8/22 Weigh-in

Justin is out of town and forgot to weigh-in, so this includes everyone else:

Name-Total # lost-Total % lost

Doug-18.8-6.48%
Heather-10-5.05%
Luke-13.2-4.89%
Ashley-10-4.46%
Mark-13.4-3.85%
Cody-8.4-3.18%
Cynthia-7.4-3.01%
Granny-5-2.43%
Brittney-4-2.01%
Lindie-3-1.91%
Jessica-4-1.64%
Velma-3-1.17%


All of you guys rock!

Pride goeth before a fall (Ashley)

...Or is that Hacienda Colorado, my favorite Mexican restaurant here?

Grrr. Either way, I WAS down 7 pounds from our last weigh-in and now I'm only down 4 pounds. I know, I know, 4 pounds is still great, but it just shows that I let myself slip this week.

As you all have been saying, now I just have to get back on the wagon and forget it happened...and try not to beat myself up about it.

I'll be posting weigh-in data later today.


Love to all (and don't give up!),
Ashley

This and That

Hey, You Guys!

I just wanted to follow up on Lindie's and Ashely's comments concerning their exercise regiments...I commend each and everyone in the entire family for the major lifestyle changes that have been implemented into each family! Way to go!!!

Like Lindie, I truly believe that you have to have variety in your exercise regiment to keep from burning out...eating the same food or doing the same exercise over and over is a sure way to fail, over the long haul.

It really doesn't matter WHAT you are doing, as long as you are indeed doing something:)

Remember that the contest is great...but it is not he Goal for everyone...just a jump start to get our new beginnings, lol!

Also...changing your lifestyle is NOT a race, but a marathon!

You guys rock! Keep it up, and take it an hour at a time if you must...we are all pulling together for the same outcome:)

Take care

Mark

PS...Since I FOUND OUT that Justin and Lindie are now expecting, on a PUBLIC forum, no less...I will now wish them luck...on another public forum:)

ME

Workout Suggestion (Lindie)

So I know that several of us have joined gyms and aren't just working out at home. If you are a member of a gym, I highly suggest going to a class or two. They are usually free and it's a fun way to workout.
I've gone to Yoga (it's tough), Pilates (love it) and Zumba or Latin Impact. Ladies, I highly recommend going to a Latin class. It's so much fun. I did a class lastnight and although it was an hour long, several people left when they'd had enough. An hour is seriously a long time. But it was such good cardio and there is no telling how many calories I burned. I have to say though, I was awful! I am such a white girl and don't have as much rhythm as I previously thought I did. Hehe. Who cares, though? It was a blast!!!

My pants are falling off! (Ashley)

Is there any better feeling than not being able to fit into your clothes anymore because they're too big?

Today I'm wearing a pair of pants I bought at the beginning of July to go back to work, and I think after today I won't be able to wear them anymore, as I have to hold them up by the pockets when I walk.

Woohoo!

In other news, I revved up my jogging from 4.0 to 4.5mph yesterday, and it is kicking my butt! I know it's slow compared to "real" running, but whew.

And I have mysteriously acquired a hyperactive metabolism. At least, that's what I think it must be, as I haven't really changed my workout routine or eating habits in the last week, but I've lost a significant amount of poundage since our last weigh-in. (Yes, Daddy, you must wait in suspense until this weekend!) Maybe it's because I've been eating every three to four hours like they say...who knows, but it's great.

Finally, here is a fantastic recipe, based on something from SparkRecipes.com (I altered it a little):
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 package taco seasoning
1 c salsa
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can whole kernel corn (rinsed and drained)
1/2 c fat-free sour cream

Put all ingredients except for sour cream in slow cooker, in the order shown above. (I also added green bell pepper to mine.) Set for desired cooking time (I cooked mine for 4 hours.) When finished, add sour cream and stir.

You can eat the chicken whole with the black beans and corn on the side, but this is really best when you shred the chicken (it should be really tender) and serve as a soup. Very filling and delicious (and easy!).

