SUNDAY, MAY 20

Back from Another Birding Adventure

Made a loop up to the East Coast -- and down to Florida. Cape May NJ during the week of the World Series of Birding was awesome. I got to scan through thousands of shorebirds to find the one "nugget" -- a female Curlew Sandpiper. We also helped the Wildlife and Fisheries folks band Red Knots (the sandpipers that feed on Horseshoe Crab eggs mid-migration route.) Then we went down to the Florida Keys to see some summer resident birds that hadn't arrived the last time I was there -- plus the late migrants going through Florida at the time. Over the past two weeks, Doug added several "life birds" and I picked up a few myself.

In Cape May, we had an apartment and cooked for most of our first week. The second week, we ate out every meal, similarly to what we would prepare ourselves -- it is amazing what some restaurants will do to please their customers! I'm going to pull an "Allen Carter trick" and not weigh in for a week while I get rid of the water retention caused by high sodium.

Being without internet for the second week forced a second week "failure" for the program, but I would consider our vacation eating a "huge success" all things considered. I didn't eat "perfectly", but I'm very satisfied with my self-control and choices for the most part.

Oh, and Doug's sugar levels were under 100 for most of the trip! Yay! ~elise

POSTED BY CHALLENGE1 ON MAY 20, 10:28PM    

FRIDAY, MAY 04

Who are you . . .

... and what have you done with my MOTHER?!!! That was my daughter's reaction yesterday after not seeing me for quite some time. That means it's gonna be really sweet at the end of this! ~elise

POSTED BY CHALLENGE1 ON MAY 04, 7:41AM    

	4 COMMENTS:
	DebC said... Awesome, I bet your daughter's compliment made your week. debbie
	pringle said... Way to go! Peggy
	mary2 said... I'm so happy this is all working out for you Elise. You are doing so well and people around you are noticing. All your hard work is paying off. I bet you have never felt better about yourself in a long time!~Mary
	DurtGurl said... Affirmation from others that you have made huge changes is always so rewarding. Recognition coming from Family is even better!!!

TUESDAY, MAY 01

If you want to drive Ric NUTS . . .

...think like a girl. After swaggering around with my "guy thinking cap on" doing squats today and wobbling up the stairs, I'd say I am only being marginally successful (OK, failing miserably) at this guy thinking thing.

For example, something as simple as answering the YES/NO fatburning question is a doozy for us women! We have to answer it all in PERSPECTIVE! Am I going through my monthly water retention cycle? Did I have a high sodium meal within the past four days? Did I drink enough water each day this week? Did I get in all my programmed cardio sessions? Did the scale move down even an ounce? Did the tape move fractionally? Does it feel like my clothes are fitting better? Was I dehydrated on my low day a couple of weeks ago, and now I'm just catching up with fat loss? Do I want to drop calories or add a cardio? Did I eat or drink anything before I weighed? Is Earth in alignment with Mars and Joopiter?

Ric, we must drive you absolutely nuts. OK, ladies, I dare you to THINK LIKE A GUY and JUST SAY NO without all the complications! I'm not so sure I can do it. Crystal, pass me the oxygen tank! ~elise

POSTED BY CHALLENGE1 ON MAY 01, 8:15PM    

	5 COMMENTS:
	rooney3 said... LOL!!! That blog made my day. At least you appreciate what you women put me through! But I wouldn't have it any other way.
	DebC said... Your blog is funny. I really do try to think like a guy would, but the scale became my life back in middle school when the weight was announced to the whole P.E. class. Embarrassment like that is hard to forget. I know, think like a guy, they wouldn't have given that weight to the class a 2nd thought. I guess I need more practice thinking like a guy. Thanks for an interesting blog. debbie
	Maxine said... But on the other hand....some female PFAer's hit that button TOO SOON and then we hear them whine later on about getting their calories back because they didn't listen to us old timers and only hit it after we do answer some of those serious questions!!!!~Maxine~
	erikwells said... I have better ways to drive Ric nuts.... just ask him to think like a girl and see what happens... (grin)... the last time I asked him to do that... you would have thought he started his own monthly cycle.
	JustPeachy said... Wait!!! You forgot to mention that we have to take off all earrings, necklaces, rings and NAILPOLISH before weighing in...that might ......just might.. add an ounce and we just CANNOT have that. HEHE...what a funny blog Elise and you hit the nail on the head..Ric ALWAYS says, "Quit thinking like a girl and think like a guy." Crystal

SUNDAY, APRIL 29

40 Already!

Today, I'm literally "over the hill" -- I'm celebrating my big FOUR-OH (pounds) and I want to thank all of you for your encouragement.

