So nice to see you again, I was just wondering recently where you were and how you were doing. Glad to see you back.

Going back to work is a huge adjustment, how can it not effect your eating and routine. I am sure there is major changes with how you do things due to less personal time.....but you will work through it. Honestly, I am NOT looking forward to going back to work...which is probably why I'm purposely looking for freelance type work. I give you a lot of credit........

Not having soda since the summer is a huge accomplishment..and I know how candy was your vice so you should be commended for that also.... Be proud of yourself.........

pat yourself on the back and cut yourself a break. We can't do it all at once, very few of us can. Welcome back....

Okay ladies, i'm seriously thinking about dropping out of this challenge because I am gaining more and more weight as the challenge progresses. I feel shame and I feel disgusted with myself. Not sure what exactly is going on because I am not eating bad carbs or massive amounts of food.,but something is definitely going on I feel as if my body is betraying me. Stress always made me lose weight, but this time I think it is just making me gain I truly wonder what my cortisol level is right now.
I'm tired of hearing myself whine about it and i'm sure you are also.......today is going to be a "fast day" for me..ironic given that it is the start of Lent (well really yesterday was). I am not eating until dinner tonight. I am going to do my beach body workout, teach my class (its an easy one) and then come home and do work until its time for my couples massage later this afternoon Looking forward to spending time with my McDreamy tonight, but Im hating how I look and feel and that ruins any experience for me..it effects everything.

Has anyone here gone to OA?

Heidi Nice to see you !!!!!

It is so cold out!! I planned to walk 2 miles outside, but even at a quick clip, my face was freezing after a mile... So I came in the house and immediately jumped on the elliptical to finish up my workout.

Okee ladies, I am back OP. My heavy eating days are over! I made my plan for the day and I will stick to it
B - Green Tea
L - Salad w/grilled chicken, feta, avocado, tomato, cuke and vinaigrette dressing
D - Pesto either on chicken or fish, asparagus
S - Hard boiled egg, apple

There, it is all down. Aprx. 1250 cals.

And I finally feel well enough that I will exercise. I will walk on treadmill, try to lift some weights and maybe swim. (I don't put my head in water). And walk my puppy too

Weight is making me sad. 141.4 this am. I just want to get and stay below 140.

Perfectly OP day! And I am back to exercising; life is good -- I think I got over this hump with minimal amount of damage... I may have only lost a few pounds since Feb 1st, but I am not showing gain either. I am up a bit from my lowest low, I shall see how fast I can get back down to 138 now that I am back exercising. I can not lose weight with diet only, I have concluded. I would have to eat like 800 calories per day, ugh. -- I feel energized and ready to lose some weight again.

Leaving for Toronto with DH. He has meeting there, I am tagging along -- Won't see if I lost any bloat with my OP day tomorrow morning...I refuse to carry my scale

I'm down a couple, no idea how much I've lost overall this challenge. I was hoping to get under 70kg which is still over 2 pounds away so I don't think I'll make it. I feel like I've got ages to go but people are beginning to notice now - all of a sudden - so that's nice.

Hi to everyone else and I hope those having a rough time have a better time.

Why does the neighbour always mow his lawn at nap time?

1.6 lbs to go to get to 150.... 11 days to go and 7 of those I'm traveling to Europe. Not sure I will make it but I'm still trying!

127.5 again this am, but I'm sure it is PMS...

b - protein bar
L - Lupe Tortilla Chicken taco salad minus chips & sour cream, flour tortilla
s - orange & cheese stick
d - 3 oz T-bone steak, small fork of mashed potatoes, salad with guacamole & salsa, orange, 4 animal crackers
s - no sugar added ice cream
Went for a walk this evening, its still a little cool out for my taste.

total calories - just over 1300.

I didn't get to bed early enough last night. Tonight's not looking much better. Work is driving me insane. My attitude regarding tax season is really bad this year.

Sum, you go, girl! Happy to hear you're feeling better.

Heidi, mm, papaya shake - sounds great! Do you ever eat the seeds? They're supposed to be kind of cleansing I guess.

Hi Chubby! Any progress is a good thing, right?

Yay, Abbi, you're almost there!

Aw, Marlene, sorry this tax year is troubling you; maybe it's time to consider a career change?

Zumba, you've got to do what makes you happy; if being in this challenge is a stressor, then that may be something to eliminate. I, for one, would miss your input though! Maybe change your goal to something else? What would you like to and can reasonably commit to for the next 10 days?

to everyone else!

After taking it relatively easy for a week, I did a challenging (new) strength routine - whew, my muscles are feeling it today! I like the way my arms are looking; a couple days ago my eldest (22) DS challenged me to armwrestling and I actually did give him a challenge, woot! A big change from the last time we did that.

DH is doing well with the SB, yay! He proudly told me about going to a local diner solo this morning, ordering an egg white omelette with mushrooms and a tiny bit of cheese and telling them 'no toast, no potatoes!'

115 this morning

yesterday's food:
B:yogurt and kefir with flaxseed, 2 dried figs
L: salad with beans and one HB egg
S:half a banana, 8 almonds, coffee with creamer
D:4 oz. sirloin steak, sauteed zucchini and bell pepper
S: dark chocolate, a few dried cherries, coffee with creamer
around 1600 calories total

E:30 minutes strength, 45 minutes walking

lost some bloat.....I don't have much of an appetite today, so hopefully I will see the scale go down a bit more and i'll finally be out of the 150's ......

