Danzer, i bet ya if u can kick the soda habit... those 15 pounds will vanish!! if i were an expert i wouldnt have let myself grow to 288 lbs!!! but i have found its best to tweak each individual area at a time.. and then build on it..

when i tossed out the sodas i switched to that bubbly flavored water. at first and then later switched to just plain water

the lemon flavored water tastes just like sprite... and the white grape flavor is just like grape soda give it a shot!!

Sushi: think its the time of the year or something.. we all start to bog down.. get some rest & relax and then come back and hit it hard again!!!!

Dance4joy: u are doing fab!! determined to get to 21!! way to go

RED yesterday was my 1 year of life changes anniversary!! thank u for all your support!!!

Jolly: Better to vent here than get into the food porn!!! one day at a time!!
Apple: keep up the great work!!! sounds like a great idea holding off on the sugar challenge.. i know it gets even harder when u get near your goal

Aliegh: Sorry to hear about your pedometer.. im lucky that i live in teh sticks so i just measure my route out with the car and do 1 of 3 routes! maybe i should use my pedometer and just see how many steps im getting in other wise...

Putting out an all points bulletin for miss tia & miss cbeta... & miss jessica!!!

Hey all!!

I know what you mean curley, I live in a small rural town and can figure that if I walk so many miles, I get so many steps in (thanks to the pedometer I once had LOL - it gave me the miles & steps) So if I walk that same amount of miles, then I guess I am getting the same amount of steps in. BY the way, happy one year life changing anniversary!!! Besides the weight you have lost, what other changes have you experienced in that year because of your change of lifestyle?

I lost it when I was working bingo at the firehall - we walk around selling tips and somewhere it fell off my pants (I am thinking when I took my bingo apron off it kind of knocked it off). Now some lady is probably walking around counting steps with it. LOL

Red, I walk a lot around the college campus and wear my pedometer all day. I wear if I walk on the tread and everything. I first bought it because i was curious because I am always on the go. At home I walk here, there and everywhere. We have the elementary school near by, which was an old middle school with a track and I can walk there. Plus, my town is small and rural, but you can walk from my apartments to where the center of town is and walk around for a good bit. Lately it has been frigid and there is no walking outside for me. I was riding my bike around, but I am not doing it in this weather.

Hi JOLLY!! And everyone else. SUSHI, I am so sorry you are feeling like a loss of motivation.

One day it is summer, the next back to winter.

Woopie, I am on day 3. I was wondering, did anyone else ever feel like a walking water bed after consuming the recommended daily intake of water? I am not weighing myself until it goes away LOL!!!

Well I know I ramble too much on here. Sorry bout that.

Hello everyone! Just popping in for a quick update and then back to the grindstone - Monday was day 2, at 1414 calories, and yesterday was day 3 at 1444. And, I ate so healthy yesterday I couldn't believe it I won't list my menu (for fear of food porn reprisal ) but suffice to say that I was impressed with my food choices! Can I keep it up? That would be a never-finished challenge!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Curly - congratulations on a full year of life-style changes!

Day 3 no beer, day 11 exercise..today might be a hard day to get it in...I can get a quick dog walk in if I leave NOW..
Don't worry Sushi, we all need a few days off every now and then!!

day 3

carbs-44
walked 2 miles (becuz i did lwe for 1 hr after work)

Hello all. My train of thought totally derailed this evenng. I went to come online here, and it kept saying the server was overfull. How could I go to bed without checking in here?? Just not possible.

Congrats everyone on challenges met. You all rock.

Well, I may have found a new vice to replace overeating. . . . overspending. I decided I really should love the skin I am in, and went and bought some jewelery - nothing expensive or fancy, just some pretty costume type jewelry to coordinate with different outfits. Plus, I went through my closet, and weeded out some of the worst offenders of outfits that were not flattering. Can't afford to get new with every size I go down - that would end up being a lot of sizes. However - there were many pieces I wasn't wearing because I didn't like how they look, so why keep them. To donation they go.