Now for the next phase of this project: Losing the next pound. Yes, I take them one pound at a time. In fact, if the truth be known, I'll be dancing over then next five ounces lost -- 'cause I'll be in the 170s! ~elise

POSTED BY CHALLENGE1 ON APR 29, 4:10PM    

	7 COMMENTS:
	DebC said... Congrats on the big 4-0!! And more to come. debbie
	29640red said... i can't think of a lady that deserves it more. what a trooper and worker you turned out to be . i am glad i was there to see stay strong and keep that focus going. ed
	Maxine said... What a milestone Elise!!! God has surely blessed us with your success ...a blessing not only for you but for all here who read your blogs and comments. You truly have a gift that multiplies as it is shared. Thanks for allowing us you have a piece of your joy today! I send a great big hug across the miles to you...wherever it is t that you really live!!!~Maxine~
	pringle said... Three cheers for you! I will be cheering for you just has hard when you become geriatric with your losses. ;) Peggy
	mary2 said... You have a lot to be proud of today, Elise. You have worked so hard and you deserve to celebrate. Just don't go out buy cake or something like that. Isn't it amazing how once a person puts there mind to something they can achieve great things. You have done that!~Mary
	DurtGurl said... Whoohooo! Goal setting is one thing but realizing those goals is a whole lot of work. We all understand and applaud your success.
	Delphinium said... Elise, you are doing great things with this program. I tell myself that if Elise can do it, so can I. I have watched your numbers go down, down, down and you always talk about the woosh of pounds coming off. Now I know what you mean!!! These past few weeks I found my sweet spot. The pounds and inches are just falling off. In fact, I bought a dress for my son's wedding for this July and now I am afraid that it is going to be too big!!! I guess that is a good problem to have. Keep up the good work!! I am right behind you!! Victoria

FRIDAY, APRIL 27

The new mantra . . .

LOL! And I thought I was going to get some advice on after-workout shakes (or something food/exercise related)!

Thanks all of you who replied -- every bit of your advice helped. I had an inkling, but wasn't sure -- sometimes what shows up as a "measured" muscle loss is not always so. The goal is to resist and master my fears and continue to change how I think about fitness!

On another note, I guess I am getting more and more obsessed about muscles! I went to my first "Muscle Mania" powerlifting competition today and watched one of our squadron members squat an "easy" 600#--and then bench press 425#. He weighed in at 241# and can/has done more on both in past competitions. He admitted he wasn't really pulling out all the stops -- and IMO, he had no need to in order to win overall powerlifter in this competition. I don't think any of the other lifters came close. His motions were fluid and although you could tell he was working, he was controlled and it looked effortless. Compared to the majority of lifters straining and popping their eyes out (and other various body parts), he was playing with those weights! In 2004, he was the "strongest man in the military". He may well still be! Not too many guys can get away with weighing 241 in the USAF and get away with it. He is massive and solid muscle.

Every now and then, I update him on my progress: "Hey Darrell, I can do a squat holding onto the Smith machine like a ballet bar!" I'll show him my (puny) 12" bicep and he just smiles and encourages me that one day I'll do a real pushup if I keep trying. So you see, I don't want to lose what little muscle I've gained! The new mantra:

Muscle gain; good
Muscle loss; bad

"Think like a guy, think like a guy, think like a guy". ~elise

POSTED BY CHALLENGE1 ON APR 27, 9:31PM    

	2 COMMENTS:
	rooney3 said... That is the mantra I implore all you women to follow, Elise: "Think like a dude!" when it comes to this fitness process. And then my wife patiently smiles at me and says, "you might as well ask me to stop breathing"
	29640red said... HI ELISE HOW ARE YOU ? THOSE GUYS ARE HUGE AREN'T THEY . I HAVE A COUPLE OF BODY BUIDING BUDDIES BACK HOME . HAVE A GREAT DAY ED

FRIDAY, APRIL 27

For ever action (or inaction) there is ...

an equal or opposite reaction/consequence.

