Congratulations on the weight losses!!

Rusty I have to ask what is LAWL??? There can't possibly be a diet that exists I haven't heard of...... can there, lol!

I may be a newbie here but I have been a regular on a couple of other diet and fitness related websites for a while now. Still keeping on keeping on {sigh}

In that time I have had chance to experiment as I do not lose weight easily. I discovered that low carb, low calorie is about the only thing that works for me but I can't stick with it for long so I carb cycle. I basically use Monday to Wednesday as my weight loss days - low cal, low carb, low fat and aerobic exercise and then eat healthily with moderate carbs and about 1500 calories for the rest of the week and *supposedly* weight train. I keep promising myself I will start a 12 week Body for Life Challenge but haven't quite managed it yet - I also recently bought myself the New York Body Plan exercise DVD (tough) but for some reason (severe procrastination) haven't got around to blowing up my gym ball (can you see a pattern here)

Well I set my alarm for 5.00am this morning and didn't get up until 6.00am so I missed my window of opportunity for pre breakfast exercise.

I read a great article which suggested that exercising before breakfast is up to 300% more effective than any other time of day (because you go straight into fat burning as you have no food to burn first) and I actually found I lost more weight by doing it this way too and had more energy throughout the day. But then Christmas happened. And I haven't got back on the wagon ever since.

I am armed today though! I have a timer to put on my lamp so that my light should come on fifteen minutes before the alarm goes off (waking up in the dark mornings is soooo hard for me) AND I'm going to take my kettle to bed so I can have a coffee in bed before I have to get up and bounce around my front room!

Mind you, I have to catch up tonight with my lack of exercise this morning now.... I find it so hard to motivate myself straight from work. And of course, I still have some grocery shopping to do first.

Hi all, hope you don't mind me crashing your group. I've been a regular on another group for several months and I love it. Only problem is that there is only three of us and when one goes away for a few days, we tend to not post as much. So I saw the working stiffs and knew that I belonged here.

I work full-time with computers for a school district. I admit I have it pretty easy since I don't work year round, but since we're in the middle of a school year, it seems like I work all the time.

Since May 2004, I've lost 19 pounds but have been at the same weight for 3 months. Can anybody say Christmastime?!?!?! Even though I was pretty good, I didn't diet, per se. So I'm stuck. I'm hoping now that I'm back on the wagon for good, that the mini-maintenance stage will make losing go a little easier for a while. I count calories - loosely. After a lifetime (I'm 43) of dieting, I know the calories of just about everything, so I add it up in my head. Once in a while, I'll double check myself and put it into my database and see if I'm doing okay (usually I am under what I guessed/estimated). I'm aiming for 1700 calories a day. I've always lost weight at this amount and am not too hungry. I envy those of you who can go with 1200 cals per day. I'd be so obsessed with food that I'd fail often. So I'm losing weight slowly, which has made my dr. pleased.

I exercise with my husband MWF and we're pretty active on the weekends. The new year's resolution was the MWF routine together. It's been really nice. We have a nordic track, exercycle and Gazelle. I use the Gazelle and DH alternates the other two. We put on a concert on the big screen with the surround sound and it's like we're at a concert. The time just flies. So exercise has become easier. Before the new year, I would force myself to exercise, but I didn't enjoy it. Now I do.

So, that's my story. Hope everyone is having a great day.

Oh no is this true??? Can someone comeover to hook up a coffee IV drip??? Half the time I'm working out at 9 at night! I have heard so many debates about this but never thought about it before. My concept was it is just better to at least do it! I HATE 5 AM!!

Oh and Marie welcome we don't mind the crash at all!

What in the world am I doing to myself today??? I was tempted by the eggs and bacon this morning but by the time I got back to my desk the only thing I wanted to eat was the biscuit, which I only ate half of. Then I worked straight through lunch. So now I am snacking on graham crackers and water and I want a Coke so BAD!!!! This is what happens when I go without needed calories why oh why do I do this to myself??

So now all I can do is think about dinner and what I want to make. Oh I hate watching what I eat so much!!! If I weren't, I'd be drinking Coke and eating chips and then finish with more cheesecake!

BAD BAD Kerry!!

You all sound so good with your exercise and I am awful! I wish I could get up and exercise in the morning. I'm luck to get my hair dry in time!

