Here is our new thread!

Be back later!!

I almost neglected to do 3FC today, which is just one step on my road away from plan. Crazy bad weekend. I did do my C25K on Saturday, though, and killed it, even though I never got into it. So, I killed it the hard way. And you know what? Imma focus on that instead of the free-for-all sweet tooth that rocked my Sunday.

I'm running short on time, so I'm not going to do personals for now, but I freaking love all of you guys. So many wonderful women going through what I'm going through = renewed determination. Totally going to the gym and lifting weights this afternoon, then maybe -- maybe -- I will do my C25K this evening, and be back on track for both of my fitness goals. (I was scheduled to lift weights yesterday, and I totally blew it off.) Or I will just do one of them, and still be super proud of myself. In my defense, my knee was sort of spazzing out after Saturday's "run," (90 seconds brisk walk, 60 seconds run) so a little rest was probably good for it anyway.

Cool! A new thread! Yay!

Well, I finally had a whoosh! It's been a couple of weeks of not much change, back and forth on less than a pound increments. But today, I saw a 5 pound loss! So happy to finally see the scale move. I know it hadn't been THAT long, but it seemed like an eternity and I really needed a little push in the right direction. After last Monday's weigh in, and disappointment, I looked back at my calorie count and it wasn't horrible, but I had let it creep up more often than not, so last week, I was a lot more diligent and I'm so happy it paid off.

So officially, I have lost my regain weight from the most recent loss of focus. I'm not leaving this thread, though. I love you guys! I'm staying!!! And, I'm so close to going into 240's!!! The next mini goal is in sight, 249.5. I haven't been down to that since 2005. Wow.

LaurieDawn: Way to go on the C25K and weights! You're staying so focused!!!! Good for you!

I LOVE checking in for just a second and seeing this news, Diane. I am going to buy me a scale. A real one that I can see increments and that I am confident will tell me my actual weight. You have inspired me!

Diane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have REALLY accomplished something! I'm so glad you are here, and PLEASE do not leave. Because you are doing it, it makes me believe that I can too! A 5 lb whoosh is definitely awesome! I'm hoping if I stick with it I can get below 250 by September.

LaurieDawn: I was reading back through some old threads yesterday and I saw how many false starts I had-- going strong for as long as a month before having a few bad days and just giving up. Lesson? Do as I say, not as I do! A couple of days off plan is nothing as long as you keep chugging a long. It's quitting that hurts. The scale is TOTALLY worth it. Even though I'm scale obsessed, daily weighing really helps me keep things in perspective-- I get used to my long-term pattern and don't freak out over ever bounce.

My official weigh-in is tomorrow, but as of today I'm down 2.6 this week. No restaurant meals this week. Even when I think I'm carefully counting calories, it's just easier when I cook for myself. Hope I'll drop a bit more and be down 3 by tomorrow. Yesterday was a little rocky for me. I felt picky around dinner time-- ate one potato chip, one spoonful of rice and a few bites of my little one's turkey burger. Picky is usually not good for me. However, I didn't do anything crazy and I even logged the 1/4 turkey burger (or so) that I picked off the little one's plate when he was done. Hanging in there. Can't wait to power through the 260s...

I only did OK this weekend. I certainly did not show the self control that I need to have right now. I wish I knew what it would take for me to care enough to really get back on the band wagon and do this 100% every day and just get it done already!!

Did I have a loss this week, yes. Could I have done better? Yes...much.

I make myself lists as to why I should do this, I have a personal trainer, I have all the answers. I know what's at stake and still I do just enough. I have the knowledge, power and capability to kill it. Yet I don't. Some days I don't even do the bare minimum.

At one point I was still looking for answers. A better way, an easier way, something that will work for me. But now I know. I know the what I need to do to have a loss every week. I even know what I need to do to really rev up my weight loss. Wouldn't you think that's all I need?

Very frustrated with myself!

Hi all! yay for shiny new threads!

End of the month means lots of things like weigh ins:

My start of June weigh in was 319.6...

My end of June weigh in was 307.4!!!

I will stay focused and get my booty out of the 300s BY THE END OF JULY for real this time and *stay there*

Today also means pictures, and measurements... Did my measurements earlier, and across my 5 points (neck, bust, waist, belly button, and hips) I've lost a total of 4.25 inches, the biggest drop was my hips, 1.5 inches, in 3 weeks.

Also, not sure how accurate the numbers are on this thing, but my gizmo that measures body fat percentage also lost 1.3 points in those 3 weeks. And according to my calculator, that means I've lost about 10 pounds of fat.

So, 12 pounds, 4 inches, and a good chunk of body fat. I'll take it. June was good.

