Shannan: Week 19

Dear Scale,

I just want to let you know that you can suck it! You are so mean to me. Why is it that every time I step on you the numbers seem to keep rising? WTF? What did I ever do to you?

Sure I've indulged in a few "heavy" meals lately but that's not my fault! I blame our fore fathers (and my Hub's and mother's yummy cooking) for creating the traditions of family dinners on Thanksgiving and Christmas!

And yes, I've had some candy (OK, a lot of candy), but again, that is not my fault either. Someone put a TON of it in my stocking. I had to eat it so the kids wouldn't. I was only trying to be a good parent!

It's the Holidays. Isn't this supposed to be the time for "goodwill toward men," and all that crap? I don't know why you have some sort of vendetta out against me but I would appreciate it if you would knock it off.


Sincerely,
Shannan "I need to get my ass back on my diet ASAP" Boyer

Laura: Xmas is no time to diet

I went to a Christmas program recently, during which the choir sang a song about holiday eating called "Christmastime is no time to diet." That pretty much sums up the last month for me. All weightloss have been regained, fitness is at a pitiful low, and clothes are not looking so great on.

It's about time to start a new year with a new resolve for fitness and healthy eating. I'm doing the couch to 5k training program -- in theory, with Shannan and Loree. We'll see how that goes. AND, my dear husband bought me a bicycle trainer for our house for Christmas. Since I can't really get out to ride that much (because I'm a winter wuss), this is great for me.

Not really any excuses now, are there? Odds that I come up with excuses anyway? Pretty good. I'm working on it though.

UPDATE: Just finished a run, and I really don't like running that much. My husband swears it's because I'm not breathing right. May be true. I'll keep going though and see if I can push through over the next couple weeks.

Amy: Week Seventeen - Trying to Stay Afloat

Okay, things are nuts here in Cincinnati - Christmas, work, extra-curricular activities, you know trivial things like showering and making sure you have clean underwear. The stress is mounting and I don’t see it easing til January.

Over the weekend I burnt my hand pretty badly getting STEAMED VEGGIES out of the microwave. Proving once again that eating healthy is crazy dangerous. And how did I respond to the attack by the steamed veggies? Well with a big ass bag of M&M’s of course. This is just one example of the kind of week it’s been.

Yesterday, the snow came early and I’m one of those overly worrisome drivers, so I skipped my WW meeting and headed home to avoid the traffic/white death. I hope to get there tomorrow and I’ll keep you posted on my results.

One thing I did want to share with you is this new site the gals at Cincy Chic shared with us Cincy Losers. WeightView allows you to upload your “before” picture and they will digitize an “after” picture of what you would look like 10, 20, even 50 pounds lighter. I’m still awaiting my after pic, and I’ll share as soon as it comes of course. But this is an example of what it does:

For me, one of the hardest things about losing weight is the fact that it takes so long to see results. If you're like me, you want immediate evidence of the work you're doing. That's what I like about this website - if gives you a snapshot of the future, the future you can have if you keep working on your goals for a healthier you. That photo will motivate me and remind me of the reasons I'm skipping those hot fudge sundaes!

Check out the press for Cincinnati Losers!

Cincy Chic Magazine's "Geek Chic" issue profiled the Cincinnati Losers! Go check it out!

Look at us being all SATC in front of the McAlpin.


Thanks so much to Cincy Chic for the opportunity to share our stories. Now, maybe I'll actually start losing weight again....

Amy: Week Sixteen - Finding "Momentum"

So it’s Wednesday, which is clearly not Tuesday. I had my weigh in yesterday and strangely stayed exactly the same. I don’t have many weeks like that, and I’m a bit surprised. I slacked on exercise a bit and got a little wild and loose with my tracking/food consumption. It was a nice surprise to maintain.

Weight Watchers launched a new program this week - MOMENTUM. I’m still familiarizing myself with it, but I think it will be good for me. The main objective of the changes seems to be to help us make smarter choices. On most days, I stay within my points. I dip into those extra weekly ones more than I care to admit, but for the most part I follow the plan (the old one) pretty well. What I don’t do however is make good choices as I’m doing so. So I eat what I want, within the points allotted to me, but there are many days I feel hungry. This new program hopes to change all that.

We’ll see. I’m excited. I’m a total nerd and new materials are heavenly to me. I often find I do better when I really have to think about the program, so changing it up helps me re-focus. You can get lazy and “cheat the system” as Kate reminded me yesterday.

The first thing I noticed at my meeting were the new posters. One caught my eye and really made me think. There were two meals side by side. Both were pasta dishes and both were valued at 10 points each. That is where the similarities ended. On the left plate were four small pieces of cheese-filled ravioli with a scant topping of marinara sauce, presumably something off the menu with no concern for fat, fiber or calories. On the right was a heaping plate full of shrimp, whole grain pasta, broccoli, tomatoes, onions topped with marinara sauce. Both looked delicious, but could both fill you up and keep hunger at bay?


It struck me because I’m totally the left plate kinda person. I don’t want to compromise the fat and taste I’m so accustomed to, so I tend to go for smaller portions of the higher point-value items. And far too often, I’m hungry within an hour or two after. Well no wonder, who the heck can survive on four crummy pieces of ravioli? Then, when faced with hunger later in the day, what kind of choices am I making to fill the void? Usually I go without, crashing my metabolism or grab whatever is handy. Amazing how there’s rarely a bowl of barley handy...

