It's the 4th! Time for a September chat.

I've got a five day weekend, through Wednesday! I'm debating whether I should work on my house, or just sit around and read.

Any other U.S. folks have Labor Day plans? Maybe you all do, that's why the posts are so slow.

Going to a party tomorrow but i hope it doesn't throw my weight off. i'm trying to lose a couple pounds this week.

Hi feathers, can i join you?

My diet started last week, and the plan is to set some targets to meet before mini-holiday in October, with a view to some better targets to achieve before bigger holiday in December. Um, still thinking through exactly what they're going to be but in the meantime the diet has started!!

I was here last year and the beginning of this year, but since easter it's been a slippery slide of gaining weight (about 10lb!!) and not looking at this website.

So i need to lose it again. Just back from an hour run round at lunchtime. 24C temps and sunny - spring is on it's way!!

Hi feathers,

I have moved back to the UK so I am in a bit of a find a flat/do my prep work/sort out bike, phone etc stress before teacher training starts next week. I thought I had found a flat but it turns out the landlord doesn't want my bf staying for a week at the end of Sept. He's already booked his flights so I wouldn't tell him he can't now so it looks like I'm back to the drawing board.

Weight is the last thing on my mind atm but I will be starting again once everything is settled. I think I'll try the Paleo way out for a bit, I read Paleo for Athletes and the science of acid/alkali foods etc seemed interesting. I think it could suit me as a maintenance plan (80% of the time, maybe?)

Have a nice start to the school year!

Hey gals! I've been lurking since I got back from vacation. Took a two-week break from exercise and calorie counting and managed to more or less maintain. I got back to exercising a week ago and have been up on the scale with MAJOR water weight due to muscle soreness. But I know it will settle down soon.

I finally couldn't ignore the running bug any longer... so I suckered hubby into starting C25K with me! We went for our first run Friday and will do our second one today. I'm letting my hubby (who is truly coming from the couch) dictate the pace, so it's really low intensity for me, but I had a great time and am looking forward to our second run today! Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in several months (normally do my workouts at home) and felt kind of badass outlifting all the gals, plus a couple of skinny dudes, haha. (I hope that's not too rude. )
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ann71: I'd vote for reading, but I don't own a house. Hope that whatever you do, you enjoy your long weekend!

liliesinmycereal: Good luck at the party! And if it does affect the scale, well, the damage can be undone.

ange82much: Welcome and good luck!

claire: Welcome back! I hope you get settled in quickly & that everything works out well. My brother does the Paleo thing & it works fabulously for him--he's Mr. Fitness, too--in insanely good shape.

sumire You are my hero! Lol PLEASE share some workouts/eating guidelines with me. Specifically the kind of things you did to go from high 130's to where you are currently. Im DYING to reach my goal!

Oh dear September is NOT off to a good start for me! I had to get a tooth pulled a week ago, and got a dry socket. On the plus side I'm not allowed absolutely ANY soda. Unfortunately their version of "soft food" is ice cream and hamburgers. Most of my healthier snacks I have been trying to choose are out, because they're crunchy! SUCH a pain! I hope I manage to survive the dry socket without gaining back the like 2 pounds I lost last month!

Claire- moving is the worst! I hope it starts to go more smoothly for you.

~Katy

Hey everyone, I thought I would jump back in.

September is shaping out to be a good month for me... after being out of control with my eating (and laziness) during July and August... it's good to be back on the right path (even if I'm a few pounds heavier!) I'm back to keeping a food journal and I've been hitting the gym almost every day and feeling great! I have major motivation... my 5 year wedding anniversary is on the 30th, and we're going to visit my husband's family (who we haven't seen in several years) and going to his high school reunion on October 1st!

Katy, so sorry to hear about the dry socket! Can you eat yogurt? That would be a healthy alternative and still qualify as soft food!

Ann, I would have worked on the house some and taken breaks to read. How did your weekend turn out?

Hi Ange! Welcome!

Claire, sounds stressful! Why would your landlord care if your boyfriend came for the week? How odd! I hope you get everything figured out and settled soon!

Lilies, hope you had fun at the party!

Sumare, I loved C25k! Congrats on maintaining for the two weeks that you were on "break". It's difficult for me to maintain if I'm not working to count calories... I need to find that balance!

Jamie that's great that your 5-year is coming up so soon! I'm sure you are going to look just fabulous

I can eat yogurt but the only kinds I like are full of sugar, plus I'm just not a big fan of sweet foods except in moderation. I mainly eat salty or meaty foods. Most soft options are sweet and I do NOT need all those carbs it's driving me insane. I just want something salty and crunchy!

~Katy

How about hummus? It's not crunchy, but it isn't sweet either. Mmmm... Hummus.

Hello everyone, I've been blowing up slowly and being a total slacker on exercise. My weight is high - somewhere in the high 130s - and while I still fit into my clothes, I just feel like a gross bag full of pudding. I've been rather depressed pretty much every day, and instead of losing my appetite I have gained a wicked sweet/booze tooth. I got up early this morning to run before work but it's raining...ah well. It'll get better.

krampus Yes it will get better.

I have found lately that my clothes are fitting looser, but I still don't feel particularly like stepping on the scale. Last I checked I was 127, and I've been putting in some longer runs lately, so hopefully the scale has gone down a little bit. It's weird too. I haven't changed much, but I've found that I'm recovering faster from longer runs. I've still been running 30+ miles a week, but I've been feeling better...

...however, I never feel like I'm doing enough. I've been trying for such a long time to lose weight, and while I've always had the exercise part down, the food part still eludes me. I wish I was one of those people that could eat a piece of cake and say, "that was good, but one slice was enough".

This one has never worked for me. i.e. the more i run, generally, the more weight i put on BUT i do change shape for the better and my clothes fit better when i'm running more. So don't be too disappointed if the scales are being mean!

I had a run round this morning although stagger would have been a better word as it felt like hard work, and to prove it i actually fell over on a tree root and went sprawling (and yes, there was someone sat in a car just there, to watch me!).

pinkrunner: I hate those people. :P I don't think I'll ever be able to put down a chocolate bar or refuse a 2nd piece of cake. I really need to go cold turkey - but that's just as hard! If I were you I'd probably not bother with the scale. Sounds like you're becoming motivated with the weight loss you can see visibly - it would be awful if the scales ended up disappointing you. Keep it up!

krampus: You'll get there eventually!

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I've been so bad!! I went away for a weekend for a friends leaving party and two 21sts, and I ate sooo much cake!! Then I had a week where I volunteered with adults with learning disabilities and the care home fed me. The meals were so unhealthy (delicious) and as I was by the seaside I had icecream ALL THE TIME. I daren't get on the scales. I know I'll have put loads on, I can feel it. And honestly, I don't feel super motivated. I feel fat and I want to slose weight, but I've had ample opportunity to work out or eat healthy for the past few days and I have found a lot of excuses. I'm going to weigh myself tomorrow and hopefully it will shock me into dieting again. I think I just feel so disappointed that I'm no where near reaching my target, and I know that once I'm at uni in a couple of weeks it will be even harder. And after looking at celebrity BMI's in a magazine I don't even think my target is low enough anymore! Wish there was a quick fix.