As requested ... here's a thread to add a little levity to the dark days of late winter.

1. Care to tell us your real first name?

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity.

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss?

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more.

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum?

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads?

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments?

10. Something about you that not many people know.

Cut and paste and add your answers ... if you'd like.

I'll go first ...

1. Care to tell us your real first name?
Susan

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.
real, natural food is best

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity.
just move ... you don't have to buy equipment or go to a gym ... just move

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss?
pretty close to goal, I need to learn how to maintain

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more.
holy... oh... yes... Superfoods RX, Oxygen mag, Muscle and Fiitness Hers, Thin for Life, 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet ... and so on ...

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.
I have all kinds of stuff but I'd like some bands.

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum?
yup, I even post sometimes

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads?
four maybe five, I love befores and afters

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own accomplishments?
probably ... I foget about the weight I've kept off and get depressed about that which will not stay off

10. Something about you that not many people know.
um ... I'm pretty open ... how about, if I was independently wealthy and someone would bring me my mail and groceries, I'd turn into a hermit very happily

Susan: Thanks for posting this thread. As a newbie, I need all the tips that I can get!

1. Care to tell us your real first name? (Monique)

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating. (Skip processed foods and try to eat clean.)

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity. (Start off slowly even if you think you can do more. Believe me...you will burn out fast if you go overboard.)

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss? (Working towards losing the same 15-20 lbs)

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more. (Yes, Beck Diet Solution and Extreme Fat Smash Diet)

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have. (Have a Polar Beat HRM - love it, love it. Helps me kick it up a notch when I'm being lazy.)

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum? (No, not even a peek. But I might check it out tonight.)

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads? (3 or 4 times a week)

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments?
(Yes, I suffer from the "all or nothing" mentality. But, I'm working on more positive self-talk.)

10. Something about you that not many people know. (Let me think of something good...most people don't know that I once went streaking on a dare!!)

Ooh! I love frivolous stuff!

1. Care to tell us your real first name?
Barbara

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.
Plan, plan, plan (that's three tips! )

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity.
Just pay someone to make you exercise (hirer a trainer, go to classes, do small group training, etc.). It's so much easier than trying to motivate yourself.

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss?
I'm pretty much at goal, just working on a few insurance pounds. Total loss has been 35 lbs.

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more.
I didn't buy it, but I checked the SugarBusters book out from the library because Mel said it really helped her lose those last few lbs from her stomach. I'm still on the fence about actually trying it though. I really hate to have to give up corn and all corn products. Also, I checked You on a Diet out from the library and I think I heard about it here first.

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.
I'd love to have a heart rate monitor, but I want one that is waterproof and is also a clock and a stopwatch and I don't want to pay more than $40 for it. Also, I don't want one that you have to press to get it to work, I want the kind with the chest strap.

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum?
Yes, sometimes I even post there. But I'm completely intimidated by their weekly chat thread--I don't even lurk in it.

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads?
A couple times a week. I love before and afters too!

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments?
No, I totally have a big head.

10. Something about you that not many people know.
Hmmmm--something good. I once managed to hit myself with my own car.

1. Care to tell us your real first name?
Dagmar

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.
Eat sitting down and concentrate on your food

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity.
Put on a favorite song and dance like a fiend!

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss?
22 lbs. in total
5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more.
Bob Greene's Best Diet, The Skinny

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.
a really good scale

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum?
No, not maintaining yet. One thing at a time

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads?
I don't

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments?
No I have a big head (thanks Barbara)

10. Something about you that not many people know.
I used to photograph rock'n'roll bands for a living


Dagmar

Hey! I don't post on here often. but I have a weakness for these things :-)

1. Care to tell us your real first name? Lindsey

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating. small portions and eating many times through the day.

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity. go further than you thought you could every time you exercise

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss? a few. I'd ideally like to lose 15-20. I've lost almost 100.

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more. not yet

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have. hmm.. i'd have to think about that one!!

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum? no...

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads? once every few months?

