fatpants - no worries! These threads are hard to keep up with! : ) Would love to get together for a beer sometime! I'm one pound away from joining you in the 160s - can't wait! Are you noticing a big difference in your running as you get lighter?

TC - have you tried the gum trick? Once you've eaten what you know is the right amount, pop in the stick of gum. My mom has done it her whole life and has stayed at 120lbs since high school. Just a thought...

Dancer - I did the gum thing throughout most of my weight loss and it definitely worked, though all that artificial sweetener sometimes gives me a tummy ache!

Ok, big confession - Today was my worst day in all 5 months since I started losing weight and changing my lifestyle! I know lately I've been eating a lot more, but it's been healthy stuff and mostly because I've been bored, but today I scarfed down a bunch of white rice, a cookie and chips - all foods I haven't even touched in the past 5 months! It was an insanely stressful day and I knew I was stress eating, but it was awful. It was bound to happen at some point and I'm surprised it took 5 months, but it felt so crappy and really gave me a glimpse of the old me. I hate the old me! Luckily, I went to spinning and yoga and now am feeling a little bit better. I know I can do this but I have to whole heartedly recommit. I have an exam in a week but I think now is the best time because if I can make it through this kind of stress, I can most definitely make it through all the others times!

Ok - here's to being a healthy person, mentally and physically!

Hi ladies,

Only 1 week left in the challenge! After another week of barely maintaining after my sister's wedding, I'm DEFINITELY going to be reminding you all that I set my end date to the U2 concert on Sept. 20th I don't stand a chance of making goal at this point, but that's OK with me. I've developed some good habits and I'm still motivated to keep it up...which is much different than most of my weight-loss efforts at this point. And now that school is back up and running (today is the first day of class) I'm pleased that some classmates have asked if I've lost weight this summer

Sister's wedding was really fanastic, though total caloric overload. Seriously, I'm so glad I maintained! Lots of food, sweets, booze, and sitting around in salons

Today I'm starting a 2 week stretch of getting back in the fitday.com logging habit. I think that I"m a bit stalled overall in terms of my meals and planning, so I'm looking for a good opportunity to check back in with calories and nutrition.

On that note...off to get breakfast and off to class. Have a great last week everyone! We'll start the new thread next Monday, then? Will we call it "Sexier by Thanksgiving?"

kp

Morning, ladies! Love the idea for the new thread, kpme - looking forward to hanging with you guys until Thanksgiving (and beyond?). Maintaining is a good thing to know how to do and I think taking maintenance breaks along the way can help save our sanity!

TC - Whatever you ate the other day, it was temporary and it's over. Have you bounced back okay?

Fatpants - what's new with you?

I'm a little ahead of schedule and still looking forward to breaking into the 160s - with luck, before Monday! I've learned that if you lean to the side you can make the needle on the scale move a bit which is a dangerous thing to know so it may be time to upgrade scales as I'm not sure I can unlearn that : )

Here's my progress so far:
June 8:190: 190
June 15:188: 189
June 22:188: 188
June 29:186: 187
July 6:184: 184
July 13:182: 181
July 20:182: 179
July 27:180: 178
Aug 3:178: 178
Aug 10:176: 176
Aug 17:176: 174
Aug 24:174: 172
Aug 31:172:170

LABOR DAY Sept 7: 170

Hello everyone! Hope you had a fantastic weekend. Mine was way too busy...would have liked to stay in bed all day and nap considering the weather yesterday (cold, drizzly, just plain yuck!)

I was at 166.2 Saturday morning before TOM hit...I know I'm retaining some major water right now but I don't think I'll have a problem hitting my Labor Day goal of 165 by the end of the week... gosh just a week left!! How is everyone else doing??

Dancer - yes I definitely did find my running getting easier with weight loss. When I was 185 and around the time this challenge started, I knew I wanted to be in the 160s by my first race because I just figured being 20 lbs less would help and it certainly does. I have read that for every pound loss, it's the equivalent of 4 lbs of pressure on your knees. Just 10 lbs lost means you're putting 40 lbs less of pressure on your knees... I figure this MUST translate into an easier time running haha. Congrats on being one lb away from the 160s!!! That's exciting!

TC - ugh I have days like that too..usually a few days before TOM haha. It's like, hmm, what else can I shovel into my mouth today? At least NOW we recognize it and stop it before it gets too out of hand.

kpme - love the new challenge idea! Can't wait to put another challenge behind me and move forward.

Here's to a start of our FINAL week, everyone!! Good luck!

