Just wanted to say that I'm doing ok with my challenge - Day 7 tomorrow. And hopefully it'll be a better day on other counts as well.

(my challenge is to eat veggies and drink herbal tea)

carla, I am too. I think my next challenge is going to have to be NO SODA. I truly need to kick my addiction to caffiene and diet sodas. You're doing great!

Mezmerize, good job getting through day 3 today! :)

dkkrf, congratulations on your 2 pound loss! That's great, you should be very proud of yourself.

sushi penguin, good job getting through day 7. 1/3 of the way there :)

Day 13, done! And I got that laundry and those dishes taken care of, too ;). I also weighed in this morning at 208! The little pointer was halfway between the 7 and 8, so I guess I could call it 207 1/2, but I'm just calling it 208. I really need to stop being such a cheapskate and buy a digital scale. I did have a minor disappointment today - I went to go work out and the fitness room was closed tonight. Hopefully it'll be open tomorrow, I really need to get in a good workout. I did go swimming with my baby boy for an hour on Tuesday, pushing him in his floating seat back and forth doing "laps" and also treading water with him in the deep end, and my arms and legs were sore today so I know I got a fair workout yesterday. He had a blast too, so it was time well spent even if it wasn't a hard workout. I'm starting to think about goals for my next 21 days. I think, as I said above, my goal is going to HAVE to be to cut out soda. I am so dependent on the caffiene, and I really don't want to be. I would be so much healthier and better off without soda, I just need to get serious and kick that habit to the curb.

kelly, I'm glad to hear you're being a support for your friend. When my husband traded me in for a twinkie, I wouldn't have survived without my friends. It wasn't fun for them, as I spent a lot of time crying and going over the same stuff over and over again. I think at times they felt they were not helping at all, but just their patience and willingness to let me babble on was invaluable. Just know your presence is appreciated even if it doesn't always seem that way. And my excercise partner made me get out and run with her (while I talked obsessively about my situation) which was so very helpful. I know the situation is not the same, but shock is shock.

Red, you'll be so proud of me: I did buy a bottle of wine to take to dinner with my friend (lunch had morphed into dinner). But in the aft she called with a migraine to cancel, and I TOOK THE WINE OUT OF THE FRIDGE AND PUT IT AWAY!!! So day 17 (I think) has been a success! Only 4 days to go.

The cleaning thing is tough for me too. I've been having fun with Flylady though. It's given me some good ideas, and helped me realize that doing just a little is still better than nothing. And every time I do some little bit, it seems to lead to some other little bit. And my sink is shiny and my dishes done.

Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite!

still on Day 11...
 

I can see the finish line!
 

Hello all . . .

Mez,
I see you are going to try SBD. I think it will give you the umph! you need. The first 2 weeks are painful, :headache: but it really has helped my cravings.

Marti,
Yeah, that first week is a killer. We are pulling for you! :grouphug:

dkkrf,
So sorry to hear about your friend. Sad stuff. Thank God for friends like you. Way to go on the awesome losses! I am so happy for you! :cp:

Curly,
Great job on the exercise! I hope it is getting easier and easier for you. :dancer:

Caro,
Way to mix it up! Keep that body guessing. It will never know what hit it! :dizzy:

Carla,
It's the home stretch baaaaaybeeee! Man, you are almost to 1derland! What shall our next 21 be? Hmmmmm . . . :bubbles:

Sushi,
1/3 in girl. Keep it up! Try holding your nose when you drink the tea! :barf:

Gray,
I hear ya about the caffien. I don't drink it during the day. But I must have my 3 cups first thing in the morning. I can't even begin to think about taking that out of my diet yet. That would take huge amounts of will power and maybe a crowbar to pry it from my hand. Maybe one day. . . :coffee:

Red,
Groundhog day huh? I'm sorry this is so tough on you. I think you have it in you to finish though. Dig deep-you have done harder things-I know you have! 10 more days is the blink of an eye, a moment. Push through girl! :coach:

Day 18 here winding down. Just got back from dinner with friends where I did extremely well. Much better than I thought I would. Even brought 1/2 my dinner home! No extra carbs either. Just vegies and beef. I also got in 2 hours at the gym. 1 hour weights and 1 hour elliptical. Over all, a great day. This weekend I may decide to use my free day. I have been invited to a picnic Saturday and am going sightseeing and lunch with a friend Sunday. We will see. The thought of getting on the scale Monday may keep me in check. :goodscale Not to mention my hubby comes home next week and it will be nice to have dropped another 2 pounds by then!

