Hi!  This sounds like a great idea. :)

Goals:

1) Drink way more water, and less diet soda.  In fact, try to cut down on the artificial sweeteners considerably.

2) Stock up on vegetables instead of granola bars and skinny cow ice cream!

3) Be strong, and do some form of exercise (which for me means run/lift weight/do stretches) twice a day.  Usually in the morning before school I get up and run around the neighborhood, so that's good - I just need to run in the afternoon as well, and then do a few weights sometime.

4) Schedule exercise on a planner so it's just as important as any other scheduled event.

5) Don't let myself get tempted by sweets early on in the day.  If I can hold strong and not eat too much in the morning, it is so easy for me to stay on track; if I eat too much in the morning, I feel deprived later on when I can't snack.

6) Be able to run a 7 minute mile by August!

• make a plan... without a plan, you dont know where you are headed.  at the end of the day, when you have 150 cal left for a snack, you head for the kitchen and brouse....you are tired and stressed out.  what should I choose?  So you grab and grab and uh oh!  without a plan,it's like sending an alcoholic to a bar to get some juice!!
• drink 8-10 glasses of water
• exercise 3-4X/wk
• 7hrs of sleep
• when motivation lags...remind myself of my goals.  do I want the (fill in the blank)or do I want the scales to go down.... towards my goal
• positive attitude(no one wants to be around a bitchy dieter!!

Fox903 ... welcome aboard!  Great goals about water, artificial sweeteners, veggies, exercise, scheduling/planning, avoiding temptations and running a 7-minutes mile! Please let us know how we can encourage/support you with these goals! (Let us know what veggies you get on your next shopping trip!)

Lyssalou76 ... welcome aboard! Your goals about exercising, weights, logging everything, getting more sleep, fully enjoying your summer (60 degrees!?) and working on your last 25 pounds. You can do this! Please keep us updated about how your goals are doing and what we can do to help besides tell you to take a nap, hee hee hee!

Karenie ... welcome aboard!  I like you plan of making a plan and sticking with it! I am definitely with you on the water-drinking, exercising, getting blenty of sleep, and keeping each other motivated. And I know I do need to work on my attitude some most of the time!

* * *

Nice to see that there are some others like me who want to make this a healthy, nutrition-focused, getting-fitter, life-changing, positive summer! Check in when you can ... feel free to post your menus, nutrition reports, weigh-in reports, or anything else you want to share ... EVERYTHING IS OPTIONAL! No rules and requirements, just 75 days of healthy eating and mutual motivation!

MOLLY

1. Goal - To Log food to the best of my ability whether or not it is on the log or not.
2. Monitor Blood sugars Pre- and Post meals and Bedtime.  ( Place in a log book.)
3. Walk the dog on days it is nice outside.  Start at 3 houses and work myself up.  We LIVE ON A STEEP INCLINE AND THAT IS A LOT!
4. Cut back on Crystal Light and drink more water.
5. Incorporate 2 servings of veggies in my diet.
6. Incorporate 3 servings of fruit in my diet
7. Go to the diet support group and record my weight on the weight log here.
8. And finally log my progress in my journal on a daily basis. What I did right or wrong. 
9. Weigh 265 from a starting weight of 275.00

These are my goals and I plan of posting at my computer as a daily reminder.

TAKE CARE ALL - GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS.

HEAVENLY

Hi everybody!

  This sounds like a great way to stay on track for the summer.  I started strong at the beginning of the year, but have slacked a little lately.  Here's what I'm aiming for:

1. Quit late night over-snacking.  (I'm an angel until 10:00 at night, and then I totally lose control.)

2. 1750 minutes of exercise a month (including one long walk (more than 4 miles) a week).

3. Drink more water early in the day.

4. Strength training at least 2 days a week

5. Increase veggies to 6 servings a day

6. Cut down on artificial sweeteners

7. Stay under 1700 calories 6 days a week

8. Reach the weight listed on my driver's license (230 pounds) by the end of the summer.

Good luck to you all!  I'll keep you posted.

Molly,

Good luck! I hope you are getting the support you need in this difficult time. You are such an inspiration to so many people it is an honer to see you battle and triumph our day-to-day challenges.

So I will mark my goals - I think August first is a good specific date:

1. Get down from 64.8 kg (about 144 pounds) to 60kg (about 133 pounds).

2. Finish the couch25k plan - run 3 5k runs a week

3. Do yoga twice a week.

4. Finish 1 short story and start working on another.

5. Log my food on weekdays and make mostly healthy choices on weekends.

6.Enjoy as much of my life as possible and strive to change the things I am unhappy with.

Lets do this - this morning my scale said 64.4kg - but then I was a bit dehydrated I think Ill make friday my weigh in day...

•  work in 2- 2 hundred calorie snacks and 1- 1 hundred calorie snack into my daily calories
• exercise 5 days per week  and do something physical everyday
• average 1800 calories per day over the course of a week

OK count me in. My goals are:

• Drink more water - try to get 6-8 glasses a day
• Increase veggies in my eating plan (don't really like them!)
• Lift weights 2x a week
• Lose 6 pounds

Me too.  My Dh had gastric bypass surgery last week and though that route is not for me, many of his new life rules will help me also, so ...

My goals:

1) walk EVERY day

2) drink more water

3) eat slowly, chew thoroughly, savor each bite

4) greatly reduce fats and sugars

5) lose 12 pounds by August 1

and for JUST ME

*) start writing poetry again ... try for a poem per week.

