Hi girls,

Abby - stick with it! It's sooo worth it. Check out http://www.whyquit.com It's a really good resource!

I did a great hour very vigorous walk today. That's the good. Eating has been so-so.

I need to get the exercise AND eating on track at the same time!

Thanks Iris, I actually prefer the winter and fall, sometimes spring weather if it's cool, seasons to run, in the summer I just die from the humidity and sun beaming down on me... It could also be that I'm afraid of heat exhaustion, I have this fear of passing out on the sidewalk, like a wuss ...

Today I shovelled snow, lotsa snow here but it was pretty tonight though, the second time we shoveled the snow was thin and easy to push... So almost 2 hours of shoveling counts as my workout...

I'm still dropping into old habits when I'm emotionally upset and/or feeling sorry for myself.

Last night I was really sad due to the death of a dog and the cancer diagnosis of another that I walk every day. I was also exhausted from shovelling, driving, and walking through the storm all day.

I found a bag of german Christmas cookies that I'd stashed in my closet for when DH's sister was supposed to visit. I ate them in front of the TV. I knew they wouldn't make me feel better but they were there.

The house is "junk food" free now so I'll have to find another way to cope. I can't cry, which is what I wanted to do, because the next day I look like I've been punched in both eyes. And the houses in our neighbourhood are too close together and too poorly insulated to scream.

Today will be OP.

Dagmar

I love snack pack sugar free chocolate pudding. They are about 70 cal each and taste so good. I also like to put a little bit on granola on top of them for a lil crunch. Its been my after diner snack as of late.( I need something sweet to eat while I watch my boyfriend consume chistmas cakes like its nuttin lol)

Abby- good luck with your quitting! I know its difficult but if you need any visuals as to why you should quit, google that commercial they have where they squeeze the goo out of the lung of a 32 yr old smoker. That commercial freaks me out! and I dont even smoke!

Dagmar- I am sorry to hear about the loss of the dog. I myself am also very emotionally attached to animals and I am the type of person who cries everytime that spca commercial comes on. Sometimes you just have to cry. Its the only way to get out all those bottled up emotions. Give yourself one good cry and then put some tea bags on your eyes before bed. Youll feel alot better and still look fabulous!!!

As for me...I am in this weird depressed rut lately.I have slowly tried to convince myself that my bf isnt attracted to me anymore. I just feel like he never compliments me like he used to in the beginning of our relationship. When I brought it up to him he looked at me like I was crazy for thinking that. And I thought to myself, do I have a right to feel this way or am I just convincing myself of this so that I have another reason to feel sorry for myself? I just feel like since I started to lose some weight about a month ago compliments have really stopped all together. Not saying I need him to give me a large ego everyday, but I just feel like even the small stuff has stopped. Especially now when I have been working really hard at reaching my goal. It just really makes feel kinda sad. I have an amazing boyfriend who treats me wonderfully and who is the love of my life and I am thankful for him everyday I wake up next to him. I just kinda wish he would give my self esteem the jolt it really needs..

Sorry for babbling...Tomorrow is friday!

I have to really watch those lowcal desserts. Every time I get them the next thing I know I am eating the full force stuff. I am really better off just having NOTHING.

I've been struggling for so long now, 1 day on 4 days off - it is getting silly.

The rest of the holiday cookies really need to be out of the house... I'm staying at my parents until Tuesday and my mom's cookies are getting stale but I'm still eating them!! dang!

jerseygirl, sometimes compliments and things tend to come less often once the beginning of a relationship has passed and a guy feels more comfortable with you and the relationship... your bf probably still finds you very attractive, but I agree it can be kind of a downer to your self esteem when the compliments become less frequent!

Thanks Mudpie and Irishwhispers. I did get the skinny cow and it is pretty good. I got the ice creme sandwichs .

Well, for some reason I couldn't get on 3fatchicks last night. It kept saying the servers were busy. I had such a good day yesterday, too. I ate perfectly on plan and walked on my treadmill for 30 minutes. Now today is another story. I just feel really down in the dumps today and, for me, that spells trouble. I have been eating everything in site today. I'm going to try and get this back in control (at least by tomorrow)

I know the feeling, Mudpie, when you just feel like a good cry would do you a world of good. I too, have those 2 day puffy (after the cry) eyes. I try to hold it in until a Friday night when I will not be around anyone I know for a couple of days. I know that sounds silly, but I really do look bad after a cry. But, sometimes you just gotta let it out when ever it hits you. So, if you need to, go ahead and cry . Ice helps sometimes with the eye swelling.