Have a great day all! :sunny:

Day 1 (AGAIN!)
 

Ok, back to day 1 - didn't get any exercise in, and went out drinking last night. Got a call from my friend's sister, and they think they have found her husband's body, they are waiting to identify through dental records right now. It is just so awful - I can't even imagine what my friend is feeling right now.

Sheesh!!!

Ok, I have to admit that what Red mentioned earlier about not smoking, the psychological links are the hardest to get past, is what I'm having issues with. And the fact that I'm just not strong willed enough to do this on my own w/out the aid of a patch or something, because I just can't get pass the 3 day mark.

So....I'm going to stop this challenge until I get it under control. I am proud that I'm not smoking the whole pack a day like before but still discouraged that I haven't given it up completely.

Anyway, I still enjoy the challenge thread so I have decided to do an exercise challenge.

Gazelle everyday for 30mins. minimum. (I love that machine!) :D

And I have done that today already so this is my:

DAY ONE. :)

My apologies for not doing personals, but I need to get ready for work (I work nights) and as soon as I get time I will catch up!!

Thank you all for being so supportive no matter how I'm doing!!

worked out yesterday for day # 8!! And i am taking a freebie for today... dont get to see my honey often since we are in 2 states... and we went out to dinner last nite....and lets just say i am worn out today! LMAO

Day 12 here....
 

Red - sorry - I thought I told you guys the story, must have been a different board. My friend & her husband went out sailing last weekend with some friends - they were out there for about 10 minutes, and he was very hot, and not feeling very well, and he thought he was just too hot so he jumped in for a swim, and when their friend looked out he was struggling a bit and asked him if he wanted a life jacket - he said yes and they threw him one. But he couldn't reach it they tried to tell him to float on his back, and he couldn't, and he went under, my friend jumped in after him, and he went under and she couldn't find him. She kept diving for him until her friends pulled her out of the water and made her quit. They had divers in the water with 10 minutes of it happening and searched all day until dark for him, and couldn't find him. He finally surfaced on Wed. The memorial services is tomorrow. It's absolutely horrible. My heart just goes out to her, I wish there was something I could do.

I intend to start this challenge over next week, when things calm down a bit around here. The kids and I have tickets to a Wiggles concert tonight so we are heading to the twin cities, and won't be here for the memorial service - I feel really bad about that, but know that she will need more support in the weeks that will follow, and she will be surrounded by people tomorrow. So I'm hoping to be able to provide that support for her.

On day 19!! And down one pound - only two pounds to onederland.

Marti, I used to be a heavy smoker. Quit once for two years and started again, quit for five years and started again, then quit for the final time about 14 years ago. So I know it's not easy. When I finally quit I did so with the help of the patch, so the physical addiction was taken care of while I worked on the psychological part. I realized that everything I did involved a cigarette. It took a couple of years, but the urge has mainly gone now. And it's easy to stay away from smokes now I realize how bad many smokers smell, especially those who smoke in their cars. Keep on trying, one of these times it will work. (One time I quit I bought baskets of new crop baby carrots and ate one every time the urge hit. It satisfied the oral urge, and didn't make me gain weight. And I was so very regular that summer...)

Red, I'm a little slow sometimes, didn't realize you had red hair. You must really stand out in Tokyo, especially if you have the alabaster skin that goes with it!

Don't get too discouraged! Avoiding sugar is a really tough goal. I considered it, but knew I'd be starting the challenge over every second day. and as it is, I really haven't indulged too much. I'm finding the junk control so much easier this time partly because I'm NOT counting calories or excluding anything (except wine and choc/candy bars). I should add that I'm also weaning myself off an anti-depressant, and the evidence seems to show that it was involved in part of the weight gain and uncontrolled binging. Ironically, I also feel more up most of the time. Probably a coincidence, and I'm not off entirely.

My separation happened a little over 2 years ago. I was totally blindsided, still find it hard to believe he showed so little concern for me and our commitment, but I'm improving all the time. The psychotic behaviour has stopped, and I can see his character flaws that let him express his mid-life crisis this way. I was really just an innocent bystander - sort of collateral damage. I've tried to bury the hatchet, but he's too afraid I'll bury it between his shoulder blades and refuses all contact with me. I do know he's lost his job and is doing part-time work, so if he's still with his bimbette, he's once again with a woman who earns more than him. But enough about that.

