As you know I have been getting close to hitting a milestone, breaking the 200 mark! Well, the last two weeks have not been good weigh ins for me, but this week I was determined, and guess what... I DID IT! I got on that scale yesterday and I am at 199.5 YIPPEE! I think I scared the bageebas out of my 10 year old daughter as she was eating breakfast as I got on the scale and I am sure that my neighbors could hear me scream. I am sooooo excited, I have not seen a number under 200 in like 4 years so I am thrilled. Yesterday was also my 4 week weigh in day for the contest we are having at the swim center and they do all our measurements also, and I have dropped 5 inches in my waist in 4 weeks!!  This really gives me the  motivation to just work even harder. I am so very excited to shared this AMAZING information with all of you and hope you are all having an AMAZING week. You take care

Oh by the way, David hasn't blogged lately because he has been extra busy at work and like I mentioned in an earlier blog, we have a guest staying with us for a little while so we are not able to get on the computer as much at night as we used to but soon we both will be back to blogging like before.

Patty

Does anyone know what is going on? We are watching tonights episode and it is a replay of last week. It says in the previews that it is new and that the remaining 5 go to Australia, but that isn't what is playing??

Not just ONE bithday party with cake and ice cream but TWO!! Our daughter turned 10 today and it was also Davids brothers birthday today too Yesterday David and I took 7 girls overnight to a hotel and water park, so of course we had the decision of what to have for supper for these 7 girls plus us and our family that came to the party, of course the one thing the girls want>>>PIZZA We had decided earlier in the week that yes, pizza would be the simplist. Thinking ahead I did bring some soup for David and myself, as tempting as the pizza was we were strong, we want a loss this week! The hardest part was the cake, for both of us. We had chocolate cake for our daughters party last night, then today my brother in laws cake too...but you all will be really proud of us. We ate NO CHOCOLATE CAKE OH, but it was temping us with the coolwhip frosting...but we stayed strong. I came home and got on the treadmill and all is good. We are actaully looking forward to Tuesday(weigh in day). I hope all of you are having a great weekend also! Take care

Patty

It has been a few days since we have been able to really sit down and write. I hope all of you are having a great week. We had a very trying week, some personal things going on and didn't get to do our same excersise routine as normal, and I can feel it. I can tell that there were a few nights that I grabbed something quick to eat and ate on the run. My body feels yukky and clogged up, (not literally) just feels bogged down. Ya know I tried to justify to myself this week that it is ok that I ate a little I shouldn't have and that whats a week? Well, last nights show just confirmed how a bad week really makes a difference. A few bites here and there, they really add up. So I am off my pitty pot, enough of me dwelling on the fact that this week life didn't revolve around just David and myself eating right and doing our normal routine, life happened and just because there were obsticals, that gave me to reason to blow the entire week. I thankfully didn't gain this week, but I didn't loose either and I am done with that. We set out to loose weight and darn it thats what we are gonna do. Next time that life happens, well I am going to make better choices because darn it this is life and its happening and I will not let myself have excuses anymore! I will much smaller by the time we all meet next year, and I am excited to get on with living a healthy life! Take care to all and keep up the blogs and messages we trully look forward to logging on each day to see what everyone is up to

Dave and Patty

Happy Easter to everyone! We are leaving today to go to family for Easter. I just wanted to say drive safe if anyone is traveling. Also, I am sure everyone else will be faced with the same temptations this holiday that we will be: should we have the potatoes and gravy, or just have more veggies, should we have those cookies for dessert, or just have an ice cold glass of crystal light, well whatever your temptations might be, stay strong, think of all the hard work you have done for yourself already. Dave and I really have to make some smart food decisions, we have had a few days this week that we have not had the opportunity to eat healthy at all so it is imparitive that we concentrate on our goals now. So my plan is too have a deviled egg, but I plan on finding that veggie and fruit tray and staying strong. I wish all of you a happy holiday and enjoy and just be proud of your accomplishments, and don't loose track of your goals.

