Ginger: The Bottom Line [Aug 9-15]

(-1) EAT: "5" a day. NO -4 days.
(+1) STOP: Eat meals + snacks before 8pm. NO-5 days.
(-1) LIFT: 2 strength training workouts. YES-2 workouts.
(-2) MOVE: 2 cardio workouts. YES-4 workouts.
(NC) DRINK: 32 oz water a day. NO-4 days.
(NC) SLEEP. Get to bed by 10 pm. NO-0 days.

Spices says...Here is something interesting

Here is one way of loosing weight that worked for my friend and her family. They gave up flour (cakes, pasta, bread, cookies etc) for a year and gluten base product (oats, veggie meats). My friend lost 20lbs that way. She is off the diet now and has not regained the weight. While she was on the diet she used a lot of potatoes, and Gluten No products and rice products( pasta, crackers).

Sporty: Daily Points Target Quiz

For those doing WW points, here is the quiz to determine your daily points target:

1. Are you:
Female - Score 2
Male - Score 8
Nursing Mom - Score 12

2. How old are you?
17-26 - Score 4
27-37 - Score 3
38-47 - Score 2
48-58 - Score 1
Over 58 - Score 0

3. What do you weigh?
Enter the first 2 digits of your weight in pounds.
For example if you weigh 209, enter 20. If you weigh less than 100 lbs, enter the first digit of your weight in pounds, i.e., for 98 enter 9.

4. How tall are you?
Under 5'1" - Score 0
5'1" to 5'10" - Score 1
Over 5'10" - Score 2

5. Do you spend most of your day:
Sitting down - Score 0
(e.g. as a receptionist, bus driver, cab driver)
Occasionally sitting, but mainly standing - Score 2
(e.g. sales person, housewife, cook, teacher)
Walking most of the time - Score 4
(e.g. waiter, mailman)
Doing physically hard work most of the time - Score 6
(e.g. nurse, gardener, construction worker)

The total is your daily points target =

• Retake this quiz as your weight goes down, on your birthday or if you change the way you spend your day.
• If your total is less than 18, your daily points target is 18; if your total is more than 44, your daily points target is 44.
• Daily points must be used within the same day and cannot be "banked".
• Each week, in addition to your daily points you have the option to use 35 weekly bonus points. These must be used within the week and cannot be "banked".
  

How much are you willing to lose?

Calling all Threefatsandaskinny.com members! We’ve been talking about diet, about losing instead of maintaining, of ramping things up, taking it to the next level! Well, now it’s time to put our words into actions! How much are you willing to lose by Dec 31^st, 2007? Are you willing to pledge some pounds and commit to working towards it? Make your pledge by submitting the following information in the comments section:

Starting Weight
The weight when you actively started trying to lose weight this year.

Current Weight
Your current weight.

Pounds Pledged
Number of pounds you are pledging to lose by Dec 31^st, 2007!

There will be 2 gadgets added to the website to keep track of the groups’ weight loss successes and goals.

1. Total Weight Loss- tracks the total amount of lbs lost by participating group members.
2. 2007 Weight Loss Countdown- counts down the lbs of the weight pledged by the group until we reach goal!

*Trackers will be updated monthly, so group members would need to post their weight loss by the last Thursday of each month.

For those who really want to throw themselves into this, you can create your own personalized tracking button for your individual weight loss by going to http://www.traineo.com/. Individual buttons can be added to the bottom of our web page.

Spice: Good things are happening

This was a good week. It was one of those idle moments where I was rubbing my upper arm. I noticed there were spots that where once soft that were now hard. I found three muscles in my upper arm that were becoming defined as well as those in my calves. Up until now I have just been going through the motions. This was a nice surprise. I’m pretty happy. I'll be ecstatic when I see these kinds of changes in my tummy.

Ginger: Curry Leftovers

So...what do you guys think is the statute of limitations on curry leftovers?

The meal that I just reheated (in a valiant-slash-lazy attempt to eat "in") was almost six days old. Saturday's lunch...

Let's hope for the best!

---Update---
No dramatic reaction to the leftovers. Go refrigeration!

Ginger: Let's Eat!

Sporty, Ginger + Posh - are you ready to up the ante on eating for the last phase of WOW? Based on your last couple posts, I think next week might be a good time to kick the food thing into gear. Here's my proposal: 1 pt for every day that we follow our eating plan: points, core, vegan etc. These would be regular points (not bonus).

Whaddya think?

Posh: Chiselling Away

I started off this post planning to say that I'm still chiselling away... a few pounds and inches falling here and there. Was gonna say that if I keep it up, we'll see what emerges...Was in search of a picture to go with the chiselling theme and I came across a series of pictures of a sculpter's tools. And it suddenly hit me that Michelangelo didn't create his David with just one tool. To get his block of marble to look like muscles (ever checked out the David's abs?) he had to use a variety of tools, each one important, to get the results. I'm currently using one tool (exercise) to do my chiselling. I need to pick up the other one I've been hiding behind the tool shed (DIET) and start using it. I've been saying the past few weeks that I want to start doing Core again. Havent' made that push to actually do it... As much as I don't want to, I'm willing to ramp things up....

Ginger: The Bottom Line [Aug 2-Aug 8]

(-1) EAT: "5" a day. NO -5 days.
(+1) STOP: Eat meals + snacks before 8pm. NO-4 days.
(+1) LIFT: 2 strength training workouts. YES-3 workouts.
(+2) MOVE: 2 cardio workouts. YES-6 workouts.
(NC) DRINK: 32 oz water a day. NO-4 days.
(NC) SLEEP. Get to bed by 10 pm. NO-0 days.

