<p>Marilyn- 100% agree on this thread being a huge motivator.
I also did the weigh in and measuring this AM. Down a solid pound. It is the first new pound I have lost in a few months. I had been staying pretty steady. Both waist and hips are down 1 1/2 inches since I last measured a few weeks ago.
Last night I made a delicious Chicken Parmesan that is actually not bad for you. It is Giada’s Chicken Parmesan recipe on the Food Network site. It doesn’t bread the chicken and you will not miss the breading. The chicken was a hit with the whole family.
[Chicken</a> Parmesan Recipe : Giada De Laurentiis : Food Network](<a href=“http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-parmesan-recipe/index.html]Chicken”>http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-parmesan-recipe/index.html)
I used a jar sauce which made the recipe both fast and easy.</p>
<p>Does it make me a bad person if I clicked in on this thread while I’m eating a small cupcake?! </p>
<p>Friday night pleasure, but I was pretty good the rest of the day!</p>
<p>Down a pound this week, when I’ve been losing about 2 pounds a week up to this point. Could be that plateau that I’ve been dreading…</p>
<p>abasket! A cupcake!!! How dare you!!!</p>
<p>Ah, but she is eating a SMALL cupcake.</p>
<p>You can make them with almond flour and flax seed.</p>
<p>…and let the dog lick off the frosting first…</p>
<p>Are you kidding? The cupcake was small, but the frosting was TALL!!! (I’d dump the “cake” part in a minute to just have the frosting… :)</p>
<p>Abasket, since I do not like frosting, we will make great cupcake eating pals: you’ll eat the frosting, and I’ll eat the cake. :)</p>
<p>I lost 5 pounds last week, the 5 pounds of water weight that my body always retains after a plane trip. I was looking forward to packing on anoher 5 lb, but I guess I will have to wait. :(</p>
<p>Decided to join this thread for motivation. This thread is encouraging and useful - hope it lives on. I lost 20 pounds a year ago and have kept it off but can’t seem to make any more progress. I would like to lose 10 more/love to lose 20 more. 2 more will get me into the normal BMI range. To lose the initial 20 I used a checklist system where everyday I gave myself checks for good habits (exercise, no sugar, no snacks ex. fruit etc). I think this system was great for adjusting my habits but it has gone as far as it will go in terms of weight loss and I need to track calories to make further progress. I am good about almost daily exercise and have learned a lot from the diet/exercise thread about tweaking my exercise routine for better results. I love moderate exercise but honestly don’t really like to push myself too much which is an issue. Anyway, my challenge this week will be to track calories (using livestrong) every day. If I can do that, I think I am off to a good start!</p>
<p>Welcome Journey! </p>
<p>I would also put myself in the category of loving “moderate exercise”, but not really interested or motivated to go hard core. I walk probably 45 minutes a day, and as the cold months come along, I will also work out (treadmill, elliptical type stuff) a couple of times a week in addition to walking.</p>
<p>Congrats on your 20 lb loss!</p>
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<p>Would you share some of that knowledge for those of us who are still intimidated by the other thread?</p>
<p>I checked out South Beach Diet Supercharged on Saturday; it is apparently an update of the original with added foods and a large section on exercise. (I never read the original.) Doing intervals is apparently a much more effective way of exercising, burning calories, and raising ones metabolism. I knew that, but this is motivating me to actually do it. Since I don’t have a lot of weight to lose, mostly inches, he basically indicated that more exercise will be the way. I already walk over an hour a day which keeps me from gaining weight, so now I will try to exercise smarter! This thread has motivated me to lose four or five pounds so far which is a LOT for me! Better yet, my clothes are fitting better.</p>
<p>Hey, all. I didn’t weigh myself for a week after having “gained” two pounds during my period. Weighed this morning, and the two pounds are gone. Am hoping to continue the downward trend.</p>
<p>Welcome, journey!</p>
<p>Welcome Journey!</p>
<p>Saw this in yesterday’s Tribune and thought it was appropriate for this thread: [A</a> bit of fit: Use the buddy system when working out - chicagotribune.com](<a href=“http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sc-health-0817-bit-of-fitness-20110817,0,2855983.column]A”>Don't underestimate the buddy system). I guess you’re all my buddy! The community on this tread is supportive and accepting, and I use it for accountability too.</p>
