whatthewhat

Thanks everyone! So, it's Friday. The celebration weekend has begun. Meaning my thoughtful coworker brought in a huge cookie to share with everyone for my birthday. I had a very small piece to show my gratitude. The challenge, of course, will be to not have any more. I think I'll be alright though, there seems to have been a shift in my attitude this week. I think its you guys! I will *happily* report that I did not have ANY sweets yesterday AND I did jazzercise. So, I need to get one more workout in before Monday. I plan to do some weight training today, but I ALSO hope to do jazz again on Sunday morning. Leothil - I HIGHLY recommend jazz. It is what helped me drop most of my weight - at first I couldn't do everything and it made me cry because I felt defeated. But I kept showing up and doing the best I could, and before I knew it, I was moving from the back of the class to the middle, and from the middle to the front, and then was approached to be an instructor! It turned out to be a little more of a financial commitment than I was willing to make, but it really is wonderful. The ladies are usually so nice, and I *want* to go. It makes me want to do weight training too - double the results! It's nice to hear that everyone struggles with having off days and silly thoughts on those days. But, today is a new day right? So, let's make it a good one! It's FRIDAY! I'm having lunch with my mom today at Cheesecake Factory I did some research and they have a chopped salad that looks pretty good - I'm going to go in and order that and not look at all the deliciousness on the menu. Anyone have any big challenges coming up this weekend? I LOVE this community!

Right now I'm limited to home - we have lots of weights and I do push-ups and sit-ups and squats and lunges and I just don't know if I should try to up my weights and do fewer reps or if I should just keep using the same weights and do more reps. Thanks for the response

Hello. I am new. I have quite the story and I suppose I can tell you if you want to know. But mostly I have struggled with my weight off and on since college.I tried my hand at not eating but I just love food too much, I've been prescribed medicine (which never should've happened as I was not even outside my 'healthy' range) I've done Jenny Craig, I tried WW for a hot minute, and this last time I lost weight through Metabolic Research Center. I maintained that weight loss for about a year and have slowly started to put the pounds back on. This time around though I want it to be different. I don't want to diet. I want to worry less about the number on the scale and focus more on how things fit. I want to make changes that stick. I want to gain muscle. I have some loose skin issues from my previous weight loss (I talk about it in my challenge topic if you're interested) and I'm hoping that doing weight training with my jazzercise classes will help tone up and tighten things. Most days I'm hopeful - some days I'm discouraged. I look at other people and think, there's NO WAY I can do with my body what they do with theirs. There's no way I can sculpt out muscles like that. Then I remember that if I don't try, I'm absolutely certain not to. But if I try, I might. And that's what I hold onto. I like it here, and I hope to find and provide some help and support along the way. So...HI!

So...hello warriors. I'm really new. I'm not a warrior but I want to be, someday. I've lost quite a bit of weight, put a few pounds back on, and I really want to build muscle. One of the guild people suggested I stop in here and ask for any tips on basic weight training. I just got the ok to start exercising again after surgery, so I do a few exercises at home 2 or 3 times a week, plus a workout class 2 or 3 times a week. Can someone here help me or point me in the right direction? I'm just curious if what I'm doing is even helping. Thanks!!

OK you guys seriously - all of those things sound AMAZING and I'm going to have to try. What is going to to take effort is convincing the s.o. that it's ok to eat at home. He's one of those guys that has a hollow leg - he works out 4x a week and can eat really whatever he wants. He's supportive of me but he is also one to tell me that there's no reason for me to worry about what I'm eating. He means it out of care, he thinks I'm lovely the way I am. So it's a struggle. BUT anyway I tend to ramble on. I just wanted to say THANK YOU for the recipe ideas!

Hello! I am an adventurer as I cannot make up my mind on what else I could be. I want to be a warrior druid. Someday. I want to be strong and lean, and I would love to stop eating meat if I can. This is my first challenge here and it has been a rocky start for me, and not as in the movie Rocky where Sylvester Stallone kills it, but as in the Rocky Mountains rocky. Or, sit down you're rockin' the boat rocky. Not good is what I'm saying. But, we press on! Right? RIGHT?! I love potato chips (really potatoes in any form) and I too continue to search for something that is close to the same. I can get through a whole bag of family sized chips in a day if I'm not careful - mindless eating has been a huge fault of mine. I try now to be very conscious of the food I'm putting into my mouth. Some days it works, some days it doesn't. Popped makes a good alternative, and air popped popcorn with some sea salt has helped me.

Ok guys, here's the deal. Apparently I eat a lot of sweets. A lot. No really. At the end of the day yesterday I realized I'd had two small handfuls of MEGA M&Ms, a 'just my size' (read 300 calorie, 36 grams of sugar serving) of ice cream, and a candy bar. At least it wasn't a king size? I had a piece of cake the day before, plus random m&ms, and my birthday is on Sunday and I know I'm going to want something sweet and tasty then too. Sigh. I usually crave salty snacks, popcorn, chips, etc. Lately, it has been sweets which is weird to me. I'm trying to identify what has changed. I think it was quitting smoking! I honestly think that sweets actually taste better now. All I could do last night, once I realized the insane amount of calories I'd had that day (breakfast and lunch were fine but I had a homemade bbq macaroni burger for dinner, but we had green beans too so...kinda healthy?) all I could think about was how many calories I had burned vs consumed and how much closer I was to gaining a pound instead of losing a pound and I just go around in circles in my head because there was nothing I could do in that moment and AAGGGHHHHHH!!!! It makes me CRAZY! Ahem. So anyway - my question/thought for the day is this. How do you just 'let it go' when the day doesn't end up how you want it to? Do you do something nice for yourself? Or do something nice for someone else? Is there a mantra you say or a song you listen to? I am open to suggestions - I almost went downstairs and lifted weights until I passed out but, it was close to 10 and that would've not been conducive to trying to 'wind down' for bed. Also, I brought workout clothes with me and will be going straight to jazzercise after work - and I started off the morning with 5 oz of plain greek yogurt with fresh raspberries and a little granola so, I'm feeling a little less crazy today. (only a little)

