Having a frustrated day. When I first stepped on the scale it looked like I went down, but it didn’t settle on a weight (my bathroom floor is weird and sometimes it isn’t stable) and when I weighed again I was still at 260 (after the scale being up a bunch earlier in the week). I have been looking at my numbers again and something just isn’t adding up. I have only lost two pounds in the last month. With how much I have been exercising and with the fact I have kept within my calorie range (except for that one weekend with my parents, but that wasn’t too bad) I feel like I *should* (such a dangerous word) be losing more than I am.

I did take measurements and realized that I have lost an inch off my hips and chest and a half an inch off my waist, while my calf is UP, which tells me I am still retaining a bunch of water in my legs (where it likes to hang out). I have also had people at the gym tell me they can see I have lost weight, but the scale is just being such a jerk. I’m not expecting huge numbers, but I would like it to go a bit faster than a half a pound a week. Grumble.

Mapleleaf the weight loss would exacerbate stones you already had. Saying it "caused" your problem was a little misleading. Hope you feel better soon! Good luck!

I have full blown tonsilitis and the parties are today oh well. I slept with a humidifier, have been doing all the herbal remedies and resting as much as possible, so hopefully it won't get worse!

Hit my previous low of 374.6 today!

Nancy - cleaning out the closets can be really lovely and fulfilling, I've found. It helps remind you how far you've come, plus I definitely look better when I'm wearing clothes that are well-fitted. I'm sure you do too! Hope you find something you love when you do it. I totally get your frustration with the scale, ugh. I 'only' lost three pounds last month. Though today I seem to have broken through my plateau and hopefully you will soon, too.

betsy - that is so funny, but its great that you've enough good humor about it that you can still laugh in those circumstances, I think.

Jane - hah! SO GLAD the bridesmaid's dress worked out. That is the best sort of NSV and it really shows how far you've come. I know you told me what the color was before, but my mind is blanking right now. What color!

ALSO YAY. That is great news about the scale, though I'm so sorry you're sick in the midst of parties.

MapleLeaf - oh, so, so sorry you were in the hospital, that sounds really miserable. I've had surgery before (gallbladder removal!) and my weight loss sort of started with those symptoms, since while ironically weight loss can worsen gallstones, also they tell you go to on a low-fat diet when you are symptomatic.

My surgery was fine. It was laparascopic and I was heavier than you at the time. Are they planning to do it laparoscopically? The recovery is pretty quick! You just have to be careful about lifting, et cetera, for about six weeks. The problem is that you will feel totally fine so fast that you might forget about the restrictions!

My scale was down 2 lbs this morning. So: a new decade. I'm celebrating by mowing the lawn.

Nancy - My scale has also been moving at a snail's pace for the past month, so I understand how frustrating that can be! But is it also possible that since you've been exercising, you've lost fat but gained some extra muscle? That might explain why the people at your gym can tell you've lost weight but the scale isn't moving as much.

Jane - Oh no, I hope you feel better! Being sick is the worst, especially when you're busy. Congratulations on getting down to your low weight! That is awesome and I bet it felt good to see that number on the scale. I hope things keep going in this direction.

mnemosyne - Congratulations on another two pounds! That is fabulous.

Thanks for your reassurances about the surgery! Yes, they are planning on doing it laparoscopically and they would only switch to open surgery if something ended up going wrong. The surgeon did tell me that he performs between 40-60 of these every year and it's extremely rare for something to go wrong, and that I shouldn't worry because I'm young and have never had surgery before (which means no scar tissue). So I'm trying to stay calm and not worry about it.

My doctor recommended that I stick to a low fat diet for now to avoid having another gallstone attack before the surgery. It's been surprisingly easy. That gallstone attack killed my appetite.

nmem- way to go on the new decade. I am kinda stuck this week in the middle of mine. I hoping by next weekend to be on the low end of it.

I ran around with some girlfriends yesterday and had a good day. I did notice I was really tired and after I got home my throat started getting sore. I am praying it will pass when the cool damp weather moves on. I know my little ones had runny noses early in the week. I am so prone to catch what they have.
We had lunch at our mexican place and I didnt stay op. I am right back at it today. I will stay op until the wedding. OH and I found shoes for the wedding. I got a wedge heel and they are really strappy. I think my knee will be better with a wedge heel than a spiky heel.

maple- I had my gallbladder out about 10 yrs ago. Mine was in horrible shape and I had many tiny stones along with some giant ones. The surgery was such a relief. You do have to take it easy for a week or so but that was about it. My only issue was that I still had to watch what I ate or I would live in the bathroom. I learned real fast that I cant skip a meal or else I will end up in the bathroom. I also learned soft drinks and other things trigger the bathroom visits.