Love to all,
Ashley

Motivation.. hmmm???

It has been a week or so since I had time or felt like looking at my computer. When school first starts, I am bushed by the time I get home. I usually stay late, stop by the store, etc. Anyway, this is Saturday and James and I are getting re ady to head out on one of our mini-vacations. That just means we get in the truck and see where the road leads us for the day. There is an awful lot we haven't seen around here!!
Now, back to motivation and making healthy changes. Since my last blog, I feel that I have finally gotten my brain to kick in to determination. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm a little bit stubborn. Once I make my mind up, I can do about anything. Anyway, I think I am on the road again. :)
It helps to be back in school, because I, too, like routine and a schedule. I have the same thing for breakfast, lunch, and snacks every day. That is easier when I eat for lunch and snacks what I take with me. I also have just decided to make better choices, like passing up a large order of popcorn chicken at Sonic. (Did you know that that is more than 700 calories!!! That knowledge helps that decision, too.) I have also taken some of Cynthia's advice, whom I called for help a few times, and am drinking water until after work. (Thanks, Sis!) I do let myself stop and get a Sonic diet Coke on the way home from work. So far, I have limited it to just that and plan to work on limiting that to one day a week soon.
The gym is harder so far. I did go once this last week, but I have to tell you guys what I did yesterday. I went to Dollar Tree and usually move my car closer to Wal-Mart before I breeze in there for a few minutes. I got to my car and looked at the door to Wal-Mart. I surveyed the parking lot and spyed a buggy cart close to my car, and......walked instead of moving my car!! Now, my legs and knees hurt by the time I walked around Wal-Mart, but......I was so proud of myself. Even when I had to walk back to my car when I got through.
I love you guys and appreciate all of the motivational posts. It will be great to see us the next time we get together and we are munching on carrots instead of chips!!!
Be healthier, happier, and smaller!!!

Love you all,
Velma

motivational quote

Here is the other quote that I forgot to write down, it was on the ADA step out e-mail.

paraphrased

some people dream and some people do, it's the people who do what they dream that make a difference.

motivation and confession (Lindie)

Motivations
I've put up "affirmations" in my closet so that I see them every day when I'm getting dressed. These are positive sayings about things that I desire to see happen in my life. So, these are the affirmations I have for this contest.
I am _____ pounds.
I am healthy and fit.
I have won the McElroy Family Biggest Loser.
(I also found scriptures to back up my affirmations.)

My other motivation is my sister, Katie. She and I grew up being very close in size-even while in college. Well, I ended up having Jackson (and ladies we all know how our bodies keep that extra baby weight), so I got bigger and she started getting smaller and smaller and smaller. Now, after eating healthy for over a year, she is about 25 pounds smaller than me! Currently, she is doing a 30 day diet called "Raw for 30 days". I thought it was crazy at first, but she's doing great and is almost done with her 30 days. She's been blogging about it and I encourage you to see what she's been eating. It's really interesting. It kindof goes back to what Heather was saying about how your body just doesn't really want the "junk" food anymore and the green stuff starts to taste good.
http://raw.talkspotblogs.com

Confession
Here's the bad news...lastnight we went to the state fair and I was REALLY bad. I'm definitely feeling the effects of it this morning. Justin ate a big lunch, so he wasn't really hungry and my sister is on her raw diet and Jackson hasn't been eating much, so after I bought all this really gross food, I had to eat it all by myself. It was yummy but not at the same time. By the way, have any of you ever had deep fried oreos? Seriously. They are so good but so bad.

Anyway, luckily we have another week until the weigh in. I will be headed to the gym more this week to burn off my bad choices. I hope everyone is doing better than me. =)
Love to all!

cynthia motivation

I have a few quotes that I tell myself to improve my motivation. One is by Dr. Cooper of the weight loss institute in Dallas. He tells his patients "don't die of something stupid"> That helps me when that bag of chips or that bacon cheeseburger call my name. I also read the e-mails from sparkpeople.com every day if I can and that reminds me of all the things I already know about this journey. I am not on a diet, I am trying to make lasting changes that will improve my health. I try to remember that there are no forbidden foods, but each bite I take is a choice. Sometimes gooey nutty dark rich chocolate is the right choice because it fulfills my craving and lets me move on. If I ignore it for too long I will munch on any and every thing available and end up worse off than if I had given in and like Heather said eat until I am satisfied and throw the rest away.

