"Lose 5% by V-Day --- a continuing saga"

This is the continuation of a post I started for losing 10 lbs by Thanksgiving, then changed to Christmas, and now we all want to keep it going, hence the Valentine's Day tweak.  New people welcome ----  steadfast friends, good to see you!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been within 10 lbs of my original goal of 150 for at least a month. 

I got all the way down to 153, and then sodium and stress bumped it back to 159, 157 today.  

I would like a group of motivational girls to buddy up with who exercise, try to eat right, to work with on a challenge to get to goal!!!!

I run with my dog and ride an exercise bike -- every day.   I was using a Bowflex religiously with fantastic results, but I broke up with my ex of 4+ years and it was his..... so any strength workout ideas would be helpful!  I drink at least 100 oz of water every day at work, more at home.  My ex sort of helped me into a drinking problem with his World Of Warcraft addiction, so I am trying not to drink much and just be social vs. what I was doing.....  I have no friends (except at work) who were not OUR friends, so I am struggling a little with boredom eating and long nights and weekends with nothing to do....  I live in one small town and teach in another, so there's not much to do for young singles...  

Anywho, hoping to find a kicking group of hot chicks to lose 5% by V-Day.....    JOIN ME!!!  ( :

Hey Janay my love, it is good to be...back...?  At any rate, I keep exercising and trying to eat semi-right, but January is when I will go crazy with my weightloss efforts (crazy in a good way)!

I hope to see all my good friends and see meet new ones.

June

hey JUNIE!!!       can I admit like a huge dork how happ it made me to see you come back??     lol    I hope bella and syzhu and all our other awesome ladies come back and all our girls from the Thanksgiving/Xmas post!!!!!!!!

It makes me smile that I find so much encouragement here.   

GO CRAZY, I SAY!!!!!   that might be a god post title next time.  lol

I too plan to kick it into higher gear and lose these last few lbs til I reach my goal of 150....  I get to with in 2-3 lbs and I think, I deserve a break....    and I roll back to 157.  sheesh.  here is to THAT atopping.   I would just like to battle now to keep a 140-something instead of a 150-something, BUT that said, I just re-read a bunch of my old journals fro mthis time last year, and I was amazed at how DIFFERENT I am since then.     It made me happy.   I also took new inches today for reference NEXT year.     DO THAT ---  I promise it always makes me feel better.   When I get annoyed at the scale/number, the inches never lie and show me I am still working hard.    

Point to post --->    things that worked the BEST for you this year AND/OR how your mental outlook has changed AND/OR promises you make today for the next year for your self improvement????

((((I have a TON< but do not want to hijack my own thread!!!)))))  lol --- love you all!!!!

I'm down.  5% of me is 8.5lbs.

Height: 5'7.5"

Current: Weight: 168lb Measurements: 39-30.5-41

V-Day Goal: Weight: 159.5lb Measurements: Sm-all-er

For me, excersizing works, eating right works...unfortunately, lately I've been a bit of a delinquent about both of these things.... 

Congrats to both of you for getting this far!  Let's do this.

Hi thermal --- and welcome!!   : D 

I just figured out my 5% losing factor.  and for me, 5% is the last lbs to lose until I might reach my goal FINALLY.      If my weight of 158ish is right today, than 5% is 7.5 lbs = 150 = my original goal fro 1.5 years ago!!!!!!  that would be AMAZING.      I have been within 2 lbs of 150 for MONTHS.       I can do this.   I just have to get serious......  I would give my left arm for 2009 to be the year where I battle 140 something as my goal vs. 150 something.     MY GOAL FOR 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!   

I just looked all my old journals for this time last year, and I was amazed at home much my mindset has changed.  Here is my toast to "only GOOD things in 2009!!!!!"  

Hey Janay! So, I was planning on getting back on the bandwagon on the 1st anyway so why not join another challenge. This is actually perfect. Aprox. 6 weeks to lose about 6-7 pounds. Sounds good to me.

