[squiggly]

Well, today is the first day to a new me. I have been dieting for six months but have only lost 7 pounds because I haven't taken this dieting seriously. I was always making one excuse or another. My husband let me buy an elliptical machine and we spent $200 on it so I can't let it sit. It kicks my butt though. I can only do it for five minute increments now but I will do a total of 30 minutes for today. I have done well with my food intake as well. I bought a food scale so I'm going to start measuring my food. I am writing everything down that I'm eating which is new for me. I'm keeping a notebook of all my success and my let downs. I want to look back on this and remember how hard it was so that I won't want to do it again.

[Gitterdone]

Hi!
First, 7lbs is 7lbs!! When I started dieting this year, I wanted to be at my goal weight by April. Didn't happen, yet I look back and I am just happy that I've done what I've done. So congrats to begin with!
Food journaling is a great idea and I suggest doing a little low-carb to boost the initial weight loss, it can help you get on track for the future. Good luck, it sounds like you really want to focus!!!

[jillybean720]

squiggly--I LOVE using the elliptical machine! One thing I do that might help you is that I go forward for 5 minuts, then backwards for 5 minutes, then forward, then back, etc. It sems to work different muscles because when I am almost through the 5 minutes of backwards, I am so glad to be moving on to forwards (backwards burns my butt muscles a little more)

In any case, even 5 minute increments is better than nothing, and like you said, a total of 30 minutes for the day, even if it is spread out. That's 30 minutes of working out--I wish I had an elliptical in my office so I could do 5 minute spurts throughout the day instead of 30 minutes between jobs Congrats on the weight loss so far, and keep up the good work!

[gray eyed girl]

You could try http://www.fitday.com/ for your food journalling. I know a lot of women here use it. I'm one of them and I really like it. It's kind of a pain at first but once you enter in most of your "custom foods" that aren't already in the program, it's easy to just enter in your meals for the day and have it calculate calories, fat, protein,and carbs for you.

I also really like the elliptical. It does get easier (and then of course you up the level or time so it's hard again, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it). I could only do about 20 minutes at a time when I first started using it and now I do 2 30-minute sessions. I'd like to do an hour of intervals in one session but I need a break inbetween the two 30-minute sets right now. Keep with it! 7 pounds lost is still 7 pounds you never have to see again if you stick with it.

[squiggly]

I do use the fitday site. It makes tracking my calories so much easier.