Welcome margueritep.  We all have our ups and downs so you will fit right in.  I agree that it is much harder to loose weight in your 40's than in your 30's.

I did very well our out office birthday celebration today.  I had only 1 small brownie and worked it into my calorie allotment.  I went to the Dollar Tree on my lunch hour today and found two new workout dvds for only 50 cents each.  I am going to try one tonight.  I ordered two new ones today too; 1 kickboxing and 1 balance ball.  For someone who isn't crazy about exercise, I sure have alot of workout dvds.  I am actually looking forward to the exercise tonight.  Amazing!

Cheryl

Welcome margueritep,  I so understand how you feel. I am struggling harder now (to lose weight) than I ever have.  The fat seems to think it's in control..maybe after all these years it is . . .I know it sure doesn't want to leave. .

Hi Cheryl, how are you doing? Wonder how Betty is enjoying the sunshine.

Hope everyone has had a wonderful Valentine's Day-and enjoy the evening.

Della

Ok, on Valentines Day I definitely went over what my calorie intake has been the past few days but today I'm going right back to my strict routine to see if I can break into the low 140's by March 1st. I am averaging 1000 calories a day with light lunches and if loosening pants are an indication, it's working. Not weighing in till the first, any bad news (gains) is really too discouraging and tends to put me off track.

We have another three day weekend here and I have to plan my meals and exercise routine. I have found that if I prepare food as I do during the week I am able to stick to a diet. In the past, I would just  not cook and end up grazing on whatever was around...this always resulted in too many calories! I have a great recipe for a bean mash...mashed cannelli beans with garlic, lemon and balsamic vinegar- nice to keep on hand for a protein. Will also prepare some baked boneless chicken breast and lots of salad!

If am really going to attempt a run outside this weekend if the weather allows. I have been getting my cardio in now with running on the treadmill. For toning, I have been doing a new DVD- "Ripped to the Core" by Jari Love and am still learning the routine. I did her "Ripped" DVD for the past six weeks and loved it. If you are looking for an enjoyable weight routine, check it out. The "Core" DVD is more demanding and would be discouraging to start unless you have done lots of weight routines before. I also have lots of Cathe Friedrich (?sp) but I'm not ready for her yet. In the past I found them too tough and just stopped doing them. I hope to give them another try when I'm more fit.

Liz

Good Morning all.  I'm doing great, Della.  Green with envy thinking about Betty and all that wonderfully warm sunshine. 

Gearing up for the weekend by going to the grocery store before work this morning and bought sugar free jello, 93% lean ground beef, grilled chicken breast strips and a bag of spinish.  Weekends are always tough because I too traditionally graze from Saturday morning thru Sunday evening.  This weekend promises to be even tougher because I am determined to get our taxes ready to take to the accountant.  This means alot of sedentary time which is when the Munchie Gremlin strikes.

I tried out one of my new 50 cent dvds that I bought yesterday at the $ Tree.  It is very poor quality, electronically speaking.  Looks like it was filmed with a camcorder, but as far as the workout goes, it was very good.  It starts with a 3 minute warm up then launches into  two 15 minute sets of cardio/strength combos and ends with about a 5 minute cooldown.  When it was over, I knew I had been exercising.  I am actually enjoying my workouts alot lately.  Can't image what has come over me, but if it keeps up, my family is going to think I have turned into a pod person!

Have a great day everyone.   Cheryl

hi all,

its been awhile since i've checked.   i guess since i'm not making any progress and i'm disappointed in my shortcomings, i don't feel like i have anything worth sharing.  i have been keeping up with the group though. 

Tears, hi.  i'm in the heart of texas too.  love it here and i agree the weather was amazing the last couple of day.  Cloudy today though and the rain's "acomin". 

Good Morning all, 

Hasta, it sounds like you have hit a major plateau and nothing can be more discouraging.  Please don't give up and never feel that you have nothing to share.  Everything is worth sharing, be it good news or bad.  We've all been there and, at some point, will probably be there again.

I am determined to get our taxes ready to go to the accountant today.  It is supposed to be a sunny day and in the low 40s.  I have already made up my mind to go for an afternoon walk and to do all of my balance ball dvd at some point.  That should give me a little relief from staring at numbers and receipts all day and clear the brain-fog that always hits me on "tax day".  My balance ball dvd is 60 minutes long and I have never done it front to finish.  Something always comes up. 60 minutes is a long time.  I am down another 1.5 pound which makes me want to move even more. 

Everyone have a great weekend!   Cheryl

Does anybody have any new prepared foods they have tried and liked?

 For example, my breakfast often includes the Weight Watchers Bagel (plain)- 150 calories or Quaker Simple Harvest Oatmeal, (multigrain ceral actually but its oatmeal if you ask me)- one package is 160 calories. Both are pretty good for a low cal breakfast.

During the week, I rely on quick things for breakfast or lunch, prepping for dinners is enough!

Liz 

Saturday 2/16/08 WEIGH IN DAY -
Previous Weight - 160.8
Current Weight - 161.2

That means I GAINED .4 of a lb this week :(
MY TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS = 27.8 lbs!!!!

Well, all things considered... I didn't do too awfully bad this week... Whew!

With it being Valentine's Day week, you'd think it would be the Candy and the Chocolate that wreaked havoc on my calorie intake (you DO KNOW that chocolate's a basic food group, that's why I didn't include it with the candy, right?) . But that's not the case here.

