Hello everyone-

Still here following along and still on plan. I started my period today so hopefully that accounts for the 2 pound weight gain :( I'm not moving that dang ticker. I recorded a total loss of 3 pounds for last week instead of the 5 or 6 I thought I had but like I said, maybe it's PMS? Or maybe I'm just over compensating in my eating window. I'm going to start counting calories during my 5 hours to be sure I'm not overdoing it. Today I'm sewing and plan to move my treadmill upstairs from the basement. Too hard to watch the kids down there.

Nice dress Amy!

How cute!!!!! I'm sure you are going to look great, even without all the push ups!!!!!:)

I saw 129 (.6) on the scale this morning! I am so very excited, as this is the first time I've ever been below 130 in my entire adult life, and represents a psychological barrier broken. I've always assumed that I would have to literally starve myself to get to this weight or below, and am discovering that it's actually possible for me to achieve without too much discomfort. I think that weight training is really helping me (thanks for putting that bug in my ear, Petite Powerhouse), by improving my lousy metabolism a little- I've noticed that the pounds are definitely coming off faster since I've been serious about building muscle mass. And, for the record, I don't look like a Russian shotputter yet ;>)

On another note, what IS it about dry cereal? It's one of my biggest "red light" foods- I swear they put crack in that stuff, it's so addictive. And I've noticed that all 3 of my boys will do the same thing (eat handfuls out of the box until they're stuffed) if I let them. I try to keep it out of the house.

Regards, Andrea

Hello Feathers!

Is it Fall where you live? The calendar tells me it is Fall here, but it was 90 degrees today, and they are predicting 95 for tomorrow. WHAT?!?!?! Fall is my favorite season, and I'm feeling a bit cheated. :tantrum:

Trying to stay on plan and take good care of myself -- more water, less diet soda, more sleep. Getting some good exercise in. My post-half-marathon plan was to mix it up a bit, and this week I've had one run, one spinning class and one kickboxing class. I'm really going to try to start lifting some more. Everyone swears by it -- I just can't get myself to do it.

By the way, has this cow always been available? :moo: If so, why don't we use it more? ;)


ETA: Neuro, I totally forgot to say WAY TO GO! I, too, thought I just could not get below 130. That I was too big-boned, big-muscled, etc. What a feeling to smash that floor! And I do think cereal is evil. :devil: A friend once casually said it was something she just couldn't, and didn't, eat anymore. And I thought, oh my, I never thought of that. Just. Not. Eating it. Anymore. I think cereal has officially fallen into the "occasional treat" category. Strange, when we've been taught all our lives that it is good for us. Now it's in the same category as ice cream.

Congrats, Andrea!!!!!!

Hitting the 120's is so exciting. I did it twice this summer, but shot back up into the 130s due to overeating and vacations. My low was 124.5 and I was in totally disbelief! Great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy your victory!!!!!!!!!!

My little boys still do have the big cereal boxes, but I started buying those mini variety packs in an attempt to control myself more. Any open box is a no-no for me. Like an open box of cereal, goldfish crackers, Cheese-Its. It's like, a handful won't kill me, so I take one. Then another, and another. Not good! Nuts are the same way, and I am only buying the 100 calorie packs of almonds for that very reason. I have some kind of mental stop sign about opening a bag, but an already opened box or bag is bad news for me.

I feel cheated, too, same7! The trees have just started to turn here, and they're normally really pretty by this point.
I did NOT want to move this morning--woke up late (for me--I usually get up at the crack of dawn) and had no desire to do anything but go back to bed. But I grabbed my shoes, my ipod, my ID card, and hit the gym. Went slower today--25 minutes worth of 2 minutes at 10 min/mi and 2 minutes at 8 min/mi; not as intense as usual, but I GOT UP AND DID SOMETHING! :)
Tomorrow I'm planning to take it easy and do 35 minutes on the elliptical (maybe I'll jack up the incline to add some intensity), but Sunday I'm planning to run an outdoor 5K (with all those blessed Tennessee rolling hills!).

