krampus : demolition derby? school bus races? AHAHAHA! Must be so fun! Hope you had a great time!

leilajey : To answer your question, I've try this maintenance thing for about 3 weeks now lol. I'm not winning this much so far. And trying not to eat the entire stock of chocolate in the world during TOM is a hard task. Don't give up!

philana : you're zombie thingy sounds funny! Ahahah I'll give it a try next week!

Jossfit : first, *HUGS*!!! Stressing for any medical appointment is horrible, so if the cancer thoughts linger around in your head, that makes it even more stressful. A bit like Krampus said, you probably won't need chemo if they can take out the moles. Try as much to relax as you can. Do you like reading? Or watching TV shows? Would there be some book or TV series that you could get into while you're alone to distract yourself? Waiting is the worst part of this... my mom had to wait many weeks before knowing what was going on with her tumer and I think not knowing is worst than actually knowing, even if it's some bad news. Stay strong, we're here for you if you need it!

DottieMea : god, did they got the guy yet? stay safe!!

lackadaisy : I've never done IF but the juice thingy doesn't seem the best idea in the world. Perfect way to lose a lot of weight and than gain it all back when you go back to your old habits!

***

I',m down to 136.8 this morning, so at least it's not 138 anymore. I haven't updated my ticker for weeks. I don't freakin want to admit I gaiiiiiiiiined. Sorry, I'm whiny this morning! This morning I woke up with a hint of cramped calf so I want to the drug store and got a pot of vitamins to add to the calcium stuff I'm taking right now.

It's rainy and cold here, and I have zero motivation what so ever on working on my thesis this morning. Can I just go back to bed already??

Went to the races last night at the local dirt track. Saw school bus races, trailer races, explosions and the like. Had a super nutritious dinner of fried dough, french fries, meatball grinder and cookies - albeit none in huge amounts. How am I down a pound this morning?!

lackadaisyJuice fasting sounds kind of miserable; how do you focus at work etc while doing that? I don't practice IF according to any "rules," but I usually wind up with about 15-18 hours between dinner and lunch the next day. It's my natural hunger pattern so little discipline is needed. I'm hungry between 9 am-1 pm but not hungry enough to want to eat, if that makes sense.

JossFit 75 calories and less than half a pint + all that cardio = handling your desire to stress eat with a great amount of control, IMO. I get really bored at work too (almost every day...) - it's hard watching the clock tick.

DottieMae That stinks about the cut in vacation time. There is really never enough time. How am I supposed to get to London, and Central Europe, and California, and 2-3 weeks in Japan on 20 days? I would gladly take unpaid vacation time but I understand that's not how it works when you're full-time and salaried. Ah well.

LeilaJey Nothing like holding up "impossibly" small clothes and then putting them on and fitting into them, eh?! I definitely understand the feeling of "full of water, need a whoosh RIGHT NOW" that you mentioned. I drink a lot of water right before bed so I can have a big pee in the morning.

philana Woah, that may work for some but I'd probably get scared and cry hahaha.

Hi Everyone! Finally time for personals!!

Joss I hope you are doing ok. I finally caught up to your posts and I was happy to see it seems like you are a little calmer. I too was a tanning bed user and I worry all the time even though it's been years. Exercise and massages calm me down! Find whatever works for you except food...because we know what that leads to. I love your new avatar. How are the wedding plans going?

Philana It has been so nice to see you back on here posting. I always miss you when you are not here! I think even when we set a number for ourselves there is no way of telling where we actually should be until we get closer. It sounds like you are doing well with your woosh and are on your way to getting back in the right mindset.Im trying to do that too!

LeilaI hate bloat! It's so deceptive and you almost never can predict what will happen! Hang in there, you are doing awesome!

DOttie We all need that vacation time so much!!! Stay safe!!!

LackadaisyI've never done a juice fast but I have done IF many times. I don't know if it would work if I couldn't eat whole food!

TurboI hate admitting I gained too! I know how you feel, but you can do it and get back to that weight!!!

