40-Somethings - Official Halloween Goal Thread

I decided to start this thread because it was suggested at the end of the Labor Day thread.

Boo! :ghost::sklol::badbat:
It is that time of year again. Summer is coming to an end and Fall is just around the corner. Temperatures are getting lower and the days are getting shorter and shorter. The kids have gone back to school. Very soon the leaves will be changing their colors. And, in my opinion, it is never too early to start decorating for Halloween! It is my favorite holiday, I think because it is close to my birthday and my parents always had a big costume party for my birthday.

Ok, my goal is to weigh 222 at my Halloween party....told you I was a big fan....and this would be a loss of 13 pounds. I am up for the challenge and I feel this is realistic for me. Add yours and let's reach our goals together.

I would like to reach 225 which is a bit over 8 pounds. And would earn me my first 15-pound reward, a massage at a day spa.

Even though I failed the Labor Day challenge, I'm going to join the Halloween Challenge. Let's see if I can scare away 10. I'll have to be careful what I'm goblin and witch food to eat.

Boo!

I'll try for 8, though at this point any loss would be a big win!

Okay, I'm in for losing 5 lbs. Taking it a little slower now that school is starting. That would put me at 157.

I'm in. 172 is the number I want to see! That is 12 lbs.
Only briefly tho! That has been where I've stopped the last 3 times. Not this time!

My goal is to be at my goal weight by Halloween. Down 14 pounds by then...

I want to lose 15 pounds by halloween would put me at 210 (havent weighed that since I was 16! ) but will be happy to lose at least 10 :)

I'm in. I weighed 167 this morning. I plan to weigh 157 on 10/31. That's a bit of a stretch -- 10 lbs in 7 1/2 weeks -- but I'm going for it.

I'm in! I'm shooting for 10lbs by 10/31!

I'm in and aiming for 17 pounds - that will put me at 219.8

I would love to lose 10lbs by 10/24 that is the big 40th b-day celebration.

Count me in for losing the 150's - the Halloween target is 149.5, which is GOAL, and 4 pounds away.

I'm shooting to lose 11 pounds by Halloween......

Hope everyone has a great day!

I would love to lose 15 pounds by 10/31. I am going on vacation at the end of November and 15+ pounds lighter would make me feel really good.

I'm in too! I'm goaling for 10 lbs by Howl-o-ween!

Welcome, all! We can do this!

7 is my lucky number, lets see if I can get that mark, I will be happy with more but 7 (that's only a pound a week) so that will be it!

:dance::belly::bunny2::goldpot::bat::ghost::frank: :witch2::sklol::witch:

got a little scarried away!

Hello Chickies,

Still at 183.5 (-.5) but I did have cake this week! So I cannot complain - just don't want it to slow down too much.

Hoping everyone has a great great day!

Today's Goal: Get at least 30 minutes of cardio and drink 8-10 glasses of water. I'm really hoping to lose 15 by Halloween.

I'm in!
Put me in for 16, that would put me at 185, this is what I need!
"The Eye of the Tiger!"
I'm not an everyday weigher, I weigh in every 2 weeks, so this Monday I will report my actual weight "Yikes!"

I'm in!
Put me in for 16, that would put me at 185, this is what I need!
"The Eye of the Tiger!"
I'm not an everyday weigher, I weigh in every 2 weeks, so this Monday I will report my actual weight "Yikes!"

Wow, that sure takes perseverance!! I definitely need the immediate gratification of the daily weigh-in...

I have stayed on plan for several days and I have exercised every day this week. I am going to officially weigh in this coming Tuesday. I have a doctor's appointment that day and I am sure my doctor will be pleased to see I have lost close to 20 pounds since my last visit!!! :broc: The scale was down a pound yesterday, yay!!!!!!

We can do this by staying on our plans, being here for each other and celebrating our successes!!! Have a good evening and a great Friday. :ebike::grouphug:

Can't get back to sleep so I thought I would just stay up, i have to be up in 2 hours anyway.

Collectively we will be losing close to 200 pounds by Halloween! :sklol: I know we can and will be successful.

Some things I do that have been helping me: keeping a food journal, exercising each day even if it is just taking a brisk walk on my break at work, keeping healthy food in the house, getting 5 or more servings of fruits and veggies a day:carrot:, not beating myself up for a temporary slipup, coming here for support and inspiration and drinking lots of water and herbal teas. :coffee2:

I hope you all have a good Friday!!!

Struggling to get past a long weekend of celebrating my son's bday and move to college. Weight is up a little, but I'm not going to let it get me down. I have still been walking everyday, twice yesterday for a total of 100 minutes!

Everyone have a great weekend of accomplishments!

Chickies,

I am thrilled to see another pound gone. Yay TOM! Yesterday was my splurge day, too. I allow myself some favorite food and sometimes I stay within my calorie limit - yesterday I went over 400. I really want this to be a lifestyle so I figure I cannot deprive myself or I won't be able to do this long term.

Hydra: so sorry you could not get back to sleep. I don't like those nights at all. You have some great habits. The food journal+weightloss graph and coming here everyday has helped my tremendously.

sukierd: great great job getting all that exercise in. You had a big weekend - the weight will come right back off!

have a great weekend!

Oooohhh I forgot to report that my tummy is getting smaller and so my tummy flap is getting larger!!! :carrot:
IN THE PAST I would have been disgusted by my tummy flap. But TODAY I was happy to see it. It's gross but it is a real sign that I am losing.
Who knows what it will look like when I get to goal. I'll decide what to do then.
Hope you can understand my weirdness!

way to go, inthemidst! I think that we have a major advantage over the young'uns on our journey because we have a better grip on the fact that our bodies are changing and we can celebrate all of them. :) I feel like the 20 pounds I've lost have turned the clock back at least a few years.

hydra - 200??? Whoa. That's like an entire shelf of Halloween candy! Candy that I will certainly be trying to stay away from! My weakness is the bite-size dark chocolate Snickers. They look so small and innocent - what harm could just one be? LOL! chewychocolateysaltycrunchy - hey, where'd the bag go? :lol:

Great job with the walking, sukie - we're getting into the prettiest time of the year in Michigan! I'm between Flint and Ann Arbor - and we're seeing just the first hints of color on some of the weaker trees. How about where you're at?

layddi - every 2 weeks? Wow! I'm with Newleaf - it's my first-thing-in-the-morning ritual. I don't get antsy if I'm away from the scale and I've been at this long enough to expect the fluctuation patterns ... but I also know that I need that feedback too.

Next week, I'll be getting back into the pool. DS10's team starts working out again Monday. Not sure if we're going to have a Masters team again this year, but I plan to swim in one meet every month this season, and train alone if I have to. I also have a GF who's challenging me to do a 5K with her at Halloween, and I owe her an answer in one week. Hmpf. Running is NOT my favorite sport, despite personal evidence that it's incredibly effective for muscle toning in the spots I need it the most - hips and thighs!

I'm up a couple pounds from my lowest (ticker) as expected during this place in my cycle. It will be at least next Wednesday before I get back there and can start dropping again. Please keep posting all your scale and NSVs! It keeps me motivated! :hug:

Halloween is a real weakness of mine, too. I have to be sure that we only buy candy that I don't like, and I have to wait to buy a bag of candy corn until right before the holiday (so I can savor 1 bag and then be done).

I feel like I am cranking along nicely, but as everyone who has been around since the summer knows, I have a long history of being very successful at going from 167 to 164 (ie, that's where I have been maintaining since June). So, I can't get excited by anything until 162.

I realized something about these goals. What happened last time was that I realized that I wasn't serious about making my goal, and so I adopted the mindset that I would just maintain for the remainder of the period and once the goal period was past, then I would recommit. Or the other trap I have seen myself fall into is feeling like I am ahead of target so I can slack off for a little bit. It sure is all about self discovery, eh?

So, I refuse to let that happen this time. I'm not really working towards the date goal (10/31) just the pound goal. I think that's a better outlook for me. I thought I'd mention those traps to hopefully forewarn people if they seem themselves falling into them -- in the end, it's about the number, not the date (at least for me).

Newleaf: those are great points. I changed my goal midway - some may see that as cheating- but I Knew I would get despondent about not making goal as I approached labor day and would just throw in the towel. I am not willing to do that. Whatever works for us to keep working on being healthy.

