I'm a mum of a 2.5 year old, born by emergency c-section. My husband is natural slim and toned, and a petite build. I've already lost 3.3kg (7lb) and lots of cm.

My goal is 56kg. Starting at 112.9kg, I anticipate to take over a year to do it.

I pretty much try avoid processed sugar and this works well for me. I'm a primary school teacher in New Zealand, an I find the more I eat, the more I lose. So my plan is lots and clean.

I'm 24 years old, and have the most supportive husband. He's at uni working towards his nursing degree, and is right in with nutrition with me.

I originally lost all my baby weight, but while trying to lose, I gained 16kg back over four months. Sorted the health issues behind it, and am now losing slowly but surely.

This is my current progress!


Me a week ago. (I lose cms like crazy, before weight, so it isn't a huge weight difference, either!)



This is where I aim to be back to by Christmas! Hubby is still just as slim and hasn't aged at all... Total cutie. This was five years ago when we got married.



And this is my beautiful miss 2... She has her daddy's blue eyes. Oh, my gawsh. She melts me.

Hi LinC, NZblue and Rae,

So, as of today we are four. Nice start!

What do you say to an October challenge? And let's start modestly and add on in the months to come. (let me know if you think we're starting off WAY too modest in this challenge, not modest enough or just right)

Here's my suggestion:

Stay under goal intake everyday with one day allowance for going over in a SMALLish way (no more than 250 calories).
Set a goal of exercise for the week that burns a total of 700 calories for each week...and stick to it.
Lose 3 lbs. for the month

As a motivator, I'll send a surprise to whoever succeeds in her goals for the challenge. (please send snail mail address and email address)

I hear ya', LinC, about 2 cookies versus the whole sleeve. I have a few things on my TOTALLY FORBIDDEN...EVER list. These are the things I know it's super tough for me not to eat the whole sleeve/bag/container. We may all have a few of these things. Maybe each of us could share 2 of our "tough to eat just one" things.

One of my daughters-in-law never had to diet or watch what she ate. She was totally clueless about how to go about losing weight after her first daughter was born - didn't know a calorie from a cranberry. I don't know which is worse - never having had to worry about weight and then having to, or having had to think about it all one's life. Different challenges - both challenges, though.

What a cutie your little girl is, NZBlue! And how great that your slim, toned husband is supportive of your weight challenges. I think we, women, are amazing that we get pregnant, add on all that weight so that our babies will be healthy and have a good start in life, give birth, then work hard to get all the weight off....only to start over again a few year later. Is it any wonder we have a tough time sometimes and some food issues? The trick is the slowly but surely part...

Glad we're back in touch, Rae. I hope I can help motivate (and stay motivated) through this group. Any suggetions - from everyone - are welcome! I had to smile at your comment about the same 25-30 lbs. coming and going all your life. When they aren't visiting you, they're apparently visiting me, and vice versa. Yep, same 25-30 lbs. coming and going for me, too.

I have a thought for those of us for whom weight has been an issue for years and years - it suddenly occurred to me the other day that part of my self-identification has to do with being someone who has a weight issue and has to think about what I'm eating and how much. What if...all of that was gone. Poof. At ideal weight and effortlessly maintaining, having gotten accustomed to food as energy provider instead of food as entertainment/comfort/fun? Wow! Quite a void to fill. Maybe that's why it's there? Maybe I could find healthier things to fill that void? Okay - just a thought.

Enough for now.

Let's hear your ideas.

Good morning, everyone,

Welcome, Ice! Sounds like you've got great habits going. Healthy eating and exercise! Are you pretty routinely staying at your calorie intake goal every day? Speaking from experience, it's easy enough to eat healthy food in large enough quantities to go way over goal intake. It's not only cookies and potato chips that push those numbers off the chart.

What's the toughest part of keeping up with the healthy habits that send us toward your weight goal?

So - are we on for the October challenge?

I started yesterday, just in time it seems because I FINALLY see a weight loss. I've been at 164 for more than a week and weighed in at 163 this morning. Two more pounds to go this month for the challenge.

The new semester starts in my yoga studio today. I'm teaching two classes today. Some new faces. Some regulars. It's always great to begin again. I usually teach three classes on Wednesdays but one is in a local high school and they have a school outing today.

Waiting to hear from everyone about the challenge...and in general.

Have a great day!

