Hi,

I am 31 and am 5'5" and my start weight just over a week ago was 159lb - only lost 1lb in a week.  I'm not grossly overweight but did my back in last year and as couldn't move around a lot put on well over a stone.  Still in recovery but am managing walking and other light exercise but am desperate to lose the extra pounds as they have all piled on around my middle!

Nice to know there are people out there about the same age feeling the same as I do - just hoping that weigh day (tomorrow) doesn't end up being too depressing as hoping that will have lost some more (and more than a pound) this time round.

Anybody got any suggestions for low cal meals and snacks so not feeling so deprived!! Aaarrgghh!

welcome nikpez!  I like allrecipes.com as a source of ideas.  Good housekeeping had some a month or so ago (I think you can still get them on line).

 Hey guys...still ttom, and still eating the welcome home cake I baked for dh last weekend.  I've not been all that good on the diet front either.  I'm kind of afraid to get on the scale on Friday (weigh day).  I didn't go to the gym yesterday, and I only did 30 min of cardio on Monday...I did go for a 45 min walk with dh Tuesday, but I know I'm seriously lacking this week.  

I'm going to try to really get back to the push on Monday...5-7 more lbs to go and I HAVE to do this...I can't quit or I'll really let myself down.  Dh has been really supportive, eating salads and being encouraging about the exercise.  I know when he gets back to being in class again I'll be able to get into a routine again too.  (He's off this week.)  I'm hoping to do some cooking this weekend, so I guess I'll be searching for some healthy recipes that use pork (I know - not the best meat) and venison since that's what I have in the freezer and we've got 7 weeks to use up some of the stuff in the freezer before we move!

Can we all re-motivate together? 

might have mentioned this before but i love eggwhites.  i buy it in the real liquidy form in milk carton box. the amount that i eat  3-4 times a week or more has  21 grams of protein and 90 calories for a 180g serving. i know i mentioned it in a previous post, but it really curbs my hunger big time!..... sometimes i add vegetables to it. (scrambled or omlette style)

 vpireiner.... i am definatley with you on the motivation thing. i will not fail! c'mon guys, let's do this (without being too obsessed though). i'm off work all of next week, i am comitted to getting to the gym atleast 4 days and eating better than i ever did before.

paige.. where are you? your posts are always so inspiring. if you need help getting motivated, we can do it!

Yea!  The ball is rolling.  I feel our motivation momentum building. My mini goal: 2 lbs. by April 1st by running 4-5 days/week and lifting 3.  That's TWO weeks.

Does anyone care to join me with their own short-term two week goal?

(ps it can be small or not related to the scale.  i.e., clean eating...)

nikpez: welcome!! low-cal FILLING meals & snacks... egg whites, chicken breast, lentils, beans, and don't be too afraid of some high-cal. snacks.  Sometimes they're just what's needed to not go overboard.  Ex. Natural peanut-butter and banana 1/2 sandwich on wholewheat.

samiaz: I'm totally going to get the egg whites...

vpireiner: atleast you kept moving a little  :)

Hi,   I am a 24 year old, 5'"6.5", 160lbs.  My ultimate goal is 130lbs, by next December and maintain.   By the end of March my two goals are to loose 2lbs and be able to do 5 consecutive hanging leg lifts with PROPER form ( right now I can do 10 if I use cheating form, 3 with proper form.)  Silly goal I know but I think these small goals make it easier to see results. 

Welcome to all the people that just posted for the first time.  You've all come to the right place. 

Nikpez, I hurt my back too and completely tanked on the exercise for a while because I was afraid of doing more damage and it hurt when I worked out.  I spoke to a couple of doctors and they told me that sitting and doing nothing is the "old school" method for back injuries and that being active will help to keep your back muscles strengthened and less likely to get reinjured.  So it sounds like you're on the right track with the walks.  Keep it up!

vpireiner, I'm definitely in for some group motivation.  Congrats on the dh coming home.  That type of support will be a great motivating factor.  Maybe venison stew?  I've found some great crockpot recipes right on about.com.

I'm taking a roadtrip to VA for my Goddaughter's Christening this weekend.  I've been fairly okay all week so for road trip snacks I've opted for bananas, trail mix, water, and pb sandwiches on whole wheat.  And all of it still tastes good, so hopefully the boys won't complain!