<p>I think a cupcake or cake without frosting is like a day without sunshine.</p>
<p>I need to start including some strength building exercise along with my mild aerobics - starting to get some loose flesh hanging in a few places like arms, abdomen, etc. I wanted to concentrate on just getting the weight loss going steady, but now it’s time for more, I guess. We do have some 3 pound weights, and I sure do know how to do crunches!</p>
<p>I drove DH to a business dinner (he with the brand new fake hip can’t drive himself yet) and I got to go too. It worked fairly well; I started with a Lemon Drop martini then ordered from the summer special - salad (wedge without bacon), prime rib, steamed broccoli, and - gulp - creme brulee (although I didn’t eat a lot). And a couple of small pieces of the best dark bread with raisins. It must have worked because no weight gain and a small loss. I think it’s the first time I’ve gotten steak/prime rib in a restaurant without potato! Nice to know I can eat out and find a way to stay true!</p>
<p>Welcome Journey!<br>
Well I’m checking in from my phone as I have no power or Internet or hot water, I might add. The silver lining is that I have to shower at the gym so it motivates me to go every morning until the power is restored. This thread has been going for a few months now and this would normally be the point in any weight loss attempt that I would throw in the towel and go back to bad habits. My weight loss has been slow and inconsistent but I am sticking it out with the help of my online friends:). I know I can do this. Getting back into a routine by going back to school and the fact that I finished grad school and will be able to cook at home more often will help.</p>
<p>Shall we point this poor soul to our little thread?</p>
<p>[Ask</a> Amy advice on weight - Weighty issue brings on Christmas challenge](<a href=“http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/tribu/askamy/ct-ae-0829-amy-20110829,0,2404010.column]Ask”>http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/tribu/askamy/ct-ae-0829-amy-20110829,0,2404010.column)</p>
<p>Really? By Christmas? “Honey, didn’t you know that I’m an atheist now, and therefore I do not do weight loss by Christmas?” Personally, I would have kicked this guy’s rear end so hard that he would be orbiting the Earth due to the resulting acceleration. :eek: I did not like Amy’s reply, not a bit! She should have told this lady to ask her H to be her motivator, personal coach and exercise buddy. I wonder how long he would last in those roles.</p>
<p>The other thread has a lot of detail which is hard for me to absorb but I guess the main messages that I finally got re exercise are intervals and weight training. I think I knew this before I started reading that thread but the repetition of the key messages and seeing that they really worked helped me to start to really believe it. I’ve switched my swimming to be about 1/2 intervals and that has been easy and fun. And if I do an elliptical workout, I choose interval options. As for the weight training, I still don’t do nearly enough but at least every week I do some for a few days. I also learned new exercises such as plank and side plank from that thread. I still have a long ways to go in developing a harder and more consistent routine with weights and am also getting used to working harder when I exercise.</p>
<p>Welcome, journey! </p>
<p>I’m back from what was supposed to be a 10-day vacation, extended to 12 days because of airport closings. I’m dealing with some storm-related issues, but nothing major, thank goodness. Our power was out but came back on; my sympathies to EPTR and any others still without power. No hot water is especially awful. I don’t think I’ll be able to read through everything I missed, but I hope to catch up to where everyone is.</p>
<p>Congratulations, Youdon’tsay and BunsenBurner on your recent losses, and journey on the 20 lbs! I will weigh myself tomorrow morning and see where I am. My guess is that I’m about where I was when I left. My eating wasn’t terrible but included some foods I wouldn’t normally eat, but I exercised more than usual - swimming every day.</p>
<p>journey, I have been using the 3 basic exercises on this website as a way to get into the core work from the other thread:</p>
<p>[Sciatica</a> and low back pain exercise videos-Evidence based sciatica, low back pain, and disc herniation exercises for chronic pain relief. - Videos of exercises for sciatica, low back pain relief.](<a href=“http://fixyourownback.com/Videos-of-exercises-for-sciatica,-low-back-pain-relief.html]Sciatica”>http://fixyourownback.com/Videos-of-exercises-for-sciatica,-low-back-pain-relief.html)</p>