Way to go Andrea!

I too got down into the 120's just before DH came home from deployment this spring but packed on 10 pounds when he came home and wanted nothing but rich food. :( SO ashamed of myself on that one....

Today though, I'm at 130 on the nose so I hope to join you very soon!

Still loving fast 5 and I think I'm really used to it now. Never occurs to me to eat during the day. Today is day 11 I think? Just a little report for those that were intrigued by it. :)

So today's high here in MI was 64, after being in the high 80s for the last few days. The leaves are definitely starting to turn as well, so I think it's finally officially fall after our last bit of Indian Summer (where does that phrase come from anyway?) I'm sort of glad that summer's done with, but dreading winter, which is loooooong and grey here in MI, with snow that typically doesn't melt from the ground for months at a stretch.

I went for a consultation with a plastic surgeon this last week, and have 2 more consults lined up this week and next, to talk about getting a breast lift. I've hated my boobs since I was 15 and they grew down instead of out. Time, weight gain and 3 pregnancies with a year of breast feeding apiece have done nothing to improve them, and now the final straw has been losing 30 (hopefully eventually 40) pounds. I'm tired of "tucking in" my boobs into my bras, and feeling embarrassed every time I get naked (even though DH says he loves me just the way I am- and I believe him). Have any of you ever had plastic surgery? I'm nervous, especially about the scars (they're pretty extensive for the "anchor lift" procedure that I will be getting), but determined to go through with it. Part of my mid-life crisis I guess.

Regards, Andrea

129!!!!!!!!

Hello Feathers!

Changed, congrats on 129! What a great feeling!

Andrea, I am also considering a little PS. I have hated my boobs since I was at least 15 and they didn't grow out, up or down... or at all! I've always been really flat-chested, and after breastfeeding each of my three kids for over a year each, and losing whatever perkiness I once had, I am seriously considering implants. I struggle with the idea of it -- there are a lot of women at my gym with fake boobs and I tend to have a preconceived image of "that kind of woman." Am I "that kind of woman?" Also, I want to raise my girls to love and respect their bodies -- I'm not sure getting implants is setting a good example there. :( I also don't like that implants make mammograms harder to read -- am I willing to take that risk just for a nice rack? ;) On the other hand, I can't even fill an A-cup push-up bra (I mean the kind where half of that A-cup is filled with padding -- so I can't even fill half an A-cup). I change my mind by the hour. :?: I feel like there are fewer issues with a lift -- but scarring is definitely something to consider.

I'm hanging in at 122 today. I've already chowed down most of my calories for today -- so I'm thinking spaghetti squash for dinner!

Hey everyone, it's been awhile! Hope everyone is doing well!

Weighed in Sat. 122.4 I am seriously considering stopping at 120 and need some advice!

How many calories should I take in each day in order to maintain? Should I allow myself more treats at this point?

Well it is starting to get cool here in NC.. went from the 90s to the 50s. ICK! cant it just be fall for awhile????

Darnit, I was back to 130 today. I think i'm actually eating too many calories within my 5 hour window. I really need to count calories but I cook everything from scratch so that's nearly impossible.
I suppose that's why it's easier to lose on this plan the heavier someone is? It's pretty easy to eat 1200 cal in 5 hours believe it or not!

Weird question, my featherweight friends. . . .
Have you all ever, in the process of losing weight, lost your period for a season? I've always had perfectly consistent 28-day cycles since I was 12, but I haven't seen mine in almost 3 months and I'm a little worried.
How long should I wait to see if it'll come back on its own before telling my doctor about it?

