Losin' feathers

[mdust]

Does anyone want to start a new featherweight support group starting tomorrow (Sunday 5/28)?

I have about 15-20 lbs to lose and was looking to see if any newbies or regulars want to start a new group..

[inter_stella]

I'm game for support group :hug:

[mdust]

awesome! so what are you using as a method to lose weight? I'm a calorie counter. I am in definite need of a sift kick in the butt to get my butt in gear to lose this weight!

[inter_stella]

"I am in definite need of a sift kick in the butt to get my butt in gear to lose this weight!"

lol. So am I.

Right now I'm excersizing 5 days a weak and eating smaller portions of healthier foods. Trying to cut down on the sweets a bit. :carrot: I'll see how that works for a while and if it dosent turn out so well I'll probably switch to calorie counting as well.:cool:

[lessthansign3]

So I'm not the only one who doesn't usually count calories? lol, I feel like such a lazy dieter, but after the first month or so it became so automatic that as long as I kept my portions in control that at the end of the day my calories always came out about right, if not a tad under and I had to go eat more!! Weird, isn't it? Eating more to lose weight... Not like I'm complaining, though!!

[cyndy]

Hey mdust!

I would love to join, thanks for starting the new thread. I have just recently gotten back into calorie counting. To lose the first few pounds I just really concentrated on eating only when I was hungry but now I want to tighten the grip I have on my weight loss, hence the calorie counting ;)

I have made my new weigh in day on Sundays and this week lost 0.5 lb which I was happy with because eating this week was not so good at all, and I haven't seen 137 in awhile!

What are everyone's goals looking like? I would be super happy just like to get down to 130 lbs for now (I haven't weighed that since high school!).

Talk soon

[mdust]

I'm trying to get down to 130lb too! I'm 5' 6" and I pretty sure that's the lowest I should go. I have a somewhat stocky figure (it's all in the hips and the butt :P) and really just want to look proportionate. I feel so icky and unhealthy at my weight right now. I haven't officially weighed in yet. That's what Saturday (6/3) is for. But the last time I weighed in (about 2 weeks ago) I was 146.6lb.

Calorie counting is easiest for me. Plus it got me to 132 two years ago..it wasn't until last fall that I gained a good 10 pounds and am now having a hard time shedding. I exercise 6 days a week, about 2 hours a day (1 hour cardio and up to an hour of weightlifting). Plus, I get extra exercise by walking around for my job. I started calorie cycling but it just seems like I am just a hair away from breaking my promise to myself to only eat so many calories lately. It seemed so much easier when I initially lost weight, so this level of difficulty is a new journey for me...

Today I am doing great so far. My limit is 1400cals and have had 1125cals so far. Luckily I get off work in about 40 minutes then I am headed to the gym...

How is everyone else's day going??

[cyndy]

Hey! At 5'6 you will look absolutely fabulous at 130 lbs! I'm sure you look great right now too, but I understand your wanting to lose as I carry weight in my hips and butt too.

I am far shorter than you - 5'2.5 - so my ultimate goal is 110 lbs. BUT, I'm not sure if that's realistic, so for now I'm keeping my goal at 120 lbs which I used to maintain effortlessly. It's kind of at a "we'll see" point.

Today I was not very hungry. I am only at 1135 calories, and I usually eat somewhere in the vicinity of 1800!! I am having this guy come over later so I'll probably have a beer or glass of wine, but it looks like I will end up at around 1400 cals.

I am horrible with exercise. You are such a motivation to me. I can usually get myself to do a 40-60 minute walk most days, but I also lack energy a lot. I don't know why, I eat healthy, I think it's probably just laziness. I tend to be a low-energy person.

Anyways, have a great day and I will update tomorrow :D

[mdust]

Yeah, 130lb is realistic yet unrealistic for me. It is with comparison to my height, but I don't know how my body will react..so I guess we'll see. Anything close to 130 though is fine by me. I, frankly, would just love to see 140 right now :P I have so many pants, shorts and capris that I wore last summer that are now too small and I refuse to buy any new stuff (thank goodness for those gauchos :) )

I'm happy that I only went 8 calories over my goal today..total of 1408cals. And my leg workout only took me 20 minutes, so I only spent an hour and a half in the gym and went to the grocery store to pick up some more lean cuisines for work. I understand the whole lack of motivation. By doing an hour of cardio everyday on the treadmill, eliptical or arc trainer, it's reallllly hard to keep myself distracted. But there are only so many good TV shows, magazines and songs on my IPOD. Once I move into my new apartment, I am going to check into kickboxing classes so I can mix my routine up a bit. I'm glad my college is out for the summer (and that I'm not taking summer classes) otherwise it'd be questionable how many days I get to work out. Last semester almost killed me because I could barely make 3 days a week..luckily this upcoming fall semester will give me a bit more time and no late labs.

Anywho, hopefully I don't sleep through my alarm clock again since I work tomorrow but I get to head to bed early and I already did my calorie logging for tomorrow (yay! 1550cal day!)...

[Lyria]

I'm a "relaxed" calorie counter I'd guess you'd say. By this stage I know the rough value of most foods and never really go over about 1400 calories...most days when I actually add them all up I am closer to the lower end of 1200.

I'm mostly maintaining...but slowly edging back down to about 57-58kgs (125-127) pounds. I'm at 130 now on a 5'6 frame. Like mdust I carry most of my weight in my hips and thighs...I have a muscular build.

As for exercise...normally I run about 4-5 times a week but I have done my knee in recently and so had a week off from anything. Surprisingly my weight went DOWN (demented body). Anyway, I am now taking it slowly and walking to build back up and strengthen that knee again.

Liv

[cyndy]

First of all, I just want to say that both mdust and Lyria, your pictures are hot, Hot, HOT! You gals look great in them. You're both so pretty.

Lyria, I'm wondering, do you write down everything you eat? Or just keep a rough calculation in your head? I hope your knee feels better soon and that's a good idea to take it easy for a bit and gain strength back from walking.

mdust, it sounds like you did very well yesterday! Ipods are amazing - I use my sister's which only holds songs, no movies or anything like that. I should probably invest in one though, I think it would make my workouts far more interesting ;) Good idea to mix up the workouts, kickboxing sounds like fun...I think I need to do something similar here.

Right now I am keeping my food intake all written down in a notebook. Yesterday checked in at 1370 calories which was awesome for me.
I just finished my degree and am going to teachers college in September. I have heard how intensive the program is so I hope that I won't start putting on weight from the stress when school begins. Right now, my life is stress-free...no guy problems (no guy at all in the picture, actually!), no school problems, no job or friend problems etc. I am job hunting currently but its not hugely urgent which is nice for a change. Life is good and I want to be prepared with good habits to take me through the next school year.

What are you girls up to in life? Mdust, what are you studying in school?

Have a great day :)

[kindred]

I am counting calories. I keep track in a journal. Lately it has been harder because we have been eating prepared food at cookouts and such when I can only estimate in my head what the calories might be. But for the rest of the time this is what keeps me on track.