Hey Lin,

That sounds pretty scary. Hopefully, it'll turn out to be sleep apnea...or nothing at all. That's a possibility, too, maybe. (or isn't it?)

So I'm thinking that if you want to get to 700 calories of exercise a week for this month, you might try moderate walking. Do you live somewhere that has a nice walking possibility within a reasonable distance? Btw, light household cleaning for an hour burns a nice amount of calories, too, and you have a clean room or two to show for it! There are all sorts of things you might not consider exercise that burn calories. Take a look on the exercise page.

Welcome to the challenge!

Rae? NZ? Ice?

ok i think im in... im not sure about the exercise cuz im gonna go back to work soon after alot of time off for various things my life has been high stress for the last month or so. i work at a pizzeria so im on my feet for hours and when im not used to it it hurts a lot but i do buss for work not drive so the commute is walking a little not just riding. but when i get home everything hurts for weeks but i refuse to count that as exercise even tho ill be practically dripping in sweat.
Im just starting to log again and im going to try to stay under but more importantly im going to try and be truthful id rather go over and log it than not own up to it even tho ive gotten lazy lately. dinner is nothing i really have control over i live with family and they make dinner its not always the best for you. but im going to try and at least eat vegetables i bought with it no mater what it is.
Ive been heavy all my life in the past few years ive put on weight so this is like the heaviest ive ever been im even considering surgery. i urge anyone interested to friend me i love reading about hats going on in your life more than just your food diary talking to people and getting to know each other and having someone monitor me and having someone to vent to is an amazing think its what keeps me going but i dont have anyone on here anymore

Name: Amber
Age: 24 (just had a b-day)
Height: 5'5.5"

Current weight: 262.8
Goal weight: 150
Month goal: 255

A bit more to say . . . .

@NZblue - your little girl is adorable, and so are you! I've been married for a long time to a naturally slim guy myself. I have struggled our entire marriage to weigh less than him. The times when I suspected I didn't, I just didn't get on the scale! (I didn't want the proof staring me in the face.) Finally, now that we are a bit older his weight is a little bit higher, but he can still drop 5 pounds over an active weekend. Not fair!! But we can do this together, all of us!

@LinC3003 - that is so scary! I had some very similar issues a few years ago and had to wear the heart monitor. It felt like my heart was skipping beats, but the monitor showed that I was actually having extra beats. It was terrifying! It eventually went away and I still don't know what was going on. The sleep study is a good idea. A lot of people have sleep apnea and have no idea. Even though you mention that the weight loss you desire is "a vanity thing", you just never know. Even an extra 20 pounds can have health consequences (as my doctor keeps informing me). I was so proud at my last physical to have lost about 15 pounds. I told her I wanted to lose a bit more (thinking 10) and she said 20? Wah, wah!

@Ice - you and I are stuck at about the same weight range. I plateaued at 165 for about 6 weeks. Right now I'm fluctuating between 160-163, but I'd sure like to see those 150's again! So funny that you don't eat lettuce. Is it just lettuce or any kind of greens? I eat all kinds of greens many times a day. I put kale, spinach, arugula, beet greens, mustard greens, collard greens, in my eggs, pasta sauce, rice, stir fries, soups, even smoothies. I'm getting ready to plant my winter kale, arugula and cilantro. If we have a mild enough winter I can still have fresh greens in January. Last year my kale just blew up start of February and I was giving it away to anyone who would take it. Question for you on your studies - what is game art? Does that have something to do with computer gaming? (showing my age here, lol)

@Embera - Happy (belated) birthday! Oh, to be 24 again! I would say with your active job and walking to/from the bus you could totally count that as calorie burn. Have you thought about getting a fitness tracker (like a FitBit or Vivofit)? I have a Garmin Vivofit and it works just like a pedometer. It tracks your steps throughout the day and tells you how far you've walked and how many calories you've burned. Most fitness trackers can be set up to sync with MyFitnessPal and automatically update your exercise. I'm technically challenged, so I haven't quite mastered that part of it yet, but I do like seeing how far I've walked in a day. The one I have wasn't that expensive (around $80), but I know there are even cheaper ones out there.