Thank you! Perfect. Another place to begin - definitely will go there too. Sometimes there are just sooo many threads it is hard to find where to begin so I am very grateful for the direction. This place is very cool so far and I am glad to be proven wrong I will head over there today! I am definitely open to suggestion. Thank you!!

I needed to hear this today - at the end of the day yesterday after looking back at all the food I ate, I realized just how many sweets I consumed (every 2 or 3 m&ms counts) and I got really down. Does that happen to anyone else? The day goes poorly and then it's all you can think about? I absolutely hate it. If this makes sense, what do you guys do to shake out of it? I mean besides eat better the next day. All I could think about last night was how many calories I'd consumed vs. the ones I'd burned and how many calories closer I was to gaining another pound. It's just exhausting. *note: I may just be crazy too* In any case, I'm back again today which I suppose means I'm still pushing my toes forward. So, if anyone else is struggling don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'm here for you! And THANK YOU for all the salty snack options - I've always steered clear of nuts due to the high calorie count, so clearly I have a lot of 'relearing' to do.

Jenny! I am SO glad that you are here and I read a bit of what you've posted - hang in there. I gained most of my weight from severe depression and emotional abuse from a terrible relationship. I sort of turned inward and quit taking care of myself. You sound like an amazing person - I am looking forward to following your progress. 9 hour shifts are rough, but you can do this!! If I can, anyone can. You have been so very helpful/encouraging. I read your story too - that sluggish feeling, and the comfort that comes from a good smoke and a snack, will become less enticing once you get back to moving around a bit. Well, you know what I mean, you quit nicotine - you totally have this. As far as the stats go - I'm going to start small, like you, and just try to log in here with an actual status update 1x a week, with my pointless rantings in between. Well, maybe not pointless. IN ANY CASE - thank you again.

So do I just keep updating this thread as the quest continues? We don't start a new thread every time, right?

I'm with you - all of this is kind of overwhelming but I figure, better to just jump in and see what happens right? Warrior Dash sounds super intense, good for you! I'm just trying to sculpt a little muscle and stop eating so much junk. I did well for a while but, it is so easy to get lazy! This seem to be the place to get some support. One question - I crave salty snacks a LOT. Best options that you have found? (Is this the right place to talk about that? I'm so new it hurts)

I suppose I should've posted a little intro about myself: I'm 28 (29 on Sunday!) I love to read fantasy fiction, murder mystery, psychological thriller and sci-fi books. I also enjoy watching ridiculous comedy, drama, action, adventure, thriller, and sci-fi TV/movies. I have recently started watching the Studio Ghibli movies and wow, I love them. Not a huge fan of horror, but there are some I can get behind. Gore for the sake of gore, I'm out on. No Texas Chainsaw Massacre here. I'll read the book though! I have two cats that I love dearly, two dogs at my parents house that I got my freshman year of high school (almost 15 years ago, yikes!) and an adopted cat at the boyfriend's place who is just a grouchy old man, which makes him all the more endearing to me. I have a soft spot in my heart for all animals. Even the slithery ones. (Bugs do NOT count) I have a boyfriend who is all things I never knew I wanted in my s.o. I won't get all gushy but let's just say with him, I feel like I've hit the lottery. Working out gives me immense satisfaction but it is singlehandedly the most difficult thing to get myself 'there' (wherever "IT" may be) I have struggled with many things just like all of us have. I believe that if one person reaches out to another, and they can connect on any level, that's a success. Because mostly, I just want to connect with people in a positive way. I can be as surly as anyone, but I much prefer to smile. I'm very excited to be a part of this community and although it is work, I will work hard at continuing to participate because the only thing it can do is help!

Hey! Thanks for the follow and you're right, our goals are very similar. I'm following you too - we got this! I'm dating a man who hates leftovers so, it's frozen meals or eating out for him. Which, I allowed for a while and now of course, I'm regretting it. Here's to cooking at home!! =)

First of all, welcome and I am really glad to see you posting here. This is my first challenge too, and while our goals are different, I completely understand what you said about having all the tools and no follow through. It's like, I absolutely know what I need to do to feel better, but it's the 'how I actually do it' part that trips me up sometimes. Because by nature, I am a lazy person. Often, I would rather do nothing than something. I know! Crazy right? It is work for me to say no to that pastry at the coffee shop, or to get myself to jazzercise, or to continue to chug water throughout the day. Serious work. The payoff is worth it and I know that too but sometimes the mind gets the best of me. Does anything that I'm saying make sense? I have struggled with severe addiction and depression, so I know how bad things can get. Your attitude is inspiring. You WILL overcome those, I have no doubt. Reach out for help though, you don't have to do it by yourself. Of course, you know that. In any case, I'm rooting for you. You totally got this. I look forward to your updates.