My way to happiness

Hi Guys, I know I am not a good buddy this week. But I really need your help.

I just received an email from my Mom, a very good family friend is fighting brain tumors for the last 10 years and always won the battle. He has to fight another one and this time the doctors say there is nothing more they can do for him. The only thing they did was release the pressure so he was able to see again, but they say there will be no chemo no radiation nothing…. they gave him only 4 weeks to live. I know doctors were wrong before and I hope and pray to God that this is one of those miracles in the making. He is a wonderful person, always there for everybody. He doesn’t have one bad bone in his body. He is a very athletic person, very strong and very big (muscles)…it just seems wrong that somebody who looks so healthy and strong would have only 4 weeks to live. I mean you look at him and would think he is one of the healthiest people alive…. so I really hope his strength will help him to fight this and show the doctors that they are all wrong.

His name is Michael and I am asking all of you to please pray for him and maybe if we all pray it will be strong enough for another miracle. And even if you don’t believe in God, please pray to…. you never know how much power your prayer might have ….

I thank you from the bottom of my heart… Love you all ((HUGS))

I’ve been feeling down lately, just drained and I am not so sure from what. So I was thining about taking a break for a while. Counting calories, minutes of workout, points, posting, reading about weight loss… it all has taken over my life. There seems to be nothing else besides work and buddyslim and losing weight. I think I am at a point where I need to find some distance from it all.

Now I know that I can not stay away from Buddyslim and all you wonderful people. So taking a full break from BS just won’t work for me And I don’t want to stop eating healthy either….or working out…. So here is what I will do for this week (or not do )

I will not count calories, but still watch what I am eating, (Might not be the best idea, but my brain needs a break… no more numbers )

I will not count my calories burned while working out, (I will still log my workouts, but I want worry about if I did enough. I will do what I feel like and that’s it - only for this week - I know that I have to work hard to lose the weight)

I will not comment as much in the challenges I am in, as I normally do, (I spend way to much time on here)

I will not read any blogs (doesn’t mean I don’t care, I just really need to get my brain thinking about other things for a while),

I will not count how many ounces of water I had (don’t get me wrong, keeping track of it, makes me drink the amount I should - but as said before, I want to give my head a break)

So, I will come here in the mornings, check all the challenges I am in and won’t be on for the rest of the day. I will still keep track of my girls on Longest Loser 6 and Commit to be fit, but besides these two I will step back a  little.

I hope it will help to clear my head and get my motivation back

LONGEST LOSER 6 

HOPE YOU LOVE THIS CHALLENGE AS MUCH AS I DO AND WILL JOIN
THE MORE THE MERRIER

IT’S AN EASY CHALLENGE, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WEIGH IN ONCE A WEEK AND IF YOU FIND SOME TIME IN BETWEEN TO CHEER FOR EVERYBODY THAT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER

THE RULES:

WAY IN ONCE A WEEK!
IF YOU HAVE A LOSS YOU STAY IN :)  (every ounce counts )
A GAIN OR MAINTAIN YOU ARE OUT
YOU WILL HAVE ONE BYE WEEK, MEANING ONCE DURING THIS COMPETITION YOU CAN CHOOSE TO TAKE YOUR BYE WEEK AND AS LONG AS YOUR NEXT WEIGH IN IS LESS THAN YOUR LAST YOU ARE STILL IN.
FOR NO SHOWS: THE FIRST WEEK WILL COUNT AS YOUR BYE WEEK, THE SECOND YOU WILL BE OUT

WEIGH IN WILL START 4/27/09 - 5/3/09!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 COME AND JOIN US!

Another interesting email from Jillian Michaels I thought I share with you guys.

Quit Yo-Yo Dieting and Get Real Results!
How many times have you started a diet in your life? Probably a lot more than just once. If you want to lose weight, you have to do it the right way. I’ll tell you right now: Skipping meals or following an extremely low-calorie diet is not in any way, shape, or form the answer for losing any amount of weight. Extreme calorie deprivation only sets you up for yo-yo dieting, or “weight cycling.” Your weight will continue to go up and down for the rest of your life. If you want permanent weight loss, then listen to me.

The lack of understanding about the right way to lose weight can set people up for big-time failure. Even if you do have initial success on one of these extreme diets, the toll it takes on your body is not at all worth it. Extreme diets that promise big weight loss in a short amount of time cut out macronutrients like carbs and fats — which is horrible for your hormone balance and your metabolism.

Why are you in this pattern of fasting, then slipping up and bingeing, then fasting again? Maybe you desperately want to lose weight for a special occasion and figure that only a couple of weeks at 800 calories a day can give you results you want. And maybe it does…but then what happens when you go back to a normal eating pattern? Simply put, you’re toast. While you weren’t taking in enough calories, your levels of T3, the thyroid hormone that boosts your metabolism, plummeted and you slowed down your metabolism. Also, your response to insulin has taken a hit, so instead of glucose entering your cells, where it can be used for energy, your body lets it roam around in your blood, where it can cause trouble. Your sensitivity to leptin (which regulates appetite) is also reduced, so you’re never quite sure when to say, “Enough!” at the table. Plus, the hormone that tells your brain you’re starving, called ghrelin, shoots higher than ever. That is just the beginning of your problems. When you inevitably start gaining back weight, you start the cycle of yo-yo dieting all over again. It gets more and more frustrating every time you do it.

