thoughts for thursday: weighing me down.

the one thing that has been on my mind lately is weight loss.  i know, i know, it's on everybody's mind, but i'm serious.  besides work, this is probably the only other thing i hate talking about on my blog.  it's time for a breakthrough baby.

recently, michelle started a cyber fat camp for all of us bloggin' sista's that want to lose some weight and get fit.  i'm super excited about having an online community that is helping to encourage me to reach my goals.  for a long time, my best friend jenn, was my biggest encouragement.  we went to weight watchers together, walked together, and talked about what we ate as well.  she still is in my corner and i can't wait to start exercising with her on a more regular basis.  i also have a lot of people in my family that have done very well with ww.  my aunt was a leader here in town right before i had tucker and for a while after.  her schedule got pretty busy so she doesn't do it anymore, but i know she is still a great source of knowledge.

i'm thinking about really putting it all out there (blog style) like heather did.  that way i won't be the only one holding myself accountable.  kwim?  i think it would be harder to quit when more of you know how much junk is really in my trunk. 

so, my thoughts today are as follows:

1. have you had weight issues in your life?  what was the cause (the freshman 15, pregnancy, heath issues, too many bonbons)? 
2. if so, how did you take control of them?  if not, want to join our club?
3. what is your biggest weakness when it comes to eating right?
4. what is your favorite form of exercise? 
5. what is your favorite healthy snack?

i know that some people don't like talking about all this, but i have to get it out there if i'm going to be serious about this.  ladies, i have 13 months before i have to fit into a bridesmaids dress and look cute.  plus, if i'm planning to get pregnant again, i want my weight under control before we take that step.

my answers to my own questions are as follows:

1. yes.  i thought i was bigger than all my friends throughout school.  maybe it was in my head, maybe not, but i just felt like i would always be the chubby friend.  i gained the freshman 15+.  i always told myself that i would start over again tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.
2. i finally really took control of them in 2004.  i joined ww at the end of that year.  i lost 15+ pounds and felt super good about myself.  then i got pregnant.  i had tucker 7 weeks early so i missed out on the tail end of my weight gain.  i lost my baby weight within four months, but since then, it's all creeped it's way back on my body.  so, i'm going to start ww at home and i've joined the cyber fat camp to have more support.
3. my biggest weakness is diet coke and chocolate.  the worst time of the day is when i am at work.  i have replaced my bad snacks with more healthy options so i'm trying to turn things around there.  also, i'm going to skip all the treats everyone always brings in.  they just are not part of my plan.
4. my favorite form of exercise is walking.  i used to love running, but i think i need to lose some weight to feel good about running again.  what i would really like to do, is go back to my track days and do those workouts - they kicked my ass and it was probably the fittest i have ever been in my life!
5. my favorite healthy snack is fresh fruit.  i love banana's, grapes, watermelon, and apples.  i need to start eating more of these!

well, there you have it.  my brain is consumed with not only losing weight, but just being more healthy in general.  please share your thoughts with me - i know i'm not alone in this ship ladies!

after you leave me a comment, check out these other tft bloggers this week: heather, kristi, nicole, emilie, heather, zoe, and jessica.   

Comments

[Kim]

weight issues... nothing major. yeah i've had times where i thought i needed to lose a few lbs... like i distinctly remember thinking that back in high school and then years later looking at a picture of myself in my cheerleading skirt and i couldn't believe those were my skinny legs. what was i thinking? anyway. i've never really had issues, and i don't think i'm a very insecure person, so, that helps me out a bit.

basically i'm close to my pre-preg weight, but definitely not my pre-preg body. oohhhh no. the year before i got pregnant i worked out and ran a half-marathon. i had muscle. now, i'm SOOO out of shape. and even though i way the same i'm way bigger. yeah, i need to fix that now before #2... i had a really easy pregnancy the first time around and i'm thinking part of that had to do with being in great shape going in.

everyone else seems to have issues with college, but dang, i thought that was my best time! when else do you have all that TIME to work out? holy crap... meg and i used to go to the gym and lift together for an hour and then i'd spend another hour doing cardio. i definitely didn't eat well, but i was in the best shape of my life in college.

