Hey ladies... a quick check in here. Things have been very hectic for me - I am moving next week so lots and lots of packing and last minute things to do and what have you. This weekend I'm taking a trip to visit my parents and I'll be back to finish packing and then I'm off! I'll be taking a temporary hiatus from 3FC so I can get settled in, but I shall return.

In the meantime, weight has been doing awesome, looks like maybe -2 to -2.5 loss for this week. I've been keeping busy and it helps!

I hope you all enjoy the rest of July!!!

Hi, ladies!

I gotta say that it's been a bit difficult the last few days. The last week was particularly stressful and busy (I was eating, drinking, breathing my class which finally finally finally ended on Friday). My ex husband is here still for the next two weeks and he is (and all summer he's been) a bad, bad, bad influence on me and eating. He LOVES eating and food, and he wants to go out for lunch every single day (because it's all food that's unavailable for him overseas). I've surprisingly and luckily not gained much weight (maybe 2 pounds) considering the total food party I've been having this summer, but I'm not at all making progress in losing weight as I promised myself I would do this summer. Not only that, even if I start today being pure, awesome, and mindful about food, I have a vacation coming up in mid August where I will be with someone who also struggles and gives in easily to the siren call of fun and exciting food (we're bad influences on each other when we see each other). Letting go a bit during vacation is something I want to include in overall lifetime lifestyle, but I feel like I'm soooo behind on this weight loss thing (I actually weigh 2 pounds more than I did last year, and that's a shame considering all the obsessive thoughts on weight loss and diet and half attempts and full attempts and everything in between that I've done this year)! It's sickening, actually, and I have nobody to blame but myself. Even if I really kick it into gear starting today, I won't make much progress between now and mid August (maybe a few pounds that could easily be gained back during a week's vacation of "letting go a bit." But I don't want to not be able to enjoy vacations or visitors or getting to try new restaurants, etc. That's no fun.

What I TRULY need is the ability to just KNOW how much food my individual body needs on a daily or weekly basis in order to be able to lose weight or even maintain. I need a lifestyle I can live with, considering how much I love tasty food (not necessarily unhealthy food) and going out and socializing.

@Krampus, you seem to have it covered. You socialize a lot, you eat fun foods when you go out, and you are losing weight or staying around the same! And you have a very healthy attitude toward eating and enjoying life. I admire the **** out of that. And thanks for your words of workout wisdom, I'm really thinking about that as a workout plan. I go on daily long walks anyway (although this past week the ex and I have gotten off track because it was so hot and I was so very busy with my class), but I could add in two days a week of 20 min HIIT running sessions and two days a week of strength training on top of that and that sounds like I might get it covered and to just stick with that for more than a week. I am going to try that. *NODS*

@Leaves - thank you for your encouragement. I think you're right about 1 month seeing significant progress. Congrats on your graduation!

@chahma - my fresh start started well but as I said, my ex being here is SUCH a bad influence for me in addition to extreme stress from my class this past week, so it wasn't the best "fresh start" but today is a REAL fresh start. I am free from that class so I can fully concentrate on it and hopefully get a head start on it all before school starts again in August! Good luck moving! It's hard and stressful (I just went through that a few weeks ago), but hopefully you'll be feeling settled again soon!

@aspen - glad to hear that your dad is doing better!

Hi, thought I'd pop in for an update. I'm doing well, feel like I've gone into maintenance mode here. I've been staying between 125 and 127 for almost a month! At first that kind of freaked me out to see the *number* stall, but I've managed to switch my focus to how my clothes fit, how I feel, and most importantly, to enjoying life! If my weight stays here, well, that's okay with me - my current lifestyle is sustainable in the long run. Overall, I feel pretty good; the difference between how I am today compared to last year is so huge in so many ways.

I've been continuing with C25K and now am up to Wk8D2 - that's 28 minutes of jogging, and I am still at about a 6 mph pace. Happily my feet are holding up to the exercise without increased pain, and even better, yesterday the jog felt...easier?...yes, somewhat easier than the jogs of a couple weeks ago. I'm looking forward to finishing C25K and actually jogging a whole 3+ miles, which is more than I've ever run at one time in my entire life! My question now is, after completing the program, what do I do to continue improving? I don't want to increase distance, but maintaining my current state and increasing speed some would be good. I'm trying to do some lifting 2x a week and I usually take a brisk walk (1 mile or so) once or twice most days.


olehcat - Sounds like a good plan you've got in mind and no doubt the next few weeks will be easier to manage now that your class is over. Enjoy your free time!

aspen - Sorry to hear about your dad though what a blessing that it wasn't worse. Glad he, and you, are doing well.

krampus - You have too much fun! Can I tag along with you sometime? Well, not to the dentist or doctor, but the other stuff.