1nceagain, it looks like we'll finish off this challenge together. I may have a glass of wine and some chocolate to celebrate... :rofl: I haven't decided on my next challenge. I'll be travelling for a week of it, so I'll probably keep the no choc/candy bars bit, and apart from that maybe 8 glasses of water and at least maintaining my weight. I'll try to keep the wine part going most of the time, but have some occasions coming up... What will you do?

Red, enjoy that rain and cooler weather. It's a little cooler here today too, although the high humidity is due back tomorrow. Yuck.

Enjoy the weekend everyone.

Carla : been there don't even consider going back... stay strong and u will find "the one", i promise it took me 2 years to even be ready again to try... but trust me.. there is a wonderful person waiting for u..

dkkrf: my heart goes out to your friend .. an i will keep her in my prayers

Curly, I have no desire to go back in time. I just don't like being angry or having someone angry with me. (My behaviour did get a little extreme. Not that he didn't deserve it, but it was the crazy me, not the real me.) I think I'm better suited to the single life anyway. ;)

day #9 did my workout 2x and got all my water in!!

Day 19 done!
 

Finished day 19 yesterday. I can not believe I only have the weekend to get through. Thank goodness I have a free day cause it's gonna be a doozie! A picnic and lunch out. It will be a regular gauntlet! I must say, I don,t feel much of a difference in my clothes or the way I look. Except my face is not quite as puffy. I weigh in Monday. Ugh . . . I guess with so much to loose, it will be a while. Ok . . . Hope everyone else in on track. Have a great evening.

Day 19 finished, only 2 days to go. Tonight I really had the urge to go nuts - was clearing out some old papers and stumbled onto a series of "Love always" cards from my ex. I did snap out of the ensuing funk fairly quickly, but didn't lose the urge to self-medicate. Knowing I have only 2 days left in the challenge got me thru the evening! So thanks to you all, especially Red for starting the thread and being so supportive to us all. Go Red!!! :)

Good for you, Carla! Don't let past hurts keep hurting you!! :cp:

Red, stay away from the sugar! You can do this. You're already halfway through, it's all downhill from here. I don't have soda daily, so I think I can cut it out if I just make that my only goal. I need to, I feel so much better without it in my body.

1ceagain, I don't even have soda daily, that's what kills me. It's not something that I depend on daily. But if one of the kids is up late or if I'm up late (like tonight) and then I have to get up really early the next morning, I'm just dragging. I just want to get it all out of my system though. I went without soda for 2 1/2 years and then made the mistake of starting to drink it again. I don't know how tall you are but I bet within about 10 more pounds, you'll see a pretty big difference in your body. I'm 6 feet tall and right around 25 pounds or so is when I noticed - hey, I have collarbones again! At 35 or so pounds I could fit into size 18 jeans and that's when EVERYONE started commenting on my weight loss. It felt like it happened overnight for me, and I bet that all of a sudden you'll start seeing major differences, too.

dkkrf, I missed the post about your friend before. What a horrible, horrible thing for her to go through. I can't even imagine what she must be feeling. How awful.

Marti, cutting back is a good start. Maybe you need to "wean" yourself off of the cigarettes a little bit. Going from smoking a pack a day to not smoking at all is a pretty big shock to your body, I'm sure. Good luck on your new challenge.

curlylocks, bedroom workouts count as workouts, too ;). A long distance relationship sounds so hard! My DH and I were a whopping 20 minutes apart while dating and it felt like hours and hours, I can't imagine being in different states. That takes some serious devotion. Good for you two for making it work.

Carla, congratulations on being SO close to ONEderland. Won't you feel incredible when your weight starts with a 1 instead of a 2? I can't wait for that. I'm sorry to hear about your troubles with your ex.


Today was day 15, and I'm done! I came mighty close yesterday though, but I stayed under (by about 10 calories!) so it counts. I have gotten in some nice workouts this week, too. I did an hour on the bike yesterday, and today I did 50 minutes on the elliptical and then 25 minutes of weights. I just increased my weights on some of the arm and shoulder machines, and my arms feel like noodles right now. But, I've also got some pretty great muscles showing up, and that makes me so happy.

