Hi all, I am new here and as of yet still tickerless! lol. I have been scouring the site for a bit and am impressed and excited by what I have seen. I just signed up for the February exercise challenge and was also hoping to see a February weight loss challenge but did not, so decided to start a thread.
I feel that the support and ability to exchange stories, etc. is so helpful. A bit about myself........well the nick says a lot. Just tired of dragging and so ready to go! My goal for this month will be to lose a minimum of 12 lbs. I am just starting out again after a long moratorium so I feel it is a realistic and do-able goal. I like the challenge too! Posting here and with each others support gives one all the more incentive too!
I am doing my own diet, or healthy eating plan, if you will. My food plan will consist mainly of fruits, veggies, (salads), protein (mainly chicken and fish) and occassionally beef and eggs. FOr this month, my goal is to restrict my carb intake as follows: bread, no more than 2x per week. No pasta (though I did have a small portion of rice the other night) xmmmmm, ok, 1/2 serving of rice per week if I wish. No cheese, except for my kraft fat free american (which I have been eating for years) and feta cheese occassionally in my salads.
Aside from this plan, I will have 1 night a week (my night out) to enjoy what I wish but in moderation!
My ultimate goal is to eat low-fat healthy meals as mentioned, and to restrict myself to late night eating (eating watermelon if i get hungry later after dinner) and to make sure I eat lunch during the day ( a previous problem of mine). Drink plenty of water and my green teas.
I guess that's about it for now, I would love some company. I plan on posting every day and writing a bit about how the day went, etc and hope that we can buddy up together for this months weight loss journey, regardless of goals or meal plans, etc.
Hi there FSA ... I will join you as I'm just starting to diet again, and really need to get with it! I've wasted January ... but now is the time. Ideally I would lose 75 lbs. but I'd be very happy with 50 off. I am counting calories, and will try to eat 1800 or less per day. FSA, I like your idea of eating what we want in moderation, one day a week. I will exercise at least three days a week, and shoot for 10 lbs. off in February!
FSA, thanks for starting this thread. I will post again tomorrow.
Back again this morning, FSA, to say that I managed to stay with 1800 calories yesterday. I hope your plan is going well. Today will be a bit harder as I will be eating out; I plan to control it though. I don't know if I will get in any exercise outside as it's pretty cold here.
FSA, should we have Monday mornings as weigh-in day? That helps me to eat more carefully over the weekend if I know that's coming on Monday! Maybe we will have some new people joining us as we continue ...
Hi elsie and welcome! I'm happy that you joined me. My goal is to lose 40 lbs, ideally 50. I too struggled with January and finally said, that's it! I have mentally prepared myself for this month and will keep a constant check on my attitude. No more beating myself up or getting discouraged and thinking negatively if I sidetrack, that sort of thinking always leads to my downfall. Every day is a new day, if or when I have a sidetrack, ok, I wake up to a new day and and am conscionse of making it a successful day, maybe some extra exercise, etc. I just started exercising again and it gives me such a mental lift! Walking outdoors is my favorite thing but it's cooooooold here too! I hope to be venturing outdoors soon.
Congratulations on having a good day yesterday and accomplishing your daily goal My day went well too anddd I may be going out t onight as well! THe weekends are the toughest for me and I think your idea of monday morning weigh-ins is super!!!!! That will help keep me in line over the weekend! I already have Sunday night's dinner planned, fish and salad.
I woke up depressed today! Last night I ate rich food (lot's of cheese) and after eating healthy and light all week I really felt it! I had an upset tummy late last night, heartburn, you name it and this morning when I woke up I could and can feel the fluid retention. Needless to say, I just read some advice from a very nice lady.......telling me to remember there will be slip ups or bad days mixed in with the victories and to brush right past them, n ot let them get in my way and to get right back on the saddle!. What perfect timing, tyyyy so much : ). Anhow, it perked me right up and I'm getting right back on that saddle. My goal for today is to follow my food plan, lot's of water, and to do my treadmill workout (I signed up for the Feb. exercise challenge and it is really helping me to stay on course).
Hope you had a great night and that everyone has a terrific weekend.
Good afternoon, FSA. PLEASE don't beat yourself up for last night. That happens to all of us. Long-term, we have to learn to fall off and get right back on the wagon the next day because that's what we call LIFE, isn't it? So just get back on track today and tomorrow, and I'm sure you'll still be okay for weigh-in Monday. And I don't care EXACTLY what my scale says, as long as it's less than 222!!!
