Welcome to those who've just joined.

WTG everyone! We can do this!

I don't weigh again until next week so can't make those changes but eating has been good as has exercise.

Friday: 1660 calories, walked .75 miles, jogged 3 miles

Well, it was quite a day. I worked from home because the snow was on its way and I didn't want to have to rush to daycare in bad weather. I decided to go to the gym on my lunch hour. Did the treadmill and felt fine, then planned to do 10 min on the stairmaster as a coworker and I are doing stairs at work together and I couldn't be there. After a few minutes I was feeling really bad. Dizzy, sweaty, nauseous. I got off the machine and went to get stuff to wipe it down - I reached for the bottle and couldn't grab it...felt like I was going to faint. I was about to just lie down on the floor before I passed out. I made it over to the desk and they fed me water and OJ and gave my wet towels to cool me down. I've been in bed most of the day. Not sure what happened - I guess I pushed too hard. It was so scary. I have to be careful not to let this stop me but also to be more cautious.

See you all tomorrow.

Sw 166.2
Cw 162.5
Gw <160

TOM came last night, which goes a long way in explaining the last couple of days! I was down .3 lbs. this am and am hoping a couple more drop off over the next few days if I'm retaining water. I really, really want to be in the 180s by Valentines Day, but I'm afraid from 196.2 to 189 in less than 3 weeks may not be realistic. Maybe if there's some TOM weight in there it may happen. Keeping fingers crossed!!

Hi everybody.computer not working so I can't type out all that I want to...know that I'm reading everyone's posts.

Had our Indian dinner tonight, plus drinks with my husband. Hoping the scale will be below 165 tomorrow AM. Was 162.5 this AM. Did get in 35 min on stairmaster, so fingers crossed.

Sw 166.2
Cw 164.3 (as expected - Indian restaurant)
Gw <160

Saturday: 1240 calories, 30 min elliptical
What made me proud: Went back to the gym after my episode there on Friday

Pretty good day. Ran around with the family and didn't snack as we did errands. Also got to watch my son play the most awesome basketball game..his team won in a shootout after going into OT..which totally took my mind off my problems.

Weight was up after yesterday, which I figured..didn't think I was down 1.4 in one day. But I'm still down for the week so I'm happy.

newleaf, did you enjoy the Indian food? It's one of my favorites but I don't eat it much - I always get a healthy entrée like chana masala, but ruin it with naan and fried apps.

zumba, hope your PC is up and running soon! I just recently got data on my phone but I still hate using it to type anything.

Jennifer, my goal is a stretch too, so we'll both see what happens. It sounds like you're doing great, so no matter where your actual weight ends up you'll have made great progress during this challenge.

HELLO MY LOVELIES! I finally got computer issue fixed....typing on an Ipad just doesn't cut it for me.....now I get to catch up with you ladies .....

NATAMARS: What the hay???!! Were you hydrated at the gym? That is some scary stuff, especially because you can hit your head on the way down..I hope staff took good care of you. That only happened to me once, I didn't go down completely but I lost balance and had to hold on to a machine so that I didn't go down, I contributed it to blood pressure issues....please be careful and know that it happens often ....this is why it is so important for instructors and gym staff to know what to do in case a member hits the floor!!

NEWLEAF: my family loves Indian food..I find if it is a buffet then its a free for all...but if I can order chicken tiki or something I'm okay except for all the nan bread. Still, Indian food for the most part is healthy..don't stress it...we still have to live a little on this path we are taking!

JENNIFER: PMS is such a drag now that i'm older.....I can eat a side of beef..and I bloat like you wouldn't believe....cranky and irritable....hormones are really the root of all evil...hope you're feeling better...

GUAC: good to see you here...hope people aren't annoyed that I started another thread for check ins...but Valentines day has always been a big deal for me and sometimes if we have a "deadline" we get the lead out faster....

Hope everyone is doing fine !!!!

Hi everyone, so happy to have the computer issues under control here....anyway I put in a few decent days. Someone correct me if I"m wrong but we have 18 MORE DAYS UNTIL VALENTINES DAY.....lets see how much we can get accomplished in 18 days....

I am not keeping up with the challenge like I would have liked. Not getting that water in ..booo......and not working out at home like I said I was...boooooo...on a happier note I have been keeping away from bad carbs, sticking to my plan the best that I can and so far so good. Another week or so of this and then I'll start having some berries, and introducing good carbs to the mix.

I changed my ticker to make my goal weight my valentines challenge goal weight, if I visualize that goal being attainable maybe i'll actually get there......

