GREAT to hear from everyone and congratulations on those who lost weight! Me? I'm up 5 lb. in the last 2 weeks! Ugh. However, I'm going to keep plugging along...

Renee

Congrats to those who lost and those who maintained on vaca.

I'm in a holding pattern. At the beginning of the year I said I wanted to be a success story but I don't think 5 pounds will qualify and it's already July. Another time I thought 5 pounds a month would be a good goal. Not happening. I'll be tweaking things here and there.

Onward......

I had a bout of the rabidly hungry girl syndrome last night. Wait for it.... I ate raw broccoli, grapes , collard greens and cashews! Yes it stuffed my belly,( which is a remnant of my destructive eating habits) but I have not crashed and burned! No sugar spike, no self loathing just a nice toilet worthy bowel movement ( sorry for the TMI). And best of all no weight gain. Feeling healthy today and no urge to gorge!

Congrats Renee, and Lucinda, great to hear you handled the "hungries" so well. I'm up a half pound this morning due to having a spaghetti dinner for my family last night. I know the sauce is high in sodium (water retention) so I'm not sweating it. Feeling pretty good this morning and hope to crank up the exercise schedule this week.

Have a good day all!

Andi

Lizzie - Maybe 5 lbs. isn't as big a success as you would have liked, but it is a success and better than no loss or a gain!! You can still aim for more, but don't get down on yourself

Lucindaarrowspark - You are so strong and fierce, and an inspiration for all of us to stick to plan. I am trying to listen to my body more for what I really need, but my pesky brain keeps butting in!!

Andi - Water retention can be so annoying, work hard and sweat it out - lemon water sometimes helps me too

Bonnie - Good for you for not giving up, just get on track and you can do this

I have stayed on plan since coming home, and I can feel he difference already. Smaller and healthier portions mean a smaller and healthier me!!

Have a good day everyone

lucindaarrowspark - I would like to cut out the sugar from my diet. Do you have any tips?

Hi everyone

Just checking in, it has been pretty quiet here - summer can be such a busy time.

Had a root canal 2 days ago (well, most of a root canal), but the dentist had trouble with it so I now have to go to an endodontist to get it finished. 2 hours in the chair with someone in my mouth left me pretty sore, but it feels quite a bit better today.

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Here are some more useful quotes:

I wake up every day with the realization that this is it, that there's only one shot at this life and I can either enjoy the ride and live it to its fullest and to my highest potential or I can stay the way I am.

Make the decision, then do something - no matter how small - toward accomplishing what you want.

Persevere and you will win the prize.

You get whatever you settle for.

We fail because we don't strike the iron while it's hot. We don't take immediate action toward achieving what we want. We decide to wait until tomorrow, or next week, or even next month.

It comes down to a simple question: what do you want out of life, and what are you willing to do to get it?

Be specific in what you want, and use specific words. Empower yourself, and become the person you dream about

Listen closely: the only time it's too late to change yourself is when you're dead. Until then, you're simply making excuses or lying to yourself.

Great quotes, Corinna! So much wisdom throughout. The one bolded is particularly relevant to me. I can't tell you how many times I've missed an opportunity because I've avoided making a decision. And many times they aren't even big decisions! I read somewhere else that those who make decisions decisively and reasonably quickly rarely regret their decisions even if that decision somehow "fails" or doesn't go as planned. These folks just don't get mired in all the hemming and hawing over decisions.

Sorry it has taken me this long to respond, Guacamole.
I eliminated sugar from my life by accepting the reality that I am powerless when it comes to sugar.
So I have STOPPED eating all processed foods, even the so called healthy vegan ones are loaded with hidden sugar.
I also do not eat pasta, even the whole wheat kind. For me, pasta is just 3 chews from turning into sugar.
I check ingredients and now no longer eat many brands of salsa because they add sugar.
I STOPPED my venti-quad soy latte starbucks addiction.
I stopped using flavored non-dairy creamer in my coffee. I stopped drinking diet soda and I stopped drinking beer, tequila, pina coladas, kahalua, etc... infact I no longer drink alcohol at all. Because for me, booze was starting to become a problem.

JollyJude - thanks for the encouragement and I hope you're feeling better.

Corinna - that last quote is rather poignant

See you guys tomorrow!

Down 1.4 lbs. Been having a great Summer! Have a wonderful weekend!

Good Job Renee

I am down 4.8. i think my little holiday and maintaining for a week helped.

Start 1/20 @223.1# & Target = 198.1
6/22 = 211.9 = -11.2
6/28 = 211.5 = -11.6 (-.5 this week)
7/5 = 211.1 = -12
July 12 = 210.7 = -12.4
7/19 = 210.3 = -12.8

Good job on the weight loss Renee, Jude, and Aida!!

Nothing new for me to report this week. I stayed the same weight wise. I need to get myself moving again towards my goal. I have been slacking lately.

Glad others are keeping on their toes and feeling lighter.