You guys are so cautious. I totally move my ticker even though I know the scale will vascillate for a few days. I mean if I am going to let the scale irritate me I figure I am allowed to celebrate when it is good.

That said I fully understand. Of course scale said 162 today. I will just suffer for the next week until it pops back down but it was worth it to move it yesterday.

Allison and all you other loosers congrats on the scale victory!

Carey, almost done you can do it.

Cats I hope you feel better.

Aqua Warlock. It is so nice to have a guy kicking about with us.

I am just about at the weight that I am in my head. For the past 2 years or so I kind of convinced myself that I am really about 160 and that the weight gain was just temporary "baby weight".

In a way I was right it was only temporary baby weight but it sure didn't go away on its own.

But as of now I weigh less than I have in 9 years. Now if I can just get down to my pre pregnancy #1 weight (155). Baby fat begone! Then I can get to work on the "real stuff"

Hiker thanks for the welcome!

And hopefully everyone here has a wonderful good Friday and Easter weekend to look forward (watch out for the Sunday brunch though - though I don't think I'll be partaking in that this time around.)

I'm a bit cautious about the weight ticker too --esp. since I tend to weigh myself at the lightest time of day (after I get up, after shower and before breakfast).

And yesterday's tennis class really got me sweatin' -- we were drilled on our serves, followed by running up to the front half to practice volleys & overhead smashes. Then I played a singles game for half an hour before "cooling down" to a doubles match. Lost on both games but plenty of fun!

Anyways - plan for today:

Breakfast: I honestly have no clue what I will be eating ~ I don't feel hungry at all (a rarity), and I know there are some caloric stuff coming at me down the road.

Morning Snack: Vanilla yogurt (110)

Lunch: Celebrating co-worker's birthday @ Applebee's, planning on one of their weight watchers items (the only things there that have calorie counts) so 310-370.

Afternoon Snack: Again, no clue yet, but allowing myself up to 300 calories for it (half a PB&J sandwich on whole wheat).

Dinner: Celebrating with another co-worker for going from temp. to full-time (maybe I'm sub-consciously restricting today?) -- I'm guesstimating a beer & a cocktail (~300-350), and maybe nibbling some bar grub (another ~300)

Depending on hunger when I get home, I may throw in a egg-white & veggies whole-wheat wrap (160) or a LeanCuisine (~300)

Planned Exercise:
20 minutes circuit cardio with dumbbells
20 minutes strength with dumbbells
MAYBE a few games of Pump! It Up (kind of like DDR) at an arcade on the way home.

My scale said 133 this morning but I am waiting fo tomorrow in case it changes its mind. I usually weigh on Sat and doubble check on Sunday so hopefully by the end of this weekend I will be able to cjhange ny ticker again (I hope easter/bday dinner will not mess with my scale lol)

WTG Jen!!! I hope you are able to change your ticker tomorrow!!! Just think--then you'll be only 2 pounds to goal!!!

Thanks actually I hit my forst goal (healthy BMI) and now have a new goal but I just changed my ticker. Iliked seing goal met but it was time to suck it up and chane it.lol

I hope yours sticks (getting past the 140 funk)

It's a new day and so far I'm on plan. Of course, it's early and I've had so far is breakfast.

I'm so superstitious about changing my ticker that I don't have one! But I do have a lot of rules about when I change my weight in my profile listing. I also have rules about when I change the weight I enter in the cardio machines. For example, on the step machine (and only that one), I'm only allowed to change my weight in tens and only then when I am 2 lbs below the nearest ten lbs. So if I weigh 125, I have to keep enter 130, until I weigh 118, then I can enter 120. Now this rule only applies to the step machine. On the ellipitcal and the treadmill, I can enter my weight in fives (but the two lbs below rule still applies). And if I gain a few lbs, I never seem to require myself to increase the weight that I enter. I have no idea why I have all the rules and what I think they accomplish, since no one sees the weight I enter and all it does is make the calorie burn estimate even more wrong than it already is.

Luckily for me, my family is 2000 miles away and my SO's mother doesn't celebrate Easter, so this is just another weekend for me. In an odd coincidence, I was thinking about going to church (for the first time in something like 10 years), but then I remembered that it was Easter and I don't want to go when it is super crowded (although, on the other hand, that would make it easier to slip in and out unnoticed, which would definitely be my goal). Hmmm, maybe I should rethink this.

Hikerchick--Congratulations on the nine-year low! That is so awesome; you are doing phenomenal. You must look great, I'm sure we would all love to see some before and after pics (hint hint )! Here's a dancing bunny and broccoli for you! (and the trampoline smilie thrown in for good measure!)

Blue that just cracks me up. I can totally relate though. I am much more relaxed with the scale but I play similar games with my self when I am running. Clearly this is working for you.

Pictures. I am not sure if I even have any. Or at least any that tell the whole story. I will try to drag some out. Perhaps they will make me feel slim. Now that I am paying attention all those little fat cells seem to wave hello to me each morning (shrink babies shrink). Thanks for the broccoli.

I change my ticker everytime I see a new low and never change it upwards unless I have had an extended time SIGNIFICANTLY off plan (like my ski-trip where I gorged daily). Then I will enter the lowest weight of the following 7 days and go from there.

My reasoning is that all fluctuations are due to (water/sodium/hormones/extra breastmilk/piss-anty weightloss demons) and therefore the low weight is the most accurate.

Oddly enough since I adopted that plan I have seen several nutritionists and diet coaches recommend it.

