Hi everyone.....

I have been VERY on plan all week. My extended family even planned a night at a hot new restaurant and I resisted ordering bad things. That about killed me though, because it was an Italian place and everything looked so delicious. I stuck with grilled chicken, though. I need to "behave" myself, because I've been "misbehaving" with food all summer long, basically. LOL.

I'm really hoping to get back to my goal weight by October 1st. I think it's do-able, but things come up. Events like Labor Day. Life comes up, really. It's hard, but when I look at this as a lifelong commitment rather than a quick fix, it really makes sense to me. My philosophy has been to just "bank" some good on-plan days now so that I can let loose a little on those special occasions.

I made myself an exercise schedule, which has also helped. I basically wrote down my commitment to myself as to what I would do each day. Walking, running, elliptical, and aerobics class. Just seeing it on paper makes me want to achieve it.

It's really been a little easier to stick with the food plan now that school is in session for my kiddos. By the time we do homework, soccer practice, scouts, etc, I don't really have a lot of extra time to pig out. So the on-plan meals have been satisfying this week.

I'm wishing all you Feathers a lot of success this week, too!

And all this talk of the beach makes me long for a vacation of my own! LOL.

WOW! look at those abs. You look incredible girl. Congratulations!!!! I bet he loves it

Samantha - wow, you look great! That's basically the body I want (again)! I think I used to look about like that. But of course I didn't appreciate how good I looked at the time. I certainly will this time around if I ever get there.

Kellost - good for you for resisting the pasta fest. Ugh, it's hard when eating out. Or at someone else's house. I try but am not always successful. I am also planning out my exercise schedule. That helps a lot for sure.

My only news is that for the first time in at least two years I am below 140 for two days in a row.

139.8 both days but I'll take it. My goal is another 10+ lbs less and I guess it's going to take foreeeeeeeever (seeing how this first 10 lbs took 8 months), but there's nothing to do but keep plugging along. I'm a feather for the long haul!

Back to my books -

P.S. oh and supposedly I don't care so much about "weight"! Except when it makes me happy, apparently

Hey everyone!

Samantha: Great picture!!

Hope everyone is doing well, it has been a long couple weeks for me.. especially this past week at my job. But I have managed to stay on track and lost another couple pounds! I am happy with my weight loss so far and hope that I can lose another 5lbs in the next month.

So tonight will be my FIRST cheat meal.. I cant wait, I haven't gone out to eat with my husband in a month! (we used to go out about 3-4 times a week) I have been cooking every single night for us and it has worked in my favor.

Now, I need to start exercising... I haven't been able to motivate myself to do so yet.. any suggestions? I really want to start walking or something! I like to have a schedule and with my hours at work changing so much its hard for me to so I just scrap exercising all together... HELP!

I have the same problem! Although I don't even really have the work hours changing excuse, my problem is the opposite, a lot of unstructured time...

The thing I found that helped me the most was 1) finding classes at a gym, if that is an option for you. That seemed like a regular appointment to me and if your gym is big enough, the classes might be offered at multiple times to accommodate a changing schedule. I got kind of addicted for a while, like it became my priority and I would schedule other social events around my gym classes (I did body pump, yoga, zumba...)

and 2) doing something that had a set timeline/goal. I did the nine-week Couch to 5K last year and I started late enough that I could barely finish by the end of the year - it was a goal I had set for myself and yes, I finished on New Year's Eve

Of course once I finished, I fell off the wagon because I didn't quickly figure out the next scheduled thing. But conceptually this idea works if you plan ahead. You could use C25K with walking, alternating speed walking and normal brisk walking. Keeps it interesting at least.

Good luck to you! (And me too...)

Quick check-in here. . . I've already got homework (after only 3 days of classes!) to do!
I've been eating fairly well. I refuse to walk around the cafeteria with my measuring cups, so I'm learning to eyeball things like a normal person. I've exercised every day this week except for Monday (the day we made the 9-hour drive to school) and, most importantly, I feel good. I sleep well, I feel good in clothes, and I love that I have the power to eat well. I'm in a nutrition class and the first two chapters of our book I've read so far have just confirmed that I'm definitely on the right path, while freeing me up to eat an occasional treat (like the chicken wrap [with dressing] I had this week and the pork barbeque I had at the school picnic for lunch today) in my otherwise-healthy all-the-time diet (I brought a baggie of raw broccoli with me, got a slice of watermelon, and a small scoop of coleslaw, and I drank only water).
Good luck to all of you! Enjoy the rest of your summer!

