I'm in too... could use a little extra boost of motivation this month. My plan is South Beach - Phase 2 and I resolve to be 100% OP until I leave for vacation on the 27th. Like Essa, I'm boarding a ship on the 30th (maybe I'll see you there!); while on the cruise my plan is to stay 90% OP and add some additional movement. I should be able to at least maintain doing that.

Eliana- I always enjoy your posts. I would love to join you... mine will have to start tomorrow as I went over on my calories today.

I will commit for 30 days and I will not go over 1400 calories and 75g NET carbs. I will workout 6 days a week.

Let's Roll~!

Lots of you guys are doing the 6-day workout thing! I'm impressed! That doesn't necessarily have to be part of though. Resting is good too. I just started doing a 100 push ups challenge and to get that workout into my already established routine I had to work in an extra day. Plus I like to do a long run on Saturdays.

I was within my calories yesterday, but I ate way too much chocolate...again. The good news is that it is now out of the house, which was kind of my bad plan anyway.

I was within my calories yesterday as well, ate too many cheezies, but stayed within my calories! Also did my 3 mile walk yesterday (walking in an every day thing for me, as well as gym as much as I can get there, which is 2-3 times a week usually).

As for 100 push-ups, GOOD FOR YOU, I'd never in a million years even try, cause I am a push-up sissy!

I used to be! I had a really bad shoulder. But after a year of doing gentle exercises with it I'm finally brave enough to push harder, but if it hurts, I quit. I did 80 this morning, but not consecutively.

This is going to be a hard week for me because of allergies. I hate allergies! I actually lifted pretty strong this morning, but my run was pathetic. I pushed out 2.5 miles and was sweating profusely by the end. I only ran it at 5.3. I wonder why lifting is ok but cardio is so hard.

Perfect timing, Eliana.

I'm in, and if I don't show up around here, come find me.

I'm committing to exercise 6 days per week.

I'm committing to remembering to take my iron pills because when I'm anemic I have no stamina.

I'm going back to UBER-BASICS:

1300 calories a day
no more than one serving of fruit.
protein and lean veggies for lunch and dinner.
single serving snacks: cheese stick, yogurt, apple

I lost over 100 pounds doing that, and I assume it's still going to work.

And, if I disappear, it's not good, so somebody reach through the computer screen and GRAB ME!

(Disclaimer: Today, I've already packed my lunch, which is my other option: weighed and measured plain yogurt, fiber one, blackberries, flax seed, and 20 gms of raisins. BUT, I'm thinking that going back to the plan that really worked for me is best, and that is the lean protein/veggie combo. So, I'm plan, plan, planning to make sure I have what I need on hand for the rest of the week.)

LMAO seriously, I have ZERO upper body strength. I honestly doubt I could do 2 push-ups (and I promise, I am not exaggerating). You know what machine at the gym where you set the weights, and push the bars straight up? (LOL does that make sense?). Well I can't have even 1 weight on it LOL. I am a sissy! I'll get there one day (I think), but in the mean time, I just have a good chuckle at myself about it!

As for allergies, I am sorry!! I would suspect that, in theory, in cardio work outs, you're breathing a lot heavier, and therefore bringing more allergens into your lungs/nose. But that's just a guess! lol

I was within (in fact, well under) my calories yesterday and I played 1.5 hours of volleyball + my walk to the park.

Eliana - I have the opposite problem! Cardio seems to be much easier for me to accomplish while strength is like pulling teeth. I think the grass is always greener on the other side, I wish that strength training were easier for me.

I'm here, just saw this. I need to re-commit too, the training have been hard, not reason to not be losing more, cause I'm eating more and I need stop eating at maintaining cals instead of getting enough of a reduction to see a difference.
I'm aiming for 1200-1600 TIGHT, One Whole Month! Lets Do this!

Uber, I'd happily reach through the screen and grab you back! LOL!

Ohmydogs, you're talking about the bench press, and generally speaking "just the bar" weighs 45 pounds!! So give yourself some credit! Most of the women at the gym are lifting "just the bar". And women tend to have less upper body strength, so that is not at all unusual. My brother burst my bubble the other day. Here I am all proud of what I can do with my upper body strength and my brother asked if I could bench my body weight yet. Uh...no. LOL! Not even half my body weight. He said that's something guys shoot for. We are not guys.

Gale, I think maybe strength training gets easier? I don't know. Maybe you either like it, or you don't. But if you like it, that's half the battle right there. I find it very rewarding to continuously increase what I can do. It's far more measurable than cardio. With cardio you can always increase the miles and increase the time, but you can't measure your effort. I think that's why I love lifting so much. However, I get more of a rush out of the cardio. I never get the endorphin rush from lifting unless I'm doing jumping jacks between sets or something.

Notice how I can talk exercise all day with confidence and enthusiasm? And then do you notice too how I avoid the topic of diet? LOL!

Eating went really well yesterday, a few white knuckle moments when my brain was telling my inner 3 year old that no, it did not need chocolate to survive. I did succumb to a hamburger bun last night, but hey, progress is progress.

Today's breakfast is still not on board, and I have a headache, so I'm getting ready to eat some yogurt and fruit, lunch is a huge salad with turkey, and I'm up in the air for dinner, but it better be heavy on protein. Did not make the gym yesterday at lunch, stood in line too long to pay the electric bill. (Don't think my family would like sitting in the dark while I flexed my arms and showed off my hard work! ) Maybe tonight on the way home, the bag is in the car just in case. . .

Seems I need to set an appointment with myself to work out, and not leave it up to just in case, hmmmmmm. How do you guys get in there 6 days a week? I do my cardio outside, so maybe that's why 2 or 3 days in the gym is enough for me. . .

Apparently google tells me I am talking about the Shoulder Press...lol And it's evil!

I notice you not talking diet...and was wondering how the heck, on 1200 calories, you fit in "too much chocolate"??? lol

Ah, the shoulder press! Yes, I'm on 0 pounds for that one. Just the bar.

I did a protein shake a month ago to drop as low as I could before a wedding. It worked...and I got addicted to the shake. I really like it. So I have one for breakfast, snack, then I eat chicken and veggies for lunch, another shake for snack and lean meat/veggies for dinner...and then a bunch of chocolate. The shakes are about 170 calories depending on if I put a banana in with it or not or if I use 30 calorie almond milk or 90 calorie soy milk. So basically, that's all around 1200 calories. I'm not a very good counter.

And I really need to wean myself off these shakes. It's just that they're easy, they taste great and they're filling.

OK you just made me feel WAY WAY better about that evil shoulder press! lol
If the shakes are good, and they are healthy, why wean yourself off of them?

Man you'd have a heart attack if you saw what I ate...I am trying to find a way to cut some of my carbs, but I'm one of those people who needs carbs to feel full, and I don't know how to eat without them. I am working on it. Let's not even get into the whole "simple carbs vs complex carbs", that whole idea gives me an anxiety attack! lmao I did have a chicken stirfry last night, just the veggies and chicken...but I have been raised eating carbs at every meal...so making the change is really tough.

I'm in. Perfect timing as for some reason trying to tackle the last few pounds has triggered some eating behaviours I haven't had in years and I'm a bit worried. So will concentrate solely on sticking to plan even if the plan itself is not resulting in any more weight loss.