Changed, are you saying you want to eat LESS than 1200 cal/day on your fast5 plan? Because it's my understanding that <1200 is pretty much starvation mode (you can keep it up for a while, but it's not healthy or sustainable for the long run). I too have been up above 130 again for the last few days (since the magical day of 129.6). I'm trying to stay cool, since I know my weight bounces around by ~2 pounds based on whether and how much weight lifting I've done. Maybe you're the same way (weight fluctuates, even when it's generally trending downward)? If so, I wouldn't panic, just wait a week to see if the number starts coming back more consistently.

Oneoftwelve, I think it's not a good sign to lose your period for 3 months (unless, of course, you're pregnant or nursing, which I presume you aren't). If you talk to your doctor, and tell him/her that you've recently lost 20 pounds, I can guarantee you that s/he'll say it's due to the weight loss and not look any further. Do you have any other signs of ill health (hair loss, fatigue, achy muscles or joints)? If not, it probably IS your lower body weight (your BMI is about 20, I think?). I've heard that gaining as little as 2-3 pounds is often enough to get back your period.

LMP, a lot of people recommend adding just a couple hundred calories at a time to adjust to maintenance. So you could try adding 200/day for a week, then add 100 more, etc, until you find the sweet spot. One thing I've found is that it's hard to say just one number is my maintenance number. It depends on how much I'm exercising, etc. I aim for 1800 net calories (meaning I eat back my exercise) but tend to eat over it on some days and under on others.

Oneoftwelve, my last period was almost three weeks late. I posted about it on the Exercise forum. It may resolve as you begin eating a little more in maintenance.

Changed, I can eat 1200 calories in about 5 minutes! (really -- trail mix alone..) I use the recipe calculation on myplate or sparkrecipes to figure out calories in things I cook from scratch. It's frustrating to have a little bounce-up after hitting a new low, but totally normal!

Feathers!!!! :wave::wave:

OH, how I've missed you all! :hug:

Amy LOVE the dress!! You will knock their socks off in that ensemble!! You seem to be doing well on maintenance. Good for you!! I too CANT wait for fall. Fall/winter is my favorite time of the year. I'm a little nervous though because I get comfortable around this time of year and hope I dont get off plan because of it!

Neuro, Oneoftwelve, Changed You all seem to be doing so well on your weight loss journey!!! Such inspiration! Oneoftwelve I lost my period for 3 months when I lost weight very quickly. It was around10 pounds in 2-3 weeks and a lot of it was body fat; not just water weight. But it did come back once I started eating "normal" again. Did you lose weight really fast?

Lilmisspope Your words are my motivation to stay on track these next 3.5 weeks of NO drinking. I am hoping I have as much success with it as you did. My goal is to be at 133 by my sisters birthday party (10/23). I think Ive shot back up to around 140. I am not even going near the scale after my vacay. I just cant do that to myself. I will literally go into depression.

I just got back from my trip yesterday and it was a blast! The wedding was beautiful and it was so great to see all of my family! We also made it over to New York City and shopped till we dropped! Wholesale shopping sure it dangerous. Between my cousins, sisters, and I; we spent around $700 on WHOLESALE jewelry! Eek! Thats a lot of jewelry :D It was so worth it!

Bitter/Sweet Vacation - For the bitter part; Over the trip my moods were up and down like crazy because of my weight. I couldnt even look in the mirror. I was disgusted and felt very uncomfortable just being in pajamas! To make it harder, my older sister who is tall and thin looked even thinner and more amazing! She seriously looks like a model! It was making me nauseous of how disgusted I felt about myself and how great she looked. I hated feeling envy towards her because she is my sister whom I love DEARLY. Every year this happens. I promise to lose weight for my yearly NJ trip so that I dont feel this way every time I visit, but I never succeed. I end up giving myself the sabotaging talk of "its vacation and life is short; enjoy yourself and dont worry about what you are eating/drinking". Well I have finally realized, no matter what treat or dinner or drink I am "enjoying" I am never fully enjoying myself because of how uncomfortable and unhappy I am with my body. For the sweet part; There is no motivation like feeling the way I did on that trip. So now I am back and ready to do this full force. I dont care what event comes my way; I WILL do this and stay on plan!!

