Hello all! Thought this would be a nice place to chat about our progress and support each other before those weigh ins on the weekend.

I was hoping to lose a bit more weight for the starting weight weigh in, but my boyfriend was visiting and we ate a lot of junk food =/. My Mum also cooked us some massive fatty meals too, no good!

She told me this morning though that she was back on to the healthy meals (she's been battling with her weight for most of her life too, but tends to relapse quite often =/) so I'm hoping this week will be a good week for me. Going to stay consistent with my running and ab/strength work outs and week right.

Hope you are all having a great day!

I have just weighed myself at Boots. In a world of pain! 15st 6lb with BMI of 36. To make matters worse, the machine speaks out loud telling you what to do. Ok it does not scream out your weight but by telling you what to do it means people find your corner of Boots very interesting!!

Hi all,

Riestrella, hope you had a fab weekend, and good luck for your on plan week. That's really helpful that your mum is trying to lose weight too. Are you following a plan or doing it yourself?

Peacock, I'm scared of those machines! But well done you for making the first step of your journey this time around and getting on the scales, it can often be the hardest part when you're getting (back) on the wagon! Good luck!

Well, I need to have three on plan days here, as I'm in London Thursday and Friday so I know I'll be breaking some rules then,so I've GOT to have three good days! All good so far today, but evenings are the killer for me. I was going to go to the park and do some walk/running intervals but it's absolutely peeing it down so that's out of the window, need to workout some aerobic exercise to do at home. Meh!

Hope everyone is having a good Monday x

Just thought I'd add an introduction, everyone else please feel free to do the same (obviously omitting any info you don't feel comfortable sharing)

Age:26

Location: Yorkshire

Most Recent NSV: I haven't had any real victories for a while because I've been kind of slacking! But, it's just lovely being back in the UK (after three years living in Thailand) and not feeling like the fat one anymore, being able to shop and enjoy clothes, and it's only going to get better, yeh!

Weight Lose Goal for the Challenge: 12lbs (2lb a week, would love to aim higher but I've got to be realistic, this is so much harder here than it was abroad)

Battle Plan for Reaching BL Challenge Goal: Daily exercise or activity, NO excuses at least 6 days a week. Making good food choices, recording slip ups, not going all out crazy binging at all. Stick to food plan I write up at the beginning of each week.

Particular Challenges/Upcoming Temptations that You are Working to/or Planning to Overcome: I'm finding life in general quite tough here! I've got a couple of days in London at the end of this week and just general socailising. But I will learn how to stay in control, I will!

Good luck everyone...here is a bit about me.......

I'm 27 and always been a big girl I don't ever remember being less than a size 14. I started the journey 29th April and lost 7 lb so far. I'm quite doubtful that I will lose a lot but I'm definately going to do my best.

I plan on calorie counting and trying to eat about 1200 calories per day. I am struggling with this though because I'm not actually a big eater but a junk eater, so on some days I eat under 1000. I'm trying to eat more but get full up so quickly.

I also plan on walking daily (I'm too embarrassed to run in public at this weight). I'm not sure how much I should be walking but I guess I'll just give up when my body tells me to.

So thats a bit about me.....I hope to get to know you all soon!!!

Hi everyone

Im erm...... 29 well only for another 3 months (booo sob... its so unfair) lol

I am trying to fit some exercise in to my stupidly busy life, I get up at 4:45am go to work where I dont eat to much but drink 3 or 4 skinny hazelnut latte, and loads of coke, normally diet but when I start flagging I have full fat coke I get home around 8pm have a large meal, a few beers or a couple of glasses of wine. Monday to friday.
you can see where my problem is!!
I am going to walk to the station instead of getting a cab, it takes 20mins to walk cut out the fat coke and eat smaller meals through out the day rather then one big meal.

today I havent done to well and its only the 1st day BUT tomorrow will be a good day.

Takingcontrol - your going to love London where abouts are you going to? im west london, you cant beat Soho for a wicked night out or a lovely stroll along the south bank at waterloo with cocktail's in the royal festival hall. ohhhh dont forget shopping at westfields in shepards bush.
As you can tell I love my town

Peacock, that must have been awfull for you did it shout out your weight? bloody things should be more discrete.

Riestrella - thanks for setting this up its a really good idea. does your mum help you on your diet? my husband tries but he feels the need to feed me.

Anyway good luck chicks, hope we all lose and we are all the BIG losers

xxx

Peacock Princess: Oof! You're a brave soul for daring a very public weigh in! I remember there was this scale at a mini golf course (why? I do not know) and my boyfriend hopped on it and then asked me to and I just walked away! Hah! But now it's time to do something about it, and the fact that you're here means something! =)

takingcontrol: Yeah, I work at really peculiar hours and it's always different each week. My Mum plans the meals for every day of the week, so I need to start butting in there and making some meals of my own! But until then I'll appreciate a cooked meal for me!
Have fun in London! I know what you mean about the rain, but sometimes running in it isn't so bad. Saying this, I use it as an excuse not to go out! Have you tried Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred? It's a really good at home work out, I use it all the time when I can't be bothered running!
How was Thailand?! That's amazing that you lived there! I'm hoping to live in Japan for a year very soon!

chickalee: I know what you mean about running, is there anywhere where you could run away from roads? I run along a canal, usually only other exercisers down there so I don't mind. Don't be embarrassed about running, it shows that you're starting to make a change and I only ever respect bigger people who are out running!

