My, you guys set such a high standard for yourselves! Way to plug along, edoetsch!

I'm finding it impossible to fit exercise in as well, paisleymama. I'm running around from 6am to 11:30pm with kids and work, and still not getting everything done. I'm more worried about asthma and RA right now, so I'm not beating myself up too much about exercise. Still, I found some good 10min videos, so there's really no excuse. Broth? I make that for family cooking....pasta dishes and all....which I don't eat. Plus I don't add salt to the broth anyway. I keep thinking I should make some good low calorie soups, but i never get time. Wow, we have lots in common...similar ht and wt...Oh, and my husband is a skinny-butt, too!....Oh! and his high calorie eating annoys me tooOOooo! haha

OK ladees, I'm doing so well with calories, I'm starting to worry that they're too low. 7day average=990. 46day average=1185. Average for the month of Jan=1000. Today was supposed to be a low cal day, but maybe I'll make it an Up day. I'll see how much energy I have today and let that be the deciding factor.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I am going to wait for a while to do anything too physical. I was going well with the bike but I can't support the weight on my shoulder at the moment. I guess I will do what I can for now and once I'm at a more ideal weight, pull out the big guns. I would definitely like some tone and definition as well as muscle strength.

How neat would it be if we reached goal weights around the same time, Seemyfeet? Though your goal is a bit less than mine. I have a thick bone structure, very curvy. I don't even know if 145 is possible! My hubby isn't small at all though, - 6'2 & 250lbs . He needs to replace some of the fat with some muscle and he'll be home and hosed. Having kids made us a bit soft around the edges, especially me

I'm getting so frustrated lately. I know my calories are always on point, but I just want to lose these 10 lbs - why is it so hard for me to get my body moving? It's been about 10 years since I lost the "last 10lbs" and felt genuinely good. At that time I was in college and had two hours a day to run and lift (plus I hardly ate anything).

I need to kick my own @ss. I constantly complain and feel bad and don't do anything about it. Just eating well doesn't do anything for my weight/shape!

Tomorrow morning I will try my hardest to get started on a morning video (which I severely dislike). Then I may have a child free night free to go to the gym. I just need to DO IT!

Munchy-
I would try to find a video you do like. I would not be able to stick to anything I hated. And certainly not get up early for it! Maybe you should just try some easier ones on youtube and find one that isn't too bad. Doing something often that isn't as strenuous, is much better than doing one you hate infrequently. Not that I claim to be an expert in exercise since I only started on it this diet.

Paisley - I have lost weight many times without exercise, so I know it can be done. But this time I am exercising and the weight is coming off faster and ... the biggest shock of all ... I am actually looking forward to it and hate when I miss a day. I'm just doing a walking DVD. Sounds really lame, but I love it.

SeeMyFeet - I think your calories are too low, but again, I'm no expert! I know every one's body is different so I can't really say how yours will do but I know I can't do less than 1200. I just get too hungry and weak. The first day back at school this semester I was so busy I was around 1000 and the next morning I was so weak when I went to do my simple little walking DVD I was afraid I would pass out. I made it through but I realized I can't eat that little. It could have been psychological because at the end of the day MyFitnessPal gave me the warning that if I eat too few I'll go into starvation mode and my metabolism will slow down. Only seen that twice and both times I felt like going out for ice cream ... all in the interest of health.

edoetsch1 - way to go! One day at a time!

1547 for me today, I little over my 1500, but I don't eat back my exercise so I guess that's an excuse :/

SeeMyFeet, I think your calories are too low also. Try upping them to a minimum of 1200 (if you need to get to 1200 Almonds are a healthy way) and see if that works. I'm no expert, but everywhere I've read it says to never go below 1200 calories a day.

Day 19: 1202/1800
Anyone have any recommendations on any sites that have easy healthy recipes? Would like to start cooking/baking more but seems everything I find is complex or asks for ingredients that are hard to find in my small town.

paisleymama: I have not been exercising at all but can feel a huge difference in the way I feel. I need to lose quite a bit more before I even think about adding it.

SeeMyFeet: I too would try adding some more calories. Maybe your metabolism needs a shake up.

Good day again but low at 983. I will be making up for it today as it's friday night, my "cheat dinner" night. I made a simple, yet tasty grilled chicken breast with pesto and sprinkled with parmesan. It was SO GOOD and only added up to 300 calories.

Munchy - Sorry things have hit a stand still for you. They always say those last 10lbs are the hardest. I hope you can find your motivation soon!

Calcounter - I liked when I got into the routine, I did genuinely want to do it. Now I'm just back to square 1. I really need to sort myself out. Do you mind sharing the name of the DVD? I have a few but they're too high intensity. I guess I could do the wii fit.

Diamond_Girl - Well done, 47 over isn't worrisome Your post on the last page made me want to kick back with a drink. I wonder how many cals a shot of malibu is... Just checked, not too shabby! 25ml is 51 cals, I might get that friday night drink after all!

Seemyfeet - I only throw in 1 odd day here and there of under 1200 and it's not intentional. I tend to sit between 1100-1350 throughout the week, mostly around the 1200 mark. I get hungry and tired and generally crabby.

edoetsch1 - I like modifying weight watchers recipes. A lot of the time, the main part of the meal works for most of my family members and I have my sides for the week premade in the fridge, which at the moment is primarily cauliflower mash. I'm a sucker for mashed potatoes and it's a great substitute.

Paisley, I do the Leslie Sansone DVDs. There's a fitness videos discussion on here where we post the ones we do. I have seven of them, and mix them up although I love the latest one, Walk to the Party Hits. Three miles. I started with just one mile in July and jumped up to three quickly. Now I walk with 2 lb weights on each hand. At first it felt like I wasn't really doing anything because it is very easy but that was ok, because I hadn't done anything in so long. Also if you don't like those, get a FitBit! I love mine!

