It all depends on how you'd take it, I think. In my mind, just finishing is an awesome achievement and worthy goal.. when I picture it though, it's just me by myself. Make it with people, and me finishing nearly last, or last place.. and a lot of the wind gets taken out of my sails. Which is sad because the accomplishment itself didn't train. So for me, I'd kind of rather do the stuff on my own so I can just focus on the accomplishment. You could be different. At any rate, training for it couldn't hurt!

What is all involved in a half marathon? I've never really looked into marathons themselves. Just the couch to 5k stuff... which is just running really.

1/2 marathon = 13.1 miles of nothing but running...

I hate running. I love cycling and swimming, but for some damn reason I'm determined to make myself a runner.

Running is come and go with me. I don't mind it, but I was a catcher in softball for years so my knees act up sometimes. Strangely the elliptical feels a lot better on them, not really sure why that is. I would think it'd be harder on the knees because of the movement, but maybe because it's lower impact? I dunno. Cycling is fun too. I basically like machines I can get on and just lose myself in music for a while.

My mom does cycling.. like 17 miles a day now. She got into a few years back. She absolutely adores it. Spends a ton of money on it though.

Is there something about running that makes you want to make yourself a runner?

This is me, to a T. I have been through years of counseling (ED-NOS related), nutritional therapy, and I still can't seem to shake it. I am aware of my weight and have been since I was seven. 26 years later and I'm still tracking and writing, making charts and planning.

I don't know if I can ever let it go! I'm better than before, but I'd love to be at a "normal" weight and not calculate every bite, lick and taste.

Your blog post was amazing and inspiring. I want so badly to get rid of my scale!

Sun - Is there something about running that makes you want to make yourself a runner? I've been racking my brain about this. What a brilliant question. I actually ended up writing about it at SMF. THANK YOU! I'm running it. <3 :hugs:

Munchy - yeah, I got rid of it for about 6 months and recently bought a new one. Not for the obsession of it, but for the monitoring. Definitely a slippery slope, but my outlook is way different now and I feel way more comfortable with it being in the house. I've been able to take a break from it when needed.

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Yesterday was my first day back on plan and it went well. So far so good today, too. Feeling good! Training for my half marathon starts today and that feels pretty damn good to say! Things are looking up.

Munchy - I think sometimes just getting things a little under control is a major accomplishments. It'd be nice to not worry about certain stuff, but sometimes that just isn't in the cards. The fact that you've made progress on it is excellent though. Dealing with compulsive habits, especially when mental disorders are involved is extremely tedious, consuming, and difficult. So major kudos on getting it as under control as you have

SoMuchFattitude - It looks like you figured out your reasoning, and that reasoning actually does make sense to me, especially with all the competition type talk we were doing yesterday. Go and defeat that marathon! Glad you're feeling good, and back on plan!

I tried to use the elliptical today. I did my walk by to see how many people were there, it was empty. So I went in and hopped on the machine. Only to encounter some loud jerks a few minutes later, the exact type of person I was hoping to avoid. Being non-confrontational I just sort of pretended to ignore and then left a little later. They were basically making loud remarks, that I can only assume I was meant to hear, about how I didn't belong there and was taking up their machine. So that was a bust in a way.

I may wait a few weeks and try again a little later in the day this time. Maybe they'll already have worked out and left. I'm trying not to let it get to me, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't kill a bit of my good mood.

Sunarie, I am so sorry that happened to you, I can't believe people could be such jerks!

I am feeling good, stepped on the scales this morning and I'm down 0.5kg (1.1 pounds) with half a week to go still to WI.

Working out seems to double my rate of loss so I'm aiming to work out six times this week (four 3km treadmill jogs and two yoga classes).

Engagement party and family pictures this weekend so lots of being photographed....eeeeeeeek!

SoMuchFattitude- I am starting training for my first half marathon tomorrow. Nervous because it is a lot of running but looking forward to the challenge.

Sunaire- that is awful. People are so ignorant. I think the elliptical feels better because of the low impact. Running is hard on the knees.

I am down 2.2 lbs this week.. I really need the meetings to keep me on track. So glad in signed back up.

sunarie - GIRL! STAND UP FOR YOURSELF! Say something! DO NOT let them think they can speak to you like that. I learned a long time ago if I stand up for myself people won't talk **** about me/my weight. I had that happen once and my response was, "Excuse me, I happened to overhear you speaking about me. Yes, I am fat. Yes, I am at the gym. Yes, I am working out. I have lost over 100lbs. I am determined. I am dedicated. And I am focused. Maybe you should spend less time talking **** about a total stranger to make yourself feel better about how shitty of a person you are and more time focused on your workout. I mean, we're at a gym afterall, right?" SILENCE. NO RESPONSE. People don't know how to handle it when you stand up to them. Bullies are cowards in disguise. WTF? Who do people think they are? omg. This makes me SO SO SO angry.

Congrats Flickety! Do we get to see pics when they come back?!

Dixie - WELCOME BACK!!! :hugs: I remember you from back a couple of years ago. What plan are you using to train?

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DAMMIT! I got home yesterday from work and it was POURING rain. Whomp whomp! So much for starting to train. And since I'm fighting a head cold and it's cold out, I didn't think I should mix the three. So annoying. Today is a new day though and my training plan has weight training on it. Fortunately, my free weights are inside, so the rain won't matter.

Eating is on point and I'm looking forward to my WI on Saturday!

Oh - I also tried the Skinny Cow Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bars and they are AMAZING!

