Thelxinoe

My boyfriend and my wonderful friends. :)

I recently heard that I looked great in the professional outfit I wore at an official function. I even heard it from two different people. :)

Wearing a swimsuit...

I've told my boyfriend about it, though I clarified what it meant in my case (excessive consumption of chocolate). I think having another person aware of your struggles adds to the accountability.

For me, it's consistency. I started off limiting my sweets and felt great about it, but with time my determination waned. And now it's even harder to get back on track... I know I keep repeating the same thing though and I know it's up to me to finally change this cycle. I will do better tomorrow.

I feel a little ambivalent, to be honest... I started out with a lot of resolve, but the cravings have won a few times lately. I don't think I let myself go as much I had in the past, but I still feel somewhat disappointed with myself. I will try harder. It's good to half this halfway point to reflect on your progress.

Hmm... It's been a very stressful week for me too. I did get a good, T-shirt-drenching workout this morning though, and that made me feel great. On the flip side, I had one (or two) more chocolates in the evening than I should have. I'm still learning to find my balance!

Fresh veggies or fruit with homemade peanut butter or hummus... Any great salads, and homemade breads with whole grains.

I was under my calorie goal but went over my sugar intake. The sugar is always the hardest to stay under - I never realized how much sugar there is in things like yogurt!

Scrambled eggs with mushrooms, peppers, with a piece of freshly baked bread and a cup of coffee., and possibly some fruit on the side. Then again, pancakes are a close second. :)

An intense workout for me is at least 40 minutes of moderate cardio plus 30 mins weight lifting and 15 mins of abs. I used to do even more intense workouts, back when I had a trainer, but I'm definitely not in as good shape anymore. I do love it when my shirt's all soaked after a workout. Great feeling. :)

I used to love running outside, but since I can't do as much running anymore, I enjoy hitting the gym in the morning and getting my heart rate up on the elliptical machine. :-) Some weight lifting afterwards adds to the good feeling too. But a nice walk outside down the main street or in the park is still one of the best…

Hmm... I can juggle four balls, three clubs, and three rings (not all together though!). Although I'm by no means a pro and I've gotten very something, I still take pride in my hidden "talent." :-)

I've actually been having trouble sticking to my goals lately. I've been home a lot and that often makes the snacking worse. So I'm determined to get back on track, as I do like the feeling of control I have over my eating/health and the satisfaction I get from a good food journal entry. I also think about the fact that I…

Going for a walk with my boyfriend, feeling/looking healthy and happy, traveling...

It feels great! Although I have to admit to not being as "good" as I had hoped - I did have a couple of days when I ate way more sweets than I should have. But I think that even then I was able to control my behavior better than in the past. It also did not happen as frequently as it had in the past, which is a big…

I think it's in part emotional, yes. It's a way to act out, a kind of comfort to make up for the stress and uncertainty that are part of my life. But I also like certain kinds of foods and simply enjoy consuming them. The only problem is, I enjoy them TOO much sometimes. :-)

I always carry my water bottle with me, no matter where I go. I also try to finish at least two-three bottles while I'm on campus - which means during mornings and afternoons. It does make me run to the bathroom often, but at least I always feel refreshed. :-)

I think I do it because it's a way to act out the stress. It's something that makes me feel good when I feel bad (emotionally/mentally) otherwise. Although I know in the long run it will make me temporarily happy and that's what matters at that moment.

I think the hardest thing I've ever done was complete a pretty intense fitness program a few years back. This was when I managed to lose about 20-25 lbs and it was definitely something I'm very proud of. It took half of year of workouts, reduced caloric intake, and determination. My trainer always pushed me very hard, to…

No picture, but I think it would be one of the pictures I took on a spontaneous road trip around southeastern Indiana last year. So much freedom :)

As some of you have mentioned, one of my inspirations is myself. A few years ago, I achieved my goal weight with the help of a great trainer. I have since gained a few pounds and I've become less attentive to my nutritional needs, which is why I decided to prove to myself that I can remain healthy and happy, even without a…

Sorry for the lack of picture, but I'll describe it instead. What makes me smile? Many things... My boyfriend. My friends. Pugs. Birds chirping in the spring. And yes, chocolate. :-)

For me, it's almost always night/evening. The worst is that I will be active and have filling, nutritious meals all day, only to break my resolve at the end of the day.

Definitely chocolate and other sweets. Just yesterday, I was going to have two or three (large) pieces of a chocolate bar I opened - a regular serving portion and a reasonable treat. Before I knew it, more than half the bar was gone... I could've eaten more but once I realized how much I'd already had, I put the rest away.…

My trigger is chocolate. Or any chocolaty sweets, really. Even today I was going to have two-three pieces, and I ended up eating at least four. I do feel bad, but at least I didn't eat the whole bar in one sitting, which has happened in the past. I'm determined to lay off the sweets for the rest of the day and I know I'll…

I had half (or rather, 0.60) of this amazing cherry "superfruit" bar: http://www.silverlandbakery.com/wholesale/images/WSraw/CherrySuperfruit.jpg I also had two pieces of dark chocolate later in the day. I was able to stop at two pieces, so I consider that a success. :-)

As a lot of you have said, I see binge eating as eating for the sole purpose of eating. It's eating when I'm not hungry, eating not out of a need or even enjoyment, but eating just because I can't stop. I tend to binge on sweets because once I have a piece, I have to have another, then another, then another... So I end up…

1) I like how well my semi-new sweater looks on me in this picture. 2) I like that I'm doing one of the things I love to do the most: cooking for friends. :-)

I'm late to the party, but here it is: I'm doing the challenge because I want to be held accountable for my actions. I have gotten into the bad habit of devouring large amounts of sweets, especially in the evenings. I hope that, by participating in the challenge, I can be more conscious of these urges and to curb them when…