Good morning Maintainers!

It has come to my attention that several of us are 5-10 lbs over where we want to be.

My 10 lbs were originally souviners from Paris, but I should have lost them by now. I really, really should have.

For me, this effort to lose 5-10 lbs is very different from my overall weight loss effort. Because I am close to my goal weight, I don't have that constant drive. I have an occasional drive. And then I sidetrack myself. It is like, 2 steps forward, 1 step back, 1 step forward, 1 step back. Fortunately I am not gaining. I think my body has hit a set point.

It is my own fault. I have no one or nothing to blame but my own food choices. The No Excuses thread is good for accountability, but I would like to start this thread to capture my Drive and Determination. Like Robin says, it is about commitment.

I've been jerking around with these 10 lbs long enough and I declare that I have had enough. They are toast. I am going into full blown weight loss mode, no BLTs. Back to basics and all that stuff.

Anyone who wants to kick 5 or 10 or 15 lbs off their rear or thighs or whatever is welcome to join me.

My plan: return to daily weighing. Water, water, water. Intervals/speedwork rather than steady state all the time. Clean eats....there are no holidays or parties or anything for the next 2 months, so this is war. Forget Rocky, I'm channeling Rambo here people!

Midwife~although I didn't gain on my trip to Italy, I am at least 10 pounds over goal. Well, more like 15, but I need to lose 10 to get below that dreaded 'red line.'

I'll join you!!!

To start, I'm back on the treadmill at least 3 times a week. (Last week I tried and ended up renewing the blisters on my feet--but they're gone now!). Secondly, I vow to abstain from alcohol except for one on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I know this combination works for me because it is what I employed to lose 10 pounds before going to Italy. It took 3-4 weeks to lose those 10, so I hope by the end of September to see 140 instead of 150.

Have you checked out the featherweights forum, it is designed for exactly what you describe.. those of us trying to lose those last few pounds. I still check it out every day, It was very helpful to me when I was trying to lose those last stubborn 10 pounds. I recommend the featherweights forum , there are a great bunch of people posting there, just as this one.

Midwife, it is an honor and a pleasure to join you in this battle.
I actually brought a scale up to our cabin in upstate NY and weighed daily. My food choices tended to be medium-ok in nature along with decreased exercise, but I held fairly steady at 124-126. Vacation ended with a big weekend bash that I made for dh's bday. I baked 6 cakes including 2 icecream cakes.

Dang, it was all very tasty--- get my drift???

So, we returned home and I left my scale in the country and bought a new one for home. It said 134!! I thought maybe it was wrong. I told my husband, you know I gained ten pounds. You see, I was carefully avoiding all skinny clothes so I could believe the info was false. He said, yeah, you're all bulgey. hmmm.

Still disbelieving to a certain degree, I did finally adjust my food choices and saw 131 on the scale yesterday. Yesterday, working in a medical ofice, I checked on a "real" scale. Yup, 131. AND I balanced it to make sure the reading was true.

BACK ON PLAN for me.

I am in! Though I do have some challenges coming up, all the more reason to be REALLY OP when I can, so that the inevitables (Sarah's birthday, which will be an OP meal, but with cake, of which I'll have a slice and then send the rest to her work the next day, and a 10 day Europe vacation...) will be mitigated, somewhat.

OK, the plan - Continue with the 1300-1400 calorie days. Up cardio by 20 min/day, at least 3 times a week. Only water, protein shakes if they're planned, and iced tea for drinking. More errands on my bike.

Gosh, me too. It's both a little more weight I want to lose, and also getting back to eating and exercising the ways that make me feel so much better. You're right, it is so much different than losing the first part, because I might be happier in 5-10 pounds, but where I'm at ain't bad. This past month I have at least stopped the slow gain

Oh, yes, hello, I'm here too! I'm glad I have good company for the fight (not that I'm glad that any of us need this fight, but YKWIM).

