I'm glad to hear that you are back on the wagon, Troo. High fiber cereal with fruit sounds really good. Nice walk sounds really good too.

I'm at work right now, no cereal or fruit available, and walking...in this weather would be a VERY BAD idea....as we just had tornado warning lifted this evening. I made some baked pork cutlet and brought some kimchi (korean pickled cabbage) for lunch/dinner and will try to eat not so much of it so that it won't affect tomorrow morning's weigh-in.

Trooworld that is great that you decided to stay with the team. You know I am in same boat as you I really gained weight this last week and I am not talking just a pound. I have been really struggling so far through this minus the first week but I am going to get back on track this week and start losing. I do have to say that I have been exercising alot more then I normally do and that has to be a great plus....

I would also like to say Congratulations to all you graduates as well. Way to go

JenJen great job on the 2 lb loss that is great.

Well everyone have a great Monday!

You are so welcome! Are you reading Bob's book? he talks alot about changing that internal tape recorder. Every single person fighting to win the weight loss battle has slips, the success is in picking ourselves up and moving forward and thats what you are doing...WAY TO GO!!! Cant wait to hear how successful your tomorrow is!!!

Troo--STAY! I would miss you and your foodie enthusiasm! You know moving is VERY stressful! It is hard to plan and keep on plan when your life is not settled, not to mention having to unpack and learn new systems for everyday routines...please don't worry about letting the team down, it is more important that this is real for you...we cheer for real effort and we've ALL been there, none of us has done (or can do) this perfectly! Weight loss IS hard! Getting back up and refocusing is hard! If you feel you can do better in the midst of all your life changes we're behind you! That is HUGE and you can do it! One step forward is a step in the right direction!

Troo & others who feel overwhelmed or discouraged. The only way we really win this challenge is to stick together. We may not lose tons of lbs as a team but if we can all encourage eachother to lose a fraction it is all worth while. There is a qoute that basically says shoot for the stars and you may land on the moon. That is a good goal! Common team lets hang together and keep plugging away at it!

Good Morning Teammates!!! I'm baaaaaack - as some of you may know/remember I had an auditor with me at work for the past month or so and things have been stressful to say the least. He left on Friday and I'm hoping things will get back to normal now. The good part was that I maintained while he was here. I'm going to get back on track with exercising and journaling my foods again to see what I can do to jump start the losing again.

For those of you that have thought of giving up on this challenge - I was in the last TBL challenge (on the black team) and I started gaining weight and I just quit. No explanations to anyone - I just disappeared from posting and logging in. The only person I think I was quitting on was myself when I did that. Personally, I'd rather have you on the team and post a gain (at least then we all know we're human and not perfect) because we're not always going to be losers in this battle. Some weeks we'll be up a little and some we'll be down. But without each other to cheer us on or kick us in the behind when we need it I believe it would be a lot tougher to get through this and still be sane.

Anyway, enough of my soapbox. I'm just thrilled that I'm on this team and you all will be stuck with me through my ups and downs and I know I can count on you all to give me a boost when I need it. Everyone have a great Monday. I'll be back later after I clean off my desk.

Morning, all!

I'm having a rough time of it, but trying to increase my exercise this week and get back on plan eating wise! My birthday is in about a month and it would be nice to be in new territory weight wise. I got a family membership to one of the local rec centers with a really great indoor pool and the girls and I went swimming yesterday. This morning, I walked for 45 minutes, did weights for 30 minutes and swam for 45 minutes. If I can manage to not give into emotional eating thing for a few days and see some results, I should be good to go for awhile.

Reading through the new Biggest Loser hint book -- seems to be some cool ideas in there. They have a neat "flag" system to help keep you on track.

Glad you're staying, trooworld!

Good luck,

Barb

Troo, Chiquita, & Hope4me - I'm VERY glad to read you are all staying. Ditto with all that have considered quitting and chose to remain on the team!!

Keillynsmom - Great job getting back on the exercise!!

I had a loss today. Down 2.4 pounds! (I think it's over 2 pounds because I didn't lose anything last week.) My goal was to get out of the 170's and I DID!!! Yeeee-hawwwww!! I hope I never see 170 on the scale EVER again.

Anyway . . . I started HIIT this week. High Intensity Interval Training and I think it really helped jack up my metabolism. I burn more calories in a shorter period of time as well.

Who's the gardener that didn't clean house?? I'M JUST LIKE YOU. I'm one or the other. Yard or house . . . I've never been able to balance the two.

Let's all have a GREAT week!!

Yay! You are in the 160's!!!!

As far as the house goes, I need to clean BOTH the house AND the outside area. I live on a canyon and it is MESSY, a JUNGLE out there!!!

I am sooo excitied!!!

I lost 4.5 pounds this week and have stayed totally OP. This has been my third week in a row OP, going on four. I just pray for the stamina to stay strong as temptations come my way.

But anyways my only concern with the 4.5 pound loss is that we have had an entire weekend of 90-degree days and I fear that some of that loss has been from dehydration. One of my main goals for today is to rehydrate myself.

