I joined Weight Watchers this morning. I convinced my mom to join with me, so I think that will help. My goal is to start with working out twice a week (up from zero) for three weeks, then go to three times a week for four weeks, and then get up to four times and stick there, unless I am able to squeeze in a fifth.
My big thing is that I HAVE to cook. We do takeout so frequently, and it's terrible for our health.
Post by shamrockshake on Jan 2, 2016 12:07:21 GMT -5
Slow and steady is my plan, I lost/ maintained 20 pounds in 2015 making minor sustainable changes and I hope to be able to do the same this year. Though I'm less concerned with the number lost now than just getting into better shape- I plan to start weight training again in the spring so I'll be ok with no weight lost and just changes to my shape.
We're cleaning up our diets starting Monday, treats picked back up the last two months for me and that's the first thing that's needs to go. And starting Piyo Monday morning- DH and I are doing to together which makes it easier to get out of bed for it in the morning
Post by jerseyjaybird on Jan 2, 2016 12:30:52 GMT -5
Thank you for asking----I get stuck in wishful thinking and vague statements.
Starting Monday, I'm going to track all of my eating again, with the goal of a 500-calorie deficit each day (I track in FitBit). I'm aiming to hit my step goal every weekday, but I need to add more exercise to that again. Maybe the 30-day shred? My DW just ordered us a treadmill, too, which should be here by the middle of the month.
My biggest problem is activity/exercise. I just don't do it. My office is just over a mile away, and I am making a goal to walk at least once a week (often I have meetings throughout the day that I need to drive to, so it doesn't always work). I also need to get back into doing the Daily Burn videos, there are always new ones and they keep me entertained.
I am getting back on the low carb train, it's the only thing that works for me. DH says he's on board with that as well, but we'll see.
Post by bostonmichelle on Jan 2, 2016 13:17:31 GMT -5
I'm tracking in My Fitness Pal. Trying to do higher protein/lower carb. I'm training for a marathon and my last one I gained 5 lbs so I'm hoping to maintain between now and the end of training then lose the 5-10 lbs I have gained since last spring. Its not a lot but it keeps me from wearing a lot of my clothes and feeling good about myself. I'm stepping on the scale tomorrow morning to see what I need to do.
Post by Doggy Mommy on Jan 2, 2016 13:41:42 GMT -5
I'm tracking on an app called Ultimate Food Value Diary Plus. It's basically weight watchers but I don't want to pay the monthly fee. I'm also going to start running again. I walk every day but my body (and my dog!) would love for me to go back to running. For now my only goals are to track everything I eat (and stay within my points) and exercise 30-60 minutes every day. ETA: I'm also giving myself a 15 pound reward. I have some Anthropologie gift cards that I set aside that I won't use until I lose 15 pounds. After that I'll come up with a 30 lb reward.
I got a FitBit for Christmas, so I'm going to christen that. I have a friend who runs weight loss challenges who is a great motivator, so DH and I are doing that starting January 11- he did amazing with it last time so I'm hoping Itll give us both the structure we need
I (re)joined WW yesterday. Went to my first meeting today. Plan is to go to weekly meetings a(not sure if I'll stick with Saturday meetings or switch to Sundays). Tracking everything.
We used to take the dogs out for daily walks, but it was somewhat icy still yesterday (though we still went). Plan is to at least go around the block daily with them. They love it, no matter how long we go for.
We also got a treadmill, and I did my first workout yesterday on it. Plan is to do both weekend days, and as many days as possible during the week. I am starting with only walking, would like to work up to intervals of jogging.
For fitbit, I usually get 10k easily during the week between teaching and walking the dog. I'd like to hit 9k during the weekends, and then 10-15k during the week.
H got me a Jawbone for Christmas (I swear, that isn't as gross and creepy as it sounds) so I am using that to track seems. I also plan to work out 5 days week and clean up my diet.
Post by tacosforlife on Jan 2, 2016 15:27:45 GMT -5
I'm following a Hal Higdon training plan and tracking my food. I actually need to not ramp up my activity too much because I am already super active and have a tendency to exercise my way into crazy hunger and then overeat. I have to accept that I can't out-exercise a bad diet and exercise enough for general physical and mental health but not so much that I want to eat everything not nailed down.