I don't even know what to say about my vacation. Out of eight days, I was on plan precisely two. And by "on plan," I mean "within 500 calories of plan." Oh, ladies, it was ugly.

Today, I am back! I feel a complete sense of relief being home and around my regular foods again. No one staring at my salad. No one asking if I really like cottage cheese. No one making fabulous cocktails -- margaritas from fresh-squeezed limes, lemon drops from fresh-squeezed lemons... I could go on and on. But it's over, I'm considering it a "re-feed," and I'm back on plan!

And I ran somewhere between 11-12 miles this morning! Probably my last long run before the half-marathon on the 12th. Normally I'd run one more long one next weekend but I feel like I'm a little fatigued and two weeks of lighter running will do me good.

Samantha, you look fabulous! You know you're looking good when you can post a bikini pic on the internet. Are you a big Phillies fan? My husband is. We're going to see them play the Nationals here in DC in late September. We also went in June. I'm sorry you and your BF have to deal with the LDR. I know that one! No fun.

LMP, my advice is to sit down with your work schedule and write down, right now, when you are going to exercise. Commit to it. Plan for conflicts. If it's nice, walk. If it rains, do a DVD. Back in April, I complained to a friend how it was too hard to find time to work out, between naps and school pick-ups and the ever-present Target run (I'm a SAHM). That same friend was my running buddy today. I haven't missed a workout since the day she told me, "You have to schedule it. You have to make it your priority."

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

ETA: Because I went over my redline, I changed my "mntng" for current weight to the actual number on the scale today -- when I get back to goal, I'll be back to "mntng!"

thesame7lbs, my BF makes margaritas from fresh-squeezed limes and lemon drops from fresh-squeezed limes on a regular basis. Oy! And mojitos with mint from the garden. I could go on and on. Sometimes I wish I could go on vacation to escape the temptation.

Good for you for getting right back to eating right! Personally, as much as I love the idea of sticking to a plan throughout a vacation, it's a vacation. Letting your hair down is more than acceptable: it's expected. The important thing is just that you return to your usual behaviors after the vacation. From experience I know that not doing that is what leads to weight gain. It isn't the vacation.

Congrats on having gained so little! That's impressive, and I'm sure it will be gone in no time.

Emma: thanks! good to know Im not alone! I have always been a planner and if I cant have a schedule figured out ahead of time I just wont do it! ugh!

Thesame7: Thanks for the advice, I decided that I would do my best to workout at least 3 days a week for now. I have dedicated 3 mornings to do so, Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays (tues, wed, and thurs. are wayyyy too busy!)
So, today is Monday and I have successfully completed my workout!

Oh and also, I just realized I am 1/3 of the way to my GOAL!

Hope everyone is well.

I walked out of my house and up the mountain yesterday. From 6,000 to 11,000 feet and back down. So invigorating!

Hello fellow featherweights, how is everybody these days? Can't believe we are already looking at the holiday season in a couple of months!! I am glad that I should be able to reach my final goal before the holidays....

Thesame7pounds, it's nice to be back and yes excited about almost reaching my goal. Good for you for keeping up with your plan during your vacation. What a good example for the rest of us!!

It's been almost a year since I started my journey and it's been amazing.... So glad to have found 3FC though, it's certainly made things easier at times, as well so being able to find so much feedback and interesting perspectives here.
Samantha, you look unbelievable, I wish to have those abs!!! Keep up the good work. You should be very proud!!

Have a wonderful week all!!

Caribbean Girl

Hi Feathers..

Not much to report here. Still staying on track, still planning out exercise. My running has been a little stronger this week, I think because I have been cross training on the elliptical. I think it may be helping my endurance.

