Good luck with the interview, Susie!

Hang in there, Mindy. Keep on doing what you're doing and the weight will come off. Maybe your body is adjusting to its new size.

Ward!!!! So very good to see you! How are you?

Hey girls. Good to see you both here. I was feeling a little lonely. Mon, tues, Wed, worked out with Kelly. Bad news is I pulled my quadricep last night doing lunges. It really hurt bad. I worked through it....somewhat, and i live to walk today. The more I walked and used it last night, the better it felt. today it feels like someone pounded on my leg for a few hours. Needless to say I am taking it easy. That does not mean I didn't work out, just did WATP a bit less exertion than usual.

I have no idea what to try next. My only answer is joining a gym in Jan. I have bumped up workouts to a minimum of 45 min/day. Let me know if you have any good ideas.

Susie- Good luck with that interview. Have fun while you're there. Good job working out and getting your mind in order.

Ward- Glad you're back. Hope the in-law visit didn't cause you too much trouble.

Hi-I'm headed out with my hubby to do some Christmas shopping. What is everyone else doing today?

I think my interview went well...but you never know. I met with HR and then they asked me to stay for a company lunch and then had me meet with the President of the company for a chat. Talk about nervous! But I think I did well and at one point in my chat with the President of the company, he asked me what my strenghts were and I shared them them with him. At the end of the interview he asked me if I wanted to know what he thought my strenghts were and I said "Of course, please share them with me". He said that I had excellent communication skills and he liked that I looked people in the eye when I talked to them; it said to him that I was trustworthy.

I thought that was very positive. So, now we wait and see.

At the scales on Thursday night I stayed the same. I was a little put off because I have been working out a lot more and expected a loss. At least I'm feeling better.

Mindy: Tell Kelly we miss her! I'm sorry to hear that about your quad but very PROUD of you for finding other ways to get your workouts in.

Ward: What's going on with you?

Susie- thanks for your vote of confidence. I still have to take it easy, because I have strained it a few more time this week. I'm kind of mad that I can't go full tilt, but something is better than nothing.

So i went all the way up to 183.6 or something during TOM. WTH??? Really!!!!! I have been going down daily a little bit. Today I was 181.4, but still nowhere near my low of 177. What happened to those days?? I really don't know what is going on. I think some new workouts are in order. Kelly bought P90X, hope to try that. I also asked for the new BL DVD's for Xmas. Hopefully I'll get those and that will change things up some. If all else fails, there is still the possibility of joining a gym. We'll see.

Susie- COngrats and good luck with the job.

So what did everyone think of the Biggest Loser last night? I was inspired once again.

But I have to be truthful, until the new year starts I just don't know that I have the time/energy to take it up to the notch that I need to, to really show some big losses. So, I will be in that January bunch who is hitting it hard to loose weight..BUT what will be different is that mine will still be going in June and I plan to be down 30+ pounds by then.

So, my plan for the rest of this year is to continue to come here and be inspired and support you gals--are you both planning on posting to this thread through the end of the year? I will get in my walks at least 3 times a week and I will begin journaling my food and calories again. I've been doing the food intake but not counting it up.

I will also begin setting up a plan for myself next year with goal markers.

What about next year--are you gals interested in keeping our thread going? Should we start a new one?

I am in a total "why bother?" frame of mind right now. But I absolutely will be back here hitting it hard on January 1.

Hey!! I can't lose ya now. Of course I'll still be here. Yeah it is tough right now, but we really need each other till the end of the year. If all we do is maintain, that would be good. We might not be hitting it hard, but we still need each other to make ourselves a bit accountable, right??? Let's just all be sensible over the holidays and swing into action after the new year.

My big gain (like 4 pounds) over TOM, is just about gone. I am back to the 179ish range. I can't seem to get any lower than 178 or 177, but I'm happy to be back under that ugly 180 mark. I have had a workout partner Tues and Wed and i will tomorrow also. It is nice to be working out with someone again. Maybe that is the inspiration I need. We are doing some P90X tomorrow. Kicking some butt.

Hi! It's snowy and cold here in Ohio today. Part of me wants to put on sweats and curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and a book--but of course I'm at work so there goes that! :coolsnow:

Tonight is my TOPS weigh-in. I stayed the same last week and I think that is what will show tonight. I'm ok with that--until the 1st of the year and then I'm right back here with you gals hitting it hard. I'm so glad to know that you all will be here too...then and now.

