Just got back from the gym. I am soooo out of shape! But I hung in there for 2 hours

Carmen: you are a funny girl. He can look now, in a few months it will be 'Keri who?'

I too was lot slimmer when I met my boyfriend.(About 145) and he was also smaller. I've since gained fat while he packed on 15-20 pounds of pure muscle. I try not to blame him for my weight gain but the truth is he has a sweet tooth and keeps so much junk in the house, things I would never bring here because I have no discipline. he buys a box of doghnuts, he can eat 1 every few days. I would eat a whole box in 2 days.

Congrats on the holiday weight loss! I'm sure I found those 2 pounds that you lost. I went bananas with all the food; a whole apple pie by myself as well as all the traditional faves in unimaginable proportions. I considered it my last big feast before "operation slim down"

So how's this for motivation...at the gym today I was walking the treadmil when in walks this tall, caramel colored mass of deliciousness OWW! He had a 10-pack, ya'll! and he knew I was looking because he did all the machines which afforded me a good view. I imagined I was walking on a road to get to him. Mmm mm mmmmm! went an extra ten minutes. looks like BF may get some action after all

Dips - First of WELCOME I love it! A caramel colored mass of deliciousness. Oww! That will make a sista walk chile. WTG for 2 friggin hours. I barely hung on last night.....should not have participated in the extra curricular activities I guess...HAHAHA

Carm- Yay for LOSING wieght over a holiday. I am sooooo happy to have simply maintained. You did really well with your plan and sticking to it. I am so proud of you. I know felt great knowing you did what you "planned" to do.

Matilda - Baby steps. Start slow (maybe with C25K again) and just gradually transition from walking to running. It really is an awesome sport that will help you shed the pounds, build your confidence and cause you to accomplish great things. I want to share it with everyone who has even a tiny bit of interest. I don't to miss a chance at their own greatness. That is why I am starting a running club for ladies. The first group run will be on January 3rd. I can't wait.

I do notice that I would feel bad myself when I see the women on tv. But once i realized how far I had gone and started to do something about it, instead of feeling sad I was inspired and had something to work to. Now 50 pounds down I DO NOT look like I thought I would but I FEEL great. The better I feel the more Nu-Nu to be had/given....LOL

Hello Ladies,

Cake- Thank you for such a warm welcome you get props for maintaining your weight over the holiday designed for eating. I hear what you're saying about looking to the women on tv for inspiration. You're so right because they have to work just as hard (if not harder) to stay in shape so they definately earned the right to flaunt it (as will I.) Wow 50 pounds that is a lot of weight to lose. You're my hero.

As I said before, not into the running but the BF wants to do a half marathon and I am tempted by the thought of us doing it together Anyways, i would love to see some pics from the group run. Your avatar is great, and seeing women get together to better their health is even greater.

Well, off to work i go.

Angela- welcome! I love this board and this site I have been off plan for a while but I'd like to get back into it. For me the hardest part of this has def been persistance. I have to claim it though.

Chklithunder- COngrats on the loss. Any loss is good considering I havent lost anything in so long lol

I have to get back on track!

Hi, ladies, I'm going to jump in here, if that's ok. I've been on 3FC for years, but rarely use it.

My weight story goes like this:

I was a active, healthy weight until I turned about 18-19. Entered college at 165lbs (I'm 5'8" and was a 10/12), but during college I gained a TON of weight, graduating around 230lbs. During that time, I suffered a major depression while my parents divorced and my bf and I broke up. (I have a serious "when bad things happen I gain pounds" problem.)

So I graduated from college in 2001, and by 2003 had lost the extra weight to a safe 185 (size 12), which I maintained within 10lbs until mid 2004, when my mother, with whom I lived and was inseparably close, became terminally anorexic (she also suffered from depression). By the time she died a year later (June 29, 2005), I was back up to 216 (size 16).

3 weeks after she died, I started law school. The NEXT WEEK my godbrother (20yrs) was murdered, then ~8 other people died, then my grandmother had a stroke, THEN my father died (Dec 26, 2006). So within 18 months, I'd had a LOT of things to deal with. I graduated from law school at 254 and have hovered between 244 and 258 since then.

I hope I can join you girls. It is so nice to see an "of color" group on here. Plus I see a lot of DC folks!

Thanks for reading.

Loryivey- WELCOME!!!!!! Sorry that you had to go through all those things but hopefully this site gets you on a great I know for myself if I dont stay on the site I go off plan. THis site motivates me. Good luck and again, WELCOME!

Hello my ladies!

Loryivey- Wow, girl. I had to read your post about 5 times to really absorb it all. First let me just say that you are one strong woman to have finished college and law school in the midst of all these hardships. That in itself is amazing and I am in complete awe of your resilience. I am for sure an "eat when bad things, good things, weird things or no things happen" kind of girl, I relate 100% But I have not come close to what you have been through and I don't know if I could have made it. I graduated dealing with normal stuff and thought I had it bad.

Yes Yes Yes join us and stay with us! (look at me acting like I've been a part of this gang for more than just 2 days) I know we can do this together and I can't do this without you. And you can give us legal counsel too?!

Hi Matilda- Nice to meet you, I thank you for the welcome. Yes the story of all our lives is trouble staying on track. How do we make it past those first few days of determination to "do it this time" only to say a few days later...hmm I'll go to the gym tomorrow. I know all about it girl, but i am going to give it my all this time and really lean on you guys for support.

