[FruitsNVeggies]

GOAL: 150 at the end of the month!

4 May: 153.4
5 May: 153.0
6 May: 152.4 I'll take it!
7 May: 152.0 We'll see if I don't bounce back up!
8 May: 152.6 I knew I would go back up... my weight bounces around a lot. Also, I totally just chowed down on pizza, a piece of chocolate mousse cake & a nice glass of wine, no guilt here! (It's my bday )
9 May: 153.2 Yikes! (but expected)
10 May: 152.2
11 May: 152.4 (-1 for the week )
12 May: 152.2
13 May: 152.0
14 May: 151.8
15 May: 152.0
16 May: 154.0 (my own fault!!!)
17 May: 153.4
18 May: 153.4 (+1 for the week )
19 May: 152.8
20 May: 151.4 <--- lowest of the month!
21 May: 152.4 TOM
22 May: 152.6 TOM
23 May: 152.4 TOM
24 May: 151.4 TOM
25 May: 151.4 (-2 for the month)
26 May: NWI
27 May: NWI
28 May: 150.4

[thesame7lbs]

5/1: 129.6
5/2: 129
5/3: 130.6 - 5 mile run
5/4: 130.6 - 4 mile walk
5/5: 130.4
5/6: 131.2 - barre class
5/7: 129
5/8: 130
5/9: 129.6
5/10: 129.4 - run 4 miles
5/11: 131.6
5/12: 130.6 - run 4 miles
5/13: 129.6 - long walk
5/14: 129.8
5/15: 128.4 - barre class
5/16: 130 - 4 mile run
5/17: 129.8
5/18: 130.2 - long walk
5/19: 129.6 - long walk
5/20: 130.2
5/21: 129
5/22: 129.4
5/23: 128.4 - long walk
5/24: 128.8 - barre class
5/25: 129.2
5/26: 129.4 - 4 mile run
5/27: 129.2
5/28: 129

Not looking forward to tomorrow's weigh-in... bad, bad day...

[kristip]

Starting: 138. Goal for end of month: under 130. UPDATED (for new scale) goal is 126.

4/30- 139
5/1- 138
5/2- 137
5/3- 137
5/4- 136
5/5- 136
5/6- 135
5/7- 135 <- unexpectedly holding steady!
5/8- 135
5/9- NWI
5/10- NWI
5/11- 135
5/12- 135
5/13- 134 VICTORY! Also, TOM started, so I should go down from here!
5/14- 135
5/15- 130.7- NEW SCALE.
5/16- 129.2
5/17- 129.7
5/18- 128.7
5/19- 129.3
5/20- 129.4
5/21- 129.7
5/22- 129.1
5/23- 128.7
5/24- 128.3
5/25- 129.5
5/26- 128.7
5/27- 128.1
5/28- 127.8
5/29- 126.7

Yay!!!!! I was sure I would go down, but didn't know it would be that much! Also, I dug the OLD scale out this morning to see kind of as a reference, and I was 129 lbs on it! So as far as my un updated goal this month, I made it too! AHHHHH!!!!

[dani13]

Hi Kristip,

Great job! It is very inspirational! I am 5'3 so I try to get inspiration from ladies of a similar height and I enjoy reading about your progress. I have been maintaining at 148 for a whole week and it is definitely incredibly difficult for me to lose this weight. Two years ago I was fluctuating between 126 and 129, but I have PCOS and it is very difficult to see results unless I exercise like crazy (long distance running and at least 2 hours of weight training every other day). Life got in the way and I started gaining slowly, but steadily. Exercise is crucial for me (I eat extremely clean, following a vegetarian paleo diet).

My question for you is two-fold: Do you eat under 1200 calories and what kind of exercise are you doing to see such great results? I find that eating 1200 calories with let's say 3 hours of daily exercise (a mix of vigorous and moderate) is only helping me maintain. If I want to lose, I need to get under 1000 calories and I know that is not sustainable nor recommended based on the amount of exercise I undertake.

I was wondering what has worked for you, I really need a lot of help, because I have tried almost everything. At best, I lose 2 pounds a month with a lot of discipline (strict calorie counting and a lot of exercise). If I start slacking I gain really quickly (thanks, PCOS).

