Start Weight: 133
Goal Weight: 115 - 120
Height: 5 feet, 1.5 inches
Sex: Female

To answer most of the questions from the Sticky:

1. How much weight do you want to lose?
- 13 - 18 pounds

2. What is the timeframe for reaching your target weight?
- By May 1st. So, that's approximately 12 weeks.

3. How do you want to accomplish your goal (what methods do you want to use)?

Food:
- Counting calories
- Eating several small snacks between meals in a day

Exercise:
- High intensity cardio (3 - 4 times a week)
- Interval cardio with and without weights (twice a week)
- Weight/Strength training (once a week)


4. Who or what can support you in reaching your goal?
- My mom, myself, and hopefully this forum.

5. How realistic is your goal?
- Fairly realistic, but I think I may need to reevaluate the time frame once I've gotten down to 125.

6. When will you start?

Now!

As far as the exercise portion of this goes, I think I'm pretty set. I'm kinda addicted to exercising - I really love it. My major problem area is with the food (see question 8).

7. What brings me here?

When I was in college, I lost quite a bit of weight. I went from 168 - 138. Then, in graduate school, I went from 138 - 124. Around this time last spring, I consistently weighed between 124 - 128.

I find it VERY mentally and emotionally taxing that I have gained some weight over the last year. I know that most of the weight gain has been rooted in going through some external life challenges and in the transition from being a student to being a full-fledged member of working society.

I feel like I've been trying to lose that last bit of weight for quite some time, and it can be just really tiring. Sometimes I fear that I've given up on myself and my potential because I've been having a really hard time getting back on the weight loss track (and have been sabotaging my goals with periodic binges).

I'm here to get on-track again and find some support along the way. I've read through several of the posts on this forum (but not all of them b/c there is quite a lot) and find them very comforting and helpful.

My overall goal is a little bit less about losing weight and way more about feeling like the best version of me with a calm mind and regularly-maintained healthy lifestyle.

8. What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals?

- I already plan each day according to my planned calorie/food intake in a separate (paper form) diary. When I follow the plan, I feel GREAT that day. HOWEVER, I have major challenges with:
- Eating excessive quantities of food when I'm tired or stressed (even though almost everything in my home is "healthy," it is definitely possible to over-eat on the healthy options.)
- Feeling like I deserve a "treat" to wind-down in the evening

- Meaning, it can be very challenging to stick to the plan and/or not succumb to bad habits.

9. Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook?

- Yes. I cook/prepare almost every meal that I make. I really make anything and everything. I will for sure add some of my healthy-version recipes later.

10. If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different?

- My belly would be smaller. My waist would be more narrow. My arms would be more toned. My thighs would be smaller.

11. Do you eat when you are not hungry?

- Yes. Usually a bored/tired/stressed thing.

12. Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)?

- Yes.

13. Do you hide your food or eat in secret?

- No.

14. Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed?

- No. I used to have a problem with this, but I've actually made some serious strides with this one over the years.

15. Do you eat as a reward?

- No.

16. Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer?

- Yes.

17. What do you normally eat for a meal?

- This varies. I used to be a vegetarian; and so, I have very veggie-tendencies. Common meals are beans and veggies; eggs; soy products.

18. What type of snacks do you eat?

- Low cal crackers; Cheese; 100 Cal Packs; Popcorn; Kashi Bars; Apple sauce

19. In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing?

- High intensity cardio (3 - 4 times a week)
- Interval cardio with and without weights (twice a week)
- Weight/Strength training (once a week)

20. Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym? Home?

- Gym and sometimes I run back and forth across a bridge nearby my home.

21. What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise?

- Running
- Kickboxing
- Cycling

22. What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals?

I'm not sure that I have such micro-motivation. My overall goal is finding the peace of mind that comes with living a regular, balanced, and healthy lifestyle.

23. Do you have rewards for certain goals?

Yes!

At Weight 128: Massage
At Weight 125: New adorable bras and underwear
At Weight 120: Fancy Dress
At Weight 115: Day at the Spa!!

