I want to join, too!  My name is Barbara and I live in Northern Virginia with my husband and two kids (7 and 5).  I'm 40 and have started and stopped this program several times.  I got up to week 7 during the summer and then went on vacation, came back, school started, and I never got going again. I was running by time and I realized I would never finish in the half hour or so the program gave.  I guess I'm pretty slow.  Slow and steady wins the race!  So, to give me a goal I've signed up for a 5K in mid-April.  I'm determined to lose the 30 extra pounds I'm carrying around.  I'm hoping this forum will help me stay motivated, too!  I'm a stay-at-home mom.  I do a lot of volunteer work and I have a bunch of home improvement projects that I'm working on, so to give me time, I'll be running in the early morning, which will be a challenge for me to get up early.  So, tomorrow morning will be my first day, again.

Barbara

For those that are giving additional information such as names especially, I will wait a day to get as much as possible then update the list. I am glad you guys think it helps.. It is definitely a cheat sheet for me. I think I am going to arrange it in alphabetical order, though, as this is just the order people joined. If I missed anybody, please let me know.

Ok, questions about meals and southern cooking.  ha ... I am from Pensacola, FL and though Florida is not usually considered a normal Southern type state, that is FloraBama area, so I get the southern food.  I did stop typical frying of foods, (like fried chicken, etc.) But when I make a recipe like chili or something I add up all the ingredients and figure out the points based on the whole shebang. Then figure out how much I think is a serving. I have added up all the weights of can, veges, etc to guesstimate the total amount. Then I take the total amount of points and divide it into however many servings on in the pot.  I do a lot of guesstimating now, but in the beginning, I was strict. I have been known to scoop out a cup of food at a time into a different pot, to figure out how many 1 cup servings are in a recipe. ha The WW site has an awesome recipe builder online if you have that, it is a great help and does all this work for you!

I am not a stickler for all healthy guidelines. Am going to try and be better this year. But I do rely on processed foods and eating out quite a bit. I just factor it in. I know what is good to eat at many of the local places.

Gotta run to gym... with daughter.. will check in and answer more in depth when I get back.

Lorie

It's so great seeing how many people have joined in this thread!  Sandra (Mommy2Ema), your post is exactly what my experience has been in the past.  I tend to try and do too much and throw myself into things so full force that it's inevitable I'll burn out or lose interest.  This year I'm committed to changing my approach and remembering that I don't have to do everything at once (or at 300%) and in fact, that it's healthier and more enduring in the long run to go slowly, but consistently.

While I'm at a healthy weight, I do need to be more fit (when I work out, it tends to be sporadic), and starting an active program is definitely part of that.  I work long hours doing event planning, but I'm not using that as an excuse anymore.  More sleep, more activity, more energy in 2011!

Count me in too!  I'd never heard of this C25K until my brother told me about it this past Saturday.  My name is Liz.  I'm 50 years old and have a 28 year old daughter and 14 year old son.  I know absolutely nothing about running, but want something to help me stay focused.  I have been exercising (lightly) every day since November 27th and my goal is to work out every day for a year, but I need some type of program or I will fall off.  I've always been impressed by runners but never thought I could find the amount of time they seem to spend since I, like so many others work a lot and have limited free time.  I am currently working out at 4:30 in the morning because I couldn't see where the time would come from my day, but I'm already seeing that I will be able to find more time as I become more involved .  I'm getting shoes this week and plan to run inside until the weather/light improves.  I live in Olympia, WA where we don't have terrible weather luckily.  My son and brother are planning on joining the program as well.  Actually, my brother ran for the first time yesterday so he has already begun!  I will be doing the 1st day tomorrow.  Thanks for all the support and LOVE the cheat sheet

Hey there wonderful support team!  I finished W2D1 today...and thought I was going to die! But I did it.... and now have a ton of energy after the nausea wore off !

The extra 30 seconds is a little rough, but for those of you Week 1's hang in there...you can do this!  Even though I'm only 1 week ahead... i promise!

We'll get there!

Great job to all those that got their work out in today! 30 seconds added doesn't sound too bad, but I am worried about it for tomorrow also. We will see!

Today, I did the elliptical with my daughter. I told her I didn't know how long I would be able to do it, but was hoping on 30 minutes. After 5 minutes, I tapped her and told her this was hard. She started laughing and told me I was going backwards. Ha ha. I have done that thing many times and knew the first 5 minutes were hard, but that was even harder. I switched and it was much better! Did the full 30 minutes.  Actually intentionally went 5 more minutes backwards later on. ha I then did lower body weights since I did upper body yesterday.

Came home and made a pot of chili for supper. And began updating all the new info. everyone has added to here.  I understand about jumping into things all gung ho and getting burned out. I tend to give new projects my all and often slowly fall off. After being successful at WW this past 6 months, I have really realized how awesome it is to stick with something .. slow and steady does it!  I also tend to stick with it if I commit to someone, so this is my way of doing it.

Allie.... I think running around so much on the hospital floor counts for some exercise!

Natalie.... keep your chin up and your eyes on the prize. For so long I would always put myself down. I just didn't like myself or what I had let myself become. No one else really knew how unhappy I was. And on June 14 when I said I was starting WW the next day, I know my family was smiling inside, thinking "here we go again". Well, now they really are smiling and they all have no doubt I can finish this program. I have proven to them and to myself what I can do.  I actually am liking myself and am learning how to take a compliment! I WILL run a 5 K and so will you!

Shutter Happy,

Thanks for your (edited) description of me.

Mbeutler1203

                29 year old Thyroid cancer survivor (!!!!!!!)

           In good physical condition as has been doing elliptical machine for 1:15 min a day 5 times a week at about 68-73 RPM. Not sure if C25K is right program. (I am guessing can go faster than rest of us) Signed up for a sprint triathlon in July and Chicago half marathon in September

Let me just clarify two points:

1. I only get one exclamation point (!) for being a cancer survivor.  I'll earn an extra for every year I am a cancer survivor
2. Speed doesn't matter, it is all about getting the the actual finish line of the race or the finish line we have made up in our own heads.  For me it is about weight loss and being as healthy as possible.

I am so excited that I am a part of this group and am looking forward to each of us helping each other out.  Best of luck to everyone!

If you want to learn more about me check out the following!  I post regular updates to both.  The Tumblr page is going to be mroe focused on fitness and health and the Caringbridge is dedicated to my cancer story.

• http://mikegetshealthy.tumblr.com/
• http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/beutler