You all are doing great so far!!!

Easily- sorry to hear about your arm- please be careful!

Diane- yea, I'd go to her boss if it happens again. Hopefully the next time, she will be in a better mood.

Okay, the party went great, no drama or anything. Most importantly, the cake turned out awesome!!!! I sure had a workout with making all the frosting, 3 sticks of butter and close to 10 cups of powdered sugar!!! *thud* I'm still finding little bits of frosting here and there in the kitchen, LOL. Warning:Picture may be NSFW.

Today was the second day back to school after Spring break, so far so good!!! Im up right now still thanks to TOM and alcohol/food. I just finished doing a paper and now I'm off to do an half hour on the elliptical.

Oh oh, I made something new for the first time... Vegetable casserole with a polenta "crust" on the bottom. It was good but next time I'd cut the polenta in half as well as reduce water a bit since it was very soft/soggy and double the vegetables. It sort of tasted like a pizza casserole with all the stuff I put in it. I added green peppers and mushrooms since I only had zucchini, no yellow squash on hand and tomato paste instead of regular tomatoes. I've never had polenta before and I liked it, with a bit of tweaking.

Have a great evening, all!!!

Hi folks. Glad to see everyone's having fun, making awesome cakes and sticking to plan.

I managed to stay on plan yesterday and most importantly resist the urge to binge. Today, same approach: one choice at a time. I am tired of of this extra 20, tired of not quite fitting comfortably into my clothes. I wish I could channel that tiredness into more discipline.

My knees complained loud and long at the gym this morning. I had to cut my workout short and spend some quality time on the foam roller. Ouch ouch ouch.

Good going Carter! Ouch on your knees, I feel your pain. I've never foam rolled... One day though!

Easily_Amused- I have no idea as I have yet to work with almond meal. I want to say yes, it is possible, however I might not use all the water/broth the recipe asks for if you want it to be like a firmer crust. Perhaps you could look up recipes on using almond meal as a crust then follow the vegetable and cheese part of the recipe I shared. This recipe seems to be very versatile in that you could use any vegetables you'd like. :) Someone in the comments said you could even use a ricotta layer as well for a sort of lasagna flavor or something. I might try that next time, although I tend to use cottage cheese.

:coffee:

Carter: I missed your coffee guy, so I'm adding it here. Ha! Hope your knee is better today.

Easily Amused: Definitely, don't give up the exercise! I think it is so important! Good plan on just going with eating above your BMR and not worrying about the calorie deficit. It's what we have to do.... tweak, tweak, tweak those plans!

Amandie: Loved the cake! So cute!

Went to spin class this morning, not the same instructor as Monday, so no drama. She was mentioning that she bought some dark chocolate covered blueberries and put them in the freezer for a quick snack when she wanted something sweet. Thought that sounded pretty good. But, chocolate of any kind is quite the slippery slope for me. :)

Have a great day!

Oh my goodness, I am falling down on the job. :coffee: :coffee2: :coffee:

Easily Amused: I had the crunchy knees for a long time. I read on stumptuous.com years ago that there is nothing really pathological or dangerous about knees that do that, so I stopped worrying about it. It sure is weird though!

I think what happened today is that my muscles around the knee are just too darn tight. I have been lifting hard and I've never stretched enough. And, I'm not as young as I used to be. :dizzy: So have to force myself to lay off the lifting for a week or two and use the time with that infernal foam roller instead.

ANYWAY. I am back in the thread today because today is a SLOG against bad choices and the temptation to binge. I'm managing but boy it is not easy. I went for a walk after lunch instead of buying the cookies that were singing my name at the cafeteria. This evening I have to stop at the grocery store on the way home because I'm short on vegetables, and I have to discipline myself to make a surgical strike and stay away from the things I buy when I choose to binge. Saying it here so I feel some shame when I come back tomorrow. ;)

Carter: Glad you are back on track with your coffee guy. I like to see him! What do you do with the roller? I think I've seen those at the gym, but not sure. I have heard others talking about using a roller after injuries, but I didn't know what they do.

