enjoynlife - Not weighing for a long time also teaches me patience.....which is quite important to have when you're chugging along on a weight loss journey. I encourage you to "pull an Angie!" :D

LaurieDawn - I wanted to ask you about your weight training. How long have you been doing it? And have you been eating at a caloric deficit the whole time you've been weight training? I'm going to be starting with heavy weights next week and I've been researching about this whole caloric deficit/no muscle gains things. I like to hear from people's personal experiences though. How would you say your muscle gain has been thus far? Average? Below? Thanks for any info you can provide! :)

Thanks for the input on my off-topic question, Angie. It's just so important to me that I can feel good about myself, so I can't feel like I am just using someone because I like the attention. :-/

Lifting nutrition strategy. I offer all of this with the caveat that I do not precisely track calories, nor do I take my measurements.

I read New Rules of Lifting For Women. The nutrition info is really geared to women more concerned with body recomposition than those who have a lot of fat they need to lose. So I agonized about it, read a lot of bodybuilding nutrition information, read a lot of Alwyn Cosgrove's stuff, posted on a couple of boards, and finally decided that I really needed to prioritize fat loss. Which means calorie restriction. Which almost inevitably means muscle loss. It makes sense. People often describe lifts in terms of body weight. 'She can deadlift her body weight.'

But - weight lifting has tons of advantages even for those who simultaneously calorie-restrict, IMHO. First, it preserves muscle mass. Second, it is a good calorie burner. Third, the 'afterburn effect' lasts way longer than cardio. Finally, when my ex-husband texts me something infuriating and I want to engage in a long, brutal text war, I text him that I can't talk because I am at the gym. Then I take out my anxiety and anger there, and he's no longer on my radar if it's something dumb, or I am able to handle it better if it actually needs to be addressed.

I concentrate my calories for muscle repair work after I lift. I eat very few processed carbs, but I will eat fruits and veggies. I eat protein bars for convenience, but when I have time and opportunity to cook, I eat mostly chicken, egg whites, and fish.

So far, I have lost 51 pounds from about June 12 until today, so about 4 months, and I can feel solid muscle among too much fat. I also wear smaller sizes than before at this weight.

That's my experience with it. Hope it's helpful.

Good advice on keeping 'em separated, Enjoynlife! Flirting is kind of awesome.

Yes LaurieDawn that helps out a lot. I had been mulling over this in my head...trying to find the best way to go about it. I like to hear how others are doing with it as well. Thanks so much! :)

Awww, thank you soooo much!!! You are so kind! :) We are all in this journey together and whatever we can share to help each other get to our goals is what this community is all about. That's why I really love it here. I learn so much from others as well. :hug:

I'm committed!
When I decided I had enough of being overweight on Oct. 5th 2012, I actually made my own calendar, but it's for 18 months. On it I marked the 5th of each month with 1, 2, 3, etc. all through the year. I'm still figuring out my mini goals, other than my final of being down to my goal weight of 175. I'm hoping my goald will be sooner, but I figure approx. 5 lbs a month is do-able.
I've had a lot of stresses at work & with family matters the last few months. I'm going to do my very best not to let myself be derailed. If I get down to my goal before my "time is up" (on my calendar), I'll use the remaining time to keep myself on track & re-learn maintainence. (If you don't know, I've lost 100 lbs. before)

Enjoynlife - sorry I am just getting to this. You are right about lifting heavy. It may be 3 pounds for your mom. My understanding of heavy lifting is that you lift close to failure. It is a term meant to differentiate between the current recommendations and the whole 'toning' type of Lifting that usually consisted of high reps of very little weight. I am still a newbie, so I don't know about the Spartans program. I just choose a weight that is challenging, but still lets me use good form, then I lift to failure. The first time through a routine, it's really guesswork, which Is why I make sure to record my routines.

I have gone way off the deep end on Friday and Saturday. I woke up this morning bloated and nauseous. This is by far the worst I have done since June. And it's okay. I am up to 225.2. And back on plan today, not just for the weight loss, but because I genuinely feel crappy when I eat like this.