Leaves - Grats on graduating, that's awesome! Regarding the 30DS, I developed shoulder issues doing it, unfortunately, so I do wall pushups instead of the regular ones when I use the routines.

Enjoy your summer, everyone!

Hello Featherweights! I've never thought of myself as a Featherweight before, but have always secretly hoped to feel like one someday. I'm still adjusting to my new body, but I'm starting to feel like I should jump in here. I've been on 3FC through most of my weight loss journey, but have recently been feeling like I don't quite fit in on a lot of the threads. As an example, yesterday I went shopping with a friend and found myself in size 4's. I was so elated, but didn't think that would go over too well just putting that out there when so many people are struggling with much bigger issues. I'm in maintenance right now, but struggling to figure out the secret magical formula. I'm trying to eat more without gaining, but am still finding that I'm losing little bits. I'm down 5 pounds since I hit my goal. Sounds great in theory, but I'm finding that small losses now lead to changes in clothing size pretty quickly. I'm trying to rebuild my wardrobe and my hubby is tired of buying new clothes though he has been so patient. At any rate, I hope you all are fine with me jumping in here.

Lost one pound yesterday! Yesterday was a good day, as evidenced by no stomach pains overnight! I will not get super excited until I get my first minigoal, since I haven't been there in months (my weight has been hovering between 146-150 now for a LONG time. Wow, my body just loves 148 lately (and I remember when I used to COMPLAIN that my body loved 138 a lot as soon as 2 years ago but I won't think about how much that makes me want to cry))

@Moving Forward - I'd say you're definitely a feather. I'm the one who feels a bit like a fraud lately, with having let myself touch the 150s. Ugh. What's your weight loss story? What did you do as far as eating and working out?

@Cattails - as for your improving running question, my suggestion would be to keep doing what you're doing a few times a week. Then maybe once or twice a week do some high intensity intervals for less time (like for 15-20 min) and/or just make once or twice a week (depending on how many days a week you run) a shorter but much faster run. Then once a week do a slightly longer run than you're used to. Like if you only really want to run 30 minutes but you want your time and intensity to improve, maybe once a week do a longer run of 45 minutes to an hour. Anyway, that has helped me improve in the past

Hello Feathers,

Long time no see! I've been doing alright, staying in the high 130s - low 140s for a long, long, long, WAY TOO LONG time. I wanna move towards the 120s already, gahhh!!!

The challenge that I was doing really helped me to stay on track though I failed miserably towards the end, lol! Basically, everybody set up a few goals for themselves and all we had to do was stick to them for 20 days. My goals were to eat about 1500 calories daily, do 30 min of cardio daily and lift weights 7 out of those 20 days. Well, a few days ago I binged on chocolate, cookies and salty foods (2 social events, I just couldn't say no..). My weight was up by 1.4 lbs the next morning, I think. And I was OUT!

I've been feeling really constipated lately. I know I'm eating enough fiber and I am also drinking enough. So I'm thinking it's probably because I started to work out and lift weights more often. I've also been running again so that could be it, too? Anyways, me no likey.

A few co-workers of mine, even my BOSS which was definitely a "wtf?!"-moment, told me that I had gotten so skinny and that I had lost so much weight. Score! I was very happy about that because I did blow up like a house right before I moved to New York 2 years ago. So the last time they saw me I must have been about 22 pounds heavier than I am now.

DH and I are trying to get settled in but we're also starting to look for our own place. My boss and I were talking about a raise today - so happy about that!

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olehcat - Wow, he's still there? I totally understand why it's been so hard for you lately and I really don't know what else to say because I'd probably be in the same boat. Maybe try to plan out your meals?

Cattails - Sounds like you're in a good place right now! As long as the clothes fit nicely the numbers don't really mean that much anymore. I agree with Olehcat - try some HIIT running, I feel like it has improved my speed alot!

Moving Forward- Welcome! Wow, size 4, congrats! I hope to be there soon as well What do you do exercise-wise?

Thanks for the warm welcomes Olehcat and Hoopty! I always considered myself a pretty normal sized person and never really worried too much about my weight. Like a lot of people, I just did the slow gradual creep up through the years. I was pretty unphased as I went through sizes 10, and 12 then sat at size 14 for years. By size 14, I felt like I was on the heavy end of normal but I wasn't too unhappy. Looking back, I can see I was in denial. Kaiser even thought I was fat and sent me a letter inviting me to join their medically supervised weight management plan (Medifast). This letter shook me a little, but I brushed it off, especially after finding out the program cost thousands of dollars. Last summer, after tons of vacation food, I suddenly discovered that nothing fit anymore. Distressing! I'm a school psychologist so I had a few weeks of summer break left when I discovered this. I went to Macy's for some new work clothes and for the first time had to take the escalator upstairs to the plus size section. Gulp. Devastating. About a week later, I hosted a gathering for a group of friends but only one friend could come. She and I sat at my kitchen counter and talked for hours. She has some health issues and talked to me at length about how changing her diet (she's very into eating clean) had resolved her health issues and coincidentally made her lose a lot of weight. That was the kick in the rear I needed to start losing weight. My goal was just to get back into my size 14's and to return the fat lady clothes to Macy's. Another friend introduced me MyFitnessPal. The weight started coming off and before I knew it I realized I could do this weight loss thing so I set a more ambitious goal to reach a healthy BMI. I lost all of my weight by calorie counting. Since January, I've also been weight lifting 2-3 times per week. I am just finishing up the NROLW program and need to decide soon what to do next.

