Sum have you had your thyroid checked lately? Just wondering. That can sometimes stump weightloss efforts.

Zumba my mom was definitely the start to my issues with food but I also had a romantic relationship in my mid 20s with a control freak that did the most damage. Why do we let others affect our self image/food choices? No clue but it definitely happens. Oh, and please don't leave!

Shannon, yes, I am on thyroid meds and get it checked every 3 months. I am perfectly medicated right now.

Well darn, I thought I might have a magic answer!

Cattails, I love this thread and the people here you all are great (I think I've said that before but since it's true I have to say it again :grouphug:) I will surely start the new thread. No problem just let me know what you all would like the title to be :) LOL I thought these threads were supposed to be for support also but like you said you are gonna find indifference where ever you go ;) thanks ---> doing whatever you can whenever you can is enough - consistency is great, but isn't always possible, you know? good to hear :) Glad you're feeling better :hug:

Zumba, :hug: I hear you on Mother/Daughter relationships ... my Mom and I are getting better and that's because I no longer allow her to get in my head. She use to constantly hurt my feelings and because I'm an only child and I thought I should be treated like a star but nothing I did has ever been good enough. ANYWHO, I listen and smile if we are face to face and if we are on the phone I tell her ok gotta go, have a great day/evening, I love you and I am done. I refuse to allow her to stress me out or feel bad. Thank goodness I have positive people around me that tell me when I done well knowing I'm doing the best I can. .... ok really done now :D ... I have done a few crazy things to lose weight also so trust me you are not alone ;) ... phentermine will the docs prescribe that to you at your weight? I personally think your size is great. I'm not as tall as you but I would love to be 152. I know it's all in what we see and how we feel so do what you need to do :hug: If I had the money I'd probably be on phentermine again also though the last time it didn't work after two weeks of taking it :shrug:

Sum all I can say is WOW! I don't walk at the pace that you do consistently, I do 3.7-4.5 most of the time on inclines that the treadmill changes to and I am a sweaty mess when I'm done also. I now wear black sweats because otherwise it looks like I have used the bathroom on myself, lol. Not a whine at all, I wish I could do half of what you do, YOU GO GIRL :high: and so focused and goal oriented :high:

Shannon :wave:

I am now trying to do and up down day calorie wise. I am never consistent so I don't know if it is working or not. Today I am fasting, hopefully I can stick with it until dinner before church. I am almost down to where I was before my birthday. Today I weighed in at 162.0 a pound down from yesterday which was a higher calorie day and I caved into pretzel sticks ... which are calling my name now but I am not going to get them :D

SUM Im not buying what you're selling lady!!! Sorry...but not only have you exercised like crazy you have also not been eating too many calories, I think your success is the combination. Diet is 80 percent of weight loss....just exercising when and if you are consuming too much is not going to do DIDDLY. I k now plenty of group fitness instructors that teach tons of hard core classes a week and still have weight issues...becaues they aren't eating well...the end.

LOL Zumba!! But if I stop exercising, my weight loss would stall even at 1200 calories. -- I know what you mean about the chunkier instructors. We have a lady who gives a HARD class at the gym each time she teaches and she teaches I think 14 classes per week and has quite bit of padding on her. She must eat a ton though. She must get super hungry after teaching 3-4 classes per day. -- So calorie restriction and exercise combo what seems to work the best for me.

I took a delightful nap! I just felt so drained. I skipped my walk and napped instead. I love being able to do that! I am very lucky to be a stay at home mom (with older kids)!!

I was talking to my DH how I am approaching this weight loss journey as my "job" right now. I feel that have have zero excuse for being fat, considering how much free time I have at my hands. So I volunteer, do the mommy duty and lose weight; those are my jobs.

Since I am only 14 pounds away from goal (I lowered my goal from 125 to 122), I need to start thinking about maintenance. It really scares me, terrifies me! Will I succeed...will I give into "just this once" attitude and gain it all back? Will I eat enough calories in fear of gaining.... The biggest question is, will I ever be happy with my body? What if I get down to 122 and still feel miserable about myself?

