Wellness

[SeaMaiden]

Welcome Everyone!  Happy New Year!

  I hope this thread   is going to help, motivate and challenge each of us to become a better "me".  Post at least once a week- (you pick a day)to update on how your challenge is going. Of course  you can also make daily check-in posts just to say hi though out the day....offer recipe's, and ideas, positive motivations and such to help keep us all on track.

Today is the first day to see where you/we are... set your goal.   This thread is not all about weight loss... it can just be a get fit challenge to improve your lifestyle, move more.. improve your diet... and get healthy.  The focus of this thread is through to June of 2018.  Five months. We can start a new thread at the end of June if people want to continue with it.  But for now look at a 5 month window.  Summer 2018... Where would you like to be?  What would you like to wear?  How do you want to feel?

Today I got on the scale and I decided want to be at 135 by June. I had originally set my goal lower, but, decided I did not want to make my personal challenge one that I set for failure.  I will see how I feel at 135LBS, which is a realistic goal without feeling deprived or overwhelmed. My diet is pretty clean. I need to work on portion control a bit better.  I need to step up my activity  as well. I usually walk for 45 minutes in the morning either outside or on my treadmill.  I should add another at least 15 minutes a day later in the day.  I have the time... just do not do it!

 I posted  the number 135 LBS on paper and posted it   on my bathroom mirror... on my scale and on my refrigerator in big black marker pen.  That is my contribution today  for something you might want to do today.  Your weight goal number( if you have one) posted   will fixate in your mind and subconsciously keep you on track.  Writing down and posting  is something I do whenever I have a goal or desire to reach really  seems to really help! It  could even just be the words of a food you are not going to eat anymore.. etc.  or the steps you want to reach each day. You get the drift.

Another thing we could do is every Monday set a weekly challenge. I am not sure how that will work out, but perhaps someone here would know how we could come up with a weekly challenge that we could do... extra steps or a step count challenge for those who have a step counter.  If you do not have a step counter I would recommend getting one as it really helps you see how much you are moving in a day. 10,000 steps is the goal.  And I am always surprised how far I have to walk to reach that goal!.  We often times are sitting so much that we do not move very much in a day.   Using a step counter is like using a scale... it is honest in your face numbers that we tend to not want to know

So for today introduce yourself.  Be honest as much as you choose to be. If you have ideas for this thread please offer them. Something you do not like... say so.   This thread is only going to work if everyone joins in and posts. I am not sure what is going to transpire. I am now just one of you on the challenge after this post.

Lets keep the adage of BE KIND. Not everyone is going to eat the same, some are into taking  dietary  supplements ( I DO), others do not believe in supplements... it is all good.   We do not have to agree on those things, but, people should feel free to bring things up without someone getting in their face about it. 

And Here We Go! 

[gloriajean]

I can see how this thread can be a very lasting one, informative, and supportive.  I've started the Fast Metabolism Diet the first of Nov. weighing in at 132 pounds, lost 7 since then, going slow.  I think my goal will be 112. I am 5'.  This diet or food plan is all real foods, nothing processed, and that's the way we eat anyway.  My husband is on this too, and he's already lost 17 pounds.  Wishing you all great success in whichever way you decide to lost weight.  I know I need to exercise more.  I baby sit my twin granddaughters most of the week, they are 18 months now, and weigh over 20 pounds. So with them I get weight lifting!  

[KonaKat]

I am Jean. I've basically been maintaining for a year but when  I got on the scales this morning, I came in a 9 pounds less than last January 1. I'm focusing primarily of exercise as it is something I don't enjoy. I do enjoy recumbant bikes but space is a problem.

After reading reviews from various health sources, I investerd in a very heavy duty magnetic mini-cycle or desk cycle as some call it. On days that I work, I plan to use it for 60 minutes a day for 5 days minimum. On days that I don't work, I plan to shoot for 120 minutes. I do this while watching very entertainninng shows on Netflix. My FitBit syncs with  MyFitnessPal.

I just finished 45 minutes of cycling. According to MFP, the exercise added 400 calories to what I could eat for the day. The choice then becomes eating back the calories earned through exercise or still limiting myself to the original 1200+ calories for the day.  Exercise can make a difference especially if much older. I also have the cardiac recommendation of 60 minutes of exercise a day, which can be in any form. Yes, housework on a continuous basis can count.

