HAPPY BIRTHDAY RHONDA!!!!
:bday2you::bday2::hb::celebrate::woo::gift:

Jenn - Congrats on the loss!!

Faerie - Great to hear from you. We miss you around here. Glad to hear you are tracking - that's half the battle.

Pinto - any loss is a good loss!

Anna - :running: Your plan sounds good, I'll be over here willing your weather to cooperate. (I can raise and lower humidity with my mind. From a distance.)

Rhonda - HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Hope you are somewhere nice with a cold fruity drink in your hand. Well... considering it's 10am... Maybe you should put the drink down for a few hours.

My jog yesterday was pretty lame... We went at almost the hottest part of the day, and I hadn't had any water that morning. I made it 1.3 miles before I had to get home. Such a bad idea. So I think I'm going to go back out tonight even though I usually don't run daily... it should be a good 10 degrees cooler this evening than it was yesterday when we ran, and the sun won't be beating down on us. I'd like to start trying for 5k routinely... Not that I run the whole time, but I'd like to start actually logging distance. My runs have been getting progressively shorter as I get quicker and better at running, since I do the same trek each time but continually shave time off it.

Anyway... managed to post a good loss for once this week (-2.2). I am getting pretty close to having lost 10lbs this challenge... I have about 3lbs to go, and I think I can hit it. I'll make that my goal for the remainder of the challenge.

Hope everyone had wonderful weekends!

Rhonda - Happy birthday!!!!

Jaime - Congrats on a good loss this week!

Anna - WTG with getting your distance up. You'll be up to six miles in no time!

I'm down 3 lbs for the week, which rocks not only because it's a nice big loss but also because it brings me down to 200 where I'd hoped to be by August. It's been a big mental struggle for me to get these past few pounds off since I've been bouncing around between 200 and 210 for almost three years (before jacking it up to 225 this past winter). It's taking some mental shifting to get past this point but it's coming along.

The cruddy part about this loss is that it wasn't the 4 lbs loss that would have me beating Jo for the week!! Ah well, there's always next week to try again right?

I did my 16K on Saturday and it was a good and painful time. I took 7 minutes off my time from last week to finish at 1:54 and it was a huge push to finish it. I very sorely wanted to give up from 12K on but I knew how pissed I'd be with myself to have put in that much effort only to give up. I switched my Garmin to the countdown mode for the last couple of kilometers and it really helped my motivation. My new shoes proved well worth the investment and I had no leg pain at all which was a huge relief. I also experimented with carrying water for the first time in my new belt water carrier and I used Gu (a carb gel) an hour into the run. I think it helped me out and I'll use it again this weekend on my long run.

Off I go to post my weight! I can't wait to change my ticker into Onederland...

Good morning, Bluesers! Thanks to all of you for the birthday wishes. It's turning out to be a great birthday. The scales rewarded me this morning with a 4.6 pound loss for the week.:D Experimenting with new veggies and fruit has really helped to put the excitement back into the journey for me. Today, I'm finally going to cook that acorn squash and I'll try the jicama with a lowfat dip. Yesterday, I picked up some fresh collard greens. I have no idea how to cook them, but I'm gonna search online and come up with a recipe. I also picked up some cherries. Holy Cow, were those things expensive. I'll treat them like the rarest of imported chocolates and savor every single bite.:)

It's so good to hear from you and to hear that you're doing so well. Congratulations!

In this case, I'd just be direct with him. What he decides to do is up to him, but you can know that you have tried.

:carrot:Congratulations!

:broc: Congratulations!

:cb:

:carrot:

Wow! Blue team has some great losses this week!:D I'm so proud of this team.

My hubby asked me what I want for my special birthday meal. I haven't decided yet, but I can guarantee it will be an on-plan meal. I'm looking for another great loss next week. Who all's gonna join me?

Hope everyone has a great on-plan day.

:cheer3::cheer3::cheer3: Go Blue! :cheer3::cheer3::cheer3:

Hi Blue Team:

Can't stay long, working today. Anniversary trip was fun, but ate 3 off plan meals (1 buffet each day) so no loss this week. But no gain either, so I can live with that. Measurements showed another 8.5 inches lost, with my total weight loss at 21.6 lbs. I believe I'm on my way, though I will truly miss this challenge.

