Jumping back in, ladies! I have been so busy but finally have a bit of a breather. I have been checking in with weight challenges but haven't had the time for a lengthy post here.

Lemon, yes for a scale drop! And after breakfast, too. That's great, and you will definitely be even lower pre breakfast. Great job! And I'm glad to know you have extra room in your jeans, go try on some 16's soon. The only thing I collect is coffee mugs. I love coffee, haha. I am definitely planning a large veggie garden for the spring. I didn't do it last year but had a nice one the year before.

Firewife: Sorry to hear about the dental work and hope you're feeling much better! I'm glad you finally got your car back, that should help a lot!

Fralick, yay for 243! Brunch at a winery sounds awesome, I would totally do it!

I'm glad to know you're all doing well, and I will post more now that things have slowed down a bit for me. As for my diet, I am doing ok most days. I end up over my 1200 calories a lot, and my weight loss has definitely slowed down, but it's still going down, so that's good. I'm trying to exercise more when I can, and I'm trying to eat more protein rich foods. I finally (and barely) hit the 160's today, so that's making me feel awesome. 60 pounds in just under 6 months. Hoping to lose 30 more and gain some muscle. Time to get serious, haha.

I hope everyone has a great Friday and an awesome weekend!

Fire: So glad you joined us!!!

Pat: Quinoa and steamed veggies?!?! YOU HAVE ARRIVED!!! lol! Seriously though - doesn’t it feel good to make a good choice? I bet it tasted good too, and no regret or guilt. WooHoo! Looks like your scale keeps moving down down down - so exciting

LT: ALL THAT SNOW. I don’t envy you at all! Shoveling is a good workout, but not one I enjoy in the least. Ugh. That breakfast you posted sounds to die for. I tend to be so rushed in the morning, but I have got to start doing better with breakfasts!!! Way to go on the loss - we’re doing it!

Les: You go girl!!! Time to get serious - you’ve been serious for months! 1200 cals is s e r i o u s - I know it well. Way to go!!

AM: So sorry to be MIA! I was sick for days and then my kids have had the stomach bug and it’s been a puke fest around here. NOT COOL. I thankfully haven’t caught that particular bug, yet, but my time is probably coming. Eating has been going better! I feel like I’ve buckled down and have also been exercising regularly again so that’s got me feeling good. Last weigh in was 202.4 - which is a new low for me! It also was days ago, however, as I try not to weigh after nights of little sleep. We will see if I get to it tomorrow and what it brings! My DD’s bday is this weekend and I’m already trying to buck up my willpower when it comes to having sweets around and going out to eat - have to continue making good choices even when it’s not fun! That’s just the way it is now.

I don’t garden, but I would love to learn! Maybe some day when the kids are a little older I’ll try to pick it up.

Hope you are all well! Glad to be back in action

Hey nice to see everyone!
PF YOU are so close....How awesome is that? I love the visual of the ticker tape at the bottom! Glad you are feeling better sorry about the puke as I usually am a sympathy puker UGH

LGF you too.. such progress. 1200 cals is hard
I read this article this am... interesting read even though its daily mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...-plateaus.html

Lt Kids back in school? how are you doing since yesterday?

Off to the treadmill to no where

Oh wear red day to support woman with heart disease!

Pat: Loathe the treadmill. Didn't get to the bike either. There was just something about creeping back out into the cold last night that was totally unappealing plus it was snowing. I stayed in! Good for you on keeping up w/your walking! Soon you will be in the 230s and hopefully you breeze right on through.

Picture: I hate when kids are sick. We got a note home from the 4k program yesterday - one of the kids has mono - at 4??!! What the heck, I guess I have never heard of such. Hopefully your family gets well soon - I too have to beware the birthday cake and the Super Bowl foods this weekend. I am buying mainly veggies I think for that and will have DH grill burgers - i can do that w/o the bun and/or find a chicken breast but I haven't decided.

A garden is a great way to start with your kids - mine run out there and pick for me and eat all my cherry tomatoes right off the plant. You can find bugs and worms and caterpillars (the good kind) depending on what you plant. It's a good thing to know and do!

Les: Go you! 160s are fabulous! I bet you you are all excited to see your new you. Have you continued taking photos? I hope so - it's a journey to remind you how far you have come. I wish I was as committed to tracking my calories but some days I find it hard when running after my kids and doing things on the go. I keep trying. What's your newest outfit you are eyeing?

Hello Violets! Hello Violet wannabes

AM: It's a glasses run today for me and a LO. I've been seriously in need for a few years - LO will be first time in them. We already have a preconceived notion of what we are looking for (LO that is). I am blind as a bat so I have to go smaller and I am thinking cat eye - woot - lets harken back to the 50s and 60s!

