06 Regainers regaining control and relosing!
 

New thread since the last one passed 500!

Today was a clinical day, so I was up at 5:00am and at the site by 6:30am. Ate a small breakfast sandwich on the way, had a few pita chips during our 30min break, and drank lots of water. I think I'm going to splurge tonight and make beef and broccoli for dinner! Yum yum. Also, I'm down to 255.6 - this puts me back at my original starting weight four years ago, and three lbs away from my starting weight for nursing school! :carrot: Inch by inch, and pound by pound!!!

Jenni: This looks like a good article to read about group interviews!

LaurieDawn: Princess Bride is definitely the shiznit! I'm finding that if I just buy healthy snacks and pack a big bag of them, it fends off most of the temptations for junk food...I just need a big variety! I was thinking about doing the batch cooking on Sundays, but I need to find a recipe that isn't terribly time consuming but is yummy enough for me to eat all week.

ToastedSmoke: I'm definitely thinking of buying some quick frozen healthy meals for emergencies...last time I lost the weight, I had a set schedule and had time to meal plan. I also had the determination to do South Beach Diet and cardio kickboxing! lol

Melissa: I think that strategy is working for me a little too! If I know I'm going to be having a big meal in the evening, I'm tending to eat less during the day...on normal days, though, most of my food is eaten before noon.

That's what I did when I was a mostly stay at home mom. I ate a decent breakfast, a protein snack, a decent lunch, maybe a small snack and oftentimes a small dinner (and sometimes none).

With working, I found my hunger patterns are different. I now don't really get hungry, so I eat in the evening...

It's how I plan to handle the vacation coming up this week too - basically ONE meal a day and keeping it "easy going", especially with carbs.

Thank you for the new thread.

Thank you all for the encouragement and interview tips.

I had the interview it was broken up into phases. There were 3 tables with 4 people each at a table. First, we had to go around and introduce ourselves and tell them why we would be a good fit for the job. 2nd we broke into groups with our table and had to complete a project. 3rd we asked questions and 4th we had a written exam of questions. I feel I did well on everything but the introduction. I tend to get shaky when I stand infront and talk to a large crowd (guess I need to work on that). We will see they are interviewing all next week to so hopefully I will know something soon.

On track all week. I think I am staying the same as weight goes....probably all the stress because I have been eating on track.

Anywho, I hope you all have a great weekend!

YAY new thread! :)

Hi all!

Not much to report here. Baby Matthew is kicking away at my insides and we are both doing well.

Hubby is out of town until Sunday so my eating isn't super great, but mostly because I'm bored and also because I don't feel like cooking just for me.

I have an appointment in a couple weeks, when I hit 28 weeks (Third trimester!) and also a glucose test, so I'm gonna try to get my eating habits in check once hubby gets home. Hopefully my weight won't have jumped up way too much between this appointment and the last one.

We got the nursery started, but still notably missing is the crib!

Also, we adopted a new kitty. Well, I guess he adopted us, because he started showing up and hasn't left, so we took him to the doc and got him fixed and all his shots. He's doing well, and not holding a grudge.

I hope you all are doing well!

Melissa: my days are usually very much super active until about 2pm (not necessarily physically, just mentally intense) and then when I get home I just tend to veg on the couch and study. Plus, I take my birth control at night, so if I don't eat something in the mornings, I get super nauseous lol.

Jenni: It sounds like you still got a great start, even if you felt shaky on the introduction! You showed that once you got adjusted (which sounds like it happened quickly), you really got to shine! I'd be nervous too if I had to do group stuff for an interview. Stress eating and weight gain has been my adversary all year but it looks like you're handling it well :)

Mandy: super duper congrats on the baby!!! And you still got plenty of time to get that crib going. :) It's awesome you've got the nursing going already. That's how we got our new kitty too. Her name is Hermione, she's absolutely gorgeous, she's two and a half months old now, and we adopted her off the street because she wouldn't leave us alone. She's sweet and crazy!

Thanks! :D

So, the power went out last night at about 7pm, right about the time I was about to prepare myself some dinner! Yeah, it didn't come back on until almost 6am.... so guess who had Ritz crackers with PB for dinner at about 9pm last night?! I didn't want to go in the fridge and let out what cold was in there, so I ate from the pantry. And it had to be things that didn't require heating. My choices were granola bars, potato chips, crackers, peanut butter and bread. Not the best, but at least it had protein?

Def not the worst either! I would've just eaten the bag of potato chips lol!

