I have been feeling really bad about myself and my weight. Whenever I diet, I obsess about food so much to the point where I just give in and eat. I wish I had the life that I used to have. Things were much simpler then. I won't go into detail... I have been beating myself up saying things like, "I cannot sustain a romantic relationship," "My mother is right saying that I will never get married," "I will never be thin unless I starve," and so on and so on.

I am glad that I logged on to read all of your positive exchanges. And I suppose I will list 5 things to feel good about myself.

1 - I am a good writer.
2 - I am organized.
3 - I am good with my finances, budgeting, and saving.
4 - I have sweet dimples.
5 - I am a talented and creative SCRAPBOOKER!!!

Super Saturday!
 

Afternoon Ladies:

Just checking in real quick to say hello to everyone in hopes for a Super Saturday. Everything is going okay for me. Thankfully today was a rest day so my bones can rest. :)

Amanda, your positives were great. I am glad that you are challenged by the challenge and that you are saying great things about yourself. Isn't it something that it is starting to get easier? It is for me to. I think someone mentioned earlier that it helps their mood and that is so good because mood has alot to do with how successful we are for the entire day. Keep up the great job you are doing Amanda.

SAHM, that was so sweet. Thank you for that compliment. Made me smile when I read your post. :) I meant every word of it, you are donig a fabulous job of saying great things about yourself and that is translating over to other areas of your life. Now that I am making it a habit of eating better and making better choices, I am finding that it empowers me and makes me feel like I am capable of taking on other things that I didn't feel I was able to before. It's amazing how your mindset can really affect your success in every area of your life. I am so glad that you challenged yourself. Great job!

Whit, so glad to see ya. Awesome that you were able to read other post and be inspired by them. You have some great positives as well. Our family and peers negativity can really rub off on us and make us feel like we can't improve or succeed. I remember when I was younger and wanted to lose weight, my mom would tell me to go ahead and eat something because I probably wouldn't stick with the diet anyway. I mean, I know my mother didn't mean any harm, but those type of things stick with you and you start to believe that you can't accomplish anything. Anyways, great job on your positives and I look forward to hearing more from you. As a side note, I wanted to add that I look at your weight and I think "Oh my God, I would love to be her weight!" But you know what, weight is a very personal thing and YOU have to be happy with where your weight is. You have to know what is healthy and best for you and go with that. So don't let anyone deter you from reaching your goals. You must be a very intelligent and determined lady to pursue a career as a lawyer, so you are definitely on the right track. Keep Hanging tough and you will reach your goal real soon. :)

Well, I better get going. I'm wishing all of you "Shrinking Misfits" a Super Saturday! I will probably be here tomorrow just to say Hello to everyone.

Ciao!

Elycia

I agree with Elycia, dedication is everything. My aunt keeps trying new diets and exercise habits but she only sticks with them for a few days. Not surprisingly, she's in the same, if not worse, state she's been in for years. I keep trying to tell her that just about everything works if you stick with it.
My 5 things:
1. I'm NOT giving up!
2. I'm good at embroidary (even if i can't spell it :) )
3. I'm not a bad singer
4. Yoga was easier today :yoga:
5. I'm finally finished with my fitness course! They're sending me a diploma :dance: :dancer:
I'm starting a new rewards program for myself today. For every 10 0hours of exercise, I'm buying a new CD. I already have the first one picked out! What does everyone else do for rewards?

hello ladies.... Sorry I haven't been here in maybe a couple of days. i have a major exam on Monday and I always study for every exam like it is a final exam. Anyway i have great news.... Check out my ticker... i did it I am down 100 pounds. :)

Elycia.. That is a great ideal of getting together when our schedules work out:)

Whitney--- My heart is so sadden by your last post. My sister is a attorney in DE. Actually she graduated from St. Louis University school of law. Then she moved to Atlanta where she worked for some time and now she is in DE. You remind me of her. She used to worry about her weight and the way it would effect her career. She is 31 and single and often is sadded about that fact. The sad thing is she is really very pretty. Just as you are! Now she is very thin. Maybe she is a size 4, but she is very healthy. She became a vegan. Too drastic for me but I am still so very happy for her. Look at how creative you are! Not to mention super smart! Ok look I have been putting a scrap book together for almost two years now. I really like doing it but I am not sure I am as good as I want to be :) Since you are very good with budgeting etc. Work it in to buy yourself something nice when you reach small goals. Like every 5 or 10 pounds. I always go and get pedicures whenever I shed 10 pounds. It is just a nice little treat for myself.

