Welcome to the Lovely Leaves! I will be your team captain. Our color in the weekly results thread (for both teams) will be Red. GL everyone can't wait to see all your success!

Yay! Good work SMS for setting this up!

Well - I JUST had my bday, so today is getting back on track day. And it just sucks how much more hungry one feels after off plan days. All those dang carbs are killing me. LOL.

Not a problem philana! I love TBL challenges! Birthday carbs EEK Mine is in october and it is going to be hard cause my 100% challenge isn't over until 6 days AFTER my birthday LOL

Hey guys! Can't wait to be TBL's!!!!!!!

Hey everyone! Good luck we can do this!

Hi everyone! So excited to get this challenge started! It's exactly the kind of motivation I need right now. Good luck everyone!!

This is exciting! We are all going to ROCK this.

Glad everyone is excited Can't wait for our first weigh in!

I am very much looking forward to joining you ladies in our weight-loss journeys! I believe in each one of you and I know that if we support one another we can accomplish anything we set our minds too!

So yesterday was girls night... this is the first 'off-track' day I've had since I started nearly 3 weeks ago. The funny thing is, it wasn't really all that much 'off-track' IMO because I didn't go overboard, and when I calculated my daily calories it was only about 2000, so not too bad (although perhaps I'm just convincing myself of that) because generally I try to stay between 1200-1500 calories per day. We went out for sushi (I had a tuna roll, dynamite roll, and cali roll) and then when we came back to my house they made chocolate fondue (not my idea but you know how girls nights go) I limited myself to fruit (banana, strawberries, grapes, and one 'two bite' brownie (you know the ones I'm speaking off) and instead of dipping them in chocolate I just drizzled a moderate amount on top (again, much less than if I had dipped them individually, just enough to get a bit of chocolate taste.) Plus all I drank all night was ice water. I guess what I don't understand is that today I am feeling kinda guilty that I joined in on the fondue and keep telling myself maybe I overdid it on the sushi. Why can't I just allow myself a little leeway? I can't expect to be perfect all the time and in real life there are always going to be things like this and I don't want to restrict myself to the point of feeling controlled by food. Ugh, I thought I handled myself perfectly, before I would have gone crazy with something like this and could have easily shovelled in 2000+ calories in the evening just on fondue... and I mean of course if it wasn't girls night I wouldn't have ate chocolate fondue but seriously now that I've treated myself I don't really feel the desire to do it again anytime soon... KWIM? Can someone give me some insight, I can't be the only one that feels like this sometimes...

PS: So excited to kick this off with all you lovely ladies <3

Hi everyone!

It feels good to be getting back on track. Last year I lost over 70 pounds (my highest weight is 251)...but when I started dating my boyfriend (who I've been with for almost a year and a half now) the weight started creeping back on. I was down to 180 pounds, but now I'm back up to 246. This will be my first week REALLY back on track, but I know that I can do this. The only difference is that I've got gallbladder problems now, and I'll be having my gallbladder removed on August 19th. I'll still be eating right, but I probably won't exercise for at least a week after the surgery. I'm changing my diet to 4 smaller meals a day with snack instead of 3 larger meals a day with some snacks because I've been told that after the surgery it will be easier to digest smaller amounts of food at a time. Maybe this will also help me curb some cravings...we'll see. I have a serious food addiction, and I need to find a successful way to stay healthy. Last time around I did Weight Watchers without paying for it. This time I think I'm just going to try and eat healthier without calculating and stressing myself out. Smaller portions, whole grains, lots of fruit and veggies, and only water. My main problem is fast food, and I feel like if I can manage to cut it out completely the weight will melt off. I have a severe addiction to the stuff...I get these cravings and I swear it must be what a smoker feels like when they want a cigarette (not that I would know, I don't smoke).