I too have a number that gives me grief - 172. Have not been able to get below that in years and I have been so close a few times. I set 172 as my goal for Halloween so I will be extra motivated to go below for the next challenge.

It is all about self discovery and compassion for oneself.

ICU: 20 lbs is a lot. What a great job you are doing. Have fun in the pool. And let us know what you decide about running. I love to run...but I have to wait a few more pounds before I start (its a mind game for me!).

have a great day!

I'm in. I would like to lose 5 pounds by then. My starting weight is 142:D

I like to take things slow..................:D

Sounds like everyone is very focused on their goals. I get lots of inspiration here and I truly appreciate the warm welcome I was given when I joined last month. I instantly felt a part of the group here and I commend everyone for being so supportive and positive and for sharing your personal stories and day to day triumphs and struggles.

Today I stayed on plan even with a work function where they had chips, cakes, ice cream, fritos and dip. Thankfully they had fresh fruit and I ate some delicious strawberries and allowed myself one small slice of vanilla coffee cake. I am not a big sweet eater so I should be good around the Halloween candy. I like the idea of buying candy that I don't like to hand out. I will do that. So no snickers or mary janes or caramel cremes in my house come next month.

I hope everyone has a good evening and a good Saturday! Where I live we only have a week or so left before cooler temps hit so I plan to be outside a lot this weekend.

Here's to a great week, everyone!! My TOM should be this week, and with that I usually see a loss (when I'm not in maintenance mode, that is) so hopefully that will bring good news. I would love to hit 163 this week. I was 164.5 on Friday, although 165.7 today, but I think it's doable. That's my goal.

Now to just motivate myself out of the chair and into the basement to work out...

Day 2 of TOM here. All bloated up and nowhere to go but up - I'm at 156.0 today. Blah. If Eve brought on all this crap just by eating a lousy apple despite being told not to, I'd like to go back in time and punch the ... in the mouth. Rant over. It was a small price to pay for self-awareness. :) The good news is that the irrational cravings are gone and I am seriously back to plan.

DS10 goes off to swim practice tonight. I'll get the pool schedule, and I am planning to walk while he's swimming. It's a start. :)

Ack, don't let the 3 lbs get you down; I'm sure they'll be gone in not time. Now, go drink a big glass of water!

I'd like to join this challenge. my goal is to be 145 for Hallowe'en. That's a 12 pound loss. Since the summer parties are pretty much over, i'm hoping this will be doable for me.

Well, newleaf123 I guess I dont have perseverance, this weekend went lousy, I'm up 2 pounds.
So I think I jumped the gun, I changed my goal to 7 pounds.
It's more like the "Eye of the Sloth"
Hydra-I wish I had your self control.
Well chickies, hope you all have a better turn out.

Well, newleaf123 I guess I dont have perseverance, this weekend went lousy, I'm up 2 pounds.
So I think I jumped the gun, I changed my goal to 7 pounds.
It's more like the "Eye of the Sloth"
Hydra-I wish I had your self control.
Well chickies, hope you all have a better turn out.

Actually, my perseverance comment was related to only weighing every 2 weeks; there is no way I could do that... But as for the weight goal, 7 pounds sounds like a doable goal and I wish you success!

First week in and I'm up half a pound for the week. I've been on plan. I'll give it another week before I decide if the problem is the plan. It's quite possible that it's other things.

Hang in there, GardenerJoy... :hug:

I'll join! I have been so out of control lately. Maybe this will help me to re-focus. I'm joining late however, so let me go with 5 lbs. That would be nice b/c that is what I think I have gained over the summer. It should be doable without causing me to stress eat over it. LOL

Swtgila nice to see you again!! You can do this... Look how much weight you have already lost... Just focus, and I'm sure that being back in control is yours to be had.

Wow, there are a lot of us joining in this Halloween challenge! I saw some Halloween decorations out at the store today and it reminded me of the challenge here and that we are all so motivated to succeed. I forgot to weigh this morning so I will wait until tomorrow morning and hopefully see a little loss. I also have a doctor's checkup and I am excited for my doc to see my weight loss. I am sure he will be pleased.

Good Day everyone! Hope all are doing well on their plan.

My negative: I can't mark any lost toward my Halloween Goal, cause I'm still working off the bday/labor day weekend gain which was 3 lbs. So hard to take off, so easy to put on.

My positive: Since that fiasco, I have lost 1.5 of the 3lbs! So close to being back on track.

I definitely need to relook at how I eat during family celebrations. Thankfully no more birthdays till 2010. Next big party won't be till Thanksgiving. So I've got time to prepare for that one in my head.

Everybody keep up the great work!

Back to 154.0 - like you, sukie - I'm still recovering from Labor Day weekend misbehaviors. :) I have to laugh - I'm sitting here in a Large blouse, which I'm swimming in, and a pair of size 12 pants that are truly worn to death and don't fit. Peter Gunn says the only true fashion crime is poorly-fitting clothes. Lock me up! :lol:

I am down to 231.5 pounds today! That leaves me 9.5 pounds to go before Halloween. :sklol:

I had a checkup this morning and my doctor was thrilled that I have lost 20.5 pounds since my last visit. And, of course, he said he would like for me to get down to 160....I told him I am shooting for 180 and at that time I will reevaluate my goals.

Keep of the great work Ladies and Gents!!!! We have roughly 46 days left in this Halloween challenge. Welcome to those new to this thread!

Hydra, what a great feeling it must have been to surprise your doctor -- WTG!! You are doing such a great job with your weight loss...

Will yesturday, I got back on track, had a lite dinner then went to my pilates class. I got to tell you, after my pilates class I was in a great mood.
Hydra-Congradulations!
sukierd-Hang in there.
Hope everyone is doing good.

Hi,

I am up a pound from eating crap this week. Been OP for 1 day now. Feel better but......

I am thinking about you all. Wishing us all success today!

layddi - keep up the great work! You are MOVIN'!
Newleaf - You're almost at the halfway point for Halloween already - which is going to put you in great shape for hitting your goal. Woohoo!
midst - Hang in there. One day on plan leads to two, leads to three ...

New low - 153.0. I've been sticking to the low end of the calorie range I play with - last night was 1400. I'm so motivated by this place - I know that if I had not fumbled my way in here late last year, I would STILL be sitting at that high weight, grumbling and whining, losing 5 and then putting 6 back on! I updated my iTunes software this week and I'm starting to think hard about how much memory I want in my iTouch ...

A poem for y'all on this magnificent cool, crisp almost-fall morning - something that I've had stuck for more than a year to mirrors, refrigerators, my monitor stand here at work, my car's dashboard:

Be not impatient in delay,
But wait as one who understands:
When spirit rises and commands
The gods are ready to obey.
--- James Allen, As You Think

I think this is pretty relevant - it speaks directly to the "switch" that flips when we decide we're going to do this. When it flips for real, the universe aligns and removes the obstacles working against us. My spirit has risen ... and the gods are scrambling.

ICUWishing, congrats on your new low!! I love the poem... TFS.

I'm working hard, plodding along, not letting this news about my heart get in my way. 163.4 is good, but I've been here before. I still refuse to get excited until I'm 162 (which I was, for one short day in July!) or even 161. At that point I'll have lost 25 pounds, which is definitely excitement worthy.

Good morning ladies!
ICUwishing-I feel the same, this Halloween challange has motivated me big time, so much that
"Oh dear, I think I've become a slave to the scale!"
Not sure yet if that could work for me or against me.
Newleaf123-Congradulation! your doing awsome!
inthemidst-Hang in there, you can do this!

Well going camping this weekend "Yikes" so wish me luck.
Hope everyone has a great day and an awsome weekend!

Well I am happy to say I am down 4.6lbs...I will weigh again on Sept 25th. I am only weighing myself every two weeks. Cutting back on my carbs seems to be working for me. Lets just hope I stay on plan and I should make my 10lb goal by Oct 24th.

Layddi, sounds like you are doing great, keep up the good work at camping.

Congrats ICU on your new territory! Beautiful weather we're having!

I've been walking on and off. Work has been stressful. I'm starting a Pilates class tonight. First timer.

Proud of you Hydra, you are really charging forward! Nice work.

Way to go Gabbytab!!!