I have made a plan to eat all healthy natural foods and I am cutting out drinking. This short time without alcohol and missing nights out with friends is WELL worth the outcome. And its not forever (the not drinking part)!! I plan on doing this way of life till Christmas. However, there are a few occasions I will allow myself to drink. During the 3 months I have 4 occasions where I will go "off plan". Both my sister's birthdays, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. I figure these four times wont be enough to sabotage the weight loss and will kick any plateau that I may come across. On top of this, I plan on running 30 minutes every other day and circuit weight training 30 minutes every other day as well. I really hope this works! I estimated a reasonable weight of 125 by Christmas (although I would really like to be at 120).

Does this sound like a reasonable plan? If so, I am going to really need 3fc to get through the cravings and the nights in without alcohol!! Eekk I sound like an alcoholic. Its just hard to say no to a fun time. But I am going to do it! I REALLy hope this works and I dont just lose a few pounds. I want to have a positive whole body makeover!!

HOpe everyone is having a great week so far! So glad to be back! :carrot:

Thanks everyone :) And no, I certainly don't want to eat less than 1200 calories but I think I'm consuming more like 1500 and thus, my weight is staying the same. I'm just going to have to stop baking during the week.

Ooooh, I can't believe it. I'm completely disgusted with myself. I haven't binged in OVER 6 MONTHS, but I blew my track record just now by scarfing down a bunch of leftover pizza from my kids' dinner. DH and I went out to eat and left a babysitter in charge - we only let the kids have pizza when we're not around to eat it too (another of my red light foods). Unfortunately, they ordered way too much, and hadn't bothered to clean it up when we got home. I had had a modest, weight-watcher portioned dinner out, and was still a little hungry; Bam, 1500 cal in about 10 minutes. Now I feel full of pizza and regret. I will NOT get on the scale tomorrow morning.

Andrea, :hug:. I know that feeling. This whole weight-loss thing brought out some binging behavior I had actually forgotten about. When I binged in June (for the first time in a loooong time) I got this creepy feeling of "I've been here before..." :(

Chelsey, welcome back! I missed you. :) Make sure you give yourself rest days on your exercise plan. I think you will feel good after a break from alcohol -- it really is hard on your body.

Changed, I love to bake, especially with my daughters. It is nice together time and I sneak in a little math lesson, too. ;) I've cut down on how often we bake, but I feel like it's a little unfair to them -- though I suppose if I am helping them establish healthy eating habits, it isn't unfair. Baking is a big part of the holidays for us, so I'm not sure how I will manage that. Maybe we will do more crafts and bake less.

Did anyone watch Biggest Loser last night? They had a little sit-down session where they talked about food and a healthy diet. My biggest gripe with the show is that they focus too much on the exercise, and not enough on the food. I'd like to know how many calories they eat, what their favorite recipes are, etc. And not just Jennie-O recipes!

DH and I are going to a baseball game tonight if we don't get rained out. He is a big Phillies fan and they are down here playing the Nationals. Ballpark food is never a healthy choice -- I'm planning on a half-smoke all the way with two beers. And "half-smoke all the way" means a big ol smoked hot dog with chili, cheese and onions. OK, maybe I'll skip the "all the way." It makes it so messy!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Neurodoc Is your name Andrea and I am just a little slow picking up on that? lol Anywhoo, I am all too familiar with binges. They are never a fun feeling after and it motivates you even more not to have another one. Youve gone 6 months without binging; that is an accomplishment. So you messed up this once, brush it off and get back on track! Two days on track will make up for it and then it will just be a distant memory!