That is my hardest challenge, I am a lifelong member of the clean plate club, and throwing food away makes me feel guilty. I try to overcome that feeling of guilt and am finding that if I actually scrape it off of my plate or otherwise destroy the rest I am beginning to feel a sense of victory and celebration just for that small act.

Motivation for exercise is more difficult. I have been battling foot and leg pain for about a year, so just getting up and walking can sometimes be painful. It helps if I call Jessica early in the day and make an appointment to go workout at the pool. I am beginning to wake up earlier in the mornings and as soon as the heat calms down I hope to take a stroll before work each day. We'll see. I have found ways to add steps to my daily routine, such as walk back and forth to the file room with individual charts at the end of the day when backup is running and work is slowed down anyway. Somehow the computer manages to work even if I don't sit and watch the screen. I also make myself park further out in the parking lot at stores and such. And get out and go in the bank instead of using the drive through. Small steps, but every little bit helps.

I am so excited that as a family we have decided to take control of our health instead of just riding the wave of genetic predispostion and complacency. Way to go Fam!!!!!

Motivation

I think Uncle Doug hit on a REALLY important point - If you mess up, forgive and move on!!! I think it's easy to get hung up on perfection, thinking one cookie or one missed workout will keep us from our goals. Well, one cookie and one missed workout did not make us fat! ha ha! But it is important to keep ourselves motivated. Here's what's working for me.

Working out - I've started going in the morning before work. It took several days to get used to seeing 5:00 two times a day, but I really enjoy it now. The gym is less crowded, it doesn't take away time from Micah (afternoon) and doesn't leave me hyper like evening workouts do. Plus, I have it over and out of the way - I don't have to debate with myself all day about whether I'll go or not. To make myself get up everymorning, I have a picture of myself before I gained all this weight beside my bed. And when my alarm goes off, I remind myself how much better I'll feel once I'm there. And of how much more difficult it will be tomorrow if I don't get up today.

Food - When I first started losing weight in February, I concentrated ONLY on portions. I lterally ate anything I wanted, just only if I was hungry and only until I wasn't hungry anymore (stopping before "FULL"). As I started paying attention to my body, I started paying attention to my body. And I realized something - my body doesn't really want a doughnut for breakfast. I don't feel good after I've had one. My body wants salads and whole grains and healthy things. This sounds funny, but my teeth love the crunch of lettuce not drenched in dressing. Do I still have sweets? - yup - in small servings when I'm hungry. But I pass them up often, too. I really don't want to feed myself on junk. Yesterday there were Krispy Kreme doughnuts in the lounge. I had already eaten breakfast, but KK is hard to pass up. I put one in a napkin and set it on my counter in my room. At about 10:00 I was a little hungry, so I had half, meaning to eat the rest after lunch. At the end of the day, I threw it away. It felt really good to be able to do that. Do I still overeat sometimes? Yup (more than I'd like) - but I've learned to let it go and get right back on track.

I guess I'm trying to say that I'm motivated by knowing I could have whatever, but I also have the freedom to pass it up and make a healthier choice. I'm losing weight slowly, but I'm okay with that. The scales are moving in the right direction, and my clothes fit better. I feel better about myself and am more at peace with food than I've ever been.

Keep it up, everyone! I'm so glad we're doing this all together. Don't know if I'll be able to catch Uncle Doug and Cody, but I'm glad we're all trying! Have a good (and healthy) weekend!

Staying Motivated Doug

Well they have a name for someone who is good 100% of the time, it's called obsesive compulsive and requires a trip to the shrink. I do not believe any of us suffer from that. That being said, if you fail to exercise one day or eat a cookie or ten, forgive yourself and pledge to do better the next day.

