40-Somethings - Official Labor Day Goal Thread!

July just might be my month of maintenance - a month of no loss! I decided that I'm not done - CAN'T be done. The iPod reward is out there at 150, but Labor Day is closer and I am back in focus. I'm going to take off 6 lbs in 6 weeks - starting at 160, where I've been hovering after an invigorating trip to 158. 154 by Sept 7.

Anyone else ready to declare a goal for Labor Day?

What a great idea!

I'm aiming for 175 or less by Labor Day. That will be 7 pounds from where I am right now and 6 pounds from my low last week. July has been a maintenance month for me, too.

I'm going to the gym today for the first time in a long time. The incentive is that it's air conditioned and it's way too hot to be exercising outside.

175 or lower by September 7.

Hi,
I'd like to join you. I would love to be in the 170's by labor day- 179 would put me at overweight. :D But that is twelve lbs in 6 weeks. (I'm doing the christmas challenge too - which is also 2lbs/week.) Well I am going to go for it.

179 by September 7th.

Wishing you a day of success!
Ash

Great idea ICU! Loved your pictures by the way!

I've also been maintaining this summer. Time to get back in the game! I'm going to go for 173 by Labor Day. That's 5 pounds. Anything more will be a bonus!

I'll keep walking everyday and Water aerobics 3 times a week. I'll be back to counting points, not just portion control. Let's do it!

Hey Onmyway, Presmaggie, and ICU,

Hope you are all having a great day.:carrot:

Ash

I really need to join in on this challenge but with my cruise coming up I'm not expecting to really lose anything in the next 3-4 weeks.

I'll be ready for a three month Thanksgiving challenge after the cruise is over for those that want to continue their challenge.

POP yesterday and so far today - bitin' it and writin' it! Yesterday's activity was de-cluttering for the housekeepers, and tonight's will be two hours of weeding. I'm enthused at the moment - I feel as motivated right now as I did back in February when I started this whole jag. :) iPod Touch - thy name is "Becky's". :D

I would like to join the challenge. I am in the Atkins induction phase right now and just started on Monday. I started at 215 and have lost 7 lbs. in the first few days. I know that will slow considerably so my goal is to get to under 200 lbs. by Labor Day. Anything more than that will be a bonus!

The goal....lose at least 9 lbs. and get to onederland! Thanks for the challenge!

Welcome to all! 39 days to Labor Day, a mere 5 1/2 weeks. It's just enough time to establish some new, good habits, and not so long that the "light at the end of the tunnel" is too small to see. :) Looks like everybody's chosen realistic and very do-able goals that will bring us into the Fantastic Fall season!

Hey Cruisecat, RandZsMom, Onmyway, Presmaggie, and ICU,

How is everyone doing?

I have not lost anything - but the scale is doing that hovering-over-a-smaller-number thing - before it settles on 191. So I have hope. :^: Been working on eating OP, whole foods mostly with calorie counting and lowering carbs.

So what is the best "trick" you have learned to help you on this journey?

For me it's writing it all down, the food and the exercise.

Have a great and successful day!
Ash

Ash - my "secret" seems to be that food log. If I commit to writing things down, I seem to naturally keep between 1100-1700 calories. When I get casual about it, the scale goes up. I think the devil is in the portion control for me. And this might be sacrilege, but it's also consistent with what the Maintainers say - weight loss is 90% in the diet, but maintenance is 90% in the exercise.

I am HOPING that I can finally reach my goal by Labor Day! Somewhere between 130 and 135. I will know it when I get there (I hope). I am currently at 148 but the scale hasn't budged in 2 weeks!

Today was ok. I don't feel great which I think is pretty normal for the 4th day of Atkins induction. I am doing ok with very low carbs today though. We will see what the scales says tomorrow morning.

I need to get to the gym and start exercising. I think that I will start with swimming. I signed up with swimplan and really need to practice to improve my skill level. Might as well get on the treadmill while I am there!

I really hope to make it through the first two weeks and then stick to the low carb fruits and veggies. I would probably be fine if I was able to just cut out white sugar / white flour....

Hope everyone else is doing well!

Marching onward! A mere 3 days of discipline were rewarded - this is at least a 5 year low for me. I think my bod WANTS to be thinner and I've spent years stopping it from being that way. :)

Chappie - 13# or more in just over a month is ... a serious challenge! You have lost SO much already - approaching maintenance ... how are you doing it?

Rand - that 1st week is the only part about Atkins that I didn't like. I've tried it a few times and always "slug out" days 4-7. I'm a swimmer too ... but I'm going to take August off and just get my exercise doing heavy labor around the yard (there's an infinite amount). I plan to get back into training for the 2010 Master's season, starting September.

Ash - I hear ya on the plateaus. But as several threads in the Support forum noted, it's pretty rare to be on a true plateau when you're fully on plan. We're doing the same thing - calorie counting and logging. I don't restrict carbs, but I watch the glycemic loads of meals and snacks pretty carefully.

Good morning!

Congratulations ICU. 5 year low. :woohoo:

And you are right - Mine is not a true plateau. Since I have only been at 191 since Tues!!!! LOL Just impatient for the scale to settle lower. Need to not be obsessed by the scale.

RandZsMom: Induction is hard, I think. But the adjustment to healthier carbs is sure worth it. I had cake for the 1st time in 18 days last night (a regular issue for me) and I did not feel so great after. But I am back to abstaining from those kinds of carbs, today. It gives me great pleasure to walk through the bakery and not be interested at all. It took me a 1-2 weeks to get to that. So hang in there. :cheer2:

Chappiema: You have lost a bunch so far!!! Congrats. :bravo: How are you doing it?

Wishing you all surprise successes today!
Ash

Hi,
Thought I would post again. Since I will be gone tomorrow. And I need to reinforce my plan.

I committed to 179 by September 7th and today I am at 190.5. WoooHooo!

Tomorrow is a mess. Leave at 4am for the airport, fly to Boston, arrive at 10:30. Hang out with the dd till 3:30. Deposit her at the boat and then head back to the airport. Leave Boston at 7:30. get home to the house at midnight. Whew.

This is my plan - because I cannot - will not - eat airport food. Protein shake in the morning and pack protein bars and bananas and some nuts. Healthy and filling lunch with dd in boston. Protein bar and fruit for dinner. Nuts on the way home if I need it. I am being very strict because I am abstaining from bread, sweets, crackers, cereal - so as to break my cravings.


Good luck Chicks! :carrot:

Well, I don't know what my starting weight is since I haven't been on a scale since before vacation. I have a little dread in getting on the scale tomorrow...

But my Labor Day Goal is to push through the 160s and be 159 by Labor Day. I only have one bump along the way -- a weekend of camping the 3rd weekend in August -- but other than that, there's nothing off plan planned.

I am reinvigorated about exercising, and I am considering pulling my food scale out of the cabinet.

Wow, ICUWishing, congrats on your low!! That is awesome!

I had a good day here. 45 min. on the elliptical trainer and I also behaved myself at a cookout. Time will tell, but I'm expecting the scale to drop tomorrow. I am up 5 lbs from a week ago, and while some of that is certainly real weight, I don't think that all of it could be. So, mindful food and good exercise should lead to a good week for me.

All righty, fab 40's ... first week of the new month and we're gonna kick some butt (off). :) I popped up a pound over the weekend that's a definite sodium - I got into the chips and the Triscuits this weekend, and I can feel it in my puffy fingers. But July was 2.5# off, mostly due to last-minute discpline in the final week.

Heidi, welcome back! Breaking the 160's is a great goal, and you won't have any trouble. Vacation weight doesn't stay on if you get right back into plan. Good idea with the food scale - it's a great way to reinforce what you already know. :)

midst, great plan. Always rare to find anything outside your home that's better than you can prepare for yourself!

Surprise discovery - raw zucchini slices with hot sauce ... well, ok, I'm a sucker for strong flavors, and zucchini, um, needs a lot of help. Had to find a way to like it, though, because we're shortly going to be overrun with them. Not too bad sauteed with tomatoes, onions and garlic, either.

ICUwishing - no biggie on the pound. You know what to do... Re: zucchini -- I like to slice it thick, rub some olive oil on the slices, and then grill. The outside gets carmelized and the inside gets really fluffy and scrumptious. I also saw a recipe in Vegetarian Times for zucchini soup that i might try...

As for me, I hurt my foot at 6:30am, stumbling down the stairs holding my cat to throw him in the basement so I could get more sleep. Ugh. I'm going to try to exercise today, although it still hurts a little to walk on it. I don't want to overdo it, but nor do I want to get sidetracked. As I said, ugh.