LaurieDawn - SO glad you came by! Not posting on 3FC/MFP is a sure sign that my care level is dropping and that way lies madness. Or at least fatness and I trying to leave that place! And kudos to you for focusing on the positive of your weekend.

Diane - !!! Congrats on your whoosh and shoving off your regain!! Did you see the link I posted in the other thread? "Of whooshes and squishy fat"... it's an eye-opener for when you're stalled. I'm happy you're staying put. I like this little group a lot.

Uber - Rockin it this week! Always nice to see the scale move in the right direction... Good source of motivation. Good job logging your nibbles. I still have a hard time with that.

Sandi - A loss is still a loss, and it's 100x better than a gain. Sometimes it's nice to have a small tangible reward that you're working for, and not just the nebulous "my health"... even though that's more awesome than some random doodad. I reward myself every 10 pounds, because it's just easier to break it up into chunks, rather than look at the massive pile of work in front of me. 10 pounds at a time. I've done it twice, and I can do it a dozen more!

You've got this.

Sandi, that is the 6 million dollar question for me-- for all of us. Why, exactly, can we get fully committed some of the time, but other times, it seems so hard????? I really don't know the answer, exactly, but in my case, MOST of it is stress-related. I don't commit 100% unless I have enough mental space to really CONCENTRATE.

But I had a realization yesterday, when I was looking at my weight graph that goes back to 2009.

I realized that I've been higher, and lower, but I've maintained my weight near 260 for most of the past 5 years. That doesn't seem so great, but, 260 is just out of the "extreme obesity" BMI for my height. It is a 2X or 22 rather than a 3X and 24-26, and even better, it is 10% less than my high weight.

So all this struggle and giving up and yo-yoing and backsliding hasn't actually been for nothing. Prior to joining 3FC, my weight had been GOING UP every single year for 15 straight years. Since joining 3FC, I've consistency maintained lower-- sometimes A LOT lower, sometimes a little lower, but still LOWER.

So, I have to conclude that what I'm doing is working at least a little bit, even though sometimes my head it totally in the game and other times I'm elbow deep in a bag of Twizzlers.

And, if you posted a loss this week, I would say that your head is enough in the game!

A NEW THREAD!!!!!! Alright - I've survived another event. Or a week of event's is more like it. I'm in the home stretch to a much needed break from large scale professional events and major travel. So last I was here I was going to be staying in the city....I survived Wednesday-Friday. There were some more lavish dinners out, not as much exercising and way too much opening night alcohol. I got lucky and didn't show any gains from that. There was a lot of running around and not a lot of sitting and eating all day so I think I was able to just balance my week. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with everything going on with my current production that has had me stretched so thin. I've still got a lot of meals out this week and every one of them is a test of wills at this point. I had one client lunch today - I have one dinner tonight, one dinner tomorrow night and then one on Thursday night and then we are into the holiday weekend and I can take a break from all this eating out. With each meal I'm getting out I get a bit better ordering each time. Lunch was at Legal Seafood - I did fairly good with unsweetened iced tea, baked cod which came with broccoli raab and brown rice. I ate half and took the other half to go. Where I went wrong is the shared starter of 'Bang Bang Cauliflower' which is basically their version of kung pow style cauliflower (I was led astray by the deliciousness and the lure that it was a vegetable which overshadowed the simple fact that it's a vegetable that has been battered, fried and tossed in sugary sauce). Super delicious but I did a little calorie recon and discovered 1 dish is 850 calories and we pretty much split it 50/50 and I had a roll too which is what has really put me over the top for the day. Since this is the place I most often take clients too I'm trying to get the ordering down to no bread and skip the rice get double vegetables - and for the love no bang bang cauliflower! I have to go out to dinner tonight too so I'm just going to play it safe and get a salad with chicken with dressing on the side, no alcohol and ask them not to bring bread over to the table - my friend that I'm having dinner with may be 8 months pregnant but she's also medically gluten free so all that bread will just end up with me so I'm going to just ask them not to bring it. Calculating all of that I'm currently going to be over my calories by 336 so I've got to get some extra burn in there because that overage is already eating my calorie balance from my morning gym workout.

It wasn't a perfect week but slowly I'm finding it easier to be more conscious when I eat out which is one of the major problems for me - because eating out and entertaining is a major part of my job. I need to really perfect healthy ordering and not give in!!!! I'm a bit nervous about the scale this week with all the eating out - I'm sure the extra salt is NOT helping my cause but honestly at this point....it's 3 more days, only 3 more meals out and then I'm out of the dining out clutches for a while thankfully.

@ LaurieDawn - oooohhhhh C25k - I forgot about that. You have motivated me to dust off those podcasts!!!! Awesome! RUNNING IS HARD!!!!!

