Weight loss

elannis

So I'm trying SparkPeople and it seems to work when I follow it, but I used to have one number to aim for: 29 points. Now I have a range and I'm having a hard time staying in it because it's more flexible. Does that make sense? lol ... This week I'm going to designate a number of calories to stick under for days I work out and a number for days that I don't work out and see if that helps.

Also, I've decided that I want to save up and get part of a tattoo when I hit my original goal (160 pounds) and then get the other part when I reach my ultimate goal (145). I'm only a handful of pounds from my first goal, but I have been for quite a while, so this is harder than it seems, lol. Wish me luck.

Also, I said I'd post about my WW and losing weight, but I want to hear from you guys too. So when I post these, let me know how you all are doing with your weight loss efforts! Please and thank you!

P.S. No workout for me today because any time I move I get intense stomach cramps. I must have eaten something that didn't agree with me. : /

motoLyn

I used to use Alli when I started my diet, I lost about 2 pounds a week.  My goal was to lose 40 pounds which I achieved in about 6 months.  I maintained it with regular exercise and healthy eating.   I gained some of it back when I was stressing to finish my masters program and buying a house.  So now I have a new goal of losing 10 pounds by just getting back to eating healthy and staying active.

I am taking the day off because I just did a mud run/obstacle course on Saturday and it killed me.  The muscles over my ribs are even sore.  But I have kick boxing tomorrow.  These posts keep me in check about keeping active.  Thanks for posting them!

[Deleted User]

I've used Spark to track foods before and I love it! I don't do WW, so I don't watch "points", but I know what you mean about ranges being tougher to stick to. Maybe pick a points value in the middle of your range to stick to, then if you're dying to go over a couple days it's no biggie, but in your head you do have a limit. Might help.

I have been actively watching what I eat and exercising at least 5x per week. I weigh myself on Wednesdays, but as of last Wed. I was down 6.4 lbs in 2 weeks. I'm hoping to be down 7.5 this week, but we'll see. I'm already feeling a ton better, i've noticed my stamina increasing in such a short time and I've taking up running at the dog park...so Remi and I both get our exercise in together! I've also given up soda completely.

Sorry you're not feeling well Elanis. I think the tattoo is an awesome idea...and I know you'll get there! The closer you get to your goal, the harder it gets.

pockysquirrel

Stopped WW, took a week off due to not feeling well (and promptly put 3 pounds back on, argh), and officially started Spark today. At present I'm at 152, down 6 from my start weight and 12 away from my goal weight of 140. I'm usually in the gym 60-70 minutes 3-4 days per week and have found that makes more of a difference than what I eat.

I'm a little wary of Spark, at first impression. It seems to be giving me permission for a higher calorie count than I think I should have? But as PP have said, it is a range, and I think I'll be sticking to the lower end of it. 

elannis

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weight-loss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7ea2ae7-0ce3-490b-8b4d-3dc3d6f04fe7Post:b5a03ae6-ed79-4160-91fd-f40b1dbbf052">Re: Weight loss</a>:
[QUOTE]I used to use Alli when I started my diet, I lost about 2 pounds a week.  My goal was to lose 40 pounds which I achieved in about 6 months.  I maintained it with regular exercise and healthy eating.   I gained some of it back when I was stressing to finish my masters program and buying a house.  So now I have a new goal of losing 10 pounds by just getting back to eating healthy and staying active. I am taking the day off because I just did a <strong>mud run/obstacle course</strong> on Saturday and it killed me.  The muscles over my ribs are even sore.  But I have <strong>kick boxing</strong> tomorrow.  These posts keep me in check about keeping active.  Thanks for posting them!
Posted by motoLyn[/QUOTE]

You have awesome workouts! lol. It sounds like a lot of fun. I'm going to have to try one of those mud run/obstacle course things some time. And thanks for sharing because it's easier for me to stay on track when I know I'm not doing it alone! :)

elannis

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weight-loss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7ea2ae7-0ce3-490b-8b4d-3dc3d6f04fe7Post:fad8a3ef-3e8e-4b88-8910-a8994d566db2">Re: Weight loss</a>:
[QUOTE]I've used Spark to track foods before and I love it! I don't do WW, so I don't watch "points", but I know what you mean about ranges being tougher to stick to. Maybe pick a points value in the middle of your range to stick to, then if you're dying to go over a couple days it's no biggie, but in your head you do have a limit. Might help. I have been actively watching what I eat and exercising at least 5x per week. I weigh myself on Wednesdays, but as of last Wed. I was down 6.4 lbs in 2 weeks. I'm hoping to be down 7.5 this week, but we'll see. I'm already feeling a ton better, i've noticed my stamina increasing in such a short time and I've taking up running at the dog park...so Remi and I both get our exercise in together! I've also given up soda completely. Sorry you're not feeling well Elanis. I think the tattoo is an awesome idea...and I know you'll get there! The closer you get to your goal, the harder it gets.
Posted by allusive007[/QUOTE]


