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February 11 212 Second Weigh-In ...We had the second weigh-in of our little "support group" named "212" & it wasn't as close as last week! Almost all 9 teams posted a LOSS for the week, but Frank & Abby claimed the win easily w/a 7 lb. loss (1.8%)! Mike & Michelle (http://mmullins94.spaces.live.com) were our second place finishers with 4.2 lbs. lost (1%)! Frank (http://thejimenezmenace.spaces.live.com) had the highest personal % lost, with 2.3% for the week! We had MANY teams with a 1-2 lb. loss per person & others of us who struggled with smaller losses (or even big fat ZERO'S!), but everyone stuck with it & showed 212 FOCUS to stay on track, NO MATTER WHAT! We had FUN doing our "212 Challenge" & really reached out to support those in our group who had a bit of a struggle this week. The "winners" of our 212 Family this week are Frank & Abby, so they have come up with a FABULOUS challenge to help us stay connected to our "VALENTINE" this week!
 What a FUN way to remind us each day that we are IN THIS TOGETHER!! I am just SOOOOO excited to be a part of this "little family" of other parents who are working HARD to change their lives for themselves AND for their children!! I am proud of ALL the hard work they put forth this week (amidst the many "challenges" that life always seems to bring) & I can't WAIT to cheer EACH of them on to even MORE success this week! Keep it up, gang ... I'm SOOOO proud of you!! 212 DETERMINATION DOES make the difference!!!Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
 Angie February 10 Gotta take my own "cheerleading" this week!Well, I've spent the week cheering on others who seemed to be having a "tough" week. I really tried to encourage them when they were continuing to work hard & NOT see the results on the scale. I just did NOT want them to give up, so I did all I could to encourage, support & motivate them to continue the journey, as we're ALL in this for the "long haul"!! Well, the scale certainly got even with me today ... NO LOSS/NO GAIN! I have been moving along at a steady clip of about 2 lbs. per week (last week I had 3!). I had yet to experience a "plateu" or gain, so I was happy to just be plugging along! Well, I knew the week got off to a rocky start w/the kids all sick & me not doing what I normally do, but I really tried to "kick it up" here by the mid-end of week & I thought I'd AT LEAST lose a pound (added EXTRA workouts & really tried to be smart about food intake!). Well, it wasn't meant to be. I can tell you as someone who just got on the scale & saw NO CHANGE after working so hard here the past few days, it's a VERY BIG BUMMER, as so many of you know! The only GOOD thing I can take away is that I've given out so much "positive" advice & encouragement this week, that I'm just going to have to swallow some of my own, b/c I'm SURE NOT GIVIN' UP!!!!
For the first time in what seems like FOREVER I'm feeling muscles that are MUCH stronger (even those deeply hidden abs!!) ... hey, maybe I've added "muscle wt." this week & that's why I'm seeing no change on the scale, huh? I'll be HAPPY when that extra muscle kicks in this week & starts burning OODLES more calories!
 For the first time in a LONG time, I'm not doing the "double arm STRETCH" every time I put on a T-shirt (ladies, you know the drill ... pull on your shirt, place BOTH ARMS up inside & PULL as hard as you can to give your belly a little more "wiggle room" in that shirt ... the ultimate RESISTANCE TRAINING at times!)
 ! I almost jumped for joy when I put on a T-shirt to work out this week & it barely skimmed my belly (if at ALL in some shirts!) ... WOOHOOO!!  I guess I'm making progress!For the first time since STARTING this journey, I'm being forced to think about the CALORIES I'm eating during the week. So far, both Ray & I have really just made a lot of changes to the portions of our meals AND what we were eating (making healthy options for meals & dumping soda, sugar, etc.). Now, I'm starting to think we need to be more serious about COUNTING OUT those calories, b/c maybe we're not getting ENOUGH (or maybe we're eating more than we think??). Ray went on a site this morning & found he should be eating 1800 calories ... I can guarantee he's nowhere NEAR that, which might explain his smaller losses. I have to go check out what I SHOULD be eating, but I'd say I'm probably not doing what I should, as I've not been good about eating my healthy "snacks" btw. meals consistently. I'm eating good small healthy meals, but NOT snacks, so maybe I've got to step it up, too??? So this week's SLOWDOWN for Team Lowe is forcing us to start "counting calories" this week ... a whole NEW ballgame that we're going to struggle with, I'm sure. I'm guessing we'll be back here asking LOTS of questions from all of you PROS!!!! It seems SOOOO complicated to me, but I guess if I USED the BL weight-loss site that I PAYED for back in Dec., it would really HELP, HUH??? I only have the site until Feb. 14, so I guess I should get in & really look around before it expires!!
So, even though Ray & I had a TOUGH week on the scale, I still had some small "victories" that I can be PROUD of, I know. I won't lie, it's still a HARD thing to see those numbers pop up that you DO NOT want to see again!!! I know Ray was KILLING to say good-bye to the 220's & he's stuck here again this week! I have CONFIDENCE that we'll "figure things out" this week & we'll BOTH have a GREAT week next week (so WATCH OUT 212 Family ... we'll be back STRONG next week!
)!!! I'm just so PROUD of his continued dedication & our commitment to this together! We are really FOCUSED on making this a lifestyle CHANGE for us AND for our family!!! THANK YOU to BL for lighting that fire under our butts ... for that, we'll be forever GRATEFUL!!!To our 212 Family ... we can't WAIT to crown another new CHAMP this week!!! How FUN it will be to salute YOU this week!! I can't wait to get everyone's weigh-in numbers, so we can PLASTER it on our space!! You guys are AWESOME & I KNOW you've worked hard this week!!! We're blessed to be sharing this journey with each of you!!!
Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie February 07 Running ... is it REALLY necessary?? Please say "NO!"Hey gang! So it's been a LOOONG week so far. Lots of sick little ones at home (various kids on different days ... one of the JOYS of having a large family ... they're always SO KIND to share!
