Since May, I have been tracking my weight on a close to daily basis on weightchart.com. I like the program but it doesn't do any calculations.

Backing up for a minute, I hit my goal of getting under 120 in July 2012. That day I weighed 119.7.

So yesterday I went through and added up all the numbers (around 250) and averaged them and the mean was 119.77 and the median was 119.0. So that means with all the stressing I do and berating myself I am exactly at where I was when I hit goal.

Putting in the numbers, I see that I would LIKE to be consistently between 115-119 where in REALITY I am consistently 118-122. I am trying to be okay with that - you wouldn't think 3 pounds is worth the stress, right?

Jen, you're right. 3lbs isn't worth the stress. :)

krampus, do you think your posterior is bigger?

Michele and Allison, I'm doing hip exercises all the time at the moment. Well, not all the time but pretty frequently. My latest is stand with knee raised. Keep facing forward. Turn leg outward. Put foot down. Raise knee again and move back to original position. Etc. I quite like this one.

Becky! Good to see you. See you again when your life calms down a bit?

I'm doing very badly. I think it's related to my ear which is, after 11 days of putting in drops of olive oil three times a day, finally starting to clear just a little bit. I don't really want to have it syringed and the medics aren't very keen on doing it any more. It's still hard to hear a lot of the time and tomorrow I've got a telephone call booked to discuss a big contract. We'll see how it goes.

But food is not going well. Exercise is OK and sleep is reasonable though I should get back to turning off the light at 10pm. I'm not going to be cross with myself, though, and will wait it out until my ear clears. Then I'll be back at it again.

It's that time of year - almost but not entirely spring. Getting lighter :sunny: and warmer :beach: but not time to shed the winter gear yet. I "broke" one of my work rules of taking off my parka before April, got chilled, and am now coming down with my annual headcold. DH has work woes so he is about as cuddly and supportive as a grizzly bear. :mad:

I can never remember if it's "starve a cold and feed a fever" but I generally wind up feeding both :p. I have extra dogwalks tonite, tomorrow night, and Max the poodle and I will be spending a lot of time together Sunday.

I will do my best to not lapse into "feeling sorry for myself" eating. I most definitely do NOT want to see 140 lbs. on my scale on Monday.

If I manage to stay OP from now until Monday I will reward myself by taking my Wood Nymphs print in to be matted and framed. Going to go in our bedroom.

http://www.allposters.ca/-sp/Nymphs-...i10250638_.htm

Dagmar :tired:

Hahaha this cracked me up. I think most of us can relate. Whenever I have any stomach issues I think I need chocolate. My DH eats PBJ sandwiches when he is sick. I have no idea why but that's what he has to eat when he's sick.

So why am I seeing Filet-o-fish ads on the side? I haven't eaten one of those since about 5th grade. I did mention something about eating fish on Fridays for lent.. but that wouldn't be my choice. LOL Now that would be a sacrifice for me.

I dropped down to 146 which is 4 under my goal. I am really just trying to stay around 150 but I can't help but be thrilled that I'm that low. I've been eating around 1700 calories which is 400 more than when I was losing and been slowly increasing it. It's hard to figure out what foods to add. Sure, it'd be fun to add a shake or Snickers bar, but I'm trying to add healthy foods. I'm in such a habit of eating the way I have been since July that I just don't even think about eating extra things. Most nights I realize I forgot to add in enough calories but I don't have anything at home and I don't feel like anything.

I'm not complaining - I'm just so thankful to be where I am right now. I just wish people wouldn't make any more comments. I'd rather just be invisible. One teacher told me "do not lose anymore!" I still wear an 8/10 so it's not like I'm blowing away. No one told me "don't gain anymore!" last year when I gained 22 pounds in a few months! :D

Down over a pound from last Friday, so I'm where I was at when February ended.

I really do know what to do, it's just that sometimes, I get tired of being continually vigilant.

-Eating out of anxiety and nervous energy, when eating is a form of pacing the floor, as the pacing can bring me into the kitchen.
-Turning a snack into a meal. A handful of nuts is okay. The second handful, or standing there with the bag in my hand, fixated, going for the third -- it's like I've put my mind on pause and my hand-to-mouth is working mechanically.
-Getting myself to bed. Getting away from that glowing screen.
-Stopping eating before I'm absolutely stuffed.

