Sorry for going AWOL, everyone!! I'm back home though, finals are over, and my life has settled down once again. Hopefully I'll be posting more regularly on here.

So I've been eating off-plan and relatively recklessly the past two days...I had to pack all my things from my dorm, including all my cooking stuff, so it was really hard for me to stick to my diet. On top of that, everyone and their second cousin wanted to have some kind of farewell dinner at school. I do realize that isn't really an excuse to eat whatever I want. I'm ready to get back on track!!

So I get home today, and I tell my mom that I haven't been eating well the past two days. Her response?: "So have you gained like 10 pounds?"

OMG. Do I look like I've gained 10 pounds?! I couldn't weigh myself this morning because I had packed away my scale, so that made me kind of anxious. The last time I weighed myself was pre-eating frenzy in the morning two days ago, and I was at 124.6 then. Tonight, after a solid day of eating, I'm at 129. I'm having a mini-nervous breakdown right now. I told my mom that she really can't say things like that to me. She did say sorry, and now I feel guilty for telling her that she can't talk to me like that, but I felt like it needed to be said.

Sorry for ranting, everyone!! My stress level is still a little higher than normal.

Veela - take care of your self, my cold/flu started that way over 2 weeks ago!!! I was flat out chilled and exhausted, that went to a sore throat, then I felt better for a few days, then BAM woke up a week and a half ago majorly congested and coughing and while it's eased up, it's still there and the exhaustion has come back. UGH, I can't believe i've felt this way for over 2 weeks! Like you, I had no appetite, so I having been drinking lots of tea/soups and whatever else I can manage to eat (mainly toast/crackers).

Feel better

Krampus - I hope your foot is healing!

I haven't been around much lately because of this virus and also I am not really staying to plan because of it. I am not eating over 1500, but I am not being diligent about counting and trying to eat whatever sounds good. I have pretty much determined that I am going to have to start "dieting" again on Jan 1st. I haven't lost more than a lb in the past month, so I don't even feel like I am dieting, but I am happy to maintain at this point with the holidays and all.

Oh well, January is another month.

Feeling better--finally! Two days of no exercise felt just so--weird. Like not showering or something. I just felt "off."
One more final to push through on Friday morning, and then Christmas break here I come!

Yesterday I had more than I should have, probably 1800 or so. Exercise was good, felt nice to be doing strength training stuff. I feel pretty happy that despite my bum foot (which is almost healed now, awesome!) I have still been exercising every day. Like Wildflower I haven't had any real losses in a month or more, but am maintaining. With vacation coming up and a probably 2-week back-to-redline post-trip detox, I'm not particularly optimistic about losing more juuuuuust yet - and I think I'm okay with that.

Fighting the urge to binge a lot lately. I'm at the point where I barely enjoy eating because everything I eat just makes me crave more.

I think I may have gotten the better of this illness. After 3 days of feeling like crap I feel like myself again today. I have been taking vitamin C, echineacha (sp?) and eating all the oranges and apples I can get my hands on.

I think I may have beaten it but there is a side effect I am afraid. Since I was lax on going to the gym last week (my cat was sick and had to go to the vet 3 times last week) and I have missed 2 days so far this week I find I have lost a bit of my fitness level. I am not sure if it is from the weird almost flu or lack of exercise but running and squats seemed so much harder today then they did before. I also seemed to get winded very easily which is not cool. I am hoping this passes.

Thank you for the well wishes Lilylover!
It sounds like a lot of people around her need to take care of themselves what with all the accidents and illnesses. Take care of yourselves feathers

Lilylover: I think you did the right thing by telling your mother not to say those type of things. I had to do the same thing with both my parents they used to say things like "should you be eating that" or criticizing my lack of activity because they knew I was unhappy with my weight. It turns out the ideas were coming from the right place but they didn't realize how hurtful it was to have them criticize me all the time.

Krampus: I totally understand where you are coming from. There are times when eating seems like a chore because I know it has to be so controlled. I also find that I can't let myself cheat even a little because it turns into a binge very easily. Don't give into the urge to binge because it really is a slippery slope and you know you don't want to backslide think of how far you have come and how good it feels.

I just turned down Food Pusher Sensei who asked me FOUR TIMES if I wanted extra rice balls that are available. I should instantly lose 10 lbs for doing that, dammit.

Today was the school "marathon" race and it was so awful watching the kids run from the sidelines! I hope my foot is all better soon, I'm approaching two weeks of no running and my legs feel squishy and weak.

Weight was back to 126.3 this morning, fine, a small loss from the day before. I didn't exercise last night but I didn't binge either. Have I broken the two-week tradition of Binge Thursdays?

Veela, I am glad to hear you're no longer sick! And I am right there with you on the "cheating --> BINGING" weakness. I think you'll find you haven't truly lost your fitness level in less than two weeks, a couple more sessions and you'll be back to normal. It's like losing water weight, in a sense

Well, after a few days of veering a little off plan due to sheer exhaustion (in general, not with my diet), I have decided that today I am going to "treat" myself to eating on plan. Seriously, I'm still in the mode where I need some serious self-care or I shall lose my mind, but I will be doing things other than making yummy food for myself instead.

Add this to the list of lessons I've learned that should help me keep off the weight I've lost...

(Why do I have SO MANY lessons to learn???)

