Angie - I hear you about realizing that you can be loved -better-...that's a hard conclusion to come to sometimes when you're tempted to settle with any love that comes along, so I'm proud of you for reaching that conclusion! I think a lot of people never figure that out, and it's sad. Hope you get to feeling better soon!

Lishar - I completely understand how easy it is to be swayed by how many compliments you get. I think it's natural. And I think that's something I'm having to work with this time as opposed to the other time I lost a significant amount of weight (50lbs five years ago). People didn't notice. Or the few that did made comments like 'just another 30lbs and you'll look fabulous!' or something. And I was like "Really?!?"
A lot of times I think it's just a taboo subject. Because heaven forbid you say that and it offends someone because they're like "are you saying I was fat in the first place??" or "yeah, im losing weight because I've been very sick...or dealing with this major issue in my life...so thanks a lot". So this time around, I'll admit..I've made sure everyone knows what I'm doing. They tempt me with food less, and seem to notice the major drops more because they know it's okay to say something. I know it seems like bragging, but shiz, this mess IS something to brag about. This is one of the most important and difficult things we will face in our life. Seriously. And not everyone gets that.

Anyways, there's my rant. So I've lost most of holiday weight. 242.6 today. I'm pleased with how things are going so far, and have completed two weeks now of being back on track. 60 lbs down, here's to the next 60!!

Btw Lishar, you look fabulous!! Seriously. Look at that waist! I think anyone who cannot see that change has to be blind, fer real.

Wow, Lishar! I can definitely see a difference!

LebenAlles - congrats on your 60 lbs down!! That is awesome! You've been back on track for two weeks..you are not wasting any time in 2013 lol. It's kind of been one week back on track for me...the stomach virus kind of forced me back on track lol.

My One Year Commitment
 

Day 200 of 365

This is the longest I've ever stayed aware of my health and in fat loss mode. The longest before this was in 2005 and it was for approx. 180 days. I've got it beat by about 20 days lol.

I have started a "lower" carb meal plan to see how it works with my body. I'm an intermittent faster (for life...I love it) so I like to eat 1-2 big meals early in the day and be done. This is what I cooked up today: 986 calories, 51g fat, 51g carbs, 81g protein (it's a chicken stir fry cooked in olive oil with onions, garlic cloves, green peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, brown sugar & seasonings, with 1/2 of an avocado and 2 slices of honey baked turkey breast).

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps927dce9a.jpg

It was heaven on a plate and extremely filling. I couldn't eat it all in one sitting so it was split up into two meals lol.

I want to keep my carbs at 100g or below, drink 80 oz of water, eat between 1500 - 2000 calories a day, and exercise 5 times a week with heavy lifting 3 times a week. I plan to keep up my intermittent fasting (eat between 11:00am - 3:00pm) and eat 2 meals a day. I would like the weight from this point on to come off slow and steady as I transition to maintenance later in the year. This is my plan for the next several months so here goes :)

Lishar~ What a huge difference!!! You look wonderful, and that is why I love being able to compare with pictures because even as we lose, it's hard to see it physically when looking at ourselves in the mirror or as we are getting dressed. You should be beyond proud, you look so great!!

Leben~ 60 pounds! Holy crap!!! :carrot: Congrats and keep it up!

Angie~ I think your plan with going lower carb and higher protein is good, and you are still getting plenty of calories to help with the exercise you will be doing! That meal looks delicious too btw! Sorry to hear your were dealing with a virus, I do hope you are getting better! And big congrats for making it to day 200!


Day 17 of 365

I started back full on with P90X this week, and I have been going strong, until yesterday. I unfortunately injured my ankle, while walking in the front yard at work and misstepping into a hole left from a removed pine tree. My ankle bent outward and caused searing pain, which got worse throughout the day. I went to the doctor this morning and he said there was probably a small tear in the ligament, a bad sprain, and to give exercise a rest until it heals. The swelling has to be gone, it cannot be tender to the touch, and I should be able to do foot/ankle circles without pain before I can exercise again. He said it can take a few days to a week. My husband said as soon as I am good to exercise again we are going to start running together twice a week and doing Insanity after both of us are feeling physically well getting back into the swing of things. He started back up his PT this week and has been doing well, his heart was racing like crazy during PT yesterday but he was not in as much pain as before, so I think the medicine has started making a big difference for him.

So since I am unable to exercise, I am taking the time to make sure I have my nutrition completely under control. But I cannot wait to exercise again, this is driving me nuts!

