Friday - Check in Day

I'm posting late Thursday night as I won't be on-line first thing in the morning. Today (Friday) is our commitment day to getting back on track. You can post your weight if you want (only if you want). It would be great if everyone would make a commitment for 1 thing to do for this week. Make your commitment something that is truly doable and realistic for you. For example: I commit to doing some form of exercise 4 days this week. OR I commit to drinking 64 oz of non-caffeine liquids 5 days this week OR I commit to eating lower carb this week. Don't make your commitments all or none ... that only sets you up for failure and NONE of us are failures. An all or none commitment would be: I will not eat any carbs at all this week. It just isn't realistic normally, so try to stay away from those type of commitments. We want to work at this slowly, changing bad habits if they exist into good habits that we can live with. Then during the following week, post along the way. Come here if you need support and encouragment or to share. Posting your thoughts will help others here too. WE CAN DO THIS!!!! Mary

Okay.... here I go! Got on the scales this morning and weigh in at 183.6. I would be happy to get back to 174 but will try VERY HARD to get down to 155. My magic number is 145, but I think I'm kidding myself with that one! Since I'll be out of town all next week, my #1 vow for the week is to get in all my H2O. And since I'll be eating out the whole time (complimentary continental breakfast ), my #2 goal for the week is to really watch what I order! Hope everyone has a great week and that we're all losers!!! Wanda

Wanda, I was so surprised when my surgeon's goal for me was only 180 as I'm 5'1" or 5'2". He told me he wanted realistic goals and that he felt that the 180 was completely realistic for me. Boy, was he right. My body seems to be staying at 174 to 179. Now it is possible for me to lose more, but it is going to take a lot of hard work. So I am taking it a day at a time. I also remind myself that my success is not determined by a number on the scale, but by how good I feel and how healthy I have become. It is hard to be traveling and to eat properly. Do you have any protein bars that you could pack to eat for breakfast? Fortunately most restaurants have some good protein choices for us. One of the places I really like that is fast food is Chic Fila (may be spelled incorrectly). The grilled chicken is always so tender whether on the sandwich bun (which I don't eat) or mixed in a salad. Wendy's has a grilled chicken sandwich too. I try not ot eat the bun at either place just the meat and lettuce. You are going to do GREAT this week. Mary

I weighed in today at 178.4. My low weight was 174 but I do vary up and down 4 lbs so not overlly concerned. My commitment: I will exercise at least 4 of the 7 days. Mary 305/178.4/????

ok here I go!! I got on the scale this morning and I weighed in @ 209.5 My goal is to get to 170. My magic number is 155 but I dont see that happening for a LONG TIME! I am committing to doing some form of exercise @ least 4 days this week AND drinking 64 oz of non-caffine liquids 5 days this week!! I have to say this has got me really pumped. I came home from clinical today and exercised for an hr when usually I am sooo tired I dont want to do anything!! I have had two protein shakes (33g protein each) and been watching my sugar intake. While I havent given it up yet completely, I am cutting back slow and steady which feels really good. Good luck everyone!! sarah

Sarah, AWESOME accomplishment today. You are really doing well. Are you eating regular food too or just protein shakes? I know many do them for breakfast then do another later in the day to supplement the protein intake. I'm trying to decide if I want to exercise at home or join Curves. A new one opened down the street (about 1 mile from me) so is convenient. Just undecided about joining. Neighbor has joined a brand new gym (5 miles from us) and has asked me to go with her, but not sure a "muscle gym" is what I am looking for either. Mary

thanks mary!! I am having a shake for breakfast around 7 or earlier and then one in the afternoon as a snack. I would actually like to have 3 a day but money is tight and this stuff is kinda pricy. I also have been eating lean pockets as some of my meals which are really good!! Does iced tea with sweet and low count towards the liquid intake?? I forget but I do drink a lot of it!! I started getting wylers art. sweetened iced tea too and I like it soo much better than crystal light!! Anyway you can convince your neighbor to go to curves?? sarah

Hi Sarah, Any drink that contains caffeine cannot be counted toward your fluid intake. Caffeine acts a natural duirectic (spelled incorrectly) and can pull fluids from your system. Also caffeine can increase your appetite, irritate your tummy, and deplete your body of much needed calcium. I have gotten hooked on the crystal light raspberry ice in the "on the go" packets. I add one to a 25 oz bottle of water, shake, and keep it by my computer to sip on. It's really good. I also drink propel water and regular water too. I don't mind going to Curves by myself. It's just down the street. The neighbor belonged before in CA and she said the routine got boring to her. She and her husband have already joined the new gym which opens next month and paid for a year in advance so I know she can't afford both. The new gym has a pool, track, exercise rooms etc ... really should be nice, but with Hal not wanting to go I don't think I could convince myself to drive the 5 miles over there numerous times each week. With Curves it is so close, it would be hard not to go. I'm still up in the air on what to do. Once the weather is warmer here (meaning that the pool wouldn't need to be heated except by the sun) I will use our pool daily. Decisions, decisions. You might want to sign up on line at Vitamin Shoppe. They have some great prices on protein powders and often offer really good discounts too. They also have stores in many communities. Each time you purchase you get bonus points, at the end of the year those points are converted into cash for merchandise. I got a $25 rebate from them and used it for protein bars. vitaminshoppe.com Mary

Been lurking or a while but was really excited to see this commitment challenge. I am swinning between 146 and 158. I want to be at the lower end and have not been there in a few months but I know what I am doing wrong. I weighed in today at 151.5 but am having a lot of trouble with overeating carbs. (crackers, rice cakes, pasta) I will commit this week to having at least 1 meal carb free everyday. I have been reading this message board for about 1 1/2 years and think I need to get more involved. It seems to be getting harder the longer out I get. Thanks Mary for the Idea and good luck to everyone in obtaining their goal for the week!! Jacque

Jacque, So glad you decided to join us and come out of the lurking status. Great commitment choice. I know what you mean about carbs. One thing to consider is the whole grain pastas, brown rice etc. They do not raise blood sugar levels as they are lower glycemic values. What I have read says that if we eat low glycemic foods that we do not get hungry and stay full so much longer. I think losing weight now is more difficult. It is because our "hunger" has returned and we can eat more than as a new post op. BUT it doesn't mean we can't lose more weight if we need to OR to maintain our weight by eating healthy. WE CAN DO THIS. Mary