# 90 days of difference...A work in progress



## Golden Horse

Day 1:

Today is the first day, and it started badly, I was thinking this was going to be a reasonable journey, 25 pounds or so to lose in 90 days, but according to the scales that is not the journey I'm on, it is a 36.6 pound journey, that'll teach me to relax my usual view on eating bread/pastry/cereal.

OK, don't panic, lets do the math, 

36.6/90 = 0.40 pounds a day
0.40*7 = 2.84 pounds a week

OK, time to panic a little that is a big ask, but then there is a lot to lose eventually.......

The plan, this week is about, getting rid of the rubbish, so simply clean and mindful eating, lots of veggies, fruit in reasonable amounts, beans/pulses in moderate amounts, measured lean protein, and lots and lots of water.

On the exercise front, lots of walking, and my strengthening exercises in the evening.

Weigh in next week and then see where we are, and get ready for week #2


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## Drifting

Golden Horse that sounds like a really great challenge. I don't usually try for such big goals, but since I haven't been doing any goals, maybe I should.

Can I join you on this?


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## Golden Horse

Please do Drifting, I could do with some company:wink:

I survived day 1, 89 to go, and that is the important thing, keeping to whatever plan I am on for the 90 days, and that plan will change week on week, going to keep it fresh.


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## Drifting

Alright, well this morning I had an egg salad sammich for breakfast ( I was in a hurry lol) and some coffee. so I'll make salad and a little chicken for dinner and go for a walk. that will be my day 1.

I think I'll start this week just trying to change my diet around a little and get some more exercise in. And water. I need to remember to drink water. More water less wine!


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## Zexious

Keep up the good work, ladies ^^


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## Golden Horse

Drifting said:


> And water. I need to remember to drink water. More water less wine!


Yes, more water needed here as well, sometimes I'm really good and sometimes I really struggle to drink enough! The recommended half your body weight in ounces, well lets face it that's nearly enough for a bath! More water, less beer here, was wine but it appears that I got a beer habit along with the western saddle!


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## Zexious

^Everything in moderation


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## Golden Horse

Zexious said:


> ^Everything in moderation


A part from water it seems:lol:


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## Red Gate Farm

Golden, it's healthier to set your goal at 1 - 2 lbs a week. You've almost doubled that and if you don't lose your 2.84 lbs a week you might get discouraged. Be happy if you lose a bit, or even stay the same and don't gain . That's on the right path.


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## Golden Horse

Don't worry Red Gate, the important part is the 90 days, not so much the weight lost. I will not panic, I will do everything I should and my body will respond as it likes. I know that my age, the yo yo dieting, the huge losses from before it all makes this a little harder, but I will do my best, and see how it goes. Any progress is better than none right?


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## Captain Evil

Do it. It's worth it. It is not always pretty and it is definitely not easy, but it is worth the struggle, mostly because... well, I can only speak for myself, but I feel a million times better: no more arthritis, I can run around and climb all over everything, but also, losing weight means I don't have to THINK about losing weight anymore. That freed up a lot of my time and energy.

So what happened with me is, I married a fat guy. 

My husband is absolutely awesome, and his weight was never something I even thought about. When I married him, I was still getting my jeans in the kid's department. But, in addition to being overweight, big time overweight, he is also a fabulous cook, and he gets a bit bent out of shape if you don't properly appreciate his cooking. Inevitably, I got chunkier, topping off at about 140, where I stayed, unhappily, for a few years. Then, my beloved horse of 24 years died because of my bad horse keeping (haynet hanging) and I shot up to 170.5 pounds.

At this point, a friend of ours who breeds and trains Fjords, offered me pick of his young herd. I told him I was too fat for a Fjord, and he said, "Nonsense." So I picked out a young 3 year old gelding, and both my husband and I went on a diet. 

600 calories for three months. 

He lost 50+ pounds and has kept it off. I lost 35 pounds. I did not cheat even an iota. But then, unexpectedly, Ahab came back. He had nowhere else to go. Hello unwanted Percheron, good-bye dream Fjord. I gained all that weight back, plus 10. I was so depressed!

This winter past, I just got sick and tired of being sore and tired and feeling old all the time. We crashed down our house, and I went on a diet again. 

This time, I was much less strict. 1200 calories. 

