Hi Everyone! My name is Pam. I am one of the team's co captain along with @Cafelelia . Our team motivators are @Mrsbell8well and @nstephenson01 I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I have been married 28 years and have 5 children 28-19. I am a nurse but sorta retired at the moment. I am still trying to decide.
My story in a nutshell...I was never overweight, although I always thought I was fat growing up. I gained A TON of weight with my pregnancies and ended up at 221 lbs. Unfortunately that ended up being my heaviest even when I wasn't pregnant . At the end June of 2012 I decided I either had to get serious and lose weight or accept that I am obese and live my life. I got a fitbit and joined MFP on July 1, 2012. Since then, I have gained and lost 30 or more pounds a few times. I have never gotten back to that starting weight but have gotten close. Although I haven't been as successful with my weight loss as I would like, I have learned a lot. I eat so much healthier than I used to. I also am in good physical shape, I love to hike, walk, kayak and bike. Actually anything outdoors I usually enjoy. I do have a home gym which has a bike, treadmill, elliptical, weights and a few other things. I want to enjoy exercising and not have it be a chore. I am always looking for fun, new workouts. I had some hip and knee issues for most of the summer until now. I am feeling much better and am done with PT. I am hoping to build myself back up to where I was so I can enjoy walking on the beach and riding my bike again this summer.
As far as eating, that is where I struggle. I do eat healthy for the most part but I am working on not overeating. I listen to the Phit and Phat podcasts daily. The things they talk about really have hit home with me. Especially making small, doable changes. I have done so many restrictive diets and crazy exercise regimes and lost weight only to gain it all back when I just couldn't keep it up anymore. This time I am not making any changes that I am not willing to continue my whole life. It is really a lifestyle change. I totally get that now. The weight is coming off slower than I would like but it is coming off and that is what is important.
This team is more than just weighing in weekly. Checking in daily really helps keep me focused. I also learn a lot from everyone and also get support when I really need it. I was in a terrible slump most of 2018 and this team pulled me out and put me on a good path. I learn so much by reading everyone else's successes and struggles. If I wasn't on this team, I wouldn't be where I am now. I didn't have the best January but I am ready to make February my month! Let's do this team Weight No More!

Team. This past week I have been so VERY hungry. Odd as this not my usual. Have had to increase my food on 3 days over the last week to stop the feeling of starvation. Seems a bit better today thus far. Will see how the next few days go. I may need to take a "diet break" and eat a maintenance for a while. Otherwise, things are going along pretty much the same.

I have been doing a lot of yoga, which I love. I did get an overuse injury in my right hip and have been modifying my yoga to baby this hip. It seems to be getting better so far so I am hoping to avoid a complete break for yoga and /or PT.

I have attached a few photos of my food from the last two weeks. I realized in looking at these photos how much I love fresh herbs. Lol. I can't wait till the spring when I can plant my herb garden again. I would love to see some photos of your food. I think it is fun to see what others are eating and it gives me ideas. I have been into pickles and pickled veggies this last few weeks too, though not in the photos. Satisfying for this constant hunger and low calorie. Seems like a win.

