Good morning, all! Hope everybody's doing great. Sadly, I'm back out of maintenance mode to take care of a three-pound uptick due to a little too much fun over the weekend. I suspected this would catch up with me; I did a lot of food-loading to train for the race I just completed, and apparently I thought that also meant I could eat about half a dozen cupcakes in a 72-hour period. Not very smart or healthy.

I'm trying not to drop my calories too low, but I'm going to have to resume a stricter accountability for a few days. No strenuous exercise, however; I'm burned out on running and want to focus on yoga for two weeks, then resume my regular running schedule. This means, unfortunately, that if my workouts are light, my eating has to be pretty clean. If I can manage that, then this uptick should right itself quickly.

Wish me luck!

kat999 - tell us more about the race! I've not previously participated in the pre-race food loading...I'm not at anywhere near a competitive pace. Yoga = Ahhh...I work at least 1 day into my training (before my long run), has helped a ton.

OhThePlaces - well look at you! Aren't you gorgeous?! Blessings for you and your family while your husband is deployed.

Krampus - what a wonderful idea of forming a support group. Binge eating is a psychological problem and points to an underlying issue. I think it's very brave of you to put yourself out there and draw others to you in the spirit of helping. WTG!!

aimeebell - I take time off from calorie counting now and then as well. Mental vacation day! BTW - my sister's name (until she got married in May) is Amy Bell. Your screen name will always make me smile!

claire0412 - praying for you on your surgery. Eat lots of fruits and veggies while you sitting...it will help! My dad died in 1998, so Father's Day is bitter sweet. Here's hoping the day wasn't to difficult on you and your family.

Dorian5 - "at the time I think it would be more mentally healthy to eat whatever and have fun... but then on Monday mornings I'm kicking myself." Your statement reminded me of the "mind change" that has happened to me in the last 6 months. I'm no longer ON a diet - but my lifestyle represents healthy choices. Moderation is, of course, important...but when my mind shifted, I no longer had Monday morning regret.

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Woah - that was a lot of chatting! Being a SAHM and Daycare Provider, chatting with you ladies is my outside adult contact lifeline!

Today was hubby's morning run day - so my workout will be after he gets home from work. I used to squeeze it in during the kids' nap time - but have found that propping up my feet and reading my book or meditating for 30min to be a much better use of my time. My left hamstring is really being a pill, so I'm thinking a little P90X Shoulders & Arms tonight. I'm a little nervous with my next Half only 11 weeks away and my leg acting up. GAH!!

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!!

First of all, it's so awesome that you're doing P90X! I really want to try that sometime. Not yet, but sometime. Upper-body strength is my weak point, and I feel like that would help.

My race was a 5K, my second, and I did better time-wise than I did the first time. I ran one in April and came in at 53 minutes--not great. This time, I came in at 40 minutes! So much improvement, but when I'm training I can do a ten-minute mile, so I don't know why I was closer to the 12-13 minute range in competition. Anyway, pre-race food loading is not really a technical term, I just didn't want to watch what I ate beforehand because I was running 20 miles a week to train and burning soooo many calories each session.

Love, love, love yoga and try to do at least two hours a week even when doing other things, but I need to be gentle to myself for a while and feel like two weeks of just yoga, three to seven days a week, would be a good restorative regime.

Just a quick update cause I have to go to the dentist (I will check in again later today) -- I ate a huge fattening lunch yesterday just to "not be the girl with the salad" which is DUMB. I drank a Naked drink for dinner and ran HARD. Really hard. Didn't stop out of vanity when the boyfriend got there, I was determined to finish the mile I was on, and he was shocked at how hard I ran and how sweaty I was.

This morning I did not weigh in, and I'm not going to weigh in the rest of this week, I can feel myself becoming a slave to the scale. I will check my weight on Friday, but until then I'm going to eat well and run hard and work out and drink water to be healthy, not to lose weight. Hopefully some lbs will come off in the meantime, but if not, I will STILL know I'm doing the right thing.

Love you ladies an awful lot, I can feel everyone getting bored with me when I mention my weight loss when I talk about it in person, this forum and you chicks are my support system. <3 Personals later!

Hey feathers!

So, I was up at the crack of dawn today. Gotta squeeze every minute I can out of this precious day off I did my 3.5 mile run, and now I'm off to do some errands... on foot! I've got dinner plans tonight, so I'm going to walk everywhere I need to go to balance it out.
No depriving or berating... just balancing. and now for a deep breath... Ahhhhhh. Hahahah

Anyway, the restaurant seems to have mostly small plates, which usually works great. You get to try lots of different dishes, but there isn't a huge plate of food looming in front of you, beckoning to finish it.



krampus-- Oh man, I know how that feels. Acknowledging that it's a serious problem that needs real attention is a great first step.

indiblue-- Congrats on the low weight!

mortonpixie-- Hope the bike rides are going smoothly. How did you start meditating, if you don't mind my asking? It always results in me either falling asleep or having very long, protracted, anxious thoughts.