). Anyway, Ray & I are still hanging tough by NOT catching their little "cootie bugs," but we'll see how long that lasts ... it CERTAINLY seems to be going around!! Needless to say, my week has almost "gotten away" from me & I'm JUST NOW hitting my exercise "stride" (good news for all my "212" challengers, I KNOW!! ). I did Tae-Bo this morning for an HOUR after seeing it on someone elses space ... I had totally FORGOTTEN we had the DVD's & I needed a "change" in my routine anyway ... man, did it KICK MY BUTT! It felt GREAT & I was SHOCKED at how long I could "stick w/it," but it was HARD! I feel TOTALLY motivated to work out again, though, this afternoon when Ray gets home & I KNOW I'll really kick it into gear here for the end of our week! My eating has been fairly good this week, w/Monday being the exception. We had leftover b-day cake from my daughter's b-day & I found myself CRAVING a piece after lunch. I was in a "mopey Monday mood" & had not showered, exercised or even had as much water as I normally do by lunchtime that day. I TOTALLY know it was the "funk" I was in that pushed me to actually EAT the stupid piece of cake & let me tell you, I SOOOOO regretted it for the rest of the day! NOT b/c it "blew my calories" out of the water for the day, or b/c I had "backslid" (is that even a WORD??) by eating it ... honestly, it was b/c it made me feel SOOOO SICK!!! I have really cut out almost 90% of the sugar I WAS eating COLD TURKEY since starting this! I have really tried to steer clear as much as possible b/c it gets me into trouble by wanting MORE of it! Well, that piece of cake had PLENTY of sugar in it (not to mention a MILLION other "bad for you things"!) & it just SAT like a brick in my stomach! When I went to change my son's diaper before his nap that afternoon, I was literally GAGGING b/c it felt like it was stuck in my THROAT (no, it was NOT from my son's STINKY diaper b/c he happened to be CLEAN!! HA HA!) . After I laid him down, I ran into my bathroom & continued gagging for a bit. Honestly, I thought I would feel better if I could just get it OUT, but no WAY could I do it! I simply had to suffer the HORRIBLE feeling I had from it the rest of the day. I really did feel like CRUD that whole day/night & I didn't even work out b/c I felt so awful (& b/c my first "sick child" arrived late that afternoon & needed LOTS of "cuddle time"!!). Anyway, I'm sharing b/c I've thought about that silly piece of cake ALL WEEK & how much of an IMPACT it had on how I felt ... and to think, I was eating stuff like that almost EVERY DAY before starting this challenge! How SCARY that I was feeling like that ALL THE TIME & just ACCEPTED IT b/c I WANTED to taste that food!!! Although I am still not CRAVING fruits & veggies
 , my body really is NOT craving the sweets like it was & THAT feels good!!! I've honestly felt more energetic & "happy" than I've felt in a LONG time & I KNOW that's b/c I'm feeding my body better AND giving it some EXERCISE!!Now ... about this "running" thing ... I heard on BL this week (I think it was this week??), that "running is the BEST way to drop the pounds" ... just GREAT! The one thing I DESPISE doing & THAT is the BEST way to lose the weight???
 I cannot even BEGIN to describe how much I HATE to run. I have NEVER done it for "hobby" & when I've been forced to, I honestly feel like I'm going to DIE. It's really not usually my BODY that wants to give in, it's my LUNGS! They just feel like they're going to EXPLODE if I don't STOP! (& I've NEVER been a smoker!! I did have asthma as a child & was recently told it was "back," but I'm sure that's not it!). Anyway, I just wanted to ask all of you KNOWLEDGEABLE people out there in BL Land ... IS IT TRUE??? Do I HAVE to run to really lose the weight I WANT to? The reason I ask is b/c I have HONESTLY been toying w/FORCING myself to run a 5K just to say "I DID IT"! (We have a neighbor who is a SERIOUS runner ... think Alcatraz Triatholon!) & he's ALWAYS trying to get Ray & I to start running. I'm just AFRAID to even give it a go b/c I think I'd die!!! BUT, if it will TRULY speed up my weight loss, then I think I HAVE to give it serious consideration! I saw on someone's space that they are working a program called the "Couch to 5K" running plan, which is designed to get you up off the couch & RUNNING 3 miles in TWO MONTHS! It can be found at www.coolrunning.com Anyway, it sounds SOOOO intimidating to me (I like my intense little workout DVD's!), but I'm willing to give it a try if you all think it would help! What do you think??? Has anyone else who HATES running ever tried to do it for more than a week (or even a day???). I'd LOVE to hear from you!!Well, school is almost over & I've gotta get ready for the return of my "healthy" gang! Take care, everyone & PLEASE share your thoughts on "RUNNING" (or anything else!) w/me!
Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie February 05 212 CHALLENGE of the week ...Each week, the "biggest loser" team from our 212 group is encouraged to issue a "challenge" to the other teams. It can be about food, exercise, emotions, WHATEVER they think will push the other teams to SUCCESS in the upcoming week (we just remind that team that if they don't want to fall BELOW that yellow line, THEY had better be willing to do that challenge, too!!)
Last week, our group did 212 crunches (or some other form of repetitive exercise) during the Biggest Loser. Many of the teams went on to continue that challenge on their own ALL WEEK! It was actually MOTIVATING to know that your "extended family" was right there w/you "sweating it out" each day!! I know it REALLY helped me stay accountable (& keep Ray's butt MOVING!) througout the week, right honey!!??. This week, Ray & I have continued w/the "212 theme" & figured out a way to get in an EXTRA HOUR of exercise w/o even "feeling" it!
Check out the challenge below & feel free to join in with our "212 Family" as we continue moving toward stronger, longer lives!As the "winning couple" this week, we figured we'd continue our "212" theme (once again, I have nixed Ray's idea for eating 212 wings this week!
 ) To help us continue down this healthy path, let's go with this ....We challenge EACH of you to drink "2 EXTRA glasses of water" & do "12 minutes of EXTRA exercise" at least 5 out of 7 days this week!
