The thing I am going to cut out is popcorn. I eat it with way to much salt.

A little about me. All through high school I was thin. When I met my husband in 1998 I was 107 pounds, then sometime in my later 20's I started to gain weight and fast, it was like one day I woke up and the clothes didn't fit any more. Since then I have had 2 children, a son in 2005 and a daughter in 2008. I had at least 30-40 pounds that needed to come off for my to feel good about myself again. I started on MFP at 175 (I am 5ft 7.5 in), and I am currently down to 152. My lowest weight was in Feb when I got down to 149/. I just seem to be stuck here. I love having the group and being able to post, and making connections with people who feel the same. I would love to get to 140, but have huge belly issues with all the excess flab from the pregnancies. I find I fall of track easy, one week I will be very dedicated with excerise and then the next I get slack. I love walking and jogging, so I have been trying to do lots of that. I am going to draw myself a little program so I can incorporate some weights in for arms, and exercises for legs and abs, so everyday I can do one, one day arms, next day abs, third day legs, then repeat. So if anyone has any small programs they would love to share that would be great. I love doing the little workouts off of the fitness magazine.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Renae

a bit late on posting here. Didn't lose a pound, was too relaxed as I was on vacation. That'll teach me!
I'm usually a huge fruit and veg eater, so I did well on that goal.
The thing I'm going to cut out is *sob* ice cream!

CW: 173.0 I'm going to cut out pasta and potatoes for this week. I've no problem adding 15 minutes as I'm trying to successfully complete walking 100 miles in June.

My Story - I had a wake -up call last December when a co-worker had a heart attack in the bathroom at work. He had just turned 40 years old, was a dad, a veteran, and a friend. He wasn't overweight at all and other then the shrapnel and war injuries I thought he was pretty healthy. He had suffered a mild heart attack years before and had just had a physical that exclaimed he was healthy. As another co-worker and I went into action to save his life I just kept thinking this should've been me. I'm the unhealthy one. I was so overweight and out of shape. I had a very difficult time with the CPR. Of course the nerves didn't help. I was in complete shock and watched as his life slipped away. When paramedics took over I simply broke down. He died right in my arms.

We always teased each other (those of us that are in horrible shape) in the office about you shouldn't eat that or you'll have a heart attack. Of course we don't joke anymore. That scared the crap out of me. If he can die in this crap office then who's to say I'm not next. I was already getting more sever problems with my diabetes that I was afraid to even share with my closest friends and family. I knew they would just worry about me. But not anymore. I opened up and told them of my new years resolution which I started a little early and they supported me like they always have. Problem is I know they thought it was another short-term diet, and it's not. I still have days, and weeks where I struggle and can't seem to stick with the exercise or have bad food choices but this is the longest I've ever gone staying fully committed to making a change. I want to see my kids graduate, get married, have babies of their own. I want to travel the world but not in a wheel chair but with my running shoes on. What kind of example am I showing my kids by ignoring doctors orders and saying well if I gotta die young I may as well do it eating the foods I love. Man how wrong was I? I am doing this for me! I know it gets tedious for my family having to listen to me complain, and talk about diets, and exercise all the time but they do love me and support me. When I reach my goals and maintain them I'm hoping the struggle stops since everything will become habit. But at least now I have a real chance of actually being around! Thanks for listening to my story! Have a wonderful day!

I would like to join this challenge if I still can. I just found it today!

My name is Kimberly and I am 30 years old. I have a 4.5 year old daughter and I've been married for 9 years (today's my anniversary!).

My Starting Weight is 184.1.
My Goal weight for this challenge is 169
My ultimate goal weight is 160

I try to stay around 1550-1600 calories a day and try to make it to the gym 2-3 times a week.

Not having the best week. Haven't really been counting calories. I'm going to cut out milk and nut butters for the rest of the week.

Here's the spreadsheet, up-to-date!

https://docs.google.com/a/u.pacific.edu/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Au1jrXpKSwMddFU3SVFjYm5RLTN4NGxkbERydXRFcFE#gid=0

Top Losers for the Week:
1. bbagnell13 - 7.6
2. magtize - 4.6
3. eava57 & ingalynn - 4.4
4. andreamkelly - 4.3

Wow some huge losses this week!! Well done to everyone!! And to you 4 especially :-) xxx
Thanks once again inskydiamonds xx

I'm having a really hard time with exercising this week. We have been so busy and I just haven't had any time to exercise...And then when I do, I am so exhausted that I can't make myself move!
I do know that one of my problems is staying up too late, in turn making me wake up later in the morning.