Congratulations to all the big losers I saw along the way and for all the healthy eating choices so many are making. We have come a long way in this group and I'm so proud of us.

I've started lifting weights every other day based on an article I read that stated more weight could be lost with a program of walking AND weight lifting. Not my favorite sport, but it does mention that if you want shape, weights are the way, so here goes.

And . . . Happy Birthday Rhonda . . . may it be the beginning of all the best birthdays to come, at your lesser and lesser weight. Now there's a real present, eh?

ttyl

Dora

:bday2: Rhonda!

Congrats on all of the killer weight losses--Jennifer, Amy, Jaime, Kim, Rhonda, Anna, and anyone I missed.

Going shopping and seeing how well everyone is doing is giving me motivation to get on it. The "Love Me" campaign officially started this morning. I've already gotten some compliments on how I look today. Everyone is used to seeing me look like I don't care so today I look quite different. Rhonda I will join you in trying to have a decent loss for next week seeing as I maintained again this week.

Rhonda:

This is my favorite recipe to make with either collard or turnip greens. It comes from a Cooking Light cookbook, I can't count the number of times I've made it.

Ingredients:
1 giant bag of greens (16oz I think?)
2 cans of beans, drained and rinsed - I've used both black and pinto
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dry oregano
1 tsp cayenne (or ground red pepper if you don't like so much spice)
1/4 tsp salt (I never put this in)
1 1/2 c broth (chicken or veg)

Stick the greens in a microwave-safe bowl, add 1/2 c broth, cover with plastic wrap and vent. Microwave for about 8 mins or until tender. In the meantime, place cumin and oregano in a pot (big enough to eventually hold everything) and toast over med heat until fragrant, add garlic and onions and sautee with a bit of EVOO. Sautee for about 3 mins, add remaining broth and cook another couple minutes. Add (drained, rinsed) beans. Add cooked greens (carefully not adding the broth you cooked them in -- it will be bitter). Mix gently and serve.

If you have time (I never do), you can take each leaf of greenery, fold it in half, and cut out the stem before cooking. I guess it's supposed to make the consistency nicer? It was suggested but I've never done it.

The recipe suggested serving with corn tortillas, but I don't find that nearly as satisfying as whipping up some lf corn muffins to go along with it.

Hi bluesers!

Another drive-by posting from me today -I've been struggling to get on the boards lately, so I have to admit that I haven't kept up with y'alls posts :(

Happy birthday Rhonda!!!!! Hope you are having a blast.

I posted a surprise 1 lb loss this week - I had not done very well eating wise, and the scale and I hadn't been on good terms earlier in the week. All's well that ends well I guess, and I am recommitting to my plan and feeling motivated to see what I can accomplish when I really work at it!

I'm also going to restart C25K this week. I finished it last month, but then inexplicably just stopped running, so I thought I'd start over, and this time focus a little more on running pace. Wish me luck!

:dust: for all of us who need a little boost this week!

Happy Birthday Rhonda!!!!

So far Phase 1, Day 1 on South Beach (redo #8 or 9?) is going well. Probably because I've been busy. ;) I've got plans for some spiced edamame with chicken, and probably a salad. I've never fixed edamame before, so this will be an adventure.

I finally found software to combine my music from my different itunes libraries (work and home) into one. I've eliminated the duplicates and the Christmas music, so I'm ready to hit the pavement again. That's my goal tonight, walk, somewhere, for some length of time. As long as I actually get off my butt, the rest is negotiable tonight.

Happy Birthday Rhonda
:genie::grouphug::balloons:

and to everyone who stayed with their plan:
:flame::dance:

for those of us who maintained: :dust::goodscale

Here is to a great week for all of us bluesers let's :kickbutt: this week!

Linda

Hi All,
I took a freebie this week. My weight only went up about .5 lbs, but my head is just not in it.
After BF losing job, I am really sad. I miss driving to work with him and taking our breaks together, I am sure that many would get sick of their SO, but we are best friends too. It just breaks my heart. Plus, it is SUPER uncomfortable to go into work now, just hard to explain. Anyway, what I am getting at, I am not very hungry. I eat a little and stop - I know that's good and everything but - it's just not me. I took some treats today at work and just threw them out. Then I threw out half my lunch, then only ate half of dinner. Just feel sort of NOT hungry. Do you know what I mean?