Arrrg!! Computer ate my post!!!!!! And it was a long one :( :(

To paraphrase ... I'm back on plan, lots of navel gazing having been done. Decided I'm no good out of routine, pleased kindy is back up and running. Love to everyone

Now I've got to run .. well not run, I jiggle ;)

Kelly: I legit laughed for about 5 min at the "I jiggle comment" lololol

Hey guys, so my long Eid weekend has been going. I'm a little resentful that it's back to work tomorrow, mostly because I didn't accomplish much, but I did get some of my workout mojo back so that was good.

Amanda: Lol about the degree of "muchness" we all seemed to have time for in our past weight loss journeys. I'm in awe of my initial weight loss self and how much dedication and planning and discipline I had going on. Who can sustain that "much" all the time??? Although I suppose one person's "much" is another person's "nothing at all." I guess we're always changing and we can only plan around our current situation.

Jenni: Fingers crossed about the interview. It sounds like it went well. I'm sure other people struggled with the introduction as well. Hopefully, that's the least important part of the interview compared to the actual content parts. I'm praying you get this if this is the job for you. The scale will reward your efforts soon, I know, just stick with it!

Mandy: I love your updates! I'm glad everything is going well. I think Ritz and peanut butter were probably the most balanced choice. Like Amanda said, I too would probably have gone in on the bag of chips in a bad bad way- forget the protein and healthy fats! I hope your next check up goes well! Stay healthy okay?

Kelly: Boooo the darn post-eating internet gremlins! Yay getting in a good head space and being back on plan. I'm still on the struggle but I'm doing better with exercise even if not food yet. Lololololol about jiggling. There needs to be a club of us: #JigglersUnited Maybe we'll expand our club into making the sort of fitness wear that holds the jiggle together but without sucking it in so much one can't breathe or pushing it together so one looks like a poorly wrapped package. We'd make a mint, we would. ;)

Alright guys. I meant this to be a quick check in. I didn't want to wait till I was back at work tomorrow and I was also considering some unhealthy snack choices so I decided to post instead and once I'm done with this, I think i'll go for a walk or to the gym or something. Okay it's already 6pm so I need to get going before it gets dark outside. Wishing all you guys a wonderful on plan day!

Hey all! I'm back after a really great 4 day weekend. I went to Body Pump on Thursday and then nothing until this morning, when I went to spin class. I also didn't record a single thing that I ate. I had a lot of stuff that I normally wouldn't have, but I also tried to not go overboard on eating. I ended up with a loss this week, so that's good.

Had a great time at my parent's house. They were all excited about the weight I've lost. We also went to the Royal Gorge Bridge, which is near where my parent's live, in Canon City, Colorado. That was fun because I haven't been there in forever. They have a zip line that goes across the gorge, which is about 1200 feet above the river. And.... I rode it!!! It was just an amazing thing! I was pretty scared to do it, but now I'm thrilled to have experienced such an adrenaline rush!! The best part is that before losing the weight again, I would not have been able to ride it. And, before I lost weight, I wouldn't have even considered it. :)

Anyway, not enough time for personals, but I've caught up on everyone's posts. Hang in there everyone! We'll all get through this!!!

In general news for myself today, my kitten decided it would be awesome to jump in the toilet. She's been with us for about two and a half weeks now, and we've always remembered to keep the toilet lid down JUST FOR THIS REASON. Well, she didn't realize that it could be an opening and just went for it...and right into the bowl she went. So she immediately got a bath and took it like a champ (didn't scratch or bite me once), and got treats after for being so good. Now she looks like a drowned rat and is too sulky to cuddle with me, but is too cold to not want to curl up on me. End result is she's curled up next to my leg and won't let me pet her lol. Fair enough, cat.

ToastedSmoke: Me too! I'm always in awe of how much I could "before", and you're dead-on about one person's "much" being another person's "nothing at all." Workout mojo is always a good thing to be getting back. Mine is nowhere to be found :O

Diane: It's the best feeling to not have to calorie count every single little thing and just KNOW in your gut which foods are good/bad/okay in moderation and still come out with a loss. And major congrats on the zip-lining! Sounds exciting :) I can't wait till I'm small enough to be able to do stuff like that again. It must have been so thrilling!!!

Well, I ended up not wanting to run last night, so I skipped that. I had to go by the store last night and do a load of laundry, so I didn't want to take the time to run. And, I was tired, so it didn't happen. Anyway, I went to body pump this morning, so that was good.

Dread: Aww, poor kitty. I am sure she was not happy about that situation. Glad you made it through without scratches or bites!

Afternoon check-out, which means crazy busy work day. Which is all good, but puts me behind on other things and tries to convince me that the exercise portion of my day is not necessary. But it won't work! Nevertheless, quick check-in.

