Weigh In Wednesday

Wednesday is here again!

Angie took a sabbatical, so now that she's back, let's see what's up.

Angie's Starting Weight: 221.4

Angie's Previous Weight: 216.5

Angie's Current Weight: 217.4

Weekly Gain/Loss: +.9 lbs

Overall Gain/Loss: -4.0 lbs

Stress........is a bitch. To be honest, I am stunned that I didn't gain more than that in the 3 weeks since my last weigh in. I'm a stress eater and if there's one thing that's been in abundance in my life for the last month is STRESS. My hubby had major surgery last week (following months of serious pain), our old house (that our renters abandoned) still sits on the market, and my job situation is less than desirable at the moment. STRESS!!! I think the only reason I didn't gain more is from the sheer fact that I've been so busy & exhausted that I just didn't have time to eat. But, when I did eat, I only chose from the candy or carb food groups. I wish I could say that I have a sunny outlook and intend to change things this week, but I'm not hopeful to be perfectly honest. Pardon me while my one woman pity party goes to cry in the corner. I'll try to bring a better attitude to the party next week. Sigh.



Here's Shannon!

Shannon's starting weight: 218
previous weight: 220.4
current weight: 218.8
weekly gain/loss: -1.6
overall gain/loss: +0.8

A loss this week, woohoo!  I'm heading in the right direction. 

With that being said, I've decided to make a new goal for myself.  I'm down to just 2 months before my trip (62 days, to be exact!) and there is no way I can lose 40 lbs by the end of August.  It's rather disheartening to see my ticker at the bottom of this blog not move to the right and to see that big 40 staring back at me.  So I've decided to change my goal to losing 20 lbs before I leave.  I'm still going to keep my starting weight the same, which means my new stats are:

Shannon's starting weight: 218
current weight: 218.8
weekly gain/loss: +0.8
overall gain/loss: +0.8

My goals for this week are to keep logging my meals and start focusing on portion control.  I also need to start being more active, so I'm making my goal to get in some type of workout 3 times this week.

Weigh In Wednesday (the "Better Late Than Never!" edition)

Shannon's starting weight: 218

previous weight: 218.2

current weight: 220.4

weekly gain/loss: +2.2

overall gain/loss +2.4

Well, I knew a gain was to be expected.  I was vacationing at the beach last week which means diet and exercise was the last thing on my mind.  However, I started back yesterday logging my meals on SparkPeople and drinking water.  I also went for a walk yesterday morning.  So I'm getting back on track, which is the important thing.

Here's to a great week!

Weigh In Wednesday

Welcome back, Wednesday,Thursday!  Sorry for the delay, but it's been a crazy-busy week.

 Let's get some results posted!

Angie's Starting Weight: 221.4

Angie's Previous Weight: 217.2

Angie's Current Weight: 216.5

Weekly Gain/Loss: -.7 lbs

Overall Gain/Loss: -4.9 lbs

So, as you might be wondering, why is my loss so small this week, considering the big diet change that I proclaimed last week. Yeah, about that. As much as I believe in the Atkins plan, sticking to it proved to be a LOT harder than I ever realized. And the challenge of will power didn't really set in until my 3rd day on it. And I caved. It's a major challenge to be addicted to carbs and sugar and be the only member of your household who has to really watch what they eat. Especially when my hubby can barely keep weight on. So, I'm back to watching my portion sizing, cutting out snacking on the bad stuff and trying to drink water. It's going to be much slower a process, but I'm still moving in the right direction, which is good enough for me right now.

Shannon's starting weight: 218

previous weight: 218

current weight: 218.2

weekly gain/loss: +.2

overall gain/loss +.2

To be honest, I'm a little bummed to see a gain, even one so small.  I'm hoping the gain is merely due to water retention, as I managed to go walking 3 times this past week and was diligent about getting my 6 glasses of water a day.  This is starting to get frustrating.  Since I'll be on vacation during the next week, I'm not hopeful in seeing a loss anytime soon. Sigh. 

