I haven't posted in YEARS. I got down to 122 from a high of 140 several years ago....then went back up to 138 earlier this year, due to work stress and eating loads of crap (anyone else love pasta in cream sauce??). So now I'm back on 3FC and on track. I'm down to 130 but am having a major pity party with me, myself, and I in attendance. Help me snap out of it, ladies!

I feel so ungrateful that I've never had a serious weight problem but want to be thinner for vanity reasons, dang it! I wonder if I'll ever be able to get to a lower weight and not be embarrassed about my big butt and cankles and flabby arms.

Is 30 min of cardio (running, biking, or elliptical) 4-5x per week and strength training 30 min 3x per week enough? I'm on 1200 calories per day (average - depending on work and social activities) and am trying to up the protein but it just feels like the flab is here to stay. Will there be a day I can wear a skirt (can't wear one now due to flabby legs)?

And now I'm done with the whining....and need to do some squats or something....just feels really hard when you're so close but so far

I wonder if your perception of yourself is accurate? At 130, you should be a-okay in a skirt. Sometimes you just have to own it. On Saturday I spent some time with a woman in leggings and a tank top. Her butt wasn't tiny, and her arms weren't toned, but she was happy, and really, she looked great.

I agree with ann71, own it! When I got out of my head, and into a swimsuit again, I noticed that things were waaaay better than I was making them out to be. Here I was keeping my kids from having that summer fun with their Mommy, when as soon as I got to that pool I got compliments and felt way more comfortable than I thought I would.

You HAVE lost weight. At 130 & 5'5" I bet you look great. Own your imperfections and give it a try... the skirt I mean.

I am about your height and weight, and yes, I feel flabby sometimes too. While 130 lbs at 5' 5" certainly is not overweight, I know where you are coming from. I just wish I were more toned, not necessarily skinnier.That said, I love wearing skirts. Sure my thighs still have jiggle, but who cares. My arms....that is what bothers me.

You can do it!!!!

I think your workout plan sounds sufficient. Just don't succumb to the pasta cravings! I have weaknesses for the most HORRIBLE foods you can imagine -- I love love love McDonalds Chicken Nuggets and could easily slaughter several Happy Meals in one setting. But, now that I haven't eaten fast food in over a month, I don't even crave it! I'm sure that if you "just say no" to unhealthy foods for a few weeks, you'll be right back on track and won't even give pasta a thought.

Another thing that helps me -- when I pick up something semi-unhealthy and think about eating it, I imagine how long it would take me to burn it off on the treadmill and decide if its worth it. Usually, it isn't. I would much rather not eat a package of pretzel M&M's than run an extra 2 miles burning it off. That has REALLY helped me say no to cravings/unhealthy foods.

Thanks for the support and for understanding where I'm coming from! Really, I have flabby legs that jiggle quite a bit when I walk (even the calves jiggle!) - I swear I have like 30%+ body fat So, no skirt for me right now! Maybe that should be my big NSV - the day I wear a skirt with pride!

The biggest thing I can do right now is stay on plan and get to the gym. Must keep going!! I know I CAN sustain this workout plan.

I hear you skinnyminny. I'm just under 5'5 and bouncing between 132-135 after a bad exercise slump, and I can't even tell what shape I am because there's so much extra flopping all over the place.

Run a lot and the skirts should be no problem though. It's amazing how quickly legs firm up.