Goals -
1 - Weigh tomorrow morning. I've been avoiding it. Need a baseline to keep me motivated again.
2 - Finish the stack of work in front of me in the next thirty minutes. Focus on it - don't answer the phone or respond to emails. Then, when it's done, go for a walk or to the gym.
3 - Eat well. No unbridled sugar.
4 - Stop drinking water. Cuz it's a crutch for me, but all this peeing is making me less productive, which means that I am less likely to be able to squeeze out time for the work-out.

Right - day three of being on plan, we all know how hard those first days are :( my face has gone into protest and I have a huge zit! And hes asked a friend to move in o_O I did pilates on Monday and I'm still feeling it, my core strength is terrible thanks to 2 csections so need to persist. I've finally started wearing my fitbit, and I'm finding that really motivating (although there is something to be said about being a stay at home mum I have no problem reaching 10, 000 steps) its a beautiful winters day here so we are off to the park soon, will stay away from the hot chips but might swing a flat white.

I think I really need to watch out for times I'm not in routine and plan for them, kindy is back in session so back to routine this week.

Upping my water (min 2ltr) and back to logging food.
Pilates 3 times a week + 10, 000 steps
Move that blinken ticker to a new number!!!!

Amanda ~ I can't help but laugh when animals are annoyed or embarassed, my dog Hank had me laughing yesterday after he tried to walk though a closed glass door of the local fish and chip shop lol glad you got away with no scratches I can't say I would if I had to bath my cat Juno!

Toasted ~ I definitely think there is a grap in the market for non jiggly but breathable fitness gear, also im a little over shoutey tops that scream 'Suck it up Princess' I want one that says 'Tell someone who cares' :) anyway I hope the stars align for you and you match food and exercise at the same time.

Diane ~ so awesome for the support of you family, I know we don't do this whole weightloss thing for praise but man its nice when people notice all the hard work you've put in. The ziplining sounds amazing, its funny how we don't notice how the weight is holding ourselves back, I've been back swimming! Also was at a cafe with the kids and they had a trampoline and I got on with them - something I wouldn't have done at my heaviest because I worried I'd break the mat :(

Laurie ~ love your goals! Good luck with your weigh in. Mine wasn't pretty but its better than ignoring it!

Lecture day today, so I ate a decent breakfast, ate a decent lunch, and sat on my butt all day. Decided to follow a Buzzfeed workout challenge for the next month and the workouts happen on Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Saturday, so I'll be hitting the gym tomorrow (no if's, and's or but's)! I'm kind of excited to start it, because it looks like my friend will be doing it with me so I'll be able to keep myself accountable. Also bought myself a fitness tracker watch last night on Amazon and it should arrive on Thursday...I feel like it'll help a lot with keeping me motivated to just keep moving.

Diane: Something is still waaay better than not doing anything at all! :) The kitty was very, very sad about the whole situation - she was upset with me for a while after the bath lol. But she got over it with treats, cuddles and warm blankets!

LaurieDawn: You can do it! You sound super motivated and all the weight check will do is make you even more motivated. :)

Kelly: I couldn't help but laugh at her in the bath when she looked like a drowned rat. Felt so bad for her! She was so sad lol.

Late check-in. Court hearing this afternoon, so this will be quick.

Weighed in. Somehow, I've managed to gain yet another 10 pounds. Up to 237.4. Celebrated the achievement by dusting off the cookies on the counter before work. Changing my ticker tomorrow. But it is what it is. Can't change the past. Can change the future.

I am going to go to the gym after my hearing this afternoon. Going to tighten up the food and make lots and lots of better decisions.

1 - Weigh tomorrow morning.
2 - Go to the gym after my court hearing.
3 - Don't give in to the "super hungry afternoon" feelings that have been occurring lately.

Went to spin class this morning. It was kind of hard, but I think it was more because I was totally distracted by my job and some issues I had going on. I think they're finally resolved, so I'm doing better now. I will go running tonight after work. I probably would rather go home, but I don't want to lose my progress on running. Besides, I haven't had the best of days with food lately, so I need some extra calorie burn. Not sure why I think cupcakes are ok to buy.

Laurie: Well, at least you know and it isn't horrible!!! You can totally reverse directions and start getting that scale back down. You have a good plan and good attitude!! Way to go!

Dread: Sounds like you have a good plan with your fitness tracker watch! You'll have to tell us how you like it once you start using it.

MissLoud: I've heard that having a fitbit really helps keep you on track. That's good to hear that it is working for you!