Hi everyone and finally time to update! I flew back in from my conference on Sunday, had a ton of meetings Monday, and then yesterday I went to six flags hurricane harbor. I had a blast at all the places! I didn't make the healthiest of choices but I watched my portions. There was no scale so I couldn't daily weigh but I was only up a lb when I returned and it is coming off...and yes, I walked around in a bikini all day and felt ok!! Score. Had fun playing in the water.

So tomorrow I leave at 6:30 am for a weeklong trip to Nevada/Northern Cali-7.5 hr car ride, with my husband and parents. We are staying at a lake house. Then when we get back I start my summer part time job the next day at 7:00am. Hah!

Today I am packing and need to go shopping and take care of errands. I feel like despite running around I am having a positive and happy time. While I was away on business my husband bought a bicycle and has lost even more weight. He even bought new running shoes some can exercise together at the lake! It is something I have wanted for a long time, for us to be active together. I am proud of him!!

Haven't weighed in this morning but I know I've been under my calories the past 2 days. Will weigh in on feathers chat shortly :-)

((((((Joss))))) Glad that you were able to set the crazy thoughts aside for a bit. Is there any way they can move up your biopsies? It's so easy to get on that "what if" treadmill, but hopefully you can find better activities to occupy your time. BTW, thanks for the VS tanning stuff recommendation! Seems like good quality product. May invest closer to vacation time...

Dorian ~ I DO actually have an Ulta by me... May have to check those tanning towels out. Your London Broil sounds deeeelicious!

LeilaJ ~ It's funny how clothes sizes work, eh? Sounds like a very rewarding moment with the skirt. That trip to Iceland sounds amazing, too!


DottieMae ~ Hope the maniac guy has been safely dispatched!

Philana ~ Agree w. crazy that it's nice to see you back and posting. Don't let the numbers get you down... Just remember how good it feels to eat healthy.


Turbo ~Boyfriend's mom's chalet sounds positively delightful. Does he come from money? You are doing pretty darn well for maintenance too, chicky! Still within a 5-8 lb fluctuation. Does your calcium supplement have magnesium and vitamin D in it? (Probably, but never hurts to be extra sure...) helps with the absorbtion.


Krampus ~ Loving your "nutritious dinner". :P Ahhh, the foods of summer. That race extravaganza sounds like fun, too.


Lackadaisy ~ That juice fast sounds interesting, but maybe not the best for long-term sustainable weight-loss. Were you and your roommates doing this as part of a structured program or was this just randomly something you decided to do as a group?