I am 5'9" and i would like to get down to 125 for my ultimate goal. I carry all my weight in my thighs and hips (Pear shape). I would like to get to a 4/6 size in jeans. Right now I am a size 8 and up.

Today is memorial day. It is going to be 90 degrees here in maryland :cool: so I will be going swimming with the kids. Have a nice day everyone

[mdust]

Awww thanks Cyndy! I appreciate the comment :D
Life isn't going too bad right now (although I am starving for lunch but have to wait for the other tech to get back from her break). I'm in school for my PharmD (doctorate of pharmacy) to become a pharmacist. It's a 6 year program and I am going to be entering my 3rd year this fall. But thank goodness I am out for the summer, so I can pay more attention to myself :P Don't worry, Cyndy, about gaining weight during the year--just make sure you don't decide to start a strict diet/lifestyle during the first semester like I did (I want to decrease my BF% to a bodybuilder's range, but it was WAY too strict for my life and stressful school environment and that's how I ended up gaining 10 pounds after jumping off that low-carb diet that my old nutritionist/trainer had me on)....I also have to write down everything in my calorie notebook. I am a horrible estimator and don't trust my food-instinct. So I just calculate what I'm going to eat usually the night before.

Anyways, I just found out that my BF and I will be starting to move out by the end of this week. I'm nervous because it's the first time either have us have moved out..so it'll be interesting. I really want this Isaac Mizrahi flower bed set from Target, but it is way to expensive for my funds.

Today is going pretty well, the hospital isn't too busy (I work in an inpatient pharmacy as an intern) and am planning on working out after work and then I might stop by Target and browse their bed sets...Argh..but I am hungry! And, on top of that, I am anxious to see how much I weigh come Saturday, I just hope I am not getting all worked up for nothing.

[Lyria]

lol, thankyou Cyndy :) And I used to write everything I ate down but I think I have slight obsessive tendencies lol and I started getting a little toooo strict with myself. Now I just keep a mental tally in my head. Before I ballooned out I was good with my eating...healthy and all that - just didn't move enough! I was a really activer younger teen and then hurt my foot really bad which prevented my from anything more strenuous than a hobble for about 6 months...

My life at the moment is about on par with a good Soapie.

I broke up with my boyfriend about two weeks ago and he went weird...I took out a restraining order and decided to be lenient and let it go at an "undertaking" which he refused to sign because if he did it would mean he had to admit what he did was wrong (and he's never wrong) and then this morning I find out he's taken out a restraining order against ME (for offensive behaviour during breakup *cough* wanker *cough*)...

Luckily I work in a law firm and well..the police know me (so much so they waived the stipulation that all orders must be served in person and let me come pick it up myself) most of the courts know me...*shrugs* But it's such a stress!

On the upside...I did get head hunted for a new job today. I like where I am now too much to consider it seriously but its very nice to know you're wanted.

Other than that...not much is going on in my life at the moment. I guess the above is more than enough for anyone really.

Hope you're having wonderful weeks :)

Livi

[cyndy]

Hey girls! I'm sorry I can't respond to your posts at the moment, I gotta run any minute out the door. I volunteer at a school on Tuesdays. I just wanted to say hi, though :) It is soooo incredibly hot here. The air is so thick and hot...
Yesterday I ate far more than I hoped for, but counted every bit. I hate to say it, but it worked out to be 1983 cals, at least I didn't let it turn into a binge.

I will write more tomorrow morning!!!

Have a fantastic day :D

[mdust]

Lyria- I hope all of the ex-BF stuff settles down for you and that you are staying safe....

I am very proud of myself for not eating over my calorie limit yesterday even though I wanted to eat a LOT more. It is so hard distracting myself from food but luckily I was so tired from work that I opted to go to sleep instead. What's triggering my hunger is the whole "moving out on Friday" thing. It wouldn't be such a big deal if I didn't have at least 5 other things to do this week. Thank goodness I only work tomorrow and thursday, but it doesn't leave me much time to pack...so that will have to wait until the day of the move. On saturday I am going on an 8-mile hike that one of the cities is sponsoring for National Trails Day, then 2 hours after that I am going camping that night. *taking deep breath* So today I am super munchy and that is not a good thing with today's caloric goal of 1300. Although I am considering to kick it up to 1550 just in case :/ We'll see...Just waiting for my workout clothes to get outta the dryer so I can go to the gym..

Hope everyone's Tuesday is going well!

[valerie1027]

Hey everyone...hope I can join you! I'm also in the featherweight category... I'm 5'3" and currently at 137lbs. About a year ago, I was at 140 and then dropped my weight to 125 (through calorie counting). Unfortunately, it has crept back on over the past six months (stress, started a new job, etc) and my clothes aren't fitting and I'm not getting those "wow, you look great!" compliments anymore, either :) Time to do something about it. I do work out (about 3x a week, usually jogging on the treadmill 2-3 miles or doing the elliptical) and I live in downtown Chicago and don't own a car so I also do a lot of walking as my method of transportation (often walk to work). My initial goal weight is to get back to 125, and then see how I feel at that point. I was happy before at 125 (wearing size 4), although I felt that I could still stand to either tone up or shed another 3-5 lbs. I am a calorie counter but I do try to eat non-junk calories when I can. When I initially lost weight last year, I relied heavily on Lean Cuisine, 100-calorie snacks, etc etc...not that those are bad, it certainly works, but now I would rather have a cup of cottage cheese as my 100-calorie snack. I think my tastes in food have just changed. I try to eat fruit & veggies every day and eat whole grain whenever possible.
Well, enough about me...looking forward to getting to know all of you and sharing weight loss tips! :)

[mdust]

Welcome Valerie1027! You are so lucky to be able to walk to work. I'd LOVE to do that even though my job requires walking anyways. I know how you feel about when people don't give those "wow, you look great" compliments, I think I miss those the most. As for the food- it's always good to mix things up, that way, you don't get bored with what you eat and aren't tempted to over your calorie limit.

[Goodbye Chubby]

You can count me in. I'm working on getting back on track this week after I ate like crazy over the holiday weekend. I was at 126.5 on Friday, and I'm dreading having to see what the scale will say when I go to the gym after work. Hopefully, I haven't gained 3.5 pounds; I don't want to go above 130 ever again.

I'm a calorie counter and I try to work out at least a couple times a day. Currently, I am at my lowest adult weight, so it's hard to say what the "ideal" weight for my frame will be (I'm 5'4"). Once I get to 120, I'll reevaluate how I look and determine whether it's time to maintain or lose a little more.

