Losing Weight in 2016

[JoJo]

I did pretty well on vacation with the diet.  Had a few treats but managed to stay fairly active and lose another 4 pounds over the 1.5 weeks.  So, now the total loss in 2016 is 89 pounds.  The end is near - 38 pounds to my stretch goal (28 to realistic goal).

[scrubbyfish]

Great, Jojo!!

[scrubbyfish]

Does anyone else (the public??) have access to WeightWatchers Connect? Absolutely inspiring snippets all day long. I love watching those beautiful people get so healthy and comfy! I'm blown away, am coming to understand what pounds really look like, and am really motivated by these folks' journeys.

Two days ago on Connect, someone shared that a Wendy's small chilli is 5 'smartpoints'. I had a long day in town, had swum, stuff was going wrong, I was getting hungry, and had more to do. So I grabbed that. $1.89! In Canada! That'll be a new go-to.

I bought a scale, the tiny Taylor one. This allows me to stay on track even while skipping the meeting as needed, reducing my travel by kilometers, time, and money.

Swimming yesterday was incredible. Had the entire lengths pool to myself! Then time in the hot tub, steam room, and spacious shower. With the pass, works out to about $1.80.

[JoJo]

Does anyone else (the public??) have access to WeightWatchers Connect? Absolutely inspiring snippets all day long. I love watching those beautiful people get so healthy and comfy! I'm blown away, am coming to understand what pounds really look like, and am really motivated by these folks' journeys.

Two days ago on Connect, someone shared that a Wendy's small chilli is 5 'smartpoints'. I had a long day in town, had swum, stuff was going wrong, I was getting hungry, and had more to do. So I grabbed that. $1.89! In Canada! That'll be a new go-to.

I bought a scale, the tiny Taylor one. This allows me to stay on track even while skipping the meeting as needed, reducing my travel by kilometers, time, and money.

Swimming yesterday was incredible. Had the entire lengths pool to myself! Then time in the hot tub, steam room, and spacious shower. With the pass, works out to about $1.80.

If I must eat out/ fast food, Wendy's chili is my go to!

[FrugalFan]

A lot of inspiring and amazing people on this post! It's a little late in 2016 but I'm joining. I think some accountability would help me lose this baby weight (my youngest is now 2!).

Starting weight is 148. Goal is 135. Will be doing Monday weigh-ins. No sugar and alcohol during the week. Letting myself drink wine and a bit of a treat on the weekends. My main downfall is bad habits when we travel (which we do a lot).

Sept. 5: 148
Sept. 12: 146

[syracusefan]

Start of 2016: 240.1
Current weight: 209.5
Goal weight: 200

I'm a 6'2 male.

Well done Syracuse. Would you share details of your regime?

Started doing Weight Watchers at the start of 2016.  It taught me the importance of portion control through point counting.  I eventually got sick of paying $44 per month for WW (non-mustachian) and now use iTrackBites which cost $3.99 in the App Store.  You plug in your height, weight, goal weight, etc and it provides a daily point total for you.  It is incredibly helpful.  You just scan the barcode of practically any food and it will provide the point totals for all portion sizes.  It is incredibly easy to use while at home and while on the go.

My wife and I recently had our first child in September and i had a few rough weeks during my paternity leave.  I am currently at 214.4 :(

Goal weight still 200.  Officially back on the wagon as of yesterday... I even talked my wife into counting points!

[scrubbyfish]

Started doing Weight Watchers at the start of 2016.  It taught me the importance of portion control through point counting.  I eventually got sick of paying $44 per month for WW (non-mustachian) and now use iTrackBites which cost $3.99 in the App Store.  You plug in your height, weight, goal weight, etc and it provides a daily point total for you.  It is incredibly helpful.  You just scan the barcode of practically any food and it will provide the point totals for all portion sizes.

The [any] points approach is working extremely well for me, too, especially for learning portioning in my old, slower-metabolism etc, age and lifestyle.

For me, WW was more cost effective than an App, because I only have an old, non-Appy phone, no data, etc. The WW fees ($32/mo for me, which should end after six months) are cheaper than a new phone and data would be.

But if a person has an Appy-phone already, and is using data (or is in places with Wifi) anyway, iTrackBites sounds like a good alternative.

(So glad we can talk the finances of weight change!)

[syracusefan]

(So glad we can talk the finances of weight change!)

Well said my friend!  Glad to hear you plan is working for you.

[elaine amj]

@TravellingBiologist Great having u here!!! We travel a lot too and I don't stress about calories when I travel. What I do is push myself to be active on vacation. I aim for 1-2 hours a day of vigorous activity (walking/hiking/swimming/gym). I usually only gain 1-2 pounds or stay stable.

