Hi everyone!!!!

Busy day here today...I have to get ready for the company holiday party tonight. I need to color my hair, file my nails and throw some clear polish on them...Polish my toenails (strappy high heels ) and get Jason's shirt ironed.

I need to exercise...get Jas ready for school, and take her. As soon as I pick her up I have to have her and Raiden ready-they are going to the in-law's for the night while we go to the party. I am thinking of wearing my hair up tonight now that it is long enough.

Today is strength training-which is good-because I can pump up and define my arms a bit right before having to wear this sleeveless gown.

I am going to try to be good tonight-I plan on having a glass of wine-but other than that I am going to try to stay under my calories and eat well. I can't afford to blow it.

I hope you all are doing well!!!!
Aphil

Hi Folks! It's been a long week of working nights and I'm ready to have a rejuvenation weekend. Realllly good eating, nice sessions with weights and some good effective sleep time
Hope everyone is remembering, during this harried season to stop, breath and stretch!

Hi everyone -
Just reading through your thread and thinking - what a great bunch of gals -this is a group I'd like to join... Plus I'm doing a general / old-fashioned plan too....

am - up and to the gym by 9:30 cardio for 35 mins then weights - 4 x a week
home by 11:00 and meal no. 1 of about 500 cals

meal no. 2 at about 2pm also 500 cals

snack at around 5pm of no more than 300 cals

meal no. 3 at about 6:30pm with DH at about 500 cals

Shooting for around 1800 cals per day - fat less than 30% and Saturdays are OFF!

Plus I do an exercise tape at least once on Sat or Sun - Tae Bo today-yeah!

I've had a good first week last week with this plan. Was down 2.5 pounds yesterday. Plus I'm not feeling like I'm starving because 500 cals a meal is pretty filling.

I'll probably keep the cals around 1800 per day until I get below 200 then drop them a bit.

After many many failed attempts over the last year since I had my DS, this time I'm going to add accountability to the mix - it might just have been the ingredient I was missing all along! If you guys don't mind accounting me, I really appreciate it!

By the way, nice to meet you Aphil, Irish Tart, Julia, Deb, Susan, Vermont Mom, and Amie - I'm Del, a stay at home mommy from Virginia (transplanted from Georgia). I'm 5'8" and 34 years old and never before my pregnancy last year have I weighed this much - boy what a whoppin' that little fellow put on my 'ole body... I've heard that having children changes your body forever and now I can attest to that from personal experience!

Welcome Del,
It sounds like you are on the right track with your weight loss plan. Congratulations on your 28lb loss. I'm glad that you could join us!

Amoses,
You sounded so discouraged in your post. I am so sorry that you are feeling down.
You've come so far on your fitness journey. Everyone slips up on their diets. It is just part of being human. Please don't beat yourself up for it. You are beautiful just like you are right now. You will lose the rest of the weight that you want to lose. Holidays are hard. The only reason that I did well this year was the fact that I was at someone else's house and didn't have to live with the tempting leftovers afterwards.
Go ahead and buy yourself some pretty Winter clothes. You deserve nice thing right now! I bought several new sweater sets and now I have something pretty to wear when I go out with my DH. It really boosted my morale and it will yours too.
Hang in there girl! I hope that you feel better soon. Your friend, Irish

Welcome Del,

You sound like you are on the right track. What you are doing sounds like what I have been doing, 1500 calories per day and 50 grams of fat and Saturday's off. I lost 20 lbs that way. I have been at a standstill for about 5 months, but have finally lost 2 more pounds since Thanksgiving. The way that I did it was to cut my calories through the week to 1300 calories and no more than 40 fat grams per day and I still have my Saturday's off.

You will find lots of support here as I have. The ladies are all great and Aphil really knows her stuff.

Deb

[SIZE=1]Hi Ladies

It is a cold rainy day today .No lunch walk today!