Flickety_switch - Congrats on the loss so far this week. That's amazing! Have fun at the party this weekend too!

Dixiemom - Nothing wrong with needing the meetings to keep on track. Congrats on your loss too!

SoMuchFattitude - I started incorporating strength training.. or what I'm calling strength training.. into my workout too. So Mon/Wed/Fri I do 3 sets each of 9 or so different exercises. Nothing with weights yet. Just three different types of leg lifts, push ups, squats, calf raises, tricep dips, crunches, and planking. Still do my cardio on Tues/Thur. So far it seems to be working. Hoping I can bust through the 229 wall this time, that's where I got stuck around Thanksgiving. How many points are the skinny cow ice cream bars? I usually get the english toffee WW ones, or the De Leche ones.

As far as the girls go.. I've just never in my life stood up to anyone like that. It's one of the things we go over a lot in my therapy visits (I go for depression, which I'm sure I've mentioned). In the past few years I only recently started speaking up to my family when I disagreed or didn't want to do something. Honestly the thought to say something to them didn't even come to my mind in the moment, I felt bad for taking the machine. Thinking about it after the fact gets me angry, but even then I'm timid about saying something. I did rant to my mom a little bit later.. cause I truly don't understand people like that. If you think fat is so disgusting that it bugs you to see it, then you should be happy to see someone trying to change it. Oh well.

On the brighter side of things, I peeked at the scale today and I was at 229.0. Not going to change anything or look again until next Monday, but still really happy because that means I'm back at my first mini-goal, and almost at my lowest pre-Christmas time weight (228.4). Hopefully 229 passes quickly this time around, and it just continues downward.

Great to be back down to 229 Sunarie! And your workout sounds cool too!

I'll put up a pic when I get them back just for you SoMuchFattitude! It's so great to have you back on these forums.

I went to a yoga class again last night....I am getting addicted, I'd go every day if I could get there. Not even sure it's particularly effective exercise (depending on the day, I do either Power Vinyasa or Hatha) but I don't even care, it makes me feel strong and empowered and I LOVE IT!

Have you guys ever done point cycling? Just interested in your experience. I tend to eat the same number of points for days and days on end as I avoid eating weeklies for the most part. Wondering if it's hurting my weight loss as it has definitely slowed in recent weeks or whether I'm just not going to lose as fast now I'm a bit thinner.

Sun - yeah, I've always been pretty...outspoken. LOL! I was teased once in HS school for my weight. They said, "You're fat." and my response was, "Really? That's all you have? I also have brown eyes and brown hair. Good job with the obvious, dipsh*t." No one ever said anything else to me. LOL I love weight training, but for some reason I've always had a hard time sticking to it. It is in my half training plan and I did do it yesterday, so that's a start, right? lol I simply cannot wait to see the 220s again. Ugh. I'm very jealous of you!

Flickety - I did yoga with my mom for a couple of years and really enjoyed it! It's so relaxing. Why do you not eat your weeklies? Sometimes your body needs that boost and extra surge of food. I use all my weeklies...and all my activity points. LOL. (I like food.) Even at my lowest (202) and having lost 125lbs I still ate all my points. There is a thing called The Wendie Plan and it calculates the whole point cycling thing for you. Some people swear by it. And thanks! It feels good to be back!

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Late, late night. Puppy had puppy diarrhea. I think I'm running on 3 hours of sleep. Thankfully tomorrow is my off day. I *did* weight train last night, which was on my half training plan. I'm suppose to do hill sprints tonight and a short run tomorrow. I'm really trying my hardest to talk myself INTO it since I'm so tired.

Inspire me, please. zzzzz

Sunarie and Somuchfattitude: Thank you! I am trying really hard not to go nuts, but it's usually just in the beginning of when I start to weigh in. Once I get in the groove, it usually doesn't bother me quite as much.

I'm hoping for a good weigh in tomorrow, but I'm a little nervous because it's a TOM weigh in. Even if it's bad, I still have next week as a possible really good weigh in!

SoMuchFattitude- I am using a Garmin Beginner plan. It is a 16wk plan, so it goes slow. Which is exactly what I need.

Flickety - I don't do point cycling really, but when I did hit my plateau around Thanksgiving I had a weekend where I ate more than usual and didn't track points. Unfortunately that carried over into Christmas vacation and I gained 3 lbs. Part of that was my son getting to visit and getting some high calorie foods in the house that I ended up munching on. Need to be better about making him eat healthier too. Got a plan for next time he visits now I have heard it helps. I've also heard switching up when you eat and when you exercise helps too. So like.. doing your big meal at a different time in the day, or eating what you'd normally have for breakfast for dinner instead.

SoMuchFattitude - Routine! Get it in there and you'll be glad later you did. The whole depression thing makes motivation really hard to come by for me so I literally have to just stick to routine. I almost never feel like doing anything, even on my meds. Treat it like brushing your teeth! I've heard of psychological type stuff too.. like do a specific action (like setting out clothes for exercise) and then follow through, and eventually the action makes you want to exercise, but that takes a few months. Don't know if that actually works.

Munchy - I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about, you seem to be always on top of what you're eating going by the daily menu thread If nothing else at least give yourself credit for totally being awesome at keeping on plan.

Got in 20 minutes on the elliptical today. No on in the fitness center for the most part. When in at about 10:30 instead of 11 this go. There was one guy doing some weight training, but that was all the entire round. So yay for uneventful fitness, lol.