OK. Tears in my eyes, literally!

Juggle - I was very moved by your words! I am going to cut and paste and steal!! quite inspirational!!! :D

H82Sweat - the story about your mother was amazing. ow. All the more poignant to me because my event planning company is in the process of putting together a large fund raiser to help the Nancy Davis Foundation (out of LA). One of our marketing clients's mother has had MS for over 24 years and now 6 weeks out from the event has taken a bad turn. It's heart breaking. and YES!!!! Your mother IS proud of you!!!! xo

P H A T - I am still new to this and won't be weighing myself til Sunday morning but I can feel your pain. Be careful and stay healthy and, as you say, PUSH THRU. Think of how far you've come already! Hang tough lady!

I stayed within my calories again today. Feels like a chore and I have to still tell myself NO! So hoping to hit Onederland some day.

Good night everyone!

Hi all!


Been a while since I posted, just been so busy. Had no extra time to be online. Still doing my walks everyday, calories have been in the 1300's til I baked last night. Ate cookies & pudding cake i made, went way over my limit and already gained. I was down to 114.8 yesterday, I'm up to 116.2 today. I know I'll gain more before I start losing. No desire to eat any baked goods today, had enough last night. The pudding cake tasted way too sweet cause I wasn't used to eating sweets, but I got hooked anyway. That was enough for me for a while, it was back to nutritious food today. I was extra hungry from doing yard work, went over my limit(1818) but still around maintenance limit.

8-15, is 2 yrs of maintaining. I want to be the lowest weight possible by then, so no more baking for a while. I'm about 8-10lbs heavier than I was 2 yrs ago, but that's ok, I'm eating more of a variety of foods now and I'm happy. Everyone told me I was too skinny 2 yrs. ago, I didn't believe them and I still don't, but I felt deprived & depressed. That 10lbs is just not worth my happiness!

Hi all,

I hope this post finds all of you well!

I'm still around and have been working out, albeit not as much as I have wanted due to my plantar fascialitis. My husband just convinced me to buy the Shape-ups sneakers (he calls them "Butt Shoes" because they are supposed to give you a nice one lol) and they are already helping my foot problem! I'm still bellydancing and performing. I am stepping that up as I want to join the advanced performance group next Spring.

I haven't gained, but haven't lost either. That's OK since I am evolving into a healthier lifestyle as I make revelation after revelation.

Good Morning!!! I'm feeling like a lady today. I'm eating in my calorie range and I'm staying focused...if you don't count the Baked Cheetos I ate last night. They were very tasty and I knew when to stop.

I was looking over my body this morning and realized there is a bigger chunk of fat on one side of my stomach...I tell you one thing...when you loose more than 30 pounds, you body does some strange things. My body is getting smaller and I'm working with my psyche because I see loose skin. I know it is going to take a minute for that to get right. I seem more jiggly now than when I started. It's like the loose skin gives the fat room to move around and spread out. Looks kinda creepy.

Today's Nugget: Be a champion for you and those in your sphere of influence. Someone is watching you and taking note of your weight loss. Your actions are speaking more than you know. Someone is watching you and your success. Their weight seems to be in insurmountable mountain and you are giving them hope!!!

Time for another NSV day!!!

Everyone join in...you gotta have something!!!

I have noticed that I cross my legs more frequently and very effortlessly. I used to have to pick my leg up at the ankle and cross them like a man. Now I can be like a lady!

tdiprincess: Good call on giving your ankle a chance to rest. It sucks to have to take time off, but it definitely beats hurting yourself seriously and not being able to do ANYTHING.
RealMe: DH = husband - sorry, not sure if that slang is used on here...got it from another board. :) Spaghetti squash is good. It doesn't actually taste anything like spaghetti (just looks like it). Actually, it doesn't taste like much of ANYTHING, but it's light and crisp and is a great vehicle for sauce.
Corinne: Spaghetti squash is super easy - requires a little advance planning because it takes a while, but it's unattended the whole time so it's no trouble. Stab it a couple times to let steam out, then bake at 350 for an hour. Let it cool on the counter until you remember it's there, then cut it in half and throw away the seeds. Then just scrape out the flesh with a fork - it comes off in long strands. Looks really cool, actually - it really appeals to my inner five-year-old. Then you just put whatever sauce you want on it and eat it. I usually put tomato sauce on and a little cheese on top and bake it just until the cheese melts.
P H A T: Ahh, that sucks. I hate staying OP and having no visible results. Stick with it, though - I'm sure you'll break through when you least expect it.
jiggle: Love the self-talk nugget. Self-love is probably the most important thing I've learned in this whole fitness thing. If I'm not nice to myself, who will be?
H82Sweat: Great story - definitely something to keep in mind on those "whaaaah, I don't want to spend half an hour exercising" days.