Amanda - I'll definitely let you know how I like that kickboxing DVD I bought. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet. I'm hoping that I can start it on Tuesday and get a couple sessions in during lunch.

Whitney - That's wonderful that our positive posts were able to pull you out of your funk a bit. If you stick with it, I'm sure you will reach your goal.

Kenya - I love the idea of getting a pedicure for every 10 pounds lost. I might have to start doing that. I've never had a pedicure before, but it sound like fun.

I was a little bummed on Friday evening because just a quarter of a mile into my walk, it started raining. I had to hurry back home before it really started to pour. So, I wasn't able to walk my usual 2 or 2.5 miles. It actually depressed me that I wasn't able to do anything. I felt like a slob for sitting around after dinner. However, Saturday was better. It rained around dinner time and stopped afterward, so I was able to get out there and get two miles in.

Hey Ladies!

It's Monday!!!!! Ohhh, I know that typically Monday's aren't the most anticipated day of the week, but let's make it a good one. :carrot: :carrot:

I missed my first workout yesterday. Yesterday was just a crazy day. I am not sure, but I will probably make up that workout throughout the week because I really want to complete the rotation.

So how was everyone's weekend? I hope that it was great. A little gloomy here in St. Louis.

Okay, so now that we seem to be doing pretty good on the positive thinking challenge. Let's start a new one for this week. Hopefully we can get going by Wednesday. This week will be:

PICK YOUR CHALLENGE!!!

Everyone needs to pick 3 things that they will try their best to stick to for 1 week.

Here are mine:

1) No pop.
2) Stick to exercise rotation.
3) Eat breakfast every morning.

Well, I have to get going. I will do personals a little later.

Ciao!

Elycia

For a Monday, today isn't *too* bad. :-) Hopefully, I'll be feeling just as good tomorrow when I step on the scales for my weekly weigh in.

Let's see if I can stick to these three things this week:

1) Walk at least two miles everyday. (I've been walking between 1 and 1.5, but I'd like to kick it up to two.)
2) Do not go over 1900 calories on any day this week.
3) Start using the kickboxing workout routine during my lunch hour.

So, how's everyone else doing? Weekends are always my weakness because we eat out on Friday and Saturday nights. I have to be careful how much of my entree I eat. I've been pretty good about it. I've avoided eating m the entire thing. I'll usually just eat half.

HI guys.. well it has been ur typical Monday here.. Crazy busy!! Anyhow the weekend was good, Sunday I gave in and had a slice of pizza, but it was just one and my craving went away. So the three things I am going to work on this week are:
1.) Eat Breakfast
2.) Add an extra veggie to lunch and dinner
3.) Get off my hinney more

So here's to a good week..

How's everyone doing? I weighed myself this morning, and I'm down 3.5 pounds from last week. Yay! The numbers on my long-term ticker don't overlap anymore! :carrot:

I'm keeping a journal of my food/exercise/water, and I've been updating as I go during the day. In the last few days, I've taken to updating it the night before for the coming day. I'll make my menu of what I will be having the next day. I also write down all the exercise that I want to fit in. It makes me more likely to do it if I've already written it down.

The Google Pedometer is really awesome for those of you who walk. I've worked up to walking two miles each evening after dinner. On the weekends, I have more time, so I'll walk about three miles. The pedometer that Google has tied into its maps is a real help in planning out my routes each day. Here's the link if anyone wants it: http://gmap-pedometer.com

Christi - I just recently started eating breakfast myself. I actually throw it together in the mornings before I leave and eat it on my way to work or when I get to work. It's just a smoothie with soy milk, a banana, and a mini bagel with peanut butter. Fast, involves no cooking, and easy to eat. I'm barely awake in the mornings, so it's perfect for me. ;)

Whitney:I sure hope you are feeling better about yourself. I know what it's like when you question your self worth or self esteem. From the looks of the list of 5 things, you are a super person. I've always had difficulty managing finances. I'm a beginner scrapbooker and I have confidence problems. I am working very had to get organized, but it's a continuing effort. I don't even have cute dimples to brag about. As you can see from this rambling effort to lift your spirits that my writing skills are deficent. Seems to me you have alot of great qualities I wished I had. You also care enough about yourself to come to this site and share. You are on the right track. Organize your diet, scrapbook a new you, and put your calories on a budget. Since you have all these talents use them to work for you!