Take care

Patty

It has been a few days since we have blogged so I wanted to send a quick one. We are still out here, just having some personal issues with a family member so we have been really focusing on him at this point. I have to say today is our weigh in day and we haven't even weighed yet. I hope you all have a great week. THis has been a rough week eating wise for both David and I. I didn't eat those brownies the other night but today, I got to admit I had some buffalo wings and jalepeno poppers. Not to many, but some. And I am feeling it tonight. My stomach is in knots, some due to the food some due to the family issues. So please know that we are still here just a little pre occupied right now but we will be back at our blogs and keeping in touch soon. Take care

Patty

Wow, I can't believe it. I used to binge eat alot, for every emotion actually. But when I would get sad, or frustrated or upset in any way I would eat like there was no tomorrow. So, as you have read in my past few blogs, these past few days I have been frustrated when it comes to the computer. I am not a computer wiz and it is frustrating to me when I don't have the anwsers I am looking for.  Now if this would of been a couple months ago, you better believe I would of driven to the store for brownie mix, or anything really and I would of eaten the entire pan. But I can't eat like that anymore, I have to change that pattern. And right now I am very proud of myself, I chose a different lifestyle tonight, I channeled(he he swim channel) my frustration elsewhere and instead of eating I made the decision to remove myself from the temptations and comforts of home and get my butt to the swim center. I walked, I ran, I did my work out extra long tonight ( i have my own little routine that I do there between the pool and weight and such), but the one thing I DID NOT DO was EAT those brownies! I still don't know what is happening with our site. HOpe it works itself out and that if the judges are taking a peak at it that they realize it was working up until two days ago. I just have to let it go, and realize I can't change it, but what I can change is how I react to those times when I just want to eat everything and after tonight I realized I am stronger than I think, and I am on the right path of changing those habits that contributed to my unhealthy lifestyle.

Patty

Ok, I really don't know if I should blog, I know there are mixed thoughts on this. And it really doesn't pertain to loosing weight, but it does pertain to our weight loss site> As a few of you already know because we have been talking back and forth, we have been having a few problems with our site the last few days. Yesterday, some of my layout was changed, but only for a brief time, and then it was back the way we had it. Also, the last two days we could not hear anyones music, including our own. THen last night our music started back up, plus we can hear other sites music. I was talking with a friend on here and she can't hear our music now, and I did ask a few others if they could, and they can't. Can anyone hear our music? And if not, does anyone have any idea why you can't hear ours but we can?Would you suggest me going into our music box and deleting it and redoing the code, or will that be changing our site and get us disqualified? I am just looking at what we should do. It frustrating because we have worked very hard at getting our site up and going, and it took us along time to even get the music on here, we needed help from our daughter to do it, but then we got it and it worked fine since Jan, and now when we really need it its gone. To be honest last night when I noticed this all I wanted to do was go eat a pan of brownies while I figured it out, but I didn't. And right now I want to do the same, I turn to food for comfort. BUt I will be strong and David and I are going to go swimming instead. And maybe when we get back we will have some suggestions. Is anyone else having these troubles?

Patty

Ok, this is really weird. I am at work looking at our site because I had a client cancel and some of my layout is rearranged, has anyone else noticed that today? Maybe it is just because I am at work, but I don't think so, I have been on it here before. Plus when you go into the statistics about who has looked at our site there is an address I don't recognize. Do you suppose that is from the judges looking at our sites?? Just wonder if anyone else has noticed this today. ANd judges if it is you, don't think I am complaining, just seeing if anyone else noticed the same thing:)

Patty

We officially started this journey of a healthier lifestyle Jan 2nd 2008. Since that time we have had our HIGHS and LOWS emotionally and our UPS and DOWNS on and off the scale. We have seen our WEIGHT go DOWN and our CONFIDENCE go UP. By no means has this been easy, in fact we feel as a couple this has been the hardest thing we have ever done. Its been alot of hard work, alot of sweat, and alot of tears but what an AMAZING feeling! Nothing quite like it. But as AMAZING as its been, even more so is the outpour of support we have found on this online community! This group of people on here has transformed not only themselves with there weight loss, but also went from being just other teams in the same contest to an AMAZING group of friends on the same journey Each and every one of us working towards the same goals: to loose weight: to feel better about ourselves inside and out: to raise our self esteem: to learn more about healthier choices when it comes to what we eat and drink: to learn how to put excersise into our daily routines: and to just have some self control.

