2010 Weight Loss CAL

[busy-bee-lmt]

Thanks, Tam.

[happy stitcher]

This morning after DH left for work I was lying in bed thinking.....

It's almost a year and a half until DD graduates high school. My family will come, there will be lots of pictures, and I'll be so unhappy with myself if I'm fat. So I picked up my cell phone, opened the calendar, and counted the weeks until DD's graduation. 69 weeks.

 

The last time I was at the Dr I weighed 215 clothed. I was so frustrated with myself then, I could barely stand it. So I figured it up. To be 130 by the time DD graduates, I'd need to lose 85 lbs. That's about a pound and a half a week. That's doable!

 

So then got myself out of bed and decided to weigh on my scale without the clothes....199! 199!! 199!!! That's 69 lbs in 69 weeks!!!! Wow! Now if that isn't a sign, I don't know what is. One pound a week until DD graduates. Now don't worry, I know I won't always lose one pound a week...but some weeks I may lose more than a pound, so it should even out pretty well, right? I don't think 69 lbs in 69 weeks is unrealistic. I lost 28 lbs in just a few months on Weight Watchers last year....of course I gained it all back when my weight stalled and I got frustrated, but this time I have a specific goal in mind: DD's graduation. I have to be happy with myself by then or I'll have pictures to remind myself of the failure for the rest of eternity.

 

I just had knee surgery on my right knee, and I've got to do some therapy on it before I can trust it to support me when I have the left knee done. The surgery went well, but the Dr warned me that the knee is still not healthy. They cut out a lot of cartilage and the arthritis is going to get worse. But at least I won't have the sharp pain of the torn cartilage anymore. The left knee has similar problems, and we'll probably operate on that one in about 6 weeks. I have a check-up in 2 weeks. If I have a good range of motion in my right knee by then, we may do the left knee sooner than 6 weeks.

 

When both my knees are done, I'm going to be riding my bike as much as I can. NO weight-bearing exercises for me. The Dr told me I probably won't ever hike again. My knees won't be able to take it. But I'm holding out some hope. If I lose 69 lbs, my knees might be able to do some short hikes, right? We'll see.

 

I just wanted to share that I have a specific goal, and a reasonable timeline. I'm very motivated to see it through. Now I'm off to Sparkpeople! Have a good day, everybody!

[merkity]

down 1 lb this week! 9 lbs to fitting my wedding ring again. - i have to aim in small increments and see that it stays off! Its unbelievably easy for me to just put it right back on.

 

Grats! Happystitcher! - sound like you found great movitvation for your goal. and you may not be able to do a lot of standing exercises, but there are tons of things(if you like them) that you can do instead.

[tralee]

Happy Stitcher~ Welcome to the group! It sounds like you have a great plan! We will be here for you!

 

Merkity,Tia,busy-bee-lmt~ congrats on the weight loss for the week. Keep up the good work.

 

Tia~ don't get discouraged. Tomorrow is a new day and you are doing just fine!

 

I lost 2 pounds this week! I am so excited because we even ordered pizza on Friday. I thought for sure it was going to ruin all the hard exercising that I did all week.

[busy-bee-lmt]

Congratulations on your weight losses, Merkitty and Tralee!

Welcome to the group, Happy Stitcher! Sounds like you've got a well thought out plan of attack and a reasonable timeline.

[smith]

Tia...blah, until next week

 

busy-bee-lmt....way to go!! What a loss, congrats!!

 

happy stitcher...you CAN do it! Do you have access to a pool? Maybe water aerobics?

 

merkity...great job on the loss this week!

 

trealee....awesome loss even with the pizza.

 

I had a late night so I forgot to weigh in this morning.....my bad. I will step on the dreaded scale in the morning and report in. I have a huge feeling it will not be very pretty this week. I've been watching the biggest loser and those people or losing mass weight, I know they don't have to worry about work or kids or life in general but if I could only absorb some of their umph, go-get-em....

[KellieD]

Scale is still not budging but the pants ARE looser!

 

Check out this blog.

 

www.344pounds.com

[smith]

I am up 2.5 pounds this week....I knew I would be due to the weekend activities. Now it's time to get crackin to stay within my goal timeframe.