Swtgila and gardnerjoy hang in there!

newleaf 25lbs is exciting, heck 20lbs is awesome! I know you can do it. I'm fighting some of the same numbers you are...I just want to see a 5 after the 1, yk?

Hoping for a great number tomorrow in spite of TOM. Keep telling a co-worker no to ice cream. She can afford it, cause she runs 5 miles a day. lol I can't so I'm staying strong so far.

Have a super Friday!

I'm having a *rough* time tonight with wanting to devour the house. But I'm happy to say that I'm doing a fierce job on a stick of sugarless gum instead! I think I should be okay with the scale tomorrow; fingers crossed.

But, this does mean that I'm going to postpone my glass of bourbon. Tomorrow night ought to be chilly, too!

Another pound of that Labor Day gain gone, getting closer to focusing on my Halloween goal!

layddi and inthemidst - way to get back on track and on plan right away.

gabytab - great loss! congrats to you!

sukiard - congrats on your loss!

I must admit I had a binge the other night. I was in a highly emotional state and overate a lot of salty and fatty things. The scale is up a couple pounds but I am back on plan and drinking lots of water and I plan to exercise more. Step it up a bit and get these pounds back off.

Have a good Friday everyone!!!! The weekend is here!!!!!

Scale flickering bet 152.5 and 153. Patience ... Halloween is 6 weeks off, and half a pound a week is right on track with this year's history.

Newleaf - great job picking up the gum! I have days where I chew so hard and for so long, that my jaws ache. I checked my book and it lists a 1 1/2 oz shot of 90 proof at 110 calories. It's not something I can splurge on every night ... but a cool fall evening on the patio, with a little fire in the firepit, a cozy sweater, and a good Scotch ... does life offer more perfection? :)

gabby - way to go! Keep up the great work!

hydra - one bad day never wrecked anybody's progress. But there are better strategies than eating for dealing with a rotten day, and all of us are learning how to find them. Keep chuggin' the water - it's truly the stuff of life.

sukie - you've got it on the run, babe! Easy GO!!!

Layddi - happy camping! We'll expect to see your triumphant return next week!

Down 2lbs, doing my happy dance!

Holy cow. The careful week paid off. The "flicker" from yesterday was a full-bore drop today. :D

wlw and icu - GREAT! Way to go on the weight loss! You two are doing a great job.

I have been back on track since my mid week binge and I will weigh in tomorrow. Hopefully I will be back down to 231.5 and dare I wish, lower? I have been getting a lot of exercise this weekend, eating a good healthy variety of foods and drinking lots of water and herbal iced tea. I feel really good this weekend especially after walking for hours today at a community wide yard sale in a neighboring town. I don't have my granddaughter to chase after this weekend so I will be doing some callanetics and more walking tomorrow.

Hydra you are doing great!! Hopefully you saw a nice drop this morning. But even if you didn't, you know you are doing the right things, and are exercising great!

ICUWishing congrats on the mega-drop!! You are so close!!

Sukie Sounds like you are doing a good job getting rid of Labor Day...

WeightLossWanted Congrats on your 2 pounds!

GabbyTab Welcome!

Layddi I hope you had a great weekend camping, with gorgeous fall weather. It's nice and crisp where I live, perfect, in fact.

InTheMidst How are you doing?

I am really excited that I seem to be back in the groove. It's all a head game. If I decide wholeheartedly to lose weight, then I lose it. When it's a half-hearted commitment, then I don't. Hmmm, it's only taken me this long to figure that out???

Imagine my surprise when the scale showed I have lost 25 pounds this morning. I wasn't expecting that, but I'll take it!!

The scale read 231 this morning, yay! Lost my off plan/binge weight plus another half a pound. Nine more pounds by Halloween.

I hope you are all doing well today and that you have a nice rest of the weekend!

Hi All,

I have been AWOL. Off track and more off track. The scale is up and I am determined to not let this snowball into "I give up!"

I have 2 goals this week. Eat OP. Really. And stay under calorie budget.

Wish I had time to catch up with everyone - almost late for a meeting.

Hope we all have a successful day.
A

InTheMidst you can do this! Meeting your 2 goals (OP eating, calorie limits) will definitely get you there... I don't know if you're exercising, too, but if not -- you may want to try adding some walking or other exercise...

:hug: I'm sorry things aren't going well. Let me repeat, you can do this!

InTheMidst you can do this! Meeting your 2 goals (OP eating, calorie limits) will definitely get you there... I don't know if you're exercising, too, but if not -- you may want to try adding some walking or other exercise...

:hug: I'm sorry things aren't going well. Let me repeat, you can do this!

Thanks newleaf. I am walking. Mostly I need to eat OP. That seems to work. lol

It's been a good day so far.

A

11 pounds by October 31st!!!!! We can do ittttttttttttttt :)!

inthemidst....you can do it! One step at a time, one choice at a time, hang in there.

I am back on track.....just dumped that last pound of the the labor weekend fiasco. :D

Onward and downward!!!

The drop to 152 might have been a little premature. :D I'm not movin' the ticker again though - I saw it, and it's MINE, and I will get back there and keep going. I think I probably was dehydrated after the wine tasting on Friday night, so now I have to go recover that low point the "honest" way. Such is life on the path - another "sawtooth" for the weight graph!

inthemidst - you can stay on plan, you are doing the right thing, take care.:dancer:

icu - way to go, great loss!:encore:

I have not felt that great this week, I think I have a touch of tummy flu. I have been staying on plan. In the past I would eat fast food burger and fries when I felt bad and had no energy to cook. So I am proud for not resorting to fast food.

I am going to weigh-in on Thursday and I should see a pound or two drop. I am staying motivated by reading all the success and mini-goal posts. I am getting so much good support here! Have a great day!:grouphug:

Just found this thread. I have been away for a while. Recovering from Gal Bladder surgery that had complications. Now I am ready for my Halloween Goal. I would like to lose 5 pounds by Halloween. That would put me past my total weight loss of 50 pounds. That would feel great as we head into the holidays.

Hi, Lynn! Welcome and jump on in! Halloween is that "gateway to the season", so yes ... a great start will help. There's a No Halloween Candy pledge over on the Maintainer's forum too.

Looks like everyone's doing very well! Keep up the great work!

I'm apparently practicing Maintenance at the moment, but I can't pretend to be surprised, as I haven't been as rigorous as I need to be. I'm not OFF the wagon - I just need to find the groove again. :)

icu and newleaf - holy cow! you skinny minnies! Wow, I missed a week or so traveling and now you guys disappear when you turn sideways! Seriously - way to go!

dancer - welcome back, we missed you! Hope your travels went well! Thanks - I guess I proved to myself what my plan is capable of, if I just follow it! DS had a chance to play with an iPod Touch, and now there's two of us who want me to hit goal and get one! Helps to have someone watching to remind me, at times. :)

Good morning ladies, I'm back from camping and had a loss, but like Hydra I to came down with like the stomach flue. Hmmm maybe that's where my loss went......just hope I keep it off.

ICUwishing and Newleaf123-you guys are so inspiring, almost at your Long time goal, AWSOME!

Sukierd-How do you like Pilates? I've been doing Pilates for 2 years and still cant do some moves (because of my weight) but absolutly love it.

intothemidest-you can do this, focus on NOW and tame the BEAST!

Does anyone watch RUBY? I love her, she such an insperation.
EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Sounds like everyone is doing great with this challenge; that's excellent! Congrats on your loss while camping, Layddi! I've never successfully accomplished that...

Nice to see you, DancerInDenver. Thanks for the compliment!

Today I had to force myself to exercise, but I still did it. I'm really trying to embrace the idea that nothing comes between me and my exercise plans for the day. I would *love* to see a new low on the scale tomorrow since it really hasn't moved much this week.

Newleaf - are you still reading while on the elliptical? Anything new you recommend?

DancerInDenver Yes, I'm still reading on the elliptical. The first 2 books were pretty schlocky, but then I got tired of schlock with my 3rd book. So now I'm reading books that I never read either back when they were popular, or back when I was reading classics. I just finished Girl With a Pearl Earring today, and started up Pride and Prejudice. I'm amazed with how expansive the large print section is at our library.

Newleaf - Oooh - nice choices! If you haven't read it already, you might look for the Other Boleyn Girl on your next trip.