Pink Hurricane - Ouch! I'm SO sorry to hear about your ankle injury. I've had one myself that came out of nowhere a few years ago. I had the swelling and everything too. Unfortunately, it didn't take mines a few days to a week to heal...it took a year. :( I was running a lot on the treadmill during that time period so maybe that's what did it. Anyways, I hope your ankle gets better soon!! I hate not being able to exercise too. I'm glad the meds are working for your hubby as well and he's feeling better! :)

Hi ladies! This thread has slowed down a bit :( I hope everyone is still doing well.

I got good scale news today and found out I'm in the 160's so I was thrilled about that. My body fat percentage was measured today and it's 35%. On October 17th, almost exactly 3 months ago, it was 42.8%. I think that's a great improvement. According to my health assessment, the amount of muscle in my body is spot on, and the only thing I need to lose is 25lbs of fat, which would put me at 140lbs. I'm still going to keep my ultimate goal at 150lbs for now and go from there....but it's exciting to know that my "ideal" is 23.5 lbs away!!

Angie~ This thread has slowed down a good bit :( but hopefully everyone will be back and pick things up again soon! :cheer2: That's great news about being in the 160s and your body fat percentage is my ideal!!!! You go girl! You made huge improvements over a short amount of time, you should be so happy and proud of yourself for achieveing that! :carrot: :woohoo:

Day 23 of 365
So after being sidelined due to the ankel injury for over a week, I just couldn't take being still anymore. While my ankle is still a little tender I wrapped it up and hopped right back into P90X where I had left off, which was Shoulders and Arms this morning. I was careful with the beginning warm up in which you have to run in place and kind of do forward hopping motions, but I steamed through the rest of the workout without much of a problem. I will just be listening to my body to make sure I am not putting strain on my ankle. :D

I have really taken the last week to look at my nutrition and I want to start aiming to eat significantly more whole grains, fruits, and veggies. When my husband and I went grocery shopping we loaded up in the produce section first. I also loaded up on yogurt, both regular and greek. The greek is pretty good, VERY thick but good. I also decided to start bringing more of my own snacks to work so I am not tempted to eat all of the sweets and stuff here that I have binged on before. Little changes, but I think it will make all the difference in the world!

Wow! I spent a few minutes catching up on posts, and I am in awe of what people have been doing.

Angie - Oh. My. Goodness. You are SO VERY CLOSE. It's incredibly inspiring to see your progress and to hear your enthusiasm for your plan. You have been an inspiration all along, and I hope to replicate your success. Your commitment and consistency are insane, and it has paid off so completely.

Lisha - How could people not notice? You look SO GOOD. There is a huge difference in the before and after. But there's a woman in my office who has lost a significant amount of weight - incredibly noticeable. But she also just had surgery. (Couldn't be weight loss surgery -- she would not have been large enough to qualify.) I won't say anything to her other than - "Wow. You look great." I had another friend who lost a ton of weight, and I made the mistake of saying how impressed I was, but it was a health issue. "Do you think I want to look like this?" she asked me. She was a good enough friend that she could be frank, and she wasn't offended, but I am far more cautious about offering weight-related compliments.

Pink Hurricane - AAARGH! I hate it when injuries prevent exercise. I struggle so much with that. But look at you - all commiitted and finding great ways to keep on keeping on. But I wouldn't expect any less. ;-) I hope your husband (!! are you used to calling him that yet?) is doing well on the health front. I didn't read all of the back posts.

Leben - Wow. Still going strong. Your weight loss and commitment continues to impress me. You've had so many challenges, but you remain focused. It's an inspiration.

Okay. I am re-committing starting today. Just to be clear - I have not lost my commitment during the time my attendance here has been only spotty. I have been "careful" about what I eat and have maintained an exercise regimen. But, as I said before, I have been a little distracted by my new relationship. (Some day, Angie, I would love to get into this topic with you. This is my first post-divorce relationship, and I just don't know how to feel about it most of the time.) Interestingly enough, though, I feel like my over-focus on the relationship has damaged it. (Would you believe I can be a little intense at times? =D) So, my new way of making the relationship work is to spend less time worrying about it. Which means substituting something to take off the intensity. Which, for the next three weeks, is weight loss! Woot woot!

I had to be in court today, so I went to the thrift store last night to look for suits. First - hooray for being able to actually buy things there now. It was almost impossible at 270 pounds. [On a side note - I am really over my disproportionateness. I have a pannus -- an apron of fat, if you will -- that hangs down. Pair that with my oversized butt, and finding pants that fit and flatter is nearly impossible, and finding a suit that fits on both top and bottom is impossible. I can fit into a size 8 jacket (if it accommodates my "guns" ;-)), but pants are 14 or 16.]