But what trumps all of this is when I feel better in general about my life and stress abates. Then all the other good behaviors fall into place.

It's amazing how that works, isn't it Saef? I'm the same way - when my head is in the right spot all the other things seem to happen 'magically'. On the other hand when I'm in a slump or depressed/stressed spot, even the most normal things seem extra difficult :(

Great job, Calcounter! It's so nice to be under goal weight and have that cushion!

Dagmar, feel better soon. Being sick stinks :(

Birchie - I'm SO sorry, your ear sounds absolutely miserable.

I need to get back on the bandwagon. Things are slipping and my weight is going up as a result. At this point I don't know if I'll make my goal by DD's wedding...

DS is home from college for the week and that makes it a bit more difficult. I want to please him with my dinners, but the really good ones he likes are of the less healthy type. I came up with a menu that is pretty much 50/50 so I'll just be careful on the bad days.

Allison.... I'm sure you look great now but if you really want to get to your goal, picture the photographs that you'll be in for all of eternity. That should help you focus!

I think I survived bookfair. Not entirely sure! I left tons of work to do at school and I'm debating going in tomorrow but I really don't have the time or motivation. I'm hoping I can get in early Monday and knock a chunk out of it.

Dh leaves for China this morning. The missing plane went missing when he was flying back last time, so I'm feeling kinda weird about him going again. He'll be gone almost three weeks but when he returns we will be going on our cruise! I'm hoping to get my weight down a few more pounds and then not gain it all back on the cruise!

Dd leaves tomorrow to go back to college. She wants to drive to Oakland today to go to a restaurant that is famous for Mac and cheese! http://homeroom510.com/menu/
I'm planning on having a salad and maybe Brussels sprouts! We are also planning on shopping and watching Frozen.

Me too, Allison. Let's get back on the wagon together. Portion control whilst DS is at home? The SO and I are going to plan next week's meals tonight which makes a huge difference to me.

Taryl, thank you for your sympathy! Things have now improved, thank goodness.

(Ear TMI alert: almost 14 days of olive oil, three times a day softened things up. I had a lovely bath last night and put my ears under. That improved matters too. I'm planning another bath tonight. I think that should do it. So no need for medical intervention. Hurray!)

silver~if the problem with your ear has loosened up with the oil, try a warm shower and hold your ear under the running water to flush it out. I do that whenever I have a problem and it really helps me.

And yeah, lets get on that bandwagon together!

I'm on! It's nice up here, isn't it? :cool:

I waited until yesterday to weigh in after last weekend's mild debaucherie (as in, I ate half of what everyone else did, but twice as much as I usually do). Up a pound from my low of 130. It is a sad statement on my current mindset that what used to feel intolerable (I would never, ever see 130 on the scale again) is now just the status quo, and I'm grateful not to be even higher.

I'm yet again having trouble with evening eating. It was a good solution to split dinner into 2 parts, and have the carb-y half closer to 9 when I get my munchies, but lately I've been feeling super hungry at 4, so I have a protein bar, and then I want to eat my whole dinner with the family, so by the end of dinner I've had my entire calorie allotment for the day. And then I decide I need almonds and oatmeal and add 400 cals in 10 minutes :>(

Any ideas besides just the obvious (walk out of the kitchen and don't go back)?

Andrea, from what you've described it sounds as though the protein bar isn't working, isn't assuaging your hunger. I don't know what's in it but I hear people say that bars cause trouble.

What are you usually doing at 4? Consultations in your room? Ward round? Meeting elsewhere? Hiking between buildings? I'd go for real food if possible. Perhaps your lunch was a bit skimpy?

That time is my worst too. If things are going well an apple, some cottage cheese and a few nuts (shelled by me) are quite sufficient. And if things are not going well you know the rest.

Late afternoon is crash time for me too :faint:. I tried protein bars but either they contain enough sugar to set me off on a binge or they are so unpalatable I'm better off chewing up a bit of cardboard :lol:. Cheese, lower fat but still real cheese, works for me but I have to really watch how I portion it (I have been known to break off a big piece with my hands if I'm really hungry :drool:).

I'm experimenting with toasting a slice of pumpernickel and then spreading a wedge of "Laughing Cow" lite on it.

Dagmar :cool: