I survived my first commute day! I'm going to have to tweak my route a little tomorrow to avoid some minor annoyances, but overall it went really well I did notice that I was really hungry this morning though, compared to my usual. It of course rained this morning for the first time in at least a month, so I was a little soggy by the time I made it to work.

I think this added 5 hours of cardio a week is really going to kick me into the gear to get these last few pounds off. As long as I don't use it as an excuse to eat everything in site on the way home!

tani~ Wow! Good job! 5 extra hours of cardio...dang! You are going to be a total rock star. I remember reading an article (don't remember where now though...) about women and weight loss that mentioned how women tend to up their caloric intake when they start exercising so they end up more even-stevens at the end of the day. I know I have a big manly hunger on the days I exercise in the morning and it's a big struggle sometimes to get through the day. It is just incredible that you are adding all that cardio to your day, though! I hope it keeps working out for you and you keep it up!

Hi Guys,
I just had my first day at college. Woof. I can tell this is going to be hard on my diet. I get out of my first class right at lunchtime...and there are some seriously yummy looking coffee & junk shops up & down the street from the bldg to the car! I resisted today & came home to my low carb lunch. I can see that being a big pitfall for me though if I don't watch it. I'm still able to put on my "skinny" pants but I dropped in to my docs & weighed myself. Grrr...I've put on about 5 pounds. I am hopeful some of that is just period weight though since this is only 2nd day & I'm super heavy. I don't think I'm going to make my goal of fitting COMFORTABLY...lol..into the next size down unless I really crack down on myself a bit more. I am doing better on the walks though...have been getting in about four miles a day. I need to buy a lunch box/bag so that I can tote some healthy snacks to classes. Head the temptation off at the pass. And yes, Meira, the question mark behind bf has been removed. Luckily he raves about my cooking...so I don't have to cook 2 meals. It is hard to stick with when we go out to eat though...he loves italian restaraunts.
congrats on the commute Tani, I bet that is really going to take off tons of weight! AJ....I bet walking up that hill to the deer garden is going to tone up your calves fast! Hot tub time, Meira, are you guys buying a hot tub? I sure miss mine.

dawnlizbeth~ Sorry to hear about the gain--and all that temptation! Bringing snacks is a great idea. You could also try taking a detour to the car or what works best for me is to bring no money! No money on hand was the only thing that stopped me from going into my fave little coffee shop this morning for a latte!

My hot tub time comes up for a weekend we are taking with another couple to a b&b for an octoberfest...and there is a hot tub at the b&b. This couple is pretty fit-they are now training for a half marathon (gulp) and the thought of getting into a hot tub with them as i am now is a little...mmm...intimidating? I know it's totally vain, but I also know that I would just feel so self conscious and all...and that weekend is certainly not the only motivation for my weight loss. So, this Labor Day Challenge kind fell at the halfway mark to my oct. goal. Good thing, too, b/c I tend to procrastinate and then rush toward the deadline. (little habit I picked up in college btw, so be careful! )

Yep, your quite right about the bringing no money thing Meira...If I do that I HAVE to be careful to remember my lunch though. I have hypoglycemia & man do I act weird when I'm hungry. (ok, so i'm a little weird even when I'm not hungry, I'm super odd when I need to be fed. lol) Not to mention the fact that my driving skills realllllly suffer. lol. I used to keep packets of peanut butter crackers in the glove box for emergencies but that's out now with the reduced carb thing. I guess I should stash some of those low carb bars in there. I think they are a really gross texture, I don't even like the south beach diet ones much. Maybe I will head off to wally world in a bit since I need dye anyways. I'm thinking rolls of lunchmeat & cheese in lettuce might do for a good tide me over snack.
Ah, hot tub getaway. That sounds fun! This will sound weird, but we used to hot tub in DC & I did not mind getting in even when I was heavier...so long as I could skinny dip. No lie, I feel way fatter with a bathing suit on than nothing. Seems like the bottoms Never fit right...they sag in the butt if they are big enough through the thighs or else they cut into your thighs making your fat pooch out more. or maybe that just happens to me. I feel the same way about thongs too. Put me in granny panties or bikinis I feel like my thighs look like very large sausages. Somehow thongs make me feel like I have a more streamlined look. And I've NEVER had a bf that complained about thongs no matter my size. Sure takes a while to get used to the errr....unusual fit of them though.

you know, pam anderson says that she would rather be naked b/c everyone looks thinner without clothes!

omg i just quoted pam anderson

hehehehe the WNTW chicks (british version of course) often peel clothes off women exclaiming about how much thinner they look, the less they're wearing.

Me, I'm thankful for a bikini.. it covers up most of my loose skin wrinkles

I've never watched the WNTW show but I'd sure agree for the most part!
I have not lost enough rapidly to have loose skin much but I'm starting to notice that when I sit down indian style I have something like that at the top of my thighs. Bad texture & looseness. Yuck. I think when I have some more splash cash I am going to try & get some of that skin firming lotion & try it. I tried it a few years ago but maybe its improved. And maybe they sell it at Sally's? hmm....

Well - no weight loss

But I took my measurements and there has been some definate shrinkage

Two more weeks to lose 4 lbs? I think I can do it. It is getting cooler here in the evenings now even though it is hot during the day - so I think I can work in some evening walks - since I seem to refuse to do any weight training

Good luck everyone on your goals!

I've peeked at the scales already and I'm sort of hoping against odds that I'll be a bit closer to my challenge goal on Wednesday when I do my formal WI. I didn't get any strength training in this weekend, but I did manage to run 1 mile straight on Friday on a treadmill and then again on Saturday on pavement. I probably ran about 1.75 mi total on Sat and then walked close to another mile--the last 1.5-1.75 mi were intervals running and walking.

I think one of my challenge goals too was to avoid any of the treats in the breakroom. I've been 100% on track for that one, thank goodness. Today it's donuts (again!).

How's everyone else doing? 2 weeks left!

I'm doing great Thanks to all that biking last week, I'm 1 pound away from my labor day goal. I'm also 1 lb away from my original over all goal.
I have a few more pounds to lose, but everything after this is icing on the cake (teehee)

Congrats on making such great headway Pj, Meira & Tani!

omg tani, that is so incredible! How long have you been working toward this goal? congratulations! (oh and also...mmm, cake, icing ...)

ajandpj~ Glad you got to see the inches go down even if the scale didn't move. How often do you measure for inches? I was thinking about monthly, but then didn't know if that was enough time to see a big enough difference.

Melra, I'd say about 2 years actually working with at least a year of not working at all in the middle My memory is a little on the fuzzy side.

I don't really have a set schedule for measurments. I weigh every Sat, and I keep track of my weight and measures in Excel. So if I havent measured in a few weeks or if the scale isnt moving but I can tell I am getting smaller - I measure for some sense of accomplishment. I try to do it at least monthly but it is pretty random.

And I realized Sunday why no scale movement - good old Aunt Flo dropped in - I really need to pay better attn to the calander.

I suspect if I keep up with all the walking that next week should show some
"scale"ing down.