Gail: Congratulations on the 3.5 lbs! Yea!!! Sounds like you are really motivated. Thank you for the ped. link. I'll have to check that out.

Elycia: Sorry I haven't been around. I was a little down with scale issues but my new scale has arrived and I was very happy. I'm hoping to have a good week.

Kenya: Super Job on the 100 lbs!!!!!! You are such an inspiration! I hope you also did super on your exam!

Amanda:Congrats on the Fitness course. The idea of rewards that you and Kenya talked about sounds like a good idea. I have to come up with something that I would love that does not involve food.

SAHM: I hope you have a good week. Sounds like you have a plan.

These are the 3 things that I need to work on:
1. get more exercise
2. try and eat more fruit
3. eat breakfast every day

You all have a super week!
Norma

hey all,
sorry i missed yesterday and sunday, it was crazy. the Jeep had break issues and was broken down 30 miles from home, which messed with the rest of the day's schedule: so no internet and no exercise for me yesterday. But everything's better now.
My 3 challenges are:
1. remember the daily multivitamin.
2. get on the tredmill everyday for an extra 10-15 min.
3. drink 3 cups of green tea daily.
hope y'all are doin well.
amanda

Norma - I'm glad that the arrival of your scale brought happy news! There's nothing better than expecting a higher number than what it gives you. I thought I was going to be down 2 pounds, but when I stepped on the scale and say 3.5 gone I did a happy little dance around my kitchen. Most it was just me waddling around. :p

Amanda - I'm sorry to hear about your Jeep. Cars can be such a pain when they break down or won't work properly. And so expensive too! I always cringe when I have to take mine to a repair shop.

I've been making this oddball potato soup that is only 200 calories for part of my dinner in the evenings. I microwave a potato, remove the skin, chop it up into little pieces, and add about 3/4 cup of skim milk. It takes very good and fills me up, but whenever anyone sees me make it, I get the weirdo look. It's like some hybrid of mashed potatoes and soup. Has anyone else tried this? I highly recommend it for a quick dinner idea.

Hello everyone!

I wanted to let you guys know that I didn't abandon you guys. :) My computer is down at home and so I don't have access. I am at work right now and not really suppose to use this computer, but I wanted to check in with you guys! Everyone's goals look great! I am so happy to see everyone challenging themselves.

Well, I hope that my computer is operational soon and I will be seeing ya!

Ciao!

Elycia

Gail:The potato soup sounds good. I think the simpliest recipes are the best. Don't put down your victory dance! I'd dance around the kitchen too if I had a 3.5 lb loss between weighings. Have you seen those big guys at the end zone doing their funky dance after a touchdown? These guys don't care how they look, they are just very, very happy. You go girl!
Norma

U2 girl, I thought I'd barge in here and say HI to you all the ladies. Gail good job on the weightloss. :carrot: thats really good.

Hello ladies... I feel like I have been gone for for days. School keeps me so busy. However, I think I really like doing pediatrics :) It is just something special about holding infants again :) Oh well ladies I am off to go and cook and clean for the kids... i will try to check in tommorow. I hope everyone is doing great staying OP

How is everyone today? I've been able to keep of all three of my personal challenges I made earlier this week, so I guess I'm doing fairly well. I've finally got my 2 mile walk to about 45 minutes. I have a chihuahua/? mix dog and he loves to smell everything on the earth, so he slows me down a bit when walking. However, I figured that I'm walking about 2.5 miles an hour.

Elycia - Good luck with the computer problems. It can be such a pain, and we rely on our computers so much that it's distressing when one bites the dust. I hope you can get it up and running without too much hassle.

Hello everyone! My computer is working! Awesome! Like you said Gail, isn't it something how much we rely on our computers. When it is gone, you really see. :)

Gail, good job on succeeding with your personal challenges. You are doing so good and that is so encouraging. It is very nice to be working alongside others that are determined and working hard. That is excellent. Keep up the good work! 3.5 lbs!!! OMG, you RAWK!!! That is AWESOME! You are working so hard and it is paying off. That is wonderful. Keep doing what you are doing because it is definitely working for you. :)

SAHM, how are you doing with those personal challenges? I would love to hear. Those are really good challenges. It's amazing how hard it can be to eat breakfast sometimes. Here we are trying to lose weight, but don't eat breakfast. :) It's a wonderful step in the right direction, so keep at it and you will reach your goals. It may take a little longer than we would like, but it will happen.

