Hello you lovely CCers!

This thread is just kind of me rambling to myself about "getting back on the horse" after a summer of maintenance, but for those of you who "know" me, I've missed you! Hello!! For those of you who don't, perhaps my ramblings will resonate with someone and we can support each other no matter where we are in our respective journeys.

Anyhoo...I've been a a CCer since January of 2010. I've lost about 96 lbs to date and have about 28-40 to go, depending on my ultimate goal, more on that later. I am in education, so am blessed to enjoy my summers off with my husband, who is also an educator At the end of the last school year, I decided I needed a "break" from strict CC, so I set a goal to maintain my current weight through the summer months.

I am happy to report that my foray into maintenance was surprisingly successful. I weighed in a couple times a month and was up a half pound here, down a half pound there. Because I am naturally much more active in the summer (lots of camping and other outdoor stuff), I was able to eat "intuitively" and still maintain my weight. Even with some overindulgences--in both food AND drink, lol--it still turned out pretty well. My last weigh in (last Friday) was the worst...up 1.8 lbs...but I was pre-TOM, so I will WI again this Friday and use that as my official "restart" weight. I *think* I'll settle somewhere around 178, which is right about where I was at the beginning of June. Not too shabby!

Now that I'm back at work and sitting at a desk most of the day, I need to start being more careful about my calorie intake and also need to start up with my regular "school year" exercise routine. I'm sort of easing in at this point, starting with my food and slowly adding my exercise back in. (Swimming at the lake is just so much more fun than the elliptical!) But I'm getting there. I plan to join the next CC challenge after the current Labor Day one is over, which works out well because that's when my students come back and reality has *really* set in, ha!

I have also re-evaluted my goal weight a bit. My original goal was 137, really the main reason being that it was half of my starting weight. Pretty cool, but in reality, a little more than I *have* to lose to get to a healthy BMI for my height. Among the many things I've learned along this journey are A) this is NOT a race, it truly IS a lifestyle change and B) getting healthy is the number 1 priority. Sure, looking better is definitely a GREAT "side effect", but FEELING better is, well, even better! For me, a healthy, and realistic weight would be around 150....so that's what I'm going to shoot for now. Once I get there and I decide I want to keep going (whether it's 145 or 140 or my original 137 "vanity" goal, or beyond), it will just be a bonus, and I don't have to be in a hurry. But I WILL be a healthy BMI by the end of this school year!

Well, thank you for giving me this space to talk to myself and sort out my thoughts. I will soon be a CC regular again real soon!!

Welcome back ! Where are you from in Minnesota? I was born in the North Woods of Minnesota.

Thanks I am originally from Duluth, took a detour to Colorado and have landed in the Grand Rapids area. What part of the north woods are you from?

Welcome back! I took an unofficial break from weight loss over the summer too. It was not intentional, I just stopped calorie counting and ate kind of what I wanted. I only gained about 1-2 lbs at most, which as you said, was a pleasant surprise.

Congrats on your maintenance being so successful. I wish you all the best in reaching goal soon! I am trying to do the last 9 lbs to goal myself and it's helpful to see others who have recommitted themselves, so thanks

Thank you, indiblue! Congrats on your loss/maintenance and best of luck with those last 9 lbs!

Congrats on maintaining and welcome back--I am a recent return as well!

Congratulations on your success in maintaining your weight! It's good practice for when you reach your goal. I, too, and a teacher, and after five years of stuffing my face and regaining all my lost weight from years ago, I decided to recommit to losing this summer (starting June 1). I have lost about two pants sizes (I don't weigh as the scale makes me play head games). I recently went on vacation for 10 days, and during that time, I decided to maintain as well. I allowed myself to eat up to maintenance calories and was mainly successful. Like you, I've realized that this is for life!

I wish you continued success!

Thanks, guys! I agree that maintenance breaks can be good "practice" (and I'm hoping will also help with loose skin issues....giving my body more time to adjust to being smaller...of course only time will tell.)

Re-committers, unite

I was born in Shevlin, not too far from Bemidji. I have relatives in Cloquet.

HEY NORTHERN!!! Nice to see you're back....not sure if you've seen any of my recent posts, but I too have been hiatus...not a good one tho!! but as of this past weekend, I'm back on the wagon and ready to move on!!

CONGRATULATIONS on maintaining!!!! That's awesome!! See you for the Halloween challenge!!!

Bargoo...I'd never heard of Shevlin, but Cloquet is right in my wheelhouse. As you probably know, Grand Rapids is about an hour or so from Bemidji (which I have heard of, lol.) Do you get back this way very often?

KD! Hey, so good to see you again! We will do this together! Can't wait to see you in the next challenge.

Hi! Not a CCer here but I remember you from some of the decade threads and just wanted to welcome you back! Good job on maintaining all summer, that's a great acchomplishment in and of itself. Good luck on losing those last 28-30lbs. That's about what I have too.

Weight-loss twin!! Hello! It sounds like you had a great summer of maintenance! I know you will do great with the rest of your journey and I'm so happy to see you back! I went on a maintenance/joy eating/drinking spree this past month and I am re-committing to calorie counting and to being 60 days on-plan, so I know what it's like to recommit...and I know you'll do excellently. I look forward to reading your posts!

Never heard of Shevlin? My gosh, it is a town with a population of 150, everybody has heard of Shevlin!!!!! Bemidji is the only town of any size nearby. Don't get there too often, most of my relatives now live in the Twin Cities. I have lived in California for a long time but still like to go and visit.

Hi running! Yes, I remember you from the "decade" threads. I may have resume my participation in the 170's thread again!

Emme! Looks like you've made your original goal, congrats!! I'm very proud of you I will catch up one of these times, but for now, I guess I will have to be the "fat" twin, lol! It's all good...I really did need the break

Bargoo: Oh, THAT Shelvin...ha! Glad you are still able to visit the homeland every now and again.