I'm returning after like a 3 year hiatus. Totally fell off the wagon. I'm so mad at myself, I was below my current goal :(

beahawkins ~ Thank you! ^-^ Blogilates is run by this petite girl named Cassey. She has recipes and workout videos on Youtube. She tends to use mainstream songs in America to make videos, so they're like 3 min workouts per video. I just put them on repeat! Also, congrats on the pants size drop! Your new guy sounds like a keeper too! :)

Hotaruchan ~ Thank you! :) At least the same number isn't a gain! Keep strong, I'm sure you'll be down in no time. Weighing in every day is pretty addicting, I must admit. You have the kind of willpower I need to stay away from the scale!

pinksparkles ~ Congrats on that NSV! :D

leighish ~ I will do that one day when I get to my desired size. Mark my words. Hahaha! And congrats on 6 days of being OP. Keep it up! :yay:

jmko ~ I'm from Oahu! What about you?

Ballerina ~ Oh definitely! I'd be ranting if that happened to me! As for BFC, glad you were able to look it up! It's like a modified Atkins. I'm on the very restricted part though, because yep, just started. At least it doesn't make me feel deprived of anything!

AKT ~ Welcome back! A week ago, I was in the same position as you. We're all here for you. :hug:

Agh, I must admit, like stated above...I need to cut the addiction to my scale. The fluctuation due to time of day, time I eat, BM, TOM, etc...it all affects me, and to see it daily is not good.

I have to admit how proud I was of myself yesterday at dinner though. My family went to a little hole-in-the-wall saimin restaurant. Carbs, wonderful. I ended up ordering a mixed plate with chicken, a hamburger patty, and salad. What I didn't realize was that the plate actually came with rice. :eek: With my first bite of the chicken, because it was quite salty, on instinct, I stuck my fork in the rice. I looked at it, then pause with the, "wth am I thinking?" and didn't eat it.

As petty as this sounds, rice is like a part of our everyday meals. It's easy for me to choose to not eat rice if it's in a rice cooker, but not so much when it's right in front of me.

Anyway, here's to a fresh new week! :cheers:

AKT: Welcome back! I'm back, myself.

atarimae: I find it's the eating at the hole in the wall joints where I'm really hard pressed to stay on plan mostly because I have NO IDEA what the calorie counts could possibly be. Good job staying OP!

I made plans with my mom tonight that when she comes to visit for Christmas, we can celebrate my hitting 199 together. So basically that's a goal now. 199 by Christmas. Winter ONEderland!

ballerina: you should get that tack taken care of. even if it's still in the tire, it could still be leaking. it'll be rough on your gas mileage. usually they can just pull the tack/nail out and plug the hole.

pinksparkles: i'm actually going to be doing medifast for the second time. that means no carbs, no fruit, no dairy, no sugar, no good stuff :o( the first time it worked like a miracle, so I can't complain. it was like the fat and pounds melted off. as long as you stick to it, it's a godsend.

akt: welcome back! you and i are in the same boat! the important thing is that you're back.

atarimae: oahu, too! it sounds like you want to shire's or shige's. maybe 49'er? ugh. saimin sounds so good right now!!

leighish: i'm excited for you to hit onederland! you can do it!

i had the worst sweet tooth earlier tonight so i made almond float! i'm so glad i opted for something healthy with fruits instead of something like cookies and brownies. like i said above, i start medifast in a couple weeks and i'm really trying to psych myself up for this. it's such an intense change that i'm actually kind of doubting that i can do it. i know it's definitely possible since i did it about a year and a half ago but i was on a mission then. this time it really is just for me and staying healthy and looking good. hopefully all this binge eating will be out of my system by then. here's to a new week and hoping to get through the work week quickly!

AKT: I know ALL about hiatuses. I've taken A LOT of them since I started trying to lose weight about 8 years ago! Welcome back. :-)

pinksparkles: Non-vanity size 10! What a great NSV!

bea: That is so cute! He sounds like a guy that might be worth keeping around for awhile. Let us know how everything goes!

jmko: Oh man, cravings. This might sound weird, but my cravings change all the time. Sometimes it's chocolate. Sometimes it's baked goods. Sometimes it's something savory. I usually try to ride it out, but I've also found that if I just go ahead and have a little bit of what I'm jonesin' for, the craving usually goes away and my head is clear.