Norma, I am sorry about the scale, but you know that I am right there with you. You've already let us know at the outset that your weight loss will be slow, so you recognize that and that is a good thing. You are making healthier choices and that is the most important thing. Those changes are going to make a happier and healthier you in the long run, so try your best to stick with it. The temptation may be there to just throw in the towel and concede that you will not lose weight. If you get a chance go back a few posts and look at my last Pump Talk! Giving up is not an option for you Norma. You are doing wonderful things for yourself and not only will it pay off in the future, it is paying off now. Your body thanks you everyday for the positive changes and choices that you are making. Please don't give up! You will reach your goals. I am happy to hear that the new scale came and lifted your spirts. However, if you are feeling down, definitely post. That way we can all chime in and support you. Don't give up, Norma.

Amanda, sorry that you were having such a tough time. I tell ya, 1 thing can happen and it can just throw your whole day out of whack! Great goals that you have and so happy to see that you didn't let those obstacles get you off track. That is the most important thing, right? Not letting any obstacles stand in your weigh :) of a happier healthier you. Each of us are worth being happier and healthier, but I think sometimes we just forget that or life keeps us so busy that we feel we can't. Anyways, great job and so glad to hear your success.

Trish, hey Trish, howya doin'? Last time I talked to you, you were losing and that is wonderful. Pop in anytime you like and tell us of your successes or just to say Hi. Good to see ya!

Hi Kenya. I see you made your goal. I can't believe you didn't come and BROADCAST it! Well, you know you could have and should have. I would love to share in celebration of you meeting your goal. That is awesome. If anyone didn't notice, Kenya lost 100 lbs in 1 year! Yes, 1 year! That takes some serious determination and committment. Geez, I wanna be like Kenya. :) Good job Kenya. That is absotively, posilutely wonderful! :dizzy:

Well, I better get going. So good to catch up with everyone. Take care and don't forget the Pump Talk ~~~~~

PUMP TALK

CONSISTENCY!! Yeah, we all know how important consistency is, but knowing doesn't make it any easier. Did you know that according to sources, if you stick with something for just 3 weeks, it becomes a habit? Everyone that decided to participate in the personal challenges, do you think that you can give each of your goals 3 weeks of consistency? That's just 21 days! You can do it! Those healthy choices are going to affect your mood, your health and how you feel. So come on Shrinking Misfits, let's make those changes stick. Let's be CONSISTENT! :)

Kenya - Congrats on the 100 pound loss! That's really amazing and so motivating for all of us that need to lose 100+ pounds. You're definitely an inspiration!

Consistency is a great thing! I've been walking everyday for over two weeks. I've gotten to the point where I look forward to my evening walks, and I don't even question whether I am going or not, I just go. The only day that my walk got rained out, I was so upset. I was antsy for the rest of the evening.

Has anyone been taking green tea extract in capsule form? I bought a couple bottle of it, and I've been taking one every morning with my multivitamin, and another in the evening with my dinner. I started taking them when I changed my eating/exercise habits, so I can't really say if it has had an effect, but I do know that there is research out there that says it is good for you. I don't think it can help you lose lost of weight, but it can improve your overall health by boosting your immune system.

I started using that 10 Minute Solution Kicbox Bootcamp DVD earlier this week. Woo! It kicks my butt. That's some heavy duty working out for 10 minutes. I really like the instructor because she's not too perky and bubbly. She's positive and gives great cues. I was a little lost the first time I tried to do the beginners routine, but the second time I picked it up right away. There are four other 10 minute routines on the disc, but I'm having so much fun with the first that I've stuck with it this week. By the time I get three minutes into it, I'm sweating and my heart rate is up there. And one of the best things is that the workout is done in only 10 minutes, so you can pop it in at any time. You don't need to set aside a half an hour or fifty minutes. Oh, and the other best thing is that I got it for $10 at Target.

