Thanks for the welcome!

I don't know about the pill thing. I don't think I'm so overweight that life is not worth living yet.

I definitely would love to be the one to figure out why we find it easier to do stuff that's bad for us and hard to make ourselves to what's good for us. Even tho I know that 30 minutes of exercise everyday makes me feel great, I still can't make myself do it most days. Gotta stop that!!!!

We;ll just stick together and try to get through it.

Susan

Thanks for the welcome!

I don't know about the pill thing. I don't think I'm so overweight that life is not worth living yet.

I definitely would love to be the one to figure out why we find it easier to do stuff that's bad for us and hard to make ourselves to what's good for us. Even tho I know that 30 minutes of exercise everyday makes me feel great, I still can't make myself do it most days. Gotta stop that!!!!

We;ll just stick together and try to get through it.

Susan

Answers to some questions.

First my question about how do you curb your cravings. I keep sugar free jell-o. It's very low calorie, very low carb, it's something you can eat with a fork or spoon so you feel like you're eating and it's sweet. It helps a lot.

For the pill question. I would not take a pill. I cherish every day I have with my husband and my pets and my other family. I would not want to give up any of that time given the option.

Hi all, I am 47 and have 40 pounds to lose. I am currently at 183 and5'6"
I rejoined a gym after a 4 year absence. After talking to the personal trainer, she said most people do not eat enough protein in their diet. Too many carbs and it turns into sugar=fat. Since I am adding protein I feel full longer and my blood sugar is much more stable.
Sparkpeople is terrific. Maybe we can start our own weekly challenge, for example:Week One: Drink 8 glasses of water, 20 minutes of walking/cardio and 20 situps. Do this each day during the week with one day off. Maybe a weight loss goal for the Holidays (Dec). Week two would increase the time and add one new activity.

I also heard that if you eat something sweet in the morning , you crave sweets throughout the day. I have stopped eating my morning cookie and the sugar craving seems to be getting better. Good Luck to us all.

Welcome! pieceofcake1! Glad to have you join us. I like spark people too. I don't know how to get a group together on there, do you? That would be a great idea!'

Susan

This is so great!!

I have started to have a cup of tea at night when I want to go and raid the pantry for junk.

I think we are a fabulous group!! As for the pill question, I think I would do it--There are so many things that I don't do now, just because I am either embarassed by this humongo chick in a swimsuit, or I'm just too tired! I am missing out on so much and I'd much rather do now than wait for what if !!But since that's not an option now, dang it, I love the idea of a challenge each week--I love pieceofcake's ideas--shall we make those our goal for next week, beginning Monday? What do you other chunky monkeys think?

I think that's a great idea. I' actually joining my gym's "olympic challenge" where they have prizes at the end of it and that's starting on Monday!!

I'm game! But, would that be 20 min. at one time for cardio? I need some serious motivation! I need one of yall to come give me a swift kick in the rear. ( don't worry, you can't miss it )

It's funny, today I've been more aware of what I've been eating. Not necessarily eating better, but def. aware. I think being a Chunky Monkey will be good for me.

I've been more aware too MessyBaker. It still hasn't stopped me from eating chocolate but I have been aware!! I'm going to the gym tonight for the 4th time this week. I love the gym I'm going to, it's female only and it makes such a big difference.

What a great support system this is! I love it!!

I can try and get our own CC group on Sparkpeople. I'm going away, back on Sunday. I'll have a look then. BTW Sparkpeople is FREE!!

I think there is a sparkpeople CC group. there was some reference to it on that thread about if "I lose weight I get to go to OSSAS" (if memory serves me right). I'm going away too--Off to Las Vegas, back sometime monday--Have a great weekend all of you Chunky Monkeys!!

There is a CC team on sparkpeople. I also looked for chunky monkeys and there were 3 already with that name. I'm gonna join the CC team. My name over there is happyloser49, BTW.

See you over there!

