Thinner by Valentine's Day

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by Deb

im 50 in july

not happy about the number but i feel 35 so all is good

I feel better--healthier, happier, more energetic--on this WOE than I did in my 40s eating a carby diet, so I don't mind getting older, either. From that perspective, Deb, maybe we're getting younger in substance--or at least staying the same--even if we're getting older according to the calendar.

I did 90 minutes on the elliptical at the top level of resistence last night, which made me feel better about eating at "medium" rather than "down" level on JUDD yesterday. And now, after I sign off here, I'm going to do Jane Fonda for Prime Time again.

[4myfuture]

Yes, I will get some time off and I'm looking forward to eating well. I find I have more time to plan interesting meals, not just the same hard boiled egg and string cheese. LOL

SVEN--You are rocking the workouts! Go YOU!

[svenskamae]

Enjoy your vacation cooking, Lindsay! My grocery bills and amount of cooking have gone down since I started doing JUDDD, since I eat the same boring meals (boiled eggs, light cheese, radishes, roast chicken breast, tea with cream) every other day. I like the weightloss but am sorry that I only cook half as many new dishes now.

Thanks for the positive reinforcement on the workouts. You and Deb are great role models. I'll try to keep up the good work.

[4myfuture]

So, my 60 minute Yoga last night ended with meditation on "never compromising on nurturing one's soul". We should all do something today that nurtures our soul. I'm going to not be so mentally hard on myself about my weight, not worry about the massive cleaning I have to do, and eat lots of green veggies at dinner. How about you? How will you nurture your soul today?

I know, I guess I'm a little nutty about this, but I really have to see my journey as a BIG PICTURE. The number on the scale can just get me down.

Oh--A new goal for me is to WIDDLE MY MIDDLE. I'm going to start to measure my waist tonight!!! Forget the scale for a bit and focus on my waist. I've got a big soft mid section to take care of!!! I don't need six pack, but less fat would be nice! I'll try to report my measurements often!

Take care everyone!

[svenskamae]

I've heard good things about both Callenetics and T-Tapp as exercise routines that help people trim and tone their waistline, Lindsay. Maybe you could ask the instructor at one of your exercise classes for suggestions, too. That seems like a great goal. I'm waiting to start Callenetics and T-Tapp until I feel a bit smaller and more coordinated (since I'm a natural klutz and being heavy makes that worse), and will keep doing Jane Fonda's Prime Time workouts for at least a couple of months.

I nurtured my soul today by accepting that my weight is sometimes going to stall for a while, even doing JUDDD plus LCHF, and by shopping for healthy food, including turkey bones and beef bones to make bone broths. I even picked up some chicken feet from the butcher's section, to throw in with the turkey bones; supposedly they add lots of good gelatin and collagen. So I'll be nourishing my bones and joints, at least, when I start up a batch of bone broth tonight.

[stepinthyme]

Originally Posted by 4myfuture

We should all do something today that nurtures our soul.

Originally Posted by svenskamae

I nurtured my soul today by accepting that my weight is sometimes going to stall for a while, even doing JUDDD plus LCHF, and by shopping for healthy food, including turkey bones and beef bones to make bone broths.

Hi there,

Good words today from both of you!

I'm checking in again, and I'm delighted to report a 5.8 pound loss so far this month. I think I've finally dialed into the combination that is truly working for me, even though it took me a good 6 weeks to get my body and brain adjusted.

I got a Fitbit last week, and I absolutely love this little gizmo!

[4myfuture]

Ok, so I didn't do two of the things I wanted to do yesterday!!! I didn't eat a salad for dinner, more greens for me this weekend. And I couldn't find a measuring tape--only had one like you use for construction!!!

So, got to get me a measuring tape, b/c I'm determined to measure my waist (around my belly button!) That's my new goal is to widdle my middle!!!!

[zagnut]

LMAO! Lindsay, I can just picture measuring with a construction tape

I'll do something today that nurtures my soul, haven't figured out what yet, but will.
Callenetics really does work on the waistline, when I was doing it religiously I could see a huge difference, it pulled it in, the upper part anyways, near the ribs. The thigh exercises also seemed to help alot.