Hoopty-I've totally had the same experience of people saying I lost too much weight. You know you've made it then! A friend just reminded me "You're not somebody until they start talking about you.". Sorry about the constipation. Yuck-a-do.

Olehcat-Congrats on the loss. What's up with the stomach pains?

Hey - I don't know if any of you were here when I was here last - I remember krampus!

But anyway, I nudged myself up to 170 or so but now I'm back at about 146 I figure I belong back here in the featherweights.

Would like to get back to 140 or maybe less would be good.

@Robsia - I haven't been in Featherweights long enough to have known you, but welcome back and congratulations on getting back in the 140's.

@MovingForward - Welcome to the thread. Pretty awesome, isn't it, to have a new body to get used to? Size 4 is amazing - I have NEVER been a size 4, not even in my high school years when I was 107 lbs. Guess this body is just not built for tiny pants.

@olehcat - Do you think you might be gluten-sensitive or something? Stomach pains are not fun! I get pain as well but mine is from being too empty, first thing in the morning; getting something in my belly eases it after a while. Yay on your lb. lost, may more follow it!

@Hoopty - I think you've done a terrific job with your weight while going through some major adjustments. How great to hear those 'skinny' comments! Sorry for your intestinal disruptions; could be any or all of your recent changes and hopefully your body will get settled soon. Have you ever tried tea like Smooth Move? Couldn't hurt to give it a go (sorry, I can't resist the occasional pun.).

Speaking of going, who was talking last month about having the urge to use the bathroom while running? Seems like every time I jog lately, I get that certain feeling! Not cool, not cool at all...

Okey-dokey, HIIT intervals and a longer run once a week - I can do that! I appreciate the advice.

Happy Wednesday, all!

Oh yes, runners' leak! I discovered the existence of this at about week 3 of C25K first time round. Even when I went to the loo before every run, I would still leak - sometimes a lot!

Ended up having to buy incontinence pads - not fun!

Robsia: I absolutely remember you! You posted some pictures of you in a white bikini that I was like "wow...I want to be her." You were my inspiration when I was at 180+ pounds. Welcome back.

Wow - I don't think I've ever been anyone's inspiration before. Not that I know of anyway. Was it this one? I was about 138 there.

Uck, runners' leak?! Actually my issue is with having an undeniable need to go number 2. Very inconvenient. Fortunately I jog on my driveway so I'm never more than a 1/2 mile from the house, but that 1/2 mile looks really far when there's an imminent need.

I did week 9 of C25K today: 30 minutes of jogging/3 miles! Woo-hoo! I know that's pretty small potatoes compared to the real runners around here, but I feel pretty good that in a zombie situation, I can probably stay out of reach for a few miles. As long as the above problem doesn't occur to hold me up!

Hi Feathers,

I have been quiet all week but I'm doing fine, chugging along. My roommate bought an AC for our apartment so we came up with about 30 stupid puns involving the word "chill" - Chill, Chillary and Chillsea Clinton was by far the best.

Weight's been at a low, averaging 120.something all week. Workouts have suffered a little in that the heat has been unbearable, and I donated blood on Monday which put me in "woozy easily lightheaded" territory for the few days after. The minimum weight to donate is 110 which I highly doubt I'll ever dip under.

BF is hanging out with his friend in Rhode Island this weekend, and my roommate and all our friends are going to a bluegrass music festival. I am looking forward to spending some quality time with my parents and hopefully doing some shopping for the new apartment. Just realizing I have no furniture and probably would do well to get a bed and dresser among many other things! A professional cleaner came this week and obliterated the dog smell. Landlord is painting my bedroom this weekend and then we need to get serious about moving our stuff downstairs.

I PROMISE I'll be back soon with personals!

I've been hesitant to take up running because of my plantar fascietous (almost healed). But the potty problems you ladies are describing pretty much seals the deal for me for now.

Krampus--Good luck with the furniture shopping! That should be fun. I hope the move is relatively easy too.

My family is going camping in OR on Saturday. It should be fun. We are camping with several other families on my hubby's side of the family. There will be tons of food and shared meal preparation. And no scales. I hope to enjoy myself, but not come back 10 pounds heavier. Wish me luck.