Newleaf - Ouch! Hope your foot feels better!

ICU - count me in! I'm in another labor day challenge so I'll just repeat my goal schedule here - having it broken out by week is somehow helpful for me and makes it seem more doable. Red is actual black is goal.

Aug 3:178: 178
Aug 10:176
Aug 17:176
Aug 24:174
Aug 31:172

LABOR DAY Sept 7: 170

Good morning All,

So glad to be home. For all my planning - I went off plan in a big way. Anyway back at it today and figuring out how to do vacation starting Thursday.

Happy monday to all of you. :carrot:

Sorry your daytrip to Boston didn't work out as planned, InTheMidst... At least you planned for it, now you just need to figure out why the plan didn't work and what you need to do next time. I lived most of my life in Massachusetts; I envy you your trip!

For me, the scale moved down this morning, and despite my foot, I exercised. I chose the elliptical since it has the least foot movement, compared to the treadmill or going for a walk. It didn't hurt too much while I was exercising, but it's throbbing a little now. I guess I should take some ibuprofen or something...

Dropped my friend at the airport and now it's time to get down to business! I'm feeling a little cruddy and I think it's because of some of the things I ate over the weekend. Did walk yesterday and today. Rain expected here tomorrow so I may have to hit the treadmill instead of being outside. I'm ready to be a loser again!

OMW - ditto on the ready to be a loser again! : )

Newleaf - glad the elliptical was fairly kind to your foot - that was a good choice. And particularly impressive since working out isn't exactly your first love. What are you reading in large print this week? Congrats on the loss too!

Inthemidst - are you home the rest of the week? That definitely makes it easier for me to stay on plan.

ICU - raw zucchini!?! You're a better woman than I - it's fine cooked (grilled or sauteed) but I just can't see developing a taste for it raw - good for you though! If you get bored of your current recipes, a mexican place near us makes a yummy sauteed side dish of chopped zucchini, purple onion, poblano chiles and corn. I don't have the exact recipe but I've duplicated it roughly at home using whatever quanitities I had handy and it was pretty good.

Back to the grindstone...

OnMyWay - I hope you're feeling better now... And I'm right there with you -- time to buckle down!

DancerInDenver - yeah, pretty out of character for me, eh?? But there have been times in my life when I've been very committed to exercising, so I know what it can be like, and figured I'd fake being committed. Right, because that's what a committed person would do -- not let their foot hold them back! It does still hurt, though... I hope I wake up tomorrow a new woman. Oh, and I'm almost done with my first book. It's about 13 women who went in on a $20k diamond necklace together and how it changed their lives. It's pretty frivolous and certainly an easy read! One more day and I should be done.

I would love to join the challenge. I would like to be at 159 by Labor Day. I have been slacking the last few days about writing in my journal and I know that is not a good thing for me. I also need to give up the sugar...but haven't been able to yet. My positive: I walked 3 miles in the morning and 2 miles this evening. I need to keep this up!

welcome aboard, sukierd!

newleaf - wishing you a speedy recovery with the foot! It's always a challenge when parts don't work the way they should. :)

dancer - I've been trying all sorts of vegetables in their raw state. Not that I'm attempting to be a raw foodie ... just experimenting. So far the best discovery is raw corn on the cob. The raw zucchini is, well, a work in progress. Love your suggestion - I sent a screen print of your post to the Head Chef. :)

OMW - echo the cruddy feeling. I bombed out at dinner last night and it cost me a good night's sleep. Extra coffee today - and well-planned snacks/lunches should get it back on track.

I need to make a good exercise plan. I haven't been swimming since I got back from our backpacking trip, but I have increased my "normal" activity level. I plan to start training in the pool after school starts (9/8 for us) and to ramp up for the Masters swim season. Which means more strength training, too. Can be done ... I just need to make it "important enough"!

ICUWishing, sorry about your lapse last night... You have been doing great so I'm sure it was only momentary. On to a new day! Extra coffee makes all the difference. I'm off to brew mine after I'm done here.

Sukierd, welcome to the challenge and to the boards. I'm looking forward to getting to know you!

Here, I have 1.3lbs of vacation weight left to take off, and then I get to pick up from where I left off on 7/25. My foot feels a lot better this morning after a good night of sleep, although it is definitely not 100%. I'm looking forward to a good day.

newleaf - thanks for the kind words! Coffee does fix a lot of morning issues - diuretic, laxative, alarm clock, jump starter ... lol! Glad to hear your foot is improving, and I am certain that your vacation weight will succumb to its unwelcomeness in the next couple days. There's no stopping you!

ICU - like the idea of your exercise plan. Mine has been on the nonspecific side so far (5x a week of 30min+ of cardio - if it's only a walk, it has to be an hour to count, and I try to hike at least 2 hrs every weekend). I'm going to try to be more specific this week and crank it up a notch so I can get off this mini-plateau I'm stuck on!!! Another zucchini idea for you: grate them and make zucchini pancakes - kind of like potato latkes. Serve with salsa.

newleaf - glad the foot is on the mend. You are making great progress!

Welcome, sukierd!

Hi All,

NewLeaf, Hope the foot feels fabulous today. I have been dealing with a foot issue for 6 mos and it is the worst.

ICUWishing, Ok this is what I do with Zucchini - shred it and put it in meatloaf. I use ground turkey or chicken. You can add uncooked oatmeal too. The zucchini makes it very moist.

Dancer, I am not home this week. leave for Boston again on thursday for 3 days. Going to try to eat OP. I like your Zuccchini recipe. Sounds great.

onmyway, I am with you. My vacation derailed my losing streak and I determined to have a good loss this week - even though we are gone again at the end of the week.

sukierd, Sugar is the hardest for me. I have to abstain almost entirely (I allow myself 1 serving of sugar in coffee/day). Welcome!

Wishing you all a gret day, filled with success.

Ash

Thanks for all the warm welcomes! I'm journaling today and walked my 3 miles on the treadmill this morning. I realllly need to keep my focus this month as I know I will slip up on the exercise as soon as school starts up in Sept.(I teach special ed.)

Inthemidst....I tried to be better this morning, my first cup of tea I used sugar, but my second cup I used splenda. :o)

After my kids' annual physicals we went across to the wonderful bread bakery for a late lunch / snack. My muffin from there and my Starbucks coffee (conveniently located next door) tacked on an unexpected 398 calories! :o

To ICUWishing's comment earlier -- I need to learn that a small skinny latte (made with skim milk) is just as tasty as a large skinny latte. That would have shaved off 70 calories! Even though it's made with skim milk, I guess it makes sense that the 20oz drink would have about 2 cups of skim milk!

Luckily I did 40 min on the elliptical this morning, and since I've been eating well otherwise, this little side trip puts my calorie count for the day so far at 1124. So, a careful dinner and I should still come in fine.

But, still... not what I had planned...

:mouse:

Yay, I've gotten back to my 4th of July goal, and have started making a dent (again) into my Labor Day goal. 0.6 lbs and I'm back to my pre-vacation weight.

Looking on the positive side, if I consider summer as having started on the boys' last day of school (which I do), then I have lost 4lbs so far this summer so it's not a total bust. They go back on 8/27, so 3 more weeks, and hopefully I can tack a few more pounds lost on there for my summer total...

Newleaf - way to go!

Just got back from an hour-long run - boy am I overheated! Need to cool off before I get on a conf call. Heat aside, I'm so loving that exercising is getting easier the less I weigh - fairly obvious but happy-making nonetheless!

Hope everyone's doing great!

How is everyone doing towards their goals? Does anyone need any help or support? Or does anyone have anything to shout about?

I'm feeling pretty good. I've been counting calories and have been keeping within my range (I'm not even sure what my range is, to be honest, but I've been keeping between 1290 and 1490), and I've exercised 3 of the last 4 days.

I really want to lose this weight... so I am trying to keep that in mind as I make decisions.

My MIL is having a SuperBowl party next Sunday which, first of all, I have no interest in (who wants to watch a repeat of a football game?? I must be missing the allure...) and second of all, will have all sorts of food and drink temptation. I'm not sure how I'm going to play that one yet, but I have visions of begging off and just sending DH and the boys... Not going to happen, though...

Doing good here. I am down a pound so far this week. Yes, I obsess over the scale everyday. My body and especially my feet are protesting all the exercise, but so far I am just pushing through. This morning I pulled out an old video of Billy Blanks Tae Bo for a change from walking.....what was I thinking?! I also released all the morning sugar in the tea.

newleaf...that is a hard one having to go where there will be tons of temptations. Right now I am finding it easier to not overeat if I stay away from places with food, like my kitchen. If you do go, make sure you bring some healthy choices with you and eat before you go if you can.

