Mindy: I know you will make it. Hang in there!

Back to 178 today and it is mid-cycle time. I just don't want to go back up over 180. that would be very depressing. I need to keep getting lower into the 170's, somehow.

Hope you are all doing well today.

I had a whole conversation with Mindy today about how I read all your posts every day, but never feel like I have anything to say. I think it is just avoidance because I am doing absolutely nothing with my weight loss right now. I realize it sounds like an excuse, but with my husband and I having new jobs this school year, I feel like I spend all my free time driving around the city picking kids up and dropping them off at other places. By the time I get home, make dinner, do baths, and get kids in bed, I seriously just don't have the energy to worry about myself right now. The good news is that I am within 3 pounds of my lowest weight, so I am still maintaining pretty well, but I can tell I have next to no muscle tone left. That leaves me feeling pretty fat a lot of the time. I know I have 15-20 pounds left to lose. I am hoping things will slow down in January and I can spend more time after school working out with Mindy. If it doesn't get done then, it doesn't get done at all. I did buy P90X the other day, so I would like to give that a try. We'll see.

Mindy--For some reason, your body (weight loss-wise) responds well to stress. I really think your body was so used to not eating (back in the day..) that to lose weight at the rate you want to lose, you are going to really have to do some extreme calorie cycling. I know nobody should go below 1200 calories, but you have lost weight when you eat less than 1000. Not every day, mind you, but maybe a couple days a week. Try it out, see what happens. It will be like those days when you would "forget" to eat.

Susie--I am sorry to hear about your job and that darn gain last week on the scale. Is there a correlation between stress at work and the gain? Just say no to the dessert!;) You can do this!

Ward--You are going to get close to that 15 pound goal by Thanksgiving, aren't you? You've been missing for a while....hope that doesn't mean you are living in binge-ville.

I am thinking about you all girls. Think good thoughts for me!

Hi Ladies--fast driveby. I am getting ready to watch BL.

I have been dealing with some sort of stomach bug. I just feel "ick"when it comes to eating anything but crackers and water so that is what I am doing. I think it is a 24 hr thing...I'm feeling better as time is going by.

Kelly: It is good to see you back. We do miss you. It is ok if you are just practicing maintenance right now....just don't stay away so long.

Mindy: I think Kelly might be right when it comes to the calorie cycling. I know you can stay under 180.

Ward: Did they leave yet?

It is still mid-cycle and I was 179.8 today. Pushing right up to that line I don't want to cross. Maybe tomorrow I will eat very lightly. I didn't work out last night because I went out with co-workers. Tonight I did 30 min. of walk/jog. I'm at 1200 calories for the day. Maybe I'll keep it aroung 1,000 tom.

Kelly- So happy you came to speak for yourself. Susie is right. Just post every once in a while even if you have nothing to report.

Suie- My stomach is ick too, but it is due to some constipation issues. This seems to be a regular, or irregular, problem. Hope you fell better today.

Well today was weigh-in. I was 179.4, up from last weeks 177.8. I am happy not to be over 180 though. Hopefully I will start to go down some now.

Just did 45 min. WATP. Hope it helps.

Hi- I sure am glad that it is the weekend. I am happy to report a 1.75 lb loss at TOPS on Thursday night.

I'm spending the weekend cleaning my house and watching movies and catching up on emails.

I had an interview on Thursday and I think it went well. Iwill know in a couple of weeks if I get a second interview. They asked me if I would be able to travel to Louisville, KY for it and and training and I told them it was not an issue at all. I thought maybe it was a good sign that they were asking that.

Mindy: I'm glad those scales stayed under 180! Also, good job for doing the WTAP workout.

Ward & Kelly: We miss you!

Doing okay. Got to work out with Kelly today. And we plan on tomorrow also. We just walked today, tomorrow we're doing a DVD. It's nice having a partner again.

I was 178.6 today. Mid-cycle moving through??? I hope so.

Susie- Congrats on the loss. Good luck with the interview stuff.

Hi! Is everyone ready for Thanksgiving?:thanks1: Ours will be low-key. We are getting together with another couple that we hang out with. They are having it at their house; I am to bring deviled eggs, a pie and rolls. We will eat at 1:00 and then watch movies and then have dinner again around 6:30 pm.