Its been a week. Been applying like crazy. Went to a temp agency. Also heard yesterday that that interview I went to had already done reference check on me. They are still doing interviews through this friday. It is also a limited duration job through the state lasting 16 months but at least I would get my foot in the door! Food wise I have been off but committing today to get back on it!

Well I feel like I'm getting into the swing of things again, I have a family trip to Dunedin in three weeks so I'm really making a big push to get to double figures by then. It might be just doable. Other than that just trucking along really.

Jenni ~ I have my fingers and toes crossed for you on the job hunt, its got to be a good sign they are checking references :)

Laurie ~ good work for getting on the scales, and like you said it is what it is it doesn't change anything just by knowing the number. Totally reverseable otherwise we all wouldn't be here.

Diane ~ may your stars align and food and excercise is on track at the same time. Definitely finding the fitbit interesting, even if I only use it as a fancy pedometer! I don't know how much I trust the calorie count

Off to do Pilates before I get lost in Aliexpress putting things in my Wish list but not actually buying ;)

I have a big meeting today, and I was going to wear the suit that I almost gave away because it was falling off of me. And the pants were too tight to wear in public. <sigh>

Kelly - Double digits would be such a great milestone! Your stats are a great reminder that this process really can work.

Jenni - The job search. UGH. State employment tends to mean stability, good benefits, and not-insane hours, even if the pay doesn't tend to be spectacular. From one state employee to a prospective state employee, I am sending good vibes. And still working on this through that. So impressive.

Diane - I am back on C25K. I did Day 1 a week or so ago, and I did Day 2 yesterday. It was really hard, and my body is quite unhappy about it. But I did do a bonus minute at the end, and went about two miles total. Long way to say -- it really is possible to lose a ton of fitness in a relatively short time. Way to stay focused and moving forward. And yes about the cupcakes. I am not okay to buy them ever.

Amanda - Your workout challenge sounds crazy cool. You'll have to let us know how it goes. I just graduated from school in 2012, so I hear you on the challenges of being a student and the endless lectures. But it's temporary, and you're making it all work together.

Toasted - Glad you're getting your work-out mojo back. It can be so hard to recapture it. Also - have I mentioned how much I LOVE your check-ins? I know sometimes it's tough for you to get them in, but they always brighten my day.

Did Day 2 of C25K yesterday afternoon. I planned on going after a court hearing, so I was out of the office already, and could not procrastinate going because I had to choose between going straight back to work and hitting the gym. But man - I struggled to make myself drive to the gym, to get out of the car, to get dressed, and then to actually complete the work-out. But I did it. I am hurting some, but not seriously, and at least I did it.

I am meeting a friend to work out at 5:15 today, so I am definitely doing it again today. She doesn't push very hard, which has historically been an annoyance to me, but it works very well for me today. I am planning on all day at an amusement park tomorrow, so I don't want to disable myself with too vigorous a work-out.

Goals
1 - Drink water. For some reason, I am reluctant to do so today.
2 - Eat reasonably. Don't get caught in the lying "just one Tootsie roll" trap.
3 - Weigh in tomorrow morning.

Have a great day, everyone!

Oh boy, feeling a little stiff today. I did go running last night. It seemed way harder than it should have, but I think my mind wasn't committed to being there. Things finally worked out at my job, so that was better, but I kept thinking about how much I wanted to go home. Anyway, made it through and then went to body pump this morning. The squat track was ridiculously hard, so now I'm sitting at my desk, with the air conditioner on high (at least, that's what it feels like), and just getting stiff. Oh well. I'll go outside at lunch to warm up. I'm going to try to pull some weeds tonight. I'll be by myself, I think, so I'll have to really push myself out the door instead of enjoying the luxury of being alone!

Laurie: Congrats on getting back to C25K. That is such a good program to help ease back into running. You'll definitely get there!! Sometimes it is so hard to get yourself into the gym, but it sounds like you didn't give in to an option of not going. Well done!

MissLoud: Ok, I'm not sure why I'm not getting it... what do you mean by double figures? Maybe type a little slower so that I can get it. ;) How did Pilates go?

Jenni: Good luck on the job search! That is so tough. I'm sending good vibes your way!

Lol sorry Diane - Metric system here! 99kg which is 219 pound. Sorry to break you brain ;)

Mmm all I seemed to do was eat yesterday, I was still under my calories but feel heavy. My muscles are sore from pilates, my core strength is horrendous! And a sick child which all in all is making me feel less than flash :( maybe I'll slap some lipstick on see if that helps.

