Week 1 Update with the Hotties

Not everyone responded to their update emails, so we only got 4 of the 8.  But we shall just report the ones who did respond.

1. Pouty Princess- mine are unhealthy and gross.... they kinda don't count because I'll end up gaining half of it back when I can eat again.

Weight lost- 14 pounds

Inches lost- 7 1/2 inches

Things I have learned.. I've never felt this miserable in my life (sick wise not dieting) and ER waiting rooms suck

I just want to get started and do this right without all the yuckiness I'm feeling right now.  Thanks for hanging in there with me this week.  And good job to everyone... this stuff is hard work!!

 

2. Leafy Bombshell

Weight lost- 7 pounds

Inches Lost- 4 inches

things that have been easier than you thought this week- I seem to
have adjusted well to going to bed early and having breakfast every
morning.  Eating smaller meals more often has been a huge help, making
me feel better with all the good fresh veggies I have on hand to snack
on.
things that have been harder than you thought this week- Finding a
time to work out.  I didn't work out at all and I really need to find
the time for it!
things you learned this week- I learned all about the importance of
sleep and testing my own will and discipline since I live with many
cookie and soda temptations with my family.  They aren't making the
food adjustments I am, but the key is to just adjust a little and be
able to still have the same things but in the right amounts.  So I
also learned to read labels and moderate my portions in accordance to
that.

ways you may make changes for next week- The big change I want to make
for the next week is to actually work on my fitness and exercise.  I
cannot expect the key areas like my inner thighs and upper arms to
just slim on their own.
anything you would like to share with the group- I would like the
group to know that my email is always open to them and I am always
ready to listen.  I'm also open to suggestions about things they'd
like to read about or learn more about on the Hotties Blog.  And I
would really appreciate hearing about any great exercises they know of
to work the thigh/butt area without the need of gyms or complicated
equipment.

 

3. Dragon Lady

Dragon Lady sent me an email without number updates but just letting me know that shes going through a super hard time right now.  We will continue to support and enourage her.  Hopefully she can get some numbers to us so that we can help her through the good and through the bad.

 

4. Skinny Bitch

Weight gain- 3 pounds ( which imho is sometimes harder to do the right way than losing it... good job)

Inches gain- 3 inches

things that have been easier than you thought this week- increased weight lifted and increased repetitions in sets for legs

things that have been harder than you thought this week- outer thigh machine

things you learned this week- that I need to sleep more :(

ways you may make changes for next week- might try to use the elliptical machine instead of the bike and see if I try the ab machine.

 

I will work on an email list and get that out today along with some helpful resource links.

Good job guys lets keep up the work. 

 

So far:

Total wieght loss for week one- 18 pounds

Total inches lost for week one- 8 1/2 inches

The Hotties: roll call

These are the Hotties who decided to take charge and get their lives in order.  Lets see their brief introductions: 

 

1. Pouty Princess    

    goals: lose 30ish pounds, lose inches, tighten and tone everywhere, maintain weight once     goal is reached, learn moderation, feel good when naked in the mirror, get ready                for southern cali beach season

    expectations: I'm Lucy, y'all are Ethel

    plan: low carb ish, low fat protien, no white flours or sugar, eventually when I'm not           PMSing I would like to cut out diet soda and drink more water, cheat days, consistent         productive gym work outs accomanied by at home workout videos, turning off the TV/     computer sometimes and getting more active

 

2. Leafy Bombshell

    goals: Drop 30lbs or about 2 dress sizes.  Well, actually I want to slim the inner thigh and     under arm area.  As well as reduce the lower tummy pouch, tone bottom and slim waist.
    expectations:  I hope to be able to get the blog going into a great source of connection and     positive reinforcement. To make friends with a common goal, support one another and     be able to help apply myself.  

    plan: I'm going the portion control route.  As for exercise, I hope to do some fun                 workouts with bellydancing.. and incorporating some walking 2-3 times a week.  Since I     can't hit the gym, my goal is to learn as much as I can about great home exercises that         don't need a lot of equipment

  

 3. BGreen4Bees

    goal: lose weight and tone up

 

4. Skinny Bitch

    goals: gain a little weight and toned

    plan: twice a week at the gym

 

5. Neurotic Cookie

    goals: short term and long term weight loss

    expectations: network to success

    plan: south beach, play outside more with my son, gym 4 days a week 

  

6. Dragon Lady

    goals: weight loss

    expectations: support

    plan:  Walking/gym, eating healthier

 

Sleeping our way to Hotness

Did you know that people who tend to sleep less weigh more?

This Hottie was shocked to hear this!  But... after this initial shock subsided, the leafy bombshell did some more research on the subject.  

Well, the key target of sleep is 7-8 hours.  (Isn't that what all those sleep aid commercials say?) but the National Sleep Foundation finds that the average woman gets 6 hours and 40 minutes of sleep.  Everyone requires varying target sleep amounts.  Some experts recommend to aim for 7 and a half hours and adjust going to bed time accordingly if you find yourself waking too early or feeling as if you aren't sleeping enough.  In fact, just 15 minutes either way can make all the difference in the world.  Test yourself out to find the magic sleep number (and no, we're not talking mattresses here!)  

Now, one of the first things this leafy bombshell did for her new Hottie lifestyle was set a regular bedtime (now set for 11:30PM EST).  I have a sliding work schedule that rules with a window of availability.  So I just have to approximately be awake with enough time to have breakfast before work.  I know that I require something like 8hrs to keep me happy and functioning.  But I was just doing it so that less chocolate and more working out wouldn't turn me into a rampaging grouchy bitch because I was sleepy and cranky too.  Seriously, I can wallow and turn into a temper tantrum throwing Hottie in no time flat if I'm sleepy.    

