ju5tdoit Me too, and Anokhi! That's my all-time favorite shop. Tried to PM you where I'm living now but I wasn't able to. Is that function turned off? Anyway I'm in south-central India, but not Maharastra

krampus congrats on your food success, walking past the junk food at the grocery store and all that. I've been powerwalking too due to an injury, but have to take the day off and just RICE it for a while. Hope yours heels soon.

Also, it's a helpful reminder to share that guesstimating works for you. It doesn't work for me at all. It's good to remember that everyone's body and strengths/weaknesses when it comes to diet and nutrition are different, and to let that be a major guide in deciding the most appropriate (and healthy) method for you.

lackadaisy PW, haha. Nice. I used to have awesome PWs but I think I have the opposite problem of you and need to up my fiber now. I read recently about how the healthier your diet is the more your food actually weighs, since it's more nutrient-rich, so PWs make sense.

Dianne yes, I find a big difference in what I eat. Because the calories are so restricted right now, I have to put a great deal of time and planning to ensure I'm getting enough nutritional bang-for-my-buck. I can't afford to eat anything that doesn't deliver a punch in terms of vitamins or protein, fiber, etc etc. I tried more intuitive eating- letting my body guide me to what made sense for that meal- and that only worked for a few pounds. I'm having to be more and more deliberate and careful about what I'm eating the closer I get to my goal.

pavvie I don't think I have to take a subject test. For you or whoever else who asked, I'm looking at either an MPA or MA in international relations or possibly a PhD in governance studies. My background is highly specialized in one area of governance studies so it would lend itself well to a PhD. I may start out with a master's and switch to a PhD program after two years- a number of schools I'm looking at allow that. We'll see how ambitious I feel

Cheers, all!

Lovelies, I think it's time I 'fess up: this thesis is not getting done. I am working out every day, eating on-plan or there-abouts (finally getting my full calories now with a bunch of broccoli/carrots, thank goodness), and becoming more self-confident and happy with food, my thesis matters more. I can't even care if I gain 10 lbs in the next week; I need to graduate and maybe, just maybe, go to grad school in two years.

So I'm turning on a site blocker to keep myself of 3FC for the next five days, during which time I'll only maybe be logging in to note my daily accountability. I wish I didn't have such horrible self-control issues that they'd transfer to this, but there you go. Procrastination over. <3

Indiblue: I have no idea if my PM option is turned off. I went and rummaged through all my account options to no avail! Is it difficult to lose weight in India? Are you in a gym? It's tricky getting your cardio in, while I'm there I try to do the minimum yoga and crunches but pretty much gain 5 pounds anyway.

lackadaisy Poop! I gotcha! Good luck on your thesis!

I'll be back later to do more chat after my exercise for the day is done.

Yes It's really hard. I want to say "It's impossible!!!" but that doesn't get me anywhere in my weight loss goals so I won't. India is the reason I gained weight- when I moved here I gained 7 lbs which piled onto an already upper-end of the BMI 'normal' range.

In the US I was walking to the subway and home 3 miles a day, plus going to intensive yoga classes. I had access to health food stores where I could buy protein bars, flax seeds, low-fat versions of regular food, and all that yummy stuff. Restaurants have low-calorie options flagged on their menus.

Here, as you know, food is incredibly calorie and fat dense, and I cannot turn down seconds and thirds unless I want to completely infuriate an aunty and embarrass my host. You're totally right about getting in cardio-- I cannot walk anywhere, for both logistical and cultural purposes (forget running, psh. I'm living in a very conservative city. I have to wear pants and a long-sleeve shirt just to walk down to the gym in our apartment complex.) I joined a yoga studio for about five months, but the are not 'power' at all- and are taken by and targeted to women who have never worked out in their life. I'm not in a gym but I will definitely be joining one after my full-time job starts and I can afford it! Right now I'm using the rinky-dink one in our complex.

All that to say I love India, it's just adding some very challenging factors to my weight-loss process. I'd welcome any tips you have on how to keep trim here!

lackadaisy, best of luck on your thesis! Believe me, I understand. I was where you are at around this time about eight years ago. Good luck to you!

I haven't been around much the last couple of days due to both good reasons (lots of workouts!) and less fun reasons (too much busy stuff going on at my job that's been stressing me out). Which is probably why I've been so good about my workouts, since they're my stress reliever. However, this morning I'm down another half a pound after a multi-day plateau, so YAY for that! (My ticker is showing 120, but it's actually 120.5 right now.)