It’s time to end this vicious cycle, and the way to do that is not to “diet” but rather to make a lifestyle change. Shift your thinking from merely “cutting back” to simply eating proper portions of the right foods. Whole, nutritious foods will repair, nourish, and support every cell so that your body will work for you and not against you. Be good to your body and it will be good to you!

TINA MENTIONED THAT SHE THINKING OF SOMEBODY ELSE DOING LL6. I WOULDN’T MIND BUT WANTED TO FIND OUT IF ENOUGH PEOPLE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN JOINING THIS CHALLENGES FIRST.

SO ANYBODY INTERESTED IN JOINING? HERE IT IS: LONGEST LOSER 6!

WHERE IS EVERYBODY? WE ARE TRYING REALLY HARD TO KEEP THIS CHALLENGE ALIVE BUT IT SEEMS THAT PEOPLE JUST VANISHED

I DON’T EVEN REMEMBER WHO USED TO BE IN THE TEAM(S) ANYMORE. IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF EITHER ONE OF THE TWO TEAMS PLEASE COME BACK, CHECK IN AND LET’S KEEP THIS CHALLENGE ALIVE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CHECK IN AT LEAST 1-2 A WEEK, LET US KNOW HOW YOU ARE DOING AND WEIGH IN EVERY SATURDAY! NOT HARD

MARIE (TEAM CAPTAIN - DIVINE 09) WOULD LOVE TO SEE HER TEAM COME BACK AND SO WOULD THE FAB TEAM. BETTE JO (CAPTAIN - FAB) IS TRYING SO HARD TO KEEP THIS TEAM ALIVE.

 OKAY, THAT’S THE ONLY WAY I KNEW HOW I MIGHT REACH MOST OF YOU GUYS AS WE DON’T HAVE TEAM ROOSTER ANYMORE, BUT WILL GET SOME UP AND RUNNING FOR THE NEXT WEEK.

COME ON GUYS….. DON’T LET THIS CHALLENGE END LIKE ALL THE OTHERS

I don’t know what to do and I don’t know where to start. I been thinking back and forth all weekend trying to figure out what I should do. I am in a group called the Heartbreakers, well…. now we are called the Hearbreakin’ Rockstars And I love every single one there, but the group is falling apart and is getting smaller and smaller. We have been struggeling for a while now. Here is my dilemma…. I love my group and I would hate to just leave them hanging, but I have to think about myself too.  See if I am not held accountable I am most likely to fail. Don’t get me wrong, I am not blaming my group for anything. That is my fault and something I need to work on, but the fact is that if I don’t have to answer to somebody I am more likely to slack. I am thinking of either finding another group or just being solo for a while.  BUT…. I don’t want to leave my group hanging…. Should I think about the group and stay or should I think about myself and leave?

I don’t want anybody to be mad at me either So please don’t throw rotten tomatoes at me. ;) (To my Heartbreakin’ Rockstars: I LOVE YOU ALL :)  )

Well, I guess I will be thinking about it and have to decide what I will be doing :confused:

((HUGS))

I was thinking about getting it, but wanted to know if any of you guys have it and what you think of it. I don’t have a lot of money and don’t want to spend money if it’s not really worth it. I know this is Dr Marc’s site and all (which I btw love ), but I really want your honest opinions - if possible.

 Thanks a bunch

I don’t know what to do anymore.  I keep trying to find something that works for me but I just can’t find it. I think I found it and it works for a week and after that…. right back to stand still.

I am going bunkers if that keeps going like that. I see other people eating food they shouldn’t be eating, not working out all the time and still losing weight and here I am counting calories, working out pretty hard (at least I think so) and nothing happens. It’s driving me nuts.

Don’t worry, I am not going to give up, I guess I just have to keep trying…. I learned a few things already about my body (not necessary in that order):

1. Sodium = biggest enemy I have right now,

2. Water = makes a big difference (if I remember to drink it )

3. Treadmill = working out on the treadmill alone is not working for me.

4. WATP and TAEBO  workouts = they seem to work for me, burning lots of calories while doing the DVD’s, but guess not enough to lose weight.

5. Banana before workout = WORKS! (Thanks Nancy )

6. Buddyslim = being here and having all you buddies is sooooooooo working for me If it wasn’t for this site and all the great people here I would’ve given up a long time ago.

7. Planing meals = working, I don’t eat junk or fast food as a quick fix meal anymore.

And I think I figured out this week that everything white (white bread, white rice, potatoes, pasta etc) is my enemy number two when it comes to losing weight. Even if I stay within my calories, fat, protein etc. it’s working against me.

