My weight loss journey started in June 2006 when I left a grocery store, sat down in my car, and my size 22W jeans cut deeply into my stomach because they were getting a little too tight...actually a lot too tight! It was at that moment that my eyes welled up with tears and I knew that was my breaking point. At 274 pounds and size 22 I was not going to allow myself to go out and purchase a higher sized pair of pants.

My weight loss has been very slow because I would be serious about it, and then take a break, and then get serious about it again, and then take a break. But that's ok, because it got me down to where I am today even if it is five years later. I maintained my weight in 2010 and stayed between 195-200, and then I'd had enough of that. I started counting calories on January 3rd of this year, and I love it! I've lost 17 pounds with cc and it is one thing in this weight loss world that is "fun" for me to do.

I now have 14 pounds left to get to my goal weight of 165 and I would like to have that goal reached by July 31st. The goal of 165 would mean (according to all those lovely BMI calculators) that I would officially be out of the overweight category and would be considered normal...normal? Is that really a word?! My husband and I are going to start TTC in August, so I want to be at my goal weight so I can be as healthy as possible for our future children.

I have been following Joyful's blog since she started it, and it inspired me to create one for myself. I need the motivation and accountability since I just realized today that July 31st is only 3 short months away! Having this accountable section for me will hopefully keep my butt in gear and give me the strength to push through. It's only 3 months, right?!

I am going to post my daily calories and any exercise I accomplish, and I weigh daily, so I'll be posting that as well. My official WI day is Friday. I’ll probably also randomly talk about stuff going on in my day that is making it difficult with food. It feels good just to be able to write things out sometimes. Thanks for the inspiration, Joyful!

And here's some dancing carrots just for good measure:

I tend to eat the same thing every day which is awesome in the world of calorie counting because it makes it easy. After doing 1750-1850 calories at the start of my cc journey, I'm now focusing on 1600-1650ish. I had quite a non-loss month for April, so I decided to drop it down. Plus, I didn't really exercise regularly for two weeks -- my left knee got super tight and swollen, and now it is almost 100% better. Probably 85%.

WI: 179.2 -- TOM this morning after being late by 4 days (talk about having a minor freakout)

Breakfast: 1/2 c cinnamon cheerios plus 1/2 c kashi go lean (fiber twig) cereal, skim milk, whole grain english muffin, all-natural pb, all-natural fruit spread (361)
Snack: Yogurt mixed w/Kashi cereal (97)
Lunch: Lean cuisine and small bag of baked cheetos (380)
Snacks: Gum (10), Fiber One Oats & Chocolate bar (140), Cheese stick (60)
Dinner: Chicken w/salsa, mashed potatoes (398), Skinnycow french vanilla truffle (100), 1 pc Ghiardelli dark chocolate (53)

My "hungry" time is between 1:30-4:00 when I am at work. I think it's more psychological than anything, but I snack a lot during the afternoon at work. Whatever works, right? Didn't snack as much as I usually do. Just tried to drink a lot of water!

Total calories: 1599

No exercise today, but tomorrow I'll make up for it. It's supposed to be beautiful, so I plan on mowing the grass (front and back) and going for a nice long walk. My husband is finishing the basement downstairs and wants my help with that, but I'm thinking not so much. It's hard for me to be inside when it's so nice out.

YEAAAAHHHH!!!! Sooooo....are you sayin' I won't be the only 'wackjob' posting everyday to herself? Just kiddin! WOW...this is GREAT!

Just remember...be TRUE and HONEST...even when you MESS UP! I say this because many times I have just wanted to NOT include a food or set of foods (i.e. when I go nuts and have like 10 svgs of cashews throughout the day or like 50 Pumpkin Muffins!), but I find it MOST helpful to include EVERYTHING I eat so that I can look back and see what my triggers are.

I'm so happy that you've decided to start this thread (and flattered by the biggups you gave me..haha!). I will be watching your success and gaining strength and encouragement from you as well!

Much success!

Thanks for the advice, Joyful...that's why I want this out in the open...so I can list every single thing and be accountable for it! And, yes, you are officially not the only one talking to yourself! I'm doing this for me. If people read this, then that's cool, and if people don't, then that's cool, too. I need this to motivate me!

Emme - You know I am in your cheering corner You can do it by July 31 if you stay focused.

Remember our challenge to stay 100% OP over the weekend

Thank you, GettinFit!! You are always so supportive.

Oh, don't worry, I won't forget our challenge to stay OP this weekend. We are going out to breakfast on Sunday with my husband's aunt and uncle, but we are going to Cracker Barrel and they substitute EggBeaters for eggs if you want, and turkey sausage for regular sausage, so I'm going to have to do some really creative menu searching and find something that fits into my calorie range. We can do it!