@syracusefan @scrubbyfish ITA that portion control is the key to most successful weight loss. Plus, its something sustainable. Its HARD to live in a state of denial for the long term. I've seen so many people use Weight Watchers successfully.

For myself, I didnt want to pay for WW (since I was being Mustachian about this lol) so I use MyFitnessPal - basic calorie counting, logging, and mindfulness. I love that It is flexible and works with my lifestyle instead of the other way around. And I like the math too - I turned out to be rather precise about the rate of my weightloss lol.

I hit a new low this morning...but went out for Chinese food tonight. Did my best to be careful...but I'm worried about the sodium hit tomorrow morning! I have some time to recover before my official Friday weigh in :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JoJo]

elaine amj - That's not good to hit a new low!   :D

I hit the 90 lbs lost mark this morning.  I tried on a bunch of swimsuits bought years ago that still had the tags on.  Size 10 bikinis!  Some of them looked good (wish my boobs were smaller or they would fit great), but maybe after another 10 lbs lost I'll completely lose the "muffin top".   I'll be in Vegas in 38 days so maybe I'll brave myself to the pool one day.

[scrubbyfish]

WW meetings don't fit my new (autumn) schedule, and I'm not spending an hour, and $5 per week, and adding a driving day, to go only there. I'm also not going to continue wearing a sundress in winter to get a consistent/accurate reading of loss.

So:

• Bought my own scale
• Weighing at home at consistent time and clothing
• Will inquire about refund on meetings portion of fees. (I still really want the tracking, Connect, etc.)

This means I'll have one weigh-in that is a reset—i.e., possibly different than the WW scale, and nekkid—but it will start my new consistent.

Unless the new scale is way off, I'm successfully down again this week, even with my previous weigh-in clothes on :)

[FrugalFan]

Thanks @elaine amj! The problem is we tend to travel for long spells. Most of our travel is active as it involves field work, and when we travel for fun we walk everywhere. But for one of our destinations the food is made for us and is generally low on fresh foods and veggies and often includes dessert, which I have a hard time resisting (easier to avoid at home as I don't buy junk food). I always gain weight there despite being much more active there. I think I just need to lose this baby weight and then focus on maintaining the weight and developing good long-term habits and better mindfulness when I travel. I had lost all the baby weight last year but gained about 10 lbs back at that place, and an extra 3 pounds slowly over the past year. I'm ready for a change!

[Frugal Lizard]

Today is weigh in day for me.  Since I am traveling I will just post my updated weight  -126 pounds whoot whoop for me
I he found with the kids being back at school there isn't the continues snacking and temptation surrounding me. 

[elaine amj]

@scrubbyfish That's awesome!!! I have to admit - I like the daily weigh-ins and find they keep me vigilant. I do use a website - trendweight - to average out my daily weigh-ins and find it very accurate. I like the philosophy behind it.

@Frugal Lizard That.is.awesome!!!!!!!!

@Travelling Biologist What about stepping up the intensity of your activity? I know what's its like being surrounded by "free" food and I wouldn't be able to resist the temptation either? Do you think you could fit in 2 solid hours of something fun and active over the course of every day? That plus being reasonable about how much food you do eat should keep those extra pounds away. I find I have to push myself to stay active since everyone else I travel with usually aren't interested. So I get up earlier or I sneak off later in the day.

I have to report I did a happydance when I stepped on the scale this morning. Instead of GAINING weight after having Chinese last night, I lost another half a pound! Woot!! After my 25 min bike ride home, I convincd DH into squeezing in another 20 min bike ride around our neighborhood before we headed out for dinner. At dinner, I was careful and pushed for orders of lighter, lower cal dishes.  I did eat a few bites of the fried tofu and fried seafood, but filled up mostly on steamed shrimp. I enjoyed my dinner AND I still lost weight. Win Win!! (I do admit I ate rather lightly for lunch - a raw beet, apple & orange salad and was super starving by dinnertime).

[Frugal Lizard]

Way to go Elaine.
Travelling Biologist - I would also suggest writing down everything you eat.  Knowing that I have to record - three scoops of ice cream is enough incentive for me to ask for just one scoop.  It is way less work than keeping track of points.  For me, adding the pause to think about whether I really want to put it in my journal is enough to remove the mindless part.  Just listing the items wasn't enough, I had to record the quantities.  Because I am kind of lazy and don't like measuring really all that much I used my own system of measures.  Four ounces of meat is about a deck of cards, and I know the sizes of my spoons so I named them and some of my favourite dishes.  No one else can understand the system - but it gives me the pause to be mindful. 