So, kind of a mixed review for this week's trip to Boston for me. Slipped and ate a bunch of peanuts at the bar and some starbursts on Monday after a horrible-tasting hotel dinner but have been on plan since then. I've only run Mon and Weds so far this week and am planning on running tomorrow and getting exercise over the weekend. Just had the yummiest ever roasted chicken at a different hotel - there's just no predicting.... I need to lose a pound this week to be on target for weigh-in on Monday - am going to try to be killer good this weekend. Who's with me? :)

dancer....I'm going for killer good this weekend too! I have been doing okay with eating but not great. Staying in my calorie count but stress eating some crap....salty/sweet. My big no-no has been exercise. I pretty much have blown it off all week, except for my pilates class. So I need to get back in the groove with the walking. Weight is holding steady thankfully.

layddi.....Pilates is good. Didn't quite realize how many stomach exercises we would be doing. lol. I'll be sore today. I can't quite do all the moves or reps as everyone else, but I'm holding my own.

DancerInDenver, yes, I've read The Other Boleyn Girl and really enjoyed it. I had it on hand when I had to sit in an airport for 15 hours, and it was a life saver! I envy you your trip to Boston. I'm from Massachusetts and there are so many old haunts and people that I miss. My sister (in Cambridge) especially. I'm with you re: being on plan this weekend.

Sukierd good job with the pilates!

newleaf - I got my MS in Eng Mgmt from UMass Amherst. Never set foot on campus til graduation day ... and was sorry I hadn't! I'd love to go back there again and spend some time - gorgeous!

Count me in for the good weekend - I need to get things going in the right direction myself!

This will be my first challenge. I'd like to set my goal as 7 pounds. The weather has been great here lately...just perfect for getting out and moving some!

:goodvibes:

newleaf - I got my MS in Eng Mgmt from UMass Amherst. Never set foot on campus til graduation day ... and was sorry I hadn't! I'd love to go back there again and spend some time - gorgeous!

Count me in for the good weekend - I need to get things going in the right direction myself!

Do you know that it's called Zoo Mass by the locals because of all the partying, at least at the undergrad level? It is a beautiful area... How did you manage to get a degree without ever going on campus???

LOL! That's funny! Zoo Mass! I did my undergrad at MTU in the years that Playboy wouldn't even rank us in the partying schools, cuz "they didn't want to put the amateurs with a professional!" UMass had a program called PEEAS (I forget what that stood for) that was distance education. We ran a week behind regular classes - they were all taped and shipped Fed Ex. We had to name proctors for our exams, and essentially the professors just kept separate office hours to field our calls and emails. It's the only way I could have done it, because I was traveling nonstop for work. I'd pop a DVD in the laptop while I was in the airport or hotel room, and just go to class!

Wow, what a neat way to do a degree! Pretty cool...

ICU - wow, that takes a lot of discipline to study remotely like that! I'm super impressed! Funky avatar photo - the turtles smile isn't nearly as good as yours. So now that you hardly weigh anything at all, what size jeans are you rocking these days? I'm curious what 152lbs gets you these days ;)

Okay ladies - here's to a clean eating weekend. No treats or unscheduled nibbles for me!

I was down 2 pounds earlier this week when I weighed!!!!!! I am weighing on Sunday and Wednesday to stay on track. So I have 7 more pounds to meet my Halloween challenge!!!!!:sklol::badbat::frank:

I am truly thankful for all the wonderful support from everyone. The words of encouragement really help me stay on track. :carrot:

I have 3 pounds left until one of my mini-goals....that would be 26 lbs lost, 1/3 of goal!!!!:dancer: I hope to reach it within the next week or two. You are all doing so well and thank you for your support!!:hug:

Hydra -woohoo on 2lbs this week - that's great! and you're so close to your mini-goal - you must be feeling wonderful! Are you noticing a difference in how your clothes fit?

Did another closet clean-out this weekend to celebrate 30lbs total lost - it's getting to be fairly slim pickens in there but that's okay - I think I have enough to get by. I may need a cute pair of jeans as we're going to San Francisco in two weeks and my last pair of jeans is starting to look kind of baggy in an uncute way.

Off for a run - hope everyone's having a great weekend...

Hey chickies,

You all are doing so great!!!!
I am 1.5 lbs from my next mini-goal. I went and bought a new purse (they only had one and I liked it and the price) and a book and put it in a bag and gave it to DH. Told him to give it to me when I make the goal. Which I am hoping is by next sunday!

Dancer: :congrat: on the 30 lbs!!!!!!! I told DH yesterday that when I lose the rest of this weight I will have no clothes to wear. I am preparing him. lol.
Hydra: 3 lbs left till you make the 1/3 goal. That is fabulous. :cheer:
ICU: what does 152 get you?
newleaf: you are mighty close to that halloween goal and your longterm goal!!! :cheer2:
sukierd: I have been doing some stress eating too. back on track today and out for a walk. Glad your weight is holding steady. :D
:welcome: kandewit!

Like the idea of large print. DH wants an exercise bike (I have been blowing him out of the water with weight loss) - so I could do some pleasure reading. Anyone have a bike at home?

Welcome, Kandewit, I like your name....and you kan!

I lost 2 tenths of a pound if I can count it! I also went out for a walk/run yesterday. I was able to run for 5 driveway/mailboxes before I needed to go back to walking. This is an improvement from 3 mailboxes so I was pretty happy with myself.

Hydra..you are really bustin a move! Way to go.

newleaf...I love to read, but can't seem to do it on the treadmill, do I just need to bump up to large print? Our school secretary can walk outside and read a book at the same time(small print). I don't know how she does it.

sukierd - congrats on the 5 mailboxes! Do you alternate jogging with walking intervals the whole way?

inthemidst - tell us more about the new purse - what did you get? And which book? Inquiring minds want to know ;)

Three weeks in and I have lost a pound and a half -- precisely half the rate that I would need to accomplish my Halloween goal. Oh well. At least it's a loss. And I saw a much lower weight a few days ago. I've started figuring out my pattern. I seem to lose weight only three or four days a month. Each time, I then spend 7 to 10 days hovering in a two pound range above that new low weight before I woosh down to a new low. At least, that's my current theory!

gardenerjoy - aren't our bodies crazy weird? Sounds like you have yours figured out! Your overall trend is downward so congrats! What eating and exercise plan are you following?

Good morning ladies! It's a Monday and I weighed myself.... Well I gues it was a temporary loss, or I ate of plan (a little of both.) I'm back on the saddle again. Hope everyone is doing better than me! Good luck.

Good Tuesday Morning to all! Hope everyone is having success at exercise, plans, or just hanging in there!

I can finally claim a pound loss. :dancer: Yes, Dancer I really did try to jog/walk the whole time this time. I did 2 miles. I don't really track how long I walk between jogs. It is just when I get my breath back to normal, then I jog again. I would say it is about 10 mailbox/driveways walking, then 5 jogging. I did it later in the day so the sun was going down, added incentive to hurry up with my walking so I could see the road.

inthemidst...how's the stress eating. I think I'm back on an even keel. Still eating small amounts of sweets, which I think I need to give up. Like 2 oreos for dessert last night.

layddi...way to keep going!

gardnerjoy....I seem to do the exact same thing. I claim the lower number then it bounces back up a couple of pounds(which is depressing), and then it seems to woosh off to the new low later and the cycle goes on.

Suki - :bravo: on the pound loss! Congrats on your running - that's such a great way to build up your cardio capacity! You might try slowing down your jog a bit the next time you're out and seeing if you can run even further that way. Running seems to be such a great help with weight loss - good for you!

layddi - glad you're back on track!

Well, I decided to go off plan on Sunday and Monday, and here I sit, up 2.5. Ugh.......... Back to work today!

dancerindenver: I made up my own plan -- a mix and match plan of meals that seem reasonably balanced and emphasizes vegetables. Most importantly, I plan all of my meals and snacks the night before. As long as I average half a pound of loss each week, I'll probably stick with that and talk myself into being happy about it. If that slows down, I'll probably go for something that requires more measuring and counting than what I do now.

Hey all,

Just a quick note to say Hi. Still on track. Not ready to put my new weight on the ticker yet. But I hope to tomorrow.