I've added a new goal for myself, to get down to 119 by the time spring has officially arrived. I think I can do it if I keep persevering! I'm going on a vacation in May to warm climates, so it'd be nice to at least have a bikini OPTION, even if I chicken out when it comes to actually wearing it in public.

Hello Feathers- I wouldn't say I've been off the wagon... I've been running along side it and holding on. lol Basically maintaining.

I've been completely enraptured in knitting while listening to a book series on my ipod all week.

Today I will- stay under 1300 calories, get on the treadmill while kiddo naps and limit myself to 2 cups of coffee followed by green tea later in the day. NO BAKING.

Happy Friday Feathers!!!

Lackadaisy Im sad you arent going to be on here as much But I understand you need to get your work done! So kudos for making yourself get on it!

Krampus UGH! Thank you for that confession. It makes me feel SOOOOOOO much better. So you have only been on plan for 4 consecutive days and the mess up AND still losing weight? You are my inspiration. I really hope my body is the same way!

Justdoit Yea weighing every day made me go crazy. So now I am not weighing at all until I feel a definite change in the way my clothes are fitting (if they feel bigger not smaller )

Indiblue I had NO idea that India was so bad with food. I had NO idea anywhere was worse than the America lol I thought our obese rate was the highest?

Katt99 Welcome back! Long time no see (?)..Congrats at being 120!!! Ok 120.5. BUt thats awesome!!!

Changed haha I feel ya! Im running right along side with you!

Wow is it March? I was looking for the February thread and saw this one and realized it is actually March.
I have had a few rough weeks and haven't been to the gym since the middle of February.

The second last week in February was super stressful and since I had to stay late at work almost every night I did not go to the gym.

Last week I was suffering through what appeared to be a cold taking its time developing. I had a sore throat and was feeling congested so I decided to rest. This past weekend after suffering through a fever severe sore throat and headaches I saw a doctor and found out I had both a sinus and throat infection. On anti-biotics and I am on the mend but congestion persists along with exhaustion making exercise difficult.

So in the last three weeks no gym, very ill and lots of stress. To cope I have been binging on Easter candy. Surprisingly with all these obstacles I have not gained any weight. I am currently maintaining around 152-151 which I am pretty impressed with but seriously need to buckle down and focus since I have set my goal of 130-125 for June.

Dianne The food is "bad" in a different way than in the US. There's very little packaged/processed here, but portion sizes are massive and a lot of food, like curries is centered around ghee (clarified butter) and cream.

I have no idea what the obesity/overweight percentages of the population here is... I'd imagine a good percentage are overweight though (ju5tdoit what would you think?). Due to cultural reasons, women don't exercise, except wealthier women in more cosmopolitan towns, or Indians who grew up in the UK or US. That said, the large number of Indians who do manual work (domestic labor, factories, etc) get a ton of exercise throughout the day, and a lot of people walk to the grocery store, etc, elements of regular exercise that are missing in the car-centered US.

Ideas of health, low-carb, low-fat are slowly making in-roads among people, again, mainly the upper class. I'm still living in a pretty conservative, just-emerging city, so access to health food and good gyms is very limited, though definitely on the rise.

Veela sorry you've been sick lately- I hope you're able to fully recover soon and meet your goal!

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Well, due to LOTS OF EATING OUT in the past few days I'm feeling large and gross today. I really feel like I need to focus on lots of light fresh fruits and vegetables today to clean my body of the heavy rice and curries I've been dwelling in over the past 48 hours. I'm hovering closer to 130, which is huge incentive to run away fast from that number. Hopefully will get in a good bit of exercise today. I need to up the strength training.

Indiblue and Diaane
You know, the obesity rate as well as Type 2 diabetes rates have pretty much skyrocketed in India. There's this notion in the middle class that after you've had your kids, well..it's pretty much do what you want.

I know that culturally going for a run outside is greeted with laughter. I've tried to do so in Nagpur (where I was born) when ever I go back. Also, I remember when I was a child in Nagpur and Goa in the evenings, we would (as a family) go out for a walk...just out and about. That is totally missing from today's Middle class. Now, both parents work and the kids are shuttled from school, to tutoring, to after school stuff by maids, and drivers.

In major cities, unless you can afford a gym or can't afford food, you're SOL! It's get fat or not eat. And not eating or dieting is somehow frowned upon and weightloss is commented on by (generally), "Are you sick?" You have lost so much weight!

And like indiblue said, the food is wholesome in that it's made fresh, from ingredients bought at the market that day, after being picked from the farm that morning...but the idea that you could be full after one helping is just not accepted...bla...

