Howdy, girls!
Welcome back to all the chicks that have been part of Weight Loss Buddies for over a year now and welcome to any new folks that join us (all are welcome!). This is a very supportive, chatty group and we try to be there for each other and help each other succeed. If that sounds good to you, glad you found us!

So this is day 2 of an attempt at 5 days straight of POP. So far so good - now I'm hoping the evil evening munchies won't throw me off.

Neesy and Burgundy - glad you guys are in with Maddiesmom and I for the 5 day streak. We can do this, right?

What's everyone doing for exercise tomorrow? It was a run day for me today so I may just walk some stairs at the office.

Hey! I made it! We can do this. 5 more days is nothing!!! I plan on doing 20 minutes treadmill, 15 minutes elliptical, 15 minutes bike, then work on arm/legs weight machines. Oh and laundry!!! haha

Neesy - that sounds like a great workout! It's snowing again here (we always have weird springs) so no outside exercise for me definitely.

I think I pushed the 'plan' a little last night with some munchie-inspired lf cheese and whole grain crackers but it was within my upper calorie limit so I'm going to call it okay. Am planning on a good day today - B: yogurt and strawberries, Snack - watermelon, apple, L: \maybe salad with chicken (not sure, am going out to lunch with work people), D: Fish, veggies, quinoa

What's everyone else up to?

Hello ladies,

I don't have a weight loss buddy and I've never been a part of this challenge, but I was wondering if I could get in on it? What exactly do I have to do?

Dancerindenver: Doesn't the early spring just drive you insane? 1 day is beautiful and not a cloud in the sky and the next day it's snowing.....I can't wait until the end of April and we're finally finished w/this screwy weather.

Dance I definitely haven't been POP the past few days, but I'm going for the next 3! Gotta start somewhere, right?? LOL

Hopeful8 We are just trying to stick to our plans of exercise and eating. We're trying for 5 days to stay on plan. Glad you were able to join us! We've been together for over a year now, so please feel free to join in anytime!

Neesy: Wow, that's a workout! Let us know how it goes. Also, if you are bored, you can always drive to Chicago and help me with my laundry? LOL

So, had Mr. Hott last night (for Hopeful8, that is the name of my personal trainer. He's really cute, and his last name just happens to be Hott). He had me doing the isometric exercises which I guess makes your muscles contract harder and faster than doing multiple repetitions. You basically use your body weight and hold different positions (wall squats, lunges, etc). Put it this way...I did this for 30 minutes last night and burned 400 calories. so, it must work.

I'm working with him now to get the ARP treatment for my muscles. He thinks that my left hip flexor isn't working correctly so when I run, my back is overcompesating for the leg not working; which is why my back hurts so much and my sciatica kicks in after my runs. When I row, I'm absolutely fine.

So, this ARP treatment is supposed to hurt a bit (but it's all mental, it's just contracting your muscles and elongating them), and it makes your muscles contract 500 times a second to "activate" the muscles. I guess Mr. Hott says that I will need to eat a ton of protein to get my muscles built up again, and I'll be starving. Good combo for a diet, right? But, he's done this himself and will be there when the chiropractor figures out what I need to do. I am really lucky to have such a great trainer.

I mentioned to him last night that I pass on his tips and exercises to you all, and being the sweet guy he is, he said that if any of you have any questions, he is more than happy to answer them. What a great guy, right?

Burgundy I did ask him the "muffin top" question, and he said that you can't "Spot" reduce a part of your body. That with the abs, it's all diet and exercise. Trust me, I was pretty disappointed to!

Glad we're back on track here together. Like all of you, I missed my ticker!

hopeful - glad you found us! Nice to have another colorado gal in the group! What kind of diet and exercise plan program have you been following? We've done different specific challenges along the way in the past and may again but right now we don't have a formal one going other than what Maddiesmom mentioned - trying to have 5 perfectly on plan days in a row! Wanna join us for that?

maddiesmom - super curious to hear how that interesting treatment goes!

I'm kind of bummed that my scale is not cooperating (I'm not going to update my ticker, but I'm a pound or two above that number) but it could be TOM related. I'll try to stick to being good and see if I can get somewhere. I know they say weight loss slows as you get closer to your goal but this is crazy - I've been running and walking a ton and haven't been losing at all. Clearly it's my eating and I need to get back to a more disciplined place (no more treats for a while!!).

Hey ladies!! Yay we have tickers.

Dance-gonna go to the gym again today, its another rainy day here. I'm gonna try to get 3 miles in and use some of the weight machines.

Neesy-great workout. I have laundry to do too, its a never ending task.

Hopeful8-Welcome!! Cant wait to get to know you. What plan have you been doing to lose 31 lbs, Great job.

Maddiesmom-400 cals in 30 minutes, wow. I'll have to give isometric exercises a try. Let us know how the ARP treatment goes. Hopefully it helps your back. I guess we will just have to keep doing what we are doing and hope the muffin top gets smaller.

Stayed on plan yesterday and was back down to 194 this morning. Had a new cereal "Puffins" this morning. It was pretty good with a banana. I was hoping to walk outside but its pretty chilly and I walked the other day in the rain and came home drenched.

I have to go to the boys house tonight at 9. Both their parents are on 3rd shift right now so I have to be there from 9pm to 2 or 3 pm tomorrow and then again Thurs night to Friday afternoon. At least they will be sleeping when I get there. Hopefully tomorrow is nicer and me and the 3 yr old can get a walk in and go to the park.

