This will be quick because I'm pretty wiped out. We got some semi-bad news at work about additional monitoring and expectations, which is just one more exhausting thing to deal with for a very overworked and diligent team... that kind of took it out of me. The hardest place for me is work. It's the most emotionally unpredictable and they also tend to meet all bad news with food, which I used to love but now is just one more thing to work around.

 

So I went to the gym and blew all my energy there. It was a good, hard workout, but afterwards and since, I've just been a complete lump. I'm getting a lot of stuff done in my little computer biz, so that was good, but otherwise, I'm kind of fried. I am doing good on the workout and sticking with the calorie limits provided by the club for the most part. It still surprises me when I realize we're really doing this. We really are.

 

Cheers and goodnight all - I'll try to write something lucid tomorrow!

Kristen

Hi All,

 

I must say I never imagined how things were playing out on the show last night that the pink team would be sent home.  They are doing great though and look awesome.  I was hoping the orange team deep down would go.  I never expected the yellow and orange team to be so close to each other.  The yellow team has grown on me more over time and I am happy they are still there.  Not seeing Bette Sue and Ali every week will be a bummer, they just seemed so genuine.  I know alot of it is game play..... but that being said doesn't that usually mean get rid of the biggest threat.....not revenge for feeling picked on.  I am excited to see next weeks twist of fates.

 

I am sticking to my diet and we are getting in the fruits and veggies for the challenge.  We are going to work on the 400 crunches tonight.  That will be a good thing.  Maybe it will help my jeans fit a little better.  Funny thing is I have lost 12.5 pounds but my jeans haven't gotten even a litttle bigger.  I can see it in my face though so that is all good.

 

My best to each of you today!!

Mary

Thank goodness everyday is a new day.  I love Tuesdays.  I am excited about watching the Biggest Loser tonight and seeing Bette Sue kick some butt.  Her enthusiasm is so contagious you can't help but be inspired.  You know even though yesterday was tough as soon as I worked out it got soooo much better.  Wish I could remember that at that make or break moment.  I did go over 200 in calories yesterday but am right back on track today and grateful for that.

 

I had always heard it was harder to lose weight after having a hysterectomy and blamed that sometimes for not trying.  I had one when I turned thirty and it does not seem to be effecting the weight loss journey and that is great.  For me it is just about being vigilant and staying on track and doing the next right thing.

 

Sending out good thoughts to each of you.  Don't forget to watch the Biggest Loser tonight.  Have a good day all!!

 

Good luck,

Mary

 

Hey all,

 

I thought maybe if I write out my feelings I'll feel better.  Today has been a real blah day for me.  Woke up to snow and never like that.  Although we haven't had as much as out east it sure can put a damper on the day with such low temperatures.  Wanted to take Barr out for a walk and possibly wheel over to the rec center, but that will have to wait for now.

 

Pay day is Thursday but the cupboards are looking bare on Monday that doesn't seem like a good thing.  Eating right is awesome and I have been enjoying it, but it has increased our monthly budget about two hundred dollars....YIKES!!  It is funny because we did eat out some before but it was usually fast food or cheap --- whatever we could run and get.  reality is we have enough to get us through but it scares me when it gets low because I don't want us to have to go back to some of the old ways.

 

Kristen will be home soon and we are headed to the gym.  So glad she is motivated to go today, because this was the first day I started thinking I will just skip it today.  When really it is exactly what I need and I am excited to go now!

 

Hope everyone out there is hanging in there and having a good day.  Maybe I am just having a Monday.  Keep up all you are each doing and I will over here as well.

 

Take care,

Mary

Hey Everybody,

 

this is Kristen and it's the middle of the night and tomorrow is MONDAY. Blech. Today was great, though. Mary and I celebrated our week by hitting the gym hard this morning. It's amazing how much exercise improves my state of mind. It's been one of the greatest benefits of all of this.

 

I just wanted to touch base and mention how impressed I am with Mary and her effort in the gym. She contends with the obstacles her body throws in her way every day. Some days are better than others. But at this point she's doing everything she can to assure her success and that means working out hard when she feels good. Her enthusiasm carried me through my first week of all of this and it continues to keep me on track.

