69 replies to this topic

[ItsScubaJen]

I'm in! Identifying very specific goals is difficult for me because I am overwhelmed at the amount of work ahead of me. I definitely need to lose weight, but I have some broader life changes I need to make to be successful. Over the past couple of years, my work-life balance has shifted so greatly to the "work" side that I don't even recognize myself at times. I've made a commitment to myself that in 2013 I will restore the balance and better my quality of life. For me, that means the following:
1) begin an exercise routine
2) read more books
3) rejoin Weight Watchers
4) work to live, rather than live to work
5) DIVE MORE!

[grim reefer]

I'll join. I do think it's important to have measurable, quantifiable goals. I already started my new more physical routine at the start of the fiscal year. I have a little flab around the middle but I don't have any weight goals. The weight will take care of itself. Physically, I want to be able average 3.0 mph hiking the Moore's loop trail. I did 2.1 mph last time. To achieve 3.0 I will need to improve both cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. Nutitionally, I already eat well but I could use to reduce my consumption of alcoholic beverages. I want to cut my consumption of alcohol by 40% from it's peak last spring.

[WreckWench]

Ok I fell off the wagon for a few days...been traveling and struggling to get everything done by year end. Helps you realize just how important stress plays in our eating habits...

and while a few of us don't eat when we are stressed...MOST of us eat more and do so in a very unconscience manner. I will start a topic on the best ways beat stress without eating!

In the meantime I also reconfirmed the long standing adage that you should NEVER skip meals or you will just gorge or devour more calories later...and I certainly did that yesterday and I know better.

I also broke the third well known adage whereby I went shopping hungry and so my nearly perfect trifecta of FAILED dieting and healthy lifestyle disciplines railroaded me for the past couple of days.

Now I'm at a crossroads as we all are...I can throw in the towel and 'just wait for the New Year' claiming it won't make that much difference anyway... actually it could result is about another 5+ pounds of damage...

OR


I can start fresh remembering that we all fall off the wagon and its better to get back on sooner vs later...

So help me choose the latter and share your successes and slipups...

[Diver Ed]

If it wasnt so easy to fall off the wagon, we would all be in great shape. Just remember that it goes on very easy, and takes at least ten times longer to take it off. I know I will have a bad week next week, as my girlfriend is working Christmas afternoon, and wants to do a brunch in the morning. I never do very well in those situations. Even if you cant stay on the wagon all the time, the more time you are on it, the further you will get.

Ok I fell off the wagon for a few days...been traveling and struggling to get everything done by year end. Helps you realize just how important stress plays in our eating habits...

and while a few of us don't eat when we are stressed...MOST of us eat more and do so in a very unconscience manner. I will start a topic on the best ways beat stress without eating!

In the meantime I also reconfirmed the long standing adage that you should NEVER skip meals or you will just gorge or devour more calories later...and I certainly did that yesterday and I know better.

I also broke the third well known adage whereby I went shopping hungry and so my nearly perfect trifecta of FAILED dieting and healthy lifestyle disciplines railroaded me for the past couple of days.

Now I'm at a crossroads as we all are...I can throw in the towel and 'just wait for the New Year' claiming it won't make that much difference anyway... actually it could result is about another 5+ pounds of damage...

OR


I can start fresh remembering that we all fall off the wagon and its better to get back on sooner vs later...

So help me choose the latter and share your successes and slipups... />

[Buzo Guero]

My first step in the New Year has been to swear off the alcohol for a minimum of one month. Will re-assess on February 4th. Have been dry since returning from San Sal. It's a solid first step & ought to allow me to get back to a regular workout routine once I shed a few lbs.

Happy New Year, everyone!

/>

[WreckWench]

Tim that is a GREAT new year's resolution and health resolution! And you'll save enough money to pay for another dive trip!

Keep us apprised regularly... I'm even going to bite the bullet and weigh myself and report in. Although weight is only relative to your lean body mass. I'd rather be heavy with LOTS of muscle then 'lighter' with more fat.