I stay motivated to go to the gym by looking in the mirror each morning when I get out of the shower. I can definitely pinch more than an inch!! LOL

Eating challenges are more difficult. They sometimes come when you least expect it and are not at your strongest. I try to thing of how much work it was to lose to this point and my desire to not have to repeat the lost of those same pounds helps me control my urges.

I am very proud of all of you and a little worried about Mark making such a strong showing over the last two weeks. i still believe i can win but ya'll are not allowing me to be complacent!!

Love to all!! Douglas

Discipline (Ashley)

This post is crafted as sort of a response to Aunt Velma's situation, but also because it's something I'm struggling with, as well.

First of all--to Aunt Velma. I know you can do it! You are one of the strongest people I know, and I know that once you set your mind to it, you're going to give us all a run for our money. Even if it's small steps, one healthy habit at a time, it's better than where you've been.

I too am struggling with discipline. I've discovered that I operate best as a creature of routine. For example, my workout schedule is to exercise every day except Wednesdays, when I take a day off to rest. However, if Luke had an especially hard day with Elizabeth or is sick, then I might need to stay home and help out with her. This throws me off, and tempts me to not work out the next day. And, although so far I've not succumbed to that temptation, it's definitely stronger when I already have taken the previous day off and it's not in my routine to do so. I have some psychological problems, I guess. 0=)

So, for Aunt Velma and for the rest of us, including me, I thought for this next round of posts it would be a good topic if we could each discuss how we keep with the program and stay disciplined, especially when our motivation is lacking.

How I stay disciplined:
Exercise--I just do it. It's especially tough when I'd rather read a book or relax or am really tired, but I make myself start, knowing that as soon as I'm 10 minutes in, the endorphins will kick in and I'll WANT to continue.

Eating--The number one way I stay disciplined is not to make unhealthy foods available to me. I avoid fast food restaurants as much as possible. (I know I COULD make healthy decisions, but why test my willpower?) I bring leftovers from healthy dinners to work so I won't be tempted to eat out. If Luke and I go out, I try to go to new restaurants or try new dishes at old restaurants, because I know that if I order something that I've like in the past, before we started this contest, I'm more likely to overeat because that's what I was used to doing. And finally, I have a goal for myself to eat 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Sometimes I reach this goal, sometimes I don't, but when you're concentrating on this goal and filling up on healthy foods, it's easier not to give in to the unhealthy foods.

What about the rest of you? How do you stay disciplined to exercise and eat right, when you really really really don't want to?

8/8/09 Weigh In

I'm still waiting for Brittney's info, but so far...

Name-Total Weight Lost-Total Percentage of Weight Lost

Doug-15.2-5.24%
Cody-9-3.4%
Heather-6-3.03%
Ashley-6-2.68%
Mark-8.4-2.41%
Cynthia-5-2.03%
Lindie-3-1.91%
Jessica-3-1.23%
Granny-2-0.97%
Justin-1.5-0.84%
Luke-1-0.37%
Velma-(-)1-(-)0.39%

Note: This is the total weight lost over the last 4 weeks and the total percentage weight lost from the beginning weight, not from the last weigh-in. (Not necessary since we're not doing eliminations.)

Ups and Downs
Velma

Well, I've had ups and downs during the last four weeks. One up that I'm not excited about is that I gained a pound during the last two weeks. Some of the things I am proud of are some of my eating choices. I've been out to eat several times lately and ordered a salad or soup and salad combo instead of some greasy fried concoction that I would have normally ordered. I have actually gone to the gym once, but that means that I have only gone once. Now that school is in full swing, I hope to go on a more regular basis. The gym is on my way home but 30 miles away from home.
I am having a really tough time with the eating choices, etc. Please send encouraging thoughts, prayers, etc. my way. I know I need to do this and I want to do this, but I am struggling. I think I have toyed with it so long that I am having a difficult time getting serious with it again.