Weigh In Wednesday

It's Wednesday again, so let's see some results!

Angie's Starting Weight: 221.4

Angie's Previous Weight: 219.6

Angie's Current Weight: 217.2

Weekly Gain/Loss: -2.4 lbs

Overall Gain/Loss: -4.2 lbs

Yippee!!! Now that's a loss that I'm happy to see. I guess the walking and 8 hours of painting & yard work were good exercise after all. As I mentioned in the post right before this one, I finally hit rock bottom and decided to make a drastic change in my eating habits. I started the Atkins plan 3 days ago and so far, so good. It hasn't been easy by any stretch of the imagination. I cried for pizza last night. Pretty sad, I know. But, as my husband pointed out, the end will justify the means. And he's absolutely right. I've been dreaming lately of "thin Angie". And now I feel like I'm well on my way to seeing her in person again!

And here's Shannon!

Shannon's starting weight: 218

previous weight: 219.2

current weight: 218

weekly gain/loss: -1.2

overall gain/loss: 0

Well, I'm actually quite surprised!  I only managed to walk twice this past week.  And over the holiday weekend, I may have gorged on pizza, hot dogs, chips, pasta salad, brownies, beer, and movie theater popcorn.  (Oops.)  So to see a loss this morning was a bit of a shock... but I'll take it!

So I'm back to my original starting weight.  It's time to get serious about losing weight.  My Disney trips will be here before I know it... the clock is ticking!  Goals for this week are to go walking at least 3 times and continue with getting 6 glasses of water down a day!

Here's to a great week!

The first step is a doozy

The journey of weight loss is long and arduous. It's a journey that I've struggled with for 15 years and one that I'm growing increasingly frustrated about. It wasn't until a few days ago that I realized just how low I had gotten about it.

My buddy, Kat, suggested a book called "Why We Get Fat: And What To Do About It". The book essentially talks about why having a carb heavy diet is a huge factor in the obesity epidemic in America. The author supports his case with a ton of scientific evidence and really gave me a lot to think about. He advocates eliminating carbs from our diets for weight loss as well as long term health benefits. This isn't a new concept.

You have probably heard of the Atkins diet, which begins your road to new food choices by eliminating carbs during the "Induction Period". Basically, eliminating all of my favorite foods. Pasta, bread, fruit, nuts, candy, cereal, cake, etc...

And so after reviewing this list of non-approved foods, I cried for about an hour. And then I got angry about getting THAT upset about not eating the foods that are making me so miserable. I couldn't believe that I was seriously crying about not eating bread or potatoes for a while. That was a new low for me. To mourn food.

Tomorrow begins the first day of the rest of my life. A life that has a new light. A life that includes a healthier and THINNER me. Tomorrow I am starting on the Atkins food plan and I'm excited and nervous and a little scared. But most of all, I am hopeful. Finally.

Weigh In Wednesday

It's time for another weekly weigh in!

Shannon's starting weight: 218

previous weight: 219.8

current weight: 219.2

weekly gain/loss: -0.6

overall gain/loss: +1.2

Well, at least I'm on the right track! A loss is a loss, right?

I've done really well the last 3 days... back on track with drinking water. I also went walking twice and one morning played Wii tennis for a good 20 minutes. Yay me!

The only thing is I wonder how much I could've lost had I worked hard ALL of last week and not just the past few days. Ah, well.

I'm trying to get my focus back! I CAN and WILL do this!!!

Angie's results are here!

Angie's Starting Weight: 221.4

Angie's Previous Weight: 220.2

Angie's Current Weight: 219.6

Weekly Gain/Loss: -.6 lbs

Overall Gain/Loss: -1.8 lbs

It figures that Shannon & I had the exact same loss this week. Ha ha! I continued with drinking at least 6 glasses of water each day and I have nearly squashed my bad habit of snacking constantly. At least snacking with the bad stuff like chocolate and chips. I've been keeping lots of fruit in the house and actually eating it. Yay for progress! This week I want to try and get a meal plan back in rotation. Now that summer has arrived and my schedule is much more flexible, it should be much easier to attain.