[Tia]

Happy Monday! Sounds like most of you all had a great week last week...I'm really dragging at this weight loss thing. This time last year the lbs. were falling off....this year I'm just 'off'. Gah!

[Andie]

I'm down 1.5. Only 78.5 to go - lol!

 

This might be stupid, but I'm wondering if all the crocheting and knitting I'm doing is burning a few calories. I've read that people who fidget lose weight. Usually, I spend my 3-hour-per-day commute reading. I was knitting or crocheting the whole time last week.

 

Of course, I'm getting on the Exercycle, too. Guess that makes more of a difference than moving my hands.

 

I agree with MeowyMeow that SparkPeople helps. Can't beat free. I used http://www.thedailyplate.com last year. It's free and is good, too. I hate drinking water. Having to record my water consumption makes me do better.

 

Am going back to re-read everyone's posts for brags etc...

[Andie]

Tia - can't wait till next week without Tom to see your progress.

 

Smith - don't you HATE it when that happens. It'll go, though. When I get stuck on a plateau or gain, I try to pretend I'm a POW, having to work and exercise with almost no food. POWs lose weight - it's physics, right? It has to come off. There are some weeks when I think I must photosynthesize, like a plant.

 

KellieD - a guy I work with is in an MD-supervised weight loss program and he was told not to weight except at the clinic. He's supposed to use his belt to track weight loss because it's a better indication. Sounds like you're in the groove.

 

Busy-bee - oh my gosh! 3.1/4?! That's HUGE!

 

Happy stitcher - I'm so glad about your knees. And the doc may or may not be right. I have friends who lost so much weight after knee replacement, they can hike and camp again. Do you have a recumbent bike?

 

Merkity - congrats! So the ring is off and you want it back on? Mine is on and won't come off. And man, does it need to be cleaned!

 

Tralee - pizza is a good reward for 2 lbs. :-)

 

Do any of you take a "cheat day" to kick up your metabolism? Or do you watch what you eat every day?

[busy-bee-lmt]

Hang in there, Tia. It will get better.

 

Hi, Andi! I try to be extra good 6 days a week so I can have one day where I can splurge. That way the average for the week stays consistant and I don't get so hungry for treats that I blow the diet entirely &/or give up on it altogether. It does help if the splurge day isn't the day before I weigh in, but if it is, oh well.

[Tia]

Thanks Linda I'm already feeling better because I've finally picked out a pattern! The Red Hot Sweater Jacket. It's a knit pattern, but I'm going to do it in the Tunisian Knit stitch and just stitch to the dimensions given in the pattern only I'm making it longer, so it's more of a coat.

 

I'm using Lion Brand Alpine Wool, which is a chunky yarn. Still working out which colors to use because I'm going to try to add in a bit of FAIR ISLE .

 

I've got a US K/10.5 (6.5 mm) doubled-ended crochet hook, I did a test swatch and figured my gauge. I'll be doing so many inches per lb. lost; 1"/lb. on the back piece and 2"/lb. on the other pieces. I'm including ALL my weight loss, i.e. from my highest weight last year to my goal weight, a total of 105 lbs.

 

Stitching inches/lb. covers most of the weight I want to lose and then the seaming will cover the last few lbs. I'm starting with the back piece and I get to do 20" on it. Hopefully by then I'll have lost more.

 

Yay! I'm excited, this I believe is the motivation I needed. Hope it works out okay and actually FITS me when it's finished.

[busy-bee-lmt]

That's a beautiful pattern, Tia. Worthy of this CAL for sure.

[Andie]

Wow - agreed! That sweater is a winner!

 

I love the free stitch counter on the pattern page. Pretty clever of Lion Brand.

 

I'm still trying to come up with a project. I have so MUCH to lose - but I don't want to wait to reward myself when I drop. Still thinking.

[Tia]

I've already changed hooks, I thought the double-ended hook would be a nightmare to use in conjunction with Fair Isle. Also I decided to use a different color, so I've already my 1st 3 rows and started over.

 

I'm now using a 6 mm (1 sz smaller) flexible afghan hook (aluminum with a plastic cable, about 20" long). It's a bit of struggle to use, but hey that will just burn more calories! It's also giving me a tad tighter gauge, which I think I prefer.

