@thesame7lbs - Thank you for all of those dinner ideas!! I only recently went from working full-time and being in grad school to moving to a new city for my fiancee's job. I have a lot more time on my hands so I'm trying to focus more on cooking a healthy (low cal) dinner ever night. Last night I made a cobb salad and tonight I'm making turkey/veggie chilli. I'm totally going to do baked salmon!! Ps I watch a lot of bad TV!!

@ohe

I totally understand the frustration, I lose really slowly and at this weight my set point is about 145 so I have to work really hard to get it below that. If you just keep on plan you will lose! It just might happen slowly. I'm pretty bad with snacking in between meals sometimes I try and have a goal for the day to not eat anything expect breakfast, lunch, dinner. It seems a bit drastic but I find it works.

@Olehcat Glad you beat the bloat, fingers crossed you keep losing!! I really enjoyed having a chai tea and wearing a hoodie today!! I love fall.

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So good news!! I stopped exercising for four days and ate a little bit over my plan for the weekend because my family was visiting and I had a whoosh down to 140!! I'm now feeling pretty optimistic I can make it to my goal of 135 before my shower in 4 weeks. I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing - eating 1300-1500 calories a day and doing spinning or bootcamp plus walking most days

Hi, all!

I've been calorie counting the last few days! I honestly don't know how people do 1200 calories. I was starving the last few days and ended up eating closer to 1400. Which is probably actually better for me anyway. W'ell see what happens at my weigh-in this weekend!

I always wonder why people don't eat the number of calories that is maintenance for your ideal weight instead of deleting 500 from current weight's maintenance?

@Lisa - YAY for the whoosh! How awesome!

@thesame7 - I wonder where everyone is, too! I hear you SO HARD on feeling like giving up when not seeing the scale move. Like why "suffer" if it's not going to do something for you? Great runs you're having!

@oleh I find eating 1200 a day impossible!! I can do 1400 but I have to work hard at it.

Salmon ideas...

Salmon recipes at NYTimes

and I made this tonight... so easy and so good!

Cauliflower Soup

@thesame7lbs Thanks for the salmon ideas!! I saw from the daily weigh in thread you're getting close to your goal!! Congrats.

I'm up a pound today but I lifted weights yesterday so I think it's just water. I'm throwing a house warming party next Saturday and I'm really hoping I can be at 137ish by then. I have this size 6 dress I love that is just a tiny bit too tight right now.

Olehcat, I often wonder/worry about all the people on 1200. I can understand some of the Feathers, who are at low weights, but I think it's rather extreme for a lot of the people on 3FC, especially those over 200 or so. I know we are not supposed to criticize people's plans (so I've never commented to anyone), but I think people see "1200 is the lowest you should go," and choose it for that reason, when, especially at high weights, it seems they could lose on much higher calories more safely and sustainably. On the flip side, we are all impatient creatures.

As far as eating at "goal maintenance," I have heard of people doing it and it makes great sense except for at the very end. Unless you are incredibly diligent about weighing every single ingredient and every single bite, it would be hard to lose the last few pounds because the deficit would be so small you'd have no wiggle room. Plus, our bodies have a way of accommodating a small deficit -- that's why if you change nothing else but add a slow 30 minute walk each day, you won't really lose weight. Your body can overcome that small deficit (from what I've read).

This is from an old NYTimes article:
"The body’s determination to maintain its composition is why a person can skip a meal, or even fast for short periods, without losing weight. It’s also why burning an extra 100 calories a day will not alter the verdict on the bathroom scales. Struggling against the brain’s innate calorie counters, even strong-willed dieters make up for calories lost on one day with a few extra bites on the next. And they never realize it. “The system operates with 99.6 percent precision,” Dr. Friedman said. "

Full article here

I have to say, the New York Times is a font of weight-loss information. I found a very interesting article on weight-loss myths that I was thinking of posting on the main Weight Loss boards but I think people might freak out (it was not very encouraging).

As for me, I am a weight-loss myth today. Back up, in spite of being on plan and putting in the miles. Sigh.

LisaT, I'm rooting for you to get into that dress for your housewarming party!

@thesame7lbs - Thank you!! And I'm about to read that article.