We saw "A Night At The Museum" yesterday, then ate at Chili's. I had the black bean burger off the Guiltless Grill. Love that dish and that place! Another good lower-cal dinner there (compared to "normal" dinners) is the Chicken Margarita platter, just about 700 calories. The chicken in the pita off the GG menu is excellent, too. I had a diet Coke, and just a couple of sips of my husband's Margarita. So I managed to get through the day with about 1650 calories. Today I hope to get it a bit lower, and take a long walk, as well.
I measured my hips this morning, and they were a good 49" .... compared to a couple of years ago, when I had them down to 45 - 46". I'm going to measure once a month to check my progress from now on, like the first Monday of each month.
Well, FSA, you have a great day. I'll check in again tomorrow to report my calorie count. Remember, yesterday is over, and today is going to be a GOOD ONE for you!
Good morning FSA ... hope yesterday went well for you. I had a good day, kept the calories in the 1600s, though I'm trying to go lower. No exercise as it was too cold and windy to walk. We're going to have a frigid week where I am, so I need to get to the indoor pool ... must do better with the working out next week. I must hold the line on food today as tomorrow will be our weigh-in.
Today my *exercise* will be putting away Christmas decorations; YEP, I've had a hard time getting myself to take trees down, etc. I get so busy and tired during Christmas that I enjoy decorations more AFTER the holiday.
Good morning ELsie Thank you for the support and encouragement! I feel so much better today, it was a good day yesterday. Stayed in last night and cooked dinner at home , I had ex.lean beef (first time this week) and a nice tomato salad! We ended up eating dinner around 6:30 and later at night I felt like a snack of sorts so I had my bunny luvs (baby carrots) with my delicious f.f veggie dip.
I can't beleive you mentioned CHile's! That's where I had originally planned to go Sat. night. First of all, let me congratulate you on a super night out! YOu did great and having a diet coke and all, now that's discipline! : ) I loooove that place too! The guiltless grill section is super! It's so nice to be able to go out to a fun, relaxing atsmophere and have the option of ordering a healthy meal (w/ cals, carbs, fat counted) and still have it be delicious! THe thing I always order from that section is the chicken breast, which comes with broccoli, rice, and corn on the cob. I love it, the chicken is very tasty but I always ask for a few lemon wedges on the side too. I saw the bean burger and margharita chicken on the menu and wondered how it was! Thanks for the input, I'm going to try t hose too . It's nice to have some variety.
Don't let your measurements get you down, remember that those are just temporary numbers and you will get them back down again! Go girl!, full steam ahead! Doing a once monthly measurement sounds like a nice idea.
I went grocery shopping yesterday to stock up on my healthy snacks, etc. and in preparation of my 3 night evening meals. I plan what I am having for dinner 3 nights in advance. It helps me a lot in that I'm sure to have the ingredients I need on hand and it takes out any guesswork.
I'm thinking to make a chart of sorts to post my weight-loss progress and every week I can just copy and paste the progress in the chart.
HOpe you had a great day as well yesterday and a super day today too
Feb. weight loss goal (to apply from Feb1-March1): 12 lbs.
Start date: Jan. 29
Feb. 1: -2 lbs. (will not count this towards Feb. goal)
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Hi elsie I just saw your message, we must of been posting around the same time! DOn't know where your at, but ohhhhhh, it is freezing here too! We are having a cold spell right now (Mass.), it's mighty cold! You k now though, we will be done with February real soon and and March (on average) is about 10 degrees warmer in this area! I'll take it! Spring is right around the corner so let's hang in there! Besides, what a perfect time to start a weight loss program
I left my christmas decorations up for a long time too, particularyl the outdoor lights. I have mine all put away except for this one peice, it's a fiber optic little village, so enchanting! I wanted to leave it longer but now, well, time for that to go too. My mind is drifting to sandcastles on the beach! Well, I should go to bed, it's getting late. Yes , yes, the weigh in tomorrow! I have mentally prepared myself! Regardless of what it is! I am so happy to have just started and also thankful that you joined me, after tomorrow we have one whole week! step by step! Your monday weigh in idea really did help me, it really did! Sleep well, catch you tommorow
Good morning, FSA and anyone else peeking in who'd like to join us ...
Being Super Bowl Sunday dinner, I bumped the calories up to about 1900 ... but the good news is that I still dropped four pounds since last Thursday! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now the first full week begins, and I'm going to try to really KICK IT into high gear. I will do water aerobics today, and begin to make MOVEMENT part of the plan again.