I was supposed to run early this morning, but I stayed over at a friends house and woke up late. I was still going to run but it is 92 degrees out now and with the possible dehydration, I figured it wasn't worth risking hurting myself. So I think I am going to do my cardio circuit strength training today in my cool house instead and just flip-flop my cardio and strength days for the week...it's all about being adaptable and being willing to make adjustments to the plan.

Hope everyone has had a great week! Don't get discouraged....think of how far you have come!

Tara: tornadoes? Yikes! You'd better stick with the indoor exercising! It sounds like you made a very healthy meal.

reda: Yeah, I just got on the scale and I weighed in 4.4 lbs higher than my last weigh in (I took a freebie week for week #4 and then the holiday freebie for week #5). So, don't feel bad...I wish I could say that it was only a 1 lb gain, but then again, I was afraid it was a bigger gain. When I went to the doctor's the other day, it was 3 lbs higher than that (I think because I had already eaten breakfast and lunch and have been eating a lot of salt)! Good for you for exercising more...and hang in there, we can both get back on track!

Melissa: I started reading Bob's book weeks ago but then got busy with everything and put it down. I will re-read that part, I definitely need to change the tape.

Manick: thanks for your support. Packing, and then the actual move was so stressful. During the move, my solid maple dining table got scratched to **** and I am so upset about it. I guess I can take some sandpaper to it and then varnish it but I wished I didn't have to do that. We don't have our stationary bike over here yet, it's still at the old place, and things are still a mess, so stress is still a factor around here. There seems to be no place to put things, it's a smaller place than our old place. Today, I am taking a step forward, if I can have one good day, I can have another one tomorrow and just string them together one day at a time. Today, I just need to use my Fitday and stick to my plan.

Julia: I like that quote, thanks for sharing.

chiquita: I know you are so glad that the auditor is gone. It would be tough having someone looking over your shoulder constantly. Congrats on maintaining. Are you an emotional eater? I know I am and that situation would have set me off!

Barb: that's great that you joined a rec center...and wow what exercise you got in! I love to swim, I wish I had a place to do it. I mean, I have the ocean but the water is way too cold to swim in. What is that flag system you are talking about? Sounds interesting.

ggmugsy: thanks so much for your support. AND CONGRATS ON THE WHOPPER OF A LOSS! I've heard interval training is really effective. When I ride the bike, I do interval training.

glitter: wow! Amazing loss. That's awesome!


To all of the rest of the team...as I said above to reda, I did have quite a gain and I am sorry. I can't say I'm going to lose it all this next week, even with perfect eating. I will try my best to get back on track and stay there. It will help me get back on track having to be accountable for my actions here. The first step to getting back on track for me was to weigh myself this morning. It's my TOM but I don't think that caused the gain, I don't usually gain from TOM. These are the things I need to do to get back on track:

1. weigh myself everyday
2. use my Fitday
3. get atleast 30 mins of exercise in.
4. stick with my eating plan

I love our new place. It's sunny, we are the entire top floor (that makes it sound like a huge apartment but it isn't), so there are many windows and a nice cross-breeze. It's an interesting neighborhood. Right next to a grocery store so no excuses as to not having time to run to the store to get something healthy. My downstairs neighbor is nice. She has a pug, too, and everyday atleast once a day, her pug comes up and scratches on our door to come in and visit. We let him in for a minute and he runs around and sniffs my pug and then we send him on his way. It's really cute.

Have a great day and sorry for the long post!

Well, Happy Monday everyone! I guess a lot has happened over the few days that I was away! I FINALLY posted a loss...a small one, but still a loss. It was TOm of this last week, so I t hink that makes it even better. I am also heading back to the gym again after a 2 week hiatus. That should help too!

Aside from weight loss issues, I am having some problems in my personal life. My bf's mom has a personal vendetta against me and is really trying to drive a wedge in our relationship. This week his family is coming out for his sister's graduation and they are staying for 2 weeks. I suggested that him and I go to the zoo with his brother and sister-in-law and their 2 boys. When he suggested it to his mom, she said to let her think about it. Last night she told him she wants to go to zoo, but it will be family only and I am NOT invited! She actually tried to claim that she had been planning the trip all along! We got into a huge argument last night b/c I told him he needs to grow some balls and stand up for me. I told him that he should say that if I am not welcome, then he won't be attending either! We have been together for almost 2 1/2 years, it's not like this is some new relationship or something! I am just so frustrated! My family is the complete opposite, they have welcomed my bf with open arms, even though they don't necessarily agree with my choice. It makes me SO angry that he allows her to rule his life so much and doesn't stand up for me! She said if I come she will make me wish I hadn't! Can you believe that a "grandmother" of 60ish years old would actually go down to that level of immaturity in front of her grandchildren?! And she puts on a big show at chruch like she is such a Christian! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I am just so at my limit! I am sorry for venting here, but I just don't know what to do! This all stemmed from April of '07. She went into the hospital for surgery and told Phil (my bf) that I was not welcome at the hospital to visit her b/c she only wanted family there. Well, when he left to go see her, I told him he better stop and get her some flowers and a card. Of course, since he did it on the way, I couldn't sign it. She is still pissed off that I didn't acknowledge her stay. She says I should've sent a card or visited her (even though I respected her wishes and didn't go)! Then she said I should've called. Maybe I should've, but I am pretty sure that most people don't consider calling someone when they were just told they weren't family so they aren't welcome at the hospital. If I am not family, then why do I even have an obligation to give a s**t that she is even in the hospital. All of this over that! Can you believe the nerve? I'm sorry that I keep going on...I am just beyond frustrated with the situation! Thanks for listening! Any suggestions are welcome! I don't know what to do!!!