Is anyone hitting the early sales on Friday? I'm not but I will be out in the stores in the afternoon. My budget is a lot lower this year but I'm still looking forward to buying gifts--and getting them!

So, I'm going to Zumba. I worked out last night. It's a good thing because I'm eating too much! I'm not binging, or eating between meals, but I'm having seconds and things like that...also, soda has made it's way back into my life--about one a day. I've got to stop that. It's bad for my IC and my waist line.

Did anyone watch the Biggest Loser last night? They were talking about how to stay focused at home. I wish they would have expanded on that bit more because that is where I get in trouble...when life gets of plan for me. I'm such a "plan" person and when it changes I get easily distracted.

What are your thoughts....ways to deal....with this?

I'll be around off and on this weekend....I miss you guys when I don't get here.

Thanksgiving for us will be at my sister's house. We are a small family and will all be there. I never overdo it at Thanksgiving, it is just another meal. Worked out with Kelly again last night. 2 days in a row. She also plans to workout with me 4 nights next week. YEAH!!!! We walked about 30 min. and I jogged for about 15.
There were some boys who stayed after school and they started jogging with me. Next thing I knew we were racing each other down the hall. I beat them the first time. The second time I beat 2 out of 3. the third time I could only beat 1. Hey, I'm old.

Check in again later. Have a great holiday!!!

Hi--I am happy to report that I have done well with my food today. I felt satisfied after I ate...not stuffed. Satisfied is a much better feeling.

I am debating if I'm going to hit a early sale or not tomorrow. Our TV is 21 years old and there is a good deal on flat screen's at Walmart...but I wonder if I can withstand crawling out of bed at 3:30-4 to be there at 5? If I do it, I"m getting that and coming back home and going to bed.

Mindy: It's so good to hear that you are working out with Kelly! and did you hear me cheering, GO MINDY! when you were racing those boys. I bet they were surprised when you beat them the first time!

I think I'm going to have to go flush Ward out. She needs to be here with us!

See you all sometime tomorrow or Saturday.

Okay, seriously. What is wrong with my body? I have been spotting everyday for almost 2 weeks. It seems to be getting a bit worse, and of course I'm about 4 dasy away from expected TOM. Then yesterday I ate normally, I ate a small meal at Thanksgiving and thought I did really well. Today I was up 3 pounds. How does that happen???? It can't be food induced, must be driven by TOM. But really???? WOW!!!

I did go out this morning for a few hours. Wewnt in to Target and it was unreal. The checkout lines were almost to the back of the store. There wasn't anything that important for me to buy and I thought about leaving. But, I stayed. What the heck..

I'll check in with you all later.

Hi! I can't believe that tomorow is Monday already! Those days off go fast!
Guess what I did today? I went to the Y to workout! Do you know how long it has been since I have been there on a Sunday?

I feel so good about myself for going. I want to show a loss on those scales on Thursday.

Mindy: I don't know what is going on with you and the spotting. It could be a lot of things. Have you had your yearly checkup? I would say that your weight-gain is indeed hormone related.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Okay. It is time to get serious here. I am so stuck at this weight. I just go from 178ish to 181 ish, up and down. I haven't lost a thing in months. I eat about 1300-1400 calories a day and workout 30-45 min. a day. I miss occassionally, but not often.

So, what gives???? What do you all suggest??? All I can think of is putting in more time. Maybe I should do 45-60 min. workouts everyday. Should I eat less, more??? I am truly baffled at this point. Ideas?? Suggestions??

Hi, I had a great cardio an stength workout tonight and my eating has been on track and guess what....my mind, body and spirit are all feeling better---who knew! lol :smug:

I also have some encourging news on the job front. I have a second interview on Thursday with the company I interviewed with two weeks ago. I have to go to KY to interview--it's about a 2 1/2 hour drive so they are putting me up in a hotel the night before--I think they must be looking at me hard to do that. So I'm taking it as a good sign. I already checked and the hotel has a fitness room....so my workout clothes are going with me.

Mindy: I have no idea why you are stuck. I have heard that our bodies can hit a set point. Not that you can't get over it, but we just need to figure out how. Have you done any research on how to break a plateu? I will try to do some on it as well and let's figure it out. In the meantime....keep doing what your are doing and let's just take it as practice for when you are at goal and you need to maintain...think about it as you are learning now how to do it.

:hug:to you....i know you are trying very, very hard!