Okay. Done rambling. Here's the plan.

Sugar is my weakness. And I have been able to eat sugar in moderation for most of my journey, so I don't intend to give it up forever. But I can give it up for 21 days. By this, I don't mean that if I want A-1 sauce to give a bit of extra flavor to lean protein, for example, I can't do it. I mean that I won't eat cookies or cake or muffins--foods that feature sugar. I need to get rid of the "treat creep" that has stalled (but not derailed) my progress.

So, beginning at 9 a.m. on 1/24/2013 and continuing until 9 a.m. on 1/31/2013, I will only allow myself one PLANNED sugar treat. That means no dipping into candy dishes at the office on late nights. No indulging in the birthday treats, even if it's just "one cookie" that later turns into a dozen cookies. And I will add this, too. I am at my ex's house frequently, and he always has tortilla chips. Not a big fan of these, actually, but I will eat them simply because they are there. Those are out too. All chips. And while I may do an initial weigh-in tomorrow morning, I will not weigh on a daily basis, instead keeping my focus on the process instead of the result. If I accomplish this, I will indulge in my first professional manicure.

The next week (1/31 to 02/07) - same thing. I will reward myself with eyebrow sculpting or jewelry, to be determined. (I am talking about $10 - $15 range here, so not professional sculpting. It needs to be done, I think. Just not too sure I want to do it, and this is supposed to be a reward.)

The following week (02/07 to 02/14) - same thing. I will reward myself with some type of fitness equipment. Lots of things I want, so I will leave it nebulous for now.


To encapsulate -
For the next seven days, I will check in here daily. I will lift weights on Friday, 1/25, Sunday, 1/27, Tuesday, 1/29 and again on Thursday, 1/31. I will do two cardio "sessions" on two of the off-days and will try to incorporate more movement in general. No sugar or chips. No daily weighing.

Apologies for the excessive length of the post. I'm back, baby. ;-)

Yep. I am the guy who virtually disappeared for six weeks, and is now highjacking the thread. Sorry.

Day 2 of my 21-day challenge! Weight this morning: 210.2. Not weighing again until at least 02/01. No sugar or chips today, and I will be lifting weights at some point. Feeling a little sore from running yesterday, but otherwise feeling really energized about it all.

Day 2 successful! I actually went and checked a candy dish at abput 9:30 last night. I thought it would be empty, and it was,and it allowed me to stop thinking about it, but I wonder if I dodged a bullet... I also printed out several huge '199' signs and posted one in my office and one on the office fridge. Onederland is never far from my mind. :-) Also got in a great lifting session.

Day 3 - might do some running, but may just decide to do some less goal-oriented cardio like basketball with my kids. No sugar. No chips. No scale. Onederland -prepare my welcome.

Day 3 successful! And I did step on the scale and saw a new low. 207.4. 7.5 pounds to Onederland! Gotta love the low-carb water whoosh! Played basketball last night and met a friend for a lunchtime walk. Needed a break from regimented cardio.

Today - still no planned cheats. No sugar. No chips. Weight lifting. Day 4 - let's dance. :-)

Hey All!
I've been a bit quiet for the past week or two, mainly because I'm trying to get into a good groove. I havent decided if I'm going to do 4 days of RFL then 3 days off or 3 days of RFL and 4 days off. I was able to maintain a good loss for awhile there, but several days off has me up to 242.2, which isnt much, but has me worried that too many day off won't have me at enough of a loss. I did a LOT better during the off time this week than last week though, so I really think it's just a matter of feeling things out.

A nice NSV from this weekend....I ordered two different sizes of a bridesmaid dress for a wedding I'm in in April. An 18 and a 20 (it's JCrew and those things run SMALL). Anyways, the 18 didn't zip so I was going to send it back, but I took a chance and tried it again this weekend. And it zipped! So yay, sending back the 20!

Went hiking for several hours yesterday, and that was nice. Sore this morning, but definitely worth it. So gorgeous!

Laurie - I'm glad you're keeping the thread alive! Looks like you're doing really well and you're so freakin close to onderland! I'm really really excited for you.

Angie and Pink, you guys are doing amazing too...everyone on here is such an inpsiration for me to keep going. We've all come so far, and even though some of us (ME) might have a long way to go, it's been an amazing experience already to know that -this time- is the time. Know what I mean?