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for the advice about my rib cage. So far so good, the pain hasn't gotten worse, nor has it lessened. As I expected. I don't think it's life threatening, and I know if I go to the doctor they'll tell me I either bruised or fractured a rib and that I can't do anything too strenuous for a few weeks... which I already know... I'll see, maybe once the weekend is over I'll head over to the campus Health Center.

Abbyin congrats on the loss!

Yay! Allison for your loss as well!

Hikerchick, 9 year low?! That's fantistic. It must feel great.

Canadian mom! Woo!!! My fingers are crossed that the weight stays low.

I hope everyone's friday is going well so far.
Mine's going great. It was really nice and sunny when I woke up so I went for walk. I went down to a local beach and I saw a sea otter!!! I was pretty excited, and surprised; it was pretty big. I thought it was a dog at first, it was so big.

Good luck everyone!

OMG a sea otter?!? which beach?????

sorry, i only have time for to relay that shock this morning. i did read the other things though...it looks like we all have weird ticker changing tactics, and a lotta people are losing this week!! woot woot!

Hi all,

Scale registered a four pound drop today. WHOA. If by the end of the week that t hing says I dropped 2, I'll be ELATED!

Yesterday was right OP. Today , so far is OP too, though I could have made a better snack choice - I was just badly wanting carbs.

Breakfast : 1/2 portion of kashi with a few blueberries and 1/2 cup milk (105 calories total)
snack: some fresh pineapple (probably 100 cal)
lunch: Tilapia Piccata (portion leftover from last night - I saw that my BF ate his lunch portion last night as well ) - prob 400 cal since I had some asparagus too.
snack: one of those 100 calorie thomas' wheat english muffins, with a wedge of the laughing cow light cheese (35 calories).

So I'm right around the 750 mark or so, which is perfect since after dinner it'll put me about 1000. We're going to a housewarming party after holy friday services and I need to save 3-400 calories or so for the random handfull of pretzels, etc after dinner. I may even bring my own fudge stripes 100 calorie pack to eat there... I haven't yet decided if it's more dangerous to plan to eat those calories ther e- or to arrive at the party "Done eating for the day" and just simply try not to eat at all.

Anyone have thoughts about that?

That will make another OP day!

I cannot even express how sleepy I've been the past couple of days since starting to really work out this week. I've been hungry for the first time in a long time, which is probably a good thing seeing as I'm needing to eat 1400 calories/day now. I can do it with an added protein bar if I'm not there in the evening =)

OH and on the ticker thing: I change mine to the lowest weight I've seen on any particular scale, on any random day. And so long as I'm staying OP 6 out of 7 da ys in a week, I don't believe other scales until they register what the lowest one said hehe

The extra breastmilk reasoning can really be right on. I'm working with a twin mom right now, who literally gains and loses seven pounds before and after each feeding. AND - if she pumps after she feeds them, she loses 10 pounds from those feedings. If she goes by the weight loss after she finishes feeding the girls, she's actually only about two- three pounds from her pre-preg weight, and then it makes sense that she's fitting into her pre-preg jeans.

She, of course, thinks she's more like 13 pounds away from that weight and is shocked that her jeans fit

I forgot to mention I also make my hubby get down and look at the weight so I know for sure what it is on. He laughs at me but complies so he doesn't have to listen to me all day saying "I think I am x amount of weight but am not sure". (my scale window is small but I do not want to get a new one it may tell me the wrong thing).

I don't really have thoughts, but I do have my story. I had a meeting last night and at each of these meetings, someone is to bring food and drink. Last month there was a wonderful spread! Pita chips with a cream cheese-red pepper torte for dipping, sandwich roll-ups, fruit. Okay, so it wasn't ALL the best choices, but there was enough good stuff to get happily full on. So last night I go to the meeting hoping that there will be a similar assortment. Not so. There was a mixture of fruit that didn't look too appealing and three boxes of Girl Scout Cookies!!! I didn't eat any cookies, but I wish I had at least thought to bring something of my own. I ended up eating a few toffee peanuts that she brought and just drank water. By the time I got home, I was so exhausted that I just went to bed. So that meant no dinner and my calories were ridiculously low for yesterday. Interestingly I didn't wake up famished!

As a general rule, I don't save calories for off-plan meals/treats because I think it leads to overeating later. So if I had a party planned in the evening, I would eat my normal amount of calories during the day. If I end up low for the day, I'm more likely to overeat at the party or, if not then, the next day. Although the food I eat at the party might bring me up to my appropriate calorie level, chances are it's not very nutritious and my body is going to want to make up for the shortfall in nutrition. I've gotten into a pretty good routine around what I eat when and if I throw it off too much, things tend to go haywire (as evidenced by the trouble I am having getting back on plan after my vacation last week).

I have two strategies for parties. One is to not worry about what I eat. One night off plan isn't really going to make a big difference in terms of my overall weight loss. So sometimes I just consider it an off-plan night and eat what I want.

The other is to go in planning to eat very little and to stick to the veggie tray. If this is my plan, one strategy that has worked for me in the past is to grab a no calorie beverage right away (either diet soda or decaf coffee, depending on what is available). If it is a party where you stand and mingle, it's really hard to hold the beverage and eat at the same time and the beverage also gives you something to put in your mouth. That really helps me limit what I eat. It also helps to be outgoing and talkative as possible. Although I've definitely proven that it's not impossible , it's hard to eat when you are heavily involved in a conversation. The parties where I've been most successful at not overeating are the ones where I did a lot of talking.

The strategy that I use just depends on the party and how many other off-plan meals I've had lately. I've also done the middle of the road strategy--i.e., eat a moderate amount of bad stuff. The grab-a-beverage right away approach comes in handy here as well.