Starting weight-128

Goal Weight-121 (122.4 is 5%)

In October I managed to lose 8 pounds but that seems to be what burnt me out. Keeping a really high (800-900) calorie deficit everyday and making sure to get enough nutrients was really hard. So, then the next month I took it a little easier and lost about another 4 pounds. But in December I think it has kind of tapered off because I am finding it hard to keep a deficit. About half way through the month I decided to just take a break until New Years and then start up again with a fresh start.

I get at least 1 hour of exercise per day. I just started a new running program to try and increase my speed for a 5k I want to do in Spring time. I am really excited about that. I do strength training twice a week. In fact, I added a few new exercises in this week and right now my abs and legs/butt are killing me. Don't you love that feeling? LOL    I hope to motivate and get some motivation on some of the days I find that deficit especially hard.

Janay- I know all about rebuilding after a long relationship. Married for 7 years....divorced for 4. I am sorry you had to go through that. I don't think anyone should have to but sometimes I guess it just happens. My strength training is just in home exercises. The really dull ones that everyone knows. Crunches, squats, bicycle crunches, plies.... (If you actually want the whole routine I can provide it; let me know. It is one that my b/f helped me make. He is actually the workout guru in the household.) But they work so that is all that really matters.

Hope everyone has a wonderful night bringing in the New Year!!!

hey Carlyn!!   right on.  glad you joined us!   : D 

you are rocking on in the losing game though.    thanks for the encouragement on the relationship front.  I am keeping on the best I can because any day I let him get the best of me is a day he won --- and that is pure BS.   lol --- I am better than that.   

as far as strength training goes, I miss the my ex's Bowflex more than him.   (hope he is still not reading all my entries here.....  shame on him).    I love the feeling of empowerment I get from lifting.  Makes me feel hard and sexy.    Do you use handweights or a real bar system or.....?    I'd like to hear more.  I feel like using 10 lb weights after using the Bowflex at 100 lbs is a waste of my time, but I would love to hear your take as you weigh now what I would DREAM of being in the future.....   =P   lol  ---

I am all about motivating each other and losing the last few STUBBORN lbs together ----- FOR GOOD.     xoxox  -- OH -- and my name is Olivia.  the other is a nickname from my mama.   ( ; 

Olivia- (Nice name. I have a neice named Olivia. :P) I have really focused hard on cardio for so long and just recently implemented strength training at all. So, for now I have really focused on my core. But I use really light weights (3lbs) and walk with those on the treadmill if I am not jogging. The other thing that I use for weights is a kettle bell. It came with a dvd for some of the moves that I use but mostly I just do squats, lunges and plies with it. We plan on getting a free weight system but just don't have the funds or the room for it right now. I really want to get to my goal weight before I get into weights heavily. I spend more time on my legs too because of all the running that I do and don't want my legs to get unbalanced from it. To be honest though, cardio and calorie counting is the way I have lost most of my weight. For the first two months I didn't do anything but cardio for an hour five times per week. But when I lost that first ten pounds I wanted to make sure to tone as well as lose. Okay, I had a bit of rum and know I am seriously rambling now so I will stop. Hope everyone is having a good New years eve. I am!!

And I ate a  bunch of pizza, too. But tomorrow is a new day, new month, and new year!!!

WHOOHOO- found you :)...... so 5% puts me at a goal of around 7 lbs to drop.... so, with 6 weeks until goal date that is 1.1666666.....:) lbs to lose a week.... that sounds fabulous and reasonable.

I have only lost about two lbs since starting :( but what did work was writing everything from goals to workouts and calories down- what didn't work was being sporadic about it...... what will I do my best to change? Being consistent and heaving that all or nothing attitude out the door- Just because I slip up on day does not mean the whole week/month or what not is lost.

I will take this one day at a time, one week at a time........ small short goals may help me focus and not lose hope....

Challenge ON!

wow, carlyn.  you rock.   I shoot for 30-40 minutes cardio every day and barely make it.  you're a rock.    I like lifting so much ...   it works wonders....  