Join the effort everyone...we need to stick together...

We are only as young as we'll EVER be at this very moment...so lets make it all better by taking better care of ourselves!

[WreckWench]

Have had a great last 7 days or so...have been slowly getting back to eating ONLY healthy food and my cravings for sweets have subsided, my cravings for salt has subsided and my cravings for starches/carbs/grains has subsided.

Breakfast & lunch is a smoothie of fruit, flax, other particular ingredients along with some sort of plant based milk and ice blended to taste like a frosty milkshake.

Afternoon snack is more fruit...pomergranates are in season and delicious...plus they force you to eat them SLOWLY and they are full of fiber due to the seeds. Sometimes my afternoon snack is something else i.e veggies or some almonds, walnuts or pecans. MAKE SURE THEY ARE RAW otherwise they are NOT healthy.

Then dinner is loaded with veggies usually cooked into something like soup or a veggies pizza or grilled or even stuffed into other veggies. This gives me LOTS of food to eat, is super tasty if you season it with curry powder, or fresh herbs, or italian seasoning, or cumin or whatever combo you like. Be adventuresome. Add some lentils, or beans as protein. Try a little fish or very little meat. You are guaranteed to loose weight AND IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH 100% if you eat at least 50-100% predominately plant based.

Also I'm building up my energy to start exercising...one hurdle at a time. I am hyperfocused on my eating first, other health positive habits like flossing daily, and reading about how to grow YOUNGER every year. Yep I wrote that correctly. (I'll be sharing excerpts from that and some other amazing books I'm reading on the power of food, oxygen and exercise for busy, tired, out-of-shape people.)

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm taking this seriously and as some of you saw on the San Sal trip I have lost about 10-15 pounds already. Now to build more lean body mass and improve overall fitness and health AND improve my diet even more.

[Buzo Guero]

Down 5 lbs. since returning from San Sal & BP is WAY down. That is definitely motivation to continue. At this rate, I ought to be down another 10-15 lbs. by the time I see my doctor again in early Feb. />

[scubachick43]

Well like of you I have fallen off the wagon myself. SLowerly working on getting back in the groove.

--Carolyn

[Buzo Guero]

Two weeks down & all is well! I haven't been on a scale since I went to the doctor last week, though I can tell I continue to shed lbs. I'm going to wait until I see him again on 2/13 to get back on a scale. My feeling is that I'm probably going to extend the "alcohol-free" experience, perhaps another month, or more. Of course, I may jump off the wagon for my birthday, which is on a Satuday this year. />

Keep up the good work, all!!! I'd love to hear how everyone is doing, so far, in 2013.

/>

[Sharklover]

That's great Buzo!

It is going well here too! One of my dietary goals was to give up wheat and other processed grains. I am not trying to go cold turkey, it is more of a phase out, as I am not going to throw out perfectly good food. But it is nearly gone, and eliminating it has become intuitive and easy when dining out. Life without bread and pasta and such is just fine, though more expensive. Life without beer is tougher. But I am with you, alcohol is sugar to our bodies, and not helpful. So it remains occasional.

Lost my exercise way due to working too much. Getting much more consistent with exercise and have found an outdoor exercise partner to help motivate both of us. That has made a big difference. Have restarted with my crazy trainer which is NOT easy! And NOT cheap. But he makes me do things that I am pretty sure no human ever makes themselves do. He is a BEAST. So pretty soon those tanks toting muscles will be back in shape again.

Not weighing myself, but keeping a diet/exercise log to see if the changes I make correlate with something good in the way I feel, in faster times, in greater strength, etc.

[Buzo Guero]

Nice work, Leslie!!!

After 6 years of exercising religiously, 6 days a week, this year (2012) has thrown a number of challenges my way. Pneumonia, the worst allergies ever, multiple surgeries on my foot, back problems & lifelong knee issues, I, basically, find myself back at square one, though a lot healther & in much better shape. Honestly, probably not enough rest days worked in, over those times. 2012 was a time for me to slow down & listen to my body & let it rest.

