Oh my gosh curly..hope you're all better soon!

Sw 163.1
Cw 158.7
Gw 158.x

We are soul sistahs, I'm going thru same issues... I have to show restraint at restaurants and celebrations....and emotional eating is my problem....need to stop eating my feelings....the fact that you're aware that you're doing it isa big step to healing....

Scale won't budge... I guess I should be happy that it is staying steady considering we are vacationing and TOM (which is already late) should get here soon and I feel bloated and yucky.

S 158.2
C 154.5
G 153.2

Heidi OMG...you are almost at goal for this challenge

Curley So sorry!! I hope you feel better soon!

Zumba When will you find out if you got the new job?

2FatCats Sounds like a wonderful plan! I am small boned as well, and I could easily go down to 105-110 pounds and not look "bad" or too skinny, so I know how you feel.

LuvCats Wendie plan sounds interesting! -- I am already frustrated because I have stayed the same weight for a week BUT I feel I need to do something to trick my body.

Hey, I am keeping up with personals

Sending to all!

Totally succumbed to TOM eating today. We went to Cleveland and ate at my favorite brunch place, and my resistance was way down. I'm going to have to buckle down the next few days. The only redeeming action was we walked all over, so I'm hoping some of my poached eggs with spinach and Parmesan cream and brûléed steel cut oatmeal with fruit compote (see why it's my fav brunch spot??) was worked off.
I have come to realize that if I really want to lose the weight I'd like to before summer, I'm going to have to control my restaurant eating and cocktails. I'm just not sure best way to achieve while not feeling too "restricted." There has to be some kind of balance that makes this a lifestyle and not a "diet" that once I stop all the weight comes back.
Sorry I'm ranting, but advice is appreciated.

Hello all, stayed the same this week, miss those whooshes...lol

Jennifer, we've been giving ourselves a treat each weekend, something to look forward to, knowing that what we've planned for a treat is ahead (like chinese buffet today...) makes it easier to stick to the plan during the week. I think as I'm getting in the "20 to go range" it's getting harder to lose, I feel strong and am already in the size jeans I was last time I was at my goal, so I must be in better shape than I was then. Anyway, keep looking for something that'll fits into your lifestyle, don't give up, you'll find it.

I saw Sum mentioned the Wendie plan, it reminds me of Chris Powell's carb cycling, he recommends varying high and low carb days, my understanding of the Wendie is varying higher and lower calorie (or points if you're a WW), I believe in changing it up, diet-wise, we kind of do a Wendie plan during the week, just like with the exercise, I think the acronym is FITT, something like that, varying frequency, intensity, time...something else, I'll have to look it up....dang.. type maybe...

Anyway, you're supposedly tricking your body into thinking you're not starving it, so it doesn't go into starvation mode instead it's in burning mode, then when you lower the intake, you're using up your stored "stuff".

Hope I made some sense, getting late....best to all

Hi ALL you Irish Eyes...

So impressed with everyone!!! Reading back over all the thread and there's been a lot of hard work done. Respect to Zumba, Natamars, Sum, Jennifer, Mboo, Luvcats, 2fatcats, guac, kelijpa and all the challengers.....( sorry can't quite scroll through the whole thread to the those darn spelllings...)

A huge big well done has to go to newleaf....so happy for you that you smashed your way into the 150's... so well deserved toooo!!

I'm on the mend...feeling quite weak though and probably won't be back to exercising for a good few days yet. Thanks a mil for your good wishes!

Its my eldest's birthday today, nine years old, can't quite believe it....We will get out of our PJ's today and celebrate!!!!

Keep going everyone!!! Springtime awaits.......

Friday: 1665 calories, 25 min stairclimbing
Saturday: 1585 calories, 45 min elliptical

Started falling back into old habits last night. Ate a satisfying dinner of whole grain English muffin pizza and salad but then started picking..a few jelly beans, an ice cream bar, 2 cookies..etc. Cut myself off finally but I felt like I could have kept going and going...

curley, glad you're on the mend..take it slow going back into it...

kelijpa, yep, it's going to get harder and slower the closer we get..that is amazing you can fit in those jeans..you must have really built some muscle!

Jennifer, for myself I find that I do best when I completely restrict myself. I have a problem with letting one off meal lead me down a bad path. I know this is not a healthy outlook, but it's something I struggle with. Your meal, though, sounds delicious but does not sound unhealthy..you didn't eat junk.

sum, I'm still in shock that anyone can maintain, let alone lose, while on vacation. When do you get back?

newleaf, you rock..nuff said.

zumba, how was your dinner? Hope you're having a good weekend and staying cheerful in this gross gloomy weather we're having...

2fc, wow..you sound so in tune with your body..how awesome!

luv, a lot of people do wendie or calorie cycling..I try to cycle but a lot of it isn't intentional, it's based on how I feel that day. Not sure if it's helped with weight loss since I've never tried eating the same calories or points every day.

Natamars, I so know going into old habits all to well...I started drinking diet soda again...eewwww...I should know better.....and although I have been keeping away from sugar for the most part I'm still not losing an ounce..probably due to the high amount of carbs in my diet and not enough workouts......this has definitely been lazy mode winter, I am hoping that spring weather wakes up these bones and I get my mojo back.