HEY, BELLA!!!!   you made it!   ( :     you and I are so much alike....  I just journaled to myself about how my "tomorrow" thing is somethingI have to work on....    I get that all or nothing thing so well ---   this is the year, tomorrow becomes TODAY.    that's my new mantra --not to replace "because it's good for me" but to be co-mantras, lol.  

question, bells.....   how long does it take you to journal?   that;s where I do my goals...   granted I make cc my morning email wake up and drink my protein shake breakfast before my ride gets here for work time, but I bet it only takes me 5-7 min to spill all my thoughts and set some goals.   try it.        we've discussed this before and you know me well for the jounral whore I am.   LOL --  I love mine.  it allows me to track my liife --  emotions, successes, failures, patterns and me personally?  I like how my friends always rot me on or kick me in the butt when I need it.  It's like free therapy.   NOW I am rambling and I've had no rum.  just coffee. 

one more thing-->   I want to make a challenge.   ( :    It's not like I even have a ghost of a date or anything for V Day, but I want one.  that's my goal.   Actually, correction.  I want a hot date with lots of good stuff all the way through and at the end.     if you are single, get a date.   if you are a couple, plan somethng super smoking hot to make the most of your stud and all your new bod efforts.    deal??    : D  

Celebrating the super smoking hot body on V-Day by doing something super hot with someone super hot sounds like a pretty good reward for ONLY 45 (from now) days of hard work.  It's really not that far away and I figure I can push hard for that time and then push (just not so hard) after that to keep the hotness going.

Now that I think of it, my husband is working that night...sucky.  Oh well, he'll just have to sweep me away on Saturday instead.

I'm aiming for 1.31 lbs a week to get to 8.5, so that's TOTALLY doable.

I took my multi about 45mins ago and the iron or folic acid or something in it just hit and makes me SUPER nauseaus....anyone else get this?  God I feel, icky.

hi! *waves*

My name's Ali, and I'm 100% up for this! I'm 5'8.5, and after the festive season weighing in at somewhere around the 154 mark. I guess my main goal is to prove to myself that I CAN eat healthily and still lose weight!

I've done some rubbish things to my body in the past though, and so my metabolism's a bit all over the place, making 5% a bit optimistic... though I suppose it would only be 7.5-8lbs I'd need to lose, which would take me just under my pre-xmas weight of 147 to 146!

Oh, that will be a joyful day...

So... yeah.  Hi. =]

We are all pretty much in the same number loss range... WE CAN DO IT!!

J- to answer your question about journaling- It doesn't take that much time, I know... I don't get up early enough to do it before work though- I've tried getting up earlier, but it kills me :) I know an option would be to go to bed earlier, but that would put me to bed about an hour or a bit more after I eat dinner and I hate doing that :).... I try to get on here at work- but haven't been b/c I need uninterrupted time to write out my thoughts and that hardly ever happens, then when I get home- it is workout (good day) cook dinner and the last thing I want to do is be on a computer- BUT my work schedule will be changing so that I can do homework, so I am thinking that before I dive in or for a break, I will play on CC and journal.... my baby step goal will be to journal twice a week and then go up from there..... :)

I have this black dress that is so cute, but I haven't gotten a chance to wear it- I am thinking a super hot bod would look great in it for V day :)

Thermal- I get super nauseaus with anything with folic acid in it- but what helps (and i still get a little woozy though) is to take it on a full stomach and/or with milk... the milk seems to help me the most as it coats your stomach.... hopefully that helps in the future!!

oh and alicandra- eating healthy will make you glow inside and out :) That is my goal!! Pretty shiny hair, healthy finger nails, glowing sking, sparkling eyes and insides that function at their best!!

I was just thinking today at how it sucks that the healthy way is such a slow process, but the advantage is that I can get use out of my new jeans for a while and by the time I need to get new ones, I will have gotten my $$ worth out of the current- lol- here is to postive thinking- CHEERS

Good morning! It's Saturday and I have the day off. It is funny when I say that because I am a stay at home mom but most weekends I either babysit or I have to drive an hour to pick up my older son. So, somehow I got this weekend without having to do either one. AND I don't have anything on my chore calendar. Of course it sounds good now but about halfway through the day I am going to get bored. Haha. I need a good book so maybe I will go to the library or the used book store. Anyone read any good books lately?