My mini-goal is to be active.  Whether it's walking, running at the gym, or playing tennis in 3 layers of clothing (it was 35 degrees yesterday when I played), I want to be active at least 3 times this next week.  I really feel great today and I only played tennis for 30-45 min yesterday.  Wow, this heathly living thing really does work!  Who would've thought??? 

Thanks for being there, and have a great weekend ladies!!!

foxylady, be sure to add something to it. i add a pinch of salt and black pepper. without it, its very blah..... i aslo use a little ketchup.

also a dietician told a friend of mine that quinoa is extremely healthy for you. i haven't had it before. i use bulgar instead of white rice. i also add ground flaxseed to a lot of my food too. very healthy, but calorie packed so be careful.

although i am a fruit junkie, i need to tone it down....lots of sugar!

Quinoa is good for you, very high protein for a grain, just make sure to RINSE it before you cook it or it tastes very bitter.  The texture is ... cool ... but I find more than a bit bothers my stomach.  Prefer brown rice.

I weighed in Friday at 125.5.  Not bad.  Although yesterday, a family friend said to me - as a compliment, I think - "it's good, you're not so skinny anymore" (she's an older lady who loves to feed people and thinks anyone under 200lbs is wasting away and in danger of malnutrition)

I think a two week challenge would be great - I'd love to be 122 by April 1 and/or make sure I get in 2 hrs of cardio per week. 

So I survived the trip to VA, and I've come to the conclusion that my Goddaughter is the happiest, cutest baby I've ever seen.  She kind of reminds me of the Gerber Baby in a way.

I ate fairly healthy all week, except for the White Castle we had on the trip home.  Man those little burgers add up!  But other than that little mishap, I made healthy choices and still enjoyed myself.  We went into DC on Saturday and toured the monuments.  We did it on our own and walked to each one.  I probably walked about 2-4 miles that day.  It felt good, but it was hard to put on strappy heels the next day.

I've been struggling over nutrition at home because my brother loves to eat anything and everything, and I have little will power around good tasting food.  But my brother recently reenlisted in the Army and has to lose some weight for his PT test.  So now I have free rein in the kitchen and it's nothing but healthy food and exercise for both of us!

Hope everyone had a good weekend, and here's to a great week ahead.  Paige . . . we miss you!

Awesome, guys!  Thanks for the tips...I might have to try to egg white thing.  I do have a little trouble getting up early enough in the morning to do any "cooking" before I head out for work.  I usually end up eating cereal (I mix honey bunches of oats and wheaties/total and some fruit...either strawberries or craisins or bananas, depending on what I have with some ultrapasturized 1% organic milk) for breakfast.  It is filling, and not that bad for me...mixing in the total helps me cut the sugar.  I would do the skim milk thing, except that I just can't stomach the chalk water.  DH still uses 2%, but I've started buying separate milk for him and me so I can drink the 1%. 

I'll be in VA this weekend - job interview and house hunting for the move coming up in May.  Because I'll be out of town, I'm going to the gym Mon, Tues and Wed before I leave and I'm going to see if I can slip in an extra work out or two while I'm away...the hotel is supposed to have a fitness room.  I've been trying to think of a good short term goal (I'm not going to make the weight loss goal I set for the "jan-april weight loss challenge".....April 3rd is too close for me to go from 136 to 125, and I think 125 might be too thin for me now that I'm a grownup  :o)  When I was a toothpick teenager and 118lbs, people were asking me if I was sick...) hmmm...I'll have to give it some thought - maybe my goal will be to get below 135lbs by April 1st...

I used to be very good about eating my 1/3 cup of oatmeal with 1tsp of Craisins for breakfast every day.  Then work decided I had to come in 1/2 an hour earlier.  Leading me to leave the house in a mad rush w/o breakfast every morning and then grab the "healthy" option in the cafeteria.  It's not bad: 3/4 cup of yogurt, 2 Tbsp granola and 3 Tbsp of frozen berries.  But it's more sugar than I"d like (I rinse the Craisins at home to remove some of the sugar) and it costs almost $3 which is highway robbery.