I agree that we need to help each other maintain until the 1st of the year. We don't want extra weight to take off, just the remaining wait to take off. So, I'll be here doing just that.

Mindy: Glad to see that you are under 180....some numbers can just freak us out to much! That's great you have a new workout partner! I hope you both inspire each other and you bring that inspiration here.

Ward: What is going on in your profile picture?! That is very funny. I sort of felt like "why bother" as well..that is why I gave myself permission to let down a bit and just maintain until the 1st of the year.

Have a great day ladies...see you tomorrow!

Hi. How has everyone's weekend gone? I can't believe it's almost over with. Mine was pretty busy with home things. DH and I baked cookies yesterday-they are for our office gifts and I"m proud to say that I only ate 2 last night and that has been that.

I wrapped gifts. I only have his left to wrap. I have to do that when he isn't home. So it will be one night this week if he works OT.

I just don't know how I'm going to get a workout in this week. Every night it's something to go to. I will try to get in 30 min walk 3 times this week and my yoga class. Yoga helps me in so many ways...especially with my IC--which is stirred up with all the work uncertainity. I haven't heard from the job I went to KY to interview. Last Thursday was a week so I think I"ll here something soon. In the meantime I'm thankful for the job I have--but last week they got rid of our Marketing director. The signs are not good.

Looking forward to seeing your posts.

Susie- good job with the cookies. I am avoiding it like the plague. I skipped the cookie exchange at work and don't want to make any for home. I'm sure that won't work. I will get too many complaints. A tradition in our house is peanut butter balls. I know I can't skip it, but I also can't eat them, or resist them. What to do???

I did good at our work party Sat. Didn't eat much at all. Still went up on the scale though. Why?? Just because I didn't work out that day?? Who knows. I was 179.2 today. My body really likes that number. I must get past it though.

Workouts at school have been interesting. A different mix of people show up each day. Today all four of us were there. Tomorrow, just me and Kelly. Wed. probably just me.

Hi--The work world is beginning to slow down. It has been crazy in our offices but today is much quieter.

I have not heard anything from the interview in Ky. It is making me nervous. I usually eat when I'm nervous but I haven't been. I've actually been pretty good. I'm not working out much so I need to be sure to be really good with the food.

I'm ready to get back to regular workouts and schedules but I am looking forward to the time off after Christmas. Most of my office will be out next week and I won't mind coming in. I can get a lot of personal files cleaned out and it's just very relaxed.

Mindy: I have no idea why your body gets stuck at these numbers. If you go back in the threads you will see the same thing happend when you were going from 200-199.

As for the peanut butter balls (YUMMY!) I couldn't have them around. Can you make them and then take them somewhere? Maybe to a store you go to often and know the cashiers or something like that?

Ward: Are you around?

Hey girls! What's happened around here. It seems we all fell off the face of the planet. I guess it's just that time of year and everybody is busy. Still trying to finish Christmas shopping. I think today will do it. Just a few things left to get. Then I need to clean, wrap and do a "little" baking.

My goal for Dec. is to maintain, but secretly I would like to lose a pound. I am working at it very hard. I have done a good job avoiding those "bad" foods. Working out everyday. I sure hope I get some new DVD's for xmas. I am so bored with what I've got.

A friend on another thread suggested that I bump up my calories to 1800/day. Now that seems crazy high. Don't think I'd even dare try that. I am holding at around 1300/day. Maybe I'll try a few higher days and see what happens.

Hope to hear from you all soon. Enjoy the holidays.

Hi---my weekend was very busy. We had a funeral to attend and a Christmas party..talk about extreme emotions.

I'm working this week until Wednesay. It is very quiet here...I sort of like it.
A friend of mine, who moved to another floor in the building, and I have decided that we are going to take a break at least once a day and meet for a walk in the building. If we walk to the mail room, it is a 1/4 of a mile. So doing that walk would be a 1/2 mile. If we have time we are going to do it twice but we will most certainly do it once. I think it's a great idea to get in some extra steps.

I'm still working on my "plan" for the new year....it's coming together and I'll be able to share it with you soon.

Mindy: Let us know what happens with the higher calorie days. I would encourge you to get those calories from protein and not fat and sugar.
Have fun with the baking and don't forget to give it away!

Hi, Is everyone hanging in there? I really binged on sugar last night to calm a fear and frustration and I'm so upset with myself. I desperately need to break that cycle. I know that it has to be something I reprogram in my head.

I wish I could afford therpy for this but I can't so I'm going to have to solve it myself. Does anyone have any self-help book recommendations?