Laurie so pleased you are getting into the swing of things even if the first few times its hard to pull finger. Hmm my stats don't read to well if you look at my graph, I'm not where I wanted to be and that has been playing on my mind lately.

*sigh* all I want to do is go for a walk but little man is in bed so I'm stuck and bored, not a good combo for me. Would do a spot of gardening if there wasn't a -7º frost brrrr over housework. Maybe meal prep to the weekend so I can gave the weekend off cooking! Geez I'm exciting

Kelly - I am just looking at your tracker and your mini-goals. I know your progress has not been linear, but I also know how long you have stuck with it (and are still sticking with it) and know how fantastic your progress has been because you just are not quitting.

Diane - I absolutely have those days when I am just not feeling it, even when I am being as faithful to my work-out program as you are. (Okay - almost as faithful. I never quite reach your commitment, but I don't have to reach your level of commitment to be very committed.) Glad you pushed through it. Hope you got some warmth for those muscles.

Went to the gym yesterday. Not a fantastic work-out. Some soreness today, but not much, and that's a relief. Today I will be going to an amusement park (yes - again!), so I will be doing a lot of walking.

I'm 333.0 this morning, so I'm almost back to where I was when I began the challenge. =)

Goals for today -
1 - Walk most of the day at the amusement park
2 - Don't eat an outrageous amount. Lunch will be the challenging part, as we will probably do either pizza or McDonald's. But I can at least restrict the amount of food I eat.
3 - Weigh in tomorrow morning.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Oh so thankful it is Friday! Oh my gosh. Anyway, I went to spin this morning, and I'm planning to run after work. I have a lot to do this weekend to get caught up after being gone last weekend, so I'll just try to keep from being lazy and sitting on the couch. It is supposed to be a really nice weekend weather wise, so that should help.

Laurie: Glad you are seeing some progress! I had to chuckle a little that you wrote that you were at "333", rather than "233". :) But you are getting it back and that's great!

MissLoud: Ohhhh! I get it now. That makes a lot of sense now. Hope you can make it through the day with all the stuff going on. Sick kids are no fun!!

Weekend check-in! That means I'm either really committed or that I came into work on a Saturday, and checking in to 3FC is part of my daily work process.

Diane - I didn't notice my "333" until you pointed it out. THAT kind of a gain would be pretty discouraging, I must admit. =) Your updates regarding your work-outs makes me think that I should do mornings, too. But that would take a whole lifestyle overhaul, as the just-pre-midnight hours (and too often post-midnight hours) tend to be the best, most relaxed, hubby times, and I definitely need as much of that as I can right now. But the afternoon thing worked for me for about a year. I can get back on track with that again! Hope you have a productive, on-plan weekend.

228 this morning. (Not 328, Diane.) Spent a day in the sun walking around an amusement park and playing at the waterpark. AND did not order anything from McDonald's for lunch, but instead ate a protein bar. Protein bars are not nutritionally ideal, but I actually enjoy them, and I cannot say the same for McDonald's foods. The abrupt weight loss has more to do with hydration, I'm sure, so I will be okay if the scale rebounds up a bit. But I am finally on course again, and I just need to stay on course. That's not easy, but it is easier than starting again after being completely off course.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Saturday check-in after a few days of absence! The last couple of days have been a little rough...this current clinical rotation has been less than ideal (to be tactful). My proctor's teaching style isn't my favorite, but she's not a bad teacher. The site, however, is driving me crazy. The place makes me sad and angry on the patient's behalves, and I'll be assigned there for two and a half more weeks. Add in waking up ridiculously early, going to bed ridiculously late because of ridiculous amounts of paperwork, and we have a very cranky Amanda and very cranky classmates. I haven't weighed myself since Wednesday after the gym and I don't plan on weighing myself till Monday. Thursday I had chicken strips and fries, then Jack in the Box for dinner. Friday I had pizza for dinner and two strawberry margaritas. This morning, I finished all the leftover pizza for breakfast and lunch.

And now...now I start regrouping and drinking water like crazy. I'm going to weigh myself Monday morning and be extra good for my beach trip in a week! And lots of studying and workouts so I can just relax while I'm there.

Laurie: So it turned out to not be that bad, huh? :) And it looks like you're getting right back on track pretty darn quick as well! The workout routine from Buzzfeed is pretty awesome, but I'm sure it was meant for someone already in much better shape than me. I'm adjusting what I need to and doing less reps than is prescribed, but it definitely gave me good workout! I like your daily goals. I feel like if

Diane: I'm right there with you. I can never be trusted with cupcakes or pizza or ice cream. I'm super excited about the fitness tracker watch. It's currently sitting in my apartment's office, so I'll need to wait till Monday to get it and start using it. I'm impressed with how often you workout....I think one of my goals is to be as dedicated as you are to it!