And Shannon & I are going to start walking together now that our kids are out of school. Yay!! Next week will hopefully produce some great stats for both of us.

Thanks for your support and for the wonderful comments that you guys leave! We really appreciate it!

Weigh In Wednesday

This isn't going to be pretty.

Shannon's starting weight: 218

previous weight: 218.8

current weight: 219.8

weekly gain/loss: +1

overall gain/loss: +1.8

Honestly, I thought that was going to be a lot worse. I knew I would have a gain this week, as I've done nothing as far as exercising goes. And I've slacked on getting my 6 glasses of water each day.

I'm quickly losing the motivation to do this... it's like, the weight isn't coming off so why even bother?

I know that's not the attitude to have, but it's how I'm feeling right now. Somehow, I need to find a way to get this weight loss endeavour going.

~Shannon

Alright, Angie here and I'm almost afraid to post my results for this week, especially in light of the fact that I've done nothing but complain about EVERYTHING to Shannon for the last week. Gulp...here goes.

Angie's Starting Weight: 221.4

Angie's Previous Weight: 221.6

Angie's Current Weight: 220.2

Weekly Gain/Loss: -1.4 lbs

Overall Gain/Loss: -1.2 lbs

Ok, let's review the things I did right this last week. I religiously kept up with my food intake on my Droid App for Sparkpeople. I'm telling you, that accountability has been great for me. I tried to maintain my water intake, especially since I had a delicious Peach Margarita with dinner the other night & have enjoyed a couple of Cokes. I did not exercise, but my music classes were very active this week and I ended up doing some other activities that exerted more energy than I realized. I am both stunned and thrilled with a loss this week, especially since "Aunt Flo" paid a visit, but hey, I'll take it!

For the next week, I want to continue with tracking my food intake and try to get in a workout. And I want to work out a schedule with Shannon for us to get in some exercise together. Now that school & work schedules aren't holding us back, we have no excuse not to fast track some progress on this project!

Until next week!

Weigh In Wednesday

Another week, another weigh in! Angie is up first, so let's see how I did.

Angie's Starting Weight: 221.4

Angie's Previous Weight: 222.7

Angie's Current Weight: 221.6

Weekly Gain/Loss: -1.1 lbs

Overall Gain/Loss: +.2 lbs

YEE HAW!!! FINALLY, I'm moving in the right direction with a loss that I can really smile about. I didn't get in any workouts (but I need to mention that I teach Kindermusik classes at least 4 times a week, which involves a LOT of movement). However, I really focused on getting in my 6 glasses of water each day and I reactivated my Sparkpeople account and kept a close eye on EVERYTHING I was eating each day. It never ceases to amaze me how much more careful I am about what I eat when I'm logging it all and can see those stats staring back at me. I reduced my fast food intake and have started cooking again. This summer I want to focus on good eating habits for every member of my family! For the next week, I want to continue working on tracking my food and see if I can make another great loss next Wednesday!

My turn!

Shannon's starting weight: 218

previous weight: 217

current weight: 218.8

weekly gain/loss: +1.8

overall gain/loss: +0.8

It's that time of the month.  'Nuff said.

Weigh In Wednesday

It's that time again! Let's see what this last week held for us in results.

It's Angie, and I'm happy to say that despite the stress and sleepless nights of the last week, I actually lost a little bit. Let's see the breakdown.

Angie's Starting Weight: 221.4

Angie's Previous Weight: 223.1

Angie's Current Weight: 222.7

Weekly Gain/Loss: -.4 lbs
Overall Gain/Loss: +1.3 lbs

I got in no workouts this week, but I did make a conscious effort to look at how much I was eating at meals and try to reduce my portions. I also tried to curb snacking, which was surprisingly easier than I anticipated. Today, I am starting my food journal and working on integrating some healthy meals into this week's rotation. I ate out a LOT last week and want to avoid that as much as possible in the next week.