FitBit keeps track of what it calls active minutes.These are a minimum of minutes in which movement takes place to increase oxygen supply, etc. so a certain level of intensity is required; housework or leisurely walking may not count as active minutes despite steps being counted. So far, I have 52 active minutes for today.

[SeaMaiden]

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@gloriajean wrote:

I can see how this thread can be a very lasting one, informative, and supportive.  I've started the Fast Metabolism Diet the first of Nov. weighing in at 132 pounds, lost 7 since then, going slow.  I think my goal will be 112. I am 5'.  This diet or food plan is all real foods, nothing processed, and that's the way we eat anyway.  My husband is on this too, and he's already lost 17 pounds.  Wishing you all great success in whichever way you decide to lost weight.  I know I need to exercise more.  I baby sit my twin granddaughters most of the week, they are 18 months now, and weigh over 20 pounds. So with them I get weight lifting!  

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@gloriajean   I am going to do some research on that Fast Metabolim Diet... sounds interesting....

[SandPiper]

Mentally I am ready. That’s where it begins for me. This morning I got on the scale and my goal for June is 140 lbs. My goals:

1. I am getting back on the treadmill. 30 minutes to start. Increase gradually to 1 hour. I will also work at increasing the incline slowly as well. I am going to try and incorporate some weight exercises into my day as well. Maybe start 3 days a week.

2. I must have protein at every meal. I am considering a protein powder to add to smoothies. Just don’t know which one, have to research. 

3. At least 2 times a week I want to have meatless meals and reduce consumption of meat. My goal is to also eat more veggies. Cut down carbs and reduce sugar , ultimate would be to eliminate sugar completely. 

4.  Drink more water. I don’t drink water period. I just don’t need it. I am never ever thirsty. This is going to be difficult for me. 

I think this is enough goals for now. I don’t want to overwhelm myself. The good news is my hubby is dieting with me and I have the support of all of you. It’s a win-win

Good luck everyone...start your engines....

[SandPiper]

@KonaKat very interesting about active minutes. I didn’t know this. Thanks for posting.

[icezeus]

Good Morning, Like millions of people today I have decided that enough is enough. I have not walked since October and my food intake  has been horrible. I have not been on the scale in months, but my clothes are not fitting so I had an idea that it would not be a pretty picture when I decided to look. This morning, I put on my Fitbit and before I could make excuses about all of the things that I had to do I went for a 30 minute walk. I then plopped down in front of my computer and opened this thread. It motivated me to go and get on the scale. OMG!! It's bad.

My goal is 20 lbs. or down to 160 lbs. in these first few months. I need to loose more than that, but It will overwhelm me if I put down the actual number that I need to loose. BTW, I am only 5"1'. This weight has been hard on my body. I have been feeling it in my knees, and whole body. Just cleaning the house seems hard. Ughh..

My goal for this week is to walk for 30 minutes Monday-Friday.

Thank you @SeaMaiden for starting this thread.

[icezeus]

@gloriajean

I am going to check out reviews and see if I can learn more about this plan.

[gloriajean]

SeaMaiden - my daughter, husband and 3 nieces are on this one.  No meetings to go to, just the cost of the books, the Fast Motabolism Diet and the Cookbook, I think I paid 32 for both.  It's 3 phases a week, and you can eat alot, including snacks.  But - no corn, no peas, no white potatoes, (and I love them) but sweet potatoes because they are more healthy. No dairy and no wheat.  We thought we'd give it a try, and my husband has noticed without the glutens, no more leg cramps.  That's huge as they were really bad.  Real foods, mostly organic if possible. You are eating very healthy on this one.  My daughter comes over and we usually cook for the week, she's lost 20 pounds since the beginning of November. Anything is worth a try, I thought.  And this is no counting caleries or carbs. I weigh our portion sizes.

[gloriajean]

Sandpiper, I am the same way with water.  It's cold here in MN and I am just using hot water plain. Sometimes tea, but mostly hot water.  It goes down easier than cold water now. I am just never thirsty either.  My husband can drink a lot of water.