Day 4 - Stayed in my Pts. No activity pts used,

Day 5 - Stayed in my Pts. No activity pts used

dkkrf - I'm sorry to hear about your friend.

gray eyed girl - Thanks for the well wish on my 3rd day. I had a chance to buy a realy nice elliptical but did the usually thing.. I'll wait til next week. Well someone else go MY good buy!! Darn I didn't know much about them till I started reading the great reviews on 3FC's.

1nceagain - I'm finding SBD a great tool to help me make better lifestyle choices. It sure make a person think about what they are putting in their body!

Red - Yea all that hopping is getting me ready to the the Easter Bunny for my grandson! :)
Sorry for getting this in late. Thanks for the words of encourgament.

wrapping up Day 13!
 

Wrapping up Day 13 here. Just another week to go. Gosh, it seems like the days are passing sooooo slowly! :dunno:

mez -- :cp: A big hand for the next two days down! Hurrah! What, by the way, are activity points and why are you not using any? Wouldn't it be good to get them? I don't know the rules. This is Weight Watchers, right? I am glad to hear you are learning from South Beach. As I said before, it's a very healthy eating plan and one that you can live with the rest of your life, I think. Are you still hopping? :cb: Good luck and keep up the good work!

gray eyed girl -- Thank you for the encouragement. :yes: It means a lot to me! :thanks: Good luck on giving up the soda. Take heart in the fact that you were able to give it up for two and a half years and think that you can do it again. :bravo: on getting to Day 15! :encore: And all that exercise! Great going and keep on keepin' on!

carla -- Wow! Only two more days! You are almost there. I bet you feel great about yourself. You better! :spin: What an incredible save too that was with those damn cards, huh? You showed great strength and resolve in being good to yourself and not letting something like that hurt you further. I like to call it self-abuse, not self-medicating because the latter makes it sound okay and it is NOT an act of love, not when we are trying to get the fat off. You didn't do it, beat yourself up and I am proud of you! So glad you're finding the thread helpful and thank your for thanking me! :goodvibes: Also, thanks for the support from you! Yes, I put down the sugar thing, I guess, because I've done it before quite a few times. But, the thing is, no, it's not easy and perhaps having thought of it as such has deprived me of the pleasure I could get from the sense of accomplishment I could get each day I am off the stuff. As for the red hair part, I don't have fair skin, not the alabaster type at least. I have dark brown eyes too so it's a strange mix. As for standing out in Tokyo, I used to, but nowadays virtually every Japanese dyes his or her hair, so you see a lot of redheads! They especially like auburn tints to it and surprisingly it suits them.

1nceagain -- :cp: A big hand to you too for getting through this far. I find it hard to believe your 21 are almost up. It seems like just yesterday you were starting out. Wow. I wish you luck on the scale but we know how that can be, especially since you've been exercising a lot. I did South Beach for a few weeks and I didn't lose weight and my clothes weren't feeling too different but there was some difference and the fat had seemed to redistribute itself better. Good luck! :sunny:

curly -- What more can I say, you are our star challenger! :woo:

dkkrf -- Heh, thanks for filling us in on the accident. It certainly sounds freakish, doesn't it? like it was almost determined to happen, him not feeling well but getting in the water, not being able to get the life jacket. I am thinking maybe he had a stroke. Will they do an autopsy? But, oh, so, so tragic and traumatic for your friend to have been trying to find him. God, I hate to think of what she went through and is going through. And dkkrf, you ARE doing something and you can continue do something. Just be there for her. She will have to get through the grief and your being there can help her through it without her doing harm to herself perhaps. You really mustn't have a guilty conscience about going to your concert and missing the memorial service. You are right, there will be so many people and you need to get away and enjoy yourself too. Pleasure mustn't be put on hold. No matter how tragic death may be, it is still part of life. Today was the 22nd anniversary of my mother's death and yesterday the 20th anniversary of a jet crash here that killed 520 people. I remember it well, how the plane was out of control, couldn't steer and it did this big looping circles for hours before crashing. Afterwards, because the rescue teams couldn't get up the mountain where it crashed for 16 hours! a lot of people who could have survived died. There were only four survivors. At work today, I was reading a story on more tapes being released in the World Trade Center on 9/11. It brought back a lot of memories and certain thoughts closer. Let's remember how precious yet fragile life is.