Hi all
Lori thanks for the invite. This looks like a great group. and I need all the help I can get. I'm 51 can't remember a time when I wasn't trying to diet. I think I have hit them all. I was doing WW just lately but could not get to the meetings so was just trying to do it on my own. I have really good days and some not so good days. Lately it has been the later. I have two grown children and a 7 year old. So I do get out with my 7 year old to play kick ball...but right now we have been going sledding & building snow forts. But as far as regular exercise I sure wish I could get back into it. I work 24 hrs a week some times more. So you would think I should have the time and I'm sure I would if I would make it. There in lies the problem. I bought one of those exercise balls. Haven't even taken it out of the box yet. I do have an exercise bike and a treadmill also a twister. I did a little of that last night. I'm not one to get up at 5:00 A.M. I love to read, knit, sew, crochet.....so I'm sometimes up till 1:00 A.M. doing that after I get home from work at 6:00, get supper on the table, do a load of laundry, help with home work and get my 7 year old to bed. I also teach Sunday School so I am getting ready for projects we do in class at nights also. I've always thought there should be 36 hour days. But just want to say congrats to everyone who has lost wt this week and wanted to ask MMarie what a gazelle is? Hope everyone has a great day tomorrow.
Anmyreah

Imatis! Take a deeeeeeeep breath! I also read that exercising before bed will keep your body burning fat throughout the night!

My aim is actually to exercise before breakfast each day - moderate aerobics - to burn fat and to weight train before bed (all that growth hormone surging around during sleep to pump up the muscles) but in reality if I exercise at all I'm pretty grateful, lol!

P.S. MMarie - what is MWF - I'm obviously a complete idiot when it comes to abbreviations!!!!

Hi all, MandyJane, MWF is Monday Wednesday Friday. So I exercise those days of the week without fail with the DH. Don't feel bad, I usually can't figure out abbreviations either. Anmyreah, a Gazelle is an elliptical trainer that was developed by Tony Little. It gives the motion of walking/running without any strain on the joints. You use your arms and legs so you get a "total body" workout - which I doubt, since my tummy doesn't appear to be getting into any better shape. But it is better than my exercycle.

So far today, I've been really good, staying on track eating wise. I need to make it through the whole day. I set up a goal with myself - if I'm good Monday through Friday, on Friday I can have a Cherry Chocolate Chunk medium Blizzard at DQ for lunch. It's about 250 calories over what I'd normally have for lunch but it's a once a week thing. And since I would die for that specific Blizzard, I figure it's worth the few extra calories since I'd be good all week. And, it just makes Fridays even better.

Good Evening All!
Lemme see if I have the names so far: We have Lori, Christina, Almostheaven, Katushkacz, Mandy Jane, Donna, Karen, DaybyDay, Kerry, Jenn, Marie, and Anmyreah.....Have I missed anyone?

I was at 210 early this month, and am now about 198. I was at this weight during high school and lost down to 125-130 my first year of college--kept it off until a few years ago when I married a guy that loves all the fattening stuff!!!

With online buddies like all of you to kick my butt, I am trying to cut portions and get off the wide load and onto the cross-country ski machine that has been collecting dust for years!

So what info are we sharing? I can be rather verbose, so feel free at any time to tell me to shut it!!!
Husband-1 (at a time )
Kids-1 stepson 15 yrs old and a really cool kid!!!! (seriously!)
Jobs- 2
Location-Ky now, was in the Chicago area for over 20 years
Age- 49 and looking at 50 up close and personal

Glad you guys are here!
Joetta

Well I feel obligated to tell you all a little about myself! I'm 33, have a DH and 2 sons (8 & 11 yrs old) I drove school bus for years while the children were small and had tons of time to cook and work-out. Wow I was thin, but then I got too thin. Before I knew what happened I dropped to 115 lbs. I weighed more than that in 8th grade! I had an over active thyroid (graves disease) Anyway if we left it go I'ld have a stroke for sure so I let them kill it with radiation (wich wasn't bad at all only pills and nobody around for 3 days after) Well it was worse than the Dr. thought, it took 3 doses 6 months apart to make it stop working so much. So now I have the usual under active thyroid! (this all took place about 6 yrs ago and the lbs. kept coming!!) Any way I work for an emergency response hazmat company. Basically we clean up bio-bad stuff that gets spilled and stuff like that. We also clean septic tanks and rent trash boxes in between the spills. (My boss calls me queen of the crapper ) I take care of all our small customers and the guys handle the big stuff! Our entire company has about 100 employees only 6 girls, go figure! I prefer low fat other than anything else. I try to work out for 30 mins a day, but that dosen't always fly! Anyway I had my darling son hide the scale until Sunday night. (Big weakness ) I made a really good low-fat tuna noodle casserole for dinner. (too much pepper!) we're looking like a great group! Maybe we can discuss exchanging reciepes. Looking forward to all your ideas and support!