I'm struggling with the sleep goal. Been watching lots of late-night TV. Very happy with with this week's workouts...optimistic about bringing the "stop" and "drink" up a bit. I ignored my water bottle this week and the difference was clear. I'm more likely to get drink enough water when I keep it washed, filled, carry it around etc. In fact, let me go do that right now!

Sporty: Week 26 (8/9/07)

Still going...still aware...trying to get the gain under control...5 lb alarm activated...switching to on mode...gained 1 lb this week. Next WILL be better.

Last week:


Achieved 4 of 6 goals. Gym 3+ times, journalled, shopped, wowed.
Did not achieve staying within points - 6 days over, 1 day under. Did not track calories burned.

This week:
1. Decide to make the effort
2. Stay within weekly points
3. Home food Mon-Fri
4. Burn 2500 cal
5. Journal foods
6. WOW

Ginger: 60 Minutes

Yesterday, I did an hour of cardio. I spent the first 30 minutes on the treadmill before hopping on the elliptical machine. I can't say that it was "fun" but it felt good to raise the bar.

Come to think of it -before I discovered the Body for Life plan -Mimi and I used to do cardio twice a week for sixty minutes. It was our default. No bargaining or negotiating. How quickly we (I) forget!

Anyway, I really needed those bonus points. I'm glad that we built in an option that's challenging and I'm even happier that it's out of the way -at least for this week!

Spice: Going away for a week

I will be going to Barbados for a 8 days. If I finish this week successfully, I will be able -between bonus and free days -be free of exercise for the week. However I don't want to. The week covers two challenge weeks so I'll try to do my strength/cardio before and after the trip. I figure I could always get a 30-minute walk in so I'll keep up my cardio that way. I also will memorize or write instructions for 10 minutes of the Taebo abs tape so I could do it most days that I'm there to keep up with my personal goal. I'll blog before and after I come back. Take my vitamins with me and do some shopping there to keep up the diet requirements. Thus when I come back I should still be on stream with the challenge. Any you may have I welcome.

Posh: Secrets....

Thought this story was cool. Click here to check it out!

By Dan Buettner	Photographs by David McLain
Residents of Okinawa, Sardinia, and Loma Linda, California, live longer, healthier lives than just about anyone else on Earth. What do they know that the rest of us don't?

Sporty: Response to Maintaining Vs. Losing

Ginger, I'm really glad you decided to spotlight this question. I think the key difference between maintaining and losing weight is the level of EFFORT. For me effort has been making the decision to make the effort to lose weight and then creating a plan to support the effort.

What does that look like for me?

1. Mindset - prioritize weight loss plan

2. Diet - have a specific eating plan

3. Exercise - have a specific exercise plan

4. Accountability - monitor implementation of the plan

5. Support - seek and give support

6. Goal - pick a goal weight and realistic date to achieve it

At the end of day though, all weight loss plans come down to science and attitude. Regardless of the plan I choose, I have to burn more calories than I consume. To do so I have to make weight loss a priority and have a plan that is specific.

Hope this helps.

Ginger: Maintaining vs. Losing Mood

Sporty's comment about switching from a "maintaining" mood to a "losing" mood really hit home for me. I'm having the same issue.

I'm glad that I stopped gaining weight but -after many months- I haven't lost weight either. I thought I'd throw it out there for discussion:

What behaviors do YOU associate with a "losing" mood?

--Update
I've just accepted a "20 lbs in 4 months" challenge from my dad so I'm particularly invested in answers to the above question. Ha ha. I'm gritting my teeth and waiting for your comments.

Sporty: Phase 1 prizes

What are you guys doing for your phase 1 prize?

Sporty: Week 25 (08/02/07)

Glad this week is over. Continued to struggle to stay within points. Did it for 3 or 7 days. Got to ramp up cardio been doing really, really, low intensity. Saw drop in cardio endurance. Happy with progress on good health guidelines and strength exercises. Noticed that my core is getting stronger. Still working on shifting my brain from maintenance mood to losing mood. Gained 3 lbs.

Last week:

1. Stay within daily pts 5/7 - No. 3 days.
2. Earn Maximum WOW pts. - No. Earned 3 0f 6 bonus pts.
3. Plan foods the night before - No
4. Journal all foods - Yes

Next Week:

1. Stay within daily pts 5 of 7 days.
2. 3 cardio sessions at gym
3. Journal all foods
4. Grocery shop
5. Burn 2500 calories
6. Complete WOW challenge
   

Ginger: The Bottom Line [Jul 26-Aug1]

(-1) EAT: "5" a day. NO -6 days.
(-2) STOP: Eat meals + snacks before 8pm. NO-3 days.
(-1) LIFT: 2 strength training workouts. YES-2 workouts.
(-1) MOVE: 2 cardio workouts. YES-4 workouts.
(-1) DRINK: 32 oz water a day. NO-4 days.
(-1) SLEEP. Get to bed by 10 pm. NO-0 days.

The zeal of week one has clearly waned. Ha ha. Actually, this was kind of a tough week. I'm just grateful that the diet + exercise didn't fall off altogether!

Spice:Still going

Diet requirements were better this week but I struggled more with the exercise. My personal goal of doing 10 minutes of Taebo abs is going well except I keep doing the parts that are easiest for me. Lower abs are most challenging and the most necessary for me. I started targeted that area today. I thought I would die but I plan to focus on that area at least twice a week.

Posh: This Week

Milks and Fats still a challenge to fit into my diet. Been consistently using bonus points each of the last two weeks for a cardio. Psyching myself up for increased cardio time next week.