August Challenge?

[Shaxx]

Anyone want to join me in eating healthily and exercising 3 times a week for a good weight loss in August?

My eating plan is to eat 3 decent meals a day with no snacking except fruit. I'm hoping to lose 7lbs by the end of August.

Oh, no! Macaroni cheeeeeeessssse!!

My dilemma is this: I'm trying to get my 1yo to fatten up at the same time as I'm trying to slim and sometimes the times I feel hungry coincide with the times he's being fed. Like this evening. I don't think I had a whole serving but since I picked at it for about half an hour I've no idea how much I had. Where is my resolve?

And up to that point I was doing really well today.

Bathroom scales still missing in inaction.

Nooooooooooooooooo

Don't do it lemon

Take a deep breath and step away from the macaroni

Nordic walking sounds brilliant.

I am pleased how today went. I stuck to my calorie allowance but I've still not done any exercise!

I think I need to get up early and do a dvd or something as I'm not getting time during the day.
Dh has piled on a few pounds too so I've given him strict instructions that he's not allowed to eat anything after dinner and definitely not after 8pm, along with me.
Hopefully stopping the evening snacking should help us both.

How did it go today?

Went well today, thank shaxx

I feel very motivated at the moment and am just going with that feeling.

I am not touching bread (I get gastritis and wheat aggravates it), cakes, biscuits, sweets. I don't eat junk food or drink much so there's not much room for cutbacks there. I am also snacking on fruit, when required, and filling up on veggies.

I know what you mean about exercise though. I set my alarm for 6am and for a whole two weeks and still haven't managed to get my arse in gear .

Tell you what shaxx - I promise to get up and do a walk at 6am if you promise that you will do your exercise tomorrow? How about it?

Hey lemon - how's it gone today?

Went well today, thank shaxx

I feel very motivated at the moment and am just going with that feeling.

I am not touching bread (I get gastritis and wheat aggravates it), cakes, biscuits, sweets. I don't eat junk food or drink much so there's not much room for cutbacks there. I am also snacking on fruit, when required, and filling up on veggies.

I know what you mean about exercise though. I set my alarm for 6am and for a whole two weeks and still haven't managed to get my arse in gear .

Tell you what shaxx - I promise to get up and do a walk at 6am if you promise that you will do your exercise tomorrow? How about it?

Hey lemon - how's it gone today?

Sorry - posted twice.

I'll take you up on your deal Timbachick but obviously from tomorrow

The good news is that I think I've got IT back!
I am talking about that mental state where you switch into healthy eating and exercise.

I forced myself to go to the gym yesterday. I re-signed up and got an instructor to help me get back into it.

He made me do 12 mins on cross trainer but I had to go up a level every min until I really struggled then started going down levels, I did 30 reps on 10 weights machines and then 20 mins of treadmill and did 16mins of running with no stopping

I feel so good today. I don't know why I put it off for so long when the effects are so beneficial on so many levels. Silly, really.

Must stick to 1200cals today.

You're on .

Tomorrow ... 6am ... hey, isn't that a Simon and Garfunkal song?

Guess what? 2lbs off this last week! Found scales and it's true. Can't believe it

I've now lost 19lbs since the start of June. Gobsmacking. And I haven't found it too much of a struggle either.

I also think in the last 2 days I got a big surge of 'it' too. The macaroni cheese incident was probably quite good for me because I was so annoyed with myself but not in a 'sod it, I'll have an ice cream' way. I was more worried that it would contribute to not getting anywhere close to my target loss for August.

It looks as though I might still be in with a chance of shedding August's 5lbs. (Maybe more?!)

And how did the 6am challenge go?

Hi lemon - am glad you are past macaroni-gate. Congrats on getting another 2lbs off - well done.

I was up at 6 and did my walk - I also spent the day at Cadbury World with my 10 year old and his friend and .... I didn't have one piece of chocolate. NOT ONE .

I am sooooooooooooo in the zone I am scaring myself

How did it go for you shaxx?

Are we going to continue this thread after August? Hope so as it has been a great motivation for me.

I'm very pleased that we're all managing to get into it now. I was reading the beginning of this thread and I must say, that we didn't sound like we were going to be successful at losing weight

Well don Lemon on your weight loss and seriously well done on your walk Timba.

I am ashamed to admit that I didn't get up for my exercise BUT I do have a genuine reason. We had friends who came over from the US. We don't get to see them very often so we had a late night with them on Wed and then we were up early yesterday for a day out in London with them. We walked loads and didn't eat much at all until a meal in the eve. Had a brilliant time.

I'm back to it today and have a visit to the gym planned later.

I will resume my early morning sessions from Sun as we're out very early again tomorrw. Are we on for Sun Timba?

And yes, to carrying on with this thread.

Sticking to 1200cals today inc 6 portions of fruit and veg.

Oh yes, Sunday is set.

Glad the thread is continuing - it really is an incentive to keep on the straight and narrow

Here's to a great weekend

Hey Timba. How did you do today?
I went for a run and stuck to cal allowance.

Its my birthday in 3 weeks and I really want to have lost weight by then. Its a friend of mines 40th around the same time and she's booked a group of us into a spa for the day. My friend is slim and the others are slimmer than me except one, who has a 8mnth old baby so has an excuse
Thats enough motivation for me!

