retained at least a lb of water. It's probably not accurate to weigh yourself the next morning after eating the pizza. Give it a couple of days...it sounds like you are doing great otherwise.

I'm back at the excercise myself. The running group I joined did it's inagural run on Saturday, two miles. Each Saturday they meet and extend the distance by a mile. They are training (us) for the LA Marathon. Sunday I had a swim event, 2 miles along the shore here from the Hermosa Beach Pier to the Manhattan Beach Pier. The current was not with us and it took me 94 minutes to do the two miles. Fortunately a lot of people I know and swim with had similar experiences. Monday I walked. This morning I ran for 35 minutes and biked to work.

The other side to all this is I get home from work and graze on all sorts of stuff I have no business getting into. I put myself on notice this morning to correct that behavior and I suppose now the real work begins.

 

[ownsmany]

The sodium alone in that Pizza likely retained at least a lb of water. It's probably not accurate to weigh yourself the next morning after eating the pizza. Give it a couple of days...it sounds like you are doing great otherwise.

I'm back at the excercise myself. The running group I joined did it's inagural run on Saturday, two miles. Each Saturday they meet and extend the distance by a mile. They are training (us) for the LA Marathon. Sunday I had a swim event, 2 miles along the shore here from the Hermosa Beach Pier to the Manhattan Beach Pier. The current was not with us and it took me 94 minutes to do the two miles. Fortunately a lot of people I know and swim with had similar experiences. Monday I walked. This morning I ran for 35 minutes and biked to work.

The other side to all this is I get home from work and graze on all sorts of stuff I have no business getting into. I put myself on notice this morning to correct that behavior and I suppose now the real work begins.

Wow - I'm really impressed. I can't even run for 2 minutes! Please keep posting your training info - I'm trying to stay motivated.

Tonight I went shopping after work and didn't get home til 9:30. Then I had to eat, and of course check tug. No exercise tonight, but I have been eating healthy the last few days. Salad with Chicken mostly.

 

[philemer]

my plan

I started a "modified South Beach" diet about 3-4 months ago. My goal was to lose 10-15 lbs. and change my eating habits forever. Ya, a big goal. I basically quit eating anything with white flour or sugar in it. Very hard at first but now it's easy. My "cheats" are beer, wine & a little pasta. I've dropped from 195 to 182 (I'm 6' tall). No extra exercise programs. I work "retail" 2 or 3 days a week on a concrete floor and play golf (walk 18 holes) once or twice a week. It's all about lifestyle choices for me. I turned 62 this year and want to see my grandkids grow up & get married!

 

[UWSurfer]

Wow - I'm really impressed. I can't even run for 2 minutes! Please keep posting your training info - I'm trying to stay motivated.

That's the beauty of this group...they have led, group runs every Saturday setup by pace groups. They have groups for people who do 7 minute miles on up to us 14 min. miler's and have walking groups that go up to 20 min. miles.

They also incorporate walk breaks in their runs. In the 14's it's 4 minutes of running and then 1 minute of walking. Admittedly the 1 minute goes by awefully quick, but it's do able.

The trick for me will be sticking with it and beliving I can do a marathon. The tell us if you stick with the plan, 98% finish the marathon. Not a bad stat frankly.

 

[cvmar]

Girlfriends took me out for my B-day for apps and cocktails at a local waterfront restaurant. I was good but boy was it hard not to eat all the good food they ordered. I love their seafood quesadillas! I had a couple of muscles and a few prawns and a couple of lemon drops and just one bite of the chocolate cake. Tomorrow I weigh myself and will see if I lost anything over the past week. We leave for Seaside Oregon on the 16th staying at the Worldmark property so I will cheat just a little or it won't feel like a vacation. In the mean time I am sticking to it.

 

[lprstn]

Ok fell off the wagon, got rolled over and now I back on again...

Ok with 3 weeks of constant vacationing every weekend, I have successfully gained back 7lbs of the 12lbs I had lost earlier this year. Heh, life happens. So its time for me to get back on the wagon again (and hope I stay on for my trip to Hawaii in 2 weeks ). So I have 1.5 weeks to shape up... and then the rest of the year to meet my final goal of a 20lb weight loss. Which should be a lot easier as I will be working somewhere that doesn't have any great restaurants nearby.

Happy to see the success of others on the thread...you are an inspiration...

 

[sun starved Gayle]

The new Cool Whip in a can (15 calories for 2 TBSP) and individual sugar free Jello (10 calories) have become my good friends.

I also really like A&W Diet Root Beer.

Yes, I know artificial ingredients are not the best thing for you. Neither is extra weight. I have lost 35 pounds since February.

Keep up the good work everyone.

Gayle

 

[lprstn]

I am going to do www.bodyforlife.com diet/exercise plan ....

Body for Life Training Method
# Strength train 30 minutes 2-3 times a week.
# Alternate between upper body and lower body/ab workouts.
# Perform two exercises for each major muscle group.
# Do 3-5 sets of each exercise decreasing reps and increasing the weight each set.
# Try 12 10 8 reps as you increase the weight then drop the weight and go two sets of 12 (you're working to failure).
# Perform any type of cardio for 30 minutes 3-5 times a week.
# Incorporate the high intensity interval cardio method for increased fat burning.
# Stretch during your workout (the book stays before but this is dangerous so do it during and after you're warm).
# Always warm up 5-10 minutes before all your workouts with a similar activity at a lower intensity.
# Plan your workouts ahead of time and track your progress.

Sample Workout Schedule

* Upper Body DayStability Ball Dumbbell Press
* Stability Ball Pushups
* Bent-over Dumbbell Rows
* Stability Ball Dumbbell Pullover
* Standing Overhead Dumbbell Press
* Standing Dumbbell Side Raises
* Standing Dumbbell Curls
* Standing Resistance Band Curls
* Stability Ball Dumbbell Tricep Press
* Chair Dips w/ Dumbbell on Lap

* Lower Body DayClose Stance Dumbbell Squat
* Dumbbell Front Lunge
* Stiff Leg Dumbbell Deadlift
* Stability Ball Leg Curl
* Standing On Step Single Leg Dumbbell Calf Raises
* Toes Out Standing Dumbbell Calf Raises
* Stability Ball Crunches
* Bicycle Crunches

Repeat either day for three days of strength then alternate the following week to maintain balance. Add in three days of hiit cardio in between and you're set.

Visit the Body for Life Exercise Site and print workout logs, view exercise demos and videos, plus get a ton of other free workout tools to help you stay on track.

 

[SDKath]

Going to check out that site right now! Thanks for posting it. Katherine