Hey everyone, my name is Jan, i'm 25 and weigh about 145 pounds. i'm looking to lose about 15-20 pounds in time for my first full marathon (in May this year)..I used to be about 200 pounds and consistently lost weight till I was down to about 135 last year..but I got married and moved in for the first time with my partner and the man size portions/foods have made the pounds creep back (and the pounds would not budge!)..I've always had a weakness for chocolate and ususally on a diet just cut out any form of carbs to drop weight..

I'm finding though that unlike the previous years, my weight stalls about 144 and refuses to budge beyond that point..

PS: how many of you find it hard  to watch what you eat because there is a man in the house?

Paige -- crazy how that works, right?  All we can do is remind ourselves that it will right itself again soon.   Good work on the veggies!  I LOVE vegetables... but I also love things like cheese and chocolate (and boy they don't help).  The worst part of veggies though is finding good ones.  I live in a area with a grocery store that has questionable produce, so I have to make a sincere effort to go out and hunt the wild tasty "unwilted" veggies.

Vegetariangeek -- I don't think anyone else can see it so much, but I notice it like a crazy obsessive woman.  I'm a pear... so all my weight is in my ghetto-booty and my thighs.  When it's "that time", I suddenly have what I feel is a Santa belly.  No one else seems to see it, but it makes me so sad sometimes.

Jan, I know exactly what you mean.  My boyfriend is constantly moving all day at work where I sit on my ever-growing behind!  Both of our eating habits have gotten so bad, that now even he is gaining weight. 

A question for all you ladies (and the token gentleman):  I find myself eating later and later each night, which I know is not good for me.  But it just gets so hard to work 9 to 5 all day, go to the gym (on those good days!) and then by the time I go home and cook & eat, it's after 7:30 or 8 sometimes.  Does anyone have any advice on how to get dinner on the table at a reasonable time while still being healthy?

 Oh, on the subject of vegetables, I know there's nothing like nice fresh veggies but in a pinch the frozen kind can work great too.  I steam them until just tender, drizzle some EVOO on top, salt, pepper, garlic power and sometimes adobo and toss everything around to coat evenly.  Even my brother (the burger and fries guru) loves the veggies because they taste savory, but are still pretty good for you.  Just a thought for everyone. 

 Thanks for all the motivation.  I think this whole losing weight thing might actually work this time for me!  Three more days 'til weigh-ins!

Alieajo, I love that idea of doing it 10lbs at a time - that even works with other "To Do" lists - when you see that daunting item "pack up entire house and move" you figure it can never be done, but if you split it into "pack towels", "pack winter clothes", "pack photo albums" you can knock three items off the list a day - I always think the same thing goes for weight loss "To Do"s!

Havey, I hear you on feeling crazy and obsessive.  I've been trying to avoid mirrors :(  But it's also that special time of month, so maybe it'll get better next week!

Mandy, your goal is totally possible too! What are you changing to try and get it done?

I'm not sure that I do find it harder when there's a man in the house.  My BF and I don't actually live together, but we're always together at one place or another ... I used to find that I would eat delicately in front of him and then pull out the leftovers as soon as he left, but I'm getting better at not doing that!  He is very supportive of my weight loss efforts, but sometimes a tiny bit too supportive.

Good Morning all,

 Man what an awesome Morning it is! I went and toured 24hours fitness by our house and since I work for the county we get 1/2 off each month and no start up fee so my hubby and I signed up.

I woke up early and eventhough I wasn't crazy about getting out of bed I made myself go and I hit the gym. It was so energizing just being there. Looking around also it was nice to see that not everyone there was a Barbie and I was an outcast. I don't know about yall but I was very nervous about going to a gym. I'm just not crazy about a ton of people watching me work out so it was quiet which was much better. When we took our tour it was packed and so I was a bit nervous.

What is even better news is that I stepped on the scale and I've really been watching everything and making sure I get a better grade on the food I log in each day and the scale said 198 from 202lbs. I was so happy and man that just gave me more of a fire to keep going. I know I'm going to meet my goal.

Here on the website has anyone ever noticed that is has food suggestions based on the foods you have logged in? Well my biggest weakness has been drinking cokes but I now have myself down to 2 a day and the food suggestor said I should try Propel Water with lemon flavor. Stopping by the gas station after my workout I remembered that and so I tried it and man it's awesome! Such a better choice than a coke.

So I made it 10 minutes of cardio and 35 of weight training. Later after work my hubby and I are going to go so that will be 2 times today. I'm pretty pumped! Yall keep going. You're doing great! I hope you are all having a awesome week. Talk to ya soon.

