@Vixsin- I LOVEEEEE planks. They're one of the biggest parts of my exercise routine any time. They are harddd but you see amazing results almost immediately. Cardio is harder for me, but I see results pretty quick from that too so I'm going to work on it. Good luck!
@abstractsilver- I used to practically live off Lean Cuisine. It's hard not to, they're yummy meals that you would normally eat at a restaurant but with almost no calories in comparison. I did get a few red flags from the ladies around this site though because they're not super high in nutrients, but I'm sure as long as you don't do all lean cuisines every day, one day of eating them is totally fine. Hope you have a good day
@littlelindsaylouhoo- What a wonderful nsv!! I have almost no clothes that fit right now but I refuse to go shopping because I never want to be this size again, so I'd rather wear pajama pants and yoga pants all the time than purchase a size 18 jeans. I have clothes that look fabulous on me when I'm around 180 hanging in my closet (and that was my size earlier this year, can you believe it?? it seems so far away now!) waiting on me. I can't wait until I can wear them and look good again. All I see now when I wear them is rolls everywhere. I barely squeezed into a pair of pants that used to be baggy on me yesterday, tried to squat down to stretch them out, and the crotch just totally ripped out of them. :X Needless to say, it's good inspiration.
This time I'm being really open with my boyfriend about my weight loss. I've always been incredibly secretive and defensive about weight loss, and been wayyy embarrassed to have to admit to anyone that I was unhappy with my size and trying to lose weight. And that was over twenty lbs ago. Now I'm a little more embarrassed if people think I'm NOT trying to lose weight. It makes it easier, too, because since we've moved in here together, my boyfriend's gained 10 lbs or so, so he's been talking about weight loss too. Neither of us are comfortable with our weight, though both of us are completely comfortable with the other's weight. Still, I've gotten to the point where I'd rather not get "close" with him for a few days in a row than have him see me naked. I'm so pre-occupied with my weight that I can't even enjoy being with him, so I know it's time to change. He's been supportive so far. We were out this morning and were talking about getting something to eat, and we decided on Your Pie which is a restaurant around here that's a lot like subway for pizza, you get your own little pizza and you go down the line and pick out sauce and cheese and toppings, and they have tons of low-cal options. All the veggies are free! the fruit is extra, like pineapple and green apples, and meat is extra but you can pile up on the veggies for no extra cost. It's pretty cheap too, $5 dollars a person if you don't get any toppings that cost extra. But as we were driving there, we passed Papa Johns which has a carryout special for a large 3-topping pizza for $8 so we were both like "yum and cheap!~" and I pulled in before I remembered WHY I chose Your Pie. So I had to say "sorry, this is going to be really fatty, I want to go to Your Pie" and he was totally okay with it.
So I've had to eat today:
Pizza with wheat dough, marinara, feta cheese, onions, garlic and pepperoni- 500 calories
Allagash White, a Belgin wheat beer that's really good with lunch- 175 calories
Fun size M&Ms- 100 calories
Not the best choices so far, although the pizza was delicious and relatively low-calorie and filling. I got tons of red and white onions, which I love and which only added up to about 30 calories including the garlic. I'm not sure why I chose pepperoni instead of chicken, considering the fat content, but I don't guess I regret it. The difference in calories wasn't huge.
Tonight I think I'll grill some chicken tenders (not breaded) and have a baked potato with margarine and low-fat cheese--325
That puts me at 1275 and I can allow 300 more calories, which is another beer and some candy ORRRRRR the better choice, oranges. We'll see how I lean.
For right now I'm just aiming on staying within my planned calorie range. I think I'm going to focus on reducing my sodium next week, and then probably carbs. The week after that I'll add in regular exercise, but I'll probably incorporate exercise sooner than that. I walk to the bus stop and then around campus for my classes, while carrying at least 40lbs of books, so I'm definitely getting some exercise even without interrupting my homework and studies to work in a structured exercise time right now. I'll be using my Wii Fit, Biggest Loser work out DVD, and sprint intervals outside when I do start working in a work-outtime. and AB PLANKS. I'm to try to do 10-second and 20-second planks (when I can do those) all through-out my day, such as between reading scenes/chapters of my assignments and maybe while cooking dinner. Those are great, like I said. I immediately feel the difference in my sides.
Hope your ankle gets better soon!
Hope mom continues to improve!!
We're glad to have you! This is a great community for support and accountability!
Sounds like you're off to a good start. Once you start counting calories you realize the portions and choices you should make so you can eat more stuff, lol...I have that figured out pretty good right now. Should I eat this or that? Well, I can have twice the amount of THAT, so I choose that, lol. 
Now, if I get this job my husband and I can carpool. It's just tomorrow the interview is at 11 and he'll be at work. It's beautiful out here still, decent temperature so the walk should be ok, as long as it doesn't rain (not supposed to!). 