I want this day to be over with

I prefer running in cooler weather, but seriously? Cooler is in the 50's for me! But my next door neighbor likes the heat. You know we live in the desert, right? She'll go on a 5 to 10 mile run at noon in the summer. Think 120 degrees!

That is CRAZY. dh is like that though, he used to love running in peak heat in Austin.

I like cold better than hot. Ideal is anywhere from 20 -50. I'll tolerate up to about 55 if it is shady, rainy or cloudy.

Oh, me too, like you! But, we're both in So Cal During the hotter times of the summer, it's too hot for my taste even pre-dawn. But I still go (I actually started running in August).

Julie~when I started running was late July 2006. I'd get up at about 4:15 AM and I started the c25k program using a podcast on my ipod. It was horrible! Even at 4 AM the temperatures were in the 90s with the humidity that accompanies that time of year. I stuck to it, though and managed to get almost to running a (very slow) 5k within about 10 weeks. After that, I still went 3 times a week through the cold winter and into spring. I had some minor surgery in April and stopped running (but continued to walk after dinner). Then last summer I decided I needed to run again, but I just couldn't get myself psyched up enough to go outside, so I joined the gym. I was pretty faithful in going to the gym where I'd do the treadmill for half an hour and then do weights, but when school started I kind of slacked off. I was tired of the high schoolers hogging the machines and gabbing on their phones (no manners at all). Anyway, we got a treadmill and I love it! I've been going at least 5 days a week for 45 minutes each day and I think I'm doing quite well. I don't know what it'll be like when it heats up this summer--the bedroom that my treadmill is in doesn't always get AC.

Hi girls,

It's really cold here today in Virginia, but I can't imagine running in the temps some of you are describing! 50, I think, is about as low as I want to work out outside.

Alright, now I need to whine a bit... I am so mad at myself. I NEED TO GET MY ACT TOGETHER!!! The last 3 years we have done the Biggest Loser at work from Jan through April. I did it two years ago, starting at about 148 and got to about 138 or so. It was tough, but I was very focused and determined and was just consistent with eating and exercise.

Last year I regained I started again back at 147 and got to about 140. Well, this year I have really just thrown all caution to the wind. I got very busy in August, coaching field hockey - extremely time consuming especially while teaching English full time. I didn't eat well (fast food after games, etc.) and didn't exercise. This is not like me, but I just got into a REAL SLUMP.

Well, I finally got the nerve to weigh a week or so ago, here at home on my WW digital scale, which I thought was pretty accurate. 152!!!! Well, as though that wasn't bad enough, this morning at our first weigh in, I was 156! Now my scale and the clinic scale may be a bit off, plus I was naked at home and wearing heavy wintry clothes at school. STILL... Argh. I'm editing to add that I then ran home during planning period to get my jump drive, jumped on my WW scale to corroborate the #, and was dismayed to see 158!!!! So, I will put 158 on ticker and go from there.

So, a combination of less than stellar eating, little exercise, and slowing metabolism (probably the smallest of the factors), and COMPLACENCY has pushed me up to my all time highest weight.

I remember Barbara (haven't seen her around at all!) used to have the tag line "Constant Vigilance"...well, the lesson here for me is that without constant vigilance, I will not only NOT LOSE, I will GAIN! I have essentially gained 20 lbs. (up and down) in the last two years, all the while being a 3FC member, knowing the lifestyle choices I need to make, but just NOT MAKING THEM.

Today is a day of change for me. It has to be. I can't imagine next year being 166, then 176, then 186, and so on. The time is now.

Claire - i am right there with you. In August 2007 I was 127 and now I am 140 and I have been exercising like mad, but not watching my food.

And I am still struggling with my food. For some reason the past year I have been fighting myself and I am not sure why.

Right now I am working on bringing order in to the rest of my life and hoping that eating follows because the more I try to order my eating the more disordered it gets.

Today I quit my job....and I feel like the biggest weight has been lifted off my shoulders!

For once I am really starting to take control of my life. Although by doing this I am taking a HUGE risk in this economy, I know that this is what I had to do to free myself of a huge and unhealthy amount of stress. When I turned 25 this past nov I made myself a promise that 2009 was going to be the year of change, and so far it is going as planned.

Any good plans for the weekend feathers???

Hi everyone. I am back. And I feel I am in the right place. You are all saying just what I am thinking even down to most of the numbers. Must remember not to get too complacent. Its been a year I see lots of new faces and lots of my old friends. I'd like to loose 10 in 10 weeks and 20 more by summer.