Hi guys! Well I did it. I actually stayed on plan for my anniversary! We went out to dinner, but I made healthy choices. We went to the movies, and ate no popcorn or snacks. I had a healthy dessert when I got home. We had a great time, even without it being a food-fest as it usually us. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed for a good weigh in this week after all my good behaviors. I'm just trying to "bank it" for another day, like my birthday in October. LOL!

Thanks for the suggestions and support!

Kellost, that's great. I think that learning how to eat out "safely" has been one of the key factors in my own weight loss, because I eat out 3-4 times a week. There's no reason to go off plan when you go out, so enjoy it!

Thanks, Same7. I'm really hoping that the "vanity pounds" will add to my vanity level . I guess I get really tired of how interminable this process feels, and would love to circumvent the 3-4 more months it's likely to take to get where I want to be. BTW, I love yoga and Pilates, so here's hoping you get the same kind of enjoyment out of it that you've been getting from your running.

Good morning Feathers!

I hope everyone is well. I'm frustrated this morning because my weight is up. Sept 17 I was at 120.8 -- today, 124.4. Might have something to do with some horrible eating. My advice -- never, ever, just sit down with a box of Special K and just start chowing. I don't think I'll ever be able to eat it again... In spite of my weight being up I am eating out twice today. Friends are visiting from out of town and I'm having lunch with the wife today and then going out with a group for dinner. Luckily I've already chosen my meals and logged them. Feels good to have it decided. Now I just have to not snack! Soooo easier said than done! But I have four weeks til my 20 year reunion and I have to buckle down.

Oneoftwelve, I love kayaking! I have done some ocean kayaking -- in La Jolla, CA, you can kayak into caves during certain tides, so cool! -- and then this summer I kayaked on a small lake with my nephews. I love being on the water.

Hope everyone has a good day!

Same7....ugh the dreaded weight gain! The ups and downs drive me crazy sometimes. I, too, have overindulged in cereals. Reeses puffs, and Crispix to be exact. Just eating it dry out of the box. Figuring, it's cereal, so how bad can it be? Then the weight goes up and I think, i gained weight from too much cereal! I'd much rather have gained from pizza or ice cream! LOL!

Kellost, I wasn't quite as successful as you were when I went out to eat... I didn't touch the yummy appetizer sitting right in front of me (!), I ordered the meal I had chosen in advance after researching the menu (grilled mahi mahi), didn't eat the rice because it wasn't tasty, and then proceeded to have two girly juicy drinks in addition to a pint of beer! I had budgeted for the beer but not the drinks. Oh well. At least today I am back down to a more normal weight. I think I was super bloated from my cereal binge on Sunday and very salty homemade mooshu pork on Monday (with less salt it would have been great, and only 360 calories!).

I did find a great dress for my high school reunion. It has pockets, how fun is that? Now if only I looked like this model:

http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/...24_254x500.jpg

Due to sleevelessness of dress, I am planning on doing at least 20 pushups every day between now and October 23rd. No knee pushups here! Full-on pushups.

Hello everyone-

Still here following along and still on plan. I started my period today so hopefully that accounts for the 2 pound weight gain I'm not moving that dang ticker. I recorded a total loss of 3 pounds for last week instead of the 5 or 6 I thought I had but like I said, maybe it's PMS? Or maybe I'm just over compensating in my eating window. I'm going to start counting calories during my 5 hours to be sure I'm not overdoing it. Today I'm sewing and plan to move my treadmill upstairs from the basement. Too hard to watch the kids down there.

Nice dress Amy!

How cute!!!!! I'm sure you are going to look great, even without all the push ups!!!!!

I saw 129 (.6) on the scale this morning! I am so very excited, as this is the first time I've ever been below 130 in my entire adult life, and represents a psychological barrier broken. I've always assumed that I would have to literally starve myself to get to this weight or below, and am discovering that it's actually possible for me to achieve without too much discomfort. I think that weight training is really helping me (thanks for putting that bug in my ear, Petite Powerhouse), by improving my lousy metabolism a little- I've noticed that the pounds are definitely coming off faster since I've been serious about building muscle mass. And, for the record, I don't look like a Russian shotputter yet ;>)

On another note, what IS it about dry cereal? It's one of my biggest "red light" foods- I swear they put crack in that stuff, it's so addictive. And I've noticed that all 3 of my boys will do the same thing (eat handfuls out of the box until they're stuffed) if I let them. I try to keep it out of the house.

Regards, Andrea

Hello Feathers!

Is it Fall where you live? The calendar tells me it is Fall here, but it was 90 degrees today, and they are predicting 95 for tomorrow. WHAT?!?!?! Fall is my favorite season, and I'm feeling a bit cheated.