---

It's been such a great day here (Monday afternoon, my time). The end of the year excitement is in the air which means classes are getting a little more relaxed and fun (I'm lucky, I get to be the fun "conversation teacher" who doesn't have to give them a final!!!), end of the year parties and trips are being planned, and I'm working on an English Camp I'm really looking forward to. Plus, when I got home from work today, I found out I was hired for the position I applied for. I'm so excited to have the chance to work in Bangkok for 2 more months with an organization I really believe in! It's just one of those really good days filled with lots of positive energy, you know?

As far as staying on plan, I've been eating a little more on the maintenance side than weight loss side the past couple of days. I've turned into the PMS SNACK MONSTER this week, but I'm trying my best to keep her at bay. :-) I think I'm on the lower end of my own person weight spectrum (back down to around 144. I think for awhile I was up to 155 if I had to guess).

On the subject of keeping updates on my progress: I don't really have access to a scale here. Well, I mean, I do. Thai women are really concerned about their weight (aren't we all?) and all throughout the country there are these scales, usually outside of 7/11s and other convenience stores. You pay one baht, get on the scale, it makes this LOUD HORRIFIC NOISE (think ice cream truck music) that screams LOOK SOMEONE'S WEIGHING HERSELF, and then it announces your worth, er, i mean, your weight for the entire world to hear. OOF.

I hate these things for a number of reasons: 1. I'm usually getting stared at for not looking Thai and being bigger as it is already. Getting on the scale is going to draw EVEN MORE attention. How much does the big, beautiful English teacher weight???? 2. I prefer to weigh myself in the morning in my BIRTHDAY SUIT. I don't think that would go over well here. :-D

Anyways, I should have bought a tape measure and recorded measurements or just womaned up and started using the scale, but I haven't. It's been kind of nice to not worry about the number. That being said, I did probably gain 10 pounds (once again, estimating) over the course of 5 or 6 months. The hard numbers usually keep me accountable, so it's been a challenge trying to lose without it. I track progress by how my clothes are fitting and by comparing pictures of myself. This can be great ways to hold myself accountable, it just means I can't go into "Cleopatra, queen of denial" mode, if you get what I'm saying...(these jeans totally still fit...NO THATS NOT A MUFFIN TOP WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!?!?!)

Hope you all had nice weekends and have a great start to your weeks!

Good Morning Good Morning!

I had a delightfully long weekend. :D

I got up Friday morning and started my lifting plan. (:carrot:) and then proceeded to walk for 6 hours at the Yellow Daisy Festival. After, I had a girls night (dh went out with my brother and nephews) and had entirely too much champagne and vodka. Oh well.

Saturday was another SUPER busy day. We went to dh's company picnic and won a $15 gas card. And then to a friend's birthday party. I ended up miserably sick because I drank beer and apparently I cannot drink beer on Synthroid. I was miserable.

Sunday the NFL resumed (GOOOOOOOO FALCONS!!!!!!!) and it was a quiet day.

And now today is back to the real world. :(

I found out I'm not eating nearly enough calories which may be contributing to my inability to lose weight. I was eating about 1300-1500 calories a day; however, I burn about 1000 a day in exercise 5 days a week. When you write it out it seems so logical, but when you get caught up in losing weight you think, "If I lost 3lbs this week only eating 1500 calories imagine what I'd lose if I only ate 1300."

Anyhow, I've bumped my calories up to 1800-2000 a day and we'll see how it goes. I've also been talked into weighing daily so I can see the fluctuations and how my body changes.

Here goes nothin! :)

Congrats on the new job, gracie!!

SoMuchFattitude, I read a bit of your blog this weekend! It still seems strange to me that eating more can make you lose more, especially when you're working out quite a lot- I've never really tried it myself but I've heard many successful stories about it on 3FC. Best of luck! :)
---

Weighed in with at 170.0 today.. was SO hoping to break into the 160s. 2 week weighing break now, since TOM is week after this one. Here's to a big woosh! :) Happy Monday, everyone!