SUM: staying the same is always better than gaining. YOu asked about the job, well there are two of them. One I have to audition for on March 1...the other I have to make up a whole DVD etc and send in to the company. It is a very presitigious high profile position and If I get it I will be so happy, I also will be under pressure to lose weight and get fit......no small task considering how much I let myself go.

Newleaf: you are almost there girl, all you have to do is get a hair cut or eat some fiber and "go" and you'll be there...LOL.....I admire you so much, wish I could say I had your motivation..but you are inspiring the rest of us.....

Top O' the Mornin' to You all! Time for my daily whine...i call it that because that is how I feel...or what I feel I do when I come here. No progress to report...just sort of coasting.....I am too afraid to get on the scale....

Friday night I went to dinner with my friend, she was taking me out for my bday but we were really celebrating the fact that she beat cancer. a SECOND TIME..her pet scan came back clear. I managed to eat well, told the waiter no potatoes just extra spinach with my short ribs...but then I had a creme brulee for dessert.....once again I fell off the wagon, my butt has hit the ground so many times falling off that wagon I now wear padded underwear.....it is getting to the point of why do I bother?

I have a pair of jeans that I bought from WHBM , really pretty with rhinestones and embroidery on the pockets....but they are a much larger size than what i'm used to wearing and these are my go to jeans....as much as I love them I can't wait to get rid of them......and start wearing my clothes again..I"m tired of getting dressed by camouflaging stuff.....I just want to pull whatever I want out of my closet and GO!

I need to get a "plan" going....because I am starting to get used to being this weight, I"m starting to accept it..and once I do that then I know it will just get worse.......

So here I am......whining again. No carbs today except for vegetables. Will do my DVD today..thanks for listening ladies.....

Sw 163.1
Cw 158.1
Gw 158.x

TOM is finally here and brought .5 pound with it. BooHoo! What sucks; today is my official weigh-in day

SW 158.2
CW 155
GW 153.2

Zumba Keep your head up, that's all I can say. As long as you keep trying, you keep winning. You know this, but it's worth repeating, don't get comfortable. As much as you like those new jeans, work to ditch them!!! Ugh. You can do this. You know it. I know it. I know the feeling of not making progress, of not having anything "new" to report, being stuck in the same loop of disappointment. But the important thing is to keep coming back, to keep trying. When I finally gave up and stopped trying and stopped coming back to 3FC, I put on 50 pounds. So, just keep trying. Okay?

NEMom Congrats on still being cigarette free; that is awesome!! Glad to hear the C25k is working for you! Try not to let the mini-gain deflate you... but I know the feeling all so well...

Sum38 Your experience this vacation has been so awesome!! Really, what an achievement, to maintain your weight while away!! You *know* that weigh-in today was just a momentary blip... a sucky one, sure, but just momentary. Next week it will be gone and then some. Don't race to get to the other side on menopause... I lost all my hormones 3 years ago, and the state of the nation ain't so great in that department... And yeah, look at you keeping up with personals!! Sweet!

2fatCats You are doing so well. Keep it up!! Your focus on fat loss is inspiring... I think that once I come back from Patagonia I'll start focusing more on the fat / muscle equation...

mboo Congrats on being down!

Jennifer Congrats on dropping down into the 180s!! And not just barely; you are firmly there. Wahoo! Don't beat yourself up over the Cleveland meal... It's just a meal, right? And a yummy one at that!! I have to say, I almost never go to restaurants anymore because nothing there is healthy. So now I just get a dry salad, with all the high-calorie stuff picked off, and end up very depressed paying $13+ for a crummy salad when I could have had a wonderful one at home for a lot less. Ugh.

natamars I love reading about your exercise every day. Talk about dedication, especially with the stair climbing in the office! I read something in the WSJ on Friday that the "new thing" is to try to race up the stairs in the tallest buildings in the world, most of which are now in Asia. You should set your sights, girl!! I hear you about old habits; I was falling into them last night. Frankly, I was surprised to find the scale down again today.

guac I hope you're having a good, balanced weekend...

luvCats I know it sounds trite, but it's true. "Failing to plan is planning to fail" It's great that you head out the door with your food planned out!

curleyCarr I hope that the bug that raced through your house is stomped out now! Happy Birthday to your 9 year old!! Thanks for your congrats; you make a great cheerleader!!

Kelijpa Nice to see you!

Okay, I'm beginning to feel like a bit of an imposter here. I don't know why the weight all of a sudden is coming off so quickly. It makes me feel like an imposter and it makes me want to go off plan to slow it down. I've done that before. I'm trying very hard not to let it "scare" me and to just go with the flow. As I'm sure I've said umpteen times, I have no hormones so this is no TOM whoosh or anything. Sure, I was really careful with eating last week and probably had more of a calorie deficit than usual (I don't count). But yesterday I didn't feel like my eating was on track (sabotage??) and I was still down this morning. Now my fear is that I'm losing muscle; I haven't lifted weights in 2 weeks, since before that tetanus shot. But really, could I lose that much muscle that quickly? I'm afraid I'm beginning to overthink this, and am working very hard to just go with the flow. Ugh, why are even the "good times" emotionally difficult??

sweettay, Trisha, Elaine hope you are doing well. Chime in with an update when you can.

sept2012 hope all is well with you, and you are finding your mojo!