starstealing

the advice here is some really good advice. :) all i can add to it is to be patient. i've had to learn that lesson the hard way! patience is king with weight loss.

omg, y'all are PRESH!! such a gorgeous family!! i love the picture of you in your sz 10 jeans; that grin is adorable! but... can you PLEASE ask your daughter (the one on the left) where she got that AH-MAZING DRESS?? and i LOVE her hair, too! O_O

doesn't work?

i love those sandwich thins that one of the previous posters mentioned. they're great for veggie burgers (my favorite? morningstar asian veggie patties)! they're also low cal and lowER carb. so, not too starchy... pair it with a bowl of veggie soup, or steamed vegetables!

i lost 3 lbs my first week - but after that, started losing much more slowly. i don't have a ton to lose anyway and i'm not in a rush, so i'm cool with that!

whoa, BIG change! great job! i also love the way you juxtaposed the pics together - they will be a fantastic reminder of the progress you've made on the days you feel down... keep up the good work!

wow. you look SO much younger. thanks for your post; you're super inspiring!!

i weight first thing in the morning, every day. i've gotten to a point where small .5 or even 1.5 fluctuations up don't bother me, because i know i'm doing what i'm supposed to do. if i don't weigh every day, i tend to cheat more often, i've noticed...

canned pumpkin ftw!!

congrats!! trust me - the after-effects are amazing. you'll feel elated!!! have fun training!!

yes, water, gum, occupying self... and also looking at old skinny pictures. ; )

do you count mike's hard lemonade? if so, two, three months ago. if not (and if you only count the real stuff), maybe eight months ago. i'm a wine drinker. when was the last time you read a real newspaper - like held it in your hands?

about a month ago. i saw dave barnes in concert! when was the last time you complemented a stranger?

polar - whether it be an f7, ft7, f11 - whatever. just get something with a chest strap, to echo another poster here... also, don't try to get out for cheap. plan on spending some cash on your HRM. if you try to buy one of those crappy $25-$45 HRMs, you're gonna seriously short yourself, waste time, and money. HRMs are so…

here's the topic with that post you quoted: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/114925-self-bs-and-counting-calories azdak briefly touches on this topic.

this is why i don't work out every day. :)

wow, only 12 lbs difference?? looks like @ LEAST 20 lbs! :) you must have done a good amount of weight training. that gives me hope!! :)

i don't track things like seasoning and spray butter. now, creamer, dressing, hummus, etc. even veggies - i'll definitely log. the reason i don't log things like seaoning/spray butter is because more than likely, it's 2-10 calories that i probably burned off walking to and from my car on the way to work or something. i…

great post! i can totally relate to this as well!

HRMs are not made to accurately calculate your daily requirements. they can only be used when you are exercising. i think there was someone here that posted the explanation for why - and it has to do with needing to be in a certain percentage of your vo2max usage. anyway, i really wouldn't use your hrm for everyday needs.…

i've thought about it before but for me personally, i didn't find it necessary. i'm a boredom eater and just need to be conscious about my decisions about WHEN i eat/HOW MUCH i eat. some people find it really helpful though - especially for smoking cessation, anxiety, etc. honestly, i'd love to try hypnosis for flight…

thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. your progress so far is incredible and inspiring. i wish you all of the blessings in the world as you work toward your ultimate goal!

depends on the size and of course whether you eat the skin (which i always do.) food scales are your friends!

hm, gonna have to try the cottage cheese or tuna suggestion! never would have thought about those, but i do love both.

i looooove baked potatoes! toppings: vegetarian chili ff sour cream salsa barbecue sauce ketchup

so true! which is why i was willing to wait a little longer to save a bit for my polar. :) i hope you can get one soon!

on this same note - when at a plateau, how long do you guys typically wait before trying something different? i haven't lost anything for about a week...

proactiv worked for me for a year or two... then it started making my skin very red, dry, and itchy. i attribute it to changing hormones...

you'll love it - it's a great investment. definitely motivates you to push harder. some days, i'm just like, "ok. gotta burn X amt of calories..." works like a charm!

thanks - i love excel spreadsheets! :)