Hi Girls! It's great to see so many people here and read everyone's stories. Congratulations to all of you losers! Christina, you hang in there - that small of a gain could be due to exercise, water retention, or even how you stood on the scale.

Right now, I am limiting myself to 1200 calories, but only until I figure out what not smoking is going to do to my metabolism. I am starting the exercise thing slow because while I was smoking, I had asthma. Since smoking is what caused it to begin with and was the trigger, I was pretty much unable to exercise while I was a smoker for the last year or so. Now that I'm not smoking, it's much better and I feel like I can start to safely exercise.

My eating plan is pretty boring and doesn't change much day to day, but I purposely chose things I like since I will be on this a LONG time and don't want to feel like it's a chore to follow. I knew I needed to follow something very structured during the time I quit smoking. Another thing I have done is really space out my food so it never feels like I'm depriving myself. I think it also keeps the metabolism going which can be an issue after quitting smoking.

One more thing 'bout me then I'll quit rambling. Girls, I work for a company that owns 20+ grocery stores - that means food samples EVERYWHERE! One good thing though, I sometimes get to try brand new things on the market. The new Kraft South Beach frozen entrees are awesome!

Diana

For you Diana
My DH has been trying to quit smoking for so many years. this D-day was going to be the finale but it just didn't happen. I can't say he doesn't try. He does understand how hard it is for me to lose wt because he has the same problems with tobacco. Good luck with the wt loss. With all of us here helping each other it should really help. I know I need the support of a group like this and I hope we all stick to our goals.
Anmyreah

P.S.
Under my name I have a scale that does not want me to step on it but when I hit my goal I will chose a friendlier icon.

Nice work with the roll call Joetta!

Well, I was awful today although I didn't eat too many calories, I ate garbage! Ugh! I'll do better tomorrow

A little about me:

I'm a newly graduated librarian working in a medical library part time on contract. Yuck I have a DH that is a FT student studying Interior Design. He has two years left and so I have to survive in a bad job market (for my profession that is) in the meantime. So we're broke and that makes it hard to diet. I have a beautiful Rottie that inspires me to go walking and wrestle, but I mostly fear exercise because I too have asthma.

So at the beginning of the year I decided I HAD to DO SOMETHING about this extra 35 lbs I've been carrying around. I've not taken good care of myself and I want to feel better about me. I've been counting calories using fitday and eating low fat and more fruits and veggies. I try not to go over 1400 cal/day. So far I've kept losing, but I have a feeling that may come to a screeching halt. I can't imagine dropping to 1200 cal/day like MMarie said - I'd go crazy too!

We've got a great group! Hopefully we can persist.

First of all thanks daybyday and Lori? for the supporting words on my gain
I'll try to remeber all of your names Lori, Almostheaven, Katushkacz, Mandy Jane, Donna, Karen, DaybyDay, Kerry, Jenn, Marie, and Anmyreah ..is that everyone? The last group I belonged to seemed to fizzle out. I hope that this one will remain active
I'm a 30 year old, single/divorced, confused on a major, college student with one cat and one dog that I treat like children. I work at Hen House grocery store as the Customer Service/Team Leader and have a small crush on a co-worker that is also interested but is shy...there I said it
I need some easy ideas for breakfast and lunch that doesn't need to be heated up or kept cold..any ideas??

Hello again

Thought I'd better add to the information gathering!

I'm 38 (very soon to be 39) and I have PCOS which makes me gain weight {sigh} so my whole life seems to be spent trying to counteract the gain. I have spent two years trying to lose weight with little success - I put a lot of effort in to lose weight and then I get too busy, take my eye off the ball and WHAM back it comes!

I have a 14 (nearly 15) year old son - I am a single parent though dating and engaged! I work for the local authority as a Customer Services Manager and tutor Postgrad students in Pensions! I'm also studying for a training qualification.

I have to do everything to lose weight - low fat; low calorie; low carb. I tend to use the carb cycling method which basically means eating low for three days (my weight loss days) and then moderate for the next four so that I don't depress myself too much.

On my low days I average about 1,000 calories and 20g carbs - the moderate days can be about 1200-1600 calories and 50-60g of carbs. I lost weight well last year when I started adding weight training to the mix but I just haven't got back on that exercise wagon yet