Jen: Good luck with all the applications! I know job hunting is never fun. Them doing a reference check on you so quickly can only mean good things, right? Fingers and toes are crossed for you!

Kelly: I keep looking longly at your ticket. I'd love to be back in the 220's already. It looks like you're doing awesome at getting back into it! Sick babies are no fun...hope your little man is feeling better!

Well a complete turn around of a weekend, my littlest perked up and had a great Friday so my husband decided to take them up to our holiday home in Monowai for a boys weekend... I knew I loved him for a reason!!! So two whole nights by myself!! Now for the old me that would have been a box set and copious amounts of junk food. Oh how I have changed, I went shopping in the morning (half price boots yes please) then off to look at wedding dresses for my friend, then a big walk with my dog and a dvd night with my girlfriend .. with healthy snacks. Very proud of myself because that little voice was in my head to make fried chicken, no one would know Kelly. I told it to shut up and had a beautiful piece of smoked salmon with salad. All and all feeling pretty darn good about myself right now, all swungs and roundabouts for me!!

Amanda ~ sounds like you have some challenges there! Plan plan plan :)

Laurie ~ ik working on the weekend! Amusement park sounds like fun, I wish we had something like that here

Diane ~ pilates darn near kills me! I have zero core strength, but it can only get better right??

Hi all!!

I feel like I've taken another step towards a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

I can no longer walk outside, because it's just too stupid hot, so I ordered prenatal yoga and prenatal pilates DVDs, and picked up a fairly inexpensive yoga mat. Now, if I can make myself use them, life will be good!

I have another glucose test coming up this week, and it has me a bit stressed. I was only a few points below the cut off last time (I was at 131 and the limit is 135, eek!) and I'm worried I'll have to do the awful 3 hour test that requires 3 blood draws. Though I'm told most women who have to do that one end up doing just fine with it and it's usually not a big deal. We shall see!

Also, I am hoping that eating a little something a few hours before will help out. I was fasted last time, and drank that super sugary glucose drink on an empty stomach... So maybe eating a multigrain/high fiber english muffin with cream cheese and a plum (I love plums!) will help get my pancreas in gear to keep that number where it belongs!

I hope everyone is doing well! :)

Quick check-in! So what's the end result of three days of not really caring what I eat or how much I exercise? I'm at 256...which means I gained a whole 1.2lbs back. Not so bad! Guess the weight I lost to get down to 254.8 really was real weight and not water weight. :)

I know I told myself I wasn't going to weigh myself until Monday but I was staring at the scale this morning and just had to know the damage. It should be pretty easy to get back down to 254 and then below if I keep my cool this week and focus on what's important (like wearing a bathing suit in front of people this coming weekend)!

Ok, I've never uploaded a photo before, so I'm trying it now. I am sharing a photo that was taken right after I rode the zip line last weekend. I kinda like the picture and I'll never forget the feeling. I thought you guys might want to know what I look like, so here it is.

Anyway, moving on... Having a good weekend, but still struggling a little with staying on food plan. I had a ton of activity yesterday, so taking it somewhat easy today. Mowing my lawn is a huge effort, and I did that yesterday. I had also gone to body pump and body flow in the morning, so I was feeling it all last night.

Today I'm trying to clean the house. I'm not much into it at all. I'm not a good housekeeper.....

Dread: Yep, not too bad of a gain at all! Just back at it now, and you'll be fine!!

Mandy: Ugh. I had to do the 3 hour glucose test. Passed with flying colors, but the taste of that drink was awful. I hope you don't have to do it!!! You're doing so well right now with everything, I'm proud of you!

MissLoud: How nice to have that time to yourself to do what you wanted to do!!

Laurie: I eat protein bars a lot. Not everyday, but I do think they are helpful a lot of the time. I think you made a good choice there!!

Love that I'm seeing so many weekend / Monday morning posts! So much commitment. =)

Diane - I LOVE that picture. You look like you're feeling great, and you're looking fierce. Thank you for sharing it. (Okay - confession - since you talk about your grown picture, I pictured you a little more "middle-age-ish"-looking, whatever that means. You do NOT look "middle-aged" at all. Not that there's anything wrong with looking middle-aged. Old women are gorgeous! And now I'm on a tangent. Sorry.) I continue to be so inspired by you and how terribly fit you are. And I am now additionally inspired by how fantastic you are looking.