Thinking about all of you.
Must rush to class.
A

Hi all! Having a second nutso week - but back to plan enough to be sitting at ticker. I got as high as 2.5 above it before it came back down (and all within a single week). But, it's part of a recognized pattern, and it should be better from here. Unless it's another 3 week stall (NOOOOOOO!!!!!) :lol: Wishing you all restraint and happy weighing!

I have been really busy with work and home life these past few days. I am still on track but the scale didn't budge this weekend nor today. I will pay extra special attention to my calorie counting and get more exercise in this week and hopefully I will see the results.

The first 20 or so pounds came off so fast and I need to remind myself that plateaus happen and to just keep doing the right thing and I will see good results.

Congrats on the losses Ladies and good job on staying on track with food choices and exercise!!!!!!

Hang in there Hydra...plateaus are definitely a fact of life.

How's school going inthemidst?

Dancer....how exactly do you slow down? I did actually try that towards the end when I was losing steam and it felt harder to do. Is it supposed to feel harder, work more muscles, etc.?

ICU...here's hoping for another zig in your hacksaw and no stall!

gardnerjoy...way to plan. I am having a hard time with staying on top of choices. Probably why I'm sneaking salty/sweet snacks.

newleaf....keep fighting.

Here's to the midweek push!:cool: We can all do it!!!

Hi Chickies
...wrote a paper, paid bills, and sent the MIL a birthday bouquet in the last 2 hours. My biggest accomplishment was changing my ticker, tho. Made it to 179 officially today. I am overweight! :woohoo:
I am seriously behind in doing personals. I will do it tonight.
I am so happy to share my news with such a wonderful group. You all inspire me. Sending many hugs to all of you. :hug:

Have a great day! :carrot:

inthemidst - :bravo: for making it to your second mini-goal! Wooohooo!

Suki - not sure why slowing down would have felt harder but maybe it was because you were at the end and were already worn out. And if everything is going in a way you're happy with, I'm certainly not trying to mess with success - it's just that many beginning runners start too fast at the beginning, wipe themselves out, get frustrated and give up. I've always heard that you should be able to talk comfortably at your basic pace. Since you run on your own, that's probably harder to check but if you're huffing and puffing way too hard to be able to talk, try slowing it down until you could imagine talking and see if you can go further. You can always pick up your speed once you've built up your endurance. When I started running again this spring, I was running 15min/miles and now on a really good day, I occasionally clock in with 10min/miles. Curious to hear how it goes!

hydra - sorry about the frustrating plateau - have you tried calorie cycling at all? It's helped me with some mini-plateaus, I think. You basically vary your daily intake by a few hundred calories above and below your usual limit to kind of mix things up a bit.

icu - woooohoooo on being so close to goal! You are an inspiration!

dancer - aw, thanks! I don't think 150 is my final goal, but it will make a good top threshold!

sukie - you're getting out there, and you're getting stronger! Way to go! (I'm jealous - can you send some of that motivation to exercise my way???)

hydra - you're doing really well! My gosh, you only joined us a little while ago, and you're down that much already? It would be really difficult to maintain that rate of loss, since you are getting smaller fast ... so please don't get down about anything. Keep the long-term view - in 2009, you made a decision, and you are making it happen. :)

wlw - slow is still progress! I doubt that even the people who are pouring the weight off are happy with how fast it's happening - we all want it INSTANTLY! Let's just say we're building lots of character. ;)

midst - woohoo! Milestones are wonderful! I don't think that's really a mini-goal - in my world, that qualifies you for a big :high:

Half a pound off this morning. Tomorrow's the official benchmark date - I measure on the first of the month. Had an encouraging NSV this morning - I put on a jacket this morning that was so tight around my hips that it would just ride up to my waist last winter - and now it's got PLENTY of room. Good thing - cuz I didn't really want to have to buy a new one!

icu - congrats on the very nice NSV!

October 1! Progress report - how much of what you've wanted to lose for Halloween is off?

I think I started the challenge at 154 and wanted to get to 150. I've accomplished 62% of it so far. There's some bumps coming - a trip to Raleigh this weekend, a visit from a friend (with party), and our neighborhood Halloween hayride. And of course, the holiday itself. Oh ... and a wine tasting w/Italian buffet (oh, gawd help me!), and two planned "going-out" lunches. My 20th anniversary is on the 28th ... phew! All I can do is use the tools I've learned this year, and lean on you guys!!!

ICU - wow, that's a lot of temptations coming up! Such the engineer you are, calculating your percentages ;)

Ok - for me, I started at 170 and am now at 166 and am hoping to get to 160 by Halloween or 11/1 so I'm 40% of the way there and 6lbs in the next four weeks will be a challenge as I have a few trips coming up but I'm still hoping I can make it!

Thanks sukierd, inthemidst, dancer and ICU - I truly appreciate your words of wisdom and encouragement.

The scale did go down a half pound today! I will take it! I might try the calorie cycling thing as it seems to work well for so many people. I have 6.5 pounds left to meet my Halloween goal. I will reach a mini goal first at 226....that will be 26 pounds lost and 1/3 of my goal!

I hope everyone has a good day today! Take care ladies and gents!

:cb:hydra - you are doing so well! Continue on with the level of commitment you have, and you will KEEP being successful! If you want to tuck in another meaningful minigoal that you're even CLOSER to hitting (and it's considered a HUGE one in the weightloss biz), you're almost at the 10% gone! Celebrate that one - many health professionals say that losing 10% of your body weight makes a significant difference in your overall health and well-being. :cb::carrot:

O-kay, I'm in. 10 pounds off by Halloween! Woo-hoo!

Hydra - way to go!
Annegirl - welcome!

ICU...Okay, I love crunching numbers. If you count my Labor Day Gain fiasco I have dropped 50% of my goal numbers before Halloween.;) If we can only count my Halloween goal I have met 20% so far.

Suki - either way, you are making progress in the right direction - how cool is that when you consider the alternative?

What's everyone up to this weekend? I'm going to try to sneak in another hike before the weather gets colder.

Hi everyone,

:welcome: Annegirl

ICU: You are doing so great. And I know you will manage those bumps beautifully! :)

Hydra: You are a losing machine!

Sukierd: Either percentage is fabulous! :D

Dancer: How was the hike?

Thanks for all the congratulations. Of course I went off plan and gained 1/2 lb back. :( Didn't help that I had TOM cravings. But back on plan today. Have to stop celebrating with food. I do have to say tho that I am getting better at getting back to plan. :D

My goal by next sunday is to be at 177. 20lbs total. :carrot:

Have a great day!

Hi everyone! I didn't gain any over the weekend (didn't lose any, either), and have managed to catch the "change of season" cold. Working from home today to spare my coworkers having to listen to me sneeze and hack. I've eaten a few things that probably aren't the best choices, but absolutely nothing that's good for me sounds remotely edible right now. :)

I'm down to 228. Which actually puts me on track for the first time during this challenge to reach my goal of 225 by Halloween. Maybe my weight loss will speed up a bit now that I'm well below 240 -- a weight that my body is very used to.

gardenerjoy - congrats for breaking through the plateau!
ICU - hope you feel better soon! Lots of chicken soup...
inthemidst - hike got cancelled unfortunately due to a crisis at my bf's office. Bummer...

Bought the cutest pair of jeans this weekend - it is absolutely amazing what that does for your self esteem! I liked them so much I bought the next size down as well. I lost a total of 2lbs this week so I'm still on schedule.

Hope all are doing well...

Hi Chickies,

Engaged in a minor binge yesterday. Have to get back on track. Staying home today.

gardenerjoy: 3 lb loss and on track!!! Fabulous!
ICU: Get well soon!
Dancer: New jeans. WoooHoooo!

Wishing us all a successful day!

inthemidst - I'm looking forward to a post later saying you turned things around and are back on plan today! You can do this!!

I'm down a pound today so that makes 5 down 5 to go in this challenge. Anyone have fun halloween plans to show off their skinny selves in costume? No plans here - no one I know is having a party this year and I'm too busy traveling to throw one myself.

Dancer....way to lose 2lbs and get some new jeans. I am getting close to that nsv...my two "good" pair of jeans are getting baggy.

inthmidst....way to get right back on plan, you can do it!

hydra....1/2 lbs are totally awesome! Have you tried the calorie cycling?

