I am bound and determined to break through this plateau nonsense! So this is what I did today: I created a Step TWO Binder… TIME TO ENERGIZE!

I started my Step two binder today with, new sheets, recipes, measurement pages and exercise logs along with a water chart that I created to track my water intake (nothin' fancy). This is my way of trying to refocus, step it up a notch. I have gotten away from journaling and have been a bit more liberal with my food selections. I realized that my greatest success was when I was more strict on myself.

This week, I'm off to GNC to find some fiber supplements and maybe some other goodies.

I've got 21 more pounds to go to goal. I'm letting nothing get in my way people... NOTHING..

For now, I am eliminating the treats all together.

I'm pumped. Sometimes, I think our routines become mundane.. I like a little spice every now and then.. I'M KICKIN MY OWN BUTT!!

Anyone wanna join me in re-energizing their efforts???

I want to you come and train me to have as much motivation and energy as you do! I just ate a completely horrible lunch (skipped breakfast, which I rarely do), the only thing positive is that I turned down a starbucks iced coffee, the caramel frap's have more fat than a BIG MAC! Anyways, send some of that motivation my way! My boyfriend told me today that he doesn't think I can do the south beach diet, because it means giving up sugar.. how mean! All you gals who succeed at losing weight give me hope that I could too!

You can do it.. without a doubt SwimGirl.

Ok and since you asked for it... Here's a little Gretchen 101 for ya... lol


I have found that specific diet plans don't work for ME because I like a variety of foods without cutting out certain things, such as carbs etc. However, specific diets do work for a lot of people. Doing research and really finding the plan that will best suit you is a very important key in sticking with it. That's something you may want to consider, espeicially if you think you might have some trouble with the sugar.

If you find that the SB diet doesnt work for you, then that's ok.. as long as you are willing to try something else rather than ditching the effort completely.

Keep focused.. Even if you have to write your thoughts and goals down on paper and look at it every now and then.. Keep this journey on your mind all the time. By doing this, you will continuously remain conscious of the food choices you are making.

Exericse as much as you can.. A silly little thing I used to do is each time I go to the bathroom, I do 20 toe touches... My theory is if your drinking as much water as you should be then you'll be in the bathroom an awful lot. Do toe touches every time you hit the bathroom and you've got a start on exercise for the day! Sounds silly but it's true! Got an hour for lunch? Go for a walk!

Simple things like this motivate me. Simply keeping this journey on my mind keeps me motivated and pumped. That's what its all about. Being focused, with energy, motivation and positivity!!

Good luck.. I know you are going to do well!

I completely agree with Gretchen that not any one "diet" is going to work for anyone. I also agree that for me, I can't go any weight loss plan to requires you to almost completely give up any food. Mostly because I like variety as well but also this is a life change for me. I couldn't do any of those diets forever but I can live the way I have been forever. I love the foods I eat now and feel so much better after eating them than the burgers and fries that I lived on for so long. I have no idea how I let my weight get so out of control and couldn't figure out that my diet of fast food etc was making me feel horrible. lol.

Gretchen, as far as re-energizing, I'm there with you. Although I've been really good the whole time I have been weight loss-ing (lol) I have been overindulging a little with lunches out and that's stopped as of today. I had a delicious Lean Cuisine (which really was delicious!) and I'm downing the water like crazy (my other big problem, not enough water). I feel really inspired every time I get on the scale though and can't wait for the next week so see how much more I've done down.

Talk to you all soon!

I just re-energized my efforts recently as well, well Friday was the day I started. I am starting South Beach Diet Phase I and also only drinking water up til the end of August (maybe beyond?). I was on a plateau (which is now broken) so that was my reasoning for making these couple of changes. Since I was already doing a low carb based diet before of my own design, the SBD isn't a huge change from what I have been doing and in fact I'll probably eat more carbs once I get into Phase 2 than when I was doing my own thing.