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own accomplishments? yeah.. most of the time I still feel like 'the fat girl' but I know I'm not anymore! I find it weird when guys think I'm hot... I keep thinking it's a prank or something.

10. Something about you that not many people know. I'm going to grad school in just a few months at UVA! :-)

I lurk here quite frequently (have posted a few times) but am a little reluctant in posting very much as you guys seem so close knit. *deep breath* Here I go

1. Care to tell us your real first name?
Sheetal

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.
I think the trick for me was to really think about what I was putting in my mouth. Whether the momentary indulging was worth sidetracking myself. And in the beginning getting totally sidetracked and demoralized was due to that one indulgence...

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity.
Days that are busy or when I know I won't be able to squeeze in my cardio in the evening, I keep super busy during the day...clean the whole house if I have to...or in pinch put on some Bollywood music and dance away with my two kids.
4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss?

Well...as you can see from my ticker I am almost at goal from a larger weight loss...BUT have pretty much maintained at this weight for nearly 6 months now. I'd really like to shed these last few pounds before my trip to Jamaica in April but...I"m ok hangin here.

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more.
Nope

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.

My mp3 player is slowly dying and I am dying for a new pretty, girly, pink ishuffle..

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum?
I've just started wandering over there because after half a year of maintaining I'm thinking that I'm a maintainer...

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads?
ONce a week?

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments?

I think we all are no?

10. Something about you that not many people know.
I am a reality tv junkie. It's a my deep dark shameful secret.

Lekhika - We'd love you to be part of the family, join us any ole time...

1. Care to tell us your real first name?
Ilene

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.
Eat at regular intervals 5-6 mini meals/day with a portion of protein and carb at each meal

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity.
Find something you LIKE and MOVE

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss?
I've been losing the same 10-20lbs over and over, I'm sick of it!!

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more.
Oxygen mag, Fat Flush Plan, Yoga tapes, relaxation music, personal training book

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.
Food chopper

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum?
Sometimes

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads?
I actually don't go there that often

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments?
YES!

10. Something about you that not many people know.
I love reality TV too

1. Care to tell us your real first name? Ellen

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.Try to make sure every food you put into your body has some health benefit...sugar is a drug!!

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity. Physical activity is just as good for your mind as it is for your body

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss? Still struggling with the same 5-7 lbs. My body doesn't really like to go below 120 but I would LOVE to get down to 115!

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more. No, but I really want the Super Foods book!

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.I too would love a heart monitor but I just haven't gotten around to purchasing one yet

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum? Yes...I need tips on maintaing...that's the hardest part!!

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads? 2X a week

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments?Yes! I need to remind myself I am over 40 and it's just not as easy & quick as it used to be!

10. Something about you that not many people know.Hmmmm....gotta think about that one...I'm pretty much an open book!

As requested ... here's a thread to add a little levity to the dark days of late winter.

1. Care to tell us your real first name? Elizabeth

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating. More fiber

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity. Routine, I get up the same time everyday to work out, I don’t make it option

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss? I started with 30 pounds to loose now that I have 12 pounds left to lose I thought I would start posting in here.


5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more. Not yet.

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have. Body analyzer

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum? Never but maybe I will now.

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads? About once a week.

9. Are you guilty of not recognizing your own accomplishments? Sometimes. Some days I think I am doing awesome and others I think that I have so far to go and I feel really fat.

10. Something about you that not many people know. Sometimes I wish that I had more to lose so that I could go on Biggest Loser. I love that show!

Everyone's tips are great - thanks!

1. Care to tell us your real first name?
Laura

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.
I always check the calorie counts and then think of the food in terms of exercise, kind of like that new Propel commercial. Is a 600 calorie ice cream sundae REALLY worth running an extra 6 miles for?

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity.
Add it in teeny little itty bitty segments, and force yourself to do it every day. It's really hard to skip out on an 8 minute exercise session - that's only one cycle of the snooze button! But if you do a bunch of them, they add up, and get you to do more.

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss?
I gained 10 pounds after going on birth control, and am trying to counteract the hormones! Not sure how possible it is, unfortunately.