Anyways, just ranting. Just want everyone to know that I am still reading the posts, but not really into chatting now.

WOW - I haven't been on 3FC for 9 days! Missed you. I'm home for 2-3 days and then off for another road trip...

I wanted to break 240 while away, but only managed to eek out a .2 loss as far as weigh ins go for this challenge...in fact I am up 1.5 pounds from my lowest weight during the previous week, but I had taken a holiday freebie and not recorded it. So good for you all, but bad for me personally. I didn't go crazy with food, drank lots of H2O and managed to walk a fair bit. But I did eat "packaged/convenience" foods quite a bit more often than when I'm here at home...

I read a few pages of stuff I missed but honestly I had to skip the past few pages...

I did manage to see both Jo and Vix's before and after pics and am so impressed! WTG girls!

Happy Birthday Rhonda!

I'm in laundry **** here...DH had house perfectly clean and now it's a total disaster.

Vix - you chat when you need to. We are here for you ... just keep reading until you feel like posting.

Rhonda - Happy B-Day!

I was VERY bad this weekend. We went away with friends I lost my little mind. So I came back with a gain and am try to just break even right now. I am hoping alot of it is water weight from sodium, and that it will be gone soon. I am working out got my Elliptical run in this morning along with my hoop, lifting. and 100 situps. I'll be back up tomorrow for another round, hope to get in some yoga if I get up on time along with my 60 minutes on the Elliptical. I am doing my week 9, which is 5 minute warmup, followed by a 25 minute run, then a 5 minute jog, 15 minute run, 5 minute jog, and a 5 minute cool down. I was a little slower this morning, but I hadn't been on the elliptical since Thursday.

Does anyone know when the next season of TBL comes on? Haven't seen any advertisments for it, so was wondering if anyone knew.

Have a good night everyone, and Amy have a good day:D

Vix - lack of appetite totally makes sense. I react the same way to any stress situation. Some people stress eat - and to some extreme I think it's mild stress eating. When there's huge stress, like financial layoff, serious family illness, etc., I just cannot eat. I'd be shocked to hear people can eat their way thru that serious stuff, like I think it's stress eating for day to day stuff like job stress, stress from parenting etc.

You are in shock and you will eventually come out of it, and you will feel like eating again. Hang in there.......

Morning chickadees!

Some of you may know, others may not. I'm on antibiotics for Lyme disease/Rocky mountain spotted fever... but that doesn't mean I can't set goals for myself!

My biggest pitfall is the mornings for breakfast. I usually wake up with avg 10 to 15 mins to wake up, get the dog fed and taken out, get dressed & look halfway presentable then its off to work. So this morning I made a point to wake up with almost an hour to get ready and have breakfast (mostly because I didn't know how my tummy was going to act being that my body is at war with me at the moment.) Everything went smoothly. I had 2 eggs, a bowl of grits and some coffee. Lexi even got some time to "brush" her teeth with her Dental Kong toy. :D

I find I'm a bit tired this morning, but I stayed up til 1 cause I couldn't sleep... damn those mid day 3 hour naps. Tonight's another semi late night as I have online game plans til 11.

Well I better run... results need to get posted! :carrot:

Week kicked butt this week! :yay:

Congrats Faerie for being the Biggest Loser this week! :carrot:

Good morning, Bluesers!

I'm sorry that I only have time for a quick check-in. I am a bit behind on my work and have quite a bit to accomplish today. I stayed on-plan yesterday and am planning on another on-plan week. Today, I will re-start the C25K and the 100 pushup challenge.

Hope everyone has a great on-plan day. Go Blue!

WTG on the fabulous week Blue Team!!! :cp::hat::hyper::twirly:

And congrats to Faerie for the enormous loss! :carrot:

I'm tired and achy and munchy this morning. I should go make a smoothie to fill myself up and do some stretching so I can walk properly. I pushed myself last night and polished off a 5K run in 32 minutes but I'm paying for it today. Bleh.

I'll cheer up and come back later. ;)

Way to go Faerie, congratulations! :congrat:

WAY TO GO FAERIE!!! :carrot:

:woohoo: Fae!!! Congratulations....awesome job. I know it can be hard staying OP living outside home for a while and in a totally new environment. But you did it!!!!

YEAH, Faerie!!

