Hey Sophie!! I am so sorry I have been MIA...
Ive had such a dismall time. I don't know whats going on, but I am feeling better lol...

but I am happy you are two more pounds down!! whoot whoot! Hun that is awesome. And you have started some exercise, which is good. My eating has gone so down and the exercise too!! I didnt know what to do, but now I do. I am writing letters and giving me a reason to walk to the post office. And I am volunteering at the Library starting Monday. I went up for books this time ..

and btw I love the music you have chosen! Stokingly hot!!
I hope you have a good weekend hun

love yas
always
natalie jo

Breakfast—high-fiber cereal with fresh strawberries and skim milk, coffee with fat-free sweetened condensed milk
Snack—fiber bar
Lunch—chicken, spring green salad with light balsamic dressing, whole-grain roll
Snack—carrots and hummus
Dinner—stir-fried vegetables with shrimp
Snack—one cup coffee with fat-free sweetened condensed milk

Natalie Jo, I'm so sorry things have been dismal for you. They haven't been particularly hilarious here either. As to losing…I'll probably be happy tomorrow if it turns out that I've maintained. Some bad habits seem to be creeping back, and I definitely need to weed them out. Yay you for the post office and the library. I wish I could make time to volunteer, but I'm very, very bad at time management.

Weigh-in morning post! I'm down a whopping .8 pounds this week. Not exactly overwhelming, but at the same time, as long as things don't go the other way, I'm generally quite happy. Besides, I'm less than five pounds away from my next goal. That is good work, even if it's not quite as much as I'd like. I just have to keep going, and since I should have more time to myself this week, it should be okay.

Hi Sophie,
Any loss should be celebrated! .8 pounds is practically 1. Which is practically 5. Which is basically 20, LOL.
You were right about me eating more, my weight loss has halted, which sucks. Hopefully if I keep at it, my body will get used to the extra calories.

Congrats Sophie!! .8 pounds is almost a whole pound, be happy. I have headed in the wrong direction. I weighed in at 276 this morning. It was a rude awakening. It woke me up big time. I realized what I was letting slip through my fingers. All my hard work, u know. I used to be 320, I was so miserable. I dont need to be that again. So I am building up on the happiness track and I am on the track to doing this and thank you for your needed support! Thank you so much my friend!!
and being there for me!!

I am proud of you as well. You have been so damn busy and you are seeing a loss! You go girl!!
Your doing so good...
Keep it up Sophie!!

love yas
always
natalie jo

Saturday:

Breakfast—two slices whole-grain toast, one tbsp currant jelly, one poached egg, kipper fillet with non-fat sour cream, coffee with two tsp sugar and skim milk
Snack—fiber bar
Lunch—chicken; whole-grain roll; non-fat, sugar-free cheesecake pudding with fresh blackberries
Dinner—half a cheeseburger, french fries with mayonnaise, small portion barbecued chicken strips with ranch dressing

Sunday:

Breakfast—high-fiber cereal with skim milk, coffee with two tsp sugar and skim milk
Snack—fiber bar
Lunch—half a cheeseburger, fresh watermelon
Dinner—leftover barbecued chicken strips, sweet potato fries, coffee with sugar and fat-free half-and-half
Horrible, awful 3 a.m. snack—lean cuisine pizza, homemade pumpkin bar

Monday:

Breakfast—fiber bar
Lunch—sugar-free smoothie with soy powder
Snack—sunflower seeds, pumpkin bar
Dinner—chicken, brown rice, black beans, fat-free sour cream, salsa
Snack—coffee, pumpkin bar

Carrie, don't don't worry about the pause. Your body is adjusting, and once it gets straightened around, you'll have smoother, healthier weight loss.

Natalie Jo, thanks for the support—I'm sorry you've been having some setbacks, but I know you're going to overcome them magnificently.

I'm so sorry I haven't posted here in days. I've been dealing with the final crush of the semester, as witnessed by my utter inability to eat properly or exercise for the past three days. It's very…intense and miserable. I hope for better things.

Yesterday's record

Breakfast—pumpkin bar, coffee with skim milk and two tsp sugar
Snack—fiber bar
Lunch—poached salmon filet with one tbsp light mayonnaise, capers, and a little bit of tabasco
Snack—one cookie, crackers with artichoke spread
Snack—tortilla chips with queso
Dinner—black beans, brown rice, fat-free sour cream, salsa
Snack—coffee, 90-calorie Special K bar, raisins

Another rather sorry day, but I think I've turned the corner nonetheless. I finally have the day off today, and I'm going to cook up a storm of healthy, tasty food so that I won't be yearning after crap.

Hi Sophie!

I'm really hoping things are winding down for you!! You've been doing wonderfully just looking at your food record. They're better than mine! I'm hoping that you can get some good rest soon and take some time for yourself.