@AEPHubinc2015 - so good to reconnect through this group! Thanks for creating it! We are going to ditch those 25-30 pounds together and kick them to the curb once and for all! Regarding what you said about food - I've been thinking about that quite a bit last few days. Food as energy provider instead of entertainment/comfort/fun. I think we can find a happy medium somewhere. I do view food as fuel for my workouts and try to make good decisions about what my body needs. However, food also smells, tastes, and looks good. There's a reason we enjoy it so much and I doubt I will ever be able to give up the enjoyment of it. I think it's all about moderation and planning. For example - yesterday I was shopping with my mom and we went to a restaurant called The Cheesecake Factory. Their menu is 20 pages long, so lots of yummy choices but also low-cal options. We talked about it and decided to split two healthy appetizers (summer spring rolls and chicken lettuce wraps). They were delicious, beautiful to look at and quite satisfying. Being where we were eating, it was tough to pass up the cheesecake, so we didn't. But we did decide to split a piece. It was amazing and I don't feel a bit guilty. We walked about an extra half hour around the shopping mall to try and burn off the cheesecake. LOL

I promise my future posts won't be such a novel, but wanted to say hello to each of you and give you support and encouragement. Feel free to send me a friend request if you want to connect that way.

Blessings!
Rae

Embera wrote: »

@ RaeBeeBaby
thank you and i have thought about it but like i said im not working and i actually really need a knee brace first ive been thinking about getting one but im not sure is the investment is worth it

A knee brace is very important, especially if you will be on your feet all day with your job. Once you can afford it, I think the investment in the fitness tracker would be very worth it. For me, it is quite encouraging to see how active I am each day. I like to challenge myself to reach my goal steps and try for even more the next day.

if i got a pedometer heart rate thing id probably want a fancy one i herd there's one that tracks sleep too and i think that would be cool to know my issue is wearing it if it wasn't comfortable idk if i would use it and id hate to spend all that just no get nothing out of it

@Embera- My Vivofit has a sleep tracker function. I only used it a couple times because I didn't like wearing it while I was sleeping. However, you can hit the "sleep" button and leave it on your dresser or nightstand and then just turn it back to "active" when you wake up. Basically, it's really only measuring your down time.

Most of the trackers have an online program that syncs with your band. That way you can see what you're doing over time in chart form. I have such erratic sleep habits that I'd be turning it off and on all night anyway.

I second the opinion about the surgery. I know more than one person who has had problems afterwards. My brother's mom-in-law had gastric bypass surgery and has had nothing but problems ever since. She lost a lot of weight very quickly, but never felt well. She was basically malnourished because her body wouldn't hold on to anything long enough to get the nutrition out of it. After a couple years she had a second surgery to reverse the first one. She still has problems. I also know of at least 3 people who had weight-loss surgery, lost the weight, and have now gained it all back again and more. It's not a miracle cure, that's for sure.

@AEPHubinc2015 - I have never seen the greens with the red onions included. Maybe that's not something available in my area. Sounds good, though. I did try a new packaged salad mix last week that was delicious! It was Organic Girl Sweet Pea. It had various lettuce greens plus pea shoots. I never knew until this year that they were edible or I would have been eating them off my pea plants before now! I love the curly kale. That is the variety I am planting this fall, so I hope it turns out well. I learned something new from you today - never knew you could eat marigold leaves! I do harvest dandelion greens out of my yard. I grew nasturtium flowers this year and decided to try one (as I know they are edible). It was very bitter! Ugh!

Another morning. Yesterday was a long day and I came home at around 9 p.m. exhausted. Aside from the stepper, I happily walked all over the place with two of my granddaughters. Since I had on my pedometer I knew I'd walked almost 20,000 steps and earned my exhaustion. Whoever said that 60 is the new 30 had a screw loose.

RaeBee - I'm never sure if the English translation of what I never saw in the US and learned only in Hebrew once I moved to Israel is accurate. Marigold leaves? Who knows. That's a direct translation. They're long, deep green leafy things with a tough, white middle. Maybe they're collard greens. Anyway, throw every green leafy thing in a bowl, add some salt, olive oil and a small amount of basalmic vinegar and I'm in. And how's this for a combination - broccoli, green beans and edamame soy beans? It doesn't sound like much but it's delicious.

My kids bought me a vegetarian cookbook by a famous chef and I'm having fun trying out the beautiful recipes.

NZ - where'd you go? Is that yummy little girl keeping you too busy to join in? If you're not writing because you're "off the wagon", that's exactly when it would help to be in here sharing the difficulty. We've all been there. And not just once. I hope all is well.

Lin - where do you live that you had a pot bellied pig (was his name 'Wilbur'?) and acres of dandelions? Sounds pretty idyllic!