I think I'd have more fun running if I could have a dog to do it with. And I think I will try picking a certain goal and stick to it. Thanks and you're definitely right. The weight seems to be like good friends with my body. Doesn't want to let go now, lol.

lunarsongbird

Woot, Woot! Allusive- You're rocking it!!

elannis

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weight-loss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7ea2ae7-0ce3-490b-8b4d-3dc3d6f04fe7Post:6cef8a80-be97-4e4f-8f3f-a1d45f1f0bc5">Re: Weight loss</a>:
[QUOTE]You're doing awesome! I, too, have trouble with ranges. I think your idea about one number for workout days and one number for off days is great. I want to see the tattoo you are going to get! That is also my "reward" when I get down to my goal weight.
Posted by LivLeighton[/QUOTE]

Thanks! I feel better with different ranges for different days because I burn a ton of calories when I workout and I work at a desk so when I don't work out, I'm not very active.

I don't know exactly what I want yet, but I'm thinking a triquetra with the phrase "Never, never, never give up" in morse code. I want it to be a hidden message that few understand, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a design. Also having a hard time coming up with a location. BF is not too fond of tattoos but understands the importance of this one. What are you going to get?

elannis

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weight-loss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7ea2ae7-0ce3-490b-8b4d-3dc3d6f04fe7Post:4906c9e3-f8e5-4bcd-8772-1bde8b965d1d">Re: Weight loss</a>:
[QUOTE]Stopped WW, took a week off due to not feeling well (and promptly put 3 pounds back on, argh), and officially started Spark today. At present I'm at 152, down 6 from my start weight and 12 away from my goal weight of 140. I'm usually in the gym 60-70 minutes 3-4 days per week and have found that makes more of a difference than what I eat. I'm a little wary of Spark, at first impression. It seems to be giving me permission for a higher calorie count than I think I should have? But as PP have said, it is a range, and I think I'll be sticking to the lower end of it. 
Posted by pockysquirrel[/QUOTE]

I'm actually not following the range they gave me. I went and found a BMR calculator so I follow that instead. It calculates how much a person typically burns in a day and the amount they burn if they workout and shows you how much you need to eat to maintain and where you should aim if you're looking to lose.

<a href="http://www.fitwatch.com/qkcalc/weight-loss-calculator.php" rel="nofollow">http://www.fitwatch.com/qkcalc/weight-loss-calculator.php</a>

It's a lot more than I was eating with WW, but I still lose weight when I follow it. It's still a rouge guage, since I don't have a heart rate monitor/calorie counter, but it works. I don't remember how SparkPeople figures out their numbers.

elannis

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weight-loss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7ea2ae7-0ce3-490b-8b4d-3dc3d6f04fe7Post:034fa4da-9042-4179-8086-b630a042ff93">Re: Weight loss</a>:
[QUOTE]I love the tattoo idea!  I plan to get another one when I pass my qualifying exam...mayeb we'll all get them together :) I sometimes use SparkPeople for the articles and recipes and just to make sure I'm staying on track since I've reached my goal weight.  I hope your stomach feels better...I haaate when that happens.  Today I definitely need to do my run because yesterday was full of beer and pizza.
Posted by laurenb09[/QUOTE]

How many do you have now? I have 2 on my feet area, but I can't figure out where I want my goal tattoo to be. I had pizza yesterday too, but we made it, so I was able to track everything. Did that keep me from having an extra piece. No it did not. Maybe that's why my stomach hurts today, lol. It would be cool if we all got the tattoos at the same time though!

elannis

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weight-loss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7ea2ae7-0ce3-490b-8b4d-3dc3d6f04fe7Post:ca4b9d6c-d755-4151-9431-f0650b548488">Re: Weight loss</a>:
[QUOTE]I have one on my foot and I want to get "fall seven times" on my left wrist and "stand up eight" on my right.  I wish we would have had homemade pizza last night, I would feel a lot less gross right now.  I didn't eat all that much but oh man did i have a lot of beer.
Posted by laurenb09[/QUOTE]