Anyway, sorry for my long post.
Best regards to everyone and have a beautiful day

[eilidh429]

5/1 119.2
5/2 119.2
5/3 119.2
5/4 118.2
5/5 118.2
5/6 118.2
5/7 118.6
5/8 118.6
5/9 118.2
5/10 117.6
5/11 118.8
5/12 118.2
5/13 117.5
5/14 118.6
5/15 117.6
5/16 117.6
5/17 116.8
5/18 116.8
5/19 116.0
5/20 115.8
5/21 115.8
5/22 115.8
5/23 115.6
5/24 115.6
5/25 115.8
5/26 115.8
5/27 115.4
5/28 115.4
5/29 114.8

This has been such a quick month! Running my first ever 10K in the morning which is exciting

[HungerWerks]

So much good news here! Congrats to everyone on progressing, maintaining, and also continuing to search for the best solution. That last is the secret that will bring success.

I think this will be the first time I've gained in the last year and four months that wasn't the Christmas holiday. But I'm cool with that, as it was THE GRANDSON'S FIRST BIRTHDAY, and people came from all over the country to party. It was a momentous occasion, and I didn't want to be bogged down with making diet decisions for six days.

It would have been a bigger problem if I hadn't been extremely busy and active for that period of time. With so many people, it was non-stop "catering," so I just ate one or two times a day, but really enjoyed those meals. Total damage? Probably around two or three pounds.

I'm going to try and mitigate that number, at the final weigh-in before bed tomorrow, with mowing the back yard today, and vacuuming and mopping tomorrow. It will be easier to make weight next week if I am closer to goal (107) at the official weigh-in. This morning's weight was 111.5.

Such is life - we gotta rock on!

[kristip]

Originally Posted by dani13

My question for you is two-fold: Do you eat under 1200 calories and what kind of exercise are you doing to see such great results? I find that eating 1200 calories with let's say 3 hours of daily exercise (a mix of vigorous and moderate) is only helping me maintain. If I want to lose, I need to get under 1000 calories and I know that is not sustainable nor recommended based on the amount of exercise I u

Honestly, in all my research (and I have a slow desk job, so there's substantial research time!), the not under 1000 calorie recommendation is NOT scaled to us short people. I have done perfectly well at 900 calories and while there are days that I feel hungrier than others, I'm not starving in the least. I am short and small boned, so I have been doing the 900 but then not sweating the small stuff like the calories in some seasonings or olive oil added to veggies, etc.

The biggest thing for me was making the decision that I am wanting to lose weight and bulk and NOT TO TONE WHAT I CURRENTLY HAVE. So I will walk a few times a week and will just be generally active if given the chance. I am not overtly "exercising". Maybe some body weight exercises here and there, but only things that are mentally relaxing. I will transition to that under the 115 lb mark as I lose the last little bit. The problem with exercising now is that cardio straight up makes us little people HUNGRY. Not just garden variety hungry, but dizzy, tired, irritable hungry. Without exercise I don't get that. If I had the access, I would totally do 20-30 minutes of weight training each day. But I don't right now, so that's fine.

Right now my meal plan looks like this:

Breakfast (usually around 2 hours after waking, so around 8 am): 2 eggs beaten with a tablespoon of skim milk and cooked in a microwave, cup of black tea with 2 tbsp skim milk, no sugar.

11:30: Light greek yogurt. 80 calories of delicious. I get vanilla cause it reminds me of pudding. lol.

1:30: Peppered Beef Jerky- 1 ounce, 80 calories. Sits in my stomach for a while! I don't usually like Jerky, so the peppered helps me chew it.

3:30: A fruit. 1 cup of watermelon or 1 small peach or half a large apple. If I've walked and am feeling tired sometimes I'll do the apple with a serving of peanut butter. Occasionally I'll do a serving of simply salted microwave popcorn instead if I'm feeling munchy.

Between 6-7, dinner: Whatever everyone else is eating- Papa Johns? only one big slice, maybe 1 1/2 if I'm hungry. 6 inch Subway sub. Small pork chop and lots of veggies. somewhere around 400 calories usually.

NO alcohol. NO added sugars.

Ta da. Seems to be working for now (knock on wood). Your mileage may vary!!!