Alieajo-I love the 10 pounds at a time and I think I will try that and each time I make it to 10lbs off shoot I'm going to jump for joy. Welcome to the group also. 

hi friends!

just wanted to say how great it is to hear everyone's progress!  I'm still chipping away at my weight loss...one portion size at a time.  that is my biggest weakness...i just WANT that second helping of everything!  innocent_sin...i have the same problem as you with regard to eating dinner late, especially now that my maternity leave is over and i'm back to work...it's virtually impossible to get dinner on the table before 7, most nights 8.  anyone with advice?? 

also...was wondering how often you ladies weigh yourselves.  i think i'm starting to get a little obsessive with it, weighing myself every day (sometimes am and pm).  my weight seems to vary so much that it's hard to get an actual number so i'm wondering if i should only weigh myself once a week and hide the scale for the other 6 days.  it's soooo easy to go overboard, isn't it? 

thank you to everyone...you guys are the best!

missea1 ~ Your weight does fluctuate often expecially between the morning and the evening. I would recomend that you do exactly what you mentioned, weigh yourself once a week and hide the scale those other 6 days.

vegetariangeek ~ Love the association with the "To Do" list! That's fantastic! I'm certainly going to start placing my 10 lb loss goal on my list!

paige98 ~ Thank you! It's also good to reward yourself with that 10 lb loss. I wouldn't suggest rewarding yourself with food, but buy some clothes or a CD or what ever it is that makes you happy. If you're on a budget reward yourself with "me" time where you can take a bath or read a book. It's usually a nice boost and helps you know not only will you feel better with that 10 lb loss but you'll get a little something too!

Now if only I could get back to the gym! My girls have been sick and as much as I keep telling myself I just need to go I just can't seem to get out of bed, even when the alarm goes off for work. Should I wait it out until they're feeling better and I'm sleeping through the night, or is that just a sorry excuse?

Weigh-in day!

 140.8, down 6.2 total!  10.8 to go.

 Good work everyone.

Hi Everyone!

I've been a member for months and months now, but have merely lurked here and there, as I've been more active in other forums.  But today, I think I finally found a group that fits me!  So hellooooo everyone!

The skinny on me...

I turned 29 last September and took a hold of my life.  I was at my highest weight ever--205 pounds.  I spent most of my life overweight--despite being an athlete and being really fit--I was never truly happy with the way I looked--ever.  I was really fit during my undergrad years, but once I entered grad school, I became complacent and have been that way for the last almost 6 years.  I wasn't the same person.  

So, after hitting the BIG 2-9, I vowed to myself to never, ever feel this way again, plus, I wanted to enter my DIRTY THIRTIES looking FABULOUS!!  I never wanted to feel, you know, that I had to hide behind people in pictures or not taking that many any more--I was never that way, but noticed it most last year.  I've never been over 200 pounds, so when I got on the scale and it read 205, I freaked.  What was I going to do?  So, I did it, I changed my life--really changed it.

It's been almost four months and I've lost a total of 45 pounds.  I'm 5'8 1/2" and my goal weight is 145 pounds.  I currently weigh 160, and can't remember the last time the scale EVER read this number.  Even at my very fittest, I remember being 178.  Only 15 pounds away (I know, isn't it crazy I'm saying "only"?).   When I reach my goal, I re-evaluate whether or not I want to stay there or be at 140.  But I don't think I want to go any lower cause I have a medium frame and don't want to be too thin--just happy and healthy.

Sorry for the novel, just wanted to say hi and hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!  

xo, 

Kimberley 

hi everyone,

weighing today at 155. last week it was 156.5. not much of a difference. oh well!! we'll see what next week brings. have a great week!

Original Post by samiaz:

hi everyone,

weighing today at 155. last week it was 156.5. not much of a difference. oh well!! we'll see what next week brings. have a great week!

 Don't minimize your accomplishment!  You lost 1.5 lbs, a very healthy amount for a week.  Great work and keep it up.  A month from now you could be 6-7 lbs lighter!

Hi all,

I am soon to be 28 and have been weighing 135 for past 5 months. I just joined this site an hour ago. My goal is to loose 15lbs that I have gained since June of 2006. I learned about this site from my co-worker who lost 35lbs in last 6-8 months.

I got married in June 2006 and also my new job is very time consuming, so I was eating out frequently or making pasta a lot. I am not on any diet currently but have been somewhat watching what I eat and as a result not gained any in last 5 months. I want to loose what I gained and mostly as fat. I have higher body fat content and would like to lower that and gain some muscle.

Does anyone have any suggestion on weight machines at gym vs. using dumbells or doing taebo/pilates? Also, my problem is that I don't feel like going to gym after work and I am not an early riser either. Once I am at gym, I love it and not in any rush to go home. What do you all to get motivated to go to gym?

I weighed in on Friday and had gone up 1 lb.  Boo for me, I was so happy to have lost last week.  I WILL be more careful this week!! I just bought a fridgeful of fruit and started washing and chopping it so it will be on hand when I need a snack.  And I think I should hide the coffee since I've been drinking that instead of water.

Welcome Kimberley and Sab - sounds like you guys are already totally on the right track!

*crying* I too have gained this week.  I really had an aweful weekend.  I don't know why I've been so bad after making such progress.

Today's weigh in 155. 

I will work out daily and start a personal clean eating challenge this week for two weeks.  (With one cheat meal a week   ;)   )  For those of you interested in joining me, eating clean means sticking to your own personal rules (like no white bread or processed sugars).  Wish me luck!

sab120, I think freeweights are better than machines. I think they make you have more control of your muscle dvlpt. And ofcourse taebo/pilates/yoga are excellent ways to work out.  Variation is good. For weightloss and muscle tone.

foxylady -- chin up... we all have bad weeks, but the best part of that is: you can make the choice to do better.  And honestly, it's only one week... there are plenty more where that came from :o)

Weigh in this morning:

170 (down 4 pounds from last week... stupid period), 40 pounds to go!