Celebrating the end of pre-reqs

11 months of classes over & just in time coz I'm burnt out. Sick of the freaking bubble tests where they ask the same questions over & over. Ever notice, the tests never ask the basics, but the stupid details. My test spent so much time asking about glomerular filtration rate, etc., but never bothered to check if I knew the myriad of different functions of the kidney. Grrrr.

But who cares, I'm done.

Yahoo

Time to enjoy one month off before my accelerated program. This is what I have in mind to kick off my vacation...

1. Take a looong nap.

2. Buy a sexy outfit. (lost weight- size 14 to a size 6- I need new clothes)

3. Go out dancing.

4. Do some shameless flirting.

My brain is dead & my body is buff, so its time to have some fun. Now what are you all going to do during the tail end of the summer?

---

Caroline

[manna, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by PlanetCaroline

2. Buy a sexy outfit. (lost weight- size 14 to a size 6- I need new clothes)

Now what are you all going to do during the tail end of the summer?

Wow! Congrats on the weight loss - I need to lose some myself.... any pointers?

Tail end of summer... work!

I wish I could be celebrating end of pre-reqs with you, I've been working on mine for going on 5 years!

[RNIAM, BSN, RN]

Good for you with the weight loss! That is awesome. I am reading and getting ready for the fall. Take care and have fun.

[iliel]

Awesome! Sounds like you deserve a wild night!

[essarge]

You go "Wild Child" and have fun!

[PlanetCaroline]

Ok, here is what worked for me (just me) in losing weight. Kind of long, sorry.

1) I knew myself-- I NEVER joined a gym, did yoga, tried low carb. I kept my program cheap, solo, & with foods I could stomach. Don't force yourself to fit into somebody else's program. If you like hot yoga, do it. If you like Atkins do that.

2) Daily (yes, daily) exercise that become progressively harder. I started with

walking and gradually (over 9 months) added running & weight lifting. At peak condition I was running 30 miles a week, walking 20 miles a week & strength training (at home) 3x's a week. Kind of nuts, but I don't own a car so the walking part was easy. Basically, I exercise 90-120 minutes a day, which takes less time than smoking a pack of cigarettes (100-140 mins.). I invested a lot of time in smoking. Now I invest time to heal my body.

Oh yeah, it is a total myth that you need a day of rest from exercise. If that were true, everybody would be laying in bed once a week. Cross-train, vary your routine to give your body a break & it helps reduce boredom.

3) Diet- my Achilles heel. I tried exercise alone & it doesn't work. I don't like eating sensibly, so I compromise. I try to reduce calories on more days than overindulge. I wish I could eat 1,800 kcals a day, but sometimes I want the pizza & fries. Therefore, I try to average 1,800 kcals a day. I know when I'm not losing weight, it is because I am overeating. The scale keeps me honest.

4) Develop a tolerance for failure- I have setbacks at least 2x's a week, which meant I felt heartbreak over 100 times in the past year. I had plateaus. I gained 7 pounds in 2 months. But somehow, I persisted every freaking day (even if my runs turned into walks & my meals into binges).

5) I revel in my success. In one year I lost 30 lbs & am a size 6. The difference is unbelievable.

6) Oh yeah...I'm not on a temporary diet. I am adjusting to a new life, which means that I eat to live not live to eat.

Bonus tip: Winter is a great time to lose weight. Your metabolism is higher, you don't have petite women running past you in the latest sports fashion, no dogs, & because you're fat, you have the insulation to deal with exercising in the cold. I ran when it was 10 degrees F outside. But I did dress carefully.

Good luck & wish me luck too. I still have 10 lbs to shed. I can't imagine being a size 4, but it looks like I'm heading in that direction.

Last tip...Have fun

---

Caroline

---

Caroline

[marci3335]

Wow Caroline- great tips and congratulations!

I don't need to lose, but I definitely need to TONE! My arms, which were always sleek and slender are all of the sudden starting to droop and collect fat! I just hate looking at them. I want to start weight lifting- I think that it would be a great stress-reducer while in the program too!

Also, my cousin just lost a bunch of weight and her key was to eat 1/2 of what she used to. For instance- she used to eat 2 pieces of pizza and a big salad for dinner, and now she only eats one piece with a smaller salad. It worked for her and she didn't have to stop eating her fave's!

Marci:D

[Jen2]

Caroline,

Feels so good to finally get those pre-reqs out of the way doesn't it? I was jumping for joy.

I have also lost about 65 lbs. That feels good too. First time my thighs haven't touch since I was thirteen lol. I have kept it off for about a year and a half. I want to loose 12 more lbs to reach my goal weight. Guess I need to quit eating that chocalate.

[camkib]

Caroline,

Thanks for the weight loss tips. I would like to follow in your footsteps! :) I want to lose about 20 pounds that came from no where--- it seems very suddenly.