Ginger: Sex God Clip + New Devotional

Here's an online excerpt from Sex God. I guess the meandering monologue is kind of Bell's thing and I think it'll be a great conversation starter for us. Can't wait to read + trade thoughts with you guys.

Also, I recently came across a good devotional in case anyone's looking. "Solo" is based on the Message Remix paraphrase and uses the Lectio Divina style of prayer + bible study that we blogged about last year.

Sporty: Week 49 (1/17/08)

Another week down. Still at about 80%. Went to gym 4x and ate mostly BFL style. Did not journal foods. Will continue to work on Milestone 1 goals. Lost 4lbs.

Ginger: The Other Appetite

As you can see from my last few posts, I've got sex on the brain. You've all probably heard me on my "Christian fundamentalism did us wrong" soapbox.

As I get older, I find that instead of having it all figured out, it's one of those things that I have to keep revisiting. I haven't started reading Sex God yet but I thought it'd be interesting to get some feedback.

So here's the two-part question...

1. Over the years, what messages about sexuality -accurate, bogus, conflicting, whatever- did you buy into?

2. What value(s) would you like to model and pass on to the kids in your life?

Mimi: You Know It's Bad When...

You show up at the Y and don't recognize the reception area!!

New carpet, new trendy leather seating areas (yes our Y is in a wealthy area), a new counter area. Yikes! Clearly I've been away too long. Part of what has been keeping me away has been the unwillingness to have that "everyone is staring at me and my weight gain" feeling. I mean, I was there almost every day and knew a lot of folks! Now I'm all "fluffy" and have to see all these people. Then I feel all weak for caring what other people think! ugh. Vicious cycle, I tell you. By the time I'm done the mental fight, I''m exhausted and have nothing left for the physical. I'm going to take your advice, Ginger, and try for less thinking and more "auto-pilot."

Now onto the good news. I said I'm having a 21 day goal. I'm happy to say it is day 9 and I'm still feeling strong. Week 1 weight loss = 4.6 pounds. Even if it was mostly water, it was a good motivator and reminder that the plan works when I work it. The loss was even inspiration for me to go to exercise today. Exercising now seems like a complement to the change in food--worthwhile, if that makes sense.

Week 1 I tracked and stayed within points and didn't use my extra weekly ones. Saturday after weigh-in was my "point-free" day which has worked for me in the past. It's my "splurge" day, but funny enough splurging while on plan is SO different from splurging off plan. Everything I ate was homemade and points friendly. I just didn't put them in the tracker. It's practice for when I no longer have to count.

Overall, going into Week 2 feelin' strong. Good stuff.

Mimi: Sorry Ginger!

So Ginger and I were scheduled to go to BodyPump this morning. I flaked. Sorry, girl! I thought about lying and saying I forgot (since we made the commitment a bit ago). That's just wrong. There were a lot of things conspiring against me...fell asleep on the couch, woke up at 3AM, didn't get back to sleep until about 5AM. Woke up with headache when the alarm went off...and on and on and on...

What it comes down to is fear. I'm afraid of the class and I'm afraid of commitment. What's that about? Thoughts? comments?

Ginger, you still talking to me?

Sporty Week 48 (1/10/08)

Working with the progress vs. perfection concept. Hit goals about 80% of the time. Lost 2.5 lbs. Will continue same plan for next week.

Ginger: Sex God

Any Rob Bell fans out there?

Anyone want to read this book with me?

Sporty: Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Woo-Hoo!!!! I can totally exhale now and focus on other things. I just dropped off the project that has literally been the "thorn in my side". 119 pages later we have 1 bound original, 15 copies specially collated and stapled. Finito!!!!

Ginger: Auto Breakfast

I'm changing my position on repeating menus. It's easier to make a good choice if I've already thought it through.

This week I'm going with a standard breakfast: oatmeal, soy milk, flax, and fruit.

The back up plan (running late, pots are dirty etc.) is to sub cold cereal for oatmeal.

--
What breakfast foods do you guys enjoy?

Posh: +1

Had a week of food awareness and an intro to Abs Diet.

Food Awareness: increased water and increaesed vegetable and fruit intake. Had a few days of straggling vacation days and splurged though.

Abs Diet: Started the cardio and weights program. Thought I had discovered all my muscles in my last exercise splurge early last year. But I was wrong. Discovered my small back muscles, part of the "Core". The pain there kind of disabled/discouraged me for a few days. Bought an exercise mat to cussion the floor exercises, so they're a bit more comfortable. Articles tell me that if I keep exercising my back muscles, in 6-8 weeks the pain subsides. Great. Another goal to work towards.

Anyway, gained one pound. On to the next week.

Mimi: 21 Days

Hello and Happy New Year all!

Got back to CA from the East Coast this morning at 1AM. I got up and went to Weight Watchers at 10AM. Getting on the scale wasn't as traumatic as I thought it would be. Perhaps because I didn't gain ALL of the 100lbs lost back (just MOST of them). I'm being pragmatic about it and am through beating myself up. I'm tempted to use Ginger's phrase, "New day, new deal."

So I heard on the television last week the fact that it takes 21 days to form a habit (I think someone here might have blogged about this earlier). My short-term goal is to count points and get on a steady exercise plan for 21 days. When I was coasting on WW and doing well, it was because I was in the HABIT of making good choices and exercising.

Here's to establishing healthy habits in the new year! I'll keep you posted...

Ginger: The Savages

I saw "The Savages" last night. It was depressing but well done. Sign me up for the Philip Seymour Hoffman fan club.

Now I'm sitting in Starbucks which is clearly a daytime hot spot for folks who don't have a 9-5. Mom and nanny with small kids. Dads with small kids (love that). Students. Retirees.