On a brighter note, I have done very well in the no soft drink/diet cokes this week for part one of this week's challenge. Woo hoo! And to keep myself from getting that caffeine headache, I have allowed myself one unsweetened tea each day, which has helped me tremendously to not drink the cokes!
Another thing that this subtraction has added is more water! At work, I have 2 options: coke machine or cold water dispenser. So I have increased my water this week as well!

Anyhow, I just wanted to touch base and check in! Hope you all are doing well!

My story:

I was a skinny, underweight child until high school, and then I filled out nicely. Once I got out of high school and started a full time desk job at age 18, my weight started going up as we were required to leave our desk twice a day for a 15 minute coffee break which we always took at the diner next door. Cheesecake, bagels, muffins with my tea twice a day. It added up. I've been a yo-yo dieter all my adult life (20 pounds up, 20 pounds down between 125 to 145) but it wasn't until after I had my second child and then headed into menopause at age 47 that my weight really started to skyrocket into the 160s and each year only got worse, hitting 190 in 1/2006 (was dealing with looking after my mother for 6 months during her devastating illness and subsequent death) and then again in 9/2011, with larger amounts being lost and regained. Each time I dieted and got to goal I used different fad diets (remember the good ol' fake Mayo Clinic diet with grapefruit and eggs?) and each time I reached my goal I swore I'd never let myself gain that much again. I went from 190 to 137 in 2006 using the Biggest Loser Club website. When I gained it all back the following year, and tried the BLC again, I just couldn't stick with it. I had a few foot operations that kept me from walking and doing exercise that required the use of my feet, so it made it hard to lose weight by exercise. Then I developed arthritis in my feet, knees and hips, and the pain made me think I'd never be able to exercise again. When I hit 190 again in Sept. 2011 and was having other health problems (emergency gall bladder removal, NAFLD -- fatty liver, high blood pressure, ulcers, etc.) my doctor told me I had to do something about it. It wasn't until this year that I realized that the pain from walking and exercising the arthritic joints felt no worse than the pain I was having without doing anything, so I might as well exercise and get the benefit of it! My son found this MFP website for me, and so far it's working much better for me than previous diets because I'm eating the foods I like, but monitoring the quantities, and adapting my favorite foods to make them lighter and healther, which to me means I'll be able to sustain this way of eating and exercising. I've lost 30 pounds now and my doctor just took me off one of my blood pressure medications and said my fatty liver was improving, and that gives me more incentive to stick with this. I think (I HOPE!) I've learned the lesson now that eating right and getting exercise MUST CONTINUE after goal weight is reached. We're supposed to learn from our mistakes, right?

Oh, and my other two challenges for this week -- 1) I've been cutting all chocolate from my diet this week and 2) the 15 minutes of added exercise has been alternating between Wii Fit Step, Wii Fit Run, or extra walking in the neighborhood. So far I've been good each day with both since this week's challenge began and I have high hopes I'll make it through to Tuesday morning with the challenges kept! The added exercise has been easy, but staying away from the chocolate has been killing me!

Went to Denmark on a studytrip 2 weeks ago, so this is my first update:

I lost 3 lbs in 2 weeks! :D

SW: 190
CW: 187
GW: 168


Plus, my boyfriend is on a dig right now for 5 weeks (we're both archaeologists) and I want to surprise him when he gets back! So my goal weight for the 21st of july is: 176 lbs! ambitious I know, but I know I can do it :)

Sorry, I have been away for a bit. Had to go out of town for business only to come home to find out my mother is very ill. Of course, this put a huge strain on any efforts to exercise and track anything going passed my lips! I will be weighing in this Tuesday. Haven't done any exercises except "running" back and forth between work and the hospital and then trying to finish the school year for my kids. Ugh! Afraid to get on the scale... I have a few days to buckle down and pay attention to me!

Just do the best you can. Family and relationships should always be a priority. Finding the balance between that and caring for yourself. is hard. It sounds as though you are figuring out how to do it though.

