Losing to Gain: week one

Well as of this post, it's been a little over a week since we all four started this challenge.

I had no idea what an amazing journey we were embarking on.  I thought going public would definitely hold us more accountable...and it has...but all of the response from all of you has been incredible.  Y'all are some of the best cheerleaders and encouragers in the world.

Not to mention the many emails, comments and texts from those of you who are making changes too! 

Yay to encouraging each other!

I could go on and on but I know why y'all are here....

You want to know which of us came in on top!

Well, we all have done amazing but this week goes to....

She took the lead this week with a whopping 7 pounds lost and 3.83% weight loss percentage!!

BUT....the rest of us didn't do too shabby either!

Elizabeth lost 4 pounds with a 2.07%  weight loss percentage!

I lost also lost 4 pounds with 1.93% weight lost percentage!

 Lauren is the underdog this week losing 1 pound with .67% weigh loss percentage!

We are all pretty excited because even though the scale and weight loss is just a number we are using in order to win a 'contest"...  all four of us are already seeing changes in our bodies after one week!!

**Now before any of you freak out over Lydia's 7 pounds in one week and send me email after email with your concern over her health, she, along with the rest of us, are eating! And we are eating healthier than we have in years.  As I mentioned in first post...our aim is to make a lifestyle change.  So  no gimmicks, fad diets and stuff like that. I guess when you consume as much cokes and junk food as we all had gotten accustomed to, our bodies are just really flushing it all out these first couple of weeks.  

I asked the girls to share something that they have discovered to be successful and helpful to them on this journey to getting fit.  And also to share what was most challenging.  

We hope it encourages and helps someone and of course we LOVE hearing from y'all what has worked for you!  

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Team Ladeea

If you follow her on Instagram than you've seen all her tea pics.  

The rest of us think she has some secret weapon in those cups but she swears it is just plain old green tea.  ;)

• Her tip:  "lots of lots of water....like all day long I'm sipping on water and I have a cup of green tea every afternoon."
• Her  biggest challenge:  she never gave me one.  I guess her 7 pound loss proves that this week. lol.

Some of  her snacks.

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 Team Baby Lady

 Here  I was worried the most about Elizabeth since she is isolated from us being so far away and she has the challenge of  tending to her children nonstop with less time to focus and prepare for changes.... but she snuck up and  came in second this week!!

Her tip: "We ALL are drinking water. The Mio liquid has helped the kids want to drink water more (and me) "

Her biggest challenges this week: 

• 1." The first few days were horrible. My body had a hard time adjusting to all the healthy changes, and I was very irritable and tired for the first 3-4 days. BUT I'm glad I stuck it out because I'm feeling much better now!!" 
• 2. "That I can't eat everything my kids eat. They eat pretty healthy, but I have taken a lot of things out of my diet that I still allow them to eat (like bread) that I have chosen not to." 
• 3. "I have found it very difficult to exercise with my husband's crazy schedule when I have all three kids by myself. I'm still figuring that all out :)"

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KaHoney

Well, I am just amazed at how I feel!  I can't believe how sugar was sucking out my quality of life.  I have actually enjoyed working out....which for now consists of different types of walks on the treadmill.  Sometimes I climb hills and sometimes I walk super duper  fast thinking in my head.."oh wow! are you about to take off running Stephanie?! Are you actually becoming a jogger ?!"  And then right about that time, I hyperventilate and almost fly off the treadmill ....so I slow it down a notch.  

 But the main thing is I'm DOING something.

• My tip: My success I've found this week has been drinking all the water!  I find I drink it more and enjoy it more if I pour it into one of my cute mason jars and add lemon and drink it through a straw.
• I only allow myself to watch my favorite shows when I'm walking on the treadmill.  (On Netflix or Hulu using my Ipad)
• I'm jotting down what I eat.  I'm not counting calories or carbs or anything like that.  Just keeping track of what I'm eating.  It keeps me accountable and I can always go back and see what I was eating on the weeks I had the most success and also keep track of stuff that may have sabotaged me .

 (My amazing planner I use can be found here at my friend Emmy's Much Ado About You. If you like to do things the old fashioned way and write them down and flip pages and draw doodles and use stickers, then you really need one of these.)

• My biggest challenge:  I am trying to really make better choices about what I'm putting in my body. One of the things I'm most convicted about is all the artificial sweetener I had been consuming.  I used Splenda.  Since I drink a lot of coffee all day long, I was using waay too much of the stuff.  I'm also trying to wean myself of all of the creamer and eventually  go black.  But I'm not sure how that is working out for me. Probably ain't gonna happen.
  
  
  
  
  
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Team Bridezilla

Now Lauren may have come in last this week, but this girl has the most determination than anyone I know.  Not just with losing weight for this challenge but I'm talking about life in general.  She very seldom gives up on anything.  So I am not in the least bit counting her out of this race.  Plus....she's the bride!!!   She's got a wedding coming up and I've seen first hand twice already with her sister's how things kick into gear the closer it gets.  But those of you rooting for Team Bridezilla need to cheer on her on!!

• Her Tip: "My tip is to not jump into exercising TOO much during the first week. Normally with my crazy determination I want to go full force right in the beginning and then I get burnt out. Instead I only worked out every other day and It hasn't been hard for me. I've enjoyed doing, so now this week makes me want to try harder and step it up a notch. I am going to try to add something a little bit more challenging to my workout every week. Moving slow but long lasting improvement."
• "If you're addicted to Coke like I was and was really used to all the caffeine,  instead of drinking a coke, drink hot tea in the morning and eat an apple or two during the day. It takes the edge off. I use to drink at least 3 large cokes a day and now I'm only doing one cup of tea a day and eating healthier snacks and I've been more awake and my cravings are not nearly as bad." 

• Her biggest challenge: Being in cosmetology school from 8am to 4pm five days a week has been hard with eating healthier.  Packing lunches and snacks with a variety has been tough. Not to mention all the other girls eating pizza and hamburgers and donuts and stuff like that around me all day. 

We group text each other all throughout the day.  We like to talk smack but we also have been encouraging each other and sharing tips.    Loni is my mom....She keeps it real for us! lol

Well there ya have it folks. Week one.

Ladeea is coming doooown.

I may or may not get to share here every week.  But you can follow us on Instagram!  We are using the hashtag  #losingtogain to document anything pertaining to the challenge!

@honeyholden  @mythreearrows  @lydialovesmarcus  @laurenalexis19