Burgundy - 194 - look at you, you skinny thing! Sounds like your schedule will be tough for a few days - sorry to hear that. Hope you can keep your sleep on track.

Just booked a trip to the Orlando area in April so I'll get a dose of sunshine one of these days.
Mygrits - I'm sure you don't have your work schedule all sorted yet but on the 22nd of April I'll be coming back from Daytona Beach and headed to the Orlando Airport to stay in a hotel there. Earlier in the trip I will be in the Melbourne area. Will I be passing through your neck of the woods at all? I'd love to stop in and see the health food store where you work or meet you for coffee if you're not working if we can make it fit. I'm lucky in a way to have work travel as an excuse to meet some of you gals! Although, now that I'm thinking about it, the two girls that I've met in person don't post anymore - yikes, I hope I'm not a bad luck charm!

ETA - Mygrits - looked on the map and it seems like Deland (where you live, right?) is between daytona and orlando so maybe I'll get to try a smoothie at your store on my way back to the airport! Hope we can work out the details...

Burgundy: That's a pretty rough schedule. Do you find that your days are messed up when you have to work at those times? Just curious. Do you go over there and then sleep on their couch or something? Sorry, just being nosy. Yes, I was disappointed with the muffin top answer as well. But, the isometric exercises, when done correctly (I hold the pose for 2 min, which doesn't sound like much, but it makes your muscles BURN), can get your heartrate up past 160 (for me) and it really burns calories. Try doing a wall sit (google), you will find that it's really hard. That's only 1 of the exercises from last night.

Dance: When are you coming to Chicago?!? LOL You are definitely not a curse, you help keep us going! Chicago has a ton of things to do in the spring and summer, so hopefully your job will bring you this way some time soon!

Well, I am back on plan, so I'm happy about that. It could be the cold that I know is about to kick my butt. (Some unpleasantries have begun to show, including a stuffy nose).

B: 1 cup of fruit and tea
Snack: almonds (love 'em!)
Lunch: Lean cuisine deluxe pizza and a cup of soup
Snack: banana and cutie
Dinner: Chicken breast with veggies

Dance, just noticed your signature...you can add another carrot! YEAHHHH!!!!

maddiesmom - don't know how I missed that! Dancing carrot now added And unfortunately Chicago is not in the region that I'm visiting these days although I've been there for work in the past so who knows, that could change. Sorry about the cold - do you have any zinc lozenges or zicam? I find that kind of stuff can make my cold go away or at least be much milder.

So I'm looking for a way to make my life more interesting and I think I'm going to start taking belly dancing classes again, starting tomorrow. It's been ages and I'm way out of practice but it would be a nice way to get some stretching back into my routine too. Have you guys got any other creative ideas on how I can be less bored with myself?

Ok, so I was looking through some old pictures of me from right before my wedding, when I was at my heaviest (not including my pregnancy). Now I can TOTALLY see a difference. I know Maddie is covering part of my stomach, but you can still see the change. Now I'm motivated to keep going!

Thank you again ladies, I couldn't have made it this far without you!!!

Maddiesmom- Huge change. you are looking great. i feel like i'm slacking. you and rayne are gonna pass me up! i'm so sick of this plateau=(

dance- belly dancing sounds fun. i need a hobby or interest badly. i'd love to do a cooking class or dancing class

hopeful- welcome!!

so i've been at this plateau since october. i really have been about the same weight since then. i'm glad i'm not gaining.. but it is frustrating. i have tried changing things up and being more active.. but nothin.. guess i just have to stick it out. oh.. and the low carb diet is definitely not do-able doe me. i was starving and had no energy. i'd rather just exercise more. i need carbs!

neesy - I hear you on the needing carbs thing - I've tried atkins in the past but it is not sustainable for me. I love fruit and salty crunchy things way too much! And I've been plateauing for a long time too - just a few pounds lost since November but I've noticed my shape changing as I get stronger and my stomach definitely has tightened up some instead of doing that saggy thing. I'm ready to be back in serious losing mode though! Maybe we can egg each other on

maddiesmom - love your new photo!! Your face looks so slim and your arm so toned! Serious progress - we're all so proud of you. Your daughter is beyond adorable - what a cutie!

Managed to stick to plan yesterday and am going to try to run at lunch. What's everyone else up to today?

Well, I'm home sick today.

Been feeling it brewing the past few days, thanks to sick co-workers who don't know to stay home so they don't get others sick. There are actually 2 people in my dept. that have been sick for over a month now...that's just ridiculous. So, it's 12:00 here and I just woke up (was up for 2 hours earlier to take Maddie to daycare). So, I will be laying on the couch all day, reading.

I did weigh myself today, and I'm down another pound...210! Wahoo! That's 8 pounds lost since January. Plus, I measured myself yesterday and I've lost another 7 inches between January 26th and now! So, sometimes the fat is leaving, but I know we all like to see the lower #'s on the scale.

Neesy & Dance: I can't do low carb either. I don't eat a lot of them, but I couldn't live without them either. Thanks for the compliments by the way. I really had an ah-ha moment when I looked at those. And thanks for the compliment on Madeline...she is the love of my life, and a big factor for why I'm losing in the first place.

Anyone have plans for the weekend? I'm unfortunately going to a funeral for a very dear family friend on Saturday, then a birthday party at my cousin's house. We are going to try and eat beforehand since the hubby is dieting too. Don't want to indulge too much. Matt has lost 15 pounds already! He's doing it through diet, but I'm really trying to get him to workout. Any suggestions??

Check back later. Have a great day!