JenFrus .... I just want to come thru the line and give you a hug. I don't know what I'd say but .... You're like the picture of healthy enthusiasm especially for exercise .... I don't know Lovey. Keep thinkin', you'll get it figured out.

I think I'm a little high on calories - I just checked my past fitdays and I average at about 2100 for the fortnight, I was losing on 1900 before, so I think I need to drop a coupla hundred. All I can think! I'm going to try and add some extra cardio in some mornings too.

Added exercise ... girl, you make me tired

Jenfrus! I have an idea. You know those planning for a nearly perfect day threads and I read again how the LWL know about how much each snack is going to be so that they don't end up very much over or under calories ...

I know you can do it!!

I did do it! Then I crashed out! I'm a bit sleepy today

I've got my calories sorted - and (I know as soon as I post this the opposite will happen but here goes...) I don't think food has a hold over me any more. At least not as much as it did. I was standing in a petrol station starving hungry and I didn't buy any chocolate or crisps. I went home for healthy food. DF also bought me reduced fat chocolate cakes last night (first ingredient sugar) and I ate one just to show willing and I haven't brought any to work, I don't even want to finish the packet. I don't feel the need to stuff my face with pizza or ice cream or anything like that. I went out for dinner with my parents on Sunday and I was still full from my lunch out, so I didn't order any food at all.

I think I'm going to be ok! I was trying Tom V's calculations for maintenance and losing calories, and then I read Meg's post in Maintainers about "reduced obese" and remembered that those calculations may not actually be valid for me! So I'm aiming for lower calories.

I'm writing out those "I am so happy and thankful....." things twice a day and they seem to be working... My attitude has changed, and I ate healthily two weekends in a row! That's a first! I think it's just the calories that need tweaking - everything else is A-OK!

You'll be just fine Frus...with all your determination and hard work you will get to where you want to be...I am sure of it!

I'm doing ok!

I was out for dinner last night, I was so hungry I almost fainted, but thankfully I got a low-fat lemon mousse just in time and didn't resort to the big chocolate chip cookie DF bought!

Then we went to Subway for a healthy sandwich (dressing free - natch!) which is a real treat anyway, all that bread!!

I took a rest day, but still managed to get a good walk in. Today is double kickboxing, so that will be fun! I'm still a little pooped from my 10K!!!

We're off to Nice on Saturday. I am not going to eat flan every day, I am not going to eat lots of croissants and pain au chocolate and other sickly stuff. I am going to eat sensibly and get my trainers on every day! I will be taking my affirmation book and writing them out at least 3 times a day, or any time I am bored! I'm taking apples and nuts and raisins and all sorts so that I have no excuse that I can't find anything healthy! I will have some treats though, what's the point going otherwise?

Nice? how lovely. I think I work all weekend

Yes, well at least you're at goal at work Some of us still have ways to go (again!)!

Has you've been told lately that you're a BRAT!

Not recently...

Hi Girls,

I totally forgot yesterday to post my Tuesday night weigh in (probably because I gained ) It was almost as neglible as my loss the previous week, but I put on .6 lb.

I was actually pretty thrilled with that because I was soooooo naughty over the weekend. I recently started spending time with a new fella (is he still new if I've known him for 20 years?) which makes it easy to over-indulge. He recently lost 85 lbs himself and is working on another 20 so he is aware of his eating too, but on the weekends we both agreed that we would have some fun and not worry too much about the calories.

Friday night was dinner (seafood) and drinks , Saturday was drinks and dinner (seafood again) and Sunday morning was breakfast out (Mmmmmm.....haven't had that in a long time). We did take a nice long 5 mile walk on the beach on Sunday but that was followed by ice cream and then Taco Bell for dinner (with diet coke of course )!

