[Zoniegirl]

Hi everyone, hope you are all enjoying your day!

Jessica - Hi and welcome!

Kelijpa - How true about the Bermuda Triangle! . Good luck at your WI, hope the anticipated extra is only water retention.

Emily - Good luck with your Dec. goals!

Diana - I'm sorry your edema is flaring and your back hurts. Hope you feel better soon!

Weekend - Thanks for your support and comments. Congrats on your loss! Sorry about your ankle and hope it feels better soon.

Monte - Congrats on your November results! WTG! Hope you have a good trip.

Teri - Congrats on maintaining! That is an accomplishment, especially after the holiday.

HanneCat - Happy early Birthday! Sounds like you've got a good plan for handling the cake. I live in a location that gets some serious heat for about 3 months of the year, then it is hot, but bearable for 3 months. The rest is usually pretty gorgeous, but we do have some cold days where we will have an overnight freeze. I so feel your pain with working out when it is hot! It is so hard for me to motivate myself during the worst of it. Some years and before I joined a gym, I was out walking/hiking at 4:30 am. Other years, I just couldn't do it and was completely inactive during that time. This year, I joined a gym and that helped a lot. Hope you find a way to make it work for you and that you try to stay cool!

FYML - IMHO, a 6 pound monthly loss, especially during Thanksgiving, is a great feat!

Nancy - Great job on your plan and your loss!

Sundove - So glad to hear you had good sleep. Now that I'm having more issues with that myself, I can totally appreciate how good that feels. Thanks for your comments and support about my November assessment. We can get back on track together!

CoolMom - Great job getting back on track and with your cals!

Scotsgal - Good luck on your December goals- you can do it!

Margot - Good to see you! Sorry things have been crazy for you lately. Congrats on your loss!

Syckgirls - Congrats on your downward trend! Hope your work slows down for you.

Turquoisebolo - Hi and welcome! Good luck with your gold and I hope you find good support here.

Greetings and support and encouragement to anyone I missed! Given the length of my post...I can't imagine that that applies to anyone!

WI 203.0, down 4 pounds for the week, down 1.6 from yesterday. This has to be water weight. I'm flushing out the binges.

Plan for today - calories 1,604; carb 90; fat 54; protein 153; sodium 2,253; sugar 43. Exercise - Walked 4.2 miles, burned 415 calories; stretching, 15 minutes. Steps, 11,537 so far. Water - 100 oz.

Doing well so far this month. Planning to start the body weight strength exercises next week. I came across an interesting website, www.bodyrecomposition.com, and there are several books and articles this community might find of interest.

The one, in particular, which caught my interest was one about flexible dieting. The basic premise is that dieters should make it part of their plan to take a break from dieting. The author advocates for a scheduled 10 to 14-day break of eating at maintenance for every 10 to 12 weeks of dieting.

He further argues for one or two "free meals" a week where you don't go totally crazy, but you allow yourself to have what you've been wanting. He also argues that flexible dieting yields more ultimate and long-term success than rigid dieting does. He says flexible dieters maintain their commitment to the plan because they know they will get a free meal or a break soon. He says flexible dieting actually reduces the binge-restrict cycle as well as the diet mentality of strict eating when dieting and then gaining the weight back after reaching goal because you go back to your old way of eating. By allowing yourself these breaks, you are more likely to implement lifetime changes because you know you don't have to do it forever and be "perfect".

He also says the breaks are good for the dieter physiologically because it prevents a reduced metabolism, as well as psychologically because the break is scheduled, not an unplanned binge about which the dieter will feel shame and guilt.

This makes sense to me. But, I'm not sure that I'm the kind of dieter that would do well with this type of plan. On the one hand, I can see how staying on plan straight through until goal is better for me because when I am in the groove, I don't want to do anything to disturb being in the zone.

But, on the other hand, I do feel that my recent binging was a result of being on a diet since March ( except for 6 weeks I took off during the summer) and I was feeling deprived and kind of burned out on the process. Also, once I've strayed and indulged in foods I'm craving, it is awfully hard to get ahold of myself and get back on plan.

My conclusion is that I think this kind of plan might work well for most people who are dieting and who have a lot of weight to lose and are facing a long diet road ahead, but there always exceptions to the rule. Such a plan might not work for people who have a food addiction or who have issues with certain foods like carbs or sugar. I think I am determining from my experience and behavior that I am one of those exceptions to the rule. I am interested to hear (or read) your opinions on this. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great day!