Amy I am SO jealous! Not only do I LOVE going to baseball games and having hot dogs and beer, I LOVE going with a significant other. Oh how fun! Have a blast and enjoy every last calorie you eat :)

Today is day 3 on my 2934290384 new plan and I am going strong! Not one mess up on my eating end! So far my calories have been 1250 and 1280! Woo Woo! I bought Jillians 30 day shred and weights from Walmart. Has anyone ever done this video? I am a little skeptical because it is only a 25 minute workout. :?: Oh well, I plan on running 20 minutes before the video if it doesnt seem like a sufficient workout alone.

Have a happy Hump Day!!:carrot:

Ugh, I totally understand this feeling. Do you remember what you were thinking (if anything) at the time? I am always curious to think how I could allow such lapses to happen. Mostly was is going through my mind when I made a bad choice is that I don't care, it doesn't make a difference anyway, and most disturbing, that I must get rid of all this food so I am not tempted by it later :?: . I have managed to throw some things away when I felt too tempted (but never before I already ate a lot of it). I think this behavior for me is worse since I got serious about buckling down about my diet. Like I rebel more or something. Grrrrrrr...

You got some good advice from others who lost weight quickly. I think it is correlated with body fat %. I never had this problem - and I have lost weight quickly and also got down to 107 lbs and still never lost my period. BUT I have always had high body fat, like 27% even when I was skinny. I had a friend who lost some weight and immediately lost her period, and from her body type I am sure she had low body fat. Anyway, it should sort itself out soon since you are not an unhealthy weight. Keep us posted.

Do you plan out what you will eat in the 5 hours? Like XXX at 5, YYY at 7, ZZZ at 9? Or do you just eat what & when you feel like? And do you have nothing all day until 5, like not even coffee/tea? Sorry if I am being nosy, I am very curious about this plan and there is not much info out there.

Oh yeah, I understand about being around skinny family members and getting motivated by that! It seems like you have gotten it in gear for real. Do you have goals beyond weight? Like fitness goals, etc. Those are so motivating for me. The weight loss goals just bum me out. But that's just me and my lack of progress in that arena.

Amy - that dress is so cute. You are going to look amazing. If you feel comfortable, post a photo of you in it when the time comes ...

As I said above, I think I am having more freaky binge-y behaviors the more I focus on my diet. It's disturbing. I am becoming a great planner but then I just get too hungry or lazy or annoyed with my choices and then I eat whatever. Luckily there is hardly ever any off plan food in my house or it would definitely be worse. ...

I have managed to devote *time* for exercise but now I need to ramp up the intensity. Right now I do a lot of yoga and brisk walking - and honestly I'm not sure if I can ramp it up. I'm pretty much worn out from all the yoga, so I don't know... I am trying to work in more weight training (focusing on muscles not worn out from yoga) and had planned to start running again in October. Ugh, I wonder if I am really that out of shape that I am already doing too much... I booked a session with a personal trainer so I hope she can help me come up with a logical plan.

It's funny, I recommended that Beck book all over the place. Then I had to give my copy back to the library and completely fell off the wagon. It appears that I need to purchase that book. I found it incredibly helpful to have that structure.

OK, <shaking off the wallowing>, today will be a good day. Food is planned, exercise will happen later ... I will channel the energy from my successful feathers... :goodvibes:

OK, can someone tell me how to do multiple quotes like Emma's post? It is so very useful!

Chelsey, I just finished a 30DS workout not 10 minutes ago, and let me assure you, it is a butt kicking. It is really hard! I find the combo strength moves very difficult because my arms get exhausted. I am sure if you do it consistently your arms get strong enough to power through. I've always just used it as a "fill-in" workout and never actually done it as a program -- but I might do it for the few weeks up until my reunion. (Can you tell I'm stressing about the reunion?) Anyway, because it is short, it indeed does not burn that many calories. I wore my HRM today but it was wonky and not reading right. But how many cals can you really burn in 20 mins (plus warmup and cooldown)?

Emma, I had the same thing happen with Beck! Back to the library and out of sight, out of mind.:rolleyes: I'm thinking of buying it as an e-book for my phone so I can read it bit by bit/refer to it from time to time.