Sukierd, glad to hear you are doing well. I am right there with you re: checking the scale every day. It's the only way for me to stay true to plan. If I'm not checking it's because I'm in denial... I have 0.2 lbs to go from my vacation weight last week, then I'm ready to enter new territory. Good job dropping the sugar from your tea. I'm not ready to do that with my coffee, but its only 1.5 tsp so I figure it's okay.

Re: the party, luckily my MIL usually has healthy food, but it's the combination with junk, the suggested pizza after, and all the drinks. This isn't like her, to throw this type of party, uggh. I came up with a new one last night -- maybe I'll have a summer cold and can't drink b/c of the pills I'm taking. Or maybe I'll have hurt my back, and also can't have a drink with the painkillers. In the past she has been very hurt by me not eating her food (and that was 20+ years ago and the memory still haunts me!) so I need to tread carefully, although our relationship is much better now. Funny thing is, she has never noticed (??) or mentioned (!!) my recent weight loss, so it's not like I can really point to that as a reason for taking it easy... Ugh.

Hi, everyone! I'm getting back to the "loss level" of discipline after last weekend, and have pulled off 1.5# of the bloat that came from that. Like newleaf, I expect to be heading for new territory shortly. I WANT to keep going ... and I really need to achieve the Labor Day goal, just to prove to myself that I can do it. I have several huge projects at work that are intimidating but realistic, and a mini-goal victory of 154 would be energizing!

newleaf - I hear you loud and clear with the party planning! I've told my share of white lies to avoid the same problems. My most successful one involves "food sensitivities" - that I'll feel awful if I eat "that class of foods". Family members who claim to love you or at least care, will restrain themselves from looking like they deliberately want you to be sick. ;) And most of us who've been eating well for a while actually DO feel like crap if we eat the garbage that the rest of the population is used to, so it's not that much of a lie. Plus ... it's almost a rush to get home from an event like that knowing you kept your wits about you! We have a BBQ after the canoe trip tomorrow that's going to keep me challenged.

sukierd - great job with the pound, and with doing the exercise! Getting into the habit of overpowering the negative "I don't wanna!" thinking is going to propel you to all sorts of successes!

dancer - an HOUR of running? Yow! You go, girl!

I went out and weeded for 40 minutes last night. That counts for lots of bending and stretching - plus a little upper-body stuff from pulling out those deep-rooted tree sprouts. I can feel it in my shoulders. Tonight's activity will include some pool stuff - DS10 has an end-of-season swim team party. All I'm trying to do these days is move just a little more, and to prepare my neck and shoulders for starting up more serious swimming in the fall.

DH (otherwise known as the Head Chef) is intrigued by the idea of "zucchini latkes". If I can keep him from frying them in butter, we should be good to go. LOL! Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions!

ICUWishing, I totally hear you re: the power of making the goal. After a summer of (good) coasting, knowing that we can kick it back into gear and see some results is uplifting. Re: the party, I think I'm going to go with the excuse of having a lot of Advil in my system, irritated stomach lining, etc. After 21 years, it would seem odd if all of a sudden I had food sensitivities...

Good luck dealing with the slightly odd super bowl repeat party, Newleaf! Since I don't find football super compelling, I'd be a little nervous spending a few hours around lots of tempting food. Curious to hear how the advil excuse goes over. Interesting that your MIL hasn't mentioned your very noticeable weight loss. What do you guys think is going on when people don't mention it - are they just being polite/respecting your privacy? There's no way they can't see the difference, right?

Sukierd - you are doing great! And I hear you on the scale obsession - I'm on there every day too!

ICU - girl, you are cranking! That ipod is totally within reach!

I'm down a pound so far this week and by the way the scale was hovering this morning, (fingers crossed) I'm hoping to make it two by the end of the weekend which would take me back to what I weighed in Dec 2003 on our trip to Paris (and I felt pretty good about myself) so I'm looking forward to turning back the clock : )

Hope all are doing well!

DancerInDenver - you are so almost there!!! It'll be like Paris all over again... Someplace I still have never been, but would love to go...

Re: not commenting -- I don't get it. The only thing I can think of is that I have lost this weight before, 4 years ago. Then I put it back on, and she never commented on my weight climbing back up, and now she feels it would be weird to comment that it is gone again?? My mother, on the other hand, commented as the weight went back up, and therefore has felt free to comment as it has come off again? That's all I can think -- like it would be an admission by my MIL that she noticed I had gained weight and thus a faux pas.

Yeah, that's probably it but I always comment when people look better (new haircut, new outfit, weight loss, whatever) and of course I don't comment on their bad hair days, etc. Who knows... It's definitely a sensitive subject though for some people.

Just wanted to say Hi! Back from vacation! Glad to be back!

Haven't posted in this thread for a while. I'm not back to things full force yet. I start back to school again on Wednesday so that's when I'm officially back on plan.

Newleaf, you MIL sounds a bit like mine. DH and I have been married for 24 years and she has hardly ever complimented me on anything in that time. She went to Florida with us and asked what I was doing to lose but never said anything like I looked better or anything. Oh well!

Dancer, I'm also a bit scale obsessed. I'm on it every day, sort of keeps me in check. Congrats on Paris weight!

Sukie, way to stick with the exercise!

ICU, THat Ipod WILL be yours!

Inthemisdst, Hope you had a great vacation!

Onmyway - good luck getting things going with going back to school!

inthemidst - welcome back!

dancerindenver - it sounds like you're well on your way.

ICUwishing - this Labor Day goal is also something that I hope will feel good when I accomplish it, too. I think that's the only way to keep the momentum.

newleaf - I'm not sure what it is with MIL's. They often have kind of strained relationships with their DIL's. My MIL passed away about 5 years ago, but our relationship was always pretty uncomfortable.

sukierd - good work on the exercise!

I'm finally back here now that I'm finally on a downward trend. Strangely enough, I can only seem to lose weight in the early part of my monthly cycle and I'm finally there again.

InTheMidst - welcome back from vacation!

The funny thing with my MIL is that since we moved to Pittsburgh (where she lives) our relationship has gotten 1000 times better. We actually have a very good relationship now, but it was rocky when we lived far away, never really knew each other to begin with, and then threw grandchildren that she never got to see into the mix. So I'm cutting her some slack with not seeming to notice my weight loss. DH and I have chosen to find it amusing...

It's hot 90's and humid today. I took a day off of exercise yesterday and only did some stretching so far today. My week total was 1.2 lbs down. Good, but I was aiming for 2lbs. I'm having a sugar/carb craving day today. Haven't gone over my calories or what I think are my calories yet though. I'm averaging about 1200cals a day. Do you think that is about right or should I up? I was trying to analyze my food/exercise journal yesterday and I got very frustrated. There are a million calorie counters out there and each one would give me something different for how many cals my bod needed. They ranged from 2800 to 1800 to maintain this 42yo bod with moderate exercise! So to lose weight my range would be 2300 to 1300, no way!

My MIL has weight problems too, so she is always very complimentary even when I haven't really lost any weight.

I had to buy a new battery for scale Friday, I wore it out! :dizzy:

Hi all,

Thanks for welcoming me back - the trip was nice. We saw "Julie and Julia" which added a nice touch to a "foodie" vacation. I am proud that I ate what I wanted but did not overeat. I have got to figure out how to do this and be a foodie at the same time. In the past I have just gotten so disgusted with myself and started overeating crappy food. So I am thinking I may plan a foodie day once per month and eat really good food.

onmyway: I start back to school soon - next week- having been a stayathome mom for 3 years. Any suggestions...Like what is your favorite snack to take?
presmaggie: Glad you are back and on a downward trend. Interesting about that trend. I think I am going to start graphing a few things. 179 is just around the corner!
newleaf: My MIL always sends chocolate when we start to eat healthy in the house (aka diet). She always says we don't need to diet. Maybe your MIL is the same. In 18 years she has never commented on my weight loss or gain.
sukierd: I have the same issue with calorie counters. I use one on my itouch that has me eating 1150 calories a day but others suggest I should be eating 1600 calories a day. Odd.
dancingindenver: Hope that 1 pound went bye bye today!
ICUwishing: Hope the BBQ went well. Let us know when you try those latkes.

Have a good night.

Ash

inthemidst, For snacks I take things like string cheese, pretzels, (rold gold cheddar pretzels are my favorite!) grapes, fiber one bars or WW yogurt. I work at a school and we have a fridge in our class so I can pack whatever. When I'm working I have a lot more control.

I've adjusted my ticker back up to 183. I hated to do it but it is the reality of where I am! I have not been as dedicated this summer and now I'm ready to start again.