Anyone have any ideas for pre-packed sugar-free breakfasts for a girl who doesn't like eggs?

I AM trying to get up earlier.

And I haven't weighed in yet, but I've been really careful about food the past few days and I'm getting a bit more exercise in (although yesterday was "power-cleaning" to some loud music).

Hi everyone!  Sounds like we're doing good! Or, rather, you're doing good.  I upped my miles last week, and got a sinus cold! And the scale is moving in the wrong direction (havn't been 151 in a while!). I'm eating well, too. I don't know what's up.

I'm so sad. I need words of encouragement.

vegetariangeek: I'll be thinking about that pre-packaged sugar free breakfast. What about bringing a packet of plain oatmeal to work?

vpireiner & innocent sin, such a coincidence you're both traveling to VA. innocent, congrats of your beautiful god daughter, babies are such a miracle.

Well my birthday was March 2nd and I seem to have extended the celebration for two weeks...today I finally got the nerve to weigh in and I was at 182.6 (lost .4)...so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I don't have a clue why I couldn't pull myself together. I enjoy eating healthy, I love my homemade salads, spaghetti, and of course lunch wraps but once I got started with chocolate (you know the real chocolate...peanut clusters, cake, cookies, etc) and added in fried chicken breast, mashed potatoes, steak...let's just say I went crazy...opps...oh well today is a new day and things are back on the right track...I even started exercising last night!

Exercising? Jen, good for you!  I'm actually looking forward to this long weekend as a chance to get away from my desk and get moving.

Foxy lady that's a really good idea about the oatmeal.  The lousy grocery store near my house just has the sugary pre-packs and I was thinking I'd have to wait to go to the big store (have to plan a trip there), but I couldjust measure out some dry oats into a travel mug at night, then take it to the office and fill it up with hot water there.

Encouragement? I'm all about the exercise this week! If the scale isn't moving I think you need to do something different (going dancing is always fun).  Good that you're eating well though!

well, the scale has not really moved much....still 151. goal is 130 i guess..... so 21 lbs to go. my immediate challenge is to reach 140

 that's okay, i'm still really motivated. i didn't expect much because i wasn't doing much to make the numbers go down, just maintain. therefore, my goals have been delayed.

i left my self  a note  on my fridge in huge letters reminding myself to make a wise choice BEFORE going into the the fridge or pantry to eat something. it kinda  works. i also have my goals  written on it as well as a short list of things that i should avoid over indulging in. on the menu tonight is sauteed vegetables and chicken.

have a good weekend.

Happy Monday everybody!  *said with the voice of Dr. Nick Riviera from the Simpsons*

last week 'till the end-of-March weigh-in. I too am staying around 150. I was less this morning, but it could be dehydration from a few too many cocktails yesterday.  :)

I'm still hoping for my mini goal weight next week.  147. Exercise, exercise, exercise. Today I will run 4.2km in the park. 

Let's do this!

Easter did me in.  My pants are hardly fitting.  But on a good note, I walked into work today and saw a couple of the girls making oatmeal.  I've strayed from my usual 3/4 cup of oatmeal every morning but today I revisited it.  It was so satisfying and warm and good!  I guess sometimes we just need to see someone else being good to jumpstart our own healthy eating.  It makes me think too that if I eat healthy, the other people around me (at work and home) will be tempted to do the same.  Yep, I'm going to be a regular trend setter.  :)

Glad to hear from everyone.  Keep up the good work and I'll be thinking about some low-sugar, no egg breakfasts to recommend.

Did I exercise?

No.

Why not?

I don't know.  I just don't know.

innocent_sin...  had my oatmeal this morning!

Hahaha, you make my laugh vegetariangeek. Don't beat yourself up. We all do stuff we can't explain.  Case in point:

This last week I was sick and taking Dayquil. One day I decided I needed to re-arrange all the furniture in the livingroom (huge, heavy furniture). I didn't feel like I was puting pressure on my lower back, but duh! Now it hurts to move at all. Talk about stupid!

--had to take Advil this morning, and will try to run today...  :0 I'll never learn.

By the way, hubby and I are eating vegan this week. any yummy suggestions?