Good luck with the lifting, Enjoynlife. I really enjoy it.

Anyone mind if I join in on the one year adventure? I am basing my start date off the final go ahead from my doctor on Tuesday, so October 23 2012 to October 23 2012. I want to be healthy by the time of my major birthday vacation next year. I've been browsing through this forum and figuring things out. I haven't set my mini goals other than after my first 25lbs lost I am visiting the local massage school for a cheap massage :)

Stargazer and Mrs.TryingAgain - so good of you to join us!

I am officially back on plan, and fighting off cravings desperately. But I would rather fight them off after a slip- up than after a massive regain. So - bring on the white-knuckling, baby. I should have a good loss next week if I successfully stave them off, though.

Yeah Laurie, you're going to have a big drop next week and you'll see that those two days didn't make one bit a difference. :) Back in July, two weeks after I started, I went on a mini-vacation to Chicago and ate all kinds of food that weekend (including practically a box of fresh-baked cookies from one of my favorite restaurants...even a big mac meal from McDonald's on the road), and it obviously didn't hurt the rate at which I've lost weight over the long run. That's the beauty of moderation. :)

!This was just what I needed today! Yesterday, I faced a tremendously challenging life crisis, and there was nothing I wanted more than to indulge a sugar binge. I thought to myself, '' I can have ice cream and still lose weight.' And that is absolutely true. But I also knew that the way I was feeling emotionally, it would not stop with a single serving of ice cream. So I took a deep breath and avoided binges until I could get to the gym and alleviate stress that way. Unfortunately, I didn't make it there until 11:30, and I get up at 5:15. But I needed to lift more than I needed the sleep, and I am not being as tortured today by cravings. I also asked my friend to not bring snacks for our meeting tonight. As much as I hate to be a diva, I feel like staying on plan is pivotal for me today.

Enjoynlife, it sounds like your lifting plan is awesome. Moving sucks, though, so I hope you make it through that without too much pain. Thanks for all the continous support. It is so nice to be able to feel like you are in my corner!

Angie - thanks for your support, too, and the reassurance on the water weigh. I really needed to hear it.

Stargazer - I am so excited to hear about your triumphs and walk with you through your struggles. A year is a long time. It is amazing to have great companions on the way.

I realize I am almost three months late but I would love to join in on this commitment with you! I would love to be in the 180s or less by August of 2013.

And I'm glad you were able to avoid the urge to binge during that stress. I have a hard time with that myself and that is something I am working on currently. Trying my hardest to make this happen!

Hi ladies!! Enjoynlife - I am definitely back to normal LOL. It's like I've pushed a reset button and now I'm focusing on the next 100 days as if it were the first. I want these smaller jeans I have on to be as loose as my starting weight jeans by the time I weigh again. I started Chalean Extreme today and it was great! I LOVE lifting heavy!!! I can already tell I'm going to be sore in the morning lol. Oh and yes I'm doing intermittent fasting (IF) where I fast 20 hours daily and eat all my calories in a 4 hour window. It's been going great so far! Thanks for thinking of me! :hug:

Pink Hurricane - SSSOOO happy you made your way over to this thread. The one thing I dislike about the weight-specific threads is that you lose people. I love that you're doing the extreme fitness challenges with both P90X and now Insanity.

Angie - I too am looking to reset my brain to think of this as a new effort. I have lost 20 pounds more times than I cannot count. I can lose 20 pounds again, espresso because I have the habits already developed. Right
:-)

Yes! With the habits already developed and in place, all you have to do is keep pushing through! That's what I've been telling myself for this next phase too.

Today is Day 115 of 365. I'm still going strong. I like to mix things up every so often and this heavy lifting was the perfect thing to incorporate. I also incorporated some focused ab work and after Monday's ab work, I'm STILL sore lol. My eating is still spot on, but after my lift session yesterday, I got REALLY hungry. I'm thinking I may need to up my calories a couple hundred on those days. We'll see.

