Sandcar, I'm super glad your surgery went well!!!
Bigmama, I glad you had a great visit and hope you can get together will all of your family for Christmas. It's such a special time!
Lori, congratulations on your 2 year anniversary!! You're an inspiration!



So, this was a good week. Thanks for all the support everyone, the scale finally started to move down again. However, I was very bad tonight. I had 640 calories all day, and then we went to dinner. We went to Applebees and I had the weight watchers paradise chicken salad which I think is about 330 cals. But, then.... I had the mudslide. Someone please tell me I did not totally destroy all the progress I made so far in my diet. I'm so mad at myself I was doing so well too..... *sob sob*

gracesmomma - One dessert does not destroy your progress! Please do not let it. Just get back on track tomorrow. Don't give up! You're doing great!

(meanwhile given your current weight you probably just probably didn't have a deficit for the day since you had under 1000 calories before the mudslide)

good evening everyone. Had a good workout at the gym today. And I got home before the rain, wind, and thundering started. While that took place i was taking a nap. Miss the evening news tho. When I got up about 630 or 700 I decided to to see what the scale said, hope its correct because it said 249.4. That means ive already lost my 5 lbs for my thanksgiving challenge. and I pass it, 251. : I went 19 calories over tonight but thats ok it was close enough. Good night and have a good weekend.

thanksgiving challenge: lose 5 lbs. started nov. 1 at 256

256minus14to/goNov.12at6:30weighed249.4

now what I do? I'm sure not going to stop I'm on the go to drop those pounds.

Good Day eveyone.
I thought I posted yesterday but I guess I was posting in another thread. I had a great day and stayed within my calorie limit. I went to the gym for lunch and got my workout done and felt great. I was more excited about the pants I was wearing because they were a size 12. It may be the only size 12 I can get into on the planet but I was in them none the less. I was feeling like I'm gonna be goal bound by Thanksgiving. I have a week and some change to really drop some inches so I gotta put some work in. On another note: Why do my legs and stomach look so small in pants but naked they look the same as they were before I started this journey? Is it because I'm still looking proportionally the same or my mental picture is not as close to my body as I thought it was?

I'm about to get on the treadmill and get it done today and my calories on are on track thus far.

Hope everyone is having a great on plan day. It is so great to see everyone making progress.

Good afternoon ladies! I am definitely moving in the right direction weight loss wise; although I am sitting here right now eating some left-over Halloween candy (naughty naughty) but I am still not sure whether I'll make my goal or not. Well I haven't went down a dress size, which I'm bummed about, but I am moving towards the 230's, so I'm happy about that.

I just posted this on the before and after thread, but I'm actually proud of the pics so I thought I'd post here too. The first pic is not me at my highest (because i hated the camera then) but i started calorie counting around 220s so this is sorta me before and after calorie counting for 6 months! I didn't think the difference would be so big since its just under 20 lbs but I think its pretty good.

Please excuse my lack of makeup, bedhead and angle of current picture. I didn't want to bug husband to take my picture so I set my camera up to shoot from the stair landing. lol



I consider this motivation for MYSELF!!!

Elizabeth- you can really see a difference, you look great!

Gained a few more ounces, now that should be it. Had 1305 cal. today, no cravings. I decided to clean out the pantry and get rid of Organic snacks i bought a while ago. I'm the only one that eats it, it's fattening, and it's still processed so it went in the garbage. Now I have nothing here but good stuff, if I or my family want a treat, I will bake it myself. It feels good not to have anything here that will tempt me to overeat.

Good evening! jigglefree I know how you feel, I've been saying the same thing. But everyone at the gym keeps telling me that my legs are slimming down. I couldnt see it tho but when I was able to wear my jeans that are size 24 and then I tryed on some caprie jeans I had size 22 then I could tell the difference. Your doing great. I now know I am too.to us and Elizabeth. I wish i had some before and now pictures so I could see the difference. Keep up the good work. Heres high five fit4lyfe your doing great keep up the good work. Calories and protein goals was met today but was under on carbs and fat. I just never can get all 4 met at the same time.I'm doing 1000 to 1200 cal. Starting this week i'm planning to cut 100 calories through the holidays so going to make it 900 to 1100 tomorrow. Just because the holidays is coming doesnt mean I will fall off target, because i'm not. I will not forget 2007 at my highest weight of 330 and decided on dec. 16 to start a diet. And i've been going ever since. We can do this. have a good evening bye for now.

day lose 5 lbs. started nov 1 met this challenge on nov. 12 so now need to maintain it untill next challenge.( Christmas challenge to lose 10 lbs.) goal 239

Elizabeth Awesome! I still refuse to take pictures - I got upset a couple of weeks ago because I did take 2 in July just when I got my new lifestyle started - and then accidentally deleted them off my camera. Urgh. I just can't be bothered anymore hah! Your photos look great though, what a difference 20 pounds makes!!

So...this weekend has been a bit of a failure so far - Friday and Saturday were higher calorie than I meant to have, and now I'm at Sunday and facing eating only 1050 calories if I want to keep my levels equal for the week - but I'm not going to eat that few calories, even if I did eat too many last night. I have some extreme water retention/sodium going on - I've never felt this bloated the day after a meal I knew had a lot of salt - my fingers and feet are swollen!
It's crazy. I did hop on the scale this morning, but I'm ignoring the number until tomorrow morning when hopefully I've been to the bathroom and had a good amount of water - which I'm finding hard today, drinking the water. Urgh,
I am back on track immediately, and I wasn't really "off track", but just wasn't thinking so cleverly I don't think. Made some silly choices and am feeling pretty silly overall about it - but it's life.