The hiatus from alcohol is to get me back to a place where I can, consistently, get back to my regular hiking & lifting routine. I was pushing way too hard & forcing myself to "get back out there" way too early to allow myself to heal, properly. Now, once I get 10-20 lbs. off from refraining from drinking, I'll be able to ramp back up to a regular routine. Listening to my body, not being so unforgiving with myself & recognizing the natural changes that I am going through are all a part of that process. Also, coming to grips with the fact that my "perfect body" is probably behind me for the duration. Everything in moderation, including moderation.

Best of luck & best wishes.

[WreckWench]

Been hesitant to weigh in either...its only a number that is immaterial in many ways since muscle weighs more than fat.

You do need to benchmark your progress so I have some relative starting weights and more importantly measurements. I expect to reduce my body fat and clothes size...so what I weigh is irrelevant if I am the size I want to be.

Stressing over getting all the trips posted...its a tedious process not to mention SLOW AND BORING...makes my brain hurt...but I gotta do it so I'm trying to insert 5 mins of quick exercise to clear the brain and who knows...add up to some toning and calorie burning.

Thinking of getting a small bicycle pedaling device for under my desk to pedal while I work or at least while I'm on the phone.

[WreckWench]

Hey gang...DON'T FORGET SLEEP!!!

You gotta get enough rest...usually 8+ hours of sleep. I know...you can't sleep that long but here are the consequences of not enough sleep:

1. You will overeat to stay awake and/or make bad food choices
2. You will consume too much caffeine to stay away and then later fight sleep after drinking too much of it.
3. You will be more prone to injury or will not recover from exercising properly to allow the body to heal.
4. Did you know most people are too tired to exercise? Get caught up on sleep and the energy to exercise usually returns.
5. Lack of sleep produces more stress in our lives and leaves us less prepared to deal with it.
6. Lack of sleep produces more cortisol (THE REALLY BAD STUFF) simply because you are tired and stressed. (SEE A CONNECTION HERE???)
7. Lack of sleep makes us susceptible to colds and the flu.
8. Lack of sleep PREVENTS the body from healing properly when you are injured or sick.

So getting the proper amount of rest will help you HEAL, LOSE WEIGHT, HAVE MORE ENERGY, BE HEALTHEIR, BE HAPPIER & LESS STRESSED & HEAL FASTER!!!

WOW!! All of that from something as simple as sleep... try to get at least an hour more each day even if you can't get all you need.

Who's up for adding more sleep to their 2013 Resolutions????

[Sharklover]

What Kamala said! All medically true!

Hey gang...DON'T FORGET SLEEP!!!

You gotta get enough rest...usually 8+ hours of sleep. I know...you can't sleep that long but here are the consequences of not enough sleep:

1. You will overeat to stay awake and/or make bad food choices
2. You will consume too much caffeine to stay away and then later fight sleep after drinking too much of it.
3. You will be more prone to injury or will not recover from exercising properly to allow the body to heal.
4. Did you know most people are too tired to exercise? Get caught up on sleep and the energy to exercise usually returns.
5. Lack of sleep produces more stress in our lives and leaves us less prepared to deal with it.
6. Lack of sleep produces more cortisol (THE REALLY BAD STUFF) simply because you are tired and stressed. (SEE A CONNECTION HERE???)
7. Lack of sleep makes us susceptible to colds and the flu.
8. Lack of sleep PREVENTS the body from healing properly when you are injured or sick.

So getting the proper amount of rest will help you HEAL, LOSE WEIGHT, HAVE MORE ENERGY, BE HEALTHEIR, BE HAPPIER & LESS STRESSED & HEAL FASTER!!!

WOW!! All of that from something as simple as sleep... try to get at least an hour more each day even if you can't get all you need.

Who's up for adding more sleep to their 2013 Resolutions????