Weight - didn't get on scale - tired this am, my bed was warm and inviting, kids in bed with me for their wakeup snuggles, running late and all. Will hop on and get an idea of where I am at that's all I can do and continue to do my best on that front even after breakfast I still know if I am holding/up or down and go from there.

Exercise - I will aim to get my butt out the door tonight. I need to, I feel better though I have to get over the fact I sometimes view it as a time eater and I have tons of other things to do.

My Journey - crazy. Now lets get going and get these crazy five lbs off the each of us. I hold hope this is the challenge we can all do it!

Happy weekend to you all!

PS: Down just a bit more! Yeah! I am on the cusp ONCE AGAIN of leaving the 230s. Perhaps this weekend I can get over that hurdle and really hit 229! Heres' my mini goal to myself - 229 by monday. I do hope I can achieve it.

HELLo Violets!

Just quick to say hi and hope you are all doing well w/the Super Bowl weekend feeding frenzy. I did fairly ok thus far but I have a birthday party to head to here in a bit, I will try my best but the issue is more what is being served then anything else and what can I do to make it healthy for me. Ah - well the day and weekend are fairly young. Hopefully I come out of it ok weight wise. Happy celebrating or enjoying of your weekend.

Birthday celebration was today and I did really well! We even went out to eat and I made a good choice and it was delicious - which made it even easier. That said, the scale was UP 1.8 today - but It *has* to be water/flukey - I've been working out and sticking under 1200 cals a day, there would be no reason to gain?!? Still SO FREAKING FRUSTRATING. Ugh. Darn scale. I need to just weigh once a week!

Good luck tomorrow everyone! We are attending a party for the game and I'm hoping my willpower is intact. Ha!

Picture: Oh those stupid fluctuations! I do hope today is kinder to you scale wise. I hopped on and mine went down - a thin slice of ice cream cake and all! YEAH. I am at 230 this am. We can both do this you get into the 190s and I will get into the 220s tomorrow morning. That's my goal. I am glad you are enjoying your weekend celebrations!

Pat: How are you doing? Are you snowshoeing this weekend? Garden planning? Hey the white stuff is melting here, so I am inching to get spring underway, though i think it's to snow this week.

Hello Violets!

AM: Scale down! Good meal last night, but I went heavier on the squash and meat and drank lots of water to help. Today I am making a huge veggie tray much to my DH dismay - "that's not Super Bowl food!" Tough - he's heavy too, the kids love fresh veggies, and we can all partake. If he wants his one or two beers, fine, I will also have those nasty mini-sausages on for him (ick). I will make myself soup here in a bit.

I had to listen yesterday of a family member prattle on about a new house they are building. Oh lord - I don't know why this person always brings it up around me, they mention how many sq feet the house is, how big the rooms are, how this how that. I get it, you are happy (well maybe, frankly I think said person is worried about over extending but won't admit it), but please also understand not everyone is in a position to build new and huge and be reminded they can't afford what you can. I wish I could just say good it's going well and be done w/that conversation instead it's going over the finishes, how to decorate etc. Can I just say ad nauseum? Blck!

So I will continue to try and be good today. I have a lot of treats to make w/valentines occurring and all this week at school. So I hurry along and try to keep my water going and perhaps I won't want any of them at all!

Happy Super Bowl to you all!

Watching the game thus far the ads are not hip and fun. I liked David letterman and comment about mom letting kids eat tacos in the living room while the game is on. My kids will be eating chicken and fresh veggies in mine tonight while watching. I just loaded up on a ton of those veggies and I may splurge and have one beer. I have had water today so I'm hopeful between it all I won't have too much gain.

Ok the Doritos commercial with the ultrasound was funny. Enjoy the game!

Quick post since I can't sleep. I am down to 264.8 lbs. I haven't drunk any Coke since January 1. It's as much an addiction for me as the drug, I feel like crap after I drink one but I can't stop once I start, so I'm not allowing it in the house. Baby steps. Thank you for the encouragement and suggestions. The snow storms have given us some overtime. Hubby is a driver for a municipal road department which means when it snows he's pushing a plow . Thankfully the overtime will help loosen the budget so the diet friendly foods can be had,

On Thursday my daughter is getting 2 wisdom teeth pulled and I am getting 4 teeth filled and a bone fragment from one of the extractions removed. Then the next thing I have is a deep cleaning which will require my whole mouth to be numbed. Not looking forward to having it done, but I am looking forward to the resulting healthy mouth,

I'm going to try to get a little sleep. Have a great Monday, Violets

fire: I'll be joining you on the numb side this week. i get my crown set which means they'll numb me back up to pull off the gawd awful temp that's on right now. I will be more than happy to see it go! Good luck to you on your repairs and cleaning. Nothing is nicer feeling than non-furry teeth! I rejoice when I get mine cleaned every 6 mos, it's like I know when they are furry I have something good to look forward to. Hang in there! Mouths are quick to heal, I think its more the challenge to our mental outlooks of all the archaic equipment they use.