Looks like it's just you and me so far, FSA, but I'm sure we'll eventually pick up others, as we become VERY SUCCESSFUL, right? It's nice to have someone to chat with each day ...
I'm in the South, and it's very cold right now for us, but I LIKE IT! I like to have a real Winter ... I enjoy all four seasons, really. You know, a time for everything. I love visiting New England ... have you always lived there? Love the clam chowder, lobsters, etc.
I will have to order that chicken breast dinner you're mentioning at Chili's. I like everything that I've ever eaten there, really (AND they have the best Margaritas!) Don't ever try the the WW stuff at Appleby's ... I don't care for Appleby's much anyway, and, at least, at our location, two of their diet meals were yucky!
Well, girl, I hope your weigh-in goes REALLY well, and I will catch you later!!!
Elsieeeeeeeeeeeee, hi there! Congratulationssssss on the 4lb. loss, that is dynamite! Way to go! I lost 1lb, I am content that the scale showed a loss at least. I really didn't know what to excpect, I even was prepared for a standstill or gain as is not uncommon for me this time of month. All the times I didn't let the discouragement of fluid retention get in my way and just kept going, there would be a sudden drop in the scale after! So here I go! ready to start a new week.
I like what you said about others joining in too, esp. when they see HOW SUCCESSFUL we become! Right on! I am going to work harder this week too in the sense of cutting back or eliminating the things that don't fit into my plan. I am excited about this week. I'm not going anywhere near the scale until next weigh in day.
Yes, I have lived in New England all of my life. I like all the seasons except for winterrrrr! THis year, we were pretty lucky though as it was overall a mild winter and we had very little snow. We also had mainly sunny days which I am extremely thankful for. I love it here in spring and summer.
I don't like Applebee's either. I went there once and never went back. I didn't like the quality of the food. Neither myself nor my husband liked our dinner. Well, I already know where I am going next night out Chile's!
Well, Im going to go fill i n my chart and hopefully feel a bit better to do my exercise. Have a successful and super day and contrats again on the loss.
Feb. weight loss goal (to apply from Feb1-March1): 12 lbs.
Start date: Jan. 29
Feb. 1: -2 lbs. (will not count this towards Feb. goal)
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hello elsie and FSA...i was wondering if I could join you. I need a small support group to check in with. I am trying to lose around 30 lbs, maybe more. but for right now, that sounds good enough. The goal for this month is 10 lbs...i want to be realistic and not disappoint myself. Just a lil info...I am a Bartender at TGI Fridays and I used to be a corp trainer for Chili's. I saw that you talked about Chili's and I just wanted to let you know that you have to be VERY careful there. the guiltless chicken platter alone has around 1500 calories. They have all of their nutritional info in the office, if you are interested.
Hey there mlholston, so glad that you will join us, and I'm sure FSA will welcome you, as well. I think we all have pretty reasonable goals so we should make a good support group for each other. I believe all three of us are going for *around* 10 lbs. off for February ... so here we go! Who knows, maybe someone else will pop into our little group, as well.
The Guiltless Grill Chicken Platter is 580 calories, according to Chili's published nutrition charts, and the one on calorieking.com for them. That sounds about right to me, when I remember the picture of it on the menu. Maybe you were thinking of another dish? So you're a bartender? A shame you can't make us cyber-Margaritas somehow that we could really drink!
FSA, congratulations on losing the pound! The fluid retention affects the scale so much at times, so I think you're doing great! I have done my water aerobics for today, and the water felt good. So that's one out of three exercise sessions I've promised myself this week ...
Hi Summer ... I love your name! Are you new to 3FC? I hope you will consider joining our little group that FSA has been good enough to start, if you feel we can be helpful to you ... the more the merrier!
Please feel free to come back and join in with FSA, mlholston and me as we coax some of these pounds off this February/Spring!
February weight loss challenge
So just get back on track today and tomorrow, and I'm sure you'll still be okay for weigh-in Monday. And I don't care EXACTLY what my scale says, as long as it's less than 222!!!
.... compared to a couple of years ago, when I had them down to 45 - 46". I'm going to measure once a month to check my progress from now on, like the first Monday of each month.
It's nice to have someone to chat with each day ... 
I lost 1lb, I am content that the scale showed a loss at least. I really didn't know what to excpect, I even was prepared for a standstill or gain as is not uncommon for me this time of month. All the times I didn't let the discouragement of fluid retention get in my way and just kept going, there would be a sudden drop in the scale after! So here I go! 
The fluid retention affects the scale so much at times, so I think you're doing great! 