[JulesMarion]

Hi all!
I've been a bit of a lurker and I wanted to introduce myself. I'm Juliana, I'm 26 years old, married and have two two year old toddlers (twins). I live in Alaska and have been overweight all my life. My highest was 313 on my wedding day 4 years ago, and since then I've lost 101 pounds. I began my new healthy lifestyle January 1 of last year, which is when I lost 80 of those pounds.

I'm a 5'8, large framed, former couch potato-turned cardio lover. I use MyNetDiary Pro for calorie counting (stick around 1600-2000 calories per day) and track my workouts (7x week 40 mins cardio on the elliptical) with my FitBit Charge HR. I love being able to see my heart rate and the past months of workouts. I've been losing at a rate of about 5-8 lbs a month, save for a plateau during the summer. I'm doing good, but you never know when discouragement or plateaus hit, and it'd be nice to have a group to chime in on.

[Syckgirlsfv]

wow my menu sure changed at lunch!!! We've been working so tirelessly on the audit that our department decided to order pizza. Of course I had some, I'm not INSANE!!! But I only had a couple little slices, and it was veggie.

So for dinner I am not sure if I'll have the shake I didn't have or what. DH is ordering food but I declined. I'm so tired! No exercise tonight, but we may do a ride tomorrow.

everybody have a great Friday night! Me...I'm having some wine!!!

[lisaloveshearts]

HI ladies,

I went to my house today to meet with a general contractor. I think this is the guy who can help me get this project under way. I should have gotten in touch with him from the start. I should hear from him, with an estimate, in the next week or so. My kitchen burnt down on Sept 1st.

I went to Wal-Mart today and spent $200. I got healthy food, healthy snacks and 2 new pair of jeans. I'm down a pant size, to a 22, and needed new ones. My old ones were baggy, they drove me nuts.


Still thinking about Jennifer's Christmas presents, she is my only daughter, 23 years old. I'll let you know what I decide to get her. I know I'm going to get her some nose rings.

I got a migraine today, the first one in a while. I took some Excedrin Migraine and it helped a lot.

I need to run some errands tomorrow, put some money on my prepaid card. I am going to buy myself a mat that I can do my beginner pilates and beginner yoga exercises on. I have found some wonderful videos on sparkpeople. I am excited to get started.


My gums are finally, finally starting to feel pretty good. The antibiotics and warm salt water are helping.



Sorry I've rambled. Much love to you all.

[nancylmrn]

Welcome to the newbie's to the thread the more the merrier

tonights dinner was/is a chocolate protein shake...actually it is quite good, then we went deli cruzing at the local supermarket and I ended up with cold cuts and cheese spread LOL perfect for low cal eating...of course I have to push more water to counter the sodium but worth it

Zonie girl that really sounds like an interesting theory are you going to try it or are you now? With my slow rate of losing I don't think I would be good at it. I know me...it is hard to get back inline so to speak. Do it once then I will do it again closer together the next time until next thing I know I am munching on the very foods that got me to this size justifying it as it was only 1 pierce or 1 drink .....

Anyway...frustrated at such a low weight loss given it has been 2 days shy of 8 weeks and I am still doing the most restrictive phase of Atkins and down just barely 8lbs...most have dropped over 20. Love this body I am in...wow I am whining twice in one day it was a hard week ......I even called my male boss a princess to his face...

[flower123]

hi all. I am making a quick stop to say hello.

First, hi Juliana and Lisa. Good to meet you.

Diana, I hope the Angioedema has a very short life span this time. And that your back is better soon.
hi everyone else. I hope you all are doing well during this holiday food season
I have not gained anything. And in the past week may have lost a lb. Been sick with Strep in my sinus. So I am being a total couch potato. Cannot eat dairy or sugar while sick. BUT eating high sodium soup. I make it myself. So I could reduce the sodium. But I am allowing myself flavor.
Sorry I have been MIA. I will try to be better about checking in. But not sure how reliable I will be during this next month.

Nancylmrn I am sorry you are having such a hard time losing. And how did your boss react when you called him a princess?

Hi to everyone else If I had the energy I would do more personals. This strep has me a bit drained. AND I have to go to Costco on Saturday, in the freezing cold. But I really do need to stock up. I will buy a 2 to 3 week supply. Hope the parking lot is not a zoo and I can get a space close to the store. (one can hope)

Hope you all have a great Saturday <3

[CoolMom75]

Flower! Good to see you checking in. I am so sorry the strep has returned. I was asking about you earlier, wondering if your Thanksgiving was another family stress.

Calories today: 2019. Wine and rice happened for dinner.

[HanneCat]

Hi all!