I taped myself this morning and the measurements say I’ve lost muscle since the last time I taped. Is it true, or am I just losing unevenly -- i.e. NOT from the hips? LOL. Any advice? ~elise

POSTED BY CHALLENGE1 ON APR 27, 4:36AM    

	3 COMMENTS:
	Maxine said... Elise, your stats are fabulous! You are just doing the "been at this a long time" thing....you want to measure everything; you want to have it come off evenly; you are over-conscious of one body area/part etc. etc. STOP. Take a deep beath and look in the mirror! I bet what you see is even better than what we see - don't you remember how much they always say a camera adds in pounds!!!! You are doing great! Keep that in mind above all! ~Maxine~
	lorap said... Remember, lean mass includes organs and bones. On top of that you can't measure everything. I remember watching the area above my knee shrinking visibly, but the thighs weren't budging. Having said that, you have lost so much weight already, it would be difficult not to lose some muscle with that. Maintenance will give you a chance to rebuild muscle to keep the metabolism up. Lora
	pringle said... Elise, don't read too much into 1 week's measurements or unequal changes. The logic of women's bodies is illogical. For the past several weeks, my waist and hip measurements have not budged, but my lower belly measurements have. So the body fat calculator says the body fat is the same, therefore the conclusion would be that I'm losing lean mass, but my lower belly is clearly fat and if it is getting smaller then I would be losing fat. So don't sweat some of the illogical changes. Peggy

THURSDAY, APRIL 26

Continuing the Slide Downward

Last post, I told you about my "psych me out" picture -- gotta be at the TOP of the hill with an arrow pointing DOWN. It worked! Guess I just needed to see the picture before following the prompt! I'm whooshing down to new lows this week and lovin' it.

What changed? Well, after taking off a couple of weeks at the gym, I went back -- nothing spectacular there, but goes to show me that the little bit of HIIT Cardio-Coach CD I use does help. I'm back in the saddle with the menu planning (Doug had the spatula for a while) and we've had some of those dishes off my Elise-Recipes Blog instead of boring grilled chicken breasts and salmon. Wheeeee! I can taste success in every bite! See the new chart and picture in the gallery. ~elise

POSTED BY CHALLENGE1 ON APR 26, 5:29AM    

	7 COMMENTS:
	DebC said... You are moving. Great job! debbie
	29640red said... hey there you, great job you are looking great . i knew you could do-it.that wasn't the trick, the trick is all the people that you influenced . my hat goes off to you . ed
	lorap said... IT'S NOT FAIR!!! You already have collarbones. I've been waiting and waiting for mine to pop out :( Lora
	grarey said... Elise I am really glad to see a drop for you. You're shaking things up again and your body must love it. Keep going. Gwen
	mary2 said... Glad to hear things are working for you again Elise. Sometimes we all have to take a little break and before you know it get back into the saddle again. We all go through the ups and downs. Have a good day!~Mary
	DurtGurl said... Shaking things up always seems to do the trick. Glad to hear it's going well for you this week. I see that you are about to hit the 40-lb loss mark. That is an incredible feat - We're all so proud of you!!!
	Salara said... Keep going, Elise. You're a great inspiration!

TUESDAY, APRIL 17

Even in the Middle . . .

I've gotta start at the TOP and work my way DOWN!

Thanks to all who have offered suggestions and encouragement. I think Maxine hit it on the head with what's happening -- post-vacation blahs. That, plus the rollercoaster water retention of my regular cycle last week affected my instant gratification of seeing the fat loss.

So, yesterday, I decided that I would look at my goals anew. At work, I have posted two 12-week weightloss charts in my office to keep me accountable. It's time for a third chart! Each of the past two 12-week charts shows total success. All I see is how "successful" I am -- I've met my goals.

It's very satisfying -- but in the middle of the program, I don't need to be quite soooo satisfied. I need to be mentally focused on my END goal.

So, I got out a new spreadsheet, input my weight for yesterday as the first day and projected a 1.5# weight loss for the next 12 weeks. Now, I'm at the TOP of the chart with the goal to be at the BOTTOM.