Hi, everyone! Counting down ... 4 weeks to go! I'm nearly at the halfway point - 2.5 out of the 6. Dropping under 157 is going to be a big, big deal for me - it's been something like 8 or 9 years since I've been in that range!

inthemidst, I am a total foodie and married to a near-gourmet level hobbyist chef (and yes, that's part of my challenges). We almost never eat out, because the verdict is always "well, we could have done that at home." The hardest thing for me to unlearn, though, is the idea that being a foodie also requires near-gluttony. Portion control has always been my bugaboo and I really, really love the sensation of a big mouth full of food. But I am very slowly figuring out that great food doesn't taste better with quantity. A few years ago, we went out to Chicago to have a meal at Tru. It was NINE courses! But each one was maybe 2-3 oz, and it just ... worked. I haven't reconciled all the ideas and concepts into how I'm going to live as a thin person, but I feel that there is a personal epiphany out on the horizon.

sukierd - I think just breathing in weather that hot should count as exercise! I was up to my nose in a cool spring-fed lake most of the day. :) I have about the same range as you do with calories, and it definitely is confusing. I started with 1700 (which is actually a heck of a lot of food) and in general, cycle around that. It works ... it's slow, but I never feel like I'm deprived.

OMW - you've lost so much and are so close to your goal! Let me guess - are you in the same spot that I am - we're looking 100% better, feeling great,, having NSVs ... and are you thinking (like I do all the time), well, maybe I'm done? ;) It's the path of least resistance! The devil on my shoulder is nagging at me every darn day, since I got back in the 150's.

I'll have to finish this in a bit - I have to do an emergency grocery store run. BBL!

pres - with ya on the TOM thing! I noticed in my graphs that I would generally make the big chunk downward in a span of only 8 or 9 days, then spend the next two weeks ticking back up just a little, and then stall for the rest of it. Grrrrrrrr. And while some things have changed a little with my weight loss, THAT remains stubbornly persistent.

Heidi - agree, MILs are a unique breed. The only major wrangle I've had with mine is over religion. Handled that indirectly with a spectacular blowup at my spouse - and as anticipated, the matter was discreetly dropped. :) All of our parents are an hour away in various directions. I like that hour - it's short enough that DS gets to see all his grandparents, but just far enough away that it totally discourages unannounced visits! :lol:

Dilemma - I have a wonderful Tanita digital scale that is almost annoyingly consistent, whether it's on carpet, hard stuff, even outside. It reads only in half-pound increments though. I'm a little envious of those of you with the tenth-pound capability, but I hear all sorts of complaints about four weighings having four different measurements. For those with the tenth-pound scales, can you give me an idea how much they vary? Would you trade the precision for the accuracy? Just wondering ....

Howdy, all!

presmaggie - congrats on the downward trend!

sukierd - I'm not an expert but 1200 cal with a bunch of exercise sounds on the low side and hard to keep up with. I've been losing an average of 2lbs a week with moderate exercise and a cal count of around 14-1500. Curious to see what you decide works for you.

ICU - I have an old clunker of a scale (I think it's one I've had since around college) that is no where close to being digital but I'm so used to it, I can't stand the idea of a different one. Since I fluctuate a bit, I wouldn't like the tenths of a pound thing, I don't think. Curious to hear what you decide!

inthemidst - sounds like you are doing great! Way to go on vacation!

OMW - it seems like taking little maintenance breaks is helpful for a lot of people. What do you think? Has it been helpful or frustrating/discouraging to loosen up your discipline a little this summer? I don't have official "cheat days" but we're kind of in a pattern of a long hike on Sundays and I usually let myself have something I don't usually (chips and salsa, thin crust pizza) after the hike if I've burned a ton of extra calories. It seems to help a little with not feeling deprived. Curious if anyone else does anything similar : )

In the spirit of the Labor Day Challenge, wanted to post my results so far (plan in black, results in red). I'd like to get ahead of schedule this week and lose a pound or two. I did another closet cleanout of stuff that's too big and went through the bags of stuff that's too small to find out what fits now and I have to say it was a pretty fun to see the too small pile shrinking.


June 8:190: 190
June 15:188: 189
June 22:188: 188
June 29:186: 187
July 6:184: 184
July 13:182: 181
July 20:182: 179
July 27:180: 178
Aug 3:178: 178
Aug 10:176: 176
Aug 17:176
Aug 24:174
Aug 31:172

LABOR DAY Sept 7: 170

Hi,
Just had a lovely lunch (OP) and shopping day with my dd. She is entering HS and will have a semiformal homecoming dance, followed by a sadie hawkins dance, and then possibly a prom. So we went to a consignment shop and she found 2 great dresses. I was so proud as a mom. And I cannot wait to buy some cute black dress for myself. :)

onmyway: Thanks for the snack tips. I have a new lunch bag with freezy thing. LOL

ICU: It's all about portions for me, too. AND when I feel deprived I will overeat anything. So acknowledging that I am a foodie and committing to work with that love of food is new for me. ....We once did a tasting menu at one of Emeril's restaurants - 5 itty bitty courses - it was perfect. I just want to taste it all.

dancerindenver: You are doing so great!! Sounds like you got to go shopping in your closet. I cannot wait to do that!

Ash

inthemidst, I splurged on a new vera bradley lunchbox! Can't wait to carry my lunch in style!

dancer, loosening up my plan for the summer has proved to me that I CAN maintain. I haven't gone overboard, my portion sizes have definitely changed. Dining out means eating about half and taking the rest home, I can't eat as much as I used to. Since I have upped my exercise this summer, I also can justify my cheats a little easier, not sure if this is a good thing or not! LOL

ICU, you are very wise! I am comfortable where I am, my clothes fit great, I'm doing things I wasn;t doing before. When I started this thing my original goal was 170. I have to at least get there. I really want to see what a difference the last 20 can make.

presmaggie, congrats on the downward trend!

Sukie, 1.2 is still a loss. Next week may be 2.8 and you will average 2 a week! Keep up the good work!

Newleaf, glad you and DH can have a good laugh about MIL. Sure beats being frustrated with her!

I had a good eating day yesterday. I am ready to get back to losing. I'm hoping for a good first week like when I first started out! Wouldn't that be great.

I'm having an attack of the lazies today (my work from home day) and need to get out on my run before it gets too hot. I'm going to head out the door now! (I'm posting this so I can't use any excuses to not go)_

Phew - run is done with!
OMW - : ) I didn't even know they made fancy lunchboxes! I'm sure you're going to have a great first week back on plan!
Inthemidst - how fun for you to have that special shopping trip with your daughter! Those make great memories.

Back to work... hope everyone has a good one!

Ugh, my mind is not in the game. What's with me?? Well, back on track tomorrow...

OnMyWay, don't feel bad about adjusting your ticker upward. You've acknowledged the gain, now you get to enjoy to positive momentum of bringing it back down...

ICUWishing, you are doing awesome!!! Keep up the great work!

SukieRD, LOL re: wearing out your scale battery!

DancerInDenver, wow, you are doing great!!! Right on target!!

InTheMidst, so did you like Julie & Julia? It sure has gotten a lot of press! I'm curious about the movie b/c it seems to deviate somewhat from the book, which is a good thing b/c I found the book somewhat annoying. I can definitely wait for Netflix on this one...

Good Morning,

I took a bold step today and declared a goal met and changed my ticker. Still have 10 lbs to meet my Labor day goal but I am happy about this victory.

Yesterday went to Grad School Orientation. It was fun. I did not feel out of place even though I am one of the oldest there.

Onmyway- A Vera Bradley lunchbox is very stylish. When do you start back?
Dancerindenver: Yay! Have you always been a runner? How much do you run? I used to run when I was younger and I miss it - but I miss what it felt like to run when I was in good shape. I'll get there.
Newleaf: I did not read the book - and from what you wrote I may not - the movie was fun because I love Julia Child and I enjoy watching Meryl Streep. And she was excellent in this role.

Today the dd has orientation for 9th grade. So fun!

Have a successful day!

Howdy, all!

inthemidst - woo-hoo on your mini-goal!!! Good for you! 10lbs till labor day is aggressive but still potentially do-able. On the running front, I started in high school and definitely used to be faster and run longer distances but I've done it on and off most of my life. I love how portable it is - no gear required besides ipod and shoes really. what kind of exercise routine are you on now?

Newleaf - How are you doing? You mentioned feeling off - do you have difficult stuff going on at home or anything? Or just the blahs/lazies? I sometimes get hit with what I call the 'I don't wannas' - a kind of general malaise where I don't really want to do anything that I need to be doing (including diet, exercise, go to work, etc.). No idea what causes them but they usually pass pretty quickly. In any case, hope you're okay!