Thank you so much Irish for your up lifting words.....I am not doing too bad but am still not back It is so frustrating trying to get back in that mood. I have not been eating as well as I should but am not way out of control. I just can not seem to get my self on that treadmill! Anyone have any comments on an Elliptical. I have used my treadmill for over a year and a half now and am so use to it and a little board. I might be getting one for Christmas. Are they any good. I need to get my self out of this rutt. I have not had as much energy and with the cooler weather and holidays here I am snacking a little more. It seems as I get older the days pass faster and I just can not find the time to exercise with out giving up on the house work or time with my family! I have not given up though! I will work it out.

We put up our tree over the weekend and it is so nice. It is a little tall but turned out great. I hope it is still standing when I get home...LOL we had a time with our tree stand. This tree is almost 10 ft tall! It was getting dark when we picked it out.....we have very high ceilings so it fits nicely but was so hard to put up and to get the decorations up at the top. My DD had a ball. Glad that is over. Now I have to get ready for a birthday party for 10-12 3-6 year olds for my DD 4th birthday! Oh Boy... Wish me luck

Welcome Del .........This is a great group and we are all going through this together. I am rather new my self. Good luck!

Aphil, did you have your party yet?

Hi VermontMom.....you must be busy, haven't heard from you in awhile. How was your Thanksgiving...

Doin' good Debb.........

Hope you all have a great week

Amie


06/03 06/04 12/04
212 lbs 156 lbs 166 lbs

Amie,

I use an Elliptical trainer 3 to 5 days per week and I love it. The calories that you burn in comparison to a treadmill are a lot. I can work harder on an elliptical trainer than I can on a treadmill. Because of fibromyalgia I can't walk very fast, (too painful), but the elliptical trainer doesn't bother me at all. I have to admit that I would not use it or a treadmill if I could not read on them. Too boring!!! I would recommend purchasing one with a place for a book.

Deb

Hi everyone!
Wow...been really busy the past few days!!!!

Del-welcome! Sounds like you are doing wonderful. I would recommend exactly what you are doing-1800 calories a day-until you stop losing at that calorie level. You should be able to swing into the 190's easily at that calorie intake. I commend you for being able to do Tae Bo...I tried it a couple years ago...just can't get into it. (But then this comes from someone who chooses to dance with swords instead. )

The party Friday night was great...there was a great story involved...last year's party I was a few pounds heavier...I mentioned to you all that I have slowly dropped a dress size each year-well add to that the fact that my hair has grown out over the last year-last year it was short like (sorta like Jamie Lee Curtis/Halle Berry length) and now it is almost to my shoulders. (My avatar picture was taken this summer at the in between length. )

Well...at the party a woman came up to me that I see at the party each year-and she was like "Oh my gosh! When you and Jason walked in I got so MAD! I thought Jason had come to the company party with another woman! I had to really look before I realized it was you!!! So...that made me feel good. Another thing that made me feel good that night was when a co-worker of Jason's kept staring at me...and finally approached me and told me "Do you know who you look like? The girl from Titanic." When I was younger-late teens/early twenties with the popularity of that movie being released-there were other people who had told me that I looked like her. Nice to hear again out of the blue now that I am almost 30.

We have a last minute show Thursday night...so we had a quick rehearsal last night and another one tonight to prepare for it. It is at a private party-so there is a nice opportunity for "tips". Hope there are some big spenders.

Today is cardio day...I plan on walking a couple miles. Our weather has been foggy and dreary here-but in the 40's and 50's temperature wise. Can't complain for December!

Have a great day guys!

Aphil

Way to go Aphil!! It really makes a difference in the way you feel when someone makes comments like that, doesn't it? It makes me try harder. I have been staying on track. I am going to have a tough day tomorrow. As a treat I am cooking for the guys at work, (I am the only female here). I am cooking breakfast. They guys have requested sausage gravy, biscuits, fried potatoes, bacon and fried apples. I am going to eat and I am going to count everything. I will have a big low fat and cal. salad for supper.