My NSV: Yesterday was my birthday! I stayed on-plan (even taking into account the delicious enchiladas we had for supper), and I worked out - ran farther than I ever have before in my life! Inner dialogue: "Happy birthday, Me, I got you a healthier heart, a nicer butt, the ability to run more than four steps, and a few more years with your husband and kid." Big victory for me, since historically I use my birthday as a day to lounge around and gorge myself and feel like crap.

Thanks Jiggle as always for your motivation and nuggets of wisdom!

Envelope-Congrats on hitting your goal!

Phat-You are awesome even if you are full of H2O

Archychick-I read a thread here about the ShapeUps and most people said it helped their backs and posture so much.

NSV-I had my 20th reunion and we were to wear something from high school for our float in the local parade and I really did not keep anything but I had my prom dress that was packed away so I tried it on and it fit!

I have been struggling with my calories like never before. I'll go 2 days on goal for my calories and then a day that is like 500 over....this is just stupid! I have four pounds to go...I'm not helping myself at all. I am going to just plug onward and do my best!

Thin thoughts everyone! Have a good day!:)

I have two freaky.....places...... on me right now.

This weird little dimply bulge that is all that is left of my tummy pooch (5 kids, 2 cesareans, add that to the fat and well, you get the picture) I have this hope that the fact it has shrunk means it will go away.... but there is a scared part of me that thinks I am gonna have that....thing.....hanging there for the rest of my life. :dizzy:

Even worse, because it is more visible, is this weird spot on my upper inner arms that sort of..... dangles......the rest of my arms are getting toned and even my flying squirrel triceps are improving daily...but those little satchels of loose skin and fat just....dangle!...right there by my arm pit.... my fear there is I will never be able to go sleeveless :o

On the bright side! NSV today is fitting very comfortably on a playground swing and having nothing hanging, bulging, or poking out or over :D

Now I am off to the pool to have fun and work those arms ;)

Have a great OP day, Ladies!

What's an NSV? I'm thinking No Small Victory?

jigglefree: I love your post! I think that being in control and feeling good about yourself are two major components of losing weight. Congratulations on your weightloss. Your "nugget" is SO very true!

BigChief: Happy Birthday to you! What a great gift to yourself staying on your plan and working out. Nice inner dialog too! :)

k15: Cool beans that your prom dress fit! Congratulations! Thin thoughts indeed!

H82: I love to swing - it's my favorite thing, even at 43. Isn't it a freeing experience? Enjoy the pool!

So far, so good for me. My fast (see my post "My new eating pattern") is making me feel energetic and clear-headed and it feels good to have an eating schedule. I feel more in control. We will see how the break in fast goes this evening - that's where the real control should be. It does help that I meal plan every week, so I already know what I am making for dinner and can plan accordingly.

NSV (going by your posts): I (hopefully) put another piece of my weight-loss puzzle into place with an eating schedule. I feel great and great about myself today! :carrot:

Bigchief: Awesome work staying OP and being able to run further!! Keep it up! :carrot:
k15g15: That is really cool to fit into your prom dress!! :carrot:
h82sweat: I like your NSV!!! It sounds like fun too!! :D
archychick: I didn't know what NSV was for a while. NSV=Non Scale Victory!
Awesome job fitting the puzzle together. You definitely have it right, that it is a puzzle that we just have to figure out!!

My NSV is noticing my muscles! HA!! Seeing my triceps, even seeing that my thighs are thinner and more muscular. Oh and fitting into some clothes that I bought at the goodwill last month as "goal" clothes to work toward fitting into! I actually wore one pair of shorts out already, before they were a bit too tight. Just feeling clothes get lose is such a great feeling!!
Jiggle: I like NSV days!! I think next challenge I will be planning a couple NSV's.