 

This is the first time I've had a real partner in the weight-loss/get in shape process and it has helped me more than I would have thought.

 

Anyway. Enough for now. Hope everybody has a great week and good luck with Monday!

Kristen

Good morning all !!  How's everyone doing out there?  We are doing really well.  Kristen lost three more pounds yesterday and I lost six.  It is an amazing process with ups and downs, but the results show just how well it is working.  I am excited we are really doing this and that we are expanding our lives with healthy habits.  Yesterday we met some great folks at the gym and are looking forward to meeting more people and having people with the same goals in our lives.

 

Keep up the good work all.  Off to the gym for us.

 

Have a great day and remember you can start the day over at anytime!

Mary

Hello all,

 

Yep, another weigh-in. At the moment these seem to be coming along pretty fast and I'm glad for that. Today was good news all around. I'll let Mary comment on her day, but I had another 3 lb loss, which is crazy. I've never lost this much weight this fast. I've been working out really hard, mostly on cardio, and I can only guess that's a big part of the equation. I'm just really happy things have continued to move forward.

 

We had a big scare last night again with the car, but that's seems to be resolved and things are level again. I wish I didn't feel quite so vulnerable to being thrown off track by the day to day things of life. I really want to be able to stay focused on this no matter what other stuff is going on in my life, but that is tricky for me. Something to continue to work on.

 

I'm pretty sleepy, but I wanted to make sure and update our progress. I'm relieved this is working. I'm really happy to be taking care of myself again. It's just a great, low-key happy feeling.

 

I wish you all a great week.

Cheers,

Kristen

So I'm on my way to work this morning - this is Kristen - and I turn off the interstate and try to downshift and all of a sudden NOTHING is feeling right. The clutch is soft, I can't get the car into gear and when I do I can't get it out and all of a sudden all our hard work and plans just seem impossible because of car trouble. I creep to work in second gear, walk in the door and ALL I want to do is eat anything sweet and preferably chocolate. I haven't felt like that too much, and I've worked treats into my plan, but this was definitely not about plans or moderation or anything. It was just being totally bummed out and wanting to blast it out of my head with all the wrong stuff. It's kind of ridiculous to think that might even work. If I had a giant meltdown binge my car would still be sitting in second gear in the parkinglot and all I would be is depressed that I made a mockery of all the really hard work we've been doing.

 

So I didn't.

 

And in the end, everything was fine and the car is functional for now and I'll live and I DIDN'T dive head first into some giant cosmic sugar bowl and never come up for air. Instead, tonight we went to the gym, I did my hardest workout yet and we had Subway for dinner. I have to say I'm infinitely happier this evening than I would have been if I had caved in. I don't think it was willpower, either. I think it has more to do with looking at what I really want and what's going to get me there, and clutch trouble or no clutch trouble, a vat of ice cream isn't going to fix it and any relief will be of the most temporary sort.

 

I don't think I'll win every battle, but I'm in it for the long haul and for today, I feel really good about that.

You know two weeks ago I never would of said I eat emotionally.  Well today on Kristen's way to work she couldn't get the car out of second gear.  All kinds of thoughts started going through my mind.....none the less the ice cream in the freezer my brother gave us yesterday.  Just without a car how would we get to the gym, without money how would we buy the right food to eat, just spiraling along.

 

First issue the ice cream in our house.  Yes when we started we threw out all foods that were going to trigger us or were not what we want in this new life style (almost everything we owned).  My brother makes Baskin Robbins ice cream and was being nice giving it to us.  Instead of declining because it is my favorite kind I threw it in the freezer and forgot about it until let's see.... everytime I have a thought.  It will either go to Kristen's work first thing tomorrow or in the trash.  This is a huge victory as I haven't touched it, but why even entice myself really.

 

My dad and I ran out to check on the car and it seems it is just the initial warning signs the clutch is going, so for now we can be vigilant yet relax.  It also showed me once again to not think the worse until I really know, because fluks do happen.