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more.
No, but I've been meaning to check out the Beck Solution. A poster in the Biggest Loser Challenge thread always posts quotes from it and it sounds really interesting.

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.
I really want a heart rate monitor, but haven't shelled out the money for one yet.

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum?
Nope, haven't been there yet.

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads?
Haven't been there either - maybe I should go!

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own accomplishments?
A little bit. Although I'm an optimist and a generally positive person, I tend to be very self-critical, and am a bit of a perfectionist. When I complete a task, I prefer to focus on what I can do better next time rather than what I did great that time.

10. Something about you that not many people know.
This isn't really something that not many people know, but it's kind of my go-to fact when I get asked to tell a surprising fact. A few years ago, I was a dancer on the MTV VMAs (the year with Britney and Madonna kissing... yes, I got to see them rehearse it and then again in performance, so I wasn't shocked like the rest of the country).

1. Care to tell us your real first name? Deb

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating. Eat your veggies.

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity. Commit to a few minutes each day - chances are you'll keep going if you just get started.

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss? I'm almost at my goal, but I don't think I am going to be satisified with that. I thought 20lbs would have a bigger difference to my shape.

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more. No - but like Laura - I think I would like to check out Beck's solution.

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have. I'm thinking I should get a food scale instead of guessing. Maybe if I stall.

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum? No - I guess I don't think I am a maintainer yet.

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads? Not often enough - Thanks for pointing that out.

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments? Yes - but I am getting better.

10. Something about you that not many people know. Hmm - I was the chubby kid in grade school and high school.

1. Care to tell us your real first name?
Anne

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.
More protein and veggies, less carbs for me.

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity.
Try to do a little bit more each week.

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss?
Almost at goal, but I've been there before, then menopause hit! So trying again.

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more.
South Beach Diet-my new bible

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.
Would love to have a treadmill at home. I wouldn't be able to make excuses for not exercising then.

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum?
Occasionally, but have never posted there.

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads?
Rarely

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments?
I'm pretty good at rewarding myself with a new top, make-up, etc.

10. Something about you that not many people know.
I have been an RN for 31 years.

1. Care to tell us your real first name?

...Julia. My middle name is Ewa.

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.

I'm not the person to be asking for tips. I guess a good one is to not keep any food that would tempt you in the house.

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity.

Find a sport that you love. I found running and now I have performance goals to motivate me to exercise

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss?

I'm trying to lose the weight I've put on since starting school again.

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more.

No. I'm considering the superfood book but I have an aversion to all fad diet book. I'm one of those grumpy skeptics.

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.

I'm going to buy a heart rate monitor when I get to 15 pounds.

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum?

Maybe I will when I'm a maintainer.

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads?

When ever the last post title looks interesting.

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments?

I think I am a bit. Yesterday my dad told me he was proud of me and I said; "I haven't done anything yet."

10. Something about you that not many people know.

I didn't notice I was pregnant for almost 8 months. Crazy but true.

Hi. I have been lurking around here for a long time and thought this would be a good way to introduce myself and become accountable for losing weight. I will love to join you gals on your weekly thread as well.


1. Care to tell us your real first name?
Amy

2. Give us one tip about healthier eating.
Eat slowly.

3. Give us one tip about increasing activity.
Once you get there it feels great, getting there is usually the hardest part.

4. Do you have just a few pounds to lose or are you almost at goal from a larger weight loss?
I am trying to lose at least 15 pounds.

5. Have you purchased a book or magazine because a 3FCer recommended it? Tell us more.
Superfoods, No Time to Diet Weight Loss Solution, Extreme Fat Smash Diet

6. One health gadget you have or one you'd like to have.
I'd love to buy an eliptical trainer.

7. Do you lurk in the Maintainers' forum?
I lurk everywhere but not so much in that one.

8. How many times per week do you read in the Goal! threads?
Constantly, so amazing!

9. Are you guilty of not recognising your own acomplishments?
For sure.

10. Something about you that not many people know.
I lurk on 3 Fat Chicks.