From tomorrow I have a new strategy to increase the weight loss.
Shred every day
run 4 times a week
1200 cals a day but minimun carbs too.

Hi Shaxx. It went well today. Was up and about for a power walk at 8am with a friend (she wants to lose some/get fitter) but she was blistered from the day before so the first 1.8 miles was a bit slow . Carried on by myself afterwards tho and put in a faster time .

Can I ask: what is shredding? Is it weight training? How far are you running? You sound so committed now - well done.

I am being ultra careful with what I eat - I know others disagree but I just can't do it any other way. I have to have total clampdown on certain foods - chocolate, sweets, cakes, bread. Can't do that one square a night business - I eat the whole bloody bar

For me, from tomorrow:
daily power walks/nordic walking
daily sit ups/press ups
approx 1200/1500 cals - no more

Good luck for a fab coming week

This is Shred
www.amazon.co.uk/Jillian-Michaels-Day-Shred-DVD/dp/B002RNOS2Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1282515385&sr=8-1
Its definitely the best exercise dvd ever.

I'm the same as you regarding the food. I find that I do better if I just ban the junk altogether. I feel a lot better too so there really is no point in eating processed rubbish for me.
I find I feel lethargic and groggy when I eat rubbish. Usually because its followed by more rubbish!

I've got some healthy treats in. I love the yeo valley greek yogurts with honey (152 cals) and lots of fruit like melons, pineapple and raspberries, with fat free vanilla yogurt.

I'm going to post my weight and measurements here tomorrow and every Mon.

Good luck! We can do it

Running - I can run about 20mins on a treadmill without a break but I find it harder outside. Today I ran and walked in the park for 45mins. I definitely did a lot more running than walking though. I don't know the distances!

I know its a bit late into August, but better late than never!

Here are my current stats

weight - 148.9lbs
bust - 38
waist - 31
hips - 39
arm - 12.5
thigh - 23.5

Looks like I've got a lot of work to do!
I read an article that said when you embark on a weightloss program, you need to treat it like you would any other project. I quite like that idea

Oh shaxx - you are soooo brave. I can't bring myself to measure yet. It just reinforces all the weight I have gained

Tbh, I need to get a grip and get on the scales.

I am still in the zone though, with regard to diet and exercise. Looked up The Shred, and have ordered it - should be here tomorrow

Hope you have had a good day?

Are you out there lemon? How's it going?

I think I can only get into gear once I face up to the truth. I always put on weight when I avoid the scales (which is usually the reason why I'm avoiding them!)
And I always do better if I weigh myself every morning. I know you're not meant to but I find it helps me to focus. (Plus I'm a lb down since yesterady!)

Yesterday went well. I did the Shred in the morning, stuck to my cal allowance all day and then went to the gym in the eve and did 12mins x-trainer and 15mins running.

I didn't shred this morning because I'm sooo sore! Not surprising really. I'm hoping to go running this pm and then go to an abs class.

You're going to love the Shred! Good luck for today

Did 3.5 mile power walk this morning so feeling good.

Food sorted now - am sticking to clean eating principles: little and often etc. Tosca Reno has written the eat clean books and is an expert. Very readable and doable - not really a diet as such, just principles.

Hope you day goes well.

Well done on yesterday.

Well done on your walk!

I did something totally mad today. I joined a beginners running club.
OMG! I thought I was gonna collapse in a heap, sobbing at the side of the road

I'm so glad I did it though.

Oh well done shaxx. It is an excellent idea to join a running club - it takes it to a new level and is not only for the 'competitive' runners. My DSis used to be a competitive runner and she said these clubs were not only for the elite athletes, they really fulfilled a niche for all the others - so, good call, keep at it.

I used to run, approx 6 miles a day, but I totally knackered - a true medical term, don't you know - my achilles. It has taken 4 years to settle...I kid you not . Added to that, now that I am 4 years older than then I have aching joints and god knows what shaking loose

What's your timetable for tomorrow?

I am power walking and weights.

Hi. Today I'm not doing any exercise as my hip feels a bit sore. I'll do some press ups and sit ups later though.

I'm being very careful about what I eat today too. My friend wants to go out for Thai today but I'll stick to the soup or salad.

Do you miss running? I started running about 4 months ago and had to stop after 6 weeks as I hurt my knee. It took me this long to be able to get back into it. I really missed it.

You seem to be doing really well
Have you faced the scales yet?

I can truly and honestly say that I hate running . I was a sprinter at school (quite a good one, back in the day - lol) I truly hate anything 'long distance'. My 'thing' was 100m/200m/hurdles/shot - anything beyond 200m was my worst nightmare and god help me when cross country came around - uurrrgggghhh.

Am feeling good today - didn't get the walk in as life took over today but will get it in tomorrow.

I did face the scales: 95kg. It's truly awful. Awful, awful, awful. However, I am 3kg down on what I was last time I weighed - so it does prove that I have been doing well in the last two weeks. Feel strangely lighter now I have faced my bathroom demon

Hows the hip?

Well done for facing up to it!
And really well done for going down 3kg in 2 weeks!

My hip is better today. I tried to shred this am but its impossible as I am potty training atm and keep getting distracted.
I'll go to the gym this evening when dh gets back.

Potty training is so frustrating and boring, I'm really having to fight the urge to munch on stuff. Have to engage all my willpower today.