Susan

I signed up for the Cake Central group. I'm not sure though. Sparkpeople seems a little overwhelming to me. Another forum and blog to keep track of.

I'll do my best to maintain it though. my screenname there is gamergates.

I think the challenge idea is good. I think that this will be good for me because we are somewhat accountable to each other. I will be at the beach all next week so I will jump in on the challenges when I get back. I think there will be enough exercise just keeping up with my kids while we are gone.

I won't be joining at the other site, just here. I know I can't keep up with another site! My life is chaos already!

So what exactly is the challenge? Drink plenty of water and exercise at least 20 minutes? how many days?

I think we'll post a challenge on Monday. If no one else posts one, I'll do it. We'll give ourselves a weekend to get used to the support group before we jump in head first with challenges.

Challenges kind of scare me, but I'm here to support my fellow monkeys and get the support from you as well. So.... Whoever posts first on Monday, gets to decide the challenge for the week?

Hello, everyone!! I am a 52 year old married mother of a 25 year old young man and a 16 year old young lady. I am a teacher who is constantly on the go. I have been overweight for most of my life, and I would like to be more comfortable in my own skin. I have lost around 28 pounds so far. I had lost more but I am battling a bout with Bell's Palsy so it's been difficult. In case you didn't know Bells palsy is a condition that causes the facial muscles to weaken or become paralyzed. My right side is affected. It causes the right side of my mouth to droop. I can't smile on that side. I does affect my speech which isn't good. I can know drink from a straw, but cans and bottles are still a problem. My eye doesn't blink well on the right side which causes problems with dry eye. I can't raise my eyebrow on that side or blink so I have to be careful when I'm outdoors. The sun is really a problem so I constantly wear sunglasses. On the good side I am slowly improving which is good. I am on summer break so I am able to recover at home. I go back to work in two weeks so I hope it improves fast. I am a member of a gym that is geared for older people (50 or older). The treadmill and nustep (sit down stepper) is my best friend. I tried the bicycle, but since I carry my weight in the middle it makes it very uncomfortable. I would like to lose around 130 pounds or until I feel good in my skin. I am glad to join you in our crusade againt our extra poundage.

Beverly

Oophs! Our crusade against our extra poundage.

Welcome Beverly (horns tooting your arrival)!! We are happy you've decided to join us. Like I've said before, the more, the chunkier monkey.

We are going to do some sort of challenge starting on Monday. I guess we just take it one day at a time.

Hello everyone! How about the challenge for this week being 20 minutes of walking, 20 crunches, and drinking at least 6-8 oz. glasses of water per day. I'm sorry I'm posting this so late, but I just got back from Las Vegas and I'm ready to get going! Las Vegas was so much fun with four sets of mothers/daughters celebrating all of those daughters being 21--Let's just say that we lost count of the number of times we needed to say "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!!!" And now back to real life and Chunky Monkeys losing weight!!! Welcome Beverly! Deb, I hope the challenge is OK with you! Let me know what you guys think!!! I'm operating on about 3 hrs. of sleep here and those 20 minutes of walking are going to be tough, but I will do it!!! Good luck everyone!!

Count me in on the challenge!!

Hello-

I lost 115 pounds, weighed 215 pounds after triplets. I recommend Weights Watchers flex points. I am down to 105-110 pounds at 5/5. I really believe in having a food journal and writing everything that goes in yoiur mouth. My motto what goes in your lips gives you bigger hips and any sweets that are yummy goes in your tummy.

I exercise 30 minutes of cardio each day walking, swimming, helps you lose weight. It is important to check with your doctor.

I hadve a walking buddy at work and walking buddy in my neighborhood. We walked 3 days a week. Also, if I am baking cakes for friends. I only taste the cake or frosting with a chopstick and spit it out. Keep carrots sticks or veggies or have hot tea if your baking. keep the hunger away.