OMW - how is it going being back on a strict plan?

Doing okay on the food front today but decided to work out after work instead of before which I often have a hard time making myself do. If nothing else, I'll take the dog I'm dog-sitting for for a long walk....

DancerInDenver - thanks for your concern... all is actually fine here. I can trace my being off track back to a single bad decision to buy a pack of Starbursts when we were on our bike ride on Saturday. Followed by saying "What the heck, why not?" to a fried fish sandwich for dinner. Followed by a general saying of "What the heck, why not?" to pretty much anything.

I guess the moral of the story is that I need to be very diligent about sticking to plan. Candy is a major trigger. I need to just stay away... Today has been good :)

Ah, the old candy-triggered downward spiral - know it well : ) Glad you've rebounded...

Ah, the old candy-triggered downward spiral - know it well : ) Glad you've rebounded...

LOL

Morning, all! Down a pound today and pretty happy about it. Am off to run to increase the odds of losing another by Monday (my official weigh-in day). Am planning to make a big pot of white chili and freeze a bunch of it in between conf calls today. What's going on with you guys?

Good Morning,

Did ok yesterday....Orientation had an Italian Night Potluck. lol So I ate fiber filled food before I left. My friend makes the best __ ___ ___ - so I ate a piece of that for dinner. And was happy. Today I am back to eating OP with no regrets (quite a feat for me!).

Dancer: 10 lbs is aggressive. Made the commitment early on -expecting to lose like I always have lost - but am fine with my current rate of loss as I want this to be a lifelong eating habit. Been nursing a bum foot for months so the exercise is minimal. But the foot is getting better. :bravo: Congrats on the loss!

Newleaf: Glad you had a good day after the candy. My biggest trigger is bread. So we have none in the house.

Have great day!

Ash

Hi, everyone! I'm stalled, and I'm stalled because I've eaten too many calories. Today has been planned thoroughly, and so has tomorrow. It might be noticed as well that I haven't been checking in here, despite the fact that I KNOW that group support is critical to my success. I'm not done - I'm not maintaining, and I need to think like a "loser" again!

I'm going to try something I've never done before. TOM is a week away, and this is normally a "stall week" for me anyway. I'm going to keep to a tight calorie budget and avoid the sodium - increased diligence ... and see if I can do something besides "nothing" this week!

Keep up the good work - we'll all succeed together!

Hi Ladies. It's been about 6 months since I've been here but am renewing my weightloss journey. Looking forward to getting to know you all!

Hey Dancingindenver ~ I'm in Parker, where are you??

I'm going to try something I've never done before. TOM is a week away, and this is normally a "stall week" for me anyway. I'm going to keep to a tight calorie budget and avoid the sodium - increased diligence ... and see if I can do something besides "nothing" this week!


ICUwishing, Sounds like you have a great plan! :D

Is the week before TOM a stall week for most?

I am doing the Just For Today Challenge - I like telling what my goals are for the day. Keeps me focussed. And boy do I need that!

Hang in there! :carrot:
Ash

inthemidst - are you keeping the name of your friend's dish incognito? Glad your foot is getting better.

ICU - good for you for planning things out - it seems like it's a huge help with food choices. Hope to see you posting again tomorrow 'cause you've got all kinds of "loser" potential and you're SO close to goal.

Buckeye - A big Colorado welcome, or rather, welcome back! I'm in Congress Park, in central Denver - sounds like you're not far.

Just got back from my first run attempting some kind of intervals to get a bit faster and I'm seriously whupped (sp?). Time to buckle down to work....

Dancer,

It was red velvet cake. :D And people, from all over, order that cake from her, all year long. It is my favorite.

What kind of intervals are you doing. I have started doing Tabata intervals with the stairs.

A

:welcome: Buckeye

Inthemidst - I'm not doing anything super fancy, just two blocks jog regular pace, run fast for one block, and repeat. Good for you for doing stairs - that's killer exercise!

Hi, everyone. Just checking in. My beets just finished roasting... I like the tin foil tent idea... It was so nice and sizzly in there! Food pretty good today.

The BIG focus is on laundry... I was way behind on folding, and also behind on washing. When did I turn into such a housewife??!

1365 cals for yesterday. Was rewarded today with less water retention, which gets me back to ticker. It's just not that hard to eat well when all this wonderful fresh stuff is available from the garden! A cup of tomatoes is only 50 calories - a cup of cantaloupe is only 60 - chopped peppers sauteed in chicken broth with garlic and onion and sprinkled with a little parmesan? Mmmm! And actually, with a little tease of good sausage added in, that's a meal over brown rice!

I'm glad you had a great day!! I agree, the food this time of year is wonderful... I had roasted beets (chilled) with lemon juice squeezed over them, fresh salt & pepper cracked on top, as a snack when we got back from our evening activities... Yum!

ICU - you are back! What color/kind of ipod are you going to get when you hit goal?

Hi Chickies,

dancerindenver: Your speed workout sounds great. Do you ever sprint uphill? Is it hilly in the city of denver?

ICU: Garden goodies - sounds yummy. Our CSA subscription is over so I am at a loss. Will have to go to the farmers market. Great Job getting back to ticker weight!!!

Newleaf: Beets - do you roast the with skin on or off? We got a lot of beets in our CSA box but I was too unsure of them to try cooking them. I saw one recipe where you roast a bunch with skin on and store in the fridge. next year!

Going out to lunch today with friends and all the children....last hurrah before school starts. The plan is to have a salad.

Hope you all have a good day!
Ash

Newleaf: Beets - do you roast the with skin on or off?


Ash, you roast them with the skin on. Then once they have cooled (just on the counter) you use your hands to rub the skin off; it comes off very easily.

Just a quick check in to let you know I'm still in the game! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Hey Chickies,
Hope you are having a good weekend.

Gotta stop going out to eat. Today I have been back in control and even though we are having company tonight I am staying OP!!
I tried on a pair of size 14 jeans and they fit but I decided when I could finally wear them (I live in Georgia) they would be too large. So I didn't buy them. It's the small things!

Ash

Checking in after spending most of the week at our fixer-upper lake cottage. I tried upping my calories, averaged about 1450. Unfortunately my weight only moved a bit in the wrong direction. I'm up about .2, so I'll just call that maintaining and try to stay positive. I left the scale at home, not sure if that was a good idea in hindsight. I think I let my extra calories come in the form of mainly sugar. I just had to have s'mores the night we made them, 3 of 'em not just one. Then a piece of cake at the lake potluck. Oh, yes, and popcorn with loads of salt most every night. My positive: I did walk about 3 out of 5 days and added some hills.

I'm encouraged to hear a lot of you just refocus and get right back to it, so that is what I am going to do. I think I'll try to stay with 1300-1400 calories, but avoid the sweets this week.

Morning, ladies!

Sukierd - sounds like you know exactly what you need to do this week! Maintaining when you're away from your usual routine is tough but you did it!

inthemidst - congrats on the 14! It's ridiculous how good smaller sizes make us feel, isn't it? : )

Onmyway - how's progress?

ICU - girl, you are blowing off my ipod question! : ) Hope you've been doing something fun (and calorie-burning) with your time away from this board!

Still making slow progress here - and am slightly ahead of my conservative schedule:

June 8:190: 190
June 15:188: 189
June 22:188: 188
June 29:186: 187
July 6:184: 184
July 13:182: 181
July 20:182: 179
July 27:180: 178
Aug 3:178: 178
Aug 10:176: 176
Aug 17:176: 174
Aug 24:174
Aug 31:172

LABOR DAY Sept 7: 170

dancer - sorry! Not blowing you off ... it was just a wild weekend (see the new thread for the novel I posted there!)! Regarding the iPod - I'm not sure that the Touch comes in colors. They do offer free engraving on the case ... and I will have to think a bit before I know what I want to write there. :) Big congrats on passing your pre-goal marker - wow - you are MOVIN', girl!!!

I was down at ticker and Sunday morning, the scale even fluttered between 156.5 and 157.0 before settling at 157 ... but this morning, darned if it wasn't 158.5. Maybe I'm just going to have to wait out the 4 more days to TOM. I've been eating very, very close to plan, and have been more active than usual, so I know my efforts will pay off. Thank goodness Labor Day doesn't fall during TOM!

sukierd - yep, you figured us out ... the ONLY failure is to stop trying. :)

ash - hope you gave yourself a big smile about the jeans! That's a huge NSV in our world - when you KNOW you will not be in a position to wear them. Lots of us are huge fans of the consignment stores while we're on the journey - you can turn around your wardrobe for a dime and not worry about having a department store in your closet. I sorted out a bunch of 12's that I won't be going back to, this weekend. Still can't get into my 10 year-old 10's quite yet, but I sure can wear the newer ones!