I am glad to hear you are still determined to restart your challenge when things calm down a bit. We'll be here for you. And have fun at that concert, you hear! :yes:


:kickcan:

mezmerize, I love the elliptical. It's a tough workout, so it can be hard to get myself motivated to do it sometimes, but I always feel great when I'm done. It's right up there with running as far as calories burned - not quite as good, but very close. And it's easy on your knees, which is a big deal for me. Maybe you'll get another chance to buy one - they're great.

red, well done getting through day 13. I have to admit that part of the reason I was able to stay away from soda is because I was pregnant for most of those 2 1/2 years. But if I could do it then, I can do it now. You're absolutely right.

I'm through day 16! I weighed in today and I was still at 208, but that's okay. I'm still losing 1-2 pounds a week, it seems, and that's what everyone seems to recommend. Fine by me, as long as it keeps coming off. No exercise today because of the torrential downpour outside - I'm not going out in that! - but I'm going to go tomorrow.

i got my day 10 done !

Day 21-Free Day!
 

Can you say . . . MACUDADONUDASU? :faint:

Day 20 done, today is the last day of the challenge! I'm just so excited I can't sleep. (Actually, I think it was the delicious - and large - cup of coffee after dinner. What was I thinking?) Oh well, I can sleep in or nap tomorrow. Scary to think on Tuesday I'm flying out west to WORK for a week! I'll have to get up early EVERY DAY! :fr:

Red, Grey, Curly - you all seem to be doing well, just chugging along towards success. Good work. :woo: :woo: :goodvibes :woo: :woo:

!nceagain - Will we graduate together, or did you take a free day and pig out at Macadonodasu (or however you spelled it - assuming you mean Japanese MacDonalds???)?

I'd also like to thank you all for your kind words about my marital disaster. My apologies for going on about it. For some reason, every so often my ex just gets into my head and won't leave. But he's gone now, and I'm fine. In fact I'm better than fine. Losing weight at last, two rambunctious kitties to keep me on my toes, Flylady to make me shine my sink... does it get any better? :rofl:

I really should get some sleep. If I'm still awake at 6:30 maybe I'll boogie on over to my little gym for a quick elliptical. Maybe a swim too if the pool is empty. (Do I get points for good intentions?)

getting through Day 14....
 

Hello, all! Sure gets quiet on the weekends here. Hope you're at least out having fun! At least there's some action here still. I'd get awful lonely if there weren't... :( Well, I'm getting through Day 14. I blew it here last time around, the furthest I'd gone before blowing it. But I'm determined to get through this one so I can have some sugar again....though I'm going to limit it, I think.

curly -- You're reach the peak! Momentum should pull you through from here! :spin:

1nceagain -- Thank God for free days. Remember, the rule change makes it a "pause day" now. Resume counting from tomorrow (unless you have another freebie. I think this is your first round, so you just have one in that case. Well, what was that, anyhow? Mac's? Whatever it was, I hoped you enjoyed it! :sunny:

gray eyed girl -- :bravo: on making it clear and through Day 16! You're in the homestretch now! We need to look to you for patience and the scale. I am very proud (and in awe) of you for not letting the scale swing you around by the tail emotionally! :yes: And yes, slow weight loss usually means it's true fat you're losing and not muscle, so you're probably not wrecking your metabolism. Good going! Why didn't you drink soda when you were pregnant? Doctor's orders or just thought it healthier? Do you always exercise outside or in a gym? In any case, torrential downpours are dangerous, even in a car. Now, what was your challenge again? Whatever it was, you're almost through it! Good luck with the rest! :dancer:

carla -- Wow! Great going. You're there on your last day. You're certainly not going to blow it now, are you!?!? :flow1: I'll BET you feel great. :cloud9: And you'll be finishing your challenge just in time for your trip. Did you plan it like that? You're welcome to all the kind words we can give you and NO reason whatsoever to apologize. It's always good (well not like fun or happy but you know, beneficial) to hear about others' misfortunes. It can put our own in perspective or make us feel less alone..."ah...it happened to her too" kind of thing. With your ex blocking communication like that I can see how you could obsess at times. I've learned to banish them (the exes) from my thoughts (and see, I speak in the plural!) and actually insist on them NOT contacting me. In the beginning, after a major shock, sometimes I would talk a bit just to get over the initial shock, then I would insist they never call me again. Told them flat out I didn't want to hear from them again. We were NOT friends. Only one and there were never kids or anything, which keeps things simpler. I'm so glad you're losing the weight you want to at last. And two kitties are great to have around. I was just outside brushing two of my three. And, oh, yes, the sink is going to get cleaned again tonight. At least there was nothing growing in it. If I ever have anyone come into this disaster area I will just tell them, "just keep your eyes on the sink! don't move them anywhere else!!!" :lol: And NO points for good intentions unless it involved some sort of preparation. :rofl:


:df:

Red, if I put on my sneakers and workout clothes, does that count as enuf prep for points? :lol: Good going on the sugar, and on reaching day 14. I know you'll make it to 21. I couldn't do the sugar thing. I haven't had a lot these last 3 weeks, but if it had been a tabu I would have craved it. And I'm not convinced sugar is a bad thing anyway. (There I go again, denying another diet "rule".) Of course, in the quantities I'd be consuming without the choc/candy ban, it WOULD be a bad thing.

I had a feeling I couldn't use today as a free day and then be done. Rats. But you're right, I did plan to be finished before the trip. And I'll start again when I get back.

Gotta go - big stink wafting into my bedroom from the cats' bathroom. I think Bigboy has created another little Chernobyl in there. Time to put on my gas mask and flush and deodorize. (Why did I get a male cat? Didn't marriage teach me ANYTHING about males and their noxious emanations?)

carla earns her points!!
 

I'm going to pat myself on the back with them, that's what. :) I did put on sneakers and workout clothes and went off to the little hotel gym. A bit disappointed to realize the elliptical they have is legs only, which is way less fun. But I had a good 15 min on the rowing machine, so my arms weren't neglected. Points are very important. I get extra because it was before 7am on a Sunday, and because I managed to squeeze into my sports bra. I decided not to swim because of the difficulty of getting into a slightly too small swimsuit when sweaty. Besides, there were people in the pool, which is very small.

Time for breakfast and a nap.;)

Hello again :)

Let me catch up... what day am I on? Monday Aug. 8th was Day 4... so today would be... Day 10. Only I haven't had any veggies or the tea yet... If things go well, I should be done on the 25th (if I don't take a free day). After that I'm planning to finish off the second tea pack, and start a new challenge after the big move. I already have some ideas. :) Certainly NO herbal tea!!!

Recently I've been counting it by the number of herbal tea bags left. Only one left, and then off to a next pack. It's a different type, so hopefully it will not be as yucky... I don't think I'd mind so much if this thing smelled bad... but it's the TASTE!!! Yuck. So far the tea doesn't seem to be doing anything... I'm getting worried that it was outdated and that all this effort is in vain... :eek:


Red, stick with it, you're aaaaaaalmost there (note the number of As) :yes:

Carla, wow, it seems like your 20 days have gone by so fast! Somehow I had thought you were around the middle of your challenge, but here it turns out you're almost done! Wow! You go girl!

1nceagain, congratulations to you too! :cheer:

And everyone else - great job! :)

day 11 done.. the temp combined with the humidity makes it feel 110 here today ????? how long till fall???

it's the start of Day 15 here....
 

Good morning, all. It is Monday, the 15th and I see my days are coordinating with the date, which means it's easier to remember. I am having a very hard time believing how slow these 21 are going.

I am going to try to change my thinking on this challenge. The difference in my skin, my energy levels, PMS, they are all the obvious reasons for giving it up, I hate to think of the others that I'm not seeing but are nonetheless there. It is a pure chemical, there is nothing natural about processed sugar and I have an addictive reaction to it, whether that is physical or not, I don't know, but it must give me some rush that I crave. Oh, yes, that's the other thing, the cravings are totally gone staying off sugar. But, that said, the cravings are gone, but I am wanting the sugar for some reason, probably some mood-altering effect I get from it. What a friggin' addict I am! :mad:

curly -- :cp: Congrats on Day 11.

carla -- Great going on actually doing a workout! Rockin' stuff! :spin: Oh, and you bet you get points for getting into the sports bra. That is a workout in itself. And you did it BEFORE breakfast! Excellent! :woo:

Sushi -- where have you been!? Get those veggies in you and drink the tea! Get a new box now if you're thinking it may be old. What is this stuff, some Chinese tea? I can get you weight-loss tea. There are tons of varieties here. And it's probably fresher. Don't know how good it is though. But if it makes you feel better, then go for it! Sometimes we need a bit of magic! :yes: Thanks for the encouraging words. I am soooo hating this challenge for some reason. Gotta stop that. I am definitely consuming less calories and like I said above, there are differences and I should just stay away from it anyhow. I like it. It doesn't do anything for me :nono: ....reminds me of some of the guys I used to hang with.....