So, you'll be getting in the water you SHOULD be drinking AND you'll get an extra HOUR of cardio, strength training, crunches ... WHATEVER, w/o even KNOWING it this week! Simply do your normal exercise routine & add 12 minutes, or take 2 "smaller" breaks during the day & whip out 6 minutes of abs, jump rope, jumping jacks, squats, you name it (I know the 212 crunches we were doing last week lasted about 8-10 min., depending on how many "breaks" we took, so having 2 "smaller sessions" during the day is TOTALLY doable!)
I know you will ALL accept this challenge b/c several of you are VERY competitive & have already made it known that you're "after us" this week!
Getting an EXTRA hour of "exercise" in can only HELP us reach our goals this week & drinking that water is KEY! May you all have "212 DETERMINATION" to complete the challenge this week!NOTES:
ENJOY & HAVE A FUN WEEK!!!! ~ Ray & Angie February 04 212 Family - 1st weigh-in results ... NOT FIXED!! :o)OK, so we had the first weigh-in of our little "support group" that we've named "212" & it was a CLOSE ONE!!! All 9 teams posted a LOSS for the week & Ray & I won by only .3 lbs. Scott & Frances (http://scottandfrances.spaces.live.com) were on our HEALS with a 1.4% loss! Ray & Abby (http://thejimenezmenace.spaces.live.com) tied for the highest personal % lost, with 1.8% for the week! We had MANY teams w/a 1% or BETTER loss & everyone did a GREAT job! We had FUN doing our "212 Challenge" exercises all week (we challenged the group to do 212 of "SOMETHING" while they watched Biggest Loser last week). Many of the teams took it a step further & did them all week (that meant some of us did over 1000 EXTRA "crunches" for the week ... I guess they DID "make a difference" huh??
). The "winners" of our 212 Family this week are Ray & I, so we are going to come up with another FUN challenge for our group to MOTIVATE us this week! I am just SOOOOO excited to be a part of this "little family" of other parents who are working HARD to change their lives for themselves AND for their children!! I am proud of ALL the hard work they put forth this week (amidst the many "challenges" that life always seems to bring) & I can't WAIT to cheer EACH of them on to even MORE success this week! Keep it up, gang ... I'm SOOOO proud of you!! 212 DETERMINATION will make the difference!!!Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie February 03 Week 5... and still countingGood morning everyone! And Happy Super Sunday! (That's Super Bowl Sunday, the football game, not hot fudge Sunday). It has been a while since I wrote anything so I thought I would get my two cents in today. Got on the scale this morning and lost 4 lbs! Yeah!!!! I was really hoping to get out of the 220's... maybe next week. Taking the day off today, as I usually do. Hopefully, my foot will feel better. It is a little sore in the arch today. Have a fun day and root for whoever you want for the football game!
Congrats to my wife for being down a couple of pounds this week as well! Keep up the great work honey! Remember... slow and steady keeps the weight off for good!
I love you Ang!
Until next time.... get off the couch and move your mass! February 01 Weekly "FYI" - Swap the bad for the good!For all you guys & gals out there who might still be longing for some "old unhealthy favorites" (think wings, pizza, taco bell, etc.) ... I just ran across an article in Women's Health that I thought might help. With the "BIG GAME" coming up this weekend, I also thought it was PERFECT for helping us make some "HEALTHY SWAPS"!! Remember, many of these "healthier options" are STILL heavy on the sodium or higher in calories than we would want in a snack/meal, but for those "just dying to have ...." cravings, these would be good substitutes! Enjoy & let me know what you think!! (Ray, I'm off to find you some Morningstar Farms Buffalo Wings, so just HANG ON a little longer!!!)
~ Angie HEALTHY JUNK FOODEat This, Not That: Guy FoodHere's which burritos, hot dogs, nachos, and pizza to eat—and which to avoidBurger on the Grill Eat this 1 fresh all-white-meat turkey burger patty Per Burger (Uncooked) 130 calories, 5 g fat, (0 g saturated fat), 55 mg sodium, 0 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 28 g protein Not that 1 frozen Bubba Burger Per Burger (Uncooked) 420 calories, 36 g fat, (21 g saturated fat), 85 mg sodium, 0 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 23 g protein Why: It's still a char-grilled burger—slap on some condiments and he probably won't even know he's not eating the real thing. Meanwhile, you'll save on calories while still getting a 5 gram protein bonus. Burrito Eat this Amy's Black Bean Vegetable Burrito Per Burrito 280 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 580 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 9 g protein Not that Taco Bell Bean Burrito Per Burrito 340 calories, 9 g fat, (3.5 g saturated fat), 1,190 mg sodium, 54 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 13 g protein Why: Drive-thrus don't offer an array of healthy choices, but stocking the freezer with Amy's guarantees you a fat-fighting option in the same amount of time. Plus, studies show that regular bean-eaters have a 22 percent lower risk of obesity. Chinese Take-Out Eat this Chicken & Broccoli Per 10 oz serving 310 calories, 12 g fat, (2.5 g saturated fat), 2,230 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 35 g protein Not that General Tso's Chicken Per 10 oz serving 560 calories, 32 g fat, (3 g saturated fat), 1,650 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 21 g protein Why: Ordering grilled chicken with veggies in light sauce delivers all the flavor without the artery-clogging, spare-tire-inducing fat. Just be stingy with the soy sauce—this dish already packs enough sodium for an entire day. Hot Dog Eat this Applegate Farms Organic Turkey Hot Dogs Per Dog 80 calories, 6 g fat, (2 g saturated fat), 350 mg sodium, 0 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 6 g protein Not that Ball Park Beef Frank Per Dog 180 calories, 16 g fat, (6 g saturated fat), 560 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 6 g protein Why: Dogs seem to be a staple on nearly every guy's grocery list, but Applegate doggies aren't mystery meat. They're basically nitrite-free organic turkey shaped into a wiener, with the same amount of protein and 100 fewer calories. BBQ Ribs Eat this 1 Gardenburger BBQ Riblet (5 oz) Per Riblet 240 calories, 4.5 g fat, (0 g saturated fat), 580 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 17 g protein Not that Kansas City-style BBQ pork ribs (3 oz, with sauce) Per Serving 430 calories, 27 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 1,820 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 28 g