Day 14 challenges all met. Did my circuit training class this morning. Went well, though the ab work on the ball was laughable. Trying to do obliques and balance on the ball??? I even had a day long meeting, and did well with the eating. Usually I munch away when I am just sitting there, and there was a lot of temptation.

Have a super night all. Talk more tomorrow

Day 15 of sticking with the plan... still have both pauses left. I am getting there!!

Good morning all Just wanted to post a quick hello before off to the gym. Weights this morning - sorry, Red.

Have a super day all. We can do this!

just keep telling my self..... its almost saturday... its almost saturday....

Yah I am looking forward to Saturday too!!

I am trying not to think of Saturday. Get to go to the wedding of a kid I used to babysit for. Does this make me feel old or what?

I did earn my dollar for doing weights this morning. And I have to say, the clearance top I bought and the new jewelery does make me feel better. I feel pretty (OK - everyone break into song). It also felt good to clean out some of the really unflattering clothes. I just don't want to be that lumpy, dumpy, frumpy person anymore. I know the weight will take longer, but the other things I can work on now. Though, I will spend more on shoes and jewelery, since that fits despite size. Clothes, well, will have to work with what I can afford, until I get to a stable size.

I am feeling a bit annoyed though. I realize it is somehting with the scale, but . . . If I have the big bar (50 lb increments) at 250, the little bar is at 0 and the scale says I still weigh less. However . . . . . If I move the big bar down to 200, I have to move the little bar past 50 to get it to balance. Shouldn't 250 be 250? So what do I actually weigh

Don't focus on the number, Jolly. Don't focus on the number. Focus on how you feel, how clothes fit, and being healthier.

Enough of that. Have a great day all.

I squeaked through day 4 at 1593 calories (didn't eat quite as healthy as on Tuesday). Realized this morning that the reason I was so full on Tuesday as compared to yesterday was that I had so much salad and veggies Tuesday. Yeah, yeah, yeah - good for you and filling, I know - but not always (although often) as yummy as and .

Red - I'm sorry you had to work so late. I hope today goes (went?) better for you.

Curly and dance - I am chanting for saturday right along with you!

Jolly - you weigh less than when you started, and in no time at all the big bar will be at 200 and the little bar won't be anywhere near 50! Then you'll need to go on another shopping spree with all the money you have earned. I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but I am a shoe fanatic!

Hi to everyone else! Have a wonderful day!

Day 4 no beer!!I can have one on Saturday if I follow Reds 5 day strategy, but I'm going to try to keep staying away from the stuff.
Day 12 exercise, this one is really dragging along...
Hello to everyone!!!

Hi All!

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! Aileigh you are not the only one who feels like floating away after getting your water in! I had to get up three times last night! I find that it helps if I make sure to spread it out over the whole day and not try to chug it all at the last minute.

Once again I went off the wagon and awol because I am a weenie about admitting failure. Sooo....I am restarting both of my challenges, but putting water (4 bottles/day)at level 3 and fitday at level 2. I did really well yesterday, except that I had some last minute light cream cheese and all-fruit spread with my toast (it was breakfast for dinner night) that didn't get logged into fitday. Even though I added those things in today, instead of last night, I am still counting yesterday as day 1 for both water and Fitday.

I had grand plans for all the useful things I was going to accomplish over my spring break, but so far I have done approximately squat that was useful. I managed to read a novel (The Crimson Petal and the White - quite good if you like historical fiction with crazy people and prostitutes) and clean out my refrigerator. I still have a few days left before school starts back, so fingers crossed I will get my butt to school and get some work done in the next couple of days.

On the bright side - it is the dread TOM and I have not gained any weight so far. This for me is really big because I always gain at TOM and so far I haven't. Also I discovered on tuesday that my last pair of jeans had big holes worn into the ladyparts and so I went clothes shopping. TO my surprise and pleasure, I discovered that everything I tried on was too big! I am officially down a full size in shirts and pants. In fact, I'm almost down two sizes in pants - I wear the stretchy kind - I've only had them on about an hour and they're already getting a little saggy in the legs and butt. Yay!

Keep on Truckin!
Erin