Starting weight: 138
Weigh-in #1: 138
Weigh-in #2: 139
Weigh-in #3: 137
Weigh-in #4: 139.2
Weigh-in #5: 137.2
Weigh-in #6: 137.2
Weigh-in #7: 139.8
Weigh-in #8: 136.4
Weigh-in #9: N/A
Weigh-in #10: N/A
Weigh-in #11: N/A
Weigh-in #12: 139.2
Total loss: gained 1.2 pounds

Why were you successful/unsuccessful last week?
I skipped 3 weeks of logging into the group but am back for the last weigh-in. I have not lost any weight as a result of this challenge and have gained 1.2 pounds instead. It's not too awful and I know I can lose it back, so I am not terribly concerned. The last 3 weeks have been very challenging. I've been sick, jet-lagged, unable to exercise and doing the work of 2 people in the office. I have stopped tracking my calories religiously and have eaten over 2000 calories quite a few days. The result is my weight gain. It teaches me that I am in this forever - giving up strict calorie tracking for a few weeks shows up as extra weight right away. Not doing my 30 min of rigorous exercise in the morning costs me poor posture, soft abs and back pain within a couple weeks, even if I do a lot of walking.

Did you stick to your goals last week?
Not for food and not for exercise. I travelled to Japan for business and then was sick, so my routine went out the window.

Do you plan to make any changes this week to what you previously were doing?
I simply plan to get back on track with my calorie tracking and exercise. I clearly have no concept of how much I eat every day unless I record every bite of food. And walking is not enough for exercise.

Best meal: Sashimi at the Tokyo fish market
Worst meal: Dinner set at a Japanese lodge (ryokan) - way-way too much food
Best snack: Japanese rice balls with salmon roe
Worst snack: Way too many little deserts from Japanese convenience stores

Starting weight: 235
Weigh-in #1: 233.4
Weigh-in #2: 234.2
Weigh-in #3: vacation
Weigh-in #4: 232.6
Weigh-in #5: 231.2
Weigh-in #6: 233.6
Weigh-in #7: 231.8
Weigh-in #8: 230.2
Weigh-in #9: 228.6
Weigh-in #10: 226.8
Weigh-in #11: 224.0
Weigh-in #12: 225.0
Loss this week: +1

Why were you successful/unsuccessful last week? Did you stick to your goals?
I fell off the wagon last week and part of the week before. We had friends over for my husband's bday for BBQ & football and even though we cooked healthy food people brought over all kinds of delicious junk and of course we got stuck with the leftovers. Then we went out of town for Thanksgiving for most of last week which meant no gym and lots of food. I'm surprised I'm only up one pound but my scale needs new batteries so...

Do you plan to make any changes this week to what you previously were doing?
YES. Lots of water and salads for me this week. I planned a few healthy recipes for the week which I always enjoy. And I'm going to try to be more active at home in the evenings. I work out in the mornings, which I love, but we usually just sit on the couch after dinner until bed, so that needs to change.

Starting weight: 150.1
Weigh-in #1: 148.2
Weigh-in #2: 146.9
Weigh in #3: 144.1
Weigh in #4: 142.8
Weigh in #5: 140.4
Weigh in #6: 139.9
Weigh in #7: 139.7
Weigh in #8: 136.9
Weigh in #9: 135.1
Weigh in #10: 134.4
Weigh in #11: 132.8
Weigh in #12: 132.6
Loss this week: 0.2 lbs
Total Loss: 17.5 lbs
Goal weight: 132.5 lbs
Goal: to lose: 1.5 per week, total of 17.6 lbs (by week 12: 17.6 lbs).

On Thanksgiving I was only 151.8, under my goal weight. After Thanksgiving with appetizers and big dinner, leftovers on Friday and Saturday and a Sunday of tail-gaiting before a football game and dinner at a Mexican restaurant I was 132.6 on Sunday, only 0.1 over my budget. I am calling that as hitting my goal weight!

Why were you successful/unsuccessful last week? I was very successful up to Thanksgiving, hitting and even surpassing my goal weight. So on Thanksgiving I raised my calories. I am basically at maintenance. I am not eating back all my exercise calories, but otherwise eating at maintenance. I love the extra calories to eat.

Did you stick to your goals last week? Yes, but it is easier now that I can eat 750 calories more per day than I was at the beginning of my diet!

Do you plan to make any changes this week to what you previously were doing? A friend of mine bought a condo right on the way home from my work. It has a fitness room with a treadmill and other equipment. I am going to stop there on my way home a few days a week starting next week. I love riding my bike, but I won't ride in the dark, and it gets dark before I get home from work most days in the winter. It will have to be just a weekend activity for now.

Best meal: Meatloaf and brussell sprouts.
Worst meal: All the appetizers on Thanksgiving. We love the appetizers and are usually still full be the time dinner is ready. They are delicious and high calorie!

No weigh in for me this week because I just got home from a week long visit with my kids! Love my babies.