protein Why: A larger serving of these veggie delights provides 5 grams of fiber—that's 20 percent of your RDA. Because the veg version has about half the calories and 17 filling grams of protein, neither you nor your man will miss (or feel like) the pig. And you can still enjoy licking barbecue sauce off each other's fingers. Pizza Eat this Medium Thin N Crispy Pizza Hut Pizza 12-inch pizza with Sauce, Cheese, Grilled Chicken, Green Pepper, Mushroom, Red Onion, Tomatoes Per Slice 180 calories, 6 g fat, (3 g saturated fat), 540 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 10 g protein Not that Pizza Hut Medium Pan Supreme Per Slice 310 calories, 16 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 720 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 13 g protein Why: It's still a piping-hot fresh pie, and hey, is there any such thing as bad pizza? This version's veggies up the flavor factor (especially those green peppers and onions), and with the addition of grilled chicken, he won't even miss the red meat (or the pools of grease that come with it). Chicken Wings Eat this Morningstar Farms Buffalo Wings Per 5 Wings 200 calories, 9 g fat, (1 g saturated fat), 790 mg sodium.19 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 11 g protein Not that Chili's Grill Wings Over Buffalo with dressing Per 5 Wings 670 calories, 59 g fat (13 g saturated fat), 1,445 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 34 g protein Why: These veggie nuggets taste amazing. They're crispy, spicy, chewy, and protein-rich—and they smell delish. Even a hardcore wing fan will feel fully satisfied, and you can still pair them with celery and light ranch dressing. Bonus: 3 grams of fiber, a filling fat-fighter real wings lack. Nacho Topping Eat this Hormel Turkey Chili with Beans Per Cup 200 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 1,200 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 17 g protein Not that Bush's Chunky Homestyle Chili with Beans Per Cup 260 calories, 10 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 1,250 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 15 g protein Why: The turkey chili packs a healthy boost of veggies, so it's filling—and it's so delicious he won't start asking where the beef is. Spread it over some whole-wheat tortilla chips with low-fat cheese for a perfect game-time treat. Last updated: November 30, 2007 Issue date: October 2007 January 28 Does anyone else find this humerous????So, I'm in the basement working out to my "Slim In 6" video & I just started laughing at one point ... the lovely, very SMALL instructor was reminding her very tiny "helpers" to remember to "pull that belly button into your spine" w/each contraction, while exhaling the very DEEP breath you were supposed to have taken ... well bust a gut, I can't even FEEL my belly button through the flab, let alone "pull it into my SPINE" while HEAVING myself up for a crunch contraction that basically entails a whole lot of grunting & maybe a MILLIMETER of "lift" off of the floor!!
As I worked the rest of the tape, I realized how humerous it would look to have ME behind the very lovely instructor showing off all of her moves ... "touch your toes" as you exhale that breath (TOES, are you KIDDING ME ... I can barely reach the ANKLES!!). "Now, drop your head, exhale & REACH for the floor" (yeah, right ... I might make it if this BELLY weren't in the way!). "Keep breathing, we're almost there" (BREATHING, I feel like I'm hyperventilating ... forget the whole "inhale, exhale w/each move" bit ... it's all I can do to SUCK THE OXYGEN into my lungs so I don't FAINT!). "GREAT JOB, GUYS" (as I sit back on my butt b/c my legs are like rubber & SCREAMING w/pain ... apparently she can't "SEE" me too well, huh?). Honestly, though, I have to say that I AM getting stronger & able to do more with each passing day & I HOPE you are, too!!! I just thought it was funny that they have a whole studio of thin, strong people showing you how to contort your body into a million different positions ... how about seeing some REAL PEOPLE in various stages of the "getting healthy" journey doing the exercises in the BEST way for them! Now THAT wouldn't be quite so "funny" would it????
Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie January 27 Can we get a big "WOOO-HOOO"??!!!!So, it's the big morning & we're BOTH holding our breath!! Happily, we can BOTH report a loss this week, after really working hard to make SURE it happened!
 Ray lost 3.5 lbs. & I lost 2 ... not spectacular numbers, but we're movin' in the right direction again!!! He's down a total of 13.5 lbs. in Jan. & I've lost 9lbs. (10 will be gone BEFORE the first day of Feb., as it's my goal to lose 10 lbs. a month ... almost there!!!). This is the most AMAZING thing ... last year when I was trying to "get healthy" it took me almost 3 months to lose 15 lbs. & I was THRILLED w/that ... NO MORE! I am NOT "starving myself" & it's not been too terribly AWFUL losing an average of 2 lbs. a week, so I'm TOTALLY FOCUSED now on losing this 60 lbs. by June, when we have a wedding to attend for Ray's family! I can SOOOO do this now & I'm EXCITED to prove it! It's soooo AWESOME having Ray "in this" w/me! When we're sitting at a birthday party DYING to dive into a 3rd, 4th or even 5th piece of pizza, we can look at the other & KNOW that we'll survive w/out it (& THANK THEM later for reminding us!!!). We actually PLAN now, BEFORE we are in a difficult situation, as to what we're going to try & do! We encourage each other to get in our workouts & support one another when we just don't FEEL like going! This truly is a WHOLE NEW WAY of life & we are SOOOOO thankful to BL for encouraging us to jump in & give it a shot! How BLESSED we are to be sharing this journey w/all of YOU!!! THANK YOU for your continued support & strength!! This truly is NOT something we could have done on our own!!! Blessings to EACH of you on this journey ... may you find the strength, courage & determination to STICK TO THIS, so you might celebrate a longer & healthier life!!! (Can you tell I'm feeling JOYFUL today!!?? ) Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie January 26 Holding our breath ...Hey gang! Well, it's almost time to see how we fared this week ... I know Ray is ITCHING to have a good loss this week, as last week's gain really deflated him a bit! I know he's busted his tail this week, both in exercise AND in watching what he's eating, so I have NO WORRIES that he'll be FINE! I, on the other hand, am a bit apprehensive, as it's "that time of the month" for me (ladies, you know what I'm talking about here ... sorry guys, but it's a fact of life!) ... anyway, I KNOW that means I will be LUCKY to have a loss this week, so I'm not holding my breath.