As I posted in the maintainers chat thread yesterday, my friend put up a photo on facebook of me at my 5-year reunion in May. It was a wake-up call to say the least. Every single one of the 20 lbs I've gained above my so-called red line showed in that picture. It was really embarrassing for me, even more so than just a "fat picture" from before I lost "the" weight, b/c now I'm supposed to still be skinny, ya know? I've known my weight's been creeping up, made several attempts over the past 2 years to curb it and after a few lbs lost been unsuccessful, known my pants are tighter and tighter but somehow didn't think I looked that bad.

It's really been about the food for me. I work out quite a bit. I must get my food intake under control. Even if I have "special events" there will be no special food events, or indulgences, for a while. Period. (I just can't do moderation, so while I'm losing I need to cut out the treats altogether.)

It's sad to say I'm not very hopeful right now, b/c I've been so unsuccessful for the past 2 years. But I know you can do it, and I hope I can to! I'm going to try to talk the talk and hope that will get me to walk the walk.

Signing up for duty

Jay

Yea, yea, yea!! Such great company!!!

Allison--I am so impressed you didn't gain on your Italy trip. Sounds like you have a great plan!

Bargoo--I really ought to check out the Featherweights Forum. Funnily, I send other people there often enough but I have a mental block about considering myself to be a featherweight---even though I do understand the purpose of the forum and that I would also be welcome there. I'll poke my head in!

Aw, Kitty, I feel a little bulgy too. Scales can sure cause a mind trip, can't they. I'm proud of you for getting on it. I'm chugging water today and I can tell I'm diuresing from some, ah, sodium on Saturday. And carbs. Tomorrow I shall face the scale!

Yeah, Amanda! Sounds like a great plan! I know you'll do a great job with a small slice of cake for Sarah's birthday. I hadn't realized you were going to Europe! Do better than I did, 'kay? Where are you going? What are your plans?

Great job stopping the gain, Julie! We can reinstitute consistent choices together!

Hi Megan! I saw in the main thread that you might be a little hesitant to talk about recommitting to the weight loss. Don't be!!! It takes as many times as it takes and hopefully this thread will light a fire under all of our rear ends as we need it to.

Yeah Jay!!! It's nice to have a drill seargeant around! Do you know that I think of you sometimes when I am trying to justify junk food? I know what you would say and it helps me make a different choice.

Guys, count me in! I'm 10lbs above red line, 15 above goal. My "operation cut out the snacking" was working, until I ate at restaurants for three meals this weekend and I'm up 3lbs as a result. Sigh.

Can you imagine restaurants 3 times a day for 10 days? The solution? Salads. Lots of salads. And walking. Lots of walking (but I know you already do a lot of exercise!).

I am soooo IN!
I have been dithering around forever to get off these 10lbs which is now closer to 20.
Plan = journal all food
= more H2O
= good session of exercise at least 4X/week
= no more than 2 'happy hrs'/week
= no shopping when hungry
= quit with the excuses already!!

I've been pretty good today - went a little over on my snack portion of plantain chips

Look forward to heading down the slim path with you all.

-S

This is gonna sound like a cop out (forgive the expression - I'm old) but I'm in the day after Labour Day. We're going to northern Ontario from Fri. - Mon. and there are very limited healthy food choices there. I will do my best and then really get down to business on Sept. 8.

I adjusted my original goal up 5 lbs. and have been about 5 lbs. off the new goal weight for OVER A YEAR! Enough!!!

Dagmar (this is my determined face)

I'll stop by and everyone on. It will be an incentive to KEEP me OP during this stressful first month of school starting!

Fewer bulges here today. But as mentioned by some posting chicks, my mindset in maintaining is more short term and of course, my goal is long term. This thread is a great tool to help me remember that.

small tangent--Re dh and his blunder of bulge mention... I did feel a tad stung, but I know he did not mean to hurt me. He is just a guy. When I got a little snippy with him and reused the word BULGY (another tangent, I can never spell bingy or bulgy) he said, "oh, is that why you are being short with me? Your arms, legs and butt are tiny, it's just your belly that shows your gain. You got really svelt for a while there. I know you will/can lose it if you want."

I know he is right.

have a good day maintaining chicks!