Hi Everyone!

Since Kristiina suggested Salsa, I figured we could all try the steps to this popular favorite and learn some exciting new moves for the 2nd half of this month. Come on, put on your dancing shoes and Salsa your way across the dance floor!

I am so glad to be back taking care of me instead of other people. This weekend was so stressful at work, & I just want to REST!
I have had a great one eating-wise. I planned on Friday and stuck like glue to it!

TOM came exactly as planned on Sunday, so I won't weigh again until maybe Wed or Thurs of this week.

Here is what my weekend looked like. PLEASE share yours! Since many people struggle with sticking to their plans on the weekends, I feel it is important to share what the strategies you use to help overcome the temptations as well as expose the ones that won the battle.

Saturday's Menu
Raspberry Greek Yogurt w/Hazelnuts: 159
Banana Oatmeal NOW Shake, Whole Natural Almonds: 550
Sunkist - Naval Orange, FF Cheese Omelet: 207
Turkey Waldorf Salad, FF Raspberry Pecan Dsg, Strawberry Cottage Cheese: 505
Total: 1421

Water: 64 oz
Exercise: 299 (walking @ work)

Sunday's Menu (Spike Day)
Hissho Crunchy Roll, Raspberry Greek Yogurt w/Hazelnuts, Health Smart Ice Cream: 809
Double Dense NOW Shake: 523
Double Dense NOW Shake, 1/2 Multi grain round, 3 Ritz Crackers, 1 tsp RF PB: 670
Sante Fe Chicken Wrap, Strawberry Cottage Cheese: Grapes: 819
Total: 2821

Water: 64 oz
Exercise: 497 (Walking @ work)

Monday's Menu
Grapes, S'bux Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte: 131
1/2 Multi grain round, tsp RF PB: 75
Zuzana's Banana Berry Pancakes: 520
Sweet & Sour Chicken w/Miracle Noodles: 497
Total: 1223

Water: 64 oz
Exercise: 222 (walking)


I remember last year when I struggled at work so much. I know the triggers, some of which included smelling other food that I didn't cook, even if it didn't look good or something I wouldn't typically eat, just smelling it would set the trigger off and convince me I needed to feed myself. Another trigger was easy access to food I don't buy and keep at home, like vending machine snacks. I try to divert away from the middle isles of the market. Stick to the perimeter of the store--that's my strategy!!

There were so many weekends I lived in defeat. I think by having the Spike Day and knowing there are "x" amount of calories during each meal I must eat in order to make it to 2800 is what kept me OP this weekend. Also, planning on Friday as to what I was going to eat using the MFP app. Usually, I can't do this b/c I never know what I'm going to crave. HOWEVER, my cravings are diminishing!! I'm not sure if it is all the extra running or the different choices of foods I am making or perhaps a combo of both, but I LOVE not craving highly processed carbs!

Another thing that keeps me OP is eating before I am STARVING!

Ever come home from somewhere or just get up in the morning and you're starving? You'll grab anything you see and stuff your face with it. It doesn't matter if it's OP or not.

Easy access food is a good thing if it's the right kind of food!

A habit I have developed is Once A Week Planning/Prep Day. I take one day a week (sometimes 2) and make individual snacks & meal preps. It typically takes about 3 hours. I make up my cottage cheese and Greek yogurts for a few days in individual containers, separate 15-30 grams of nuts/trail mix/granola in snack zip locks, cut up fruit and put it in individual bags/containers. I even make crock pot meals and measure them in single servings.
This strategy of planning keeps me OP every week, and when I come home or wake up starving, I can grab one of these and know it is perfectly ok to eat!

Kristiina: Yes, some women do gain a significant amt of weight before and during ovulation. Once they ovulate, the water is released and they are once again able to wear their "skinny jeans"!!

My scale is evil, evil and EVIL! -- I usually step on it each night before bedtime, and I can estimate how much I will weigh in the following morning. I usually drop about 1.5 pounds overnight. -- So I stepped on it and it read 151 (3 times, to be sure :LOL: I was sooo excited because I was 151.5 yesterday morning AND 151 at night would mean 149.5 in the morning... I was almost shaking.....so morning came and I ONLY dropped 0.5 pound during the night I did not even get 150 BUT 150.5

Sounds silly but that 149.5 is a huge mark for me...oh why oh why are you so evil my scale?