:sunny:

Day 6 - Stayed in my Pts. No activity pts used

Red - I use a program called Weight Watcher Pure Points. A friend sent it to me. It is a British Weight Watchers Software Program. I have never seen it in the USA and I have never ran across anyone on 3FC that is using it. It is a WW program and I was even able to update it on the internet when I installed it last year. I put in my weight ( It is measured in stones. 1 stone = around 14 lbs) Then you log in general questions..male/female...measurments and weight if you want can be log in also. When you log in your weight It will tell your BMI and how many Points your allowed each day. (Points will go up or down depending on how much I weight) That is the base of your points for each week. If you don't use all our base point your allowed to bank them. (only 4 each day) If you workout you get points for that depending on the workout and how long you do it.(Up to 12pts for the week) It will figure that out also. So when I write Stayed in my points. It means I DID NOT use any banked points or activity pts. As far as eating them I don't know if it's better if I do eat them Or if I don't that it won't matter. Good question. I know that somedays I do use all.

gray eyed girl - Yea the next time I won't let that elliptical slip by me! Sounds like the perfect fitness machine for me.

I forgot . . .
 

ah yes, TODAY is day 21! No problem there. ;) Yesterdays Macudadonudasu did me in. Yes, that is how the Japanese around these parts say Mc Donalds. A few extra vowels. It was good, but really weighed me down. :p Did hours of uphill walking yesterday-calves are killing me. Sunburn on my arms, :cool: sweated through to my undies. :stress: It was a fun day though. Today is cleaning and laundry. Hubby comes home Wednesday. :cheers: I am going to pause between challenges. I will give it some thought. . .

WHEEE! I'M FREE!!!
Day 21 at last. I think I'll stay up to have my celebratory glass of wine at midnight. :lol:

I'm going to stay off chocolate if I can; it's even harder for me to stay away from than the vino. But my next 21-day challenge won't start until after my trip. Until then I'll try to do a week-at-a-time to keep me on the sort of straight and narrow.

Mez, the two (or is it three?) times that I did weight watchers I ate all my points. I still lost well and fairly quickly. I don't like the idea of feeling hungry - in my case it makes me want to binge.

1nceagain, congrats for being on your last day! :cb: :cb: :cb: :bravo: :cb: :cb: :cb: :cheers: I don't blame you for wanting a little rest. If you want to start on the 23rd, I'll challenge you to a competition to see who caves first and uses a free day...

Red, I really think you're too hard on yourself. Listen to some of that good advice you keep giving the rest of us! Say nice things to yourself, or else. :rollpin: You seem to be a champion exerciser, so you're probably bursting with health. And even if you're not enjoying the sugar challenge, you're sticking it out. Only 6 days to go, and I KNOW you can do it. I have a suggestion for your next challenge: make it something more closely defined than sugar (like cakes, cookies, and candy). And still try to stay away from all sugar, but without beating yourself up for every little slip. Set things up so you will succeed. And remember what a positive effect it's having on your skin. :smug:

It's time to go chill the wine. Bye for now.

1nceagain & carla49 - I'm SOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY for you guys hitting 21!!! Take a BOW!!! HAPPY! HAPPY! JOY! JOY!

carla - What program are you using now? Or have you designed your own? You know I'm thinking of doing just that. I feel I have learn alot from South Beach and Weight Watchers and I'm working out a lifestyle using both. I know I'll have to tweak here and there but I feel I have a basic plan. Right now I'm mixing SB with my WW. I've kind of ran into a snag. I'm finding I'm getting bored with the SB diet food. I'm on phase 1. I started tuesay of lastweek. I don't feel I'm craving anything. I just feel bored. I've lookup some recipes on here. I'm going to try a couple maybe that will help. Just have another week and then Phase 2. Sorry for going on an on...

Red- I wish that I had the motivation to workout to my DVD's everyday! I have to push myself to workout and I aim for 5 days a week. With My WW program I'm allowed to bank those workout points (activity points max 12 a week) This week I did 21 miles of WATP's DVD. Usually the 3,2 & 1 mile walk aday or sometimes just the 3 mile. I just bought Walk and Jog today. I'm going to give that a try Monday. On weekends I'm usually busy walking the mall,stores ect... so I figure I am moving so that is good. I also need to give my knees a break. I was having problems with pain so I give them a couple days rest.