Hey Elycia-- You are so nice to see that I have finally lost 100 pounds. I did mention it in one of my other post but I put it at the end because I didn't want to make a big deal about it everywhere. Have you moved into the new house yet?

hey all,
sounds like everyone is doing wonderful! Congrats to all those sticking to their goals! I've kept to mine so far, though i'm thinking the tredmill is going to be hard tomorrow. i think i hurt my knee today and may need to rest it for a few days :( anyway, have a Fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend!
amanda

Elycia: Thanks for the pep talk. I am much happier now and I finally dropped to 259 1/2 lbs. I was glad to see the fifties. I have gotten counting calories down pat. I've been at it for six weeks and my eating is under control. No binges. I record every bite that goes into my mouth. My husband is eating the same meals that I am making and he has lost 22 1/2 lbs as of today! I must be doing something right. I made me a little Water Consumption chart and with this I'm getting my 10 cups of water each day. I also have beautiful rows of little stars to mark each glass. Now if I could just get on the exercise band wagon I'd be in good shape. This has been a struggle for me.

Gail:As you have read, exercise is my problem. What finally got you off your rump and said I'm going to exercise to day and then do it! I want to get to the point like you when I look forward to walking. Can you help me? PM me if your response is too long. I really want help with this and you sound like you are the one to help me. BTW I'm taking the green tea capsules. The box said it increased your metabolism and is a natural appetite suppressant. I take one mid morning with a full glass of water (as stated on box) and one between lunch and dinner. I feel they help me not to be hungry inbetween meals. I don't know about the increased metabolism except that I'm averaging 2.48 lbs lost per week without much exercise.

Amanda:I'm sorry to hear about your knee. Do rest it up before starting again or it won't heal properly.

Trish:I hope you are doing okay. I noticed that you are from St. Louis. I love it there. We went on vacation there and got to see the Royals play. There was so much to see that we have to go back to see all the stuff we missed. I wasn't able to walk around the entire botanical gardens. I'm hoping to lose enough weight so that I can see it all next time and not hurt so much with all the walking.

Kenya:I posted what a super job you did with the 100 lb loss. I'm sorry you missed it. Hip hip hor ay!! It's worth repeating for 100 lbs!!!!!

I'm really excited about this next week. The weather is finally turning less hot and I hope to get back to doing yard work (I do love that!) My new scale and I have become great friends so I have high expectations!
You guys have a great weekend!
Norma

Correction: I dropped to 258 1/2 lbs!!!! Sorry, typing error!

Hey guys! So its been a crazy week here. I have not managed to eat breakfast every day this week..I am finding that I am just not into breakfast foods in the morning. I was watching something on Discovery Health and seen were this one woman started eating her dinner for breakfast and then lunch, then breakfast.. It worked for her and in essence makes sense to get majority of you calories in the a.m. So starting tomorrow I will be eating a sensible dinner for breakfast.. I dunno maybe it will work maybe not. I am also having some personal issues this week and am not really dealing well with them. There is just something about depression and weight issues that goes hand in hand.

So I hope this finds everyone doing well and sticking to their healthy habits and reaching their goals. Have a Fantastic Friday and a Wonderful weekend. We will be out of town this weekend so I will check in on Monday.

Christi

Norma-- Congrats on being in the 250's.. I can't wait to join you one day :)

Amanda - Sorry to hear that your knee is giving your trouble. I was afraid I hurt mine a little bit yesterday when I was walking, but it turned out to be something I just needed to stretch out. It's back to normal today. If your knee isn't feeling to hot today, then maybe you should give yourself a break and give it a couple days to get better. If it really is hurt, then all you can do is damage it more by walking a great deal on it. At any rate, I hope it's feeling better.

Norma - Congrats on dropping into the 250s! That's great! As for the green tea extract - all the websites that sell it claim that it is put in many diet pills to increase metobolism. However, I think there is a thread somewhere on this site that gives a list of how helpful certain herbs and teas are in weight loss, and it says that there is no solid evidence that green tea extract will help, thought it certainly doesn't hurt since it is good for you. I figured I would take it anyway since it has been proven to boost your immune system. Then again, maybe it's been partially responsible for me 8 pounds gone in 2 weeks. I'll PM you with some tips I've discovered about walking. Maybe it will help get you motivated to get out there.

Christi - That's a neat way of looking at meals. I've never been a breakfast person either, so I've been making myself eat right after I get up. I have noticed that after a week or two of eating breakfast, my body expects to get it every morning around 7:30 or 8:00. So, that helps keep me on track. Let us know how the dinner/lunch/breakfast works out.