VermontMom, Where are you? Are you OK?

Deb

HI all,

How great does that feel when someone doesn't even recongnize you right away.....I know you feel great Aphil!

Those guys are going to love you Deb!! There is nothing better than a big old fashioned breakfest!!!

I am having an alright week. I got on my treadmill Monday and yesterday did the stairs here at work and walked at lunch. It is going to be 70 here today!! Can you believe that? The other day it was like 49?? Well everyone keep your fingures crossed that Saturday will be warm enough for a jump castle for my DD Birthday party. If I can not use one I have no idea what to do with these 15, 2-5 year olds?? I hope to get a good afternoon walk today and maybe get on my treadmill tonight or do a DVD?

Where is Susan and VermontMOM?

Amie

start 212 lbs
June 2004 156 lbs
Today 164.4 lbs

Hi All,

Just a quick note to say Hi!

Aphil, Post a picture of you at the party if you have one! I bet you looked fabulous!
Are you still on cloud nine?

Deb, Your breakfast menu sounds wonderful! Those guys will be singing your praises for weeks to come. Good going on staying with your plan.

Amoses, I hope your DD's party goes well. You are a brave woman to entertain that many little ones. I bet it will be a lot of fun! (You could post a picture. hint.hint.)
I'm glad that you are in better spirits.

I am still at 185. I have had a sinus infection since Thanksgiving, so I haven't felt like exercising, but I have continued to count the calories. I am feeling a lot better today and seem to be breathing freely through my nose. Boy, that stuffy nose stuff gets old in a hurry. I'll try a few minutes on the treadmill tonight and see if I am back to normal.

I'm missing VermonMom and SusanB, too. Ollie,Ollie outs in free!

Hey, can I come hang out with you guys? I've been lurking for the last couple of days and this seems like a really great group of people.

I joined 3fc a while ago with every intention of losing weight... yeah, that lasted about as long as it usually does. But I'm doing better this time and I think (hope ) I've got this thing sussed. I've been doing this for about 2 and a half months already and it feels different, have spent way too much time losing weigth then putting it on and then some and then losing the 'some' and so on.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting to know you all.

Frances xxx

Welcome Frances,

What changes are you making to become healthier? This group has helped me alot. I'm sure it will help you too. Just take one step at a time. Make small permanent changes that make sense and you will be successful.

Deb

Hello everyone!!!!!!!

thanks for missing me!! everything's fine, I just am without "my" computer (the laptop ibook) so I have to share time with husband's computer. Plus, I'm not on the losing track lately, so I feel a little ashamed..well, ashamed too strong a work, I feel comfortable with everyone here, I can admit I'm not doing so hot...but first...

aphil, woo-hoo on that stunning-sounding dress, and the clincher that you got it second-hand, that's the coup-de-grace! (spelling?) and congrats on that kewl comment from the lady who thought you were "the other woman" compliments will keep one on track, like nothing else, eh?

hello to everyone else, and welcome to the new ladies!! I will try to catch up and read all that I've missed in a couple of weeks.

I'm also a year older turned 44 on Dec. 2, I'm okay with the age number, 'cause I still feel like I'm stuck in the low 30's but with valuable experience I just want to keep with the good example of exercising 5X a week forever!

My work is alot more involved than last year; last winter I was just a working drone in the deli/store, but this year I'm assistant manager and have alot more responsibilites. Not overwhelming but definitely alot more to think about and do.

I will admit that I miss getting compliments from people who hadn't seen me in a while before I lost weight. But I'm being a jerk because I am getting comments about my shorter hair and the contacts (and I've bumped up my eye makeup, in that I wear shadow everyday, not just for evening events, but try to blend it so it's subtle). But I do miss the compliments on being more in shape. That is just one of the aspects of life-time maintenance, right?

Thanks again for missing me! You all are the best!!!!

again, I'll come back very soon and read up on what I've missed, and try to say hello to each and every one of you!