Congrats bigmama! The holidays definitely do NOT have to break us. I figure even if I do overeat on the actual holiday as long as i don't overeat all season I will be okay. You can do it!!

Rainbow Stripe - I still dislike pictures of myself too. I kinda wish i had more of me at my high weight though just for comparison. In my brain and in the mirror i see a slimmer me than i really am. like in those first pics at 215 I thought i looked like what i do now. I had no idea i had so many rolls showing. Ugh. I guess its better than thinking I'm bigger than I am.

My next goal (assuming I make the Thanksgiving one) is for my 30th birthday, which is December 23rd, is to be 190! That way I can say 50 lbs down this year and 50 lbs down next year!!

Thanks everyone~ & ElizabethG ~U look GREAT! Thanks for sharing the pics...Off to bed Ready to fall over~LONG DAY~GOT A DAUGHTER REBELLYING At 17 & 1/2 OH GOD! (wants to spend the day with her boyfriend at his house & His families who could care less what they do I make them keep the door open Ect.....Guess Its time for me to let go) My hubby is letting her cause here today was his 2 years of sobriety & she started her mouth at us & We sit her down calmly & told her we love her But she was not the only person in the house~She has 2 younger brothers who also need attention & will get it regardless of her drama & I have a few health issues (anxiety & asthma basically) & the Hubby's RA IS rough on him(majorly worse than my issues) & that she needed to straighten up her attitude. ~We show her love & repspect & we excpet it back ~if not she has to move out when she is 18(killed me to agree with that but Sometimes tough love may be best ~Fruitlady Hope your tough love is working out for u better with your son.) I feel so mean just even saying it ~I am real push over sometimes I admit~but the hubby stands firm & i am backing him on this one.~He is a good man ~He is just suffering from the RA So bad & wishes she would settle down some cause it can cause heart attacks or strokes & she gets his chest hurting & he is sufferring Bad from pain Ect. of it...I am kinda stuck in between.(which is ok~Cause I love them both!) We have treated her well & taught her well though OR have tried our best~I think she will come to her sinces soon or end up ok.(FINGERS CROSSED!) All I know is I am tired & My boys are getting extra attention tomorrow when she is at her boyfriends house cause today they didn't get hardly any during all her drama.~We try to treat them all fairly & they got shorted today.
Thanks for letting me vent ~been a long day! ~HUGS TO ALL!

You can see a really big difference in those pictures, Elizabeth. Congratulations!!!

I'm feeling really bloated in my belly still after my surgery. Does anyone know of a way to de-bloat a bit quicker? I look 4 months pregnant, and there is no way I'm weighing myself until my tummy flattens back out to where it was before, even though my eating is right on track.

Good morning! Up early today getting ready for church. I'm expecting a good day today. Hope everyone will be able to have the same feeling. Stay motivated, and eat good healthly food and meet your goals. Today i'm cutting bk 100 calories. 1100 is my goal. Will post tonight how I did. Have a good day.
nov.1started>256.0nov.8weight255.6next/nov.12.>249.4next>nov.15

Good Morning.
I got my workout done before Church and will be strictly on calories all day. I think I've had too much salt this past week. So I will be at the watering hole today. I'm on my cycle and I've been craving salt for a week but I'm trying to get some control over it.
Bigmama - Thanks and right back at you!! I remember getting in clothes I've been traveling with because I was hoping one day they would fit. Now they are too big and out the house. Keep going...when you get to a size 18 you will begin to feel like you are getting out of the plus sizes and that is a FANTASTIC feeling.
Sandcar - I drink more water to help with the bloating. It tends to flush and deflate me!!
Lori - Keep your head up, she'll come around. You put good values in her and no matter how far away it seems she wanders, she will come back...I did!!! Just keep praying.
Elizabeth - You are doing a great job. The pics look fantastic. You may end up loosing more than 50 before the year is out at the rate you are going.
Rainbow - Chalk it up to the process and keep moving. There will be days that are easier than others. I was telling my husband this morning I was going light on calories today because the past week were more calories than I should have had. Actually it was more salt than I should have had. Nevertheless...it happens.

We have about 10 days so lets hit it hard and get to or at least as close to goal as possible. WE CAN DO THIS LADIES!!!

I've been MIA for a couple of days, so thought I should check in!

Jiggle: I know exactly what you mean! I think some of it (for me), is I still see the same SHAPE of the larger body I once had (esp. my stomach), but it's just a lot smaller now. In clothes, I know I look smaller, but without clothes I still see the same shape. This is why I'm working on strength training, even though it's slowing down my progress on the scale some. I not only want to lose weight, I want to work on re-shaping my body!

Elizabeth: Thanks for sharing the pics, you look great!

Everyone else: Sorry for not doing more personals...but I have yet to have my morning coffee! Congrats to those staying OP this weekend, and to those who floundered a bit, "keep on keepin' on!" ~ Steve Miller Band

As for me: I've been VERY OP this weekend. Weighed in today to see if I had lost that pound I GAINED last week (even though I was OP). I did, but nothing more. I'm exactly the same weight as my WI last weekend...200.4 lbs. I know it has to be my weight training (I've been sore!), but it's still frustrating to see such slow progress on the scale...especially for this HUGE of a milestone! If I was just looking to lose a more "random" 5 lbs, it probably wouldn't bother me as much.

Well, it's a good thing I still have over a week to go! Didn't think it would take me this long...I think I started this challenge somewhere around 203. Oh well!