While it can take the wind out of my sails, I try to "fake it 'til I make it'. I so agree on the complacency! It would have been super easy to quit 15-20 lbs ago. I looked good, but I look better now. I felt good, but I feel even better now. I actually have a waist! I think it is the complacency that makes maintenance difficult. It's like we have to re-wire our brains to create new habits of eating better and sticking with the exercise. It would be so easy to backslide or ease up!

I know that pattern! I lost 1/2 a pound today

Anyway, to be honest, being up 1/2 a pound is so much the norm it never occurred to me I should be bothered by it. That kind of thing is constant. I'd be literally in the loony bin if I even blinked an eye at it.

I have to weigh in weekly because the daily fluctations drive me crazy. For me, a weekly loss of .5-1 lb is really good. But I can fluctuate up and down a pound or so. I have to really be strict with weighing in because of this or else I get very discouraged.

I agree with all of you. The .5-1 lb fluctuations are frustrating. I guess weighing weekly would be a good idea but then all week I think about weighing myself - it's crazy. So, I just keep plugging along and hope all the good things (eating OP, exercising, etc) outweigh (ha, ha) the not so good things (poor choices, halloween candy). For me I guess it comes down to portion control and consistency. Easier said then done. It's good to know I am not alone in my struggles. Also, getting dressed now is so much easier and I am much happier with the way I look, so we just keep on trying.

I'm not sure what I just did but I lost a long and insightful post

Nice discussion about the ups and downs of decimal points. It's great to come to 3FC isn't it?

Yesterday, I took a rest day. It was weird. I kept thinking I should get on the elliptical for a few minutes ...

What's up this week? I think I'll do more of the same ... maybe fool with my protein percentage ... Anyone doing any interesting tweaking?

Well I had a very disappointing first week on this diet...I actually gained a pound!! What the heck??? Can't figure that one out. I know weight can fluctuate but normally first thing in the morning I'm consistenly at 108.2. This morning I was 109.4 grrrrrrr. I have been sticking to my calorie limit and worked out 3 days this week and I NEVER worked out before. Hmmmm...I'll weight til next weeks weigh in and if I haven't lost anything or gained again I guess I will have to re-evaluate my strategy. Boo.

Oooo I love questions like this .... 1.2 pounds is only a half a litre of fluid. 2 cups! You could easily have that on board for any number of reasons. Not the least of which could be fluid in your newly worked muscles. This will pass.

You're very wise to give things time before you jump to a conclusion and switch gears. Very smart to wait a week and see! Good work!

Ugh, I'm pretty sure I had my first gallbladder attack yesterday. Miserable! And long! Nonstop pain for over 6 hours, several hours surrounding that of "just" plain pain, and several more hours surrounding that of uncomfortable. Close to 12 hours in all. It probably didn't help that I mistook the beginning of it for severe hunger from waiting too long to eat, and had a big, satisfying dinner. We'll see how far I get on 3 or so hours of sleep today. I'm afraid to eat but nibbling on some lowfat granola and fruit.

Julie ... get yer gall bladder to yer doctor It's attached to important parts of you.

A good day so far my friends. Cardio done. Resistance done. Breakfast and lunch both good. Yup, it's a good day!

Julie - yikes on the possible attack - is there anything you can point to that might have triggered it?

I've been bouncing around on the same pound for 3 weeks now - just hoping that it has more to do with the swimming and things will re-settle in the negative direction again shortly. I had my share of zero loss periods of time this year, but that was purely with changing my eating. Don't know what the muscle's going to do ... I guess I've just learned to be amused instead of annoyed.

Thanks guys. I'm hoping it won't come back I don't know what caused it but it's good motivation to eat well, that's for sure.

Thanks for the welcome.

I was a little too relaxed over the weekend, and my weight is up a bit (130.2 this morning)... but I think most of that is from high sodium (I had a meatball sub on Saturday that was out of control, and pad thai yesterday) since I definitely didn't eat enough to GAIN, just maintain probably. Oh, and I ate dinner late last night, so I'm sure that didn't help.

I finally bought a gym membership (for the campus gyms - it's only $150 for a year so I had no excuse NOT to, really!) since it gets dark out too early to go running much, and soon it will be too cold. I started going regularly last week. It's so easy - I can go right after work, then head home to shower. Tonight I'm going to go to one of the fitness classes, and I'm super excited. It's a cardio-kickboxing class... I used to go to it at least once a week last year and loved it. I just need to pay attention to the schedule - there's only one instructor who's really good, this perky blonde sorority girl who makes her classes super intense.

Julie, good luck avoiding future attacks - gall bladder problems run in both my family and my husband's family, so while I haven't had any trouble yet, I'm familiar with how much pain that can cause!

Julie, I agree get yourself to the docs!!

My weekend in Stowe and Smugglers Notch Vermont was very nice... but junk food laden up 4# of bloat this morning ... Onward and downward!!

Today 5k run, done, gym in about an hour... food spot on...


newbies, we loves newbies

Grrrr.... food has been GOOD, exercise daily, lots of water intake...

So I'm gonna say my 1.5lb gain is due to sodium. Yeah, sodium. That's why.

Good morning!

And yes, it's very good! Just keep going girls. Do what you know is right.