Loving all the fruit and veg that is so bountiful right now.  For our anniversary dinner I wasn't feeling like cooking so much but was feeling kind of guilty about not doing anything to acknowledge our 19 years together.  I picked up the CSA and was feeling a little more inspired.  Stopped at the grocery store and grabbed some steaks and mushrooms.  Back home, whipped up two salads - tomato-feta-cucumber and a mixed greens with cherry balsamic (homemade and waiting in the fridge), fried the mushrooms, grilled the steaks, boiled the new potatoes and pulled out the jar of coleslaw that was in the fridge (homemade on the weekend).  In twenty minutes the most colourful and varied meal was on the table.  DH had bought nice wine to celebrate.  (Wine is our never-to-be-mustachian thing) But we only drank a glass each so maybe that will be our nod to mustachianism.  The steaks weren't cheap but all in - a steak dinner feast for four was a fraction of the restaurant price and the family was marking the occasion in style and the kids enjoyed the meal with us.

[FrugalFan]

Thanks for the advice elaine amj and frugal lizard! Those are both relatively easy things for me to do when traveling that would help I think.

That sounds like a great (and healthy!) anniversary dinner!

[elaine amj]

@Frugal Lizard That sounds like an awesome anniversary dinner! Love it!!

I'm still so slow in the kitchen :( The other night I was making zoodles lo mein for DH and I and Kona chicken thighs for my kids - and it was over 1.5 hours before dinner was served to everyone! Every step sounds simple and quick (and I've made all of it many times before) but combined, it took ages.

@ Travelling Biologist We will all be here cheering you on - you can definitely do this! :)

[elaine amj]

Friday weigh-in

Jan 1 2016: 154 lbs....Jan 8 2016: 153.2 lbs....Jan 15 2016:149.2 lbs....Jan 22 2016: 148 lbs.....Jan 29 2016....147.4 lbs
Feb 5 2016: 145.2 lbs..Feb 12 2016: 142.8 lbs..Feb 19 2016: 140.6 lbs...Feb 26 2016: 140.8 lbs
Mar 4 2016: 139 lbs....Mar 11 2016: 138 lbs.....Mar 18 2016: VACAY......Mar 25 2016: 136.8 lbs
Apr 1 2016: 137.8 lbs..Apr 8 2016: 136.8 lbs....Apr 15 2016: 135.8 lbs...Apr 22 2016: 134.8 lbs..April 30 2016: 133.6 lbs
May 6, 2016:133.6 lbs.May 13 2016:134.6 lbs...May 21 2016: 137.6 lbs..May 26 2016: 132.2 lbs
Jun 3, 2016: 133.6 lbs.June 10 2016:133.8 lbs..June 17 2016: 132.2 lbs.June 24 2016:131.2 lbs
July 1 2016: 133.2 lbs.July 8 2016: 133.8 lbs...July 17 2016: 133.4 lbs..July 22 2016: 132 lbs....July 29 2016:132.4 lbs
Aug 5 2016: 132.2 lbs.Aug 12 2016: 131 lbs.....Aug 19 2016: 131.2 lbs..Aug 26 2016: 132 lbs
Sep 2 2016: 131.8 lbs.Sep 9 2016:    130.6 lbs..Sep 16 2016: 128.8 lbs

25.2 lbs lost
GOAL WEIGHT: 130 lbs (Stretch Goal 120 lbs)

WOOOHOOOOOO!!!! ANOTHER half lb drop since yesterday! The hard work IS paying off!! The first couple of weeks when I got back into weight loss mode, my scale felt so stuck and I felt like I looked fat in everything. This week, everything is dropping magically fast and I'm super excited!

That said - I am going back to maintenance (or small gain) for the next 2 weeks. My childhood bestie is in town to visit me (from the other side of the world!) and we are travelling every weekend, etc etc. Plus she drinks and likes company when she does so I see plenty of beer, wine, and whisky in my future (I very rarely drink my calories).

I have to admit....I stress ate last night :( I was running various errands and DH got into a snit over stupid things. I finally lost my patience, told him off on the phone and headed straight for the nearest dollar store (still got to be Mustachian!) to pick up a big bag of cheesies. Which I then sat in the car in an empty parking lot to eat before my next appt. *sigh* Fighting with him always makes me turn to food :( On the good side, I pointed out his ridiculousness when I got home and after some more (fairly loud) back and forth , he calmed down and made extra efforts to get out of the grumps for the rest of the night and morning.