Leben Alles - I love how you are tweaking RFL so it works for you. And SO exciting about the size 18. Jealous about the hiking. It is super cold here, and I have been reduced to - gag - mall walking when I just can't take the treadmill. Spring is around the corner. Being outside +delicious seasonal fruits and veggies = so much excitement!

Day 4 - I ate corn chips and about 4 ounces of soda. Late night eating. Calories still fine, though. And I tore it up at the gym. Altogether, pretty good for a weekend. :-)

Day 5 - I will not have a planned cheat today, and will be more vigilent today. Back at work. No sugar. No chips. Going to run two miles on the treadmill tonight.

Onederland - you are in my sights!!!

Sorry I have been away for a bit. Not much new I had a new low of 214. Of course it did not stay. I am now up to 217 and I know its water weight because I did not eat 7000+ calories this weekend. I did make chili and cornbread and could not stay away from the cornbread. I stopped lifting in December when my kids were sick and have not gotten back into it. I am not sure why.

I had a NSV this week. I had to take in the top of my bathingsuit because the girls were going to get free. I am going to have to take in the bottoms soon too before they fall off. I broke down last year and bought 2 -3x suits so we could got to the greatwolf lodge with our girls. They are way too big now.

I am waiting a until March to see what size I will be to buy a new one. We are going on a big trip in April and I will need at least 2 new ones. I am hoping to fit into a size 14 but probably it will be 16. This trip one of the key reasons for my decision to lose weight. I wanted to be fit and look better on our trip. We are going for a week to the Galapagos and a week to Puerto Vallarta Mexico. So lots of swimming and lots of hiking.

Oh. My. Goodness, Lishar! Such an exciting trip planned. What a great reason to get fit.

Day 5 successful! I ran, stayed away from sugar and chips.

Day 6 today. No planned cheats. Lifting session. Planning a chocolate-dipped ice cream cone for tomorrow. :-) Seeing my guy tonight. Though he doesn't do the 'food police' thing (thank goodness!), I have established a pattern where I only eat with him on special occasions, so it's easy to stay on plan when I am with him. :-)

Onederland -I am coming.

Have a great day everyone!

Lishar, that sounds amazing!! It's nice having an exciting thing like that to plan for...makes making a time goal even better because it'll be something you'll enjoy regardless. Wow, Galapagos...I bet it will be so beautiful.

Laurie, you are rocking it!

Still sitting at 242 but I have a feeling that's going to change tomorrow. I'm doing the 4 on 3 off this week and I think it has better results as long as I stay focused.

When we first planned it included Machu Picchu. I knew I would need to walk a lot. Then that got changed but I had already started. Its been a big goal to be fit for our trip.

I am up 2lbs this week. Water weight that I am trying to free with drinking more water.

I took a break last night. I have been on plan for 6 months now. Last night I decided to hav whatever I wanted (within reason). I ended eating about 800 calories above my plan. I don't feel guilty and enjoyed my dinner. I was only able to eat half of it. Bourbon BBQ meatloaf sandwich with garlic fries and a few bites of bread pudding for desert. It was so good and I felt so full.

Now back on plan and get my butt in gear and move it to burn some extra calories today

Leben Alles - can't wait to hear how your strategy is working out. Your persistance in continuous tweaking is inspiring.

Lishar - So. Very. Cool. I am still salivating over your trip. And hooray for the time off plan. It can do so much to refresh our commitment. I am going to try to have a dinner like that on Friday. I'm paying for an expensive meal, so I am going to try to enjoy it. =)

Day 6 - Had part of a cookie. Still considering the day a success. Had some work things and just ran out of time to lift. I planned several alternate ways to get lifting in, but it didn't happen. Still ran a mile. And still considered the day a success. Low calories, some exercise. Good enough still gets the job done.

Day 7 - Planned cheat today! I was up at 4:30 because my calories from yesterday were too low (skipped lifting--skipped 300 calorie protein bar I had planned) and I woke up starving and couldn't get back to sleep. So, at work early, even though I stopped at the grocery store and restocked my food and water supply at work. Woo hoo! Ready to take on the world. Will lift today. Stay on plan--which, today, includes an ice cream cone. =)

Lishar - Machu Picchu would have been incredible as well, but I have no doubt that the trip will still be amazing. My trip this year is going to be a little less exotic (to Seattle) but with the aim of possibly making the town my home in a couple of years. That'll be some time in October, so hopefully by then I'll be in onderland...which will be the lowest I've been since high school 12 years ago.

Laurie - Day 6 sound like a success to me, definitely. I like the whole taking one day at a time business...makes things seem much more obtainable.