SwimGirl, giving up added sugars is hard at first, but once you do it, it is a lot easier. I haven't eaten anything with added sugars in over 3 months. You can of course have sugar substitutes and in phase 2, you can have fruit and even chocolate. Personally, I think added sugars are only useful for making us fat. (Of course that doesn't stop me from fond memories of Cheesecake, Chocolate Cake and a multitude of other sweets)

I think that South Beach will work for me, it's very recommended for gals with PCOS, thats my reasoning behind starting it. I tried low fat, low calories, well rounded diet, and was exercising about an hour a day. I was in theory doing everything "right", but I just wasn't losing weight. I think I lost 3 pounds, and I thought well maybe it's all muscle that i'm gaining, but my clothes weren't getting loose. And after 4 weeks of working my butt off, I gave up. So I did some reseach into PCOS and learnt that for a lot of people low carb diets work the best, so that leads me to now. Another huge problem is my addiction to sugar, I get headaches and feel un-well as my body detox's, which points me towards the fact that it's just not good for me. I tried Atkins, but found it too harsh for a carb addict.. and found out about South Beach by chance.

I think I will steal some of Gretchen's ideas, water is something I don't get enough of, but I think if I make a chart, and keep it on my fridge, that could help. And I vow to get 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week! I think it's doable! And toe touches? What exactly are those? See, I think its just bending at the waist and touching my toes, like straight down, is that correct? Or do you do it differently?

Good for you Gretchen. I am right with you. Nothing is going to keep me from my goal this time. NOTHING!

Good for you, Gretchen! I am proud of you for staying on track and being so determined.

I've restarted journaling.. on fitday. If that gets to be too much of a pain, I'm going to journal old-school style.

This thread is so motivational! I am kicking my butt back into gear, I want this too bad to not put 100% into it.

You know Gretchen, I've said it sooo many times, but you are a huge motivator!!

I have been so focused lately too, although I'm worried about working out this week as I'm working a late shift at work and by the time i'm off my gym is closed. So, I'm really really hoping I can stay on plan. I know i'll be able to stick with the food and water but the non-working out scares me.

Hey Gretchen, way to go girl!

I'm with you on the re-energising.....just got back from vacation, just started a new job, and I am determined to lose 30 pounds by Christmas.

Got myself off to a good start........went swimming before work yesterday, and am about to do the same today. Even took my lunch to work (that's the first time I have EVER IN MY LIFE done that)....didn't eat it 'cos I went out for lunch with new boss/colleagues.....but stayed on track, so no problem!

SwimGirl - I don't have PCOS, but I did have impaired glucose tolerance/pre diabetes, which probably made me insulin resistant. So I have followed a low glycaemic index, low fat approach, and found it works for me. I really think you have to experiment to find something that suits your lifestyle and your body.....I have stopped eating junk, processed food and sugar, and I don't miss it at all. I think you might find that after a short while, the cravings disappear completely. Just hang on in there! However, I do think it is really really tough to follow any diet which prohibits specific food - if you feel deprived, eventually you are likely to cave in! My sense of most of the people who are successful on this site is that they create their own approach, and plan in the food that they really like, rather than denying themselves completely......Good luck!

See above -- it's all applicable to me as well. (I'm in some good company!)

I am so down with the re-energizing. I feel like I may have gotten a "weight-loss pass" this weekend, because I went on a mini-vacation and ate like total crap, yet didn't gain a pound (I may have even *lost* half of one!). We were very active the whole time, and I did exercise in the hotel's fitness center, but my eating was wayyyyy off (can you say fried seafood and BBQ?).

This morning at the gym, after the ellpitical, I forced myself to push up the speed on the stairmaster and do a full 10 minutes (doesn't sound like much, but it kicks my butt). It felt great, actually. Here's to pumping it up!

I like your toe-touching breaks, too. I've said this before on the Exercise thread, but I do find that my *overall* activity level seems to affect my weight loss more than my daily gym workouts, strenuous may they be. I'm convinced that sedentary jobs really slow the old metabolism.

Thanks, all, for the rousing encouragement. Let's live like Amazons this week!

I totally don't believe in completely denying yourself of anything, and have always let myself have thing in moderation.. that is, everything but soft drinks. Which seems to be my one major addiction, once I quit having soft drinks I find myself craving all sorts of weird things, and let myself have those things, but I just seem to try and find something else to fill the place soft drinks left. Honestly, I think I need to think of it as a serious addiction, completely deny myself it. Once I tried to just have diet pop instead, which in theory would work, until you factor in that I'm allergic to aspartame. I have to let it stop having control over me!!

I second kicking the soda addiction. I completely cut them out several months ago, and I don't miss them ONE BIT! Now they taste pretty much like colored sugar (which, incidentally, is mostly what they are, give or take some preservatives!). I cut out diet sodas, too, and just drink water and iced tea now. The next step would be cutting out the caffeine, but that's not gonna happen anytime soon .