Annegirl...welcome, How's your week been?

ICU....You are still having such great steady progress....don't let that cold get you down. We are hoping for heat in our building by the end of the week! They usually wait until Nov 1st to turn it on, but it has been so chilly. brr.

Gardnerjoy.....Good job...keep your eye on the target!

I am finally down some more, another 1lb. Doing great with watching the food, but still struggling to get more than 2X a week on the exercise. The pilates does kick my butt though.

Have a super week everyone as we move into the weekend!

ICU - how's the cold?

Suki - woohoo on another pound! What's your biggest challenge with fitting in more exercise? Too busy a schedule? The 'I don't wanna' syndrome?

oooh i love this ! thanks Hydra, I LOVE Halloween!!!

my goal for halloween is to be 155lbs

Echo - congrats on the PhD - that's big stuff! And welcome!

Echo - congrats on the PhD - that's big stuff! And welcome!

thanks so much dancerindenver so nice of you to say :) and thank you for the warm welcome :)

I lost a couple more pounds as of this morning! Just 2.5 pounds away from my Halloween goal. Thanks for all the support and encouragement. I think the addition of more water and herbal tea is helping me. I am also cooking more instead of buying frozen meals or prepared foods and it is much less calories when you have more control over what you are eating.

Keep of the great work everyone! :hug:

Hey, Newleaf, How are you doing?

Hydra you are amazing...you just keep losing pounds and adding new healthy habits!

Dancer.....I am definitely struggling with the "I'm too tired, I don't feel like it" syndrome. I am on my feet all day with teaching and think students with ADHD(hyperactivity, impulsivity). By the time I get home I have my own children to help with homework, then supper, clean up, and then I feel just beat. I am also not a morning person so that isn't a good time to add exercise. sigh. I am full of excuses.

Hi everyone! Sorry I've been out of play lately - the cold might have been a minor flu bug in disguise. I'm about 80% right now. Let's just say Mon and Tues while I was home I made some poor choices, and paid for it. Wed morning I was at 154. Came back to work, got clean with the food, and was back at ticker this morning. And I've got a new goal - I will be modifying my signature this weekend. ;) I'm optimistic that I've got the chops to make the Halloween goal of busting 150.

Anne - 10 pounds in a month is really aggressive - way out of my league - but it's definitely doable!

inthemidst - hang in there. As Robin says, commitment is what gets you through when motivation fades. :)

gardener - I've found that once you push through a setpoint, there's a period where weight does come off "more easily". Enjoy the ride!

dancer - I'm about due for a round of shopping, and it's the first time in a LONG time that I'm actually looking forward to it. :) 2 pounds in a week - awesome! No costume plans. DS10 wants to go out this year as "roadkill" - so I'm trying to figure that one out. ????

sukie - if I see one more lousy, crappy gray day ... thank goodness for that trip to NC. It was sunny and 80 there! I gave up and turned on the furnace on Monday. Dang.

echo - welcome on board! I see you're just about ready to cross the line back to "normality" - congrats!

hydra - you're definitely making all the right changes. Cooking's kinda fun, isn't it? Looks to me like you might be the first one to the Halloween target! Woohoo!

Hydra - you are smoking along - woohoo!

Suki - your life just may be a workout in itself - you sound super busy!

icu - bummer about the cold/flu - that just knocks you flat sometimes. Totally agree on the setpoints. Curious to see what you come up with for roadkill - too funny.

Thanks sukierd, ICU and dancerindenver. I know that one of the big reasons that I have been successful is the great support and encouragement that I get here at 3FC. I am so glad I found this place. I knew I would need support to lose weight and I wanted to be around others that were in the same mindset. I just love to look through the success stories and mini-goals when I am feeling like I need to refocus.

sukierd - I have tried the calorie cycling and that is working out well. Yesterday and today I had a lower day in anticipation of tomorrow which will be a higher day. At work, we have a staff meeting and there will be salty snacks and dips, fresh fruit (I am the dept asst mgr and demanded we have something healthy offered, score one for me) and an assortment of Halloween candy. I plan to stick to the fruit, pass on the chips and fritos and allow myself a few pieces of chocolate tomorrow.

Hi, ladies. Sorry that I haven't been around (thanks for noticing, Sukierd -- and anyone else... I only read this page 9 before posting). I just have been sick and tired of paying so much attention to my weight, so I stopped for awhile.

In light of not paying attention, of course my weight has blipped back up so I've reset my ticker. But to force a little accountability on myself, I tracked every single calorie today. I'm at 1332, which is right where I want to be. Maybe a little snack later if I feel like it, but otherwise I'm done for the day. I don't like to count too frequently, but it's a great tool to have in the tool bag.

Onwards and downwards. I'm really impressed by how well everyone is doing!

Hi Chickies,

Been sick with a cold and feeling sorry for myself. Weight has stayed the same but a few more days of eating off plan and ......

Congratulations on everyone's progress.

Love this group!!

Hope everyone has a successful day! :carrot:

Morning, girls!

Am still riding a high from running 5.6 miles yesterday which is definitely the longest run I've gone on in 20 yrs.

Newleaf - nice to see you around! I'm sure you'll be back down in no time and from what I read, it seems fairly typical to take maintenance breaks when you get down to the last few pounds.

inthemidst - bummer about the cold - hope you're turning the corner!

hydra - you are going to be blowing the doors off of your halloween goal - wtg!

We're heading out to San Francisco for a long weekend so I won't be around until probably Tuesday night. Hope everyone does well over the weekend...

Another .5 down this morning. 1.0 to go (it's really 1.5 cuz I want to bust the 150's), and it will probably take every bit of the month to get there, at my rate. :)

Dancer - congrats on the run! Isn't it a thrill to do something again that you did in your 20's? Hope you have a GREAT time in SF!

inthemidst - I feel your congestion. I sacrificed my plan a couple days over that too.

hydra - well done on insisting that something good be added to the meeting! Were you able to resist the other stuff?

heidi - you're not going backwards, so it's all a win! When it's time to keep going, you know what it takes. And if you are happy where you are, own it and become a Maintainer! 3FC seems to be the huge key to success for me. It's taken me all year to lose my weight, and I have a famously short attention span. I've also failed numerous times when left to my own devices. I guess I'm destined to be a Member For Life, because being here helps me focus. Plus, I've really grown to like my "virtual friends" and I look forward to hearing what y'all are up to. :D

ICU - I continue to be amazed at how much 3FC helps in the process, re-inspiring you, keeping you accountable, making you feel like you're not alone when you're having a hard time. It's interesting though who sticks around and who drops off. I wonder what the percentages are. I was looking at the Goal board and realized that there are not all that many pages of 'I met final goal' stories when you consider how many people are on here. Can't wait until we all have our stories up there though! ;)

dancer - I've noticed the same thing! I wonder if a lot of them hit goal, think they're done, and relapse, then feel bad about coming back. I could see myself doing that! And yet those who come back after gaining again get the very same friendly welcome and support, so I don't understand why we stigmatize it so badly. What works for me seems to be right here - why fix what ain't broke? :) LOL, what I do need to do is to confine myself to a couple of threads, and quit spending HOURS cruising the whole site!

ICU - I hear ya on that one - my health and fitness have definitely improved over the summer but my work productivity, not so much :o

Hi all,

Haven't eaten much today and feeling great. Do you find that sometimes you eat because you are supposed to?

Dancer: 5.6 miles :cheer2: :cheer: Have fun in SF!
ICU: Nice loss!!!! :bravo: I know that 1.5 will come off by the end of the month.

newleaf - I can relate to getting tired of tracking your weight all the time. It's fine to take a break but I think the overall healthy eating that we all are doing is the most important thing.

inthemidst - I hope you are feeling much better.

dancerindenver - Wow, have fun in San Francisco. What a great city.

icu - how nice to be saying goodbye to the 150s! At that luncheon I was able to resist the fatty salty snacks, I stuck to fresh fruit and I must confess I did eat 8 hershey kisses....now how did that happen?

Everyone is doing such a great job on this challenge. Halloween is in three weeks. October seems to be flying right by me. I am planning on having a costume party on the 30th. I plan to have a veggie tray, fruit tray, fat free pretzels and the old standard, chips with dip. I think I will buy a case of bottled water too to have and some soda.

