The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[DogMa]

I know, it's hard when there are fewer people. But at least WE'RE all still here.

So here's my chattiness for the day:

First, I was looking back at my records and realized I gained the same few pounds at the same exact time last year. Then I apparently buckled down and lost them again, so I feel better about my ability to do the same thing again.

Second, I restarted the Couch to 5K running program, now that I can run faster. Last time, for those who weren't around, I completed it and was able to run for 30 minutes straight, but I ran so slowly that I was nowhere near finishing 5K in half an hour - on the treadmill or outside. But I've been working on my speed more than endurance, and now I can run 6 mph pretty easily, although not for long periods. So the C25K should help me increase my endurance.

And finally, this week I'm buckling down on food and have planned all my meals for the week. I have one more thing to cook and I'll be done, and I'm determined to get serious this week and get rid of these few extra pounds I've put on. And maybe a few more besides.

[cydj21]

I've been thinking about doing to C25K program, too. I am lucky in that my coworkers are all pretty health conscious and we've been talking about running a 5K together sometime later this spring or early summer. The fattest I can really go is about 5.5mph and it's definitely not very sustainable. This week I was rolling along at 4.5 - 4.8mph, but it was my first week back so hopefully I can get it together soon.

Planning meals in advance is what keeps me sane. When I have to think too hard about it or get stuck someplace without easy access to the right kinds of food, it drives me bonkers. At a minimum I always make sure I have plenty of L/G options around the house so I am never tempted to stray. My roommate usually has the place full of what we refer to as "fat kid" foods, but I've made vocal my vow to never return to "Fat Kid U.S.A." and he's largely supportive...now if I could just get him to do MF with me...I've been working on it!

Looking forward to seeing how you do with the C25K this time!

[DogMa]

Yeah, when I did it last time I couldn't go more than 4.5 mph or so. But now I do 6 mph; I can't sustain it for 30 minutes yet, of course, or I wouldn't need the program. But I found the first week's plan easy enough that I'm thinking of skipping to week 2.

And I'm usually good about planning my meals and preparing them ahead of time, but I've gotten lax about it. Part of it is takes a LOT more time when you have to plan five or six feedings a day, and none of 'em are Medifast. Plus I just haven't been as motivated lately, but I'm feeling a lot better about things today.

So ... no Cinco de Mayo lunch buffet at work tomorrow, even though it sounds really fun (unless I hear that they have fajita-type stuff, which I could do). And I made some "unfried" chicken from a Cooking Light recipe that came out GREAT (except that I didn't have salt-free Cajun seasoning like they called for, and then stupidly added extra to make it spicier, not thinking about how salty it would be; so it's delicious, but salty). It's only suitable for maintenance, but still ... yum. Skinless chicken, buttermilk, seasoning and panko crumbs. Baked in the oven. Incredibly easy, quick and fantastic. I tried a piece just to see, and it was VERY much like fried chicken. YUM!!

[DogMa]

No change in weight, probably thanks to the salty chicken (but I'm having it again tonight, anyway). Did PUSH last night and saw major improvement in the one-legged push-ups and the side planks (but still had trouble with the push-ups because they were after so much other arm stuff).

And am sitting here posting at 12:30 p.m. because yes, I skipped the Cinco de Mayo buffet extravaganza. I'm going to have my turkey chili in a couple of minutes. Afternoon snacks will be soy crisps and raw trail mix, and then dinner will be more chicken plus roasted broccoli (or asparagus; I have both in the fridge, so whichever sounds more appealing at the time).

[cydj21]

A one-legged push up sounds absolutely frightening! I am telling you, I need to start that PUSH program here soon. I need to be able to do one of those, too!

Congratulations on skipping the Cinqo de Mayo festivities! Our feast here at the office isn't scheduled until Friday and I will definitely be the lone soul with a chicken salad and missing out on all of the cheesy Mexican goodness, but oh well. I will feel fantastic for it, so it is worth the effort in my book.

Is your turkey chili homemade? I make turkey chili a lot and look forward to it again post weight loss phase.

[DogMa]

Yeah, the spice mix is one I get online, but I brown and simmer and all that myself. It's overcast here today, so it was kinda perfect. And I do feel better for having skipped the cheesy, greasy goodness. No eating out for me till Sunday (going out with a friend for Mother's Day, which is usually a tough day for me), and even then I plan to behave myself.