After baby boy pops out in May I'm totally down with losing weight. I figure I'll take him for walks and try to eat normally again (what a mindfuck being pregnant is... as soon as you can normally do one thing again, something else is totally screwed up).... anyways, that's my plan. We'll see how well it works for me.
For the next three months I'm going to practice cleaning eating and no alcohol during the week, but not worry about it when I'm traveling for archery. I'm going to add a day of yoga, but have no illusions that will help with weight loss, just feeling better. I want to do a couple more 21 day fixes, but it will be mid April before that can realistically happen.
Post by Balki.Bartokomous on Jan 2, 2016 16:02:21 GMT -5
Well, I'm quitting my bootcamp class bc I haven't been going very often at all, so I'll have to use the gym at work & the equipment we have at home. As for the money saved, I'm looking forward to putting it toward fun stuff like yoga & a sports league.
I'm trying to give myself measurable goals rather than a fairly abstract "lose x lbs" type of goal, and I'm trying to keep it realistic, too:
-Run 10 mi/wk -Lift 2-3x/wk -1 new hiking trail per month w/dogs -Yoga 1x/mo -Play in a team sports league at least once this year -Eat veggies 2x/day (so horrible that I need to actually put this on there, but I know how easy it is for me to grab fast food at lunch & skip a veg) -Protein at every meal -Pack lunches (no eating out more than one lunch during the week); pack breakfasts on workout days so I don't spend $$ at the cafeteria
I really need to lose the 5 pounds I gained in December plus the 5 I put on through 2015. I was all ready to do an extreme diet, DH "talked me into" trying WW. He has counted points before and will teach me and do it with me. I need to get my eating under control and this is a good plan without being too restrictive.
No alcohol starting Monday through the end of January (DH will do this with me as well, and reminded me that I said we would start Monday - not today!). I think it will be a good goal. After January, I will just count the alcohol points along with food.
I will continue to exercise at home on weekday mornings and go to yoga on Saturdays.
I may read up on Whole 30, and if the above is not working, give that a try in the spring.
Post by mrsukyankee on Jan 2, 2016 17:30:20 GMT -5
I'm part of a group called Eat More 2 Weigh Less - actually, I'm a moderator. When trying to lose weight, we talk about figuring out one's TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). You can do this by looking at a month's data on a Fitbit, using a calculator (I like the Scooby one) or by testing numbers out. Then, depending on how much you have to lose, you take 10-15% from your TDEE so that you are more likely to lose fat versus muscle because much faster than that tends to mean that you'll lose as much muscle as fat which is not a good thing.
I lost 20 lbs and have kept it 15 lbs off for 1-1/2 years (I am now at the high end of my range which is fine). I'm now ready to lose another 10 lbs and I expect that it will take a year to lose it as I want to keep the muscle I have built. I also find it easier to go to maintenance after losing weight as it's not extreme in any way. It takes longer (it took about a year to lose 20 lbs) but it's worth it as you truly end up eating the way you do for life.
I want to lose at least 20 pounds. I started tracking calories today with my fitbit. I like that I can scan a UPC code for items that have them -- I tried it out today with a bottle of sparkling water and it was pretty slick. Of course, that's not going to help for eating non-packaged foods, but it's still neat. My biggest peeve about calorie counting is that counts don't exist for so many of the things I cook and I'm ballparking SO much that I feel like it's barely useful. And the last time I did it was with MFP, which IMO gives such a low daily calorie allowance that it's difficult to maintain.
I am crappy at decent lunches, and at getting fruit and veggies (well, worse at fruits). So I'm going to experiment with smoothies for lunches.
Both DH and I are cutting out alcohol during the week (weekends only). And I'm trying to see where I can add more cardio to my weekly workouts along with a daily step goal now that I have the fitbit.
The bummer is that I started off the new year with a cold and I'm still feeling pretty gross, so there will be no 10K steps a day until I am healthy again.
I would like to lose 10 pounds by the end of February. I'm going to a conference in March and would like to feel more comfortable in my clothes by that time.