Shannon, here... it's my turn to see how I did this past week:

Shannon's starting weight: 218
previous weight: 217
current weight: 217
weekly gain/loss: 0
overall gain/loss: -1

Well, at least I didn't gain anything, right?

I'm happy to report that over the past week I managed to go walking not once... not twice... but FOUR times!  Very thrilled that I was able to meet my goal... now let's see if I can do it again.

I'm pretty much on track with my water, but there were a few days last week that I didn't meet my daily goal.

As Angie has done, I also need to start working on food portions and making a conscious effort at what I'm eating.  However... I kind of feel as though I should get consistent with excercising and meeting my daily water goals before adding anything else to the mix.  I don't want to get overwhelmed, but it is frustrating to not see any difference when I step on the scale.  I'm trying to remind myself that I didn't pack on the pounds overnight, so they're not going to come off overnight.  Before I tackle any food issues, once again my focus for this week will be exercising at least 3 times and meeting my water intake of at least 6 glasses per day.

So here's to having a good week!

Weigh In Wednesday

Once again, it's time for our weekly weigh-in:

{Due to the sever thunderstorms and tornadoes that ripped through our area Wednesday (therefore causing Angie's house to lose power for 2 days!) she has not yet had a chance to update her weekly info} **I finally got my update in! Check it out below!

I'll admit to having much trepidation about getting on the scale this morning. I knew there would be a gain, and I was right:

Shannon's starting weight: 218
previous weight: 216.4
current weight: 217
weekly gain/loss: +0.6
combined gain/loss: -1

Needless to say, I'm pretty bummed to have only lost ONE pound after three weeks. I'm sure my weekly gain could have been worse than what it was. It didn't help that I only managed to get in one workout, and I was all set to blame my gain on the Easter candy and birthday cake I gobbled down this weekend. But I think I've realized it's the choices I make when it comes to food that I need to focus on. I didn't have to eat handfuls of chocolate over the weekend. I didn't have to indulge in two pieces of cake.

On a more positive note, I've done well with continuing to cut back on soda and drink more water. My goal is to have 6 glasses of water a day, and I'm proud to say (thanks to the "water widget" on my phone and a new water bottle) I've met this goal every day for the last week except once!

It's time for me to buckle down and get serious about losing weight. Goals for this week: keep up with my water intake and get in 3 workouts!

Hello all! Phew, it's been quite a week around here. First, let me say just how thankful I am that all of my friends & family are safe after a trio of tornadoes ripped through our city on Wednesday. And I'm even more thankful for the kindness of others. I found out this week who I can really rely on in a crisis and appreciate all of the voicemails, emails & texts I had waiting for me on my phones when we finally came up for air. So, with that, let's get down to some weigh-in business!

Angie's Starting Weight: 221.4

Angie's Previous Weight: 223.8

Angie's Current Weight: 223.1

Weekly Gain/Loss: -.7 lbs

Overall Gain/Loss: +1.7 lbs

Yay for finally moving in the right direction!! Last week saw a lot of progress. I increased my water intake to 8 glasses a day and cut out as many caffeinated drinks as possible. I got in 2 big workouts and taught double my class load, which made up for missing that 3rd workout. I started the Couch to 5K program, but discovered on Day 2 that my right ankle/achilles tendon is not doing well. So, no more running for me. I'm doing brisk walking and trying out spinning again. CARDIO!!! I feel good about my progress, but now want to focus on the food side of things, which is my biggest problem. Portion control doesn't exist in my world and I'm a horrible snacker.

So, my goals for this week are to get in 3 workouts by the end of Tuesday and start a food journal to track my eating habits. That's helped tremendously in the past. See y'all next week!

Small Victories

Yesterday was a big day for me. I started the first day of the Couch to 5K program and I was very nervous about it. I seriously sprained my left ankle 2 months ago and was told by the doctor that running might not be on the horizon for a few months. So, I think that's part of the reason that I've been so hesitant about trying to get back into the swing of things. At least as of late.