I had a credit from Bebe (long story) so I did a little online shopping last night....ordered a few tops...I hope I don't look like a total fool trying to pull that off becasue as you know that store isn't really for the forty and over set......still, I had to use that credit that I had. Looking at those skin tight dresses was kind of depressing......my thunder thighs aren't getting into a dress like that ever.....

But enough self loathing, time to get some stuff done today...and plan what i'm making for dinner...

have a great sunday everybody!!

Well, yes, the Indian food was good. Chana masala, chicken tikka masala, some lamb curry dish, naan, soup. I had a groupon and the whole meal for the family of 4 was $30. Totally worth it! The problem we have nowadays is that my boys eat as adults; without the groupon it would have been $70 before tip. We don't go out to eat much at sit-down restaurants as a result. Just so expensive! I felt like I ate well, enjoyed everything, and stopped before going overboard. So, despite the scale being up (which I knew to expect), it was a win.

Natamars totally scary at the gym. I find that the stairmaster requires much more exertion that all the other machines for me, and now I only use it if I'm wearing a heart monitor or doing a program that I've already worn the heart monitor for before and know its okay. I find that works well for me; when my heart rate hits my personal max limit (165), I drop down the intensity level until it gets back down to 135. Then I notch it back up again. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Zumba I hear you re: iPad typing! So much easier at the computer...

I have discovered a new supplement called ephedra, reduces hunger pangs and it increases metabolic rate . It has helped me shed off 10 lbs in a week and I will stick to it come valentine

Zumbachica - Thanks for starting this thread! I actually am finding the main thread to be overwhelming - not that this is a bad thing - but there are so many posts that it's hard to keep up sometimes! I also have a hard time finding my last post, to remember where I left off and update. This thread is much more manageable and goal specific, so thanks!

Valentines Day does not mean as much to me now as it used to when I was young and single - is that weird? I guess I used to anticipate and hope for a guy to be my Valentine - most of the time I was disappointed and was home alone! Now that I am married, my husband and I don't even celebrate the day, except to wish each other a happy valentine's day. Gotta love us old married people....

Onto my progress update - I am down 2 lbs today to 157. I still hate that number, but it does tell me that either due to flying or salty food or both, at least some of the weight I saw on Friday was water. I ate badly yesterday, as my family went out for pizza and ice cream and I did not hold back. That makes me more pleasantly surprised by the 2 lb loss. I actually asked my husband to help me get back on track with my diet by not tempting me and taking me out to restaurants for awhile. He has been buying me candy and chocolate, and I have been eating it! I need to take the reigns back and just say no! These winter blues and hormones aren't helping either. TOM is now behind me, and I need to use the next 2 weeks before PMS hits to really make some progress.

Starting weight
1/25/13 - 159

Current weight
1/27/13 - 157

Goal weight
2/14/13 - 150

I'm with you, Guacamole, the regular thread is daunting. I cannot keep track of that much info!

Zumba, good job keeping away from bad carbs (my weakness). I do all this typing on the iPad, which is a pain, but much more convenient than my laptop. I hope you all excuse my many typos due to it

Natamars, scary experience at the gym! Kudos for getting right back in that horse! Keep hydrated, it may help. And hopefully we can both reach our goal by the 14th

Newleaf, yum! Now I want naan! DH and I are going to go away the weekend after V Day, so maybe we'll get Indian.

Scale stayed exactly the same today, which is probably pretty good since TOM. I still haven't opened the kettle bells I bought Friday! I need to learn to like working out . Or at least not dread it

Sunday: 1365 calories, 30 min light weights and resistance training

What made me proud: Went to a bowling party with my son where pizza and ice cream cake were served and only drank water

I HATE Sunday nights. End of the weekend is so depressing.

I'm finding it easier to deal with temptation. Think it's because I'm getting results on the scale. It's so much harder when the scale's not moving. But I know I'll hit another plateau soon. I am getting used to fewer calories, though.

Jennifer, getting through TOM without a gain is great - hope you see a big drop when it's gone!!

guac, I bet you're still seeing a higher number due to water retention - it takes a while to lose that.

newleaf, sounds like you did great with your dinner out.

zumba, celebrate what you've done right and don't beat yourself up over what you could have done better. 18 more days is a lot of time for us to kick some more butt!!

I bought all the ingredients to make the red lentil stew but am being lazy, watching a movie with my family. Will make it tomorrow. I did make a big salad and my spinach and egg whites for the week, and turkey bacon.

See you all tomorrow.