 I've really tried to watch what I'm eating this week (even turned down some of my old favorites!) & I've started working out in our basement doing various exercise tapes (sometimes TWICE a day ... WOOHOO!). I just figured it's easier for me to TRY & work it in here at home WHENEVER I can, than to try & get out of the house to the gym right now ... we'll see how the scale reacts to THAT! I'm doing GREAT on my water intake each day, but I really need to get back into my habit of eating 5-6 smaller meals each day ... I'm having a hard time getting in (or remembering!) to eat btw. those regular meals. I'm SURE that would help my metabolism speed up a bit!We have another b-day party at my sister's house tonight that will include LOTS of pizza, cake & ice-cream. I'm going to try to stay strong & enjoy a SMALL amount of what I want & just enjoy the celebration. We went out bowling last night w/some friends from our church & of course they wanted to go have dessert afterwards. On the way to the restaurant, Ray & I went from saying we were having NOTHING to deciding that we would feel silly not at least having a little something. We made a plan to split the smallest dessert we could find & leave it at that. Well, wouldn't you know, the best laid plans sometimes fail ... we ended up sitting at separate tables (5 guys & 5 gals), so sharing was difficult; however, they had these "mini-shot" sundaes that were really tiny, so we each got one of those & just "nursed it" for the night. Honestly, we probably had less calories than if we'd shared a big huge chocolate drenched molten cake/ice-cream thingy!!! It was our first night out together in a social setting like that in a MILLION YEARS & honestly, I was pretty proud of us! I had my water bottle ("jug" as everyone called it b/c it holds over 50 oz.!) & Ray only had one drink at the bowling alley (iced tea b/c the water machine was broken ... see hon, it PAYS to have your own "jug"!
HAHA!). We only drank water at the restaurant & had the tiny sundae, so hopefully, we didn't sabotage ourselves! Time will tell ... it's still a "learning curve" for us, as we figure out how to handle all kinds of different situations, but at least we're TRYING ... MUCH MORE than we were ever doing before!Gotta run & do my second workout for the day before the party (Ray just got back from the gym) ... so have a GREAT night & we'll check in after we weigh in tomorrow morning!
Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie January 20 WHAT!!?? THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT! Five days of working out in the morning for an hour, countless calories burned, five workout outfits drenched with hard work, GAINING one pound on weight-in day, priceless! I am at a loss for what happened this week. I felt great all week long and thought this would be another big week for me... I guess Bob is right when he says "The body is going to do, what the body is going to do." Maybe I won't be taking the day off today. Nothing to do but get back up on that horse! Until next time, Bye. (Congrats to my better half for carrying the team this week!1112January 18 Birthdays Galore ... Cake no more (ok, maybe just a sliver!)Hi guys!
I've been MIA a few days, as it's been a busy week & computer time has been limited; however, I continue to plug along doing WHATEVER I CAN to make sure I'm eating more sensibly & "Moving my MASS" each day, as Ray, the science geek likes to say!
After last week's 2 lb. loss, I was all "gung-ho" to knock this week outta the park ... I'm not so sure that's going to happen. I'm hoping for at least a BUNT!! I KNOW my loss is going to be slower than Ray's ... I just don't want to see, after three months, that the ENTIRE amount left to lose for our team belongs to ME!! I am SOOOOO proud of all Ray is doing to have success! He's a big ex-football jock who LOVES to eat DOUBLE sandwiches & load up on PLENTY of fries, chips, etc. He has forced himself to really monitor his portions & he ALWAYS tries to get in a big healthy salad ... I think he is AMAZED to feel "full" after only 1 helping, if he just waits long enough! His exercise commitment is impressive, to say the least (there is NO WAY on this EARTH my body would be moving from that bed at 4:30 a.m. ... especially given the cold & snow here!!!), but I KNEW he would! Keep it up, hon, I know how hard you're working!! Well, as Ray mentioned, our oldest celebrated his 12th b-day yesterday & it is TRULY hard to believe! I remember him being born like it was YESTERDAY (what EVERY mother feels, I'm SURE!!). I also remember how QUICKLY I bounced back to my "pre-pregnancy" weight (except that final 6-10 lbs.!), but I didn't care ... I was a MOM!!
Now, 6 children later, all of those "extra 10 lbs." have added up to a hefty 60 lbs. that need to be released! With Nathan's b-day, we begin the process of celebrating ONE birthday every month until July (I guess we were good at spacing things out, huh?). Anyway, b-days are a BIG deal here, b/c we CELEBRATE the fact that person is part of our family & our lives! Of course, with celebration comes FOOD! Ray & I tried to "prevent" our normal pizza indulgence last night by making up some broccoli & chicken pizza's on whole wheat thin crusts ... they are SOOOO yummy! I think given the situation, I did pretty well. I did sneak in a very small (HONEST!) piece of the pepperoni pizza, but overall, I didn't cave too bad. When the cake & b-day brownies came out, I had another SMALL slice of cake to celebrate & that was it (nevermind the ONE small brownie I TESTED when it came out of the oven earlier in the day! ). Honestly, for us, I think we did pretty darn good & I KNOW we will continue to get better w/each celebration, as we get further along in our healthy ways!I was most proud of myself this week on Tues. or Wed. (the days seem to blur by Friday!) when Ray got home late b/c he had to work out after school (that was when his 24/7 gym was LOCKED that morning! UGGGH!). Anyway, he arrived at "meltdown time" (mom's you KNOW what I'm talking about here ... every kid in the house is STARVING, the baby is HANGING on your leg, trying to get your attention, your older ones are trying to finish homework, which for SOME reason involves asking YOU every question imagineable & the dinner you HAD planned for the night is just NOT going to work w/the time frame you now have, b/c a trip to the store to get the ONE ingredient you need would be OUT OF THE QUESTION at this moment!).
