The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[cydj21]

After last week's disappointment I am kind of afraid to weigh-in tomorrow morning.

With that said, it has been another strong week for me. I feel good, energetic, not tempted, and ready to keep going, so hopefully the scale starts to reward me some. Regardless, I am back to the gym this week. This morning I am meeting up with a girlfriend for a 3 - 4 mile walk and then I will hit the gym in the morning before work a few days this week. I ordered some of the Momentum flavor infusers in my next shipment. I am determined to start seeing bigger numbers and/or loss of inches so something has to give. Has anyone used those at all?

Yesterday was the first time I ever skipped a meal. I had my 4 and then we went out to dinner and I'm not sure how L my L/G ended up so I opted out of my pudding last night. I ordered the jumbo sea scallops which were said to be broiled, ordered broccoli instead of the potato, and picked all of the carrots, onions and croutons off of my salad. I thought I was going to be good to go until the scallops came out lightly breaded on one side so I spent half of my meal scrapping the scallops clean and trying to figure out if the broccoli was drenched in something. I had half a sense about me to just box it up and send it home for Mike to eat, but he was so disappointed to see me struggling to find something in a restaurant that I decided at $20/plate it was worth it to let him know I appreciated his wanting to take me out now that I am feeling good enough to do things like not eat the piping hot bread fresh from the oven. I suppose given that they were scallops, I could not have done too much damage, but when I was still feeling satisfied a few hours later I didn't figure I needed the extra calories. I've actually never strayed from the 5/1, but in this case I just have a gut instinct it was the wise thing to do.

Other than that, I'm still hoping to finish as strong as possible for Memorial Day weekend. I think Mike and I are taking my ring back to be sized down already so it fits when I finally get to wear it in a few weeks. It fit when we picked it up two days pre-MF and now it sloshes all over my finger when I try it on, so it seems best to have it sized before I start showing it off to everyone. My pre-Memorial Day loss is going to be rewarded with a good manicure so I am in top shape to show off my new bling! I'll post pictures of my ring once I am finally able to wear it...

Hope everyone has a good weigh-in today!

[cydj21]

It seems quieter around here again...just when I thought it was picking up! I was hoping to see more people around for roll call yesterday. If you're out there lurking, check in and let us know how the week went! I love celebrating with everyone and helping give that push to keep it moving when you work hard all week and see a 0.6lb loss like I did last week.

I am happy to report that the support from my MF ladies and my determination to keep strong resulted in a 4.6lb loss this past week, bringing me down 15.2lb total thus far. I may be able to eek in 20lbs lost in the first 4 weeks after all!

My tickers have been updated as per a change of scale batteries early last week so rather than doing the math to accomodate for the new weight, I'm just shifting...it was only a shift up of 1lb. That puts me 1.8lbs short of the 80# club and just 2.8lbs shy of FINALLY breaking into the 180s. I am really excited for this week! Hopefully I will be marking two nice milestones in the next several days. That to me is the true sign of forward progress.

I am back to working out this week! I walked 4 miles yesterday as I said and planning to hit the gym for a rather low intensity workout (compared to my usual standard anyway) each of the next three mornings just to get moving again and get a little sweaty. Because of mine and Mike's travel schedule on the weekends to do this whole long distance thing it is always more difficult to fit in trips to the gym on the weekends so I am not going to push it too much the latter part of the week, but just work on getting myself back in the habit of waking up early and dragging myself to the gym. From there I will work on adding more time and intensity to my workouts as it feels appropriate. I am finally about to drop into the teens with regards to how much weight I have to lose before hitting 100lbs lost and that is pushing me harder than you know.

[DogMa]

It's still REALLY quiet here for some reason. I wonder if people will ever come back. Even Jo hasn't been around in ages, and it's long past April 15. Lizabette's barely posted, too.

Great job on the loss, though. And you did what you could at the restaurant (but next time don't be afraid to verify how something is cooked and to ask for exactly what you want; most places will accommodate you). At the airport a couple of weeks ago, I actually heard a woman asking for a salad with specifically: 2 cups of greens, 3 ounces (or whatever) of chicken, 1/2 cup of black beans, etc. She was incredibly specific, and they gave her exactly what she asked for - and that was just a little fast-food Mexican place at the airport!

[cydj21]

I am going back to the gym today! I didn't make it up this morning...the shift back to cooler weather had me wanting to stay cozy in bed all day. With that said, I knew the hardest part of going back to the gym would be getting there and getting myself back in the habit of getting up an hour earlier. Once I have a routine going, I am great at maintaining it, but I do love to sleep, so I hate giving up an hour. On the other hand, I hate devoting what feels like an entire evening to the gym by the time I go home, walk the dog, change, go to the gym, drive home, shower and finally sit down.

Tonight the plan is to zone out to my ipod or the tv and get in a good brisk 30 minute walk. It will feel like being "lazy" compared to my old routine of a solid hour of walking and jogging 5-6 mornings a week plus additional ab work, resistance training, and yoga, but I don't want to push too hard too fast and burn out the first week back to the gym. I want to make it tonight, each of the next couple of mornings, Friday afternoon (my Friday hours at work are different) and then get in a good long walk over the weekend with dog before reconsidering what next week's routine should be.