Trying to stay on plan and take good care of myself -- more water, less diet soda, more sleep. Getting some good exercise in. My post-half-marathon plan was to mix it up a bit, and this week I've had one run, one spinning class and one kickboxing class. I'm really going to try to start lifting some more. Everyone swears by it -- I just can't get myself to do it.

By the way, has this cow always been available? If so, why don't we use it more?


ETA: Neuro, I totally forgot to say WAY TO GO! I, too, thought I just could not get below 130. That I was too big-boned, big-muscled, etc. What a feeling to smash that floor! And I do think cereal is evil. A friend once casually said it was something she just couldn't, and didn't, eat anymore. And I thought, oh my, I never thought of that. Just. Not. Eating it. Anymore. I think cereal has officially fallen into the "occasional treat" category. Strange, when we've been taught all our lives that it is good for us. Now it's in the same category as ice cream.

Congrats, Andrea!!!!!!

Hitting the 120's is so exciting. I did it twice this summer, but shot back up into the 130s due to overeating and vacations. My low was 124.5 and I was in totally disbelief! Great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy your victory!!!!!!!!!!

My little boys still do have the big cereal boxes, but I started buying those mini variety packs in an attempt to control myself more. Any open box is a no-no for me. Like an open box of cereal, goldfish crackers, Cheese-Its. It's like, a handful won't kill me, so I take one. Then another, and another. Not good! Nuts are the same way, and I am only buying the 100 calorie packs of almonds for that very reason. I have some kind of mental stop sign about opening a bag, but an already opened box or bag is bad news for me.

I feel cheated, too, same7! The trees have just started to turn here, and they're normally really pretty by this point.
I did NOT want to move this morning--woke up late (for me--I usually get up at the crack of dawn) and had no desire to do anything but go back to bed. But I grabbed my shoes, my ipod, my ID card, and hit the gym. Went slower today--25 minutes worth of 2 minutes at 10 min/mi and 2 minutes at 8 min/mi; not as intense as usual, but I GOT UP AND DID SOMETHING!
Tomorrow I'm planning to take it easy and do 35 minutes on the elliptical (maybe I'll jack up the incline to add some intensity), but Sunday I'm planning to run an outdoor 5K (with all those blessed Tennessee rolling hills!).

Way to go Andrea!

I too got down into the 120's just before DH came home from deployment this spring but packed on 10 pounds when he came home and wanted nothing but rich food. SO ashamed of myself on that one....

Today though, I'm at 130 on the nose so I hope to join you very soon!

Still loving fast 5 and I think I'm really used to it now. Never occurs to me to eat during the day. Today is day 11 I think? Just a little report for those that were intrigued by it.

So today's high here in MI was 64, after being in the high 80s for the last few days. The leaves are definitely starting to turn as well, so I think it's finally officially fall after our last bit of Indian Summer (where does that phrase come from anyway?) I'm sort of glad that summer's done with, but dreading winter, which is loooooong and grey here in MI, with snow that typically doesn't melt from the ground for months at a stretch.

I went for a consultation with a plastic surgeon this last week, and have 2 more consults lined up this week and next, to talk about getting a breast lift. I've hated my boobs since I was 15 and they grew down instead of out. Time, weight gain and 3 pregnancies with a year of breast feeding apiece have done nothing to improve them, and now the final straw has been losing 30 (hopefully eventually 40) pounds. I'm tired of "tucking in" my boobs into my bras, and feeling embarrassed every time I get naked (even though DH says he loves me just the way I am- and I believe him). Have any of you ever had plastic surgery? I'm nervous, especially about the scars (they're pretty extensive for the "anchor lift" procedure that I will be getting), but determined to go through with it. Part of my mid-life crisis I guess.

Regards, Andrea

129!!!!!!!!

Hello Feathers!

Changed, congrats on 129! What a great feeling!

Andrea, I am also considering a little PS. I have hated my boobs since I was at least 15 and they didn't grow out, up or down... or at all! I've always been really flat-chested, and after breastfeeding each of my three kids for over a year each, and losing whatever perkiness I once had, I am seriously considering implants. I struggle with the idea of it -- there are a lot of women at my gym with fake boobs and I tend to have a preconceived image of "that kind of woman." Am I "that kind of woman?" Also, I want to raise my girls to love and respect their bodies -- I'm not sure getting implants is setting a good example there. I also don't like that implants make mammograms harder to read -- am I willing to take that risk just for a nice rack? On the other hand, I can't even fill an A-cup push-up bra (I mean the kind where half of that A-cup is filled with padding -- so I can't even fill half an A-cup). I change my mind by the hour. I feel like there are fewer issues with a lift -- but scarring is definitely something to consider.

I'm hanging in at 122 today. I've already chowed down most of my calories for today -- so I'm thinking spaghetti squash for dinner!