Ice - Do you do the 2D and 3D game art for video games? Do you do it professionally? What about other kinds of art? How about sending a copy of something of yours! I took an oils class last year for awhile. I don't have much talent but it was fun anyway. I actually painted something I liked enough to put up on the wall in my house...and then left the class. I figured I'd hit my peak. (-:

Everybody - I'm collecting names of good books. What was the last good book you read?

Actually, I do harvest dandelions from my yard and eat them. I tried them a couple years ago when I was having some stomach issues. They are great for making a tonic. I've also dried the roots and blended it with other herbs for tea. There's also another green like dandelions called a cat's tongue. It has similar yellow flowers and a lot of people think they are dandelions, but they have fuzzy leaves. I don't harvest them all year because every spring my husband decides to spray them on the property. We have 2.5 acres and he's always on a mission to eradicate them. Once he sprays I don't eat them again until the next spring.

The description of the marigold leaves does sound like collard greens. My marigold leaves are small and lacy surrounding a spicy smelling yellow/orange/gold flowers. I actually think they are edible, but have never tried them.

Re: books - I've been on a reading hiatus for awhile. I used to be an avid reader when I was working. I would always read on my breaks and lunch, 2-3 books a month. I retired last September and since then have only read a couple of books. I did just download one on my kindle reader that's kind of a self-help book. It's called The Gift of Imperfection. I've only read the first chapter so far, but I think it will be good for me. Basically, how to let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace who you are. Might be exactly what I need! (If I would make the time to read it, that is!)

Man oh man. My message just got deleted. Sigh.

In briefer -

Yes, I live in Israel. About 20 minutes NE of Jerusalem in a semi-rural community of 800 families.

My name is Aliza. AEPHubinC is sort of a joke name my husband used before we were married. (40 years ago!!)

I have The Gift of Imperfection on my kindle. Read parts of it and actually liked it but haven't gone back to it.

I teach yoga and meditation in a studio in my home. The main character in the mystery I wrote is a yoga teacher. It's called Yoga for Detectives: Lesson One and you can find it on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.

I once had a business meeting in NJ about 3 hours outside of NY when I still had my public relations office in Manhattan. I was surprised at the beauty of NJ! How lucky you, LIn, and you, Rae, are to live surrounded by such natural beauty.

I often walk up the small mountain (or tall hill) near my home. There's a family of deer who live in the wild area between my house and the hilltop. They're pretty well camouflaged but if I stay still for awhile their movement catches my eye and I can watch them for awhile. Beautiful.

I had a high calorie lunch today including lamb and beef but wasn't hungry for dinner afterwards so my calorie intake was still lower than my goal. I'm being pretty fanatic about not going over because when I fall off the wagon I tend to binge and then it takes weeks or months to get back to reasonable eating.

Off to the stepper.

Hi Embera,

Just a thought...

Research shows that people who write down everything they eat lose more weight than those who don't. I think that logging in the stuff we think we shouldn't have eaten is as important (maybe more important) than logging in the stuff that we think is perfect.

You might find that the calzone was high in calories but it balanced out with the rest of your day and you were still under or within your calorie intake goal. You still might want to make a healthier choice next time but you wouldn't be feeling any qualms about your decision to stay on program.

At least, that's how it works for me.

Good morning, all,

I want to come walk on the riverfront with you today, Rae. Sounds lovely. In general, your surroundings sounds peaceful and wonderful!

But I'll be working on preparing the paper work for my foundation's accountant to prepare our tax return instead of walking in some beautiful place. Maybe I'll manage to salvage a few hours out of this day for a walk.

I made the startling discovery that maybe I'm NOT meant to eat up all those calories I burn exercising. So yesterday I took in 1200 calories without (happily) eating more and using up the exercise calories. Weighed myself this a.m. (it's not my regular weigh in day) and saw that I'd put on about 1/3 of a pound. Now, I KNOW that isn't necessarily really a weight gain in the scheme of things but I'd thought that the number would finally have moved under 163. Chagrin.

Off to a meeting with the lawyer who's handling a collections case for my foundation. I think it's bad karma to be involved in this kind of case but a woman we'd helped with a no-interest loan has been intransigent in not repaying for the past SEVEN YEARS and my board finally got fed up with my shilly-shallying. They're undoubtedly right but it's still not pleasant.