Stepinthyme, congrats on the great loss for the month!
Sven, nice work on your workouts! You are going to be my inspiration when I finally do it! My treadmill has got to get some use, I paid enough for it years ago and its a full-size that fully inclines, just sitting there, mocking me...Winter is the perfect time to use it, it really is my NY resolution!

Since on JUDDD, I've taken my carb levels up a bit, DD's are always low, mostly 5-10g, UD's have been about 50-70g. I seem to be doing ok so far on that, though it depends on what kind of carbs (like cookies with wheat flour this week ) Was not a happy camper, can't believe I used to eat like that and feel that way all the time!

Hope everyone is ready for Christmas! I have to work every day until Christmas, so no vacation for me

[zagnut]

Boy, I sure used a bunch of smilies in that post

[svenskamae]

Hey, Lindsay, Netrition sells the "OrbiTape Body Mass Tape Measure" which is easy to use (and gives one away for free with a big order). Since I've been trying to avoid processed food, I don't really order pre-prepared food any more, but by itself, the tape measure costs just $4.

Thanks for checking in, Zagnut (and I like all your smilies ). I find it much easier to work out on a treadmill or elliptical machine if I watch a high-action movie while doing it; I get distracted and don't get bored that way. I have 2 four-day weekends coming up, so I'm going to try out some other workout DVDs during those days, especially Petra Colbert and T-Tapp and Callenetics. I'm not a naturally coordinated person, so I worry about whether the precise movements in T-Tapp and Callenetics may be too challenging, but I ought to try them at least once. Sorry you don't get vacation time around the holidays, Zagnut.

Stepinthyme, I'm glad to hear that you've found something that is working for you. Losing that much during the big holiday month is a big achievement. Do you mind sharing what combination is working for you? I know that we are both in Minnesota; are you also in the Twin Cities area?

I've got 3 holiday-related dinners and 1 New Year's brunch coming up fast, so I will try for maintenance for now (though I'd be thrilled to lose more), and just do the best I can with staying on plan and on JUDDD rotations.

[stepinthyme]

A little background...sorry for a long post!

I went low-carb and did daily cardio (dvd's and walking) starting November of 2010 with great success, then stalled for about a year. Last January I tried JUDDD. Unfortunately, the move back to MN from New England this past February, along with a bunch of other big stressors and a nasty foot injury completely derailed me in 2012. I gained back 26 pounds by the time all was said and done. I re-started JUDDD in September, but I really struggled with both Up Days and Down Days--I am one of the few people that never ever experienced JUDDD Magic.

Finally in November I decided that I needed to kind of start all over again, taking into account that I really can only do very gentle exercise, so I set out to create a plan that borrows from a number of plans you see on these boards. First I did a leptin reset, then settled into whole foods low carb--no more than 25-30 carbs and about 1500-1800 calories per day. For the last two weeks, I I've been eating between 500-800 calories Mon/Wed/Fri. I got a Fitbit earlier this month, and my daily goal is 10 flights of stairs daily and 10,000 steps. Beyond that, I take a multivitamin, magnesium and a potassium supplement--and a cup of bone broth daily. Wow--what a difference that has made in how I feel!!

After Christmas, I'm going to restart a Pilates mat routine that I was doing last year. It's based on a dvd series and book by Lynne Robinson--what I love about it is I can alter the exercises based on my personal limitations/injuries.

The other thing that I have picked up again is my needlework. Whether I am sewing, crocheting or knitting, it keeps my hands busy and my brain distracted. It's a huge help to keep me from eating, and it really helps me to unwind mentally each day.

Sven, I'm living and working in the West Metro of the Cities...we used to live up north, but I must say I appreciate the conveniences down here!

[svenskamae]

Thanks for providing that helpful background information, Stepinthyme. Good for you for not giving up during that long stall and experimenting until you found something that works for you.