Today I hit the 155 goal I had, but I've lowered it to 150. Very grateful to all of you on here who are so supportive and express so many of the feelings I have! When I went to update my ticker it already said 155 so I must have updated it wrong last time! Today are my MIL and FIL birthdays so Thai food out and cake at my house after. My DD is making a Pillsbury Funfetti cake. I looked at the box and icing and was shocked at how much one piece is, or 1/8. We use to cans of icing. 767, jeez, it's not worth that! I had her make a cake because normally we buy a fancy cake at a bakery and I thought this would be lower cal. Oh well, I'm going to just go over today but right back tomorrow. Of course last year eating a 1/8 piece would have been the warmup.

Good morning everyone!
CalCounter, congrats on hitting your 150 goal!
When it comes to exercise vs dieting, I believe when you're quite a bit heavier it's all about the calories. Exercise is always good, but if you don't cut back the calories the weight just won't come off. However, as a person loses the weight and gets closer to their goal, the exercise becomes all that much more important. That is probably why you're stalled Munchy.
For me, I just want to try to getting my steps up through walking and use my Kinect more regularly. Soon it will be gardening season, and that always helps me because I'm a little obsessed with gardening.
SeeMyFeet, I have to agree that I think your calories are too low. Maybe your metabolism has slowed right down and that's why the scale isn't moving?
Well, it was weigh in for me this morning and I'm down a pound. I'll take it, but it's not the two pounds I was hoping for. All my own doing of course. Yesterday was not a good day. Work was busy, skipped lunch, dinner was veggies and dip (that parts not too bad), rice crackers and philly smoked salmon spread and a WHOLE bottle of wine! Then, just to top it all off, a little piece of nanaimo bar for desert. Calories 1548. On the positive side, I had fun! I had a friend over and I was showing her how to use her new iPhone.
Oh well, today's a new day! Have a good one!

I don't know that I'd call it a stall, but more where my body wants to be (but not my mind!). I've stayed at the same weight since college with the exception of that one year where I worked out HARD and it came off in just a few months. It eventually crept back on when I graduated and stopped running and lifting so much. Years later, I got pregnant and GAINED then lost it all in a year. Here I am 5 years later with these same 10 lbs that I can't stand.

I have a bunch of leslie sansone, some beach body videos, a bunch of jillian michael's videos, etc. I just hate them!

I honestly don't mind going to the gym. I like it, and I like the environment because I get very little alone time, but my gym is part of my work benefits and has no childcare. I sometimes am able to work through lunch and leave around 5 in order to work out quickly - 15 minutes or so of cardio/warmup/stretching and 30 of weight training so that I can run to pick up my daughter at 6.

Now that I got a promotion (yay!) it's much more difficult for me to get out by 5. As a single mom, it's tough for me.

I feel like I spend every weekend doing yard work, cleaning, laundry, errands, batch/freezer cooking, etc just so I don't need to do anything during the week - there is no more time I can shave off of my day. I have the best routine going. I just need to add in the physical. I hate feeling like I don't want to get dressed in the morning because I don't want to feel how tight my pants may be, or I don't have anything that "looks good."

I did tell my little one that once the days get a little longer, I expect her to come out and walk with me. She was so excited and added in that we'd be walking to the park

Here ya go, Munchy: I need a few of those myself!

Had breakfast yesterday, but then work was so crazy and stressful, I didn't get a chance to eat until 6pm. So calories were low again. Thanks for the concern, guys. I've had a year long, frustrating time with losing weight, and I'm experimenting again: this time with calorie cycling. I've read the research on the timing of metabolic slowdown with caloric restriction, and I'm trying to schedule the Up days to prevent that. And I've given up alcohol 100%. (NY resolution) Gotta figure out how the ole bod is reacting. Today is a scheduled Up day. I'm feeling fine--tired today, but that's more related to lack of sleep and major stress. And I'm good about taking vitamins (NY resolution). I know I'm WAY overdue for a checkup, but I want to try something Extreme for a long time before I go to a physician complaining about being unable to lose weight. I get stressed just imagining the questions related to whether I know how to count or whether I'm mindlessly nibbling while not paying attention. I've been yelled at by enough webpages already! ha

Well, paisleymama, if you can get me there faster, that would be great! I don't know if I'm considered all that curvy. (I do have one big curve at the posterior end. ha) I'm a pear, with a narrow ribcage and waist. Otherwise medium boned with big feet and hands. My highest pre-preg weight was 137 and I wore a size 14 pants then. There are women here who weigh 160 or more and wear a 14--I don't know where they shop!! I don't really pay attention to the goal weight I put down....seems like I'll never get there. I'm trying to get to the two-teens over on that thread. Don't you post over there sometimes?

Hello All,

I've been lurking on this thread for a while. I think I did post in the December thread a few times but I would fall off the wagon and stop posting.

I don't plan on giving up on myself this time and Im here for support and encouragement, of course I will give the same in return

This isn't my first time on the band wagon though, back in 2005 -2007 I lost 112lbs by counting calories and exercising like a mad women. I kept it off for over 6yrs before I let life squeeze a wedge between me and my healthy habits. Im learning those healthy habits again and taking baby steps toward a new me.

Ive got my calories set at 1700 a day and I workout at least 4 days a week.

I look forward to getting to know you all

Seemyfeet:
I'm 5'7 and 58 yrs old and at 170 I'm wearing 10/12 pants, at 160 I wear a size 8/10 depending on the brand, I'm a hour glass shape but at my age I tend to gain all my weight in the mid section so that's been my biggest problem.

Munchy how tall are you? I don't exercise either, I get all my workouts doing house work and yard work, etc. I have about 3 Leslie Sansone DVD's and I just can't do them anymore