Quick post because I am tired; just got back from a day's volunteer work at the charity shop I help out at. One nice thing happened in that my manager (who hadn't seen me in a couple of weeks) commented that I looked skinnier, which was really nice to hear because last night and today I was feeling pretty down and actually thinking that I looked FATTER than I did a few weeks ago. Even though I know it's not technically even possible since I'd lost both weight and cms since I've started, and really, 11kg should make a little bit of a difference, right?

So now I feel much more motivated to keep going

Food has been fine today; stuck to the JC plan so far.

Exercise...I'm feeling so lazy right now XD But I'll aim to do at least a half hour workout

To those of you who are ill/injured/struggling, thinking of you and I hope that things improve soon x

Take care!

[Diana3271]

Good Morning, Everyone!

Last night: I did a full body stretch on my own and holding the stretches longer than is done on the DVD
This Morning: Oxycise in the Office 2

Calories for yesterday: 1495 +
Weigh In: 175.6
Up: 1 pound

I guess my body behaved (maintained) as long as it could with the pain, pain meds, no exercise, TTOM, etc.

Have a great day!

[Sundove]

Scotsgal Good to see you--yes keep coming back, it really helps! Do you have a routine with the kettle balls/ Sometimes I get stumped because I don't have an idea where to start, what to do.

lisaluvshearts Congrats on smaller size--WTG! I am so glad to hear you found a contractor.

MonteCristo Have a wonderful trip--I looked back but don't see where you are headed Are you headed for India? Look forward to hearing aboutit when you return, wherever you go!

Margot WTG on 13 lbs for Nov. Hope things settle down soon.

Weekend Boater Glad you're feeling better. Sounds like you are taking care of your ankle. It's so easy to overdo things after recovery from an injury. There's that wanting to feel normal again.

turquoisebolo Those workout tweaks sound fantastic! I'm sorry you are dealing with the gastroparesis. Please feel free to post as much as you'd like about food, what works, what doesn't, as long as it's helpful to you. This is a good, supportive place to be accountable. And, there are 'lurking' folks who read the thread without actually posting, and so you might be helping someone out there who has the same thing, you never know.

Thankyou so much for the input re massage therapy. I so appreciate it. It's a mix of some of what you mentioned & mostly something called neuro-muscular re-programming. I have a hip impingement that the ortho doc said was caused by mild arthritis. Thanks to the massage therapy I am now mostly pain free and range of motion is a little improved--small miracle, hopefully more improvement to come.

Nancylmrn I hope you have a relaxing weekend--sounds like you are overdue! Congrats on those lost pounds. Btw I love your avatar--just beautiful.

Zonie As usual I read your words about the body recomposition and thought you could have been writing it about me. I agree 150% that the program might be problematic for people with addictions to sweets. I have tried a few versions of diets and/or maintenance WOEs that include indulgence days. For me, they are without exception a slippery slope back to eating out of control, and the foggy brain that goes with it. Moreover, there is the gut theory of obesity & craving whereby some microflora in the gut require sugar, and they can stimulate the brain via chemical messengers to make us crave it . If you feed those microbes regularly, they remain and continue to cause cravings. So it seems best to starve them out by eliminating their preferred fuel as much as possible. Hope that makes sense.

From my experience, the biggest issue with dieting is having an end goal. Although it's part of what sustains on the way down, it sets up the idea that once that goal is reached, I can do whatever I want because I am now thin. I agree with the program that it is better to make the process bearable and sustainable, just not with triggering foods. The key to longterm success seems to be more about mindset than anything else. That said, other people have had success with a totally different strategy.

flower123 It's so great to see you! I am sorry you are dealing with strep & hope you are soon feeling better. I've missed you.

Julesmarion

Hannecat Nice job on your day!

Diana What goes up must come down! I hope you are starting to feel better with your back. Did the stretches help?

Well, the sun is up and I need to get going. Sending everyone support and good wishes for the weekend!

[Weekend Boater]

Good morning ladies and Happy Saturday A quickie post for now as I have DH here waiting for me and I will catch up next time. Thanks for the well wishes, my ankle feels better today!

I had beef for dinner last night and made some zoodles! I have to run but I wanted to wish you all a super weekend and for us all through the weekend. Turquoise and Jules Hugs ladies, looking forward to catching up later.

[Sundove]

Oops, I skipped accountability. Mixed day. Some emotional drama due to cumulative small things. Plans to reduce holiday stress on 3 different fronts feel through--weird. I do not handle disappointment very well (understatement). The good thing is that I am keeping that in the front of my mind--it's an opportunity to learn & change. This is a time of year when I also need to remember to set limits. Some people can be draining if I allow it.