Hi all,

Thanks Hydra. I am feeling better. Sounds like you'll have some great choices for your party. What is your costume?

Lost 0.5lbs so I am glad to be moving down again. Anything under 175 will be a win, I figure. But I am trying for 172.

No scale moves. Nothing to report - I'm going back to the pool tonight.

I'm three and a half pounds above my goal for Halloween, which is less than three weeks a way. That's ambitious for me, but I'll give it a shot!

Done deal! Saw the 150.0 for the first time today in something like 8 or 9 years! Although I saw 149.5 today at the doctor's office (with clothes, too!) and now I know my scale is 2.5 pounds heavy ... I still need to see it on my scale before I declare victory. :) It's a big day for me. THANK YOU ALL for the support and companionship! We succeed TOGETHER!!!!

WoooooHooooo! ICU.....awesome job of meeting your goal. What a treat to be lower at the doctor's office, never seems like it works that way! ;)

:congrat: ICU

Hey Chickies,

Stating day 4 binge free. Happy Happy Happy! Still at 178 (3 days now) but hope to see some movement soon.

Wishing us all a successful day! :carrot:

Haven't been posting on this thread in quite a while. I've been in a funk lately but have been back on track the last couple of days. if I can scare off a couple pounds by Halloween I'll be happy. Keep up the good work ladies!

ICU, You are way to hard on yourself, give yourself credit for the Drs. weight! You deserve it!

Everyone, thanks for the woo-hoo's! I'm on a post-TOM whoosh - I'd have to say that's the ONLY positive I can ascribe to TOM, eh? :D Hope to get one more day out of it.

OMW - glad to have you back, and there's plenty of time to "scare off a couple". It's only the 14th! I know those funks well - the best medicine is getting back to treating yourself as best you can with being on plan. The plan works - work the plan! And yes, KNOWING that scale is heavy is serious icing on the cake ... but my scale is my daily buddy and I only see the doctor twice a year ... and I ain't gonna move that starting weight. :)

hydra - I wanna know too - what are you going to be? Sounds like you have a good plan for the party! I just hope you aren't like me with chips and dip - I really can't handle them at ALL. Baked chips and salsa - that's OK, but oh man, French Onion dip and Ruffles - that's binge material. For me, that'd be the scariest part of Halloween!

midst - GREAT job with the 4 days! I empathize with you, and know that some days are real fingernail-biters. Hang tough - it IS beatable, and if you can string a few months together, I promise, the urge will pass. I used to be a regular on the Chicks In Control threads, and I did learn a lot there. :hug:

sukierd - thanks! I was totally surprised to see it - I even checked the calibration sticker. :D The tough part is going to be NOT having a little part of brain reserving that knowledge as "acceptable tolerance" once I decide to maintain.

ICU - congrats - that's super exciting news!!!

Yay, ICUWishing! 150 is wonderful to see!

Thank you, everyone, for the congrats - please take most of the credit! This is truly a team victory, because I KNOW this would never have happened without the Chicks ... I've failed too many times on my own, without the 24/7 support here. You've all helped me learn to drive back the demons! I'm looking forward to providing the same encouragement to all of you as we learn to be healthy and fit TOGETHER!!!!

inthemidst and ICU - I think I will be a witch for Halloween because its easy to do and I have a hat, wig and cape from a few years ago. I think I will be a scary witch and buy some fake moles and scars and wear garish makeup. Is anyone else dressing up to hand out candy or for a party?

I have no clue how much I weigh right now, this week has been so busy with home and work and just stuff...I have not weighed in several days. I will weigh tomorrow and I think I will see a small loss. I stayed pretty much on plan this week even though I ate out twice and one of those places was a buffet. It was chinese food and I stuck to steamed veggies, peel and eat shrimp, rice and sushi. I was very proud I stayed away from the fried, heavily sauced and swimming in cheese stuff.

Yay, the scale showed me at 222 today! :cloud9: So I have met my Halloween goal and of course I will go even further this next two weeks....dare I say that I will be out of the 220's by month end? It will happen. :carrot:

Thanks so much for your support, like you ICU, this site has been key to me losing weight. The people, the stories, the struggles and the triumphs are all part of this weight loss journey for me. :grouphug:

Hydra - CONGRATULATIONS on the Halloween goal! It was obvious that you were going to make it! :woohoo:

I went to a party yesterday and got into a bunch of junk food that I just don't eat any more, and the scale was up FOUR pounds this morning! And y'know what ... ? I'm not freaked out at all. I went off plan, by choice, and I am bloated up like a balloon. Today - on plan, chugging water, and moving around ... and confident it will be all a blip in history by Wednesday at the latest. What a year of learning can do ... :)

hydra - :bravo: for reaching your halloween goal - you rock!

icu - what a wise woman you are ;)

I'm back from my second weekend away and am super glad to be home. I need to recommit to my program and start losing again - I haven't been bad while I was away but I didn't really lose either. It's nice to see new habits forming that help me even when I can't track everything.

Hope all are doing well...

Today is day 1 for being back on the wagon and I would really like to lose at least 5 lbs by Halloween!

Hi, kc! I hope day 2 is going equally well for you!

Knocked off 2550 yds in the pool last night (102 lengths) in just under 48 minutes. It sucks to have to do a hard workout right before bed - it kills my sleep, but it's either this or nothing, and nothing is not an option. Oh well - I am inspired by all of you to overcome!

icu - we're going to have to start calling you 'Dara Torres' instead of icu - what an impressive workout!

kc - welcome and congrats on day 1!

dancer - I'm never going to be in that league! But boy, I'd like to have those masseusses following me around ... esp right now. :) I find it comforting that she's the same age I am, and looks that freakin' good!

:) Comforting is probably not the word I'd choose - more like intimidating when I think about the gazillion hours of exercise required to look that way. She's awesome and is definitely a 40-something role model!

Hi Chickies,

Been gone, off plan, stressed. I am recommitting today and calling October maintenance month. Have 3 more weeks of intense school work. Going to work on a plan today. I will share when I finish it.

Wishing us all a successful day.

Ash

Ash - maintenance is good too! You're going to spend a lot more of your life in maintenance than you are in the loss mode, and it's worth it to practice early. Even though I lost weight slowly, I still have to remind myself that no loss is not a bad thing!

The last 2 weeks of October have been a massive challenge for me as it seems like every friend I ever had is coming out of the woodwork and wanting to do lunch. I'm making far better choices than I ever have, but I'm sitting at 151.5 again and there's no respite until Nov 1 - I have lunch out today, a potluck Saturday, 3 lunches next week, and of course Halloween. Even without candy and drinking, and sticking to only colorful foods, I still end up eating way differently and the scale doesn't like any of it. I guess we just do the best we can, and keep moving forward. :shrug:

ICU - socializing with food is the toughest part for me too as even when you make the healthiest choices available, you can't always know what they've put in the food that's packing an extra calorie punch. One of my tricks is to have an apple and something with protein (turkey slices) right before leaving for lunch then order vegetable soup which usually isn't too bad calorie-wise even if it's loaded with sodium. Or could you steer the lunch towards a restaurant with super healthy options? Good luck!

inthemidst - welcome back to plan! We'll be here cheering you on!

On reflection, I decided to revise my goal weight down another 5, and to put the ticker back on my signature. I'm going to need the numbers in front of me through the holidays!

dancer, thanks for the ideas on the pre-eating - I've had good results with those methods in the recent past. I'll be more aggressive about driving the lunch locations after this next week - arrangements are made, and it is what it is. :)

Funny, I hit goal - bounced back up - and now it's like I'm back in challenge mode to hit Halloween numbers again. I peaked too soon! :lol:

My family came out to visit for a wedding and I have been off plan since that and have gained 4 pounds :-(

Time to get back on my plan.

I am not going to make my Halloween goal---but look forward to a Thanksgiving goal.

ICU - how did you decide you needed to lose 5 more lbs? I'm shooting for around 145 too - mainly by memory - I remember being happy with the way I looked at that weight but it's hardly a scientific method (and it's well within the BMI normal range which is a plus). I'd be interested in hearing your thought process.