Crazygurl ~ Sounds like a successful conference trip! And horray for hubby getting more active, too. Happy further travels!!!

~~~
Ugh. So I had a bit of a hiccup last night. I ate my full meals, had an awful quasi-date (with a lump who couldn't be bothered to stand up when he said hello or spring for a cup of coffee...boo!) then went out to a so church-ish social gathering... then came home, watched some telly to unwind... and started eating. I try to stop eating after 8PM... anything after that is usually stress-related and this definitely was. I was hungry, but not ravenous and I could have toughed it out, but didn't. Started with prunes (delightful, I know ) then moved on to almonds, cheese, noodles, and a caramel waffle. Then this morning had an entire box of donuts. Ugggghhhh..

The damage wasn't too bad (up about 2 lbs) but gosh darn, the beach is coming up this weekend and this is not the way I want to go out. Hoping this can be just a momentary blip on the radar and PLANNING on getting right back on track. I think that this might be me saying that I need to take better care of myself. More sleep. More reading. Less TV.

On a side note: I'm ramping up my cardio in preparation for the beach (just trying to do a standard 3-5 miles... nothing serious) I find that my legs are getting smaller, but the cellulite is actually appearing more prominent. Does anyone know why this is? Something to do with losing fluid? It's not a big deal, it's just kind of strange and I'd love to know how to counteract it...

Have a fabulous rest of the day!!!

Hey Girls, thanks for the replies. I feel guilty for again not doing personals, but it's gonna be crazy busy for me till after saturday. Into politics. Elections coming up. That kinda stuff. I need to sleep now. I am gonna sit down and type untill the forum says I can't anymore on sunday. Hihi.

Be safe, be well.


Edit: OH, and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS TODAY!!!! (thursday)

Does anyone else have a problem taking rest days? I can't do it! LOL I took one about 15 or 16 days ago and I was debating taking one tomorrow but I'm sure I won't end up doing it. I always have to do something!

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Turbo - Thanks for the support! Yeah, I do have things like books and TV to distract me, it's just that sometimes it gets the better of me. For bad or good, the next few days will be busy so I shouldn't have too much time to dwell on it!
Ugh, and I sooo know what you mean... having to 'fess up to a gain sucks! But, look at it this way; you're on your way back down again! Damn that 138!

Krampus - Mmm your "healthy" dinner and night of fun sounds awesome! Its making me look forward to the end of August when I get to go see my fiance (well, he'll be my hubby then) and we are going to the fair. So exciting! I'd say you might be down a pound this morning due to dehydration... did you drink any alcohol? I hate to say it, but I'd be expecting a quick rebound tomorrow... No matter though - if you do end up going up a bit, it's nothing you can't take off. I'm always so impressed at your healthy attitude toward your social life and health being in balance!

Crazygurl - I am feeling a bit better, thank you... it ebbs and flows. The wedding planning is all done, and has been for a while now. We're just sitting back and counting down... 24 days! The only things left to do are to get there and do little things like picking up my dress and such. For now, it's just a waiting game.
I'm glad you had a good trip! It's always nice to be home and in your own environment, especially when you're trying to lose or even maintain your weight. That can be tough!
Thats so cool that your man is getting more into working out with you. My fiance and I really push each other, and we love it. It's something for us to bond over.

Alexis - I wish they could move them up on the one hand (and no, I've tried) but on the other hand I also don't want to get all sliced and diced before my wedding and have to deal with taking care of the stitches and all that right now. Hanging out at the pool in a bikini (with my sunscreen of course) and being all sexy for my hunny during the wedding and honeymoon sounds a lot better without big gaping wounds. It's probably for the best that it will be after the wedding.
Yeah, you had a little hiccup... but we're human, and we all do! You had a couple of treats and got right back on track, which is such a win in my book. How many people out there trip a bit and throw themselves off the side of the mountain for days, weeks, or months at a time? A few doughnuts and a caramel waffle (I don't know what that is exactly but I really want to... haha) isn't going to hurt you in the long run, or even the near future. You've got this!

Hey ladies! Just saying I'm going to be away for a few days.. have a great weekend everyone xo

Philana ~ How exciting for you!!! This is your thing, right? The elections? You go, girl!!!

Joss ~ Thanks for the encouragement re: the hiccup . It's true and I'm trying to just "keep calm and carry on". Oh, I also ended up buying the Victoria's Secret tanning lotion. Tried it out last night and so far, so good... These are caramel waffles. (Philana might be familiar...) My mom had a layover in Amsterdam last year and brought back three boxes. They have been living in our freezer. Yuuummmmy.

LeilaJey Enjoy your time away!

~~~
Went on a shopping "spree" yesterday. It was a lot for me, but might not be so extreme for other people. Hit up H&M, Old Navy, and VS for some beach/shore/summer type clothing. Since I have to work tomorrow, we can't get on the road until after 4, which means that traffic is going to be a pain, but oh, well.

Looking foward to it!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Alexistrophic - Hope you got some cute stuff. Enjoy your time away!

LeilaJey - Enjoy your time away - hope you're doing something fun!

JossFit - I get 'forced' rest days because of a little one. Otherwise I'd probably be leaving every evening to go to yoga! I can't be away every night plus sometimes my husband wants to get out. lol. I think if you're mixing things up and lightening the workout that's good. (and taking rest if you're hurt or exhausted too)

philana - Good luck with the election stuff and enjoy the RHCP!! That's awesome!

Alexistrophic - your date sounds delightful! j/k. Late night eating. It's done and over with and seems like you're back on track. No idea abt the cellulite, but yay for your legs getting smaller & toned!

crazygurl61 - Welcome back (and have fun on your next adventure). Sounds like you managed well while away. So nice that your hubby is joining you in getting active & fit!

krampus - School bus races? I need to find something like that around me. Sounds like fun!