Carol - best wishes with getting your new school year routine established. I know you are all over it!

ICU - I was just giving you a hard time! : ) Glad you're doing so well with your plan - I'm sure you'll see the results in the next few days!! I'll catch up with your post on the other thread...

Hey Chickies,

On the second day of eating rigorously OP. Have a splitting headache. Won't hang out too long at the computer.

The dd started 9th grade today. I start grad school tomorrow. Trying to breathe.

Hope you all have had a good day.

Ash

PS. ICU, the itouch is the best invention in the world. What goal is it a reward for?

inthemidst - I promised myself an ipod touch when (not if!) I hit my 150# goal. I only lose 2.5 - 3 pounds a month, so it's a medium-term goal. :) Grad school - you go! I did that a couple years back, and CRIED when I faxed in my "final final". :D

Inthemidst, good luck with your first day back to school. Hope the headache is gone before school tomorrow. How did DD do on her first day of HS. My DD starts middle school tomorrow. She has her lunch packed, all of her stuff ready to go, outfit laid out. Did I mention she's a little excited?!

Dancer, you are on a roll! You are losing at a very steady pace. Keep it up!

ICU, Thanks for the back to school well wishes. We had a great first day. Although I could have used another week or so of vacation, I am glad for the routine that working gives me. I have much better control since I can't snack at will!

Sukie, your gain may be the result of all of the salt. Give it a couple days back on plan and I'm sure you'll be back down again.

Newleaf, What's new?

TOM is here so no hope of any loss for me for a few days. Really will be glad when I'm done with periods for good.

OnMyWay, thanks for asking about me. I'm doing fine, although (as I put on the other thread) not hyper-focused on the scale. I guess I don't respond well to goal setting... I've been keeping up my exercise, and feel motivated to get my arms more shapely. We have this whole big weight-lifting machine thing, it seemed so silly that it was just sitting there and I couldn't bother to put 15 minutes into using it each day... So I've added that to the routine.

Yesterday, I also took the boys to the pool for 90 min, and felt like I got a good additional leg workout in.

We are camping this weekend, which when we did that in July, I ate too much. I'm planning to learn from that and do better this weekend. Also, the place where we are going is supposed to have beautiful bike trails so we're planning on biking a lot. I need to look into finding a nice hike, too.

Hi All,
Had my first day of grad school yesterday. Class with new graduates - most were not even born when I graduated from college. May not tell them that! Ha! Like they can't tell.
I loved it though and so glad I am doing this.

I am down another lb. Woohoo. Going out to eat tonight, late with the dh's colleagues. I am going to have a salad and no dessert. Want to keep going down!

I am running late cannot do personals - since I have blabbed on and on. Thinking about all of you. Have a healthy and happy day!!
Ash

Just a quick not before school to report a loss! I'm down 2.5! I knew the change of routine would do wonders. I'M BACK!

InTheMidst and OnMyWay -- congrats on the losses, you are doing great!!

inthemidst - way to go on the pound lost!

OMW - you are doing great! 2.5lbs is a big loss so quickly! What's your eating plan/exercise routine?

I've hit a mini-wall mentally or something - the last two days I've exercised (but haven't run b/c of shinsplints) but I've been eating more than plan (like 1800-2000 cals) so I need a kick in the butt to get me going again. What do you guys do to get re-energized about weightloss when you're feeling kind of blah and unmotivated?

onmyway and inthemidst...awesome job

newleaf....way to go on the arms that is a someday goal of mine to do something about my grandma arms. I used to refuse to wear sleeveless shirts, but as I've gotten older I've cared less and less about what others might think and more about comfort.

dancer...I think you are doing a great job, you are very inspiring with your steady loss. When I am feeling the blahs I usually read an article, magazine, book about someone meeting a goal weight loss or otherwise. I also take another look at my journal/food plan or exercise plan and kind of analyze it to see what I could change or what worked well in the past, etc.

I did good on Monday and even refused the candy that was passed around in the all day meeting I was involved in. Then I kinda went bust, stopped exercising/journaling and am fighting the urge to stress eat. I found out I am one of 6 people who are expected to present and train a group of K-6th grade educators in 2 weeks. Oh the joy of being told somewhat last minute that your summer vacation just got sucked away. Ugh.

onmyway...How do you do it? I always feel my level of stress climb as soon as school starts back up and I tend to overeat or make poor choices. There are so many changes this year due to budget cuts and job cuts, it makes me very nervous about my ability to meet the needs of all my students. Do you see my stress thermometer rising? sigh.

My positive for today: The scale is down! Even with my sloppy exercising/journaling I am down a half pound. So I am feeling encouraged to just get back to doing the things I need to do.

Way to go, ladies! Sounds like everyone is chugging along with TWENTY days til Labor Day (if you count all day today, and all day of Labor Day, lol!)

Dancer, what fires me up is the Goals and Minigoals threads. I also lurk in the 100# club - they are an amazing, crazy, motivational bunch. Something about seeing everybody celebrating their successes, from the little ones to the big, and tripping and getting back up, makes me want to go along for the ride. I CAN DO IT TOO, darn it! :)

Carol - Yay! I think we all have a bit of that little kid "need for structure" and it when the groove is not a rut, it's all good. You are headed for a fabulous school year!

sukierd - Sorry about the last minute project, but it's an opportunity to shine! Stay with the plan - you know you're on the right track!

Heidi - great work (or is it play?) on the exercise! Send a little of that motivation my way, please.

inthemidst - congrats on the loss!

Sitting at ticker - which is 3 pounds off since I started the thread (and halfway there). It's TOM so I am thrilled to be making the scale move at all. 3 more pounds in 20 days ... doable! No formal exercise at all but I have worked a lot more movement into my days at work and time at home.

Keep it up, gang ... we are going to have some impressive total losses by Labor Day!

Newleaf, sounds like you will offset any overeating while camping with hiking and biking! Hopw you have great weather!

ICU, I also do some lurking in the 100 plus thread. Those ladies are amazing! 3 pounds in 20 days is very doable! You go girl!

Sukie, I work as an assistant in a special ed preschool classroom. I am not responsible for all of the paperwork that a classroom teacher has and can basically leave my job at school at the end of each day. It takes a really bad day to stress me out, that's why I love what I do. I pack my lunch each day and don't keep extras in my desk so I'm not tempted.

dancer, I think my loss is kind of like the bigger loss you get when you first start a diet. I basically maintained all summer. I'm back to really watching what I eat, with no snacking. As for exercise, right now I am walking about 40 minutes each day. I also tread water when we go to the pool a couple times a week.

inthemidst, glad your first day of school went well. I always enjoyed the older adults in my classes when I was in college.

The scale loves me this morning! I am down another 1 1/2 lbs! Woo hoo. Just had to share. Feeling rejuvenated now. I walked yesterday too. Today I need to have a date with my journal.

SukieRD - congrats on losing 10 lbs!!!

Thanks, New Leaf! I'm pretty excited, because I promised myself a treat after every 10lbs lost. I think I'm going to get a piece of jewelry. I usually don't spend much or even get much jewelry. Maybe like a $5 bracelet every once in a while. So I'm thinking of bumping up to a $30 item. lol. :carrot:

Morning, ladies!

Sukierd - congrats on the losing streak - curious to hear what piece of jewelry you select...

OMW - sounds like you know exactly what to do to get results - thanks for sharing!

ICU - I lurked as you suggested, and you were totally right - thanks for helping me get back in the groove! 3 more pounds are going to slip right off in the next few weeks, I just know it!

I'm a total of 25lbs down from when I started and the wedding I have to wear the strapless bridesmaid's dress in is on 9/12 so I'm hoping to be able to lose 5 or so more if I'm aggressive about it. Thanks to all of you for being such a great cheering squad and sounding board! I used to see acquaintances going to WW meetings and wondered why they needed a group setting for something so personal and thought that just wasn't for me. Turns out a virtual group setting was just what I needed afterall : )

Happy Friday!

sukierd - Congrats! 10pds is a LOT of weight! Sounds like you are positioned for success!

dancer - glad the suggestions helped. I spent lots of years wondering the same thing about why people wanted to discuss weight loss all the time. Now I know! I can't count the number of things I've learned since joining here almost a year ago. I have to say that the vegetable recipes have made an enormous difference. :)

Same old 157 today. Much activity planned for the weekend. Good stuff is stashed all over the refrigerator and in the garden. One good weekend ... I am DUE for a new number!