I'm still at 242 for whatever reason. I thought for sure I'd be down from that since it's day 3 of RFL, but I did have 3 dark chocolate kisses and an atomic fireball yesterday. Those are quite not on plan, but I didn't think they'd dent things this much. Oh well, another day and another chance to stay on plan and see what happens. Two more days of RFL and then I'll have the weekend for a moderated break.

Laurie~ I am sooooooo glad you are back!!! :carrot: Glad to see you again and you keep going with the excessive posts! :D It is great to hear that things are going so well with your work life and love life, I am happy to hear about your relationship too! :D And to answer your question, it does feel natural calling him my husband, but I still do the EEEEEEEEPPP everytime time I say it or I am called Mrs. Hubby's last name :cloud9:

Anyways I am glad you are back!!

Leben~ Glad you are back as well! I definitely know what you mean as far as knowing that THIS is the time, the actual time, to make things happen and make the lifestyle changes for good. You gotta keep pushing on and sometimes we are going to have off days or weeks when we are not at our highest point of energy or just not in the groove for a bit, but the most important part is getting right back to it where you left off! Also congrats on your NSV of getting into the 18 comfortably! I was sooooo excited when I was able to say goodbye to the 20s for good!

Lishar~ OMG I want to go to the Galapagos so bad, that is going to be a wonderful and amazing trip for y'all! Planned time off is always a good thing to have, especially to keep from being burned out. I plan to do the same when my husband and I set up our time for our honeymoon this summer. That is a huge motivating factor for me currently. Congrats on the new low of 214! Just like you said I am sure the extra 3lb is just water weight, our weight fluctuates so much.


Day 30 of 365

My ankle has completely healed. I still feel a tug and pull in some positions but for the most part I am back into my P90X routine full force. I went ahead and did 35 minutes of Plyometrics to take it easy on my ankle just in case and I certainly feel strong enough to complete the full workout next week. Tonight's workout is Shoulders and Arms and Ab Ripper. My challenge tonight is tossing out my 4lb dumbbells for my 7lb dumbbells. I need to by 10lb and 15 lb dumbbells soon, as I want to start lifting heavier stuff. I realize the importance of strength training now, and I really want to tone up and become stronger overall!

My husband's health is getting a lot better. He has been on the beta blocker for a month and his heart has stopped racing and he only has a little bit of chest pain when he is doing a really rough PT session. Basically we are trying to figure out what the triggers are and we have the option if it comes down to it, to up the dosage of his medicine. Otherwise he has been doing great which has been a relief to the both of us, we started last week with a small workout together and are going to start full workouts together this weekend. I cannot wait because I have so much fun with him, and it's a great way for us to bond some more and spend that quality time together doing something that challenges us and is helping to make us healthier!

206.8! I always think it should be a lot more than it is. But that's ridiculous. 3 pounds in a week is really good, and I am officially happy about it. Even if I have an inappropriate focus on how much I still have left to lose, and it seems so very, very far away.

Day 7 good. Got in a good lifting session. Skipped the planned cheat, but ate a small cookie.

Day 8 - Gonna run at some point. No sugar. No chips.

Pink - It's good to hear that you and your husband are both doing better. I know that mess can get scary and that hurt ankles can get annoying so it's good to see you both coming out on the other side.

240.8 today. Almost lost all of the NYC weight...it's about time. AND .8 lbs til I'm just regular old obese instead of that morbid crap. Nothing like the word morbid to make you feel sexy.

Oh, and yesterday I fit snugly into my partners size 16 pants. Not quite flattering yet, but they buttoned and zipped, so ill take it.

Sorry for the super quick post this morning.

Pink Hurricane - Thanks for the welcome back! So thrilled for you to be planning your honeymoon with your new husband! And so exciting that you are back into hard-core exercise mode. Sending good vibes for you to stay injury free.

Leben Alles - Woo hoo on Size 16. That's the size I wear. =) And that's awesome that you are almost just obese. Although I have to disagree about one thing. I have always considered myself to be morbidly sexy. ;-)

Have decided to pull an all-nighter so that (hopefully) I won't have to work this weekend. So, the challenge will be to not compensate for extra awake hours with extra calories. Cinnamon herbal green tea - you are my very, very good friend. =)

Laurie - Morbidly Sexy....I LOVE it!

Day 5 of RFL because apparently I like punishment. Mainly it was because I wanted to resist 'dip day' at work, and that only works if I'm on something strict. Otherwise I give myself an inch, and end up with five pounds.