I hopped on that treadmill and before I knew it, I was back in my old running mindset. The music was passing the minutes and I pushed through the pain. The pain of using muscles that have been sedentary for a LONG time. The pain from fear of injury. The pain of how unhappy I am about a lot of things right now. 35 minutes later, I had run/walk 1.77 miles. I swelled with pride!

My other small victory came last night while I was out with my blogging cohort, Shannon, and a couple of other girlfriends. We had dinner out and then went to the movies. Normally, I inhale popcorn, 2 kinds of candy and a Coke during a movie. Last night, I ate NONE of that stuff. I didn't even miss it. That was very surprising to me but I was so proud of myself for potentially leaving another bad habit in the past.

Weigh In Wednesday

Time for our weekly weigh in!

Angie is a little bummed this week because it feels like I'm moving in the WRONG direction like a speeding train. I didn't get in any workouts, but I did increase my water intake. Clearly, the latter wasn't enough to make anything happen. Here are my stats for the week.

Angie's Starting Weight: 221.4
Angie's Previous Weight: 221.8
Angie's Current Weight: 223.8
Weekly Gain/Loss: +2.0 lbs
Overall Gain/Loss: +2.4 lbs

See what I mean? Alright, enough is enough. I am starting the Couch to 5K program tomorrow to see if I can turn this ship around. Shannon found us this AWESOME widget for our phones that keeps up with how much water we're drinking and chimes at us when we haven't had enough throughout the day. I love accountability!! I'm going to work hard on changing my bad attitude and finding the right attitude to start making some things happen. I know I can do it. Now, I just need to do it!



After 2 weeks on this weight-loss endeavour, here are my stats:

Shannon's starting weight: 218
previous weight: 214.8
current weight: 216.4
weekly gain/loss: +1.6
combined gain/loss: -1.6

Well, I gained back half of what I lost last week. Considering I only got in one workout, I guess this isn't too bad! But I really need to work on finding time to get in a workout, whether it's walking the track in the mornings or using the Wii.

On the flip side, I have had success in drinking more water. I haven't quit Coca-Cola altogether.... there's no way I could give it up 100%. But I've decreased my daily Coke intake to just 1 or 2 a day. Considering I usually drink 3 or 4 Cokes a day, decreasing to just 1 or 2 is a big step for me. I've also downloaded an app to my phone that helps me keep track of how many glasses of water I drink each day. Since I always have my phone with me, seeing the little water glass icon has been a very helpful reminder of how much water I've had (or not had). I've been using the app for a few days, and have drunk 4 to 6 glasses of water each day!

As with last week, my goal for the next one is to get in at least 3 workouts and to continue with increasing my water intake. I am determined to have a loss for next week!

Weigh In Wednesday

This is our very first Weigh In Wednesday post and I think we're pretty excited about it!

We each have a weight tracker at the bottom of the page that will help us keep tabs on our progress. But, I think we both feel like doing a weekly post will keep us invested in our goals and our eye on the prize! So, let's get to some results!

Angie's Starting Weight: 221.4
Angie's Current Weight: 221.8
Gained: .4 lbs

I'm not exactly thrilled about a gain, but I feel like I'm making progress, even if it's baby steps. I want to get in 3 workouts before next week and drink more water.


After the first week on this weight loss endeavour, here are my stats:

Shannon's starting weight: 218
Shannon's current weight: 214.8
gain/loss: -3.2

I wish I could say this loss was due to my diligent hard work, but, unfortunately, it isn't.  I've been sick the last few days, a sore throat being my major ailment.  So not only have I not had much of an appetite, I haven't felt like eating much because of my throat.  And the only exercise I've managed was one morning walk and an afternoon of housework before illness took over.

One thing I have been able to do over the last week is decrease my daily Coke intake.  A big step for this self-described Coca-Cola addict!

Hopefully I'll be on the mend soon and able to get back on track with exercising.  Like Angie, my goals for this week are to get in 3 workouts and drink more water.

Angie's Story

Hello my name is Angie, and I have body image issues. Always have.

In elementary school, I was the kid with a big gap between my front teeth and thick glasses. In junior high, I still had those glasses and now I was starting to feel like I was fat. And then high school hit and my worry of being the fat friend to all of my beautiful best friends was at the forefront of my mind. If only I had known then, what I know now.

I wasn't fat in high school. At all. But I dressed like I was. Baggy jeans, over sized shirts and frump were the name of the game. When I looked in the mirror, I saw an overweight teen who was unworthy of most things.

Sadly, my misconceptions with mirrors continues to this day. Except now, when I look in the mirror, I conjure up this image of the 17 yr old, in a tight black suede dress, looking fabulous. It's not until I see photographs or video of myself, that I'm horrified at what is staring back at me.

I started gaining weight at 19, when I began working in my first office job. Between a full time college course load, almost full time work hours and a new boyfriend (who is now my hubby), fast food and snack food were the only food groups that I made time for. By the time I made it to my wedding, at 21 yrs old, I was so depressed that I couldn't have my dream dress because I was too fat for it. Thanks to the birth control that I was on, my weight continued to climb and facilitate an even worse depression. And I would use food to comfort myself. As my career exploded, so did my waist line. It wasn't until I was pregnant with my first child, at 29 yrs old, that I finally began to feel comfortable with my body. I guess I felt I had an excuse to be big at that point. Two children later, I finally began seeing a personal trainer and changing my diet and I lost 30 lbs. I had never felt so great about myself and I was well on my way to a new body when I fell into old habits and couldn't regroup.

Well, enough is enough. I'm determined not to let this story end as a self-fulfilling prophecy. I'm a thin girl trapped in a fat body and I want that thin girl back. I want my life back. I want to be able to play with my kids without feeling miserable. I want to wear those sexy dresses and have the confidence to pull it off. I want great looking arms. And I'm determined now to get this show on the road!

Shannon's story...

I began to put on weight during my freshman year of high school.  Up until then I was a pretty active kid.  But once I got into high school, other things (friends, part-time job, studying, etc) took over my time and getting enough exercise just wan't on the agenda.

After graduation, the next few years saw my weight fluctuating here and there.  I'd gain some, then lose some.  I got married when I was 21, and by then my priorites were my job and new husband.  Exercise was the farthest thing from my mind.

I became a mom for the first time at age 24 and gained about 30 lbs with my first pregnancy.  Over the next year and a half I managed to lose about half the weight I put on... and then I got pregnant with my second child.  This pregnancy I think I gained 20 to 25 lbs.

My kids are now ages 10 and 8 and I've continued to put on weight throughout the years.

My size has never really bothered me.  Nor has my weight or the size of my clothes.  When I looked in the mirror, I saw a cute girl, albeit a chubby one.  But cute, nonetheless.

However, my body-perception has recently changed.  I'm not sure what happened, but just this week, for the first time while looking in the mirror, I no longer like what I see.

I no longer see a cute girl... I see flabby arms, a double chin, stomach rolls, and back fat.

So when Angie approached me with the idea of starting this blog, it could not have come at a better time.

I have exactly 4 months and 4 weeks until my trip to Disney World.  I've decided my goal is to lose 2 lbs per week... making 40 lbs the amount I want to lose by 9/2/2011.

So here goes!

Here's the (soon to be!) skinny on us:

We're two friends, Angie and Shannon, who happen to have a lot in common.

We are both in our mid-30s and mothers of two girls.

Both of us have the same taste in movies, books, TV, music.

We also have the same sense of humor and similar tastes in clothes... and we both share a common love for all things Disney!

But there is also one other thing we share:

The struggle to lose weight.

We're both going to Disney World in few months (although, not together) and we are both determined to lose some of the extra weight we've been carrying around for years before our trips! Losing weight is something we need to do anyway... but we're hoping the unhappy thoughts of touring Disney World during hot-and-humid late August/early September while carrying around extra fat will be the motivation we need to get our rears in gear.