Breakfast—two cups coffee with skim milk and two tsp sugar; oatmeal cooked with milk and fresh mango, topped with one tbsp brown sugar
Snack—skinny vanilla latte
Lunch—small portion low-fat cauliflower and leek soup with one tbsp crumbled goat cheese; whole-grain roll; mixed-lettuce salad with pear, fat-free feta, lemon juice and one tsp olive oil
Dinner—homemade mu shu pork and vegetables with brown rice
Snack—100-calorie ice cream sandwich, coffee as above

Heather, thanks so much for the encouragement. I'm finding my way back to normalcy, despite an ardent need for a grading marathon tomorrow, and then a few days of writing marathon after that! But today felt like I'd done something right, just by getting in my fruits and veg!

Yesterday's record:

Breakfast—mu shoo pork and noodles, coffee with skim milk and two tsp sugar
Snack—coffee with sugar and crappy powdered creamer
Lunch—grilled chicken sandwich, tater tots, lemon-berry slush
Snack—half a Clif bar
Snack—pretzel crisps
Dinner—salad with chicken breast, handful baked sesame crackers
Snack—hot chocolate, cheese and crackers

30 minutes on the elliptical.

And, it's weigh-in morning. I'm down one pound to 263.8 today. I have no idea how. I plainly do not deserve to be at 263.8. But here I am.

Nevertheless, I'm not going to let that get in the way of my knowledge that I need to reconnect with my goals so that I can continue to lose weight and be proud of myself. Yesterday was another sucky day, with me running around to errands and eating crap. But it's my responsibility to make sure that even sucky days don't lead to eating crap. I mean, imagine if I were a parent, and I said, "Oh, yes, I don't leave the toddler at home alone unless I have a really busy day." I would be worst parent ever. So I have to find a way to prioritize my healthy habits the same way a parent would prioritize looking after his/her child.

you take what you can get lol

1lb is 1lb!

Snack—fiber bar, one cup coffee with milk and two tsp sugar
Breakfast—two Kashi whole-grain waffles with pear and one tsp sugar
Lunch—salad with almonds, grapes, chicken breast, and sesame dressing
Snack—120 calories of dried fruit (mangosteen, dragon fruit, and cherries), coffee with skim milk and one tsp sugar
Dinner—pork tenderloin with marinade, sweet potato and parsnips; spinach salad with fat-free feta and dried cranberries and lemon dressing
Snack—hot chocolate

Not such a bad day. I didn't get any real exercise in, but I also didn't stuff things indiscriminately in my mouth, so that's something.

Wishes, you're absolutely right—I should just be thankful for the pound shed and then work hard to make it more next week!

Soph sweetie, when we get into a rut, we just have to climb out of it. It looks like you know exactly how to do it too, by convincing yourself it's not the end of the world and in the end, we're only responsible for ourselves. I'm proud of you for understanding this.

And the crap about not deserving to be at the weight you are now is B.S. Of course you do, you've been working SO HARD to be where you are, how can you not deserve it?

You're worthwhile sweetie. You're a beautiful, intelligent, captivating person. You deserve everything and more that the world can give you. Don't EVER forget that.

Breakfast—two slices whole-grain toast, one tsp marmalade, one wedge Laughing Cow light cheese, fresh mango, two cups coffee with skim milk and two tsp sugar
Snack—fiber bar
Lunch—vegetable curry, spiced lentils, 2/3 slice buttered whole-grain naan
Snack—coffee, half a Clif bar
Dinner—whole-grain pasta with avocado and shrimp sauce, leeks and brussel sprouts in mustard sauce
Snack—hot milk, one oatmeal cranberry cookie

No exercise owing to stupid, pointless oversleeping, but at least I felt back in control, eating-wise, today.

Rachel, thank you so much for all your generous encouragement. I suppose I meant more that I didn't deserve any loss this week in particular, but you're right. Even when I feel like I'm slipping, I'm still not giving in entirely, my brain is still on and preventing me from the worst behaviors. It's wonderful of you to be so kind and thoughtful.

Breakfast—two slices whole-grain toast, half a tin of drained sardines, coffee with skim milk and two tsp sugar
Snack—mango
Lunch— 70 calories of POM tea light, whole-grain pasta with avocado, spinach and shrimp sauce, leeks and brussel sprouts in mustard sauce
Snack—coffee as above, Lara bar
Dinner—spinach salad with goat cheese, apple, and walnuts; steamed artichoke; low-fat sardine spread on whole-grain crackers

26 minutes on the elliptical and 12 minutes of toning, so not a bad day, overall. Between yesterday and today, I'm starting to feel like I'm more in control of my health and body again.