[gardenerjoy]

kurisitaru: I'm hearing you about it being far off to reach your goal. One thing to be aware of is that you won't have to get all the way to goal to start feeling much better about how your body looks and feels.

Also, I suggest doing what you can to make yourself feel pretty, right now. Make sure your clothes fit.

If you can afford the clothes, try a personal shopper at Nordstrom's -- mine was a godsend. She'll pre-select the clothes and bring everything to you and be so helpful with fit, plus they have tailors on staff.

If that's too much money (especially for clothes that you'll only wear a few months--I found a great charity that provides interview clothes to women who have been released from prison to give them a good start on a new life), it's very cool right now to make a wardrobe from thrift store purchases -- there are tons of blogs out there about how to do that.

Probably in between, cost-wise, are mail-order rental clothes. I've seen blog posts about that by a plus-size woman who was losing weight.

Or what about doing some things that won't change with your weight? I started going to a good hair stylist and coloring my hair after I lost the first 15 pounds or so and it really made me feel better about myself. A new scarf or two can do a lot for making a wardrobe seem brighter without any other changes.

OK. That was an encyclopedia. Apparently, I feel strongly about this. I think one of the reasons that I was successful this time, as compared to the previous time, was that I started doing things fairly quickly to feel good about myself, long before the weight loss was really noticeable to others. Look around at attractive plus-sized women and realize that you can look like that right now, too. It's also a good exercise in seeing the beauty in every one and bringing that back home to ourselves.

[JenVitz]

8/26 - 143.4
8/27 - 143.8
8/28 - 143.0

[Marina Brasil]

Start weight: 83.8 kgs
Goal weight: 80.8 kgs

8/1 = 84
8/2 = 84, 2 Binged last night...
8/3 = 84
8/4 = 84, 2
8/5 = 83, 7
8/6 = 83, 4
8/7 = 83, 8
8/8 = 84
8/9 = 83, 9
8/10 = 83, 8
8/11 = 83, 8
8/12 = 83, 5
8/13 = 83, 5
8/14 = 83
8/15 = 82, 4
8/16 = 83
8/17 = 82, 8
8/18 = 82, 6
8/19 = 82, 6 small binge + a bit more exercise than usual
8/20 = 82, 9
8/21 = 82, 6
8/22 = 82
8/23 = 82
8/24 = 81, 9
8/25 = 82
8/26 = 82, 3
8/27 = 82
8/28 = 81
8/29 = 81, 2 Not water weight after all!

[nonameslob]

SW: 189
GW: 182.6 (-6.4 pounds)

8/1: 189.2 (+.2)
8/2: 190 (+1)
8/3: 191.6 (+2.6)
8/4: 191.8 (+2.8)
8/5: 189.6 (+.6)
8/6: 191 (+2)
8/7: 191 (+2)
8/8: 190 (+1)
8/9: No weigh-in
8/10: No weigh-in
8/11: 191.8 (+2.8)
8/12: 190 (+1)
8/13: 188.8 (-.2)
8/14 to 8/17: No weigh-in
8/18: 196 (+7) holy bloating batman!
8/19: 193 (+4)
8/20: 191.8 (+2.8)
8/21: 191.4 (+2.4)
8/22: 189 (0)
8/23:189.4 (+.4)
8/24: no weigh in
8/25: 193 (+4) TOM?
8/26: 190.4 (+1.4)
8/27: 190 (+1)
8/28: 189 (0)
8/29: 186.8 (-2.2)

Persistence pays off!

[Big Fat Rooster]

Nice post Joy!

My start weight was 228. For the next two weeks it remained 228, then the third week the scales gave me my whole 6 lbs goal loss. But each day I ate 1000 calories under maintence requirements. That is about 1/3 lb per day loss rate or 6 lbs per month. I did the same last month and had a similar sudden drop rather then the scales showing a const nt drop. Yesterday I only ate 705 calories (just did not need to eat for some reason) yet the scales show a 2 lb gain.

I know from the calorie deficiate that my loss rate is about 1/3 lb per day and that the scales will show that loss when they want to so I don't worry about it.

Marina, you have a constant drop also, so stop worrying about those little scale fluctations.

B F R

[underanalysis]

Yeah, my weight popped up by a couple pounds this week from where it was, but I know I haven't eaten 7,000 extra calories, so I'm not worrying about it a bit. XD My scale says even though my weight is up, my body fat % is down, so I can't complain!

[Marina Brasil]

BFR What you said was a wake up call, as i wasn't noticing that i was beeing so negative about this month and my weight. This is not my usual atittude at all. I haven't been myself lately, so i blame it on stress.

[JenVitz]

8/26 - 143.4
8/27 - 143.8
8/28 - 143.0
8/29 - 142.6

[curvynotlumpy]

SW: 185.8
GW: 179

8/1: 185.8
8/2: 186.0
8/3: TOM
8/4: TOM
8/5: TOM
8/6: TOM
8/7: 187.2
8/8: 187
8/9: 187
8/10: NWI
8/11: NWI
8/12: NWI
8/13: 188
8/14: 187.8
8/15: 186.8
8/16: 186. 8
8/17: 188
8/18: NWI
8/19: 187.4
8/26: 185 (-.8)
8/29: 186.2 (+.4) bloated, sore breasts, just blah. Expecting TOM any day now.