Anyway, I hope all of you are doing well and hopefully, you didn't overdo it with the eating over the weekend like I did. Take care. :)

[valerie1027]

Okay, so for those counting calories (seems like most of us are), what is your daily goal? I'm trying to do 1200-1300, which I have heard many people say isn't enough...but I'm short (not quite 5'3") and I feel like for my body size, it should be enough. I don't feel like I could lose by eating more.
I thought it'd be fun if we could all share some tips, too...one thing I just bought is a digital food scale, and that's been awesome. I made whole wheat pasta tonight and measured out exactly 2 oz (which, surprisingly, was somewhat filling...although about 1/2 as much as I'd normally make for myself at home, and about 1/8 as much as what I could eat in an Italian restaurant!!). I also have no idea how to portion out chicken and things like that, so the scale is nice.
Another thing I did today...I wanted to put some fresh baby spinach in my pasta sauce tonight (Trader Joe's organic vodka sauce...highly recommend, only 90 cals per 1/2 cup) and I also wanted some celery and onion for the slimmed-down egg salad I'm making to take to lunch tomorrow. Problem is, I live alone and didn't want to buy a whole bag of celery and a whole bag of spinach...so I utilized the salad bar at my grocery store! Just filled up a small plastic salad container with spinach, celery, onion, and some green onion...came out to $1.15 in total. If I had bought full packages of all those items...eek.
Well it's a pretty warm night here in Chicago, so I'm going to take advantage of my #1 summertime tactic for not overeating at night...a walk by Lake Michigan :)
Mdust -- noticed you said you were moving this weekend and had other things going on, and that was triggering you to want to eat. Sounds very familiar. Any time my life isn't "on routine", I totally slip up w/the eating and sabotage my diet efforts. I guess it's stress/emotional eating, but I get it pretty badly and pretty often. How do you cope?

[Lyria]

Hey girls :)

Mdust: Yup, the ex stuff has finally settled down...hopefully today was the last mediation and he'll abide by the Undertaking. I live with two guys so I doubt he'll be silly enough to try anything. My house mates aren't little blokes...one advantage of living with males!

Valerie: Welcome! My daily goal for calories is usually between 1400-1600 but at the moment I am usually making it to about 1200-1300. Some weeks I just eat more than others...you know how some weeks you can be starving hungry and others not much tempted at all? I decided to follow my hunger patterns instead of trying to force myself to eat lots or restrict myself when I was hungry.

Hey Goodbye Chubby :) Congrats on getting down to 126! I'm 5'6 and have found about 128-130 suits my frame so 120 sounds like a pretty fair goal.

I got head hunted for a job yesterday! How cool is that? They rang me up out of the blue to as me to come in for an interview. Its with a bigger law firm than the one I am with now and seems to be doing mostly what I am doing in my current Admin role. Pay would be at least a $5k increase...the thing is I LIKE wear I am now - they took me on with very little experience and within three months I already have other people wanting to poach me :P I think I will stick here and use this as a bargaining chip come pay review time ;) Its the end of this month. Muhaha...

Anyway...food has been good the last couple days and I have starting taking the stairs instead of the lift. My office is in the top floor (level 8) so thats a lot of stairs! I think I legs will like me for it though :)

Hope you're all well and ttyl!

Livi

[cyndy]

mdust, wow a doctorate of pharmacy, good for you! That's awesome, but I can imagine how much work as well. It sounds like fun to be moving out with a BF but yes stressful too! You will get through all that stuff you got goin' on, just take it day by day, and task by task. It sounds like you are doing great as far as eating and exercising so keep it up :carrot:

Lyria, I'm sorry to hear of your ex-boyfriend problems. I know we all go through it sometimes, I've never had any experiences with restraining orders but at least it seems more settled now for you. And definitely review that salary with your boss!!! haha

Hey Valerie! We have identical stats - almost 5'3 and 137. I have been around 140 for the longest time and never managed to lose any significant amount of weight, but I am so ready and motivated now. I really hope this support group will help keep me in check. Sometimes I eat around 1300 but seriously I usually eat more. I think because I took a break from any restrictive dieting for a long time that I boosted my metabolism back to normal (after severe dieting in high school) because I can actually lose, as crazy as this sounds, on 1800 calories. I try to eat less than that, but I don't freak out if I go that high. Eating that much has brought me down from 145 to 137 now. I know as I lose more I will decrease the cals eventually to 1200-1300. Yesterday was a really good day eating-wise at 1400 calories. I also try to eat non-junk calories, it makes a huge difference when it comes to feeling fuller and not stimulating your tastebuds with sugars etc.

It's great to have you join us, Goodbye Chubby! You have done a great job so far and congrats on that. I would imagine 120-125 lbs would be a good weight for you, but its always hard to say because everyone is so different and how our bodies are - whether more muscular, small framed etc.

I need to do some exercise finally today and I think it's going to rain here which is good because its been so darn hot. On the news last night it was saying how emergency services were busy with all the people passing out from the heat. Tonight I'm helping a friend move which should keep my eating in check. If anything, that's my weight loss tip - keep busy in the evenings - nothing causes me to eat more than watching TV.

[AmberD]

Hi. I'm Amber and I'm very new.
I have to vent somewhere because no one else takes my weight loss concerns seriously. I'm 22, 5'10, 185 and I want to lose 15 pounds, which I dont think is unreasonable.

I've been watching what I eat since January sort of on the Zone, protien and carbs all balanced and exercising sparatically. As of March I hadn't lost anything! So I amped up the exercise. I hired a personal trainer (not cheap, let me tell you!) and I've signed up to run a marathon! So I'm doing a sort of cardio interval twice a week with the trainer (Lifting weights, with spurts of cardio to 'spike' my heart rate in between). Plus, I'm running 60 minutes twice a week. And on Saturday mornings I run with my pace group for the Marathon (this week will be 7 miles) I am still watching what I eat, which is around 1800 calories, and it's mostly fruits and whole grains and protien.

And still, a month later, with all the working out and all the watching what I eat. I still haven't budged a single pound.

No one at home wants to hear me complain, cause they say I'm really not that big and isn't that necessary to lose the weight in the first place. But I'm trying really, really hard. I haven't moved at all. And it's not just weight, it's inches too! My whole family is overweight, and I'd really like to get healthy NOW while my body is still kind of working with me, but... I'm losing faith.

I feel better and more energetic from the exercise and the healthy eating, and that's the most important thing, but it's so frustrating not to be able to have any VISIBLE, TANGIBLE results.

I know it's only 15 pounds, but it's important to me. And it's good to have a place to vent about 15 pounds and nobody calls it vanity weight

[cyndy]

Hi Amber! Welcome :) You've come to the right place. I completely understand the frustration you are feeling. My first thought would have been that with heavy training and dieting at the same time you just put too much stress on your body and it went into starvation mode, hoarding the calories it gets. But you are eating 1800 which seems very reasonable. Are you tracking them carefully, writing it down etc? Do you ever feel starved or pretty much feel all around good?

You are definitely building muscle with the exercise you're doing. I would say either increase the calories by 100-200 if you are feeling very hungry constantly - because at your height, current weight and exercise level you may need the extra food. OR, the other opposite possibility is decrease the cals a bit if you think you've been cheating a bit or underestimating calories etc.

Sometimes it takes a bit of tweaking to figure out the problem and what works for you. Keep going at it, you sound like you're doing fantastic and I think 15 lbs is a reasonable goal.

