October Challenge - 1 week in

I had my Weight Watchers meeting tonight. I lost 1.8 pounds the past week for a grand total of 18 pounds altogether. It has taken me eleven weeks to lose 18 pounds - which the WW people tell me is above average of WW participants. It feels very slow to me. However, I am encouraged that I've stuck with this for 11 weeks now.

The meeting topic tonight was "soup." And I stopped by the grocery store on the way home and bought the ingredients to make some wonderful soup. And it IS wonderful. Only 3 points per bowl. So good - and healthy. It'll be my main dish at lunch and dinner for the next few days.

There was a WW leader-in-training at the meeting tonight - a very nice looking man who handled the first part of the meeting. Probably mid-fifties. He said he and his wife had just celebrated their 31st anniversary yesterday. He had lost 80 pounds. He showed the photo of himself taken a couple years ago - and he doesn't even look like the same person now. It reminded me of some of The Biggest Loser folks - how after losing weight their faces have angles that were hidden behind layers of fat previously. He provided some much needed inspiration for me.

There was a woman sitting behind me who talked to the woman next to her - loud enough for everyone in the room to overhear the conversation. This is her third time at WW - last time she lost 150 pounds, but then gained it all back. GAINED BACK 150 POUNDS!! Then she started talking a out all her physical problems. I wish I could provide you with a good imitation. It would have made a hilarious comedy routine. She started listing physical ailments - in detail - and the list seemed endless.

I haven't exercised (i.e. walked) as much as I would have liked this week, but I'm still on track to make the Monthly Marathon.

How's it going?

So, how is everybody's first few days on the October Challenge going? I'm doing pretty well. At my Weight Watchers weight-in on Thursday, I had lost 1.6 pounds - for a total of 16.2 altogether. It has taken me ten weeks to lose that! I've jogged on the mini-trampoline a couple of evenings while watching TV.

Let's hear from some of the rest of you!

New Beginnings, New Goals

Terrell's Goals:

I have been on a very informal, inconsistent, push-away-from-the-table diet for a while now. As always, the first few pounds are easy. I'm down from a high of 220 to 211. My doctor wants me to get my "good cholesterol" up (exercise) and my "bad cholesterol" and sugar down. I do not tolerate statin drugs well. I have tried and given up on Lipitor, Crestor, and Vytorin. They give me terrible muscle pains and have affected my "liver" numbers. Now he wants me to try simvastatin -- a very low dose at bedtime. I'm not sure simva- is any different from the other statins. I guess I'll try it. But if exercise and diet could replace it, that would certainly ease my mind a lot. I've been tempted to try the fish oil and red yeast rice regimen. But how do you know you have potent stuff when it is unregulated?

Enough rambling...
Here are my goals in no particular order --

1. exercise 30 min. minimum each day - that should equal about two "marathons" per month.

2. drink only water (lots of water), coffee or tea, and maybe an occasional juice

3. fish twice a week at least

4. desserts only at special events, and only once a week (anytime cobbler is served is definitely a special event)

5. weight target: Under 200 by inauguration day; 180 by 2010.

6. weekly posts on MM to report my progress or lack thereof.

7. less sugar

8. less cholesterol

9. less processed foods

Well, that's it for now.

Here I go.

Anyone want to get the MM going again?

How about an October 2008 challenge? Everyone will make their own goals. Here are mine:

(1) Attend my weekly Weight Watchers meetings each week - and STAY for the meeting (as opposed to just weighing in and leaving). Nine weeks so far - 15 pounds lost.

(2) Do some kind of exercise every day - aim for 30 minutes minimum. Use my pedometer to keep track of mileage - and go for a MONTHLY MARATHON!

(3) Write down every single thing I eat and keep track of WW points.

(4) Remember: It's not a diet - it's a lifestyle change. This is forever - not until I lose some weight.

If you want to join in, just write your own goals in comments - and we'll check in with each other week - and at the end of October we'll see how it went and decide whether or not to try it for November. One step at a time . . .