As a side note, it turned out to be a good teaching point for my DD. She threw a crying fit over something ridiculous this morning and my DH yelled at her. She came to me complaining that he could throw fits and yet he would yell at her if she did. I pointed out that after I spent time talking to him about self-control, not spreading grumpiness, etc....he LISTENED and changed his attitude. So now it was HER turn to change her own attitude. I got a quiet "oh" out of my 15yr old DD out of that lol. Yay for Dad being a good example!!

[Frugal Lizard]

Elaine amj - you are an inspiration!

[Cookie78]

Ok, I was doing so good all week, with the exception of Saturday. I was down to 150.0 yesterday and today BOOM! 153.2?? My weight has been much more volatile than usual over the past half a year. I'm really good at goals when I am focused on one at a time. This year, being focused more on financial stuff and FIRE planning (fixing up house, gardening, etc) has cut into my fitness goal energy and time. Ah well, at least I'm still posting my embarrassing updates and keeping myself accountable.
 
Monday check in:

Jan 4 Starting weight: 160
Jan 11 weight: 156
Jan 18 weight: 155.2
Jan 25 weight: 156.8
Feb 1 weight: 155.2
Feb 8 weight: 153.2
Feb 15 weight: 151.6
Feb 22 weight 152.6
Feb 29 weight 152.2
Mar 7 weight 149.4
Mar 14 weight 149.4
Mar 21 weight 149.6
Mar 28 weight 149.2
Apr 4 weight 151.2
Apr 11 weight 151.4
Apr 18 weight 152.0
Apr 25 weight 152.2
May 2 weight 150.4
May 9 weight 148.8
May 16 weight 149.2
May 23 weight 149.4 (extrapolated)
May 30 weight 149.6
June 6 weight 148.4
June 13 weight 150.4
June 20 weight 151.0
June 27 weight 152.4
July 4 weight 149.6
July 11 weight 150.6
July 18 weight 151.0
July 25 weight 150.2
Aug 1 weight 148.8
Aug 8 weight 149.5 (extrapolated)
Aug 15 weight 150.5 (extrapolated)
Aug 22 weight 151.4
Aug 29 weight 150.4
Sept 5 weight 150.6
Sept 12 weight 151.8
Sept 19 weight 153.2
Goal weight: 130

[FrugalFan]

Great job @ elaine amj!

I know what you mean, Cookie78. I really haven't put my health as a priority in the last couple of years and am trying to change that. Accountability helps! I thought about this thread a few times this weekend.

Sept. 5: 148
Sept. 12: 146
Sept. 19: 145

A bit of progress! We also had a lot of social events with free food this weekend; willpower is not my strong suit. I did pretty well one day but not so much the next. Tried to make up for it yesterday. And on Friday, I went for a run for the first time in over a year!

[wildbeast]

Just fit into the next size down in pants.  Good news since last week was very stressful and hard and I had lots of other things on my mind other than healthy eating.  Lost a dear friend.  And even though I've been an emotional eater for many years, this time I found myself actually eating less than normal.  Also had my period this past week, just ending now, and was able to handle the stress and tiredness by taking lots of naps instead of eating junk food. 

[wildbeast]

We also have company coming into town for the week and staying with us.  I'll do my best to stay with my workout schedule and healthy eating.  I like working out first thing in the a.m.  It sets the tone for the rest of my day, but having guests will make that a bit challenging as I like to blast music while I workout.  I'll just do my best and remember to take care of myself and let the guests fend for themselves a bit more than I normally do.  They can take care of themselves too, they're grown-ups!  :)

[oneday]

I am now hovering around 7 pounds lost, and I have seen the number for 8 pounds lost on the scale twice within the last three days. 

Well I am fluctuating between 7 and 9 pounds lost.  Most of the time between 8 and 9.  I saw 10 when I was sick, but that was just temporary because I'd lost my appetite. 

In the last two weeks, I have been hovering between 9 & 11 pounds lost.  I did add back about 3 pounds after a 4-day vacation, but quickly came back to the current level once home.  Please with this progress, even though it's so slow.  I am not feeling deprived & notice an increase in healthy eating (far less soda, easier to avoid random doughnuts in the office).

Scrubbyfish, I still have not tried the frozen fruit meld, but I think today's the day!  Temperatures spiked yesterday & today, so that's perfect.  The big holdup was I had not peeled the banana before freezing.  Rookie mistake!  Then ran out of time before leaving town to either thaw enough to peel or just cut the peel off.

[scrubbyfish]

So many great updates today!