I live in the Seward neighborhood and do all my grocery shopping at the Seward food coop; I think the Minneapolis area food coops are a great resource for people who are focusing on eating clean whole foods. I'm finding that I can tell the difference, doing JUDDD, when I remember to take pterostilbene and resveratrol supplements; they seem to help keep my down day hunger in check. And, like you, I've become a bone broth regular, making a couple of batches every week and having at least a cup every day.

I'm glad that you've found forms of exercise that will work for you, too. You might consider trying qigong at some point; it's so gentle that it's taught in a lot of rehab centers and nursing homes, and it's very relaxing. I like qigong DVDs done by Ken Cohen. The Jane Fonda Prime Time workouts that I'm doing are also very gentle and might work for you, especially if you skipped any exercises that seemed problematic.

Keep us posted on how things continue to go for you and stay warm--it's awfully cold in the Cities today.

[stepinthyme]

Originally Posted by svenskamae

Keep us posted on how things continue to go for you and stay warm--it's awfully cold in the Cities today.

Yes it is! We're headed north on Sunday for Christmas with my folks--the forecast is saying high temps range from 4 to 11 above zero. Woo hoo!!

[Deb]

Originally Posted by svenskamae

From that perspective, Deb, maybe we're getting younger in substance--or at least staying the same--even if we're getting older according to the calendar.

ya staying the same is a good idea

im taking a break from everything ........till we get back from holidays
we leave next friday for 6 days

[svenskamae]

Have safe and easy travels, those of you who are going away, and have happy holidays, everyone!

[4myfuture]

Alright---so I did it the old fashioned way--Used a string and then measured the string.

Waist = 34"

My goal is to lose 2 to 4 inches---that might take forever!!!!!!!!!!!

Every time I see sugar, I'm going to think about my stomach getting bigger!!! ha!

Have a great day everyone, I have SO MUCH CLEANING TO DO TODAY!

[svenskamae]

Hi, Lindsay. One good thing is that having a waist measurement below 35 inches reduces the risk of heart disease, and you are there already, at 34 inches. I'm at 36 inches, but I know that my waist measurement goes down as I lose weight, so I just have to stay the course and try to be patient and do some toning exercises (Prime Time Jane Fonda in my case) to get there. I know you'll get to your goal, too, especially with that "sugar = bigger stomach" visualization.

Hope you all had a good time at Christmas. I managed to avoid sugar and grains, though I did end up eating more calories and some foods (potato, peas) that I usually avoid, at 3 social dinners around Christmas. I'm very happy to be back to a down day rotation on JUDDD, and the only food challenge facing me soon is a New Year's brunch where I'm the cook.

I hope to hear from everyone here, soon. Anyone making new year's resolutions that you want to report on here? Mine are 1) to stay on my LC/HF/MP JUDDD WOE; 2) do toning/resistence exercise several times a week; 3) to eat as cleanly as I can; and 4) be patient when I lose slowly, and remember the health benefits as well as the weight loss benefits.

[zagnut]

Good for you Sven for avoiding sugar and grains! I was not that strong. Twice a year I'll do it, and I did it lol. So happy today is a DD! Really, what did I ever do before JUDDD?!?
All in all it wasn't too bad, sugar was the worst, Key Lime Pie and Pumpkin Pie...and cranberry sauce with walnuts.
The rest of it was pretty "legal", though I did have some stuffing and sweet potatoes. The potatoes I've allowed in small amts for a while now, so they weren't a big deal.

As for resolutions, well the treadmill is one of them! I was just discussing this with my DH and he kind of rolled his eyes at me lol. No faith!
The other is to clear out the clutter in the upstairs spare bedroom. Well, all over actually, but that is a storage room right now and it gets cleared out this year!
Looking forward to starting a New Year and concentrate on being healthy! Hope you all had a fabulous holiday!

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by zagnut

Good for you Sven for avoiding sugar and grains! I was not that strong. Twice a year I'll do it, and I did it lol. So happy today is a DD! Really, what did I ever do before JUDDD?!?
All in all it wasn't too bad, sugar was the worst, Key Lime Pie and Pumpkin Pie...and cranberry sauce with walnuts.
The rest of it was pretty "legal", though I did have some stuffing and sweet potatoes. The potatoes I've allowed in small amts for a while now, so they weren't a big deal.