I was pretty good about sticking to it, and my husband helped by making awesome soups and stuff. I tried to drink 8 cups of water a day, but it was just to hard, so instead, I drank some water but lots of Sparking Ice flavored water. 0 calories and about a million flavors, and allowed myself only two cups of coffee a day (80 calories each). When I hit 145, I allowed myself one triangle of white Toblerone chocolate a day (44 calories), and at 140 I bought myself a pair of riding breeches. 

I am at 130 now, and wear a size 28 in men's Carhartt's. I have promised myself a new horse when I hit my goal of 128, but I know that I am just dreaming. Pretty sure that Ahab is here to stay. But maybe now that I weight 50 pounds less, he won't hate being ridden so much. Maybe.

Stick with it. It's really hard and sometimes miserable, but it feels great not to be lugging around that extra 50 pounds, and I LOVE not having to think about being fat all the time.


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## Golden Horse

Day two evening, flipping starving! I have been stuck home with no transport for two days, but heading towards the city tomorrow, time to buy stuff to snack on, I'm guessing apples will be the number 1 buy.

Today I haven't eaten enough I don't think, while we are on long hours I will have to build healthy snacks into the diet because 7 or 8 hours between lunch and supper makes me just too hungry.

Captain Evil, I'm not even letting myself contemplate the length of the whole journey, but those 36.6 pounds are the first barrier to get through, then I can think about riding my mare, a little.

Another 25 and I can REALLY ride her I think

26 after that and I get into my comfort zone, not thin by anyones standards, but heck I look at pics of me at that weight and there is a happy place.

After that, heck still more to go, but we'll worry about that later.

For now, this 90 days, and that 36.6 pounds, do one, hope that the other follows.


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## Golden Horse

Shopping is hard, a huge store full of 'food' only most of it isn't really food anymore, it is a chemical cocktail of empty calories, glued together with modified corn syrup! 

Came out with chicken, fruit and veggies.


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## Drifting

I haven't shopped yet, that's this weekend. Last time I went grochery shopping I made myself stay out of the middle isles. If it was in a package (beside bread or cheese) I wasn't going to buy it. So my cart was full of veggies and meat


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## Golden Horse

I was actually proud of myself when I got out, today was a bad day, for all sorts of reasons, and it would have been easy to "feel better" buy eating. I was also hungry being forced by scheduling changes to be in town for lunch. 

Planning is going to be key to this, I couldn't find snack food that I fancied and would be easy to eat on the run, so just bought a small pack of cooked chicken, and a bottle of water.


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## Golden Horse

Well it was a fun week, I ended up going to my Doc, I needed refills of the meds I got from the womens clinic. Long story but seems that the root of all my issues over the last few weeks have been caused but wrong dosage, and someone not following direction I have now been given a higher dose, and life is looking better.

Today was DARN hard, I had come to a reluctant decision that I needed to move on from something in the past, it meant dealing with guilt, regret, admitting that I wasn't good enough, and saying a sad goodbye. It was hard, but there is relief amongst the regrets.

The good part, I didn't even consider trying to eat it better, my scales seem to be moving nicely in teh right direction, official weigh in, Monday am, so nearly there.


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## MouseZ

Keep it up ladies!! It's a day to day thing, PROTINIS (pretty sure you have them in the states too if that's where you're from) CAN SAVE YOURE LIFE!! I have other tips I won't divulge unless you want em. PROTINIS!!


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## Golden Horse

Week one complete, YIPEE.

All in all a tough week in many ways, apart from the near melt down at the start if the week due to the medication issue, and a very emotional weekend, doing something that had to be done, but was hard none the less, but stuck to the clean eating, very few refined carbs, lots of fruit, veggies, beans and small amounts of meat, and the result is:


Down 7.7 pounds!

I love first weeks, *sigh* I just wish that that sort of loss would continue.

Plan for this week, repeat of week one, clean eating, mindful eating, and stick with normal exercise routine, dog walking, yard work, but build in using the gym ball in the evenings


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## Zexious

Congrats


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## Golden Horse

While I love first weeks I hate second weeks, 1.5 pounds which is a great weight loss. It is great especially as I took my eye off of the ball, problems with medications, a brand new granddaughter 6000 miles away, followed by health scare for baby at 24 hours old, especially scary as her brother was seriously ill at 24 hours old. 

Thankfully baby Hannah is 100% well, and at home, and my regime is back on track.

This week is going to require careful planning, first really busy week of the harvest season, working away from home for 12 to 14 hours a day, using someone elses kitchen and store cupboard to feed people, it is easy to end up taking short cuts, and just eating whatever is about!

