Hi -

Thought I'd crawl out of lurkdom!! I have 2 mins. to spare - I'm leaving for Chicago today.

Karynlee - Don't fret. You'll get back on track, your post could have been written by me. In fact, I'm trying to stay in control til I get home from this trip then I'm really cracking down. My cute stuff is a little tight lately, too.

Meg, Mel, Sandy, Gina, Ilene Anne & all other Maintainers - Hope you're enjoying summer! I'll post again on Thurs. Miss you all - it's been crazy with the new job. Working in Corporate America is like riding a bike - after 2 years off it only took 6 weeks to be out straight again. No time to think. But guess what? I'm loving it!

Hi Group:

Hope everyone is enjoying summer!!! Remember our winter post when we wanted SUN at all cost!!!! I love the summer.

Still recovering from my lasiks sugery. I've had some minor complications but I am on the road to recovery. It is nice go to the bathroom without looking for my glasses.
Food is on track. Exercise is on light duty but I am easing back in.

wndanne: How's that baby cooking!!! I know it's hot in AZ. Hope all is well.
Anne: Nice to see you pop in. Glad you are loving your new job.
rabbit: I know your on vacation, but if you pop in we miss you.

Take care,

I'm gonna post here for a change. Hello Maintainers!

I guess I didn't quite learn maintaining last time. It's so funny, I actually remember posting that I was afraid I couldn't stop losing, that I was going to become too light.

I had a big perk this morning. Had a weight drop. It increased my optimism I guess. So I came here. Oh I've been reading here all along. Just not posting until I got closer to maintainance mode.

I'm moving into that weight zone. You know ... I'm OK here and maybe 120 lbs was too spindly. I am working more regularly with weights this time and using more vigorous cardio. So maybe (with added muscle) I won't get down to 122. But back into my size 2's and 4's would be fine at any weight.

I read "Thin for Life" and reread many parts. My daughter has it now. I think I'm more close to really knowing that I have to make changes that last a lifetime. I think I thought I knew that before Does that make sense?

So I think my goal is to get under 130 lbs and see what happens. I like eating clean and I enjoy most of the exercising that I do. If I steady out (and fit back into my clothes) at 128, that'll be fine. I want to feel good and not worry about what I can wear lest some fat hangs over the waistband

Thanks for being here.

Hi, maintainers,

I also had major weight drop today - I guess Mel was right and my "gain" was water retention due to heat and vigorous exercise, anyways, today scale was nice and I dropped 4# from those 8# I gained after my mountain bike tour.

I have triathlon tomorrow and even though I am having second thoughts (aren's we all) about my own sanity, I am nevertheless excited. I figured out that even attempting it is a HUGE step in the life of the person who is severe asthmatic and even if I will be the last one to finish, it will be still a milestone in my life. Of course, yesterday I biked to work and than came back home and found out that it is recommended NOT to have vigorous activity the whole week before event. Well, I can not change it now, next time probably? Which is again a clear indication that I am not a pro, but first time is first time, what do I expect?

Anyways, I currently changed my diet to have a bit more protein - so far I am at about 25-30% and I find it hard, so much I am a carb person. However, I feel more filled with food and rarely hungry. Of course, before major competition they recomment high carb diet, so 25% of protein falls nicely into it and after the triathlon I will try to top it up.

Hope everybody has a nice weekend.
Sandy.

Sandy, I just had to post a big kudo for you. I'm so impressed with your triathalonning. A few years ago I watched the Iron Man on TV with my sis' BF and we both decided that dammit we were getting off the couch and gonna start training to do it someday. Went out the next morning for a run and after about a quarter mile the cold made my ears feel like they were bleeding. That was the end of my Iron Man ambitions.

Good for you for sticking to it and getting over such a huge milestone!

Sandy have fun, you will do fine for your triathlon...

It's funny that our local triathlon is this weekend too. I've been wanting to do it since I was a spectator last year, but because of the drives out of town for my dad and also this weekend being my nephews wedding weekend well it just didn't happen... But I just may try it next year, but I have to learn how to better my strokes that's something I MUST work on for next year...