I guess I'm paying special attention to the seniors today because of the movie. There's a steady stream of them at the table right in front of me. First there's a frail wife who leans heavily on her husband for the slow jerky procession from the door to her seat. He isn't spry but he's stable and gentle as he gets her settled, brings her drink etc. Awww.

After they leave, another pair takes over the table; the guy politely compliments several pictures of his friend's dogs and listens to her mental health update: some kind of trouble with meds; agoraphobia; a recent crying spell in a store; she doesn't want to talk about it anymore...

Next up is a quiet, well dressed woman. She sits facing a gray-haired guy with confidently crossed legs and a big, booming voice that sounds at least 10 years younger than he looks. When she leans in to talk I can't hear her at all although he rings out clearly. I invented a whole dating storyline for them.

I wonder what I'll be doing -how I'll be living- in 30, 40 years or so?

Sporty: Week 47 (01/03/08)

Kicking off a brand new year and planning to break my pattern of this being a gain year. For the next 3 months (milestone 1), I plan to focus on the following each week:

• Exercise Goals: Body for Life for Women program 5-6 days/week.
• Diet Goals: BFL food plan (with WW influence).
• Mind/Body Goals: Daily Bible reading and devotions
• Accountability Goals: Journal all foods, blog weekly, weigh-in weekly
• Weight Goal: Onderland 199 lbs

2008 Milestones: 1st Quarter

Posh
Exercise Goals: Follow the AbsDiet workout for 5 days a week. (Includes cardio and weights).
Diet Goals: Awareness Campaign (Focus on portion sizes and increasing fruits and vegetables to 5x daily)
Weight Goal: 199lbs

Sporty
Exercise Goals: Body for Life for Women program 5-6 days/week.
Diet Goals: BFL food plan (with WW influence).
Mind/Body Goals: Daily Bible reading and devotions
Accountability Goals: Journal all foods, blog weekly, weigh-in weekly
Weight Goal: Onderland 199 lbs

2007 Weight Loss

Total lbs lost: 35

Memories:

• WOW Challenges (Especially WOW3)
  
• "How Much Are You Willing to Lose?" Challenge
  
• 2007 Weightloss Countdown with Traineo
• Google Documents
• A lil bit of umph, umph
• We're bringing Healthy back
• Getting in 5 fruits and veggies, daily
• Upping the ante on exercise
• Working out with a personal trainer
• Spintensity class
• Designing and printing the ultimate exercise/diet journal
• The Master Cleanse diet aka the lemonade diet
• This blog
  

Posh: How Much Are You Willing To Lose?

You see our tally on the side of the blog...

Comments? Reflections?

=)

Posh: Year End Report

A few years ago, we made a pact. A pact that we would not end the year heavier than when we started it. It came about as a result of some late night review of home videos. We saw ourselves progressivley getting larger as we watched time digitally pass before us. It seemed logical to try and reverse the action. We comitted to just not getting any bigger. Each year, we had our annual check in. And by hook or by crook, we seemed to be able to stick to the pact.

This week, Scary left me a panicked message that made me suck my breath in really fast-- she was over her begining weight. Oh dear, I thought. I felt her frustration and secretly knew I could be in the same position. I hadn't been on the scale in a few weeks though and didn't really want to.

I reflected over my year. This was the year, I learned the difference between maintaining and losing weight. I learned the body changing effects of strength exercises... I saw my body changing... I felt my endurance building...This was the year of "Challenges"!

I got on the scale this morning. I got back on again. Finally, a third time.

I'm 210lbs. Depending on how I stand on the scale though, I can be either 210.2 or 209.8.

I started the year at 210lbs.

If I look at the numbers, the year seems circular. And not a very large circle at that. But you know what? I haven't lost my "new found" muscles. They're still there reminding me of what can still be mine. I still have my memories of my oxygen high moments and the great diet days to keep the goal alive. I still have a couple of laughs left at all the different mind games, and mottos and ditties I used to try and get me up for the day. And I know next year, I'll have even more.

Let's go girls! 2008 awaits us!! Regroup and get ready to fight again!

Sporty: Week 46(12/27/07)

WOW, this the last Thursday of 2007! All things considered, this was a good year for weight loss --Ending the year lighter. At the end of 2006 I was close to 248 now I'm at 219. With the exception of vacation time, I've stayed aware by posting weekly and I have developed a much more forgiving attitude to myself. The all or nothing stance I've taken in the past has evolved into just keep trying. I've learned a lot about myself and more importantly I think I have accepted certain realities about the weight loss journey that I had not before.

Update for "How Much Are You Willing To Lose"

Initial: 248 (Feb)

Start: 220 (Aug -212; Sept - 206; Oct - 207; Nov - 210)

Current: Dec - 219 (1 lb lost)

Total lbs lost since Feb 07 = 29 lbs

Looking ahead to 2008, I plan to be lighter than I am now and pray that we are ALL healthier, lighter and wiser!!!!!! Happy New Year.

Sporty: Week 45 (12/20/07)

Hello Everyone:
How's everyone doing? 2007 is quickly coming to an end and I thought it would be helpful of each of us to post on the things that went WELL this year. From our conversations, I know that we are not where we hoped we would be but at the same time it is clear that we have made progress. Let's celebrate the progress/success we have had this year!!


Last week:
Current Wt: 216 (3lb gain from last weigh-in)
Exercise: 2x
Diet: Followed no specific plan

This week:
Exercise: 3x
Diet: Stay within the hunger comfort zone

Sporty: Week 43 (12/6/07)

Wt: 213
Diet: No plan
Exercise: 1 x

Next week:
Vacation - moderate eating and exercise