I have a new shipment coming including some new things for me - vanilla shakes, blueberry oatmeal, and the Momentum flavor infusers. I am looking forward to the new flavors and expanding my MF horizons. I have my favorites and I typically stick to them because I know they work for me and are tolerable, and I always get fearful of ordering stuff I might end up hating and then being stuck with the situation.

Speaking of which, if anyone likes the chicken & wild rice soups and hasn't seen the Swap Shop post, let me know if you're interested in a trade of some fashion. I have at least 1.5 boxes. I enjoy them, but the soups just aren't keeping me appetized at the present moment so I'd love to unload them if possible. Let me know!

[DogMa]

Hey, that's MY routine almost exactly. I get up early (5 or 5:15), take care of the dogs and then walk or walk/run for an hour, usually six days a week. Plus do strength training three times a week and usually a couple of extra abs things if the mood strikes. And take the stairs pretty much every day, to our offices on the sixth floor. I hate getting up so early, but if I leave it till after work (or even plan to go to the gym AT work), I know I'll get lazy and skip it.

[summergirl]

CYD!!! Way to go... sorry i've been a slacker with getting on here. I haven't had much time. I've had a rough few days with my eating. But today is going perfectly, so I am happy about that.

I am glad to hear your weight loss. I thought about it all day yesterday and wondered how your weigh in went! Bravo-way to go...

Keep it up! (Or down, whichever the case may be!)

[cydj21]

I made it back to the gym this morning! I won't pretend it wasn't a struggle to pull myself out of bed, but I managed to do it and fit in a solid 30 minutes on the treadmill, a combination of walking and jogging. It felt great afterward to have gotten my heart rate up, gotten a good sweat going before work like I used to do most mornings. On the other hand, it was shocking to me how much harder a simple 2 miles in 30 minutes turned out to be when I used to go so much harder for so much longer. With that said, I know it'll be a process to work back up to where I was, especially with the lower calorie intake so I am just glad to be back on the fitness path.

I am completely intrigued by Robin's PUSH program and am very seriously contemplating bringing this into the mix once I hit 100lbs lost. I had intended to reward myself with a trainer, but this seems like PUSH may be a much more realistic option for myself both financially and commitment-wise. I can get the personal training I desire, keep up my cardio at the gym, and not incur the high expense of an actual personal trainer. I spent some time checking out the website last night and found myself really excited by the prospect of tackling a great program such as that. From Day 1 of restarting MF, I have always commited to myself that fitness and regular sweating would be a large part of the program for me, and I am excited to start making that happen. I even bugged Lauren a bit via PM with a bunch of questions, as I know fitness is a strong component of her lifestyle. It seems like a no brainer that regular fitness will make maintenance much easier, so I want to incorporate exercise throughout the remainder of my weight loss, too.

Summer! Thanks for stopping by....you best keep checking in with me! I cannot wait to finish this week and weigh-in on Monday morning. I am going strong and hoping for 20lbs the first 4 weeks.

By lunch time today I definitely felt tired from my workout so I added a couple of extra ounces of chicken to my L/G to give myself a bit more fuel for the day. Hopefully that will be enough to keep me rolling strong through the rest of the day. I will judge energy level before deciding whether or not to hit the gym both tomorrow and Friday mornings or to cut out tomorrow morning.

[DogMa]

You might need to add a shake on workout days, or bump up to the 70s from the 55 kind if that's what you're using.

As for strength and endurance and all that, you'll build it back up pretty quickly if you start working out regularly again. But it can definitely be harder on so few calories, so don't push TOO hard.

As for the PUSH stuff, I highly recommend it. I'm finishing up my second or third DVD and I'm impressed by how closely it matches my abilities each time. Challenging enough that there's always something I can't quite do, at least in the beginning, but not so hard that I can't manage any of it and get discouraged. And I love having a new workout every two weeks, to keep things fresh (although this one doesn't have my "dolphins" that I worked so hard to do, which makes me sad).

Plus I have a bit of a stockpile of their DVDs because I took some time off when I was sick and changing jobs and away in Montana, but I contacted them and they can suspend your account (at no charge) for up to six months. So they're not going to send me a new DVD for the next two months, and then they'll start right back up where we left off. So I should be all caught up by then.

And Bob makes me laugh every time. I even loaned my first DVD to a friend to try, and she's enjoyed it, too. Although she's a bit less fit, so she has to skip a few moves. She's thinking of joining, too, once her gym contract is up.

[cydj21]

Well I opted out of the gym today. I don't think I'm quite ready for back-to-back morning workouts, but I plan to make it tomorrow after work before Mike gets up here for the weekend. I have that pleasant dull soreness going on in my legs today...which I am oddly enjoying because it's proof that I am finally moving again. For a girl who used to jog most days of the week, I am glad to be back in the groove.