Sometimes I can "lose" a bunch of weight all at once, so I'm only going to give myself these rewards when I have maintained said weight for a week - two weeks.

Yesterday was pretty good. I actually stuck to my plan for daily calorie intake, and I'm happy about that.

I am really trying to drink a lot more water during the day, and yesterday I was really good about sticking to it. It makes such a big difference in keeping hunger/tiredness/headaches at bay. I brought in a second water bottle to work, and it really lowered my "god, I don't wanna get up another time to get more water." There is just something about doing little things to make it "easier" to meet your goals.

BMR: - 1398
Calorie Intake: +1362
Exercise (combo of Interval Running and Elliptical): - 500

Net: -536

Week 1 Net: - 536

Yesterday, I went off my plan slightly and had some extra low-cal snacks. I think that's fine because it's better than a splurge.

I'm really glad that it's Friday because this has been a rough week at work. Tonight I'm going on a tour of some galleries, which I'm pretty pumped about (and it's more calories to burn!); and tomorrow, I have a full day of apartment-cleaning (which can be pretty cathartic), dinner with a friend (I'm trying to convince him to come over so that I can prepare the meal. I'm thinking Chicken Kabobs with Mushroom/Eggplant Rice.), and then dancing!

Yesterday's Stats:

BMR: - 1398
Calorie Intake: +1685
Exercise (combo of Interval Running, Elliptical, and walking): - 500

Net: -213

Week 1 Net: - 749

It's Monday morning, and I feel really good. After going in and out of several posts/forums, I've decided to set a new goal and new plan - something more measurable and particularized for my life/size.

First, I'm going to focus on achieving a calorie deficit RATHER than saying 'this week I will lose X amount of pounds." This is something that I can actually take action upon.

Second, I'm going to think about my calorie intake/expense in a weekly fashion rather than a daily thing. Every week I'm going to shoot for a 2500 - 3000 calorie deficit, which "should" mean between 2 - 3 pound loss per month. I think that this is sustainable for my body. Time and time again, I have lost between 2 - 5 pounds per week....and maybe that works for 1 or 2 weeks, but then my body/mind flips out and I gain it all back. harp. harp. harp.

Anyway, this weekend was really nice - lots of relaxing, hanging out with friends, and exercise. Also, I love cooking on the weekends. I made some lemon flounder, chicken kabobs, and mushroom rice. Delicious (and healthy!).

So, the weekly roundup:

Calorie deficit (only 5 days cause I started this mid-week): 2016

SW: 133
CW: 131.2
GW: 115
Height: 5 foot; 1.5 inches
Sex: Female

p.s. I happened to see this completely ridiculous commercial for a sex-ified/orgasm-inducing TEDDY BEAR. Uh, say what? who would be fooled by this?

watch for yourself: YouTube - Vermont Teddy Bear Commercial

Have a great week everyone!

-SB

Hey, nice work so far!

I like your idea of tallying up your defecit at the end of each post so you can see if you're staying on track.

I'd wish you good luck, but you don't need it. I look forward to reading when you've reached your goals!

This last week was kinda a rollercoaster -- at work I was particularly stressed out, and the whole week I just felt bogged down.

So, I went up again--but oddly enough, not by much. For my Monday weigh-in, I was at 132.4.

I've got dinner plans this Thursday....and there is just something about mid-week dinner plans that scare me about going overboard or whatnot (which when I really think about it doesn't really make much sense because my "worst" behavior is when I'm alone, on my couch, and tired). Any suggestions to calm down? Any suggestions for making good choices at dinner?

I'm trying to just trust myself and see how it goes. It's kinda scary that I question/fear that.

-SB

You will achieve your goal weight, I have no doubt. You have a plan worked out, and just take it day by day.

Good luck with it all.

Hey Seeking Balance!

Are you going to a restaurant for this mid week dinner? If so, maybe you could pop in the day before and have a look at their menu. Find something healthy on the menu and stick with that choice when you go back with your friends. That way you wont be imagining how incredible everything would taste when you're sitting there wanting it now. You'd be far less likely to give in to temptation!

Just an idea!