ONEDERLAND AT LAST!!!!!!!
:cb: :cb: :cb: :cb: :cb: :cb: :cb: :cb:
This morning's weigh-in: 199.6. Now that may be an ephemeral victory, as I'm probably a little dehydrated from my celebration last night at midnight - 3 glasses of lovely crisp, chilled, white wine. But I've changed my signature, and will just have to do whatever is necessary to make sure it stays true. I remember being appalled when I first hit 199 on the way up. Funny how things change.

Mez - I'm not really on a specific program. First, you need to remember that I'm probably losing especially quickly because I've considerably reduced some meds that may have been causing weight gain. That being said, however, I have cut out candy bars and wine. I also stay away from pastries. I do still eat some "white" foods, but in moderation. I haven't been eating a lot of cheese. Sort of like the WW core program, but no counting. I decided I had had enough of being obsessed with food and writing everything down, so I'm trying to eat like a thin person. Most of the thin people I know have a good appetite and don't exclude any foods. The difference between them and me is that they don't eat when they're not hungry. They don't clean the plate if they've had enough. They start with small portions and go back for more if they need it. They don't do any mindless munching. They don't eat huge bags of mini-Snickers because they were on special at the drugstore.
This has been a lot easier because it's summer and I can eat a lot of fruit and veg. And I haven't been working, so I can control my environment. And I was really ready to do this, so it hasn't been too hard. I still eat excessive quantities, but instead of Almond Joys, it's a big bag of cherries or grapes. Lots of calories, but healthy ones.

Sorry to be so long-winded, but I just couldn't do the "diet" thing again. Rules about eating just make me want more food. And this attempt at mindful eating seems to be working out. (When eating an ice cream doesn't make me feel guilty, I don't have to eat another one to feel better. :lol: )

Good luck - gotta get ready to take my little kittie for her shots.

Hi Red! hope you are doing well. I`m pretty challenge-less right now, but I hope I can still come and post here once in a while. I`ve been doing okay besides the exercise, over a week now :( I guess I found a way to slow the weight loss down. I hit 198, what a great feeling! I`ve been fluctuating now between 198-200 for almost a week so it`s time to get moving. I know this, I can feel it. Not sleeping as well, getting moody again...I need the exercise. Been drinking a little too often and definetely not drinking my water. No problems with food except for maybe not eating enough. It`s time I get back to making this a priority. I think I`ve been getting comfortable with all the compliments and feeling great and hitting under 200...but I at least want 18 pounds more gone and that should be a piece of cake if I just apply myself like I was. I`m trying real hard to make a fresh start today, pushing the water, exercise no matter how much I don`t want to, take my vitamin, and no drinking (til friday lol). One day a week to drink thats it.

It makes me sick to open the exercise journal part of my notebook, I missed 2 days the first month and averaged over an hour a day. The next page, out of 22 days I`ve only done 7 days of minimal exercise :( I havent even looked at it til today and realized it`s been 12 days since I exercised.

I`m going to see how I do this week before picking a challenge to try again. I cant handle failing at Day 1 or 2 again! Thinking of giving up my morning iced coffee for 21 days, its not the caffeine it`s the sweetness I like about it, so if I can go without for a few days I`ll make it official and try for 21 more. It`s painless for the most part, and replacing it with water would be wonderful for me. It`s more of a habit than anything, so this is something to think about. Maybe I can break it in 21 days.

Congrats to those who met their challenges!! And everyone else for keeping at it! I`m trying real hard, hope to be back in the game real soon. No more excuses for me. The best one lately is that I have a new coffee table. Nice, huh? Good excuse when I have the elliptical sitting there still, and all I have to do is move the table to the side to do a workout DVD. How pathetic is that?! :p At least I`m aware of my lame excuses! LOL : D

carla49 - Keep that wind blowing!! You know I have never thought of how to eat like a thin person and what you wrote has hit home with me. I know at times I've loaded my plate and have eaten it all even if I was full. The candy bars on discount ..... geez so much close to home. Thanks for sharing! That is FOOD for Thought!!

yesterday was day 17 and it went well :), and I'm halfway through day 18 here and so far so good. We're going out to dinner tonight, so I will have to be careful. But I'm NOT going to start over at this point in the game, so I'll just have to plan in advance. Off to go look at nutritional info for our favorite restaurants - I'll check in again and do personal responses tonight after I finish up today.