Easily Amused: Wow! That was a lot of steps yesterday! Good for you! I know it can be frustrating to have to postpone workouts because of injuries. I've been holding my breath during this weight loss challenge, hoping everything stays together for me. Only 11 more days. Hope you are feeling better now.

Went to body pump today. I had grabbed a different t-shirt than the ones I normally wear and I didn't notice until I was there that it had some stains on it. It looked like grease spatters from frying something. So, I was totally self-conscious about it for the entire class. Guess I'll remember not to wear that one!

Have a great day everyone!

Hope everyone is having a good day so far!

Nothing new on this front, still same weight thanks to TOM and alcohol. Still working out and food is great so far.

Take care of yourselves, please including tennis elbows and crunchy knees, too. :)

Nothing new here either. I took a peek at the scale and it hasn't moved. I'm hoping it will by Monday. Kinda wanted to see the 260's........ Hopefully it is just TOM. I have to remember that I've had a few good weeks of losses. I might not this week. But... I don't have to like it.

Have a good weekend!

Hi kids! :coffee:

Slashnl and Easily Amused: Using the foam roller is like giving yourself a deep tissue massage. It hurts like a mofo! But, I have been told that the kind of knee pain I experience is due to tightness in the muscles of my legs (which I believe, because I lift hard and don't stretch nearly enough), and that the foam roller is a good way to release that tightness and increase functional strength and range of motion.

I like this video that demonstrates a full-body rollout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khC5J1lkC7s

I just do what she says to do, and when I find a spot that hurts I force myself to roll on it until I yelp. It makes me feel like a piece of veal being hammered into carpaccio by a tenderizing mallet. :dizzy:

Anyway. Slashnl, best of luck for an easy weekend and a fierce finish to the competition.

Easily Amused: " I guess if I hadn't been working so hard, I could have gained 7... " Exactly! It drives me crazy but my daily weight fluctuations are big enough to mask up to a month's worth of actual fat loss. The result is that I never lost monotonically, a little bit each week - always in fits and starts, and always with bounces in between. If you have been on plan, you have burned the fat, even if your net weight isn't quite showing it yet. It just means you are due for a whoosh!

I have been reasonably on-plan this week - compared to how it could have been, at least, I did fine: No binges despite tremendous urges for them. I somehow have been able to veer myself toward the right choice even if at the last minute. Now to keep that up through the weekend ...

Good luck and good strength to all.

Pepper jack cheese, my favorite!!!

I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. Yesterday, I went to a wine gathering at a winery about an hour away. It was nice to relax and socialize with some friends. I tried something new- cranberry wine. I normally do not like red wine but this was really good. I'm looking forward to going again when the weather is warmer to have a wine slushie.

Well, I just wanted to check in for a bit before I get back to finishing up my study guide for Sociology and homework for math as well. Happy Sunday to all!

Hi all! Just checking in.

Carter: Ok, that's what those rollers are for at the gym. Now I get it. I can see how that would help! Or hurt... fine line!

I had a great workout yesterday, so that was nice. And then, this morning, I was talking to my son, he's 17. We were talking about this last week of the challenge at work, with weigh-in on 4/1. He was giving me all kinds of support to do whatever it takes and leave nothing on the table to give it my all. I told him that I was planning to so that I have no regrets. Win or lose, I want all out effort this week. If I don't win, ok, but I want to feel like I gave it my all. He told me that after the challenge is over, that I shouldn't scale back too much because then I might lose too much intensity. I agree. I'm going to try to not talk about weight loss everyday with my family once this is over, but I want to keep the workouts and effort up. That's my goal.

Well, enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Sounds like a great idea, Diane. Oh boy, I really hope you win but like you said, as long as you gave it your best. Keep up the awesome work!

Easily_Amused- Sh!t happens.. Hope you get to feeling better sometime today! I'm the same- I do so much better during the week too. Have a great OP day too! How was Hangover 3, BTW?

Cranberry wine is pretty interesting taste-wise, a little bit tart but not too bad. I'm looking forward to trying the peach wine next time we go.

Have a great day and week, all!!!