Had a huge NSV today.
I go jogging along the beach to c25k podcasts. I live a 5 minute walk away from the beach. There are work out machines set up by the beach, however I've always been to intimidated to use them. Been afraid of looking foolish. Anyhow, today I ventured out of my comfort zone and used a machine.

Today could not have been any more OFF PLAN!
It is what it is…

1 whole grapefruit: 51
Raspberry Greek Yogurt w/Hazelnuts, Ezekiel Raisin Bread & 1 tsp Sunbutter: 264
1 Panko Encrusted Chicken Tender: 58
dessert, picked 3 bites of chicken off a : Approx 468
Total: 841

Water: 48 oz!!!!
Exercise: NOTHING!!!!

This is a: "Dear Santa, I can explain" day!

I got up at 11am, tired…very tired..unusually tired.
I ate my pre-run food. My back ached. I returned to bed.
I felt worse.
I talked to my sister, who told me my mom was going to see Brandon--our chiropractor.
GREAT IDEA!!
I dressed, got myself together and went to see him!
I haven't been in about 2 months!!
I adjusted sooooo well!! But, he took my breath away.
I can't exercise afterwards.
I made dinner, but didn't want it.
I had a similar treat posted on my blog (1/2 of it actually) for dinner.
I feel weak and drained.
I'm returning to bed.
I'm not hungry, not even for dessert. ((STRANGE))

Kristiina: BOOO for NO SNOW!! It'll return shortly

Isabella: I am THRILLED to read your post! I would LOVE to live 5 min from the beach!! OMG you are a lucky gyal!!

I had off plan day as well, but the opposite. -- I think I was ovulating and I was just really snacky. -- It was my "spike" day... I have not tallied the calories up BUT scale was 153 this morning; gained 2 1/2 pounds

I did walk tho.

So today I am totally OP. -- I think my Friday weigh-in will be bad

Sorry about your back Krystal. I just went through back ache as well, and it took my chiro nearly 6 weeks to get me going. -- Are you getting sick?

Nicely done Isa!

Kristiina: I feel you love on weighing. I haven't even stepped foot near mine & won't until I absolutely HAVE to, which may be Sat or Sun. I have to weigh once a week for the plateau challenge. UGH! Otherwise, I probably wouldn't weigh this week. You know how you can tell you're fat just by looking at yourself and putting on your clothes?? Yep! That's me. I hope I am not getting sick. I think I just waited too long to go for an adjustment.

Tomorrow is going to be an awesome day for me. I am going to see Jeanie, my massage therapist for an hour and a half of pure torture! One deep tissue massage coming right up! It'll hurt tomorrow but Friday will be blissful, and I'll be able to run again

Today has been OP for me, unlike yesterday. I did BodyRock and the exercises for my Plateau Challenge, then my K9s and I went for a 35 min walk. We had a great day. Eating is OP too. Things are defo getting easier & since I have cut out most of the high-processed carbs/food, it makes staying OP much, much easier.

We are missing a few members. You all are missed. Please pop in and let us know you're still around and alive

Hullo! I was directed here after posting on the weight loss support board. I'll copy and paste what I'd written there to see if you ladies think I'd fit in this group?


I've been away from the boards for a long time, in large part due to the fact that I've had to set weight-loss very low on my priority list due to several long-term health issues. I hadn't completely given up on it, but I haven't been able to make it a focus. And sadly due to flare-ups I recently had to let exercise fall to the wayside for a while as well.

I'm slowly getting my day to day routine glued back together, and I want to put my weight on the to-do list again.

But, do to said health issues I'm going to have to very slowly get myself back into everything to avoid another crash like I had a few months ago. If I don't gradually ramp up, especially with exercise, I know I'm gonna set myself way back again.

The kick-in-the-butt tough love motivation is really awesome, but not what will help me right now.

Krystal, Kriistina, Isabella - I am still alive and around.

TheBunneh -

After that loss I had a few weeks back, nothing since. Craziness. Anywho.. I saw you state you would like to see us pop in (those of us that have been MIA), so thought I would do so... Waiting to see Alaskan and others pop in now

Hi all!