Well David my wonderful husband and I are 42.6 lbs lighter. It is March 11th 2208 and this contest has come to an end but our journey is far from over. We will continue to work hard and to loose weight and with every pound lost get closer to achieving our goal. It has been 7 years now that we have known one another, and its been one year of marriage and each and every day we learn so much more about each other, our strengths, our weekness, as we learn more about ourselves. We plan on 2008 being an AMAZING year in the CLARIN household and look forward to having an AMAZING life.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank MSN and NBC for establishing the BIGGEST LOSER MILLION POUND MATCHUP. THis opportunity has changed our lives. Speaking of opportunity>>>we would LOVE the opportunity to go to the finale, to meet the contestants in this seasons Biggest Loser, to meet Allison and of course the chance to meet Bob and Jillian. How AMAZING that would be, a life altering experience!I can not even begin to express the impact it would be for not only us, but our entire family, the knowledge we could share would be AMAZING.

Now I know the judges are going to have a very difficult time picking only 5 teams because as far as we are concerned every team deserves to go.

It has ben an AMAZING 70 days...but tomorrow is a new day so I better get off this computer and get the rest the Jillian said we all need because just because tonight is March 11th, tomorrow is March 12th and our journey continues...

Dave and Patty/THE CALORIE COUNTING CLARINS

Here I sit tonight,frustrated that we have spent hours,and I mean hours trying to get our video on here. First we tryed using my cell phone a few weeks ago, but it only records 15 seconds. So we borrowed a camcorder from our daughter, bought the cord to connect to computer, and now it says we don't have correct software,so we tried downloading software, well that isn't the anwser either. So went back to square one with the cell phone, now our cell phone provider is having trouble with their picture service so hopefully I can get it on there in the morning.

I don't know why I am so frustrated, I just want to make sure that we have everything on our site that NBC and MSN want us to have. I have found it is not an easy task putting things on here as I know several of you are having similar problems.

Then there is the fact that tomorrow morning is when I weigh in. I feel that this week has been much better than weeks past, my eating has been better and so has my excersise, but I just feel really large right now.

I am just going to not worry tonight about the scale, it will say what it says and I know I have done all I can do at this point, what will be will be. I am so excited that we all have been talking about staying connected.  There is the excitement of wondering who will get to go to the finale, but I am also excited about the transformation going on within me.  I haven't lost much, but I can already feel my confidence level rising. So I am going to go get me some more water and relax because tomorrow is Tuesday, just like Wednesday is Wednesday and so on and just because it is my weigh in day no need to get scared, because I am and will continue to beat the scale! Just won't happen overnight, I guess I didn't get fat overnight,it might not happen overnight, but it WILL happen.

Patty

 I want to respond to Davids blogs; honey you do NOT dissappoint me and you do NOT let me down. We are in this as a team,I could not do this without you. It is times like this when we need to lean on each other and that is where the support and motivation come into play. I have been trying not to nag you about what you are eating,just trying to encourage smaller portions,gee how many days have I been feeling down,,when all I want to do is go raid the fridge? You know, you have been there I am not always strong either. Like you said, we are BOTH working hard to get where we are. I trully think loosing weight has to be one of the most difficult things a person goes through. You are trully AMAZING to me. I do appreciate all those wonderful things you said to me in both of your last blogs. It makes me feel good that you are proud of me. And I want you to know how proud I am of you also. You were upset tonight,I could see that and feel that, but please don,'t ,give up. We will get there! I am scared of the scale just like you. I do feel one thing we need to do is get more excersise, and I know that we already have been getting alot more than we used to. Lets just step it up a notch and see what happens, cause like we both said before this is just the beginning for us. We need to loose alot more before vacation Honey I love you and I am proud of you. You are an AMAZING husband and friend.