That's a cool idea for a tattoo!! I have never been a beer drinker. My downfall is wine; I don't drink a ton of wine, but when I do have a glass or two (big glasses), it makes me want to shove everything in the kitchen into my mouth, lol.

elannis

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weight-loss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7ea2ae7-0ce3-490b-8b4d-3dc3d6f04fe7Post:5ac3a978-5c11-429f-986c-d5e709aa69be">Re: Weight loss</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Weight loss : Love that idea! I'm going to get this: It means "While I breathe, I hope," in Latin. It also happens to be the state motto for SC, a place very important to BF and me. I'm going to get it on my left ribcage. BF doesn't super love the idea of a tattoo either, but understands the importance of this for me. Also, he has one so he doesn't really have a leg to stand on!
Posted by LivLeighton[/QUOTE]

Haha, yeah, you can't knock tattoos if you have one yourself. I love your idea. I also love that script. I'd like to get something on my ribs, but BF vetoed that idea, lol. He doesn't have one but has played around with the idea. He keeps telling me that he loves my skin the way it is and doesn't want it hidden behind ink, lol. Hard to argue with that. We'll come up with something though.

motoLyn

Doesn't have to be anything that big.  As long as it is meaningful. 

elannis

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weight-loss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7ea2ae7-0ce3-490b-8b4d-3dc3d6f04fe7Post:5d62a9be-73c0-4b82-ba79-55f5738445be">Re: Weight loss</a>:
[QUOTE]Doesn't have to be anything that big.  As long as it is meaningful. 
Posted by motoLyn[/QUOTE]

Yeah, this is how I feel. I think he's worried because he doesn't know what I want yet, so he's worried it's going to be huge, lol. I told him it'll be about the same size as my other 2, but he worries a lot, lol. I am not getting anything until I figure out what I want though and it has to be perfect because I don't want to regret it later. So he has time. Also there's that part about me actually losing the weight ... so, yeah he has time, lol.

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weight-loss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:d7ea2ae7-0ce3-490b-8b4d-3dc3d6f04fe7Post:71bef320-0a61-4d4b-983b-9022b2bcdc96">Re: Weight loss</a>:
[QUOTE]Woot, Woot! Allusive- You're rocking it!!
Posted by lunarsongbird[/QUOTE]

Aw...thanks Lunar! I certainly haven't been perfect, but I'm working on it...and I am making progress.

Elannis, it really does help having a dog to run with. I am absolutely NOT a runner by nature, but I'm trying to get my butt moving at least 5 days a week. I go to the gym for various classes 3x a week, so that means at least 2 days I have to get creative. The weather has been so nice that it's great to be outside. Plus, I have a more relaxing night if the dog is tired...so that's motivating too!

NurseyK

I've used sparkpeople, too. It's really helpful, but tedious to keep up.

elannis

Allusive: I do Insanity 5-6 days a week and usually bike on the days that I don't (we like biking on the weekends), and that's fun, but it gets a little repetitive, so I'd like to get back into running. I used to run with my parents' dog when I lived back home, but he had his hips broken when he got hit by a car as a pup so he can't go more than 2 or 3 miles.  But other than his occasional dead stop to smell a bug or walking in front of me, it was great, lol.

Nursey: I pretty much eat a lot of the same kinds of food and don't ever eat out, so it's not too bad for me so far. And I'm used to tracking with WW, so that might help too, lol.

elannis

Well with fruits and veggies being free, I would eat a ton of those and I drink a lot of water, so I wasn't hungry often. Actually, I would limit myself to 27 points a day because I was afraid of underestimating something that I measured or something like that. When I started tracking on SparkPeople along with WW, I noticed I was getting about 1400 to 1600 calories a day, but for as often as I work out, it was very much so not enough food for me. Now I aim for 1800 to 2000. I can eat a lot more, although I have to count fruits and vegetables now, and I still lose weight. I always thought people that ate their APs were crazy, but now I see why it works. I would always say to listen to your body though, with whatever you do, and if you feel it's not good for you, then you should readjust and see how that works, and keep going until you find something that does work.

pockysquirrel

Ely - Thanks for that link! It'll be super helpful to have a second opinion, so to speak.