Kenya - At the rate you're going, I'm sure you'll be seeing the 250s in no time at all! :-)

I've noticed an interesting trend in the numbers on the scale. When I weigh-in on Tuesday morning, my weight is the one I post here. By Wednesday, it's gone up about two pounds. By Thursday/Friday, it's back down to a pound above the initial weight from Tuesday. And then when Monday/Tuesday rolls around it's about 2 or 3 pounds lower than the previous Tuesday. So, I'm losing weight, but it seems like it's not showing up on the scales until after the weekend. Which is odd because I eat out on Friday and Saturday nights, and the food I eat has more calories and fat than anything I eat during the weekdays. I've heard of zig-zagging calories, and I thought that maybe I was unintentionally doing this and it was helping me. Supposedly, you can do this if your body has lost a lot of weight and it has adjusted to a new metabolism rate, stalling your weight loss out. You "trick" your body by eating more calories two or three days a week. This makes your body kick your metabolism back up to get rid of those extra calories. A friend gave me this address: freedieting.com/tools If you go there and click on the calorie counter and input your info, it will tell you how many calories you should be eating to lose weight. There is a small link at the bottom with a plan to zig-zag your calories during the week so you can shake up your metabolism. Is anyone else familiar with this? Does it actually work?

Hello ladies:

I hope that everyone had a great day! Well, today was okay. I got my workout in. Yay! I am still going strong and trying very hard to stick to my eating plan and exercise. I think the weight loss is going to be slow. I just hope that I do have a loss each week.

Gale, I think that is wonderful that you are able to look at trends going on with your body. That is really good. Shows that you are in tune with your body and paying attention to what is going on. You are making awesome progress.

Kenya, I don't know how I missed that, but I am so happy for you. You are just scooting along. You will be in the 250's in no time. Wow, what determination you have. In regards to the house, geez, who knows? At first the guy gave us every indication that we were getting the house, but now, I dunno. He is getting on my nerves, I know that. Hopefully, we will know something this weekend, so we can either move on and forget about it or start packing. :rolleyes:

:carrot: :carrot: :carrot: Norma! Congrats! Congrats! Congrats! Made it into the 250's, that is G-R-E-A-T!!! :cp: :cp: I am so glad that you posted and let us all celebrate with you. Water Consumption Chart!! Wow, that is sooo good. You are on a roll and that is so encouraging. Keep up the wonderful job you are doing. I'm so very happy for you. :) :carrot: :carrot: :carrot:

Amanda, I am very happy to hear that you are sticking to your goals. Sorry to hear about your knee. Well, hold on to your non-physical goals. You are doing awesome.

Christi, that is good that you are trying to find what works for you. I have always felt that your eating plan is a very personal thing. You have to find what works the best for you to be successful. So if eating breakfast at dinnertime and dinner at breakfast works, so be it! Let us know how that goes for you. I hope that you have a great weekend with family. :)

Well, I really better get going. Everyone take care and I'll see ya tomorrow.

Elycia

Big new ladies. I am less weight than it says on my drivers license. It says I weight 285...today I noticed it for the first time :) I am so excited to finally be less than that :)

Hello Ladies:

Hope everyone had a Sensational Saturday. I just got finished with my workout. I really hate when I have to workout so late, but I am determined to stick with this rotation this month. Today was Cardio Sculpt Blaster. It wasn't too bad. I am not sure if it was an easier workout or if I am just improving my fitness level. I hope it is the latter. ;)

Kenya, that is toooo awesome. My goal weight IS the number on my drivers license. :) Woohoo! That is definitely something to celebrate. I never have changed my weight on my DL and I don't intend to. At this point, I don't think I want to be thinner than 147. It was a happy weight for me. We will see when I get there though. :) Congratulations. I better get going with this weight because you are going to pass me by. :)

Well, I am proud to say that I have stuck with my challenge goals very well. I'm not going to say that I haven't been tempted. I would love to drink a glass of pop (Cherry Coke is my favorite, yum yum), but I am determined to stick to the challenge and not give in. I am not saying though that I will never drink pop again, but it sure feels good to know that I have the self control not to drink it for a period of time. Actually Monday will be a full month. Yay!

Well, I better get going. Hope that everyone has a great evening. I will be checking in tomorrow.

Ciao!