My plan for January -30 minutes on the treadmill desk at work 3 times per week -go for 2 hour long walks twice per week -do a sit up/push-up 30 day challenge
My plan for February: -maintain all of the above -increase time at the treadmill desk to 5 days per week for 45 minutes -drink only one soda per day
Post by sarapocalypse on Jan 2, 2016 18:35:11 GMT -5
I joined a site called Nerd Fitness. Taking time in January to follow some of the habit changing/goal setting/mindset quests and then will tackle the nutrition and fitness stuff head on. I'd like to lose 15-20 pounds by our vacation in early July.
A big thing for us will be cutting back on beer. Thinking about cutting out all alcohol during the week and sticking just to weekends. Also want to try 1 new, health recipe a week until we get a good rotation of healthier meals.
Slow and steady is my plan, I lost/ maintained 20 pounds in 2015 making minor sustainable changes and I hope to be able to do the same this year. Though I'm less concerned with the number lost now than just getting into better shape- I plan to start weight training again in the spring so I'll be ok with no weight lost and just changes to my shape.
We're cleaning up our diets starting Monday, treats picked back up the last two months for me and that's the first thing that's needs to go. And starting Piyo Monday morning- DH and I are doing to together which makes it easier to get out of bed for it in the morning
Can you share some of the minor sustainable changes you made in 2015?
I did good last year cutting carbs and I need to do that again and add in a few days of working out. I need to suck it up and do something as soon as I get home with M after work. I've gotten lazy. With the carbs I don't count I just reduce breads, rice, pasta and increase vegetables. I lost 10-15 pounds doing that and stopped. I would like to lose 20 more and then get a breast reduction!
Post by jennybee1018 on Jan 3, 2016 12:04:27 GMT -5
Well the holiday break has been a lot of drinking, so really I think stopping that will certainly help! I'm off a few days this week, so I'll start on Jan 8 - which is my first day back of teaching Zumba :-)
A big part of my plan is getting back to teaching Zumba. We've been on a break since beginning of December :-( I also went down to once a week last semester, I may go back up to 3 times a week. It just depends - working to find a new venue. I also want to commit to strength training three times a week with my friend. We help keep each other motivated for early AM workouts. So ideally 3 days of strength training and 3 days of cardio, 1 day of rest.
I will definitely stop drinking during the week, and will make sure to prep lunches, dinners and snacks ahead of time, which help me choose fruit/veg over chips/choc. Of course, I'll still allow myself a small square of dark choc when I need it :-)
I gave up on the Fitbit, and have switched to my Polar Heart Rate Monitor, so that will help me have a more accurate picture of what I'm burning vs what I'm eating!
I tend to drink a lot of water when I am at work (desk job) so I think that should help too!
Good luck to everyone with your goals. It might be helpful to do a weekly check in? See how everyone is doing? Accountability is really the name of the game for me!!!
I've lost 7.2 pounds-Water weight for sure, but my pants are already fitting better.
I'm just limiting myself, I've had bad days for sure (I'm looking at you Reeses blizzard that I had last night) but mostly I've been conscious of what I'm eating. I'm really trying to figure out if I'm actually hungry or bored. For example, right now, I'm hungry, but I don't want to waste my calories on something that won't even fill me up.
I'm going to start a work out routine in the next couple weeks. Slowly but surely...
This is my biggest issue. Especially at work. I can't wait for the holidays to be over and no more candy to be in my office so I don't have any incentive to grab snacks. Ugh.
Post by winnieandwine on Jan 11, 2016 16:49:44 GMT -5
I'm on Week 2, day 1 of my health overhaul. I've lost 1.8lbs, and I feel like a million bucks. I was eating like crap and hadn't been to the gym for a while.
Week 1: Cleaned up diet; logged everything in MFP; cardio x3 Week 2: Eating cleaner; still logging in MFP; lifted x1 and have two cardio work outs planned (zumba, swimming). Will focus on healthy choices when my brothers visit this weekend and we go out to eat a few times. Week 3 goal: bump up to 4 work outs a week (2 strength-based and 2 cardio)
I'm 20 lbs from a normal BMI and 26 lbs from my goal weight.