Hi all,

I am overwhelmed with school. I must admit it. Have missed being here and reading everyone's posts. And now I don't feel like I have the energy or the time. (Do you want a little cheese with that whine?)

I am having a roughish day. I am exhausted. So I napped today but I have much homework. I have eaten ok but I have a bad sweet tooth. Had a minor binge on fiber one bars - but still have enough calories left for dinner. (Some more cheese perhaps?)

Will eat a healthy dinner. That is my promise to myself. And to come back tonight. And to drink lots of water. lol

See you later.

Hi All,

It is a new day and a new week! :carrot:

I have had two great days. No loss though. Must keep the momentum going. Did change my jingle goal - I overestimated my ability to lose weight at 49. lol Will not change this goal as we are so close to the end. And I am promising myself not to feel bad about my accomplishment - no matter what!

Wishing you all success!

Ash

Morning, girls!
Inthemidst - sorry it was a tough week but sounds like you've turned it around! I'm sure you'll see a loss this week.

I'm still chugging away slowly. 2lbs for the week...
June 8:190: 190
June 15:188: 189
June 22:188: 188
June 29:186: 187
July 6:184: 184
July 13:182: 181
July 20:182: 179
July 27:180: 178
Aug 3:178: 178
Aug 10:176: 176
Aug 17:176: 174
Aug 24:174: 172
Aug 31:172

LABOR DAY Sept 7: 170
Sept 12 wearing bridesmaid's dress: 168

dancerindenver- Thanks. You are doing fabulous. :cheer:

I'm down another .4 and still walking. The scale is definitely an encouragement. Haven't decided on the jewelry reward yet.

Dancer---You're doing great. You'll make a beautiful bridesmaid.

IntheMidst---Way to stay positive during the stress of school/homework.

Wishing you a new number, ICU!

Small accomplishments, Big Dreams! Have a great week, everyone!

dancer - WOW!!!! Role model! You just keep knockin' 'em down! Careful there - you're going to need to get that bridesmaid's dress re-altered the week before the wedding!

sukierd - I agree that seeing those numbers move is motivating. Mine just continue to waffle. So this week I am going to change a couple things up and see if I can recover the juju. Regarding the jewelry reward - there was a lady in one of the other threads that started her loss by purchasing a charm bracelet - and she buys a new charm for every 5 pounds lost. I thought that was really cool!

OMW - glad to hear the new school year is working so well for you!

No loss for me. No gain, either. I remember this place - I was stuck here for almost 8 years, and this is one of those comfy set-points where I could stay for life. That'd be fine, if it were where I want to be! I got spoiled by how easy it was to take off those first 17 pounds. Now ... I think I'm going to have to buckle down. Onward into the week!

Thanks for the encouragement, ladies! : )

Sukierd - sounds like that walking is working for you!

ICU - It must be hard to make yourself lose the last few pounds when you're already looking so great. And definitely, the earlier losses are much easier - I'm a little nervous about how to deal when I get where you are - I imagine it's a lot tougher! You can do it though - that itouch is calling your name.... : )

Off to run while it's still nice and cool....

Down .5. Patience, perserverance - plateaus - ugh!!!!

ICU - you have got this! that setpoint is now toast!

Hey all,

Be swamped with school work. I have not been as OP as I like to be. And tomorrow I head out to my summer camp reunion. Haven't seen these women since 1976. Very excited. I did end up going out and buying some size 14's! I am stressed because I must get in a bathing suit. It's 200 women from 50+ years of camp so I think I will do it. I am going to enjoy my reunion and not go overboard eating. Will be back to the computer and back OP on monday.

sukierd- Congratulations on the continued walking and loss.

dancerindenver - Will you share a picture of you in the bridesmaid's dress?

ICU - 0.5 is fabulous! It's gonna keep coming off now!

Have a great F-Su! :carrot:
Ash

Dancer----The last 10lbs, how exciting. I can't wait to hear that I am down to the last 10lbs! I also would love to see you in that bridesmaid dress...picture please. You have so whupped the Labor Day Goal, good job.

ICU---Congratulations on the number change. Good-bye set point.

inthemidst---Enjoy camp reunion, you'll be great in your new clothes and swimsuit. Celebrate your success.

Newleaf---How's the exercising going? I can't remember if I told ya all, but I signed up for Pilates during the school year. My dd takes hiphop at the same time and I figured since I was dropping her off and picking her up I didn't have any excuse not to take the class. Haven't done anything like it before, so we will see.

onmyway---How's it going w/routines now that school is back on for you? I officially start next week Tuesday w/kids starting after Labor Day. I feel the stress rising. Last night the Oreo's were calling my name. So many changes this year due to budget, etc. My fabulous teacher's assistant resigned to go to Nursing School. I am so bummed. So far I do not have a replacement. I am sharing 17 students with another teacher(another new thing), so we will see how that goes.

I am excited about the Labor Day Goal...I am close, but even if I do not make it I am thrilled about what I have accomplished. I didn't think I could keep the momentum going. Thanks to all of you for giving me a boost. I lost 1 1/2 lbs this last week. So I am down 11.4 lbs. :carrot::carrot: This is big! Last year when I lost weight in sept/oct/nov I made it to 165 then went back up the rest of the school year. I am now in new territory at 164. :cool:

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

TGIF! 11 days to go to Labor Day!

sukierd - new territory! woohoo! And great attitude - maybe we won't be hitting the numbers we hoped for, but we are ALL making progress that perhaps we could leverage into a Halloween challenge? ;)
inthemidst - don't get stressed - it's going to be great! Reunions are so much fun, and you will have that confidence from your successes here to just relax and enjoy the time. You have a firm foundation in fabulous feeding (doesn't that sound kinda cool?) and if you choose to go off plan for one meal, IT WILL NOT DERAIL YOU. You'll get right back to work the following morning. :)
dancer - I want to see the dress too! You're going to be fabulous! And thank you for the statement that the setpoint is toast ... I need to make that my reality. I don't know if this is the last 10 pounds or not. I have a lot of functional improvement to make, and muscle to build, so I'm really not sure where the numbers are going to be. What I do know is that I've found a way to eat that is slowly pulling pounds off, and I'm enjoying it and can do it forever. I figure I will ride that wave as far as it takes me, but truly, this is a weird place without a fixed finish line. I can say with confidence that I want to get below "the buck fifty" mark, and that will definitely be my red-line as a maintainer. After I get there, I'm going to really have to do some thinking. :)

Happy Friday, ladies!

ICU - interesting to hear how you're thinking about your final goal. The way I'm thinking about things right now, 160 will be a 11/1 goal for me, then I'll probably be shooting for 140-something by our trip in January. Something around 146 or 148 should get me in a size 8 and I remember feeling pretty great at that size so I doubt I'll end up shooting for lower still but you never know. I'm not going to change my goal until I totally nail that 160 though!
Are you planning on doing anything special this week to keep on pushing through that setpoint?

sukierd - a big giant wooohooo on the 1.5lbs this week - that's great news!! New territory is big stuff - enjoy the ride!

inthemidst - you will be rocking those 14s at the reunion - good for you!!

Today at lunch I'm planning on dropping off 5 garbage bags of clothes at goodwill (some have been in the back of my car for a while already, but the pile keeps growing) and I keep the clothes that I think will fit me next on the bed in the guest room for inspiration (the really too small stuff is still in the guest room closet). When I don't feel like going for a run, I try on the next pair of pants that are still too snug and it helps me get out the door. The games we have to play with ourselves to make this happen <<sigh>>....

I just had to post again today to scream......I'm down another pound this morning and I'm claiming it, because I am officially OVERWEIGHT and not OBESE on the bmi chart!!!! :carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot: I can hardly believe it. That is 12 1/2 lbs of my goal gone, gone, gone.

Dancer, that is awesome that you are able to give away your bigger clothes, I don't think I am brave enough to do that yet. Need to reprogram my thinking still.

Have a super Saturday,everyone!

Sukierd - big huge congratulations - that's great news!!!!

I want to weigh 237 by Labor Day. That would be an overall 15 loss. I need to get my metabolism going by exercising more often. I also plan to start drinking herbal tea again, especially red clover tea as it is a good cleansing tea and is naturally caffeine free with virtually no calories.

Hey Chickies,

The reunion was the best. Love the camp! Love my camp friends!
Eating was a mess though. Not much to choose from. I am up 4 lbs this morning. Uggh. My goal is to get that off soon.
Did walk a ton and climb up and down - back and forth to our cabin. And went on a beautiful hike. So I am confident I did not do too much damage.

Gotta run....will do personals later.