Ah well, at least I'm still posting my embarrassing updates and keeping myself accountable.

Yep! That really IS good!
 

Please with this progress, even though it's so slow.  I am not feeling deprived & notice an increase in healthy eating

Love this :)

Scrubbyfish, I still have not tried the frozen fruit meld, but I think today's the day!

It's cool/rainy/cozy here today, but I'm about to have it for my second time today! :) 
Too bad about the peel, ack!
After I eat my second batch, I will be peeling and chunking a couple of dozen again.

Just fit into the next size down in pants.  Good news since last week was very stressful and hard [...] able to handle the stress and tiredness by taking lots of naps instead of eating junk food. 

M.Darcy, I'm so sorry about your friend!

I'm so glad you were able to take care of yourself in that first wave of grief, and also during your period. Also great to hear you planning for the guests to do a bit more self-care. These are all really solid points of progress/health.

And on Friday, I went for a run for the first time in over a year!

Wow!

And doing well on one day out of two is also better than 0/2 :)

[scrubbyfish]

I too am doing well.

Down 8.4 pounds since start (approx six weeks).
No struggle/deprivation/cravings/losses.
Very happy with what I look and feel like :)

Cancelled meeting aspect of my WW membership, as it doesn't fit my autumn schedule.
For same reason, purchased tiny Taylor scale for home—loving a daily weigh-in.
Have continued with WW's online system that I so love.

Had planned junk food on Saturday. That felt right :)
Gained 0.

Upped my food volume per new lifestyle and some resulting hunger.
Set my WW online system to add food room upon exercise, because I get weak and hungry otherwise.

Newest "fast food" is half can of salmon inside a small wrap bread, salt and pepper, roll it up.
Travels well, tasty, very sustaining.

[1967mama]

I've decided to do another Whole30 ... successfully lost 48 pounds last year (took a full 12 months) and have been stumbling around the same 5-8 lbs up/down/up/down since the spring. I have about another 30 to get back to a healthy weight for me and this is truly the only thing that has ever worked for me. Day 1 completed :-)

[RedmondStash]

I've decided to do another Whole30 ... successfully lost 48 pounds last year (took a full 12 months) and have been stumbling around the same 5-8 lbs up/down/up/down since the spring. I have about another 30 to get back to a healthy weight for me and this is truly the only thing that has ever worked for me. Day 1 completed :-)

For the past few days, I've been toying with the Whole30 thing. I'm not doing it all at once because my tantrum-prone digestive tract would rebel, but I'm reducing sugar, chocolate, grains, and dairy, to see what happens. It feels pretty odd physically, but so far, I'm not craving sweets as I thought I would.

Plus my caloric intake has dropped way down.

Interesting experiment.

[JoJo]

I still seem to be steadily losing 1/2 pound a day with a few plateaus here and there so now am down 3 more since last week's update.  So, the grand total lost in 2016 is 93 lbs!  I've ratcheted up my intensity of workouts so that's helping to keep momentum. 

Lots of motivation to lose - Las Vegas in late October, Cuba in November.  I'm thinking about signing up for a conference in May of next year that is my "dream job" for early retirement.

One anti-mustachian tendency is I'm tempted to buy clothes that I don't really need but look cute.  I spent $30 on clothes this weekend that I didn't need (tank tops & a skirt for Cuba).  But, I guess on the other hand I've saved 100's on food by eating healthier and less this year.  On a related note, I officially fit in my suit I wore for interviews almost 11 years ago and have head shots for work in a week so now have something nice to wear!

[scrubbyfish]

I hereby declare (for accountability):

I am making zero effort for weight loss currently.
I dropped 8 lbs, and then started to feel very hungry.
This has remained true for four days, so I am just going to eat to not-hungry and weigh daily.

If I go up, I will revisit.
When my hunger has mellowed again, I will set my next release goal.

But for now, I am at maintenance.

[RedmondStash]

I still seem to be steadily losing 1/2 pound a day with a few plateaus here and there so now am down 3 more since last week's update.  So, the grand total lost in 2016 is 93 lbs!  I've ratcheted up my intensity of workouts so that's helping to keep momentum. 

I just have to say, that is damned impressive.

[Frugal Lizard]

I still seem to be steadily losing 1/2 pound a day with a few plateaus here and there so now am down 3 more since last week's update.  So, the grand total lost in 2016 is 93 lbs!  I've ratcheted up my intensity of workouts so that's helping to keep momentum. 

I just have to say, that is damned impressive.

I second that - truly impressive

[scrubbyfish]

I hereby declare (for accountability):

I am making zero effort for weight loss currently.
I dropped 8 lbs, and then started to feel very hungry.
This has remained true for four days, so I am just going to eat to not-hungry and weigh daily.

