Gotta love the accountability of these threads, right? I'm sure it's a lot of water weight. Don't let it knock you down! We're all cheering for you!

Hey Miss!

Just checkin on ya!

I bet that hair cut is super sassy on you! I love it.

I had to update myself on your journal. I know its sad you had to let the muffins go. Don't you hate when you enjoy eating something that much that you just dont wanna stop at 1? You KNOW I have this problem as well (which is the reason why certain items must live in my truck) LOL!

Have a great day!

I was taking a look at your snacks..

Its official, once I am done with this popcorn, I can only use it for night time snacks. I tried keeping it at work and having it as a snack, but IT MAKES ME HUNGRIER! What in the world? My coworker said the same thing. A 100-calorie bag is not enough! Now, maybe the regular bag would "do" me... but this 100-calorie business is not cutting it! LOL

Aww sorry you had a bad WI. Your overall progress is astounding! Keep it up!

omg congratulations!!!! i just went quickly trough your thread and its so motivating. i can't believe you're in your 40. by the first pics i thought you were about 20 you are really amazing and those meals look de-li-cious. we are the same height and i lost almost the same amount as you last year but gained almost all back in half a year with binging. and my body was reallly flabby in comparison with yours even though i exercised. you look like a pro athlete. i read in one post that you lost your muffin top only by running. what kind of strength exercise did you do? and how are your plans about maintaing? and if i may ask, what caused you to gain the 60 pounds you lost in 2008? thank you, and keep it up, because you are truly amazing

Emme - I've promised myself to be "true" no matter what...but I didn't say it would be easy! Ugggghh...It's soooo much harder the closer you get to goal...get ready girlfriend!

Dedidayted - You are soooo right! Some snacks just trigger that crazy woman hunger in us! I left the cashews alone, and now the muffins too...what next? Had to bring back the muffins this week though...was having withdrawals!

Thanks for the encouragement readyfready! I'll have to check out your progress thread and see how your coming along...sure your doing great too!

misssunshine - Thanks for your kind words! Yes, I gained 60 lbs in a year. It was easy actually. I just ate lots of fast foods, chocolate cookies and quart of handpacked baskin robbins icecream every other day and barely cooked for myself. It was a fun year...unfortunately my health didn't find it so much fun.

Yes, all I did was run....just like Forest Gump! Fortunately...carrying all that fat around made me get some pretty nice muscles under all the carnage. Running melted the fat away and revealed a pretty nice physique. I keep telling my overweight friends...you would be surprised what you will find underneath all that fat once you burn it...keep going! Also, at around 200lbs, I started my own pull up challenge. I was determined to be able to do pull ups (under door pullup bar). I started by only being able to lower myself and worked up to 3 sets of 7-8 pullups. This helped with my upper body strength alot.

Ok...so. YESTERDAY, I had a major meltdown. I just NEEDED to eat ANYTHING I wanted in ANY AMOUNT I wanted it. So I went out to my favorite Jamaican Food restaurant and ordered my favorite (Jamaican Curry Chicken platter w/rice/peas and steamed cabbage...YUMMO!), then I decided I wanted dessert (for a change), so off the my BASKIN ROBBINS I went. Ordered a pint of half rum raisin and half pistachio almond...SCRUMDEDLIOSHOUS!)

I'm not gonna lie...after eating all that...my belly was stuffed like a holiday turkey! I immediately had a terrible case of the "itis" and fell asleep on my couch! It was a good fullness though...a feeling I haven't felt in almost 8 months and I liked it!

Ok...sooooo....some of you may be tempted to call what I did "binging" or give it some other "clinical name" or purpose. I need to stop you right there and let you know that there was no "secrecy" in my eating...nor was there any "guilt". I just needed to splurge for a minute without control. I've been in control for along time now...and my inner "rule breaker" had to come out sometime. The controlled "cheat meal" was nice...but it was still "controlled". I needed to get completely OUT OF CONTROL for a minute.

So good to get that out. Now...I'm back on track. I feel great this morning. Like I've finally KILLED the beast and can start a new! Like Dedikayted, I've also decided to ditch my scale for 2 weeks. I want to focus more on my exercise than worrying about how it will effect my scale weight. Truth be told...my goal was to fit into all my old size 6 clothes...I've accomplished that...so no need to be obsessed with the scale anymore...it's 2 weeks or bust!