I'm so proud of how well everyone else is doing. It's exciting to see Heather in smaller clothes and see that she is feeling better about herself. It is equally exciting to hear that Cynthia is leading her family towards a newer, healthier eating lifestyle. Not to mention how well Ashley, Doug, and the rest of you are doing.
Yeah McElroy family! Keep it up and keep watching those weights go down.

I love ya'll,
Velma

Impressed! (Ashley)

Wow, I am so impressed with all of you!

Yoga, jogging a mile, giving up sodas and throwing away fast food you just bought, working out consistently...you guys rock! (And for those of you who haven't posted your proudest moments, I know you're doing awesome, too.)

We're almost done with week 4, if you can believe it! Don't forget to email me with your weigh-ins on Saturday so we can do the next official tally. Somebody has to overtake Daddy!

Luke has been sick this entire week so he hasn't been able to work out like he wanted, but he's still trying to eat better. I'm now up to jogging 7 minutes continuously and 20 minutes total in one workout. It's amazing how our bodies can adapt--I never thought I'd be able to do this just 4 weeks ago...I dreamed, but I didn't think it was possible.

We took Elizabeth on her first hike last weekend (see picture). We went in the jogging stroller, but were only able to go so far on the different trails until we hit too many rocks. So now we have a carrier to try out this weekend, if Luke is feeling better. Elizabeth seemed to like it--she fell asleep halfway through. But changing a baby's diaper in a jogging stroller is not fun! 0=)

Finish the week out strong! Love you guys!

Ashley 0=)

Mark's Thought's:)

Hey Guys!

I will first off list on of my proudest moments...Cynthia's DR. has told her to eliminate ALL Carbonated/Caffeine drinks...and she has:) She has worked so hard and done so much for the entire family, that I am PROUD of her!

Since she has left off the drinks, she has lost weight steadily...and the best result is that it is showing:)

Cynthia, myself, Brittney, Cody, & Jessica are all eating healthier due to Cynthia!

Cynthia is cooking new, healthier recipes for the family, and in turn, we are eating them:) She has really embaced the healthy way of life, and is doing due diligence, by also including a variety of exercises.

ME...Well, after gaining all of the weight that I did after the steroid injections, I have lost back down to where I began, lol! Sigh, I believe I gained and then in turn lost, right at 13 pounds in the two weeks since:)

One of my proudest moments came on Monday, when I was returning from the Dallas VA Hospital...I stopped into a McDonalds for lunch/Breakfast, (2:00 pm) ordered, pulled forward to the trash can and tossed the included Diet Coke:) I set there for a moment and then tossed my meal also...wow!

OH, by the way, I haven't had a Caffeinated/Carbonated drink since Cynthia had to get on the wagon! She rocks!

PS..You guys remember Cynthia the next couple of months as she is going to be beginning a lot of medical testing...

Take care and God Bless!

Mark

Heather's Proud Moments

I'm glad everyone is doing so well. Keep it up!!! Here are a few proud moments I wanted to share.

Went shopping for school clothes this weekend and I was down another size!!!!
I've been to the gym every day I planned on going for over two weeks. I've jogged a mile (consecutive) twice. I've discovered that I really enjoy the taste of a good salad.

Keep the updates coming - I like hearing from everyone. Enjoy the rest of your week!!

Proudest Moment (Lindie)

I have to say that I've had several proud moments.

First of all, I did Yoga this week! Never thought I'd do that. I went with my sister and her fiance. It was good enough and I enjoyed it, but I like Pilates better, so I think I'll stick with that. But the fact that I went was amazing.

We also got Papa Murphy's (isn't it great, Ash) recently and instead of having a coke with it, I just had water. Definitely not what I usually do when eating pizza. That's ok. At least I'm healthy.

Last but certainly not least, we have this really great theater here that offers free movies on Wednesdays. The best part is everyone brings their own snacks, so instead of popcorn, I've been bringing carrot sticks, grapes, nuts, and water. That way I still get my sweet and salty without eating popcorn and coke. Yay!