@ Diane - I second Uber - you can't leave. STAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!! You are so wonderfully inspirational - congratulations on a great accomplishment!

@ Uber - good luck on the scale tomorrow - sounds like you are already moving in a good direction! My fingers are crossed for you!

@ Sandi - I feel like I could have written your post - This time around I am going into this knowing there is no quick fix. I'm also coming into this knowing that I don't think it's feasible that I'm 100% on 100% of the time. I'm aiming for....80% of the time - that feels more realistic for some reason. Small changes every day will equal big changes in the long term. You logged a loss this week which as far as I'm concerned is a success for you. If you want to do better next week, then use this past week and any frustrations you have with yoruself as fuel to drive you home.

@ Fera - you are getting tons of carrots - you have had an awesome june!!!!!!!!!:carr ot:

Sunny - Wow. So many challenges jammed into such a short time period. I very much admire your determination to figure it out one challenge at a time and to make it work. And C25K really helps me focus. =)

Diane - Does the third vote make it official? You are not allowed to go anywhere. I can't wait to celebrate with you as you break new ground in this lifelong battle.

Uber - Thanks for being in the trenches with me. I have definitely had way more false starts than successful ones, but I have had success too. Thanks for the reminder.

Sandi - Sometimes, I have to remind myself that perfection can be the enemy of good. Could I work harder in the gym? Absolutely. Everyone can. Could I have lowered my calories or increased my quality of calories by forsaking all the sugar that is normally a part of my diet. No question. But when I make enough good choices to offset the bad choices, I also try to celebrate the victory. In my case, the voices in my head telling me I did not do well enough are the same ones that convince me to quit. I try to banish them altogether and listen to the other ones, the ones that tell me that very few people I know can do 1-point dumbbell rows with 50 pounds, or that I should be regaining my ability to do real push-ups in just a few weeks of effort.

Mandy - I want a July like your June! It's so great to see you succeed, even in the face of some pretty serious emotional challenges. So excited to see you cross the threshold into Twoderville.

I have been trying to really concentrate my calories in the evening so I can eat with my husband like a "normal" person. Last night, he made dinner for me--his world-famous grilled cheese sandwiches. By that point, I had consumed maybe 200 calories in the day (post-lifting), so I was really, really hungry, but all about eating his food. He made the sandwich, but also made this salad that had all these cut-up vegetables (good, right?) coated with a lot of some mayonnaise-based dressing. Oh, how I HATE mayonnaise--the texture, the smell, the sliminess. I ate the sandwich, but was still pretty hungry. I was trying to force myself to eat this high-calorie concoction that was turning my stomach, all the while envisioning the lower-calorie, delicious, nutritious food that I had rejected so I could eat like a "normal" person. He got mad that it was taking so long for me to try it, and just took the plate away. He was hyper-offended that he had worked so hard on something I clearly didn't want to eat, and I was both frustrated and really, really hungry. *sigh* There's not an easy solution to this food thing, I don't think.

Hi all! Went to Body Pump this morning. It was a good workout. I was sweating a lot, so it had to be good, right? Last night I bought a heart rate monitor. I need it for this new spin class that they are starting at the gym. You use the heart rate monitor to hit certain targets related to different percentages of your max heart rate. It's called "mind over intensity". They have the very first class on Friday, so we'll see how that goes. I think I'll try out the monitor tomorrow at Spin, to see how it works. Something new.

Sandi: I agree with LaurieDawn. We all have to be kinder to ourselves. I think that when you've lost a lot of weight and gained it back, your self-esteem takes such a big hit that you can't give yourself credit for anything. It's so easy to criticize ourselves, but not so easy to be proud of all accomplishments, not just the big ones. I think with my exercise, I've done a great job of giving myself time to improve. I started so unbelievably slow, just being proud that I was in the gym. Then, slowly, I tried to improve each time. So for you, I think you need to be proud that you've lost some weight. You've been coming back here! That is great! Let yourself start slowly so that it isn't so overwhelming that you lose your motivation. You're so right that it has to come from within, and I know we all struggle with that. It just isn't easy. But you can do it! Treat yourself well! It reminds me of one of my favorite motivational sayings: You don't have to be great to start. You have to start to be great.

LaurieDawn: Darn, he is making it hard on you! I'm sorry for the frustration of the dinner. You are doing the right thing in trying to avoid the high calorie dishes. It must just be really hard for your husband to understand why you have to make these choices. Hang in there!

SunnyMac: Wow, you have quite the battle with going out to eat so often! It sounds like you are really learning some good tricks on what to choose. It is so hard to pass on those tasty tidbits that add up to outrageous calories!!