As for resolutions, well the treadmill is one of them! I was just discussing this with my DH and he kind of rolled his eyes at me lol. No faith!
The other is to clear out the clutter in the upstairs spare bedroom. Well, all over actually, but that is a storage room right now and it gets cleared out this year!
Looking forward to starting a New Year and concentrate on being healthy! Hope you all had a fabulous holiday!

Thanks, Zagnut. Twice a year sure isn't a bad record, for eating sugar. I just listened to a Dr. Robert Lustig podcast, and as I recall he said 22 teaspoons of sugar or sugar equivalent was the DAILY average in the U.S. now.

What is your plan for using the upstairs spare bedroom, when it gets cleared out? Do you have a place picked out where you can donate stuff? After my mom died last February, I cleared out her house, and the people at Goodwill, Salvation Army, the store supporting the local woman's shelter, and Habitat for Humanity were sure happy to get donations from me, day after day.

I find doing time on a treadmill is way more bearable if I can watch an engrossing, high-action movie or listen to a book on CD while I'm exercising. Maybe something like that would help you, too--or maybe some good music with a strong percussion beat in the background would help. Let us know how it goes--and show your DH that you can do it in 2013!

[cfine]

Thanks for inviting me to join in, Sven. I'm happy to be back. I need my mind back. I can't think with all the carbs and sugar I have been consuming the last three months. I decided that it wasn't worth it to wait until the next two parties were over to start back. I needed to start NOW!! I made it through yesterday with no problems, but I'm feeling run down and sick today. If I can just get over the hump I will be ok.

I guess since I'm joining this challenge, I should state my goal: I would LOVE to be below my original weightloss of 50lbs so I think I will shoot for 15lbs between now and Feb. 14th. I believe that is an attainable goal. I look forward to being back with you all.

[svenskamae]

Woohoo, I'm so glad that you are back, cfine!

I know you can do this! It's great that you made it through staying on plan yesterday. Remember to be kind to yourself during the re-adjustment to lowcarb/induction flu. Be sure to drink broth and salt your food and maybe add potassium and magnesium supplements. Drink lots of water, and sleep as much as you can. Be as kind to yourself as you would be kind to a family member or best friend with the flu.

I know you are gonna make it to onederland, in the not too distant future, and this challenge is a great place to start.

[4myfuture]

OK, SO THE HOLIDAYS ARE PAST. I thought I did some damage with some home made perogies and cannoli, and chocolate.... but got on the scale yesterday morning. 181--definitely a good number, not sure it will stick because I see that number a lot and then some magical thing happens and it goes up even with good eating.....oh well.

I stayed away from cookies/crackers/bread and lots of other stuff, so I feel very happy.


I JOINED PLANET FINTESS TODAY. It's cheaper than my Y membership and closer to my house. I'm excited!

[svenskamae]

Congratulations, Lindsay! Gosh, you'll be in the 170s in no time, and I hope to join you there (I was at 182 this morning). Sounds like you chose your holiday treats wisely, and ate only the most delicious home-made stuff.

Let us know how you like Planet Fitness and what you are doing there.

I managed to do a Jane Fonda Prime Time workout before work today ... Now if I can just keep doing that, until it gets too easy ... I hope I get to that point by sometime in 2013.

[4myfuture]

oh how I would love the 170's! It's so weird how I get really close and then boom, back to mid 180's. Maybe this time will be different, I hope so.

I went to Planet Fitness today, really like it so far. I paid $105 for a year! I'll be saving a lot of money. I did 35 minutes on the elliptical and their 30 minute express workout which includes a stepper and weights. Very cool!

Sven---your workout was probably really nice before work...I always like working out and taking shower before work. It's just so early for me!!

One resolution is to work out before work at least 2 times a week!

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by 4myfuture

oh how I would love the 170's! It's so weird how I get really close and then boom, back to mid 180's. Maybe this time will be different, I hope so.