I am at a loss for what to do. I stepped on the scale tonight and I am up another half pound. Every time I have to step on that scale I am scared to death of what it will say. I do not want to let my wife down and so far that is how I feel.We have both worked very hard to be where we are,especially her, but for several weeks now, I either stay the same, or gain and I am so very frustrated! I have never been more proud of my wife, but I am thinking that maybe I hit a plateau, or something. I could really use some advice. I am feeling so discouraged. My wife continues to give me her support and give me tips on what she feels I should do, but I would like your advice too.

Discouraged Dave

Hi everyone. I figured I better get on this computer while I have a chance since I already know that my wife Patty will be entering some updates this evening. Well, the first week of this contest I lost 10 pounds, I had it in my head that by now, I would of reached my goal loss of 50 pounds. We don't weigh in until Tuesday mornings, so I am not sure quite how much I have lost this week, but as of last week I had lost 18.5 pounds. That sure doesn't seem like much to me when I was wanting to be at a 50 pound loss by now, but then I think about it. My wife says(and I know she is right because she is super smart) that it is better that we are loosing slowly this time, that way we keep it off. Last time she dieted she lost a large amount (86 pounds) in 3 months but gained it all back plus more. So if that is the case I would rather loose it slow. I refuse to gain it back! That is why we are NOT on a DIET, we are changing our lives, getting healthier. Heck 18.5 pounds isn't a huge number but when I look at our team loss as of last Tuesday was 40.5 pounds! WOW, isn't that like the size of a small child? This is just the beginning for us. I have known my wife for 7 years now,only been married a year, but known her 7. We have went through alot already,some life changing events, like when she had cancer when we were friends,the loss of my grandparents and buying our home , and lots of stuff with the children and ect...But nothing as life changing, for the positive as this experience has been for us. We don't go many places, we have been a few places,but not many. It would be so GREAT to go to the finale. I know my wife would be so HAPPY, and I would too if we were one of the teams to get picked. We plan on seeing our goals to the end. I would like to take this chance to say to the other contestants how GREAT you all are doing. I am here for my wife first and foremost, but I am here for you too. This has been a life altering experience and I am honored to say we have all had this experience together. Keep in Touch!(and don't be mad at us when they pick us to go to the finale)! he he

As always,stay healthy and thank you all for all the comments and messages we have recieved. The support on here is tremendous.

ps. Patty I know you will be reading this soon. I love you with all my heart honey! I will continue to honor you and cherish you and be your partner in life and in LOVE. We are AMAZING together. I have watched you work so hard between fixing up our website to excersising,and eating so much better. Even if we don't go to the finale, we have WON,won a new chance at a new body, a better body(not that I don't love you as you are). You are an AMAZING woman and I love you. Now that you are done reading this get off the computer now and get on our treadmill, no slacking tonight.

Dave

We went to the surprise party and dance on Friday night that we blogged about and what a great time. David and I got out there and danced,danced and danced some more. We were there 5 hours and I would guess we danced at least 2 hours. Some slow, LOTS fast. We were tired, yet felt really good. We drank water and ice tea the entire night, so no calories were wasted on alcohol. They had a buffet for supper, with an assortment of taco and nacho fixins and salad so we were able to enjoy the food and not worry because there were things that were healthier also which was nice. I will be adding some photos that we took at the dance and some we took today. Have a great day everyone. We are going for a walk later, it is nice out here, nice enough for a light jacket.