Elycia

hello everyone.

sorry i vanished for so long. it has been so hectic here. two of the kids were ill and then my mum too. all are better now. we also had my hubbys birthday a family christening and a wedding. so ive been really busy. :dizzy:

its great to see everyone is doing so well. i just quickly scanned the posts as im only just quickly checking in before i make brekkie. will check in later again.

Hi Maryjane. Good to see ya. Boy, do I understand a busy life. Life has been speeding on by. Hope to hear more about how things have been going for ya.

I have good news guys! I got the house! Yay!!! I am so excited. So happy to be moving. I really don't care for my house or neighborhood, so this is just wonderful. We don't have the exact move-in date yet, but we got the okay last night. Yay!

I am doing pretty good on my diet and rotation. I did get on the scale yesterday and I am down another 1.5 lbs. So, I am 234.0. Yay! That is like 16.5 lbs and I am very excited. I am so glad to see the scale going in the right direction. I am still doing FIRM for exercise and just counting calories. Sometimes I am disappointed with the rate of my loss, but you know what, at least it is coming off. It may take some time, but I am working hard to get there and it will pay off. Actually it is paying off.

Well, I better get going. Today is a rest day in terms of exercise. Tomorrow is as well and thank goodness. I worked out for 7 days straight. Well, I guess that is it for now. I will check in with you lovely ladies later.

Ciao!

Elycia

How is everyone doing? It's a typical Monday here. Same old, same old. I'm unsure if I'll lose any pounds this week. It's TOM and I've been slightly liberal with what I've eaten in the last few days. That Bennigans Black Bean Burger was pretty good. ;-) So were the fries. I was down a pound yesterday, but I'm back up again. Wacky water weight and such. Blah. I was able to walk about 3.3 miles yesterday. I didn't intend to go that far, but I didn't turn down the street I was supposed to and ended up going out of my way. I decided to just keep going and make the circuit back to my apartment. I was pretty pooped afterward, but I'm feeling good today.

Wow what a weekend!! We went to the state fair here and it was an event. I did manage to be sort of healthy with what I ate. I am sure we walked about 4 miles that day too, non-stop. Sunday was a lazy day. It was rainy and yucky here so me and the little one took a very long nap. Then today it was off to the grocery store and to runn errands. I didn't weigh this morning so I will do that tomorrow and post this weekends damage. I hope everyone had a great weekend and is sticking to their goals.

Elycia:Congratulations on the new house. You sure will be busy soon with moving and all. Don't get yourself stressed out.

Gail: Great job on the 3.5 miles!!!!! I'm setting a one mile goal each day. I just hope I can do it. I should have someone drop me off a mile from the house so that I'd have to walk just to get home! LOL Good work!

Okie: I love your state. We will have to go back soon and see more. My mom was born in Foss, OK. You guys got beat up with storms over the weekend, I hope you didn't have any damage. We were blessed with about an inch of rain and we sure needed it.

We had a lazy weekend. Hubby was ill and between being his doctor, laundry and the rain outside I didn't go far. I feel good about this week. I hope my positive attitude nets results.

You all take care.

Norma

I'm BAAACKKKKKK!!!

Thanks, once again, Elycia, for checking in on me!!! I actually haven't even visited 3FC for over a week!!! It used to be a daily thing, but, gosh darn it, life is CRAZY:dizzy: .

I also haven't had time to browse through all the members here or what's going on with everybody...hopefully this weekend will allow some 'me' time to do that!

Besides being busy, I think part of my absence is due to the fact that I'm sort of in a holding pattern weight-wise. I've been losing & gaining the same few pounds for a month now. Granted, my eating hasn't exactly been healthy, and I do little to no organized exercise, so it shouldn't come as a surprise. If the glass were half-full, I would look at this as a 'practice' for maintenance...but I shouldn't be doing that with only 26lbs gone, and MANY more to go...

Anyway, I'm getting the evil :devil: eye at work now, so I better get crackin'.

Take care ladies!
~Stacy

Hi Elycia :cheer: I'm so glad you got the house. Thats really good news you have been wanting that. Now its time to get packing and stepping on over to the new pad. :bravo: On the weight loss. Who cares if its slow coming off the point is its coming off. Fast can be unhealthy as you already know.

I want to talk to you about some stuff, I'll either call you or can you :callme:

Congrats:carrot: :dance: to all the ladies that are dropping those pounds.

I shall talk to you later.