27.4 pounds to go.


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## tinyliny

7.7 pounds in ONE WEEK??!!! that's amazing.

I haven't been dieting, but have been excersizing more and feeling more fit.
hang in there! hope the harvest goes well, in every way.


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## jaydee

The first weeks are the worst - cardboard with anything sweet plastered on it starts to sound good!!!


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## Perchance5

Just starting a 90 day challenge type thing now, and by gosh I'm excited haha Will keep you all updated on how it goes... should be good with my friend exercising with me, as we do work well and motivate/challenge one another. And with my riding now I feel more motivated to get fit - I don't want to think of my horses back sinking with my weight hahah but yes, 90 day program, 1200 calorie intake, given meal plans different each day, and workout plan with 3 days on cardio, 2 days on strength and 1 day on stretches/core/flexibility 

I'm excited! My fitness test is tomorrow, to see how I compare at the end.. ANd I've already been trying to improve my eating and going to the gym regularly (just not 6days a week like I will be) 

Hope everyone else is well too


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## MouseZ

You got this ladies!


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## Saddlebag

1200 calories become difficult to maintain for a lifetime so be warned, that once you increase the calories your body will hang on to it. You've convinced it you are starving. It is far better to go low calorie for a few days then say 1800 for a few days, mixing it up. Even then with the exercise and riding your body probably needs about 2200 cal. By living in a small town I've watched numerous women over the years get gung ho on the 1200 cals then gain back not only what they'd lost but another 10 or 15 lbs.


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## Perchance5

Yeah I am actually worried about the 1200, but that's what they actually recommended for me when I asked for a program and gave them all my details.. Seems stupid but I want to trust their experience. Usually when I diet I keep it at 1600 calories, while eating back what I burn, so if I burn a lot at the gym I'll eat some of those calories back, as I don't want a huge enough calorie deficit to make my body think it's starving. 


We will see how it goes I guess :/


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## Golden Horse

I totally crashed an burned, harvest started and with it came long hours at the wheel, sandwiches, odd eating hours, and now I feel disgusting...

I am working up to standing on my scales just to see how much damage I have done, then dumping the **** things and just concentrating on getting fit for the 2015 show season


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## Perchance5

That sounds good, getting fit always feels like a better goal than a certain amount of weight lost  though I admit to being guilty of giving myself impossible to reach numerical goals... But yeah, it isn't easy to be healthy even on the easiest schedule, let alone the od hours and long days out with harvest.


good luck and don't let it get you too down. I'll be trying to get fit for the 2015 season too, if that helps at all


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## DuffyDuck

Golden Horse said:


> I totally crashed an burned, harvest started and with it came long hours at the wheel, sandwiches, odd eating hours, and now I feel disgusting...
> 
> I am working up to standing on my scales just to see how much damage I have done, then dumping the **** things and just concentrating on getting fit for the 2015 show season


 
Hey, everyone has good days and bad days.

But think, that this healthier eating and regime will set you up for life. It's not just for 90 days. When you realise how great your body feels, and how much more energy you have there will be no stopping you.

Hugs


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## MouseZ

Even my coworker who is a hardcore bodybuilder gives herself one cheat meal a week. Gives you something to look forward to and makes the rest of the week easier!


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## Golden Horse

Bad day I can get, crashing and burning and losing sight of the wagon you were on is frustrating.

I KNOW that giving up any notion of dieting, and simply choosing to eat healthily for 90% of the time is the answer, why is it so stupidly hard to do this?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Perchance5

I understand that feeling entirely. When I get into the habit of eating less, and of eating healthy, it seems so natural, but then I crash, and I binge, feel guilty, eat more, feel worse, and have no energy for exercise. But tomorrow is a new day, and I will let myself have a fresh start. You should too  Despite the wagon seeming like it's bounced off into the distance

It's difficult, but hopefully we can both do it, eventually. Trying to stay positive has to be a start, right?