Anyways, good luck Sandy, think of us, because we'll be rooting for you!!

Go, Sandy!!!

Be sure to come back and tell us all about it!

Go Sandy!!!! Go Sandy!!! Go Sandy!!!
We Are All Proud Of You!

Hi maintainers,

Sandy, congratulations!!! How did the triathalon go? What an accomplishment.

I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off for the past month, and I've used my busy-ness as an excuse to snack too much and eat more "treats" and plain ol' junk that I should be. It's only showed by two pounds on the scale so far, but I'm quite annoyed with myself b/c the scale is not what I care about (that much). I finished my SCUBA class this weekend with 'real' checkout dive trips on a shipwreck Saturday and Sunday. There are no words to describe how awesome it was! The good news is that I'm done with having 5 hours of class every night after work. I tried to pack dinners on my class days but I always ended up eating extra besides what I packed. The people I was carpooling with never brought anything and always stopped at McD's etc. I'm unhappy to admit I had a few (small) milkshakes, and cookies, crackers, chips etc. that people around the office have been sharing.

Exercise has been crap too. I know diving is a good workout, so I've been burning calories, but my running lungs and lifting muscles are getting out of running shape. And it's only my own fault. Crap crap crap.

I still haven't adjusted to fitting a BF into my schedule. We've been dating for a month now and it may be time to explain my "food issues" in a little more depth to him. How do you tell someone you're an undiagnosed (self-diagnosed?) compulsive eater without scaring them off? It also means I'm busy, and home less. He eats pretty healthily, so when we eat together it's easy to stay on track. The trade-off is worth it for sure though.

How is everyone else's August going?

Hi,

Well, I had quite a cheering team - all of you! I just logged in today to look what's new and I am all over maintainers forum!!! Thanks, I really felt like somebody supported me

About the event... I did it with my gym buddy and early morning her hubby and she picked me and my bike up... Her first questions was: remind me again why are we doing this??? I had to tell her that it was all HER idea, but she did not agree . Anyways, it was early and we were sleepy and we had 130km drive ahead of us. Then we arrived and registered, got our numbers... Waited for everybody around the lake where swimming part was supposed to happen. Watched how they put those big inflattable yellow balls in the water (I am still wondering how do they measure the distance? ). Anyways, there was not too many people and the first part was for those who did it before, we were in "first triathlon" and started 5 min after veterans

Believe it or not, but I actually passed some people while swimming ! I with my breast stroke ... The transition from swimming suit to the biking shorts was a pain, as I had sand in my shoes and I thought I will have problems later, but it went fine. However, people who had friends helping them beat me up with changing into biking attire, so I was a bit behind on start of biking... However, I passed some people during 20 km bike ride .

Running was a pain. i felt like I have sand bags tied up to my ankles... It was 30 degrees C in the shade and 59% humidity and I thought I will never finish... But I did, I even went ahead of one women who was constanty going ahead of me and we were like buddies at the last 2km of the run - one of us always ahead of another one. Anyways, I finished and even timing was UNDER 2 hours (my goal number one was to finish, my goal number two was to finish under 2 hours) - so here it goes, I DID IT

The only thing I would change is to have swimming part int he swimming pool as it is way to easy to get off the straight line when swimming in the lake... Also, I would do it in fall but not in summer when it is so darn hot around!

Anyways, it was a great experience, and I will post pictures as soon as my friend's hubby uploads them.

Thanks for cheering, you are great support team!

Sandy

Wow Sashenka, you are my hero. I can hardly wait for the pictures.

Good for you for finishing in such good time Sandy!!

Congratulations!!!!

Great accomplishment.

Hi maintainers

Sandy Congratulations !!!!! I think it is absolutely enourmous that you finished AND in under 2 hours.

Hi to all the others.

Gina, glad to see you posting! I take it as a sign that you are OK and doing well. I thought about lasik surgery but i did not dare to do it.

have a great day,
rabbit