...therefore, after five days at precisely the same weight, I suddenly dropped 1.4 and have reached 10 pounds released! A surprise.

I like eating a lot. As in, volume. I'm really glad I did what my body needed.

[JoJo]

I still seem to be steadily losing 1/2 pound a day with a few plateaus here and there so now am down 3 more since last week's update.  So, the grand total lost in 2016 is 93 lbs!  I've ratcheted up my intensity of workouts so that's helping to keep momentum. 

I just have to say, that is damned impressive.

I second that - truly impressive

Thanks.  Hopefully in 2017 it will be a "Maintaining Weight in 2017" thread!  24 to realistic goal, 34 to stretch goal now.  This is my most challenging time of year - it's too easy to fall off the wagon when all the Halloween candy is plentiful.  Candy is one of my major triggers.

[firelight]

Started eating healthy this week but I realize my downfall is snacking (and late night snacking) in particular. I eat when I'm in the kitchen. Since I prep food for all, I'm there most of the time and end up eating something or the other :( I need to find a way to break this habit.

On a good note, I competed with a friend on one of the Fitbit challenges and walked like crazy (for me). Usually I'm happy with 5k steps a day but she pushed me to walk atleast 10k steps a day and sometimes more. Going to keep this momentum going since I realized this makes my toddler tired too and she sleeps earlier. And I get to spend more quality time with her.
 Sounds like win-win-win.

A big part of my culture is rice but all diets ask me to avoid rice. Has anyone eaten rice and still lost weight?

Ok... I've avoided rice like plague and the scale has moved.... 1 pound. Trying to up my exercise quotient but it's super hard with a toddler at home and full time work. Trying this week to see if I can do my workout at the office before work so I can really concentrate on it. At this point, I'm still only walking but started to add some light jogging in.

Thanks to this thread, I'm going to start journaling what I eat so I can really find the plugs. My suspicion is that I just eat way more than needed due to peer pressure from teammates (we eat lunch together and our lunch is provided by work, so I don't have a way to portion it before hand) or husband (I linger till he is done with his meal and end up eating just to keep company). Add in all the food that goes in because my toddler rejected it and I'm pretty sure I'm looking at two extra meals easy.
Here is my weigh in chart (goal:135)
In Jan I was 150
Apr: 143
May: 140
June: 152
July: 153
Aug: 155
Sept: 157
I'm hoping to get it down to atleast 150 by end of Dec so I close the year with no gains in the weight department.

[elaine amj]

@Travelling Biologist So nice to see progress!!

@oneday awesome that you are feeling good about what you are eating

@scrubbyfish CONGRATS on the nice drop. Sometimes weight hangs around for no good reason and then just goes in a swoosh!

As for me, my friend showed up and as predicted, I gained over the weekend. By Tuesday, I was FIVE pounds over. 2 days later, 3 pounds of water weight came off so overall only up a couple of pounds. Eating light today and tomorrow because the weekend will kick off almost a whole week of eating. Going to do my best to keep up my activity levels up but expect to put on another couple of pounds by the time this is over.

[Frugal Lizard]

Yesterday was weigh-in day for me but I had to catch an earlier train and I am really trying to cut my data use so I didn't post.
I am now 126 again.  I think what has helped is the portion size.  We have been eating outside because the dining room is being redecorated/renovated.  Only have a small table on the front porch so we load our plates in the kitchen and don't go back for seconds.  It is really easy to be mindful this way. 
Also I have really upped the veg intake - and cut back the cheese to garnish only portions.

Nice to be see all the successes others are sharing.  Maybe you haven't lost weight in a while or maybe you have put some back on.  I still consider you having a success because you are still holding yourself to account.  I got over weight by sticking my head in the sand and pulling my head out was a huge for me.  Keep up striving to eat well and be healthier.

Anyone have any reading recommendations to share about healthfulness, or cooking?

[JoJo]

I've had the last crappiest 4 days this year, this diet - another plateau was hit lasting since Monday, which is totally expected after all the loss, but I feel absolutely drained - no energy, sleepy, etc.  I'm debating if I can get out of this by just allowing myself more calories, or a cheat day but afraid of what that might lead to.  Any advice?

[scrubbyfish]

Sorry you're in a rough patch, JoJo.

I would think your next step would depend on the approach you're using/preferring. Different people are triggered by different things. So, while including some junk food last Saturday was just fine for me, that could be the start of a slippery slope for someone else. Some days I need more volume, some days junk, some days more protein, some days more sleep, some days other forms of self-care like a hot bath, a massage, time with a friend, or fun movement.