Good luck :)

[cyndy]

Oh girls, today was a bust. I know exactly why it happened, too. I was home alone and it was such a hot day that I didn't feel up to doing much. Plus, I had to wait around the house for a phone call. Boredom = eating. That's pretty much it. And then I had cookies after dinner! Geez, why did I have to make it worse. Well, I have to say it's not nearly as bad as some of the binges I used to go on. So today's total is 2380. I really need to find a job to occupy more of my time. Or something. Depressing day...

[AmberD]

Boredom and eating are my down fall too! Can't have sweets in the house or they are gone in a matter of hours.

Don't be too hard on yourself Cyndy! We all have off days, and 2380 really isn't that bad at all. Just be extra good today and it'll work out!

On a slightly side note, and not to encourage binging, but I actually read that having a day or two a week of a higher calorie intake than normal, kind of shocks your body and throws your metabolism into overdrive the following day.

[cyndy]

Thanks for the encouragement, Amber! You're right, it isn't the end of the world and may have even been somewhat beneficial. Today seems to have started on a really good note and I actually did some strength exercises which I never do! I am really weak but I didn't let that stop me and just said to myself "do your best, it's way better than nothing at all." Eventually I hope to gain some muscle, I don't want to be a weakling!! lol

[Goodbye Chubby]

Cyndy,

I agree with AmberD; I wouldn't worry too much about going overboard a bit one day. Over the holiday weekend, I ate well over 2,000 calories all three days. :eating2: It's those consecutive binge days that you have to worry about. But really, you probably did just mix up your metabolism, which, as you know, can be a very good thing.

I also try not to keep unhealthy sweets in the house (because I'll devour them in a heartbeat), but I do get healthier substitutes: yogurt, low-cal peanut butter and jelly, fruit, etc. and they satisfy my cravings with less of the guilt.

Anyway, yesterday's gone and today is a new day.

[mdust]

For not being able to write all day yesterday, I missed A LOT! lol. Anyways, Cyndy and AmberD, I am the queen of boredom/stress eating. Anytime my routine is shaken up, I don't feel committed to eating right. Tuesday totalled out to about 3500cals....I've just been feeling so hungry lately. So I finally just upped my calories instead of trying to stick around 1300..which is nothing when I'm working out 6 days a week for about and hour and a half each day :P I finally found a decent (and cheap) comforter set on Tuesday (I was running around all day buying apartment stuff)..it only took me going to 4 different stores to find one I liked without it costing a boatload of money.

Anyways, increasing my calories was a good idea (even if I don't even reach the limit) and it's eased my mind. AmberD, maybe you should consider cycling your calories, that might help you get out of the plateau..But I think at your height, that 15lbs is a completely reasonable goal. Don't give up on your goals just because some people might not agree with them.

I am moving all day tomorrow and then Saturday morning I have an 8 mile hike to do...I'm glad I told my friend that my BF and I decided not to go camping, it just free's up the weekend SO much. But thank goodness I get out of my parents house, I am sick of all the junk food lying around and whatnot (it's way, way, way too tempting). Next week is my birthday and already my mom is like "What cake do you want? Where do you want to go for dinner?" Which is not necessarily a big deal, considering one piece of cake and dinner won't kill me in the long run, but I HATE how everything revolves around food in my family. I'm glad that my BF and I's soon-to-be-roomate and his GF (who goes to school with me) don't have a problem with the way I eat like my family seems to have..and there won't be any unneccessary junkfood lying around. *phew*

Okay, enough yappin' for now hope everyone's Thursday is going well

[AmberD]

What's cycling calories exactly?

Moving out is a pain! I'm glad you found a comfort set that you like mdust. Not so easy to do on a budget!


My Thursday is good. Bored at work. Found out I have a job interview tomorrow *merp*

[valerie1027]

I was totally MIA yesterday...busy day at work, Cubs game at night. Considering I went to a baseball game and had a hot dog, beer, & peanuts, I managed to keep the calories for the day to about 1700. Not terrible! I've also been good w/exercise...Ran 3 miles Tuesday, 2.75 yesterday, and 2 today (keep having less and less time to work out during lunch this week!).

Mdust...you must live with MY family...everything revolves around FOOD! Whenever I go visit them (I live in IL, they're in TX) all we do is go out to eat, snack, have dessert, run and get ice cream, etc etc...it's sick! Then again, my mom used to let me & my sis have Pop-Tarts for dinner any time we didn't like what she made. So I know where my bad eating habits came from...

AmberD...Have you considered how your clothes are fitting vs. what the scale says? Although it may appear that you haven't lost weight, if you are exercising that heavily, you may have put on muscle which would make you leaner/more toned but wouldn't necessarily affect the # on the scale (muscle weighs more than fat anyway).

Cyndy...I try not to keep any "binge trigger" foods in my pantry (cereal, nuts, ice cream, crackers) because if I'm home and bored....down the hatch it all goes! I can eat an entire box of crackers or bag of chips in a day or two. I just don't buy those items anymore...have had too many unfortunate experiences! :)

Okay, it's almost time to leave work. Yay!

[tresor]

Hi Ladies - I'm joining in with you all as we seem to be at the same weight, height, and pounds to lose. I'm 5'4" and weigh 137 and I want to be at 124 by 9-16-06 which is my wedding day! I'm counting calories and trying to get in at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. I'm using FitDay and have my lifestyle set at seated work and I've determined that I can have 1500 cal per day and I need to burn 300 thru exercise to lose 1 pound per week to meet my goal. I'm also 47 which means its harder to lose those pounds. I weighed in at 122 6 years ago and then went thru divorce and all the related stress and anguish. Over the 6 years, 15 pounds took up residence and now they are going to be evicted. I look forward to chatting and checking in with you as we work towards our goals.

[AmberD]

Hello!!

I'm at work right now and they actually have me doing stuff, so this will be a bit quick!

I got on the scale this morning and I was down five pounds! :carrot: My 'official' weigh in day isn't till Monday, but this is the first time in MONTHS the scale has shown any difference at all so I'm incredibly excited :D

:carrot: :carrot: :carrot:

:nono: I'll just have to be very good this weekend, so I can log this weight loss as official :)!


Have a great day everyone!!! I'll check in on everyone later!

[AmberD]

how rude of me!!!

Hi Tressor!

In my excitement I over looked your post!!! sorry:p Welcome and congratulations on the upcoming wedding! Your goal seems totally reasonable and I we're all here to help you and keep you on track! :hug:

k. back to work for me!

[cyndy]

WOW...we got some congratulations in order here!!! :D Tresor, you will be one beautiful bride and I'm sure you will meet your goal - your expectations sound reasonable and with the support of this group you will do just fine.

Amber, now that's one heck of a weigh in! Good for you! I am so happy that you are finally seeing some movement. In fact, I took a sneak peak on the scale this morning (weigh in is on Sundays) and I am down 0.5 lb despite having a few bad days. Over the past five days I've averaged out just under 1800 calories so it's amazing to me that I'm losing anything! I haven't seen 136.5 in awhile.