B eggs, fruit, sausage, protein shake.
L chicken, yam salad with homemade dressing
D turkey chili
S Went to rest in lounge & was confronted by unexpected holiday platters of beautiful cookies and little sandwiches. I had 2 small sandwiches, by which I mean they were not supersized--one would have sufficed, but by overindulging in them, I avoided the cookies. When I got home, I ate another meal, and went to bed still wanting food.

Getting ready for birding with my group, along the shore. I love the ocean in winter.

[nancylmrn]

good morning to everyone!

I am off to help my boss 'the princess' move LOL wonder if he will speak to me?? But I did say I would help and I am not going to just no show up.

So this morning weigh in I was down..so yeah but what I was really pumped about is...well my scale sometime (alot) will give me a false number on the first step up then tell me error-this is usually a large number. Then I get back on and I get the real weight. Sometimes I check two or three times since I can get a different number...well this am was one of those times. I saw the number dip down over a lb and for me that is huge! but of course that was not the true number I used since it only did it once in 3 tries. I settled on the lower number just not the crazy lowest. For me that was a mental boast that I know the scale is going to do another real drop soon????

anyway have a great day gals I will check in tonight

[Zoniegirl]

Hi everyone, hope you are all having a great Saturday!

Jules - Hi and welcome! Congrats on your 100 pound loss! WTG! Hope to see you here checking in and that you find lots of support here.

Lisa - So glad your mouth is feeling better and that you are making progress with re-building you kitchen. Congrats on the lower pant size!

Nancy - Thanks for your comments and input on my post. I don't think I'm going to try to dieting breaks and free meals. I kind of have been doing that for the last 2 months by virtue of my binging. I've steuggled to get back on plan. As for you, please don't get discouraged by your rate of weight loss. One pound a week over a year's time adds up to a substantial loss. As Diana says, it is consistency over time that yields results. You are a good person to help someone move! That is one of my least favorite things to do myself.

Flower - Great to see you - I always enjoy your presence in the thread! I'm sorry you are sick - Hoping you heal quickly.

HanneCat - Congrats on the compliments about your shrinking size! That is great validation that you are making progress.

Diana - Good job on your stretching despite not feeling up to par. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Sundove - Thanks for taking the time to comment on my post. I hadn't heard about the "science" behind the cravings due to the micro flora, but it makes sense. All I know is that the more carbs/sugar I eat, the more I want and I can't seem to stop. I agree with you about the "diet mentality. It helps to view WOE as a lifestyle change. I hope your plan for stress reduction works well for you over the holidays. I struggle with boundaries, too. I have a couple of books on the subject, but my procrastination issue has superseded my boundary issue and I haven't read them yet.

Weekend - So glad to hear that your ankle is feeling better! Thanks for your comments and input.

Plan for today - calories 1,212; carb 92; fat 40; protein 115; sodium 2,241; sugar 51. Exercise - none, recovery day, not tracking steps today. Water - 100 oz.

Went out to karaoke last night and had fun! Had 3 drinks, instead of planned 2. Someone bought me drink and I felt obligated. I had a doctor's appointment this week for my mood disorder and this doctor has a different opinion on alcohol than my previous one. He thinks drinking should only be on special occasions, not a weekly thing, even if limited to 2 to 4 drinks a week. So, I guess I need to work on that as well. I typically have limited my drinking to Fridays only, even if I went out to karaoke or dinner more than that. Kind of puts a kink in my wine group meet up. But, I usually only have one or two of the wine group events every month. So, maybe a compromise is 2 drinks a month, rather than 2 a week.

On the schedule for today is inside-the-house Christmas decorating. We'll do the outside lights on Tuesday with help from my roommate because I don't like climbing up on the ladder or the roof. I might tackle the Holiday cards if I have any steam left. I haven't sent out Holiday cards in several years and I fear if I don't send out any this year, then I won't receive any from anyone. And, I so enjoy getting the annual updates and pictures form everyone.

Hope you all have a great day!

[Teri000]

Hello!

Welcome new people and everyone else.

Sundove, the health club that I belong to is pretty old and has a small pool (20 yards). So my swimming is about 20% less than what you would find at a USA regulation pool. But I am pleased anyway, with what I get accomplished. Yesterday, I missed the am swim and they called me to inform me that the pool was closed. There was a leak, and they were not able to fix it until most of the water had drained out.

Swam 60 laps today!
Gotta run.

.