239.4 this morning. The holiday weight is officially off and I'm super duper excited. I'm going pant shopping this weekend...hopefully the 16's really do fit, becaues my 18's can now be taken off without unzipping or unbuttoning...that's usually a sign. Looking forward to having a few carbs this weekend, for sure...though the dip table is actually looking pretty gross at the moment. Weird how this diet can effect you mentally. First you're looking at people as meat, then the next thing you know buffalo chicken dip looks like cat puke. Sorry for that visual.

I hope everyone is well. Angie, you still out there?

Leben Alles - Yep. I found that to be true of RFL. Sugar just did not seem as tempting. Still, I often fought through the repulsion. Yay me? Congrats on getting below 240. Great milestone.

I think I would have eaten a truckload of pastries yesterday if they had been available. They weren't, and I didn't seek them out, so pretty good day.

Day 8 - Gotta lift at some point, though I am feeling pretty nauseous. Easier on the food side, though. :-)

Leben~ Yaaaay congrats on getting back to your pre holiday weight! Plus you are out of the 240s! :woohoo: I bet you can fit into 16s, when you are able to slide off pants like that it seems like that's always the official sign of being a size smaller. *virtual high five*

Laurie~ How did the all nighter go? Whenever I have to do that, I find it's hard for me to keep from snacking on everything in sight haha. Good to hear that Day 8 has gone well and I hope you got your lift in!


Day 33 of 365
This weekend is going to be super busy, so I bit the bullet and went ahead and did my exercise for Friday and Saturday tonight, just to err on the safe side. I am very tired and I know I will be sore in the morning, but I feel so good since I took care of that! I'm about to finish up week 2 of P90X, and I am considering adding on an extra week to Phase 1 since my ankle injury kind of screwed up my first full week. I haven't decided yet so we will see when the time comes!

My new official weigh in days are now on Saturday. This morning (well, Friday morning) I was at 231.8 and 231.6, the scale couldn't decide which one lol. Hopefully I will be a little lower, but if now that's lower than last week!

Pink - the all-nighter tanked a bit. I took a nap. But I did stay on plan with eating. In fact, I successfully survived PMS without a binge - a huge break-through for me. Yay for you for progressing with P90X. That exercise regimen is not for slackers.

I finally had my planned cheat last night. And on Saturday, I had my planned expensive meal. I generally don't eat with people, and when I have in the past eaten with the guy I'm dating, I generally haven't eaten a lot. So, he told me later how shocked he was when I "scarfed" down my food. (He's a charmer, that one. ;-)) But I ate moderately, chose what I wanted, and really enjoyed the meal. Look at me being almost normal.

Day 11 - Back to strict adherance to plan. And my stomach has been bothering me today. It's kind of nice actually. It's not bothering me enough to restrict productivity, but enough that I am not hungry. I ate a little bit today, but it won't hurt me to have a low-cal day after indulging a bit on the weekend.

I weighed this morning. 207.0. Since I also started my period yesterday, I am ready to see some scale movement in the right direction! Since I am on the brink, gonna leave my ticker at 206.8. Not sorry.

Have a great week, everyone!

205.4. Getting closer to Onederland!!!

Day 11 - Mindlessly ate candy. Just a little, but that's not the plan.

Day 12- Back to plan. No cheats. No sugar. No chips. Lifting today.

Weekends are my doom. And so is sickness. You'd think having a cold would make you not want to eat, but oh no. Especially not with Mardi Gras going on like crazy down here. I fell prey to the amazingness that is the king cake this weekend, and now I'm all bloated and not at all happy with myself.

Gotta dust myself off and get back on track today. Hope everyone is well.

Laurie~ Haha I love that your man complimented you on 'scarfing' down your food. Nothing better than being sexy and being able to eat good too! ;) I can't believe you are so close to Onederland, keep kicking booty girl!!!

Leben~ Weekends are super hard for me too since that is the time my husband and I try to get in as much quality time together as possible. So we are trying to think of fun ways to exercise together too! You already have the right attitude and mindset, we all have to dust ourselves off and keep going!


Day 36 of 365
I have been sticking with my nutrition but I know sodium is killer for me. I am going to have to drastically alter some of the foods I prepare to have less sodium and make sure to be taking in plenty of fiber, I believe that will help bring me the whoosh I need. Also I am adding on an extra week of P90X since my first two weeks were a little funky with my ankle injury. Now that it is completely better I feel more confident to do all the exercises without holding back!

Hoping Saturday's official weigh in will put me at 230 or less. Going to be kicking my butt everyday!