ANYWAYS,
I hope to get to know all of you ladies a little bit better, and I'm super excited for this challenge. I'm going to a wedding like October 21st or 22nd...and I'm going to need to get a dress....unless I can lose 20-30 pounds by then and fit back into the one i've already got. lol. Hopefully this challenge will help motivate me!

Bee- I used to do that too. I was still in the mind that if I messed up a litle bit the whole diet went to ****. Finally I started reminding myself that it is OK to splurge once in a while. My sister is a size 0 at 5'6" I mean literally a 0 and she is not anorexic an she munches all day. Occasionally she has that chocolate fondue or that glass of wine...maybe even a slice or two of pizza then gets right back on the wagon and never gains a lb...shes ALWAYS been thin. I can't stand next to her my self esteem takes a MAJOR blow if I do. I finally realized if she can splurge and stay thing by getting right back on track then so can I. I decided I won't want to avoid that cake, or that ice cream...the chocolate or the wine forever so why avoid it now?

Divine- you WILL fit back in to that dress you CAN do it!! woot woot!!


Let's in the words of madamb from sarge's no excuses boot camp "melt that butt-er!!" Smaller clothes and smaller numbers here we come!

SMS- I just realized you've been diagnosed with PCOS as well. I've been on birth control since I was 10 just to control the symptoms (I started my period when I was 9 because I was already like 5'4" and 160 pounds or so)...and the doctors have told me if I ever want to get pregnant that I'll probably have to take fertility drugs. I don't know much about it though. They diagnosed me when i was so young that they really just explained it to my mom, and since almost all of my symptoms are controlled with the birth control pills they figure there are no reasons to do tests or change anything up...but still, I've read that it can affect my weight, but I don't really understand how. Idk. They told me I have it, they just never explained it.

Oh, that's something I forgot to mention. I've been having back pains and problems digesting food for almost a year now (with lots of running to the bathroom involved)...and now that they have discovered the root cause of all of it is my gallbladder, they have told me that has probably had a lot to do with why I've gained as much weight back as I have. I've been off track yeah, but I haven't been THAT bad...and the doctors said that since there is a gallstone blocking the duct from my liver to my gallbladder, NO bile is going into my gallbladder, and so NO bile is going into my stomach to help digest fatty foods. Instead of being digested, the fats are being absorbed into my body...making me gain weight. They've told me that once they take it out, if I'm eating healthy, the weight should just melt right back off again. I'm hoping it's that simple...but I'm not holding my breath. Lol.

Divine- I didn't understand really till this year either mainly because I was in denial an didn't want to know. My mom understands it less than I do because She stopped going to doctors things with me when I was 15 (that's when i got tired of her bs, told her to back off and started taking myself instead of having to listen to her moaning and groaning). I know what it is like to be in the dark about everything and it SUCKS. Part of the problem with birth control and PCOS is it does cover up symptoms (one of the reasons I refuse to take it). If you EVER want more information on it or to have it explained to you or even a suggestion of good books to read up on the subject feel free to shoot me a message or catch me on a messenger (my messenger names are on the left tho I took skype off my computer). I'd be happy to explain and/or make you less confused.

Hello All!
True Story: I am really looking forward (and dreading) doing this challenge with everyone on here! I am looking forward to it because I have never been accountable for my weight to anyone (but myself and clearly that hasn't worked!) but I have to stick to it so I don't drag the team down. I am a team player and hate to be the lagger.

I am dreading it (and actually terrified I won't lose anything) because I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism a few months ago and my medicine dosage to right me hasn't been worked out yet.

However, I am here and ready to jump in...but if I need a smack in the head once in a while, don't hesitate to give it to me!

SugarRomeo- I totally understand!!! I have a friend with thyroid issues and I myself have PCOS which means I have to work, work, work for any loss. I have been SUPER successful lately thankfully but I always dread not losing. Specially with the biggest loser summer challenge that I do in TBL challenge area. The most we ask for is that you do your best! If we all do our best then I am positive that we will be the best team we can be!! We will all support each other through our losses, gains and maintains we are a team!