Today January 22nd, 2008. 
I was somewhat successful at my 2007 challenge.  So for this year my main goal is to loose body fat, I thing that I should increase my cardio, but need to be careful because of my asthma which flare up with activities.  Going outside for the next 2 months is not an option, it is way to cold (-25C with windchill factor) and slippery to do any activities outside except for snowmobiling.  I have to be review my food intake and I think that if I prepared meal plan for the week it should help.  So today is day one of my 2008 Challenge, my starting weight is 196 lbs 49% body fat (which is very high).  I want to loose 1 lbs per week for the next 16 weeks this will take me to the beginning of May which is the beginning of camping season. and 16 lbs lighter.  My gym membership expired in March by then the weather should be nicer so that I can start activities outside again.  Can anyone give me suggestion on low fat food that I can take with me to work?

I take my lunch to work everyday…
I vary it throughout the week, but bring lots of veggies, fruits, nuts (not as many nuts to keep the overall fat % intake per day down)

I make a salad the night before, mix in some chicken (about 3 ounces) or salmon, or shrimp (whatever I had for dinner the night be).

Sometimes I’ll just bring in a bunch of fruit, celery, crackers or some soup.

I’ll make a sandwich (turkey, chicken, cheese -low fat) to mix it up. 

I usually try to make a little bit more for dinner the night before, so if i have, say, cous cous and chicken, I can take it in to work the next day.

I also have protien bars (eating ‘Cliff Bars’ right now) in my desk, for emergency....nuts too

And lots of water...always a bottle by my desk.

I use http://www.fitday.com and track my daily intake.....it also shows a pie chart showing how much protien, fat, carbs you are having everyday.  You can also track it over the last week, month etc.  (and its a free site). It’s pretty cool.

I have gotten into the habit of checking EVERY label for fat content.....and avoiding anything that is high (it takes too many miles running to burn it off!)

Good luck and have fun!

Thanks Tom for all the great information.  It’s giving me some idea to get my lunch organize and I will visit that web site to see if it is easier to use that the program that I have at the moment.

Line

How’s it going today, Line? I wish I could take my lunch to work, I help out at a preschool, and we have to eat the same stuff as the kids. It’s really good, but impossible to count.

What do you do for exercise?

Bree

Bree,

At this time of the year I go to the gym about twice a week but I am supposed to go three times.  I do 30 to 40 minutes of treadmill and I had a trainer design a program for me.  I do about 30 minutes of upper body weight training, 30 minutes of lower body and on the 3rd day I do about 20 minutes of core exercises.  The days that I do upper and lower body I also have some core body exercises included in.  So I should be able to have a very firm stomach that is if I was going to the gym more often, but with this cold weather and the darkness when I arrive from work I don’t really want to go outside again.  In a month or two when the weather warm up and the day light is longer, I will start to walk outside again for about 1 hr every other day.

You could always add in some core at home for the 3rd day. Or yoga, it’s amazing what yoga will do for you.

Bree

I really think your goals are realistic and attainable!!  Mini goals, achievable goals are the way to go!!!  Good luck in 2008

Bree,

You’re right and I am going to add exercise at home for when I can’t get outside, I decide to do the SMSM program again and life will have to work around my schedule for the next month.  No matter where we live, the weather will get in the way of outdoor activities, so I guest we have to adjust.  Adjusting to life seems to be theme around me for the last few weeks.  But I am determine to get to my goal.  Thanks for the comments Bree.

Zookie thanks for the encouragement.