Good for you on the coke! That stuff is nasty at adding pounds more than calories I think! I have seen my weight really jump when I am or have had some. Good for you on keeping it out of the house!

Picture: Have you designed a colorful breakfast for yourself yet? My LO grabbed 1/2 my egg and 1/2 my 1/2 bagel this morning - little stinker - he ate that on top of his cereal. Though one would think this a good thing, somedays I don't like to share my food - even if it does mean a reduction in my calories . . .

Pat: How did your weekend treat you vs the scale? I didn't hop on today. I had too many chips last night - I ate a ton of veggies and we had chicken breasts, but those darn chips got me. Hopefully yours was easy and non-eventful.

Les: Have you slowed down at all? Is this a new job you have or your baking? I do hope you are finding time to get your life going and enjoying your new shape. How is the picture taking going to show the journey? I may do mine this week. I need to stay in the 220s though.

Hello Violets!

AM: I did fairly well especially for all the sweets I had to make yesterday, but I wasn't perfect. I will have to work on such this week. Still have a LO birthday this week to celebrate. But I am finding ways to keep full, but eat lighter that are helping for these types of occasions. So I will continue to try and see how I do.

I am about ready to take the 230 photos, I am thinking of a good way to do so to show my loss. I'll have to think a bit more on the best way to show that. Will see what might work.

Happy day to you all. Next week is our final weigh in if I recall right. Good luck to you all for continued loss!

Hello everyone!
242.5 this am! was hoping I would just be the same 243 so this was a very pleasant surprise...

LT- WAY TO GO!!! HAPPY DANCE for you! I have never heard of a 4 year old with MONO.. UGH. The 230 pic will be awesome

LGF-- how are you?

FW- OMG the dentist woes... But great job on the scale and soft drink, That isn't easy. Hope you got back to sleep.

PF-How did you make put yesterday? deciding on how often to weigh is a challenge. As I use it as a mind playing tool but need the daily accountability

So for me-- a few posts back I asked about weight loss meds. Had a MD apt today and had a heart to heart with the MD. After some discussion we agreed on a trial of Contrave. And follow up in 2 months. We will see how things go...
Pleased to see some consistency with the small changes and have a fear of falling off the wagon. The support I get here is great help to me..
Got under 20 minute mile today! so please about that.

You all have a great day!

LT: Ugh - we’ve all got a braggy mc braggerson - or worse, a humble bragger - in our lives. It does get hard to hear it over and over! I took a veggie tray to the SB party I went to - HA! I knew I wouldn’t be the only one wanting something fresh!! The doritos commercial was hilarious - a lot of the others didn’t seem as funny as usual? Sounds like you are rocking making good food choices. Good for me to hear!!

Firewife: WAY TO GO on the coke!!! Soda is so hard to slow down or quit. Awesome!! I hate dental work - I had a lot done over the summer, so I can relate. I hope all goes well for you and your daughter!

Pat: I’ll be eager to hear how your experience on Contrave goes! What does it do to assist in weight loss?

AM: I did pretty well during the birthday and the super bowl party!! Today, however, I haven’t done as well. I’m struggling to keep to 1200 calories and par of me doesn’t even think that is a healthy maintainable amount? I don’t want my body to think that we are going to live on that forever - which I worry about since I haven’t been losing much. I also had nearly 100g carbs today, when I am typically under 50. GAH. Fighting some anxiety/obsession about going over and that one rougher day (with the carbs and closer to 1500 cals) will ruin all of my hard work. I *know* that is ridiculous - especially when I work out most days as well - but it’s a hard mind game. Actually, losing this much weight (it’s my first time losing any large amount AT ALL) is a mind game for me!! I gave all of my pants away that were too big and weeded out my shirts - I’m left with 2 pairs of jeans only - but find myself worrying that I’m going to ‘need’ those bigger sizes back. UGH.

When is our final weigh in?

Happy Monday night!

