[jtammy]

Alliesmom, First, I want to tell you that you are beautiful in your photo. You look like you are at a healthy weight - I don't think your face looks too thin and your arm and upper body look very fit. It does sound like your former coworker was jealous of your success.

You are the only one who knows when enough is enough. Or maybe, like me, it's difficult to know. It's frustrating to work so hard to lose weight, lose so much weight, but find your body doesn't want to go below a certain level and you're not at the goal you had set for yourself. That's where I'm at right now too. Why not maintain for a while now? Mentally, it is a relief to not have to focus on weight loss all of the time. You can maintain for a while then if you decide you want to continue to lose weight, you can start those efforts again. You know that you may have to shake things up some to continue to lose weight. It sounds like what you are doing now isn't going to do it. That's where I'm at now. I'm not sure that I want to drop my calories much lower or that I want to eat fewer carbs or that I want to add/change my exercise. So until I'm ready to change any of that, I'm maintaining for a while.

You've had such success with weight loss, and even if you are not at your goal weight, you've made such fantastic strides. Don't lose sight of that.

[SuchAPrettyFace]

You look great!!! Your former coworker? Sounds like sour grapes to me.

As for the last 12 pounds, how do you feel? How do your clothes fit? You're able to do things you couldn't do at one point? I think if you feel you MUST get there, keep a food journal for a week, then meet with a trainer, go over your journal & tell the person what you've been doing for exercise & then see if the trainer has any tips/tricks for you.

[alliesmom00]

I remember now why I use to post a lot. All of your words are very much encouraging to me. To answer some of the questions that were brought up, I thought I would just add them here.

I am very close to my number weight loss goal as well as my size goal. I would like to wear a size 10 without the "muffin top" that we have come to call the bulging belly over the waist of my pants. I am where I want to be on the upper half of my body. I wear mediums and some larges depending on the cut of the top. I am disappointed in my chest. I have gone from a 44D to a 34A. I just bought that bra this weekend and I am sad to say it fit. I don't mind the 34 but the A is tough. My stomach is what I am most unhappy with. Very saggy and wrinkly with a lot of stretch marks some from kids but realistically most from being obese. I am considering surgery for next summer. I am giving my bidy one more year to see what is naturally going to happen. I may have a tummy tuck and maybe a boob job.

As for my workout routine and eating habits. I consider myself a gym rat. I look at it like a second job. Soon it will be my second job because I am becoming a fitness instructor at the gym I go to. I have made it through the first round of audtions and will do the final round soon. I will be certified in October. I jog three miles twice a week, 45 minutes on the elliptical three times a week, I take cycle for 45 minutes three times a week, I weight train twice a week. I have a stationary bike at home that I get on for an hour in the evenings four days a week. Some days I have worked out for 3 or more hours, not always a straight three hours. I work out hard and usually only take off one day a week. I am more fit than I could have ever imagined. I actually have muscles. I keep my calorie intake around 1600-1800 calories. I eat a lot of protein. I stay away from white flour and rice almost always. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies. I do not eat sugar if I can help it. I cook using olive oil. Below is my typical day of fodd choices...

BF carbmaster yogurt with 1/2 c cottage cheese and 1/2 cup cut up grapes
Snack fiber one bar
Lunch salad with fat free catalina dressing very little cheese lots of veggies,
5 oz chicken, apple, animal crackers (12)
snack banana, rice cake with 1 tbsp peanut butter
dinner lots of veggies, lean meat, 1 cup of some kind of fruit

I have several cups of coffee a day with very little creamer and splenda, i have 1 maybe 2 diet drinks a day and green tea with splenda

twice a week I splurge and get a McDOnalds ice cream cone YUM!!!!

[lifechange]

Hi Alliesmom, Frankly you look fantastic- but I can understand wanting to get to goal particularly since you work so hard. Maybe you are working out too hard and your body needs a break??? I tend to go at things with intensity as well and I find that sometimes I need to back it off a bit. For me it doesn't help to up my calories but to cut back on activity and let my body recover and stop protecting my metabolism. It might be worth a shot if you really want to see if you can move the scale for a few more pounds. The only other thing that you may want to consider is do you have enough fat in your diet?

[math puppy]

i just looked at your pic, and you are so adorable! you look great, you face is perfectly proportioned. that lady was just so jelouse that you could do somthing so great for yourself. rock on!

[QueenBee3]

Alliesmom, I think enough is enough when...

1. You're eating and living healthy, while being at a healthy weight
2. You're happy with weight and your look

Also, maybe you haven't gotten to the exact weight you first imagined because you're a self-proclaimed "gym rat". You said you have muscles, so perhaps you're muscle mass is making up the extra few pounds.(?) I'm not sure, but I agree with all the other ladies that you look amazing. Hopefully, you feel amazing too and that's all that really matters.