I think I will go through a tummy tuck. DH is on board as well. My tummy got so stretched out when I was pregnant with my babies, esp. with my son who was 10 pounds at birth. Even at my lowest weight, at 108 pounds, after the birth of my son (yeah this is no baby fat that I am carrying around :lol:), I had loose skin and my belly hung, plus I got so many stretchmarks... it would be nice to get rid of those and put the bellybutton where it belongs. Plus the muscle split and that needs to be addressed too. The surgery scares me, though. A GF just had it done and she was in so much pain afterwards for 6 weeks. I guess beauty does not come without pain; no pain, no gain :) BUT, how nice would it be to be able rock a bikini at the age of 47!!!

As I am shrinking, it appears that I won't have loose skin left (but my tummy). Arms, thighs and butt, the skin seem to be shrinking nicely along with the weight loss.

Sorry I am rambling... :dizzy: Just so many thoughts and fears are running through my head.

SUM you hit the nail on the head. Teaching alot of group fitness classes makes you ravenous...it is the body's way of making up for lost calories.....i'm surprised the same thing hasn't happened to you with all the exercise that you are doing.

Oh and a TT is very invasive, I have two friends that haven't had good experiences...and remember, there is going to be a time frame that you can't work out, so you may have to quit your "full time job"

Sum, you are wise to start thinking about maintenance now, being so close to it! I totally understand the anxiety and terror it brings, I was there too. What I did was gradually transitioned to a few more calories/carbs around 120 lbs. - this last 5 pounds has worked off over the past 5 months, without a particular effort to lose more weight, only get my body in a stronger, healthier state. I monitor my calories to keep them within a range of 1500-1900 per day, I try to briskly walk at least a mile 5 days or more a week, and aim to strength train at least 2 times a week. I do yoga routines as often as I want to and can, sometimes 3 or 4 times a week. Basically I do the same thing as I did while losing, with just a few more calories here and there and somewhat less intense exercise than before. It's all about finding a balance you can live with that works for you, IMO.

Question for you, Sum: are you miserable right now? You have made such great progress in this effort and have been sounding so happy and proud, and you should! I'd suggest not placing so much stock in one particular number, but see where your body settles happily - maybe that's at 125, maybe at 110, who knows? Anyway, feel free to work through this here with us! :) It's quite the process, isn't it?

Hi, friends. Sorry I just have been so bad at keeping up. I'm feeling motivated though and still hanging in. Today makes 100 days with no candy... Looks like a lot has been going on. Will have to read back to catch up.

Heidi :congrat: on 100 days of no candy :high: good to see you :)

:hug: and high fives to those who need them. I did go back and read...

Last night I was talking on the phone and my computer switched into screensaver mode, cycling through all the photos on my PC. I saw candid photos of me at all different weights, and I saw a photo of me at my highest weight. I don't want to go back to that, ever. I saw a very unhappy Heidi looking back at me. I want to go back to the thin Heidi. I feel on track again.

Hi all,

I've been away for about a week I guess. Our camping trip was ok, but since there were client issues that I had to deal with, not really the break I had hoped for, and then we ended up coming home early. That worked out ok as I was able to make the car club breakfast and then go for a drive with some of them on Sat., and the washed/waxed/detailed my car on Sun (after church) in prep for this weekend's big show. (yes, Cattails, I'll take pics).

Been eating mostly op, but up a few lbs (128.5 this am, because we had Mexican last night), so obviously not perfect. The weekend isn't going to be real great with the show either, I'll do the best that I can. I'm going to take OP snacks with me at least. I'll try to stay as much OP tomorrow and Friday, and today was good too. If I can get through the weekend and be back in my 124-126 range by the middle of next week again, I'll be happy.

I'm nearly 4 months gluten free...unbelievable! I bought 2 dresses today as a reward.

Sorry the camping trip wasn't all that you hoped for marlene.

Congratulations abbi!

I weighed myself this AM. 168.2. Not happy about that, but I do believe that the rolling photos was what I needed. The one of me at my highest weight was in my exercise clothes posing for a before shot. No hiding it. I was fat. And then to see thin me and various stages of heavy me? I know what to do...