Bea- He sounds like a sweet guy. :) Glad you're feeling better now, hope you get back into the swing of things soon.

Gracie- That scale would be hilarious if it didn't create such an incredibly awkward moment. Maybe getting your own scale might be helpful. :)

Fattitude- Glad you had a good time and are feeling a bit better. :) I am looking forward to some football too, GO TITANS! (Gotta root for the hometown team, I grew up in Memphis.)

Leigh- Sounds like a great plan. Good luck to you and your mom! WTG staying on plan for six days. :)

Pink- WTG on the size 10! I love thrifting too, you find the coolest random clothes in thrift shops. Plus you can find good vintage dresses and shoes if you know where to look. There is actually several stores here in StL that sells thrifted vintage clothes and I can't wait for the day where I can dive in that store and start looking. :)

-----
My meds are finally working correctly after a couple of days; at first they made me really tired and dizzy but the side effects are wearing off quite a bit. And I have to admit that everything is working a bit better than it did before I started the meds. Unfortunately for me, like most anti-anxiety drugs it does cause weight gain. So far it hasn't been a significant gain like it has been in the past, but it is enough to get me concerned about trying to stick with my lifestyle change.

I have said in the past that I had wanted to change things and have made some progress, but things have come up in the past that have caused me to veer off course. Mostly it's just an issue of convenience. It is not always convenient to set aside time and cook a meal, and even when I could just go and pick up a vegan option (the college I go to is vegetarian-friendly and even has some vegan quickies), I sometimes just don't.

I am really hoping that I can make some of the changes that I've trumpeted so loudly in the past. If not, I can make alterations. I just need to do something good for myself, for a change.

Sorry if I rambled on a little bit. :) It does feel good though to get some of this out in the open and I'm glad I could share with you guys.

Hope everyone has a great day and evening. I will be back after yoga, so take care all.

Fattitude: I don't know how you can eat 2000 calories daily. With my metabolism being so effed up all these years I eat twice a day or I snack through out. Either way, it's wouldn't know how to get to 2000. Even though it probably would help, with energy and everything else! Good luck!

Namaste: I think I'm getting back to my normal. Whatever I had ( if it wasn't food poison, my math prof. told me about a stomach virus going through the school. great. and I shouldn't still be feeling the affects a week later! and with my immune system it will probably do a full circle. )
Thanks. He seems pretty nice. lol

JMKO: my picture is with my younger brother on his Navy graduation.

Atarimae: I'll have to try that out it sounds really intersting. : )
-------------------------------
Thanks for the well wishes! I am feelings 85%! I got to work out today so I think my energy is double from yesterday. I love the little stomach virus though! I lost 4.5 pounds last week! Although it made me miss 2 quizes! : (

Hope everyone's Mondays are great!

Good Morning Good Morning!

pinksparkles - I hope you enjoyed! I'm contemplating moving it to a "real site" and writing more often about more than just weight loss, but I'm not sure if people would read it. LOL

namaste984 LET'S GO FALCON'S!!! I dear god I LOVE football. I must just be cautious with my drinking during the weekends, especially since I watch College and the NFL. LoL! Good luck with the meds. :)

beahawkins - I thought it'd be harder than it is. LOL. I train 5-6 days a week for triathlons and I'm usually hungry because of how much I burn. I'm just adding things like 1/2 an avocado with my lunch, a handful of nuts, a big ol' apple, etc. I was eating 1500, and by just adding those three things I'm already at 1800-1900'ish. It feels surprisingly good. We will see how it goes...lol.

-----------
It is FINALLY feeling a bit more like Fall today! I got to wear leggings and boots with my dress. <3 Blueberry coffee, too. Mmmm....

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't deathly nervous of gaining weight eating 1800-2000 calories a day. I'm back to weighing daily, too. Which adds to the anxiety. I've got to find a way to wrap my head around it all so I don't drive myself crazy...

Ugh! So busy!

I hope everyone is doing well. Sorry I don't have time to reply to everyone I want to individually.

My life is just insane now that I'm back in school again. It does suck that my fitness plan has taken a backseat to studying, but regardless the scale is moving again. I had been stuck between 173-175 for what felt like forever and now I'm at 171. Much better!

