You Spin Me Right Round

Continuing my effort to lose weight (can't believe I am staying with it) on Monday I tried my first spin class. I must admit that I have been avoiding spin class for years. My friends have always talked about how great it was, but something about it scared me.

Well talk about feeling dumb. I loved it and it's a GREAT cardio workout and best of all? The time flies by.  Here's a quick video I found that gives an overview of spinning. I will def. be doing this again, and again, and again.
Shannan
Starting Weight - 160
Current Weight - 156




  

When the Lights Go Out

I am writing today because I have a confession and need your help.  My name is Shannan and I am a late night snacker.  It's true....9pm hits, the boys go to bed and all I can think of is, "I wonder what there is for me to snack on?"

Some of you might think a snack is OK. What's the harm in a little late night treat? Well it's not the good snacks - nuts, fruit, etc. - I'm crazing. It's the evil snacks that fill my mind, in particular, chips & chocolate.

I don't know what it is. It's like the lights go out and I lose all self control.  Last night I annihilated a 1/3 can of Pringles and barely stopped there. Just going to bed is not an option when I am not tired.

What am I doing wrong? How can I curb these cravings? Does it have to do with my diet during the day? I really want to nip this in the bud so all my hard work during the day isn't for nothing.

Help!

Shannan
Starting Weight - 160
Current Weight - 158

Win a Copy of The Spark!

CLOSED: Congrats to Feoshia, Carla & Big Lug Jay!  They were our winners!

I've mentioned before that I am a big fan of SparkPeople, the online site that specializes in helping people achieve a healthier lifestyle.

I first discovered the site back in 2006, and have returned everytime I've needed help getting back into shape and back on the dieting bandwagon.

In December, SparkPeople released it's first book, The Spark, that promotes a 28-day plan for losing weight, getting fit, and improving your lifestyle. I am getting ready to read the book, and to celebrate the launch, we here at Cincinnati Losers have three copies of The Spark to giveaway!

About The Spark:

The Spark: The 28-Day Breakthrough Plan for Losing Weight, Getting Fit, and Transforming Your Life. 

This groundbreaking book will connect the dots between weight loss, fitness, better health and lifelong goal achievement. You'll discover:

• How to increase YOUR odds of success with the 27 proven secrets of success used by thousands of successful SparkPeople members and 100-pound losers.
• A 28-day program that distills the best of SparkPeople's tips and advice into a simple, fun, easy to follow program–all new and available only in this book!
• A special workout program created by Coach Nicole, featuring SparkPeople's 10-minute exercise solution to help you fit in 10 minutes a day!
•  Delicious SparkDiet meal plans and a mix-and-match meal system that lets you eat more delicious foods that keep you satisfied while losing weight.
• The Spark's special formula–a breakthrough combination of strategies that will lead to the end of dieting, lasting weight loss and better health.

Win It:
Three lucky readers of Cincinnati Losers will win a copy of the book, The Spark.

To enter, complete any of the following tasks and leave a comment letting us know you did so. Additional entries can be achieved by completing more than one of the tasks ;-). Contest is open to Cincinnati/Dayton residents only (we are the CINCINNATI LOSERS) and ends at Midnight on January 18th.  Winners will be drawn at random using a random number generator.

1. Leave a comment sharing your favorite weight lost tip
2. Share your SparkPeople.com user name
3. Leave a comment with your favorite weightloss blog(s)
4. Follow the Cincinnati Losers blog (see right sidebar)
5. Add Cincinnati Losers to your blogroll
6. Tweet the following about the giveaway -  Cincy Losers is giving away 3 copies of @sparkpeople's book, The Spark! http://ow.ly/TJmq

UPDATE: I am also giving away 2 copies of The Spark on my personal blog, Mommy Bits. Feel free to enter on both sites! Also, you don't have to live in greater Cincinnati/Dayton to enter the giveaway there.

For those of you who are interested in purchasing The Spark, it is available online at Barnes & Noble, and through Amazon.


A big thank you to the people at SparkPeople for providing us with copies of The Spark to share with our readers!

Sweat The Small Stuff

I am drinking skim milk in my coffeehouse-deliciously-flavored-coffee.

Note I said coffee - not latte or cappuccino or mocha or chai. Coffee. Vanilla flavored coffee with two packets of Splenda and a healthy splash of skim milk.

Sans half and half.

This is a significant sacrifice for me.

I like frothy. I like over-the-top. Whether we are talking cocktails or coffee or sandwiches or dessert. You name it - I like my insert consumable item here elaborate. And flavorful. And extreme.

And the wheels come to a screeching halt when one signs up (Renews? Re-ups?) to roll with the Losers.

My life on the lam has lasted more than I care to admit. I've run wild with abandon, gorging on decadent cheeses, drinks and drinks and drinks a plenty. The recent holiday season was the Super Bowl of my decadence, dishing up almost a party (or two or three) for each night of December.

I can just imagine the apron of fat draping over my abdomen growing and multiplying with every bite and sip.

So, despite my affinity for all that tastes good on the tastebuds, it is time for me to regain self control.

My goal? Not a number or dress size. I just want to look good naked.

I want to look good enough to wear a swimsuit at a hot travel destination with zero shame. I want to be confident about my body when I strip down to my skivvies with a man I care about.

I want to be able to admire the body I see when I step out of the shower. Right now, I sigh and throw the towel around my body, trying to cover up what everyone can see.

The plan is not overly ambitious - in the beginning.

Calories in versus calories out. That's the way this game is played, right? I am going to rely on shortcuts that help me indulge in the things I love while making wise choices for my diet.

I am going to drink my water if it kills me - and I'll tote it around in a bottle in my purse if I have to.

I'm going to score some new tennis shoes - kicks that will let me walk and run and jump and otherwise exert some energy, which is definitely in order after a late night New Year's Eve celebration that involved everyone at the party committing to do the. Flying. Pig. Half. Marathon.

What the hell did I just get myself into?

Thankfully I have you all. I have my lovely Losers. I have my wonderful friends.

And I have a vision of how great my naked body used to look oh so many moons ago.

Right now is about sweating the small stuff. Skim milk instead of half-and-half. Five minutes of moving versus five minutes of lummoxing.

I can do this.

Look at These Losers

Was going through folders on my computer and found this picture of the Cincinnati Losers from August 2008.  Oh how I'd like to weigh now, what I weighed then.......

"Sparking" Change

Like most people, I am using today as the launching point for my weight loss efforts. Things have gotten more than a little out of control and I now weigh what I did right after I had my youngest.... 4 years ago. It's embarrassing.

I've known for a while that I have been "living la vida loca" when it comes to what I've been eating, but everything came to a head two weeks ago when my boys asked me to take them to the pool. You see, when I went to put on my swimsuit, it didn't fit. It didn't fit. I had just worn it ALL summer and looked great in it, and now I looked ridiculous - squishing out from the openings - in particular the mid-section.

This was my wake up call, my realization that I needed to get my act together and make some changes.

So, how will I do it? What's my game plan?

I am heading back to SparkPeople.com. SparkPeople.com is an amazing weight loss web site & community that helped me lose 20+ lbs back in 2006. The site is easy to use and connects you with others who are in similar situations. They also have a great calorie tracking tool that you can also access from your iPhone.

If you are on SparkPeople, my username is sd_boyer, I'd love to connect with you. I can use all the support I can get!!

Happy weight loss to you in 2010.

Shannan
Current weight ~ 160
Goal weight - 135