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## gingerscout

why oh whyyyy is it so easy to put on and so hard to take off.. ugh.. I only lost 2 pounds this week.. crap...  I figured starting to muck stalls and all the groundwork and moving stuff/ doing chores would burn more.. I sweat pretty bad by the time I am done.. oh well... just keep trying I guess


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## Saddlebag

The crash and burn is the body telling you to feed it. I was just listening to an interesting lecture on youtube from TED on eating a diet high in starches with little to no meat or milk. I've been eating like this for about 15 yrs when I quit buying almost anything a manufacturer had adulterated. This isn't about salads that make one feel hungry in 15 min. but potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, turnips, salad if you wish. The great thing about this eating plan is you can pretty much eat all your want and lose weight. Just stay away from what isn't grown in a garden, sugar, oils, chemicals. I am slim. My bloodwork says everything is functioning as it should despite a few missing parts. When I broke my leg it healed in record time. So after listening to the lecture it seems I've been on the right track after all. For two days I've been preparing 25 lbs of beets, turnips and carrots to last the winter. My breakfast was a cereal bowl of cooked leftovers, potatoes, beets, turnips, carrots and a few peas thrown in. Very colorful and filling. I am lactose sensitive don't drink milk unless it's homemade milk kefir as I love it's slight yogurt tartness and no digestive disturbances.


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## Golden Horse

Perchance, you are right, have to be positive, the one thing I do know is that until I break this current "useless, old, fat, unfit woman" train of thought I can't move on. Flipping that switch to "I'm so worth it, let's make me even better" is where I am stuck right now. Diet wise this is the lowest point I have been at since I lost all the weight a few years ago, and by thAt I mean able to deal with it, weight wise I guess I am nearly back to my highest ever, and I feel terrible.

Ginger, 2 pounds is fantastic, ideal even, take it be proud and move right on.

Saddlebag, I'm not sure I could do little or no meat, I am totally a carnivore. My best successes have come, in the past, from Scarsdale, 50 plus pounds, then a local diet club, low carb diet, once again well over 50 pounds lost, then the biggie, the Medifast, 140 pounds lost........

I am totally ace at dieting, totally rubbish at long term healthy eating, because every time I lost weight I gained it back, and more. I haven't gained back all the Medifast loss, but enough of it to feel like the fat person I am. Gah, I know I have to do this, I just need to muster the forces to even start the new battle, 2015 show season needs to start here very soon, as soon as this harvest fro hell is over. At the moment I don't know if I could even get on my horse


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## Saddlebag

I often eat canned salmon with lots of celery in it, a little mayo to stick it together on good 12 grain toast. This bread is more expensive but quite filling so a loaf lasts longer. That's my brekky. The protein holds me, the carbohydrates in the bread provide quick energy. And the celery, I detest the bones but with the celery, I can't tell and the bones are an exc source of calcium. I know a few sardine lovers who start their day with sardines in mustard on toast.


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## Perchance5

I'm currently 2 and a half weeks into my 90 day program and have lost 13lbs.. Fingers crossed that it keeps up, I so excited that it's going well and am very very impatiently waiting to feel better about riding ect. Super pleased and happy


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## Perchance5

Just thought I would update now that I'm 4 weeks in, no more weight loss on the scale, only up to 14.5lbs lost now, but I've lost 32cm overall, 13cm or so at the waist! and my fitness score went from a 24 to a 51/100.. 100 been an elite athlete. Pretty proud  I run my 1km in 6mins  But as soon as I finished I fell off a set of monkey bars and tore some tendons in my ankle... Possible break, xrays tomorrow  very disheartening and frustrating when going along so well.

Still, I hope it's just a sprain/tear, and will heal quickly.. I currently can't even work as that requires me on my feet lifting all day =/


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## kiwigirl

Hi Golden Horse, your doing great! I really suggest that you make smoothies a big part of your life. I have found them to be an absolute life saver on many, many occasions. I put everything and anything in my smoothies. You can make up a goodly amount and use it as your snack for the day - add straight protein powder, various seeds, leafy greens, my personal fav beetroot, I use coconut water (because its tasty) as my base. Voila!! a meal in a cup! I take it to town with me because lets face it finding a healthy choice in town SUCKS!! I make it in the morning and it is in the fridge as a snack all day, or a big glass of it as a complete meal. You can make "green chocolate" smoothies using spinach, pumpkin seeds, avacado and adding organic cacao powder (not the same thing as cocoa) use a little maple syrup to sweeten things up. I should right a book on the magic of smoothies haha. By the way I have now lost 50kg in my weight loss journey, I still have the last centimeters that I am in the process of dealing with (more skin than weight to be honest)- which are being dealt with through a hard core work out program I have developed for myself. 

This is doable Golden Horse! I have done it, you are no different to me, you can do this. If you need any help please ask.


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