I went to Planet Fitness today, really like it so far. I paid $105 for a year! I'll be saving a lot of money. I did 35 minutes on the elliptical and their 30 minute express workout which includes a stepper and weights. Very cool!

Sven---your workout was probably really nice before work...I always like working out and taking shower before work. It's just so early for me!!

One resolution is to work out before work at least 2 times a week!

Lindsay, I hope that this challenge will be the time that you get into the 170s and never go back above it (and go lower than that, too.) We'll all cheer (can anyone hear you cheer in cyberspace?) when you feel confident about being in the 170's and not bouncing back to the 180s. It can take a while for our bodies to get past a familiar set point. I've spent years in the 180s, in the past, so I'm sure that's why it's taking me quite a while to get those last 180s pounds off.

That's a great price for a gym membership, and I'm glad you like the equipment there. I don't have to be at work until 10 am (leaving by 9:30 to walk there), so I've got no good excuse for not doing a workout and shower before work, and the Jane Fonda Prime Time ones end with stretches that make me feel really good. Let's see if I can keep this up until Valentine's Day and beyond.

[Adoug4ho]

Ok I've never done a challenge, but I really like the idea of it I have two goals I'd like to achieve during this challenge. 1. Make low carb truly a way of life! Abstaining from wheat and sugar does wonders for me!, 2. Get to onderland before or by V-Day!!!!!

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by Adoug4ho

Ok I've never done a challenge, but I really like the idea of it I have two goals I'd like to achieve during this challenge. 1. Make low carb truly a way of life! Abstaining from wheat and sugar does wonders for me!, 2. Get to onderland before or by V-Day!!!!!

, Adoug4ho! It's good to have you join us.

I've been abstaining from wheat and sugar for almost a year now, and I feel so much better that I can't imagine going back to that. Are you following a specific plan? Eating paleo or primal (with an emphasis on avoiding processed foods, grains, and sugar)?

I was down another pound today, to 181, so I hope to be in the 170s pretty early into 2013. I've got a 4 day weekend, starting today, , so I'm going to try to do a Jane Fonda Prime Time Workout--maybe even a couple--every day for the next 4 days. I have 2 friends coming for a New Year's Day brunch where I cook, and the only off-plan challenge I'll be facing soon is having a mimosa with them. I guess having juice and champagne once a year is manageable for me, so long as I do it on a JUDDD up day.

What are folks plans for New Year's? Are you getting a long weekend, too?

[cfine]

Ok I've never done a challenge, but I really like the idea of it I have two goals I'd like to achieve during this challenge. 1. Make low carb truly a way of life! Abstaining from wheat and sugar does wonders for me!, 2. Get to onderland before or by V-Day!!!!!

Welcome!!

Lindsay, my husband and I both joined Planet Fitness recently. He loves it, and I have no idea if I do because I've never been back. How embarrassing is that? They have so many machines, my hubby said it never feels crowded. Oh how I wish I was as disciplined as he is!

Going to a finger food party today which is my weakness. Hopefully I will do well. Yay for you, Sven, on your new workout routine. I hate to exercise so much, but my Rhuematologist(sp?) said that I have to do it. I have major joint pain so it's not fun when you are hurting.

[zagnut]

Welcome Adoug4ho! Good luck to you! Glad to see you here with us.

Wanted to ask if anyone uses Chia seeds on a daily basis? I've put off ordering any or really researching because there was just so much for me to process when I went low carb and then recently started JUDDD.
But I just watched a documentary and they mentioned Chia and it's healing properties etc. Any of you use it, if so how much to you eat per day? And do you think it benefits you?

[Adoug4ho]

Thanks for thr warm welcome! Planet Fitness is also my gym, and I dig it. Certainly can't beat thr price! It's even comparable to our local Rec Centers. I do miss the classes that my former gym offered, but I've been able to supplement with bootcamps and gyms that offer class cards. I also asked for (and received) a Callanetics DVD for Christmas. I read some about it on here and got curious. Anyone have feedback/suggestions??