[TBCourt]

5/1 - 144.8
DISNEY vacation for my Bday
5/4 - 146.2
5/5 - 145.8
5/6 - 145.4
5/7 - 145.4
5/8 - 144.6
5/9 - 143.8
5/10 - 144.6
5/11 - 145.6
5/12 - 146.0
5/13 - 144.8
5/14 - 144.0
5/15 - 143.4
5/16 - 143.2
5/17 - 143.8
5/18 - 144.2
5/19 - 144.0
5/20 - 142.4
5/21 - 142.4
5/22 - 142.6
5/23 - 142.2
5/24 - 143.4
5/25 - 143.6
5/26 - 145.6
5/27 - 144.2
5/28 - 142.6
5/29 - 143.8 <--- Chips and salsa got the best of me yesterday :/

Happy weekend all!

[JenFZ09]

Goal- Under 120 lbs on my heavier scale, lower monthly average

5/1/15 120.1 lbs
5/2/15 120.4 lbs (LS)
5/3/15 119.2 lbs (LS)
5/4/15 121.8 lbs
5/5/15 121.5 lbs
5/6/15 120.6 lbs
5/7/15 120.6 lbs
5/8/15 119.8 lbs
5/9/15 118.6 lbs (LS)
5/10/15 119.8 lbs (LS)
5/11/15 120.9 lbs
5/12/15 120.8 lbs cake, cookies, chocolate, my job celebrated my birthday a day early at our meeting
5/13/15 120.9 lbs
5/14/15 120.6 lbs
5/15/15 120.3 lbs
5/16/15 118.8 lbs (LS)
5/1/15 120 lbs (LS)
5/18/15 120.9 lbs
5/19/15 120.8 lbs
5/20/15 120.8 lb
5/21/15 120.5 lbs
5/22/15 119.8 lbs
5/23/15 118.6 lbs (LS)
5/24/15 118.8 lbs (LS)
5/25/15 119.4 lbs (LS)
5/26/15 120.8 lbs
5/27/15 121.1 lbs
5/28/15 121.3 lbs ugh!!
5/29/15 120.1 lbs
5/30/15 119.6 lbs (LS)
5/31/15 118.8 lbs (LS)

I seem to be great at maintaining, hah. I give all of you credit for the strict diets. I need to eat under 1200 to lose, around 1000 or less, which would not make me happy, so I think 120 it is

We have four more weeks of school, so I'm hoping to get more active during summer. Getting below 120 might be more realistic then.

[dani13]

Hi Kristip,

Wow, thank you so much for such a prompt and detailed response! Yes, I totally relate to the need to eat under 1000 calories. I am very small boned, too. At 125 pounds I looked OK (per everyone else, but very curvaceous and I think a healthy weight for me is probably 110-115. Thus, I have a looong way ahead of me… I can also relate to your comment about being hungry while doing lots of cardio, although I do seem to favour eating more fruit, not necessarily more calories. That is not good, because of my PCOS I should be avoiding fruit, but I find it difficult. I eat only low glycemic index foods (berries, cherries, apples, pears, plums, and occasionally nectarines – they are my vice), but still, I eat too many (even when worked into my caloric daily intake).

Thanks for providing a sample of your meal plan. I think the key is the fact that you are eating only a few fruit servings. My sample plan is this:

Breakfast (within 10 minutes of waking –6 am) – 2 boiled eggs, 4 kalamata olives, 1 apple and 1 plum (or a nectarine). If I remove the fruit I get hungry during the morning.

Lunch (11:30 am – 12 pm)- Brussels sprouts (300 g) plus cod fish (350g), or some green string beans plus mussels or sardines. I try to eat protein and vegetables at lunch and dinner.

Dinner (5pm) –1 eggplant or some cauliflower (sometimes as much as one full head of cauliflower) or some Bruxelles sprouts or any sort of green vegetable plus fish or eggs (I only eat fish/seafood and eggs as animal products).

Evening snack: (this is my problem) – 300 g cherries (I know, that is a lot, I absolutely love them) or 250 g strawberries or 2 apples etc – various combinations of fruit.

My problem is that I have always eaten very clean and healthy and I have been exercising regularly and (most of the time intensively) for the past 10 years. Since February 1st 2012 I cut all grains and dairy and all processed food, except for some occasional (once a week) cans of sardines or mussels. I guess I made up for all the things I have been deprived of (I love bread with herbs) by eating more fruit. As a result, it is getting more and more difficult to keep my weight in check. Also, no alcohol, no added sugars, as well.

In conclusion, I think I have my answer, I will have to cut most fruit, cold turkey… I will try and do that for a week or two and see what happens. I will keep you guys posted.