Kpme - Good job maintaining through a wedding weekend! That's really impressive. Good luck on starting back at school! I know the first few weeks were really tough for me with adjusting to being back and all that, so I'll be sending you good thoughts! I'm sure it'll be great!

Dancer - YOU REACHED YOUR GOAL!!! You've lost 20 freakin pounds since we started! That's insane! I'm so happy for you! I can't wait to see your progress in our next challenge. And thanks for your continued support

Fat Pants - You're so close to your goal. How awesome! Keep up the good work!

As for me, I'm doing MUCH better than I was on that day I last posted here. I've had a couple of really good days, got my butt on the treadmill this morning even though I really wanted to sleep, and really plan to stay on track here. Minor problem, my bday is tomorrow! This week will be fine because I have an exam on Friday so I'm basically at school all day and don't have time to munch, but Friday night...uh oh...I don't wanna work hard all week to get down a few pounds and then gain it all back on Friday night! Oh well, I guess I can celebrate in moderation and hope for the best.

Anyway, I can't wait for our next challenge because I really do wanna get down to 130, so I think I'm ready to get back on the weight loss bandwagon with you ladies, especially since you're all kicking so much butt!

5/21/09(SW): 147.4
5/25/09: 145.8
5/31/09: 144.6
6/8/09: 143.6
6/15/09: 140.8
6/22/09: 140.4
6/29/09: 138.8
7/6/09: 137.4
7/13/09: 137.4
7/20/09: 138.4
7/27/09: 137.6
8/3/09: 139.0
8/10/09: 138.4
8/17/09: 134.8
8/24/09: 136.8
8/31/09: 138.8

TC - glad you're on the rebound! You've done so super well all summer - very impressive! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see those kind of numbers on my scale someday!

TC - Hope that you have a fantastic birthday! Thanks for all the new school year good thoughts...I need all that I can get. The fall of the second year of law school is notoriously stressful, and I can attest that the 9 hour day I put in yesterday was a good indicator. At least I got away to get to my Monday night weight class I like so much.

Congrats to eveyrone on being so close to goal! I'm jealous! You're all motivating me for Thanksgiving!

kp

I have firmly decided I WILL meet my challenge goal of 239 by next Monday (positive self talk!). I have 3 pounds to lose in one week, and I WILL accomplish this.

Black is goal, red is actual. The blank weigh-ins are when I was traveling and don't know what I weighed.

June 1:....260....260
June 8:....259....257
June 15:..257... 256
June 22:..255... 255
June 29:..254
July 6:....253
July 13:..251
July 20:..250 ... 250
July 27:..249 ... 247(class reunion July 31st goal)
Aug 3:....248
Aug 10:..246 ... 247
Aug 17:..245 ... 246
Aug 24:..243 ... 243
Aug 31:..241 ... 242

LABOR DAY Sept 7:....239

You've got this in the bag, CJ! Way to go!

CJ - What a great attitude! Keep up the good work! We're all rooting for you!

Kpme - Thanks for the birthday wishes! Sadly, I'm off to school to study all day, but it's a good day nevertheless Hope being back at school is going well! Just remember how hard you've worked to get to this point in your healthy life and don't let stress ruin it!

i'm starting over today, and it just happens to be the 1st. finally, all these birthdays are over....no more parties, cake, and food. there were 3 birthdays in a row in my family this past weekend. somehow, i have pretty much maitianed through it all, but now i'm looking to start losing again. treadmill, here i come!

sw: 180.4
gw: 168

June 15: 180.4
June 22: 179.8
June 29: 176.4
July 6: 175.4
July 13: 175.4
July 20: 177.6 bummer!!!!
July 27: 175.8....i can see it's time to step up my game
Aug 3: 173.8 yay!
Aug 10: 174.2
Aug 17: 172.8
Aug 24: 176.4....
Aug 31: 174.0

Sept 7: (final weigh-in)

CJZee - You can TOTALLY make your goal!!

TC - Sorry you had to spend it at school but it sounds like you have a great celebration weekend planned!

dancer: CONGRATS on hitting your Labor Day goal!!! You rock!

Well I have officially hit my Labor Day goal with 5 days left.. going to see if I can eek out another pound before Monday. DH is hiking Uncompaghre/Wetterhorn this weekend so I am left to my own devices... stay away, pizza delivery man!!

Fatpants - happy dance for making your goal - woohoo! And you will resist the pizza man, I just know it! Stock up on a bunch of healthy skinny food ahead of time - you've totally got this! : )

Labor Day is three days away!!! How is everyone doing??

Just checking in for my final weigh in...

SW: 185
CW: 165
GW: 165