Emma I'm probably going to get yelled at for saying this but I truly believe that it's 80% diet and 20% exercise. If your goal is to just lose weight and become a smaller you, then you really only need to focus on diet. I think exercise has a lot less emphasis on losing weight unless you are doing hours and hours a week. However, I think exercise comes into play when you are trying to one - be healthier and two - RESHAPE your body. Thats when you get the best results! So, if you are trying to do that, I think adding in weight training is a great idea! Problem is, it's hard to learn how to do it the right way without professional help in the beginning. This is of course in my opinion..


Amy How strange! You were doing 30DS when I wrote that post! Do you think it would be sustainable to do a 20 minute run before the workout? Or is the workout that intense? If I can do both, I think that would be a good workout plan to get in shape. For the first 4 weeks I plan on just running. Then the last 8 weeks I plan on doing the 20min running combined with 30ds hoping to "reshape" and tone my body! Do you think the 30ds is a good way to tone? Or is it not enough?

When exactly is your reunion? Is your hubby going with you? I want to see pictures!!!

1.5 more hours of work then off to the grocery store and then running! Then a nice relaxing bath and off to go help my dad!

Thesame7pounds- You click the "+ button on the bottom right on each post you intend to reply to.

EmmaD- Nope, I meal plan in general for our family but I just eat what everyone else eats. I'm still more mindful of empty calories like butter, soda etc but having been on a weight loss journey for many years now it's just habit and I don't miss it at all. Other than that, I have whatever I want. In the morning I do have a cup or 2 of black coffee (now THAT was a hard adjustment!) and then sometimes a cup of unsweetened tea or a stick of gum while I work out. Otherwise, nothing with calories until 3. I'm doing 3-8 because I never eat past 7-8 anyway.

Today I was back to 129. Not sure why that one pound seems to HUGE but there you have it. 9 pounds to go till my very last ever minigoal. 14 to GOAL!

Hi Feathers,
Shakily back in control today, with 1200 calories and no unplanned food. Still feeling disgusted with myself but a less hysterical calculation of the damage says I should not have gained more than ~1/4 pound. We'll see, when I get on the scale tomorrow. Thanks for all the words of support from you. And, EmmaD, I think the only thoughts in my head at the time were "ooh, that crust looks delicious, ooh the flavor is fabulous, ooh I must have more of that wonderful mouthfeel, yes yes YES." I'm pretty sure there was no deeper subtext of sorrow, frustration or fatigue, just an "I'm still hungry and I need/deserve some of that right now."

Dianne, yes, my name is Andrea. What the heck is a 2934290384 plan? It looks like a phone number with area code! Good on you for coming back to your diet commitment.

Changed, I'm really impressed. I'm pretty sure I won't be seeing 129 again on my scale for a while (was back up to 130.8 BEFORE my binge yesterday). I'm pretty sure your diet is one I couldn't follow for 2 days; I'm more of the eat 4-5 times per day school, to avoid that famished feeling. But I can tell that it's working for you.

Amy, do you have 3 kids too? The one in the photo looks like a boy, but I only ever see references to your daughter, or daughters in your posts. One of my biggest challenges is feeding my family healthy stuff without having them rebel too much ("but mom, no one else's mother forbids pop in the house;" "why does EVERY meal have to have vegetables?") Do you get a lot of that too?

Anyway, here's hoping the scale will be kind tomorrow, and that I have a productive workout (I'm really enjoying the New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women). Take care!

Andrea

Hey, go figure... throw some exercise in and i'm over the hump!

Neurodoc- We have 3 as well. My kids are over it by now but I also make a point to buy them snacks that I don't like and won't be tempted by. We don't allow them to drink soda at all and we only drink it once in a while when we eat out (but we both prefer tea). I think that's why I'm loving this diet so much. It makes that all less hassle because I can have whatever I'm going to feed them.