I do really need to workout a little more than I have this week. School has made it so my head just isn't in the game. I haven't been able to get myself to care as much lately about my health and fitness. Hopefully this is just a temporary rut. I know I need to get some exercise everyday to keep my stress level stable, but I just haven't been able to convince myself to do it this last week. Maybe admitting that is what I need to get my tail in gear.

On a positive note, I am obsessed with hula hooping (yes I am an adult that owns 6 different hula hoops) and I just got an awesome new toy that has kept me at least a little active: an led hoop. Its so much fun! And it is a fairly good workout, but I consider it more sweaty play than exercise. I'm pretty good at it. I've learned a bunch of cool tricks, but the led hoop make even super easy stuff look cool because, you know, leds just look cool.

Have good days!

Garden- Gotta love things that light up lol. I used to have hula hoops back in the late 80s when I was a kid and also when I was in college the first time, but I could never quite get the momentum to keep them going and up where they should be. Still, it sounds like fun! :) I feel you on keeping the workout going during school, this is mostly my problem as well. Good luck getting things sorted out.

Fattitude- You're from Atlanta, I gather, lol. I sometimes watch college football but seeing as my alma mater is never on here in Missouri I have to make do. We have Mizzou here and they're pretty good but it's no fun pulling for the team that always wins. ;) We have the St Louis Rams for our NFL team, but they are SO bad it's painful. I would much rather watch the Blues (NHL) if I had a choice between the two StL winter sports.

Bea- Glad you're feeling better. :)

-------
So yeah, getting back into the diet and exercise swing of things. I went to yoga last night, which was fun. I haven't been in awhile (it's kind of expensive because it's like a spa setting) but I got back into it pretty quick.

I weigh in at 220 now. It's not where I want to be but it's at least not as big of a gain as I had originally thought. So I can start from there and hopefully lose some weight.

Have a good day/evening all.

Though Mizzou got welcomed to the SEC by the GA Bull Dawgs last weekend. ;)

Yeah, the only sport ATL can't keep is the NHL. LOL - and that's okay with me. Hockey is something I just don't get. Though, I fear I'll have to learn it, since my nephews play in the winter.

Hello, Ladies I am officially back and on track. I gave a update sometime in the August thread. Anywhoo Im, back on the wagon as of about a week now. I have started back doing Turbo Fire as well and I have taken a hiatus from red meat, until further notice. I am currently looking to buy a jogging stroller, so I can begin to run/jog in the evenings. This way I won’t have to ask anyone to watch my lil one while I jog. I have to check my ticker but I do believe I’m a little less than what it says. I’m am really going to try to post every day. I am going to log my food in to MFP. I really wish there was an app for this...geeeesshhh! I would be so on it!.

namaste- Dont worry, we will get it right together!

Garden- you will get there. Starting school and getting re-adjusted can be a tough. You will get a flowing schedule soon, Im sure.


Somuch- I wish I could whip out my boots. It has cooled down here in Louisiana but not that’s much. Patiently waiting :)

leighish 6 days OP is awesome! :carrot:

AKT Welcome back. I know it's hard, but better to move forward than stand still, right? :(

Atarimae Great job on good choices!

graciegoose Those scales sound horrendous! I don't think I'd ever weigh myself if that was my only option.

SoMuch I'll bet your body will react a lot better to more calories, especially considering the lifting you do.

namaste Hang in there and keep trying to make good choices. You can do it!

beahawkins I was wondering who that was in your pic! If it was the not-very-nice ex i was tempted to bug you to change it. ;) Good to know it's your brother. Yay for feeling better!!

Garden Haha at first, I didn't read it as an LED hula hoop with cool lights. I was reading that as a LEAD hula hoop! The whole time I'm like "man, that must be a heavy hula hoop to be made out of lead vs plastic...." doh! :)

Today's been a nice day. Woke up to lovely cool weather....but that meant putting on my jeans and finding that they're too snug for my liking. :(
So today's been a 'eat mostly vegetables with a teeny bit of carbs and some protein and a little fruit' kind of day. Ugh. I need to drop some lbs so I can be comfortable in my jeans (or in the smaller sized ones I have!) for Fall/Winter. What a bummer. At least it'll force me to hit the gym after class tonight.