What is your preferred dietary approach?
What wiggle room does it suggest for tricky stretches?
Is it time to intentionally slow the weight loss, like to 1-2 lbs per week?

[JoJo]

So, the good news is I didn't binge this weekend even though I was tempted to.  Thank goodness the weather was great and I had planned 2 hikes with friends for both days.

The scale this morning was so discouraging.  I'm done 1/2 pound since last monday morning.  In that week not only did I eat extremely healthy, I also: lifted weights (2x50 min), did ellipical for 65 minutes, went for 2 city walks (about 60 min), hiked 8 miles with 1800 ft gain, and hiked another 8 miles with 2000 ft gain.  Ugh!

Anyways, I'm going to try to stop beating up on myself when the scale doesn't show it.  I do think my legs are looking much toner this morning so maybe it is just muscle building up now.

[Cookie78]

I think I finally hit the bottom of the barrel point! I ate SO poorly on Friday at a cousins wedding. SO MANY YUM DESSERTS! Saturday I felt disgusted with myself and wasn't even tempted by the popcorn and chips at my aunt's house, my two weakest points. Saturday and Sunday I ate really well. Today has been good so far. Skipped the chocolates at work, but had a piece of zucchini banana bread that a coworker made for breakfast. And LOTS of tea, no cream, no sugar, all three days. I even got myself out of bed after sleeping in to go orienteering yesterday. And I will go for ice cream celebration tomorrow afternoon with co-workers, but I am not getting an ice cream. Once I hit that point and finally convince myself that I don't need (insert bad things here), it's so much easier to continue avoiding them the next time. It's like I'm convincing myself that yes indeed, I DO have willpower, and I don't have to listen to the little devil on my shoulder. :)

Monday check in:

Jan 4 Starting weight: 160
Jan 11 weight: 156
Jan 18 weight: 155.2
Jan 25 weight: 156.8
Feb 1 weight: 155.2
Feb 8 weight: 153.2
Feb 15 weight: 151.6
Feb 22 weight 152.6
Feb 29 weight 152.2
Mar 7 weight 149.4
Mar 14 weight 149.4
Mar 21 weight 149.6
Mar 28 weight 149.2
Apr 4 weight 151.2
Apr 11 weight 151.4
Apr 18 weight 152.0
Apr 25 weight 152.2
May 2 weight 150.4
May 9 weight 148.8
May 16 weight 149.2
May 23 weight 149.4 (extrapolated)
May 30 weight 149.6
June 6 weight 148.4
June 13 weight 150.4
June 20 weight 151.0
June 27 weight 152.4
July 4 weight 149.6
July 11 weight 150.6
July 18 weight 151.0
July 25 weight 150.2
Aug 1 weight 148.8
Aug 8 weight 149.5 (extrapolated)
Aug 15 weight 150.5 (extrapolated)
Aug 22 weight 151.4
Aug 29 weight 150.4
Sept 5 weight 150.6
Sept 12 weight 151.8
Sept 19 weight 153.2
Sept 26 weight 152.4
Goal weight: 130

[wildbeast]

So, the good news is I didn't binge this weekend even though I was tempted to.  Thank goodness the weather was great and I had planned 2 hikes with friends for both days.

The scale this morning was so discouraging.  I'm done 1/2 pound since last monday morning.  In that week not only did I eat extremely healthy, I also: lifted weights (2x50 min), did ellipical for 65 minutes, went for 2 city walks (about 60 min), hiked 8 miles with 1800 ft gain, and hiked another 8 miles with 2000 ft gain.  Ugh!

Anyways, I'm going to try to stop beating up on myself when the scale doesn't show it.  I do think my legs are looking much toner this morning so maybe it is just muscle building up now.

Sounds like you are gaining muscle and that's affecting the scale.  This is why I don't weigh.  I gain muscle much faster than I lose fat, so if I were to gauge my success with a scale it would be very discouraging.  But gaining muscle is a positive thing and adds to our health in many ways so actually something to be celebrated.

This past week I was feeling like I was gaining in the my tummy area - my problem area - and I was wondering what was up because I was doing everything the same.  I figured I was building my abs muscle wall and that was pushing the fat and making it stick out!  :)  So I just kept on with my routine. 