Patty

I am feeling really good today. We didn't eat so well last night, but not as bad as we used to eat. Tonight we are going to a surprise 60th birthday party supper and dance. I am really looking forward to it. Now if you would of asked me 2 months ago if I wanted to go dance in public, well not so much. And I know I have ALONG way to go yet, I want to drop another 60 pounds this year. But...I am down 2 pant sizes and I feel GOOD and I am looking forward to putting on my jeans and putting my arms around that GORGOUS husband of mine and dance. Now we like to slow dance, but I plan on kicking up my heals in a few jitter bugs too, BURN THOSE CALORIES off. Now as for supper, well not sure what they are having but smaller portions is the way I will go, trying to skip as many carbs as possible. Maybe I can get my mom to take a few photo's of us so we can have some fun ones to put with our updated ones that I will be putting on here this weekend. Take care all. I know its coming close to an end of the actual time line we had, but I don't feel like its coming to an end, I am just beginning to get to know some of you and want that to continue and I am just beginning to know the new me, the one that wants to get out there and excersise, so its not an end for us, just an end to this chapter.

Have a great day

Patty

Back in Feb. I was wanting to get under 200 pounds by Valentines day. Didn't happen! I knew I would be close by my anniversary, but again didn't happen. But now...4 pounds away...so close I can taste it. I better rethink that one though because obviousley TASTING things for me is a problem. How about this...so close I can feel it, its right here knocking at my door. Like a little voice in my head saying "your almost there, under the 200 mark". I bet you all will be the first ones,besides myself and David, to know when I reach this milestone. My fingers will be burning up this keyboard with excitement to share with all. I had a great workout at the swim center again today. I don't dread working out anymore, I love it, I found what I needed to make my workout fun. Everyone keep up the great work.

Take Care

Patty

  The past few weeks have been really frustrating for me because I have not been loosing much weight I know I have to try harder and work out even more, its just so hard after so many years of getting into the bad habit of not implementing a workout. My wife's friends and our friends support is very important to me. I am going to keep going and hoping for bigger numbers. I need to actaully know what type of workout routine I should be doing and maybe then I would see bigger numbers. I hope by some chance that we have the opportunity to get a trainer at some point and he/she would give me the direction I need. I have the willpower,the strength,the endurance, just need a little direction.

Dave

I always get so pumped up on Tuesdays, I look forward all day to watching the BIggest Loser. I got on my treadmill this morning for about 30 minutes then went to the swim center. Did my normal routnine there, walking against the current for 30 minutes, then doing my channel walking. When I left there I seen a sign, "Biggest Loser 8 week challenge" I asked questions and signed up. They are having a challenge to loose weight. They will weigh you, measure you, and figure your BMI. I said "sign me up". I want to say thank you again to everyone for all your comments and support on here. This is trully a great online community and even though March 11th is coming soon I hope that we all stay in contact on here and continue to venture this journey together!

Patty

ps. have a GREAT DAY

When we started this journey our plan was to work out every other day. Patty walking on the treadmill and David lift weights. We gradually have put changes to that routine.

 

Patty's routine now consists of walking on the treadmill every other night, and lately I just feel energized if I walk on the treadmill in the early mornings. I just feel a burst of energy throught the day. I also have added going to the local swim center at least 3 times a week, while I am there I walk a mile in the channel, then I go into the area called the whirlpool (where the water is running at a fast pace) I walk against the current, I lunge into the water and cross my arms over so my arms feel the resistance also, I feel so rejuvinated after I do this. Then I sit in the hot tub At least twice a week David, Patty, and Regina come together and swim as a family. We also go on at least one family walk a week, when sometimes we walk to the school and play soccer.  On the days I walk on the treadmill I also life weight for aproximately 20 minutes.

 

David lifts weights every other night for aproximately 30-45 minutes. He joins Patty at the swim center at least twice a week. He goes for walks with the family and by himself. When we go play soccer of course he is there also. David gets alot of physical excersise at his job also.

 

Both of us feel our favorite part of our routine is when we workout and excersise as a family. We want our daughter to know the importance or having excersise as part of a normal rountine.

Dave and Patty