I'm down 2lbs so far this week after a few weeks of holding steady mainly due to travel so my 11/1 goal is still a possibility if I kill it next week. No matter what, I'll be a heck of a lot closer to 160 than I was when we started this - I have to keep reminding myself of that ;)

cheekie - just keep at it! I know I'll be joining the Thanksgiving Challenge, and the Christmas Challenge and the New Year Challenge, and the MLK Day Challenge ... lol!

Dancer - the revision comes from a couple of different directions. 1) The last couple of pounds I lost (153 down to 150) made a huge difference in my lower belly and inner thighs. I'd really like to see where the next ones are. 2) I want to get further under 150 so that my "redline threshold" for maintenance is 149.5 - it's like the difference between $0.99 and $1, y'know? I want to settle in one decade - it's a mental thing. 3) Since I hit goal I've slacked off more than I want to admit, and I would prefer to have a losing mindset going into the holidays. It's already more difficult than it was because I'm adding muscle from swimming - it very well could take the rest of the year to take off that 5. 4) I think 5 more pounds would put me solidly into a size 8, which is music to my ears!

Hope that helps explain it a bit! Congrats on the whoosh, too! Aren't they just the best?? :D

ICU - Size 8 sounds good to me too - I'm thinking 145 gets me there but we'll see. Thanks for walking me through your thinking -it's always interesting to know how others set their goals. You are just going to be a calorie-burning engine with all of those swimming muscles so you might find it easier than you think!

dancer, thanks for the pep talk! You always know the right things to say ... and I can tell from your ticker, you know what you're talkin' about! :hug:

ICU - You are too kind! Now that I'm a little closer to goal, I've been checking out the featherweights thread a bit and saw your comment about another poster getting started on running. Do you run at all or are you an all swimming all the time kind of gal? If you don't, I would think you would love it - the runners' highs are incredible and it completely reshapes your legs.

Ok, guys - this thread is getting on the quiet side and we just have a few more days until Halloween! Maybe we need a quick check in on results so far.

I'll start - I was 170 when we kicked off this thread after labor day and I'm 162.5 as of this past weekend. My original goal was to be 160 by Halloween (really 11/1) so I'm pushing it to try to make it but we'll see.

How's everyone else doing?

So this is where all the regulars are..... guess I should have joined in the challenge. What's next Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's? I'm ready, even with a vacation coming up.

I've been kicking butt and plan to continue.

Hiya, CAT! Yes, you most certainly have been kickin' tail. You ask a great question - should we take a poll? Thanksgiving is really, really close - I'd be lucky to drop a pound in that time. Christmas ... quite doable. New Year's - very traditional ... What I need is a challenge for Thanksgiving, and then another IMMEDIATELY following that has a weigh-in on Jan 2. :)

Dancer - I tried running for 5 years when I had shoulder problems that made me stop swimming. I got to a point where I even ran in some 10 mile races. I totally agree - it works VERY well for muscle definition! I just never really enjoyed it. :P I'll have to see if maybe being a lower weight makes it tolerable (or possibly even enjoyable!)

I think this challenge started right after the Labor Day one - and I was around 154-155 then. I was at my lowest, 148.5, on 10/16 - and then started swimming. Today ... 151. I was shooting for 150 for Halloween - and I have no clue whether I'll be there or not. :shrug: It's still all good.

Cat - look at you! you got back to your pre surgery weight and then some, right? Love the new avatar too!

What do you guys think about a Christmas challenge? The timing seems about right.

ICU - if running's not your thing, no biggee. It might be worth another shot, as you mentioned.

I guess I'm going to be a lifelong challenge person. Can't quite seem to stick with the challenges over the long haul. I've been struggling with motivation the last few weeks. I'm up about one lb, but pre-tom, so I'll consider that holding steady.

Had a 3 day vacation...schools closed for h1n1, but still couldn't motivate to exercise.

Where is the lost and found for my motivation? sigh.

ICU and dancer.....thanks for sticking with it and giving me hope. It is such a mind battle.

sukierd - it ebbs and it flows! I'm back in the groove finally, and got things going in the right direction by doing the same thing I did January/Feb this year - I read the goal and mini-goal threads. I looked back through my food logs and saw what I was doing when the weight was coming off. There's a great thread stickied in the Maintainers group called "Relapse!". This site is such an encyclopedia - and when I surround myself with the Chicks, I get caught up in the enthusiasm. Regular (daily!) visits here have been my salvation.

That being said - you have practiced the very difficult stage of Maintenance, and there's nothing to be down about! You're going to spend more time there than in any other place, so take credit for it! Lots of Chicks refuse to get involved in the time-based challenges because not hitting a number by a certain date feels like "failure". It's not ... and holding lost weight off is just a big a victory as losing more. :hug:

Thanksgiving is kind of close and I'll be away from the 12th-28th so looking at maintenance during that time, realistically I probably will gain a few.

Christmas is good but January would be better..... just checked other winter holidays, here is one I've never heard of that I think is fitting, National Freedom Day on February 1st. That is also mine and Mack's anniversary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Freedom_Day

What do you all think?

I'm totally flexible - whatever sounds good to everyone else - I have a feeling I'll be doing back to back challenges for quite a while. There's a slim chance that I'll be getting to goal by Feb/Mar but we'll have to see if things slow down as I get towards the end (which is often what I hear from all you success stories).

suki - totally agree with ICU - maintenance is a great skill to practice and taking a maintenance break is a good way to set yourself up for strong losses when you get back into it. You'll probably think this is weird but cleaning out closets, drawers and cabinets gets me pumped up for sticking to plan the rest of the day - it's like taking charge of the clutter makes me feel like I can take charge of the rest. If that's not your personal trigger, you'll find the one that is. And we'll be here to cheer you on! Looking forward to seeing you in future challenges!

Thanks for the words of motivation chickies. I am glad I'm not gaining a ton right now!

Dancer.......Have you read "Does this clutter make my butt look fat?". It was one of my summer reads and it is exactly about what you are saying...get rid of clutter, lose weight. How did you know I'm a packrat? lol

I think I'll start reading that relapse thread and work my way through the goals pages again. Hopefully I'll stay motivated to not eat too much candy or holiday food.

suki - haven't read the book but caught the story on Oprah a while back and it made a pretty serious impression on me since I'm still thinking and talking about it - too funny that you've read it! Hey - if nothing else, cleaning out the cupboards (or whatever) keeps me from snacking! I'm curious about the relapse thread too - will check it out....

Hi all,

I have been really struggling this month. Mostly I got freaked about school and then I got out of the habit coming here and then I got out of the habit eating healthy and then I started to feel bad about my progress so I started to......you may be familiar with the spiral.

Anyway I am at 179 which is 5lbs down from when we started the Halloween Challenge. Not a win but not making me crawl in a hole to hide either.

Have we decided on the next challenge. I am up for a short one till thanksgiving followed by a one at new years. I gotta have some focus through the holidays.

Going to get the DD's driving permit today!

Thinking of all of you. Let's do this!! :carrot: LOL Love the carrot.

I did it!!!! I started the Official Thankgiving Goal thread. Woohoo! (that's a big deal for me)

I'll look for you over there!

inthemidst - 5lbs is great! You're not giving yourself very much credit!

And thanks for starting the thxgiving thread - look forward to hanging out with you guys there!

I'm at 160 so I made my goal for this challenge but I have a feeling things will be slowing down a bit. Hope you all are happy with your results!

Nope, not happy. But I did it to myself and learned something in the process about what happens when "goal is met" mentality creeps in. I'm going to be in real trouble when I do make the switch to maintenance unless I figure it out. :) More accountability!

I'm about 3 pounds down from where we started, and 2 pounds over the goal I actually hit on 10/14 and couldn't hold.

So ... onward to Thanksgiving!

My goal was to reach 225, but I only made it to 227.5 (although I did see 226 on the scale last week!). I was still pretty new at this when I set the goal -- now I know that half a pound a week is more realistic than a pound a week. That's helpful!

Happy Halloween!

Gardenerjoy - woohoo for your loss! Hope you join us for the Thanksgiving challenge!

Congrats on all your good work everyone. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving...

I have to get myself back on track. Many setbacks. I bought 3 bags of Halloween candy and had zero trick or treat-ers....and I have eaten all the candy. Actually I ate some of it before Halloween. This is my confessional :-(