This weekend I increased my pushups per workout and I've added a cup of hot cocoa in the morning before working out.  The sugar and carbs will be offset with the increased workout and it's nice to have a little indulgence in the morning since now it's cold and dark when I get up.  Keeping those little indulgences helps me stay on track and not feel deprived.  I estimate that I've lost about 10 lbs of fat per month for the last 4 months.  My legs are looking great - lots of definition and very sleek.  My upper body is smaller, and definitely stronger, but that's where I carry my extra weight so I still have a ways to go there.

[wildbeast]

@scrubbyfish - thank you for your kind words about my recent loss.  You're very kind. 

I also want to congratulate you on achieving maintenance status!!!  Whoo-hoo!!!!!  :)  Good for you!

[scrubbyfish]

I also want to congratulate you on achieving maintenance status!!!  Whoo-hoo!!!!!  :)  Good for you!

My maintenance is only temporary :)    It was just acknowledgement of variables that said "it's time to let go of the idea of releasing pounds, and simply aim for/be satisfied with not gaining." I'm down 10 pounds since I started in August, am at a very comfy size/shape/weight, so at the top of "good." I could stand to lose up to 10 more, which I may down the road. For now, just letting it be.

[FrugalFan]

Great job everyone!

Sept. 5: 148
Sept. 12: 146
Sept. 19: 145
Sept. 23: 143.5

I can already tell the difference and my clothes fit better, so I am happy with the progress. My second kid gave me a pretty bad diastasis recti (abdominal separation) so I will never look like I did pre-kids, no matter what I weigh. But this means my waist is already larger because of the diastasis and even a few extra pounds makes it look much worse. At least I can hide it with my clothes a bit better now. And I've been enjoying running two days a week.

[rpr]

It's been a while since I posted in this thread.

Date      Weight (lbs)
7/26/2015           145
11/6/2015           134
1/14/2016           128
4/11/2016           128
5/29/2016           124
8/20/2016           127
9/26/2016           130

The scale has somewhat gone in the opposite direction :(

There have been a few things, the biggest of which have been travel. I was visiting family for almost a month. This usually means lots of food, lots of chatting, lots of sitting. It's a surprise that I did not balloon out more than this. Now I'm back home at least for the next three weeks before another round of work related travel.

[JoJo]

OK - now I def need to stop worrying about day to day fluctuations.  According to the scale this morning, I gained 2 pounds since yesterday!  I have been coming down with a cold for a couple days so all I had yesterday was a bowl of cereal for breakfast, my usual lunch of 3 eggs, veggies, and flax seed.  And for dinner I had a few slices of cucumber and made a package of soup mix - quinoa & kale.  The whole package is supposedly 390 calories.  Plus, I had 4 vitamin C/Zinc tabs to stave off the cold.  So yeah - apparently that makes you gain 2 pounds!

[wildbeast]

I was thinking yesterday that I've achieved my fitness goal I set for myself this summer - to feel strong and fit.  And that feels good.  There was no specific number in terms of weight loss tied to that goal.  I had a general idea based on how I wanted to feel and what size seemed to correlate with that.  For me it was a size 12.  I'm now down to a size 10.

In terms of weight, ideally I would like to lose another 40 lbs or so.  That would put me currently at 50% of goal.  Not sure how much I'm willing to work to achieve that extra 40 lbs.  As a 48 year old female, weight loss does not come as easily as it used to.  But I'm willing to give it a try.  I suspect that I won't see significant weight loss right now because I've increased my strength training in my upper body. In fact, I'll probably look bigger for a while.  But I keep reminding myself that I'm in this for the long-term benefits.  Delayed gratification - tough but worth it.

[Frugal Lizard]

Weigh in day again -
Still bouncing around 127. 
Having a real hard time keeping motivated to resist the second helping or the invitation to lunch.
On the upside - really when I think about it - seven months ago I was getting a little heavier each and every week so I am going to celebrate that I am still down 10 pounds. 
The cupboard doors are going back on slowly but the snacks are all hidden again.  I just have to stop eating them.
It is definitely getting a lot colder and I have a tendency to eat for a layer of insulation.  I am going to step up the mindfullness of this tendency. 

M.Darcy - getting fit and dropping to size 10 seems absolutely amazing to me.  Having muscle mass is really important as you age and helps keep bone density.  Bravo!

[scrubbyfish]

It is definitely getting a lot colder and I have a tendency to eat for a layer of insulation.

I'm stable at my 'down 10 pounds' and 'acceptable' weight, but I too am finding the above. There are very cool hours here now, and no warm pool, no hot tub, so I want to use food to get warm and cozy! My homemade ice cream is not as fitting.

M.Darcy: Yes, congrats! I can't imagine feeling a need to lose 40 from size 10, but in any case, a hearty congrats on being fit and strong!