Oops, I signed up for this challenge and then I haven't reported back since! I've been counting my calories and exercising, though, and I'm happy to report that when I weighed in Monday after one week I'd lost six pounds! I know you always lose more the first week, so I expect it to level off now, of course.

I've been trying to keep my calories between 1400 and 1700 and I have every day except today. Today I'm at 1810. I don't know what's going on, but I've just wanted to eat a lot today. I'm hoping to get back on track tomorrow, but I'm pleased that I didn't go too far overboard. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to work out today, though.

Good job sticking with it and congrats on your loss!

Susie-Thanks for the encouragement! It is difficult to get busy and watch yourself backslide in your weight loss but it can be corrected with a lil effort.

Matilda-Keep on keeping on. You'll catch your groove and things will get much easier.

Stimkov- So inspirational. Your stats are similar to mine and I find your continued loss very inspiring along with your yoga practice.


Keep rockin' CC'ers!!! Valentine's Day, here we come!

Good morning Everyone!!
Yesterday was another on plan day. I didn't go overboard even though it was a higher calorie day. I think by Sunday I should be in good shape and register a loss. I decided to include a higher calorie day so that I wouldn't feel like I was missing out on anything. Feeling good today also.

LisaMarie - It's cool to check in when you can or want to. We are doing the days as they come!!!
Thinkin - A couple things you could try would be brown rice, wild rice, multi grain bread, beans, strawberries, oranges, broccoli, cucumbers, oatmeal, oat bran, skim milk, soy milk and yogurt...just a few examples.
Susie - It's good to have mini goals and then you have something to look forward to which is why I like doing the NSV Fridays. You can get and give encouragement by seeing that it's not all about the scale.
Farn - I'm with you as long as you get the scale going down it's a win!!
Northern - If it weren't for my husband I would probably still be wearing the size 16s and 18s. They were comfortable and familiar. I had to push myself to get rid of them and then he made me try on a size 12. I was afraid it wouldn't fit and I didn't want to deal with the disappointment. But I still gravitate to the extra large shirts and whatnot. If someone is with me I do better but alone...

Okay let's make this an awesome day ladies!! We are doing NSVs tomorrow!!! Let's all have something to report to make it all the more exciting!!

thank you thank you thank you 4star!!

i wish you all of the best, and some crazy whoooooshing!

keep it up :P

Farn: great job!!!

Susie: The wii zumba is a lot of fun. I have the older version. My only advice is skip the "lessons" part and just jump into the "classes." The "lessons" part is supposed to show you the steps, but as soon as you move, it says "you're doing great" and skips to the next one, very frustrating. Much easier to just jump in and do it Once you get the hang of it in the "classes", you can go to the "party" sequences.

Thinkin: I try to stick to a calorie "range", i.e., 1400-1550 is what I currently shoot for. On days I'm more active, I try to aim for the higher end of my range, and if I go over a little bit, I don't beat myself up. Two days a week (typically weekends) I allow a little higher. Not because I'm necessarily more active, but more for a mental/physical break. Right now I try not to go over 1800 on my higher days. Of course some days/events I'm higher or lower than those numbers, but it's a guideline that seems to result in a 1-2 lb loss a week for me right now.

Lisa: what a great start!!

Jiggle: I totally know what you mean. Took me so long to get my head out of plus sizes. I think I've tackled that, but I still think I need XL everything. No way I can't be the biggest size in "regular" clothes. Finally learning to reach for the L instead of the XL now. For Christmas, my MIL got me some "cuddle duds" (long underwear top & bottoms). She bought a medium. I was like, what? She really thinks I'm a medium? No way they'll fit. Tried them on, and they actually do. They're certainly on the snug side...but I didn't think I'd even get into them at all.

My first zumba class of the new year was fun last night. I can tell we've been away from it for over a month though, lol. Definitely need to get that endurance built back up. I kept up, but didn't always go at 100% (i.e., took the lower impact option at some points.) I ended up at about 1450 calories. All in all, a good day.

Thinkinthin: On workout days, sometimes I'll eat more and sometimes I won't. It really depends on how hungry I'm feeling. If I feel that I need extra, then I eat a couple hundred extra calories.
Northern: Good work staying OP and getting to zumba!
Jiggle: Awesome work staying on track and also giving yourself a little leeway.