Anyway, Ray arrived during THAT time to find out my oldest son (the 12 yr. old) needed help getting started on some snowblowing for his "business" that he started this year. Needless to say, me leaving to go work out THEN just wasn't in the cards! Well, Ray got Nathan started & then proceeded to work on making TURKEY BURGERS (YEP, you read it right ... this family of "Beef Only Burgers" was venturing to the healthy side!). I started washing & cutting potatoes to make "healthier baked fries" (also a new venture!). Once I got them done, I decided I could STEW & GRUMP about not getting in my workout (wich, if not done before 6pm, is REALLY hard to do, since I like to be around for dinner & bedtime routine) OR I could CHOOSE to do something about it ... well, I chose to march upstairs, toss on some sweats & popped in a "Slim in 6" KILLER video, which I proceeded to do amid the "chaos" of my house! I normally HATE doing a video in front of my children, let alone RAY, but I had no choice if I'm going to SUCCEED this week! Burgers were done (& might I say, TOTALLY TASTY!!), fries were ready & my workout was OVER (of course the PAIN I felt from moving certain muscles was just BEGINNING!), but I had DONE it! Normally, I would have just thrown in the towel & said, "too bad, no time, no can do on the exercise today!" Maybe I AM starting to have a SLIVER of a shift toward adopting a more healthy attitude! Yesterday, I jumped out of the car after picking up the two 3 yr. olds from preschool (I babysit one for a neighbor b/c I don't have enough of my own ... HA HA!), I grabbed a shovel & starting scraping about 10 in. of ice off of our driveway (ok, I KNOW Ray said 3 in., but he was NOT there!)
. Yes, our son the "neighborhood snowblower" had neglected to do our drive (b/c we were rushing him to join us for our turkey burger dinner!) & the ice & melting snow was making a MESS. Given the weather that's coming, I knew the driveway needed to be cleared. I figured it would take me 15 min. & I'd let the kids stay out & "play" while I made a quick job of it & we all went in for lunch ... NOT! Since I've never really DONE that job before, I was in for a TREAT! It took me almost 45 min. to do the job (which my 1 yr. old LOVED b/c he LOVES to be outside & he was following me around w/his own little shovel ... sooo cute!). Of course, about 15 min. into it instead of being DONE I was sweating PROFUSELY, breathing HARD & nowhere NEAR being finished! I decided to keep going & use it as my "exercise" for the day, since the b-day party would leave me no time to work out at the gym! When I finished, I felt exhilarated ... not only by the site of the massive driveway being CLEAR, but also b/c I had worked my TAIL off & it felt GREAT! It might not have been squats, lunges or curls, but by golly, I could FEEL it!!! So, I'm not sure this week will reveal any "earth-shattering" numbers for me in the weight-loss department, but I AM starting to see small changes throughout my day that are forcing me to be more healthy & aware of what I'm doing! Each day is a BATTLE to avoid the sweets I crave so much or to get in the exercise I need, given the list of things that need done, but I AM making changes & for that, I can thank ALL OF YOU!!!! When I was out w/my little ones earlier in the week running errands & I wanted NOTHING MORE than to stop at the drive-thru & grab a quick lunch (& SODA, since I gave those up COLD TURKEY!), I had over 100 little "voices" in my head saying, "DON'T DO IT ... " I was able to leave the parking lot (yes, I HAD PULLED IN!) & go home to a HEALTHY lunch for myself AND my kids ... for that little victory, I am TOTALLY GRATEFUL!!!! THANK YOU to ALL of our "friends" who are cheering us on ... I just wanted you to realize the impact you have, just by being there in our "weakest" moments!!!
Until next time (if you're still with me here!) ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie January 17 Happy Birthday NathanToday is our oldest sons 12th birthday! Happy Birthday Nathan!.... But with that comes all the food. Pizza, and lots of it. Angie and I make an excellent effort and made some broccoli and chicken pizza... boy is it good! Then comes the cake! But I think I remember Bob saying that it is ok to eat dessert once a week. So I guess this is our once!
Weigh-ins on Sunday! I am excited. I have been to the gym a few times this week, and plan on going on Friday and Saturday. Angie worked out in the gym and at home, and finally went all "Rocky" on me by shoveling about 3 inches of ice off of our driveway! What a women!
Until later! Bye January 14 Just chekcing inJust thought I would check in with everyone! I have never been much of a talker, let alone blogger. I leave that up to my better half. I had a real good week & was able to get to the gym 5 out of 7 days. Angie would not let me get up early in the morning (around 4:30 am) and go in, becasue my body needed rest. And boy did it ever. Thanks babe! Anyway, I'll stop beating around the bush, I stepped on the scale on Sunday morning, and I had lost 11 pounds. Not sure where it all went, but glad that it did. I had a hard time telling Angie, because she is always saying that men lose it so much faster than women do... I guess she is right. Anyway, she was very excited for me, which is cool. Well, gotta run, kids comming home from school and the like. Later! January 13 "Slow & Steady" ... BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!Well, it's a "done deal" ... we had our weigh-in this morning & as you can see, our TEAM is really kickin' it! I'd LOVE to say it was thanks to me, but alas, my "light approach" to this week did not contribute huge & hefty numbers to our total! I did lose 2 pounds and I KNOW, "slow & steady wins the race," but I'd like to finish this one BEFORE I become a GREAT GRANDMOTHER!!!