Not a very good week, barely any exercise and not eating right. Going to get back at it tom. Today I am taking the kids to the theater to see Madagasar 3, and then we have a final bash at a local bar in the next town. So needless to say today will not be a good day. So tomorrow is the start date. But then going into the city for 4 days with the boys which means eating and drinking. But on the bright side will be doing a lot of walking around at the Farm Progress Show Thurs and Friday.

Hope everyone is doing well. Hopefully I will get my head in the right place so I can stay more committed to eating right and exercising.

Reminder for the challenges!

- Pick one thing you should cut out of your diet and CUT IT OUT for the week
- Add FIFTEEN MINUTES of exercise to your normal routine
- Share your STORY with the group - why are you here and what motivated you to lose weight?

Bump to pass on.

hi just found this challenge can i still join

Not a good day. Was out till 4am, so very little sleep today, so lots of eating, and not healthy eating. Hope to get on the treadmill tomorrow evening, and will start logging again tomorrow. Scale was way up this morning, so hard to say what will happen Tuesday.

I just found this thread, is it too late to join? Seems like fun, with all the challenges. What are the requirements and how can I start?

I'm a pescetarian trying to lose 20+lbs and get in shape before my bf comes home from deployment end of the year.
5'4"
Highest weight: 185
CW: 156.9 (fluctuates a couple lbs)
GW: 140
UGW: 130

Happy Monday everyone! Weigh in tomorrow - hope you'll all do fantastic!!!

Just checking in with my challenges.
I've not had a drop of alcohol since 4th June so I'm going to count that as my cut out food - I find I just cant lose weight when I'm drinking at all but I do like to go out with my friends and have a few drinks. As a compromise to myself I've been doing one month off the drink then I allow myself a couple a week for the next month. Seems to be working so far :-)

I've been doing loads more exercise this week, I did 35mins instead of 20 on my exercise bike then I did 1hour the next day!
Went on a cycle ride yesterday and instead of doing the 3mile loop I usually stick with I went for the full 5mile loop! Think I shall have to look for a longer loop soon!!

Posted my story a few pages back :-)

Good luck for the morning everyone! xxx

i've had a tough time this week..could not find one ounce of motivation to work out!! i've been trying my hardest to keep a light diet and stay aware of what im eating. i was able to give up my fiber one brownie i have every afternoon at work lol. not expecting a loss this week. i hope i find my way back to the gym tomorrow!

I'm having a great week this time! I just hope my weight stays put for my weigh in tomorrow. :)

Cheers to No Surprises!

I am feeling a bit more encouraged lately. I haven't been able to do alot of excercising lately because of a severly sprained ankle. (8 weeks in a cast as of tomorrow.) I am just starting to get to the point where I can put a work boot on that has great ankle support and go for a short, slow (turtles move faster) walk. So my goal for this week was to just do a little more according to how my ankle was feeling. Some days I just sat with an ice pack or heat pack. Others, I slowly biked on the stationary bike making sure my foot did not hurt too much or went for a walk for a few minutes.

I am expecting my weight to go up this week, but I am actually excited about it. I am slowly gaining back muscle!! It feels good to be able to do things again. Even if they are small steps, they are in the right direction. My size isn't going up anymore, so the weight isn't as important right now. That will come as I get more mobile.

MFP has been great for helping me stay somewhat on track with my eating. Although, I will admit there were days that I had complete meltdowns of frustrations because I could not do anything and devoured many foods I probably should not have. At the time I did not care and honestly, some days it really helped.

Love it!!!

Good luck tomarrow!!!

Hello everyone! Hope you all had a good week....mine was so so...didn't do well with the adding the extra 15 minutes of cardio but I did pretty well with only havig 2 soda's this week.I bought some Sparkling Poland Spring waters to help me with that craving.

My Story: My tagline in my profile is "Skinny Fat - to - Skinny Fit"... I need to begin a healthier lifestyle and incorporate more exercise and healthier habits into my norm. I started to always feel like I was bloated and things just aren't fitting like they used to. I have some digestive problems (IBS-C) so that doesn't help much either. There have been quite a few big changes in my life the past year but I don't want to use them as excuses for why I am not where I want to be health wise...I am using them as motivation to keep me going in the right direction.

Here's to another good week...just one more to go!