Today I went to the gym with my MIL. It was a fairly intense workout, but it felt good and my body was fine with it. Yesterday, I went a bit overboard on calories but I was incredibly active yesterday. I did some intense cleaning for 2 hours, then helped somebody organize clothes since they're moving soon for another 2 hours, then I went to the gym and did a 3 mile run with some intervals in the middle to make it a little more intense. All-in-all, I think my body was happy with a few extra calories and I still woke up starving this morning!

Today with calories I'd like to keep it between 1400-1600 though. Tomorrow will be my weigh-in, but I feel like I'm down a little bit!
Later chicas!

4star - thanks so much!
jigglefree - I think it's a great idea to include a higher calorie day. I didn't intend for mine to be yesterday, but it was -- I ended up at 1900.
Northern - Congrats on the medium. I was so excited when I got to medium a few years ago when I lost 110 pounds. I even wore size small running shorts at one point! I hope to get back there!

I hope to get to know everyone better and be able to address more people in my posts! I miss the encouragement and support I used to get here at 3FC back when I was losing all that weight the first time. I hate that I have to do it all over again, but I'm looking forward to all the fun little victories on the way down -- getting in better shape, running faster, smaller clothes, etc.

I'm at 1235 calories right now for the day and I'll probably have a little snack and end up around 1400-1500, so I'm back on track today. I did a little strength training and yoga too. Yay!

Hey guys. My challenge isn't going so well. I'm not sure if I've hit a plateau or what. I've been keeping my calories around 1400 each day and I've done relatively well. I walked 8 miles last week and 6 the week before. I've done 3 miles this week, with 4 more to go. However, I have not lost any weight. It sucks and is very discouraging, and I'm not sure how to shake it.

JiggleThanks for the list. I will start incorporating those in my menu.

NorthernThank you so much for the information. I think I am being too hard on myself (perfectionist tendencies) and I then to give up when I don't do it "right". The way you do it sounds much more manageable to me and if I give myself I range I wouldn't end up feeling so "guilty".

tdiprincess Thanks! I think I'm overthinking this and making it harder than it has to be.

Before I say goodnight I wanted to check in and let you all know I'm hanging in! Day 4 OP! I ended at 1420 today. Did 50.5 min on the TM and over 100 oz of water. So I'm proud of myself!

I won't weigh in again till next Monday I want to make sure TOM and the after effects of TOM are good and gone before I get back on the scale.

LisaMarie - I'm starting again too. I'm trying everyday not to look back and beat myself up for regaining, I know it's so hard! I'm just picturing myself wearing those smaller clothes again this summer!

SWhite - as crazy as it sounds, I wonder if your calories are too low? I had to play around with my calorie count last time around and found that 1500-ish was my sweet spot. The first couple weeks I can get away with lower, but then I stall out. So maybe try a couple higher days (200 or so calories of healthy food) and see if you bust out of your stall.

Just hang tight. You should see a whoosh of some kind really soon.

Apparently I've displeased the scale gods. Up a pound this week I've been OP, so I'm pretty sure it's not a *true* gain...my guess is I was dehydrated last week (I weighed in while I was getting over the stomach flu) and/or I'm retaining water from the frozen dinner I had last night. (DH had to work late and I didn't feel like cooking.) I guess I must have done more damage over Christmas than I initially thought. Crazy how quickly one can gain 2-3 lbs, but how dreadfully long it takes to get it back off.

Oh well...I guess I just keep on keeping on and it will come off eventually. At this rate, I will be happy just to get back to my ticker weight for V-day!

To top it off, tomorrow is a friend's birthday, which = Mexican food & drinks. I will definitely be keeping things in check this weekend. I can't afford to keep gaining.

Well, happy Friday everyone! I wish I had a good NSV to share, but I guess the only thing I can really report is I had my first fully OP week since Christmas (being sick last week screwed me up...7 up & crackers and no exercise for 3 days)...so I guess I can celebrate getting back into the swing of things and moving forward from here!

I'm having a great morning. I have an inner excitement that has taken over!!! I was having a great on plan day and blew it in the evening and went waaaaaay over calories. It was worse than my high calorie day. SOOOO I have to be very on point today and get all of my water in and when I measure on Sunday it will show progress!!!

Oh but I do have an NSV!!! I have on a pair of cords and they were well fitting..kinda like you can feel them on your body but not so tight that there was a muffing top...well they are loose today. I was thinking this can't be...I love these pants. But of course this can be because I'm working on losing weight...duh!!

Yay for you!