So I posted way back at the start and not since then - clearly my work schedule hasn't improved that much! Just watching "One Nation Overweight" on CNBC - if they rerun it, watch it - it's fascinating. As for me, I'm sort of maintaining on the exercise front but I need to step it up as I want to get fitter and stronger. It's hot here now - 108 today - so I'm working out at 5am during the week because it's the only way I can run outside, which is my favorite form of cardio. Other days I can go to the gym or the pool and not worry about the heat. DH and I, along with a few of my colleagues, are planning on doing a half marathon at the end of October so running regularly is mandatory now! I don't plan on running the whole thing but I don't see any reason I can't walk/run 13.1 miles in five months!

And my mother gave me her exercise bike so I'm using that every evening while I watch TV - I figured I can spend a half hour on that every night and still watch my very bad TV shows. Thank goodness for the DVR!

Welcome love2b150~goodluck with your goals!

Lori- No wedding bells in the near future. We are doing good though. We had a big spat back in April but things have been really good since then. I'm leaving to go home to the states for a month and a half and he is staying here. It will be hard being apart because we have been together literally everyday for the past 8 months. So, I hope my time home goes fast. He is going to take me to the airport when I leave, and pick me up when I return. No big wedding plans at least for another year...though I did tell him if he wanted to do his travel around the world thing he had to propose to me first before I would let him leave for that long of a period of time. Haha.

Hope everyone has a great start to the week. So far so good for me!

Good morning ladies.
I had a great night's rest and I made it to work on time after dropping my daughter off at daycare. I have all my on plan foods for today and looking forward to getting a good workout in after work. I will be doing toning exercises with my hubby before bed.
Love2b150 - Welcome. If you can, check in often. This is a great group that keeps you motivated. Jump right in and join the party.
Lori - I can't even imagine how excited you are as you look in the mirror. I want you to keep posting progress and updates. It's helping me.

Gotta to get on the grind...still missing two staff members so I'll check in later.

Good Morning everyone!!

It is still raining and cold here. Last summer was a really wet cool summer and I am hoping this summer isnt the same, but so far its not looking so good!!

Yesterday was another OP day. I only did my elliptical once. But Sundays are our grocery shopping days, so I was pretty busy for most of the day! Tomorrow is my first weigh in, I am nervous and very excited!

Lori- keep posting your pics and stories, they are very motivating!!!

Jiggle- Hope you have a great OP day!!!

Love2b150 and Babyboop!

Jules- I saw the previews for that show, but I didnt catch what time it was on. I am going to go search the TV guide for it!!

Well have a great day everyone!! I am hoping the sun peeks out today!!!

had a great weekend, but it was better this morning.

This shirt used to be so TIGHT around the middle and arms. I looked pregnant wearing it. and now, now it's hanging off of me! the scale is uncooperative, but this was a welcome surprise this morning. Though you can still see my spare tire




Sorry it's big, I don't know how to resize the image with bbcode

Bye bye weight, so long flabbiness!

I went to the fitness center for the first time today. I did the elliptical for the first time and wowzers! The trainer set it for me and I think he wanted to kill me! He set me at level 5 for 10 minutes. I made it 7 minutes. When I got off I felt like my arms and legs were spaghetti!

I did the recumbant bike and it was hard too! I did the circuit of weight machines and did fine on that stuff. I didn't do any treadmill because I can do that at home.

I want to try a kettlebell class. Has anyone done kettle bells??

Ok, hoping for a good 2.5 or more loss this week - fingers crossed! I soooo want to be at 185 or better for our cruise in TWO WEEKS!

We ate out after church yesterday, I got chicken and shrimp fajitas and only ate one tortilla ( I halved the order with my friend). So I'm pretty sure I stayed within my range of calories for the day. To be on the safe side I'm keeping my calories at 1400-ish today and then a 1500-1650 for the rest of the week.

I feel like I've been up for hours, I was at the gym at 5:55 AM!!
Hope y'all are all having a great day!

Let's get ready to celebrate our Independance from FAT!

Hola!

I don't have a lot of time so a quick pop-in.

Shylah- You look great! And I don't see any spare tire in that shirt. Congrats!

Welcome to the new ladies. This is a great tool to help keep on track!

I decided to sleep in for an hour today. Which was a bad decision, as I woke up entirely unmotivated. I wanted to start my day off with exercise, but opted for watching If Walls Could Talk on HGTV (love that show!).

I found myself debating whether I should skip today's exercise, but I forced myself to- how could I throw away five weeks like that?! Only four more days after today and I'll be done with Si6. So I sucked it up and now I feel REALLY good. Always happens on days like this!

I was bad yesterday. I was going to really stick to healthy foods and lower calories because it's my break day, but I ended up having steak, salt potatoes, and corn on the cob for dinner. Not too bad and I stuck to proper portions...but then I had cheesecake for dessert. YIKES! I didn't finish it, but man did it weigh down my stomach!

Ah well, I'm proud that I didn't go more overboard. And I feel excellent today.

Now, I've got to be off to work! Have an excellent day ladies!

I'm sneaking...couldn't help it!!!
Shylah - It's great that the shirt is showing you how well your payoff is and keeps you going!! That deserves a Happy Dance!!!
LOVE - That's what I used to do. Check in because my body wanted to eat LLLLOOOOOOOOOOONG before the time came and it seemed like forever. If you can and have the time, read posts in the GOALS section, it will distract you for a little while.
Susie - Sounds like 185 is only a couple days away. Keep up the good work. I'm saying bye bye to the fat and so long to the flab too.
Corinne - YAY!!! Keep pushing yourself, you will see the payoff in no time.

Shylah! Way to go on that shirt NSV!!! Isn't it amazing to see something that used to be form fitting just hang on you - I love those NSV's!!

Just a little something I've been meaning to share with y'all. A couple weeks ago, on Dr. Oz, he mentioned that Vitamin C is vital to helping to burn the fat when losing weight. So I started making sure I eat an orange every couple of days and more vitamin C foods. But then I remembered I had some Vitamin C drops left over from winter (like cough drop things) so I've been taking two of those a day. We'll see if it works! He was on Good Morning America this morning and he said the same thing again.

He also said last week that Black Tea also helps to metabolize the fat. So I've been having a cup of hot tea w/splenda each morning. I figure every little thing helps!

Ugh. It was 86 degrees when I went running at 5am. Thankfully not humid but still - that was not the most fun I've had. But I managed to run 2 miles non-stop and I felt really good, especially as any route from my house is uphill in at least one direction! I try and make sure the "out" is uphill so I can coast home when I'm pooped out. Not sure how to progress from 2 miles to 13.1 miles within the next five months but I figure I'll work it out one run at a time!

MissMae - if you can catch it online or in a rerun, do - it was a really interesting show. Apart from the ridiculous cost of providing care for a disease such as obesity, it's amazing how so many people are unaware of how you can manage it. They also talked about a new drug in trials that is apparently doing really well - I'll be interested to see if that comes to the market.

Susie - that elliptical is deceptive! I think because it's no-impact, it feels like it's easier than, say, running, but it's actually pretty tough! I like to do intervals on it, and change the level and ramp height a lot because I find I get oh-so-bored on indoor cardio machines! I work out at 5am because it's just too darn hot here much later than that - overnight temps stay above 80 pretty much from now til late September, and if I'm working out outside, which is my preference, I have to drag my sorry butt out of bed early. You get used to it, though - 5am now seems pretty normal!

ETA: Susie - what's the theory behind the vitamin C? I've heard about green tea compounds being great for weight loss but I hadn't heard about Vit. C so I'm curious.