Well, lost 1.8 pounds. So close to breaking through a decade, but no.... I got on the scale 3 times and it wouldn't go below, so I'll take it. Hopefully, next week.

Easily Amused: Hope you're feeling better. Although it is good at the time, sometimes our bodies make us pay! But, back to the week and staying on plan.

Amandie: Hope studying is going well for you! No fun!!!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Regaining Control Challenge Level: 12.

I need distraction strategies because I am currently bored and all I can think about it lunch (even though I am not physically hungry!)

Easily_Amused- 8 miles? Wow, is that from walking or running? I wonder how I can figure out how many miles if any I've done on my elliptical. It's my preferred form of exercise, less stress on the knees too. I'd love to get a recumbent or some sort of exercise bike, provided that the seat is comfortable of course! ;)

SRT4852- Knitting, crocheting, chewing gum, surfing the net (including 3fc, cracked, oddee, reddit, imgur, etc) definitely helps distract me. Anything that keeps your mind and/or hands busy!!! If all fails, bring veggies with you to munch in like carrots, celery, cukes, etc. Hope that helps!

Diane- Way to go on the 1.8!!! That just means you should be in the next lower decade with the next weigh-in!!!! :crossed:

I finally got down to 160.8, 1 pound up right now. The next time I weigh in, hoping to see 159.7 or below!

Amandie: Looks like we're both hovering around a decade change.

SRT4852: It's hard when you can't get your mind off food! I agree with the others, to try to find something else to do right now. Try drinking some water or tea, it might help too.

Easily Amused: Way to go with the 8 miles!!

Went to Body Pump this morning. It was fine, but feeling a little achy in my back and hamstrings. Wonder what caused that??? Almost didn't make it to the gym because I overslept.

Easily Amused: So glad to hear about you being on track and all the hard work you've been putting in! That's A LOT of steps!!! Way to go!

Getting pretty excited about finishing up this weight loss challenge at work. I'm obsessing over the scale a lot right now because of it, so it is time for it to end so I can just get back to doing my own thing. I think it was a good thing to do, but now I just want to know if I win or not. I definitely won't give up on what I've been doing because it has helped so much. And, I still have a ways to go. I have about 17 pounds to go to get rid of what I regained, and then I'll be losing new weight. I'm ready for that.

Had a good spin class today! My legs were a little shaky afterward, so must have worked hard!!

Easily Amused: Ha! Pretty good idea with the battery for the scale! Good job with the walking. It is very impressive.

So... it's kind of funny the difference a day makes. Yesterday seemed like a good workout day for me. Today... not so much. I have felt sluggish all day long. I couldn't believe it when my alarm went off, I was not ready to be up. I almost talked myself into not going to the gym, but I went. I can't say it was a great workout, I just couldn't get my mind in a good place for it. But, maybe some good came from just being there.

I think that while I am excited for the weight loss challenge results, I'm also so ready for it to end. Just tired of constantly thinking about it. And, I will be constantly thinking about it now until it is over.

But, then again, I don't want to get past it and then think that I'm free of it all. I still have lots of weight to lose, so I'll need to keep vigilant.

Just one of those days, I guess...

Folks. :coffee: :( I am having a really rough time sticking to plan. I did all right last week but Sunday through Wednesday was more or less one extended binge.

I have been thinking of today as a recommitment day. This has to stop. I don't know what else to say.

I usually take a behavior-oriented approach to weight loss - I don't spend a lot of energy wondering about the underlying psychological causes of my eating behaviors. Rather, I apply empirical understanding and discipline to changing them.

I'm not taking a different approach this time. However, I am pondering why this sudden backslide into binging behaviors. In the six-seven weeks after my girlfriend broke up with me I did not binge even once: It was almost a defiant response, I WILL NOT be the person who responds to heartbreak by falling headfirst into a pint of ice cream. But, as soon as we started talking about getting back together, the binge behavior started creeping back, and now that we ARE back together, I seem to have lost the plot completely.

What is going on?? I don't know. All I know is: No binge today. That's my promise to myself.

Slashnl: Those days definitely do happen. It is great that you got to the gym and did something. Some days that is all you can do and it is most assuredly better than doing nothing. I hope you won't find that at the end of your challenge you are burned out. Maybe recommit yourself, the day the challenge ends, with a promise to stay on plan for 30 days or something like that. It's good that you're thinking about it now, planning ahead for it. Best of luck.

Carter: I'm sorry you've been having a rough time of things. I wish I knew what to tell you. Could it be that you're still a little on edge because of the last break up? What I mean is that maybe you're a little worried about being able to stay together. My husband and I separated for a few months about 10 years ago or so. We got back together, but I know for awhile I felt like I wasn't sure what to expect each time I came home. Will we still be able to keep it together? (That may not be how you feel, but just a thought.)

Easily Amused: Sorry I missed the rant. Sometimes it is good to just let it out! You're doing so well with your steps per day and calorie deficit, that maybe you'll have a big loss coming up soon. I hope so!

For me, today is a better day than yesterday. I wasn't thrilled about getting up this morning, but it was much better than yesterday. I really like spin class and the instructor on Fridays is my favorite, so that helps a lot! It was a good workout and I was pushing very hard. So, long story short.... this guy next to me asks me after the workout if I am training for something in particular. Ha! Um... no. I told him that there was a weight loss challenge I was trying to win. He said that it looked like I had lost a lot of weight and he thought I was in training since I worked so hard at it. (He's training for a triathlon.) Made my day. I don't know him, but I see him there a lot. He's a younger guy, very fit and nice looking. It just meant a lot coming from him, that someone I don't know noticed my effort.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Hi kids! :coffee: :coffee: :coffee: <-- need extra today because my kitty-cat yowled me right out of bed before 5:00 this morning.

Easily Amused, I suspect everyone needs to rant sometimes. Weight loss can be crazy-making. I try to bring my rational mind to bear on everything I do, but sometimes lizard-brain carter takes over and I have to melt down. No matter how disciplined and rational I try to be, weight loss is an emotionally fraught subject and process - no way around it.

And, I like your tweaked plan. It sounds like you are thinking very hard about how to adjust your plan to make it less painful to stick to, which is to me the number 1 key to successful weight loss - you have to engineer your environment and your choices so that the path of least resistance (most of the time) is sticking to plan.

Thanks for the good wishes. I am happy to be seeing that woman again - really cautiously happy, because - Slashnl hit the nail on the head - I don't entirely trust her not to freak out again. We had long talks about what went wrong for her before, we have made adjustments to accommodate her issues, but at the moment I feel super-vigilant about not going down that same path again.

It hasn't been a long relationship - still less than a year - so it's not quite the same emotional investment and general life entanglement as a long partnership or marriage. But - there are other complicating aspects in my life situation that make everything a bit harder.

So yes. Blah blah blah, long story short, the ups and downs and re-ups of this relationship aren't making it any easier to stick to my plan. :dizzy:

I'm okay though. Stuck to plan yesterday (despite taking the woman in question to a movie at a theater with excellent popcorn) and so far so good today. I just - I don't know, have to stay focused, fight that urge to binge, really make every last choice mindfully. Phew.

Hi all! Just checking in. I am working hard this weekend to be ready for the weigh in Monday. I'm going to be glad when the challenge is over. But, I figured I could give it 2 strong days of exercise and calorie deficit so that I can at least say that I gave it my all.

Carter: Just one day at a time!!! I know you can do it!!

Easily Amused: Good for you for working through getting used to lower calories! You'll get there!

Have a good weekend!

Hi kids. :coffee:

Weekend wasn't great, plan-wise, but it could have been worse. I do a lot of cooking on the weekends, focusing on delicious flavorful on-plan food for the week. I made a pulao (Indian seasoned rice with vegetables) that came out so unbelievably delicious that I had a hard time controlling myself with it. I think about two cups of it fell into my mouth when I was putting the leftovers away. :dizzy:

It was that kind of weekend. On the plus side I passed up a couple of opportunities for actual binges. And I find it a little easier to control my eating within the structure of the work week. So, forward ever onward.