Weight Watchers isn’t rocket science - it’s user-friendly for anyone of course, but it does hit you in the head like a ton of bricks and you’re sitting there like “DUH, of course”. I’m a pretty smart cookie, but I guess I need that ton of bricks from time to time.

Just a note of thanks

It's not my day to post, but I thought I'd pop in and say a big THANK YOU to the other other girls.

Yesterday, we had a photo shoot for an upcoming issue of Cincy Chic. The hair and makeup folks made us all look ultra-fabulous. (Thanks Cincy Chic!) It was also the first time all 7 of us have been together in months.

I wish I had a photo here, but you can try to imagine. We all had a blast! I was yet again so impressed and amazed by these 6 other women.

So I just want to say Thank You. Each and every one of you is beautiful and inspiring.

Know that you have all inspired me this weekend.

Cheers,
Michelle

Shannan Week 15 Part II

Just wanted to add to my post from yesterday. I wanted to mention how awesome social media is. In the less than 24 hours since I posted I have found a support network for my effort to get from the Couch to a 5 k in two months. It's amazing.

Let me explain.

After posting here at Cincy Loser last night I sent out a tweet on Twitter saying that I'd written an update on my weight loss efforts. My Twitter feed automatically posts to my Facebook page so my friend Phyllis, who I met through my son's school, read my post. After reading it she emailed me volunteering to be my gym buddy -- at 5:30 a.m. people!! -- how awesome is that?

Then today two of my friends from Twitter - Marcy from Stretching a Buck and Emily from Mommin It Up -- both invited me to partner with them for online support in doing the Couch to 5K Running Plan. I have NEVER met Marcy or Emilie in person. I first 'met' them when I worked with them on a project for my public relations agency. After working together on a project we all stayed in touch, and became friends.

I guess I wanted to share this as a reminder to us all about how social media is impacting our lives. Social media has created new communities, new support options be it weight loss, parenting, etc. and new friendships all of which are now no longer restricted by physical location.

It's amazing to me.

Sorry to ramble. I know it's shocking enough that I posted 2 days in a row....

Shannan Week 15 --- Surving Thanksgiving

I m happy to report that I managed to get through Thanksgiving relatively unscathed. I did gain 2 lbs..... (stupid, delicious cheese ball) but I feel like it could have been much worse.

As you know I've kind of been at a stand still with my weight loss - I haven't lost weight in a month! This week I have decided .... (dramatic music here.....)to return to the gym.

I started contemplating a return to the gym last week when I received a letter from Silverlake (our family - friendly gym) that they would now be allowing members to use their sister gym - Better Bodies - at no additional charge. While I love Silverlake, Better Bodies is closer to my house which means I can sleep in a smidge longer before heading out in the a.m. to work out before work (I like to work out and get back home in time to get the boys up for school).

My return to the gym was further supported when I came across a few Tweets between my friend Loree and Cincinnati Loser, Laura this week. They were talking about a program called The Couch-to-5K Running Plan. I'd never heard of it before but it's a program that helps you gradually work up to running three miles with just 2 months of gradual training. After looking at the training schedule I think I'm going to do it.

I'm hoping the Couch to 5K Running Plan will give me another form of accountability and also freshen up my weight loss efforts which have gotten a little stale.

If you live in NKY and like working out at the butt-crack of dawn (5:30 a.m.) shoot me an email at Shannanb@gmail.com. Maybe we can be workout buddies??? I would love to start next week.

Amy: Week Fifteen* - Steady as she goes

*Here's a funny: I had to look up how to spell fifteen...funny in a "whose gonna take care of me when I completely lose it" kinda way

Here's hoping you all had a nice Thanksgiving.

You know the weight loss bandwagon? Yeah, well I power-vaulted off of that bad boy early. Wednesday thru Sunday are just a blur. The only upside? I did exercise four times last week and that is saying something. Exactly what it says I have no idea, what with my mouth full of crap the other 23 hours of each of those days.

But that was last week and the wagon has come back around to pick me up. I went to my weigh-in today and I'm down 0.4, thrilling me to pieces, but convincing me that my metabolism is bi-polar.

Remember Gwen from last week's post? I hope you read that piece - and the second part because if you're looking for a guidepost in this weight loss journey - she is it! Now, during my workouts when I start to slack off I chant GWEN GWEN GWEN. The other women in class think I'm a whack-a-doodle with a real thing for some chick named Gwen, but hey, whatever gets me through.

Today, during our meeting, someone achieved Lifetime Member status. Norbert started WW about 2.5 years ago. He is now 286 lbs lighter. 286 lbs?! It's nothing short of astounding. What an inspiration.

I'm now gonna alternate Gwen Norbert Gwen Norbert in my chant-thru-my-workout routine. That'll really shock 'em.

My friends over at Does This Blog Make Us Look Fat are doing the "32 Days of Christmas" (weight loss edition). Go check it out - they'll make you laugh enough to burn that second piece of pumpkin pie right off. How you burn pieces three through eleven is your own problem.