Hope everyone's Friday is great as well.

[Beachbound]

Can I play?

I weighed in at 132 this morning, which means I haven't lost anything since last Friday. **sadness**

I know what the culprit is, though. The WEEKEND!! I don't drink enough water, I'm not as diligent about eating the right foods, yada, yada... Also, I tend not to eat during the day and make up for it when we go out to dinner that night because I'm starving by then. As a result, I keep having to start over on Monday and lose the same darn pound all over again!!

So, my goal this weekend is to drink plenty of water, eat breakfast and lunch and not go crazy at whatever restaurant we visit.

Sound good?

[mdust]

*PHEW*! My BF and I are moved in! Surprisingly, it didn't take that long and I got in pretty good exercise (at least moving my stuff into my car and my dad's truck). Then all of the sudden my brother-in-law came over to help transport my stuff and when we reached the apartment complex, my BF, roomate and his GF were there. So we had like 6 people bringing in my stuff and we had it all unpacked within 20 minutes. Which was awesome because it gave me and BF to organize everything and put everything in it's place. Now all we have left to do is buy a matress, transport the computer and the rest of my little things. So I should be all settle in (materialisticly) by tomorrow night.

I'm excited about the hike tomorrow. What's nice about it is that the food provided is actually HEALTHY (!). It just strikes me as weird because at my school of "free food" days, its always doughnuts and other crap food, and any food that people bring to work is junkfood too. So I'm just all gitty about the frush fruit (with no sugary sauce on it!!) and healthy carbs. But anyways, tomorrow is my weigh-in, so I guess I will see where my "starting point" is considering I haven't weighed myself in about 2-3 weeks. It actually has been a nice vacation from the scale, I definitely recommend it! Although, I wouldn't say it should be a permanent fix. Tonight, my BF and I are taking our first swing dance lessons. He has no rhythm, and I am afraid (lol).

I must say CONGRATULATIONS to AmberD!! That was an awesome weigh-in, I am very envious!

Welcome Tressor! I know what you mean by setting your wedding as your goal..My sister is getting married July 1st and I have to make sure I can still fit into my bridesmaid dress without suffocating (so I definitely need to keep a close eye on how much I eat each day)

Have a great weekend everyone just in case I don't have a chance to post tomorrow (or Sunday :/) !!

[mdust]

Oops! Totally sorry, Beachbound! Welcome! I totally know what you mean by not eating very well on the weekend...I guess it's just the stigma of the whole "let loose" weekend state of mind. Anyways, even though your weight might not have changed, you have come VERY far from where you were! You should be proud of that!! :D

[tresor]

Everyone - thanks for the warm welcome to your group.

Beachbound - I'm right there with you about weekends - lose a pound during the week, find it on the weekend. My goal for this weekend is that "I'm not playing hide 'n seek with that pound!" I'm going to be very diligent with calorie counting and journaling as its the only thing that works for me. I've got a schedule for losing these pesky 13 pounds and I don't have a lot of "fluff" time built in. A pound per week is not unreasonabe but I will have to be serious to make it work. I keep reminding myself about wedding pictures..................

Mdust - I hate moving - I can never find anything. The hike sounds like a lot of fun. Enjoy.


Amber - great news about the 5 pounds. That's good for motivation and to keep plugging along.

I've got a pretty intense workout ahead of me so I need to get moving and get it done before something else comes along and gets in the way. Everyone - have a great weekend.

[greenrunner123]

Hello there! I am going to jump in, too... it sounds like there is a lot of "wedding" conversations going on and my brother's wedding is June 24 at the Jersey shore so needless to say I'm trying to be on my best behavior - eat right and exercise every day! I'm about 5'4" and about 130lbs (?? not sure, don't really weigh myself, use my clothes to determine my "weight"). I'm pretty muscular (I lift regularly - I love it!!) but have a horrible tendency to slip off the bandwagon with food so some extra support would be great, particularly this time of year!

I am also suffering from pretty nasty shin splints so my regular running routine is put on hold for now :-(. I have started pilates which I actually enjoy!

Have a great weekend everyone, looking forward to the support system here!

[cyndy]

Hey guys,

Well today's weigh-in was depressing. I debated not doing it because I ate badly yesterday but I also don't want to be in denial about it. I am up to 138lbs. Try, try again...

Hope all of you did better this week!

[mdust]

well, yesterday I weighed in before going to the hike. 147.6lb Oy.I wish I could just snap my fingers and it all be gone. I hate how I don't fit in any of my clothes anymore except my gym clothes, and with moving, I don't really have the $$ to spend for bigger clothes (plus the fact that I don't want to). But I am still trying to be determined to get to 130. There's no sense for me to stay this way since it makes me depressed.

Hope everyone's weekends are going well

[cyndy]

mdust, I'm sorry to hear that you were unhappy with your weigh-in. Join the club...Don't worry, though, we will do it. We both are determined and with enough effort it has to happen. Unfortunately, I was upset all morning after seeing I had gained weight and had NO energy for working out. Plus, I was so bored at home. I went out for a bit and then me and my sis made a bbq for dinner. It was great fun but I overate so much...I think we are just going to rent a movie to finish off this Sunday evening.

This week has to be much better. I feel like taking this losing weight process super slow is no more helpful then if I just cut back to 1200-1500 calories and be done with it faster. I HATE how I keep losing a few pounds and then putting it back on in a day or two. I never make an substantial progress. grrr.

I am feeling so discouraged today :(

[Lyria]

Good morning ladies,

Looks like I have missed a bit in the few days I've been away!

Welcome Tresor & Beachbound :)

Hey greenrunner! Yeah...I buggered my knee up running on concrete with bad shoes...I am now suffering the consequences and will have to build my fitness up all over again -sigh- But I shall!

Mdust - I did that with clothes...absolutely refused to buy a new wardrobe until I'd got to my goal. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on which way you look at it) my boyfriend at the time got fed up with me looking like a bag lady in clothes that hung off me (once I actually DID start losing) that he bought me one himself :P

Cyndy - I know that feeling. Having reached a weight I could be comfortable with sometimes finding the motivation to lose that last dratted kilo can be really hard. Especially when I eat clean, exercise well and then actually GAIN a pound. >.<

My weekend was quite good...food and exercise wise. Actually...Friday night was NOT good for drinking, but I didn't go in for the "grog bog" ritual or the "chicken gourmet" ritual so thats one very big plus! A grog bog for those wondering is a hotdog roll with hotdog, topped with hot chips, bacon, cheese, tomato sauce and smothered in gravy. Mmmm...typical drunk food :P Chicken gourmet consists of hot chips literally drowning and super mushy in chicken gravy (generally generously salted to boot). Very proud for steering clear of such temptation lol.

The worst part is that saturday mornings are typically my weigh-in day...so you can imagine it was with much trepidation that I bared all for scale judgement. To my surprise I'd actually LOST weight...down to 58.5 *does happy dance* This morning however it was back to 59 but i know I have started the dreaded PMS retention period...meh.