As you can see, I was pretty lucky to only have gained a half pound! I suppose it is a good thing that we aren't seeing each other this weekend...maybe I can redeem myself

2frus, I have read your most recent posts over and over. I'm telling ya, girl. we are going through the EXACT same things. I just can't figure out why I'm struggling so. Today was another on of those days that I woke up and thought, "THIS is the day!" And so far it has been. When I weighed myself the other day I was back up to 147. Plus, I've not been doing weights at all and cardio is hit and miss. So, it isn't just that number that is horrifying - I can actually SEE the changes. I have been stressing a bit about whether or not to go back to work and that has lead to my having a difficult time sleeping. As much as I would love for those to things to be good excuses the truth is that I just haven't been trying hard enough lately. I'm not planning like I need to be so even though my three main meals are usually on target I'm finding myself doing the whole lick, taste, nibble routine. It adds up and it adds up fast. It sounds like you've gotten a handle on things and I really, really hope you keep it. I hope you will find some comfort in knowing that you aren't the only one who's been to the lost and found bin and picked up 14 pounds she'd left their not too long ago! Hey, we can do this!

Katherine, WELCOME! I'm sorry I missed saying hello sooner.

Daisemae, you are doing a great job. You really are. Isn't it funny, though, how such a tiny number can have a huge impact on our mental and emotional states?

Susan, you give such solid and compassionate advice. You ought to consider starting a "Dear SusaB" column in the newspaper!

Well, like I said, today is another one of those perfect days. Calories, exercise right on target. Like 2frus, I went back and checked when it was that I was at my lowest weight (134). It was back in December. I took some time this afternoon and just sat alone remembering how good I felt back then. My favorite jeans were falling off (they fit now and feel snug out of the dryer), I was really comfortable with how I looked, and being at such a low weight made me feel incredibly confident. Just thinking about all of those things makes me determined to get back there.

I also took a gander at how much I weighed on this day one year ago. I was an ounce or two over 150. So, there is my positive spin. Yes, I have gained weight. But I have essentially maintained for a year. Not techinically, obviously. But mentally I've been a true maintainer. After a year and a half I'm still THINKING about reaching my goal. That alone is an improvement over past weight loss attempts. I wish that I could explain how I know that I'm going to get back down to 134 and then even lower. I can't though. I just KNOW. It is a feeling I haven't had before (meaning during other "diets"). Even though I have gained weight recently and even though I'm struggling a lot lately I still have the burning inside of me. Oh, the flame is smaller than it once was but the fire is still there.

I'm looking ahead to when the kids get back to school in August. I've been imagining myself dropping them off and heading straight to the gym and really turning exericse into "me" time. No rush, plenty of time to take advantage of the sauna, whirlpool, etc. I'm not waiting until them to try and get back on track. However, exercise seems very appealing when I can put it in the context of leisure time instead of lumping it in with every other chore that has to be done. I know it is going to make all of the difference in my weight loss efforts. I don't usually set deadlines for losing weight as they tend to be counter-productive for me. I've set one now though. When my gym membership ends in February I want to be maintaining for real an for good. I want to be in shape, not just thin. 8 months is reasonable and now that I'll have more time on my hands there is absolutely no reason not to focus, focus, focus on getting this done.

Whew, I'm out of breath just typing that much! Sorry for the rambling.

Everybody doing okay out there?

Lucky it's your turn for a thru the internet hug. How was it again that I became so attached to you people!!!!

I've been wracking my brain (pitifully small tho' it is) for some other way to say this that isn't cliche ... but ... can't come up with one. It's like sometime the planets will all be aligned properly. Your food will be good almost by default. Exercise will be natural several days in a row. A few pounds will drop away and you'll have a new enthusiasm. You'll do even better for a little while and a few inches will disappear. And suddenly you'll realise that you have a handle on it all! You'll feel super empowered. You'll keep on truckin' and then .... you'll be at goal! More surprisingly you'll realise that while you've been waiting for the other shoe to drop ... you've been at goal for almost two weeks!
Now, I wish I could say that that will all happen just like that without any blips, but I can't. But you'll have to reread your own posts to remember the horrible times when you thought you were stuck forever.