So for this week I am planning on changing yet more. Nothing white to eat for the whole week. (Well, don’t know if it’s possible to cut it out completely, but I will whenever possible) Let’s see if that does the trick. I don’t want to change to many things at once, or I won’t find out what’s working and what isn’t. Guess losing the weight will take me a little longer but as long as I get there I’ll be okay. Maybe nuts at the end, but at least I will be a slim nut

If you guys have any suggestions or ideas, please share. I am like a sponge right now, trying to learn as much as possible

Love you all! ((HUGS))

Found this article and thought I share it with you guys

http://trimnasium.com/2008/12/2-ways-to-avoid-weight-loss-plateaus/

 December 31, 2008 · Posted in Workout Plans 

Your body is smarter than you when it comes to survival. No offense meant, but your body is really in charge here. In the face of great pain or injury, your body will send you unconscious while it works to repair the damage and return to homeostasis. Our body is super-geared toward survival through millions of years of evolution. The body wants to get proficient at the things you do habitually so that you burn the least amount of calories doing those things. It’s a survival technique inherited from our ancestors and it allows us to maintain our body fat reserves for times of scarcity.

Does this help when it comes to body fat loss? Not so much. There are two things crucial to continuing your success in losing body fat: providing the right environment for change inside your body; and maintaining a caloric deficit through exercise and food intake.

Make your body a happy home

Creating that environment entails a number of elements. You should be sure to get enough rest, drink enough water, eat enough nutrients (including a healthy balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, as well as micronutrients like vitamins and minerals), and you need to deal with stress properly. Although the first thing I would suggest for dealing with stress would be yoga, any number of relaxation methods can work.

With the right environment inside your body for change, you can achieve your weight loss goals. If you’re dehydrated, lacking in one or many vitamins or minerals, stressed out, or not sleeping, you’re body is going to head into that proverbial ’survival mode’ that hinders fat loss to prepare for possible worse times ahead. So give your body a fighting chance. You’ll be surprised how easy it can be if you focus yourself on being nice to your body.

Keep your body guessing

Your workout program for achieving your weight loss goal should always be a bit challenging. Start easy and be sure to stretch, perform regular cardio exercise, and do resistance training exercises starting with bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, and crunches. Oh, believe me, there are tons of exercises you can do without any additional equipment. Ever done the Burpee? Ha. Try 10 to start with.

 http://trimnasium.com/2008/12/2-ways-to-avoid-weight-loss-plateaus/ (there is a video on the site, I tried posting it but couldn’t figure it out )

Every 3-4 weeks, you’ll want to change up your workout and essentially make it all a bit harder, or at least significantly different that what you’ve been doing. If your body doesn’t have time to get used to a workout, you’ll continue to burn maximum calories during and (more importantly) after your workout.

The “F.I.T.T. Principle” is something that will help you when it comes time to change up your program every month. The variables of your workout program are:

Frequency - How often you work out can be increased somewhat, but this is usually the last thing you will want to increase. There isn’t a need to work out every day, and in fact; your body needs time to repair and rebuild tissue that you damaged while working out. Overwork yourself and you’ll end up with a cold or an injury. Give yourself 1-3 days of rest per week, and be careful doubling up on workouts in the same day too much. But, by all means, do it when you can and if you’d like. Just don’t over-do it.

Intensity - This could mean trying out the ‘fatburn’ setting on that elliptical trainer you like so much, or increasing the weight in your resistance program. Try doing your standing exercises on one leg, or with one eye closed, or standing on a BOSU trainer. There can be simple ways of increasing the intensity of your exercises. Watch the personal trainers in your gym. You can usually pick up on some creative exercises while watching them with their clients or in their own workouts.

Time - This is the length of each workout - at first you may only be doing 20 minute sessions of cardio, but your workouts shouldn’t really be over an hour in length at any point. You can’t really keep enough glucose in your blood for longer than an hour, so you run the risk of putting yourself into a catabolic state, where you’re burning off more muscle. Go for a harder before you choose a longer one. Quality, not quantity, matters the most.

Type - Some people really get attached to one piece of cardio equipment, but I get bored easily. I think everyone gets tired of sticking to a cardio program at some point. Even your trainer doesn’t wake up feeling like working out every morning. I love new classes, new workouts, newly invented equipment, and innovative exercises. If you’re interested in some new types of workouts, I suggest you try them wholeheartedly. You will cross-train your body and strengthen your neuro-muscular connections in new ways. You’ll burn more calories and you’ll be more prepared to take on even more new workouts. It’s an upward spiral that can easily lead you to your success. I love seeing bodybuilders doing plyometrics and marathon runners in the weight room. My heart swells to see football players in yoga class and grapplers in pilates groups. I’m reminded of Dolly Parton’s character in Steel Magnolias when she said, “Honey, God don’t care which church you go to, long as you show up!” Well, calories don’t care either, so get up and burn some, however you can.

There are some other things you can try to continue to burn the most calories - like working out at a different time of the day. Get a workout partner and push each other. You’ll see that working out with someone else pushes you just that extra bit harder. Join a charity walk, run, swim, bike, or hike. Keep in good posture throughout all your daily activities. Take your niece or nephew to the park and run around with them. Think of new ways to burn calories at certain points in your day and you may find that you have more opportunities than you think.

Remember, you can do it. You have many free resources at your disposal and as long as you keep the will to reach that goal and live healthier, you’ll get there.