Anyway...I finally said yes to a guy whose been asking me out for drinks...so we will see how that goes. Having just broken up with the last one I am not really in any mood to be starting something new. But I figure there is nothing wrong with making new friends... ;)

Hope you're all having a great day!

Livi

[AmberD]

Hello greenrunner and beachbound!!!

Lyria, I don't know how I feel about the 'grog bog,' it's sounds like it would be either really gross, or unbelievabley good! either way, it's sounds terrible for you! congrats on steering clear :D

There are brownies and cookies in the kitchen and I want one so bad I can hardly stand it...

[cyndy]

I still feel crappy today but I managed somehow to only eat 1375 calories. I'm not sure how that worked out, but I suppose resisting the brownies still in the house from yesterday's binge had something to do with it! As long as I can keep from eating until bedtime, all is well today.

How did the rest of you do?

Oh, and I am thinking to start weighing myself daily...

[mdust]

Even though my weigh-in on Saturday wasn't good, I manage to only eat 1490 cals yesterday and so far today I am up to 1065cals. It almost feels like I am starving in my new apartment...but that's only because my BF and I refuse to buy junk and our roommate doesn't buy a lot of food either. It's just a little different for me considering at my parent's house there was extra (and unhealthy) food lying around EVERYWHERE.

AmberD and Cyndy- We all can do it--eat healthy, that is. Instead of focusing on food, try painting your nails or something else for yourself..That's what I did yesterday when I was headed down 'Boredom Eating' path..

Tomorrow is my birthday and it is my goal to only splurge with dinner and my birthday cake..although my mind wants different...I want to splurge with breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner...But I am trying to remind myself that that is not going to get me to my goal any quicker and I don't have the money to go spend on food that gives me a 2 minute satisfying feeling.... I'm hoping no one at work brings me anything for my birthday (food-wise)..I hate how that whole thing goes: someone brings you food and then you feel obligated to have some so you don't look rude or anything :P

Hope everyone's Monday is going well...just remember YOU CAN DO IT!

[cyndy]

mdust, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I know two other people with birthdays today too :D

I am back on track with eating now. The only problem is I am behind because I am stuck taking off weight from the weekend. Who knew you could gain 3 lbs and have it stick on like this! ggrrrr....I was down to 138.5 this morning so 2 lbs more before I'm back to where I was. It will truly be a miracle if I lose any significant amount of weight because I've only ever toyed with a few pounds the last few years...down 5, up 5...

[AmberD]

Happy belated Birthday MDust!!

Cyndy! Every bit of weight is significant! Just keep sticking with it :hug: But I completely understand your frustration, my 'official' weigh in on Monday showed *Shock* no weight loss :mad: It's been the same for atleast 12 weeks now, maybe longer. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong :?:

I did manage to drag my butt out of bed and go running before work this morning! but now I'm tired! :dizzy:

[cyndy]

Hey Amber, I feel your pain! We just have to stick with it, and tweak things along the way to get the results we want. I truly am determined. I went for a walk this morning and it was getting hot, my legs felt like two bags of sand. I want to take the short way home but my sister pushed me and we went for over an hour! woohoo! But I am only happy about it now that im not in pain anymore haha

[Goodbye Chubby]

MDust, Happy belated birthday. :gift:

AmberD, good for you for "dragging your butt out of bed" to go running. I think I've permanently damaged my ability to wake up early in the morning to work out. I'm even struggling just to try to get to work on time. :o

Well, as of lunch time today, I am 5 pounds away from my goal-yay! :goodvibes This Saturday is the company picnic, where there will be a pool. I think I'm actually going to muster the courage to wear a bathing suit in front of my coworkers. I had to buy a new top because my boobs were too small for the one I had, but now the new top doesn't match the bottoms as well as I had hoped, so I have a few days to find bottoms that match. I hate that bathing suits are so expensive, especially when I wear them only 3 times a year-oh well.

Well, that's it for now. Take care!

[cyndy]

Goodbye Chubby, your post made me smile :) I am so happy for you that you are so close to goal. You wear that swim suit and I know you will look damn hot in it! BTW, gorgeous photo.

I did well today and am soooo happy for it! I will end up with about 1350 calories because I am going to have one beer tonight with a friend and we're gonna watch Canada's Next Top Model hehehehe.

Hope you're all doing well eating-wise and otherwise.

[Lyria]

Happy belated birthday Mdust, hope it was good fun! :)

Okay...I am going stir crazy and feeling so abysmally lazy due to this bloody knee of mine. I have been really really good and not stressed it for a couple of weeks. I am buying new running shoes as well so my arches will have better support on top of better cushioning.

I keep having to squash the panic attacks of everything piling back on just because I am not running. It's completely irrational to think it will and I know I haven't gained weight. The scales and clothes both say so. But argh...it still feels like it! I hate this thought pattern...it leads to dark places.

I have been good though, at lunch I have been wandering around town walking for 40 minutes and taking the whole 8 floors worth of stairs to my office every day 2 -3 times a day (I guess my backside will like that) and my eating has been good. The highest day has been 1650 and most have been 1400. My maintainence level is conservatively estimated at 1800 calories so WHY am I feeling so...bad??

Blargh!

Anyway...sorry to rant on like that but I needed to get that out. I am going home to the coast for the long weekend and that will make it three weeks of being good to my knee. I think thats long enough. I am going to have to start slow but anything is better than nothing.

Best get back to work :)

Livi

[cyndy]

Hey Livi,

Don't apologize at all for 'ranting' - it's what we are here for! I can completely imagine your angst and desire to get back to "hardcore" working out, especially when you're used to it. You are obviously still exercising but in your mind you know the very hard work it took your body to the shape it is now and you're probably feeling you'll start to lose it if you don't continue exactly the same way you have been. Give your knee a rest, as you have. I am guessing you busted it through running? Perhaps lighten up on the running and just walk but longer...or maybe an exercise easier on the joints like swimming? I guess I'm trying to say vary up your routine to put less pressure on your knees, etc. Just a thought! I know it's easier said than done, especially if you love running. Just take it easy and build up slowly, watching for signs of distress to your knee again.

I am doing good this week! woo! I am down this morning to 137.5 so its slowly going back down. Boy did I learn my lesson from sunday's binge...the weight DOES NOT come off easily at all!!! It takes days to undo one day's damage and was not worth it in the least. I am going to be far more careful from here on out...what a waste of hard work to be wiped away by excess crappy food. It hurts to think about!

Well, here's to another good day :)

[Goodbye Chubby]

Well, it looks like everyone's been doing fairly well. Yesterday, I kept everything under 1,500 calories (including wine), but I ended up eating really late at night-something I've been trying not to do. Oh well, it could be worse.