Nice work Krampus!! I need to learn from you

I'm feeling so sick and a little guilty. I didn't want to cook, (thanks to a migraine) it was late, so my hubby brought home McDonald's. I had a freaking Big Mac and like 10 fries I've wanted a Big Mac for months and I will not be wanting it again for a long long long time. I have stomach pains and feel bloated and yucky. EWE so gross.

Soooo, I'm guessing I will bounce back up into the 140's tomorrow thanks to sodium, but I guess we'll see....I am still within my calorie goals for the week, so at least that is good news. Back on plan tomorrow. I have yoga and am also lifting tomorrow

It is official after weighing in 5 out 7 days this week at 149lbs I am out of the 150s!! I also have to lose 2lbs this week my goal is to lose these two pounds for Christmas so on Christmas day when I weigh in I will have officially lost 10lbs! I am very very excited but I know I will have some obstacles this week including.
1. A work lunch at the Mandarin (need to remember moderation and to not give in to desserts).
2. Christmas dinner at my boyfriend's mother's house on the 24th I need to remember my weigh in is the next morning so once again moderation is key there is no need to stuff myself or indulge in gravy.
3. A Christmas eve, party at my friend's house after the dinner I usually stay until 12-1 am and they usually force cookies, chili and all kinds of goodies on me so I am going to try and abstain.
4. I am going to end up losing gym hours on the 24th, 25th and 26th since I will be out of town so it needs to make sure I am going to the gym every single day this week no excuses!!

If I can beat these obstacles I really think I will be successful we will have to wait and see what happens wish me luck this isn't going to be easy!

Just did level one of Jillian Michael's 30-day shred! I struggled with the 2nd round of the lateral arm-raise-plus-side-lunge thing, and I still have to do my push ups from my knees, but other than that I thought it was pretty easy!
I love having something active I can do when there's snow on the ground and no way to go running! Now if I could only stop eating like a ravenous wolf (200 calories over for the day Oh well. . . .).

I definitely overdid it again, all weekend long. Starting right after I made the "I refused rice balls" post - I got up not half an hour after posting that and ate a couple. It's the week before my period and I am an insatiably hungry beast. Bought yogurt and eggs tonight, running low on vegetables and cash and payday isn't for a couple more days.

This week is Not Going Well. There've been holiday treats at work, there are families trying to push cookies at both me and DH, and it's just... ugh. So hard this time of the year, seriously! I'm looking forward to Christmas being OVER! TAKE THE COOKIES AWAAAAAY!!!

Fortunately, I have a plan! I am off work the rest of this week, but my husband isn't, so I'm going to try to get back on plan and do some bootcamp style working out Tuesday through Friday in between gift buying excursions.

Hey, Feathers!

So, the holidays.... A scary time, nay? Fortunately, knowing temptation was just around the corner, I cut sugar out of my diet completely about a week and a half ago in order to survive the holiday treats. The plan is going well. With Christmas so close there is sugar everywhere at work and at friends' houses, but I am not tempted by it at all. My body has adjusted: It's understanding that it doesn't need that stuff.

I think I'll keep this up because I have a cruise coming up in under seven weeks. My goal is not to gain anything on the cruise. My downfall on cruises tends to be sugar, but I know if I avoid it for the next month and a half I won't feel compelled to eat it in the Caribbean. That is the goal at any rate. I know most of what one gains on vacation is water weight, but it feels so good to come home from vacation not having gained anything at all. I managed that only once before; this will hopefully be the second time. It's especially important since I've promised by BF that we'll do a lot of water and beach activities. If I'm going to wear a bikini I'd better not gain the kind of fat and water weight I am capable of gaining on vacation. I know myself, and I know I wouldn't feel comfortable bearing it all if that happened.

Will of steel, Petite Powerhouse. WILL OF STEEL. After reading what you need to eat to maintain normally I can only imagine how much you would have to eat in order to GAIN weight on vacation.

I'm 2.3 kg/5 lbs down from my morning-after weight on Sunday morning which was 60 kg/132 lbs. That's a LOT of water weight. All it took was one full day of eating well. I have completely blown my birthday/Xmas goal, a bit of a fail, but I hope I will see 125.anything by Friday morning, which is the start of my birthday/Xmas/going to Germany the day after Xmas for 10 days vacation. Still can't run on my foot and need new shoes before attempting.

What do you guys usually do about food on the go? It's a 19 hour trip from departure from Fukuoka to landing in Frankfurt with 2 layovers (Seoul and Amsterdam). I imagine there will be at least 3 mid-air meals provided. I'm going to try to drink at least 5 liters of water during the process.

This morning I saw 148.8 on the scale. I am beginning to believe 147 is within my reach. I am really just looking to see that number I don't care if it is 147.9 or 147.0 I just want to see 147 appear on my scale Christmas day. Once I see a number 3 times in a week it becomes my official weight but I am still counting the Christmas goal.

This weekend I cooked a bunch of chicken, red river cereal and eggs. I also cut up veggies and have basically planned every meal I am eating (except lunch on Wednesday) from here until Friday night.

I made a goof tonight because I had salsa and a chips but I really needed something else in my stomach and it really help curb my hunger. I also managed to go to the gym for an hour today but my endurance is still pretty crap I just need to push a little harder and all will be well.