Pink Hurricane - So awesome about your P90X. I love me some Tony Horton. Glad your ankle is 100%. Injuries are the most annoying ever. Fingers crossed to get out of those stubborn 230s!

Leben Alles - Weekends can suck. Setbacks definitely suck. But I am constantly impressed by your ability to bounce back from setbacks. That's why you have had such long-term success.

Day 12 - Ate a few small candy bars again. Not a big deal calorie-wise, but THAT'S NOT the plan, Laurie! Gonna be up most of the night working, though, so thought I would post tonight and report my screw-up, then claim a clean slate and STAY AWAY FROM THE CANDY.

Day 13 - Treat day at the office! I NEED to stay out of that stupid kitchen. I don't even need to see the treats. I rely on my herbal tea to keep me on track during the day, though, so I need to develop myself a little plan. Not sure what I'm gonna do. Maybe ask someone to accompany me to the kitchen so I don't snack? I don't know. I am so close. I can't lose days of progress for food that I don't want.

K. That's the plan. ABSOLUTELY NOT A BITE OF THE SUGAR STUFF TOMORROW. Sorry I keep yelling at myself. So annoying. But it will work!

Pink - I hear you on the sodium. You'd be surprised though at the substitutions you can do to lessen that a lot. For me, the less salt I eat, the less I want it on and in my food.

Laurie - You wouldnt believe how many times I've wanted to give up. Well, you probably would since we all go through that, but still. I feel like ultimately not giving myself that option is what is keeping me going. After losing this much weight it's easy to be like 'give yourself a break, you've done great' but then that 'break' sets me back a weeks worth of loss and sends me into the spiral of guilt and shame. Bah!

I too have to yell at myself. My partner thinks I'm too hard on myself (I say that I have a drill sargeant in my head with the voice of Samuel L Jackson, telling me to nut up and find my freakin willpower) but really it's when I'm not hard on myself that I slip into old habits.

Yesterday went really well. I've decided to keep up with the RFL stints until next weekends engagement party for my friend. After that I've got to come up with a new less-deprived approach that focuses on lower carbs. I've thought about atkins, but I dont like the excessive fat on that diet. I thought about Ideal Protein too but it seems a LOT like RFL. Any suggestions? I would just do My Fitness Pal and watch my carbs, but I find that a program of some sort really helps me stay on track. That, and switching to something 'new' and 'exciting'.


Hope everyone is well.

Leben Alles - Totally LOVE the Samuel L. Jackson image. Yep. Just got to nut up and find some willpower sometimes!

I had a terrible, awful, off-plan day yesterday. Wasn't completely out of control like some of my holiday-related days, but I did have several partial cookies and several partial pastries during the day. Then, for good measure, I had some tortilla chips with cheese for dinner. And I am up TWO pounds. I know that I didn't put on two pounds of fat. Blah. blah. blah. But it's still gross.

So, back on plan for me. And lesson learned. No-sleep nights (okay - I admit I took a two-hour office nap on my cold, hard floor ;-)) don't pair well with days where I need high willpower. But I think I'm pretty well caught up at work, as long as I stay highly productive and nothing new comes up. So I will (hopefully) be able to add regular sleep to my weight loss arsenal.

So, today is a re-do of Day 13. No sugar. No chips. Lifting day. And highly productive work day so I don't get behind again and can actually enjoy some decent sleep. =)

Because you are right, my friend Leben Alles. It is just about keeping on keeping on some times. And no way am I going to tell the story next year, "Last year, I lost almost seventy pounds and was almost to Onederland, but they had some really great pastries and cookies at work on February 6, and after indulging in those and gaining some carb-related water weight, I decided I just couldn't do it anymore." Cuz how lame would that be?

Do you mind if I join you here? I made a one year commitment to myself on January first to spend the year improving my health. So far I am down ten pounds and up to twelve miles per week on the treadmill. :carrot:

Leben~ That is a focus of mine currently, trying to find those substitutes for salt and sodium. Especially since my husband has cardiac issues at such a young age, it's even more important for me to find ways around sodium in our food! I love what you said about having Samuel L Jackson in your head, I always have my former, fitter self screaming at me, more like 'You've been so close to your goal, kicking a** left and right, there's no reason you can't now, suck it up and do it!!!' As far as programs for you, I started with WW waaaay back when I was at my highest weight and I really enjoyed it, I still use a LOT of the tools I learned then with my lifestyle now, and I use MFP now. :)

Laurie~ I hear you on the 'off' day, I had quite the similar day today and now I feel all crappy. But hey, you did the right thing and got right back on track, and just like you said, you don't want to come back and see how close you were to Onederland and let your temptations take the best of you! I am constantly reminding myself of that with my slip ups.