Had to buy a swimsuit today because we are heading to a water park this weekend and I wanted a new one. Bought a small and I like how it fits! My thighs are still my biggest problem. Still have some flab and cellulite going on. I'm afraid that is always going to be the case. I bought a swim skirt bottom to help cover a little. No bikinis for me, but it's a lot better than it used to be. I can wait in line for the slides with my kiddos without feeling completely awful about myself. This is such a change for me! I love waterslides, so I went on them at my highest weight, but I feel so much better now!

Wishing all my Feather buddies a great week! There is just something about Mondays that makes me motivated and on plan! How about you guys?

Yay! My feathers are back!! For a moment there, I heard crickets..

I agree; there is something about Mondays that give you a sense of accountability and new found hope! I always feel so great on Mondays; which is odd because its the beginning of the work week!

Oneoftwelve I feel you on the school/homework issue! Classes just started up this week and with my full time job and my full time job trying to lose weight, I am sure it will be a very stressful semester. Let's stick together as student feathers

Amy Oh, you have such a way with wording things. You need to start a blog; I'd read it I am sorry to hear you went off plan so bad but I love your spunky attitude about it. You are an athlete, a runner, you will bounce back in no time; if you already havent! Those days off plans can't take away the knowledge and information you have learned throughout your weight loss experience. Those are the tools you'll need for life

Lilmisspope So close! As brutal as the last pounds are, you've come this far, no sense in giving up when you can almost see the finish line!

Petite I wish I had a mountain near me like you! I get so bored with the mundane gym; so much so that I have walked in and out of the gym in 2 minutes because it seemed like torture

Carribean Happy one year Anniversary!!!

This weekend was not a good weekend; I went off plan BAD! Put it this way, I stopped counting my calories at 3,000 on Saturday. I was well into the 4,000's.

But strange thing, today I had an epiphany!

Your body really does work with time. Two weeks of dieting with 4 days off plan won't show much progress at all. However, 4 months of dieting with 16 days off plan, you can see a difference. Even though I have always known that it comes down to numbers, calories in , calories out, I have never really really clearly looked at it that way. Eventually the more days on will show on the scale, even if you did have horrible 4,000 calorie days! Now, I understand where the lifestyle/happy weight comes into play! If you make it a lifestyle, the weight will fall off when its supposed to and you will land at the weight your body is supposed to be at. Understanding all of this has put me at peace of mind and has taken so much pressure off of me. I am so hard on myself and now I know I can mess up one day and over time, it will be made up by good days. My goal is to be at 125 toned by Thanksgiving. I hope I can do it!

I am also excited because my friend posted pictures from Saturday (yes the 4,000+ calorie night) and for the first time in a long time I can see definition in my legs! I have always had muscular looking legs but to me they just looked like big ol thunder thighs. But in the pic they look more defined. I think I owe it to taking up running recently! Its amazing what a few weeks of consistent running can do for your body. I still have a lot of fat I want to lose on my legs but at least the definition is showing I posted the pic below!!!

Have a great Monday Feathers!!

Chelsey, you are a total babe! Love the dress, too.

I remember when I really saw my thigh & calf muscles in a gym class for the first time. I think I posted here as an NSV. It's very exciting.

I think I have had an epiphany as well. I have been off track recently (or more like hanging on to the track by my fingernails). Binge-y, bad choices, not exercising... but those behaviors just make me feel so awful. Today I dusted myself off, I walked to my yoga class (it was hard!), bought a bunch of fresh veggies and committed to 2 weeks of planning and eating pretty low carb (I'm doing South Beach, so it's back to the beginning). I'm back on track!!

I can do anything for 14 short days, right? Of course there's a holiday weekend in there... but no matter, I'm committed to doing this. After 2 weeks, we'll see where things stand. But I needed a serious jump-start. All the waffling was wearing me out. mmmm, waffles. Just kidding - no waffles for me for a while.

Yes, Mondays are great new starts. Have a great week feathers!!

That's hilarious. And you only gained like 1.5 lbs? Fantastic. You're one of my idols

Welcome back. I'm all jazzed up right now but will probably be needing some words of inspiration in a few days or so!!