Dorian-- Aghk, I hate when I eat for social-pressure reasons! So frustrating. Glad you were able to complete your workout. I also really like your approach... loss or no loss, the good habits (h20, exercise) are what count. Health and well being over numbers!

claire0412-- Hope surgery went well, thinking good thoughts for you! Your post-op plans sound solid.

aimeebell-- Isn't it nice to have a mental break from the number crunching sometimes? Way to go on maintaining after the weekend.

OhThePlaces-- WoOHOO on the workout! All about the balance, right?

kat999-- Yoga and nutritious food sounds suspiciously to me like a spa week... It's all in your perception. Hehehe. Anyway, sounds like you've got a good plan in place to get re-centered.

Hee hee! It does, doesn't it? Perhaps if I pretend that's what I'm doing, I won't notice how tiny my calorie allowance/day is.

everyone Thanks for all your well wishes! I was at the hospital at 7:30 this morning (couldn't eat or drink anything from 9pm yesterday) and finally was out of theatre at 1pm (had to wait for ages). I got home about 4pm and was starving!

The actual operation was way cool! I had local anasthetic and no sleeping tablets so I could hear what was going on, including sawing my bones etc! Despite the screen in front of my face, I could see vaguely what was going on as well thanks to a well positioned TV screen that I wasn't supposed to see. Was quite interesting to see! That was the good bit, now the nerve block is wearing off and it really hurts. I'm fed up of my bf having to do everything for me already, including getting me hair bands and drinks whenever I want. I feel guilty asking him all the time!

On the plus side, sitting on my backside all day will be easier (although more boring) than I thought, because it hurts too much to do anything else. Stupid bunions!

I had a free day today but i've only actually eaten a piece of lasagne I made yesterday and a tiny bit of chocolate. We're having halloumi cheese and roasted veg salad for dinner, because I'd neevr dare eat the fatty-salty glory of halloumi if I had to weigh myself tomorrow!!

This was a very me centred post, sorry about that! You all look like you're doing great. Dorian - I'm happy too that this forum exists, nobody else would not smack me around the head for planning a post op weight reduction plan Although, the woman in the bed next to me admitted she probably wouldn;t have needed the surgery if she had lost some weight a few years ago, and she still can't motivate herself to do it. It is moments like those when I realise everyone on here, trying, is awesome ;-)

So glad to hear it went well Claire. You'd do the same for your boyfriend if he need you to, right? So don't feel guilty. Rest and feel better.

Good morning feathers! Most of the binge weight is already gone and I've been doing lots of pushups and core stuff + yoga and cardio so I feel comfortable in my skin again. I tried the dress on this morning and while there is a bit of squish I realized it is gonna be fine (unless I binge again, in which case I will probably stay home out of shame, haha).

Tonight I'm going to buy $50 worth of fake eyelashes (2 pairs for $1) to send home in the mail. They're expensive in America and I know I'll have lots of use for them when I get home so it's worth the postage. Also on the shopping list: 2 new pairs of glasses. One plastic and funky for fun, and one metal/wire for business. I can't wait!

skinnyelle, OhThePlaces Thanks for the compliments! Obviously that was "just for fun" and not a serious musical achievement or anything but it was a laugh!

kat999 You'll be back to maintenance mode soon. Yoga and nutrition really does sound like a pampering spa week like FPSJ said! Congrats on the race!

mortonpixie Haha, I know what you mean. 3FC is kind of my "native English daytime socializing lifeline" since I am the only English speaker in the office. Hope your hamstring feels better soon!

Dorian5 Hey, glad to hear you're nipping the ED-OCD monster in the bud. I know this is really hypocritical of me to say since I've been there and am still there but it really is unfortunate to waste your thin life obsessing about it, you know? I 100% get the not wanting to be the girl with the salad thing too. My friends know I have some issues and I feel crazy pressure to prove I'm not dieting around them, which is a lie. ENJOY THE DENTIST!

FPSJ You totally have this dinner thing under control. I'm awe-struck by how well you're doing - your positive mindset is really inspiring! Remember to breathe

claire Welcome back from surgery! I've never had surgery but I would totally want to watch/hear what was going on, sounds really interesting. Your boyfriend sounds like a dream, does he have a twin brother? I know I already have one of my own but I can have one in each continent right?! Happy healing and enjoy the halloumi!