Cyndy, I'm glad you've got your weight back down. I totally understand how frustrating it is to undo all your hard work. For the longest time, I was stuck in a cycle of losing weight Mon-Fri, and then gaining it back during the weekend, and then frantically trying to get it back off the following Mon-Fri...it was a horrid way of living. :dizzy: I'll still gain on some weekends, but at least not as frequently as I used to. Oh, and thanks for the compliment; I finally got a picture of myself that I actually like. It was from a fabulous wedding I went to last Sunday. I inadvertently matched the wedding colors, which ended up being kind of funny. :p

Lyria, I wish you luck in having to deal with not being able to work out like you used to. When circumstances keep me from going to the gym for even one day, I have that fear that I will start to gain everything back, so I can only imagine what it must feel like for you. It sounds like you're doing really well in spite of this bump in the road, so good for you! :D

[mdust]

oy. this week has been BUSY! My birthday was good, thanks for all the b-day wishes! But I was only able to exercise Sun, Mon and Thurs this week, which kinda sucks. So I am going to have to get the ball rolling again on Sunday since today I work and then have dancing lessons with the BF and then tomorrow I work and then go to dinner to the Melting Pot with my BF and his parents for our birthdays (BF's bday is on Sunday). So this week has been wrecking havoc on my diet...birthdays are good and bad it seems.

Anyways, hope everyone has a good weekend if I don't get a chance to write again :D

[cyndy]

Hey everyone!

Well, I have been doing very well, I'm proud to report and fixed all of last weekend's damages. Can you believe it took 5 days to lose that weight? I certainly won't be doing that again this weekend, or any other weekend again. It's okay to have treats and whatnot, going over your calorie limit a little here or there, but never completely give in and say I'll fix it later -- it takes way longer than you think!
I'm happy to report I'm down to 136lbs :D That makes me so happy and so motivated to keep doing this. I can't wait, seriously can't wait, just to see 130 lbs, even though there is still a looong way to go from there (my ulimate goal weight is 110-115).

mdust, you sound very busy but you're so lucky that you are! I'm not and I have to be creative in keeping myself entertained or I will eat. I think that's my biggest problem when I have nothing pressing to do for a few moments I start to imagine that I'm hungry..

It sounds like everyone is doing well, and let's make this weekend great and binge-free lol (maybe I just need to say that to myself, you gals seem to be OK in that department:))

[Lyria]

Thanks for the support Cyndy and GC - it was much appreciated! And congrats on getting to 136 Cyndy!

My weekend was really nice - We had a long weekend here and I went home for it, back to the parents place on the coast. The weather wasnt great in fact it rained and was overcast and we had a blackout - not to mentioned it was freezing! But I was with my family and that always more than makes up for anything like that. Besides...being miserable outside meant we all spent time indoors with each other!

Oh! And guess what? I ran again! The first time since I busted my knee. I was so proud of myself. I haven't lost as much condition as I feared and its made me feel so much better. I even managed a personal goal. I beat the hill!

There is this hill at home on my old walking track that is seriously steep. I mean SERIOUSLY steep. It's the kind of hill that makes you think your lungs are being ripped up through your throat while you're legs are being slowly melted in a lava pit - It's a beast. I have always used it as a measure of how fit I am and at my previous peak could make it about a third of the way up at a jog.

I ran the whole hill. I still can't believe it! And my knee didn't twinge so much as once. I only went for 30 mins though...no point over doing it and UNdoing all the rest benefit.

Food was...well...it was okay. I over ate a bit, but nothing out of the box calorie-range wise. If anything it was probably the high end of my maintainence range so thats alright. It was nice to have my parents food after all and its always healthy (just lots of it :P) My coming home is apparently occassion enough for them to put on more of a feast than normal.

Anyway...back in Canberra now and I have just been for a run/walk (again...no twinging knee *fingers crossed) and its probably about time I thought about dinner. Probably soup and toast as its freezing and thats always the best warmer!

Hope you're all well,

Livi

[cyndy]

Livi, it sounds like you had a wonderful weekend! How nice to spend some time with your family and so happy you were able to run again with no pain :D Now that's an achievement (I certainly couldn't do that hill!!!).

My weekend was great in the sense I didn't overeat or binge at all. I realized that last night and said to myself "I think I really can do this." The only shocker and letdown was *gaining* a pound overnight - what??? Back up to 137 lbs for no apparent reason. THIS is what makes me think its impossible. My only possible reasoning for it is I start my period later this week (I know because I'm on the pill) but I've never noticed gaining weight because of it before, mind you I never paid such close attention, and I don't want to start making it an excuse now.

Anyways, everyone else let us know how your weekend was!
Have a great Monday :)

[mdust]

Congrats Livi that you knee isn't bothering you. I think I might try to get back into the running theme, but instead of every day (like I did in the past) I am going to do maybe once or twice a week. I read in Runners mag yesterday that people who don't overdo it in the first 6 months usually end up running the rest of their life...

The birthday week last week (mine last tuesday, my BF's m om on Friday and my BF's yesterday) was horrible. But I think I finally comfortable with small losses. My mentality with losing weight is so weird. If my routine doesn't go according to plan, I end up ruining it all (i.e.: last week)...I can't start the routine over again until Sunday's (I can never do that "start now" thing that is stated in magazines) and I haven't been congratulating myself with those small losses like I am only capable of doing something if I lose 10 lbs at a time :/

So I am back on track since yesterday and luckily this week won't be too hectic so my routine should go well. One good thing that came out of last week was I actually miss the gym so now I want to go work out (a thought that had become faint in the past 3 weeks)... By the end of this week I am going to reward myself with a manicure so that gives me extra incentive to keep my determination.

Hope everyone's Monday's are going well

[cyndy]

Hey guys,

Well, when the scale read one pound up yesterday, it totally set me up to binge. I know that is counter productive, but I was so mad for trying hard and getting the opposite result. I binged up to 3500 calories :( But I realized weighing daily may be too much right now. I will try and keep it weekly so natural water fluctuations don't get me down like yesterday.

[mdust]

Cyndy, I know how you feel. When I used to weigh in daily, I got more and more frustrated than motivated. So now I only weigh in once a week, sometimes twice if I get curious enough. Don't worry about yesterday being high calorie, be happy that you are back on track and noticed what might have caused it :D

[Lyria]

*hugs cyndy*

Sometimes putting the scales away is the best thing you can do for yourself. I know checking my weight every day used to do my head in something chronic...so I chucked the scales out. I have a new set now but only check seriously maybe once or twice a week. Your weight will change from day to day - maybe you ate something with a lot of sodium that made you retain water the night before?

I've been good the last couple of days - went for a full run last night and it was awesome. Probably went quicker then usual as well since it didn't take as long as normal. Food has been good as well, stayed around 1500 calories last night (considering when I run I burn at *least* 500)

I did have one very nasty shock though when I got my broadband bill - $295.00!!!! What the...??!?!

One of my housemates has been getting download happy and I was so PISSED. You just don't do that! Anyway, I changed the plan so that its now unlimited and have stipulated that he pay 2/3's of the current bill and its not negotiable.