[FeraFilia]

Start Weight: 297.4
Goal Weight: 289.0
Pounds to goal: 0.8

July 31 - 297.4
August 1 - (Traveling)
August 2 - (Traveling)
August 3 - (Traveling)
August 4 - (Traveling)
August 5 - 300.8 (+3.4)
August 6 - 299.0 (+1.6)
August 7 - 297.4 (0)
August 8 - 296.2 (-1.2)
August 9 - 295.6 (-1.8)
August 10 - No weigh in.
August 11 - 295.6 (-1.8)
August 12 - 294.8 (-2.6)
August 13 - 295.0 (-2.4)
August 14 - 294.6 (-2.8)
August 15 - 294.4 (-3.0)
August 16 - (Traveling)
August 17 - (Traveling) (TOM)
August 18 - (Traveling) (TOM)
August 19 - (Traveling) (TOM)
August 20 - (Traveling) (TOM)
August 21 - (Traveling) (TOM)
August 22 - (Traveling)
August 23 - (Traveling)
August 24 - (Traveling)
August 25 - (Traveling)
August 26 - 293.6 (-3.8)
August 27 - 291.6 (-5.8)
August 28 - 290.4 (-7.0)
August 29 - 289.8 (-7.6)
August 30 -
August 31 -

With the TOM and travel water weight dropping off pretty quickly (I didn't gain weight on vacation!) I MIGHT actually be able to hit my goal for the month.

[stilettolife]

SW: 290
CW: 266
GW: 261

8/1 - 266
8/4 – scale broke down
8/11 - 265
8/18- 263
8/25 – 264
8/30 - 261

I'm not participating next month, I'm having surgery and that is going to mess me up for the whole month. See yall in October.

Congrats ladies for reaching your goals.

[gardenerjoy]

Way to go, stilettolife! Good luck with your surgery and we'll see you in October.

I'll try to get our September thread up later today, y'all -- watch for it!

unwanted37lbs: 10 lbs
Start203: 8 lbs
BigChiefHoho: 4.6 lbs
curvynotlumpy: 6.8 lbs
nonameslob: 6.4 lbs
Marina_Brasil: 3 kgs
aryastark: 8 lbs
TrayTeam: 6 lbs
FeraFilia: 8.4 lbs
tinneranne2: 3 kgs
kelijpa: reach 15x.x
cheddahcat: 6 lbs (Onederland!)
wvuchick: 9.3 lbs (Onederland!)
underanalysis: 2.9 lbs
muguet: 8 lbs
MayoLover: 4 lbs
milliej: 25 lbs
kurisitaru: 5 lbs
AAD: 1.7 lbs
boatingmommy: 5 lbs
Big_Fit_Rooster: 6 lbs
Dottington: 135.anything
stilettolife: 5 lbs
ataraxia3: 10 lbs
dare_2_dream: 8 lbs
nayla: 10 lbs
Chelainabear: 10 lbs
kelijpa: 1 lb
dalton165: get out of the 140's
SeeMyFeet:
Teal_rose: 199 (Onederland!)
JenVitz: 4.2 lbs
BrittainieYork: 8 lbs
Mountain_Mamma: 4 lbs
Sunshine0514: 8 lbs
gardenerjoy: 1.25 kgs, new goal 3.25 kgs
jdkwriter: 10 lbs
Tuscany: 10 lbs
Nichelle: 4 lbs
Jb1975: 11.5 lbs
wantochange: 5 lbs

[AAD]

July was 1.6, so for August I want to beat that with 1.7
7/31 = 209.7, 8/31 goal = 208
August 6 = 209.4
8/13 = 208.9
8/19 = 208.6
8/26 = 208.1
8/29 = 207.9

[curvynotlumpy]

SW: 185.8
GW: 179

8/1: 185.8
8/2: 186.0
8/3: TOM
8/4: TOM
8/5: TOM
8/6: TOM
8/7: 187.2
8/8: 187
8/9: 187
8/10: NWI
8/11: NWI
8/12: NWI
8/13: 188
8/14: 187.8
8/15: 186.8
8/16: 186. 8
8/17: 188
8/18: NWI
8/19: 187.4
8/26: 185 (-.8)
8/29: 186.2 (+.4) bloated, sore breasts, just blah. Expecting TOM any day now.
8/30: 185.8 It appears that I will end the month where I started. Yeah, maitenance Even though this is FAR from the weight I want to maintain it's better than a gain.

[Marina Brasil]

Start weight: 83.8 kgs
Goal weight: 80.8 kgs

8/1 = 84
8/2 = 84, 2 Binged last night...
8/3 = 84
8/4 = 84, 2
8/5 = 83, 7
8/6 = 83, 4
8/7 = 83, 8
8/8 = 84
8/9 = 83, 9
8/10 = 83, 8
8/11 = 83, 8
8/12 = 83, 5
8/13 = 83, 5
8/14 = 83
8/15 = 82, 4
8/16 = 83
8/17 = 82, 8
8/18 = 82, 6
8/19 = 82, 6 small binge + a bit more exercise than usual
8/20 = 82, 9
8/21 = 82, 6
8/22 = 82
8/23 = 82
8/24 = 81, 9
8/25 = 82
8/26 = 82, 3
8/27 = 82
8/28 = 81
8/29 = 81, 2
8/30 = 82