I'm getting excited. The Dr. that came up with Fast-5 says you probably won't start losing weight till 3 weeks in when you adjust to the diet. I'm nearing my 3 week mark and I'm already down 7 pounds so if this gets any easier, I'll be at my goal in no time!

haha I was being facetious and saying this is like my millionth attempt at starting a diet :lol:

My clothes don't fit--none of them!!!!!!
I have to go SHOPPING!!!!!!!! This is the best reason to go shopping ever, hands down! :)
I went to put my "used-to-be-a-tiny-bit-tight" blue pants on this morning, thinking SURELY they'd fit.
Not even close. Falling off my butt.
My one pair of "tight" jeans from last semester fit loosely, and my skirts that used to sit at my waist now sit on my hips; everything else falls off!

:carrot::carrot::cb::cp::dance::dancer::cheer2::co ngrat::cheer::broc:

I am finally back in the 140s! I am so excited. I haven't been in the 140s for like 3 years now. I am so close to my halloween challenge I can almost taste it.

I hear ya Dianne about starting a diet, it seems like it's been 50 times over the past three years but finally I just said enough is enough and I've got to make healthier choices I can't keep cheating the system like I've been trying to do.

Thank you for all your inspirations featherweights. It has really really helped me get back into the game.

Yeah, that's what I've heard! And my experience, as well. Last year, I was running 3x/week, going to BodyPump classes 3x/week, was strong... and basically didn't lose any weight. It wasn't until I focused on diet (going lower-carb rather than straight calorie-counting) that I dropped ~ 10 lbs over a few months. I went back to Phase 1 of South Beach for the first two weeks in September and lost nearly 4 lbs, which is SO HUGE for me... so although my diet is always a work in progress, I feel pretty good that I am eating the healthiest diet possible for me right now and still losing slooooooowly ... I'm not sure what else to change to increase the rate of loss, but I am always exploring new ideas. Too many new ideas probably.

I was just looking at some photos of myself when I weighed 127-129 lbs. I looked good size-wise but was very soft. My body fat has always been high. So I reasoned that I need more intense cardio than just walking and yoga to get myself "in shape". I probably don't need much strength-training beyond the yoga for now, it kicks my butt and leaves me all noodle-y. But progress is being made in this area as well... my husband just pointed out my visible triceps the other day.:D

Eh, who knows. I'll report in after I meet with the personal trainer...

Crap -tomorrow is October 1 and I am supposed to start running. I better get a schedule going or it will be November before I've ever laced up my shoes.

SweetyKins - the 140s is good! I spent a lot of time there recently and just dipped into the 130s this month. Congratulations!

Oneoftwelve - I hope to go shopping soon, too - in my giant drawer of "too small clothes". SUCH a good feeling to move down a size, so much more tangible than the number on the scale.

Neurodoc - :high: for immediately getting it back together

Changed - your progress is truly inspirational. Maybe I should try South Beach/Superfoods/Fast 5 while starting C25K again :dizzy:

Amy - You are one of the reasons I want to start running (again?) - we are the same height and ~ the same age and my dream goal is to be where you are... just 15-20 tiny pounds away :p ... I need to go through the Beck process for real. I just kind of dabbled and got excited about it but have obviously let it slip away...

On to live my healthy day! A healthy day to all of you -

I'm getting impatient. I know nothing's instant but in my head eating very clean for almost a whole week and faithfully exercising should equal a tangible loss from Monday to Friday...but the scale hasn't budged.

I know it's not all about the scale and I know it'll be a challenge to lose the rest of the weight I want, but I'm a little disappointed! How do you guys deal with said disappointment (though it sounds like you're all making miraculously consistent progress...)?

Hello Feathers!