How is everyone doing? :)

This morning I did the first day of the 30 Day Shred and also did the Ab Ripper X. My husband wants to start Insanity this weekend, we are both going to do the fit test first, and then jump into the program. I'm trying to figure out a good way to incorporate the 30DS and P90X with Insanity. Maybe an every other day deal or something? I'm not sure yet, just depends on how things go with Insanity.

Thank Laurie! I agree with you about the other threads. I like having them there because there are other people who are in your similar position too, but I don't like that people leave them too haha.

Enjoynlife - My body adjusted quite well to the fasting hours. At first, trying to fit all my food in a 4 hour window was tough! The first 2 days, I was so full LOL! But now? After I eat my first meal at 11am, I kid you not, I am hungry by 12 noon so I eat again, and then HUNGRY by 2pm, so I eat again (which is my biggest meal). It's like..my body eats that food up so quick!

I am out of control and completely off plan. I am dealing with life crises. In some ways, my current issues are more serious and difficult than bar prep and divorce, but it is ridiculous for me to turn to food as a coping mechanism. Food has always failed me in that regard. Even now, I am bloated and nauseous from the double cheeseburger and cookie binge at lunch yesterday.

I am not stupid, though. I am not hopeless. I am just letting myself slip back into familiar habits at a time of crisis. It's a reasonable response, if not a well-advised one.

But as much as I have wanted to avoid 3FC, I have not done so. As much as I wanted to avoid the scale (because it represented accountability), I did not. I am still committed.

So, if y'all don't mind, I am going to post every morning this week. I haven't decided whether I will weigh daily or not.

Welcome to white-knuckle Sunday. My hunger in these past few days has not been the regular hunger I experience when on plan. That I can manage until I find a suitable food option. My hunger cycle when I am completely off-plan goes from slightly nauseous in the morning (like right now) to ravenous around 11ish. And it's not hunger that is easily ignored. But I do ignore it, until I eat until I finally feel 'full' - which occurs long after I have consumed too many calories. Plus, I eat any sugar within my grasp, which makes me hungry again, but it's yet a different kind of hunger. It's sugar-nausea, for lack of a better term, and it doesn't go away until I eat more substantive food, which in turn makes me overfed and bloated again.

So, for today, I will suffer through feeling hungry and underfed. I will eat small portions. I will not eat cookies, cake, donuts, or candy. Not even a bite, and not even if they are right next to me. I will acknowledge discomfort is a part of this process, but it is not painful, and it is a reasonable price to pay. I will also acknowledge that I am not where I was two weeks ago with eating and exercise, and in some ways, this is a new beginning. And beginnings can be hard, but they are lovely.

Day 1. I will lift weights at 10:00, even if my house isn't as clean as I would like. It's the only available time to do it. No sugar in any form (at least not anything with a large quantity of sugar), and deliberately small meals. (I typically eat large meals within a short period, sort of a modified IF, but that isn't working for me right now. I prefer eating that way, though, so I hope to resume it within the week.)

I have heard of refeedings. I don't know if I believe they are actually beneficial. And if they are, they should be done with much more deliberation and care. Nonetheless, I am calling this my refeeding period. Onward.

Haha! Totally NOT pregnant. Thanks for asking. I have lost 100 pounds before, so I am not new to this. I have tried MANY times to eat in a calorie ranges that is neither super low nor super high. I have never been successful. So I do not stress it or worry about unxereating. I also don't track calories precisely because that also plays havoc with my OCD tendencies. I don't know if I would have been within maintenance range. I am guessing I would have been slightly above yesterday. The biggest problem, though, was the way I felt. I experienced the 'gotta eat the whole package of not very good cookies until they're gone' phenomenon. Did not make me feel good about myself, my body, or my ability to maintain a sensible weight. Also made me feel too bloated and nauseous to work out. And the out-of-control feelings are always associated with eating off-plan, even when I haven't been on-plan for months. For me, I don't think it's a result of undereating.

I don't know why you are having issues with the psyllium. I started out with three, and I now take eight. I drink lots of water around it, though. But so do you, if I recall correctly. There are other fiber therapy options out there, though. Maybe you could experiment?