Speaking of which, My co-worker bought me lunch today ( a small pasta bowl and salad) i know I had noooo business eating pasta but old habits die hard. so to make up for it, I'm getting off the train early and walking 41 blocks home which is about 2 miles. That should ease my guilt. I'll post back and let you know how it went.

Toodles!!

got my walk on! 40 blocks

Hopefully that cancelled out some of the pasta I ate today. Going to the gym tomorrow to do arms and more cardio, maybe some abs.

If I had to guess I would say I consumed about 1000-1200 calories. not too bad.

tomorrow, gonna try to get more fruits and veggies in. Gonna weigh myself next week wednesday.

thanks sooooo much for your welcomes!! i really appreciate it. @dipsntwists - believe me, i sometimes have to rethink through my last 4-5 years just to get my mind around all that happened!! LOL i have to say, i am so proud of myself for finishing law school on time (and more that that for finishing in the top 25% of my class) and passing the bar, because there were definitely times when i was pretty sure i wouldn't make it! lol but when life gives us challenges, we have no choice but to keep it moving. where in nyc are you? i used to live in brooklyn & i'm taking the ny bar in february!

as for my day: i'm doing great with food (came in at 1650 cals today, about 160g protein), but i didn't exercise today, and i'm really mad about it! LOL.

for the last 6 weeks, i've been doing p90x with my brother, and i am terrible about doing it if he doesn't do it at the same time. his sleep schedule has been really upside down lately, so he was unavailable to work out before i had to go out this evening. i can motivate myself to exercise hard IN the gym, but at home i really just won't do it! or, i'll start and just sort of pitter out before the end or not push myself like i would if there were someone else there. i am going to see if i can do 30 min of cardio before i go to bed, and just do back/biceps tomorrow w/ him. at least i'll have done *something* today.

goodnight, ladies!

Good Morning,

My lower body is super sore right now. I'm moving around like an old lady.

Loryivey- P90X is no joke! I did the ab ripper last night (well most of it anyway, some of those moves are impossible) My BF didn't make it past the first 2 exercises. So at least I beat him at something

I live in Harlem. I'm not too familiar with Brooklyn. I stay mostly bettween manhattan and the BX. So when you pass the NY bar, are we going to become neighbors? Good luck

Okay BF just left for the gym (he makes me so sick with his dedication)lol. I will be heading out to my gym myself after I tackle this mountain of laundry.

Hey ladies! I went to the gym once this week lol Ive just been so bad lately and I need to get myself together but I did tell myself that after dec 14 Ill start back up. Thats when the semester ends.

Dipsntwists-im in NJ I celebrated my 30th b day in NYC at club duvet we had a ball. I go to NY from time to time. Im actually dating a guy that lives in the bronx.

Lori- your are off to a great start keep up the good work.

Cake -thats for the encouragement. Iwill start my running program plus I think its helps with shedding lbs. Also how soon into your journey did you start jogging?

Have a fab weekend!

Today I did the Legs and Back workout, a few bicep exercises, and ran around the block. I really just did the running around the block to see if I could run for 90 seconds straight b/c I am considering doing intervals, and was not sure if I could "run" (not jog). So apparently I can. LOL

So far I'm at 1200 cals, so I should be on target today, although I may have to add a shake or two to boost my cals this evening. I don't like to do too much of a calorie deficit through food, b/c I don't want to "go floppy." I like to fluctuate my cals between 2200-2500 for one day and then do 2-3 days of 1600-1800. This is still a BIT of an extreme deficit, but it seems to allow me to keep my muscle mass steady, and still lose fat. Anyway... so far so good today.

I just realized that I've actually been back to working out 4-6 days a week for 3 months straight now! yay. lol

@matilda, good luck finishing up your semester! i miss being in school.... the phd is next. LOL

Ladies I need some support, encouragement, a kick in the arse, hug.....SOMETHING!

*SIGH* Okay when I started out on this journey I was losing weight to feel good about myself again, maintain good health, and of course look good in clothes. Well I had this image of what I would like and I look like NOTHING like what I thought I would. I lost 50 pounds and I am so happy and proud of myself. But I am pretty embarassed and unhappy with how i look when the clothes come off. I look great in them and it would be great if I looked the same way in and out. My breast are droopy and not full anymore and my tummy has sagging skin. I am looking to a breast lift w/out implants and a tummy tuck. I hope I canget this done soon. I just worked so hard to get down and I still look a mess. I am so down about this, like really down. My BF wants a child right we get married and wants me to wait until after then. But honestly I just lost this weight and I don't want to get fat again by getting preggo. I would rather continue traveling, do my activities and such then have a family right this second. He is 8 years older than me and I guess that is why he is rushing me. I am not that excited about a child at all really but I know he wants one. I don't know what to do about it. I really want the surgery...

Lori - WELCOME! Wow you are a real trooper. GL on the bar. That is great that you have been working out so consistently for the last 3 months. Keep up the good work

Dips- LMBO I just imagined you walking all slow and bent over with your stunna shades on! You are doing great. I used get irritated with my BF's dedication for the gym. But HA, I surpassed him...."naner nanner nanner" that is what I say to him.

Matilda- gl ont he semseter and I know you will get back in the gym ASAP. I started walking initially beginning WW's. I didn't start running until Jan which was like 5 months after i was doing WW.