I have to write my own performance agreement for work...meh...it's geared towards the lawyers so its kind of difficult for the admin staff to fill out appropriately. I guess this is where my mastery of the good old art of "BS" will come in handy.

Well, best be off...

Be good all!

Livi

[mdust]

Okay, so after a week of eating like crap, I weighed in on Sunday at 154.0 lb (obviously bloated and what-not) and I took my "sneak-peek" weigh-in today and I was 146.8!!!!!!! I seriously was only expecting 150, 149 at best because I had been losing my concentration on getting healthy. But what I am most proud of is that at work last night, I SOOOO wanted a few pieces of chocolate from one of the satellite pharmacies (mini pharmacies scattered throughout the hospital; one of the pharmacists always has the one on 4th floor STOCKED with chocolate and whatnot)...and I made through the whole night not getting one piece and sticking to my 1550cals that I totaled yesterday, then I got even snackier when I got home and saw my BF snacking away. Instead, I just got out a piece of gum and chewed that for awhile... That feeling of accomplishment totally feels better than the weight I lost, although the lost pounds help too ;)

Hope everyone else's day is going just as well as mine :D

[cyndy]

Girls, I've lost weight. And it's not that I've tried harder, I've tried less. I stopped counting calories (which I believe makes me more obsessive, constantly thinking about food and therefore eating) and just ate when I was hungry. I figured it just didn't matter anymore because nothing was working. Monday I weighed in to see the harsh reality...maintained at 137 lbs. I was astounded and so happy. This morning I had an inclining to weigh in just to see the damage (but wanting to wait a month until my next weighing) and I'm down to 135 lbs. Holy cr*p. I haven't seen that number in ages. And I even had two homemade blueberry muffins before last the other night. Last night I went out for my friends birthday.

Bizarre, I know.

I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing...it really seems to be working for me. Oh, and I got a job at Starbucks...I wonder how that'll do me in! I really hope you are doing well and I'm sorry for the lack of posting in past days.

Catch me up on what's going on with you gals?

[cyndy]

Oh, and mdust, I wanted to say congrats on holding off the snacking! Great job - I dont think I could have done that. How great that you're weight is going down in the right direction woohoo! keep it up girl :)

[Goodbye Chubby]

Cyndy, congratulations on the job! :D I don't go to Starbucks very often, but when I do, it's so hard to resist all those baked goods; good luck to you.

Lately, my weight has been fluctuating a bit between 124 and 128.5. But at least, I'm still sticking to my goal of not getting above 130 ever again. I'm still working out twice a day Mon-Fri and trying to slip in some exercise on weekends.

Fairly recently, I figured out how to use the squat machine. I get self-conscious trying to figure out equipment in front of people, so I waited for a day when the gym was practicly empty to try it, and I'm glad I did too 'cuz I couldn't figure it out on the first try. :o But now, it's a regular part of my routine. I never thought I'd see the day when my hips were narrower than my thighs, so I really need to work hard to tone them since I'm not really a fan of how they look compared to the rest of me.

Well, I hope everyone else is doing alright. Take care.

[ChicCityChick]

Hi There,

Fairly new here, and just beginning to get around on the boards. As I read over the posts here, I think I might fit in...

I want to lose 20 - 25 pounds and am doing it by setting mini-goals. My first goal is to lose 10# by my 49th birthday [July 25]. Last week was my first week and I lost 2#.

The idea is to get to a healthier weight and stay there because I've got some blood pressure issues and I'm not yet 50. The minute I said I'm on a diet at work, everyone chimes in "What for???!". And I work in a hospital, mind you--you'd think it'd be pretty clear?

This weekend I came down with pneumonia [I have asthma and usually get it a few times a year] and have stopped exercising until my lungs clear, but I am still determined to get to this birthday 10# lighter so I'm being really really careful what I eat.

I start a new job in a new city on Monday--and maybe closing on our new house as well next week. Then moving...yikes. I'll need all the support I can get!

Have a good day!

Diana :coffee:

[salvi]

hola chicas! well, i recently joined 3fc and was posting primarily in 20somethings. Then I had a hiatus of a few weeks and now I am back! This little forum was just starting off last I was here, and now I see that it's really taken off, which I am glad to see!

Anyways, I have had my fluctuations in the past few weeks, but I have been holding strong in the 130's for the past couple of weeks now! I don't really have a goal weight, though I would just like to see the 120's (for the first time in my life besides childhood). I haven't really been counting calories, just trying to eat whole foods and stay away from refined sugars and such. Kind of a modified South Beach I suppose. I can't follow and "strict" diet because I get too carried away in it, and it usually leads to binges. I am also in the process of quitting smoking. I used to smoke more than a pack a day (I know....) but now I am down to anywhere from 2-5 a day. As I try to overcomb my nicotine addiction, I am more motivated to stay on track with food and exercise due to all the horror stories of gaining lots of weight from quitting smoking.

Anyways, that's enough for now. Just thought I'd give some background. You all seem like a great bunch of ladies and I look forward to sharing my journey for support and accountability!

[Lyria]

Welcome Chic and Salvi :)

Good work on the job Cyndy and GC - you're braver than I - a lot of the equipment at the gym used to scare the hell out of me lol. I used to stick to the standard few for legs, arms and stomach :P I probably should have varied it about a bit more. Might make that a new goal. Thanks for the inspiration!

I convinced a good friend of mine to join the gym in the city (I'm a member of its sister-gym in my suburb) and so now we can go together as we both work in the city centre and its just a short stroll for us to get there when we finish. It has been a real eye opener though as when I hopped on the treadmill for the first time in well...probably a good 2 months...I saw very tangible results in my fitness levels.

I could run at 12kms/hr (7.5mph) - barely breaking a heavy breath for the whole 30 mins allowed (blargh on peak time restrictions!)

Thats my personal milestone for the week anyway - not that I'll be gyming it often. I still prefer to run outside when I get home as can go for as long as I like then and its usually for 50-60 mins.

On the work front things are good - had the annual performance review and I got a raise (a little one...but hey, its better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick!) and as I've only been here 4 months i'm happy. Give it another few and we'll see how things stand - probably by that stage I will be thinking about taking the experience learnt here and applying it another job elsewhere.

My family are coming up in a weeks time for about 8 or 9 days. I cannot wait! I'm so excited :) I miss them something chronic and i've probably only seen them a total of 7 days this year.

Anyway...should probably get back to work.

Oh! Go the Aussies! Top 16!! Yeah baby!

Livi

[ChicCityChick]

YAY! for FRIDAY!!!:carrot:

Well,

Still really sick. Today is my last day at the current job and I'm tempted to call in sick but we just SO need the money. Haven't gained anything as I checked this am and feeling like it'll be easy to watch it today too.

This weekend have to do some shopping for kitchen appliances for the new place, maybe get some measurements on the rooms, etc.

I'm determined to stick to the eating plan over the weekend--it SO helps to have this Birthday Goal. I've never felt so inspired.

So good luck to all over the weekend--I definitely will be posting to keep myself psyched up!

Diana