I was sooo good today, ate lots of veggies, ran hard, all of that. Got my teeth cleaned, renewed birth control prescription, got an eye exam and new contacts... so productive! Exhausted now though, and it's only 9:30pm!

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krampus - That video was awesome! I've never seen/heard a melodica before, but I dig the sound it makes. I am trying to enjoy being thinner and fitting into clothes that I couldn't wear before instead of focusing on things I still can't wear. Half-full glass and whatnot. Also, that is hilarious about eyelashes! I, myself, am an eyelash junkie - I have a collection that would make a drag queen jealous. But I lack the confidence to wear some of the more outrageous ones. Maybe when I feel skinny/confident being the center of attention I'll break them out. GLAD to hear most of that binge weight is gone -- keep it up and feel super hot in your dress!

kat999 - I am completely confident that you will have those 3 pounds off of you in no time. Maintenance seems more like a careful balancing act instead of the total end of all weight concerns (like I had previously hoped/imagined.)

mortonpixie - I'm totally impressed by how you balance your own health while being an awesome, attentive mother. It can't be easy to juggle all of that, and KUDOS to you for keeping your health a priority as well! Hope your hamstring starts feeling better soon!

FatPantsSkinnyJeans - Nice work with your early wake-up and badass run! My warm, soft bed won't let me out of it anytime before 7am, and since I work at 8am... morning workouts just never happen for me. But I like de-stressing after work with a run anyway, once I actually bully myself onto the treadmill. Hope dinner was fun!

claire0412 - HUGE hugs to you, glad you're doing all right! Your boyfriend sounds like a total keeper. I would NOT be able to watch ANY surgery being performed, especially on myself! But I'm glad you dug it. Hope you heal super fast and enjoy delicious food in the process. (I always end up googling some of the food you talk about -- halloumi sounds like something that I would enjoy too much.)

Keep it up everyone!

Dorian Yeah halloumi is delicious! I could have had anything I wanted yesterday and I chose halloumi and roasted veggies, man I've changed! Glad you got a lot done yesterday

Krampus Nah unfortunately his brother is taken too! But one on every continent is perfectly reasonable! Glad you're feeling better, the dress will look fab!

amiebell Yeah I'd completely do the same for him, you're right! He seems to be enjoying it too!

kat Those 3lbs will be gone in no time! It does sound suspiciously like a spa week!

FPSJ Hope you had a nice day off and ate delicious food at the restaurant!

mortonpixie Gah I know how annoying injuries are when you're training for a 1/2. I had a quad twinge pretty much the whole way through training, as soon as I finished the race, it decided to become a pain in the backside. They found out the cause of that, and my knee and ankle problems, were my bunions and hence I had to have this surgery! Hope your leg heals quickly!

I went back to the hospital today to change the bandages, oww the pain! I went all faint and had to be shoved on a bed with my feet in the air in front of a whole waiting room of people, dignified! Other that that, I'm fine! Diet has not been as strict as I said it would be but it hurts too much to stand up and get myself food so all I eat is what my boyfriend brings me:
Breakfast - low sugar cornflakes (30g) with sunflower seeds, banana and milk (I told him exactly how much of everything, he thinks I am a bit crazy)
L- Broccoli and cauliflower with a bit of parmesan and turkey ham, and some strawberries. Don't think I\ll put on weight with that!

Have a nice day everyone

Mortonpixie, thank you! And I totally get where you're coming from about this being your social interaction as a SAHM... I feel the same way! Especially since we're temporarily in another state while Brian is deployed... so I don't really no anyone other than family.

Kat999, great job on improving your race time! Could the slower time be attributed to havingto manuever around other runners?

Dorian, I generally weigh myself every morning, but sometimes I have to take a break from it and concentrate on how good I'm feeling when I eat healthy and exercsie... even if the scale isn't reflecting it! I feel the same way about this group... most of my IRL friends aren't interested in talking diet, exercise and weight loss so I keep it to myself.

FatPantsSkinnyJeans, I love the idea of walking all day to counteract dinner... that way you can still enjoy yourself guilt-free!

Claire, I'm glad your surgery went well! I hope the pain eases up for you soon.

Krampus, glad the binge weight has already fallen off. I have days where I can't stop myself from eating.... It's like in my mind once I eat something really "bad", I begin to think, "Well I've already ruined the day... I might as well eat everything in sight and make the most of this bad day". It's totally disordered thinking and thankfully it seems to happen less and less.

I saw a big whoosh this morning on the scale. It's stayed exactly the same for the last 3 days, and then I lost a pound overnight. 135.2. The smallest I've ever previously been as an adult was 136 at 19 years old... so it feels great to weigh less now at 27, with a 2 year old and 5 month old!

