Day 6 (Saturday)
I followed my calories, but didn't get in enough exercise.

Day 7 (Sunday)
Went to the gym and worked out for 30, and still have some calories left for an evening snack.

Excited about my 'official' weigh in tomorrow, cause I've been weighing in all week and charting my progress.

Hi everyone - sorry I didn't check in yesterday. My boyfriend's family was in town, so I was busy entertaining and transporting folks to the airport.

I totally fell off the wagon yesterday. Like, my eating couldn't possibly have been worse.

I still feel a sense of accomplishment for staying on-plan as long as I did. I think I set a new personal record. And today is a new day.

Congratulations to everyone who made it! And congratulations to everyone who's still working on it!

Ursus - One day out of seven aint bad! way to go

Hi Ladies! So my first 5 days went really well but I totally missed the 7 days OP. With a bachelorette and shower on the weekend... well, you know how it goes.

It's a new week and I swear I will stay on plan. Gotta kick those last pounds that have been hanging on for dear life!

Everyone seems to be doing well considering how much life gets in the way! I suppose it all comes down to the fact that we can stray to an extent but never ever give up and get right back to it asap!

For me....I like taking it week by week *so* much better than planning on being 'good' for a month or two. I just need baby steps.

And I lost my first 3 pounds! So excited.

Day 1 (new week, right?)
Today's been a good day so far with calories (still have enough for dinner and an evening snack), and I'm about to go work out. Trying to decide if I want to swim (hey, it works for Michael Phelps) or go to the gym.

Edit:
swam for a little while (nowhere near 30 minutes)
but did some misc. exercises inside
....I think I should stick to the gym. haha

Day 2 going well... didn't get a chance to work out last night unfortunately. And have an evening meeting so it'll be iffy for tonight too. That is by far the hardest part to my healthy living -- finding time to be active in some way or another. And to think that I spend the majority of my time sitting in an office chair, or in a car, or on a couch... it's surprising how little natural activity happens in a day. Must fix that.

Plus my scale is more upsetting each day. It read that I have gained 10 pounds of the 20 that I originally took off. I think it's all a conspiracy -- little gremlins inside the scale putting up the wrong numbers just to mess with my head.

Hope everyone else is having an easier time of things!

Here we go again!

Day 1 (Monday): Went for a long hike in the morning and stayed within my calorie limit. Woohoo, I'm back!

Ballerina - CONGRATULATIONS! 3 lbs. is awesome!

Bride - Hang in there. It's so frustrating to gain after you've lost - but the fact that you were successful before demonstrates that you can do it! We're all rooting for you!

Spoz - Thanks for the hug, I needed it!

Day 2 (Tuesday)

Doing good on the calories so far.
(edit: I went over a little bit. Not too bad though).
Worked out at the gym today too.

I tried out a new machine for a few minutes after the elliptical, and it was SO hard to do! I couldn't find the name, but it was like a stair climber...but your feet moved away from your body too...very hard. lol

Well I fell off track this weekend and then again today. This no-smoking thing is hard but I am gonna start again tomorrow. This time harder than ever and then make it to my dad's birthday which is september 9th. Goal: Loose 4 pounds between tomorrow and September 9th

Eww....I just took some "before" pictures...and I really wish my gym were a 24/7 gym right now. I had no idea I looked that bad. Such a wake up call.

At least I have an extra boost of motivation with calories and gym time tomorrow.

Ballerina, we are our worst critics eh?? Don't be too upset... now you have negative energy that you can turn into a blast of positive energy to really drive you at the gym.

Taylor, can't say I know your pain but I've seen my fiancee quit and know it's a challenge. You can do it! you have a great idea with keeping it as short manageable goals of time.

Day 1-3 still going well! already knocked off 2.6 lbs in the last 2 days because of being very strict with my eating and drinking lots and lots of water. I know it's water weight but I'm just thrilled to see the numbers going back down. Hope to be able to fit in exercise tonight.

Day 2 (Tuesday) went well. I actually came in under my calorie limit. For exercise, I ran a mile and lifted weights. The scale read 153 this morning, so I'm pretty excited about that, especially considering what happened this weekend. I hope that's still what it says when I officially weigh in on Friday!

Today is going to be a bit of a challenge. One of my good friends is defending her dissertation, and after the defense we're all going out to a Mexican restaurant... I'll let ya know how it goes.

Taylor - I think that's a great goal, and I totally think you can do it.

Ballerina - Ugh, before pictures. I didn't take any "official" before pictures, but I have a set of photos from May that includes several pics of me in a bathing suit. Scary!

preppingbride: How true. It didn't help matters that I wasn't sucking in or trying to pose in a certain way so that I looked thinner...lol

UrsusMaritimus: I really wanted to take some. It didn't help that I was in a bikini top and fitted shorts. But it is what it is. (I hated the back view the most...I really want to get rid of my back fat)

Day 3 (Wednesday):
I'm cutting it really close with the calories today, but I figured in dinner already so I'm good. I just can't have a snack later on.

I worked out at the gym for 30 minutes.

Side note: at the gym today, the machines looked like this:
[empty elliptical] [empty elliptical] [my elliptical]

and *twice* while I was working out someone came and worked out on the one right next to me. It was hot in the gym too...so that was a little annoying. Maybe the one on the far left had something wrong with it.

Ballerina, don't you love when ppl don't bother with personal space? Man, I don't even like it when my fiancee works out right beside me while I'm on the treadmill in our own home.

Ursus, Good luck with the mexican eating! All I can say is enjoy it. Do what you can to fit it in and then don't have any guilty feelings.

For myself, I'm down another pound or so today so I'm getting that motivation back to stick with it! I've challenged myself to the ultimate goal this weekend: stay ON PLAN for it. I don't think I've successfully done that since I started 4 months ago. Of course I have a baby shower sat and bridal shower on sun... but I'll do the best I can.

p.s. with all the difference showers I've been going to every single weekend, I am NEVER going to have one of my own. I'm going to call them BBQs and the men are invited too so that it's not just a bunch of girls in a circle making idle chit chat for 2-3 hours. drives me nuts. I seem to always come up with a "previous engagement" about an hour into it.

Day (3) Wednesday: Did fine with exercise (1 hour hike), but blew it food-wise. Oh well - back on plan today.

Bride - I went to a co-ed, BBQ-type baby shower last weekend, and it wasn't much of an improvement - maybe because I didn't know ANYONE except the mommy-to-be and her partner. It just kept dragging on - made me wish I was at a traditional, structured shower. I made up an excuse and took off about two hours into it.