OK, taking a plunge...

Deb ~  that's awesome!  I've been really good about walking.  But I did not do my mile and a half yesterday or today.  It's just so darned cold, I can;t bring myself to go out and walk.  It's so windy too.      I'll try and get back to the walking tomorrow.  I've been going every day and am really proud of myself for making myself do it.  I used to be so addicted to it.  Now since chemo,  I get cold so easily and can't warm up unless I get a hot flash of course.

Christene,   I'm so proud of you and Deb.  You guys lost wieght!!!  That's wonderful.  Chris, cutting out wheat, dairy, and sugar .  That's interesting.  I wish I could do that.  Lately I'm on this cheese kick.  I love to have some slices of Parmesaina Reggiano cheese with  about 3 swallows of wine.  Soooo good.  I can't give up my glass of milk at night, and my teaspoon of sugar in my morning coffee     Breast Cancer took so much from me already,  I like to have my coffee in the morning with milk and sugar.  I love my whole wheat bread too.  I'm pretty bad I guess.  If I don't watch out I'm gonna look like way more than 30 lbs overwieght. 

These are awesome goals and SO NOT MINI!  I'm proud of you for starting.....that is the hardest part.  I love the suggestion of a pedometer.  When I was working; pre BC I wore one every day teaching.  Then I had to finish the steps at night to reach my goal.  It certainly helps quantify how much we do in a day (or not).

I am a coffee addict too and recently made the difficult switch to decaf.  I'm adjusted to it now and if I have a caffinated coffee I'm spun.

Keep posting and know that we are all walking with you.

Baby steps and if you fall on the wagon, get right back on and forget you fell off.

You go girl! Baby steps is the way to go.

I'll tell you something that hopefully will encourage you. I've never been one to workout b/c I've never really needed to...until my doctor said that it helps prevent recurrences. Okay, so that same day i joined a gym and started working out. About 6 months later I started running on the treadmil. OMG, it was hard. After 2 minutes I was done!! But I hung in there and the next day I did 3 minutes, then 4 minutes. Everytime i completed another MINUTE I'd be so proud of myself. Fast forward to today, I'm doing a half marathon in 3 weeks. If "I" can do it, girl, you can do it. I know everyone says that but with me, it's true. It's very hard for me to get motivated and to actually work out, even now. But when I see that I've completed 4 or 6 or 9 miles I am so crazy proud of  myself that 'that' motivates me to keep going. There are days (like today, hmm, hmm) when i fall off the wagon and eat junk all day but I don't fret about it, i just get right back on and keep trying b/c that's all we can do,,,,keep trying.

Hang in there Deborah, you'll be surprised that you're actually tougher that you think!

Thinking of you and hoping all is going well.  We are here for you.  It is difficult for all of us at times, but we have to do it.

Cherneski, you just keep on! Baby steps is the way to make progress.

I'm here, being your cheerleader.

Leah

Chern ~  I'm right there with ya.  Today though,  I've been looking for excuses not to go out in the cold wind to walk, but I keep telling myself I can really bundle up and just go.  I'll let you know later if I go.

Barb

Good job with the walking!  I think it usually takes a few tries to quit smoking - did for me.    I'll still swear by gradually quitting in each situation where you would normally have cigarette (like start with when you're on the phone).  Once that situation is easy/habit, start with another.  Everyone's different, but that worked well for DH and I.  It took months.  DH's last place where he allowed himself to smoke was work, by which time I had already completely quit.  I've never seen the man so happy to see Monday and be off to work - lol!  Baby steps - you'll get there with all of it!  Hope you had a great night with DD.

Deborah....you're doing awesome.  You should be so proud of yourself.  You are on track on many of your daunting mini-goals (your term, not mine).  I think your goals are impressive.  So what if the smoking takes a little longer.  I am confident you will get there, in time.  Smoking is the hardest habit to break. 

Keep it up!

Chern~ I've been walking a mile and half every day.  Well, except for the last few days it snowed.  But I did help DH shovel some snow, so got a little work out from that.  Still drinking at least 40 oz of water a day either regular water or tea.  2 cups of coffee in morning.  Walked my dog Bruno, around the Raritan Valley Pet Expo.  That was the extent of walking in while.  Trying to stick to a very low glycemic diet.  Only eat foods from the "low glycemic index"  This helps with the sugar cravings and keeps me feeling fuller longer.  Thanks for keeping me motivated.

Deb and all,

 Great job, everyone! 

I'm older (54) so I think the menopause that the chemo triggered had a lot to do with my slowing metabolism.  So this is what I did in the last few years to drop about 30 pounds (please feel free to disregard any and all of it!).

As little white flour products as possible.  So, I ate all of the following (in huge quantities) and the weight just peeled off ....

Meat (including bacon), vegetables, fruit, eggs.  I use extra virgin olive oil to fry boneless chicken or sautee beef strips.  Any and all kinds of vegetables and fruits, so, not exactly Atkins.  A little bit of nuts, yogurt, and red wine.  A couple cups of green tea, daily. 

Unlimited quantities of coffee, with 2% milk and splenda.  A piece of orbit gum in my mouth at almost all times.  I eat red grapes almost every day and those suckers keep me filled up and (ahem), regulated. 

For me, the key is, no bread or cereal -- I cheat every now and again (love Primos hoagies and the roll is the best part) but I get right back on the wagon.

I walk but only on the weekends.

-Gabrielle

Gabrielle - thanks for sharing your tips........... I think I'll give it a try.  I was walking fairly regular until December when Neuropathy pains from the Taxol got to be too much.  Tried recently to get back into walking, but the radiation fatigue mixed with lingering neuropathy makes it hard to do during the week after work.  I do walk on the weekends, besides my dogs are really wound up by then and need to get out.

Deb - Whoo Hoo...... glad you were able to quit smoking on Monday - hard to do.  I quit 19 years ago........ not an easy thing to do.  I hear ya' on the weights that were formally on our chests - when I do walk I take the dogs with me and sprint with them - it is nice not having "the girls" flying up and down. 

After doing so well and having the scale go down these past few weeks, mine went up this week, but eating king cake throughout the Mardi Gras season didn't help - only me to blame.

Good for yo Deb on the smoking.  I noticed your post early this week on another thread that you had quit.  Kept my fingers crossed for you this week, knowing that the first few days are the worst.  You should be so proud of yourself.  You are attacking your goals with a vengeance. As I said before tea counts so don't worry about not liking plain water.

Deb - 

I did the Åtkins diet a few years back.  Everything seemed to go well until day 3 or 4 when I got a huge headache!  I was ready to kill someone for a peanut butter sandwich.  If you get the headache, try to drink MORE water (the kind with some electrolytes in it) and an Advil.  You CAN work through it!  Once you go over a week, your body gets used to less carbs and won't give you so much of a bad time!!

Good luck with everything!

Laura