OhThePlaces - You are awesome!! Nice wooooosh!!

claire0412 - oooh...bandage change. Yeowch!! Undignified, I lost the last shred I had when my 2yo got sick on me at the drug store and my 6yo ran through the aisles yelling "clean up on aisle 2!" (hope that made you smile!) Glad your BF is attentive and understanding.

Dorian5 - wow, you were busy! All the important things covered!! Thank you for the props...I'm not always any of those things - but I try.

krampus - Oooh, new glasses!! I have worn glasses since I was 9...mostly wore contacts out of vanity in my 20's, but in the last 5 years glasses have gotten SO COOL! Maybe snap a picture for us.

FPSJ - how did your dinner plans go? Sounds nice! Did you have a good rest of your day off? Meditating...well, I'm not very fancy - but I just turn the ringer off on my phone, and relax with my eyes closed for 15min. I take a personal inventory and try to assess if I have been ugly to anyone, etc. Anything bad that comes up in my mind, I try to visualize letting go. I talk to God and we hash things out. Sometimes my timer goes off and I realize I dozed. Sometimes I blank out right away! Works for me.

kat999 - nice race, girl! Keep up the great work...remember, RUN rhymes with FUN! Have a nice "spa week!"

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Missed my 6am bike ride - arg! I forgot that hubby had to work at 6 so he could take our son to the orthodontist this afternoon. Only 5 more payments and those straight teeth are ALL OURS! I plan to ride when my last daycare kid leaves at 5:15...that is if I can get supper on by then.

Had a rough night's sleep - I've had an issue in my back since our 4th child and it flares sometimes. I used to get injections in my joints and do physical therapy, but I can usually control it with Yoga. I think I just need a nice long walk today to tell those nerves who's boss! Maybe load up the strollers and walk to the park about 1.25 miles away.

My 9:15 daycare kid showed up at 7:40 this morning. His Mom forgot to tell me that their morning appointment was cancelled. Good thing I heard the car door and went and put some pants on! I got up with my 2yo at 6:30 and was dozing on the couch with Mr. Fussy Pants when they got here!!

Okay - enough whining. I am going to go make the beds and start some laundry, then we are all going down the trail to the "Far Away Park" as the kids call it. My stupid legs are going to feel better, or else!

This isn't weight related, but it IS self-esteem related.

I'm feeling fit and skinny today, I can TELL I've lost weight even without the scale. I'm not wearing glasses today since I have new contacts, and my makeup is perfect and my hair looks great... but all I can think about is how the dentist told me yesterday that my teeth weren't perfectly straight and that I have an overbite so I need my jaw broken, reset, and then braces for a few years to fix it.

My teeth are relatively straight (not perfect, but pretty straight -- I have one crooked one at the bottom, that's about it) and I've never thought much about the little overbite I have, but now I think that's all anyone is looking at when they talk to me.

Crazy how someone can say something negative about your appearance and you can't get it out of your brain. I generally thought I had a nice (at least ACCEPTABLE) smile until that wench dentist tried to convince me to give her more money by pointing out "flaws" with my teeth.

/vent

ETA: This was a new dentist since my original dentist was out with the flu, I trust him completely and he has rehabilitated me, I was a very high-fear patient for a long time. This girl dentist told me about all the classes she just took in Vegas about some experimental dental crap dealing directly with overbites and muscle relaxing and blah blah blah, and went on to mention that she was the ONLY dentist in Raleigh that has taken such courses, and that her correctional stuff would cost me $6,000 or some crap.

/second vent

ANYWAY I'm done now, glad to see everyone losing, feeling good, and doing well!

Hey feathers! I'm on the sleepy side today. Just gotta truck through 2 days at work, and then I can actually rest for my next day off. Don't ya hate it when a day off can become nuttier than a regular/work day?!

Krampus--Shopping sounds so fun! I am so bad at sticking those things on my eyeballs. Thank you for the nice words

Dorian--Oh man, I do the same thing. One negative comment and I'm off in Woe-is-me Land. Is the jaw thing entirely necessary?! I say if the teeth aren't causing pain or other harm, don't do it. Who cares if you have a crooked tooth! You know who else has non-perfect teeth? A little lady named Madonna....

Claire-- Dinner was really good... tiny portions but very "sculptural" and decadent. Also, managed to stick to only one drink. Small miracle! Glad you made it through the bandage change. The faintness thing has happened to the best of us. Hang in there!

MortonPixie-- The rest of the day was pretty productive, and dinner was splendid! I may have to try your method of meditating. I guess I'm making it more complicated than it needs to be? I like the idea of directing your thoughts by starting with what you can let go of.

OhThePlaces-- Congrats on your new low weight, that is awesome!! You must feel like a rock star. Soak it up, because you EARNED it!