Liz, I also only lost about 1 size with the first 25-30 pounds, and then managed to drop 2 more sizes with the next 10-15 pounds. Of course I think the original size (14) varies a lot, so that has something to do with it.

Once again, I did not manage to stay OP for the weekend. My DH talked me into getting McDonald's on the way home from the gym on Saturday morning, so starting out with the sausage mcmuffin with egg, and then trying to make up for eating that the rest of the day by skipping lunch, ended up starved and out of control. Oh well, contemplating a TO for tomorrow and Wednesday.

At least I was able to silence that little voice that said, you've already blown it, why not just stop at cold stone creamery. I told myself "limit the damage" instead and that worked to stop the whole binge before it got even worse.

Yesterday was a little better, but still a little over here and there...

I just think when I try to be too perfect, I tend to just fall of the wagon hard, since I don't seem to see that whole thing coming. I should never have bought those Kashi Cookies.... At least I had a high fiber binge. LOL.

Hoping you all are having a POP day, and for those of you who go in to weigh in on a Monday morning, wow... I never was good enough to manage that one!

hey everyone. not much to report today. went back to work after my vacay. it was fine, just really didn't feel like it, but then again, who would!?

anyways, just a quick post as i'm off to workout now. it's been a while and i can't wait to get back into a routine.

check back later!

Lettie - so glad you checked in. I've been wondering how you were doing. So what does Dr. Oz say about doing sun salutations and how does it help?? I may need to do some too. Good luck on the hospital job....I actually work for a hospital software company...I'm curious what software this hospital bought that it requires 75 new trainees....Software is supposed to help you cut down your headcount a little...not increase it! But, hey....it's a great business to be in and if you get trained on one system, you can take that experience a lot of places. Good luck.

Stacie (or any of our Canadian folks)...what's a cooler? a beer?

Liz - I've been at this so long, with very little to show for it. I can squeeze in size 12s, but I'm much more comfortable in 14s, which is the same size I was wearing when I started (but the 14s were really tight). I guess on the plus side, if I hadn't been doing this, I would probably be 20 lbs heavier than my highest weight vs. 15 lbs lower than my higher weight. One of the best weight loss weeks I had in the past month was when I took out the cookbook and forced myself to make and try four different things. Variety and exercise seem to help me when I'm stalled. Today I got on my treadmill and did 30 minutes/2.2 miles; I mowed the entry and play area in my subdivision, laid out 6 bags of mulch, then mowed my own lawn. The humidity factor is about 90% and I actually had to change my cloths since I was drenched and uncomfortable! Surely I sweated off at least 1pound. To top this off, I'm doing TO. Right now (3 PM) I want to go take a nap! Work is really slow so I think I'll do just that!

Tina - don't you dare be discouraged...You've lost 9 lbs since we started the Chicks to the Finish Challenge.....most of us doing the challenge have only lost 1 or 2 lbs! Keep your focus and keep on showing your DD what her mom can do!

Not sure how old your daughter is Dan but with my son he'd go in spurts. He'd put on weight then have a growth spurt and stretch out. This was actually more noticeable for me when he was in high school after he thinned out. When he'd gain I could really tell. Maybe she's just in a pre-growth spurt phase. Not sure if it's different for boys and girls though, I was always thin as a child and into the twenties then made up for it after I had my son.

Angie - Well one of the opening lines of the movie pretty much summed it up for me. Homer said something about people being stupid to pay money to watch something they could see on tv for free. It was funny but I would have been fine with renting the dvd! Now the Chuck and Larry movie was hilarious and well worth the admission price. Also not a movie to take a kid to! With everything though it's a matter of personal opinion, take it with a grain of salt.

Hey Everyone!

Kids are funny, arent' they? Mine are always asking me "can you have that" or telling me what I can and cannot eat. Gotta love it. One of the good things since me starting this program is that they are always asking for fruit, and will eat more raw veggies as well.

I had WI today. Down 1/2 pound. Got changed from Red w/Lites to Gold w/lites. Hope it works.

My one day off this week, and I spent half of it at the laundromat. Car's in the shop. anything else can go wrong today??
At least I was eating POP so far ...

Hope everyone has a great day!!

Joni – A cooler is an in-the-bottle beverage, like a beer, only it’s wine or alcohol based. You've had a busy day! I hope you got to take your nap.

Wow--I can only say ditto on the kid/example setting conversation. And ditto on being a thin kid but having the heavy mom--I don't want my kids to be embarrassed of me (I feel shameful saying that now!) My 10yo DD is chunky and it kills me--she is just built like every female in my family--short and stout--at 5'6 I am the tallest by 4 inches of all the girls in my family--real giant huh?? The pediatrician already said DD will only be about 5'3 if lucky so we all see what she is up against. Like Dan I am learning to say less and do more for her--go for walks at night, no junk in the house--I just hate knowing it will be an uphill battle for her--then lucky DD#2 is built like her dad and they are guessing she will be closer to 5'7!! There is no justice...

Tina--let us know how the wrap goes--I've always been interested--and Joni is right--no being blue--you have done AWESOME!!

Hi to all--it took all stinkin day to get this house clean--now I am going to but a chicken on the grill, take a shower, and ENJOY the clean!!