Regain kind of sucks all around. I can't remember whether I mentioned this here - last week I went and bought new bras, because I just couldn't pretend the bras I had bought at my lowest weight still fit. I had gone up a cup size, but not a band size (I know that sounds terrific to some, but trust me I don't need it - I'd gladly donate two or three cup sizes to any woman in need who wants them). It's tough to admit that kind of thing, that I can't fit my trimmest clothes any more, but it's also necessary, I think, to feel good about myself and how I look, at every stage of this process.

So here is my question of the day for you regainers out there: How have you confronted the unwanted and disappointing changes to your body that come with bouncing back from your lowest weight?

Slashnl: I can't wait to hear the results of your challenge. Best of luck all around!

Afternoon Folks,
Tomorrow starts my official back on the gym bandwagon and I am shaking in my boots about it. I've realized part of me is worried that this is going to be an uphill battle entire way to get back under 200 lbs and I would hate to lose heart halfway through.

I'm also trying to get back in calorie counting gear but that is always easier on me when I am working out. Right now it's a struggle because I am not physically active but when working out I have no desire to undo all the stuff I just sweated out. I do need to plan out my lunches/dinner more but I never seem to have the time/energy to actually cook.

Luck to everyone else!

Well, we had weigh in, but we're waiting for a couple of people yet. I may not know until this afternoon. I put in some extra time with workouts this weekend. I don't think it helped, because on my scale, I was up .2 pounds. My weigh in was better than I thought for this challenge, so we'll see how it goes. It is hard to tell with some of the smaller people, since they have less to lose for their percentages. We'll see. I'll report later.

Carter: That is an upsetting part of regaining. I had gotten myself out of women's sizes clothes, but then I am back up to those lovely 1x, 2x, 3x choices. It is so disappointing to have to give in and get the larger sizes. I just have to do it differently this time and not let myself slip back into the bad habits and lazy attitude.

SRT4852: You can do it! I know it is scary starting back up again, but you will get back on track and feel so much better!

Easily Amused: Glad things are going well!

Well, that sucks. Came in 2nd. No money.... just the satisfaction of giving my best.

Whatever.... wanted to win. :)

Hi kids. :coffee:

Slashnl, sorry you didn't win that prize! I'm impressed how the contest kept you focused though. I hope you can be pleased with that even without the cash. What's your plan for continuing after the contest?

I have to get moving so I'll just leave a quick thought today: as frustrated as I am with this regain, as much as I want to get it back off, and as hard am I struggling against the urge to binge lately, I want to be consciously pleased that I only regained 20% of what I lost. It could have been much, much worse. Even though I'm not really losing these last few weeks, my efforts are (I think) keeping me from regaining more. That's a good thing.

Good Morning Folks!

@Slashnl: 2nd is nothing to sniff at! Why didn't you win money was this a game of some kind?

@Carter: You'll get back to where you want to be and when you do it will be fantastic.

In my own news: My food choices yesterday were poor when I got home but it was date night and I spoke with my boyfriend about how I can't eat "cheese with more cheese and Doritos with chili" casserole dinners. BUT - I did it. I got up at 430 am and dragged myself to the gym and made a fool of myself trying out a new machine (Open Stride thiny: It's like and elliptical and a tread-climber in one but learning the motions are awkward) but I spent 50 - 60 glorious minuets sweating and pushing through and I know I can do it agian tomorrow.

Thanks for the support. I have to say that my disappointment level was really high yesterday. I gave in my "whiny inner five-year-old", as mentioned in Carter's signature. But I have to go on now. My son was trying to be helpful and told me that I've done so well, and I should be proud, etc. I told him that just for the day (yesterday), I was going to feel bad and be upset about it. But I won't let it derail me. I almost just slept in today, but I got up and went to the gym. I set a new, aggressive goal for myself, losing a total of 50 by 7/1/14. I hope to use that to keep the focus up. I also will continue to track calories and exercise on myfitnesspal, and I'll keep coming here. I said that I wanted to win the challenge, and it is too bad that I didn't, but the other part of this is to improve my health and get this weight off. I have to remember that.

