Labor Day Check-In

Hi all,

Thanks for the reminder, Egirl! I'm happy for you that you have reached more than half of your goals...great job! Keith and I finally broke down and bought a scale. It was the best thing we did all summer. I agree with Annie. It is a true source of gauging your weight and while I do believe that it's just a number, that number can get out of hand if you go years without weighing in!

I'm happy to report that I have lost 5 pounds which is huge for me! I don't think I have weighed this low since pre-cancer other than those 1st few days after my surgeries. I can definitely feel where I've lost and finally see a slight difference in the way my clothes fit and just feeling less bloated overall. The regular paddling has helped to build muscle. Once a week is not enough though and if I miss a week of practice, it feels like months since I've been on the boat. I am trying to adapt another form of exercise befor the season ends so I dont get lazy. Keith and I signed up for a yoga workshop in town that begins next week on Thursday nights. I hope we can refrain from the laughing and possible fompees.

I've come to an age where my body definitely craves nutrition for energy and well being. I have yet to master that part in regards to eating mor power foods. Although I have cut back on sugar (I don't really have a sweet tooth anymore) and I have been avoiding white starches when possible. This small changes have been key to de-bloating! I remember that is how Pete lost his weight after finding out he had diabetes. My friend who was also diagnosed as an adult slimmed down dramatically by getting rid of white sugars and flours as well.

Ok, enough about me. Keith has reported that he has lost a pound or 2. He has been weighing himself daily. The thing with Keith is that he fluctuates a lot. He can go one day and eat really well...no soda or heavy sammies, and he looks like he's lost 10 pounds instantly. However, the next day could be all about pizza, sugary drinks and candy and he looks round again (oh he is so gonna kill me!). Keith knows what he has to do to get on the right track. He just needs to find a routine after work and start to brown bag it to work.

Thanks everyone! I am going to continue working on my goals. I would like to lose 10 more pounds and then I'll be at my goal weight. Should we start another series for the fall? :)

Xo,
Jay

Yikes...it's Sept 5th already!

Hey gang, Betsy had asked me a little while ago to see how everyone's doing since there hasn't been much activity on the blog as of late. So when I looked at the first entry of the blog on July 17, I saw that the contest ends today! Oh boy.

Well, all I can really report on is myself. I believe I had three goals in mind:  1) to maintain my weight, 2) to gain more upper body strength, and 3) to eat healthier. 

Towards the first goal, I have maintained my weight. I do weigh myself daily in the mornings (when I weigh less ;-) so I find myself teetering by a pound or two, more or less, depending on what I eat and how much I exercise the day before. 

In my second goal, I may have minimally increased my upper body strength, but I believe that was due to the exercises my chiropractor gave me to stretch out my muscles in my legs. One involves leaning on a low table or chair in a push-up stance and pushing my heel to the ground, giving my calves a nice stretch for 30 seconds or more for each leg. I'm supposed to do that daily, but am not faithful about it. Still, that exercise may be strengthening my arms and upper body in the meantime. Oh, and the Scarb patio workout of moving that furniture and planters helped too ;-)  I made sure not to overdo it, but everything was in my safe range of weight-lifting and I used proper lifting techniques as well. 

Lastly, I've been eating more salads at lunchtime and trying to make better choices of food. No, I haven't given up red meat, cheese or desserts, but my portion sizes are reasonable and if I indulge one day, I'll let up the next day or so. I know when I'm feeling heavy and the daily weighing helps me keep that in check.

Anyway, I'd say I reached two out of three of my goals. I'll definitely know about the upper body strength goal when I go rock-climbing! Hey, I still have time to work on that ;-)

So, how did the rest of you do?? Please report back and tell the truth!