Cheryl, that's an interesting way to look at it. I guess at 1200 calories my body chose my goal of 160. I'm just not willing to accept that. That's a very healthy mindset though, I think.

Lottie, definitely I think working through soreness helps. It loosens up the muscles within a few minutes of work. I think it's actually the resting that gets us all tight again.

Great morning for me! Last night I did the treadmill increasing the incline from 4% to 10% incrementally by 1% every minute. Then I did three minutes at 10% and returned to 4% to repeat. I've been walking slow at 2.5 because truly it's supposed to be just an extra activity, movement while I'm watching TV. I'm trying not to get obsessive about it because then I'll quit. This morning I did hardcore elliptical! LOL! Heavy crossramp and resistance 1:00 on and 1:00 off. That was followed by Spin class.

I'm toying with resting over Christmas or kicking it up even more because I'll have time. I don't know yet. I'm sure I'll know by then. I can tell you I am liking my increased calories! I have more energy and I am not fighting hunger. The scale seems like it just might cooperate. I am losing ounces every day which I'll take!

Hey guys, just checking in to see how everyone is doing!

I haven't been able to increase my exercise yet cuz of my exhaustion from all the no sleep I was getting, but today I slept and plan to do the full 45 mins.

I've been On Plan with food and doing good with water, woudl like to increase it a little though.

and I lost 2 lbs. wooo!

I've been doing an hour on the treadmill everyday and have started to put it on incline and do spurts of running hard for a couple minutes. But, I haven't been keeping up with doing the kinect exercises. Still, I feel good and I'm losing weight. My asthma has been doing much, much better, too!

I'm doing great, although I have taken today off. I think I'm injuring my knee so it wants a rest. My workouts have been hard and I am enjoy the extra calories. I have lost about 1.5 pounds since starting, which is pretty good considering I've been on a plateau for two months.

Yay! Glad your plateau has ended!

I'm doing alright. Not great but not horrible. Doing really well with my strength training. Haven't done my cardio but one day this week but actually staying on my strength and water goals is a huge thing for me. My goal for next week is to build on this week and add back in my cardio.

Eache time I've doubled my work-outs literally from 1-2 hours daily I have gained. My Body rebels.

What always seems to work for me on each platueau is to do the complete opposite. I add calories and cut out the work-outs for about 2-3 days and then get back to the game plan. So I aim for 1200-1400 normally and then went to sort of a maintence mode for caloric intake of about 1800 daily and then gave myself 2-3 rest days with no exercise. Get back on track and watch it kickstart my metabolism. I had to a few plateaus to fiquire this out for me.

If you don't eat enough your body will store, especially when you further burn more.

I'm excited to see if this works for you though, GOOD LUCK!!!

I'm not convinced mine has broken yet so I'm still open for suggestion. I still haven't seen the low in my ticker...the Halloween ticker...the one I'm not changing until I see that low again! LOL! But I'm within a pound of it now.

I am planning to take a complete break from exercise at Christmas. It will be my first break ever since January. I was given advice here that I just may see a really big drop when I do that. What I am doing right now is definitely not sustainable so my plan is to push really hard until Christmas. At this point I'm doing it more because I said I would. I have a hard time backing down on a challenge. But I am looking so forward to the break you just can't imagine!

12-5
Walked outside 3 miles
Weight lifting & abs 1 hour
Treadmill inclines 30 min.

Loving the cool weather. Indoors, outdoors, it makes a difference everywhere, yum.

Hope everyone is doing well!

So, how is everyone doing?

Me..... not so great. I have consistently gotten in my 30 minutes of exercise but not the extra 30 that I was shooting for. I have been tempted to count the time I spent shopping.

Diet wise, I just can't seem to get a grip. I have consistently eaten 1500 calores a day instead of the 1200 that will let me lose. I am tempted to say "1500 calories, 30 minutes of exercise per day" until the end of the year. As of this morning, my weight is holding steady.

Cheryl, at least your still hanging in there in maintenance mode. That's saying something. This is a really bad time of year to be trying this. I'd definitely count your shopping as extra movement!

I've been doing well, but I admit I cut back this week. Well, that's not entirely true, just last night. I was supposed to walk on my treadmill but we had a sewage disaster and I felt like a soak in the hot tub was much more in order.

My mornings are hardcore though. Heavy lifting (legs) this morning followed by a three mile run at 6.0 mph.

when you increase your exercise (to those of you who 'gain' when exercising more) and you get sore, your muscles are full of glycogen and each lb of glycogen is packed in 2-3 lbs of water.

It's something i've found to be pretty consistent with me. I can gain like 4 lbs if I'm sore, once the soreness is gone so is the weight.

12-6
Walked outside 3 miles
Treadmill inclines 30 minutes

12-7
Weight lifting & abs 1 hour

I have an injured toe, not connected to the boot camp, but am supposed to keep it wrapped and stay off it for two days. So, I did not get to my walks and inclines today. But I will be back at it soon.

The last two days I have been off plan for food, so I need to get it together. I hope everyone is hanging in there.

I had a bad pain flare last night, so I didn't exercise, sadness.

but, I try not to take more than one day off. That's why I do it even when I don't want to on regular days, cuz I know there will be that one day that for whatever very legitimate reason, I can't.

So today my pain is much better. I'm about to go do some chores and exercise later.

I'm getting lots of water at least. Except today. ha. I need to hurry and drink the rest of this before 930. (if I drink later I am awake all night peeing!)

I fell on the ice/snow on Saturday and have been out of commission since then. Doing some stretching and walking but that's it. I'm hoping to go to the Chiro on Monday for a decompression and get back to full force by wednesday. Definitely going to put the total gym into inversion mode and try to do some gentle stretching of the QLs around lunch time today since that's where the pain is concentrated now muscle-wise.