Carter: You should be proud of not gaining more than you did with your regain. That is important to be able to stop before all progress is lost. Nice job!!!

SRT4852: Yay! Good job on getting to the gym! And, you reached out and tried something new. That is really, really good! Glad to see you're excited about going back.
(Oh, and to answer your question... I was in a weight loss challenge at work, and if you won 1st place, you won $600. That's why I'm disappointed I didn't win.)

Have a good day everyone!

Easily Amused: Just keep tweaking!! That's all you can do. I guess it makes it interesting anyway. Good job on the steps!

Not much going on for me. Went to Spin class this morning. It seemed harder than normal. I think I'm still getting over the disappointment of not winning the weight loss challenge. It makes me tired. I'll have to be careful about not letting progress get away.

Have a good one!

@ Easily Amused: I can understand the skin struggle. I have been obese since puberty (thank you hormones and no parental supervision!) so my skin (even though I am only 26) is never going to be something I am completely comfortable with but being healthy is my top priority for losing weight!

In my news; I slept through my alarm and gym time today. I always forget how tired I am when I first start out so it was ambitious for me to think I was going to get there every day this week. I wills stick with Tu/Th (maybe Friday!) morning for this week. Next week I can try to tackle more days but I don't want to hurt myself when I am just getting out of the gate. I also went slightly over in calories yesterday but I am starting to think I am restricting myself a little TOO much immediately (1,500 calorie diet at 255 while busting my butt in the gym? Tummy Growls here I come).

However - I signed up for a 5k in Oct (my first ever!) and it's a color run so I am nervous. Anyone from the PA Pocono Area that wants to join? I also signed up for a "Grazebox" which seems pretty cool just to try since I am always looking for healthy snacks.

I am also trying to plan out what to eat for Dinner - I am taking my mom out to a Longhorn Steakhouse for dinner and I know to stay in calorie I am limited in my choice. It's making me nervous.

@ Easily: Woo - I don't know where you live but I would LOVE to say good bye to my fleece in Easter PA. Congrats on the high step-page and miles for the date and I'm sure you'l see the same numbers on your official weigh in!

As for myself - *whistle* I fell off the bandwagon at dinner last night. I was starving and allowed myself to (shall we say) "tuck in" to the appetizer (Texas Tonion and Bread) and still ate my entire 8oz steak and baked potato and side salad (no cheese or bacon thank you - take my small victories while I can). I need to get back to finding the right balance of nutrients (mainly protein) while on my 1500 diet and exercise - because I am not looking to starve to lose this weight. My stomach was growling so loudly before the food arrived people two tables over could hear it.

Someone was telling me that I can get away with Greek Yogurt, Peanut Butter, etc for protein but I find that - well - I am true carnivore and I need meat (preferably red!) once I get THAT hungry to fill me up. I am looking for better (quicker/easier) suggestions for times like that.

But I DID make it to the gym this morning! Which was a huge victory for me because I am was so tired (and still am) this morning. I also have a question that I am hoping someone offer advice on - I have two calories counting devices 1.) Heart Rate Monitor, 2.) Fitbit and 3.) Cardio Machine and they all always vary between 100 - 200 calorie difference. Any ideas which would be the most accurate?

I need some motivation and have come back to 3FC for it. I've been sloooowwwwly regaining for the last few years and am up about 30lb from I lowest (only ~5 from where I wanted to be) and I am SO FRUSTRATED. It doesn't help that I haven't exactly been trying in the food department.

Thanks for the motivation everyone here provides. I tend to get burnt out on diet forums, but I think I need it right now.

Hi all! Welcome to Tarisaande!! Looking forward to getting to know you! This is a good thread, to me. Lots of support here.

Easily Amused: Funny you should mention being tired from pushing so hard on exercise. I finally decided to take a break today. Last night, my back was sore and my quad muscles have been sore for about 5 days. I push them a lot, so they tend to be tired. So, no gym for me today. I'll go back tomorrow, but it felt pretty good to sleep in today and just ease into the day at least. I think it was a good thing. I just can't let it all slip away!! Oh, and you are definitely warmer than we are. We aren't quite warm enough to do away with jackets!