January Review:
- Weight down 4.4 pounds from 1/1 thru 1/31. Maybe this is why I am so hungry?
- Made it to a normal BMI for the first time I know of in my adult life!! This was my goal from the beginning and I am so happy to have made it there. My weight is up and down some about a pound around that goal thus far. I do hope to lose a few more pounds to get somewhat into the normal BMI range, but this week the hunger has made that harder.
- Went to 23 yoga classes in January! I love how much stress relief I get from these classes. I have found a yoga studio about 2 blocks from my house. 2 blocks. And I love it! They have a focus on social justice and serving communities of color; which just makes me love them even more. I have also found a studio about 15 minutes drive away and real near my work. Between these two studios I have a great mix of classes, teachers, and times to choose from. I was in a low rate new student unlimited price range for both and now I need to decide what I want to do moving forward. I think I may continue paying for both just because I love the flexibility and options it gives me.
- Painted my living room, kitchen, hallway, front entrance, and back entrance this past week or so. I still have half of my bedroom and a craft area to paint to get the whole first floor done. Then onto the upstairs hallways and stair well. I do love to paint actually and it seems a great winter task. I listen to audiobooks while I paint and have made it through several in the last few weeks. Yay. I will be done and ready to get outside come March, I am sure. And then I can listen to audiobooks while I hike with the dog.
- Checked in to the this group daily to read posts. Weighing almost daily also which gives me a good routine to start my day with my health and weight goals in mind.
- Logging my food more this past month, which I do think helps me stay in the slight deficit I need at this end stage of my weight loss. I have found several ways that make it seem easier and more doable for me in the longer run. Mostly, I am not weighing every ingredient in every recipe most days. I just weigh the finished product and divide by the number of portions. Then I can record the calories per portion. Cooking a lot of skinny taste recipes this past month also which are easy to find on the site and super yummy. I let go the stress of not knowing calories for every meal and sometimes just don't log a full day if I eat out or have ah homemade meal at someone else's house. I think this is a good balance. And I am still working towards my goals. Maybe even exceeded this month as I lost double what I planned to lose!
- I have a normal BMI. Sorry I just have to repeat that as it is so exciting to me. The first "big" goal since ONEderland.

February Plans:
- Lose about 0.5 pounds per week. But I need to lean more towards higher calories to get this hunger under control so I am fine with less this month, if needed to keep the hunger in check. I did exceed my weight loss goals by more than double this month and I wonder if this is due to me underestimating my calories burned from yoga and painting? I may just need to add a few calories to my goal and monitor for a while. Anyone else have this crazy hunger happen sort of out of no where and find a solution? I have not had this issue since the very beginning really.
- Continue with yoga 5 days a week or more. I go every day I can fit a class in. I work 13 hours on the weekends several times a month and usually can't make that work. Otherwise I try to get there every day. This new studio has "candlelight" yoga classes for relaxation at 8:30pm some nights. So fun and easy to fit in most days. Lovely way to end the day.
- Continue to check in the posts here daily, weigh daily (when I am home), and log my food as I have been doing (more regularly but also less strictly so I can give up some accuracy for frequency).
- Finish painting the last of my house except the kids bedrooms. Then I will have them paint their rooms if they so desire with some of my assistance. So far they seem happy with the tan walls to avoid the hassle of having to paint. It may change.
- My disabled adult daughter is having kitchen and bathroom remodel added to her attached apartment and ground should break this month. She will move into the main house while they do the major parts of the construction. I have never managed this large of a contraction project so this will be an added interesting life event for my family this month. Should not effect my eating/ cooking at all since the main house is not effected aside from her having to move into the main house for the duration. Though I am sure I am underestimating the hassle and there might be times the power or water is shut off to my house so they can complete certain work on her apartment. We will roll with it.

I’m feeling better but tired. Today is Hannah’s day in the kitchen with me. I’m going off my plan for 1 meal tonight to partake in the kids monthly meals. Hannah has chosen tacos, veganizing the tacos I grew up with, Spanish rice and homemade pinto beans. They are simmering now and smell so good. Appetizers mini pepper jack cheese quesadillas with quacamole and salsa and sour cream. Dessert Mexican hot chocolate brownies ala mode with homemade fudge sauce. Everything is vegan. Limeade for kids Coronas with lime for adults. We all are so eager for these dinners. Even though I am not feeling the best I just couldn’t cancel. Will post pics later.

@tryingagain5 - The roasted broccoli is a favorite of mine and my kids. I use sesame oil, sesame seeds and garlic with some salt and roast it at 400F for about 14-15 minutes. I change the amount of extras based on how much broccoli I have. In the pan I posted the photo of I used a tablespoon of sesame oil, a tablespoon of minced garlic and a tablespoon of sesame seeds. I added 1/2 teaspoon of salt. I think these are all things that would vary to an individual. I love the variation in flavor the sesame oil gives. Asian seeming dish that changes things up when I eat broccoli a lot in a week. Either way roasted broccoli is one of my favorite things. Steaming it is so much easier now with those frozen bags you can steam in the microwave, but I make it a point to roast it when I can.

Hannah’s delicious dinner. I had to snap a picture of her dad after dinner with Lula Mae. Both tuckered out! Lol. Actually everyone is taking a siesta.