Hi team,

Looks like several of us have hit that previously mentioned "honeymoon is over" period. I've been stalled for a few weeks. I started a BLC at the fitness center before this challenge started. At first I lost every week. Now I lose a couple and then stall. In thinking back to what was different was the type of exercise I was doing compared to what I'm doing now.

I have been doing so much physical activity outside with all the spring landscaping and horseback riding, that it has replaced some of the cardio exercise I was doing in March and April. Plus I do think that my body is getting used to the level of activity here the last few weeks compared to when I started in March. I am going to get back to doing more cardio work plus I am going to concentrate on doing higher intensity workouts.

The other thing I was doing was keeping better track of my caloric intake each day. I hate journalling and being rigid but I think its time for a check-up on how I'm really doing with calories.

As far as motivation, I have been trying to focus on NSV's. Since March, I've lost 15 pounds. My NSV's have been:
1. Actually losing something instead of being defeated by the scale.
2. My clothes are loser and look better (not so much like a stuffed sausage).
3. Being able to wear a pair of jean shorts that its been almost 3 years that I could wear.
4. Being able to get on my big horse with just the two-step mounting block instead of the three step.
5. Being able to ride without my legs being so sore afterwards.
6. Being able to swim along the bottom of the pool which I couldn't do last year.
7. Being able to do 30 minutes on the elliptical; when I first tried one at the beginning of March, I thought I was going to die at the end of two minutes.
8. Being able to jog on the treadmill for one minute increments.
9. Being able to do so much outdoor work without being in pain for days afterward; or being totally wiped out.
10. Being able to wear a pair of pants that when I tried them two years ago for the first time, the zipper broke. This time, room to spare.
11. Being able to sleep on my back and apparently no longer snore! (DH loves this one).

If losing 15 pounds makes this much difference, what would another 30 pounds do? This is great motivation to find out!

Troo - Don't feel that you need to apologize for a gain. We're all in this together and this isn't for a big money prize. I love the competition between the teams because it has been very motivating for me. But there is no "letting down the team" kind of thinking here. However, that's why we're here - to help each other and we all know what its like when life takes priority over fitness sometimes. Moving is one of life's most stressful events. We moved two years ago and I ended up bawling at both the old and new places because of all the stress. The pug coming to visit is so adorable. Hang in there and it will get better!!!!

blueyedlvrgirl - Holy cow, what a terror of a mother that woman is. Thank goodness, she's not yours! You have every reason to be angry. Sometimes, its easier to deal with the anger of a girlfriend/spouse than it is to make the family mad or be confrontational. You may have to talk to her yourself and find out why she is so against you and how do you make it work. Get her to tell you why she's angry still a year later! Especially if this relationship is headed for the long-term. Good luck!

glitterlicious - on your loss!!! Good job!

ggmugsy - on your loss too!!!

to all! I better get this posted and back to work.

Keep up all the great work team!

Hey, all,

glittericious: GREAT JOB!

ggmugsy: I've looked at HIIT works -- it looks great and very adaptable -- even at a beginning fitness level like mine, I can just adapt for my own intensity scale and hopefully, I can keep doing any thing for 10 minutes, then go down to my regular levels if I have to. I'm looking for IPOD stuff to keep the minutes for me or at least let me know when I should switch up -- how are you keeping track or just watching the timer?

trooworld: from the BL success book, they've come up with a series of "flags" (green/yellow/red) -- assessments as you review your plan and your progress to see if you're on track, starting to lose focus or completely off the rails. They're most common-sense stuff, like not having more than 2-3 sodas in a week or keeping your food diary up to date, getting in your workouts. It requires you actually plan and review and it's more of a self-check. I'm still reading through, collecting ideas.

Blueyedlvrgrl: I *know* exactly how you feel and I'm twenty odd years down the road. My MIL didn't say she loved me until nineteen years and two grandchildren into our marriage -- and only then because my BIL was being particularly obnoxious and difficult on a family trip and I was doing my level best to be accomodating and polite. Things have slipped back into regular Barb-doesnt-exist mode since then.

Barb

Hi Teamies!!

Jessica - congratulations!!!

GGmugsy - congrats on your loss!

Troo- glad you are staying! Who really cares about winning? BC if that was the case you all would've booted me off a lonnnggg time ago, lol!

Chiquita - welcome back!

Jenjen - great job on losing!

I actually ate more calories last week, and the freaking scale moved DOWN! woot!