I know what your saying about phase 1. I need to get my butt in gear. Next week will be much easier and I will be more focused. I'm sure you'll be able to stick with it. If we could do it for 9 days before you can definitely do it for 3!

About arm exercises.... well I always liked push ups and triceps dips. There are so many. I guess even plank poses will help with that. I find they help a lot with all over toning. bicep curls are good too. There is this one move called a v-raise. You lift the weight from your sides up to eye level making a V. I usually squat as I'm lifting the weight. So you palms are facing up and they come together towards eye level. I know its not the best description! Sorry.

Well I didn't gain weight but didn't lose any either. Oh well. As long as I don't gain I'm ok. I would like to lose though. Hopefully you lost!!

Well let me know how phase 1 goes!

Well Thanksgiving was a total disaster!!! I ate too much the day before and pigged out on Thanksgiving. Plus the day after was almost as bad. Today wasn't much better but I am definitely being more careful. I haven't weighed myself in fear that I gained back all the weight I lost. Its just so hard right now. I'm stressed, I have 2 days before I leave, and everyone wants to eat out. I feel yucky from eating so crappy. I can't wait to get in a good routine again.

Enough about that... how was your Thanksgiving?

Well I might try to post before I leave but if not I will post when I am settled in. It will be nice to finally relax!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Ok finally made it to Maui!!! So glad I'm here and in the nice weather. I'm glad to hear you had a good Thanksgiving! It's been hard trying not to eat too much while I've been traveling. I went to California for a couple days and ate whatever I wanted. I did watch portion sizes but I definately didn't get enough veggies! Now that I'm "home" I will be getting on track tomorrow. I have a party to go to today so I know I will be drinking wine and eating so no point in trying to start today!

Glad to hear your starting back on detox! Thats great that your BF is joining you. It always helps when you have someone else eating the same foods with you. Make it eaier to stay away from temptations! And honestly the whole coffee thing... I really don't think that it makes much of a difference if you have one cup a day. Just my opinion. I drink a lot of tea and I won't give that up for anything! And abut weighing yourself... I know how you feel. I'm not going to weigh myslef till tomorrow to get an accurant measurement. I'm hoping that all that hared work didn't go to waste, but I'm sure I'm back where i started. I went shopping yesterday for food so I won't have any temptations this week!

Well keep me posted on your progress with the detox!

Lol I know what you mean about the bf thing when they try to diet with you. Can drive you crazy with all the complaining! I hate how guys lose weight so much faster! Totally not fair and can be discouraging.

Thats such a great compliment that your bf 's family says you look smaller! That can be much better then just losing pounds on the scale. Sometimes you think you weigh a lot but its about how you feel and look! I'm sure you will look great by the time that wedding comes! I am coming to the realization about how squishy I look around my stomach! Yikes!! I need to kick it into high gear. I have had all my favorites since I've been back so now is the time to get started and get serious!

They party was fun. I didn't eat too much and stuck with fruit. I did however drink a little too much wine! Oh well its bound to happen this time of year.

Lol I totally know what you mean about sabotaging my diet efforts. I have been doing that for the last 2 weeks!! I can exercise without a problem. I actually like it. Its the eating.

Today I had some sort of good health and fitness intervention! I went down to sports authority and bought a barbell set. I have an elliptical machine and free weights from when I was previously living here. So now I have a "total gym" and no excuse not to work out! I bought this book to read on the plane ride here. Its called The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Its awesome as far as different weight lifting exercises but the diet is good if your maintaining weight not losing. The workout I did today was tough!! And it doesn't take long to do. I will be lifting 3 days a week and doing cardio on the other 2-3 days a week. Now for the eating... I will not be doing the Fat Smash. I know its dissapointing. It will be similar but I have to eat meat. If I can just follow through with this I better be buff by June!!!

Don't worry about the wedding. I'm sure you'll be fine and like you said one day at a time! At least its a dress and not a bathing suit which I have had to strut my walruss of a body around in.

Whenever I try on clothes and they don't fit or look right I do the same thing. I eat the worst crap ever. So weird.

I think its going to be difficult to give up the coffee at first but if you want to do it you can. Especially if it gives you cravings for sweet things it might be a good idea. I'm lucky I don't drink coffee that much. I like tea better. But when I do have coffee I want a scone to go with it!!

I can't believe you haven't put on a bathing suit in that long!!! What do you do when you have to go swimming?! I had to put on a two piece today and go in for a dip after work. I was so hot. And I'm very white!! I need a tan bad! I would have worn a one piece but I left it at the beach the other day!!! I was so pist. I left it in the changing room at the beach and then I went back to look for it the next day and it was gone! Who the **** takes a used bathing suit?! I don't know Its weird to me I guess. Plus it was the first time I wore it. Oh well...

Where are you going to be moving to? Some where warm?

Hey your doing really good and your pretty close to your goal. If you have a little something sweet now and then and a coffee occasionally its not going to sabatoge all your efforts. Its when you eat sweets everyday and have Ben and Jerry's for a snack at 9pm! It is a hard time of year and its probably the only time you really endulge yourself in "forbiden foods." I think if you stick with it 75% like you said you'll be just fine. Thats what I'm doing. I had such a yummy tofu dish today! It had a chili garlic sauce and stir fry veggies! It was really spicy and absolutely delicious!!!

Hey sometimes following a plan to the tee will drive a person crazy. I have found when I have done my best its when I followed my own version of many different stratagies. Right now I am cutting out bread, pasta, rice, and most sweets. So its mainly protein, veggies, beans, dairy, and high fiber wraps. I am going to give myself some days when I can eat what I want. Christmas and my birthday in January. I have to try the best I can but sometimes if I restrict myself to a certain plan it only last a few weeks. You'll find what works for you. Plus you figure you need to find the best way to eat forever not just a couple months at atime. Its about making better choices! Wow sorry about all the preaching!!

Hopefully the move to Georgia will bring a good job! Its so hard right now finding anything decent. What kind of job are you looking for if you don't mind me asking?

I did not make the tofu dish... I just can't seem to cook it right so I have just been getting tofu when I go out to eat.

I am a Capricorn. My birthday is January 5th! Thats funny that we both have birthdays so close to each other!

We are doing a good job! I will be weighing myself friday so I'm hoping there is a loss. I feel better and stronger so thats a plus. I do look a little better in the tummy area so hopefully I have lost an inch! Although I bet you are doing better then I am As far as eating good. I have some chips now and then with my sandwiches. Kinda need to stop that. Oh well tomorrow is another day right?!