Laurie I love your attitude about everything. It really inspires me to keep going and try to better myself and learn from my mistakes. I gained this week, and I do the same as you, whenever I am under a lot of stress I always, always want to turn to eating. I have been working so hard on getting that under control this past year and I have gotten better about it, but it does happen.

As far as refeeding yourself, I have been calculating my BMR and TDEE to make sure I am eating enough, not too much and such. It's all kind of confusing but I believe if I continue to stick with what I know and make sure to mix up my workouts, then I will get the results I am looking for. I am about to start heavily on the 30 Day Shred and then I am going to do an Insanity and P90X hybrid after completely 30DS. I think my body is craving change, and I hope that will bring the whoosh, and at least make me stronger.

I almost binged this weekend, and even though I went over my daily caloric intake, I didn't go overboard. I went for a walk this morning to clear my head and try to get my balance back in order, and I feel ready to continue with what I have started. I keep reminding myself that this is now my lifestyle, it's not a temporary fix. I want to be as healthy as possible, making small changes along the way.

I'm a little late to the party but hoping I can add in my commitment!

My lightbulb moment was in May, but I struggled for a while and only made the serious commitment to get rid of this weight once and for all on August 14th.

I don't have a specific weight to be at for Aug. 14th 2013. I just want to stick with this. I don't want to gain back any of the weight I have lost. And I want to keep working at losing weight.

I've tried losing weight before, and always go strong for a few weeks, hit some kind of a bump in the road (PMS/TOM, life stress, scale doesn't change, get sick, etc) and fall off the wagon. That is not an option this time. I'm not on a diet, I am on a journey to be healthier and fit, and live a long and healthy life.

:D

Pink Hurricane - Yay for not bingeing! So often, that's a victory in itself. I am half-convinced I should buy a Jillian video, too. Let us know how it goes.

Enjoynlife - I think figuring out how much you can eat and still lose is a much smarter approach than mine. I adopted mine just because of my OCD/ED issues. And not that it matters, but I am very old-fashioned about sex. I have been on six dates with four different guys in the last six weeks, and the farthest I went with any of them was a hug. :-) Not pregnant. :-P

Dougsgirl - so glad to have you! I have been struggling lately to stay on the Wagon, and it really helps to have this commitment and this support.

Day #1 successful! Didn't get in much cardio, but did lift yesterday morning. Stayed on plan. Decided yesterday to wait two weeks to weigh, but impulsively got on the scale this morning and was up a pound. Think I will hide the scale.

Day #2 - stay on plan. Stay away from sugar. Continue small meals. Concentrate on water intake. Get 3 miles in of HIIT on the treadmill today. Don't weigh tomorrow!

Have a fantastic day, everyone!

Hi everyone! :)

Yeeaaaah, sooooo....since I started heavy lifting at the beginning of last week, my hunger levels skyrocketed. So last night, my hunger got so extreme that I just had to eat something after my cut off (I'm doing IF). I ended up eating an extra 515 calories than planned so that took me over my daily limit by 106 calories which isn't so bad, but I had no exercise of any kind yesterday either lol. I've got to get more calories in on lift days. It's like my body explodes with hunger LOL. Well it's a new week and I'm ready to burn some fat!

Hello everyone. Am I able to join in here? :) I'd love to give a one year commitment.

I started on June 1st 2012 and today actually happens to mark day 150 for me. I have scrapped any goals per month to reach between now and January as my last year in college is proving to be stressful. I would like to, however, be able to continue to still be able to stick to healthy eating and add in exercise.

Hey all, I think I'll jump in here as well. I technically started my journey in december of last year, but I hit a speedbump for about six months (I never gave up, just struggled for a bit) and officially got my act together on August 27th 2012. So that will be my start date. On that day I weighed 271.8 and started calorie counting using MFP.
In one year I'd like to be at around 170 to 180 lbs. I'd like to have grown more active, taking on at least two new activities such as running, biking, hiking or all of the above. I'd like to go a year continuing to count calories, incorporate healthy whole foods into my diet, and become less dependent on treats. Based on the past, at that weight I'll be around a size 10 (which is inconceivable). Oh, and once I get under 200, I'd like to start lifting.