Some of the eating out (not to mention I had Chili's BabyBack ribs TWICE this week) may have hindered my progress LOL. But amazingly enough, my body's metabolism has evidently kept motoring right along. I guess the b12/lipotropics has really done what many people said it would, and that's keep my metabolism on a pretty even level, and keep breaking down the fat a moving the toxins on out.

My water intake hasn't been the greatest, either. Gotta get back in the habit of drinking it everyday.

And of course why I walk (treadmill) it really helps me along. Not to forget to mention the fact that during my exercise session I always drink around 24 ounces of water!! Hello....... that's like 1/3 of my water intake goal per day on the days that I do my walking!! It's not exactly rocket science to figure out that "If I walk, I Drink Water"

So, this weeks GamePlan is.....
1) Drink at least 64 ounces of water per day
2) Walk at least 30 minutes a day
3) Get to bed by 10:00pm (been staying up too late LOL)

~Ro~

Liz.... I have grown to like the Healthy Choice dinners (especially the Breaded Chicken and the Breaded Fish ones).  I use the Kashi Heart to Heart instant cereal... good fiber!  I also get the low-fat cheese sticks a lot and wrap them with a slice of low-fat lunchmeat and a big leaf of lettuce.  I've enjoyed the hummus a whole bunch (especially the red pepper hummus) and when spread on celery instead of crackers, it's lower calories!

 Hasta.... Hang in there, sweetness!!!  It'll get better.  I have my ups and downs (as you can see from my weigh-in today), but I know I'm getting healthier and that's what matters.  How do you feel?  How do your clothes fit?  What changes have your family noticed?  Those are all important as well!  Sometimes, if we will measure weekly, then on the weeks when the scale doesn't move maybe our inches are changing.  Our bodies' contouring stage is an ongoing thing, hon.  First we lose weight (scale), then our body adapts to that void of fat (contour/inches), then we lose weight (scale) and the cycle repeats itself.

mamafred & nanamoss.... y'all are such great encouragers!!!!  You're awesome!

Well, guess I will get to more housecleaning and then hit the treadmill.  It's rainy and icy out, so I doubt that I will be getting the car out of it's warm garage today LOL!!! 

~Ro~ 

Drum Roll Please. . .

Feb 16/2008 Weigh in: 201.5! YAHOO!!  **Does Happy Dance all around the room** LOL

I finally made it under 202!  I've been struggling with that number since the first of December.  I could not get under 202.  Today I made it!

I've been working out with the Walk Away The Pounds series 3 mile walk.  It is a really good workout-that I enjoy! And I increased my calories-I had put my body into starvation mode without realizing it.  So it was no wonder I couldn't budge the weight on the scale.  And for anyone who doesn't truly understand about starvation mode (like me) there is a link in weight loss by lollipopfairy that explains it. 

This is the link:  http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/core_march_8.htm

Ro, hang in there-next week you'll see another loss.  And thank you for the compliment-but you'be been a great friend who has certainly kept me plucking along.

mamafred-you are too!  I truly appreciate you ladies.

And we can't forget Betty-who is going to return all nice and suntanned. *sigh* oh well our turn is coming.

 Liz-I haven't tried too may prepared foods.

Happy weekend Y'all!

elizabeth2008 and anyone else who wants to cut your calories below the recommendation levels I strongly urge you to look at the link in my earlier post.  Or go over to the weight loss forum and read the articles there on starvation diets.  Or simply google it.

I am not trying to preach to anyone.  I too thought it was all bull****.  But I'm here to tell you that it just aint so.  I had kept my food intake between 1000 and 1200 (daily) and couldn't budge below 202.  I increased my exercise level, drank a ton more water, and could not lose anything.  My weight even increased.  I could not figure it out.  If you need proof go read my journal it's full of rants and ravings about what was going on  (I kind of suspected I had myself in starvation mode-but was in complete denial).

Then one day I stumbled across the posting from lollipopfairy and the link I posted from her posting. I increased my calorie intake and my weight went down.  I know it doesn't really make alot of sense (maybe one day it will) all I do know is it works.  So please Please! Do not go below what is recommended for you. Keep posting here-or pm me if you need to.  Just as margueritep stated.  We Care!

Hi all, and welcome back Carla.  It's good to have you back. 

I am going to jump in on the calorie bandwagon too.  Did you all see Biggest Looser Couples a few weeks ago when Jillian's team pulled really bad numbers at the weigh-in (by their standards - not real standards).  She found out it was because they were all eating below their recommended calorie levels and had thrown themselves in starvation mode.  After supper tonight, I was still 100 calories below my daily allotment, so I am sitting here now munching on dry cheerios.  About 3 weeks ago, the same thing happened and I ate 5 cherry cordial hershey kisses.  Boy was that a mistake.  I had almost conquered my sweet tooth cravings and that put me right back to square one.  I haven't stopped craving sweets since.  It's been harder giving them up this time than it was in the beginning.  Seems like everything comes with it's own set of challenges.  Oh well... here's to not giving up!

Carla-that is great.  I'm sure all the activities you do is part of the reason you have a "voracious appetitte".  After all the more active one is the more one can eat..  

Cheryl-don't give up on sweets completely or else you'll cave in completely.  Put the candies in the freezer so you have to suck on the slowly-makes it a little more fulfilling.

I am going to the doctor today-have some kind of flu bug-or a chest/head cold.  Can barely talk today and no energy or appetitite.

Where you at Ro?  You've been quiet for a few days.

We all know where Betty is. .  lucky girl

Elizabeth how are things going with you?

And what about you margueritep? How are you?