Thanks Carma, I hope your daughter is feeling better and sorry your hubby was rude but glad you took the walk instead of eating the cookies Carma MFP does give us hope I love when it shows me good numbers in 5 weeks ... One day I'm gonna try to eat the same things for a week and see where it leads

Marlene I'm still reading but do share what's in the wellness packet, if you don't mind. Any tips would help I'd like to do a 5K some day. I know I would walk all of it Good job on doing 30DS I can't hang with Jillian, I've tried so many times Sorry about work and I hope you get more rest tonight

Zumba isn't the lap band a surgical thing? You aren't overweight enough for that? I'm asking because I don't know, I'd have to google it. But I don't think you need that. I'll bet you look a ton better than you give yourself credit for Zumba you are not fat or frumpy You do have a lot going on though, so just keep your head up and stay strong I had a friend that told me once to never wear sweats when trying to lose weight unless I was working out. Her reasoning was when she was over 200lbs (which YOU are NOT) she wore sweats because they were comfortable ... not realizing that they continued to stretch as she gained. When she tried to put on her favorite items of clothing that's when she realized she wasn't getting any where so keep those jeans on my friend especially during the times when you are feeling down and wanting to snack. The jeans will say, "You've had enough or Don't eat that" And you can't drop out of the challenge, I won't let you I have my on the scale going down and showing good numbers in the morning

Sum, sorry about all of the traveling your hubby is doing You sound like you need a pamper me day and you're gonna get it ... enjoy. I haven't had my nails or feet done since we've lived here Everything is so much higher down here and I don't know anyones work. I am going home for a baby shower the end of this month so I may do some pampering myself I was hoping to stay below 165 but my mouth controls all it seems Sum sorry about the up ... my ups make me sad also but I know I am the cause of them with my snacking ... we will conquer this, it won't conquer us Oh yay on eating on point and exercising and glad to hear that you are going with your husband you sound happier

Susan glad to hear you are doing well with your eating and exercise, way to go I don't think I'll be making any goals this month either ... but as long as I don't go back to the 170's I'll be happy If I do I may go coo-coo

Heidi, good job on NO candy and NO soda Your papaya shake sounds delicious Good job on the workout yesterday

Cattails great weigh in today And for your husband and the diner, nice to hear I'm sure

Chubby mum, good job on the pounds down ... that use to happen to me when I worked nights. I would get the kids to school, shower and then my neighbor would start mowing or the military base would start their drills and shake the house

Abbi that's great, way to go for you

well I am up 1.4 to 166.8 ... I ate fries with ketchup, cake batter and a few chips yesterday so I expected it. Carbs yesterday 146. Today I am trying the military 3 day diet. I saw it on MFP and figured why not. I've tried every other thing I've seen that I can afford. It has some weird combinations which a lot of people complained about but again that's what makes us all different. It's only 3 days and what didn't work for some may work for others. I had my first slice of bread in about 10 weeks and surprisingly I didn't want another slice. I ate a slice of toast 1/2 cup grapefruit and 2 tbsp of pb and a cup of tea for breakfast and I was fine, not hungry. Lunch was 1/2 cup tuna, slice of toast, tea. I added miracle whip, relish and onion power. (too lazy to cut up the onion) Dinner 3 ozs of ham, 1 cup green beans, 1/2 banana, 1 apple, 1 cup vanilla ice cream. We'll see if the scale rewards me or not I did a walk video on cable last night. It was harder than I expected and my right knee and thigh gives me a fit after to many of the kicks and lifts but I'm gonna try it again since I did break a sweat

So good news is I am 203.8. Bad news I got there with stomach flu. Ugh. I meet with the personal trainer tomorrow morning. Slightly concerned with my race on Sunday as I have not run since Wednesday. I had wanted to run on Thursday or Friday but have been too drained. Yesterday I got about 1400 steps. Going to try to walk tonight.

Zumba: about OA, no I haven't done that. I did a tops program. If you gained weight at a meeting they would say were glad you came. I know your bloat is driving you nuts. Maybe like me your challenge is coming close to your TOM or maybe your being to ambitious. I like coming here for the support. Maybe instead of doing a weight challenge you should do a fitness challenge or a meditation challenge. Just don't quit.

Sum: enjoy Toronto. That's on my bucket list of cities to go to.

Rennie: great job on breaking a sweat.

Fat Abbi: great job being so close to your goal weight. Plus side of Europe is you will probably walk more. Enjoy your trip.

Chubby mum: 2 lbs is doable. Sorry about the noisy neighbor at nap time.

Marlene: sounds like being an accountant at tax time is worse than being a nurse at flu season. Set a spa day for yourself for April 16.

Cat tails: nice job on almost beating your son on the arm wrestling. Glad your husband is doing well on sb.

Heidi: good job on getting on the elliptical after braving the cold.

Hi to anyone I missed.

Thanks Carma on the number on the scale and sorry you had the stomach flu but you never know that may be your kick start and it may stick