Donna Shenk

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Zen Runner on January 24, 2011 at 10:14am

Donna,

Thanks for sharing and congrats pushing your goal of enhanced fitness and well-being to the top of your priority list. Considering your background working at a gym, I'm sure you've heard this before - but the more you can do to help yourself first, the more you'll have to give back to those who need you most. It took me a long time to learn this lesson, especially when my kids were younger. Balancing time for your exercise and making smart nutritional choices can be very difficult when you also have to manage a family, especially with young kids. This I know from first hand experience...

 

...but trust me on this, there will be a day (and perhaps you've already been there) when you'll say  "I've had enough, my well-being comes first" - and everything will shift. It's amazing how this works - when you make a true declaration from the heart to the universe, everything you'll require will align in-place - but this is just an open door. You still have to walk through it, which means you still have to do the work and have patience for the results to arrive, but they always do.

 

So what are you waiting for? If you really want it - create it!

 

Let us know how we can help and thanks for joining the group.

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Cliff Ravenscraft @GSPN on January 24, 2011 at 10:23am

Donna,  I am so thrilled to have you join us here in the HF&A group.  I am excited to learn that you've already lost the first three pounds.  I know you can make that goal of loosing the other seven by Valentines Day. Be fore to get a good "Before Picture" :)

Permalink Reply by jenn2davis on January 24, 2011 at 10:28am

Donna,

You can do it.  I understand the struggles.  I can tell you take one day at a time, and be sensible.  I look forward to following your progress!!!  I can't wait to hear that you achieved your goals.  I know you will.

Permalink Reply by Fred Firestine on January 24, 2011 at 5:12pm

Welcome! You are definitely on the right track here. We hear it on The Biggest Loser and so many other places now, that you have to take care of yourself if you really want to care for other people. Otherwise it's just diminishing returns.

 

As far as working out at home goes, how do you feel about exercise DVDs? They are cheap, $10-15 apiece for the most part, unless you want to invest (as I did) in a set like P90X from beachbody.com, which are still in that price range but it's a set of 12 DVDs.  ;-) Anyway, I started with three Jillian Michaels DVDs, and my wife likes the Tae Bo ones. There's a lot of variety out there, and for people who don't have time for the gym or would prefer to work out at home, you can still get in great shape. My sister also likes DVDs from Beachbody, but she says it's a challenge keeping her little guy off the exercise floor.

 

Have you checked out the stevia "products" like Truvia? I know some people are suspicious of them, but I use both stevia and Truvia (depending on my mood) so hopefully it's better than the artificial sweeteners. Trueleaf brand is also real stevia, not a derivative or blend, and it was developed by the guy who brought stevia to the U.S. It's supposed to be the gold standard.

 

See you at your next check-in (scheduled, I hope!).

Permalink Reply by Sandy Allen on January 25, 2011 at 6:39am

Thanks for sharing! It's so nice to have company on this journey!
You will meet your goal!

Sandy

Permalink Reply by Donna S on January 31, 2011 at 7:18am

Thank you everyone for your encouraging words! I'll have to get better at popping in here every few days so I'm on top of all of the great conversation!

 

First think... in my original message I said that I'm starting at 265 when in reality - I was 267...  that is after losing 3 lbs... So officially I can say that I've lost 5 lbs over the last 2 weeks!!

I have stayed on track completly over the last 2 weeks. Using LoseIt is a life saver!

I am starting to get bored with what I'm eating and I really need to find more options! I'd love to hear some of your suggestions for snacks, that's where I'm struggling, especially while I'm working. (I work from home at a VA-- long hours at my desk with no M&M's anymore!)

My goal was to lose 10lbs by Valentines Day and I'm 1/2 way there! This week I hope to get to the gym 2 times! I'm also hoping to add in my WiiFit to the mix. This week we also start going to Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University so it's a big week here! I hope everyone has had a successful week! I'm off to go read updates!! Have a great week!

Permalink Reply by Fred Firestine on January 31, 2011 at 12:55pm

Yay, you came back!  :-)  As far as sitting at your desk is concerned, I heard a good suggestion, which I am trying to do more often: For every hour that you sit at your desk, get up and do one minute of INTENSE activity. Jumping jacks, running in place as fast as you can, something like that. It will wake you up, for sure, and it's supposed to boost your metabolism for a while, too. At the office I have to sneak off to the conference room to do this, and so far I try to go once in the morning and again mid-afternoon.

 

For healthy snacks, I would suggest hummus and veggies, some nuts, even a bowl of vegetable soup might work. If you like protein, like I do, how about a hard-boiled egg, some almond butter, an ounce of cheese, again with veggies to bulk out your carefully measured serving size.  ;-)

 

Keep up the good work!

 

 

Permalink Reply by Cliff Ravenscraft @GSPN on January 31, 2011 at 10:14pm

For snacks, I like Cashews, home-made granola, low fat yogurt, peanut butter, cheese.  I just make sure to carefully watch the portion sizes.  I love that we have a good kitchen scale that helps me measure everything out. :)

Permalink Reply by Zen Runner on January 31, 2011 at 10:20pm

Celery with low fat cream cheese and cocoa covered almonds. YUM.

Permalink Reply by Fred Firestine on February 1, 2011 at 2:17pm

It took a long time for my wife to accept my use of the kitchen scale (she thought I was being too, um, exacting?). Now she's OK with it, because it is harder to estimate certain things. May I have 228 grams of yogurt, please?

Permalink Reply by Donna S on February 11, 2011 at 4:51pm

Hi everyone - I'm checking in. I REALLY should have checked in last week because this week has been BAD! I'm not sure when it started but I've just been so HUNGRY!

 

One thing I know I've stopped doing is drinking my GREEN smoothie in the mornings. Some mornings I've been so hungry after eating a bowl of Cheerios, so then I go scramble up 3 eggs (usually 2 egg whites and one egg) ... then I 'm hungry again, so I grab a granola bar... by this time I've had 2 cups of coffee too. Later in the day I grab a somewhat healthy lunch - then I'm hungry, need a snack... grab 2 fig Newtons... then some Pirates Booty (you know the stuff - delish!) ... then dinner...then snacks...

What the heck. I'm very dissapointed in myself but I know I can get back on track! This weekend is Valentines day I have not met my goal of losing 10 lbs. This Sunday we are celebrating V-day and we'll be at Church for a dessert banquet... ( yes, I will be enjoying some dessert - guilt free!)

My plan is to go to they gym tomorrow, get in a good work out - maybe even fit in a work out Sunday afternoon before we go.

 

I'm rambling, sorry - I think I've figured out that I need to stick to (for now) a routine for my meals. I need to keep having my smoothies. I need to have healthy snacks available every day (nuts, fruit and cheese plates pre-made) Although I'm disappointed I know I can get back on track. I'll try to be sure to check in weekly, as I think that really helps me.

 

Sorry for the long ramble with many run-on sentences... had to be quick today!

Permalink Reply by Cliff Ravenscraft @GSPN on February 12, 2011 at 6:12am

Donna,

 

I'm just glad that you took the time to share, even during a bad week.  It's posts like these, that keep me asking myself, where did I got wrong.  This helps me to look out for those issues in the days and weeks ahead.

 

Love the idea of pre-made anything!  Planning ahead REALLY HELPS!