Uber: That is a good way to look at it. You've kept your weight steady rather than just totally giving up and letting it go. It's so true! If I hadn't stopped when my weight peaked at the highest point, I would still be surpassing that and moving higher and higher. There just isn't an option here, we just have to keep trying!

Mandy: So cool that you've lost all that weight and all the inches! Nice!!!!! You'll be under 300 in no time! You should be so proud of the results. Way to go!!!!

Mind if I join you ladies? I'm "New" here- New as in, 3FC helped me lose 78 lbs in 2012- and after having another baby girl in 2013 i gained it all back plus some. Something I SWORE I would not do. So here I am- so far I have lost 12 lbs, so I am just 3 lbs. away from the weight I started at in 2012, so there's a plus! Anyway- I am looking forward to another successful month! I am trying to break my goals up also, 10 lbs at a time- My major goal is to be in Onederland by next June- when we take our 2 little ladies to Disney World for the first time. I want to fit into the rides with my kids without risking the embarrassment of not being able to buckle the seat belt and having to get off. That has happened to me and it was one of my lowest points. So, that's a staggering 102 lbs left to lose... but I KNOW I can do this! I lost the 78 lbs in 7 months I've made my first goal of 10 lbs in just 4 weeks, I can do it 10 more times!!! Thanks for all the support that I know this thread and forum will offer. It really was instrumental to my success the first time, having great people who are in the same boat as me- to talk to and cheer on. Have a great day!

hey everybody-- just popping in. Unfortunately, my dad (who lives with me) had a fall hurt his leg, so I'm going to be busy caring for him today.

Official weigh in down 2 for the past week.

Stressed, but it doesn't seem to be throwing me off track.

More soon.

Ugh stinking at adhering to my plan even during pregnancy. It's been a rough few months. I'm hoping, however, that the weight loss mojo will come back and I'll rein it in sooner than later. Worst case scenario get all the bites, licks, and tastes out of my system now and then I can hit it hard postpartum. But the less I gain during pregnancy the better and I'm already seeing numbers on the scale I promised I'd never see outside pregnancy again.

Granted, I AM pregnant. But I was hoping to see the numbers in the third trimester, not the end of the first. Ugh.

Thank you all sooooo much for being such awesome cheerleaders. *THAT* is why I came back here, and it's something I find really helpful along the way. You all are wonderful.



Sunny - welcome back! And YAY for being almost done with the craziness! I think a huge part of losing weight, especially a significant amount of weight (not just vanity pounds), is learning how to balance the long term process with having a life... And that includes learning how to deal with eating out and socializing, so it's awesome that you're finding that you're getting the hang of it! I don't know about y'all, but I don't plan to be a hermit when I hit goal, so I'm not gonna try to be a hermit for the next couple years while I'm trying to get there!

LaurieDawn - We'll both rock July and be better for it! I'm hoping there is a short stint of traveling in my near future (meaning, I hope the cats are over their re-integration issues), but it would only be a 3 day trip, so I should be able to avoid *too* much damage. And if it means hubby gets closer to signing on for this job, then totally worth it! Learning how to not eat my stress has been the hardest part so far.

Diane - I got a Polar FT4 during my last round of weight loss, and it was the most amazing tool in my arsenal. Once I get my stamina back up, I'll be using it again for workouts. But since right now all I'm doing is walking on a treadmill, my FitBit is enough for that. You'll love your HRM!

Lili - Welcome to our little corner of the internet! Everyone here is super wonderful, so I think you found a great spot to hang out. Congratulations on your losses so far, and it looks like we're pretty close to the same spot, scale wise... and I totally know the embarrassment of having to get off of an amusement park ride because I couldn't get the seat belt to buckle. *shudder*

Uber - So sorry to hear about your dad! I'm sure you'll take good care of him. Congrats on your 2 pounds!

Arctic - Hi there! Congrats on your pregnancy! Good luck to you trying to get back into good eating habits while you're pregnant. I don't have kids so I can't imagine the intensity of the cravings, but my best friend tells me it feels like you are going to go insane if you don't get that one thing you want above all the other food in your house. She went through cravings phases... eggs at first (probably because she's vegan and wasn't getting enough protein), then sweet potatoes, then pizza.. and once she got through the cravings, she would get nauseated when she tried to eat the food again because she ate it so much.

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Chicken is in the crock pot with marinara sauce, and I'll top it with cheese, and serve over penne, with salads, so dinner's taken care of... went and got the expensive prescription cat food for my high-maintenance kitty, and hubby is off watching World Cup soccer (he doesn't even like soccer, so I don't get it)... Btw, does anyone else think the world cup symbol looks like a facepalm icon? Yeah, I saw that and now I can't unsee it.

Now I get a few minutes to myself. I hope you all have a wonderful afternoon/evening!