Happy Sunday from the gorgeous Northwest!

Mapleleaf -- Gall bladder surgery and the surgeon said that weight loss "caused" it. First, I hope the surgery goes well and remember that (assuming they'll do laproscopic) even though you have tiny little incisions you've had major surgery so take care of yourself. And I'd tell the doctor that your former eating habits probably were what caused the gall bladder problems -- I've truly never heard of it being associated with weight loss but what do I know!

Jane -- Great news on the downward trends. Just please don't send those two pounds this way. And I'm so glad that the dress is working out. I got a kick out of the other bridesmaid wanting to keep the strapless. Keep up the great work with the yoga -- that's definitely a goal as I continue to creak around here on my arthritic knees and hips.

Mnem and Nancy -- Thanks for the hints on the Artic Zero flavors. I noticed that Amazon sells it in a pack with all of the flavors although I'd probably leave it on the front stoop for 3 days and just end up with a gooey mess. I think after I do yard work and wash the car I'm heading into the grocery store for some Artic Zero and some fresh veggies.

Today's challenge is to get the weed preventer spread over the dry creek beds in the yard (landscaping, not real ones), wash the car, get the covers off the deck furniture, do some grocery shopping, and see how much of the day is left to decide what else can get done. I finally made up a list yesterday and it's a page and a half -- I am definitely more than a little behind on things!

Hi, new here. Like brand spankin' new. Okay so I don't yet have any specific weight loss plan. I would really like some suggestions. There are so many plans out there, and so much false information. I have PCOS with IR so losing weight is very difficult for me and gaining it takes literally no effort. I swear if I don't eat I gain weight. Anywho, hubs and I really want children so I really need to get to losing weight. I am considering Couch to 5K. Have any of you done this?

Maple – Surgery is always scary, but hopefully that will make you feel a lot better.

Jane – Boo about being sick, but grats on getting back to your low.

Mnem – Congrats on being in a new decade! That is a weird way to celebrate.

Dgramie – Here’s hoping your throat scratch was a one day thing and not a precursor.

Betsy – I can’t imagine that ordering frozen stuff from Amazon works very well. I guess they pack it in dry ice or something? That was quite a list you had for Sunday.

ThatWeirdGirl – Welcome!! First are you an ease into it or jump off the deep end type? I am an ease in, so I tend to recommend that strategy, but other people find radical change easier. With the PCOS and IR (I am pre-diabetic and IR), I would likely recommend calorie counting combined with lower carbs. Starting off it is a great idea to get a feel for what the calorie content of everything is. You will likely want to stay away from sugar and processed carbs as much as possible. I have pretty much eliminated sugar from my diet (this took awhile to come to terms with) and I feel a million times better. I don’t crave sugar, I don’t get as many mood swings or feel like I am going to fall asleep after eating, etc. It can all be really overwhelming. The important part is making a change you feel good about and sticking with it as much as possible. As far as C25K, I have a friend that did it with great results. I want to try it eventually, but my knees are terrible and I need to be careful with them. When I walk, I will sometimes break into a little shuffle jog as a way to prep my body "yeah, we will do this at some point, get ready", but I'm not ready yet.

Speaking of carbs, I have decided to go back to low carb to see if that helps me unstall. I think I have let too many carbs creep back into my diet, which with the IR, might account for why I am eating in calorie range and not really losing. It can’t hurt to try. My other thing to try, which I really don’t want to do, is give up artificial sweeteners. I have done ok swapping to stevia before, but I just don’t like it as much as splenda.

I was originally hoping to get back to my lowest weight by my birthday (I am turning 40 on July 15) but it looks like that won’t happen (241, so 19 pounds). At this point if I can get back to 100 down I will be super happy.

Good Morning all. Hope it was a good weekend for everyone.

Mnem -- You and I need to work on our reward system as I tend to focus on getting things done as well. Congrats on the next decade!

Jane -- Hope the tonsils are cooperating a bit more by now. You've been planning for this wedding for so long and to feel lousy just isn't fair.

Nancy -- Lowering the carbs might be just the push that is needed. I'm trying to shake things up and definitely working on making sure that I only eat what is on my list.

My big news is that I was able to find Arctic Zero at the grocery store here and thank heavens it's over $5 a pint because I really liked the stuff! At that price, it will have to be a treat as opposed to having some every day. I have discovered Fudgesicle sugar free fudge pops. A serving size is 2 pops, but they come wrapped individually so I just have one which is only 40 calories.

Today is the start of what I am now referring to as caravanning month. I live in a little town in Washington that is about 50 miles from SEA-TAC airport. However, it takes between 1 to 1 1/2 hours to get there depending on the traffic. I think I have four different friends flying out this month and then returning so I'll be making a lot of trips to the airport. Maybe I'll stop at the grocery store and get a few more pints of the Arctic Zero.......