 

To the gym tonight and grateful for that.  My eating today has been pretty good so far as well.  My dad stopped by Wendy's on the way home and I had a side salad which was a good choice for me, because everything else would have been easier.....but much harder to work off.

Hi All,

 

I am so excited tonight is The Biggest Loser.  It is especially cool for us as it is coming up on our third weigh in over the weekend and theirs tonight. 

 

I wanted to kind of catch everyone up on how the Nuggets game and work party went over the weekend since I referenced it earlier in the week.  The Nuggets game was great (WE WON)!!  Also Kristen and I did really well with all the temptations.  We had won club level seats so we were up where there were a couple of dining rooms and tons of stuff on the menu not offered if you are down below in the regular seats.  I really wanted the loaded fries, but got a pretzel with no salt instead with mustard to dip it in.  It was really good and I didn't feel deprived as I expected I would be when first viewing the menu.  We made sure we didn't take a lot of extra money either which was perfect, because two pretzels and waters took our twenty dollars. 

 

the work party went pretty good as well.  There were many temptations from the minute we walked in the door.  Yet,  the alley we were located on to bowl was closest to the beverage table where there was water and we grabbed some right away.  Then we went to the veggie and fruit table to eat as much as we wanted to fill up some before desserts and barbeque came out.  We both did end up having a sliver of cheese cake which racked up the calories.  Yet,  considering all that was there I think for myself I did way better then I was afraid.

 

Both those events just proved to me that it is about a way of life versus a diet.  I had set aside some extra calories each day and that helped quite a bit.  It wasn't like I felt I was screwing up just looking at the menu when we got there of which I was thankful.

 

This has been a good week.  I have hit the gym everyday since we got the membership on Friday and it feels good.  My hope is everyone out there is beginning to fall more in step with all the changes and starting to see results even if it is making one decision that is different then they use to be.

 

Take care all,

Mary

 

PS---Oh yeah...GO BETTE SUE!!

Hi again all,

 

Here's the deal, today we weighed in.  We got up, didn't eat or drink anything, and went to the gym to weigh in and work out.  I get on the scale with some assistance from Barr and it says 249, but I feel unbalanced so I readjust and try again....them it says 254 (which would be one pound gained...AAAARRRRGGG).  Then I am in tears because there is nothing more I felt I could do.  My mind goes... so I am eating all this different food and all this exercise and nothing is changing so why do it at all.  It felt so demoralizing .  Then I try the scale again because the numbers were so off and Kristen assists me, well guess what another number 251 (one pound loss...that will work).  I really wanted to know what was right though. 

 

We decided to go to Wal-mart and buy a scale.  A nice lady first pointed out where they were because we sure didn't know.  She weighs herself regularly and made sure it matched up and so we bought that kind.  Soon as we are out the door, still in the parking lot mind you I am on the scale and as people walk by I am saying I am making sure it works.  Much happier with the results and  it showed Kristen as having awesome weight loss of ten pounds.  I could tell by looking at her face that the scale must of been off some, but wasn't sure at first.  Thank God for up to date digital scales.  Now it is hidden and won't come out till next Saturday morning or I could see obsession in my future.

 

We did join the gym yesterday which is going to be great for me and I believe Kristen as well.  Unfortunately, they don't make joining easy here.  First you have to get a resident card at a building across town and pictures taken and stuff there and then you go to the recreation center and fill out all their stuff.  It really wasn't that much work, but the extra steps would have discouraged us before.  The best thing in all of this is WE ARE DOING IT and the tickers are going down and I know for me I am feeling better. 

 

I do look forward to the day where this just becomes a part of the day and I am doing it.  Maybe then the emotional stuff will be on more of an even keel....one can hope right?

 

Hope you are all having a great day and thanks for checking in on us.  Feel free to leave a comment or two in the guestbook if you'd like.  For now,

Mary

Hello Everybody,

 

this is Kristen and today was weigh-in day. Nerve wracking? yes, actually, it was. However the news was good for me.