Yep, I've got three kids. My daughters are 7 and 5, and my son is 21 months old today! So funny that (at least) three of us who are posting here have three kids. I guess mine are too young to gripe much about what other kids eat/have/do. They haven't even asked to go to Disney and the girls totally went through a princess phase. They see me drink soda but I just tell them it's a grown-up drink. I really must be sure to enjoy this while it lasts. :D

Oneoftwelve, congrats on your success! I have to say, while I am loving the weight loss, the "nothing fits" is driving me crazy. Yesterday I pulled on last year's skinny cords, the ones I could barely squeeze into (and only for part of the winter at that) and they are too big. I had to belt them and, darn it, they just weren't skinny anymore. Same with two pairs of jeans I splurged on last year. Now what? I've looked into the consignment store thing -- would love to find one that has a large selection of designer jeans so I could unload mine and get some new. I think I wore one pair maybe twice. :o

Sweetykins, congrats on reaching the 140s! So rewarding to break through a barrier! Your 5K is coming up, too. So many cool things going on for you.

I second what Chelsey said -- definitely 80% diet. It takes me at least an hour of running to burn maybe 550 calories -- but I can eat that in a minute! I need to buckle down on the food end as well.

Krampus, don't get frustrated yet -- five days is not nearly enough to see real progress on the scale. Even if you create a 700 calorie deficit each day, adding up to one pound over the 5 days, you still might not see it on the scale due to so many other factors. It will come if you stick to your plan! What are you doing in Japan? Are you Air Force (I think there's a base in Fukuoka). It looks like you aren't far from Kyoto -- have you been there? It is my absolute favorite place in the world! If I could live anywhere, it would be there without a second's doubt. Or Japan in general. My husband's in the Navy and I always lobby for Yokusuka but the job there (for what he does) is not good. :(

I had a crazy day today due to baseball game last night (would have been OK foodwise if it weren't for the peanuts, but darn it, it's un-American to not eat peanuts at a baseball game!), torrential rain today, and my younger daughter whining, "My head itches!" right after school today. Yep. Lice. Nasty, nasty, nasty. So we had to do the whole nine yards with washing heads, combing with a lice comb, changing bedlinens, quarantining the stuffed animals, etc. And we get to do it again tomorrow... and again the next day... and again... and again... argh! This also means I can't go to the gym tomorrow. :( Bummer.

Hope everyone has a good, healthful, and parasite-free Friday! ;)

Ah, Yokusuka...Sasebo is good too (and dangerous - it's famous for the "Sasebo Burger" which is anything but healthy) for Navy!

I'm actually pretty far from Kyoto - Fukuoka is on the far western end, about 2 hours by train from Sasebo which is the farthest west JR train station in Japan. I'm teaching English with the JET Program working at a high school. Only been to Kyoto once; it's a unique place for sure but since I am young and hedonistic I vastly prefer the hustle and bustle of Osaka!

I know everything takes time. I'm just another impatient young thing who wants everything RIGHT NOW. :)

Sorry to hear about the lice. May the rest of your family's heads stay safe. I'm sure stressing and combing burns just as many calories as working out in a gym!

Krampus, soooooo jealous. Seriously, I am a Nipponophile (or whatever the correct word is). A dear friend of mine did the JET program and taught somewhere rural-ish in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Is it hard for you to get western-style food where you are? I suppose a Japanese diet would be great for weight loss. We lived in Okinawa for a year. We lived off-base and I did a lot of my shopping at local markets, but it was nice to be able to go to the commissary when I wanted affordable beef or the comfort of oatmeal, ya know? Okinawa is so different from mainland Japan, though -- so, can I say it again? I'm jealous!

A Japanese diet can be fatal for weight loss! I gained some weight after moving here because I fell into the all-too-common trap of "Japanese women are thin and they eat white rice, therefore rice has no calories."

Western style food is a bit scarce but there are some import grocery stores speckled throughout the prefecture, and there is a Costco. I can't say I really use them as much as I should. Usually when I cook, I make simple stir fries with tofu and vegetables or pasta.

I've never visited Okinawa but I really want to. It looks beautiful and I've never been anywhere tropical before!

Here is the October Feathers thread See you there!