But, sleeping to get thin? 

Could it be for real?

There's actually some science behind it!  

Let's see if I learned this right...

Our bodies work on a 24 hour clock(well, duh!) and every cell in our body is guided by circadian rhythms.  These circadian rhythms are alternating body functions that cycle in our body according to light/dark and/or sleep/awake patterns.  Basically, our bodies are all synchronized to be all digesting and working when awake, and all about cell repair and secreting the growth hormone that tells your body how to break down fat for fuel when sleeping.  

So, the less time you sleep, the more your hormones will be all out of synch for when you need them.  Not to mention that you will be lagging your booty because you're tired... which makes you want to scarf down on simple carbohydrates to give you quick energy boosts.  A research from the University of Chicago said that people on the days they slept about 5 and a half hours of sleep, compared to those days they slept 8 hours, consumed 221 more calories a day, which equates to 1 lb of fat after 2 weeks.  But those are averages!  Think about how much snacking you do by comparison! (yes, the leafy bombshell gave a yikes when she thought of the calorie numbers too)

There are even varying studies on when is the best time of day to work out.  But I'm sure that busy Hotties that we are, we just fit it in as best we can, whenever we can.  Though they say that while exercise can help you sleep better, you shouldn't do it so late at night that it affects your circadian rhythms and won't let you sleep.  Then again, you also can't be cutting into your sleep time every morning just to get your workouts in.  Sometimes its best to hit the snooze button than cut into those precious hours.

We also can't forget as to why they call it beauty sleep!  Your skin has increased blood flow and the cells regenerate while you sleep.  So you get to look all refreshed and glowing.  Not to mention that if you are sleeping right, you won't get those icky dark circles. 

Overall, everywhere seemed to give the following steps to ensure a good night's rest:

1. Create a schedule: wake up and go to sleep at around the same time every day.  While lack of sleep accumulates, oversleeping does no one any good.  It's a sort of sloth and gluttony that is most unbefitting of a Healthy Hottie lifestyle.
2. Have a pre-sleep routine: Try to wind down from your day; turn off the tv; take a nice relaxing bath; put on lotion; et al to wind down and not have your brain all stimulated.
3. Abstain from alcohol/ cigarettes/ caffeine: Here the bombshell read varying reports... anywhere from nothing after 2:30PM to nothing 3 hours before bed.
4. Beds are for sleeping! Try to keep other activities, like reading, tv, playing games, to a minimum and keep your bed for what it was made for.

I know a few of the Hotties have been pondering fixing their sleep schedules.   

Health is not all about calorie counts, hitting the gym and stepping onto scales....

No time like the present, this bombshell advises, to get on the right track. 

The Hotties confessing

As the start date looms and the questionnaires slowly get filled, it seems the Hotties are beginning their first dose of reality.    

Is it a bad thing that you want to diet just because you're going to step on the scale? 

This leafy bombshell thought so.  

But luckily this Hottie wasn't the only one.

Pouty Princess spoke of her fears to have to take her own measurements.  

Neurotic Cookie had this to say over twitter: the inches were fine, spatial recognition is shot. but pounds that I understand. was about to take a shotgun put myself out to pasture.

And this bombshell ended up wanting to melt into tears over measurements instead of over the scales like I thought.  So that was a real learning lesson.  

I think the whole idea of realism instead of just hypothetical fantasy has sunk in for sure.  With just something a little over a day until the Hotties officially get into action, the numbers are coming in and the excitement is bubbling over!  

And I believe we even gained a Hottie!

Stay tuned!  

  

How the Hotties will work

We've got Hotties located all over; from the East Coast to West Coast, even one in the Caribbean!  So we will work primarily through emails and the internet.  Some of the Hotties know one another and others are complete strangers, but all are coming together for this collective mission.  Along the way, this shared experience will only bring us all closer.  No doubt there will be many IMs shared in support when it's late night and all those yummy donuts and ice cream are calling our names! 

But until then, we are gathering the basics from every Hottie in our ranks to begin with.  

1. Name/nickname: because we understand how hard it is to be all candid about the weight and size of our bottoms, we think a level of anonymity will only be a benefit to all involved.  We're also going to have a file with all contact info but each Hottie will be at liberty to decide her own level of discretion. 
2. Height/ Weight: These are good totals to keep in mind, especially when we take into consideration how we have varied frames. 
3. Measurements/ Sizes: Not everyone will want to measure themselves merely by weight.  So we're pulling out the tape measures and learning our dimensions.   
4. Goals/ Expectations: Here is where we will learn what every Hottie hopes to get out of this.  Gain weight, lose it, work out, visit dietician, monitor calories.  We want the general goals and then we want the concrete way we're going to get there.  All is well and good to say it but we're going to work for our dream bodies, not remain in fantasy.
5. How will you be monitoring/ reporting your progress: With the weekly report/newsletter, we have to know what it is we are looking for.  Is it the inches or the pounds? Is it overall health or mentality? 

Once we have all initial numbers (Due Tuesday, March 31st!) we launch our plans into action.  

The overall rules are simple:

• Meet goals in a healthy and proactive way.
• Weigh/ measure yourself every Wednesday.
• Send reports to Pouty Princess no later than 6PM PST on Wednesdays.
• Help and support one another to reach their goals.

But most importantly: 

Stay Positive!  Have Fun! Be Fabulous!