I didn't make any resolutions as such - I've never really made any I don't think. I just want to get back on track after the holidays - I maintained, which I'm really happy about, but I need to get back to losing. Just need to fight this down feeling I'm experiencing after the holidays/because of having to go back to work.

Age: 24
Location: (West) Africa
Most Recent NSV: Fitting decently (without that much crazy muffin top) into size 12 misses jeans in several regular store last week!!! To put things in perspective I'd walked in wearing 18W jeans (albeit cinched with a belt to keep them on). I almost wept in the store because I'd tried the 1st pair on only to see how far away I was from a size 12 now.
Weight Lose Goal for the Challenge: 13 lbs. Really it was meant to be 9lbs but I'm pretty sure I gained like 4 lbs over new years (I did fine at Christmas but I was in the US for my friend's wedding over Christmas and it was not good- a boozy, foody mess, I was)
Battle Plan for Reaching BL Challenge Goal: I'm going to do the turbo jam program and I'm thinking of upping my runs from 2times a week to three times a week just for the duration of the challenge. The 2nd is still a maybe. Also I'm going to be super strict with food, no cake or unplanned eating for the duration of the challenge. Also posting on here / 3fc daily to keep myself in check.
Particular Challenges/Upcoming Temptations that You are Working to/or Planning to Overcome: Getting back to a normal eating schedule after being sooooo lax the past week or so.
Anything Else You Would Like to Share About Yourself: I'm really disappointed over my recent gain but I'm sooooo looking forward to being back on track and kicking some weight loss butt. I'm excited to get to know everyone this challenge and really think we all can do this!!! Let's go Team Red Lace!!!!!! Wooooot!!!!

Oops sorry! I should have stated the title, it's this book my friends swear by that has helped SO many of them quit smoking. It's called "The Easy way to Stop Smoking". It hasn't arrived yet but I'm waiting for it!

Sorry Team that I'm a little late in joining the convo. I've been away at my best friend's wedding and boy has that taken a toll on my on-plan-ness and therefore weight!!!! It was a good time though and I got to see my best friends for the first time in nearly 2 years AND it was the first time they'd seen me since I started my weightloss journey AND it was also the first time I'd been clothes shopping since my weightloss journey.

So reactions: 1.)Seeing my friends was AMAZING, it's a little sad because you forget how much you actually miss people until you're around them again and it's like "whoa I actually miss you wayyyyy more than I remember in many many many more ways than I realized!!!" 2.) My friends' reactions were priceless. Sometimes I admit I see a slight difference in my before and current appearance but most times I look in the mirror and I still look really fat to myself (in what I think is a totally non-body dysmorphic way).Anyway, it was really nice and they were really enthusiastic and encouraging about everything and loved my new look etc, which was nice!!! 3.) Going shopping was interesting. I'd wanted to go to a mall with a Lane Bryant but somehow that didn't work out so I ended up at a mall with no designated plus-size stores which made me a bit nervous! I hit Macy's first because I have had some luck with their plus size sections. However with the somewhat confusing layout of the store I ended up in the misses section and decided to try on some jeans there just to see how far away I was from being in a misses size anything. I got a 12 (which I har har'd at), a 14 which I expected to be indecently tight and 16 (which I thought might be more my size but a bit tight such that I might need a 16W (which I thought was probably my true size). Liking my bad news first, I tried the 12 on first and it not only went up my thighs, it fit and buttoned with minimal muffin top (I'll post a pic in the coming days). I actually sat in the dressing room and wept. I couldn't believe it. I'm telling you, it made EVERYTHING (working out when I didn't feel like it, staying on plan when it would have been easier to give in, playing mental games with myself to keep from giving up etc) soooooooo worth it!!!! And definitely makes me hungrier for more in 2011.

I got in last night with a terrible cold from my last day in the States (go me!) I was thinking of going for a run (I want to try out my new running shoes) but I think I'll go for a walk instead because of the funky respiration issues have going on right now. We'll see though. I need to get moving to get myself back on track. I think I'll start the Turbo Jam program today.

What's going on with everyone? What exercises/ videos do you all do? I'm alway looking for new inspiration and new things to try!

Krizstyling: Hello again!!! I'm glad we're teammates again!!!! How's bootcamping going??? Has the competitive one with the year-of-free-bootcamp prize started yet??? Are you in??? Are you ready to rock that and get the prize???!!! lol Anyway... Go Go You and GO GO Team Red Lace!!!!