MapleLeaf - that all sounds great, and honestly, let me say that it is really great for the surgery that you have lost weight, too. My surgeon told me that mine was a bit tough because of the abdominal fat I had. I am relieved that he persevered and did not have to switch to an open procedure. I was probably 350-360 at the time. (My high weight comes from my doctor's visit when I had the gallstones, actually...) But also I carry most of my weight in my stomach.

Stay calm! Don't think about it. That is the best plan. You will need to take it easy for a while. I would suggest that you get some sugar-free popscicles to have at home after the surgery. I had sugar-free banana popscicles and they were lovely, satisfied the urge to have something in my mouth without being much of a strain on the system.


dgramie - so glad you found a shoe you like! Heh, yes, I think wedges are easier on us than thinner heels. Mostly, though, I don't wear heels. There are so many cute flatS! but for your daughter's wedding you want to dress up. Glad you sound the shoes.

betsy - that was quite a list of projects to tackle! I hope they all went well. How did you like the Arctic Zero? I would probably do the same thing ordering from Amazon, plus I don't have room in my freezer for all the extra cartons.

weirdgirl - cheers and welcome! I am simply calorie counting and am a vegetarian. I focus on eating loads of veggies that I like, and adding in protein sources (especially beans) and some whole grains (oatmeal!) every day. For me, the most important piece of the puzzle has been establishing a ROUTINE that I can stick to regularly, not buying any sort of tempting junk (I exercise my willpower at the grocery store, instead of testing it at home) unless I can genuinely control myself around it OR it comes in pre-portioned packages. I like to cook so I make foods that I really enjoy, as well, and plan plan plan and prep ahead.

Also: being honest w/myself about the calories in food.

I think the most important part of weight loss is getting a handle on the food. You can lose weight without exercise. So I would recommend that you start your work on the food size, and focus on basic exercise like walking in the beginning, then start adding in more exercise later. I have not done the Couch to 5k, but it seems to be a good program. I am not interested in jogging, but I do walk and have increased my speed pretty routinely as I have been walking.

Nancy - hahah, well, the grass needed mowing. After mowing the grass, I weeded and cleaned up all the junk around my roses, which will be in bloom soon. It was a good day. Hey! We are the same age. I just turned 40 last month. I hope the lower-carb thing works for you breaking your stall!

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I did ok at the folks' house. My scale was still 229 this morning. Yay!!!

I also did some shopping this weekend:

http://elizavieta.tumblr.com/post/49...me-new-sandals

None of those sandals would've fit me last year. The blue ones are 8M and the yellow ones are 7.5M. Uh, some of the sandals I dug out of my "summer shoes" bin over the weekend were size 8.5 W or 8 WW.

NotTheCheat- I'm the start something strong and never finish type. lol i have made slow changes and those seem stick longer.

Mnem-Calorie counting seems so complicted, and honestly scares me.

Ok so my biggest problem is my husband. Not only does he love to eat junk, but he is a picky eater. It makes dieting sooooo difficult. I have like a million excuses. But anywho. Thanks for the warm welcome.

Hi everyone!

I just posted my reintro post, so I won't bore you all with a repeat... I'll just jump in here since I've missed these chat threads since I was gone.

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thatweirdgirl: Is your husband on board with your efforts to change your diet/improve your health? If he wants to continue to eat junk, he can do it on his own time and by putting his own effort in. I'm doing a low carb plan (I find it easier and more effective than calorie counting for me), and if my Husband were not on the same plan and wanted to continue to eat carbs, I would suggest he do enjoy them for lunch or snacks before he's home. As it stands, our dinners consist of a meat and a vegetable side dish. Very simple. If he's not onboard, he could have smaller portions of the meat/vegetable, and then also have a starch. Anything to keep you from cooking two meals or feeling like you're fighting against him.

You two should probably have a chat about expectations and plans for the diet, though. Involve him in supporting you, if you haven't already.

As for C25K, I have not done it, but I have problems with my joints that makes running completely unappealing to me. I have heard people say very good things about it, but I have no first-hand experience.

Your weight-loss battle really will be fought mostly in the kitchen. Dietary changes can bring about great losses with very little exercise, but the opposite is not exactly true. Yes, the ultimate goal should be to both be MORE active and eat better, but don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to change your entire life at once. It’s okay to break it down into smaller steps.

I mentioned low-carb above, because it’s what I have the most experience with. Plain old calorie counting I find exhausting, and also I find myself constantly hungry. When I eat low-carb, I usually stay under my calorie target more easily but because I’m eating protein & fat dense foods, my body feels fuller for longer. I also know a lot of ladies who have PCOS who swear it is the only way they were able to shed pounds. (I have no idea if that’s true or not.) I know PCOS is a huge complicating factor, but I am confident you’ll find something that works for you.