Good morning,

PF- I agree regarding the anxiety and worry, It really is a mind thing. When I sat with the MD yesterday she reviewed my weights over the years and I saw the roller coaster lose some gain some. I have trended down in the past couple of years, but gained this year using food as a way to cope with my Dad. It was refusing to buy new pants that motivated me in December. When she asked what was different this time I said I had made choices to commit the time necessary to change. It takes tons of time and attention to lose and sustain the loss. ALOT of time. Time on ME. THIS IS HARD WORK..

Anyway... Had another good day and while it was stressful I didn't have the cravings for candy or carbs.. that helped.

As to the contrave it is an appetite suppresser. It is the combo of 2 meds an antidepressant and one used with opiate addiction. I chose it as a way to also cope with my anxiety and the other has shown promise with fibromyalgia. Hopefully a win win...Not looking to use it forever

How are the rest of you?

Have a great day.

Pat: Oh your on Naltrexone? I was put on that to settle my immune system a side effect is increased fertility and voila LO was on his way. Yes - it does help w/the weight, you remain fairly steady and don't want to eat all the time. So that's a plus for you. I hope it works out well for you. One side effect can be issues w/BMs, so if you find it's not constant, prunes are a help. I'm just saying' . . . But I do hope you find good things out of it, mine was compounded in a lab, not in traditional script form and I was weaned onto it because some people can have issues tolerating full dose. I had no other issues, plus I felt I had more energy and things didn't hurt so much. And you seem to sleep more soundly, who can complain about that?! If you have questions on the opioid blocker - and its that name, PM me. I was on it two different series of time.

Picture: Oh the scale - wouldn't some days you love to chuck it out the window? I am at 1250 or thereabouts, somedays a bit more (those are the days I seem to loose more). I know, I don't want to think about always being focused on the few calories once I say this journey is done. But maybe by then we won't feel like it's a detriment to our enjoyment and we have taken it into feeling good about ourselves and our work to get this off. Hang in there! Good for you for being the smallest you have been as an adult!

Fire: How are you doing today? How's the lack of soda going? You haven't had an inclination to go through drive thru? that's my weakness especially when traveling (partly to stay awake) so I do hope you find you are strong to stay away from. You will notice your body feels different w/o all the Coke in your system. Things hurt less!

Hello Violets!

AM: Weigh in I believe is next week Wednesday - it's after Valentines and not on a Monday! I believe in enjoying time w/your love, and not worrying about the darn scale the monday thereafter setting your mood for the week. I am kind in those regards

Finally, a breather for a few months - birthdays will be out of the way this week, celebrations aren't until May for other things, so I will have some "time" who am I kidding, I will still be running all over hades and back - but maybe it won't feel like every moment is tied to my calendar.

Weight - didn't check on wake up - ate a good meal last night, didn't hop on scale this am, had to get family out the door for school. Still sitting here in my PJs in hopes that things slow down a bit. But will have to sprint as today is dentist day. I decided last time my mouth took forever to unnumb, and it all hurt so I have American Horror Story DVDs from the library to watch and see if it's something I might enjoy. Who knows - I am game to try something new.

I need to go down to the basement and locate my smaller jeans and a pair of shorts I got at Kohls last summer as a motivator. They are a 16 but I think the cut is more of a 14. Or I was really fat when I bought them. Any who - they were a cute pair that I thought I could use as a motivator. Perhaps this will be the summer to get into them. Anyone else have a clothing motivator of late?

Ok Violets - Shrink now will you! May your day be filled with lots of good!

Fralick, good luck with the meds, hopefully it helps both the weight and the fibro. I also have anxiety, but have found that the diet and exercise seems to help alleviate some of my normal worries, maybe just because it is something else to focus on. I can see how it could also make it worse for some people though.

Firewife, great job on the coke! I was totally addicted as well, and had to give it up completely. Glad I did! Good luck with the dental work!

Picture, 1200 is tough for sure. I can't wait to finally be done and at maintenance, when I can eat 1700 calories everyday haha. I'm glad you let go of the big clothes! It's really empowering. This is the first time I've ever lost a large amount of weight, too, and I am determined it will be the only time. I will not need my old clothes!

Lemon, you are so close to the 220s, exciting! Definitely go get those clothes, you may fit in them already. Good luck with the dental work, I hope you like American Horror Story. I've heard good things, but haven't watched yet.

As for me, still super busy. I'm eating well most days lately, and drinking a decent amount of water again. Still struggling to eat more protein, but I'm trying. Back to 168.2 today. I will take updated pictures tonight. Missed posting my starting weight for the challenge, but on 1/27 I was 171.6 pounds. So as of today, it's a 3.4 pound loss. But my weight has fluctuated a ton lately, and TOM will be soon, so there is no telling where I'll be at the end of the challenge. Good luck to everyone!