I have one of those wonderful NSVs to share today! This morning I slipped into a pair of 16s that are cut fairly small and found them slightly loose again, after having them feel rather uncomfortable to the point of avoiding them in the dresser drawer before I rejoined the MF family. This weekend I am going to follow suit of people like T and Robin and rid my house of all clothing that is too big. It's just too easy to put on weight and not consciously acknowledge it with clothes lying around the house that will fit at a bigger size. I am guilty of this over the last couple of months! I have one pair of jeans, size 20, that I keep as my "before" jeans...even though technically I started at a size 22, but I had ditched all of those before thinking about saving a pair for reference down the line. So, I saved the 20s that were my first new jeans when I started slimming down.

Happy May everyone! A little over 3 weeks until it's time to weigh-in for our Memorial Day goals!

[cydj21]

My gym clothes are in the car and I am ready to hit the gym right from work this afternoon. I was surprised that I didn't have to fight myself to get my things together. Usually my excuse is if I have to stop at home to change it'll take too long and I won't be able to fit in a workout before Mike gets here...so sometimes I try to "forget" to pack a change of clothes. Interestingly enough, today I just got out of bed and did it so perhaps that is progress in and of itself.

I fully admit that I continue to be a daily scale hopper. It became a habit for so long in between MF bouts and it helped me to never lose track of where I was and avoid regain. If I noticed I was avoiding the scale, I would realize there must be a reason and I'd force myself back on so I could correct my actions. I told myself I'd be only a weekly scale hopper now that I'm back on MF, but I haven't been - I am on that sucker every morning. Right now, the scale is making me happy. I really cannot wait for official weigh-in numbers on Monday morning. I haven't lost a ton this week, but what I have lost is taking me into whole new territory and it is incredibly motivating. I will reserve sharing any numbers until they are "official," but I feel fantastic and think it might even be possible to hit my initial goal of 20lbs in 4 weeks.

[DogMa]

There's nothing wrong with weighing every day, as long as you don't let the numbers control your life (and adjust your food or exercise every time it inches up or down a hair). Several studies recently have shown that people who weigh daily do a better job of maintaining their weight loss.

[DogMa]

And are you starting to feel like it's just three or four of us here lately??

[lifelovinaries]

I'm here!!!! Yeah, well, kinda-sorta. I wanted to try and pop in before i have to pick my son up from his game. I didn't make it back in time to see the game and he has to ride the bus home so i just came home. Now i have to get ready to leave to pick him up. Ok, i hijacked and went off topic for a sec.

Anyway, cyd, i know what you mean. I too am on the scale daily. At first i would let the numbers get me down if the scale jumped up but i learned more about my body and weight fluctuations in comparison with days of the week and times of the month. I use daily weighing as a tool. Like Robin said, you just can't let the numbers control your life. Now if i could allow exercise to control a little something...

[cydj21]

I hear ya on the exercise! I've made it a couple times this week, but it has not been as easy to get back in the groove as I thought. With that said, I'm not down on myself about it, because every small step counts and I know I'll manage to swing into gear here soon.

Overall, the scale is definitely a helpful tool for me. I think I've learned enough about daily fluctuations over the last couple of years that it doesn't bother me. I weigh in the morning and take it for what it is...it does help immensely that my scale tracks hydration levels because I can easily see if I'm retaining more water than usual and/or am a bit dehydrated and therefore can't count on the weight "loss" as a true loss. I figure, as long as the overall trend is down, I am happy with that...so I don't start subtracting numbers, "Oh! I've lost Xlbs this week so far!" and just reserve all such "official" calculations until weigh-in day. It works for me so I go with it...but this week I have no complaints with where my downward trend is taking me so I am really motivated to keep kicking butt.

This is my first weekend at home in over a month. I've been making the drive to Mike's most of the time because his baseball coaching schedule has been nuts, but he doesn't have any games this weekend so I got to come home after work and just be here - no car for 2+ hours! We're running a lot of errands today, including a trip to the giant tri-level Barnes & Noble that we love. Oh goodness. Book stores are a scary thing when you get a literature buff such as myself and an English teacher such as Mike in one together!

Also, dropping my ring off at the jeweler's to be sized. No, I'm not even wearing it yet, but yes it is already WAY too big. Thanks, MF!

[katieb920]

Wow seems like you are going to be pretty busy today. How exciting on your ring. What a great little NSV. Those are the best... I am really jealous of the Barnes and Nobles They were gong to build a big one around here, but the township nixed that idea. They did not want to effect the local bookstore. Which I understand but there books are like 3 to 4 dollars more a book.

I also totally agree about weighing everyday. I have one of those scales that can weigh 4 people. So on person #1 I weigh on sunday and keep that for the week. Then ON person #2 i weigh in everyday. It really keeps me motivated. Last year it would bug the living day lights out of me if I would have to wait a whole week. And I think it is easier for me to stick with the program. For instance when I would Weigh in on Sunday, I would say I have a whole week let me cheat I have a whole week to lose it. Well I would never go back on program. And I would just pig out. sorry for the hijack. I completly forgor this was your journal not mine.

PS YOUR DOING AWESOME