Hey guys! We never started up a monthly chat! So I'm starting one up that we can continue through February.

I'm doing well and back on track. I had a week there where I wasn't eating so well. Part of the problem was our towns yearly Brewfest. Too much beer leads to food indiscresion! Thankfully I only gained a pound or two and it came off quickly. So it's back to counting and whole foods! Yay! I feel so much better when I eat right.

How's everyone doing?

Good morning Zenor.

I just restarted calorie counting this week and I am loving it. Just left another program that works great but was to restrictive for me. I didn't feel like I could live in the real world and follow it. It did teach me healthy choices, portion control, nutrition and to drink lots of water but I couldn't stick with it a 100% which caused my weight to yo-yo up and down. I am now looking for a steady, realistic goal of 1 to 2 lbs a week. It disappoints me that it will take me potentially take me almost a year to lose the weight but slow and steady will allow me to enjoy my food, the journey and allow my mind to adjust to the new body. I guess my priorities are changing a little because I just want to be healthy and happy. Not thin and miserable because I can't eat the things I love.

Well I have to get going for now and get some work done and nose around a little because I have been gone for a while.

Talk to you all later.

I believe in calorie counting it helped me lose weight and continues to help me maintain my loss.

Bargoo ~ Welcome and congratulations on meeting your goal! I really enjoy calorie counting. Zenor is at maintenance also and doing a fantastic job I might add. I was doing great but hit a stall in my weight and I wish I would have just stuck with it until I started losing again.

Just got back from taking a 20 minute walk to warm up. BRRR! I was cold but the walk did the trick somewhat. I am at least warm with two sweat shirts on and a T-shirt and jeans. LOL! My boss looked at me strange because I have two sweat shirts on but I need to stay warm.

Grammy~ How cold is it there? It's snowing here, so it's actually a bit warmer then last week. Do you find that it warms up when it snows? I thought this was odd, but it doesn't seem to snow here if it's below 20 degrees F. Last week it was down to 0 degrees F. It's been hard for my California-born-and-raised booty to get used to the weather. Stay warm!

I'm going out for lunch today, so we'll see how I do. There aren't any healthy restaurants here in town and most places don't even have many choices. I'll do the best I can though. I'm hoping that salmon will be on the menu. I love my fish!

I hope everyone is having a great week! It's almost the weekend!

The colder the temperature the least likely it is to snow. So if you don't like the snow then hope for colder tempetures. If the temperature is between 20 degrees & 32 degrees, that is when the snow fall tends to hit the heavest. Clouds that form in colder temperature don't have as muh water vapor in them (in the form of ice crystals) which are needed for it to snow. This is why the temperature needs to be warmer for it to snow.

Good to know.

I've had a bit of a weird time- I just moved, and I haven't found the scale yet, and as a result, I haven't actually weighed myself for a month. My stepmother mentioned the other day she thought I was losing weight, but so many things could make it look like that is happening if it's not. Of my size 12 Calvin Klein jeans, purchased at the same time and, inexplicably, different sizes, two are pretty significantly loose on me now and one is pretty tight, but not uncomfortably so. I can't quite remember the pants situation a month ago, though, so again, I have not much of an idea if I'm losing weight or not. I've been eating well for a while, though (although I think I blew it a little bit yesterday), so I should start seeing results soon, I think.

Zenor ~ Wingsofbeauty is right about the temperature. It has to be 20 degrees or above to snow. I would rather have snow personally that the 0 degree temps. We have been running in the single digits with wind chills below zero. Just make the best choices available and have fun. This is part of making this a life long thing.

ImpalaHoarder ~ I love your saying in your signature. Eating healthy is very important and I am sure you are losing. Take the compliment and run with it, I would.

Was so happy to see the scale move today in a nice direction. With restarting calorie counting came some water weight gain. The program I was on was practically no sodium, as low as we could go. All natural but sodium natural occurs in some items like chicken or turkey. Anyway, was 177 on Monday and today I was 173 despite TOM and being sick. WHOHOO! I am really enjoying this. I just have to remember not to get to cocky with the food, I think that was why I stalled before.

I am practically here alone today at work and doing just the essentials. I was really sick yesterday and did the same thing. I have sick leave, actually losing it, but don't feel right taking it because there isn't anyone to cover the office. So no one is complaining that I am taking it easy.