I have done really good since the New Year. Just need to stay that way.

nutellabella- I think about the healthy slow way all the time. It does kind of suck but what always helps me out of it is thinking, "Well, I don't want to gain it back so if I lose it fast and then gain it back then what is the point?"

Olivia- I think it is a great idea about the journaling. My b/f has been doing it for years. (Yeah, a guy...I know. LOL) He keeps it in these books. It is more like chronicles and thoughts so he can refer back to a date or a workout or something I did wrong. Haha. But it does help him with knowing patterns and it also helps greatly with memory. I have tried it and did it for a long while but always get out of the habbit.

Thermal-The sick feeing is probably the folic acid. When I was pregnant that was always the thing that made me sick. Basically what Bella said and make sure to have something in your stomach. If not milk, try just a few crackers or bread.

Ali- Hiya! I think your goal is certainly attainable. Be kind to your body and it will be kind to you.

It would be soooo nice to dress up and go out for V-day. If I could just find a day where he is off AND we could find a babysitter then maybe it would be possible. If not I could dress up and watch a movie with him or something while the toddler is asleep. Well, I hope everyone has a good weekend.

hey carlyn ---   lol, not sure where to start.     (:     um, I vote DO SOMETHING HOT FOR V DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    &nb sp; ok?   lol ------   um.          we all deserve that, and you can manage to do pull it ff with in-house hottie, right?      &nb sp; do it.    you owe all us other girls.      &nb sp;      I figure with kids a little like sneaking around, (HOT), behind someone's back ----  I mean, kids are never supposed to know.....   right?  lol   ---  gross.  parent mental block....    BOOKS!!!!      read Twilight?   that's a good read.    I'm on the Sarah Dessen books now because of kids at school......  Dreamland being my favorite so far.   that is my life in a book.     What kind of reading do you like, carlyn?   I teach English = I read 1000 books all the time.....what are you reading now?   

AMEN too -- to journaling.   (((BELLA))   =P     it is a big part of why cc has worked so well for me.   ( :   

  thermal.....   vitamins are yucky.     Most of them turn my tummy.    

WELCOME alicandra!!     &nbs p;         I agree.    I would cream myself to get to 146, so I bet you are happy, and healthy, and gorgeous.      esp since you are 1.5 inches than me too.....    goals for 6 weeks - weight loss?      (question goes for all you girls!) 

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. I am about to start a Clive Barker book Mr. B. Gone. I just finished the Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles for the second time and when I can't find anything else I will go back to The Dark Tower Series for the second time. I can't read either one too many times.

So, I was thinking if I can lose the 5% by V-day then I want to get myself some nice underwear/bra matching combo to wear on a date somewhere around Valentines Day. I lucked out as far a hottie goes. He is absolutely gorgeous. Sometimes I wonder "How did someone like me end up with someone like him?" We met at a place of employment (I worked there and he was a customer) and all the girls I worked with would fight over who would get to wait on him. LOL. I guess I won in the long run. Haha. Our son is most likely going to have to beat the girls off with a stick. (Or I will do it.)

Well, I am going to do a weigh in tomorrow for some other challenges and myself. Wish me luck!!

wish I had a hot hottie.   =P   lucky girl  

I think pretty underwear is a great idea and the gift that keeps on giving -- for you and him.  bonus! 

Hope your weigh in goes well.  I am sure I have one too.   =P  

oops, duplicate post

How's life going for the ladies? Scale hasn't moved for me but I swear I can see definition around my obliques and upper stomach. Is it just a mirage? Am I imagining things? LOL. I hope not. Gives me a reason to get to my workout that I have been putting off. Hope everyone is doing good.

carlynj21

I lucked out as far a hottie goes.

Go you! Haha, I agree with Janay, I wish I had a hottie too!

My christmas weight has *literally* dropped off - I guess that's the water weight gone! I'm down to 148-149, so really near my goal already! I'm tempted to adjust my goal, but I think my weight loss will slow down really really quickly now, so I'll keep the goal the same - if I surpass it, that'll just be an added bonus!

How's everyone's week going? Oh, and are we going to have a weigh in day, or just mention it every so often?

Alii