I go for 2 weeks every two years. And I don't snack, I don't overeat. I still gain 5 pounds.. e v e r y s i n g l e t i m e !

I wanted to report an NSV. I am a teacher and each year we take class pictures, which usually involve me having a major wardrobe crisis, a bad hair day, a zit, and a photographer who says "tuck you chin...tuck it some more. Ok...say CHEESE" and I am left with several chins to compliment my hot mess.

Not this year! I am 12 lbs. lighter than in last year's pic, and even with the tucked chin, I have only one in the picture! My waist looks teeny. I am thrilled! Usually class pictures is the time of year that I have a depressing wake up call, hop on the scale and discover that I gained 15 pounds since September.

I am proud of myself this year. I am the lightest I have been in years. The only problem is my skinny jeans that I used to tuck in my boots are now too baggy so I guess I need to go shopping!

kwinkle, that's awesome! I had a similar victory late last year. There are always pictures taken from Halloween through New Year's at various holiday parties. Holiday time in 2009 was fraught with bad pictures of me where I looked happy but more than a little doughy. This Halloween, not only was I no longer doughy, but because I KNEW I wasn't, I looked even happier! Woo for not hating pictures anymore!

And hey, nothing wrong with needing to go shopping. That's half the fun of losing weight. "Oh, but it's not just clothes shopping for FUN, dear. All my clothes are far too big!"

Yay kwinkle!!! It's hard sometimes to tell in photos when we as feathers lose weight, because changes are often subtle, but you've made terrific progress so congratulations! Having to buy new skinny jeans is a great problem to have :-D

kat glad to hear you've had some good similar experience with taking photos too!

ju5tdoit yes, those have been my experiences as well! The worst thing is that not only- here at least, i'm in AP- do people laugh when you run but guys can't handle it. Where I am is extremely conservative and seeing a girl in anything tighter than a tent (i.e. workout clothes, even loose ones) is a rare thing that they surely take advantage of. Cat calls, staring, even grabbing, are commonplace and acceptable in the culture. Seeing a girl running or walking outside for exercise... well that is just even more invitation to "Eve tease."

There were about 30 women- all upper class, wealthy- in my yoga class, and I'd say only 8 were within a normal weight range for their height and 1 was "thin".

The two big positives for weight loss are definitely fresh, cheap veggies all the time (totally agree on that), and having a housekeeper. As weird as it is to have a housekeeper, it's par for the course here so you might as well use it to your best advantage. I ask ours to wash and cut vegetables, keeps peeled garlic on hand, etc. It makes preparing meals a lot more inviting. For those two reasons I'm quite grateful!

ju5tdoit, do you eat lettuce/spinach in India? So many people don't and advise not to because of e-coli issues. I do, I just wash my lettuce/spinach extremely well. I know it's taking a risk but I would die without fresh salads.

Also, it's helpful and a source of support to hear someone else's experiences in India so thank you for sharing them with me
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In other news, 128.8 today!!!!! TALK ABOUT A WHOOSH!!! So motivated to work out and eat super on-plan again today.

Hi all, hope you're doing well.

I haven't weighed today, thinking about weighing once or twice a week because I get so obsessed by the numbers. I ate a ton yesterday because of the buffet but I'm back on plan (mostly) today and have gotten in decent exercise. I've been having a tough time with relationship stuff but I haven't been eating my feelings or wanting to binge, which is pretty cool. Went a bit crazy on a box of Reeses Puffs with my bf earlier today so dinner is 2 small cucumbers sliced and plated, a zero calorie jelly, and tons and tons of tea.

kwinkle I love photographs post weight loss too. Congratulations! I love clothes shopping, esp. for teeny sizes!

Changed As far as I'm concerned, holding on is a heck of a lot better than letting go completely! Kudos on making positive changes again! I look forward to getting to know you!

krampus 2 cucumbers sliced! I admire your resolve!

indiblue I do not eat any type of salad in India. My "diet" conists of trying to eat only one serving of food, avoiding dessert and upping my fruit intake. Never works. Weight is ALWAYS gained.

Ok. So. I've been watching some pilates videos on youtube and am going to try some out as soon as I log off. We had a get together on Saturday but the eating was still level and I workd out. Sunday was my rest day and I lazed around with the children. It was utter bliss! Today, back to working out..I'm doing weights and cardio today....am going to try to split up the upper body and lower body weights again. Doing the entire body takes TOO much time. I think the entire body I'll save for next Sunday and make Saturday my rest day.

Hope you all are doing well this Monday morning!