SRT4852: Good for you getting to the gym! It's hard to adjust to a new workout schedule. But I think if you keep going, it will get easier. I know nothing about Fitbit, but I've always heard that the HRM around the chest is the best way to measure calorie burn. It is talked about a lot on myfitnesspal.

Well, have a good day everyone!

Thanks Slashnl and Easily Amused!

Slashnl, and anyone else struggling with this! Take care with soreness from pushing with the exercise, resting is a good idea even when you feel like you NEED to go out. One of my hurdles the last couple years has been that I ignored soreness in my shoulder and ended up with a torn rotator cuff. Even now a year and a half after surgery, it still hurts, and I cant do weight training (or even open heavy doors without pain). I never liked lifting, but I did it anyway. The thing I miss most is kickboxing though. Ah, I LOVED it!

I'm trying to start running again regularly this summer, and I went out yesterday and don't feel sore today and thought about running again, but I know I should probably skip a day and not overdo it. I've only been out 2x in the last 2 weeks, and none before that since last november! So today it is a walk outside in the nice spring weather we've been blessed with and run tomorrow:)

Feeling so much better with a day of rest. I kept an eye on calories yesterday, but I also didn't obsess about it. I ended up having spaghetti last night and it tasted so good! I just felt so relaxed last night, it was nice. I went back to the gym this morning, spin class. It was really good and I think I had more energy. Not sure if it was from having a better attitude or just getting rest. But, it felt great! I got on the scale and it looked good, so I'm hoping that Monday's weigh in will be a good one. I'm ready to get into a new decade!

Easily Amused: You are so right. We are very lucky in Colorado in the summer. I don't complain too much about it because I really like summer. I spent 8 years living in the mountains in a town at 10,000 ft elevation. It was brutal for winters and the summer high was never above 85. I hated that! So, I don't mind our heat, even when we hit the 100's. At least it cools down at night!

Tarisaande: You are so right that you need to listen to your body before it breaks down! Injuries are no fun. Glad you got some running in! Good for you!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Hey guys. :coffee: My struggles continue. I don't have much to report, just trying to stay focused despite some horrendously bad choices. Yesterday was a pretty good day, plan-wise, and I'm working on making today a good day as well. One. Choice. At. A. Time. Ugh.

Hey all, sorry for disappearing for a bit!!!

I have so,e good news though! After struggling to get below 160, I finally saw 156.6, my lowest in 10 plus years! Sooo excited!!!! The fire under my arse has been lit and is blazinggggg!

Welcome to the newcomers and to the regulars, keep up the great work!!!

Hi all! Just checking in as the weekend comes to a close.

Carter: Hang in there! You've been such a help to me, I wish I had something amazing to say to you. I hope that you can just keep taking it one choice at a time. You can do it!! I know you can!

Easily Amused: NICE! Glad you made it down to a lower number!!! And again, good job on the steps!

Amandie: Good to see you again! And congrats on the great new low! So sweet!!!

As for me, it has been a lazy, lazy day. Which is ok! Last Sunday I was making myself crazy with obsessing about the weight loss challenge, so I'm glad I'm more relaxed. Gotta have a day of rest. Yesterday I went to spin class and then to my son's track meet. Fun day and the weather was great. I love spring! I'm kind of looking forward to tomorrow's weigh in. I think it will be good and I'll be down a decade.

Good Morning Everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. Mine was full of work - work and more work (and occasionally bad food choices). I need to screw my head on straight and stay in my 1600 (yes - I raised it a little based on my BMR) calories options.

I also (again) made it to the gym and while working out I started laughing because I realized I am going full force on this machine for no reason. I am not competing with anyone and it's ok if I don't exhaust myself every time I workout because I am not doing this for anyone but myself. I don't have to impress anyone so long as I am there on the machine giving it (if not my all) all I can give at the moment.

Anyone else have a realization like that about their weight loss and exercise?