 

First we weighted at the gym. That was kind of a three ring circus because the scale is older than God's teeth and gives about three different readings depending on which way you lean or whether you're holding your breath or WHAT. Now I am a veteran of many many MANY scales and I can tell you right now I'm excellent at figuring out how to make any scale anywhere stick at the lowest possible weight (those needle type scales are great for that), so I sort of made the very best, honest guesstimate I could based on the gym scale and the news was good. 282.5. Ok. Swell.

 

Then Mary got on, and I'll let her write her bit about that, but because she struggles with her balance when she stands, the thing was all over the place. She got really discouraged and I know that feeling. The scale was indicating she hadn't lost anything and she just wilted. She's been doing everything absolutely right and working out more than I even thought possible. Also, she's a very honest person (I don't know if you can tell from her picture, but she really is), so I know how "on track" she's been with the food thing. And she's eating stuff she doesn't even like.

 

So between the two of us we decided, bag this, we're going to get our own scale and go from there. So we got a digital scale and took it home and we're basing our weights on this - oh, and we also had this little lady at Walmart help us out and she checked her weight from this morning against the scale we decided to try and that was good enough for us. So henceforth and forever, or until the litheum battery dies, our scale is gospel for us. And based on that, I'm at 278. All I could do was say holy sh*t! Holy sh*t!

 

I hope it's accurate and for now I'm just going to enjoy the sense of having made some progress in all this.

Here's hoping everybody has a great week!

Kristen

Hi all,

 

How's everyone doing?  Sticking to your plans?  I hope so and wish you all the best.  The last couple of days have been pretty good for me and I have been right on target calorie wise and cardio.

 

You know I woke up really glad they showed where Jillian took Neill aside on last weeks show and talked to him.  I saw my mom yesterday and she was talking how she couldn't understnd why the white team is still there and totally missed the exchange between Neill and Jillian.  Once I explained to her how hard of a chnge weight loss is and that it does bring up the emotions that the food once covered I believe she understood better. 

 

I used this metaphor with her and continue to think of it this way for my self:  It is so much like planting a rose brush to me. 

 

1.  You put in lots of energy preparing the soil (emotionally), buying the right bush (foods and checking out gyms), getting on your hands and knees and gently planting the small plant (beginning exercise)

 

2.  At first you have to keep a real close eye on it to make sure you are giving it the amount of water and nourishment it needs (be mindful of each step of the process on a daily or should I say hourly basis)

 

 

3.  It starts getting bigger from giving it all the proper care and making sure it has the proper sunlight and all (part of the maintenance).  You see its progress come and go (good days and bad). Then you want to check closer for buds that you have been anticipating (pounds loss).

 

4.  For me the next part would be check around to make sure all the roots are still well packed in the soil.  During this time I forget that although there are not any buds quite yet there are the beginning thorns (grief over the loss of food I could always before have without a second thought, a carefree schedule where I wasn't making exercise an intergrated part of life, the emotions that the food was covering up that I blamed on _________fill in the blank it would be illness for myself).  Yet, they are worht it for the final result (the weight will come off and I and all of us will live a longer healthier life).

 

5.  Thebush begins blossoming and it takes less maintenance then at first, but must have continuous support for a lifetime to continue to grow (my support system in my family and each person that comes to our page, knowing how to eat and exercise for myself and what works for me and at this point it becomes a way of life).

 

Two weeks ago when we started this I had a lot of work to do on the soil and research, because this is the first time in my life I am committed to doing everything I can possibly do to make this all work.  Now I am in the process and will be for awhile of checking myself houry and keeping everything in check and pushing on through the thorns that seem to try to snag me along the way.

 

Anyway, this is it for now and I wanted to check in and let you know where my thoughts are this morning and wish you each a good day!  Tomorrow is our second weigh in so I will write again then and let you know how it goes.  Weigh ins make me both excited and nervous so we shall see.  I am hopeful bnecuase I have had a good week.