The one-legged squats were REALLY hard at first; I think anyone watching would never have known I was squatting and would think I was just standing on one leg. But now I go down pretty far, so yay for me. I think I just have two more times with this workout and I get to move on to the next one.

Oh, but I almost forgot. The other night I thought I'd give the cardio workout a try since I hadn't done the treadmill that morning. They change the workout on each DVD, so I hadn't even seen this one - and I won't see it again! In the warm-up part, she did this weird stretch thing where you kept bending over and then back up, and by the second or third time, I thought I was going to throw up!!

[DogMa]

Grrrr. Weight STILL not dropping (although I guess that's not really true; it was lower last night, then up this morning, so it's probably just that I'm still eating the salty chicken for dinner). Decided to take this morning as my workout day off, which turned out to be a good idea because the dogs were freaked about thunderstorms. So I just hung out with them till I left for work. I'm going to wait and do PUSH tomorrow night, since I have to make a stop on my way home tonight.

I was on target with my food again yesterday, though, so I'm just going to stick with it and assume the scale will reflect some progress once I'm done with that chicken. Kinda irritating, though; I even drank extra water yesterday to help flush out some of the sodium.

[cydj21]

Our doggies hate thunderstorms, too. The latest foster greyhound went into a tizzy over the weekend when we had one roll over us...I thought the poor boy was going to give himself a heart attack.

Keep it up! That salty chicken can't hold you back forever. I've ramped up the water this week, too, because I feel like maybe I was starting to slide back in intake, so hopefully that works to my advantage. Sometimes it is almost like work getting enough water down!

[DogMa]

I'm actually a water guzzler already, but with all the salt, I figured an extra bottle couldn't hurt. But yeah, I have enough chicken for three more dinners, and hopefully after THAT, I'll see a nice drop. (Notice I say nothing about NOT eating the chicken. It's salty, but it's so darn good I don't want to waste it. Not to mention having to find time to cook something else instead.)

I tracked my food on Fitday yesterday, just to make sure, and I'm definitely on target, so it HAS to be the darn salt.

[Sojourner]

Hola, Robin!
Hey, you posted somewhere about a website that had arm exercises, but I didn't write it down... what was it again?
Oh, and thanks for the Mojo offer, but no thanks on the carnage part! Uhmmm... yuck!

Ciao!

[DogMa]

But she's so CUTE ... when she's not killing small animals.

I answered in your journal, too, but I'm guessing you mean www exrx net. Lists of exercises arranged by muscle group, plus videos to help you do 'em right. And alternatives depending on whether you use machines, barbells or dumbbells.

OK, on to me. I did C25K again today (my extended version). Got 4.25 miles. Woo hoo!! Tonight's a PUSH night, so hopefully the storms will have passed through by evening. And I got to try out my new clip-on fans (I ordered two fans with wide clips so I can clip them onto the rails on the treadmill; the built-in fan is too high up and hits just above my head, and I've been dragging a big fan over but it's hard to get it adjusted just right). I'm so pleased with them! I can adjust them as needed while I'm on there (well, mostly during the walking parts) and they blow right on my face. So I'm still sweating up a storm, but I have to mop up a little less frequently and I FEEL a bit cooler while I'm working.

[DogMa]

Argh. I'm having one of my bottomless-pit days, although so far I haven't given in. Maybe it's because I had such a good workout this morning; my heart monitor said it was about 650 calories (it knows my age, weight, etc., so it should be at least somewhat accurate).

But geez, I'm about ready to chew my own arm off, and I still have 20 minutes before my next snack.

[cydj21]

I have the same issue on workout days...not so much anymore, but definitely before I came back to Mediland. If I gave in I just always tried to keep it something of the protein variety like a bit of chicken or a reduced fat Poly-O which have just 80 calories. As annoying as it can be, I always kind of thought of it as "proof" that I accomplished something that day.

[DogMa]

Yeah, but there are SO many stories out lately about how people don't lose weight when they exercise because they start eating more. I don't want to do that.

I eat enough. Heck, compared to people on the program, I eat a TON. I still don't see how some folks can get so few calories and still work out so much. (Plus pretty much all my days are workout days, and I really don't need to be eating more every day. Today was just an especially good workout.)

[aquarianskye]

Hey Robin! Sorry you had the hungries yesterday. I do that when tom shows up at my house. I feel like I could eat a small child some days and unfortunately I have one of those running around my house! Hope today is a better day.