 

I'll be sure to post pics on Friday.

[happy stitcher]

Teresa, that sweater is very pretty! I'm intrigued, because it's all garter stitch and somebody posted about knooking the other day....hmmmm.....

But I CANNOT even consider starting something else. I'm committed to getting my WIPS done this year. I constantly have to remind myself of that, though.

 

To answer everybody's questions, the last time I asked if I could do a water jog class, I was told "no" - but we'll see what the response is when I get my other knee done. Maybe this Dr will think it's OK. I can't do water aerobics, because there's a lot of jumping and impact with the floor of the pool, and even though the water is there for support and bouyancy, I'm not capable of that. I don't have a recumbent bike, but I don't have a place for one, either. So that's not an option. I did call my MIL the other day and ask her to see if she still had an exercise tool in her closet somewhere - it's like a little pedal system that you put on the floor in front of a regular chair and just move your legs on the pedals. She's looking, but she thinks she may have sold it in a garage sale. I know there are a lot of sit-down exercises, and I've tried some. I just get so BORED with that. If my MIL can't find the pedal thing, I may see what's available online. I need to be more stable before I get on a real bike.

 

Thanks for the concern, everybody! I'm doing what I should be doing right now - healing from the first surgery, watching my diet, and finishing WIPs.

[Tia]

Well they say 3rd times a charm, right? I've frogged my sweater again. Those flexible crochet hooks (the kind with the cable) are the spawn of the devil! My hands are so sore fighting with those things.

 

I know this is supposed to be a Crochet a long, but I'm going to have to knit that sweater. I hope I can do it okay, I'm a beginner knitter. But I think knitting needles would be easier to work with than that blankety blank cable hook.

 

So take 3...:knitI still hope to have pics for you all on Friday. But I've got to re-swatch now.

[tralee]

Ok, Tia, that red sweater is delicious, my favorite color too, but I don't know how to knit!

 

Happy Stitcher~ I read that post about knooking. That I might try let me know if you try it for this and how it works out.

 

Ok, according to my calendar today is tip tuesday.

Imagine how much more free time you would have if you didn't spend time watching TV/Surfing the Web! :yes Just a thought, not that I adhere to it or anything.

[happy stitcher]

You can do it Teresa! Maybe you could try knooking it!

 

I just realized it's Tip Tuesday.

I have a few tips for today:

 

Check out Hungry Girl online and sign up for her newsletters.

 

Check out The National Body Challenge and sign up for their newsletters. If you join this quickly, you could get a free membership to Bally. I think it's just a month, but still - that's a free month!

 

My Dr suggested I try Tonalin CLA from Swanson Vitamins. I can't take stimulants because of a heart valve problem, but this is a healthy additive to your diet that helps burn fat. Not a stimulant. You all might like to check it out and see if you'd like to try it, too.

[smith]

GNC vitamin pack for active people that has CLA in it too. I took my first dose this morning.

[Tia]

Wow, that sweater is really kicking my backside! I've frogged it yet again. Even though I did a test swatch, it was still coming out way too small. I think it's time to give it a break.

 

I've picked out an exercise project. It's the Copenhagen Jacket. Now to pick the yarn.

[merkity]

oh that will be a fun one to do...

[happy stitcher]

I've picked out an exercise project. It's the Copenhagen Jacket. Now to pick the yarn.

 

Oh, WOW! I love that one!

 

I can hardly wait to finish my WIPs - what'll I do first???

My list of WIMs is so long now, and I keep adding to it.....

 

That jacket is SO cute, though.....hmmm.....maybe by August I'll be ready for something and I can do that for ME!

 

Thank you for pointing it out! I'm sure you'll enjoy that one!

[Tia]

Oh, WOW! I love that one!

 

I can hardly wait to finish my WIPs - what'll I do first???

My list of WIMs is so long now, and I keep adding to it.....

 

That jacket is SO cute, though.....hmmm.....maybe by August I'll be ready for something and I can do that for ME!

 

Thank you for pointing it out! I'm sure you'll enjoy that one!

 

You might want to have that jacket finished by August...then it will be time to start concentrating on Holiday projects (if you're doing Holiday projects that is, it varies year to year for me).