Where are you feathers? I hope you're all staying cool and staying strong in the midsummer heat.

Tonight I'm going to dinner at a family friend's house... she's Italian and a FABULOUS cook so I'm very excited. I'll have to be careful because I want to try everything but I have to refrain from going overboard.... so tough when the food's so fantastic. I'm also trying to rush around so I can have time to hit the gym before going.

I've been maintaining at 130.5 for quite some time now, and I don't want to complain, but i'm SOOOOOO CLOSE to where I want to be and it's frustrating! I saw there was a thread on here with a few of you expressing similar sentiments last week. My lowest weight was 125 and I'd be THRILLED to make it back to that... or just to be able to comfortable button and sit around in my skinny pants is really my goal, I don't much care what weight that happens at.

Hi Iris,
Yes, I've been quiet lately with this nice little stall I'm in. Compared to last week I actually went up 1.2 lbs, but I refuse to acknowledge it. It just *has* to be water weight. I've been so good and spending so much time in the gym. These last few lbs are a bugger! Makes me a little nervous about what maintaining will be like.

Oops! I posted this in last week's thread.....reposting:

Hey everyone! Sorry for the long absence....I've been out of town last weekend and the past couple of days.

I'm doing so-so lately; to be honest I am feeling somewhat bitter/frustrated because despite being motivated and willing to exercise every day, my legs have been killing me when I try to run! So the C25k is not going too well (I am supposed to be on week 4 ). There could be many reasons why my lower legs hurt (calves and shins ) so it's hard to tell why. I am hoping it's my shoes, since I was planning to get new ones next month...my dad says a running store nearby does evaluations for free (they videotape you running and analyze if you are using proper form) so I might try that in case I am "doing it wrong."

Other than that I am hanging around 112lbs right now, might be hitting a plateau though...I wanted to start swimming since that is a great workout as well and easy on the joints, but I'm still self-conscious in a swimsuit so I wish I could be a couple more lbs down (preferably from my thighs ) before I try on my tankini! As for now I am using the elliptical, rowing machine, treadmill for walking, and stationary bike at the YMCA. I have been doing a lot of crunches/push-ups too and am feelin' the burn!

Tomorrow it will be officially 2 weeks until my 20th birthday, and my goal right now is to be the fittest I have ever been as I enter adulthood Haha. I plan to leave my lazy self in the teenage years, since there is no use for her now or ever!!

Tomorrow I am going shopping for a new laptop and some new workout clothes, since I need sports bras VERY badly...maybe I will find some cute stuff that will make me want to exercise in it!

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Hello again

Just wanted to share some good stuff....

I bought 2 new sports bras at Target yesterday, yay!

I remembered that when I was on the train to NYC on Thursday, it was SO COLD....like I was literally freezing my butt off. So I was sitting in my seat, knees pulled up to my chest, hands clasped around the front of my legs, when I realized......I COULD BREATHE! Now that there's not so much chub in the way, it is much easier.

Another day at work with a "celebration"....aka lots of cake and cookies on the table. I can NOT afford to eat it, though, since my workouts have been slightly sporadic the past week.

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Today was a really good day for me; I ate well even though I had a bite of cake at work....I worked out though and I don't feel guilty about it at all, since I didn't overeat!

My clothes felt looser today at the gym, and I felt like I was lighter on the treadmill than before I haven't run much, only a little bit today - the shin splints are gone, but my calves bother me a little bit. Probably nothing lots of stretching won't fix

The municipal government is trying to take my job away again so I'll be a bit busy in the next while.

I'm 1 lb. away from my goal weight but it's such a non-event now (and I'm looking long term at a range of 130 - 133) that I probably won't even notice it.

Did an awesome workout with my trainer last night and she wants me to get bigger weights (oy vey!). I hauled my boat off the racks this week and took it down and dropped it into the water. I wish I had a camera for the look on DH's face - he's done all that for me until now.

Kimberley You are doing an amazing job with the exercise! I'm sure the soreness will disappear. What kind of surface are you exercising on? And do go for the shoe/gait evaluation (but realize it's free cause then some less than honourable stores will try to pressure you into buying orthotics or new shoes).

Keep cool everyone!

Dagmar

111 Woohoo!!

Thanks Dagmar - I always run on the treadmill, but lately have been using it w/ the incline which seems to help (and I don't hang on for dear life like everyone else at the gym that walks on an incline ). I need new running shoes anyway so I probably will end up buying some next month, hopefully I can find some that aren't too expensive since I just spent $1,400 on a laptop computer )

Hi all! Sorry for my absence. I am back after a week of visitors in our home

I went off plan that week, and regained 2 lbs. Actually, I was just relieved that I hadn't gained 5lbs So I am back on plan, exercising, etc.