weakness... hmm i think my husband is my weakness! :) it's hard because he eats whatever he wants and i end up eating with him!

exercise... i actually like to work out. lifting, running, walking, elliptical, stairmaster, pilates, yoga... oh, i belly danced for a few years and haven't done that since halfway through my pregnancy.

snacks... popcorn is a good one! fruit. i love those little wedges of laughing cow cheese, yum. i bring one of those to work with one serving of crackers or chips. yogurt. i'm loving those ghiradelli dark chocolate squares right now... esp the mint ones... they are individually wrapped, i bring one to work to have after my lunch because i NEED something sweet after i eat. dark chocolate is so much more satisfying.

wow could i write any more?

[Jill]

I was quite un-athletic from about ages 16 to 27. I was never really involved in sports and never made exercise or working out any part of a daily routine. I was the heaviest I've ever been when I graduated from college in 1999. I lost a little in the next few years, trying to work out at Curves, and then gained a lot back by 2004. Then I had just had it. I paid a bunch of money and did LA Weight Loss for 4 months. It changed my life. I have been able to maintain the same weight and jean size for the past 3.5 years, and although it took me close to a year after my son's birth to get to pre-pregnancy weight (mine did not come off easily), I am back to where I want to be now. (My body changed immensely and none of my pre-preg jeans/pants fit me afterwards although I'm about the same size.)
I work out 3-4 times a week at the Y and although I eat too many sweets, I limit my carb intake throughout the week and try to get my fruits and veggies in daily.

I could be better at it, but I know that I have been comfortable with my weight for awhile now, and I feel blessed for that. But I also know that maintaining weight is a lifetime struggle and its not an easy thing to do.

[gina]

I have a WW post brewing right now talking about this very subject. Then, I thought maybe no one cared. So I'll post here instead.

1. I've struggled with my body image my whole life. I was a swimmer in high school, very average but in shape. I never liked by body but I didn't hate it either. Then I went to college and gained the freshman 15 and followed that up with the sophomore 15. Someone took a picture of me the day I graduated college and I cried for days when I saw it. It wasn't me.
2. I joined a gym, joined WW and lost the 30 and then some. I was the thinnest and happiest I've ever been when I got married. Then I got pregnant. I have lost all but five of my baby pounds but I have also lost a LOT muscle so I think the actual number of baby pounds lingering is a lot higher. The problem is that I have no motivation. I talk a lot about losing it again but I don't do it. Sign me up for the club. Will you come over and force me to do it? I'm afraid that it has come down to that.
3. My biggest weakness is cheese. Hands down. I love cheese.
4. I like to walk, elliptical, do pilates. Or at least I used to. Now I just want to sit on the couch in silence when I actually get 30 minutes to myself.
5. I like fruit and Fiber One bars. I don't know if they are healthy or not but I don't care. They are a necessity.

[Hollie]

I think the biggest problem for me is putting my foot down and having some willpower. I have not really had too many weight issues per say... just fat issues. I would really like to work out more and get rid of the creeping cellulite. All this sitting in a chair all day long before moving to the dinner table and to bed is not doing the trick. As long as i am not mega busy I can get to the gym. I find it helpful to have a workout buddy who will encourage/guilt me into getting it done. So another week almost down, but may be starting tomorrow will actually start tomorrow sometime soon!!

[April (Mrs. Velvet Cak)]

I've had plenty of weight issues. I've recently lost 40lbs. by walking. I used to go to the gym all of the time and when I stopped going, I gained something like 53lbs.
My favorite healthy snack: Special K Bars. The only fruit that I eat is bananas.

[Robyn]

Shoot sorry for posting twice, I couldn't figure out how to delete the first one.

[Robyn]

1. I gained more than the freshman 15, and since I wasn't playing sports anymore, I wasn't getting any exercise, unless you count walking to class or to the kegger 10 blocks away. I just started to get a grip just before I found out I was pregnant and then I proceeded to gain at least 50 pounds with my daughter.
2. After she was born I said, I gotta do something, I have to be a role model here. I really started reading labels and walking. I lost about 60 pound so far. The baby weight plus 20.
3. I'm with you on the diet coke and chocolate, but I only eat dark chocolate now. I love ice cream too.
4. I enjoy walking outside when it is nice, which is my problem now, I hate walking at work. We are able to essentially mall walk on our breaks. I'd like to start running this summer, and maybe start some strength training.
5. Apples, raw almonds, bananas, grapes.