I would like to express how grateful I am that you took the time to write into such detail, I really appreciate it. Every little thing counts, especially for us shorties. It is hard to some of my friends to understand that, all of them are recommending me to eat more The fact that I was eating under 1000 calories when I was at a better weight does not seem to persuade them that I simply gain if I eat 1500 calories, as they suggest.

Have a great day and I look forward to reading your updates! Best regards, everyone!

Originally Posted by kristip

Honestly, in all my research (and I have a slow desk job, so there's substantial research time!), the not under 1000 calorie recommendation is NOT scaled to us short people. I have done perfectly well at 900 calories and while there are days that I feel hungrier than others, I'm not starving in the least. I am short and small boned, so I have been doing the 900 but then not sweating the small stuff like the calories in some seasonings or olive oil added to veggies, etc.

The biggest thing for me was making the decision that I am wanting to lose weight and bulk and NOT TO TONE WHAT I CURRENTLY HAVE. So I will walk a few times a week and will just be generally active if given the chance. I am not overtly "exercising". Maybe some body weight exercises here and there, but only things that are mentally relaxing. I will transition to that under the 115 lb mark as I lose the last little bit. The problem with exercising now is that cardio straight up makes us little people HUNGRY. Not just garden variety hungry, but dizzy, tired, irritable hungry. Without exercise I don't get that. If I had the access, I would totally do 20-30 minutes of weight training each day. But I don't right now, so that's fine.

Right now my meal plan looks like this:

Breakfast (usually around 2 hours after waking, so around 8 am): 2 eggs beaten with a tablespoon of skim milk and cooked in a microwave, cup of black tea with 2 tbsp skim milk, no sugar.

11:30: Light greek yogurt. 80 calories of delicious. I get vanilla cause it reminds me of pudding. lol.

1:30: Peppered Beef Jerky- 1 ounce, 80 calories. Sits in my stomach for a while! I don't usually like Jerky, so the peppered helps me chew it.

3:30: A fruit. 1 cup of watermelon or 1 small peach or half a large apple. If I've walked and am feeling tired sometimes I'll do the apple with a serving of peanut butter. Occasionally I'll do a serving of simply salted microwave popcorn instead if I'm feeling munchy.

Between 6-7, dinner: Whatever everyone else is eating- Papa Johns? only one big slice, maybe 1 1/2 if I'm hungry. 6 inch Subway sub. Small pork chop and lots of veggies. somewhere around 400 calories usually.

NO alcohol. NO added sugars.

Ta da. Seems to be working for now (knock on wood). Your mileage may vary!!!

[kristip]

Starting: 138. Goal for end of month: under 130. UPDATED (for new scale) goal is 126.

4/30- 139
5/1- 138
5/2- 137
5/3- 137
5/4- 136
5/5- 136
5/6- 135
5/7- 135 <- unexpectedly holding steady!
5/8- 135
5/9- NWI
5/10- NWI
5/11- 135
5/12- 135
5/13- 134 VICTORY! Also, TOM started, so I should go down from here!
5/14- 135
5/15- 130.7- NEW SCALE.
5/16- 129.2
5/17- 129.7
5/18- 128.7
5/19- 129.3
5/20- 129.4
5/21- 129.7
5/22- 129.1
5/23- 128.7
5/24- 128.3
5/25- 129.5
5/26- 128.7
5/27- 128.1
5/28- 127.8
5/29- 126.7
5/30- 125.9!!!

[vabs]

ahh gotta check in before the month is over!!!

5/1: 128
5/2: 128
5/3: 128
5/4: 127.5
5/5: 127.5
5/6: 127.75
5/7: 127.25
5/8: 126
5/9: 126.25
5/10: 126.5
5/11: 126.5
5/12: 126.5
5/13: 126.5
5/14: 126.25
5/15: 125.5
5/16: 126
5/17: 125.75
5/18: 126
5/19: 126
5/20 - 5/23: 126 still!
5/24: 126
5/25: 124.5
5/26: 124.5
5/27: 124.25
5/28: 124.25
5/29: 123.75
5/30: 123.75

I can scarcely believe I got another drop, but I've been walking tons since I got my fitbit. I've gone from burning like 100 cals a day in exercise (if that) to a consistent 400 - 600!