Emme! What an inspiration! I <3 weight loss blogs! Congratulations on making it this far and good luck on getting to your goal! I'm sure you'll make it!!! Yay!

Thanks, Toni! You are doing quite excellently yourself! I just looked through your blog and saw an awesome recipe for brownie mix with a little yogurt and ice cream! Good thing I am grocery shopping tonight b/c now those are on my list -- lol!

Emme, I have a very similar goal date to yours! I started P90X this morning, which means I basically have through the end of July where I want to do it every day.

Good luck to you!

Good luck to you! I've heard that P90X is brutal!

WI: 178.2

Woke up starving this morning!! Ate my normal breakfast, but I'm still famished. Hoping water and some coffee will help stave off any lingering hunger.

Breakfast: 1/2 c cinnamon cheerios plus 1/2 c kashi go lean (fiber twig) cereal, skim milk, whole grain english muffin, all-natural pb, all-natural fruit spread (361)
Lunch: Lean Cuisine (230), Jello Sugar Free pudding (60)
Snacks: Fiber One Oats & Chocolate bar (140), Coffee w/skim milk (15), Cheerios w/skim milk (163), air-popped popcorn (173), Skinnycow Truffle bar (100)
Dinner: Fish (280), bag of broccoli (120)

Exercise: Mowed front and back lawn, weed whacked, picked weeds, helped hubby w/drywall in basement.

Calories: 1627

End of the night: I am absolutely exhausted, and still famished. I'm blaming it on my hormones since TOM started yesterday. Usually I have one day before TOM where I can't stop shoving my mouth full of food, but it seems like today was the day to be hungry 24/7...seriously, it's 8:44 p.m. and my stomach feels like it's ready to growl at any minute.

Emme, congratulations on all your success! That's so wonderful! I just had to reply because you and I have a LOT in common, though I'm (sadly) now at the other end of the spectrum.

I used to be a regular here, and I lost 110 pounds. I had the same goal as you -- 165, and I reached it. My goal post is somewhere in the archives! I started in July 06 at 275 and reached goal on Oct 3 of 07. I went from obese and sedentary to a half marathon runner wearing size 8 skirts! Unfortunately, things have changed. I got pregnant immediately after reaching goal (I'd been trying for years), and I gained 80 pounds with the pregnancy. Since then (my child is now nearly 3), I have lost and gained the same 20 pounds over and over. Right now I'm at a peak. I've tried a million different things, but never really committed. I started counting calories again this past Tuesday and so far, so good. I HAVE to do it this time. I really do. I think reading your post today was the inspiration I needed to stick with it and get back to that healthy weight again! So....thank you!!!

You are doing great! What is the link to your blog?

I just dropped my calories down to 1600-1650 per day... this week.
What a shock to my body. I am sooo very hungry too. But I did drop a whole pound, so it is working out.

And I need to get down to 165 like you. But I started 6 months after you did, so it will probably take me 1.5 years to get there. I am really slow.

It is such a nice sunny day. I don't like to work inside when I can do yard work also. I am planting potatoes in huge pots today. They are easier to dig up in the fall that way.

I had 5 pounds that started to sprout, so I decided to plant them rather than throw them out. Michigan white potatoes. They make great mashed potatoes. They make pretty vines and a lot of new potatoes on their roots... And when the vines turn yellow it is time to dig up the tatoes. When you harvest the potaoes from the pots, some of them are huge and some are just the size of marbles. The tiny ones I just wash up and add them to my soup. You never see such tiny ones in the stores. Potatoes are fun to grow. You never know what you will dig up.

I lugged over 200 pounds of composted manure today to fill the huge pots. That is a lot of strenous work, and I don't feel like doing that much when I am so very hungry. But the potatoes are sprouting and they need planting today...and I need the exercize to lose more weight.

Best of luck completing your weight loss journey.



LisaMarie...just hang in there. You'll make it if you stick to it. I know all of us will be lighter by fall if we just keep at it.

In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and chains.
Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the bathroom scale.
~ Stephen Phillips ~

LisaMarie ~ You can and will do it again! It just takes patience which was really, really hard for me to work with in the beginning. When I used to "try" to lose weight, I would get frustrated if I didn't lose 25 pounds a week and then stop trying altogether. Every day is a new day to start fresh...you can do this!

Hi Driven, there's no outside blog...this is my blog.

Jolina ~ Yes, dropping calories is sometimes easier said than done! TOM started yesterday and I wasn't too hungry about a day or two before, so now I am famished! I'm blaming it on hormones. Good luck to you with your journey -- you can do it!