marie81: Where do you work? That sounds like a hectic schedule! Coke is the devil for me, I used to be addicted to it (had full on mood swings and the shakes when I came off it!) so I understand your dilemma. There's an interesting article somewhere that says stay well away from Diet Coke - one of the ingredients dehydrates you so you actually feel like you want more! Might as well go for full fat or Coke Zero! Coke Zero was actually quite good when I was trying to get off it, because it was alright tasting but after a while I got sick of it and just switched to water or orange.
A 20 minute walk a day would do wonders in your situation!
My Mum has always been on and off dieting most of her life. She's very much mother hen and likes to cook for everyone, but since knowing that I really want to lose weight she's been inspired to get back onto the healthy meals so that's why she's brought them back in. My "diet" consists of no pop, no chocolate, no generic snacking and sticking to 3 meals. I'm going to get a cook book when I get paid, it's called Hungry Girl and it's full of recipes that are guilt free but are meant to be really tastey. It's really well reviewed, and it has a lot of breakfast/lunch recipes that I want to try out!

HoneyWobBear: Weigh ins for the challenge are every Saturday/Sunday.

I'll use takingcontrol's idea of introducing a little bit about me!

Age: 22

Location: Preston

Weight Loss Goal for the Challenge: 6 lbs. My overall goal is to lose 1 lb a week, so at the bare minimum it's 6 lbs for me!

Battle Plan for Reaching BL Challenge Goal: Being extremely consistent with exercising and cutting down on snacks. Easter chocolate is still looming around...

Particular Challenges/Upcoming Temptations that You are Working to/or Planning to Overcome: I work at a cinema, and my hours are always randomised so I use that as an excuse to not exercise some days (because I'm working later, want to make the most of my time off by relaxing etc - all excuses!) It also means that I get 40% off of all the food...sometimes it's really hard to not buy a Costa sandwich and a large Pepsi for super cheap =(.

I also have a boyfriend who is coming to visit so I can finish editing his 3rd year Uni film - means I might be staying up later than normal so I'm going to try hard to not succumb to energy drinks to keep me going. Also, we're terrible influences on each other - we tend to get snacks and takeaways. Since I talked to him about my weight and the fact I'm obese, he's been supportive. The last time he was here we weren't terrible but we weren't good either, so I'm hoping next time we can be good!

If anyone is interested in reading a bit more about the struggles I've had with my weight, feel free to read this page on my diet blog. Saves me the hassle of explaining it all again and also it's a bit of shameless self promotion! Thank you <3

Marie 81 - Nope it didn't shout out my weight - Thank goodness. Thanks everyone for your support. It is only day 2 and a bit of a struggle. Ah well...

Not doing too well myself so far, came down with a nasty cold on Sunday (which I'm blaming on the rapid switch from winter to summer here in Sweden) so exercise is out till I get over that. But hopefully it'll be gone by tomorrow.

I'm really hoping to lose at least 10lbs in this challenge, I'm going to a big family event in England at the end of the 6 weeks and I'm sick of going home and feeling ashamed that I put on weight since last time...

Riestrella, I lived in Japan last year before i moved to Sweden - it's got to be my favourite place ever, you'll love it. Japanese food, mmmmmmmmmmm......

Hey everyone, about time I took a break from revision and jumped in.

Some stuff about me:

Age: 21

Location: Durham, Durham while I'm at uni, othertimes it's Berkshire.

Weight loss goal for the challenge: 6 Ibs of fat that stays off forever!

Battle Plan for Reaching BL Challenge Goal: Eat healthily and exercise whenever I can, I actually really enjoy the break my daily run gives me so I hope I don't quit that.

Particular Challenges/Upcoming Temptations that You are Working to/or Planning to Overcome:
Unfortunately, I'm stuck doing revision because I have exams in three weeks so really I'm hoping that studying isn't going to drive me to the fridge. I survived my dissertation already and managed to lose weight, but now I'm sitting revising, the muffin cravings are kicking in. I just keep trying to remind myself that I know I can do this.

The hard part will be when exams finish and everyone wants to go out partying and celebrating. Oh and barbecue season.

wana wear a bikini: Wow! What was your experience like? Were you there teaching English? Know much Japanese? Really excited about living there!! Hope it all works out.

belmagick: Oy...3rd year Uni weight for me was a KILLER. Congratulations on making it through your dissertation! I gained SO MUCH WEIGHT during dissertation, I was eating takeaways, a massive bag of Sensations, Galaxy chocolate and swigging it all down with either Coke or Relentless. Bad times.

If you love running, stick to it! Revision is a biatch, but taking a break is sometimes beneficial because it gives your mind time to absorb the information you just looked over. Good luck with everything!

My time in Japan is pretty much the highlight of my life, I loved it. I wasn't teaching, mostly travelling mixed in with farm work. If I could do it all over again, I absolutely would. Feel free to PM me if you like, don't want to clog up the message boards with Japan info!

I graduated 4 years ago and still haven't lost my dissertation weight Hopefully that's about to change.

I'm not sure if I can PM people yet, I'm a newbie so they block certain features until 20 days I think! But I will be sure to do that =)

Eep, I swear they should give out leaflets about healthy living while doing dissertations! I certainly could've used a personal trainer during that time - I must've spent so much money on junk food and gained soooo much weight =(

Being overly aware of what I'm putting in my mouth, I did the exact opposite and lived off tuna sandwiches, green tea and fruit smoothies. not the healthiest way to cope but it meant I continued to lose during that period. Of course now I'm starving and can't stop thinking about food when I'm stuck at my desk. It's tough getting into a regular routine again even though it was only really three days or so. There should be an easier way to balance this deadline/exam rubbish with a healthy lifestyle. I don't think I could have put this losing weight thing on hold for a week.