Amanda - The definition of success is working through the bumps and keeping on keeping on. It's a beautiful, first-of-the-week Monday! So much rejuvenating energy in Mondays! The pizza and chicken strips are now memories, and the future is filled with [whatever your version of healthy eating includes]. Yay on the Buzzfeed work-outs. Yippee to modification rather than quitting. And such a relief that the scale damage wasn't worse. Good on you for owning it and moving forward. I also feel for you on the clinicals frustration. I deal with people all of the time who seem to be getting a "raw deal," for whatever reason. But you know what? I know that I can't conquer the world or fix everyone's problems, but I can almost always make that person's day better because I was in it. (I feel like I'm sounding like a self-help book this morning, which can either be annoying or inspiring. I'll just hope it's the latter.)

Kelly - Reading your post put a huge smile on my face. What a fantastic weekend! You so deserve a few kid-free days, and you put them to fantastic use! Go, you.

Mandy - Ugh on the glucose testing. But yay on the progress through a healthy pregnancy. I love hearing about the baby's acrobatics. But I still think of you as Mandy, the woman who encouraged me to quiet my inner hooker! Not just the pregnant minister's wife. ;=) Good luck on the testing.

230.2. I had hoped not to go over the 23* brink again, but I also ate spaghetti and candy yesterday, and my work-out was lackluster. But I went to the gym. And I ate fairly healthy *most* of the day. So, I will chalk it up into the win column and hope for a week measured in the 22* category.

So much craziness in my world. But things seem to have improved in my personal relationships -- especially with the husband -- so I am embracing the crazy.

Today's goals:
1 - Hit the gym this afternoon for some fantastic cardio.
2 - Weigh tomorrow morning.
3 - Eat fruit, veggies, and lean protein today. No excess sugar.

Have a great week, everyone!

Laurie I will definitely be back telling mental hookers to shut up in a few months! I have a legit reason for waiting until New Years for my weight loss resolution this time around... and I'll be sticking to that plan. That will give me a little over 2 months to recover from having the baby and I should be able to ease back into an exercise routine at that point, if not a calorie restriction due to breast feeding.

I've currently gained 16 pounds through 28 weeks of pregnancy, I hope I can keep that from going too much higher! (doc only wanted me to gain 15 total, oops)

OOOOOOH MAH GAWD, what a day today!! Med-surg test over cardiac disorders this morning (aced it!!!), six hours of lecture on hormones, ate awesomely healthy all day, went to an hour long spin class (in which I went so hard I got dizzy and almost puked, need to work on moderation), then visited a close friend in the hospital (her six y/o daughter had to have a cardiac catheterization done). I came home exhausted, sore, disgusting, and generally pleased with myself. AAANNNNDDD....my weight is down to 254.6 as of this morning, lowest it's been since I started trying to lose weight! All in all, a very successful day. Oh, and I deep cleaned the kitchen and did all the dishes. BAM.

Diane: You look AWESOME!!! So happy and confident! I love it!!

Laurie: It really is the little things that make the days tolerable and worth it. My depressed patient told me that I was an awesome nurse and that he wanted to be there when I graduated the other day and it made my week! I think the biggest lesson I've learned this year (that's really paying off in my weight loss so far) is just brushing it off, adjusting my expectations, and rolling with the punches. Nursing school has really kind of beat me into a new perspective on life (or is in the process of doing so lol). If today was terrible, I'll just have to make tomorrow better.

Mandy: Good luck on your glucose test this week!!!

Ok, today is a better day. Yesterday was a busy, tough one and I never made it back to post anything. I updated my ticker... upward... but didn't have enough energy to post. I went to spin class yesterday and it was all good, but when I got to work, it seemed like I lost all energy. It is TOM for me, so that probably has a lot to do with it. I was looking back at my weight logs and it seems like TOM is causing a lot of havoc with my weight. It goes up quite a bit right before, but then goes down. So, we'll see what happens next week. I am at the age that I'm probably peri-menopausal, so who knows what those hormones do. I was dragging so much by the time I got to the end of work, I almost didn't go running. But I happened to mention it to a very supportive coworker and she told me to just go and run. :) I did, and I'm glad. That was the push I needed yesterday, I guess. Went to Body Pump today and no running tonight. Feeling better.

Laurie: Aw thanks! I am definitely middle aged, I'm 51. There is something I really like about that picture. That was such a strong feeling at that moment. And that's the picture my daughter too. Pure magic. I don't typically like pictures of me, but that one just reminds me of how much fun that was. By the way, I am so happy to hear that things are better in the personal relationship area of your life. That has to help!