 

Tkae care all,

Mary

Hi Everybody,

 

It's Kristen. This week has been pretty bumpy at work. The NY honchos cruised into town and basically made everybody a nervous wreck. Lots of implications that we're not doing a good enough job, which has been a real drag since everybody I work with knocks themselves out. For the purposes of this, however, the news remains good, which is that no matter how much tension there was at the office, I didn't blow things in the food arena. Mary has been sending me to work with PLENTY of food and low cal munchies - I'm LOVIN' the baby carrots (if my pictures start looking orange, somebody please let me know!). I'm extremely fortunate to have the support at home. I have not had to spend a lot of time in food preparation, because Mary has been handling a lot of that, although I do chip in more than I used to. What? What was that? Stopping at the drive-thru doesn't count as food prep time? Well how is that fair? Ok. Guess I am doing more.

 

I've been pretty on track with the exercise thing. Bob step tappin' me through the first 25 minutes of my day does seem to give me something to run on and generally improves my mood a LOT. I was pretty bummed out last night when I got home, but doing the video this morning went a long way towards making the rest of the morning tolerable, if not exactly jolly.

 

I work in consumer relations so I spend a hefty chunk of my time sitting on my butt at a computer getting hollared at for one thing or another. I believe there is a direct correlation between how much you get snapped at every day and how big around you get. I seem to remember hearing about studies, which I have not read, that prove it. All I have to do is look in the mirror and I'm a believer.

 

So I figure the only way to fix that is find ways to externalize that stress. Externalize, Exercise, Exorcise.... whatever it takes. All I know is I'm doing the BL DVD in the morning and walking at lunch. Tomorrow we join the gym and SATURDAY (I'm whistling and looking away and pretending it will never ever come...) is WEIGH IN DAY. I'm kind of freaked out about it because although I have been following the calories suggested by the BL Club and doing the amount of cardio suggested, it seems like a LOT of calories. Also I haven't been doing the strength part of the program, even though back in the day I was a total gym rat and weight lifting was what I loved best. I'm looking forward to joining the gym and hoping that will give that part of my program a bump.

 

The truth is I'm nervous and looking forward to the scale, but I don't want to make this all about numbers, because for me I've got a long way to go. I really want this to be about feeling better and getting my body moving. It's about living past 50 and getting some of the pleasure back into life and out of living. It's a pretty basic thing.

 

So I'm hoping. I'll check in and give you the skinny after I weigh in.... HAHAHAHA.

 

Goodnight for now, all. Thanks for reading.

 

 

Wasn't that a great show last night.  I could feel everyones pain at the weigh in for such low numbers.  They work so hard they have the trainers and all the time and everything and low numbers just sometimes happen.  Atleast it makes me feel better if I have a bad week coming up.  We won club house tickets to watch the Nuggets (basketball) this Friday night and then we have w work party with Kristen's work on saturday.  It seems like so many temptations so soon.  I will try to work the calories into my day.  Want to keep friday night light as Saturdy morning is our second weigh in.  Weekends are already a struggle but I am determined to get the pounds off and reach my goals.  I guess, it would be much easier to sit at home and go to the gym and do nothing else, but eventually you have to jump right into life so this weekend will be the test.

 

It was hard to watch Mallory and her husband go last night they are such genuine people.  It is great to see all they are accomplishing at home though.  I am glad to have the same kind of support at home they did and all of you on this journey, because sometimes modivation is just plain old hard.  Wishing you each a good day!

 

Till next time,

Mary 

Well it has been a good day.  A day of everlasting hunger and many carrots but good.  I am so excited to watch the Biggest Loser tonight.  Kristen and I haven't missed an episode since season one.  Yet, now instead of sitting there cheering all the contestants on while we ate big bowls of ice cream we just cheer them on.  The couples series is so great, because I can really see myself in the people sometimes.  All I can say is---GO BETTE SUE!!

I did it!  I woke up starving at 1:30am and did not follow my stomach.  Drinking water definately helped and changing the scenery---bed to chair.  Got up early did the BL DVD and feel ready for the day.  In fact it was so early I think I did half of the workout before I realized we were halfway through.  What do others do when you wake up in the middle of the night with hunger pains?  They only started the last couple of nights and I have been doing this now for I believe ten days.  All in all I fell on track and good!