Congrats all around to this great group of losers!

I forgot about the push up challenge while I was away. Guess I'll restart.

I've got a ton of things to do today, inclusing packing up again and then heading out of town with the girls tomorrow. In a couple more weeks my life will be more normal and I can spend time online!

Great job faerie!!!!

Nothing much going on. I leave tomorrow. Time has gone by so fast. Can't wait to just get there and have a good vacation. Im gonna go gamble and hopefully win lots of money. I once won $175 playing the nickels slots. Hopefully I can win more.

Have a good flight Tawnya...and a great vacation. :D

Nori, miss ya around here. Have a great vacation...and return to normalcy soon. :)

Oh man! I don't what is going on with me for the past couple weeks or so. I haven't been too hungry around dinner time. Usually I used to be hungry when dinner time came and looked forward to a nice OP meal. Now I am less hungry at dinner and eating less calories on the whole apparently (not a bad thing but just curious that's all). The only change I made in the last month or so was eating more calories for my breakfast than my lunch. I was going for about 300-400 calories for my breakfast and keeping below 250 for lunch, eating fruit or any other snack (not more than 100 cals) in between breakfast and lunch. I don't know if it's the change I made that is making me less hungry at night or is it just a temporary phase. It remains to be seen...

Why are you starting SB again if it has not worked for you in the past? Just asking.

Great job, Faerie!

I keep forgetting too! I get in bed and think....Crap! I am not even sure where to restart. Maybe tomorrow I will do another test and just in week two.

Thanks. I'll still be posting and stuff because my mom has like 4 computers at her house. But I sure will have fun!!!

Way to go Blue Team!!!!!

Congrats BLUE TEAM!:cool:

And a huge Bravo to our girl :cp:Faerie:cp:! We miss you around here!

It works. It's actually the only thing I've ever had work long term. I'm the one who stops working, or rather I stop being diligent about eating healthy, and then suddenly I'm once again BFF with Ben & Jerry. The fault is all mine.

So I decided to check out the birthdays again today, and look who's birthday it is......Nori!

Happy Birthday NORI!

:woo: :balloons: :bday2:

Hang in there girl, you can get right back on plan, you're one of the most motivated people I know.

The new season of TBL starts in September.

:cheer3::cheer3::cheer3:

WHOO HOO BLOO!!!!!!

We are so hot!!!! :flame:And Fae out there fanning the flames, whooeee!!! Great job team!

Wish I could say I contributed, but I stayed the same, but had a great anniversary in exchange.;)

Vix - I've been thinking about you a lot. Wish there was more I could do, but for now . . .:hug::hug::hug:

Nori - Missed you, I'll be gone after Thursday too for 5 days camping at the coast. Hope to "see" you when we get back. Have a wonderful birthday too. :bday2:, your looking younger all the time.

Rhonda - glad the "stored calories is energy to be burned" note helped. You have inspired me to eat more veggies. Thanks for making it sound good.:carrot::broc::thanks:

Chelle - so sorry you are suffering with the Lyme dz/fever. I know you like to overdo, but now is the time to rest, K???

Amy - glad you've recovered from your anger/pain/hurt. You work so hard for your family, so i know it's disappointing when family has to let you down. Hang in there.:hug:

Jill - Kudos for researching and understanding what procedure to have performed and keeping an open mind. I look forward to hearing of your progress.

Anjuli - I noticed you lost a lot lately too, I guess your focus on breakfast and eating only fruit between is working to change-up your body clock. Good work.

Dee - Don't remember if I already said it, but glad you're back with us.

Kim - You do so much running!!! Inspirational!

Jaime - great loss this week, you're getting back in the groove, eh?

Well, it's hot and muggy, so of course I'll be working out in the yard, or on the driftwood fence. Changed-up to doing work-outs in the mornings, since that's when all the fitness experts say it is most beneficial. I'm still not an early riser, but I'm doing it before breakfast. So far 18.5 inches lost with 9.5 of those off my waist and hips. Exercise is wooing me into doing its bidding since its rewarding my efforts. Thanks to all who have encouraged me in this, especially you, Jo.

Dora

:bday2you: Nori! Hope you are having a beautiful day!

Dee, where's this birthday list? I hope we haven't missed anyone else.

Congratulations Blue Team!!!