Not a real success this week.  Actually, I was pretty frustrated and took it out on food that I had been staying away from.  I've taken some time, re-established my goals, and am ready for this next week.  I know it was bound to happen, but no less frustrating.  Hoping for better results next week.

Our progress seems to be slow and steady.  We have adapted to our new routine.  I, actually, have not gotten in all my exercise.  There seems to not be enough time in the day.  But the weight loss is still there and we have been able to stick with our new eating plan.  Sometimes, we even feel "normal" and like we're not on a diet.  This is probably the best that we have adapted to a lifestyle change yet.  It's just in time too.  It was ridiculous how bad we were feeling and how quickly our health was slipping away.  We still have a long way to go, but we are feeling so much better.  There's not a lot of change, but we are going to post our new pictures today.  We decided to update the photos once a month.

I am late putting our information in.  We were gone for the long weekend and have been trying to catch up at home since then.  I have missed not checking everyone's success.  We'll do a better job this next week.  I am thrilled the way the weight loss has seemed to "kick in".  Sometimes, it seems that no matter what I do I can't lose weight and it's nice when you find something that works for you.  I'll certainly ride this one out as long as I can and adjust again when the weight loss stops.  Pretty optimistic this time!!  It's been a long time since I've had success at this.  I hope everyone else is doing well.

We are pretty excited to see some progress this week!!  We are going to my mom's house this weekend - hope it goes well.  It is so much easier to stay home when trying to change long-standing habits.  I think we are ready for it. 

 

Have a great week everybody. 

I have been checking out other people's spaces and everyone seems to be getting a good start.  That's great.  We are getting in to more of a routine.  We are feeling so much better - even if we don't have much weight loss this week, at least we have that - right?  I have switched AGAIN to a more moderate exercise of 45 min per day/six days a week.  I had hoped for more, but when I exercise more I expect bigger results and then its a harder hit if I don't receive them.  Besides, 45 min is more reasonable.  I'm happy with that and we have gotten more used to our eating changes.  We'll see what this brings us this week for weight loss. 

Well, the end of Week 1 and I feel a lot better.  However, I am disappointed with my 1 pound weight loss.  Gary (typical of men) lost 4.5 pounds and I am proud of him .  I have to say that but really I am - I just wish that I could have half of his success since I'm exercising twice as much.  I found the show this week very interesting.  I know how the contestants feel.  There's not much more frustrating than putting your whole self into something to come up with results that you could have gotten with much less effort.  I've seen them come out of this before with a lot of success the next week.  That's how I need to look at my results as well.  However, I think I will cut down my exercise to a more reasonable 45 min of cardio per day, six days a week.  It's worked for Gary and I don't put as much pressure on myself to lose a lot of weight each week either.  I will probably increase it again later.

 

Good luck everyone in Week 2.

We went grocery shopping.  This was the first time that we have had only healthy foods in our grocery cart at checkout.  It was great!!  I wasn't even tempted at the other junk that we would usually have picked up. 

 

The exercise has been a bit of a struggle for me.  I got all the exercise in I wanted to on Thursday (2 hours cardio) but it took all my energy and all of Friday to recuperate .  I've been thinking about it, though, and I've decided to exercise every other day and keep the same intensity.  I like that because my kids' schedules are unpredictable and that gives me some flexibility and some days "off" to look forward to.

 

I hope everyone is doing well!!

Gary:  210 lbs. -- goal weight 155 lbs.  (lose 55 lbs.)

Angie: 245 lbs. -- goal weight 130 lbs.  (lose 115 lbs.)

 

Total weight loss goal of 170 lbs.

 

Gary and I are a husband/wife team.  We live in New Berlin Illinois.  We are entering this contest because we have spent too many past Biggest Loser seasons wishing we could get into shape and not doing it.  This season is perfect for us because of the team approach.  We got fat together (me more than my husband) and it is time that we get healthy together.  Both of us have begun to have health issues because of our poor eating habits and overweight, overburdened bodies.  We do not want to pass down this bad example to our three children.

Our plan is to take white flour and white sugar out of our diet.  This will eliminate the most craved foods for each of us:  ice cream and pizza.  We can add these back in at a later time in moderation.  However, we both feel that for too long we have not eaten these foods in moderation and so it is important to eliminate them for awhile to give us a better perspective.  We will increase fresh and frozen vegetables and challenge each other to try new vegetables that we previously haven't eaten like eggplant, squash, etc.  We want to make this fun and appealing and truly learn a new way of living.  Gary is planning to exercise 30 min to 1 hour a day, six days a week - a mix of cardio and strength training.  I plan to exercise twice a day, moring: 20 min cardio, 30 min toning; evening: 80 min cardio.

We should win this challenge because we are big fans of the Biggest Loser and we would like to be an inspiration to others who find themselves comfortable in an unhealthy lifestyle for too long and then finally wake up to find they do not recognize who they have become.

I have watched the Biggest Loser season after season now.  Everyone knows it is my favorite show.  Yet, I still weigh 245 lbs.  This season is going to be different for me.  Instead of watching the contestants lose weight and wish that was me, I am going to be losing weight right along beside them.  No excuses.  There is no better time.