Hey Trish! Good to see ya. Oh yes, I am so happy to be getting into my new house. Sometimes you just need something new, something different. I am sooo looking forward to it. Thanx for the congrats! I see that you are slimming. That is so good. Keep up the good job. Isn't it a great feeling to know that you are doing good things for yourself? Well, we should get together 1 day so we can put a face with a voice and become the slim hot mamas we are destined to be! :belly:

Hi Stacy, glad you were able to drop in and let us know that you are okay. Busy, busy, busy. Everyone is always on the go. Like you said in terms of your weight loss, at least you are maintaining and not going up. Believe me, I know how frustrating it can be to get on the scale and keep seeing the same number, but if you keep making healthy choices, the scale will budge. A thing that helps me is to try to challenge myself. Maybe that can help you. I know you are busy, but challenge yourself to get in maybe 3 workouts in a week. They don't have to be long and they don't have to be intense, just get yourself moving 3 times a week and before you know it, the weight will start sliding off a little faster and it will also be becoming a habit. It's just a suggestion because I really want you and all of us to succeed in our weight loss efforts. :) Anyways, so glad to see ya and hope you can pop in again soon.

Norma, sorry that hubby was sick. Thanx for the congrats on the house. Regarding those lazy weekends. You need them sometimes. Just don't have anything planned, just chill. Sounds nice. :)

SAHM, glad to hear that you had a good weekend. I am still sticking to my goals. Hopefully you didn't do too much damage. Let us know how that turned out for ya.

Gale, good job on those 3 miles. Woo hoo! That is so good. Those weight fluctuations will drive you insane. I try to avoid that scale, but it's like it is calling me. :)

Well, I better get going. My daughters are crying. I will see you ladies later.

Ciao!

Elycia

Good afternoon, everyone! My name is Elizabeth, I’m 28 yrs old and I would like to lose 15 lbs right away… My first and foremost goal is to permanently change my eating habits: I either eat too much or way too much, I am extremely impatient, and simply cannot stop obsessing over scale numbers and tight-fitting clothes. Other than that, I'm new and I would love to join your group... :)

cheers,
elizabeth

Hi there Elizabeth:

I am taking a break from packing and straightening up and thought I would stop in and saw your post. Well, so glad that you decided to join us. We are a small group of ladies, but very motivated to lose weight and make healthy choices. We do challenges and things from time to time, but mostly just check-in for accountability and keep each other motivated. The check-in just started this month, so we are just really getting started. :)

I think it is wonderful that you are wanting to PERMANENTLY change your eating habits. That is very admirable. So many want to lose the weight but aren't willing to stay with the new eating and end up gaining back what they have worked so hard for. I am just like you in that I working on changing the way I view food and the foods that I chose to eat. You are definitely on the right path. Please post some of the changes that you are making throughout the day for your eating plan. Would love to hear.

Well, I better get back to the grind and then get on to bed. Again, welcome to our group Elizabeth and I look forward to getting to know you better. Everyone have a great evening and I'm sure I will see ya tomorrow.

Ciao!

Elycia

Norma - I think one mile a day is a great goal! That's how I started out. It's always best to start out slow. That way it isn't too much stress on your body. I know I usually quit something if it's too hard. Building up is the best way to go. Plus, a mile can really do wonders. The first week I walked a mile each day and dropped my calories down, I lost four pounds.

Stacy - On the bright side of things, at least you're holding at your current weight. That's an accomplishment in and of itself. My fear is actually losing weight and then gaining it all back. Hopefully, this whole ordeal will change the way I think about eating and exercise and maintaining won't be a problem.

Elycia - Congrats on the new house and the weight loss! And just think - packing, moving, and unpacking all of your belongings will give you quite a workout.

Elizabeth - Hi and welcome! Glad you could join us. I think you have a great attitude about wanting to change your lifestyle and become a healthier person. Good luck with your weight loss!

As for me... I'm still in it. I thought about getting a big, greasy breakfast burrito this morning, but I told myself that it would be best to stick with my planned meal. I'm still walking everyday. I'm doing a bit of weight training every other day, and on my off days, I'm doing a kickboxing workout DVD. I've been eating those Lean Cuisine/Smart Ones meals for lunch and they're really good. I was surprised at how tasty they are.

Speaking of food, does anyone of a good way to spice up white rice? I'm adding brocolli, but that's getting old already. No meat for me, so I can't add chicken or anything. Perhaps something to give it a bit more flavor?