I truly am content w/losing 2 lbs., considering I wasn't able to exercise to my fullest potential & I had a few eating "blips" in my week (CURSE my sister's promotion & that darn Red Lobster lunch ... URRRGGHHH!) !! Anway, I am even MORE motivated to get my body MOVING HARD this week & really tackle some eating issues (like getting in a full 5 MINI-MEALS a day!). I know it will start to happen, once I'm truly focused & I feel like this week was a "wake-up call" to what I KNOW is possible if I really get serious! I am SOOOOOO proud of Ray, but I'll let him share in his own blog! I know he thinks I'm BUMMIN' b/c he lost so much, but honestly, I KNEW it would be this way & I went into it KNOWING the weight would MELT off of him (especially in the beginning!) & I would struggle to lose my 2-5 pounds weekly ... WHY IS IT THAT WAY WITH SO MANY WOMEN??? Ray's been in several "weight loss challenges" through his school & he comes home to tell me guys are dropping 10-15 pounds in a WEEK ... tell me what WOMAN can do that??? I guess our bodies are just hard-wired to hold on to all that FAT ... gee, THANKS! Oh well, time to look forward to next week! I may not EVER "beat" my hubby w/the AMOUNT of pounds I lose, but I WILL improve each week! As you can see, our LOVELY photos were posted last night ... what a TRAUMATIC experience! Our borrowed camera was acting up, again, & the battery kept powering off after taking just one or two pics. We'd have to close it & wait a minute before we could snap another photo ... now, since we only had 8 photos to take, this may not SEEM like a big deal, but for a gal who wanted nothing more than to be DONE in 30 seconds FLAT, this was a HUGE deal!
Of course, I didn't mind when I was the one FULLY clothed TAKING the pictures, but when I finally trudged front & center & had to remove my nice big T-shirt, I wanted to SCREAM! Ray was so sweet, though ... he KNEW how uncomfortable I was (YES! Even w/my own HUBBY! I do NOT enjoy "flashing my blubber" ... not even to HIM!). Anyway, when we moved to my "side shots" & the camera "stalled," he closed his eyes w/o a word ... I could have cried!!! He was being so respectful b/c he KNEW how hard it was for me! Then, when we LOADED the pics. & had to VIEW them he was so great .... he TOTALLY made "fun" of himself first & put up funny little sayings w/each picture ... by the time we were ready to do my pics., we were both laughing & joking about them .... he truly helped to make a painful experience bearable!! I just had to give a public "SHOUT OUT" the world's most WONDERFUL & SENSITIVE HUBBY around!! I love you, Hon!!! So the trauma is over & from here, it just gets BETTER & BETTER! It will be FUN to see our progress in the weeks to come & now I'm GLAD we did it (OK, not really glad ... how about, just thankful that it's OVER!). Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie January 12 Weighing in tomorrow ... oh how FUN!Hey Gang! Sorry, we've been MIA lately ... a few sickies (kids) & projects going on, so things are a bit hectic (& just exactly when are they NOT in this house???) HA HA! Did you notice our lovely BLANK picture space ... no, we didn't really take them in the dark like I had hoped ... we just haven't TAKEN them at ALL ... but I can say that we are just about to go & do that NASTY deed, as soon as our oldest heads off to bed. We HAVE to start doing it before all of this weight starts MELTING off (I can dream, right??)
 !! Anyway, our weigh-in is tomorrow morning, so we HAVE to get these pics. done, so I can stop having them hang over my head!!Even though it's been a crazy week & I was sick for a good portion of it, I'm PROUD that I'm still "in this thing" ... remember how I tend to be an "all or nothing" kind of gal, well, I did have a few "blips" this week & I just got right back up & kept on GOING!! YEAH, ME!! I wasn't able to go the "gym," but I DID get my walking in whenever I could (& it was NEVER a "leisurely stroll," either!!). I went out for lunch w/my mom & sister today, to celebrate a promotion she got at work, & we went to Red Lobster ... UGGGHH! I KNEW I would have trouble turning down my favorite (which I did!), but I made the choice to eat very little for dinner, drink LOTS of water & NO snacking today, to TRY & keep my "calories in" vs. "calories out" at least CLOSE to each other! I guess we'll see tomorrow ... I'm still a "newbie" to a lot of this "healthy eating" thing, so I'm just happy to have survived the day w/o indulging in ANYTHING else!!
OK, off to take these photos & then to BED, so we can get lots of "fat burning sleep" in before we step on that scale tomorrow (is that even POSSIBLE ... dont' I WISH!!).
Enjoy a GREAT night, everyone & check back tomorrow to see how we did this week (& actually "see" what we look like ... up close & "personal" ... GREAT
!).Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie January 09 Walking causes soreness??? What a WIMP!Hey Gang! Angie here ... in case you didn't notice, Ray is going to be blogging in that oh so "sunny" neon-yellow color. I was going to say you'd be able to tell mine b/c I tend to go nuts w/the little "happy face guys," but Ray shocked me by adding one last night! Married 13 yrs. & he STILL surprises me sometimes! HA HA!
So, we are putting our pictures up TONIGHT (do you "hear" that, honey??). Our camera is on the fritz, so we had to borrow one & the lighting is a little "off," but you'll get the "picture," I'm sure! I just want to know if it's possible to take them in the dark ... I think we'd look MUCH better in THAT lighting!
I'm so PROUD of you all who have already undergone that traumatic event ... I guess, like they said last night, you have to "Die to be reborn" ... I'll DIE of embarrasment from my pics, but hopefully that will INSPIRE me to continue pushing on in this journey to get healthier!Speaking of pushing on ... I've had a sinus headache/cold thing since last Fri. & have felt like crud. I have a membership to Women's Workout Express (like Curves), but haven't used it since last March. Ray has been on me to get going back (yep, he started in a gym this week), but I just was not up for it ... I could barely BREATHE earlier in the week & the last thing I needed was to pass out the first time I stepped back in the place!
