I'm nervous to say it, but 10 days in or so I feel that the Bodymedia device I got is working for me, in a way that previous efforts have not. I think when I was losing at a rate of like 1 - 2 pounds a MONTH, although some of the time I was definitely right and knew my food was fitting into my calorie limit, 1) I wasn't probably as active as I thought I was, even when I was working out hard, and 2) had a lot of times when I am sure I was eating up to maintenance or not much below, with a few hundred extra calories not logged. Since using the new device, I've logged as scrupulously as I can and it has also motivated me to be more daily-active, and seems to be giving me a pretty accurate burn. It tells me I averaged a daily deficit of about 750 cals in the time I've been wearing it, which would sync with having dropped almost 2 pounds in less than 2 weeks.

This is all the very early days so it may prove to be an anomaly/water loss (and I still expect to see gains and static periods as I will continue resistance training and aiming to build small amounts of muscle), but I will be very happy if this proves to be reflecting a metabolic reality. If so, what I have learned is that 1) I need to be more active and 2) while I may remain healthy and slowly, slowly lose weight, I will not see the kind of pound-a-week results I *think* I should if I am eating up a few handfuls of extra food, no matter how healthful it is...

Thanks for the shout-out! What's yours??

I have been logging my food religiously since 1/1. I'm not really making different choices yet, just trying to get a handle on logging again, and I feel much more in control and I can feel my mood lifting. It's only been a few days, I know, but I'm going to keep working at this and logging no matter what the result or the choices I made. After another week, I will look back and see what trends are there-good or not so great-and tweak things. Baby steps is my mantra right now!

I learned that when I use the excuse of wanting snacks for the kids, I am really saying I want stuff that I like easily accessible. I made the mistake of making white chocolate cranberry cookies and have already eaten 4. That kind of defeats all the progress I have made by starting to exercise and logging my food. Is there anyone else out there that sabotages their progress? Why do we do it? How can I stop?

I have learned that just because I am tired does not mean I cannot do a workout. I learned I am stronger than I want to admit. I am really learning what it means, "You reap what you sow.' You will reap a reward if you DO NOT give up."

I have come a long way in one year. In December 2011 my highest weight was 198 today I weigh 151. That is a loss of 47 pounds not bad. 30 of those pounds were lost after I discovered MFP. In saying that, the most important discovery is that success is determined in large part to what you surround yourself with. Once I started building friendships with people who have the same goal I began to thrive. Downside, I do not hang with my bestest friend, my girlfiriend as I affectionately call her, as often.

More recently, I am starting to be convicted about my food choices. It is not enough to exercise until you practically melt. Nor can I continue with my better health without drinking more water and taking it seriously. My goal I am focusing on now without losing my current routine is drinking more water. I made a plan. I have not stuck to it religiously but I am doing better and I keep trying until I find myself doing it.

I learned that the break from tracking can be as frustrating as the tracking. I wasn't tracking in November and December (I admit, I fell into the "well I eat the same thing every day, why should I track, nothing changes") and I was still gaining, (I was gaining when I was tracking too, just can't figure it out) went to the allergy/asthma doc in Nov was at 205, went to primary about two weeks later in Dec because of bronchitis was at 204 (yay! but still not tracking, so I don't know what changed) went to my parents for Christmas, decided Jan 1 would be a good day to start new food plan that primary recommended, so said best thing to do is get on scale to know starting weight (based on home scale as it is the scale I will be using for weekly weigh ins) down to 201 (still don't know what I'm doing since had not been tracking) get on the scale Sunday morning (I'm in another Challenge through MFP and Skinnyo and you have to post your weight between Friday and Monday) and I'M UP 1 POUND!!! This is after 5 days of tracking and eating higher fiber (of the fruit and veggie variety) and less "meat" protein (I'm getting most of my protein from dairy, beans, quinoa, ect) {facepalm} I'm hoping that this is due to the increased fiber (the book I read about this style of eating does say that you may see an increase in weight the first few weeks due to the increas in fiber, but COME ON!)
So, what is my solution? Keep going, keep tracking and who knows, maybe this time I will catch what the elusive "this is what I need to do to lose weight gremlin"