Just dropping in real quick to say Hi to everyone and let you know I'm thinking of you all! Work is just insane right now, and so I haven't had a lot of time to check in. Saturday I did a peer inspiration at a center other than my own.... it was great. A really nice time.

I hope you all are well. I miss the heck out of you! I'm on facebook if you'd like to look me up there as well.... http://www.facebook.com/dmellin

Sending you all BIG HUGS!

Quick last post before we leave for our vacation. Wasn't on plan yesterday and don't think today will be much better since we don't have much food in the house before our leaving. The good news is that I lost almost 5 pounds. I'll be cycling most every day on this trip and the average should be around 40 miles per day. It's going to be very hilly (we're near the Pyrenees) so even with eating off plan for over two weeks I will be burning a lot of calories. When I get back I'll hop back on the horse so to speak.

Have a great trip!

What center was running that special? Where do you go?

I would like to know about these specials too. I called the center here and was told there never is specials????

Ok, where is everyone? Need a check in with you all. I miss you! Hope everyone had a good 4th; I had a successful garage sale on the 3rd, then just hung out with the family the rest of the weekend. We have the Greeley Stampede here in town and I finally went with my husband and son on Sunday (I'm not a fan of crowds, or carnivals really but the kiddo really deserved it and we had fun just watching him have fun). This weekend, we are just planning on hangin' out, and enjoying each other some more.... oh, and probably cleaning that darn house (the weekly event).
Miss everyone!

I'm still hanging in there! Struggling a little. After our half marathon, I hurt my knee so bad that I couldn't really do any exercises without pain. So my lack of activity combined with adding calories in on maintenance caused a slight bump up. I didn't really have destructive eating issues like I did at the end of last year, but I did get a little lax. I think it was slight depression from the lack of running. So I bounced up about 15 lbs, which feels absolutely terrible!! I know it's not that much considering how much I have lost and I still look really good. But my clothes are tight and I got rid of all my larger sizes, so I'm fighting the good fight!!! Back to really paying attention to good eating habits and I got cleared to run last week. The first week, I really had trouble engaging - I think I was worried about starting over and wondering if I would re-injury myself. Had a great run on Tuesday and Thursday evening though, so I'm already feeling better.

Hope everyone is doing good. Miss our chatty group!

I officially start Maintainence today! Wahoo! I can't believe how much food I get to eat now, compared to what I was eating BEFORE MRC. I tried so many things to lose weight before MRC that if I ate any more than 1400 a day I'd gain weight like crazy (body was in stavation mode probably). And that's even with my insane workout schedule. I work out at least 9 hours a week but when it's my volleyball season (adult competitive athlete) I'm in the gym 20-30 hours a week.

Anyway, so the last two weeks of stabilization I was eating 2000-2200 calories and not gaining anything. So I'm super excited that I finally get to eat the amount of food someone of my height and activity level should be consuming. I'm so happy to be in the position to choose foods and not be stuck to eating certain foods at certain meals. I've proven to myself in the last 8 years that maintaining isn't my problem so I'm very excited.

Congratulations!

Returned from a fabulous trip to Spain. Cycled over 300 miles but ate way too many starches (the bread was so good). Lots of great fruit too. The scale has told me that I am up 6. Some is water weight (my ankles are swollen and I can't see the bones partially from flying) so I am waiting to change my ticker for two days to see where I really am. Will post photos and an update later in the week.

Congratulations!!!!

Welcome back! I'm so happy that you had a great time.... 300 miles; amazing! And big deal about the scale.... give it a week and just let it melt off; and do not bother changing that ticker! It will be gone next week. Can't wait to see the pics!

Hey ladies! Shine on sooo encouraging to read your post! I'm up about 6-8 lbs and not too happy about it but I do know exaclty where it came from! So it's time to refocus my energy on getting them off. I'm afraid to go in and weigh in because I don't want them to make me re-sign.

I've added in either walking or biking everyday for almost an hour, lifting 2-3 days a week and doing Kettlebell everyday! Love that thing. I know I'm building a lot of muscle up but clothes are getting a little tight and I refuse to buy anything else!

Well I'm back to checking boards and plan on spending tonight reading posts and remembering all the reasons why I have done this!

Hope everyone is doing well and look forward to hearing from each of you!

Mrs. Phibes I'm sooo jealous of your trip!

Hey chicks! How is everyone doing? I got a gut renching call last week - my x-rays came back and I have arthristis . . . in both of my knees. My dreams of running marathons are crushed HOWEVER, there are worse calls you can get from a Dr's office. So I mourned it and now I'm moving on . . .

Bonnie - looks like I will learn to love your sport. We're going on a bicycle ride on Sunday with friends - I haven't been on a bike in years, and year, and years I'm sure I'll pick right up and we have teriffic bike trails around the Omaha area.

I'm warming up to the idea of walking again. I had really turned my nose up to it, but after not running for so long now, I think walking will be a great benefit to me. I did an ecliptic workout tonight and my knees are tolerating that pretty well too (it hurt too much after the destruction from the half marathon). May even try swimming again now that the swelling in the knees has gone down - although, my skin doesn't tolerate chlorine too well. There are still plenty of things I can do. I've had arthritis in my lower back for years and the one thing I learned from that is you can't be inactive or you will cripple up. The trick is to move, stretch and exercise without putting extra stress. But just like the tin man, if you sit still for too long, you will freeze up.

Hope everyone is doing well!! Oh yeah, the scale is not my friend & the clothes are tight but I refuse to buy new ones. But I know that daily exercise and our sensible maintenance diet will get the pounds to drop back off - slowly, very slowly. I just don't want to go green again

Biking is awesome. I'm glad you are coming around. You can get the same "high" that comes from running once you get to the same level in biking. Last week DH and I rode one day of Ragbrai (Register's annual great bike ride across Iowa) with his oldest daughter and her fiance. It was a 77 mile 3400 feet of climbing day. No, Iowa is not flat. Of course we ate as much as we biked but Ragbrai is kind of like Woodstock on wheels in lycra. You can see so much more when you are on a bike than in a car. I have bad knees too (three surgeries) and arthritis. Biking actually seems to help them feel better.

As Lance Armstrong said, "It's not about the bike".