The E-LAB Project

suzwes

Welcome Karen!

YEAH to the Rockin Robins.  I'll get our summary up later today - I'm off to Palm Sunday Mass so I'll report after that.

zogo

This week I can only offer a pittance of points for rockin robins.  Friday we spent the whole day (until 1 am) driving to florida through alabama and all those storms.  And as my usual driver (my husband) was feeling ill, I drove most of the way. We get here and find out he's got pneumonia! The good news is my two teenagers didn't fight in the car and the storms have passed and the sun is shining.

Friday    0

wt ?       0

h2o        5

exercise   4  

total      9

Have a nice week ladies   

karen333

thanks suzwes,  I have 2 evenings where I did not eat after 7:pm, that is aways my downfall. Karen

Ainm

Karen,

As I said I started trying to loose weight the same day I started tamoxifen and I was on lyrica too - both of these meds are said to cause weight gain so I was really stressed at thought of it.  I have a Nintendo Wii with balance board and I use the Wii Fit programme - I started slowly doing some Step and Yoga and I have built up to doing 60 min free step, some yoga stretches and about 200 sit ups per day.  The Motivation thread helped me a lot and one of the ladies there had the theory that no matter how bad you feel or how busy you are you should follow the 10 minute rule - which is do at least 10 mins exercise every day, no matter what!!  I've done that even on days I was ill, and especially on the days when I thought I was never going to suceed so why bother!!

Where food is concerned I just eat much less - I use low fat or fat free versions of any of foods I use if they are available.  I've cut waaaay back on sweets, biscuits (cookies), chocolate, crisps (chips), high fat and deep fried foods and processed foods.  I eat loads of veg and I do give myself little treats or if there is an occassion I'm careful but I enjoy it and then I do some damage control over the next few days. I keep coming back here for support which has always been forthcoming, valuable and encouraging to me.

It's not easy and it does take work and I've fallen off the wagon more times than I can count but the end result is sooooo worth it.  Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions I will try to answer promptly but forgive me if I don't - there is a lot going on for me at the moment. 

The import thing is NEVER GIVE UP!!!  

Linda-n3

I have been reading this thread and am totally impressed by the motivation and support you provide to each other.  May I join?  How do I get involved here?  I am having a tough time motivating myself to do what I know I SHOULD be doing, thought maybe a support group would help.  Thanks.

Linda

SeasideMemories

n3ypb,

Meece is our head "birdie".  i would send her a PM and she can get you set up. 

It is up to you if you want to make your weight known or not.  Team "Flock" is made up of ladies that did not want their weight public.  On the other teams, weights are posted!

Welcome!

samsue

Karen, this thread keeps me accountable. I tend to be a stress eater and a couch potato but I want those points! So I exercise and try not to eat to much. I am busy at work but that didn't get the weight off....  Welcome  Besides Ainm is my inspiration..

suzwes

Rockin' Robins Summary (if you didn't report a weight, I just took the last weight you reported.

Suzette	BCColorado	Mimi	Valjean	Zogo	total
18	11	20	22	9	80
134	156	168	150.4	189.9	798.3

karen333

Samsue, I am an evening eater and stress too, for 2 evenings after 7:00pm I have not eaten, this is one goal I've been promising myself to do for months, Fri. and Sat. I did it by thinking of this group and in particular Ainm. Karen

suzwes

Try it again.  Here's the Rockin' Robins totals. 

Suzette - 18 (134#)

bccolorado - 11 (156#)

Mimi - 20 (168#)

Valjean - 22 points

Zogo - 9 points

Total 80 points

Welcome back Renee and BCColo

OK - the challenge last week was a little too challenging.  How about this challenge this week - Beginning Monday.  If you exercise for four days in a row for at least 30 minutes then you'll go in a drawing and I'll pick a winner and send them a little prize in the mail (just a little prize) - I'm happy to send it to Ireland if you're the winner AINM!

samsue

Karen, I don't usually get home before 7:00 so I do eat late... what I found is flavored gum. They have it in strawberry shortcake and key lime pie! Love it and it helps with the late nite cravings.

karen333

Thanks samsue, I will try them, I've seen them on T.V.

Ainm

OMG - I cannot believe that I would be inspiration for anyone - it's quite humbling.  I will make every effort to continue to be a good role model - hehehe some of my teachers from years ago would be dumbfounded to think of me as a role model - LOL.

Karen I'm an evening eater too and it's something I haven't managed to eradicate completely - at least I don't bring food to bed with me anymore though - and that use to include full meals!!

Suz - maybe we could start a system that whoever wins the prize (and I agree a little prize) will then be the person to send the winner of the next challenge draw a little prize e.g.  if I win and receive the prize from Suz then I will send a prize to the person who wins the next challenge.  And we don't have to have a prize winning challenge every week just every now and then.  Does this sound OK?

Well I hope everyone has a good week.  I've been doing a lot of stress eating and I must try to stop.  I really want to have a few good weeks before recon as I know I will not be able to exercise to the same degree for a little while post-op.  Actually if any of you who have already gone through recon have any advice for me on how to get back to a full exercise regime asap after surgery I'd  love to hear from you either here or PM me.

 This little birdie is getting ready to go to bed now - sweet dreams!! 

SeasideMemories

Ainm,

Your exercise regiment alone makes you a WONDERFUL role model!!  I hope, to work myself up to that level!

LOVE your idea about having occasional challenges and having the winner of the previous challenge pass the prize to the next winner!  We could kind of create a "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" kind of thing, like in the movie!

Sweet Dreams!

bcincolorado

Hi Linda:  Welcome to our little group of eat healthier and exercize more try-harders!  We don't always succeed, but we share ideas and can at least support each other.

o2bhealthy

INOFFICAL Hummingbird leader here with weekly point tally:

Faithandfifty               we miss you - hope you are having a great trip

Deborye                      30       
Don23                         19                      
Karen333                    Welcome friend!

My3girls                     Hope you are doing ok... (last log in was March 23^rd - has anyone heard 

                                 from Lisa lately?)   
O2bhealthy                 17                     
Prayrv                          16          
Seasidememories         24        

ValGirl                        19                      

MaiTai                         16.5  

Total for Hummingbirds  141.5

Meece

Welcome to the flock, n3ypb.

zogo

Linda, Welcome, welcome, welcome! This is the greatest "flock" of women and you will love being here.  For me, it is great to be accountable to someone besides myself (too easy to cheat that way).  And on weeks when we slide, there are never hard feelings, just encouragement, because we all have those weeks sometimes.  Enjoy this flock of birdies!

Linda-n3

Thanks for the warm welcome!  I think I am off to a good start today - I am participating in a yoga and cancer survivors study, so got one hour of yoga in today.  Does that count? Not sure what the other guidelines or rules are here, but I am sure I will learn as I go along, with your help.

bcincolorado

You would definitely get some exercize and/or extra credit I would think.

samsue

I was researching on dr oz's site and he gave the calorie breakdown of each type of exercise.... yoga was up there in using calories! It's definitely exercise! So, you get 1 point for every 30 min you hold that pose.....

mimi1964

Thanks for the encouragment to exercise... I wasn't a "great birdie" this weekend.  I cheated a little.  We went to Talladega for the weekend for the races so there wasn't definitely a hard time sticking to the diet plan.  I did the best I could.  But back to the dieting full blast today... gotta get that water down. 

NativeMainer

OK, Roadrunners and all the other supportive birdies--I felt absolutely horrible the last few days (head cold, sinus infection, bronchitis all of which are resolving now) and have done nothing but drinking lots of very hot or very cold things (makes the sore throat more bearable) and lounged in the bed or recliner.  Never even took the jammies off.  Slept most of both days.  Today I feel better, am up, showered and dressed, got the germy sheets in the washing machine, got one room swept up but getting tired.  I need you guys to push me a bit here--remind me that I am NOT going to die if sweep the floors, do the dishes, remake the bed, etc.  And that I do NOT need to sleep all day again today, although a nap will be acceptable.  Remind me that you guys are looking to me for some exercise points and sleeping with the dog on my feet keeping them warm does NOT count today!  I turn into such a weenie when I catch a cold.  Today is day 4 out of a disease that run 5 to 7 days, time for me to get off my pathetic butt and start living again! 

karen333

My daughter got that bug a few weeks ago, it did last a week.  She too was in bed for 3 days, and then when she thought she was over it, she had to ease into doing anything, lots of naps and going to bed early.  So, I'll not push you too hard, listen to your body, it will tell you when you are healthy enough for housework.  Try to do one thing and if you feel OK, do the second thing on the list, if not, time for another rest.  Question - on the scoring, is a pound lost count just as 1, what do 3 count for?  This not eatting after 7, is terrible, but it is when I get most of my water drunk.  Karen

sheila888

Native....Can you hear me? Don't over do it if you need to nap then nap.