Traci~ Welcome Traci!!! You should certainly join up with us! I had to recommit as well in January, and congrats on your loss of ten pounds and being up to twelve miles on the treadmill, that is great for a little over a month! :carrot:


Day 38 of 365
This week has just been so crazy at work and I have been beyond tired every day I get off. I am looking forward to when things start getting back to the norm for a while, but I am adjusting quickly to the changes. The biggest thing now is I HAVE to carve out set times for my exercises, because I have let all of this stuff derail me from my exercise since I am beyond worn down by the time I get home. It's going to be hard but I am going to start getting up earlier in the morning to go ahead and exercise before work, so that way there are not any reasons for me to not be taking care of myself. I have a feeling it will also help with my overall energy for the day too. So early morning workouts begin tomorrow, I need all the motivation in the world but I know once it becomes a habit, I will be good to go!

I guess this is day 196 out of 365. I am sure I will sign up for another year once I reach 365. This will have to be a lifetime commitment.

I am so sorry to be absent for so long ladies. I have been in a funk. I think I am getting a bit burned out. Sick of being on plan. Life has gotten in the way of my exercise. I have not been as focused at staying under my goal. I have not gone over by much but enough to stay around 215. I had a box of junior mints yesterday (I stayed under goal). I have just lost my drive and focus.

I think I may have found something to get me going. I am not usually competative. A friend of mine moved to Florida this summer. She posted pictures of her weight loss after I came out on Facebook. Which is good I think it gave her courage to show her accomplishment. Now she looks great. I want to look that great too. I am looking good but not that thin. Soooo Now I might have a competative thing going too. Strange but I did get a bit jealous. I need Samuel L Jackson Yelling in my ear to get my butt in gear too.

I have one NSV to share. I bought XL shirts this week. All my old ones are 2X an 3X. Ok to exercise in but not wear out. I found several for $5 at Wallyworld. It was nice to shop in the regular section and not the big girls side.

My DH has started going to the gym. I hope this lasts. He started Activtrax throught the Y. So he is lifting and doing a bit of cardio. He needs to lose 50lbs at least. He is not doing much diet wise but I am serving healthier dinner and lunches. I am happy about this.

LaurieDawn is this the same guy you have been dating? You are so close ot Onderland. I am so excited for you.

Sugar is my demon more than chocolate. Twizzler were my downfall. I could eat a whole family size bag. I looked later and saw it has 1500 calories in the whole bag. Gag.

Pink Hurricane Salt is really hard to reduce. I find I am good when I cook at home but if we go out I am over my goal. I use MFP to track salt and try to keep it under 2500. I really feel it in my fingers when I don't keep it under control and know I am up on the scale. Water is the only thing I found to flush it out. Its funny I check my rings throught the day to see how I am doing as far as water intake. Tight need more loose doing fine.

Traci in training welcome.

Traci - Good to see you here! I remember you from when I lost a lot of weight before. I love that we're in it together again! Cuz we haven't failed until we've given up, and neither of us are doing that!

Lisha - I totally know what you mean about the funk. I keep thinking I am getting beyond it, and then get sucked back in again. And I am TOTALLY competitive. I try not to do it in an obnoxious way, but if I see someone next to me on the treadmill, and she is going 0.2 mph faster than me, or whatever, you better believe I am casually cranking mine up. ;-) I think it is helpful for me. And yep - same guy I've been seeing. It's turned into kind of an up-and-down thing, but I actually really like him, and it's still kinda fun, so I'm sticking with it until it either gets back to what it used to be or I decide I am ready to take the plunge and starting looking again. =)

Pink - That exercise time is critical for me, too. I have tried early mornings, though, and it makes me tired and cranky because I can't make myself go to bed at night. Good for you for knowing what works for you and taking it on! I'm excited to hear from you about how well your first session went this morning.

Day 13 again! And this will be the best day ever! I did really well yesterday, only to binge when I got home. =( Not a binge. I am happy to report that I don't eat the same tremendous amounts I used to. But way more than I needed. Three freezer waffles, some chips with cheese, some Lucky Charms. For dinner. But that's in the past. So...

Day 13 (take 3!) - No sugar. No chips. Lifting session (which I also skipped yesterday). It will be the Best. Day. Ever! I am seeing my guy today for his birthday, and it really does help me to stay on track. He thinks it's weird that I seldom eat with him, but he doesn't complain. Habit = good. I WILL make it through Day 13 today fo shu.