[Jaime]

1. No MAJOR weight issues. Well.... college was a little rocky:) It was all the beer. And then after too much beer, it was chips and pizza. Then the next day, for the heart burn, it was all this food to push the burn back down.
2. I really don't think people can lose healthy weight if they consume alcohol on a regular basis. I want somebody to prove me wrong. Since I can't/don't want to drink like that anymore, I haven't had a prob with weight gain.
3. Biggest weakness is probably eating at night. After the kids go down, I want to snack on chips and sweets. Not so good.
4. I don't exercise. I lift kids all day and run around with my head cut off. But I want to work out because I know that my back needs it.
5. Coffee. Totally curbs my appetite. Um, I don't think that qualifies as healthy:)

[Emilie]

Well in Highschool, I was extremely active...I played lots of sports and such, and I stayed about the same weight throughout. 3 years after highshcool, I am 8 pounds heavier then I was... I think its just because Im not doing as much as I was.

I joined a gym. Its 20 miles away from my house. I never go. Its a waste of money. I am thinking about ending my membership. Yah its only 20 bucks, but I could save that money. Plus its getting warmer...and I am an outdoors type of girl. I love being outside... So I like to walk, and play tennis and do stuff like that.

My biggest weakness... POPCORN and pop. I love popcorn...YUM and I love an ice cold Coke with it! :)

My favorite healthy snack...I like fruit and veggies....always have.

I guess I am an average size..not skinny but not obese. Yes there are things I would like to change, but I guess my thinking is I am what I am...I just try to make the best of it...

[Heather S.]

I am with Jessica that I have never really had weight issues - body issues, yes. I also have ALWAYS worked out. I played soccer for years - year round, ran track, and just worked out a lot. I definitely feel like I have to work really hard to stay at the weight that I am. Plus, I have certainly had dry spells and times where I can see weight beginning to creep on- like after c-sections it was hard to get going, but once I do, I always love it.
Chocolate and Starbucks Peppermint Mochas are my biggest weaknesses.
I enjoy running- right now, I am getting ready to run in a 5 mile St. Patrick's Day run. I also really enjoy strength training. I have been going to a trainer and the workouts I have gotten from her are excellent - she also keeps me accountable.
I would also like to be consistent about eating healthy food - not snack so much while my girls are napping.
My favorite healthy snack would be red grapes and low-fat vanilla yogurt with berries.

[stacy]

1.no problems with weight until after high school (i guess that means the freshman 15) and after a while i felt comfortable with my weight but now after emily i can't even look at myself in a mirror
2. i don't know how to control my eating habits right now, sometimes i still eat like i'm preggo and i would love to join your club, sign me up!
3.my biggest weakness=anything sweet...oh and i am an emotional eater :(
4.i love to walk, i love to lift weights, pilates, yoga
5.i LOVE fruit but hate the fact that winter provides us with crappy fruit

[jenny's momma]

i think you should join that weight place in town. you and buddy jen! it's open 24/7, you should try it for one month anyway. and give up the chocolate. you can do it honey. then get into the walking again. go down to the track, it'll make you feel young (ha,ha)again and walking around the track you could keep track of how far you walk. or walk around town. eat fruits and vegies!!!

[michelle]

Well, I've always been thin, up until I was pregnant with Annika. I gained 50 pounds, and only lost about 25 of those. I look back at videos and pics and I want to throw up. I look thinner 9 months pregnant now, than after I had her. Ewwww. So, those are my issues. I want to be thin again and feel good about myself. I like exercising, running, lifting, pilates, it's just a matter of motivation. We can do this! We will be thin again!

[Kristi S]

I have gained a dramatic amount of weight in the 8 years since I quite smoking and since I've been with E. I hate to blame him, but he encourages unhealthy choices and I have just followed along :( Its sad because my family is pretty health conscious and his is NOT. I have learned really bad habits from him. I used to love to dance and I rarely do that anymore. I HAVE to get back into a health kick, this challenge is just what I needed.