Monday Question: I'm not really a resolution setter. But what i did decide for 2011 was that I'm not allowed to give up in terms of my weight loss journey. If I fall and gain 5lbs, I'm not allowed to say "ok that's it,I'm a loser and eat my way back to morbid obesity."

This resolution also applies to non-weightloss situations. I'm not allowed to give up on my dreams bcos something seems too hard and too impossible.

Wednesday's Question: The weather where I am is pretty hot (90F /32C) and dusty/hazy today. There are only 2 seasons where I live ( the rainy season and the dry season- it's the dry season now). It's mostly too hot and humid or too hot and dusty to ever work out outdoors here, but there are those who do. I'm mostly just a wuss so I work out indoors where the weather can't affect me!!!

Hey toasted! I'm SO glad we are teammates again too! We rocked it out last time, let's do it again!

SO you were in the states? That is pretty dang cool, my boyfriend is from Liberia and we KEEP saying we are going to go visit (he hasn't been since he was in his teens) but every year we always choose some other place to visit even though his dad lives there. I'm hoping THIS IS THE YEAR we actually get over there. Where in Africa do you live?

Sorry about the cold!

Haha @ you remembering the boot camp challenge! It starts on Monday! We've been out of boot camp since December 24th so I REALLY gotta get back together. I'm SO nervous! I know that a TON of new people joined (i'm hoping not too many) and so I'm hoping they don't have more gusto then I do. LOL I want to WIN!!!!!!!!!!!! But It will be great to meet new people and inspire them, especially if they are where I was 4 months ago. That would mean a lot. I def can't wait til Monday, my body needs it!

ToastedSmoke Your Macy's sizes story makes me really happy for you - that is awesome :)

Wednesday's Question: Well it's summer down here in New Zealand, so it's pretty sticky and hot. I hate the humidity, but it's even worse when it's cloudy and threatening to rain outside - which is what it's doing right now (it's Thursday here though). I do workout dvds sometimes, so if the weather is terrible, I can just do those.

~I had an unexpected 1800 calorie day yesterday, which is my usual upper limit for a cheat type of day..not entirely happy with myself, given that nearly 300 of those were from alcohol and I would have rather they were from food since I was SO hungry when I got home. I'm still hungry today but trying to make this day better than yesterday. I don't start back at work til tomorrow afternoon, but I'm dreading it so much.

Thursday's question- I ALWAYS argue with myself the most after I have already made the bad decision. Sometimes when I am about to make it I do but I either know I am not going to or I know I am. And if I do I always guilt myself afterward.

I missed Wednesdays question but it's like was like 32 degrees here this morning! I know for people living back east that's nothing, but hey I'm spoiled and live in California. I got my work out this morning scrapping ice off rental cars for almost an hour (I manage a rental branch)! LOL!!!
As for Thursdays question--- I am trying not to argue with myself anymore (which is really hard). I got off work early Wednesday and was home in time to watch Portia deRossi on Oprah. She was talking about her new book "Unbearable Lightness" and her battle with eating disorders. She said that she was really able to heal herself by not limiting anything- no foods "off limits" and not being crazy obbessive with portion sizes. She said that once she stopped obssesively monitoring and restricting, food lost it's power over her. So I am trying to change my mindset and adopt one more like that. And while I would prefer not to eat an entire bag of cheetos, telling myself I could if I wanted to makes it a lot less appealing. Plus I'm not constantly struggling with the internal guilt dilemma.

Thursday's Question -

I definitely struggle with yelling at myself after the fact. once it gets into my head that i want something, there's little chance i won't end up having it. :sigh:

i wish it was january 9th already sop i could get my darn siggy! :tantrum:

Fun that is is todays question. I was in the mall returning a sweater and getting a new one yesterday and I was walking past a CVS and I was thinking a soda would be nice right now however I stopped and turned just as I was about to walk in to the store, my better self won and I ended up walking away right as a guy was coming out he commented wow I hope I wasnt the reason you didnt go in there. I laughed if only he knew the conversation in my head leading up to that point!

Toasted smoke, thats a great achievement! :)
Skigirl84, lol :)

Wednesday question: It's winter here and it's very cold, but I have many workout DVDs. Weather isn't an excuse for me - I can't run and I don't go for long walks, but I can find activities to raplace that easily.

Today's question: Hmmm....When I'm thinking of making a bad choice it makes me feel guilty. When I am making one, I don't think about that. And after a few hours I am mad with myself.
And of course, there are those rare occasions when I don't give in :P

How's everybody doing? I'm excited for our first weigh-in, although at my country, we celebrate Christmas Jan 7th -tommorrow, but I'll be good :) I just hope salt retention doesn't kick in....