So there is my year commitment! I'm excited about what this year has to offer me...and what I have to offer it!

Officially making the commitment.
Day 1 of 365 :hat:

I am about to be dealing with a lot of stuff, nothing bad, just a lot of stuff is having to be done at once within this next month and I know I will be super busy. But regardless of all of that, I plan to stay completely committed to what I am doing for myself. Did 30DayShred today, feeling pretty good, couldn't complete every rep but stuck it out through every second of the cardio circuits today. Fixed a spinach salad to take to work along with a side of baby raw carrots and I think I should be doing that at least two days of my work week.

I had a great weekend with my husband, he's been my biggest supporter and continues to be. We are going to have to wait on starting Insanity together because he has been having some health issues, which he shouldn't be having considering his healthy body, fitness level, and age. They did a battery of tests on him and referred him to a cardiologist. I will update more when we know more, I'm worried about him but I know he is in good hands and that we can figure out the source of the problem. A lot of my stress right now is coming from that, I have been praying and staying positive!

Enjoynlife, I used to be a daily weigher when I first started. Found it very discouraging and stopped. I changed to weekly and worked for me during the summer. Since I've been back in college, I do it every second Sunday now because my exercise has been limited due to lack of motivation I know I wouldn't be losing anything major. Thanks for the welcome :)

Welcome to everyone else who joined today! I shall be here until June 1st 2013, at least! :p

:lol: Girrrrrrl, I am FAR from perfect! LOL! I've had a good run so far but I knew there'd be hurdles to jump eventually....I choose to handle them with as much grace as possible.

I feel the same way you do about the dating thing though. I'm a new divorcee and I partly blame my weight for not wanting to date, but like you, shoooot, I needed a BREAK from men! :D

Okay Enjoynlife, I need you to be brave, pull a "ME" (LOL) and take a 14-30 day "kick-the-scale" challenge! When we've given too much power to a particular thing that's affecting us in ways we don't like....we must find a way to take that power back. So kiss that scale goodbye for a couple weeks and focus on the lifestyle. Hey, if anything, it's a good challenge eh? :)

Welcome Dreamer, LebenAlles, & PinkHurricane! :D

I'm also sending positive energy your way for you and your husband. :hug:

angieand2girls, I remember when I saw your signature and the dates you would weigh in... Can't believe how far you have come! A big congratulations, you are doing fantastic! :D

Thank You So Much!!! :D

Wow! Look at our thread becoming super active!

Pink Hurricane - So hoping for good news about your husband's health. I am glad you are so active, though. I know when I get super stressed, especially about things I can't fix, I appreciate the opportunity to work out some of that anxiety at the gym.

Dreamer - I just graduated in May. I agree - that last year is incredibly stressful. So glad you are here.

Leben Alles - I love reading your posts. Excited to have you join us. I have some of the same goals as you. Excited to work on those together.

Enjoynlife - I am going 12 days scale-free! Not quite 'pulling an Angie,' but it will be good for me. I don't plan on stepping on the scale until November 11.

Enjoynlife and Angie - I only recently got divorced (about a month ago?), but I was separated for two years prior to that. So I done took my break. :-) But honestly, I forgot how needy guys are. If things don't work out with this last guy, I think I am done for a while. It's just too much energy for this time of my life. On the other hand, we have date #3 scheduled this week, so maybe it will develop its own easy rhythm? Who knows? I am a total newbie. If only I had kept up my skills like my ex did by dating on the side during the marriage, I would be much more adept at it. ;-)

I've been lurking in this thread for a while and have been meaning to join. :) I totally agree with the idea of committing to something within our control! I'm not losing nearly as fast as I'd like (but hey, does anyone? :dizzy:) so I'm doing my best to concentrate on making healthy choices, one day at a time, one meal at a time.