Mornin!
You know, I tried the running thing. I got up to about five miles a day, five times a week. I had great shoes, had the evaluation, but still had pain in my legs and back and started noticing I was having a tough time on stairs and waking up achy every day.

When my sister in law (who does marathons) found out that she's going to have to get knee surgery due to her running, I decided to switch to other forms of exercise, and feel much better for it. I know running is great exercise, but IMHO, I don't think it's for everyone. Seems like you're either built for it and flourish, or you don't... I know I'm not (at least not if I want to be able to walk in my retirement years!)

Definitely! It's a great workout and burns lots of calories, but I wouldn't do it more than 3 times per week (personally)....my parents both have physical problems that are partly due to running (my dad has moved onto spinning since he just cannot run anymore, and my mom is always complaining about her feet ), so I don't want to rely on a single activity too much. Just like with food, too much of ANYTHING (even something "good"/healthy) is a bad thing. Everything in moderation!

I am sooo excited that I have almost hit the 110lb mark....such a nice round number Pretty soon I will be focusing solely on TONING and TIGHTENING instead of "just losing weight." Yay!!

yey kimberly for reaching 111!!! I used to run a lot and i think good running shoes are a great investment... stretching properly is even more essential. anyway I agree w/ only running every other day or so, I have bad knees and when i was running every day i ended up in a lot of pain.

silverstar, still in that plateau? i am... =( I'm thinking maybe upping my cardio. I've started doing more toning and instead of keeping the same amount of cardio, i keep the same amount of workout time but split it more. that's probably slowing me down in dropping the lbs.

dagmar, that's awesome about carrying your boat... I love the feeling of completely shocking someone with a new ability! Good luck with your job... I hope everything works out.

Leigh, hopefully you had a good time with your visitors. Good work on getting right back on plan, sometimes starting out again can be so rough!

Hi Ladies,

Sorry I have been MIA for awhile we've been at revival every night this week and we are leaving for vacation on Saturday, so I am pretty much spent. TOM has me up a lb. I am a little jilted since my scale switch, when I went from analog to digital my weight was more accurate but up almost three lbs. and it's been hard to be serious since then. But I really want to be motivated again.

I love hearing about people who can run. It's always been something I was interested in. I even ran cross country in highschool, but I have to confess I am just not a runner. I wish I was. Maybe I don't understand how to train to run. I have never really been able to go very far without feeling as if I would pass out. Do you ladies have any hints on how to get started?

Mercer Mom...I am the same way with running! I can get on the elliptical and crank the resistance WAY up and go at top speeds for what seems like forever; I can get on the bike or on rollerblades and do those for long periods of time. But when it comes to running, I don't know what it is...I just get light-headed and short of breath. Maybe it's all in my head? Or maybe it's just a lot higher impact, and some people aren't built for that sort of thing. hehe.

Hi everybody... I haven't been very active lately I've been doing alotta lotta soul searching and I think I'm finally in the right frame of mind to get this weight issue under control. Sooo, here I am again practically at my starting weight and I'm technically no longer a featherweight... but what the heck, I like it here!

Leigh - totally relating, but 2lb isn't so bad!

Silver - I get that - I love running for the fact for me in losing weight its the most effective form of exercise, but it seems no matter how much I practice I can only manage about two blocks

Kimberly - Way to go You should be so so proud of yourself !

Iris- Keep at it, hope you're doing alright

Mercer- Same here, I cant run far at all but I still find it very effective?

I just got back from vacation and i'm still hovering in the same range. Almost time for TOM and i've gone a whole month without losing a lb. Have to step it up in the exercise dept, but its so HOT!! I should go get some goggles and do laps in our pool here a few times a week, take longer walks with the dog and run a little early or later in the evening. Gotta do something. It seems so easy but then why can't i do it!!

Hi all! I am down 2.2 lbs this week! Hooray. So that means I am back on track and moving toward my mini-goal again.

Silverstar- my husband runs and loves it. I have never enjoyed running- only power walking. So I know what you mean!

Kimberly- almost 110!!!! Wow. So close now

Iris- have you tried changing the type of cardio you do? I've heard that changing one's exercise a bit can shake up a plateau???

Heather- I took a break too! We can restart together.

Zima- hope you have a great Friday.

Spoz- welcome back! We are both starting fresh I suppose

skinnybeach- I find I need to do an activity I truly like doing - like walking. Good luck finding something you enjoy.