Have a great day! :carrot:
Ash

Hydra - 3lbs in a week can be tough but I like your determination! Good luck!

Inthemidst - I'm sure you'll get those vacation pounds back off in no time!

ICU - so, is that plateau smashed to pieces, lying in ruins?

dancer - I'm going to declare the plateau of 157 dead. I've been below it a couple of times since then. Now I have to be on the lookout for another one at my new weight. :) I don't LIKE that my weight loss is this slow ... but it's still loss and I'm not miserable.
ash - No damage. It was one day. I can gain that much on one restaurant meal, and it takes 3 days to get it off. I'm glad you had a great time!
hyrda - woohoo - aggressive! Good luck! You have a terrific start - keep up the great work!
sukierd - well done! Funny how that label change is such a rush, isn't it? Going from overweight to "normal" is fun, too - I was hugely relieved!

All righty - we have one week left! I need 2.5 in this last week - which historically ain't gonna happen, but I'm going to pretend it can and see what happens. I'm down 3.5 of the 6# I wanted, so I'm certainly not unhappy!

ICU - at your slender size, 3.5lbs is a big flipping deal! Congrats on the progress so far and I'm sure you'll knock it out of the park this week. So envious of you're already being in normal range. That won't happen for me until 154, which would be sometime in later November if everything goes perfectly which is always unlikely : )

aw, dancer - thanks! This week is showing me how effective my "non-plan plan" actually is ... there's a faint possibility I could still make the Labor Day goal (154) if I can gut it out this week and (gasp) the weekend!

Don't be envious! You're on your way back to normal as well. You now weigh less than I did when I started here at the beginning of the year! It's close! We're all doing the best we can, with what we have to work with.

Thank goodness for 3FC. There's no way I would have stuck with this for NINE months without my chickies!

We are less than a week away from Labor Day. One of the things I'd like to do when we get there is to report out how many pounds we lost collectively during the challenge - I suspect it's going to be an impressive number!

ICU - good idea about the collective loss count!

I like the collective loss count too!

I would also like to start another challenge with chickies? Any ideas? Thanksgiving Challenge?

I started here at 191 and my plan is to be at less that 185. Still losing my camp weight. I am working it.

See you all later.
Ash

Either Thanksgiving or Halloween ... I"m up with that! I could be thankful for my iPod when I reach Holy Goaly!

The iTouch is a joy! You are going to love it, I know!
It looks like it is 7 weeks to Halloween after labor day. So that sounds perfect!

Ash

Much to my surprise and delight, i weighed 237 this morning!!! So I would like to change my goal to be 235 by Labor day. Smaller portions, exercise and keeping a food journal are really paying off. I am so happy to see results! I am up for a Halloween challenge too!!!

Congratulations Hydra!

I have lost all my camp weight. Would like to see 184 by labor day! That is 1.5 lbs. I am going to stay OP and see if I can do it.

Have a great day!!
Ash

As of this morning, I have 5 of the 6 pounds off that I wanted for my goal. One more pound in 5 days? I'm goin' for it! I've got a couple more days before I expect the PMS stall ...

Hydra - Shucks, don't revise the goal - just toot that you BLEW ON THROUGH IT!!!
Ash - woohoo - On a roll!!!

Wow, ladies! All kinds of good news - woohoo! And a halloween or thanksgiving challenge sounds great!

Still 155. I did go out to eat last night, and while the calories were under control, I can't be sure of the salt. More water! Going to go for a walk tonight, I think. And I need to review my treadmill's manual and figure out the best way to lube the belt. Advice? They just don't give clear directions for it.

ICU - good luck with that! No experience here - I have an elliptical and a rowing machine but no treadmill. I've been amazed what you can find youtube videos about so I'd probably hit google and see what's out there. That last pound is toast - you will be 154 by Monday, I just know it!

I'm a little stalled tickerwise but am working on re-losing the last three pounds that I thought I lost but it was really that the scale was a little to susceptible to a slight lean. Down two of the three before I get to a REAL 170, not a leaning slightly :) 170. Am shooting to be at ticker really by Monday, then on to the 160s, I hope!

Hope everyone's doing well!

Hydra-Awesome job! Way to stick with your plan.

I like the idea of a Halloween goal.

ICU-Congratulations on meeting your goal. I like the idea of a collective total...we must have at least lost a small child! ;)

Dancer--I actually move my scale around my bathroom just to make sure I weigh the same on one side of the room as I do on the other. More of my scale obsession issue.

inthemidst--way to have fun at your reunion and lose the gain quickly.

I am down another .6, so I am officially at 13lbs lost overall. I know I won't quite meet my goal by Labor Day, but my signature slider was leaning way to the right, so I'm feeling pretty good. I will probably slow my goal down for Halloween challenge now that I'm back to teaching and kids are back in school/school activities. A way cool thing...our PCO just finished raising enough money to install a walking track on our playground. They just put it in 3 days ago. It is an oval asphalt track that is 1/12 of a mile. Oh, by the way, I survived my presentation on Wed., and while the other schools teachers were a bit of a tough crowd, my colleagues from my building were very complimentary(and they can be a tough crowd), so that made me feel good.

Can't wait to see our collective total in 3 more days!

Sukierd - I'm not quite there yet - 1/2 pound to go. :) The tickers at the bottom round things down. However ... the number from this morning is an overall 20# loss since the beginning of the year, which amazes me because I have found my new lifestyle and I'm not suffering AT ALL!

dancer - good idea! Or I could just get off my duff and find the number of the treadmill company and ask the service department. Ve haff wayzzzz... lol! Hope you're not too annoyed at your scale. Mine has its quirks, and it only goes to 1/2 pounds, but I can give it credit for amazing repeatability.

Need to think ahead and figure out a Halloween target. I'm getting into some weird territory where I suspect the scale is not going to be doing me any favors (muscle building). I should probably look for inch-reduction goals instead - I would dearly love to get my wide hiney under 40" ...

Thanks to you all for your kinds words and encouragement. I have really been making some positive changes and just knowing that there are so many of you doing the same thing really keeps me motivated.

I hope you all have a great weekend, stay on your plans and have a great holiday! :dancer:

YES!!!! Labor Day Goal Achieved!!!! Now ... even bigger ... holding onto it until Labor Day! :lol:

ICU! You rock! :carrot:

I'm at mine too and I don't want to celebrate so much that I don't stay put.

A

I met my goal for Labor Day!!! Woohoo!!! I am thinking a Halloween goal would be nice to have as well. Have a great day Ladies and Gents!!!

Congratulations on meeting your goals, everyone. Woo hoo!!! That's got to be a really nice feeling :carrot: :carrot:

I stopped working towards my goal, so no surprise there... :)

I didn't make mine either, although I feel that I have been way more on track this last week. Congrats to you losers! Way to go!

Hi Hydra,

Since I missed out on the Labor Day Challenge, I'll take you up on the Halloween Challenge! I'm hoping to have lost at least 10lbs by then.

Anybody want to start the Halloween Challenge?

Congrats on all those who met goal. :cheer:
And congrats to all those who stuck with it. Can we have some more NSVs! :cheer2:

My NSV: I am still here. On 3fc! I have not given up. That is a big deal! :woohoo:

Ash

Well I am a little off track this weekend w/my oldest going away to college(move in day was today). His 18th bday is Wednesday and we've been doing a lot of celebrating this weekend w/food of course. So my final is 13 out of 16 lost. I am ready to get back on track for the Halloween challenge. I start teaching tomorrow and will have more of a routine. Just need to keep up some exercise.

Congratulations to all the super losers on this challenge!

I didn't make my Labor Day goal.:sorry:

Congratulations to those of you who did. You rock!!!:carrot::carrot::carrot:

Ack! Just realized there will be cake in the house tomorrow. My baby turns 15 and wants her favorite vegan chocolate cake. Some of you may remember that it turned me into a bingeing fool in July. The plan is to only order 2 slices. 1 for the child and 1 for me and dh. Plus take out from the restaurant. I am declaring officially that I will be off plan tomorrow night. Only.

Have a good day chickies!

Congrats to all who stuck with the Labor Day Challenge! If you didn't make it - that's OK too - proceed on to Halloween!

Please post one more time and let us know your total pounds lost since you signed into the challenge. I think the total will surprise us all!

Me - down 6.5, from 160 to 153.5

ICU--I am down 13 from 175.6 to 162.6!

I am down 6.5 from 190.5 to 184.

With just sukierd, inthemidst and myself - that's TWENTY SIX POUNDS!!!! Come on, everybody - we started the challenge back in the middle of summer, and I know you LOSERS :) dropped plenty! Let's see what the total is - I know it's a huge number!