Pick something, give it some good effort for a few weeks, and if it doesn’t suit your taste or lifestyle, allow yourself to try something else. It’s all about what works for you.


Mnemosyne: Cute shoes! I am looking forward to getting out of the WW shoes (I’m a 9.5 WW right now) as I lose weight. Needing WW makes shoe shopping almost impossible – I’m restricted pretty much to only online shopping. At least there’s Zappo’s….
Congrats on the scale holding steady! I consider that just as successful as a loss, some days…

betsy2013: I’m going to have to figure out what this Arctic Zero stuff is…. Or maybe I shouldn’t since you said it’s so yummy.
I hope you have a lovely time with all of your visitors, and that the drives to and from the airport aren’t too bad.


NotTheCheat: I’m sorry it sounds like you won’t quite nail that goal-date. I sabotage myself so terribly with goal-dates that I haven’t set any this time around. Based on your stats, you look like you’re doing wonderfully, so I don’t think you have anything to be disappointed over. I’m low-carb, as well, and honestly my body feels so much better when I eat this way. Yet I still lapse sometimes, for food I particularly miss. I know how easy those carbs sneak back in when you look the other way!

By the way… I have to ask - is your name a HSR reference?


dgramie: I hope you aren’t getting sick. I know a lot of people who have been sick, lately. This has been a terrible winter/spring for illness. I hope you are feeling better by now, and that it was nothing.

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My big challenge this week is getting exercise in. I am having a spinal injection tomorrow, so I will be off work all day and am stuck making up the two extra hours on the other work days. Leaves me feeling so exhausted by the time I make the 50 mile commute to and from home - ugh! Still, I hope the injection helps alleviate the lower back pain I have been having for quite some time.

Have a great day, everyone!

thatweirdgirl - calorie counting shouldn't scare you! on some level, whatever sort of 'plan' you choose (and to be honest, other than being vegetarian and eating right, I don't have a plan), you will have to be calorie-aware. In order to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. Most weight loss plans are varying methods to get you there. Now maybe you will feel more full on one regimen than another, or conversely something more flexible will fit your lifestyle better, but even within the definitions of each plan, you need to know what calories you are consuming because if you consume too many you will not lose weight.

Have you talked to your husband about your goals? I STRONGLY RECOMMEND getting all tempting junk out of the house. If you husband likes chips, have him buy individually-packaged single-serving bags or keep them in his car or at work.

Oh, betsy - yes! It is expensive. I make a pint last a couple of weeks, usually. And I LOVE those sugar-free fudgesicles. There is a brand where the 40 calorie ones come individually wrapped! I like that one better as otherwise I get weird freezer taste on them.

My local store also has sugar-free banana popsicles, which I love. I need to clean out my freezer though to make room. I think I have some left over from last summer but I expect they are gross now. I'll do that tonight.

Tel - thanks and welcome! Hah, seeing my shoe size fall was the most unexpected bit. Well, I expected to be able to get out of WW (and I had done that really last summer? When I made it until 300), but discovering that oh, my feet are 7.5 actually now, really is sort of a revelation. I have a bunch of cute flats that I bought last summer and fall that still feel okay, but fall off my feet (especially my smaller foot) if I am not careful, because they are all 8s. In non-sandals I still really need wide widths, but that's just the shape of my feet. Sandals being open are more forgiving. What's also great is how comfortable I feel now in dress shoes. (Well, flats - I don't do heels? except very small ones.)

Oh, and Arctic Zero is a very low-calorie frozen whey-protein based dessert. I think it would be okay for low-carb people, but I'm not sure. It is supposedly 37 calories a serving, or 150 calories for a pint. I saw a story that said it tested higher, but even so: 200 calories for a pint? That I can make last six or more servings? Yes. (It is not as delicious as ice cream, so easier to resist - but if I really want more, I am okay with it.)

I hope the injection helps! That commute sounds really tough.

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Ahh. A woosh! The plateau was clearly over on Saturday, but now it is over for sure. I was THREE POUNDS lower this morning. I cleaned off the porch last night and bought and assembled a new patio table for my deck. I am going to get two new chairs and am trying to decide whether to get the smaller ones (because my space is small) or the larger ones (they are more comfy - not because of size but because the seat and back is a continuous curve?). I'm going to measure the space and decide and then steal someone with a truck to help me pick them up.

(I am not sure they will fit in my car - the chairs are pre-assembled and my car is tiny.)

PS - Tel - I just read your bio. I ADORE Game of Thrones. I'm also a big fan of Garbage. In fact, I got to see them live in early April and they were amazing.