Ugh - I am sooo frustrated!! I ate about 1600 calories the past two days and worked out hard both days and this morning I'm up to 143!!! I'm feeling like I'm going to need to cut to 1200-1300 calories.

I'm a failure story today as well! I had been losing weight steadily this week, then this week I was suddenly up 1 pound. Okay, fine, that happens.

but then this evening? I went and blew my calories by eating 2/3 of a frozen pizza and a bunch of wine and a small slice of cake! D: What gives? It's almost like I'm sabotaging myself on some level...

So discouraged... I'm getting really, really tired of this struggle! But yet I keep trying! I guess that's what counts!

Gah, so behind! and my laptop is in for repairs so I have to use my phone which is hard

Oleh: Sorry you're having a tough time *hugs* but you're right, the keeping going is the most important part! You'll get there

Thesame7: I totally get what you mean- I'm currently on 1220 a day, but started out higher and have cut it down with each 10lbs lost. When I see someone who is at a higher weight saying that they're doing 1200+ 5hrs cardio or something like that (sometimes 800cals/day!) I'm kinda like, yikes! You can have more and lose weight, enjoy while you can!

Lisa: 1200 is difficult, when I first started it, I couldn't do it. However I was eating all the wrong things, things that were high calorie but didn't fill me up for long like hot chocolate! Now I've got it mapped out with a go-to list of meals and snacks it's much easier. You start to realise that you could have a small chocolate bar, or you could have three oranges for the same calories! It's hard work

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Really want to get down to goal by Christmas, whatever that number is. I'm so looking forward to it already, 14 weeks to go

Is everyone here a calorie counter? I don't like counting calories. It brings out my competitive edge, so I start thinking of it as a game of win and lose, and start cheating.

Oleh-cat: hey, it was only a SMALL slice of cake, right? And I'm guessing you really enjoyed the wine, so there's nothing to do but remember it fondly and say goodbye. Move on. Keep going. You'll get there.

Cacaphony: Hi there. Not everyone is a calorie counter on the boards- I'm not sure about the other feathers here, but I think that many find when they get to lower weights that they stop losing for one reason or another and calorie counting is a way to see what is going on. That isn't to say that other methods don't work for people, but I think that when you only have a few pounds to lose, 100 calories can make a big difference and calorie counting can help to see that. Maybe you could try asking in the maintainers forum about the methods that they used to get down to their final weight too? Good luck!

Hello dear Feathers,

I've been struggling emotionally but haven't made an effort to get back on track, yet. I don't have any cravings but I still eat like crap, maybe not as much as I did a week ago, but enough. I also haven't exercised or weighed myself in God knows how long. I honestly don't know when I'll start to be healthy again. There is a lot of social stuff coming up (breakfast buffet with my brother on Sunday, indoor amusement thing with my niece and nephew, my birthday next Thursday) so I'm scared that I'm gonna fail right away. I stayed within my calories today but most of them came from unhealthy food. DH is using the weights right now and I plan on working out when he's done but I have this headache that hasn't gone away in DAYS and it's making me not wanna do anything at all. On top of that, my dad has finally told me to move out by November 1st, great, I really need this pressure right now! At least I only have one more day of work and then I'm on paid vacation until the end of the month. I'm still trying to tell myself that there is no "rush" and that I need to take small baby steps, one at a time!

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Cattails - Lol, I thought about you thinking about me! That game was nice even though I knew the Niners would beat us. They OWN the Packers which sucks but hey, at least my DH enjoyed the **** outta that game, lol! And it's not like it was a total blowout so it's all good. How's Rosie doing? And how have you been doing?

LisaTcan - Keep doing what you're doing! 1600 calories sounds about right for you. Try not to let the fluctuations get to you that much. I know it's easier said than done but I doubt that you gained 2 pounds in only a few days. Can't wait to be at 140 lbs again and then I wanna see the 137 as well! We can do it!

Leaves - Holy gazoly, 14 weeks til Christmas? How did I miss that? But that means that a loss of 14 pounds is definitely doable, I should use this as my motivation.

cacaphony - You lose weight by burning more than you eat so it definitely makes sense to count calories. For me personally, counting every little calorie is just too much but I like to estimate them.

olehcat - Ahh, I feel you We need some serious ***-kicking or something, here you go

thesame7lbs - The recipes sound super yummy, I wanna try them out right now!