I keep a picture on the refrigerator when I weighted 215 pounds Also I keep my fat pants in my closet. It reminds me what I use too weigh.

Be patient it took me 2 years to loose the weight.

I'm ok with whatever challenge is posted. Sounds like you got to it first. So our challenge is 20 mins of walking and 20 crunches each day or for the week? And a total of 48 oz of water each day? I know lack of sleep. =)

I can already tell you my water intake is lacking. I believe I only had about 43 oz of water. I didn't do any crunches or intentional walking yet this week. I taught a class this morning so I didn't make the water aerobics class either.

Hey Monkeys -

Should we post a new forum topic each monday with the challenge. Call it Chunky Monkey Challenge - Week of (monday day inserted here). Please let us know. It seems this forum could get a bit stressed out if we keep everything in the same thread?

Bundtdiva--thank you so much for the advice! What an inspiration you are! I think the hardest part about weight loss is the amount of time it takes to actually lose the weight and I guess it's really important to have someone, like a walking buddy to help you keep up the motivation! I'm doing WW on-line and doing the flex points and it's really helped me see how much (as in calories) I take in on a daily basis--GASP!! Nearly twice as many as I should-which so explains the fat pants, and the extremely fat pants still hanging in my closet and being worn on a daily basis! AARGHHH! And yet there's hope for me when I read success stories like bundtdivas! And hey, after a long weekend in Sin City--I didn't gain anything--mostly because we walked our butts off (Oh, how I wish), in the July heat!! But I felt great keeping up with my skinny friends--sure there was more sweat expressed by yours truly, but the walking has really paid off for me--daily for going on 4 weeks now--patting self on back! Anyway, yes, Deb, that's exactly what my sleep-deprived self meant--Each day do: 20 minutes walking, 20 crunches and drink 6-8 oz. water . My vote would be to just keep everything here one this one thread as far as challenges, etc., and my reasoning is this: It gives a history for anyone interested in joining in and I've looked at a couple of threads that have been going on here for some time ( something about weighing down the cake club.....sorry I can't remember the thread name, bad memory, maybe killed a couple more brain cells this weekend?)and they seem to have had a good thing going while just keeping it on one thread--but what does everyone else think? And now I'm off to tickerfactory.com to get me one of those things!!! Have a happy day fellow Chunky Monkeys!!

Count me in, but I hate water! I will try it though, for my little chunky monkeys!

Well my activity levels are ZERO. Sorry ladies. I haven't lost quite enough to be able to move easily or comfortably. So my activity part of the challenge is not much to be excited about.

My water is pretty close to meeting the challenge. Some things to remember about water is that water counts for just about anything that isn't carbonated and caffeinated. So using the water flavor packets will still count towards your water intake. There are some really amazing flavors that you just add to your 16.9 oz bottle of water. So easy and so YUMMY.

Keep up the work Monkeys.

On another note, I'm back on the losing path after hitting a plateau for almost 2 weeks. I got on the scale this morning and it read 303. So close to never see a 3 at the front of my weight I can't wait for the celebration. NON FOOD REWARD here I come.

Way to go Deb! Hey, something to keep in mind is that the walking activity can even take place in smaller increments--hit 10 minutes at a time instead of the full 20....I've been trying to walk 30 min/day and it seems like the first 15 min. fly by and the second 15 just about kill me on some days! I've got a treadmill set up facing the TV and if I watch something really exciting, I don't notice being tired as much either.....I'm working towards never seeing a 3 in front of my weight again too! It's so close......

I think the challenge idea killed the thread. Maybe we aren't ready or challenges yet. Our group is mostly larger women I'm assuming and the thought of challenges may have scared us.

Let's stick to the doing challenges at spartpeople or one of the other places for that. And use our thread more for morale support of each other in whatever our fitness, nutrition and activity needs might be.

What do you ladies say? Did the challenge idea scare you?

It started very energetic and then the challenge was posted and almost instant silence. But I miss the excitement already.