Mandy: Sounds like you have a good plan for the remainder of the year. I know you don't want to put on a lot of weight with the pregnancy, but don't be too hard on yourself either. You'll be fine and starting out in January, then you can start working on losing weight again. So exciting!

Dread: Whew! What a day for you! And way to go with losing some pounds! That's awesome!

Mandy - Your response makes me fear that you think I think you should be working on weight loss or management right now. I hope you know that my comment was intended to be responsive to your concerns that people are tending to overlook you--the spunky, fierce, fun hooker-rebuker--and focus on the whole pregnancy thing. Anything related to exercise and calorie restriction is, both now and after the baby, between you and your doctor. I only want to cheer you on, as you have done for me. =) Also - yay for breast feeding! It can be tough to establish, but it was one of my very favorite things ever.

Amanda - Hooray for being a bright spot in someone's life, especially someone who needs it so much. Nursing is a lot about knowledge and technical skill, but it sounds like you are already mastering the people side of it. And go you! You are a superwoman. Great student, great friend, and spending some time to take care of yourself. And it's all paying off!

Diane - I love so much that you feel that way about a picture of yourself! It's powerful reinforcement that the rewards come far before the completion of the weight loss goal. Yay for the supportive coworker too! I am in awe of your running, BTW. I think I will go for a run myself this afternoon. In honor of you.

I'm having a particularly unproductive time period at work. No deadlines baring down. No inspiration to just clear out the underbrush--the small tasks that will bite me if I continue to ignore them, but they are being quiet for now. But I feel so much better when I just get things done. I also had a tough day yesterday. Pie, cake, donuts, and candy at work. I only ate two of those four things. Yet, somehow, that does not feel like a victory. =)

Today -
1 - Get focused on "clearing out the underbrush" this morning at work.
2 - Get out of here at 1:00 to run.
3 - Plan something with my husband this evening that is more active. (No kids for a week except my 18yo, since his kids are with their mom for a week, and he wants to do stuff together, which is great cuz I love to do stuff with him, but also a little overwhelming because I don't usually schedule as much leisure time as that.)

Have a great day, everyone!

Went to spin this morning. It didn't seem like a great workout today. I think it might have been more about my effort into it than the workout itself, but I didn't think that I was slacking. Oh well. They can't all be spectacular! Going running tonight.

Laurie: The pie and cake would have been my biggest temptations, that's for sure. I think you did well! I get you on the "underbrush". The little things can become big problems after a while. Ugh!!

Down to 253.8 as of this morning, but I think it might have more to do with dehydration than anything good I've done lol. I'll still take it though! It's hard finding the motivation to push through everything I usually take care of on the weekends and get it done now, but I need to if I'm going to be able to relax at the coast this weekend. I need to make sure I get enough sleep as well...if I'm exhausted and just sleep the weekend away on the beach, I might as well have stayed at home! So my goals for the next two and a half days are time management, good diet, good hydration!

Diane: TOM always, ALWAYS kicks my butt! I get cranky, tired, bloated...and it makes wanting to do anything impossible for me. I totally get it.

Laurie: 2 out of 4 isn't bad! I'd consider it a victory I didn't eat more, and a goal to eat less of it in the future. And yay for quality time with the hubby :) It can be hard to come by! Sounds like it'll be something active and fun too!

Hey guys, this thread would be perfect for me!

I lost 100lbs last year and have gained 15lbs back in the last 5 months. I've dropped 1.5lbs and I'm ready to get back to it. I think my set back happened when I returned to using hormonal birth control, which I have always maintained causes me problems. I went against my own better judgement and now I am feeling just tons better to be off of it.

So I'd like to lose about 60lbs this time around and keep it off! I'm ready to work hard for it again.

ARGH! I lost my post. Quick recap.

Walrus - Super glad you're here. I recognize you from other parts of the board. Yay for identifying your problem 15 pounds in instead of 50!

Diane - Going through the motions is the most important thing sometimes, though I have to say that sometimes my body surprises me with either being tougher than I expected or not nearly as tough as normal, so a less-than-stellar work-out may be just normal fluctuations. Still so impressed with your massive commitment.

Amanda - So excited for your well-deserved beach time! Hope you get the recharge you need for your hectic schedule.

Up to 236.4 this morning. Making a commitment to a 7-day challenge. It will be tough, but I need to do things much better.

1 - No eating from 1 - 6 p.m. unless post-lifting protein.
2 - No eating after dinner unless fruit or veggies.
3 - Exercise 5 of 7 days. Walking counts.
4 - Weigh every morning.

Attempt #15,932 to commence. Today.