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Well, the crazy gunman surrendered yesterday. Still don't know the whole story but the rumor is he was upset his parents were selling the family home and didn't want them to leave. Not sure if the man is mentally ill, but looks like they'll be pressing felony charges against him. Thankfully no one was hurt. A lot of manpower staking out his house for several days though - they had to call in other police jurisdictions to relieve our city officers (I live in a small city, so not a huge police force).

Had fun getting a 'mini-makeover' the other night and indulged in some much needed new makeup. I'll admit I'm terrible at makeup. I bought this really neat eyeshadow that I'm hoping helps me. It's in a tube so you draw it on and then blend it with a brush. http://www.byterry.com/make-up/eyes/...blackstar.html

TOM started late Mon night. Was up yesterday but down to 131.6 this AM. What?? I went to Bikram yoga last night so I suspect 1-2 lbs of that will come back tomorrow and is just water weight. Still it's like I can taste getting out of the 130s!!!

krampus : I LOOOVE your nutritious dinner LOL awesome being down a pound!

crazygurl : have fun at the lake house that is so awesome to be able to work out with your partner! Have fun!

Alexis : my supplements have magnesium and vit D, I double check! Those are the biggest pills ever, by the way, I hate taking them LOL aweful quasi-date sounds.. well, aweful! poor you! drink a lot of water, your 2pounds will probably almost all be gone by the weekend! And I don't know about cellulite. ALthough I should, I'm full of it LOL

philana : HAVE FUN AT THE RHCP!!

Jossfit : Having a rest day may be so hard, if you are used to working out frequently. Try your best to rest!

Leilajey : Have fun while you're away!

****

137.8 this morning, but I hate a lot yesterday. I was so hungry last night and instead of giving in to the binge, i put 2 slices of bread in the toaster and ate them with peanut butter at 9:30 PM. it never helps when I eat late, but it's better eating that (that really filled me in) than chips or whatever.

I ran my last training run this morning (6k). 1/2 is in twoooo.dayyyys. omg omg!

DottieMae : Ah, we posted at the same time! Glad all your neighborhood is all safe now. What a sad story about the guy though

126.4 this morning. BF and I went for a relaxing 3 1/2 mile yog after work. He cooked a really healthy dinner and then we shared a massive banana split after dinner last night. I've been great about going #2 but I don't know where it all goes. Weights tonight, meeting my parents for dinner, and MONTREAL for the weekend after work tomorrow. We're gonna visit my old roommate "Paul French." I love that it's just a 3-4 hour drive due north and we're in another country.


TurboMammoth Nicely done on avoiding chips. They don't really serve much purpose in terms of satisfying hunger anyway!

DottieMae New makeup is incredibly exciting. I ran out of eyeliner this morning so am "half done" haha. You're almost out of the 130s!!!

Alexistrophic Shopping sprees are exciting. What'd you buy? I'm sorry you ran into a rough patch last night with useless guy and food. What was so bad about him?

LeilaJey Where are you going? Enjoy your trip!

JossFit I WISH I had more difficulty taking rest days. I'll probably weigh like 140 at the beginning of next week what with Montreal/inevitable debauchery on its way. My ultimate and real goal is to have a healthy relationship with food and think LESS about my weight overall. I feel I've made a lot of progress so we'll see. BTW I had a dream last night that I was at GNC and couldn't decide what flavor of Arctic Zero to buy...that was definitely inspired by your post yesterday, ha!

philana Say hi to the Peppers! Hope they rock.

crazygurl Have a fantastic trip!!! Way to go on feeling comfortable in a bikini. That's a big step!!!

Weight is up today. 128.0. I increased all my weights yesterday and my roommate brought $300 worth of Dinosaur BBQ leftovers to my friend's house and we viciously attacked it. This was after dinner and dessert.

Looking at the June Daily Weigh-in thread, my highest June weight was a freak 130.0 and lowest was 126.0. My monthly average was under 128. Successful month of maintenance!!!

I'm not normally one to say "Thank God it's Friday", but TGIF!! If I can get through the end of today without eating my bodyweight in ice cream I will consider the day a success.