Hoopty, . I'm sorry you're in a stressful place right now. You're right, there is no rush. Have you thought about focusing on one aspect, like just exercise? And just letting the food thing go for a bit, until you're under less pressure. Gentle exercise that you enjoy might work as stress relief in the meantime.

Leaves, good to see you! I hope your laptop feels better soon. Whoa -- 14 weeks -- that's a little scary. Time to start planning... but it's still summer (until Sunday)!

Olehcat, keeping at it *is* what counts. There are so many great quotes, like, "Fall down eight times, get up nine," that capture that idea. No one succeeds 100% of the time, so we just have to pick ourselves up again and get back to it! (Note to self: do this).

LisaT, I bet you're just retaining water from those workouts, especially if they were hard or different from what you're used to. Keep the faith!

Cacaphony, if you poke around the boards you'll find ones devoted to several weight-loss methods. I don't know how busy they are. For me, I could never get below the low-130s without counting calories. But certainly it's not for everyone, and can cause anxiety or feelings of extreme restriction for some people. I wish I could do something like intuitive eating, but I'm just not cut from that cloth.

I'm feeling good today. I even tried on some of my smallest jeans and they are within reach. My very smallest ones I think I will just get rid of if they don't fit at 125 or so. They taunt me and that's no good. I had a nice 5-mile run and will "rest" tomorrow (by "rest," I mean, "take 4 kids to Legoland.")

Happy Friday everyone!

hi, all,

I feel like such a "not success story" and it's all my fault. I can't decide on what to do to make this sustainable and yet effective. I have come up with what I think COULD be a brilliant idea. I am thinking that given that I run for at least 30 minutes 5 times a week and do the 30 day shred about 2 times a week (started last week), that I could get away with a daily goal of 1500 calories a day to lose. So I came up with the idea of instead of using 1500 every day that I could use 10,500 calories a WEEK. This would allow more leeway on weekends and special occasions. I will weigh in next Friday and hope it works. I am sooo heavy right now at 153ish, I'm not worthy of featherweight status, but I love hanging out here because you guys are so close to goal or at goal and are so inspiring and I love talking to people who have made it work or have succeeded or are really close.

@thesame7 - congrats on the small jeans being within reach!!! I have a few smaller sized clothes that I am holding aside for myself!

@hoopty - I'm sorry things are still so stressful! Stress is so detrimental for weight loss. I really feel you. It's hard to feel so out of control of life. Baby steps is good. Don't be too harsh on yourself right now!

@Leaves - that's a GREAT idea about asking maintainers on how they reached their final weight!

@cacaphony - I HATE counting calories. I've never lasted at it very long. It feels so restrictive. I think the best solution would be to count for awhile and come up with some meals you really like but fit into your calorie range to lose and then just eat those meals over and over? I will probably be doing something like that because I HATE thinking about food all the time like that. I get obsessive and other things in my life go to the background and that's no good.

@Leaves - you can do it! 14 weeks is a nice stretch!

Hi everyone!

I've had a pretty fun weekend so far, went to the National Book Festival with some friends today and went on a triple date with some other couples last night and I kept under 1600 calories. I'm going to try to stick to my calories and weigh my self on Monday, I'm hoping I'll be back to 140 by then.

@7pounds thank you for the encouragement it probably is just water weight. Congrats on getting into your skinny jeans!!. I was able to wear that size 6 dress out to dinner last night, it was really great.

@Hoopy - sorry you're having such a hard time! It sounds really stressful. Maybe you should just focus on eating as healthy as you can and getting some exercise every day, I find it really helps with stress.

@cacaphony - Welcome! I hate counting calories but I find that it's the only thing that works for me. You should get out the forums around here though because there are tons of people who don't calorie count. I'm not super strict about it, I don't weight all my food or anything.

@olehcat - Sorry you're having such a tough time but you're back on track now and that's all that matters. You will get there

@Leaves - I also really want to be at my goal by Christmas!!! We can do it.