[EmmaD]

SW: 149.6
GW: 144.6, which honestly would be an unusually successful month for me

May 1 -- 149.6
May 2 -- 149.4 (-0.2)
May 3 -- 149.2 (-0.2)
May 4 -- 148.6 (-0.6)
May 5 -- 149.2 (+0.6)
May 6 -- 149.2 (0)
May 7 -- 149.0 (-0.2)
May 8 -- 148.0 (-1.0)
May 9 -- 148.2 (+0.2)
May 10 -- 147.4 (-0.8)
May 11 -- 148.0 (+0.6)
May 12 -- 147.4 (-0.6)
May 13 -- 148.4 (+1.0)
May 14 -- 146.6 (-1.8)
May 15 -- 147.0 (+0.4)
[---> -3.6 pounds halfway through the month]
May 16 -- 147.0 (0)
May 17 -- 147.0 (0)
May 18 -- 147.0 (0)
May 19 -- 146.0 (-1.0)
May 20 -- 145.6 (-0.4)
May 21 -- 144.8 (-0.8)
May 22 -- 145.0 (+0.2)
May 23 -25 -- vacation, no weigh-in
May 26 -- 145.6 (+0.6)
May 27 -- 145.0 (-0.6)
May 28 -- 144.8 (-0.2; -4.8 for month)
Well, I'm never going to know if I met my goal or not... I was away for the weekend. Semi- overly strict / semi- bingy, so who knows where my weight is any more.

A new month starts tomorrow. I'm not sure if I am going to keep weighing daily or not.

to all who made their goals! This was a very successful month for many of you. I have hung out in the featherweights section on and off for YEARS now and many times I wouldn't see a single person really losing weight in a month-long daily weigh-in thread. You guys rocked it.

[TBCourt]

5/1 - 144.8
DISNEY vacation for my Bday
5/4 - 146.2
5/5 - 145.8
5/6 - 145.4
5/7 - 145.4
5/8 - 144.6
5/9 - 143.8
5/10 - 144.6
5/11 - 145.6
5/12 - 146.0
5/13 - 144.8
5/14 - 144.0
5/15 - 143.4
5/16 - 143.2
5/17 - 143.8
5/18 - 144.2
5/19 - 144.0
5/20 - 142.4
5/21 - 142.4
5/22 - 142.6
5/23 - 142.2
5/24 - 143.4
5/25 - 143.6
5/26 - 145.6
5/27 - 144.2
5/28 - 142.6
5/29 - 143.8
5/30 - 143.2
5/31 - 142.8

Well, I didn't hit my goal of being under 140 by the end of the month, but I'm ok with that because I enjoyed quite a few yummy meals that I shouldnt have, and I dont regret it. I'll take it as a win that I'm down a few lbs from where I started. Plan on being more strict in June!

[Alexistrophic]

5/1/15 - 147.6
5/2/15 - 149.4 <-- Not bad at all, considering I ate a ton and after cut off...
5/3/15 - NWI
5/4/15 - 151
5/5/15 - 151 <--- Oy... I'm eating candy... why???
5/6/15 - 149.6
5/7/15 - NWI
5/8/15 - 150.4
5/9/15 - 150
5/10/15 - 150
5/11/15 - NWI (not good...)
5/12/15 - 149.2
5/13/15 - 147.2
5/14/15 - 148.8
5/15/15 - 148.4
5/16/15 - 149
5/17/15 - 149
5/18/15 - 153 wt....h? Ugh.
5/19/15 - 150.8
5/20/15 - 150.4
5/21/15 - NWI
5/22/15 - NWI
5/23/15 - NWI
5/24/15 - NWI
5/25/15 - NWI
5/26/15 - NWI
5/27/15 - NWI
5/18/15 - NWI
5/29/15 - NWI
5/30/15 - NWI
5/31/15 - 153 - UGHHHHH!!!

Oh, well.... Figured I might as well come in here to finish out the month. An off kilter schedule (staying up late to finish a project) combined with a fair bit of emotional eating left me pretty wrecked at the end of the month.

What have I learned?

The hardest time for me isn't the "special event" (i.e. party, vacation, trip, etc.) ... it's AFTER the event. I was fine on the Memorial Day trip to the shore - healthy choices, lots of walking, etc... but pretty much threw it all to away when I came home and ate my face off.

Awareness is half the battle, I suppose. Have an event at the end of this month as well, so will try to be extra vigilant before, during and especially AFTER this event.

I'm giving myself props for being accountable, though.

Onward and upward in June!!!!