Snow, Snow and more Snow predicted for today. It has its plus and minuses. Like its warm enough to snow but who wants to drive in it. NOT ME. It wasn't to bad I just took my time and had my vehicle in 4 wheel drive. Just hate seeing the gas gage while its in 4 wheel drive.

Well I have to get going talk to you all later.

I prefer the snow too! Much better then the river of ice that's settled into town. Lol. Good thing we bought a car with all wheel drive when we moved here.

It supposed to 34 degrees today, but it's currently 14. Yay for warmth! I think it's funny that this is warm to me now.

ImpalaHoarder~ I think compliments are nice regardless of how correct they are. I'm hoping you see a big loss once you find your scale. I know I was in 12's when I weighed 175, but I'm taller, so I'd guess that you have lost (of course my hips/thighs won't fit in CK jeans anyway...) I'm impressed either way! I gained 10lbs the week we moved from eating out too much.

GrammyL~ I wish I was going to be the only one at work today! The first Friday of the month is when the exhibits open. I work at an art gallery now. We have an opening reception tonight, so I won't be getting home until late and then I turn around and work tomorrow. I'm going to vegetate on the couch Sunday.

Must be nice to be taller because I am still wearing 14 to 16's at 173. I am short, short, short. I even have a refrigerator magnet that says "I'm not fat, I am just to short for my weight. My Daughter got it for me for Christmas.

Zenor ~ Sounds like a very interesting day for you. Your job sounds really cool but I have heard artist can be hard to work with.

Been reading some articles about food here. I am going to try and find some of the Seeds of Change and Penny's Low Fat Desserts products. The Seeds of Change has sauces and frozen meals, those are what caught my eye but they do have other products. My friend said the crackers are really good.

Well I am off and probably won't be back until Monday. Talk to you then.

Hey guys ,
welcome back to calorie counting Lara
also I hear you on the short thing :S I am 5'2 but I am 192
and now fit into a size 16, depending on the jeans though.

I have had a busy month I started in december with a vocal coach because I want to try out for canadian idol (canadas version of american idol) I am also hoping to be down to 158 by the audition which is april 19th. which is 34lbs in 2 and a half months...its a pretty big long shot but I am trying. I am almost at my prepreg weight of 189..but 2 months before I got pregnant I was 191 and I lost 2lbs right before I got pregnant so I am pretty much there. The exciting thing is around 170-180 I will have sooo many clothes to wear that I haven't worn in a loooong time!! I am so glad I am a pack rat and saved them all so I am good down to size 11-12 then under that I am gonna need to go shopping.

I am wondering if any of the maintainers needed to get the extra skin removed after you lost the weight?? and if you did did it leave alot of scars? My husband and I already descussed it and if I needed to I would get some lifting and tucking :P

Irish, that's such an awesome goal!!! Keep us posted on the singing and auditions

Irish~ Check out this sticky from the body image area:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...ht=excess+skin

And keep us posted on those auditions! That's sounds like fun!

GrammyL~ Artists aren't so much difficult as different. I love working with different artists and seeing the diversity in character. Yes, some are difficult, but no more percentage wise then people in real life. Of course, I'm a bit strange in some ways, so I guess I fit in ok. Lol. The opening went well last night. I'm really tired though.

I had an epiphany last night. We ending up going to the local Tavern (not my choice) and I decided to wait until I got home to eat. There food isn't good and I just didn't want to eat if I wasn't going to enjoy it. I guess I've gotten to the point where I don't care if my friends think I'm wierd about food. I'm sticking to my guns! Of course not only is the food not good, but it's also greasy and unhealthy, so I saved myself some major caloric damamge there. I might not have done so well if I knew it'd be tasty.

Hello fellow calorie counters! I've been counting calories since last July, but have been a lil lax on keeping track lately, which would probably explain why I've been stuck in the 80's since October. I'm hoping that posting here will keep me accountable and jump start my weight loss once again.

GrammyL - I understand your shortness pain! I'm short too and still in 16's but than again I havn't tried on anything else yet.. but I know being short is bad for weight loss..

Hey everyone! I'm new to this forum but not to calorie counting. It's nice to be here and meet you all

It's cold and snowing here too!!