Breakfast - 3 Whole Wheat cinnamon raisin pancakes, veggie pattie - 370 cals.
Snack - 2 Pumpkin Raisin Muffins - 278 cals.
Lunch - Thai Curry Chicken over spinach quinoa w/salsa, spinach - 330 cals.
Snack - Watermelon - 40 cals.
Snack - Pumpkin Raisin Muffin - 139 cals.
Dinner - NONE
Snack - 94% fat free Popcorn - 100 cals.
Snack - medium Banana - 100 cals.
Snack - Skinny Cow Truffle Pop - 100 cals.
Snack - 1/2 cup fresh pineapple - 80 cals.
Snack - small Navel Orange -45 cals.

Total Calories: 1,582 cals.

EXERCISE:

Running - 5.5 Miles!!!

*UPDATE* - Feel so good to be back running again. Minimal pain afterwards (little sore behind left knee, but ok), was able to stretch a little better than normal, so we'll see what I wake up to!

Also...started taking Cinnamon (1,000mg) w/Chromium (bought from Walmart). My mom has diabetes type II and started taking the cinnamon about 4 weeks ago and told me her blood sugar has lowered and has stabilized! I thought this may be helpful towards keeping my appetite at bay while I drop these last few pounds!

So far, I took 2 pills when I got back from shopping late this afternoon. I guess it has curbed my hunger as I've not eaten dinner and I'm not hungry. Hmmmm...could I be on to something here??? We'll see!

LOL -- major meltdowns with food are good sometimes...they are almost cleansing in a way! Like you said, it's much different than a binge because there is no guilt or shame or secrecy, so it's just a way to enjoy a good amount of food. Good for you.

Yunno what? It's just me and my daughter...sooo really how could I tell if I were binging? No one to hide from? I guess I just hate labelling myself anything. Did I eat more than I needed? Sure, I did. Did I feel like I was 9 months prego? Absolutely, I was so stuffed, I couldn't move! But still...I refuse to label myself anything...cuz to me that would imply that I have some "condition" that I wasn't in control of...yunno what I'm sayin? I DID control what I ate...actually, I had to drive all the way to the southside of town to get it! I knew I would be stuffed. I wanted to eat until my hearts content...which I knew would leave me stuffed. But that doesn't "define" me, nor does it define my future. Sorry...but needed to "testify" on that one..

My daughter came in the living room and was "eyeballing" my icecream...I looked at her (with cutting eyes) and said, "back off!" See...when momma's gonna splurge...I feel like I would tell anyone to back off...NO! I don't share! I feel that I've "earned" the right not to share...I have to put up with her constant snacking on pizza, candy, cookies, and cakes and not have any...so when it's my time...BACK AWAY FROM THE ICECREAM!!!! haha!

I agree...you don't need to label it as anything but good ol' fashioned eating! I did the same thing weeks ago and you told me I had unlocked the key to weight loss! I wasn't freaked out that I had pigged out...I actually felt good about it because for the first time I didn't feel like it was a binge (I have a binging history). I was just enjoying eating, and I was making a conscious choice to eat what I was putting in my mouth...and I loved every minute of it!

And I love the scenario w/you and your daughter and the ice cream -- I would do the same thing!! LOL!!

Weird thing happened overnight. My body was on fire "HOT". Felt like my furnace was on overdrive. Felt skinny this morning...and looked skinny so I decided to try on my old "Bongo" Jr. sized 7's that wouldn't button a little while ago. They went right on!!!

Now I'm glad I'll be taking a 2 week break from the scale. If I can keep up with my running I KNOW the next time I weigh...I'll be at goal. Now...my left knee was NOT doing so well this morning. Pain galore. I wrapped my knee up good though and it feels better. Gonna run out today and buy a good knee brace. Will run today. Try for 5 miles, but will stop at 3 if my knee acts up. Don't wanna push tooooo much. It just felt so good to run last night...and it was pretty easy actually. If it weren't for my knee, I could have gone further and faster. Getting old stinks!

**GOOD NEWS** - I went food shopping yesterday and bought some new foods. Filet Mignon with mashed potatoes will be on the menu this month as well as GRITS w/cheese & turkey sausage. Two new additions...yeahhh!

