Ilene made her brilliance into a whole new thread .... http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85213

We'd plan anyway, wouldn't we? I still have to plan what I take to lunch, I just chose apples instead of cookies and salad leaves instead of chips I plan to do the shopping, I plan when we go out to the cinema, so I also plan when I can get to the gym. I plan when I'm going to do some work so I plan when I play. Also like (I think it's wyellen) says, it's like paying the bills/accounting - I plan to pay the bills so I don't get red letters, I plan to eat healthily so I don't get fat again. I don't like paying bills, and sometimes I don't particularly like eating healthily, but I do it for the overall benefit.

With a bit of practice, you should be able to do stuff on the fly, like going out for meals - yes we plan to go out for meals, but I plan to have the lowest calorie/healthiest thing on the menu!

Thanks for the encouragement girls! I KNOW I can get to my goal weight and I KNOW how to do it. Better yet I think I know why I haven't been doing it.

I started losing weight for me and me alone. I was unhealthy and unhappy and I wanted that to change. I have a wonderful support system here at 3fc as well as in my "real" life. I started to veer off track a few months ago. It was about that time that I had several friends jump on the shape up bandwagon. I suppose because I had lost so much weight already (some of these friends don't need to lose weight, just tone up what they have) I became the go to girl for advice, questions, etc. of our little group. Quite frankly, it became a lot of pressure. All of a sudden I felt responsible not only for MY weight loss but theirs too. I think, on a subconscious level, I started eating more and working out less to prove that I wasn't someone they could count on. I realize that the pressure I felt from them and the responsiblity I felt for them was 100% self imposed. I can certainly support my friends in their journey to improve themselves without having to be a perfect example myself. I felt selfish maintaining the whole "I'm in this for me" attitude so I just gradually dropped out all together. Does any of that make sense?

At any rate, I've come full circle. I'm making good food choices and exercising because it feels good and will get me where I want to be. Not because I feel an obligation to set a good example for anyone else.

Thanks for letting me vent. All this has been floating around in my head for a few days and it is a weight off my shoulders to finally let it out. Hopefully that is going to translate into weight off the rest of me too! Now, I'm off to read Ilene's post...it must be a good one!

I must say when I came to the site this morning I didn't expect to cry! I honestly don't know what I'd do without 3FC and you wonderful ladies. Kleenex for everyone. lol

I've done some soul searching as well and I think part of the reason why I haven't made any progress since March is guilt. Another lady and I started losing weight around the same time and became supports to each other. As my weight approached hers (she didn't have near as much as me to lose) it became more and more difficult for us to be supportive of each other. She was getting super frustrated and I felt guilty reporting my losses to her. I'm over that now and ready to reach goal. The last two and a half months have been a great learning experience though. We'll call it a trial maintenance.

Today marks 1 year since I started this journey. So in the last year I've lost 73 lbs, and went from a size 22 to a 10. Not bad at all for one year.

Gaylyn

Happy Anniversary Gaylyn!!!

73 pounds!!! What an accomplishment!! You should be VERY proud of yourself!

Way to go Gaylyn. I remember those pics you posted and you have come a long way baby! Happy Anniversary

We'll all put a candle in our low fat lunch to celebrate Gaylyn's awesome accomplishment! That is impressive work!

Wow Gaylyn, I didn't realise!! Way to go ...

Happy Anniversary Gaylyn!! You'll have those last 12 pounds off in no time. Congratulations!

Well done Gaylyn, what an acheivement!

I went to the gym last night and did about 4 machine exercises for chest and tris - the free weight area was packed with sweaty men chatting! I decided to leave them to it and get on with some HIIT! Well it's the first time I've done HIIT BfL style. I'm VERY impressed! It felt so good! I wanted to do it on the treadmill, but they were all taken, so I had to settle for the stationary bike, it was FAB! I had to visualise strutting my stuff in a bikini on a beach to get through my 4 minutes of 9s, then I just thought about lying down in front of the TV for my 10!

I've got double kickboxing tonight, which I'm really looking forward to, then belt test on Saturday I was trying to have a private lesson on Friday, but I think I might need the rest!

Eating's ok, scales down about half a pound but those pounds I lost last week are back on again! I don't know why I do it to myself! Hopefully there will be less stress over the next few weeks and I'll be able to concentrate on scooting back down the pounds!

I'm off to get cleaned up and go get my 3FC book! Oh and since Coles is in a mall ......
Any way, have a good day everyone. If you don't see me for a while, it's because I've got my nose in a book.

I was FINALLY able to move my ticker today. I'd forgotten how good it feels to move that sucker down.

2frus~~Best of luck for your belt test. I'm sure you'll do well!

Susan~~Enjoy your book!

Thanks to eveyone for their comments!! Have a great day.

Gaylyn

I am enjoying my book! I'm on page 5. It's the funeral pants story!!

Maybe I should order the book too! I've just sent for a load of stuff from Amazon though, and I probably won't have time to read it! I bought the BfL book! And a book called Why Do You Overeat When All You Want To Do Is Be Slim? Which I flicked through in a bookshop and thought I could get it cheaper on Amazon!

I'm sleeeeeeeeeepy and I've got a bit of cold - I feel achey but in a good way. When I get home I'm going to sleep and sleep and sleep!

At Ilene's suggestion I'm reading Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by TOM Venuto. It's an ebook so I'm only printing off what I can read in one session. I'm terrible for skipping the intro stuff and just skimming the food and exercise parts
So far it seems to be about "the other thing". We all know how to lose weight, right? But in order to be shapely and stay that way, we need "the other thing" ... that little something extra ???
I think I'll get in touch with Ilene and see what she thinks about a thread to discuss this one.

Oh and yes, I've still got the 3FC book on the go. It's fun! Like rereading notes from old friends.