[Denise H.]

AWESOME SUBJECT! This has been consuming my mind a lot lately and I was actually going to start something on my blog about it. I lack motivation!

1: I have always had a poor outlook on myself. In highschool I was never overweight on the scale, what I saw was a different story and I actually battled with Anorexia and Bulimia throughout highschool. Now since getting married and discontinuing teaching dance, I have put on the Lazy Happy Weight Gain of marriage. I have about 20 pounds to lose and no motivation whatsoever to get it done.

2: I would love to join your club. I am going to have to check it out!

3: I am a BIG SUCKER for Potato Chips, French Fries and Diet Pepsi. YES... I tried quitting Diet Pepsi for a while but I got stuck back on it!

4: I LOVE to jog or walk on the treadmill. It is just making myself walk downstairs to do it.

5: I LOVE sugar snap pees and steamed vegetables.

[heather]

Well, I touched on a lot of this on my blog, but here's my scoop:
1&2- For the most part, I was always thinner. Not 'skinny', but not ever chubby either. Through no effort of my own. It was nice. Then when I was 25, I broke up with a boyfriend of 6 years and lost almost 20lbs through the stress of that. The following year I met and married my husband... gaining that all back, plus some. When I got married I was probably 10 over where I wanted to be. And then I managed to get pregnant right away. I gained 50lbs, lost 45 of that in the two years before I got pregnant again, and then topped out at the same weight the second time around. After the last time I lost probably 40 of it easily. That's the thing... I've never had to work to get it off... whether it was depression or post baby, it just came off easily and I never had to do the work for it. Now I have the extra 10 from when I got married, 10 leftover from the two pregnancies, and for the past 6 months the scale has been creeping up to another 10 more. It's not going away on it's own this time, so now it's time to work for it.
3- my biggest weakness is probably a toss up between ice cream and snacking too much. When I'm home much of the day, it's too easy to snack on whatever. Mostly carbs or sweets and that's the problem.
4- I like walking. I hate running and I really don't care for working out... I like to find ways to work out that don't seem like working out. I do love water aerobics for that reason... you get out of the water and realize, "Hey! That was a really good workout!", without the sweating and the feeling like you're being tortured while you're doing it.
5- favorite snack would be fresh fruit and veggies. I also found this new Special K Protein water mix that you put in a bottle of water... it's got protein and fiber in it so it's filling, but no sugars and only 30 calories. And they're really yummy! They totally tide me over to the next meal.

[amy]

we CAN do this. it will be fun doing it together. i couldn't think of a funner way to eat healthy and lose weight. peace out!

your fellow,
camper

[Hope]

I'm in the process of attempting to lose 20 pounds. I was about halfway there, but I backslid a bit. :( I've lost about 8 pounds and I have 12 or so to go. I've gone down one dress size.

It's been damn hard lately, because I've been stressed and I tend to be an emotional eater. One unintended side effect is that eating right has cleared up a lot of depression and anxiety issues.

To answer your questions:

1. I used to be tiny (tiny!). Then I got stressed in college, stopped eating, lost 15 pounds, started eating, started taking medication, gained 30 pounds. I've been miserable about my body ever since. I'm a lot happier with my body these days than I used to be.

2. I would love to join your club! ;)

3. I get stressed out and go for chocolate. My main problem is, if there are sweets in our apartment, I will eat them. I've had to banish chocolate/dessert/etc. Unfortunately, we've been bad about having that stuff around lately. I need to work on my will-power.

4. I've been taking a hip hop abs class at the gym. It's so much fun, I forget that I'm working out. I also love doing yoga and I'm learning to love jogging.

5. I love luna bars. They've got some chocolate in them, but they're low-glycemic so I don't eat one and then get hungry 15 minutes later. I've also been loving grapes lately.

[Jessica]

well, i have never had weight issues. body issues, yes, weight, no ;)
i would like to join the club just to eat healthier. i have such terrible energy from eating high sugar snacks, and while my body seems to do fine with them in terms of not gaining weight, well, i know they're not good for me, now or in the long run. my favorite exercise would be walking, too, but it needs to be with a friend! favorite healthy snack would also be fresh fruits. and i love veggies but they don't always love me.