I made my commitment back on March 5th. I haven't been absolutely perfect but I've managed to stick with what I'd promised for myself: to track everything I eat in a day planner. It worked for me many years ago (as long as I kept with it) so I figured it was worth another shot. So far I've made it through 34 weeks and have managed to push myself to keep going, even through the weeks that felt extra difficult or even hopeless because the scale didn't reflect my efforts. And in that time I've lost 34 pounds, which averages to exactly one pound a week! My ultimate goal was to fill the planner up completely so I could pick out another cute one to start all over with, and in the process I hoped to establish a ton of healthy habits. ;)

I can't wait to see how far I've come by next March. I should be lighter, healthier, happier . . . and much more informed about how to take care of my body. I've spent the past several months pushing myself, tracking my progress, and establishing good habits that used to feel absolutely impossible!

I wish everyone in this thread luck. It can be done! And in my opinion, making a commitment like this is probably the best thing you'll ever do for your health, even if you don't lose as fast as you'd like. Taking the time to establish good habits and figure out what's best for your body is so worth it. :)

Laurie - a 12 day break is awesome!! I know you can do it and hopefully it will help you remove some of that stress and frustration that the scale can often bring. :) And on the dating tip...what you said about guys being so needy is soooo true! I think that's another main reason why I don't want to date right now (I tried dating a guy while going through my divorce but...WHEW!!...WAY too needy). And I've walked in your shoes as well (with the husband dating on the side during the marriage...ugh!). I feel like I need all of my energy to go towards getting the bulk of this weight off.

Ladies, you know what I've noticed? It's like....food is in the air. A lot of people I know have been having a hard time with overeating. It's like once the cold weather comes, there is some kind of chemical release in the atmosphere that says, "You are hungry! Eat!" I even felt like that yesterday and ate more food than I'd normally eat. It's so weird.....fall/winter months makes us want to hibernate and eat more food! LOL!

Hi Elladorine!! I TOTALLY agree with all you said, especially about establishing good habits and figuring out what's best for your body even if we don't lose as fast as we'd like. It's so true. It's in the journey that we learn what's important and valuable, not jumping straight to the finish line. This definitely helps put things into perspective when I'm having those "I want to be done already" days. Thanks so much for your insight! :)

Elladorine! So lovely to have you here. Your long-term success, positive attitude, and creative solutions are always so welcome.

Day #2 successful. I struggled with cardio last night. I don't know why, but my asthma was bothering me, and I thought of 100 reasons to quit within the first half mile. But I wasn't going to report that here. So I kept on, finishing three miles at an average pace of 4 mph. I didn't tear it up, but I did it! And I did not allow myself a single piece of candy. :-)

Day #3 - will be a challenge. My work day will be disrupted, but I will need to lift before the kids' trunk or treat night. Just bought candy I can resist. Who likes Baby Ruth? Or Dum Dums? I will find a time to lift. I will instruct my children to keep the candy away from me. And I will not indulge in a single piece of candy. For me, right now, that would be disaster. Also, very glad I hid my scale, or I would have gotten on it this morning. What happened to my will power? Also noticed super-scary scale thinking yesterday. Glad I made my pledge.

Laurie - I think I'll join you on the 12 days of no scale. I am an EXTREMELY compulsive weigher...and while that's wonderful when the weight is coming off as it keeps me pumped up and excited, it's horrible when it stops coming off even when I'm on plan. Soooo...this is going to be hard, but we can do this, right? I think I'll have to hide mine too.

I think I might pick up the exercise a little as well. I had cut waaay back for awhile because it only seemed to make me ravenous, but it also made me feel better about myself and I could use that pick me up.

Yay 12 days of no scale! Glad you are joining me. :-)

I know it's sacrilegious to some, but I see hunger as part of this process. I don't want to ALWAYS be hungry, but most normal weight people get hungry. And working out is important to my sanity!

Working from home today, so got my work-out in early. Woot Woot.

Enjoynlife - YEAH!!! 30 DAYS SCALE FREE!! That's an awesome challenge! You KNOW I'll be in your corner cheering you on! :D I know you can do it. And here's to a nice big drop when you do step on it again on December 1st!

I'm still hanging in there ladies. Nothing new to report. Still working out, eating healthy, moving it right along. My 6 year old has a fever so I'm taking her to the doctor early tomorrow morning, which means an even earlier workout for me. Gotta get it in!