Breakfast - 3 Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Pancakes, veggie pattie - 370 cals.
Snack - banana - 100 cals.
Lunch - Thai curry chicken over bulgar wheat, spinach - 330 cals.
Snack - Skinny Cow Truffle Pop - 100 cals.
Snack - 94% fat free Popcorn - 100 cals.
Snack - Watermelon - 40 cals.
Dinner - NONE
Snack - Pumpkin Raisin Muffin - 139 cals.
Snack - 1 oz grilled chicken breast, 2 pieces of brocolli - 40 cals.
Snack - 1/2 cup fresh pineapple - 80 cals.
Snack - Pumpkin Raisin Muffin - 139 cals.
Snack - Activia Light Yogart - 70 cals.
Snack - Chicken leg/thigh (without skin) from roasted whole chicken - 180 cals.

Total Calories: 1,688 cals.

EXERCISE:

No Running - Lots of Cooking!

Get it girl!! Size 7!!!!


Work it

Hey Joy I agree about the getting old. Who ever said the "golden years" needs to be shot lol. I am not giving in easy and neither are you. Keep it up you are doing GREAT and congrats on the 7's

Thanks Dedikayted & Surfnmom!

Breakfast - GRITS w/slice cheese, 3/4tsp spread, 2 JD Turkey sausage - 300 cals.
Snack - Pumpkin Raisin Muffin - 139 cals.
Lunch - Cod & shrimp alfredo over spinach quinoa, spinach - 300 cals.
Snack - 2 Pumpkin Raisin Muffins - 278 cals.
Snack - 94% fat free Popcorn - 100 cals.
Snack - Skinny Cow Truffle Pop - 100 cals.
Dinner - Thai Curry chicken over spinach quinoa w/salsa, spinach - 330 cals.
Snack - small Navel Orange - 45 cals.

Total Calories: 1,592 cals.

EXERCISE:

Running - 5.4 Miles!!!

I dont know how I missed this..

So funny that you mentioned Cinnamon w/Chromium because I BOUGHT some about 3-4 weeks ago!!! My girlfriend has been taking it and swears that it has helped her lose 15 pounds in 3 weeks.. LOL. She's a lot heavier than me, but of course it made me run to the store.

Dedikayted - WOW..we think alike! So have you noticed any changes since taking the cinnamon? How many times/day do you take it? How much?

Breakfast - 3 Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Pancakes, veggie pattie - 370 cals.
Snack - Pumpkin Raisin Muffin - 139 cals.
Lunch - Filet Mignon over rosemary mashed potatoes, brocolli - 350 cals.
Snack - Watermelon - 40 cals.
Snack - Pumpkin Raisin Muffin - 139 cals.
Snack - 94% fat free Popcorn - 100
Snack - Activia Light Yogart - 70 cals.
Snack - Watermelon - 40 cals.
Dinner - Thai curry chicken over spinach quinoa w/salsa, spinach - 330 cals.
Snack - Skinny Cow Truffle Pop - 100 cals.
Snack - small Navel Orange - 45 cals.

Total Calories: 1,723 cals.

EXERCISE:

No Running

Observations - It's weird, but I put 1 tsp cinnamon powder in my pancakes, but don't get the same effect as when I take the 2 pills So far I've noticed a reduced appetite (for sure) since taking them. Stay tuned...

In other news...

I've just finished an entire "cooking extravaganza" (pics will be posted a little later on today!). I've changed the menu a bit...and everything is extremely tasty! Sadly though...the last time I cooked, I mentioned that "this would be the last time I cooked before I reach goal", but as you all know...that didn't happen. The good news is it's been almost an entire month and I've not had to cook....tee hee!

1. Filet Mignon w/rosemary mashed potatoes, brocolli
2. Herb roasted whole chicken (my 12 yr old loves this!)
3. Cod & Shrimp Alfredo over spinach quinoa, spinach
4. Sweet & Sour Chicken over brown rice, stir fry veggies
5. Sesame Chicken over rice sticks, veggies
6. Grilled Chicken for salads & snack (the usual)

*UPDATE* - Absolutely NO LEFT KNEE pain today...NONE! Last night I wore the knee brace during running. I think that helped a BUNCH...also, I didn't stretch that area of my knee...kept stretching to a bare minimum (just quads and hammies only!) Yeahhh!