I'm still here. Nothing to report. I'm bopping around the 188-190 range due to TOM and overeating. Hopefully, I can get back on track and see some nice losses soon. The overweight BMI category is so close, I can taste it. And it tastes like chicken!

i tried to post here yesterday but the site was too slow and i couldnt type on it...today it seems to be working

im still holding right at the 200 mark...had a very rough couple of weeks with my major ear infection...where 4 different types of antibiotics weren't helping it and i was in alot of pain through my face...finally they gave me two injections of powerful antibiotics in my hip and that seemed to clear it up...i saw an ear specialist and he said the infection was gone, my eardrum was not ruptured, and gave me ear drops to balance out the bacteria left in there...he said my hearing will come back but so far it hasn't...eh i'm not too worried

in between all that i was working out as much as i could but for about 5 days in a row i didnt because of the awful pain in my face...this week i got back to 3 days of running and developed a terrible blister one of those kind where you can hardly walk, so its all bandaged up and healing and tomorrow i will try to run again...i had a board of directors meeting this morning about the statewide education conference and didnt have time for running...

have kept calories right around where i should be keeping them...my appetite seems to have leveled out again to where i'm eating and wanting to eat...weight was up to 205 while i was super sick and pumped full of medications but it's dropping again as everything clears out of my system...im right at 200-201 today

went shopping this weekend for some new warm clothes...bought two tight, long tees from the junior section in an XL Junior size and also bought a tight black hoodie size XL from that same section...they are tight and warm, which is exactly what i wanted...last year in january i was wearing a 2X or higher and couldnt have fit those styles from the junior section...and i would not have worn anything tight or clingy last year but my tummy is much flatter now...so that was nice

The day/week is going really well, despite TOM. That'll be gone tonight

Pre-work out Fuel:
Ezekiel Raisin Bread w/1 tsp Sunbutter & 1/2 banana: 164
Cottage Cheese w/pineapple: 116
Beef Cabbage Quinoa, Raspberry Greek Yogurt: 446
Coffee: 64
Dinner: TBA Roughly 400 cals
Total before Dinner: 790

Exercise: BodyRock + Plateau Challenge +K9 Walk: 305
Water: 64 oz

I had a deep tissue massage earlier today & I did my workout at 2am instead of not doing one. I'm so glad I did! My massage therapist asked me:

"Do you have a trainer that's helping you with your running?"
Me: "No. I just use Hal Higdon's Novice running schedule and do BodyRock.tv for core."
Her: "OMG, how do you stay motivated for that?"
Me: {{laughing for real}} "Are you kidding me? I am the least motivated person you wanna meet. I'm just dedicated to doing it. If I depended on motivation, I'd still weigh 20 lbs more right now!"

I am amazed by my way of thinking from 9 months ago. I like who this process has forced me to become & although I am a bit compulsive, I like it way better than when I had no structure.

Friday & the weekend starting tomorrow.
How will you plan it to be a continuation of your goals? or Will you once again be defeated by poor choices, lack of planning, and cravings?

I desire to continue my healthy lifestyle beyond the hours of Mon-Fri.
I desire to continue my plan when I have zero motivation.
If I continue to practice my plan or develop a new one when this one ceases to work, I will continue to press forward instead of constantly taking 2 steps backward!

The Bunneh: Stick around, you might just like it here. Most of us lose very slowly.

Star: I saw the pics of the bedroom! it. DH would never go for that in our bedroom. He would think Victoria had moved in FOR REAL!!

Gina: mmmmm I LOVE chicken!

Alaskan: I'm glad your eardrum has not ruptured. What a relief. for shopping in the junior section!! What a great NSV!!

I had the worst week!! I had no motivation, worst ovulation and snacked and ate too much! 153 as my official weigh in 2 pound gain. -- I am having winter blues I think. Just feel blah.

Oh well, these kind of weeks happen and I just have to leave them behind and move on.

It is COLD! 3 degrees this morning. -- I will take a walk; since the last one I took was on Tuesday.

So I skipped journaling for 3 days, back doing that... I won't let myself slip back to my old habits!!!