Thanks everybody for the encouragement and help with taking care of my ankle. It has really been feeling better this week. I will give it another soft week next week. I have done a little cardio with my legs, other than biking, to see how it does and it has been feeling better. I also have been taking a little ibuprofen at night to help with inflammation. It hasn't been too puffy, but I was reading that taking a little will help it to heal.

Today is good. I haven't eaten too much yet, so I need to catch up with my calories. I've been painting the our fence, so that is my exercise today. Nothing horrid!
I also picked a cucumber from my garden! I have a TON of green tomatoes!! I hope they ripen soon, I'm DYING for some! Anyhow..gotta finish lunch and then get some more painting done!
Keep it movin' chickies!! :carrot:

tdiprincess - glad your ankle is getting better! We have been enjoying the tomatos, summer squash, and cucumbers for a few weeks...they are really growing fast here.

Archychick - I love your version of NSV!

k15 - The last 2 Tues have been pretty tough on me cal wise. I am hungrier than normal on those days. Next Tues I am going to eat more raw vegis through out the day to see if that helps. If not, I may have to increase my cal range.

My NSV - 3 of the capris I had planned on wearing when I go back to school starting tomorow, are way to big after I have worn them for a few hours. This is a good thing, but the only other pants I have are too tight for the first few hours, then they stretch out a bit. I am at that in between spot...oh well, the too tight waist will just remind me to keep making good choices so that they will start to fit better soon.

Fruitlady - sounds like you are doing great! Congrats on your 2 years!!!

Jigglefree - The right side of my stomach holds more fat than the left. the sphere of influence...I have had a lot of people aproach me in the last week and ask how I have done it. Not sure if they like my answer, but ccing and jogging is the key to my success. Some have been really surprised that this is something I have been working on for the last 3 summers...with trying to maintain during the winter.

envelope- thank you, it took alot of determination not to fail at maintaining, like I did twice before. Never made it past 2 yrs!
Jiggle- At my lowest weight, my skin sagged and was shriveled up. Now the loose skin is still there, just not as shriveled. It filled out with fat!

Walked 42min & had 1272 calories, a perfect day for me!

Fruitlady: Awesome work!! You're doing really well.

I ended the day around 1450calories. Not too bad. I didn't do any crazy exercise, but I painted for a few hours today and supposedly that burns some calories who knows. I also did some walking while I shopped.
Tomorrow will be a crazy long day. I need to stick exercise in there somewhere, at least the programs I'm doing. We will see how it goes!
Later chickies! :carrot:

So I'm down another 1 1/2 lbs....so I'm at 161 and by my next weight in I'm shooting for the 150s!!!! After hitting 180 I'm so ready. My NSV is I could wear shorts this summer. I've been in capris for awhile now and when it's 90 plus degrees out its horrible. So to come home and slip shorts on has been wonderful AND I'm looking forward to pulling out my old jeans in a month and seeing which size fits...and throwing out the ones I was squeezing myself in to. And saying bye to all those baggy baggy sweaters to hide my stomach. So 150s here I come...

Good Morning Lovlies!!!

It's looking like we are making progress all over the place. I like when you can see that your labor is not in vain. You will also see that your breaks or overindulging on occasion is not a total disaster. I had a great day yesterday. I was below my calories and didn't feel hungry. I'm really looking forward to my weigh in tomorrow.

Sumu1 - That is really great that you are so close to the 150s. Keep going by Labor day you may be deep in the 150s or 140s even!!
Tdiprincess - You are doing fabulously. Not many people can stay on task with an injury.
FruitLady - A perfect day...it feels good to get it right!!
Envelope - You are going to have to wear suspenders so you don't loose those capris at lunch time :D! Okay so maybe a belt. You may want to put the too tight pants on for a little while before you leave for work that way they'll be a good fit by the time you get to work.
Archychick - How does your fasts work? Do you fast everyday or certain days a week?
H82Sweat - I was thinking the same thing about mine...it will be here forever. Mine was one of those that was so big that it just hung there...I thought it would have lifted up by now. We are going to keep going and see how it goes.
K15g15 - Have you thought about a break for a week. Then you can get back on board.
BigCheif - Happy belated birthday!! I actually ate what I wanted for my birthday and didn't do as bad as I thought I would. Looks like you did a great job on your birthday and you did well staying on plan.

Today's Nugget: We have to make decisions all day long. Every choice you make has in it a reward or consequence. That is true with what you eat, drink or if you workout. Make decisions today that will bring great rewards!!