Well the first week is behind us and so far I'm feeling pretty good about things. The weekend definitely had it's bumpy spots, including a visit to our favorite Mexican restaurant that left both of us feeling less than great, both physically and mentally. I'm not sure that's the kind of break I need right now in my routine, even though I really do know I have to live in the real world, or what passes for it. Still, maybe that can wait a little! :-)

 

Today I was kind of "crave-y". I blame it on not doing the lite aerobics workout on the BL DVD. That really has been helping wake me up and get me off to a good start along with burning pretty much all my required calories for the day. So even though it's late now, I'll be step-tapping with Bob first thing in the morning. Oy.

 

The good part is that I'm sticking pretty close to the calories and fitness plan and I actually lost three pounds. Three of 'em. I'm pretty darn happy with that. It's the kind of success that makes it easy - or at least easier - to keep doing the right stuff to make this work. I'm 46 years old. It's time to make the changes that will carry me through the rest of my life in the best health possible and give me the greatest shot and having as much life in the life I have left.

 

That's what I'm after.

Thanks for stopping by and cheers for now,

Kristen

Hi again all,

 

I seem to blog about the day before each time I get on here.  This new life style has me in bed pretty early while I adjust.  Yesterday was like an emotional yo-yo.  It must of been from feeling bad about the extra 250 calories on Saturday.  Yet, we went for a mind clearing ride and to the gym in the afternoon and I felt much better.  I sure do love the recumbent bike (or should I say I have a love/hate relationship with it) it burns my muscles so I know I am getting some and it helps nourish my mind, body, and spirit all at once.

 

Today I went grocery shopping.  WOW, living healthy isn't cheap but I am sure it will be worth it.  We emptied all the cupboards when we started so we had to start from scratch.  Little by little I'm sure it won't feel like we have to continue to buy EVERYTHING we need to get through the week from scratch.  It beats not having it and getting a craving for something not in the house and going out and getting it though.  It is actually kind of fun to get all these new foods and think of good, beautiful meals to make with them within our calorie counts for the day.

 

Hope everyone is hanging in there and matching the learning curve of living healthy and having fun doing it.  Till next time.

--Mary

Yesterday we had been officially signed up in the biggest loser club for seven days.  I (Mary) started seven days ago and Kristen four.  We decided we needed to go weigh in and the process was great.  Kristen lost three pounds and I lost four, a total of 2.5 percent body loss for our team.  We hung out at the gym and exercised and tried to figure out if the rec center was going to be our ultimate workout place with the free passes they gave us.  It was a real comfortable place and conveniently located on Kristen's way to work which is a huge incentive.

 

After the gym and weigh in we were starving.  Not wanting to sabotage our "new ways of life" we made sure we took food and the calories we had available off of our meal plans.  We ate that and were still hungry but thought we would just go for a long ride and forget about food for the time being.  Old habits die hard Saturday morning has always been breakfast burrito morning at the best Mexican restaurant around.  We thought well we'd just work it into our meal plans and split one.  We went and both ordered a full order and I ate all of mine and Kristen half of hers.  Then we came home and entered them into our food journals.........probably not the best decision.  All my calories were used up by noon and many of hers.  We still had a couple meals to go to keep our metabalisms up so we did Subway for dinner and stayed more on track.

 

Not sure about everyone else but weekends are the hardest for us.  We are use to going out for drives, going to a restaurant or two,  going through drive thru where we can, and thinking how there isn't much time and the weekend will be over soon.

 

The best thing about yesterday was it was the first real day either of us went off track and we both could really tell the difference in the way we felt.  That being over full feeling you get from eating too much of the wrong stuff just made me want to hang out and do nothing and be nauseus.

 

Anyway,  today is a new day and we are back on track.  Kristen will stick to her 1,800 calories and me to my 1,500 and it will be a good day.  Back to the gym as well later to make up for some of yesterdays calories.