Hey ladies!

I'm back at work today . . .leaving Josie at the daycare was horrible! I pick her up in about an hour and i hope today went okay for her.

I started FF today. I've gained a ton of weight since I've been back. Staying at home doesn't agree with my waistline! I didn't even try. I ate whatever and however much I wanted. Disgusted with myself at how easy it was to give into the stress and sleep deprivation eating mode.

But being back at work and becoming officially the single working mom-I'm ready to get back on track. I hope to have the weight I gained off by xmas.

Now to figure out how to fit exercise in . . .

Welcome back JM!!

Yahooooo! Julie Marie is back! Sorry that you had a tough time taking Josie to daycare. It will get easier, I promise. Have a good night!

Hi all! I went to WI today and was down 3.8 pounds. That was for two weeks. I was very happy because I had three days during those two weeks that I was off plan. It's just so hard to get back on track if you go off...at least for me it is. I also got measured. So, I'm down 32 pounds (finally broke the 30 pound mark) and 21 inches. I'm starting to go through the sizes now. Like some of the rest of you, it seemed forever before I moved down a size. However, when I started, my clothes were very tight. Well, off to walk the dog. Have a good day!
Jill

Hi everyone! I hope everyone is having a great start to the long week ahead of us. The doctor that I work for is on call this week at the hospital so I have a slight break without him bugging me every 20 minutes! I started the 4 days of slimfast as my breakfast I found my new favorite flavor, capucchino delight and I put it in the freezer the night before and within 1 hour it is sorbet consistency it is to die for, the only thing is it takes me so long to eat it I keep forgetting to have my cheese stick with it do you think that matters much?
I too was a chubby child and was made fun of when I was younger and my 4 yr old dtr and 7 yr old son are taking after me and my husband is built the same way as the kids would call it he has the buddha belly which he says he acquired in college he calls it his beer belly! My kids are very conscious of when mommy goes off her diet!!!!!!!!! I have noticed they are making more healthy choices now that they see me choosing healthier and my DH has no other choice because he has to eat what I cook which is whatever I can eat which is all healthy, his only problem is that is the only meal he eats. I seriously don't know how he can go all day without eating, I would die of hunger!!
I went to my WI last week and that was the first time they was any signs of the new Pure Weight Loss, but so far they haven't changed my plan I am just bracing myself? I wonder if they are going to mark their cookbook down since it has the old name on it. I have been looking out for a reasonable price no luck so far, any advice of where I can get one for cheap I have been looking on ebay but they don't have the new purple one I want!!
Now that I have talked everyone's ears off have a wonderful week everyone.

Jill, that is great, over 30 pounds is quite an accomplishment and you are almost to your goal. Way to go. 3.8 pounds when you are close to goal is fantasitc.

Julie Marie, It is great that you had that time to bond with Josie, and it will get easier to leave her as it becomes her routine and the day care part of her world.

I do think that being overweight has a large genetic component, so no matter how great of an example you are for your kids, they may struggle in the same way.

My mom was very controlling about food, and that didn't work out well for me or any of my siblings, as we've all struggled greatly with being overweight and obese, even worse than my mother ever did. So all her denying us, never taught us how to be reasonable about food, it just taught us when mom isn't look eat as much as you possibly can. Of course my mom wouldn't let us eat stuff, but then she would hide candy and cookies for her own enjoyment, so I guess that is not really the best example... She just thought she could form skinny people by not feeding us, and it didn't work at all.

Hello All!

I am back from a wonderful relaxing week at the beach. Although I am up a little on the scale, I am excited it isn't ALOT. It really could have been. So tomorrow I am back OP!

I was scanning the posts and read all the comments on influencing our children and had to give my two cents. I realized very quickly that my 8 year old DS is taking all this in (he can be a real "Muffin Police" at times). But I began to get concerned that I was teaching him that women have to be thin to be acceptable so I am stuck in that delicate balancing act of teaching him that eating healthy and exercising is important without him thinking women should be pencil thin. I try to discuss my diet in terms of healthy eating and exercising rather than dieting to be thin. Unfortunately, he is growing up in a society where eating disorders are no stranger to even elementary-age girls. I want him to understand it is the heart, soul and mind of a person that is important regardless of what he sees on the outside.

Just like spending quality time with your family while not being completely POP.... it's all about balance! I need to remind myself of this when I go WI tomorrow.

Have a good one,

Liz, I totally understand what you and Dan are going through. Our 14 yr old son went through the "chubby" stage. Just started gaining weight in his torso and "baby fat" worried us. It was kinda funny though, he was more worried about being "height challenged". He played basketball, rode his bike, played soccer... still gained weight. Then he went through the video game period where he was hardly ever outside. Still gained weight.
Well, he's still into video games, not so much into basketball, NOT into soccer... doesn't ride his bike... and he's sprouted up what appears to be around 12 inches and he's thinned out all of a sudden. So for whatever purpose that info may be... I thought I'd share it. All of that happened in about the last 3 years... and he's no longer worried about being "height challenged". Now he's planning on out growing his older brother who has tormented him because he's taller and stronger... for now.

Blessings,