Ok, I'll join too!  This is a great idea. My goals:

1)  See the 140's by the end of the 75 days.  I am around 172 right now, so 149 is possible by August 15.

2)  Try at least 3 new forms of exercise.  I am exercising a ton right now, but I'm getting into a bit of a rut.  I'm also intimidated by exercise classes at my gym because it always feels like everyone there knows each other already and what to do and I'll look like a big fat idiot.  I'm somewhat shy of being around new groups of people.  So I plan to try 3 of the classes at my gym and hopefully I'll find some fun new exercise to include.

3)  Continue my half-marathon training.  I'm starting to add miles next week, so I just need to continue my dedication.

4)  Be nicer to myself and give myself more credit for how far I've come :)

5) Just in general, rededicate myself to this process all over again.  I haven't really lagged, but it's become a bit rote.  While this is good in some ways, I don't want to become complacent. 

75 day goal:

1. Lose these pesky 4 lbs that won't go away - and then some?
2. Eat more salad - 3 cups dark leafy greens per day
3. Significantly lower cheese consumption
4. 20-30 minutes at gym daily
5. Like most other people, drink more water: 9-10 cups per day

I'd like to join in! Everyone has such good goals!

1) Stay on track with my eating. I have been doing well, and I don't want to stop.

2) Reach my goal of walking 100 miles. I have 24.6 miles logged already. That means I either need to walk a mile a day, or 1.5 miles four days a week.

3) Update my blog at least 3 times a week.

4) Get to my 1st goal, which is 263. I am at 280 right now. That goal will be losing 10% of my starting weight.

Good luck everyone! I know we can all reach our goals!

1heavenlybody ... welcome aboard! (We'll watch our diabetes TOGETHER!)

medveditsa ... welcome aboard! (I'm with you on the water and veggies!)

tamarbee ... welcome aboard! (Keep us posted on the yoga and stories!)

luzd ... welcome aboard! (Let us know how your snack planning goes!)

bonton71 ...welcome aboard! (Let us know what veggies you try!)

stellajo ... welcome aboard! (Get well wishes for your DH, and best wishes on the poetry plan, too!)

melly991 ... welcome aboard! (Wow! Half Marathon training... you go girl!)

pfagan ... welcome aboard! (I'll join you with the salads and water and cheese reduction!)

liliwren ... welcome aboard! I love your walking 100 miles goal! I will need to set myself a biking goal like that!

MOLLY (74 days to go....)

...  QUESTION FOR THE DAY ...

What veggies are in your house RIGHT NOW?  (And are you planning on eating any of them?)

MOLLY

Ok, I'm in, if only to stalk Molly wherever she goes  

Goals for the summer:

1.) Log all calories daily, INCLUDING the weekends

2.) Do Cardio exercise at least 3 times per week.  This in addition to continuing with my strength training 2 days per week.

3.) Finally drop those 10 lbs.  I must do this I must do this I must do this

4.) Return to sending "virtual motivation" e-mails to my friends who are all trying to maintain healthy lifestyles. (at least once per week)

3.) Control if no eliminate my coffee intake (health reasons)

75 Day Goals:

1.  Count Calories every, single day.. no not counting just b/c I'm having a "cheat day"...  I think it will be good for me to see the calories I consume on those days, too!

2.  Do at least 30 minutes of cardio, 4 days a week

3.  Weight training at least 2 days a week

4.  Lose 15 more pounds!

5.  Stay active on the weekends

6.  Focus on getting at least 25 grams of Fiber and 5-7 servings of fruits and veggies daily

What veggies are in your house RIGHT NOW?  (And are you planning on eating any of them?)

Just off the top of my head -

Romaine Lettuce
Green Leaf Lettuce
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Bell Peppers
Onions
Stir fry veggie mix
Carrots
Celery

I plan on making a big salad for lunch, and adding some broccoli and cauliflower to my baked Chimichangas tonight.

Great idea molly & something I found to join when it actually started...& not a few months after! lol

My 75 day goals are:

1) EXERCISE!! I will walk at least 4 days a week & do one of my fitness DVD's on alternating days. (Lord know I have enough of those to not get bored!)

2) MEAL PLAN!! My life is SO much easier when I plan my meals. I know what I am cooking, which eliminates the last minute fast food run when I don't know what ot fix & DH is too impatient to wait.  (Not to mention we eat healthier AND SAVE money!)

3) WATER, WATER, WATER!! I have to drink at least 100oz a day. Keeps everything moving & I just feel better.

 ETA: Veggies in my house right NOW? Oh molly, did you HAVE to go there? Ummmmm, well, I have....uhhhh...canned green beans, canned corn, canned peas, frozen peas, frozen cauliflower florets w/ cheese(ok, ok, they are prolley freezer burnt, but I DO have them!), baby carrots and, and, that is it. *sigh* I am so not a veggie person. I enjoy the veggies I mentioned & that is about it. I randomly eat salads, but I gotta be in the mood for them. Perhaps I should add a fourth goal...VEGGIES!

my veggies:

7-lettuce salad mix; baby carrots; some broccoli; bell pepper; onion; tomatoes; frozen green peas and lima beans; jalapeno peppers; and about half a bag of frozen stirfry veggies. 

oh, and I have potatoes, but I don't count those as vegetables ... I count them as starch.

they'll all get eaten (ehhhh, maybe not the broccoli because I think it may be past its usefulness, I'll have to check it!)