We have been blessed with some VERY MILD weather here in Ohio, so I took advantage & started walking this week. It felt soooo great to get outside & I really did try to walk quickly, suck in my gut & squeeze my glutes whenever I could! That being said, I wanted to CRY when I got up Tues. morning & felt SORE!!! How EMBARRASSING to only have walked in my neighborhood for 45 min. & felt it that much! My legs & behind were ... "OUCH!" (guess those "squeezes" worked!). So, it was 9am on Tues. & another beautiful day ... I decided to take my 1 yr. old out for a walk, since he LOVES being outside & we don't usually get that chance in Jan. around here! I started out a little stiff & slow, but I managed to pick up the pace & pulled him in the wagon for 1 HOUR at a good clip!!! I was SOOO proud of myself! I realized, though, that most of my soreness was due to two things: 1.) NOT having moved an OUNCE of my body for WAAAAY too long & 2.) NOT stretching after I walked. I figured, "hey, I only WALKED ... I don't need to stretch" ... WRONGO! So, after I got back home w/my little guy, I let him play outside while mommy looked ridiculous trying to hoist her leg up behind her to stretch her quads! I did manage to do that & a few other stretches & I'm sure that helped, as I'm not nearly as sore today ... thanks also, to my honey, who used his "coaching skills" to help stretch me out last night, too. He did all of these "football stretches" that he puts his guys through ... ahhh, how romantic (as my belly jiggles & I struggle to position my leg AROUND the fat!)! I've decided that I'm going to stick to my walking another day or two, before I head back to the workout center.As for eating ... no real "plan" here that we're following yet, just downing a TON of water, majorly downsizing our portions & throwing in healthy alternatives whenever we can (i.e. dinner last night was made w/whole wheat pasta & we added a salad ... NOVEL idea for this family who mostly HATES fruits & veggies!). I know Ray & I need to start being even MORE conscious of an eating plan & probably start writing it down somewhere, too. I have a membership to the BLC website through Feb., so I guess I should probably figure out HOW to use that, huh??? It's just finding the time to get to yet one more thing in my day ... but NO EXCUSES ... we have LIVES to change!!! Our kids are already noticing the small changes we are trying to make ... after school snacks yesterday consisted of carrot sticks & cucumber slices for my 2 older girls (ages 6 & 8)! I was SHOCKED, but they were cut up & ready to go (now getting them down MY throat is going to take a LOT more work ... I have tended to be one of those moms who TOLD her kids to eat their fruits & veggies b/c I KNOW they need them, but I rarely eat them b/c I seem to have a SERIOUS GAG reflex when it comes to ingesting them myself! HORRIBLE EXAMPLE, I KNOW ... I'm WORKING on it!!). My boys, like me, will be a bit more of a challenge, but we'll get there ... one step at a time!
I am SOOOO excited & "pumped" reading so many other people's struggles & successes! It's an AMAZING feeling being part of something SO BIG & I was thinking about how many of us are parents & what a WONDERFUL GIFT we are giving our children ... to set them on the healthy path NOW, so that THEY will not have to endure these struggles is truly a priceless gift to them! I was also thinking about the magnitude of having the U.S. pledge 1,000,000 lbs. lost ... imagine when people start seeing our results (you know, family, neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc.) & ask what we're doing ... heck, next season's biggest loser could get DOUBLE the amount of weight pledged & this country would TRULY begin to experience a shift toward becoming one of the HEALTHIEST NATIONS on earth ... WOW!!!! Gives me goose bumps just THINKING about the possibilities!!! And to think ... it all starts with you & me doing our part!!! WE CAN DO THIS!!
Gotta run for now ... "see" you all back here tonight, when we post our lovely pics! UGGGGHHH!
Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie January 08 A message from RayHey everyone! This is Angie's other half, Ray! I have never been much of a blogger before, so here goes! I just wanted to let you all know that this thing we are doing is for real! It has been nearly 11 years since I have been in a gym, so you could imagine how sore I am right now! It hurts even to type. Ok, I might be exaggerating a little on that one. The point is, I had some blood work done last spring, and ended up with high blood pressure and a high cholesteral. Well, I told Angie that I would get to a doctor, but never did. You know... man power and all.
Thanks to the Biggest Loser for providing me with the inspiration I needed to get my mass moving again! I can't wait 'til you all see our transformation videos. Good luck to everyone in this wonderful challenge!
And a little message to my wife... Keep on moving and shaking!
Later!  January 06 Last Chance ... MEAL!!! :o)OK, so we're STILL in the process of figuring out this whole space thing AND cleaning up from all of our Christmas celebrations (man, does the house look "naked" now!), but I thought I'd share a quick story about how we're moving along ...
So, it was a BUSY day yesterday & we ended up STARVING by last night. Since we were "officially" weighing in this morning, we took "full advantage" of our LAST CHANCE MEAL, as we decided to call it! Ray had a gift card from one of his students to BW-3's, & we love their wings, so we splurged & got some (along w/2 heaping portions of buffalo chips, which wouldn't be complete w/o a large portion of cheese!). The funny thing is, I think we both felt so guilty eating it that we didn't enjoy it as much as usual! We spent the whole meal PLANNING what we would be eating (that wouldn't CLOG our arteries!) & HOW we would be fitting exercise into our new lifestyle, which begins tomorrow!
Once everyone goes back to their "regular routines" I hope to get on here & share our story & plan for change! For now, just know that we are cheering so MANY of you on & looking forward to a fun, fantastic ride TOGETHER!!!
Enjoy a SUPER SUNDAY! GO BUCKS!!!
Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie
January 04 WHAT have we gotten ourselves into???Well, Ray & I had this brilliant idea that we would just "sign up" for this million pound challenge thing & motivate our butt's to get LOSING! We spent a fair amount of time last night just trying to figure out HOW to set this all up ... technologically challenged, that's what I say!
Not only are we attemtping to do something we have been incabable of doing the past 10 years, but now we're going to be putting it out there for the whole WORLD to see ... YIKES! I guess that's about as motivating as you can get ... being accountable to the "world" each day of your journey. I'm writing this now to jumpstart our page & we'll figure out how to put the rest together over the weekend. Hopefully, our journey will help to inspire & motivate others ... if we can do it, ANYONE can! You'll learn more about each of us in the next few blogs & see just HOW we came to be in this place called "UNHEALTHYVILLE" & HOW we plan to get out ... I'm excited about the journey, but PETRIFIED of the road ahead, knowing how many MAJOR changes will need to be made. I guess it all starts with the decision to CHANGE & that we've done! Join us, as we muddle our way through this journey ... cheering us on when we need it, holding us accountable when necessary & most of all, just sharing any helpful tips or ideas along the way! We are doing this for ourselves, but also for our six BEAUTIFUL young children ... we were blessed with each of them & they deserve to have BOTH parents as LONG as possible!!Until next time ... drink some water, move a little & SMILE!
Angie |
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