First day of spring is March 20, that's exactly 8 weeks from today (Jan 23rd). I'm not doing well with the weekly challenges ie setting goals and tracking points so I thought I would start another challenge that is several weeks away. St Patrick's Day is at about the same time but I'm already looking forward to spring so I thought I'd do a challenge for that date. It has actually been a pretty mild winter so I don't know what I'm complaining about. It isn't really about the amount of snow, just that it seems like we have 5 minutes of daylight, all I want to do is hold down the couch with a cup of tea and a cosy blanket.

Anyway I'm trying to rouse myself and get going on some weight loss. For crying out loud January is practically over already and I've done diddly squat for losing weight. I'm not going to weigh in today as I'm still on night shift and my weight is wonky, I'll wait until Wednesday morning to weigh in. I think though I'd like to set a goal of 15lbs to lose, that is around 2 lbs a week which is reasonable and within my grasp if I can keep my focus. I'm hoping this Meridia that I am starting tomorrow will help.

I'll tell you now that I am really serious about this challenge. I may not be good at keeping journals and tracking points but I think that if I am serious enough to start taking a medication I'd better take this weight loss seriously and I'm definately going to be doing some major work with my diet and exercising. If you want to join in this challenge you can expect me to be keeping this thread up and I hope others will join in and see some real losses. I know we've all been struggling a bit and lost some focus but I think it is time to give ourselves a swift kick if we want to see t-shirt and short weather and not feel crappy about the way we look!

Hey there. I picked up my prescription for Meridia this morning and started it. I'm very motivated to also start eating better and exercising. I know the Meridia by itself isn't going to help me drop all the weight I want to. Today I had a bagel with pb and a cup of tea for breakfast and now I'm contemplating what to have for lunch. I think just some soup and I need to go shopping for something for dinner. I'd like for us to start eating more fish but dh isn't into fish much so it would probably just be like once a week. Anyone have any good fish recipes?

I'm in!

Sorry no fish recipes here...I don't eat anything that swims...except occasionally tuna, which is not often since tuna+strawberry milk+ morning sickness= NASTY NASTY car to clean up

So haven't even ate much of that in the last 3 years! Really makes you want to run out and try some fish, huh

Yesterday was a really good day other than I didn't exercise but I ate well and drank my water so I'm pleased that I had a good start to the challenge. Right now I am looking at a couple of things I want to accomplish: getting my eating under control, specifically snacking, at mealtimes I really don't eat a lot but I am not snacking because I am actually hungry, it is usually because I am bored or I get into the habit of snacking while I am watching tv or reading. Last night after I put ds to bed I got busy sorting through his artwork which was all over the basement floor so that kept me occupied for awhile. Then I actually did get really hungry and while I didn't really want to eat I thought I'd better have a little something before I binged so I had a small handful of pretzels and a small bottle of water. Also I want to work on getting back into a regular exercise program.

Was watching a couple of weight loss shows on tv last night while sorting through the artwork. Woof! Wished I'd put in a movie instead. The one show was called X-weighted and it was so-so, but the other show was called Taking It Off, it was really, really bad. I think if I had a camera crew following me around I'd be perfect with my food and exercise. Like I'd want all my bad habits on national tv! I'd feel pretty bad if I was on one of these weight loss programs and not losing weight. I think that would be pretty embarassing.

So I managed to get a bit of exercise in yesterday, did 20 minutes on the exercise bike, all I could manage, my legs were just screaming at me so I thought it best to just leave it. My eating was not so great but I know why I ate what I ate so I know what not to do today. I had a good breakfast but skimped on lunch and then snacked too much on crap in the afternoon. So I need to eat a better lunch so I don't feel hungry after 1 hour.

Great Job Jen!!!!!!

My start is not so great. It's nuts here right now. But today is my last babysitting day. I finished my new book...The Good Mood Diet, and got some nice ideas. I am going to get some food ideas together and a meal plan mocked up and I am going grocery shopping on Sunday. I am going to try my best to log 10 minutes of exercise today. That's it 10 minutes. But it's a start.

Morning all. Well I think yesterday was a pretty good day. I exercised and my diet was pretty good. I made it through the evening without a ton of snacking. I had myself a low fat muffin and so was happy that I didn't get into cookies or chips. I need to work on drinking more water but other than that I am pretty satisfied with the way things are going.

Great Job Jen!!!!! Night time snacking is a big down fall for me too!

I had hoped to go to the grocery store today, but I am helping watch my three nephews while thier mom attends her mom's funeral. I feel so bad for them. We've been eating alot of cakes, cookies, casseroles ect. People are bringing food to my MIL's house since her dad died and we've been eating up there to kind of keep her distracted. Yesterday's service was very nice and I think everyone felt better having been there, in it's own way it was uplifting and a tribute to a great guy and a as much of a celebration of life as a funeral can be.

I had nothing to wear, I had to go to the store yesterday before the funeral and buy bigger clothes! That sucked. Today will be hectic, but I am thinking if I can just get through today and get a fresh start Monday I'll buckle down. So we'll see how it goes. I am done babysitting so I'll have two days off a week with just my two kids. I really need to go shopping though b/c I need lunch stuff. I have been eating lunch out alot. I need to get out of the building, away from the noise of the kids. So I run out and grab a sandwhich or something. But I have been also grabbing chips and pop. There is no place to eat away from the kids and if I go eat lunch with my two kids I end up working...unpaid...through my lunch break, by helping other kids and cleaning up messes ect. I could eat alone in my class room but I'd have to sit at a kid sized table. We need a break room of some kind. So I like to leave the building. It's been too cold to walk on my lunch, but in a month or two that may become a possibility. The rest of the teachers eat with the kids and then take thier breaks after lunch while I am with the kids. So they have thier break to do whatever they need to and not having to worry about eating.

DS got his glasses yesterday. He looks so cute! But he is not at all into wearing them. So we say wear them while you watch this show and you can take them off, wear them while you eat dinner and you can take them off ect. We'll go longe rnad longer before he can take them off and eventually he'll hopefully keep them on all day.

Well my sister sent me a great list of some healthy recipes, so I am gonna print them off and make a shopping list! Hav ea great day everyone!!!!

Hey everyone. Just bumping this up. How is everyone doing? I haven't weighed myself this week, it has not been a good first part of the week so I'm leaving it til next week.

Just checking my date book at it seems the first day of spring is March 21st not the 20th so it is 6 weeks from today.

Hope everyone is doing okay!

4 weeks to go, how is everyone doing?

Well as you can see from my ticker, I haven't budged. I was actually up a couple of lbs and just got back to where I started this week. In some ways I think I am making better food choices overall but I still have those bad times that are keeping me from losing.

Exercise is also not happening like it should. I need to get into a regular routine and I'm finding it hard. Weekends are especially difficult when everyone is home. I like to ride my exercise bike and I find it tough with my 5 year old running around because I like to put on my headphones and zone out, it is the only way that I get through it.

I feel like I'm making excuses and not even trying to change my bad habits. Change is hard and it is taking a long time!

2 weeks to go and I'm down 2 lbs as of right now. I haven't weighed in this week so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! So obviously not gonna make that 15 lbs mark but I'd be happy with 5 lbs more.