I feel a whoosh coming on. Wheeee!!!! ~elise

POSTED BY CHALLENGE1 ON APR 17, 5:4AM    

	3 COMMENTS:
	DebC said... That is great you found another thing to challenge you. I still struggle with finding another challenge after the initial(I need to lose some weight) actually is working. You are doing so well and seem so happy to be here and that is so refreshing. Thanks for all the advice and keep on keeping on.LOL debbie
	29640red said... hi elise, it is hard not to get bored or lose desire. we are only human. you stayed tough and i must say with a great attitude ,a true person to look up to. you always found time to make everyone feel special and important. very commendable!!! you have had a great run ,and i do believe it is far from over , so press ahead and do it, you will make it , im sure . ed
	flacadriver said... Elise I was finally able to read your post. I went through a flat spot last summer. I started swimming more for cardio and just generally shook up the routine. It helped to get a few more pounds off. Then after 30 wks of FB I just had to stop. I imagine your body is responding like those who've had to wait several weeks for their first weight drop in FB. Frankly, I hope you stick to the new 12 week goal because you're a good example to follow. Hope you can stay put for a while to get everything back on track. Gwen

SATURDAY, APRIL 14

A Fresh Look at COMMITMENT

I went birding in Florida again and had a great time. I've been back a whole week -- and have been experiencing what I can only call "the doldrums". I've literally felt like throwing in the towel! After a couple of days of not snapping out of it, I finally got "Coach Ric" involved. He actually gave me some options to bust a week or go into maintenance if I felt like I needed a mental break! Wow. Thoses were really some options to chew on and pray about. I've decided it's just a bump in the road and I'm going to just hang tough.

Speaking of "hanging tough", I’ve been thinking a lot about one of our own these days: Ed Gregory. I dug up one his inspirational blog entries that I had saved from this past December. For those of you who do not know Ed, he's one an amazing man. Just click here to listen to his podcast with Ric. I've put his words he wrote on "COMMITMENT" up in my inspirational quote at the top of this page. It really humbles me to read it.

Yeah buddy, I'm going to hang tough! ~elise

POSTED BY CHALLENGE1 ON APR 14, 9:2PM    

	4 COMMENTS:
	29640red said... hey there you, you keep writing stuff like that and i will come back there and hug you!!!! you have done amazing at this program .you are the role model for all pfa people to follow.you have always been upbeat and strong, but now you have hit the wall. this will pass and you will be the victor!!! right now i can't be with you because of the work restraints but i think of you often 'and hope you and your hubby are well . stay tough and get this finished i will join you asap . i couldn't be happier for you or more proud of you for a job well done . take care ed
	Maxine said... Hi Elise, I'm just catching up on blogs. Thanks for keeping in touch - your photos are showing the fantastic progress you are making! The "blahs" you are experiencing seem to hit us all when we least expect it. I, like you, often find they hit post-vacation! I know it seems so selfish to be feeling down when we have just been blessed with the ability to travel and experience the glories of another part of God's world! I think we are just being too human and with forgiveness, I believe we seek the new daily [or longer] goals we need to focus on to lift the spirits and get on with enjoying all of the blessings we temporarily overlook. I'm glad to hear you bouncing back into a positive mode again. Blogging can seem to help one to just do that! Have a blessed day! ~Maxine~
	erikwells said... sometimes taking a break is what is needed... our bodies tell us when enough is enough and maybe its time for a week or two of maintenance... and then start new rotation..
	JustPeachy said... Hope your inspection went well. I know I don't miss those. It is nice to know that even the strongest have moments of weakness. It is great that you share those moments because it makes me feel better about having them myself when I know others do. Do whatever it takes to refresh and energize because you have earned a moment to step back, inhale and exhale.

SATURDAY, MARCH 31

An Update and More Travels

I've been way too quiet since my jaunt to Key West. It took me a few days to catch up and this week was a big "inspection" at work to contend with.

I've posted new numbers up at the top of the profile that show my current progress since starting. I've still got a ways to go on the fat loss, but am really loving the food, the exercise, the routine, the planning, and the "new" clothes. The folks at work are really taking notice.

I'll be out of touch next week, but am planning my menu and printing it off so I can follow it while traveling. I'll be staying in an apartment at my destination, so will be able to have plenty of control over what I eat. ~elise

POSTED BY CHALLENGE1 ON MAR 31, 10:52AM     <