Quiet on this thread. I also don't have much to say these days: same old same old: get to goal/just under, relax eating restrictions, weight goes up, tighten eating restrictions, weight goes back down. Repeat. Try to keep energy and attention devoted to eating at a minimum to focus on rest of life while still maintaining weight. The balance is difficult.

Maintenance is a yo-yo with a short string yes? And no, I didn't come up with that.

Dagmar

Ditto Andrea. I frequently find myself at a loss to say anything here. The demands of work in particular are severe enough that my weight becomes a low- to non-priority most of the time. It's when the pressure eases and I take the time to look in the mirror and really SEE myself that I care again, and wish that I had been less careless with eating during the long periods of stress.

It has been quiet. I'm frustrated that I gained weight in England but not yet ready to cut calories to get rid of it. With work starting back up, dd leaving for college again tomorrow, dh coming home from China today but leaving tomorrow with dd... I figure I'll tackle things once they're gone....

I've been quiet, too. I've been stressed out all around lately, so not chatty. I have been reading.

I'm overwhelmed by a lot going on now, but I think I'm about to get back up above water.

I have continued with the New Rules of Lifting for Women program, and should finish Stage 5 on Friday. That leaves me with just two more stages to go before it's complete.

If I worked as hard at food choices as I did in the gym, I'd probably be a lot leaner-looking.

In my mind, I am weary, as I did not get an August vacation, though I did spend a week at my mother's house in Upstate NY, working from the desk in her living room for part of every day. I am now back home and I am slower-moving than I was, though not entirely quiet -- I have to teach an all-day writing class for analysts next Wednesday.

I feel like I am between things.

I feel like I am waiting for the crisper air and the sense of purpose and the feeling of new undertakings that I always get in September. It's contagious from the back-to-school sensation that fills the air, even for those of us who don't have children or otherwise pay any attention to the school year.

I feel not happy with my weight and have been focusing on making changes -- I keep threatening to journal my food here for accountability, then backing off, as I worry that is an onramp to eating-disorderish behaviors, obsessing & tracking.

I have just been sad most for the summer. 3 deaths in 4 months is a lot. I wish I had that "back to school" sense of purpose this year. Instead I'm worrying that maybe I can't afford to have a dog. I know for sure that I can't when I'm no longer working - Canada Pension is not enough for me to live on, never mind pets - so it's now or never. DH is feeding this worry as I know he doesn't really want me to have a dog. Well he does and he doesn't.

It's a tough decision. I'm going to sit down with all the financial stuff this weekend and do the worst case scenario. Then I'll know and can move forward.

Or not.

Dagmar

I too am figuratively counting the days til September. It's been a good summer as summers go, but the fall is my favorite for everything. I'm also feeling the pull of needed changes; I have a little .gif in my head of Dr. Phil inquiring, "So, how's that workin' for ya?"

I feel unsettled and waiting as well. I don't know what exactly I'm waiting for, just something. We have our vacation coming up in October, maybe once we get back from that I can feel like I'm moving forward again.

Teamed up with an IRL friend - the one with whom I tend to make bad drink/food decisions . We've decided to clean up our acts starting today, and work together on losing some flab. She has a conference in late September; I have a 30th HS reunion in mid-October, plus a 25th wedding anniversary in late October.

My plan is take advantage of the bountiful fruits and veggies, cut wayyyy back on the alcohol, and get off my @$$ more often. Sweet and simple.

I'm having good luck still with my portion control plan along with the exercise program I'm doing. I'm on week 10 of the 12-week program starting today! This week it says to do 5 intensive workouts instead of 4 though. :-/ I have a hard enough time fitting in 4 so it might be a no-go. Last week was a wash for loss due to TOM but hopefully I'll see 162 (and 10lbs lost) on Friday.

Good for you, Becky. It's always easier when you have someone to do it with. Even with virtual friends it usually ends up with everything on your own shoulders. That said, I'm two weeks in on a challenge and am about 2 1/2 pounds down. Several more weeks to go and I do hope that in the end I end up with a substantial loss (15 or more pounds).

Jessica, is that 5 intensive workouts in a week? I've been doing 6, but certainly not intensive. Of the 6, I'd count two as intensive, one easy and the rest moderate. The intensive ones are on the weekends when I have more time--and it showed this weekend as I've been a bit sore.

Yesterday I spent almost all day making Bolognese sauce for lasagna. I increased the recipe and made one small lasagna for dinner last night (with leftovers for a second dinner) and froze a larger lasagna for when my in-laws return in October. I had just one small piece and a large serving of salad. It was hard to resist temptation for seconds, but I did it!

Allison, they're the program's "intensive" workouts as opposed to the "core" workouts which I do every day. The core workout is a short series of exercises (takes about 15 minutes to do two rounds) that is not designed to get your heart rate up, just for some strengthening. The intensives are a 20-minute circuit training routine -- basically low-impact strength moves but done continually with short breaks so you get your heart rate up. I used to have time to do lots of long workouts all the time, but these days I can fit in 20 mins on my lunch break at work if I don't have too many meetings scheduled, and it's hard to get them done on the weekend. Theoretically I could do it every day at work, but the workouts are a lot of squats and lunges and I can't do it more than two days in a row without needing a rest day.

Allison, now you have me thinking about lasagna, which is the LAST thing I need to be thinking about. There's just nothing in the world better than a piece of fresh lasagna and a glass of good red wine.

Tonight's workout involves moving furniture. It's also a dinner-only day. K.I.S.S. principle in action!

I saw 160 this morning. It was surreal; but yeah, right here is the "overweight" label and it simply is that. I did it, and I will undo it.

My new "diet" has no food restrictions. Granted I try to get as many vegetables as possible, but if I want lasagna, then lasagna I'll have--but a small portion. I feel really good about having only one small serving!

And last night I fixed chicken breasts, stuffed with Gorgonzola, parsley and onions and then wrapped in bacon and baked. These were HUGE chicken breasts! I could only eat half! Victory!

At this rate, I seem to be losing about 1/2 a pound a week which is REALLY slow but at least I'm losing AND I don't feel deprived because I can still eat anything I want (although the office candy dish is out of the picture).