Today I actually took a rest day! I woke up intending to hit the weights as per usual. I did my thing, ate breakfast, put on my gym clothes... DROVE to the gym, walked inside (arguing with myself all this time) and just could not physically make myself go workout. A quick glance at my workout journal showed that I have not taken a rest day since 11 June... so yeah, it's about time. I figured it would be best to take a rest day today rather than have a string of crappy workouts eventually leading me to eat a whole pizza and sleep a day away.
The problem with me is that I can be so "all or nothing" at times, and even though I am getting better at it, it's still hard for me to take a day off from the gym without also taking a day off from my normal diet. I usually end up overdoing the calories... but I'm getting better about it.

I just traded my post workout meal for a meal with fewer carbs and more fats. I figure the extra fats will help my brain focus today. It seems to be helping already... I'm sure you can tell from my excessive emoticons that I'm feeling creative today.

Today I have a test that, if passed, will finish up my requirements for this current degree I'm working toward, so I'm feeling a little pressure! I have been studying my booty off the last couple of weeks so regardless I think I will just be happy to have the day over with.

After that test I have an appointment with a plastic surgeon for a juvederm consultation. I have a huge furrow line in my brow that I am looking to have filled, so if he and I think that's the best route for me I will be getting some pokes in the forehead later this evening. After that the plan is home for a healthy dinner!

Tomorrow morning is my weekly weigh-in, and hopefully things will be good on that front. Maybe with me taking today as a rest day my muscles will drop some water weight from being sore and I'll get a little whoosh! I'm hoping for a pound loss in either case.

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Krampus - Broken record here, but... water weight! For me, the difference between feeling guilty about extra food indulgences and not is the food itself. Dinosaur BBQ? Totally worth it. McDonald's French fries? Not worth it! (We all have our own things, but for me, QUALITY awesome food, like the treats you tend to have) are what I like to indulge in. I can have a shitty vanilla soft serve cone anywhere, but I can't have artisan truffles in exotic flavors at any old time. I would totally agree... a very successful month of maintenance! Great job!

Speaking of the Arctic Zero, I have a little treat planned for tomorrow that I'm super excited about... haha. I'm going to have that other 1/2 of the chocolate AZ, and I'm going to add mini marshmallows, crushed graham crackers and dark chocolate chips to it. S'mores ice cream treat for only about 200 calories!

Turbo - Your race should be tomorrow, right?! Eeek, good luck! You're going to do so well and I hope you have a blast... I'm excited for you! I am doing my best to rest today... I think that having a rest day on a day that is otherwise busy and filled with activity is the key; sitting around at home on a weekend would only lead me to trouble. You get the idea...

Dottie - Oooh, you're so close! 130's is right there woman! Congratulations! I'm glad that guy finally gave up or got caught... how scary!
I actually LOVE makeup (my mom has always worked for cosmetics companies so I had a ton of it around growing up) but I do keep it simple most of the time with some concealer, BB Creme and mascara. I have a few products like the one you posted though, and I adore how simple they are to use. On those fast makeup mornings I can feel a bit more polished by just adding a quick swipe and blending with my finger tips. Done!

Alexis - I had a totally different idea in mind when you said "caramel waffle"... I was thinking more along the lines of a Belgian waffle covered in caramel sauce or something. THAT would have been a bit more of a set-back in terms of calories... but those little waffle cookies don't look too terrible at all! I'm just impressed you only had one! I would have had one BOX.

Leila - Hope you have a great weekend!

JossFit : you will rock this test!!!

Krampus : have fun in Montreal!!

***

I just picked up my running starting kit, that included a technical t shirt... yay!! That was a surprise! I also have my bib number, it's a black one on a black sheet, that looks badass LOL

The race is tomorrow... I'll update you during the weekend about that!

Hi all, no time for personals...but I am reading to keep up,with everyone!!

Sooo my weight is up, ballooned like 3 lbs in one day for no reason I could point to, other than that after the water park I was sunburned, sore, and exhausted and still am all 3. I've been on an airplane, in 2 states, on a 7 hr car ride, etc... Today it was 137.4...ickkk!!! I am glad I brought the scale on this trip because it will keep me in check. I'd like to be down at a a stable 135 or under before I leave to go home. I am hopeful that most of this is bloat weight!

Tonight I offered to make salmon salad for dinner which I know will make for a healthy evening. We are going to do a lot of walking and hiking today which should help.