Can you walk like 39 minutes? Do that.

If you don't have strength rest and stop blaming yourself.

Some weeks we all are little chubbier than the previous week.

We love you

Hugs

♥

Ainm

NM - hope you are feeling a little better.  You know the hardest part is taking the first step but once you take that step it gets easier.  I recently had a cold and I really just wanted to stay curled up in bed but I had to get up to look after Mum (and pretend there was nothing wrong as she mimics any illness to hears, sees or reads about) - I even did some Wii step - ok just 10mins and it was  really draining but the pride I had in myself for making the effort was really worth it - go for it girl you can do it!!!

Now if you have the energy could you give me a good shake or kick because I am eating as if it is going out of fashion at the moment??  I know it is my way of dealing with stress and it is my comfort but having put in so much work over the last 18 months to lose weight I just don't seem to have retrained myself and it is so easy to fall into old, bad bad bad habits.

Please form a line here to call me to order - tough love is needed but at the moment my love of food is threatening to win!! 

suzwes

AINM - STOP!  That's as tough as I get.  But, I know you can do it.  You've done so well.

NM, I agree with Sheila.  Time for getting back to good habits when you're feeling better.

Karen, The scoring is at the top of the page but if you have specific questions and no one answers (like me cause I get in my chemo fog sometimes - can I still use that excuse?) then PM me and I'll help.

Keep up the good work birdies.

karen333

AINM, so hard to curb those cravings.  Remember how hard it was to lose weight, if I get a real bad one, I jump on my recumbent bicycle for a 20 minute spin.  And remember you are our heroine in this project. The bike was $148 at Wamart.  Karen  p.s. there is now a flavored chewing gum that tastes like strawberry shortcake, that helps in a sweet attack. 

SeasideMemories

Karen,

On the scoring of the weight... 2 points for a loss (any number of lbs, even a fraction of one).. 1 point for maintaining and 0 points for a gain.... Even if you gain one week and then lose it the following, you get credit for a loss... An all time low for you during E-LAB earns and ADDITIONAL point!

I'm thinking, from your post you've had a loss??

NativeMainer,

Hope you feel better soon!  Healing from illness is hard on the body.  Don't overdo!

Ainm,

How about a HUG rather than a shake or kick!  I've never been really good at tough love.  You have a tremendous amount going on right now!  Do what you can manage and don't be to tough on yourself!  We are here cheering you on!!!

karen333

Dear Seaside, I've lost 3 lbs so far, The not eatting after  7p.m. is a killer, I'm using the stop smoking technique, go to bed early, and drinking my water then.  Also biking 1 hr. in 20 minute sessions.  My blood work for hypothyroid will be done on Thursday, see if that is within normal range or if it is just my overeatting and underexercizing.  I had a hard time on this past Sunday, with not talking to my godmother, I have a picture of her sleeping in bed with her 22lb, cat above her head and the dog sprawed horizontally, taking up 1/2 of the bed.  She said she only could sleep in one position, but would not think of locking them out of her room.  When I was there Cowboy, the dog would sleep with me on his half of the bed, sleeping tight against my body. She would thank me in the morning for a good night's sleep.  Bubbies, the cat, was an outdoor neglected pet when her son came to live with her.  It took her months of coaxing to get him to sit with her, now he will sprawl across your lap for however long you comb him, she would say "not now Bubbie" but was always sitting and combing him.  He turned into a real lap cat.  When she got ill, her balance wasn't too good but she would stand at the door calling him, till he came in.  She was then satisfied that all were safe and could go to sleep. I was OK last Sunday, because 6 teachers I worked with at my first teaching job got together for a reunion, hadn't seen each other since 1984.  This weekend it was too quiet, with too much time to think. It helps to talk about her..